The Unraveling of Lebo M and Pretty Samuels-Morake’s High-Profile Marriage
The world of Mzansi’s entertainment was rocked when South African music legend Lebo M (Lebohang Morake) and his estranged wife, Pretty Samuels-Morake, turned their lavish love story into a public legal storm. Once the couple dazzled in Johannesburg’s social scene—now, they’re locked in a fierce battle, lobbing serious accusations back and forth.
Everything started off in classic style—lobola negotiations in 2021, a R20,000 bride price, and promises of a future together. The deal should have included land and more gifts for Samuels-Morake’s family, but those promises went unfulfilled. Still, the couple moved into a nine-bedroom mansion, blending not just their lives but bank accounts and business ties.
Pretty Samuels-Morake soon took on roles in Lebo M’s businesses, including Lebo M Production and his charitable foundation. But instead of a partnership, Lebo M would later claim her involvement spiraled into what he calls outright exploitation. A mountain of issues erupted in May 2024, when Lebo M filed for divorce—and that's when the fireworks really started.
Fraud, Money, and the Disappearing Grand Piano
The list of grievances is long. Lebo M accused Samuels-Morake of forging his signature to access joint accounts, funneling off money in what he described as fraudulent transactions. The drama reached bizarre new heights with the unauthorized sale of his prized grand piano. Executive manager Khanyi Serakoeng was the first to sound the alarm about the sale, but the emotional fallout landed hard on Lebo M—he reportedly had an emotional meltdown during rehearsals when he learned of the piano’s disappearance. For an internationally celebrated composer, losing an instrument like that felt not just like a breach of trust, but almost like losing a limb.
Samuels-Morake didn’t take the accusations lying down. She pushed back, first denying the marriage was over and then insisting she had been crucial to his professional enterprises. While Lebo M was accusing her of business sabotage, she pointed the finger back, arguing that a massive R187 million US deal she helped negotiate was actually behind the couple’s stress. The influx of big money, she alleges, set the pair on a collision course.
If that wasn’t enough drama, the couple’s financial feud went public too. Samuels-Morake demanded a cool R150,000 monthly in spousal support—no small sum even by celebrity standards. In response, Lebo M has paid more than R500,000 in maintenance, but Samuels-Morake says it doesn’t cover what she’s owed.
What really makes this saga pop is how it’s played out in the court of public opinion. Social media is awash with reactions—from those outraged by the alleged fraud and asset grabs, to fans who watched Lebo M’s emotional breakdown with sympathy. Questions keep swirling over what’s true and who’s playing who in this high-stakes split.
The breakdown of their marriage isn’t just a tabloid spectacle—it’s a messy blend of love, power, and money, with each claiming the other has crossed unforgivable lines. For now, their fight has turned a life of glitz and grand mansions into a saga gripping South Africans inside and outside the music world.
