Mapaseka Koetle reflects on marriage, betrayal and healing through her ‘Nyala O’ role

The actress says playing Kea Maponya has allowed her to reflect on marriage, betrayal, motherhood, and her own healing.

By Mapaballo Borotho

Mapaseka Koetle reflects on marriage, betrayal and healing through her 'Nyala O' role — Images @Pasi Koetle| Instagram

For Mapaseka Koetle, playing Kea Maponya on Nyala O is proving to be more than just another acting role.

The South African actress says the storyline has opened up a healing platform for her, while also giving her a deeper understanding of women and why people sometimes make choices that others may struggle to understand.

“Acting helps you to judge people less because a lot of women are still upset at Kea for staying in her 15-year marriage, even after the husband betrayed her.”

And Kea certainly has a lot to process.

On Mzansi Magic’s Nyala O, Kea recently discovered that her husband of 15 years, Rhami Maponya, has a secret family in Tembisa – including a son who is older than their daughter.

Kea and Rhami have one daughter together, while Rhami has fathered two children with his mistress.

For Kea, the discovery has brought embarrassment, humiliation and the painful realisation that the marriage she had spent years presenting as perfect was not quite what she believed it to be.

But while viewers may be asking why she simply does not leave, Mapaseka says the situation is far more complicated than that.

“People would have preferred Kea to leave her marriage, but most of them are staying in unhappy marriages. The cheating might not actually be Kea’s dealbreaker,” she said.

For the actress, getting into Kea’s shoes has also brought up some personal emotions.

“I am healing from this storyline because I am also a return soldier,” she said jokingly.

Why is Kea struggling to walk away?

According to Mapaseka, Kea’s biggest obstacle may not necessarily be Rhami’s infidelity but the embarrassment that comes with admitting that her marriage is not what she thought it was.

“She is always advocating for marriage and she has centred her whole life on Rhami and her marriage. She has a whole book called ‘His Rib’.

Yes, she is angry, but more than anything, she’s disappointed that her marriage is not what she portrayed it to be”.

She says many viewers are probably seeing pieces of themselves in Kea; hence they want her to leave her marriage.

The storyline has sparked conversations among viewers about marriage, betrayal, and why some people remain in relationships that no longer make them happy.

For Mapaseka, that is one of the most interesting parts of acting – being able to explore the reasons behind people’s decisions instead of simply judging them.

‘Your mother-in-law is not your mother’

But Kea’s marriage is not the only relationship giving viewers something to talk about.

Mapaseka says one of the biggest lessons Nyala O has taught her is that your mother-in-law is not your mother.

In the storyline, BoMMa, Rhami’s mother, played by Elizabeth Serunye, knew about her son’s secret family but chose to keep the truth from Kea.

Mapaseka says this is a reminder that, regardless of how close you may become to your partner’s family, their loyalty will ultimately lie with their own child.

She says mothers will always choose their children, even when they are kind and loving towards their daughters-in-law.

A lesson for women

Beyond the drama, Mapaseka says the storyline has also made her think about how women balance their careers, relationships and families.

“I am also learning that women need to start paying attention. There’s nothing wrong with being a career woman; it is, in fact, great, but we need to prioritise our families,” she added.

And while Kea’s fictional world has been filled with heartbreak, Mapaseka says the love she has received from viewers in real life and on social media has been overwhelming.

For now, she continues to navigate Kea’s complicated world while taking a few lessons from the character along the way.