Mzansi Magic’s landmark soapie takes a dramatic turn into a thrilling new world, after the Morapamas experienced an unforeseen and dramatic rupture that has left the legacy of Joseph “Jazzman” Morapama in tatters. The family factory – which was at the heart of Zabalaza’s narrative - was destroyed in a fire, setting the scene for a new and compelling story to emerge.
Zabalaza moves into a new storyline, with an exciting new location and a line-up of superb new characters played by some of the country’s top acting talent, among them Zolisa Xaluva (formerly Jason Malinga of Generations) and Rosie Motene (formerly Tshego Motene of Generations).
This new era of Zabalaza sees the show’s characters step into an urban milieu that has all the ingredients of a 21st century soapie – a tangle of sex, drugs, egos, back-stabbing and sometimes lethal ambition.
Now shrugged free of the legacy of the old, a great deal of Zabalaza’s action takes place in the Braamfontein offices of an events management company that has its eyes on making it to the top of a hotly contested industry.
With two company directors, two employees and a bevy of interns and freelancers, Slick Vic Media has a client list that is deeply impressive – but that also features some of Johannesburg’s less salubrious characters.
Heading the charge towards glitz and glory is Sydney Lwana, played by Zolisa Xaluva. Sydney is Slick Vic Media’s MD, who fancies himself as a citizen of the world but who harbours dark desires that would create a rift between him and his creative director, Victor Ndou.
Perpetually single and always a player, Victor is played by Bohang Moeko (a previous Mr South Africa finalist). Only Victor’s mother, Victoria, a deal-maker in the mining and media industries, holds much sway over Slick Vic Media’s Creative Director. Sharp-witted – and even sharper-tongued – Victoria is played by Rosie Motene.
Other new characters in Zabalaza include: Tessa Twala as Lexi Thabane – a PR assistant who rapidly realises that she will never be treated as an equal at Slick Vic Media and so joins a rival company as she journeys to a position of power.
Angela Sithole plays Terry Ramotsetsi, a PR Guru and member of the now generation who finds love in all the wrong. The list of new cast members is completed by Tango Ncetezo (Lindiwe in A Place Called Home Season 2) who takes on the role of Mapule Pule, a workaholic production manager who must try and reconcile the conflict between the values that she believes in and what is needed to succeed in the hard-bitten event industry.
Don’t miss Zabalaza: A New World on February 26th – simulcast on Mzansi Magic & Mzansi Wethu at 9PM.