The Sunday News
Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
THE South African film and television industry is a dog eat dog scene and only a few have ever been privileged to make it to the top.
Prominent names in Mzansi seem to get all the top gigs, be it acting, event hosting or even judging reality shows. It is for this ‘Open up the Industry’ became trending on Twitter last year, as many decried the monopoly enjoyed by those deemed to be the cream of the industry south of the Limpopo.
“South Africa is literally so hilarious, your presenters, are also your biggest actors, are also your biggest models, are also your biggest mainstream musicians, are also your lifestyle influencers,” a Twitter user wrote at the height of the storm.
In such a scenario, what hopes 23-year-old girl from Nketa (Bulawayo) have of making it and what can she do to have a short at fame? If your name is Lelety Kay, then the answer to that question is simply, a lot.
From her humble beginnings, she has gone on to host pageants at Gauteng City College before featuring in adverts for big brands while making cameos on shows such as Generations, Muvhango, Skeem Saam and 7de Laan.
While she might not have snagged a major role, she has taken small steps in a journey that began on the dusty streets of Nketa.
“I grew in Bulawayo Nketa 9 and my passion for TV began back at school where I took part in drama and other media related activities like singing and dancing. I would even host pageants and I was always in competitions with other schools,” she told Sunday Life.
While she might have dreamt of being a veterinarian, that ambition quickly got drowned by her desire to be in front of the camera.
“In high school I thought I wanted to be a Vet but it all evaporated after my passion for entertainment and media grew stronger. That’s when I got to discover that I want do nothing but Media. At school I did Sciences but soon after my A-Level exams I took a gap year and travelled to SA to pursue my passion for TV,” she said.
The former St James and Maranatha High School learner counts game changers such as Bonang Matheba, Minnie Dlamini and Lupita Nyong’o as her inspirations.
“I look up to them because they are not limited by being African but instead, they have taken their craft to the international stage,” she said.
