Finally SABC 1 got their act together and flighted the correct Soul City Love Story this week – Monna wa Motsamai (The travelling man) about a married man, Motsamai (Silas Monyatsi) who just received his HIV results from the local clinic.
He is now faced with the reality of ignoring his conscience in his past decisions, the question of does he really love his wife and find the person who infected him. He forgets that he had a choice when he made the decisions he made when he cheated on his wife Manthabiseng(Mants’alla Ramakhula).
His wife seems completely devoted and devastated when her husband came home to tell her he has to travel AGAIN! She offers all sorts of comfort as he swears he hates the travelling. He leaves home without answering the question “Do you still love me?” from his wife.
He stops at a spaza shop to make a call to his first lover, Lieketso(Mathapelo Sekopa) from a public phone. Nxa! A man who thinks he is being careful by just making a call from a public phone but doesn’t cover his wors when getting boogie!
As Lieketso is busy throwing out her live-in lover, Thabang (Jobo Sekhonyana) from the house Motsamai rents for her in the pretense that he is her strict uncle. Deception! Deception! Deception!
Motsamai arrives to confront his lover whom he had figured would be faithful to him just by paying the rent for her and buying her food. yah, noh… She admits that she hasn’t been faithful after he tells her his HIV status. She shoves the blame to him when she questions his constant refusal to use condoms when she insisted. The ignorance of a cheating man – paying for sex will not guarantee faithfulness and not having protected sex.
Motsamai is haunted by his conscience for not calling his wife but the man is determined to get the person who infected him – SO he goes to his next lover! At this point I was beyond speechless because I had convinced myself that he was going straight home to face his wife and be at his daughter’ birthday party.
His next lover is Mahlape(Nosezolo Mpopo) who was excited at being surprised by her lover. She eagerly reminds him of the great sex they have and how her husband is forever not home to curb her loneliness. *speechless* especially when he asked her if she was cheating on him… huh? They are both married to other people! She shoos him away with her broom heavily offended.
Motsamai still doesn’t go home but goes to his other lover whom he has a fathered a child with only to discover that she has passed. The child was very happy to see his father who already had demons to deal with. He leaves some money for his son and a promise to send money every month. Doesn’t this man learn? He was already dishing out money to his lover when she wanted him rather than the money!! The son needs him more than his monthly contribution!! jaaaislaaik!
He FINALLY goes back home, realizes the error of his ways and makes peace with is conscience… He also needs to tell his wife what hehas done. Lieketso comes clean to Thabang who is very supportive and understanding. He promises to get tested the next day.
What was your take on the show? I loved it…
Next week, if the SABC doesn’t mess up, we will be watching the short story from Zambia about an unhappy marriage called “
When the music stops”. The tag line for this story is
what happens when love dies. I can’t wait!