Uzalo’s youthquake
We’ve got the scoop ’til March right from the horse’s mouth.
Uzalo fans usually take a deep breath and hold tight in the first week of February when the soapie enters its new season. “We normally start off with a mass shooting,” says co-executive producer Mmamitse Thibedi. “But we’re not doing that this season. We are starting off with an incident, something hectic leading us into season 5.” With Club Genesis in flames on Friday 1 February and Qhabanga (Siyabonga Shibe) trapped in a burning shack, Uzalo isn’t joking! We’ll also see Fikile (Nelisa Mchunu), Sbu (Simphiwe Majozi) and GC (Khaya Dladla) lose their homes that day…
SEASON 5 IS ABOUT…
The new instalment will be far more youth focussed than before. “We have new characters that we are excited about. We are dealing with children that we have brought in. This season we want to make the older generation like the Nkunzis (Masoja Msiza) and the MaNgcobos (Dawn Thandeka King) account for all the mess that they have done,” says Mmamitse. “These kids go into a machine that moulds them into criminals. They come from somewhere. There is a new breed of children who have nothing to lose. They’re coming after what the old gangsters have acquired. They are moulded by what these guys have done.”
HELLO TO YOUTH
“Every now and then we need to re-tell that story of blood from the beginning with a different character,” explains the co-exec producer. And in 2019, Uzalo will be digging into Nkunzi’s bloodline – as many fans have already speculated will happen. “We have solidified that MaMlambo, MaNgcobo, Nkunzi dynamic but we are going to bring a bit of a surprise because we are bringing a grown-up son into the picture who comes from outside. That’s going to be very spicy. This in Nkunzi and Gabisile’s (Baby Cele) son,” hints Mmamitse. While Mxolisi (Nay Map Maphalala) is out, viewers will see more of his naughty love Lilly (Noxolo Mathula) – there’s far more to her than being just Miss Girlfriend…
THREE BLIND MICE
Finally, how many big personalities can you cram into one small room? GC, Sbu and Fikile will have to figure it out when they become roommates in February. “They can’t afford to pay rent, so they ask GC to move in with them. And of course he is going to say yes because it’s a really lovely place and he doesn’t want to live in backrooms anymore,” reveals Nelisa. “It’s going to be very interesting when they are roommates.”