A new Neo

Dodging death was easy for master criminal Neo Mokheti but being good is tough.

Lerumo seems to doubt daddy Neo’s good intentions. Weekdays e.tv (*194) 19:30

On Friday 7 October, “dead” former prison drug kingpin Neo Mokheti (Jerry Mofokeng) stepped out of the shadows to lay claim to a stake of The Newtonian hotel. Now everyone has questions, from Scandal! fans to Neo’s son Lerumo (Tshepo Mosese), who found out that Neo was alive on Monday 10 October, as well as Neo’s old prison cronies who heard of his return from the grave on Tuesday 11 October.

DID I DIE, THOUGH?

“People have got wind that Neo’s coming back and they say to me, ‘But you died!’ And I say, ‘Woah, wait a minute. Did you attend my funeral?’” laughs Jerry mischievously. “Neo crossed one of the head guys in the prison and that man said, ‘We’ve created a monster here. I will deal with him.’” Neo has been lying low ever since, but his secret business with Yvonne Thebe (Kgomotso Christopher) demands his return. “She has been having underground dealings with somebody who is only known as ‘Moscow’. And it’s time for Moscow to show his face – as Neo,” reveals Jerry. Neo’s back!

GOING STRAIGHT FOR MY SON

Money isn’t Neo’s only motivation for rising from the grave. On Wednesday 12 October, he reaches out to reconcile with Lerumo, which is a risk. “Lerumo’s respect is critical for Neo. Culturally, he wants to be represented by his offspring, but cop Lerumo also represents the law, so Neo can’t afford to cross Lerumo. He’s going to prove to Lerumo that he’s a changed man,” says Jerry. Someone else will be making sure that Neo behaves too. “Bra Fingers (Ronald Mkwanazi) comes to warn my character not to go back to my ways because he will discipline me,” reveals Jerry. And the last time Bra Fingers disciplined Neo, it was with a knife in his chest in November 2014!

SO BAD AT BEING GOOD

Obeying the law is going to be an uphill battle for Neo. “He tries to get investors and the hotel owner Grace’s (Bathabile Mashigo) son says to him, ‘Look, it seems like you’re dead weight around here.’ And unfortunately he’s right! Oooh, I tell you! Grace is a lady but Romeo (Hungani Ndlovu), uh-uh,” chuckles Jerry. And Neo’s plans will hang in the balance after Naledi Thebe (Dineo Moeketsi) finds out that her brother’s killer is alive and walking the streets on Thursday 20 October…