Dlamini's done a duck, now soapie's in hot water

Has anyone seen Scandal star Luthuli Dlamini?

The popular actor, who plays editor Stan on the e.tv soapie, has been missing for nearly three weeks.

Vasili Vass, the spokesman for the channel, confirmed last week that Dlamini has gone AWOL (absent without leave).

"We have no idea of his whereabouts. He simply has not arrived for work. We've been phoning him on his cell to no avail. One of the producers has even driven to his house and he is not there.

"We're extremely worried and everything we do to try to find him draws a blank."

Dlamini's disappearance has left the producers with a dilemma and they have had to be clever with the story line.

"Production has to go on. His absence has been written into the story line. It's a daily drama and we have to carry on working by making changes to the script."

The soapie is shot four to six weeks in advance. But Vass says they haven't yet considered replacing the missing actor.

"We need to see how this plays itself out.

"We are not aware of any grievances Luthuli had with us. There was never notice given by us or him wanting to end the contract."

Vass admitted that this was the first time at the channel that they had had to deal with an actor disappearing.

"We're worried as a channel. It's not normal that someone just disappears like that."

Although e.tv has instructed Dlamini's co-stars not to comment about his disappearance, those who spoke on condition of anonymity say it is "out of character" for the star to disappear.

"We're all worried. His phone has been off the whole time," says a colleague.

Dlamini's disappearance has also led to wild speculation at the channel, where conspiracy theories vary from trouble with money to family problems.

Vass says although they haven't opened a missing- person docket with the police, they have alerted the Woodmead/Sandton police of Dlamini's disappearance.

Dlamini plays the character of Stan Nyathi, the editor of The Voice newspaper, whose wife Thato (played by Rami Chuene) famously cheated on him with his best friend. He in turn bedded his bitchy colleague Nirvana (played by Keren Tahor).

Stan is over the fact that he will never get his family together and is now concentrating on bringing up his son as a single father and taking over the reins of NZ Holdings after the death of Vusi Zwane (played by Siyabonga Twala).

.TELL US: Have you spotted Dlamini? Do you know where he is? Write to: tellus@thetimes.co.za or SMS 33971