“Hungani Ndlovu Gets Real About Fatherhood – ‘It’s Beautiful, But It’s Not Easy’”

ACTOR and dancer Hungani Ndlovu has opened up about the intense emotional journey he faced after becoming a dad, saying the first months of fatherhood left him overwhelmed, confused, and questioning himself.

The 30-year-old performer, who is from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, is well-known for his role as Tbose Maputla on Skeem Saam.

Off-screen, he made headlines for his relationship with fellow actress and TV presenter Stephanie Ndlovu (née Sandows) whom he married in a private ceremony in 2019.

After four years together, they publicly announced their divorce in a joint statement on Sunday, 22 June.

Now, speaking on Mapaseka Koetle’s podcast, Hungani got raw about his emotional journey as a new dad, and why those first months took a real mental toll.

“The first six to nine months were terrible for me. Even though I read all the books and thought I was prepared, nothing really prepares you for the real experience,” he said.

Hungani explained how helpless he felt trying to support his partner during that period, especially with the baby being so dependent on the mum in the early stages.

“When a baby is hungry every two hours, it’s breastfeeding. At midnight, it’s breastfeeding. I didn’t know how to show up for Steph… It felt like I wasn’t useful enough, even though she’d say I was doing great,” he said.

He also praised women for their strength and what they endure during pregnancy and birth.

“It’s honestly a miracle what happens inside a woman’s body. For me, women are superheroes. I still can’t fully comprehend what it takes to carry and birth a human being,” he said.

In a moment of honesty, Hungani revealed how the pressure almost broke him.

“People might take this the wrong way, but I now understand why some men run away. The pressure when a child is born is a lot. It’s not that they don’t care, but it can be overwhelming,” he added.