South African actress and media personality Denise Zimba has touched the hearts of many after sharing an emotional Mother’s Day message dedicated to her daughters. The touching post, shared on Sunday, 10 May 2026, left social media users deeply moved as the actress opened up about the pain of being separated from her children.
The former *Generations: The Legacy* actress has been making headlines over the past few months following her highly publicised custody battle with her estranged husband, Jakob Schlichting. The court ruling allowed their daughters, Leah and Mila, to relocate to Germany with their father while Zimba remained in Cape Town.
On Mother’s Day, Denise took to Instagram to share a heartfelt video filled with precious memories of her daughters. The emotional clip included moments from their births and happy times they spent together as a family. However, it was the caption that truly broke many people’s hearts.
“Heal out loud, without shame. Didn’t even get a call … but it’s ok. GOD,” she wrote.
The message quickly spread across social media, with many South Africans expressing sympathy and support for the actress during what appeared to be an incredibly painful day for her.
In the emotional voice-over featured in the video, Denise spoke directly to her daughters, assuring them of her endless love and promising that she would never stop fighting for them. She explained that even though they are physically apart, everything she does is still for their future and wellbeing.
She shared that she hopes her daughters will one day understand how deeply she loves them and how hard she continues to fight to remain strong despite the difficult circumstances. Denise also revealed that she constantly prays for their protection and emotional healing.
The actress ended the message with touching words, saying she would forever remain their mother no matter the distance between them.
Her emotional post sparked widespread reactions online, with celebrities and fans flooding the comments section with words of comfort. Actress Enhle Mbali, who has also experienced a difficult public separation, showed support by commenting with heart emojis.
Many social media users criticised the court ruling that separated the children from their mother, while others shared personal stories of experiencing similar situations.
One user wrote that no mother deserves to be separated from her children, while another said the video was too painful to watch. Some mothers who have faced custody struggles themselves admitted they fully understood Denise’s heartbreak and emotional pain.
The post also reignited public discussion around parental rights, custody battles and the emotional impact such situations have on both parents and children. Many supporters encouraged Denise to stay strong and continue fighting for reunification with her daughters.
This is not the first time Denise has publicly shared her struggles. Earlier reports revealed that she also spent Easter away from her daughters, a situation that once again drew sympathy from fans across the country.
Despite the pain she continues to endure, many people praised Denise for remaining hopeful and for openly expressing her emotions. Her Mother’s Day message resonated with thousands of South Africans who described the video as raw, heartbreaking and deeply emotional.
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