M-Net, kykNET add eye-popping Sunday night docs about Zephany Nurse and diamond dealer Louis Liebenberg.

by Thinus Ferreira

Riding the tide of the local true crime genre, M-Net and kykNET have added eye-popping documentaries to their Sunday night programming slates telling the story of the abducted Zephany Nurse found two decades later, and investigating the house of cards of diamond packets kingpin Louis Liebenberg.  

This Sunday night at 20:00 on M-Net (DStv 101) the channel premieres Girl, Taken from directors Francois Verster and Simon Wood which won in the Best South African Documentary category at the Durban International Film Festival, telling the intricate and unbelievable story of the abducted-and-found Zephany Nurse.

The emotionally layered and filled with twists Girl, Taken explores how Zephany was abducted as a baby, raised as Miche Solomon, found almost two decades and how everyone coped since, in a story that caught the world's attention.

In Girl, Taken, Zephany speaks about her upbringing; the devastation caused by her abduction coming to light; the dramatic criminal trial of the mother who raised her; and why she chose to stay with the Solomon family, even after learning that she had been abducted and given a new identity.

Zephany's biological parents, Celeste and Morne Nurse, are also included in the documentary and open up about the pain of losing their baby, the joy of finding her again, and the torment of losing her a second time.

Girl, Taken follows the process of two broken families climbing the difficult path towards forgiveness and wholeness.

With his detractors believing he belongs behind bars and investors in his scheme demanding the millions of rand they've invested which they now can't get access to, kykNET is screening the investigative news Afrikaans documentary special, Onthul: Skurk of Samaritaan?, also this Sunday night at 20:00.

Is the diamond trader Louis Liebenberg with alleged messages relayed from God to him from inside his shower a hero, cult leader or a classic pyramid scheme scammer?

Currently embroiled in a legal battle with the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) because he has been accused of operating a ponzi scheme and of buying rough diamonds from illegal diamond diggers, kykNET is investigating the glitzy diamond tzar who owes many people millions of rand.

Louis Liebenberg is constantly hogging the newspaper headlines with issues around his diamond trading concept, Forever Diamonds and Gold (FDG), which has managed to attract around 40 000 investors.

Some believe he's a scoundrel who deserves to be in jail while some see him as a businessman who helps people gain financial freedom. Nina Swart is the director of this new doccie which forms part of a series of investigative Onthul news documentaries produced by IdeaCandy.

According to kykNET Onthul: Skurk of Samaritaan? takes an unflinching and incisive look at Louis Liebenberg's business practices, with Louis being asked directly and which he answers.

Various people, including people who invested in his diamond business, for instance Dirk Lotriet, editor of Die Waarheid Media, as well as the former Springbok Derick Hougaard sing his praises. Victims of his scheme also get the opportunity to tell their side of the story.

The documentary also investigates claims that Liebenberg is illegally digging for diamonds in Namaqualand, as well as his ties to various ANC members.

Other experts who weigh in, are Pieter Steyn, senior journalist for Rapport newspaper; Dr Kosie de Villiers, business consultant affiliated to Stellenbosch University; Prof. JP Smit from the department of philosophy at Stellenbosch University, as well as the clinical psychologist Louis Awerbuck.

Heindrich Wyngaard exits KN Verslag on kykNET to head up new political pressure group, will continue to host talk show KLOP! on kykNET & Kie.

by Thinus Ferreira

Heindrich Wyngaard has exited as anchor of the current affairs show KN Verslag on kykNET (DStv 144) to become chairperson of the new political public pressure group Kaapse Forum in Cape Town, although he will remain the host of the kykNET Afrikaans talk show KLOP! on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145). 

Suzaan Keyter, kykNET spokesperson, told TVwithThinus in response to a media query that Heindrich Wyngaard has finished as a KN Verslag anchor but that KLOP! continues with Heindrich Wyngaard as presenter.

kykNET didn't explain why Heindrich Wyngaard is exiting as anchor of KN Verslag but how and why it's possible for him to remain an anchor of another TV show while he is chairperson of Kaapse Forum.

Suzaan Steyn continues as anchor of KN Verslag, produced by IdeaCandy, with KN Verslag that experienced a dramatic and fast turn-over of anchors in 2022 so far.

kykNET plans to end KN Verslag in mid-2022 and wants to change the channel's actuality offering this year.

KN Verslag in Gesprek met Waldimar Pelser was renamed to In Gesprek met Waldimar Pelser, after which Waldimar Pelser was appointed as the new kykNET boss.

The show then rebranded to In Gesprek met Lourensa Eckhard who moved from KN Verslag to fill Waldimar Pelser's chair on Thursday nights.

Suzaan Steyn was then added to fill Lourensa Eckhard's spot, with Suzaan Steyn and Heindrich Wyngaard alternating as KN Verslag anchors. Heindrich Wyngaard's exit leaves just Suzaan Steyn.

kykNET cancels KN Verslag as it looks to change the channel's actuality programming offering in 2022.

by Thinus Ferreira

kykNET has cancelled its KN Verslag weeknight actuality strand with M-Net's Afrikaans channels division that plans to make changes to its news actuality offering from June.

The recently renamed actuality talk show In Gesprek met Lourensa Eckard that was part of the KN Verslag offering from the same IdeaCandy production company will remain on the kykNET (DStv 144) schedule, as will Prontuit, but both shows will be moving to different timeslots.

The KN Verslag anchors Heindrich Wyngaard en Suzaan Steyn who are also the anchors of KLOP! on kykNET & Kie (DStv 145) and Spreekkamer on kykNET, will continue to anchor those two shows.

"kykNET is planning changes to our schedule that includes the renewing of our actuality offering," says Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for kykNET channels in response to a media query.

"The programme KN Verslag presented by Heindrich Wyngaard and Suzaan Steyn will be on-air until June 2022 on kykNET on channel 144, a business decision of which the production team was recently notified.

"Both Heindrich and Suzaan will still be seen in respectively KLOP! on kykNET & kie and Spreekkamer on kykNET. Prontuit and In Gesprek met Lourensa Eckard will remain on air but will move to better timeslots later this year, which will be announced later," Waldimar Pelser said.

Suzaan Steyn upped as alternating weekly kykNET Verslag current affairs anchor in 2022.

by Thinus Ferreira

Suzaan Steyn has been upped as one of the new kykNET Verslag anchors on kykNET (DStv 144) from 2022 and will start on Monday 24 January.

Suzaan Steyn replaces Lourensa Eckard who is the new anchor of Wednesday's current affairs talk show edition, In Gesprek met Lourensa. Lourensa Eckard replaces Waldimar Pelser who is becoming the new kykNET channel boss from February.

With the musical chairs anchor changes, kykNET and the production company IdeaCandy is also slightly changing the presentation frequency of the anchors of kykNET Verslag in 2022. 

Where Heinrich Weingaard and Lourensa Eckard would alternate as kykNET Verslag anchors on different nights of the same week, Heinrich Weingaard and Suzaan Steyn will now take turns to anchor a week's episodes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday nights on kykNET.

kykNET Verslag returned this week with Heinrich Weingaard as anchor, with Suzaan Steyn who will debut next week for that week's episodes.

Suzaan Steyn was chosen as the anchor of the weekly kykNET Verslag Pandemie episode during the height of South Africa's Covid-19 pandemic when KN Pandemie was introduced as a limited series show. 

After the conclusion of that show, Suzaan Steyn was moved to Mondays at 17:30 to anchor the weekly medical current affairs show, Spreekkamer on kykNET.

Now she will take weekly turns as the anchor of kykNET's live current affairs late-night strand at 21:30 that is done from Stark Studios in Johannesburg.

ALSO READ: Lourensa Eckhard takes over kykNET's current affairs talk show chair from Waldimar Pelser from 19 January 2022.

Coronavirus: kykNET adds new weekly Afrikaans current affairs show KN Pandemie on Tuesdays anchored by Suzaan Steyn from 7 April 2020 at 9pm to cover Covid-19 pandemic.

by Thinus Ferreira

The growing global spread of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus pandemic with an increase in cases in South Africa that is experiencing a period of national lockdown has prompted kykNET (DStv 144) to alter its schedule from Tuesday 7 April with a new weekly, Afrikaans actuality show KN Pandemie that will be anchored by Suzaan Steyn.

Produced by IdeaCandy that does the rest of the KN Verslag current affairs strand for kykNET, KN Pandemie will run for at least the next 13 weeks from Tuesday, 7 April at 21:00 on the channel to bring Afrikaans DStv subscribers news, information and insight about the growing pandemic.

In KN Pandemie presenter Suzaan Steyn will talk live via Skype to experts in various fields.

Virologists and doctors will discuss the medical aspects of Covid-19 and give practical advice on how to stay safe and healthy. Psychologists will discuss the psychological impact of the virus, giving practical ways to look after your mental wellbeing in this challenging time.

Viewers will also be able to ask questions that experts will answer live on the show. KN Pandemie will also check in through Skype with various professionals who are in direct contact with Covid-19, as well as with people locally and internationally, to find out more about their experience during the current situation.

Various organisations are also aiding others to overcome the challenges brought upon by Covid-19 – KN Pandemie will focus on such an organisation on a weekly basis. 

The programme will also give practical tips that will simplify and enrich viewers' lives – from easy meals to prepare and arts and crafts for young and old, to physical activities, mental exercises and ways to keep body and mind healthy and calm.

KN Pandemie will give an update on good movies and series to watch and recommend which books to read, while technology used during this time to stay connected with colleagues, friends and family will be explored. Interesting things to do together whilst being apart will be discussed.

Veteran Afrikaans TV news reader Riaan Cruywagen quietly exits kykNET as anchor of kykNET Verslag.

The veteran Afrikaans TV news anchor Riaan Cruywagen (72) made a quiet exit on Thursday night as news anchor on kykNET Verslag on kykNET (DStv 144) bringing the curtain to a final close on his illustrious TV news reading career after more than four decades on the air on South African television.

With no pre-announcement to the press by kykNET of his exit, Riaan Cruywagen stunned viewers on the eve of the Easter holiday at the end of Thursday night's episode of kykNET Verslag when he told viewers he's leaving.

After leaving the SABC at the end of November 2012 after 37 years with the South African public broadcaster as the longest serving TV news anchor in South African television history, the never changing Riaan Cruywagen made the transition to high definition and joined kykNET from February 2013.

At kykNET he first anchored the news on the morning show Dagbreek, before transitioning to the evenings on M-Net's Afrikaans TV channel on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform for the past three years, after Dagbreek was cancelled.

"I'm also finally saying goodbye tonight after more than five wonderful years - first at Dagbreek and after that at kykNET Verslag," said Riaan Cruywagen at the end of the third season and episode 140 of kykNET Verslag.

"I'm now swapping the world of hard news and actuality for other TV work and new challenges but not without saying thank you to kykNET for the opportunity to broaden my horizons on this exceptional channel."

"I've worked with tens of creative and inspiring people, as well as at kykNET and with the producers of our programme, IdeaCandy - and in my old days I've learnt a lot from them. If I can mention only a few names - because there's tens of them - I'm saying thank you very much to Karen Meiring (kykNET channel head) and Tim du Plessis (head of actuality) of kykNET and Wim Steyn (executive producer) and Wynette Theart (producer) van IdeaCandy and their personnel."

"The most unsung mainstays were our studio crew without which no programme can ever make it onto the air - my director Rudi Botha and his team and my editor Werner Swart and his able journalists."

"But finally, to you, our appreciated viewers, thank you for your dedicated support over the years. I wish you all of the best. Well, enjoy the long weekend and go well."


kykNET in response to a media enquiry as to why there was no announcement to the media, told TVwithThinus that the channel took Cruywagen's direction about how he wanted to communicate his exit and up until Thursday morning he didn't want to involve the media.

kykNET says Riaan Cruywagen will remain as the presenter of Met 'n Huppel in die Stap, kykNET's Afrikaans magazine show focusing on the challenges, joys and life advice for people after 50.

kykNET produced a short tribute goodbye video in which his family including his wife, daughter and grandson, as well as other Afrikaans TV news readers like Marietta Kruger and Suzaan Steyn, shared special messages.