Local soapies on SABC under threat?

Gugs Mhlungu spoke to independent Film and TV critic, Thinus Ferreira.

Listen to their conversation in the audio clip below.

First 7de Laan, and now Muvhango.

"It's exactly a year ago that I heard that someone from the SABC was on the way to '7de Laan' to go and tell them that their show has been cancelled and at the time I was told by insiders that 'Muvhango' is next and then it will be 'Generations' and all that will really be left is 'Uzalo'..."

- Thinus Ferreira, independent Film and TV critic 

Last week, the SABC effectively cancelled Muvhango, after it ran out of produced episodes.

Viewers were reportedly given no warning that Tuesday (2 July) would be the last episode of the popular soapie.

"The people at 'Muvhango', produced by Duma Ndlovu's Word of Mouth Productions, were really still like the Titanic, holding onto hope until you touch the water, that there might still be another contract forthcoming from the SABC. So they just kept quiet...there have been problems in the past with the SABC just paying productions money that they are owed and that they need to actually film more episodes but the contract was not forthcoming."

 - Thinus Ferreira, independent Film and TV critic 

"There's no contract and the cast and the crew obviously have to work and there is nothing that keeps them bound to that production."  

- Thinus Ferreira, independent Film and TV critic 

"...in this case, it's almost 200 people who basically lost their jobs."  

- Thinus Ferreira, independent Film and TV critic 

"The SABC is technically insolvent and they are struggling to pay for things."  

- Thinus Ferreira, independent Film and TV critic 

Muvhango was the first Tshivenda language TV drama, airing its first episode on 7 April 1997. 

It became SABC2's most-watched show.

Scroll up to listen to the full interview.