Actress Michelle Botes, Known For Cherel In Isidingo, Dies Aged 62
JOHANNESBURG ' Michelle Botes , the legendary South African actress best known for her role as Cherel de Villiers-Haines on the iconic soap opera Isidingo , has passed away at the age of 62 .
The sad news was confirmed by Trudie Myburgh Media on Saturday, 21 December via their Facebook page. According to the post, Botes died in the early hours of Saturday after a two-year battle with cancer .
Botes had been diagnosed in July 2022 with advanced multiple myeloma , a rare and incurable type of blood cancer that affects the bone marrow. In a final interview with Bruis magazine earlier this year, she openly discussed her challenging fight with the illness, which had already taken a toll on her health by then.
She had initially undergone chemotherapy and later a stem transplant, but in a deeply personal decision, she chose not to continue with the treatments due to the unbearable side effects. I didnt see a chance to feel so terribly bad again and not be myself, she explained in the interview.
Her condition worsened in October , when doctors gave her a prognosis of two to three months to live. Despite switching to more holistic treatments in November , her health continued to decline, leading to her death.
Michelle Botes was born on 12 October 1962 and held a bachelors degree in speech and drama from Stellenbosch University and a diploma in education from the University of Cape Town . Apart from acting, she was a language instructor , designer , and aromatherapist .
Botes' career skyrocketed when she joined Isidingo in 1998 as Cherel de Villiers-Haines , a role she portrayed with great acclaim until 2007 , before returning in 2009 . Her character became a fan-favorite, and Botes performance earned her recognition, including Best Actress and Best Onscreen Villain at the Avanti Awards in 2006 . She was also nominated multiple times for South African Film and Television Awards SAFTA for the same role.
In addition to Isidingo , Botes featured in the M-Net series Legacy as Angelique Price and appeared in films such as Liewel Hemel, Genis! 1986 and No Hero 1992. Throughout her career, she appeared in approximately 20 different productions.
Her passing has left a void in the South African entertainment world. Fellow actor Anton Dekker shared a heartfelt tribute on Facebook, saying, "I will personally miss you terribly. The world is poorer without you. A pure gems sparkle was muted out this morning."
Michelle Botes is remembered for her talent, dedication to her craft, and her enduring legacy in South African television and film.