A cry for help
An enraged villager holds mother-daughter duo Nandi and Sphe hostage to bring attention to his plight.
Generations – The Legacy Weekdays SABC1 (*191) 20:00
While shifty marketing guru Mazwi Moroka (Musa Ngema) and his partner-in- crime Jack Mabaso’s (Vusi Kunene) long-running rural land development project has created jobs for the neighbouring communities, it’s been a curse for one particular villager. Peter (Tseko Monaheng) lost his wife offscreen when they were forcefully removed from their home in January and his rage has been simmering out of earshot. But it’s time he took action and he storms into the Ezweni offices searching for Mazwi on Monday 16 April. But Mazwi doesn’t give Peter the time of day, explains Generations – The Legacy publicist Gaaratwe Mokhethi.
Frustrated and desperate for someone to listen to him, Peter barges into Mazwi’s doctor wife Sphe’s (Pearl Monama) hospital office on Wednesday 18 April, only to be turned away there too. Peter snaps and pulls a gun on Sphe, who he’s followed to a ward where she’s attending to a patient – and she isn’t Peter’s only hostage: her caregiver mom Nandi (Brenda Mhlongo) is with her. “Peter doesn’t actually want revenge for his wife’s death,” reveals Pearl. “He just wants Mazwi’s attention and for Mazwi to recognise the trauma he’s caused.” The actress adds that “Peter is an amateur [hostage taker]. He doesn’t know what he is doing, let alone how to handle a gun – innocent people will get hurt”.
OUT OF CONTROL
Peter phones Mazwi on Wednesday 18 April and tells him that he’s holding his wife and mom-in-law gunpoint. He hands the phone to Sphe and “that is when she breaks down,” reveals Pearl. “She cries out in fear and begs Mazwi to help them.” Peter snatches back the phone and tells Mazwi that he won’t hurt the women on condition that the police don’t get involved. While Mazwi keeps his promise and doesn’t do any-
thing foolish, Sphe’s patient Shaun (Dave Ridley) plays hero and tries to grab the gun from Peter, only to be shot in the process. “It’s like that classic soapie hostage fight,” explains Pearl. “The gun goes off and no one knows who’s been shot. Her patient is covered in blood now and because Peter didn’t want to harm anyone, he urges Sphe and Nandi to save the man.” Pearl adds that having a gun pointed at her “only makes Sphe more nervous – this man’s life is in their hands and they may not be able to save him.”
While all this has gone on, Jack has called the police and they arrive at the hospital later on Thursday 19 April but while the cops are outside planning how to handle the situation, Mazwi sneaks into the hospital and goes in search of his wife and mom-in-law. Meanwhile in the ward, Sphe and Nandi are still working on saving their patient. “Nandi is in tears and she is shaking. She still feels guilty for helping Uncle Molefe (Mothusi Chebeletsane) take his life in January before his illness killed him slowly and painfully,” says Pearl. “They are trying to rescue this man while waiting to be rescued themselves.”
LOSING TRACK
Mazwi finds the hostages and Peter on Friday 20 April after sneaking in and “it’s a relief for Peter to have Mazwi’s attention. Peter tells Mazwi about his his wife and how hurt he is. Mazwi should have listened to him sooner,” explains Pearl. Despite Mazwi feeling sympathy for Peter, he tells the gunman that’s there is just nothing he can do to help. “This lack of remorse pushes Peter off the edge and he starts waving the gun around. He points it at everyone, including himself. He asks Mazwi how he’d feel if he lost his wife,” sobs Pearl. Nandi’s pleas for her daughter’s safety fall on deaf ears on Monday 23 April as the trigger is pulled again, aimed in the women’s direction. “They’re in his firing line – and the police are too late,” suggests Pearl. Peter is arrested but he has left a trail of blood and terror.