South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha says the third episode of the new season of Shaka iLembe moved her so deeply that it changed her as a person.
The powerful episode, titled A King Rises, focuses on Shaka Zulu’s coronation as the King of the Zulu nation. It also marks a new chapter for his mother, Queen Nandi, played by Mbatha. In the storyline, Nandi officially becomes the Queen Mother — a title that once belonged to Queen Mthaniya, Shaka’s grandmother, played by veteran actress Sthandiwe Kgoroge.
Mbatha described the emotions she felt while filming and watching the episode as something she had never experienced before.
“I experienced something on set that I’ve never physically or spiritually encountered ever,” she said. “I will probably never be able to speak out for a long time… Watching this episode made me even more emotional with every single frame we shot. I literally want to cry writing this.”
In the episode, Shaka must go on a spiritual journey before becoming King — a rite of passage he must do alone. Queen Nandi, his biggest supporter, is deeply emotional and wants to help her son but is physically stopped from doing so. She has to fight her natural instincts as a mother and accept that this is a path Shaka must walk by himself.
This moment captures the pain, love, and pride that Nandi feels and it deeply touched Mbatha, who fully connected with her character’s journey.
While fans back home were watching the emotional episode, Mbatha was in Spain making another kind of impact. She was in Sevilla hosting the Global Citizen NOW event, which focuses on Africa’s future and the need for investments in renewable energy and financial development.
“When @glbltzn calls, we answer + GC NOW Sevilla was a resounding success!” she shared on social media. “Thrilled to have hosted an impactful day focused on renewable energies in Africa as well as development financing.”
The star also shared that major leaders were in attendance, including Spanish President Pedro Sanchez and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
“Having other world leaders and activists in the room was truly an incredible experience,” she said.
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