ISRAEL is a messenger of peace.
He uses his gangster roles to teach viewers that crime doesn’t pay.
Israel Zulu (43) from Alexandra, east of Joburg, appeared as Cyprian Gumbi on Isibaya and Skroef on the drama series iNumber Number.
He’s been playing gangster roles since the days of Yizo Yizo and Gaz’lam.
“I show both the good and bad side of life through my characters,” he said.
Israel was once a gangster.
“I remember my mother Cynthia Matseke was in pain knowing she had a troublesome boy,” he said.
“I was involved in crime from the time I was 12.
“I spent a lot of time with a car dealer who was a panel beater.
“He was my role model. That was the only education I had so I started to steal cars together with other gangsters.”
Israel was sentenced to eight years in prison when he was 22.
“I served four years and when I was released I was a brand-new man,” he said.
“When I was in prison I wrote a play called Hayi Kabi Magenge, which was about crime and what makes us commit crime.”
He said it’s useful to show people how they can live without crime.
“I’m an example of that,” he said.
Today, Israel runs an academy in Alexandra called Israel Acting Academy.
“I develop and nurture young talent. I feed a number of production houses with my students.”
He said he’s proud of his students Kgosi Monyake who played on Hopeville and Mashala Letsoalo who is in a DStv advert.
Israel is busy with a kwaito and house album, produced by the late Joe Mafela’s son Jimmy.
Israel, who has a 14-year-old son, warned young people not to fall into the pressures of a materialistic lifestyle as that could lead to a life of crime.