The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Deputy Minister Peace Mabe, congratulates the winners and honourees of the 4th Annual Basadi in Music Awards held between 1-2 August 2025 at the Joburg Theatre.
The two-night celebration opened with the Vanguard Awards on Friday and culminated with the main music awards on Saturday, marking a powerful start to Women's Month and reaffirming the nation's commitment to women's excellence in the creative industries.
Deputy Minister Peace Mabe said: "Basadi in Music is a celebration of craft, courage and community. To every nominee, winner and honouree - you carried the room, and you carried the country. At the start of Women's Month, your achievements remind us why fair opportunities, equal visibility and proper investment into women's platforms are not favours; they are necessities for a thriving cultural economy."
The 2025 edition intentionally showcased the full value chain behind the stage from producers and writers to stylists, journalists and managers through the invite-only Vanguard Awards on day 1, before spotlighting the artists on day 2. The event's two-evening format underscores the industry's breadth and the organisers' drive to recognise excellence on and off stage.
Deputy Minister Mabe added: "Awards matter because they signal what a country values. When we celebrate women on stage and the women whose work makes the stage possible, we strengthen pathways for girls in every province who are daring to dream. Keep taking up space. Keep mentoring. Keep building."
Public participation once again played a central role in the process, with nominees selected and voted for by audiences, strengthening legitimacy and fan engagement around women's music platforms. DSAC applauds the organisers and partners for sustaining public ownership of the celebration and bringing new audiences into the ecosystem.
The Department further welcomes the event's broadcast on SABC2 over the Women's Day weekend - Music Awards on 9 August and Vanguard Awards on 10 August - which will extend the celebration to homes across South Africa and deepen the visibility that drives careers and commercial opportunities for women in music.
"To the Basadi team under Hloni Modise-Matau's leadership, and to Joburg Theatre and broadcast partners - thank you for stewarding a platform that centres women with consistency and care. Basadi is now a national moment. Our commitment as government is to keep building the policy environment, partnerships and pipelines that make this growth sustainable," Added Deputy Minister Mabe.
Established in 2022, Basadi in Music Awards has evolved into a flagship celebration of women's contributions to the sector, with this year's two-night format signalling its growing scale and impact across the creative economy. The Department salutes the organisers, corporate partners and creative teams whose work has nurtured Basadi into a fixture on the cultural calendar.
"As we mark Women's Month, we call on South Africans to support women-led creativity all year - buy the music, stream the projects, attend the shows, and insist on fair representation in boardrooms, line-ups and newsrooms. Visibility and equitable value unlock opportunity," the Deputy Minister concluded.
Enquiries:
Ms Zimasa Velaphi
Head of Communication and Marketing
Department of Sport, Arts and Culture
Cell: 072 172 8925
E-mail: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za
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