SABC1's anti Gender-based violence series Orange Couch returns for Season 4 tonight (4 November 2024) at 18h00, with 14 women who share stories of what they've been through, revealing how they've survived.
As you may know, the show gives a platform to abused women who share their plight and how they've subsequently rebuilt their lives.
According to series creators Blue Wizard Productions, the purpose of the show is to inspire people experiencing abuse to find the strength to break the chains that hold them in dangerous relationships.
It also aims to motivate those facing discrimination in society or the workplace to raise their heads and voices.
The colour orange symbolizes a brighter future, free of violence.
New episodes air Mondays through November and it extends to Tuesdays from the start of December.
Featured in this season are:
Rofhiwa Nethenge
Monday 4 November 2024
Episode 1
Rofhiwa, a young woman from Venda, moves to Johannesburg and believes she’s found her fairy-tale romance with a charming police officer.
He treats her like a princess at first, and her new life seems perfect. But soon, the dream unravels - his true nature emerges, and he begins to abuse her. The violence becomes unbearable, and her world turns dark.
Eventually, Rofhiwa ends up in a psychiatric hospital, where she faces her deepest fears and fights the urge to end it all.
Thabiso Mehlolo
Monday 11 November 2024
Episode 2
Thabiso married young, but her marriage quickly turned into a nightmare of abuse. Her partner’s violence was relentless - he beat her so brutally she was left covered in bruises, and he even took her to a cemetery to attack her.
Somehow, Thabiso survived, though the trauma changed her life forever.
One night, her partner was fatally stabbed, and in that moment, she was finally free. Relief eventually washed over her.
Now, Thabiso shares her story, exposing the harsh reality of gender-based violence and the strength it took to survive.
Lindokuhle Nkosi
Monday 18 November 2024
Episode 3
Lindokuhle faces relentless abuse not only from her partner but also from her in-laws, who leave her starving and humiliated. At work, she endures further degradation, trapped in a cycle of despair.
Her emotional journey highlights the strength it takes to survive when those who should protect her become her greatest tormentors.
Lilitha Ngumbela
Monday 25 November 2024
Episode 4
Abandoned by her mother, Lilitha fights to survive alone in a harsh world. She falls for an older man who promises her everything but quickly turns her dream into a nightmare.
Consumed by jealousy, he accuses her of infidelity, unleashing a torrent of emotional and physical abuse.
Kedibone Rabothata
Monday 2 December 2024
Episode 5
For Kedibone, it was love at first sight with her boyfriend, but the dream quickly became a nightmare. He turned possessive and abusive, his jealousy spiralling out of control.
One fateful morning on her way to school in Pretoria, he ambushed her, stabbing her seven times in a violent rage.
Against all odds, Kedibone survived the brutal attack. A shocking story of love turned lethal and the miracle of survival amidst unimaginable terror.
Nonceba Ndamane
Tuesday 3 December 2024
Episode 6
Nonceba moves to Johannesburg in search of a better life, only to fall for a man whose lies lead to a horrific betrayal - she is thrown from a 6th-floor flat, losing her left hand.
Despite this, she finds love again, but it turns into another nightmare, as her new partner subjects her to brutal verbal, emotional and physical abuse, leaving her with 9 stab wounds.
Nonceba’s story is one of unimaginable pain, resilience and survival against all odds.
Shamila Cajee
Monday 9 December 2024
Episode 7
Shamila fell deeply for her first love, who became her guide and closest confidant.
But behind closed doors, he turned abusive, shattering her trust in the person who once taught her everything.
Now, Shamila shares her journey of resilience as she reclaims her strength and rebuilds after betrayal.
Mpuseng Nkhatho
Tuesday 10 December 2024
Episode 8
Mpuseng was impregnated by her abusive stepfather at a young age - a dark secret her family hid.
As an adult, she escapes her toxic home, hoping for a better life, only to marry a man who cheats on her, physically abuses her, and infects her with STIs.
Eventually, she becomes HIV positive, and untreated infections lead to womb cancer.
This gripping episode explores her painful journey through abuse and illness, shedding light on the resilience of survivors.
Tebogo Ditinti
Monday 16 December 2024
Episode 9
Desperate to save her sick son, Tebogo enters an initiation to become a traditional healer. Instead of receiving guidance, she endures severe physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, along with starvation.
Stripped of her dignity, Tebogo’s journey becomes a nightmare of survival, leaving her traumatized and broken.
Her story is one of sacrifice, betrayal, and the devastating toll of abuse in a place meant for healing.
Nobuhle Mazibuko
Tuesday 17 December 2024
Episode 10
Nobuhle locks eyes with her prince charming as he drives past her gate, igniting a whirlwind romance. But what begins as a fairytale quickly spirals into a nightmare when she’s convinced to leave her family home.
Trapped in a toxic relationship, Nobuhle becomes an enabler of her partner’s abuse, enduring brutal violence that leads to a heartbreaking miscarriage and a permanent head injury.
Ntombikayise Mbele
Monday 23 December 2024
Episode 11
Ntombikayise from Daveyton fell for her older partner while still in school, charmed by his gifts.
But after having a child, their relationship turned violent. She endured brutal beatings in public, including a terrifying attack with a brick that left her hospitalized and unable to open her eyes.
Mande Thobejane
Tuesday 24 December 2024
Episode 12
Mande, a single mother, finds her prince charming who brings laughter and joy into her life.
Their relationship blossoms, leading them to move in together after she becomes pregnant. But the bliss is short-lived as the harsh reality of blending families takes its toll.
Ester Rakgoale
Monday 30 December 2024
Episode 13
Esther fell in love in school, but her first intimate experience felt forced, marking the start of a relationship that quickly turned abusive. Facing physical, emotional pain, and betrayal, she now shares her journey of resilience and renewal.
Tshidi Mokgoloboto
Tuesday 31 December 2024
Episode 14
Tshidi, a promising nurse, finds her prince charming and moves in with him, but their fairy tale quickly turns dark.
Physical abuse starts almost immediately, leaving her to go to work with a black eye and ultimately leading to a heartbreaking miscarriage.
Fearing for her life, Tshidi runs back to Limpopo, seeking safety from the man she once loved.
Premiere episodes of Orange Couch air on SABC1 on Mondays at 18h00 and on Mondays and Tuesdays from 3 December 2024.