While they might not have won the R1 million prize up for grabs, “Love Island SA” couple Xavier and Mischka said that they feel great and as if they had won.
The couple came in third place, while it was Eastern Cape couple Thimna Shooto and Libhongo-Lethu “Libho” Geza who won during Sunday night’s finale of M-Net’s popular reality dating series.
Thimna and Libho took home the top prize after garnering the most viewer votes with over 53% in vote share, from a total of over 1.6 million votes received in the final round.
As part of their win, they take home the whopping R1 million cash prize, which the couple opted to split.
In second place from the remaining final couples are Millie Terblanche and Asad Boomgaard with over 30% in vote share, followed by Mischka Najar and Xavier Haupt with over 12%, and Ross Marshall and Tania Kera in fourth place with just over 2% in vote share.
For Xavier and Mischka, the pair said that overall the experience they had was great and that despite challenges, they enjoyed it.
“We feel great, if anything we’ve left the villa with true love and that’s what truly matters. Even though we came third, the money didn’t mean much, it seemed as though we feel like we’ve already won our prize,” the couple said.
“We wouldn’t change a thing! Not a damn thing.”
The two did say that it has been different watching the experience as opposed to living through it.
“It’s so different watching it on TV than being in the villa, it’s an entire different experience living in the moment and being a product of the series.”
Xavier's journey in the villa began with with him pursuing another contestant Erin Japhta before pursuing his connection with Millie.
The two got the point where Xavier even told her “I love you” but things with Millie then went from great to catastrophe once Mischka entered.
Xavier and Millie ended their relationship, with Xavier giving us a great moment when clarifying that while he did love Millie, he only loved her a person.
It all turned out for the better and Millie soon went on to find love with Asad, and Xavier and Mischka went from strength to strength. When reflecting on the challenging time, he said that it was tough in the start.
“It was tough at the beginning but as time went on, it got easier. It’s tough living with an ’ex’ but we are very mature and we all are such good friends at the end of the day.”
Mischka wasn’t unscathed during that period as other Islanders Summer da Cruz and Millie made a comment about Xavier falling for a “girl like that” which left many viewers mad, and championing Mischka when she called them out on it.
“It was honestly very tough. I felt like I was back in high school being bullied by the mean girls. I heard them poke fun at Xavier and I and it was just completely uncalled for,” Mischka said.
When Da Cruz was dumped from the Island she spoke about it and from her experience it was a “girl code” situation.
“I just felt that Mischka didn’t understand the concept of girl code and obviously with being so close to Millie what hurt her, hurt me,” Da Cruz said.
“Mischka actually turned out to be one of my good friends in the villa but we did have our fair share of immature comments towards each other.”
Mischka said: “I’m actually glad that they saw me call them out so that it gives others the opportunity to do the same if they’re in a situation like that. You have to stand your ground and call people out for the kak.
"Xavier was my be all and end all. There isn’t a chance my head would have turned because I constantly chose him and would constantly choose him in 1 000 lifetimes.“
The two also weighed in on the Strategy Island tactics that were on display, stating that while there some connections on “Love Island SA” that were legitimate, others were playing a long game.
“I think that a lot of people had strategies in the villa cause they didn’t want to be sent home. Some were really real but there were people on the show for the wrong reasons and you can see right through their intentions,” they said.
"I think it becomes so much easier when you let things be authentic and not many people allowed themselves to just be their true selves.“
Xavier and Mischka encouraged people to keep an eye out for them on social networks in the future and that they are looking forward to spending time together.
“We are both looking forward to just living in the moment and spending time with each other. We also just want to push content and be on the grind to make some guap (money). But all at a steady pace.”
Xavier and Mischka can be found on Instagram at @_xavierhaupt and @dopestchiqq.
While the Islanders’ pursuit for love in the villa is now over, viewers can still watch Love Island SA on DStv Catch-Up until May 10.