Gorgeous Muvhango newbie and former Miss Botswana, Seneo Mabengano is set to grab all the attention with her role in the SABC 2 drama. The 26 year-old actress, who is half Motswana and half Greek, plays Khumo, a go-getter determined to achieve her goals by fair or foul means and always gets what she wants.
Her character, promises to ruffle some feathers with her stubbornness and pompous persona.
“Khumo will stop at nothing to get what she wants, even at the expense of others. Khumo enters the scene as James Motsamai’s long-lost half-sister from his father’s side. There is not much background to Khumo except what she allows people to see and know. She comes in having moved away from her past after the death of her billionaire husband, and she is the new girl in the city of Johannesburg with a mission to take over,” says Seneo about her character.
She adds that there are traits she can relate to with Khumo, including her willingness to make things happen regardless of the circumstances, she does not like Khumo’s pure evil.
“Her ability to turn a situation meant for bad for good is me. But I will never do anything for my benefit at the expense of others; that is where the difference is. Khumo does not see anybody but herself and her plans but on the other hand, I believe I am the most selfless person; it almost annoys me because I tend to forget about myself. I have a hunger to achieve greatness and success like Khumo, but I will not use people’s weaknesses and pain as my ladder to greatness. Khumo is generally not the kindest or loving person, nothing about her is genuine, but Seneo is the literal opposite. Khumo is a contrast to Seneo except for the similarities I outlined,” she explains.
This will be the first acting tv gig for the multitalented Seneo, who is also a gifted fine artist. She first auditioned in Gaborone, Botswana, after a post was put up on social media by the Muvhango casting team. Following that, she was shortlisted in a smaller group for a second round of auditions in South Africa. She says she was pleasantly surprised when she received a call that she was chosen for the role.
“ After that audition, I went back home to Botswana hopeful and prayerful. Thankfully a month later, the phone call came, and here we are today; I am playing Khumo on Muvhango,’ she says.
Seneo, who grew up in a town called Selebi Phikwe, adds that though she wanted to be an actress growing up, she never thought in her wildest dreams that she would get her break in Muvhango.
“Growing up, I always stood out for being talented in performing arts. Thinking about it now makes me laugh, but it now makes a lot of sense. Back then, it was all abstract for my family and me; we never thought it would develop into something much bigger than that,” she shares.
Life has not always been smooth sailing for Seneo. She lost her mother at the tender age of 13, and she and her brother were brought up by her grandparents and later by her aunt and her husband, whom she considers her parents.
“I was raised in a traditional home, respectful and loving her grandparents who helped mould her into a well-rounded woman. I consider myself lucky to have experienced such an upbringing of rooted culture and having my grandparents contribute to how I was brought up,” she says.