The Wife Season 2, episodes 7 to 9 recap: Zandile takes charge of her kids

Seeing that Zandile has settled into the Zulu mansion following her prison escape, she quickly assumes the matriarch role from Hlomu in The Wife Season 2 episodes 7-9, causing a rift between the sisters-in-law.

The women have their first stand-off, in which Zandile subtly warns Hlomu to refrain from her family affairs. The tension is building up between Zandile and Hlomu and what’s clear is that things won’t end well between them. Besides putting Hlomu in “her” place, Zandile fulfils her promise to Nomusa, Mqhele and Hlomu take the first step in repairing their marriage, and the Zulu brothers are hell-bent when the taxis go missing. 

Let’s break down the action-packed week.

Update: Want to know more? Watch the behind-the-scenes special The Wife: Behind the Veil. Plus, binge all of Season 1 and 2 of The Wife on Showmax.

Episode 7 – Mqhele and Hlomu on a clean slate

What should be Hlomu’s most exciting period as she prepares to be a mom, has turned out to be stressful. When episode 7 opens, she’s lying on her bed, crying and Mqhele doesn’t know how to comfort her. 

He thinks that it’s because she’s still upset from her miscarriage after he beat her, but Hlomu is a mixture of emotions – and it’s not because of the hormones. It’s because she doesn’t know who the father of her baby is since she had a one-night stand with Mqhele’s brother Qhawe. She’s guilt-ridden and worried.

To comfort Hlomu, Mqhele recites his usual speech about protecting Hlomu. “I know that I’m a man with flaws, but I promise, our child will be safe,” says Mqhele.

Ntsika meets a new lady

When youngest Zulu brother Ntsika meets a woman by the name of Sne at the taxi rank, he goes out of his way to impress her. He showers her with expensive gifts and over-the-top dates, but Sne isn’t interested in Ntsika, she just wants his money.

Nqoba sets the traitors taxi drivers alight

As the Taxi Association’s new chairman, Nqoba is throwing his weight around and when he finds out that there are taxi drivers who are taking their routes, therefore, stealing their customers, he wants revenge. He finds the taxi drivers that opposed him and sets them and their taxis alight.

Episode 8 – Zandile makes her presence felt

Since returning home, Zandile has been making all kinds of changes in the family. The latest is to enrol her sons at a school nearby so that she can spend more time with them. Hlomu isn’t happy with all these developments, and she confronts Zandile about pulling out the kids from their boarding school without consulting her first, to which Zandile responds: “I’m sorry Hlomu. I didn’t know that I had to involve you in decisions regarding my kids. If they get overwhelmed by all the changes, I’m here to support them. After all, I’m their mother.”

Hlomu is shocked by Zandile’s condescending tone, so she backs off. However, Zandile doesn’t let the tiff with Hlomu go. She tells their other sister-in-law Mandisa about it and paints Hlomu as the villain in the story. And because Mandisa already despises Hlomu, they put a target on Hlomu’s back.

Zandile to the rescue

Not all heroes wear capes. Some, like Zandile, wear tailored suits and stilettos. She can’t stop thinking about Nomusa – the woman who offered to take her place in a prison in exchange for the Zulu brothers to pay for her son Thebe’s spinal cord surgery. Zandile tells Nkosana that they need to help Thebe before Nomusa changes her mind.  

Zandile realises the sacrifice that Nomusa made for her. Zandile is spending time with her sons as a result of Zandile’s selfless love as a mother, the least she can do is get the best doctors for Thebe and pay for his operation. Zandile organises the surgery at one of Johannesburg’s most revered hospitals and guarantees that Thebe is treated by the best doctors in town.

Ntsika gets played

During a house party that Ntsika throws, Sne and her friends get him drunk, and they steal his credit card. The next morning, Sne and her friends sneak out of the party, and they go on a shopping spree, spending R50 000 in one day, unsettling Ntsika as he is afraid that his brothers might find out and they’ll be hell to pay.

Episode 9 – With every action, comes a reaction

Nqoba’s brash actions should send a message to anyone who is thinking of deceiving him but his rivals the Majolas continue to plot against the Zulu brothers. They steal the Zulu family’s taxis at night and to top it all off, they partner with the Commissioner to wage war against the Zulus. 

Blood is about to shed as the enemies draw the battle lines.

Mqhele wants to know whose baby Hlomu is carrying

Mqhele wants to have this baby so much that he convinces Hlomu to visit a traditional healer with him. During their consultation, the traditional healer advises Mqhele and Hlomu to perform a baby-naming ritual for their deceased baby before they have a cleaning ceremony that will assure that the couple will have a healthy baby. Mqhele and Hlomu are thrilled to take the step to start afresh.

Watch The Wife Season 2 now streaming on Showmax. Season 3 is landing on 10 November 2022.