Online Reporter
Actor Given Stuurman has wowed audiences with his portrayal of Sphelele Dlamini in Netflix’s 2026 crime thriller series, “uMthetho”.
Sphelele is the younger brother of Mbali (Nqobile ‘Nunu’ Khumalo) and Moses (Tony Kgoroge), and is trying to find his place in society while navigating the complicated dynamics within his family.
For Stuurman, building the character was not particularly difficult because he had encountered a version of Sphelele before.
“I think for me, how I came about writing the book was seeing what was presented in front of me, seeing what I know that relates to it, and then deciding what different element or what different thing can I bring to it.”
One of the challenges was making Sphelele different from the familiar portrayal of young men from the kasi.
“That was my journey, trying to find those emotional beats, those moments, those heartfelt moments that a lot of kasi guys run away from.”
Sphelele is caught in turmoil as he tries to be a good partner and father, finish his studies, get his business off the ground, make ends meet and make his older siblings proud.
For Stuurman, there was something deeply relatable about Sphelele’s struggle to navigate life as a young man.
“It’s a reality that a lot of black men face, growing up without a direct father figure or any father figure for that matter. Sphelele’s father died when they were very young.
“The self-discovery comes from navigating being a good guy, being a good boyfriend, and now he’s a good father.”
Stuurman was particularly interested in exploring how Sphelele navigates his emotions, his relationship with his late father and his complicated bond with his brother Moses.
“There’s a lot of emotional beats, a lot of emotional moments, a lot of self-introspective moments, I felt, even though they were not obvious. But there are moments where you could see, okay, Sphelele is introspecting himself now.”
At the heart of “uMthetho” is a fight for justice and the difficult choices characters have to make to achieve it.
For Stuurman, one of the most intriguing aspects of the series is seeing how a single decision can completely alter the course of the story.
In the series, Sphelele makes several choices that drastically change his life. One decision ultimately lands him in prison, forcing his sister Mbali to fight tooth and nail for his release.
“All the characters, you could literally pick the one scene where, had this character done something different here, the story would have totally been different.
“I think that’s what’s exciting to watch, because in those scenes, the characters make the worst decisions.”
Stuurman’s portrayal of Sphelele is raw and emotional, bringing to life the struggles faced by many young men trying to find their place in society.
His journey also highlights how the choices people make can have consequences that extend far beyond themselves.
A different side to Given Stuurman in ‘uMthetho’
Stuurman has taken on several roles since emerging as a child star in the entertainment industry.
His role as Kgosi in “Scandal!” is one that audiences immediately gravitated towards, but his portrayal of Sphelele has allowed the actor to reveal another layer of his acting ability.
Through Sphelele, Stuurman delivers one of his most emotionally complex performances yet, giving audiences a glimpse into the vulnerability, uncertainty and pressure that can sit beneath the surface of a young man trying to find his way.
“uMthetho” is currently streaming on Netflix, and the Black Brains Production has already made the number one spot on the streaming platform – IOL
