The whirlwind romance between Zoleka and Kagiso reaches its peak in How to Ruin Love: The Lobola, but not without navigating a minefield of family secrets, cultural obligations, and borrowed cattle. The second season, which premiered on Netflix on December 19, 2025, concludes by proving that for this couple, a successful union depends less on a perfect ceremony and more on confronting deep-seated personal and familial truths.
The core conflict of the season is the lobola ceremony, a traditional Southern African marriage practice involving negotiation and a symbolic payment from the groom’s family to the bride’s. What begins as a formality spirals into chaos when Zoleka’s estranged grandfather, Mzwamadoda, unexpectedly arrives and insists on a deeply traditional negotiation: 11 live cows. This demand forces every character to grapple with the weight of tradition, the pressure of family expectations, and the true cost of commitment.
The Lobola Negotiation: A Catalyst for Chaos
The planned lobola ceremony quickly becomes the epicenter of trouble. Financially strapped and determined to prove his capability to Zoleka’s wealthy father, Martin, Kagiso makes a desperate decision. With help from his friend Amo, he borrows the required cows from a formidable loan shark named Mbazo, promising to return them before the ceremony begins. This plan, predictably, falls apart.
The borrowed cows are not only late but become a central symbol of Kagiso’s struggle. In a chaotic turn, some of Mbazo’s cows are accidentally confiscated by Kagiso and Zoleka’s own families, who are unaware of their origin. When Mbazo arrives to reclaim her property, she takes Amo hostage, forcing Zoleka to intervene by inviting the loan shark to her wedding and promising repayment with her father’s money. This humiliation publicly exposes Kagiso’s financial struggles and the lengths he went to in order to uphold tradition, creating a significant rift rooted in pride and broken trust.
“Zoleka is angry with Kagiso that he had to borrow the cows,” describes the parting shot of the season, underscoring the emotional fallout of his well-intentioned deception.
Unveiling a Family Secret: The “Dead” Mother Who Lived
Parallel to the lobola chaos is a profound family mystery that reshapes the emotional landscape of the season. Zoleka’s father, Martin, and his sister have been estranged from their father, Mzwamadoda, for years under the belief that he buried their mother, Rosaline, without them. This perceived betrayal is their justification for not inviting him to the wedding.
The truth, however, is dramatically different. When Martin visits his mother’s supposed grave, he is shocked to discover she is still alive. Mzwamadoda finally reveals that Rosaline was an alcoholic who never wanted children and asked him to take them away. To spare Martin and his sister the pain of knowing their mother abandoned them, Mzwamadoda fabricated her death, willingly making himself the villain in their eyes.
This revelation recontextualizes the grandfather’s insistence on tradition. His demand for a proper lobola is not merely an act of control but potentially stems from a deep, if flawed, desire to see his family united under the pillars of the culture he holds dear, having sacrificed his own relationship with his children to protect them.
Secondary Arcs: Katlego’s Path to Self-Discovery
While Zoleka and Kagiso wrestle with external pressures, Kagiso’s sister, Katlego, embarks on a personal journey of post-divorce recovery. Struggling to move on from her ex-husband, Sicelo, she engages in a series of meaningless flings, one of which ends with her escaping from a married man’s apartment. Her turmoil deepens when she meets Sicelo’s new, highly successful fiancée—a fitness influencer who also happens to be named Katlego.
Amid this confusion, Katlego finds a potential new beginning with Lyolo, who is Zoleka’s uncle. Despite their clear chemistry, Katlego realizes she is not emotionally ready for a serious commitment. In a moment of growth, she chooses honesty over romance, asking Lyolo for time to heal fully. His understanding response highlights a mature counterpoint to the season’s other romantic entanglements.
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The Final Hurdle and a Last-Minute Wedding
As the wedding day arrives, one major obstacle remains: money. Kagiso is pinning his hopes on winning a reality show business competition, The Capitalist, to fund the festivities. When he secretly wins, Zoleka discovers his victory and, wanting to alleviate his stress, has the prize money deposited into his account.
Kagiso initially views this as another catastrophic breach of trust and a sign that Zoleka doubts his ability to provide. A fierce argument ensues, threatening to call off the wedding entirely. However, through explanation and apology, they navigate this final misunderstanding. Zoleka clarifies she acted from a place of love and knowledge of his success, not doubt.
With the financial and emotional barriers finally overcome, and despite Martin’s request for a postponement due to the emotional upheaval of discovering his mother, Kagiso and Zoleka decide to proceed. The season ends with them choosing each other, not with a picture-perfect wedding, but with a hard-won commitment to move forward together, embracing their imperfect families and intertwined futures.
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