Twenty-seven-year-old Sandile Makhoba has been on Rhythm City for just less than two weeks and already his character, T-Bos, who is modelled on real-life personality DJ Cleo, has fans intrigued.

Introduced as a new artist Thula was hoping to sign on to Hustle, T-Bos is intensely passionate about his music. While he attracts much attention, there are certain things about him that T-Bos would rather have remain out of the public domain.

Before delving into his role and soap debut, Durban-born Makhoba opened up about his journey into showbiz.

A drama graduate from the Durban University of Technology (DUT), he moved to the TV Mecca of SA, Jozi, in 2007. He worked for two education theatre companies where he honed his craft before deciding to spread his wings.

“I got to a point where I had learnt all I could doing children’s theatre. I wanted to do more. Not long after leaving, I got a cameo role in Wild at Heart. I played an event organiser,” he says.

Despite it being a brief stint, the actor says it was interesting for him to get a feel of what it was like to work on a British drama series.

“Thereafter work started pouring in,” he confirms. “I bagged a cameo in SABC1’s Fallen and did a couple of TV commercials. I also started doing voice-over work. And I was the voice for last year’s Samas.”

Interestingly enough, he never auditioned to play T-Bos.

Makhoba recalls: “When they initially held auditions for the character, I couldn’t make it. My grandma had passed on and I was very emotional. I got my agent to ask if, under the circumstances, they could reschedule. They said ‘no’ but if they were auditioning again, they would give me a call. I wasn’t too fazed about it.

“Two weeks after I returned home after my gran’s funeral, I got a call saying they wanted me for the role.”

Basically, the decision makers at Rhythm City watched his auditions for other roles and settled on him being perfect for T-Bos.

“I’d auditioned for similar characters before,” he points out.

Makhoba shot his scenes in October last year. However, his character’s lifespan hinges on the audiences’ reception.

“I won’t lie, my first day on set was overwhelming,” he confesses. “But I also knew I had to come through.

“What’s fun about this job is, aside from playing a character, I also remind myself to have fun and relax.”

In the story, T-Bos tries to keep his sexual orientation to himself. Of course, it isn’t easy when surroun-ded by meddlesome types.

“He has this successful career on one side. But while he wants that respect he also wants to keep his private life secret. So he gets aggro about things when people start showing interest in that part of his life,” explains Makhoba.

That he plays a character who isn’t out of the closet was never something Makhoba approached with caution, especially with him being in the novice phase of his career. Instead, the actor says he relished the idea of playing the character. With him also wanting to, at some point, break into the music industry, this role appealed to him even more.

“I am not the type to dwell on negative aspects. I would rather focus on the positive. The aim was not to look at how T-Bos will be perceived. I wanted to enjoy playing this character and see where I could take the story. Funnily enough, I’m also musically inclined. To get to play someone with a musical bone – it just does something to my soul.”

As for the person behind the persona, Makhoba prefers not to reveal too much. But he certainly maintains a level-headed approach to his career.

“In this industry, you have to be smart. I believe that working hard is important. But you also have to work smart. With this kind of work, you can be employed and then be without money for three to six months.

“A mistake many people have made is not investing in their future,” he says.

To those in his inner-circle, Makhoba is this crazy person who is noisy, enjoys his music and cartoons such as South Park (and a few kiddie toons, too).

“I also don’t think there is a way I can describe the person I am. It is all about what you take from me,” the actor says.

But one thing is certain, the magnet on his fridge, that reads: “It is better to keep silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt” – is no reflection on the well-spoken, calm and charming person I interviewed.

• Rhythm City airs on e.tv at 6.30pm on weekdays.