Exclusive: Amy Kleinhans on living in South Africa with New Zealand hubby

Miss South Africa 1992, Amy Kleinhans-Curd, has opened up about her happy marriage in an exclusive interview with SAPeople.

ALSO READ: ‘Enemies closer’: Amy Kleinhans-Curd on marrying a foreigner

AMY KLEINHANS-CURD ON HER HAPPY MARRIAGE

The first woman of colour to win Miss SA, Amy Kleinhans-Curd is married to New Zealand businessman Leighton Curd.

The pair have been married for 28 years and have four children – Gugu (38), Phillipa (24), Thomas (22) and Georgia (16) and two grandchildren.

Amy and Leighton fostered Gugu from the age of nine and she has two sons – Kgosi and Thoriso – who she shares with husband Kgpolo Makgate.

On the first episode of the Real Housewives van die Wynlande (RHOWL), she opened up about marrying a “foreigner”.

In an exclusive interview with SAPeople, we asked Amy what made her stay in South Africa and not live anywhere else, despite her husband being from New Zealand.

She revealed that her husband came to South Africa in 1990 and she met him here.

Amy also explained that he loves the country, people and culture. So, they live in Mzansi together, splitting their time between Johannesburg and Cape Town.

“He actually had been, asked to come and work in, South Africa in 1990. And so he was in South Africa when I actually met him. He absolutely loves this country and he’s been here for 33 years. We’ve never lived anywhere else but South Africa, we’ve been in Joburg and Cape Town back and forth and he absolutely just adores the South African people, our culture, our exciting way of living our sport,” she said.

ALSO READ: Amy Kleinhans-Curd: Five things to know about ‘RHOWL’ star

VACATIONS IN NEW ZEALAND

Amy revealed that while she and her husband live in South Africa, they vacation in New Zealand.

“So, yeah, many people actually ask us… how come you guys didn’t move to New Zealand? Like, you know, so many South Africans. I think it’s because we actually had the best of both worlds we could live in, in South Africa, our business is established here in South Africa and it’s been South Africa has been incredibly kind and generous with, with Leighton and I, you know, and I have such an affinity with. I couldn’t even think, about living anywhere else to be honest,” she continued.

The RHOWL star revealed that the key to a happy marriage is treating your significant other the way you would want to be treated.

ALSO READ: ‘RHOPTA’: Rhona and Mel Viljoen plant kiss on Peet’s cheek

THE FORMER MISS SA ON MARRYING A FOREIGNER

On the first episode of RHOWL, Amy revealed a conversation between herself and the former President of South Africa Nelson Mandela.

“I’ve been married to Leighton Curd for 28 years now. He is a New Zealander. When he asked me to marry him, Nelson Mandela said ‘why are you marrying a foreigner?’. After that he called me and told me ‘I’ve worked it out’,” she said.

“He said ‘you know that saying where you’re actually you keep your friends close but you keep your enemies even closer? I know your strategy! That’s the truth” she joked.

ALSO READ: ‘RHOWL’ star Mariska reveals pregnancy at premiere – exclusive