Sasol-sponsored Banyana Banyana were named the Team of the Year at the 2023 Momentum #gsport Awards held in Johannesburg on Tuesday, 12 September.
This was the second year running they bagged the accolade.
In 2022 it was after their heroic showing at the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations where they were crowned African Champions.
This time around it was for another great performance on the world stage – becoming the first South African national team – male or female – to reach the Round of 16 at a FIFA World Cup.
In only their second appearance at the global women’s football showpiece held in Australia and New Zealand, Desiree Ellis’ charges registered their first ever World Cup win in a 3-2 triumph over Italy that saw them progress to the second round, where they fell to the Netherlands.
As if that was not enough, Banyana Banyana were also presented with the Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award.
Also walking away victorious on the night of the awards was Ellis, with the Coach of the Year accolade – her second in as many years.
The Capetonian not only led Banyana Banyana to the WAFCON title in Morocco last year, but also saw through their qualification into the Round of 16 at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup – a feat not achieved by any other coach for South Africa, male or female.
The most prestigious award at the 2023 gala event went to goalkeeper Andile Dlamini, who bagged the sort-after Momentum Athlete of the Year prize at the 18th edition of Africa’s foremost women’s sports awards – adding to her numerous awards over the last few months.
This was a great reward for Dlamini who fell short at the 2022 Awards when she was nominated in the coveted Telkom Woman of the Year category, which went to Spar Proteas captain Bongi Msomi.
The Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies goal minder was the Goalkeeper of the Tournament at the WAFCON last year, and more recently won the same award at the recently ended CAF Women’s Champions League COSAFA qualifiers where she led her club to qualification for the tournament proper – the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League to be held in Cote d’Ivoire in November.
To round off on a winning note for the South African Senior Women’s National team, Sasol, the proud sponsors of Banyana Banyana and the Sasol League – a second division league in South African women’s football – was named the Nielson Sports South African Sponsor for the Year, which was scooped by Hollywoodbets last year.
This award is for their pioneering support of the national women’s football team, whom they teamed up with in 2009, seeing them qualify for the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games, the 2019 and 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, as well as being behind the team when they lifted the WAFCON trophy.
2023 Momentum gsport Awards Winners:
| CATEGORY | WINNER |
| Momentum Athlete of the Year | ANDILE DLAMINI |
| Coach of the Year | DESIREE ELLIS |
| Team of the Year | BANYANA BANYANA |
| Telkom Woman of the Year | NATASHA PETERSEN |
| Global Woman in Sport | LEILA STEYN-DAKU |
| DP World African Woman in Sport | FAITH KIPYEGON |
| SuperSport Woman in TV | VUSIWE NGCOBO |
| Brand SA Para Sport Star of the Year | KGOTHATSO MONTJANE |
| Mail & Guardian Woman in Print | LETHABO KGANYAGO |
| Nielsen Sports South Africa Sponsor of the Year | SASOL |
| Emerging Athlete of the Year | KYRA VAN KAN |
| Woman in PR and Sponsorship | EMY CASALETTI-BWALYA |
| Woman in Radio | RACHEL MAKHURA |
| Woman in Social Media | JESSICA NKOMO |
| Special Recognition | BRENDA MAFUNISA |
| Supporter of the Year | MAMA JOY CHAUKE |
| Volunteer of the Year | BELLA MPHO MAKHOBA |
| Style Star | NQOBILE KHWEZI |
| Federation of the Year | CRICKET SOUTH AFRICA |
| Public Choice Award | NETBALL SOUTH AFRICA |
| 2023 Hall of Fame Inductee | BLANCHE MOILA |
| Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award | BANYANA BANYANA |
| Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award | PROTEAS WOMEN CRICKET TEAM |
| Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award | SA WOMEN’S INDOOR HOCKEY TEAM |
| Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award | SPAR PROTEAS NETBALL TEAM |
| Ministerial Recognition of Excellence Award | SUPERSPORT |
*** ABOUT THE 2023 GSPORT HALL OF FAME INDUCTEE ***
- Moila is a trailblazer who ran during the apartheid years, breaking down racial barriers in the 1980s, a feat that has inspired generations on the track and in sport in general in South Africa
- In 1984, Moila was awarded Springbok colours, making her the first among black South African women to achieve the distinction of representing the country
- Her tenacious attitude has seen her amass an endless list of achievements such as participating in 18 Comrades Marathons.
2022 Momentum gsport Awards Winners:
MOMENTUM ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Lara van Niekerk
TELKOM WOMAN OF THE YEAR – Bongiwe Msomi
SASOL GLOBAL WOMAN IN SPORT – Lara van Niekerk
IMPERIAL AFRICAN WOMAN IN SPORT – Akhona Makalima
SUPERSPORT WOMAN IN TV – Nono Xaba
BRAND SA PARA SPORT STAR OF THE YEAR – Anruné Weyers
SUPERSPORT SCHOOL SPORTS STAR OF THE YEAR – Lesedi Khunou
MAIL & GUARDIAN WOMAN IN PRINT – Mpumi Manyisi
NIELSEN SPORTS SOUTH AFRICA SPONSOR OF THE YEAR – Hollywoodbets
EMERGING ATHLETE OF THE YEAR – Phiwokuhle Mnguni
WOMAN IN PR AND SPONSORSHIP – Maphuti Hlako
WOMAN IN RADIO – Cato Louw
WOMAN IN SOCIAL MEDIA – Jessica Nkomo
SPECIAL RECOGNITION – Dorah Vuyelwa Mngwevu
SUPPORTER OF THE YEAR – Nakedi Thlathla
VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR – Shamila Sulayman
STYLE STAR – Amanda Dlamini
FEDERATION OF THE YEAR – SASAPD
COACH OF THE YEAR – Desiree Ellis
TEAM OF THE YEAR – Banyana Banyana
PUBLIC CHOICE – Hildah Magaia
2022 Hall of Fame Inductee – Marian Marescia
1ST MINISTERIAL AWARD RECIPIENTS:
- Phiwokuhle Mnguni
- Caitlin Rooskrantz
- Michaela Whitebooi
- Lara van Niekerk
- Ashleigh Buhai
*** ABOUT THE GSPORT AWARDS ***
- The gsport Awards is a pinnacle event in South Africa’s sporting calendar, dedicated to honouring and elevating the profiles of women in sport. Used as the launch event of the gsport initiative in August 2006, twelve years after the dawn of democracy in South Africa, the Awards’ vision is to elevate the profile of women in sport, and to secure greater corporate support for sportswomen
- The gsport Awards is Africa’s longest-running women’s sport recognition platform and its 18th hosting marks its enduring dedication to women’s sport
- The platform unearths new icons and role models who are relentlessly breaking barriers, both on and off the field
- The Awards is a collaborative effort, with leading insurer Momentum playing a critical role as the Naming Rights Partner since 2019. The partnership seeks not only to celebrate and recognise successful women in sport, but also to close the sponsorship gap between women’s and men’s sport
- The Department of Sport, Arts & Culture has been backing this recognition platform since the eighth year of the Awards, and honours five Ministerial Recognition Award winners on the night
- The Awards have grown over the years, with prize money introduced in 2019 at the 14th edition, allowing winners to invest in their careers
- Since its inception, over 200 recipients have been honoured, with swimming legend Penny Heyns being the notable inspiration behind the launch of the initiative
- Heyns, a double gold medallist at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, was inducted into the gsport Hall of Fame on 1 August 2006, setting forth a journey of recognition for women in sport that has changed lives and elevated careers
- The annual event serves as a grand celebration of women’s achievements in sport, set against the backdrop of a festive gala where the who’s who of South African sport congregate
- The gsport Awards has come a long way since its inception, with a growing list of nominees and winners each year, displaying the increasing diversity and strength of women’s sport in South Africa
- It’s a testament to the vision of the gsport Trust and its founder, Kass Naidoo, that the Awards continue to inspire and create a lasting impact, making them a remarkable fixture in South Africa’s sports landscape.
By Matlhomola Morake
