13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards Postponed to 21 November as Awards Show Needs More Time to Judge 420 Entries

by Thinus Ferreira

No longer taking place on 10 October, 2026's 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards (SSA26) has been postponed and moved to a new date of 21 November at The Playhouse in Durban.

The KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film organisation responsible for organising the Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards says the awards show is being pushed back since more time is needed to judge entries.

The 13th edition will now take place a month later to give more time "for the adjudication process to be concluded with the necessary rigour, following the strong response of more than 420 entries, while providing sufficient time for the final preparations required to deliver an awards ceremony that appropriately celebrates the depth and calibre of South Africa's film and television industry.

The 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film and Television Awards will announce nominees during an online announcement set for 16 October.

At November's awards show two special honours  - a Lifetime Achievement Award and an In Memoriam tribute - will be bestowed.

Sibusiso Gumbi, KwaZulu-Natal Tourism and Film acting CEO, says "The Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards are not only about recognising the work that is commanding attention today".

"They are also about understanding that our industry has been built over generations, by people whose talent, commitment and courage opened doors and created opportunities for those who followed. The Lifetime Achievement Award allows us to honour that contribution while the In Memoriam tribute ensures that those we have lost remain part of the story of South African film and television."

The judging group of the 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards this year include members of the South African Screen Federation (SASFED), Black Filmmakers Collective (IBFC), eThekwini Filmmakers Association (EFA), Independent Producers Organisation (IPO), Writers Guild South Africa (WGSA), Directors Guild South Africa (DGSA)/Independent Directors Association (IDA), South African Guild of Actors (SAGA) and the Documentary Filmmakers Association (DFA).

"The credibility of any awards programme rests on the integrity of the process behind it," says Sibusiso Gumbi, with editor Jack Esterhuizen, heading up the judging process.

"We have therefore placed considerable emphasis on ensuring that the 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards has a rigorous, transparent and industry-informed adjudication process."

"From the involvement of industry bodies to independent judging, oversight and auditing, there are important checks and balances in place to ensure that every entry is given fair consideration."

Entries are assessed by independent industry judges, says the organisation, while an independent auditing company presides over the adjudication process.

The 13th Simon Mabhunu Sabela KZN Film & Television Awards received over 420 entries this year across the various awards categories.

Jack Esterhuizen says "Receiving more than 420 entries speaks to the level of interest in the awards and also places an important responsibility on the judging panels".

"Every entry deserves to be considered on its merit. Our responsibility as judges is to apply the criteria consistently and independently and to ensure that the quality of the work remains at the centre of the adjudication process."

Kelvin Storie and Mzo Jojwana Appointed Primedia Broadcasting's Co-CEOs

by Thinus Ferreira

Kelvin Storie and Mzo Jojwana have been appointed as Primedia Broadcasting co-CEOs.

The two of them replace Lindile Xoko who left Primedia as CEO at the end of June 2024 to go and study in Harvard in the United States.

In a prepared statement sent to some media outlets, Jonathan Procter, Primedia group CEO, says "Primedia Broadcasting is evolving its leadership model to position the business decisively for the future".

"The combination of Kelvin's commercial acumen and Mzo's content expertise formalises our complementary focus on preserving our core broadcast dominance and accelerating innovation in digital."

"Their combined strengths embody the skills necessary to lead our industry confidently through a fast-growing market."

Mzo Jojwana will manage Primedia's radio brands like 702, 947, CapeTalk, Kfm 94.5 and Eyewitness News, with responsibility for content strategy, audience growth, and operations.

Kelvin Storie will be responsible for Primedia Broadcasting's "expanding integrated offering across audio, video, digital, and experiential platforms".

M-Net and Canal+'s DStv Lose More Content as America's Annual Emmy Awards Shifts to Amazon Prime Video

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's M-Net (DStv 101) pay-TV channel and Canal+'s MultiChoice continue to lose content it in an ongoing erosion it has no control over with the United States' annual Emmy Awards which is switching to Amazon Prime Video.

With the Emmy Awards moving away from American broadcasters who made turns to air it, M-Net in Randburg has absolutely no control over the latest piece of content loss.

M-Net has perennially been the South African TV channel showing America's Academy Awards and the Emmy Awards. 

DStv already lost access to the Oscars' red carpet coverage when NBCUniversal and MultiChoice dumped the E! channel in favour of the lower-tiered reality channel Bravo.

M-Net has also stayed quiet, although it has also lost the Academy Awards already, which announced in December that it is moving to YouTube worldwide from 2029.

Now the Emmy Awards is moving to Amazon Prime Video, with Amazon having bought the global rights to show it for the 6 years on its video streaming service.

Notably, the Emmy Awards will stream for free on Amazon Prime Video and not require a subscription.

"We timed it perfectly so that all our deals came up collectively and it would be free and clear," says Cris Abrego, TV academy chairman.

"The broadcasters' wheel deal and the international deals - all that has ended, and we put it all into one bundle, and it sits now within this deal at Amazon Prime Video."

Mike Hopkins, head of Amazon Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, says the Emmy Awards are about global stars, not just United States stars "and we think we can have a great impact on celebrating this medium and these storytellers globally around the world through the Emmys, in ways that it might be harder to do when you're on a US broadcaster".

"We'll make the Primetime Emmys available, front and centre on Amazon Prime Video."

ALSO READ: M-Net loses the Oscars after decades as Academy Awards switches to YouTube worldwide from 2029

e.tv Goes Wishy-Washy with Nebulous and Unexplained TV Soap Wedding Ratings Claims

by Thinus Ferreira

South Africa's e.tv has started going down the downright awful channel, pushing out nebulous ratings and viewership data, possibly hoping that somewhere, someone republished fuzzy press releases.

Just like what MultiChoice's Showmax tried to do several times, as well as Canal+'s SuperSport a few times, e.tv decided to issue viewership claims for some TV soap wedding it showed (besides some or other PR event it had in September in Johannesburg to try and promote it ,and couldn't bother to tell media about).

There was a time when TV soap weddings in primetime was a thing, but it feels as if South African linear broadcast viewers have mostly moved past that.

Yet e.tv had a white wedding recently for its telenovela The Four of Us, that started in June, and then tried to garner some hay, touting ratings. The problem is, e.tv didn't want to give any actual ratings.

In some breathless bulk mailer e.tv enthused that the "standout episode of The Four of Us delivered strong audience growth on television, while e.tv's social media platforms generated 73.4 million organic views, achieved a total reach of 57.7 million, delivered 2.9 engagements and recorded 25 million video views".

Huh? 

What matters is linear TV ratings. That's what advertisers and ad-buying agencies book spots on, and that determines their strategies. Not "engagements" on social.

So what were e.tv's "ratings"? The channel said the wedding "delivered a 10.5% increase in audience performance week-on-week" and the Friday 11 September episode "delivered a 52.6% increase in audience performance compared to the previous Friday, making it the standout moment of the campaign".

So, something increased by 10.5% - from what, to what? Something else increased by 52% - again, from what to what?

Add in a senseless, say-nothing, prepared quote from Dithapelo Segodi Mthombeni, eMedia executive producer who noted that the wedding "shows the enduring power of local storytelling".

"Audiences connected with the story on television, followed the conversation across digital platforms and continued engaging beyond the broadcast. When content resonates, audiences will follow it wherever they are."

Hopefully it doesn't become some new norm that broadcasters issue these kinds of very lame, cherry-picking and nebulous "increased by so many percent" announcements, that help nobody, least of all the local TV industry and viewers who deserve more from an e.tv ratings press release than just percentages.

Since the Broadcast Research Council of South Africa (BRCSA) stopped publicly publishing transparent monthly raw TV viewership tallies, broadcasters like e.tv possibly think they can come up with percentages and audience shares, without the need to supply detailed and precise actual numbers.

I made the effort to reach out and asked e.tv publicist Tshegofatso Kolotse on the day that e.tv sent out the mass mailer, to hear about the 10.5% increase: It is from what to what rating? The 52%.6% increase is from what to what performance number?

That was 18 September. More than two weeks later ... still waiting for any response or acknowledgement from e.tv to a basic media query.

Seven Media's Kids Animation Series The Pencil Tin, Gordon and Nature Nerd Added to eMedia's e.tv and eToonz from October

by Thinus Ferreira

There's sadly not been a single word from e.tv about it, but eMedia's e.tv and eToonz TV channels are adding three new South African animation series from the Gqeberha-based Media Seven production company from October.

The Pencil Tin, Nature Nerd as well as Gordon were all produced by Media Seven, a production company in Gqeberha.

All three kids animation series  have a TV target audience of between 5 to 9, with themes built around wildlife and conservation, teamwork and friendship, as well as kindness and teaching personal responsibility.

The Pencil Tin has 5 narrated stories and 20 original songs across 25 episodes, looking at a group of characters - Pencil, Eraser, Red Crayon, Red Sharpener, Green Pen and Ruler - who learn about teamwork, counting, planets, good sportsmanship and kindness.

Polly Cordell developed the concept and stories and is the character designer.

The Pencil Tin is on eToonz (Openview 130 / DStv 311) daily from 1 October and on e.tv's Craz-e children's programming block from 14:30.

Nature Nerd is an animated and live-action hybrid series, combining real-life wildlife footage and interviews with South African conservationists with an animated explorer.

Nature Nerd is available in both English and isiXhosa versions, with Lwamkelo Tshikini voicing both language tracks across all 23 episodes. 

Episodes start with an introduction from the nerd laboratory, followed by 5 animal facts, an interview with conservationists, and a summary.

Nature Nerd's English version will premiere on e.tv on 7 October at 15:00. Nature Nerd's isiXhosa version will premiere on Sunday 18 October at 17:30.

Gordon, about an Australian shepherd puppy, has 12 original songs through three narrated stories.

Gordon revolves around teamwork, kindness, friendship and learning responsibilities. Gordon starts on eToonz from 1 October and will also run during e.tv's Craz-e kids programming block in the afternoons at 14:30.

After Package Changes MultiChoice Suspends Parts of its DStv Rewards Loyalty Programme Until End October, Will Now Wipe Coins for Disconnected Subscribers

by Thinus Ferreira

After changing its various DStv packages in a content restructuring, Canal+'s MultiChoice has frozen parts of its DStv Rewards programme until the end of October, while also making a permanent change to its rewards currency, DStv Coins, that will now expire the moment a DStv subscriber disconnects.

DStv Coins were first introduced in July 2024 when MultiChoice completely overhauled and gamified its DStv Rewards loyalty programme.

Now, in a permanent, latest change, Coins will disappear and be wiped and will no longer carry over the moment a DStv subscriber disconnects.

"As long as you stay connected, you can continue earning, saving and redeeming your Coins as usual. However, going forward, all DStv Coins will expire for disconnected customers," MultiChoice says.

Temporarily on pause until the end of October in DStv Rewards are any and all tracking actions that affect a DStv subscriber's Rewards tier, the ability to claim Add Movies discounts, the option to claim pensioner discounts, and the ability to claim anniversary upgrades.

MultiChoice says "We are freezing certain elements of our Rewards programme until the end of October 2026. You will still be able to earn DStv Coins, enter competitions, claim vouchers, spin the Rewards Wheel, and be entered into prize draws."

Temi Nkem Wins Chaotic, Toxic and Scandal-filled Big Brother Naija Season 11 as 5th Female Winner

by Thinus Ferreira

Temi Nkem has been voted the winner of season 11 of MultiChoice Nigeria's toxic Big Brother Naija reality show on DStv on Sunday night in one of the most chaotic and scandal-filled seasons yet.

After 10 weeks and 24 housemates, Temi Nkem has become the fifth female winner of the reality series when she got 25.87% of the final vote, with Aikou (23.68%) and Sheba (9.8%) placed second and third.

While the latest season was once again broadcast across Africa outside of Nigeria in various other African countries on DStv, MultiChoice once again gave it scant PR and publicity attention outside the West African nation, although it was carried and shown as a 24-hour TV channel on DStv. 

Temi Nkem wins N90 million (R1.12 million) as a cash prize and a SUV.

Atinuke Babatunde, executive head of content and channels for West Africa at MultiChoice Nigeria, says in a prepared quote, "Season 11 has been another exciting chapter for Big Brother Naija".

"We saw 24 housemates bring their personalities, perspectives, and individual approaches to the game, and we are pleased to have shared their journey with our viewers. We thank everyone who watched, voted, and joined the conversation throughout the season, as well as our sponsors and partners for their continued support."

According to Canal+'s MultiChoice, Big Brother Naija "continues to remain one of the continent's most watched reality television franchises".

It's therefore odd that MultiChoice is not putting any actual media liaison and proper PR behind Big Brother Naija outside of Nigeria to get coverage of the show during its run.

While effort goes into adding Big Brother Naija as a TV channel to DStv's line-up across sub-Saharan Africa, there's literally nothing else in basic PR supporting it.

The most prominent scandals and controversies that shook this season of Big Brother Naija during the 70-day run included the "black shirt" fight and Keivo's disqualification.

The biggest shock of the season came just days before the grand finale at the MultiChoice Nigeria Ilupeju Studio complex in Lagos, where the housemates are cloistered in a camera-filled "house".

A missing black long-sleeved shirt sparked a massive row between Tram and Keivo. Tram accused Keivo of wearing his clothes, which Keivo aggressively denied, stating he refused to be "tagged a thief on national television". 

The argument quickly escalated into a violent physical altercation, forcing the producers, Red Pepper Nigeria, to disqualify Keivo as the aggressor on day 65 and kick him out of the Nigerian version of the Banijay Group's reality format show.

Keivo wasn't the only one ejected this season. Weeks before Keivo's exit, housemate Nami was officially thrown out of the house after receiving a series of strikes for "repeated disobedience" toward Big Brother's explicit instructions and house rules.

A massive online and house-wide outrage erupted following a toxic argument between Normy and Bells. 

The clash became incredibly ugly and personal when insults shifted to severe body-shaming and parents. The ultimate breaking point occurred when Normy told Bells, "Your mother should have died giving birth to you," sparking fierce backlash on social media from viewers demanding sanctions for the offensive remarks.

The season's eventual winner, Temi Nkem, was a magnet for drama right from week one. 

After volunteering to read out Big Brother's weekly guidelines, she grew intensely frustrated when other housemates kept asking for clarification due to her UK accent. 

She lashed out, snapping, "Are you children that you don't understand English?" which divided the house. Later, a heated "Truth or Dare" game following a Saturday night party turned sour when she fiercely clashed with housemates after refusing a dare to perform a highly sexual act.

Shadrack Bokaba Parachutes into NFVF CEO chair as 8th Person in the Position in 3 Years at SA's Rudderless and Boardless Film Agency

by Thinus Ferreira

Administrator and professional violinist Dr Shadrack Bokaba is the latest person in the CEO role at South Africa's embattled, unstable, and beleaguered film agency, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) - the 8th person in the role in the past 3 years.

With the NFVF falling apart, such is the emergency at the boardless South African film agency entity, that Shadrack Bokaba is now immediately functioning as both CEO and accounting authority under emergency measures.

This comes after South Africa's minister of sports, arts and culture, Gayton McKenzie last week fired the entire NFVF council for the second time in two years.

Under this emergency statutory mechanism, Shadrack Bokaba is both CEO and "board" since there is nobody else.

Makhosazana Khanyile resigned as NFVF CEO in March CEO and was replaced by Thobela Mayinje as acting CEO in April 2023, who was suspended in July 2024 and resigned in November 2024. 

She was followed by Lebogang Mogoera as acting CEO, after which Vince Blennies was appointed in April 2025 who barely stayed and hastily quit. 

Then Onke Dumeko was made acting NFVF CEO who got suspended in June 2026, after which the NFVF board knowing that they couldn't do so, appointed board member Nondumiso Madlala as acting CEO in July 2026.

She was then also replaced by Neliswa Bam in late September 2026 as acting CEO who then also had to take on acting accounting authority.

With the latest NFVF CEO appointment, the film agency, which continues to be marred by leadership and management instability and accusations of corruption, mismanagement and waste, touts Shadrack Bokaba's CV, nothing that he "bring more than 25 years of leadership experience and over three decades of experience spanning music, theatre, film, cultural policy and arts management".

"He has a proven track record in strategic planning, governance, organisational development and stakeholder engagement. His qualifications include a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) and a PhD in Cultural Policy and Management."

The NFVF says Shadrack Bokaba's appointment as latest NFVF CEO "marks a new chapter for the NFVF, with a focus on organisational stability, strategic direction and strengthening the foundation's ability to deliver on its mandate".

The NFVF which didn't communicate with South Africa's film industry to tell anybody about the firing of its board, now there won't be interruptions. 

Yet the local film biz have been furious for months - even leading to a protest sit-in at the NFVF's offices two months ago - over the beleaguered agency's inability to process basic admin and to process, announce and dispurse film funding properly.

The NFVF's company secretary Lindeka Moeng, now says that with Shadrack Bokaba as both CEO and "accounting authority", "independent film practitioners, production houses, and crew members across the sector face zero financial delays or operational paralysis during this transitional phase".

Shadrack Bokaba has apparently "met with NFVF staff and emphasised the importance of building a strong, collaborative team committed to serving the South African audiovisual sector".

In a supplied quote, Shadrack Bokaba says "I'm happy to be back and look forward to working with the NFVF to serve the film sector in South Africa".

"We must remember that the NFVF exists to serve filmmakers, and it will be key for us to strengthen our relationships with the sector. Building a strong team that is committed to delivering on the NFVF's mandate will be central to this work."

ALSO READ:  NFVF Council Dissolved with Immediate Effect for a 2nd Time in 2 Years as Fired Board Members are Slammed Over 'Loss of Confidence' to Provide Governance for SA's Rudderless Film Agency

Set for Early-2027 the 3rd and Final Season of Shaka iLembe Showing Zulu King's Assassination Releases First-look Images as Series Is Retitled to Shaka iLembe: Zulu King for International Buyers

by Thinus Ferreira

While the first season had its debut in June 2023 and the second season started in June 2025, the third season of Shaka iLembe will start in early 2027 on Mzansi Magic, with the M-Net packaged channel on DStv that has released some first-look images of final season.

Bomb Productions produces Shaka iLembe for M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) channel, with the third and final season in what was always planned to be a 3-season drama series, will chronicle the assassination of the increasingly erratic Zulu king King Shaka kaSenzangakhona in 1828.

Shaka iLembe is executive produced by Desiree Markgraaff, Nomzamo Mbatha and Angus Gibson, with Nomzamo Mbatha, who also appears on screen as Queen Nandi.

Not providing any explanation or wanting to draw attention to it, StudioCanal, Canal+, MultiChoice and M-Net have suddenly altered the title of Shaka iLembe to "Shaka iLembe: Zulu King" to make it more palatable for potential buyers as StudioCanal is launching international sales of the series for global buyers under the "better" title.

The third and final season will continue after a 4 years gap since the end of the second season with Shaka's Zulu kingdom now dominant across Southern Africa, yet facing pressure from the colonial British expansion, as well as other European influences.

While season 3's episode count is not yet confirmed, Shaka iLembe will likely end with 12 episodes, since both the first and second seasons had 12 episodes each.

The third season includes a look at the emerging Basotho Kingdom of Moshoeshoe, King Faku's Mpondo Kingdom and the settlement of Port Natal.

According to a press release from Mzansi Magic it has "Queen Nandi and Shaka's politically formidable aunt, Mkabayi, at its emotional centre".

Added to the Shaka iLembe third season are Lerato Mvelase as Queen Mpikase, Aiden Scott as Henry Francis Fynn, a British trader who becomes close to Shaka, as well as Conrad Kemp playing Lt. Francis Farewell and Wonder Ndlovu as Prince Mpande. 

In a supplied quote in which M-Net's Mzansi Magic didn't bother to fix a typo on her surname, Desireé Markgraaff, says "Making Shaka iLembe has been a journey of more than 12 years for the Bomb creative team".

"Our ambition was to tell this story with the scale, drama and epic sweep of world-class mainstream storytelling, while portraying the Africa we know and love with the dignity, complexity and humanity it deserves."

Nomzamo Mbatha says "Shaka iLembe is proof of what African storytelling can achieve when it's given the room to be ambitious, told at scale, and shared from the inside out".

"As an executive producer, I'm most proud of the series' success at home and abroad, and of its real contribution to our creative economy. Portraying Queen Nandi, a woman whose courage helped build a kingdom and whose values still shape our understanding of the modern Zulu woman, has been an honour and a career highlight."

Anna Marsh, StudioCanal CEO and Canal+ chief content officer, says StudioCanal's "continued goal is to bring local stories to the world stage".

"The Shaka iLembe franchise is a monumental achievement in television and one which must be celebrated for its deeply universal human portrayal of legendary figures. A groundbreaking production."

Nomsa Philiso, Canal+ Africa vice president, content, says "The international launch of Shaka iLembe marks an important moment not only for this extraordinary franchise, but for African storytelling as a whole".

"MultiChoice has spent decades investing in local stories because we believe cultural authenticity and global appeal are not opposing ideas; they are mutually reinforcing."

"Shaka iLembe demonstrates that the most powerful stories are often the most specific, and we are delighted to see this proudly African production find new audiences around the world."