Showing posts with label Khosi Khanyile. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Khosi Khanyile. Show all posts

Thursday, December 10, 2020

Entries open for 15th South African Film and Television Awards set for May 2021 with Anneke de Ridder as executive producer, new Best Online Content category introduced as SAFTAs publicly calls for jury members for the first time ever.


by Thinus Ferreira

Entries have opened for the 15th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) that will be held in May 2021 and is introducing a new category in the Best Online Content award, with the organisers who are for the first time ever publicly calling on the country's TV and film industry to nominate and submit people to form part of the SAFTAs jury.

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) under the new leadership of Makhosazana Khanyile as NFVF CEO earlier this year started to right many of the mistakes and problems plaguing the annually panned awards ceremony.

Shrouded in secrecy and with its mysterious judging process in the past often criticised as one of the big reasons by production companies and TV channels for not entering and boycotting the SAFTAs, the organisers are taking the first meaningful step to make the awards and judging process more transparent.

This includes a public call from the NFVF for people to become jury members - something the organisers are doing for the first time in the awards' history. 

The SAFTAs judging process behind closed doors and its secret judges have been dogged by accusations of bias and claims of partisanship and conflicts of interest for years, which every year in recent years - including 2020 - have seen some of the biggest shows in the country and prominent production companies deliberately refuse to enter their shows, crew and on-screen talent for awards.

South Africa's TV and film industry now have until 10 January 2021 to nominate or submit individuals who will form part of the SAFTAs jury with judging that will be taking place during February and March 2021. 

The SAFTAs jury will be tasked with the responsibility of ensuring the integrity of the judging process, will have to ensure that judging is strictly conducted according to the rules, and will need to be "fully engaged" in the judging process to ensure that it is a credible process.

The NFVF says that each SAFTAs jury panel will be balanced with respect to age, gender, experience, ethnicity, and industry skills. An invitation will also be sent out to previous SAFTA winners and key industry specialists with a minimum 8-years' experience and specialised skill set to form part of the 2021 SAFTAS jury. 

Meanwhile, Anneke de Ridder has been appointed as the 2021 15th SAFTAs executive producer.


New category but no TikTok videos
Because of the devastating impact of the global Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic on South Africa's TV and film industry, the 2021 SAFTAs organisers are changing some of the rules pertaining to feature films to help "production houses and individuals that were affected by circumstances beyond their control".

"We have amended our criteria to reflect the changing nature of how audiences consumed visual content," says Khosi Khanyile.

"We believe that extending our submissions to incorporate digital platforms and events is not only fair, but it also recognises the pace at which our own sector was able to evolve during this time. We are thrilled at the 2021 edition of the SAFTAs will incorporate such future-forward categories within our established format."

Documentary feature films and short films that have only been screened online at virtual film festivals are eligible to enter for the 15th SAFTAs, and films that have only had a subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) release, for instance on MultiChoice's DStv BoxOffice, Showmax or Netflix SA, are eligible to enter.

There is also a new category at the 15th SAFTAs in the Best Online Content award - but TikTok videos are specifically not eligible. 

For this category, the video content of between 5 and 90 minutes, must have been released on the internet or be part of a web TV or digital medium like YouTube, Facebook or Instagram but not any commercial or traditional platforms like Netflix SA or Showmax.

The award will be made to the director or producers for outstanding achievement "in the realisation, production and overall success of an online series or stand-alone content" which can be scripted or non-scripted.


15th SAFTAs to celebrate TV and film biz's perseverance
"After a challenging 2020, coloured by Covid-19 and a national lockdown, South Africa's film industry is ready to take on 2021 with renewed purpose and perspective," says the NFVF.

"This past year has been a tough one, with filmmakers, designers, actors and technicians suffering significant losses from halts in production and the postponement of events."

"In the midst of this, the SAFTAs are an opportunity to mark a moment unprecedented in history. It provides a platform to acknowledge with gratitude how the local film and television industry has stood together to continue to create stories that inspire viewers, amid a global pandemic".

Anneke de Ridder says "It is a tremendous honour to be tasked with bringing the industry and its supporters together to celebrate the great talent our country has to offer. South Africa's filmmakers best define what it means to keep it rolling despite the challenging delays that resulted from Covid-19"."

"The 15th SAFTAs will celebrate South Africa's golden talent, their perseverance and the sense of purpose that carried them through 2020 with such grace. We are ready to roll and determined to put on a spectacular show."

The deadline for entries for 2021's 15th SAFTAs is Friday 15 January 2021.

Tuesday, April 28, 2020

Coronavirus: Winners of the 14th South African Film and Television Awards announced on Twitter on 29 April 2020 after televised awards got scrapped over Covid-19.



by Thinus Ferreira

The winners of the 14th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTAs) will now be announced on 29 April 2020 as part of a "virtual awards ceremony" held on the Twitter social media platform after the televised awards show was scuppered in March because of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

Because of the growing Covid-19 pandemic and to stem the spread of the ovel coronavirus in South Africa, the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) like others in South Africa's TV and film industry was forced to scrap the televised awards show that was scheduled for 27 and 28 March.

On 16 March the NFVF announced the cancellation of the 14th SAFTAs, and then started the process of trying to figure out how to still hand out Golden Horn trophies this year.

Now Dineo Ranaka will do a Twitter awards show on 29 April 2020 at 17:00 to announce the winners in the various categories.

"It has been an incredibly difficult decision to make for all concerned with the running of these awards," says NFVF CEO, Makhosazana Khanyile.

"As the NFVF we extend our sincere gratitude to the nominees and creative industry at large for their understanding and patience as we sought to find solutions. Whilst the celebrations for all our winners will be muted this year, it does not take away from all our deserving winners."

"We consulted widely to find the best possible way of presenting the awards that would still adhear to the lockdown regulations and not put any lives in danger of contracting this deadly virus."

Friday, February 14, 2020

Nominees announced for 2020's 14th South African Film and Television Awards as NFVF looks to improve the credibility of the Saftas.


by Thinus Ferreira

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) announced the nominees of the upcoming 14th South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) on Friday morning at a media event held at The Mall of Africa, with M-Net's telenovela The River on 1Magic (DStv 103) that lead the nominations in the TV category with 15 nods, and the film Fiela se Kind that scored 11 nods as the feature film with the most nominations.

The SABC's soap Generations on SABC1, 7de Laan on SABC2, as well as Isidingo on SABC3 were all locked out of this year's Saftas after they failed to enter the South African awards show.

The production companies Word of Mouth Productions producing SABC2's Muvhango, as well as Ferguson Films producing The Queen and The Throne for M-Net's Mzansi Magic (DStv 161) dropped their Saftas boycott they've maintained for several years and entered their respective soaps and telenovelas again.

Besides having discussions with production companies who have been boycotting the awards show, the Safta organisers have also relooked and refined the judging guidelines for the awards show, with the various scriptwriting categories which are being returned to the main (and televised) award ceremony after they were abruptly dumped last year.

The various Saftas categories have also been relooked, adjusted and reduced to 70.

The 14th South African Film and Television Awards that is moving back from Sun City to Johannesburg, will take place at the Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre over two-nights with the Craft Awards set for Friday 27 March and Main Awards taking place on Saturday 28 March and which will be broadcast live on South African television.

In television the telenovela The River scored 15 nominations, followed by Isibaya and the 4th season of Lockdown which all got 11 nods, and The Republic grabbing 10 nominations.

"I would like to congratulate all our 2020 SAFTAs nominees for telling authentic stories that resonate and connect with the people of South Africa," says Makhosazana Khanyile, NFVF CEO.

"As the NFVF we couldn’t be prouder of the immense contribution that these women and men make to the local film and television industry, not forgetting the broadcasters that provide the platforms for these stories to come alive".



"A key priority for us this year was to bring credibility back to the SAFTAs judging process," she says.

"It is no secret that many production companies have voiced their frustration with our appraisal system, some going as far as to boycott the SAFTAs altogether."

"Having taken this feedback to heart, we’ve taken every measure possible to ensure that the judging process is fair, transparent and without bias. Today I’m proud to announce that as a result of these efforts we’ve received over 300 entries for the SAFTAs," says Khosi Khanyile.

Viewer votes will once again decide the categories of Best TV Presenter and the Most Popular Soap/Telenovela.

The 14th South African Film and Television Awards will be hosted at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre over two-nights: Craft Awards on Friday, 27 March 2020 and Main Awards on Saturday, 28 March 2020 – with the Saturday show broadcast live on television.



Full nominees list to be added here (updating)

Saturday, April 27, 2019

The NFVF belatedly hands a win to the Someone to Blame documentary as the 13th Saftas Best Documentary Short prize; says it will try to improve its vetting and submission processes.


South Africa's embattled National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) on Thursday evening belatedly awarded Someone to Blame - The Ahmed Timol Inquest and producer Enver Michael Samuel's EMS Productions a Golden Horn trophy for 2019's 13th South African Film and Television Awards, with the organisation trying to fix the shambles, saying that it will try to improve its vetting and submission processes.

The NFVF's highly embarrassing and shambolic 13th Saftas once again had many problems, including the abrupt dumping of the Best Documentary Short category that wasn't awarded on the night in March 2019 - with no prior notification to the media or South Africa's film and TV industry.

The NFVF, Saftas organisers and its Instinctif PR agency paid to liaise and communicate to the media, took days to respond about the category's unexplained absence from the 13th Saftas.

In February the NFVF announced the three nominees in the Best Documentary short category as "Follow the Guns" from Combined Artistic Productions producing Carte Blanche on M-Net (DStv 101) and that broadcast it on Carte Blanche, Someone to Blame - the Ahmed Timol Inquest from EMS Productions CC that was seen on SABC3, and Scenes from a Dry City from SaltPeter Productions CC.

Then a content ownership fight started with the NFVF, funded by the department of arts and culture - without alerting the public - decided to withdraw the category from the 13th Saftas after it failed to do proper vetting of content entered into its Saftas competition.

Last week the NFVF said that M-Net's Carte Blanche entry in the Best Documentary Short category for the 13th Saftas has now been disqualified and removed and that the NFVF will now choose a winner from the remaining two nominees.

On Wednesday, giving the media only a day's notice, the NFVF's Instinctif PR agency invited the media to a belated prize-giving dinner at the Maslow Hotel in Sandton for the 13th Saftas in Johannesburg where Someone to Blame - the Ahmed Timol Inquest from EMS Productions CC was announced as the winner.

Makhosazana Khanyile, the new NFVF CEO, said that the NFVF will try to improve its vetting processes and submission criteria for the Saftas.

It's not clear why the NFVF, Saftas organisers, and the Saftas overall judging chairpersons, the producer Firdoze Bulbulia and actress and playwright Thembi Mtshali-Jones haven't been doing proper vetting of Saftas entries.

Meanwhile scandals like what happened with this year's Best Documentary Short category, continue to negatively impact the already-low credibility of the amateur-looking South African Film and Television Awards.

For the 13th Saftas producers and production companies once again kept to their boycott of the awards with more joining, with things like the botched Best Documentary Short process lending credence to upset producers who say that the organising, standards, and judging processes are simply not up to scratch.

"We are committed to relooking our processes, including our vetting and submission criteria to ensure that local filmmakers are provided with firm protection of their intellectual property right rights," said Makhosazana Khanyile.

Makhosazana Khanyile said the NFVF is "glad to have awarded this award to a very deserving winner" and that "Someone to Blame is an exceptional documentary, telling the important story of one of South Africa's liberation heroes".

Friday, March 15, 2019

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) says it dumped writers from the televised 13th South African Film and Television Awards since their creative art is ‘technical expertise’.


The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) that abruptly dumped writers and all writers' categories to the non-televised, so-called "technical awards" for the 13th Saftas now says writing isn't creative but "technical expertise" and was therefore removed.

The NFVF with acting CEO Shadrack Bokaba that organises the South African Film and Television Awards finally responded, just short of two weeks after the 13th Saftas took place at Sun City on 2 March and where writers and nominees in the various writers' categories discovered - to their shock - that they've been dumped.

Writers' categories were shunted from the main awards ceremony broadcast on SABC2 and bumped to the afternoon awards.

Writers, the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA), and even nominees in writing categories were not told that their creative categories have been removed after numerous telenovela categories were added for the first time this year to the main awards.

Nominees who showed up on the Saturday had to hear that Golden Horn awards for their categories already got handed out during the afternoon.

While scrapping the writers' categories and dismissing it as "technical expertise" the NFVF and producers Clive Morris Productions responsible for the bloated Saturday night awards show broadcast, kept best directing categories that were not considered "technical".

The long-winded and yet-again badly produced televised ceremony included a speech by the minister of arts and culture Nathi Mthethwa, a youth achiever award, sponsored McDonaldsSA backstage bits, as well as a parade of telenovela and soap stars taking to the Saftas stage in-between wrong envelopes that got opened.

The NFVF, funded by the department of arts and culture, finally responded on Thursday evening - almost two weeks after Safta organisers were asked in multiple media enquiries made since 2 March - why the writers' categories were scuppered from the main awards ceremony.

The NFVF, in a statement from Instinctif, the PR company now used by the film funding body, on Thursday evening told TVwithThinus that scriptwriting - although a creative art - is now seen as "technical expertise".

"The quality of our scriptwriters is the backbone of our industry and should be recognised for the technical expertise these key categories represent," the NFVF said.

"In acknowledgement of this, the Saftas sub-committee, which is made up of members from the various industry bodies - and also sit as judges - made the decision to move the writing categories to the technical section of the award ceremony."

"We are currently working on a 4-month workshop where we are relooking the Saftas categories and criteria required, with the Saftas sub-committee. Once we have commenced with this process we will first send through the categories and criteria to all industry organisation chairs and their boards for their preparation."

The NFVF was asked multiple times when the decision was taken but the NFVF and Instinctif didn't answer this question. The NFVF was also asked for its comment and explanation about writers and nominees who say they were not informed about the move but declined to answer this.

The NFVF was asked if it has a message for South Africa's TV industry about writers' categories and what its response is to the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) saying it will boycott the Saftas moving forward unless the writers' categories are restored to the main awards ceremony, but the NFVF chose not to answer these questions either.


Meetings abruptly cancelled
According to insiders, an initial meeting between the WGSA and the NFVF CEO was abruptly cancelled by the NFVF.

A possible new meeting between the WGSA and NFVF will likely be with Makhosazana Khanyile, known as Khosi Khanyile in the industry, who is taking over as new NFVF CEO from 1 April.

On Tuesday, according to insiders, the NFVF also cancelled a Saftas debriefing and new programmes session that was scheduled for 29 March, without any reasons given, and no new date set.

According to insiders, there was no meeting where either the move of writing categories or the short documentary category - also mired in a scandal of its own - was approved to be moved to the technical awards.

The WGSA told TVwithThinus it is "shocked and taken aback" by the removal of writers' categories from the Saftas main awards and demands the reinstatement of the writers' awards in the main broadcast of the Saftas.

"We will also demand input in and full oversight of the judging and categories of writers awards. And we are seriously looking at lobbying for an Independent Motion Picture and Television Academy to take over the running of the Saftas."

On Friday the WGSA told TVwithThinus that "writers are creatives and writing is not a technical skill but a creative one. The only thing technical about what we do is using a computer".

"Secondly, WGSA was not invited to be part of the Safta sub-committees, nor did we provide judges for the screenwriting categories. If writers were part of either, they were chosen by NFVF and were not representatives of the mandated industry organisation."

"We only heard about the move of the writing categories to the 'technical awards' at the networking session on the morning of the Safta awards. There was no consultation and WGSA was not officially informed of the change. If our vice chairperson Eubulus Timothy had not been at Sun City, we would have found out about this during the actual awards show, said Harriet Meier, WGSA chairperson.

"Further as to the cancellation of the debrief of the Saftas, we have still not been advised of any reasons, nor have we been informed of a new date. We have also not heard anything further from the acting CEO since his acknowledgement of receipt of our letter and promise to revert."

"And finally, we are not part of the 'sub-committee' which is allegedly relooking the Safta categories and criteria - and I have no idea what they mean by sending categories and criteria to industry organisation chairs for their 'preparation'," said Harriet Meier.

Thursday, March 7, 2019

BREAKING. Makhosazana Khanyile appointed as new NFVF boss, former FOX Africa marketing boss tasked to stabilise SA's struggling film and video foundation.


Makhosazana Khanyile has been appointed as the new permanent CEO of the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) where she will be tasked to bring organisational stability to South Africa's film and video foundation that has been rocked by scandal and corruption the past few years, and a possible sweeping overhaul of its criticised and overwrought South African Film and Television Awards.

Makhosazana Khanyile, known as Khosi in TV industry circles, has been the marketing director for Fox Networks Group Africa (FNG Africa) where she recently oversaw the hugely successful exposure blitz of Taraji P. Henson's second South African week-long visit in December 2018 as part of the American drama series Empire on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131 / Cell C black 201).

Prior to that the well-liked and accomplished executive with a solid background in the inner workings of the South African television industry worked at the SABC and M-Net.

Makhosazana Khanyile will take over as NFVF CEO from 1 April 2019, from Shadrack Bokaba who has been acting CEO since the abrupt resignation of Zama Mkosi in May 2018 under a cloud as investigations took place at the NFVF into allegations of corruption.

The Comperio Report into the rot and corruption at the National Film and Video Foundation in 2018 for instance found that staffers took family members on luxury trips to Sun City for the South African Film and Television Awards.

"The appointment follows a rigorous, independent assessment process that saw the commissioning of an independent board of experts constituted to assess and select the best possible candidates for the position," says the NFVF in a statement about Makhosazana Khanyile's appointment.

"The selection and appointment process was beyond reproach, and we are confident that Makhosazana Khanyile will take the NFVF to greater heights and position the South African film industry as a key player on the global stage," says Phil Molefe, NFVF chairperson.


Beyond rightsizing the NFVF on an organisational level, one of Makhosazana Khanyile's big tasks will be to "fix" the perpetually badly-done South African Film and Television Awards.


The 13th Saftas took place on Saturday, marred again by several mistakes and that saw it being boycotted by an an ever-growing number of production companies and producers who don't want to be part of it, and with the Writers' Guild of South Africa (WGSA) also planning to boycott it it after all writing categories have been removed from the main awards ceremony to the technical awards.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

IN PHOTOS: The exclusive, invite-only, golden delicious - and absolutely beautiful - 'A Night with Taraji P. Henson' dinner event of Fox Networks Group Africa.


On Friday evening, Fox Networks Group Africa held an extremely exclusive, invite-only, and absolutely beautiful media event for the Empire actress Taraji P. Henson.

The dazzling 3-course dinner for the star of Empire on FOX (DStv 125 / StarSat 131 / Cell C black 201) was a brilliant bookend to her whirlwind second 5-day press tour visit to South Africa.

On the uber-exclusive guest list of 143 people - comprising mostly women - who snagged an invite to the top secret location, were FNG Africa executives and other top TV execs, top press and media celebrities, as well as bright rising South African female media stars.

Due to the high-profile nature of the event, access control was extremely tight - it was invite-only with names extremely carefully curated for the guest list for what was 2018's last South African TV party of the year.

Fox Africa's amazing Taraji P. Henson event dubbed "A Night with Taraji" was held at The Shed at Steyn City in Fourways, Johannesburg; inside what looks to be a massive, new aircraft hangar, beautifully decorated and customised for the intimate stage-and-screen and plated dinner evening.

So new is the ultra-exclus location that it doesn't appear on and is impossible to find on even Google Maps - the perfect place for a party with Taraji P. Henson.

After red carpet arrivals where guests mingled with appetisers and cocktail drinks, there followed opening remarks by FNG Africa boss Evert van der Veer and FNG Africa marketing boss Khosi Khanyile.

Then Anele Mdoda did an on-stage interview with Taraji P. Henson, followed by dinner and dessert.

A gleaming black dance floor beckoned where guests danced the night away with the event that was basked in hues of gold, white, black, and a dash of pink.

"A Night with Taraji"was not just mind-blowingly special, it was remarkable how "American Hollywood level" it was - something rarely seen and rarely successfully recreated by South African TV channels.

The whole event was extremely professional and brilliantly executed from beginning to end; very glamorous and very beautiful.

Most of all "A Night with Taraji" got that most elusive of ethereal qualities absolutely spot-on - being and feeling massive in scale, yet simultaneously feeling small, exclusive and intimate.

You saw it in the numerous small, very big, details: The enormous screen functioning as a stage backdrop; the waiter-to-guest ratio (constantly hovering waiters, constantly circulating with appetisers, taking drink orders, and plating food with basically no waiting time or having to look for someone to help); the flowers; the beautiful "American upfront"-like stage design and look; the smooth sound and audio-visual execution especially in a venue like this; and even Taraji P. Henson wearing a half-black, half-white dress mirrored by the table settings that had black chairs on the one side and transparent chairs on the other.

As 2018's South African television parties went, Fox Africa's "A Night with Taraji" in terms of quality, conceptualisation and creativity, execution, look, razzle-dazzle and ambience ranks at absolutely number one as a 3-way tie alongside M-Net's (DStv 101) The Wedding Bashers Give-back season "wedding reception dinner" and the bushveld under-the-trees Survivor SA: Philippines media launch.

Nothing else any other channels, broadcasters or shows did in 2018 came anywhere close to these three events and it was amazing and astounding how Fox Africa pulled off "A Night with Taraji" as a pitch-perfect year-ender media event for the who's who.





































Monday, October 22, 2018

THE LAST (PLASTIC) STRAW. Africa's premium TV content providers - BBC, M-Net and FOX - now putting their event spend and influence where their mouths are as they lead the charge in getting rid of plastic straws.


A small yet important detail noticed by the well-heeled pitching up at the media events of  South Africa and Africa's most premium TV content providers is how FOX Africa, M-Net and BBC Studios Africa are suddenly leading the charge of getting rid of plastic straws.

All of them, in the span of two months have visibly dumped plastic straws replacing them with paper straws and are forming the vanguard in South Africa's broadcasting industry of putting their money where their mouths are: Still entertaining guests with drinks but banishing the plastic.

South Africa's blue chip pay-TV broadcasters have quickly joined companies like mass market retailers Woolworths and Pick n Pay on an aggressive drive to cut down on wasteful plastics - especially plastic straws - along with Tsogo Sun that has instituted a plastic straw ban at 100 of its hotels, along with Ocean Basket restaurant.

It signifies a rapidly growing and seismic shift in the southern most tip of Africa around how the corporate thinking about plastic straws are changing.

While the efforts that these broadcasters are making likely won't even be listed as part of their dedicated "corporate social responsibility" projects, their collective move to be visibly more environmentally responsible has the potential to ripple outwards into the consumer market with marked impact.

While BBC Studios Africa, FOX Africa and M-Net continue to host the who's who in the media and press circles, alongside advertisers and producers, social media stars and TV critics, including celebrities and TV talent at their events, they are clearly directing their budgeted event spend away from plastic straws to paper ones.

The result is that the targeted high-profile influencers invited to these events have the collective power to rapidly help reshape South African and African consumers' thinking about the need to reduce plastic waste and how ditching plastic straws for paper ones can make a massive environmental change.

In August FOX Networks Group Africa, that runs the National Geographic channels on DStv, StarSat and Cell C black, held its swanky annual upfront at the 54 on Bath Hotel in Rosebank, Johannesburg.

Plastic straws were suddenly gone, while guests went home with a special metal straw as part of the goodie bag.

Khosi Khanyile, FOX Networks Group Africa marketing director, told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry about the straws that on World Oceans Day, 8 June 2018, National Geographic started a campaign of raising awareness around single use plastics and the damage done to the oceans.

"We encourage people from all walks of life to reduce single use plastics. As FOX Networks Group Africa, we have committed to eliminating single use plastic in the office and in all our events."

"We have even rallied the support of restaurants in and around our office block to curb the use of single use plastic and many have joined. We also run a recycling drive in the office and on 28 September, did a clean-up of the banks of the Klein Jukskei river in Johannesburg – paying particular attention to picking up plastic."


On 7 October at the live viewing party and after-party of the second season My Kitchen SA finale, M-Net (DStv 101) also suddenly did away with plastic straws, replacing them with paper straws at the event for media, producers, TV talent and advertisers held at the MultiChoice City headquarters in Randburg.

"This season of My Kitchen Rules South Africa focused on South African cuisine and conscious cooking. There was even a challenge during which the contestants were tasked to prepare scrumptious dishes with limited water supply and were penalised for food wastage," Lani Lombard, M-Net's head of publicity told TVwithThinus in response to a media enquiry about the straws.

"When we do events our very experienced and fabulous events team always makes sure that the event matches the values and content of the show."


"Therefore, it made perfect sense for us to use environmentally-friendly straws for this event. By the same token, it's also important for us to show with all our events that we are responsible corporate citizens and wherever necessary we would like to use less plastic or materials that are not friendly to the environment."




Just days later, on Wednesday 10 October, plastic straws were conspicuously absent at BBC Studios Africa's latest BBC Africa Summer Upfront 2018 where guests mingled at the sprawling green lawns at Summer Place in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

The brightly coloured green and blue paper straws were instantly visible.

BBC Africa's PR agency, Atmosphere, when also asked about the switch from pastic to paper straws, referred TVwithThinus to a statement from earlier this year the BBC in the United Kingdom issued, headlined "BBC to ban single-use plastic", announcing the British public broadcaster's plan to remove single-use plastic from its operations by 2020.

"We aim to be free of single-use plastic across the BBC by 2020. Discussions will take place over the coming months with current suppliers and services to assess when further changes can be introduced, cutting the amount of single-use plastic in other parts of our operations such as coffee cups, packaging of products we buy and catering on location," the BBC said.

"Blue Planet II attracted global attention in highlighting the long-term, damaging impact single-use plastic is having on the world's oceans and environment."

Tony Hall, the BBC director-general, said "Like millions of people watching Blue Planet II, I was was shocked to see the avoidable waste and harm created by single-use plastic. We all need to do our bit to tackle this problem and I want the BBC to lead the way."

"Scrapping throwaway plastic cups and cutlery is the first step, and with our plan I hope we can have a BBC free of single-use plastic altogether."