Family fall-out
Little Busi’s kidnapping send Puleng and Suffocate into a spin, as well as their troubled marriage.
Puleng (Tebogo Khalo) could never have anticipated that a play date at the park with her kids Nqobi and Busi (Khwezi Ntsika Mbabela and Thato Ntshubela) would result in disaster on Wednesday 14 November. “Busi is abducted,” says Tebogo with pain in her voice. “The one minute, they are having a picnic and the next, Busi vanishes into thin air. It happens so fast,” adds the actress. Dazed and panicking, Puleng calls her overprotective husband Suffocate (Mduduzi Mabaso) but this is an unthinkable situation that leaves the reformed gangster speechless. Suffo rushes to the park to help Puleng search for his young daughter, only to realise what has actually happened. “It’s clear that it’s a kidnapping. Busi would never run off alone and everyone, including Suffo, labels Puleng an irresponsible mom for losing Busi,” reveals Tebogo.
TAKING A BEATING
And Suffo isn’t through with Puleng – he lashes out at her in frustration on Monday 19 November, comparing her to Busi’s reckless biological mom Niki (Nolo Phiri) who abandoned the little girl in December 2017 when she got in trouble with the law. “Their marriage is falling apart. Between their constant bickering and him accusing Puleng of being like Niki, it feels like a nightmare,” explains Tebogo. “Part of Puleng believes that she has let her husband down. She has always treated Busi as if she was her own. Each day, the searching ends with a fight and each day, Suffocate becomes more distant from Puleng.”
BITTER PILL
While he’s fighting with Puleng, Suffo realises that he needs to let Niki know about her daughter and she joins the search on Tuesday 20 November. Thing is, Suffo hides Niki’s return from Puleng because he believes that just like in the past, his bond with Niki will make his wife jealous, explains Tebogo. “Busi is Niki’s child so she has every right to be there looking for Busi. Suffo should tell Puleng though, despite knowing what it will do to their marriage: add more stress.” Two wrongs don’t make a right and Puleng knows her husband well enough to realise when he isn’t being honest. “Puleng notices Suffo’s jumpy behaviour [on Tuesday 20 Nov-ember] but she doesn’t ask questions because it will lead to another fight,” explains Tebogo. “But when Puleng finds out that Suffo is lying about Niki being back, there will be trouble!”