Abstract
Using Stuart Hall’s Representation theory and Erving Goffman’s Stigma theory, the
study examined how a childless woman in a polygamous Zulu marriage is portrayed
in the reality television show Uthando Nesthembu. The woman, MaKhumalo, is just
one example of South African women at the margins of society. The study sheds light
on the genre of reality television, questioning how its mode of representation may
perpetuate existing societal perceptions of childless women. This study contributes
knowledge on a scarcely studied topic of television portrayal of childless Black women
in polygamous relationships in South Africa. The qualitative study, designed as an
intrinsic case study used archival collection to obtain data from the reality television
show. Thematic Analysis and Semiotic Analysis were used to analyse the data, which
was in the form of purposively selected scenes, sequences, and episodes of the show
Uthando Nesthembu. The study found that childless women are portrayed as
emotionally struggling and facing personal battles. The study also found that, contrary
to the assumption that reality television is a depiction of reality, the show used certain
cinematic and discursive devices that may perpetuate pre-existing stereotypes about
childlessness and polygamy.