Son of a gun

A shocked Chief Azwindini discovers that he doesn’t have any biological sons, so he decides to put someone rather surprising on Thathe’s throne.

Azwindini is shattered by the news he’s given. Weekdays SABC2 (*192) 21:00

Azwindini’s (Gabriel Temudzani) young sons Muvhango and Mulondo (Owen Mmbobo and Ndamulelo Mbuwe) went missing on Monday 4 July and a frustrated chief lashed out by blaming family members for kidnapping his sons. But on Tuesday 19 July, the truth comes out when Azwindini is told that the boys weren’t kidnapped; they’re both alive and well and they’ve been taken for a mountain initiation by sneaky sangoma Nenzhelele (David Ramabulana). Hang on! According to custom, royal sons don’t actually get initiated. So what is going on here? Azwindini gets the shock of his life when he finds out that his sons aren’t actually his! Who’s going to be heir to the throne now and what will happen to Thathe?

NO LEGACY

“He’s shocked, sad and disappointed by the news of the children that he took care of as his own sons aren’t his,” says Gabriel. “But now Azwindini needs to pull himself together and find someone who he can proudly place on the throne.” Azwindini is desperate to find a successor since neither of his “sons” are of royal blood, but when he tells the family on Wednesday 20 July that he’s searching for a successor, he’s met with contempt.

Afraid that the chief’s successor may be a random stranger, family elder Vho-Masindi (Regina Nesengani) and Azwindini’s brother Gizara (David Sebe) suggest some rather sensible solutions on Monday 25 July – like Azwindini taking a fifth wife to bear him a trueborn male heir. But Azwindini has another plan, one involving Thandaza’s (Sindi Dlathu) son Vusi (Raphael Griffiths). On Wednesday 27 July, the chief calls up his city- dwelling nephew Vusi and – brace yourself for this – he offers Vusi the throne. “Azwindini thinks that Vusi is a good fit because of the lineage and also, when Vusi was having a difficult time with his mother Thandaza in August 2015, the chief let Vusi stay with him.” Vusi’s not sure that he’s ready for such an important task just yet, but Azwindini is happy to groom Vusi to one day become chief. Young Muvhango isn’t Azwindini’s son.