Busisiwe Ntintili - 25 years of TV
There’s nothing quite like spending the entire day curled up on the couch with snacks, a drink and a cosy blanket, completely immersed in a gripping TV series.
The thrill of the plot, the emotional connection to the characters — they begin to feel like friends or loved ones. But who are the minds behind these captivating stories, unforgettable characters and jaw-dropping plot twists? Who holds the gift of crafting narratives that spark national conversations and leave a lasting imprint on our hearts and minds?
Multi-award-winning writer, director and producer Busisiwe Ntintili has been shaping such powerful stories in writers’ rooms for over 25 years. Her latest creation Levels, airing on DStv’s Mzansi Magic, is a testament to her continued knack for storytelling.
Produced by her company The Ntintili Factory, Levels is a gripping heist drama starring Lunathi Mampofu and Bonko Khoza. The series takes over the prime Sunday 8pm slot previously held by the epic drama Shaka iLembe.
During our virtual interview, Ntintili eagerly shared how her passion for storytelling began — and how it continues to evolve.
Ntintili’s career started as a writer for soapies in her twenties. She later went on to establish production company, Sidewalk Productions, which produced SABC’s South African Film and Television Award-nominated (Safta) mini-series Noah’s Ark, starring the late Patrick Shai, before starting The Ntintili Factory.
“I’ve been writing, directing and producing for about 25 years now.
Busisiwe Ntintili, seen with her South African Film and Television Award in 2013. Photos: Supplied
“But my entry into television was through writing. So, writing is my first love. From writing, I discovered that storytelling doesn’t end with the writing, it continues when you’re on the set with the directors and also in post-production.
“I had a real interest in how you maintain the integrity of a story from the page all the way through to the finished product on screen,” she says.
Ntintili was born in South Africa, but at the age of three, she and her sisters were moved to the US because of their parent’s political activism.
“Twenty years of my life, schooling and everything, was in America. But growing up, I had two parents who were working and studying in post-graduate school. So, my sisters and I watched a lot of TV. I remember as a kid asking, ‘Where are the people who look like me?’
Building on the short stories she wrote in kindergarten, at 13, Ntintili entered and won a playwriting competition in New Jersey. This allowed her to direct her own play with professional off-Broadway actors, solidifying her early career in writing.
In addition to watching movies at the cinema on the university campus where she grew up, she was inspired by the explosion of black TV shows in the 1990s, such as In Living Color and The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. This confirmed to young Ntintili the possibility of black people creating their own successful shows.
“We were like, ‘What? You could do this? Like black people can actually make their own shows?’
There was The Cosby Show, A Dif ferent World and also Moesha. Suddenly, there was this young teenage girl who’s the same age as me who has her own show. These were black shows, produced, starred and written by black people.”
Upon returning to South Africa in 1999, Ntintili found her way into television through an open call for reality show Big Brother SA, where she worked as a logger in the control room, developing storylines.
Her big break came when she was hired as a writer for the critically acclaimed daily drama Isidingo.
This is where she learned the business side of TV production and the importance of timely script delivery.
“When I was writing a script, there were literally 500 people waiting for it. So, understanding the whole process and the flow of making television, I really learned all of that from Isidingo.”
Post-1994, South African television had a flood of socially conscious shows such as Soul City, Khululeka and Yizo Yizo. Besides incorporating real-time news into its storylines, Isidingo tackled sensitive social issues like racism, HIV/Aids and labour disputes, which was uncommon for soap operas then.
“We did what nobody else did at the time. I was the resident writer, so I used to go through the newspapers to see if there was something that was really important happening in the country, then I would write the scene and it would be shot the same day.
“When it would be on air that evening, audiences would be like, ‘How the heck did they shoot this when it just happened today?’”
As a writer, Ntintili acknowledges the social impact of her work in the show and others to come later. She also highlighted her involvement in the Love Life campaign, Heartlines series and shows like Intersexions, which won a Peabody Award for its impact in educating young people about HIV transmission.
She then did 4Play: Sex Tips for Girls, also around HIV, which got a Safta for best writing for a drama series.
“When I look back, I was young and I didn’t realise the impact we were making. But now when I look back at all my work, I’m very proud of the impact it had on society.
“I create work for large audiences, so the work needs to entertain people. Yet, I always try to infuse some kind of deeper meaning in my projects, whether it’s something light or heavy. That balance is quite interesting to me as a writer.”
Ntintili says her latest crime series Levels, explores themes related to widespread corruption in South Africa and how a society can become numb to it.
“I think, with Levels, it’s a light, fun show about a heist, but underneath it, it’s about corruption. The idea of where we are right now as a country — we are overrun by corruption. We all know it. We all see it. Every single week there’s a new story that breaks in the paper about some corruption case that’s been exposed.”
Taking off: Cast and crew prepare to shoot a scene from the new heist drama Levels , written by Busisiwe Ntintili
A court scene in the first episode, where a heist kingpin goes free due to missing evidence, is reminiscent of Lieutenant-General Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi’s explosive testimony at Madlanga Commission. It echoes Ntintili’s views on the rampant corruption in South Africa, making Levels immediately relatable.
She tells me the idea for Levels came from a collaboration with actor and writer Saint Seseli, who approached her about a series set in an airport. The airport setting was unique for South African stories, Ntintili says.
The project gained a hook after she watched a news feature about a non-violent heist at OR Tambo International Airport, in Johannesburg, which involved ordinary airport workers recruited through an inside job.
This inspired the central theme of Levels — how ordinary people can be convinced to participate in a heist and the impact on their lives.
To achieve an authentic airport environment, Ntintili and her team shot all the exterior scenes at Rand Airport and Lanseria Airport, in Johannesburg.
“One of the biggest challenges was getting that airport world right, from the interiors, which we recreated on a set, and the real exteriors of the airport” she says.
“We were shooting at real operating airports while real planes were flying in and out. Then also just getting the permission for security reasons to shoot at those airports. So that was logistically tricky.”
Although there were restrictions on working in certain areas and displaying flight-path data, the team successfully filmed in exclusive locations like the air-traffic control tower, enhancing the show’s authenticity and educational value for viewers.
As our conversation reaches its end, Ntintili emphasises her continued mission to bring fresh black, female talent into writers’ rooms and sets. This effort, she adds, keeps her company’s work relevant and in touch with contemporary culture.
“Now, in my forties, you need to stay in touch with the pulse of pop culture and what society is talking about. So, having writers of all different age groups also keeps my work relevant.”
True to this mission, Levels features powerful black female characters and cast including the pilot, played by Luyanda Zuma, and the lead intelligence officer Bongi Nkosi, played by Lunathi Mampofu.
This was a deliberate decision to showcase both the struggles and accomplishments of black women in male-dominated spaces, such as law enforcement and aviation.
“It was definitely intentional. From the beginning we wanted the pilot to be a black female. We interviewed real black female pilots and heard about their stories and the struggles that they go through to become pilots. It’s not an easy journey.
“Even with our lead, Bongi. She’s very high ranking, but she’s in a very male-dominated space.
“What does that do to your psyche — while also trying to fight corruption. That struggle was interesting to us,” she says.
Levels’ stellar cast includes Momo Matsunyane, Zukisa Matola, Sikelelwa Vuyeleni, Neo Mekgwe, Melusi Mbele, Josephe Sedibo, Unathi Mkhize, Ntobeko Mathebula and Kabomo Vilakazi.
The Ntintili Factory aimed to balance the cast with renowned actors like Charmaine Mtinta and Bheki Mkhwane and new, breakthrough talent, with lead cast member Mthobisi Khanyile in his first major acting role on Levels.
With a career spanning quarter of a century, powerhouse Busisiwe Ntintili has made her mark across every corner of the screen — from soapies and telenovelas to comedies, mini-series and feature films.
A true national treasure, her work continues to entertain, educate and inspire audiences.
She’s more than deserving of all the praise — and the standing ovations we give from our living rooms after being captivated by her brilliant, thought-provoking storytelling.
Catch Levels every Sunday at 8pm on Mzansi Magic (DStv Channel 161) and on DStv Stream.