Season 6 of the acclaimed telenovela will start airing this February 2023.
With 26 SAFTAs as well as an International Emmy nomination, The River has cemented itself in African television history as one of the most celebrated and successful shows to come from the continent’s ever-growing film and television industry.
Now, the show gears up for its sixth season, wasting no time with more delicious drama. The telenovela moves forward with multi-award-winning star Sindi Dlathu remaining front and centre, while award-winning actor Siyabonga Thwala (Isibaya, The Republic, eHostela) enters the fray as a successful businessman from Lindiwe’s past, hoping to win her heart.
A new era
Despite the show’s consistency and familiar presence on African screens, season 6 arrives with some big, notable changes. In a statement, The River bade farewell to three original cast members, including SAFTA nominee Hlomla Dandala (Isibaya, Jacob’s Cross), whose character played a very significant role in the thrilling story. Lawrence Maleka (co-host of Big Brother Titans) and Tango Ncetezo (Inkaba, Rockville) also moved on from the show to pursue new ventures, with their storylines having reached its conclusion.
“We would like to thank Hlomla, Lawrence and Tango for their priceless contributions to the show, as well as the incredible work that went into giving their characters life. They all brought professionalism, dedication, presence and charisma to the table, and we have loved working with them on the show. We look forward to seeing what their adventure holds,” says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels on M-Net.
What to expect
With many characters’ storylines ending, some major new plots come alive in the upcoming season.
Lindiwe receives a massive business proposition, which puts her at a crossroads on future choices while issues from her past resurface to complicate things even more.
Mabutho becomes more and more aware that something fishy is happening within his company and he’s determined to get to the bottom of it before serious damage is done. While being frustrated with his finances, Mabutho looks for alternative ways to get ahead, but these methods might prove to be even more costly.
Zweli’s jealousy towards Lindiwe’s relationship with a mining mogul continues to grow and is seen as a definite threat. Because of this, cracks start to appear in their otherwise solid relationship which opens the door to a lot of drama!
Scheduling this telenovela into your programming offering is sure to thrill fans of the genre. The River emphatically follows the telenovela format, while at the same time, offering distinct African storylines that will grip your viewers season to season.
Watch full episodes of the acclaimed telenovela here.
