WHO'S ON THE G-SPOT
Generations was first aired in 1994 and it has been 12 years of mixed emotions for me. I have been excited, bored, irritated, upset but no matter how I felt, I kept watching and going back for more.
So many actors have walked the Generations road, somehow they never seem to stay for long. There's been exit after exit and the latest to leave are Rapulana Seiphemo (Tau), Refiloe Seseane (Dudu) & Mabatho Montsho (Lumka).
Before I start my column, here's a run down of who's on my G-spot, my impressions on them and what their characters are up to:
KARABO MOROKA
Co-owner of Ezweni Communications, she is the face of Generations.
She lost Tau just after they had set a wedding date. She has been through a lot in her time being blind etc. I am beginning to think there is something wrong with her coz every man who is connected to her ends up dying. Ag, I guess that's what happens when you stay in one soap for 12 years. Let's count the death list:
1. Her father, Paul Moroka died earlier on,
2. Her brother, Archie Moroka died,
3. Her other brother Zakes died on his and Queen's wedding day,
4. Glen Majozi, whom she dated and shared a home with died (it was long after they split but he still died).
5. She miscarried her first child with Dr. Mandla Sithole.
6. Mandla Sithole, her ex husband was killed by Tau Mogale (we think).
7. Khaya Motene her ex live in lover, died in a plane crash.
8. Tau Mogale was mistakenly shot with more than 10 bullets by Jack Mabaso's enemies.
What the character's up to:
She is mourning Tau's death, arranging for Tau's funeral while being manipulated by Tau's so called mother. (Damn, when are they going to bury this man…he died how long ago??)
QUEEN MOROKA
Do I even need to introduce Queen? She is Ezweni's Receptionist but don't you dare call her that. She is always trying to help people, whether or not the help is welcome. She is also a gossip of note, can't keep a secret.
She admires a good looking man when she sees one but can never find one for herself…(mmmhhh I know what that's like!)
What the character's up to:
She is one of the people that were mostly devastated by Mr. T (Tau's) death. She is assisting Karabo with all the funeral arrangements and trying to knock some sense into her about allowing monster-in-law to bury Tau in KZN.
ZONDIWE MKHIZE
She is Tau's mother from hell. Tau dies and all of a sudden she resurfaces. She has already started asking about Tau's will, can you believe it, the same person who sold him to Andile Nogabu for R180. This was so painful, when Tau first told us this, I cried. He said it with so much pain, you could almost feel it.
She is now acting the part of mother in law from hell, complaining about this and that as if she owns the place.
What tops it all is that she now wants Tau to be buried in KZN and she wants 2 cows slaughtered on his funerals so that people "must see that he was not poor". Top of the menu at the funeral should be umqombothi and tripe. Thatha Zondiwe!!
KHAPHELA NGCOBO
What would Tau be without Khaphela? He was more than just Tau's butler, he was his voice of reason, his brother, a confidant, the only person who really knew Tau and everything that he was. He left his family back in KZN just so he could come to Jozi to work for his Mnumzana (as he affectionately called Tau).
Khaphela's wife died a short while ago but he did not let his problems affect his work and his commitment to his boss.
He once had a relationship going with Cleo and I must say, their kissing scenes were the most difficult to watch, I'm sure they were difficult to act as well.
What the character's up to:
He is currently trying to convince Karabo that Zondiwe is up to no good and that she should not allow Tau to be buried in KZN, which would be far from her and Angela.
KHETHIWE BUTHELEZI
She started out as Angela's (Tau's daughter) minder but she had her sights on her boss and caused much confusion in Karabo's life. She despises Karabo and thinks she does not deserve Bhut' Tau (as she called Tau). She always starts a sentence with "Forgive me …." and that used to irritate Tau to death (excuse the pun).
She also became a business woman, starting her own name badge business, which became successful.
What the character's up to:
She is also grieving Tau's death, seemed to be forming a bond with Tau's mother at one point but later we heard her turning against all that and asking Khaphela to make sure Karabo does not allow it to happen.
That's the thing about Generations folks; characters change personalities with each episode.
BUSI DLOMO
When this character was first introduced to us, she was a top business woman, a super flirt of note, she had a roving eye and we were made aware of her history of 5 failed marriages.
She was always at loggerheads with her brother Sibusiso but they eventually made peace and she also seems to have been miraculously cured of her sleep walking.
Today she is a meek advice columnist for Gloss Magazine. She is very much in love with villain, Jack Mabaso and her appetite for other men is very much non-existent.
She is hiding Jack at her place, hoping he'll help her to catch Tau's murderers. She is also acting as peace maker at the office, trying to end Cleo and Ntombi's feud.
NTOMBI KHUMALO
Feisty but beautiful Ntombi recently broke up with her beau, Sbusiso Dlomo and her heart is still in pieces. He refused to come back home with her from their globetrotting experience. She must have done a lot of shopping in Europe because her wardrobe is now to die for!!!! I always look forward to seeing what she's wearing.
Except her blossoming friendship with Dineo Mashaba and always asking what Anne's up to, there isn't much going on with Ntombi. We are just waiting to see whether her break-up with Sbusiso was the real deal, or whether Sbusiso will come back to his senses.
CLEO KHUZWAYO
Former prostitute turned PRO of Ezweni communications. She is a very sweet, beautiful woman who loves her daughter, Nokubonga. We don't really know much about who Nokubonga's father is and I am certain the writers are leaving that as an option to be explored later and hopefully they will shock us.
She recently posed for the cover of SISTA and modelling offers have been pouring in since then. Will she leave her job and become a model? Watch this space for more.
ANNE DEVILLIERS
She is currently the editor of Gloss Magazine, Ezweni's women's magazine.
This is one of those characters who have fully evolved. When she was first introduced to Generations, she was a powerful madam, running a high class brothel. An event organizer by day, we all loved Anne, especially when she was staying with Tau. She was also very sexy back then.
She has now been reduced to a woman that everybody despises. She is forever interested in other people's business, wanting to know who is doing what and it's silly really. They must decide what they want to achieve with this character.
Lately she has been running after Kenneth Mashaba, asking him about Sibusiso. We don't know where all of this is leading but I, for one am not holding my breath…
JACK MABASO
This is the bad guy in Generations, everybody knows that…I get irritated when I see him coz he should have been dead, not our Tau!! Those bullets were meant for him and Tau's curiosity and obsession with sending Jack to jail, put him six feet under.
I can't figure Jack Mabaso out. Is he still a villain or has he changed? Does he love Busi or is he just playing her because he is aware that she has a soft spot for him?
He is wanted by the police in connection with Tau's death but Busi is hiding him at her penthouse, in Karabo's bedroom!! All this in exchange for him helping the police catch Tau's killers.
I am keen to see how this one unfolds.
KENNETH MASHABA
He is the man Sibusiso has brought to run Afri-Media. He just fits the rich man stereotype profile. He does not want his wife to lift a finger, he expects her to stay at home, go shopping, go for beauty treatments and that's pretty much it.
What the character's up to:
He is definitely up to no good at the work front. Firstly he transferred Dudu Kunene to Canada because he did not want her near him. This is because they had an affair and he still blames her for the break up of his first marriage. Secondly, he got Sibusiso to change Afri Media's bank account from Cavendish to Global, and then his lawyer, Tumisho (one irritating loud mouth) managed to move some of Afri Media's funds into his personal bank account without leaving a paper trail.
Soon after that he bought new computers/ equipment for the Afri Media offices, although there was no need for any of those. To cut a long story short, let me just say, he is being very generous with money that does not belong to him.
We are still in the dark about where this is leading to…
DINEO MASHABA
The beautifully young trophy wife just bought herself a laptop (much to Kenneth's disgust). This was after she heard that SISTA (Afri Media's woman magazine) does not have an Editor, with Dudu's sudden departure.
She is always going through magazines and has also asked Ntombi to help her with a business plan so my guess is she wants to start a new magazine…I am just not sure where Sista features in her plans…time will tell.
SPHIWE PHOSA
I am not going to waste time/space, there is no story here. This character should just make his exit from Generations so that we can all get on with our lives and the story line.
He is the blind former ad exec turned radio DJ. The writers stretched the blindness thing a tit bit too far. He is such a bore, no wonder Lumka, his wife, left him.
Goodbye Sphiwe but just make sure you pick up Zandi from the mental institution, on your way out.
SAMUEL KHUMALO
Oh! This is Ntombi's Sweet, Charming, Good looking and fun loving younger brother. He is Tsalanang's newest barman, after Bradley's departure.
Now, I have been watching Generations since the beginning but my highlight of this show happened a few weeks ago and Samuel was a big part of it.
Remember that scene at Dudu's farewell? She was trying to say goodbye to her fellow housemates and was so overcome with emotion, she couldn't speak and Samuel, though he was angry with her at that moment, could not help but hold her in his arms!! It was such a powerful & well acted scene, It made me cry.
Samuel hasn't been doing much since Dudu left for Canada, courtesy of Kenneth Mashaba.
ZAMANI KHOZA
He is running things at the Hit Factory, now that Lumka eloped with Vuyo Nogabu.
Besides playing concerned-but-mostly-irritated brother to Ajax, there isn't much going on with Zamani.
I however need to mention that his wardrobe is very disturbing. Can't the wardrobe people try get him clothes that fit? They can't seem to decide whether or not to give him proper clothes. I say they should just forget the oversized jackets, he is a working professional now and we will assume that he makes enough to buy himself proper clothes.
AYANDA "AJAX" KHOZA
All we know about Ayanda is that he is Zamani's irritating younger brother. He is loud, arrogant, without manners and he is still in school but has just gotten a part time job at Afri-Media, thanks to Zamani. His introduction in the soap was very slow but we finally caught on.
AFRI MEDIA STAFF
Jackie, Sharon, Phil & co. are a very nice bunch. They never do any work though; they are always just talking. They always manage to bring a smile to my face.
Jackie is Kenneth's PA and he relies on her for so much, to sum her up I'd say she is the backbone of Afri Media.
Catch Generations, weekdays on SABC 1 at 20:00 or log in to Shuga's G Spot for a weekly update of what's hot in Generations.