‘I am excited to reintroduce myself’: Nonku Williams on her feature in ‘Real Housewives’ spinoff

Showmax is set to introduce a Real Housewives spinoff show called The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip — South Africa.

Nonku Williams is among eight of the housewives featuring in the reality show, shot at a luxurious villa in Jamaica.

The cast also includes Beverly Steyn from The Real Housewives of Cape Town; Liz Prins from The Real Housewives of Gqeberha; Melany Viljoen from The Real Housewives of Pretoria; LaConco and Londie London from The Real Housewives of Durban; as well as Christall Kay and Lethabo Lejoy Mathatho from The Real Housewives of Johannesburg.

Nonku chats about her experience as an all-star Housewife and how the show has changed her life:

How does it feel being the longest-serving Housewife in Africa? 

It feels so great having that honour. I have grown so much over the years. If you look at the first season of The Real Housewives of Durban and the fourth season, which is currently airing, you will see the growth. I have gone through many things, ups and downs, and I am so grateful to Showmax and my fans, who have stood by me through the good, the bad and the ugly.

How have you grown as a person?

I have grown in so many ways. The way I look at life now is not the same way I did when I first started this reality journey; it has helped me look at myself honestly and shown me the things I had to work on and improve about myself to become a better person. The thing about reality is that it shows you things that you might not have been aware of. It forces you to face things you would have not normally addressed. That has helped me grow as a daughter, mother, sister and friend. 

What are some of the differences between filming The Real Housewives of Durban and Ultimate Girls Trip?

Filming [The Real Housewives of] Durban can be intense because there is a lot of history there; so much has happened between us and it gets too real. With Ultimate Girls Trip, it was different and fun. The ladies were down to have a good time and connect. 

Did the ladies give you a fair chance or did they already have misconceptions about you?

Without revealing too much, I will say that the ladies on Ultimate Girls Trip are very different from the ones in [The Real Housewives of] Durban. In this space, I was introduced to ladies who I did not know before, so it was like starting with a clean slate and building new relationships. For the first time in a while, people experienced me as I am and I made genuine friendships. 

What is the one thing you regret about being a Housewife? 

The one thing I regret is bringing people on the show, because that has always backfired, and they end up turning against me. 

How does being in the public eye affect you? 

I try not to read negative things, but sometimes the things people say about me affect me. For the most part, I handle it well, but I am human. At some point it hits, but I have learned not to let it affect me too much. As long as it does not affect my children and work, I am good. 

How do you balance being a reality star and a mom? 

What I love about my children is that they are not fazed by my job as a reality star. To them, I am still their mom. They take me as their mom and not a famous person. Even if people say things about me, it does not bother them because they know the truth. They are raised with love and they respect me. 

As the longest-serving Housewife, what is the one piece of advice you would give to other ladies who are starting out? 

For every action, there is a reaction. Just be real, be yourself and be authentic. Over the years, I have always just come as myself. It can sometimes be tricky but you just have to be yourself; that is how audiences will connect with you.

Why should people watch The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip? 

People should watch Ultimate Girls Trip because it has all the things viewers love to see: drama, glamour, fun, sisterhood and real conversations. People are going to see me like they have never seen me before.

Trust me: they are going to be surprised with how they’re going to experience me. I am excited for the opportunity to reintroduce myself.