Siphiwe Mtshali was formerly regarded as one of the entertainment industry’s bad boys.
On the e-tv show Rhythm City, he portrayed a rebellious kasi tsotsi Bash who was constantly up to no good. Even in real life, people thought he was a nasty boy.
Prior to then, he was best known for hosting the dance show Jam Alley, playing Zamani Khoza on Generations, and working as a DJ on the SABC 1 drama Tsha Tsha.Former child star and YO-tv Presenter Siphiwe Mtshali, on the other hand, claims he was never a bad guy in the first place and has never done half of the things Bash can.
“The industry always perceived me as a bad boy because of the characters I played. They were always rebellious, bad boys, and when I did anything wrong or made a mistake in the outside world, I was seen as playing my character in real life. But that’s far from who I am.”
Siphiwe says he has always been a responsible husband and family guy who puts family first. He and his wife, Charmaine Mtshali, celebrate 16 years of marriage with their five children.
“Yes I have made a few mistakes, but I am human, it has not been anything outside of the ordinary. For me, my family always comes first and that’s all that matters,” he says.
“My oldest is 17, my youngest is 12 years old. They are demanding. They don’t want to be known as Bash’s kids, they want you to be removed on social media and just live their own lives.”
“Being a dad is also a full-time job, and being at home has helped me spend more time with my kids. But I am looking into my next project,” he says.
Siphiwe is working towards building a legacy for his family and children through his own production company.
“I have been hustling since. I know how to take care of my family even when I’m not appearing on TV. I have to hustle.”
Siphiwe says he can’t only rely on being cast for roles to make a living.
“I am tired of looking for jobs. I want to create jobs for myself and others. I don’t want to rely on auditions all my life. I don’t have a six-pack. I don’t have Instagram and Twitter followers and that is what is needed these days,” he says.