Veteran South African musician Blondie Makhene is opening up about the often complicated balance between family and fame, reflecting on a life shaped by music, spirituality, and legacy.
Image: File
Blondie Makhene is getting personal on screen as his family opens up their lives in the new reality show, “The Makhenes”.
The series, which premiered on Mzansi Magic on Sunday, April 12, follows the Makhene family across generations, giving viewers a closer look at their relationships, challenges and growth.
The first episode already had tongues wagging on social media with mixed reactions from viewers.
Speaking ahead of the premiere, Makhene shared how it felt to open up his life to the public in such a way.
“It feels good to debrief, to be able to look back and to meditate on my past,” he said. “I guess this is my own way of dealing with my post-traumatic stress disorder as a South African.”
While reality television often comes with pressure, he said there were parts of the experience he genuinely enjoyed, especially the time it brought back with his family.
“There were a lot of things that I enjoyed, but having more family gatherings than we’ve had in a long while as a family and also watching the crew at work and seeing how it all comes together behind the scenes,” he said.
As one of the country’s well-known figures, Makhene also reflected on what he hopes viewers take from seeing his story unfold on screen.
“My story is our story and many of us are going through the same things. I’m hoping that people may find solutions to their challenges through our story,” he said.
The show is led by his daughter, singer, sangoma and actress Letoya Makhene, who opens up about her personal life while navigating motherhood, public life and her spiritual journey.
Alongside her are family members who each bring their own stories, including long-standing tensions and moments of healing.
Opening up at this level also means dealing with public opinion, something Makhene says he has come to accept over time.
“I accepted a long time ago, when I woke up to this life, where this family chose to be. It comes with the territory,” he said. “Ours is a contested space where the weak will fall by the wayside and we are the Makhenes; we don’t die early.”
With its focus on real-life moments, “The Makhenes” leans into honesty, showing the complexities that come with family, legacy and growth.
Letoya, who has been in the public eye for a number of years, has been one of the family members who made headlines for controversial reasons over the years.
Lastly, Makhene spoke about how he feels when his loved ones trend on social media.
“Trending is good when we are sharing; however, there are owners of the space on social media who won’t let others be.
“This is when I cry for my beloved country and regret how we have lost the ability to be abantu (humans). We have turned into heartless bullies without empathy. We rejoice over one another’s pain instead of reaching out to each other,” he concluded.