Sundays are redefining blind dates and arranged marriages as the second season of Married at First Sight South Africa takes Mzansi by storm. Whether it’s on X, Instagram, or TikTok, viewers can’t stop talking about what’s been unfolding, and we’re only halfway through the season.
While actress Makoto Phumodi has been in front of the camera before, she’s never done it while being married to a stranger, chosen for her by relationship experts.
Makoto Phumodi: Married At First Sight Mzansi
Phumodi is no stranger to viewers, so she was more than ready to tackle being part of Married at First Sight, especially because she was eager to fall in love unconventionally.
“I mentally prepared myself to get married to a stranger by simply being open to the unknown; that is all you can do, there is no manual to this experiment.”
What she wasn’t prepared for, however, was to recognise the ‘stranger’ that the experts had paired her up with, “We had seen each other in the past, and that was fascinating to me because I did not know what to expect.”
God and Marriage
However, it hasn’t always been a Cinderella ending with her and her partner, Nkuleleko Mahlangu. Unfortunately, that initial recognition didn’t prevent the couple from having disagreements on the wedding night, nonetheless. Explaining what triggered the spat, Phumodi revealed that it was rooted in their differing views about religion. As for why the experts would pair up a couple with opposing religious views, that is truly bizarre.
Speaking more on the incident, Phumodi revealed that Mahlangu asked her to leave her church and go serve at his church,
“Imagine being asked if you’re willing to submit, but you don’t even know if the guy is willing to provide emotionally, financially, mentally, or physically, so I was taken aback by that. But as you have seen, we moved past that.”
Lover’s Spats
It wasn’t just the topic of submission that was raised, as Mahlangu’s decision to be celibate also caused friction, with Phumodi admitting that intimacy is important for her in a relationship. However, this causing friction thoroughly confused viewers as they believed that if the tables were turned and Phumodi chose to be celibate, her decision would have been more respected.
“My husband didn’t believe in foreplay or kissing when we first met, so those are the things we had to learn about each other and overcome.”
Her husband isn’t the only person with whom Phumodi had friction. She butted heads with one of the husbands, Tshepo Miya, after he made derogatory remarks about her and questioned the dynamics in her marriage, despite the clear issues in his marriage.
“He was saying Nkululeko can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, and I shouldn’t ask anything. When I reacted to that comment, he called me disrespectful.”
Despite that, Phumodi refers to Tshepo’s wife, Palesa Mphaki, as ‘her girl’, having built a beautiful relationship outside the show. While she routinely speaks to Portia Baloyi, almost daily, she admits that her communication with Nelisa Ntabeni is nonexistent.
A Leading Man
Yes, she’s been on shows before, but for Phumodi, watching her journey on screen is amazing and quite on brand: “People think I’m acting, but little do they know, I react like that in my everyday life.”
While she let the experts take the lead in pairing her up, if she were to direct her ideal husband, Phumodi would seek someone who would work to better understand her, embracing every scar and helping me grow.
Watch The Trailer
Married At First Sight Mzansi Season 2 currently airs exclusively on Showmax, with new episodes released every Sunday evening.
“People should keep watching the show because there’s so much drama coming. People love drama and this show is packed with it. I would probably say it is one of the best reality shows currently, and they do not want to miss out.”
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