The nominations for the 19th South African Film and Television Awards (SAFTA) were announced on Tuesday, 17 February, with accomplished actresses Zenande Mfenyana and Gail Mabalane securing their first nominations for their respective roles.
FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
In their Instagram stories, Zenande and Gail shared their fans’ excitement over their recognition by the SAFTAs. Zenande, who once took a hiatus from acting, is nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a Telenovela for her stellar portrayal of Thumeka Mabandla in Mzansi Magic’s Inimba.
Gail’s outstanding portrayal of her character, Zenzi Mwale, earned her a SAFTA nomination for Best Actress in a TV drama from the Netflix series Unseen.
ZENANDE MFENYANA ON HER ROLE IN ‘INIMBA’
After winning a National Film and Television Awards (NFTA), Zenande took to Instagram and opened up about her character.
“This year [2025], I said I’m betting on myself, and when the opportunity to play the role of Thumeka came along, I grabbed it with both arms and legs and fully immersed myself into her shoes. I’ve never played a more challenging and intriguing role in my life.”
‘WE ARE NOMINATED’
The reviews regarding Gail’s performance on Unseen were predominantly positive. The mother of two, who is married to music icon Kabelo Mabalane, expressed the following about her first SAFTA nomination:
“15 years in, and this labour of love gets me a @saftassa nomination. #GodDid s/o [shout out] team @gambit and #TeamUnseen. WE ARE NOMINATED!!!”