Nominees for the 11th South African Film and Television Awards 2017: Once again odd nominees, head-scratchers and snubs.

The nominees in the various categories for the 11th South African Film and Television Awards 2017 were announced on Thursday morning at The Forum in Bryanston, Johannesburg, once again including some odd nominees, head-scratchers and snubs.

The announcement was followed by a panel discussion afterwards where judging chairperson John Kani said the aim is to move the Saftas to a level where it means something.

The Saftas, taking place in March at Sun City this year for the first time, is once again mired in controversy this year for soaps that decided not to enter and were therefore locked out of the Most Popular TV Soap category which is a viewers' vote.

Issues around several other aspects also remain, including questions around the judging, categories and representation.

Nominee head-scratchers include Trevor Gumbi as a nominee for best actor and Bob Mabena as best TV presenter, while people are wondering where the various shows from Connie and Shona Ferguson' Ferguson Films are.

Awkwardly, High Rollers that SABC3 abruptly cancelled and wanted to get rid of has been nominated for several awards in talent and technical categories and is also a nominee in the best TV soap category.

Sarah Graham Food Safari and Jou Ma se Chef are seen as variety shows.

The various nominees also once again show a big disconnect between who and what got nominated and what South African viewers are actually watching (ratings).

And where are the black films - or are South Africa not making any? Happiness is a Four Letter Word got nominated for best hair and make-up and Renate Stuurman for best supporting actress.

As usual - partly through sistemic design, partly through just how the Saftas judging are set up - the real quality content on South African television is not recognised, not visible, and not properly being represented as what's really the best of South African television of the past year.

News programmes as TV reporters are completely excluded from the Saftas - think of the stellar work down during #FeesMustFall and all the other big breaking news and controversies of 2016.

Meanwhile shows and series, specifically local magazine shows in various different genres are not getting the proper respect and inclusion, all lumped together in a badly organised hotchpotch of "magazine" and variety" shows.

The fascinating thing is how the Saftas categories are basically devoid of local shows made for pay-TV in South Africa - programming that has clearly better productions in general with bigger budgets, higher production values, presenter skills and that ends up looking better on screen.

Bob Mabena gets nominated as best TV presenter in a TV awards show system where a Devi Sankaree Govender who exposed Eskom and Iman Rappetti are not.

It stretches credibility that The Man Cave is nominated as part of what was supposedly the best on television in 2016 in South Africa - yet something like great local election coverage is ignored.

Open the time capsule in a century's time, and going by Saftas nominees, someone will have a very skewed perception of what South African television in 2016 supposedly was.

Trashy advertiser-funded productions (AFP) like Coke Studio and Xperia Mashlab - basically long advertisements to market brands - are "best music shows"? But Lip Sync Battle Africa not included?

Besides an overload of English language programming, Afrikaans films almost have a lock on the Saftas film categories. Where are the other 9 South African languages?

Yes, the Venda language Muvhango is boycotting the Saftas, but where are the shows and films in South Africa's other languages? They can't be all that bad not to get any nominations?

The nominees list for the 11th Saftas once again contained spelling mistakes of titles and people's names - amateurish and disrespectful of the TV and film industry it says it serves and looks shoddy. Shephards? Thwala? Really?

Here is a rundown of the various categories and nominees for the 11th Saftas. Several technical categories for directing, production, sound, script writing and others exist as well, but are not listed here:


Best Wildlife programme
Africa's Trees of Life
Brothers in Blood: The Lions of Sabi Sand
Soul of the Elephant

Best documentary feature
Alison
Doc-U-Mentally
Nobody's Died Laughing

Best youth show
100% youth
Craz-e Sistahood
MTV Base meets Bill Gates

Best children's show
Challenge SOS
Disney Cookabout
Silly Seasons - Piece of Cake

Best factual education show
Diamond River Hunters
Now or Never
Ocean Adventurer

Best actuality show
Carte Blanche
Saving Microbabies
Spieners

Best magazine show
50/50
All Access Mzansi
The Man Cave

Best variety show
Expresso
Jou Ma se Chef
Sarah Graham Food Safari I

Best talk show
Real Talk with Anele
Republiek van Zoid Afrika
The Chatroom

Best reality show
Ultimate Braai Master
Vrydag4uur
Weg! Agterpaaie Nimibie

Best game show
Musiek Roulette
Noot vir Noot
Point of Order

Best music show
Coke Studio
Jam Sandwich
Xperia Mashlab

Best international format show
Clash of the Choirs
The Great South African Bake Off I
The Voice South Africa I

Best TV drama
Bloedbroers
Heist I
Sober Companion

Best actress in a TV drama
Tiffany Barbuzano (Sober Companion)
Brenda Ngxoli (Hustle)
Linda Sokhulu (Sokhulu & Partners II)

Best supporting actress in a TV drama
Jana Cilliers (Die Boekklub)
Tina Jaxa (Isikizi I)
Samela Tyelbooi (It's Complicated I)

Best actor in a TV drama
Neels van Jaarsveld (Bloedbroers)
Jerry Mofokeng (Heist I)
Trevor Gumbi (Sober Companion)

Best supporting actor in a TV drama
Chris van Niekerk (Die Boekklub)
Tumisho Masha (Saints & Sinners II)
Warren Masemola (Heist I)

Best TV soap/telenovela
High Rollers
Isibaya
The Road

Best actor in a soap/telenovela
Anthony Coleman (High Rollers)
Justin Strydom (High Rollers)
Siyabonga Twala (Isibaya)

Best actress in a soap/telenovela
Tina Jaxa (Gold Diggers)
Clementine Mosimane (Gold Diggers)
Masasa Mbangeni (Scandal!)

Best supporting actress in a soap/telenovela
Maggie Benedict (Ashes to Ashes II)
Nandi Nyembe (Ashes to Ashes II)
Linda Sebezo (Greed and Desire)

Best supporting actor in a soap/telenovela
Mandla Gaduka (Ashes to Ashes II)
Pallance Dladla (Isibaya)
Warren Masemola (Ring of Lies)

Best TV comedy
Puppet Nation ZANews
Hotel
Those Who Can't

Best actress in a TV comedy
Zola Nombona (Forced Love II)
Hannah Barnard (Puppet Nation ZA News)
Chantal Herman (Those Who Can't)

Best actor in a TV comedy
James Borthwick (Hotel)
Kagiso Lediga (The Bantu Hour)
Grant Swanby (Those Who Can't)

Best supporting actress in a TV comedy
Sylvaine Strike (Those Who Can't)
Kate Normington (Those Who Can't)
Robyn Scott (Those Who Can't)

Best supporting actor in a TV comedy
Deon Lotz (Buurtwag)
Graham Wier (Hotel)
Reabetswe Rangaka (The Mayor)

Best film
Noem My Skollie
Shepherds and Butchers
Sink

Best actor in film
Deon Lotz (Dis Koue Kos, Skat)
Dann Jaques Mouton (Noem My Skollie)
Garion Dowds (Sheperds and Butchers)

Best actress in film
Anel Alexander (Sink)
Shoki Mokgape (Sink)
Christia Visser (Tess)

Best supporting actress in film
Hlubi Mboya (Dora's Peace)
Leleti Khumalo (Free State)
Renate Stuurman (Happiness is a Four Letter Word)

Best supporting actor in film
Grant Swanby (Modder en Bloed)
Abdurahgmaan Adams (Noem My Skollie)
Deon Lotz (Shepherds and Butchers)

Best TV presenter
Tumi Morake (Point of Order)
Siv Ngesi (Man Cave IV)
Bob Mabena (Mzansi Magic music specials)
Katlego Maboe (Expresso)
Chanley Wong (Craz-e Sistahood)
Laurian Nortje (Hectic Nine-9)
Lawrence Maleka (Clash of the Choirs)
Thembisa Mdoda (Our Perfect Wedding)
Maschechaba Ndlovu (The Big Debate VII)

Best TV talk show host
Anele Mdoda (Real Talk with Anele)
Karen Zoid (Republiek van Zoid Afrika)
Bonnie Mbuli (Afternoon Express)

South African TV soaps Muvhango and Skeem Saam - last year's winner - are boycotting this year's 2017 Saftas, slamming the awards show as 'just not fair'.

Controversy is yet again swirling around the credibility of the upcoming 11th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) as the country's soaps - including last year's winner - are once again boycotting the awards show, slamming the Saftas as "just not fair". 

Both SABC2's Muvhango - for the second year in a row and the third time overall - as well as ironically last year's winner, SABC1's Skeem Saam, have refused to enter the 2017 Saftas, with the ongoing boycott again denting the Saftas credibility.

Because Muvhango and Skeem Saam refused to enter the Saftas that ironically this year has the theme "SA's got it, let's celebrate it" - the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) that organisses the Saftas dumped both Muvhango and Skeem Saam from the Most Popular TV Soap category.

It's the category where a viewers' vote is supposed to decide the winner although viewers in reality will yet again be unable to choose one of the soaps that they really might want to vote for.

When it comes to popularity in terms of South African TV viewership, ironically the Venda soap Muvhango, produced by Word of Mouth productions, remains the most watched soap and show on all of SABC2 with roughly 6.2 million viewers. Meanwhile Skeem Saam pulls 5.9 million viewers - the  third most watched show on all of SABC1.

Overall Muvhango and Skeem Saam respectively are the third and fourth most popular and most watched TV shows on all of South African television. Each soap respectively also commands a 60% or bigger share. It means that two out of three of all the TV sets switched on during their broadcast timeslots, are tuned to these shows. 

This year viewers will however suddenly be able to vote for SABC1's Uzalo that was also missing from last year's options. The 2017 Saftas has now included it in the Most Popular TV Soap category for the first time. Last year the Saftas said Uzalo was a drama.

Critics contend that TV shows shouldn't be forced to enter the Saftas just to be eligible for recognition of their work and that the 181 judges, presumably chosen because of their expertise and knowing film and television, should be watching shows and films throughout the year anyway and know quality work and what had been shown.

The Saftas - moving from Johannesburg to Sun City from 16 to 18 March this year in a new 5-year deal with Sun International to do the handing out of Golden Horn trophies there - has been the subject of repeated criticism every year about how the award show is run, how shows are nominated and selected, how they're judged, who the judges are and over the perceived exclusion of women, minorities and smaller – especially black – producers.

Broadcasters including e.tv, M-Net and the SABC, along with several soaps, have previously taken turns to boycott the Saftas and criticise it for issues ranging from credibility, and a lack of inclusivity and diversity, to its compromised judging process and a lack of transformation.

Last year the Saftas in a statement admitted that "urgent attention is required to transform the industry and ensure that the Saftas become more inclusive".

The contentious Saftas previously locked out 7de Laan (2012), Binnelanders and Villa Rosa (2013) and Muvhango (2014) from the Most Popular Soap category for the shows' refusal to enter in categories. In 2012 e.tv pulled its soaps Rhythm City and Scandal! as well as all its other shows from the Saftas.

'Little effort to improve the judging process'

As to why Muvhango is boycotting the Saftas yet again, Muvhango associate producer Morishe Matlejoane told TVwithThinus that "our stance remains as is".

"There has been little if any effort from the organisers to improve the judging process or allowing the public vote to hold rank. We remain stern in our views until a significant change is noticed. As mentioned previously, we seek to protect the integrity of our hard working crew and actors from the narrow views of a few individuals. It's just not fair".

Last year Muvhango slammed the Saftas for its "unstandardised" judging system, with Morishe Matlejoane in 2016 saying that "there has been growing skepticism around the process followed by the organisers".

"In any contest where judges are selected 'within' the system and not independently set to be true independent critics, there will always be room to question. The Saftas are not independently run to fully encompass every broadcast to give a true reflection of the South African TV landscape."

"There are people working alongside those who are nominated, people working for rival production companies, which all leads to major credibility issues".

The NFVF hasn't yet responded with answers to questions in a media enquiry made last week Thursday, seeking comment on things like what the Saftas has done to improve the process since Muvhango boycotted the award show last year, the damage to the credibility of the Saftas and the NFVF's views on the ongoing boycott of SA TV shows of the awards show.

In an earlier statement announcing the move to Sun City and the North West province, Zama Mkosi, NFVF CEO, says that the Saftas "are anticipating a very successful and mesmerising 11th Saftas that South Africa can enjoy and experience with us".

For the 2017 Saftas the NFVF dumped categories like Best Sports Show, Best Animation film and Best TV animation, saying South Africa lacks adequate submissions in these TV and film fields.

Categories to reward work within news and actuality remain almost non-existent with no recognition of TV news anchors and TV journalists.

The 2017 Saftas added Best TV Talk show host and Best Micro film as new categories, as well as the New Discretionary Award going to a youth achiever.

The 2017 South African Film and Television Awards will be broadcast live on SABC2 on 18 March.

South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) moves to Sun City as the award show dumps categories, adds others.

The South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) is moving from Johannesburg to Sun City as it dumped categories and added some others in order tro try and become more inclusive.

At a press conference on Thursday the Safta organisers revealed that the awards show handing out Golden Horn trophies to South African TV shows and films will no longer be taking place in Johannesburg where it’s been held for the past decade, but will be leaving Gauteng and moving to the North West province.

Safta organisers said the move from Johannesburg to Sun City has been done to develop and transform the TV and film industry in other provinces outside of Gauteng, although its not clear how a 2-night TV awards show will promote actual long-term provincial upskilling.

The awards show will be televised next month from Sun City.

In previous years the Saftas have been marred by bad production values, the inclusion of some bizarre nominees wrongly appearing in certain categories, boycotts by various broadcasters and TV soap productions ranging from public to pay-TV productions and for ongoing non-inclusivity issues.

Controversy also continue to swirl around the Saftas for dumping certain TV soaps from the Most Popular TV soap category if they refuse to enter in any other categories although Safta organisers say they want to make the awards show more inclusive.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) organising the Saftas, dumped categories like Best Sports Show, Best Animation film and Best TV animation, saying South Africa lacks adequate submissions in these TV and film fields.

Categories within news and actuality remain almost non-existentwith no recognition of TV news anchors and TV journalists. Best TV Talk show host and Best Micro film have now been added, as well as the New Discretionary Award that the Saftas will hand out to a youth achiever.

The number of entries for Safta categories increased from 416 to 440, judged by 181 judges with John Kani, Jerry Mofokeng and Firdoze Bulbulia as the three judging chairpersons.

The various Safta nominees are likely to be announced on 16 February.