Sihle Ndaba on witnessing her mother being shot

The actress says a real-life shooting helped her prepare for a TV role.


Sihle Ndaba, who plays Kayise on The Herd, witnessed her mother being shot.

The actress’ character was kidnapped and shot in an episode of the show and wowed viewers with her emotional portrayal.

Speaking to East Coast Radio’s drive show recently, Sihle revealed that a real-life experience helped prepare her for the scene.

“I’ve never spoken about this but, I was telling the director before we shot that scene, I was like, ‘I’ve actually witnessed someone very close to me getting shot right in front of me’. It was very hard to shoot that scene and I had to switch off. I had to stay in the dressing room and I had to be in the moment to be honest with the story and the character, because I’ve seen someone get shot, my mom got shot right in front of me,” she told co-hosts Bongani and Mags.

Sihle recalled the moment her mother was shot during what was meant to be a day of celebration.

“I was across the street when my mother got shot. We were celebrating the Africa Confederations Cup, Bafana Bafana had won, I can’t remember the exact year. So, you know in the [townships], we run to the corner, the biggest intersection, people are spinning cars and all of that excitement. Amidst that, someone took out a gun and shot. He says he shot in the air but how did it hit her in the leg?”

She saw her mother fall back and thought someone had stepped on her while running when the shot went off. Luckily, her wound was not fatal.

“She couldn’t walk for like a year. The doctors said she would never walk but look at God, and my mother is such a beast, she is a fighter. She was like, ‘I am going to walk, I am going to finish my degree’ and she did.

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