20 May 2021

The Generation Z alias Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012 have a saying that when you know you know and that is not mythical but a reality for those who unleash their potential in their trade or what they love the most.

Their cliché befits South African-based actress, Gaosi Raditholo who is relentlessly proving to be a force to reckon with in her art, by being able to execute any role thrown at her.

Her current role as Tshepiso, a lesbian character on 1Magic DSTV soapie, The River is a testimony of how flexible she is to switch from one role to the other.

In the storyline Tshepiso sought refuge at the Mokoena household after her mother kicked her out of her home because of her sexual orientation.

For as long as she remembered, Raditholo has always been a performer going back to primary school and her high school days.

It was not by fluke that she undertook a degree in Dramatic Arts at Wits University, South Africa upon high school completion.

She also graduated with an honors degree and holds an MA in Filmmaking from Wits University as well.

With majors in theatre directing and playwriting, Raditholo started her professional acting career in theatre in an American political play dubbed, A Raisin in the Sun in 2016, which was staged at Market Theatre in Johannesburg.

In the same year, she scored her first television break on a telenovela Keeping Score, which aired on SABC2.

After this gig, Raditholo received acting briefs from which she was booked for amazing shows like Muvhango on SABC2, The Queen on Mzansi Magic DSTV.

She recently assumed a lesbian role in another amazing production The River on 1Magic DSTV, playing the role of Tshepiso, a close friend to the lead character Dimpho.

The role of Tshepiso is used to continue educating the audience on issues of homosexuality.

The first narrative of sexual orientation on The River soapie was through the Andile Dikana gay character.

Raditholo excitedly posted on her Instagram handle about her new role; ‘excitement would be an understatement! Filled with gratitude to be a part of such an amazing production and to be playing such a layered character Tshepiso’.

“With Tshepiso, I wanted to tell her truth as authentically as possible, especially given the importance of her educational storyline,” noted Raditholo in an interview about her new role in season five of the production.

She further indicated that she could only achieve this through understanding and having deep empathy for the difficulties her character experiences in a homophobic society.

A Mahalapye native, Raditholo said she enjoyed playing the role of Tshepiso.

“I feel the character has stretched me as an actor,” noted Raditholo stressing that she was always up for a good challenge.

 She said with this character she would learn a lot as a person, adding that she was always interested to play characters, which were not too similar to the roles she had played before.

Raditholo did not only cast in one of the biggest production in South African soapie, but also got to work with yet an amazing woman, veteran actor Sindi Dlatu, who played the role of mine mogul Lindiwe Dikana before taking the role of executive producer of the show.

She has also worked with Connie Ferguson on The Queen production.

“I honestly find these two powerful women incredibly inspiring,” said Raditholo.

She said their success and passion especially as executive producers of the two biggest shows in the industry, motivated her to pursue some of her very big dreams, which sometime scares her. ENDS