Behind-the-scenes in-fighting at The Real Housewives of Johannesburg leads to production change as RHOSA shutters but reality show will continue with new production company.

by Thinus Ferreira

In-fighting behind-the-scenes and "irreconcilable differences" has led to the shut down of the production company that has produced The Real Housewives of Johannesburg although M-Net says that the reality show will continue on 1Magic (DStv 103) under a new production banner.

While the women in the reality show remain together, the same no longer holds true for those who produced it, with executive producer Sonia Mbele, Rebone Sesing and Pebble Gqunta who have shuttered RHOSA citing "irreconcilable differences" after the production company made two seasons of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg.

There will however be a third season, and work is also underway on a spinoff for the first season housewife, Evodia Mogase, known as "Madam".

Philly Kubheka, publicity head of M-Net's local entertainment channels, told TVwithThinus that the show will continue for a third season but with a different production company.

"The partners sighted irreconcilable differences for closing the company. As channel we ensured that The Real Housewives of Johannesburg was not affected by the company shutting down hence we were able to produce a great show for the season."

"Season 3 of The Real Housewives of Johannesburg was briefed out, and different companies came to pitch. We will announce the production company once the show gets commissioned."

SABC2's long-delayed local telenovela, Keeping Score, is finally starting in mid-October with Sonia Mbele as a vengeful matriarch and her son who's a boxer.

SABC2's long-delayed local telenovela Keeping Score is finally set to start next month on the channel.

Rolling out with two episodes per week from 17 October, Keeping Score on SABC2 will unspool a story that will have themes already known to a lot of viewers that's similar to hit shows like Mzansi Magic's The Queen and boxing drama Ring of Lies.

In 2014 the SABC told TV critics that SABC2 plans to start broadcasting its own telenovela from July 2015 to give the channel a foothold in the burgeoning local telenovela sphere.

The deadline however came and went as SABC1 launched the highly successful Uzalo.while SABC3 turned High Rollers from a drama into a telenovela as well.

While e.tv unspooled telenovelas like Gold Diggers, Umlilo and Ashes to Ashes and Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) went to town with an ongoing series of telenovela hits, SABC2 remained the lone hold-out not able to cash in on telenovela buzz and ratings.

Now Keeping Score is set to start from 17 October with two weekly episodes about a wealthy matriarch seeking revenge, as her oldest son is a boxer, taking viewers like Ring of Lies to the inside world behind-the-scenes of the local sport filled with personality clashes, physical and mental challenges and a lot of intrigue.

If it sounds a bit familiar, it might be because viewers have seen some of the themes before.

Sonia Mbele from SABC1's Generations fame plays matriarch Mmamosa who has a grudge to settle against her former lover Justice (Saint Seseli) in a cast filled with Didie Makobane, Nicholas Nkuna and Solomon Sebothoma.

Jacqui Hlongwane, SABC2's programme manager, described Keeping Score to The Sowetan as "an action-packed drama full of rage, lies and love that takes viewers deep into the sullied heart of the sports industry".