Khanya Mkangisa goes home to inspire upcoming artists in Eastern Cape

Khanya Mkhangisa is experiencing a full circle moment in her career after returning to the Eastern Cape for work.

It's been two years since the actress visited her home province, but her most recent work has brought her back to where her career started. 

For the past two weeks the star has been shooting a Netflix film inQueenstown, set to be released before the 2022 World Cup, and was recently approached to host the Carling Champions Match 2022 sponsored by Carling Black Label in Eastern Cape. It was an offer she could not refuse.

"It's great to go back home when there is work. There aren't many work opportunities for upcoming artists, so for them to see us in a town like Queenstown to shoot could be inspiring," she told TshisaLIVE

The 34-year-old has starred in several TV and film productions in a career spanning 15 years, and wants to be an inspiration for young people from the Eastern Cape.

"I've never forgotten what my main focus was. I've always known I wanted to hone my craft as an actress. To this day, I still work on that and find room to learn,"

Khanya stars in Mzansi Magic's Unmarried, playing the role of Enzo, and plays Akhona in the Ferguson Films production The Queen.

"[The Queen producer] Shona [Ferguson] and I had a really great relationship before his passing. We first worked together on a short educational film and maintained a working relationship.

"It was my work ethic. To this day Connie [Ferguson] and some directors on The Queen I work with speak of my discipline, and my love for the craft. I take my acting work very seriously,"

While acting is at the forefront of Khanya's career, the actress has also been pursuing DJing for the past three years.

"I wanted to pursue this interest and just went into it. The older I got the more comfortable I got in my skin and less fearful of what people are going to say. I feel like a huge part of your journey in life should be in exploring different interests."  

The strides Khanya has taken have afforded her a luxurious life. The actress, who bought her first home in Bryanston at the age of 25, recently acquired her second property in the same area. 

Khanya bought a three-bedroom duplex which includes a patio area, with all rooms having en-suite facilities, and a garden, suitable for her Pomeranian dog Barbie Bella.

"After living in my first apartment I started acquiring more things and needed a bigger space. It definitely feels homier than an apartment. I think I'm going to live in this house until I get married."

While she might not be walking down the aisle soon, Khanya says she is in a good place and in a loving relationship.

A local Twitter user recently shared intimate videos of Khanya and her partner, businessman Desmond Williams, on social media, revealing the two are an item.

"I've tried to maintain a private life. I wouldn't have wanted it to come out that way but it's nothing that I am ashamed of or something I was hiding. In the future, should I decide to start a family, I want things like that to come out on my own terms and not make it gory gossip, but you can only control what you can control."