Vusi Kunene as Jefferson Sibeko
With the
arrival of the Sibeko family on
Isidingo on Tuesday night (14 June) I thought it would be cool to find out more about them for us. What are their relationships
really like? What dirt lies in their past?
I was also quizzy to find out more about Vusi Kunene's experiences in it all as the family headliner so it seemed purrfect to get the lowdown from him:
Vusi sweet talks Cherel as Jefferson Sibeko.
Tashi: What's the most important thing that we need to know about Jefferson?
Vusi: He's a hard worker, a dedicated person who carries a lot of weight but family comes first. He sacrifices, I would say, even his ambitions for his family.
Tashi: That's interesting because when
the news came out that he'd be arriving on the scene, there was the hint that he might sacrifice family to achieve his goals because he has a need to live up to his brother Lincoln. Will he do that?
Vusi: If he's pushed. If he's pushed I think he would do that - so far I haven't had that indication but if he's pushed he can be really, really mean. At some point he may be pushed to make decisions that are very brutal.
Ghosts of the past ...
Turns out Frank Xavier and Jefferson were childhood friends. When the call came for young men to participate in the struggle against the old regime, Frank answered the call with Lincoln.
Jefferson wanted to go with them, but Lincoln used the fact that he was the older brother to get Jefferson to stay home to take care of the family.
Tashi: His relationship with Lincoln - we'll never get to see him?
Vusi: I don't know, maybe, they may change their minds but right now, no, we don't see him.
He really controls Jefferson from wherever he is - that's a very heavy thing for Jefferson because everyone sees him as the head, as running things but there's a force behind him and it doesn't sit well with him but what can he do? Lincoln's family.
Katlego, played by Kgomotso Christopher. Despite their age difference, she's Jefferson's first wife.
Tashi: Yes, one of my questions was going to be: does he make his own decisions or are they made for him by Katlego?
Vusi: Decisions are made by his brother - Katlego pushes him to make decisions himself.
Tashi: Her decisions or his own decisions?
Vusi: His own decisions
but that benefit her.
Tashi: How rich is he really? Is he a billionaire, gazillionaire, millionaire?
Vusi: He's
very rich - I'd say billionaire.
Linda Sokhulu as Nikiwe: has Deep issues with her father Lincoln.
Tashi: Can you talk about Nikiwe for a bit?
Vusi: He practically brought her up because he was left behind when Lincoln left to go into exile - he was left to look after the family so he brought her up.
With the intstructions from her father, Nikiwe's not aware of what's happening, why she got to run the mining project. Jefferson knows and it's a kind of a cross to him but it's one of those things he has to live with for the sake of the family.
Latoya Makhene as Ayanda: she moved in with the Sibeko's when she was 15.
Tashi: And Ayanda?
Vusi: She's an adopted member of the family. Lincoln and Frank have done some things and now they owe it to Ayanda and her father. That's why Ayanda's staying with the Sibeko's.
Guilty secret ...
Lincoln and Frank were away in exile with Ayanda's father Meshach and betrayed him. To make up for it - and to quell their guilt - they supported Ayanda and her mother financially and emotionally. Ayanda's mother died when she was 15, which is why she moved in.
Tashi: Jefferson's son Sifiso - is he a psycho?
Vusi: Ja. Ja he's got psychological issues and that's one of the things that makes the story interesting. It makes the family a family of dynamics.
You have people who are supposed to be happy, rich and happy, but there are so many dramas that go on and Sifiso brings out something in Jefferson. Things that question Jefferson's integrity.
Tashi: The things I've heard suggest that he's very unstable.
Vusi: Ja, he's influenced by people around him a lot. We don't get to see who he
really is. People tap, here and this happens, tap there and that happens.
Casting update:
When the news about the Sibeko's arrival was first announced the role of Sifiso hadn't been cast yet. Between then and now Katt Ramaphakela has been cast. He arrives on the scene soon.
Tashi: What's the biggest difference for you between being on Generations and being on Isidingo?
Vusi: When I started on Generations it was my first time doing a studio multi-cam show and this time I've got the experience. But it still feels new because it's been a while and my role here is bigger and the expectation is very, very big.
I think the prepartions have been very, very done and done very, very well. I think I'm more nervous here than I was on Generations.
Vusi left Generations in March 2007. He was with the soapie for two seasons.
Tashi: And the biggest difference between Jefferson and Jack?
Vusi: Jack is a crook, Jack is a gangster. He's straightforward you know, he gets what he wants, however, whichever way.
Jefferson works. I think the devil only comes if he's pushed. He's a hard worker, he believes in honestly, working hard, getting things, earning things you know.
But if he's pushed we might see a bit of Jack in him.
Tashi: What's your best line that you've had to say so far?
Vusi: *laughs* Uh .... I would say it's: "I didn't know you cared so much about Sifiso."
That's the line that kind of hit me when I realised that my wife cared about my son.
Saying that, as me, knowing what's going to happen - it was interesting.
The Sibeko scenes started filming in early April this year.
Tashi: Who does Jefferson prefer ... Cherel or Barker?
Vusi: I think he'd like to go toe-to-toe with Barker. Fight him. With Cherel, maybe he'd like to wrestle with her.
Tashi: So he's not aligned with either of them?
Vusi: Not really, no.
Tashi: If he were to hook up with one of them, he'd have a fierce ally against the other.
Vusi: Ja, he's come to do business and Barker finds a way to be his nemesis. We don't really know what's going to happen with him and Cherel.