TANA MALINGA
From Bonang Matheba’s trailblazing honour to MaWhoo’s double victory, a dazzling reunion of entertainment royalty and a spectacular celebration of African sound, Basadi in Music Awards 2026 rewound the clock in unforgettable style.
There are anniversaries and then there are anniversaries that deserve a standing ovation.
On Saturday, 8 August 2026, the Basadi in Music Awards turned five, and it did so with the kind of glamour, star power and cultural electricity befitting a milestone of this magnitude.
Under the evocative theme REWIND, Joburg Theatre became a glittering meeting point for some of Africa’s most celebrated women in music, entertainment and creative culture, bringing together established icons, contemporary stars, industry leaders and the next generation of talent.
It was part celebration, part homecoming and part statement of intent.
Five years after its launch, Basadi has grown beyond the conventional awards-show formula. It has become a platform designed to recognise the women shaping African entertainment, whether they are commanding the stage, creating behind the scenes or redefining the business of culture.
And for its fifth anniversary, the organisers decided to look back before looking forward.
A REUNION WORTH THE REWIND
Few moments captured the spirit of the evening quite like the reunion of four formidable women of South African entertainment.
Unathi, Moozlie, Anele Zondo and Lerato Kganyago shared the hosting duties, bringing together different eras, personalities and chapters of the country’s entertainment story.
Their presence transformed the evening into something bigger than a ceremony.
It was a reminder of how far South African women in entertainment have travelled and how much further they can still go.
The Joburg Theatre stage then came alive with a performance line-up spanning generations and genres.
Kelly Khumalo, Thatohatsi, Monique Bingham, Makhadzi, Lira, Nia Pearl, MaWhoo, Nothando Hlophe and Anele Zondo brought their distinctive sounds to an evening that refused to be confined to one musical lane.
From established voices to contemporary stars, the performances reflected the richness and versatility of African music.
Internationally acclaimed Monique Bingham, who also received the International Recognition Award, added an unmistakable global dimension to the celebration.
MAWHOO HAS A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
If there was one artist who left the evening with especially good reason to celebrate, it was MaWhoo.
The Amapiano star secured two major awards, taking home Amapiano Artist of the Year and the Highest Airplay Award for her hit Bengicela.
It was a powerful double victory for an artist operating at the heart of one of South Africa’s most influential musical movements.
The recognition also underlined the continuing international reach of Amapiano and the women helping to shape its future.
But MaWhoo was far from the only woman making history.
ICONS, TRAILBLAZERS AND LEGENDS
The fifth Basadi anniversary was equally about honouring women whose influence stretches far beyond a single song, performance or season.
As Gallo celebrated its 100th anniversary, legendary musicians Simphiwe Dana and Thandiswa Mazwai received the G100 Gallo Renaissance Award, recognising their extraordinary contributions to South African music and culture.
The Lifetime Achievement Award celebrated the enduring careers of Dr Nothembi Mkhwebane and Esta M.
And then came another headline-making moment.
Entertainment powerhouse Bonang Matheba was honoured with the Trailblazer of the Year Award, recognising her pioneering influence and contribution to the entertainment industry.
It was an honour befitting a woman whose career has repeatedly pushed the boundaries of South African media, fashion, business and popular culture.
THE WOMEN WHO OWNED THE NIGHT
The 2026 winners represented a striking cross-section of African music, from Amapiano and Afro Pop to gospel, jazz, hip-hop, reggae, traditional music and pop.
Among the night’s headline winners were:
Kelly Khumalo — Afro Pop Artist of the Year
MaWhoo — Amapiano Artist of the Year
Zee Nxumalo — Artist of the Year
Nia Pearl & Boohle — Best Female Feature of the Year for Shela
Thabsie — Best Styled Artist of the Year
Janesh Ngwanaka — CAPASSO Most Streamed Song
Lwah Ndlunkulu & Starr Healer — Collaboration of the Year
Kharishma — Dance Artist of the Year
DBN Gogo — DJ of the Year
Mmatema — Gospel Artist of the Year
Anele Zondo — Hip-Hop Artist of the Year
Judith Sephuma — Jazz Artist of the Year
Kamo Mphela — Music Video of the Year for Partii
Siphiwe Black — Newcomer of the Year
Ava Like Lava — Pop Artist of the Year
Cindy Sanyu (Uganda) — Reggae Artist of the Year
Nothando Hlophe — Song of the Year for Methodist Medley
Nonny Muji — SAMRO Songwriter of the Year for Lo Bhuti
Buhlebendalo — Traditional Artist of the Year
MaWhoo — Highest Airplay Award for Bengicela
Monique Bingham — International Recognition Award
Simphiwe Dana — G100 Gallo Renaissance Award
Thandiswa Mazwai — G100 Gallo Renaissance Award
Dr Nothembi Mkhwebane — Lifetime Achievement Award
Esta M — Lifetime Achievement Award
Bonang Matheba — Trailblazer of the Year
MORE THAN AN AWARDS SHOW
For Basadi founder and CEO Hloni Modise Matau, REWIND was deliberately designed to honour the past while creating momentum for what lies ahead.
“REWIND was about honouring where we come from, celebrating how far we have come and making sure the women shaping our future know that they belong,” she said.
Five years in, the message is becoming increasingly clear: Basadi wants to be much bigger than one glamorous night.
It wants to become a lasting cultural institution.
That ambition was echoed by Xoliswa Nduneni Ngema, CEO of Joburg City Theatres, who described the partnership with Basadi as an opportunity to create space for women to be seen, celebrated and remembered.
For Manaileng Maphike, Managing Director of Maphike Inc. and a member of the Basadi Advisory Board, recognition is closely tied to opportunity.
“Recognition creates visibility, and visibility creates opportunity,” she said.
That perhaps captures the deeper significance of Basadi’s five-year journey.
Awards may provide the spotlight, but the larger objective is to ensure that women remain visible within the rapidly changing African creative economy.
FROM JOBURG TO THE CONTINENT
The next chapter is already being written.
Basadi’s ambitions increasingly stretch beyond South Africa, with a vision of strengthening its position as a Pan-African platform connecting African women in music and entertainment with audiences across the continent and around the world.
That makes the fifth anniversary more than a look back.
It is a launchpad.
And while REWIND invited guests to celebrate the women who helped shape the journey, the message coming out of Joburg Theatre was unmistakably forward-looking.
Five years have produced a legacy.
Now comes the challenge — and the excitement — of building the next one.
THE BASADI STORY CONTINUES
The lights may have dimmed at Joburg Theatre, the trophies may have found their new homes and the anniversary celebrations may have drawn to a close.
But the movement continues.
Basadi in Music Awards has spent five years celebrating women who have changed the sound, look and cultural conversation of Africa.
Now, with its sights firmly set on the future, the platform is preparing to take that celebration even further.
Five years have been written into the Basadi story.
The next chapter starts now.
This version deliberately gives it a fashion-and-entertainment magazine feel, while keeping the important winners, names, quotes and institutional information intact.
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