SAFTAs 2026 Winners Celebrate
Viable News Team 
South Africa’s film and television industry took centre stage as top actors, producers and creatives gathered for the 19th annual South African Film and Television Awards, celebrating excellence in local entertainment.
The glamorous ceremony was held at the Gallagher Convention Centre on 13 and 14 March 2026, bringing together some of the country’s most recognisable stars and productions for one of the industry’s biggest nights.
Organised by the National Film and Video Foundation, the awards honour outstanding achievements in South African film and television, with winners receiving the prestigious Golden Horn trophy.
Big Winners of the Night
Several television shows and films dominated the ceremony, highlighting the strength of South African storytelling across different genres.
Among the major winners:
- Best Feature Film: Death of a Whistleblower
- Best TV Drama: Reyka 2
- Best Telenovela: Youngins
- Best TV Soap: Scandal!
- Best TV Comedy: The Morning After
These productions were among the standout winners at the ceremony, reflecting the diversity of local content currently dominating South African screens.
Production company Tshedza Pictures also had a strong showing, walking away with seven awards during the event.
Acting Awards Recognise Top Talent
The SAFTAs also honoured several leading actors for their performances in popular productions.
Some of the top acting awards included:
- Best Actress in a TV Drama: Gail Mabalane
- Best Actor in a Telenovela: Bonko Khoza for iThonga
- Best Actress in a Telenovela: Nelisiwe Sibiya
- Best Actor in a TV Soap: Aubrey Poo
- Best Supporting Actress in a Telenovela: Zenande Mfenyana
- Best Actress in a TV Comedy: Desire Gardner
Khoza’s award-winning role saw him portray twin brothers with contrasting personalities, a performance that had already generated significant praise before the awards.
Popular Productions Also Take Home Awards
Fan-favourite productions also walked away with major honours.
- Inimba won Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela (Public Vote) and also earned recognition for scriptwriting.
- Magda Louw received awards for directing and writing in the TV comedy category.
- Scandal! continued its strong run by winning awards including directing in the TV soap category.
Meanwhile, Fezile Mkhize won Best TV Presenter (Public Vote) for the travel show Top Travel.
Lifetime Achievement Honours
Two respected industry figures were recognised for their contributions to South African entertainment with Lifetime Achievement Awards:
- Magic Hlatswayo
- Bobby Heaney
Their recognition highlighted decades of influence in shaping South Africa’s film and television landscape.
Official photos of Thuso Mbedu and Zozibini Tunzi at the SAFTAs 19. pic.twitter.com/TGhcoFXSvQ
— Jabulani Macdonald ⚡️ (@Jabu_Macdonald) March 16, 2026
Celebrating South African Storytelling
First launched in 2005, the SAFTAs were created to celebrate and promote excellence in the country’s film and television industry. The awards recognise actors, directors, producers and technical teams whose work continues to shape South African storytelling both locally and internationally.
This year’s ceremony once again demonstrated the growing impact of South African productions, with many shows gaining both local popularity and international attention.
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