Thembinkosi Mthembu is a South African actor who has starred in an impressive number of local productions. Of all his works in the TV industry, he is best known for appearing as Mabutho in The River.
The fast-rising actor rose to prominence through his role as Mabutho Dimba on the popular Mzansi Magic’s soapie. He did several jobs before pursuing acting full-time and also played footballer for a South African football team called Brazil Academy.
Summary of Thembinkosi Mthembu’s Biography
- Full name: Thembinkosi Brian Mthembu
- Nickname: Thembinkosi
- Gender: Male
- Date of birth: July 31, 1994
- Thembinkosi Mthembu’s Age: 29 years old
- Nationality: South Africa
- Zodiac Sign: Leo
- Sexual Orientation: Straight
- Marital Status: Single
- Famous for: Portraying Mabutho in the local TV series, The River
- Thembinkosi Mthembu’s Instagram: thembinkosi__mthembu
- Twitter: @TB_Mthembu
- Facebook: Thembinkosi Mthembu
What is Mabutho From The River’s Real Name?
The real name of the on-screen character who portrayed Mabutho Dimba on the South African popular television series The River is Thembinkosi Mthembu. Most viewers commonly refer to Thembinkosi by his character name; that’s why some people do not know his real name.
Thembinkosi is of African origin and simply means “Trust the Lord.” The actor’s middle name is Brian. Many people do not know this because the actor is professionally known as Thembinkosi Mthembu.
How old is Mabutho From The River?
Mabutho, whose name in real life is Thembinkosi Mthembu, is 29 years old. He was born on July 31, 1994, in a village in Durban called KwaNdengezi. Unfortunately, the names of the actor’s parents and other family members are not public knowledge.
Also, there is no record of his family background, siblings, and what his childhood looked like. It’s unclear what the actor’s life before he shot to prominence looked like. He spent most of his life in his birthplace with his family. It also appears he was born into an average family who still managed to see him through school.
The names of the schools Thembinkosi had his primary and high school education are not open to public scrutiny. However, he furthered his education at the prestigious Durban University of Technology. He graduated in 2017 with a diploma in drama and production studios.
Thembinkosi Mthembu Launched His Acting Career in 2017
Before launching his professional acting career, Thembinkosi was actively in football. He played for the local football team Brazil Academy for some time before he eventually abandoned the sports to follow his passion, which is acting.
Mthembu became a professional actor in the year 2017. He left for Johannesburg immediately after graduating from the Durban University of Technology to pursue his acting dream. And while waiting for acting opportunities, he was hired by Cell C and Checkers as a dancer.
It was while working as a dancer that an opportunity came his way, which he grabbed with both hands. His first acting role was in the project The Republic, wherein he starred as a minor character called Junior.
Thembinkosi may not be the richest South African actor right now, but he has since found fame and fortune through his TV roles. Besides the fact that he is a fan favorite, it is fair enough to say that he is accomplished in his own right.
Other projects he’s been part of include the MTV Base drama series MTV ShugaL Down South 2, wherein he made a recurring role as ‘Shift Manager’ in 2019. In 2020, he also starred in the TV short film Ngeculo as Malusi.
Thembinkosi Mthembu Is One Of The Finest Actors In the TV Series, The River
Thebinkosi’s character Mabutho is the opposite of who he is in real life. The most interesting aspect, however, is how the actor has managed to nail his on-screen role despite his tough personality.
Mabutho in the TV series is ruthless, wicked, and a villain. Sometime in May 2022, viewers on the show predicted that Mabutho might be leaving The River after a scene that showed him being targeted with a gun after he stole diamonds from someone.
The drama ended without letting the viewers know whether he is alive or dead. However, it turned out that he was not gunned down. As mentioned earlier, Thembinkosi is a fan favorite. He delivers his role with so much confidence and brilliantly as well.
He has amazing looks and a great physique, which have earned him thousands of fans, especially the female folks. The role of Mabutho was created for Mthembu by the creators of his first acting project, The Republic, who were impressed with the way he portrayed his character Junior.
Here’s a list of the TV projects he has been a part of:
- The Republic (TV Series, 2017) as Junior
- The River (TV Series, 2018) as Mabutho
- Shuga (TV series, 2019) as Shift Manager
- Ngeculo (TV short film, 2020) as Malusi
The River Star Is Assumed To Be Single As He Is Not In A Known Relationship
Thembinkosi Mthembu is not married, nor is he dating anyone publicly. He is assumed to be single and very much available in the market. However, he has a beautiful daughter who was born around 2018.
Her name and other details about her are under the radar at the moment. Also, the name of the woman who gave birth to his child is unknown to the media as the actor has never talked about her, how they met, when their relationship ended, and the cause of their separation.
According to the actor, he had his daughter when he was still dependent and unemployed. However, with his mother’s assistance, he could provide basic necessities for his daughter.
Now that he is working, Thembinkosi has been taking care of his daughter and mother comfortably. One of his plans for her is to sponsor her education to the highest level.
Talking about his past relationships, there is no available timeline of his past relationship, and it’s not known if he dated anyone in the past.
Thembinkosi Is Active Across Several Social Media Platforms
The actor engages and connects with thousands of his fans through social media accounts. He often shares his work and family pictures on Instagram with over 150,000 followers.
— @TB_Mthembu (@TB_Mthembu) December 11, 2021
The actor is being followed by more than 17,000 people on Twitter.
