Images: Charlie Sperring and Peter Russell

In this week’s episode of Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island (22 July, 19:30 on M-Net), it's chaotic negotiations, unabashed idol-hunting and plenty of knife sharpening in a dramatic episode where Vuna and Zamba become one, at merge.

For some, merge offers salvation – but for others, it could be a torch-snuffing moment. Who will manage the mayhem best and emerge into merge as the leader of the pack?

Reasons why you don’t want to miss Episode 8:

• A power struggle between the factions makes victory in the season’s first Individual Immunity Challenge, key.
• Some castaways struggle to find the line between confidence and overconfidence when dealing with those they see as being below them on the pecking order.
• Between Anela’s ‘No Vote’ and Tribal Insurance, Anesu’s Tribal Pass and Tyson’s Hidden Immunity Idol, the stakes are even higher as information and misinformation are peddled in equal measure.
• Who will become the ninth castaway voted out of the game - and the first into the jury?

Survivor South Africa: Immunity Island is produced by Afrokaans, in partnership with the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC), and hosted by Nico Panagio. Catch each exciting episode on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) on Thursdays at 19:30. Visit the M-Net Website for exclusive show content and join the conversation on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using #SurvivorSA and #MNet101.