JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - FEBRUARY 26: Bongani Luvalo at the Metro FM Music Awards Nominee Announcement at The Forum in Hyde Park on February 26, 2026 in Johannesburg, South Africa. The awards ceremony recognise and celebrate excellence in the South African music industry by honouring musicians who did exceedingly well in their fields. (Photo by Gallo Images/Oupa Bopape).
Bongani Luvalo, who starred on Married at First Sight Mzansi, has spoken out about his split from Portia Baloyi. He shared that their relationship ended weeks before viewers saw the tension on TV.
Luvalo featured on season 2 of Married at First Sight Mzansi in 2025. During that season, he married Baloyi in one of the season’s most talked-about unions.
Despite what appeared to be a promising connection and even making it through a recommitment ceremony, the couple eventually separated.
Now stepping into the acting world, Luvalo has also joined SABC television soapie Generations: The Legacy. In this show, he plays Pastor Lawrence. This role has introduced him to an entirely new audience.
During a candid interview, Luvalo reflected on how reality television can sometimes pressure couples to maintain appearances for viewers.
“And one could probably say they did it probably for ratings,” he shared. “So that people can keep investing in the relationship, and that becomes the basis of how we relate with that person.”
However, he said the real issues in the relationship became clearer once he got to know Baloyi beyond the cameras and public attention.
“But then you learn the character and personality of an individual,” he added.
Luvalo explained that the breakup ultimately came down to deeper concerns around values and principles rather than isolated incidents.
“We can’t overlook principles. We can’t overlook values,” he said. “At times we mistake the character for behaviour and think it’s just a phase.”
According to him, some traits remain unchanged regardless of circumstances.
“There are things that remain whether you take someone to church or somewhere else, whether they have money or no money. That’s who one is,” he explained.
The television personality admitted there were aspects of the relationship he realised he would never be able to carry long-term.
“There are things that I would not be able to sustain in having to carry,” he confessed.
While many viewers assumed he left after watching episodes of the reality show air publicly, Luvalo completely shut down those claims.
“No, I didn’t end things because of what I watched on TV,” he clarified. “What I watched became confirmation of the decision I had already taken.”
He revealed that by the time audiences were reacting online, the relationship had already been over for weeks.
“I came back from the French Literature Fest in the second week of May. By the time May ended, that relationship was gone,” he said.
Luvalo also addressed speculation surrounding therapy sessions shown on the programme. He insisted their attempts to fix the relationship were genuine and happened outside production schedules.
“We came for therapy. We used our own services and actually paid for those services outside of production,” he revealed while recalling a conversation with a pastor involved in their counselling journey.
He further claimed that some important moments were removed from the final edit. As a result, viewers misunderstood the true timeline of events.
Despite the heartbreak, Luvalo’s honesty has won over many South Africans online, with viewers praising his openness and emotional maturity
As his acting career on Generations: The Legacy continues to grow, many fans say they are now seeing a different side to the former reality television groom. This was a man who once searched for love in front of the entire country.
