This has been the most frequently broadcast TV mini-series in the U.S. By 1992, over 350 million viewers had seen it. This mini-series dislodged The Hunters (1957) and The Gods Must Be Crazy (1980) and its sequels as the prime shaper of American perceptions of "tribal" history in southern Africa. The series even achieved cult status. The U.K. actors and actresses who worked on the project were nearly blacklisted by the U.N.
The set was intended to be used for additional big screen and television productions, but with the slump in the South African film industry at the time, it wasn't sustainable. The owners, passionate about Zulu heritage and culture, turned it into a cultural hotel and conference center. It became a very successful stopover for international tourists wanting an authentic Zulu experience.
The miniseries was based on Joshua Sinclair's 1985 novel "Shaka Zulu", which was based on Zulu oral tradition.
This Crawford Production has been rescaned from a negative print and reframed for a 16:9 presentation and aired on the WIN Network in Australia in November 2017.