South Africa’s favourite personalities in 2025: Briefly News Entertainment Awards winners
Briefly News is excited to announce the winners of the 2025 Entertainment Awards, celebrating the South African entertainers and creators who defined the year across television, film, music, digital platforms, and sport.
The awards are entirely driven by fans, meaning the winners were chosen by the public, a true reflection of who South Africans were watching, listening to, sharing, and talking about throughout 2025.
Meet the 2025 winners
- Influencer of the Year: City Makoti - Rising content creator with witty, relatable skits capturing everyday life.
- Upcoming Actor of the Year: Lebohang Lephatsoana - Breakout role as Tumelo in teen drama Youngins.
- Upcoming Actress of the Year: Thandolwethu Ngidi - Known for her character in Scandal! and other series; trained at Market Theatre Laboratory.
- Couple of the Year: Bontle Modiselle & Priddy Ugly - Long-term couple celebrated for loyalty and friendship.
- Sports Personality of the Year: Mbekezeli Mbokazi - Footballer for Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana; key player and vice-captain.
These winners stand out not only for their talent, but for the way they connected with audiences through their exceptional talent. From City Makoti’s cultural influence online, to Thandolwethu Ngidi’s strong performances on screen, Lebohang Lephatsoana’s breakout roles, Bontle and Priddy’s admirable relationship, and Mbekezeli Mbokazi’s rise in football. Each winner captured attention in a way that reached people’s hearts.
Celebrating entertainers and creators in South Africa is crucial. People want to see local talent recognised while it’s happening and creators need to be appreciated for the joy they bring to our screens and our hearts. Across timelines and comment sections, audiences rally behind the personalities who are relatable, start conversations, offer escape, or simply show up authentically. The awards give fans and followers a platform where they can show appreciation to the creators that mattered the most to them.
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The 2025 awards were hosted on Briefly News’ platforms, with voting open to the public across multiple categories. Fans returned throughout the voting period to track results, share updates, and campaign for their favourites, turning the awards into a shared national moment rather than a one-off announcement.
The Briefly News Entertainment Awards have become a key touchpoint for our entertainment audience, driving ongoing engagement as readers debate nominees and share content across social media. Each edition grows the conversation, keeping audiences coming back to the platform and strengthening the connection with our readers.
Congratulations to all the winners and nominees who made 2025 a standout year for South African entertainment.
Source: Briefly News
