By Mulatedzi Nemushungwa
Photo : Supplied
For years, South African television audiences knew Lunga Mofokeng as Andile Dikana, the troubled, vulnerable character who became one of the recognisable faces of Mzansi Magic’s The River.
But when the cameras stopped rolling, Mofokeng was forced to confront a reality that is rarely visible behind the glamour of television: what happens when a successful actor suddenly has no show to go to.
His story is not simply one of fame and a comeback.
It is a story about the uncertainty of an acting career, the pressure of staying relevant and the resilience required to start again when the role that changed your life is over.
Today, Mofokeng is back on television in a very different role , Qhomane “Mr Q” on SABC1’s Skeem Saam.
The journey between those two characters, however, is where the more compelling story lies.
The Katlehong beginnings
Mofokeng’s acting ambitions began in Katlehong, Gauteng, where he discovered his interest in performance during high school.
What started as an opportunity to participate in school acting developed into something more serious after he received recognition for his performances.
He later pursued professional training at CityVarsity in Johannesburg, studying acting for camera and live performance. His formal training gave him the tools to turn a schoolboy interest into a professional career.
His first television work included a cameo appearance in Ring of Lies before a much bigger opportunity arrived.
In 2018, Mofokeng joined The River as Andile Dikana.
That role would change the trajectory of his career.
The character that put him on the map
Andile Dikana was a demanding role.
Mofokeng portrayed a young gay man within the wealthy Dikana family, a storyline that required him to navigate questions of identity, relationships, family and vulnerability.
Rather than approaching the role simply as another television job, Mofokeng spoke about wanting to use the character to tell a meaningful story and honour the LGBTQI+ community.
The performance helped establish him as a serious young actor and gave him a platform to reach a national television audience.
His work on The River was also formally recognised.
In 2023, Mofokeng was nominated for Outstanding Supporting Actor at the sixth Royalty Soapie Awards for his portrayal of Andile Dikana. The category included several established performers, with the award ultimately going to Zenzelisphesihle “Sparky” Xulu for his role in The Estate.
The nomination nevertheless marked an important point in Mofokeng’s career: the actor who had entered the industry from Katlehong was now being recognised alongside some of South Africa’s established television performers.
Then the cameras stopped
The River eventually came to an end, closing a major chapter in Mofokeng’s career.
For viewers, it was the conclusion of a television story.
For the actor, it meant something much more personal.
Mofokeng has spoken publicly about the period that followed, describing it as his first experience of being out of work for a prolonged period.
In February 2026, he reflected on the uncertainty that came with being away from television, including the questions that can arise when an actor does not know when the next opportunity will arrive.
He described the period as a learning experience and spoke about the importance of maintaining a positive mindset and surrounding oneself with supportive people during professional setbacks.
That admission cuts through one of the biggest misconceptions about television fame.
Being recognisable does not mean being permanently employed.
An actor can appear on millions of screens and still face the same uncertainty that affects thousands of other workers when a contract ends.
The difference is that, for actors, the next opportunity can depend on an audition, a casting decision or simply being remembered when a new production is being assembled.
Three years later, another door opens
In February 2026, Mofokeng returned to television with Skeem Saam.
He joined the SABC1 drama as Qhomane “Mr Q”, a new teacher at Turf High. His first appearance was scheduled for 9 February 2026.
But Mr Q is deliberately different from Andile.
The character arrives as confident, articulate and composed, carrying himself with an authority that immediately makes him stand out.
Yet there is another layer.
The character’s polished exterior leaves questions about his motivations and what his arrival could mean for the people around him.
For Mofokeng, that complexity creates space to demonstrate another side of his acting ability.
And that is important for an actor who spent six seasons associated with one defining character.
Escaping the shadow of Andile Dikana
The success of a memorable character can sometimes become a double-edged sword.
It gives an actor recognition, but it can also create expectations about what audiences want to see next.
Mofokeng’s move from Andile to Mr Q gives him an opportunity to challenge those expectations.
The two characters exist in very different worlds.
Andile was shaped by the emotional pressures of the Dikana family and the complexities of his personal journey.
Mr Q enters Skeem Saam as a teacher whose calm confidence masks questions that viewers are encouraged to keep watching to uncover.
The contrast allows Mofokeng to demonstrate that his career does not begin and end with Andile Dikana.
The reality behind the comeback
There is a temptation to describe every return to television as a glamorous comeback.
Mofokeng’s story deserves more nuance.
His return matters because it follows a period in which he experienced the uncertainty of being without regular acting work.
It also highlights a broader reality within South Africa’s entertainment industry: careers are often built around individual productions, and the end of one successful show can leave even experienced performers searching for their next opportunity.
For audiences, the transition may happen between television seasons.
For the actor, it can mean months or even years of uncertainty.
Mofokeng’s experience puts a human face to that reality.
A career still being written
The most interesting part of Mofokeng’s career may be that it is not finished.
Andile Dikana established his name.
Mr Q gives him another opportunity to show what he can do.
Between those two roles sits a period that tested his patience, confidence and determination to remain in an industry he clearly cares about.
His story therefore cannot be reduced to a simple rise-and-fall-and-rise-again narrative.
It is more complicated than that.
It is about an actor learning that success can be temporary, that careers can stall and that another opportunity can arrive when it is least certain.
Beyond the script
Lunga Mofokeng’s journey offers a glimpse into the part of television fame that audiences rarely see.
The finished episode lasts less than an hour.
The career behind it can take years to build.
For Mofokeng, the journey has moved from school stages in Katlehong to professional acting training, national television recognition, a major role in The River, a difficult period away from the spotlight and, eventually, another opportunity on Skeem Saam.
His story is still being written.
And perhaps that is the most important part.
Because an actor’s career is not defined only by the role that makes audiences remember their name.
Sometimes, it is defined by what they do after that role ends.
