WeeklySA_AdminGRAND PLAN: The apartheid regime wanted to keep us stupid and poor, observes Kubheka
By Gugu Sibiya
At 82, Soweto’s legendary actress and jazz singer Abigail Kubheka is not slowing down. In the short film, The Deal, she delivers a stellar performance that is likely to win her more fans and renewed respect for her ever-green talent.
The film, directed by dancer and choreographer Paul Modjadji, features a constellation of stars in Dr Jerry Mofokeng, Aubrey Poo, Napo Masheane, Matlie Mahepeloa and Botlhale Boikanyo. The Deal premiers on Tuesday.
The seasoned entertainer plays the role of an ageing woman suffering from dementia. “I play Thandeka’s mom who’s paranoid and confused most of the time. She can’t differentiate people. A widow, she forgets that her husband passed away and continuously calls or talks to him. There are moments of clarity, but dementia is now her reality.
“I’m excited to play this role. Our people usually associate dementia with ageing, but it’s a condition like any other. It’s not curable but controllable once the person’s on medication. Witchcraft is often blamed for it, which is wrong. Our parents hid it. Had they known, they would have lived long. I hope the film brings awareness to dementia, that there’s life after it and to live a healthy lifestyle.
Brightening up, she says, “I was excited when Paul offered me a part, though it wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, I was good for it. I love working with young people, you learn new things from them. I never step into any job with arrogance. Humility opens doors and people enjoy working with you,” she advises.
Coincidentally, her other movie is opening soon. “I acted in Joe Bullet years ago as a gangster Joe Lopez’s girlfriend and nightclub singer. The apartheid regime banned the movie they’d financed when it elevated Black people as smart and successful. It went against the grain of what they’d projected about us, globally. It didn’t stop them from releasing Joe Bullet overseas where it was well-received.
“After all these years, the film is finally going to be screened here, and I’m so excited because we never saw it, sad that most of the actors are dead. It boasted heavyweights like the late Cocky Two Bull Tihotlhalemaje, Ken Gampu, Lillian Thebe, Olga Malgas, Sol Rachilo, Jim Sale and Dan Poo.”
Joe Bullet is about a rich man who owns a soccer team. Jealous rivals try to poach his players. When they fail, they involve gangsters. It’s a movie that show us at our best,” says the gangster’s moll.
Reminiscing about gigs that blew her away: “I was a supporting act at Percy Sledge’s amazing show when he was here. It wasn’t until we were on location in Eswatini, filming Soul in Africa that I believed it was happening.
Singing with my idol was surreal, but incredible. What a friendly, down to earth, consummate professional and humble being he turned out to be,” says the singer who kills it when belting classics like Sebakanyana, Fever, My Baby Just Cares For Me, Summertime, reflecting a bit of Miriam Makeba and Nina Simone, among others.
“I was pleasantly surprised to be invited to Mozambique for a film shoot that showcased the country. We went to some of the stunning parts of Moz, shooting the flick in some of the picturesque locations.
“King Kong will always be special to me because it happened by accident and I was young. Sis Zenzi and I were in the Skylarks and lucky to get into the musical in 1959. Although I was in the chorus line, I was mostly in her scenes. She was the star on this massive film, but didn’t have an understudy. She fell ill, I stepped in on this fully booked show, packed to the rafters.
“I was a nervous wreck on the first night, but did it in Joburg, opened in Cape Town.” By the time Miriam Makeba rejoined them, Kubheka had gotten rave reviews. She says King Kong is about Samson Dlamini, a boxer from Durban, living in Joburg. Not only was he ugly as a sin, but vicious.
“His bouts ended abruptly. He ends up killing a man and his girlfriend. King Kong, as he was appropriately called, is arrested, but dies under questionable circumstances at the Leeuwkop prison.
“Working at Generations is amazing and am grateful for Mfundi Vundla’s vision. I enjoy all the antics Zondiwe gets up to.
In the same way I get joy from working with talented kids, young enough to be my great-grandchildren’s age,” she says with her peculiar chuckle.. “It all started in 1957 and I was blessed to have sis Zenzi insist on having me as her support act on her first show back at home, at the Standard Bank Arena. She and sis Dolly Rathebe paved the way for all of us. They taught us a lot and here I am because of those invaluable lessons and love,” she muses with air of sincerity.
Published on the 53th Edition. Get E-Copy
