Grace Mondlana won Samsung Galaxy Creator of the Year at the 2026 Content Creator Awards in Sandton. Image credit Content Creator Awards
The Content Creator Awards 2026 winners have been announced, and Grace Mondlana walked away as the biggest star of the night. The actress and content creator won the Samsung Galaxy Creator of the Year Award as well as the Trendsetter Award.
The ceremony took place on Saturday night at The Galleria in Sandton, Johannesburg. Comedian and television presenter Mpho Popps hosted the event, which recognised creators across 20 categories.
Grace Mondlana was not the only double winner. Vafa Naraghi also won two awards, taking Best Social Series and the Thumbstopping Award. The pair went into the night leading the nominations with three nods each.
Elsewhere, Lasizwe was named YouTube Creator of the Year. Meanwhile, the SMWX Podcast won Podcast of the Year, and Ikho Kweba took Best Comedy Content Creator.
Full list of Content Creator Awards 2026 winners
- Samsung Galaxy Creator of the Year, Grace Mondlana
- Trendsetter Award, Grace Mondlana
- Best Social Series, Vafa Naraghi
- Thumbstopping Award, Vafa Naraghi
- YouTube Creator of the Year, Lasizwe
- Podcast of the Year, SMWX Podcast
- Best Comedy Content Creator, Ikho Kweba
- BYD People’s Choice Award, Olwethu Ncapayi
- Emerging Creator Award, Sine Mbangata
- Impact Creator Award, Joshua Rubin
- Dance Creator Award, Chad Jones
- Style Award, Yasmin Furmie
- 947 Sound of Tomorrow Award, Mikhalé Jones
- Best Creator and Brand Collaboration, Nabilah Kariem for Le Creuset
- Expert Voices Award, Miss Angler
- Telkom Best Online Series, The Adventures of Noko Mashaba
- Wildcard Award, Lindokuhle Madlingozi
- Cars.co.za Automotive Content Award, Tebogo Moropa
- Excellence in Branded Content, Oliver Agency for Cleanipedia presents Bakhombise
- CapturedWithGalaxy Award, Katlego Lekoba
The evening also featured several live performances. Mama Ka Lo opened the show, and six nominees for the 947 Sound of Tomorrow Award performed a medley. In addition, Dan Corder, Lasizwe and Cedric Fourie entertained the crowd with comedy skits. Choreographer Benny Jnr led a dance performance and returned for the finale.
For readers who are new to the awards, the Content Creator Awards celebrate South Africans who build careers on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. Manuela Dias de Deus founded the awards to recognise a fast growing industry that traditional award shows often overlook. The event was previously known as the DStv Content Creator Awards. This year, Samsung Galaxy came on board as the headline sponsor.
Winners take home more than a trophy. According to the organisers, prizes include devices, cash, brand campaigns, travel and data. Dias de Deus says the aim is to invest in the creator economy, so creators can grow their businesses.
Commentary across social media platforms has been mostly celebratory. Fans have flooded timelines with congratulations for Grace Mondlana in particular. However, some users have also debated which of their favourite creators deserved more recognition.
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