Latest news with #Mabalane
IOL News
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
More than a race: Comrades Marathon delivers drama, emotion, and champions
The ultimate human race Thousands of runners gather at the start of the Comrades Marathon. Photo: Comrades Marathon/Facebook Image: Comrades Marathon/Facebook The power of the Comrades Marathon was on full display late on Sunday afternoon as runners scrambled across the finish line. While all the glory went to the winners who had finished earlier, those who crossed the line later were also proud of their achievements. One of the runners who crossed the line in a time of 09:53 was kwaito star Kabelo Mabalane of TKZee fame, who was running the Comrades for the 13th time. Speaking on the SuperSport broadcast at the finish line, Mabalane remarked on how tough the 2025 race was for him. Get your news on the go, click here to join the IOL News WhatsApp channel. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ 'It was the hardest one. I haven't been here since 2019, so today proved to be very difficult. I stopped at 58 km. I quit as I'd had enough, but my wife was amazing, and friends of mine [who were on the route] were very encouraging,' Mabalane said. He found the strength to carry on, and along the way, crossed paths with Akhona Mkangala, who was also struggling. 'Akhona helped me to the finish line. We met on the route with 17 km to go. She was crying on the side of the road and I was like, 'Let's finish together,' and ja, we made it. I didn't think I'd be here.' Despite a difficult run, Mkangala insisted the 2025 Comrades was not her last. 'Tough day in the office. It started off very well, but I started to struggle at Bill Rowan, but clearly Comrades has its own things. It's an unpredictable race, but we'll come back again next year,' she added. Showing his appreciation for the race organisers, Mabalane said he was impressed by Sunday's race, which finished at People's Park instead of the Kingsmead cricket ground. 'To the Comrades Marathon Association: You guys outdid yourselves. It's a spectacular race.' Turning to the camera, he said: 'To you at home, you have to do Comrades at least once in your lifetime. It's going to change your life.' Earlier in the day, Tete Dijana crossed the line in a time of five hours, 25 minutes 27 for his third Comrades Marathon title. Dijana out-duelled defending champion Piet Wiersma, to add to the titles he won in 2022 and 2023. Wiersma crossed the line (5:25:33) less than 1o seconds after Dijana. Nikolai Volkov was third in 5:29:42. In the women's race, Gerda Steym claimed a fourth title when she crossed the line in five hours, 51 and 19 seconds. The result confirmed her status as the dominant force in ultra marathon running in South Africa with her third consecutive title, her maiden win came in 2019. IOL Sport
News24
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Unseen season 2 set to be more intense as Zenzi Mwale escapes from prison
After two years of uncertainty, season 2 of Netflix's Unseen returns with more twists and new faces. According to Gail Mabalane, who plays cleaner-turned-killer Zenzi Mwale, if people thought season 1 was intense, this season would raise the stakes even higher. As the second season is set to drop on Friday, 2 May, with a deeper glimpse into who Zenzi is and why she is the way she is, City Press caught up with Mabalane, Dineo Langa (Naledi) and new addition Danica Jones (TK) to talk more about the much-awaited season and their characters. In Unseen season 1, Zenzi was pulled into a deadly criminal web after struggling to find her husband following his release from prison. Season 2 follows her on the run after escaping prison. Looking back at the praises she received after the first season, the Blood & Water actress said sometimes all actors needed was to be seen. She said the work put so much into the characters to bring them to life. However, as much as they were not looking for accolades or pats on the back, they appreciated the reception. "My heart's desire is to tell her story authentically and just stay true to whatever it is that she wants to bring to life and be able to take people through this journey. You get done, you wrap and you move on to the next thing," she said. Mabalane added that wrapping up a show came with separation anxiety because the characters and people behind the scenes became a part of the actor's world. She said it came with a bit of grief, but seeing people enjoying the show was an incredible feeling. "For Zenzi to be what she was and do what she did in seasons 1 and 2, I am only as strong as the people who surround me. I never want to take credit just as myself for bringing the character to life because, had we not had Dineo play the sister she is or Danica play TK the way she did, [I would not have played Zenzi the way I did]. I give credit to Gambit [Films] and Netflix for trusting me and my fellow cast members for giving 110% every single day," she said. The actress said, in season 1, she found similarities between herself and Zinzi as black women, and she drew from herself to play the character. She added that, with the reception Unseen received for the first season, especially how she portrayed Zenzi, she could not help but feel pressure to live up to it or top the performance for the second season. Sharing about the character growth for this season, Mabalane said: Zenzi navigates uncharted territory this season, so it was really about growing with her and allowing her to be true and honest in her response to the reality she finds herself in. Season 2 honours what audiences loved about the show and Zenzi but also shows new layers to this complex human. So yes, the bar was high, but, as a team – cast and crew – I can confidently say that we gave it our all. After you've poured your heart into something, you surrender and allow the show to stand on its own. Langa chipped in and sang the praises of Mabalane, saying she gave a global performance and would stand head and shoulders above many international actresses. She said having Mabalane play the lead in Unseen developed them as fellow cast members, and that opportunities were wide for women today in film and television. The actress further said that, to return as Zenzi's sister after she had briefly appeared in season 1 was a testament to the fact that the writers and producers trusted the performance she gave. She said, more than anything, she was grateful to be working with Gambit Films that has produced immaculate projects for Netflix Africa. "For me to be seen by them means a lot more than I can express. It makes one want to do more and step up a bit more. I am grateful for the opportunity," she said. Sharing about the relationship between the sisters played by her and Mabalane, she said: Naledi and Zenzi's relationship goes through a complicated revival. There are growth spurts for Naledi in this season, but it isn't necessarily through the means everyone would assume. The alliance grows, and so does the loyalty, but the journey travelled to get there is heavy terrain. One of this season's additions is seasoned actress Jones, who plays TK, a cunning inmate with a dangerous hidden agenda. Having portrayed different roles, the actress said TK was a character she had to discover, reveal and meet piece by piece on set. The former Scandal! actress said that, to play the character on Unseen, she had to not care about what people thought. "My preparation was knowing my script flawlessly and making time to practise the stunt choreography but, ultimately, I would remain as present as possible so I could be as responsive as possible. TK is probably in my top three challenging roles … because she forced me to make audacious choices and trust them," she said. Jones shared that, in Unseen, women were breaking themselves and expanding instead of being made to look weak, and that made it empowering. She further said to women: "We see you.' Unseen season 2 is set to premiere on Netflix on Friday, 2 May, and has six episodes.
