Sit-down with a jetsetter: Nokuthula Mavuso
‘Pretoria people so welcoming with culture of sharing’
SA actor Nokuthula Mavuso is excited for fans to watch the new series she’s been working on. Lioness, a local 10-part thriller-drama created and produced by Ochre Moving Pictures, premiered on MNet at the end of January.
In the show, Mavuso plays the character of Amo, best friend to lead character Samantha played by Shannon Esra. Mavuso describes the series as a high-drama thriller.
“It’s about principles, it’s about morals, it’s about crime, it’s about betrayal, it’s about feelings of abandonment and family, and I think everyone can relate to all those,” Mavuso says.
We spoke to her to find out where she’s planning on travelling next and what some of her favourite local spots are.
How did you feel about travel grinding to a halt last year? Was there any particular destination you dreamed about while in lockdown or wished you could have spent it in?
When travel came to a halt it wasn’t easy. We literally had to stay indoors and I’m a very outdoorsy person. We have a trip planned with my family taking the kids from Pretoria to Cape Town on the Blue Train that we’ve had to postpone so many times.
We have a little one and we’ve never travelled with her. When she turned one, lockdown happened.
When I first heard of the Blue Train I think I was about eight years old and my mom told me about it and promised me a trip on the Blue Train.
Sadly, she passed away before we could do that and it was a gift from my partner for us to go and do this as a family.
Where is your favourite local spot for a holiday?
I still think that South Africa comes on top of all the places that I have been to. My favourite place has to be the Northern Cape.
It’s also so wild – you never know what you’re going to come across. You’ll be out holidaying and hear of a python being caught not too far from where you’re staying and it adds to the adventure.
What do you remember most about your childhood holidays?
My mom worked as a consultant and we used to travel a lot to rural SA for her projects, teaching rural women basic survival skills.
The one place that still holds a dear place in my heart is the Limpopo region, which was the Northern Transvaal at the time. They have some of the most serene, magnificent places. I saw women riding horses like cowboys. They were so fantastic at it – some would even ride with no saddle. We also spent a lot of time in the Bushbuckridge region going to Skukuza.
And your first trip abroad?
It was so daunting. We were travelling with a theatre group and we toured the United Kingdom.
We were staying in Cheshire, which is known for the best ice cream and it’s no lie – I’ve never had so much ice cream in my life. We really got to see the world and we didn’t have to pay a thing – that was a plus. We’d go to Wales every now and then and the party scene in Liverpool and Manchester was just wild. It was a mind-blowing experience.
What is your bucket list destination?
I would love to go to Japan and see Mount Fuji. The first time I heard of it I was in primary school and we learnt about all these different countries.
That mountain just spoke to me and that’s one place that I really want to go to in the near future, hopefully with Covid easing up a bit.
What is your favourite city in SA and Why?
It has to be my home town, Pretoria. I know it like the back of my hand and I know a way to find everything, where to shop, where to eat.
The culture and way the people are – they are so welcoming. Pretoria is unlike Joburg – there’s a culture of sharing. It’s okay to call up a friend and say “Hey, I’m coming over. Did your mom cook?”
And what’s one of your favourite things to do in Pretoria?
Pretorians like going out a lot – we like recreational parks.
It’s a culture that in the car you have to have your camp chair and your cooler box because you never know where you will end up.
And your cooler box must always be stocked up. We can do all the larney things but just hanging out in the hood with your friends in someone’s carport with music playing from a car nearby – that’s how we party.
We party with our family and friends.
Please complete this sentence: “When travelling, I am a sucker for...”
It has to be whatever local dishes the markets have to offer. I’m a big market fan and of trying out new food.
Lioness airs on MNet (DStv channel 101) every Thursday at 8.30pm. It’s also available on Catch Up.