The premiere of the new telenovela Gqeberha: The Empire debuts on January 16, 2023.

The telenovela series will air on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) and has caught the attention of households in South Africa. With an excellent cast, suspenseful plot twists, and captivating themes, it is sure to be a fan's favourite. 

The show is produced by the multi award wining Tshedza pictures, Tshedza pictures has produced shows such as The River,The Republic and Legacy.

This new telenovela is replacing The Queen, which has ended after its seventh season. The cast of Gqeberha: The Empire, the first Mzansi Magic telenovela to be shot entirely in the Eastern Cape, features Mbulelo Grootboom, Zikhona Sodlaka, and Zandile Msutwana. Besides the established actors who are leading the cast, the series has granted a great opportunity to some of the young and upcoming talent of the Eastern Cape in the film industry, amongst the few it's Lonalinamandla Bawuti from Umtata, and Mandisi Mtsila who reside in Gqeberha. 

The Empire is a South African telenovela that takes place in the Friendly City of Gqeberha and centers on the polygamous marriage of Luzuko, a wealthy businessman who is the husband to three very different wives.

Luzuko is a man who appears to have it all-family, love, wealth, power, glory, and respect-in the television show.

What else could he ask for? For one, another wife.

His choice to grow the family quickly poses a threat to unleash the resentment his wives have long kept hidden, but it also has unexpected side effects that put his relationship with his heir apparent in jeopardy.

Through the eyes of relatable characters, the telenovela explores issues of love, betrayal, polygamy, and envy. There will be people you support and people you despise.

“Mzansi Magic is thrilled to debut a brand-new telenovela, one of the sub genres for which our channel is known and which our audience adore. We are thrilled to enter Gqeberha and the Eastern Cape with its premiere, a first for the telenovela industry. We are confident that people will fall in love with the series because of the exceptional storytelling from one of the best production companies on the continent", says Shirley Adonisi, Director of Local Entertainment Channels at M-Net.

Don’t miss Gqeberha: The Empire on Mzansi Magic starting on Monday, January 16 at 21:00. (DStv Channel 161).