Arende ("Eagles") is the main title of a highly regarded bilingual (Afrikaans and English) television mini-series written by Paul C. Venter and produced and directed by Dirk de Villiers ()

It is also the main title of two sequels and a subsequent film.

The whole series of ‎3 seasons (33 episodes) ran from 27 April 1989 to 20 January 1994, and the film was released in 1994. Though best known in South Africa as Arende, the whole series is also known (and specifically syndicated abroad) as Cape Rebel.

Arende, the TV series

Arende (Seasons 1-3: 1989-1994)

Set in the prisoner of war camp on the island of St Helena, it deals with the Second Anglo-Boer War as seen through the eyes of two fictional characters: "Sloet Steenkamp", a rebellious Boer farmer, and "James Kerwin", a Captain with the British Army. The first episode of a season of 10 episodes was broadcast under the title Arende on 27 April 1989 on the SABC TV1.

Cast and crew

The sequels

Two more seasons followed, titled Arende II: Moordenaars Karoo ("Eagles II: Murderer's Karoo", 10 episodes, the first broadcast on 13 February 1992) and Arende III: Dorsland ("Eagles II: Thirstland", 13 episodes, the first broadcast air on 28 October 1993).

The three seasons of the whole series ran from 27 April 1989 to 20 January 1994.

Arende, the film

The plot

In 1994 a film version of Arende was released, directed by Dirk de Villiers and once more featuring Ian Roberts and Gavin van den Berg, in a sense telling the pre-history of the series, relating "Sloet Steenkamp"'s fight against the British invasion and his subsequent capture and imprisonment on the island of St. Helena.