SABC's Muvhango replacement Pimville Queens nowhere in sight on SABC2 as Venda soap ends belatedly

Thinus Ferreira

There's not a word about the delayed Pimville Queens from the SABC, with this new replacement series that was supposed to start in the timeslot of the cancelled Muvhango on SABC2 - a soap which itself ended later than announced due to SABC non-payment issues.

The SABC originally announced that the long-running and cancelled ratings loser Muvhango from Word of Mouth Pictures was to end on 8 August in a press release.

After non-payment and a production shutdown it forced a delay to the SABC2 schedule since Muvhango just disappeared without any episodes in June, with no warning or explanation from the SABC. 

Muvhango therefore only really ended and broadcast its fnal episode this past Tuesday 12 August, after 26 seasons. 

The SABC made no announcement about this final, real date, and there was no SABC press conference or media interaction to do a last publicity blitz and try to get good ratings for an on-screen property that delivered 4 893 episodes across its run to the South African public broadcaster.

After the SABC said that Pimville Queens from the notorious Bakwena Productions would replace Muvhango, the SABC suddenly slotted yet another repeat of Giyani in Muvhango's 21:00 timeslot on SABC2 since Wednesday night.

And again there's also been no announcement or prorgramming press release to the media about this from the SABC either.

In June, SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli said that "Come August, we are launching a new telenovela called Pimville on SABC2, and based on that we will be really driving that audience share back to SABC2".

At this moment it's however unclear when exactly Pimville Queens will really start on SABC2, given firstly the delayed ending of Muvhango.

Secondly, there is the padding of the schedule with repeats of old Giyani episodes in prime time since Pimville Queens is apparently not yet ready for broadcast, even after Muvhango ended late.

SABC2 backtracks on cutbacks, 7de Laan back to 5 days a week from October.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Afrikaans weekday soap 7de Laan on SABC2 is returning to a full 5-days a week from October while SABC2's Venda weekday soap Muvhango remains a full-week show, bringing to an end the SABC's failed experiment to cut down on the episodes for both series to try out other programmes in their timeslots.

From the week of Monday 4 October, 7de Laan is back to broadcasting 5 episodes per week on SABC2, while Muvhango continues to run 5 episodes per week as well. SABC2 has not yet issued any statement about 7de Laan's return to full-week episodes. 

"7de Laan is delighted at the SABC's decision to bring back the show to 5 days a week," the production told TVwithThinus on Friday.

"We know that our fans are over extremely appreciative and excited for this. We owe much of their persistent request to the return. Viewers can now enjoy an entire week of their favourite show without the long anxious wait. Best of all, the months ahead are packed with nail-biting, love-hate and comedic storylines."

Earlier this year the South African public broadcaster angered viewers when it announced a shocking SABC2 schedule shake-up.

The SABC confirmed that from April it would cut back 7de Laan produced by Danie Odendaal Productions, from 5 to just 3 episodes per week. 

The SABC also confirmed that it would be cutting back on Muvhango, produced by Word of Mouth Pictures, from August, with the popular primetime soap also seeing its episodes reduced from 5 to just 3 episodes per week.

It led to a petition from viewers signed by over 7 000 concerned viewers and the SABC saying that it won't back down from its plan to "make more room for drama". 

The SABC in another statement shortly thereafter, said that "A public petition was circulated, in an attempt to prevent the SABC from diversifying its content on SABC2". 

This was however not what the petition from concerned viewers was actually about, who were not against diversifying programming but concerned about losing weekday episodes of their shows.

Merlin Naicker, the SABC's head of TV, said that reducing the episodes of 7de Laan and Muvhango was "part of our longterm plan to invest in quality local content" and that "it is imperative that we come with innovative and exciting content, which will not only draw the viewership, but bring in the revenue required to keep the public service broadcaster financially sustainable".

The SABC considers both long-running series as having somewhat run out of steam creatively and thought that gradual timeslot replacements would yield viewership bumps from new shows.

7de Laan was reduced to 3 episodes to make way for Die Sentrum but the show from Penguin Films on Thursdays and Fridays never got the viewership traction 7de Laan has, with lower ratings in SABC2's 18:00-timeslot.

Before the debut of Die Sentrum the SABC in a statement said that it was "confident that this new programme will be a drawcard and like 7de Laan, will keep the channel's loyal viewers entertained for the remainder of the week".

In July 7de Laan lured around 1.2 million viewers to SABC2, while Die Sentrum hovered around 720 000 per episode. This is far below 7de Laan and represents a net loss of thousands of viewers in the timeslot and also forced SABC2 to lower ad rates during the slot, meaning less revenue for the broadcaster.

Meanwhile, the promised second season of the Xitsonga telenovela Giyani, produced by Tshedza Pictures, never materialised in Muvhango's 21:00-timeslot from August with no explanation to viewers or an update to the TV industry.

Neither the SABC nor SABC2 channel head Gerhard Pretorius made any further public statements before August that Giyani isn't going to start, or since, about why Giyani didn't start last month on Thursday and Friday nights as was initially promised. 

According to insiders the Covid-19 pandemic severely delayed Giyani production and SABC2 couldn't get the show on air in time.

Development and production on Giyani were hugely impacted by Covid-19 and the production couldn't deliver episodes for playout from August as planned, although production is now in full swing. No new SABC2 broadcast date is available for the second season that is now supposed to start sometime in November.

ALSO READ: SABC2 reduces weekday soaps 7de Laan and Muvhango to 3 episodes per week in a shock scheduling shake-up.

ALSO READ: SABC2's 7de Laan says viewers are justifiably disturbed as upset fans try to save the soap's weekday timeslot, cliffhangers to be reworked to fit on Wednesdays.

ALSO READ: 'An attack on us as loyal fans and viewers': Furious fans sign a fast-growing 7de Laan petition to try and save the reduced SABC2 soap.

SABC2's 7de Laan says viewers are justifiably disturbed as upset fans try to save the soap's weekday timeslot, cliffhangers to be reworked to fit on Wednesdays.

by Thinus Ferreira

In response to a fast-growing petition to try and save the SABC2's Afrikaans weekday soap 7de Laan in its weekday timeslot, the show tells TVwithThinus that it makes "absolute sense" that viewers are disturbed over the SABC's shocking decision.

The financially struggling SABC that is going through a retrenchment process confirmed that SABC2 plans to cut 7de Laan down from 5 to 3 episodes per week from April in the 18:00 timeslot, with the Venda weekday soap Muvhango that is also getting axed from 5 to 3 episodes per week from August in its 21:00 timeslot.

After a Cape Town viewer, Jermaine Christians started a "Keep 7de Laan on-air for 5 days! Save 7de Laan" online petition on change.org, public support has seen it surge to close to 3 500 signatures and comments just over a week later by Tuesday morning.

SABC2 and its channel head Gerhard Pretorius plans to replace the Muvhango timeslot on Thursdays and Fridays with the second season of Giyani.

SABC2 plans to replace 7de Laan on Thursdays and Fridays with a new Cape Town-set call centre drama series in Afrikaans and Xhosa entitled Die Sentrum produced by Penguin Films that is currently in production. 

Afrikaans drama on SABC2 was previously broadcast in other timeslots where it didn't replace or impacted on the longrunning 7de Laan, while the first season of Giyani was shown at 21:30, serving as the Muvhango lead-out and where there similarly wasn't an issue having episodes of both shows on-air on the same day but at different times.

The SABC in a statement says that the "change forms part of SABC2's channel strategy to increase and diversify its drama offering and provide audiences with entertaining, fresh, diverse and relevant local content".

The SABC also says that "it must be noted that the SABC's programming strategy is informed by viewership statistics as supplied by the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA). This industry body measures the success and popularity of TV programming in South Africa that the SABC considers when making any programme decisions".

"Viewers can therefore be assured that they will not lose 7de Laan as it will still broadcast from Mondays to Wednesdays". 

The SABC and SABC2 are silent over why the diversified drama offering is taking over and replacing weekday soap timeslots. 

A big specific concern is that habitual and repeat viewing are crucial and extremely important to sustain ratings for serialised shows like 7de Laan and Muvhango, making SABC2's unexplained scheduling change and the reason why Giyani and Die Sentrum are not scheduled in other timeslots, even more perplexing.

Danie Odendaal Productions filming 7de Laan at Sasani Studios in Johannesburg tells TVwithThinus that upset viewers who are angry about the weekly frequency cut to episodes are justified in how they're feeling about SABC2's decision to downscale the number of episodes.

"7de Laan is a soap that has been part of South Africans' lives for almost 21 years. We are part of millions of TV viewers' homes and family time and most South Africans at some point in the lives have interacted with 7de Laan," the show says in response to a media enquiry asking what the producers are making of the petition.

"It makes absolute sense that viewers are disturbed over the news of the scheduling change."

Cast, crew and freelance workers on both 7de Laan and Muvhango who don't want their names mentioned since they fear possible repercussions from speaking out publicly while still working on these shows, say they are scared of losing work and that SABC2 is costing them income especially during the tough economic environment worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. 

About people attached to these shows who will be working less because of SABC2's decision, Danie Odendaal Productions says that "for now the scheduled times remain unchanged because we are still expected to deliver the number of episodes as agreed upon for the 22nd season in the contract with the SABC. As a result, the staff's working hours and budget have been adjusted to what it is currently".

When the soaps are reduced to three episodes per week, after a Wednesday's episode, viewers will have to wait 4 days before a new episode of 7de Laan or Muvhango on SABC2 with both that will be more days off-air than what the serialised soaps will actually be on-air. 

Schedule interruptions like this usually have a debilitating impact on the ratings of shows since viewers tend to drift and forget to return when their TV routine or viewing pattern gets disturbed. 

Where and when cliffhangers appear, usually on a Friday - with for instance a shot fired, an explosion or a shocking relevation to keep viewers buzzing, engaged, pondering and to help keep a show top of mind and to drive them back on a Monday - will also have to change. 

"We can only wait and see what the effect of the 3 days a week is going to be on viewership figures," says 7de Laan. "We're just thankful that for the biggest part of the week we'll still get the opportunity to entertain South Africa".

"Viewers will still want to tune in for our programme content. Our cliffhangers will be adjusted to end off a week well even if it is on a Wednesday - something that will probably frustrate viewers, but with new zeal we will keep our show alive on social media platforms".

"From our side, we ask viewers to continue to watch 7de Laan from 5 April from Mondays to Wednesdays at 18:00 on SABC2. For now, they can still enjoy 7de Laan from Mondays to Fridays at 18:00 on SABC2," says the show.

ALSO READ: 'An attack on us as loyal fans and viewers': Furious fans sign a fast-growing 7de Laan petition to try and save the reduced SABC2 soap.

SABC2 reduces weekday soaps 7de Laan and Muvhango to 3 episodes per week in a shock scheduling shake-up.

by Thinus Ferreira

In a shocking scheduling move SABC2 is cutting back its iconic Afrikaans weekday soap 7de Laan, as well as its Venda weekday soap Muvhango, scaling the episodes of both back with almost half and reducing both longrunning primetime soaps from 5 to just 3 episodes per week.

SABC2's dramatic scheduling changes to its 18:00 timeslot from April for 7de Laan, and its 21:00 timeslot from August for Muvhango, come as the financially struggling and bloated South African public broadcaster is currently going to an acrimonious retrenchment process to axe 303 SABC workers.

While still a big show, 7de Laan, produced by Danie Odendaal Productions and that just passed and broadcast its milestone 5 000-episode earlier this month, is struggling with waning ratings and has shed millions of viewers over the past few years, mostly due to multiple SABC2 timeslot changes and the exit of many of the show's stars and their iconic characters in quick succession.

It's not yet clear what the impact of the SABC's reduced episode order will hold for the show and its complement of cast and crew that will have to absorb a production budget cut.

7de Laan that was originally only broadcast on Tuesdays on SABC2, then twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and eventually expanded to 5 days a week, is now being reduced by 40% and cut back from 2 and a half hours per week to just one and a half hours per week.

From Monday 5 April 7de Laan will just be broadcast on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

7de Laan, filmed at Sasani Studios in Highlands North in Johannesburg, is removed on the SABC2 schedule and replaced on Thursdays and Fridays in the 18:00 timeslot with two episodes of a new Afrikaans telenovela entitled Die Sentrum.

SABC2 says it's cutting back 7de Laan to "make more room for drama" on the channel.

"As a South African family entertainment channel, SABC2 continues to make room for more drama, bringing the best in local content, increasing viewer choice, reflecting and celebrating diverse realities," says Caroline Phalakatshela, SABC2 publicist.

It's not clear why SABC2 chose the early primetime shot of 18:00 to schedule Die Sentrum and not in the other existing Afrikaans drama timeslots.

Danie Odendaal Productions in a statement says that "7de Laan confirms that there has been a scheduling change implemented by the SABC. 7de Laan will now broadcast three days a week on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 18:00 on SABC2."

"We wish to reassure you of our unwavering commitment to continue producing relevant, informative and entertaining content."

The production says "until a time comes when we get to see you all on our roadshows again, we will enjoy engaging with you on all our social media platforms where we will continue to give you additional insights into our world."

In December 2020 7de Laan lured 1.44 million viewers (3.72 AR), making it the 6th most-watched programme on SABC2 for the month.

Muvhango swapped for Giyani

SABC2 is also scaling back on Muvhango from August and plans to reduce it by two episodes per week that are replaced by a second season of the Xitsonga telenovela Giyani that will have two episodes per week.

Like 7de Laan, Muvhango, produced by Duma Ndlovu's Word of Mouth Productions, has also shed millions of viewers over the past few years.

Muvhango will now only be shown on SABC2 from Mondays to Wednesdays from August at 21:00, with the timeslot on Thursday and Friday nights going to Giyani.

In December 2020 Muvhango lured 3.69 million viewers (9.55 AR), making it the most-watched programme on SABC2 for the month and the 10th most-watched show overall on all of South African television for the month. 

Again it's unclear why the SABC decided to schedule Giyani, produced by Tshedza Pictures, in Muvhango's 21:00 timeslot and not in other drama timeslots or the 21:30 timeslot on SABC2 where it was broadcast previously for its first season.

About Die Sentrum and the second season of Giyani, Merlin Naicker, the SABC's head of TV, says "is part of our longterm plan to invest in quality local content".

"Serving a diverse South African audience, it is imperative that we come with innovative and exciting content, which will not only draw the viewership, but bring in the revenue required to keep the public service broadcaster financially sustainable".

SABC2 cancels Giyani as its first isiXitsonga drama series, replacing it with Lithapo starting in early-2020 as a new Sesotho drama series while thousands of viewers sign petition to keep Giyani on air.

SABC2 has cancelled Giyani as the public broadcaster's first-ever isiXitsonga telenovela after just 8 months despite strong ratings, with no explanation why.

Giyani - Land of Blood was produced by Tshedza Pictures, also responsible for M-Net's The River on 1Magic (DStv 103) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform, is over after SABC2 and the producers initially promised a drama series that would "brings to life the ageless themes of love rivalries, forbidden passion, stolen land, and corruption".

Giyani which catered to a Venda and Tsonga audience but had many more watching thanks to subtitling, was set in Limpopo and starred Ndivhuwo Mutsila, Candy Tsa Mandebele and Yvonne Chaka Chaka in her first dramatic role.

Giyani that is ending on 26 November, will be replaced by a new Sesotho series set in Qwaqwa, Lithapo, that will start in early-2020 on SABC2 starring Standiwe Kgoroge, Clementine Mosimane, Seputla Sebogodi and Joyce Skefu.

Giyani pulled 1.974 million viewers during October, making it SABC2's third most watched show just behind Muvhango and 7de Laan, and overall the 39th most watched show on all of South African television for the month.

Dear @GiyaniSABC2 viewers:#GiyaniLandOfBlood is coming to an end on 26 November 2019. As with any telenovela, it was due to end after some time.
SABC2 has lined up another interesting telenovela titled Lithapo - starting January 2020. pic.twitter.com/qhh7cd71XV

— SABC_2 (@SABC_2) November 18, 2019

Furious viewers have started an online petition, simiar to the one DStv subscribers created after MultiChoice announced that it's dropping A+E Networks' History, Lifetime and Crime+Investigation Network channels, after which MultiChoice made a U-turn and kept History and Lifetime.

By Wednesday morning the the petition has topped13 500 signatures and keeps growing.

"This is the only time where Xitsonga drama has been visualised," says the petition, pleading for signatures "to convince the SABC to extend" Giyani.

SABC2 was asked why Giyani was cancelled and the response will be added here if received.


UPDATE Wednesday 20 November 2019  13:20:

SABC2 in a statement in response to the media enquiry as to why Giyani has been cancelled, says that "Due to the nature of telenovela – they have an  ending. They come to an end after a long run.  The same happened with Keeping Score which was followed by Giyani – Land Blood. SABC2 is in production with another brand new telenovela called Lithapo coming to your screens in January 2020, another telenovela to look forward to".

Tuesday's episode of SABC2's Xitsonga drama series, Giyani, will be longer to add the missing part not broadcast on Monday due to technical problems.

Following unexplained technical playout problems on Monday night with the episode of its Xitsonga drama series, Giyani - Land of Blood, SABC tells TVwithThinus it will add the part that not shown to Tuesday night's episode.

On Monday night SABC2 viewers noticed that the last part of the Giyani episode wasn't shown. The episode was also not made available on YouTube. SABC2 didn't explain what went wrong beyond generically citing technical problems.

SABC2 told TVwithThinus on Tuesday in response to a media enquiry that the missing part of Monday's Giyani episode will be included in Tuesday's episode.

"The segment that didn't play, will play out tonight, therefore Tuesday's episode will be longer," said Caroline Phalakatshela, SABC2 publicist.