Survivor South Africa - Season 5

First aired: 1/19/2014 18 episodes

Survivor South Africa: Champions is the fifth season of Survivor South Africa. Set in the South China Sea, Champions saw two South African sporting legends serve as captains for 20 new castaways. Though the season was largely defined by two primary alliances, allegiances within these factions were fleeting, leading to numerous blindsides especially after the merge. Champions is also notable for its extensive history of Hidden Immunity Idol thefts, a twist unique to this season. In the end, the leader of the dominant Rugrats Alliance, Graham Jenneker, defeated Buhle Madlala and Sivu Xabanisa in a 5-3-2 plurality jury vote to become the Ultimate Survivor. Following the airing of Champions, the Survivor South Africa series entered its third and most recent hiatus until its resumption with Philippines in 2018.

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Episodes

1. Episode 1

Aired: 1/19/2014

The twenty civilian castaways were marooned on a raft off an island in the South China Sea. They were pulled onto a boat with supplies, where Nico instructed them to take the supplies onto their raft and reach the shore. Team captains Corné Krige and Mark Fish were awaiting the castaways' arrival. The team captains selected tribes by school yard pick, forming the tribes, Selatan (Krige) and Utara (Fish). Nico explained to the castaways that both Corné and Mark would partake in all challenges and Tribal Councils, but they won't be able to vote until the very end for the winner, alongside the jury.

2. Episode 2

Aired: 1/26/2014

After the first immunity challenge, Utara celebrated their victory with Mark highlighting Solly's efforts in the challenge. Meanwhile, Corné advised Selatan to not give up and vote for the weakest tribe member at the first Tribal Council.

3. Episode 3

Aired: 2/2/2014

Returning from Tribal Council, Zavion lashed out at the rest of the tribe for voting out his closest ally, Ashleigh. Moyra and Gena explained that his and Marsha's gameplay forced a "Rugrats Alliance" to form to counter his own.

4. Episode 4

Aired: 2/9/2014

After what came across as a surprise split vote for Philip the night before, he vowed to do whatever he could to improve his position in the Selatan tribe. His main focus was to prove his own worth around camp in comparison to David, the tribe's outcast.

5. Episode 5

Aired: 2/16/2014

After their first Tribal Council, Buhle came clean to the entire tribe about her falling out with Sonette involving the hidden immunity idol. Selatan shared some sorely needed unity after avoiding Tribal Council for the first time.

6. Episode 6

Aired: 2/23/2014

After voting off their biggest provider in Zan, Utara’s morale was down; meanwhile, Selatan’s mood was better, as the tribe bonded over a yoga session.

7. Episode 7

Aired: 3/2/2014

A rainstorm rolled into both camps, and on Utara, Sonette was injured by a falling beam from the shelter. Solly was infuriated by Shane’s careless construction of the shelter from earlier, which he felt led to the accident.

8. Episode 8

Aired: 3/9/2014

David thanked the rest of the Utara tribe for keeping him in the game before Shane told him to keep the perception that he was on the outs. Sonette felt paranoid that she would be targeted for elimination before David due to her perceived weakness in challenges.

9. Episode 9

Aired: 3/16/2014

Marian continued to privately taunt Stephen over his claim that he had nothing to do with Gena’s idol being stolen by the rest of the original Utara.

10. Episode 10

Aired: 3/23/2014

Reduced to a tribe of four, Utara expressed concern of how the merge will play out with the seven-strong Selatan. Shane hoped that sending Stephen home before the merge would be enough of an olive branch to Buhle to reunite the Utara tribe with David as their number for a majority.

11. Episode 11

Aired: 3/30/2014

The next morning, Shane buried one of his idols by the water well. Zavion contemplated between voting out Marian or David, while Sivu told Solly about the stolen idol, causing Solly to distrust Shane and Marian.

12. Episode 12

Aired: 4/6/2014

After his closest ally was eliminated, Shane stated his embarrassment over playing with the tribemates he was playing with, calling them "children". He was especially disgusted with David, and plotted to sabotage his personal belongings just to get back at him. Shane proceeded to verbally accost David for going against him. Meanwhile, Graham pulled Altaaf aside with a plan to blindside Solly or Buhle to take control of the game. Shane attempted to sway Altaaf to his side. Sivu set up a cricket game for the tribe to bond over.

13. Episode 13

Aired: 4/13/2014

Zavion disclosed to Shane that Vel and Buhle would likely be the next targets by the majority; Graham aligned with Zavion and Shane, planning to bring in Sivu and David. Graham worried about the possible four-person alliance of Vel, Buhle, Altaaf, and Moyra bringing in Sivu to take control.

14. Episode 14

Aired: 4/20/2014

Altaaf was stunned that some of his alliance members turned on Moyra, while Shane celebrated staying in the game. However, he and Sivu agreed that they needed to make big moves instead of trusting others to make them so that they would stay in the game. Sivu sought to eliminate Zavion and Graham next. Zavion likewise targeted Shane, who considered bringing in Altaaf to make a move.

15. Episode 15

Aired: 4/27/2014

Graham decided he would stand a better chance against David in the finals than he would against Sivu or Altaaf.

16. Episode 16

Aired: 5/4/2014

Zavion affirmed his desire to reach the end alongside Graham and David, with Sivu as his first target for being a jury threat. David saw Zavion’s attempts to align with him for the final three as disingenuous; he was a swing vote between the alliances of Graham and Zavion, and Buhle and Sivu.

17. Episode 17

Aired: 5/11/2014

After Sivu and Buhle's successful blindside of Zavion, Juara were informed at the final immunity challenge that this season will have a Final Three as opposed to a Final Two.

18. Champions Finale & Reunion

Aired: 5/18/2014

Buhle, Graham, and Sivu reflected on the game on the last day before attending the Final Tribal Council. The jury admonished Graham's lack of owning his game, due to the fact he orchestrated blindsides of two of his closest allies (Moyra and Altaaf) and for his loss of control of the game at the last two Tribal Councils to Buhle and Sivu.