"Everyone be cool... this is a robbery!"
e.tv's new action thriller Heist premieres on Tuesday, 9 February at 21h30, with an echo of the channel's popular rural drama Matatiele.
It's been created by Matatiele producers Branded Soul and stars Jerry Mofokeng and a stadium of cash, inspired by the heist that hit the Justin Bieber concert during his 2013 tour of South Africa.
Flashback to 2013: Millions of rands were stolen after Bieber's concert at the FNB Stadium. His concert was on the Sunday and Bon Jovi performed the night before so the coffers were full with money from ticket sales, merchandise, refreshments etc. The robbers chiselled through the safe and managed to escape.
Which Jerry Mofokeng plans to do on Heist. He stars as Talent, a grass cutter who works at a stadium in Alexandra who has an eye for identifying talent. He gets unfairly dismissed and decides to use his insider stadium knowledge to pull off the ultimate concert heist. He uses his talent savvy to gather a gang for the job and puts his plan into motion.
The series is described as a story of resilience and an exploration of the impact money has on our daily lives. It highlights the extremes people are willing to go through to survive and to improve their livelihood.
The starring cast are...
Jerry Mofokeng as Talent
Talent has discovered some of South Africa’s biggest talents across the board: soccer, chess, music, academia etc. In his world there are two kinds of people: those with talent and those without, which makes him a flawed character because he doesn't acknowledge that there's more to people than that.
On the surface he is a cool, respected guy. However he is also callous, opinionated and “always right”. This has cost him his family. His wife and son left him because he was so difficult to live with. His son, in particular, hates him because he's never been a “dad” to him, but a coach. Now he lives alone and he's lonely.
Sayitsheni Mdakhi as Mark
Mark is the kid who grew up in the township doing all the right things but who never wins. He's been to “Model C” schools but has always felt embarrassed by how little his family has in comparison with his school mates.
His mother has rammed it into his head that if he worked hard and applied himself, he could be whatever he wants to be. He did well in Matric, but after all the hard work, his mom couldn't afford to send him to university.
Over the years he's lost his crushes to “better" guys with money. He is in love with the girl next door and feels inadequate because he lacks the money to impress her.
Wright Ngubeni as 5 Bob
20-something 5 Bob grew up in a township and is known for always asking for “5 bob”. He is charismatic and is a consummate fan of everything and everyone. He knows everyone and everyone knows him.
He's a street hustler who understands the economics of the street. He can be a nuisance at times but he also has redeeming traits about him. He understands people and can be in the company of anyone and make them feel like he “gets them”.
Solomon Thwalo as Flash
The get-away driver with mad driving skills. He’s been known as the “Houdini of the township” because no one could ever catch him and he has the ability to escape the inescapable. He comes out of jail a born-again Christian seeking redemption for the death of his childhood friend Kgosi who was shot during a heist that he (Flash) organised.
Mbali Ka Ngwenya as Merci
Merci is a con artist who can break codes and morph into different characters. She's street smart and has the resilience that makes her a force to be reckoned with. Most of all, she’s enterprising - no situation is too big for her to handle.
She has the “middle child syndrome” and goes out of her way to get attention. She doesn’t really have a home. Everywhere she lays her head, that’s her home.
Meshack Mavuso as Chairperson
The police commander who's on a mission to be the man of every moment. Following the fatal incident of the police dragging a foreign national with a taxi, he's desperate for a PR trump card. He will not rest until he has put the “perpetrators of the crime” behind bars.
Kenneth Nkosi as Gorgeous Stash
Stash is rich, flamboyant, superficial and unapologetic. He feels that since the media launched Kenny Kunene, he would take to social media for domination and he's winning.
He wants to be respected and considered a role model so he is constantly on a PR mission to keep relevant in the no.1 spot. Everyone questions how he got rich - there’s speculation that he killed his wife and inherited her money. He lacks street cred and is desperate for validation. Everyone wants his money but everyone despises him.
Warren Masemola as Cosatu
He is disillusioned and disgruntled because he missed the gravy-train. All he wants is his slice of the pie… sooner rather than later. He will never say what he wants, but will negotiate for money in the worst of circumstances. He is part of the “street committee”… a vigilante group that is set on making everyone tow-the-line.
Jody Abrahams as Irvin
Irvin is a cut-throat business man with a shady past. Everyone knows that his rise to prominence involved illegal dealings and a trail of bloodshed. He is more feared than respected and will not hesitate to “eliminate any obstacle in his way".
Phumeza Mdabe as Dikeledi
Mark’s long-time “girl-next-door” girlfriend. They share a 6-year-old-child. She's bubbly, ambitious, caring and real. She’s just lost her job and begins to feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.