Mpho Letsholonyane: Being married doesn’t mean my man defines me

Sports personality Mpho Letsholonyane has always been willing to give a sermon on women's rights and independence, so don't think she'll be changing now that Reneilwe has put a ring on it.

The couple celebrated a traditional wedding ceremony to mark their marriage last month but Mpho has once again opened up about not giving into the pressures of society to be in a relationship or get married.

"This notion that a woman needs to be validated by a man’s presence in her life is so annoying really..." she wrote on Twitter this week, sparking a debate among her followers.

Hold up! But isn't Mpho married?

Soon Twitter trolls came knocking on her door and suggested that as a married woman she was misleading the people with her comments.

Mpho stopped her discussion on women's independence for a second to set the hater straight. 

"Being married doesn’t mean my man defines me. Don’t ever get that twisted," she said, to applause from her followers.

And what about African culture?

With that now understood, Mpho took another comment from the floor, a suggestion that you were only socially recognised by african culture if you were married.

She had just days earlier said that the world was obsessed with the need to put people in boxes when everyone's relationship situation was different.

"People sometimes feel that we should all function on the same level, want the same things and if you go against what they would do, you’re a target. I’m glad I believed and trusted in my emotions. Maybe a sense of maturity and serenity played a role as well... I don’t know...I repeat, love the one you love and let them continue to talk."

Speaking to Gareth Cliff on CliffCentral last year, Mpho explained that a streak of independence was needed in a relationship, especially when you're dating a footballer. 

"It helps if you’re in the same kind of space because when he’s gone for like a week you don’t think he’s gone to be with girls, I know exactly where he’s going, his coach knows me,” she said.