An actor or radio host’s worst nightmare has to be to lose his voice. Unfortunately, that is the reality of Uzalo’s policeman, Nyawo, Cebolenkosi Mthembu’s as he lost his voice following a battle with Covid-19.
Uzalo’s Nyawo was diagnosed with Covid-19 earlier in the year as well as his father who did not survive the ordeal as he told the Daily News. However, he contracted the virus while he took care of his father. It was only after his father’s death that he discovered that his father had been ill from Covid-19.
Cebolenkosi is also a technician at Eskom and radio DJ on Imbokodo FM and so losing his voice can prove to be very detrimental to his career
Uzalo’s Nyawo, Cebolenkosi Mthembu, loses his voice
“I was diagnosed with Covid-19 at the beginning of this year. My father was too. He died on 3 January. After my self-isolation, I was cleared of Covid, so I went back to work. But my voice just disappeared this month. I went back to consult a doctor, but he gave me something for Covid. I have tried drinking honey and Vitamin C supplements, but nothing is working. And the community radio presenters like myself hope that big radio stations would hire them for their new changes. But honestly, which radio station could hire someone who is voiceless. I’m scared. I don’t know what to do now. My voice is my everything. Now that I have lost it, I feel like I’m losing everything,” he said.
Covid-19 has affected his life more than he could have imagined. Upon testing positive, the actor talked about how fighting Covid has stolen from him not only his good health but his father too. The actor did not get the chance to organise his father’s funeral or attend it. Something he wished he could have done especially since he is the first born son.
His concerns go beyond his radio career. Uzalo is set to begin filming another season and without his voice he might not make it into the new season. The actor joined Uzalo in 2016. Before then, he had featured in the Mzansi Magic Original movie Umcebo Wegazi. Other than his acting and radio career, Cebo is quite the maths genius. Over the lockdown period, he has offered maths tutoring lessons to students.