The Future is Streaming Now
As the Mail & Guardian unveils the 2025 edition of its iconic 200 Young South Africans list, with Netflix returning
to support the Film and Media category, the spotlight intensifies on a generation boldly redefining what's possible, united by a powerful shared mission of championing diverse voices and elevating the stories shaping South Africa's future.
With South Africa witnessing the rise of a bold new wave of filmmakers, producers, writers, and creators, streaming entertainment platforms like Netflix have built a great footing for the expansion and recognition of local stories. Institutional support for the next generation of creative talent is growing, and each year, Netflix continues to invest meaningfully. International players too are no longer just watching from the sidelines and are actively backing a new era of storytelling, one where local narratives command global attention.
In South Africa, this can be seen on screen and behind the scenes on Netflix titles putting young creatives front and centre. Shows and films such as Blood and Water with a young cast including Ama Qamatha, Kgosi Ngema and Dillan Windvogel, Jiva! Created and written by Busisiwe Ntintili and starring Nxolo Dlamini, Miseducation created and produced by the Ramaphakela siblings from Burnt Onion Productions and Go! Starring breakout young star Thandolwethu Zondi.
At the heart of the Mail & Guardian 200 Young South African Awards is the importance of representation, both in front of and behind the camera. Youth reflected in stories that are diverse, and dignified is powerful. For a generation that has often been overlooked or stereotyped, representation means possibility. It means legacy and belonging.
Netflix has, in recent years, launched talent skill development and capacity building initiatives in the film & TV industry, including post-production and writing workshops, skills accelerators, on the job training and scholarships for aspiring creatives as part of their ongoing skills development work and the global Netflix Fund for Creative Equity. For many M&G 200 YSA alumni in the creative space, this support translates into something more than inspiration, it becomes opportunity.
For South Africa's youth, inclusivity is the difference between dreaming with clarity and stumbling in the dark. It's seeing yourself, hearing your language, and recognizing your township, on screen, in headlines, in the boardroom, and on stage. That's what makes the M&G 200 YSA and Netflix so important. They not only validate the dreams of young South Africans but celebrate and document their progress. Netflix's involvement amplifies that impact, giving this cohort not just recognition, but also a potential bridge to bigger stages.
Beyond Entertainment: Building Legacy This year's ceremony will bear witness to brilliance, as the 2025 class of honourees steps forward and embodies the collective promise of a generation determined to leave the world better than they found it. While the spotlight on the Film and Television category celebrates the creative force of young storytellers, other categories such as Business and Entrepreneurship, Science and Technology, Civil Society, Health, Arts and Culture, and Climate Justice will showcase changemakers driving transformation in boardrooms, labs, classrooms, courtrooms, and communities. Whether innovating in fintech, disrupting agriculture, advancing gender equity, or fighting for environmental justice, each award will be presented to those rooted in equity, and impact.
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Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
Campbell Meas is done waiting
Done waiting: Campbell Meas, winner of this year's National Playwright Competition at the National Arts Festival. Photo: Boipelo Khunou Campbell Meas was standing outside her mom's salon with a towel around her head and water dripping down her face when she learnt she had won this year's National Playwright Competition at the National Arts Festival. 'I looked like a crazy person outside a shopping mall crying in a towel,' says Meas as she recounts the moment she told her parents. Meas wears many hats — actor, writer, director, acting teacher — and she's recently added playwright to her resume after debuting her first play at this year's National Arts Festival which is on in Makhanda until 6 July. While winning came as a surprise, it was never her goal. 'The point wasn't to get accepted or win or anything like that. I didn't enter this with the hopes of winning. 'And, not to downplay any of that, my focus was I've already won because I got to write a play and I got to choose myself. So, everything after this has been an absolute bonus, including winning. 'The point was just to put myself out there, and to get used to continually putting myself out there, because I think there comes a point in every creative's life and journey where we stop choosing ourselves and we kind of just wait for opportunities to come to us or we wait for people to hire us. 'And so if that's not happening, we're just sitting around and waiting. And then, for some reason, we forget this work was for us and an outlet for us first. And I think that's very true as an actor and a director.' As this year's National Playwright Competition winner, Meas had her play Vakavigwa staged at the festival. She started writing the script in 2016 with Christine van Hees and Mathabo Tlali, who also performed in it. She partnered with a writing mentor, Refiloe Lapere, who helped hone the play's focus on central themes. It addresses community, immigration and capitalism, while exploring the complexities of identity. ''Vakavigwa' is Shona for 'they were buried' or 'burials'. And that's essentially what the play kind of deals with. It deals with the death of Tinashe Musivera, a Zimbabwean student on South African land. It's not just any South African land. It's a community's ancestral land that is being sold to a construction [firm]. 'And so her death kind of puts a stop to the community holding on to their land, but it also puts a stop to this capitalist rebuilding of the site. I try to look at how those three things come together. 'You know, community, ancestral history, being an immigrant or foreigner or a migrant and your claim to land and identity and accessibility. But also this idea of capitalism and corporateness and forward construction in South Africa and the necessity of that as well for communities.' Meas was inspired in part by her maternal Zimbabwean heritage. 'My mom is from Zimbabwe and has really raised us to not forget that and to seek that community out wherever we can. And so, in this starting again of Campbell, I was going, 'Well, what other parts of Campbell have I forgotten about? 'Oh yeah, being Zimbabwean. And it became important for me to also tell that story. Not because I was trying to be the voice of anyone, or any community, but because I started noticing a very interesting rhetoric in the way South Africans would speak about other communities. 'When, I say other communities, I mean other nationalities, sexual identities, and religions. It's just we have a very interesting way as South Africans of having a very core identity and then anyone outside of that, we really struggle to integrate with. And so Tinashe kind of became this.' One could say Meas' success was inevitable — she inherited the 'acting and writing gene' from her father Zane Meas, a veteran South African actor known for his role as Neville Meintjies in 7de Laan. 'I've been lucky enough to grow up in the arts industry because of my dad. My dad is an actor and so I've watched his career blossom and have hills and valleys, and because of that, I've been exposed to lots of different spaces in the arts and that's kind of where my love for the arts, theatre and storytelling began.' But growing up around the industry didn't mean her path would be paved in gold. After graduating, Meas struggled to find her footing. 'I managed to study at Wits for four years, which was a lovely experience. I made so many good friends there. And a lot of the working relationships I have now started at Wits. 'And then afterwards you kind of just continue the hustle. And I use the word 'hustle' not in a happy way. 'I left Wits thinking I knew the industry because of my dad and then thinking I knew the industry because of four years of studying theatre. 'But then I got into the industry and it was a hustle. It was a hard thing to get into, to make connections, to find consistent work, build relationships and to build yourself and to build your skill set.' They were buried: Scenes from Campbell Meas's play, Vakavigwa (above left and right), which looks at the themes of community, immigration, capitalism and the complexity of identity. Photos: Mark Wessels/National Arts Festival She majored in performance and directing so writing wasn't something Meas initially saw for herself — but it became the outlet that allowed her to rediscover joy. 'By the age of 30, I was really burnt out. I was so tired. I was falling out of love with this thing. It felt like I was giving away parts of myself to make other people's visions come true. It felt like I was giving away parts of myself just to make money. 'It didn't make sense for me anymore to be a creative in the South African creative industrial complex. 'I took a step back from teaching, from directing, from acting, even from writing. Writing was never something I saw for myself. When I took a step back, I started journalling. It was like, 'I'm sad. I don't know what I'm doing with my life. I'm a failure.' 'And so writing became a way of meeting myself. And then, weirdly enough, all of the opportunities that I started seeing coming up in the arts space were about writing. 'Again, because I didn't feel 100% confident in it, because it wasn't the main thing that I was doing, I was going, 'Cool, this is a great way to fail. And this is a great way to fail on my own terms, because I know I'm not this thing.'' Meas approached Vakavigwa with 'live cinema' — a term she admits doesn't quite capture what she and her team were doing. 'Essentially, live cinema is a style of theatre pioneered by a female director called Katie Mitchell from the UK. So, you are recording, you are filming a live theatrical performance, and then projecting it back on screens for an audience to watch. 'After watching Small Islands in like 2020-2021, I managed to buy the play and I was reading the play and I saw in the stage directions and in the writing and even with Katie Mitchell's work the way that she writes her live cinema scripts is you've got to also write for the crew and for the team. So, you can't just be a storyteller like a novelist. A novelist is just telling one story. 'If you are a playwright, you are writing for the actors, you're writing for the set designer, you're writing for the director, you're writing for the producers, you're writing for so many people. Not that that should override what you are trying to do but it's just something to keep in mind that you are creating the blueprint or the map for multiple planes of your story to exist. If you don't write it, you are leaving it up to someone else to create.' Putting the play together came with numerous challenges, including technical issues with the live feed. Meas had to remind herself what truly matters. 'You've just got to choose over and over again to say, 'It's not about the outcome. It's about who I'm becoming in this process. And who I'm becoming is someone who is going to keep trying, who is going to keep being curious, who is going to keep saying 'yes'.'' Having wrapped up the show, Meas shared a valuable lesson. 'Assemble a team that you trust because this was a very big project and I cried at the beginning of this process because I thought I had to carry it alone. I thought that everyone was looking to me for answers and I thought I had to be everything for everyone. 'And so the biggest lesson was to assemble a team you can trust because then you can give things away. You don't have to carry six performances from six actors. You can give those away to them.'
Mail & Guardian
an hour ago
- Mail & Guardian
DJ Doowap is lighting up global dance floors with bacardi music
Putting an SA spin on it: DJ Doowap, who is on tour in Europe, has spent a decade taking her distinctive bacardi sound, with its loops, raw percussion and unpredictable tempo changes, to the world. I remember the first time I saw Khetsiwe Morgan, known to the world as DJ Doowap, spin her magic. It was at one of Lady Skollie's art exhibitions, the kind of event where suits and silk dresses hold tightly to their wine glasses and social postures. But when Doowap touched the decks, something shifted. She summoned energy. The tight, reserved crowd softened, hips loosened, and next thing you knew, a full-blown groove had erupted in the gallery. I was struck, not only by her technical skill and musical range but by her joy. She was smiling the whole time, completely immersed in her own world, pulling everyone in with her. Little did I know that I was arriving late to the party. DJ Doowap had already spent nearly a decade touring the world, captivating audiences from Johannesburg to New York. Her unique blend of sound, deeply rooted in the township-born bacardi genre, has put her at the forefront of a sonic revolution. In 2023, she was recognised as one of the Mail & Guardian's Top 200 Young South Africans in the Arts and Entertainment category, a recognition that felt both celebratory and overdue. Right now, Doowap is on a European tour, taking the vibrational pulse of Pretoria, specifically the infectious energy of bacardi music, and sharing it with crowds in Paris and across Germany. She's not simply performing; she's exporting culture, delivering the sound of the streets to international stages where the beat of Mzansi is becoming the rhythm of the world. Her latest single Seroba Ke Seh is a love letter to bacardi's origins. The title itself, lifted from Pretoria slang, signals a commitment to authenticity, even as she travels the globe. Doowap worked with bacardi veterans Enny Man Da Guitar and rising star from Hammanskraal to capture that unmistakable township pulse. 'It was important to me that we honour the roots,' she says. 'I'm not trying to westernise bacardi or clean it up for international ears. I want them to feel the real thing — our thing.' Bacardi, for those who know, is unfiltered. Its hypnotic loops, raw percussion and unpredictable tempo changes speak a language all their own. It's dance music that feels lived-in. 'I've always been obsessed with bacardi,' she says. 'Even when other genres were getting the spotlight, it was bacardi that made my heart beat faster. It's got that raw energy. You hear it and you have to move.' Her sets aren't just built for clubs; they're crafted for movement, expression and release. And that energy translates globally. At Berlin's Freak de L'Afrique street festival, Doowap played to a staggering 700 000 people. Let that number sink in — 700 000 bodies moving to Pretoria's street sound. 'It was the biggest crowd I've ever played for,' she recalls. 'And the moment I dropped the first track, I felt it, they got it. There's something so powerful about knowing that a sound from your hometown can make that kind of impact across the world.' Doowap is more than a DJ. She's a full-blown cultural architect. Her music, fashion and visual world are interconnected, constantly in conversation with each other. Whether it's an Adidas campaign or a Maybelline shoot, her look is always bold, always intentional. 'Fashion is my favourite form of self-expression,' she says. 'Everything I wear says what the music is already saying. It's unapologetic. It's future-facing. It's a little wild, but so am I.' For her, every outfit is a visual beat, every make-up look a chord. It's never just about looking good, it's about telling a story. 'When I partner with brands, I make sure they get the vision,' she insists. 'I need to know they're open to imagination, that they're not trying to box me in. Because that's the core of what I do — I don't fit in. I remix everything.' This fearless approach extends to her touring experience. She's discovered just how tapped in to South African culture global audiences are. 'The most surprising thing has been watching people in Paris or Berlin pulling bacardi moves on the dance floor like they've been doing them for years,' she says. 'It's wild. It shows just how powerful social media and cultural exchange have become.' She's not just bringing the music, she's bringing a full cultural moment. And she wears the title Bacardi Babe proudly. 'At first, I thought people were just saying it to be cute,' she says. 'But now, I wear it like a badge. Because this isn't just about me, it's about all of us who've been pushing this sound, carrying this culture, evolving it.' As someone who straddles multiple creative industries, I asked whether she sees music, fashion and beauty as separate expressions. Her response is immediate: 'It's all one continuous art form. It's the same energy, just different languages. I'm not choosing between them. I'm dancing through all of them.' And what does she hope her legacy will be, particularly as bacardi culture gains momentum abroad? 'I want young people, especially young women, to see me and think, 'I can do it my way too.' I want to show that you don't have to compromise to succeed. That your originality is your superpower. That there's space for all of us.' She then adds: 'And I want to open doors. Real ones. If what I'm doing sparks even the tiniest fire in someone back home, then that's my purpose.' Doowap's performances are joyful but they are also political. They're about permission, giving the audience permission to feel, to move, to release. 'Joy is resistance,' she says. 'When I perform, I want everyone to forget whatever's weighing them down. I want them to remember what it feels like to be free. 'That moment when we're all dancing together, that's church to me.' Looking forward, her plans are as layered and electric as she is. More music is on the way, including a short project expanding her bacardi-meets-pantsula sonic world. She's also dreaming of a fully immersive tour with pantsula dancers, lighting, fashion — the whole South African experience. 'I want to take that full energy to Asia, South America, North America,' she says. 'I want people everywhere to feel the electricity between bacardi and pantsula — it's next level.' And, true to form, she's also building something offstage. 'I'm working on launching my fashion brand,' she teases. 'It's going to be very me — bold, textured, street, but with that edge. I can't wait to share my mpahlas [clothes] with the world.' DJ Doowap isn't just spinning decks, she's spinning culture into a new orbit. From the corners of Pretoria to the stages of Europe, she is redefining what it means to be a South African creative in the 21st century. With every beat, every stitch, every performance, she's proving that local isn't just global, it's essential. And, as the world continues to tune in to the sound of the South, it's Doowap who is pressing play.
Mail & Guardian
2 hours ago
- Mail & Guardian
Diary: Comedy Jam at The Houghton Hotel in August, Vuma Levin returns with new album Allegories, Black Coffee at Hey Neighbour
Jozi jokes: Comedy Jam will be on at the Houghton Hotel on Friday 2 August. Comedy Jam – one night, five legends Johannesburg, South Africa — get ready for an explosive night of laughter as Comedy Jam hits the stage at The Houghton Hotel on Friday, 2 August. This one-night-only event assembles five titans of South African stand-up: Schalk Bezuidenhout, David Kau, Alan Committie, Mark Banks and Chris Forrest. From Bezuidenhout's quirky charm to Kau's fearless satire, Committie's theatrical brilliance, Banks' political punchlines and Forrest's deadpan gold — it's a comedy lover's dream. Set in the heart of Jozi, Comedy Jam is a celebration of the city's legacy as the home of boundary-breaking humour. Expect world-class stand-up, a full bar and food service and convenient underground parking — all in the luxurious surroundings of The Houghton. Seating is limited, so grab your tickets at Must-see moment in modern jazz with Vuma Levin Award-winning South African jazz guitarist Vuma Levin returns with Allegories, a genre-defying new album launching on 11 July. Developed through a Confluences Grant from ProHelvetia, and recorded in Switzerland's legendary Studio Flon, the project is a collaboration between Levin and top European musicians under the Swiss–South African ensemble In Motion. To launch the album, Levin is on a tour of Makhanda, Johannesburg and Cape Town this month, joined by renowned percussionist Gontse Makhene. Tickets are available from Webtickets, Fixr and Quicket. Black Coffee to perform at Pretoria music festival Caffeine rush: Black Coffee will be the main attraction on day two of the Hey Neighbour event. Get ready, neighbours — the next wave of the Hey Neighbour 2025 line-up has officially landed, and it's bringing serious heat, soul and unstoppable energy. Headlining this electric drop is global house music icon Black Coffee, returning to home soil with surprise guests in tow. From Ibiza to Coachella, he's set stages ablaze across the world and now he's coming to remind us why SA leads the global soundscape. Backing him up is a stacked day-two local lineup that hits all the right notes: Elaine's smooth R&B, Muzi's futuristic Zulu bounce, Khuli Chana's unmatched Motswako fire and Sun-EL Musician's transcendent Afro-electronic vibes. Add in deep house pioneers, amapiano angels and genre-pushing DJs, and you've got a soundtrack built for unforgettable memories. Happening 30 and 31 August at Legends Adventure Farm, Pretoria, this is more than a music festival — it's a movement.
