PICS: Itumeleng English
AMANDA MALIBA
Veteran actor Israel Matseke-Zulu is in high spirits even though his leg was amputated last year due to a seven-year-long battle with gangrene.
The star opened up his home to a few media personnel during a visit by the MEC for Finance and e-Government Nomantu Nkomo Ralehoko as part of the MEC’s outreach programme in support of the creative industry.
The multi-talented Zulu did not hold back in telling the room full of guests that his circumstances were only temporary as he will be back to walking in the next two months, meaning that work will resume as soon as he does.
In past interviews, Zulu opened up about how various doctors failed to diagnose his condition early on, even though it caused him excruciating pain for many years. But now that he is where he is, he is looking forward to continuing his work in motivating the youth – especially those from his home town of Alexandra, a township that is getting bad press because of perceptions.
“I saw a need to step up because of this festering crime culture within the black community that is crippling our society. This ugly culture sort of encourages crime, and encourages young boys to land up in jail as a sign of manhood and the prevalence of drugs that are destroying young lives.
“I have always aimed to use my craft to portray gangster roles not because it’s fashionable but to help shine a light on this pandemic and help eradicate gangsterism and drugs. As someone who was once on the other side of the law, being arrested for the first time at the age of 12 after striving for independence at the age of 11, I know all about worshipping gangsters and wanting to be like them because they were, unfortunately, our only role models.
“But because through the years I have learnt that crime doesn’t pay, I want to extend these teachings to others through my craft,” he said passionately.
Zulu has been a part of many youth upliftment programmes, including a correctional services outreach programme where he worked with Ralehoko, partnering up with former prisoners to encourage change among those who were still incarcerated and those who were constantly in trouble among communities.
He has also established his own acting academy that runs lessons at schools in Alexandra, all in the name of empowering young people to avoid bad habits and explore their talents.
Living with this disability has inspired him to do more work and lead others down a purposeful path, he said.
“Someone has to put a stop to this and why not be someone that has been down this road?
“I found myself to be an ambassador, to use myself as an example of how one’s life can change. The work that I do through storytelling started inside the prison when I wrote dramas about the ugly world inside and I have been able to inspire others to turn a new leaf. That work doesn’t change and I am inspired to do more.”
Ralehoko added that Zulu’s time away does not mean that it is his end, but only a time to recover and that the department will assist him in returning to his upliftment programmes.
About the visit from the MEC, Zulu said: “I feel very honoured and humbled as it came unexpectedly. As you know, there is finger-pointing towards our government that they don’t care about their own people but only show up when we die. But what I see today makes me believe in them more.
“Since I started my work, I have worked with the government, and seeing them in my house today, I believe that this is a gear-change in building working relationships with artists,” he said.
All Zulu is asking is that the government invest in South African artists.
“Try me, MEC. Take a risk on me and other artists and see what we can do with the work that we are doing. There are many of us that want to do more while using our craft. We know how to depict what is really happening in our society. We need more of these pledges to make actual changes in society and also to uplift ourselves,” he pleaded.
Sunday Independent