Zenande Mfenyana accepts her first Safta award.
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- Zenande Mfenyana won her first South African Film and TV Awards honours after 19 years in the industry on Saturday.
- Nelisiwe Sibiya, Bonko Khoza and Gail Mabalane were among the other major winners at the glittering award ceremony.
- Mzansi Magic’s (DStv 161) much-loved Inimba also celebrated the big night with two awards.
Celebrated actor Zenande Mfenyana was still coming to terms with taking home her very first South African Film and TV Award (Safta) honours after a career spanning nearly two decades.
Mfenyana took home her first Golden Horn in the Best Supporting Actress in a Telenovela for her character as Thumeka Mabandla in Mzansi Magic’s (DStv 161) Inimba when the glittering award ceremony was held at Gallagher Convention Centre on Saturday evening.
“It hasn’t really sunk in yet,” she told News24. “You receive the nomination, and you just go ‘Thank you’ to the industry for the nod, and you know that you’re in the right direction because it’s been 19 years in the industry and it’s the 19th Saftas.”
It was the right time, and it’s befitting. This is the time for me to receive it, and I’m receiving it now because I might have gotten a big head earlier in my career.
“I know that accolades are great and it is really awesome to get a nod from the industry,“ Mfenyana continued.
Another first-time Safta recipient was Ithonga actor Nelisiwe Sibiya in the Best Actress in a Telenovela category.
“I am so excited. I still can’t believe it,“ she told News24 on the sidelines of the award ceremony. ”I don’t think I’m going to sleep for the next six months. I’m really excited. I’ve been waiting for this my whole life.“
Other big winners of the night included Gail Mabalane in the Best Actress in a TV Drama category, Bonko Khoza for Best Actor in a Telenovela, Aubrey Poo for Best Actor in a TV Soap and Anele Matoti for Best Supporting Actor in a Telenovela.
Much-loved telenovela Inimba also won big when it scooped two awards in the Best Achievement in Scriptwriting and Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela (public vote) categories.
See the full list of winners here
Most Popular TV Soap or Telenovela (public vote) – Inimba
Best TV Presenter (public vote) – Fezile Mkhize
Best Telenovela – Youngins
Best TV Soap – Scandal!
Best TV Drama – Reyka 2
Best TV Comedy – The Morning After
Best Feature Film – Death of a Whistleblower
Best Actress in a Telenovela – Nelisiwe Sibiya
Best Actress in a TV Soap – Londeka Sishi
Best Actress in a TV Drama – Gail Mabalane
Best Actress in a TV Comedy – Desire Gardner
Best Actor in a Telenovela – Bonko Khoza
Best Actor in a TV Soap – Aubrey Poo
Best Actor in a TV Drama – Frank Opperman
Best Actor in a TV Comedy – Hannes van Wyk
Lifetime Achievement Award – Magic Hlatswayo
Lifetime Achievement Award – Bobby Heaney
Best Supporting Actress in a Telenovela – Zenande Mfenyana
Best Supporting Actor in a Telenovela – Anele Matoti
Best Achievement in Directing (Telenovela) – Youngins
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting (Telenovela) – Inimba
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Comedy – Shoki Mmola
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Comedy – Prank Primer
Best Achievement in Directing (TV Comedy) – Magda Louw
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting (TV Comedy) – Magda Louw
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Soap – Vele Manenje
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Soap – Litlhonolofatso Litlhkanyane
Best Achievement in Directing (TV Soap) – Scandal!
Best Achievement in Scripting (TV Soap) – Suidooster
Best Supporting Actress in a TV Drama – Michelle Botes
Best Supporting Actor in a TV Drama – Jabulani Mthembu
Best Achievement in Directing (TV Drama) – Catch Me A Killer
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting (TV Drama) – Law, Love & Betrayal
Best Structured Soapie Reality Show – Young, Famous and African
Best International Format – Deal or No Deal Celebrity
Best Traditional Programme – Ingono Yomsamo
Best Documentary Feature – ZEF: The Story of Die Antwoord
Best Actress in a Feature Film – Sandra Prinsloo
Best Actor in a Feature Film – Ian Roberts
Best Supporting Actress in a Feature Film – June van Merch
Best Supporting Actor in a Feature Film – Neels van Jaarsveld
Best Achievement in Directing (Feature Film) – Death of a Whistleblower
Best Achievement in Scriptwriting (Feature Film) – A Kind of Madness
