Maumela Mahuwa is the co-founder of the African Academy of Cinematic Arts based in Randburg.
After appearing on Muvhango for more than two decades, actress Maumela Mahuwa says it was difficult when she received the news of the show’s end.
“You come to a realisation that it actually is ending and you start panicking and you start thinking, now what…what do I do because Muvhango has become a norm,” Mahuwa told The Citizen.
After 28 years and nearly 5 000 broadcast episodes, Muvhango was cancelled and last aired on SABC2 in August.
“Besides the fact that the underlying thing is the heartbreak, the fact that this is something so cultured…it’s a part of people’s lives, besides it being a part of my life,” says the actress who portrayed the character of Susan Mukwevho.
“For me, now a normal day is doing auditions, which I haven’t done in a long time. I don’t think there will be a production like Muvhango again in my life because I was there for a long time.”
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African Academy of Cinematic Arts
With more time on her hands, Mahuwa is now focusing on churning out talent through the African Academy of Cinematic Arts (AACA), an institution she co-founded about nine years ago.
“As a person who is part of the fraternity of actors and thespians, you realise that South Africa still needs more talent. There are kids out there that do not probably get into the film industry easily, I just thought why not create a platform to access the industry,” Mahuwa said.
AACA isn’t just an accredited institution registered with the department of Higher Education and Training, Council on Higher Education (CHE), South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), MICT SETA, CATHSSETA, and QCTO; it stands as a testament to vision, perseverance and the enduring value of nurturing both skill and curiosity.
Its three-year bachelors degree programmes exemplify a philosophy that shapes not only filmmakers, but creative leaders for the future.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, it moved classes online, but Mahuwa says they’re now back in the classroom.
“During Covid we decided to move the whole school online, which makes it easy for people to become part of the team wherever they are. But now we’ve pushed people to physically attend classes because the school is very much hands-on.”
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Creating a stage for the African child
The institution is in Randburg.
“I guess in the future we’re going to have to look at where else we can establish ourselves, because we need to go to places where people can’t access the Johannesburg area.”
“We produce all kinds of people, those in front of the camera and those behind the camera. It’s all filmmaking.”
AACA’s ethos is resolutely hands-on: students don’t just study film theory, they write scripts, operate cameras and direct original stories, learning through action.
“We are creating a stage for an African child, so we say that nothing about us without us.”
She adds that the institution has included artificial intelligence (AI) and computer-generated imagery (CGI) courses in its curriculum.
“CGI is not such as easy thing to do but it’s part of our curriculum now…and AI as you’ve seen is taking over the industry, the world as a whole. So people get to be taught things that are running the world.”
Mahuwa conducts acting and ethics masterclasses at AACA and also mentors a handful of students.
When the inaugural class graduated in 2019 at Nu-Metro Cinema in Hyde Park, it was evident that AACA Film College had become a launchpad for exceptional talent.
Alumni are now prominent in the film and TV industry, starring in Netflix, Showmax, SABC shows and feature films.
“I think I have three students that came and worked on Muvhango. One of them is an actor that came in as Dr Ximba’s son, he was doing such beautiful work,” she said about Tyson Mathonsi
“Can you imagine being at work and one of the students coming to you he’s like ‘do you remember me?’…there are plenty and you can’t remember all of them,” says Mahuwa laughing.
Mahuwa’s other passion
The actress shared that she’s making music and can’t wait to release it.
“I’ve been cooking…I just finished a song. It’s a unity song, about South Africa uniting so that we can unite with other Africans in the diaspora.”
“It’s three-step house…I tried house, but I’m a gospel artist. I tried house and I liked it very much, it’s easy, it’s quick and it’s completely sang in my language.”
