‘The Polygamist’ Author Confirms Fan Theory About Jonasi Gomora’s Surname: “That’s the Reason”

• The Polygamist author Sue Nyathi confirmed a fan theory about the meaning behind Jonasi Gomora's surname
• On Tuesday, 16 June 2026, Nyathi also clarified a symbolic scene involving a bird swallowing a fish
• Fans previously compared Jonasi's marriage to real-life controversies surrounding reality TV star Nozipho Ntshangase and other celebrities

The author of The Polygamist, Sue Nyathi, has confirmed a fan theory about the meaning of the protagonist Jonasi Gomora's surname. This comes as the Netflix series continues to receive rave reviews online.

X (Twitter) user @SiyabongaOnX got the conversation rolling by weighing in on Jonasi Gomora's surname on Sunday, 14 June 2026. The X user questioned the meaning behind the character’s surname, arguing that it did not align with his Zulu background. The user also pointed out what they believed were inconsistencies in The Polygamist's legal details.

“I enjoyed this show, but these are the little things that bother me about local television. He’s a Zulu man, so what kind of surname is Gomora??? This and the random legal things they got incredibly wrong. I understand it’s fiction, but it’s the little things that add so much value.”

Read also

Sdumo Mtshali slams his toxic 'The Polygamist' character Jonasi Gomora, warns youth

Sue Nyathi clarifies fan theory on Jonasi Gomora’s surname

Fellow X user @valavoosh suggested that the character’s surname was symbolic. The response read:

“Doubt it’s a real surname, so this is where suspension of disbelief comes when engaging fiction. I bet Gomora is in reference to the biblical city of Gomorrah and how it symbolises a profound wickedness. And that Jonasi man is more than wicked.”

As netizens weighed in on the interpretation, Sue Nyathi, the author of the source material, broke her silence. She confirmed that Jonasi's surname Gomora was symbolic and adapted from the biblical city of Gomorrah, which God destroyed alongside Sodom for their wickedness. The post was captioned:

“You are 💯 correct. That's the very reason I chose Gomora and not Gumede.”

Sue Nyathi explains bird and fish scene in The Polygamist

Sue Nyathi also explained the meaning of one of the scenes in the 22-episode Netflix series. X user @_mamozeze_ asked for the meaning behind the scene where the bird swallows the fish. The post was captioned:

Read also

"My tears are up": Comedian creates 'Mel Miljoen' skit about Bafana Bafana's 2-0 loss, SA amused

“In The Polygamist, what does the bird swallowing the fish symbolise? Who is the fish, and who is the bird?”

In her response on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, Sue Nyathi said that the scene was based on a riddle about compatibility. She said it highlighted that the bird and fish cannot mate. The post was captioned:

“It is based on a riddle to highlight incompatibility. If a bird and a fish mate, where would they live? If they choose water, the bird will drown. If they choose air, the fish will die because it needs water.”

The Polygamist has fans comparing Jonasi to Nozipho Ntshangase's ex

Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that South Africans revisited Nozipho Ntshangase's marriage and the scandals surrounding it after The Polygamist premiered on Netflix.

As viewers weighed in after binge-watching the series, several couldn't help but notice similarities between Jonasi and Joyce's marriage and reality TV star Nozipho Ntshangase and her ex-husband, Zola.

Source: Briefly News