Nomzamo Mbatha on activism and THAT Cosmo cover

Activism is something very close to Nomzamo’s heart

By  | Jun 22, 2020, 01:44 PM  | Nomzamo Mbatha  | Top of The

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Nomzamo Mbatha

Nomzamo will not let people’s opinions stop her from pursuing her passions or doing what she loves. The actress came under fire after her Cosmopolitan magazine cover came out. The August issue is focused on activism. While some people hailed the cover, others felt that the ‘activism’ titled didn’t suit Nomzamo.

So, how does she feel about being on this historic cover? The Isibaya starlet told Mo Flava and Masechaba Ndlovu on The Drive on Metro: “Activism is supposed to get people talking, activism is supposed to shake the table, that’s what activism is about. So, for me when I got the call to be on the cover it was the very first time they were going to do the activism issue.”

She said she was excited because she was going to be featured with other people, other women who are doing incredible things – whether it may be social or political in terms of the activism space.

Nomzamo revealed that it’s important for her to be vocal about the things she advocates for, things that move her heart and things that she dedicates her life to.

Speaking about the debate sparked by the Cosmo cover, Nomzamo said: “I think the semantics around so and so can be called this, so and so can’t be called this, I think it’s divisive, I think it’s elitist, I think it’s gatekeeping.

“And, unfortunately, if we’re going to use the bondage of Black Girl Magic then it’s important for us to see the divisiveness of it. Who does it belong to the Black Girl Magic? Are we only together when it’s time to hashtag everything? Why can’t we be together beyond just the hashtag of the day, or of the week?”

The activist continued: “It’s unfortunate with the things that happened, but for me, it doesn’t change the course of my life. It doesn’t change the fact that I will continue to advocate for refugees, I will continue to advocate for mental illness, I will continue to speak on it, and if you say that I’m not an activist then that is ok. I was never born for titles, I was never born for labels. I just wanna be a decent human being…”  

Earlier this year, Zamo graduated from the University of Cape Town and made a lot of people proud. What also got attention was her dress, which made a powerful statement.

The faces on the dress were of all the people who had passed away in her life, including her father and late sister Carla, who committed suicide a few years ago.

In a post, she explained: “I wanted the pictures of my late baby sister, Carla, late older sister, Matu, my late father, Nicholas Nxumalo and the greatest love of my life, the woman who named me Nomzamo, my late grandmother, MamJoli. The many tragedies I had to survive…”

She also had the South African Depression and Anxiety Group’s number on the dress.

Main Image Credit: Instagram/@Nomzamo_m

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