Taemane Street

*Taemane Street*
Taemane Street
	Logo since Season 9 (1988-current)
Also known as	Diamond Street (Rest of world)
Genre	Drama, Soap opera
Created by	Thapelo & Elizabeth Buamang
Developed by	David Jacobs & Gopolang Rasibe
Written by	List of writers
Directed by	List of directors
Starring	See cast
Music by	Jerrold Immel
Country of origin	Botswana
Original languages	English, Setswana, Afrikaans
No. of seasons	16
No. of episodes	416 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer	Thapelo Buamang Elizabeth Buamang David Jacobs
Producer	Kelebogile Makarabelo & John Segametsi
Production location	Orapa
Camera setup	Single-camera
Running time	60 minutes (including advertisements)
Production company	Buamang Studios Paramount Television Viacom BTV Studios
Budget	P16 Million Pula BTV Worldwide
Original release
Network	BTV
Release	25 September 1980 –; 12 April 1996
Related
	Taemane Street (2021)

Taemane Street is a primetime television soap oprea that aired on BTV2 from 25 September 1980 to 12 April 1996. It was set in a fictional Orapa titular street which resides 3 different wealthy families and follows thier stories as they overcome social ills, betrayal, love and loss. Storylines included rape, murder, kidnapping, the HIV/AIDS epidemic, marital issues, fraud, drug and alcohol abuse, politics, enviromental issues, coropate intrigue, criminal investigations and widowhood. By the time it had concluded, it has held the record for the longest serving primetime drama for 13 years, that record is currently held by fellow BTV drama Itsireletse.

Taemane Street was created by Thapelo & Elizabeth Buamang, who were former co-head writers of Kwena soap Selepe Tsa Bogwate from 1976-1979 and had opened up their own producton studios. They first came up with the show whilst on holiday in Anterp,Belgium. After taking a tour of its world-famous mine, they had a idea for the show right away. They wanted to create a dramatic weekly serial that foucuses on the lives of families behind the diamonds as it bring them together in good or bad. They pitched the idea to Kwena first but they declined because it would not fit in their upcoming summer schedule. They went on pitch the idea to Isago and had many talks over the show but utimately decided to scrap it. As a last option, Elizabeth suggested pitching the idea to BTV, which Thapelo opposed to initally but decided to do it. In November 1979, they pitched their show to BTV and after 2 weeks, gave the greenlight on the production of 26 episodes of the show. The couple got inspiration from Dallas and its spin-off Knots Landing, which at that time became a phenomenon in Botswana. Thapelo aksed Jerrold Immel if he could use the Knots Landing theme song for the show, to which he agreed on.

Regararded as one of the most well-written, glamourous shows ever created. It garnered critical acclaim and became a instant hit in its fourth season, having stayed in the Top 10 Lefatshe Ratings throughout its entire run. It won 62 BFTA Awards including best drama 10 times in a row, 21 International Emmys, 10 Golden Globes and 5 BAFTAs. It has 416 episodes spanned over 16 seasons from 1980 to 1996. It has a 25th Anniversary documentary called Taemane Street:Before the Street, a mini-series called Taemane Street: A New Beginining that aired in 2013 and a 2 movies, a TV movie called Taemane Street: Changes in 2000, fours years after its finale and a cinematic movie called Taemane Street: The Movie which was relased in 2008. On 21 April 2021, Buamang Studios and BTV Group annouced that the show will be rebooted with some of its original cast returning with a new set of characters taking centre-stage. On 13 August 2021, BTV annouced that it will air the 13-episode reboot on its streaming service BTV Prime weekly, with the release date being 1 October 2021. Throughout its original run, it first aired on Thursdays at 20:00 before moving to Fridays at 20:00 from its fourth season onwards.

Original Premise & Season Storylines

Season 1

The show premiered on Thursday 25 September at 20:00, a time slot that they replaced after the cop procedural drama, Blue Uniform ended after 4 seasons. Its first scene involves Tebogo Rabanteng (George Leballo) returning home to his estranged family after being sent to boarding school abroad. His family, the Rabantengs, are a wealthy family that own the Orapa Mine. They reside on a street that is renowned for its sprawling mansions and rich, luxurious lifestyles. Their neighbours and main rivals are the Afrikaner family, the Bäumers. They own a successful trucking company called Bäumer Enterprises and their main hatred of the Rabantengs began due to racist remarks made by them and stealing land that the Rabantengs owned. After he returns, he receives a frosty welcome from his family, with his father Thatayone Rabanteng (Moshoeshoe Chabedi) unhappy to see his son again after a long time.

Main Cast


Actor/Actress	Character	Seasons
Actor/Actress	Character	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14	15	16
Allison Abbott	Dr. Cathy Watts-Powell				Main
Christine Anderson-Harper	Elizabeth Watts				Main
Deborah Atleng	Kedibonye Rabanteng	Main
Kagiso Bantsi	Boago Sekgabe														Main
Mary-Anne Barlow	Kimberly Watts				Recurring							Main
Goitseone Batlane	Gorata Motsamai				Main
Louise Beckwith	Dr. Susan Evans							Main
Michelle Botes	Naomi Bäumer-McCarter-Rabanteng-Kenosi-Watts	Main
Paul Buckby	Robert Watts					Main
Moshoeshoe Chabedi	Thatayone Rabanteng	Main
Joan Collins	Gwen Watts													Main
Lillian Dube	Gladys Kenosi-Rabanteng										Main
Vinnette Ebrahim	Grizelda Louw										Main
Linda Evans	Victoria Watts											Main
Grethe Fox	Laurienne Rinault-Bäumer-Kenosi	Main
Connie Ferguson	Tshiamo Motsamai	Recurring										Main
Ian Hampton	James McCarter	Main
Kgosi Kenosi	Tshepiso Akayang														Main
Ben Kruger	Ricus Bäumer	Main
George Leballo	Tebogo Rabanteng	Main										Main
Julie Legote	Botshelo Rabanteng											Main
Piet Lotsane	Alfred Motsamai
Tapologo Mabelo	Nonofo Phutego						Main
Peter MacDuff	Matthew Watts							Main
Thelma Makhudu	Lerato Moloi					Main
Dineo Makgwakae	Ipeleng Sekgabe														Main
Lischen Maja	Dr. Phatsimo Sekgabe-Rabanteng					Main
Ezekiel Masopi	Tiro Motsamai	Main
Janet Matthews	Kate Watts						Main
Dawid Minnaar	Dr. Adriaan Engelbrecht						Main
Lydia Mokgokoloshi	Goitsemodimo Motsamai	Main
Clementine Mosimane	Gaone Motsamai-Engelbrecht	Main
Charles Ngele	Mompati Moroka							Main
Florence Ngoasheng	Serwalo Sekgabe-Moroka					Main
Tumelo Pilane	Boikanyo Rabanteng				Main
Jerry Phele	Meshack Rabanteng	Main
Christopher Sawtell	Paul Watts							Main
Ruth Sebata	Segametsi Mmutlang-Rabanteng				Main
Seputla Sebogodi	Gomolemo "Bra Boloi" Moloi								Main
Ian Seebrooke	Dr. Ben Powell		Main
Motsereganyi Sefanyetso	Detective Legakwa Kenosi						Main
Rapulana Seiphemo	Dr. Brian Moroka				Recurring				Main
Edward Sekati	Mogakolodi Motsamai	Main
Nicollette Sheridan	Jessica Martin															Main
Hans Strydom	Hendrik Bäumer	Main
Shaleen Surtie-Richards	Therisa Louw	Main
Natasha Sutherland	Taylor Watts								Main
Africa Tsoai	Lefika Motsamai				Main
Anna-Mart Van De Merwe	Kayla Bäumer-Motsamai	Main
Brümilda van Rensburg	Melissa Steenkamp-Bäumer-Watts		Main
Kevin Waldron	Bruce Watts							Main

Category:Soap operas by country Category:Soap operas