After months of financial problems and fighting between families, Kwaito and Lizzy are finally tying the knot.

The couple from Skeem Saam has had a long journey leading up to their wedding, which is finally going to happen.

Amanda Manku (32) who plays the character of Lizzy (full name Elizabeth Thobakgale) spoke to Daily Sun about the wedding and being part of Skeem Saam for ten years.

The actress said she didn’t think these two characters would ever get married.

“I did not expect that Zamokuhle and Elizabeth’s journey would reach this point. I also don’t think the characters themselves knew that things would happen this way. Zamokuhle has been a very indecisive person, we know that the biggest thing was the love triangle (with Glenda) that almost ruined their relationship and I thought the relationship would not go anywhere. But alas, here we are today,” she said. “I’ve been with Skeem Saam since 2013. It’s been exactly ten years now and the growth for my character was phenomenal, and I don’t think it was predictable at all. From high school to varsity, getting into a car accident and being in a wheelchair.

“I think that storyline was one that will always affect her going forward because of how hectic it was. Another thing is the relationship she had with Mangaliso (played by Bongani Madondo), which will always affect her because even years later, people still talk about that. Ten years later, I as Amanda playing as Elizabeth, I’ve had to grow with her and adjust to where she is in her life,” she said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lizzy and Kwaito’s wedding will take place in two days on Friday, 15 December and Monday, 18 December. One celebration will take place in the Seakamela household and the other in the Thobakgale household.

Amanda said she enjoyed playing as a bride and it was one of the most favourite scenes she’s filmed with Skeem Saam.

“My favourite part about the wedding celebration is that this is the first time on Skeem Saam that we have a solely traditional wedding. We’ve only had white weddings before, so this is the first time we’ve done a traditional wedding and I’m enjoying it. I think the one thing people will enjoy is seeing the Limpopo element in the weddings.

“You know people from Limpopo go all out for their weddings from the decoration to the clothes and the music. That was exciting for me to witness. I enjoyed two things the most – one of my outfits and ‘the step’ because it was choreographed by myself and Clement,” she said.

#SkeemSaam :Sometimes we repel people only because we love them and, are in denial about it. But love is an unstoppable force. Actress Amanda Manku has always believed that her character would find her own “happily ever after”. She plays the role of Elizabeth Lizzy Thobakgale on SABC 1’s drama series Skeem Saam.

Speaking to Sunday World, Manku said she never thought it would be with Zamokuhle, also known as Kwaito – played by Clement Maosa.

 

 

 

 
Surprise change of character
“I definitely did not see that one coming because of the person that Zamokuhle is, who is very indecisive and at some point. He just had this womaniser tag on him,” said Manku.

Manku said the womaniser tag was removed way before the wedding, when they decided to get back together after they had separated.

“Lizzy made herself clear that it is either Zamokuhle ïs in this or not, and if he wants love triangles it is cool, but just not in their relationship.

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“This was when Zamo made promises of giving Lizzy bank PINs and phone passwords just to genuinely prove his level of commitment.”

Boy meets girl tale
The Skeem Saam actress describes her love story with Zamokuhle as a typical boy-meets-girl tale.

“I think it is one of those ‘if it is meant to be it will happen’ type of storylines. Even with all the hurdles that they have had, they still managed to find each other.”

Skeem Saam was Manku’s very first acting job, and she says she has grown with her character for 10 years now. She says she had just finished varsity and her character was finishing off high school.

“A lot of people don’t know that I am the second Lizzy. There was another one in the first season, and I was the second one. I kind of managed to grow with the character until this point, it has been beautiful to watch the transition in her life.”

Storyline twists
In the story her mother-in-law MaNtuli did not like Lizzy. She preferred Glenda over her but she believes that once she sees how happy she makes her son and their journey, she will accept her.

“I am looking forward to seeing what type of mother-in-law she will be because all along she technically wasn’t her mother-in-law. If Lizzy lives with the Seakamelas maybe MaNtuli will realise that she is not so bad. It might also be tricky with having two women live in one house.”

There’s no dry eye in the room when Kwaito takes Lizzy down memory lane.
Tuesday 19 December 2023
Episode 122

 

After walking down the aisle, Lizzy realises that the real challenge is surviving the fiery scrutiny of her new in-laws. Tired of squabbling with DJ Thomas, Mapitsi considers throwing in the towel.
Wednesday 20 December 2023
Episode 123
MaNtuli is set on making Elizabeth feel the Makoti duties. Babeile takes Pax’s statement but Mr Kgomo isn’t happy with what Babeile says his next move is going to be.
Thursday 21 December 2023
Episode 124
Mr Kgomo makes a pivotal decision about his future. Lizzy finds an opportunity to win MaNtuli over. Mapitsi is upset when Tbose goes against her wishes.
Friday 22 December 2023
Episode 125
MaNtuli blows a fuse when the master bedroom becomes a topic of discussion. Tbose’s stunt pays off and Mapitsi changes her tune about him. Mrs Kgomo is puzzled by Mr Kgomo’s big decision.

SkeemSaam:’ Mantuli the double storey house owner…looking beautiful This week on Skeem Saam 18-22 December 2023
Monday 18 December 2023
Episode 121
There’s no dry eye in the room when Kwaito takes Lizzy down memory lane.
Tuesday 19 December 2023
Episode 122

 
After walking down the aisle, Lizzy realises that the real challenge is surviving the fiery scrutiny of her new in-laws. Tired of squabbling with DJ Thomas, Mapitsi considers throwing in the towel.
Wednesday 20 December 2023
Episode 123
MaNtuli is set on making Elizabeth feel the Makoti duties. Babeile takes Pax’s statement but Mr Kgomo isn’t happy with what Babeile says his next move is going to be.
Thursday 21 December 2023
Episode 124
Mr Kgomo makes a pivotal decision about his future. Lizzy finds an opportunity to win MaNtuli over. Mapitsi is upset when Tbose goes against her wishes.
Friday 22 December 2023
Episode 125
MaNtuli blows a fuse when the master bedroom becomes a topic of discussion. Tbose’s stunt pays off and Mapitsi changes her tune about him. Mrs Kgomo is puzzled by Mr Kgomo’s big decision.

The body of award-winning singer Bulelwa “Zahara” Mkuthukana arrived in her hometown East London on Sunday after she died on December 11, weeks after being hospitalised.

Actress Lusanda Mbane, who drove from Johannesburg to Phumlani to pay her respects after the family received Zahara’s remains, delivered the singer’s accolades and guitar.peaking to Lusanda recalled the emotional “longest number of weeks” of her life as she relied on people around her to give her reports and updates when Zahara was hospitalised.

 

 

 

“When she went into hospital I was in communication with everyone around her. It was a very unsettling, very emotional time because I did not know what to expect,” she said.

Since meeting Zahara through a two-hour interview when she was a presenter on TruFM, Lusanda said they formed a sisterhood.

“My journey was that of a big sister and that was the relationship.

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“I was there for her when she needed me as a big sister, and I was there when we had fun as well but that didn’t always end well because the big sister in me would always come out and Bulelwa was very stubborn.”

While the narrative on socials has been about how Zahara’s friends failed her, Lusanda said she had witnessed people in the singer’s life who would “say yes to everything” she said but she was always the one who would call her to order.

“She knew she had to have limits. She knew if I was around she had to have limits with how she spoke and conducted herself and she would give me that respect as a big sister. If she found herself in any corner, she would call me and I would be there for her.

“It wouldn’t matter if we fought the previous day, we discussed everything. There were no boundaries. She loved me so much that she almost wanted to give me her all.

“The light moments were when we would sit on her patio and talk about life. She would cook lunch and supper for me, and she would sing for me.”

Throughout her career Zahara made controversial headlines, from being on the verge of losing her Roodepoort home to her long dispute over royalties and social media users speculating she performed under the influence.Lusanda said she was not oblivious to the hardships Zahara faced as the singer would often call her late at night to talk about her woes.

“Bulelwa was a troubled soul. I sometimes allocated that to the fact that she was a bright shining star. Unfortunately when you are a bright shining star, everything about you is going to be loud.

“I was aware of the extent of her troubles. I was guiding and sometimes a friend to her. I understood the extent of the problems … I thought we could help as much as we could, but when God has picked her as the star who would shine brighter than most others, that is the price to pay. I thought maybe that is the explanation.”

Lusanda said she will forever cherish the moments she spent with Zahara and keep her legacy alive.

“Bulelwa, I loved you when you were alive and I will always love you. The things that were important to you will continue to be important to me.”

Watch the video of Lusanda at Zahara’s family home here.