THE gospel music industry is getting ready for a big celebration, with some of South Africa’s favourite gospel stars in the running for top honours at the 2026 Gospel Awards.
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The nominees were unveiled at a glamorous, star-studded event at The Capital Hotel in Sandton, Joburg, on Friday, 6 November. Artists, gospel legends, industry executives, media personalities, and influencers gathered to celebrate the talent and influence of gospel music.
Leading the nominations among the highlighted artists is Nozipho Phiri, who received three nods in the Best Female Artist, Best Worship Song, and Best Newcomer categories. Jumbo is also enjoying a strong run, earning nominations for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year.
Puleng March has secured nominations for Best Female Artist and Best Songwriter. The competition is also heating up in the Artist of the Year category, where Ndumiso Zungu and Ntokozo Ngongoma are among the nominees. Zungu is also nominated for Best Male Artist, alongside Kgateng Konese.
Pastor Mandla Tshabalala is recognised in the Best Zion category ⛪. The awards are also shining a spotlight on gospel broadcasting, with Thami Ngubeni nominated for Best Radio Presenter and The Sacred Space – Siyadvumisa in the running for Best Gospel Show.
And there is more than just bragging rights at stake! The winner of Song of the Year will pocket a whopping R100 000, while the Artist of the Year winner will drive away in a brand-new Volkswagen Polo TSI R-Line!
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Gospel Awards founder Sandile Ngobe said the growing support from the industry had encouraged the organisers.
“We are incredibly encouraged by the overwhelming support and participation from the gospel music industry. The Gospel Awards is about creating a credible national platform that celebrates excellence and recognises the incredible talent within our industry,” he said.
Ngobe said the vision was to bring the industry together, encourage collaboration, and create meaningful opportunities for gospel creatives.
“This is more than an awards ceremony; it is about building a lasting legacy,” he said.
The 2026 ceremony marks a new chapter for the awards following the expansion and rebranding of the Mpumalanga Gospel Music Awards into a national platform recognising Christian creatives across all nine provinces.
With the nominees announced and big prizes up for grabs, gospel fans now have plenty to look forward to. The 2026 Gospel Awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, 6 December, at 16:00 at Communio Church in Mpumalanga, where the winners will finally be crowned.
For the full list of nominees, visit www.gospelawards.co.za.
