What lies within the hearts of the characters and whose side will you be on?
Time to get to know the characters on e.tv's new Emzini: A Family Legacy ahead of its debut this Monday 13 April at 21h00, after Smoke & Mirrors ends.
RIP S&M.
You know Emzini's scenario because you've seen it
HERE, now scooch in for more story details and close-up shots on the characters:
Set in Alexandra township, Emzini centres round Emzini lounge, a popular and profitable lifestyle venue owned by the influential Nkosi family.
While the establishment represents success and status within the community, it also serves as the centre of a dangerous family battle as hidden betrayals and unresolved conflicts begin to surface.
As the fight for control intensifies, the business becomes both a symbol of legacy and a prize worth fighting for.
The headline characters are:
Shaka Nkosi
Played by Wiseman Mncube
Shaka is the respected and feared eldest son who finds himself caught between protecting his family’s legacy and confronting the emotional burden of his past.
Determined to secure his rightful place at the helm of Emzini, Shaka must also come to terms with the truth about his biological father and the secrets that have defined his life.
Duduzile Nkosi
Played by Khabonina Qubeka
Dudu is the iron-fisted matriarch who built Emzini through resilience, sacrifice and ruthless survival instincts.
Fiercely protective of her empire and her son Shaka, Dudu’s determination to protect her past decisions threatens to alienate her other children and place her carefully constructed world at risk.
Zakhele Nkosi
Played by Muzi Mthabela
Zakhele is a retired police captain whose influence and power have shaped both his family and the Alexandra community.
Ruthless and strategic, Zakhele’s world is shaken when he discovers the truth about Shaka’s paternity, triggering a bitter power struggle that threatens to tear the Nkosi family apart.
Bandile Nkosi
Played by Tyson Mathonsi
Bandile is the ambitious and calculating middle son determined to prove himself worthy of leading the family empire.
Junior Nkosi
Played by TV newcomer Manqoba Khumalo
Junior is the carefree youngest brother whose dreams of becoming a DJ place him on a different path from the family’s power struggles, until circumstances force him to confront reality.
Panyaza Fakude
Played by Dumisani Mbebe
Panyaza is a man seeking redemption after spending 25 years in prison for a crime tied to the Nkosi family’s past.
His return introduces emotional complexity and unfinished business, as he attempts to reconnect with his son and reclaim a place in the life he lost.
Rorisang Modise
Played by Bokang Phelane
Bokang is a principled and resilient young woman determined to restore her family’s dignity.
She's determined to rebuild her life after her father’s murder left her family in poverty.
Now working as a waitress at Emzini after losing her job for standing up for justice, she is driven by a desire to reclaim her family’s legacy while protecting her younger sister, despite the emotional scars of her past.
Oratilwe Modise
Played by Thuso Mokoena
Rorisang's younger sister and a talented musician chasing fame as her escape from hardship, unaware of how deeply her story is connected to the Nkosi family.
Nhlokomeleng Modise
Played by Motshabi Tyelele
Rorisang and Oratilwe's mother. She's a softly-spoken and deeply wounded widow struggling to rebuild her life after the murder of her husband left her family in poverty.
Burdened by guilt after losing the family land, she leans on her faith while trying to hold her daughters together, hoping for redemption and the strength to reclaim her dignity.
The supporting characters:
Gogo Ongabizw’ngegama
Played by Nomsa Buthelezi
A respected traditional healer whose spiritual wisdom and guidance help shape the Nkosi family’s journey.
Lerato
Played by Buhle Moletsane
A witty and ambitious waitress determined to secure a better future.
Mmaphefo
Played by Nozi Langa
A hardworking young woman with dreams of building her own business.
Marinade
Played by Tumi “Stopnonsons” Matila
A flamboyant waiter with big fashion dreams and an even bigger personality.
With ambitions of becoming a style icon, Marinade brings humour and heart to the series while representing the aspirations of young people determined to rise above their circumstances.