JOHANNESBURG — Saints and Sinners actor Bonga Dlamini has shot down suggestions that he got a role in the new drama series Uzalo because of his relationship with Gugu Zuma.
Zuma, the president’s daughter, is a co-director on Uzalo. She and Dlamini are cousins. Gugu is married to MDC leader Welshman Ncube’s son Wesley.
During auditions for the drama at the SABC’s Henley Studios in Auckland Park last month, the view held by fellow actors was that it was a given that Dlamini would get the role because of his connections.
But Dlamini retorted: “I am not apologetic, ashamed or embarrassed for being related to Gugu.
“So, does it mean even if I am suited for the role, I will not get it because someone is unhappy that I am related to the director?
“I can choose my friends, but not my relatives.
“She is family. We are close and that’s where it ends.”
An informant close to the Uzalo production team said: “What I know is that this Bonga guy has landed himself a role as the good cop in the drama series.
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“People were like of course there’s no way he wasn’t going to get it because he and Gugu are cousins.
“But I think he has been doing some hustling on his own at Rhythm City and Saints and Sinners, and now he is doing the Crémora advert.”
Yesterday, Zuma said she was uncomfortable speaking to the media about anything related to the drama series.
“It’s still early days, but we’re at an advanced stage of appointing a publicist, who will deal with media inquiries,” she said.
Dlamini (28), a Durban University of Technology drama graduate, admitted that he was only starting out in his acting career.
“I have not had a role with an impact yet, a character that will stay longer in the minds of people,” he said.
“I also want to venture into the film industry. The one film I featured in was Takata, shot two years ago, but for some strange reason it has not been released. It features Trevor Noah, Kagiso Lediga and Bongani Madondo.”
Dlamini has featured in 14 adverts and had roles in Zone 14 as a priest, was a doctor in Isidingo, a sangoma in Rhythm City and a private investigator in Saints and Sinners. – Sunday World
