Mzansi Magic’s Mnakwethu has aired the first episode of the new season, which prompted conversation on the dynamics of female friendships and how much one shares about their marriage with friends.
Mzansi Magic took to Twitter on Tuesday, 6 July 2021, to confirm the return of the contentious but fan-favorite reality show, Mnakwethu. The show focuses on men who want to introduce a second wife into their marriage. The show is touted as one which is meant to highlight the culture of polygamy. However, as the show premiered its second season, it has become public discourse that the show usually highlights how men allegedly use polygamy as an excuse after cheating on their wives.
Hence, with the premiere of the new season, the viewers have, once again, taken to agreeing with the aforementioned narrative. The first episode of the season saw a man informing his wife that he is ready to take a second wife. The first shocking revelation which surprised the wife more than it did the viewers, was the fact that the proposed second wife is the first wife’s friend. After the revelation, the wife needed to step away from the table to process the information.
In light of the revelation, what shocked viewers more was the fact that the husband and the wife’s friend had already been intimate. Therefore, viewers could suppose that the friend in question was still cordial with the wife, while knowing of her relationship with her friend’s husband. Therefore, the wife, being asked to accept her as a sister-wife would do so with the knowledge that she cannot trust her.
The situation further escalated when the husband gave his reason for wanting to take a second wife; besides excusing his infidelity. The husband alleged that he wanted a second wife so that she could bear him sons, as the first wife has only birthed girls. It took Musa Mseleku, the host, to point out that that is not the fault of the wife. The unfounded allegation and shaming of his wife reportedly highlighted the toxicity of the man. Moreover, it continued to shine a light on how polygamy is sometimes used as a reason to justify cheating, as most men that have been on the show flouted tradition until the very end.
