Yizo Yizo is a South African television drama series which looks at problems faced by pupils in South Africa's education system as a result of a breakdown in the culture of learning and teaching, leading to a sense of helplessness among parents, students and teachers.
Focusing on Supatsela High School, the story revolves around an autocratic cane-wielding principal who is forced to leave after he assaults a pupil.
His successor is weak and corrupt and the situation in the school deteriorates with gangsters and criminal elements filtering through.
The principal is eventually dismissed and replaced by Grace Letsatsi and under her leadership, the community get together to retake ownership of the school.
The students are empowered and able to express their views.
Rape, murder, prostitution, abuse, HIV/AIDS. Serious issues.
The series wanted to contextualize them for people with the power of music, laughter, friendship and glamour to match the gritty authenticity of the work.
Simple, universal themes proved their power to move audiences.
Street language made it into the family lounge and gave different generations the insight to a shared vocabulary with which to describe their reality.
Issues of drug abuse, gangsterism and rape are tackled.
The first season won five Avanti Awards including Best Production and Best Director.
It also won the Japan Award and was screened at festivals in London, Rotterdam, New York and Barcelona.
Ronnie Nyakale won the Best Supporting Actor Avanti Award for his performance as Papa Action.
Yizo Yizo was created and written by Teboho Mahlatsi, Peter Esterhuysen, Harriet Perlman, Mtutuzeli Matshoba and Angus Gibson.
Broadcast Notes
The series originally aired on SABC1 from 3 February, 1999 to 8 July, 2004. There are 39 episodes in three seasons.
Episodes were half an hour long in the first season, but expanded to hour-long episodes for the last two seasons.