‘My daughter is not this woman’s daughter’
A woman is claiming to be the biological mother of actress Nomzamo Mbatha
TV PERSONALITY Nomzamo Mbatha’s mother has broken her silence over allegations by an Mpumalanga woman who claims the actress is her daughter.
Threatening messages sent to the Isibaya actress have surfaced, leaving Mbatha’s mother, Manatuku, and the actress angry.
“We have been silent for three years and we are not taking this lying down. We’re no longer taking the high road. I say it to my pupils every day, there are consequences for every action,” said Manatuku, who is a teacher.
It was reported in a tabloid newspaper three years ago that Elizabeth Mbatha claimed to be the TV star’s biological mother and wanted to be “re-united” with her.
The woman claims to have given birth to a daughter also named Nomzamo in 1987 but separated from the father, Mkhashelwa Zinya from Bizana in the Eastern Cape, who then disappeared with her daughter.
Nomzamo’s Durban family has denied this, saying the actress’s father was Skuta Nxumalo, from Kwamashu who had never worked in Bizana. He died 10 years ago.
The actress was born in July 1990.
Manatuku told the Sunday Tribune this week that she was angered by the wild allegations and said that they were tarnishing the 26-yearold’s image, as well as being an embarrassment to her.
“As the mother who conceived her, carried her for nine months and gave birth to her, (the) Sunday Sun (has) launched personal embarrassment on me, without ever seeking my view.
“It was with shock and anger when my family first heard of this absurd and lunatic story back in 2014.
“It angered not only us as a family, but the community of Kwamashu C and F section, where my daughter Nomzamo Nonzwakazi was born and raised,” she said.
Manatuku said Elizabeth had never approached them as a family.
“They harass my daughter with threatening calls and messages. Nomzamo’s father passed away 10 years ago. She was extremely close to him.
“She was the apple of his eye. He’d be more than upset at this lie. This poor lady might seriously have lost a daughter, but it’s just not my daughter.
“She needs to engage the right people and refrain from harassing my daughter through the media. We owe no one an explanation because we know our truth.”
Manatuku said the woman had lost sight of the fact that celebrities had families, too.
The family is considering legal action, but Manatuku would not discuss the details.
Among the messages that have prompted an angry response from Nomzamo and her family have been:
“We not here to make your family spit cheese out of their mouth. You are indeed creating a war for the children. Sooner or later you’ll be no more. We shall see… ”
Another message reads: “This is a war no one else will ever fight but you.”
Manatuku believed Nomzamo was being harassed because of her fame.
“It upsets me. Thankfully I have a solid support structure that knows the truth who Nomzamo’s father is, where and how she was born and raised.
“Personally, I am not threatened, (but) my daughter is. It has rendered her fearful to answer an unknown number or calls at night.”
Manatuku reminisced about the first time she laid her eyes on her daughter as she grew up in Kwamashu, north of Durban.
“She was a sweet, quiet child from the moment she was born. She was always giggling, but had great strength about her. As was customary, she was named by her paternal grandmother who saw her resilience and beauty from the moment we laid eyes on her,” she said.
“Zamo is a strong and resilient young woman.”
Mbatha has denied sending the threatening messages.
The woman who shares the same surname with the celebrity’s maternal family said she would no longer talk about Nomzamo.
“I was also separated from my daughter named Nomzamo who I gave birth to in 1987. If the Nomzamo from TV is not my daughter and doesn’t want to meet me, it’s fine, I am no longer going to talk about this,” she said.