'Muvhango' bows out: SABC2 rolls out the red carpet for 'Pimville Queens'

Long-running South African soap "Muvhango" has faced several challenges in recent years, including a decline in viewership and a potential cancellation. 

In hopes of gaining back its appeal, the SABC took a bold step last year to revamp the show for season 27.

This overhaul saw the introduction of new cast members such as the legendary actress Leleti Khumalo and Thandy Matlaila, a contemporary aesthetic and a revamped opening title sequence, aiming to attract a younger, more fashion-conscious audience. 

However, it seems like their brave attempt to save the show has failed, and long-time fans will be bidding farewell in soon.

According to SABC 2, it has officially made the decision to cancel "Muvhango," with the final episode airing on Friday, August 8 at 9pm.

“For almost 30 years, 'Muvhango' has been a pillar of SABC 2's programming and a beloved part of South African television history," said Lala Tuku, acting group executive for Video Entertainment.

Tuku added: "More than just a drama, 'Muvhango' has been the champion of language, culture, identity and national pride; inspiring, entertaining, educating and uniting audiences across South Africa. As the television landscape continues to evolve, SABC 2 looks forward to ushering in a new era of storytelling, one that builds on this incredible legacy by continuing to reflect the rich tapestry of South African life.”

Muvhango captivated audiences with its rich storytelling, rooted in Tshivenda culture and explores the tension between tradition and modernity.

Duma Ndlovu, the show's creator and executive producer shared that "Muvhango" gave an opportunity to an ignored language.

"It has become one of the most celebrated languages in South Africa now. It has been a privilege and an honour to create moments on television where the marginalised languages were at the centre of them all."

Meanwhile in a separate interview, SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli expressed that the channel's declining viewership is due to a lack of new content. 

"Because we don't have fresh, new content, we have to repeat existing content. We have that lack of fresh, local properties that are a key driver of South African audiences."

To fill the void left by "Muvhango", Chabeli said a new telenovela titled "Pimville Queens" is set to premiere in August. The new show is produced by Bakwena Productions.

"Come August, we are launching a new telenovela called 'Pimville Queens' on SABC2, and based on that, we will be really driving that audience share back to SABC 2.

"We're working hard to ensure that the script is relevant for the audiences and that the storyline is going to be effectively doing what we need it to do.

"We are certain that, based on the storyline and where we are in the scriptwriting room, this should also be successful from a launch perspective."

For years, "Muvhango" has been a staple of South African households, capturing the hearts and minds of millions.

It still remains the most watched show on SABC 2 with around 900k viewers, however, it is still a far cry from its heyday when it commanded an audience of over four million per episode circa 2003.