Tsonga talk show aims to unite us

SOUTHAfrica’s diversity comes through in numerous ways, including its many languages. For the first time in the history of local talk shows, SABC2 will air Vusaseki which will be conducted in Tsonga.

Presented by Tintswalo Mushwana ( pictured), Vusaseki will aim to address the social challenges that we face in the country today and also try to identify possible solutions to them.

Whenever we talk about social challenges, it is easy to rubbish the idea and act like everything is okay in the country, but that’s just not true. Evidence of this comes from simple things like how every other post online turns out to be a racial issue in the comments section. It doesn’t have to be a story about race, but somehow people decide to take it there.

Speaking to musician Zola, in a separate conversation, he spoke about how South Africa still needs to heal from the past. There is a lot of hate because of unresolved issues, the musician theorised.

Vusaseki intends to have the viewer look deeper at themselves, not as part of the problem, but as part of the solution.

As “church” as that might sound, it is said that the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem. While we might all have stories to share about our own life experiences, Vusaseki will shy away from those testimonies and focus more on topics that affect us all.

In every episode, a subject that might have been topical that week will be brought to an audience hailing from all walks of life. This audience will represent you and I and our varied backgrounds. It is these various backgrounds that inform our way of thinking and how we then pass judgement on certain matters.

Vusaseki is no TRC, but unlike most talk shows, that are full of celebrity fluff, here you will learn a bit about your fellow South African. What is it that unites us? And what divides us?

If this show gets it right, it will open up a dialogue about some sensitive subjects we don’t like talking about.

Thanks to her experience in Big Brother Africa, Forgive & Forget, City Ses’la and The Wedding Show, Mushwana is well-equipped for the hosting job.

airs every Thursday at 8.30pm on SABC2.