By: Thapelo Ramorobi.
Married at First Sight South Africa has now been on our screens for 11 weeks now, and it’s getting clear which couples are sinking, swimming or just treading the waves of love. While drama is at the core of the show, Bongani’s reflection on the previous episode reminds us that it’s also about vulnerability, growth and navigating through love.
While following the lives of four couples trying to know and live with each other after being married, drama becomes the sole reason we fall in love with the show and forget to reflect on ourselves and be in the candidates’ shoes and see how the experience could have an impact on their daily lives.
One of the people whose life has been altered is Bongani; in his interview, he emphasised how therapy plays a vital component in his life, especially as a married man trying to know his wife.
Though Bongani has all the important tools in his box, the experiment did take a huge toll on him, but besides all that, he got time to reflect on himself; he not only learnt that he loves love.
“I would say learning to know when something is about me or not has helped. At times, we tend to want to personalise or own people’s actions as if they are a reflection of ourselves or our own insufficiencies. I don’t take things personally, and I also know when to take a few steps back and then approach things with less emotion.”
Bongani proves to be a quiet storm; while others clash loudly, his therapy-shaped approach coupled with self-awareness makes him the most intentional participant. Bongani’s journey has shown that MAFS is not just reality TV drama but also a reflection of SA’s complex relationship with marriage, tradition and self-awareness.
