Inside the new South African series Invisible on M-Net
An international cast, a decades-old conspiracy and a South African story buried deep in the Lowveld come together in INVISIBLE, the eight-part drama based on Deon Meyer’s bestselling novel Blood Safari. The series premiered on M-Net on 14 October, bringing one of Meyer’s crime stories to the screen in an adaptation that combines South African talent with an international production outlook.
First introduced to audiences at the 14th kykNET Silwerskermfees in Cape Town in August, INVISIBLE brings together actors from South Africa and abroad for a story involving missing family members, wildlife crime, political corruption and secrets that have remained buried for decades.
At the centre of the production is a familiar challenge for South African television: how to bring a distinctly local story to the screen while giving it the scale and reach to connect with audiences beyond the country’s borders. With Meyer involved in the adaptation, an established local ensemble and international leads, INVISIBLE brings several of those elements together.
What is INVISIBLE about?
Based on acclaimed South African author Deon Meyer’s novel Blood Safari, INVISIBLE is an international drama series produced in association with MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, and ITV Studios. Directed by Jozua Malherbe, who also directed the Meyer adaptation Devil’s Peak, the series stars Australian actress Abbie Cornish and Scottish actor Dougray Scott alongside a South African ensemble that includes Tim Theron, Tumisho Masha, Frank Rautenbach, Kim Engelbrecht, Chi Mhende and Siv Ngesi.
The story follows Emma Le Roux, a London-based public relations consultant whose carefully constructed life is disrupted when she receives a desperate call from a brother who disappeared decades earlier. Convinced that he may still be alive, she returns to South Africa to find answers. What begins as a personal search soon draws Emma into a far-reaching conspiracy involving poaching, political corruption and the mysterious death of a Mozambican presidential candidate. As she tries to piece together what happened to her brother, she crosses paths with bodyguard Martin Dekker, played by Tim Theron, and police detective Colonel Jack Phatudi, played by Tumisho Masha.
Their paths lead into a network of secrets connected to the Lowveld and events that have remained unresolved for more than two decades.The story places a family mystery alongside a wider investigation into power, crime and history, giving the series several threads to follow as its central characters search for answers. The South African setting is integral to that story, with the Lowveld providing the backdrop for a conspiracy whose reach extends far beyond the landscape in which it unfolds.
Bringing Deon Meyer’s Blood Safari to television
Meyer’s crime fiction has found audiences well beyond South Africa, and his stories have inspired screen adaptations including Trackers and Devil’s Peak. With INVISIBLE, another of his novels makes the journey from page to screen. The adaptation is based on Blood Safari, Meyer’s bestselling novel first published in 2007. Rather than simply transferring the book to television, the series reimagines the story for a contemporary audience while drawing on the source material’s central ingredients: crime, investigation, political intrigue and a mystery rooted in South Africa.
Meyer serves as an executive producer and is one of the series’ writers, alongside William Schneider, with additional writing by Amy Jephta. His direct involvement places the author close to the process of reshaping his work for a different medium. The series also draws inspiration from real historical events, including the mysterious 1986 plane crash that claimed the life of former Mozambican president Samora Machel. That historical connection adds another dimension to a story concerned with the relationship between past events and the secrets that continue to shape the present.
For readers familiar with Blood Safari, the series offers a new way to engage with Meyer’s story. For viewers approaching it without having read the novel, the combination of a missing brother, a police investigation and a conspiracy stretching back decades establishes the foundations of a crime thriller with both personal and political stakes.
Tim Theron: Martin Dekker is more than a bodyguard
South African actor and producer Tim Theron plays Martin Dekker, the bodyguard who becomes an important part of Emma’s search. Known for productions including Trackers and Heart of the Hunter, Theron is also a producer on INVISIBLE, giving him a role in the project that extends beyond his performance on screen. For Theron, one of the attractions of playing Dekker was the opportunity to step into a character whose personality differs from his own.
What I enjoyed the most about this character is how different he is from me. He’s very contained and silent but he’s a very interesting character. If you’ve read the book you’d see he’s very interesting and brings in lots of depth. The show has got everything: the best of South African talent, it’s got a great story and if you know Deon Meyer you know is going to be great. – Tim Theron as Martin Dekker
Theron’s dual role as actor and producer also connects his work on INVISIBLE to the wider business of bringing South African stories to the screen. The production brings together local creative talent and international partners around source material that already has an established readership.
Kim Engelbrecht on stepping into Invisible
For Kim Engelbrecht, INVISIBLE adds another role to a screen career that has earned recognition both locally and internationally. The actress, an International Emmy Award nominee, plays Jeannette Louw in the series. Speaking to TV Mzansi at Silwerskermfees in August, Engelbrecht highlighted the writing, cinematography and strength of the characters as elements she was excited for audiences to experience.
I think what makes the show a little bit different for me is another strong female character in a position of power. I think what audiences are really going to gravitate towards is the incredible writing by Amy Jephta. Everybody obviously loves one of Deon Meyer’s books, but the cinematography of the show is also just incredible. I think every single episode will reveal more about who the characters really are. And I don’t think audiences have seen the Kruger in such a beautiful light before. So I’m really excited to share that this evening. – Kim Engelbrecht as Jeanette Louw
Her comments point to the importance of the characters and visual world surrounding the central mystery. The series brings together a range of personalities whose connections to Emma, Martin and the investigation form part of the wider story.
Tumisho Masha on bringing Colonel Jack Phatudi to life
Tumisho Masha plays police detective Colonel Jack Phatudi, who begins investigating the killings of local poachers in Hoedspruit. What initially appears to be a contained case soon leads him towards a much larger network of crime and corruption. Known for roles in productions including Isidingo and Silverton Siege, Masha spoke to TV Mzansi at Silwerskermfees about the character’s commitment to his work and his determination to pursue the truth.
He’s a policeman who is dedicated. Being a policeman is something that he came into as a calling. He really loves this country. When he gets onto this case, he thinks it’s just something small: it’s a murder in his own little corner of South Africa.
But it turns out to be something way bigger than he expected. Instead of giving up on it or turning tail, he actually goes deeper into it because he wants to find out what’s happening. He wants to solve it and make sure that justice is served. And that’s really what turned me on about this guy, that there are cops like that. We’re seeing it play out right now in South Africa. – Tumisho Masha as Jack Phatudi
Phatudi’s investigation provides another perspective on the central conspiracy. While Emma’s search is driven by family and unanswered questions, the detective’s pursuit of justice draws him into the same increasingly complicated network of events. Masha also reflected on the opportunity to represent police officers who continue to fight crime under difficult circumstances.
To represent those guys, for me, was truly an honour. Just to be like, we know about these police officers and these people who are fighting crime in our country, and it’s really against all odds. They’re doing such a great job. I hope that I can honour them in some way with this character. – he adds
The powerful South African ensemble on Invisible
Frank Rautenbach joins the ensemble as Jacobus Le Roux, with credits including Summertide and Beter as gister. His character forms part of the complicated web of relationships and circumstances at the heart of INVISIBLE. Speaking about the role, Rautenbach described a character whose circumstances were central to his decision to take part in the production.
I would say he is a victim of circumstance, and he’s a very complex character. That’s why I took this role. Audiences should watch this show because it’s based on a Deon Meyer book and it’s a local story, so I would like lots of people to support it. But more than that, it’s flipping intriguing, and it’s going to unfold in a way that makes it one of those shows you’ll want to binge all the way through. – Frank Rautenbach as Jacobus Le Roux
Rautenbach’s description reinforces one of the story’s central ideas: the characters are shaped by circumstances and histories that may not be immediately apparent. As the conspiracy develops, those individual connections form part of the larger picture Emma and the investigators are trying to understand.
Siv Ngesi also features in the series as Junior. A familiar face across South African television, film and comedy, Ngesi has appeared in international productions including The Woman King, as well as the South African supernatural thriller DAM. Speaking to TV Mzansi about the production, Ngesi pointed to the writing and the series’ wider potential.
I think what viewers are going to love is that it’s an unbelievably well-written production. It’s one of those really cool shows, I think the world is going to love it. – Siv Ngesi
Zethu Mashika: creating the sound of the suspense
A thriller can live or die by atmosphere, and music plays a significant role in creating that atmosphere. For Invisible, that responsibility falls partly to Zethu Mashika, whose work as a composer and music creative has contributed to a number of South African screen and entertainment projects. The score is an important part of the series’ identity, helping create the tension between the beauty of the Lowveld and the danger lurking beneath the surface.
What I found compelling about scoring the show is the story, more than anything else, and the way it all plays out. But the most interesting and best thing about working on this show was the fact that they basically let me do my own thing. I think that’s probably why the music came out so amazingly, and I’m really looking forward to you guys hearing it. – Zethu Mashika, Film Score Composer
For a story built around secrets, suspicion and the gradual uncovering of a conspiracy, the music becomes another storytelling tool — sometimes pushing the tension forward before the characters themselves realise how much danger they are in.
INVISIBLE is produced by Cape Town-based Scene23, alongside Berkeley Media Group and Dugga Boys Productions, in association with MultiChoice, a Canal+ company, and ITV Studios. ITV Studios handles international distribution.
INVISIBLE was first screened to audiences at the 14th kykNET Silwerskermfees in Cape Town on 19 August, ahead of its television premiere in October. The festival screening brought the cast and creative team together with an audience encountering the adaptation for the first time. The series premiered on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) on Wednesday, 14 October 2026, with new episodes scheduled to air weekly. Episodes are also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
Also read: 5 reasons to watch M-Net thriller INVISIBLE
