Published by the government of Zimbabwe
Tatenda Chipungudzanye
3 March 2008
Harare — FOR those who never had an opportunity to watch South Africa's late undisputed Queen of the Vocals in action, Brenda Fassie, the celebrated musician is featured in a new tragi-comedy called Moruti waTsotsi - What a Mess!
Shot in 2004, Moruti waTsotsi - What a Mess! is a tragi-comedy of love, lies and laughs that was shot before Fassie's death.
It was released in Zimbabwe at the end of last year.
Apart from this musical icon, it also features renowned musician and producer Sello Twala (Chicco) of the Papa Stop the War fame, and Senyaka Kekana.
Those who have a passion of the late Brenda's music will certainly fall in love with church service scenes where Chicco and Brenda, who stars as Mandisa, perform the chart-buster We are Going to See the King (Soon and Very Soon).
The two put up a sterling performance that set alights the whole church prompting some people to start their own church as an "income-generating project".
The comedy, which is in flashback, begins with a scene with an old man Muwengwa Kalati (acted by Wasington Sexolo) walking from the cemetery towards home after spending 15 years in jail for murder.
After this, the story starts unfolding.
Kekana, who stars as the tsotsi, goes to Johannesburg to continue his criminal activities after becoming an outcast in his own rural home.
On his way to Jo'burg, Kekana gets into one witchdoctor's farm where he empties his bowels.
Irked, the n'anga puts traditional medicines on Kekana's excretion, resulting in an inexplicable sickness in Kekana.
This prompts Kekana to return to the n'anga to ask for forgiveness and is immediately healed. He proceeds with his journey to Jo'burg where he thinks of starting his own church after seeing bowls of offerings, flourishing with money.
To make this possible, Kekana bails out three criminals languishing in jail to help him in his escapades as well as luring Mandisa (Brenda Fassie), who is the leading singer in another church.
Because of Mandisa's angelic voice, Kekana's church quickly fills up and in no time they had moved to bigger premises while his lifestyle and that of his cronies suddenly changes. They were now driving luxurious cars and have upmarket houses.
Kekana and his cronies would richly reward themselves every month and Kekana, who was the pastor and founder of the church, at one time proposes Mandisa's hand in marriage in front of the whole church gathering.
Mandisa finally marries Kekana in an institution where they are complete opposites - Kekana is a mercenary while Mandisa is kind and always helping the poor and physically handicapped.
When word reaches Kalati that his son is continuing with his habit of conning people, but this time in the form of people's offerings and tithes at a church, Kalati travels to Jo'burg to ascertain that.
On getting to there, he finds his son filthy rich by swindling people and Kalati decides the best way of excommunicating Kekana is to kill him.
Kekana shoots his son, resulting in his incarceration for 15 years.
After the jail term, Kalati maintains that he does not regret spending 15 years in jail as he had excommunicated a criminal from among the people.
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