In a career shift, Bongani Masondo, known for his memorable roles on the popular South African TV series Skeem Saam and Tshisa, is embarking on a new creative journey behind the scenes. Moving away from the limelight of acting, Bongani is now set to make his mark as a storyliner in Umkhokha: The Curse.
Bongani temporarily stepped away from acting, taking on voice-over gigs following a salary dispute with the producers of SABC 1’s original TV drama soap back in 2017.
His journey led him to a new opportunity as an assistant writer, eventually transitioning to a full-fledged storyliner. Last year, he found himself deeply involved in the second season of Umkhokha: The Curse, a drama series that portrays the intense rivalry between the Mthembu and Gumede/Mzobe families for leadership of Ithempile Lenkosi.
According to Briefly, his decision to get into storytelling reflects his passion for the art of crafting narratives that resonate with viewers he shares what he learned from writing for the production, challenges and rewards of scriptwriting.
“I’ve learnt what goes into writing. I thought I knew something until I got into the writing room[..] They say if you can swim on Umkhokha, you can swim anywhere because you will be able to hold your own.”
He emphasises the show’s complexity in dealing with themes of church, culture, and tradition as well as his background as a traditional healer adds a unique perspective to his storytelling approach.
“We deal with church, culture and tradition. Lots goes into writing Umkhokha. Even the format used is not the same [..]because I am a traditional healer, there are things I bring into the room and the story.”
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