Dryfsand (Quicksand) is a South African, Afrikaans-language television drama series written by P.G. du Plessis and produced by Andre Scholtz which revolves around a load of gold that was stolen from a small mining town.
An aeroplane disappears without trace while ferrying a cargo of gold bullion from a small mining town. Carstens, the protagonist of Dryfsand, loses his job at the mine because of the incident, which is deemed a heist.
Eight years pass and the mystery of the plane and its glittering cargo remain unsolved. Determined to get to the bottom of the puzzle and clear his name, Carstens begins to investigate anew.
Slowly but surely he unravels a complex set of secrets that not only pertains to the whereabouts of the gold, but also to a much more sinister organisation characterised by secret family blood and totemic relics.
In the quicksands ("dryfsand") he has stumbled upon, Carstens must find a way to fulfill his mission and get out alive.
Dryfsand was created and written by P.G. du Plessis, and directed by Koos Roets. The production was produced by Andre Scholtz from Krisan Produksies, with Marida Swanepoel serving as supervising producer for kykNET. The music was composed and performed by Mel Botes. The series is in Afrikaans, with English subtitles.
Characters
Character: Carstens
Played By: Richard van der Westhuizen
Carstens (40) is Head of Security at the mine. When a plane with a load of gold is hijacked, he is partly to blame and he looses his job, his status and finally his wife.
To gain back his pride eventually becomes an obsession especially since he’s trying to become and estate agent and is not having much success at that.
The fact that he feels he was released from his position due to unfair evidence and that he was made the scapegoat to protect others continues to eat at him.
Eight years after the robbery, with the gold and the plane still missing, and after his wife left him, he begins his search for evidence all over again and this leads him into a more dangerous situation but he is determined to stay steadfast in his quest.
Character: Lindenberg
Played By: Ivan D. Lucas
Lindenberg (50) was manager at the mine. He lost his love for expensive things and the high life because he also lost his job after the robbery.
He becomes an alcoholic even with his wife’s constant efforts and he falls deeper into a depression of self pity. He struggles to rid himself from the devil on his shoulder so that he can once again see the pride in his wife’s eyes.
Character: Heinrich Bessermann
Played By: At Botha
Heinrich Bessermann (50) has something of a past. He is from Dutch heritage and he just arrived one day, fell in love with a schoolgirl, Nanette Deetlefs, Johannes’ sister.
The affair leads to great disruptions, even more so Bessermann gets accused for it and in a rage he murders a drunkard. He gets sent to prison, but the girl is pregnant.
After his sentence he is placed in the security section of the mine. But there is some sort of secretiveness to him, it’s as though something is driving him.
Character: Ant Sophie
Played By: Sandra Ferreira
Ant Sophie (58) is a fortune teller who comes for only four months every year to her apartment where she tells everyone’s fortunes even those who are still searching for the missing gold.
During the missing month where she tells her fortune no one knows. But a few things are certain, especially the interest that she has towards Charlotte Bessermann, the child that Nanette had with Heinrich.
Character: Captain Jacobs
Played By: Frantz Dobrowsky
Captain Jacobs (50) protects the highest ranking that a policeman can have. He is unusually tidy and has a thing about hygiene. He is knowledgeable about all commodities from shoe soles to lipsticks.
The Captain can at times be called remarkable because he knows many things that we’re totally unaware of – such as where the deceit muscle in every face can be found.
Character: Charlotte Bessermann
Played By: Therese Benade
Charlotte Bessermann (25) is the daughter of Heinrich and Nanette. She was in high school when the robber destroyed her life and took away her youth.
That is why she decided to “make herself over” by managing social events, looking after her body and behaving and speaking appropriately, because she doesn’t want to be known as the Bessermann from the gold scandal.
She isn’t her uncle Johannes’ favourite but is accepted by Koot Welters. In him she develops a huge trust and in the meantime a strong acceptance and help grows between Koot and Charlotte.
He takes the place of her absent father and she loves him like her own father. She even does his bookkeeping for him.
Character: Johannes Deetlefs
Played By: Frank Opperman
Johannes Deetlefs (40) is also uprooted due to the robbery all because his family was previously involved in two incidents, murder years ago and later a robbery.
Since then he’s been living in fear and he is the main witness in Carstens investigation.