Swiss, real name Siyabonga Mlangeni, has bid farewell to the Big Brother Mzansi house after an eventful run that saw him labeled as the season’s villain. Despite his controversial moments, the 28-year-old cyber security student from Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, made it to the top 10 before his eviction alongside Bokang “Beekay” Chephetsa on Sunday night.
Reflecting on his exit, Swiss remained positive about his journey in the competition.
“Honestly, I’m good, I’m content with the fact that I got eliminated. I ran a good race, I wasn’t expecting to only be evicted now, I had expected this two weeks ago,” he said.
“Being in the house for close to 10 weeks and making it to the top 10 leaves me with nothing but gratitude. I’m just grateful to have made it this far.”
However, Swiss’ time in the house was not without drama. His clash with fellow housemate Uyanda Hlangabezo earned him the title of the season’s villain. But he believes the audience didn’t get the full picture of what happened.
“I was viewed as the villain by many people at the time of the fight, and to this day, I still feel that people didn’t get to see the whole picture. What I can say is that some people tend to turn themselves into victims when that isn’t entirely true,” he explained.
Despite the negative perception, Swiss stands by his approach in the game.
“Obviously, being authentic and unapologetic was going to piss certain people off, and I knew I was probably only going to get along with some people in the house, but I walk away proud with my addition on the show. I made connections and friendships in the house that I know will exist once the competition or the show is over.”
Looking back, Swiss says his experience in the reality show taught him valuable life lessons.
“I learnt so much about myself and coexisting with others. At first, it was a scary feeling, being in the house with people I didn’t know, but I told myself [at the time] to fully give into the experiment,” he shared.
“I’m one of those housemates who came with no strategy, but to just be authentic … and I’m glad the viewers got to know who I am.”
His time in the house also came with some flirtatious encounters, but Swiss insists it was all in good fun.
“I wouldn’t say I was flirting with one specific woman, I was friendly with all of them. Yes, other times I went overboard, but I don’t think any of it warrants a breakup [with his partner],” he admitted.
“All I know is that I’m going to be left out in the cold for a couple of weeks because of what I did in the house, but I hope my girl comes around and forgives me.”
Meanwhile, Beekay, the 30-year-old teacher from QwaQwa, Free State, also reflected on his journey, admitting that adjusting to life in the house was a challenge.
“My main concern before entering the house was how I was going to interact with everyone in the house, let alone living with them. It didn’t turn out as bad as I thought. I never anticipated that I would get this far in the game,” he said.
“I may have not received the money, but I leave with more ‘bags’ than I came in with. There is wisdom in knowing how to tackle certain issues, discipline and self-control. I’ve learnt how to be patient and have more confidence in myself.”
With their time in the competition now over, both Swiss and Beekay step into the outside world with new perspectives, valuable lessons, and memories that will last a lifetime.
