Get to know all the new faces in Arendsvlei Season 3

School-centred Afrikaans soapie Arendsvlei hits Showmax, with all previous seasons available to binge-watch, and new episodes of Season 3 landing on weekdays, too.

Arendsvlei creator Theltom Masimila is a man on a mission. When his show was picked up in 2018, it was a short story with a start and a finish. That was two seasons ago, and season 3 of Arendsvlei won’t disappoint as you stream the daily drama in the small Western Cape town (PS: you can stream all the way from episode 1 if you missed out).

“For me, there was no doubt that we would be successful, because the people who put the series together are talented and work as if it is their last project,” says Theltom Masimila. Season 3 started airing on kykNET&Kie in September 2020, picking up where season 2 ended – with a double murder. “Season 3 picks up immediately,” explains Theltom, saying that “the tragedy will irrevocably change the lives of many characters already in the Arendsvlei world and those who’re joining.”

Season 3 also focuses on the matriculants who’re finishing their final exams at Arendsvlei High School. “School principal Beatrice (Jolene Martin) affects them both positively and negatively – she encourages them to learn, but she has demons,” says Theltom. “She disappears when someone from her past arrives unexpectedly.”

Here’s a peek into some of the new characters, both old and young…

The adults of Arendsvlei

Dorothy Galant is Bompie’s mother and she’s played by Ilse Klink (Evelyn in Fynskrif). “Dorothy is a very complex character who has faith in God, but at the same time she is corrupt,” explains Ilse. “She has a lot of deals with the underworld. She is very involved with the church, and she does a lot for the community, but she also breaks down the community with her crime. Dorothy is ambitious, and she believes in women’s power. She wants to create an empire.”

Captain Krige is a policeman who is transferred to Arendsvlei, played by Brendon Daniels (Ben in Die Spreeus). “He and Lionel (Jody Abrahams, Andre in Griekwastad) have known each other since childhood,” says Brendon. “Krige sees his profession as a calling, but he struggles with an addiction to sleeping pills and stimulants. His addiction is due to depression, fuelled by his choice of profession. He is definitely struggling with a personal, unresolved issue. He uses the stimulants for energy to get through his daily tasks,” adds the actor.

Natalie Burger is played by Carmen Maarman (Maggie in Lui Maar Op, Belinda) and she is Anton’s (Dean Richard Olivier) new assistant in his bakery. “Natalie is stylish, well-groomed, confident but also manipulative. She wants what she wants and will do anything to get that,” warns Carmen.

Jake Sylvester, played by Clayton Evertson (Raymond in Die Spreeus), is an attractive and well-built man, but he is complicated, says the actor: “Jake is in great pain as a result of a traumatic event in his past, but he hides it well. He is secretly connected to one of the established characters and that’s going to play out this season.”

The teens of Arendsvlei

Angelique Galant (newcomer Chelsea Thomas) is Dorothy’s 18-year-old daughter and Bompie’s younger sister. She’s an innocent teen, believing that there are good things and good people in the world – clearly she’s oblivious to her mother’s crimes. Dorothy’s nickname for Angelique is “Angel”, and she chooses not to listen to the schoolyard gossip when her family name is mentioned.

Candice Burger (Nancia Dorland, Tessa in Kompleks) is in matric and Natalie’s stepdaughter. She is gentle but also emotionally unstable. Candice is reluctant to form new friendships because she has a spirit of desolation.

Emmie Langeveld (newcomer Inge Isaacs) is a new matric student at Arendsvlei High School, having just moved from Plumstead in Cape Town. She is intelligent and has an infectious sense of humour, but sometimes she can be a bit dramatic.

Kaleb Jakobs (newcomer Chad Bay) is a 16-year-old student from Clanwilliam who lost his parents in a car accident. He and his younger brother moved to Arendsvlei to stay with family. Kaleb is proud, and never stands idly by in front of anyone.

“I am very grateful that Arendsvlei has been so well received by the viewers,” says Theltom. “We have written and produced more than 350 episodes. I never thought I would be the lead writer and producer of one of the country’s biggest telenovelas.”

“We work hard to tell the stories of the people on the Cape Flats and to keep everything as real as possible. The storylines are also driven primarily by strong women. In television, for a long time, it was the norm to portray only the women as the protagonist’s wife, sister, mother or girlfriend. In Arendsvlei, the protagonist (Beatrice) and antagonist (Wendy) are both women and it is interesting to see how fantastically the actresses can play these roles,” adds the show creator.

New episodes of Season 3 land on weekdays on Showmax, and all previous seasons and episodes are available to binge-watch!