5 reasons to watch Shaka iLembe season 2
The story of a king and the birth of an empire continues. Shaka iLembe returned to Mzansi Magic on DStv channel 161 on Sunday 15 June at 8pm, moving beyond the ascent of a warrior to the complex reign of a monarch. Season 2 finds Shaka (played by Lemogang Tsipa) at the threshold of power, where the fight for the throne becomes a perilous struggle to keep it, and the vision for a unified nation is threatened by enemies both seen and unseen.
This new season expands upon the foundational conflicts and character arcs, offering a portrait of a leader and his kingdom at a turning point.
Here are 5 key reasons that make the return of Shaka iLembe essential viewing.
1. The rise of a legend reaches new heights
Season 2 brings us back to the moment Shaka returns to the Zulu to claim his rightful place as king, only to step into a snake pit of danger. Hidden between the smiling faces are rivals plotting his death. He has to turn his people around to support him, but how?
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2. Love, loyalty and ruthless betrayal
Meet the woman who captures Shaka's heart, but will he let her in? Watch as alliances are tested. From Queen Nandi's (played by Nomzamo Mbatha) brilliant strategies to Mkabayi's (played by Dawn Thandeka King) secret spy network that watches everything from the shadows.
Image: Supplied
3. Shaka's inner world unfolds
Season 2 dives into his spiritual journey to become king. The journey is accompanied by his dreams, visions, and sacrifices, including the bold decision not to marry. We explore the mind and soul of a man driven by destiny but haunted by loss.
4. Power plays and crumbling alliances
Return to King Dingiswayo's (played by Thembinkosi Mthembu) isigodlo as he faces betrayal from those closest to him. See him cross paths with Zwide (played by Wiseman Mncube) and his sons, as the brutal power struggle between kingdoms explodes into war, culminating in the battle that brings the mighty Ndwandwe tribe to their knees.
5. Epic cinematic storytelling like never before
Watch the sweeping landscapes, large-scale battles, and a cast of unforgettable characters make this season the most cinematic yet. Shaka iLembe Season 2 is not just a historical drama, it's a full-scale, emotionally charged epic.
Image: Supplied
The season ahead is not just about the making of a legend, but the weight of it. It explores the sacrifices required for unity, the personal cost of power, and the enduring spirit of a people forging their legacy. It is a profound South African story, told with the scale and depth it has always deserved.
Don't miss the next chapter of Shaka iLembe every Sunday at 8pm only on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) and DStv Stream. Season 2 is also available for viewing on Catch Up.
Shaka iLembe season 2 is proudly sponsored by headline partner Telkom, associate partners Knorrox, Diageo and tactical partners Santam, Amka, Toyota, Spur, and Gordon's Gin.
For more information, visit the Shaka iLembe show page or join in the conversation by using #ShakaiLembeS2 on our social media platforms: Facebook, Instagram, X, and Tik Tok.
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Daily Maverick
18 hours ago
- Daily Maverick
Ward poll shocks — Patriotic Alliance smashes DA's blue wall in Paarl, ANC snatches back Kimberley seat
Two seats changed hands in a night of mixed fortunes for most parties in the latest round of by-elections. The ANC regained a seat in Kimberley, Sol Plaatje it had lost in 2023 to the Patriotic Alliance, while the latter shocked the DA in Paarl, Drakenstein. The ANC had to wade into deep water to retain a township ward in Sebokeng, Emfuleni, as the DA retained a ward in Velddrif, Bergrivier after a strong showing by the Patriotic Alliance. Gauteng Ward 35 (Sebokeng 11, 12, 13) Emfuleni, Sedibeng: ANC 38% (54%) MK 21% DA 12% (14%) PA 12% EFF 8% (22%) DITAU 6% PAC 2% (2%) AAAIC <1% LABOUR <1% SARKO <1% SARKO <1% The setting: Ward 35 is in the heart of Sebokeng township, north of Vanderbijlpark and west of Vereeniging. Star soccer players Steve Lekolea and Sailor Tshabalala hail from the township, as does model Thando Hopa, who graced the cover of Vogue magazine. Sesotho is by far the most-spoken language in Sebokeng, but there are pockets of Zulu and Xhosa speakers. Emfuleni is the most-populous non-metropolitan municipality in the country, making it the municipality with the ninth-largest number of residents in South Africa. It includes Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging and Evaton and forms part of the Sedibeng region, which extends to Meyerton and Heidelberg. The 2021 local government election: The ANC won just more than half of the vote, taking more than 50% in all voting districts. Its best return was 56% at Mthombolwazi Primary School in Zone 12. The EFF did best at Mogogodi Primary School in Zone 11 with a gallant 27%. The DA obtained 19% at the Full Gospel Church of God in Zone 11. The ANC did lose its outright majority in Emfuleni, forcing it into a coalition with several other parties, including the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania (PAC) and the Community Solidarity Association (CSA), with two seats each. Other parties in the coalition are the PA, the New Horizon Movement and the VAAL party, which have one each, giving the coalition 45 of the 90 council seats. The 2024 provincial election: The ANC won half of the vote in the ward. The DA surprised here, finishing second with 16%. Emfuleni was one of the few municipalities in the country where the DA made inroads with black voters. It was just ahead of the EFF in this ward, with the red berets finishing on 15% and MK on 12%. MK hurt the ANC and the EFF in this part of Sebokeng. The by-election: The ward councillor and mayoral committee member for human settlements died. Ten other parties joined the ANC on a crowded ballot. The ANC retained the ward but had to work hard for it. The Hervormde Kerk (Maranatha) voting station in Zone 13 was key as the ANC won an impressive 70% of the vote there. Zone 13 gave the party a 372-vote buffer. It also carried the Full Gospel Church of God voting district in Zone 11 with 40%. The DA was second with 21%. The Mthombolwazi Primary School voting district in Zone 12 had the most voters turning out, and produced a fascinating result. MK came first with 35%, followed by the PA on 28% and ANC with 24%, while the EFF finished sixth behind the DA and new local party, Tau Dia Rora (DITAU). DITAU campaigns on the ticket of respecting and honouring African traditions, culture and heritage. It is a landmark result for the ANC to finish third, and the EFF to finish sixth, in a populous Gauteng township voting district. MK also won the Mogogodi Primary School in Zone 11 with 25%, just ahead of the ANC on 22%. The EFF came third with 17%, the DA fourth on 15% and DITAU fifth on 12%. It is also rare to see five parties get into double percentage figures in a Gauteng township. MK will be satisfied with its second-place finish. While the DA beat the PA and the EFF, it would have liked to have exhibited some growth in the ward. The PA continues to make its mark in Gauteng township by-elections. It will be happy with this showing. The EFF will be bitterly disappointed with fifth place, while DITAU will be a party to watch in Emfuleni in the next election. Northern Cape Ward 1 (Roodepan Platfontein) in Sol Plaatje, Frances Baard: ANC 43% (35%) PA 39% (53%) DA 16% (7%) MK 1% EFF 1% (2%) The setting: Ward 1 is a vast area in Kimberley, the provincial capital of the Northern Cape. It is north of the city centre and includes the working-class community of Roodepan and Platfontein. Platfontein is home to the !Xun and the Khwe communities. The ward includes a tourist landmark on the road to Barkly West, the Wildebeest Kuil Rock Art Centre. The October 2023 by-election: The ANC ward councillor defected to the PA four months after winning an earlier 2023 by-election. He elected not to stand again for the ward councillor position, which meant the PA fielded the same candidate it did in the February 2023 by-election. Another key development was the DA candidate standing down after nominations for candidates had closed for the by-election. The candidate abandoned the race and defected to the PA. The PA beat the ANC by 568 votes, winning its first by-election in the Northern Cape. The PA benefited from the DA candidate's withdrawal after the nomination period had closed. However, the PA also made strides in Platfontein, where it struggled in the earlier 2023 by-election. The party won more than 60% of the vote at the Lucretia School district in Roodepan. The ANC held steady at 29%. Similar results emerged at the less-populated Roodepan voting district. At the NG Kerk, the PA surged to 57%. The ANC made small gains in this district, from 24% to 26%. While the ANC grew in Platfontein, it was not enough to compensate for the shortcomings in Roodepan. The party went from 47% to 50%, while the PA won 37% of the vote in Platfontein. The ANC lost its outright majority in Sol Plaatje. 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There was a significant turnout differential of 20 and 21 percentage points between Platfontein and the two Roodepan voting districts as 71% of Platfontein made their mark at the voting district. The ANC also surprised the PA by edging it by seven votes at the vote-rich Lucretia Primary School voting in Roodepan. The ANC overcame a 31% point deficit from the 2023 by-election at Lucretia Primary School. The result in this district will concern the PA the most. In the less-populated Roodepan voting district the PA fell from 57% to 46%, with the ANC growing from 26% to 30%. It was here where the DA did best in the ward, obtaining 21%. The by-election win means the ANC has now one wards off the DA, the PA and the Namakwa Civic Movement since the 2024 elections in the Northern Cape. It also makes up for the recent narrow loss to the PA in Sutherland in the Karoo Hoogland. Northern Cape premier and ANC provincial leader Zamani Saul's star will continue to rise in the ANC when its members across the country see the party's by-election performance trend in this province. The ANC also regained its outright majority in Sol Plaatje. This means it no longer needs to work with Good to achieve a majority in the council. Good currently has two mayoral committee positions, and councillors in the ANC caucus will surely be eyeing those. New council composition: ANC 33 (32) DA 14 EFF 6 PA 3 (4) Sol Plaatje Service Delivery Forum 3 VF+ 3 Good 2 ACDP 1. Total: 65. Poll: 56% (55%) Western Cape Ward 27 (Amstelhof Paarl) Drakenstein, Cape Winelands: PA 43% (1%) DA 39% (58%) ANC 16% (12%) CDA 1% (10%) The setting: Amstelhof is east of the Paarl town centre. The ward sits between the R101 road and Klein Drakenstein Road. The ward might sit above the Boland Park Cricket Stadium but it produced a rugby superstar in Springbok Canan Moodie. Drakenstein is the second-most-populous municipality in the Western Cape and includes the towns of Wellington, Gouda and Saron. The 2021 local government election: The DA beat the ANC by more than 800 votes in this ward. The race for second place was interesting, with the ANC finishing just ahead of the local Concerned Drakenstein Residents (CDR), which edged out Good in a photo finish for third place. Good won 9% of the vote. 2024 provincial election: The DA came first with 56%, winning both Amstelhof voting districts. The PA was runner-up with 21%, ahead of the ANC on 15%. The by-election: The ward councillor died. Good elected to not contest the by-election. PA made history by winning its first ward in the Cape Winelands district, beating the DA by 74 votes. This is also significant because Drakenstein is the second-most-populous municipality in the province. Amstelhof Primary School district was a delight for the PA and a disaster for the DA. The PA surged from 1% to 37%, while the ANC had an impressive jump from 8% to 32%. The DA fell from 57% to 30% and CDR collapsed from 18% to 1%. The 79-vote margin for the PA over the DA would be the key difference. The DA finished first at LK Zeeman Primary, but its support fell from 56% to 48%. The PA went from a measly 1% to 48%. The PA hurt the DA and CDR and also attracted many of the Good voters in this district. Good won more than 20% in this district in 2021. CDR disappeared in the district, falling from 11% to less than 1%. The DA's blue wall has been resolute in Cape Town and much of the Cape Winelands, but this win by the PA is a big breach of that wall. There will be great concern at DA headquarters. The PA has beaten the DA in a matter of weeks in Mossel Bay and Paarl. These are two towns where the DA's support has largely held or grown. The PA will be very bullish about the next election in the province. The PA did not just cause pain for the DA here. 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The 2021 local government election: The DA beat the PA by 264 votes in a very close contest. The PA won the most vote-rich district, Noordhoek, by 306 votes. Turnout in Noordhoek was below the ward polling average, with only 52% of registered voters showing up. The DA won the Aurora voting district by 115 votes, with the PA finishing second. Turnout here was 54%, slightly below the turnout average. The DA beat the PA by 499 votes in Dwarskersbos. Turnout here was a high 76%. The ANC were the only other party to get into double percentage figures, obtaining 13%. Only four votes separated the parties who ranked fourth, fifth and sixth, with the EFF outmuscling Good and the Freedom Front Plus (FF+). All three parties received 6% of the vote. The 2024 provincial election: The DA bagged 56% of the vote here. The PA were second with 18% and the ANC came third on 12%. Noordhoek was competitive. The DA beat the PA by 93 votes, while 144 votes separated the PA from the ANC. Turnout was more than 80% in Dwarskersbos. The DA won 85% in Dwarskersbos and also dominated in Aurora, winning 75%. The PA beat the ANC in both Dwarskersbos and Aurora. The by-election: The ward councillor resigned. Good and the FF+ decided to not contest this by-election. The DA candidate claimed the PA tried to buy him off. The PA denied the accusation. The DA held off the PA by 208 votes in a high-turnout by-election. The PA grew from 42% to 49% in Noordhoek. There was a turnout differential for the PA as Noordhoek did not just have as expected the highest voter turnout but the highest percentage voter turnout as well, with a 6% turnout advantage over Dwarskersbos and 14% compared with the Aurora turnout. The DA grew from 20% to 28% in Noordhoek. The EFF made good gains, moving from 9% to 19%. The ANC fell sharply from 19% to 4%. Dwarskersbos was key for the DA as it won 96% here, up from 81% in 2021. The party benefited from the FF+'s absence. The FF+ won 15% in the district in 2021. In Aurora, the DA all but matched its 2021 returns while the PA made giant strides from 23% to 43%. The DA would have also benefited from the FF+'s absence here as it garnered 11% in 2021. In Aurora, former Good voters, some DA voters and ANC voters moved over to the PA. We had 4 by-elections in the latest round of electoral activity. No single party won more than 45% of the vote in a by-election. This could be a snapshot of what happens in large parts of the country in the next local government elections. There could well be more fracturing, more competition and considerably more coalitions governments across the country. The next by-election will be on 6 August when the ANC defends a super-safe seat in Motherwell township in Nelson Mandela Bay. The EFF and MK will hope to make inroads. DM
IOL News
3 days ago
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Mzansi Magic celebrates 15 years of storytelling excellence
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3 days ago
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'I'm not a side chick' — Tirelo Kale on why she is not married to Mpumelelo Mseleku
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