Durban-born Malusi Mbele is climbing the ranks from amateur to professional actor, having recently scored a role in the hit SABC drama series Soul City.
Not so long ago, he was a young, inexperienced actor but much has happened since he was voted off Class Act 2010.
Mbele was one of the 10 finalists of the first Class Act reality TV competition. Although not the winner, his career has flourished since the show.
After Class Act, Mbele landed a role on Rhythm City, the e.tv soapie. Then he appeared on the SABC soapie Muvhango, portraying the role of the introverted Dumi Hadebe, a young man asking for forgiveness for causing the death of a key character in a drunk-driving accident.
His character is now off Muvhango, but it is said that next month he will start shooting scenes before making a comeback on the soapie.
After Muvhango, directors of the acclaimed SABC1 drama series, Soul City series 11, snapped him up. His character, Vuyo, is a deceitful, swaggering and enticing womaniser. “There are so many guys who are like Vuyo. He is a charmer but a liar and a cheat. He doesn’t respect life and he is on a mission to destroy innocent lives,” Mbele says.
From portraying the role of an innocent soul on Muvhango, Mbele said it was not difficult to switch to the role of an extrovert because of his personality.
“I am an outspoken person,”he says.
Mbele plays a troublesome Vuyo, dating Grace’s (Leleti Khumalo) daughter, Nkosazana (Samukelo Ndlovu). Vuyo’s lies find a place in Nkosazana’s heart, they fall in love and have unprotected sex, not knowing that he is HIV-positive.
Mbele studied broadcasting production at Icesa City Campus in Durban but when he failed to get a job, he turned to the construction industry. He began as an entry-level worker – doing small jobs on sites, building roads and bridges in preparation for the 2010 World Cup. He later worked in a call centre.
However, Mbele said next year, he is going back to school to further his studies, focusing on filmmaking.