SA's first Xitsonga drama Giyani: Land of Blood to end next week

After seven months of heating up screens, SA's first Xitsonga drama, Giyani: Land of Blood, is coming to an end.

The telenovela features Ndivhuwo Mutsila, Candy Tsa Mandebele and Yvonne Chaka Chaka.

It is set in Giyani, Limpopo, and brings to life the conflict between two families locked in a bitter, decades-long squabble over a piece of fertile land and the banana plantation thereon.

The show ends on Tuesday, SABC2 told fans on Monday.

It will be replaced by another telenovela, Lithapo, in January.

The series topped the Twitter trends list shortly after it started.

Speaking to TshisaLIVE, Ma Yvonne said she was grateful for the praise the show had received.

“We have seen so many Afrikaans shows and English shows, and even Zulu shows, but I think we are getting to a point where we are accepting ourselves and not trying to fit into what we see on TV. We are embracing ourselves.”

She said it was an amazing tool to educate the nation on Xitsonga culture.

“I agreed to be part of the show because I believed in it. I believe that it has incredible things to teach and, more than anything, it exposes people to Xitsonga culture. Me and other actors have been pushing for something like this for a long time, but every time it was mentioned, it would be laughed at.”