Zenande Mfenyana accepts her first Safta award.

• 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.”

“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