The Wife: The Dudu Busani-Dube Inspired Showmax Original Is a Win for So Many.

Representation is key in the work that Busani-Dube does, since the people she writes for hold a central role in it. She writes to tell their stories, about things they go through and can relate with. Stories that captivate them and allows them to feel seen and prioritised–this is very telling in how the adaptation of her books was well-received by audiences.

It's been weeks since the highly anticipated telenovela released and people are still very much obsessed with the drama, the story and most evidently, the Zulu Brothers. Inspired by events and characters from Dudu Busani-Dube's award-winning Hlomu the Wife book series, the Showmax original sees the story of the Zulu crime family from KZN but currently living in Johannesburg come to life in full colour. Told from the perspective of young journalist Mahlomu "Hlomu" Dladla who meets and falls in love with the charming Mqhele Zulu, the series tells the story of these lovers' journey into matrimony within the backdrop of familial drama and a war for dominance in a dangerous taxi industry.

Showmax has already commissioned three seasons, each with forty episodes covering events from the Busani-Dube world of Hlomu the Wife, Zandile the Resolute and Naledi his Love–a kind of storytelling similar to Netflix's deal with Shonda Rhimes and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton.

Judging from the episodes that have already made their way to our screens, the show promises to keep us gripped and at the edge of our seats with the fast-paced engaging story, glorious cinematography that encapsulates the moving energy of Johannesburg all the while keeping one grounded in the relatability of these people's flawed lives.

It's no wonder that the show gained instant favour with South African viewers even though it isn't necessarily distributed on a public channel–something that gnawed at me, which as it turns out was unwarranted since it wasn't much to hold back success. What, with the array of both fresh faces and seasoned thespians delivering much needed escape and brilliant performances, it was no shock, really.

The likes of Mondli Makhoba, Kwenzo Ngcobo, Abdul Khoza, Sipho Ndlovu and Thulane Shange, who all hold acting credits with shows like Imbewu, The Queen, Isibaya and even Generations The Legacy, grace the cast of this much loved production. Although already known to most for their recurring roles in other productions, Mbalenhle Mavimbela and Bonko Khoza who play Hlomu and Mqhele respectively, are relatively new to some who may not be privy to South African television. This makes the viewing of the show a refreshing getaway from the monotony of gazing at the same faces and recycled luckluster performances from other prominent actors in the industry. Viewers and artists alike cried out for new talent to emerge, and it appears Showmax and Gugu Zuma-Ncube's Stained Glass answered–as excited as I was when I discovered that Linda Majola, Tik Tok viral star, had been cast to play Hlomu's brother on the show. This is what people want.

While I haven't had the opportunity to read the bestselling Hlomu series in its entirety, one thing stands true and is the point of my blog: The Wife is an accomplishment for many people. Busani-Dube's rise to prominence in the South African literary scene is not just a nod to the author, but provides great proof and representation for a number of people, as well as an affirmation for self-published writers that the work they put into their craft has the potential to reach the same level of recognition as those who follow traditional means of publishing–authors like Busisekile Khumalo, Tumi Moleleki and Lebohang Masango and others come to mind when I think of those who've taken up the mantle of owning their work and having it published how they want. In an interview with The Johannesburg Review of Books, Busani-Dube had spoken about how the thought of traditional publishing had crossed her mind when she first finished Hlomu the Wife, and toyed with the idea of approaching publishers but felt they would not understand because of the set rules and regulations that most publishers place on what they believe constitutes a good book. I find most of the submission requirements to be quite limiting and rigid at times, so her reservations weren't completely unfounded.

The reimagining of Dudu Busani-Dube's writing is also a win for Black women writers who dare defy the odds and expectations of the literary world, proving that all you need is a story and the drive to write it and put it out there; that with enough work put into it, you can actually succeed. And I could be wrong, but I can only count a handful of times that a South African book has been adapted for the screen, and even less with a South African cast; citing Thabang Moleya's 2016 adaptation of Nozizwe Cynthia Jele's Happiness Is a Four-Letter Word, Spud (Donovan Marsh, 2010), Cry, the Beloved Country (Darrell Roodt, 1995) and the recent release of the Deon Meyer penned Trackers television series. With these in mind, it seldom happens that they come from books that have been self-published. The only one that I can think of is Koleka Putuma's poem/stage play, No Easter Sundays for Queers which was directed by Mwenya Kabwe in 2019, and debuted in Johannesburg theatres and sold out on separate nights, proving to be a great achievement that many poets, queer writers and lovers of art alike can bask in. That is the point of this–to open doors for those who are looking at you doing with what you do, those who look at you and see themselves–this becomes a testament to them that with the right tools and the right people, you actually have a shot at this success thing.

As a young writer and creative myself, the success of this Durban-born author and journalist provides great context for my own aspirations; for those like me who hail from the townships of KwaMashu, Ntuzuma, Inanda and Umlazi, as she does. We see ourselves in her, that when we set our mind to making it in this great city, we actually can.

It is in that same spirit that The Wife being shot predominantly in South African languages like IsiZulu and Xhosa, with characters who resemble our everyday people, people you're familiar with and can actually see yourself conversing with and getting to know; that is how I believe the book series became as popular as it did among Black readers. It made them feel seen. It told their stories in a way that did not trigger or antagonise them, but provided a lens for all that's good, highlighting the bad in a way that critiques them as things to work on and talk about. Through many conversations with friends who loved the book series and the adaptation, through their reviews and takeaway from the two; you could actually tell that Dudu Busani-Dube's way of creating and writing about the nuance of these character's lives, the complexities of their experiences and reality, her women characters being at the helm of the storytelling was deliberate. She gives us a view of her women characters and their journey, as well as the flawed male characters and their redeeming qualities if you received them as that–that's the nuance. She weaved well-researched narratives and arcs, carved fully fledged people–characters that can actually stand on their own outside the books; which is the same that can be said about the television series and how the actors showed up in their portrayal of these beloved characters. Mbalenhle Mavimbela and Bonko Khoza's on-screen chemistry being the most notable, how comfortable they are with each other in every scene, you'd be forgiven for believing that they have known each other all their lives.

In its premiere week, The Wife broke numerous records on the streaming platform, dethroning shows like Game of Thrones and Uthando Lodumo alike on their pedestal for most most first day views of all-time, and most watched hours within four days of release from award-winning documentary series Devilsdorp. It also trended, and continues to, on Twitter and other social media platforms with a majority of positive reviews and recommendations. Another thing worth noting in its success is how the telenovela is not immune to criticism, as we've seen the number of disgruntled fans of the book series who have shared their dislike for a myriad of things and how feel they have been cheated of a desirable viewing experience since the cast does not compliment their imaginative ideals of the characters and what they go through in the books. But what I appreciate is Dudu Busani-Dube's continued engagement with fans and supporters on a daily, meeting them at their level and showing them love. I believe that this sense of community she created for them is what made them loyal to her and the world she created for them.

I would've loved to have a comment from Dudu Busani-Dube and I reached out to her, however, she had not responded at the time of this blog post's publication. I shall update accordingly when she does.

You can watch the show every Thursday online or on the Showmax app–three episodes are released weekly.

And don't forget to read the books, besties.

I love you 💋.