On
Rhythm City in July, 2008:
Tuesday 1 July 2008Episode 257The big build-up to the Music Industry Awards (MIAs) 2008 continues. Miles has discovered Lucilla's treachery and makes dire threats, prompting David to make a serious and far-reaching decision.
It looks as though Bernard will disappoint Gail's Cinderella dreams of going to the ball. S'bu invites Thembi to be his date, but when she turns him down, it looks as though they will never find a way to be together.
Rachel makes one last attempt to make peace with Thembi, but things just become worse, and Thembi ends up saying things that may well come back to haunt her.
Wednesday 2 July 2008Episode 258On the night of the MIAs, Miles and Rachel reflect on the mess of their lives, and on their romantic past. A flame is being rekindled.
Everyone starts arriving for the red carpet ceremony. S'bu guides Rachel through a horde of hungry reporters desperate to know more about Thembi's allegations. S'bu decides to leave the awards.
Pastor Ngidi rescues Rachel from an extremely awkward situation. Miles is horrified when he sees Lucilla arrive with David Genaro. David and Gordon carefully plot the mechanics of Miles' accident.
S'bu rushes home to see Thembi, but just before he can tell her that he loves her, the award for Best Gospel song is announced.
Thursday 3 July 2008Episode 259Miles guards Rachel carefully at the MIAs' after party - first against David who comes up with apparent innocence to congratulate her on her victory - then against Pastor Ngidi who, observing some intimacy between Miles and Rachel, tries to put a stop to it.
Miles proposes to Rachel that they stop off at a little hotel on the way home for some fun. She agrees, and the two of them go out to his car, unaware of the diabolical plans afoot against them this fateful night.
S'bu and Thembi realise they're in love, and that the only real way of celebrating this love is to go to bed together - which they do after attending a celebratory party at the Kilowatt Club. Not even the sight of Rachel dedicating her MIA award to her beloved daughter is enough to distract them from their purpose.
Friday 4 July 2008Episode 260Gordon comes upon the crash site, but before he can finish the job, Pastor Ngidi arrives, forcing him to make a hasty exit. Rachel and Miles are rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thembi and S'bu receive the phone call as they're coming to terms with the consequences of having finally made love together.
Kop, Bernard, Gail, S'bu, Thembi, and Ngidi all make their way to the hospital to find out whether Miles and Rachel will make it, as the doctors do everything they can to save them. Mamokete, deeply touched by what's happened, holds vigil in front of her radio all night, while Fats and Suffocate stay up together at the club.
At the end of a long night, the doctors have stabilised Miles, who is in a coma. But they are unable to save Rachel.
Monday 7 July 2008Episode 261David has a difficult game to play: responsible for the crash that killed Rachel, he nevertheless has to play the mourner and sympathiser (although he does genuinely grieve her death). He'd intended to kill only Miles.
Lucilla jumps to the conclusion that David was responsible for the crash. He denies it absolutely. She announces she'll be moving back to the Vilakazi home.
Thembi mourns the death of her mother, leaning heavily on S'bu for support. The presence of the good Pastor Ngidi complicates the situation considerably - as does the constant presence of the media.
A Superintendent Dusty Stofberg introduces himself to S'bu: he will be investigating the case. S'bu prays that his father recovers from the coma.
Tuesday 8 July 2008Episode 262The papers begin to report that Miles had been seen drinking at the MIAs and there is speculation he is to blame for the accident. S'bu feels an incredible sense of guilt.
Lucilla tries to pick up the pieces of Redemption, amid a growing sense of uncertainty surrounding the company's future, what with the loss of its biggest star and the incapacitation of its business head.
Thembi finally works up the nerve to return to Rachel's house and is surprised to find Pastor Ngidi there. He tries to convince her that the car smash wasn't an accident. There was someone else at the scene before he even arrived.
Wednesday 9 July 2008Episode 263David continues to plot with Gordon as things heat up with the news of Miles' imminent recovery, and Pastor Ngidi's growing suspicion of the strange figure he saw at the accident scene.
Preparations for Rachel's memorial service are underway. The thought that she is gone forever finally hits home with Kop. Thembi is forced to endure Pastor Ngidi, but finds comfort in the company of S'bu.
Thursday 10 July 2008Episode 264It is the day of Rachel's memorial service. Grief and tension are running high. Ma Phakati arrives to help with the service, and instantly runs into conflict with Pastor Ngidi, especially over the burial plans for Rachel.
David works hard to overcome Lucilla's suspicions of him, but gets a serious shock when it appears Miles is about to wake. The police are unimpressed with Ngidi's evidence of an attempt to murder Miles.
After an emotional service, a new surprise awaits Thembi, with the revelation of the identity of a mystery guest.
Friday 11 July 2008Episode 265The atmosphere is tense between the Ngidi's and the Phakati's. Miles is still comatose, but it looks like he'll pull through. Pastor Ngidi insists Rachel's death was not an accident and he's determined to prove this.
David continues to manipulate Lucilla, while working hard at covering his tracks. The staff at Redemption, including Gail and Bernard, are worried they will lose their jobs.
Monday 14 July 2008Episode 266In an effort to stop Ngidi's investigations and divert attention away from the real culprit - himself - David alerts the police to his suspicions that Ngidi should in fact be the prime suspect in Rachel's 'murder'. Based on David's testimony, the case is reopened.
Thembi's fragile emotional state is put under more pressure when she finds out Ngidi is entitled to half of Rachel's fortune. A huge fight breaks out. Her meeting with her father is a bit of a non-event. Thembi's need for S'bu leads her to track him down. She confesses her feelings to him. He reciprocates. They kiss.
Tuesday 15 July 2008
Episode 267
The newspaper story hits the streets with the shocking revelation that Rachel Phakati might have been murdered. This news sends shock waves of speculation throughout Rhythm City. Who would want to kill Rachel?
All of this drama puts additional stress on Thembi and she leans more and more on S'bu for support. She also becomes increasingly frustrated with Pastor Ngidi and his wife. Lucilla steps into Miles' shoes as head of the company.
David tries to get Lucilla to appreciate the power that she now has in this new position. S'bu encourages Thembi to make another effort with her father. David gets Gordon to plant damning evidence.
Wednesday 16 July 2008Episode 268David's plan comes to fruition and Pastor Ngidi is first investigated, and then arrested, for the murder of Rachel Phakati. In the aftermath, Thembi finds she has forgiveness in her heart for Nokuthula, and extends an unexpected invitation to her own father.
S'bu finds it difficult to find a way to tell Thembi about Redemption's marketing plans to exploit Rachel's death. Superintendent Stofberg interrogates the pastor.
Thursday 17 July 2008Episode 269David breaks the news of Ngidi's arrest to Lucilla. This brings Lucilla one step closer to believing David had absolutely nothing to do with the accident. When she realistically assesses her future prospects, Lucilla is willing to throw in her lot with David, unconditionally.
Thembi gets to know Thomas better and, although they come from very different worlds, daughter and father start drawing closer.
David sends Gordon to speak to a friendly nursing sister at the hospital who gives them the real prognosis on Miles' condition.
Nokuthula pleads her husband's case to Superintendent Stofberg, but she unwittingly digs her own grave.
Gail mentions the commemorative album to Thembi who is outraged to discover S'bu knows about it, but didn't tell her.
Friday 18 July 2008Episode 270David suggests to Lucilla that they begin the search for a house of their own. Gordon tells David that Miles' prognosis is better than what the doctors have revealed. David gives Gordon the go-ahead to take care of the problem, unaware of the fact that Lucilla may no longer be the beneficiary of Miles' will.
Supt Stofberg asks Thembi and Ma Phakati about Nokuthula, fuelling suspicions that she may somehow also be a suspect in the case to bring Rachel's killer to justice. Thembi's father tells more about the history of his relationship with Rachel. Thembi continues to give S'bu the cold shoulder.
Monday 21 July 2008Episode 271David suggests that Lucilla sell Redemption to him. Gordon is told by David to lie low. Thembi bonds with Thomas. Nokuthula is interrogated by the police.
Her statement digs both her and Pastor Ngidi into deeper trouble with the law, and to make matters worse, their account has been frozen - cutting off their chances at getting decent legal representation.
Tuesday 22 July 2008Episode 272Lucilla is finally awarded power of attorney over Miles' estate. Thembi's growing attachment to her father makes S'bu really jealous. In the midst of all this, he makes a decision to start focusing on getting Hustle up and running, keeping the torch alight for all that he has learnt from his father.
In an effort to help Lucilla make her decision, David intervenes by making sure that Miles stays out of circulation for a while to come.
Wednesday 23 July 2008Episode 273Thembi tries to come to terms with her father's decision to return home. Her frustration brings her into direct conflict with S'bu who is secretly relieved he's going. Miles is on the verge of regaining consciousness.
Lucilla and David plot their next step towards selling off Redemption. David asks Lucilla to try and get S'bu's buy in. Of course, S'bu balks at the idea and makes Lucilla promise she will not do anything without Miles' knowledge.
S'bu sits at his father's bedside. He misses Miles' advice and counsel. Thembi has an emotional parting with her father, and she and S'bu have another disagreement about Thomas.
Thursday 24 July 2008Episode 274Lucilla signs the papers consigning ownership of Redemption Records to David Genaro. Lucilla makes the announcement of the change of ownership at a general meeting of Redemption, and introduces its new owner to the staff.
S'bu, who'd promised his comatose father that he'd prevent the sale of the company, has to confess failure. David celebrates his success late that night with Lucilla, and a bottle of wine, in the office of the deposed King of Gospel, Miles Vilakazi.
Gail suggests to Thembi that she organise a farewell party for her. Thembi fears that S'bu, devastated by her decision to return to KZN with her father, will not attend. In fact, he does - with the express intention of asking Thembi to marry him.
Friday 25 July 2008Episode 275
S'bu is losing his mind. He has lost Redemption and Thembi, and been betrayed by his stepmother. He goes to the hospital to be with his father. Then he confronts David and Lucilla.
Suffocate and Fats have tried to talk to the owners of rival venue, The Hot Plate, about the recent night spot robberies.
Tshidi's future is in the spotlight. Her parents realise they have let things slide what with all the recent drama around Rachel's death and Kop's job being on the line. Unfortunately for her, their interest now means heavy prelim preparations and study schedules - a subject a day, for every day of the week.
Monday 28 July 2008Episode 276S'bu talks about the possibility of a walk out with an enthusiastic Bernard and a far more cautious Gail. David begins to realise he might have a problem on his hands.
When Stone discovers brochures hidden in Tshidi's bag, he thinks she is secretly looking into performing arts schools. Charlotte broaches the subject of her future with Stone.
The Hot Plate guys are robbed and think Suffocate is behind it. A representative arrives from the Star Struck production company, looking to use The Kilowatt as a venue for auditions.
Episode 277Tuesday 29 July 2008S'bu becomes increasingly convinced of his ability to retaliate. David interrogates Gail, who doesn't hold back her thoughts about his takeover, fuelled as she is, by S'bu's rhetoric and Bernard's lie that he did the same.
David makes it clear he will not accept any kind of dissension in the ranks. The Khuse household receives Tshidi's letter of offer for a bursary and are beside themselves with joy, but is Tshidi as happy as she pretends to be?
Somebody breaks into Kilowatt and trashes the place. Suffocate is out to get revenge, but Fats talks him down with the news of a potentially lucrative new stream of revenue.
Wednesday 30 July 2008Episode 278David fires S'bu after being goaded. Gail convinces a shell-shocked S'bu to speak to everyone at Redemption to try and enlist support. No one responds, not even Bernard, except for loyal Gail. S'bu realises he has no plan and no money to start a new company.
Fats is extremely anxious about the Star Struck reality TV singing talent series as it could mean a lot of money and the beginnings of a real partnership between him and Suffocate.
Thursday 31 July 2008Episode 279S'bu is in self-imposed exile from Redemption - and with an employee, Gail - for whom he is now responsible. Gail is deeply resentful of Bernard's betrayal.
Tshidi meets Sis Bee from the local clinic and volunteers to help out several times a week after school. Stone lets slip the fact that he's not been thinking about marriage to Charlotte.
Suffocate swears to Fats that he will not resort to violence in the face of threats by the two swaggering thugs who trashed Kilowatt.
-----