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Enhle Mbali steps back in time for upcoming Collen Chauke biopic

Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa. Picture credit: Emmanuel Tjiya.
Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa. Picture credit: Emmanuel Tjiya.

Actress Enhle Mbali Maphumulo is excited to tell a “rich South African story” as the wife of notorious heist-master Collen Chauke in an upcoming biopic set to release later this year.

Enhle is set to star alongside fellow actor Mduduzi Mabaso in the upcoming film‚ Enemy of The State: Collen Chauke‚ which tells the life story of a former MK soldier and a man who was once SA’s most wanted criminal.

 Playing Chauke’s wife‚ Grace has given Enhle the opportunity to tell a story that forms part of SA’s rich history‚ she told TshisaLIVE.

 “We all knew the stories of Collen and how tactical his bank robberies were. It is such a rich South African story and the cast is so rich in performance.  I loved the love story between Collen and Grace and wanted to be able to tell their story‚” she said.

 Chauke fell in love with Grace from the moment he met her‚ but as a woman she also had her own interests at heart.

Enhle described Grace as a strong and feisty woman‚ who wanted a better life future for herself.

“She (Grace) is feisty and she has a ridge personality but tries to keep it tasteful. She tried to find the equilibrium between being a girl from the township; but being a girl who is smart; and not being too ghetto and uptight about life‚” added Enhle.

 Stepping into Grace’s life has been a great learning curve for  Enhle. “Playing Grace has been lovely. It’s nice to share what kind of person she was – just how everyone wanted to be her and be like her. She was a smart girl and worked at the JSE‚ then that was a huge thing.”

 Enhle said that she couldn’t wait for people to watch the final product‚ and hoped that people would walk away “feeling educated” from the story.

 Other cast members include Meshack Mavuso‚ Thami Mnqolo‚ Pearl Modiadie and musician Ntsiki Mazwai.

 Chauke was suspected to have been behind 17 murders and robberies worth millions of rands. Collen was arrested in January 1999 near the border of Swaziland for a R12‚6 million cash in transit heist.

 Chauke died in 2003 while serving his 20-year jail sentence.

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