ZAMUXOLO Sivuka has gone from being a cattle herder to a TV star.
The 61-year-old madala from Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, has bagged a role on a show called Kwelakhaya, and he wowed the producers from the first day he auditioned.
He told Daily Sun that he never knew he'd be on TV.
“As someone who grew up in rural areas, I didn’t know anything about acting. Sometime last year, I went to the royal house (AmaMpondo Royal House), I was told there would be auditions and I should go there because they need old people. Even though I didn’t know what would happen, I went.
“When I got there, I sat and saw a lot of younger people auditioning. There were about four elderly people. I didn’t even know what was supposed to be done. They told me I had to do a monologue, and I thought, 'These people are out of their minds. How do they want me to speak to myself'?" said the madala.
However, he did great, and he was cast immediately.
“It took me five minutes, and people clapped hands. They said I did perfectly. At the time, I didn’t even know there were cameras taking videos of me. They told me I got the role, and I was shocked as to how that happened,” he said.
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The actor was inspired by former Generations actor Mike Mvelase, who played Khapela on the show.
“When I got cast, I remembered Khapela and thought I could be like him. That made me focus and get into acting. The plot of this show is close to something I’ve always wanted to do – keeping young kids off the streets and motivating them. So, I gave myself into it because of that reason.
“This show is a positive thing that builds. I play as a person who keeps the peace in a family. As a person from the royal house, that’s my role in real life. I like a place with peace, and I feel like I played the perfect role,” he said.
Madala had to learn a lot of acting terms.
“When we started filming, I saw that I can do this. Even in the way they motivate me, they tell me when I do good. Even though there are mistakes, they are patient. But it used to hurt me when I was busy acting, and they said "cut."
"I always thought I was doing something wrong. However, I learnt what that meant. They explained that they needed for scenes to be perfect that’s why the cut,” he said.
Producer Yongana Mrwetyana said: “We met him on the first day we held auditions. It didn’t even take time for us to see his talent. By the time he left the venue, he already knew that he was cast. He was the only one we cast immediately because of his talent.”
Kwelakahaya is currently being filmed.
