Survivor SA Island of Secrets Episode 11: Power rankings

Alliances are clearly drawn, and the power of a majority is growing as the post-merge dynamics continue in Survivor SA: Island of Secrets.

It’s funny how Geoffrey’s shocking blindside of Nathan has scared others away from making a big move. After two Tribal Councils following the merge, the large majority alliance has stuck together despite possible opportunities presenting itself. However, there’s still a lot of time left in Survivor SA, and some of these savvy contestants understand the value of waiting for the right moment. Here are our rankings of the Final 11 heading into this week’s episode.

11) Danté De Villiers

The only person who wanted to make a big move last episode was Danté, and I respect that. Unfortunately, Rob and his crew have everything under control, so there was no way he was getting the majority. It looks like nobody wants to work with Danté at this point, making it just a matter of time before he gets his torch snuffed.

10) Mmaba Molefe

Losing your closest ally is usually not a good sign, especially when that castaway relies on them so much. That is the case for Mmaba. With Geoffrey gone and having to face Mike’s betrayal, Mmaba doesn’t have anyone to turn to.

9) Laetitia Le Roux

I think we have to look past that moment Laetitia wanted to be voted out. The elements and pressure got to her, but she’s still in the game. Right now, Laetitia is shaping up to be a perfect person to be brought to the end, but that can change.

8) Steffi Brink

Rob’s comment at Tribal Council about being happier to make Final Seven deals than Final Four deals sums up Steffi’s game. She seems so glued to sticking to the majority alliance that she might find herself in trouble once other players start thinking ahead. Her best bet is for the Amigos to stay together.

7) Nicole Capper

Even though Nicole received a vote during the last Tribal Council, she wasn’t as big of a target as she was last week. She’s starting to recover from the effects of the Nathan blindside, trying to establish her place in the majority alliance.

6) Cobus Hugo

Here’s someone who is all in with the large eight-person alliance, since he is sort of the person who instituted the idea. Cobus has proven his trust to Rob and the rest of the gang, making himself a trusted ally. I wonder if we’ll start to see Cobus play the game a little harder. He has to find a way to take out some of the big threats within the alliance because that’s the only way he has a chance of winning.

5) Mike Ventor

It was painful to watch Mike let his closest ally get his torch snuffed. Although it does prove his loyalty to the main alliance, it does limit his options and hurt his chances of making a move with his Day 1 allies. That said, I firmly believe that if anyone is going to initiate a big move against Rob, it’s going to be Mike. A blindside like that is becoming more and more necessary as Rob’s power is growing.

4) Jacques Burger

Similar to Mike, I was a little surprised to watch Jacques just let Rob dictate another vote. Jacques is establishing his loyalty, but he’s also a sneaky player that I could easily see Rob want to vote out. He still has an idol, but he has to start building a side alliance if he wants to make it further than the Final Eight.

3) Durão Mariano

Durão has continued to weasel his way into a comfortable position. Now he has fully gained Rob’s trust and has pushed his way into the majority alliance. Durão is great at making good relations with so many players which inadvertently takes the target off of him. It also enables him to keep his doors open, waiting for the right time to make a big move.

2) Seipei Mashugane

We didn’t hear much from Seipei during the last episode, but it still looks like she is Rob’s closest ally, which is a great thing to be! She’s had a say in who goes home and has continued to play a strong and infectious social game.

1) Rob Bentele

This season is starting to remind me of a few US Survivor seasons including All-Stars and Redemption Island, where Boston Rob dominated each Tribal Council. Not only is Rob Bentele at the top of a strong alliance, but everyone seems to trust him. When castaways hear something, they almost always tell Rob the latest news.

Even more revealing was at Tribal Council when no one could admit that Rob was calling the shots. Being able to control each vote without the rest of the players noticing is an incredible skill to have, and so far, Rob has been doing that. When you add in his physical ability and a Hidden Immunity Idol in his pocket, you have a Survivor castaway who is dominating the season so far.