Joelle Kayembe

Joelle Kayembe Hagen (born 31 May 1983) is a Congolese model and actress.

Joelle Kayembe
Born
Joelle Kayembe Hagen

(1983-05-31) May 31, 1983
Lubumbashi
NationalityCongolese
Occupation(s)Model, actress
Years active2014-present
Notable workZulu
SpouseBongani Mbindwane

Biography

Kayembe was born in Lubumbashi, Democratic Republic of Congo, the daughter of wealthy Congolese businessman Kalonji Kayembe.[1][2] In 1994, she moved to South Africa.[3] Kayembe began playing nanny to her seven younger children. She desired to study psychology, but became a model after being spotted at age 19. She began with several jobs that did not pay until getting a calendar spread with FHM SA.[4]

Kayembe became the first black woman to grace the covers of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. She also appeared in several other magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Elle as well as a Sprite Zero advertisement. Kayembe is also a painter for select clients.[5] She appeared in Ludacris's video for "Pimpin' all Over the World".[1] Kayembe was a finalist in the International Supermodel 2005 competition held in China.[6] She has walked the runways at SA Fashion Week and Johannesburg Fashion Week.[4]

On September 27, 2008, Kayembe married the Platfields Ltd. mining magnate Bongani Mbindwane in a traditional ceremony. The pair had dated on and off for about four years. A civil ceremony was postponed when it was discovered that Kayembe was pregnant and because they were having problems. After she decided to terminate the pregnancy, he called her a murderer. Kayembe instituted divorce proceedings in October 2009, but Mbindwane countered that they were never legally married.[5] In April 2010, she proposed R10-million as a settlement, settling grievances including charges of assault against Mbindwane.[1] In November, Kayembe was ordered out of their house by January 2011 by a court.[7]

Kayembe starred as Zina in Jérôme Salle's 2013 film Zulu.[4]

In 2015, Kayembe partnered with the Trace Foundation to provide educational supplies to two young women.[3] In November 2016, she got married in Cape Town.[8]

Filmography

References
  1. Huisman, Bienne (27 June 2010). "'I want R10m to end divorce fight'". Sunday Times. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  2. "Love child causes big drama". News 24. 2 June 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  3. "Model Joelle helps provide study material". Daily Sun. 7 August 2015. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  4. Matuntuta, Simamkele (22 November 2017). "Joëlle Kayembe does everything believed to be impossible". GQ. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  5. Hawkey, Kim (8 November 2009). "Joelle Kayembe, one of South Africa's sexiest women, thought she was the luckiest woman on earth when businessman Bongani Mbindwane proposed. Now — just a year after their traditional wedding ceremony — Mbindwane wants her out of his life and denies they were married". Sunday Times. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  6. "Joelle Kayembe slams cheating dad with protection order!". All4Women. 6 June 2013. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  7. Chelemu, Khethiwe (19 November 2010). "Top model thrown out of R5m house". Sowetan Live. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  8. Tshiqi, Bongiwe (15 November 2016). "Congrats to Joelle Kayembe who recently tied the knot". Bona. Archived from the original on 15 October 2020. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
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