The South African Music Awards (SAMA) are South Africa's premier music awards ceremony, organized by the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA) since 1995 to recognize excellence in South African music across all genres. The 31st annual ceremony took place on December 14, 2025, with Thandiswa Mazwai winning four awards and Goldmax dominating with multiple wins including Album of the Year.
How the South African Music Awards Work
The SAMAs follow a multi-stage selection process:
- Entries: RiSA members and non-members submit recordings released during the eligibility period. For SAMA31, the eligibility period covered releases from April 16, 2024 to January 31, 2025. The entry fee for RiSA members was R862.50 (approximately $58), while non-members paid R4,600 (approximately $311) per entry including VAT.
- Nominations: Industry panels review submissions and determine nominees across genre categories, technical categories, and special awards. Nominations for SAMA31 were announced in batches starting August 28, 2025, via the SAMAs' social media platforms.
- Voting: Most categories are judged by industry panels. Record of the Year and Music Video of the Year are public voting categories. Record of the Year nominees are selected using a weighted formula combining airplay tracked by Radiomonitor and streams from The Official South African Charts. Music Video of the Year nominees are chosen based on the most-played music videos from RiSA Audio Visual Licensing NPC and YouTube data.
- Ceremony: The awards ceremony is held annually and broadcast on SABC1 and YouTube. SAMA31 was held on December 14, 2025, hosted by Scoop Makhathini and Pamela Mtanga, with the motto "Less Noise, More Music."
The SAMAs present cash prizes to winners: R25,000 (approximately $1,691) for Album of the Year, R15,000 (approximately $1,015) for the top five categories, R10,000 (approximately $677) for genre and technical categories, and R20,000 (approximately $1,353) for the Chairman's Award and Album of the Decade.
The Motsepe Foundation sponsored the SAMAs from 2023 through 2025 under a three-year contract. Additional sponsors include the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, CAPASSO, SAMRO, SAMPRA, and SABC as media partner.
Real-World Example: SAMA31 (2025)
The 31st Annual South African Music Awards took place on December 14, 2025, broadcast live on SABC1 and YouTube. Thandiswa Mazwai was the biggest winner of the night, taking home four awards including Female Artist of the Year and Best African Adult Contemporary Album for "Sankofa." She was tied with Black Motion and Kelvin Momo for the most nominations at five each.
Goldmax won Album of the Year and Male Artist of the Year for "Play at Your Own Risk." Black Motion won Duo or Group of the Year for "Takala." Nontokozo Mkhize won Newcomer of the Year for "Lindiwe." Kelvin Momo won Best Amapiano Album for "Ntsako."
In genre categories, 25K won Best Hip Hop Album for "Loyal to the Plug: The Life and Times of Don Kilograms," Elaine won Best R&B/Soul Album for "Stone Cold Heart," Peter Auret won Best Jazz Album for "Hope Dies Last," and Dlala Thukzin won Best Dance Album for "Finally Famous Too." Sjava won Best Afro Pop Album for "Isibuko (Deluxe)." Makhadzi won Best Traditional Album for "Miracle Child (Deluxe)."
The ceremony was initially scheduled for the first half of 2025 but was rescheduled to December. No red carpet event was held. The first batch of nominations was announced virtually on the SAMAs' social media platforms on August 28, 2025.
Why It Matters for Independent Artists
The SAMAs focus exclusively on South African music, which creates a more accessible awards platform than international ceremonies. Independent South African artists who submit their releases through RiSA can compete alongside major label acts in every genre category.
The Newcomer of the Year category specifically targets emerging talent. Nontokozo Mkhize won in 2025 for her album "Lindiwe," demonstrating that relatively new artists can take home top prizes. The genre categories cover a wide range including amapiano, hip-hop, R&B, jazz, alternative, traditional, maskandi, Afro pop, reggae, classical, and faith music, giving artists in niche genres a path to recognition.
The entry fee is relatively affordable for RiSA members at R862.50 per entry. Non-members pay R4,600, which is higher but still accessible for serious independent artists. Record of the Year is determined by airplay and streaming data, meaning independent artists who chart well automatically qualify for consideration without needing panel nomination.
If you are a South African artist, ensure your releases are submitted through RiSA before the deadline. Track your streaming numbers and radio airplay, as commercial performance factors into Record of the Year nominations. Use our Streaming Royalty Calculator to monitor your performance. Check the SAMA website for eligibility windows and entry guidelines.
Award Categories Explained
The SAMAs present over 40 categories across four groups: special categories, genre categories, technical categories, and special awards.
Special Categories (top prizes):
- Album of the Year: Awarded to the best full-length album as judged by industry panels. Cash prize of R25,000.
- Female Artist of the Year: Awarded to the top female artist based on album quality and overall impact.
- Male Artist of the Year: Awarded to the top male artist based on album quality and overall impact.
- Duo or Group of the Year: Awarded to the top duo or group act.
- Newcomer of the Year: Awarded to the best debut artist. Specifically targets emerging talent.
- Record of the Year: Determined by a weighted formula combining Radiomonitor airplay data and streaming figures from The Official South African Charts. Public voting also factors in.
Genre Categories (judged by industry panels):
- Best Amapiano Album: Recognizes the popular South African house subgenre.
- Best Hip Hop Album: Top rap release.
- Best R&B/Soul Album: Top R&B or soul release.
- Best Jazz Album: Top jazz recording.
- Best Alternative Album: Top non-mainstream release.
- Best African Adult Contemporary Album: Top contemporary African music album.
- Best Dance Album: Top electronic or dance release.
- Best Traditional Album: Top traditional South African music release.
- Best Maskandi Album: Top Maskandi (traditional Zulu folk) release.
- Best Afro Pop Album: Top Afro pop release.
- Best Reggae Album: Top reggae release.
- Best Rock Album: Top rock release.
- Best Pop Album: Top pop release.
- Best Classical/Instrumental Album: Top classical or instrumental recording.
- Best Contemporary Faith Music Album: Top contemporary gospel release.
- Best Traditional Faith Album: Top traditional gospel release.
- Best African Indigenous Faith Music Album: Top indigenous faith music release.
Technical Categories:
- Best Produced Album: Recognizes production excellence.
- Best Engineered Album: Recognizes engineering and mixing quality.
- Best Produced Music Video: Recognizes music video production. Public voting category using YouTube and RiSA data.
- Remix of the Year: Top remix release.
Special Awards:
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Honors artists with significant contributions to South African music over decades.
- International Achievement Award: Recognizes South African artists who achieved global success.
- Chairperson's Award: Selected by the RiSA chairperson. Cash prize of R20,000.
Notable Past Winners
SAMA31 (December 14, 2025, Gallagher Estate)
| Category | Winner | Album/Work |
|---|---|---|
| Album of the Year | Goldmax | Play at Your Own Risk |
| Male Artist of the Year | Goldmax | Play at Your Own Risk |
| Female Artist of the Year | Thandiswa Mazwai | Sankofa |
| Duo or Group of the Year | Black Motion | Takala |
| Newcomer of the Year | Nontokozo Mkhize | Lindiwe |
| Best Amapiano Album | Kelvin Momo | Ntsako |
| Best Hip Hop Album | 25K | Loyal to the Plug: The Life and Times of Don Kilograms |
| Best R&B/Soul Album | Elaine | Stone Cold Heart |
| Best Jazz Album | Peter Auret | Hope Dies Last |
| Best Dance Album | Dlala Thukzin | Finally Famous Too |
| Best Afro Pop Album | Sjava | Isibuko (Deluxe) |
| Best Traditional Music Album | Makhadzi | Miracle Child (Deluxe) |
| Best Maskandi Album | Khuzani | Angidlali Nezngane |
| Best African Adult Contemporary Album | Thandiswa Mazwai | Sankofa |
| Best Gqom Album | Goldmax | Play at Your Own Risk |
| Best Collaboration | Black Motion | Takala |
| Best Produced Album | Thandiswa Mazwai | Sankofa |
| Best Engineered Album | Thandiswa Mazwai | Sankofa |
| Best Produced Music Video | Shekhinah | Risk |
| Best Alternative Album | Francis Soul | Hindsight 2020 |
| Best Rock Album | MaxX & Love | These Blues Might Get You Too |
| Best Reggae Album | Luwe Da Lion | After All |
| Best Adult Contemporary Album | Melanie Scholtz | Seven |
| Record of the Year | Mthandeni SK feat. MaWhoo | Gucci |
| Music Video of the Year | Mthandeni SK feat. MaWhoo | Gucci |
| Lifetime Achievement Award | Solly Moholo | (posthumous) |
Thandiswa Mazwai won 4 awards at SAMA31, the most of any artist. Goldmax won 3 awards including the top two prizes. "Gucci" by Mthandeni SK featuring MaWhoo won both Record of the Year and Music Video of the Year.
SAMA30 (November 2, 2024, Gallagher Convention Centre)
| Category | Winner | Album/Work |
|---|---|---|
| Album of the Year | Kabza De Small & Mthunzi | Isimo |
| Female Artist of the Year | Tyla | Tyla |
| Male Artist of the Year | uGatsheni | Uyihlo noNyoko |
| Duo/Group of the Year | Kabza De Small & Mthunzi | Isimo |
| Newcomer of the Year | Tyla | Tyla |
| Best Pop Album | Tyla | Tyla |
| Best Amapiano Album | Kabza De Small & Mthunzi | Isimo |
| Best Hip Hop Album | Priddy Ugly | Dust |
| Best R&B/Soul Album | Lordkez | Testament |
| Best Jazz Album | Steve Dyer | Enhlizweni |
| Best Dance Album | Dlala Thukzin | Permanent Music 3 |
| Best Collaboration | Dlala Thukzin, Sykes & Zaba | iPlan |
| Best Afro Pop Album | Lwah Ndlunkulu | Imizwa |
| Best Traditional Music Album | Soul Brothers | Hamba Naye |
| Best Maskandi Album | uGatsheni | Uyihlo noNyoko |
| Best African Adult Contemporary Album | Brenda Mtambo | Sane |
| Record of the Year | Mthandeni SK feat. Lwah Ndlunkulu | Paris |
| Music Video of the Year | AKA & Nasty C | Lemons (Lemonade) |
| International Achievement Award | Tyla | (global success) |
| Lifetime Achievement | Ringo Madlingozi | |
| Lifetime Achievement | Sipho Makhabane | |
| Chairperson's Award | Oscar 'Oskido' Mdlongwa |
Tyla won 4 awards at SAMA30, the most of any artist. She won Female Artist of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Best Pop Album, and the International Achievement Award. The ceremony was hosted by Minnie Dlamini and was the first SAMA ceremony livestreamed globally on YouTube.
SAMA29 (November 18, 2023, SunBet Arena, Pretoria)
The 29th ceremony was held in collaboration with Africa Fest. Kabza De Small was the biggest winner. The ceremony was broadcast live on SABC1 and streamed on YouTube.
Video: Ceremony and Performances
The SAMA31 ceremony was held on December 14, 2025 at Gallagher Estate, Johannesburg. It was broadcast live on SABC1 and streamed on YouTube. Hosted by Scoop Makhathini and Pamela Mtanga.
The SAMA29 ceremony was held on November 18, 2023 at SunBet Arena, Time Square, Pretoria. It was broadcast live on SABC1 and streamed on YouTube in partnership with Africa Fest.
Tyla won 4 awards at SAMA30 including Female Artist of the Year and Newcomer of the Year. "Water" became the first song by a South African solo artist to enter the Billboard Hot 100 in over 50 years, peaking at number 7. The music video has hundreds of millions of views on YouTube.
Related Resources
- Streaming Royalty Calculator - Track streaming performance that feeds into SAMA nominations
- Target Streams Calculator - Set streaming goals for awards eligibility
- 21 Ways Musicians Can Earn Income - Build revenue alongside awards strategy
- When and How to Hire a Music Manager - A manager can help coordinate SAMA submissions and campaigns
- South African Hip Hop Awards - The genre-specific hip-hop awards for South Africa
- MTV Africa Music Awards - Pan-African music awards
- AFRIMA - All Africa Music Awards
- The Headies - Nigeria's premier music awards
- Metro FM Music Awards - South African radio music awards
