Online Reporter
A viral slideshow making the rounds on social media has set off a heated debate about whether the cast of Netflix’s smash-hit South African drama The Polygamist are being paid what they’re worth.
The video, shared by @thatmzansigirl__ on Threads, claims to break down exactly how much each major cast member pocketed for their work on the show. According to the clip, lead actor Sdumo Mtshali, who plays the complicated and secretive businessman Jonasi Gomora, reportedly received R1,4 million. Co-stars Celeste Ntuli (Essie) and Kenneth Nkosi each allegedly earned R700 000, while Sthandiwe Kgoroge came in at R600 000.
The timing of the video could not be more loaded. The Polygamist is currently one of Netflix’s most talked-about shows, not just in South Africa but internationally.
The series follows Jonasi Gomora as his secret double life begins to unravel, touching on infidelity, generational trauma, absent fathers, and the pressure of maintaining a perfect public image. Its rawness has resonated deeply with viewers, sparking debates in WhatsApp groups, on X, and across online forums. The buzz has grown so loud that international celebrities, including Davido and Taraji P. Henson, have publicly commented on the show, drawing even more eyes to the production and its cast.
That international attention is precisely why so many viewers feel the salary figures, if accurate, simply do not add up.
The figures shared in the video have not been independently verified, and neither Netflix nor the actors’ representatives have publicly confirmed or denied them. Still, the conversation the clip has sparked reflects a wider frustration among South African viewers who feel local talent consistently delivers world-class work without world-class pay.
Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that Netflix’s hit supernovela The Polygamist has proven once again that it is far more than just a source of juicy entertainment and social media banter.
The show is holding up a mirror to the fractured dynamics of many modern households, and one of its episodes has left the entire nation in tears over an incredibly heavy and realistic family confrontation. —BrieflySA
