How Old is Brenda Mhlongo? A Look At the Actress’ Full Biography

What is Brenda Mhlongo’s age? Brenda Mhlongo (born August 14, 1980) is 43 years old. She is an actress, singer, and dancer best known for her role as Nandi in the popular South African soapie Generations: The Legacy. 

Brenda Mhlongo has appeared on both small and big screens in South Africa and has now become a household name. She is a multi-talented star who has demonstrated a lot of vigor and enthusiasm in her career. Brenda got her big break in 2018 when she began playing Nandi Mabaso, the wife of Jack Mabaso on the widely loved SABC1 soapie, a role she maintained for two years before moving on.

Summary of Brenda Mhlongo’s Biography

  • Full Name: Brenda Mhlongo
  • Gender: Female
  • Brenda Mhlongo’s Age: 43 years old
  • Date of Birth: August 14, 1980
  • Profession: Actress, Dancer, Singer
  • Nationality: South African
  • Sexual Orientation: Straight
  • Religion: Christianity
  • Marital status: Separated
  • Brenda Mhlongo’s Spouse: Edmund Mhlongo (Separated)
  • Brenda Mhlongo’s Children: Zama, Snikiwe and Nethezeko
  • Famous for: Generations: The Legacy
  • Brenda’s Instagram: brendamhlongo

Brenda Mhlongo is a 43 Year Old Native of Kwamashu in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal

Born on the 14th day of August 1980, Brenda grew up in the Durban town of Kwamashu, in KwaZulu-Natal. She lived with her mother who practically brought her up after her father was brutally murdered. This happened when he moved to Johannesburg in search of work to support the family.

At the tender age of 16, Brenda’s passion for the theatre arts became evident and so she enrolled in the Ekhaya Multi-Arts Centre (EMAC Centre), a program run by K-CAP Art Academy, Kwamashu, in KwaZulu-Natal. The K-CAP Art Academy was created and run by Edmund Mhlongo whom she later got married to.

Brenda already understood what she wanted to become and all it would require and so she chased after it. There is little or no record of her secondary education except an unconfirmed report that she attended a Durban-based college.

Mhlongo Started Acting At 16 Years Old and is Mostly Known for Her Role in Generations: The Legacy

Brenda Mhlongo started acting at the age of 16, however, she had no major acting role recorded in her acting career until two decades later when she got her first TV role.  She appeared in auditions for casting and various training, putting in extra work to one day score the perfect role in her career.

Her TV debut was first made when she appeared in the 19th episode of the 5th season of eKasi: Our Stories, a TV anthology series that aired on eTV in 2014. Later that same year, she was given a guest-starring role in an episode of the political thriller series Ihawu which aired on SABC1. At this point, she began drawing the attention of producers and filmmakers as they began to see the potential in her.

In 2015, she was given another guest appearance role on the first season of Uzalo, a soap also aired by SABC1. After delivering great performances in her previous works with the SABC1 TV series, Brenda in 2016 got the role of Nandi in Generations: The Legacy which turned out to be the biggest break in her career. She stayed with the TV show for two years before moving.

In 2019, Brenda was given the role of Zodwa on the Mzansi Magic soap titled The Queen. She made her first appearance in the season 3 finale and continued the role in season 4. A year later, she was brought in midseason to replace Fundi Zwane, in the role of Priscilla Kamadonsela Bhengu, on the e.tv series Imbewu, a role she continues to date.

Brenda Has Hosted a Few Shows and is a Professional Stage Performer

Apart from appearing and starring on the small and big screen, Brenda Mhlongo is also a favorite face on television talk shows. She was a featured guest in an episode of the SABC1 music talk show, Zaziwa in 2017. She also appeared as a guest a few months later on the SABC3 lifestyle show Top Billing. In November 2018, she was invited to be a guest presenter at the 11th SABC Crown Gospel Music Award.

A prolific and versatile performer, Brenda Mhlongo has also shown her prowess in the field of theatre and performance art. In 2007, she auditioned and got to play the role of Rafiki in the Festival of the Lion King. Having done extensively well with that role, she was called again to partake in the German version of the play by a Disney executive who was impressed by her stage delivery. She is widely traveled playing and performing roles on stages across Europe, Asia, and America.

Rafiki brought her international acclamations and has also bagged her two international awards; The Broadway Spain Awards for Best New Artist and the Best Artist category. She went on to do tours across North America performing the Role of Rafiki for the stage play Festival of The Lion King.

Awards
  • The Broadway Spain Awards for Best New Artist
  • The Broadway Spain Awards for the Best Artist

Brenda Did Not Renew Her Contract To Continue Appearing on Generations: The Legacy

A popular face in the homes of many South Africans when it comes to TV shows and series, Brenda Mhlongo who started acting at the age of 16, got her career break when she joined the cast of Generations: The Legacy.

Sometime around 2020, she became the topic of a trending rumor that she was dismissed and not allowed to continue her role as Nandi in the popular TV show. In an exclusive she granted DRUM magazine, Brenda refuted the claim that she was fired from the show, indicating that her contract wasn’t renewed after her role came to an end.

She, however, did get other acting roles in several TV shows and has since then been active in the entertainment industry.

Brenda Mhlongo Has Three Children but is Separated From Her Husband

At the age of 18, Brenda Mhlongo got married to Edmund Mhlongo, who was then her theatre director at the K-CAP Art Academy Kwamashu, in KwaZulu-Natal. Their marriage is blessed with three children; Zama, Snikiwe, and Nethezeko.

Brenda and Edmund lived together as husband and wife for over 17 years. However, unconfirmed reports came up that Edmund Mhlongo secretly married a second wife while Brenda was away on set at Johannesburg. The woman he was said to have secretly married is a student of his in the K-CAP Art Academy, the same place where he met his first wife.

Brenda hasn’t publicly confirmed the controversy surrounding her marriage with Edmund Mhlongo but it is gathered that she has since moved out of the house they once shared as a family. The entertainer has decided to focus her energy and time on doing what she does best which is acting, dancing, singing, and taking good care of her children.

Nenpan Ngwan
Nenpan Ngwan
Nenpan is a linguist and content creator who is set out to add value to the world through writing. Away from writing, she enjoys reading, viewing nature, and creating beauty where her hands can reach.

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