Gomora: The lines have been drawn – who will be the victor?

Gomora has upped the ante when it comes to rivalries lately. Whether it’s school students facing off in a public debate or something far more serious like trying to overthrow a gangster, Gomora’s got it all. Here’s a taste of what you missed. Don’t worry – you can catch up on all the action all the way from episode 1 on Showmax.

Talking the talk

Episode 76 starts with Ntokozo asleep and his foster brother Teddy talking. “You are obscuring my view. Obs-cur-ing. Obs. Cur. Ing. Obscuring my view,” says Teddy. “Hey man, what are you doing up so early,” asks a sleepy Ntokozo. Viewers know full well that Teddy isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but he’s trying to win the school debate. The problem is that it’s going to be in English. And Teddy’s English isn’t up to scratch. “You speak twanglish,” jokes Ntokozo. But Teddy cuts him short. “You know that I have to prepare for the debate,” he continues.

He has another driving factor though: his monster crush on Buhle. “She’s the one,” Teddy says. “She’s fresh and she’s amazing and wonderful.” She’s the girl he’s been crushing on since she arrived at Gomora Secondary in episode 1. Teddy’s ride through life hasn’t been easy and this is the first time we’ve seen him excited about studying and learning. He just needs to keep his head down and focus on winning the debate. Luckily, he’ll have help and support from Buhle. Sadly for Teddy, though, she’s only doing it to see her snobby brother Langa embarrassed, not because she has feelings for Teddy.

Poking a sleeping dog

It’s no secret that Thathi has had a rough time in the show. Her hubby was murdered in episode 1 and she discovered that he’d been lying about everything – their finances, his bank, investors, money… and she was left penniless and homeless. Since she returned home to Alex, she’s been trying to make a living. And she’s not about to let that be taken away from her again in episode 78. “Are you pretending to be someone else today? Everyone is nervous in this house, no one is sleeping, the whole family is on edge,” rants her sister, Pretty.

Thathi lashes back. “I will not be bullied by him,” she says, referring to crime lord Mohato. “I know what I’m doing.” That’s a stark contrast to the Thathi we first met. She has grown not just as a mother, but as a woman and a businesswoman in her own right. The look on her face screams “I’m ready for war”, even though she’s still dolled up like a salon queen. And the fact that she’s going up against someone who literally murders without blinking an eye tells you that Thathi is more than her sister (and everyone else) gives her credit for. The lines have been drawn – blood will be spilt. The question is: who will take the victory?

Tied for victory

Episode 80 sees the fallout from the school debate. But it’s not all bad news. Gomora Secondary headmaster Melusi sits his wife Gladys down on their bed, telling her, “My love, I don’t want to fight with you.” Over the past week, Melusi had been somewhat of a tyrant towards his son, Ntokozo, and his foster son, Teddy, pushing the two into the debate and drilling them on how to formulate arguments and put their opponents at a disadvantage in public speaking.

“I don’t want to fight with you either,” Gladys counters, telling her husband that it’s okay that they had a disagreement but it’s important for them to be adults and resolve the matter themselves. “My love, you are obsessed with competition. The children want to compete against each other. Langa had to compete wearing a skirt,” she adds, reminding Melusi of the bet that Langa lost with Teddy.

Seeing this adult, mature, peaceful way of making peace is important, especially for viewers in a country where disagreements between adults often end up with fists flying. And it reminds viewers that while they butt heads often, Melusi and Gladys are the tightest unit on the telenovela.