R86 million budget': Gqeberha The Empire' replaces The Queen'A new isiXhosa telenovela Gqeberha The Empire' will replace Mzansi Magic's telenovela The Queen' in January 2023.
by Rae Seleme
24-10-2022 16:21
in Soapies
Qhebhera The Empire' actors Zandile Msutwana and Zikhona Sodlaka. Image via Twitter @PhilMphela and @zandilemsutwana
Entertainment commentator Phil Mphela has announced that Mzansi Magic's popular telenovela The Queen will be replaced by the new telenovela Gqeberha The Empire in 2023.
--
ALSO READ: The Queen' November Spoilers: Schumacher weds Mncedisi
NEW SHOW: Qhebhera The Empire
A new telenovela replacing The Queen is coming to Mzansi Magic
Produced by Tshedza Pictures, the show is set around the world of shipping and was shot in Eastern Cape this year.
The isiXhosa telenovela will air in January 2023.#KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/8E8KcHwbY2
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) October 24, 2022
ALSO READ: All the characters stretched me': The Queen' star Gaosi Raditholo
INSIDE NEW TELENOVELA: GQEBERHA THE EMPIRE' The upcoming isiXhosa telenovela Gqeberha The Empire will star former The Queen actress Zandile Msutswana, The Wife actress Zikhona Sodlaka and more.
--
The show will be produced by The River and Legacy creators Phathu Makwarela and Gwydion Beynon from Tshedza Pictures.
Mphela also announced that the new telenovela is set around the world of shipping, is shot in Eastern Cape in 2022.
According to Mphela:
--
Drama on the production of new telenovela Qhebhera The Empire, which will replace The Queen, is rumoured to be embroiled in financial drama. Actors' pay is delayed. Sources inform me the show is budgeted at R86 million, and partly funded by Eastern Cape govt.
CASTING NEWS:
Zandile Msutwana, Ayanda Mkayi, Phila Madlingozi and Zikhona Sodlaka in new telenovela
They star in Qhebhera The Empire, the new telenovela replacing The Queen on Mzansi Magic. #KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/NwzAovPity
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) October 24, 2022
ALSO READ: Londiwe was abused': The Queen's' Sthandile Nkosi on her role
THE QUEEN' CANCELLED The entertainment commentator also revealed in February that the Mzansi Magic telenovela will not be renewed for another season after almost seven years on TV.
The show, which is produced by Ferguson Films will come to an end by December 2022 according to Phil Mphela.
Several actors have exited the show since Mphela announced that the telenovela is coming to an end earlier this year:
Some of these actors include; Zandile Msutwana who played Vuyiswa Maake, Jessica Nkosi who played Thando Sebata, Rapulana Seiphemo who played Hector Sebata, Nomsa Butheledzi who played MaJali Khoza and more stars have left the show.
The show also added a new family (the Jamas) played by actress Sthandiwe Nkosi, who plays Londiwe Jama, Mbulelo Katise, who plays Duma Jama, and Tisetso Thoka, who plays the character of Ayihlome Jama.
The telenovela introduced the Jamas on Friday (29 July) at Hector's (Rapulana Seiphemo) funeral and the character of Douglas Jama died while having sex with his young wife Londiwe.
NEWS: Drama on production of new telenovela
Qhebhera The Empire, which will replace The Queen, is rumoured to be embroiled in financial drama.
Actors pay delayed.
Sources inform me the show is budgeted at R86-million, and partly funded by Eastern Cape govt.#KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/okngV9lcrk
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) October 24, 2022
ALSO READ:CANCELLED: The Queen' comes to an end after six seasons on TV
The show, produced by Tshedza Pictures, is shot on location in Qhebhera, Eastern Cape.
Several sources have confirmed that the production has been marred by issues #DevelopingStory
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) October 24, 2022
ALSO READ:SOAPIE QUIZ: How well do you know Skeem Saam'? WIN R1 000 in cash!
Shooting on location is expensive.
R80m is not a lot for the 200+ telenovela have to put out.
I suppose the EC govt funding forms part of the province's plan to promote the city as a production destination.
It's been done with other shows and provinces. No big deal https://t.co/W0CU3CfOE7
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) October 24, 2022
The mention of EC government nje on its own!!! Am not shocked
Mpho Molefe (@ramokupo) October 24, 2022
Problems even before the first episode, I'm not saying anything but whenever we see issues like this there is a common name in the producers names.
ht42 (@ht4211) October 24, 2022
Eastern Cape folks n money pic.twitter.com/rd0KIPOZ3e
uSne onesmilo (@Espin_Ozar) October 24, 2022
TV: #TheQueenMzansi CANCELLED
After almost 7 years on air, the Mzansi Magic telenovela will not be renewed for another season.
Barring any changes to accommodate wrapping the storylines, the show will likely end this year. #KgopoloReports pic.twitter.com/jSQ6V4jycU
Kgopolo (@PhilMphela) February 28, 2022
Find your next fortune with Betway's Casino Games Welcome Offer and get up to R2 000 as a Casino Games Bonus when you make your first deposit! A world of infinite fun awaits, from classic experiences to new favourites, there's something thrilling for everyone.
How much of a cryptocurrency expert are you? ENTER QUIZ HERE & WIN R50 000 in COWRIE!
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
13/05/2026
New Adobe Premiere Color Grading Mode Accelerated on NVIDIA GPUs
Joel Pennington May 13, 2026
0 Comments
New NVIDIA RTX-accelerated features streamlin...
13/05/2026
Grass Valley announced that dB Broadcast has delivered new IP-based outside broadcast (OB) trucks for Cloudbass, featuring Grass Valley LDX 100 Series cameras a...
13/05/2026
Ikegami will exhibit the latest additions to its wide range of broadcast production cameras, control units, viewfinders and monitors on stand 5D3-1 at Broadcast...
13/05/2026
FISE, working with the founding members of the XR Sports Alliance (XRSA), Accedo, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. and HBS, have collaborated to develop an immersive...
13/05/2026
Canon Unveils New EOS R6 V Full-Frame EOS Camera and RF20-50mm F4 L IS USM PZ Bu...
13/05/2026
Boston Conservatory at Berklee Honors Beth Morrison and Moses Pendleton at Comme...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
13/05/2026
Creative software developer Foundry today announced the latest developments on Nuke Stage. A purpose-built application for end-to-end virtual production and in-...
13/05/2026
A definitive portrait of one of Ireland's most influential musicians
New TV documentary airs Monday 18 May on RT One and RT Player at 9.35pm
Watch the...
13/05/2026
Agentic AI is changing the way users get work done. Following the success of OpenClaw, the community is embracing new open source agentic frameworks. The latest...
13/05/2026
Reinforcement-learning agents - AI systems that learn by trial and error - can c...
12/05/2026
Beyond the Hype: A Strategic Post-Hoc Analysis of NAB 2026 If NAB Show 2026 had an underlying theme, it was a quiet, industry-wide pivot from the high-energy sp...
12/05/2026
Guntermann and Drunck (G&D), a Panoptec Technologies Group company, and CT Square, led by Chandresh Shah, have announced a joint venture to distribute G&D and V...
12/05/2026
With 30 days until the start of the FIFA World Cup 2026, Telemundo, the exclusive Spanish-language home of the tournament in the United States, has announced th...
12/05/2026
The NHL has announced the return of Stanley Pup for its third consecutive year, a 90-minute special featuring adoptable rescue dogs competing on a miniature rin...
12/05/2026
NBCUniversal presented its 2026 Upfront to advertisers at Radio City Music Hall, detailing upcoming programming across NBC, Peacock, Bravo, and Versant properti...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced funding for the Fandom and Social Connection Initiative at Harvard Kennedy School's Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Publ...
12/05/2026
TNDV and Live Media, both divisions of Live Media Group, supported live broadcast coverage around NCAA Final Four weekend in Indianapolis, including the March M...
12/05/2026
The European Football Alliance (EFA) has announced a content distribution agreement with Fubo Sports Network, the free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channel ...
12/05/2026
For the first time, Spanish-speaking fans in the U.S. will have two separate tel...
12/05/2026
CP Communications led a comprehensive spectrum management initiative on behalf of Churchill Downs during Kentucky Derby week, coordinating RF assets across the ...
12/05/2026
LiveU has announced a strategic partnership with DRONERESPONDERS, a 501(c)3 non-...
12/05/2026
Open Broadcast Systems has announced that BMC TV, a specialist in IP transport of broadcast content, has selected the Open Broadcast Systems 5G Flyaway solution...
12/05/2026
NEP Europe, part of NEP Group, has announced it will deliver broadcast solutions...
12/05/2026
Grass Valley has announced continued collaboration with Ravensbourne University ...
12/05/2026
Stats Perform has announced the launch of Opta Pulse, an AI-assisted video creation and distribution platform for leagues, rights holders, and broadcasters. The...
12/05/2026
FOX Sports has announced a collaboration with Sesame Workshop to integrate Sesame Street characters into FOX Sports' FIFA World Cup 2026 programming. Conten...
12/05/2026
To date, NHL Productions has produced 19 broadcasts with commentary in American Sign Language
NHL in ASL (American Sign Language) may be just one show, but the...
12/05/2026
Google's Brian Albert: creators, athletes, highlights, nostalgia, second-scr...
12/05/2026
A still from Past Lives by Celine Song, an official selection of the Premieres program at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. (Courtesy of Sundance Institute | p...
12/05/2026
Spotify is where fans and artists come together, turning discovery into somethin...
12/05/2026
Features patented Marco-MMC clocking technology
Black Lion Audio's latest release combines the company's expertise in clocking with their renowned p...
12/05/2026
New Track Panel, sequencer upgrades & more
Following their recent public beta release, Reason Studios have announced the full release of Reason 14. With the...
12/05/2026
One month to go! SBS reveals expansive FIFA World Cup 2026 lineup beyond the pi...
12/05/2026
Rohde & Schwarz presents its advanced solutions for power electronics testing at...
12/05/2026
aconnic AG (ISIN: DE000A0LBKW6), Munich, has developed a modified fund raising p...
12/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
12/05/2026
Tyrell Corporation, specialists in high-end live sports and entertainment broadcasts, was tasked with delivering compelling broadcast coverage of premier equest...
12/05/2026
Registration is now open for IBC2026 as the global media, entertainment and technology community prepares to converge on the RAI Amsterdam from 11 14 September ...
12/05/2026
Ross Video, a global leader in live video production technology, will present its latest innovations and integrated production workflows at BroadcastAsia 2026, ...
12/05/2026
500 selected leaders from around the world across start-ups, corporates, and venture capital. Over 50bn in assets under management among attending investors, a...
R86 million budget': Gqeberha The Empire' replaces The Queen'A new isiXhosa telenovela Gqeberha The Empire' will replace Mzansi Magic's telenovela The Queen' in January 2023.
