At 15, Zekhethelo Zondi is lighting up the silver screen as the lead in the local film Laundry.
The breakout star has already captured South Africans in Scandal!, Shadow, Isifiso, and Collision — and she’s only warming up.
How did you get into acting?
My mom registered me with an agency when I was six years old. I used to steal her clothes and then imitate the actors I saw on TV — specifically on Scandal!, which foreshadowed the future.
What was your breakout role?
Scandal! in 2023. That is the role for which most people know me. It has brought me many opportunities. I have met a lot of people who have become influential in my career. Working with actors I looked up to has been special, like Melusi Mbele and Lerato Nxumalo. I’ve learnt a lot from them.
What has been your biggest role?
Laundry. That film screened internationally and I was one of the leads. That was amazing. It has been to Canada, Switzerland, Italy, the US, and the UK.
What was it like working on the film?
I played opposite Ntobeko Sishi, Siyabonga Shibe, and Bukamina Cebekhulu. That felt like my family. Ntobeko and I had a lot of fun. We used to sneak sweets on set, and my mother would scold us behind the scenes. He made it comfortable for me to play his younger sister. Siyabonga Shibe, as my father in the film, was also very protective.
What is it like to be young in 2026?
There is a lot of pressure. There is worry about whether you are going to find a good job, due to the unemployment rate. There is also this thing of choosing a stable job as opposed to choosing something you are passionate about, so you can earn a steady income. The cost of living keeps rising. It means having to sacrifice many of the things you love so you can be stable.
It means having to educate yourself on current affairs, so that when things happen, you know why they are happening. A lot of us are liberating ourselves by embracing our blackness, our youth, and the fact that we have freedom of speech. If we don’t like something, trust that Gen Z will say something about it.
What kind of career do you want?
A career that inspires people to do more. I want to work in cinematography and inspire people through it. I want to inspire people to tell more stories. Someone who inspires me to pursue my passion is Frank Ocean. His music tells a story. That’s how I want to make people feel.
How do you balance school [she’s in grade 10] and acting?
Time management. My parents do not play around with my education. I prioritise my education more than my career. To be educated is important and a gift that not a lot of people have. Normally, if I’m required on set, weekdays from 7am to 3pm, the focus is on my schoolwork. I will shoot after that. It’s different when writing exams.
How have your parents supported you?
I would love to thank my mom for supporting me throughout my career, for accompanying me on set, for waiting for me until I’m done shooting at 2am, for sitting with me until I’ve finished studying after coming home from set, for doing my chores when I’m stressed out, for waiting in the car while I’m at hockey practice, and for packing my food so that when I’m done shooting I can have something to eat. I want to thank my father for treating her like a queen, and for supporting me and making big sacrifices so that I can pursue this career.
What would you like yourself, reading this story in 10 years, to know about this moment?
That I love myself now more than ever. I’m comfortable with myself. I’m embracing myself, and I hope it never changes. I hope future me never stops pursuing what she loves and never shuts up about her opinions.
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