Mpho Sebeng (R) co-stars in new Showmax Original 016FM. (Showmax)

It’s been a month since family, friends and colleagues bid late actor Mpho Sebeng farewell; before his untimely death, he starred in his last production, Showmax’s 016FM

Sebeng died in a fatal car crash on 5 May.

Before his death, Sebeng starred in various shows, such as Savage Beauty, The Brave Ones, Miseducation on Netflix, The Queen, The Throne, Z’bondiwe, Scandal!, and Hush Money.

His big screen roles include Tsietsi Mashinini in the movie Winnie, alongside Jennifer Hudson and Terrence Howard. He also starred in Ngoma Film, Collision, and The Jakes are Missing, for which he received an AMVCA (Africa Magic Viewers Choice Award) Best Supporting Actor nomination in 2017.

The Showmax Original drama series premieres on 26 June 2024, with new episodes every Wednesday.

Story plot 

To save their much-loved community radio station in the Vaal from closing, two polar opposite DJs prepare to compete in a kwaal, a radical battle on-air. They know it will be a fight to reclaim the hearts of listeners and advertisers but don’t realise they will also have to oust a dangerous, shadowy syndicate that has infiltrated the station.

016FM’s star-studded cast also includes four-time SAFTA winner Nthati Moshesh (Saints & Sinners, Isono), SAFTA winner Sophie Ndaba (Lockdown), Sello Motloung (The Wife), Katlego Mabote (Outlaws), Mapula Mofole (Rhythm City), Noni Mafani (1802: Love Defies Time), Mapaseka Koetle (Lenyalo Ha Se Papadi) and Mbasa Msongelo (Isithunzi, Saints & Sinners, Z’bondiwe, Rhythm City).

Showmax shared the actor’s final interview about what 016FM meant to him.

Why did you want to be a part of 016FM?

In addition to my character, DJ Whiskey, and most importantly, the storyline, what piqued my interest about 016FM is that it’s a story about the Vaal. I feel like there haven’t been many stories that have shed light on this particular part of the country. For me, the Vaal is such a melting pot of culture, fashion, and language, which was something I was very drawn to while doing my research about the area.

What research did you do for this role?

There is a big pop-cultural movement in the Vaal that is highly influenced by Italian high fashion. DJ Whiskey is an Italiana as well, so I immersed myself in understanding this movement to better understand the character. I had to take the time to hang around with the locals, especially the people who started the culture of ama-Italiana and izikhothane.

I also watched a lot of videos and skits online. I would purposefully look for skits made by people from the Vaal going about their day. I’d also link up with friends from Sebokeng and Sharpeville [which form part of the six townships in the Vaal] and that helped with fleshing out this character.

Sebeng said that the research gave him a deep appreciation and respect for the area because Vaal has much history.

“I feel like a show like 016FM shows the great potential that is within the people of the Vaal.”

How would you describe DJ Whiskey?

He is someone that likes the limelight and wants to be number one. It’s all he knows. He wants to be the alpha of every room that he steps in. He’s also a lone wolf that has to fend for everyone. Sometimes, when you read characters on paper, it’s difficult to humanise them, so I tried, by all means, to show that, although DJ Whiskey comes across as an intolerable human, there are underlying reasons why he is like that.

Why do you feel 016FM is a must-watch show for South Africans?

My stance as an actor is that the majority of the time, it isn’t necessarily characters that I’m drawn to but mostly the story – the storyline has to stick. I want to always be on a set where the story that we tell has a strong, resonating message that everyone can connect with and a story which people can somehow find healing from. So I implore people to watch 016FM because it’s not just entertainment but a story about community and holding each other accountable.

WATCH TRAILER HERE: