Winnie Ntshaba on casting a spell on Mzansi as The Herd's Mamngadi

For many South Africans, Winnie Ntshaba will forever remain their Khethiwe of Generations fame but as far as reinvention goes Winnie has done a great job of playing the evil witch on The Herd.

At the moment, Khethiwe is the name of one of the chickens Mamngadi sacrificed in one of her rituals but in reality Winnie has embraced that people might never let go of Khethiwe.

"I've seen so many comments with people saying even if I play in an international film I will always be Khethiwe to them. I laugh it off, I mean guys I am Mamngadi now but apparently not to them. But it also goes to show that the role had a huge impact, it was the first of its kind in Generations. I believe that is why it was so well received. People felt like she was breath of fresh air."

Instead of letting Khethiwe hold her back Winnie said she reflected on why she resonated so much with Mzansi. She's now pouring all her efforts into Mamngadi to make sure she also has her unique, unforgettable impact.

"Maybe that's my thing because Mamngadi is also so different and it's funny that some people are calling me Mamngadi now. It's because these characters stand out."

Her character Mamngadi is a witch with "good intentions", she explained.

Mamngadi is at the centre of the story as the witch who took advantage of a desperate man's ambition and greed to score herself a husband and now expects the man to love her genuinely.

"Mamngadi is a witch, she's selfish at times but she really does care for her family. All the sacrifices she's made and continues to make, she reasons that it is for her family. But she's also a very unhappy woman because she yearns for Bheki's love but Bheki is too busy focusing on the guilt of killing his wife for wealth. She just wants to be seen and loved," she said.

The actress said she loved the challenge of being Mamngadi and she knew it would be an iconic character as well.

Winnie stars alongside Sello Maake ka Ncube and some shining young stars that include Zethu Dhlomo, Sihle Ndaba and Tiisetso Thoka.

Winnie said the cast and crew of The Herd was one of the best she's ever seen and the on-screen chemistry was born from the deep connection they all have.