Warren Masemola as Giraffe the winner of season 2 of The Masked Singer SA on SABC3.

by Thinus Ferreira

Giraffe won the second season of The Masked Singer South Africa on SABC3 on Saturday night when the Sama and Safta winning actor Warren Masemola took off the costume to reveal that it was home behind the long-necked mask.

Throughout the second season of The Masked Singer SA, produced by Rose and Oaks for Primedia Studios, Giraffe was the favourite frontrunner.

With as much on-stage charisma and acrobatics as the limited lanky costume allowed, Giraffe belted out singalong tune after tune to the delight of both the in-studio audience and viewers watching from home.

In the second season finalé, Giraffe, Blue Crane, Owl and Gold all got a last chance in two sing-offs to perform for the detectives - J’Something, Sithelo Shozi, Somizi Mhlongo and Skhumba.

Up first in Saturday's episode were Blue Crane and Gold, with Gold who was unmasked as the gospel singer and medical practitioner Sbu Noah.

That was followed by a sing-off between Giraffe and Owl, with Owl who lost and was unmasked as actor Aubrey Poo.

In the final round between Giraffe and Blue Crane, Blue Cane had to remove her mask to reveal that it was the beautiful former Miss South Africa and author Shudufhadzo Musida.

Warren Masemola won the season 2 golden trophy with The Masked Singer SA that will see at least a third season as well since it was renewed for a second and third season in 2023. 

SABC rips Zaziwa from its SABC1 Sunday night timeslot of 20:30 replacing it with Shaka Zulu reruns as it gets ready to launch pantsula drana Tjovitjo.

The SABC has abruptly pulled the ratings-battered magazine music show Zaziwa from its Sunday night timeslot of 20:30 on SABC1 to replace it with another old rebroadcast of Shaka Zulu, as the public broadcaster gets ready to media launch its new Sunday night pantsula dancers drama, Tjovitjo on Thursday in Johannesburg.

The once hugely successful Zaziwa was a SABC and SABC1 top-performer in the ratings on Thursday evenings until the SABC finally went through with moving it to Sunday nights in February this year after deciding to do it in October 2016 but scuppering the schedule change at the last minute.

Zaziwa's ratings plunged and now the SABC wants it gone from the 20:30 Sunday night timeslot following the new 20:00 drama Tjovitjo, going as far as rather scheduling the old Shaka Zulu drama for yet another repeat in prime time.

The SABC apparently plans to move Zaziwa back to a weeknight timeslot in a few months' time after the ratings-hemorrhage of more than a million viewers who abandoned the show.

On Thursday SABC1 will have a media launch in Johannesburg for Tjovitjo, produced by Puo Pha Productions' Lodi Matsetela and Vincent Moloi.

The gritty Tjovitjo filmed at Crown Mines outside Johannesburg, follows a struggling group of pantsula dancers and is the SABC's counter-programming answer for Mzansi Magic's (DStv 161) successful iNumber Number drama that recently started in the 20:00 timeslot and that Tjovitjo will try and lure viewers from.

The 26-episode Tjovitjo stars Warren Masemola as Mafred, the leader of the struggling dance group in the Tjovitjo community with as cast that includes Rapulana Seiphemo, Tebogo Chauke and Harriet Manamela.

Strangely Zaziwa will no longer be the lead-out to Tjovitjo that could have helped it gain viewers, but has been removed to make space for the 10-episode reshowing of 1986's Shaka Zulu with Henry Cele in the title role.

New e.tv local drama series, Heist, inspired by the real-life Justin Bieber concert cash heist in 2013 as e.tv says it wants to bring 'more action, edge' to the channel.

e.tv's new series, Heist, set to start on Tuesday 9 February at 21:30 is a ripped-from-the-headlines drama taking its inspiration from the May 2013 Justin Bieber concert cash heist when robbers staged a daring smash and grab and stole millions after a carefully planned break-in at the FNB Stadium.

Heist, produced by Matatiele production company Branded Soul with director Rolie Nikiwe, is filmed in the Alexandra township and the new series is inspired by the shocking and daring cash heist that took place near Soweto in 2013.

Heist, described by e.tv as an action thriller and starring actors Jerry Mofokeng, Jody Abrahams, Wright Ngubeni, Meshack Mavuso, Kenneth Nkosi, Warren Masemola and Mbali Ka Ngwenya, will portray the social and economic challenges faced by South Africans and will replace Z'bondiwe in the 21:30 timeslot from 9 February.

Although dealing with poverty and South Africa's societal challenges, e.tv says Heist won't be glamourising violence or crime.

What eventually happens is that the various characters who decide to pull off a heist immediately after a concert at a stadium, eventually turn on each other as the pursuit of money change them, proving that a life of crime never pays off.

Heist starts when an old man, Talent (Jerry Mofokeng) gets fired from his job as stadium grass cutter of more than 20 years, triggering anger and revenge. He then forms a gang of five men and one woman to pull of the daring heist.

"e.tv will continue to ensure that our viewers are kept entertained," says Monde Twala, managing director of e.tv's channels division about Heist.

"Local story telling is a key pillar for our prime time line-up and we are committed to deliver an innovative mix of programming able to resonate well within our broad audience base. Our viewers are in for a fascinating 2016 prime time line-up," says Monde Twala.

"In 2016 our viewers will enjoy more innovative and diverse local content. We want to bring more action, edge and thrill to the channel".