Do you remember that high school teacher who was the fantasy of teenage boys and girls? School kids rushed to carry the teacher’s books to the car park, and detention was something you looked forward to if the heartthrob teacher was on duty. When the teacher of your dreams accidentally brushed a passing hip against your elbow – pure bliss – you secretly wished the pleasant accident would happen over and over again.
Panic attack
At the end of the previous week’s instalment of Gomora, Mam Sonto and her daughter Thathi were facing certain imprisonment when a persistent detective Mahlasela raided the tavern. Mahlasela stood at the locked deep freezer, demanding to look inside it. Panic – if Mahlasela had opened the freezer, he would have been met with Mohato’s frozen corpse of Mohato. As Sonto desperately tried to buy time, Hlasi suddenly began to hyperventilate. Seizing the opportunity, Mam Sonto attributed her daughter’s strange behaviour to the unresolved trauma of witnessing her husband’s violent death.
Thathi pointed to Mahlasela’s fire arm. Seeing the gun brought back memories of Mbongeni’s death, said Thathi.
No proper gentleman ever wants to see a woman in distress. Mahlasela apologized and brought the search to an abrupt end. Sonto congratulated Thathi for the most believable dramatization of a panic attack. But Thathi was not acting.
Thathi's panic attack just bought them time. #Gomora
— Mzansi Magic (@Mzansimagic) October 19, 2020
Where is Mohato?
Once Mahlasela was out of the way, Sonto and Thathi buried him in an unmarked grave in a bush somewhere.
As Thathi grappled with ghost of Mohato, Gladys was overcome by the eerie feeling that her brother was in trouble. His parole officer was looking for him and he hadn’t been to his security job at Gomora Secondary. Gladys filed a missing persons report with the police. But cops never take it seriously when a known criminal goes missing. Gladys was persistent, leaving Mahlasela with no option but to investigate Mohato’s disappearance.
After shaking every tree and turning over every manhole cover in Alex, Mahlasela found no trace of Mohato. But he had just a single clue, one which he accidentally let slip while sharing wine and conversation with the charming Thathi – Sdumo.
Detective Mahlasela has no idea what he just did. #Gomora
— Mzansi Magic (@Mzansimagic) October 22, 2020
Sdumo sings to the cops
During a series of interrogations in which Mahlasela squeezed Gomora’s thugs for information, the detective found of that Sdumo, Mohato’s right hand man, might have some idea of his boss’ whereabouts. Under questioning, Sdumo inadvertently confessed to working with Mohato in his illegal activities. Sdumo also gave Mohato’s last seen position – Mam Sonto’s place of business. Thathi had worked so hard to steer police scrutiny away from Sonto’s Inn. And in one brief interview, Sdumo had brought the police back the Molefes’ doorstep.
For someone who has been Mohato’s most loyal disciple, Sdumo was amateurish during the interrogation. If he had learned anything from his teacher, he would have known that you keep your mouth shut until your lawyer arrives.
Gomora Wear grows bigger
Teddy, Ntokozo and Langa are officially businessmen. With the help of Melusi, the boys registered their company and opened a bank account. Customers are lining up to buy Gomora Wear T-shirts, not just at school but even on the streets of Alex. Mam Zodwa’s old boss, the Mnandi Shisanyama owner, has offered to establish a pop-up store at weekends so that the boys can sell their merchandise on his premises. A school uniform supply store has also gone into business with Gomora Wear.
The Gomora TV series is a story which, in keeping with the Tshedza Pictures writing blueprint, juxtaposes the rich and poor. It is the proximity of Thathi’s Sandton life to Pretty’s ghetto existence which creates intriguing tension. As the money continues to roll in, Melusi Dlamini asked the three young entrepreneurs how they would spend their newfound riches.
Langa, who grew up in a Sandton mansion and therefore looked unfazed by the impending arrival of wealth, said he would buy a new gaming consol.
Ntokozo has two professional parents and grew up on three square meals a day. He wants to buy a dishwashing machine so that he never has to wash another dirty plate ever again.
Then there is Teddy, the boy who shares a one roomed shack with his mum, a domestic worker. He wants to spend his money on bricks so that he and his mother can finally own a proper house.
The new teacher
Gomora Secondary has a new business studies teacher, Miss Manzi Ncebakazi, an old friend of the Dlaminis. Since she is new, well, not so new to the Dlaminis, Manzi hasn’t yet found a place of her own. Melusi offered her accommodation. Teddy was smitten from the moment he saw the beautiful school teacher. But Zodwa does not have hearts in her eyes so she can see that Manzi is going to be trouble. Manzi and Melusi are old friends but it doesn’t sit well with Zodwa that the new teacher is all handsy with the married principal. It is quite odd that Gladys, who is usually very insecure and possessive over her man, did not even flinch when Manzi massaged Melusi’s shoulders at breakfast. Zodwa is right to be concerned about Manzi. But she should have been watching out for a different man.
Two seconds in, and Ncebakazi Manzi @thesihlendaba already has an admirer in Teddy… #Gomora
— Mzansi Magic (@Mzansimagic) October 21, 2020
When teacher seduces pupil
It was just after bath time when the new teacher barged into Ntokozo’s bedroom. Teddy, who was shirtless at the time, bashfully hid his semi nudity. But Miss Manzi, palming his chest and chin, gave him tips on correct body posture. It all seemed innocent, but for Teddy, it was a big deal that she touched his nipples.
Ntokozo sees Manzi through the eyes of a baby brother. She practically saw him growing up and he didn’t take her groping hands moment seriously.
‘She touched my nipples!’ Teddy gasped.
Ntokozo should have taken his friend more seriously.
Teddy was home alone – so he thought – working at the computer in Ntokozo’s bedroom. Miss Manzi again barged into the bedroom in a sexy, body-hugging, red dress. She asked Teddy to help her with her stuck zipper. And then flop, she let her breasts out before unbuckling Teddy’s trouser belt. Teddy swallowed hard. Gulp! Before he could swallow a second time, she slammed him against the bed and straddled him. Messi and other soccer stars on the bedroom wall looked away.
What if Teddy was a school girl?
After Teddy lost his innocence to the new teacher, Twitter exploded. Most Gomora fans seemed pleased for their favourite character. But here are a few facts to consider;
Teddy is a teenager – albeit of age of consent – Menzi is at least 38, if she is an old friend of the middle-aged Melusi and Gladys. She is in a position of considerable power. Suppose Teddy did not want to have sex with her, she could make life very difficult for him. If Teddy was a school girl and a male teacher had made sexual advances, the EFF would have smashed school windows all over Alex Township screaming abuse. So why is everybody celebrating Miss Manzi’s inappropriate liaison with a pupil?
Till next week, my pen is capped
Jerà
Gomora airs weekdays on Mzansi Magic at 7:30pm
Images from Twitter