Sophie Ndaba's Heart-Wrenching Childhood in Zimbabwe
Veteran South African actress Sophie Ndaba, beloved for her iconic role as Queen Moroka in the hit TV series Generations, recently opened up about her tumultuous childhood, including a harrowing period spent in Harare, Zimbabwe.
In a candid chat with Relebogile Mabotja, Ndaba shared the heart-wrenching details of her early years, marked by immense hardship.
Her father was gravely ill, surviving with just one kidney, while her mother shouldered the burden as the family's sole breadwinner. Financial struggles were a constant shadow over their lives.
At the tender age of eight, Ndaba was sent to Harare to live with her older sister, who was already married with children.
But instead of finding solace, she faced new challenges. Ndaba revealed that her sister’s husband behaved inappropriately towards her.
She recalled her grandmother's wise words that helped her navigate these perilous waters: “Don’t allow men to touch or kiss you. They must greet you and move.”
Sophie Ndaba's Heart-Wrenching Childhood in Zimbabwe
Despite this, she endured unsettling encounters, with her brother-in-law crossing boundaries.
After escaping her sister’s home, Ndaba found herself in a children’s home, only to be taken in by a wealthy couple.
However, the apparent affluence masked a grim reality. “About a month after I was there, that lady said kids don’t sleep in bedrooms, they sleep outside,” Ndaba recounted.
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She and two other foster children were forced to sleep on a concrete floor, bathe in cold water, and often went without lunch.
Ndaba was baffled by the cruel treatment, especially given the family's wealth. She realised that the foster mother had taken them in for selfish reasons, to maintain appearances and keep her husband, as she couldn't have children of her own.
During a Christmas visit, Ndaba’s father noticed her drastic weight loss. Though she initially blamed it on sports, her father saw through the facade and rescued her from the dire conditions she had been enduring.
