DStv channels are full of repeats, and the impending fee increases can hardly be justifiable. There’s simply not enough exciting content to justify the exorbitant monthly rates that subscribers are expected to pay.
However, as a keen consumer of South African popular culture, I have to salute the genius who conceptualised the SABC Encore channel. I am a particularly avid viewer of classic local drama series - from the African-language skop-en-skiet township variety to the quaint Afrikaans ones located in the thirstland of the Karoo.
Most of these are apartheid-era productions that provide younger viewers with a window into the old South Africa. However, the channel also features a substantial number of dramas that were produced after 1994.
A notable example is Yizo Yizo, a game-changer when it comes to how South African stories are told. The Bomb Shelter production company exploded on our screens in 1999 with a narrative style that shocked, enthralled, disgusted and educated all at the same time.
Based on a day in the life of a Joburg township high school, it still holds a record as a drama series that brought together a great number of local black actors and actresses across gender and age. At the same time it unleashed a sizeable number of new, exciting talents in the industry.
One of them was Mbali Ntuli, at the time an 18-year-old who played teenage delinquent Kekeletso Ralentswe. Her portrayal of a rebel schoolgirl who fell in love with her teacher - played by Menzi Ngubane - is the world-class stuff that makes Oscars.
It was a touching performance that revealed a natural flair for acting. It also revealed her dedication to her craft - someone who put extra effort in giving her role authenticity.
This commitment and flawless touch is evident in subsequent characters she played.
While Yizo Yizo exposed her talent, successive roles such as investigative reporter Barbara Mthembu in the SABC drama series Access News and radio presenter Wandi on e.tv’s Rhythm City confirmed it beyond doubt.
She will also be remembered for other roles in popular shows such as Gaz’lam, Zero Tolerance, Intersexions and Izingane Zobaba, a Zulu mini-series adaptation of Shakespeare’s King Lear. Her versatility in front of the camera was also evident when she landed the job of presenter and talk show host of The Chat Room, a religious youth talk show that covered heated topical issues that affect mainly young people. Her probing style as she handled the everyday moral and ethical issues that face people from all walks of life was remarkable.
Her role as a popular talk show host boosted her profile as a motivational speaker who travelled the length and breadth of the country, inspiring the youth. It has been a while since she was last since on the small screen, but one hopes that as she turns 40 this month she will make a comeback and claim her place as a household name in the industry.
In the meantime, a channel such as SABC Encore reminds us of some of the sparkling and genuine talent in this country.
Catch Yizo Yizo II on channel 156 on Tuesdays at 8.30pm.