South African entertainer Denise Zimba is living every mother’s worst fear of being separated from her children.
Zimba, celebrated for her electrifying presence in South Africa’s entertainment industry, is now at the centre of a heartbreaking custody battle, a fight that has left her questioning her choices, her strength, and her faith.
Beyond the glitz and glamour, she’s just a mother fighting to keep her children close, and her story has sparked widespread outrage and empathy.
Haven’t spoken to my children in almost two weeks… my biggest regret is choosing wrong and having my children live with the consequences of my actions … 😪 pic.twitter.com/WjtPQaORWq
— Denise Zimba (@MissDeniseZimba) May 28, 2025
In an emotional thread on X (formerly Twitter), Zimba revealed she hasn’t spoken to her daughters in nearly two weeks, sparking public outcry and raising urgent questions about the rights of mothers in international custody cases.
“My biggest regret is choosing wrong, and having my children live with the consequences of my actions…” Zimba wrote.
Besides her husband’s infertility, court documents revealed that Zimba suffered greatly from his lack of support in raising their kids.
This gut-wrenching message offers a glimpse into the emotional turmoil Zimba is experiencing as she navigates the fallout of her marriage to Schlichtig, whom she wed in April 2022.
She added, “Haven’t spoken to my children in almost two weeks… my biggest regret is choosing wrong and having my children live with the consequences of my actions.”
The 36-year-old actress, TV presenter, and mother of two has been open about her ongoing custody battle with her estranged German husband, Jakob Schlichtig, after the Johannesburg High Court permitted him to take their children back to Germany earlier this year.
A move that blindsided many of her and ignited debate around parental rights, justice, and maternal mental health.
However, their relationship deteriorated due to alleged infidelity and neglect. According to “Sunday World”, she left the marriage after enduring repeated betrayals and carrying the burden of parenthood alone.
The ruling has led to her daughters living thousands of kilometres away, without daily access to their mother, a reality Zimba says has deeply affected their well-being.
“SA courts handed my SA citizen babies 2 Germany without their mother after I endured abuse. 2 months in without being 2getha … Can the organisation my estranged husband works 4 kindly assist, since u support such injustice, especially towards mothers & children, Africans at that!”
She adds, “No one cares about the mother’s sacrifice, her life-threatening experiences. His lawyer was female. The judge was female. Even the doctor and his sister, all women, helped him take my babies away from me,” she posted in a now-viral thread.
Zimba’s story has struck a nerve with many South African parents, especially mothers, who understand the invisible labour and sacrifices women make often without recognition.
The heartbreak isn’t just hers; it’s a mirror for thousands of women whose contributions are too often erased in legal systems that prioritise procedure over the emotional and physical bonds between mother and child.
One social media user summed it up: “This is worse than labour. Worse than stitches. Worse than sleepless nights. If the children are safe, why remove them from their mother?”
Still, others argue that both parents deserve equal footing in custody cases, pointing out the need to protect children from emotionally charged decisions.
Zimba acknowledges the complexity but insists that, in her case, the system failed.
“I don’t know anymore. I’ve tried to find a healthy way forward … but I won’t go down without a fight. I’ll lose my life if I have to. My babies come first above all things.”In a moment of gut-wrenching honesty, Zimba reflected on how her childhood influenced her choices.
“I should’ve known when I saw what my father did to my mother … The divine was showing me what not to accept. But I chose a man over God.”
It’s a confession many women will recognise, often ignoring early warning signs, hoping love or motherhood will be enough to change things. When that doesn’t happen, the cost is often paid by both mother and child.
There is currently no clear protocol for cases involving foreign parents, leaving many South African mothers at risk of losing access to their children when fathers live abroad.
Whether you’re a parent, lawyer, policymaker, or simply someone trying to understand the complexity of modern family structures, this case raises urgent questions: Who really decides what’s best for children? And why are mothers still forced to fight so hard to be seen as enough?
