A few months ago, the South African Broadcasting Corporation 1 (SABC 1) paved the path for cutting-edge and thought-provoking television with the launch of its four-part mini-series, Society (read MIMI's post about Society here). Now that SABC has told the African woman's story with Society, it's the men's turn. SABC 1's new four part mini-series After Nine follows the lives of black gay men in a modern society. The show is the first South African drama to deal with the sensitive and controversial subject of gay men in the closet, playing dual roles. It delves into the secret underworld of a black gay man and his inner struggles and hopes to find a way to deal with the torment of revealing his true sexuality to his wife and family.After Nine Co-Producer Sechaba Morojele explained that the mini-series is about an affluent man (China) who is involved in entrepreneurship scheme called Black Economic Empowerment and is about to become CEO of a company and about to be married. China meets Hector, an architect who has just been appointed to work with China in the same company. The two establish a good relationship through basketball, and they eventually fall in love. While the two are deeply in love, China learns that he impregnated his girlfriend and is pressured by his family to marry her. That's as much as Morojele would reveal about the show, although he also added that the phrase "after nine" refers to people who act straight during the day but homosexual after hours.
SABC 1's mini-series are definitely pushing the envelope and representing a different view of modern Africans. Perhaps this will open up a dialogue about what it means to be African in today's society.
(Photo Caption: After Nine Cast Members Denver Vraagom (Who Plays Zane) And Sidu Majola (Who Plays Sbu))
(Photo Credits: SABC 1)
