Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Clarice Dlamini-Zuma made her acting debut on Generations on Tuesday 20 July. It was really funny but not all too surprising though because it runs in the family. Her daughter Gugu Zuma is in Isidingo as the love-struck Lesedi Moloi.
Minister Dlamini Zuma had her acting gig in Generations
This isn't the first time a soapie rakes in a politician, well, it depends on how you look at it. In 2005 7de Laan wanted to feature the now dethroned President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki but his hectic shedule didn't allow it so they brought in someone who looked a bit like Mbeki but never showed his face. Generations has just made history and it is likely that other soapies will follow suit. Especially shows such as Isidingo that love featuring current affairs in their storylines.
Diplomats: Minister with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Now let's go back to Minister Dlamini-Zuma's acting gig. In her 10 seconds stint, I wasn't at all amused by her being on the show. Quite frankly, it added no value whatsoever to the show. Generations has clumsy storyliners and script writers. If they really wanted to highlight the "Id/you are married" ((((((huh, me, married?) plight faced by many South Africans, they should have done the story in-depth and do some really proper research and extensively show the effects of such a situation. Generations failed its 5 million loyal fans + 5 million bored viewers (=10 million)who can't help but watch the crap. I bet all my money on the fact that many wanted the show, when bringing in the Minister, to show something that we don't know. Is the Minister's job to visit Home Affairs offices throughout the country? The show should have taken into consideration that probably over a 3rd of its viewers really don't know what the Minister does.
Gugu Zuma and hubby
The show is supposed to be entertaining yet educational, all that I saw was a politician-struck Sara wanting to pose for a picture with the Minister and nothing about her "marriage" plight. I would have wanted her to really speak with the Minister about this situation and probably come up with ways of preventing it in an educational yet entertaining manner. You remember back in 2008 January a man held Home Affairs hostage in Pretoria? Well, that's just me. Generations Executive Producer, Mfundi Vundla must take his writers, producers and storyliners to an extensive soapie production course.
Don't even get me started on the kiss story that's busy repeating itself. It started with Grace, then Ntombi and now it's Ruby. Lol, why does the show undermine our intelligence like that? But anyway, Loyal Generubbish viewers are used to being fed crap.
In true boring Generations style
It really can do the show some good if they can go through the country in search of great script writers and storyliners.
This is in view of the fact that the show had Minister Dlamini-Zuma at their disposal yet they didn't even do their job with her presence there. Maybe, just maybe, they needed to do something I may be missing, that Home Affairs is doing nothing about id-troubled citizens. Then, it's a real Home Affiars Horror as Daily Sun editor Themba Khumalo terms it in his newspaper.
At least in case the ANC government fires her, she knows she has a job as an actress.