Skeem Saam’s Turf High is no stranger to upheaval, but its latest disruption arrives dressed in tailored suits and armed with quiet authority.
Former The River actor Lunga Mofokeng makes his debut on Skeem Saam on February 9 at 7.30pm on SABC 1, stepping into the role of Qhomane, better known as Mr Q.
Mr Q is a teacher whose calm confidence hides a far more calculated agenda.
Speaking to Sunday World, Mofokeng describes Mr Q as a man who doesn’t demand respect; he assumes it. “He doesn’t shout. He expects respect, and that alone unsettles people,” he said.
On the surface, Mr Q appears polished, inspirational, and composed, the kind of teacher any school would welcome. But beneath that controlled exterior lies something deliberately guarded.
“He’s deeply aware of how people see him, and he uses that. There’s charm, but also distance,” Mofokeng explained.
As Mr Q settles into Turf High, it soon becomes clear that his presence is about more than lesson plans and discipline. His silence carries significant weight, and his alliances elicit curiosity.
“It’s not what he says that should worry people; it’s what he doesn’t say. Watch who he aligns himself with,” Mofokeng hinted, pointing to early signs that longstanding rules and power structures are quietly being challenged.
Probing uncomfortable questions
The character draws inspiration from Mofokeng’s own school days, particularly from a teacher he admired for being stylish, youthful, strict, and respectful without resorting to intimidation.
However, joining an established show like Skeem Saam came with its pressures. “The challenge was honouring the world that already exists while still making Q feel like a real threat to it,” he said.
At its core, Mr Q’s storyline probes uncomfortable questions: Who really holds power in a school? Who defines what’s right? And why do we trust authority simply because it looks respectable?
Mofokeng believes viewers will be split over his character. “Is he the necessary disruptor Turf High needs, or a dangerous influence hiding behind noble intentions?” he asked.
By the end of 2026, Mofokeng hopes audiences won’t have easy answers. “I don’t want people to fully love or hate him. I want them thinking about him long after the episode ends,” he said.
Because Mr Q understands one thing very well: power doesn’t come from being seen, but from being underestimated. And at Turf High, underestimating him could come at a cost.
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