Must-watch trailer: upcoming Showmax reality show Vaal Riviera

Showmax has just dropped the trailer for Vaal Riviera, a reality series following four families from the Vaal Triangle. The Showmax Original premieres on Friday, 22 August.

Vaal Riviera is produced by POP24, who set the record for the most-watched Afrikaans show on Showmax with The Mommy Club: Van Die Hoofstad.

Vanderbijlpark and Vereeniging, on the banks of the Vaal River, have a different kind of glamour to Pretoria, but, while they are small towns, the drama is just as big.

Watch the trailer for Vaal Riviera

In the first episode, the families prepare for the much-anticipated opening of the Vaal River, as cooler boxes are packed into flashy cars and boats are prepped. As everyone gathers by the river, friendships form, tensions rise, and a competitive tube race sets the tone for the season. Beneath the festive surface, deeper undercurrents begin to stir.

Meet the families

The Arangies 

One thing about the Arangies? They don’t do anything halfway. Bernelee is bold, brutally honest, and never without a sharp comeback. Bernelee is an office manager, and her husband, Charl, is a race car driver and head of the family business. Their daughter Allegra is wise beyond her years and knows exactly what she wants. Meanwhile, little Aaliyah is all fire and flair.

The Deysels

The Deysels are effortlessly modern, yet deeply conservative. Riandi is calm and composed, juggling work, motherhood, and an ambitious new home build with ease. Her husband, Jay Jay, oozes cool dad energy and owns more businesses than Instagram handles. Their kids, Zaya and Jax, are already social media stars in their own right, mini-moguls with serious car goals. The Deysels keep things neat, controlled, and curated.

The Snymans

The Snymans are figuring it out one day at a time. Rianza is a stay-at-home mom with a creative streak and a keen eye for beauty, whether it's through makeup or home design. Her husband, Ruhann, is an anaesthesiologist who's constantly juggling hospital hours with home life. Their three kids each bring their own colour to the mix. Milané is a bright spark with big goals and a growing online following. Sebastian is thoughtful, gentle, and still finding his way. And little Lika is the life of the party, full of the kind of energy that never sits still. 

The Swarts

The Swarts are the ultimate blend of elegance and eccentricity. Lané, the property-savvy matriarch, runs the show with a manicured fist, while Corrie, her eye candy “trophy husband,” quietly earns the title of the show’s secret weapon. Between real estate flips, international getaways, and late-night game nights, the Swarts are everything the other families envy and secretly judge. Their sons, Tristan and Louen, are sweet, well-mannered, and oddly perfect.

Lea Knoesen, series producer at POP 24, says, “Vaal Riviera is must-watch family television because it’s real, unscripted, unfiltered, and deeply human. It has something for everyone in the family, from the grown-ups, the men and the women, to the little ones. Whether it’s the drama, the laughs, or the heart, there’s a piece of real life here that everyone can connect with.”

Stream Vaal Riviera on Showmax from 22 August, with new episodes on Tuesdays.