MBABANE – Gcebile Dlamini, born and raised in Eswatini, has landed herself another SA role, on Scandal! which is one of the most watched, soaps.
Scandal is a South African soap opera produced by Ochre Moving Pictures and broadcast on e.tv. It is currently contending with SABC 1’s longest-running soap opera, Generations: The Legacy. This comes after two other local actors, Gedlembane-born, Jacob Shongwe and Sebenta Mhlanga, also landed screen time on eTV’s Isitha: The Enemy on the same TV channel.
This is not the first soapie that Dlamini has acted in, but she has appeared on soapies such as Skeem Saam, where she played the role of Nomalanga and Amanda Du Pont’s aunt. She was also featured in Mzansi magic short stories such as Abangani as Khethiwe, Ukhakhayi and Judge Thenjiwe on Moja Love, Housemaids as Aunty Moja Love, and Mzansi Greed’s main character as Mavis, among many more.
Winner
The actress is a numerous award winner, including the Best Original Script award, Adjudicators Award, Best Director, Best Ensemble, Naledi Award for Best Community Theatre, Theatre for Social Change Award, Special Merit Award ‘For Shifting the Boundaries in Community Theatre’, Best Director and second runner-up to Best Overall Production, 2016 Ovation Award for Isaro-Grahamstown Arts Festival (2016), Best Director: Tshimbila Rantsula EADS Festival Overall Best Production, and many more. Dlamini has travelled the world and been exposed to a number of opportunities, which include Denmark, Brazil, and Germany. She has worked with multiple organisations in collaboration with international partners and Youth Educational Projects. Dlamini shared that she got a phone call early this year, where she was offered a small cameo role on Scandal!, which was contracted for only three casts, and to her, it felt huge. The next thing she got was a contract stating that: she was on for the whole year.
In an interview with this publication yesterday, Dlamini shared that “It is the small things that count; it is not the huge things; you do not have to be a superstar or have a lot of acrylics; it is the small moments that count, and you need to treat every moment like it’s big.” The liswati TV personnel extended their gratitude and mentioned that they appreciated every moment and growth in the industry. “God, my ancestors, and everyone involved thank you so much”. She further shared that her character was growing: “There is a lot you guys are going to see on your screens the whole year. These are the most series I have shot in any soapie.”
Treatment
“I am really enjoying the environment, the treatment, the scripts and the character. Embodying the character and understanding it is one of the things I enjoy the most. I feel I am in a good space with everything that is happening around me at the moment.” She encouraged everyone out there to give their energy to everything they do in life. The actress also shared that she continued doing a lot of directing, working with children, and working with different directors and people in the South African industry. “I did not just focus on acting; I did a broad incorporation of art and academics.” She mentioned that ‘growing yourself is very important because when opportunities come, they find you more equipped.’
