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Qubeka says the hate she receives for the character is reminiscent of some fictional characters she also hated when watching TV.
Actress Khabonina Qubeka in character as Queen Ntombazi on Shaka iLembe. Picture: khabonina_q/Instagram
Actress Khabonina Qubeka has played her role as Queen Ntomazi so well on Shaka iLembe that viewers of the show have openly expressed their dislike for her.
“For me, the hate is energy. Love and hate, for me, are the same energy,” Qubeka tells The Citizen.
lol 😂 personally I love You Bruuuu🤣❤️ https://t.co/3PboT05Q4m
— KHABONINA™ (@Khabonina_Q) July 27, 2025
Qubeka plays the role of Queen Mother in the Ndwandwe family. The Ndwandwes are antagonists on the show, with her character pulling strings in the background, all to strengthen her nation and her son’s reign.
ALSO READ: Wiseman Mncube on portraying King Zwide kaLanga in season 2 of Shaka iLembe
Qubeka on being a villain
She says the hate she receives for the character is reminiscent of some fictional characters she also hated when watching TV.
“When I was growing up, I used to watch The Bold and the Beautiful and Days of Our Lives. I used to hate Sheila [Carter] with all my heart. On Days of Our Lives, there was Sami [Brady],” shares Qubeka.
Aaaaah but babe 🤷🏾♀️🥹🙆🏾♀️ https://t.co/GMLOi0KBpu
— KHABONINA™ (@Khabonina_Q) July 28, 2025
She mentions The Game of Thrones’ character King Joffrey, portrayed by Irish actor Jack Gleeson, as one of the villains she intensely despised.
“I never understood how this human being can be alive. Like, how can someone be so evil? So [the viewers’ hate] took me back to the hate that I had for those people. It showed me that they [the actors] understood the assignment.”
Qubeka’s performance incites hatred, not just because of the script. It’s in her villainous laugh, the striking look she gives her enemies, her decisiveness to go for what she wants and how unflinching she is despite being called a witch.
Come tell me here you beauty 🫵🏾🥹 https://t.co/t8Q2patHUM
— KHABONINA™ (@Khabonina_Q) July 27, 2025
“My aim as an artist is to make you feel. I need you to feel something. The fact that they [viewers] feel this hate, I love that.”
She says some people who have personally known her for years are sceptical about whether she gets up to Ntombazi’s mischievous ways in real life.
ALSO READ: From heartbreak to triumph: Amanda Seome’s journey to starring in Shaka iLembe’s Ndwandwe clan
Preparing for the role
Qubeka initially turned down the role because she couldn’t speak the kind of Zulu you’d hear in KwaZulu-Natal.
“When you’re an actress, there are some things that, of course, you can make it work, which I’ve done most of my career. But when this one came across, when I looked at the character, I imagined her speaking real isiZulu from KZN. I’m a girl from Orlando West.”
“But Angus [Gibson] said that there was something particular that we’re looking for from you.”
She decided to take the role after being assured that there would be language advisors to assist the cast with their dialogue.
“If you look at the actresses in this country that you know and love, all of us can play the character of Ntombazi. But what sets us apart are the decisions that we make for the character,” shares Qubeka.
She says small details, like the character’s mannerisms, are what build up the character.
“Because I’m a dancer and I also do Yoga, some of the movements and the posture I use are fuelled by my background as a dancer. There are ways that I would turn, and the director [Kathrine] understands that.”
“I had to imagine her [Ntombazi] when she was a young girl, what was she up to, what was she thinking about…what made her such a great witch and a great scientist.
“At the end of the day, she’s a woman. What is this woman doing? She’s protecting her nation, and at the same time, she’s protecting her children. This is a woman like me. She just became extreme in how she was fighting for her kids, but she’s a woman.”
Similarities with Ntombazi
Qubeka has a foundation where she teaches young actors about how to carry themselves in the industry.
Her approach to developing the next generation of actors is a trait she shares with her character, Queen Ntombazi, in that she is proactive and does not wait for things to happen.
“Actors are reacting, we are reacting. We don’t get paid on time, we’re not being paid our worth-and we are reacting to that. What are we actively doing?”
She acknowledges the challenges of her industry, noting that they often struggle to plan their lives properly because they are only paid for their appearances.
“You can’t do anything; you don’t even have medical aid. You have a contract for three months; after those three months, it’s over. A year later, if there’s no gig that’s coming in, you are screwed.”
“The most important thing that I’m teaching these kids is that it’s not just about the script. Even if you get the script, you need to bring the script to life-you need to make decisions for the character.”
“To make a difference in the industry, I need to step out and make a difference,” she says, adding that she hasn’t been part of any other production since shooting the current season of Shaka iLembe.
“Because my duty now is to make sure that we groom the next generation of actors. But these actors need to be different. They need to understand how to negotiate a contract; they need to understand what acting is, they need to understand being on time, they need to understand respecting the crew, decorum.”
“Things are not going to change if we keep complaining. When we start grooming the next generation, who are coming with a different mind, coming as full professionals, understanding the industry can be dark, but this is how you make the industry work.”
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