Mohale to spill the tea in Showmax special

While Somizi Mhlongo has been dissing his estranged husband on his reality show, Mohale Motaung is now finally set to give his version of their acrimonious and scandal-fueled split.

It seems that the couple and their relationship have become an ongoing cash cow for Showmax, which revealed in a statement that shooting has just wrapped on Mohale: On the Record. The special is a tell-all interview between Mohale and Aldrin Sampear, host of Unfiltered on SABC 3 and the drive-time show Beyond The Headline on SAFM.

Mohale and Somizi became the poster couple for same-sex marriage in South Africa when their SAFTA-nominated 2020 wedding special, Somizi & Mohale: The Union, set a then-record for the most first-day views on Showmax.

Their relationship was also a central focus on Living The Dream With Somizi Season 4, which won the 2020 SAFTA for Best Structured or Docu-Reality Show.

“As a queer person, their union has been a celebration of what many would love to achieve but, because of societal norms, have struggled to,” says Aldrin. “Some of us even lived our fantasies through their love story and became invested in it.”

But Somhale wasn’t the fairytale union it seemed. This became clear when the audio of an off-the-record interview with Mohale was leaked in August 2021, including allegations of how Somizi physically abused him.

Much has been said about the impact of these allegations on Somizi, who took time off from Idols and Metro FM as a result, but is now back on the cover of True Love this month and sharing his side of the story in Living the Dream With Somizi Season 5 on Showmax.

But much less has been said about how the alleged abuse, the leak, and the pending divorce have impacted Mohale. “This sit-down is an opportunity to hear Mohale’s version of their union, and now, its cracks,” says Aldrin.

“A lot has been said about me, both true and untrue,” says Mohale. “I initially had no intentions to publicly speak of the events that have occurred, due to an agreement I had with the other parties involved. But when the agreement was dishonoured by the other party, it became paramount that I tell my truth as I know it.

“With all the misinformation in the public domain, it is my responsibility to correct any propaganda as I represent not only myself, but those that may have experienced a story similar to mine. I would also like people to truly get to know me for who I am, as opposed to who they have assumed me to be,” he adds.

Somewhat bizarrely Mohale: On the Record is produced by Teddy Geldart’s Dopezuluboi Productions which also produced Season 5 of Living The Dream With Somizi.

“Having told the story of the wedding, we wanted to explore everything that followed,” says Candice Fanguiero, head of content at Showmax. “Living The Dream With Somizi Season 5 is currently the most popular title on Showmax but it’s just one perspective, so we’re now adding Mohale’s voice so he can speak for himself in this special.”

Mohale: On the Record will premiere on 4 August 2022, on Showmax.