The cast of Love Island South Africa was announced on March 1, and was met with a lot of backlash when the pilot episode aired, as there was a lack of inclusivity among the majority white cast mates.

The Love Island SA cast in order of appearance: Mille, Ian, Thinma, Jay, Rochelle, Kaige, Summer, Durang, Erin and Asad (Source: Love Island SA)

Here is a breakdown of the cast mates:

Thinma Shooto:

Thus far, the 26-year-old is the only black female contestant thus far. She hails from Mossel Bay and works as a massage therapist and online trainer.

Summer Da Cruz:

Twenty-one-year-old Summer is from Johannesburg, and is a professional dancer who has worked with MSC Cruiseliners.

She believes that her perfect has “good teeth”.

Erin Japhta:

This 21-year-old marketing student studies in Los Angeles, California and has lived in Indonesia, America and now, Cape Town.

Rochelle Van Vuuren:

Twenty-three-year-old Rochelle is a BCom strategic manager and digital content creator.

She was born in Pretoria and believes the show will give her the chance to explore love after being cheated on several times.

Millie Terblanche: 

The 20-year-old is an influencer from Cape Town. She lost a lot of weight and used this as a way to learn to love herself.

Durang Atembe:

Twenty-two-year-old Durang is from Cameroon, and is a personal trainer. He is outgoing, and currently lives in Cape Town.

Asad Boomgard:

This 24-year-old trainer is from Johannesburg, and considers himself an old soul looking for true love. He likes keeping active and is looking for a partner to keep him grounded.

Jay Freemantle:

The 23-year-old is a social media star and fitness influencer. He is also the founder of a digital media company and is from Sandton. He hopes Love Island SA will change the narrative of his love life.

Kaige Bertasso:

Tennis coach Kaige is from Durban, and is 24 years old. He is so confident that he admits that he often comes across as boastful.

Ian De Beer:

Ian is a bodybuilder and law student from Pretoria. He is a confident and funny man, and says he loves the awkwardness of his personality.

Picture: Love Island SA

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Lucinda is a hard news writer who occasionally dabbles in lifestyle writing, and recent journalism graduate. She is a proud intersectional feminist, and is passionate about actively creating a world which is free of discrimination and inequality.