South Africa’s next big screen talent? Zekhethelo Zondi is proving why
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South African teen actress and model Zekhethelo Zondi delivers a riveting performance in the film “Laundry (Uhlanjululo)”.
“Laundry” made its world premiere in the Discovery section at the Toronto International Film Festival and was the opening film at the 2026 Joburg Film Festival.
Zondi’s character Ntombenhle showed the complexities of growing up as a girl with dreams outside the norm in South Africa in 1968, during apartheid. A supporting character with an arc so strong that it leaves many in awe after watching her performance.
The young actress shared with IOL that the character is very different from her previous roles. “She is technical, messy, and deeply focused on machines I knew nothing about, which I found really interesting.
“I liked that the role forced me to step out of my comfort zone and fully step into her world.”
South African teen actress Zekhethelo Zondi captivates audiences with her powerful performance in 'Laundry (Uhlanjululo)', a film that premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and opened the 2026 Joburg Film Festival.
Image: Supplied
The character challenged Zondi as she had to learn a lot about laundromat machines and fully commit to her lifestyle and personality.
“She wasn’t concerned about her appearance or hygiene- all she cared about were the machines -so I really had to transform myself mentally and physically for the role.”
Seeing the film being screened at local and international festivals has been a surreal feeling for Zondi, in the best possible way.
“‘Laundry’ is such a beautiful and important film for many reasons, so I’m really grateful that it is receiving the recognition it deserves both internationally and locally.”
South African productions are increasingly gaining global attention, exposing our talent to larger audiences. “I think the future holds more international collaborations and bigger platforms for local artists to tell authentic African stories to the world,” Zondi shared her excitement.
Zondi has appeared in several well-known productions, including “Scandal!” (e.tv), “Isifiso” (Mzansi Magic), “Shadow” (Netflix), “Collision” (Netflix), and “A Grave Confession” (Showmax) and she shows no signs of slowing down.
In 2024, she was nominated for Outstanding Young Performer at the Royalty Soapie Awards. She may not have won, but the recognition meant a lot to the young actress.
“I felt incredibly honored to be recognized for something I’m truly passionate about. It motivated me to keep working hard and growing as an actress.”
The 15-year-old's first experience on a production set was at the age of seven. This was for the 2019 South African Netflix thriller series "Shadow," where she portrayed Zinhle, the daughter of the protagonist, Shadrach "Shadow" Khumalo (a role played by Pallance Dladla).
Zondi reveals that she realized how much she loved acting in 2022 when she portrayed the role of Nozi Gambu on Mzansi Magic’s “Isifiso”.
“I learned so much about performance and storytelling from Chris Q Radebe, and the experience made me fall in love with acting even more.”
Zondi shared that when it comes to storytelling and stepping into different characters, she enjoys learning about each character’s world and building stories for them behind the scenes.
“I feel like I learn a lot from the characters I play, and that makes the process even more meaningful.”
The entertainment industry can be very demanding, with long hours on production sets, and still having to attend to school work can be a juggling act. Zondi is, however, learning all about discipline, professionalism, and good time management.
“Balancing school, work, and personal life has taught me the importance of staying focused and organized.”
Young stars have always been around, but as the industry evolves, more of them are coming to the forefront, and they are shining a positive light on youth representation in film and television.
Zondi reflected that this helps young people feel seen, heard, and understood. “Young audiences deserve to see themselves reflected in stories that feel real, relatable, and meaningful.”
South Africans are set to see more of Zondi on screens. She has confirmed that she is in two feature films that are in post-production.
Zondi is tight-lipped on the details, but she teased that audiences can definitely expect a lot of drama, emotion, and unexpected plot twists. “I’m very excited for people to experience these stories.”
In addition to her acting work, Zondi is an accomplished model, 2022 District Champion in Public speaking, and beauty titleholder, having been crowned Miss Teen Globe South Africa 2023 and Miss Teen Gauteng South Africa 2023.
Outside of acting and modelling, Zondi plays hockey, which she absolutely loves, and is also very passionate about cinematography and hopes to grow into that side of filmmaking in the future.
When asked what success would look like for her in five years from now, Zondi shared her aspirations of still growing in the entertainment industry.
“For me, success looks like producing, writing, and directing my own stories on a global stage, while continuing to sharpen my craft as both an actress and aspiring cinematographer.”
IOL