South African Indian-origin comic wins Nickelodeon award

South African comedian Preven Reddy has been adjudged this year's African Social Star in the international category of the Nickelodeon Kids Choice Awards, becoming the only Indian-origin winner in the contest.

Nickelodeon is a US-based pay television network, launched in 1977 as the first cable channel for children, now broadcasting globally.

Reddy, who is a social media hit with his comic short videos as 'Aunty Shamilla', shared the news on social media on May 5.

"I have been crying happy tears all morning. We actually did it. Thank you so much to every single person who voted for me continuously. I am genuinely at a loss for words, this is so, so surreal. Thank you for believing in me South Africa," Reddy wrote on his Facebook page.

In his videos, Reddy adopts a localised South African Indian accent unique to the greater Durban region, home to almost half of the country's 1.4 million Indians.

The accent, though derided by many as being offensive when imitated, remains hugely popular