Catacombs International Guide
Around The World

South Africa

by Steven van der Merwe; episode list by Shaqui

Space: 1999 (Y1) was shown in the late seventies by the South African Broadcasting Corporation - at the time the only TV broadcaster in the country and operated by the state, and broadcasting countrywide.

The Afrikaans-dubbed version we saw here was called "Alpha 1999" - with just a space in-between Alpha and 1999.

Hover your mouse over the asterisks below for notes *Further comments will appear in a pop up

Nr	Date (Fridays)	Afrikaans Title	Translation	Original Title
1	15 April 1977	Wentelbaan	Winding Course *(literal translation - possibly a variation on 'Turning Point', the episode's working title? Colloquial translation is 'Finishing Stretch' of a race)	Breakaway
2	22 April 1977	Alpha Kind	Alpha Child	Alpha Child
3	29 April 1977	Die Dood Se Ander Ryk	Death Will Reach Others *(literal translation)	Death's Other Dominion
4	6 May 1977	'n Kwissie Van Lewe Of Dood	A Matter of Life and Death	Matter of Life and Death
5	13 May 1977	Ruimtebrein	Space Brain	Space Brain
6	20 May 1977	No title given *(episode identified by listing description)	?	War Games
7	27 May 1977	Bewaker Van Piri	Awakening of Piri	Guardian of Piri
8	3 June 1977	No title given *(episode identified by listing description)	?	End of Eternity
9	10 June 1977	Die Laaste Sonsondergang	The Last Sunset	The Last Sunset
10	17 June 1977	Die Draak Se Gebied	The Dragon's Region	Dragon's Domain
11	24 June 1977	Voyager Se Terugkeer	Voyager is Coming Back	Voyager's Return
12	25 November 1977	Die Gevaarlike Masjien	The Dangerous Machine	The Infernal Machine
13	2 December 1977	Testament Van Arkadia	Testament of Arcadia	The Testament of Arcadia
14	9 December 1977	No title or description given		?
	16 December 1977	Not listed
15	23 December 1977	Die Volle Kringloop	The Full Circle *(kring is 'circle' but 'kringloop' is a circular walkway)	Full Circle
16	30 December 1977	Botsingkoers	Crash Course	Collision Course
17	6 January 1978	'n Vreemde Lewenskrag	A Strange Being	Force of Life
18	13 January 1978	Die Vermiste Skakel	The Lost Connection	Missing Link
19	20 January 1978	Ander Tyd, Ander Plek	Other Time, Other Place	Another Time, Another Place
20	27 January 1978	Bestemming, Die Arde	Destination Earth	Earthbound
21	3 February 1978	Kring Om Die Moon	Circle Round The Moon	Ring Around The Moon
22	10 February 1978	Die Swart Son	The Black Sun	Black Sun

Y2 followed several years later (also dubbed into Afrikaans), but at the time I was unpleasantly surprised by the change of direction in the show, and only watched it on the odd occasion. So I can't remember much of Y2's broadcast.

As far as I can recall, there was never much merchandising over here, but I do recall a S1999 cartoon strip published for a short period in the SABC's own weekly magazine called "Family Radio & TV", as well as in its Afrikaans language counterpart "Radio & TV Dagboek". (Dagboek = Diary). Neither magazine exists any more. The cartoon strip was almost certainly purchased on a syndication basis from overseas. One cartoon scene rings a bell - the Alphans encounter a planet which they think might be Earth, but the planet has been taken over by giant ants. (Perhaps this will assist you in establishing which cartoon series was published here.) [Ed: This is either the John Burns Look-In strip or the Farinas-Cardona Zack comic story).

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