Filmmaker Ntokozo Mlaba was mindful of inclusivity in his current film, which features a character living with a disability.
Filmmaker Ntokozo Mlaba made a bold, sincere decision by giving one of his characters a disability in his latest film, Melusi.
“I remember when I made the choice to make Nkokheli disable while writing because it would motivate the root of his resentment towards his brother,” said Mlaba in a post on his Instagram.
“Representation matters, characterisation is important,” he said.
Nkokheli, portrayed by Wanda Zuma, is the older brother of the main character, Melusi. In the movie, Nkhokheli has one of his legs amputated.
In November, speaking to The Citizen, Mlaba said Melusi is an iteration of an idea, a proof of concept for Mlaba of what he says he’s developing to be his debut feature.
Melusi is set in rural KwaZulu-Natal, against the rich cultural backdrop of Ingoma — a traditional Zulu dance and singing competition where the grand prize is a sheep.
The story follows Melusi, a young village shepherd with dreams of becoming a taxi driver in Johannesburg.
However, in his desperation to attain his goals, Melusi steals the prize sheep to fund his journey, triggering a series of unexpected events.
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Importance of representation
3 December is the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, and Mlaba’s sharing of how Nkokheli’s character came to life is timely.
In his description of the character, Mlaba said Nkokheli is the village’s moral compass, or at least, he tries to be.
“Crippled from an old injury, Nkokheli leads with authority, demanding discipline and respect in a community that often resists both,” Mlaba told The Citizen.
“He hides a soft heart behind a hardened face, struggling to balance being a leader and a brother. His biggest challenge isn’t the chaos in the village, but learning to let go, to realise that Melusi doesn’t need another father, he needs someone who believes in him.”
According to the director, Nkokheli’s arc is about healing, forgiving himself for past failures and rediscovering tenderness through brotherhood.
“I think it’s easy to play an antagonist with anger and rage, but when you interrogate the root of the animosity, you’ll find there is love there, and I think Wanda’s portrayal was sensitive to that,” shared the young filmmaker.
“The leg idea wasn’t to pull off a cool trick; it was about truth.”
He said he felt a sense of affirmation in bringing diversity to his film after visiting a neighbour and seeing Nkhokheli in the neighbour, because the neighbour also had a limp.
“I found a guy seated in the kitchen whom I’d always known as able-bodied, seated with one leg and crutches by his side. He had such a sad look on his face, and in my mind I was like sh*t, that’s Nkokheli bro,” said Mlaba.
“What an honour it was to be a part of this piece under your leadership, my brother,” Zuma commented in the post.
“I would and will do it again when the time arises. Until then, keep breaking boundaries and don’t allow anyone to break your character.”
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International Day of Persons with Disabilities
For the World Health Organization this year’s International Day of Persons with Disabilities is observed under the theme ‘Fostering Disability-Inclusive Societies for Advancing Social Progress’.
“We are reminded that inclusion is the foundation of sustainable development, social cohesion and human dignity,” said WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Mohamed Janabi.
According to the Global Health Body, across the WHO African Region, more than 188 million people live with some form of disability.
Communicable and non-communicable diseases, malnutrition, injuries and the consequences of conflict all contribute to disability.
“Yet, those with disabilities remain among the most marginalised in our societies, often facing stigma and persistent barriers to health services, education, transport and employment,” said Janabi.
The Regional Director said the impact of exclusion is profound, limiting participation, deepening poverty and eroding wellbeing.
The International Labour Organization estimates that this exclusion costs countries between 1% and 7% of GDP annually.
Despite legislation requiring companies to employ 3% of people with disabilities, only 1.2% of SA’s workforce lives with disabilities.
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