e.tv on 'painful decision' to cancel Oche Media's Scandal!: 'At the end of the day this is also a business' as its June 2026 end is described as story that could 'fill 5 movies'.

Thinus Ferreira

e.tv says it was forced to cancel its expensive but diminishing primetime soap Scandal! and that while it was a difficult and "a painful decision", it had to be done since it was in the best interest of e.tv as a broadcaster.

Vuyelwa Booi, e.tv's head of local programming, spoke briefly late on Thursday afternoon at eMedia's head office in Hyde Park.

e.tv held a type of media event to mark Scandal's 5 000th episode on e.tv. This was somewhat bizarre and unusual for a cancelled show, with e.tv that only old and invited some Johannesburg media and influencers to hear what the channel and certain Scandal! creatives had to say. 

Once cancelled and with fast diminishing returns, broadcasters usually no longer invest time, resources and money in trying to publicise finished series it since it represents an unrealised return on the investment from an attention economy perspective.

After some damaging moves and decisions the past year on the sides of both e.tv and Ochre Media that ranged from scheduling and frequency changes to character changes and set and scenery updates in various attempts to try and revive Scandal! flagging fortunes, e.tv cancelled Scandal! after 26 years.

Scandal's ratings started to erode on e.tv to where it now hovers around 3 million viewers.

The Ochre Media weekday soap started in January 2005, with the final episode that will now air on 26 June 2026.

Scandal! films at Sasani Studios in Highlands North, with Stan Joseph as executive producer, Ilse van Hemert as consulting producer, Sanele Zulu as series producer and director Sphamandla Ngcobo. Around 90 people work on the show.

About cancelling Scandal!, Vuyelwa Booi, e.tv's head of local programming, on Thursday said cancelling a show like Scandal! that used to prop up e.tv's primetime schedule for many years"is never an easy decision to make".

"There are many conversations that take place over a long period of time before one gets to a very difficult decision like this."

Vuyelwa Booi acknowledged that many people are being put out of jobs with Scandal!'s axing and that "these are people with lives, with families" which are "not lost to us", but noted that "at the end of the day this is also a business".

Vuyelwa Booi said that for Scandal! "the writing started to be on the wall" - meaning that it was a local TV production with diminishing returns - and "that as a business this is where you are right now, what are the next steps that you are going to take to ensure that as a business you continue to do what you need to do, successfully".

"It was not an easy decision to make. It was a painful decision to have to make," she said.

"At the end of the day, the bottom line becomes what is the best business decision to make. It's very painful."

Grace Mahlaba, head writer and creative producer of Scandal!, said that what Ochre Media is planning for the end of Scandal! in June 2026 "is phenomenal" and that the story could "fill five movies".

Netflix SA says streamer remains committed to 'create a diverse range of stories across genres' from South Africa, commissioned Soweto Love Story rom-com film and Heart of the Hunter for 2024.

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix South Africa today again said that the global streaming service remains committed to "create a diverse range of stories across genres" from South Africa for subscribers and announced new film commissions for 2024 including a romantic comedy Soweto Love Story and a spy thriller Heart of the Hunter that will be directed by Mandla Dube.

Netflix Africa held a panel session today in Cape Town at the Fame Week 2023 and MIP Africa conference where the streamer did a preview of its upcoming programming for the remainder of 2023 and 2024.

Most titles were already announced previously but Netflix SA reiterated its "commitment to variety and authenticity" with a South African slate of local films and series.

Although it was a South African panel and public engagement about South African content, Netflix notably gave the information and press release to American publications including Deadline, The Hollywood Reporter and Variety who all published before 16:00, before its PR company Eclipse Communications sent out an email blast with the press release at 16:00 on Monday afternoon to South African media.

The already-known new and returning series from Netflix SA showcased at the event were Miseducation, the new series from Burnt Onion Productions making its debut on 15 September following Mbali Hadebe (Buntu Petse) as a university student.

There's also YOH' Christmas as a new holiday series which will be released in late 2023, produced by Johnny Barbuzano, Tiffany Barbuzano and Morishe Matlejoane for BBZEE Productions.

The teen drama series Blood and Water set in Cape Town from Gambit Films will launch its fourth season in the first quarter of 2024, and the second season of Savage Beauty produced by Quizzical Pictures will be on Netflix in 2024.

Meanwhile production will start soon on the third season of the reality series Young, Famous & African.

Feature film wise the next film in the Kandasamy film series, Kandasamys: The Baby will premiere on Netflix on 20 October from writer and director Jayan Moodley.

Director Mandla Dube is behind the camera for the spy thriller Heart of the Hunter which is based on the novel by Deon Meyer. Heart of the Hunter is the first film that forms part of a 3-film deal between Netflix and Mandla Dube. The film will launch on Netflix in the first quarter of 2024. 

Soweto Love Story is a romantic comedy feature set in the heart of Johannesburg's famous township which will also be released on Netflix in the first quarter of 2024.

In terms of local partnerships with filmmakers and production companies Netflix said that it's working with Akin Omotoso and Ochre Media for a multiple-title books adaptation partnership, as well as with director Donovan Marsh on a 3-film partnership.

Netflix continues to work with Gambit Films on a multi-title partnership across various genres and formats which include series and films.

With Jayan Moodley Netflix has signed a new 3-film partnership as well which starts with Kandasamys: The Baby which is currently in production.

Stained Glass Productions with Gugu Zuma-Ncube and Pepsi Pokane also has a multi-title book adaptation partnership with Netflix Africa across a variety of genres. 

Meanwhile producers Mandla Ngcongwane and Mpumelelo Nhlapo and their Black Brain Pictures production company also have a Netflix partnership for films and series.

In a supplied quote, Ben Amadasun, Netflix’s vice president of content for the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region, says "We are incredibly excited to continue with our investment in South African storytelling and to expand our relationships with these amazing storytellers".

"These long-term partnerships with local filmmakers have enabled us to uncover unique perspectives and diverse stories from South Africa to entertain our more than 238 million members around the world. This is why we’re committed to investing in South Africa’s creative industry and showcasing the incredible talent the country has to offer."

SABC1 adds local legal eagle drama with Pallance Dladla solving a murder mystery.

by Thinus Ferreira

SABC1 has commissioned a new locally produced legal eagle drama series Good Men from Ochre Media which will debut on the channel on 4 September in the competitive Sunday-night 20:00-timeslot.

Good Men - with Stan Joseph as executive producer and Portia Gumede as writer who is also showrunner - has 16 episodes broken into two seasons of eight episodes each, and starts when two men from different background come into direct opposition with each other in the court.

Zola (Tabile Tau), a 17-year old math genius with a temper and in his matric year, is accused of murder.

Pallance Dladla plays Jama, the brilliant but ruthless and materialistic criminal defence lawyer whose life takes a drastic turn when he must take on a pro-bono case. 

SABC1 says Good Men will show a "cross-section of real-life, from elite to underclass" with "both men who meet at a threatening point in their lives, each desperately wanting to save themselves".

Gugu Mbuyaze (Kamogelo Ndawo), a 17-year old girl, is connected to Zola and has "a potentially bright future and a big heart" whose whirlwind romance with Zola is cut short by his death.

Mbali Mlotshwa has the role of Betty, fiancé to Jama. She is a prosecutor and wants to see justice done, while Thabo Malema plays the role of Lwazi Nzimande, a civil litigator. He met his wife Ivy (Petronella Tshuma) at a law school, and she is the whisper in his ear telling him to fight to get his name on the door of the Meyiwa and Associates law firm. 

Dumisani Mbebe plays the role of Solezwe Blose who dreams of becoming president. The rest of the Good Men cast includes Marcus Mabusela, Zikhona Sodlaka, Sparky Xulu, Cedric Fourie, Lebogang Motaung, Lihle Ngubo and Mbali Mapumulo.

"Good Men touches on a socio-matter, as society turns a blind eye and reacts with passionate disgust when the tragedy strikes," Portia Gumede tells TVwithThinus. "In the heart of it, it's a human drama with the justice system having to play its part at the end of the day."

Coronavirus: Sasani Studios shudders as SABC2's 7de Laan and both of e.tv's soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! all abruptly shut down because Covid-19 positive cases under cast and crew.

by Thinus Ferreira

The Afrikaans weekday soap 7de Laan on SABC2, as well as both of e.tv's weekday soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! have abruptly shut down and ceased filming after all three independently produced primetime series had positive Covid-19 cases under cast and crew.

All three independently produced series are filmed at Sasani Studios in Highlands North, Johannesburg.

7de Laan on SABC2 produced by Danie Odendaal Productions, as well as Rhythm City produced by Quizzical Pictures and Scandal! produced by Ochre Media will continue to broadcast new episodes although the shows behind-the-scenes have all immediately halted production until further notice.

The three shows are the latest local South African TV production impacted by a new shutdown, following M-Net's The River produced by Tshedza Pictures on 1Magic on 1Magic (DStv 103), Skeem Saam on SABC1, and Word of Mouth's Venda series Muvhango on SABC2 that all shut down because of positive Covid-19 coronavirus cases.

SABC2's Lithapo series briefly also shuttered before production resumed on Monday after a possible case turned out negative but with the person still remaining in self-isolation.

The shuttering of a growing number of TV series comes after the entire South Africa film and TV industry abruptly closed in late-March for the national lockdown period which has seen the already-struggling industry shed thousands of jobs in the two months that cameras were turned off and studio doors closed.

Despite studio and on-set testing, more and more shows are forced to once again shut down as cast and crew members are getting infected.

"It is with a heavy heart that we confirm that one of our colleagues has tested positive for Covid-19," Danie Odendaal Productions told TVwithThinus Thursday afternoon in response to a media enquiry.

"For this reason and for the health and safety of everyone involved in the show, we have immediately halted production until further notice."

7de Laan says the crew member is currently in isolation. "All cast and crew members have been asked to self-quarantine while undergoing testing and following all the necessary health procedures in accordance with government legislation. During this time our offices and studios will be disinfected."

The production company says that "A challenging moment like this calls for us to continue urging all South Africans to be vigilant, to stay home, and practice all the personal hygiene and cough etiquette measures."

e.tv told TVwithThinus on Thursday afternoon that it can confirm that "positive cases of Covid-19 have been recorded on two of its weekday soapies Rhythm City and Scandal!" and that "both sets of the local production premises have been shut down and are undertaking the necessary testing for exposed cast and crew members".

"The sets have undergone deep cleaning to further minimize the risk of contamination, in accordance with COVID-19 protocols. Affected individuals are currently undergoing self-isolation until the end of the stipulated 14-day period."

e.tv says it won't release the name of the talent who've tested Covid-19 positive and that "filming will resume when it is appropriate to do so".

LOOKING FOR LEBO. BET Africa doing an open casting call looking for actress to play iconic 'Madonna of the Townships' singer in the 6-episode The Lebo Mathosa Story produced by Ochre Media.

Viacom Africa has commissioned a local TV series of 6 episodes, produced by Ochre Media, set for broadcast in September 2019, to tell the biographical story of the late kwaito singer Lebo Mathosa, nicknamed "Madonna of the Townships" whose meteoric rise to fame was cut short when she died aged 29 in a car crash in October 2006 when her vehicle hit a tree.

The bisexual bottle-blonde artist who tried acting in-between a personal life and career filled with alcohol, drugs, partying and scandalous tabloid gossip, made appearances in South African TV soaps in guest roles ranging from Muvhango and Generations to Backstage.

Now Viacom Africa's BET Africa (DStv 129) is doing an open casting call, looking for an actress to portray the life of the former "wild child" Lebo Mathosa in a biographical series that will tell the story of how "a young, shy and ambitious girl transformed herself into a powerhouse in the music industry at the height of the country's social transition".

Auditions for The Lebo Mathosa Story will take place only in Johannesburg, on Sunday 31 March at Sky Rink Studios at 132 Main Street, Marshalltown from 08:00.

The series is looking for a young "Lebo Mathosa" wannabe aged between 10 and 14 years, as well as someone between 20 and 30 to portray the older Lebo Mathosa leading up to the point of her untimely death.

The Lebo Mathosa Story is a collaboration between BET Africa and the Lebo Mathosa Foundation.

"Bringing Lebo Mathosa's biopic to the streets and screens of South Africa is an example of BET's commitment to celebrating black excellence and culture," says Monde Twala, vice president for Youth, Music and BET at Viacom International Media Networks Africa (VIMN Africa).

"Lebo was a pivotal voice of her generation and her legacy continues to inspire. It's about time we share her untold story with audiences across the continent."

The Lebo Mathosa Story will take viewers on a journey to the 1990s at the beginning of the South African kwaito revolution from the start of her fame as a member of the kwaito group, Boom Shaka, before pursuing a solo career.

BREAKING. MultiChoice adding a 3rd pop-up channel for December, The Good Life Network from Ochre Media, focusing on health and fitness.

Besides kykNET Films and kids channel HOOLEE, MultiChoice will run a third pop-up channel from December called The Good Life Network, a health channel produced by Ochre Media and the department of health.

The Good Life Network will run on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform from 1 December until 31 March 2016. The channel will be a precursor to a permanent South African fitness and health channel from another media house that will be added in 2016 to DStv, according to insiders.

The Good Life Network will bring viewers programming related to nutrition, health and fitness, human rights, youth sexuality, diseases like HIV and TB, as well as gender and consumer rights.

The channel is "a call to action for all South Africans to make small changes in their lives to live a healthier live," says Lebo Ramafoko, the CEO of the Soul City brand, which is running the pop-up channel over the holiday period in conjunction with Ochre Media.

The Good Life Network programming will include shows like Health Busters (breaking down myths), Food Police (helping you design healthier meals), SuperDoc (critical women's health issues), Village Shrink (mental health), Cook for Life (African meals), Get Up Stand Up (celebrating

those making a difference), Fit Life (inspired fitness outside the gym), Health Bulletins (citizen

journalism), Straight Up (youth sexuality) and Icheke (check your health).

"In keeping with the successful edutainment model, The Good Life Network will service a

consumer appetite for entertaining health related content and services," says Krisen Pather, the head of edutainment programming for Ochre Media.

The Good Life Network will be available on DStv Premium, DStv Extra, DStv Compact, DStv Family and DStv Access on channel 199.

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Editor: While MultiChoice calls it The Good Life Network, Ochre Media's the logo clearly has the channel's name as The GoodLife Network. There is no indication of which is right, the channel and platform operator didn't bother to check this detail.