Blood ties
Two men, two families, two destinies – it all seems perfect until a strange mistake mixes things up.
Season 1 Mon-Wed (from Monday 9 Feb) SABC1 20:30
Ashocking deathbed confession kicks off the action on uzalo, sabc1’s juicy new 156-episode telenovela. two kwazulunatal families seem to be complete opposites – the mdletshe clan are devout activists committed to helping the poor through the church, while the xulus’ fortunes rest on death and destruction via their crime empire. now their sons are becoming men, but thanks to that confession, we have to wonder what’s guiding them? will blood outweigh everything in the end? we asked ayanda mdletshe and mxolisi xulu to tell us where they come from and what they really want…
the guys speak out
ayanda (khumbulani sibiya) What do you see in your family that you don’t want for yourself? i don’t want the resentment and bitterness between my parents in my life. my dad has ambitions of being a community leader, which means family comes second. i want the cool life – to tour the world with djs while playing music. What’s been your greatest act of rebellion? dropping out of varsity is a huge source of grief. my mom’s against me being a dj; she sees me as an accountant. my dad, on the other hand, supports my ambitions of becoming a performer. my choice of being a dj is tearing the family apart. So what kind of love do you want? i want a model-type, a “pin up girl” (but secretly i’d like to end up with someone who can make me a family man…) mXolisi (naymaps maphalala) What do you see in your family that you don’t want for yourself? i want a good, clean life. i want to stay away from criminal activity and be happy and content with all that’s happening in my life. i want to make my family happy and live a life outside of evil. What’s been your greatest act of rebellion? i’ve always been the child who listened, but now i’m rejecting the money that my father is offering me to start my own business in johannesburg or elsewhere. So what kind of love do you want? i want a woman who knows what she wants in life. i want an intelligent, generous, kind and caring woman who’s willing to understand me. (honestly, i think i’m secretly attracted to women who’re similar to my mother).
who’s who in uzalo?
the mdletshes – “the goodies” Dad: pastor melusi (bheki mkhwane) channelled his political activism into helping the poor through the church. Mom: zandile (leleti khumalo) is reserved and still overwhelmed by a deep sorrow from the apartheid years. Son: party-boy ayanda is in love with the producing side of music but his family think that it’s just a daydream.
the Xulus – “the gangsters” Dad: muzi (mpumelelo bhulose) is a hijacking kingpin with a silver tongue and an iron fist. Mom: lindiwe (dawn thandeka king) is a lively woman whose high-flying family disowned her when she fell pregnant by muzi. Son: mxolisi is a good guy with a golden voice. he has no idea of his dad’s “job”.