Generations cast strike over

Popular SABC1 soapie, generations, which has been embroiled in a dispute between producers and cast has apparently come to a resolution and shooting has resumed. Cast members had apparently embarked on a strike demanding contract of at least a period of three years, among other griviences. This was obviously met with resistance from the soapie's executive producer Mfundi Vundla who felt the cast members' demands were unreasonable.

To add even more woes to Vunda's problems, it appeared that cast members has the support of the public broadcaster who also threatened to terminate his company, Morula Pictures' contrat if he does not solve the problems with cast members. Cast members who were on strike included the likes of Menzi Ngubane, Sophie Ndaba, and Katlego Danke among others. People from either sides were not willing to shed any light as to what kind of a resolution was made, but it statement was released indicating that all is well and shooting will resume after a break of about five weeks.

Leading star Katlego Danke, who plays the role of Dineo was quoted in the Sunday World saying "she is happy to be back". Knowing how popular the soapie, many followers will happy that their favourite cast members will not be written out as previously threatened by executive producer Mfundi Vundla.

Now that the contractual matters have been solved, a few content issues can also be solved.

Accommodate real live incidents into the content
Generations producers are not known for incorporating real life activities into their scripts, hence most of their episodes resemble nothing close to reality. They hardly celebrate South African holidays nor highlight important issues such as child abuse or cancer awareness, something they can learn from their sister channel SABC's Isidingo.

The writers have turned the soapie into such a sausage factory that they could not even incorporate Nicholas's accident into the script. While the real person was involved in a car accident, he just mysteriously started walking around in crutches in his scenes without any explanation.

Respect your audience's intelligence
Generations scriptwriter also appear to have some kind of disregard for their audience. They just make things as they go along without considering if their content will make any sense. Sometimes it even appears they're insulting their intelligence. For instance, it is amazing how a rural girl like Khethiwe comes to Johannesburg, gets turned into a bad girl by the city life, while trying to find herself, she realizes that she can draw. Then she takes a six month graphic design course and boom, she's now a graphic designer. It doesn't take a curriculum expert to know that designer go through extensive training to hone their skills, thereafter, they're still subjected to internships where their skills tested.

Only in Generations where you can go to design school for six months, and then ends up in briefing sessions and be entrusted with accounts worth billions of rands. Yes it's tv, and the disclaimer states that everything in there is fiction, but a little effort has never hurt anyone.

Why Do generations kids speak different languages to their parents?
Generations land is one of those bizarre places where kids rarely speak the same language as their parents. Dineo Dikobe speaks nothing but Setswana while her mother, Ruby Dikobe speaks Zulu and battles in Tswana.

Also bizarre is the fact that none of the Nomvethes speak isiXhosa. Nicholas' father speaks South Sotho, Nicholas speaks Setswana and his uncle Scott, can only speak English.

One can only hope that while they were going through their contractual disputes, scriptwriters were also encouraged to up their game so the content can resemble that of the number soapie in the country.