Popular South African actress Sophie Lichaba has faced quite a number of challenges since opening up about her battle with diabetes, including losing out on business and blacking out while driving.

The star recently joined the cast of hit drama series Lockdown as Palesa, the head nurse at Kgotsong asylum, Times Live has established.

During her interview with TshisaLIVE, Sophie explained that her personal challenges helped shape how she portrayed the character.

iHarare has noted that Sophie has battled with diabetes for over 10 years, which led to her losing weight.

“I am human, of course it affected me. It affected me because I didn’t see it coming. I didn’t see the public coming. I didn’t see myself losing so much weight. There was trauma after trauma after trauma. You must remember that I am not just an actress, I have businesses … People who once trusted you with R10m or R5m for their projects, when they hear you are dying, why would they even give you a contract? It was the challenge of losing a lot.”

“My kids, it affected them because sometimes they would be like ‘why would so many people say this? Is it true? Are you dying? Is there something that you are not telling us?’ … People don’t realise that you are human and go through human pain, like anybody else.”

“I am diabetic and my sugar levels were very high and I literally passed out. That is why, for me, I want to create awareness about the condition … My kids, everyone was sad, they just said ‘mom, what if this had happened on the highway?’ It happened on a normal road but the bottom line is that the car was wrecked.”

“People think that I have lost it all, let go of it all. I am just getting started. They said I would never plan another wedding again, but I am just getting started.”