A prominent clergyman, Pastor Thinah Zungu, has found himself at the centre of controversy as his involvement in explicit tlof tlof scenes in a popular telenovela drew the ire of his devoted followers.
Pastor Thinah Zungu, who leads the Ark Fellowship Church in Inanda, north of Durban, is facing heavy criticism due to his controversial portrayal in the telenovela titled “Mother Of All.”
The award-winning gospel musician was cast to play the role of Melusi in the series.
Pastor Thinah Zungu Tlof Tlof Scenes
In this telenovela, Pastor Zungu’s character engaged in explicit tlof tlof scenes that many found to be inappropriate for a man of his stature and profession.
His actions in these scenes raised questions about the alignment of his on-screen persona with his pastoral role, leading to public condemnation.
Apology for On-Screen Antics
In response to the mounting criticism, Pastor Zungu has issued an apology and defended his stance.
He explained to the Daily Sun that these controversial scenes were filmed before he became a pastor.
I’d like to apologise to those who find the role I play as Melusi in the new telenovela inappropriate, but I shot it before I became a pastor
Pastor Zungu defended his involvement in acting, emphasizing that creativity is an integral part of his identity. He further explained,
“As a creative person, I was invited to play the role because I’m in the arts and acting is part of my description. People must also understand that I had no bad intention with my character,” he said.
The gospel singer acknowledged that he received payment for his role and expressed his belief that there’s nothing wrong with pursuing financial gain.
“The bottom line is that I apologise to those who thought my character was inappropriate because of the scenes I played. Yes, I got paid to play in the story so to those who say I love money, yes, I love money, and there’s nothing wrong with that because we’re all working for money,” he said.
Despite the widespread criticism, Pastor Zungu intends to continue acting. He, however, set the record straight, stating that he will not be acting in any controversial scenes going forward.
“As a creative person, I’ll continue to act. But I will be selective of the characters I play because I’m now a leader,” he said.