Veteran actress Mama Nandi Nyembe on female scars

Imbokodo

Her smile is so welcoming that one immediately feels at home  with her and strike up a conversation.

But do not be mistaken, behind that beautiful smile lies scars of hurt, abuse, disappointment and any other pain that might be experienced by any ordinary female South African today.

If you talk about being raped,bearing and raising a child from that horrible and painful experience, mama Nandi who played Nandi Sibiya on Zone 14 has gone through that. She believes by portraying such characters on either a theatre play or on screen she deliver a message that she hopes will help another women seating at home watching the drama, telenovela.

my groupie moment with mama Nandi

At 68 years, and more than four decade in the South African entertainment industry, Mama Nandi can relate to some of the female characters she has portrayed. She says some have either gone through what she has gone through in her own personal life.

"Through those experiences I am able to suggest and come up with ideas to the director about the elements of what I think we should add in a character. If the director is open to my idea then I add it on to make the character more real. A recent example was that of Dolly in the telenovela Isethembiso airing on weekdays on Mzansi Magic.

Mama Nandi on Sticks and Stones. Screengrab from You tube

Yes Dolly is a mother and takes care of her children and all the house chores. But we forget, mothers also have a life. They go for shopping, outings and some are working and even owning a businesses. I don't feel a women should be box to just a house wife and looking after children. Women do more and should be seen on television to be doing more too.We shouldn't be just box in the house as if she doesn't have a life, said Mama Nandi who is so passionate about her craft that recently on Isithunzi she went bald headed playing a character of  Nolwazi an women who had just returned from her home country South Africa from exile in Zimbabwe.

On Isibaya pic Youtube

Oh, yes, she can change her voice too to a skill she mastered doing a children programme but matured it and gave it a bit of  hoarseness on  season season 6 of the Mzansi drama, Isibaya where she plays Gogo Mkhiti.
She is grateful for all the roles she was able to play both on screen and theatre today as in the past South African Black actors were not allowed leading roles in any production.
"If you get cast at all in any film or drama your role will be that of a maid as a female or a gardener if you are a male. If the role needed a black leading character a white person would take that role and they would paint their face black. We were powerless to act then until 24 years ago but I wont say we are totally free as black people in South Africa."

On Roots

It was through her mother, Violet Nomvuselelo Nyembe's unavailability in a 1970s theatre play that bagged her first role in a theatre production. Since then she has never looked back and did both screen and plays. She has portrayed the character of struggle heroine Lillian Ngoyi in Treason and the grandmother  to Kunta Kinte, Yaisa in the American drama series Roots. The film Yesterday, where she plays a role of a sangoma was nominated for the Oscars.

On Isibaya screengrab from youtube

"I don't think the South African government has paid much interest to the arts and craft industry. I thought maybe by now this sector, government would have made effort to invest in the artist and making sure that we have the basic benefits such as medical aid etc. We really need those things. Times are even harder for artists if they don't get jobs or told they are too old to be used as ambassadors,"
If not rapping with his grandchildren or bonding with her daughter who is a sangoma. She is rehearsing for Isithembiso. She is also working on many personal projects that she would rather reveal when they are at an advance stage not now.

Hope you enjoy our chat with Mama Nandi. Please follow us on twitter @ndabenik, facebook Khanyiswa Ndabeni and Khanyiswa2 on Instagram

Soon you will read about Isidingo's new director Motlatsi Mafatshe as well as GP MaOrange aka Israel Matsekezulu both have confirmed to feature in this blog.

Till then hope you have a Merry Christmas and a wonderful new year. Drive safe if you travelling anywhere. Till next time
. 

Black excellence shone at the Global Citizen Festival Mandela 100

Pic from Quiteria and George instagram account

I'v been wanting to write about the Global Citizen Festival Mandela 100 event for a while now.
But every time when I try to pen down the color of electrifying  entertainment music event, my mind get clustered with the scenes of the  tragic end of crime mar that  result to a mental block.

Pic from Quiteria& George instagram account

 For a while my mind battled to write about the greatness and the world class entertainment experience which later saw poet Ntsiki Mazwai twitter comments addressed concert attendees almost getting her account suspended.

Transgender activist, Yaya Mavundla outside FNB stadium

As much as what happened was bad, I and my friend Dineo Faku, a reporter at the Star and MAC resident trainer, Mokgadi Shogole were part of the victim of  what happened that night. I didn't want the article to focus on that  and forget that for hours I enjoyed and dance in celebration to see two of the most powerful and famous black women in the world were in the same same stadium with me.

Business Rapport journalist Dineo Faku and I wearing our traditional jewellery

Knowing how the international community already have a perception that South Africa is a crime country, I really didn't want to write another piece that will dent the image of the country further. Or provide further reasons for people to believe crime in the country is out of control of which it is not.

Our new black Massai ring with a Ndebele pattern belt

I dreamt of interviewing Beyonce  Knowles and Oprera Winfrey during my career as a print journalist, I never thought that  dream I would be a little bit closer to reality when I attended the concert that also saw my favorite story teller and comedian, Tyler Perry, Hip hop mogul Jay-Z, Ed Sheeran, Eddie Vedder, Femi Kuti, Pharreal Williams, Chris Martin, Usher and Noami Campbell, Gayle King and D'Banji in one stage.
 Cassper Nyovest understood quite well he was on another league hence he had fans eating in the palm if his hands. The trendsetter and Mr #FillupFNBstadium put on a show that  left everyone talking and local artist such as Sho Madjozi gave the best performance but still keeping it real.
Everyone who graced the stage, from the mc and host of the Daily Show, Trevor Noah, to South African based tv and radio personalities including Anele Mdoda, Nomzambo Mbatha, Pearl Thusi, Bonang Matheba, Dj Black Coffee performing along side Ursher earned the stripes of being part of the initiative celebrating 100 years of our former president Nelson Mandela.
Thanks to the Patrice Motsepe  Foundation and Mandela House amongst other organizers we were treated to a world class entertainment.
What was also good about the event was that it was not just about entertainment but also uplifted locals. Music icon   Beyonce close down the show with a local Quiteria and George design(see picture above) she also shared the stage with a group from South Africa doing a rendition of Halo. 
My friend and I  earned our ticket through volunteering for Viacom and boy did we not enjoy the show put together to celebrate Nelson Mandela's 100 years. The former statement was praised by speaker after speaker with the queen of talk show, Operah Winfrey sharing the her story of being invited by Nelson Mandela for Christmas in Qunu. Operah who at the time was renovating her home said she spent ten days with Mandela. One of their conversations sparked the idea of the talk show host building the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa. The event raised over R100 billion,
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Line up of the Nelson Mandela 100 Global Citizen Festival

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TCA's Nonhle Thema, serves us branding and business skills

Leaders know when to quit and leaders know when they need to train others.

Nonhle Thema teaching me a lot including business branding

That's what I had in  mind when I found myself registering at Nonhle Thema's Talent Coaching Academy (TCA). To be quite honest, I didn't really know what I really wanted to do but since I had more time in my hand and business was not that busy these past two month, I saw myself at the school in the affluent suburb of Fourways, Johannesburg. Thema recently opened the  art grooming school and among other things she coaches include  presenting for TV,acting,social media coaching school and business branding.
Lets be honest who best to learn these skills from but a person who has walked the path before you? It might not be similar but hey, it doesn't hurt to live a little and gaining new skills at the same time right.

TNA Class of 2018

Nonhle has credible credentials which include being  a business woman herself, a former global ambassador for the hair product, Dark and Lovely global replacing Destiny's Child singer Kelly Rowland. She has traveled the world as a presenter at Channel O and went on to  present numerous shows interviewing international celebrities such as P.Daddy, Chris Brown and Rihanna. A daughter of veteran actress and former beauty queen, Cynthia and author and journalist, Derrick. So here I was on Saturday with a group of other aspiring actors, models, presenters in a class taught by Nonhle herself. The school is still new so I guess that's the other reason she can give each student individual attention. They discussed everything from the correct seating posture,walk, always smile and what her students were up to the past weekend. From the on go, I'm introduced to her love for God and stresses about why she believe teaching is her calling. She draws from her life experiences to demonstrate what God can do for you and what he can do too if you forget him along the way. Her classes have positive vibes.