- The Real Housewives of Cape Town director Kgosana Monchusi teases what viewers can expect from the show.
- The reality series premieres on Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on Sunday 10 July at 19:00.
- "This group of women on the show all come from different sides of the mountain (Table Mountian), so they bring with them distinctive backgrounds, lifestyles, and personalities," says Monchusi.
The highly anticipated premiere of season one of the Real Housewives of Cape Town is just weeks away, and director Kgosana Monchusi has shared details about how the fourth local adaption of the show will be different.
The 17th international version of the popular reality TV franchise will premiere of Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) on 10 July at 19:00.
According to Monchusi, a Bachelor of Music (Honours) graduate, the upcoming iteration of the award-winning NBCUniversal Format franchise is different because it is set in the "most beautiful city in the world" and features a diverse cast.
"This group of women on the show all come from different sides of the mountain (Table Mountian), so they bring with them distinctive backgrounds, lifestyles, and personalities."
The show will feature businesswoman and diamond collector Beverly Steyn; widely followed personal trainer and online coach Rushda Moosajee; entrepreneur, blogger, and influencer Loveline Abinokhauno; strategist, designer, and wine-maker Thato Montse; humanitarian public speaker Camilla McDowell; go-getting hustler Kutazwa Gqirana and free-spirited chartered accountant Lulwando Tukwayo.
READ MORE | Meet the Real Housewives of Cape Town
While Monchusi had a "natural concern" that the ladies would be tense in front of the camera and would take time to get comfortable, he was pleasantly surprised.
"To my welcome surprise, the women have such bold, infectious personalities that they didn't require any tactics to make them shine."
The beauty of the Mother City will also take center stage in the upcoming show. "Everything that Cape Town is known for and loved for is exactly what people are going to see on the series. The iconic hotspots, beautiful people, elite social circles, and magnificent scenery is all out in full view."
The Soweto born and bred creative also said shooting the reality show was "a lot more complex and a lot more structured" than what people often thought of reality TV. "They often think it's the easiest form of TV to make."
He explained: "The role of the series director is one of the most critical creative roles in structuring the reality. My role starts before we touch the cameras: I build a treatment for the show to create a look and feel. From a story point of view, I start by looking at who the characters are, what key storylines need to be threaded throughout the season, and what the relationship dynamics are.
"From an aesthetic point of view, it's where are we filming; how are we filming; what is the look of the wardrobe and make-up; what equipment do we film with to achieve the desired look and feel. All these intricate creative details are seen right through the editing process where I sit with editors and accentuate the characters and storylines that have been captured."
Monchusi has previously directed a short film, Opus, which won the award for the best short film at the Silicon Valley African Film Festival, and a feature film, A Safe Bet available to stream on Showmax.
While he is primarily drawn to film and filmmaking; he said working on the Real Housewives of Cape Town took him on a "real journey."
"I was able to go on a real journey and spend time with the wives, and, as a result, have really enjoyed the special experience of documenting their lives and genuinely rooting for each of these wives."