South African actress Luyanda Zwane has spoken publicly about the traumatic experience she says led to her decision to leave Sibongile & The Dlaminis, alleging that a fellow cast member pointed a gun at her while they were travelling to set.
Speaking on the Read the Room podcast, Zwane reflected on her time starring in the hit television series, revealing that she was just 19 years old when she landed the lead role in what she described as one of the country’s biggest productions, attracting around two million viewers.
“I Needed Silence”
According to Zwane, the incident occurred during one of the early morning trips to set. She explained that cast members living in the same area were transported together by production.
She recalled preparing mentally for what was expected to be a demanding filming day.
“It was 5am and I had about 20 scenes that day. I needed to relax before that. I needed silence in the car,” she said.
Zwane alleged that another cast member wanted to connect his phone to the vehicle’s Bluetooth system to play music. After she politely asked that no music be played, she claims the situation escalated dramatically.
“He pulled out a gun, pointed it at me and said, ‘This is not your mother’s car. You will play whatever song I want to be played at any time.'”
@starpromosLuyanda Zwana speaks o. How a she was violated with a gun 😳😳😳
Reporting the Incident
Zwane said she immediately reported the alleged incident to the production team and informed her talent agency because she no longer felt safe travelling with the individual.
According to the actress, she was disappointed by what she says was production’s initial response.
“The response was, ‘Did you die?’ They asked me to go back to set immediately because they were running out of time,” she alleged.
She said she later informed her agency that she wanted to involve the police. Zwane claims she was told the firearm was not real and that production intended to obtain an affidavit confirming this.
However, after discussing the matter with her mother, who serves as a police officer, she said she was encouraged to treat the incident seriously.
“Whether the gun is real or not, your life was threatened,” she recalled her mother saying.
Seeking a Resolution
Before law enforcement became involved, Zwane said production asked whether the matter could be resolved through mediation.
Although she was unhappy with what she described as the company’s initial handling of the incident, she agreed to pursue a compromise.
“I’m being me. I don’t want anyone to lose their job. I don’t know where you come from. I don’t know if you are the only breadwinner back home, so I agreed to finding a common ground. But I did not like your initial response to the incident.”
Her only request, she said, was that she no longer be required to travel in the same vehicle as the individual involved.
“I need to be mentally good to perform well, and if that isn’t the case, it compromises my performance.”
According to Zwane, that arrangement lasted only a short time before production informed her that providing separate transport was placing pressure on the show’s budget.
Decision Not to Return
Zwane said the transport issue ultimately influenced her decision to leave the production after completing the first season.
“I immediately sent an email saying, ‘Should there be a season two for the show, they shouldn’t cast me at all.'”
Although she decided not to return, she remained contractually obligated to complete the remainder of Season 1, which she said involved approximately five more months of filming.
Allegations of a Hostile Working Environment
The actress further alleged that the atmosphere on set became increasingly difficult following the incident.
“They gave me a very hard time, and I had no value of expression on set,” she said.
According to Zwane, colleagues made remarks such as “Here comes lawyer,” “contract,” and “police lady” whenever she arrived on set, leaving her feeling isolated after raising what she considered to be a legitimate workplace safety concern.
She also alleged that commissioning editors reprimanded her and that several people attempted to persuade her not to pursue the matter further.
“There were times when people would come to me and try to sweet-talk me into basically shutting up,” she said.
One comment, she recalled, has remained with her ever since.
“Do you want to be an actor or an activist?”
Encouraging Others to Speak Up
Reflecting on her experience, Zwane encouraged young performers entering the entertainment industry to advocate for themselves when faced with unsafe situations.
“Whoever comes after me, whoever is a young girl who has big dreams and big eyes for the industry, do not keep quiet,” she said.
Following her departure from Sibongile & The Dlaminis, Zwane said she struggled to secure acting work for nearly a year before returning to television in The Polygamist and the second season of Spinners.
Looking ahead, she said she hopes to build an international acting career and would welcome the opportunity to work with filmmaker Tyler Perry.
“I want to work on a global stage and not just South Africa,” she said, adding that she also hopes to avoid being typecast and continue exploring diverse acting roles.
At the time of publication, the production company behind Sibongile & The Dlaminis and the individual accused by Zwane had not publicly responded to the allegations she made during the podcast interview.
