The Mommy Club episode 1 recap: Real connections are formed

The highly anticipated first episode of The Mommy Club is finally here! The new Showmax Original premiered on the platform on Tuesday, 27 June, and introduced Mzansi to some of the hottest mommies on the scene. It features former star of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg, Mpumi Mops, entrepreneur Tshego Manche, event planner Nunurai, author and business coach Happy Simelane, and former Miss Tembisa and businesswoman Ratile Mabitsela. 

Watch the trailer for The Mommy Club

Off to a great start

The ladies started on the right foot and were all keen to meet and get to know each other better. Mrs Mops and Ms Manche were the first to connect on a personal level. Although they had never met face-to-face, the two already had a relationship through Instagram. They’d often chat via direct messages on the app and also engage on each other’s posts. 

During their in-person meeting, Ms Manche highlighted the fact that she and Mrs Mops have a lot in common. “But sometimes things in common make people to be apart and I hope it’s not that with us,” she said. 

She told Mrs Mops that she doesn’t have a lot of mom friends. “I think in different phases of your life you need your friends, you need all kinds of friends to go through the wavelengths of life. You need your married friends, your single friends, you need your mommy friends. We need each other.” 

Mrs Mops agreed with her, adding: “Different women play different roles in your life. Some of your single friends don’t understand when you’re a mommy and you’re married.” The mother of three, who’s been married for 15 years, said being a wife and mother is something she takes pride in. 

Mrs Mops sets the record straight 

The conversation then moved from parenting to cheating allegations. Ms Manche, like the rest of South Africa, was dying to know whether there was any truth to the rumours about Mrs Mops stepping outside of her marriage a few years ago. “Being accused of that is extremely hurtful and it just comes from people who are jealous and bitter.” The accusations, according to her, are false. 

After the air was cleared, the ladies decided to drop that conversation and not dwell on the past. They also had another interaction at Nunurai’s son’s first birthday celebration, where they met the rest of their co-stars. The conversation was flowing as they were trying to form new bonds. Things got a bit deep and emotional when Happy told the ladies about her husband’s passing. 

Getting deep

She explained: “I think I’m done [having kids]. I don’t know whether it’s because of what I’m currently going through or what’s currently happening. I lost my husband through a car accident so I don’t see myself getting married again.” The ladies showed empathy as she shared her story. 

Mrs Mops asked how her children are dealing with the loss. “I think they are just adjusting, you know. And prayer helps us. You just need to pray, it’s not easy. It will never be easy. We just learn to live with the pain. And besides, God knows best.” Happy also shared that losing a part of you so suddenly is “not a nice thing.” 

“I don’t wish that upon anyone. That’s very painful. Obviously it’s the outside, we don’t know the internal struggles she’s having inside,” Ms Manche said. 

New episodes of The Mommy Club stream every Tuesday on Showmax.