In Pictures: Meet Uzalo’s Baby Smangaliso ‘Kwandokuhle Phakamani’ in real life.
Baby actor Kwandokuhle Phakamani plays the role of Smangaliso on Uzalo. In real life, he is the biological son of Ntokozo Makhanya (mother) and Lungelo Buthelezi (father).
On Uzalo, Baby Smangaliso is the abandoned baby of Hlelo; the role played by Nothando Ngcobo. After birth, he was dumped and luckily rescued by MaMlambo, who gave her Smangaliso, a Zulu name that translates to Miracle in English. Indeed baby Smangaliso was a miracle in MaMlambo’s life; the lonely sangoma was later jailed for kidnapping the baby.
After MaMlambo’s short arrest, Baby Smangaliso was taken away by social workers and later given back to his mother, Hlelo. Hlelo, who had a brief stint in jail, was arrested for baby dumping, was reunited with her baby and allowed to keep him under the supervision of social workers.
Hell, break loose for baby Smangaliso after his mother Hlelo goes back to her old alcohol and drug abuse habits. The two will be separated and the baby placed under foster care.
Uzalo Baby Smangaliso in Real Life, Parents
Real Name: Kwandokuhle Phakamani
Stage Name: Baby Smangaliso (Uzalo)
Date of Birth: 2 July 2021
Father: Lungelo Buthelezi
Mother: Ntokozo Makhanya
Instagram: babykwandokuhle_pk
In real life, baby Smangaliso’s real name is Kwandokuhle Phakamani was born on 2 July 2021. He rose into stardom when he joined Uzalo. He is followed on Instagram by renowned Uzalo cast members, including Thembinkosi Thwala, Noxolo Mathula and Nompilo Maphumulo.
Kwandokuhle’s mother is a civil engineer by profession; she specializes in plumbing and owns Okuhle projects, a civil engineering company. His father, Lungelo Buthelezi, is an artisan who owns a fencing company called Oshenge fencing.
Cries after shooting
The family expressed their gratitude to Uzalo producers Stained Glass Productions for selecting their baby to play a significant role in their storyline.
“We are grateful for our child for the baby Smangaliso role; he is a loving and handsome child who feels comfortable, especially in women hands. He has a future and a life to live; when he grows up, he will have the liberty to choose the career he wants to follow, but the Uzalo memories will forever be engraved in his heart. He loves Nothando, who plays his mother on Uzalo; at times, he cries when we separate them after shooting.”