She's played Susan on
Muvhango for 15 years and yet she remains a mystery.
Maumela Mahuwa joined the soapie when it first debuted in 1997 and has since become increasingly intriguing because of how quiet she is about her private life.
This from TVSA member
Guava4:
Guava made me realise that I know very little about her too so I decided to catch up with her for us. To
delve into her secrets. To uncover what makes her buzz.
To shine a limelight on 10 Things you might not know about her:
1) Even though she's been with the show for so long she still gets nervous for every scene that she films. She's never been bored being on the show and sees each day as a mystery. She constantly looks for and discovers new things about Susan.
2) She landed the role after being discovered by series creator Duma Ndlovu who literally handed her the role. This scene from Maumela on how she was cast:
Duma said to me: "Would you like to act?"
I said: “Does it pay?”
He said: "Ja, depending on your experience."
I said: “Okay, why not?” So he gave it to me.
3) She's a self-proclaimed loner who loves reading and being at home. She likes being with her thoughts.
Maumela on what she gets up to when she's not filming: "I’m inside the house, locked up. I don’t go out.”
As we chatted she was sitting in a pile of five books, trying to choose which one to read first.
She's single but she wants to get married and wants five kids. Her current family consists of her mother and herself - she describes their relationship as: "Us against the world." She had a brother who passed away.
When she does go out with friends she enjoys going to the movies. Even though she's a loner, she's also loud and
not calm.
Maumela: "I come out loud!"
4) Besides Muvhango her favourite TV shows are Generations and 7de Laan and she watches every episode of Muvhango. Her favourite actress and greatest inspiration is the late Lindiwe Chibi, Muvhango's first Doobsie.
5) She's a Pisces by star sign and has the personality traits of the sign, espesh when it comes to empathy. She's very empathetic and feels other people's emotions strongly.
6) She looks much shorter and smaller in real life than she does on TV. She's 1.56cm's. People are regularly shocked when they meet her in real life and see how small she is.
7) Muvhango fans often turn her into
Zanele Mbokazi - many people ask her for her marriage advice based on Susan's experiences.
Maumela: "I wish they knew I wasn't married!"
She gives them advice as best she can.
8) Muvhango secrets exposed:
The cast are very close and tight - like brothers and sisters. They also socialise together a lot. But
privately.
Turns out the reason we don't see them out and about is because the cast never go to events where they know there's going to be media. We've heard rumours that Duma's very strict about such things and it seems the cast are too - from the sounds of it they're quite happy to be on their own mission.
This from Maumela: “It’s unwritten law amongst us I guess. Doing a very, very traditional show and being found in compromising positions really doesn’t go hand-in-hand. You can’t find the Chief doing something when in your mind he’s a certain person. I guess that’s just it, we don’t go out there because we don’t want to be found in compromising situations. ”
9) Out of all of the cast she's closest to
Gabriel Temudzani, Chief Azwindini. Maumela: “If I ever needed a brother he is that.”
10) She's also a preacher and Gospel singer. She preaches at various churches and events at the weekends and she's in the process of recording her first Gospel album, titled Him Alone. She's laying down the tracks as we speak and hopes to release it soon.