Sihle N Sonto
Netball took centre stage at this year’s Madibaz Sports Awards, with standout student-athletes Juanita van Tonder and Chinonso Dave earning top honours as Sportswoman and Sportsman of the Year.
The glittering awards evening, held in Gqeberha on Thursday, 24 October, celebrated excellence across Nelson Mandela University’s sporting codes, but it was clear that 2025 belonged to netball.
A Year of National and Local Triumphs
Sports management student Van Tonder has enjoyed a breakout season, earning her national colours when she represented the Proteas in test series against New Zealand and Australia. Her local dominance continued as she anchored the Nelson Mandela Bay A team during the national championships in Johannesburg, later earning selection for the President’s Squad.
As vice-captain of the Eastern Cape Aloes, Van Tonder also helped her team secure a top-six finish in the Telkom Netball League and was chosen for the University Sports SA (USSA) team in July.
“Winning this award is such a blessing and I really did not see it coming,” she said. “I’m honoured and so grateful to Mandela University for the recognition.”
A Champion for Men’s Netball
Fellow award-winner Chinonso Dave, an honours student in educational psychology, was praised for both his athletic skill and leadership in promoting men’s netball across the metro. Having represented South Africa in a series against Zimbabwe, Dave was also named Nelson Mandela Bay’s Best Player of 2024.
This year, he captained the Madibaz men’s netball team to a third-place finish at the USSAs and earned selection for the NMB senior team.
“I was not expecting this but am truly grateful,” he said. “It’s been two years of hard work with Madibaz, and this shows it’s all been worth it.”
Netball Club of the Year
Netball’s influence didn’t stop there. The Madibaz Netball Club also claimed Club of the Year and the Community Engagement Award, cementing its reputation as one of the university’s most impactful sporting units.
Other Big Winners
The men’s hockey team was named Team of the Year after an unbeaten season that saw them rise from the second tier to reach the USSA A-section semifinals. Their top player, Sachin Padayachee, earned a spot in the SA U21 squad, while six others made the Eastern Province senior team.
The karate club continued its upward trajectory, winning gold at the USSAs and earning several individual honours. Zeenat Lee walked away with Performance of the Year and Junior Sportswoman of the Year, while Sinazo Kunene was named Student Coach of the Year.
Full List of Winners
Sportswoman of the Year: Juanita van Tonder (Netball)
Sportsman of the Year: Chinonso Dave (Netball)
Team of the Year: Men’s Hockey
Student Administrator of the Year: Thimna Doyi (Netball/Aquatics)
Administrator of the Year: Cheryl Kotze (Aquatics)
Student Technical Official of the Year: Njabulo Magadu (Rugby)
Technical Official of the Year: Euleen Grobbelaar (Netball)
Student Coach of the Year: Sinazo Kunene (Karate)
Coach of the Year: Jason le Roux (Squash)
Director of Sport Award: Hanniska van Vuuren (Netball)
Community Engagement Award: Netball Club
Campus Sport Residence of the Year: Phase 3
Most Improved Club: Squash
Performance of the Year: Zeenat Lee (Karate)
Club of the Year: Netball
Student Sport Influencer of the Year: Luchay Weideman (Rugby/Karate)
Junior Sportswoman of the Year: Zeenat Lee (Karate)
Junior Sportsman of the Year: Lemuel Kramer (Karate)
Student Sportswoman of the Year: Juanita van Tonder (Netball)
Student Sportsman of the Year: Nigel Tsapi (Karate)
Story adapted for 041Online from Nelson Mandela Bay Tourism / Author: Coetzee Gouws, Full Stop Communication
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