Asavela Mqokiyana Opens Up About Divorce, Motherhood and Finding Healing

Actress and model Asavela Mqokiyana has opened up about her personal journey through marriage, divorce, and motherhood, describing it as one of the toughest but most transformative periods of her life.

During her recent sit-down on Mommy Diaries with Pasi Koetle, the former Isibaya actress got candid about the pain of raising her child while navigating the emotional toll of a separation.

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“It’s hard navigating that alone because it wasn’t the plan. The plan was to be a two-parent household. I didn’t have that, so trying to build that for myself for my inner child, and now it’s stripped away. That for me was so hard having to go through my divorce with a six-month-old baby,” she shared.

Despite the challenges, Asavela said she has found healing and joy in motherhood. “It was one of the hardest periods of my life, but she’s grown now. She’s a happy child. I think I’ve poured more than I can and she’s healed me as well. What has made it a bit easier is that we are fine with her father, we’re co-parenting beautifully. He’s always been a great father to his kids, so I never doubted that he could be that for her. In a sense, it does heal me cause I didn’t grow up with my dad.”

Asavela gave birth to her daughter in August 2023 after marrying businessman Vuyiswa in April 2022. Unfortunately, their marriage was short-lived, and the two separated in September 2023.

Still, she remains hopeful about love and family. “I still believe in love, and I know I will have my family one day,” she said.

Alongside her personal struggles, Asavela also addressed hurtful rumors surrounding her marriage. Trolls alleged that she had taken her husband from his first wife, with some even suggesting she was friends with the woman and had attended their wedding. Asavela dismissed the claims, saying the timelines simply did not add up.

“I was in matric, and he was living his whole life. We only met when I was on-screen, so where are these timelines that I was invited to weddings and so forth..,” she explained. “I am aware that they did invite the cast of the show, but I was not there. I was not even friends with her – I only saw this person years back. I don’t even know what happened with them.”

Although the allegations spread widely at the beginning of 2024, Mqokiyana said she was unfazed, having already spoken through the matter with her family and close friends. “I’d already prepped because I knew it was going to come out. Someone would find a way – whether it was someone speaking on a podcast, or another way to put it out there. So, there’s nothing I can do as long as we (Mqokiyana and her ex) are set and we are good. We’d spoken about how we’re going to take care of our family and that the most important thing is how we’ll move on going forward.”

Reflecting on lessons from her marriage, Asavela admitted it reshaped her perspective. “I learnt patience and to not lead, which is the hardest thing when you have been leading your whole life, and now you need to be submissive; you need to wait for the head – and that’s a stumbling block,” she shared.

Through heartbreak, motherhood, and healing, Asavela’s story reflects both vulnerability and strength, as she continues to build a new chapter while holding on to hope for love and happiness in the future.