By Adam Wakefield

The warm Johannesburg afternoon sunshine greeted invitees and those involved in the show, from cast members to Viacom International Media Network (VIMN) executives, as they arrived at Roxy’s Rhythm Bar in Melville for the MTV Shuga press day.

VIMN Africa BET, youth and music vice president, Monde Twala was the master of ceremonies, with the event held on the set of season five of MTV Shuga, officially titled MTV Shuga: Down South.

“It is really important to understand the genesis of our channel and our business in Africa,” VIMN Africa senior vice president and managing director, Alex Okosi told the room.

“We launched MTV Base back in 2005. It was really important that we not only showed entertainment content but also content that was edutainment. From day one, Georgia was always making sure she was in my ear about us being able to do that.”

Georgia Arnold, executive director of the MTV Staying Alive Foundation and senior vice president, social responsibility at VIMN, told those in attendance how excited she was that MTV Shuga had come to South Africa, a destination that had always been part of the show’s vision.

“We’ve been planning to get to South Africa for a long time. Really, since we started, we had this plan to go from Kenya, where we discovered Lupita Nyongo’o. It was her very first acting series, so we feel like we were part of her Oscar win,” Arnold said.

“We moved to Nigeria and we always wanted to come to South Africa. One of the things we’ve done, by calling it MTV Shuga: Down South, we’re really giving it a South African label and heart.”

For those behind the show, it meant they could tackle certain issues that culturally they might not have discussed in Nigeria or Kenya.

“It’s another opportunity to tackle these really difficult issues that we need young people to understand, and that resonates with them, that they can see their own lives reflected and take good positive action around it,” Arnold said.

Okosi said MTV Shuga is not just about the content or public service announcements just for the sake of it. The show is about riveting content that resonates with the audience and has the relevant background and environment so young people watching the show know that the characters could be them.

“MTV Shuga isn’t just about celebrating a great drama series, but the impact that we hope it will continue to make. It is to get young people to change, or at least think, about their behaviour,” Okosi said.

“To think about sexual health issues and think about HIV-prevention issues, and think about the impact their behaviour will have on the rest of their lives. For me, that is the ultimate goal. We can’t do that if the drama series isn’t compelling and resonates. I know it will be the same this year.”

With MTV Shuga: Down South expected to hit the airwaves in March, with partners involved including the Department of Basic Education, the cast has changed in the majority, bar the return of a couple of old hands.

New cast members include Given Stuurman, Stephanie Sandows, Ayanda Makayi, Winnine Ntshaba, Lerato Walaza, Phila Mazibuko, Samkelisiwe Makhoba, Cebo Zikhali, Sphelele Mzimela, Herbert Sibanda, Eve Rasimeni, and Thabiso Seboka. Zikhali, Mzimela, Sibanda, Rasimeni, and Seboka were all selected from the public auditions.

They will be joined by Vanessa Mdee, Clint Brink, Thuso Mbedu, Mohau Mokoatle Cele, Jezriel Skei, Nick Mutuma, and returnees Emmanuel Ikubese and Adesua Etomi.

Arnold warned that in MTV Shuga: Down South, a character will die. The reason was traced back to focus groups conducted last year in the Western Cape, where one 16-year-old impressed upon Arnold that a character must die, regardless of the cause. When Arnold asked why, the 16-year-old replied: “In our lives, someone always dies, and Shuga must reflect our lives.”

That is the very essence of MTV Shuga.

For more information, visit www.mtvshuga.com. Alternatively, connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, or on Instagram using the #MtvShugaDS hashtag.