SHOCKER! The credibility lacking South African Film and Television Awards now appointing previous winners and nominees as judges!

That badly organized, atrociously botched, and complete credibility lacking South African Film and Television Awards known as the Saftas (that couldn't even find a broadcaster for the 5th Saftas earlier this year) is upping the preposterousness of what I regard as nothing more than a shallow awards function.

The Saftas is now planning to appoint previous winners and nominees as the judging panels. Can you say conflict of interest? Besides the possibility that previous winners and nominees might actually want to enter, its difficut to see how previous winners and nominees can actually be truly independent, how they would be in a position to really accurately judge film and television work and how they can be impartial since they're judging competitors.

It's ridiculous that the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) continues to refuse to engage with or ask respected writers and journalists and critics writing about film and television in South Africa (who actually knows and writes and can accurately judge and compare the work) to actually help. Without credible industry observers to judge these awards, the Saftas, in my opinion is and will continue to completely lack any form of credibility.

''The judging panels will this year be made up of previous Saftas winners and nominees from the past 5 years,'' says the NFVF about the 6th Sadtas that will be taking place in February 2012. ''This is in a bid to begin the development of the South African Film and TV Academy,'' says the NFVF.

The NFVF claims that the Saftas ''honour, celebrate and promote the creativity, quality and excellence of South African film and television talent and productions, and encourage entrepreneurship and the development of new talent within the industry'' The irony however is that in my opinion that's not what happens in reality because the NFVF refuses to consult on how to make this awards ceremony really credible, really better and really something where entries and categories are first of all compiled, and then judged by real independent people who has an overall grasp and opinion of what is good film and television, and who is in a position to truly and accurately choose winnerss.

The NFVF didn't respond yet on whether its actually managed to secure a broadcaster for the ceremony of the 6th Saftas which is is planning now. The 5th Saftas wasn't even shown on television, previous ceremonies had some of the most atrocious and shoddy television production values (that's ironically supposed to celebrate good television).

In a badly done press release issued today, the NFVF could hardly spell any broadcasters' names correct. TopTV is Top TV, M-Net is Mnet, and e.tv is anything from ETV and E.tv - everything except the right name. Even 7de Laan - the previous year's viewer vote winner for best soap is Seve de Laan (instead of 7de Laan). It's mind-boggling (and partly indicative) of why the Saftas from an outside perspective is such a mess.

I strongly feel that the Saftas needs to change. The NFVF needs to heed the criticism, needs to reach out and ask for help and needs to change the Saftas drastically if it wants this awards ceremony to be taken credibly. Appointing previous winners and nominees as judges is not a step forward but yet another step backwards - and barely one that the credibility suffering Saftas can afford.