South Africa's Premier Sports Awards Return with 19 Categories; McKenzie Unveils Full Nomi
Shortlists announced for 19-category awards recognizing athletes, administrators, and volunteers across South African sport.
The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has confirmed the full nominee list for the 19th South African Sport Awards, bringing back one of the country’s most prominent recognition events after a gap in the calendar. Minister Gayton McKenzie announced the shortlists across 19 categories, covering everything from elite individual performance to the administrative and volunteer work that keeps South African sport functioning.
The ceremony is set for Sunday, August 23rd, 2026, at Sun City Superbowl in the North West Province. Running under the theme “Crowned By Greatness,” the event will recognise performances recorded between January 1st and December 31st, 2025. The Sport Star of the Year Award remains the evening’s headline honour.
Three names headline that top category: Temba Bavuma (cricket), Akani Simbine (athletics), and Malcolm Marx (rugby). Each represents a different discipline, and the competition between them will likely define the night’s narrative.
The Sportsman of the Year shortlist features Christiaan Maas in golf, Pieter Coetzee in swimming, and Kevin Lerena in boxing. Sportswoman of the Year nominees are Laura Wolvaardt (cricket), Kira Bester (canoeing), and Prudence Sekgodiso (athletics), with Sekgodiso also appearing in the Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year category alongside Siseko Teyisi (boxing) and Bayanda Walaza (athletics).
Recognition for athletes competing with disabilities runs across two dedicated categories. Kgothatso Montjane (tennis), Sheryl James (athletics), and Simoné Kruger (athletics) are nominated for Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability. Christian Sadie (swimming), Mpumelelo Mhlongo (athletics), and Puseletso Michael Mabote (para athletics 400m T63) make up the men’s equivalent shortlist.
Meanwhile, the awards structure deliberately extends beyond individual performance. The Sport Administrator of the Year nominees are Jonathan Leaf-Wright of Central Gauteng Lions, Sonja Schultz in cycling, and Anthony Moruthane in tennis. Volunteers are recognised separately: Moenyane Dementia Modikwe (roller sport), Nqobile Kunene (rural horse racing), and Puleng Moeketsane (mini-cricket) are shortlisted for Sport Volunteer of the Year, a category that acknowledges the unpaid labour underpinning grassroots competition.
Technical officials receive their own platform. Ernesta Strydom (para-sport), Abongile Tom (football), and Aimee Barrett-Theron (rugby) are nominated for Technical Official of the Year. Coach of the Year nominees are Rocco Meiring (swimming), Shukri Conrad (cricket), and Thabo Matebedi (athletics). At federation level, Golf RSA, Tennis South Africa, and Cricket South Africa compete for National Federation of the Year.
Collective achievement is covered through the Sport Team of the Year category, where the Golf RSA Eisenhower Team, Protea Men’s Test Cricket, and the 4x400 Men’s Relay Team are in contention. The Youth/Junior Sport Team of the Year shortlist includes the Men’s Under 20 Rugby Team, SA Under 19 Tug-of-War Team, and the Proteas Women T20 Cricket team (U19).
The awards also turn the lens on those who document sport. Sport Visual Journalist of the Year nominees are Hlobisile Khumalo (photographer and videographer), Alché Greeff (photographer), and Skhu Nkomphela (sport photographer). Sports Media Journalist of the Year nominees are Palesa Manaleng, Rachel Makhura (broadcasting), and Vuyo Macoba.
Rounding out the categories, the Recreation Body of the Year shortlist features Khokho Association South Africa, Swartland Community Sport Centre, and Durban Africa Sports Club, three organisations operating at community level where access to sport is often most contested.
The full nominee details are available at https://www.bona.co.za/sports/gayton-mckenzie-announces-2026-south-african-sport-awards-nominees/
With Sun City Superbowl booked and the shortlists confirmed, the question now is whether the August date holds firm and whether the breadth of the 19-category framework, ambitious by any measure, translates into a ceremony that genuinely reflects the full depth of South African sport rather than defaulting to its most visible names.
Q&A
When and where is the 19th South African Sport Awards ceremony scheduled to take place?
The ceremony is set for Sunday, August 23, 2026, at Sun City Superbowl in the North West Province.
What is the Sport Star of the Year shortlist?
The three nominees are Temba Bavuma (cricket), Akani Simbine (athletics), and Malcolm Marx (rugby).
Which categories recognize non-athlete contributors to South African sport?
Sport Administrator of the Year, Sport Volunteer of the Year, Technical Official of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Federation of the Year, Sport Visual Journalist of the Year, and Sports Media Journalist of the Year.
What performance period is eligible for the 2026 awards?
Performances recorded between January 1 and December 31, 2025 are eligible for consideration.