Caution to the wind
Lelo and Lehasa’s romance is running on empty when she destroys a keepsake from his dead wife.
“Who would hide the fact that they’re dating wealthy businessman and widower Lehasa (Cedric Fourie)? Not Lelo (Amanda du-Pont),” explains Amanda with a giggle. But Lehasa’s reluctance to make his relationship with Lelo public left him begging the single-mom to keep their bedroom fun a secret after his wife Zandile (Matshepo Maleme) died from cancer in early July this year. But Lelo let the cat out the bag to Lehasa’s business partner Cindy (Phophi Mudau) over lunch on Thursday 2 August and “even walls have ears”, hints Amanda. Meddling waitress Bontle (Kea Leburu) overhears the conversation and runs to her coworkers at Café Rovuwa everything. “It goes downhill from there on. Lehasa is an extremely private person and hits out at Lelo for telling everyone about their dating,” says the actress. The businessman’s problems are going to get worse – Cindy questions him if he’s dating a convicted felon and he’s
forced to deny it. Lelo doesn’t take kindly to this and set Lehasa an ultimatum: tell the truth or we’re done.
SHOW AND TELL
“Lelo wants to be seen in public with Lehasa. She wants to show off her new man,” reveals Amanda, but Lehasa isn’t ready for the commitment. Last month they decided on having a casual fling that as meant to involve sex only, but Lelo has developed genuine feelings for him. “At this stage, she is getting to know Lehasa. She enjoys spending time with him and getting to know him so she doesn’t understand why he doesn’t want to go out with her like a normal couple would,” adds the actress. This isn’t the first time that Lelo’s been unlucky in love – don’t forget that her unreliable babydaddy Mangaliso (Bongani Masondo) walked out on her in the middle of 2017, leaving her to care for their baby daughter Nosi (Mbalenhle Tabu) as a single mom. In the end, Lelo gets what she wants though: Lehasa agrees to an extremely low-key dinner at his restaurant. That simple meal is going to turn into a nightmare though when he finds out what a handful Lelo is.
WRONG MOVE
Give the girl the finger and she’ll take the entire hand – that’s exactly what Lelo does when she arrives at Lehasa’s doorstep on Wednesday 8 August, suitcase in hand hoping to move in with him until she gets a place of her own. “She doesn’t have anywhere to go after her roommate Sis Ouma (Elizabeth Mlengana) kicked her out because Sis Ouma is moving out of town,” explains Amanda. But Lehasa isn’t hearing it and turns her away. Feeling bad, he calls her back that night and Lelo unofficially moves in with him, spending nights there and days hunting for a new home.
LADY IN RUINS
Lelo is living comfortably and enjoying her cosy new arrangements, but that could be over as soon as it has started. She accidentally spills a drink on a Zandile’s painting on Friday 10 August and Amanda says that she’s terrified. “The portrait is the only thing that artist Zandile left Lehasa prior to her death. Lelo doesn’t know what to do and hides it where it can’t be found. But someone finds it and puts a photo on social media. This might be one sticky situation that even a skilled liar like Lelo may not be able to get out of.