Oluthando Keteyi|Published
TS Galaxy coach Bernard Parker has found himself at the centre of a relationship saga this week, and for once, it has nothing to do with football.
The former Kaizer Chiefs star has had social media users talking after a series of developments involving his personal life, a businesswoman named Kacha Stepanovic and statements that have left more questions than answers.
Parker, who has long been publicly associated with his wife, Wendy Parker, was suddenly making headlines for an entirely different reason. First came what appeared to be a break-up announcement, followed by a statement urging the public not to take everything circulating in his name as gospel.
And just when people thought they had the story figured out, things took another turn.
Meet the woman who put Bernard Parker's love life in the spotlight
Parker is no stranger to the public eye. The former Bafana Bafana international enjoyed a successful football career, most notably with Kaizer Chiefs, before moving into coaching.
Away from the pitch, he has been known to be married to Wendy Parker, who appeared on the reality show "Diski Divas". The couple tied the knot in 2012, and there has been no public confirmation of a divorce.
However, this week, social media users were introduced to another woman in Parker's life: businesswoman Kacha Stepanovic.
On Tuesday, Parker's Instagram Story featured a statement announcing that he and Stepanovic had decided to go their separate ways after what was described as several years together.
The post was accompanied by black-and-white photographs of the pair, giving the announcement the feel of a personal farewell.
“This is not an easy post for me to write, but I feel it's only right to share this with everyone who has been part of our journey,” the statement read.
“@kacha_stepanovic and I have decided to go our separate ways after many beautiful years together. We have shared amazing moments, so much love, laughter, kindness and memories that I will always carry in my heart.”
It was an emotional message, but it also raised a rather obvious question: what exactly was the nature of Parker's relationship with Stepanovic, given his publicly known marriage to Wendy?
From emotional farewell to a message of caution
Just when the break-up post appeared to have settled the matter, another statement surfaced days later, this time through Parker's foundation.
And the tone was noticeably different.
In the statement, Parker acknowledged that he was aware of statements circulating publicly about his personal circumstances. He also stressed that any communication attributed to him should only be regarded as official if it had been confirmed by him or an authorised representative.
In other words, the public was being urged to think twice before accepting every post bearing his name as the final word on his private life.
The former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder also made it clear that he had no intention of getting drawn into public exchanges about the matter at this stage.
“I respectfully request that the media and members of the public exercise discretion and refrain from circulating unverified information or speculation about my private life,” he said.
The statement added another layer to an already intriguing situation, particularly because of the earlier break-up message that had appeared on his Instagram Story.
The Robert Marawa interview adds another twist
As if the contrasting statements were not enough to fuel the conversation, Parker reportedly told sports broadcaster Robert Marawa on his show that he had not had his phone for 14 days.
That revelation only added to the questions surrounding the social media posts and the timing of the developments.
If Parker had been without his phone for that period, questions naturally arise about the circumstances surrounding the messages being circulated in his name.
So, what is happening in Bernard Parker's personal life?
For now, there are more questions than answers.
There is the break-up message involving Stepanovic, the subsequent statement calling for caution over communications attributed to Parker, and the reported comments about being without his phone for two weeks.
Meanwhile, Parker's 2012 marriage to Wendy remains part of the public conversation, with no public confirmation of a divorce.
One thing is certain: Parker's name has dominated the conversation this week, but the full picture of his personal circumstances remains unclear.