The Durban socialite who became a household name in South Africa when he married pop star Brenda Fassie has been sentenced to an effective 10 years' imprisonment.
Nhlanhla Mbambo, 31, who was convicted last month of attempting to rob a Hillbrow businessman of his Mercedes-Benz, bowed and buried his face in his hands when Magistrate P du Plessis on Monday said there was no reason why he should not send him and his two co-accused, Pule Mdlul, 31, and Darius Petlele , 38, to jail.
The trio were arrested on June 1 last year, shortly after Gregory Xonoulos, the director of the Hillbrow Fontana Inn, identified them.
The men had held Xonoulos and a friend at gunpoint and demanded the car keys.
Dismissing Mbambo's evidence that he was inside the shop during the incident, Du Plessis said it was clear that his act was part of their plan to pretend they were not together.
Mbambo shot into fame when he married Fassie in Cape Town 11 years ago. The marriage crumbled two years later, with Fassie claiming that her estranged husband was after her money.