Konings is a South African period drama television series created and written by Paul C. Venter and taking place over a period of 45 years which documents the titanic struggle between two families for control of a "Superspaar" store, a shop "as big as a football field, where one can buy everything".
The series originally aired on the old SABC channel TV1 (the forerunner to SABC2) from 23 April to 3 September, 1992. It later aired on SABC2. There are 20 hour-long episodes in one season. See "Seasons" below for seasonal broadcast dates and times.
Synopsis
One of the biggest and most expensive Afrikaans drama series ever made, Konings is from the pen of the prolific Paul C. Venter and boasts an impressive team of leads and guest cast, including Cobus Rossouw, Sandra Prinsloo, Ryno Hattingh, Dawid Minnaar, Michelle Botes and Grethe Fox.
Konings plays from 1945 over a period of 45 years and is a typical story of poverty to wealth. It's the story of Dolf, who at the age of ten years learned a great truth: everyone must eat. And it is precisely here where the big money lies.
It's where Dolf's dream of a shop "as big as a football field, where one can buy everything" started. But there is much more to the series. It's fiction written against a factual background.
Konings tells the story of Afrikaners who, after World War II, achieved political power yet come to realise that they may have to share it.
Dawid Minnaar plays the role of the adult Dolf and his dreams and ambition to start a Super Savings store have an influence on all who cross his path.
There is also Jack Benzene (Cobus Rossouw), a middle-aged veteran of the First World War. Ryno Hattingh plays the role of Jollyboy, a man who sometimes imagines that he actually looks a little like Clark Gable.
Sandra Prinsloo is pretty and seductive Joey and Marcel Heerden is Stoffel, a worldly man with a constant cigarette hanging out of the corner of his mouth.
Wilson Dunster plays the role of Jollyboy's bosom buddy Sid, a typical "Mister Casual" with his sports jacket, open-neck shirt and wide flannel trousers.
Albert Maritz can be seen as rebellious Herman, Anna-Mart van der Merwe plays the role of Rika, Michele Botes is Santie, while Nomsa Xaba and Dominic Tyawa also have significant roles.
Filmed in 1991, David Lister directed Konings - his first Afrikaans drama series. After ending on a cliffhanger, the series was not renewed. Instead a spin-off series, Torings, was commissioned by TV1, which was also written by Paul C. Venter.
This series was written by Paul C. Venter and produced by Brigadier Films and Leisureco. Original music was by Nic Pickard and Ferdi Brendgen. The executive producer was Frederik Botha with Johan Bernard as producer.
Seasons
Note: TV1 became SABC2 in 1996. Rebroadcast dates for the show are included.
Season 1 (20 episodes)
Channel: TV1 | Premiere: 23 Apr 1992 | Finale: 3 Sep 1992 | Thursdays, 19h00
Channel: SABC2 | Premiere: 10 Oct 2000 | Finale: 6 Mar 2001 | Tuesdays, 19h30
Channel: SABC2 | Premiere: 2 Apr 2013 | Finale: 13 Aug 2013 | Tuesdays, 19h30