Battling the monsters we inherit

Kings of Jo’Burg season 3 dives deeper into dark magic, gang wars and SA’s criminal underworld

- Rolland Simpi Motaung

There is no doubt that the team at Ferguson Films know how to create action in a gripping crime drama. Mzansi Magic’s The Queen and Rockville are thrilling examples.

In Netflix’s Kings of Jo’Burg franchise they add an element of the supernatural.

In the first season, which premiered in 2020, viewers were taken into the underworld of a Johannesburg criminal family, the Masires.

Created by the late Shona Ferguson, who played kingpin Simon Masire in season 1, the series follows the Masires as they navigate power struggles, betrayals and supernatural forces.

Led by Veronica Masire (Connie Ferguson) and Mo Masire (Zolisa Xaluva), in season 3, we see the family’s continued rule over the criminal underworld, while dealing with a supernatural family curse and a new contender threatening to bring their empire to its knees.

The rival gang, headed by Gavin Salat (Clint Brink), has declared war on the Masires in a bid to establish dominance in Johannesburg. To defend their turf, the Masires make a deal with their former enemy Aliko Bajo, played by Nigerian actor Enyinna Nwigwe.

Executive producer Connie Ferguson and US co-executive producer Samad Davis continue their aim to create a show with a global reach. Thus, the casting for the franchise seems strategic with the inclusion of actors from South Africa, Nigeria and the US.

Similar to previous seasons, which included American actors Terri J Vaughn and Michael Anthony, in this season we see new characters, such as Isador played by New York-born Malik Yoba.

At first, I was sceptical about this all-star cast fulfilling my expectations, especially in the first season. But, rest assured, this is a serious series with a serious cast.