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'Uzalo' to rival popular soapie 'Isibaya'

DUMA ka Ndlovu, the veteran showrunner behind long-running soapie Muvhango, is aiming for prime-time domination, with the imminent telenovela, Uzalo.

Uzalo is primarily in Zulu and set in KwaZulu-Natal. It tells a story of two rival family dynasties and will air in the 8.30pm time slot, and will feature Isibaya star Samson Ndlovu (Bheki Mkhwane).

Ka Ndlovu believes the Mzansi Magic show ( Isibaya , which also airs at 8.30pm), is there for the taking.

He said at the weekend: "There is a Zulu saying that goes, "zindala zombili'', or we can even say, "awumbiwa ndawonye'', let the better man win.

"We are not worried at all (about Isibaya's popularity) because we believe that we have assembled a team of excellent storytellers, perhaps the best in the industry."

Uzalo will premiere at 8.30pm on SABC1 from February 9.

His other show, Muvhango, airs daily at 9pm on SABC2, and is the biggest show on the channel. Uzalo began shooting at the end of October and will run for the rest of 2015, Mondays to Wednesdays.

According to its premise, the show is a "bold and authentic narrative that tells the story of two family dynasties and the two young men who carry their hopes and legacies as they face the complexities of money, family and love".

Also beginning next month is the as-yet-untitled telenovela on e.tv, which the channel announced in December would rival SABC1's Generations: The Legacy in the 8pm time slot.

On why telenovelas, which have been the rage in Latin-America for years, are gaining popularity with local producers and broadcasters, Ndlovu said: "Well, my sense is that the South African television industry can't afford to be exclusively telenovela or exclusively soapie."

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