Viewers will get to see more of their favourite characters from Umkhokha as the series comes back in March, with one big change.
The once a week limited series will now be a telenovela, which means it will play every week night on Mzansi Magic.
Season 1 ended on a cliffhanger with the two families at war.
Now, the creators of the show promise there will be twists and turns under the title Umkhokha – The Curse.
Returning cast members include Deli Malinga (as MaMzobe), Sibonile Ngubane (as Difa), Nay Maps (as Sphamandla), and Hope Mbhele (as Mabusi). New cast members on Umkhokha – The Curse are Gcinile Nkosi as MaNzimande and Daniel Hadebe as Reggie.
“It’s always a positive conundrum when viewers express that a show was on air for too short a time, and that was the overwhelming reaction we were met with when Umkhokha came to an end after 13 weeks. Audiences were glued to the show and constantly engaged with the story and spoke about it on social media and on the radio – so its return is long awaited. We’re pleased that it will now be a telenovela,” says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.
“Remaining adaptable and listening to viewers’ requests is an important part of what we do at Mzansi Magic. It’s key to remaining relevant and in tune with our subscribers,” she says.
The story won’t be picking up where the limited series left off though.
Umkhokha – The Curse will take viewers to the beginning of the story: how – and when – did it all begin?
How did they get to a place where the fictionalised mega-church, Ithempeli Lenkosi, became a deadly battleground?
The start of the new season introduces the key players of the series and unpacks the chain of events that results in the battle of leadership, and the dangerous rivalry between the Mthembu and Gumede/ Mzobe families.
“It has been amazing to watch this story grow from a 13-episode drama to a telenovela format. The drama has intensified, and the drama has heightened. There are so many twists in this long form. We believe and know that the viewers will relate and love it even more,” says Duma Ndlovu, executive producer of Umkhokha – The Curse.
Umkhokha is produced by Rhythm World Production and head written by Siphosethu Tshapu and Kagiso Mogale, with Mandla KaNozulu as the originator of the concept