Thembinkosi Mthembu Takes On 'calm' Role In Mzansi Wethu Telenovela 'homecoming'

With Shaka iLembe viewers still wowed by Thembinkosi Mthembus outstanding performance as King Dingiswayo, the talented actor takes on a bold new role in Mzansi Wethu 's telenovela Homecoming , alongside lead actress Mpume "Six" Nyamane.

Thembinkosi's unforgettable final appearance in Season 2 of the historical drama, which airs on Mzansi Magic DStv Channel 161, has left audiences reeling. Fellow actor Bonko Khoza The Wife , Red Ink , Ithonga is among those hailing his performance.

"You're not just one of the greatest of our generation, you're a giant carving your name into the history books of South African storytelling. You've inspired me, as an actor and as a man. And you continue to inspire a whole generation," Bonko said.

Now, fans yearning to see more of the SAFTA-winning actor need not wait for long. He stars as Sifiso Khubeka in Homecoming , which airs Mondays to Wednesdays at 18:30 on Mzansi Wethu DStv Channel 163.

Khubeka is a respected traditional healer in a rural village who also serves as a police officer. The character's dual identity - upholding both ancestral wisdom and the law - creates a complex and compelling persona that Thembinkosi was excited to explore.

"I love challenging myself as an actor. I've often played characters who are loud, aggressive, and fun like Bonga in Adulting or Bandile in Outlaws , he says.

But Sifiso is calm, grounded, family-oriented and deeply spiritual. It felt like the right time to show this side of myself and see how far I can take it."

Starring opposite Thembinkosi is Nyamane, who plays Zethu Hlongwane, a top medical graduate who returns to her hometown of Bergville, KwaZulu-Natal, after her dreams of becoming a surgeon are derailed.

Back in her rural community, Zethu finds herself unemployed, frustrated and forced to confront the expectations and limitations of the home that raised her.

The role fulfilled Six's long-held desire to play a doctor. She was also drawn to the relevance and urgency of Homecoming 's broader themes, especially the ongoing crisis facing newly qualified medical professionals in South Africa.