By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
South African television icon Michelle Botes, renowned for her roles in Isidingo, Binnelanders, and The Legacy, has died at the age of 63.
Botes was known for her iconic role as Cherel de Villiers on the SABC3 soapie, Isidingo.
Her agent, Suzi Howes, confirmed the news, expressing deep sadness and honoring Botes’ legacy in the South African entertainment industry. ‘Michelle had grace and a beautiful spirit. She will be greatly missed,’ Howes said in a statement.
In a recent interview with the Afrikaans magazine Bruis, Botes disclosed that she had been diagnosed with advanced multiple myeloma – a rare and incurable form of blood cancer that impacts the bone marrow – in July 2022.
She underwent treatment that included chemotherapy, steroids, and, eventually, a stem cell transplant. In October, doctors informed her that she had two to three months to live due to an alarming rise in her cancer count.
In November, she began exploring a more holistic and less invasive cancer treatment. However, she had reportedly weakened over the past few weeks, according to the publication.
Botes has appeared in numerous television shows, including Seeduiker, Die Swart Kat, Wolwedans in Die Skemer, Konings, Binnelanders, and Legacy.