Power, ambition and dangerous secrets collide in Die Toring, a gripping new Afrikaans telenovela
Set in the high-stakes world of investment banking, Die Toring, a Showmax Original, will premiere Monday 13 April at 21:00 on kykNET (DStv channel 144). At an elite firm in Cape Town, a group of ambitious junior analysts must navigate power, desire and dangerous ambition as they compete for success – and struggle to hold on to themselves.
Against the backdrop of Cape Town’s high-stakes financial scene – where ocean views, exclusive nightlife and glossy success mask sleepless nights and silent breakdowns – the series dives into the slick yet unforgiving universe of Meyer Peterson Investments (MPI), a firm where survival depends on how quickly you can adapt, manipulate and climb the ladder.
At the heart of the story are four junior analysts locked in a relentless race for the top spot. Ambitious, brilliant and deeply flawed, they quickly discover that success in this world demands far more than intelligence.
Stella Fredericks (Franka Kirby: Mince Jou Hare, Diepe Waters) is pragmatic, grounded and determined to build a future beyond her modest upbringing in Caledon, but as the pressure to succeed mounts, she finds herself pulled into a world where ambition begins to distort her sense of reality and to skew her moral compass.
She and her fellow analysts, Theo Burger (Jan Combrink: Summertide, Juffrou X), Cassandra Fouché (Nichola Viviers: My f*k Marelize) and Ezra Grootboom (Cantona James: Arendsvlei, Spinners, Breekpunt), all struggle to deal with the pressure to prove themselves in an industry that rewards ambition but punishes vulnerability.
Guiding – and often manipulating – the firm’s next generation are senior managers, Gabriella Mulder (Marguerite van Eeden-Harris: Wyfie, Plan B, Afgrond, Fynskrif) and Ryan Petersen (Adrian Steyn: Getroud Met Rugby, Wyfie, Binnelanders, 7de Laan), while the formidable CEO, Argos Meyer (Deon Lotz: Reyka, Binnelanders, Skemergrond, Trackers), rules with an iron fist, using money as the ultimate form of control.
Also on the corporate battlefield are powerful and complex figures, including CFO Yolanda Strauss (Jolene Martin: Getroud Met Rugby, Arendsvlei), Argos’s fiercely loyal PA, Chantal du Preez (Nicola Hanekom: Hans Steek Die Rubicon Oor, Binnelanders, Die Byl, Sara Se Geheim), and his son, Du Toit Meyer (David Viviers: Binnelanders, Troukoors, Desert Rose, Tali’s Baby Diary), whose desperate search for his father’s approval reveals the emotional cost of legacy and expectation.
Creative Producer, Andréa Frankson-Titus, says:
“This is a world South African television hasn’t seen before. Set in the high-stakes arena of investment banking, the series is fast-paced, sexy and unapologetically entertaining. We’re incredibly excited to bring audiences into this world, led by some of South Africa’s most esteemed actors alongside a new generation of fresh, exciting talent.”
Lead director, Catharine Cooke (Summertide, Reyka, Legacy, The River), says:
“Die Toring is a towering symbol of power, money and ruthless ambition, and as our four young investment bankers chase success, they are pulled into the dangerous secrets and moral compromises of the industry’s elite, discovering that surviving the climb may cost them everything.”
Director and co-producer Mandilakhe Yengo describes the series as
“an exploration of that first year in a corporate environment through the eyes of bright-eyed and ambitious analysts – filled with scandal, drama and mergers in the boardroom and in the bedroom. It was fun to make and will be just as fun to watch.”
Co-creators and writers, Igna Botha and Meesha Aboo, add:
“We drew inspiration from the cut-throat culture of investment banking – a world where people must think fast, work relentlessly and celebrate just as hard. It felt like the perfect arena for explosive love stories and bold dramatic twists.”
Exploring ambition, identity, revenge, redemption and the dangerous pull between true love and secret affairs, Die Toring asks what happens when success becomes an obsession – and when survival in the system comes at the cost of your soul.
Produced by Penguin Films’ sister company, Paw Paw Films, Die Toring comes from the team behind acclaimed productions such as Diepe Waters, Sara Se Geheim, Wounds, Isikizi, Ingoma and Saints, and Sinners.
Die Toring premieres on Monday, 13 April at 21:00 on kykNET (DStv Channel 144) and is also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
