Duma Ndlovu, the creator of the long-running soapie Muvhango, is ready to dominate primetime television with a new show, Uzalo.
Like Muvhango, it will be set in KwaZulu-Natal, with Zulu the dominant language. The story of two rival family dynasties will air at 8.30pm and feature Isibaya star Bheki Mkhwane.
Ndlovu is not worried about going head-to-head against Mzansi Magic's Isibaya, which screens at the same time.
He said: "There is a Zulu saying - awumbiwa ndawonye , let the better man win. We are not worried at all because we believe that we have assembled a team of excellent story tellers, 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.
Uzalo will deal with the "complexities of money, family and love".
Also beginning next month is an as-yet-untitled telenovela on e.tv that will compete with SABC1's Generations: The Legacy in the 8pm slot.
Ndlovu said: "Because of our time slots - soapies in the US are not for prime time viewing, and telenovelas have special time slots - we end up with a hybrid of drama/soapie or telenovela/soapie.
"Hence when [Mzansi Magic] saw the success of Isibaya it extended it and the show ended up resembling more a soapie/drama than a telenovela."
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