Celebrating the women of local dramas this Women’s Month

News 02 August 2025

This Women’s Month, we honour the women behind South Africa’s most gripping drama series.

Celebrating the women of local dramas this Women’s Month

The women at the heart of South African television don’t just tell stories — they ignite them, carrying the weight of history, hope, and change with every role they bring to life.

Every era has its icons. Every culture has its storytellers. In Mzansi’s most magnetic TV dramas, women are the backbone, the fire, the foundation. From royal courts to rural hospitals, gospel legends to political strategists, they embody power and transformation. Each leaves a mark, shaping how we see ourselves, our mothers, our leaders, and our legacies.

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Here are six phenomenal actresses redefining what it means to lead on South African television.

6 iconic women in South African drama series

Lunathi Mampofu as Zoleka in Inimba

The heartbeat of Inimba, caught between duty to her family and the ambitions of her career. Lunathi delivers a riveting performance that anchors the series with raw emotion and nuance.

Inimba is a gripping story of love, sacrifice, and a mother’s relentless fight to reclaim her life and the daughter she was forced to leave behind. Lunathi’s command of emotional storytelling in this drama makes her a standout among the new generation of TV royalty.

Watch Inimba weekdays at 9PM on Mzansi Magic Channel 161.

Baby Cele as Felicia in Genesis

There’s matriarch energy, and then there’s Felicia Thabethe-Gigaba, an iron-fisted, spirit-led queenpin of the family throne in Genesis. This powerful telenovela pulls back the curtain on the gospel music world where Felicia Thabethe, the fallen queen of gospel, must fight to protect her legacy from betrayal that threatens to destroy it all.

Played with hypnotic gravitas by the legendary Baby Cele, Felicia is both a prayer warrior and a protector, a woman who commands fear, respect, and admiration in equal measure.

Watch Genesis weekdays at 6:30PM on Mzansi Magic Channel 161.

Nomzamo Mbatha as Queen Nandi in Shaka iLembe

A role of a lifetime. Nomzamo Mbatha as Queen Nandi is a force of elegance. Her portrayal of the woman who birthed a kingdom has earned her international acclaim and most notably, the Best African Actress award at the 2024 Septimius Awards in Amsterdam.

Shaka iLembe is an epic historical drama that traces the origins of the Zulu nation, through the eyes of the powerful women and warriors who shaped its future. Nomzamo is a cultural icon in her own right, and her portrayal of Nandi has etched a new standard in historical drama excellence.

Watch Shaka iLembe, Sundays at 8PM on Mzansi Magic Channel 161.

Dawn Thandeka King as Mkabayi in Shaka iLembe

As the wise and fierce political mind behind the Zulu kingdom, Mkabayi in Shaka iLembe is played by Dawn Thandeka King with commanding poise and quiet fury. She’s not loud, but when she speaks, empires tremble.

Set in the early 1700s, Shaka iLembe tells the untold story of the rise of King Shaka, chronicling the political, spiritual, and emotional forces that shaped the legendary leader.

Watch Shaka iLembe, Sundays at 8PM on Mzansi Magic Channel 161.

Ayanda Borotho as Thandeka “MaKhumalo” in iThonga

Ayanda Borotho is the embodiment of presence as MaKhumalo in iThonga. A spiritual leader, mother, and voice of intuition, her role explores themes of identity, purpose, and heritage. Ayanda’s portrayal is both a mirror and a beacon. She’s channeling something deeper, and audiences are responding with standing ovations.

iThonga is a gripping tale of twin brothers bound by blood, divided by destiny ... and proof that when souls are shared, fate cannot be escaped.

Watch iThonga weekdays at 8:30PM on Mzansi Magic Channel 161.

Six Nyamane as Zethu in Homecoming

Fresh talent Mpume “Six” Nyamane is the name to know. In Homecoming, she plays Zethu Hlongwane, a top medical graduate whose dreams are derailed, forcing her to return to the village she thought she left behind.

Homecoming follows her unexpected journey of healing – caught between the logic of Western medicine and the spiritual calling of traditional healing, where love, culture, and purpose collide in ways she never imagined.

Watch Homecoming Mondays-Wednesday at 6:30PM on Mzansi Wethu Channel 163.

Celebrate their brilliance. Witness their power. Tune in.

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