Nelisiwe Sibiya: The Actress who Defied Doubters and Excelled

Nelisiwe Sibiya: The Actress who Defied Doubters and Excelled in Difficult Role on Durban Gen

South African actress Nelisiwe Sibiya is basking in the glory of a job well done after portraying a complex character in popular TV drama series Durban Gen for three years.

The 31-year-old actress from Eskhaleni, KZN played a medical doctor and a sangoma simultaneously, and her performance has been described as outstanding.

Sibiya revealed that she initially faced opposition from some quarters when she landed the role, with some suggesting that she was not fit to play such a complicated character. But she was determined to prove her doubters wrong and used their negativity as motivation to work even harder.

“Many people, including some of the actors and actresses in the industry, told me I didn’t deserve to play one of the leading characters. Others told me they were supposed to be casted for that character, not me,” she said.

However, Sibiya remained focused and committed to the task at hand, putting in the hours and effort required to bring her character to life. Her hard work paid off as she earned praise for her convincing portrayal of a medical doctor and sangoma, a role that required her to tap into her spirituality.

“I thank God for leading me to overcome that big challenge and pressure for three years, because the show was created based on my character,” she said.

Sibiya’s exceptional acting skills have won her many fans and admirers, and she is now regarded as one of South Africa’s finest actresses.

She is grateful to Durban Gen for giving her the opportunity to showcase her talent, and for allowing her to play a role that challenged her to stretch herself as an actress.

“I will always be grateful to Durban Gen for giving me the opportunity to showcase my acting talent. I learnt many things because the show required us to do more research as it was focused on what is happening at hospitals. I’m also happy that I was able to play a character of both a medical doctor and a sangoma. I was the one who suggested that the producers should introduce a sangoma character on the show,” she said.

Durban Gen has recently come to an end after three years on e.tv, and Sibiya’s fans will be looking forward to seeing her in new roles. However, they will always remember her for her brilliant portrayal of a complex character that she made her own.