Closing the chapter
Troublemaker Ratau is gunning for the church with Pastor Tlhong grieving after his wife Ester’s funeral.
A huge part of parenting is raising children to become adults and at some point, cutting the cords. But coping with an empty nest is tricky for retired construction worker Ratau (Boikie Pholo) and his church clerk wife Josephine (Meme Ditshego) on local comedy Ga Re Dumele (2010- current). Their youngest daughter Jane (Keitumetse Kasonkola) left for Botswana with her fiancé Gabs (Rantebeng Makapan) to visit her future in-laws and “Ratau and Josephine miss her. They don’t know what to do with themselves because their lives revolved around taking care of their baby girl,” explains Boikie. With their friend Pastor Tlhong (Peter Mashigo) grieving for his wife Ester (played by Mary Makhato, who passed away in 2017 after filming season 5) who has died at the start of season 6, it isn’t long before the elderly couple find a new project to keep them busy. Ratau insists on taking over Pastor Tlhong’s responsibilities while he’s mourning but “he doesn’t have a clue about the ins and out of managing a church! All that Ratau knows is partying with his friends at the shebeen. He’ll run the church to the ground,” warns 70-year-old Boikie who plays staunch chief advisor Tshireletso on Mzansi Magic telenovela The Throne (2018- current).
ON STANDBY
Much of Ratau’s strategy to attract more members involves giving the church a modern look. He goes round town searching for dancers, new musical equipment and a highdefinition projector. “Ratau aspires to be a well-respected figure in the community,” says Boikie. He’s always liked the idea of people looking up to him. What better way to gain admiration than by running a successful church?” asks the actor. While Ratau’s selfish ideas are innovative, the deacon board disapproves of his advancements. Boikie explains that “they see through his lies. He has never been to church in the past and now that Pastor Tlhong is on a break, Ratau is making all these demands? They want him gone.”
GROWN WOMAN
While Jane’s found a soulmate in Gabs, she can’t help but miss her parents. “They’re a close-knit family. Although they treated her like a little girl, she wouldn’t mind living there for another few years,” says Keitumetse. When the comedy first aired nine years ago, Jane’s parents wouldn’t allow her to date nor bring a boyfriend home, but they warmed up to Gabs when they saw they love they shared. “Gabs and Jane are in love. They can’t wait to get married already. She wants to get to know him first before walking down the aisle and living with him and his family is a great start.”
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Filming season 6 without Mary was an emotional rollercoaster. “The writers incorporated Mary’s passing into her character’s storyline which helped us grieve too,” says Boikie. “They didn’t send Ester on vacation or write her out; instead, they highlighted the big role she played to the Ga Re Dumele family,” explains Boikie. Episode 1 is dedicated to Mary as the characters are seen leaving Ester’s funeral. “It helped us get closure. We miss her and viewers are reminded of the memories she made on the comedy,” adds Keitumetse.