Johannesburg - Roderick Jaftha doesn’t have time for social media haters!
The actor has been the target of nasty comments after his Rhythm City debut earlier this week, with social media users saying he looks nothing like he did in his heyday as Generations’ Glen Majozi.
“Walk a mile in one man’s shoes before you judge him,” Roderick responded to hurtful comments, adding he’s never touched drugs and has never been an alcoholic even during the “rough and worst” three-and-a-half years of his life. The father of six was unemployed for a long time.
Before he left Generations 15 years ago, the charming Glen Majozi kept fans glued on their screens as his love triangle with Vivian Majozi (Faye Peters) and Karabo Moroka (Connie Ferguson) played out. But you surely can’t expect a man to look the same as he did almost 20 years ago, can you? Viewers of Rhythm City and fans of Glen Majozi almost didn’t recognise Roderick when he hit screens recently as a gangster named Storm in the e.tv show.
Roderick chats to DRUM about his TV return. “I am grateful things have taken a turnaround. My phone had been quiet for three-and-a-half years but since I have started in Rhythm City it’s no longer quiet. I have a lot of stuff in the pipeline but nothing is concrete. Some people say they have been looking for me, it’s really promising,” Roderick says.
“I missed everything about acting. I would feel very sad when I walked pass a shoot in a location, thinking that that’s where I am supposed to be. People would tell me how big The Quen [Mzansi Magic’s hit telenovela] is but I couldn’t watch other people acting while I was doing nothing at home,” he says.
The divorced actor who is in a long-term relationship also described the challenges of being unemployed for so long. “It was basically hard, rough – the worst time of my life. I lost my manhood because I couldn’t properly take care of my family and kids; life was very harsh. When I woke up in the morning I would feel paralysed and didn’t know what to do or where to go but there wasn’t time to give up,” the bubbly actor says.
He said he was disgusted by what social media users has posted about him but he was more than determined to revive his career. “At first my family was very excited when I got the job but they were later disgusted by what the people wrote about me.
But, unfortunately, social media dimmed his shine a little. “For my looks, I can’t stay young, I am growing old and I’ve been stressed for many years as I couldn’t provide for my family. That took its toll on my life. They don’t how it feels to lose your manhood. Because of my weight loss some suggested I was on drugs and HIV-positive – I’m not – but even if I was I wouldn’t be ashamed of that. Gone are the days of that stigma. Now that I’m working I’m picking up some weight,” Roderick says.
Roderick thought he’s missed his chance to play Storm because he was “disappointed” with his audition and he thought he’d disappointed his family too.
“The call [confirming his appointment] caught me by huge surprise. I was so emotional, I tried to hold back my tears. I’m really grateful to my family, Brian (brother), Sharon (sister) and her daughter, Delicia,” the emotional actor reveals.
He said he had butterflies in his tummy on his first day on set but the warm welcome he received from the crew eased his nerves.
Roderick says he has one thing in common with Storm: they’re both survivors. “When I was sitting at home I thought everyone has forgotten about me but the reception I got there was very warm from young and old. They allow you to have your input. But Storm is different from me on many levels. He can do anything to make money, he has no morality and he’s a gangster.”
Roderick believes he’s still got what it takes to be on top again.
