Paramount Skydance ends Paramount Africa and 4 TV channels on DStv including BET Africa, MTV Base, CBS Justice and CBS Reality end of 2025

by Thinus Ferreira

Paramount Africa is shutting down 31 December 2025 as part of dramatic Paramount Skydance corporate downsizing, ending its localised Africa operations after more than two decades, with linear TV channels BET Africa, MTV Base as well as CBS Justice and CBS Reality run by CBS AMC Networks International also shutting down at the end of the year.

All four TV channels will go dark on 31 December on DStv run by Canal+'s MultiChoice in South Africa as well as across the Rest of Africa (RoA) territory and its Bryanston head office in Johannesburg is closing down.

In July, Craig Paterson, Paramount Africa senior vice president and general manager, as well as Monde Twala, senior vice-president and general manager of Paramount Africa and lead of BET International, told Paramount Africa staff that Paramount is considering shutting down local operations in Africa as the company "evaluates its pay-TV strategy and local channel footprint here in Africa".

Paramount Africa (then Viacom International Media Networks Africa or VIMN Africa) launched BET Africa (DStv 129) a decade ago in April 2015 to bring African audiences a localised version of "Black Entertainment Television". 

As previously reported, it will burn off episodes later this month of its last original, the South African telenovela Black Gold from Black Brain Pictures, to amortise what's left of its final local production before BET Africa is gone for good.

MTV Base was launched 20 years ago in South Africa in February 2005 and grew to split into three distinct channel feeds for West Africa and East Africa.

MultiChoice in response to a media query told TVwithThinus "MultiChoice can confirm that BET Africa and MTV Base will be discontinued on the DStv and GOtv platforms from 1 January 2026 at 9:00 CAT, following updates from our channel partner, Paramount. Our customers can continue to enjoy other international channels from Paramount, including Nickelodeon, NickToons, Nick Jr., Comedy Central, and MTV."

"We thank Paramount for their continued partnership and look forward to working with them on the remaining channel offering."

The CBS Reality (DStv 132) and CBS Justice (DStv 170) channels on DStv are also getting axed.

CBS Reality (previously Zone Reality) was added to DStv in November 2001. CBS Justice was added to DStv in November 2019.

"In response to a media query, MultiChoice says "MultiChoice confirms that CBS Reality and CBS Justice will be leaving the DStv platform on 31 December 2025 at 23:59 SAST."

"Following a strategic review, CBS AMC Networks EMEA Channels Partnership – the owner of CBS Reality and CBS Justice – has decided to close both channels."

"We thank CBS for their continued partnership and look forward to working with them in future. Customers can continue to enjoy a wide range of local and international reality and investigative content across our bouquet of channels."

Paramount Africa, in response to a media query, told TVwithThinus "Paramount is adjusting its international pay-TV strategy in response to industry-wide changes and evolving audience habits".

It said that "Paramount is proud of the legacy these channels have built and thanks their viewers and partners for their support over the years."

ALSO READ: Paramount Africa burns off Black Gold in double episodes further raising fears about future of BET Africa

ALSO READ: Paramount Skydance to get rid of 2 000 workers in the United States and globally, also affecting Africa 

Paramount Skydance to get rid of 2 000 workers in the United States and globally, also affecting Africa

Thinus Ferreira

On Wednesday, Paramount Global will reportedly start by letting go of at least 1 000 workers in the United States, followed by another 1 000 workers, that will also impact and affect staff at Paramount Africa in South Africa.

David Ellison, Paramount CEO, is slashing the Paramount workforce by 1 000 from tomorrow in the United States, with a further 1 000 people in America and internationally to follow. 

The first 1 000 people let go tomorrow, represent 5% of Paramount's workforce. By December 2024 Paramount had 18 600 full-time workers and 3 500 project-based staff.

Paramount Skydance declined to comment.

In July, Craig Paterson, Paramount Africa senior vice president and general manager, as well as Monde Twala, senior vice-president and general manager of Paramount Africa and lead of BET International, told Paramount Africa staffers that Paramount is considering shutting down local operations in Africa as the company "evaluates its pay-TV strategy and local channel footprint here in Africa".

The cutbacks at Paramount's international divisions like Africa, the United Kingdom and Europe will reportedly happen within weeks.

Paramount's axing of its workforce comes as Paramount Skydance is making a play for Warner Bros. Discovery with at least three takeover offers that have been made by Paramount for WBD over the past few months.

ALSO READ: Paramount says looming retrenchments will be 'painful'; will no longer sell BET but pivot pay-TV channels to streaming

Paramount's BET Africa trying again with illegal mining weekday drama as Black Gold from Black Brain Pictures is set for 18 August with Nomalanga Shozi, Dawn Thandeka King and Sello Maake ka Ncube

Thinus Ferreira

After the disastrous Queendom Paramount's BET Africa division in South Africa is again trying to find and launch a successful, scripted, South African weekday drama and will start Black Gold, co-produced by Black Brain Pictures, on 18 August on BET (DStv 129) as a story set in the world of illegal mining.

Black Gold is set in South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province, similar to Uzalo and Amalanga Awafani on SABC1.

Black Gold is BET Africa's fourth big local telenovela-styled series, following Isono, Redemption and Queendom which all had mixed success with viewers and in the ratings and with Isono and Queendom - both from Clive Morris Productions - that ran into financial problems and shuttered.

Black Gold will start on BET Africa on 18 August with four episodes weekly from Mondays to Thursdays at 18:30.  

The Black Gold cast includes Nomalanga Shozi in her first lead role, as well as Dawn Thandeka King and Sello Maake kKaNcube.

Black Gold revolves around Amandla Zungu, portrayed by Nomalanga Shozi, who is cast out of her ancestral home after she's falsely accused of her father's murder.

Amandla Zungu is then forced into the dangerous world of illegal mining, where she "rises through the ranks to reclaim her legacy and confront the woman who stole everything from her" according to a logline from the production. 

Florence, portrayed by Dawn Thandeka King, is responsible for orchestrating the betrayal, while Sello Maake KaNcube plays the role of Tom Motsepe - Florence's secret lover and co-conspirator.

Mandla N, Black Brain Pictures executive director, says "Creating Black Gold was a game-changing experience - it shook us as much as it will shake the audience".

"Partnering with BET on this co-production is more than just making a show - it's about reinvesting in our industry, breaking barriers, and taking a bold step forward for local storytelling and long-term growth. Black Gold is raw, emotional, and unapologetically authentic storytelling."

Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager of Paramount Africa and lead for BET International, in a prepared quote, says "Black Gold is a celebration of African storytelling at its finest - rich in culture, layered in emotion, and driven by a stellar cast that brings these powerful characters to life".

"At BET Africa, we are committed to showcasing narratives that reflect the beauty, strength, and complexity of black lives."

"This series is a tribute to black resilience, black love, and the unbreakable spirit of our communities."

Cast and crew of Paramount Africa's BET's Pound 4 Pound keeps up fight for payment from Bakwena Productions

by Thinus Ferreira

The crew and cast of Bakwena Productions and Paramount Africa's Pound 4 Pound series on BET (DStv 129) who are still unpaid after months are adamant that they must and will get the money owed to them and and won’t stop exposing the hidden plight of casts and crews who remain unpaid and are often forced to suffer financially in silence.

After multiple failed payment promises by Kagiso Modupe and Rashaka Muofhe's Bakwena Productions the crew and cast refuse to let the non-payment issue go.

Since September crew and cast members have lost homes and been evicted, had to give up rentals in Johannesburg and move further away to where there's less potential work, had to sell camera equipment and even cars to try and survive financially.

Paramount Africa which commissioned the 13-episode Pound 4 Pound says it had paid its part of the production cost for the boxing series that was aired on its BET Africa (DStv 129) channel. 

Paramount Africa was asked last week but remains silent on whether it will work with Bakwena Productions again in future and whether it's changing the way it's dealing with South African productions in order to ensure that with upcoming shows an issue of non-payment of cast and crew does not occur.

Pound 4 Pound is the third Paramount Africa production where cast and crews are struggling to get their money due after the same thing happened with Clive Morris Productions' Isono and then also Queendom this year which were both BET Africa shows as well.

Last month Monde Twala, Paramount Africa senior vice president and general manager and lead for BET International, in response to a media query last month said that Paramount Africa had communicated with Bakwena Productions "to ensure that any outstanding payments are processed accordingly" and that it wants ensure that "any outstanding payments are addressed as swiftly as possible." 

That didn't happen and many workers are struggling to survive. 

None of the payment promises were kept and at the end of December, there were again no payments.

In October when a Pound 4 Pound crew member told Rashaka Muofhe in a text message that he is desperate to get paid what he was promised, Muofhe responded with a disinterested: "I'm of the opinion that the home was not purchased on my name".

Around 60 crew, actors and call actors who worked on Pound 4 Pound are represented by Advocate Carol-Ann Myburgh who have taken Bakwena Productions and Kagiso Modupe and Rashaka Muofhe to court to get their money owed.

Brandon Auret who portrayed the character of Frans on Pound 4 Pound, tells TVwithThinus "another production that hasn't paid their crew and cast have now joined on as well".

"It's incredible how many people have come out the woodwork now. I think what's really sad is how scared people are to come forward and to speak out because they are afraid of working for people again, that then won't pay them."

Last week Auret had to put his own car up for sale as well. "Luckily my wife's got a car but I'm owed thousands of rand. They owe someone else R120 000, someone else R80 000," he says.

Paramount Africa didn't respond to a media query made since earlier last week asking what has been done to resolve the situation with the BET show, what its stance is towards Bakwena Productions, and what it makes of industry workers saying they're wary of working on BET shows in future, fearing now that they will also meet a fate of not getting paid.

Kagiso Modupe's phone rang unanswered when called for comment since earlier last week he didn't respond to text messages.

ALSO READ: Legal action starts against producer Kagiso Modupe after he fails to pay crew and cast of BET Africa's Pound 4 Pound: 'Poor show of morals'

Paramount Africa's Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. kids channels now available to DStv Compact subscribers

by Thinus Ferreira

From today MultiChoice and Paramount Africa are making the kids pay-TV channels of Nickelodeon (DStv 305) and Nick Jr. (DStv 307) permanently accessible to DStv Compact subscribers in South Africa.

Until now these Paramount Africa channels were only for DStv Premium and DStv Compact Plus subscribers.

"As we mark SpongeBob SquarePants' 25th anniversary, we're thrilled that Nickelodeon and Nick Jr. content is now accessible to even more families, solidifying our mission to provide inclusive, world-class entertainment," says Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager at Paramount Africa, in a statement.

Melusi Sibisi, MultiChoice Group acting head of third-party channels and partnerships, says "This move underscores our commitment to ensuring that more families across South Africa have access to premium kids' entertainment".

Paramount continues with Nickelodeon's Nick in Your Language initiative, offering local language episodes of shows like SpongeBob SquarePants, DORA, Rubble & Crew, Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and PAW Patrol in local languages. 

These dubbed shows are on Nicktoons (DStv 308) on weekday mornings between 7:30 to 9:00 and during the afternoons between 15:00 and 16:00.

Nickelodeon December 2024 highlights

SpongeBob SquarePants Christmas Special - 21 December | Saturday 12:30

The Loud House Christmas Special - 21 December | Saturday 14:10

Young Dylan Christmas Special - 21 December | Saturday 18:30

The Patrick Star Show 2 – 13 December at 15:00

Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles from 23 December, weekdays 19:45

Nick Jr. December 2024 highlights

Rubble & Crew (new episodes) from 02 December, weekdays at 17:30

DORA (new episodes) from 09 December, weekdays at 18:00

Nick Jr's Holiday Stunt Premiere episodes: Paw Patrol, Rubble & Crew, Hamsters of Hamsterdale, The Adventures of Paddington, The Tiny Chef Show from 21 December at 12:00

January 2025

Transformers: EarthSpark S3 (new season) on 11 January at 11:00 on Nickelodeon

Baby Shark's Big Movie! 5 January at 12:20 on Nick Jr.

Baby Shark's Big Show S3 (new season), weekdays at 16:30 on Nick Jr., starts 6 January

Legal action starts against producer Kagiso Modupe after he fails to pay crew and cast of BET Africa's Pound 4 Pound: 'Poor show of morals'

by Thinus Ferreira

The extremely upset, unpaid crew and cast of another BET Africa (DStv 129) show, forced to sell gear to pay rent and buy food, are ready to go to court in a type of class action case after Kagiso Modupe of Bakwena Productions failed to pay them for the Paramount Africa drama series Pound 4 Pound.

Crew members and actors who worked on Pound 4 Pound, produced by Bakwena Productions for Paramount Africa's BET Africa (DStv 129) channel, haven't been paid for months by the production company.

Kagiso Modupe made several false promises and once again promised them that they would finally be paid at the end of October. But the date of 31 October once again came and went with no payment.

Kagiso Modupe hasn't responded to requests seeking comment.

The Pound 4 Pound crew and cast are furious after Modupe won a Golden Horn at the 18th South African Film and Television Awards this past Saturday in the category for Best supporting actor in a TV comedy for Netflix South Africa's Y'oh! Christmas.

In his boastful acceptance speech, Modupe on stage claimed that he had created 2 000 jobs in the local film and TV industry and that he is one of the only producers to pay actors "royalties".

Yet the crew and cast of Pound 4 Pound, starring actors like Enhle Mbali, Mduduzi Mabaso, Gabisile Tshablala, Nicole Bessick and Brandon Auret haven't been paid for months.

They were first promised that they would be paid by mid-September. 

Then it became 25 September. 

Then Modupe promised them in a message: "Team, please note we will start making payment from 17 October with targeted completion by 30 October so all final payments are done".

Both the dates of 17 October and 30 October came and went. By yesterday no payments were made.

This is the third TV show commissioned by Paramount Africa where the cast and crew were not paid and have struggled to get their monies due. 

Notably, Pound 4 Pound is also the third show where Paramount Africa paid a portion towards the overall production costs with the production company that had to put up the other portion.

The same financial problems and non-payment issues happened in each of these three production cases, with the other two being Clive Morris Productions (CMP) shows.

CMP made Isono and ran into payment problems and after that the troubled Queendom for BET had to shutdown earlier this year, only to restart and immediately again failed to pay the cast and crew at the end of September.

When Bakwena Productions failed to pay the Pound 4 Pound production in September Kagiso Modupe initially blamed Paramount Africa.

In a voicenote he told the cast and crew that the non-payment was BET Africa's fault and that "This is beyond our control. The channel has its own processes of how it operates and because it's an international company, money is not readily available. There are processes that we need to follow, and it needs to go overseas to be approved before it comes to our account".

"We’ve been promised since last week that the money is going to come in. Our payment has been finally loaded and the money should be coming in this week."

That didn't happen. Paramount Africa also disputed Modupe's message to the crew and cast, saying that all money owed was paid over to Bakwena Productions.

In response to questions in a media query, Monde Twala, Paramount Africa senior vice president and general manager and lead for BET International, told TVwithThinus "BET and Paramount acknowledge the recent reports regarding payment concerns related to the production of Pound 4 Pound".

"We take these matters seriously and want to assure all involved parties that we are committed to finding a resolution. We have engaged with Bakwena Productions and await a cost report to ensure that any outstanding payments are processed accordingly."

"We would like to clarify that BET is up to date with all payments made to Bakwena Productions and that the production company is responsible for disbursing payments to the cast and crew."

"We appreciate the hard work and dedication of all cast and crew members and are in ongoing communication with Bakwena Productions to ensure any outstanding payments are addressed as swiftly as possible."

Besides sending a letter of demand to Bakwena Productions, Brandon Auret has taken the fight for their money for working on Pound 4 Pound public, nothing that "BET Africa and Paramount Africa flighting a show that has not paid its people is a poor show of morals".

"This is not even about what is owed to me. An entire production crew with families and payments to be made, while massive weddings are enjoyed is sick and disgusting."

MultiChoice declined to comment when asked what the Randburg-based pay-TV operator made of Auret's saying it is "a poor show of morals" for a show to be broadcast on DStv where people have not been paid.

Brandon Auret says the cast and crew - some of whom have had to resort to selling gear to pay rent - will now start a type of class action lawsuit to get what they're owed.

Brandon Auret told TVwithThinus on Friday "We gave Kagiso Modupe the benefit and we gave him the doubt. So, it's off to court we go".

Paramount Africa refuses to explain anything as BET Africa's cash-crashed Queendom from Clive Morris Productions restarts filming after shutdown and payment failure scandal.

by Thinus Ferreira

Paramount Africa's cash-crashed telenovela Queendom on BET Africa which was forced to shutter at the end of May has lurched back into filming while Paramount executives and producers refuse to come clean about the behind-the-scenes upheaval that left the telenovela's cast and crew unpaid for months.

Paramount Africa was forced to switch to repeats of Queendom from 22 July, just four months after its debut on BET Africa (DStv 129)  after Clive Morris Productions ran out of money to film and even to pay cast and crew.

New episodes of Queendom will now start on 23 September with no explanation from Paramount Africa or Clive Morris Productions where the money came from to restart the embattled production that saw cast and crew forced to sell possessions to buy food while a crew member couldn't pay for a parent's funeral after a funeral policy lapsed due to non-payment.

Paramount Africa and BET Africa boss Monde Twala are remaining silent on the unpaid crew and cast production scandal of Clive Morris Productions' Queendom.

Monde Twala, Paramount Africa senior vice president and general manager and BET International lead, didn't respond to an interview request made a week ago through Paramount's South African PR firm Total Exposure. 

A media query with questions to Paramount Africa, also made last Wednesday through Total Exposure has also been ignored.

Clarity was sought from Paramount Africa on when filming for Queendom restarted and until when filming will continue, where the bridge financing now came from, who sourced the financing, how many more episodes will be produced, as well as how many of the former and original cast and crew have been able to return and who are no longer available.

Natalie Mdladla, Paramount senior director of communications, likewise ignored a media query in August seeking answers on why Paramount Africa allowed filming to start on a production before the money to make a show for BET Africa was 100% secured. 

She was also asked who at Paramount authorised pre-production and principal photography to start, and why Paramount again worked with CMP after the same cash issue caused a shutdown of ISONO.

According to Paramount Africa "Queendom makes a regal return on 23 September at 18:30 with a royal showdown as Prince Andile finally confronts his brother King Banzi about the throne". 

The show that has been airing reruns in the timeslot will resume with four new episodes weekly from 23 September from Mondays to Thursdays.

Linda Mtoba in the role of Ntando is one of the cast returning to the show, noting in a press statement that she is "thrilled that Queendom is returning to screens this September, taking the drama and intrigue to a whole new level, and I can't wait for fans to see how these powerful storylines unfold."

Other crew and actors have quit and left like Sindi Dlathu and Themba Ndaba who signed up for e.tv's Isipetho produced by Black Brain Pictures, while Queendom cast and crew have still not been paid in full the overdue money they're owed. 

In the statement, Monde Twala, who was seen hosting a cocktail party for producers last week at the MIP Africa 2024 TV market in Cape Town, only notes that "Local content is an important pillar for our audiences and we are committed to meeting this demand with impactful storytelling that resonates on a global scale".

Cascade failure explained

After the Queendom implosion, MultiChoice has also taken away Empini – done for its Showmax video streaming service by Clive Morris Productions – where crew members also went unpaid and reassigned it to Crystal Pics and Nomusa Mzima to complete the 52-episode series.

Queendom started out as a co-production, with BET responsible for half of the investment, which was fulfilled by BET Africa and Clive Morris Productions responsible for the other 50%.

According to CMP, a backer pulled out that would have paid its 50% towards the production costs, but it's unclear why pre-production and filming started before the funding was fully paid over.

Insiders told TVwithThinus that the trifecta of MultiChoice, Paramount Africa and Clive Morris Productions (CMP) should all share the blame for what happened to Queendom and the dire and shocking financial situation it plunged the show's committed cast and crew into.

According to them, the Queendom cascade implosion happened like this: MultiChoice placed tremendous pressure on Paramount Africa to maintain a contractual local content quota for BET Africa whereby Paramount must produce and air a number of local hours per year on the channel.

Paramount Africa, under pressure to adhere to its local content contract with MultiChoice or face stiff penalities, went ahead to strip local hours of Queendom which it allowed CMP to start producing, even though CMP didn't have all the money for the production in the bank.

Clive Morris Productions, which wanted to retain a stake in the ownership of Queendom, started filming the series despite not having its share of co-funding in the bank account, after which a funder suddenly decided to no longer invest in the show.

This derailed and collapsed production of Queendom when Clive Morris Productions, after filming had already started, failed to get the money required when the investor no longer wanted to pay.

In mid-April – by which time Paramount Africa was well aware that CMP had funding issues, that Queendom was struggling and that the cast and crew were not getting the paid – Paramount Africa and BET went ahead to launch Queendom with a splashy media event at Kings Kraal in Bryanston, Johannesburg for some media. 

Behind-the-scenes however, the Queendom cast and crew who were putting up a brave face, were already angry and distraught over the impossible production conditions, delayed payments, as well as Clive Morris Productions' ongoing promises that they would get paid.

"Typically shows like telenovelas and soaps are commissioned by TV channels and financed 100% by the channel. Queendom wasn't," a producer on the show explained.

"Clive Morris Productions entered into a deal where an onus was on them to raise a significant portion of the production costs, which are far too onerous for most producers. Very few production companies, if any, would be able to raise that capital for a show of this size like Queendom."

"I had never heard of such an arrangement in the context of a telenovela. They exist for films or a very short miniseries. Prior to any minute of any footage being filmed all the money should have been in the bank. That wasn't the case, hence we find ourselves in the position we're in."

ALSO READ: Paramount Africa's Queendom on BET shut down with cast and crew unpaid by Clive Morris Productions as MultiChoice's Showmax also gives Empini to another producer.

ALSO READ: Paramount Africa silent over unpaid Queendom crew and cast and why BET signed off for filming to start on Clive Morris Production show that didn't have production money fully in the bank.

Paramount Africa silent over unpaid Queendom crew and cast and why BET signed off for filming to start on Clive Morris Production show that didn't have production money fully in the bank.

by Thinus Ferreira

Paramount Africa and BET Africa boss Monde Twala are remaining silent on the unpaid crew and cast production scandal of Clive Morris Productions' Queendom without any answer on why Paramount Africa and BET for a second time signed off on filming to start on a South African series before all the funding was 100% secured.

A high-ranking crew member who worked on Queendom says it is unheard of and extremely unusual for a show to start filming, noting that "Prior to any minute of any footage being filmed all the money should have been in the bank".

Clive Morris Productions (CMP) entered into a deal where the production company had to come up with a very large part of the overall production cost to make Queendom - money it didn't have from the outset. 

This derailed and collapsed production of Queendom when Clive Morris Productions, after filming had already started, failed to get the money required when an investor no longer wanted to pay.

Neither Natalie Mdladla, Paramount senior director of communications, nor Kgaogelo Mohlala at the Total Exposure PR company responded to or acknowledged multiple emails, phone calls and messages after TVwithThinus made a media query on Queendom a week ago with questions for Paramount Africa and BET.  

The Queendom cast and crew are owed months of salaries after Clive Morris Productions abruptly stopped filming of the local telenovela at the beginning of June because it failed to pay the workers.

In mid-April, Paramount Africa and BET threw a splashy media launch bash at Kings Kraal in Bryanston for some media, while the cast and crew were already rumbling and angry behind-the-scenes among themselves about the challenging production conditions, delayed payments and Clive Morris Productions' ongoing promises that they would get paid.

On 26 April, just a week after Paramount Africa's Queendom media launch event, the show's crew and cast got paid the last time after they had already complained bitterly about not getting paid and delayed payments by Clive Morris Productions, with Paramount Africa that was aware of the issue.

The show's production crew and cast continued to work during May but when they were again not paid at the end of May, they decided in unison not to return for any further work from 3 June.

People within South Africa's TV and film industry now want to know why Monde Twala, senior vice president and general manager of Paramount Africa and BET International lead, signed off on Clive Morris Productions to start filming for Queendom when the production didn't have all of the money secured upfront.

Paramount Africa was asked on what date the last episode of Queendom will be shown on BET (DStv 129) and how many episodes there were supposed to be, but there's been no answer.

Paramount Africa and BET were also asked why Paramount Africa apparently allowed filming to start on a production before the money to make it, was 100% secured, and who at Paramount Africa and BET authorised pre-production and principal photography to start even though Clive Morris later admitted, after Queendom's shut down, that CMP didn't have their side of the money in the bank. 

So far this has also gone unanswered. 

This is the second time a production of Paramount Africa and BET suddenly shuttered - from the same production company - since Clive Morris Productions was also forced to suddenly shut down ISONO that it produced for BET, over exactly the same reasons when it didn't have the funding in place for it's side of the budget contract.

This also raises the question of why did Paramount Africa and BET for a second time enter into a similar type of contract with Clive Morris Productions after it saw what happened with ISONO. 

It's another one of the questions that were put to Paramount Africa last Thursday a week ago and not being answered.

"Typically shows like telenovelas and soaps are commissioned by TV channels and financed 100% by the channel. Queendom wasn't," the insider who worked on the show, explained.

"Clive Morris Productions entered into a deal where an onus was on them to raise a significant portion of the production costs, which are far too onerous for most producers."

"The fact that we haven't been paid is a testament to exactly how overly onerous those conditions were. Very few production companies, if any, would be able to raise that capital for a show of this size like Queendom."

"I had never heard of such an arrangement in the context of a telenovela. They exist for films or a very short miniseries. Prior to any minute of any footage being filmed all the money should have been in the bank. That wasn't the case, hence we find ourselves in the position we're in."

ALSO READ: Paramount Africa's Queendom on BET shut down with cast and crew unpaid by Clive Morris Productions as MultiChoice's Showmax also gives Empini to another producer.

BET Africa unveils Redemption as its second BET Original telenovela, set inside a South Africa megachurch run by powerful Zikode family starring Simon Zikode, Kwanele Mthethwa and Tina Jaxa.

by Thinus Ferreira

Paramount Africa's second locally-produced telenovela entitled Redemption starting on 26 September at 18:00 on BET (DStv 129) is set within the world of a South African megachurch starring Themba Ndaba as celebrity pastor Simon Zikode and Kwanele Mthethwa as his daughter Faith.

Similar to BET's first telenovela Isono which lasted a single season and is currently getting a re-airing on e.tv as South Africa's only commercial free-to-air TV channel, Redemption as a BET Africa Original will also get a free-to-air rebroadcast a few months later on e.tv.

Redemption is produced by Matsimela Films from the merged Seriti Films and Burnt Onion Productions, with the story starting after the disappearance of Simon Zikode. 

His daughter Faith, who is on the cusp of an international music career, drop everything to come to her family's rescue.

As Faith becomes immersed in the church organisation and family affairs "she uncovers devastating secrets about those closest to her and is confronted with her own skeletons. Dark truths come to light and the Zikode family are faced with many baffling decisions as they scramble to salvage the family’s legacy," BET Africa says.

Mond Twala, senior vice president of editorial and general manager for Paramount Africa and peer lead for BET International, says "Our mission at BET Africa is to engage the black community and truly drive black excellence in our industry and through the stories we tell".

"The team behind this BET Africa Original is exceptional. Redemption is a co-production by two of the most notable production companies in South Africa; Seriti Films who are known for their masterful storytelling and Burnt Onion Productions who deliver world-class productions. This, together with the stellar cast of Redemption, guarantees an enthralling viewing experience for our audiences across the continent."

Leanne Kumalo, Seriti Films managing director and executive producer, says "We are very excited about our collaboration with Burnt Onion, and strongly believe the co-production has elevated the project. Together the two companies have been able to really add something dynamic to the industry".

Leanne Kumalo, Katleho Ramaphakela, Rethabile Ramaphakela and Tshepo Ramaphakela are executive producers on Redemption, with Thabang Moleya, Nozipho Nkelemba and Athi Petela as directors and Siphosethu Tshapu and Kagiso Mogale serving as head writers.

The Redemption cast includes Tina Jaxa as pastor's wife Evelyn Zikode, described as "a classic matriarch who guards her nest like a hawk". Sthandiwe Kgoroge plays a villain BET Africa isn't giving a character description yet.

The rest of the Redemption cast includes Seputla Sebogodi, Yonda Thomas, Pearl Modiadie and Sparky Xulu, along with newcomers Nkone Mamejta and Toka Mtabane. 

Also part of the cast are Kwanele Mthethwa, Pakamisa Zwedala, Yonda Thomas, Mmarona Motshegoa, Peter Mashigo, Helen Lebepe, Sonni Chiediebere, Pearl Modiadie, Luthando Mthembu, Zenzo Ngqobe, and Majorie Langa.

Themba Ndaba says who plays Simon says "Redemption will bring much-anticipated drama, it will ignite fervent conversations around day-to-day experiences of the ordinary South African and shine a light on value systems within African communities. The energy on set is electrifying and we can’t wait to see that translate on screen".

Redemption will have new episodes from Mondays to Thursdays on BET Africa at 18:00 with a nightly repeat at 21:30.