Two South African Women Join Forces to Champion Female Athletes Nationwide

Prabashnee Naidoo was virtually unknown on social media a year ago. Today she is one of the most recognisable faces championing women’s sport across South Africa, having earned the 2026 gsport Supporter of the Year award. Alongside her, Ester Baaitjies, a 2026 Woman in Radio finalist, has been officially named as the second brand ambassador for the platform as it concludes its 20th milestone year.

The two were selected following a week-long public nomination process that unfolded across social media. The gsport digital and newsroom teams sifted through numerous passionate entries before settling on Naidoo and Baaitjies, choosing both for their all-round advocacy, their uplifting digital presence, and their consistent, selfless support of fellow finalists throughout the awards cycle.

Naidoo’s trajectory illustrates the core mission gsport has pursued since its inception: providing visibility to people who champion the women’s game from the sidelines and grandstands. The gsport selection team highlighted how she evolved from an unknown social media presence to an award-winning advocate within a single year, a transformation that speaks directly to the platform’s capacity to unearth and elevate new role models.

Baaitjies represents a different kind of determination. Operating from Bloemfontein, she emerged as a self-nominated candidate who navigated stiff competition during the judging and public voting phases to secure a finalist spot in the Woman in Radio category. Her work on CUT FM has been exceptional. She has intentionally created broadcast opportunities to celebrate, interview, and uplift other women in sport across the Free State and beyond, projecting her voice nationally and proving that geographic location poses no barrier to regional impact.

The ambassador program carries significant history within the platform. The first cohort was introduced in 2012 for the SPAR gsport Awards campaign, featuring six celebrities: Roxy Burger, Mpho Maboi, Anele Mdoda, Shashi Naidoo, Hulisani Ravele, and Liezel van der Westhuizen. That inaugural lineup tapped into broad cultural communities by leveraging influential media and entertainment personalities to drive public support.

By 2023, the initiative had undergone a strategic shift. Rather than relying on outside celebrity voices, gsport began calling back its own former winners and finalists to step into paid influencer roles. Alumni hosted digital discussions on platforms like Instagram Live and shared firsthand experiences of being recognised on the national stage, encouraging the public to discover local heroes.

The 2026 cohort steps into a unique operational window. Kass Naidoo, gsport Founder, explained that the mandate for this year differs from previous cycles. “The role of the two ambassadors this year is slightly different in that the awards are already over,” she said. “The challenge now is how to use this solid base to continue growing women’s sport and getting women in sport to believe in themselves.”

That post-awards focus marks a genuine shift in strategy. Rather than building momentum toward a ceremony, Naidoo and Baaitjies will work to sustain and extend the energy the awards cycle generated, keeping the conversation around women’s sport alive and encouraging continued investment in female athletes and sports professionals across all codes.

Kass Naidoo extended congratulations to both ambassadors and outlined what the platform expects of them. “The gsport team looks forward to working with them both to ensure that they get to powerfully use their voices to change the game, and that gsport continues to have a positive influence on their personal careers.”

As the global profile of South African women’s sport continues to rise, Kass Naidoo has issued a broader call to action, urging women across all sporting codes, administrations, and media houses to stay connected with the platform’s digital networks. “Reach out to the gsport team and ask for help,” she said. “That’s why we are here. We want to see women in sport flourish and we have seen the gsport community rally and support those around them. Be part of the community and start believing in the power of your dreams.” Whether Naidoo and Baaitjies can translate that rallying cry into sustained, year-round momentum for women’s sport, beyond the awards spotlight, is the real test ahead.