Sophie Lichaba Talks About Her Acting Career, Marriages & Her Business Empire

Sophie Lichaba nee Ndaba is a veteran actress well known for her role as Queen Moroka on Generations for over 2 decades. She is a businesswoman, media personality, entrepreneur and her talent started in modelling.

She is a mother to daughters and her journey took her from South Africa to Zimbabwe and then back to South Africa again. She sat down with Anele Mdoda to talk about her journey as a successful black woman who keeps inspiring others.

Key Points 

1. Sophie Lichaba was born in the poor township of Soweto and she had to overcome a lot of circumstances to be so successful and be the breadwinner in her family.
2. Her grandfather had two families, one in Zimbabwe and the other in South Africa. He had two wives, a coloured from Kimberly and the second wife was a Shona.
3. She lost her sister at the age of 26 and she also became a mum at a younger age.
4. Despite having such a big family, Sophie Lichaba ended up in an orphanage in Zimbabwe.
5. Her mother sent her to a boarding school in Eastlea, a fancy suburb in Zimbabwe’s capital Harare.
6. The children’s home was sponsored by wealthy people so it never looked like an orphanage.
7. When Sophie Lichaba came back to South Africa she was already pregnant.
8. She only knew two languages Shona and English. She learnt Sotho at the age of 19. Everyone in the neighbourhood would call her English.
9. Her mother was Miss Kimberly in 1965.
10. Sophie Lichaba says it was her mother who took care of her baby.
11. She bought her first fridge at the age of 18 and her first couch at the age of 19.
12. She was casted for Generations despite the fact that she could not speak any South African languages.
13. She lied that she can speak Tswana because she wanted to steal Connie Ferguson’s role (Karabo).
14. Sophie Lichaba was Mfundi Mvundla’s favourite. Mvundla is the creator of Generations and Generations: The Legacy.
15. She has always seen Mfundi Mvundla as a father figure. He came to her daughter Rudo’s first birthday.
16. She says she would work with Mvundla again.
17. Sophie Lichaba owns an events planning company, the company has planned some of the fancy weddings in South Africa.
18. When Black Coffee and Enhle Mbali tied the knot, it was Sophie Lichaba who planned the wedding.
19. She has planned a R30 million wedding.
20. Sophie says her only psychiatrist is God.
21. Asked to say something in Shona, Sophie said, “Ndinokuda zvekuti dhuu”, which in English translates to I love you very much.
22. Sophie Lichaba has been married three times. Her current husband is businessman, Max Lichaba.
23. She was married to veteran actor Themba Ndaba.