Celeb Twitter Round-Up: Social Media Heckles Thando Thabethe Over Partner Age-Gap

The idea of finding love is as daunting as it is unpredictable. It can happen anywhere, anytime and with anyone you weren’t counting on. For Thando Thabethe, dating Robert Marawa wasn’t entirely unexpected – they both work in radio – but their relationship brought its own challenges.

One obvious aspect is the 18-year gap between the 36-year-old “Generations: The Legacy” actress and the 53-year-old sports journalist. A fan shared an image of the couple on X/Twitter last Sunday, 5 July, with the caption “Oh I love them” with a heart and a crossed fingers emoji.

The good energy flowed as other users shared their support.

Social media being what it is, it didn’t take long for someone to add their five Rand when nobody had asked for change. Instead of a relationship, one fellow viewed a whole grown woman as a child and said it was all wrong.

A few others caught on and basically said “mind your own business”, and rightfully so.

Of course, you did have those who brought money into the picture.

It just wouldn’t be Mzansi Twirra unless someone took the online joy and twisted it into something vulgar or downright mean. One ignoramus went so far as to compare the relationship to having an unsavory aspect to it that equated Marawa to a predator.

Luckily, the duo had defenders in their corner and threw the shade right back! One person called the troll jealous, while another dismantled the accusation, attributing it to an unhappy individual who can’t stand seeing a relationship with a larger than usual time gap between partners.

Thabethe eventually entered the fray and put her foot down to silence the trolls. She first corrected the troll making the unkind accusations, before she effortlessly threw another’s slight right back in their face.

There was plenty of support in her comment sections, sharing rational thoughts, including this gem:

It’s so satisfying seeing celebs wage war against those who have nothing better to do than gossip and be nasty online. A good comeuppance restores your faith in humanity.

Is age just a number? Love finds a way, and who are we to get in the way of two consenting adults who care about each other? Nobody has any standing to speak on the matter except for those involved.