‘I almost drowned’: Hungani Ndlovu on Tropika Island of Treasure experience

Actor and dancer Hungani Ndlovu said competing in Tropika Island of Treasure season 11, which premiered this past Saturday on SABC 3, was no easy feat.

Ndlovu stars alongside former Miss SA Ndavi Nokeri, social media star Chad Jones, and TV host Roxy Burger, among others, in the popular reality show.

The award-winning series, which first aired in 2008, features South African celebrities and contestants battling through various challenges on a luxury island for a grand prize of R1 million.

Speaking to The Citizen, Ndlovu, known for his roles in Scandal! and Skeem Saam, admitted that while the competition was tough, he found the experience refreshing.

“The experience was better than I expected. I thought I’d be annoyed by the process, but it turned out to be uplifting and a confidence boost for me,” he said.

As this was Ndlovu’s first time participating in a reality TV competition, he acknowledged how different it was from his usual acting roles.

“Being myself was a unique experience, but the team created a great environment where we could be ourselves while still making great TV,” he added.

Hungani Ndlovu on challenges and obstacles

Ndlovu shared that he faced a few obstacle in the competition, including nearly drowning during one of the challenges.

“The most challenging part of the competition for me was the unpredictability of the obstacles. You train for what you think will be there, but Tropika Island of Treasure is something else.

“Most of the tasks were completely different from what I had prepared for. Every challenge was a surprise, and figuring them out as we went along was tough. I almost drowned in one of the challenges, and that was hectic.”

Offering advice to future contestants, Ndlovu emphasised the importance of preparation.

“Watch this season and multiply it by five. Whatever training you do, double it, because it only gets harder.

“For the contestants, it gets tougher, but for the viewers, the excitement only increases as the season progresses.”

You can catch Tropika Island of Treasure every Saturday at 6:30 pm on SABC 3 with repeats on SABC 1 at 9 pm and streaming on SABC+.