House of Zwide cast celebrate 'Beauty' issue of SMag

The House of Zwide cast joined A-listers Candice Modiselle, Makgotso M, Gabisile Tshabalala, Bobby Blanco, Tsakane Sono and Paledi Segapo at the invite-only soirée that celebrated the Beauty issue of Sowetan S Mag.

Cover stars Warren Masemola, Wanda Zuma and Lesedi Matsunyane-Ferguson were also in attendance at the Opera Bar Lounge in Rosebank, Johannesburg, on Wednesday night.

The cast of the e.tv soapie at the party included Motlatsi Mafatshe, Nefisa Mkhabela, Paballo Mavundla and Shalate Sekhabi. 

The latest issue of SMag, released last Friday, has three different covers featuring Connie Ferguson and Matsunyane-Ferguson; Azania and Shamiso Mosaka as well as Masemola and Zuma. 

The edition is dedicated to the attainment and celebration of all things beauty, skincare and mental health. Revitalising the iconic self-love mantra “Black is Beautiful”, the cover stars and those featured inside prompted readers to pick up the mirror of identity and culture in honour of what makes us beautiful.  

“When we got on set, I was like ‘ayy yoh!’ Let’s play. I love playing with fashion and with my looks. And having an opportunity to do that in front of the camera is stellar,” said Matsunyane-Ferguson, dressed in an all-black sequined ensemble. 

“When I first saw it on social media I was like, this is crazy – seeing myself in that light on a cover at my age because the last time I did a cover I was 15 (now 30), that full circle moment for me was quite emotional and beautiful. “  

Miss Soweto 2023, Sono, attended with her mother Claudia. Sono said she was honoured to be part of the issue.

“It’s been exciting to be part of such a ground-breaking issue of the magazine. To share the pages with the likes of Connie Ferguson and Lesedi Matsunyane-Ferguson and Azania and Shamiso Mosaka... is truly humbling.” 

Masemola, who has been living with alopecia for most of his life, said being given the freedom to talk about mental health in the realm of beauty was a highlight for him.

“It’s a great platform if you understand that the audience is going to be listening and paying attention with so much respect and would give back that respect to the situations of mental health and alopecia. The more we talk about things the more people get to know about them,” Masemola said.

Joking about how the Ephymol yellow-checked suit he donned on the cover was one size too small, Zuma said it was memorable to share the cover with Masemola.

“Having Warren as this OG who has been on screen for the longest time and passing that on to someone who is coming onto the scene and hoping to do half of what he has done – the headline captured it all for me,” Zuma said. 

 Dressed in a white suit with printed blue floral, SMag editor-in-chief Emmanuel Tjiya added: “We looked at beauty through the lens of intergenerational beauty. With the mother and daughter Azania and Shamiso cover, it focused on the intimacy of skin, and the other cover (Connie and Lesedi) we looked at the politics of hair. The SMan cover looked at the culture of the evolution leading man. SMag is not focused on creating pretty images. We want to create conversation in the industry about beauty, culture and identity.”