In recent years, several Uzalo actors have been speculated to have passed away. While a few of the cast members have died, most of the actors said to have passed on are still alive and well.
In 2015, Uzalo premiered on SABC1 and had relatively unknown cast members who had grown over the years to become elite actors in the country. Having won the hearts of South Africans with their outstanding performances, fans of the highly-rated TV series have been met with constant heartbreaks amidst rumors of the death of popular Uzalo actors. These actors, however, have appeared to be victims of death hoaxes.
List of Uzalo Actors Who Passed Away
- Sipho Ngema (Terror)
- Mncedisi Shabangu (died before his debut as Mthambisi Phakathi)
- Mandisa Mngeni (crew member)
Sipho Ngema
- Date of birth: July 21st, 1972
- Died: April 21st, 2020
South African actor Sipho Ngema passed away in a Johannesburg hospital on April 21, 2020, at the age of 47. The father of six died from pulmonary hypertension, which caused his heart to fail. He played the role of Terror in Uzalo and was best recognized for his recurring role as Raymond in the e.tv soapie Rhythm City.
Ngema also portrayed drug boss Luthando in the TV series Stash. He was survived by his wife and six children, including RHOD actress Mbali Ngiba and Lethu Ngema. Soon after the actor’s demise, it was publicized that his family needed donations from the public to organize his funeral. His daughter, Lethu, quickly debunked the rumor and disclosed that scammers were taking advantage of her father’s death to make money, which broke their hearts.
Mncedisi Shabangu
- Date of birth: November 3rd, 1969
- Died: July 24th, 2022
Before his death on July 24th, 2022, Mncedisi Shabangu was set to debut on Uzalo as the new villain, Mthambisi Phakathi, on Wednesday, July 27th, 2022. He was supposed to portray the character of a reputable businessman who would fall in love with Gabisile (played by Baby Cele) and then rock Nkunzi’s (Masoja Msiza) world.
Unfortunately, he died a few days after joining the cast of SA’s most-watched TV series. The late actor, playwright, and theatre director passed on after complaining of chest pain. His memorial service was held on August 2nd, 2022, at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg.
Mandisa Mngeni
- Date of birth: October 30th, 1992
- Died: August 14th, 2022
Though Mandisa Mngeni was not an actor on Uzalo, she was part of the show’s production crew and passed away on August 14th, 2022. She died at the age of 29 and worked as a line producer in the drama series. Mandisa’s cause of death is yet unknown. Her untimely passing was announced by Uzalo on social media, and condolence messages poured in for the aspiring filmmaker.
Uzalo cast also paid tribute to the young producer on social media. She joined the SABC1 soapie as a production assistant trainee in the first season. Then, in the second season, she became the production coordinator and was promoted to production manager in season three. Prior to her death, Mandisa Mngeni had been working as Uzalo‘s line producer.
Is Nosipho from Uzalo Dead?
In early 2020, Nompilo Maphumulo, who played the role of Nosipho in Uzalo, was rumored dead. However, after the actress celebrated her 38th birthday on May 3rd, 2020, it became obvious that she was alive, and the rumors making the rounds on social media platforms were fake.
Later, in June 2021, a disturbing picture of Nosipho circulated online, and fans of Uzalo expressed their concern about her looks and weight loss. Although she was said to be ill and hospitalized at the time, the rumor was unverified.
Is Nonka from Uzalo Dead?
Thuthuka Mthembu, who plays Nonka Xaba in Uzalo, was devastated when she learned about the news of her death circulating on social media. The actress was said to have died from a horrific accident that took place in December 2021. What hurt her most was that the news of her death was publicized by some news tabloids without due confirmation.
She was stunned when she started receiving calls from people trying to find out if she was really dead. The fake news hurt not only Thuthuka but her family, too. Nonka from Uzalo is still alive and kicking and was never involved in an accident.
Is Mastermind from Uzalo Dead in Real Life?
False rumors about the death of former Uzalo actor Ntokozo Dlamini, best known as TK Dlamini, started spreading in the media on August 27th, 2022. An unreliable source claimed that the renowned actor and media personality died in a car accident. Consequently, his pictures were posted online, and many paid tribute to him.
TK Dlamini immediately took to Twitter to squash the fake death news. He wrote, “People really like talking nonsense.” His fans were very upset with the viral death post, and they pleaded with people to stop spreading false information on social media. Dlamini rose to fame for playing the gangster leader, Mastermind, in Uzalo.
Other Uzalo Actors Who Had Been Victims of Death Hoax
1. Masoja Josiah Msiza (Nkunzi Mhlongo)
Another Uzalo actor who was rumored to have passed away is Masoja Josiah Msiza, who plays the villain role of Nkunzi Mhlongo on the show. The TV star was reported to have died in a car crash in September 2020, and the news broke to his fans. He, however, posted a video on social media denouncing the death rumor and stated that it was the work of the enemy.
He also posted on Twitter that he was alive, well, and kicking. He further added that the malicious rumor about his death, which was spreading like wildfire, was the work of the haters who were trying to bring him down.
2. Siphiwe Majozi (Sbusiso Makhathini)
Just like the other death rumors about Uzalo actors, Siphiwe Majozi, who plays Sbusiso Makhathini in the series, was also speculated to have died in a car accident. A Facebook user shared in a group that the actor was involved in an automobile crash that landed him in a hospital and then asked his fans to pray for him. Shortly after, Sbu from Uzalo was rumored to be dead.
After seeing the Facebook post about him having a car crash, Majozi expressed his disappointment at how celebrities are being killed on social media when they are still alive. He said the news of his death was very disturbing as he had to explain to his family and friends, who were in shock that he was still alive.
3. Noxolo Mathula (Lilly Madongwe)
Noxolo Mathula‘s death rumor surfaced online after her character on Uzalo, Detective Lilly Madongwe, was gunned down by a rogue colleague during a truck hijacking operation in an episode aired in March 2022. While she was on a routine patrol with other police officers, they were informed about a truck hijacking. After arresting one of the perpetrators, Lilly and her colleague, Oliphant (Neo Moshesh), were sidelined by a rogue officer who shot them at the scene.
Afterward, the actress and businesswoman was rumored to be dead in real life. Though her character was shot in Uzalo, her storyline continued as she survived the gunshot. Noxolo Mathula is still part of Uzalo‘s cast and is alive and kicking.
