Taking charge
Sphe surprises herself when she rebels against her family and takes control of her life for once.
Thanks to the controlling Cele family, Sphe’s (Pearl Monama) life is in ruins. Her arranged business-deal marriage with her marketing executive ex Mazwi (Musa Ngema) fell apart in June when Mazwi discovered that his brother Smanga (Moopi Mothebeli) is the biological father of his daughter Rorisang (Dithoriso Mosaka) with Sphe and it’s been all downhill since, says Pearl. “Sphe blames the Celes for ruining her life,” adds the actress, reminding readers that her family forced her to sleep with Smanga in 2016 to have a child after discovering that Mazwi is infertile. “They ordered her to keep this secret from Mazwi but she is done taking their orders as they have brought nothing but misery to her life,” says Pearl. Sphe’s quest for freedom has her talking back to the Cele Elders at a family intervention on Wednesday 29 August after they suggest that Sphe’s great-aunt from KwaZulu-Natal moves in with her to help her save her broken marriage. “For the first time, Sphe puts her foot down! She refuses their help – the last thing that she wants is to be dictated to by the Celes. She will get Mazwi back on her own terms and in her own way, if that is what she wants.”
BEYOND REPAIR
Sphe’s businessman stepdad Jack (Vusi Kunene) reaches out to her after he’s told of her meltdown with the elders on Tuesday 4 September but she turns down his help too. They had a falling out in mid July this year after Sphe and her brother Fana (Duma Mnqobi) booted Jack from his building project JM Eco City. “Jack wants to rebuild their wrecked father-daughter bond and strengthen it,” explains Pearl. “He tells Sphe that he will convince Mazwi to rekindle the marriage on one condition though: that she gets Jack back on the JM Eco board.” Fat chance, says Sphe, who is no longer dancing to someone else’s tune. “She wants to save her marriage but the freedom from her family’s control matters more. Sphe is ready for the fight to take back her life. She’s tired of being under her family and Jack’s constant surveillance.”
DOWNWARD SPIRAL
Mazwi ditching her and Rori in mid-July this year left Sphe at her lowest. “She was shattered, specifically since things seemed like they were falling into place earlier in the month when she actually fell in love with Mazwi. But that fairytale was short-lived,” says Pearl with a heavy sigh. “Sphe deciding to fight for Mazwi without her family’s help now means that she is also no longer obliged to fall in line with their demands. She and Mazwi can pick up where they left off. She hopes that they can start over, without any lies.”
ASKING FOR TROUBLE
Sphe turns to her married ex-boyfriend Gadaffi (Vuyo Dabula) for help on Monday 10 September and “it’s exactly what she needs. Gadaffi understands Sphe and what she is experiencing,” says Pearl. “It’s nice to have someone she can vent to and he keeps her from losing the plot with-out crossing lines.” Through Gadaffi, Sphe also gets another ally in her quest for Mazwi – Gadaffi’s wife Tshidi (Letoya Makhene), who can’t wait to get Sphe back to her estranged hubby and away from Gadaffi.