Binge all 5 seasons of Lockdown on Showmax

Lockdown, the most-awarded drama series at last year’s SAFTAs with six awards under its belt is is available to stream on Showmax.

Lockdown takes viewers into the daily battle for survival in the cells and offices of Thabazimbi Women’s Correctional Facility. Its the show’s custom to bring a new star each new season and this time we see an addition to this all-female cast, a new star, 

Sophie Lichaba, best known as Sophie Ndaba, who became a household name in South Africa during her two-decade-long starring role as the feisty receptionist Queen Moroka in the SABC 1 soapie Generations. In Lockdown finale season, she plays Palesa, the head nurse at Kgotsong Asylum, a key location this season where Monde’s sister, Katlego (portrayed by Natasha Thahane), has been transferred. 

This is what Sophie had say about her character: 

Palesa is a broken woman who’s been through it all, she’s so broken she will do anything to feel better, even if it’s not right.

– Sophie Lichaba

She is joining one of the most impressive casts on South African television, which also includes SAFTA winners Nomsa Buthelezi and Linda Sebezo as fan favourites Slenda and Maki, and the multi-award-winning Patricia Boyer as Sue.

Both Zola Nombona and Lorcia Cooper say Lockdown helped them escape being typecast. 

At the beginning of my career, I was starting to be typecast as the bimbo with the hair and boobs and short skirts.

– Zola Nombona

“I was tired of that, so when this came along, I was like, ‘Thank you, Lord; you’ve answered my prayers; I’ve always wanted to play a character as bare as I can be, without my beauty being enhanced.”, adds Zola.

Similarly, Lorcia shares the same sentiments.

Before getting Tyson, I was always typecast. I think people always saw the pretty coloured girl with the good body and straight hair… to a point where I used to go to auditions and people would say, ‘You don’t look coloured enough.’

– Lorcia Cooper

Mandla N, Lockdown creator who directed every episode, started his career as an actor on shows like City Ses’la and Ses’Top La before moving into directing. That experience helped turn him into “a cast whisperer,” to quote Zola. 

Authenticity is everything.

– Mandla N

“Prison is a gritty, dirty, grungy world and we can‘t glamourise that. So when you see the ladies in prison in Lockdown, you think: ‘This person could give me a run for my money,’” he adds.

That authenticity is helped by his decision to film the series at Constitution Hill, the historic prison complex where the likes of Nelson Mandela, Mahatma Gandhi and Albertina Sisulu served time.  As Lauren says, “As soon as you get here, you feel the history and the stories that have come out of this prison. It really changes your mindset as soon as you walk in here.” 

This season, Dawn Thandeka King says fans can look forward to more action than ever.

I’m excited about the audience seeing the stunts that we are going to be doing this season.

– Dawn Thandeka King

“There’s a heist, we blow up stuff, I was in a van that was burning, and there’s a lot of shooting. I shoot a real gun this season. It’s been exciting; I’ve never done these kinds of stunts before.” 

Binge-watch all 5 seasons of Lockdown now streaming on Showmax. Want to know more about what happens inside South African women’s prisons. Read here.