Meet the queens of clean
The Housemaids have arrived and they’re loud, proud and ready to air some dirty laundry.
Housemaids
Season 1 Saturdays Moja Love (*157) 19:00
Moja Love is best known for its scandalous and often tooreal reality shows, including Rea Tsotella (Mondays and Wednesdays at 21:00), Isencane Lengane (Saturdays at 19:30) and popular docuseries Ufelani (Thursdays at 21:30). So when the channel’s first scripted sitcom Housemaids made its debut on Saturday 2 October, it came as a bit of a surprise to many fans. But the show was an instant hit, with viewers falling in love with the three main characters almost immediately.
Not only are the three housemaids – Providence (Nothando Mabuza), Gog’Vicky (Phumzile Kubeka) and Bonang (Mbaliyesizwe Ngiba) – bringing the laughs, but their daily antics also reveal a uniquely South African perspective. As show director Bongi Ndaba explains: “Our characters are relatable, they have flaws, quirks and have their own unique ways of fighting back when their backs are against the wall. This allows viewers to connect with the characters and maybe see parts of themselves there.”
PROVIDENCE
Currently living with her boyfriend Geometry (Obey Muchipisi) in a crowded commune, 38-year-old Providence is desperate to move into a place she can truly call her own. As an undocumented foreigner, job opportunities are scarce, but Providence lands a job as the Mlaba family’s domestic worker and quickly becomes their live-in maid and nanny for their daughter.
Describe your character’s personality? Providence is a feisty go-getter! She will stop at nothing to get what she thinks she deserves and always puts her happiness first.
Tell us more about your character’s background. She’s Zimbabwean with a bit of a Malawian bloodline. She came to South Africa to get a better life. What are some of the more ridiculous Providence moments? She gets up to mischief with her boss’ husband and then ends up pregnant, but later she gets introduced to some-one close to the family. You just have to wait and see how the twists and turns play out.
Does your character have any flaws? Providence does everything her employer Buhle Mlaba (Zesuliwe Hadebe) says because she’s afraid of her. She also cheats on her boyfriend a lot. And she would do anything to stay in South Africa and have money.
What’s it been like portraying your character? It’s been amazing telling this story through Providence’s point of view. Being half-Malawian myself, it was a relatable character because I have brothers and sisters all over Africa who come here and still experience the same things Providence does with her job.
What do you love most about your character? I love Providence’s “don’t care” attitude. Her determination to pursue her own life is so inspiring. Nothing ever brings her down.
What do you hope viewers will take from this series? I hope they will learn to treat foreign nationals better. I also I hope male viewers learn to not take advantage of desperate women who are only here to look for jobs and do better for themselves.
GOG’VICKY
The eldest of the three housemaids, Gog’Vicky is a no-nonsense woman with an opinion on everything. She lives with and works for Mandilakhe (Lebogang Mphahlele), a womaniser and failing businessman. He was raised by Gog’Vicky when she worked for his parents, and they’ve been inseparable since.
What’s your character like? Gog’Vicky is vibey, talks too much and can be manipulative at times. But deep down she has a good heart.
As the eldest, does Gog’Vicky try teach the others a few important lessons?
Yes! She teaches Providence how to survive in South Africa, even if it means stealing someone’s husband. What are some of your favourite Gog’Vicky moments? The best part is when Mandilakhe visits her with a bag full of money and they conspire on what to do with it. I also quite enjoyed it when Gog’Vicky locked up Mandilakhe and Gugu (who’s actually Bonang in disguise) in the bedroom – viewers will have to watch to see why.
What’s your character’s greatest weakness? Gog’Vicky is very sensitive but tries to be strong all the time and does not want to see Mandilakhe getting hurt.
This is your first big acting role. What was that like? I enjoyed every moment and it was great working with experienced and professional thespians. I respect each and every one who was part of Housemaids.
What do you love most about your character? I loved everything, especially controlling Mandilakhe when it comes to matters of the heart. What do you hope viewers will take from this series? That it’s not by choice that people become domestic workers. Some situations lead you to such a life. And never forget where you come from – even when you get comfortable with the luxuries of life.
BONANG
Only 27 years old, Bonang is a golddigging, clout-seeking diva who’s always been given what she wants. A former Miss Kagiso pageant winner, Bonang has to keep up appearances and often resorts to borrowing (or rather stealing) her cousin and boss Gugu’s (Slindile Ntombela) fancy clothes and accessories. She aspires to become the next big social media influencer, but cleaning house brings her down a peg or two.
Tell us more about Bonang’s personality. Bonang is a young, beautiful, fun, energetic socialite who feels life should be enjoyed fully.
What’s Bonang’s backstory? She’s a former pageant princess who grew up being the “it” girl who never had to lift a finger. Her parents spoiled her and everyone wanted to be her friend. But her parents wanted her to get a job, so they convinced her younger cousin to hire her as her housekeeper.
Wanting to be famous, how does being a domestic worker affect Bonang? Her ambitions and struggles are no different from ordinary South Africans. The reality of living a life of little means and the aspiration to be well known are common. It has its ups and downs, but she wakes up every day with the spirit to make her dreams come true, whatever the circumstances.
What are some of the more unforgettable Bonang moments? She’s a very smart girl who doesn’t like to apply herself, so keep an eye on how she cuts corners and tricks people while using little effort to do so.
Bonang being the youngest, what lessons will she learn from the other characters? She loves her cousin and she learns how to better express her love for friends and family. I also feel she needs to apply herself more and learn to be humble at the same time while remaining true to herself.
What’s it been like stepping into Bonang’s shoes? It’s been fun! I always look forward to what she has planned. I enjoyed this character very much.
What do you love most about Bonang?
She loves to dress up and I also love dressing up and looking good!
What do you hope viewers will take from Housemaids? I hope it will show people that, whatever your dreams are, never give up on yourself.
La Brea
Season 1 Mondays (from 1 November) M-Net (*101) 21:30
It’s one thing to go back in time, it’s a whole other story for the Harris family in brand-new dramatic thriller series La Brea when they’re literally dropped into the past. A bright sunny morning in Los Angeles turns into a nightmare when the ground beneath their feet gives way and they get that sinking feeling. “The sinkhole swallows them and they fall,” says Natalie Zea as lead character Claire Harris. “Claire is an over-protective mother. That’s her nature, so when this sinkhole forms, she is desperate to find her kids – son Josh (Jack Martin) and daughter Izzy (Zyra Gorecki) – and get back to safety.” But that’s easier said than done, because the Harris clan and the rest of the survivors have fallen into a primitive, strange world that has a threat lurking around every corner…
FAMILY MATTERS
Claire has had to deal with separation before – she’s separated from her exmilitary fighter pilot husband Gavin (Eoin Macken). “Gavin’s visions after being shot down in combat tore them apart as a couple. Claire is still coming to terms with her failed marriage, now she has to accept that they’ve been dropped into his terrifying world that’s far from home. She needs to try keep her family together if they’re going to get out of this alive,” says Natalie. What Claire doesn’t know is that her daughter and husband are still in LA and it’s just her and Josh, who she fell with, in this new world. “It’s difficult for Claire because she wants to save her family but she’s also got to protect them and the other survivors. They’re a weird combination of people and strangers, but they’re here fighting for survival,” adds Natalie, hinting that someone is hiding a secret. “Not everyone is panicking at this new world. Someone doesn’t seem all that surprised to be here…”
WORLD AWAY FROM HOME
La Brea is created by David Applebaum, who worked as a writer, producer and director on drama series The Mentalist and action series NCIS: New Orleans, and he says that the temptation for a different world was too good to ignore. “French author Jules Verne wrote The Journey To The Center Of The Earth in 1864. There have been films about this and other novels. But not a television series,” says the showrunner. “We have created this modern retelling with the added drama of today’s world. We’ve put a family at the centre to tell a story of separation that so many people are experiencing. It’s not just a separation from family but also their homes.”
As it turns out, La Brea wasn’t even shot in Los Angeles, Earth’s entertainment mecca. “We went to Australia and filmed on location, in a sound stage and with green-screen,” explains David. The show’s parent network NBC has been filming TV shows Down Under for over 20 years and have investments and infrastructure in place. “We didn’t even need to scout locations for La Brea – NBC had an entire dossier of sites that were perfect. Everything came together and filming in Australia was amazing.”
HELPING HANDS
Viewers will recognise two of the men caught up in the sinkhole drama of the show. Jon Seda played Detective Antonio Dawson on the Chicago franchise of shows until he quit Chicago PD in 2019. He’s now playing Dr Sam Velez and says that “my character is a former Navy SEAL and a doctor. He’s a husband and a father. He doesn’t know what to do, but he knows that he can’t sit by and let people die. He needs to act now and help where he can.” Nicholas Gonzalez is best known as the nowdead Dr Melendez on medical drama series The Good Doctor (Mondays on M-Net at 19:30) and plays Levi Delgado, an elite US fighter pilot who’ll be heading up the rescue mission. “This production was something new to me. The scale is enormous – almost as big as Levi’s mission,” says Nicholas.