On 13 March 2021, South Africa mourned the loss of one of the greatest actors who had been in the industry since 1989.
Born on the 28th of August 1964, Menzi Ngubane was an award-winning actor who brought numerous characters to life in many television shows including Yizo Yizo, Generations, Isibaya, and Ashes and Ashes- among many others and films including How to Steal 2 Million.
While the country mourned the loss of an exceptional actor, those close to him suffered an even bigger loss and they mourned the death of a friend, a son, a brother,a husband, and a father.
Here is a look at Menzi Ngubane’s daughters, his daughter’s work in keeping his legacy, his widow and his ex-wife. May Menzi continue resting well.
Menzi Ngubane’s daughters
Menzi Ngubane was blessed with two beautiful daughters- Siyasanaga (Siya) and Ziyanda Ngubane who were born from his wife’s previous marriage. He adopted them as his daughters after his marriage.
Not much is known about Menzi Ngubane’s younger daughter Ziyanda who is aged 12 years old, but his older daughter Siya has been making headlines for her works in trying to keep her father’s legacy alive.
Menzi Ngubane’s daughter who is keeping his legacy
Siya, who holds a degree in Public Administration, revealed that she had a very close relationship with her late father who raised her from when she was 15 years old. He taught her to drive and that became their bonding activity.
On what would have been his 57th birthday, on 28th August 2021, Menzi Ngubane’s family led by his daughter and wife honoured the late actor’s legacy.
The Menzi Ngubane Foundation which is currently headed by Menzi Ngubane’s daughter collaborated with BrightSpark Foundation SA to donate food and toys to Ethembeni Home in Johannesburg which happened to be the late actor’s favourite children’s foundation.
Siya who was still looking for employment revealed that she would continue running her father’s foundation under her mother’s mentorship.
Menzi Ngubane’s wife
The mother of Menzi Ngubane’s daughters and the woman who was the love of his life and partner is Sikelelo Sishuba.
Menzi and Sishuba first met in 2004 at the SABC studios where she was working as a receptionist. The two dated but things didn’t work out and they broke up.
Fate would bring the two together again in 2013, and the two rekindled their love. In 2018, Menzi Ngubane and Sikelelo Sishuba became husband and wife after their traditional wedding ceremony, which was graced by the late couple’s close friends, relatives, and colleagues.
Menzi and his wife loved each other with undying passion and the late actor did not shy from showing the world just how much he loved his better half.
He often went all out on special occasions like anniversaries, birthdays and Valentine's days and showered his wife with gifts. On one of his wife’s birthdays, Menzi bought her a Mercedes Benz CLA, which was his dream car.
Ngubane and his wife survived the trying times of their life, including Ngubane’s illness and the actor’s death only separated the two.
Read also: Menzi Ngubane’s wife: “I am broken.”
Menzi Ngubane’s ex-wife
Before his marriage to Sikelelo, Menzi Ngubane was married to Lerato Sedibe for five years. The pair divorced in 2014.
In a past interview with Drum magazine, Lerato revealed she had walked out of her marriage after learning that Menzi was a practicing sangoma- this went against her faith as a Christian.
Read also: Meet Patrick Shai’s wife.