By Rorisang Modiba
• Connie Chiume’s daughter says she almost gave up acting after her mother’s death but has now found new purpose through teaching, writing and building her own career.
• Nothando Mabuza says South African actors remain underpaid and overlooked, with many families receiving little or no royalties even after decades of successful work.
Growing up as the daughter of one of South Africa’s greatest actresses should have made becoming an actress easy.
But for Nothando Naledi Mabuza, the road has been filled with heartbreak, rejection and the challenge of stepping out of her famous mother’s shadow.
The daughter of the late Connie Chiume says losing her mother nearly made her give up the career she had dreamed about since she was a little girl.
“I almost gave up acting,” she told Scrolla.Africa.
“There was a time after my mother’s passing when I questioned everything.”
Mabuza was born in Protea South, Soweto, and grew up between Benoni and Kempton Park.
She describes her childhood as happy and full of love.
As the youngest child, she admits she was often spoiled, but she also watched both her parents work hard while her mother built one of South Africa’s most successful acting careers.
From primary school she knew exactly what she wanted.
She attended drama classes, imagined herself on international stages and dreamed of becoming one of the country’s biggest stars.
That dream never disappeared.
Instead, it grew.
After studying performing arts, Mabuza realised many young actors leave college without the practical skills needed to survive in the entertainment industry.
Rather than complain, she started her own acting school.
Today she teaches aspiring actors both performance skills and the realities of working in the industry.
“I love taking a rough diamond and polishing it,” she said.
“There is nothing better than watching someone discover their confidence.”
One of her proudest moments came when a student with no acting experience trained with her for just one week before landing an audition.
The student got the role and has since built a successful television and commercial acting career.
Many of her former students have become close friends.
But behind those success stories was a personal battle.
Connie Chiume died in August 2024 at the age of 72, leaving behind a legacy that stretched across more than three decades.
She starred in hit productions including Zone 14, Rhythm City, Gomora, Black Panther, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Beyoncé’s Black Is King.
She also received several South African Film and Television Awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2022.
Her death changed Mabuza’s life forever.
She says grief forced her to stop living only for other people.
“I was raised to always put everyone else first. Losing my mother taught me that I also have to choose myself.”
She says grief also pushed her to discover who she is beyond carrying the famous Chiume surname.
Although she remains proud of her mother’s legacy, she has expanded into writing, music, producing and creating original work that tells her own stories.
She says her mother’s greatest lessons had nothing to do with fame.
Instead, Connie Chiume taught her humility, discipline, self respect and resilience.
“People will always talk, but you keep going anyway,” Mabuza said.
Those words have carried her through one of the toughest years of her career.
In 2025 alone, she auditioned more than 21 times.
She landed only one role, appearing in a KFC television commercial.
Despite the disappointments, she refuses to stop chasing her dream.
“I used to dream of becoming one of South Africa’s greatest actresses,” she said.
“Now I realise that dream was too small.”
Watching her mother succeed internationally made her believe her own future also lies beyond South Africa.
She is now growing her production company, expanding her acting school and developing projects linked to the Connie Chiume Foundation while pursuing international opportunities.
Mabuza also believes South Africa’s creative industry is failing many performers.
She says actors remain underpaid, underfunded and often receive little protection.
One issue that hurts her most is royalties.
Despite her mother’s work still being shown in South Africa and around the world, she believes many performers and their families do not receive the financial support they deserve.
“The fact that I, as the daughter of an icon, have to leave my country to be seen and find opportunities is painful,” she said.
Even so, she refuses to let grief define her future.
“I want people to know that their struggles do not disqualify them,” she said.
“If I can bring even a little bit of light into someone’s life, that means everything to me.”
She hopes people will remember that while she proudly carries her mother’s name, she is determined to build a legacy of her own.
“I’m allowed to make mistakes. I’m allowed to grow,” she said.
“Grief never ends. You simply learn to live with it.”
Pictured above: Nothando Naledi Mabuza says losing her mother, legendary actress Connie Chiume, nearly made her give up acting before finding new purpose through teaching and creating.
Picture: Supplied
