The Wife Season 2: Zandile’s kids think Hlomu is their mom

After a week-long break, The Wife returns for Season 2. In The Wife Season 2 episodes 1-3, tensions are already rising in the Zulu mansion. Not only is Zandile livid that her kids have a stronger bond with Hlomu than they do with her, but the Zulu brothers are arrested for killing the Commissioner’s wife. As for Hlomu, she’s caught in a love triangle with Mqhele and Qhawe. The question is, which brother will she choose? Let’s get into the recap.

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 1 – Zandile returns home

The premiere picks up immediately after the Zulu brothers carried out Zandile’s prison escape. But they aren’t out of the woods yet. On their way back home, there’s a roadblock and the police stop the brothers for questioning. Luckily, Mqhele, who’s driving, makes up a lie and tells the cops that he and his brothers are construction workers and they’ve just returned from a project. It’s a hard sell, but the cop believes him, and the brothers heave a sigh of relief.

They continue with their journey but before they go home, Nkosana makes a quick stop at his old friend Zeb, who makes a fake ID for Zandile. When asked what her new government name will be, Zandile looks Nkosana in the eye and says Siphokazi Sikhakane – his mother’s name. Nkosana swoons. He kisses Zandile and they make their way home.

Zandile isn’t fully free

It’s the morning of Zandile’s return and she wakes up in Nkosana’s arms. The couple can’t keep their hands off each other. Although Zandile would rather spend the rest of the day in bed together, Nkosana has business to attend to. He gifts her an elegant grey dress, kisses her forehead, and leaves. Considering that Zandile has been locked up for 10 years, she doesn’t know what to do with herself. She’s struggling to adjust to her new reality to a point that you can see the discomfort in her face.

Episode 2 – “I’m their mommy, not Hlomu”

Someone who is oblivious to Zandile’s uneasiness is Hlomu, who is thrilled to meet Zandile. Hlomu gives Zandile a big hug and she shows Zandile around the house. After Zandile is settled in, her kids return from boarding school, and she isn’t met with the reception that she expected.

The boys walk into the house, ignore Zandile and call Hlomu their “Mommy”, which sets Zandile off. What’s worse is that Zandile’s eldest son Sbani was under the impression that his mom was dead – as he was told by Nkosana years ago. Suddenly, she’s back and her name is Zandile. Sbani is confused!

Zandile blames Nkosana for the mix-up and she goes on a rant, saying: “You disappointed me, Nkosana. Didn’t you see the way the kids looked at me like they didn’t know me? You didn’t tell them that I love them. You didn’t tell them why I wasn’t around. How would you feel if your children called another man ‘Daddy’ just as they call Hlomu ‘Mommy’. How do you think it makes me feel?” The room goes silent and Nkosana promises to make things between the kids and Zandile right.

Episode 3 – Hlomu’s love triangle

While Hlomu was emotional and angry with Mqhele in Season 1, she had a one-night stand with his closest brother Qhawe. But let’s clear one thing: the tryst didn’t mean anything for Hlomu. She had an itch that Qhawe happened to be there to scratch it, that’s it. But Qhawe is head-over-heels with Hlomu, and he can’t stop thinking about their night together. In fact, he sees a future with Hlomu, but she wants to pretend that nothing happened. After all, her heart belongs to Mqhele.

When Mqhele returns home from the prison break situation, he bears his heart out to Hlomu and apologises for his actions, stating: “I know that our love has been through many trials, but I know that we’ll conquer all the challenges that we might face in future. I promise, my love.” And just like that Hlomu forgives Mqhele again.

To forget about her drama, Hlomu takes Zandile out for a day of shopping and she receives a call from Qhawe. He wants to talk and Hlomu meets him at her apartment. Qhawe declares his undying love for Hlomu and midway through his speech, she collapses.

We’ll have to wait for next week to see what’s wrong with Hlomu.

The Majolas strike against Zulus

If you thought that we left the Zulu brothers’ rivals with the Majola brothers in Season 1, think again. They are back and they are out for blood. After some investigating – and torturing a random security guard, the Majola brothers discover that the Zulus killed the Commissioner’s Palesa. 

The Majolas tell the Commissioner who arrests the Zulus. Could this be the end of the Zulu clan?

Watch The Wife S2 now streaming on Showmax. Season 3 landing on 10 November 2022.