Must-watch trailer: Sports Wives, coming to Showmax

Sports Wives, a reality show that gives you a front-row seat into the lives of the wives, girlfriends and exes of South Africa’s sporting greats, is set to premiere on Showmax on 5 December 2023, with new episodes every Tuesday. 

Watch the trailer for Sports Wives

Directed by Thumeka Hlotshana (The Real Housewives of Durban S2-3), the Showmax Original is produced by Ndlovukazi Concepts and features the following cast: 

Bomzi September 

Banking app manager and mother of two Bomzi September is married to ex-footballer Thabo September, now second assistant coach at his old team SuperSport United. The 34-year-old, who hails from the Eastern Cape, comes from a family of sports lovers who were heavily involved in rugby. 

Bomzi says that she never planned on becoming a WAG and didn’t even know who Thabo was when she first met him at an event. 

“When you are married to an athlete, your life becomes sports,” says Bomzi. “All that you watch or talk about is sports. Luckily for me, I love sports, and being with my husband has nurtured that side of me more.”

Speaking on how she handles the attention that her husband gets from female fans, she says, “My husband has shielded me from that; I have never had to deal with anything crazy. I am blessed to have a husband who respects me.”

Christa Kgamphe-Jane

Thirty-seven-year-old sports manager, masseuse and lecturer Christa Kgamphe-Jane is married to Banyana Banyana star Refiloe Jane, who is based in Italy. They’ve been together for nine years and married for two. Refiloe spends a lot of time abroad, so Christa spends a sizeable amount of time on her own. Talking about their long-distance relationship, she says, “the distance is tough but it is something I am now used to, we miss each other a lot so to make sure that we stay close and connected, we communicate a lot, we keep each other updated throughout the day to keep the romance going. ”

Clarrisa Manaças

Thirty-seven-year-old entrepreneur and mother Clarrisa Manaças was in a 12-year relationship with Lionel Mapoe, a two-time Currie Cup champion, who played as a utility back for the Springboks and Vodacom Bulls. They have now gone their separate ways, after their 2021 engagement ended earlier this year.

Clarrisa is now picking up the pieces of her life and starting afresh. “Being on this show has been quite the journey,” she says. “The show helped me through my breakup and it has been one of the best things I have ever done for myself. I made genuine connections with the ladies and I can’t wait for viewers to see it.” 

Dipuo Maloi

Yummy Mummy Apparel owner Dipuo Maloi is no stranger to the spotlight; she has been a fixture in Sunday tabloids. The 37-year-old Soweto native has two baby daddies who play soccer: Andile Jali, who has played for Bafana Bafana, Orlando Pirates, Sundowns and now Moroka Swallows, and Lantshene Phalane, his teammate at Moroka Swallows.

“So much has been said about me and most of it is not true,” says Dipuo. “I wanted to tell my story in my own words. I am the author of my life and this platform has helped me clear a few misconceptions.”

Speaking of having children with teammates, she shared, “The only positive thing about my baby daddies being in the same team is that now my kids can support the same team; we no longer have multiple teams to support.”

Tsholo Makgalemele-Mbane 

Thirty-one-year-old Tsholo Makgalemele-Mbane from Tembisa is a stay-at-home wife who is married to Banyana Banyana player Bambanani Mbane. The couple met in 2019 and her family has not always been accepting of her marriage to a woman but now that has changed. “In the beginning, my family was not supportive of my relationship but now things are different, I have their full support and it has been a wonderful journey. I can now fully be myself around everyone I love.” 

Sisanda Cetyiwe

Shore excursion officer Sisanda Cetyiwe has a baby with Kennedy Mwene, Zambia’s most capped football player, who also kept goal for Sundowns. 

The well-travelled 37-year old is excited for audiences to watch the show. “This season is going to be very authentic, like nothing you have seen before,” says Sisanda. “People have always been curious about this world and now is their chance to see it for what it is.”

Sports Wives is the first reality show from Ndlovukazi Concepts, who have produced hits such as Cishe Ngafa and Abandoned for Mzansi Magic. 

“It was important for us to ensure that the first season of Sports Wives is as inclusive and relatable as possible,” says Nonhlanhla Dhlamini, executive producer and creator of the show. “We were deliberate in also including wives, partners and exes of professional athletes from the LGBTQIA+ community, athletes who are oftentimes neglected by the general media regardless of their outstanding performance at national and international level.”

She shares that the show is going to be authentic to what most women who are involved with athletes go through. “Sports Wives deals with issues that are relatable, like parents who have not embraced partners we have chosen to marry and spend our lives with, lack of acceptance of our sexuality, women having to navigate who they are after dedicating their lives to motherhood and their husbands, finding and reconnecting with family, and navigating friendships - all beautifully packaged into an authentic, well-shot and entertaining reality series.”