Actor Meshack Mavuso Magabane bows out in a dramatic on-screen death, as the curtain falls on one of South African television’s most compelling antiheroes.
JOHANNESBURG — After three turbulent seasons, Smoke & Mirrors is drawing to a close — and its most notorious character is going out in a blaze of violence.
Jaxon, the ruthless businessman-turned-politician who has long cast a shadow over the fictional township of Emnyameni, is set to be killed off in scenes scheduled to air on Wednesday, 25 March 2026. The character, portrayed by award-winning actor Meshack Mavuso Magabane, meets his end at the hands of Thandiswa — played by Ayanda Bandla-Ngubane — after an attempted attack is intercepted and a fierce confrontation ensues.
In a cruel narrative twist, Jaxon dies on what was to have been his wedding day. According to teasers published by TVSA for March 2026, his bride Martha — portrayed by Lusanda Mbane — is preparing to walk down the aisle, unaware that her groom has already been killed.
A Character Defined by Ambition and Corruption
Over the course of the series, Jaxon evolved into one of South African television’s most layered antagonists. Viewers watched him ascend to the position of mayor of Emnyameni, suffer a humiliating demotion, offload his coal mine shares to rival businessman Zwelethu — played by Siyabonga Thwala — and claw his way back from the brink of ruin. His final downfall comes as his enemies, long patient in their pursuit, finally close in.
The drama does not end with Jaxon’s death. Teasers indicate that Thandiswa will subsequently enlist Leroy — portrayed by JT Medupe — to recover Nomeva’s skhwama, while another character, Ngcuka, prepares for a disturbing sacrificial ritual, suggesting the show’s final episodes will maintain the intensity that has long defined the series.
eTV Confirms Cancellation
Jaxon’s scripted death coincides with a real-world development that has dismayed a significant portion of the show’s fanbase: eTV has officially confirmed the cancellation of Smoke & Mirrors following its third season.
Reaction on social media has been mixed. A number of viewers acknowledged that the cancellation was not entirely unexpected, citing storylines they felt had lost cohesion in the show’s later stages. Others attributed a decline in viewership to the departure of key cast members. A vocal contingent of loyal fans, however, expressed frustration at what they described as a pattern of eTV axing popular productions prematurely.
Magabane’s Legacy
For Magabane, the role of Jaxon adds another commanding performance to a distinguished career. The actor, who first came to national prominence through his work in the groundbreaking drama series Yizo Yizo, has consistently demonstrated a capacity to inhabit morally complex characters with conviction and nuance.
Jaxon’s death marks the end of a chapter — both for a character who was rarely predictable and for a series that, at its best, offered a sharp-eyed portrait of power, corruption, and consequence in post-apartheid South Africa.
Smoke & Mirrors airs on eTV. Final episodes are expected to broadcast in March 2026.
