Laundry (Uhlanjululo) is an engrossing exploration of family, ambition, and the human spirit amidst South Africa’s turbulent past, offering both historical insight and a compellingly resonant narrative.
South African filmmaker Zamo Mkhwanazi, born in Durban and a graduate of the University of Cape Town, has built a formidable portfolio spanning TV, short films, and features. Her latest project, Laundry (Uhlanjululo), which screened on the 4th of September 2025 at the renowned Toronto International Film Festival, marks a significant evolution in her storytelling. Shifting focus from the ruthlessness of apartheid to the life of a family navigating its oppression on their dreams. Known for works such as A Place Called Home (2006), Single Galz (2014), and the feature South Africa Factory (2016), Mkhwanazi continues to explore the interplay between history, music, and South African culture in film.
Laundry tells the story of a black-owned family laundry business operating in a whites-only area in 1968 South Africa. The family patriarch, Enoch (Siyabonga Shibe), is determined to protect and grow the business while securing a legacy for his children. His son Khuthala (Ntobeko Sishi), however, resists the path laid out for him, dreaming instead of a career as a musician. The tension intensifies as Khuthala pursues his passion alongside a local singer, who also happens to be his father’s mistress. Mkhwanazi’s choice to centre the story on the family’s internal struggles, rather than focusing solely on apartheid’s oppression, offers a nuanced and emotionally rich portrayal of resilience, dreams, and generational tension. Furthermore, music emerges not just as a motif but as a lifeline, an expression of freedom in a world designed to suppress it; a evocative narrative that truly reflects Apartheid history.
The cast, led by seasoned actor Siyabonga Shibe and rising star Ntobeko Sishi of Gomora fame, brings depth and undeniable star power to the narrative. Alongside Bukamina Cebekhulu and other supporting talent, the ensemble captures the complexities of life under an oppressive regime, where even small victories carry immense significance. This film further succinctly recontextualises a story of a people who continue to hope despite all the forces meant to crush them; truly, it is a dedication to all the families that remained irrepressible.
