Zimpapers Logo

Bongani Ndlovu, Showbiz Correspondent
HIS name is Noble Charlie “Ndazi” Nxumalo, but many people know him as Sibande from the hit series Madlela Skhobokhobo and since high school he knew that he would be part of the arts industry.

Nxumalo plays Themba Sibande, a man who claims to come from a place called Piet Retief in Mpumalanga South Africa. He, however, seems to speak fluent Zimbabwean Ndebele language. In the drama series he lives with Madlela Skhobokhobo.

His character resonates with many Zimbabweans who have met people who assimilate in South Africa trying to hide their backgrounds through borrowed accents, but the roots they try to hide seem to worm their way out in the open.

Madlela Skhobokhobo has a song Sibande that chronicles his nature on the album Majazana released in 2018.

Nxumalo (31) grew up in Emakhandeni high density suburb in Bulawayo and studied at Josiah Chinamano, Emakhandeni primary and Emakhandeni secondary schools.

He told Chronicle Showbiz this week that getting onto the Madlela Skhobokhobo series was by chance.

“Actually, the character Themba (Sibande) was meant for Mongezi Mpofu the man who plays Osse the Nigerian guy in the Madlela sequel and I was supposed to play the character Siboto. Unfortunately, Mongezi had other commitments before the shoot so the director Mothusi said I could play the part so I did. I had to develop the character according to my own understanding,” said Nxumalo.

During his years in high school, Nxumalo said he loved poetry and acting.

“I actually knew I would be part of the arts industry as I loved acting and doing poetry and public speaking during my school days and I was also part of Masiye’s Emakhandeni Kids club around 2003,” said Nxumalo.

When he finished his O-Level, Nxumalo made the great trek across the Limpopo in 2008, where he worked as a grill master at an eatery in Johannesburg. On the side he was delving into the arts through a Zimbabwean community of creatives there and subsequently joined iThemba Lesizwe Arts group in 2011.

The director of the group was one Bongani Ncube who was friends with Bashimane Mothusi Ndlovu, popularity known as Madlela Skhobokhobo and started working with the latter shortly thereafter.

He has worked with Madlela Skhobokhobo, Mothusi to Nxumalo, for nine years and said it has been a pleasure.

“Working with Mothusi Bashimane Ndlovu the man you know as Madlela has been the best time of my life. Before the Madlela comedy he used to be my artistic director at Ithemba Lesizwe Performing Arts in South Africa back in 2011. He is the man who fine-tuned my arts and having worked with him for almost 10 years has been an honour,” said Nxumalo.

“On stage he is wild “libhubesi” and he takes his craft very seriously. Off stage he is a shy, humble family man.”

After the Madlela Skhobokhobo series became popular, people when meeting him in the street, Nxumalo says cannot separate his on and off-screen character.

He said sometimes he himself cannot get out of character.

“People never separate the character from me. When they see me, they see a womaniser and some even believe I’m from South Africa. You know when you have played the character for as long as I have, I mean I have played the character for six years so sometimes it’s difficult coming out of character. At some point you even find yourself even introducing yourself as Sibande,” said Nxumalo.

The father of one, Nxumalo who is back in Zimbabwe, said he hopes the Covid-19 pandemic blows over soon so that he can get back to work.

“Hustling never stops my man so it’s hustling just like any other day. I’m not married but I’m dating someone who prefers to remain unknown. As the world has been hit by a serious pandemic, I don’t know what to expect from myself this year,” said Nxumalo. — Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi