SOWETAN | Cheers to more years of fine storytelling

Today, Limpopo dance queen Makhadzi drops her new single Jonasi, which is inspired by the antagonist in Netflix’s series The Polygamist, portrayed by the masterful Sdumo Mtshali.

As the streaming platform marks 10 years in Mzansi in September, the success of The Polygamist further cements how it has taken a decade of groundbreaking storytelling before Netflix can fully become a cultural phenomenon in SA.

Outside of the adage “Netflix and Chill”, it has taken a lot of tonal, structural and genre-bending experimentation to determine a local audience’s viewing behavioural patterns. While the content has always been innovative, in the beginning there were hiccups.

Netflix could have packed their bags and run; instead, they weathered the storm. When Amazon Prime Video spectacularly failed in 2024, they didn’t think twice about bolting and leaving African filmmakers out in the cold despite over-promising and under-delivering. Netflix instead opted for a strategic shift that accommodated local filmmakers and storytelling.

One of their memorable fails was Netflix’s first African original, Queen Sono, starring Pearl Thusi in the lead and created by Kagiso Lediga. When Sowetan ran a scathing review of the show in February 2020 headlined “New series Queen Sono fails to take off”, it ruffled many feathers across the industry and went viral on social media.

“Why are you lying?!” singer Busiswa reacted on X. “This article is cr*p,” another user commented. While polarising at the time, it was necessary for Netflix to go back to the drawing board.

Queen Sono was later canned, paving the way for Blood & Water with Ama Qamata in the lead in 2021. While not perfect, the young adult show was the first taste of success for the streamer on home ground.

It showcases that the Netflix effect was not just on culture but also on the local economy and tourism. According to the latest data by the streamer, over 700 cast and crew worked across the show’s four seasons, with over 3,500 extras, and it was filmed in over 75 locations across the Western Cape.

The show has paved the way for other successful local originals Young, Famous & African, Unseen, Heart of the Hunter, Fatal Seduction, Silverton Siege, Savage Beauty, Blood Legacy and more.

Another pioneering move occurred last month when e.tv and Netflix inked a game-changing licensing pact that will see content simulcast on the local free-to-air broadcaster and global streaming giant. Daily drama The Four of Us is the first title under the landmark deal.

As Netflix marks 10 years in Africa, may it continue breaking boundaries in storytelling, and investing in the local economy.