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Nomzamo Mbatha recounts difficulties experienced at a young age

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Nomzamo Mbatha gets candid with Radio 702 presenter, Relebongile Mabotja on The Upside of Failure.


The actress spoke about how she had to reparent herself after suffering childhood trauma.

She lost her father at age of 14 and she took up a huge burden upon herself at a young age; though she felt loved, buther emotional needs as a child were not met.

The 33-year-old said she was her dad’s primary giver before he passed away.

Those things being thrust upon you as a child will affect your childhood.

Nom spoke about the trials faced while attending the University of Cape Town (UCT).

“I think UCT for me was a very tough period. The first year at UCT was extremely hard…Number one, I was there on bursaries, so, I am surrounded by kids whose parents are paying. I have to perform to stay there, and if I don’t, it gets taken away,” she recounted.

“I failed…I had four or five distinctions coming out of high school… everyone is happy for you… you are the duck scholar…You have this full scholarship…Everyone has contributed to this dream, and when you get there, it’s the first time you get 35 percent in your life,” she said.

Nomzamo said she had to lie to her family about studies, but at the long run she needed to save her life.

“It felt like my world was ending… I say this all the time, outside of being in the business of believing in myself, I’ve been in the business of saving my life – for as long as I can remember,” she added.

Watch full interview below:

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