Women in Motion Spotlight: Sikelelwa Vuyelani
Mbali Mashaba
Mbali Mashaba
(she/her)
Sikelelwa Vuyeleni is a South African actress best known for her role Owami Kwena, in Mzansi Magic’s soccer drama series, Vula Vala. She comes from a small village of Mtsheko, near Komani (formerly Queenstown). She attended Eersterivier Secondary School in Cape Town and she broke into the industry in 2014 while she was in grade 10, making her debut as Zen on e.tv police drama Traffic. In 2018 she landed her first starring role in television when she was cast as Thando in Hope, the first scripted show to air on new DStv channel Moja Love. In 2021, Sikelelwa joined the cast of eTV's daily show, House Of Zwide as Nambitha. She has also appeared in shows like Isikizi, Umalume, Ukuphila Kabili, and Ingozi yothando and is the founder of Siks Lense.
Sikelelwa joins me virtually with her mic off and I immediately hear the sound of sizzling oil in the background. We exchange greetings and she asks if she can turn her video mode off because she is making supper. I laugh and we share a brief conversation about how I’m scheduled to have loadshedding very soon after the interview and understand that cooking has to be scheduled to acclimatise to these strange times. She tells me that she is making a wrap before we jump into our interview.
How did your love for acting begin and when did you know you could make a solid career out of it?
My first gig was the defining moment. In 2013, I was in grade 10, taking dramatic arts in school and I was enjoying it. So I knew that there was a love in acting at the time and there was potential in terms of the talent itself. However it was defined as a career for me after I stepped on set for the first time, playing a street kid in an eTV drama. It was just seeing the people I’ve been looking up to in the same space as me that defined it so much more, especially as a livelihood I could have.
You mentioned that you did drama in high school and when I was doing my research on this, I learnt that you went to art focused high schools. I’m curious to know what role do you think schools play in shaping creative/performers career trajectory? Do you think you would have pursued acting to the extent that you did had you not gone to the schools you did?
Definitely not, (laughs) Definitely not. My primary school gave me a glimpse of my love of performance but it wasn't to the extent where I knew I could dive into it fully. Schools really play a big role in helping you see your potential. Especially if scholars are allowed to play, discover and explore themselves. The schools that I went to allowed the creative part of me to reveal itself, find itself, play and be. To fully immerse myself in performance. If I had gone to any other high school, no one would have even mentioned drama or acting. I probably would've had other interests, so I do believe this was all meant to be. A blessing in disguise.
You’re touching on some very key points there. Your educational background and its access to things can really shape your tangible aspirations, goals and dreams.
How did you land your first tv role? (Traffic! 2014)
I got into an agency in grade 9 after seeing my friends in magazines and I had a curiosity about that. I waited a year before I got an audition for a role and luckily at that time my training in dramatic arts had deepened in terms of analysing a script and the basics of performance. So I got this audition, went to it and prepped for the role. I was in line and a director came out of the audition room and asked me to try for another role. She asked me if I could prep in about 10 minutes for this new role and I did not hesitate. I stepped outside with the script, went through it and in about 5 minutes, I told her that I’m ready. She was like huh? (We both laugh) I thought, girl who are you talking to, I got this! and I killed the audition. Afterwards we had a conversation and she asked me what I was studying at school, my interests and so on. (Pause) You know, there are audition rooms that feel like they were meant for you. And that audition room was meant for me. I could have auditioned and left straight after but I made sure that I had a conversation with the director and let her know that I really am interested and I’m also studying dramatic arts at school so I can handle a script too. So about a week later, I came back from school and my mom told me that they received an email from the agency about the audition and I've been shortlisted. I was so happy and shortly after that my mom told me that they got ANOTHER email from my agency and that next email was stating that I actually got the role. I couldn't believe it. The journey has continued since then.
Wow, that's amazing and so organic.
Yes, it's just timing and God honestly. Those are God moments.
So you mentioned that role for Traffic! was one in which you played a street kid. I’m curious to know how you navigate playing difficult characters on screen? What is your own character development process?
I don’t think I have a specific process. People always ask me what my process is and the truth is that I don't think I have one set in stone. And maybe that itself is a process, like not actually having one. I think that with every character you play, the first thing you have to do is get to the human level of that character. That helps you see them as a person and take yourself through their journey. There are story arcs and things to help you get to know them, especially in films- where the story has an end. That helps you create a backstory for the character. Also giving reasons for the decisions the character makes helps with humanising them. This helps you understand the values of your character and that human element helps you navigate playing them. Never judge your character, that's a rule for every actor. The minute you pass judgement on them you've already crippled yourself and will not be able to execute them to the best of your ability because you have reservations about this person.
Great points. Moving onto Vula Vala by Black Brain Pictures. I read that you landed that role via IG live. That's so unconventional!How did that come about and how different was that experience from other auditions you've done?
I mean, sheesh-It's entirely different. It's different from self tapes and that was something we were used to at the time. We have an idea of auditioning in our own space but this is different because there's a director in the room and so many other people watching the live. It actually is a performance and feels like you’re already on set with an audience. There's no intimacy in it at all so you need to prepare on a different level. You need to calm your nerves because you know that people are watching. The scrutiny is on another level. Especially if people have already seen you act on screen, the pressure is much more and a different feeling from what it would've been in another room. It honestly was a challenge to myself and I felt like I conquered it. I conquered the anxiety despite being nervous as hell. You just have to let the nerves drive you as people say (laughs). It was breathtaking. It also revealed how much as an industry we have to cover in terms of evolving auditions. I think it's something extraordinary that Mandla N started. It gave light to so many people that would not have access in any other circumstance. But it also has another side of it, a bad side too especially in terms of regulating the industry. So there's good and bad sides to it but mostly good I’d say.
What would you say is the bad side?
The bad is that it shows us that we still have a long way to go in terms of regulating the industry. In terms of standards too. There are people that have no idea what it's like to be on set. It can be hard to teach them technical things on set. There should have been a space where they learnt that beforehand. It also means that we can be vulnerable to being exploited. You are new, hungry and don't know much. That makes you more exploitable. You can be underpaid. Because there's no agency involved to negotiate on your behalf and that makes a huge difference.
That's an interesting point. Did that audition specifically land you that role?
Yes, a few weeks later they wanted another tape and shortlisted me thereafter.
What is your favourite character you've played thus far? and why?
Hmmmh. Wow. What a question. My criteria on liking a character is how they make me feel and how they move me in my ability as an actor. I've done quite a number of Mzansi magic movies and the long form characters are great in knowing that you can sustain a character for long. One that I can remember is a character I played in Hope (aired on Moja Love) called Thando. She was young, a pastor's child and very rebellious but she gained redemption. She went through a whole arc and also realised that she needs God to ground her. I was young when I played her. In terms of films, I enjoyed characters I played who can be considered ugly girls, from a morality point of view. Like bad girls. One could be considered a hoe and the other backstabbed her friend. This was in Ingozi Yothando and Ukuphila Ka bili. Those two films were defining in my growth as an actor and they were similar characters.
What advice can you give young performers/actors as they navigate the transition from school to screen?
Hmm! What a question. Just be a blank canvas and always be willing to learn. Someone said to me, not so long ago, that you should go to set with a notepad in your head. See and observe and learn. This isn't necessarily about acting alone but also learning the set, the crew and its departments. Especially if you don't have formal education or experience on set, make it your duty to learn and respect every person on set. And on an actor level, be patient and keep playing, even when you don't have a role. There's so many platforms to play with on social media. The likes of Tiktok, Instagram and Youtube allow this. I used to have something called Shoot your Shot Mondays on my Instagram just to keep playing and challenging myself. It fed me and grew me even if it did not amount to any roles. So keep playing. Do an improv, post it and tag production companies.
Let's talk about entrepreneurship and Sikslense. What inspired you to pursue Siks Lens and what do you hope to achieve through it?
What inspired me to start it was seeing the same stories told. There isn't this inclusivity they [the media] claims to have. There also aren't enough spaces for alternative media. Our lives are stories and I don't think we see them enough on our screens. As young creators, we can create these platforms for ourselves, our peers and people that seek something different.I We hope that we are able to give people a 6th sense through the lens. Hence Sikslense. We want to have an impact on Africa through storytelling through these different forms.
Congratulations on starting!
She compliments Behind Her Lens Visuals and the work we are doing. It's important to give glory to your testimony and how far you've come. Claim that you're doing well. It's important that we shift how we perceive our wins and own them.
Women in Motion Spotlight: Lerato Mokoka Interview by Mbali Mashaba
(she/her)
Lerato Mokoka (born in Rustenburg, North-West) is a South Africa actress best known for playing the role of Tshiamo on Mzansi Magic drama series, Gomora. Lerato completed her studies in Finance and Accounting at the University of Pretoria and worked at Sibanye Stillwater Mining Company between 2018-2019. She switched careers in 2020 to focus on her passion for filmmaking and completed her Film and Television Technical studies with AFDA in 2020. In 2021, she produced and directed her first short film ‘The Budding' and is currently an independent screenwriter.
Lerato joins digitally and we are both excited to see each other again. She is finally home from a long day on set and the conversation is filled with laughter, relatability and excitement. We talk about how physically tired we are as women working in Television and catch up a bit about our work. We share how people's perceptions of us are not necessarily how we feel about our work. We talk about wanting to be more aligned to what we want to do in our career in the long run and what we could never do. We laugh about how we haven't had a proper conversation prior to this and how long overdue it is for us to have one and especially get to know each other more. We decide to keep our cameras on.
How would you describe yourself as a creative?
(Deep sigh). You see now, (we both laugh) what a question! I think I’m a learner. I love learning and exploring. I like the idea of originality and tapping into something people haven't done before. I would mainly say a learner and explorer with a childlike energy of curiosity. And storytelling is a big part of that. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I’m a storyteller, it just comes about in different ways. As an actress I’m a storyteller, as a writer I'm a storyteller, as a filmmaker, I'm a storyteller. I'm becoming more comfortable knowing that it doesn't have to be one way. I love working with people too so I’d say I'm a collaborator as well. I love learning with people and from people.
I like that answer. You touched on so many parts of being a creative that make up a whole. I'm curious to know when your passion from acting started and when did you know you could make a career out of it?
Girl! Acting was a miracle. It's so weird because when I was a child I would imagine and see myself as a TV star. I'd go into spaces and want people to know who I am. I wanted to go to acting school when I was 8 or 9 and I found an agency and called them myself. They asked me where I was based, I said Rustenburg and of course I was too far from Johannesburg so they were thrown off by that. I spoke to my parents about it too and they told me to wait until I was 18. I was a staunch academic after that and wanted to pursue very traditionally serious jobs. Like accounting, medicine and so on. I never resonated with acting after that. I did develop an interest in photography and videography though. So I went to AFDA and also followed production companies online and one day I saw a post about an open casting with Seriti Films. I really wanted to go and try it out and was mostly snooping around at the time (I wanted to see who was there and how things work) but I really enjoyed the audition. It was for MaZet and I knew I probably wouldn't get the role because I didn't look like that character but they reassigned me to another role to audition for next, which came as a surprise to me. When I returned a few days later, there were only 3 of us there for the role and I knew it was serious then. And well, now we're here.
What a crazy story.
What genre of filmmaking would you like to tap into?
I have specific stories that I want to tell but I haven't thought as far as genre. I dont think it's limited to that for me. I'm drawn to telling history and I know I'm interested in telling an epic. As well as documentaries. There's so many interesting people and things in this country that we don't know about.. I love telling untold stories hence epics and documentaries. Maybe even an action film, one that someone like me would love to watch. One that's aesthetically pleasing as well. Especially because it's a male dominated genre.
How do you, personally, differentiate between Filmmaking & Television production? Is there one you prefer more than the others?
I think I'm a limited series girl because it's the best of both worlds. It looks and feels like an extended film with an ending. I don't think I'd do a series. (Laughs) It's so long!
Have you always been confident in your creative voice? Or is it something that you had to grow into/are still growing into?
Girrrlll! I'm growing into it, I'm actually still finding it. I said I'm a limited series girl but that might change in a year. I'm definitely still finding my voice and that comes with accepting that fact and being honest about it. I'll become more confident as I find it. But I've really surprised myself at times. So I know there's something there because of these confident surprise moments I've had.
What challenges do you, personally, face as a (young) woman in the industry?
As a young creative first- I'm blessed to be in an environment where I'm given opportunities. I'm speaking from a point of privilege, because I'm supported even where I work now. They are supportive in assisting me find other opportunities too. The struggles I've had are more personal. Learning on the job is one. It's the best way to learn but it's so hard because there's still so much you don't know. And as a young creative I struggle with the idea of having a brand and having to expose yourself. The access thing bothers me because I'm a very private person. I hate keeping up with appearances, on social media or whatever. It's becoming a standard by which people take you seriously on. It gives me the ick and is incredibly frustrating. But from a work point of view, I'm privileged to work with such strong and talented women. They are a reflection of what I can be and they dont take sh*t. That shows me that I don't have to either. The environment I'm in truly allows me to flourish.
On that beautiful note, what would you say is the best thing about being a woman in the Film and Television industry right now?
Having a bunch of other black women!!
Periodt!!!
(Laughing together)
It's the most refreshing thing and makes you feel seen. It reminds you that anything is possible. Everything you want because you can name a black woman doing it. My executive producer is a black woman and that's the best thing to witness. I look at her and feel like I'm on my way too.It's really our time as black women. There's you, there's Karabo M, man!
I'm glad we have each other to look at and feel that way about.
Speaking about protection, when you started out in the role you have now, did you have an agent and how did that impact your experience?
I didn't have an agent when I started and I got an agent further in but they didn't help me at all. It was quite an awkward experience. They knew my aspirations, limitations and boundaries yet kept pushing me to do things I didn't want to do. So that didn't work out. I don't have an agent now but I have people who help me. Fortunately they are in the industry too and can connect me to people who can take me further or help me with opportunities when I need them. But not having an agent means that I’ve had to fight a lot of battles myself. I have experienced being paid my worth and in some instances I haven't. It's been good and bad honestly.
What's the biggest takeaway you want people to get from your catalogue of work?
Uhm.. I haven't had that many roles to play but I hope I won't have to play the same role over and over again in future. I’m picky and being picky isn't necessarily a bad thing but I don't mind going to certain places and playing certain roles if it means serving the story and hopefully that story is one that helps people in some way. Stories that leave people better you know.
(she/her)
Sikelelwa Vuyeleni is a South African actress best known for her role Owami Kwena, in Mzansi Magic’s soccer drama series, Vula Vala. She comes from a small village of Mtsheko, near Komani (formerly Queenstown). She attended Eersterivier Secondary School in Cape Town and she broke into the industry in 2014 while she was in grade 10, making her debut as Zen on e.tv police drama Traffic. In 2018 she landed her first starring role in television when she was cast as Thando in Hope, the first scripted show to air on new DStv channel Moja Love. In 2021, Sikelelwa joined the cast of eTV's daily show, House Of Zwide as Nambitha. She has also appeared in shows like Isikizi, Umalume, Ukuphila Kabili, and Ingozi yothando and is the founder of Siks Lense.
Sikelelwa joins me virtually with her mic off and I immediately hear the sound of sizzling oil in the background. We exchange greetings and she asks if she can turn her video mode off because she is making supper. I laugh and we share a brief conversation about how I’m scheduled to have loadshedding very soon after the interview and understand that cooking has to be scheduled to acclimatise to these strange times. She tells me that she is making a wrap before we jump into our interview.
How did your love for acting begin and when did you know you could make a solid career out of it?
My first gig was the defining moment. In 2013, I was in grade 10, taking dramatic arts in school and I was enjoying it. So I knew that there was a love in acting at the time and there was potential in terms of the talent itself. However it was defined as a career for me after I stepped on set for the first time, playing a street kid in an eTV drama. It was just seeing the people I’ve been looking up to in the same space as me that defined it so much more, especially as a livelihood I could have.
You mentioned that you did drama in high school and when I was doing my research on this, I learnt that you went to art focused high schools. I’m curious to know what role do you think schools play in shaping creative/performers career trajectory? Do you think you would have pursued acting to the extent that you did had you not gone to the schools you did?
Definitely not, (laughs) Definitely not. My primary school gave me a glimpse of my love of performance but it wasn't to the extent where I knew I could dive into it fully. Schools really play a big role in helping you see your potential. Especially if scholars are allowed to play, discover and explore themselves. The schools that I went to allowed the creative part of me to reveal itself, find itself, play and be. To fully immerse myself in performance. If I had gone to any other high school, no one would have even mentioned drama or acting. I probably would've had other interests, so I do believe this was all meant to be. A blessing in disguise.
You’re touching on some very key points there. Your educational background and its access to things can really shape your tangible aspirations, goals and dreams.
How did you land your first tv role? (Traffic! 2014)
I got into an agency in grade 9 after seeing my friends in magazines and I had a curiosity about that. I waited a year before I got an audition for a role and luckily at that time my training in dramatic arts had deepened in terms of analysing a script and the basics of performance. So I got this audition, went to it and prepped for the role. I was in line and a director came out of the audition room and asked me to try for another role. She asked me if I could prep in about 10 minutes for this new role and I did not hesitate. I stepped outside with the script, went through it and in about 5 minutes, I told her that I’m ready. She was like huh? (We both laugh) I thought, girl who are you talking to, I got this! and I killed the audition. Afterwards we had a conversation and she asked me what I was studying at school, my interests and so on. (Pause) You know, there are audition rooms that feel like they were meant for you. And that audition room was meant for me. I could have auditioned and left straight after but I made sure that I had a conversation with the director and let her know that I really am interested and I’m also studying dramatic arts at school so I can handle a script too. So about a week later, I came back from school and my mom told me that they received an email from the agency about the audition and I've been shortlisted. I was so happy and shortly after that my mom told me that they got ANOTHER email from my agency and that next email was stating that I actually got the role. I couldn't believe it. The journey has continued since then.
Wow, that's amazing and so organic.
Yes, it's just timing and God honestly. Those are God moments.
So you mentioned that role for Traffic! was one in which you played a street kid. I’m curious to know how you navigate playing difficult characters on screen? What is your own character development process?
I don’t think I have a specific process. People always ask me what my process is and the truth is that I don't think I have one set in stone. And maybe that itself is a process, like not actually having one. I think that with every character you play, the first thing you have to do is get to the human level of that character. That helps you see them as a person and take yourself through their journey. There are story arcs and things to help you get to know them, especially in films- where the story has an end. That helps you create a backstory for the character. Also giving reasons for the decisions the character makes helps with humanising them. This helps you understand the values of your character and that human element helps you navigate playing them. Never judge your character, that's a rule for every actor. The minute you pass judgement on them you've already crippled yourself and will not be able to execute them to the best of your ability because you have reservations about this person.
Great points. Moving onto Vula Vala by Black Brain Pictures. I read that you landed that role via IG live. That's so unconventional!How did that come about and how different was that experience from other auditions you've done?
I mean, sheesh-It's entirely different. It's different from self tapes and that was something we were used to at the time. We have an idea of auditioning in our own space but this is different because there's a director in the room and so many other people watching the live. It actually is a performance and feels like you’re already on set with an audience. There's no intimacy in it at all so you need to prepare on a different level. You need to calm your nerves because you know that people are watching. The scrutiny is on another level. Especially if people have already seen you act on screen, the pressure is much more and a different feeling from what it would've been in another room. It honestly was a challenge to myself and I felt like I conquered it. I conquered the anxiety despite being nervous as hell. You just have to let the nerves drive you as people say (laughs). It was breathtaking. It also revealed how much as an industry we have to cover in terms of evolving auditions. I think it's something extraordinary that Mandla N started. It gave light to so many people that would not have access in any other circumstance. But it also has another side of it, a bad side too especially in terms of regulating the industry. So there's good and bad sides to it but mostly good I’d say.
What would you say is the bad side?
The bad is that it shows us that we still have a long way to go in terms of regulating the industry. In terms of standards too. There are people that have no idea what it's like to be on set. It can be hard to teach them technical things on set. There should have been a space where they learnt that beforehand. It also means that we can be vulnerable to being exploited. You are new, hungry and don't know much. That makes you more exploitable. You can be underpaid. Because there's no agency involved to negotiate on your behalf and that makes a huge difference.
That's an interesting point. Did that audition specifically land you that role?
Yes, a few weeks later they wanted another tape and shortlisted me thereafter.
What is your favourite character you've played thus far? and why?
Hmmmh. Wow. What a question. My criteria on liking a character is how they make me feel and how they move me in my ability as an actor. I've done quite a number of Mzansi magic movies and the long form characters are great in knowing that you can sustain a character for long. One that I can remember is a character I played in Hope (aired on Moja Love) called Thando. She was young, a pastor's child and very rebellious but she gained redemption. She went through a whole arc and also realised that she needs God to ground her. I was young when I played her. In terms of films, I enjoyed characters I played who can be considered ugly girls, from a morality point of view. Like bad girls. One could be considered a hoe and the other backstabbed her friend. This was in Ingozi Yothando and Ukuphila Ka bili. Those two films were defining in my growth as an actor and they were similar characters.
What advice can you give young performers/actors as they navigate the transition from school to screen?
Hmm! What a question. Just be a blank canvas and always be willing to learn. Someone said to me, not so long ago, that you should go to set with a notepad in your head. See and observe and learn. This isn't necessarily about acting alone but also learning the set, the crew and its departments. Especially if you don't have formal education or experience on set, make it your duty to learn and respect every person on set. And on an actor level, be patient and keep playing, even when you don't have a role. There's so many platforms to play with on social media. The likes of Tiktok, Instagram and Youtube allow this. I used to have something called Shoot your Shot Mondays on my Instagram just to keep playing and challenging myself. It fed me and grew me even if it did not amount to any roles. So keep playing. Do an improv, post it and tag production companies.
Let's talk about entrepreneurship and Sikslense. What inspired you to pursue Siks Lens and what do you hope to achieve through it?
What inspired me to start it was seeing the same stories told. There isn't this inclusivity they [the media] claims to have. There also aren't enough spaces for alternative media. Our lives are stories and I don't think we see them enough on our screens. As young creators, we can create these platforms for ourselves, our peers and people that seek something different.I We hope that we are able to give people a 6th sense through the lens. Hence Sikslense. We want to have an impact on Africa through storytelling through these different forms.
Congratulations on starting!
She compliments Behind Her Lens Visuals and the work we are doing. It's important to give glory to your testimony and how far you've come. Claim that you're doing well. It's important that we shift how we perceive our wins and own them.
Women in Motion Spotlight: Lerato Mokoka Interview by Mbali Mashaba
(she/her)
Lerato Mokoka (born in Rustenburg, North-West) is a South Africa actress best known for playing the role of Tshiamo on Mzansi Magic drama series, Gomora. Lerato completed her studies in Finance and Accounting at the University of Pretoria and worked at Sibanye Stillwater Mining Company between 2018-2019. She switched careers in 2020 to focus on her passion for filmmaking and completed her Film and Television Technical studies with AFDA in 2020. In 2021, she produced and directed her first short film ‘The Budding' and is currently an independent screenwriter.
Lerato joins digitally and we are both excited to see each other again. She is finally home from a long day on set and the conversation is filled with laughter, relatability and excitement. We talk about how physically tired we are as women working in Television and catch up a bit about our work. We share how people's perceptions of us are not necessarily how we feel about our work. We talk about wanting to be more aligned to what we want to do in our career in the long run and what we could never do. We laugh about how we haven't had a proper conversation prior to this and how long overdue it is for us to have one and especially get to know each other more. We decide to keep our cameras on.
How would you describe yourself as a creative?
(Deep sigh). You see now, (we both laugh) what a question! I think I’m a learner. I love learning and exploring. I like the idea of originality and tapping into something people haven't done before. I would mainly say a learner and explorer with a childlike energy of curiosity. And storytelling is a big part of that. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I’m a storyteller, it just comes about in different ways. As an actress I’m a storyteller, as a writer I'm a storyteller, as a filmmaker, I'm a storyteller. I'm becoming more comfortable knowing that it doesn't have to be one way. I love working with people too so I’d say I'm a collaborator as well. I love learning with people and from people.
I like that answer. You touched on so many parts of being a creative that make up a whole. I'm curious to know when your passion from acting started and when did you know you could make a career out of it?
Girl! Acting was a miracle. It's so weird because when I was a child I would imagine and see myself as a TV star. I'd go into spaces and want people to know who I am. I wanted to go to acting school when I was 8 or 9 and I found an agency and called them myself. They asked me where I was based, I said Rustenburg and of course I was too far from Johannesburg so they were thrown off by that. I spoke to my parents about it too and they told me to wait until I was 18. I was a staunch academic after that and wanted to pursue very traditionally serious jobs. Like accounting, medicine and so on. I never resonated with acting after that. I did develop an interest in photography and videography though. So I went to AFDA and also followed production companies online and one day I saw a post about an open casting with Seriti Films. I really wanted to go and try it out and was mostly snooping around at the time (I wanted to see who was there and how things work) but I really enjoyed the audition. It was for MaZet and I knew I probably wouldn't get the role because I didn't look like that character but they reassigned me to another role to audition for next, which came as a surprise to me. When I returned a few days later, there were only 3 of us there for the role and I knew it was serious then. And well, now we're here.
What a crazy story.
What genre of filmmaking would you like to tap into?
I have specific stories that I want to tell but I haven't thought as far as genre. I dont think it's limited to that for me. I'm drawn to telling history and I know I'm interested in telling an epic. As well as documentaries. There's so many interesting people and things in this country that we don't know about.. I love telling untold stories hence epics and documentaries. Maybe even an action film, one that someone like me would love to watch. One that's aesthetically pleasing as well. Especially because it's a male dominated genre.
How do you, personally, differentiate between Filmmaking & Television production? Is there one you prefer more than the others?
I think I'm a limited series girl because it's the best of both worlds. It looks and feels like an extended film with an ending. I don't think I'd do a series. (Laughs) It's so long!
Have you always been confident in your creative voice? Or is it something that you had to grow into/are still growing into?
Girrrlll! I'm growing into it, I'm actually still finding it. I said I'm a limited series girl but that might change in a year. I'm definitely still finding my voice and that comes with accepting that fact and being honest about it. I'll become more confident as I find it. But I've really surprised myself at times. So I know there's something there because of these confident surprise moments I've had.
What challenges do you, personally, face as a (young) woman in the industry?
As a young creative first- I'm blessed to be in an environment where I'm given opportunities. I'm speaking from a point of privilege, because I'm supported even where I work now. They are supportive in assisting me find other opportunities too. The struggles I've had are more personal. Learning on the job is one. It's the best way to learn but it's so hard because there's still so much you don't know. And as a young creative I struggle with the idea of having a brand and having to expose yourself. The access thing bothers me because I'm a very private person. I hate keeping up with appearances, on social media or whatever. It's becoming a standard by which people take you seriously on. It gives me the ick and is incredibly frustrating. But from a work point of view, I'm privileged to work with such strong and talented women. They are a reflection of what I can be and they dont take sh*t. That shows me that I don't have to either. The environment I'm in truly allows me to flourish.
On that beautiful note, what would you say is the best thing about being a woman in the Film and Television industry right now?
Having a bunch of other black women!!
Periodt!!!
(Laughing together)
It's the most refreshing thing and makes you feel seen. It reminds you that anything is possible. Everything you want because you can name a black woman doing it. My executive producer is a black woman and that's the best thing to witness. I look at her and feel like I'm on my way too.It's really our time as black women. There's you, there's Karabo M, man!
I'm glad we have each other to look at and feel that way about.
Speaking about protection, when you started out in the role you have now, did you have an agent and how did that impact your experience?
I didn't have an agent when I started and I got an agent further in but they didn't help me at all. It was quite an awkward experience. They knew my aspirations, limitations and boundaries yet kept pushing me to do things I didn't want to do. So that didn't work out. I don't have an agent now but I have people who help me. Fortunately they are in the industry too and can connect me to people who can take me further or help me with opportunities when I need them. But not having an agent means that I’ve had to fight a lot of battles myself. I have experienced being paid my worth and in some instances I haven't. It's been good and bad honestly.
What's the biggest takeaway you want people to get from your catalogue of work?
Uhm.. I haven't had that many roles to play but I hope I won't have to play the same role over and over again in future. I’m picky and being picky isn't necessarily a bad thing but I don't mind going to certain places and playing certain roles if it means serving the story and hopefully that story is one that helps people in some way. Stories that leave people better you know.
(she/her)
Sikelelwa Vuyeleni is a South African actress best known for her role Owami Kwena, in Mzansi Magic’s soccer drama series, Vula Vala. She comes from a small village of Mtsheko, near Komani (formerly Queenstown). She attended Eersterivier Secondary School in Cape Town and she broke into the industry in 2014 while she was in grade 10, making her debut as Zen on e.tv police drama Traffic. In 2018 she landed her first starring role in television when she was cast as Thando in Hope, the first scripted show to air on new DStv channel Moja Love. In 2021, Sikelelwa joined the cast of eTV's daily show, House Of Zwide as Nambitha. She has also appeared in shows like Isikizi, Umalume, Ukuphila Kabili, and Ingozi yothando and is the founder of Siks Lense.
Sikelelwa joins me virtually with her mic off and I immediately hear the sound of sizzling oil in the background. We exchange greetings and she asks if she can turn her video mode off because she is making supper. I laugh and we share a brief conversation about how I’m scheduled to have loadshedding very soon after the interview and understand that cooking has to be scheduled to acclimatise to these strange times. She tells me that she is making a wrap before we jump into our interview.
How did your love for acting begin and when did you know you could make a solid career out of it?
My first gig was the defining moment. In 2013, I was in grade 10, taking dramatic arts in school and I was enjoying it. So I knew that there was a love in acting at the time and there was potential in terms of the talent itself. However it was defined as a career for me after I stepped on set for the first time, playing a street kid in an eTV drama. It was just seeing the people I’ve been looking up to in the same space as me that defined it so much more, especially as a livelihood I could have.
You mentioned that you did drama in high school and when I was doing my research on this, I learnt that you went to art focused high schools. I’m curious to know what role do you think schools play in shaping creative/performers career trajectory? Do you think you would have pursued acting to the extent that you did had you not gone to the schools you did?
Definitely not, (laughs) Definitely not. My primary school gave me a glimpse of my love of performance but it wasn't to the extent where I knew I could dive into it fully. Schools really play a big role in helping you see your potential. Especially if scholars are allowed to play, discover and explore themselves. The schools that I went to allowed the creative part of me to reveal itself, find itself, play and be. To fully immerse myself in performance. If I had gone to any other high school, no one would have even mentioned drama or acting. I probably would've had other interests, so I do believe this was all meant to be. A blessing in disguise.
You’re touching on some very key points there. Your educational background and its access to things can really shape your tangible aspirations, goals and dreams.
How did you land your first tv role? (Traffic! 2014)
I got into an agency in grade 9 after seeing my friends in magazines and I had a curiosity about that. I waited a year before I got an audition for a role and luckily at that time my training in dramatic arts had deepened in terms of analysing a script and the basics of performance. So I got this audition, went to it and prepped for the role. I was in line and a director came out of the audition room and asked me to try for another role. She asked me if I could prep in about 10 minutes for this new role and I did not hesitate. I stepped outside with the script, went through it and in about 5 minutes, I told her that I’m ready. She was like huh? (We both laugh) I thought, girl who are you talking to, I got this! and I killed the audition. Afterwards we had a conversation and she asked me what I was studying at school, my interests and so on. (Pause) You know, there are audition rooms that feel like they were meant for you. And that audition room was meant for me. I could have auditioned and left straight after but I made sure that I had a conversation with the director and let her know that I really am interested and I’m also studying dramatic arts at school so I can handle a script too. So about a week later, I came back from school and my mom told me that they received an email from the agency about the audition and I've been shortlisted. I was so happy and shortly after that my mom told me that they got ANOTHER email from my agency and that next email was stating that I actually got the role. I couldn't believe it. The journey has continued since then.
Wow, that's amazing and so organic.
Yes, it's just timing and God honestly. Those are God moments.
So you mentioned that role for Traffic! was one in which you played a street kid. I’m curious to know how you navigate playing difficult characters on screen? What is your own character development process?
I don’t think I have a specific process. People always ask me what my process is and the truth is that I don't think I have one set in stone. And maybe that itself is a process, like not actually having one. I think that with every character you play, the first thing you have to do is get to the human level of that character. That helps you see them as a person and take yourself through their journey. There are story arcs and things to help you get to know them, especially in films- where the story has an end. That helps you create a backstory for the character. Also giving reasons for the decisions the character makes helps with humanising them. This helps you understand the values of your character and that human element helps you navigate playing them. Never judge your character, that's a rule for every actor. The minute you pass judgement on them you've already crippled yourself and will not be able to execute them to the best of your ability because you have reservations about this person.
Great points. Moving onto Vula Vala by Black Brain Pictures. I read that you landed that role via IG live. That's so unconventional!How did that come about and how different was that experience from other auditions you've done?
I mean, sheesh-It's entirely different. It's different from self tapes and that was something we were used to at the time. We have an idea of auditioning in our own space but this is different because there's a director in the room and so many other people watching the live. It actually is a performance and feels like you’re already on set with an audience. There's no intimacy in it at all so you need to prepare on a different level. You need to calm your nerves because you know that people are watching. The scrutiny is on another level. Especially if people have already seen you act on screen, the pressure is much more and a different feeling from what it would've been in another room. It honestly was a challenge to myself and I felt like I conquered it. I conquered the anxiety despite being nervous as hell. You just have to let the nerves drive you as people say (laughs). It was breathtaking. It also revealed how much as an industry we have to cover in terms of evolving auditions. I think it's something extraordinary that Mandla N started. It gave light to so many people that would not have access in any other circumstance. But it also has another side of it, a bad side too especially in terms of regulating the industry. So there's good and bad sides to it but mostly good I’d say.
What would you say is the bad side?
The bad is that it shows us that we still have a long way to go in terms of regulating the industry. In terms of standards too. There are people that have no idea what it's like to be on set. It can be hard to teach them technical things on set. There should have been a space where they learnt that beforehand. It also means that we can be vulnerable to being exploited. You are new, hungry and don't know much. That makes you more exploitable. You can be underpaid. Because there's no agency involved to negotiate on your behalf and that makes a huge difference.
That's an interesting point. Did that audition specifically land you that role?
Yes, a few weeks later they wanted another tape and shortlisted me thereafter.
What is your favourite character you've played thus far? and why?
Hmmmh. Wow. What a question. My criteria on liking a character is how they make me feel and how they move me in my ability as an actor. I've done quite a number of Mzansi magic movies and the long form characters are great in knowing that you can sustain a character for long. One that I can remember is a character I played in Hope (aired on Moja Love) called Thando. She was young, a pastor's child and very rebellious but she gained redemption. She went through a whole arc and also realised that she needs God to ground her. I was young when I played her. In terms of films, I enjoyed characters I played who can be considered ugly girls, from a morality point of view. Like bad girls. One could be considered a hoe and the other backstabbed her friend. This was in Ingozi Yothando and Ukuphila Ka bili. Those two films were defining in my growth as an actor and they were similar characters.
What advice can you give young performers/actors as they navigate the transition from school to screen?
Hmm! What a question. Just be a blank canvas and always be willing to learn. Someone said to me, not so long ago, that you should go to set with a notepad in your head. See and observe and learn. This isn't necessarily about acting alone but also learning the set, the crew and its departments. Especially if you don't have formal education or experience on set, make it your duty to learn and respect every person on set. And on an actor level, be patient and keep playing, even when you don't have a role. There's so many platforms to play with on social media. The likes of Tiktok, Instagram and Youtube allow this. I used to have something called Shoot your Shot Mondays on my Instagram just to keep playing and challenging myself. It fed me and grew me even if it did not amount to any roles. So keep playing. Do an improv, post it and tag production companies.
Let's talk about entrepreneurship and Sikslense. What inspired you to pursue Siks Lens and what do you hope to achieve through it?
What inspired me to start it was seeing the same stories told. There isn't this inclusivity they [the media] claims to have. There also aren't enough spaces for alternative media. Our lives are stories and I don't think we see them enough on our screens. As young creators, we can create these platforms for ourselves, our peers and people that seek something different.I We hope that we are able to give people a 6th sense through the lens. Hence Sikslense. We want to have an impact on Africa through storytelling through these different forms.
Congratulations on starting!
She compliments Behind Her Lens Visuals and the work we are doing. It's important to give glory to your testimony and how far you've come. Claim that you're doing well. It's important that we shift how we perceive our wins and own them.
Women in Motion Spotlight: Lerato Mokoka Interview by Mbali Mashaba
(she/her)
Lerato Mokoka (born in Rustenburg, North-West) is a South Africa actress best known for playing the role of Tshiamo on Mzansi Magic drama series, Gomora. Lerato completed her studies in Finance and Accounting at the University of Pretoria and worked at Sibanye Stillwater Mining Company between 2018-2019. She switched careers in 2020 to focus on her passion for filmmaking and completed her Film and Television Technical studies with AFDA in 2020. In 2021, she produced and directed her first short film ‘The Budding' and is currently an independent screenwriter.
Lerato joins digitally and we are both excited to see each other again. She is finally home from a long day on set and the conversation is filled with laughter, relatability and excitement. We talk about how physically tired we are as women working in Television and catch up a bit about our work. We share how people's perceptions of us are not necessarily how we feel about our work. We talk about wanting to be more aligned to what we want to do in our career in the long run and what we could never do. We laugh about how we haven't had a proper conversation prior to this and how long overdue it is for us to have one and especially get to know each other more. We decide to keep our cameras on.
How would you describe yourself as a creative?
(Deep sigh). You see now, (we both laugh) what a question! I think I’m a learner. I love learning and exploring. I like the idea of originality and tapping into something people haven't done before. I would mainly say a learner and explorer with a childlike energy of curiosity. And storytelling is a big part of that. I'm coming to terms with the fact that I’m a storyteller, it just comes about in different ways. As an actress I’m a storyteller, as a writer I'm a storyteller, as a filmmaker, I'm a storyteller. I'm becoming more comfortable knowing that it doesn't have to be one way. I love working with people too so I’d say I'm a collaborator as well. I love learning with people and from people.
I like that answer. You touched on so many parts of being a creative that make up a whole. I'm curious to know when your passion from acting started and when did you know you could make a career out of it?
Girl! Acting was a miracle. It's so weird because when I was a child I would imagine and see myself as a TV star. I'd go into spaces and want people to know who I am. I wanted to go to acting school when I was 8 or 9 and I found an agency and called them myself. They asked me where I was based, I said Rustenburg and of course I was too far from Johannesburg so they were thrown off by that. I spoke to my parents about it too and they told me to wait until I was 18. I was a staunch academic after that and wanted to pursue very traditionally serious jobs. Like accounting, medicine and so on. I never resonated with acting after that. I did develop an interest in photography and videography though. So I went to AFDA and also followed production companies online and one day I saw a post about an open casting with Seriti Films. I really wanted to go and try it out and was mostly snooping around at the time (I wanted to see who was there and how things work) but I really enjoyed the audition. It was for MaZet and I knew I probably wouldn't get the role because I didn't look like that character but they reassigned me to another role to audition for next, which came as a surprise to me. When I returned a few days later, there were only 3 of us there for the role and I knew it was serious then. And well, now we're here.
What a crazy story.
What genre of filmmaking would you like to tap into?
I have specific stories that I want to tell but I haven't thought as far as genre. I dont think it's limited to that for me. I'm drawn to telling history and I know I'm interested in telling an epic. As well as documentaries. There's so many interesting people and things in this country that we don't know about.. I love telling untold stories hence epics and documentaries. Maybe even an action film, one that someone like me would love to watch. One that's aesthetically pleasing as well. Especially because it's a male dominated genre.
How do you, personally, differentiate between Filmmaking & Television production? Is there one you prefer more than the others?
I think I'm a limited series girl because it's the best of both worlds. It looks and feels like an extended film with an ending. I don't think I'd do a series. (Laughs) It's so long!
Have you always been confident in your creative voice? Or is it something that you had to grow into/are still growing into?
Girrrlll! I'm growing into it, I'm actually still finding it. I said I'm a limited series girl but that might change in a year. I'm definitely still finding my voice and that comes with accepting that fact and being honest about it. I'll become more confident as I find it. But I've really surprised myself at times. So I know there's something there because of these confident surprise moments I've had.
What challenges do you, personally, face as a (young) woman in the industry?
As a young creative first- I'm blessed to be in an environment where I'm given opportunities. I'm speaking from a point of privilege, because I'm supported even where I work now. They are supportive in assisting me find other opportunities too. The struggles I've had are more personal. Learning on the job is one. It's the best way to learn but it's so hard because there's still so much you don't know. And as a young creative I struggle with the idea of having a brand and having to expose yourself. The access thing bothers me because I'm a very private person. I hate keeping up with appearances, on social media or whatever. It's becoming a standard by which people take you seriously on. It gives me the ick and is incredibly frustrating. But from a work point of view, I'm privileged to work with such strong and talented women. They are a reflection of what I can be and they dont take sh*t. That shows me that I don't have to either. The environment I'm in truly allows me to flourish.
On that beautiful note, what would you say is the best thing about being a woman in the Film and Television industry right now?
Having a bunch of other black women!!
Periodt!!!
(Laughing together)
It's the most refreshing thing and makes you feel seen. It reminds you that anything is possible. Everything you want because you can name a black woman doing it. My executive producer is a black woman and that's the best thing to witness. I look at her and feel like I'm on my way too.It's really our time as black women. There's you, there's Karabo M, man!
I'm glad we have each other to look at and feel that way about.
Speaking about protection, when you started out in the role you have now, did you have an agent and how did that impact your experience?
I didn't have an agent when I started and I got an agent further in but they didn't help me at all. It was quite an awkward experience. They knew my aspirations, limitations and boundaries yet kept pushing me to do things I didn't want to do. So that didn't work out. I don't have an agent now but I have people who help me. Fortunately they are in the industry too and can connect me to people who can take me further or help me with opportunities when I need them. But not having an agent means that I’ve had to fight a lot of battles myself. I have experienced being paid my worth and in some instances I haven't. It's been good and bad honestly.
What's the biggest takeaway you want people to get from your catalogue of work?
Uhm.. I haven't had that many roles to play but I hope I won't have to play the same role over and over again in future. I’m picky and being picky isn't necessarily a bad thing but I don't mind going to certain places and playing certain roles if it means serving the story and hopefully that story is one that helps people in some way. Stories that leave people better you know.