Rumble in the royal jungle
Prince Tumelo Kwena steps up as man of the royal house when Dipuo and Moseki seize control of the throne.
If there’s one person that Tumelo (Kabelo Moalusi) hates, it’s Dipuo (Keke Mphuti). “She and her dad Moseki (Don Mlangeni) are always up to no good,” explains Kabelo with a hint of rage in his voice. “They are a threat to the kingdom.” With ailing Queen Mosadi (Monnye Kunupi) barely clinging to life in hospital, her brother Moseki used muti to get his daughter onto the throne in mid January. But as the royal house descends into chaos with Dipuo and Moseki making wild changes, it’s pompous playboy Tumelo who man’s up and restores his family’s honour.
What does Tumelo think of his cousin Dipuo stepping in as queen? This should never have happened! It was a coupé, the way Moseki and Dipuo wormed their way onto the throne. She isn’t even of a pure bloodline. She’s half pure bloodline and definitely doesn’t deserve to sit on the throne. It should be someone who has gone through the traditions and customs and is pure. At the back of his mind, he also realises that with his mother Mosadi out of the picture for now, he could lose all of his royal benefits and that is something that he can’t live without.
Will he obey Dipuo’s orders? Not at all. He sees her as below him and he believes that he doesn’t have to take orders from someone he looks down on. He has his integrity and honour. He is selfrighteous and will go out of his way to make Moseki and Dipuo’s lives difficult. So who can he count on for support? It’s going to sound strange, but his aunt Odirile ( Tsholo Matshaba). His enemy is also his biggest supporter. He is very much aware of all the evil deeds that she has done in the past, like murder, but she is family and as far as he can tell, she now genuinely cares about Mosadi’s health. Odirile also has a bone to pick with Dipuo and Moseki for stealing the throne from her.
Does Tumelo have a plan to deal with the royal usurpers? There is this love-hate relationship between Tumelo and his uncle. He looked up to Moseki growing up and loved him. But then he found out about the scheming that his uncle did. I think in a way he still loves him, but he also hates him. They can sit around the same table talking, but it doesn’t mean Tumelo has to like him.