In the heart of rural Zebediela, a young girl once watched TV with wide eyes, captivated by city skylines, double-storey homes, and suburban families. That girl was Salamina Mosese. Her early years were shaped by modest dreams and big screens, even if she never imagined she would one day be part of those very stories. The journey from a quiet childhood in Limpopo to becoming a leading actress, producer, and media powerhouse was not planned—but it was certainly destined.
Salamina’s first brush with the entertainment industry happened almost by accident. “I never planned to get into the industry as a child,” she says. It was when she accompanied her brother to an audition that fate intervened. Encouraged to try out herself, she landed her first job, and a career she never expected began to take root. “I had always admired children on TV and was an avid fan of shows like Kideo and X-Attitude. That fascination slowly became a calling.”
Though her passion was ignited early, she knew talent alone would not be enough. With a degree in Corporate Communication already under her belt, Salamina pursued a Post Graduate Diploma in Business Management when she and her business partner Stephina Zwane launched Sorele Media. “I wanted to feel like I was better prepared for the business and entrepreneurship space. So furthering my studies made sense at the time.” It was a bold move that paid off—Sorele Media has since become a significant force in African storytelling.
Long before she became a filmmaker though, audiences knew her from iconic roles on television. One of her earliest and most defining experiences was playing Keketso Chaka on Backstage, a character previously portrayed by another actress. “It was daunting,” she admits. “It taught me a lot about acting and performance, especially in the soap opera medium.” It was also where she met her future husband, Tshepo Mosese. “We met and fell in love on set and have been married for the past 16 years.” Life imitates art, and in Salamina’s case, love bloomed right in the middle of it.
But it was her comedic turn as Ella Kekana in the award-winning series Abo Mzala that truly changed the game. “It was the first time I played a comedic character,” she shares. “Winning my first South African Film and Television Award for Best Actress in a Comedy in 2013 showed me I could stretch myself to play diverse characters.” Ella was a young cleaner from Limpopo who didn’t speak a word of English. To embody her, Salamina drew inspiration from domestic workers and cleaning staff she encountered. “It is the most fun I have ever had playing a character. I now know that comedy is my favourite genre.”
Yet it has not all been laughs. On the set of the BBC’s Wild at Heart, she faced a moment of real danger. Filming scenes with a tiger may sound thrilling on paper, but it became unforgettable for all the wrong reasons. “The tiger caught some movement and bolted off the stage. The chaos that ensued is something I will never forget. Nobody was injured, thankfully, but it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences of my life.” It’s the kind of story that most actors might shy away from retelling, but Salamina does it with grace and humor—traits that have come to define her.
Juggling roles as an actress, television presenter, model, and now producer, she finds joy in switching between storytelling styles. “Acting is an opportunity to escape real life, step into someone else’s shoes and imagine their world. Presenting, on the other hand, is about bringing your personality to the screen and engaging with audiences in real time.” She admits that modelling doesn’t come as naturally—posing for a stills camera feels less comfortable than performing a script or presenting a show.
Her transition into film production with Sorele Media was driven by a deeper mission. “To date, our company has produced and released four feature films, three of which are on Netflix, and we’re finalising two more. We get to change the narrative around stories made by and for predominantly black female audiences.” This isn’t just entertainment for her. It’s about cultural ownership and the power of representation.
Reflecting on the South African entertainment industry, Salamina sees great progress. “Our stories are travelling more, gaining international attention, and attracting global audiences. What we need now are more distribution platforms for our content so the world can understand us better.” Her vision is clear: create, amplify, and export South African narratives without compromising their authenticity.
That same authenticity carries into every performance. She believes that each role reveals something new about the actor behind it. “Every character brings out a different part of the performer. That’s how we keep our portrayals fresh and original.”
When asked what advice she would offer to aspiring entertainers, she doesn’t sugarcoat it. “Fame is merely a by-product of what we do. If one focuses on the work and remains professional, then fame will not consume you or overwhelm you.” She also speaks frankly about financial survival in the arts. “Find another way to earn an income between jobs, especially if you’re a freelance actor or musician.”
Salamina Mosese is more than an actress. She’s a storyteller, a businesswoman, a trailblazer, and a mother navigating it all with poise and purpose. From a spontaneous audition to shaping the African film landscape, she reminds us that sometimes, the best paths are the ones we never planned.
