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Nombulelo Mhlongo reflects on Simon Mabhunu Sabela award nomination
She's no stranger to our screens.
From Uzalo to Durban Gen and now on Scandal, Nombulelo Mhlongo has gradually climbed the ladder in the acting industry.
For the most part, she's allowed her work as a performing artist to speak louder in rooms that matter.
And indeed, her name has not only been mentioned in those rooms but made an enough impression to have earned her a nomination at the Simon Mabhunu Sabela awards which honours thespians who wave the KZN flag high.
Having had her career genesis rooted in the province, this nomination is a full circle for her.
'I'm finally getting my flowers at home. I've been getting a lot of nominations and awards outside of South Africa for the work that I've been doing on film in television it means, you know, a great deal for me to actually be getting this nomination, not only in South Africa, but the province that I was born and raised in.'
Growing up, the actress born and raised in a Phongolo, a very small town in Northern KZN by the border of Swaziland, wasn't exposed to a lot of things but watching shows on TV, made her realise where her passion lied. From then on, she decided to pursue performing arts, especially after watching Fame back in the day.
When she was meant to choose subjects in grade 10, she started searching for an arts school to go to and eventually ended up in Pro Arte Alphen Park in Pretoria.
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'After graduating in my matric year, I started looking for the top 10 most prestigious higher learning institutions around the world. And when I found them, I realised that as much as I've been in an art school, I still didn't feel like I was at that level where I could audition to get into those international schools. So, I took the year off and went to KCAP Ekhaya multi-arts centre in KwaMashu, which is a specialised art school funded by the KZN government. That's where I started preparing for my audition to go into the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Los Angeles, which is where I ended up doing my degree,' she shares her journey.
Through it all, her parents remained supportive of her craft from the very beginning. Expressing her gratitude for the support, she adds that she's blessed to have a lot of people pushing her and believing in her work.
Speaking to Drum about the character that has finally earned her her flowers, she spills the beans on MaDlomo's storyline on Scandal!
'This is a woman who's coming from a background where she's had to constantly sacrifice for her family and those that she love from a very young age; from her actually going and becoming a wife at such a young age, because even in the story, she got married when she was still very young while her husband, Nhloso, (played by Kwenzo Ngcobo) obviously got the opportunity to go and study ending up in Johannesburg and going into finance, having a full blown career and life whereas she has literally dedicated her entire life to her family and then to him, and now to his family.'
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Drawing from the huge demand on women to always be selfless from society, she explains why it became so important for MaDlomo to find her voice.
'We're seeing her finally face this challenge that she's been having with her husband and his infidelity. Eventually, she finally decides, 'I think it's time that I look for me. It's time that I choose me. And it's not that I necessarily have anything against you. It's just that I feel like the more I say yes to protect my children and my family, the more I deny myself of actually living a fulfilled life'.'
After finding out that Nhloso was cheating on her with Dintle, MaDlomo highlighted how women end up staying in relationships because of different situations. This has garnered remarks and comments on the social media streets from viewers on women's harsh realities.
'So many women are going through this, and you go on social media, and you see how women have actually gotten addicted to being treated badly. I find a lot of women are always insulting the way she dresses. She dresses in a very modest way, and you realise that women actually don't even like themselves so much because of the comments they make. They say maybe if she can change the way that she dresses this wouldn't happen.'
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In real life though, people are always encouraging whenever they bump into her. Not only do they tell her they love her, but they tell her to leave that man. In most cases, these are mature, elder women from townships or villages who relate the most to her story.
'She's coming from a background of no education, and then she started her small business, where she was washing the clothes in a basin, and now her laundromat has slowly grown and that encourages women who are fighting through their livelihood.'
From how well she's told this story on screens, she says it would mean a lot for her to bag the Best Actress Award.
'It would mean so much to me. I've been advocating for the arts and representing the KZN arts industry from the moments that I started this journey from starting in an institution that was funded by KZN government and carving my own experience at the KZN African art festival that happens at every year, I was there from the very beginning of that festival, benefiting from its teachings. It would really mean that KZN has carried me through my years of being in this industry. Even the fact that even my first big break was in Durban from Uzalo then I was on Durban Gen which really gave me a really big turnaround in my career,' she concludes.
