Casts of Mzansi Magic's Becoming and SABC1's The Queens of Mzansi canned without warning or being told.

by Thinus Ferreira

The casts of the transgender reality series Becoming on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and reality show The Queens of Mzansi on SABC1 have reportedly been dumped and replaced without them being told by the productions they appear in.

City Press reports that the cast of Becoming, produced by Connect TV's Basetsana Kumalo and Kopano Gelman, had no idea and got no warning that they were being jettisoned and are getting replaced. 

Becoming featured Yaya Mavundla, Gugu Kumalo and Ramazon Ngobese, with two of them who heard the news when the newspaper told them.

Kopano Gelman declined to comment and directed media queries to Mzansi Magic. Mzansi Magic publicist Irvin Pooe asked that questions be emailed to him but didn't respond by the time the City Press report was published.

Meanwhile SABC1 has allegedly decided to can the broadcast of reality show The Queens of Mzansi, after only broadcasting 10 of the 26 episodes which were filmed, although the SABC says it only bought 10 episodes.

The Queens of Mzansi had Paloma "Lolo" Mlunjwana, former Miss SA Teen Lucky Mthembu, Siphelele Petunia Makhaya, Ntombifuthi Mthembu, and Samkelisiwe Mhlongo in the cast.

Cast members told Zimoja the problems with The Queens of Mzansi started in October after they complained about not being paid on time. 

"Our problems began in October when we raised issues with payment. We were not paid on time and when we complained about our payments we became bad people. They were supposed to inform us that they are cancelling than having to just dump us just like that," one of the cast reportedly said.

The SABC in a statement said that The Queens of Mzansi was only commissioned for 10 episodes.

"The SABC can confirm that Kinsman Redeemer Productions was contracted for the licence of 10 episodes of The Queens of Mzansi. The SABC is not in anyway involved in the talent acquisition process of licensed programmes."

"The SABC can further confirm that all 10 episodes of The Queens of Mzansi were broadcast and the contract therefore reached its full term."

Our Perfect Wedding to return to M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel in July 2021 with Khanyisa Titus returning as the presenter.

by Thinus Ferreira

The reality wedding series Our Perfect Wedding will return to M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel from July 2021 for a new season, with Khanyisa Titus who will be back as the presenter.

"We are thrilled that when Our Perfect Wedding, which tops the trends list every Sunday it airs, returns in July, viewers will be treated to fresh and exciting content when couples invite viewers into their homes and into their wedding venues to tell their love stories," says Nomsa Philiso, the Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.

Basetsana Kumalo, Connect TV CEO, says that despite the tough conditions imposed by South Africa's Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the digital content and TV production company that specialises in reality shows, will bring viewers another buzz-worthy season during the winter of 2021.

"We look forward to sharing new episodes as the film crews will travel the length and breadth of the country to capture extravagant weddings comprising of stylish outfits, great décor, hearty meals and beautiful love stories that are authentic and relatable to most South Africans," says Basetsana Kumalo.

New 13-episode series Becoming on Mzansi Magic to follow the challenging lives of 4 transgender South Africans from 7 April.

by Thinus Ferreira

M-Net has filmed a new 13-episode gender transformation reality series, Becoming for Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) that will be taking viewers inside the various first-person journeys that transgender South Africans go through in the process of changing to the gender that they identify with.

Becoming, produced by Connect TV, will debut on Mzansi Magic on 7 April at 20:00 with half-hour episodes.

Becoming will follow the lives of 4 trans people - Gina Sokoyi who died in late-2020 during the filming of the series, as well as Ramazan Ngobese, Yaya Mavundla and Gugu Kumalo as they face obstacles and various challenges, and will explore the psyche of transgender people as well as the barriers they need to overcome in order to live as their true selves.

Gina Sokoyi was a resident of Welkom in the Free State and worked as a junior lecturer at the Central University of Technology whilst studying towards a master’s degree in language practice.

Yaya Mavundla

Ramazan Ngobese

Gugu Kumalo

"The most compelling aspect about our content offering is that we give viewers content that is relevant to their lived experiences," says Nomsa Philiso, the director of local entertainment channels at M-Net.

"Our reality shows have grown in popularity over the past few years and this compelling series will not only entertain, it will inform and educate. It will hopefully help viewers understand how trans South Africans navigate through prejudice in their respective communities," she says.

Gina Sokoyi was a resident of Welkom in the Free State and worked as a junior lecturer at the Central University of Technology whilst studying towards a master’s degree in language practice.

"Viewers should expect an honest and heartfelt show that will reveal all aspects of gender transformation – from taking a closer look at psychological impact and gender dysmorphia, to hormonal changes and the emotional impact on each individual," Mzansi Magic says.

M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle: Our exploitation TV was wrong; says 'serious internal review' for staff is coming after Mzansi Magic's Our Perfect Wedding shocker.

M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle is apologising for the pay-TV broadcaster's exploitation TV saying it's wrong, that M-Net's communication after the Our Perfect Wedding scandal that has engulfed its Mzansi Magic channel was wrong, and that a serious internal review is coming to train and ensure that M-Net staff knows what is not acceptable to broadcast.

Viewers were shocked and outraged after Sunday's episode of Our Perfect Wedding on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) in which a man brazenly talked about how as a 28-year old taxi driver he targeted and raped school children, preyed on young girls and has to juggle fitting them into his schedule, and met the women he is now marrying when she was just 14.

The shocking entertainment show produced by Basetsana Kumalo's Connect TV and slammed as a "disgusting shame", instantly sparked massive viewer outrage.

Besides heavy criticism on social media platforms a petition was started to boycott the show and Mzansi Magic, led to complaints to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), and public condemnation by rape crisis experts over the way in which M-Net has been "romanticising rape culture" and glamourising rape culture as entertainment".

While the previous episode of Our Perfect Wedding with Absa as sponsor also got viewers hot under the collar, Mzansi Magic ironically broadcast the latest episode during the national 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse campaign. Absa which initially gleefully went along, immediately pulled its sponsorship.

Mzansi Magic initially failed to apologise or to answer any specific questions in a media enquiry. The channel only issued a tepid general statement that said that "our reality shows reflect our society as it is" and that Mzansi Magic supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is "committed to telling stories that impact our viewers and build communities".

On Tuesday M-Net finally said in a statement that the content "was offensive and wrong".

Meanwhile Basetsana Kumalo has strangely remained silent except for saying "I am engaging intensively with my team in regards to it"on social media through her Facebook page.

Yolisa Phahle, M-Net CEO is now saying "I'm incredibly concerned by what has happened". She is apologising for the error, M-Net's content control failure, the pay-TV broadcaster's bad communication and promising a stringent internal review and staff training.

She said the Our Perfect Wedding episode, which M-Net has since pulled out of all its repeat slots, should never have been broadcast.

"We take the issue extremely seriously," Yolisa Phahle told the public broadcaster's SAfm.

"Mzansi Magic is completely opposed to this kind of exploitation. Quite clearly our internal controls failed us and we are very sorry about that. We are taking action to ensure that this doesn't happen again," said Yolisa Phahle.

"Basically we are reviewing every part of the process. What needs to happen is increased training of our staff, increased awareness of what actually is right and what actually is wrong."

"It's very important that we as Mzansi Magic are able to deal with these matters appropriately. This show should never have been broadcast."

"As soon as we were made aware of what happened, without hesitation have apologised."

"Perhaps our communication was not as it should have been," Yolisa Phahle admitted.

"Initially we were trying to explain that the story that was told - which obviously is wrong - and that we did apologise and we don't condone it."

"I don't think we went far enough. I don't think we were initially clear enough that it was wrong and should not happen and that we were at fault."

"Our communication was wrong but we also said we do not condone that behaviour," said Yolisa Phahle.

"The communication was not as it should have been. This show should not have been broadcast and we apologise to viewers and we will support any initiative undertaken to ensure that this kind of behaviour is eradicated within our society."

"We're apologising for a programme which was quite clearly inappropriate. And we're apologising that that subject matter was not dealth with sensitively."

"We are sorry. I completely understand the reaction and the outrage is completely justified. Mzansi Magic cooperates with the BCCSA and we will cooperate with any official organisation that wants to talk to us about this."

"We will be following a stringent internal review of what had happened and making sure that our staff understand what is lawful behaviour, what is acceptable to be broadcast and what is not. We really are completely committed to raise awareness and to make people aware that this behaviour is not acceptable.," said Yolisa Phahle.

Basetsana Kumalo's Connect TV also produces Date My Family and the trashy reality show Diski Divas for Mzansi Magic.

Just a few months ago in May, that reality production was involved in a vicious fight between Kat Mohoadube and Wendy Parker who allegedly assaulted a pregnant Nonhle Ndala while cameras were filming.

Nonhle Ndala opened a case of assault and the two stars' Diski Divas contracts were cancelled.

M-Net apologises and says it's sorry for 'offensive and wrong' Our Perfect Wedding episode on Mzansi Magic that celebrates 'rape culture entertainment'.

The M-Net channel Mzansi Magic and the production company Connect TV are apologising for broadcasting the shocking Sunday episode of Our Perfect Wedding featuring a groom who confessed how he targeted children for sex, saying the content “was clearly offensive and wrong”.

A massive viewer furore followede the broadcast of the shocking Our Perfect Wedding episode on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on Sunday, leading to Absa abruptly pulling out as sponsor of the show as well as complaints to and an investigation by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA).

Viewers slammed the show as "a disgusting shame" and romanticising "rape culture as entertainment".

Mzansi Magic has now said it is pulling all repeats of the specific Our Perfect Wedding episode that’s also made available on MultiChoice's DStv Catch Up video-on-demand service and pushed to subscriber’s decoders. 

Our Perfect Wedding showed "Fanie" telling viewers how he sexed school children as a 28-year old taxi driver and how his now wife had to compete for his attention.

Our Perfect Wedding on its official Facebook said bride Bavelile – as if she was in a reality show – “has outwitted, outplayed and outlasted all the women vying for Fanie's affections".

"Mzansi Magic and its production company, Connect TV, wish to apologise for airing the episode of Our Perfect Wedding that was broadcast on 29 November," the pay-TV M-Net that supplies channels like Mzansi Magic to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, in a statement on Tuesday afternoon.

"While we strive to produce quality, compelling content for our viewers, we realise more should have been done in the production and airing of this particular episode as its subject matter is clearly offensive and wrong".

"While the airing of our programmes does not mean we condome the behaviour included in them, we are reviewing our processes to ensure that this type of content is not a part of our programming schedule in the future".