IN PICS | Connie Ferguson, Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, Makoma Mohale win big at SA Style Awards

The 27th annual SA Style Awards on Sunday night in the upmarket Johannesburg suburb Hyde Park were an A-list affair with guests including Connie Ferguson, Sipho “Hotstix” Mabuse, David Tlale and Thebe Magugu. 

The awards honour influential players and style makers in business, film, music, TV, social media and fashion with this year's recipients including Zoé Modiga, Mzukisi Mbane, Enhle Mbali Mlotshwa, Zanele Potelwa, Kat Sinivasan, Makoma Mohale as well as Lebo and Denetric Malope.

High slits and swooping floor-length gowns were the order of the night as attendees walked the red carpet in ensembles inspired by the fashion theme All that Glitters.

In her acceptance speech for Style Icon, Ferguson encouraged the evening’s host and TV presenter Vanessa Carreira-Coutroulis to never slow down.

Ferguson and Carrera-Coutroulis both lost their husbands in 2021.

“I remember it was a tough time for the both of us. I hope you are doing well, I’m strong by the grace of God. We are still standing and God has been good to us. I believe our husbands are proud of us because they would not have wanted us to crumble. If the reason for my loss was for someone else to be encouraged then I’m glad to offer that gift,” Ferguson said.

“1 Corinthians 16 verse 14, do everything in love. What we do in the entertainment industry is not easy and we can easily get discouraged. It’s a dog-eat-dog business. But if we do it all in love, you get to see the reward at the end of the day and appreciate all the sleepless nights, early mornings, late nights, it all becomes worth it in the end.”

Scandal and Queen Modjadji star Mohale, a former SMag cover star, received the award for Next Big Thing. She shared the honour with Potelwa.

“I’m at a loss for words. It is such a special moment in my life and having been considered for this award is touching,” Mohale said.

“Especially considering that in the four years of being in this industry, I’ve been focused and my work has always been at the centre, I never thought people were watching. I knew one day I would receive my award in the industry, but I never thought it would be this soon. I’m grateful.”

Other winners included former Miss SA Shudufhadzo Musida and model Yuri Pailman for Most Innovative Style. Mlotshwa was named Most Stylish Performing Artist in Film/TV, while actor-cum-businesswoman Lala Tuku walked away with Most Stylish Business Personality.

BFFs Omuhle Gela and Sinivasan were named Most Stylish Couple, while the winner for Most Stylish Performing Artist in Music was Modiga and Most Stylish Models was given to former SMag cover stars the Malope brothers.

Judges this year included fashion designer Gert-Johan Coetzee, past recipients Mabuse and veteran actor John Kani joined by SMag editor Emmanuel Tjiya and Wanted editor Aspasia Karras. Craig Jacobs, Sharon Armstrong and Andrea Nagel from Sunday Times and former Wanted editor Siphiwe Mpye also served as judges.