Bio
Kwanele Mthethwa is a South African actress who rose to fame with her role as Ayanda in the Mzansi Magic telenovela Isithembiso.
Born and raised in Durban, she matriculated from Burnwood Secondary School in 2018 and immediately landed the role of Ayanda on Isithembiso.
Originally a recurring character, her first appearance in the role was in Season 2, Episode 221, which first aired on Mzansi Magic on 4 February, 2019.
She was promoted to starring cast for the third season, which ended in 2020.
Kwanele next starred in the Mzansi Magic telemovie Indandatho Yokukhanya, a supernatural drama which aired as part of the channel's "Lokshin Bioskop" strand on Sunday 5 January, 2020.
Also starring Unati Guma, the film follows a timid and overly cautious girl who finds out that her parent's spirits were taken by the Dark One and she embarks on a mission to save them.
Kwanele next played the recurring role of Boity on the Mzansi Magic drama series Abomama, making her first appearance in the role on 1 August, 2021 (Season 2, Episode 5).
Later that month she starred in a second Mzansi Magic movie - Umhlukanisi - which first aired on the channel on Saturday 28 August, 2021.
The premise of the movie is that after seven years of marriage, a domestic worker finds herself falling in love with her boss - but her husband finds out and manipulates her to rob the family she has grown to love.
The film also stars Fortune Thobejane.
Another film role followed, this time in the Showmax Original Movie Umakoti Wethu - the feature film directorial debut of Nozipho Nkelemba - which was released for streaming on 23 September, 2021.
Fulu Mugovhani stars in this drama as Khatu, who finds herself in crisis when her husband's new job ignites old flames.
Melusi Mbele plays her husband Sizwe, with Kwanele Mthethwa as the woman caught in the middle.
Kwanele next found herself in another recurring role in an Mzansi Magic series, this time in the role of Phumeza on the channel's flagship soapie, The Queen.
Her first appearance in the role was in Season 6, Episode 69, which aired on 28 October, 2021.
The following year she starred in another Showmax Original movie, Induku, which was released on 20 January, 2022.
In the film she stars as Khethiwe Shibe, who defies her father in order to save her family by secretly entering her community's biggest stick-fighting tournament.
Kwanele also had a guest role in an episode of the 1Magic romantic comedy-drama series Entangled which aired on 18 March, 2022 (Season 1, Episode 11).
She followed this up with another starring role in television when she was cast as lead role Thembelihle in the Mzansi Magic drama series Umbuso.
Her character in the show is Ma E's (Bheki Sibiya) daughter who is trapped in a loveless, childless marriage with Mothusi (Sphamandla Dhludhlu), a superficially charming businessman working in the NGO sector.
Mothusi is an emotionally abusive serial cheater who wants a Thembelihle to be a traditional wife while offering none of the respect that role would involve.
Thembelihle secretly still loves Uncle Tiny's son, Tshepiso (played by Khojane Morai).
Umbuso premiered on Mzansi Magic on Sunday 3 April, 2022.