By Josie Goldberg
Johannesburg, South Africa (The Hollywood Times) 07/27/2026
As I was flying back from Miami on American Airlines to John Wayne Airport from my weeklong vacation at Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood and my 4th of July festivities, I could not for the life of me fall asleep on my direct 5-hour flight home. I started scrolling Media and found a show that piqued my interest “The Polygamist”. I did briefly date a famous African Plastic Surgeon from Beverly Hills so I figured maybe I could learn something. I am “ONLY JOSIE KNOW” and I have a little touch of “OCD” and after the first episode I was ON A WATCHING BINGE!!!
When I got home, I watched the whole series (22 Episodes) in two days on NETFLIX. I then told my mom to watch the show, and she told me that she can’t relate to the African Culture and she was not interested. I told her that this show is going to win many awards and is the top 10 most watched shows on Netflix” I turned on the first episode with my mom, and she fell “hook line & sinker” except insisted we watch the show together as we discussed every story line and every character. My mom was amazed at how she could relate to Zulu Culture. Zulu people are the largest ethnic group in South Africa, with millions of members, primarily living in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. The Zulu language is one of South Africa’s 12 official languages and is the country’s most widely spoken first language. Polygamy has been practiced historically by some Zulu families, especially among royalty and wealthy men!
The Hollywood Times had an Exclusive Q&A interview with the Executive Producer of “The Polygamist”, Gugu Zuma Ncube.
Josie: We all know that ChatGPT and Google are not accurate, as the Executive Producer of “The Polygamist”, is the series fiction / or nonfiction? Does any of the storylines emanate from personal experiences?
Gugu: The show is Fiction; The Netflix series is adapted from a fiction novel by Sue Nyathi. We had an amazing group of writers and those writers brought in some of their real-life experiences.
Josie: I watched the show with my mom the second time around, and she is from Soviet Union Russia and Mom asked If Jonasi is the father of the twins? Matipa was seen with (Minister/Politician)
Gugu: Yes, Jonasi is the father.
Only Josie Knows, then asked, did anyone else bring this question up as I have not seen anything about this in various interviews and or on social media. Coming from the Russian culture, “Who’s the Daddy” is always the number question when a child is born from a woman who is nice looking with many options and no husband.
Gugu: Yes…
Josie: According to Zulu Polygamy, Essie was a legal wife, why did Joyce not grant her access to see Jonasi on his deathbed, and if she would of went to the police, would Joyce have had to let Essie in her home to see her husband (Jonasi)? Does the primary wife have the power? Do wives play fair in “Zulu Polygamy”?
Gugu: Yes, the police would have let Essie in to see her dying husband, but Essie did not have the same money and power as Joyce (Primary Wife) so she decided not to challenge the system. The Wife with the most money usually has the most power. Wives don’t usually play fair in Zulu Polygamy.
Josie: According to traditional Islamic SHARIA law, a Muslim man may marry up to four wives at the same time, provided he meets specific conditions, basically he must provide for all of them financially equally and treats them all equally fair.
Gugu: In Zulu Polygamy, Zulu Men, can have as many wives as they want and don’t have to provide financially, emotionally or physically equally for all
Josie: Is there a something unique in the passion scenes in the Zulu Nation or is it just me?
Gugu” Zulu Men and Woman are very passionate people.
Josie: I am a former Playboy Model, and when I was at the PLAYBOY studio, I saw some soft and regular porn, your show was very graphic, and I have never seen that kind of sexuality on Netflix.
Gugu: (Smiled and said) We are very passionate people.
Josie: Do you believe in Zulu Polygamy in 2026?
Gugu: I would not engage in Zulu Polygamy in 2026.
Josie: In the Western World, most woman pay 50/50 or even must marry a “WIP” (work in progress) to have a traditional family. If you were single in 2026, would you rather be part of a RICH, ROYAL “ZULU POLYGAMY”, or be a 50/50 and financially support your man.
Gugu: Option 2, No polygamy.
Josie: Did any of Jonasi wives contract HIV? It’s alluded that Lindani did. (Medication blue bottle) This was a SHOCKER…Essie ended up getting very sick with the HIV, looking back, she did take medication in various scenes. Lindani, also got infected with the HIV Virus.
Gugu: Joyce & Matipa, did not get the virus.
Josie: Is there going to be season 2?
Gugu: Maybe.
My Grandma who was from Moscow, Russia used to a say a handsome man is never going to be your man exclusively to my mother. She was right, from what I had seen at 43 years young. However, in 2026, I have come to terms that a rich, powerful man will also never be exclusively your man either. There is always going to be another woman in your marriage like Princess Diana once said, when asked about Camilla. “The Marriage is quite crowded” I have to say that I don’t agree with the bloggers, vloggers and various reporters. I think Jonasi was not that bad of a husband and father. He was a good provider for all his children. Honestly, I have not seen a man provide solely in my own extended family, friends and colleagues. A lot of men might be by your side physically but aren’t financial responsible for their children & these women are doing it all on their own. That’s why I am single, for me the most important is that the man can provide financially, I can’t respect a man who can’t take care of me and our future children.
I also believe Jonasi did right by Essie. Jonasi came back for her and did what he promised. Essie always dated bums, and as we saw she never found a man of quality and never elevated her business. Jonasi rescued her from the Township, made a beautiful healthy daughter that he financially supported so the daughter could achieve a better life than her mother and took care of Essie Son from the Bum boyfriend. What man in 2026 does this? The wealthy powerful man in the Western World stays with their wife or they may divorce, then find girlfriends on the side and say they can’t divorce because it’s financially too expensive to lose their assets. They end up being legally married, having younger girlfriends that they don’t give children or money to minus, some expensive gift and vacations. Jonasi a powerful rich man, knew he would not be sexually loyal to one woman, but he gave all the woman a better life than they would have had minus” JONAS”.
I am “Only Josie Knows” and of course I try to live life with my Judaic values, but at this point in my life I would pick a “JONASI” minus the HIV infections and minus such a crazy vindictive murderous primary wife. I travel the world and have been in a very high society and let me tell you most men who are at the top are “JONASI” except they don’t pay, procreate and lack HONESTY.
I highly recommend this show to the readers at the Hollywood Times and thank Gugu Zuma Ncube for the interview. Let me know my readers which way would go?
