Sindi Nomfundo Dlathu, is better known as Thandaza Mukwebo, the character she plays on local soapie Muvhango.

Sindi realized that she was talented when she was 11 years old.  She entered a national miming competition in which she performed an Aretha Franklin song "Let it be" and won. When she was 12, she entered a competition on the Shell Road to Fame and she made it to the finals. Sindi was mentored by Nomsa of the Mahotella Queens (an Mbaqanga band). Nomsa moulded her and gave her many tips for her performances. She also took Sindi to audition for Mbongeni Ngema's Sarafina. Sindo was unaware that she was auditioning for a US performance. She thought she was going to be taught to sing and dance. Her parents were also not aware that she was going to leave South Africa and go to the United States of America. They wanted her to finish her education first and have a career.

When Sarafina went on tour, Sindi was selected by Randy Crawford who asked her to stay behind and perform with her. She finally returned to school after four years of being with Mbongeni Ngema. She completed her matric in 1996 and went back to the performing arts.

In 1997, she was in the Game, a play directed by Duma Ndlovu, which play won an FNB Vita Award. In this play, she performed with Mary Twala, Abigail Kubheka, and Nomhle Nkonyeni. She has also worked with other international actors such as Whoopi Goldberg.  Sindi's more recent theatre productions include "Madiepetsana" and "The Suit".

Sindi Dathu then moved to TV work. Her first role was in Khululeka. She did a series with them and she went on to do Soul City.  After Soul City she got a role as Thandaza on Muvhango. Her part on Muvhango started as a small part, but rapidly grew in popularity and scope.

Links to more articles on Sindi Dlathu:

• Muvhango
• Mo-b

Brenda Fassie was born in Langa, Cape Town in 1964 and died in 2004. She was the youngest of 9 children. She was named after Brenda Lee, an American country singer. Brenda's father died when she was 2. She was raised by her mother who was a pianist.

Brenda started her career by singing for tourists to get some money. In 1981, at the age of 16, she went to Soweto in Johannesburg to look for job. Brenda first joined the group called Joy. Later in that year, she became the lead singer for the township pop group Brenda And The Big Dudes. Brenda fell in love with Nhlahla Mbambo who was also a member of the group. They got married in 1989 and had a son called Bongani.

They divorced in 1991. It was this time when Brenda Fassie became addicted to cocaine and her career suffered. Brenda went to rehabilitation clinics over and over. Her condition became very unbearable, she sank on high debts. She also missed gigs and she had a problem with her music promoters.

Brenda left The Big Dudes and joined another group with Sello "Chicco" Twala. Sello is one of South Africa's most accomplished musical producers. They went for collaboration and produced the hit album "Too Late for Mama" in 1989. The album included the song "Black President" which was banned during the apartheid-era. More hits on her album were, "Shoot Them Before They Grow", "Stay Away From My Man", and "Don't Follow Me I'm Married". Brenda loved popularity; she sang songs about life in the townships and she was called "The Madonna of the townships".

Her addiction to drugs became worse. She also became a lesbian. She was discovered in a hotel room with the body of her lover, Poppie Sihlahla. Her lover died because of the overdose of cocaine in 1995. On the 26 April 2004, Brenda collapsed at her home in Buccleuch and was admitted into the Sunninghill hospital in Johannesburg. The post-mortem revealed that she had taken an overdose of cocaine that resulted to a coma. She stopped breathing and suffered brain damage from lack of oxygen. At this stage, it was also revealed that the Brenda Fassie was HIV positive.

Brenda died at age of 39 on 9 May 2004 in hospital without returning to consciousness after her life support machines were turned off.

Interesting things on Brenda Fassie music

"Vul'indlela" ("Clear the path" or "Make way") became a hit through Africa and also earned Fassie the 1999 continental Kora award for best female artist.Fassie scooped the Samas best-selling release award for the next three years running with the albums "Nomakanjani" (1999), "Amadlozi" (2000) - featuring the hits "Thola 'madlozi" and "Nakupenda" - and "Mina Nawe" (2001), all produced by Twala. "Nomakanjani" sold 525 000 copies, while "Memeza" sold half a million copies. "No other South African artist has ever come close to this record" In 2001 Fassie released "Brenda's Greatest Hits" - also a massive seller - followed by "Myekeleni" in 2002 and "Mali" in 2004.

Sources:

• Wikipedia
• BBC-News
• Allmusic
• South Africa.info

Connie Ferguson was born in Kimberley, She is best known for her role as  Karabo Moroka on Generations. She is regarded as one of South Africa's hottest actresses in the country.

Before Connie became famous she used to own a mini hair salon called Connie's Salon, based in Botswana. Connie joined Generations, a South African soapie in 1994. She is playing the role of the gorgeous Karabo Moroka who is a business woman and also in her life as Connie Ferguson is also a business woman, owning her own eye wear.

In 1998 Connie received the "PAWE Young Artist Award". In 1993 Cosmopolitan chose her as one of "South Africa's Ten Most Beautiful Women". From 1993 to 1998, she has had lead parts in at least five TV films. These are What If (Penguin Films), Crime Reporter (Bateleur Films), Maitemogelo (Spectro Films), Soul City, 1, 2 & 4.

Like any other human being Connie has also experienced tragedies in life. Connie  miscarried her third child. As a family they had been trying to have a little sister or brother for their daughters Lesedi, 14, and five-year-old Alicia. Connie is married to another soapie star (Muvhango) Shona Ferguson.

Even with her hectic schedule, the mother of two, believes family comes first, and she does her best to maintain a balance as she juggles life as a leading soap star, a devoted wife, and a loving mother.

According to Connie her most special achievements are being voted one of South Africa's Ten Most beautiful Women (1993) by Cosmopolitan Magazine, and featuring in David Dodd's Portraits of South Africa's Most beautiful Women (1997). She also won Best Actress in the Duku Duku Awards, and Most Stylish Actress in a soap from Sunday Times/Elle Magazine TV Style Award.

She makes time for charity and celebrity appearances at different events, and works mainly with the Department of Health in the Northern Cape. She supports the Takalani Home for the disabled

Source:

• Sunday Times