Lesedi 'Les' Mushapamwe was the latest boyfriend of Cilla Battersby and they had placed their names in the Sunshine Family of South Africa competition to win a $500,000 prize. They sent plane tickets to Cilla's children Fiz Brown, Chesney Battersby-Brown and friend Kirk Sutherland. Cilla managed to get them to South Africa by saying she was with her estranged husband Les, much to Chesney's disappointment as he loved Les so much. To win the prize, Cilla posed as Kirk's mum, while Lesedi played dad. However, Chesney was forced to spend his time in a wheelchair to gain sympathy from the judges. Fiz at first refused to help, but was forced to dress up and pose as a nun. Lesedi, Cilla, Kirk and Chesney went on a safari, but got stuck in a bush. Lions started to surround them and although Kirk saved them, Cilla said that Les should say he saved them as their doting father. When it was time for the ceremony, Cilla had promised to return home with Kirk and her children, but didn't want to. Chesney then ruined their $500,000 by saying he wasn't in an accident and Kirk wasn't his brother. Les dumped Cilla and he was last seen saying goodbye to Kirk, Fiz and Ches, saying it was fun playing their dad.
Les worked in the Centre for South African Tribal History and was first seen in his uniform of traditional tribal dress. A basically decent man, he could see the side of Cilla that flirted with men and became suspicious of his girlfriend when Chesney told him he was taken into care as a child, despite Cilla telling him that it meant a sort of special adventure holiday for kids. He and Kirk became good friends.