‘He said he needs to mess up my face’ – Mohale Motaung

Now that Somizi Mhlongo’s reality show, Living The Dream with Somizi, has wrapped up its fifth season, Showmax fans can look forward to hearing his ex-husband Mohale Motaung’s side of the story.

Ahead of his upcoming television special Mohale: On The Record, the entrepreneur and influencer released some additional trailer footage that touched on the alleged abuse that took place within their marriage as well as some of the good parts of their union.

“I was really myself when I was with him… And I could express myself in many ways,” said Mohale as the trailer opened.

“I was happy until certain things started to happen… Like the control and constantly being reminded that I bring nothing to the table except my pretty face,” he told journalist Aldrin Sampear who will be in conversation with him for the Showmax special.

Delving deeper into the abuse allegations he levelled against the former Idols SA judge, Mohale can be heard making reference to crawling down the stairs in the trailer.

“I remember him saying that he needs to mess up my face,” added a straight-faced Mohale.

Mohale: On the Record is a Showmax Original tell-all interview that seeks to give Mohale a chance to tell his side of the story and it is set to start streaming on 4 August 2022. 

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After last month’s announcement of the show, viewers expressed their apprehension with the fact that Mohale will be interviewed by a self-confessed former perpetrator of gender-based violence, Aldrin Sampear. 

Sampear is the host of Unfiltered on SABC 3 and the drive-time show Beyond The Headline on SAFM. He has, in the past admitted to having physically abused former partners, owing his actions to his upbringing and misunderstanding of masculinity.

“Mohale and his husband Somizi Mhlongo became the poster couple for gay marriage in South Africa when their Safta-nominated 2020 wedding special, Somizi & Mohale: The Union, was labelled ‘The Union of the Year; and set a then-record for the most first-day views on Showmax,” said the streaming service in a statement.

Somizi and Mohale’s relationship was also a central focus on season four of the former’s show, Living The Dream With Somizi, 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. Some of us even lived our fantasies through their love story and became invested in it,” commented Sampear.

The fairytale union of ‘Somhale’ started to unravel after the audio of an off-the-record interview with Mohale was leaked in August 2021.

The audio contained a slew of shocking allegations, 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 five – currently streaming on Showmax.

“But much less has been said about how the alleged abuse, the leak, and the pending divorce has impacted Mohale.”

Sampear has billed the sit-down as an opportunity to hear Mohale’s version of their union, and now, its cracks.

“A lot has been said about me, both true and untrue,” began Mohale, before adding, “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.”

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