"It was so touching being there. Skeem Saam is an educational show and highlights some of the issues these children face. So, it was great to see them response to us. I really enjoyed motivating and giving back to my community"

"This has been one of the most amazing journeys in my career. Besides learning how to dance I have learnt so much about myself: how to be a little more patient, how to be open and brave, how to let go of the things that limit me- both physically and mentally and how to focus my mind even under extreme pressure. For Ryan, my partner, I am extremely grateful! He is an incredible human being who has been the most generous partner, friend and mentor. He pushed me, supported me and believed in me every single step of the way. The biggest lesson I can take away from Strictly Come Dancing is that the harder you work, the luckier you get- it really is as simple as that"

"Things have been really good, though. I’m presenting for the first time (on Mela). It has been scary because you don’t know how people will respond – as they are getting to see you. There is no script. However, working on this show has highlighted how amazing South Africans are as a community. Every single time I go on a location shoot, I meet someone who blows my mind with their incredible story"

"It is so funny. It feels like the universe is giving me everything I want. The problem is, I manifested everything at the same time and had to turn down some projects."

"Every week was a challenge to improve on ourselves. How can we give more? Do more? Work harder? But most importantly we never wanted to stop having fun"

"My fans have brought me to tears on several occasions with their fierce support. I have been completely surprised and overwhelmed by the love, support and generosity I have experienced. I am truly blessed to have this kind of unwavering support"

"It was quite intimidating to go onto set with this established ‘family’ of actors. Everyone’s been so warm. The other day, while we were waiting to get paid, I, literally, shouted (in excitement): ‘I’m so happy to be here’, to two of the actors."

"At primary school I re-wrote the Nativity, inventing a story about a blind girl who dreamt about witnessing the birth of Jesus and when she woke up, on Christmas morning – she could see! My teachers were so impressed, they allowed me to direct it as well."

"In high school, drama was not part of the syllabus, so I organised drama classes after school and did a play with a few other students which was recommended to be performed for the South African Black Students Association’s first national congress."

"If I am to be known by a colour, then I want to be known as a brown South African. I tried for so long to be black, politically, but that proved to be a misnomer."

"I was the one who initiated school plays and drama projects."

"Although my role in Legacy was not big, I still enjoyed working with them."

"In my head Charmaine does no longer exist and I made peace with that ... A lot of people still call me Charmaine, especially in the shops"

"I am happy to be reunited with Sanele Zulu (series producer) and Sthembiso Mathenjwa (director)"

"Even though I had friends as a child, I often chose to be on my own because my games were not conventional children’s games."

"I believe that I should live a conscious life. That I should be quiet regularly so that the noise of life does not determine who I am and where I am going. I want to be aware of where I can still grow, where I can contribute, and where I can make a difference"

"In the past 18 months, we have been forced to disconnect and now, more than ever, we realise how important connection is and how important people are"

"I’m not in a position where I can sit back and go on with life as normal without working ... I take on any and all of the jobs offered to me."

"I believe that I am not simply on earth to exist. I want to leave a mark – in the lives of children, in my community, and also in the larger world"

"They were the first directors I worked with when I started my career, that has been one of the highlights. And also, working with Danica Jones so closely has been fun"

"Stories have always been an important part of my life; it's how I make sense of what happens to me. So I started using stories to help my children make sense of their own stories"

"We used stories to help them reflect on the past day. At night, before bed, I asked them who was the hero or the villain in their story that day. And how would they like the next day to go differently? What would they like to change about tomorrow’s story"

"They still pay me the same as, let’s say, 10 years ago,” she said. “I’m worth much more than that and so are my peers... I will take hands with anyone supporting my stance, something needs to be done."

"Parenting is about relationships. In fact, that's the crux of parenting, and that's my focus"

"I learn a lot from my children. I learn about my own shortcomings and where I can still grow"

"The message is the same throughout: I see you. I know where you are and I'm thinking of you"

"My children are very different from each other, and I have to be attuned to each one's own needs. I have to know where exactly they need support. Where they need a little 'push' in order to grow"

"It's wonderful to have two teenagers in the house, it's a privilege to see them grow and develop"

"I'm grateful that I get to be their mother"

"Such a commitment doesn't have to be big and significant. We just have to make sure we keep seeing each other"

"To me, it means being grounded in your own situation. That you know who your child is, and who you are, and how that affects your family dynamics"

"It was the start of a new year and I was ready for a new challenge"

"Then I sent an email to a production company and asked them to take a chance on me as a content producer, because I believed I could do it"

"With a reality series, unlike with a drama, you have to develop a story from what's happening in front of you. There's no script. You also have to package what you have in such a way that it's a faithful representation of what's happening, and something that the viewers can enjoy"

"My story is ultimately much more than I could have planned"

"I always knew that the teenage years could be a challenging time. But when my children were still in primary school, I realised that they already had to face many challenges"

"I now know that one can plan and control certain things, but that it is good to sometimes stand back and allow your story to unfold on its own"

"I was ready for this role. What I know about stories, scripts and acting, and my interest in the emotional development of people, equipped me with important skills. I was able to engage with the participants, encourage them and thus retell their stories"

"I love the character and the integral personality that Kimberly Smith has. She makes me very … happy to occupy and to see where her story ends"

"Web culture is a big thing, especially when it comes to students and what they get up to online. It is shocking really. I think sometimes our parents can't relate because maybe their teen years are so far behind them but teenagers go through a lot"

"I think that your teen years are the hardest years of your life and what makes it even more frustrating is that you have adults who think that you don't really have it that hard. You hear things like 'what do they possibly know about life?' Meanwhile, our children are going through the most"

"High school is something else. It is a difficult thing. The stories you hear about initiations and fighting. Honestly, I am surprised that we are not all traumatised from high school"

"Always be honest to yourself about what you're going through and feeling. Yes, we can fool others but let's not fool ourselves. Seek help if need be. We are told so many times to be strong, but what does that really mean? It's important to feel, be numb, cry, scream if you have to"

"I have been told countless of times when auditioning for certain roles that I don't look African or South African enough. Which is absurd because I am both of those things. Also, black British roles have been a myth lol. And I have been told (not in so many words) to accept it because that's just how the industry is"

"I am an African. A SA Zulu and Pedi woman to be precise, with British citizenship too because I was raised in England from a very young age. I speak Zulu more fluently than Pedi because I was raised by a Zulu woman and on occasion, you will hear one of the many SA accents when I speak English infused with a certain kind of British accent. (because there's not just one British accent)"

"My path as an actress has branched out many times; there are so many new possibilities. My experiences as an actress and as a person, and my confidence in who I am, are increasingly creating new opportunities. And new chapters in my story"

"Representation is important. When I watch TV, film, theatre or print/digital media we should see all kinds of people from different backgrounds, different abilities, different sexes, sizes etc. Art is an imitation of life. And life is not just black and white. Tall or short, slim or curvy. As a people we are so diverse. I learn something new every day"

"I would love to see our industry being a lot more regulated and fair"

"After I shot Is’thunzi, securing an acting gig was quite difficult. I thought I’d have productions companies keen on working with me but that was not the case"

"I felt so broken down by the industry that I moved to England. This wasn’t because of the fans but more of the fact that I wasn’t booking any roles"