Having first been introduced to the acting industry as Shado on SABC1’s drama series Intersexions nine years ago, actor Zola Nombona has since morphed into a businesswoman who has embarked on a new business venture that celebrates different body shapes and sizes. 

The actor, who’s known for her quirkiness and bold acting skills, describes her new shapewear, Lxve, as a range that girlchildren as young as 13 and women aged over 60 can wear. 

Nombona’s shapewear that has been in the making for years is a love letter to her body, one she grew into loving after giving birth to her two-year-old son, Cebelihle. “As young women, we always look for comfortability when we want to wear something underneath. What used to frustrate me was the type of shapewear I’d wear, especially after I gave birth,” she says. 

“I wanted something I could chill and relax in after taking my clothes off from a long day’s work. Something that I can also feel sexy in… little did I know that’s how Lxve would be born.”

During the thought process, Nombona veered towards her sentiments that her shapewear isn’t about body positivity but more on “body neutrality” – meaning holistically loving one’s body as it is despite your age. 

“We as women go through a lot with our bodies. At times we love our bodies and other times we don’t. I’m hoping our brand will help with giving women the confidence to be happy in their vessel and their own skin.”

Nombona has journeyed motherhood for the past two years and in it she has learnt not to subject herself to societal pressures of bouncing back to the body she had before her baby. 

She believes such an unrealistic notion is somewhat enforced on women who should be grateful for bringing a life into the world and not obsessed over the version they were before giving birth.

“What matters to me is being fit and being healthy. We tend to forget that biologically, we as women aren’t the same. Yes, other women find it easier to snap back faster than others but that shouldn’t put pressure on the next. 

“I won’t lie, I did somewhat feel the pressure of going back to my old body but I have been so fortunate to have people around me who support me and reassure me of what I had been through, giving birth. 

“They made me feel so secure about myself and how I look like that made me not stress a lot about how I should look.” 

Transforming her body was not top on Nombona’s list, but being a loving mother to her bubbly boy was. 

She parents her Cebelihle with her popular “partner in crime”, actor and producer Thomas Gumede, who she says is completely smitten by their son.

“I’ve been with Thomas for four incredible years. Of course, like any other relationship, we strive to make it work, we always chose each other.  In terms of raising our son, we support each other and take decisions that best suit him.” 

The actor, who celebrated her 30th birthday two months ago, hopes her Lxve brand will one day grow outside of shapewear into other holistic products. 

In spite of being a loving mother, Nombona has successfully slotted her name as one of the skilled thespians in the South African television and film industry. 

She acquired her Dramatic Arts honours degree from University of the Witwatersrand.  “I started off acting professionally when I was doing my final year in university. I was concurrently shooting my role as Shado on Intersexions. 

“Each role for me has opened the door for my next one and I have been very fortunate to have had such privilege to try all these genres. I’ve done drama, sitcoms, dramatic movies and musicals. 

“My journey has been a dream and now being 30, I’ve opened myself to playing someone’s mom. My career has grown with me to a point where I can play characters I can grow with. My journey in the acting space has been an absolute dream which I am grateful for.”