Zinhle Mapumulo

Zinhle Mapumulo

Flamboyant gay socialite Dr Love has dropped charges of theft against his two best friends, Seth Mazibuko and Andries Molefe.

He made a sworn statement at the Randburg police station on Friday asking the court to withdraw charges against them.

Dr Love, real name Mveleli Gqwede, said: "We resolved the matter as friends and I'm now at peace with what happened.

"We reached an understanding shortly after their second appearance in court and they promised never to steal from me again."

Mazibuko, who is chief executive of the June 1976 Foundation, and his co-accused, Molefe, were due to stand trial in the Randburg magistrate's court on Tuesday.

But the magistrate told them they were free to go as their charges had been dropped.

They had been accused of stealing laptops and cellphones from Dr Love's car in April.

Asked why he decided to drop the charges now, Dr Love said: "I could not stand the pain of going to courts for months watching my close friends trying to defend their case.

"As Africans we have been taught to sit down and resolve matters quietly. This is exactly what I did."