Cape Town — Talented South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha stars in the new hit series Shaka iLembe.
The show has garnered immense affection from viewers, leaving Nomzamo impressed by its warm reception.
Having embarked on its production journey in 2017, the series commenced filming in 2022, chronicling the remarkable life of the esteemed monarch, Shaka. IOL reported that the narrative spans from his humble beginnings as a child to his eventual ascent to the throne.
Notably, Nomzamo portrays the captivating character of Queen Nandi in the series and also assumes the role of executive producer.
She took to Twitter to express heartfelt gratitude towards the fans who have shown unwavering support and adoration for the show.
“SIYABONGA The love for episode one of #ShakaiLembeMzansi has been overwhelmingly beautiful. I know I may give the elusion of confidence without the fragments of self doubt, but this has been a brave and hard journey,” she wrote.
She added that she’s not celebrating anything yet, as the show gears up for 11 more episodes, with the next one airing Sunday 25 June.
SIYABONGA
The love for episode one of #ShakaiLembeMzansi has been overwhelmingly beautiful. I know I may give the elusion of confidence without the fragments of self doubt, but this has been a brave and hard journey. We won’t celebrate just yet… 1 down… 11 to go. 8PM, Sunday…— Nomzamo Mbatha (@NomzamoMbatha) June 21, 2023
While the series has received high praise for its storytelling and drama, it has also drawn its share of criticism for women exposing their bare breasts, which is not unusual in the Zulu culture.
“It was to be expected that on seeing the first episode of Shaka iLembe, some viewers would feel discomfort at the style of clothing that we have used to represent Zulu/Nguni culture,” Hlonipha Mokoena told News24.
Mokoena added another incorrect assumption was that it was only women who were publicly displayed in the Zulu culture.
“This is culturally incorrect,” she said. “In the Nguni past, both men and women took pride in their bodies – they dressed, oiled, bejewelled, tattooed and decorated their bodies according to what was fashionable and appropriate for their age group and social status.”
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Compiled by Matthew Petersen
