Former 'The Queen' actor, Mlamli Mangcala, is one of the few artists who are not afraid to speak out against the acting industry that cancels those who are outspoken. Another former Generations and The Queen actress, Vatiswa Ndara, was hailed for lifting the lid about being lowly paid and canceled by production companies and producers.
LOSING POSSESIONS AFTER BEING CANCELLED
Fortunately for Mangcala, being "canceled" in the television industry did not mean he had to remain idle at home with no direction for his career. As a qualified Locum radiographer, he can work in any health facility. Acting remains one of his favorite hobbies. This week, he shared a post on his Facebook page stating: "When a business does not work, and you are blacklisted on TV. You wake up and dust your qualifications then go to the hospital and locum. The most satisfying part is when you impart knowledge to students. An apple a day keeps the radiographer away," He finds great satisfaction in imparting knowledge to students, as he believes that sharing knowledge is essential. Mangcala clarified to ZiMoja that his post was not intended to throw shade at anyone. While he is open to discussing the challenges faced in the entertainment industry, he prefers to address them on the appropriate platform. After exposing the industry's misconduct, life became difficult for him, leading to the loss of his house and car. "Things became so tough that I started losing my possessions," he shared.
HE STOPPED AUDITIONING
Mlangcala revealed to ZiMoja that some producers informed him they were interested in working with him but were under strict instructions not to do so. This situation deteriorated to the extent that he stopped attending auditions, recognising it as a futile effort. "I completely stopped auditioning," he sais. Mlangcala even sought the assistance of a prominent politician, whose identity is known to ZiMoja. "They offered to reinstate me on the condition that I retract my statement, but I declined the proposal." Unlike Ndara, Mlangcala continues to secure MC opportunities for corporate events.
PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Having started acting in high school when he was going Grade in 10, he still took his schooling seriously. He completed his matric and went on to further his studies and became a qualified Radiographer in 2009 and went on to secure roles in various TV shows. With an impressive acting portfolio, he has been featured in Lingashoni, Stokvel, Thetha Msawawa, Unyana Womntu, Khululeka, More Than Just A Game, Intersexions, and 90 Plein Street. His most notable performance was as a police detective in The Queen. Following a disagreement with the producers of the series, at Ferguson Films, he believes that they "blacklisted" him. When asked about the possibility of returning to acting, he expressed, "Yes, I still have aspirations in that regard." As for his current professional endeavors, Mangcala said: "The most satisfying part of my job is when I impart knowledge to students,". He says he is currently in the process of writing a book about his experience in the TV industry.
