Mfundi Vundla graces the cover of Destiny Man’s January/February 2013 issue

Vundla is a prime example of someone working his way to the top through blood, sweat and tears. It was not plain sailing when he returned to South Africa from exile post-apartheid in the early 1990s.

Before there was Generations, Vundla honed his skills as a writer for David Milch, creator of NYPD Blue and Hill Street Blues, and watched soapies all day, every day, which helped Vundla sell the concept to the SABC.

At the time that he was in the process of creating Generations, his younger brother, Peter and his partners were setting up HerdBuoys, the first black-owned advertising agency in South Africa. “The idea of setting Generations in an advertising agency was inspired by the time I spent at HerdBuoys. When I pitched the concept to the SABC, I was up against well-known guys including the late Gibson Kente, but I beat them,” says Vundla.

Vundla founded his production company, Morula Pictures, in 1995. Besides Generations, it has other successful productions behind its name – including SABC1’s Jozi H, e.tv’s Backstage, How to Steal 2 Million and Magic Cellar.

To read more on Vundla’s story, his struggles and triumphs in the TV business as well as why he was exiled from South Africa, pick up the January/February 2013 issue of Destiny Man magazine, which is available at all good retailers. Alternatively, subscribe at www.destinyman.com.