The River (South African TV series)

The River is a South African television series created by Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon.[2] It is an M-Net original production produced by Tshedza Pictures for DStv's general entertainment subscription channel One Magic and is available for streaming on Naspers subscription-based video-on-demand service Showmax.[3] Sindi Dlathu plays the lead role as the mining magnate Lindiwe Dlamini-Dikana, alongside a star cast that includes Hlomla Dandala and Presley Chweneyagae and Larona Mogai

The River
Season 3 poster
Genre	Drama, soap, telenovela
Created by	Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon
Written by	Christa Biyela Lebogang Magashoa Bonga Percy Vilakazi Thato Dipholo Donna Sibande Nandisa Mkhize Caroline Kganyago Sthembile Mnisi Kelton Sinyosi Shitshembiso Mabasa
Directed by	Johnny Barbuzano Ferry Jele Catharine Cooke Sandile Mdluli Zolani Phakade
Creative director(s)	Johnny Barbuzano Bonga Percy Vilakazi
Starring	Sindi Dlathu Larona Moagi Hlomla Dandala Presley Chweneyagae Lawrence Maleka Lunga Shabalala Tinah Mnumzana Moshidi Motshegwa Zanokuhle Maseko Lunga Mofokeng Tango Ncetezo Matshepo Mokgopi Galaletsang Koffman Thapelo Segohadi
Theme music composer	Brendan Jury
Opening theme	Blues Saraceno[1]
Composer(s)	Brendan Jury
Country of origin	South Africa
Original language(s)	English Setswana IsiZulu IsiXhosa
No. of seasons	3
No. of episodes	651 (as of 10 August 2020)
Production
Executive producer(s)	Phathutshedzo Makwarela Gwydion Beynon Connie Ferguson Shona Ferguson
Producer(s)	Candice Tennant Bonga Percy Vilakazi
Production location(s)	Cullinan Diamond Mine Refilwe Silver Lakes
Editor(s)	Bongi Malefo Ula Oelsen
Camera setup	Multi-camera
Running time	22 - 24 Minutes
Release
Original network	1Magic
Picture format	1080i (HDTV) 576i (SDTV)
Original release	29 January 2018
External links
Website

The drama series is set in Pretoria against the backdrop of South Africa's mining sector. A diamond discovery in the river running between the poor township of Refilwe and the affluent neighbourhood of Silver Lakes quickly turns from a blessing to a curse. When Lindiwe murders Thato Mokoena for the diamond, she sets in motion a tragic set of events that deepen the divide between the haves and the have-nots. The thrill-a-minute telenovela sees worlds collide in spectacular fashion. One side of the river is home to those who will go to any lengths to keep their wealth; the other by those who have little to show for their hard work and Emma came in Dikanas life and tried to ruin them but lindiwe stopped her and she murdered her

Plot

The River[4] tells the story of Khanyisa Diamonds mine owner Lindiwe Dlamini-Dikana, who is ruthless and calculating,[5] and the extent she will go to in order to protect her family and maintain her lavish lifestyle. Lindiwe is married to provincial police commissioner Zweli Dikana, and is a mother to Andile and Mbali Dikana, step-mother to Nomonde Dikana. The Dikanas live in a mansion in Pretoria East, South Africa.

In the township of Refilwe, where Khanyisa Diamonds is located, lives poverty stricken residents, many of whom work at the mine. The Mokoena family, consisting of Malefu Mokoena and her children, Thuso, Dimpho and Itumeleng live in Refilwe. Unbeknownst to everyone except Malefu, Tumi is adopted, being found at a river as a baby by her late adoptive father, Thato Mokoena.

Season 1

Lindiwe's mine is about to go bankrupt,[6] when one of the foremen, Thato Mokoena finds an alluvial diamond, whose worth is later revealed to be $45 million, in the river that runs through the township of Refilwe while fishing. Lindiwe murders Thato Mokoena and places the diamond in her mine for her miners to find, so that the discovery is made in her land, while also covering up the murder.

Malefu Mokoena struggles to raise her children after her husband's death. Her oldest son, Thuso is frequently in and out of jail. Her adopted daughter, Tumi, marries Lindiwe's nephew, Zolani Dlamini, and moves into the Dikana household. Following their wedding, Lindiwe employs Tumi as the CSR Officer at Khanyisa Diamonds. Lindiwe attempts to steal the land in Refilwe to mine, but her plan is foiled when Tumi dissents, realising Lindiwe's intentions.

Malefu discovers Tumi had a hand in Lindiwe's plan. Malefu disowns Tumi and tells her she was adopted, and gives Tumi the one half of a necklace her birthmother left her with. Tumi divorces Zolani, who reveals that Lindiwe killed her father. Tumi and her new boyfriend, Lindani attempt to find evidence by returning to the Dikana mansion and while searching Lindiwe's desk, Tumi discovers Lindiwe is her biological mother. Tumi attempts to reach Lindiwe so they can talk, but is kidnapped and taken to the mine, where she is buried alive by Lindiwe, who knows that Zolani told Tumi of Thato Mokoena's murder.

Lindiwe finds Tumi's message and realising she has buried her own child, attempts suicide by shooting herself.

Season 2

Tumi is rescued by Lindani, while Lindiwe makes a full recovery. Tumi subsequently files charges against Lindiwe. Her quest for justice turns sour, as she becomes the prime suspect in the "attempted murder" of Lindiwe. Subsequently, Lindiwe files charges against Tumi, arguing in court that Tumi is an agent of white monopoly capital sent to destroy her company.

Lindiwe frees Paulina from prison in exchange for Lindani's silence in order to win the case. Her husband finds out she actually did commit the crimes and exiles her to a life of poverty as punishment.

Reeling from her parents divorce and her mother's disappearance, Mbali resorts to drugs and is kidnapped by her dealer while Nomonde takes over as the CEO of Khanyisa Diamonds and Zweli turns to a prostitute for company.

After rescuing Mbali, Zweli informs his children of Lindiwe's misdeeds. In Refilwe, Cobra and Paulina contest an interim ward election after the councillor died from a heart attack. Paulina is set to win until Percy and Oupa plant fake votes in favour of Cobra.

Cobra wins the election and invites Paulina to join the Council. Lindiwe resurfaces in Refilwe and takes up refuge in the shack she grew up in. Everyone of her contacts abandon her when they realise she has lost her power. Tumi finds out Lindiwe is in Refilwe and sets her shack on fire, with Lindiwe inside. Zolani rescues Lindiwe and Sis Flora takes them in out of pity.

Lindiwe pretends to have turned over a new leaf and misleads everyone into believing she is a changed person, as she bides her time and calculates her return. Cobra uses his position as councillor to unfairly award tenders. Nomonde struggles to keep the mine afloat while juggling her relationship with Lindani. After Nomonde is nearly killed by the miners, she begins looking for a new CEO for Khanyisa Diamonds.

Gail Mathabatha enters the lives of the Dikanas when she is hired as Khanyisa's new CEO. Soon, she is involved in a romantic relationship with Zweli to Lindiwe's chagrin, setting the latter on a quest for everything she holds dear - her family, her marriage and her mine; she is later killed by Lindiwe on her wedding day.

Thuso together with Percy and Oupa successfully steal Lindiwe's diamonds at the diamond launch which got disrupted by riots. Thuso then gives the diamonds to Lindani who is now Tumi's husband so that he doesn't get caught by police as he knows that he will be the prime suspect.

Lindani couldn't keep such a secret so he told his friend Charlie about the stolen diamonds. Lindiwe and Zolani brutally torture Charlie, for information about the stolen diamonds, they got the information they needed they went to Lindani's house and searched for the stolen diamonds. Then they found the diamonds then a drunk and depressed Lindani enters the house and is immediately shot by Lindiwe.

Tumi and Mbali overhear a conversation between Lindiwe and Zolani celebrating their successful mission then Tumi plans on a revenge by tampering the car brakes then Mbali cries and fears that her mother is what people call her. She then takes her mother's car which had the brakes tampered with. Mbali then dies in a tragic accident by mistake.

Season 3

Season 3 starts with the confusion and heartbreak of Tumi. Lindiwe begins to feel that she is being punished for her sins. Mbali's funeral is later held. Tumi confesses to killing Mbali and is eventually killed by Lindiwe. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the production of The River has stopped, with episode 75 being the last one to air . Zolani finds love in a girl called Emma but after realising that Zolani is just an employee of Lindiwe she persuades him to sue thus causing conflict between the two.

Cast

Actor	Character	Seasons
		1	2	3
Sindi Dlathu	Lindiwe Dlamini-Dikana	Main
Larona Moagi	Itumeleng "Tumi" Mokoena	Main
Presley Chweneyagae	Thuso "Cobra" Mokoena	Main
Hlomla Dandala	Commissioner Zweli Dikana	Main
Moshidi Motshega	Malefu Mokoena	Main	Does not appear
Lawrence Maleka	Zolani Dlamini	Main
Lunga Shabalala	Lindani Dlomo	Main
Tinah Mnumzana	Sis Flora	Main
Lunga Mofokeng	Andile Dikana	Main
Zanokuhle Maseko	Mbali Dikana	Main		Does not appear
Linda Mtoba	Nomonde Dikana	Main	Main	Main
Tango Ncetezo	Paulina Mokoena	Main
Matshepo Mokgopi	Dimpho Mokoena	Main
Don Mlangeni Nawa	Thato Mokoena	Recurring	Does not appear
Galaletsang Koffman	Beauty	Main
Thapelo Segohadi	Khabzela	Main
Tsholofelo Matshaba	Kedibone	Does not appear	Main
Thembinkosi Mthembu	Mabutho	Does not appear		Main
Chuck Shisane	Detective Tshabalala	Recurring
Connie Ferguson	Harriet Khoza	Does not appear	Guest	Does not appear
Shannon Esra	Sandra Stein	Recurring	Recurring	Does not appear
Mary-Ann Barlow	Gail Mathabatha	Does not appear	Recurring	Does not appear
Ferry Jele	Veronica	Recurring		Recurring

Guest stars as of season 1

• Zenzo Ngqobe as Percival "MaPercente"
• Warren Masemola as Oupa
• Maduvha Madima as Minister Joyful
• Siya Sepotokele as Njabulo
• Sello Maake Ka-Ncube as Malome Sechaba
• Brenda Nxoli as Dambisa Dikana
• T.J. Mokhuane as Tshepo
• Shahan Ramkissoon as himself
• Masasa Mbangeni as Adv Akhona
• Ntokozo Dlamini as Sihle Ngema
• Thabo Malema as Ten Ten
• Michelle Craig as a journalist
• Robert Whitehead as Judge Christoper Knowles
• Lebogang Tlokana as Dora Phakati
• Winnie Ntshaba as MaDlomo
• Nkanyiso Bhengu as Pastor
• Alina Moloi as Constable Candy

Awards and nominations

Year	Award	Category	Nominee	Result	Ref
2019	South African Film and Television Awards	Best Telenovela	The River	Won	[7]
		Best Actress - Telenovela	Moshidi Motshegwa	Won
			Sindi Dlathu	Won
		Best Actor - Telenovela	Presley Chweneyagae	Won
			Hlomla Dandala	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actor - Telenovela	Lawrence Maleka	Won
			Zenzo Ngqobe	Nominated
		Best Supporting Actress - Telenovela	Ferry Jele	Nominated
		Best Achievement in Directing - Telenovela	Johnny Barbuzano, Catharine Cooke, Zolani Phakade and Ferry Jele	Won
		Best Achievement in Scriptwriting – Telenovela	Gwydion Beynon & Phathutshedzo Makwarela	Won
		Best Achievement in Original Music/Score – Telenovela	Brendan Jury	Won
		Best Achievement in Editing – Telenovela	Ula Oelsen, Bongi Malefo & Matodzi Nemungadi	Won
		Best Achievement in Sound – Telenovela	Ben Oelsen, Lele Seate & Tladi Mabuya	Won
		Best Achievement in Cinematography – Telenovela	Gaopie Kabe & Trevor Brown	Won
		Best Achievement in Wardrobe − Telenovela	The River	Won
		Best Achievement in Hair & Make-Up − Telenovela	The River	Won
		Best Achievement in Art Direction − Telenovela	The River	Nominated
	47th International Emmy Awards	Best Telenovela	The River	Nominated
2020	South African Film and Television Awards	Best Achievement in Directing - Telenovela	Ferry Jele, Catharine Cooke, Zolani Phakade & Johnny Barbuzano	Won
		Best Achievement in Scriptwriting - Telenovela	Gwydion Beynon, Phathutshedzo Makwarela, Christa Biyela, Lebogang Mogashoa & Mamello Lebona	Won
		Best Achievement in Editing - Telenovela	Bongi Malefo, Matodzi Nemungadi & Ula Oelsen	Won
		Best Achievement in Sound - TV Soap/Telenovela	Ben Oelsen, Juli Vanden Berg & Tladi Steven Mabuya	Won
		Best Achievement in Cinematography - Telenovela	Trevor Brown	Won
		Best Achievement in Wardrobe - TV Soap/Telenovela	Alice Mataboge	Won
		Best Achievement in Make-Up and Hairstyling- TV Soap/Telenovela	Bongi Mlotshwa	Won
		Best Actress - Telenovela	Sindi Dlathu	Won
		Best Supporting Actress - Telenovela	Mary-Anne Barlow	Won
		Best Telenovela	The River	Won

References

1. "The river". Retrieved 28 January 2018.
2. "The River Telenovela". Retrieved 31 January 2018.
3. "Watch The River online on Showmax". Showmax.
4. "The River Episode today".
5. Mnganga, Tholakele (10 January 2019). "Screen superstar Sindi Dlathu on juggling her screen roles". Drum.
6. "The River Episode 1".
7. Shumba, Ano (4 March 2019). "SA Film and Television Awards 2019: All the winners". Music in Africa. Retrieved 23 March 2020.

8. ^Engelbrecht, Leandra (30 April 2020) https://m.channel24.co.za/TV/News/all-the-winners-at-the-2020-saftas-20200430 News24. Retrieved 1 May 2020.