Television thespian Michelle Botes has passed away.
The 63-year-old passed on on Saturday morning after battling cancer.
Botes’ talent agency, Oh Talent Management, confirmed that the actress lost her battle to the killer disease.
Succumbed to a rare cancer
“It was an honour knowing you over this past year. Your commitment to your craft was inspirational. You had a light inside you that was felt by all who were around you. Deepest condolences to your nearest and dearest,” the agency said on Instagram.
Botes was born on October 12 1962 in Cape Town. She completed high school in Cape Town, then graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in speech and drama (bilingual) from the University of Stellenbosch. After graduation, she completed a diploma in education at the University of Cape Town.
Became a household name as Isidingo’s Cherel
She shot to fame in 1998 when she joined the cast of SABC3 soap opera Isidingo. In this role, she endeared herself to the legions of the soapie’s fans as Cherel de Villiers Haines. She played the role for nine years until 2007, and later re-joined it in 2009.
In 2002, she was included in the Top 10 Celebrities in Television by the magazine Star. In 2006, she won Best Actress and Best Onscreen Villain at the 19th annual Avanti Awards.
Won numerous industry awards
Botes won the Crystal Award for Best TV Couple in Isidingo, along with Robert Whitehead, who portrayed her husband Barker Haines. She was nominated for Best Actress in TV Soap category at the South African Film and Television Awards (Safta) in 2006, 2007 and 2012.
In 2019, she re-joined with Binnelanders. And in 2020, she joined the telenovela Legacy, where she played the role of Angelique Price. For her role, she won the Safta Golden Horn Award for Best Supporting Actress in the Telenovela category
IOL reported that Botes had revealed in an interview recently that she battled multiple myeloma. She fought the incurable blood cancer for two and a half years.
Botes died on Saturday morning, December 21. She is survived by two children, a daughter and a son, with whom she lived in Cape Town.
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