New Shows On SABC 1

Here is information on 2 new shows coming up on SABC 1.

Intsika (replacing Intersexions)

A 26-part drama series produced by Ochre Moving Pictures, due to air on Tuesday 12 April 2011 at 20:30:

Set in the small fictional village of Zithuthe in the Eastern Cape, a community once tight-knit, but where now the people – traditional by nature and deeply immersed in Xhosa culture – struggle to adapt to the challenges brought by a modern, westernised world. This is the village we met in the much talked-about mini-series, Umthunzi We Ntaba, only it’s nine years later. There are still huts, chickens in the streets and donkey carts, but the village has grown. There are now more brick houses than huts, more television aerials, more cars, more people. Many of the people have turned away from planting crops because they had factory jobs, which no longer exist. Some people have found ways to organically adapt to a mix of the traditional and modern life, but for many, traditional beliefs clash with modernity in an uneasy mix that often leaves them disempowered. There is still a great deal of respect for traditional leaders and those in positions of authority, and loyalties are often confusingly divided between local councils and royalty or chiefs.

The intention of this series is to offer compelling viewing that is extremely relevant, not only by exploring issues that deeply affect South African society today, but by using telenovella methodology to actually change the mindsets of people and through this, influence a change in behaviours. Its primary intention is to explore the theme of manhood, and what it means to truly be a man in modern South Africa, the values of manhood take us into the realms of leadership, honour and community. One has to honour oneself and one’s own aspirations – but never at the expense of others, and there are times when a situation calls for a leader to sacrifice his own personal desires for a greater good.

The fight against corruption is at the core of this drama series and the face of this corruption is worn by the mayor, Malusi. He is the one who affects all of our transitional characters through his corrupt practices, from getting Xolani fired when he speaks out against poor safety issues on site, to trying to use Ndoda to give the all clear on his activities to the chief, and affecting the young Lizeka’s life choices by trying to seduce her into a transactional sex relationship. Through making positive choices along their nominated values, the characters finally overcome the forces of corruption. Ndoda and Xolani are reminded of the true value of being a man, someone who is able to be selfless and responsible for the well-being of others, while still being true to himself, and Lizeka overcomes the challenges placed in her way by negative male behaviour that may be seen as ‘masculine or macho’ but is not consistent with the true values of manhood.

In essence… can one man make a difference against the power base of a greedy mayor? Ndoda will have to sacrifice much, and forge a reluctant alliance with his old rival Xolani, in order to win the greater battle, as he discovers what it truly takes to be a man.

Lead Cast: Tazz Nginda (Ndoda); Khayakazi Kula (Lizeka); Zizi Peteni (Xolani); Mac Mathunjwa (Tshibaphi); Fezile Mpela (Malusi).

Gauteng Maboneng – (Sitcom)

Wednesdays from 20 April 2011, at 19:00.

Gauteng Maboneng is all about Lebo, a fun-loving and free-spirited boy trapped in a man’s body as he moves out of his comfort zone of working on cars and trying to make it as a rapper, and throws him into the upper class world of mansions, butlers and irritating nieces who require a lot more responsibility than he’s used to.

When Lebo gets the call that he’s inherited a large fortune, he dumps his job as a mechanic at a custom car body shop in Bop, packs everything he owns into a couple shopping packets and hot foots it to Jo’burg and the fortune waiting for him on “easy street”. The only little problem is one of the requirements of the last will and testament his uncle left for him is that he is now the new legal guardian of his niece, Sisi, a highly opinionated and difficult teenager who prefers horse back riding to hip-hop. In order to get any of the money left to him, Lebo has got to stay in the mansion and look after Sisi – something he has no idea how to do…

Waiting in the wings for him to mess up is Lebo’s uncle’s gold digging widow Pearl, who’s next in line for the massive fortune and is anything but pleased with Lebo’s presence in what she refers to as “her house”. Determined to get rid of Lebo, Pearl hires Thami, an after school tutor for Sisi, to keep a close eye on Lebo and report any bad behavior she will be able to use against Lebo to contest the will’s stipulations that Lebo needs to be a responsible guardian.

Unfortunately for Pearl, the gorgeous Thami doesn’t take long to capture Lebo’s attentions, and as hard as this highly intelligent and well-groomed woman of class tries to take her job very seriously, she has difficulty keeping things strictly professional between Lebo and herself.

Lebo brings with him his grandmother who raised him. This spunky old Gogo is a little bit senile and immediately gets to “rural-izing” the new house, much to Pearl’s dismay, who she constantly accuses of stealing her potjie pots she uses to cook instead of the state of the art cookware the mansion comes equipped with. Solomon, one of Lebo’s oldest and broke-est friends, also hitches a ride on the Lebo gravy train to the big city, and while he’s waiting for one of his many crazy scheme’s to pull through and make him a millionaire, he works as the gardener/butler/house servant at the newly dubbed “Lebo Manor”.

The last character to complete our ensemble is Medupe, the next door neighbor and Sisi’s very nerdy class mate. Medupe has a good heart, and all he really wants is to go out with Sisi, but his chronic asthma and allergies hold him back from being the knight in shining amour he tries to be and keeps Sisi looking down her nose at him.

Pearl and Gogo share a love hate relationship – they both love to hate each other. While Lebo is forced into the uncomfortable position of “man of the house” he can always rely on Solomon for a piece of truly bizarre wisdom, and Sisi to make his life harder with her high school antics and teenage problems.

This is a fish out of water and into the frying pan story where Lebo has to learn that it’s never too late to start growing up and Sisi has to learn it’s never to late to stop. The laughs keep rolling as Lebo brings his unique carefree flavor into a dull and otherwise boring house to make it a home, pulling this group of misfits into a family in Gauteng Maboneng!

Information provided by SABC Publicity.

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