‘Soul City: Lets Rise’ premieres on SABC1 on Sunday, 30 August 2026 at 19:30.
By Zuko Komisa

After a 12-year absence from South African television, the iconic drama Soul City makes its return with a fresh generation and a compelling narrative. Soul City: Let’s Rise premieres on SABC1 on Sunday, 30 August 2026, at 19:30.
Set in Katlehong Township, the series centers on five young women Samke, Rhulani, Neo, Thando, and Siza as they navigate love, ambition, identity, and the modern pressures of growing up in South Africa. Their interconnected journeys offer a deeply human look at contemporary youth culture.
The broadcast extends its reach beyond the screen through the Soul Citizens Movement, a community platform designed to mobilize citizens against violence, silence, and injustice.
Chief Executive Phinah Kodisang emphasized the broader impact of the reboot:
“This is not simply the return of a television series. It is an invitation to South Africans to become part of a movement that believes change is possible when ordinary people choose to act.”
First launching in 1994 alongside the dawn of South Africa’s democracy, Soul City pioneered the “edutainment” model on national television by seamlessly blending high-stakes drama with vital public health and social messaging.
Over its original 12 season run, the franchise established itself as a cultural touchstone, tackling once-taboo issues such as HIV/AIDS prevention, gender-based violence, maternal health, and substance abuse in a way that resonated deeply across diverse households.

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