MBABANE, ESWATINI – The Kingdom of Eswatini is in the running for two accolades at the 2026 African Union Sport Council (AUSC) Region V Regional Annual Sports Awards (RASA).
On Monday, May 11, Region V announced the three finalists across nine categories for this year’s edition. Eswatini has two of its junior athletes shortlisted for the ceremony, which is scheduled to take place in Luanda, Angola, on May 23.
The kingdom’s reigning Junior Male and Female Sports personalities of the Year, Banele Matse from darts and Siphiwokuhle Ndlela from taekwando, carry the nation’s hopes of being named the region’s finest sports personalities in just 10 days.
Eswatini has been a prominent fixture in these categories since the awards were revived post-COVID-19. In 2023, the country tasted glory when taekwondo star Sihlelelwe Matsebula was named Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year. The following year, swimming sensation Hayley Hoy clinched the Junior Female title. While the kingdom sent a delegation last year, they returned home empty-handed.
Both Matse and Ndlela qualified for the RASA shortlists by virtue of their success at the national level during the MulaSport National Sports Awards held in March 2026.
The AUSC Region V is comprised of 10 member states. This year’s finalists represent eight of those nations, with no athletes from Lesotho or Mozambique making the final cuts. In a statement, the AUSC Region V noted that the finalists embody excellence, discipline, resilience and a profound impact on regional sport.
Efforts to get an immediate comment from Eswatini Sport and Recreation Council (ESRC) Media Officer Dumisani Ntiwane were unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report, as his mobile phone rang unanswered. However, ESRC issued a statement earlier today on Facebook congratulating both athletes on their historic nominations.
RASA 2026 finalists;
1. Sportsperson of the Year;
Letsile Tebogo – Botswana
Miracle Chipito – Zambia
Simone Kruger – South Africa
2. Sportsman of the Year;
Letsile Tebogo – Botswana
Alan Hatherly –South Africa
Filipus Nghitumbwa – Namibia
3. Sportswomen of the Year;
Miracle Chipito – Zambia
Uera Looser- Namibia
Temwa Chawinga – Malawi
4. Junior Male Sportsperson of the Year;
Zanda Botha – Zimbabwe
Ntungamili Raguin – Botswana
Banele Matse – Eswatini
5. Junior Female Sportsperson of the Year;
Rosiana Mongo –Angola
Ruvarashe Makunike – Zimbabwe
Siphiwokuhle Ndlela – Eswatini
6. Sportsman of the Year with Disability;
Simbashe Mushayi – Zimbabwe
Ananias Shikongo – Namibia
Edwin Masuge – Botswana
7. Sportswoman of the Year with Disability;
Julian Moco – Angola
Simone Kruger – South Africa
Gloria Majaga – Botswana
7. Sports Team of the Year;
Botswana Senior 4X4 Relay Team
South Africa 4x100m Relay Team
Zambia Under-17 Women’s Team National Football Team
8. Coach of the Year;
Kebonyemodisa Mosimanyane – Botswana
Rocco Meiring – South Africa
Piet Benade – Zimbabwe
9. Journalist of the Year;
Lington Nyakwenda – Zimbabwe
Limba Mupetami – Namibia
Bright Kanyama – Malawi
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