ACTRESS Khabonina Qubeka must be the busiest celebrity right now. These days she is a TV staple. If she is not dancing her heart away, she is acting or presenting a TV show. Few people have a staying power like her who has come to be known for her sexy and seductive dance moves on social media.
NINA’S CHARACTER
Her journey to stardom has not been a smooth one. She ruffled many feathers when she first joined SABC3’s Isidingo after some of the longrunning actors were written out of the show. Many were skeptical when she was first introduced as Nina Zamdela on the show. “Playing Georgie Zamdela’s daughter is no child’s play. When playing the character, you have to know your story. Nina represents her father’s power and status. The character needed someone who would carry it with the weight it demanded.” She says she fell in love with the character the first time she laid her eyes on the script. “Nina is a go-getter and she does not allow situations and people to dictate to her. She writes her own life story. In a country where patriarchy is a big issue, Nina is setting a tone for many women. She is an inspiration to both young and old,” she says.
LOVE FOR THE ARTS
Her love for the arts started at a very young age and was inspired by her mother, who is a singer. She tells Move! that her journey in showbiz started with organising beauty pageants and stage plays. “I used to organise children in my street in Orlando West, where I grew up, and host beauty pageants. “Growing up in a single-headed household and being the only child meant that I had to be very close to my mom, who was the only role model in the house. She inspired me to be a go-getter,” she shares.
HER BREAKTHROUGH ROLE
She burst onto the limelight when she took over as the third Doobsie after Lindiwe Chibi and Khanyisile Mbau on Muvhango. She also featured on various shows, including Rhythm City. She says she is grateful to her mother for teaching her respect and humanity. “It has helped ground me in a very cosmetic environment,” she says.
HER MOTHER’S INVESTMENT
Khabonina, who is still single, says she would one day want to be a mother. “I know I would make an excellent mother because I have learnt from the best. My mom sacrificed everything for me.” Her mother’s investment in her talents show in her work. After high school in 1998, the dancer studied at Moving Into Dance School of Dance. This is where she learned all about dance and business. “It is important to study the arts if you want to be an artist. Many people who are new in the industry take this for granted. Most of them just want to be famous, they don’t know that studying the arts can take you far. Talent alone is not enough." Khabonina, who runs the Khabodacious Moves Dance School in Orange Grove, is also a health and fitness activist and hosts Dijo le Bophelo, a cooking and lifestyle show on SABC2.
