Work hard, play hard

Zwelitsha-born Zandile Msutwana is determined to be a success, writes Lindile Sifile

‘I’m not jealous of singers who are into the film industry to make money. Even some trained actors just do their job and save money to survive the next three months and that is the type of life we are living’

– Zandile Msutwana

AS A YOUNG girl playing rope and tin games in the violent streets of Zwelitsha township in King Williams Town, it never entered into sexy actress Zandile Msutwana’s wildest dreams that one day she would be rated among the top actors in the country.

The Soul City and Her Story – Society star’s biggest ambition was to become a psychologist – being a small-screen diva was never part of the plan.

She has just a year and half left to finish her psychology studies, so this dynamic 28-year-old might soon find herself having to balance between two very different jobs.

We caught up with her this week following huge public interest in Her Story – Society, which finished its first season on SABC1.

In the show Msutwana stars as Akua, a successful stockbroker in her early 30s dating a cheating toy-boy. Akua is very rich and because of her below-par social skills she finds herself lonely and in desperate need of friendship.

Last week TV viewers were stunned when the furious Akua confronted and slapped her boyfriend in the face following her discovering that he had been cheating on her with her best friend.

Although Msutwana did not approve of her character’s ways, she went a step further to fully represent Akua.

“I didn’t know anything about finances and my knowledge only went as far as watching American movies. But lucky for me I found umlungu (a white man) who taught me the basics,” says Msutwana.

This was obviously a big step for someone used to playing specific characters.

“It was challenging especially if you are always cast as an HIV-positive woman or a rape victim. Akua took me out of my comfort zone and outside the box. I enjoyed it,” says Msutwana who starred in Soul City as an HIV-positive nurse.

Her Story – Society ranked ninth in TVSA’s Top Ten Shows for January, beating Isidingo which came in at 10th. Unfortunately the last show aired this week. But due to the success of the first series, producers are considering another season.

There’s a hint of embarrassment and humour when she talks about her educational background and how she came to be an actor.

She finished her lower grades at a township school in King William’s Town before relocating to live with her aunt in East London where she studied at Greenpoint Secondary School.

“Now you can imagine a black girl from a township school with little knowledge of the Afrikaans language having to study at a coloured school. But it became even worse when I later moved to Gardens High School, a Model C school in Cape Town. I was not used to white people.”

Although hesitant at first, the experience gave her confidence and introduced her to bigger things. She was appointed as a prefect in her first year at the school.

Considering her acting career, one would think it strange that Msutwana did not notice her talent and yet it took her High School teacher to show her the right direction.

“I was really into psychology and accounting, which I wasn’t good at. Then we had school plays and I played Sarafina. Then followed other main roles.”

She then enrolled for Performer’s Diploma in Speech and Drama at the University of Cape Town and that is where she was cast in plays such as The Suit, King Lear, On the Brink, and earned a part as a student on the youth soap, Backstage. During this time she also built her profile in the corporate world with a number of commercial adverts.

Her biggest break came when she moved to Johannesburg in 2005. Within a week of her arrival she secured a place on Soul City and starred alongside renowned actors such as Lillian Dube.

However, her climb to fame took a knock with the death of her diabetic father in 2005.

She recalls the time: “It was a weird situation. I had just heard that he was ill and I was based in Cape Town with my sisters. Then we decided to go home (King Williams Town) to check on him but when we arrived we were greeted by a convoy of cars parked outside. He had died while we where on the way.

“Strangely, just days prior to his death he told someone that he’d be dead by the time we arrive and that is exactly what happened. The sad part is that we were starting to get even closer to him and people had started likening me to him, which I hated very much. Death cheated me.”

Even though her father died two years ago, his memory is still fresh in her mind.

Msutwana was recently a celebrity guest on the SABC1 youth show, YO TV, when she was asked to send a shout-out and accidently said: “I would like to say hi to my mom and dad.”

Nobody in the studio realised the error except for her.

Msutwana says her parents played a major role in shaping her life and instilling values.

Even today she finds it awkward drinking alcohol in public places even though she lives far away from her mother.

It’s been two years since she made Johannesburg her home and sadly she finds King Williams Town looking the same as it did when she left for Cape Town more than five years ago. Her last visit home was last December.

“It’s really depressing because nothing has been fixed. The taxi ranks are as dirty as I last saw them and some of my school friends are living a life of misery with babies they can’t provide for. It really saddens me.”

To Msutwana the fame and glamour that comes with her job is overrated. According to her, actors are just convenient for business people to use to advertise their products.

“I’m not jealous of musicians who are in the film industry to make money. Even some trained actors just do their jobs and save money to survive the next three months, and that is the type of life we are living.”

She becomes defensive when the interview shifts to her love life and only admits to seeing somebody without revealing his name.

That, however, doesn’t stop her from talking about Valentines Day.

She says the best gift she ever received was the tennis racket her father bought her as a young girl. He forced her and her sisters to play the sport.

“I wasn’t bad at it and it is only now that I think maybe I could have been the first Serena Williams from South Africa.”

Choosing gifts for friends has never been easy for her and she advises other people to do some background research before rushing to the shops.

“Last year I nearly bought a friend a pair of shoes when she was actually in need of a vegetable steamer.”

This Valentine’s Day, the star hopes to land good jobs that earn her lots of money.

At least she’s honest.