Khanyisile Madikiza’s exciting new chapter
Fashion, beauty and travel vlogger Khanyisile Madikiza is about to embark on the biggest, most beautiful adventure of all.
All eyes naturally shift to Khanyisile Madikiza as she walks in. The air is crisp, with a faint whiff of lavender, and the only sound is the rustle of leaves and chirping of birds. We meet her in a place designed to take your breath away, but instead of the scenery, people start looking at her. She’s magnetic in a way that only special people are.
Khanyi fills the room with the kind of confidence that is deeply rooted in who she is. You feel it in her laughter, her quick wit and soft demeanour that immediately puts you at ease. There’s no façade here. What you see is what you get. It would be easy to view her as only a stylish content creator — which she undeniably is — but spend a few minutes in her company and that quickly becomes the least interesting thing about her. She’s kind-hearted and grounded, and when she talks about her life, it feels less like a rehearsed performance and more like a conversation.
We’re invited into her world beyond the curated content we see on our screens. She’s a woman in bloom, steadfast in her goals and excitedly preparing for a new chapter in her life that promises endless love, commitment and celebration.
I feel like my purpose took shape when I had my son —the career, the family, exploring my passions and actually living my life
Behind the scenes
Born in the Eastern Cape, she studied in Pretoria, worked in Joburg, spent a few years abroad and is now based in Cape Town. But she carries the quiet calm of home no matter where she goes. With a background in communications and media, she’s worked in brand strategy, digital content and consulting, quickly becoming one of those rare voices who leads with grace and panache.
“I went in and did the whole working 9-to-5 thing, but I actually like a more flexible schedule. I started exploring my other passions, like travel and fashion, and started freelancing. With the free time I now had, I discovered that I really enjoyed content creation. So I travelled and worked abroad.
“I now have a family of my own, which I’ve always wanted. My son is 16 months old. I named him Yamila, which means ‘to take shape’. I feel like my purpose took shape when I had him — the career, the family, exploring my passions and actually living my life, not just doing but actually living and enjoying my life. I’ve ticked a lot of boxes before turning 35. And now I feel like I’m at a time where I’m thinking to myself: How is it going to get even better?”
Over the years, Khanyi has quietly left her mark with a voice that values authenticity and nuance. “I think the industry has shaped me in the sense of having a sense of conviction. I learnt to never operate from a place of desperation. Always operate from a place of knowing your craft and also knowing your value, what you bring to the table.
“That being said, I also feel like I’ve shaped the industry by giving other women confidence in the same way my confidence has grown by being on the platform [social media].”
Her journey hasn’t always been a straight line. Khanyi speaks with the clarity of someone who has weathered many storms and shares the mantra that has guided her through it all: “Smooth seas don’t make skilful sailors.” That line has been the motto of her life. “I didn’t have an easy childhood. I didn’t have an easy adulthood. But here I am, not complaining, not lacking in any way, and still happy.”
It’s a love story, baby
As with many love stories in the Digital Age, it began over social media. Casual at first, but little did she know it was the beginning of something significant. At the time, Khanyi was living and working in Dubai, yet distance definitely made this heart grow fonder.
Still, she kept her distance, not quite ready to take that next step just yet. “I visited a friend in Johannesburg in September 2019, and he wanted to meet, and I just avoided it and found other things to be busy with.”
Their first time spending time together in person came with the New Year celebrations in 2022 with a group of friends. It was a night full of fun but it was only later that year, when their paths crossed at an afterparty for the Loerie Awards, where the chemistry between them was undeniable. As the party wound down, he reached for her hand as they walked out together. It was a simple instinctual gesture that shifted everything.
“I asked him to go with me for breakfast the next day. That’s when we started talking more deeply about actually being in a relationship. That night the idea was planted in my head but for him, he knew a long time ago.”
Always operate from a place of knowing your value, what you bring to the table
Always and forever
Khanyi and her husband, Sonwabile Mkize, will honour their love and commitment to each other through tradition, following a path that is deeply rooted in their Xhosa heritage. The lobola has been paid and the families have joined. The ring, however, is still to come.
“He’s planning something and I’m hoping to be surprised. I’m such a pedantic person. I’ve sent him multiple screenshots of the ring I want… I told him about the photographer that I want to take pictures of the day that he proposes… All of those details, but I just didn’t want to know exactly how he would do it. The only instruction I’ve given him is to make sure I’ve got glam on that date and I’m dressed nicely.”
Planning a wedding is an exciting time, filled with joy and anticipation, but Khanyisile admits that it has come with an ache she hadn’t anticipated. She lost her mother in August 2024, and her absence is felt every day. “It feels like someone else should be here, showing me how to do things. Guiding me. Not in a way a wedding planner or a friend does, but in the way your mom would. That’s probably why I didn’t want to go big with a wedding at first. I would have been happy just going to the court, because it felt like I’m celebrating something where the one person I wanted to be there is not here any more.
“But I had to remind myself that this is for me, my partner and my son. So it’s been also back and forth with my grief while also managing the process and arrangements. We’re doing it at home in East London as well, so that all the elders, cousins and aunts can be there. It’s been a very emotionally taxing process, but it’s also been very gratifying and heartwarming just to see the people that are really in it for us.”
In the midst of all the emotion, one of the things she’s most excited about is the venue. “I like places that look beautiful — mountains or a body of water, lots of greenery, a kaleidoscope of nature’s colours. So getting the perfect venue was really stressing me out. There aren’t many to choose from in East London, but we did find the perfect one and now I’m really excited because once you’ve got the venue, you can kind of picture everything else.”
While many brides start with the dress, Khanyi says that the vision of her perfect dress is still forming in her mind. “I’ve gone in depth and looked at styles and fabrics and I know the look that I’m going for. I think the reason why I’m so decisive in this is that I used to watch Say Yes To The Dress. So that kind of gave me an idea.”
Khanyi excitedly shares one of the things she’s looking forward to the most, and that is celebrating this new chapter in her life with everyone. “Traditional weddings tend to be even bigger than the white wedding because it’s open for all, there’s no limit. Everyone from the village comes to your wedding. I think the traditional wedding speaks more deeply to me… It’s that sentiment of inviting everyone to celebrate and share in this moment with me.
“I want people to walk away feeling wowed, feeling like they can see God in this partnership. But mostly I just want them to be proud. Because, you know, a lot of people knew my mom and they knew how much my parents loved me. I want them to also look at me and think: ‘I can’t believe I got to celebrate Nontle’s daughter’s happiness.’ So I wanted them to walk away with that warm feeling of knowing that they just celebrated her daughter.
FOLLOW KHANYI
By: Rughsaar Bibi Ismail
Photography Assistants: Yasser Abdul & Austin Taylor
Styling Assistant: Lethabo Mncwanga
Make-up: @nosi_cape_town_mua & Michelle Moolman / Supernova
Hair: @justbraids_sa
Location: Banksia Boutique Hotel
Text courtesy of Jet magazine
Latest Jet club magazine
We’ve got the latest trends, exciting prizes and exclusive savings just for you!
Jet Club will not pass your details to anyone else. By clicking the subscribe button you confirm you have read and agree to the Jet Club Terms and conditions and Jet Club Privacy Statement.
Subscribe