Durban’s unlikely superhero has one mission: to make people smile

13 June 2021 - 00:00 By nivashni nair
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A shocked Thato Mnyandu couldn’t believe her eyes when she met Deadpool with Snethemba Mnyandu at the Gateway mall in Umhlanga.
A shocked Thato Mnyandu couldn’t believe her eyes when she met Deadpool with Snethemba Mnyandu at the Gateway mall in Umhlanga.
Image: Sandile Ndlovu

"Well, I may be super, but I'm no hero," says actor Ryan Reynolds as the antihero Deadpool in the opening sequence of the 2016 American film based on the Marvel Comics character.

However, Durban's very own Deadpool has quickly become a superhero to those who have spotted him "trolling" the streets of Durban North - even if they think he's Spider-Man.

Motorists do a double take and kids and adults line up for selfies when they spot the character who came to life in the city more than a year ago.

None of them know that the person behind the customised suit and mask is an 18-year-old matric pupil who simply wants to make people smile.

The teen, who wants to remain masked to maintain the mystery that usually surrounds the identities of superheroes, is so serious about his mission that his mask and shoulder pads, sculpted to Reynolds's measurements, were imported from Spain.

FAST FACT

It would have cost the Durban superhero approximately R25,000 to import his entire Deadpool suit from Spain.

His suit was created with the help of his grandmother, who he says is the "best person I know when it comes to sewing". And with his mother tracking his phone, he is allowed two hours every Saturday to go out and "do my thing".

"What motivated me is the character of Deadpool," he said. "He just takes on this crazy mood and vibe, and it really does portray my personality as a whole because I am such an awesome person to be around. Funny, loving and caring. Being able to walk around Durban North was just the next step for me because I wanted to make people laugh and smile.

"Whenever I step out there, drivers hoot, people stop to take their picture and their eyes light up. They cannot believe that they are meeting a superhero, and their smiles are the biggest. And for me, that is the most uplifting thing - to know that I made someone smile."

But people often mistake him for Spider-Man.

"It still is the funniest part of what I do. People run up to me and say, hey, it's Spider-Man. But I just laugh and tell them I'm Deadpool. Once a lady was so excited when she saw me. She thought I was Superman, and I just started to cry inside because DC and Marvel are completely different, and Superman definitely doesn't look like Deadpool."

This week, 12-year-old Nkanyiso Bele knew who the superhero was when he bumped into him at Gateway shopping centre.

"I cannot believe I just met Deadpool," he said. "I cannot wait to tell all my friends. I was just standing here and Deadpool tapped my shoulder. My shoulder! Can you believe it?"

While Durban Deadpool's parents emphasise that studying is his priority, they fully support his cause, and often his older brother drives him around when he is in costume.

"We are proud of him. We are proud of both our boys," his mother said.

But the boy behind the mask doesn't know how much longer he will be able to be Deadpool.

"Next year I'll probably leave Durban to go to university, so I'm trying to squeeze as much time as possible to spread smiles as Deadpool. Crazy, right? Just like Deadpool."

SA SUPERHEROS GOT MOVES

Last month, Spider-Man became the marvel of Mzansi, and it wasn't because the new movie based on the superhero is about to drop soon.

Instead, the Spidey that caught SA's attention just had all the right moves.

Videos of a "Spider-Man" dancing to amapiano went viral, with many calling for "Peter Parker" to behave.

In one video, a person dressed in the superhero costume can be seen dancing to MFR Souls' hit song Amanikiniki.

In another, they can be seen dancing to Makhadzi's hit track Murahu alongside other characters.

SA's Spider-Man was quickly renamed Sipho-man. His true identity hasn't been revealed, but it's believed that he's part of an entertainment crew that works at parties.


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