Lindiwe Ndlovu

Lindiwe Thembekani "Thembeka" Ndlovu (8 January 1977 – 11 January 2021) was a South African actress. She is best known for the roles in the films Little One, Safari (2013) and Winnie Mandela (2011).

Personal life Ndlovu was born on 8 January 1977, in Dube, Soweto, South Africa, as the elder daughter of the family. She was raised in the eThekwini town of Hammarsdale. Her father Stanford Ngidi was a popular community playwright, who died in 2015. She matriculated at Wingen Heights Secondary school in Shallcross, Durban in 1995. Then in 1997, she joined the Market Theatre Laboratory for a two-year training stint.

She died on 11 January 2021, at the age of 44. According to her longtime agent, Lynne Higgins of Gaenor Artiste Management, Ndlovu died in her sleep on the morning due to COVID-19.

Career Before entering cinema and television, she joined the Market Theatre and performed in many theatre plays.

Ndlovu started her acting career in 2011 when she played the role of "Qondi" in the Mzansi television serial Mazinyo Dot Q. In the same year, she made the film debut with biographical drama feature Winnie Mandela. After this success, she played the role of Malawian maid "Buseje" on SABC1 serial Ses'Top La. In 2013, she played the lead role in the film Little One directed by Darrell Roodt. She later won the SAFTA Golden Globe Award for the Best Actress in a feature film category at the 8th annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) for the role of "Pauline" in the film. After that critically acclaimed role, she acted in the film Safari again directed by Roodt.

Since then, she made several notable appearances in the serials such as; Stokvel, Soul City, Scandal!, Isidingo and Home Affairs. In 2013 she played the role of "Sponono" in the show, Zabalaza. Then in 2017, she played the role of "Sharon" on Mzansi Magic serial Lockdown. In September 2020, she joined the cast of Mzansi Magic isiZulu serial Ifalakhe. Before the death, she announced that she was going to join the cast of the DStv telenovela, Isono.

Filmography

Year Film Role Genre Ref. 2004 Mazinyo Dot Q Qondi TV series 2006 Catch a Fire assistant dialogue coach Film 2008 Home Affairs TV series 2009 Erfsondes Receptionist TV series 2010 Stokvel TV series 2011 Winnie Mandela Hysterical Woman 1976 Riots Film 2012 Room 9 Prenatal Doctor TV series 2012 Ses'Top La Buseje TV series 2013 Little One Pauline Film 2013 Safari Mbali's aunt Film 2013 Zabalaza Sponono TV series 2014 Generations Nelisiwe TV series 2015 Soul City TV series 2015 Uzalo Patjuju TV series 2016 Scandal! TV series 2016 Isidingo TV series 2016 Greed and Desire Jabu TV series 2016 Umlilo Nurse Nonzi TV series 2017 Lockdown Sharon TV series 2017 Thola Seloane TV series 2018 Liberty Mama Nasira Film 2019 EHostela MaKhumalo TV series 2019 Agent Olipha TV series 2020 Ifalakhe Anatsa TV series 2020 Gomora Sis Gcina TV series 2020 Isono Francina TV series