‘Isitha: The Enemy’ Bids Farewell to Kere Nyawo As Malume Bulelani Sokhulu Dies a Hero
- Isitha: The Enemy paid tribute to Malume Bulelani Sokhulu on Instagram after an emotional on-screen exit
- Veteran actor Kere Nyawo's character, Bulelani, rushed into a burning house to save his sister, Nomsa, in a heartbreaking final scene
- Nyawo is best known for his legendary role on Zone 14 and has been with the franchise since its days as The Black Door
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South African television lost one of its most beloved characters when Isitha: The Enemy said goodbye to Malume Bulelani Sokhulu in a gut-wrenching blaze that left viewers reaching for their tissues. The show marked the occasion with a touching Instagram tribute on 22 October 2026.
"One last farewell to a true legend. Bulelani, you will be dearly missed."
The send-off was as dramatic as the character deserved. The tragedy is set in motion when Gudluza stirs up a mob to torch the Sokhulu family home as revenge against Chuma and Solomzi. With the house fully engulfed, Bulelani does not hesitate and charges back into the inferno to pull his sister Nomsa to safety. Nomsa makes it out alive, but Bulelani is overcome by the flames and perishes inside, leaving fans heartbroken.
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Behind the character stands veteran actor Kere Nyawo, who has been part of this television universe since its earlier incarnation as The Black Door. Over that time, Nyawo poured warmth, grit, and authenticity into Bulelani, turning him into one of the most genuinely loved figures on South African prime-time drama.
His exit is being widely celebrated as the kind of writing that cements an actor's legacy rather than merely closing a chapter. The way Bulelani chose to sacrifice himself rather than let Nomsa perish gave Nyawo a farewell scene that matched the gravity of everything he brought to the role across the years.
Bulelani's exit arrives amid mounting reports of Isitha: The Enemy coming to an end, making the beloved character's tragic sacrifice feel like the beginning of a final curtain call for the entire show.
From Popeye to Bulelani
Long before Isitha, Nyawo was already a fixture in Mzansi's pop-culture memory. He played Popeye, one half of the beloved on-screen duo Popeye and Spinach, alongside Thulani Didi, who portrayed Spinach. The pair became iconic through the hit drama series Zone 14, where Nyawo's streetwise comedic timing and command of Mzansi slang made him a household name across South Africa.
His career arc, from the laughs of Zone 14 to the emotional heaviness of Isitha: The Enemy, speaks to a range that few South African actors can match. With Bulelani's fiery farewell now written into the show's history, Nyawo exits the franchise having given audiences both joy and grief in equal measure.
See the emotional tribute below.
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