Lights, camera, KZN! A star-studded night at the 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards
The 2025 Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards honoured KZN creatives in style!
Durban may have just recovered from the sparkle of the Durban July, but the city had zero intentions of slowing down.
On Saturday, July 19, the red carpet was rolled out once again.
This time, for the 12th annual Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards, a dazzling celebration of KwaZulu-Natal’s ever-evolving film and television industry.
This night is always the first major event of the annual film month, coinciding with the Durban International Film Festival and the Durban Filmmart.
This prestigious event honoured the legends who paved the way, the newcomers rewriting the game, and the powerful stories shaping screens across South Africa and beyond.
One person especially thrilled to be at the ceremony was none other than East Coast Breakfast’s very own Darren Maule.
Not only is Darren a seasoned actor with an encyclopedic knowledge of cinema, but he also had a pretty special reason to beam with pride.
Darren and his wife Anna were guests of two of the KZN film industry’s heavy-hitters: Sanjeev Singh and Eubulous Timothy.
However, the real tear-jerker moment came when East Coast Radio’s Digital Content Producer, Skyye, stepped onto the stage to present the first three awards!
“It was so great to be in the audience and be able to clap and cheer for Skyye and message him immediately afterwards with a video to send his family,” said Darren. “He was brilliant - I was so proud!”
(Cue applause… and maybe a little happy cry).
ALSO READ: The Shangase family’s dream comes true; a new home, built with love by ECR and the heart of KZN
The night’s emotional crescendo came with the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award.
This year, it went to none other than Angus Gibson. A titan of the industry and a man who has reshaped African storytelling through groundbreaking work like Isibaya and Shaka iLembe.
Angus was celebrated for his decades of passion, craft, and visionary excellence.
Darren caught up with the man himself after the award, no doubt geeking out like the film nerd we know and love.
The competition was tough, but a few titles really ran the show - and rightfully so!
Netflix’s Disaster Holiday cleaned up, winning Best Pan-African Film, Best Use of KZN Filming Location, Best Production Design, and the coveted Best Feature Film.
Mark Engels impressed critics and audiences alike, scooping up Best Director and Best Screenplay for his work on Masinga: The Calling.
Lindani Mbense won Best Documentary Feature Film for Dr Mbongeni Ngema: This Is My Story, a powerful ode to the legendary playwright behind Sarafina!.
Then - Season 4 of The Real Housewives of Durban. Say what you want, but the drama came with cinematic brilliance, winning Best TV Production and Best Use of Cinematography.
The Simon Mabhunu Sabela Awards 2025 were more than just trophies and thank-you speeches.
They were a reminder of the power of local talent, the importance of African stories, and the bright future of filmmaking in KZN.
Here’s to the stars of today, tomorrow, and the ones behind the scenes turning scripts into magic.
HOW TO LISTEN TO EAST COAST RADIO
1. Listen to East Coast Radio on the FM (frequency modulation) spectrum between 94 and 95 FM on your radio.
2. Listen live to ECR by clicking here or download the ECR App (iOS/Android).
3. Listen to East Coast Radio on the DStv audio bouquet
4. Switch to the audio bouquet on your OpenView decoder and browse to channel 606.
5. Listen to us on Amazon Alexa
Follow us on social media:
· TikTok