“You have only one event?” That question, asked during a product development workshop in Mumbai in November 2019, stayed with me long after I boarded the flight home. At the time, the gsport Awards were thriving. We had just secured Momentum as our Naming Rights Partner and women’s sport was gaining momentum. But that simple question challenged our thinking. Was one annual moment of recognition enough?
Just two months earlier, we had launched the #gsportGlobal chapter in Surat, India, during the Proteas Women’s white-ball series against India, committing to growing international coverage of women’s sport. The idea of creating a consistent, visible media moment for women’s sport in South Africa was already taking shape.
When I returned home from the workshop in Mumbai, the gsport team began reimagining what recognition for women’s sport could look like. We needed something more regular, more media-facing, and more impactful. That is how the gsport Annual List of Newsmakers was born.
In December 2019, we hosted our first-ever gsport Annual List at Mezepoli in Melrose Arch. Unsure of what to expect so close to the festive season, we took a chance. The turnout exceeded expectations, with Momentum represented and the then Deputy Minister of Sport in attendance. When former Netball SA President Cecilia Molokwane was named our first gsport Newsmaker of the Year, the event made headlines and the concept took root.
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Even when sport came to a near standstill in 2020, we pressed on. That year reinforced our belief that telling the positive stories of women’s sport mattered more than ever. In 2021, we elevated the event by launching the gsport Pop-Up Museum, bringing women’s sporting silverware into the media space to remind journalists what their coverage helps achieve: Wins for women’s sport.
By 2022, as we geared up for 2023, the Year of Women’s Sport, the gsport Annual List had become a gathering point for the entire ecosystem. From the Pop-Up Museum to limited-edition merchandise and iconic trophies on display, the energy signalled that women’s sport was entering a new era.
Which brings us to #GAL2025.
This year’s event marked the seventh edition of South Africa’s only women’s sport newsmakers platform, and it felt like a defining moment. Hosted at SABC Radio Park, we found ourselves at the very heart of national broadcasting, surrounded by some of the country’s most influential radio stations. It was a powerful statement about where women’s sport belongs, at the centre of the media conversation.
We are grateful to SABC Sport General Manager, Keletso Totlhanyo, for believing in gsport’s vision and opening the doors to this historic venue. Through Keletso’s leadership, gsport successfully navigated a challenging year and emerged stronger.
#GAL2025 was also a moment of growth, as we introduced emerging event MC talent, with Jessica Mushavhathu stepping into the spotlight as part of gsport’s ongoing commitment to skills development and future planning.
The afternoon was filled with meaningful full-circle moments, including celebrating six years of partnership with Brand South Africa, whose continued belief in gsport has helped grow our global footprint.
Congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC for becoming the first team to win the overall Newsmaker of the Year award. A big shout-out also goes to the entire list of Newsmakers announced at #GAL2025. You have truly led the way in encouraging greater mainstream media support.
As is always the case at gsport events, the who’s who of women’s sport was in attendance, including Springbok Women Rugby World Cup stars Thembeka Khuzwayo and Chumisa Qhawe, who took the opportunity to thank the media for being their #PlusOne during the showpiece event in the UK a few months back. Gallo Images helped us close the visibility gap by circulating high-quality, winning images to mainstream media.
The women in sports media space is evolving, and events like the gsport Annual List of Newsmakers help elevate particularly new names who are ready to launch their big media dreams.
The gsport Annual List is made possible by partners who truly understand impact, and we sincerely thank Telkom, alongside Braam Wessels and his team, for their continued support in amplifying women’s sport stories through the gsport newsroom partnership.
Perhaps the biggest shout-out must go to Worldwide Sports COO, Lenah Sithole, who has provided strong leadership and guidance, along with the most incredible branding for all our events this year. I have no hesitation in highly recommending Lenah and her team to service your events and tournaments.
#GAL2025 was proudly supported by SABC Sport, Brand South Africa, Telkom, the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, Worldwide Sports, Gallo Images, and Nielsen Sports South Africa.
From one question asked six years ago to a national platform hosted this year at South Africa’s public broadcaster, the gsport Annual List has become more than an event. It is a movement for visibility, belief, and sustained investment in women’s sport.
Thank you for being part of the journey. Here’s to 20 years of gsport in 2026!
Visit gsport.co.za for full coverage, and follow us @gsport4girls across social media!
Main Photo Caption: Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC became the first team to be unveiled as gsport Annual List of the Year recipients on at SABC Radio Park in Auckland Park, Johannesburg, on 9 December, 2025. Born from a simple question six years ago, the annual gsport Newsmakers List has evolved from a groundbreaking concept into a powerful movement, celebrating the champions of women’s sport with the recent, defining #GAL2025 event. All Photos: gsport
