AN UPCOMING crime documentary will revisit the murder cases that gripped the nation.
These include those of Skwatta Kamp member Nkululeko "Flabba" Habede, who was stabbed to death by his girlfriend Sindisiwe Manqele on 9 March 2015 in Alexandra, Joburg as well as heavily pregnant Tshegofatso Pule, who was found hanging from a tree in Durban Deep, Roodepoort, on 4 June 2020, among others.
Showmax has partnered with POP24 to create the new true-crime documentary series called Imibuzo.
Zinzi Velelo-Alake, POP24's head of content, told Daily Sun that filming it was exciting and heartbreaking as the stories were so emotional and important.
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She said the first episode of the documentary would premiere on Showmax on 8 May, with new episodes every Monday.
The producer from the Eastern Cape said: "At POP24, we are working on several exciting commissions with Showmax. One of our current projects is Imibuzo, a hard-hitting documentary show about SA's biggest news stories, so we can all understand what really happened."
The 33-year-old said she had been in the TV industry for more than 10 years and joined Media24 three years ago.
"News and crime doccies are now a staple in the entertainment world, but we felt that black stories don't get the airtime they deserve and that's why we pursued it. It's also exciting that the series is mostly in vernacular," Zinzi said.
She said with POP24 as part of the Media24 stable, they had access to great archival information and journalists who helped them with putting the stories together.
"You can expect a comprehensive summary and emotional retelling of the biggest stories that kept us gripped over the years. We speak to several role players: family, friends, legal experts and insiders, who were part of the happenings. As time has passed and most of these stories have been resolved on a practical level, the impact is still very real for those closest to the victims.
"It is so important that these stories, although now part of SA's turbulent history, are never forgotten. It was an honour remembering these victims. Their lives and misfortunes are a lesson to us all," she said.
Zinzi said she hoped the perpetrators would see that violence and immorality are never a solution.
"Not for them or the victims. And the impact it has is never justified," she said.
