A few local acting powerhouses add their star power to Mzansi Magic’s new line up of dramas in July. The two shows The Republic and Impilo: The Scam will resonate with the viewer because of their timeliness and relevance as parallels can be drawn between current affairs and the storylines.

In The Republic that premieres on 7 July at 20h00, Florence Masebe leads the cast as South African President Lufuno. Warren Masemola stars as Thabang Manaka, a fallen hero trying to make amends for his past mistakes while Masasa Mbangeni is Bridget Ranaka a posh young woman from a rich family in Soshanguve.

Reality inspires fiction in The Republic with the story set in present day South Africa. In 2009 when president Kgalema Motlanthe’s term in office ended, he was replaced by President Hendrik Mbuli whose presidency was riddled with corruption and looting of state funds. Mbuli is fired from government making way for the party’s secretary Lufuno to take the reins as president. We meet President Mulaudzi who has spent two years fighting corruption and prosecuting those who benefitted from Mbuli’s presidency – including Mbuli himself. This is set to be a thrilling political showdown and a story of political smarts and survival.

In Impilo: The Scam that premieres on 8 July at 20h00, the community is up in arms over a pyramid scheme that scammed them of their hard earned cash. Set in Alexandra township, the shady dealings of an unscrupulous man Khulubuse Mtshali played by Desmond Dube are uncovered leading to mob justice attempt on his son Mnqobi Nkosi played by Sipho Mdingi.

The stage is set for a cracker of a scintillating coming of age crime drama which sees Mnqobi caught up in the underbelly of financial crime engineered by his greedy and opportunistic father. Some of the big names to look out for are Sthandiwe Kgoroge as Nokulunga Nkosi, Naymapsplays Pacino, Candice Modiselle acts as Naledi, Siya Raymond Sepotokeleportrays Macable and TK Sebothoma features as Tebza.

Philly Kubheka, Head Of PR & Publicity at Local Entertainment Channels  welcomed the shows. ‘I believe that The Republic and Impilo: The Scam will do exceptionally well because they are authentically South African. They don’t shy away from the mirror reflection of the state of South Africa and with their outstanding and gripping storytelling the creators have weaved a captivating watch and unmissable performances. Forget the July chill, these dramas bring enough heat and excitement.’

Catch all your favourite shows on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) this July.