Gauteng Sport Awards 2017 finalists shine

This year’s celebration of the Province’s sporting stars is dedicated to the self-less legacy of struggle icon Oliver Reginald Tambo, who would have turned 100 in October. It is the year of ‘Unity in Action’ as we honour a man who fought hard for liberation and reflect on how far we have come in sport 23 years later.

Through sport we need to ensure that our liberation, unity and freedom are protected, preserved and promoted for all South Africans to enjoy what the likes of Oliver Reginald Tambo believed and stood for.

It was a good day for soccer team Mamelodi Sundowns as they swept the boards at the Gauteng Sport Awards 2017 finalists reveal, clocking no less than four nods. The nominees were announced by Faith Mazibuko, MEC for Sport, Arts, Culture and Recreation in Gauteng at Green Hills stadium in Randfontein in the Rand-West municipality.

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Star combative midfielder Hlompho Kekana of Sundowns shot his way into two nominations for Sportman of the Year and Sport Personality of the Year, while Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane earned a spot in the Coach of the Year category. After a triumphant campaign in the CAF Champions League, Sundowns is duly in the running for the Team of the Year trophy. Also taking home a substantial number of nominations was Wits Sport’s Tang Soo Do martial arts team. They secured themselves nods in Sportman of the Year (Kim Lucas), Sportwoman of the Year (Tanita Ramburuth Hurt),  Most Promising Athlete (Madimetja Malebana) and Sport Team of the Year.

Women’s football star Janine Van Wyk got two nominations in the highly competitive Sportwoman of the Year and Sport Personality of the Year categories. Also vying for the trophy in the latter are Hlompho Kekana, athletes Luvo Manyanga and Sheldon Thomas.

Johannesburg rugby team The Lions’s heroic efforts have gained them a place in the Sport Team of the Year and their coach Johannes Nthooro Mongalo made the cut for Coach of the Year.

Athlete Ntando Mahlangu who won last year, returns to the GSA nominations with a berth in the Disabled Sportman of the Year. He competes with wheelchair tennis stars Lucas Sithole and Evans Maripa as well as athlete Pieter duPreez. In the Disabled Sportwoman of the Year category, Sandra Khumalo of rowing faces tough competition from athlete Maria Combrink and wheelchair tennis star Kgothatso Montjane.

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Mazibuko congratulated the nominees: ‘These are sportsmen and women who have flown Gauteng’s flag in the field of play. We are proud of them at a time we honour our national icon OR Tambo. We wish them the best as we head towards the award ceremony in October.

‘I also urge fans, followers and supporters to vote for their favourites to lift trophies next month and there are some amazing prizes to be won. Mind you, the winners will go on to represent the province, our home of champions, at the national awards, so they need to have our full support.’

To win a car at the Gauteng Sport Awards 2017 vote for your favourite Sport Fan by SMSing their sporting code to 41802.

Sport Fan of the Year

1 for Mdevas Mokubela

2 for Johan Snyders

3 for Mamello Makha

Sport Personality of the Year

4 for Hlompho Kekana

5 for Janine Van Wyk

6 for Luvo Manyanga

7 for Sheldon Thomas

Sport Programme of the Year

8 for SportsBuzz

9 for Dlala Mzanzi

10 for Sport at 10

11 for The Home Straight

Terms and conditions apply. All SMSes are charged at R1.50 and free SMSes do not apply. Gauteng home of champions.

COMPLETE LIST OF FINALISTS

Sportman of the Year

Kim Lucas – Wits University – Tang Soo Do

Lawrence Brittian – TUKS Rowing - Rowing

Hlompho Kekana – Mamelodi Sundowns – Football

Sportwoman of the Year

Neila Tembe –Gauteng Volleyball Union - Volleyball

Tanita Ramburuth Hurt – Wits Sport – Combat Tang Soo Do

Janine Van Wyk – South African Football Association – Football

Sport Team of the Year

Wits Sport – Wits Tang Soo Do – Martial Arts

Mamelodi Sundowns – Mamelodi Sundowns Football Club – Football

Golden Lions Rugby Union – Emirates Lions Super Rugby Team – Rugby

Disabled Sportwoman of the Year

Sandra Khumalo - Para Rowing Single Scull – Rowing

Maria Combrink - CGSAPD – Athletics

Kgothatso Montjane - Wheelchair Tennis South Africa –Tennis

Disabled Sportman of the Year

Ntando Mahlangu – Disability Sport – Athletics

Evans Maripa – Wheelchair Tennis South Africa – Tennis

Pieter duPreez – UJ Sport for Disability – Athletics

Lucas Sithole – Wheelchair Tennis South Africa – Tennis

Sport Team of the Year with a Disability

Gauteng Wheelchair Basketball – Gauteng Wheelchair Basketball Boys U23 – Wheelchair Basketball

Disability Sport Athletics Team – Disability Sport Athletics Team – Athletics

Kwa Thema Disability Academy – Kwa Thema Disability Sports Club – Multi Coded

Coach of the Year

Kelsey White - Central Gauteng Water Polo – Water Polo

Pitso Mosimane - Mamelodi Sundowns – Football

Johannes Nthooro Mongalo - Golden Lions Rugby Union – Rugby

Technical Official of the Year

Charles Villet - Brakpan Wrestling Club – Wrestling 

Mpho Makgoba - Tennis South Africa –Tennis

Charmaine Ho -Provincial Archery Federation – Archery

Administrator of the Year

Nkosinathi Moyo – Gauteng Volleyball Union – Volleyball

Gussie Bartlett – Eastern Gauteng Wrestling Association – Wrestling

John Mathane – ASA – Athletics

Most Promising Athletes

Madimetja Malebana – Wits Sport – Combat Tang Soo Do

Nthabeleng Maine – Wits Hockey – Hockey U/21 World Cup Women’s Hockey

Sheldon Thomas – UJ Sport for Disability - Athletics

Siyabonga Samkelo Wiseman Mbatha – Gauteng Volleyball Union – Volleyball

Most Promising Team

Gauteng Wheelchair Basketball Girls – Gauteng Under 19 Girls Team – Wheelchair Basketball

Gauteng Wheelchair Basketball Boys Gauteng Wheelchair Basketball Boys U/19 – Wheelchair Basketball

Hlangebeza U/13 Primary Chess Team – Hlangebeza U/13 Primary Chess Team – Chess

Sport Fan of the Year

Mdevas Mokubela – Football

Johan Snyders – Disability Sport (Athletics)

Mamello Makha – Football

Journalist of the Year

Mbali Mokoko – Kaya FM

Tshepiso Mametela – Caxton Newspapers

Zipporah Tsholofelo Lesunye – Alex FM

Sport Personality of the Year

Hlompho Kekana – Mamelodi Sundowns – Football

Janine Van Wyk – South African Football Association – Football

Luvo Manyanga – UP Sport – Athletics

Sheldon Thomas – UJ Sport for Disability – Athletics

School Sport Athlete of the Year

Fernando Booysen - Hoerskool Hugenoot – Wrestling

Emile Burger - Jumping Kids Prosthetic Fund – Athletics

Mary Dzimba - Gauteng School Sport for the Intellectually Impaired – Athletics

Community Sport and Recreation Programme of the Year

SAFA Tshwane Regional League and Ga-Rankuwa Local Football Association – Faith and Hope Foundation – Football, Netball and Tennis

Gauteng Volleyball Union – Johannesburg Strikers Volleyball Academy – Volleyball

Southern Gauteng Hockey Association – In-Touch Community Support Group – Hockey and Football

Sport Programme of the Year

Nwendamutswu - SABC1 SportBuzz

Soweto TV - Dlala Mzanzi

Sport at 10 - SABC

The Home Straight – Kaya FM

Community Media of the Year

Thetha FM - Thetha FM 100.7

Jozi FM – Jozi FM

Alex News - Caxton