Depending on where this man goes, he will either be completely ignored or mobbed on a greater level than any Springbok rugby player or movie star. How is it that you don’t know about him?

As the arch-villain in one of the biggest TV soaps in Sub-Saharan Africa, with over two million daily viewers, Jamie Bartlett (AKA David Genaro) is without doubt THE most famous person on South African television. And that’s before you look at his movie roles alongside the likes of Angelina Jolie and Hillary Swank.

Rhythm City is televised daily at 18h30 on eTV, and while Jamie Bartlett’s character, David Genaro, does not appear in every episode (he is currently in jail), many viewers we have interviewed say they wouldn’t watch if he wasn’t part of the show. Some have gone as far as saying they have phoned eTV to complain if David Genaro has not appeared on screen two days in a row.

With a character rumoured to be loosely based on Lolly Jackson, a recent article on the eTV website brings us up to date, in classic soap-opera style:

Rhythm City’s David Genaro is a free man leaving the orange uniform and prison food behind him. He returns without his wealth, but his hunger for power persists. What game is he playing at?

Genaro’s arrest was the beginning of his plan to retrieve his assets that were taken away from him by the BK group, a group he is now the leader of.

Comfortable and unsuspecting, Hermanus and Naomi were shocked when they discovered that David was due for release and was a step ahead of them when they tried spilling the beans about the BK group. Naomi has since threatened David with his son Quinton while Hermanus is on the run…

[more here]

I must just add that by total coincidence, I found this comment under that very article!

I met Jamie Bartlett for a drink at The Westcliff hotel in Johannesburg, where he seemed very much at home. With hardly a whitie blinking an eye, the buzz amongst the black staff was palpable. On his way up from reception in the golf cart, Jamie shrugged off the usual excitement he finds in any public place, with a hotel staff member shouting “David!” around every corner. My personal highlight was when our waiter asked me, privately, where “David’s” security was, given that he was meant to be in jail.

An hour in the company of this man, and I came away with the distinct impression that I – and most you – don’t actually have a handle on the sheer scale, and vibe, of South African pop culture. It’s way bigger, and way more complicated than you’ve previously appreciated. I mentioned his name to famed SA actor Rob van Vuuren, who replied, “Fuck, that oke is POWER!”

Jamie works on Rhythm City from Monday to Wednesday, leaving him Thursday to Sunday to work on other projects, or just chill – which he says he does very well.

His movie credits include acting alongside Angelina Jolie in the movie Beyond Borders, as well as with Hillary Swank in Red Dust. His most recent movie is the highly-anticipated Loing Walk To Freedom, which sees Jamie playing the role of Nelson Mandela’s bodyguard.

I got a text from Jamie this afternoon. He was mobbed in Rosebank Mall by frantic fans. When was the last time that happened to any South African celebrity? Heck, even Drew Barrymore cruises around the Biscuit Mill, ignored.

All of which serves to tell you that Jamie has joined Twitter, and you can follow him at @jambarts, for a window into his mindblowing life, which even those of us with Springbok players as friends, cannot comprehend.