Devilsdorp
Channel: M-Net (DStv 101)
TX Time: 21h30
Genre: True Crime, Documentary Series, Docu-Drama
Murder, mayhem, Christianity and cults collide Devilsdorp: a shocking local true-crime exposé.
The four-part series uncovers disturbing new facts about the brutal Krugersdorp killings that will leave you questioning what you thought you knew.
In 2016, a spate of brutal killings, nicknamed the Appointment Murders, gripped the town of Krugersdorp, leaving salespeople and consultants terrified to book meetings in case they were the serial killer's next victims.
The investigation led detectives to a series of unsolved cold cases, the so-called Satanic Murders, and to links between 11 Krugersdorp killings between 2012 and 2016.
They discovered these were the work of Electus per Deus (Chosen by God), a cult with more victims than members.
This four-part docuseries places these crimes under the microscope.
Ancient Engineering
Channel: BBC Earth (DStv 184)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Documentary Series, History, Technology
A 10-episode documentary series bursting with the most exciting and intriguing feats of engineering from the ancient world, which have inspired and influenced modern-day engineering.
Each stand-alone episode showcases one pinnacle piece of engineering; iconic achievements like the pyramids, Stonehenge, the Great Wall of China, Roman roads and the Taj Mahal.
Blending stunning archive footage, specially shot expert interviews, dramatic reconstructions, breathtaking aerial images and drawing upon the latest insights gained through technologies that are revealing secrets of the ancient world — this docuseries shed new light on the techniques, materials and innovative thinking behind each ancient engineering feat and offer a new perspective on their fascinating and important histories.
In the series premiere, "How Roads Changed the World": The wheel and the road when put together are perhaps the greatest engineering development of all time.
In 2002, archaeologists excavated the ruins of old pile dwellings, houses built on stilts, in the marshland near the town of Ljubljana in Slovenia.
They unearthed a wooden cart-wheel. Radiocarbon revealed that it was over 5,000 years old.
This wheel was made of ash and the axle made of oak. This remarkable find is considered to be the first wheel in history.
Today, the planet is alive with the sound of rubber on tarmac, with 1.2-billion vehicles moving from place to place, using millions upon millions of kilometres of roads that crisscross the continents.
The road has been an extremely important part of the development of the human race and it is considered one of the triumphs of ancient engineering allowing freedom of movement.
Squad Goals
Channel: SABC1
TX Time: 21h00
Genre: Reality competition, Lifestyle
A lifestyle and fitness reality competition show that follows the journey of 15 contestants, driven by a common goal of transforming their bodies.
These individuals are on a journey of reaching a milestone in their lives or reaching an individual goal that will ultimately lead to a healthier lifestyle.
Squad Goals is presented by Mulisa Mudau, popularly known as a Real Goboza field presenter, who also features on Muvhango as Elewani.
The show features five squads, made up of three contenders and a fitness trainer. The teams are diverse in different body sizes, each team has an underweight member who wants to gain weight, a member that wants to shape and muscle up and an obese member who wants to lose weight.
The role of the fitness trainers is to assist the teams in competing with each other at weekly obstacle courses in an effort to help their squad win and avoid elimination.
The highly competitive established fitness trainers are Sifiso Msane, Mapule Ndhlovu aka Queen Fitnass, Xolisani "Nomeva” Ndongeni, Zanie Msibi, Lerato Letlhake, and Vusi Hlabangwana is known as Black Vreka.
Each team's success is measured on their transformation journey as assessed by the show's consultants.
The consultants are Dr. Fezile Mkhize, the resident house doctor, and Zinhle Masango, a nutritionist and dietician who guides the contestants to a healthier lifestyle. Together they offer expert advice to the competing teams.
The winning team receives R150,000.
Everybody Loves Chris Rock
Channel: 1Magic (DStv 103)
TX Time: 20h30
Genre: Comedy, Documentary
The boy from Brooklyn who endeared bullying at an all-white high school remains in the past.
The last laugh now belongs to Chris Rock be it on stage or the silver screen.
Despite Rock dropping out of high school and working humble fast food jobs, he finally caught a break at the Catch a Rising Star nightclub.
Rock's resume boasts critical acclaim: Three seasons on Saturday Night Live. Five comedy specials on HBO and Netflix. Award-winning Everybody Hates Chris TV series. 54 films. Stints as host of the Oscars. Even a Broadway play. Applauded dramatic role on crime series Fargo.
This film take an intimate look into the life of one of the world's greatest entertainers as fans agree Everybody Loves Chris Rock.
For My Man 2
Channel: eReality (Openview 108)
TX Time: 21h25
Genre: True Crime, Documentary Series, Docu-Drama
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, more than 200,000 women in the United States are living behind bars, making women the fastest growing population in the penal system.
For My Man is a true crime series featuring the shocking stories of women who have been arrested for crimes they committed in the name of love.
From committing a killing spree across the Midwest to acting as an inside informant at the DEA, these women have no limits in terms of how far they will go to support their men.
Each episode includes interviews of those closest to the events - family members, friends, witnesses, investigators and journalists - as well as psychologists, lawyers and when possible, the subjects themselves.
In the Season 2 premiere, "Walker/Mack": Mississippian, Olivia Walker thinks she finally has her life balanced out... until she meets a man who is quick to write a cheque she's all too willing to cash.
And halfway across the world, in Bali, Indonesia...
Born into wealth, Heather Mack has been handed the world on a silver platter. But she throws it all away for a shot at love.
Abandoned
Channel: Mzansi Wethu (DStv 163)
TX Time: 18h30
Genre: Reality
Actress and TV presenter Phumeza Mdabe hosts Abandoned, a show that helps orphans who were abandoned as toddlers to track down their family members.
Mdabe will help those who were left on park benches, commuter stations or at orphanages to search and reconnect with those who abandoned them – their mothers or fathers – in a reality show that seeks to help them find a sense of belonging.
The show will also give those that gave up their children an opportunity to find and reconnect with their offspring.
Every week, the show will tackle different dynamics, and help the abandoned children ask questions like: Did my mother or father love me? How do they go to bed knowing that I am out there? Did they ever try to find me or how will my life change when I find them?
The show will first seek to explore what the abandoned child has gone through all these years, before Phumeza sets off to locate their parents to get them to respond to the child's unanswered questions.
The final part of the show will see Phumeza attempt to reunite the two in a physical or virtual meeting to find a sense of closure and way forward.
Musiek Roulette 6 resumes
Channel: SABC2
TX Time: 19h00
Genre: Reality Competition, Music, Afrikaans
Season 6 returns from hiatus with Episode 14.
Contestants battle it out throughout the season by placing bets on whether or not they will know the answers to musical questions.
There is a kitty of R10,000 per episode that all 15 contestants play with.
The two contestants that make the least amount of money or have lost the most amount of money for the episode battle it out in the elimination round and every week one contestant goes home until only one remains.
The team kitty builds every week and the final winner stands a chance to win a jackpot of over R200,000.
This game show / reality hybrid also features three musical guest artists every week.
TVSA Show Page: Musiek Roulette 6
The Ranakas 5
Channel: Mzansi Magic (DStv 161)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Docu-Reality
Follows the animated Ranaka family, providing insight into the family dynamic which is fueled by a mix of seven very distinct characters.
The characters are:
Kgotlaesele Ntate Ranaka
A writer and publisher, the 70-something Kgotlaesele Ntate Ranaka is the willful, outspoken traditionalist, who is seen as the head of the family, and often tries to impose his cultural views on the kids.
Mama Siba Ranaka
Catering business owner Mama Siba Ranaka is the family matriarch. Often seen as the voice of calm in the storm, she's at times regarded as an "enabler" for bad behaviour.
Manaka Ranaka
Manaka is the eldest sibling, known for her string of high profile drama and production roles. She's inherited her dad's strong-willed personality, placing an emphasis on respect. Despite her famous public profile, Manaka prefers the simple life and shies away from the media industry limelight.
Mpumi Ranaka
Mpumi is the insightful, introvert. This gentle soul is a writer, mom and home-maker.
Dineo Ranaka
Television producer, media personality and mind coach, Dineo Ranaka is the versatile go-getter, struggling to balance family life with her newfound success.
Ziggy Ranaka
Entrepreneur Ziggy Ranaka is seen as the hustler of the family and is the eldest son. We pick up on his previously documented wedding plans from Dineo's Diary.
Ranaka Ranaka
Ranaka Ranaka is the family's last born and fully embraces his youthful lifestyle. He is a DJ and event organiser, described by Dineo as "the one who will be the most successful of all of us."
TVSA Show Page: The Ranakas 5
The Ranakas 4
Channel: Mzansi Wethu (DStv 163)
TX Time: 21h30
Genre: Docu-Reality
This season the theme is "From Winds of Change" - growing from the past to take ownership of the future.
The Ranakas seek out their roots in order to build their family-pedia.
The next-generation Ranaka children pave their own path in the entertainment and arts industry.
In the Season 4 premiere: Mpumi sits down with her parents to reflect on her journey, as Michelle decides out with the old and in with the new.
Meanwhile, Mama Siba and Thando plan for an upcoming event and Mama Siba needs Dineo to take the troublesome marital couch.
TVSA Show Page: The Ranakas 4
90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days 5
Channel: TLC Entertainment (DStv 135)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Reality
90 Day Fiancé: Before the 90 Days is back with an all-new slate of couples ready to meet the loves of their life abroad.
The series will follow long-distance relationships before the K-1 Visa process begins, chronicling how they found each other, their first in-person meetings in a foreign country, and the countless surprises, drama and culture clashes along the way.
Despite the challenges of interfering families, former flames and shady pasts, these lovestruck hopefuls will travel across the world to meet the person they believe is their soulmate.
Get to know the couples featured in the upcoming season:
Kim, 50 (San Diego, California) and Usman "Sojaboy," 32 (Sokoto, Nigeria)
A year ago, 50-year-old divorcee Kim reached out to Nigerian musician Usman, aka Soja Boy, on social media as a fan of his music.
But after months of calls, texts and video chats the two formed a connection, and Kim found herself head over heels in love, graduating from 'fan' to 'potential girlfriend.'
Considering his divorce from another older American woman that he also met online, Usman has hesitations about committing to Kim until they meet in person, so he invited her to Tanzania where he plans to shoot a music video.
Kim is risking everything for love and heading to Tanzania in hopes that Usman will realise she is nothing like his ex-wife and decide to commit to taking their relationship to the next level.
Caleb, 28 (Chandler, Arizona) and Alina, 27 (Saint Petersburg, Russia)
Caleb and Alina connected and developed a friendship on social media as teens, but they lost touch for 13 years until they serendipitously matched on a dating app when Caleb was planning a trip to Alina's home country Russia.
Those plans fell through, but their newly rekindled virtual friendship blossomed into something much deeper.
Now, they're finally ready to meet for the first time to see if their emotional connection is deep enough to overcome their physical differences.
Alina is a little person, and her condition prevents her from walking and standing for long periods of time, so she frequently relies on a wheelchair, making Caleb, a free-spirit, wonder if he'll be able to adjust to her needs.
Further, Caleb also has to win over Alina's roommate and protective best friend Elijah, who joins them on their introductory rendezvous in Turkey.
Gino, 51 (Canton, Michigan) and Jasmine, 34 (Panama City, Panama)
Gino, a 51-year-old automotive engineer, is leaving for Panama to meet the love of his life, Jasmine, a 34-year-old American literature teacher.
After divorcing his Brazilian wife of seven years, Gino began to lose hope of ever starting his own family, until he met Jasmine on an international dating site and fell in love with her personality, brains and beauty.
He is hoping to propose and get Jasmine pregnant by the end of his trip so that he can have the family he's always wanted.
Will Jasmine be the one that finally sweeps Gino off his feet or will her jealous side put a damper on their future together?
Memphis, 34 (Muskegon, Michigan) and Hamza, 28 (Kairouan, Tunisia)
Memphis, a divorced single mom of two, met Hamza, a 28-year-old man from Tunisia, online eight months ago.
Having had an unstable childhood, followed by a tumultuous dating history, Memphis has been searching for a consistent and reliable partner with whom to complete her family - and she found that in Hamza.
After a few months of daily texts and video chats, Hamza proposed and Memphis said yes.
Despite a significant language barrier and the skepticism of her friends and family, she is packing her bags and travelling to Tunisia with plans to get married on this trip.
But, does Memphis really know her fiancé?
Mike, 34 (Thiells, New York) and Ximena, 24 (Pereira, Colombia)
Despite his best efforts at finding love, Mike had been single for most of his life - until he matched with Ximena, a 24-year-old Colombian single mother of two, a year ago on an international dating app.
Ximena speaks no English and Mike speaks only a tiny bit of Spanish, but that hasn't kept them from falling in love with the help of a translator app.
They're already talking about marriage and kids, so Mike is traveling to Colombia with plans to propose and bring Ximena and her sons to the US.
Has Mike finally found true love after years of searching, or is Ximena more in love with the gifts and money he sends her than with Mike himself?
Ella, 29 (Idaho Falls, Idaho) and Johnny, 34 (Jinan, China)
Ella, a country girl from Idaho with a self-proclaimed obsession with Asian culture, met Johnny, her "Asian prince" on a social media platform exclusively for Asian men and white women.
Once they started video chatting, they realised they'd found their soulmates in one another.
The pandemic has made it difficult for them to meet in person, and China's borders remain closed, but after a year and a half and a number of false starts, they're finally preparing for Johnny to visit Ella in her hometown and get engaged.
Despite having video chatted 'intimately' over the past few months, Ella's history with rejection from past romantic interests due to her weight has her worried about what it will be like when she and Johnny are together in person.
Still, they're both ready to prove that their love can conquer all, if they can overcome family skepticism and pandemic barriers.
Ben, 52 (Fraser, Michigan) and Mahogany, 24 (San Bartolo, Peru)
When Ben, a former pastor in a strict, conservative religious sect, broke free from confinement and his marriage, he struggled to find his way forward.
After a bout of homelessness, he eventually found work as a model and caught Mahogany's eye after being featured in a fitness magazine.
Her fateful DM led to an intense texting relationship.
Bonded by their similar religious views, they fell in love and began making plans to meet in person, despite a 28-year age difference.
Ben's friends and family see countless red flags, from the significant age gap between them to the fact that they have never video chatted, but Ben believes that God has brought them together and this is the path he is meant to follow.
Is their relationship divine will, or is Ben blinded to the possibility that Mahogany may not be the person she said she is?