Turning Over A New Leaf

She’s better known for her infamous Twitter meltdown but motherhood has matured Nonhle Thema – and she’s on a new spiritual and business journey.

- Khosi Biyela

SHE was once the ultimate It girl: admired by adoring fans, many of whom wanted to be just like her. She interviewed, and rubbed shoulders with, international stars such as Lady Gaga, Chris Brown, Rihanna, 50 Cent, Kelly Rowland, Keri Hilson, Ne-Yo, Pharrell Williams and many more.

She had the best jobs, landed the top gigs, lived the high life . . . and everyone in the industry wanted to emulate her or be seen with her. And who could blame them? She was hanging out with international heavyweights of the industry. But while it looked like she had everything and was on top of the world, deep down TV personality Nonhle Thema was sad and depressed.

She shockingly reveals she “had no soul”. But Nonhle is not the same person she was then. She’s a mother now to four-year-old Star Phoenix Ivy Zime and her life has new purpose – so much so, she even announced she was retiring from the entertainment industry at the end of last year. Well, sort of.

“I was quoted out of context,” the 35-year-old presenter-turned-actress says. “I’m too young to retire. All I was saying was I would love to do television that’s more grown up – content for moms, kids and families.”

That job has yet to come up, but she’s spreading her more mature wings in the meantime − as her Twitter account will attest. These days her posts are all about working out, eating healthy food, religion and business.

“Being a mom made me want to explore a whole different space,” she says. “I want to make a career out of being me and there is a market for this. I am now friends with people in the corporate world and I am learning from them.”