Actor, model, and content creator Wiseman Zitha − known for his roles in Giyani: Land of Blood, Queen Modjadji, Muvhango, The River, and Blood Legacy − has traded auditions for his first love: hairdressing.
At 31, he is now channelling that passion into Uel, his new salon at Halfway House in Midrand, Johannesburg.
On TikTok, Zitha’s viral videos show him braiding and installing hair for A-listers like Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, Hope Mbhele, and Sivenathi Mabuya. His clientele also includes loyal regulars, among them his mother.
“I came with this into the world. No one taught me how to do hair, and no one in my family does hair. The word ‘Uel’ comes from the Bible, which is the ‘will of God’, and it has always been God’s will for me to have this,” he says.
Zitha opened shop last September.
“I’ve prayed for my clients, and I don’t force people to come here. They come willingly because I believe God will send them to me, drama-free. As much as I want everyone to come, I don’t want troublesome guests. All my guests are able to meet me where I need to be met,” says Zitha.
For Zitha, his appointment-only salon was always meant to be more than a place for hair appointments. He envisioned it as a sacred sanctuary for renewal − a space where clients can transform their appearance and also feel safe enough to heal, pray, cry, and reconnect with themselves.
“We do more than just hair. I feel that I’m meant to be connected with people on different levels, and God always sends the right people because I’m able to resonate with them,” he says.
“Salons are intimate spaces where we spend about four to five hours and we dive into personal issues. Talking is healing, and sometimes people need a listening ear, and I’ve created a safe space for my clients. I don’t do walk-ins – I work on a per-person basis. I want you to have this whole space to yourself to cry and to talk about childhood traumas. And this is what I’ve been doing with clients God has been sending my way."
The quaint two-storey building is bathed in natural light, with large windows that flood the salon’s interior with warmth and brightness. Inside, light wood finishes and airy interiors create an inviting sense of calm, while copper-framed statement mirrors add a touch of understated luxury.
An LED-lit product wall, a plush ivory modular sofa, and clutter-free workstations complete the space, all brought together by a muted colour palette that feels both modern and serene.
Zitha remembers braiding his classmates’ hair under the trees of his high school grounds – an early sign of the talent that would later shape his path. During his varsity years, he spent three years working at a salon, where he not only sharpened his craft but also gained firsthand insight into how a business operates.
Does this new era signal the end of his acting career?
“I’m currently not taking auditions, but that doesn’t mean that I’m quitting; I’m focusing on this. I already have two shows coming up, and so I need to rest a bit,” he says.
“Our industry can be hectic, and so if I’m going to wait for auditions and not create opportunities for the life that I want, then I feel like I’m not doing everything that God has assigned me to do on earth.”
Zitha has wrapped up filming season two of Blood Legacy.
“I’ve been playing it safe, especially when I landed my first acting gig on Giyani. The show was big, and it was the first of its kind ... and it set me up nicely in my career, but it gave people the idea that I’m a straight person [Zitha is openly gay]," he says.
“I come from the villages of Limpopo, where a queer kid like myself had to hide, and I found myself falling into the likes of people who had a crush on Musa. This was my first job; I didn’t even know how to navigate the industry, so I found myself doing what everyone wanted me to do and neglecting this [hairdressing].”
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