Puleng Khumalo

**Puleng Khumalo** is main protagonist in *Blood & Water*. She is portrayed by Ama Qamata.

She is the second born daughter of Thandeka Khumalo and Julius Khumalo.

## History

### Biography

Puleng Khumalo was born to Thandeka Khumalo and Julius Khumalo as the second born daughters. She has an older sister named Phume who was kidnapped at birth and a younger brother named Siya. She attended Meadowridge Highschool with her best friend, Zama Bolton. Now attending Parkhurst Highschool after getting suspended for fighting one of her teammates.

## Throughout the Series

### Season 1

##### Fiksation

The series is opened up with Phume’s 17th  birthday party at her home where family and friends have come to celebrate. Puleng was upset because of celebrating Phume's birthday despite her not her being physical there. But she stays cheerful when interacting with her younger brother ,Sika, and her mother. She texts Zama and asks her to come over but she refuses.

When her father, Julius, finally arrives, they proceed to sing happy birthday and, after which, Thandeka thanks the guests for coming to her birthday every year and that they are still been searching for her for seventeen years. She tells them ensures that justice will prevail to those who took her and tells Puleng to make a wish for her sister.

Later during the party, Julius gifts Puleng a book for which she can write on, ‘telling her if you want to achieve something in life you must first write it down’ to which Puleng thanks him. Puleng the questions her father if he was staying over this time but he says the has to work something out much to her disappointment.

After her father goes to check on something, she video calls Zama who inform Puleng she met a guy called Chris (who Zama starts dating) and asks Puleng to come with her to Chris's party however Puleng refuses. Puleng gets distracted during the phone call when she sees Julius arguing with Thandeka in the kitchen and sees his father leave, prompting her to hang up.

Puleng then argues with her mother why Phume gets such a big cake despite the fact she not here, however she dismisses the conversation much to Puleng’s annoyance. Puleng decides to go to the party and texts Zama that she is coming, much to her mother’s disapproval. She slips out her bedroom window and goes with Zama to the party.

When they arrive inside the party, Chris takes Zama with her to a more private place in the house leaving Puleng alone. She then decide to explore Chris's house where she bumps into Karabo 'KB' Molapo for the first time and meets Reece Van Rensburg who offers to sell weed to her but refuses and walks away from them.

Puleng then goes to the bar where she meets Fikile Bhele for the first time, who helps her order for cider when the bartender neglected her. She then continues to wonder until she walks in Zama having oral sex with Chris, much to her disgust. Zama then apologizes to Puleng and informs her she will come after she is done. Puleng goes to a quiet room where she secretly observes Chad Morgan and Fikile making out. Puleng flees from when Chad notices.

She then sits on a couch in the party to find a phone ringing. When she answers, She discovers the phone belongs to Wade and decides to give it to him at the photo both where she find he taking photos. He then introduces himself to Puleng and she learns that he and Chris are from Parkhurst college.

Chris then makes an announcement to inform the guests that the true reason behind the party was to celebrate Fikile Bhele 17th birthday where Puleng realizes that she shares the same birthday. She gives wade her Instagram before biding him farewell. Puleng starts to suspect if Fikile could possibly be her missing sister.

The following day at school, she loses focus whilst playing for the school team's hockey match against another school whilst thinking about yesterday's hypothesis and why other students were staring at her shocked. causing her team to lose. She gets into a fight with a fellow teammate, Nate, who insults and mocks Puleng family for messing up the game. Whilst waiting outside principal office, Zama shows Puleng the news article of Julius being involved in human trafficking by selling Phume just before she was born but Puleng claims it's nonsense.

When she enters the principal office, he informs her that he is aware of the news and contacted her parents and criticizes her attacking Nate for that as well as her grades which have dropped and not focusing during the match. He arranges disciplinary hearing for her and asks her to be on time otherwise she will be suspended .

Later she is seen talking with her mother and father outside on a bench where the father claims the new is 'Just some journalist making a story out of nothing' and that some evidence from another case has made them look at Phume's case again to which they found his name popped up in it and believe that he did it. He asks Puleng to trust him and not believe everything on the news.

That night, after she puts Sika to bed, she decides to investigate Fikile Bhele Instagram and compares it with a photo sketch of Phume. She starts to see a resemblance that makes her further think it could be her. She also receives a message from Wade informing her of a swimming Gala event coming up at his School.

The following day, She is her school library with Zama where she discusses with her about Fikile and Chris. At home, Puleng gets an idea to buy a DNA test kit online and notes it on her diary.

She accepts Wades offer and attends the Swimming Gala the following day. She encounter Fikile again when she tries to search her bag where they have a friendly introduction. However, Puleng realizes she is late for her disciplinary hearing and races to her school to get on time. However, She arrives too late and as a result, She is suspended and her parents ground her for this and take her phone.

As they leave, Julius encounters the police outside the school where they arrest him in front of the students for human trafficking where Puleng breaks down and cries. Puleng and her mother later visit Julius in prison, who tells them to keep distance from him until situation is sorted before they leave him. Later at home whilst talking to Sika about the situation, She gets an idea to ask her mother to move to Parkhurst High to further investigate Fikile if she could be Phume to help her father. She tells her mother about moving to Parkhurst, knowing that she can no longer attend Meadowridge because of her father's arrest in public and suspension. Thandeka agrees, not knowing her true intention.

### Personality

Because her parents don't let her do much, Puleng is someone who doesn't have a lot of experience doing things outgoing teens typically do unlike her friend, Zama.

## Appearances

* *The Interview*
* *Propaganda*
* *Payback's a B\*tch*
* *Frenemy No. 1*
* *Trippin'*
* *Mayday*
* *The Source*
* *Spiyoyo*
* *Puleng vs. The World*
* *Dark Times*
* *Family Matters*