CITYLIFE/ARTS tribute to Seputla Sebogodi: He was a special kind, successful yet remained rooted

When it also came to matters of the heart, he did not hesitate to take the relationship to the next level.

By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor

About 20 years ago, a group of media, artists and writers undertook a trip on a weekend, to Christian in the North West. Most of the artists were theatre actors and directors. I joined that trip as well.

Our purpose was the attend the launch of playwright and novelist Martin Koboekae’s launch of his debut novel Taung Wells in Christiaan, North West. Koboakae was of course one of the team members and he hails from the area which is featured in this novel.

On that trip, there was also an actor, Seputla Sebogodi, whom a lot of us had known him as a theatre maker –actor and director, who took his shows to the National Arts Festival in Makhanda, in Eastern Cape, every year without failing. And true to his character his final production Black Moon, was staged a few days before his death at the National Arts Festival. The production explored themes of religion, pain, pride and South Africa’s complex history.

Back to the book launch. But again, Sebogodi was also at the time, making a name for himself on TV as one of the actors on mainstream soapies. However, to a lot of those part of this travelling team, he was known just as an actor, and not the celebrity that everyone called him. Though he was honestly speaking, more famous than a lot of us on that trip then, because of his new roles on TV, he did not behave like a celebrity.

After the launch had happened, and the event was a huge success as it attracted many people from the local community, and speeches had been made by speakers, and the panel had concluded their closing remarks, it was time to network.

Many among us, were happy to network with people we had been acquaintances of from Johannesburg, finding safety and comfort in familiarity. But Sebogodi was comfortable speaking with everyone, especially the local communities. Connecting in a real sense in real time. Not as a celebrity, but a human being who was granted, famous, but did not lose himself in the process and fog of celebrity.

But then I noticed that Sebogodi seemed to linger around one pretty particular lady, who had come to attend the book launch as part of the community. I got to know that she was a policewoman in that area.

Segogodi told me and others, that he actually loved that woman. He was in love with her. Of course we did not believe him. How could we when they had just met.

But then six months down the line, I met Sebogodi in the foyer of the Market Theatre in Newtown, attending a show whose name has slipped from my mind. But he was not alone. He was in the company of a pretty woman, who had a distant familiarity to me.

He must have seen my confusion, for he moved quickly close to me.

“She is now my wife. I have married her,” he whispered in my ears, but loud enough for the woman to hear what he had just said. We all laughed and went in to enjoy the show as an usher rang the bell for people to go in.

And so I had no time to ask Sebogodi several questions that I had in my mind. However, the rest became enmeshed in history.

Such was the man who was known by the public by various names of the characters he portrayed on several TV soapies, including the iconic Kenneth Mashaba on the country’s first soapie Generations, created by former exile Mfundi Vundla. Sebogodi gave life to that character that in the public imagination, Kenneth Mashaba was not a fictitious character on a soapie, but a real person. A ruthless advertising executive. That is how good Sebogodi was on that soapie. He was a convincing actor with the ability to turn even the most boring character into a lively human being, whose actions resonated with the audience.

And therefore, when colleagues and friends, say in light of his death, that they are in pain, it is real. They are not performing pain and mourning. They are taking in the pain of losing a hugely talented actor, who despite his celebrity status, refused the temptation to perform that role in public. He simply remained Seputla.

That is why it became a painful thing a few weeks ago, when trolls mocked him, as having fallen on hard times, when a photograph emerged on social media, of him. Seated close to what is derogatively referred to as a Shangani bag, it became a painful thing to witness among us who knew how this man was an example of humility even as he enjoyed popularity on the shows he acted in, being mocked that way.

That act of mocking him, forced him to come out and clarify that he was not down and out, but, that photograph was promoting a show he was involved in. He did not have to do that as we know that the TV world is ephemeral. One time you are big, the next time you are down, and so what. Caring people do not mock you when you lose your job. Any job.

Internet trolls have no idea how painful to be mocked in that way as an artist. When someone is down, instead of showing compassion, they mock. One can imagine how painful it must have been for Sebogodi to witness something so cruel like that directed to him.

One thing you cannot take away from the late Sebogodi, though, is his remaining himself –humble even as his popularity shot up. Therefore, the late actor was a special kind, successful yet remained rooted. We do not have many of those these days.

One last thing –when he loved someone, he did with his whole heart, and he was quick to marry. Very few men have such a spontaneity as Sebogodi, when it comes to matters of the heart. Especially these days.

Rest in peace Seputla Sebogodi. You have travelled a fruitful journey of life.