WeeklySA_AdminRELATABLE: The hit adaptation of Sue Nyathi’s novel has become South Africa’s longest-running Netflix Global Top 10 success, reaching audiences in more than 60 countries while driving a remarkable resurgence in the author’s book sales…
By Lehlohonolo Lehana
South African television has scored another international success story, with The Polygamist emerging as one of the country’s most successful Netflix productions after captivating audiences across the world.
The 22-episode supernovela, which premiered on Netflix on 12 June, has become a global hit, reaching No. 1 in 21 countries and entering the Top 10 in 62 countries, where it has amassed more than 27.6 million views.
After debuting at No. 2 on Netflix’s Global Top 10 Non-English Shows chart, the series has remained on the list for seven consecutive weeks—the longest run ever achieved by a South African Netflix title.
The achievement places The Polygamist alongside international streaming successes from South Korea, France and Brazil, highlighting the growing global appetite for African storytelling.
The series is based on Zimbabwean author Sue Nyathi’s 2012 novel of the same name, whose popularity has surged more than a decade after its publication.
Following the show’s Netflix debut, sales of The Polygamist have tripled, while renewed interest has spread across Nyathi’s other works.
“It feels great and it is an affirmation of my work,” Nyathi told Fullview. “Of all my books, The Polygamist was dismissed as fluff. To hear people call it a masterpiece and say they have drawn so many life lessons from it is incredible.”
The drama follows a glamorous social media influencer whose seemingly perfect life unravels after discovering her husband’s infidelity, exposing betrayal, fractured relationships and the emotional complexities of family life.
Produced by Stained Glass Productions, the series was filmed over nearly 100 days in South Africa. Around 150 cast and crew members, together with more than 70 extras and daily hires, worked on the production, while over 45 local businesses supplied goods and services.
Executive producer Gugu Zuma-Ncube believes the show’s authenticity has been the key to its international appeal. “We were so specific and so particular in the story we’re telling,” she said. “It’s set against a backdrop of polygamy, which is very African, and the more authentic we were to that, the more universally appealing and relatable the themes became.
“Polygamy may not be familiar to audiences everywhere, but the themes of love, adultery, betrayal, self-worth, parenting and coming of age are universal.”
For Nyathi, the series has transformed not only the fortunes of one novel but her entire literary career. The same week The Polygamist climbed to No. 1 on Exclusive Books’ bestseller list, her 2020 novel A Family Affair rose to No. 6, while the first print run of her 2024 release,
An Angel’s Demise, sold out after previously shifting only about 2 500 copies during its first two years on sale.
“The show’s popularity has opened doors for me,” Nyathi said. “This series has given me the kind of visibility that writers from the Deep South only dream of.”
The success of The Polygamist also reinforces the growing influence of African stories on global streaming platforms. As audiences increasingly embrace authentic local narratives with universal themes, South African productions continue to prove they can compete on the world’s biggest entertainment stage.
