To kill or be killed?
The third season of popular Mzansi Magic drama series Gomora has come to an end with a shocking season finale that saw the exit of two iconic characters.
One of them is Thati (played by Katlego Danke), who has cultivated an incomparable love/hate relationship with fans of the show over the three seasons. From starting out as a lavish Sandton housewife to witnessing the murder of her husband by her mother’s lethal high jacking crew, Thati's story had many twists and turns.
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In a final twist that had audiences on the edge of their seats wondering how they will end off Thati and Mazet’s (played by Siphesihle Ndaba) storylines, no one could have anticipated that their fates rested in each other’s hands.
Speaking to TRUELOVE, Katlego explains how the decision to close their storyline came about.
“The end of Thati’s storyline comes at a time when the whole show is shutting down so there are a few other storylines that needed to be tied up like Mazet’s death. I suppose with all the stories being tied up it made sense to also end Thati’s storyline,” she says.
Katlego dives into the challenges she faced when portraying her character, drawing inspiration from the people in her life to perform at the best of her ability each time in front of the camera.
“There were always challenges playing Thati. She’s quite different in personality to me and finding her initially was difficult. She’s quite feisty and cheeky and that I had to dig deep to find as this is not a natural trait for me, and I’m not exposed to many people like that.
“I used various people in my life to draw inspiration from to create her – women who are strong, women who have gone through many trials and came out stronger on the end, women who have risen over and beyond the [call] of duty on their lives and either left a legacy or are still building it. My mother, my grandmother and my aunt. I had to find the delicate red of who she is in her softness too and that was a beautiful journey of exploring womanhood in all its glory.”
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This storyline took many unexpected turns throughout her journey on the show and Katlego shares what about playing Thati had her hooked from the beginning.
“The character caught my attention because she was a woman who went through a lot of hardship but had to find her feet and be bold enough to carry herself and her children into a chapter of uncertainty. She had to find who she was in and amongst the turmoil and draw from strength she never had before.
“I feel like this is the story of our mothers and grandmothers that has not really been told in all its colours, so I felt truly honoured to be asked to tell it. Through the series she not only found her strength but became a string example of what a woman put through the fire can overcome and emerge on the other side an inspiration to many young women. This has always resonated with me and I’ve taken lessons from this too in my own personal life,” she explains.
Having been performing onstage and on our screens for the better part of two decades, Katlego shows no sign of slowing down and hopes to deliver more in the world of acting.
“What’s next I suppose is a life filled with the journey of creation. I have produced and directed my first short film in 2020 so I am looking forward to building on that journey behind the scenes. But of course, the acting journey is far from over,” she shares.
The final season of Gomora premieres Monday 24 April and airs weekdays at 19:30 on Mzansi Magic.
