All bets are off
Katlego calls an intervention to end his gran Koko Mantsha’s out-of-control gambling habit.
Skeem Saam Weekdays SABC1 (*191) 18:30
Every now and again, good grandson Katlego (Patrick Seleka) travels to the other side of Turfloop to surprise visit Koko Mantsha (Lydia Mokgokoloshi). He hasn’t checked in on her in a while as he’s been trying to buy Capsy’s restaurant with his girlfriend Candice (Liza van Deventer), so it’s high time he visits Koko on Wednesday 28 February. But letting himself into Koko’s house as usual has a very unusual consequence, teases Lydia. “Koko actually freaks out when she sees her grandson. While waiting quietly, Kat has overheard Koko talking about her love for gambling with her friends and she’s annoyed that it’s no longer a secret.” Having a vice like gambling won’t look good for upstanding citizen Koko Mantsha, but public shame isn’t her biggest fear, reveals Lydia. “She’s scared that Kat will try stop her from her games!”
ROLLING THE DICE
Koko isn’t a poker player or blackjack queen, instead opting for a popular township game called “fafi”. Like a seasoned pro, Lydia explains that “the women – like Koko – rely on dreams when placing their bets. What they see in their sleep gives them clues on which cards to bet on and how much money they’ll win”. Kat questions his beloved elder on Thursday 1 March, but she is quick to hush his worries. “And like an addict, she lies and tells him that she will quit,” says Lydia. But Koko knows that she’s back in the game the second that Kat goes back to his business.
PEER PRESSURE
Having seen how manipulative people can be while trying to buy Capsy’s, Kat knows that Koko is lying to him, so he does the next best thing: he contacts Koko’s strict brother Josias (Paul Rapetsoa) on Friday 2 March. But Koko is ready for them, says Lydia with a smirk. “She hides behind her old age, claiming that she started gambling as a way to make friends and integrate herself into the community.” And that’s not all – she is using her friend Wallet (Molefi Monaisa) as a scapegoat, saying that he suggested she join a fafi game in mid-February after she told him about her strange dreams. “She protests her innocence,” adds Lydia. Koko tells them that she joined reluctantly but she got lured in when Wallet used her dreams to win. “She heard about people winning a lot of money playing fafi and it would distract her from being home alone, so what’s the harm?” questions the actress. Clearly Kat and Josias see things a lot differently…
UNDER THE INFLUENCE
Wallet is dragged into an intervention on Monday 5 March but not for him – it’s for Koko and Wallet has to help Kat get his gran away from gambling. “The men sit her down and talk to her without judging her decisions,” explains Lydia. “I think that Koko’s eyes open and she realises that they care for her and sweeping her love for fafi under the carpet won’t be much help.” Koko reluctantly decides to quit on Tuesday 6 March, but not having her distraction reminds Koko of another “problem” in her life: her daughter Charity (Makgofe Moagi), who’s troublemaking ways have made Turfloop headlines for years. Charity disappointed Koko with her decisions, like having an affair with married family man John (Africa Tsoai) in mid-2017. “Charity was expected to be at Koko’s intervention but she didn’t pitch, as expected,” sighs Lydia, adding this warning: “If Charity is going to start causing trouble in Koko Mantsha’s life again, don’t be surprised if the old lady goes back to the one thing that gives her solace: the game of fafi!”