Veteran actor, Carlo Radebe, who is well-known for his lead role as Duke Ngcobo on e.tv’s former soapie “Backstage”, blames himself for his financial woes and lack of employment.
Speaking to investigative TV journalist and radio presenter, Bongani Bingwa on Radio 702, Radebe shared his constant struggle to secure acting work which ultimately led him to plead with South Africans for financial assistance.
The struggling actor took to social media in April and again, a few days ago to make the plea.
While speaking, an emotional Radebe said, “I am so uncomfortable and I am sorry for upsetting those that were upset. I had to come forward (to tell my story) ...
“I was on Facebook and saw how many people are upset, and it’s their absolute right. I don’t blame them. I realised that I can’t be upset anymore because people don’t know me.”
He said it was easy for people to use a blueprint for certain situations, as they had done with him.
“People are saying ‘this guy must get a job, didn’t we give him money and here he is again’, others are saying that artists are busy doing drugs and running around with women and prostitutes, but anyone who knows me, knows I am not like that.”
Radebe said that he did not wallow in self-pity or suffer from depression, because he understood that he himself was the reason for this financial hardship.
“I have held on, this is not new, October will be exactly 19 years since my retrenchment from ‘Backstage’.
“When the show ended, I thought that I would be lucky and wouldn’t have to network to get another job, I thought that I would be fine.
“Then tomorrow becomes next month, becomes a year. It was a year later that I got another job for three months thanks to (TV and film producer) Mfundi Vundla.
“I am here today because I never networked,” he said.
Radebe advised young artists and people in business to always network the industry they were in. “You can not be marooned on an island thinking your lucky stars are going to be sparkling out of your head, you have to network.”
The “Mrs Right Guy” film star added that he felt embarrassed to describe his journey,“I am a no man, usually once you lose your job, you lose your apartment, you lose your car and you turn around and you see how many friends you have left.
“There is nothing wrong with it, its survival of the fittest
“People don’t want that (negative) energy that’s floating around you attaching to them, so for 19 years, I’ve been literally alone.”
He ended, “If you want to understand my journey, watch two movies, ‘127 Hours’ with James Franco, and on a lighter note, watch ‘Groundhog Day’ with Bill Murray and Andie MacDowell.”
Watch the full interview on the Primedia website.