Jo-Anne Reyneke Reveals How She Told Her Kids About Split From Thami Mngqolo

• Jo-Anne Reyneke opened up about her decade-long relationship with former Generations actor Thami Mngqolo
• The actress revealed the honest conversation she had with her children after their separation
• Jo-Anne also shared the unexpected question her daughter asked her in 2024 about why she left their father

Being a parent after a split is never easy, and Jo-Anne Reyneke is proof that navigating co-parenting with grace takes real intention.

The actress opened up about how she broke the news of her separation from former Generations actor Thami Mngqolo to their children, speaking candidly on the Relebogile Mabotja Podcast on 23 October 2026.

Jo-Anne and Thami were together for a decade, from 2008 to 2018. During that time, she had spoken in earlier interviews about building a future together and feeling content in the relationship. They were also said to have been married, although the actress later dismissed the rumours.

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However, she later acknowledged that after a decade of trying to make things work, she chose to walk away so their children could be raised by happy, separated parents rather than unhappy ones staying together for the sake of it. Thami, in a 2025 interview, hinted that infidelity on his part played a role in the breakdown.

How Jo-Anne broke the news to her kids

On the podcast, the actress described having an open conversation with her children.

"I did have a conversation that daddy's going to go find his own house and you guys are gonna have two homes, two birthdays, two sets of gifts."

She added that she reassured them by telling them that "Daddy and I will always be friends" and was clear that this was not just something she said to comfort them. She and Thami genuinely get along, sharing warm greetings when they see each other. She even extended that warmth to his girlfriend, who is also the mother of his third child, welcoming the new baby as her children's half-brother.

The conversation, however, needed to be repeated more than once. The children would forget and keep asking where their father was, which meant Jo-Anne had to revisit the discussion regularly.

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The question that caught Jo-Anne off guard

Perhaps the most disarming moment she shared was from 2024, when her daughter asked her directly: "So why did you leave daddy?"

Jo-Anne admitted this was a question her children had never posed before, and it clearly surprised her. Her response was: "I'll tell you when you're a little bit older." Her daughter, unimpressed, fired back: "That's what daddy said!"

The moment clearly gave Jo-Anne some relief, knowing that Thami had handled the question the same way. "Phew, thank you, Thami!" she said, with a laugh.

Watch Jo-Anne Reyneke's interview below.

Jo-Anne Reyneke shares feelings about marriage

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared Jo-Anne Reyneke's take on marriage.

Years after ending a 10-year relationship, the actress shared her honest feelings, and many supporters backed her statements.

Source: Briefly News