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ACTRESS Owethu Enhle Gambushe (22), who made appearances in e.tv’s local drama series, Imbewu, died after a car crash in Durban early Saturday morning.

Gambushe, who played Nonhlanhla, Zithulele Bhengu’s love interest in the drama, was travelling in a vehicle together with four other people when it crashed into a wall on Botanical Gardens Avenue in Durban.

The identity of the other woman, also in her 20s, who also died on the scene, is not yet known.

A third person in the vehicle was also seriously injured.

Owethu Enhle Gambushe, who studied television production at AFDA in Durban, appeared in the role of Nonhlanhla in the Grapevine Productions series of producers Duma Ndlovu and Anant Singh. She died just after 01:00 on Saturday morning after sustaining major injuries.

According to provincial police, the driver (47) of the BMW, who was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, will be charged with culpable homicide after colliding with a road side and then hitting the wall. The man was scheduled to appear in the Durban Magistrate’s Court yesterday.

“It’s unbelievable. We are liaising with the family and they have requested space to deal with this tragedy,” said Leleti Khumalo, executive producer of Imbewu: The Seed in a statement.

The news of her death came as a shock to many viewers of the show, especially to her fellow cast members.

One actress who expressed her grief over the loss of Enhle is Portia Ncwane who plays the character of Slindiwe Ngwenya on the show. Portia described Owethu as her long-lost twin sister and that she is immensely heartbroken over losing someone whom she had a connection with, especially considering how closely they worked together.

“Rest in Peace Sthandwa Sami. There’s a lot I still want to say to you. I had finally found my twin sister. We just found each other again and now you’re gone, I meant every word when I said I like you because you join in on my weirdness. God only takes the best and you were the best Sthandwa Sami, “ said Portia in a recent Facebook post.—Zalebs/IOL