They could not be more different, yet the same. Olwethu is more introverted and reserved while the older twin Owami is bubbly and playful. It is difficult to tell them apart, even by their voices. It was like playing a game show on TV where one has to yell out their name before answering a question.
The twins speak to Drum ahead of the premiere of their new reality show on Mzansi Magic, Twice As Bold.
They first made headlines in 2011 when they married the same man at the tender age of 21 while he was in his forties. They say it was an arranged marriage and Owani says they should not have married such an old man.
“We really had issues. We had abandonment issues, we had daddy issues, we wanted to escape poverty and here he was, showing us what a wonderful life he could provide for us. He took us to restaurants, something we had never experienced before,” she says.
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They were raised by their grandmother and grew up yearning for the love of their mother, which they never got.
Years later, they married a man they met on the Muvhango set. They had been looking to break into the entertainment industry and the man they ultimately married was someone who was their mentor.
“We have always said we wanted to marry the same man because even though we have two separate bodies, we have one soul. We are soul Siamese twins. Growing up we were treated like the individuals that we are, but we chose to share everything,” she says.
Olwethu interjects and says they were virgins who gave themselves to a man who would later turn out to be abusive, but they have learnt from that experience. They confess that they never loved their ex-husband.
They met and married their ex-husband in 2011, had daughters by him in 2012 two months apart and they left him nine years later.
“Not even a man can separate use. We are one. We can only be separated by death. Our family did not understand us, and they fought us when we said we wanted to marry the same man. From the beginning of the marriage, he showed us his true colours and information about 12 other children came out. In those nine years of marriage, we spent it in two minds. On one end we stayed because of the children and we stayed because we wanted to prove a point that we could make the marriage work despite people warning us that it would not work, but on the other hand, we wanted to leave because he was abusive,” Olwethu says.
Now they have found their light. It has been two years that they have been divorced and they are happy.
One of the most glaring questions in everyone’s minds when they hear their story, is their sex lives. They slept in the same bed and their sexual encounters were always threesomes.
“We find so much peace when we are together and it is absolutely wonderful to able to please the man we love together, at the same time,” Olwethu says.
“We even have banter about who can please our partner the most. We always bring our A game and if my sister makes him moan, I have to do one better and make moan longer and louder,” Owami says.
Olwethu says their reality show will show their real life, no filters.
“We do not want glitz and glam, we want to be real about our life. You would be surprised by the number of twins who contact us on social media talking about wanting to be with the same partner but they are scared what society will say,” she says.
Owami believes they are ordained by the holy spirit to live the kind of life they live.
“We live for us and no one else. This is not a publicity stunt. If we wanted to get attention, we could have done it any other way and kept this part of our life private, but this is not for show. The holy spirit is leading us. We are not trying to justify ourselves to anyone or to try and get permission from them.”
The problem was never marrying the same man, the twins say. The problem was marrying their ex-husband.
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“Being with us at the same time is not for a weak man. We do not want two-minute noodles. This needs a brave man ezofaka ispuit iphalaze. Ukhona osithinta emanoneni (there is one that is charming us) but people will have to watch the show to find out more."
They will be launching their debut book in June titled Two bodies, one soul.
Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net says family orientated show are always welcomed by their viewers.
“Shows centered around family trial and tribulations never get old and are always fascinating to observe – more so when the blood ties are as unique and as deep as the ones in Twice as Bold. We’re sure our audience will love this duo as we see them navigate motherhood, careers, spirituality and of course love,” she says.
Twice As Bold will air every Thursday at 9pm on channel 161, starting 7 April.
