31st Annual South African Music Awards

31st South African Music Awards
Sponsored by	The Motsepe Foundation Department of Sports, Arts and Culture CAPASSO SAMRO SAMPRA SABC
Date	November 2025
Country	South Africa
Presented by	Recording Industry of South Africa
Motto	Less Noise, More Music
Most nominations	Black Motion (4)
Television/radio coverage
Network	SABC1 YouTube
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The 31st Annual South African Music Awards (or SAMA31) were initially scheduled for the first half of 2025 but have been rescheduled to November 2025. Primarily sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation, the event is presented by the Recording Industry of South Africa. It will be broadcast live on YouTube and SABC1, honouring excellence in South African Music by celebrating the best albums, music videos, and songs released in South Africa between 16 April 2024 and 31 January 2025.

Background

The 31st Annual South African Music Awards (SAMA31) celebrates the excellency in South African music and honours the best music videos, albums and songs commercially released in the country during the period 16 April 2024 to 31 January 2025. ^[1] Entries for nomination consideration were open from 10 December 2024 to 31 January. ^[2] For members of the Recording Industry of South Africa (RiSA), the entry fee for an individual or entity was R862.50 ($ 58.36), and for non-members it was R4,600.00 ($311.23) including value-added tax per entry for all categories. ^[1] The RiSA extended the entry period to 10 February 2025, due to various requests from the industry. ^[3]

The South African Music Awards (SAMAs) have struggled to secure sponsorship since MTN ended its partnership in 2014. The SAMAs signed a three-year contract with the Motsepe Foundation in 2023, which sponsored the ceremonies in 2023 and 2024, with 2025 marking their final year. To attract new sponsors, the SAMAs' spokesperson, Lesley Mofokeng told The Citizen that the SAMA31 will take place in the first half of 2025, the first since 2019. ^[4] In August 2025, RiSA announced that the event was rescheduled to November 2025, sponsored by the Motsepe Foundation, the Department of Sports, Arts and Culture, CAPASSO, SAMRO, SAMPRA, and SABC as a media partner. ^[5] They also confirmed no red carpet event would occur, ^[6] with the first bach of nominations (Techical Categories, Album Genre Super Categories and the Rest of Africa Award) announced virtually on the SAMAs' social media platforms on 28 August 2025, from 18:00 to 19:00 South Africa Standard Time (UTC+02:00). ^{[6] [7]}

The Public Voting Categories, Record of the Year and Music Video of the Year were not open for submissions. Record of the Year nominees were selected using a weighted formula combining airplay (tracked by Radiomonitor) and streams (from the Official South African Charts) to determine the top 20 songs. Music Video of the Year nominees were chosen based on the most-played music videos (excluding visualiser) from RiSA Audio Visual Licensing NPC and YouTube data, collected between 16 April 2024, and 31 January 2025. ^[1]

Nominees

Below is the list of nominees. ^[7] Winners are listed first and highlighted in bold.

Top 5 Categories

Special awards

Album of the Year

Duo or Group of the Year

Female Artist of the Year

Male Artist of the Year

Newcomer of the Year

Album Genre Super Categories

Album genre super categories

Best Amapiano Album Vigro Deep – Your Piano is Not My Piano Kelvin Momo – Sewe Kelvin Momo – Ntsako Mellow & Sleazy – Midnight in Sunnyside 3 Zee Nxumalo – Inja Ya Game
Beste Kontemporêre Musiek Album Pietman Geldenhuys – Vaalsand Neil Sandilands – Land & Sand Ampie – Niemandsland Spoegwolf – Eindbestemming Majo – Geraamtes	Best African Adult Contemporary Album Zamajobe – UMI Thandiswa Mazwai – Sankofa Zoe Modiga – Nomthandazo Ndu Shezi – Isibusiso Sam Mthuthu – Indumiso YabeNguni
Best Alternative Album Yoav and Jabulile Majola – Unyazi Zadok – Perspective: Black Francis Soal – Hindsight 2020 Th&o – Emlotheni Spoegwolf – Berge	Best R&B/Soul Album Mikhalé Jones – Too Many Promises Elaine – Stone Cold Heart Filah Lah Lah – On Air Clxrity – It's Clear to See The Big Hash – Heartbreak Hotel (Deluxe)
Best Hip Hop Album Blxckie – See U Soon (Deluxe) Tony Dayimane – Red October: Induction Loatinover Pounds – Pray 4 Pitori Sizwe Alakine – Audio 2D: Deaf Darkie 25K – Loyal to the Plug: The Life & Times of Don Kilograms	Best Rock Album Bloumoord – Vir Mekaar MaxX and Love – These Blues Might Get You Too Prime Circle – The World We Know The Man Motels – Old Wounds The Morning After – Look at You Now
Best Adult Contemporary Album (English) Just 6 – uKhisimusi – An African Christmas Melanie Scholtz – Seven Tony Drake – Room for Everyone Nue Sam – Nonyezi The Morning After – Look at You Now	Best Gqom Album Mr Thela – Tronics Land 3 DJ Lag – The Rebellion Goldmax – Play at Your Own Risk DJ Sandiso – Nande 3.0 Lelowhatsgood – Next Level
Best Dance Album Black Motion – The Cradle of Art Dlala Thukzin – Finally Famous Too Mörda – Cr4zy!!.. Shimza – Dreaming Caiiro – Caiiro	Best Traditional Faith Album Betusile – Uyinqoba Yam (Jehovah Nissi) Tebs David – The Journey (Part 1) Malusi Mbokazi – The Full Circle Revival Rofhiwa Manyaga – Rofhiwa Dzina Ayanda Ntanzi – According to Grace, a One Man Show
Best Contemporary Faith Music Album Jabu Hlongwane – Crossover Experience 4 Takie Ndou – The Glory SbuNoah – Heavenly Psalm Level 2 (Live at Goshen City Church) Ntonkozo Mkhize – Lindiwe Mmangaliso – Living Word	Best African Indigenous Faith Music Album Wacha Mkhukhu Wachumlilo – Re Kgoeletsa Magodimong JTG Gospel Choir – Morena Re Ya Leboga House of Mercy – Busa Jeso Barongoa Ba Morena – Ikutana Di Bruin Gospel Projects – Nkapese Ka Maatla
Best Traditional Album Keitumetse Mangate Production – O Moleele MmaAusi – Mmakgodu Makhadzi Entertainment – Miracle Child (Deluxe) Pleasure Tsa Manyalo – Bakokota	Best Maskandi Album Umafikizolo – Ngathi Nguye Phuzekhemisi – iPolitiki Khuzani – Angidlali Nezingani Ntencane – Alingeni Imithente – Amathambo Kagogo
Best Jazz Album Nduduzo Makhathini – uNomkhubulwane Nick Ford – Terra Solus Nomfundo Xaluva – Ndilapha Peter Auret – Hope Dies Last Ncesh Nonxishi – Apho Kungenje	Best Classical/Instrumental Album John Lundun – In the Morning Chris Vale, Eugene Joubert and Franco Prinsloo, Marlize Hattingh – By Allen Skone Dinge Derek Gripper – Ballaké Sissoko & Derek Gripper Vox Chamber Choir and Franco Prisloo – A Season in Paradise Orecchiette – Awake for 22 Hours
Best Afro Pop Album Nomfundo Moh – Twenty Four Malik – Malik Sjava – Isibuko (Deluxe) Sjava – Inkanyezi (Live) Dalom Kids – Collaboration with Friends	Best Reggae Album Dream Lloyd – Mekwei Anele Jahmena – The Rise Dimahr – Flaws in Frame Luwe Da Lion – After All Botanist Mr Lamington – Area Code

Technical Categories

Technical categories

Best Produced Music Video Soa Mattrix – "Umbuzo" Mthandeni SK featuring MaWhoo – "Gucci" TitoM and Yuppe featuring S.N.E and EeQue – "Tshwala Bam" Blxckie – "South" Shekhinah featuring Moliy – "Risk"	Best Produced Album Zamajobe – UMI Black Motion – The Cradle of Art Thandiswa Mazwai – Sankofa Qü – Reprise on 2nd Avenue Linda Sikhakhane – iLadi
Best Engineered Album Black Motion – The Cradle of Art Thandiswa Mazwai – Sankofa Sjava – Isibuko (Deluxe) Keenan Meyer – Reawakening Jeremy Loops – Feathers & Stone	Remix of the Year TitoM, Yuppe and Burna Boy featuring S.N.E – "Tshwala Bam" (Remix) Woodblock DJs, Mvelost, Sef Off and Somololo – "Skuta Baba" Jnr SA Tycoon – "Mngani" Alec Rorisang Kobeng – "Iza Mawala" Mpho.Wav – "Hlala"
Best Collaboration Kelvin Momo, Sino Msolo and Stixx featuring Mashudu – "Waze Wamuhle" Black Motion and Afrikan Roots featuring Mörda and DJ Buckz – "Takala" Kususa and Anatii featuring MaWhoo, Noxolo Ngema and King Deetoy – "Ematshwaleni" Matt Davies and Masuda – "Stay with Me" Mas Musiq, Lawd Weezy and DJ Maphorisa featuring Starquality, Chley and Kabza de Small – "Amalang"

Public Vote

Public vote categories

Record of the Year

Music Video of the Year

Special awards

In the list below, winners are highlighted in bold where necessary.

Special awards

Lifetime Achievement Award

International Achievement Award

Chairperson's Award

Most Streamed Song of the Year

Rest of Africa Award Ayra Starr – The Year I Turned 21 Bensoul – The Party & After Party Wizkid – Morayo Tems – Born in the Wild Fireboy DML – Adedamola

Prizes

The cash prizes awarded to the winners of the Annual South African Music Awards. Adapted from the SAMA31 general rules booklet. ^[1]

List of cash prizes per category

Awards	Prizes
	ZAR	USD
Top 5 categories	15 000	1014.88
Album of the Year	25 000	1691.47
Genre categories	10 000	676.59
Chairman's Award	20 000	1353.18
Lifetime Achievement Award
International Achievement Award
Technical awards	10 000	676.59
Best-selling awards
Album of the Decade	20 000	1353.18
Record of the Decade
Public vote categories
Most Streamed Song of the Year	10 000	676.59

References

1. "The 31st Annual South African Music Awards | General Rules" (PDF). South African Music Awards . Recording Industry of South Africa. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 January 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2025.
2. Miller, Sergio (11 December 2024). "SAMAs to shake things up with new changes in 2025". Bona. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
3. "Extended Entry Period #SAMA31". South African Music Awards . 1 February 2025. Archived from the original on 6 February 2025. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
4. Tiwane, Bonginkosi (10 December 2024). "Samas change 2025 edition date as organisers try to secure additional sponsors". The Citizen . Archived from the original on 25 December 2024. Retrieved 25 January 2025.
5. "SAMA31 Nominees Announcement Press Release". Recording Industry of South Africa . Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
6. "Fans slam SAMAS bosses!". SNL24. City Press. 14 August 2025. Archived from the original on 15 August 2025. Retrieved 15 August 2025.
7. References:
   • Gaanakgomo, Constance (28 August 2025). "Black Motion dominates #SAMA31 nominations with four nods". News24 . Retrieved 31 August 2025.
   • Keteyi, Oluthando (28 August 2025). "Black Motion and Kelvin Momo shine at Sama 2025 with multiple nominations". Independent Online . Retrieved 31 August 2025.