Take to the sky!
Leshole’s dream of becoming a pilot is finally coming true, but is it a disaster waiting to happen?
Breaking free from the streets of Turfloop has been at the top of Leshole’s (Thabo Mkhabela) list of goals. And what better way to do that than to literally take to the skies? That’s what Leshole intends to do when, after years of struggles and disappointment, his dream of becoming a professional pilot comes within his reach. “Being a pilot means everything to him. That’s all Leshole wanted,” Thabo reminds us.
REPO MAN
Leshole’s dream is now a reality when he gets a career-making opportunity. “He gets a once-off job as a private pilot,” explains Thabo. “It scares him a little, but he knows it’s something he is capable of.” It’s not a straightforward pilot dream job though. Just moments after his first successful flight, Leshole is approached by aeroplane repossession agent Piet (David James, Albert in Getroud Met Rugby, 2012-now, see p35). “He takes back planes when payment on an aircraft is overdue,” says Thabo. And Piet is in need of a fearless pilot to get a job done…
FIGHT OR FLIGHT
Viewers will expect Leshole to jump at the opportunity, but Thabo says that his character has doubts about this promising contract. “He knows taking back people’s planes can be a dangerous job and he could get hurt.” After a good amount of time weighing up the pros and cons, Leshole takes the job. Flying is what he has always dreamt of and the pay is exceedingly good.
Ready to hit the tarmac with Piet, Leshole is excited but nervous. “Oh, he’s scared for his life! What if something goes wrong?” exclaims Thabo.
But the journey toward being a fully fledged pilot has been a long one and Leshole isn’t going to allow his fear to rob him of his dream. “Leshole comes from a poor background. That alone could have hindered his success. He’s had to work twice as hard to overcome all his obstacles,” explains Thabo.
With Leshole’s bad luck over the years – remember when he was shot in the leg in 2019? – it’s going to take a miracle for Leshole’s dream job to take off and soar. And this is Turfloop, where things often go wrong…
LOVE LESHOLE
Thabo is elated to see his character finally achieve his goals and he believes that Leshole has the power to inspire viewers to never give up. “Viewers automatically gravitated toward Leshole. Fans just needed to see him prosper. He shows us that you can be anything you want to be, no matter your background or circumstances,” says Thabo.