Chronicle Editor
South African soapie lovers will be glad to know that some of their favourite telenovelas are now back on set shooting new scenes.
Production across all major soapies: The River, Uzalo, The Queen, Imbewu, Isibaya, and Muvhango and Skeem Saam was halted at the start of lockdown in March, to help stop the spread of Covid-19.
Television production companies have now been given the green-light to start working after the department of communications and digital technologies acting Minister, Jackson Mthembu, signed and gazetted directions on the Risk-Adjusted Strategy for the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector.
The gazetted directions allow, among others, electronic communication services and network services, advertising agencies, film and television production companies to resume operations.
These directions apply in addition to the existing restrictions and rules that are in place across all sectors and alert levels including Covid-19 health protocols and sanitation requirements.
“Broadcasting services, online services, productions for local broadcast and live streaming, advertising agencies, film and television productions using local cast and crew are permitted to operate under alert level 4,” said Mthembu in a statement.
The cast and crew of Skeem Saam knuckled down to serious business on Monday as production for the popular SABC1 soapie resumed at Sasani Studios is Johannesburg.
Uzalo, the show that is expected to run out of new episodes to air next week, started filming on Wednesday while Muvhango is due to begin shooting next week. – SundayWorld/Sowetan
Online Reporter