Dumped & duped
Nthabeleng walks out on James… and over to Ndalamo.
Muvhango Weekdays SABC2 (*192) 21:00
It’s over for Nthabeleng and James (Mona Monyane and Dingaan Mokebe) on Tuesday 24 May. She’s had enough of his constant arguing and harping on about a photo of her hugging another man, so she packs her bags and moves in with someone who appreciates her… James’s sworn enemy Ndalamo (Lesley Musina). Not that Ndalamo’s a stranger – the pair were framed by Matshidiso (Buhle Samuels) on Wednesday 27 April for having an affair, but they got revenge on her and exposed her lies on Tuesday 3 May.
James is devastated on Wednesday 25 May, fuming that his girlfriend’s left him for Ndalamo of all people. “James is unhappy and feeling cheated on,” says Dingaan. “The disturbing thing for him is who it’s with! He never liked Ndalamo because he betrayed James’s best friend Thandaza (Sindi Dlathu) and broke her heart [in 2007].” While James is sitting moping at home, Nthabeleng’s moving on and she and Ndalamo head out for dinner at a Joburg restaurant. That doesn’t sit well with James and Dingaan adds, “James can’t believe that he trusted Nthabeleng so much that he even introduced her to his daughter Busi (Bontle Sithole) and welcomed her into their home, only to have her leave.”
Keen to win Dr Nthabeleng back, James tries to talk some sense into her during a phonecall on Tuesday 31 May. “He isn’t going to run after her though,” hints Dingaan. “But he’ll try to resolve things and warn her against Ndalamo, who’s a player and might drop her as soon as someone better comes along, just like he did with Thandaza, Matshidiso [in 2015] and Meme (Tsholofelo Monedi, in 2009).” James’s protective words only drive Nthabeleng further towards Ndalamo, who realises on Tuesday 31 May that he’s got real feelings for her.
The feeling isn’t entirely mutual though. Nthabeleng’s caught out by Ndalamo’s extreme comforting ways on Wednesday 1 June and she’s ready to run away from him too, rather than confront him. She resigns from the hospital on Friday 3 June and disappears on Monday 6 June, heading to Cape Town without telling Ndalamo or James. And while Dingaan says that “she’s ready to move forward without James at her side”, will he be able to move on and forget her? Thandaza proposed to Pheko, Ndalamo asked Nthabeleng out to dinner, and Vho-Mutshekwa pressured Thifhelimbilu to start a family. Pheko gives Thandaza his answer but she isn’t going to like it, and Nthabeleng swaps her home with James for Ndalamo’s place. Vele has news about her political career to share with Chief Azwindini, and mayor Mulalo feels like he’s been given an unfair task to complete for his campaign. Later, Sthembiso must choose between his career at MMC and best friend Vusi.
Sthembiso and Vusi have a falling out and Sthembiso’s left regretting leaving MMC. Mulalo extends the olive branch and asks Vele if they can support each other’s political campaigns. Vele gets ambitious and asks Azwindini for R1 million to kickstart a bridge project for the community, and Mulalo later blames Vele when a community protest erupts in Thathe. Meanwhile, Busi and Katlego, Vusi’s girlfriend, bump heads after Katlego humiliates Busi in public. Sthembiso is desperate to find a new way of making money, and later Vusi suspects Sthembiso of being a thief when he sees him wearing dirty overalls. Nthabeleng leaves town quietly, and Vele ups her campaign game thanks to help from Azwindini.