Blowing a fuse
Suffocate and Nandi’s affair leads to an explosive death and a bloody war between the businessman and her hubby Khulekani.
Just the thought of flirting with his married friend Nandi Ngobese (Nompilo Gwala) should be enough for Suffo (Mduduzi Mabaso) to run the opposite direction. She’s none other than his business rival Khulekani’s (Mncedisi Shabangu) wife – and every man in Soweto knows that going as far as inappropriately leering at Nandi could land them six feet under. Suffo ignored the unwritten rule and recently kissed Nandi. This fortnight, they take their affair to the next level when they meet at a hotel room and have sex. “The affair wasn’t planned,” says Mduduzi. “They started spending time together while working on a community project and one thing led to another. Suffo fell for her kind-hearted spirit. He realised that she’s nothing like her corrupt husband,” explains the actor.
Before they know it, Suffocate and Nandi are sneaking out of their houses and into each other’s arms at every turn. But things get complicated when his cop girlfriend Detective Madikgetla (Lerato Zah Moloi) grows suspicious of his friendship with Nandi. “But Detective Madikgetla isn’t the only one on the hunt. Khulekani has doubts too and he is also trying to catch Suffo and Nandi in the act,” says Mduduzi. A heads-up to Suffo and Nandi: they should end their fling immediately, because when Khulekani finds out, there will be blood spilled.
ON THE ROCKS
Suffo doesn’t have plans to end his affair with Nandi anytime soon because he doesn’t love Madikgetla to begin with. He is only using the cop to hide that he murdered his enemy David Genaro (Jamie Bartlett) in February this year. While Detective Madikgetla was questioning Suffo during the murder investigation, he realised that the cop had a crush on him. Suffo seduced Detective Madikgetla and talked her into throwing out all evidence against him, including the incriminating video that clearly showed Suffo shooting David. “The plan was always to distract her so that he could get away with murder,” says Mduduzi. If Suffocate thinks that he’ll get rid of Detective Madikgetla that easily, he should go back to the drawing board. She’ll destroy his reputation before he leaves her for another woman.
FIRING WARNING SHOTS
Detective Madikgetla has always been weary of Suffo and Nandi’s friendship.
She’s questioned him about the affair several times but Suffo always changes the subject. Being the lady that she is, Detective Madikgetla visits Nandi to put the matter to rest. But when she arrives at the Ngobese home and learns that Nandi isn’t there, the cop raises her suspicions with Khulekani. “Detective Madikgetla doesn’t have proof of the affair but she’s certain about it. She thinks that telling Khulekani will somehow stop Nandi and Suffo from seeing each other again,” says Mduduzi. Khulekani orders his henchman Mandlakhe (Menzi Brighton Biyela) to stalk Nandi and in just a matter of days, Mandlakhe confirms the detective’s suspicions.
ON THE ROCKS
Khulekani is fuming. He waits for Nandi to return home and just as he’s about to confront her about stepping out on their marriage, she admits to the affair. To Nandi’s surprise, Khulekani is willing to let her betrayal slide only if she vows to cut ties with Suffo. After giving him
her word, Khulekani sets out to assassinate Suffo. “Khulekani wants his wife all to himself. He’ll do anything to get rid of Suffo,” says Mduduzi. Khulekani is a man of action. He tells Mandlakhe to plant an explosive device in Suffo’s car and they patiently wait for Suffo to meet his death.
IN THE DRIVER’S SEAT
On the other side of town, Detective Madikgetla is still trying to prove the affair, which has turned her into an insecure and paranoid girlfriend. Like a true investigator, she goes digging in Suffo’s apartment and finds a headband on the floor. Something tells her that it belongs to Nandi and the cop demands answers from her boyfriend. “He tries to lie his way out of the argument, but he eventually admits the truth,” says Mduduzi.
At first, Detective Madikgetla gives Suffo an ultimatum: end the affair or else she’ll reveal that he killed David. But when she realises that Suffo has no plans to dump Nandi, she settles on going to the police station to file the evidence against him. “Suffo panics. He hides her car keys so that she doesn’t leave the apartment, but she finds his keys and storms out. She doesn’t make it to the police station as the car bomb meant for Suffo kills her instead,” says Mduduzi.
IT’S WAR
Suffo is speechless following Madikgetla’s death. “He is genuinely hurt and blames himself,” says Mduduzi. Suffo believes that his enemy Khulekani is behind the attack since Suffo’s affair with Nandi was no longer secret. “Everything about the explosion points towards Khulekani. He is the only person who wants Suffo dead, now more than ever as Suffo was sleeping with his wife,” explains Mduduzi.
Suffo is now on a mission to get even. He could just grab a gun from his safe and shoot Khulekani, but Suffo wants to hurt his rival in the worst way possible: destroying his family, starting by stealing Nandi. “Suffo declares war. The tension between the two men has always been bubbling under the surface. It’s about to intensify,” adds the actor. Their feud won’t end well, particularly because there’s a woman caught between them. Whichever way their war goes, Suffo will ensure that Detective Madikgetla gets justice.