Cape Town — South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha has been in the headlines for her performance on hit show ShakaiLembe but recently, the star opened up on her past failures.
She spoke to Radio 702’s Relebogile Mabotja on a segment called The Upside of Failure, where guests touch on some of the disappointments that pushed them to greater successes.
Nomzamo said going to UCT was a difficult time for her as she was on a bursary and felt a reality check when she failed her first test, The Citizen reported.
“I think UCT for me was a very tough period, the first year at UCT was extremely hard. You get there and it’s the first time you write an economics test and it’s the first time you see a 35% in your life, you’re ashamed because everyone at home is calling [asking] ‘how’s school?’,” she said.
It was a defining period of my life. I say this all the time, outside of being in the business of believing in myself, I’ve been in the business of saving my life, for as long as I can remember.”
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Nomzamo’s hard work was rewarded when she graduated in 2018 from UCT, receiving her accountancy degree and attended the graduation ceremony in Cape Town.
She also revealed that throughout her life, she was constantly a high achiever and was always independent. Her father cared a lot about her grades growing up and that put pressure on her.
Nomzamo was raised by her grandmother and father because her mother worked far away.
She said she had to deal with some of her childhood trauma as a child.
“I thank Covid, because I got to re-parent my inner-child a lot. I don’t think I was emotionally supported as a child. I think I was loved, I think my father adored me, all his friends still say that to this day.”
“That was a very huge contributor to the person that I became and the person that I am now. I don’t tell my friends when I’ve achieved something.”
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
