Mthatha content creator Kungentandoyenkosi Maphipha, known online as Ta Take, said a role on the show Sugar Mama gave him his first time on a professional set.
The 21-year-old, who also goes by Ntando, spoke to BONA about his upbringing, his comedy characters and his hopes for a career in entertainment.
“For me to work with you, I have to see dedication in you, the hunger of doing this and definitely someone who is doing it out of love,” he told BONA about the people he wants to work with.
Ntando said he was raised by his mother. He said his father was often in and out of jail while he was growing up.
He went to primary and high school in Mthatha. In 2024 he started his first year at Walter Sisulu University.
His Ta Take character shows the life of people called amaphara. Ntando said the idea came from his own childhood experiences with smoking. It also came from his younger sister’s ongoing struggle with drug addiction.
“My intentions were not to promote violence, smoking of drugs or robbing,” he said. He said he wanted to show the people behind a label that is often used to judge them.
“I wanted to show people how they think, how they react and talk when they are under that influence,” he said. His view is that people called amaphara are still part of communities and sometimes families.
Ntando first shared short videos on social media. He then sent a long message to the team behind Sugar Mama, a show created by Liya Nqaba, asking to appear in an episode.
The answer did not come quickly. He said he waited for months before his work caught the team’s attention.
On set, he worked with actors and directors for the first time. He said the role helped his brand and made him want to work in entertainment as a career.
The production also led to short videos with some of the people he met there. Ntando said he is most interested in acting, but he is open to other work in the industry.
He said he would also like to work with creatives who live close to him, so they can meet and work together more easily.
Ntando said he hopes to give back to the community that raised him. He said there may be a community project in future, but money problems have held back some of his ideas.
One of his wishes is to donate sanitary pads and toiletries to a nearby high school. He also wants to run events and games for children in his area.
Source: this article is based on reporting by Bona Magazine. Image: Bona Magazine. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Entertainment desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Rirhandzu Baloyi writes about entertainment for Tzaneen Voice. Rirhandzu covers South African music, film, TV, streaming, awards and celebrity news, from amapiano and local soapies to Showmax and Netflix releases. Stories stick to what happened, who was involved and when fans can watch or listen.