LIMPOPO wheelchair tennis star Kgothatso Montjane has described her nomination for the Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability award at the 19th South African Sport Awards as a pleasant surprise.
The Seshego-born tennis champion has been shortlisted alongside fellow para-athletes Simoné Kruger and Minke Janse van Rensburg for the prestigious award.
The South African Sport Awards will take place on Sunday, 23 August 2026, at Sun City in the North West Province.
Montjane, who has enjoyed a remarkable international career that includes Grand Slam success, said she did not expect to receive the recognition after going through a period in which her achievements had largely gone without major awards.
“Honestly, the nomination caught me by surprise,” Montjane said.
She said that despite winning four Grand Slam titles between 2023 and 2025, she had not received any awards during that period.
“But you never really focus on recognition because you’re just trying to drive towards your goals,” she said.
The 40-year-old said she was nevertheless grateful for the nomination and excited to attend the awards ceremony.
“It’s exciting news and I’m very grateful for the recognition because that plays a part in motivating an athlete. I’m really excited and looking forward to the awards,” she said.
Montjane is no stranger to the South African Sport Awards.
She previously won the Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability award in 2013, after being nominated alongside Ilse Hayes and Roxy Burns. She also won the same category in 2011, according to government records, making her current nomination another opportunity to add to an already impressive awards history.
Her latest nomination comes after another significant chapter in her career. Montjane partnered with Japan’s Yui Kamiji to win the Wimbledon wheelchair women’s doubles title, securing another Grand Slam crown and further cementing her status as one of South Africa’s most successful wheelchair tennis players.
Tough competition
Montjane faces strong competition from Simoné Kruger, the defending Sportswoman of the Year with a Disability, and Minke Janse van Rensburg.
Kruger enjoyed a breakthrough period in para-athletics and has previously won the award, while Janse van Rensburg is among the country’s leading para-swimmers. The trio represents three different sporting disciplines and will battle for one of the evening’s major honours.
The awards will once again bring together some of South Africa’s biggest sporting names.
In the Sportswoman of the Year category, Olympic swimming champion Tatjana Smith, cue-sport star Tasneem Solomons and Proteas captain Laura Wolvaardt have been nominated.
The Sportsman of the Year nominees are cycling world champion Alan Hatherly, sprint star Akani Simbine and Springbok forward Pieter-Steph du Toit.
The Sportsman of the Year with a Disability category features Mpumelelo Mhlongo, Pieter du Preez and Jean Paul Veaudry.
Other major categories include Sport Star of the Year, Sport Team of the Year, Coach of the Year, National Federation of the Year, Sport Administrator of the Year, Sport Volunteer of the Year, Technical Official of the Year, Youth/Junior Sport Star of the Year, Youth/Junior Sport Team of the Year, Sport Visual Journalist of the Year and Sport Media Journalist of the Year.
The awards also include the Andrew Mlangeni Green Jacket Award and the Steve Tshwete Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising individuals who have made lasting contributions to South African sport.
For Montjane, however, the focus is once again on the court and the possibility of reclaiming an award she has previously won.
Having risen from Seshego to become one of the leading wheelchair tennis players in the world, the veteran athlete hopes her latest recognition will also inspire young South Africans to pursue their dreams despite the obstacles they may face.
Her message to the next generation is simple: never give up, work hard and believe that dreams can become reality.
