Vusumuzi Dube
Amos Mpofu, Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
BULAWAYO-BASED social media sensation Mahlalela is this year shifting his creative focus from short comedy skits to episodic drama series that are easy to follow and continue from where the previous episode ended.
The move comes as he reflects on what he describes as a successful past year in his creative career.
Born Mthulisi Moyo in Sigola, Mbizo Village, Umzingwane District, the 43-year-old entertainer told Sunday Life that drama has always been a natural part of him and not something he forces.
“Drama was created for me. I don’t force myself to do what I do to make people laugh. I started this when I was still very young. From primary school up to secondary level, I was very good at drama,” he said.
Mahlalela, who has steadily grown into a familiar figure on social media, said his journey has taught him that success is gradual and requires patience and trust in the process.
“You grow gradually in levels, starting with almost meaningless skits that get very little attention. Slowly, you climb the ladder to becoming a well-known star on social media platforms such as Facebook and YouTube. That’s when companies begin to recognise you as an established brand and approach you to work with them,” he explained.
Reflecting on the past year, he said; “Last year, many companies approached me and I worked with them because my brand had become well established. It was a good year for me,” he said.
Mahlalela said his main goal this year is to develop structured dramas released in episodes, moving away from stand-alone skits that leave viewers hanging.
“My target this year is to start creating my dramas in episodes. I want to shift from skits that leave our consumers suspended to something people can follow. I want people to watch my work on a daily basis, like daily soapies in a sequential manner. I have already started producing episodes with continuations.
This is the growth from this year onwards.”
Despite his success, Mahlalela said the industry is not without challenges, particularly financial ones.
“The main challenge in our field is finances. Most of the people we work with focus on money. When you groom someone or they join you, they soon want to start their own thing, thinking they won’t benefit enough. This often comes from outside influences and uninformed advice,” he said.
He added that, for a long time, money was not his motivation.
“For me, I only realised that social media can pay about three years ago. Before that, we were doing this because we are talented. Whether there was money or not didn’t matter. We just wanted to make people laugh and showcase our talent,” he said passionately.
To aspiring content creators, Mahlalela offered honest advice, warning that success is not guaranteed.
“It’s not easy. You can put in maximum effort and still fail to go viral, but that doesn’t mean you have failed. Sometimes your skits don’t go viral simply because people consume what they want, not necessarily what you expect to trend.”
“Your work can be criticised on social media and people can insult you even when you’ve done nothing wrong. This game requires patience, consistency and persistence, believing that one day things will work out,” said Mahlalela.
He said his content is inspired by everyday life, as he lives within the community and understands the issues affecting ordinary people.
“I focus on everyday life because I live in the community. People appreciate my work and say, ‘This is really the community we are living in.’ Once, someone called me and said I had made a skit that matched his life.”
He explained that his ideas come from real experiences and imagination.
“Some skits are based on what I see happening, some on what I experienced growing up and some I simply imagine. The dramas are coming in abundance. I am not running out of ideas, so people should expect more from me.”
With the year just beginning, Mahlalela said his fans must be on the lookout for exciting content as he has a massive surprise for them.
Online Reporter