It’s 1986. Political tension in the Cape is at an all time high and the apartheid government declares a State of Emergency. Amidst this turmoil, Mandisa (Zandile Madliwa), a young dreamer with a golden voice, yearns to become the next Brenda Fassie. Her mother Rebecca (Andrea Dondolo) has hopes of Mandisa becoming a nurse and discourages a future in singing. Rebecca is pleased when Mandisa’s best friend, Jomo (Lemogang Tsipa), returns from his studies at Fort Hare. Jomo has always been in love with Mandisa but her feelings for him are ambiguous.

Mandisa is encouraged to go to MAPP by her teacher, Mistress (Bonnie Mbuli); (a venue in the ‘coloured’ suburb of Athlone where art and musical ability is nurtured), and Jomo agrees to take her there. In Athone, Mandisa encounters a new world. She meets a talented and appealing guitarist, Shaheed (Keenan Arrison), which leads to Mandisa joining his band. The band is competing in the regional finals of The Shell Road to Fame Competition – and the winners go to Johannesburg. But there are deeper challenges within the band: three of its members: Shaheed, Rachael (Kim Syster) and Zwelakhe (Mbulelo Grootbom) are MK operatives. They belong to a cell run by Benny Mahmood (Charlton George), one of the most wanted cadres in the Cape. The Anti-Terrorist Unit headed by the recently appointed Kobus Landman (Deon Lotz), is set on doing whatever it takes to take Benny and his cell down. Unaware of their underground political activity, Mandisa invests herself completely in the band and her world is turned upside down.

Born Free Media is an award-winning production that won various awards including seven awards for the first season of When We Were Black at the 2006 SAFTAs, Best Drama at the Pan African Film Festival in Burkino Faso, and Best Drama in Reims in France. The first season, which was screened on SABC1 for the 30th anniversary of 16 June and on Canal+ in France, was directed by Khalo Matabane as well.

Matabane recently also scooped the prestigious Special Jury Award for his feature length Nelson Mandela, The Myth and Me at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA), the pre-eminent festival for creative documentaries. It has also screened at a number of International film festvials during 2014, including Syndey, Human Rights in London and New York; in Brazil, Doc Munich Germany, African Asian Festival in Italy, the Durban International Film Festival and Open Doors in Switzerland.

When We Were Black airs from Thursday, 16 October at 20:30 on SABC1.