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Khethiwe is back: Winnie Ntshaba's return to Generations: The Legacy sparks nostalgia

There are some television characters you remember long after their storylines end, and Khethiwe Buthelezi is certainly one of them. More than a decade after Winnie Ntshaba last appeared in the Generations universe, the actress has officially stepped back into one of her most iconic roles on Generations: The Legacy.

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Ntshaba made her highly anticipated return as Khethiwe on Tuesday, 1 September, marking a  full-circle moment for the actress. She first joined Generations in 2005 at the age of 30, playing the timid and conservative Khethiwe, who arrived in Johannesburg as a domestic worker before eventually transforming into the glamorous and ambitious entrepreneur behind La Chocolata.

Ahead of her first episode back, Ntshaba reflected on the significance of returning to the soapie 21 years later, sharing that she is now 51 and once again getting to deliver the same greeting she did all those years ago: “Sawubona Bhut’Tau.”

Naturally, the nostalgia hit South Africans immediately.

Fans celebrated the return of the “face of La Chocolata”, with some admitting Khethiwe’s comeback was enough to get them watching Generations again. One TikTok viewer commented, “Maybe I'll watch Generations again, because she still calls him Bhut' Tau”, while another said, “If we can get [the original cast] back, maybe we'll start watching again.” Others simply welcomed back a character they remember growing up watching, praising Ntshaba’s talent and the nostalgia of seeing her share the screen with familiar faces such as Jack Mabaso, played by Vusi Kunene, and Tau Mogale, played by Rapulana Seiphemo.

Even during her years away from Generations, Ntshaba has gone on to appear in popular shows including House of Zwide, Adulting, The Herd and The River, while old Generations clips featuring Khethiwe’s dramatic reactions, emotional moments and unforgettable La Chocolata era have continued to circulate on TikTok and X. Many have since become memes and reaction videos, introducing the character to a younger audience who may not even remember watching the episodes when they originally aired.

@credible_chippa1 You.. Behind closed doors, dealing with a Break Up😁 #Generations #khethiwe ♬ original sound - credible chippa

But her return has also reopened an old conversation.

Ntshaba was one of the group of principal actors dubbed the “Generations 16”, who were dismissed from the original soapie in 2014 following a highly publicised dispute involving salaries and contracts. Because of that history, some social media users have questioned what her decision to return means more than a decade later, with a few describing it as a betrayal of the actors who stood together at the time. Others, however, see the comeback differently: as a full-circle moment, a reminder that careers, relationships and circumstances can evolve over 12 years.

— Bennedict (@BennieSonamzi) July 8, 2026

As for where we find Khethiwe now, her life looks very different from the glamorous La Chocolata days viewers may remember. The money she received following Khaphela’s death is running out, Sara has taken her child, and Khethiwe turns to an old friend as she attempts to rebuild her life. Her ambition remains firmly intact, but so do the vulnerability, impulsiveness and tendency towards chaos that made the character so compelling in the first place.

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south africa actors | south african celebrities | generations the legacy

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Lethiwe Nhlangothi

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