South Africa’s most talked-about telenovela has gone dark, but it appears the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) is not ready to write its final chapter just yet.
In a statement issued on Monday, 25 May 2026, the public broadcaster confirmed that Pimville will no longer air on SABC 2. It will temporarily replace the show with repeats of Amalanga Awafani Season 2.
The announcement marks a deeply disappointing end to what was supposed to be one of the public broadcaster’s biggest wins in years.
What happened?
The production exploded into a national scandal in early May 2026 when cast and crew members downed tools after going completely unpaid since February 2026.
The show had been commissioned to fill the timeslot left vacant by the cancellation of the long-running soapie Muvhango, and was expected to pull in massive audiences.
Pimville featured a star-studded all-South African cast including Gail Mabalane, Matli Mohapeloa, Thapelo Mokoena, Keke Mphuthi, Mondli Makhoba, Michelle Mosalakae, Fulu Modibedi, Clementine Mosimane, Jesse Suntele, Eve Rasimeni, Sipho Ndlovu, Mandla Gaduka, Thabo Malema, Charmaine Mtinta, and Lillian Dube.
The stacked cast made the collapse of the production all the more gut-wrenching for viewers who support South African TV.
Did the SABC know about the risks?
The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) had previously flagged Bakwena Productions for similar non-payment issues on an earlier project, Pound 4 Pound.
Despite this, SABC CEO Nomsa Chabeli admitted to Parliament that the broadcaster was aware of these risks but had appointed a supervising producer to mitigate them. This intervention ultimately failed.
Per a report by Sunday World, a formal notice of breach was issued to Bakwena Productions in April 2026. The SABC has confirmed that disciplinary and legal processes are now underway in line with labour laws and contractual obligations.
After days of mounting backlash, actor and filmmaker Kagiso Modupe, who co-owns Bakwena Productions, broke his silence on the controversy, saying he is not responsible for the production’s financial operations and that he had not been paid himself.
Separately, the spotlight also turned on another figure within Bakwena’s leadership, Rashaka “Rush” Muofhe, amid claims of financial mismanagement.
With legal and disciplinary processes underway, political pressure mounting, the MK Party has also demanded a comprehensive account of how Bakwena Productions was appointed and why the show was allowed to continue while workers suffered.
Is this really the end?
In what may be the most significant detail in the SABC’s latest statement, the broadcaster has left the door open for the show’s return.
The SABC confirmed that the discontinuation of the programme did not necessarily mean the end of Pimville, stating that it continues to assess various operational options for the production’s future, with further updates to follow should there be material developments.
The broadcaster apologised to viewers for the disruption to its programming schedule and reiterated its commitment to delivering quality local content, adding that it has engaged cast and crew representatives following concerns raised around the production.
