You need to stream Seng’khathele Seasons 1-2 on Showmax, and not just because it’s hosted by Lerato Mvelase – aka Isibaya’s Sibongile. As you’re about to find out, the break-up reality show is the stuff that entertainment dreams are made of.
This ain’t The Bachelor
Tired of seeing people looking for love on reality dating shows? You’re getting the exact opposite here! Seng’khathele is all about getting out of that problem relationship that just won’t go away.
And the more heartfelt the “I don’t love you” is, the more dramatic the episode is, says Lerato: “Despite being told that he’s no longer wanted, one of the guys on the show refuses to accept it. Even after his girlfriend tells him that she doesn’t have feelings for him, he just doesn’t want to hear it.”
It’ll tug on your heart-strings
While there’s often a lot of superficiality going on with dumping someone – the old “it’s not you, it’s me” is the cheapest excuse in the book – this show often features stories that will break your heart.
“The stories that I hear from couples are shocking. The abuse. The pain, the betrayal and toxicity of their relationships. You feel unworthy, unloved, mistreated. You lose the person that you know yourself to be,” says Lerato.
No children here
Seng’khathele is there to help adults who are struggling with a relationship. This isn’t a game between two high schoolers. It’s serious and for the most part, the participants behave like adults. There’s no screaming and shouting or throwing things. Instead, they are able to talk things out, to understand why their relationship is ending (even when it’s brutally obvious why).
For example, in Season 2, episode 1, where Xoliswa wants help splitting up with her boyfriend Chersley. She takes back her power, telling him that not only has she had enough of his cheating and lying, but that he will never lay a finger on her again.
It’s not just the women doing the dumping
There’s an equal balance on the show of women and men pulling the plug on their troublesome romance, which is a new dynamic – and the couples don’t disappoint.
Like Brian in Season 2, episode 5, who wants to get rid of his girlfriend Kgomotso. Everything he says gets a snappy, sassy clapback. When he tells her, “Thank you for showing me the real you”, she lashes out with a, “Oh you haven’t seen me yet!”
Throw in the “I thought I was bewitched (under a spell, not in the good way) and I was right” and you’ve got dramedy that’ll keep you on the edge of your seat.
These are ordinary people
Most reality shows look for people who stand out because they’re not the norm, be it wild hair, facial tattoos, crazy behaviour or any number of other personality traits that makes them “abnormal”.
Seng’khathele is the opposite. It pulls you in with average, everyday people you’d never look at twice in passing. Yet their stories are captivating and draw you in. By the end of the 23-minute episodes, you’ll be cheering on the dumper, in between drying your eyes, as they send their partner packing and claim back their lives.
Catch Seasons 1 and 2 of Seng’khathele now streaming on Showmax.
