A Cape Flats actor who stars in the local gangster movie Noem My Skolli e has been klapped around by members of the same gang he portrays in the critically-acclaimed film.
A video of the scuffle, which apparently took place outside Mzoli’s restaurant in Gugulethu, has gone viral on social media.
David Manuel plays “Gums”, a notorious 28s prison gang leader in the fliek.
But “ vollende” 28s didn’t like Manuel’s portrayal of their members sleeping with men, and they got hold of him and gave him a pak slae.
In the video, Manuel can be heard saying: “ Way, daai gaan nie oor die agge(28s) nie. Dit gaan oor daai man se storie,” referring to filmmaker John W Fredericks, whose life the movie is based on.
While being smacked around and punched in the face by a group of men, a voice in the background says: " Jy maak ‘n k** movie oor die agge”.
WARNING: Violence and explicit language
The Daily Voice visited Manuel’s home in Gugs, but he could not be reached.
Fredericks, who wrote Noem My Skollie, says the attack on the actor was “unnecessary”.
“I think this is stupid, I’m busy with other projects and I can’t take note of this nonsense,” said an irritated Fredericks.
“I moved on a long time ago. I’m 71 years old; I was 17 when I went to prison, that was many years ago, they can’t tell me what happened. I was there,” Fredericks told Daily Voice.
The Daily Voice spoke to a 28s member who explained why the skolllies are so die moer in with Manuel.
“The problem we have with this is that now people have the wrong perception of information regarding our gang that was given in the movie,” says the gangster, who asked to remain anonymous.
“He portrays verkeerde besigheid, saying that we sodomise laaities, which is not true. That looks as if it is the initiation to get into the gang, but it's not.
“Yes, we are a big gang, but we don’t take people’s manhood from them. They say we sodomise people, maar dis nie hoe dit is nie.”
When asked what the real initiation process is, he explained: “If you come into jail, ons toets hoe sterk jou hart is. J y moet bloed vat om te kan bewys jy’s sterk.
“Maybe with weaker people something like that (sodomy) can happen. Why did they bring that to the 28s side? Yet, they portray the 26s as if they are peaceful and saviours.”
However, he says he has nothing against the movie itself. “We don’t have a problem with the movie. The storyline is of the struggles faced by that man,” he says.
Yes, ‘Gums’ said he just followed a script, but still he is a 28, he also gave his input. That quote about ‘ Kop toe, holle oop’ does not happen. Prison is all about respect. Jy kan nie daai doen aan iemand anders se kind nie. ‘Gums’ is confused, maybe he was sodomised in his life.”