Excitement is building after kykNET officially unveiled the television nominations for this year’s Silwerskerm Awards for Film and Television. The nominees compete across 16 categories, with the 2026 edition introducing a new award recognising the Best Presenter in a Documentary Programme. Winners will be announced on Saturday, 22 August, during the glamorous closing ceremony of the Silwerskerm Festival at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, where the festival’s Best Feature Film and the acting awards for feature films that debuted at the festival will also be presented.
They bring diverse stories to life that make viewers laugh, cry and reflect, offer advice on just about everything under the sun, draw audiences into unforgettable worlds, and keep South Africans informed with current affairs and the latest news. Whether they’re actors, presenters or television personalities, these familiar faces have become part of everyday life in countless homes, making their recognition at the Silwerskerm Awards a celebration of the talent that continues to shape the country’s television landscape.
“This year’s nominations are a showcase of the brilliant work being produced in this small, world-class industry. With humility and great respect, kykNET acknowledges the imaginative worlds created by dreamers, hard workers, and creators who not only have something to say, but also know how to tell a story. These stories are culturally specific and never generic. They truly add so much meaning to viewers’ lives,” says Waldimar Pelser, Director of Premium Channels at MultiChoice, a Canal+ company.
The awards ceremony will be broadcast on kykNET (DStv Channel 144) on Sunday, 23 August at 19:00. The names of the presenters and special artists who will perform will be announced at a later stage.
The TV nominations for the 2026 Silwerskerm Awards for Film and Television are:
Best lead performer in a comedy
- Albert Pretorius (Flip) – Kantoor (S1)
- Desiré Gardner (Magda Louw) – Magda Louw (S3)
- Hannes van Wyk (Erhard) – Magda Louw (S3)
Best supporting performer in a comedy
- Daniah de Villiers (Emma) – Kantoor (S1)
- Gert du Plessis (Joubert) – Kantoor (S1)I
- lse Oppelt (Joanne) – Kantoor (S1)
- Schalk Bezuidenhout (Tjaart) – Kantoor (S1)
- Shimmy Isaacs (Lynette) – Magda Louw (S3)
Best supporting performer in a telenovela or soap opera
- Arno Greeff (Tristan) – Suidooster
- Denver Vraagom (rev. Wayne) – Skemergrond
- Gretchen Ramsden (Patty Paulsen) – Skemergrond
- Gustav Gerdener (Johan) – Binnelanders
- Kay Smith (Shandy/Laylla) – Suidooster
- Mila Guy (Liné) – Suidooster
Best newcomer in a telenovela or soap opera
- Ayden October (Junior Louw) – Skemergrond
- Cole Wessels (Tino) – Suidooster
- Izette Blignaut (Petro) – Binnelanders
- Judi Hattingh (Jenna) – Suidooster
- Xander Venter (Marco Viljoen) – Diepe waters
Best actor in a telenovela or soap opera
- Charlton George (JP Louw) – Skemergrond
- Dann-Jaques Mouton (Ruan Smit) – Skemergrond
- Dean Smith (Wade Daniels) – Suidooster
- Germandt Geldenhuys (Louis) – Binnelanders
- Irvine van der Merwe (Nazeem Jacobs) – Suidooster
- Justin Strydom (Gys Swarts) – Diepe waters
Best actress in a telenovela or soap opera
- Devonecia Swartz (Christine van As) – Skemergrond
- Jawaahier Petersen (Kaashifa Mansour) – Suidooster
- Je-ani Swiegelaar (Naomi) – Binnelanders
- Marlee van der Merwe (Ella) – Binnelanders
- Sandi Schultz (Zelda Joubert) – Diepe waters
- Shimmy Isaacs (Erika Pienaar) – Skemergrond
Best actor in a drama
- Albert Pretorius (Gustaff Fouché) – Niggies (S1)
- Beer Adriaanse (André Fourie) – Niggies (S1)
- Brendon Daniels (Johan Diederiks) – Die nuusmakers
- Carel Nel (At van Wyk) – Niggies (S1)
- Jacques Bessenger (Ruan van Wyk) – Een keer om die son (S2)
- Neels Clasen (Willem de Villiers) – Spoorloos: Losprys (S5)
Best actress in a drama
- Diaan Lawrenson (Lisa) – Appels en tee (S1)
- Erica Wessels (Ousus Nel) – Niggies (S1)
- Lorcia Cooper-Khumalo (Rozlynne Joshua) – Breekpunt (S1)
- Rolanda Marais (Adri Joubert) – Die nuusmakers
- Tinarie van Wyk Loots (Henriette) – Appels en tee (S1)
Best supporting actor in a drama
- Danny Ross (Brad Samson) – Breekpunt (S1)
- Heinrich Wentzel (Elijah Smith) – Een keer om die son (S2)
- Ian Roberts (Jakkals) – Appels en tee (S1)
- Jacques Bessenger (Dries Fourie) – Niggies (S1)
- Janru Steenkamp (the young André Fourie) – Niggies (S1)
- Neels Clasen (Henning Nel) – Niggies (S1)
Best supporting actress in a drama
- Bianca Langedyk (Annie) – Appels en tee (S1)
- Cintaine Schutte (Henda Nel) – Niggies (S1)
- Daneel van der Walt (Francia Theron) – Niggies (S1)
- Jana Kruger (Santjie Schoeman) – Niggies (S1)Kim Cloete (Mandy Baker) – Breekpunt (S1)
- Roeline Daneel (Maks Fouché) – Niggies (S1)
Best presenter in a lifestyle programme
- Marco Botha – Santam Megaboere (S7)
- Natie Ferreira – Fanaties (S1)
- Leah – Lottoland Help ’n dorp (S4)
- Lundi Khoisan – Fiësta (S27)
- Hannes van Wyk – Kwêla (S27)
- Johan en Zanelle Dorfling – Bou of breek (S1)
- Jan Scannell – Jan Braai vir Erfenis (S15)
- Joalette de Villiers – Op pad met my potjie (S2)
Best presenter in an entertainment programme
- Rian van Heerden – Wie word ’n miljoenêr (S5)
- Elwira Standili – Koortjies met Elwira Standili (S6)
- Aden Thomas – Sê jou sê (S5)
- Brendan Peyper and Bobby van Jaarsveld – Ander dam se eende (S1)
Best presenter in a reality programme
- Herman Lensing and Yolani Abrahams – Kokkedoor: Son & see
- Reandi Grey – Boer soek ’n vrou (S17)
- Ruan Smith and JP Smith – Op my eish!
- Cameron Saaiman – Moer ’n boer
Best presenter in a talk show or current affairs programme
- Hannes van Wyk – Hannes aan huis (S12)
- Lee-Ann van Rooi – Waar daar ’n wil is (S2)
- Lourensa Eckard – In Gesprek (S10)
- Rian van Heerden – Laataand by Rian (S4)
- Wicus Pretorius – Wie’s Nuus? (S6)
- Lyntjie Jaars and Pietman Geldenhuys – Oppiestoep (S10)
Best presenter in a documentary programme (NEW)
- Govan Whittles – Govan ontbloot
- Frank Opperman and Frankie Opperman – Frank
- Dr. Rudi van Vuuren and Marlice van Vuuren – Groen Namibië
- Rian van Heerden – Schuster
- Rian van Heerden – Brakpan Chronicles
Best ensemble presenting team
- Hamilton Wessels, Rika Calitz, Breyton Paulse, Bakkies Botha, Jonathan Mokuena, Jannie du
Plessis, Rikus de Beer, Tommy Dickson (Chef Vaatjie), Jean de Villiers – Toks en Tjops - Dawie Roodt, Leon Gropp, Corli Prinsloo, Charlene Lackay – Ontbytsake
- Pierre Breytenbach, Jennifer Myburgh, Su-an Müller-Marais – Die Groot Ontbyt
The legends honoured for their lifetime contributions to the television industry will be announced at the end of July. The winners of the kykNET Silwerskerm Festival’s other categories will also be announced on Saturday, 22 August during a morning awards ceremony at The Bay Hotel. Tickets for the Silwerskerm Festival are available at Quicket. The kykNET Silwerskerm Festival is sponsored by the City of Cape Town, Vuma, the Dagbreek
Trust, Village ’n Life, and the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF).
