Mom at war

Imagine walking around with a part of your enemy inside you – that’s the ordeal that Masindi faces this fortnight.

- ELEANOR MAVIMBELA

Some mothers don’t know where to draw the line when it comes to their sons. That’s the case with Thathe’s royal matriarch Vho-Masindi (Dr Regina Nesengani). There’s nothing under the sun she wouldn’t do for her chief son Azwindini (Gabriel Temudzani). And even though he’s estranged from the royal family, Mulalo (Sydney Ramakuela) should already know that you’d better sleep with one eye open if you dare attack Vho-Masindi’s “baby” or threaten his chieftaincy…

NAME & SHAME!

The feud between Vho-Masindi and Mulalo began after Mulalo came back from rehab recently. Upon his return, Thathe’s former mayor discovered that someone on his long list of enemies set his house alight while he was away, leaving him homeless. “Seeing that he needs a place to stay, Mulalo goes to the royal house and asks to move in with the community leaders while he tries to get back on his feet, but they turn him away like an outcast,” explains Sydney, whose character lashes out at Azwindini and the royals for kicking him when he’s at his lowest. It’s understandable though – Mulalo is part of the family by culture, not blood, says Sydney. “Mulalo’s father (offscreen) was caretaker chief many years ago, and in Venda culture, that automatically makes them ‘family’.”

“Fuming and disgruntled, Mulalo immediately calls a journalist and he reveals one of the biggest royal scandals that will taint Azwindini’s chieftaincy,” warns the actor. It doesn’t take long for the gossip to make headlines and the front cover of Thathe’s newspapers: that Mulalo is the product of incest – his mom