Shaka Ilembe’s Nomzamo Mbatha and Sheli Masondo shine at Septimius Awards in Amsterdam

Shaka Ilembe’s team members scooped awards earlier this week at the Septimius Awards 2024 ceremony.

The awards, held on 19 and 20 August at Tuschinski in Amsterdam, celebrate international films and projects, with a strong emphasis on diversity and storytelling.

Renowned actress Nomzamo Mbatha took home the Best African Actress award for her portrayal of the esteemed mother of Shaka Zulu in the series.

Lemogang Tsipa, who plays the young Shaka, was nominated for Best African Actor – recognised for his outstanding performance as Shaka before he became the king of the Zulu nation.

Sheli Masondo, the series’ costume designer, won the Best Costume Design award.

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‘I didn’t expect to win the award’ – Sheli Masondo

Masondo, who was present in Amsterdam to accept the award, expressed her gratitude for the recognition.

“It was an amazing feeling to be recognised on an international stage and to be in a category where other costume designers did magnificent work.

“I didn’t expect to win. I’m very grateful that we can tell our stories in our language with our authentic traditional outfits,” she said.

The highly acclaimed film stylist and costume designer revealed that in preparation for the series, she spent over a year researching the period of the 1700s and 1800s, visiting museums in KwaZulu-Natal, consulting historians, and sourcing inspiration from across the continent.

Her search led her to artisans who still craft traditional Zulu costumes, such as the Mbata, a Zulu chest guard handmade from animal skin, and worn exclusively by the Royal family.

“I visited KwaZulu-Natal museums, went through the archives, met with historians, and searched across the continent for inspiration, to ensure that I captured the look of the period accurately.

“I found a man who still makes the king’s costume – it takes up to three months to craft a headdress. He shaves the feathers he uses, shaping them so they flow differently from when a bird is flying. I transferred that knowledge to the show’s crafters,” she said.

‘A spiritual experience’

Masondo also shared that creating the costumes for Shaka Ilembe was a deeply spiritual experience for her.

“It was more than design. It was like stepping into my ancestors’ shoes, and I was blown away by how creative they were – using whatever surrounded them. There were no lace ribbons, fabric, sequins, or beads… they used the natural things around them.

“It was a spiritual moment for me. I was blessed to have support from people in KwaNdebele, KwaZulu-Natal, and Johannesburg… they could translate everything I envisioned, everything I had brought back from my research, into the Shaka Ilembe costumes.”

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