SABC1, in partnership with SABC Sport and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, is set to celebrate the very best of South Africa’s creative and sporting talent with two prestigious awards broadcasts taking place this weekend.
The National Arts and Culture Awards (NACAs) will be broadcast on Saturday, 22 August 2026 at 20:00, followed by the South African Sports Awards on Sunday, 23 August 2026 at 20:00.
Both events will be broadcast on SABC1 and simulcast on SABC+, bringing two major national celebrations of excellence directly to audiences across the country.
National Arts and Culture Awards celebrate creative excellence
The 2026 National Arts and Culture Awards will be hosted by Pamela Mtanga and Vafa Naraghi, with the main ceremony preceded by a glamorous red-carpet special at 19:30, hosted by Christopher Japhta and Nambitha Ben-Mazwi.
Presented under the theme ‘Celebrating Our Nation’s Creative Excellence’, the 2026 National Arts and Culture Awardsrecognise outstanding achievement across South Africa’s arts, culture and heritage sectors.
This year’s awards place particular emphasis on three interconnected pillars: talent, the business of the creative sector and nation-building. The approach acknowledges that South Africa’s creative industries extend beyond artistic achievement, contributing to livelihoods and enterprise, cultural preservation, social cohesion and the country’s national identity.
The awards will recognise performers and creatives across categories including Heritage, Visual Arts and Craft, Design, Performing Arts, Audio-Visual and Literary.
The National Arts and Culture Awards provide an important platform to celebrate the individuals whose creativity, innovation and cultural contribution continue to shape and enrich South Africa’s cultural landscape.
South African Sports Awards crown sporting greatness
The sporting spotlight takes centre stage on Sunday 23 at 20:00, when SABC1 broadcasts the South African Sports Awards.
The ceremony will be hosted by S3’s Expresso Morning Show’s Graeme Richards and Metro FM’s Lerato Kganyago, who will guide audiences through an evening celebrating South Africa’s sporting heroes and the achievements of the Class of 2025.
Held under the fitting theme ‘Crowned by Greatness’, the awards honour performances and achievements recorded between 1 January and 31 December 2025, recognizing sporting excellence across 19 categories.
Among the leading contenders for the prestigious Sport Star of the Year award are Proteas cricket captain Temba Bavuma, Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx and Olympic silver medalist Akani Simbine.
The women’s categories feature an equally impressive line-up, with Proteas Women’s cricket captain Laura Wolvaardt, canoeing sensation Kira Bester and athletics star Prudence Sekgodiso nominated for Sportswoman of the Year.
The awards will also shine a light on South Africa’s Paralympic excellence.
Kgothatso Montjane, Sheryl James and Simoné Kruger are nominated for Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability, while Mpumelelo Mhlongo, who claimed the title at last year’s ceremony, returns as a contender to defend his crown in the Sportsman of the Year with a Disability category.
From the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games to world championship podiums, the Class of 2025 delivered extraordinary performances and unforgettable moments that brought pride to South Africans at home and around the world.
Two nights. One celebration of South African excellence!
Sun City Superbowl will play host to both awards on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
Image provided (Springbok hooker Malcolm Marx has been nominated in the Sport Star of the Year category, that will see the likes of Themba Bavuma also vying for the award.)
