The Polygamist leads 2026 National Film & TV Awards nominations

Netflix’s South African drama The Polygamist leads the 2026 National Film & TV Awards South Africa nominations, with nominations across acting, production and series categories.

The fourth annual awards ceremony will take place at the Theatre of Marcellus at Emperors Palace in Johannesburg on 19 November. Public voting opened on 19 October and closes at noon on 17 November, on the official National Film & TV Awards South Africa website.

The nominations

The Polygamist is nominated for Best Scripted TV Series and Best TV Drama Series.

Gugu Gumede, who plays Joyce Gomora, is nominated for Best Actress in a TV Series and Outstanding Performance. S’thandiwe Kgoroge and Kwanele Mthethwa join her in the Best Actress category, while S’dumo Mtshali is in contention for Best Actor in a TV Series for his performance as Jonasi Gomora.

Kenneth Nkosi and Wonder Ndlovu are nominated for Best Supporting Actor in a TV Series. Luyanda Zwane and Lwazie Keith Tsebesha are nominated for Best Supporting Actress in a TV Series.

Executive producers Gugu Zuma-Ncube, Thuli Zuma and Pepsi Pokane are nominated for Best Producer, while Akin Omotoso, Rolie Nikiwe and Nthabi Tau are in the Best Director race. Stained Glass Productions is also nominated for Best Production Company.

The Netflix run

The 22-episode series premiered on Netflix on 12 June. Netflix reported in August that The Polygamist had accumulated 27.6 million views, reached number one in 21 countries and entered the Top 10 in 62 countries.

It also spent seven consecutive weeks on Netflix’s Global Top 10 list for non-English shows, the longest run achieved by a South African title at that point.

Adapted from Zimbabwean author Sue Nyathi’s 2012 novel, the series follows the collapse of the public image around businessman Jonasi Gomora and his wife, Joyce. Netflix said sales of Nyathi’s novel tripled after the television adaptation arrived. The production employed about 150 cast and crew members, more than 70 extras and daily hires, and over 45 local vendors during filming in South Africa.

The rest of the field

Television nominees include Blood Legacy, Critical But Stable, Mpondoland, The Four of Us, Inimba, Levels and Kwa Baba. The film categories include Laundry (Uhlanjululo), 180, Dear Sis Dolly, The Trek, Masinga: The Calling, Black Burns Fast and Love and Wine.

Winners will be announced at Emperors Palace on 19 November.