Sue Nyathi Responds After Fan Claims 'The Polygamist's Jonasi Gomora Was Inspired by Her Grandfather

• Sue Nyathi broke her silence on a viral claim that The Polygamist character Jonasi Gomora was based on her grandfather
• The rumour spread after a fan made the claim in response to comedian KevOnStage calling Jonasi Gomora a "world-class villain"
• The City of Johannesburg humorously targeted Jonasi Gomora while enforcing local bylaws

Netflix's hit telenovela The Polygamist continues to dominate online conversations, with fans dissecting every detail of its controversial lead character, Jonasi Gomora. Sue Nyathi, the author of the novel that inspired the series, has responded to a fan theory about the inspiration behind the protagonist Jonasi Gomora.

Sue Nyathi previously confirmed a fan theory about the meaning of Jonasi’s surname. This time, she responded to another fan theory that the protagonist, portrayed by Sdumo Mtshali, was inspired by her grandfather.

American comedian Kevin Fedricks, professionally known as KevOnStage, kicked off the conversation after sharing his thoughts on Jonasi Gomora in a video shared on Saturday, 27 June 2026, on his official X (Twitter) account. The post was captioned:

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“Jonasi Gomora from The Polygamist is a WORLD CLASS VILLAIN.”

Watch the video below:

In the comments, X user @tadiwa claimed that Jonasi was based on Sue Nyathi’s grandfather. The post was captioned:

“To think the character of Jonasi was based on Zimbabwean author @SueNyathi's grandfather! These demons do exist.”

See the post below:

Sue Nyathi clears the air on Jonasi Gomora's origin story

As social media weighed in on the claim, Sue Nyathi joined the conversation and set the record straight. She explained that Jonasi Gomora was not based on her grandfather. The post was captioned:

“No!!! The character of Jonasi wasn't based on my maternal grandfather, who passed on in 1979. Yes, he was a Polygamist with 5 wives. His father, my great-grandfather, had 11 wives. I say this to illustrate that polygamy was prevalent in the maternal side of my bloodline.”

See the post below:

In the comments beneath Sue Nyathi’s clarification, the social media user who initially claimed that Jonasi Gomora was based on her grandfather apologised. Nyathi graciously accepted the apology.

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See the post below:

Netizens react after Sue Nyathi responds

Meanwhile, other netizens weighed in on Jonasi, echoing popular South African composer Lebo M’s sentiments, while others asked Sue Nyathi follow-up questions.

Here are some of the comments:

@nowerooo asked:

“Was Jonasi a polygamist or a dude who was caught in between the horns of a dilemma just because of different circumstances?”

@Khaulux argued:

“I’ll even go as far as saying Jonas wasn’t a polygamist, at least based on the Netflix series. He tried to divorce first, and when that seemed to be hitting a wall, he came up with the idea of polygamy for some form of social acceptance. In earnest, he became lazy in his later years and wanted all his women not only in the same area code but in the same household if at all possible 😅”

@Khensaniiy questioned:

“So what inspired you to write the book?”

City of Johannesburg targets Jonasi Gomora

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'The Polygamist' lands in hot water as Kenyan official demands ban

Meanwhile, Briefly News previously reported that the City of Johannesburg took a playful jab at The Polygamist's lead character, Jonasi Gomora, while enforcing city bylaws.

Sdumo Mtshali, who portrayed the controversial character, responded with laughter to the city's playful jab.

Source: Briefly News