South Africa on Netflix

Updated November 2024

Natasha Thahane as Wendy Dlamini in Blood & Water.

Netflix, the world's largest streaming service, began its foray into producing African originals in South Africa. Since the 2018 announcement of inaugural African original Queen Sono, the streaming giant has continued to expand its catalogue of South African content over the past few years.

The content features amazing views of the stunning country, high production quality and auspicious on-screen talent. While being entertaining and well made, the picks below have the added bonus of possessing strong female leads.


Blood & Water

This series follows a courageous teen named Puleng Khumalo who goes to great lengths to uncover the truth behind her older sister's kidnapping. Her family has grappled with the trauma of losing a daughter over the course of seventeen years. Puleng, a quick-witted and determined young lady, stumbles upon a promising new lead when her bestie Zama invites her to a rich kids' party. The show premiered in May 2020 to rave reviews.

To be honest, I initially gave up on the show after watching it for five minutes. Following the quick-running subtitles and the slow start proved difficult for me; additionally, the fact that it was a teen drama often compared to Gossip Girl dissuaded me from continuing. However, after seeing the critical acclaim I gave it another chance and I am thrilled that I did. It has since become one of my favorite series. With the show set in Cape Town, the cinematography provides plentiful views of the breathtaking coastal city.

The second season superseded the first in terms of entertainment value as the plot continued to thicken and new characters were introduced and developed. The third season was exceptionally evocative, unrelenting in its exposition of the horrific human trafficking industry.

Seasons one through four are available to stream.


How to Ruin Christmas

This riotous comedy follows a complicated and bold woman named Tumi Sello. The headstrong lead finds it difficult to coexist with her family during obligatory Christmas get-togethers. A hard-to-love protagonist, Tumi seems to do nothing but cause strife for those around her, namely her sister Beauty, but she owns her choices and forges ahead as her authentic self.

I would not render Tumi a troublemaker but instead one who exposes others' truths. While Tumi's loved ones are unhappy with her consistent habit of making self-serving decisions, she isn't the villain but instead a scapegoat. Tumi's dedication to doing what pleases her as opposed to what pleases others is actually admirable; she operates with her nontraditional values which essentially makes her a badass. The family dynamics and facades presented by the characters prove funny and heartwarming. It's an easy watch.

Following the untimely passing of lead actress, Busisiwe “Busi” Lurayi, in July 2022, the third season was produced with Thando Thabethe starring in the role of Beauty. Rest In Peace, Busi Lurayi.

Three seasons are currently available to stream.


Happiness Ever After

This sequel to Happiness is a Four-Letter Word follows three successful and glamorous women in Johannesburg who are navigating love and life.

Zaza, who is also the narrator, is handling family business following the passing of her husband. She opens the movie by posing the question, “Is happily ever after real? Or just a ruse?” Meanwhile, Princess is adjusting to tricky family dynamics with her new fiancé, toddler-aged daughter and the previously-absent father of her child who suddenly weaves his way back into the picture. Newcomer Zimkhitha (a.k.a Zim) is finding her way in a new city, embarking on a situationship while trying to get over her last heartbreak and manage her own business. The main arc is the sisterhood and friendship shared by the women who support and advise each other through their ups and downs.

The main characters’ lavish lifestyles are very much aspirational, which I find to be hard to find outside of Black reality shows. I think it's important to display all classes of Black people on-screen. Following suit from the first film, the ladies are usually filling their free time by bonding at the spa, doing yoga in beautiful settings, shopping, and having fabulous dinner parties. The houses are stunning and the fashions are sublime, particularly those of Princess.

The movie has a slow start but as it progresses it becomes more entertaining.

While this film is on Netflix, the prequel is available to stream on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video.


Queen Sono

In this eponymous crime drama, intrepid spy Queen Sono is determined to avenge the death of her mother. The series follows her as she fearlessly embarks on missions across Africa while trying to spend time with her grandmother and unearth information regarding her mother's murder. Namely, we see Queen work to infiltrate a new political regime headed by foreigners and her ex, Shandu. Queen maintains a tough exterior but grapples with the mental and emotional trauma of losing her mother.

Seeing a Black woman in a high-stakes action role was a welcome surprise for me. I loved seeing Pearl Thusi, who plays Queen, kicking butt and taking names; however, it was also nice to see her character well-rounded in the sense that we see Queen contend with her mental health and vulnerability, as opposed to just being a strong woman all the time.

The special gem about this series is that it shows various parts of the continent and ensures that immigrants are shown and seen. South Africa is a hub for many Africans, holding the largest number of immigrants on the continent according to MigrationPolicy.org. The country also has a highlighted problem with xenophobic violence that is directed at other Africans.

A second season of Queen Sono was initially confirmed but the renewal was reversed in late 2020; according to Channel24 Netflix cited production challenges brought on by the pandemic as the reason for the cancellation. The first season is available to stream.


Have you streamed any of these titles? Which South African titles on Netflix are your favorite?