Phindile Gwala-Ngadu is back with a bang

Actor Phindile Gwala-Ngadu is set to take over the small screen this weekend as she appears in a new show and makes a comeback as the love-to-hate Fikile in Imbewu: The Seed.

Gwala-Ngadu started appearing on the e.tv daily drama on Thursday after taking a deserved break following a hectic storyline.

She made her acting debut on Muvhango in 2012 and will appear in uZulu noMhlaba, a brand new drama series on Mzansi Magic.

The series tells the story of two maskandi artists who engage in a brutal feud over music and it premieres on Sunday at 8pm.

Gwala-Ngadu is acting alongside talented actors Ernest Ndlovu, Ayanda Borotho, Nothando Ngcobo, Phumzile Mlangeni and maskandi icon Ihhashi Elimhlophe.

In Imbewu, Gwala-Ngadu’s character Fikile is returning to stir things up for the Bhengus.

Just before she left, she dated Nkululeko (now played by Kay Sibiya) and her mother Nompi (Zandi Nhlapo) revealed that the man she has been dating all along was her half-brother.

The last time television viewers saw Fikile on screen a lot had just happened, with her having tried to kill herself.  

Fast forward, Fikile returns only to become the new owner of Emsamo Restaurant, which was owned by Zithulele Bhengu.

“I am looking forward to the weekend as I will be appearing in two shows. It is a big weekend for me. It is a pity I will be working but I will watch the shows on catch-up.

“Fikile is back. She has been cooking up something with an old foe – Khemisi [Thabiso Lekoba]. Now that she knows who her father is, she returns with a vengeance. She is back to claim her share of inheritance as she is Ngcolosi’s child. She wants to strike when the time is right.”

Tracing the Eshowe-born star for an interview has been a mission the whole week as she moves from one location to another.

Sometimes she shoots until 9pm.

She is currently shooting in two provinces and is overwhelmed by a hectic schedule.

In between her travels and shoots, she managed to squeeze in a Time Out interview.

She admits that she has never shot different shows in different provinces at the same time.

“It has been hectic. I just landed in Johannesburg to shoot uZulu noMhlaba and will be heading to Durban on Thursday to shoot Imbewu. I have to shoot a lot of scenes and it has been hectic for me.”

Gwala-Ngadu says that with the hectic schedules, sometimes she sleeps for only four or five hours.

As she is a perfectionist, she wakes up early to go through her script before taking a shower.

She says there is a lot of hard work put in preparing for a shoot.

“What motivates me to wake up, even when it is hard, is that I want to continue to live the soft life that I am living. My kids, my family and my parents motivate me to wake up and work hard.

"Other than that, my body programmed itself because even on a day that I am not shooting, I wake up the same time. Since I started acting in 2012, what I do is to read the whole story not only just my lines.

“It gets easier with time and I have love for what I do. But I am a perfectionist and I can tell you right now that I am doing my Bachelor of Commerce and I pass with distinctions. I have been like this since I was young,” Gwala-Ngadu says.

When Gwala-Ngadu disappeared in the show there were unverified reports that she was fired by the e.tv soapie because she could not act.

However, she vehemently rubbishes the rumours.

“I was never fired. I will never be fired in anything that I do. There is no way I can get fired. I told you that I am a perfectionist. Even if you do research in all these shows that I am shooting, they will tell you that I always arrive 10 minutes early for a call time or meeting. I was still getting paid while I was away. No-one can pay you if you were fired.”

She explains what happened when she took a break.

“I think writers and directors realised that I was carrying every story that I was being given well. They came up with an idea of a story for Fikile. Before shooting the big story I was called into the office with the team. They explained how Fikile’s storyline was progressing and what she is to go through.

"They further explained that she will disappear and come back again. I was on paid leave. My break was discussed way before the person who was said to be firing others arrived.”

In uZulu noMhlaba, Gwala-Ngadu plays the role of MaNdlovu, a ruthless businesswoman who also runs a recording company.

Gwala-Ngadu cannot stop praising the legends she is acting with, like Ihhashi Elimhlophe and Ndlovu, and thanks them for their support.

“The difference between MaNdlovu and Fikile is the age. MaNdlovu is in her 40s and is a ruthless person who goes around with inkabi [assassins]. She is a hustler of note and is rich. She loves money and can do anything to kill for it.

"She comes from a poverty-stricken background. Working with experienced actors was precious. I grew up looking up to them. They are so loving, supportive and accommodating. We worked with various actors but they do not forget your name,” Gwala-Ngadu says.

She is married to Armando and has a daughter.

She defines herself as a God-fearing and family oriented person who is very accommodating.

Gwala-Ngadu has acted in several clicks, notably Imbewu, Uzalo, Muvhango, and Zaziwa.

Her most notable is apparently on the set of SABC2’s Muvhango in which she played the role of the vivacious Nonny Nkosi.