Sex workers are at the forefront of a new 13-part drama series “Erased” on Moja Love.
“Erased” is written and co-directed by Bongi Ndaba, who is well known for her storytelling in some of South Africa’s most watched soapies including Generations, Uzalo, Muvhango and Isidingo.
This tells the story of abuse endured by sex workers on a daily basis.
Under the theme “dreams don’t always become a reality” - the show explores the horrors that come with working in this profession.
The star studded cast include Dumisani Mbebe, Tina Jaxa alongside Thandiwe Maphumulo, Mbali Maphumulo and Zethu Dlomo Mphahlele.
The show zones in on Manelly (Maphumulo) who realises that being a sex worker in a foreign country, where she was a theatre singer, is not what she wants any longer.
She relocates back home and buys a house but when things get tough she turns back to her old career, but this time she does it on her own terms.
While renting out her house to sex workers to put food on the table she forms a close bond with the ladies who are “erased” from society because of their choice of career, being a sex worker.
These women hardly have families that care or loved ones who want to be associated with them, so they form a family of their own.
With Manelly as their mother-figure who will stop at nothing to protect them, the challenges of the job is a constant reminder of how they are not seen.
Their goals and dreams are like any other person but the job they do is to keep them from starving.
The ladies know they can’t fix the past so they forge forward -taking ownership of their bodies, they run business on their own terms.
Watch “Erased” on Moja Love (DStv channel 157) every Sunday at 10pm.