Actress Luyanda Zwane Alleges Co-star Pointed a Firearm at Her on Set of Popular Show

• South African actress Luyanda Zwane alleged that a co-star unexpectedly pulled a gun on her while filming a famous television series
• Luyanda claimed that producers dismissed the incident and were extremely unhelpful, ultimately discouraging her from speaking out against injustice
• The actress confirmed that the lack of support from the production company ultimately led to her not returning for season two

South African actress Luyanda Zwane has left many people stunned after sharing a harrowing account of the moment a fellow cast member pulled out a gun and pointed it at her during production of the popular children's series Sibongile and the Dlaminis.

Speaking on the Read The Room podcast on 1 July 2026, Luyanda, who recently starred on Netflix's hit show The Polygamist, opened up about why she chose not to return for the show's second season, and the reason was far darker than anyone expected.

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What happened in the car?

The actress, who held the lead role in the now-defunct telenovela, described how the incident unfolded early one morning, well before sunrise, while cast members were being driven to set. She had asked a co-star to switch off his music so she could mentally prepare for what was ahead.

"I remember that day, it was 05:00 in the morning, so early, it's still dark, and I'm like, I have 20 scenes today, I just want to relax, I want to be in silence in the car."

Her simple request was met with a shocking response.

"He took out a gun and pointed the gun at me and said, 'This is not your mother's car, I will play the song I want to play at any time.'"

How the producers handled the incident

Rather than getting the support she needed, Luyanda says the production team's response left her feeling completely abandoned. When she approached the producers, they brushed off her concerns entirely.

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"They said, 'But did you die? Nothing has happened. He didn't pull the trigger, so can you please just go to set because right now, we're running out of time.'"

No police were called. Instead, producers arranged a meeting to find what they described as "common ground." She alleges that when she wanted to involve the police, the production argued that the gun was not real.

Luyanda's request was straightforward: she no longer wanted to share a vehicle with the co-star in question, citing her mental wellbeing as essential to her ability to perform.

"My work is based on my mental health, so if that's compromised, I won't be able to perform well."

The arrangement held for a week or two before the production team reversed course, telling her the separate transport was straining their budget.

"They were like, 'You're actually cramping up our budget, so can you please decide what you want to do.'"

With no proper resolution in sight and the safety concern unaddressed, Luyanda made the difficult decision not to continue with the show into its second season.

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Zwane further revealed that she later experienced intimidation and workplace bullying at the hands of another woman, simply for fighting for her rights.

"I was once asked by a female commissioning editor if I wanted to be an activist or an actor, simply because I was fighting for my rights as an actor on a set. She further threatened that I'll never work again and I'll be cancelled in the industry if I continue to fight or advocate for myself. And she speaks about women's empowerment every day on social media."

Watch Luyanda Zwane's interview below.

Winnie Ntshaba's return to Generations raises questions

In an earlier report, Briefly News shared online reactions to Winnie Ntshaba returning to Generations.

The actress was labelled a traitor for returning to the same show that she and her former cast-mates boycotted years prior.

Source: Briefly News