Former Scandal! actor Hungani Ndlovu discusses social media backlash and replacing Cornet Mamabolo as Tbose Maputla in SABC1 soapie Skeem Saam.Choreographer and Skeem Saam actor Hungani Ndlovu, who plays the new “snobbish” T’bose Maputla opens up about replacing Cornet Mamabolo, who exited the soapie in 2021.

Ndlovu tells TshisaLIVE that the production wanted a new character, still within the walls of T’bose, Kwaito, Kat when he joined the SABC1 soapie in season 12.

 

His character returned from overseas and experienced a culture shock or a different way of living and became unfamiliar to his friends, family and viewers of the educational soapie.

“I didn’t have to focus on the T’bose that was there before, but rather just focus on what can I bring that would be different. So as much as my homework was to look at some of the previous performances, nuances and how he relates to other characters, from that then my task was how do I create something different?”

He wanted to create something that people will receive in a different way as well, not necessarily trying to fit in the mould of what people knew. The actor adds that he knew that the first Tbose spoke Sepedi 100% of the time and changed that by not speaking Sepedi 100% of the time.The soapie Skeem Saam assured viewers that actor Hungani Ndlovu, who plays the role of Tbose Maputla hasn’t left for good.

This was after fans of the educational soapie wondered if Ndlovu left the show after the Friday, 28 July episode, where he left Turfloop.

A fan @lulumyakayaka tweeted: “Is Tbose leaving for good?” and the soapie replied: “He’ll be back.”

His wife Mapitsi Maputla also revealed that she’s going to miss her husband and that six months is a long time to be without him.

Viewers of the soapie are also unsure if the popular character has gone back to Singapore or has gone to Cape Town for work