DURBAN – The new SABC1 telenovela, Uzalo, is making waves for all the wrong reasons.
Angry actors from KwaZulu-Natal are slamming the show’s recruitment policy and the way auditions are conducted.
The uproar and local disappointment come after AfroSoul lead singer, Thandeka Zulu, was called up to take part in the show.
Sunday Sun understands Thandeka has started shooting but it’s still unclear what role she will be playing.
“Durban-based actors are fuming because they feel they deserve to be on the small screen,” claimed a source.
When the SunTeam contacted Thandeka, she responded without giving any details of her appointment or the role she will play.
She told the People’s Paper: “All I can say is that I’m busy shooting. I can’t predict when I will start appearing on the small screen.”
The SunTeam also spoke to disappointed Durban actor, Tha Simelane.
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He originally made name along with Thandeka in the movie Kwaito Church Service 2.
The talented Tha spoke angrily, saying local actors were not considered for the auditions for actors and the allocation of parts in the TV drama.
An angry Tha told Sunday Sun: “The telenovela Uzalo is a joke. It’s full of amateur actors.
“I’m from KwaMashu where this telenovela is based, but they have overlooked me. And that’s unfair,” he told Sunday Sun.
According to Tha, he has made a move to contact the telenovela’s production staff in a bid to voice his disappointment.
He’s hoping to consult President Jacob Zuma’s daughter Gugu Zuma-Ncube, who is one of the executive producers of the show.
Last week, producers issued a statement which reads as follows: “Uzalo is a KZN production, and therefore recruits widely from KwaZulu-Natal and also outside of the province.
“We do not discriminate based on geographical location – we regard this as an opportunity for the community of KwaZulu-Natal, including, but not restricted to, KwaMashu residents.
“To be clear, the story is not about the KwaMashu kasi – the suburb/township is used as a backdrop to frame the story.” – Daily Sun
