TV RATINGS March 2022: Big Brother Mzansi damages DStv's Mzansi Magic as SABC3 gets a BBC-boost with The Perfect Planet.

by Thinus Ferreira

The result of a badly-produced season of Big Brother Mzansi inflicted further TV ratings damage for Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on Sunday nights during March with the show that lost an eye-popping 25% of its viewership since its debut in February - which was already lower than Idols.

Elsewhere in the TV ratings race during March 2022, the ratings deflation of SABC2 continued, SABC3 brought in a slightly improved performance helped by the BBC's The Perfect Planet on Sunday evenings, while e.tv had a wedding glow.

March 2022's TV ratings had SABC1's Uzalo (7 million) and Generations (5.69 million), as well as e.tv's Scandal (4.89 million) and House of Zwide (4.36 million) retain their top four positions as South Africa's most-watched TV shows during the month.

On SABC1 Skeem Saam (up from 3.82 to 4.04 million) had slightly more viewers in March, with both the Xhosa TV news (2.64 million) and the Zulu TV news (2.59 million) remaining very strong as the two most-watched TV news bulletins in the country. 

The Siswati/Ndebele TV news also picked up viewers from 1.45 in February to 1.56 million.

The latest season of Nyan' Nyan' surged from 1.72 to 2.2 million viewers on SABC1, while Selimathunzi climbed from 1.62 million to 1.87 million viewers in March. 

The reality show, 13 Weeks to Find Mr Right is on a roll and will quite likely see another season: it picked up viewers from 1.55 in February to 1.78 million viewers in March.

SABC2 deflation

SABC2's ratings deflation problem continues. 

While Muvhango on SABC2 remained ever so slightly up at 3 309 806 viewers at most during March from February's 3 300 031 as the channel's most-watched show, the ratings of the rest of SABC2's schedule continue to weaken month by month.

In March, the pieces of programming on SABC2 that managed to lure more than 1 million viewers fell from five to just three. Besides Muvhango, only the Setswana/Sepedi TV news at 1 300 906 and Giyani at 1 026 424 lured more than a million eyeballs. 

In February the 20th most-watched show on SABC2 (the film Despicable Me) still had 440 663 viewers. In March it was further down to 379 094 viewers (for a Generations repeat). Quite worrying is that the bulk of SABC2's ratings is starting to look like SABC3 a few years ago.

On the good side is the morning show Morning Live holding steady and over-performing at 528 564 viewers on SABC2 on weekday mornings. Hlala Kwabafileyo was up from 822 831 to 873 471 viewers. The Afrikaans soap 7de Laan was slightly up in March from 824 566 to 897 861 viewers.

A Perfect Planet helps S3

SABC3's ratings performance looked slightly better with both its top and bottom end of 20 highest-rated shows on the channel showing an improvement.

The film The Hate U Give lured the most viewers during March to S3 with 576 562 viewers, compared to February's top of a repeat episode of The Estate at 490 709.

While The Insider SA was February's 20th most-watched show on the channel at 229 714 viewers, SABC3 improved that ratings position with March's 20th place holder on SABC3 which was an episode of the BBC's The Perfect Planet attracting 317 634 viewers.

The Perfect Planet in fact came to SABC3 rescue during the month with four episodes from the series on Sunday nights that helped to boost the channel's ratings and all making its list of most-watched shows for the month: "Oceans" with 475 695 viewers, "Weather" with 407 721, "Volcano" with 336 823, and "The Sun" on 13 March with 317 634 viewers. 

Variety-reality show The Masked Singer is doing okay-ish with 468 033 viewers given the channel's challenges. An original episode of the second season of local telenovela The Estate lured 352 741 viewers at most  - up from February's highest of 296 682.

Interesting to note: More viewers watch The Estate episodes as an omnibus on Saturdays than during the tough 19:00 weekday timeslot. In March The Estate omnibus pulled 464 564 viewers on Saturday.

e.tv mixing and wedding matching

Free-to-air commercial channel e.tv continues to have the best mix in local and international both rating well with March that was no exception. 

Besides Scandal! and House of Zwide atop its ratings leaderboard, Imbewu turned in a slightly down but still fine third place with 3.44 million (down from February's 3.88 million), with Durban Gen surging from 2.16 to 2.51 million viewers during March.

Droves of viewers again watched Leon Schuster's Mr Bones (3.26 million) as the 4th most-watched content of the month on e.tv, with the channel's etv News bulletin at 20:00 at 1.96 million viewers that remains a strong ratings draw.

Pay-TV content chosen wisely, scheduled correctly and getting a public television window can still draw sizeable audiences with M-Net's Our Perfect Wedding that was on Mzansi Magic getting a great ratings reception on e.tv with 1.5 million viewers.

It's proof that pay-TV content windowed on free TV can work for all - leading to ancillary revenue for pay-TV operators through additional programme sales, and new ratings for free-to-air channels in turn making hay through ad income from pulling in new viewers who didn't watch the content before on pay-TV.

e.tv's new adult telenovela The Black Door got great sampling during March as well: An astounding 2.77 million viewers watched the preview filler on 28 March.

Big Brother Mzansi drags

In March, MultiChoice and Mzansi Magic continued to pay the price for the problems with a lacklustre Big Brother Mzansi that was marred with shoddy production values with more and more viewers who tuned out from the Sunday night live shows.  

Where Big Brother Mzansi started with 529 041 viewers in January (already lower than Idols SA), its drop in February to 487 770 continued in March to 396 192 viewers at most. That's a loss of 25% from the start of the revived show to March. It will be interesting to see if Big Brother Mzansi could muster a rating turn-around for its finale on 3 April.

It's striking that Mzansi Magic has now lost over 600 000 DStv subscribers on Sunday evenings compared to a year ago before the last season of Idols experienced a sudden and unprecedented ratings implosion.

Elsewhere on MultiChoice's platform during March, Gomora at 1 063 440 was the top-rated show on DStv for the month, followed by an episode of The Queen at 814 637 viewers. The River was third with 707 169, and then Diep City with 655 496 subscribers watching.

Umndeni on Moja Love (DStv 157) climbed from 482 880 to 514 116 viewers in March.

Our Perfect Wedding to return to M-Net's Mzansi Magic channel in July 2021 with Khanyisa Titus returning as the presenter.

by Thinus Ferreira

The reality wedding series Our Perfect Wedding will return to M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel from July 2021 for a new season, with Khanyisa Titus who will be back as the presenter.

"We are thrilled that when Our Perfect Wedding, which tops the trends list every Sunday it airs, returns in July, viewers will be treated to fresh and exciting content when couples invite viewers into their homes and into their wedding venues to tell their love stories," says Nomsa Philiso, the Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.

Basetsana Kumalo, Connect TV CEO, says that despite the tough conditions imposed by South Africa's Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, the digital content and TV production company that specialises in reality shows, will bring viewers another buzz-worthy season during the winter of 2021.

"We look forward to sharing new episodes as the film crews will travel the length and breadth of the country to capture extravagant weddings comprising of stylish outfits, great décor, hearty meals and beautiful love stories that are authentic and relatable to most South Africans," says Basetsana Kumalo.

Nigerian version of Our Perfect Wedding is the latest and 4th localised edition of MultiChoice Africa and M-Net's Sunday evening hit reality show format.

Nigeria is becoming the latest country to get a localised edition of Our Perfect Wedding, the 4th version of the hit reality format show from MultiChoice Africa and M-Net, with a former Big Brother Naija 2018 contestant, Vanessa Emikhe-Williams, who will be the presenter of Our Perfect Wedding Nigeria.

Our Perfect Wedding Nigeria is co-produced by Adeola Oloyede and has Suleiman Kazeem as the executive producer.

It follows the format of the original Our Perfect Wedding that started in 2011 and is ongoing in South Africa on M-Net's Mzansi Magic.

Other localised African versions have started and have been seen in countries like Kenya on M-Net's Maisha Magic East where Georgina Mbira is the presenter of Our Perfect Wedding Kenya,and Our Perfect Wedding Zambia on M-Net's Zambezi Magic.

Zambezi Magic is currently looking for a presenter for the 5th localised edition of the show in Africa, Our Perfect Wedding Zimbabwe, that will start later in 2019.

Our Perfect Wedding in South Africa is produced by Connect TV owned by Basetsana Kumalo, where the show has been a huge success and ratings grabber.

In Our Perfect Wedding Nigeria, Vanessa Emikhe-Williams, known as Vandora, follows Nigerian couples through their love story and wedding planning process.

The Nigerian version is broadcast on the Africa Magic Showcase (DStv 151) channel (not available in South Africa) on MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform from Sunday 24 February and is interestingly also slotted for Sunday evenings at 18:00 where Our Perfect Wedding started out and has grown to be a huge viewership hit.

The show reveals the thrills and frills of the planning process, and also brings forth all the spectacle and drama that comes with getting the perfect dress, the perfect venue, and perfect cake; together with dramatic in-laws, fighting family members and the traditional and white wedding ceremonies and festivities afterwards.

"The show has been successful in other African markets like South Africa and Kenya and we're elated to bring it to Nigeria," says Martin Mabutho, MultiChoice Nigeria chief customer officer in a statement.

"Viewers will experience the magic and celebration of love. Of all the awesome wedding shows we've had on DStv, this without a doubt holds a lot of drama, fun and excitement for the viewers. We're delighted to bring this truly interesting show to Nigeria, I think that viewers will enjoy every minute of Our Perfect Wedding".

Vanessa Emikhe-Williams says "this is an exciting opportunity for me, and viewers can expect to be completely entertained by this show and they should expect nothing less than the best from the leading home of entertainment in Africa".

Thembisa Mdoda out as presenter of Our Perfect Wedding; Mzansi Magic to hold a presenter search competition to find a replacement.

Thembisa Mdoda is out as presenter of Our Perfect Wedding on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) and will be replaced through a presenter search competition.

There's been no announcement from M-Net's Mzansi Magic on Thembisa Mdoda's exit yet but her contract with the top-rated show has not been renewed.

Thembisa Mdoda joined Our Perfect Wedding in late 2015 from the 6th season of the show.

With her catchphrase of "Sifike! Sabona! Satshatisa!", Our Perfect Wedding is not just the most watched programme on Mzansi Magic but the most watched show on all of MultiChoice's DStv pay-TV offering, attracting around 1.84 million viewers per episode.

Thembisa Mdoda, a mother of twin boys, left Our Perfect Wedding for a few weeks earlier in 2017 for undisclosed reasons and were replaced by Nomsa Buthelezi. She returned in July.

UPDATE Wednesday 23 August 2017 17:19 - There's now a statement from Mzansi Magic.

"After 7 successful seasons of the popular reality show, Our Perfect Wedding is switching gears with a presenter search open to the public," says Mzansi Magic in a statement issued late on Wednesday afternoon.

"With three seasons under her belt ushering couples to the altar, Thembisa Mdoda is bidding farewell to the show."

"Thembisa Mdoda’s contract has come to an end. We thank her for her commitment and contribution to the success of OPW," says Nondumiso Mabece, head of publicity at M-Net local entertainment channels.

"We are looking forward to the exciting journey the show will be taking, opening up the platform for a hidden gem, a new face with untapped talent. This is an opportunity not to be missed."

Nomsa Buthelezi is employed as the temporary Our Perfect Wedding presenter.

"The new presenter will need to have a warm personality to match and the ability to connect with the viewers," says Nondumiso Mabece.

Here is what's needed for the Our Perfect Wedding presenter search auditions:

Contestants must be 25 years old and upwards, should be South African citizens with a valid South African ID. 

The potential presenter will be auditioned by the producers and shortlisted for a second round of auditions. A panel of judges will select the contestants that will battle it out for the public vote in the final phase. 

Here is the audition dates and venues:

East London

Premier Hotel Regent

2 September 2017

Durban

Protea Hotel – Marriott Edward

9 September 2017

Johannesburg

The Pyramid

16 September 2017

Doors open at 08:00 – 18:00.

More information visit www.mzansimagici.tv /opw Or call 010 594 5127

Uzalo, Igazi top the TV ratings; Sarafina the most watched programme on e.tv in June in Youth Day as Mzansi Magic shows draw more viewers than SABC3's Isidingo.

Uzalo on SABC1 remains the undisputed most-watched show on South African television with both a higher AR and a bigger share than Generations, while pay-TV shows Igazi and Our Perfect Wedding on Mzansi Magic both grab more viewers than the free-to-air soap Isidingo on SABC3.

During June the Durban-produced Uzalo continued to prove its mettle, grabbing a 24.6 audience rating (AR) with 8.27 million viewers and a 66.3 share for its most watched episode, higher than Mfundi Vundla's Generations with a 23.8 AR and 8.01 million viewers (66.2 share).

Surprisingly, the most watched programme on e.tv during the entire month of June was the 1992-film Sarafina! that was shown for free at cinemas countrywide on Youth Day and on e.tv on the same day.

The Darrell Roodt directed film with Leleti Khumalo and Whoopi Goldberg that incidentally shows scenes of public protest violence and property destruction – visuals banned on the SABC as part of boss Hlaudi Motsoeneng’s news censorship decree – drew 5.6 million viewers (16.7 AR) to e.tv on Youth Day.

After Sarafina!, weekday soaps Scandal!, Rhythm City and Ashes to Ashes continue to deliver, ranking respectively 2nd, 3rd and 4th as most watched e.tv shows with 4.9 million, 3.6 million and 3.25 million viewers in June.

The new Disney deal with e.tv immediately payed off: Marvel movies dominated the most-watched list of e.tv's 20 highest rated programmes in June with Thor: The Dark World (2.51 million), Thor (2.46 million), Avengers Assemble (2.41 million) and Captain America: The First Avenger (2.16 million) that outdrew popular programming like WWE Smackdown.

On SABC2 Muvhango remains the most watched show (5.8 million), while more viewers are watching a repeat of Skwizas (3.1 million) than the first-run broadcast (1.89 million) – the same happens with It’s Gospel Time, where viewers watch the repeat (1.6 million) more than the original airing (1.1 million).

SABC3 rating set to fall?

On SABC3 The Bold and the Beautiful remained the most watched show (1.49 million), followed by Isidingo (1.19 million) and Days of Our Lives (1.09 million) that Hlaudi Motsoeneng ordered off the SABC airwaves along with other international content although it's performing very well for the channel.

Out of the top 20 most watched programming on SABC3 during June, 12 were international shows and films.

It's unlikely that new and already widely panned local programming – like Divas of Jozi that replaced Survivor – will draw more viewers than the American shows its replacing. It means that the overall viewership and audience share of SABC3 will very likely fall from July, something that will affect advertising tariffs on the rate card.

Mzansi Magic soaps performing well

On M-Net (DStv 101) Carte Blanche remains the perenially most watched programme but its sister pay-TV channel Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) that surprises.

Local soap Igazi (1.28 million) and Our Perfect Wedding (1.22 million) as the most watched two shows during June on Mzansi Magic that is a pay-TV channel, now has more viewers than Isidingo although the Endemol produced soap is on a free-to-air channel.

Reality show Living the Dream with Somizi is the 6th highest rated show on Mzansi, with Isibaya 3rd. Ring of Lies will likely be back for another season since it's the 8th most watched show (346 924) on the channel.

Meanwhile SABC Encore (DStv 156), the rerun library TV channel with apartheid era shows from the SABC archives that MultiChoice pays millions of rands for, continues to struggle.

SABC Encore that turned one year old in May, struggled to lure more than a measly 90 000 viewers for its most watched show, Matswakabele, with viewership dramatically falling off to a paltry 25 822 viewers for Agter Elke Man as the 20th most watched show on the archive channel.

Shamed bride ditched at the altar as Our Perfect Wedding groom on Mzansi Magic lies that he was hijacked but got arrested and jailed for fraud and forgery.

The scandalous township wedding show Our Perfect Wedding on Mzansi Magic again raised eyebrows on Sunday after a bride was ditched at the altar with the groom arrested for fraud.

The now controversial show – for which pay-TV broadcaster M-Net apologised earlier this month calling an episode “offensive and wrong” for glamourising South African rape culture – once again shocked viewers as a groom ditched his bride at the altar and got arrested for fraud and forgery.

Our Perfect Wedding is produced by Basetsana Kumalo's Connect TV production company for M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform.

In the latest episode on Sunday night the show saw a bride, Neriah Ratanang, shamed when her physiotherapist groom didn't show up at the wedding set for 5 December, claiming he was hijacked.

In fact Wanda Mhobo was arrested for fraud and forgery this past Friday evening.

Wanda Mhobo is set to appear in the Midrand magistrate's court today on charges of fraud and forgery. 

Wanda Mhobo will appear in court after allegedly forging proof of payment slips from Capitec Bank for his wedding planner, Ambrosia Hall and Catering.

A new 6^th season of Our Perfect Wedding is set to start on Mzansi Magic on Sunday 3 January at 19:00.

M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle: Our exploitation TV was wrong; says 'serious internal review' for staff is coming after Mzansi Magic's Our Perfect Wedding shocker.

M-Net CEO Yolisa Phahle is apologising for the pay-TV broadcaster's exploitation TV saying it's wrong, that M-Net's communication after the Our Perfect Wedding scandal that has engulfed its Mzansi Magic channel was wrong, and that a serious internal review is coming to train and ensure that M-Net staff knows what is not acceptable to broadcast.

Viewers were shocked and outraged after Sunday's episode of Our Perfect Wedding on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) in which a man brazenly talked about how as a 28-year old taxi driver he targeted and raped school children, preyed on young girls and has to juggle fitting them into his schedule, and met the women he is now marrying when she was just 14.

The shocking entertainment show produced by Basetsana Kumalo's Connect TV and slammed as a "disgusting shame", instantly sparked massive viewer outrage.

Besides heavy criticism on social media platforms a petition was started to boycott the show and Mzansi Magic, led to complaints to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA), and public condemnation by rape crisis experts over the way in which M-Net has been "romanticising rape culture" and glamourising rape culture as entertainment".

While the previous episode of Our Perfect Wedding with Absa as sponsor also got viewers hot under the collar, Mzansi Magic ironically broadcast the latest episode during the national 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse campaign. Absa which initially gleefully went along, immediately pulled its sponsorship.

Mzansi Magic initially failed to apologise or to answer any specific questions in a media enquiry. The channel only issued a tepid general statement that said that "our reality shows reflect our society as it is" and that Mzansi Magic supplied to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform is "committed to telling stories that impact our viewers and build communities".

On Tuesday M-Net finally said in a statement that the content "was offensive and wrong".

Meanwhile Basetsana Kumalo has strangely remained silent except for saying "I am engaging intensively with my team in regards to it"on social media through her Facebook page.

Yolisa Phahle, M-Net CEO is now saying "I'm incredibly concerned by what has happened". She is apologising for the error, M-Net's content control failure, the pay-TV broadcaster's bad communication and promising a stringent internal review and staff training.

She said the Our Perfect Wedding episode, which M-Net has since pulled out of all its repeat slots, should never have been broadcast.

"We take the issue extremely seriously," Yolisa Phahle told the public broadcaster's SAfm.

"Mzansi Magic is completely opposed to this kind of exploitation. Quite clearly our internal controls failed us and we are very sorry about that. We are taking action to ensure that this doesn't happen again," said Yolisa Phahle.

"Basically we are reviewing every part of the process. What needs to happen is increased training of our staff, increased awareness of what actually is right and what actually is wrong."

"It's very important that we as Mzansi Magic are able to deal with these matters appropriately. This show should never have been broadcast."

"As soon as we were made aware of what happened, without hesitation have apologised."

"Perhaps our communication was not as it should have been," Yolisa Phahle admitted.

"Initially we were trying to explain that the story that was told - which obviously is wrong - and that we did apologise and we don't condone it."

"I don't think we went far enough. I don't think we were initially clear enough that it was wrong and should not happen and that we were at fault."

"Our communication was wrong but we also said we do not condone that behaviour," said Yolisa Phahle.

"The communication was not as it should have been. This show should not have been broadcast and we apologise to viewers and we will support any initiative undertaken to ensure that this kind of behaviour is eradicated within our society."

"We're apologising for a programme which was quite clearly inappropriate. And we're apologising that that subject matter was not dealth with sensitively."

"We are sorry. I completely understand the reaction and the outrage is completely justified. Mzansi Magic cooperates with the BCCSA and we will cooperate with any official organisation that wants to talk to us about this."

"We will be following a stringent internal review of what had happened and making sure that our staff understand what is lawful behaviour, what is acceptable to be broadcast and what is not. We really are completely committed to raise awareness and to make people aware that this behaviour is not acceptable.," said Yolisa Phahle.

Basetsana Kumalo's Connect TV also produces Date My Family and the trashy reality show Diski Divas for Mzansi Magic.

Just a few months ago in May, that reality production was involved in a vicious fight between Kat Mohoadube and Wendy Parker who allegedly assaulted a pregnant Nonhle Ndala while cameras were filming.

Nonhle Ndala opened a case of assault and the two stars' Diski Divas contracts were cancelled.

Mzansi Magic and Our Pefrect Wedding slammed for glamourising 'rape culture as entertainment'; Absa abruptly pulls its sponsorship as Mzansi Magic pulls the episode.

Viewer fury has engulfed M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel over the show Our Perfect Wedding that shocked viewers are slamming as a "disgusting shame" and said is "romanticising rape culture" with Absa that immediate withdrew its sponsorship of the show.

The barrage of complaints comes as the M-Net channel aired the last two episodes - this past Sunday's one taking things even further than the previous Sunday - proudly glamourising a groom who told of how he met his wife when she was just 14 and preyed on young girls.

Our Perfect Wedding showed "Fanie" telling viewers how he sexed school children as a 28-year old taxi driver and how his now wife had to compete for his attention.

Our Perfect Wedding on its official Facebook  said bride Bavelile - as if she was in a reality show - "has outwitted, outplayed and outlasted all the women vying for Fanie's affections".

Our Perfect Wedding, produced by Connect TV owned by Basetsana Kumalo of SABC3's Top Billing fame, stoked the fires of viewers' discontent while none of the tone-deaf M-Net executives, commissioning editors and on-air quality control checkers apparently saw anything wrong with broadcasting the latest episode in the middle of the national 16 Days of Activism Against Women and Child Abuse campaign.

At least once complaint has been formally laid with the Broadcasting Complaints Commission of South Africa (BCCSA) over Our Perfect Wedding and Absa abruptly pulled its sponsorship of the show on Monday that viewers slammed for condoning and glamourising statutory rape.

"We have withdrawn our sponsorship of Our Perfect Wedding with immediate effect. We have informed Mzansi Magic," says Byron Kennedy, Absa's head of media.

In a statement the Change Drivers' Network and the Sexual Reproductive Justice Coalition of South Africa slams Mzansi Magic and Connect TV, saying "considering the rate of sexual abuse in South Africa, it is disturbing to note how Our Perfect Wedding normalises this behaviour and turned it into a love story".

"It is unacceptable and as young leaders who deal with such issues every day, the ACTIVATE! Network demands that action be taken in this regard".

"Rape culture is so normalised and in a country like ours with the type of statistics around rape and gender based violence it is highly disturbing what we were shown on Mzansi Magic," says dr Tlaleng Mofokeng.

"Perverts and self confessed paedophiles get rewarded with a TV show on Mzansi Magic and nobody in the production saw anything wrong with the narrative."

"We are meant to be standing up for women and children who are abused. How is this episode in anyway assisting with this? How is this empowering to black women and children to stand up for what is right?"

"When we air shows that use content of rape and rape culture as entertainment we spit on the face of the law and people who are abused," says Tlaneng Mofokeng.

Mzansi Magic didn't bother to respond to specific questions regarding Our Perfect Wedding in a media enquiry from TVwithThinus following the barrage of viewer outrage and complaints over the shocking show.

Mzansi Magic late on Monday night suddenly said on its website that it would now "like to apologise for airing the segment that has upset our viewers", that the channel takes the concerns of viewers seriously and that the M-Net provided channel to MultiChoice's DStv satellite pay-TV platform has "taken the decision not to broadcast the episode again".

A few hours earlier on Monday afternoon Mzansi Magic's publicity division issued a tepid, general statement, saying Mzansi Magic "note and acknowledge the concerns from our viewers regarding the Our Perfect Wedding episode" and that the programme's premise is to "celebrate love and the journey that couples take".

While Mzansi Magic initially sold and marketed Our Perfect Wedding to viewers as kasi escapism and light entertainment, the M-Net channel is trying to put a documentary spin on it, saying "our reality shows reflect society as it is. In the case of this episode, the couple's past brought up uncomfortable social issues which the family and community who were initially against the relationship, found a way to resolve".

Mzansi Magic says "we are committed to telling stories that impact our viewers and build our communities whilst challenging society". Mzansi Magic says the channel doesn't "condone any unlawful behaviour".