Johannesburg, 17 February 2026 — The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF), an agency of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, and the custodian of the SAFTAs, is delighted to announce the nominees for the 19th Annual South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs19).
Increased Number of Entries Celebrating Excellence in South African Film and Television
After the announcement of the time frame change for the SAFTAs last year, the call for entries was opened, and the SAFTAs received 471 entries, surpassing the set target of 350 entries by 121 submissions. Out of the 471 entries received, an impressive number of 434 were compliant, showing a remarkable increase from the 347 compliant entries for SAFTAs18.
Robust Jury Process To Evaluate All Compliant Entries
The 434 compliant SAFTAs19 entries were then reviewed by a jury of 156 film and television industry experts and professionals, who were appointed through an open-call process and sat on 20 judging panels reviewing entries across different categories. The jury reviewed entries and deliberated on selections through a robust two-phase audited process from 31October 2025 until 21January 2026. During the first phase from 31 October 2025 – 7 January 2026, the jury evaluated projects wherein the deliberation on nominees and winners took place from 15 to 21 January 2026. The NFVF thanks all the jury members for their time and for ensuring that the integrity of the judging process was maintained throughout. The meticulous judging process has led us to this moment, where we are proud to celebrate the best of the South African film and television industry!
Nominee Highlights
- Tshedza Pictures has achieved 24 nominations, leading with the highest number of nominations for the second year in a row. Some of their leading productions include “iThonga” with 10 nominations and “Youngins” with six nominations.
- Quizzical Pictures closely follows behind Tshedza Pictures, with 22 nominations, “Reyka” S2 receiving nine nominations “White Lies” receiving eight nominations “Savage Beauty S2” receiving four nominations.
- Penguin Films received a total of 17 nominations for their top telenovelas and series. “Skemergrond” earned three nominations, “Diepe Waters” received two nominations, and “Arendsvlei” got one nomination. All three shows are included in Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela public vote category.
- Known Associates Entertainment received 16 nominations in the TV Comedy and Feature Film categories, including “Snake”, and “Death of a Whistleblower”.
- MMSV Productions’ telenovela, “Generations: The Legacy”, received 7 nominations, while Peu’s “Skeem Saam” received five, while Stained Glass TV’s “Uzalo” achieved 4 nominations.
- The Milton Empire’s “Inimba” S1, a newcomer in the South African telenovela scene, received 5 nominations.
- Streaming platforms like Netflix and Showmax have also made their presence felt with 55 and 59 nominations, respectively.
- The heavyweights of thespians Sello Maake ka-Ncube, Bonko Khoza, Zenande Mfenyana, Nelisiwe Sibiya, Celeste Loots, Sandra Prinsloo, Vusi Kunene, and Brumilda van Rensburg will make for an entertaining night showcasing the best South Africa has to offer.
The SAFTAs19 Craft and Main Show Awards, themed: One Story. One Industry. One Future. – Celebrating South Africa’s Screen Legacy, Together, will be held on 13 and 14 March 2026.
The Awards nights will be a great showcase of South African talent, featuring a mix of established production houses and formats alongside the new entrants, and additional categories. The event will highlight a blend of experienced veterans and young up-and-coming talent, with representation in categories such as the Best Student Film and the animation categories.
Public Participation
For months, social media has been buzzing with the South African public engaging in robust, fun, funny, and sometimes serious hashtags discussing the nuances of their favorite soapies, telenovelas, and their favorite presenters. It is now time to put those conversations to a vote that will decide who is the best in SA soapies, telenovelas, and who the nation’s best presenter is. Take part in the celebration, affirmation, and honouring the excellent work of your favourites by casting your vote for the Best TV Presenter and Most Popular Telenovela or Soap categories, which will be open to public voting. Voting numbers will be available on all SAFTAs’ social media platforms and the NFVF website from 19 February 2026, with voting lines closing on 11 March 2026.
Broadcast and Streaming Details
The SAFTAs Craft awards show will be streamed live on the SAFTAs YouTube page and across
Social media platforms on 13 March 2026, allowing fans to join the celebration of behind-the-scenes artistry and put faces to the amazing work of behind-the-scenes teams. The Main awards show will be simulcast live on Mzansi Magic (Channel 161) and SABC 2 on 14 March 2026. The Main show will be preceded by the Red Carpet special on Mzansi Magic and SABC 2. . Keep an eye on our social media pages for more information about the show.
The countdown to the biggest night in the South African film and television calendar begins today, a night where the best SA film and TV talent come out to reignite their commitment to producing high-quality productions, be inspired to tell authentic SA stories, and most importantly, to celebrate and pat each other on the back for keeping the nation entertained and educated at such a time as this.
The NFVF’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Ms Onke Dumeko, says, “Historically, film and television in South Africa have always been at the forefront of keeping the nation informed, educated and entertained. It is fitting, therefore, that the producers, directors, actors, and all involved in this important job get the recognition they deserve and that they be celebrated for the great work they do in keeping important conversations ongoing. All you have to do is see the social media pages for intense but fun discussions about a local soap or telenovela, which tells you that these productions are part of the daily lives of so many South Africans. One can even go as far as saying they are part of the nation’s coping mechanism with all that is going on in the country and across the world, and the SAFTAs are a fitting way to give a nod to the incredible work of all these creatives in the film and television industry.”
CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE NOMINEES!
#SAFTAs #SAFTAs19
For more information and media inquiries, please contact:
Lerato Mokopanele
NFVF Marketing and Communications Manager
National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF)
leratom@nfvf.co.za
Stay connected with the SAFTAs:
• Website: https://www.nfvf.co.za
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/saftassa
• Twitter: https://x.com/SAFTAs_1
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saftassa/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC3N507xysI7WuXpEVzKO_jg
• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@saftas_sa?_t=8pGs9FmLqQn&_r=1
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About SAFTAs
The South African Film & Television Awards (SAFTAs) were established by industry representatives and the National Film & Video Foundation (NFVF), as an event that honours, celebrates, and promotes the creativity, quality & excellence of the South African film & television talent. They also serve to encourage the development of new talent, fostering a generation of filmmakers united in the collective mission of telling authentic South African stories.
About NFVF
The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) is an agency of the Department Sport, Arts and Culture that was created to ensure the equitable growth of South Africa’s film and video industry. The NFVF does this by providing funding for the development, production, marketing, and distribution of films and also the training and development of filmmakers. In addition, the NFVF commissions research and produces industry statistics that provide both the public and stakeholders with valuable insights into the South African film industry.
About Multichoice (MCG)
MultiChoice Group (MCG), which listed in the Main Board of the JSE on 27 February 2019, is one of the fastest-growing video entertainment providers globally, delivering entertainment products and services to 21.1m households across 50 countries on the African continent. Its track record of more than 30 years is reflective of a commitment to provide audiences with only the best local, sport and international content.
MCG’s strong partnerships with distributors, installers, and telecommunication companies, along with its well-established payment solutions, competitive pricing and choice of viewership packages continue to secure its place in the global market, while also providing solutions unique to the African market. Its direct-to-home (DTH), digital terrestrial television (DTT) and over-the-top (OTT) solutions enable the business to stay relevant and aligned to changing consumer habits while capturing new markets. Content is at the very core of the business. MCG aims to deliver quality content anywhere, anytime and on any device through a comprehensive video entertainment offering at different price points. As pioneers in African video entertainment, MCG plays an important role in making information and entertainment easily accessible to Africans. MCG aims to secure content rights in a manner that is cost-effective and reflective of the diversity of its audiences. Its substantial portfolio includes award-winning local content (a key differentiator in its service offering), a leading sports offering (including production capabilities) and access to international content, which is all shared on the group’s platforms: DStv, GOtv, Showmax, M-Net and SuperSport.
MCG has superior technology capability through the security solutions that Irdeto, its technology company, brings to the group. These solutions enable MultiChoice to protect its investment, create new offerings and combat cybercrime. With 50 years’ expertise in software security, Irdeto’s software security solutions and cyber services protect over 5bn devices and applications for some of the world’s best brands.
About SABC 2
SABC2 is one of the SABC TV channels housed under Video Entertainment. With a daily average reach of 4.8 million viewers, SABC2 is one of the top 5 biggest channels in South Africa. Uniquely positioned as a Family Entertainment channel making great strides in identifying compelling content with high entertainment suitable for family viewing.
SABC2 is for the ‘now’ family recognising the changes within South Africa’s family DNA. The channel recognises all family types: Nuclear families, Same-sex, families, Single-parent families, Extended families, Childless families, Blended families, Foster families, Stepfamilies and Grandparent families.
The channel is a home where all South Africans belong.