10 South African Actors And Their First Roles

The South African entertainment industry is constantly growing as it produces new talent continuously. Many actors have worked very hard to get where the currently are and through this list, we take you back to where some of the best actresses and actors we know started and who far they’ve come since then.

1. Nomzamo Mbatha

Nomzamo landed her first role on the local drama series Isibaya. She had no acting experience at the time and she wanted to be a tv presenter instead. She currently has moved on to greater things and has a leading role in the local production along side Maps Maponyane called Tell me something sweet.

2. Thomas Gumede

Thomas made his TV debut in October 2005 in a VW Passat advert. From there he moved upwards and landed himself a role a series known as a place called home. He and his friends have a production company that has produces two reality shows already.He also does stand up comedy along the side.

3. Bonnie Henna

Bonnie Henna was discovered at the age of 13, at a bus stop on her way home from school, by an agent who soon got her a job on the television series Viva Families. This was a great start for bonnie as she practically grew up in front of the camera. She went into presenting and eventually into international movies such as Drum acting alongside Tye Diggs.

4. Katlego Danke

Katlego Danke got her BA degree in Theatre and Performing from UCT and is renowned for stage performances in theatre productions. In January 2002 she landed the role of Keketso on e.tv’s youth soapie Backstage, playing the role for four years.

5. Siyabonga Thwala

Siyabonga made his screen acting debut in the 1996 made-for-TV movie Born Free: A New Adventure. In 1998 he was offered the role of Godlieb Mofokeng in the new SABC3 soapie Isidingo, but turned it down as he felt he was not ready for a long term commitment to television. He has since played 11 characters on tv since the beginning of his acting career.

6. Tina Jaxa

Thina Jaxa made her debut in television when she first appeared in the first ever episode of the SABC1 soapie Generations in 1993 as Priscilla Mthembu in Generations. After several seasons on Generations she left the show and joined the SABC3 soapie Isidingo, after a guest starring role in Tarzan: The Epic Adventures. She has since worked in many productions and has become one of the country’s biggest icons.

7. Gabriel Temudzani

He began his acting career in 1995 and made his screen acting debut in 2000 on Muvhango playing the character of Azwindini. He also landed a few other acting roles in between his tv debut and stared in the feature film Diamond and Destiny and Night time drive. He is currently a lead actor on Muvhango and presents the magazine show La Famila, which also airs on SABC2.

8. Luthuli Dlamini

Born in Zimbabwe and raised in England, Dlamini moved to South Africa after school to establish himself as an actor. His first appearance onto TV was in 2005 January with the creation of the local soapie Scandal. His stay there was however short lived as he was fired for breaching his contract. Since then, he has made appearances on shows such as Drum, Snitch, Generations, Isidingo, Justice For All and The Res.

9. Sindi Dlathu

Sindi Dlathu who now has a leading role on the local soapie, Muvhango had her TV debut in Khululeka. She then went on to do Soul City in season 3, where she played Nomfundo. At the age of 14 she was cast as the lead role’s understudy in the stage version of Sarafina!, playing to packed houses. In the screen version, she worked alongside Whoopi Goldberg and was commissioned as an assistant choreographer to Michael Peters. Sindi then returned to school after four years of being with Mbongeni Ngema’s committed artists. She completed her Matric in 1996, and then went back to performing arts.

10. Khabonina Qubeka

Khabonina is an actress, dancer, choreographer, singer and businesswoman best known for her role as the third Doobsie on the SABC2 soapie Muvhango, from 2006-2007. Artists she has worked with with regard to her choreography include the late Lebo Mathosa, Somizi, Thembi Seete, TK, Debbie Rakusin. She recently started Khabodacious Moves Dance School in Orange Grove and KCPR, a public relations company.