Vuka Kleva is a South African docu-reality television series created and produced by Mpho Moagi-Vilana in which 12 troublesome teens aged 15–18 are placed under the care of counsellors in the Vuka Kleva centre for 12 days and are put through a series of activities, chores, interactions and consultations with experts which enable them to understand their current reality so that they can make decisions to change.
The series premiered on SABC1 on 13 August 2013, at 18h30. New episodes broadcast weekly at this time until 3 September, when the show moved to 18h00. There are 12 half-hour episodes in the series.
Synopsis
Six boys and six girls in their teens are put in the Vuka Kleva centre for 12 days. The troublesome teens aged 15–18 years are placed under the supervision of the housemistress, her two guardians and the Vuka Kleva counsellor.
During these 12 days the teenagers are put through a series of activities, chores, interactions and consultations with experts which enable them to understand their current reality so that they can make decisions to change.
The participating teens are:
Portia Mthembu from Orange Farm is 18, ruthless, loves sex and boys and is addicted to smoking weed. She wants to be a lawyer but dropped out of school because she fell pregnant, she has no desire to go back to school.
Reneilwe Ramagoshi from Limpopo is 18, loves dancing, being around people and is not afraid to take chances. She wants to be a business woman, drinks alcohol and smokes. She enjoys dating older men and has a shaky relationship with her mother.
Saraphina Mulafhi from Chiawelo is 18, loves going out with friends and having a good time. She enjoys dancing and playing netball. She wants to become a lawyer. She has a seven month old baby and often doesn't return home after a night out.
Thando Hlophe from Zola is 16, drinks and smokes and wants to be a doctor one day. She enjoys singing, has run away from home numerous times, dates older men and does not like school so she dropped out.
Cecilia Ndlovu from Orange Farm is 17, smokes dagga and runs away from home for months on end because she is expected to go to school. She spends most her time driving around with taxi drivers. She prefers to date older men, especially married ones. She wants to make money through a sugar daddy.
Nokuthula Khumalo from White City is 17; her ambition is to become an Economist. She loves playing soccer, drinks, smokes, talks too much, gets angry quickly and is very stubborn. She is not afraid of HIV, has had an abortion before and dates both men and women; but prefers older guys.
Yanga Nkumbi from Orange Farm is 17, enjoys listening to music and smoking weed with his friends. He wants to be a radio personality. He gets everything he wants from his parents; he loves expensive clothes and dropped out of school for about four months. He has good leadership skills.
Bhekisisa Mbhata from Diepkloof is 16 and a very good soccer player. He wants to study business management. He loves spending time at street bashes with friends and enjoys a good debate. He has never met his father and receives a grant from the government which he demands from his uncle who cares for him. He is very ungrateful.
Lebohang Finxa from Movhango is 18 and wants to make money by all means necessary. He spends most his time listening to music, is very social, loves parties and girls with all his heart. He drinks but doesn't smoke. He hates school and only attends because his parents force him to attend. He is very manipulative towards his mother and threatens to commit suicide if he doesn't get what he wants.
Innocent Mkhwanazi from Orange Farm is 15, loves playing soccer and hanging out with his friends, and is not on good terms with his parents because of his bad habits. He does not fear anything. He steals and sells pit bulls; he has been caught and beaten many times, he also smokes benzene. He is not doing well at school and has failed three times. When he can't get benzene he steals Zinc so that he can buy it.
Mafa Letjaha from the Free State is 18 and wants to be an electrician. He is always happy, loves playing soccer and working with his hands. He is not on good terms with his parents. He steals money, drinks and does drugs. He doesn't want to go to school as he believes he can make a living from using his hands.
Tshegofatso Motlhabane from Mapetla is 16 and enjoys writing hip-hop songs. He wants to run his own business. He goes to school even though he doesn't like it. He is very disrespectful towards his parents and teachers. He smokes weed and drinks alcohol. He was expelled from school for sexually harassing a teacher.
Created and produced by Mpho Moagi-Vilana, the series is from Aviwe Business Development Services and directed by Bheki Nkosi. The Vuka Kleva housemistress is Neliswa Mbewu and the Vuka Kleva Guardians are Nhlanhla Mdlalose and Ayanda Qwabe.
Episodes
Episode 1: Get to know us
In episode 1 of Vuka Kleva we meet all 12 teens as they embark on this life changing journey. The parents will get a chance to give reasons why they feel that their teens need to change.
The teens are then handed over to the Vuka Kleva programme where they will be under the care of the Housemistress, councellor and Vuka Kleva guardians. The teens the move into the Vuka Kleva centre where they will spend the next 12 days.
Episode 2: House Rules
In episode 2 of Vuka Kleva the teens go on a tour of the Vuka Kleva centre and the Housemistress gives them the house rules and the daily routine. The teens will get a chance to discuss the rules and propose rules of their own.
The teens will have to work together to come up with rules that can accommodate everyone – but the Housemistress always has the last say.
Episode 3: Community service (I could end up here)
In episode 3 of Vuka Kleva the teens begin their morning routine of chores and exercise. The task for the day is to go to an old age homehelp the elderly. The teens will have to clean and cook for the elderly so that they learn how to take care of others.
We also get to know a bit more about what each teens future aspirations are during the day's counselling sessions.
Episode 4: Rehab
In episode 4 of Vuka Kleva the teens battle with adjusting to life at the centre and some tempers begin to rise. The task for the day is to visit a drug rehabilitation centre where they will learn about the dangers of using drugs.
This is where some of the teens will face the reality of the kind of lives they have been living and they also start considering their futures.
Episode 5: Back in the day
In episode 5 of Vuka Kleva the teens begin to slowly get used to each other. Friendships are made and some teens are still having difficulty adjusting. The teens still feel a great deal of peer pressure. The teens also get their first punishment for breaking the rules.
The task for the day is going to the apartheid museum to experience what young people back in the day had to do so that the children of today can have the kind of freedom they deserve. This time some of the teens are forced to reflect on their own behaviour.
Episode 6: Team building fun day
In episode 6 of Vuka Kleva the teens are in need of a bit of fun as the last few days at the centre have been very emotional. The task for the day is team building.
The teens have gotten to know each other better and that helps each team leader chose a team of 6. The teams must battle it out in a series of physical games.