A brush with death
Rhythm City took viewers on an emotional rollercoaster ride with three kidnappings, two dead babies and a love story without a perfect ending in 2018.
Rhythm City went beyond their normal storylines of aspiring musicians with controlling managers in 2018. The claws were out from just about every character, whether it was keeping secrets from significant others, protecting children or even wrecking marriages. It’s family first in the RC world and the lengths some of our favourite characters went to in order to maintain that left jaws on the floor. What more could we ask for?
MOTHER OF ALL LIES
Bongi (Thembi Seete) thought that the angel of luck was on her side when she managed to swap her estranged husband Lungile’s (Meshack Mavuso) newborn baby that he had with his mistress Lerato (Samukelo Ndlovu) with her friend Nomalanga’s (Nomalanga Shozi) dying baby at hospital in January. The new parents were convinced that their relationship was dead too when “their” baby died in their arms and they broke up on the spot. But it was all part of Bongi’s grand plan to get back with Lungile. The tables turned on Bongi in mid- October though when Lungile discovered the truth and in a rampage, he shoved a now-pregnant Bongi off his arm at the altar – she landed on her stomach and suffered a miscarriage.
FROM RAGS TO RICHES
Reformed convict and nightclub owner Suffocate (Mduduzi Mabaso) was a busy man this year despite it starting on a low with him back in prison in early February. He was arrested for killing child kidnapper Skhumbuzo (Mncedisi Shenge) who had taken his young neighbour Dumisani (Siyabonga Mtshali) to his illegal initiation school. Suffo was reunited with his ex- cellmate Lerumo (Khotso Nkhatho) who tormented him throughout his stay behind bars, threatening to murder Suffo and his family on the outside. Lerumo took his Suffo obsession to the next level when he kidnapped Suffo’s daughter Busi (Thabo Ntshubela) in November and demanded millions as a ransom. What is a desperate parent to do to save their child? Everything – Suffo rescued Busi by stealing ransom money from his business nemesis David Genaro (Jamie Bartlett), re-igniting their feud too.
LOST ONES
Busi and Dumisani weren’t the only ones on the police’s missing person’s list: popstar Reneilwe (Amo Chidi) was kidnapped by a sex-trafficking cartel on Friday 6 April. Her ex-boss David barged in to save her, but did he really? David was running a prostitution ring in his nightclub and wasn’t aware that his business partners were snatching women off the street. He played hero while secretly saving his own bacon and shutting down the business before the cops came calling.
LOVE IS BLIND
High school student Mapula’s (Mapula Mafole) fairytale romance turned into a nightmare when Melusi (Maxx Maticoe) beat her in mid May. What started with Mapula smiling from ear to ear ended in June with him punching her and Mapula realising that she needed to get out before Melusi killed her. She wasn’t the only one suffering in love: good-guy Kop (Setlhabi Taunyane) went into a blind rage on Tuesday 25 December when his wife Mamokete’s (Connie Chiume) paroled killer Gadifele (Ferry Jele) asked for forgiveness. If Kop had it in him, Gadifele would’ve died at his hands then and there.
WHAT WE WANT IN 2019
Besides Mapula studying at varsity and doing her family proud, we’d love to see her get some actual love. In the spirit of forgiveness, Lerato and Bongi putting their differences aside would be nice – they could even run record company Red Records as partners. They are far better at managing musicians than bickering like hens. And most of all, we want to see Suffocate and David being friends for real this time.