Ga onbeperkt met Magzter GOLD

Ga onbeperkt met Magzter GOLD

Krijg onbeperkte toegang tot meer dan 9000 tijdschriften, kranten en Premium-verhalen voor slechts

$149.99
 
$74.99/Jaar

Poging GOUD - Vrij

From prayers to pistols

Mail & Guardian

|

M&G 08 August 2025

The stakes in the new series Marked aren't just cash — they're survival, motherhood and faith in a society where even salvation has a waiting list

- Rolland Simpi Motaung

From prayers to pistols

n about 2006, SABC 1's A Place Called Home was my introduction to Akin Omotoso’s sensitive eye for creating drama on screen.

At that time, a few other emerging African filmmakers were also exploring cinematic creativity in shows like Gazlam, Tsha Tsha, Intersexions and Yizo Yizo.

Drawing on his illustrious career, Omotoso returns to the Netflix sphere with the gripping six-part heist series Marked, which is layered with themes of moral dilemma, motherhood and corruption.

The series follows cash-in-transit security guard Babalwa, played by Lerato Mvelase, a woman cornered by circumstances who is fighting to protect what matters most — her daughter's life.

Living with a life-threatening condition, her illness takes a turn for the worse. With no medical aid, no savings and no lifeline in sight, desperation takes hold and what begins with quiet prayers and small loans soon escalates into an uneasy alliance with criminal gangs and desperate church members.

For filmmakers to explore a weighty social topic, the choice of genre is essential. The artistic vehicle to examine such themes could be comedy — or even horror. Omotoso and his team chose the heist genre to explore their misgivings about the South African healthcare system.

“Marked was inspired by a genuine concern. As it stands, there are over 30000 people on waiting lists for lifesaving surgeries. And a lot of them end up passing away without getting any help,” he says.

“The idea of waiting for salvation that never comes is heartbreaking, so we decided to dramatise this and take the audience on a journey.”

Commanding cast and action scenes

MEER VERHALEN VAN Mail & Guardian

Mail & Guardian

Mpondoland at the precipice

Its plight echoes a global call to remember who we are and what we stand to lose

time to read

5 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Namibia shifts gears in its journey to women in power

That changed with Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. When she took the oath of office on 21 March, she did not just become Namibia’s first female president — she recalibrated the country’s idea of who belongs at the top.

time to read

3 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

What Multichoice, Canal + deal means

This is the French media company's largest transaction

time to read

2 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Mail & Guardian

Student wins bullying case

Amara Mooloo says the college launched disciplinary proceedings against her instead of addressing the claims

time to read

5 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Côte d'Ivoire vote relevant for region

Côte d'Ivoire's experience in handling electoral disputes through legal channels demonstrates the rule of law in action

time to read

4 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Mail & Guardian

Paris, death destination of ambassadors past and present

Last week, as Spring dawned, the 5am news bulletin stopped me mid-step en route to my first cup of piping hot coffee.

time to read

6 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Sex pest teacher: Mom speaks out

Bereaved mother recalled her son's 2022 suicide as a 52-year-old former teacher at the school appeared in court this week on 25 counts of indecent assault and sexual assault of young boys

time to read

5 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Walk with us, President Ramaphosa

As with Marikana, the CR17 bank statements and Phala Phala — the biggest scandal of his presidency — Cyril Ramaphosa yet again finds himself in a pickle.

time to read

2 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Mail & Guardian

When the lens sings

Vuyo Giba speaks about archiving South Africa's jazz legacy through black-and-white photography and reflects on Feya Faku's death

time to read

5 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Mail & Guardian

Mail & Guardian

Odinga: the relentless Pan-Africanist

Kenya's Raila Odinga, a pan-Africanist who dominated politics for half a century

time to read

5 mins

M&G 17 October 2025

Listen

Translate

Share

-
+

Change font size