Shaka iLembe’s Dawn Thandeka King on Untied

Showmax has just dropped a powerful new episode of Untied, featuring the legendary Dawn Thandeka King. The talk show dives deep into the emotional terrain of divorce, told through the eyes of iconic South African women who’ve lived through it, loved through it, and rebuilt on the other side.

A force in South African entertainment, Dawn is a SAFTA-winning actress, musician, motivational speaker, radio personality, and fashion entrepreneur. She’s currently captivating audiences as Mkabayi on Shaka iLembe on Mzansi Magic and will star in BET’s new daily drama Black Gold from next month, but on Untied, we meet the woman behind the roles.

Watch this week’s trailer

Hosted by the award-winning broadcaster Relebogile Mabotja, this episode offers a rare, intimate look at Dawn like never before. 

Here’s why you need to watch.

1. She opens up about her spiritual journey

Dawn shares a deeply personal look into her spiritual awakening, how her connection with her ancestors and faith guided her through some of the darkest moments of her life, and how her gift also guided her into a career as an actress and her breakthrough into the industry: “Because I then found an agency, and then my agency found me a job, and that was my first acting gig in 2012. I often wonder whether it was the reason I went through this journey that opened that door.”

2. She gets real about motherhood

As a mother of five, Dawn speaks candidly about the joys and challenges of raising children while juggling fame, heartbreak, and personal growth. She also opens up about the difficult time when she had to leave her kids and husband in Joburg to join Uzalo, where she played Lindiwe Xulu.  

“I don’t know when it became an ‘I’ thing. I moved alone to Durban.”

3. She confronts infidelity and heartbreak

For the first time, Dawn opens up about infidelity in her marriage, how it affected her emotionally, how she processed the betrayal, and the journey to reclaim her peace. She also spoke about how her husband at the time was not speaking to her about his issues – but was rather opening up to someone else. “He wasn’t saying that to me. He was saying it to someone else. I think that killed me. I felt abandoned.”

4. She talks about choosing herself

Dawn reflects on the courage it took to walk away from her marriage and rebuild her life. Her story is a testament to self-worth, healing, and the strength it takes to start over, even when it hurts.

We are halfway through Untied but there is so much still to come. Reality TV star Beverley Steyn, actress Mona Monyane, and media personality Zandi Nhlapo are set to open up and share their journeys.

Watch Untied on Showmax.