Reality TV star Kgomotso Ndungane opens up about life after 'RHOD'

As the Real Housewives of Durban season one airs once again on Mzansi Magic, Kgomotso Ndungane is having to relive the show all over again — and even though she has regrets she is trying to take it in her stride.

However, Kgomotso doesn't think she'll ever go the reality TV show route again.

“When I measure and question how I contributed to society through the show, it's like no contribution ever ... how has it changed the minds of the one that's trolling people, it has not moved the country forward,” she tells TshisaLIVE.

“I wouldn't go on to reality shows any more — or I'd be very selective.”

Life has not much changed for Kgomotso since she left Real House Wives of Durban, except that she had to pick up the pieces when she decided to leave after the first season.

The reality TV star and entrepreneur says that being on the show made her more conscious of how she could influence society.

“When you receive a certain platform which makes people more aware of you ... you've got to be always conscious of the fact that it's no longer your personal space and that it's extended to a broader audience,” she said.

Speaking of her experience on the show, Kgomotso says that not being able to see the show before airing always had her on the edge of her seat

“The journey real housewives is filled with many emotions, we don't get to see the pre-screening of what will be showed after a certain episode ... It brought about a lot of anxiety ... I don't regret being there. I regret not having asked questions ... you sort of downplay the objectives of the other parties.”

Dealing with social media was the hardest thing for Kgomotso, she says. She admits that she went through a phase where she could stop reading comments from the trolls.

“I wasn't aware of black Twitter, I knew Twitter as a business platform ... so when I saw these things, I was in absolute shock and my family and friends tried to stop me from reading the stuff.”

As the CEO and founder of Oak Celebrations and Lelapa follower and events companies. Kgomotso says she joined the show with the objective of promoting her business and did not anticipate that it would have a negative affect on it.

“The very same reason that I went on to the show to promote my business it actually did the opposite ... when people couldn't get to me — because I locked all my social media accounts when the hate was so huge ... they went to my business pages and ... I then had to go and put restriction measures.”

Kgomotso says she then started living more privately.

“I couldn't showcase any of my work, I need to do it in total silence. so I was trying to do as little as possible with the high anxiety that the show leaves you with. When you receive a lot of hate, there's no way it will not affect you. With the help of my family, Odwa, my dad, my friends, I was able to overcome, and now that it's playing on Mzansi magic I'm focused on being positive, doing me and I stopped reading that junk. I got to a point where now I am doing what pleases me.

She did not leave the show empty-handed though — Kgomotso says she's grateful to have gained a good friend and business partner, Anne-Toni Mthembu.

There might not be another TV show in the works as yet, but Kgomotso says that she is enjoying living her truth and growing her flower and events business.

“I'm channelling myself now, you've got to always channel yourself, don't look for other people to channel you because they will channel you according to their objective. It's just doing what I am all about.”