Deathbed drama
Amos is fighting a losing battle as his health takes a nasty dip.
7de Laan Weekdays SABC2 (*192) 18:00
The drama never ends in Hillside, but this time tears are on the way. Monday 13 March brings sad news as loveable handyman Amos (Boikie Pholo) is given a terminal diagnosis by his doctors just months after he and his daughter Khanyi (Hlehle Ndlovu) moved into the neighbourhood.
FIGHTER’S SPIRIT
“Amos is a loving and caring father who wants the best for little Khanyi,” says Boikie. That’s why he can’t bring himself to tell her his news. “He was a miner for years and all the stuff that he inhaled underground has damaged his lungs. On top of that, he also has arthritis,” adds Boikie. “Amos doesn’t want to upset his daughter.”
A week earlier, on Monday 6 March, the old man tells his sister-in-law over the phone that he’s struggling with money because of his poor health as “no on wants to hire an ailing old man”. Khanyi can see that her dad is having a tough time but she’s too young to understand. “She’s a fighter and she thinks that her dad can be the same,” says Boikie. “She doesn’t know…”
DESPERATE DAD
Willing to take anything that comes his way, Amos grabs a painting job from Willem (Markus Haywood) on Wednesday 8 March. The Heights owner hires Amos to paint burglar bars on one of the flats and Boikie explains that his character “needs to make money… any money… to take care of Khanyi and put food on her plate. He knows that he’s ill but that’s not his concern. Khanyi is his priority”. Amos starts coughing on Monday 13 March but by the time Willem arrives, the old man is coughing up blood and Willem rushes him to the Hillside clinic for treatment.
END OF THE ROAD
Willem visits Amos at home on Tuesday 14 March to find out if there’s any update from the man’s doctors. “Amos doesn’t sugarcoat it,” explains Boikie. “He tells Willem straight- out that the doctors discharged him because there was nothing they could do. They’ve sent him home to die…”
FAMILIAR FACE
Boikie’s no stranger to TV and the 76-year- old plays builder Mmusisi on SABC2 sitcom Ga Re Dumela (2010- current). When his role as Amos wraps up at the end of March, he’ll be hoping over to e.tv to join their mining telenovela Gold Diggers (2015- current) as a court judge in the upcoming third season.