Nomzamo Mbatha: Five Things You Should Know

Nomzamo Mbatha is the actress I first encountered in the show Isibaya where she played the role of the thoughtful and beautiful Thandeka daughter and savior of her father who was turned into a zombie. It was a great show that was aired across Africa and loved by millions despite the show being in the native Zulu language. I have since lost track of the show but there are names that the show introduced to me that I would always remember. One of them is Nomzamo and today I write all the facts you need to know about the Thespian.

Nomazo was born in KwaZulu Natal

Nomzamo Mbatha was born on the 13th day of July 1990. She was born in KwaMashu Township, around 20 KM north-west of Durban, in KwaZulu Natal Province. She attended Rippon Primary School in Durban and Bechet High School. Mbatha is a graduate of Cape Town University where she bagged a bachelor of commerce degree in accounting. Mbatha graduated in 2018 which could be blamed on her acting career which might have interfered with her studies for she began acting well before she got admission into the university.

Nomzamo is 30 years old.

She beat 600 odds to become a star

When The Bomb Shelter conceived of the idea of a drama about two warring families in the transportation industry, they needed a girl in her early twenties to act the role of Thandeka, first daughter of the Zungus (one of the feeding families) in love with a son of the Ndlovus (the other warring family). The casting directors didn’t want to use a known name so they called for an audition.

In July 2012, 600 contestants reported for the audition that was held in Cape Town. Nomzamo who was a child model made the best 70. Too much to work with, the judges narrowed the list down to ten and she was in the least. They went on to narrow it down to three, Nomzamo made it and the adorable Thandeka was born.

Her character would later fall in love and marry Sbu played by Sdumo Mtshali.

It is quality over quantity for Nomzamo

Nomamo’s acting credit can actually be counted but you would be hard-pressed to find anyone who knows her and doesn’t think of her as a great actor. Of the couple of shows she has featured in, “Tell Me Sweet Something” stands out. It is a 2015 romantic comedy film which also stars Maps Maponyane (whom Nomzamo dated but left in 2018 when it was alleged he cheated on her) and Thishiwe Ziqubu and was directed by the Nigerian Akin Omotoso. For her role in this film, Mbatha was nominated for the Best Actress award at the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Award, AMVCA, in 2016. She didn’t win but then it was voted by viewers (what do they know about great acting?).

Nomzamo has hosted a TV show “Holiday Swap” in SABC. She is recognized internationally by UNHCR as a Goodwill Ambassador and the US skincare brand Neutrogena as a representative.

Nomzamo Mbatha has a brother in the industry

The Mbatha family is gifted in the acting profession as Nomsamo has a brother in the industry. Zamani Mbatha is quite younger than his sister as he left high school in 2016 (studied in the same Bechet High School as his big sister), by which time Nomsamo was already an established name in the industry. It can as well be said that the Mbatha sister is an inspiring force on whose route the brother rose to stardom. Zamani himself has admitted that Big Sister was an inspiration for his chosen career (Nomzamo herself has a big sister who, sadly, passed away in 2009).

All about Pearl Thusi

The Mbatha boy who had once nursed an ambition to be a football (soccer) player, made his debut in the make-believe world in the soap opera “Isithembiso” that aired on Mzansi Magic. Zamani is one actor that is headed for big things in the industry. Just be sure to remember where you heard his name first.

Mbatha is part of Coming 2 America

It was a dream come true for Nomzamo Mbatha when, in mid-2019, she was tapped to feature in “Coming 2 America” starring Eddie Murphy and directed by Craig Brewer. This film which was shot in Atlanta, Georgia serves as the sequel of the classic “Coming to America” for which Eddie earned his legendary status. “Coming to America” which released in 1988 which was two years before Nomzamo was born.

While everyone was proud that Mbatha had gone international, fans of “Isibaya” were worried that they may not get to see their favored star on the show again. Everybody that is related to her and the show denied that she has now left the show for good. Her manager denied this and when contacted, a PR head at Mzansi Magic said Mbatha “still forms a critical part of the “Isibaya” cast.”

“Coming 2 America” will be released in the cinemas in December 2020 and only then can we say what role the Thandeka star actually played in it.

Image source: IG