A Mother's Touch

Blood & Water actress Xolile Tshabalala on her role as an onscreen mom, her side hustle and enjoying lockdown

- Nonkululeko Mazibuko

She's always longed to have a child, so she appreciates why moms will do anything to protect their kids. Actress Xolile Tshabalala plays a mother desperately trying to shield her daughter from a secret that could upend their lives in the Netflix show Blood & Water, which has been making major waves around the world.

The teen mystery-drama debuted on the streaming service on 20 May and three days later was number one in several countries, including South Africa, France, Jamaica and Kenya.

It also nailed the big one: the USA, making it the first SA show to reach the top slot in the States.

A dose of controversy has helped Blood & Water stay in the news: it became a hot trending topic after viewers remarked on the similarities of the storyline to the real-life drama involving Zephany Nurse and her family.

In Blood & Water, 16-year-old Puleng Khumalo (played by Amamkele Qamata) goes on the hunt to find out what happened to her older sister, Fikile (Khosi Ngema), who was abducted from hospital soon after birth – just as Zephany was.

Zephany – or Miché Solomon, the name given to her by the woman who abducted her – and her biological father, Morné, say they weren’t consulted by the producers and weren’t aware of the show until it hit the small screen.

But Gambit, the makers of the show, issued a statement denying it was based on the Zephany story. Blood & Water is “a dramatised and heightened fictional story that revolves around Puleng’s quest to discover the truth” against the backdrop of Cape Town, the statement says.

As far as Xolile is concerned, however, the controversy is just a sideshow. Blood & Water is clearly giving viewers what they want: gripping television drama.