This past weekend, the South African Music Awards (SAMAs) quietly came and went, and that alone had many people doing a double-take.
For an awards show that once stopped the country in its tracks, many South Africans only realised after the fact that the ceremony had even taken place.
Despite several major wins and deserving artists taking home trophies, the overall mood around the event left fans and industry insiders surprised.
Once a cultural event that dominated conversations before, during and long after the ceremony, this year’s awards prompted discussion online about the current standing of the SAMAs.
Held at Gallagher Estate and hosted by Pamela Mtanga and Scoop Makhathini, the ceremony did recognise heavyweights such as Makhadzi, Thandiswa Mazwai, Kabza De Small and Nontokozo Mkhize, among others. But the buzz? Some viewers and industry figures noted it was noticeably missing.
As clips from the night trickled onto social media, media personality Andile Ncube summed up the general sentiment of disbelief.
Ncube questioned whether the ceremony reflected how far the live entertainment industry has come.
“Where are these awards being held?” he asked online. “We’ve progressed so much over the last decade when it comes to staging live events… Surely this can’t be a true reflection of the industry.”
He also pointed to the visible absence of many artists, adding that there was a time when a SAMA invite was the hottest ticket in town.
According to Ncube, the show needs a serious revival, particularly in marketing and promotion, because the platform itself remains powerful.
Music executive Nota didn’t hold back either, describing the awards as “an insult” and comparing the ceremony to a graduation at a fly-by-night institution.
Producer Micah Da Music echoed the nostalgia, saying future generations might not believe that the country once postponed appointments and cleared calendars just to watch the SAMAs, a time when artists dreamed of standing on that stage.
Still, the night belonged to Thandiswa Mazwai, who walked away with multiple accolades, including Female Artist of the Year, Best African Adult Contemporary Album, Best Produced Album and Best Engineered Album.
Celebrating her sweep, Mazwai proudly shared that she and her team “came with a broom and cleaned up”, thanking her collaborators from South Africa, Dakar and the US, as well as her family for their support.
“We brought a broom and cleaned up. Thanks to my co-producers on this album #TendaiShoko @nduduzomakh @OfficialMeshell and to all the musicians from SA, Dakar and USA. Thanks to my family A and Lala, Maria and Phiona for the support. See you at Sankofa Fest 28Feb2026.”
anita.nkonki@inl.co.za
Saturday Star
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