The Polygamist: A Neoliberal Cultural Psy-op To Demonise Africa’s Polygamous Culture?

Sat, 29 Aug 2026 15:03:41 +0200

In this video, South African politician, Dr Khanyisile Litchfield-Tshabalala posits that South African TV series The Polygamist presents a deeply distorted portrayal of a practice that has existed within African societies for centuries. She argues that polygamy, as traditionally practiced in many African communities, was not merely an undisciplined man pursuing multiple sexual partners at will, but a social institution governed by cultural norms, ancestral laws and communal expectations, with responsibilities and obligations toward every member of the family.

In her words, consent, accountability and the welfare of the household were central to its practice. It was not synonymous with promiscuity. Whereas she says, what The Polygamist depicts is something fundamentally different: a man driven by sexual gratification, deception and disregard for the women involved. Far from an honest representation of traditional African polygamy, she says, it is a bastardisation of the institution.

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