Producer and actor Mandla N and the late Busisiwe Lurayi entertained viewers of City Ses’la as the on screen couple that didn’t quite match the normal sense of what a “by the book ” relationship ought to be.
One was very reserved with a hint of a modernised man, the other outspoken and a lover of glam and luxury with a bit of kasi flair.
These are some of the moments ingrained in the memory of fans who loved the late actress and were fans of the comedy that aired on SABC1.
When the producer, director and owner of Black Brain Productions heard the news of the star's death, he was in disbelief.
Speaking to TshisaLIVE, he took us through who the actress was and what those years were like as the couple burst onto the scene, a little wet behind the ears, new to fame and ready to conquer the world.
“It was more of a friendly relationship because obviously she had moved on and was working with How to Ruin Christmas.. ”
Mandla said they knew each other for more than 15 years.
“She was very passionate when it came to her craft and she had love for African countries and accents. All the time she would have fun with her script and different accents Angola, Zimbabwe, Nigeria. Her script always looked like a primary school child’s book because she would highlight research she went into in terms of her script. It was always colourful.
"She had honed her character and even went as far as listening to what people in the townships thought about her character. That’s how far she went in terms of the craft and the research, and that’s why no-one could’ve played it like her. She really, really killed the Phumzile character.”
The director said he worked with Busisiwe for years and had plans to work with her again before her untimely passing on Sunday.
“I worked with her on City Ses’la , I worked with her on Ses’top la. She worked with us on Lockdown. She was part of the Black Brain family. We had plans to bring her back and incorporate her in our shows.
“ I knew she was amazing and that's why I worked with her for 15 years. She’s gone too soon. She still had a whole lot more to offer. She basically went out on a high. She last worked on How to Ruin Christmas which was a huge success. ”
City Ses’la won six Saftas in 2009 and multiple others.
“She taught me a whole lot of stuff. We grew up together in this industry. It was our first job, our first on-screen experience, our first everything . Young, naive, thinking we were going to take over the world and then the experience of TV hitting us hard, realising that you are only a number.
“One of the biggest memories was the first Saftas. We cleaned up, we got 13 awards. She got a Safta for best female performance.
“She came and shared her story in the best way she knew. She was a true storyteller and genius when it came to her craft.”
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