By Rorisang Modiba
- Actress Letoya Makhene says filming her reality show The Makhenes helped her family have long-avoided, difficult conversations and grow closer.
- Her ex-partner Johnson Masondo alleged in May on a podcast that Makhene took their son without his knowledge or consent.
Actress and musician Letoya Makhene says filming her family’s reality show, The Makhenes, forced them to have conversations they had avoided for years.
The Mzansi Magic series wrapped its first season on Sunday after 13 weeks, following three generations of the Makhene family through personal struggles, conflict and healing.
The season played out against a public custody dispute. In May, Letoya’s former partner, Johnson Masondo, who appeared on the show as “Baba,” told the Engineer Your Life podcast with Lungelo KM that Makhene had left the country with their son without his knowledge or consent.
“I love my son. She ran away with him. I have custody documents at home. I last saw him on 23 December and haven’t seen my child since,” he said.
Masondo has since told News24 he was reunited with his son at Makhene’s grandmother’s home in Soweto.
“I want to be able to raise my son. I want to buy him clothes, take him to good schools and be a present father,” he said.
Reflecting on the season, Letoya said one of the hardest moments for her to watch back was a therapy session with her children.
“Watching the scene where my children and I were in therapy was incredibly difficult. It was an emotional moment for all of us. We were fully present, and what viewers saw was completely authentic,” she said.
She said filming gave her family space to decide whether to stay close or grow apart. “Filming created a space for us to have uncomfortable conversations and decide whether we wanted to choose each other or walk away. Thankfully, our love was stronger,” she said.
Letoya said she hopes viewers take away that healing is possible, even when it is uncomfortable.
Pictured above: Letoya Makhene
Image source: Letoya Makhene Instagram
