Local is lekker! Celebrate Heritage Day with these six movies

South Africans across the country will be celebrating Heritage Day on Saturday 24 September with braais, laughter, music and traditional outfits. For those who plan to spend the public holiday on the couch, we’ve compiled a list of five proudly South African movies to stream on your day off. 

Here are five movies to watch on Heritage Day this year. 

ALSO READ: Heritage Day: Why do South Africans call it a ‘braai’, rather than a BBQ?

SIX PROUDLY SA MOVIES TO WATCH ON HERITAGE DAY

1. ‘SILVERTON SIEGE’

Silverton Siege, released on 27 April, was Netflix’s first African action thriller movie. Directed by Mandla Dube, the film dramatises the 1980 hostage stand-off between Apartheid police and Umkhonto Wesizwe (MK) at a bank in Silverton, Pretoria. 

The movie features an incredible cast which includes Thabo Rametsi, Arnold Vosloo, Noxolo Dlamini, Stefan Erasmus, Tumisho Masha and Michelle Mosalakae. 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE 

2. ‘TSOTSI’

Directed by Gavin Hood, Tsotsi is one of South Africa’s most iconic movies. The film is based on Athol Fugard’s novel of the same name and follows Tsotsi (Presley Chweneyagae) who finds a baby at the back of a car he has hijacked. Over time, he develops a close relationship with the baby. 

The 2005 crime drama has an all-star cast including Terry Pheto, Kenneth Nkosi, Rapulana Seiphemo and Mothusi Magano. A year after its release, Tsotsi won the Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars. The film is available to stream on Netflix. 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE 

3. ‘VIR ALTYD’

Ivan Botha and DonnaLee Roberts lead Vir Altyd, a movie about reuniting with an old friend. Directed by Jaco Smit, this Afrikaans romantic comedy sees Hugo, a photographer return to his hometown 10 years later. He comes home to find that his childhood friend, Nina, is getting married. 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE 

4. ‘MATWETWE’

Matwetwe, directed by Kagiso Lediga, follows best friends, Lefa and Papi (Tebatso Mashishi and the late Sibusiso Khwinana) who have just finished high school. The two matriculants are hoping to secure the biggest deal of their lives but things do not go as planned. 

The film is set in Pretoria, Atteridgeville and was produced by Grammy-winning producer, Black Coffee. 

Matwetwe is available to stream on Showmax. 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE

5. ‘TRIPPIN WITH THE KANDASAMYS’

In hopes to rekindle their marriages, Shanthi (Maeshni Naicker) and Jennifer (Jailoshini) take a much needed vacation on Trippin with the Kandasamys. Things take a turn when a few uninvited guests show up. The film also stars Mishqah Parthiephal, Madhushan Singh and Mariam Bassa. 

WATCH THE TRAILER HERE