A South African show's eventually doing it and we're thrilled!
Mzansi Magic confronts Big Pharma in its latest Sunday night series Mpondoland which premieres as a Krismas box on Sunday 7 December 2025 at 20h00.
It's the country's first IsiMpondo series and centres round these themes that blow our hair back:
1. Ancestors and spirituality,
2. Marijuana,
3. The evils of Big Pharma.
Big Pharma's the villain, embodied by the character Pele-Pele, portrayed by Tina Jaxa.
This is the scenario with key art:
KwaKhonjwayo is a lush marijuana-cultivating village where the ground is holy, spirits communicate in water and leadership is a sacred gift from the ancestors.
Here we meet Mkhondwana (played by Thembekile Komani), the reluctant heir set to take over as the "Green thumb" of the village but he does not want to.
He wants to eventually leave the village for the city to pursue his artistic interests.
Despite his doubts, he agrees and accepts the powerful position, but his world changes in ways he couldn't have imagined when a greedy, power-hungry outsider and big pharmaceutical villain, Pele-Pele (played by Tina Jaxa) arrives.
She demands that the villagers sell her their marijuana plantations, throwing the once-harmonious world of KwaKhonjwayo into utter chaos.
Mkhondwana must be resolute as a leader and continue the resistance against the takeover by an adversary who will do anything to get what she wants, at any cost.
This is not an easy feat for Mkhondwana, who is a peace maker at heart and not a fighter.
According to M-Net's Director of Local Entertainment Channels, Shirley Adonisi:
“This story can be seen as a celebration of African spirituality, heritage and the power of community. Mkhondwana’s journey is one that will resonate as it is about finding strength in vulnerability and honouring the past while facing the future. We are proud to bring this unique and culturally rich narrative to our viewers."
Flash facts
The show's produced by Origins Pictures and executively produced by Mmamitse Thibedi (Uzalo, Ifalakhe) and actress Chumisa Cosa (Shooting Stars, Gauteng Maboneng, Vat 'n Sit).
There are 13 episodes.