South African actress Samkelo Ndlovu has issued a direct challenge to absent fathers and the society that enables them, as she steps into one of her most personally resonant roles to date.
In Kuningi, a gripping new three-part mini-series now airing on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161), Ndlovu plays Mbali – a single mother and township events planner whose carefully constructed life is upended when a life-changing wedding contract turns out to be for the man who abandoned her and their child.
“This story interrogates the cycle of absent fathers in our society,” Ndlovu said ahead of the series’ premiere.
“It’s easy for society to celebrate single mothers as ‘strong’, but many of these women are simply forced to carry the consequences of somebody else’s abandonment and cowardice.”
The storyline sees Mbali using her position as the wedding planner to hold Mandla (Kay Sibiya) accountable, pushing him to become a present father to their son before he walks down the aisle with his fiancée Sophie (Simphiwe Ngema).
Reflecting a painful reality
For Ndlovu, the series holds a mirror up to a familiar truth for many South African families.
“A lot of people come from matriarchal homes not by choice, but because the father left,” she said. “Society has become so used to fatherless homes that people even joke about it – and that’s heart-breaking.”
The actress was also candid about how communities often turn on the parents who choose to stay.
“Even though communities constantly witness these situations, society still shames the parent who stayed.”
Ndlovu says Mbali is one of the most personal characters she has played, drawing on the experiences of women she knows in real life. Crucially, she also emphasises that Mbali’s actions are driven not by vengeance, but by maternal love.
“She’s not trying to get Mandla back or hurt Sophie. She’s operating from an honest place, from the heart of a mother who simply wants her child to have a present father.”
Women supporting women
One of the more unexpected dimensions of Kuningi is the relationship that develops between Mbali and Sophie. Rather than playing into a predictable rivalry, the series explores a growing mutual respect between the two women.
According to Ndlovu, Mbali is drawn to Sophie’s confidence and free spirit, while Sophie comes to understand the deeper motivations behind Mbali’s actions. “Mbali reassures Sophie that she doesn’t want her man; she just wants Mandla to be a responsible father.”
“Don’t call me strong”
Ndlovu also used the platform to push back against a label frequently applied to Black women, particularly those navigating single parenthood.
“Black women are tired. We’re expected to be strong for ourselves and for everyone else. Don’t call me strong, call me ambitious, resilient, driven or visionary. Softness and care are things Black women deserve too.”
It is a sentiment that runs throughout Kuningi, which, Ndlovu notes, intentionally positions Mbali not as a stoic “imbokodo” figure, but as a woman whose voice and pain are equally valid.
“What I love about this series is that Mbali is not portrayed as just another ‘imbokodo’. Her voice matters. She uses her voice to demand accountability from the father of her child.”
A call to break the cycle
Beyond the drama, Ndlovu hopes Kuningi sparks a broader national conversation about the long-term damage of fatherlessness. A conversation she believes extends far beyond individual families.
“Absent fathers are causing damage not only physically, but spiritually and emotionally too,” she said, adding that issues such as gender-based violence are frequently linked to the trauma of growing up in an unstable, fatherless home. “We have to stop this cycle.”
Kuningi airs on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) from 18 to 20 May at 7pm.
