If acting is your passion and you want to see yourself on a top soapie like Muvhango, forget it if you don't have an acting degree.

Executive producer and creator of the SABC2 soapie Duma Ndlovu has dropped the bombshell, revealing his plans to have only qualified actors on the show in future.

Ndlovu told Sunday World during an exclusive interview that he will no longer be hiring actors without qualifications because he does not believe people who did not study drama can be good actors... "the same way that a person who did not study medicine cannot be a doctor".

"I am very unlikely to hire someone who does not have an acting diploma or degree, unless it is somebody who has been in the industry for a very long time," he said.

He said he chose those with qualifications as there was a massive difference between them and those who did not study drama.

"I feel very strong about this and I talk about it all the time. If you want to be an actor go to school and study drama, that's it.

"That is why there are universities. If you want to be a doctor go to medical school, a law school if you want to be a lawyer and so on."

The veteran producer and director said he has been working in the industry for 35 years and knows the difference of working with both.

"The person who has not studied would not know the difference. Most youngsters on Muvhango are from the likes of Afda, Tshwane University of Technology, Durban University of Technology. These institutions offer strong academic programmes."

Duma said he also focused on graduates who were still trying to get their footing in the industry when he conducts his regular acting workshops at the Market Theatre in Jozi.

He said not having money for studying was no longer an excuse because there was the National Student Financial Aid Scheme and now free education.

"Young people need to learn to use the energy they use making noises trying to get jobs in acting to get degrees."

Bright sparks on Muvhango

• Liteboho Molise (Teboho) has a political science degree from the National University of Lesotho
• Innocentia Makapila (Rendani Mukwevho) has a degree in applied linguistics form the University of Johannesburg
• Macdonald Ndou (KK) is a trained actor from the University of Venda
• Sydney Ramukwela (Mulalo) joined the soapie shortly after matric and was given an opportunity to further his studies.
  He has a dipolma in logistics from Unisa.
• Raphael Griffiths (Vusi Mokwevho) is studying television production at Afda
• Tshinodiwa Tshovakale (Shonisani) has a media diploma from Boston Media House