‘Married at First Sight’: Palesa Mphaki’s Ex-Husband Tshepo Miya Breaks His Silence
- Tshepo Miya finally broke his silence to address the drama from his short-lived marriage to Palesa Mphaki
- The Married at First Sight star unpacked his ex-wife's web of lies, detailing how he supported her financially, and even revealing her toxic traits
- His revelations drew a storm of contrasting opinions from the online community as viewers debated over the couple's messy marriage
- Briefly News spoke to relationship expert Paula Quinsee, who shared the harm of going public with private issues
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Source: Twitter
Things have tensed up since the explosive Married at First Sight season two reunion episode, with many of the singles now sharing what went wrong in their marriages. Tshepo Miya is one of them.
The show follows relationship experts who match strangers to be married. The couples meet for the first time at their wedding and document their relationships over several weeks before deciding whether to stay together or call it quits.
After his marriage to his now-ex-wife, Palesa Mphaki, ended in tears, Tshepo Miya shared his side of the story on Engineer Your Life after he chose to remain silent at the reunion episode.
Speaking to Lungelo KM on 6 October 2025, Tshepo unpacked some instances in which he believes he was expected to invest more into the marriage.
Miya reveals that he gave Palesa access to his bank card and vehicle. However, when it came time for her to invest in the marriage, she was apparently hesitant:
"I was asking what I believe were small things, but they were not coming."
The reality star and failed polygamist went on to reveal that, despite discussing their finances, Palesa only wanted to use his money for household needs and her upkeep. He claims she refused to share her salary.
Moreover, despite being labelled a "dodgy" character, Miya also noted Palesa's questionable behaviour, such as her jealousy and "restricting" him from speaking to female crew members.
He also detailed an incident where an argument with his former wife ensued, prompting him to seek help before it escalated:

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"She was insulting me in the car, and I noticed one of the production cars driving behind me. I flagged them down and asked them 'There's a situation brewing in the car, and at the intensity of it, it's not going to be nice. Can you guys assist me in getting this person out?'"

Source: UGC
The former couple's failed love story has been at the centre of a social media storm, as many viewers debated and took sides on who the monster truly was, discussing Palesa's "explosive" tantrums and alleged Tshepo's financial abuse.
Watch Tshepo Miya's interview below:
Speaking to Briefly News journalist Tayananiswa Zvikaramba, relationship expert Paula Quinsee shared the harm of publicly discussing private relationship issues.
Paula Quinsee shared that Tshepo Miya's decision to open up shouldn't be judged negatively. She said it can be viewed as an act of bravery in a society where men aren't always encouraged to speak up. She explained how and when someone chooses to open up also matters.
"While some may judge Tshepo Miya for speaking out, it can be viewed as a courageous act of vulnerability, but timing, mutual respect and the platform make all the difference. Emotional honesty, whether public or private, is only healing when it’s accompanied by responsibility and a willingness to listen and find solutions together," Paula Quinsee said.

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Online users discuss Tshepo Miya's interview
Viewers don't believe a word Tshepo was saying, calling him out for refusing to open up at the reunion. Read their comments below:
AshleighAmberl1 said:
"We watched the same show for the past few weeks. I definitely do not believe anything he says."
marcia_breeze wrote:
"He was given numerous opportunities to clear his name, and he refused. He admitted to taking back the card and car when they got into disagreements, that's financial abuse. His conduct during the recommitment episode cemented the allegations."
heyMalusi asked:
"Why did he not say all of this at the reunion?"
wwwwwwwwords added:
"I don’t think we need to hear anything from this man."
MrsMoyo10 slammed Tshepo Miya:
"Is this the platform he wanted? Where nobody challenges him?"
its_nontokozo posted:
"Oh, so now he wants to talk."

Source: Instagram
On the other hand, some viewers said the pair were equally toxic towards one another:
kheswa_thenjiwe said:
"They were both monsters to each other."

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Maratong6 said:
"So production threw her clothes out of the balcony and punished her for having the last lemon cream? These two are toxic, man, no one is better. They were a good match."
__ria_girl added:
"A lot of people are enabling Palesa’s behaviour. When it comes to these two, they are both equally toxic and horrible people. They both went below the belt. We cannot be painting Tshepo alone as the bad guy; Palesa played dirty too."
KayBobii argued:
"They’re both toxic. Tshepo is no angel."
Nkululeko Mahlangu exposes Makoto Phumodi
In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Nkululeko Mahlangu exposing his ex-wife, Makoto Phumodi, through screenshot evidence.
The reality TV star shared proof that he supported his wife financially, going as far as revealing how much money he sent her within their short-lived marriage.
Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
Moroba Moroeng (Entertainment editor) Moroba Maepa, née Moroeng, is an entertainment editor at Briefly News and a University of Johannesburg alumni (Public Relations and Communications, 2018). She was the editor for HipHop Africa, where she honed her proofreading, leadership, and content management skills. Having begun her career as a content writer for Slikour OnLife, Moroba has eight years of experience as a writer specialising in music journalism and entertainment. She joined Briefly News in 2023 and completed a set of training courses by the Google News Initiative. Email: moroba.moroeng@briefly.co.za
Paula Quinsee (Certified Relationship Therapy Educator and founder of Engaged Humans) Paula Quinsee is the founder of Engaged Humans, facilitating connection between individuals and organisations to create a more human-connected world. She is a certified Imago Relationship Therapy educator and facilitator, NLP practitioner, PDA analyst, coach and trainer. Paula is also the author of two self-help guides - Embracing Conflict and Embracing No - as well as an international speaker, advocate for mental health and activist for gender-based violence.
