S'khobokhobo makes ZBCTv debut tonight

AFTER successfully breaking into the South African entertainment scene through movies sold on street corners and shops, comical actor Bashimane Ndlovu, better known by his stage name Madlela S'khobokhobo, will debut his self-named drama series on ZBCTv tonight.

Ndlovu plays a foul mouthed, axe wielding man (Madlela S'khobokhobo) who lives in South Africa's Hillbrow flats. The movies depict the lives of Zimbabweans living in South Africa.

Now Ndlovu has packaged Madlela's adventures and antics through a 13-part series that will be aired at 6PM.

He said the airing of the new series was a step in the right direction.

"For years we've been shooting various movies under the Madlela banner. What we wanted was to get into the mainstream industry and ZBCtv has fulfilled our vision. This is where the money is for us," said Ndlovu.

He said the ZBCtv screening comes at a time when he has signed a deal with top South Africa-based online distributor Online Content.

"We used to sell the DVDs of Madlela at selected stores in Johannesburg. However, pirates took over and we were hit hard. This week I signed a deal with Online Content and they'll be the ones distributing my movies online, which is a plus for us," said Ndlovu.

The Gwanda-born entertainer said he was now a fulltime movie and series maker after quitting his job in 2015.

"I shot my first movie three years ago and I was working at the same time. I worked for eight years FOR an organisation in South Africa. I'm a qualified marketer after completing a higher national diploma with IMM in Zimbabwe after high school.

"The call was too hard to ignore and I dropped everything and started making the movies," said Ndlovu.

He said his movies, Madlela S'khobokho 1, 2 and 3 were popular with fellow Zimbabweans.

Ndlovu said the main character was someone he would not want to meet in life.

"I didn't sit down and have a hard time in coming up with the character Madlela. The thought just came to me and I ran with it. I think its God-ordained," he said.

"In any case I don't want to meet such a rubble rousing person in life. He isn't my alter ego."

Apart from movies, Ndlovu is behind the popular track Ngamnanka which is receiving generous airplay on various radio stations.