• Former actor Thabiso Mokhethi says he preaches in churches for free and lives off offerings.

• After losing his family, job and marriage, he says he turned to God for survival.

Thabiso Mokhethi, a former Generations actor, says he survives on offerings from churches after being kicked out of the popular soapie.

The father of three opened up about his struggles and how he now preaches at different churches across Southern Africa — without charging a cent.

“I go to different churches and tell people about God,” said Mokhethi. “It’s up to the honorarium. They honour me with what they have.”

Mokhethi, who played Samuel Khumalo on SABC 1’s Generations, said he now travels between South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland and Botswana to preach.

He recently visited the Durban Warship Church, where he preached under Pastor Abraham Masinga.

He said life is good and he is currently on holiday with his kids.

But Mokhethi admitted things were not always easy. At one point, he considered ending his life.

“I lost my father, who was the breadwinner, my mother had depression and I was still a student at Wits. I didn’t have money to continue with my studies,” he said.

After his father’s death, he started using drugs and alcohol. His mother then took him to rehab, where he discovered his acting talent.

After rehab, he auditioned for acting roles and landed the part of Samuel Khumalo on Generations. “Veteran actress Sonia Sedibe told me the role was mine — and it was,” he said.

His life turned around. He moved from the township to the suburbs, bought a car and got married.

But he said he forgot about God and lost everything.

“God took everything. My mother and brother died in a car accident, I lost my job, my wife divorced me and my younger brother was murdered. I had depression,” said Mokhethi.

He turned to traditional healing after people claimed he was cursed.

He even went through initiation but said God told him he wasn’t meant to be a healer.

“He saved me,” said Mokhethi, who also works as a master of ceremonies when invited.

Pictured above: Thabiso Mokhethi.

Image source: Thabiso Mokhethi