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Thupeyo Muleya

Beitbridge Bureau

Producers of popular TshiVenda drama series, Uhangwela (Forgive and Forget), which airs  on ZTV on Fridays are mobilising resources for Season 2, expected to be aired in February next year.

Executive producer and creator, Emmanuel Ncube of Monolo Productions, said the new season will have 13 episodes.

He said the production house received support from the Broadcasting Authority of Zimbabwe (BAZ) during season 1 which had 14 episodes.

Ncube said various stakeholders, who were impressed by their initial project, were coming on board to support Season 2.

“We had the support of BAZ in coming up with the first season and getting it on ZTV. The contract ran between 2018 and 2020 under the Zimdigital initiative.

“Now, we have had a lot of positive feedback and are seized with mobilising equipment and funds for new locations, cast and getting more scriptwriters. We need a lot of resources to come up with a quality  product.”

A fund-raising dinner was recently held in Beitbridge to raise money to ensure that the drama series continues.

He said more writers would be incorporated to give the drama more shelf  life.

So far 99 percent of the 150 cast and crew were from Beitbridge and they were looking at creating employment and business opportunities for those who can supply ancillary services during the production of more episodes.

“We have been successful in our first season and we need to build on that momentum to maintain a quality product,” he said.

“This project started in 2013 and took time to get on air due to a number of challenges, chief among them finance.

“Our breakthrough was three years ago when BAZ through the Zimdigital initiative funded for all production costs and helped with technical skills.”

Episodes one and two are now on YouTube and more will be uploaded in due course.

Plants are afoot to make the drama run daily.

“Uhangwela is a multi-lingual drama series that highlights cultural and social issues among the VhaVenda people who are predominantly resident in the southern parts of the country,” he said.

Ncube said the drama’s objectives were to highlight the traits of the VhaVenda people, particularly their pride and to showcase their culture and its diversity.

“Uhangwela chronicles a story that focuses on unforgiving individuals who ironically desire to be forgiven, and it also brings out issues around the comprehension and recognition of human error as well as accountability,” said Ncube.

He said the key message in the drama centres on the ability to forgive.

The drama series magnifies the underlying forgiveness and revenge issues that characterise the Tshinoni family and members of Tshisimani Tshavhutshilo Ministries.