Thabo Mkhabela promoted to casting director on Skeem Saam

Thabo Mkhabela, best known for his portrayal as Leshole Mabitsela in Skeem Saam, has been elevated to casting director. On the educational show he has moved behind the scenes. A fan of the show, social media blogger @Jabu_Macdonald, tweeted: “Thabo Mkhabela is now a casting director.”

Mkhabela left the educational soapie at the end of season nine when his character joined the army to pursue his ambition of becoming a pilot.He tells Sunday World that he joined the show after completing his degree: “I must say, performance-wise, I have grown, and it has been amazing to experience.”

“I joined Skeem Saam after I finished my degree, and I must say, performance-wise, I have grown, and it has been amazing to experience. I did not really leave the soapie. I have been working behind the scenes as a casting director, and I am grateful to have been given that opportunity,” he told the paper. “It is breathtaking because I actually go find the people who fit the character or role written in the script,” he said

Mkhabela, who made news when his on-screen father, Charles Maja, who played Big Boy Mabitsela, died in 2020, tells Sunday World that his father’s death was difficult for him because they enjoyed a special bond on and off-screen.

"We would discuss everything, and I learned a lot from him, and I hope that wherever he is, he is proud of how far I have come with the character," he said

Mkabela’s mother ensured that he had a good education, as evidenced by his BA in Performing Arts from the University of Limpopo. In a 2018 interview, he suggested considering returning to school to study law, saying it is something he has always wanted to do.

Thabo made his acting debut in 2016. He first appeared as Leshola Mabitsela in Skeem Saam and has since become one of the show’s favorite characters. Leshola is from a poor family in Skeem Saam, and his goals of making it in life seem unattainable.

When he receives an invitation to join the South African Air Force, things begin to fall into place for him. He is determined to realise his dream of becoming a pilot. He does, however, appear to be under a black cloud. Thabo momentarily left the show in July 2021 and returned in July 2022.

Mkhabela states that viewers of Skeem Saam should “expect to see a nice storyline with many twists.”

On the faculty of Tshwane University of Technology, he teaches courses in the arts.
His other interests include writing poems, inspiring students, and performing on stage in theatre productions when he is not acting.