Fresh-faced teen sensation Nefisa Mkhabela rebelled against her father’s wishes to pursue a law career by taking her breakout role in novice soapie, House of Zwide.
It has all paid off for the 19-year-old newcomer, who has emerged as television’s biggest breakout star of 2021.
The e.tv daily drama has been ratings gold, with a viewership of 4.24 million in July and 4.37 million last month, according to data by Broadcast Research Council of SA.
It comes as no surprise considering how irresistibly charming Mkhabela’s wide-eyed gaze and radiant smile lights up the screen before she even opens her mouth to speak. Surely, young girls across the country are recreating her character Onalerona Molapo’s bright-hued hairdos and punk style as much as they have done with Sho Madjozi during the festive season.
But what has won the hearts of viewers is Onalerona storyline that depicts a relatable tale of a talented and aspirant fashion designer from Tembisa, Ekurhuleni, defying her father’s orders to study marketing in pursuit of her fashion dreams in Rosebank.
So, you can imagine that I’m hit with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu when Mkhabela details how in real-life she also disobeyed her father.
A year ago, Mkhabela was a grade 12 learner, stressing about writing her matric exams in the age of a pandemic. Her matric dance, which she was looking forward to, was scheduled for March 27 – but the national lockdown upset those plans when is started on March 25.
“It has always been my dream to be in the spotlight, but I never thought that I will be living the reality I am right now. It is one thing to dream, but to achieve one of the biggest dreams you thought will come later in life so early is incredible,” Mkhabela gushes.
“A year ago, I was still indecisive about what I wanted to do and study. The main thing I wanted to do was act, but my dad was set on me having a backup plan and something to fall back on. He made it clear I shouldn’t study something in the arts.”
After passing matric this year, Mkhabela was accepted to study law at the University of Johannesburg. Her father was thrilled – but Mkhabela not much. Unsurprisingly, father and daughter clashed as Mkhabela shared her plans to drop the course to follow her dreams.
It was a bold move and any parent’s worst nightmare, considering that Mkhabela had not even secured the job, but was still in the audition process.
“My dad and I fought for two to three weeks about it. I wanted this role more than anything and he said I was not going to be able to juggle a main character with my school work in my first year. Eventually, I dropped my studies,” Mkhabela recounts.
“It was so awkward because my dad is so stubborn and so am I. We didn’t want to hear each other out. It was terrible, we were just butting heads because everyone is trying to get their point across.
“He started to bring his friends into the conversation and his friends were trying to explain to him not to force me. I didn’t want to do law because it’s something he wanted and I just went with it. We had a sit down with my mom and eventually he was like ‘just do whatever, I don’t care’.”
As fate would have it, Mkhabela’s big gamble was right on the money. In early April, after countless callbacks, she got the role – she was poised to lead the new telenovela that will succeed Rhythm City.
“I don’t think he [Mkhabela’s father] expected this role to be this big because when I got it he suddenly started to loosen up and telling me how proud of me he was. It was a shock to me,” Mkhabela shares.
“He’s super excited because he knows this has been my dream ever since I was a kid. It fulfills him seeing that I went after what I wanted and I’m now living my dream.
“He just won’t say that outwardly, of course. He will never admit it, but every day he will say something like ‘I’m proud of you’.”
He’s super excited because he knows this has been my dream ever since I was a kid. It fulfills him seeing that I went after what I wanted and I’m now living my dream
Mkhabela gets to share the screen with acting legends Vusi Kunene, Winne Ntshaba and Jeffrey Sekele on the show.
“Every day I pinch myself when I get to set to be working with these legends. The best part is they want to help me grow,” Mkhabela says.
“They always engage with the newbies and give notes if you ask. In between scenes, they fill that role of a parent. They have made me comfortable enough to speak to them about everything.
“I appreciate the love that I have been given every single day. It shocks me every day bumping into people on the streets and they recognise me – and go crazy over me. They want to take pictures and hug me.”
Growing up in Randburg, northern Johannesburg, Mkhabela has always been passionate about singing, dancing and acting. In primary school, her English teacher even advised Mkhabela’s parents to enroll her at the National School of the Arts to further nurture her talents. But her father opposed it. In high school, she then started participating in traditional dance and acting in plays.
Her first taste of fame came in 2017, when she was cast in the first season of Unmarried opposite Thembisa Mdoda, Renata Stuurman and Keke Mphuti. Mkhabela had previously appeared in TV commercials.
Fact file: Nefisa Mkhabela
Favourite food: Lasagna
Favourite movie: The Notebook
Favourite TV show: Empire
Favourite musician: Beyoncé
Favourite emoji: blushing smiley face
Top three songs on my playlist:
Whole Lotta Money by BIA, featuring Nicki Minaj
Mine by Alex Isley and Jack Dine
Have Mercy by Chlöe
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