South Africa's latest local drama series, Giyani: Land of Blood, will start tonight on SABC2 as the SABC and South Africa's first-ever Xitsonga drama series - here are the characters and cast including Yvonne Chaka Chaka.
Produced by Tshedza Pictures and written by Phathutshedzo Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon, Giyani that will broadcast three episodes per week from Mondays to Wednesdays at 21:30 taking on e.tv's Imbewu: The Seed in the same timeslot, revolves around two families - the Baloyis and the Mudaus - and their bitter battle for land.
The Baloyis
Gezani Mike Baloyi ("Bra Mike") played by Charles Baloyi was born and raised in Risinga and his parents worked in the Van Reenen banana plantation. He saw the brutality of apartheid and in the 80s he and his then-girlfriend Gladys Chavalala joined the ANC and joined MK in Maputo.
Here he met Richard Mudau and a friendship developed.
Thulare Tsakane Baloyi (Linah "Ebony" Ngcobo) is known in the community as "Mhani Tsakane" and is Mike's dutiful wife who waited for him while he loved Gladys, only to get a shell of a man when he came back from the struggle.
She was also born and raised in Risinga and worked in the banana plantation to be able to put food on the table, while Mike drank. After Musa graduated and started his own law firm, she was able to stop working on the farm.
Musawahosi "Musa" Baloyi (Wiseman Zitha) is the eldest child of Mike and Thulare Baloyi. Musa never allowed his background of having an unemployed alcoholic father and a working-class mother stop him from pursuing his goal to become a lawyer.
Struggling to find work, he went back to Giyani and teamed up with his friend Tiyiselani, another LLB graduate to start their own small law firm - Baloyi and Partners.
His life is thrown into turmoil when he discovers that the government has given Richard Mudau, a former cabinet minister, who is marred by accusations of corruption, the rights as curator of the newly reclaimed farm - Tiakeni.
Mahlori "Pero" Baloyi (Noel Ntshuxeko) is Mike and Tsakani's youngest child, Musa's younger teenage brother and the "born-free" who was born in a different era and is not happy with his family circumstances. He sees his father as a failure and wants to leave the village and go to the "big city".
The Mudaus
Sello Richard Mudau (Ndivhuhu Mutsila) was born and raised in Soweto and grew up during the 1976-uprising. By the 80s he had left South Africa to join the MK in Maputo, which is where he met Mike Baloyi and his then-girlfriend Gladys Chavalala.
Richard portrays himself as the saviour of the people but is a thug in a suit while everyone refers to him as "Bra Rich".
Tutu Gladys Mudau (Yvonne Chaka Chaka) is a ruthless woman who possesses very few motherly traits. In Giyani everyone refers to her as "Mhani Tutu".
Born and raised in Risinga, this is where she met Mike who awakened her to the political struggle. As young lovers, they had illusions of grandeur about changing the world and went to Maputo where Gladys met Mike met Richard.
They became a trio of friends and unbeknown to her, Richard had taken a liking to her the moment he saw her. Gladys has forgotten where she comes from and has now become selfish, greedy and is driven by the need for more.
Khensai Mudau (Mathabo Mothibe) was born just before the new South Africa and studied environmental affairs and she has come on board as a manager of the farm, not knowing that she is a pawn in her father's deadly game of greed.
She feels at home in Risinga but is tested when she has to take over as the farm a manager and tries to find her voice in a community where patriarchy rules.
Her life is thrown into turmoil when she falls in love with Musa Baloyi.
The Chavalalas
Hlengani Joseph Chavalala (Obed Baloyi) is Gladys's older brother and Richard's brother-in-law.
Having worked his whole life at the plantation, when he heard that Richard was taking over the farm, he had hoped that his brother-in-law will make him the manager but his dreams are thwarted when Richard hires his own daughter Khensani instead.
Ringani Ruth Chavalala (Susan Maeko) is Hlengani's long-suffering wife. She is known as "Sesi Ruth", a kind woman who hopes that God will soften her husband's bitterness.
A worker at the farm, she is thrilled that finally there will be black owners on the farm where she had worked since she was a young girl.
Kokwana Chavalala (Glennis Mabuza) is Gladys and Hlengani's mother.
Even though her Venda heritage still lives in her blood, she has become one with the community and sees herself as more Mutsonga than Muvenda. She has little faith in Richard and always thinks that her daughter could have married Mike. She loves her granddaughter Khensani.
As a pensioner, she was once a worker on the banana plantation.
Other characters
Vukosi Moyo (Fumani N. Shilubana) is the Giyani municipality's ward councillor. He is arrogant and pompous and uses his position to get women.
Cawuke (Siphosethu Sihlangu) is Vukosi's long-suffering assistant at the municipality and is a deeply principled man who finds himself working for a man with no moral compass.
He feels that he can no longer stand by and watch Richard and Vukosi steal from the community and threatens to expose their secret.
Johnny Risenga Homu (Themba Hlongwane) is the cheerful foreman at the plantation who is a domineering man at work while his wife is the boss at home.
Diane Topisa Homu (Candy TsaMandebele Mokwena) is the local Shebeen Queen and Johnny's wife and is known as "Mhani Dayina". She runs the tavern in Risinga and has a sharp tongue and isn't afraid to speak her mind.
Tiyiselani Mabasa (Nyelethi Khoza) is a childhood friend of Musa with whom she has a brotherly relationship.
