New allegations have emerged in the increasingly bitter dispute surrounding rapper Mthembeni “Emtee” Ndevu, with a source close to his estranged wife, Nicole Kendall Chinsamy, claiming that the musician had not provided financial support for their three children for three months before the latest confrontation.
The claims come as Emtee remains in custody at the Johannesburg Correctional Centre, commonly known as “Sun City”, after his bail was revoked over an alleged breach of a protection order obtained by Chinsamy in 2023.
The protection order prohibits Emtee from verbally abusing or harassing Chinsamy, while his bail conditions also prohibited communication between the estranged couple.
Source claims child support became a flashpoint
A source who spoke to Buzz Life News claims Chinsamy had been complaining to close friends that Emtee had not financially supported their three children for over three months.
“They have three children, he works and had not sent money for the children in three months. This was one of the reasons for the fight, but he was able to take his new partner out on dates and continue with life,” the source claimed.
It is not yet clear if a formal maintenance agreement or court order governing the children’s financial support had been inked on paper.
The dispute over the children adds another layer to an already complicated relationship between Emtee and Chinsamy, who have been estranged and have previously made competing allegations against each other.
Emtee has previously alleged that Chinsamy physically assaulted him, while Chinsamy and her family have made allegations concerning his conduct towards her. The pair’s relationship has played out publicly for years, including previous divorce proceedings and periods of reconciliation.
Emtee camp gives a different version
A source in Emtee’s camp has now also given Buzz Life News a different account of the incident that allegedly led to the latest breach.
According to the source, Chinsamy contacted Emtee first, telling him that one of their children was sick and needed to see a doctor.
“She contacted him first stating that one of their kids was sick and needed to see a doctor,” the source said.
The source claims Emtee wanted to see the child but that the interaction between the estranged couple deteriorated into an argument.
“He wanted to see the child but instead a fight broke out between the two, leading him to insulting her. This meant because of the insults now he is in the wrong. But she reached out to him first.”
The source questioned how the former couple could effectively co-parent while subject to restrictions preventing direct communication.
“How are two people who don’t get along and are constantly fighting supposed to co-parent? How will he support his children from behind bars?” the source asked.
Why Emtee is behind bars
Emtee’s latest legal troubles stem from an alleged breach of the 2023 protection order.
He was previously granted R1,000 bail in June after spending a night in police custody. His bail conditions included a prohibition on communicating with Chinsamy and restrictions on posting about her on social media.
His bail was later revoked after he allegedly sent messages to Chinsamy, despite the restrictions, after appearing briefly in the Midrand Magistrate’s Court on August 17.
The case has since drawn attention to the practical difficulties surrounding the couple’s relationship, particularly because they share three children.
Battle over Emtee’s belongings
While Emtee remains behind bars, another family dispute has erupted over his personal possessions.
Buzz Life News previously reported that Emtee’s parents, Phathiswa and Lumkile Ndevu, were concerned about the whereabouts of several of his belongings, including cellphones, a bank card, jewellery, clothes and vehicles. His new partner, singer Nandi Ndathane, was in possession of some of these items and that the family wanted them returned. A video showed Emtee’s parents confronting Nandi inside a bus and demanding the return of his bank card and cellphone.
The dispute was also addressed publicly by Emtee’s father.
Emtee’s father: ‘What about the kids?’
Emtee’s father said he and his wife had travelled from Matatiele in the Eastern Cape to Midrand to attend their son’s court proceedings and try to help put his affairs in order.
“We were worried. If Emtee has been arrested, who is going to pay the rent? They are going to lock the clothes inside, that’s why we wanted to collect them,” he said.
Ndevu said Emtee is a major source of income for the family and expressed concern about what his incarceration could mean for both his parents and his children.
“Emtee is supporting us. What about the kids? The kids are going to suffer the most,” he said.
A family caught in the middle
The latest allegations highlight the difficult position facing Emtee and Nicole.
The dispute is no longer limited to the allegations that brought Emtee before court. It now involves questions about financial support, communication between the estranged couple, his relationship with his new partner and control over his personal property. The court has yet to determine the merits of the competing claims.
Neither Emtee nor Chinsamy has been found guilty of any criminal wrongdoing arising from the allegations.
