Sdumo Mtshali Slams His Toxic ‘The Polygamist’ Character Jonasi Gomora, Warns Youth

• Sdumo Mtshali opened up about his character on The Polygamist and why the show is an eye-opener on the things happening around us
• The award-winning actor, who plays the toxic Jonasi Gomora in the hit series, described his character as an animal who lived a nonsensical life
• This comes amid the viral hype from the show, which has become a major talking point among fans and fellow industry mates who have been sharing notes since its premiere

Netflix’s hit series The Polygamist remains the biggest talking point across Mzansi, with fans and industry peers continuously sharing notes and drawing chilling real-life comparisons since its premiere. At the centre of this storm is the toxic and highly manipulative protagonist, Jonasi Gomora.

On Monday, 15 June 2026, the brilliant man behind the character, award-winning actor Sdumo Mtshali, sat down for an exclusive interview to unpack the psychological depth of his role - and he didn't hold back.

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During the interview, Mtshali was hilariously yet seriously asked whether he would survive dating his character in real life. The actor immediately shut down the idea with a resounding no, before quickly turning the question around on itself.

Mtshali admitted that he wouldn't even "survive dating like Jonasi," given the sheer amount of deceit involved.

For context, Jonasi is portrayed as a serial womaniser who secretly navigates and masterfully manipulates multiple women at once, including his first wife, a secret second wife, a mistress, and a girlfriend.

"He's not a person, he's an animal."

Speaking in a deeply serious tone, the former Isibaya star explained that while stepping into the shoes of such a flawed man is an interesting acting lesson, it holds up a very dark mirror to society. He lamented that, far too often, the black community "praises nonsense" by enabling or glorifying men who exhibit this type of destructive behaviour.

Watch Sdumo Mtshali's interview below.

Sdumo Mtshali encourages youth to choose better

For Mtshali, the massive success of The Polygamist shouldn't just be about high streaming numbers; it needs to trigger real internal reflection. The actor pointed out that Jonasi’s ultimate demise on the show was the natural consequence of his actions, serving as a loud warning to viewers.

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"The fact that he died the way that he did from the things he did shows that stuff like this is happening, and we should stop the pattern from repeating itself."

Concluding his thoughts, the acclaimed actor passionately encouraged the younger generation to make significantly better life and relationship choices, warning them to steer clear of the toxic, deceptive habits that ultimately led to Jonasi’s ruin.

Actress Gugu Gumede receives widespread praise

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Gugu Gumede's stellar performance on The Polygamist.

Viewers and longtime fans took to social media to give the former Uzalo actress her flowers and the ultimate praise for the incredible work she put into her character, Joyce Gomora.

Source: Briefly News