From recording YouTube videos about unemployment, heartbreak and being broke in his rental flat in 2013 to becoming a major TV personality in SA, East London-born Moshe Ndiki is breaking new ground in the industry.
Ndiki’s journey of becoming an entertainer began in Cambridge High School’s corridors and school hall where he would add humour to conversations and act and sing in the school’s Xhosa Society.
As a drama pupil at the school, it was only fitting for Ndiki to pursue a BA degree in acting and presenting at City Varsity.
Ndiki shot onto SA TV in January 2016 when he was a guest continuity presenter on MTV Africa for five days. He was also a commentator on season 4 of the Vuzu Amp countdown show 10 Over 10.
In November of the same year Ndiki began co-hosting The V Table, a Vuzu Amp late night youth talk show. In 2017 he made his big acting debut on Mzansi Magic’s drama series The Queen, which is the brainchild of Ferguson Films.
In the same year, Ndiki struck gold and was cast as the host of dating reality TV show Uyang’thanda Na? which debuted in 2018.
Fast-forward to 2019 and Ndiki has all those achievements under his belt, as well as a fresh ambassador deal with telecommunications giant Telkom and an engagement with SA singer Phelo Bala.
“In hindsight, when I look at where and how I landed my big break – from the time I started my YouTube videos to the present day – I have always wanted to do the things that I am doing. Every time I get a gig it feels like my big break.
“Recording those YouTube videos was me putting myself out there. And when I did that, I saw that people could relate to the content. The lovely thing is that I was going to auditions during that time, but when people watched my videos, they were not interested in a character because I was speaking about myself,” Ndiki told DispatchLIVE.
Speaking on the notable milestone of being the Telkom ambassador in SA, Ndiki said he felt right at home.
He was approached by the brand for a campaign which led to a full partnership.
“For me it was a huge thing because it is such a big brand. Telkom has always been a part of my life. I grew up using the brand as a form of communication. Me being an ambassador for them is a relationship that has come full circle.”
The TV trailblazer said it was the help of his high school teacher that propelled his confidence as an entertainer.
“I was that energetic pupil involved in acting and singing with the help of my teacher Ms Talita Peter. She was the one who helped me harness my talent. Her encouragement validated my dreams of being an entertainer,” he said.
Ndiki said the support received from people of the Eastern Cape kept him going.
“This industry is hard to crack and it is even harder to maintain because jobs can be scarce at times. The support shown by people from my home province has been incredible. I am blessed because of them.
“I also believe the province has a lot of talent waiting to be birthed. We should not underestimate ourselves.”
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