Khanyi Mbau Opens Up About Motherhood

South African actress and TV presenter Khanyi Mbau has opened up about motherhood and how raising her daughter, Khanukani Mbau, has influenced the woman she has become.

Khanukani is now 20 years old, and Khanyi says becoming a mother has given her a different perspective on life. She also reflected on how spending time away from her daughter while living in Dubai helped strengthen their relationship.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Khanyi explained how distance made her appreciate their bond even more.

“My being in Dubai really brought us close. You really appreciate something you don’t see often. She’s at that age where she’s going to leave me one day. She’s going to start her life and start a family,” Khanyi told TshisaLIVE.

As her daughter has grown older, Khanyi says motherhood has also made her more conscious of the example she sets. She believes she now has an even greater responsibility to be a role model for her daughter.

“I’ve grown. I have a 20-year-old child, so I have to be a role model right now so that the 20-year-old can understand the roots of being a solid human being.”

The responsibility of motherhood has also influenced how Khanyi presents herself publicly. She revealed that she has become more private, particularly out of respect for her daughter, who is now an adult with her own social life and friendships.

“I’ve gone more private, reason being out of respect for my child. My child is on Instagram now fully, and she’s got friends and have conversations. So we dress better now. I’m a mother.”

Khanyi has also allowed Khanukani the freedom to explore her interests and discover who she is. Two years ago, she gave her daughter the opportunity to take a gap year before deciding on her next step.

“I gave her the gap year; she had fun. She actually wanted to do coding. But then she came back and said she’s a fashionista. She found herself.”

Now, Khanukani is studying the business of fashion, having discovered a passion that feels more suited to her.

For Khanyi, motherhood appears to be about more than simply raising a child. It has also meant learning to step back, guide her daughter and allow her to find her own identity while setting an example along the way.