Leleti Khumalo Biography
Leleti Khumalo was born on 30th March 1970 in KwaMashu, South Africa. She is a South African actress popularly known for her leading role in the movie and stage play Sarafina! She is also a musician and a radio presenter.
Career in music
Her career in music began when she joined a youth backyard dance group called Amajika where she met Tu Nokwe, who became her mentor. In 1993 Leleti Khumalo released her debut album titled “Leleti and Sarafina”.
Leleti Khumalo Career as an actress
At the age of 15 when she was practicing with Amajika, the dance group, Mbogena Ngema was was looking for new talent for a musical he was developing, he came to the garage in which her youth group was rehearsing to scout for performers. After seeing what Khumalo could do, Ngema simply asked if she wanted to do a play. She said yes. The musical eventually evolved into the international blockbuster Sarafina!
Leleti Khumalo Plays
- Sarafina, 1985.
- Mama, 1996.
- Sarafina 2, 1997.
- The Zulu, 1999.
- Stimela SaseZola, 2003.
Films
- Sarafina!, 1991.
- Cry, the Beloved Country, 1995.
- Yesterday, 2004.
- Hotel Rwanda, 2004.
Leleti Khumalo Television
- African Skies, 1991.
- Generations, 2005.
Career in Radio
Leleti Khumalo was the host of the breakfast show on Vuma FM, a KwaZulu-Natal radio station which broadcasts in IsiZulu language.
Leleti Khumalo Awards
- 1988: She received a Tony Award Nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Sarafina!
- 1987: She received a NAACP Image Award for Best Stage Actress.
Philanthropy
She is the founder of Leleti Khumalo’s School Ground Project in association with Sukuma Sakhe. The programme is aimed at dealing with problems faced by teenagers in a school setting.
Leleti Khumalo Vitiligo
She has vitiligo ( a disease that destroys skin pigment cells, causing the loss of skin color in blotches) and says that she was about 24 years when she found out about the disease. In an interview with True Love magazine she said that she was content with her looks.
“It has taken over my looks, but I am content. I don’t want my life to be about the condition. I have it- so what? I am still an actress, a mother and a wife”
“When I was trying to have children, the doctor told me after my pregnancy the vitiligo would spread. I was fine with that,” she added.
Leleti Khumalo Husband
She was married to Mbongeni Ngema since 1992 but they divorced in 2005. She later married businessman Skhutazo Winston Khanyile in 2012.
Children
- On 24th May 2013 she gave birth to twins Ulwenzile Khanyile and Yamukelani Khanyile.
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