Kuli Roberts (16th December 1982 – February 9, 2022, Age at Death: 49) was a South African fashion and beauty tabloid journalist, TV presenter, author and actress. She is remembered as the host of the SABC2 reality TV show, What Not To Wear and also as the presenter and commentator on Trending SA, a daily talk show that airs on SABC3.
Kuli Roberts started her media career in magazine publishing before moving into newspaper journalism and eventually pitched her tent with anchoring TV and radio shows. She became quite popular as the host of SABC2’s What Not To Wear. More so, her vast achievements include several acting roles and being a grandma creates doubts about whether she is really in her 30s.
How Old Was Kuli Roberts When She Died?
Although there are several controversies surrounding Kuli Roberts’s age when she was alive, the only given date of birth for the late SA celebrity is the 16th of December 1982 which means whe was 49 years old when she passed. This stunning lady was actually born as the second child of Mr. and Mrs. Mboya in Cape Town, South Africa – the first being the famous actress, Hlubi Mboya.
However, Kuli did not really grow alongside her parents and sister because when she was still very young, her parents made the decision to study overseas to ensure they could get the best future for themselves and their children. This decision was a tough one because they could not afford to take their children along and had to leave them behind in the care of their grandmother.
Hlubi handled the separation badly, thus, her parents sent for her alone when they had somewhat settled in Washington, USA. Kuli was then left to grow up with her grandmother who she came to regard as her mother because she had no prior knowledge of her parents or her sister.
The Mboyas later returned to South Africa sometime in 1994, equipped with degrees and 2 additional children. The reunion at the airport was described by Kuli as emotional and that was also the day she found out that Hlubi was her sister and described her as “the best thing that happened to me”.
She Launched Her Career In Her Early 20s
It’s believed that Kuli studied at UCT and eventually ended up working for the ANC by demanding that they give her work there. However, she became quite notable for her appearance on SABC2’s What Not To Wear and SABC1’s The Real Goboza as a co-host. She also worked as a TV host for Mzansi Magic among other significant roles on her career timeline.
More so, one thing that always divided her followers and critics was how she was able to accomplish so much at a young age. This also led to accusations that she was much older than she appeared.
Some of Kuli’s notable roles and achievements before clocking 30 are:
- 2004 – 2005 – She got a job as a TV host on SABC2
- 2008 – 2009 – For the second and third seasons, she co-hosted the SABC1 gossip show The Real Goboza, replacing Dineo Ranaka
- 2010 – 2013 – She was the host of the Headline celebrity gossip magazine show
- 2010 – She joined Mzansi Magic as a TV host
After turning 30, Kuli Roberts also went on to attain some remarkable heights which are:
- 2012 – She joined Kaya FM 95.9 as a co-host
- 2013 – She, along with other celebrities, competed in the sixth season of the SABC3 reality show Strictly Come Dancing
- 2016 – Kuli was one of the four hosts of SABC3’s daily talk program, Trending SA
Kuli Roberts Got Married To Beyers Roberts At A Young Age
The notable S.A celebrity married her now ex-husband Beyers Roberts in 1990 and she did so without her parents’ knowledge. In an interview, she said they got married over their lunch break and that she kept it a secret from her parents but no insight was given about why their affair was kept a secret. There is no information regarding Beyers apart from the fact that he was once married to Kuli for a couple of years. However, before they parted ways, they had 2 beautiful children together.
India Tembela Roberts, their first child, was born on March 1, 1994, and Leaun Roberts, their second child, was born three years later, on April 18th, 1997. Despite the fact that her marriage failed, Kuli Roberts has openly stated that her children are the best thing that has happened to her. As of now, Leaun Roberts is a software engineer living in the United Kingdom while his sister, India is believed to be a teacher.
Kuli Became A Grandma At The Age Of 34
Kuli’s daughter gave birth to her first child on January 25, 2017, when she was 22 years old. As of then, Kuli was 34 years, if the birth date that has been linked to her is anything to go by. However, it still beats the mind that the media personality had such a grown-up daughter because if she (Kuli) was born in 1982, she was just 11 years old when she gave birth to India and 8 years old when she married Meyers in 1990. Which is not logical and leaves a lot of doubt in the minds of people about her age.
Well, whatever the mystery might be over Kuli’s age, she still looked stunning as a mother of 2 grown-up children, as well as a grandma.
Why Did Kuli Roberts’s Marriage Crash?
The exact reason for Kuli’s divorce remains unknown, however, we can assume that it was a peaceful separation based on the light mood with which the TV presenter talks about it.
In February 2018, Kuli Roberts revealed that she bumped into her ex-husband at the airport, but he didn’t recognize her when she went over to offer pleasantries to him.
Despite her surprise at the incident, Kuli did not make any fuss over the issue and the divorce must have been drama-free as they remained cordial towards each other. More so, we know through photos on social media that Robert Beyers still has a great relationship with their children, particularly Leaun Roberts.
Kuli Roberts Lost A Lot Of Weight After Her Divorce
Another controversial topic that Kuli was entangled in was related to her unhealthy weight loss after her divorce. Many fans and critics commented about her weight at the time, describing her as “too skinny”. However, Kuli Roberts responded by pointing them to her Instagram profile, where they could see that she was in good condition and that the only change between her recent photos was the filters she was employing.
More so, during an interview with Drum Online, she revealed that she was not bothered by the rumors about her weight loss and went on to say, “It’s quite funny though, that people who are talking about me being skinny are the same people who are wearing cycling shorts under their clothes because they are not comfortable about the way they look. Truth is, everybody wants to be thin.”
Other Relationships The Media Icon Was Involved in Post-Divorce
Following her divorce, the TV personality concentrated on advancing her career and raising her children, which apparently turned out to be the right option as she had steadily climbed the ladder of success to the position. Regardless, there have been reports about her having affairs with other men, which she mostly denied.
However, after the death of late TV presenter Vuyo Mbuli in 2013, his wife went public, accusing 18 women of having committed adultery with her late husband, including Kuli Roberts. After the revelation, the mother-of-two did not hold back as she released a statement on Twitter denying any involvement with the late media figure.
More so, in an interview with News24, she revealed that her reason for avoiding serious relationships after her divorce was to avoid the trauma of going through a heartbreak. Kuli also added that another heartbreak would easily push her back into alcoholism, and that was something she was not willing to go through anymore.
