Mapula Mafole

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Mapula Mafole
Born
Mapula Mafole

(1990-07-18) 18 July 1990 (age 35)
Klerksdorp, North West, South Africa
Other namesMpule
Alma mater AFDA
OccupationActress
Years active2012–present
Known forPlaying Mapula on Rhythm City

Mapula Mafole (born 18 July 1990) [1] is a South African actress best known for playing the role of Mapula on the e.tv soapie Rhythm City . [2] [3]

Contents

Early life

Mafole was born in Diepkloof, Soweto, Gauteng and raised in Klerksdorp, North West. Her parents Moses and Monica Mafole later moved her and her siblings to Tshwane, Pretoria when she was 10, before they relocated to the United Kingdom. In 2013, she graduated and now holds AFDA degree. [4]

Career

In 2012, Mafole made her television debut with a cameo role on SABC1 drama series Intersexions playing the role of Beauty. [2] She later joined the cast of the e.tv soap opera Rhythm City, playing the character Mapula. [5] In interviews she has spoken about how the role resonated with her personal history and mental-health struggles, and that playing Mapula helped her confront and channel her experiences. [6]

Due to her youthful appearance, she has noted in media that she was often cast as teenagers, even after becoming an adult. In 2020, she told a newspaper that as she approached her 30s she hoped to take on more mature roles, potentially even "villainous" characters, rather than always be typecast as the victim or "schoolgirl" type. [7]

After leaving Rhythm City, Mafole told an interviewer she was ready to "stretch herself" and take on more varied roles. In 2022 she joined the cast of Unmarried as Rea, marking one of her first major roles. [8]

In the following years she starred in various productions, including the Ke Bona Spoko (2022), Expiry Date, [3] the 1Magic miniseries Pila Pila (2023), [9] and My Girlfriend’s Father (2023). [10]

In 2024 she was announced to star in 016 FM, a drama series for Showmax. [11]

Personal life

Mafole has spoken candidly about her personal battles with depression and anxiety, describing how growing up without her parents around and moving as a child contributed to difficult emotional times. She has credited acting, especially emotionally demanding roles, as a form of therapy and self-help. [12]

She has also publicly expressed a desire to enter the music industry. In a 2018 interview she said she was learning to DJ, enjoyed music production, and considered music akin to acting, a way of storytelling and connecting with people. [13]

Awards and nominations

List of Accolades
Award / Film FestivalYearNominationProjectRecipientResultRef.
South African Film and Television Awards 2018Golden Horn Award for Best Supporting Actress Rhythm City
Herself
Nominated [14]
2020Golden Horn Award for Best ActressNominated [15]
2021Golden Hord Award for Best Supporting ActressNominated [a]
  1. ↑ Cited to multiple sources: [16] [17]

Filmography

Television
YearTitleRoleNotesRef.
2012IntersexionsBeauty Cameo role [2]
2015–2022 Rhythm City MapulaMain role [2]

References

  1. ↑ Zwane, Nokuthula (15 July 2020). "Rhythm City's tiny Mapula Mafole turns turns 30 on Mandela Day". Sunday World. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Mapula Mafole talks about life after 'Rhythm City', battling depression and her new role". TimesLIVE. Archived from the original on 7 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  3. 1 2 Mukotekwa, Leeroy (8 July 2023). "Former 'Rhythm City' actress Mapula Mafole: Where is she now?". The South African. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  4. ↑ "Rhythm City's petite Mapula Mafole is dynamite in a tiny package". SowetanLIVE. Archived from the original on 17 May 2022. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  5. ↑ Zwane, Nokuthula (15 July 2020). "Rhythm City's tiny Mapula Mafole turns turns 30 on Mandela Day". Sunday World. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  6. ↑ Dayile, Qhama. "'At times I would lock myself in my bedroom, sleep for days and not eat'- Mapula Mafole on battling depression". News24. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  7. ↑ Zwane, Nokuthula (15 July 2020). "Rhythm City's tiny Mapula Mafole turns turns 30 on Mandela Day". Sunday World. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "Mapula Mafole talks about life after 'Rhythm City', battling depression and her new role". TimesLIVE. 16 June 2022. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  9. ↑ "Pila Pila". Pila Pila. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  10. ↑ "My Girlfriend's Father | e.tv". www.etv.co.za. Archived from the original on 12 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  11. ↑ Seleme, Rae (28 June 2024). "'Rhythm City' star Mapula Mafole bags a role in '016 FM'". The South African. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  12. ↑ Dayile, Qhama. "'At times I would lock myself in my bedroom, sleep for days and not eat'- Mapula Mafole on battling depression". News24. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  13. ↑ "Rhythm City's Mapula Mafole wants to be a DJ". TimesLIVE. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 9 December 2025.
  14. ↑ "2018 SAFTA Nominees". 2018 SAFTA Nominees. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  15. ↑ yomzansi (17 February 2020). "Here are the 2020 SAFTAs nominees". YOMZANSI. Documenting THE CULTURE. Archived from the original on 19 October 2021. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  16. ↑ Höffele, Lerato. "Here are the nominees for this year's Saftas". ewn.co.za. Archived from the original on 18 July 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  17. ↑ "Mapula Mafole Bags Nomination At The SAFTA2021". www.ghgossip.com. 30 April 2021. Archived from the original on 10 September 2023. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
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