TV CRITIC's NOTEBOOK. Netflix SA did nothing for One Piece season 2 to properly liaise with media. And now wants what, coverage?

by Thinus Ferreira

On Sunday, 8 March, just after having held a wonderful Netflix mixer event during the 8th Joburg Film Festival in Sandton, Netflix South Africa had a media premiere for the second season of One Piece at The Ostrich open-air event field near Philadelphia in Cape Town.

With some of the local actors and international stars flown in, Netflix's PR company Lucky 8 in South Africa did absolutely nothing to alert or communicate beforehand with several South African news media about the One Piece screening and fan event who would have done something, would have arranged interviews or would have, at the very least, been alerted and have liaised with Netflix about the show.

It's not the media's responsibility to know, with no information or communication, what is happening or what Netflix SA is doing or rolling out content-wise. 

Netflix has a publicity division tasked to contact and communicate with media, and pays money to PR companies, like Lucky 8 (previously it was Eclipse Communications) in South Africa to actually liaise, partner with, and talk and communicate about Netflix content and media events, screenings and interviews.

Why is this not happening properly?

After covering the 8th Joburg Film Festival last week extensively for several media outlets, including going to the Netflix mixer event in Sandton, it was hugely disappointing to discover that suddenly Netflix had a One Piece event as a screening, fan event and media premiere, but that nobody from Netflix or Lucky 8 ever bothered to reach out to tell about it.

At the most bare-bones basic level, the expectation is that people paid to communicate should do so - in whatever area - to liaise about what opportunities exist to work together, what interviews may or may not be possible and for the media to know what is going on and happening.

Now Netflix and a PR company like Lucky 8 presumably want coverage for One Piece's second season filmed in Cape Town, South Africa at Cape Town Film Studios. 

The big question is: How? From what? When? 

How are journalists and media supposed to create something or coverage, or the type of coverage that works for their publications, and presumably for Netflix SA and Netflix globally, from out of nothing and no communication beforehand? No heads-up? No PR at all?

American actors like Julia Rehwald and Joe Manganiello, Callum Kerr from Scotland, and writer and producer Joe Tracz were in South Africa for Sunday's One Piece screening, alongside the South African actors appearing in episodes of this second season like Alan Foulis, Jazzara Jaslyn, Anton Jeftha, Aiden Scott and Ty Keogh, who portrays the character of Dalton.

Where (when?) was the One Piece season 2 press day for South Africa? Were there round-table interviews held? Where are all those interviews, assuming there were press opportunities?

What happened at Sunday's One Piece event? What was said there by whom, and the cast?

Somebody who did attend on Sunday told me Jeanne D was the MC.

On Monday morning, I asked publicist Sethu Colo at Lucky 8 about this, but a day later haven't heard back anything.

I also asked several other journalists and media in South Africa - also covering film and TV sphere - if they had ever heard anything from, or about the second season of One Piece, beforehand, or about the screening. They all said no.

Sadly, it's once again an opportunity lost for Netflix, for One Piece as a production and a show, as well as for South African media, to try and cover something where it's win-win-win, instead of lose-lose-lose.

Judge throws out Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana interdict application to block Netflix SA and Storyscope from releasing Beauty and the Bester doc series

by Thinus Ferreira

On Friday morning Judge Sulet Potterill, as expected, dismissed the urgent court interdict application brought by convicted murderer, rapist and fraudster Thabo Bester and dr Nandipha Magadumana who tried to block Netflix from showing its documentary series Beauty and the Bester that the streamer earmarked for a release today.

"Judge Sulet Poterill in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria this morning said "A defamation claim can be instituted and damages sought. I cannot find in any way that the screening of the utterances they find to make the doctor guilty affects her right to have a fair trial".

She dismissed the interdict application with cost against Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana and noted that the information about the two are "firmly in the public domain".

At exactly 09:00 on Friday, Netflix globally released the 3-episode Beauty and the Bester, with the 40-minute episodes having titles like "A Monster is Dead", "Ride or Die", and Everything to Lose".

The first episode of Beauty and the Bester details the prison fire in which Thabo Bester allegedly faked his death to escape, the second episode details how Nandipha Magadumana's friends and family feared that she "got swept away by love", while the third episode chronicles the manhunt for the two fugitives who crossed borders into Tanzania, and how deep Nandipha's involvement is in Thabo Bester's life of crime. 

Produced by StoryScope, Beauty and the Bester - a word play on the story "Beauty and the Beast" - has Anthony Molyneaux as director, with Neil Brandt, Laura Colucci and Thandi Davids as executive producers.

Netflix declined to provide media with digital screeners of Beauty and the Bester ahead of time, something which is usually done for review purposes and to promote content, saying it is "sensitive".

Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana, with separate lawyers, both brought an urgent interdict application against the release on Netflix of Beauty and the Bester, chronicling the buzzy crime-riddled tale they're ensnared in.

After the judge tossed the interdict application on Friday morning, TVwithThinus asked Netflix South Africa for comment. Burson that does corporate communications on behalf of Netflix SA said Netflix has no comment or statement.

It's a two out of two for fail for Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana who last year also brought an interdict application against MultiChoice's streamer Showmax and IdeaCandy when they tried to block the release of the documentary Tracking Thabo Bester that was also dismissed with cost.

Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana are both due back in the Bloemfontein High Court next week Friday for their criminal trial. 

Thabo Bester is currently held in the C-Max division of the Kgosi Mampuru II jail.

ALSO READ: Netflix will only have half an hour time on Friday morning to halt global release of hot take doc series Beauty and the Bester if Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana court interdict is maybe granted

Netflix will only have half an hour time on Friday morning to halt global release of hot take doc series Beauty and the Bester if Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana court interdict is maybe granted

Thinus Ferreira

On Friday morning Netflix will literally have about half an hour or less to toggle its South African documentary series from Storyscope to "off" if a judge decides to grant an interdict against the global streamer to release Beauty and the Bester.

Netflix plans to release the 3-episode documentary series Beauty and the Bester on Friday morning, 12 September at 09:00, chronicling the buzzy crime story of convicted criminal and rapist Thabo Bester and celebrity doctor Nandipha Magadumana.

Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana, with separate lawyers, both brought an urgent interdict application against the release on Netflix of Beauty and the Bester on Friday.

The interdict application was heard on Thursday in the Gauteng High Court in Pretoria on Friday, with a judgment that will be delivered very early on Friday morning at 08:30, giving Netflix South Africa very little time to halt its release if the interdict is maybe granted.

Netflix has refused to give media access to digital screeners of Beauty and the Bester beforehand for review purposes, with its PR company telling TVwithThinus this week that "Considering the sensitive nature of the subject matter of the series, unfortunately pre-release screeners are not available".

Weirdly, Beauty and the Bester's sensitive nature wasn't too sensitive for Netflix and Storyscope to produce a 3-part documentary series out of. 

According to the logline from Netflix PR company Eclipse Communications, "The limited series seeks to unpack the rise and dramatic fall of Dr Nandipha Magudumana, a glamorous celebrity doctor whose entanglement with a convicted rapist and murderer, Thabo Bester, shocked the nation".

"Did the renowned Dr Nandipha get embroiled in Thabo Bester's prison break? This chilling documentary series examines the enigmatic ties that bound them."

Produced by Storyscope, Beauty and the Bester - a play on the story "Beauty and the Beast" - has Anthony Molyneaux as director, with Neil Brandt, Laura Colucci and Thandi Davids as executive producers.

The "Facebook Rapist" story makes for a compelling documentary series. In 2012 Thabo Bester was convicted for the rape and murder of his model girlfriend Nomfundo Tyhulu, a year after he was also found guilty of robbing and raping two other women.

Supposed to serve a life sentence, he somehow escaped in 2022 from the maximum security prison where he was held after a fire broke out that left behind a charred body. 

But it wasn't that of Thabo Bester with the body that got switched and Thabo Bester living in Johannesburg, allegedly helped by Nandipha Magadumana. They were arrested in April 2023 in Tanzania after they tried to flee and were deported back to South Africa.

They are currently in custody and awaiting a criminal trial with charges ranging from violating a corpse to defeating the ends of justice and fraud. They have not yet pleaded to the charges.

On Thursday the court heard the lengthy application of both Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana.

Judge Sulet Potterill noted that she is reserving judgment until Friday morning very early but was specific in asking Netflix exactly at what time it planned to release Beauty and the Bester globally on Friday, with the streamer indicating a time of 09:00.

Both Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana wants Netflix's Beauty and the Bester to be shelved until after their latest court case is over, alleging that the Netflix documentary series would damage their reputations and might influence the outcome of their criminal trial.

They are due back in the Bloemfontein High Court next week Friday for their criminal trial.

Thabo Bester's lawyer, Advocate Moafrika Wa Maila, on Thursday told the court that his client's right to a fair trail will be compromised by the Netflix documentary series.

"There is no proof that he had escaped. He has not yet been convicted on this. There are many reasons why a person is no longer in prison, such as parole. The documentary is a kangaroo court," Moafrika Wa Maila argued in court.

Bester is replacing the beast in the children's story Beauty and the Beast, meaning my client will now be the beast. This is serious defamation," Moafrika Wa Maila said.

"This also shows this documentary tries to drive a certain narrative about Bester. If Netflix publishes this tomorrow, in just one hour, it means we are going to have many people see this and public opinion and a public court would have decided otherwise about Bester."

"We are standing in one corner of the truth because he is also not given a right of a response."

Nandipha Magadumana's legal representative, Advocate Mphendulo Mfeka, told the court that she had not pleaded to the criminal charges against her and has not been given the right to tell her side what happened.

Nandipha Magadumana apparently got paid by StoryScope that licensed the use of archive material like photos of her life.

Advocate Lerato Moela, also representing Nandipha Magadumana, told the court that the contract with StoryScope and Netflix gave Nandipha Magadumana the right ro review and provide input on the final documentary edit before its release - arguing that this licensing contract was now being used to prevent her from not seeing the final cut before release.

"The respondents, StoryScope and Netflix, rely on the licensing agreement to tell the applicant that if for any reason you have a right to approach the court, that licensing agreement blocks you from invoking that right."

"They seem to suggest that they have a right to veto the documentary. There is no subject who has any entitlement to veto a story about them. Especially a notorious figure. She was invited to comment and she elected not to."

Advocate Thembeka Ngcukaitobi, representing Netflix and Storycope, told the court that the production did ask Nandipha Magadumana to contribute towards Beauty and the Bester, and that she initially said that she would but later declined.

Thembeka Ngcukaitobi told the court that Beauty and the Bester contains nothing that isn't yet known in the public domain.

"This documentary gives the victims of Thabo Bester a platform to be heard after years of silence. To silence the film is to silence them again," Thembeka Ngcukaitobi said.

"Nandipha Magadumana was paid for use of archive material, so it is therefore unacceptable for her to turn around at the last minute." 

Last year Thabo Bester and Nandipha Magadumana failed in another interdict application which was dismissed with cost, when they tried to prevent MultiChoice's streaming service Showmax and IdeaCandy from releasing the documentary Tracking Thabo Bester.

How Netflix warmed to the Joburg Film Festival and affirmed city's 'vital role' in growing South Africa's film biz

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix South Africa has finally warmed to the Joburg Film Festival with the 7th edition that took place in Sandton and that included a panel discussion session, as well as a swanky rooftop Friday night event where Netflix and festival organisers promised even greater collaboration next year and into the future.

Over the past few years, Netflix SA has been reticent to have a full-show presence at the Joburg Film Festival since MultiChoice is the main sponsor and has its own streaming service Showmax which is a rival to Netflix, and while some Netflix Originals have featured in the screening line-up previously, filmmakers have until now been reluctant to tout their projects during it.

One South African filmmaker told TVwithThinus last year during the 6th festival that she couldn't really talk about her upcoming Netflix film, to adhere to what she was told by Netflix, noting that the streamer "doesn't want to appear MultiChoice-adjacent during the festival". 

Now there's clearly been a thaw of sorts, with MultiChoice, Netflix and the Joburg Film Festival all coming to a realisation that greater cooperation is needed from all - even fierce rivals - if South Africa's struggling film biz is to be moved forward, and which filmmakers described as being "in a dire situation".   

On the festival's Friday afternoon, Netflix headlined its first-ever panel session at the film festival.

The all-female panel at the JBX Talks discussion circuit, which ran concurrently with the film festival, was called "Redefining roles for women" with Connie Ferguson, Gail Mabalane, Dawn Thandeka King and Nina Swart on stage.

The foursome talked about woman empowerment before and behind the camera and shared personal anecdotes from their career climbs in the industry over the past few decades.

This was followed that Friday evening by a glitzy, invitation-only "Netflix in Gold" VIP party as another Netflix SA first for the 7th Joburg Film Festival.

Here, on the Artistry-rooftop, bathed in red and gold, Netflix execs, some of the country's most high-profile showrunners and producers, directors, agents, actors, writers, industry reps and festival guests all mingled, sipped champagne and did shop-talk.

Timothy Mangwedi, Joburg Film Festival founder and executive director, said "we've been trying to build this festival brand, and the content as an important platform for filmmakers".

He thanked Netflix for coming onboard in a bigger way at the 7th JFF and said the festival is looking forward to even bigger inclusion and collaboration with the streamer from next year.

"We're a premier film festival, so the relationship is how do we work together and add and showcase new directors, new actors, actresses, new producers, but also importantly how do we bring technology into this wonderful industry."

Ben Amadasun, Netflix vice-president of content for the Middle East and Africa, called his local content execs to stage, which included Kaye-Ann Williams who made her public debut as a Netflix exec following her appointment since February.

As director of scripted content for Netflix Africa, Kaye-Ann Williams will now oversee the video streaming service's scripted films and series in sub-Saharan Africa.

"This is our first participation at the Joburg Film Festival as Team Netflix so we're happy that you could make it to this great event and I'm sure we'll be here for many more versions of this in the future," Ben Amadasun said.

"Johannesburg plays a vital role in the growth of our industry, so it makes sense for Netflix to be part of this festival going forward," he said.

He noted the various Jozi-set scripted series and films already on the streamer like Number, Number: Jozi Gold, Soweto Love Story, Seriously Single and Kings of Jo'Burg that helped bring Johannesburg and Gauteng to a global Netflix audience.

There is also the school-athlete drama GO! from Ten30 Films and produced by Kutlwano Ditsele and Thuli Zuma also set in Johannesburg and starring Thandolwethu Zondi, Wonder Ndlovu, Dawn Thandeka King and Vusi Kunene.

"We've seen first-hand the power of African stories - not just on the continent but across the world. The global audience is very hungry for authentic, bold, fresh stories from Africa."

"Our approach is very simple as Netflix - we want to make sure that we collaborate with the most amazing local creators and continue to expand the frontier of what's possible in storytelling". 

Ben Amadasun noted that Tuiskoms, produced by Infinity Films with Louis Pretorius and Albert Snyman as Netflix's second Afrikaans drama series, "is one of many more I hope - this title is really delivering for us. We're very excited about how our audiences are receiving Tuiskoms".

Netflix South Africa increases prices by up to 20% for subscribers

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix South Africa is increasing prices of the streaming service for its South African subscribers with immediate effect by up to 20%, although its R99 per month subscription plan will remain unchanged.

Netflix issued no press statement before the price hike went into effect but in response to a media query from TVwithThinus, confirms that it is increasing subscription prices in South Africa.

Rival MultiChoice just did its annual price increase for DStv subscribers and its Showmax video streaming service from April 2025.

Netflix South Africa in response to the media query, confirms that "Netflix has increased prices in South Africa for both new and existing subscribers".

This is the second price increase for Netflix SA subscribers since the video streaming launched in South Africa and across the African continent in 2016. 

Netflix SA last increased prices in September 2021 which was its first price increase in South Africa since it launched.

Netflix says that "The new prices came into effect on 8 May for new members. For existing members, the exact timing of the change will depend on the specific member's billing cycle".

Asked why Netflix is increasing prices for its South African subscribers, the company told me that "As we continue to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members, we will sometimes ask our members to pay more so that we can reinvest to further improve Netflix".

The price changes are as follows for South Africa:

 

Mobile	Basic	Standard	Premium
R49 → R59	R99 (no change)	R159 → R179	R199 → R229

 

Interesting to note is that Netflix is keeping the subscription fee of its Basic package unchanged at R99 per month.

Netflix is increasing its Mobile subscription by a whopping 20% from R49 to R59 per month, while the Standard fee is increased by 13% from R159 to R179 per month. The Premium subscription price is increased 15% from R199 to R229 per month.

All of Netflix SA's price hikes are far above the current South African inflation rate.

Sanktuary Films and kykNET's Afrikaans road trip movie Die Kwiksilwers does boffo box office business after Covid

Thinus Ferreira

The Afrikaans buddy road trip movie Die Kwiksilwers has become the Afrikaans film with the highest box office gross during its opening weekend since South Africa's cinemas reopened after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Die Kwiksilwers, produced by Jordy Sank and Gabriella Blumberg's Sanktuary Films, and distributed by Filmfinity, was the 5th highest-grossing film at the South African box office during its opening weekend over the first weekend of May 2025.

Die Kwiksilwers was only surpassed by the American releases of Thunderbolts, Sinners, A Minecraft Movie en The Accountant 2.

Die Kwiksilwers tells the story of four older women who go on a road trip through South Africa's Karoo region, starring Lida Botha, Susanne Beyers, June van Merch and Theresa Sedras.

Another three Afrikaans films, including one from Namibia and another one on Netflix, will still be released this year.

"Die Kwiksilwers had a terrific opening weekend - the best opening weekend for an Afrikaans film since theatres opened after Covid," Pieter Geldenhuys, Filmfinity distributor, tells me.

"After its first week in theatres, Die Kwiksilwers stood at R750 000 and attendance of 7 306. We hope it's a good sign for the road ahead."

He says "Filmfinity is positive about Afrikaans films. We have already released two this year: Som van Twee and Die Kwiksilwers and both were very well received. We hope that more are made after a relatively quiet period after Covid."

Die Kwiksilwers is a full commission from kykNET, with Sanktuary Films that pitched the idea to kykNET three years ago, after which it was approved for debut at the kykNET Silwerskermfees.

It was fully funded by kykNET and had its premiere last year at the kykNET Silwerskermfees, after which it premiered in South African theatres the first weekend of May 2025.

"KykNET remain committed to the production of Afrikaans films even with tight budgets," says Waldimar Pelser, M-Net director for premium channels. "It's an important vehicle to tell stories with a long shelf-life and which will be enjoyed by future generations."

Jordy Sank, director and writer of the film, tells me "It's wonderful that people immediately fell in love with Die Kwiksilwers and wanted to go on a wild road trip with these characters."

"Last year we could already see that Die Kwiksilwers was a movie that this community really, really wants to go and see."

He says it's important for South African stories to return to cinema. "It's a phenomenal time for South African storytellers and filmmakers to create and get their stories out to inspire people."

He says that behind-the-scenes during filming in the middle of the Karoo on a farm without electricity or cellphone reception, "it was incredible to just watch the performances of Lida Botha and the rest of the veteran cast with so much energy and excitement".

Veteran film critic Leon van Nierop tells me that Die Kwiksilwers was "really made with the audience in mind and the film and cinemagoers immediately found each other".

"The audience knows what it's about. They can see it's fun and upbeat and joyful. People want to relax but a lot of people want to sit inside a theatre with other Afrikaans-speaking people and for a change laugh in and about Afrikaans inside a cinema."

He says it's important to celebrate Afrikaans film.

"Afrikaans is 100 years old. A hundred years ago, it was six years before the Afrikaans film Moedertjie. We should be proud on what we are doing as an industry and we should tell our own stories in an accessible way."

"In Die Kwiksilwers we have a bunch of old ladies who are eccentric but the film makes them accessible and funny. We are used to older Afrikaans women depicted as aunties in Daar Kom Tant Alie and Tant Ralie se Losieshuis - as caricatures or stereotypes."

"In this case, the characters are real people. It shows that age is just a number. They are older but they haven't yet started to open the fridge door to cool off, they're still living past the fridge door".

According to Leon van Nierop, Die Kwiksilwers' box office performance "should serve as motivation for people to make other and more Afrikaans films to be released in cinemas".

"The industry should be daring and courageous and bold and not scared and realise that Afrkaans and Afrikaans film is relevant. There was a time when people were ashamed of Afrikaans film. That time has long passed. Don't be scared to share Afrikaans films with audiences in cinemas."

On 23 May Die Dekontruksie van Retta Blom will be released, and on 29 August the Namibian film, My F*k Marelize will have its premiere in cinemas.

Semi-Soeter from Anel Alexander and Joshua Rous will be released soon on Netflix, although a release date isn't yet known.

Netflix SA didn't respond to a media query about Semi-Soeter's release date, why the streamer decided to invest in creating this Afrikaans follow-up film to Semi-Soet, or whether Semi-Soeter might get a limited release in South African cinemas.

Meet the Khumalos from Urban Vision Productions set as a new South Africa film release on Netflix SA in 2025 with Khanyi Mbau

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix South Africa will release a new film in 2025, Meet the Khumalos, produced by Urban Vision Productions and starring Khanyi Mbau, Ayanda Borotho and Jesse Suntele in a story where a woman's "perfect world" is disrupted when her high school rival moves in next door.

Meet the Khumalos is directed and produced by Jayan Moodley and written by Gillian Breslin and Wendy Gumede.

Meet the Khumalos is an adaptation of 2017's Meet the Kandasamys which was written and directed by Jayan Moodley and became the highest-grossing South African film at the box office that year.

The cast of Meet the Khumalos also includes Khosi Ngema, Connie Chiume, Bonga Dlamini and Siyabonga Shibe. 

In the film, Grace Khumalo's "perfect world" is disrupted when her high school rival, Bongi Sithole, moves in next door. Both mothers are horrified to discover that their children are secretly dating and join forces to break up the young lovers.

Netflix announced Meet the Khumalos as well as its other new upcoming South African content at the end of last month as part of a preview of its global content offering for 2025.

Tuiskoms as Netflix South Africa's second Afrikaans series produced by Infinity Films and releasing 28 February stars Amalia Uys and Michelle Botes in her final on-screen role

by Thinus Ferreira

Netflix South Africa will release the streamer's second Afrikaans drama series, Tuiskoms, on 28 February - produced by Infinity Films - which is the last on-screen role of actress Michelle Botes who died in December 2024. 

Tuiskoms set in the Wilderness, stars Amalia Uys as a widowed chef Fleur in this 7-episode romantic drama series. Tuiskoms follows after 2022's Ludik as a crime series on Netflix.

Michelle Botes plays Abigail, Fleur's mother. 

Tuiskoms was filmed in mid-2024 with Louis Pretorius and Albert Snyman as co-producers. Nina Swart is the director and besides co-producer Louis Pretorius was also the head writer.

In Tuiskoms, the widowed Fleur returns to her mom Abigail's home in the Wilderness and in a flower shop she starts a new chapter of her life - and finds new love.

The Tuiskoms cast includes Armand Aucamp as Werner, Pierre van Pletzen, Rika Sennett, David Minnaar as Jonathan and Catona James as Evan.

Jane de Wet is Kelly, with Marvin-Lee Beukes as Michael, Hendrik Nieuwoudt as Sean and Anathi Rubela as Gift. 

Netflix announced Tuiskoms as well as its other new upcoming South African content at the end of last month as part of a preview of its global content offering for 2025.