Season 1
Snake Park is a South African youth drama television series produced by Welela Television Studios and set on the Durban beachfront which explores the notion of fatherhood in a contemporary urban setting through two characters, from completely different worlds, whose lives intertwine with explosive, dramatic consequences.
The series unfolds through the life of Blessing (Junior Miya), a teenage boy who aspires to be a professional surfer. His rich father disapproves of his ambitions but instead wants him to choose a 'viable' profession and become a lawyer, doctor or businessman. This clash puts a strain on the father-son relationship.
Zak (Edwin Gagiano) strikes up a friendship with Blessing. He is a teenager in high school and has issues with his grandfather. When Zak's father (a car mechanic from Roodepoort) is arrested for dealing in stolen cars, Zak is relocated to Durban to live with his grandfather, a caretaker of flats on the beachfront.
Zak's grandfather (Oom Peet as the children on the beach call him) is an authoritarian figure and Zak struggles with conforming to authority and this creates conflict between them.
Main Characters
Blessing Mvelasi
Languages: Zulu (English)
Sibusiso means 'blessing'. Blessing is indeed blessed, or so it seems. He grows up in an extremely affluent household. He is the son of a rich property developer and a 'desperate housewife'. Like Zak, Blessing is also an only child and 14 years of age.
Blessing's father (Bongani Mvelasi) is a rich property developer with his finger in many pies. His mother (Sindisiwe Mvelasi) is the typical desperate housewife. She is much more concerned about manicures, facials and the fashion of the day than she is in her son's life. She feels she did her bit by giving Bongani a son and heir, and now that he is a teenager she feels her work is done and it is Bongani's duty to control his son.
The Mvelasis own a beach front property. Blessing is passionate about surfing and dreams of one day becoming a professional surfer. His father disapproves of this dream and wants Blessing to focus harder on his schoolwork in order to one day study to become a lawyer and to eventually join his father in the business.
Blessing rebels against his father's autocracy and insist that he will do what he wants to.
Blessing's relationship with his father is strained and virtually non-existent. Bongani fluctuates between being unnecessarily strict and far too generous when he feels guilty about being too hard on Blessing.
Bongani compensates for his lack of attention to his son by giving him money and expensive gifts – in fact, Blessing can have anything material his heart desires. This fact impacts on Blessing's personality.
When we meet him, he seems like the arrogant rich kid who thinks he can buy friendship. Deep down however Blessing is not a bad kid, he is just spoilt. Blessing's journey is to learn that money cannot buy friendship.
When Blessing and Zak meet they initially do not get along at all. They eventually become friends as the story unfolds.
Izak "Zak" Verwey
Languages: Afrikaans (English)
Zak Verwey is 16 years old, Afrikaans speaking and a typical teenager. He lives to eat, sleep and skateboard. At the opening of the series Zak lives with his father in Westdene/Sophiatown (previously called Triomf), Johannesburg.
Years ago Zak's mother abandoned her husband and 4 year old Zak when she ran off with a man much richer man than Zak's father. Zak's mother did not keep contact with her son which resulted in Zak having abandonment issues which he hides very well.
Zak is a loner and struggles to connect with most people. Deep down he is scared that if he truly connect with anyone, they will invariably abandon him like his mother did.
We meet Zak at the beginning of Episode 1, when we see him skateboarding home on the last day of school. When Zak gets home the police, sheriff of the court and social services are at their house. The police have already cuffed his father and are about to drive off.
It transpires that Zak's father's business was not just about fixing up and panel beating cars, but it was an illegal 'chop-shop'. The sheriff of the court is there to confiscate all Zak's father's belongings.
The social worker explains that Zak has two options: either to go to a children's home as they cannot locate his mother, or to go and stay with his closest relative – his grandfather who lives in Durban. Zak has no choice but to choose his grandfather, a man he last saw when he was 4 years old.
After Zak's mother abandoned her child and husband Zak's father did not want any contact with his father in law, which resulted in Zak never getting to know his grandfather. This initially makes for a very strained and difficult relationship between Zak and his grandfather.
Zak is put on a Greyhound bus to Durban by the social worker to meet his fate... and his grandfather.
Show Credits
Producers
Diony Kempen
Seipati Tenyane
Assistant Producer
Dianna Nkambule
Head Writer
Hanli Rolfes (Affiliated to Lettergreep)
Writers
Seipati Tenyane
Musawenkosi Ntuli
Sifiso Ndlovu
Carmel Nayanah
Mfundo Sithole
Thembalethu Mchunu
Series Director
Darrell James Roodt
Directors
Lauren Chengan
Lehlohonolo Nyama
Zamashenge Buthelezi
Zamangwane Khanyile
Simphiwe Kubheka
Zanele Mthembu
Director of Photography
William Collinson
Camera Assistant
Tressure Zaca
Rigger
Charles Radebe
Sound
Hendré Jacobs
Travis Nel
Thabo Mbege
Editors
Byron Davis
Leon Gerber
Mosa Leshilo
Lehlohonolo Nyama
Sisonke Ntlamba
Songs
Josh Kempen
Final Mix
Geo Hoehn
Hendré Jacobs
Catering
The Boardroom
Graphics/ Visual Effects
Leon Gerber
Transport Manager
Eric Phakati
Casting
Forecast
Executive Producer
Diony Kempen
For the SABC
Commisioning Editor
Zandi Nkosi
HOG Children
Nokuthula Msimang
Business Development Executive
Patrick Mohane
Special thanks to Lerato Moruti,
Mbali Ngobese and Mpumi Ngidi
Acting Programme Manager SABC 2
Jacqui Hlongwane
Head of Channels
Leo Manne
Broadcast Notes
The first season originally aired on SABC2 from 15 February to 10 May, 2014, on Saturdays at 10h30. It later aired in a more visible timeslot on Fridays at 17h00.
Season 1 Cast
(scroll to bottom for available actor bios)
Starring
Junior Miya ... Blessing Mvelasi
Edwin Gagiano ... Zak Verwey
Recurring / Guests
Mishqah Parthiephal ... Kris Laurenson
Thulani Mengoe ... Bongani Mvelasi
Afzal Khan ... Gopesh
Thomie Holtzhausen ... Oom Peet
Mayuri Naidu ... Councilor 1
Alex Mthiyane ... Councilor 2
Anele Tembe ... Khethiwe
Siyanda Protas Ngexe ... Choka
Gugu Mhlongo ... Sindisiwe Mvelasi
Mbali Mdletshe ... Mbali
Bhoyi Ngema ... Andile
Warrick Frank ... Rajiv
Sheldon Kesoparsad ... Sujit
Lisa Bobbert ... Jakolien
Shivashnee Naidoo ... Shani
Catherine Mace ... Social Worker
Ruthan Ramasrai ... Official
Thamsanqa Sokhela ... Architect
Clinton Smalls ... P.I. George