The SABC has confirmed that its controversial and famously matricless boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng single-handedly overturned a decision by a 6-person SABC panel not to continue with a second season of the SABC1 soap Uzalo shot in Durban, and said Uzalo will be recommissioned.
The Sunday Times on Sunday reported that Hlaudi Motsoeneng as the chief operating officer (COO) overturned a decision by a 6-person SABC panel that included SABC executives Clara Nzima, Maretha Bakkes, Vanessa Jansen and Reneilwe Sema who decided not to continue with the extremely expensive three episodes a week soap produced in Durban by Stained Glass Pictures.
Uzalo that costs millions of rand to produce is paid for by the SABC and funded to the tune of further millions by the KwaZulu-Natal government where there's been ongoing, vocal complaints about the millions the cash-strapped province is paying Uzalo that could go to other things.
After the first season of Uzalo that the SABC originally said was to be a telenovela - meaning a close-ended show, Uzalo was suddenly turned into an ongoing soap. Reportedly the SABC experienced problems with Uzalo in terms of delivery of episodes, and problems with the writing and look of the show.
SABC spokesperson Kaizer Kganyago confirmed to The Sunday Times that Hlaudi Motsoeneng overturned and changed the decision to cancel Uzalo and ordered that the show, co-owned and co-produced by president Jacob Zuma's daughter Gugu Zuma-Ncube, continue for a second season and beyond.
"The SABC can confirm that the COO overruled the decision not to renew Uzalo, based on performance in its genre and growth in revenue."
