Sport, Arts and Culture hosts 2025 National Arts & Culture Awards

The stage was alive with pride, artistry, and celebration as the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture (DSAC) hosted the 2025 National Arts & Culture Awards (NACA) at Sun City, Super Bowl. Recorded live to broadcast on SABC 1, the ceremony shone a national spotlight on the extraordinary storytellers, performers, and visionaries who continue to shape South Africa’s cultural identity.

The evening brought together icons, innovators, and emerging voices across the creative industries. From theatre and dance to literature, film, design, and heritage, The National Arts and Culture Awards reaffirmed that South Africa’s greatest resource is the imagination and resilience of its people.

The arts remain one of the most powerful forces in our society; they carry our history, express our present, and inspire our future. As a nation, the arts are not only a source of pride but also a driver of unity, healing, and progress. They preserve traditions, open doors for innovation, and remind us of who we are while showing the world the depth of South Africa’s creativity.

At the heart of this work is DSAC, whose mandate is to protect heritage, champion creativity, and create platforms for cultural expression to thrive. By cultivating cultural innovation and elevating artistic excellence, DSAC positions the arts as a driver of pride, resilience, and progress for the nation.

2025 NACA WINNERS

HERITAGE CATEGORY

• Outstanding Cultural Landscape Award: Freedom Park Heritage Site Museum
• Outstanding Museum Award: William Humphreys Art Gallery   

LITERATURE CATEGORY

• Outstanding Book, Fiction Award: The Comrade’s Wife (by Barbara Boswell)
• Outstanding Book, Non-Fiction Award: 100 Years of Dispossession (by Lebogang Seale)
• Outstanding Children’s Fiction Book: Sanda Makes Some Money (by Yamkela Tywakadi)
• Outstanding Publisher Award: Vhakololo Press (Tshifhiwa Given Mukwevho)  

DESIGN CATEGORY

• Outstanding Architecture/Interior Designer: Asher Zachary Marcus
• Outstanding Fashion/Textile Designer: Mzukisi Mbane   

VISUAL ARTS CATEGORY

• Outstanding Crafter Award: Majolandile Samuel Dyalvane
• Outstanding Curator Award: Nontobeko Ntombela
• Outstanding Visual Artist Award: Malebogo Naticia Molokoane

PERFORMING ARTS CATEGORY

• Outstanding Musician Award: Mphumelelo Dlamini
• Outstanding Actor in Theatre: Tshireletso Nkoane
• Outstanding Theatre Production: A Street Taxi Named Desire (by Obett Motaung)
• Outstanding Dance Production: INGOMA (by Moeketsi Koena)
• Outstanding Poet Performance: Napo Masheane

AUDIO VISUAL CATEGORY

• Outstanding Documentary Film: London Recruits (by Jacintha de Nobrega)
• Outstanding Documentary Series: Free At Last (by Xoliswa Sithole)
• Outstanding Film Fiction Award: Old Righteous Blues (by Catharina Weinek)

The winners of NACA 2025 embody the richness of South Africa’s creative spirit. Their work pushes boundaries, honours traditions, and gives voice to the stories that define us. Together, they stand as proof that art is not a luxury, but a national necessity — shaping how we see ourselves and how the world sees us.

The ceremony also featured unforgettable performances and tributes, weaving together music, dance, and storytelling in a way that reflected the vibrancy and resilience of South Africa’s cultural heartbeat.

For media enquiries:

Ms Zimasa Velaphi, Head of Communication and Marketing: Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Email: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za 
Cell: +27 72 172 8925

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