The cast of Guluva (gangster) is made up of real prisoners, some of whom have been convicted of serious crimes such as murder, rape and armed robbery.
It is aired every Saturday at 7pm. “There is nothing wrong with prisoners featuring in drams as part of their rehabilitation but the theme of this drama is an insult to relatives and victims of those who have been wronged by these convicts. Imagine someone who has been convicted of murder playing the role of a murderer in that drama. How will the relatives of the murdered victim react to this?” asked Everjoice Moyo of Tshabalala.
Another resident, Zakacharia Nyathi, also took a swipe at the drama saying the drama will harden the inmates instead of rehabilitating them. “As prisons are there for correctional purposes, it would have been ideal if the theme of the drama was moulded in that spirit. As it is the drama is promoting criminal activities among both the viewers and the convicts,” said Nythi.
The drama documents the life of Mandla, who flees his rural home in hope of achieving quick wealth in Bulawayo after impregnating a local girl, Thembi. But he is confronted by the harsh realities of life in the big city and turns to a gangster under the wing of big time thug, Thulamoto. Thulamoto also flees to South Africa and on his return finds Mandla the new king of the criminal empire which he built. A life and death struggle then ensues between the two.
Post published in: Arts