“Married at First Sight South Africa” has viewers hooked on the drama and it’s no surprise that the show has been trending for the past eight weeks.
The couples taking part in this daring social experiment are Palesa Mphaki and Tshepo Miya, Makoto Phumodi and Nkuleleko Mahlangu, Themba Khosa and Nelisa Ntabeni, and Portia Baloyi and Bongani Luvalo.
Palesa and Tshepo’s union has had viewers side-eyeing it from day one, with many noticing cracks from the moment they said “I do”.
In an interview with Showmax, 37-year-old IT specialist Tshepo opened up about his decision to join the social experiment. “I joined the show because my traditional way of starting relationships had not worked and I thought this would be an ideal way to see what is out there for me.”
The couples on the show meet each other for the first time at the altar and Tshepo revealed that when he first saw Palesa, there were so many things that went through his mind; however, he was hopeful.
To prepare for the show, Tshepo had a long conversation with his therapist ahead of time. “My therapist advised me that shows like this will bring about different people and you should always remember what you can be in control of and leave the things you cannot control.”
Tshepo’s marriage with Palesa has not all been rosy, which is expected when marrying a total stranger. Tshepo admits he began noticing cracks in his relationship during the honeymoon phase.
“When my wife asked me not to communicate directly with women in production, and said I should rather redirect them to her for any information or requirements.
“I found that strange, as we were still getting to know each other and that kind of behaviour did raise some eyebrows.”
Over the last two weeks, viewers have seen both highs and lows in Tshepo and Palesa’s marriage. Tshepo spills that the conflict came from the front of the camera image that he was supposed to adhere to.
“During the day, outside of shooting, there were issues that I would raise, but I would be told by my wife that we need to ‘nip them in the bud’ and ensure we appear okay as much as possible. My issue is that I cannot pretend, if I’m not okay, then I am not okay.”
Shows such as “Married at First Sight SA”, open participants to public scrutiny and Tshepo has had to deal with a lot of online bullying and assumptions but he is comforted by those who know him.
From the experience Tshepo has learnt that he has tougher skin than he initially thought.
“This has taught me that people will always form some kind of opinion about you, good or bad, and that the only thing you can do is to continue showing up as yourself and continue being the best version to those who wish to experience you in person.”
“Married at First Sight South Africa” airs every Sunday at 6:30PM on Mzansi Magic and streams on Showmax.
IOL
