Nomfusi

She was born in the township of KwaZakhele in the Eastern Cape and raised by her single mother named Kwazibani (which means “Who Knows?” in Xhosa) while her father was serving a 21-year prison sentence. A domestic worker by day, Kwazibani was a “Sangoma” or “African medicine woman” with a natural gift for music. Nomfusi would accompany her mother to weekly Sangoma rituals known as “Intlombe,” where she soon developed a love for performing and crafted her artistic identity by dancing and singing for hours.

Tragically in 1998, Nomfusi was suddenly orphaned at age twelve when she lost her mother to HIV/AIDS. Nomfusi’s aunt took her and her siblings in, but sadly also succumbed to the same deadly disease three years later. Undeterred by the hand she was dealt at such a young age, Nomfusi turned her situation around to become one of South Africa’s brightest, most recognizable stars. Never one for self-pity, Nomfusi strives to inspire others with her worldview that “life is about choices” and that “one has to overcome the poverty of the mind first.” Her compassion has led her to doing outreach work at schools for at-risk youth in Soweto, Swaziland, and Malawi, and creating opportunities she didn’t have for the next generation. Additionally, she recently became an ambassador for MES, a Hillbrow-based NPO that helps homeless individuals get back on their feet and reintegrate into society.