Tony Kgoroge delivers a powerful performance as Moses in Netflix's 'Umthetho'.
Image: Supplied
Netflix has released the first teaser for its upcoming South African drama “Umthetho”, offering viewers a glimpse of the new crime series ahead of its premiere on August 14.
According to the giant streaming platform, the eight-part drama follows Mbali, played by Nqobile “Nunu” Khumalo, a skilled young public prosecutor whose world is turned upside down when she discovers that her brother, Moses, played by Tony Kgoroge, is alive and running a ruthless prison syndicate.
With their younger brother Sphelele (Given Stuurman) caught in the middle, Mbali is forced into an impossible situation where she must choose between the law she has sworn to uphold and the family she refuses to abandon.
Beyond its gripping storyline, “Umthetho” brings together some of South Africa’s most recognisable names on one screen.
Joining Khumalo, Kgoroge and Stuurman are industry heavyweights Sindi Dlathu, Obed Baloyi, Ernest Msibi and Molefi Monaisa, alongside Lorcia Cooper-Khumalo, SK Khoza, Lungelo Madondo, Mandla Gaduka and Herald Khumalo.
The series is another addition to Black Brain Pictures’ growing partnership with Netflix.
The production company, led by Mandla N, has previously brought “Piano Love”, a feature film centred around South Africa’s township music and dance culture, and “Mabaso’s Family Reunion” to the streaming platform.
Sindi Dlathu and Molefi Monaisa take centre stage in 'Umthetho', bringing their characters to life in a gripping tale that challenges the boundaries of love and loyalty in a world of crime.
Image: Supplied
Mandla N also directs “Umthetho” alongside Johnny Barbuzano and Jonathan “Jono” Hall, while Jose Domingos serves as head writer with Rami Nhlapo, Boitumelo Masemola and Makanaka Mavengere making up the writing team.
Speaking about the project on Instagram, he reflected on the work that went into bringing the series to life.
“Here’s a little sneak peek of what we’ve been cooking up. I really hope you enjoy watching it half as much as we enjoyed making it because trust me, there were long days, sleepless nights, and enough coffee to keep a small country awake!”
He also thanked the cast, crew and streaming platform for bringing the project to life before encouraging audiences to support local productions.
“Our stories matter. Let’s continue to support our local film and television industry. If we believe in our stories, the rest of the world will too. Together, we can take South African storytelling global,” he wrote.
While “Umthetho” tells a distinctly South African story, it is adapted from the Brazilian crime drama “Brotherhood (Irmandade)”. According to Netflix, the original series follows Cristina, an honest lawyer who discovers that her imprisoned brother, Edson, is the leader of a growing criminal faction.
Forced by police to become an informant, she finds herself trapped between her duty to the law and loyalty to her family as she becomes entangled in his criminal world.
More than recreating the Brazilian series, “Umthetho” reimagines that central conflict through a South African lens, placing local prison gangs, family dynamics and questions around justice at the centre of the story.
Without giving away too much, the newly released teaser offers a glimpse into Mbali’s complicated relationship with Moses, tense prison scenes and the impossible choices she faces as she is pulled deeper into her brother’s world.
The preview sets the tone for a series built around betrayal, survival and the blurred line between doing what’s right and protecting the people you love.