Youngins Season 1 episodes 28-30 recap: Liars and fighters

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Episodes 28-30 of Youngins centre on Amo and Tumelo’s love lives, and two dangerous secrets. Amo tells Mahlatse that she loves him as a friend, not a lover. Tumelo and Sefako get back together but the slap has shifted something in the relationship and when Mahlatse finds out about it, he storms off and punches Sefako right in the face.

After Khaya dumps Buhle out of the blue by text, she goes on the warpath to find his new love and make him jealous. Amo comforts Buhle while hiding her guilt over her secret romance with Khaya, but she corners Khaya over his own lies – both when she finds out he’s still attracted to Buhle, and when she figures out that Khaya told Principal Mthembu about their plans to record his meeting with Lerato.

What happened in Youngins episodes 25-27

Tumelo (Lebohang Lephatsoana) and Sefako (Tabile Tau) got back together despite Sefako taking Amo (Ayakha Ntunja) as his date to the Valentine’s Day Ball. Amo ghosted Khaya (Toka Matabane) but it only made him keener, Tshepi (Oratile Dithakgiso) dumped Mahlatse (Thabiso Ramotshela), and Mahlatse finally admitted to Amo that he fancies her. Mr Ramathuba (Simo Magwaza) dragged Amo, Alex (Katlego Moloke) and Palesa (Amogelang Telekelo) to Principal Mthembu’s (Loyiso Macdonald) office when he caught Palesa showing them adult videos in his class. Khaya scammed his mom out of R500 to buy flowers and a promise ring for Amo, but when Amo and all her friends made up, she told Khaya that she  couldn’t betray his girlfriend Buhle (Kealeboga Masango) that way. Tumelo started a stokvel for his 16th birthday bash, but after Tumelo confronted Sefako about ditching his party to go hang out with his buddies, a furious Sefako backhanded him in private.

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What happened in Youngins episode 28?

Tumelo has lost all his sparkle since Sefako assaulted him, and a concerned Mahlatse and Alex dig for the truth. Guilt-stricken, Sefako goes to Tumelo to apologise and admit that he was wrong to hit him. But while Sefako promises to never do it again, he also tries to put Tumelo in the wrong for nearly exposing their relationship in front of Tshepo (Tshepo Matlala), ignoring the real problem – that he felt he had the right to “correct” Tumelo’s behaviour with violence. And Tumelo shows signs of forgiveness when Sefako admits that he had gifts and a plan lined up until Khaya distracted him. 

Buhle shrieks when Khaya sends her a text that reads: “It’s over, don’t text or call me,” and not even Mazambane (Kadiya Banyini) taunting Khaya can shake his good mood, while Pearl (Keneilwe Matidze) wants all the tea as her class runs wild over the breakup news, and Amo’s guilty conscience burns as she tries to comfort Buhle. Mahlatse negotiates with the school security guard to help him to set up a surprise for Amo, but when he arrives at Amo’s dorm with ice cream, chicken and flowers, Buhle thinks it’s all for her and digs in! Buhle wails and asks why Mahlatse and Amo aren’t together since he’s obviously smitten. And while Amo’s giving Khaya the cold shoulder, she’s wearing his ring when she promises Mahlatse that she’ll think about her feelings for him. 

What happened in Youngins episode 29?

When Sefako gives Tumelo the gift that was meant for his birthday, Tumelo’s apology reveals that he is already blaming himself and his “drama” for Sefako’s violence, and he seems set to allow Sefako to dictate his behaviour going forward to avoid more violence. Sefako reinforces this by giving Tumelo another gift after Tumelo apologises. It might look innocent, but these are the first threads in a dangerous pattern. Tumelo, who has always confided in Mahlatse about little wiggles in his love life, has stopped sharing completely.

Amo has to get Khaya to back off while they’re kissing and she reminds him that they need to tread carefully around Buhle’s feelings. Those feelings, according to Buhle, are, “They took my heart, threw it on the floor, and farted on it.” Pearl sets her class an assignment to discuss whether Romeo was romantic, or just a stalker. But Amo has her own assignment for Palesa and Alex: who should she choose, Khaya or Mahlatse? As they’re debating (it’s rough! Nothing is safe, from Khaya’s brain to the shape of Mahlatse’s head), it is clear that Amo is not physically attracted to Mahlatse. And Palesa questions Buhle’s sanity when Buhle physically attacks another girl for supposedly dating Khaya. 

While Khaya’s stealing money from his mom to buy things for Amo, Mahlatse reveals to Amo that he’s selling weed at school so he can send money to his mom back home. Mahlatse is crushed when Amo tells him that she loves him as a friend. Can he keep his promise of a no-strings friendship? Later Amo starts getting clues that she has no mental or spiritual connection with Khaya, and Buhle gets in Khaya’s face to ask why he dumped her. 

What happened in Youngins episode 30?

Buhle tells Amo that she’s taking back her power, and she heads off to class with her skirt hem grazing her butt cheeks. Khaya, to Sefako’s horror, is already suffering, and Sefako has to tell him off for having a rummage under the covers while Sefako is still in the room. Khaya promised never to lie to Amo, but she has to back him into a corner before he stops calling Buhle crazy and admits that he misses having sex with her. 

Amo apologises to Lerato (Dakalo Molope), the student who Principal Mthembu (Loyiso Macdonald) was grooming. And when Lerato forgives her, she reveals that she didn’t tattle on Amo and her friends for asking her to record her meeting in the principal’s office. So … how long until Amo figures out who the real snitch was?

After Alex asks Mahlatse what’s up with Tumelo, who’s even stopped posting on TikTok, Mahlatse plays detective in the bushes. As Sefako and Tumelo are joking around, Mahlatse sees Tumelo flinch back when Sefako pretends to pounce on him. Tumelo puts on a brave face and denies everything, but Mahlatse is not having that. He and Sefako wind up in the principal’s office after he storms into class and punches Sefako right in the face in front of everyone. It means instant detention for both of them, and Principal Mthembu bans Sefako from the afternoon’s soccer match.  

Khaya’s friends laugh at him when Buhle parades about with a new man on her arm, and he confronts and kisses her, only to pull back and tell her that he doesn’t want their drama. Khaya tells Buhle that he wants something real, apologises for leading her on, wipes off their kiss and goes straight to Amo. But Amo isn't in the mood for love or promises. She has a new question: Khaya, did the principal give you new soccer boots because you tattled about the group’s plans to record him? Well?

Stream Youngins S1 on Showmax now. 3 new episodes each Thursday.

What is Youngins about?

Tshedza Pictures’ (Adulting, Outlaws) Youngins follows five students at government boarding school Olifantsfontein High – new girl Amo Mosweu (Ayakha Ntunja), head girl Buhle Kunene (Kealeboga Masango), Buhle’s soccer star boyfriend Khaya Jali (Toka Matabane), Tumelo Dibakwane (Lebohang Lephatsoana) who’s the only openly gay boy in school, and his Grade 10 friend and roommate Mahlatse Jiyane (Thabiso Ramotshela), who’s the school’s drug dealer. When Amo uncovers Principal Mthembu’s (Loyiso Macdonald) predatory behaviour around female students, she and her four new friends become targets. 

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