Fezile Makhanya (born on July 13th, 1984; Age: 39 years old) is a renowned South African TV presenter, actor, and voice-over artist who is well recognized as an SABC1 continuity presenter. He is equally known for playing the roles of Tebogo Ncube in The Queen and Nkosinathi Cele in Gomora.
The seasoned actor has been active in the entertainment industry for over a decade and a half. As a result, he has been featured in a good number of TV shows and movies. In May 2022, he debuted in one of DStv‘s most-watched shows, Gomora, as Nkosinathi Cele, and has been able to increase his fanbase with his excellent portrayal of the authoritarian Principal of Gomora High.
Fezile Makhanya’s Biography Summary
- Full name: Nkosifezile L. Makhanya
- Nickname: Fezile Makhanya
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: July 13th, 1984
- Fezile Makhanya’s Age: 39 years old
- Ethnicity:Â Zulu
- Nationality: South African
- Zodiac Sign: Cancer
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Religion: Christian
- Marital Status: Married
- Fezile Makhanya’s Wife: Nondyebo Dzingwa (m. 2012)
- Fezile Makhanya’s Children: 1 son
- Siblings: Sihle Makhanya (sister)
- Fezile Makhanya’s Net worth: $400,000 (over R7.2 million)
- Famous for: Playing Tebogo in The Queen and a SABC continuity presenter
- Fezile Makhanya’s Instagram: @fezile_makhanya
- Twitter: @FezileMakhanya
- Facebook: @FezileMakhanya
How Old is Fezile Makhanya?
Born and raised in Esikhawini near Richards Bay, Fezile Makhanya’s age is 39 years. His birth date is July 13th, 1984 and his place of birth is Esikawini, a small town near Richards Bay in KwaZulu-Natal, which is now known as Esikhaleni. Nkosinathi from Gomora hails from Panorama, Empangeni. He is a Zulu native and was born the only son with four sisters.
Alongside his siblings, he was raised by his parents in his birthplace and emerged as a sports fanatic during his childhood years. As a young boy, he heavily participated in athletics and eventually developed a passion for rugby. Though no longer engaging in athletics, Fezile Makhanya still reminisces about his childhood years and has remained an ardent lover of sports.
Fezile Makhanya Comes from an Entrepreneurial Family
Fezile Makhanya’s parents are savvy entrepreneurs, although their identities are yet unknown. They are the founders of Makhanya’s Services, including Makhanya Construction. Fezile’s parents advised him against pursuing a full-time career in sports. Instead, they encouraged him to look beyond his passion for athletics and try to establish himself in the business world by acquiring a business degree.
He later heeded and bagged a Bachelor’s degree in Financial Risk Management. The actor’s parents also run a non-governmental organization that assists in rural development. They not only invest in business ventures but also invest in people’s life without asking for anything in return.
To help build a school for primary school children in the rural area of Eshowe in KwaZulu-Natal, they worked hand in hand with King Nkosi Mzimela of Eshowe to actualize the project.
Sihle Makhanya is Fezile’s Sister
Fezile Makhanya has four siblings, all girls. His youngest sister is Miss South Africa 2015 finalist Sihle Makhanya. In 2009, she won Miss South Africa Teen. Later, on March 29th, 2015, she emerged as one of the top 5 finalists in Miss South Africa pageantry that was held at the Sun City Superbowl. Sihle was the only contestant from KwaZulu-Natal to have made it to the top five.
After the competition, the KZN beauty was approached by SABC to work as a mentor in one of their shows titled, Future Leaders. The sponsors of the programme picked interest in Sihle Makhanya at the end of the pageant. She then landed the role a month after Miss South Africa, having gone through a screening process.
During her stint on the show, she raised awareness about underage drinking and mentored a young girl in her area named Hlengiwe Mcoyi. Fezile Makhanya’s sister was born in KwaZulu-Natal on November 1st, 1991. From 2005 to 2009, she attended Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School. In the year 2019, she achieved a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services from the University of South Africa (UNISA).
For close to a decade, Sihle has been working at her family business, Makhanya’s Services. She first worked full-time as a junior quantity surveyor intern at Mdima Civils, Udah Civils, and Plant Hire. She joined the civil construction division of Makhanya’s Services in January 2014. Currently, the beauteous model occupies the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer at the company.
Which Educational Institutions Did Nkosinathi Cele from Gomora Attend?
Having participated actively in rugby and athletics as a young boy with outstanding performances, Fezile Makhanya was offered a scholarship to complete his high school education at Glenwood High School – one of the most prestigious schools in Durban. Upon graduation, he enrolled at the University of South Africa in 2003.
Four years later, the hunk actor graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Management specializing in Financial Risk and Marketing. With a piqued interest in financial markets, Fezile further completed a professional registration exam in Equities. He now co-owns an investment finance firm, having gained a wealth of knowledge in the finance field.
How His Dream of Becoming a Rugby Superstar was Dashed to Pieces
While at Durban-based Glenwood High School, Fezile actively played rugby and had plans of becoming a professional rugby player. Unfortunately, he sustained a serious injury that shattered his dream of becoming a pro athlete. He held impressive athletics and rugby records for over ten years before deciding to look beyond sports and explore the entertainment industry.
With no formal training in entertainment, the actor cum presenter has made a name for himself in the domain. He has achieved a thriving career that has spanned over a decade and a half.
Fezile Makhanya Transitioned into a TV Presenter in 2006
While still at UNISA, Makhanya took a courageous leap by auditioning for gigs as a self-taught entertainer. Amazingly, he landed his first work; an appearance in a commercial for Ricoffy. Soon after, he began working as a video jockey for Channel O. Then, in 2006, he was chosen among the six new presenters for SABC, having competed in the multilingual category of the nationwide presenter search organized by the TV station.
Fezile Makhanya was selected as a SABC brand ambassador and assumed his role as the TV channel’s continuity presenter on July 1st, 2006. He played the role for two years before his contract was terminated by the South African Broadcasting Corporation in 2008. This was a result of SABC1 opting to discontinue the use of continuity presenters.
In that same 2008, the KwaZulu-Natal native served as the co-host of Countdown 2010, an SABC1 magazine show that got Mzansi informed about the preparation for the 2010 Soccer World Cup―the biggest sports event ever held on the African continent. Between June and September 2009, Fezile hosted the e.tv game show, No Sweat Golden Goal.
He then worked as the host of the ONE Gospel reality competition series, Shine, during the second season in the year 2011. Furthermore, in 2017, alongside Kope Makgae, Fezile Makhanya co-hosted the SABC2 game show Fundis. He also served as the presenter of The Nedbank Ke Yona Team Search, a soccer reality game show that was aimed at picking an 18-man team that would face off against the winner of the 2019 Nedbank Cup.
Presently, the 39 years old is associated with Supersport International as an anchor and field presenter. He additionally works as the brand communication and programme researcher for the sports broadcasting giant.
The Actor Had His Breakout Role With Tebogo
In the mid-2010s, Fezile Makhanya embarked on a body transformation journey and then emerged as “Mzansi’s MCE (Man Crush Everyday).” Consequently, acting roles started rolling, and the actor decided to go for the challenging role of an abuser, Tebogo Ncube, in the Mzansi Magic drama series, The Queen season four, opposite Dineo Moeketsi.
Undeniably, playing Tebogo shaped Fezile’s career as it made people realize that he is an actor with diversity and range. On the other hand, his role in The Queen as the abusive boyfriend of Kea Khoza (played by Dineo Moeketsi) got him hated by many South Africans. He was publicly confronted by his fans and constantly trolled on social media space for portraying the manipulative and abusive character.
According to the actor, he knew that he did a good job with the role when his father sat him down to remind him that he wasn’t raised to abuse women. Though he wasn’t anticipating the negative response, Tebogo made a lot of people angry. As a result, people often look at Fezile Makhanya with distaste in most places he visits.
Despite making it clear that he is very different from the character he played in The Queen and does not condone gender-based violence, the actor still receives hatred from some social media users.
How Long Has Fezile Makhanya Been on Gomora?
Following his sensational displays in The Queen, Makhanya attracted the right attention from the factions of the SA film industry that were seemingly beyond his reach. He was offered several roles that he rejected as they were not as challenging as his role of Tebogo. Later in May 2022, it was announced that the TV star will be joining the cast of Gomora season 3 as Nkosinathi Cele.
He portrays the character of the new Gomora High Principal, who serves as a replacement for Melusi (played by Zolisa Xaluva). He debuted in episode 42 and has charmed the viewers with the gift of the gab as he can talk his way out of anything. As an authoritarian, Nkosinathi Cele clashes with his parents. After meeting a woman he knows he should have married, he now seems trapped in an unhappy marriage.
Fans of the show believe that Nkosinathi Cele will become the latest villain in Gomora. True to form, the multi-award-winning show casts new villains every season who date Thati (Katlego Danke). Hence, Fezile’s character is expected to appear through the end of season three.
The TV Presenter Has Over 20 Acting Credits
Throughout his palmy career, Fezile has appeared in numerous shows across different channels. He has made appearances in more than twenty productions, including TV series and movies. He had the lead role of Sbu in the SABC1 soccer drama series Zone 14. The versatile actor further played cameo roles in the SABC1 TV series―Gaz’lam and Generations.
In 2010, he portrayed the character of Ben in the e.tv drama series eKasi: Our Stories season 2. Two years later, he made a guest appearance in an episode of the Mzansi Magic soap opera, iNkaba. Fezile Makhanya additionally played the supporting role of Sandile in Mzansi Magic Rockville in the third season of the show in 2015.
In the next year, he guest-starred in the fourth season of Rockville. In that same 2016, he replaced Sdumo Mtshali as Kuti Daniels in the third season of the SABC1 drama series Tempy Pushas. Furthermore, the eminent TV presenter played the role of Gugu’s baby daddy, Muzi, in Muvhango and equally scored the role of Mnqobi Luthuli in The River.
In the Ferguson Films’ production, Fezile Makhanya’s character was married to Zweli Dikana (Hlomla Dandala) and also, was the love interest of his business partner, Lindiwe Dikana (Sindi Dlathu). Fans of the award-winning soapie got devasted when his character got killed in The River. Mnqobi, however, made a surprising comeback in the series before his final exit.
Additionally, Fezile has featured as Donald in Unmarried (2018), Sniper in Losing Lerato (2019), Mpumelelo Hlatshwayo in Uzalo (2020), and Mncedisi in Isono (2020). He stars alongside Zandi Nhlapo and Thando Thabethe in the popular Mzansi Magic drama series, Housekeepers.
Fezile’s Voice-over and MC Gigs
Not only has Fezile Makhanya made a name for himself as a protean actor, but has become a household name in Mzansi following his multiple voice-overs and emcee works. Over the years, the 39 years old actor has worked as the emcee for a number of events organized by the government, such as the Department of Education, Health, Police, Sports, and Tourism.
He has further lent his voice to many productions for several top-notch brands in the country. They include:
- MTN
- Vodacom
- Cell C
- McDonald’s
- Supersport
- Multichoice
- Coca-Cola
- KFC
- SABC
- Shield
- ETV
Highlights of Fezile Makhanya’s Movies and TV Roles
- Intersexions as Jabu
- iNkaba as Celebrity Client
- Zone 14 as Sbu
- Unmarried as Donald
- Black Tax as Pastor Joshua
- Losing Lerato as Sniper
- Isono as Mncedisi Bhengu
- Housekeepers as Khwezi
- eKasi: Our Stories as Ben
- Gomora as Nkosinathi Cele
- Isibaya as Hlongwane
- Jozi Streets as Sgt. Tokyo
- Rented Family as Sonny Boy
- Abo Mzala as Andile
- Tempy Pushas as Kuti Daniels
- Uzalo as Mpumelelo Hlatshwayo
- The Queen as Tebogo Ncube
- Muvhango as Muzi
- Legacy as Sihle Zulu
- Harvest as Andile
- Gaz’lam as Jabulile’s Boyfriend
- The River as Mnqobi Luthuli
Who is Fezile Makhanya’s Wife?
In the year 2011, Fezile Mkhanya got engaged to Miss Earth South Africa 2010, Nondyebo Dzingwa. The two kept their relationship on the down low for years before making it public on December 12th, 2012, when they tied the connubial knot. Though keeping their marriage private, once in a while, Nkosinathi Cele from Gomora gushes about his better half on social media. Nevertheless, he rarely posts her pictures.
While celebrating their wedding anniversary in December 2018, the former Uzalo actor took to Instagram to celebrate his union and his wife, Dzingwa as well. He thanked God for keeping them together. He equally credited his significant other for helping him get his life back on track. He cited in the post that Nondy took the broken pieces of his life and build herself the man of her dreams.
Fezile’s wife loves to stay out of the limelight. She presently works in the corporate world despite winning Miss Earth South Africa pageantry in 2010. She works as an MTN stakeholder relationship manager. Interestingly, Nondy is her husband’s birthday mate. She attended Victoria Girls Primary School in Eastern Cape, where she grew up.
Nkosinathi from Gomora is a Doting Father
For several years after getting married, Fezile and Nondy kept their marriage away from the public. The beautiful couple later surprised their fans when they shared the news of their family welcoming a new addition in October 2021. It was their first child together, and having anxiously waited for his arrival, Fezile was filled with so many emotions that he penned his son an open letter.
The first time dad introduced his son to the world by sharing a cute picture of him on Instagram accompanied with a lengthy write-up. He expressed in the post how excited he is to have become a father. He promised his son that he had his back and would forever be present in his life. Fezile additionally stated that he has a lot to teach his child and also learn from him. And he must know that he loves him very dearly.
Social Media Activities
On social media platforms, Fezile Makhanya is in a habit of engaging his fans through his posts. He normally shares posts about his career, achievements, and family life. On Instagram (@fezile_makhanya), he has over 114K followers with more than 395 posts.
Then on Twitter, Fezile Makhanya’s handle (@FezileMakhanya) boasts over 26K followers. He is very active on the platform, as he has made over 5,700 tweets. His Twitter account was created in January 2011.
