My brother’s keeper
Although Lelethu seems to get on his big brother’s nerves, Detective Pele always bails him out of sticky situations.
Whether troublemaker Lelethu (Yonda Thomas) is trying to sleep with his older brother Detective Pele’s (Andile Nebulane) partner in the police force or getting involved with dangerous criminals who try to kill him, Lelethu can always count on his big bro to bail him out of even the tightest spots. Because that’s what elder siblings are for, right?
To most people who know them, Pele and his younger brother are complete opposites – it’s difficult to even believe that they’re related. But Andile can’t help but highlight the noble similarities his character shares with his onscreen brother. “They’re both passionate about what they do. Lelethu is an excellent writer and journalist, and
Pele is a respected detective. Both are determined to succeed in their fields. They are also both genuinely nice guys,” he says. “But the major differences are that Lelethu is a laid back, carefree guy who likes to joke around. Pele on the other hand is the responsible brother who takes himself seriously,” he adds.
LELETHU THE MENACE
“Lelethu is an investigative reporter who will do anything for a good news story – naturally, this gets him into trouble,” Yonda explains. And in February this year, his mission landed him in a sticky situation with on one of Alexandra township’s most dangerous criminals. “While at Lucy’s (Manaka Ranaka) tavern, Lelethu witnessed a criminal loanshark stab and kill someone. So this loanshark warned him not to go to the cops, which he didn’t. But
Lucy had already given in to the police, who kept asking her about the incident that happened at her establishment.
The loanshark assumed it was Lelethu who ratted him out (because Lucy isn’t exactly straight-laced herself and crooks stick together), and Lelethu was kidnapped and tortured,” says Andile, adding that “Lelethu managed to break free and ran straight to his law enforcement officer brother. Being with his brother means that no one can touch Lelethu and in that moment he feared for his life.”
When Lelethu showed up at his brother’s home in the wee hours of the morning with blood all over his face and clothes from his injuries, Pele was first concerned like the good big brother he is. But that turned into anger because he could tell that his little brother was spinning him a story about where he was and what happened to him. “Pele is no fool – he’s a detective and knew that something was off with Lelethu’s story.”
MY BROTHER’S KEEPER
Speaking on Pele and Lelethu’s relationship, Andile says that his character feels like a deputy parent – like most
older siblings do. “Pele is the typical older brother. Even though they are both adults, Pele feels responsible for Lelethu. Like he should always be looking out for him. And he does, even when Lelethu probably upsets him more than anyone else can.”
Yonda is quick to defend Lelethu though. “Sometimes he admires the fact that Pele is responsible and stable, but other times, he’d like him to loosen up and live a little. He feels his older brother is losing out on a lot of things in life by constantly worrying about his little brother. But there’s definitely love there for Pele, man.”
STRAIGHTEN UP & FLY RIGHT!
On the contrary, Andile says that Pele simply wants his brother to be a grown up. “Pele wants his little brother to be serious about life. Keep a job, keep a romantic partner and keep himself out of trouble. That’s the kind of man he wishes to see his brother as one day – just to be able to have a healthy, adult lifestyle, to be responsible and upright.”
Although Lelethu often ends up getting help from Big Brother, Yonda reveals that Lelethu isn’t always happy and appreciative that his brother usually saves the day. “Lelethu doesn’t always like it when his brother ‘comes through for him’. Lelethu’s job at the newspaper often gets him into trouble, but he’s confident he can get out of the sticky situations without his brother’s help – or interference as he sees it.”
Yonda adds, “It could be that Pele is living his unlived youth days vicariously through his little brother, while Lelethu prefers living on the edge to avoid feeling trapped like he thinks his older brother is.”
OLD & NEW LOVE
Earlier this year, before Lelethu got in trouble with the notorious Alexandra township criminal and loanshark, he was involved in a sexual relationship with his older brother’s work partner Detective Zanele (Soso Rungqu). They tried to keep it a secret from strict Pele, but that didn’t last very long. As expected, Pele wasn’t happy about the situation and warned his partner that she’d only get hurt because Lelethu is bad news. After a few weeks, Zanele decided to heed her partner’s wise words and ended things with Lelethu.
Not that it’s had any effect on
Lelethu – he’s already found someone new who tickles his fancy – Pamela (Zola Nombona). “She’s a journalist just like him, and a very successful one at that. She’s beautiful and smart. He just has to win her heart,” says Yonda. “The more Pam rejects him, the more determined he is. She seems like a good challenge and boy, does he love a challenge.” Yonda adds that he thinks he knows what’s going on. “She keeps rejecting him because she thinks that he’s not serious, and she’s a grown, independent woman. But maybe she’ll give him a chance… if he’s serious. He’s got a reputation!” teases Zola.
And we know if she does break Lelethu’s heart, brother Pele will be there, as always, to pick up the pieces, no matter how reluctantly. Although his patience is wearing thin
PREVIOUSLY
Pamela was forced to confront what she’d been running from, Sphe’s “protector” talked the fire back into her, and Philani was furious when he realised that he was outsmarted.
IN THIS ISSUE
Sphe feels very much like the prey instead of the hunter, a wily criminal manages to direct Pamela’s attention elsewhere, and Lucy warns that there could be serious heat coming Luyolo’s way. Winston plays the game like a pro, the girls are perplexed about their fellow resident’s behaviour at the commune, and Mpho feels bad for doing what his granny instructs him to. The trap has been set and the waiting game begins, Ayanda is proud of the good she is doing, and Tracy is hurt when her offer of help is snubbed.
It turns out that wanting to kill someone is very different from doing it, Pele finally gets the lead he’s been waiting for, and Mpho tries to mend fences with his former friend. Pamela is stuck between a rock and a hard place, the more he gets rejected the more determined Lelethu is, and a lovers’ tryst doesn’t go as planned. Nontle wants to throw a party despite being told not to, Lucy is entrusted with volatile information that could ruin someone’s life, and Zondiwe finds an item that arouses her suspicions. Luyolo lies to avoid meeting a woman he’s attracted to, Sphe realises that in getting rid of one monster, she has created another, and Tracy visits her new best friend and gets a shock.