From tell-alls to roasts, SAFTA nominees to fan specials
MOHALE: ON THE RECORD | Stream from 5am on Thursday, 4 August 2022
Mohale Motaung has just released a YouTube video of himself reading mean tweets (see above), ahead of the launch of Mohale: On the Record, his 51m tell-all interview with Aldrin Sampear, host of Unfiltered on SABC 3 and the drive time show Beyond The Headlines on SAFM.
Mohale and Somizi Mhlongo became the poster couple for gay marriage in South Africa when their SAFTA-nominated 2020 wedding special, Somizi & Mohale: The Union, was labelled the Union of the Year and set a then-record for the most first-day views on Showmax at launch. Their relationship was also a central focus on Living The Dream With Somizi Season 4, which won the 2020 SAFTA for Best Structured or Docu-Reality Show. But Somhale wasn’t the fairytale union it seemed. This became clear when the audio of an off-the-record interview with Mohale was leaked in August 2021, including allegations of how Somizi physically abused him.
“I wish I could trademark the word ‘gold-digger’,” says Mohale in the YouTube video. “So that every time someone decides to call me gold-digger, at least I make money.”
After reading some tweets that would make anyone flinch, he says, “You know one thing about South Africa: they encourage all victims to speak up but when they do, they still go back and victimise them.”
Living The Dream With Somizi Season 5 told Somizi’s version of their breakup; now Mohale: On the Record lets us hear from Mohale himself, in his own words, on his own time. “You’ve heard what everyone has to say,” says Mohale. “Now hear my side of the story on Mohale: On the Record.”
REYKA S1 | Binge now
Nominated for eight 2022 SAFTAs, including Best TV Drama, Reyka follows criminal profiler Reyka Gama as she investigates a string of brutal murders committed by a serial killer in the sugar cane fields of KwaZulu-Natal.
SAFTA winners Kim Engelbrecht (Raised by Wolves, The Flash) and Hamilton Dhlamini (Five Fingers For Marseilles) are up for Best Actor and Actress as Reyka and Hector Zwane respectively at the 2022 SAFTAs. Iain Glen from Game of Thrones also stars.
The opening night series at last year’s Monte-Carlo Television Festival, Reyka was sold by Fremantle to 80 territories, including BritBox North America, CANAL+, Channel4 in the UK, HBO LatAm, and Sky Italia. The Independent (UK) gave Reyka four stars, calling the crime series “almost too disturbing” but “beautifully filmed in stunning verdant landscapes and endless skies… a drama that sears itself into your consciousness.”
At the SAFTAs, Reyka is also up for Best Director (Catharine Cooke and Zee Ntuli), Scriptwriting (creator Rohan Dickson), Cinematography (Tom Marais), Editing (Melanie Jankes Golden and Matthew Swanepoel), and MakeUp and Hairstyling (Theola Booyens).
“Forget the chilly surrounds of snow and ice: the haunting cane fields of South Africa is our new favourite location for a dark crime drama,” says Australia’s SBS. “Lovers of dark crime fiction will find their appetites for the grim and grisly well satiated with this compelling South African noir.”
Reyka is jointly produced by Serena Cullen for Serena Cullen Productions in the UK (Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Cold Feet) and Harriet Gavshon for Emmy-nominated Quizzical Pictures (The Girl From St. Agnes) in South Africa.
NEED MORE LOCAL DRAMA? Showmax is home to all the 2022 SAFTA nominees for Best TV Drama, from Reyka to the Showmax Original DAM to kykNET’s 4 Mure and Slot.
NEED MORE LOCAL CRIME? The SAFTA-nominated documentary series Huisgenoot Ware Lewensdramas returns for an eighth season on Thursday, 4 August 2022, revisiting the true crime stories of Anton Lubowski, Brett Goldin and Richard Bloom, and the Palma attack in Mozambique, among others.
THE COMEDY CENTRAL ROAST OF KHANYI MBAU BROUGHT TO YOU BY SHOWMAX | Monday, 8 August 2022 at 21:00, with the uncensored cut exclusively on Showmax from 15 August at 21:00
The Wife S2 star Khanyi Mbau is the first African woman to get her own Comedy Central Roast. “Who else but me?” says Khanyi. “The first African female to be roasted by Comedy Central was only ever going to be me. Even your favs could NEVER. You’ve said what you said; now say it to my face.”
Mpho Popps steps up as Roastmaster, while Celeste Ntuli, Devi Sankaree Govender, John Vlismas, Nadia Nakai, Sello Maake kaNcube, SelBeyonce Mkhize, Tbo Touch, and YoungstaCPT are sharpening their claws as panellists.
“Khanyi Mbau steamed up Showmax screens this year as Zandile in The Wife S2, which broke records and topped Twitter,” says Nomsa Philiso, MultiChoice’s executive head of programming. “Things haven’t turned out well for anyone who’s messed with Zandile and the Zulu brothers’ family so far, so good luck to anyone brave enough to try roast her.”
NEED MORE LAUGHS? Launching on 4 August 2022,Life Begins is a stand-up comedy special by Comic’s Choice and SAFTA winner Riaad Moosa, star of Material and New Material, while Roast House sees Kenyan comedians take down the likes of activist Boniface Mwangi, star of Softie, and Kina star Sanapei Tande.
THE WIFE: BEHIND THE VEIL | 2 episodes every Friday, from 5-26 August 2022
The Wife broke records on Showmax, won DStv Mzansi Viewers’ Choice Awards for Abdul Khoza (Nqoba) and Kwenzo Ngcobo (Qhawe), and is now up for 10 SAFTAs, including Best Telenovela, Best Actor (Bonko Khoza as Mqhele), Best Supporting Actor (Abdul Khoza as Nqoba), and Supporting Actress (Zikhona Sodlaka as Mandisa).
While you wait for S3 in November 2022, all your faves are back to revisit all the questions that kept The Wife at the top of Twitter every Thursday for two seasons. The Wife: Behind The Veil is an eight-part special that takes fans behind the scenes on the hit telenovela to find out more about the Zulu brothers and the women who love them.
From never-seen-before-footage to back-from-the-dead appearances from the likes of Siyabonga Shibe and Ntando Mncube (the Majola brothers), from Mbalenhle Mavimbela and Bonko Khoza talking about Hlomu and Mqhele’s toxic love story to Khanyi Mbau and Mondli Makhoba talking about that sex scene, to the directors and writers weighing in on what ‘inspired by’ means and the controversial changes they made to Dudu Busani-Dube’s books, this is one special the 5am club won’t want to miss.
To vote for The Wife as the SAFTA’s Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela, dial *120*32030#. Voting closes on 25 August 2022 at 9 pm. USSD is charged at R1.50 per minute; free minutes don’t apply.
BIG BROTHER NAIJA S7 LEVEL UP | Stream now
For the second year in a row, Showmax is streaming the biggest reality show on the continent to subscribers across sub-Saharan Africa, the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.
The theme for BBNaija S7 has been revealed as Level Up, and Big Brother has already dropped several wildcards this season. One of these is the surprising reveal that there are not one, but two houses: one light in decor and design, and one dark, with a gaming theme. During the most recent Sunday live show, BBNaija host Ebuka Obi-Uchendu also introduced two “fake” housemates into the game.
Showmax has two 24/7 live feeds, one inside each Big Brother house. For those who don’t have time to be glued to their screens all day, there are packaged episodes that cover what goes on inside the house, including the Head of House challenges, daily highlights, weekly highlights, nomination and Sunday live eviction shows, as well as secret diaries.
In addition, BBNaija S7: The Buzz is making a comeback for a second season, bringing all the scoops, gist and armchair analysis from host Toke Makinwa and guests, without any holdbacks. The Buzz is exclusive to Showmax, with two episodes every week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.
BBNaija alumnus Elozonam Ogbulu is set to have exclusive conversations with evicted BBNaija Level Up housemates on the first-ever BBNaija Eviction Vodcast, an up-close and personal conversation with the evicted Housemates. The Eviction Vodcast will take a deep dive into what it was like for them to “bare it all” on the show.
NEED MORE REALITY TV? The Showmax Original Life With Kelly Khumalo S3 is currently the most popular show on Showmax, with five episodes available to binge now and new episodes every Tuesday. From 11 August 2022, you’ll also be able to binge Season 11 of the ever-popular Mzansi Magic reality show Our Perfect Wedding, hosted by Khanyisa Titus. And from 15 August 2022, join Shauwn Mkhize in the BET special African Zulu Goddess as Mam’Mkhize celebrates her lavish thanksgiving ceremony, giving thanks to God, her family, and ancestors. Showmax is also home to all of the 2022 SAFTA nominees for Best Structured Reality Show: Mzansi Magic’s Pastor Wants A Wife and uThando Nes’thembu as well as BET Africa’s The Unexpected: DJ Zinhle.
SILWERSKERM SHORT FILMS | Binge now
The best short films from the 2022 Silwerskerm Film Festival are now on Showmax.
Among the top award winners at the festival, Jordy Sank’s Leemtes en Leegheid won Best Short Film, Best Screenplay and the Audience Choice Award. The short film stars screen legend Lida Botha as a lonely widow in her 80s who creates an imaginary version of her deceased husband to help her numb her grief and pain.
My Beskermer, a post-apocalyptic short film in Afrikaaps about robots hunting the last humans in the Cape, won Best Director for DW Smith (Diana Mills Smith). Carla Smith (Tydelik Terminaal) won Best Actress for Mila Guy’s Skyn, while Marlo Minnaar (Troukoors) was named Best Actor for Jurg Slabbert’s Aan/Af.
The awards for Best Cinematography (Justin Youens) and Best Production Design went to Baber, which stars two-time SAFTA nominee Irshaad Ally (Nommer 37, Four Corners). Regardt Visser took home the award for Best Editing, for Die Horries, and Best Original Music Score went to Ryno Posthumus for Bennie Bingo (coming soon).
Also look out for Twintig Tone In ‘n Hangkas, starring Emma van Heyn from Troukoors.
NEED MORE SHORT FILMS? Available to stream from 11 August 2022, The Deal tells the story of 18-year-old Thandeka, who finds herself in a transactional relationship with a wealthy older man. Spoken word artist, SA’s Got Talent winner and Scandal! actress Botlhale Boikanyo stars alongside the likes of SAFTA Lifetime Achievement recipient Abigail Kubeka and SAFTA winners Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha (Tsotsi) and Aubrey Poo (Isibaya).
EVERYTHING ON SHOWMAX IN AUGUST 2022
To see everything on Showmax in August 2022, including Emmy nominees A Black Lady Sketch Show and The Gilded Age; triple BAFTA winner Landscapers; Mashable‘s “must-see true crime series of 2022”, Mind Over Murder; Anya Taylor-Joy in Edgar Wright’s award-winning film Last Night In Soho; the 2022 box office hit Scream; and the family favourite Sing 2, click here.
