Qubeka is one of the directors that worked on the fourth season of 90 Plein Street, screened on Tuesdays at 21:30 on SABC2. The series delves into a range of issues; service delivery, the National Development Plan, political power battles and the 2014 general election.

Qubeka says he was attracted to work on 90 Plein Street because of the strong characters in the series and the “actors that we were going to work with”. Among these stars is well-known TV face Thembi Mtshali who plays President Dineo, the fictional female leader of South Africa.

“She exudes the energy required for being the president. When I look at her I can feel she is the mother of the nation” says Qubeka. “I modelled her on Mamphela Ramphele, a great archetype that I used to create her character”.

“Another interesting character is Nathan Jantjies, played by Terence Bridgett with much swag. He’s a relatively young MP with the right struggle credentials but still a backbencher trying his best to rise quickly. He represents new money. He is highly ambitious, smart and also flawed. He is willing to sacrifice it all, even his family, to get to the top”. Qubeka says working with characters like Jantjies made his job interesting “once you play out their flaws, it’s interesting to see the character’s journey and the truth he has to learn”.

The lead actress in 90 Plein Street is Precious Makgaretsa who plays Lerato Maduna. Qubeka says this young actress “gives so much of herself for the character. She epitomises the character and has discipline. She’s got a very quirky sense about her. She’s full of humour and brings that across in the character which gives her layers and dynamism. She’s not just a beautiful woman. There’s another layer to her; she lives the character that can be very intense, I believe she will go very far.”

Qubeka says it is the first time that Maduna appears in the series and this is an attempt to get younger people interested in the election. “The majority of South Africans are young. There is a major need to focus on the youth, politics in our country needs the youth” says Qubeka.

He adds “The rhetoric of ‘I’m young and not interested in politics’ should hold no weight. As social issues grow, it’s important for young people to be socially aware. You can’t help but be politicised by the conditions that you experience around you day to day.”

“Lerato did not see herself being drawn to politics but her social conditions forced her to be politicised. It’s like that for young people in this country; that’s what we are trying to depict.” Maduna’s character shifts from being angry about what she sees in Khayelitsha township in Cape Town, where she lives, to becoming a ward councillor. 90 Plein Street also looks at how older politicians recruit young people under their wing in an attempt to attract younger voters.

Qubeka cautions that 90 Plein Street is “not any form of propaganda for any political party” but aims to “bring politics closer to home, especially for younger audience that look at politics as stifling”.

“I’m a politically conscious person and would not involve myself in work that compromises my ideals. This series is not anti one party or pro another. It’s not pushing any agenda” adds Qubeka. “We deal with the constitution and democracy and how it plays out on the ground. It shows us how the powers that be deal with power and policy. It shows how policies are affected; I hope people will see our democracy at work.”

“It is set in a contemporary setting which has given us a lot of freedom to explore our political landscape. We try to show positives in our country too. We ask where do we take our country? We need to take it forward; 90 Plein Street does that.”

90 Plein Street is broadcast on Tuesdays at 21:30 on SABC2.