Insidus: Entertainment Inside Us

Openview Records 3.8 Million Decoder Activations in South Africa

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Openview has surpassed 3.8 million decoder activations across South Africa. The figure marks more than a decade of steady growth for the free-to-view satellite platform and underscores the resilience of broadcast television as a primary entertainment medium in the country.

In a local entertainment industry that continues to evolve, with streaming services, digital platforms and on-demand content reshaping how audiences engage, broadcast television remains a significant and resilient force. Openview’s growth reflects that reality. Openview has kept pace, developing +More to extend the viewing experience to include on-demand and streaming services — without departing from what has made it a household name.

Underpinning that growth is a programming catalogue that has developed steadily over the years, with channels and content that have found a committed audience across the country. The 3.8 million activation figure reflects that ongoing relationship between platform and viewer.

A Platform for Every Viewer

Openview’s line-up reflects the full range of what South African audiences watch. Core channels, SABC 1, SABC 2, SABC 3 and e.tv, anchor the offering, alongside a genre mix that covers every member of the household: films on eMovies and eMovies Extra; drama on eExtra and eSeries; children’s entertainment on eToonz; lifestyle on The Home Channel+; and news, sport and education through France 24, SABC Sport and DBE TV.

The +More Difference: Bridging Satellite and Digital

Available on the OV512 decoder, +More connects to the home’s Wi-Fi network to bring on-demand titles and curated streaming content into the Openview experience. Satellite channels and on-demand content sit side by side on one screen, navigated through the same decoder and remote control. The satellite signal remains the platform’s backbone; +More layers digital convenience on top of it, all within Openview’s free-to-view model.

Uzozisola - Regrets Possibly Cancelled On e.tv Due To Low Ratings

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Following the success of eExtra's Kuiertyd, eMedia Investments expanded its content slate to include Bollywood shows in Zulu with the launch of Uzozisola - Regrets. This served as the company's first attempt at rivalling with Zee Zonke on DStv.

This would compliment eExtra's existing Bollywood slate like Naagin and Twist Of Fate.

As for Uzozisola - Regrets, the show had already been broadcast on Openview as Complicated Love by the now defunct Glow TV. Some viewers were probably reliving the nostalgia while others got to see it for the very first time.

Synopsis for Uzozisola - Regrets

Uzozisola – Regrets delves into the emotional complexities of relationships - friendship, love, and betrayal. The story follows Kunal, a seemingly successful young man happily married to Mauli. Kunal’s life takes a tumultuous turn when he unexpectedly falls for Nandini, Mauli's former best friend, who had once found solace in their companionship during her own troubled marriage. As these intertwined relationships unfold, the characters grapple with deep-seated emotions and moral dilemmas, leading to a poignant exploration of regret and the consequences of choices made in moments of vulnerability.

Uzozisola - Regrets debuted on e.tv from 25 August 2025 and after 5 months and 128 episodes e.tv decided to pull the plug on the show. This would join other cancelled shows like Kelders Van Geheime, Scandal!, Smokes & Mirrors and House Of Zwide.

Unlike the latter that will most definitely be able to wrap up remaining storylines. Uzozisola - Regrets will not get that chance as e.tv removed the show from its lineup alongside that of eExtra with it's last broadcast labelled as "the final chapter".

Uzozisola - Regrets has two seasons with 199 in season 1 in which e.tv aired 128 with 99 episodes in season 2. It is unclear whether these remaining episodes will be seen and if they were it's likely not going to be on e.tv but eExtra.

Last month, e.tv underwent a schedule change for its primetime shows with Uzozisola - Regrets that was moved two hours later from 20:30 to 22:30. It was crammed with repeats of Gold Diggers and Ashes To Ashes where viewership is much smaller.

TLC South Africa Presents Inside the Kim Kardashian Heist: A Gripping Three‑Part Deep Dive Into One Of The Most Shocking Crimes Of The Decade

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TLC South Africa brings viewers an unmissable new three‑part documentary series, Inside the Kim Kardashian Heist, offering unprecedented access and fresh insight into the 2016 robbery that shook pop culture, law enforcement, and global media. Premiering Sunday, 1 March at 21:00 on TLC South Africa (DStv Channel 135), the series unpacks the night Kim Kardashian was held at gunpoint in her Paris hotel room and robbed of jewellery valued at more than $6 million.

Set against the high‑glamour backdrop of Paris Fashion Week, the documentary revisits what French authorities described as “the biggest robbery in France for 50 years.” Through exclusive interviews with those closest to the crime, from the concierge who lived through the ordeal to a member of the ageing criminal crew later dubbed the “Grandpa Gang”, the series reveals new layers to a case that captivated the world.

Featuring never‑before‑heard testimonies, forensic detail from the police investigation, and the extraordinary twists that followed, Inside the Kim Kardashian Heist explores how a group of unlikely suspects executed a meticulously planned crime that exposed vulnerabilities at the heart of celebrity culture, security, and international media frenzy.

Episode Guide

Episode 1: “The Heist” – Premieres 1 March at 21:00

Amid the glitz of Paris Fashion Week 2016, Kim Kardashian, one of the world’s most recognisable figures, is robbed at gunpoint in her private hotel residence. For Kim and the concierge, Mr Abderrahmane Ouatiki, the night becomes a traumatic turning point. As France reels from the embarrassment of its biggest jewel theft in half a century, early speculation points to the infamous Pink Panthers. But the elite Anti‑Bandit Brigade suspects something far more complex.

Episode 2: “The Inside Man” – Premieres 8 March at 21:00

As Kim withdraws from public view, conspiracy theories explode online. Under mounting pressure, French investigators race to restore the country’s reputation. DNA traces, CCTV footage, and phone taps point to an unexpected group of suspects, and a sprawling investigation culminates in dramatic dawn raids that lead to 17 arrests. The question of who orchestrated the heist from the inside becomes the central mystery.

Episode 3: “The Trial” – Premieres 15 March at 21:00

More than eight years later, the case reaches the courts in what many call ‘the trial of the century.’ Defence attorney Arthur Vercken fights to clear his client, Gary Madar, while the concierge seeks formal recognition of his trauma. As the “Grandpa Gang” faces justice, including a member who wrote a book about the robbery, the Palais de Justice becomes a global media spectacle. The final question remains: will justice be served?

Don’t miss this gripping three‑part docuseries, airing Sundays from 1 to 15 March at 21:00 on TLC South Africa (DStv 135).

A New Dawn For African Superheroes: The Impact Of Batwing Unmasked On TNT Across Africa

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In an era where African superheroes are celebrated on a global stage, one of the first remains largely in the shadows. Now, a groundbreaking documentary, BATWING Unmasked: An African Super Hero, premiering on TNT Africa (DStv 137) on Friday, 6 March at 19:30 CAT, seeks to change that by asking a powerful question: “Why is Batwing scarcely known, even in Africa, and what can African creators teach us about expanding his legacy?”

Produced by Joachim Landau and directed by Thomas Letellier, the 52-minute film revisits the ambitious story of Batwing. The character, originally David Zavimbe, a former child soldier in the Democratic Republic of Congo who later became an elite police officer, was the first African superhero to operate on African soil within DC’s official continuity. The documentary explores the initial creative ambition and the tensions that came with it: how to portray a country marked by real conflict without sensationalism, and how to avoid clichés while meeting the expectations of a predominantly Western readership.

The film features insights from Batwing’s American co-creator, Judd Winick, alongside a powerful roster of African and diaspora voices who analyse the hero’s cultural significance. “Batwing stands at the crossroads of representation and imagination,” says producer Joachim Landau. “His story forces us to confront who gets to be visible in global pop culture and why. With this documentary, we wanted to give Batwing back to the continent.”

A central point of the documentary is the critical shift in the character's history. After its launch, the series struggled commercially, leading DC to ‘reboot’ Batwing with a new identity: Luke Fox, an African-American character based in the United States. BATWING Unmasked investigates this pivotal moment, asking whether it was a purely commercial decision, an admission of the challenges of sustaining an African hero, or a sign of the structural limits of diversity in major publishing.

The film platforms the African creatives who can speak to this complexity. For South African actor Siv Ngesi, Batwing’s story is profoundly personal. “Batwing is a hero who carries darkness, trauma, and hope all at once, and that’s what makes him so profoundly African,” Ngesi shares. “Representation isn’t just about visibility; it’s about healing.”

South African artist Loyiso Mkize, who offers his perspective in the film, believes Batwing was a breakthrough. “He showed that African heroes can be complex, grounded and powerful without being filtered through a Western gaze,” he explains. “His story challenges the industry to embrace African imagination as a force that can stand on its own.” The documentary also features Nigerian-American actor Chukwudi Iwuji (Peacemaker), who discusses the identity and reception issues faced by African talent in the U.S. entertainment industry.

As African creativity continues to influence global culture, BATWING Unmasked arrives at a crucial time. It positions the hero not just as a character, but as a cultural turning point. A reminder that African stories deserve to be told by African voices.

This March, TNT Africa kicks off the TNT DC Legends Stunt with the exclusive premiere of BATWING Unmasked: An African Super Hero. This special programming block will run every Friday night, allowing viewers to dive into nine iconic Batman films that bridge the gap from the classic hero of Gotham to the modern hero of Tinasha.

TNT DC Legends Stunt Programming on TNT Africa, DStv 137

(*channel premieres)

Friday 6 March

19:30 BATWING Unmasked: An African Super Hero (2025)*

20:30 Batman Begins (2005)

Friday 13 March

19:00 Batman: Hush (2019)*

20:30 The Dark Knight (2008)

Friday 20 March

18:50 Batman: The Doom that Came to Gotham (2023)*

20:30 The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Friday 27 March