'Shaka iLembe' Dominates 2025 National Film & TV Awards (NFTA) South Africa Nominations With 16 Nods
- The nominees for the National Film & TV Awards (NFTA) South Africa were announced on Monday, 13 October 2025
- The NFTA South Africa organisers also announced the list of veteran icons who will be honoured during the 2025 edition of the awards
- A Miss South Africa 2025 finalist, together with Minnie Dlamini, Khanyi Mbau and others, is among the list of nominees
Source: Getty Images
The National Film & TV Awards South Africa (NFTA) has announced the full list of nominees for the third edition of the awards. NFTA also disclosed the names of the TV and film industry legends who will receive honorary awards.
NFTA South Africa 2025 nominees released
Shaka iLembe, which was renewed for its final season, leads the nominees with 16 nods. These include Shaka Zulu actor Lemogang Tsipa is nominated for Best Actor in a TV Series 2025, while Thembinkosi Mthembu and Wiseman Mncube are both nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series. Mthembu will battle it out with Lemogang Tsipa in the Best Actor in a TV Series category, where he was nominated for his role in Adulting.
Mthembu is also nominated in the Outstanding Performance category, where he will compete against Shaka iLembe co-stars Tsipa and Mncube. The trio will also compete for the gong against co-stars Calvin Ratladi, Zamani Mbatha and Khabonina Qubeka, whose performances on Shaka iLembe earned praise on social media.
PAY ATTENTION: Briefly News is now on YouTube! Check out our interviews on Briefly TV Life now!
Dawn Thandeka King and Amanda Seome will go head-to-head for the Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series award. Miss South Africa 2025 finalist Luyanda Zuma is nominated in the Best Newcomer category for her role in Shaka iLembe.
Interestingly, no actress from Shaka iLembe was nominated for the Best Actress in a TV Series award. A notable nominee is Zenande Mfenyana, whose performances on Inimba (Season 1) have earned praise from broadcaster Anele Mdoda, who is nominated in the Celebrity Personality of the Year category. Other nominees are Nelisiwe Faith Sibiya - Ithonga (Season 1), Kgomotso Christopher - Fatal Seduction (Season 2), Samkelo Ndlovu - Adulting (Season 3), Gail Mabalane - Unseen (Season 2), Lerato Mvelase - Marked (Season 1), Connie Ferguson on Kings Of Joburg (Season 3) and Amalia Uys in Tuiskoms (Season 1).
No member of the Shaka iLembe cast was nominated in the Best Actress in a Film category. A notable name in the category is Khanyi Mbau, who was nominated for her performances on Meet The Khumalos, together with co-star Ayanda Borotho. Mbau is also nominated in the Celebrity Personality of the Year category alongside Minnie Dlamini, who is also nominated in two categories: Best Female TV Personality and Best TV Presenter 2025.
Source: Getty Images
NFTA South Africa voting and broadcast details
Legends and icons who will be honoured are Dr John Kani, who will receive the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, while Leon Schuster, Alfred Ntombela, and Dr Jerry Mofokeng Makhetha are among the honourees for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television.
Organisers of the show announced that public voting officially opened on Monday, 13 October 2025, at 13:00 via the National Film Academy official social voting platform, www.nationalfilmacademy.com and closes on 20 November 2025 at 12:00. Winners will be announced live during the ceremony, which will be broadcast live globally to millions of viewers on VooVix TV.
Shaka iLembe wins international award
Meanwhile, Briefly News reported that Shaka iLembe bagged another international award.
In 2025, Shaka iLembe won the Septimius Award at the ceremony held in Amsterdam. Nomzamo Mbatha had previously bagged an award at the 2024 Septimius Awards for her role as Queen Nandi in the historical drama series.
Source: Briefly News
