WATCH | From ‘Die Swart Kat’ to ‘Isidingo’, here’s how Michelle Botes captured SA viewers

As one of South Africa's most prolific actresses, the news of Michelle Botes’ passing has shocked the nation. The actress was famed for taking on roles depicting powerful women, particularly her soap and telenovela characters that made her a household name. 

Botes, 63, died on Saturday morning after a long battle with a rare cancer. With tributes pouring in from fans and fellow actors, we take a walk down memory lane to look back at some of her top characters and how they defined her career.

'DIE SWART KAT' — RIENIE

The role was one of Botes’ first. The series followed Christo Niehaus, who also passed this year, and his antics as the titular masked hero. Botes played his spunky sister, Rienie. Some of her storylines also revolved around her pursuit of fame, showcasing Botes’ bubbly approach to boisterous characters.

'AMERICAN NINJA 2' — ALICIA

In her most passive role, Botes played Alicia Sanborn, an American women in need of help from a pair of American ninjas. This was her first international role starring alongside popular action star Michael Dudikoff. Her character plays a pivotal role in an attempting to help the ninjas keep her father safe, specifically in a big car chase scene and the final battle, where she goes undercover.

'ISIDINGO: THE NEED' — CHEREL DE VILLIERS

While many may have celebrated the World Cup fever in 2010, soap fans were over the moon when Botes returned to Isidingo: The Need as the fearsome Cherel de Villiers. The role made her a household name and would see her play the scheming femme fatale till her exit in the early 2010s. This would also see her tie the knot with the police commissioner in town, making her the mother of the new bad girl in The Deep, Charli. While she may have had the idyllic fairy-tale wedding, not all remained roses in Cherel’s chaotic world.

'LEGACY' — ANGELIQUE PRICE

In one of the most camp and meta telenovelas to hit South African screens, Botes played one of the matriarchs of the Price family in Legacy. Alongside other heavy hitter actresses such as Kgomotso Christopher and Mary-Anne Barlow, the character was another take on Cherel’s cunning habits.

'JEWEL' — TYRA

Returning to the screen next to her Isidingo rival, Barker Heines (played by Robert Whitehead) Jewel explores the difficult realities behind a Sapphic affair. Fans looking for Botes’ take on quippy one-liners can expect plenty of them in this movie, which is now her final production.