The Wild up for seven Saftas

M-Net's The Wild might be lagging far behind in the ratings but the soapie has garnered seven nominations in the SA Film and Television Awards.

The Wild, which premiered on April 4, gained one less nomination than e.tv's Scandal! and Rhythm City, but four more than the biggest soapie, Generations.

e.tv's soaps may be no match - in terms of ratings - for the public broadcaster's but appear to be held in high esteem in the industry.

Between them, The Wild, Scandal! and Rhythm City received 23 Safta nominations, compared with the nine of Generations, Isidingo and Muvhango.

The nominees list opens up the debate about quality versus quantity - whereas Generations commands well over 6million viewers, Isidingo just under 1.4million and Muvhango more than 3.5million, Scandal! has just over 2.5million, Rhythm City fewer than 3.3million and The Wild fewer than 100000 viewers.

7de Laan, the SABC2 soapie that celebrates 12 years on air in April, declined to enter for the sixth Saftas.

Colin Howard, line manager for 7de Laan, said yesterday: "We were unaware that it was the National Film and Video Foundation's policy to exclude productions if they elected not to submit entries in the performance categories."

Howard said the soapie had not submitted individuals for consideration because "no single episode could effectively showcase the work of any single cast member".

The foundation, which runs the Saftas, stipulated that performance awards would be judged from a maximum of three episodes, much to the annoyance of 7de Laan producer Danie Odendaal Productions.

Howard said: "We're not boycotting the awards but, given our reservations about the selection process, we felt it would be inadvisable to single out individuals from our strong cast for consideration."

The foundation was finalising a media statement yesterday.

THE NOMINEES

• Best TV drama series: Zone 14, Intersexions, Sokhulu & Partners
• Best actor in a TV drama series: Thato Moraka, Katleho Ramapakela, Siyabonga Radebe (all Intersexions)
• Best actress in a TV drama series: Lindiwe Ntuli (Fallen), Lungelo Dladla (Intersexions), Linda Sokhulu (Sokhulu & Partners)
• Best TV soap: The Wild, Generations, Rhythm City, Scandal!, Isidingo, Muvhango
• Best actor in a TV soap: Mduduze Mabaso (Rhythm City), Tumisho Masha (The Wild), Shona Ferguson (Scandal!), Clint Brink (Scandal!)
• Best actress in a TV soap: Karin van der Laag (Isidingo), Michelle Botes (Isidingo), Lele Ledwaba (The Wild), Louise Barnes (Scandal!)
• Best talkshow: My Top 10: My Life in Music, Redi on Mzansi, Tonight with Trevor Noah
• Best magazine programme: Carte Blanche, All Access, Pasella, Headline
• Best TV comedy: Gauteng Maboneng, Stokvel, Ga Re Dumele
• Best feature film: Skoonheid, Black Butterflies, Roeman