Fix the DTIC Film & TV Incentive - Largest national protest march planned

As the crisis caused by the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) Film and TV Incentive deepens, the South African film and TV industry is preparing for its biggest national march on 28 January.

26 Jan 2026

As the crisis caused by the DTIC Film and TV Incentive deepens, the South African film and TV industry is preparing for its biggest national march on 28 January. Pictured: The industry's first protest on 18 December 2025 (Image source: © The Call Sheet The Call Sheet

Taking place in Cape Town and Pretoria, thousands of workers are expected to demonstrate under the banner Save SA film jobs.

Organisers confirm the January demonstrations will be significantly bigger than the February 2025 protest, with wider national participation and unprecedented unity across the entire industry.

Nearly a year after the first protest, adjudication meetings have still not resumed, approvals remain stalled for almost two years, and productions continue to collapse — pushing the sector to the brink.

Hundreds of millions of rands in foreign direct investment (FDI) remain stuck due to the department's mismanagement.

“The scale of this march reflects the scale of the crisis,” says the Save SA Film Jobs Coalition.

“This is an industry fighting for survival after months of inaction and silence from the DTIC.”

Unprecedented unity

For the first time, producers, actors, writers, directors, animators, crew, post-production professionals, agents, managers and service businesses will march together in a coordinated national action.

“We are appealing to all citizens to join the demonstrations to protect the ability for South Africans to tell and watch their own stories,” says the Coalition.

The demonstrations are organised by a growing coalition including Animation SA (ASA), The South African Guild of Actors (SAGA), Independent Producers Organization (IPO), South African Guild of Editors (SAGE), Personal Managers Association (PMA), Independent Directors Association Africa (IDAA), South African Performing Artists Managers Association (SAPAMA), Writers Guild of South Africa (WGSA) and the South African Screen Federation (SASFED), representing thousands of workers across the value chain.

Participation has expanded significantly since February 2025, with confirmed mobilisation from Gauteng, the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and other production hubs.

Where is the DTIC?

"...the question is where is the DTIC in this time of crisis ? ” the Coalition asks.

“We will not be ignored; the industry will speak with one voice.”

Urgent intervention

Despite repeated engagements with the DTIC, there has been no meaningful progress on fixing the incentive system.

The continued paralysis is driving job losses inside and outside of the sector, business closures, and the flight of international productions to competitor countries.

The coalition warns that without urgent intervention, one of South Africa’s most important creative and export industries faces deindustrialisation and the reversal of transformation.