Actress Lusanda Mbane has begun 2026 not alone, but with a very special presence by her side—her late mother, Annette Lulama Sangoni, now her precious brand-new guardian angel.
Annette sadly passed away on 18 December 2025 after a battle with dementia, at the age of 81.
Lusanda, beloved for her roles in popular television soapies like Smoke & Mirrors, Scandal, and Imbewu: The Seed, is now stepping into a new year—and a new chapter of her life—for the first time without her mother.
‘My brand new angel’
To honour her memory, Lusanda shared a moving message on her Instagram page, dedicating it to her “brand-new angel” and opening up about beginning this chapter without her.
In her touching mini-letter, she wrote:
“Dear Mama. My brand new angel. I may have crossed over into 2026 without you, but I did cross over with you in my heart, where you will forever remain. Ndiyawungena ke ngoku lo unyaka, ngalamandla ndinawo. Asambe ke, translating to (I am now entering this year with this strength that I have, let’s go), she wrote.
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