Veteran Zimbabwean-born South African actor Luthuli Dlamini, best known for his role in Scandal, is reportedly going through a tough time after struggling to find acting work. According to a recent report by ZiMoja, Dlamini has been allegedly homeless and living in an abandoned house in Randburg, Johannesburg, which is often used by drug addicts.
The house, located near a local taxi rank in Randburg CBD, has been home to Luthuli and a group of strangers for almost a year. A neighbour who spoke to ZiMoja said, “He has been staying there for some time; we all know him; all the neighbours recognise him, but no one judges his situation; it can happen to anyone. He lives there with a group of guys, and they respect him. It’s life.”
The neighbour also shared that Luthuli’s current situation is the result of a lack of work. “He has not been working and was forced to live there. He needs help, but maybe he is too ashamed to ask for help.”
Luthuli’s struggles have been compounded by a personal tragedy earlier this year when he lost his child. The neighbour mentioned that Luthuli has been deeply affected by the loss, saying, “He has not been okay ever since. He does not want to talk about it but teared up the one time he said something, and he never discussed it again.”
Luthuli confirmed to ZiMoja that he lost his child but called it too painful to talk about, saying, “It’s a child. Please, I don’t want to speak about it.”
In addition to his personal loss, Luthuli’s financial troubles were exacerbated by a dispute with TV producer Mercier Bangala. Last year, ZiMoja reported that Bangala owed Luthuli R150,000 for his work on a drama series called Empty Love, which was filmed in September 2022. The show was never aired, and Luthuli’s unpaid salary reportedly led him to occupy Bangala’s home after being unable to pay his rent.
According to ZiMoja, attempts to reach Luthuli for comment have been unsuccessful, as his phone goes straight to voicemail.
