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5 Things Minnie Dlamini talks about in our cover story

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Image: Nick Boulton
Image: Nick Boulton

1.    How Minnie Dlamini: Becoming Mrs Jones came about:

“It was my brainchild through and through. I got engaged last December and two days after, we told a couple of our friends. We wanted to keep it a secret but realised that too many people knew, so I posted on social media that I’d said yes. As soon as I did so, the media frenzy was out of this world. So I said to myself, ‘Everyone will want to report on this and add their two cents’ worth.’ I thought about doing an exclusive interview. I did that with the Sunday Times newspaper, but still, everyone took bites out of that and made it their own story. “So I thought: ‘Why not do a TV special?’ Quinton thought I was crazy. He felt that planning a wedding and producing a show for the first time would be too much for me. But I took on the challenge. He was hesitant but very supportive. Once I realised that the media was getting excited, I thought this was the most creative, lucrative and interesting way to take ownership of my story.”

2.    Is she now Minnie Dlamini or Minnie Jones?

“The plan was to keep my name for branding purposes. On Home Ground, for instance, I’m still Minnie Dlamini, although the Home Affairs Department has me recorded as Minenhle Jones, I honestly don’t know what surname to use in public. I’m leaning towards using a double barrel surname and go as ‘Minnie Dlamini-Jones’. Quinton was very aware of the need to keep my brand steady. South Africa doesn’t even call me by my first name anymore. I’ve become Mrs Jones!”

3.    Where did she and Quinton have their first date?

Our first date was in Mauritius, where he had invited me along with some of his friends. It’s there that he officially asked me to be his girlfriend.

4.    Why she kept their relationship out of social media?

“We were very open about our relationship but chose never to go public on social media. I loved that we weren’t overly exposed. We learnt who we were in private and let the union develop organically. He’s so easy to love because he’s my best friend. I don’t have to be anyone but me when he’s around; he knows and loves me without my being dolled up.”

5.    Reflecting on 2017…

 “I’ve never been more screwed over than I have this year, both professionally and personally. I found out a few people I trusted saw me as a cash cow, and manipulated situations where I did business in good faith. I got messed around, but that’s life: you live and you learn. They’ll get what’s coming to them.”

Read the full story in our December 2017 issue out on shelf now.

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