MaBlerh spills the tea: Nonku's no-show and the Londie-Minnie beef in 'Real Housewives of Durban' season 5 reunion

The most fulfilling interviews begin with an initial unfamiliarity, evolving into a connection akin to being besties for years by the end of the chat.

Such was my interaction with a true Jack of all trades, MaBlerh (real name Mthokozisi Cele), when I called him to chat about the two-part reunion special of “The Real Housewives of Durban” season five, the day before it dropped on Showmax. Part two will air on Friday, July 11. 

This is the third year in a row that he’s been hosting the special, and he doesn’t disappoint.

He also hosted “The Real Housewives of Gqeberha” and season three of “The Real Housewives of Johannesburg”.

Having been a die-hard fan of “The Real Housewives” franchise, it was indeed a full-circle moment for him to become the go-to choice to host several reunion episodes. 

Of course, we kicked off with the elephant in the room - Nonku Williams being a no-show. 

With her holier-than-thou attitude, the entire season, where she picked fights with newcomers Kwanele Kubheka (aka Fafa) and Lo Sithole, viewers and co-stars alike were left gaping in shock by her tardiness and diva-like behaviour. 

The other cast members added to the dynamics include Ayanda Mthembu as well as Minenhle "Minnie" Ntuli and Precious Udoye, who are brought in as friends of friends but end up taking up a chunk of the screen time. 

MaBlerh shared: “You know, like any other viewer, I love Nonku. I love the fact that Nonku asks the kind of questions that people are scared to ask. And, yes, it lands her in hot water, but we need that. She is the firestarter. 

“For me, it was weird being at the reunion without Nonku. It was just that something was missing. It would have felt the same way if Sorisha (Naidoo) weren't there. Like, they are the OGs.”

As someone who fearlessly asks the burning fan questions, I inquired if it threw a spanner in the works of him leaving no stone unturned in getting to the bottom of the drama.

After a quick chuckle, he noted: “Not really. For the first time, I feel like Nonku had wrapped up any of the drama that she had with the ‘Housewives’ within the season. 

“The only thing I would have wanted to ask Nonku was what was in that letter that sent her over the rails like that.”

When I mentioned that I was not sad to see the back of Nonku, MaBlerh quickly pointed out, “You’re going to miss her”.

He qualified his statement by adding, “She’s the character that a lot of people love to hate. And she's a polarising figure.”

But I held firm in my viewpoint even though he made a valid statement. After all, every reality show needs a villain to stir the pot.

MaBlerh added: “Let me tell you what the problem is with new villains, they don’t know where the line is. Unfortunately, when you don’t know where the line is, it's easy to actually piss off viewers rather than make them love you as a villain."

And while Sorisha does orchestrate chaos on the show, she somehow comes out smelling like roses. Cough: Mabusi Seme in season four and Londie London this season. 

Moving swiftly along, I asked MaBlerh to weigh in on the additions to the cast. 

“I really enjoyed Fafa this season, and let me tell you why. I feel that there is potential for her to grow, to be something we don’t expect because there is a lot of personality there. But I think that she was still trying to establish herself.  She's a dark horse. That's what I love.”

He also sang the praises of Angel Ndela. 

“With the Angel that we had last season and the Angel that we had this season, I'm seeing growth, and I love it. It's the same thing that I'm enjoying with Jojo (Robinson), every season we see Jojo evolving.”

Hosting the reunion episodes of shows of this nature is not easy, as personalities clash and the atmosphere has a tendency to get quite tense.

But MaBlerh is the epitome of calm, confident and supportive. He offers a balanced perspective when irrationality runs riot, making him akin to a reality show whisperer.

On how he manages to stay so zen, he said: “Get your pen and paper out and note this. I believe that God prepares you for certain things without you actually knowing what you are being prepared for. And that is how I was prepared for this.

“I grew up with my mom, and I've only got two siblings. Unfortunately, one passed away, the girl. She was in high school. And my brother, who is much older than me, moved out of the nest very quickly, leaving me in a house with all my female cousins, aunts, and all of these people.

“Even my helper had her granddaughter living with her as well. So in total, I was living with about five women at times. And I became the sounding board for them. That is how I learned how to navigate female drama.”

MaBlerh pointed out that while many view the catfights as “trivial, overdramatised and women overreacting”, he learned “that these are actual feelings and that they are valid because women tend to be more in tune with their emotional side”.

He continued: “I understood the thought process, and so I was able to understand, listen, ask the right questions and direct someone to their blind spot. I applied that to my female friends, and I found that it worked, and then I found myself on ‘The Real Housewives of Durban’.”

In case you are wondering, London is at the reunion. 

MaBlerh added: “I still want to get to the bottom of how that Londie and Minnie thing escalated to what it is. I’m sure you can attest to this; it just went from zero to 100.”

Another massive talking point this season was Nonku’s close-knit friendship with Jojo hitting a few rocky patches, culminating in the BFFs unfollowing each other on social media shortly after the season aired. 

He joked: “A friendship dies every season and a new one comes along.”

That said, he did reveal that the Minnie and London saga, as well as the demise of “Joku”, will be unpacked in the second part of the reunion.