Religion vs tradition
Thathe is filled with funeral wars and supernatural beings.
Since Vho-Mukondeleli’s (Elsie Rasalanavho) death, Chief Azwindini (Gabriel Temudzani) has been mourning his aunt while the royals and Vho-Mukondeleli’s family are divided on how to give her a proper burial. “Azwindini’s mother Vho-Masindi (Regina Nesengani) says that she wants Vho-Mukondeleli’s body to stay a night at the Royal House, but her request is thrown out by Vho-Mukondeleli’s family,” says Gabriel. And these differences will lead Azwindini down a dark, dangerous path with the ancestors.
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“The differences between the families boil down religion versus tradition,” Gabriel explains. “The Royal family believe that the funeral should be done in a traditional way and that the body should return to the Royal House because that is the house she was married into, but Vho-Mukondeleli’s family want things to be done the Christian way with a proper graveyard burial.”
Soon the families don’t just bicker about Vho-Mukondeleli’s body being in the Royal House – after Azwindini has a dream, he announces that he wants Vho-Mukondeleli’s coffin to take the place of the throne. “In Azwindini’s dream, he saw his father with Vho-Mukondeleli and two other women at the throne. His interpretation of the dream is that the coffin needs to take the place of the throne, but that idea is shot down too. Raging, Azwindini threatens to stop the burial, sending the already tense situation into meltdown.”
THE ANCESTORS HAVE SPOKEN
Azwindini’s threats don’t go unchecked though – the ancestors summon him to the sacred site of Zwifhoni. Foolishly, the chief ignores the ancestors and he soon sees the error of his ways. “Azwindini doesn’t take the summoning seriously and thinks that nothing will happen, but he is shocked when he finds that his livestock is missing. It’s punishment from the ancestors for disobeying them after all they’ve done for him,” says Gabriel.
Realising that he needs to meet with the ancestors if he wants his riches back, Azwindini orders his man at arms Vhangani (Kingsley Ramabulana) to accompany him. “Vhangani is afraid for his life as their journey is filled with an endless amount of supernatural beings and happenings. “Azwindini and Vhangani enter a scary terrain, so it’s natural that Vhangani is terrified – this site is the kind of place you may never return from,” explains Gabriel, adding that “we have never done anything like this (with supernatural beings in this sense) before. The viewers will love it!”
PREVIOUSLY
Susan was offended when Azwindini offered her a reward for saving Gugu’s life and even more so when Gugu asked her if they could be friends, Gugu learnt that she wasn’t pregnant, and Mulimisi had some devastating news.
IN THIS ISSUE
Tenda lies to everyone about his heart attack, Susan is excited about her big interview with SABC2 but she’s met with some resistance, and James and Lesedi face the consequences of their lies. Susan’s story turns into a PR nightmare, and Itseng has a talk with Lesedi and advises him to forgive James. Tenda finds the man who sent him the threatening package, and Marang is thoroughly unimpressed with James and Tenda. Tenda later orders the kidnapping of one of his rivals.
James tells the school principal half of the truth, Susan meets Zama, and Tenda’s evil handiwork is exposed. James is presented with the offer of a lifetime, Susan gets pampered, and Imani makes a decision to approach Moipone to help Lesedi on his mission to find out about his grandfathers. Susan is visited by Lowani who’s there with an unusual request from the women of Thathe, and James learns that Imani disobeyed him and took Lesedi to find out about his grandfathers from the last place James wants his name spoken about.