Cape Town – Fresh into merge Vusi Mafulela became the eight castaway to be voted off the island and the first jury member on Survivor SA: Philippines.
The logistical manager from Johannesburg took a back seat to the other ‘alpha males’ early on in the game.
His role in winning for Visayas in three consecutive challenges started drawing attention to his skills as he showed himself to be as adept at physical challenges as he was at puzzle games, putting a huge target on his back.
We chatted to Vusi about his elimination, his original strategy and what criteria he will base his jury vote on.
In your diary session you alluded that you were a threat and that you were going to be voted out. Did you think it would happen so soon?
I actually expected it because of the target I put on my back in the challenges. I honestly thought the people that I was winning for would carry me through down the line but it wasn’t the case. Certain people were always a maybe like Tom and he proved that he was ready to jump ship. But people like Palesa and Chané, I knew for a fact that they had my back even when we got into merge. It was a bitter pill to swallow but I did expect that if I do actually get to merge and I do not win the first immunity challenge I might actually go home.
How do you feel about how things played out with Tom?
I don’t think we alienated him when we got to merge. We spoke a few times it’s just that we didn’t speak strategy in detail and he got more information from other people than from me. I shook hands on it with him and when I take your hand that’s my word. I think he needed more affirmation or validation or confirmation from my side. I think Palesa also tried doing that.
I think the alienation started from the beginning when Seamus shook the tree we all fell on opposite ends. But when it came to working together for the greater good we actually did very well. So, I thought that it would carry on into the merge with the other guys because they were the enemy. Unfortunately he chose to pick the other side over us and it affected my game as well.
You really stepped up in the challenges in the two recent episodes. Was that your strategy going into the game?
My strategy was just to execute the tribal challenges together as a team to the point of merge. I was going to excel when we got to merge. But after losing repeatedly and we were hungry and it was really affecting our game. In the end I realised we were failing at the end of the challenge so I took it upon myself to do the last leg of the challenges so that we could win. And we won quite a lot. I took that decision together with the rest of the team and it actually pumped up everybody. I did it too sooner than I wanted to but it was necessary because that is the type of person I am. Losing is a bit difficult for me.
You’re the first member of the jury. What criteria will you be basing your final vote on?
Basically an honourable game. If you are going to lie, lie very well but don’t be rude about it. If you are going to be sneaky and strategic don’t be too personal and just play a hard game. Go all out. That is basically how I approach the game. The person I will give my vote to must be honourable but cunning and also very smart.
You coined a new term last night ‘bang scared.’ What are the origins and what are you bang scared of?
I am bang scared of snakes, I just don’t do snakes at all. Even when I see a snake on TV I am out of that room.
The term originated from boarding school. We used to prank each other at night, like ghosts under a sheet etc. You know that feeling when somebody just comes up behind you and goes ‘boo’, and you’re so petrified you don’t know what to do - that’s where bang scared comes from.
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(Photos supplied: M-Net)