South Africans were left shocked when news of the sudden death of Nomakula “Kuli” Roberts broke on Thursday. The 49-year-old journalist, actor, and author died late on Wednesday night in Johannesburg. According to reports, she collapsed on the set of her new show. A close friend, who was with Kuli during the day, told Drum she was perfectly fine when they went their separate ways, “she was okay; she was not sick”, he told the publication.
In a statement, her family said she was always the life of any gathering. This sentiment resonated throughout as industry friends and fans took to social media to offer condolences and tributes. “Rest fabulously, Crazy girl. Wow. Never thought I’d be posting this. Farewell Kuli,” wrote comedian Marc Lottering. Morning Live anchor Leanne Manas wrote alongside a photo with Kuli taken four months ago: “I am devastated to hear the news of your passing! May your happy, joyous, beautiful soul RIP.”
‘An all-round media personality’
Kuli started her career in media as a fashion and beauty and tabloid journalist and worked for Fair Lady and Drum magazine. In 2011 she made headlines over a piece she wrote for her weekly column Bitches Brew on Sunday World. The column titled Jou Ma Se Kinders made stereotypical and derogatory remarks about coloured people.
The newspaper discontinued her column with immediate effect after Avusa Media (now called Tiso Blackstar Group), which owns the publication, found she had violated the South African Press Code and the company’s internal codes. In an interview with the Saturday Star at the time, Kuli said: “It could have been written better. But that’s why I have editors. It should have been checked.
I am sorry that it offended so many people.” In 2019, she published her first fictional novel, Siren, which followed the story of a young actor seeking fame in Johannesburg. “Writing Siren was delicious as all those columns were about men,” she wrote on Twitter. “Siren’s journey you will relate to. Her pain in the entertainment industry reflects ours in 2019, and so do her pleasures.”
A political storm
In 2021, Kuli made headlines again after the African Transformation Movement (ATM) announced her as the party’s Ward 65 candidate for Tshwane for the 1 November local government elections.
Days after the announcement, the party said in a statement: “Due to unforeseen and confidential circumstances, it is no longer possible to have Nomakula Roberts as a member and ward councillor of the African Transformation Movement.” In an interview with Drum, Kuli set the record straight, telling the publication she hated politics and was never interested in it.
“They saw me wearing the ATM T-shirt and assumed that I was running for a councillor. The Constitution says I am allowed to join any party. But I was never interested in politics. I never had political ambition. Go to the IEC; my signature is not there. I was never running for councillor.”
‘I want you guys to just look after each other’
Kuli is survived by her two children, a grandchild, her parents, brother, and two sisters, including actor Hlubi Mboya.
During an interview on an episode of Podcast and Chill with MacG (Macgyver Mukwevho) in September last year, Kuli shared what she would like to be remembered for. In closing the Celebrity Edition interview, MacG asked the actor: “What do you want to be remembered as?” Kuli answered: “I don’t want to be remembered. I want you guys to just look after each other.”
She added she wanted “people who have been downtrodden on and who are still downtrodden on” to be looked after, as well as all the members of the communities she advocates for, including the LGBTQI+ and Albinism communities. “Ubuntu is the most important thing,” she said at the end of the interview.