Skemergrond
Channel: kykNET & kie (DStv 145)
TX Time: 19h30
Genre: Telenovela, Afrikaans
Skemergrond is a telenovela set in Gemoedsdrif, a small town in the Western Cape, which revolves around the Louw family and their beautiful flower farm.
The Louws' peaceful existence is disrupted when unexpected guests arrive, and long-lost family members threaten to uncover heavily-guarded family secrets.
Old wounds are reopened and new bonds are formed to save and protect the Louws and their legacy.
The Louws are Jasmine and JP, their daughters, Hazel and Lily, and grandchildren, Amber and Louis.
The neighbouring farm belongs to Jasmine's best friend, Tillie Maritz, and her husband, Willem.
The Louws also run a coffee and flower shop in Gemoedsdrif, and the hotel belongs to Manny.
Erica, a single mother who won't be bossed around by anybody, works at both the coffee shop and the hotel. She has a son, Louis.
Newcomers Brandon and Sylvia Cloete have a dance studio where the local teenagers learn to dance.
Other characters include the foreman, Abel Pienaar, and his sickly wife, Ragel; as well as Kevin, who lives in town on the wrong side of the tracks and delivers flowers for the Louws in Cape Town.
Christine van As, the owner of a successful events company, stirs up big drama when it comes to light that she might be related to the Louws.
She seeks revenge and will do everything in her power to destroy them.
Then there are the greedy developers who want to get their hands on Gemoedsdrif.
Will the Louws and their friends be able to save what they hold so dear?
Khadija Heeger plays the role of Jasmine Louw, who owns Everlasting, which has been in Jasmine's family for generations.
She is the owner of both Everlasting and Everlasting Florist & Bistro in Gemoedsdrif.
Jasmine is married to JP (Charlton George) and they have two beautiful daughters, Hazel (Carmen Maarman) and Lily (Hildegardt Whites).
Hazel currently lives on the farm with her family, where she manages Everlasting.
She is married to Ronnie (Mario Haupt) and they have one son, Junior (Ayden October).
At the age of 16, Lily suddenly packed her bags and left Everlasting without any explanation, travelling Europe with her daughter, Amber (Talia Davis).
Will Lily ever tell the truth about why she fled?
The Pienaar family also lives on Everlasting.
Erica (Shimmy Isaacs) works at both Everlasting Florist & Bistro and Gemoedsdrif Hotel and is outspoken, confident and fearless.
Her mother, Ragel (Nazli George), spends most of her time in her workroom, busy with her flower arrangements and potpourri for Everlasting Florist & Bistro.
Her father, Abel (Noel Oostendorp), is the foreman on the farm.
Erica also has a son, Louis (William Adams), who has very little experience of the outside world. He only knows the farm and the town.
Manny Goosen (Dirk Stoltz) runs a lot of things in town – always with a drink in hand. He owns Gemoedsdrif Hotel and sees himself as the town's guardian.
Ruan Smit (Dann-Jacques Mouton) is the town's detective who is very passionate about his work and seeks only one thing: justice.
Patty Paulsen (Gretchen Ramsden) is the hotel's new chef. Patty is a people's person, but don't make the mistake of thinking she's a softy.
The Maritz family owns the neighbouring farm Lang Verloren.
Tillie (Deirdre Wolhuter) is married to Willem (Deon Lotz), and they have a son, Dirk (Wilhelm van der Walt).
Tillie and Jasmine are best friends and have become confidantes as they navigated the challenges of being farm wives during a difficult era for women.
They have a quiet, stoic and supportive friendship.
Christine Atkins (Devonecia Swartz) is a successful business owner in Cape Town who owns an events company, Atkins Affairs.
Christine is looking for answers, which leads her to Gemoedsdrif.
Kevin Johannes (Gershwin Mias) is an entrepreneur with his own transport company who delivers the flowers from Everlasting to all the various clients every day.
Gloria Meyer (Hunter Plaatjies) is a vibrant flower seller on the Cape Flats.
With her mother's passing, Gloria promised to take care of her older brother, Fabian (Marunzo Thomas).
Despite all the problems she faces at home, Gloria is full of life and passion.
Beeno Beukes (Duncan Johnson) grew up in the rough parts of the city where he learned much about the underworld from a young age.
Over the years, he has gathered a loyal group of men who handle the drugs so that he can focus on the bigger picture – expanding his influence and territory.
The Cloetes are the newcomers in town who fled to Gemoedsdrif to escape their life in Cape Town.
Brandon (Anton Jeftha) and Sylvia (Melissa de Vries) are married, and they are raising Brandon's nephew, Shakiel (Ashley Riddles).
Brandon and Sylvia come to offer dance lessons in Gemoedsdrif, but why did they run away?
Skemergrond is produced by Penguin Films.
MORE:
Fly away Arendsvlei, hello Skemergrond
Gallery! Who's who in kykNET & kie's new telenovela Skemergrond
New! Skemergrond Teasers - July 2024
TVSA Show Page: Skemergrond
Pronk Primêr
Channel: kykNET (DStv 144)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Comedy, Afrikaans
Sitcom which revolves around five school friends who find themselves teaching at the same school they attended, still run by the same principal.
A maths teacher, Ada, returns to her alma mater, Pronk Primêr, a primary school in a small town, where some of her old school friends – Earl, Charl, Driena and Filip – also teach.
Their former principal, Mr Welgehawe, is still in charge.
But he's not the only challenge the teachers face, both in and out of the classroom.
There are Charl's efforts to maintain discipline, love triangles, online flirting, inspections, and Filip's discomfort when he has to teach about the birds and the bees in life orientation.
The cherry on top is the big ball to be held as a fundraiser.
The cast includes Tobie Cronjé as Mr. Lieb Welgehawe, Juanita de Villiers as Ada Benade, Pietie Beyers as Earl Marais, Solomon Cupido as Charl de Bruin, Laura-Lee Mostert as Driena Matthee, Jaco Muller as Filip Conradie, Condré Scholtz as Dwayne Benade, Milan van Vuuren as Olica Retief, Karin Retief as Selma Schoeman, Marijke van der Westhuizen as Olivia Retief and Ruanco Ueckermann as Peach Potgieter.
André Velts is the creative producer and director and Soné Combrinck is the executive producer.
The head writer is Desiré Gardner.
Pronk Primêr was filmed at Irene Primary School in Irene, Centurion.
TVSA Show Page: Pronk Primêr
Car Pound Cops
Channel: CBS Reality (DStv 132 / StarSat 170)
TX Time: 14h50
Genre: Reality
A series following the dramatic work of recovery crews as they trace, track and tow vehicles driven illegally on Britain's roads.
This character-driven series reveals the daily challenges faced by a diverse group of men and women responsible for holding dangerous and deceitful road users to account.
Every day, hundreds of thousands of cars are driving around without a valid MOT, untaxed, uninsured or unroadworthy.
Others have been involved in a crime, been driven dangerously, parked illegally, are causing an obstruction, or amassed hundreds of pounds in unpaid fines.
Uninsured and unroadworthy vehicles are involved in tens of thousands of accidents each year, some resulting in the serious injury or death of innocent people.
Drivers of these cars significantly increase the insurance premiums the rest of us have to pay.
Untaxed vehicles have a wider impact too, leaving the public purse short by £100-million a year.
In the series premiere: Recovery driver Lee rushes to seize a Mercedes from a woman and her dog, caught driving without tax along the A1.
BET Awards 2024
Channel: BET (DStv 129)
TX Time: 03h00 (live) and 19h00
Genre: Awards
The BET Awards describe themselves as "the ultimate platform to showcase the best, brightest and most beautiful aspects of the Black experience – honouring the present and future of Black music, creativity, and sportsmanship, by celebrating the culture and being a driving force for social change."
Drake leads the nominations with seven, including Album of the Year for For All The Dogs (Scary Hours Edition), Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, Best Male Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration with Sexyy Red and SZA Rich Baby Daddy.
Nicki Minaj is next with six nominations including Album of the Year for Pink Friday 2, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Video of The Year for Barbie World and twice for Best Collaboration with Lil Uzi Vert Everybody and Barbie World with Ice Spice and Aqua.
J. Cole, Sexyy Red, SZA and Victoria Monét each have five nominations.
21 Savage, Beyoncé, Doja Cat, Megan Thee Stallion, Tyla, and Usher are tied with four nominations each.
African nominees include Tyla, Burna Boy, Tems, Ayra Starr, Focalistic, Davido, Lojay, Asake, Tyler ICU, and Seyi Vibes, who have all received nominations across various music categories.
Some of them have also secured major slots in the Best International Act category, with Asake, Tyla, Ayra Starr and Focalistic earning four nominations in this category.
Usher will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement BET Award, which recognises special achievements and distinguished public service.
Performers at the ceremony include Tyla, Ice Spice, Lauryn Hill, YG Marley, GloRilla, Latto, Muni Long, Sexyy Red, Shaboozey and Victoria Monét.
The ceremony will once again be hosted by Taraji P. Henson.
Tribal 2
Channel: Universal TV (DStv 117)
TX Time: 20h00
Genre: Drama, Thriller
When the Canadian Tribal Police are accused of corruption, the federal government takes over, and appoints a new Interim Police Chief, Sam Woodburn, who navigates politics and procedure in an unfamiliar world.
The Justice Department attempts to save political face under the mask of inclusion and collaboration with the controversial appointment of a young, female, Indigenous Chief of Tribal Police, pairing her with a big-city detective to tackle Indigenous-related crime in the city.
Thrust into an unfamiliar world, (newly appointed) Chief Samantha "Sam" Woodburn must navigate politics and procedure as she clashes with her partner Chuck "Buke" Bukansky, an old-school detective with the Metro Police.
Season 2 explores healing lodge dynamics, trauma caused by PTSD, a hostage situation and the resurrection of the Starlight Tours.
The divide between the Metro and Tribal police departments escalates, affecting Sam and Buke's partnership.
In the Season 2 premiere, "The Tomb": Who killed Sydney? Chief Woodburn and detective Bukansky deal with the fallout after a tomb with murdered Indigenous bodies is discovered under the city.
California Investigator 2
Channel: Real Time (DStv 155)
TX Time: 22h30
Genre: Reality
From a two-timing tutor to a backstabbing brother, California Investigator returns for a second season of sensational stakeouts with no-nonsense private investigator Brian Wolfe.
Inspired by true accounts from his actual case files, each half-hour episode features Wolfe and his investigative team as they expose cheating spouses, dishonest employees, con artists and scammers while revealing double lives and deception, often hiding in plain sight.
Tapping into more than 25 years of P.I. experience, Wolfe hits the streets to collect evidence in the field while his cyber-sleuth assistant Janine McCarthy gathers irrefutable intel over the Internet.
From elaborate disguises to extensive background checks, hidden cameras to digging through the trash, Wolfe pulls whatever tricks he can out of his arsenal of tried-and-true P.I. tactics to uncover the truth behind his client's suspicion.
Cameras follow Wolfe through each phase of the investigation - from the first covert consultation with his new client to the always-emotional showdown that exposes the truth.
While McCarthy is a pro at sifting through the online paper trails, Wolfe leads the investigation the old-fashioned way, tailing the "target," posing undercover and setting up intricate sting operations.
Viewers are kept in suspense as the twists and turns reveal a shadowy world where things aren't always as they seem.
Each episode ends with a heated confrontation, resolution for the client, and update cards letting you know the current status of the situation.
In the Season 2 premiere, "Nosey Neighbour": When Karen can't be found, her friends and nosey neighbour think her boyfriend, Jake, did something to her.
The truth is revealed when Brian takes the case.
Great Australian Railway Journeys
Channel: BBC Earth (DStv 184)
TX Time: 17h00
Genre: Travel, Docu-Reality
Michael Portillo ventures down under to ride some of the world's most spectacular railways, steered by his 1913 Bradshaw's Guide.
His rail journeys take him to Australia's most impressive, must-see locations: Syndey and the Blue Mountains of New South Wales, Alice Springs and the Red Centre, the tropical rainforests of Queensland, historic Victoria and the Great Barrier Reef.
On his travels, Michael uncovers great feats of engineering, hears Dreamtime stories from the indigenous Arrernte people and encounters the country's most emblematic and endearing wildlife, the koala and the kangaroo.
In the series premiere, "Port Augusta to Darwin": Michael ventures down under to experience one of the world's greatest rail journeys aboard the legendary Ghan Railway.
His 1913 Bradshaw's Guide tells him "a transcontinental railway is being constructed" and he traces its route from the southern harbour of Port Augusta to the port of Darwin on the north coast.
Along the way, Michael uncovers the history of the ambitious project, which stretches nearly 2,000 miles across Australia's red centre, and learns why it took nearly a century to complete.
Steaming through the Flinders Ranges, Michael travels on the Pichi Richi heritage railway - the only remaining part of the Old Ghan line in operation - before boarding the luxurious modern passenger service at Alice Springs bound for Darwin.
Nearly a kilometre in length, the Ghan is hauled by two locomotives and three power vans, contains four kitchens, five restaurants, five bars and 23 carriages of accommodation.
In the Outback city of Alice Springs, Michael meets the indigenous Arrente people of the region around their campfire, where he hears dreaming stories and shares their bush-tucker.
He learns first-hand how their grandparents were mistreated at the time of his guidebook, when state policy required that children be taken from their families to be assimilated into white society.
Orphaned joeys Tilly and Max are pleased to see Michael at Brolga's Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs.
Max enjoys a cuddle, while a hungry Tilly wants to be fed.
Close by, at Bond Springs Cattle Station, Michael discovers the rags to riches story of the early 20th-century cattle king Sidney Kidman, and meets the family who today run one of his former ranches.
Fellow passengers aboard the Ghan take Michael by surprise on his journey between Alice Springs and Katherine, where he alights to explore the traditional lands of aboriginal groups along the exquisite Katherine Gorge.
Arriving in Darwin, capital of the tropical Northern Territory, on the eve of ANZAC day, Michael joins Australians to mark the anniversary of the First World War battle that defined their nation.
Snakes in the City 10
Channel: Nat Geo Wild (DStv 182)
TX Time: 18h00
Genre: Wildlife, Documentary Series, Docu-Reality
Final season!
A documentary-style reality series centering on the daily life of snake rescuers Simon Keys and his herpetologist girlfriend Siouxsie Gillett in the coastal city of Durban, South Africa.
This once was a tropical jungle teaming with spitting cobras, green mambas, black mambas, pythons, night adders, bush snakes and boomslang.
It's their territory and humans built a city right on top of it.
Today, the jungle may be gone, but the snakes sure ain't.
The British-born couple have become renowned for their daring snake rescues and educational insights into the various KwaZulu-Natal breeds.
Siouxsie, with a degree in Herpetology, met Simon at a reptile store in the United Kingdom.
The two relocated to Durban where they started rescuing reptiles, the basis for this series.
The couple has been called out on many snake rescue expeditions, some of which have actually turned out to be not snakes, but rather hair bands, rubber snakes, gecko tails, blades of grass, and even a rat.
But along the way, they've had some truly interesting and breathtaking adventures.
In the height of summer the heat and humidity bring thousands of snakes out of hiding, into direct conflict with the 3.5-million inhabitants of this city.
There is a snake in nearly every home so Simon and Siouxsie, experts in animal behaviour, track down and capture by hand, the world's most dangerous and venomous snakes that emerge every summer.
Once the snakes are caught they're checked, nurtured and rehabilitated before Simon and Siouxsie release them back in the wild - far away from humans.
This season, Simon and Sioux return to India and team up with local snake catchers Snake Shyam and Gowri Shanker to help rescue some of the world's deadliest snakes, including the King Cobra.
Mbali continues to save snakes back in South Africa.
In the Season 10 premiere, "Summer of Snakes": Simon, Sioux and Mbali face their biggest challenge yet - a global snake crisis.
Snake and people numbers are increasing, and they must save both.
Crimes Gone Viral 4
Channel: Investigation Discovery (DStv 171 / StarSat 223)
TX Time: 21h00
Genre: True Crime, Clip Show
Explores the stories behind shocking crimes caught on camera that gain viral fame on the Internet.
From business security cameras to home surveillance systems and cellphone cameras, someone is almost always watching.
Gripping clips of kidnappings, break-ins, wild car chases, violent road rage incidents and other crimes rack up millions of views.
But Crimes Gone Viral goes beyond the jaw-dropping footage to tell the full story.
This series features interviews and behind-the-scenes information of some of the internet's most viral crime clips.
In the Season 4 premiere, "Mama Bears Don't Play": A good Samaritan defends a stranger, an elderly woman does the unexpected, a mail carrier fights for his life, and a frightening mom is caught on camera in a precarious situation.
In the second episode of the weekly double bill, "Hazards on the Clock": Criminals target fast food restaurants and a drive-thru employee takes things too far.
A disgruntled customer tries to burn down a bodega, and a judge and a defendant face off.