Phiri Leads 2026 Gospel Awards With Five Nominations
Nozipho Phiri tops the nominees for the 2026 Gospel Awards, which expanded from a provincial event into a national platform.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Religious
Nozipho Phiri received five nominations for the 2026 Gospel Awards, unveiled at a star-studded event at The Capital Hotel in Sandton. The awards expanded from the Mpumalanga Gospel Music Awards into a national platform covering all nine provinces.
Why it matters
The expansion gives gospel artists across South Africa a national stage and a larger set of prizes to compete for. Song of the Year carries a R100 000 prize, and Artist of the Year receives a Volkswagen Polo TSI R-Line.
Phiri's five nominations span Best Female Artist, Best Worship Song for "Wangethula", Best Newcomer, Best Praise Song for "Uyalalela" and Best Itende for "Mabagijime". Winners will be decided at the ceremony on 6 December 2026, and the outcome of each category is still unknown.
The players
Nozipho Phiri
Nozipho Phiri is a gospel artist who received five nominations at the 2026 Gospel Awards.
Jumbo
Jumbo is a gospel artist nominated for Song of the Year and Artist of the Year at the 2026 Gospel Awards.
Ndumiso Zungu
Ndumiso Zungu is a gospel artist nominated for Artist of the Year and Best Male Artist at the 2026 Gospel Awards.
Puleng March
Puleng March is a gospel artist nominated for Best Female Artist and Best Songwriter at the 2026 Gospel Awards.
Thami Ngubeni
Thami Ngubeni is a Metro FM radio presenter nominated for Best Gospel Radio Presenter at the 2026 Gospel Awards.
The details
The nominations were unveiled at The Capital Hotel in Sandton, and Jumbo, Ndumiso Zungu and Puleng March also received multiple nods. The ceremony itself will take place at Communion Hall in Mpumalanga.
Timeline
- 9 November 2026: Nominations unveiled at The Capital Hotel in Sandton.
- 6 December 2026: 2026 Gospel Awards ceremony at Communion Hall in Mpumalanga.
Season Trajectory
The 2026 Gospel Awards extend the Mpumalanga Gospel Music Awards from a single-province event into a national competition covering all nine provinces. The move positions regional gospel artists to compete on a national stage with a larger set of prizes.
Gospel fans can follow the ceremony on 6 December 2026 at Communion Hall in Mpumalanga, with winners announced across all categories. The R100 000 Song of the Year prize and the Volkswagen Polo TSI R-Line for Artist of the Year are awarded at that event.
The takeaway
Gospel artists across all nine provinces now have a national platform to be recognised, so following the nominees and the 6 December ceremony is the easiest way to track the season's biggest names.
What happens next
The 2026 Gospel Awards ceremony takes place at Communion Hall in Mpumalanga on 6 December 2026, when winners in each category will be announced.
Further reading
Explore more Religious music coverage from across South Africa.
Source note: This article includes information reported by IOL.
