The actor and dancer believes T’Bose’s patriarchal ways ‘cripple society’. He also lifts the lid on co-directing his first non-verbal theatre play set to be staged next week.

Skeem Saam actor Hungani Ndlovu lifts the lid on co-directing his first non-verbal play, Musical Chairs.

Image: Supplied.

From financial difficulty to infidelity, mjolo is currently showing TV couple T’Bose (Hungani Ndlovu) and Mapitsi (Mogau Motlhatswi) flames on Skeem Saam, and one of the lead actors behind the hot storyline weighs in.

Ndlovu, who in real life is married to fellow actor Stephanie Ndlovu (née Sandows), has told Sowetan that he wished Mapitsi and T’Bose could debunk sentiments around gender roles in their modern marriage.

Ndlovu added that at the centre of T’Bose and Mapitsi’s marital woes was lack of communication. 

“If they could meet each other without judgment or imposed expectations, they should be fine,” Ndlovu said. “For the most part, T’Bose has always been the guy who says everything is okay even though it isn’t… until he is stressed and can’t withstand the pressure that he imposed on himself. The time Mapitsi wants to help, she has to take over everything.”

Ndlovu is the second actor to successfully portray the role after Cornet Mamabolo exited the popular SABC1 daily drama.

“I don’t personally agree with T’Bose’s patriarchal ways, which I believe is one of the things that cripples us as a society,” he said.

“I believe that whoever has the means to work, let them do so. Maybe I say this because I’m a freelancer. Sometimes I’d be in a good season and sometimes not at all. But if my wife is able to take care of the day-to-day expenses, I find no issue in her helping to alleviate the situation. Essentially, if things are not fair between two people, it builds some sort of resentment.”

He was a DJ known as DJ Grizi before becoming an actor.

He co-founded the Ndlovu Foundation, a nonprofit organisation that helps young people achieve their goals through drama and dancing.

He has a popular YouTube channel with his wife, Stephanie Ndlovu, called The Ndlovus Uncut.

He studied at the New York Film Academy and earned an associate degree in acting for film.

Ndlovu stressed that the world had evolved so much and such an evolution should be reflected in such unions.

“It’s in recognising that it’s okay for a woman to take care of the household if she earns more – it has nothing to do with my level of being a man in the home. It’s like saying ‘only a man can change the light bulb’, to me, that’s wild,” he said.

Before Skeem Saam, Ndlovu became a household name playing Romeo Medupe in the e.tv soapie Scandal!. He is set to embark on a new career venture that sees him co-directing Musical Chairs, a no-dialogue play.

It will be staged at Theatre on The Square in Sandton, Johannesburg, from January 22 to February 1. It explores the complex relationship people have with social media. It depicts and highlights how people compete for attention, validation, and eagerness to connect in the online world through dance.

“This play has no dialogue, it’s strictly a dance play. There will be street dancing, from hip-hop to pantsula and sbujwa,” he said.

“Co-directing musical chairs was a great journey as I also make up the cast. I had to step in and out of the two different roles. Myself, Sipho B’N Jammin Didiza and Aurelie Stratton are the directors. My task was to focus on the performative side of things and how we emote the play without using words, just physical expressions.

“Having to step into the shoes of a director has been quite an experience. We have a wide range of actors, from people in their 20s all up to their 40s. Most of them are faces people aren’t familiar with, which will urge people on what they are capable of.

“The plan is to direct more productions, theatre, and television. It’s something new and exciting to evolve in. I believe we have a smart audience and it’s time their imagination is stretched. I want to be a director who leaves his audience stimulated.”

Image: Supplied.

Image: Supplied.

Image: Supplied.