SHAKA ILEMBE 2 IS COMING, MULTICHOICE TELLS FANS

JOHANNESBURG. – Following speculation that there are plans to halt the airing of the second season of Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) drama Shaka iLembe due to alleged misrepresentations of Zulu history in the first season, MultiChoice maintains it performed due diligence before the cameras started rolling.

The company has added that the historical epic is only a fictional representation of events.

The entertainment company’s response comes after Zulu newspaper Isolezwe reported that Godongwana Mthethwa, from King Dingiswayo’s house, was meeting with lawyers to halt the show’s upcoming season.

Mthethwa, according to the publication, said Zulu history was misrepresented in the first season and that his father, King Dingswayo Mthethwa’s name was used incorrectly.

“The MultiChoice Group and Bomb Productions spent over six years making every effort to ensure that the Shaka iLembe story benefitted from consultation with the royal family, various authors, historians, Nguni cultural experts and other stakeholders,” MultiChoice told News24.

“The production worked extensively over a long period of time to draw information from a range of credible sources who are subject matter experts.

“Many of those engaged willingly contributed their insights and accepted invitations to attend open sessions in which different parties could express their specific hopes and/or concerns.

“We have maintained that Shaka iLembe is not a documentary but a fictional interpretation of historical events.”

MultiChoice announced last month that its much-loved show was greenlit for a second season.

This season will pick up the story as Shaka begins his long-prophesied reign, writing himself into history.

The 12-part first season told the story of the making of the iconic Zulu king with iterations from his early childhood to adulthood.

Sources from Bomb Productions, the company producing Shaka iLembe, told Sunday World that the second season of the IsiZulu TV series should have returned after the Queen Modjadji series, which ended in September.

Sunday World has been informed that Bomb Productions did shoot Shaka iLembe Season 2.

However, the production was halted when they realised that the script is riddled with inaccuracies.

“The problem is that Bomb Productions does not have this information.

“They need someone from the Mhlongo clan to share some information on Shaka’s reign. In fact, one of the family members, Nqobani Mhlongo, gave them the wrong information. And they started shooting Season 2.

“They realised very late that they were misguided. As a result the production was halted,” said an insider.

Another source said that the first season was nothing but a distortion of Zulu history.

When approached for comment, Nqobani confirmed that he was contacted by Bomb Production.

But he denied giving them wrong information.

“I can confirm that, last week I was contacted by one of the senior officials from Bomb Production. She needed information but I was too busy, I couldn’t entertain her.

“She acknowledged that they made a series of mistakes on Season 1. And they were willing to correct those mistakes. I asked her how are they planning to correct those mistakes on Season 2. And she couldn’t answer me,” said Nqobani. – news24.com/Sunday World