by Thinus Ferreira
The South African TV soap producer, responsible for series like Isidingo on SABC3 and Mzansi Magic's Stokvel has died. She was 59.
Pumla Hopa's cause of death is not yet known. She died on 28 October 2026.
"It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of our dear mother, grandmother, aunt, sister, creative force, mentor and friend," Pumla Hopa's family said in a statement announcing her death.
"Her kindness, warmth and love touched the lives of many."
Pumla Hopa was an executive producer in the later years of SABC3's Isidingo, and also worked as a producer on series ranging from My Brother's Keeper to Bogaditsong: Sisters Wives.
On Facebook, Helga Palmer, eMedia Holdings' group boss for content development and strategy, said "This hurts. I am overcome with great sadness with the loss of the great Pumla Hopa".
"My heartfelt condolences to her boys and the family, friends and industry colleagues. Our TV industry has lost a formidable talent."
Pumla Hopa was respected for her expertise as a multicam and single-cam director and executive producer and spent three decades shaping South Africa's landscape of local television storytelling.
Pumla Hopa joined Isidingo in 1998 from its start when the SABC commissioned the weekday soap for SABC and by 2008 had climbed the ranks to executive producer, steering the soap through a troubled production era that included major visual and narrative revamps.
She spent nearly three decades affiliated with Endemol South Africa, serving as a core executive producer for their scripted and unscripted slates.
At the start of 2021, Pumla Hopa stepped into the role of CEO and executive producer at her own company, Hopa Saunders Media where she continued to develop local content until her death.
