The 32nd Annual South African Music Awards (or SAMA32) took place on 15 August 2026 at the Sun City, Superbowl. Primarily sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation, the event is presented by the Recording Industry of South Africa.
Winners and nominees Below is the list of nominees.https://samusicawards.co.za/sama32-nominees-unveiled/Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.
Top 5 Categories + HLE – The Ground We’re On Amadodana Ase Wesile HLE Mzukulu Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini
Album Genre Super Categories + Kabza De Small – Bab’Motha Babalwa M – Acquiesce De Mthuda – Mthuthuzeli Kelvin Momo – N'wana Wa Mutsonga Kelvin Momo – Thato Ya Modimo Simphiwe Dana - Moya Jabulile Majola - Isitifiketi Madala Kunene & Sibusile Xaba - KwaNtu Zawadi Yamungu - Ngimuhle Banda Banda - ZINZA Will Linley - Don’t Cry Because It’s Over Matt Gardiner - Last Call for Departure Shekhinah - Less Trouble Anica Kiana - Not the Same Tannah - Phases Handsome Luke & The Heartbreakers — Mars Baby Charles Webster - From The Hill 44coles - Furniture Bombshelter Beast - Listen Properly Archi - THROWING STONES Lordkez - You, Me & The 90’s Gemma Fassie – Island 22 Maxine Ceasar – It's Complicated Lucille Slade – Resurfaced Langa Mavuso – Therapy: The Other Side Nasty C – Free MashBeatz - The Secret Frequency FLVME - Blvck & White Danya Devs - Bayede Riky Rick - Boss Zonke Forever Francois van Coke - Die Ruimte AC/ES – AC/ES We Kill Cowboys - Back From the Dead Karel Bester & Die Kraaines Band - ONKRUID Acid Magus - Scatterling Empire Tutu Puoane, Metropole Orkest & Jacome Bairos - Wrapped in Rhythm, Vol.2 Abel Selaocoe, Aurora Orchestra, Nicholas Collon, Bernhard Schimpelsberger - Four Spirits (Live) Kahn Morbee - Buzzhead Tim Parr - Malachi's Dream Wandile Mbambeni - You Love Who You Love Blacks Jnr, Dankie Boi, GoldMax - New Wave Funky Qla - Dark or Durban 3 DJ Tira — Izinsimbi zaMakoya Dladla Mshunqisi, Beast RSA - Puku Puku DJ Lag - Southside Mixtape Jazzwrld & Thukuthela - The Most Wanted Dlala Thukzin - Mayvis Mörda - Asante III MaWhoo - Amazwi Okubonga Da Capo - Indigo Child II: Love & Frequency Bucy Radebe – Praise & Worship in the Wilderness, Pt. 1 Zaza - Sound of Gratitude (Live at Urban Brew Dome) Sindi Ntombela - The Watchmans Camp Puleng March - Worship in Newness Ntethe - Back To The Altar HLE - The Ground We're On Nqubeko Mbatha - Passover Mmuso Worship — Testify (Live at 012 Central, Pretoria 2024) Ncebakazi Msomi - The 37th Psalm (Live at Emperors Palace) Brenden Praise — The GAP Amadodana Ase Wesile - Monghali Mesia Difela — De Bruin Gospel Projects THE NEW BELIEVERS OF GOD GOSPEL SINGERS - NGIYA BONGA BABA Abanqobi - The Journey Continues Zion Iskhalanga Academy - U TA HLAMULA Makhadzi Entertainment – Sesi Ka Rose MetroBeatz RSA – Born For This King Monada – I Khant Do Dis Enimo Pleasure Tsa Manyalo – Pleasure in 20 Years Soul Brothers – Thath’owakho Mzukulu – Ng’funaIntozami Saliwa - Amalandi Amathathu Mbuzeni - Izilotshi Ntencane - Khotha La (A Tribute To Mjikjelwa) Smiramira - Ngabe Ngiloyiwe Mandisi Dyantyis - Intlambululo: Ukuhlambulula Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini - Ingoma Busuku Temba Ncetani - INTLUNGU. INTLUPHEKO. IMBILINI Lumanyano Mzi - Ithemba Elitsha (A New Hope) Billy Monama - The Y-Factor Project Guy Buttery – Orchestrations Marius Small-Smith – First Light John Lundun – Let the Children Play University of Pretoria Camerata – Light the Whole Sky uBeyond – Radio Gogo Worldwide Sjava - Inkanyezi 2.0 (Live) Lwah Ndlunkulu - Amaciko CiCi - Busisiwe 2.0 Nomfundo Moh - Out of the Box Ras Canly — Foreign Exchange DIMAHR – DIMAHR Don Dada – Forward We Continue Layahn King – Rasta Man Step Red I Scorch – Victorious
Technical Categories + Msaki, Jesse Clegg & Sjava — "Wayside Lover" (Dir: Marty Bleazard) DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy - "Abantwana Bakho" (Dir: Nyiko) Nasty C & Blxckie - "Leftie (Dlala Ngcobo)" (Dir: Lordnelle) Kamo Phela - "Partii" (Dir: Lindo_Langa) Sam Deep featuring Mano — "Shela" (Dir: Nyiko) Langa Mavuso - Therapy: The Other Side (Produced by various artists) Banda Banda - ZINZA (Produced by Banda Banda) Paras “Sibalukhulu” Dlamini - Ingoma Busuku (Produced by Nduduzo Makhathini) Shekhinah - Less Trouble (Produced by Shekhinah) Mauritz Lotz - Sacred Cycle (Produced by Mauritz Lotz) Guy Buttery — Orchestrations (Engineered by Guy Buttery & Fuzzy) Kabza De Small — Bab'Motha (Engineered by Thato & Kabza De Small) Nasty C — Free (Engineered by Mike Manitshana) L8 Antique — Ntu Futurism (Engineered by Matthew) Samthing Soweto — Touch is a Move (Good Morning) (Engineered by Ross Dorkin) Kabza De Small ft. Njelic, Mthunzi , Mkeyz, GL_Ceejay & Simmy – "Eningi (Remix)" lordkez ft. Cassper Nyovest – "Aweh (Remix)" Maline Aura, Drega & Mdu aka TRP – "Mabebuza (Mdu aka TRP Remix)" 340ml & Black Motion – "Midnight (Black Motion Remix)" Nduduzo Makhathini, Anna Widauer & Fka Mash – "Re-Amathambo (Remix)" DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy, Kabza De Small featuring Thatohatsi, Young Stunna & Nkosazana Daughter - "Abantwana Bakho" DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy, Enny Man Da Guitar, Focalistic, Ricky Lenyora, Uncool MC, Mellow & Sleazy - "Dlala Ka Yona" Sam Deep, Nia Pearl, Boohle, Mano - "Shela" Sam Deep, Thatohatsi - "Thandaza" Myztro, Leehleza, Shaunmusiq, Tears - "Tobetsa 3.0"
Public Vote + Umafikizolo - "Uyoncengwa Unyoko" Mawhoo, GL_Ceejay, Thukuthela featuring JAZZWRLD - "Bengicela"
Special awards
+ Oskido Tyla DJ Maphorisa & XDuppy, featuring Thatohatsi, Young Stunna & Nkosazana Daughter - "Abantwana Bakho" Nontokozo Mkhize – "Esandleni" Tiwa Savage - "This One Is Personal"
References