Mzansi content creators were celebrated on Saturday at the inaugural DStv Content Creator Awards, which were held at The Galleria in Sandton.
It was a night dedicated to the content creators who have been bringing joy to the country with content that had many of us double tapping on social media.
Comedian Loyiso Madinga hosted the awards and viewers at home got to be a part of the action as the awards were broadcast live on entertainment platform partner TikTok, with Halle B Berry and Dezz Lee bringing all the blue carpet action.
The opening dance piece, choreographed by Bontle Modiselle Dance Studio, brought life to some of the most viewed social media reels and videos and set the tone for the night.
Robot Boii had the audience members convinced he was artist Toss of the viral dance “Umlando” when he came out shaking his hips.
Social media favourites Moghelingz, and Chad Jones also took to the stage and showed off the moves they have become well known for.
Khanyisa Jaceni, who is one of Mzansi’s biggest TikTok content creators, took to the stage and performed her hit song “Zula Zula”.
Skits have become a staple in content creation, so it was only fitting that the audience were treated to a spoof of DStv’s popular reality show, “The Real Housewives of Cape Town” aka “Reel Housewives of DStv Content Creator Awards”.
Awards nominees Nadia Jaftha, Prev Reddy, Cassidy Nicholson and Nina Hastie starred in the skit, which, admittedly, went on for a bit too long.
Winners were announced by several well-known personalities such as Lulu Hela, Smash Afrika and Lasizwe Dambuza.
Dambuza, who began his career on YouTube creating skits shared with IOL Entertainment that such awards are needed to encourage content creators to keep going. “A pat on the shoulder that you are doing good, keep going.”
“Ayeye Stripped” actors Rosemary Zimu and Luthando “Bu” Mthembu must have missed out on rehearsals, as while on stage announcing winners the two were more focused on serving looks than delivering their lines.
Multi-talented media personality Siv Ngesi won the Cause Award for Sanitary Pad Vending Machine. The actor, whose mother died recently, was not in attendance.
The night’s biggest winner was Nadia Jaftha who scooped three awards including the biggest award the DStv Content Creator of the Year Award. She also won the Comedy Award beating out her stiff competition and the Thumb-stopping Award.
When accepting her Thumb-Stopping Award, Jaftha called her mother, and told her the good news that she won an award, her proud mommy then told her, “You are just phenomenal.”
Jaftha said: “I’m just so overwhelmed and grateful and just bursting with joy. I can’t believe that I won three awards in the three categories that I was nominated in. I’m in awe and disbelief but I couldn’t have done it without my supporters.”
Comedian Donovan Goliath scooped the How I shot It award .He accepted the award with his wife Davina Gordon Goliath, both dripped in Maxhosa.
“This is a very big deal, I don’t think people realise what a big deal it is. Content creators I don’t think are taken super seriously in South Africa yet. So anybody who is brave enough to pull out a phone and tell stories and share whatever they share, to entertain, to inspire, to educate, it’s a very difficult thing to do.
“And anybody willing to get out there and do it absolutely deserves this kind of treatment,” Goliath said.
He said going forward the awards will inspire more confidence among content creators and for many to level up with the content and stories that they deliver online.
Alter Ego Award recipient Coconut Kelz (Lesego Tlhabi) shared that the awards are important for content creators.
“I feel like content creators really brought the country together and entertained the country during lockdown. So it’s so nice that people are acknowledging that we are a necessity, we keep people sane, we make people happy,” she said.
Social Commentary Award recipient Slaying Goliath (David Tshabalala) who has become well known for social commentary illustrations shared that it was good to have the spotlight shined on content creators.
“Tonight was really amazing. I love how DStv has put a spotlight on content creators because we also like broadcasters in our own right.
“Social media has become more like television now, probably even bigger. I think what DStv is doing is great. It also opens doors for us.
“Give us more opportunities to work with major brands and I think content creators are the new rock stars because social media is the new TV,” Tshabalala said.
Kasi Content Creator recipient Nathan Molefe in his acceptance speech encouraged content creators to be proud of their surroundings.
He said as someone coming from Soweto winning the award shows that anything is possible and encouraged others to go out there and “be epic”.
The Fashion and Style Award went to sneakerhead Kim Jayde, who was “humbled” to be a part of the first DStv Content Creator Awards.
“It really is an acknowledgement of the hard work that we have been putting in and it’s like sneakerheads can win it too,” she said.
Jayde said hopefully going forward, brands will take content creators seriously as there is a lot of time and money that is put into delivering high quality content.
Content creator Ofentse “Primo” Baloyi who attended the awards shared with IOL Entertainment that the next step for creators is “marketing” as this will now see creators competing to see how well they can showcase brand’s products.
The awards wrapped up with a performance from amapiano artist Pabi Cooper but the audience was more focused on taking content than getting up and dancing.
Here is the full list of winners (in no particular order):
Content of the Year Award presented by DStv
Nadia Jaftha
SOL Best Content Creator Award
Lemii Loco
Thumb-Stopping Award
Nadia Jaftha
Emerging Kasi Content Creator Award
Ms Lanii
Kasi Content Creator Award
Nathan Molefe
Alter Ego Award
Coconut Kelz
Comedy Award
Nadia Jaftha
Cause Award
Siv Ngesi (Sanitary Pad Vending Machine)
Netwerk24 Smaakmaker
Qman & Borrie
How I Shot It Award
Donovan Goliath
Social Commentary Award
Slaying Goliath
Yasien Fredericks
Performance Award (Music/Dance)
Rudi Smit
Film/Festival/Event Art Award
Daniel Rheed
Pop Culture Art Award
Falko Fantastic
Best Brand-owned Platform presented by Meltwater
Savanna Virtual Comedy Bar
Best Game/App Award presented by INJOZI
Savanna Cider Launches Gugu
Best Influencer Campaign Award
My Kreepy Teacher (Retroviral)
Fitness Award
Zinhle Masango
Beauty Award
Phaello Tshabalala
Fashion & Style Award
Kim Jayde
Foodie Award
Lorna Maseko
Automotive Award
Muzi Sambo Everything Cars
Best Reaction Video presented by DStv
Nonto Rubushe
All the winners received a bespoke trophy designed and created by talented Durban artist That Damn Vandal (@thatdamnvandal), which represents the uniqueness of each creator and their content.