WATCH | Ayanda Borotho on her issue with polygamy: Modern men are selfish

After igniting a heated debate about polygamy and the effect it has on women empowerment, actress and author Ayanda Borotho has received backlash from people who felt she was "attacking" their culture. This is something she has now come out to deny and clarify.

"I wanted to just go back to the fundamental principle of what the message was about. One was to say polygamy was never meant to oppress the woman, never. The power of polygamy and how it would unfold in the household lay squarely with the woman. A man didn't just pitch up, with his girlfriend of eight years, and tell his wife that he's gonna marry her," she said in an Instagram video. 

Last week Ayanda also shared her disapproval of polygamy after a man expressed his desire to take on a second wife on the polygamy themed reality show Mnakwethu.

After watching the first episode, Ayanda shared that she believed there was “nothing more oppressive" than the false validation brought by being the “main woman” in a polygamous relationship. 

“Ngisasho futhi, nothing is more oppressive to women than the pressure of 'wanting to be someone's wife/main woman' and the false validation it brings. I absolutely respect marriage. And there's nothing wrong with marriage except the narratives we give it," she said.

In her latest video, the actress also made it clear that a polygamous lifestyle was always meant to benefit the family, and not just the man or his lust.

"The problem is that modern men are not like the men who came before them. The older generation of men prioritised that the unity of the family was protected."

"Men of today are selfish and self-centered. They make decisions that impact their wives and their generation selfishly."

Ayanda went on to explain to men that times have changed and their days of thinking that they are somewhat superior to women, and their lives matters more, are over.

Watch the rest of the video below.