From the first episode of the reality series, she has made her points clear.
Not only is she an ‘it’ mom, but she also firmly stands her ground, and one knows not to mess with her.
An introduction to her that will not be forgotten is her booking out a restaurant for a meeting with actress and businesswoman Omuhle Gala to which another glamorous Jozi mother Mrs Mops, real name Mpumi Mophatlane, tagged along.
As they sat through her inquiry about a salon franchising deal that turned sour for both her and Omuhle, Her Majesty, real name Happy Simelane, chose to open a sealed bottle of champagne for herself because she wasn’t present when the first bottle was popped by the two ladies who had been waiting for her.
While everyone was still taken aback by that, she asked for a plastic or container to vomit in.
Many thought she was being too dramatic for that but in actual fact, it was a result of a chronic illness called achalasia.
Achalasia is a rare disorder that makes it difficult for food and liquid to pass from the swallowing tube connecting your mouth and stomach (esophagus) into your stomach.
“I vomited because I was extremely ill on the day of the shoot,” she tells Drum.
She adds that there was nothing more to it than her being sick and that “the directors of the show are well aware of my condition, that [scene] was not supposed to be aired”.
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She had the country’s sympathy by the end of the episode though as she opened up about her husband’s death.
With a wound that’s rather fresh as she lost her partner of 10 years just last year in a car accident, she withheld more details about it at Nunurai’s son’s birthday. Only later at a lunch date did she become vulnerable to Nunurai, sharing with her that her husband, Mduduzi was with a side chick who survived the accident.
Nunurai on the other hand, was quick to share the news with Tshepo Manche, also known as MsManche.
After finding out, it came across as gossip and fireworks went off.
“I felt betrayed by a woman I confided in and trusted. I became vulnerable to them for her to go discuss with someone, but I get she didn't mean any harm. I’m cool with them [though].”
Out of hurt, she also said that she wished that the side chick from Nelspruit was the one who had died in the accident but talking to Drum about it, she says she didn’t mean it.
“No one deserves to die. I said those words out of hurt and I'm sure if she was the one who died her family was going to look for answers from me and him, so it's also fair for me to feel the same way. All I wanted was answers; how did the accident happen, so I can get closure.”
For her, navigating grief and betrayal at the same time made it all too difficult.
“Wow it has been a rough side I must say. Not only dealing with his death but betrayals, scandals and unanswered questions and the whole experience made me question 'who's the man I was married to?’ And at this point I think I have passed the grief stage, I actually resent him,” the mother of three says.
“Honestly, I don't think I will love the same again, after being betrayed so much. I mean 10 years with him for what? I gave that man my whole 10 years of loyalty and building our home for him to be out there living his life.”
Although this has weighed down on her, her eldest daughter Tiisetso from her previous relationship is quite relieved because she feels like her marriage had created a distance between them.
Opening up on the recent episode of the series, Tiisetso admits that she misses her stepfather even though she never really had a relationship with him.
Mending the mother-daughter relationship has proved to be quite a ride though.
During their first therapy session together, Tiisetso talks about how she has felt unloved and unappreciated, compared to her younger sister.
In her vent, she also added that her mom had told her that her birth was a mistake.
To many, this wasn’t a surprise though as she also told her two-year-old daughter to shut up on camera at a breakfast table.
“I am human, I snap, and a lot of mothers do snap towards their kids, there's nothing new there. I've never laid my hands on my two-year-old but I send out clear introductions so that she can be well behaved even when I take her out on socializing with the outside world, a NO is a NO. I don't want to find myself embarrassed by a child with an uncontrollable behavior.
“What I said to my eldest daughter is not acceptable, it's very hurtful and harsh, I take it back I could have handled it differently,” she adds.
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From this, her parenting style has come under scrutiny on social media.
“My parenting style is under scrutiny because I'm authentic, I didn't go to the show to display a perfect picture while I'm not perfect, I have my own flaws and I'm owning up to them. I would say my parenting style is authoritarian, I'm very harsh.”
All that is under improvement though since she’s started therapy as she works daily on her relationship with her kids.
Since she started shooting the show, she believes that she is changing for the better even though she feels like “some of the ladies are classist and they judge me a lot”.
“My life has changed dramatically because before the show I didn’t want to go for therapy. I felt it was pointless as it won't bring him back. [Now] I wish I could have started therapy earlier.”
