Much to the ridicule of her friends - she persevered and conquered her dreams of being a multifaceted powerful woman with superb style, success and everlasting grace.
"Enhle Mbali is the woman I have always aspired to be. My high school friends often made fun of the fact that I had an alter ego, until Beyoncé made sense of it, thank goodness for that. Mbalenhle had very humble beginnings, " she said.
Mlotshwa, who recently celebrated her 29th birthday in Paris , has been in the industry for 12 years now.
"I have never felt more in tune with what I want from my career," she says.
Walking red carpets in the States, married to SA's most successful DJ and an enticing actress - who made her presence felt in Rockville, where she plays a redeemed magosha.
She has just finished shooting State Enemy No.1, which will be released later this year.
She says it's a rich SA story where she plays the wife of notorious heist kingpin Collen Chauke, a former MK soldier turned robber and SA's most wanted criminal.
About being married to DJ and producer Black Coffee, she says he is not the reason for her success, but is a huge support structure in her life.
They met on the set of Tshisa and haven't looked back.
The two married officially earlier this year, making her Mrs Maphumulo but she prefers keeping her maiden surname for her professional persona.
Born and raised in White City Jabavu, Soweto, Mlotshwa attended model C schools.
"My mother always wanted better education for me. We were never in one place for too long, moving around like Gypsies made life that much more interesting."
An entrepreneur from a tender age, Mlotshwa sold marshmallows and chips in school. But school just didn't give her that fulfilling feeling she needed. "I finished because I had to."
She landed her first gig at the age of 17 in 2005 on a show called Mthunzi.com. She was in the cast on Tshisa one year later.
She says she has always had a passion for acting and was inspired by Sarafina.
"I was the neighbourhood entertainer as a child and all I needed was the stoep as my stage, I did what I loved."
It was in those moments Mlotshwa knew that performing was her calling.
Her mother is a make-up artist and as a teen she would often join her on trips.
At one shoot she first laid her hands on a script and decided to audition for a part, which she successfully claimed.
She says her dream role would be to play Beyoncé.
"I'd be able to show everything I love in one performance, singing, dancing and acting. She is colourful. I would love to be the one to show the world her depth and colour."
Mlotshwa is working on a new e.tv series called Broken Vows, playing a wedding planner called Azania. "This is the most challenging but greatest role yet. It gets me nervous but I love it. It shows that I'm still as passionate to entertain as much as I was as that little girl on the stoep."
The reason she chose acting, she says, is because it has influence on society - to change it with a potential to teach.
