Role on ‘Scandal!’ mimics reality for Makhosazana Ndlovu

In reality, there are parents who choose to have that one favourite child among all their children.

This is the reality portrayed by Makhosazana Ndlovu on Scandal!, one of the most watched soapies in South Africa.

In a wide-ranging interview with Sunday World on Tuesday, Ndlovu shared that she is similar to and also different from her character Pertunia.

“I believe that I am a loving mother, as I have been a mother to both my sister’s children. Pertunia on the other hand has a lot of mistakes she has committed raising both her daughters,” said Ndlovu.

Pertunia has always put Mbali first and allowed her to get away with a lot of things. However, she has since realised the type of person her daughter is. Currently, Pertunia is trying to assist her “less” loved daughter, Winnie, get out of a sticky situation.

“Most single parents tend to lash out at their kids based on how their partners treated them, which is exactly what is going on in the relationship between Winnie and Pertunia. She is reminded of her failed relationship and all the bad things that happened with Winnie’s father.”

The Nongoma-born actress shared that there is more to expect from Pertunia, but what she would love to see is for her to apologise to Winnie for the ill-treatment.

Ndlovu has always aspired to be on the small screens and was determined to make her dreams come true. She studied nursing for a year before dropping out.

“Getting into acting took time because I kept going to various auditions. When I heard that [acclaimed playwright] Mbongeni Ngema was hosting auditions for his academy, I knew I had to go. I then met Thabo Mnguni and we did a lot of projects in theatre, and since then it’s been the same.”

In 2010, Ndlovu did her first-ever television audition for an Ekasi story that was being shot in Joburg. More Ekasi stories followed and she ended up getting roles on Muvhango, Generations, and other productions which opened a lot of doors for her.

“There have been tough times though, because my last shoot was in 2015. For four years I had no work and it came to a point where I looked for a job at Shoprite.”

During her time of being unemployed, she depended on her sister, who relied on a social grant to provide for the family. In 2019, she received a call from her agent informing her about an audition for Umakoti, which she was confident was hers.


“When I walked in there, I knew that the role was mine. Three weeks later, I got a call to come in for wardrobe and that was the biggest show that I ever did. I did a few things thereafter up until I got the role of Pertunia [on Scandal!], which was supposed to be a small character,” she said.

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