Fierce, Fearless and Flourishing

THESE FIVE REMARKABLE WOMEN LEADING WITH COURAGE, DETERMINATION, AND LIMITLESS AMBITION ARE REDEFINING SUCCESS IN THEIR OWN TERMS

- Shannon Manuel

Khosi Ngema

Actor, model, singer

Age: 24 Hometown: Johannesburg @khosingema

BURSTING INTO THE SPOTLIGHT WITH her role as Fikile Bhele on the SA Netflix hit show Blood and Water, actress Khosi Ngema captivated audiences with her compelling performance. With her magnetic presence and multifaceted talents, she has quickly become a beloved figure in the entertainment industry, excelling not only on the screen but also on the stage, in front of the camera as a model, and as a talented singer.

Reflecting on where her love of acting began, she points to a high school drama class. "That's when my love for drama really flourished. I was obsessed with theatre, and dreamed of being on Broadway. I still want to be! I started with short films; we had a production company in high school. After taking a gap year to work, I planned to go to university, but that didn't work out. I asked myself what I really wanted to do, and then I got the role in Blood and Water. I was 19, and it was wild to be on such a globally successful show. While I've always known I wanted to act, being on set made me realise I could actually do this for real.' Asked if she's one to look at the careers of others her age and say to herself, "That's where I need to be,' or 'I need to keep up,' she says she's the complete opposite.