Why Likamva’s exit from Inimba hit Mzansi so hard

Actor Tshepiso Jeme

By the time Tshepiso Jeme’s character Likamva Mabandla bowed out of Inimba, it was clear this was no ordinary telenovela exit. Social media erupted, group chats turned into heated debates, and households across the country weighed in.

Likamva wasn’t just leaving a show, he was leaving people who had grown deeply attached to him.

Since its debut, Inimba has distinguished itself as a mirror of everyday South African life, and Likamva stood at the centre of that reflection.

Through Jeme’s layered performance, the character emerged as a young man shaped by loyalty, inner conflict and a strong moral compass, even when his choices were messy or unpopular.

Likamva was never designed to be flawless. He was impulsive, emotionally exposed and at times painfully naïve, but he was honest.

That honesty made him recognisable. Parents saw their sons in him, young people saw themselves, and siblings saw familiar tensions play out on screen.

His storylines went beyond entertainment, opening up conversations about masculinity, family expectations and generational pressure.

“For me, that’s when I realised the character had gone beyond the screen,” Jeme reflected. “People weren’t just talking about the show. They were talking about Likamva as if he was a real person they knew.”

What makes the role even more remarkable is that it almost never happened. Jeme initially turned down the part twice due to an overseas work commitment that was already in motion.

“I like to honour commitments,” he explained. “At the time, everything for Europe was done. Visas, flights and I was ready to go.”

It took persistence from the production team, and an internal pull he couldn’t ignore, for him to reconsider.

Accepting the role would prove to be a turning point in his career.

Once cast, Jeme fully immersed himself in Likamva’s world, drawing from his own experiences of youth, love, rebellion and family responsibility.

He believes that emotional honesty is what allowed the character to land so deeply with audiences.

“You can’t fake that kind of truth,” he told Sunday World. “As an actor, your first point of reference is yourself. Every human being is flawed. We’re all complex. Likamva’s journey made sense because it came from a real place.”

According to Jeme, Inimba succeeded because it refused to compromise authenticity.

“This is a South African story. These are our lives. You can’t fake how people speak, how families interact, or how townships feel.”

From its opening episodes set in 2005, complete with era-specific styling and environments, to its grounded performances, the show invited viewers to believe because it felt lived-in and honest.

“The story was solid. The cast understood their responsibility. The crew cared. When everyone is aligned like that, something special happens,” he said.

Likamva ultimately became one of the show’s emotional pillars, a character whose decisions sparked debate precisely because they echoed real-life dilemmas faced by young men across the country.

His exit was intentionally unsettling, designed to linger rather than comfort.

“The reaction showed how invested people were,” Jeme said. “People weren’t ready to let go, and that’s a good thing. It means the story mattered.”

The writers resisted the urge to soften the blow or offer a tidy resolution, staying true to the show’s core philosophy.

“Real life doesn’t always give us the ending we want,” Jeme added. “Sometimes it gives us the ending that makes sense.”