We're so over SABC1's dismissive, unappreciative and shoddy treatment of Zaziwa we want to shout it from the hilltops...
NO!
Zaziwa has been a signature crowd puller for SABC1 since its debut in 2013 but the channel continuously fails to give it the professionalism and loyalty it deserves. It's the No. 1 talk show in South Africa but the channel treats it as if this means
nothing.
Over the past two years it's been pushed around like an innocent prisoner who's been used as a scapegoat for bad scheduling decisions and a careless disconnect with TV audiences.
The situation started in 2016 already when the channel suddenly decided to
move it from its popular 19h30 slot on Thursdays to Thursdays at 21h00.
This decision was
quickly revoked when audiences freaked out but then five months later, in February 2017, the show was relegated to SABC1's
previously uneventful Sunday nights in an attempt to boost the buzz around the channel on Sundays.
This failed dismally for multiple reasons including its timeslot and the fact that it lost its dedicated weeknight audience. It lost
over a million viewers during this time, dropping out SABC1's Top 20 list.
In August 2017 it was
pulled from Sunday nights and by October
it returned to 19h30, on Wednesdays instead of Thursdays.
And now its gone, off our screens completely, ousted by a show from another channel!
Zaziwa went on break over the 2018 World Cup and was supposed to return on Wednesday, 18 July but didn't. Instead it was unceremoniously ditched in favour of the sixth season of MTV's Shuga.
SABC1 literally ditched their own original show to broadcast a show made by another channel, which has already aired on MTV!
Zaziwa knew nothing about it because they tweeted about the evening's show on the Wednesday only to discover it wasn't happening anymore. The season only had a few episodes to go and it wasn't even given the courtesy of seeing them through.
And now it's gone and sweet Pearl Modiadie continues to smile and be cool because that's how she is. She's the last person who deserves to be treated so badly because she brings so much to the table.
She's one of the best presenters and talk show hosts in the country by far. Her egoless manner ensures that her interviews are always about her guests instead of herself and her natural warmth radiates through the screen.
Yes she's still on SABC1 on Raw Silk but this doesn't make up for it.
Ultimately SABC1 has used Zaziwa when it's convenient and then ousted it for a show by another channel while undermining one of South Africa's brightest talents.