Humanz Top 20 Awards 2026

The best influencers in South Africa, 2026

The Humanz Top 20 Awards 2026 name 20 South African influencers and content creators who are worth following, plus 10 up-and-coming creators to watch. Winners were chosen on engagement, audience growth, results with advertising partners, earnings from brand work and recognition from other creators, then validated by the Humanz team for professionalism and honesty.

See the Top 20 Meet the Up & Coming

Cover of the Humanz Top 20 Awards 2026 booklet, with illustrated portraits of the winners

Top 20 creators worth following

Recognising the creators shaping the future of influence. Listed alphabetically.

  1. Illustrated portrait of Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa Amahle-Imvelo Jaxa Jaxx Amahle News, politics and current affairs
  2. Illustrated portrait of Banele Ndaba Banele Ndaba Moghelingz Comedy
  3. Illustrated portrait of Bongani Baloyi Bongani Baloyi Film and the creator economy
  4. Illustrated portrait of Ervè Bukasa Ervè Bukasa EB the Kid Comedy and podcasting
  5. Illustrated portrait of Farren Cloete Farren Cloete Faith and inspiration, in Afrikaans
  6. Illustrated portrait of Grace Mondlana Grace Mondlana Lifestyle and creator education
  7. Illustrated portrait of Dr Katlego Selikane Dr Katlego Selikane Health and motherhood
  8. Illustrated portrait of Lasizwe Dambuza Lasizwe Dambuza Comedy
  9. Illustrated portrait of Mbali Nhlapho Mbali Nhlapho Cleaning and home (CleanTok)
  10. Illustrated portrait of Nadia Jaftha Nadia Jaftha Lifestyle, beauty and comedy
  11. Illustrated portrait of Ndivhuwo Muhanelwa Ndivhuwo Muhanelwa NoChill God Comedy and creator business
  12. Illustrated portrait of Onezwa Mbola Onezwa Mbola Food and sustainable living
  13. Illustrated portrait of Popi Sibiya Popi Sibiya Travel and culture
  14. Illustrated portrait of Primo Baloyi Primo Baloyi primo9teen Comedy
  15. Illustrated portrait of Rasheeqah Karriem Rasheeqah Karriem Sheeca Lifestyle, fashion and family
  16. Illustrated portrait of Robot Boii Robot Boii Dance, music and Amapiano
  17. Illustrated portrait of Siyanda Bani Siyanda Bani Siya Bunny Fashion and lifestyle
  18. Illustrated portrait of Tadéus Mbatha Tadéus Mbatha Comedy, music and acting
  19. Illustrated portrait of Thandi Gama Thandi Gama Beauty and content production
  20. Illustrated portrait of Thato Rampedi Thato Rampedi YouTube and creator development

Be worth following

At Humanz, this is more than a mantra. It is a standard.

How the winners were chosen

At Humanz, our mantra is “Be worth following.” This award recognises creators who truly embody that principle, not only through their content, but through how they lead, influence, and contribute to the creator economy.

These are the creators moving the industry forward. They are setting benchmarks for professionalism, credibility, and measurable impact. The Humanz Top 20 Awards honour individuals who understand that influence is not simply about reach; it is about responsibility.

The Humanz Top 20 winners were selected through a rigorous, data-led process, followed by internal team validation. We looked at each creator’s engagement rate and audience growth over the past year, and at how well their content resonated when they worked with advertising partners. We also looked at their earnings from brand work, their professionalism, and how widely they are followed and mentioned by other creators.

Performance metrics were only the beginning. Each winner embodies the qualities of a true role model, consistently demonstrating professionalism and integrity in how they work and conduct themselves. Their content is honest and transparent. They do not mislead, pretend, nor recommend something they would not personally use.

Being named a Humanz Top 20 Award Winner recognises a standard set, one built on credibility, intention, and sustained impact.

To be worth following means

  • To lead with integrity.
  • To influence with purpose.
  • To create with authenticity.
  • To build trust through transparency.
  • To contribute meaningfully to the creator economy.

The individuals recognised here represent the evolution of influence, where credibility carries more weight than visibility, and impact matters more than impressions.

Top 10 up & coming

Being named a Humanz Top 10 Up & Coming Award Winner recognises both current achievements and future potential. It represents what it means to be worth following by leading with credibility, intention, and impact.

This award forms part of a category within the Humanz Top 20 Awards. Each recipient has shown exceptional growth and demonstrated potential over the past year, positioning them as a rising leader in the creator industry, while consistently embodying the qualities of a role model. Their content is honest and transparent, and they do not recommend products or services they would not personally use.

  1. Illustrated portrait of Anarzade Omar Anarzade Omar Beauty, lifestyle and food
  2. Illustrated portrait of Anika Dambuza Anika Dambuza The City Makoti Family, culture and marriage
  3. Illustrated portrait of Gloria Ngcobo Gloria Ngcobo Munuuu Fitness, running and dance
  4. Illustrated portrait of Hlomani Nketane Hlomani Nketane Family and lifestyle
  5. Illustrated portrait of Lerato Nkabinde Lerato Nkabinde Comedy and family
  6. Illustrated portrait of Sinemivuyo Mpulu Sinemivuyo Mpulu Comedy and voiceover
  7. Illustrated portrait of Smangele Shabalala Smangele Shabalala Thick Dudle Comedy
  8. Illustrated portrait of Tefelo Mathabe Tefelo Mathabe Beauty and skincare
  9. Illustrated portrait of Thando Vokwana Thando Vokwana Segzy Unicorn Content production and creator education
  10. Illustrated portrait of Zintle Zee Mofokeng Zintle Zee Mofokeng Lifestyle and beauty

Questions about the awards

Who are the best influencers in South Africa in 2026?

The Humanz Top 20 Awards 2026 name these 20 South African influencers and content creators: Amahle-Imvelo “Jaxx” Jaxa, Banele Ndaba (Moghelingz), Bongani Baloyi, Ervè Bukasa (EB the Kid), Farren Cloete, Grace Mondlana, Dr Katlego Selikane, Lasizwe Dambuza, Mbali Nhlapho, Nadia Jaftha, Ndivhuwo Muhanelwa (NoChill God), Onezwa Mbola, Popi Sibiya, Primo Baloyi (primo9teen), Rasheeqah Karriem (Sheeca), Robot Boii, Siyanda “Siya Bunny” Bani, Tadéus Mbatha, Thandi Gama and Thato Rampedi.

Who are the up-and-coming content creators to watch in South Africa?

The Humanz Top 10 Up & Coming creators for 2026 are Anarzade Omar, Anika Dambuza (The City Makoti), Gloria Ngcobo (Munuuu), Hlomani Nketane, Lerato Nkabinde, Sinemivuyo Mpulu, Smangele Shabalala (Thick Dudle), Tefelo Mathabe, Thando Vokwana (Segzy Unicorn) and Zintle Zee Mofokeng. Each showed exceptional growth over the past year.

How were the Humanz Top 20 creators chosen?

Humanz looked at each creator’s engagement rate, audience growth over the past year, how well their content resonated in work with advertising partners, their earnings from brand work, their professionalism, and how widely they are followed and mentioned by other creators. The Humanz team then validated every winner: each had to show integrity, create honest and transparent content, and only recommend products they would personally use. Follower count alone did not decide the list.

Is the list ranked?

No. The Top 20 and the Top 10 Up & Coming are equal honours, so the creators are listed alphabetically by first name (Dr Katlego Selikane under K).

Who are the top TikTokers in South Africa on this list?

Creators on the list known mainly for TikTok include Banele Ndaba (Moghelingz, over 2.6 million TikTok followers), Smangele Shabalala (Thick Dudle, over 1.3 million), Gloria Ngcobo (Munuuu, over 1 million), Amahle-Imvelo “Jaxx” Jaxa, Farren Cloete, Mbali Nhlapho, Onezwa Mbola, Sinemivuyo Mpulu and Tadéus Mbatha.

What are the Humanz Top 20 Awards?

The Humanz Top 20 Awards recognise creators who embody the Humanz standard, “Be worth following”: leading with integrity, influencing with purpose, creating with authenticity and building trust through transparency. Humanz is an influencer marketing platform that connects brands with creators and measures campaign results.

How can brands work with these South African creators?

Humanz works with creators across South Africa and helps brands find, brief, pay and measure them in one platform. Find out more at humanz.com.