Sports

2025 SA Sport Awards: Gayton McKenzie Reveals the Nominees Set to Shine at Sun City

Published

2 months ago

August 7, 2025

Chiraag

South African Sport Awards 2025, Gayton McKenzie, SA Sport Awards nominees, Akani Simbine, Tatjana Smith, Mpumelelo Mhlongo, sports excellence awards, Sun City Superbowl event, top South African athletes, Joburg ETC

From hometown heroes to Olympic legends, here’s who’s making headlines this year.

There’s something undeniably electric about a South African awards night. Whether it’s honouring musical icons or TV trailblazers, Mzansi knows how to celebrate its best. And this August, the spotlight shifts to the stars of the sports world.

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has officially announced the nominees for the 18th South African Sport Awards, with Minister Gayton McKenzie taking centre stage to deliver the news. Themed Celebrating Sporting Excellence, the event is set to take place on Sunday, 24 August 2025, at the iconic Sun City Superbowl in the North West Province.

Who’s up for the big one?

The most coveted title of the evening, Sport Star of the Year, features three athletes who’ve already etched their names into the nation’s collective pride: sprinter Akani Simbine, swimmer Tatjana Smith, and para-athlete Mpumelelo Mhlongo.

All three are no strangers to the international spotlight. Simbine continues to dominate the tracks, Smith’s Olympic record speaks for itself, and Mhlongo’s achievements have helped redefine what it means to be world-class in parasport.

Celebrating the full sporting spectrum

With 19 award categories, this year’s event offers recognition across the board, from grassroots development to elite international competition. The 2025 nominations reflect a true cross-section of the sporting landscape, featuring administrators, volunteers, technical officials, and journalists who all play critical roles behind the scenes.

Here are just some of the standout nominations:

Coach of the Year: Includes the likes of Jason Sewanyana, Rocco Meiring, and Andries Kruger, each having helped shape champions in swimming, athletics, and beyond.
Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year: Young talent shines through with nominees like Bayanda Walaza, Noah Bennett, and Simoné Kruger representing the next generation.
Sport Team of the Year: From the 4x100m Men’s Team who flew the flag high at the Paris Olympics to the inspirational partnership of Donald Ramphadi & Lucas Sithole and the ever-resilient Proteas Women’s Cricket Team, it’s anyone’s game.
Sportswoman of the Year: Tatjana Smith appears again in this category, joined by Tasneem Solomons and cricket star Laura Wolvaardt.
Sportsman of the Year: Nominees include Alan Hatherly, Akani Simbine, and Pieter-Stephanus Du Toit, showing just how tight the race is this year.

What the public is saying

The announcement sparked plenty of conversation on social media, with fans already rallying behind their favourites. On X (formerly Twitter), hashtags like #SASA2025 and #TeamSimbine trended shortly after the announcement, while some users expressed excitement at seeing more recognition for para-athletes and community sports volunteers.

A fresh approach under new leadership

This is the first edition of the Sport Awards under Minister Gayton McKenzie, and it’s clear he’s putting emphasis on inclusion, transformation, and a return to excellence. His leadership has been vocal about rooting out inefficiency and boosting visibility for athletes who are making a difference on and off the field.

The inclusion of nominees like Phuti Lekoloane, a known LGBTQ+ advocate in football, and the Beaufort West Older Persons Club in the recreation category shows an evolving awareness of sport’s power to unify and uplift.

Why it matters

These awards do more than hand out trophies. They honour the countless hours of training, sacrifice, and passion poured into the South African sporting system. Whether you’re a die-hard supporter of the Proteas or a parent watching your teen rise through school athletics, the SA Sport Awards represent what’s possible when talent meets opportunity.

Mark your calendars: 24 August is not just a night to applaud excellence. It’s a reminder of how far South African sport has come and how far it can still go.