Muvhango And 7 de Laan Airing Days Cut

It has confirmed, Muvhango and 7 de Laan will experience slight changes in programming according to the latest reports.  For months there’s been speculation about the future of SABC 2’s flagship shows, Muvhango and 7 de Laan might be hanging by a thread. More so the former, which in November of last year had to comment on the suggestions that the soapie was coming to end.

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At the time, the show creator Duma Ndlovu was adamant that the show was not coming to an end and the people should be more worried about “the other show”- which was suggested as shade towards its competitor on the channel, 7 de Laan.  Now, it seems that Ndlovu was wrong and right following the latest news reports. 

According to television and film insider, Phil Mphela the two soapies will face having reduced airing days. Starting from the month of August, Mphela reported that the two soapies will be reduced to three airing days a week, rather than the five-day special.  The soapie will keep the same timeslots, but the only difference is the extent that that cheque is cut.

TV: Muvhango airing days cut

From August 2021, Muvhango will start airing only 3 days in week on SABC2.

The Word of Mouth produced soapie will retain its 9PM slot but now only air new episodes on Monday to Wednesday. #KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/tuxeXzXqMg

— Kgopolo Mphela (@PhilMphela) January 22, 2021

TV: #7deLaan airing days reduced

SABC 2 Afrikaans soapie, will now be broadcast three times a week, Mondays to Wednesdays at 18h00 starting on the 5th of April 2021.#KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/Ssn0JgOZ1g

— Kgopolo Mphela (@PhilMphela) January 22, 2021

Now, this is not the first time that Muvhango has played sometimes in the week. When the show first started airing there was a period when its airing days were three. However, that was during the hey-days of Muvhango when the drama still slapped and had TshiVenda speaking folks and TshiVenda adjacent and subtitle reading fans on the edge of their seats.

Remember when we were excited that Muvhango got an extra airing day back in the day??? This is so sad shem https://t.co/Z0uAf4aflP

— Cremora DuBois (@NdumeeHugs) January 22, 2021

But the soap has experienced changes that have changed the viewing trends that the soap was used too. From the departure of some of its popular actors- and jus Sindi Dlathu, to the hit-and-miss storyline, we all knew the future of Muvhango was skating that thin ice. Think about, if a soap is going to trend for the body of its actors rather than the drama in the soapie then you know you have a problem.

Imagine if Lindiwe never left Muvhango. We would have never witnessed this masterclass in acting.👌🏾 #TheRiver1Magic pic.twitter.com/1vRpuckR6R

— Raised in Africa. (@paballo_patsa) January 19, 2021

TV: Could Muvhango’s viewership decline have cost the SABC2 soapie airing days?

The show peaked at 5million during lockdown audience surge in March 2020 but kept losing numbers after that

In December, it peaked at 3,7-mil, far cry from it 6-mil viewers glory.#KgopoloReports https://t.co/CdU4HNVe9K pic.twitter.com/KpTd1IWebn

— Kgopolo Mphela (@PhilMphela) January 22, 2021

With reference to 7 de Laan, the change in viewership numbers might be attributed to the whitewash the soap experience last year.  In what could be only be referred to as, “What in the Days of our Lives?” In 2020, the soapie got rid of a bulk of its beloved and longstanding character- characters that defined the show as much as Oppiekoffie does. 

Characters including Charmaine, the protagonist; Xander, Diederik, Matron, and Hilda. Basically, you name a longstanding character you liked and its either they are permanently gone or scared die-hard fans that might be leaving like Marko, Vannessa and now Justin.

Image Cred: Twitter

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