Check Out the SAFTAs19 Winners List
Check Out the SAFTAs19 Winners List. The South African Film and Television Awards took place over two nights, on 13 and 14 March 2026 in Johannesburg. Among the biggest winners at this year’s SAFTAs was Multichoice, a Canal + Company, which took home 48 Awards across reality, scripted, documentary and lifestyle programming. The awards celebrated the creative brilliance and talent behind the scenes and on screen who continue to set the benchmark for exceptional storytelling.
Mzansi Magic’s storytelling was on full display as its stars swept all four acting awards in the Telenovela category. Bonko Khoza won Best Actor (iThonga), his second win. First time winners were Zenande Mfenyana for Best Supporting Actress (Inimba); Anele Matoti for Best Supporting Actor (Gqeberha – The Empire) and Nelisiwe Sibiya for Best Actress (iThonga).
Showmax’s teen drama Youngins picked up the most wins in the Telenovela category, including the award for Best Telenovela, bringing the show’s total to four awards. In a public vote for the country’s most popular telenovela, Inimba claimed the top honour.
Scriptwriting was another area of recognition with Inimba, Law Love & Betrayal, Magda Louw, and Suidooster all earning SAFTA awards for scriptwriting in their respective categories. The second season of Law, Love and Betrayal (LLB) is currently available on Mzansi Magic and Showmax. Tshedza Pictures (Youngins, iThonga) once again proved its creative strength, emerging as the most awarded production company of the year.
The long-running investigative flagship show on M-Net (DStv Channel 101) Carte Blanche extended its streak in the Best Current Affairs Programme category, winning it the fourth time this year. M-Net’s hit dramas Reyka S2 and White Lies tied with three SAFTA for each, including Best TV Drama for Reyka S2. The first season of the crime drama was sold to over 150 territories. Showmax’s sci-fi feature film The Fix took home four awards. The awards also celebrated the success of School Ties and Chasing the Sun 2, both International Emmy nominees, with School Ties winning Best Made for TV Documentary Series. and Chasing the Sun 2 taking home the award for Best Achievement in Editing for a TV Documentary Series.
The kykNET comedy Magda Louw delivered a strong showing on the nights, earning multiple awards in the TV Comedy category, including Best Actress for Desiré Gardner and Best Actor for Hannes van Wyk. Suidooster, which celebrated its 10‑year milestone last year, added further recognition with two wins. Veteran performers Frank Opperman (Nêrens, Noord‑Kaap Deel 2) and Tobie Cronjé (Pronk Primêr) – both recent recipients of Lifetime Achievement Awards – also took home top honours, each winning in their respective acting categories.
Key Award Winners
• Best Feature Film: Death of a Whistleblower
• Best Documentary Short: Mathonga Elizwe
• Best TV Drama: Reyka 2
• Best TV Soap: SCANDAL!
• Best Telenovela: Youngins
• Best TV Comedy: The Morning After
• Best Actress in a Feature Film: Sandra Prinsloo (A Kind of Madness)
• Best Actor in a Feature Film: Ian Roberts (A Kind of Madness)
• Best Actress in a TV Drama: Gail Mabalane (Unseen – Season 2)
• Best Actor in a TV Drama: Frank Opperman (Nêrens, Noord-Kaap Deel 2)
• Best Actress in a Telenovela: Nelisiwe Sibiya (iThonga)
• Best Actor in a Telenovela: Bonko Khoza (iThonga)
• Best Actress in a TV Comedy: Desire Gardner (Magda Louw Season 2)
• Best Actor in a TV Comedy: Hannes van Wyk (Magda Louw Season 2)
• Best Achievement in Directing – TV Drama: Catch Me A Killer
Best TV Presenter
In the public vote categories, Fezile Mkhize won the Flight Centre-sponsored Best TV Presenter award. This will give him an all-inclusive seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruise onboard the new Celebrity Xcel in a veranda state cabin for two.
The prize includes return economy flights, pre and post accommodation and transfers, valued at R160,000. The Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela award was taken by the newcomer telenovela, Inimba.
Bobby Heaney, a distinguished television, film, and stage producer and director, was honored as one of the two recipients of the Lifetime Achiever Award. He is renowned for his dedication to nurturing new talent and has played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of filmmakers. He personally mentors each student, guiding them through the intricate aspects of framing, conceptualization, and ethical production, fostering both their creative and professional growth.
The other recipient of the Lifetime Achiever Award was Magic Hlatshwayo, an industry legend who has made significant contributions to the South African film and television landscape. Known for many roles in the 1980s, including his unforgettable role as Madlanduna on Kwakhala Nyonini, his illustrious career continues to shine bright, and his dedication to the craft inspires the younger generation of actors.
Erik Holm, who was honoured with the Outstanding Person with Disability Contributor Award, is a distinguished figure in South African television. His impact on the industry is showcased by his nuanced portrayal of Rian Malherbe in the TV soap Binnelanders. Holm’s work embodies representation, depth, and authenticity in storytelling.
Eastern Cape-born Sandulela Biyana was honoured with the Youth Achiever Award. Ntokozo Mlaba received the Emerging Filmmaker Award, marking the next generation of South African film and television talent shaping the future of the industry.
