Vusi Kunene’s infamous character on Generations The Legacy, Jack Mabaso has exited the soapie in a bloody scene. And, we can safely assume that he won’t come back a third time around.

We reported last month that Generations’ numbers were in the decline, and some of the major stars have already jumped ship. Kunene’s character was arguably one of the biggest drawcard for the show and after five years, he’s bowing out.

It’s difficult to see how Generations will bounce back from the exodus that has seen actors such as Rapulana leave the soapie. The channel released a statement through their social media platform to show gratitude to Kunene for his tremendous work.

Check out Vusi Kunene’s exit episode from @Gen_legacy on Wednesday, 12 May on @Official_SABC1

For more: https://t.co/gtdxnc8Tn7 pic.twitter.com/J0jXaCI9z0

— SABC (@SABCPortal) May 10, 2021

Kunene was also appreciative of the experience he’s amassed playing the popular role.

“I’ve always had a serious passion for Jack. He is the most popular character I have ever played and bringing him to life has been a pleasure. I’m really going to miss everyone because Generations is like a family,” said Vusi.

Here’s a clip of the final episode of where Jack Mabaso is killed. The scene aired on Wednesday, May 12, where his enemies finally got the best of him.

 

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A post shared by #GenerationsTheLegacy (@generations_the_legacy)

Since the cancellation of Isidingo, SABC 3 hadn’t announced a show that would occupy the primetime slot that would garner the same TV ratings as the staple did for so many years. With the introduction of the new telenovela, The Estate, the soapie is projected to bring the channel back to its former glory.

The public broadcaster is pulling out all the stops with this drama series, roping in a Clive Morris Production to ensure the success of the venture. CMP has a stellar catalogue, bringing you shows such as BET Africa’s Isono and eTV’s Broken Vows just to name a few.

The show is based on a super-wealthy, gated community in Echelon Estate. It follows the lives of the affluent families that reside there and it juxtaposes the experience of struggling working class in the periphery.

RELATED TV NEWS: ‘REAL HOUSEWIVES OF DURBAN’ BREAKS FIRST DAY SHOWMAX RECORD!

The Estate tackles some of the prevalent issues in South Africa such as land claims, corruption and classism that viewers will be able to resonate with. Moreover, it wouldn’t be a telenovela without touching on the themes of love, betrayal, deceit, money and power dynamics.

Meet the Cast of The Estate

The residents of Echelon Estate all bring a fresh dynamic to the show. The families  includes the Phakathwayos, the Molefes, the Mokobanes, the Le Rouxs, the Van Wyks and the newcomers.

The cast that will bring these characters to life is made up of familiar faces in the industry. The likes of Sdumo Mtshali, Don Mlangeni, Dineo Moeketsi Langa, and Clementine Mosimane have been the faces of soapies for years and will add to the lustre of the show.

Don’t miss the premier of the television show, scheduled to start airing from April 2021 at 19:30.

To prove, yet again, that 2020 was one of the worst years to date, The Queen ended the year by allegedly severing ties with drawcard thespian Themba Ndaba amid sexual harassment allegations.

The tea was shared by well-informed entertainment commentator, Phil Mpela, without getting into the nitty-gritty of it all. We had opted to provide Ferguson Films and Mzansi Magic enough time to respond to the claim, to no avail.

It is alleged that the actor made inappropriate advances to colleagues on the show.

WORD IS: The Queen to drop actor

The murmur is that Mzansi Magic telenovela will be writing (or has written) an actor out of the show following some in appropriate advances on his colleagues.

This is a welcomed & encouraging step taken by Ferguson Films.

Change the culture! pic.twitter.com/GaDSZTqIa6

— Kgopolo Mphela (@PhilMphela) December 23, 2020

News of the Ferguson’s firm stance on workplace conduct and sexual harassment was a welcomed sight by fans of the show after it was lambasted for hiring actors with a history of gender based violence.

Long-time actor Kenneth Nkosi, who reprised the role of Jaros and Peter Mashigo who played Thato’s father; Jackal were both drafted to the star-studded roster on the show even after they were known women abuse offenders.

RELATED TV NEWS: THE QUEEN TO MOVE FROM MZANSI MAGIC TO SABC 2

The production reportedly went through a sexual harassment workshop back in 2020. In a move to further streamline proper workplace conduct, the show will be writing out the storyline of fan-favourite, Brutus in the coming episodes.

It remains to be seen if the telenovela will survive without the tag team quips between Shaka and his uncle. The ratings took a hit the last time the duo was separated.

Furthermore, the soapie had already been straddling a thin line of becoming yet another casualty of 2020, with ratings dwindling with each episode. Regardless, the move to protect the workplace environment of the show over profit should be commended.

After all, it isn’t the first time that the Fergusons had fired one of their marquee actors. They will surely bounce back!

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