Snl24 | From the archives | Siphesihle Ndaba bids Gomora’s Mazet goodbye: ‘I’m forever humbled by the love’
Actress Siphesile “CeeCee” Ndaba says playing Mazet allows her to get out of her comfort zone.
She left the same way she came in – with a bang.
Fans fell in love with the tough but sometimes vulnerable township car highjacker and fearless Kasi chic in the Mzansi Magic telenovela Gomora.
She’s got flair, street smarts and she’s not afraid of any job.
After three seasons, the curtain has fallen on Gomora’s Mazet, played by actress Siphesile “CeeCee” Ndaba.
“Goodbye my love. What an honour it has been playing you.
“Thank you Gomora Family. Thank you for opening your hearts to this very complex character. I’m forever humbled by the love. The end of one era is the birth of another,” she says, before ending off with a “see you on the next one”.
She also thanked Seriti TV, Mzansi and DSTV.
In a previous interview with Drum, just after she got her second degree, Siphesihle says playing Mazet allows her to get out of her comfort zone.
“Mazet is the Kasi girl next door,” she tells Drum. “I know her. If you’ve ever been or lived in the township, you know of a Mazet,” she says.
Building her character’s gestures and attitude meant observing people’s behaviour.
“When we shoot in Alexandra township, I meet different types of people and I met a girl who is a Mazet, street smart, pretty but also daring,” she says.
“So, Mazet is a real person, she exists.”
Siphesihle also drew inspiration from some family members who add to her character.
“I also took pieces from people around me. My uncles, my brothers, and my aunts. I took parts of them, and I created this person from people I had access to.”
Read more l There was no stopping singer-dancer Pinky Mbali Khotsholo after she accepted living with disability
Gomora is her biggest role thus far and every day she learns something new about acting.
“Working on Gomora has been an amazing journey,” she says.
“It’s nice to be in a space that allows you to grow. I learn something new every day onset. More than anything, when I am in the studio I grasp as much as I can and talk to as many people as I can, I become a sponge, go in there and learn,” she says.
“In many film sets, you just shoot and leave, but with us, there’s a lot of time to conversate and learn what I can fix and try to master. I sit and ask questions.”
Before Gomora, she was studying and working on some theatre productions.
Read more l There was no stopping singer-dancer Pinky Mbali Khotsholo after she accepted living with disability
She also shared a bit about her future plans.
“I see myself choosing what I want to shoot,” she says.
“I want to produce, direct and write. I feel like there’s so much to explore in the South African film industry. There are a lot of genres and themes. I would love to get into sci-fi, imagine what African sci-fi would look like. We have a lot of texture in African storytelling, and I think If we explore the various sides, possibilities are endless.”
As a young actress, Siphesihle has learned a lot by watching more experienced actors and talent.
“I am learning so much about myself. Not everybody has the ability or privilege to shut done roles or turn down opportunities. We are living in a tough economy and the standard of living, it’s important for me to work on projects that inspire me and resonate with who I am because when you show up to work, it doesn’t feel like a chore,” she says.
“Coupled with always staying humble, I have learned that this industry needs you to be open-minded, inquisitive, and always be a student that’s constantly learning. Enter spaces and ask questions,” she says. – Additional reporting by Qhama Dayile
