THE KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Mr Sihle Zikalala presented Dr Mikhail Peppas with the 2017 Simon ‘Mabhunu’ Sabela Lifetime Achievement Award at The Playhouse on Saturday, 15 July during the Durban International Film Festival.
Simon ‘Mabhunu’ Sabela Film and Television Awards is an initiative of the Economic Development Tourism and Environmental Affairs (EDTEA), which is supported by the KwaZulu-Natal Film Commission and is endorsed by the Sabela Family.
The Awards have since 2013 celebrated heroes, legends and veterans who have made a mark in the film and television industry.
A film school called The Free Film School and a community TV station, Greater Durban Television (GDTV), originated by Dr Peppas, were recognised at the ceremony.
Dr Peppas is also currently working on a book project, The History of the Moving Image in KwaZulu-Natal. The first volume focuses on the pioneering days of cinema in Natal and film-going as a social phenomenon. Topics covered range from filming on the Boer War battlefields to the opening of the first dedicated cinema in Africa, The Electric Theatre, in 1909.
Simon Mabhunu Sabela was a legend in both the small and big screen. He was a revered actor, director and producer with a career spanning over four decades, resulting in over 34 movies locally and internationally.
