The Media Online’s weekly column delivering news of award wins, entries, competitions, dates to note and winners in the media.
Mike Abel wins the 2025 Financial Mail AdFocus Lifetime Achievement Award
The Up&Up Group’s Chairman and Founder, Mike Abel, has been awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s AdFocus Awards ceremony held in Johannesburg.
Published author, columnist and podcaster Abel founded M+C Saatchi Abel in 2010 with no clients and a bold vision. Together with the founding partners, this vision has evolved into The Up&Up Group — South Africa’s largest independently owned group of creative companies.
Abel is also the patron of the global platform The Street Store, which after more than 1,100 stores worldwide, continues to provide dignity for those in need while driving mindful giving, thoughtful fashion choices and awareness around the circular economy.
Winners of the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards 2025
Now in its seventh year, the Twyg Sustainable Fashion Awards continue to celebrate the designers, makers, and changemakers shaping a more sustainable, inclusive, and creative fashion ecosystem in South Africa and across the continent.
Wanda Lephoto won the Changemaker Award presented by Bash for 2025. Wanda takes home a R100 000 cash prize. Aidan Peters of Klein Muis won the Emerging Designer Award presented by H&M, and also takes home R100 000.
All the winners and finalists of the last seven years have been included into Twyg’s new online directory of sustainable and ethically made clothing, textiles and accessories.
Accessory Award
- Winner: Earth Age
- Finalists: Changing Facets and Nic&Nic
Emerging Designer Award presented by H&M
- Winner: Klein Muis
- Finalists: Casbeth and Makhudai
Innovative Design and Materials Award presented by Polo South Africa
- Winner: Ballo
- Finalists: Sealand and Botanical Nomad
Trans-seasonal Design Award
- Winner: Wanda Lephoto
- Finalists: Boyde and MmusoMaxwell
Merchants on Long Pan-African Artisanal Award
- Winner: WOTE K.I Design
- Finalists: AAKS and Reform Studio
Tastemaker Award
- Winner: Innocent Ndlovu
- Finalists: Lethabo ‘Boogy’ Maboi and Yasmin Furmie
Student Award
- Winner: The_Collectn
- Finalists: Carlize van Zyl and The Odd
Retail Award
- Winner: Thrift Fest
- Finalists: The Sewing Café and Vintage with Love
Changemaker Award presented by Bash
Winner: Wanda Lephoto
Danica J. Thomas and Stephanie Brookes named Business Women of the Year 2025 at Next Gen Business Connect Awards
In a landmark celebration of innovation, leadership, and entrepreneurial excellence, Danica J. Thomas and Stephanie Brookes were honoured as Business Women of the Year 2025 at the first-ever Next Gen Business Connect Awards, held on 26 November 2025.
The prestigious award recognises visionary women who are shaping the future of South African business through creativity, resilience, and impact. Thomas and Brookes stood out among the promising leaders for their groundbreaking work in establishing and growing Salt n’ Light Creative, a dynamic, forward-thinking creative agency that has quickly become a rising force in the media and marketing landscape.
Salt n’ Light Creative is a Johannesburg based media and creative agency offering a full suite of creative and marketing services, including media buying, digital strategy, influencer management, content creation, and campaign management.
Asante Solutions celebrated at KZN Digital Transformation Summit
Fresh from its recognition at the recent KZN Digital Transformation Summit, one of the province’s leading platforms for showcasing digital innovation, Asante Solutions is intensifying its efforts to broaden technology access for small and medium enterprises.
The Durban-based company, led by 27-year-old digital transformation strategist Muhle Ndwalane, secured second place in the Summit’s Digital Startup Competition in October. The achievement reflects both the growing demand for practical, affordable digital tools and Asante’s expanding role in supporting the province’s evolving technology ecosystem.
Asante received recognition for its Asante PowerCRM platform, which is designed to help SMEs streamline operations, strengthen customer relationships, track sales, automate routine tasks, and improve service delivery.
Effie College announces inaugural South African winners
The inaugural Effie College programme in South Africa has named its first winners, following a live brief sponsored by Nedbank and a multi-stage judging process grounded in Effie’s effectiveness principles. The initiative drew student teams from four institutions — the University of Cape Town (UCT), University of Johannesburg (UJ), North-West University (NWU) and the AAA School of Advertising (AAA).
Through a rigorous judging process — spanning 13 October to 4 November — a distinguished panel of industry judges identified the Top 6 finalists, with the Top 3 emerging as standout teams for their strategic insight, creativity and results-driven thinking.
The inaugural honours were conferred as follows: First place went to Stargazers (UCT); Brand Minds (UCT) earned second; and AdVengers (UJ) proudly took third to complete the Top 3. Rounding off the Top 6 for 2025 were Elevation Strategists (NWU), Strategic Six (NWU), and Momentum Makers (NWU).
| AWARD | INSTITUTION + TEAM | TEAM MEMBERS | PRIZE PACKAGE
(per member) |
| FIRST | UCT – Team Stargazers | Kimae Rubbie
Keorapetse Mokoena
|
Enrolment to Effie Fundamentals worth R5 600
Nedbank Avo voucher worth R500 Effie Dialogue Invitations 2026 Effie Gala Award ticket worth R1000
|
| SECOND | UCT – Team Brand Minds | Linah Mokwana
Thabang Mhlongo Kabelo Moropa Mojaki Moroenyane Onthatile Maithufi
|
Nedbank Avo voucher worth R300
Effie Dialogue Invitations
2026 Effie Gala Awards ticket worth R1000
|
| THIRD | UJ – Team AdVengers | Ronewa Ogilvie
Lethabo Mohaswa Owame Mapedi Amohelang Sehloho
|
Nedbank Avo voucher worth R200
Effie Dialogue Invitations
2026 Effie Gala Awards ticket worth R1000
|
Jacaranda FM celebrates 12 nominations at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards
Jacaranda FM has secured 12 nominations at the upcoming 2025 Telkom Radio Awards. The nominations are a powerful reflection of the station’s commitment to delivering world-class broadcasting, impactful community initiatives, and South Africa’s best feel-good music.
The nominations span key categories across programming, content creation, news, sport, podcasting and station imaging, showcasing the station’s exceptional talent both on-air and behind the scenes.
Jacaranda FM has been nominated for:
- Best Afternoon Show: The Drive with Rob & Roz
- Best Podcast: Mevrou Mevrou
- Best Podcast: Good Morning Angels
- Best Breakfast Show: Breakfast with Martin Bester
- Best Breakfast Presenter: Martin Bester
- Community Project: Good Morning Angels
- Content Producer: Wayne van Jaarsveld
- Day Time Show: The Workzone
- News Bulletin Reader: Marlinée Fouché
- Multi-Channel Promotion: Dad Band
- Sport Bulletin Reporter: Xola Ntshinga
- Station Imaging: Jacaranda FM
These nominations highlight the station’s diverse strengths, from storytelling and journalism to entertainment, music, digital integration and community upliftment through Good Morning Angels, one of South Africa’s most beloved charitable platforms.
5FM scores eight Telkom Radio Awards nomination
5FM has received eight nominations at the 2025 Telkom Radio Awards, cementing its place as South Africa’s favourite youth radio station and cross-platform information and entertainment hotspot.
This year’s nominations highlight the strength, creativity and unstoppable momentum of the 5FM team across multiple categories, showcasing excellence both on air and behind the scenes.
- 5FM’s flagship breakfast show, 5 Breakfast with Nick Hamman, Xoli Zondo, Marli van Eeden and Thabo Baloyi, has been nominated for Best Breakfast Show.
- 5 Breakfast host, Nick Hamman, also celebrates an individual nomination for Best Breakfast Presenter.
- In addition, 5 Breakfast’s producer, Ayob Vania has also been nominated for Best Content Producer.
- The highly competitive Best Music Show category features a nomination for the legendary Roger Goode Show.
- 5 After Hours, presented by Leah Jazz, has secured a nomination in the Best Night-Time Show category.
- 5FM’s continued commitment to genuinely REAL, meaningful and impactful content is also recognised through the nomination of “16 Days, 16 Voices” in the Best Radio Documentary category.
- The Best Sports Presenter category features 5FM’s own Jude van Wyk.
- Rounding out the list, 5FM’s instantly recognisable and Top 40-driven sonic identity has earned a nomination for Best Station Imaging, spearheaded by the station’s production lead, Brionne Olsen.
Masi Mdingane, Business Manager for 5FM and Good Hope FM, says: “It has been an extraordinary year for 5FM. From turning 5 decades BOLD, to an epic Heritage Tour, to giving away a R1 million apartment and being named one of the Top 3 Coolest Radio Stations in South Africa. Every recognition reminds us why we live, eat and breathe RADIO. These Telkom Radio Awards nominations are a testament to the hard work of our teams – on air, on the ground and behind the scenes – who relentlessly push to keep 5FM at the leading edge of youth culture.”
National Film & TV Awards South Africa 2025 celebrates South Africa’s brightest talent
The National Film & TV Awards South Africa returned to the Opera Theatre in Pretoria for its 3rd annual edition, delivering an unforgettable night honouring the icons, trailblazers, and rising stars shaping the future of South African entertainment.
The most emotional and defining moment of the night was the presentation of the NFTA Lifetime Achievement Award 2025 to the legendary Dr John Kani. A titan of theatre, film, and global storytelling, Dr Kani received a standing ovation as he delivered one of the most powerful acceptance speeches ever heard on an NFTA stage. He said:
The awards also celebrated four other giants of South African film and television who received Outstanding Contribution to Film & TV Awards: Leon Schuster, Alfred Ntombela, Sello Maake KaNcube, and Dr Jerry Mofokeng, each honoured for their decades of influence, cultural impact, and unwavering dedication to the craft.
Find all the winners here.
Nivea & inDrive power TikTok’s 2025 Sub-Saharan Africa Awards as title sponsors
Proving the growth of the Awards in Sub-Saharan Africa, TikTok has announced NIVEA (Beiersdorf) and inDrive as the official titlesSponsors of the 2025 Sub-Saharan Africa Awards, underscoring the growing influence of digital creativity and brand collaboration across the region dedicated to celebrating & rewarding creators. IITPSA announces winners of the 2025 President’s Awards
The Institute of Information Technology Professionals South Africa (IITPSA) has announced the winners of the 2025 President’s Awards.
The winner of the prestigious IT Personality of the Year award is Matt Putman, co-founder and CEO of iKhokha – one of the first Fintech companies to be launched in Africa, which is being acquired by Nedbank in an approximate R1.65bn deal.
Louise van der Bank, an IITPSA Pr.CIO and CIO of AfriSam, has been named Visionary CIO of the Year. Dr. Mohammed Haroon Rashid Ansari, Director (VP) – Digital Transformation & Business Excellence at WNS Global Services (Part of Capgemini) has won the Technology Excellence Award, which celebrates exceptional or innovative use of information technology.
The new Woman in IT Excellence Award, which recognises an individual who demonstrates professional excellence, ethical leadership, mentorship, and commitment to transforming the ICT sector, particularly in promoting the visibility and participation of women, has been awarded to Senele Goba, Founding Director of 4IR Innovations and past President of the IITPSA.
The non-profit Leva Foundation has won the Social Responsibility/Community Award. Known for its development projects such as Tangible unplugged coding, the Leva Foundation under co-founder and CEO Ryan le Roux has had over a decade of impact in Africa, Europe, Indonesia and South Korea.
Tanaka Dhliwayo, Founder and CEO at Tanie Codes Org, has won the Dynamism in ICT Youth award category. Kurai Masocha, founder and CEO of Tech Oasis Systems and Chair of the IITPSA Innovation Special Interest Group, is the winner of the 2025 IITPSA Member Ambassador Award category, while Prof Lynn Futcher has been recognised with an IITPSA Fellowship award and John Singh, IITPSA Vice President and Chairperson of the IITPSA Blockchain and Crypto SIG, has received a Distinguished Service award.
