Netflix Celebrates A Decade in South Africa: Celebrating Local Storytelling

This year marks 10 years since Netflix landed on our screens and changed the relationship we have with our screens, forever. As a result, it has completely transformed the South African film space in its entirety, ultimately making Netflix the number one investment destination.

Appreciating where we come from and looking forward to where we are going, the streaming giant 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.

“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

Most recently, Umthetho has been added to this list, and these titles 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 South African Stories That Went Global

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.

Expanding its investment in local storytelling and production, Netflix’s continued work with South African creators, talent and production partners across commissions, acquisitions and licensing. The titles offer a forward look at the stories and creative relationships shaping Netflix’s journey in South Africa.

What’s Coming to Netflix South Africa

Film Sequels and Returning Series

Fans can look forward to returning seasons and sequels of their favourite films and series, including:

• Blood Legacy Season 2 (launching 25 September)
• Seriously Single Too (launching later in 2026)
• Another Disaster Holiday (launching later in 2026)

Netflix also confirmed the series Tuiskoms Season 2 and Marked Season 2, and the film Meet the Khumalos 2 are all currently in different stages of production.

New Series

The much-loved How To Ruin franchise is expanding with another irreverent take on family, love and culture with a new cultural spin-off, How to Ruin Diwali: Meet The Parents. Launching 30 October from Burnt Onion Productions in collaboration with producer Jayan Moodley (The Kandasamys), you can expect the wholesome laughs we have come to appreciate from the franchise.

Drawing on the same rich tradition of Moodley’s South African Indian family-centred comedy seen in titles such as The Kandasamys, the story follows an interracial couple whose engagement brings two very different families and cultures together, setting the stage for plenty of humour, misunderstandings and family drama.

New Shows with New Production Partners

Netflix also announced deal partnerships with more local production companies on upcoming projects. As South Africans, we love our reality shows. To satisfy our reality TV craving, Netflix is bringing more of their favourite genre.

Netflix revealed the celebrated and loved power couple Dineo and Zothile ‘Solo Ntsizwa’ Langa as the hosts of the highly anticipated Love is Blind: South Africa, produced by afrOkaans, slated for release later this year. Another exciting title to look forward to later this year is the wedding docu-soap, Stars & Vows: Anele and Buzza from Dopezuluboi Productions, which will launch on the service later this year, while BrightFire Productions is working on a brand-new dating reality show.

Netflix South Africa Enters Its Second Decade

As Netflix enters its second decade in the country, the focus remains on deepening creative partnerships and bringing audiences more local worlds to discover with more local production companies like The Bomb Shelter Film Productions on a new scripted series alongside a multi-title partnership with Tshedza Pictures across four scripted series.

And Netflix, contrary to popular belief, we are still watching – always.