Seemah Mangolwane opens up about toxic upbringing: 'My mother did not let me speak'

Seemah Mangolwane opened up about toxic maternal relationship and childhood abuse in the 'Not Sorry' podcast.

Behind the viral TikTok skits and witty digital persona we love, South African content creator Seemah Mangolwane was hiding a heavy reality. Known to millions for her infectious humour, the podcast host recently pulled back the curtain on a deeply painful chapter of her life.

In episode 3 of the "Not Sorry" podcast, produced by Glitch Africa Studios, Mangolwane and co-hosts Munaka Muthambi, Nomthandazo Nkosi, and Rei Nkuna tackled a major cultural taboo: the generational wounds of childhood verbal abuse and toxic maternal relationships.

By sharing their raw experiences, the all-female panel provided a powerful lens to examine how childhood words shape adult self-worth, communication, and romantic partnerships.

Getting deep into how our parents hurt us in this episode