Scandal, the award-winning eTV soapie, has responded to Nomvelo Makhanya’s shocking allegations against the show. The Scandal actress who played Lindiwe Ngema recently took to social media to discuss the alleged toxic work environment.
Nomvelo, who had been with the show for almost a decade, stunned Mzansi when he revealed that the workplace was toxic. She claimed she would have committed suicide. The actress claimed she had been catching the smoke for leaving the show, but no one knew she had been fired.
Watch as Lindiwe's takes her final breath… 💔 💔 💔 💔 #etvscandal pic.twitter.com/6m61sbDURU
— Scandal! (@etvScandal) November 10, 2022
Initially the actress said she was leaving the show for greener pastures but has since backtracked her statement and made jaw-dropping revelations about her exit.
Lindiwe Maseko may be gone but she will never be forgotten! ❤️
To Nomvelo Makhanya, thank you for sharing your talent with us over the past 9 years. Thank you for the magic and memories! We wish you all the best with your career! 🤩 ❤️
From your #etvscandal family! pic.twitter.com/kocM3mnuTL
— Scandal! (@etvScandal) November 10, 2022
In a statement shared with TshisaLIVE the show said it was unaware that the workplace was toxic up until she took that video. “E.tv’s Scandal production was unaware that the workplace had become a toxic environment for the actor or any actor for that matter. As a production, we’ve always communicated an open-door policy for all our cast and crew for any matter or situation whether it is professional or personal. To our knowledge, as a production, we’ve had a great run of 10 years with the actor Nomvelo Makhanya and we appreciate the work she put in on her character as Lindiwe Maseko- Ngema.
“The exit of the Lindiwe Maseko – Ngema character was purely dictated by the story, the character had run its course on the show, and therefore as the producers and writing team of the show, we ended the character journey to allow us opportunities to explore other avenues as storytellers. Ending characters is always bittersweet for us as a production especially with an actor like Nomvelo Makhanya because she grows up in the show but it also gives us the opportunity for new stories for the future and new opportunities for remaining cast members.” read the statement.
Makhanya also added that she has been praying to leave Scandal and God made it possible for her. “It was God’s plan though, Imma tell you that for real, coz I have been praying but it wasn’t my choice. But if you can understand those two things, that choice mekungasiyona eyami but isenzo sankulunkulu, imkhuleko mekweyami. I have been wanting to leave, I have been wanting to leave that place. For me it was something I have been praying about. When it finally happened it really really felt like God was removing me from that toxic, toxic environment” said Makhanya.
The actress said she nearly would have ended her life due to work toxic the work environment was and said she would not be going back to a soapie anytime soon.
“Ngicishe ngafa and I am sure bengizophuma ebhokisini, I probably would have killed myself, I probably. There was an eighty… ninety percent chance, that’s how toxic that place was” said Nomvelo Makhanya
“I’m definitely not looking to be going into any soapie work anytime soon…I want to explore other things & being on a soapie won’t give me the time to do what I want. But also, if it’s part of God’s plan for me to be on a soapie, I’d probably stay for 6-12 months max” said Makhanya.