Isidingo: The Need
Encyclopedia
Isidingo: The Need is a South Africa
n soap opera
, with dialogue mostly in English
. Isidingo premiered on SABC 3
in July 1998 and is broadcast evenings on SABC 3 from Monday to Friday. It now uses the title Isidingo, having dropped "The Need" in 2001.
The story follows vaguely from a popular soap opera during apartheid South Africa
named The Villagers, although none of the current actors is from the older series.
Several famous actors and actresses appeared on Isidingo, including Michelle Botes
, who left the show in 2007 but later returned in 2010.
Locations are divided between the fictional ON TV studios in Johannesburg
and the mining
town of Horizon Deep. The main characters include the Haines family, the Matabanes, the mine manager, Vusi Moletsane, and the various residents of the boarding house
now owned by Maggie Webster.
Barker Haines is the character everyone loves to hate. Billionaire in the living, he often schemes his way into the lives of various people in and out of Horizon Deep, notably his daughter Leone Haines who used to run ON TV (which Barker happens to own), along with Rajesh Kumar
. Leone now owns and runs a hotel called The Duncan in Horizon Deep, in memory of her dead brother, Duncan.
The Matabanes are a stronghold in the make up of Horizon Deep, with Zebedi as the patriarch of the close-knit family. Vusi, the mine manager is married to the Matabane daughter and lives with them in their family house. Other characters central to this family are Nandipa, wife to the Matabane son, and is currently living with HIV, but has a somewhat celebrity status as she is a presenter at ON TV where she presents a current news programme along with Lolly
and Len Cooper
In 2008, Leone Haines was found dead, after leaving home to go on a walking trip, trying to clear her head after her mother's death. In reality, Ashley Callie (the actress playing Lee) had recently been killed in a car accident. Ashley was one of South Africa's best loved actresses and the funeral on Isidingo was complete with real tears from the cast members.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n soap opera
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
, with dialogue mostly in English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
. Isidingo premiered on SABC 3
SABC 3
SABC3 is a commercial South African Broadcasting Corporation television channel that carries programming in English and, as of April 2009, Afrikaans....
in July 1998 and is broadcast evenings on SABC 3 from Monday to Friday. It now uses the title Isidingo, having dropped "The Need" in 2001.
The story follows vaguely from a popular soap opera during apartheid South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
named The Villagers, although none of the current actors is from the older series.
Several famous actors and actresses appeared on Isidingo, including Michelle Botes
Michelle Botes
Michelle Botes is a South African film and television actress best known for her role as Cherel de Villiers in the soap opera Isidingo. Michelle left the role in March 2007, and from June 2007 has been seen as Ingrid Jordaan on MNet's daytime drama, Binnelanders. Ingrid is now married to At...
, who left the show in 2007 but later returned in 2010.
Locations are divided between the fictional ON TV studios in Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
and the mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
town of Horizon Deep. The main characters include the Haines family, the Matabanes, the mine manager, Vusi Moletsane, and the various residents of the boarding house
Boarding house
A boarding house, is a house in which lodgers rent one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. The common parts of the house are maintained, and some services, such as laundry and cleaning, may be supplied. They normally provide "bed...
now owned by Maggie Webster.
Barker Haines is the character everyone loves to hate. Billionaire in the living, he often schemes his way into the lives of various people in and out of Horizon Deep, notably his daughter Leone Haines who used to run ON TV (which Barker happens to own), along with Rajesh Kumar
Rajesh Kumar
Rajesh Kumar is an extremely prolific Tamil writer, most famous for his crime, detective, and science fiction stories. He is a Saurashtran by birth....
. Leone now owns and runs a hotel called The Duncan in Horizon Deep, in memory of her dead brother, Duncan.
The Matabanes are a stronghold in the make up of Horizon Deep, with Zebedi as the patriarch of the close-knit family. Vusi, the mine manager is married to the Matabane daughter and lives with them in their family house. Other characters central to this family are Nandipa, wife to the Matabane son, and is currently living with HIV, but has a somewhat celebrity status as she is a presenter at ON TV where she presents a current news programme along with Lolly
Lolly
Lolly is a British pop star, TV presenter and actress.-Career:Anna Kumble worked as a model before going into a pop career. Lolly arrived on the British pop music scene in 1999 with the release of her first single, "Viva La Radio". She released five singles and two albums over her two-year career...
and Len Cooper
In 2008, Leone Haines was found dead, after leaving home to go on a walking trip, trying to clear her head after her mother's death. In reality, Ashley Callie (the actress playing Lee) had recently been killed in a car accident. Ashley was one of South Africa's best loved actresses and the funeral on Isidingo was complete with real tears from the cast members.
Noticeable Major Character Exits
- Throughout Isidingo's run there have been noticeable major character exits from the soap. Perhaps the most famous is the departure of long-running original villainess, Cherel De Villiers who was played by Michelle Botes. Michelle Botes announced her departure from the soap in October 2006, a week after being snubbed by The South African Television Awards (Isidingo had taken home the most awards, however Michelle Botes was snubbed from an award). Writers wrote Botes out the soap and Cherel's character left the soap. Botes starred in the rival soap Binnelanders which directly competes with Isidingo on pay-channel, M-NetM-NetM-Net is a subscription-funded television channel in South Africa, established in 1986 by Naspers....
, until 2010 when Botes made a return to Isidingo.
- Other controversial exits included Lesego Motsepe's exit from the soap in 2008. Lesego played Letti Matabane, an original character of the soap since its inception. However her character wasn't a fan favourite with viewers. Lesego's character, however, was written out dramatically and killed in a car accident similar to the events which killed former Isidngo actress Ashley CallieAshley CallieAshley Callie was a South African actress best known for her role as Leone Haines in Isidingo . Callie died on 15 February 2008, as a result of head injuries from a head-on car collision in Johannesburg, South Africa on 8 February 2008.-Biography:Ashley Callie was born in Johannesburg...
only six months previously, making it a controversial exit to the series.
- After being killed from injuries sustained in a car accident in February 2008, Isidingo actress Ashley CallieAshley CallieAshley Callie was a South African actress best known for her role as Leone Haines in Isidingo . Callie died on 15 February 2008, as a result of head injuries from a head-on car collision in Johannesburg, South Africa on 8 February 2008.-Biography:Ashley Callie was born in Johannesburg...
died. Callie however still went onto winning numerous awards as "Best Actress" in Drama Series as was publicly praised for her acting talents. Isidingo Producer, Pumla Hopa announced that Callie's character Lee Haines would not be recast in respect to Callie. Isidingo continued airing previously filmed episodes that Callie appeared in until her death, but off-screen killed her character when her character went searching for her mother.
List of Characters (past and present)
- Agnes Matabane (Keketso SemokoKeketso SemokoKeketso Semoko is a South African film and television actress best known for here role as Agnes Matabane in the soap opera Isidingo.-External links:* *...
) - Barker Haines (Robert Whitehead)
- Cherel de Villiers (Michelle BotesMichelle BotesMichelle Botes is a South African film and television actress best known for her role as Cherel de Villiers in the soap opera Isidingo. Michelle left the role in March 2007, and from June 2007 has been seen as Ingrid Jordaan on MNet's daytime drama, Binnelanders. Ingrid is now married to At...
) - 1998-2007, 2010-Present - Dusty da Silva (Milan MurrayMilan Murray (actress)Margaretha Murray is a South African actress. She is most well known to the South African public for roles in various soap operas, but she has also played and starred in feature films, and regularly does stage performances. In addition she co-anchors "Ontbytsake", a weekly Breakfast show on...
) - 1998-2001, 2003–2004 - Frank Xavier (Kevin SmithKevin Smith (South African actor)Kevin Smith is a South African film and television actor best known for his role as Frank Xavier in the soap opera Isidingo. Kevin previously appeared as Andrew 'Andy' Willemse on MNet's Egoli: Place of Gold from 1992 to 1994.-References:...
) - Georgie Zamdela (Darlington Micheals)
- Harriet Thompson (Grethe Fox)
- Joey Ortlepp (Nathalie BolttNathalie BolttNathalie Boltt is a South African actress, known in that country for her role as Joey Ortlepp in the SABC 3 soap opera Isidingo from 2001 to 2004....
) – 2001–2004 - Len Cooper (Chris Beasley)
- Kyle Ortlepp (Owen Meyer) - 2001-2004
- Kieran Harriman (McGregorMcGregor-Places:in Canada:* McGregor, British Columbia* McGregor, Ontarioin South Africa:* McGregor, Western Capein the United States* McGregor, Florida* McGregor, Iowa* McGregor, Minnesota*McGregor , house listed on the U.S...
) - 2009-2010 - Leone Haines (Ashley CallieAshley CallieAshley Callie was a South African actress best known for her role as Leone Haines in Isidingo . Callie died on 15 February 2008, as a result of head injuries from a head-on car collision in Johannesburg, South Africa on 8 February 2008.-Biography:Ashley Callie was born in Johannesburg...
) -2000-2008 - Lesedi Maloi (Gugulethu Zuma)
- Letti Matabane (Lesego MotsepeLesego MotsepeLesego Motsepe is a South African actor best known for her role as Letti Matabane in Isidingo.-External links:* * *...
) -1998-2008 - Lolly van Onselen (Kim EngelbrechtKim EngelbrechtKim Engelbrecht is a South African actress best known for her role as Lolly van Onselen in the soap opera Isidingo.She also presented a local youth television program called Take5 in the 90's. Much of Engelbrecht's work is localised in Johannesburg...
)
- Maggie Webster (Karin Van Der Laag)
- Nandipha Sithole (Hlubi Mboya)
- Natasha Wallace (Jo da Silva)
- Parsons Matabane (Tshepo Maseko)
- Paul McPherson (Carl BeukesCarl BeukesCarl Beukes is a South African actor and male model best known for his role as Paul McPherson in Isidingo.Carl is an actor of note, having performed in numerous stage, television and film productions. He lived in London for 16 months and returned to South Africa in September 2004. His many...
) - Erin McPherson (Tessa Jubber)- 2005
- Philippa DeVilliers (Bianca Amato)
- Rajesh Kumar (Jack Devnarain)
- Siyanda Mazibuko
- Stella Fouche (Judy Ditchfield)
- Steve Stethakis (Emmanuel Castis)
- Stuart Buller (Colin Moss) - 1998-2000
- Tim Wilson (Nathan Ro)
- Vusi Moletsane (Meshack Mavuso)
- Yvette Meyer (Shannon EsraShannon Esra-Early career:Esra had her first "taste" of acting at age 4, narrating a nursery school Purim concert. She later did impersonations of Elvis Presley at local talent contests....
) - 2004 - Zebedee Matabane (Don Mlangeni)