Here's 5 reasons why everyone loved Skeem Saam's Leshole in 2018
2018 has to be the year that Skeem Saam's Leshole cemented his place as one of the key characters on Mzansi TV in a storyline that saw him survive Listeria to finding love.
The character, played by actor Thabo Mkhabela, took viewers of the popular soapie on a rollercoaster of emotions and often found himself on the Twitter trends lists for the things he was going through.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Thabo said that he was blown away by the response to his character and predicted that it would become an iconic character that defined him like Connie Ferguson's character Karabo on Generations.
""I don't like thinking about the future too much but I think I will always be Leshole. The character will stick with me for the rest of my life - long after I have left Skeem Saam. Something like Karabo. People just like him so much."
Here are just some of the things that happened to Leshole in 2018 that won him a place in our hearts.
He survived listeria
The great listeria outbreak rocked Mzansi, killing more than 203 people. The ST6 strain of listeria was found in Tiger Brands Polokwane's processed meat factory at the start of 2018 and led to a recall of products including polony.
So imagine the nation's shock when they turned on their TV to see Leshole chowing polony.
Luckily he survived...
#SkeemSaam Somebody give Leshole the memo, he's eating POLONY!!πππ₯ pic.twitter.com/FDF7kERFmO
— Thabangπ (@Tbxne_M) March 5, 2018
Leshole is eating polony !! RIP BOY #skeemsaam pic.twitter.com/JeipHJk3c2
— DopamineAddict (@SK12345678910n1) March 5, 2018
He had the worst luck
He may have dodged the listeria bug but he also missed a job opportunity after missing out on a spot at a pilot academy. He was heartbroken and fans were equally as devastated.
The look skeem Saam Writers give to leshole when he say he wants to be a pilot ππππ #skeem saam pic.twitter.com/G3bt8QDBSB
— clement Mashele (@Clem201502573) February 10, 2018
Honestly if the producers of #SkeemSaam donβt make Leshole rich by the end of this year Iβm not paying TV license pic.twitter.com/8m8H8LOfav
— π (@Londi_Gatsheni) February 12, 2018
He almost lost a leg
To make matters worse he almost lost his leg after he was shot and had to go in for an amputation. By then fans of the show were so gatvol of his bad luck that they started a petition and threatened to boycott the show until the soapie's writers stopped "abusing" the character.
#SkeemSaam ... and there is hope for letshole , hope at the end of the tunnel, they did not amputate his leg, thanks to the write, we was close to report you if u amputated his leg ππππ pic.twitter.com/IBbo5hsIWd
— Eugene_L_ Mokoena Wa Mopulana πΏπ¦ (@_EugeneLebo69) February 21, 2018
I won't vote for #SkeemSaam if they don't rescue Leshole's leg. #SAFTA
— Aluta Afrika (@AlutaAfrika) February 20, 2018
He went to Durban
But by September came along, things were starting to look up for Leshole. He and malume Big Boy got the chance to go to Durban and after suffering a panic attack when they couldn't find their ID they finally made it to the sea.
The country was overjoyed.
Biggy was a little stressed, but they finally made it ππππ#MabitselasgotoDurban #SkeemSaam pic.twitter.com/0JnW1x56BB
— Skeem Saam (@SkeemSaam3) September 4, 2018
Say hi to big boy and leshole for me via #SkeemSaam pic.twitter.com/wlw9zaSTL3
— luzy ramuthaga (@luzy_ramuthaga) September 5, 2018
He found love
This was followed up a few weeks later by him finding love. And so, with the confidence of a man just back from a dream holiday, he took his shot straight away and asked for Nomasonto's number.
Fans of the show could smell a romance brewing.
Leshole for the kill... Went straight for the numbers. Nomasonto wa Leshole. #SkeemSaam pic.twitter.com/HVqhQLI6NK
— Mashie Mphahlele (@mashie_mash94) September 8, 2018
Nomasonto Dlamini must come to Limpopo for Leshole #SkeemSaam pic.twitter.com/fqZ4clIlLV
— AKA - Jika ft. Yanga Chief β€οΈβ€οΈπππ₯π₯ (@Lesego_maluleka) September 10, 2018