Tonight's TV has a trove of new start-ups from uBettina Wethu on SABC1 and The Estate and Prime News on 3 on SABC3, while The Station and DiepCity start on Mzansi Magic.

by Thinus Ferreira

Television brims with brand-new local TV shows starting tonight, Monday 5 April, that will make it even harder for viewers to decide where to watch what, next.

uBettina Wethu, South Africa's local adaptation of Ugly Betty makes its debut on SABC1, while SABC3 opens the gates to its new local soap The Estate. 

There is a new timeslot for the public broadcaster's English TV news bulletin on SABC3 that will now compete with e.tv, while DiepCity starts as Isibaya's replacement on Mzansi Magic.

Then there is also the start of  The Station as a new drama series starring and produced by Sello Maake Ka-Ncube.

The Estate, SABC3, 19:00

This new locally-produced soap is the newly-cemented cornerstone from which the public broadcaster's struggling TV channel is starting to rebuild its primetime line-up with The Estate, produced by Clive Morris Productions that is replacing Isidingo.

The Estate revolves around a gated South African community named Echelon Estate with the rich "haves" - with the nearby township of Thembalethu "have nots" that suddenly makes a land claim.

The Estate will address issues such as land and identity, corruption, patronage, money (old and new), power, class and equality, all told through a colourful mix of South African families.

Monday's first episode is an hour-long premiere episode, followed by half-hour weekday episodes.

eBettina Wethu, SABC, 19:30

Farieda Metsileng along with a majority-black cast stars in the lead role as Bettina Sikhakane in the South African adaptation of Colombia's Yo Soy Bety La Fea.

The telenovela produced by Known Associates Entertainment will be shown on SABC1 and the VIU streaming service, and will have three episodes per week from Mondays to Wednesdays.

Bettina is appointed as the managing director's personal assistant at Nubia, a brand management company. 

Zweli Dube is Dingaan Jiyane, while Tsholofelo Mashishi plays Dingaan's mother and the matriarch of the family. Linda Jiyane and Lesego Tlhabi known as Coconut Kelz will play the bubbly Zaza Moloi.

The uBettina Wethu supporting cast are Michael Potter as Brandon Thomas, Elliot Makhubo as Israel Sikhakhane, Mbasa Msongeli as Mpilo Hadebe, Brighton Ngoma as T-Bang Moeketsi, Ayanda Bandla as Lakhe Amon, Mhairi Fergusson as Amanda, Motshabi Tyelele as Ethel, Jason Willemse as Wendell and Alex Sono as Reggie.

News @ 8, SABC3, 20:00

A new TV news battle is brewing from tonight with SABC3 that is taking e.tv's news offering head-on, and is moving its main TV news bulletins from 21:00 on weekdays to 20:00, directly opposite e.tv's e.tv News.  

On weekends SABC3 will now broadcast the public broadcaster's main English TV news bulletin at 18:00.

The Station, Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), 20:00

This new drama series is produced by Taproots Media from Sello Maake Ka-Ncube who also stars as the character of Fix in this new series.

The Station revolves around the backstabbing and scheming between four employees who suddenly become shareholders of a petrol station. Don (Owen Sejake) leaves his petrol station to his four employees, who all start playing hunger games to gain control as personalities clash.

Sphamandla Dhludhlu is Caesar, a young man determined to see the business succeed to improve his life and to support his wheelchair-bound father Themba (Ernest Ndlovu).

Meanwhile, Diliza (Aubrey Mmakola) threatens to take control of the station and run it to the ground. Will the husband and wife team of Cynthia (Lerato Mvelase) and Fix, along with Caesar and Sli (Sibulele Gcilitshana) - be able to stop Diliza?

DiepCity, Mzansi Magic (DStv 161), 20:30

DiepCity is the new local telenovela replacing Isibaya, exploring the struggles of four young women forced into lives of crime in order to survive.

The small-time house burglar Nox (Nozuko Ncayiyane) sees her world shatter after her younger brother Sibusiso (Tshiamo Molobi) is fatally shot during a house robbery that he was never supposed to be part of and that was set up by the security guard Elliot (Mduduzi Mabaso).

After a stint in jail, Nox returns home where her alcoholic father Bonga (Hamilton Dlamini) lost his job and where her mother Thandiwe (Dawn Thandeka King) who works as a domestic worker refuses to forgive her for her brother's death.

ALSO READ: SABC3’s new locally-produced weekday telenovela The Estate from Clive Morris Productions to launch in April as a cornerstone of the TV channel's latest repositioning effort.

ALSO READ: Farieda Metsileng cast as South Africa's Bettina in SABC1's local adaptation of Ugly Betty, Coconut Kelz to play the sassy friend.

Farieda Metsileng cast as South Africa's Bettina in SABC1's local adaptation of Ugly Betty, Coconut Kelz to play the sassy friend.

by Thinus Ferreira

SABC1 has announced that the former MTV VJ Farieda Metsileng will portray the title role of Bettina Sikhakane in the local adaptation of Ugly Betty that will be broadcast from April in South Africa as uBettina Wethu while Coconut Kelz will portray the role of Zaza Moloi.

The co-production between the SABC that will broadcast it on SABC1 and the video streaming VIU is produced by the South African production company Known Associates Entertainment, with Tshepiso Sello as producer, with the company that has been responsible for series like Keeping Score, Hustle and Emoyeni as Fireworx Media.

uBettina Wethu that will debut on Monday 5 April at 19:30 on SABC1 with three weekly episodes from Mondays to Wednesdays, will be the first in the world to feature a black Betty along with a majority-black cast with the South African version, an adaptation of Colombia's Yo Soy Bety La Fea.

The series will follow the journey of Bettina Sikhakane as "a wholesome, intelligent, but gawky, people-pleaser with a dated, unsophisticated sense of style, who finds her self-worth and image challenged when she is employed at Nubia - a brand management company, a place where at times people value image over substance".

Farieda Metsileng is best-known for her role as Kandy in the Mzansi Magic telenovela Isithembiso that she got in 2017, and she has also been working as a voice artist, MTV VJ and a production manager at Red Pepper Pictures.

Other TV roles so far have included appearances as Hlubi in SABC1's Ses' Top La and My Perfect Family, 4Play Sex Tips for Girls, and as Polite in the 5th season of Uzalo on SABC1.

"We are very proud to call uBettina Wethu our own as SABC1; the production value is astounding and is a great fit for our growing brand and spot-on in terms of our market domination strategy," says Phumzile Zonke, SABC1 channel head.

"This first-ever simulcast with VIU is breaking new ground and we are glad to be part of broadcast history in the making."

Besides Farieda Metsileng, Zweli Dube has been cast as Dingaan Jiyane who will be Bettina's love interest; while Tsholofelo Mashishi plays Dingaan's mother and the matriarch of the family. Linda Jiyane and Lesego Tlhabi known as Coconut Kelz will play the bubbly Zaza Moloi.

The uBettina Wethu supporting cast are Michael Potter as Brandon Thomas, Elliot Makhubo as Israel Sikhakhane, Mbasa Msongeli as Mpilo Hadebe, Brighton Ngoma as T-Bang Moeketsi, Ayanda Bandla as Lakhe Amon, Mhairi Fergusson as Amanda, Motshabi Tyelele as Ethel, Jason Willemse as Wendell and Alex Sono as Reggie.

Ayanda Sithebe, the show's casting director says "We are currently experiencing an outcry of young aspiring actors-through social media discussion vehicles as #OpenTheIndustry. Young talent often does not have accessibility to the industry and an opportunity to audition."

"Considering the above, the mandate from the producers was very clear to me to find balance in casting experienced actors and also young new/fresh talent."

ALSO READ: 'Are you the "before"?' Anyone can become the world's first black Betty in the open casting call for South Africa's uBettina Wethu series adaptation of Ugly Betty.