Uthando Nes’thembu has given South Africans a glimpse into the life of a polygamist and his four wives. Through the reality show, viewers got to experience a side of polygamy they had never seen before with Musa showering his wives with fancy gifts, including cars and other treats. Some people even saw this as #RelationshipGoals.
However, it seems there’s another side to this marriage. The latest episode of the hit show has left some wondering if there are divisions in the Mseleku household. We know that the wives are not the best of friends, but they should surely support each other when big events happen, right?
Abongwe’s coming of age
Well, that wasn’t the case when MaCele hosted her daughter Abongwe’s coming-of-age ceremony called Umhlonyane. For weeks, Musa’s first wife has been planning this for her daughter because it’s an important part of their tradition. MaCele told Abongwe that there’s no way she’d have a sweet-16 birthday party without performing the Umhlonyane ceremony. The teenager had no choice in the matter.
“It has to be done, it’s not her decision to make. It’s up to us as the parents and our ancestors,” Musa explained.
If you’re wondering what the ceremony is about, MaCele described it this way: “They slaughter a goat and there’s traditional dancing. You wear a beaded white skirt that’s only worn by virgins. You walk bare breasted… They also check your virginity. If your friends know they are not virgins, they won’t get tested.”
Not so united
The other wives were aware that this would take place, but they didn’t show up on the big day. This obviously left a bitter taste in Musa’s mouth and he had quite a lot to say about it.
“This family is showing that they are not united. When you burn impepho all the wives are meant to be present,” he said.
He continued: “This matter is about our ancestors, so everyone needed to be there.”
Once again, he saw an opportunity to bring up the possibility of taking another wife.
“Just imagine if a coming-of-age ceremony affects attendance like this, how much more if I take another wife?”
Err… What does this have to do with taking a fifth wife, Musa? Maybe if he says it often enough, his wives will eventually get used to the idea.
Anyway, you can watch the Mseleku family on Uthando Nes’thembu S1-4 now streaming on Showmax.
