Mohale Motaung used his hour-special on Showmax to give his unfiltered perspective on his toxic marriage to Somizi Mhlongo and, boy, he did not waste a second.
Mohale Motaung drops bombshells about Somizi in Showmax interview
The ex-husband of South Africa’s revered entertainer sat next to renowned journalist Aldrin Sampear for a no holds barred conversation about his failed marriage.
Until now, everything we thought we knew about South Africa’s most popular gay couple came from Mhlongo and his reality TV show, Living The Dream With Somizi, where Motaung was labelled a clout-thirsty fan who manipulated the break-up for a ‘come-up’.
However, staring deep into the eyes of a decorated investigative journalist, Motaung calmly dished out never-before-heard stories about the torment he allegedly endured married to one of the most famous stars in South Africa, a man 24 years his senior with a ton of wealth and influence.
You will have to watch the full interview to get a greater perspective of the alleged horror Motaung survived in a toxic marriage that could have been staged for reality TV.
However, here are six bombshells Motaung dropped about his relationship with Mhlongo:
Somizi’s thirst for Orlando
In the Mohale Showmax interview, Sampear led Motaung down memory lane to revisit moments in the past where red flags may have fluttered in the faces of a couple destined for doom.
Motaung recalled the couples’ trip to Amsterdam that, coincidentally, included the production team from his reality TV show. Back then, Motaung had accepted Mhlongo’s hand in marriage, and the international trip was meant to be a celebration of a new chapter in their lives.
But, Motaung soon realised that for Mhlongo, this was an opportunity to finally meet a man named Orlando, who, at the time, was romantically involved with his ex-friend, Thami Dish.
This infamous clip, where Mhlongo first laid his eyes on Orlando, resurfaced in the interview, and Motaung admitted he felt uncomfortable and helpless watching his fiancé gawking over Orlando right in front of him and, ironically, in the snippet you can watch below, Thami was heard warning Motaung to call his man to order for overtly flirting with his man.
While it’s unclear if Mhlongo and Orlando had an affair, Motaung claims his soon-to-be ex-husband admitted he had every intention of pursuing Thami’s boyfriend.
The infamous threesomes
Motaung’s first near brush with threesomes allegedly came during the Amsterdam trip. In the Mohale Showmax interview, Motaung refuted claims made by Mhlongo that the topic of threesomes was introduced as a way to spice up a lacklustre sexual relationship.
Instead, Motaung added, the first time he was ever confronted about a threesome was when Mhlongo made the suggestion of including Orlando, the man he melted over in Amsterdam, in their sex lives, an offer Motaung vehemently stresses he turned down.
Was the entire relationship part of a script made for reality TV?
The Amsterdam trip should’ve been an eye-opener for Motaung, but the allure of dating one of South Africa’s most successful entertainers held him back from seeing the dangers that lay ahead.
He admitted this to Sampear, who probed away at his past, looking for more red flags.
Motaung, in reflection, conceded that the manner in which their relationship was made public and how, against his wishes of a private affair, their daily lives were tied to the production of the reality TV show may have held indications about the nature of the union.
Was it all for TV? Motaung believes so.
His love for Somizi blinded him to red flags
Motaung admitted that was it not for his deep love for Mhlongo; he would have left early into their relationship. Despite the toxicity, Motaung stressed that he shared a deep love and reverence for his soon-to-be ex-husband. Around him, he was himself, and the time Somizi sacrificed to be with him, he cherished more than anything.
The alleged assault incident that damaged Motaung’s ribs
Much to Sampear’s shock, Motaung casually revealed that assault was a constant occurrence in his relationship. One of the most memorable fights Motaung described as “a dark time in his life” happened weeks into their relationship.
Motaung had allegedly returned home from an NSFAS gig he’d pursued without Mhlongo’s approval, and this, of course, had immensely angered the breadwinner.
According to Motaung, Mhlongo refused to believe he was in Durban for work, and as Mohale changed out of his clothes in their upstairs bedroom, Somizi allegedly poured champagne over him and physically attacked him, damaging his rib cage.
Motaung allegedly crawled to his car and raced to a doctor friend who worked at a hospital in Vosloorus, where he was treated for severe injuries.
Mhlongo’s former friend Thami Dish was the one who mediated the reconciliation between the couple, and while the moment was swept under the carpet, it would be the first of many alleged assaults that occurred whenever Motaung took up a work gig.
Motaung sets the record straight about the divorce
Motaung has vehemently denied claims made by Mhlongo that he is after half of the celebrity’s estate, a claim that was perpetuated in his reality TV show. Instead, Motaung revealed, a letter sent to Mhlongo listed the following items he wanted:
- his clothing;
- the car Somizi allegedly damaged in November 2019 when he drove Motaung off the road with his Mercedez Benz G-Wagon; and
- his 50% split of R1.5 million in revenue made from the famous wedding.
Motaung stressed that he’d made it abundantly clear to Mhlongo that he wanted no part in owning a share of his assets, pension and provident funds and investments.
Mhlongo, who is the subject of furore on social media, has yet to formally respond to Motaung’s interview. Here are some of the reactions we picked out: