South Africa has over the years produced a pool of reality TV shows that have captured the hearts and the minds of Mzansi.
These have allowed us inside the homes of local celebrities such as Somizi Mhlongo and Bonang Matheba, as well as Dineo Ranaka, through her reality TV show, Dineo’s Diary.
Now, a spin-off from Dineo’s Diary, the popular show The Ranakas, has Mzansi intrigued and talking.
The show, which follows the Ranaka family, including parents Ntate Kgotlaesele and Mam’ Nonceba Ranaka, made its fifth season return this past Thursday on Mzansi Magic, and trended on Twitter for over 10 hours.
Tweeps could not hold back on their comments about Metro FM radio host and actress and sister to Dineo, Manaka’s altercation with her family in the first episode, with many labelling Dineo rude and some even using the word toxic.
As true as it is that family fights are expected, the question is what happens when such fights are aired on television? How does the family recover from them?
Dineo, commenting about the episode, conceded that viewers were shocked after the altercation with Manaka because they had been accustomed to her regular squabbles with her older sister, Mpumi, due to their stormy relationship.
“Mpumi and I are known within the family, and the public now, to be turbulent in terms of our relationship. We are the first people to go at each other and I think that is why the first episode this past Thursday shocked the country, because Manaka and I were having a go. Manaka is usually the calm one, but she was the one who was heightened in emotions and I had a go at her, etc. It’s uncommon,” she said.
Dineo said, with a giggle, that despite this her family is the type to either talk things out, or get over it.
“Look at Mpumi and me; every now and again we show each other love. It’s either we get over it or talk it out, but half the time we talk our stuff out. We are the talkers in the family,” she said.
Speaking about reaching season five, she describes the feat as “really grounding, earthing, humbling”.
“I don’t want to sound clichéd, but in all honesty, anything that becomes a success that my hands touch and that my family is involved in gives me a very humbling feeling. I feel grounded. I feel (that) the more successful one becomes, and I speak particularly of myself, the more anchored I feel."
Dineo said she recognised the turbulence that success brings, with the many attacks that befall one, but overall she feels anchored.
“I feel like every successful milestone that we achieve in this regard, especially from a production perspective, feels like the badge of honour of respect grows. So that humbles me.
“Because sometimes I feel I am not worthy, and I say this as a layman human being who is flawed in many ways. When successes and blessings come in this nature, I feel ‘but God, who am I really to be granted such platforms to create such magic and to be given such relationships? With such amazing clients to serve and such beautiful professional people to form part of the team, that makes these beautiful shows of mine’,” she added.
Sunday Independent