It’s now over 20 years since the famous movie Sarafina was released.
The film about the student uprising in June 1976 is still one of the best movies ever to have been made in Mzansi.
In celebrating Youth Month, we have taken a look back at the star-studded cast to see where they are now.
Khanyo Maphumulo
You may remember her as the girl with the angelic voice, but Khanyo Maphumulo now is a well-travelled singer and actress. She told Daily Sun: “When I was approached for Sarafina, I did not know what it was about until I got to rehearse for the role and then I started understanding it.
“Even though I was just a singer in the movie, I believe I played a huge role, because music heals. I am proud and honoured to be part of such an iconic movie and through it, I got a chance to teach a lot of people about our history,” she said.
Khanyo said her role on Sarafina has helped a lot in the shaping of her career.
“Wherever I go, people still recognise me. It has also afforded me to get international gigs. Recently, I was in Gabon performing. Shortly after my performance. I was called back from my hotel room because people wanted me to perform the Sarafina songs.
“Although my band members and I were unprepared, I performed and everyone enjoyed it. I was thrilled to see the impact the movie has had on other countries as I was told that ‘Freedom is coming tomorrow’ is like an anthem to them.”
Although Youth Day means a lot to the 46-year-old actress, she told the People’s Paper she was disappointed people celebrate the day with alcohol nowadays.
“I am highly disappointed because the current youth, when they are celebrating Youth Day, alcohol is always involved.
“They do not celebrate by recreating the incidents that happened in June 1976, teaching those younger than them what was happening then and how we got here as a nation,” she said.
Somizi Mhlongo
Decades later, Somizi is still relevant. The talented media personality played student leader Fire who was pivotal in the student uprising in the movie.
Today, Somizi is a married man, best selling author, reality TV star,resident judge on a talent search competition and a radio host on Metro FM.
The talented actress has grown hugely in the acting industry and has had many lead roles which have won her awards. Many of us may remember her as the feisty young Sarafina, which she landed when she was only 16.
Today Leleti leads thecast of eTV’s telenovela Imbewu (The seed), where she plays Mazulu. She is also the award winning soapie’s executive producer. Before she joined Imbewu, she was part of SABC1’s popular soapie Uzalo in one of her big roles after she took a break from the small screen to raise her two children.
Leleti is living with the condition called vitiligo marked by patches of the skin and once revealed when she was on Uzalo, she used to cover her white patches, but when she joined Imbewu, she had a long discussion with the producers, who agreed she should not cover herself.
The actress, whose condition started at the age of 19, said she took the decision of not covering herself with make-up because she wanted to teach people about her condition.
Diekentseng Mnisi
Multilingual actor Diekentseng was one of the dancers and singers in Sarafina.
She now plays the feisty MaNtuli on the top-charting SABC1 soapie Skeem Saam.
In the popular soapie, she plays the strict mother of three who was abandoned by her husband and has done her bit to raise her children to be responsible adults, but comes to face a lot of challenges.
One of South Africa’s most popular actress, Sindi Dlathu got her first taste of the big screen as part of the Sarafina cast.
She became a leading lady on soapie Muvhango where she played Thandaza for nearly 20 years.
Earlier this year she won the Favourite Actress at the DSTV Viewers Awards as the star of telenovela The River.
Lindiwe Dlamini-Dikana is one of TV’s greatest villains and Sindi sings the show’s theme song.
Her Sarafina roots have never left her as for years she has promised to release her own music.
-Daily Sun
In other news – Huge blow for Skeem Saam lovers as Lesego Marakalla who plays Rachel Kunutu leaves the show
Actress Lesego Marakalla is leaving SABC1’s drama series, Skeem Saam.
Lesego, who has been part of the show since day one playing the role of Rachel Kunutu, has taken a break from the show and has gone back to school full time. In a statement, the award-winning actress said she will miss her Skeem Saam family. continue reading
