By: Jennifer ‘JennyLove’ Mdluli
18th South African Television and Film Awards. Acting, directing, writing, and technical brilliance are just a few of the categories in which these awards honor excellence in the South African film and television industries. The SAFTAs are a significant occasion for showcasing South African narrative and talent.
The first season of Shaka iLembe, South Africa’s most costly TV program to date, earned its high price tag with 12 awards at the 18th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs). Yoh!, Christmas on Netflix and Outlaws on Showmax came in second with eight Golden Horns each.
MultiChoice and M-Net’s TV networks on DStv won 46 accolades overall during the two-night craft and main awards presentations on Friday and Saturday, which were once more hosted at Gallagher Estate in Midrand, Johannesburg.
The South African national broadcaster, the SABC, won twelve categories for its diverse programs. Just four categories were won by eMedia’s e.tv, while Ochre Media’s Scandal! triumphed in the most popular soap category—a public vote—for the second year in a row.
Three shows were the main focus of the 18th SAFTAs: the Outlaws telenovela on Showmax from Tshedza Pictures, Netflix South Africa’s Yoh!, the Christmas comedy series from BBZEE Films, and the first season of the Shaka iLembe drama series from Bomb Shelter on Mzansi Magic on MultiChoice and M-Net.
Under the direction of the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa (NFVF), leaders of the South African film and television industry decided in 2005 to form the SAFTAs, the country’s annual film and television awards. In addition to promoting entrepreneurship and the growth of fresh talent in the field, the Awards honor, celebrate, and promote the inventiveness, caliber, and greatness of South African film and television talent and projects.
In the film and television industries, where teamwork is essential to successful productions, each award recipient is given a trophy known as the “Golden Horn,” which features three heads that represent community, teamwork, and the recognition of the individual as a member of a team. Over 70 awards have been given out in each of the awards’ 15 sessions to date.
The Prestigious Winners Full List
EST COMPETITION REALITY SHOW
Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam | Homebrew Films, kykNET
BEST STRUCTURED SOAPIE REALITY SHOW
Young, Famous and African S2 | Urban Brew Studios & A Pop Media, Netflix
BEST ONLINE CONTENT
The Adventures of Noko Mashaba – Struggles of SA Youth | Rams Comics, YouTube/Facebook
BEST CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAMME
Checkpoint | eNCA
BEST INTERNATIONAL FORMAT
The Masked Singer SA | Rose and Oaks Media, SABC3
Best International Format winner The Masked Singer. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
Koppestamp | Just Ad Production, kykNET
BEST VARIETY SHOW
Sport@10 | SABC Sport, SABC1
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN SCRIPTWRITING – FEATURE FILM
The Fragile King | Tristan Holmes, The Ergo Company, Amazon Prime Video
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP
Marlee van der Merwe (Binnelanders) | Stark Films, kykNET
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV SOAP
Kabelo Thai (Scandal!) | Ochre Media, e.tv
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TELENOVELA
Mmarona Motsegoa (Redemption) | Burnt Onion Productions & Seriti Films, BET Africa
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TELENOVELA
Mpho Sebeng (The Estate) | Clive Morris Productions, SABC3
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV SOAP
Elizabeth Serunye (Skeem Saam) | Peu, SABC1
BEST ACTOR IN A TV SOAP
Germandt Geldenhuys (Binnelanders) | Stark Films, kykNET
BEST ACTRESS IN A TELENOVELA
Zikhona Sodlaka (Gqeberha – The Empire) | Tshedza Pictures, Mzansi Magic
Best Actress in a Telenovela winner Zikhona Sodlaka. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST ACTOR IN A TELENOVELA
Presley Chweneyagae (The River) |Tshedza Pictures, 1Magic
BEST TV SOAP
Skeem Saam | Peu, SABC1
BEST TELENOVELA
Outlaws | Tshedza Pictures, Showmax
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA
Natasha Sutherland (Lioness S2) | Ochre Media ADO Arena Holdings, M-Net
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA
Nat Ramabulana (Fatal Seduction) | Ochre Media ADO Arena Holdings, Netflix
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV DRAMA
Shannon Esra (Lioness S2) | Ochre Media ADO Arena Holdings, M-Net
BEST ACTOR IN A TV DRAMA
Thembinkosi Mthembu (Shaka iLembe) | Bomb Shelter, Mzansi Magic
Best Actor in a TV Drama winner Thembinkosi Mthembu. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
Best Actress in a TV Drama winner Shannon Esra. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
Best Actor in a TV Drama winner Thembinkosi Mthembu. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
Best Actress in a TV Drama winner Shannon Esra. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST TV DRAMA
Shaka iLembe | Bomb Shelter, Mzansi Magic
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY
Dorothy Anne Gould (Yoh! Christmas) | BBZEE Films, Netflix
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY
Kagiso Modupe (Yoh! Christmas) | BBZEE Films, Netflix
BEST ACTRESS IN A TV COMEDY
Marion Holm (Taktiek) | Nagvlug Films, kykNET
BEST ACTOR IN A TV COMEDY
Prev Reddy (Miseducation) | Burnt Onion Productions, Netflix
Best Actress in a TV Comedy winner Prev Reddy. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST TV COMEDY
Yoh! Christmas | BBZEE Films, Netflix
BEST SHORT FILM
Father’s Day | Bunzi Bear Pictures, The Film Festival Doctor
Best Short Film winner – Father’s Day. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM
Jennifer Steyn (The Fragile King) | The Ergo Company, Amazon Prime Video
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM
Adrian Alper (Seconds) | Free Women Films, Amazon Prime Video
BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM
Antoinette Louw (The Fragile King) | The Ergo Company, Amazon Prime Video
BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM
Vusi Kunene (Seconds) | Free Women Films, Amazon Prime Video
Best Actor in a Feature Film Vusi Kunene. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST ACHIEVEMENT IN DIRECTING – FEATURE FILM
The Fragile King | Tristan Holmes, The Ergo Company, Amazon Prime Video
BEST FEATURE FILM
The Fragile King | The Ergo Company, Amazon Prime Video
Best Feature Film winner The Fragile King. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
BEST TV PRESENTER (public vote)
Laconco (Forever Thina) | Urban Brew Studios, Mzansi Magic
Best TV Presenter winner Nonkanyiso ‘Laconco’ Conco. (Supplied/Andile Mthembu)
MOST POPULAR TV SOAP OR TELENOVELA (public vote)
Scandal! | Ochre Media, e.tv
LIFETIME ACHIEVER AWARD
Arthur Molepo
Mfundi Vundla
