Bonko Khoza is a South African actor known for playing Mqhele Zulu in The Wife, Zuko Khumalo in Heart of the Hunter and the twins Banele and Sanele Magwaza in iThonga. His career includes independent film, television drama and action roles.
He won the SAFTA for Best Actor in a Telenovela for The Wife in 2022 and again for iThonga in 2026.
Last reviewed: 2 November 2026. Dates, credits and award results are linked to their sources below.
Bonko Khoza at a glance
| Professional name | Bonko Khoza; also credited as Bonko Cosmo Khoza |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | 13 August 1991, as listed by TVSA |
| Age | 35 on 2 November 2026 |
| Background | Johannesburg, South Africa |
| Education and training | National School of Arts; Market Theatre Laboratory |
| Known for | The Wife, Red Ink, Heart of the Hunter and iThonga |
Age, background and acting training
TVSA’s actor profile lists Khoza’s birth date as 13 August 1991. He turned 35 in August 2026.
His earlier professional portfolio identifies him as Bonko Cosmo Khoza and says he grew up in the south of Johannesburg. It describes a primary-school performance as Captain Hook among his first acting experiences.
The same portfolio records that he matriculated from the National School of Arts in 2009, having majored in Fine Arts. After exploring advertising and design, he studied Performance and Theatre Skills at the Market Theatre Laboratory.
Necktie Youth and The Wife
Khoza appeared as Jabz in the 2015 feature Necktie Youth. The Tribeca Festival archive credits him as Bonko Cosmo Khoza and records the film’s selection for its World Narrative Competition.
His later television breakthrough came as Mqhele Zulu in The Wife. DStv’s October 2021 casting announcement identifies him in the role and gives the Showmax premiere date as 11 November 2021. The series was inspired by Dudu Busani-Dube’s Hlomu the Wife novels.
He won Best Actor in a Telenovela at the 2022 SAFTAs for the performance, as recorded in Kaya 959’s report on his first SAFTA win.
Selected screen roles
Selected credits include:
| Year | Production | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Necktie Youth | Jabz |
| 2021–2022 | The Wife, seasons 1–2 | Mqhele Zulu |
| 2024 | Red Ink | Napoleon Dingiswayo |
| 2024 | Heart of the Hunter | Zuko Khumalo |
| 2025 | iThonga | Banele and Sanele Magwaza |
| 2025 | Levels | Detective Steve Vilakazi |
| 2025 series | The Nowhere Man | Lukas |
Netflix’s announcement identifies Khoza as the lead in Mandla Dube’s Heart of the Hunter, adapted from Deon Meyer’s novel, and gives its release date as 29 March 2024. For iThonga, Mzansi Magic’s launch information records the twin roles and a 3 March 2025 premiere.
Awards and recognition in 2026
Khoza’s iThonga performance earned him another SAFTA for Best Actor in a Telenovela. MultiChoice’s winners announcement records the award following the ceremonies on 13 and 14 March 2026.
At the separate National Film & TV Awards South Africa, the 19 October 2026 nominees announcement lists him for Best Actor in a TV Series for Levels. As of this review, that is a nomination: the ceremony is scheduled for 19 November 2026.
Marriage
Khoza married fellow actor Lesego Khoza on 13 March 2021. A 2022 report on their joint interview records the wedding date and their account of meeting while studying drama.
