Samiksha Jaiswal (Editor)

Survivor South Africa: Maldives

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Location(s)
  
Maldives

Original release
  
February 24 – May 26, 2011

Preceded by
  
Survivor South Africa: Santa Carolina

Followed by
  
Survivor South Africa: Champions

Survivor South Africa: Maldives is the fourth season of the South African reality television show Survivor South Africa. Nico Panagio returns as host; the show premiered on February 24, 2011.

Contents

The season was filmed in the Addu Atoll of the island nation of the Maldives. The castaways consist of 10 people picked out of obscurity in open auditions around South Africa and nine well known South African celebrities, all of whom are competing for the grand prize of R1 million and the title of Ultimate Survivor.

After lasting 27 days on the islands in the Maldives, 32-year-old actor-celebrity Hykie Berg beat 27-year-old biokeniticist/Pleb Letshego Moshoeu for the title of Ultimate Survivor, 8–3 by jury vote.

Contestants

The Total Votes is the number of votes a castaway has received during Tribal Councils where the castaway is eligible to be voted out of the game. It does not include the votes received during the final Tribal Council.

The Game

In the case of multiple tribes or castaways who win reward or immunity, they are listed in order of finish, or alphabetically where it was a team effort; where one castaway won and invited others, the invitees are in brackets.

Episode 1

  • Reward Challenge: The Celebrities were split into two teams, Blue and Yellow. While the odd celebrity out was without a team with the colour Black. The teamed up celebrities would then battle against each other on a platform, One-on-one, trying to push the other team off the platform. First team to 6 wins, win the challenge.
  • Reward: Fishing Gear.
  • Immunity Challenge: The Plebs were also split into two teams of Blue and Yellow. The two teams had to race out to the buoys in the water in rafts. At the two buoys there were keys that would unlock puzzle pieces. Once a team received their keys and reached back at the beach, they would have to solve a palindrome. First team to correctly identify and display the palindrome wins.
  • The game began with the Celebrity and the Pleb castaways banished to their respective islands by Maldivian officials. 9 celebrities and 10 Plebs. Both groups unaware of the other's existence in the game. Settling into the conditions on their islands, the celebrities and the Plebs were taken to Reward and Immunity challenges respectively, still unknowing of the other challenge or group partaking in the game. Early alliances within the celebrity island, such as Hykie and Jacques, were abruptly ruined by the division into the two sides. However, the celebrities and Plebs were sent back to their island homes after their respective challenges. Where the Blue Celebrities consisting of Jacques, MXO, Roxy and Vanessa earning fishing gear, and the Yellow Plebs that were, Harry, Letshego, Malusi, Tasleem and Tejan earned immunity. Philicity, based on the team selection at the Celebrities' reward challenge, was placed without a team, with a black buff. The other 8 celebrities were confused by this twist alongside the fact that they were split into three groups of 4-4-1. The Plebs under the Blue team were sent to tribal council, watched by the Yellow Plebs. Lukhanyo, under the Blue Plebs team, formed an early alliance with Sindi, while Simon and Alison sided with each other, leaving the remainder Blue Pleb, Sean on the outside. Both alliances thought initially that voting out the lone agent would be logical, until Sean and Simon thought that voting out Lukhanyo right now, being the most physical threat out of all of their known competitors, would be strategically best. Heading into tribal council, Lukhanyo was unaware of the sudden change in conspiring against him. He was the first voted out of the Maldives, 3 -2.

    Episode 2

  • Reward Challenge: The two newly formed tribes were pitted against each other in an obstacle course, involving a high wall, followed by balancing beams to the first pit stop. All 9 members of the tribe have to reach the pit stops before they can continue in the course. The second stage involved a leopard crawl through mud and traversing up and over a steep, smooth incline, jumping into a water pit. The third stage consisted of an underground tunnel that they would enter single filed, and then travel across columns using two planks to reach the end of the course, falling off or letting the plank touch the ground meant that person/plank had to go back to the beginning of the columns. Using the planks, the entire team at the final stage would have to reach a suspended key, unlock a chest and created a giant drumstick. The first tribe to take that drumstick and bang the gong right at the end of the course wins.
  • Reward: First pick of which Island to live on, a Survival Guide expert on Maldivian Islands for a day.
  • Black Cowrie Challenge: Directly after the Reward Challenge, the two tribes were asked on first impressions to select one of their own as someone who were the most unlikely to be the Ultimate Survivor at the end of the game. Tasleem for the new Raituhn (Yellow) tribe and Alison from Goma (Blue) received the most votes from their peers. Thus earning the Black Cowrie shell for both sides.
  • Immunity Challenge: The two tribes would select a swimmer to receive a tanker out in the water. The catch was that the team would have to unravel a large rope that was connected to the swimmer, so that they could go out to receive the tanker. Once at the tanker, the swimmer would attach it to the tribe's rope, giving a signal for them to pull it to dry land. Once the tanker is up on dry land and pulled far enough inland, they could use it to obtain a key to unlock a lever. Pulling the lever would raise the tribe's flag. First tribe to raise their flag wins Immunity.
  • The Celebs and Plebs final meet each other on Day 4, at the second Reward Challenge. Philicity received a Blue buff due to Lukhanyo's elimination the night before. The castaways are introduced to their new tribe names, Raituhn (Yellow) and Goma (Blue). After a grueling Reward challenge, the two tribes were asked to answer one question, involving choosing the person in their own tribe that they thought were most unlikely to be the Ultimate Survivor. Raituhn selected Tasleem with 5 votes over 4 votes towards Harry. Alison for Goma was selected by her tribe, 4-3-2 over Philicity and MXO. Both of them received a Black Cowrie shell bracelet.

    Explained to the castaways, the person holding the Black Cowrie at tribal council would automatically have one vote against them. The only way that they could prevent that from happening would be at the beginning of an Immunity challenge, they would be offered an opportunity to defect to the opposing tribe. Only then would the Black Cowrie they are wearing would be neglected. If someone was voted off wearing one of the Black Cowries, they would be selected one of the remaining castaways to receive the Cowrie. This would include someone who has neglected the Plus-One vote effect of their Cowrie.

    Alison debated on defecting immediately to Raituhn before the next immunity challenge, while Tasleem seemed otherwise to the thought right now. The Celebs in Goma decided that they would stick together and pick off the Plebs, one by one, until the merger occurs. While the entire Raituhn tribe received their reward of the survival guide showing them what they could use to survive the entire Survivor game. At the Immunity challenge, both Tasleem and Alison chose not to defect to their opposing tribes. After Raituhn's third consecutive challenge win, Goma's Celebs began discussion about picking off someone from the Plebs' side of their tribe, excluding Alison due to her Black Cowrie. However Simon and Sean convinced Vanessa that for the mean time, if they voted off someone weak, they could win a couple of challenges before reaching the merge. Thus making targets out of the celebs, Roxy and Philicity. Goma also searched for missing items that the Plebs had lost at the beginning of the game, only finding a pot, while still looking for their machete. Once they arrived at Tribal Council, Simon highlighted the fact that the tribe was united under one banner instead of an expected divide between Celebs and Plebs. However, the divided vote showed signs of a divided group. Though Philicity campaigned that she would be more useful in mental challenges over Roxy, she ended up being voted out, 5-2-2-1. Alison receiving the first Black Cowrie vote.

    Episode 3

  • Reward Challenge: One castaway of each tribe was selected to be suspended within a pyramid structure, blindfolded. The rest of the tribe must co-ordinate the elected castaway to reach out for 11 puzzle pieces hanging on hooks along the four beams. Dropping a puzzle piece, means that the tribe will have to pick it up with a hooked pole. Once they collect the pieces one by one, sliding them down a collection chute, the tribe can then build the puzzle of their tribe's flag. Two castaways at a time can build the puzzle at a time.
  • Reward: Their five choices of means for survival ranging from pangas, tent covers, etc provided in a catalogue before the challenge.
  • Immunity Challenge: A combination of rugby, water polo and basketball, the two tribes would be placed in a water based field. Nico would release a ball into the playing field for a runner each tribe to compete for it. Then the rest of the tribes follow suit. They need to land the ball into nets on the other side of the field. First tribe to score 5 points wins. Challenge from Survivor: Santa Carolina.
  • Returning from tribal council, Goma appeared determined to turn their unfortunate challenge run as soon as possible. The next morning, the entire tribe expressed how MXO's naive approach to the game would be useful for both alliances. Over at Raituhn, Tejan, Malusi and Harry discussed on the evitable of attending Tribal Council with fellow Pleb, Tasleem holding the Black Cowrie. Harry nominated himself to divert the celebrities' attention to him, so that a 5-5 tie between Tasleem and a celeb would not occur. After their fourth successful challenge, tensions soared amongst Raituhn. The explosive tempers of both Tsepho and Hykie revealed themselves as three 10 second penalties were placed on them by Tsepho's lack of discipline. Bonnie and the rest of the tribe immediately calmed a frustrated Tsepho from calling out his fellow tribemate, Hykie for his foul language during the challenge towards the fellow soap actor. Then back at the islands, Harry confronted Hykie about the challenge, where Harry had nominated himself to take care of the puzzle, agreed upon by the tribe, however during the challenge, Hykie and Bonnie dealt with the puzzle instead of Harry. The two got into a heated discussion about the situation, where Hykie thought it was completely unnecessary. The two eventually apologized and returned to the rest of the tribe. Returning from the challenge, Simon discovered the lost panga in the ocean, though that didn't help the food situation for the tribe. To the point that after the Reward Challenge, Roxy broke down in tears from physical exertion as the tribe's suspended player and Alison and Vanessa, on Day 7, were in tears during the morning.

    Raituhn's tensions that arose in the Reward challenge reared its ugly head during a fierce Immunity Challenge, which Goma took advantage of and found themselves winning their first Immunity. Afterwards, the celebs in Raituhn were feeling comfortable about their alligence amongst themselves and Tejan, while Harry and the rest of the Plebs felt relatively secure until Carmel revealed to Harry that the Celebs were targeting Tasleem. Earlier in Day 7, the tribes were told of the presence of a Hidden Immunity Idol on each of their camps. Harry had already found it before everyone else was awake, hide the Cowrie shell with Raituhn's octopus on it and forgot its new location by accident. The event of a tie between the Pleb's target celeb and for the cursed Tasleem appeared more and more likely. So Harry took the initiative during Tribal Council and caused an argument with Hykie again about the puzzle incident that took place the day before. Boldly, his plan worked and the celebs voted for him, and not Tasleem, allowing the Plebs to pick off their first celeb, Tsepho. 5-4-1. Tasleem received the second Black Cowrie vote.

    Episode 4

  • Reward Challenge: An adaptation of a local Maldivian game, each tribe takes turns playing a game where one team is required to hit balls into the field the opposing team is in. Scoring a point by the ball landing on the ground safely or hitting the ball right into the special net at the far side of the field. Each member of the tribe has five balls to hit into the scoring zone. The first four have to be hit with their backs towards the field, and the last one with the castaway facing towards the field. If an opposing castaway catches a ball, that person is out for their 5 balls and is replaced by the next tribemate. 50 balls must be played or the tribe finishes their 5-minute inning. One inning for each tribe.
  • Reward: Once the losing tribe has left the challenge arena, the winning tribe was asked for what they really wanted and in this case, they received a 3 course Maldivian meal for the entire tribe.
  • Immunity Challenge: The two tribes start from opposite sides of an obstacle course that stretches over land and sea. Every castaway is attached to their tribe by their harness and equipped with a sandbag holding 10% of their body weight. Traversing the obstacle course the tribes try and catch the other tribe. At two quit stops along the looping obstacle course, the castaways can quit the challenge, by giving their sandbag to someone else and then unclipping their harness from the tribe. Tribe who catches the other tribe, wins Immunity.
  • The Celebs from Raituhn were furious over the deceit of Tsepho's removal from the game. Bonnie and Carmel felt blindsided by Tejan, who they had thought up till then was aligning himself with the celebs in Raituhn. Day 8 can along with Harry still searching for the Hidden Immunity Idol that he lost the day before, informing his alliance partners, Tejan and Malusi, of his discovery and misfortune. Their plan of keeping this information of the Idol a secret was ruined when Carmel discovered the pouch that contained the Idol in Harry's clothing. She forced Harry then to inform the entire tribe that he found the Idol, but wouldn't believe him when he said that he had lost it. Goma however were more worried about their food situation, forcing themselves to eat yams to the point where they were sick and tired of them.

    Between the two challenges, Roxy shared with Vanessa and Jacques that she had found the clue for the Hidden Immunity Idol in Goma's island inside the treemail and searched for it together. Maintaining that it would be their alliance's and not the individual's, whoever found it. They successfully found it under the water along the shoreline. Apart from this, Alison and Sindi started to try and convince Roxy that she should turn on Vanessa, due to their dislike for her attitude around camp. Roxy, with the Hidden Immunity Idol in her alliance's possession, saw no need to correct the Plebs that Vanessa was not planning to oust Roxy again and used this opportunity to fool them into believing she appreciated the false rumours they supplied her. At the immunity challenge, both Alison and Tasleem refused to defect to their opposing tribes and kept their Black Cowrie shells.

    Following their second immunity challenge defeat, Tejan and Tasleem both expressed that Raituhn needed their strength again to win challenges, especially after the last one which exhausted Hykie and Bonnie. Bonnie, being the weakest out of the Celebs, and Tasleem, the other weakest member in the tribe were placed on the chopping block. However, Tasleem felt defeated about her hopes of surviving the rest of the game on the island. Hykie made a proposition to Tejan that the Plebs would vote for Tasleem now, instead of Bonnie. At Tribal Council, Tejan was asked to explain the dynamic of Raituhn from his perspective, which would look like 5-3 based on the last Tribal Council, whereas Carmel opposed that view and said they were united finally. Both including Hykie announced that they needed to be strong for the upcoming challenges instead of worrying about alliances at this stage. Carmel's description of the tribe was accurate as everyone decided to vote off Tasleem, who at that stage appeared mentally weak as well as physically weak around camp. 8-1 The third Black Cowrie vote went to Tasleem. Before leaving the Tribal Council area, she passed on the Black Cowrie onto Bonnie.

    Episode 5

  • Reward Challenge: A larger but simplified version of Battleships. On a 10 x 10 vertical structure, with alternating coloured blocks of yellow and blue, each tribe has to place 5 helmets behind their opposing tribe's colour. They must either be diagonal, vertical or horizontal in line and in a 2 and 3 combination. Alongside these helmets, they must place optional rewards up on the board. Taking turns, each tribe will push a block of their colour through the structure, hoping that they've taken out a helmet. If an optional reward is knocked off the structure, both tribes lose out on that reward. First tribe to knock off all 5 opposing tribe's helmets, wins immunity.
  • Reward: Portions of rice and sweet potatoes (with the choice of splitting the main prize), and the remaining optional rewards on the structure at the end of the game, ranging from coffee, chocolate cake, biltong, peanuts and bottles of wine.
  • Immunity Challenge: A champion is selected by the tribes to represent them in the challenge. The challenge involves starting from a buoy structure and swimming to shore, where they are given a clue to a check point with a key inside. After visiting two checkpoints holding two keys, they must return to the shore to unlock rowboats. The rowboats must go around a marked course in the water, returning to the shore. Where the last leg involves cycling to the finish line and meet Nico on a platform. First person to reach Nico is given the option of choosing Immunity for their tribe, or a Hidden Immunity Idol and a small meal. The other will receive what the challenge victor doesn't choose.
  • Jacques on Goma in the early hours of the morning on Day 10 started to express feelings of withdrawing from the game, causing friction with Pleb Sindi, who thought it was a waste of time where someone else could have wanted the opportunity in playing Survivor. Back at Raituhn, the celebs were not relieved after the previous night's vote of Tasleem. Still under the impression that their days were numbered with the Plebs still in the majority on their tribe. Malusi discussed the ramnifications of Tejan's openness of his game plan that he revealed to the entire tribe the night before, but Tejan was quickly to reply that he's too confident that the plan will work for his unveiling would be a future hindrance. Carmel sought to reconnect with Tejan, in order to obtain some form of security in her position in her turbulent tribe. But, Tejan was already contemplating strategies going into the merge with someone like Carmel where she could flip over, or someone like Hykie who might align with Goma's Jacques.

    With Raituhn's victory in the Reward Challenge, simmering tension in the Goma camp emerged from Vanessa's annoyance of MXO's presence. Ranging from his aloof behaviour around camp to his singing. While Alison thought that someone like MXO was refreshing for her. Jacques being disappointed with the result of the reward challenge, especially about both tribes knocking out the biltong prizes, spiraled into withdrawing from the game. To the point where he informed the rest of Goma that he wanted to quit the game as soon as possible. Explaining that he was worried for his skin condition due to a disease he had which affected his skin, especially his hands. Based on first impressions of the treemail for the Immunity challenge, if the selected champion lost the challenge, they would possibly be eliminated from the game. Goma selected Jacques, respecting his request. Raituhn chose Tejan to represent them, with him expressing doubts that he is now seen as a physical strong, potentially threatening to his own tribemates.

    Jacques and Tejan changed positions during the Immunity Challenge, with Jacques leading in the swimming, Tejan taking over in the running. In the end, Jacques caught back up with Tejan in the rowboat section and blazed through the cycling section to reach Nico first. The host offered the Goma representative the option of taking Immunity home to Goma either in the form of a Hidden Immunity Idol or Team Immunity. He chose the Team Immunity and informed Nico of his request to withdraw from the game. Nico questioned the musician's integrity by his decision to partake in this challenge, winning it for his tribe, and then wanting to quit. And he responded that if he did win, that it would have been a parting gesture that he could make to benefit for his tribe. Leaving the challenge, Jacques decided on staying in the game until the next reward challenge to take to Goma the Immunity Idol. Tejan, unknowing of Jacques eminent exit, arrived afterwards and was informed of the offer made to Jacques. And that the outcome was that Tejan would receive the Hidden Immunity Idol, which he could remain a secret to his fellow tribemates. Overjoyed with the outcome he didn't expect, Tejan accepted the Idol gracefully and kept quiet about it to the rest of Raituhn when he returned to camp as the loser. He saw another benefit to losing the challenge, where he would be seen as a less physical threat, losing to Jacques in an individual challenge, by Raituhn.

    The Plebs of Raituhn collaborated again to blindside the celebs again, this time Carmel being their target. Informing Carmel and Hykie that Harry would be Tejan's choice, the three remaining Celebs heading into tribal council under the belief that the tribe might unify under one banner again. Malusi and Harry saw that voting out Carmel would be tribal suicide, with Malusi noting that if Carmel is blindsided, the other two celebs would be furious with Tejan and they'll never co-operate post-merge. But the original plan went ahead with the celebs voting for Harry under Tejan's suggestion, and Carmel being blindsided by a united Pleb alliance and the 5th person voted out of the game. 4-3-1 The fourth Black Cowrie vote was received by Bonnie.

    Episode 6

  • Reward Challenge: The two tribes had to complete a stair puzzle of six pieces, consisting of the Volvo logo. Two at a time, castaways from each tribe had to maneuver the giant puzzle cubes back to the stairs where the puzzle takes place. Once the puzzle is placed correctly, climbing up the platform, the tribe must all climb up the puzzle and push the lever to release the tribe's flag.
  • Reward: Pillows, Maldivian couches, hammocks.
  • Immunity Challenge: An team endurance challenge. A rope suspended in six divisions on a structure. The tribes must stay on the rope for as long as possible without touching the ground or the structure that suspends the rope. Game continues until all of one tribe's members have stepped off the rope. At Sunset, the tribes are given the option to both step down for the day, allowing for them to return to their islands. If they both choose to continue into the night, they would all sleep at the challenge.
  • After tribal council, Hykie took Tejan aside and expressed his anger about the second blindside that Tejan pulled over the Raituhn Celebs. Tejan explained to him that he needed to get rid of Carmel to destroy any lingering division of Plebs vs Celebs within their tribe. Day 12 came along with Malusi being on the receiving end of Hykie's frustration from the night before. Malusi also confirmed with the actor that the move was necessary to an extent. Over at Goma, morale was down as Jacques' walk off about to happen. Vanessa and Roxy were especially worried, because their alliance would be down to two when the young musician walks. MXO already indicating that he needs to align himself with the Plebs on Goma if he is to stay around.

    After the Reward Challenge, Goma used the information that Jacques parted them with, Tejan obtaining the hidden immunity idol from the last Immunity Challenge, and passed it on subtly to the surprised Raituhn castaways without Tejan finding out. Hykie had enough of Tejan's lies and arranged an agreement with fellow celeb, Bonnie. Their arrangement was to go along with Tejan until the opportunity was open to strike a huge blow to the Raituhn Plebs. However, Malusi informed Tejan of the situation that Tejan's playing a fine line now amongst his tribemates and that the idol, which even he did not know about, should be revealed to the entire tribe. Which he did, but the celebs were already wary of the power player.

    Alison's annoyance of Vanessa grew on Day 13 when she had an emotional moment about her family at home and she felt hi-jacked by Vanessa when she tried to relate about the actress missing her family to the mother of 5. Roxy felt threatened by the solid alliance that the Goma plebs hold in their tribe. Therefore, she and Vanessa approached Simon to play a double alliance, in order to protect Vanessa and Roxy from being voted off. However, Simon's constant lack of insurance that he could inform the two of his vote at tribal council on Day 14, sought for Roxy to retrieve their buried Hidden Immunity Idol. Going into tribal council, the atmosphere was that Simon was not able to keep his word to Vanessa, so once the votes were cast and Nico asked for anyone to play the Hidden Immunity Idol, Roxy pulled out the Goma Idol, stunning the rest of the tribe, and gave it to Vanessa to play. Her assumption turned out to be correct, the Plebs, including MXO, had voted for Vanessa. Therefore, 5 votes were counted as neglected. Leaving Sindi as the unexpected victim of the Hidden Immunity Idol and was the 6th person voted out of the game. 5-2-1 Alison received the fifth Black Cowrie vote.

    Episode 7

  • Reward Challenge: On a suspended netting platform the tribes would compete for a wishbone in the middle. First sending a castaway from each tribe of equilivent strength out for a minute. If neither can score by hanging the wishbone on hooks from the other side of their starting points, one more member of each tribe has to join into the match. After another minute if no point is scored, the point is nullified. The best of five or the majority of points due to nullified points wins reward.
  • Reward: Live chickens for the tribe to use for their liking.
  • Immunity Challenge: None took place 5
  • After the previous tribal council, Vanessa explained her frustration with the group about her situation. Using the hidden immunity idol and blindsiding Sindi with a minority vote. Atmosphere around Goma wasn't great especially for outsiders Vanessa and Roxy who felt betrayed by Simon and the collapse of their alliance when Jacques quit the game. Raituhn on the other hand, things were underfoot. Tejan continued with his confirmation with Bonnie and Hykie was that his plan was for the strongest players unite and pick off weak players before they get too far into the game.

    The Reward Challenge however shook things up for both tribes, with Vanessa wrestling with Bonnie for the wishbone. The District 9 actress had moved her neck back awkwardly and hurt her back, leaving her laying still within the playing arena. When Nico noticed that she wasn't moving, he halted the challenge and called for the Medical team to take Vanessa out of the challenge. She informed them that she had injured her neck before, so they evacuated her out of the challenge to x-ray her spine. Raituhn went on to win the challenge afterwards and donated a chicken to Goma with regards to what happened with Vanessa. Nico, however gave the tribes bad news after the challenge that later that night both tribes will be attending tribal council to vote someone off.

    Returning from the challenge, Roxy knew her days in Goma were numbered if Vanessa was removed from the game. She tried to convince MXO to play a game that was more strategic that just going with the flow, but she got frustrated with him. Especially after he joked around with her about breaking the chicken's neck and showing the carcuss to her after what happened with Vanessa. Tejan's new alliance members of Hykie and Bonnie were informed that it was finally Harry's time to go. But as the day drew to a close, Bonnie scrambled to try convince Hykie, Letshego and Harry to vote for Malusi, who she thought was less deserving to reach the merger than Harry.

    Tribal Council arrived, with both tribes attending at the same time. Both Simon and Tejan suggested that the idea that merger would be prominent real soon. With the Raituhn playmaker using his Hidden Immunity Idol to make sure that he made it into a merge. Vanessa was present at tribal council, but sadly at the intervention of the medical team, she was forced to be removed from the game due to the injury to her back. After a brief goodbye, she left the tribal council area before the vote. With that, Roxy's fate was sealed as Goma unanimously voted her out of the tribe. 4-1-1. Alison received the sixth black cowrie vote. Bonnie's efforts to keep Harry in the game failed and Harry was blindsided by his own alliance and voted out of Raituhn. 4-1-1-1 Bonnie received the seventh black cowrie vote.

    Episode 8

  • Reward Challenge: Out of the four competing castaways in each tribe, one is selected to pull a rope connected to spinning platform. With a tribemate on top, they must maintain their balance until they have been unwind by the rope. There is a number for an equation hidden by the rope that they must remember, before they continue. Then, they must unwind the next spinning platform. Repeating the process. First runner must head back to the fourth spinning platform, and wait until they are unwind. A balancing beam then awaits them, with mathematical symbols and a number in order on the beam that they must remember. The other side of the course is a puzzle platform where one person in the tribe must assemble the numbers in the right order and the mathematical signs to make the correct equation. First tribe to make the correct equation wins.
  • Reward: A personal belonging that they packed for the game and some staple food to take to their new camp. And selection rights of which island for the merged tribe to exist.
  • Immunity Challenge: A multiple choice questionnaire on trivia throughout the game so far. With every correct answer, the tribemates can add a rung to their section of the structure. The fifth person to reach the first platform eliminates the last four tribemates. The second person to reach the second platform eliminates the trailing three. Leaving it down to a final two's climb to the top of the structure to claim the Individual Immunity necklace.
  • After the double tribal council, Malusi openly confronted the tribe about a lack of unity in the vote. He received an apparently random vote from Bonnie, when the rest of the tribe picked off Harry. Bonnie admitted that she voted for Malusi. Leaving him rattled and doubtful about the merge that is arriving. Sean, over at Goma noted how at this situation, Raituhn can pick the remaining four Goma members off one by one at merge. To Alison's frustration.

    After the reward challenge, Nico tempted Raituhn for an island swap after they had lost the reward to Goma. They refused to do so, therefore the two tribes merged into one under the red tribal banner, Eku (meaning "Together" in the Maldives' official language, Dhivehi). The new tribe were treated to a merger feast, topping it off with Alison and Bonnie allowed to remove the Black Cowrie shells they had received pre-merger. They now rendered useless in a single tribe. Bonnie found something placed upon the table that they were feasting while the rest were eating, believing it to be advantageous for her. She hid whatever the item was before anyone could notice, however Nico arrived and spoiled her secret by requesting for whoever found that item to reveal it. Convincing them that it was not in fact a clue or a Hidden Immunity Idol. She revealed the item, and unraveled it. Inside lay a White Cowry shell necklace. Nico informed the castaways that she had discovered the White Cowrie Shell. This shell would allow her to negate a vote cast to someone else in the new Eku tribe at any tribal council. But not herself. Because whoever she uses the White Cowrie Shell on, will receive it from the actress. At the end of the feast, Nico then informed Eku that they would be playing for Immunity shortly.

    With Letshego dominating the immunity challenge, the Raituhn alliance remained in power in Eku with the 5-4 majority. With multiple efforts by MXO and Simon in finding a weak link in Raituhn, but failing. However, on Day 17, Letshego expressed anger at Malusi about the food situation, for the fact that some castaways ate too much for food that they did not cook. This left Malusi paranoid about his previous secure place in his alliance. If his own alliance doesn't talk to him, after what happened at the previous tribal council, he couldn't trust that he would be staying for much longer once all the former Goma tribemates are dealt with.

    Tribal council arrived on Day 17, with the introduction of the jury. Harry, Roxy and the injured Vanessa took their place as part of the jury, surprising the Eku tribe. Hykie pointed out that their presence has now sunk in that the game has now changed and that his awareness in future votes would be key from now on. Alison felt that she enjoyed Raituhn's island more than her own, but felt like she was just a visitor on their island. Malusi' paranoia revealed itself in front of the tribe when he informed Nico that he felt insecure in the game. Simon even angered Roxy on the jury when he stated to Nico that losing Vanessa was a harsh blow to the former Goma tribemates. The former presenter reminding Vanessa on the side that they tried to vote her off. Bonnie was informed that she would decide to use the White Cowrie Shell when it was her turn to vote. If she used it, she would place the Shell into the ballot with a name of who she gave it to. During the vote, Tejan tried to convince her that he would need the White Cowrie Shell tonight. But she returned from her vote with the White Cowrie still around her neck. Malusi stuck with his Raituhn alliance and helped them vote out Simon, 5-4.

    Episode 9

  • Reward Challenge: Marked out within the open area, stand 36 poles holding 12 different coloured flags. When Nico reveals a coloured flag at random, the castaways must claim one of the three corresponding flags and take it to the safe zone. For every flag they bring to the safe zone, they score a point. If more than one person takes a flag into the safe zone, the flag is considered void. Deadlocks also cause flags to become void. Once all three flags have been scored, unless a flag have become void, that round is over. The castaway with the most points after 10 rounds wins reward.
  • Reward: A day trip to a luxury spa, allowing two invitees to come along with them.
  • Immunity Challenge: A three staged continuation challenge. All 8 castaways are attached to individual ropes that lead through a bamboo structure. Once they traverse through the structure, to advance they must unharness themselves and cross the line on the other side of the structure. The first five to reach the end are then allowed to continue straight into the next stage. Second stage involves walking across small balancing stumps, where if they fall off, they go back to the start of the stumps. The first three to make it across continue to demarcated parts of sand and dig for a key. Third stage involves finding this key, then running towards a locked chest and surface in the water. Inside the chest is a 3D puzzle that they have to deconstruct in the correct manner. First castaway to successfully solve this puzzle wins Immunity.
  • Early in the morning of Day 18, Sean reflected on what was said in Tribal Council the night before. About Malusi mentioning that last night's vote was extremely crucial for him. He noticed that Tejan took notice to what his alliance partner said, which let Sean know that there were weak links in the Raituhn 5. MXO, Sean and Alison all started to persuade Malusi into flipping over to side with the former Goma castaways, though all they could manage was to place more doubt on his mind.

    Tejan won the first individual reward and selected Bonnie to accompany him at the spa. Nico gave Bonnie the option to choose someone as well, and she chose Hykie to join Tejan and herself. At the reward, Tejan cemented what he wanted as a tight four alliance between Bonnie, Hykie, Letshego and himself. Stating that as long as their alliance kept on winning the challenges. Hykie however used that time away from the camp to make sure Bonnie was with him and leading Tejan on into thinking that he was running the game.

    Before the Immunity Challenge, treemail arrived with a clue for a new Hidden Immunity Idol placed somewhere on their camp. Most of the tribe went looking for it, with Malusi staying behind at camp. Sean felt that he was on the chopping block before the Immunity Challenge, as Malusi appeared to not budge from his trust in Tejan. However, he managed to shake things up in camp after coming from behind in the Immunity Challenge and stealing Immunity from under Tejan's nose. This caused Hykie and Bonnie consider voting out Malusi tonight. Tejan knowing that his alliance wanted to blindside one of their own, felt the need to not involve himself with the decision making. This confused Hykie and Bonnie for a bit, but they stuck to their guns that Malusi should go now, before he causes a flip. Sean, against what he said earlier to not pressure Malusi into flipping, confirmed with Alison and MXO that Malusi would side with them at Tribal Council on Day 19.

    Tribal Council arrived with Nico interrogating Eku on the dynamic of the tribe. Alison and Sean still felt that it was Raituhn vs Goma and that they were going to be picked off one by one. Tejan informed Nico that he felt secure in his alliance and that he could see himself in the Final 5 of the game. Letshego appeared otherwise to Tejan's confidence that no one is sure unless they have Immunity. In the end, the Raituhn 5 turned on their own, blindsiding Malusi. 4-2-1-1. Bonnie transferred the White Cowrie to Hykie, as a safety measure of the event that she might have been voted out that night.

    Episode 10

  • Reward Challenge: Survivor Auction
  • Reward: Ranging from koeksisters and coffee, to chocolate milkshakes. Bonnie brought a secret clue to a Hidden Immunity Idol and Alison won a Volvo V60.
  • Immunity Challenge: The individual castaways have to fill a water can suspended on a fulcrum, however there are five leaking holes at the bottom of the can. Inside the fulcrum is a small cannonball. If the castaway fills their water can with enough water, it will tip the cannonball to fall onto a tile and into the water can. First castaway to tip their fulcrum, and break their plate with the cannonball wins Immunity.
  • The previous Raituhn alliance left in ruins with Malusi's exit the previous night, Sean and Alison saw that this was their time to strike at staying in the game. Hykie and Bonnie felt that it was time for Tejan to pay for his betrayals pre-merger on Raituhn. Hykie felt that it was time as he felt the repercussions of the last tribal council. Tejan stopped talking to Hykie. The Survivor Auction arrived, with the girls all receiving some form of reward. Letshego brought koeksisters and coffee. Bonnie brought an envelope which she was allowed to read in private (holding a clue to the new hidden immunity idol). Alison winning a new Volvo V60. Tejan spent all his money on a large chocolate milkshake which he had the opportunity to share with everyone else for 60 seconds. Leaving with Hykie and Sean getting nothing at the end of the Auction.

    After Sean's second Immunity Challenge win, the two alpha males of Eku, Hykie and Tejan started convincing Alison and Sean about voting out the other. Even to the point where both confronted each other about voting for each other. Only to be interrupted by MXO's presence. Tribal Council arrived and Nico asked Tejan if he still felt comfortable with his place in Eku. Tejan explained that he felt insecure, informing the host that alliances have crumbled with Malusi's exit, subtly highlighting Hykie's strategy of buttering up the jury. Bonnie and Hykie both objected to Tejan's statement that Hykie's behaviour was of ulterior motives. Even pointing out that Tejan was the person in the game orchestrating the moves that occurred. Betraying people left, right and center. Tejan tried to deny the fact that he was calling the shots beforehand, but got pulled down by Bonnie again. At the vote, Hykie returned the White Cowrie to Bonnie. Bonnie used a hidden Immunity Idol that she found right under Tejan's nose for Hykie. Eliminating 3 votes that were cast against the actor. And Tejan was the 11th person voted out of the game with all four valid votes. 4-3

    Episode 11

  • Reward Challenge: The castaways are given coconuts to throw at 6 ceramic pots to release puzzle pieces. Shattering all of their pots allows them to complete a puzzle. First castaway to complete the puzzle wins reward.
  • Reward: A braai shared with two castaways and their family members. While the other three go home to their own smaller food.
  • Immunity Challenge: An endurance challenge, where the castaways hang on a suspended beam above the ocean. Attached to their person is a weight holding a third of their body weight. They may only use their hands and wrists and hold within the red marked areas on the pole. After an hour, the castaways still holding onto the beam must remove one hand permanently. Last castaway left holding onto the beam wins Immunity.
  • Letters from home arrived in boatmail on Day 22, leaving the Final 6 in tears. The reward challenge didn't help much with Nico surprising the castaways with a family member's visit. The visit was cut short though because with Sean's challenge victory meant he had to choose two other people to accompany him with their respective family member. Resulting with the other three returning home with nothing but a surprise waiting at their camp and no family members. Sticking with old tribal lines, he chose Alison and MXO for the reward. The final three Raituhn members returned to camp, with Letshego finding a hidden immunity idol within one of three bags left at camp. She decided to inform Bonnie and Hykie of this revelation, causing their reuniting of the Raituhn alliance and sticking to the Final Three as an aliiance.

    Day 23 arrived with Alison, Sean and MXO noticing that all of a sudden that Letshego and Bonnie were bonding more often, causing fears that the old tribe lines have been drawn again. However, they continued to try sway Letshego onto siding with the old Goma tribemates. The Immunity challenge unknowingly dampered their plans with Hykie outlasting Sean in the end. With Hykie holding the Immunity Necklace, Letshego holding a new Hidden Immunity Idol and Bonnie holding the White Cowrie, with plan intention to give it to Hykie if needed be; Sean's days were numbered. At Tribal Council, Sean revealed to Nico that he felt insecure without the necklace. MXO pointed out the helplessness because of the two castaways in power, Hykie and Bonnie, referring them as a preacher and his preacher's wife. Letshego talked about how the tribe perceived her as the outsider due to her obvious alliance partner, Tejan, exit at the previous tribal council and that she was approached by two members of Eku about siding with them and that they failed to back up with their arguments. Sean responded that it was untrue. Owning up to the fact that he had tried and left her with the choice of informing him about her decision and that she never did. With that, the voting occurred. Hykie gave up his Immunity Necklace to Bonnie. Bonnie gave her White Cowrie shell to Hykie and Letshego revealed the new Hidden Immunity Idol, telling the jury and Eku tribemates about the surprise she received at camp after the Reward Challenge and used it for herself. The Goma alliance had voted for Letshego. Leaving Sean joining the Jury as its seventh member. 3-0

    Episode 12

  • Reward Challenge: On top of a large platform are hoops for each castaway to shoot colour-marked coconuts. But, they must slide down a long water slide into a water pit. At the end of the water pit lays 20 coconuts for them to shoot with. Then climbing back up the slide to their shooting marks to aim for the hoops. If they run out of coconuts, they are out of the challenge. First castaway to score 7 coconuts wins the reward.
  • Reward: A flight to Malé, capital of the Maldives, for a trip in a tourist submarine. An underwater experience with an overnight stay in Malé before returning to the game.
  • Immunity Challenge: A floating puzzle that requires that no more than one coloured tile on each variety must be align to one another vertically and horizontally. And in specially marked zones that there must be no duplicate colours. First castaway to solve the puzzle correctly wins Immunity.
  • Morning on Day 24 was bitter for the entire Eku tribe. Alison felt disgusted with Hykie and Bonnie's confidence of their alliance. Bonnie was hurt by MXO's preacher and preacher's wife comment that he directed to Hykie and herself. And Letshego highlighted that she was the odd one out amongst the Final 5. MXO especially got on Bonnie's nerves during the day. After the close reward challenge, Hykie openly stated that he wanted to turn down the reward for strategic and pure reasons and give it to Alison and MXO. But Nico reminded him that he couldn't turn down a reward, so he chose Letshego to accompany him in the Reward over his alliance partner, Bonnie. On Reward, the two bonded with the knowledge that Hykie's decision to bring Letshego along wasn't entirely because she had never been on Reward before. Back at Eku, Alison and MXO figured that Hykie played a great move preventing Letshego from the Former Goma castaways and decided to leave the stubborn and irritable Bonnie alone from strategy talk. Hykie and Letshego returned at the Immunity Challenge, with Letshego dominating with Alison close behind. When she won, it sealed the fate of Alison and MXO as the minority alliance in Eku. When Bonnie and Hykie went off to the camp's resident log, Alison and MXO pushed hard on Letshego. Telling her that she will be dropped as soon as Hykie, Bonnie and herself reach the Final 3. But the former Raituhn remained scarce about her alliegence. At the log, Bonnie stated that she felt Alison should go, as she was perceived as a bigger threat to winning if she made it to the Final Tribal Council. Tribal Council arrived at the end of Day 25, with Alison explaining to Nico her frustration at camp. Informing the host that Letshego has become a pivotal point in the game at the end and that she would just be the last person for Bonnie and Hykie to deal with before the Final Tribal Council. Going to the point where she said that if she was voted out tonight that MXO would be next, and then Letshego unless either or won both of the future Immunity Challenges would be the pecking order. Letshego continued with her confidence that she could beat all the celebs around her in the Challenges to Alison's disbelief. With tonight being the last night for the White Cowrie to be in play, Hykie chose not to use it. Letshego sticking to her former Raituhn castaways. Leaving Alison as the eight jury member. 3-2

    References

    Survivor South Africa: Maldives Wikipedia