by Thinus Ferreira
The SABC's tired Muvhango is trying to do a cringe-inducing and little publicised so-called "Silver Jubilee", hoping to distract South Africa's TV and film industry from what's really talked about when the word "Muvhango" comes up in the biz - which is that the sad soap from Word of Mouth Productions on SABC2 that should have been put out to pasture has seen almost 60% of its viewers flee in just a year and who are now gone.
In June Muvhango barely eked out 1 885 401 viewers on SABC2. That is a shocking 57% lower than the 4 364 992 viewers the Duma Ndlovu-created prime-time soap still had on SABC2 in June 2021 a year ago.
Compared to June 2021, it means that 2.47 million people less watched Muvhango in June 2022.
With Muvhango ratings on SABC2 in freefall, Word of Mouth Pictures is partying like its 7 April 1997 when the soap started, trying to celebrate its 25th anniversary under the theme of "Riya Hayani", meaning "going back home.
Unfortunately, there's no "going back home" for Muvhango as far as higher TV ratings are concerned.
In April the SABC and Word of Mouth Productions held a 25th birthday celebration for Muvhango but couldn't bother to reach out to include any of the longtime South Africa's media, journalists and publications who have been covering television and Muvhango for decades, or at the very least to inform them that there would be a cast meet-and-greet media event.
Of the few media who attended there were barely any reporting, stories or feature articles about an industry milestone that should have been getting more buzz and media attention.
Two months later and after media complaints, Muvhango, the SABC and Word of Mouth Productions did it again - taking Muvhango "on the road" during June to Venda as the production film scenes with the cast in Thohoyandou, including a street parade and a so-called "homecoming dinner" - and again with the media shut out and only a few media told about it.
SABC publicist Caroline Phalakatshela referred media questions trying to find out what is happening with Muvhango's eyebrow-raising lack of media liaison during its so-called "Silver Jubilee" year to Thanduxolo Jindela at the Kwathole Conexion PR company repping Muvhango.
Even with this there's been absolutely deafening silence and no response from Muvhango.
There's been no press release, no communication to media, and no response or any explanation from Thanduxolo Jindela about why the majority of the press trying to cover Muvhango haven't been looped in about what the show is doing this year or got so much as a peep in communication about the "Silver Jubilee".
