(SAFTA Winners. Photo
credit: Spanya Ndala)
Shaka iLembe makes History as the SAFTAS’ Most-Awarded Drama Series Ever.
The epic Mzansi Magic drama Shaka iLembe made SAFTA history on the second night of the awards show when it picked up the award for Best Drama Series, making it the most-awarded drama series in the history of the event, with 12 Golden Horns received.
MultiChoice is the biggest investor in local content on the African continent and concluded SAFTA weekend with a total of 46 South African film and television awards across genres including reality, scripted, doccie and lifestyle programming. Showmax’s Outlaws won Best Telenovela on the final night, taking the show’s awards tally to seven. kykNET soapie Binnelanders (Stark Films) received three more awards, extending the show’s reign as the SAFTAs’ most-awarded Soap Opera.
The second night also saw Best Actor and Best Actress category wins for M-Net, Mzansi Magic, 1Magic, Mzansi Magic and kykNET shows for Marion Holm (Taktiek) in Best Actress in a TV Comedy; Germandt Geldenhuys (Binnelanders) for Best Actor in a TV Soap; Shannon Esra (Lioness S2) for Best Actress in a TV Drama; Presley Chweneyagae (The River) for Best Actor in a Telenovela; Zikhona Sodlaka (Gqeberha – The Empire S1) for Best Actress in a Telenovela; and Thembinkosi Mthembu (Shaka iLembe) for Best Actor in a Drama.
The shows’ supporting cast received amazing recognition as well, with awards for Marlee van der Merwe (Binnelanders) for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama and Natasha Sutherland (Lioness S2) for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama.
kykNET shows picked up other awards too: Koppestamp (Just Ad Productions) won the Golden Horn for Best Entertainment; Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam (Homebrew Films) was voted Best Competition Reality Show and ’n Tyde van Waterpere (Sonvelt Media) was named Best Made for TV Movie.
Showmax remains the best place to stream the SAFTA winners, with content on Showmax winning 37 Golden Horns from its 142 nominations - the most of any streamer.
In the Viewer’s Choice categories, Mzansi crowned Mzansi Magic Forever Thina star LaConco as their favourite presenter. Forever Thina was produced by Urban Brew Studios.
Production on the new season of Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam has just finished, and the series will flight on kykNET (DStv-channel 144) early in 2025. New seasons of Shaka iLembe, Outlaws and another season of Kokkedoor: Vuur & Vlam have also been announced.
Nomsa Philiso, CEO General Entertainment, MultiChoice Group, says: “This weekend highlighted the rich diversity and powerful storytelling that our creative industry offers viewers. As the leading investor in local content across Africa, MultiChoice is dedicated to supporting and expanding the continent’s film and television landscape. Congratulations to all the winners and to the teams who poured their talent and hard work into bringing these stories to life”.