Companion pack alert!
Here's a close-up on the starring characters in Mzansi Magic's new novela Inimba which premieres tonight (14 April) at 21h00, replacing Empini which ended last week.
Details include the scenario in case you've missed the memo:
Zoleka Mabandla
Played by Lunathi Mampofu
Zoleka is a global citizen and original thinker, having spent the past 20 years living in America as one of the greatest minds in the world of cyber security. Companies around the world are now fighting to give her a seat at their table.
She's very close to her brother Thulani, and before the demise of her marriage and the desire to move abroad to further her career, she was close to her parents too, more so her father, who moulded Zoleka to be an independent thinker, who puts herself first above others. His death is something that has always been painful for her.
At 20, she met the love of her life, Mthetho "Hlathi" Mabandla who was older than her but, as they say, love knows no bounds of age.
Their problems began when she was offered an opportunity of a lifetime to work abroad for a little while, leaving Zoleka with a tough choice to make: quit her career or leave her family behind, including her daughter Qhawe who was about to turn one.
It is a decision that will haunt her for the rest of her life.
Zoleka is a loving mother and her daughter means the world to her. She is also a philanthropist who wants to make the world a better place for others.
Mthetho "Hlathi" Mabandla
Played by Sisa Hewana
Hlathi has big attitude and energy. He has always aimed to be a high achiever in whatever he does, and has a strong work ethic.
He can be very charming, but he is also self-serving. He hides behind being a traditional man, which he is, but most often, this is a tool he uses to get his way, all the time.
He’s a great father to his children and doesn’t regard himself as a cheating partner, but his journey will leave a lot of interpretations of what a cheater really is.
Family means a lot to him and his brother is his confidant.
When he met Zoleka he knew she wanted a career, and he was okay with that, but in his mind, he’d eventually tame her and keep her busy at home so that she’d have no other choice but to be a mother to his children and take care of their home.
Hlathi is educated, with a business diploma. He worked as a senior manager in a cleaning company and then started his own business Mabandla Cleaning Services - his pride and joy.
Thumeka Bikitsha (Mabandla)
Played by Zenande Mfenyana
Thumeka is Zoleka’s cousin. They were raised as sisters and were thick as thieves.
Thumeka's biggest desire in life was to be a wife and a mother and raise a family.
After school she completed a nursing diploma but when a chance at motherhood presented itself, she grabbed it with both hands.
This was a controversial move as she took up her sister’s place in her husband’s life, becoming a mother to her daughter, Qhawe, and two other children with Hlathi.
Thumeka is gorgeous and knows it, even though she isn't vain about it. She has always seen herself as inferior to Zoleka and at some point, became aware of living under Zoleka’s shadow.
Thumeka’s children mean the world to her and she regards Qhawe as her biological daughter.
Qhawekazi Mabandla
Played by Ayakha Ntunja
Qhawe is 20, beautiful, intelligent, confident, hard-working and well-educated, with a backbone defined by pride which stems from how she was raised.
She's the apple of her father’s eye and Thumeka's pride. She’s never put a foot wrong in her life.
She enjoys dressing up and clubbing, influenced by her best friend Zethu.
Qhawe has completed her studies in IT and software engineering, focusing on cyber security, which lands her a job at Khusela Techonologies where she falls in love.
Qhawe gets caught in a messy battle between the adults in her life who vie for her love and attention.
Thulani Mabandla
Played by Zizi Peteni
Thulani is Zoleka’s older brother. He is married to the love of his life Thandeka and they have three children who are grown up and have moved out.
Thulani is the jester of the family, and brings lightheartedness to heavy moments. He and his wife Thandeka are that couple who have no secrets among each other.
He started hustling from a young age and now works as one of the top maintenance guys for the City of Joburg’s City Power.
Thalani does have moments of being very stern, he is the only one who can put Hlathi in his place, and calls him on his bullsh!t.
Thulani is a great uncle to his nephews and nieces. He's grown to tolerate Thumeka and still has a good heart and love for Zoleka, more so now that she has money.
He has a bit of roving eye and loves the ladies, but he’s never cheated on his wife.
MaGaba
Played by Andrea Dondolo
Nontobeko Bikitsha née Gubevu, known affectionately as MaGaba by her clan’s name, is Zoleka and Lukhanyo’s mother.
She's a strong, loving woman in her 60s, and to her pride, she doesn’t look her age.
She’s never held down a formal job and her husband provided for her. Zoleka has sent money to her while she's been in America, but she doesn't know it comes from her.
As a young mother, MaGaba was dedicated to her family. She took the challenge and did a great job. One of her biggest challenges was when Zoleka left her family to start a life in America, which is when their relationship broke.
She yearns to be a grandmother to her granddaughter Qhawe whom she hasn’t seen since infancy.
Sydney Zondo
Played by Siyabonga Shibe
Sydney is one of the main antagonists of the series: a rival to Zoleka in the work space.
He’s worked in IT all of his life, and has built himself up from the ground to where he is today, taking every opportunity that comes his way.
He is married to the love of his life Hlengiwe, and they have two children, first born son Lwandle and daughter Zihle. Sydney is a family man first - a loving husband and a very good father, to a certain degree.
He's also a highly ambitious man who's willing to break the rules and the law to get what he wants.
Sydney needs people to worship and need him and he's moulding Lwandle to become a mini-me.
Lwandle Zondo
Played by Nkanyiso Makhanya
Lwandle is Sydney’s eldest son who has felt burdened by responsibility from a young age because he was raised to take over the world by his father, who painted the image of how they would dominate the tech industry and rule as kings.
This fate gives him a level of insecurity that he tries to hide but it also adds a twist to his personality: his identity is now formed around his father’s success as a high-ranking official in the tech space - it's an extension of himself.
He loves the idea of being popular and adored, and has dreams and ambitions for himself as an IT engineering graduate, with a passion for developing antiviruses and hacking.
He isn't in a steady relationship and is still playing the field. Some may see him as a player - a badge he wears with pride.
Mawethu Sonjia
Played by Prince Grootboom
Mawethu is Qhawe's love interest who appears to be a golden boy. He is an obvious winner and he carries himself with an air of confidence and social ease.
He's the middle child, a year younger than his older brother Samkelo, and they have a younger sister who is married and lives in the Eastern Cape. Mawethu is his parents’ pride and joy, and he's been favoured by the authority figures in his life.
He excelled at university and has worked his way to being one of the top engineers at the tech company.
Romantically Mawethu's had his share of romance, preferring older ladies as they come with less drama and baggage. Qhawe becomes the first younger girl that he has a relationship with.
His personality has a dark underside at times.
You'll find the teasers here:
Inimba Teasers - April 2025