I agree with Temba Nkuna, who wrote in Sowetan on April 5 that Mashaba is a Xitsonga surname. Unless Kenneth Mashaba of Generations was brought up by a mother who separated from his Tsonga father.

I agree with Temba Nkuna, who wrote in Sowetan on April 5 that Mashaba is a Xitsonga surname. Unless Kenneth Mashaba of Generations was brought up by a mother who separated from his Tsonga father.

If you check the surnames of all the actors in Generations you will see that they are all Zulu, Sotho or Tswana, and they speak those languages in real life.

So why use the Mashaba surname if the man cannot spell or pronounce a word in Xitsonga? Same thing goes to Humbulani, or Florence Masebe, of Muvhango, who communicates in Northern Sotho with her lawyer, Tennyson Leged, while they are both Vendas.

I understand that Muvhango isbased in Venda and the actor who plays Agnes was kicked out because she can't speak a word of Tshivenda.

Why do Zulus, Xhosas and Tswanas get full programmes in their languages on TV and Tsongas and Vendas only get the news for 15 minutes?

As long as Tsongas and Vendas are shy and refuse to come out and be proud of themselves, nothing will come right for them.

So, come on my relatives. Stop hiding now that you have became celebrities. Be proud Tsongas and hendaa Venda.

Gustav Mboweni, Magomani