Mzansi actress Shalate Sekhabi has penned a touching goodbye to her character, Shoki, on popular soapie House of Zwide. After four years of bringing the vibrant character to life, Shalate is moving on to new adventures.
Shalate portrayed Shoki Zwide, the best friend of Onalerona Molapo (played by Nefisa Mkhabela). Shoki's journey saw her evolve from a bright-eyed young fashion designer from Tembisa into the very face of the House of Zwide fashion line. House of Zwide, which premiered in July 2019, follows Onalerona's journey as she pursues her dream of working for the renowned fashion designer, Funani Zwide.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Shalate expressed her gratitude: "My heart is filled with so much gratitude. Farewell Shoki! Thank you so much to everyone who has embraced and loved Shoki over the years."
She emphasized the impact Shoki has had on her career. "It’s because of this character that I’ve become a household name and got my start in this industry. Shoki has changed my life beyond anything I could have ever imagined and the love from all the viewers online and in person is the most amazing thing to come out of all of this. This is very bittersweet for me because I will miss playing Shoki, I played her for four years and most of you all know me as her!"
Shalate added, "This is truly the end of an era but all chapters have to end at some point. I look forward to all my future endeavours and sharing more work with all of you."
Fans have flooded social media with messages of support. One Instagram user commented, "Well done mama, really enjoyed the show because of you." Another added, "We love you Shoki! All the best in your future endeavours."
We wish Shalate Sekhabi all the best in her future projects!