UP AGAINST GXABHASHE
Mastermind turns on Muzi for destroying his sister Amandla
Mastermind’s (Ntokozo Dlamini) world stopped on Tuesday 8 December when he was called to identify his runaway sister Amandla’s (Lungelo Mandondo) body at the morgue. While the dead girl turned out to be another family’s tragedy, Mastermind isn’t off the hook. On Wednesday 9 December, Detective Dhlomo (Don Mlangeni) warns him that there’s little chance that they’ll still find Amandla alive. Like so many addicts’ loved ones, Mastermind blames himself for not seeing what was happening to his little sister. Unlike most though, as a drug dealer Mastermind knows that he is directly to blame. “To find that his sister is now using the substances and products that they’re selling is killing him inside,” says Ntokozo “TK” Dlamini. But soon there will be somebody that he blames even more – Muzi Xulu (Mpumelelo Bhulose).
TESTING LOYALTY
When Amandla finally rocks up, high on whoonga on Monday 14 December, her sister Sma (Sihle Ndaba) is relieved by their lucky escape but warns Mastermind that he can’t keep working for the Xulus. But he can’t bear to turn on his “father” yet. “Mastermind really feels that he owes Muzi because Muzi hired him and took him in at a time when it was really, really crucial for Mastermind’s life. Muzi became a father to Mastermind and gave him a job and gave him a salary, so he felt like Muzi was his god. Anything that he says goes. Mastermind doesn’t question Muzi. He absolutely refuses because he feels like he owes Muzi so much,” TK explains.
TRIED TO MAKE HER GO TO REHAB…
But Amandla should watch out! After narrowly escaping an attempted rape on Tuesday 15 December, she runs away from Mastermind and Mxolisi (Naymaps Maphalala). Realising that she’s out of control, Mastermind and Sma want to send her to rehab but ironically, Muzi chooses that time to exercise his rights as Amandla’s father. “Muzi fights with Mastermind and tells him that Amandla isn’t going to go to rehab because rehabs never work; they just make things worse because people are surrounded by other addicts and as much as there are professional people trying to help them, there’s no family support. And Amandla needs people who’ll support her and love her and she’s not going to get that at rehab,” explains TK.
Reluctantly, on Monday 21 December, Sma and Mastermind decide to take Amandla to the Mdletshes to recover instead, unaware that it was pastor’s son Nkosinathi (Sipho Mhlongo) who got her hooked on drugs in the first place!