Actress Zikhona Sodlaka has been working as an actress for years, but she has received as much love as she has for her role as Mandisa Madubela on the Showmax Telenovela, The Wife.
After burying her on-screen husband and laying her role to rest, fans only saw it fit to share their love for her online.
While this is not the first time viewers of The Wife have made sure to let Sodlaka know that she is loved, she was certainly the focus of this week’s online discussions about the latest episodes of the show.
This week, The Wife followed the family as they laid their beloved brother Nqoba (Abdul Khoza) to rest following a revenge killing at the end of last week’s trio of episodes.
Mandisa dropped a bomb revealing that she and Nqoba were actually married and put her foot down regarding the Zulu family’s attempts to exclude her from his burial.
Zikhona Sodlaka’s entire role on The Wife has been about fighting for what she deserves, despite everyone’s attempts to rip it from her and for that, the actress’ portrayal of Mandisa has forever been emblazoned in the hearts and minds of viewers of the show.
Especially with the very sad end that the character met after being mistreated by the Zulu family while mourning her beloved husband.
The events bothered Hlomu (Mbalenhle Mavimbela) so much that she spoke up for her, questioning the Zulu family and how they treat the women who have married into the family. She also tried to put her foot down to ensure that Mandisa and her children had a place to stay.
Sadly, Hlomu’s attempts to ensure Mandisa was not shafted were short-lived as the Zulu brothers schemed to screw her over until she had no fight left in her.
To mark the occasion of her departure and celebrate her hard work, Showmax compiled a highlight reel of Mandisa’s best moments.
As Mandisa, Zikhona was nominated for Best Female Actor at the 2022 DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards and Best Supporting Actor at the 2022 SAFTAs – awards shows that named Abdul Favourite Actor and Best Supporting Actor respectively.
Zikhona wishes Mandisa farewell
“I’m not even sure where to begin, but perhaps, let me start from the beginning – from the very inception and creation of the books by Dudu-Busani Dube.
“The Wife was already set up to win because the books are incredible and everybody that fell in love with them from their creation, already knew that they were going to love the screen version. So meeting Mandisa on stage has been something of an unexpected life-changing experience for me,” wrote the actress in a lengthy farewell published on the Showmax website.
“Mandisa was never supposed to be someone who lasted past the first season. I had taken the role knowing that this is the character that dies in the first season. This is something that we knew from the word go as she also kills herself, even in the book. But because viewers loved her so much we had to keep her and in deciding to keep her, the writers explored what we could do with her, and the results were just pure magic!”
With #thewifeshowmax and Mandisa again trending on Twitter on Thursday, Zikhona’s co-stars on the record-breaking, multi-award-winning telenovela shared what they’ve loved about working with her:
Abdul Khoza: “Mandisa will always be in our hearts”
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank Zikhona Sodlaka, aka Mandisa a.k.a ‘uMaka Ndumiso’ on The Wife,” said Abdul.
“I want to thank you for the amazing job you did on the show. As one of the most acclaimed actresses I know, you always give your best. Your work speaks for itself. It was an honour having worked so closely with you.
“Thank you for the chemistry we built as a family. I was always looking forward to seeing where our story was going. I’m grateful to have seen you take this role and transform it into a role that is loved by viewers. I know a lot of people will be hurt by your exit, but I am also certain that where you’re going, you’ll continue to shine like you always do.”
“I will always cherish our working relationship for the rest of my life. I really appreciate your dedication to the craft and the way you treated me as a fellow cast member. I also appreciate how you managed to bring us together as the Zulu brothers on and off set. Thank you for also embodying the role of a mother (which we so greatly needed) in this rather unconventional family unit we’ve created as a cast. Mandisa will always be in our hearts. Thank you, Zikhona.”
Khanyi Mbau: “Every moment with her on set was crazy”
“Working with Zee was emotional,” said Khanyi Mbau, who plays Zandile on The Wife.
“She’s a bubbly, loving but very serious being who loves music and is a total contrast from what you see on screen. She’s a respectful being and very loyal to her craft. Every moment with her on set was crazy; once she becomes Mandisa, she’s hilarious.”
Kwenzo Ngcobo: “I’ve learned so much from Zikhona”
“It’s been such a great honour to work with Zikhona and I’ve learnt so much from her. Sadly, she’s leaving, but that’s something we can’t control because it’s part of the story. She has left a great mark and taught us so much,” said Kwenzo Ngcobo who hopes to work with her again in the future.
Mondli Makhoba: “She’s one of the best female actors we have in Africa”
“I like Zikhona. I had a good time working with her, especially when it came to the conversations we would have on set. I like her mind. She’s a very smart person, which then makes her a brilliant actor. How she handles her characters, not only on The Wife but also on other projects like Igazi and Generations, is so brilliant to see. She’s one of the best female actors we have in Africa,” said Mondli Makhoba.
Sipho Ndlovu: “She made it easy for us to feel like we are kids from the same family”
“There’s so much I’m going to miss about Zikhona, but the one thing I’ll miss the most is her dedication,” said Sipho Ndlovu, who plays Sambulo Zulu.
“I like the way she’s so dedicated to her work, and her respect for the craft. I will never forget the scene where Mandisa burnt R80 million. That scene was explosive! And the chemistry she had with Abdul Khoza was so beautiful.
“She’s one person who will bring out the best in you. She would come chill with us as the brothers in the greenroom and bring light amongst us. She created that environment for us because she knows that we are going to play and have fun with the work that we do. I believe that it’s difficult to play a character when you’re not in a free mode to do so. So Zikhona made us feel free around her.”
Swelihle Luthuli: “We’ve all met a Mandisa in our lives”
“For me, working with Zikhona Sodlaka was like living out a dream come true,” says Swelihle Luthuli, who plays Ntsika Zulu.
“I grew up watching her on television. Her craft was always an inspiration to me. While working with her on The Wife, we became very close; I think she was one person I was the closest to. Zikhona is really smart, and that’s what drew me to her the most. She gave me a lot of advice about the industry and life in general. I consider her a friend right now, and she’s always a call away. She was one of the people I would go to for advice, especially when it came to my performances, so her leaving the show has left a huge void.
The first 12 episodes of The Wife Season three are available on Showmax, with new episodes going live every Thursday.
