In Pictures, Uzalo actor Abbas ‘Sir Roel Twijnstra’s CV revealed his qualifications and real-life job impress Mzansi.
South African actor Roel Twijnstra plays the role of Abbas Rafiq on Uzalo. On Uzalo, the Abbas character is an Arab businessman who lost his diamonds to Sbonelo and associates during an epic diamond heist. Abbas lost his hand during the ordeal in which Sbonelo used the proceeds to build the Bhebhe distillery; he returned to KwaMashu with a vengeance.
Abbas coerced Raphael to kill Nkunzi, who ended up kidnapping Sbonelo Nkunzi’s son.
Abbas was hijacked on the highway during a diamond heist by a seemingly stranded fellow Muslim brother. After stopping to help fix a mechanical fault, Sbonelo and crew robbed Abbas and his security details at gunpoint.
Roel Twijnstra’s career, qualifications and real-life profession
Born on 28 September 1954, Roel Twijnstra is originally from the Netherlands; he migrated to South Africa in 2012. He lives in Durban with his wife Philisiwe and daughter Nondalo. Though he played certain roles on-screen on Imbewu, Durban Gen and Uzalo, Roel Twijnstra is currently the head of school Live Performance at AFDA Durban.
When he arrived in South Africa, he got employed as a Lecturer at the University of KwaZulu-Natal from 2013 to 2014, teaching honours students in theatre directing.
Over his decorated career, he directed between 1980 and 2016 more than 80 theatre productions, including international collaborations in Russia, the USA and different African countries. He wrote various books about acting, directing and producing.
South African creatives describe him as a man who has done so much for South African filming over a short time. Since 2012 he has mentored and lectured many creatives and actors who are big names in the filming industry.
He is qualified with MSc in Theatre Directing from Radboud University in the Netherlands.
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