Today, Netflix announced an expansive slate of local series and films to celebrate a decade of showcasing South African stories that supported more than 8,000 jobs through partnerships with over 30 local production companies. The slate was unveiled at a press showcase in Rosebank, Johannesburg, where Netflix executives, filmmakers and on-screen talent gathered to mark 10 years since the service’s 2016 launch in South Africa with a preview of the next wave of South African stories heading to screens worldwide.
“Ten years ago, we set out to share South African stories and voices with the world and today, we are proud to strengthen our partnership with the local creative industry and continue creating exciting stories that will entertain our members in South Africa and around the world,” said Ben Amadasun, VP of Content for Netflix Middle East and Africa. “Our slate ahead keeps that ambition alive with the addition of established names alongside bold new production partners across genres from unscripted to thrillers, family dramas and comedy.”
Since Netflix’s 2016 debut in South Africa, groundbreaking local productions such as Blood and Water, Young, Famous & African, Unseen, Silverton Siege, Fatal Seduction, Disaster Holiday, How to Ruin Christmas, Beauty and the Bester, Marked, Kings of Joburg, Blood Legacy, The Polygamist and most recently, Umthetho, have spotlighted homegrown creative excellence and expertise of local cast and crews. These stories, captured across 20 cities in eight provinces, have not only celebrated the country’s rich cultural heritage but also redefined the global reach of African storytelling.
The global appetite for South African stories is evident with over 300 local titles becoming available on the service in the past decade, while several local stories gained a spot on the Netflix Top 10 lists. Recent successes include the Johannesburg-filmed smash hit The Polygamist, which generated over 24 million views in its first weeks, reaching the Top 10 in 62 countries, and ranking #1 in over 21 countries. Based on the 2012 book of the same name by Zimbabwean author Sue Nyathi, the series extended its impact beyond the screen, with Nyathi’s book sales tripling following The Polygamist’s Netflix debut, over a decade after the book was first published.