Not all toxic relationships are loud, dramatic, or obviously unhealthy. Sometimes toxicity hides in behaviours that are normalised, tolerated, or even celebrated. It can look like avoiding conflict to keep the peace, expecting people to read our minds, using guilt to influence decisions, confusing control with care, or remaining silent about issues that are slowly damaging trust and connection.

Across romantic relationships, friendships, families, and even workplaces, many people find themselves trapped in unhealthy patterns that have become so familiar they no longer recognise them as toxic. The challenge is that these behaviours often go unchallenged because they are woven into the way we relate to one another.

Thobile "Tops" Mkhwanazi, conversationalist and woman advocate at Sisterhood Connect joined us to unpack this.

Not all toxic relationships are loud, dramatic, or obviously unhealthy. Sometimes toxicity hides in behaviours that are normalised, tolerated, or even celebrated. It can look like avoiding conflict to keep the peace, expecting people to read our minds, using guilt to influence decisions, confusing control with care, or remaining silent about issues that are slowly damaging trust and connection.
Across romantic relationships, friendships, families, and even workplaces, many people find themselves trapped in unhealthy patterns that have become so familiar they no longer recognise them as toxic. The challenge is that these behaviours often go unchallenged because they are woven into the way we relate to one another.
Thobile "Tops" Mkhwanazi, conversationalist and woman advocate at Sisterhood Connect joined us to unpack this.

The Journal, with Mmatsheko Mosito is a human-interest platform that explores the stories shaping our world through a thoughtful, solutions-oriented lens.

The show brings together voices from across sectors in policy, agriculture, arts, health, youth development, and beyond to unpack issues that matter to everyday people.

With a distinct tone that is both grounded and reflective, The Journal goes beyond headlines to examine the deeper context, lived experiences, and long-term implications of today’s conversations.

It creates space for meaningful dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and perspective-building, while amplifying African voices and narratives on a global stage.

At its core, the show is about connection, connecting ideas to action, people to purpose, and audiences to a more conscious understanding of the world around them.

The Journal, with Mmatsheko Mosito is a human-interest platform that explores the stories shaping our world through a thoughtful, solutions-oriented lens.
The show brings together voices from across sectors in policy, agriculture, arts, health, youth development, and beyond&nbsp;to unpack issues that matter to everyday people.
With a distinct tone that is both grounded and reflective, The Journal goes beyond headlines to examine the deeper context, lived experiences, and long-term implications of today&rsquo;s conversations.
It creates space for meaningful dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and perspective-building, while amplifying African voices and narratives on a global stage.
At its core, the show is about connection, connecting ideas to action, people to purpose, and audiences to a more conscious understanding of the world around them.