Who is Vele Manenje? Inside the personal life and career of the celebrated actress
Vele Manenje, a multilingual South African actress, is at the peak of her career and shows no signs of slowing down. The SAFTA winner received widespread praise and critical acclaim for her role in Skeem Saam. This article unravels the exciting life of one of SA's most in-demand TV stars.
Source: Instagram
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Vele has a larger-than-life personality, a lot of energy, and a great sense of humour that has kept audiences glued to their television for years. She began presenting early on children's shows such as Takalani Sesame, Siyakholwa, and Rivoningo. Her talents are now being recognised internationally.
Profile summary
| Full name | Vele Manenje |
| Nickname | Mukololo |
| Gender | Female |
| Date of birth | 11 March 1988 |
| Age | 33 years old |
| Place of birth | Venda, South Africa |
| Sexual orientation | Straight |
| Zodiac sign | Pisces |
| Nationality | South African |
| Ethnicity | African |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Brown |
| Marital Status | Unknown |
| Children | Unknown |
| Career | Actress, singer, presenter, host, MC, voice artist, writer, and comedian |
| Debut | 2014 in South African television sitcom, Single Galz |
| Fun fact | She speaks nine languages |
| Social media | Instagram: @vele_manenje |
Vele Manenje's biography
With her extensive theatre, TV, and other performance experience, Vele Manenje quickly became the title holder of numerous awards. She has many talents and is actively working her way to global stardom.
What is Vele Manenje's age?
She is turning 37 years of age in 2025. Vele Manenje was born on 11 March 1988 in Venda, Limpopo. She is a Pisces.
Early life
Vele was born in Venda which was a Bantustan in South Africa. It was a territory that the National Party set aside for Black inhabitants as part of its apartheid policy. When she was young, the family relocated to Johannesburg, where she developed a passion for the arts.
Education and languages
Vele is a dedicated performance artist who studied communication sciences at UNISA after attending the National School of the Arts. Her hobbies include singing and dancing, and she spends her free time making candles and jewellery.
She hails from Venda in the beautiful land of Limpopo, the northernmost point of South Africa, and her mother tongue is the Bantu language (TshiVenda).
She is fluent in English and can speak some Afrikaans. Vele Manenje is also a fluent speaker of the South African languages Tsonga, Pedi, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, and Sotho. That is an impressive nine languages!
Source: Original
Vele Manenje's weight loss
In early 2023, the Skeem Saam star announced that she was starting her weight loss journey with the help of doctors. The actress said that she had had a balloon inserted in her stomach to help her lose weight. The balloon is filled with saline and takes up space, leading to less eating.
In three months, by March 2023, Vele Manenje wrote on Instagram that she had already seen results.
It has only been 3full months and Iv seen all kinds of flames…starting weight upon insertion of the balloon was 109kgs and current weight is now 96kgs…which means I’m 16kgs away from reaching my goal.
In December 2023, the actress shared her weight progress and said she felt healthier after weight loss.
In July 2024, the actress shared an update that she was getting reconstructive surgery since her skin was sagging after so much weight loss. She wrote,
So a year and a half later since i started my Weightloss journey and boy oh boy, it’s been one big rollercoaster but here we go…After losing over 30kgs of my weight, my weightloss doctors ...introduced me to a duo of some of the best plastic surgeons...who do all kinds of reconstructive surgery.
Vele Manenje before and after
Vele Manenje has lost over 30 kg since beginning her weight loss journey. Her look has drastically changed.
Source: Instagram
Vele Manenje shows
Vele is a multitalented and passionate thespian and has played roles on stage and in theatre productions like How I Learned to Drive, Black Bling, Grease, Little Shop of Horrors and Hotel Paradise. Her broad range of acting abilities makes her ideal for the stage.
In addition to her already famous filmography, she has also presented on SABC2's Rivoningo and SABC1's Siyakholwa. The show won her a BAFTA nomination for Best TV Presenter in 2016. She hosted Seasons 8 and 9 of Mzansi's famous reality show Our Perfect Wedding in 2018 and 2019.
She landed her first significant role in the international series MNET's Silent Witness alongside John Kani. She has also had roles in Our Stories (e.tv), Muvhango (SAB2), A Place Called Home (SABC1), Diep City, and Single Guys (SABC1).
In early 2021, she landed the part of Evelyn, an intelligent former schoolteacher, on the popular SABC1 soapie Skeem Saam. In 2023, she starred in Clean Job as one of the women who disguise themselves as domestic workers to rob the rich.
Her most recent role is Makhosi Minsi in the Netflix TV series Savage Beauty, which ran from 2022 to 2024.
Vele Manenje awards
Source: Instagram
In 2016, Vele Manenje's nominations for her presentation of Siyakholwa were announced, and she was selected as a SAFTA nominee for Best TV Presenter.
She won a SAFTA award for Best Supporting Actress in 2019 for her role as Shandu in the Mzansi telenovela Ring of Lies alongside Masemola Warren and Maduvha Madima.
In October 2024, the actress received an outpouring of love and praise throughout South Africa because of her role in Skeem Saam. Her portrayal of a heartbroken and anguished mother to Tobias Maswahla, accused of rape, touched the hearts of many.
Source: Instagram
Artist Nicholas Nkuna, aka Nick Soul, gave her flowers to show appreciation for her talent and storytelling. He said,
I want to congratulate you for being such a phenomenal actress, for shaking the country and telling stories that matter.
Vele Manenje took to social media to show her gratitude for the outpouring of love. She shared that she was overwhelmed by the praise and flowers from her fellow artists and the South Africans.
Who is Vele Manenje husband in real life?
Little is known about Vele Manenje's husband or even if she's married at all. The actress keeps her love life private.
She stars as Sonto on SABC1's sitcom Single Galz. The character is a single girl making all the wrong moves in relationships, so it is no surprise that people wonder about her personal life.
Vele Manenje's son
Vele's iconic role in Skeem Saam as Evelyn Maswahla, mother to Tobias Maswahla, has led to questions about her real-life son. There is no information on whether Vele Manenje has a son. The actress keeps her personal life very private.
Vele Manenje on Muvhango
In 2018, her extensive acting experience landed her on SABC2's Muvhango, one of SA's most popular and longest-running TV shows. She plays Seani Ramasha for the show that has 5.5 million viewers.
Muvhango is a prime-time television soap opera about the royal Mukwevho household, headed by family patriarch and village leader Azwindini Mukwevho. Seani from Muvhango real name is Vele Manenje.
What happened to Vele Manenje?
Vele Manenje lost over 30 kg, leading to a drastic change in her looks. According to her Instagram updates, she is healthy and doing great.
How did Vele Manenje lose weight?
Vele Manenje underwent a gastric balloon procedure to lose weight. A balloon is inserted into the stomach and filled with saline. The balloon takes up space in the stomach, reducing how much someone eats and leading to weight loss.
Is Vele Manenje a princess?
Vele's nickname is Mukololo. Many wonder what the name Mukololo means. According to a user from South Africa, the name is of African origin and means 'Prince or Princess'. Indeed, she has the face of a princess with a cheerful personality.
FAQs
- How old is Vele Manenje? She is turning 37 on 11 March 2025.
- Who is Vele Manenje's child? There is no information on whether the actress has a child.
- Is Vele Manenje married? The actress has not shared any updates on her love life.
- What is Vele Manenje's sickness? According to the actress's social media post, she is not sick but on a weight loss journey. She has lost over 30 kg, leading to concerns about her health.
- What is Maureen's real name from Diep City? Her real name is Vele Manenje. She is an award-winning South African actress.
Vele Manenje, a National School of Arts graduate, has worked in the SA entertainment industry for many years. Her multiple language abilities and fantastic acting skills have landed her roles in some of South Africa's best TV shows. She continues to shine, shed light on the country's youth, and inspire them to chase their dreams.
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Source: Briefly News
Nicolette Marais (Lifestyle editor) Nicolette has been a senior managing editor at Briefly.co.za since December 2021. With more than 17 years writing experience in both creative and media-related platforms, she has worked in a wide range of industries and uses this in her writing. In 2023, Nicolette finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and was awarded Manager of the Year. E-mail: lifelineva@outlook.com
Sharon Boit (Lifestyle writer) Sharon J. Boit is an SEO Content Writer at Legit Media Holdings, working on content optimization since October 2024. Sharon began her career as a researcher and project manager at the Center for Urban Research and Innovations, University of Nairobi, for 4 years. In 2019, she became a freelance SEO content writer, writing blog posts and articles on travel, pets, online sports betting, personal finance, lifestyle, radio news, and technology. You can reach Sharon J. Boit by email at boitjep@gmail.com.
