Shreds and Dreams is a South African television drama series conceived and created by Bongi Ndaba and Portia Gumede, based on the 2004 play of the same name by Ndaba and produced by Paw-Paw Films which follows three rural women as they try to adapt to a modern world in Yeoville, Johannesburg.
The series premiered on SABC1 on Thursday 8 September 2011, at 22h00. Originally intended as a standalone mini-series of four hour-long episodes, it returned almost three years later for a second season of 26 half-hour episodes.
About the Series
They were married off at a younger age, gave birth at the age of 15 and were kicked out because they were thought of to be barren. Whatever they ever did it was never good enough so they ran away to the unknown.
When the knocks from the past start haunting them and people they thought they'd never see again coming knocking on their doors, they either run again or deal with it.
This series introduces us to Nontobeko, Lefika and Yoliswa as teenagers in the rural upbringing with all the choices being made for them, and travels to the city as they become women and the demons from the past come knocking.
The main themes in this drama are that of discrimination against rural women who are barren, who have too much ambition, self worth and a will to find sense of self in a world that doesn't take kindly to women with the will to survive and better themselves.
Written and directed by an all-female ensemble, Shreds and Dreams is produced by Roberta Durrant for Paw Paw Films. Based on the stage play Shreds and Dreams by Bongi Ndaba, the head writers are Bongi Ndaba and Roberta Durrant, with storyliners Rosalind Butler, Kaye Ann Williams, Justine Loots and Anneke Villet. The Shreds and Dream theme song is by Murray Anderson.