‘I found out Somizi was gay after I was pregnant’ – Palesa Madisakwane

Living the Dream with Somizi season 5 has been an honest account of those close to media personality Somizi Mhlongo, and Palesa Madisakwane has shared her account of their romantic relationship.

During this season, the family has shared explosive accounts about Somizi as a father, partner and friend. 

Before Somizi lived his life as an openly gay man, the multi-talented star had a relationship with Palesa, with the two having a daughter together, Bahumi Mhlongo. 

In the latest episode on Showmax which aired on Wednesday morning, Palesa opens up about their relationship in the 1990s with a friend during a nail appointment. Palesa was only told Somizi was gay when she was pregnant with Bahumi.

The actress claimed Somizi’s late mother, Mary Twala, and his sister told her to leave the baby with them and go on with her life. This was because they knew “he wasn’t like other boys”.  

ALSO READ: This is why Somizi and Mohale weren’t legally married

Palesa says this period of her life was confusing as she didn’t understand what being gay meant, adding she was young at the time and all she wanted to do was brag that her boyfriend was part of Sarafina. 

When her friend asked if she suspected Somizi was gay, she answered: “Funny enough, he didn’t act gay, or seem flamboyant…

“What hurts me the most is when he does his interviews, or when I read somewhere, he would often say that I knew he is gay. That is false, how did I know such?”

She explains she learnt about homosexuality through him and was unaware of the LGBTIQ community before meeting the dance choreographer.

In the reality show, their daughter Bahumi is in the process of changing her surname after her mother’s family, the Madisakwanes, felt Somizi’s family didn’t follow the necessary cultural practices to be given the surname and given a blessing from the ancestors. 

Bahumi has expressed that her father can be self-absorbed sometimes and when he was with Mohale Motaung their relationship became distant as he cut certain people out of his life. The father and daughter are trying to rekindle their relationship since Somizi’s spilt with Mohale.