AYANDA DAWETI (26) often has to pinch himself to see if it’s really him living his dream!
He’s just bagged his first soapie role on e.tv’s Scandal! and hopes for his name to be called among Mzansi’s greatest actors.
He plays 19-year-old Chuma

Langa, the son of Siseko (played by Hlomla Dandala).
Chuma and his sister, Xolile (played by Sivenathi Mabuya) have just arrived in Joburg from the Eastern Cape after news that their father has been unfaithful.
“Chuma is a very privileged young man. He’s gone to the best schools and is academically
inclined but not at all flashy, as you’d expect a rich kid to be.
“He’s humble and just trying to understand why his dad cheated on his mum,” said Ayanda.
Born in Mthatha, Eastern Cape, the TV newbie said he loved playing Chuma and that’s the only way he’d be able to bring justice to his character.
“I’m enjoying playing Chuma. We share similar moral values. But my
personality is far more colourful than his.
“I also don’t come from a privileged background like he does,” said Ayanda, who started acting in community theatre in his home town.
He told the People’s Paper that being on set with the same legends he grew up watching was quite surreal for him.
“I was shaking on my first day, I mean I used to watch all these people and now here I am learning so much from them.
“They’re great to work with and are always happy to give tips about the craft.”
Ayanda is also passionate about uplifting his community back home.
“I run a community development programme called Imbizo Emakhaya. It’s an annual project that promotes localtalent in sports, entrepreneurship and the arts,” he said.
Catch Ayanda Daweti as Chuma on Scandal! weekdays at 7.30pm.