Is liking the “bad guys” a normal human inclination? Think about it, we do it all the time when it comes to iconic shows. I’ve never watched a single episode of Breaking Bad, but I know people love Bryan Cranston’s character, Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned drug dealer. People loved Tony Soprano, a notorious mobster from the HBO hit show The Sopranos.
Even here, back at home, characters like the infamous gangster Jack Mabaso, played by Vusi Kunene, on the long-running soapie Generations, are seen as the greatest of all time. The late actor Jamie Bartlett played David Genaro on Rhythm City, a role that garnered praise from the TV watching populace. Genaro was calm, cool and dangerous. I know at least two people with the nickname Genaro, and it’s not because they’re named David.
But how does this translate into real life?
Mzansi’s love for bad boys
The sort of ‘bad guys’ that seem to be popular around these parts aren’t just disgruntled teachers or some fictional crime bosses. They’re actual, dangerous men and women. Gangsters. There’s a disconcerting cultural norm in South Africa where, regardless of our backgrounds, we often find ourselves rooting for these “bad guys” as long as their actions don’t directly affect us.
I grew up in Soshanguve, and thankfully, where I grew up, gangs weren’t a thing. The other areas around us, though, had (in)famous criminals who were equally revered and feared. No one ever knew what these men and women did for a living, but they were always dressed to the nines and were generous to those they liked. Now, in communities filled with poverty, these people attained a Robin Hood sort of image, robbing the rich in the suburbs and sharing their spoils with the poor in the townships.
I imagine it’s the same in areas like the Cape Flats, where gangsterism is rife. I assume that, like the kids in Sosha, Tembisa and other parts of the country, there are gangsters who are seen as heroes.
So it’s no surprise that someone like Vusi ‘Cat’ Matlala, who is the alleged mastermind of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that allegedly involves, among others, the Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, could be seen as a hero in some communities. Matlala is described as a flamboyant multimillionaire. He led an extravagant lifestyle, complete with Rolls-Royces, designer clothing, and mansions, while his company, Medicare24, failed to deliver services and left employees unpaid.
He rose to prominence after winning several government tenders. He’s known for his style and fashionable eyewear.
A News24 investigation has revealed that beyond the money is an allegedly dangerous individual with links to the top brass of the police. On Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made explosive claims against Mchunu, alleging that he and his predecessor, Bheki Cele, were being bankrolled by Matlala.
Matlala, who is currently awaiting trial due to his alleged involvement in a botched hit on influencer Tebogo Thobejane, with whom Matlala was allegedly involved, is someone you don’t want to mess with. He’s the type of person who young, impressionable people aspire to be like.
But why? The Quarterly Labour Force Survey revealed that youth unemployment had increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to an eye-watering 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025. Young people are jobless and desperate. Seeing tenderpreneurs and influencers just having it on easy street cannot be easy. They might think, “If he can do it, why can’t I?”
We need to do better to be better
Matlala isn’t the only person who society reveres with shady dealings. There are many others. We root for villains in our shows, in our communities, and in our stories. Why? Maybe because they embody rebellion, power, and survival in ways that resonate, especially in places where the system fails us.
What South Africa needs are positive role models. Not people who set out to enrich themselves and their families, but the people who want to make society better. We also need less corruption in society. Only then will our disdain for villains grow.
I grew up in an environment that praised known criminals and held them up to a godlike status. I hope, as this drama with the police unfolds, we see that we need to do better for the next generation. For now? Let’s hope the bad guys, whoever they are, don’t win.
Tshego is a writer and law student from Pretoria. A keen follower of social media trends, his interests include high fantasy media, politics, science, talk radio, reading and listening to music.
He is also probably one of the only people left who still play Pokemon Go.
South Africa has a bad habit of glorifying people like Vusi Matlala
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Is liking the “bad guys” a normal human inclination? Think about it, we do it all the time when it comes to iconic shows. I’ve never watched a single episode of Breaking Bad, but I know people love Bryan Cranston’s character, Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher turned drug dealer. People loved Tony Soprano, a notorious mobster from the HBO hit show The Sopranos.
Even here, back at home, characters like the infamous gangster Jack Mabaso, played by Vusi Kunene, on the long-running soapie Generations, are seen as the greatest of all time. The late actor Jamie Bartlett played David Genaro on Rhythm City, a role that garnered praise from the TV watching populace. Genaro was calm, cool and dangerous. I know at least two people with the nickname Genaro, and it’s not because they’re named David.
But how does this translate into real life?
Mzansi’s love for bad boys
The sort of ‘bad guys’ that seem to be popular around these parts aren’t just disgruntled teachers or some fictional crime bosses. They’re actual, dangerous men and women. Gangsters. There’s a disconcerting cultural norm in South Africa where, regardless of our backgrounds, we often find ourselves rooting for these “bad guys” as long as their actions don’t directly affect us.
I grew up in Soshanguve, and thankfully, where I grew up, gangs weren’t a thing. The other areas around us, though, had (in)famous criminals who were equally revered and feared. No one ever knew what these men and women did for a living, but they were always dressed to the nines and were generous to those they liked. Now, in communities filled with poverty, these people attained a Robin Hood sort of image, robbing the rich in the suburbs and sharing their spoils with the poor in the townships.
I imagine it’s the same in areas like the Cape Flats, where gangsterism is rife. I assume that, like the kids in Sosha, Tembisa and other parts of the country, there are gangsters who are seen as heroes.
So it’s no surprise that someone like Vusi ‘Cat’ Matlala, who is the alleged mastermind of a sophisticated criminal syndicate that allegedly involves, among others, the Police Minister Senzo Mchunu, could be seen as a hero in some communities. Matlala is described as a flamboyant multimillionaire. He led an extravagant lifestyle, complete with Rolls-Royces, designer clothing, and mansions, while his company, Medicare24, failed to deliver services and left employees unpaid.
He rose to prominence after winning several government tenders. He’s known for his style and fashionable eyewear.
A News24 investigation has revealed that beyond the money is an allegedly dangerous individual with links to the top brass of the police. On Sunday, KwaZulu-Natal Police Commissioner Lieutenant General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi made explosive claims against Mchunu, alleging that he and his predecessor, Bheki Cele, were being bankrolled by Matlala.
Matlala, who is currently awaiting trial due to his alleged involvement in a botched hit on influencer Tebogo Thobejane, with whom Matlala was allegedly involved, is someone you don’t want to mess with. He’s the type of person who young, impressionable people aspire to be like.
But why? The Quarterly Labour Force Survey revealed that youth unemployment had increased from 44.6% in the fourth quarter of 2024 to an eye-watering 46.1% in the first quarter of 2025. Young people are jobless and desperate. Seeing tenderpreneurs and influencers just having it on easy street cannot be easy. They might think, “If he can do it, why can’t I?”
We need to do better to be better
Matlala isn’t the only person who society reveres with shady dealings. There are many others. We root for villains in our shows, in our communities, and in our stories. Why? Maybe because they embody rebellion, power, and survival in ways that resonate, especially in places where the system fails us.
What South Africa needs are positive role models. Not people who set out to enrich themselves and their families, but the people who want to make society better. We also need less corruption in society. Only then will our disdain for villains grow.
I grew up in an environment that praised known criminals and held them up to a godlike status. I hope, as this drama with the police unfolds, we see that we need to do better for the next generation. For now? Let’s hope the bad guys, whoever they are, don’t win.
Tshego Mphahlele
Tshego is a writer and law student from Pretoria. A keen follower of social media trends, his interests include high fantasy media, politics, science, talk radio, reading and listening to music.
He is also probably one of the only people left who still play Pokemon Go.
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