Generations actress Busisiwe Xaba on exploitation and playing Palesa

Generations: The Legacy's Palesa is constantly getting a rough deal in life and struggles to make ends meet, something that actress Busisiwe Xaba says is reflected in the life of many South Africans. 

Away from her role as Palesa on the hit SABC 1 soapie, Busisiwe is a youth pastor. She told TshisaLIVE this week that it was this that helped her prepare for her role.

"There are a lot of difficulties that Palesa goes through, from constantly struggling in life to missing out on opportunities. You can see that she is always getting beaten down and it would be easy for her to give in. I have had those moments in my own life and I have seen it in the countless lives of others I meet."

She said the key was to believe in yourself and know your worth, even when others couldn't immediately see it.

The star warned about the exploitation that so often happens in the industry, recounting how her first job on set four or five years ago paid her only R150.

"I was going to be paid nothing but I fought for myself. I know what it is like to have that sheer desperation and I think that too often people are exploited in the industry because they want to be in the industry. People take advantage of young talent and they are seriously underpaid."

Busisiwe's star is on the rise and she said that as the fame grows, along with the temptations it so often brings, she will stay grounded by her faith.

"I want to show young artists that they can be in the industry and not give in to some of the things that people associate with it. You can be your own person. You can stand for your own beliefs. You can stand up for yourself."