“Accolades for better deserved Sports giants”
South Africa’s sporting elite are preparing for one of the biggest nights on the national sporting calendar as the 19th Annual South African Sport Awards (SASA) takes centre stage on Sunday, 23 August 2026, at the iconic Sun City Superbowl in the North West Province.
Presented by the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, the 2026 edition carries the powerful theme “Crowned By Greatness”, celebrating athletes, teams, coaches, administrators, officials, journalists and other contributors whose achievements helped shape South African sport during 2025.
The awards feature 19 categories, culminating in the prestigious Sport Star of the Year award. The official awards programme recognises excellence across professional sport, youth development, disability sport, administration, journalism, technical officiating and grassroots recreation.
A Night at Sun City Superbowl
The ceremony will once again take place at Sun City Superbowl, a venue that has become synonymous with major South African sporting celebrations. The 18th edition was also staged at the venue in August 2025, where the country’s sporting heroes were celebrated in a gala environment.
The 2026 ceremony follows the Nominees Dinner on Saturday, 22 August, before the main awards ceremony on Sunday evening. According to the official SA Sport Awards programme, the announcement of nominees took place between 10 and 14 August 2026.
Hosts to Lead the Celebration
Adding star power to the evening, television and entertainment personalities Lerato Kganyago and Graeme Richards are set to host the 19th Annual South African Sport Awards.
The hosting pairing brings together entertainment, broadcasting and sports presentation experience, setting the stage for a ceremony designed to celebrate sporting excellence while delivering the glamour and energy expected from one of the country’s premier awards occasions.
The Nominees
The 2026 nominees represent a broad spectrum of South African sporting achievement.
Sport Administrator of the Year
- Jonathan (Jono) Leaf-Wright — Central Gauteng Lions
- Sonja Schultz — Cycling
- Anthony Moruthane — Tennis
Recreation Body of the Year
- Khokho Association South Africa
- Swartland Community Sport Centre
- Durban Africa Sports Club
Sport Volunteer of the Year
- Moenyane Dementia Modikwe — Roller Sport
- Nqobile Kunene — Rural Horse Racing
- Puleng Moeketsane — Mini-Cricket
Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year
- Prudence Sekgodiso — Athletics
- Siseko Teyisi — Boxing
- Bayanda Walaza — Athletics
Youth/Junior Sport Team of the Year
- Men’s Under-20 Rugby Team
- SA Under-19 Tug-of-War Team
- Proteas Women T20 Cricket Team (U19)
Sport Visual Journalist of the Year
- Hlobisile Khumalo — Photographer and Videographer
- Alché Greeff — Photographer
- Skhu Nkomphela — Sport Photographer
Sports Media Journalist of the Year
- Palesa Manaleng — Sports Media
- Rachel Makhura — Broadcasting
- Vuyo Macoba — Journalist
Technical Official of the Year
- Ernesta Strydom — Para-sport
- Abongile Tom — Football
- Aimee Barrett-Theron — Rugby
National Federation of the Year
- Golf RSA
- Tennis South Africa
- Cricket South Africa
Sport Team of the Year
- Golf RSA Eisenhower Team
- Protea Men’s Test Cricket Team
- 4×400 Men’s Relay Team
Coach of the Year
- Rocco Meiring — Swimming
- Shukri Conrad — Cricket
- Thabo Matebedi — Athletics
Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability
- Kgothatso Montjane — Tennis
- Sheryl James — Athletics
- Simoné Kruger — Athletics
Sportsman of the Year with a Disability
- Christian Sadie — Swimming
- Mpumelelo Mhlongo — Athletics
- Puseletso Michael Mabote — Para Athletics, 400m T63
Sportswoman of the Year
- Laura Wolvaardt — Cricket
- Kira Bester — Canoeing
- Prudence Sekgodiso — Athletics
Sportsman of the Year
- Christiaan Maas — Golf
- Pieter Coetzee — Swimming
- Kevin Lerena — Boxing
Sport Star of the Year
The biggest individual prize of the evening will see three of South Africa’s leading sporting names go head-to-head:
- Temba Bavuma — Cricket
- Akani Simbine — Athletics
- Malcolm Marx — Rugby
The Sport Star of the Year category is expected to be one of the most closely watched moments of the evening, with each finalist having made a significant contribution to South African sport.
Celebrating More Than the Athletes
While the headline categories focus on sporting stars, the South African Sport Awards deliberately extend recognition beyond athletes.
The programme honours the administrators, volunteers, coaches, technical officials, federations, journalists and organisations working behind the scenes to strengthen the country’s sporting ecosystem. The official awards platform describes the ceremony as a celebration of achievement ranging from grassroots sport through to the world stage.
This wider approach is particularly important in recognising that sporting success is rarely achieved by athletes alone. Coaches, families, federations, support staff, media professionals, administrators and community organisations all contribute to creating an environment in which athletes can perform at their best.
A New Generation Takes Centre Stage
The inclusion of categories such as Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year and Youth/Junior Sport Team of the Year also places the spotlight firmly on the future of South African sport.
Among the young nominees are athletics sensation Prudence Sekgodiso and Bayanda Walaza, alongside boxer Siseko Teyisi. The youth team categories similarly recognise emerging talent in rugby, tug-of-war and cricket.
These categories reinforce the importance of creating pathways for young athletes to progress from grassroots and junior competition to national and international success.
Looking Towards Sunday’s Big Winners
With 19 categories on the programme, the 2026 ceremony promises to be an important gathering for South Africa’s sporting community.
The “Crowned By Greatness” theme captures the spirit of an awards night designed not only to recognise trophies and medals, but also the dedication, sacrifice, resilience and commitment that sit behind sporting achievement.
As the nominees gather at Sun City, attention will ultimately turn to one question: who will leave the Superbowl wearing the crown as South Africa’s Sport Star of the Year?
Whether it is Bavuma’s cricket leadership, Simbine’s sprinting excellence or Marx’s impact on the rugby field, the final decision will provide one of the defining moments of the 19th Annual South African Sport Awards.
For the wider sporting fraternity, however, the evening represents something bigger — an opportunity to celebrate the people and teams who continue to put South African sport on the national and international map.
The 19th Annual South African Sport Awards takes place on Sunday, 23 August 2026, at Sun City Superbowl, North West, under the theme “Crowned By Greatness”.follow more on@DsacSA…@sabuzzmedia