Building on more than three decades of shaping South African creativity, the iPendoring Awards continue their legacy of championing something simple but powerful: the freedom to create in the languages that shape South Africa’s stories with #SayMo, because your mother tongue says it best.

What began as an effort to broaden a communications landscape long shaped by English has evolved into a platform that celebrates the confidence, nuance and creativity found across South Africa’s eleven official indigenous languages and the growing boldness with which they are used across the industry.

General manager Eben Keun says that this evolution is reflected in the breadth of the awards themselves.

iPendoring recognises work across design communication, digital communication, print communication, integrated campaigns, out-of-home, live communication, film, radio, and student categories.

From major agencies to independent creators, it remains one of the few platforms where indigenous languages sit at the centre, not on the sidelines.

Beyond traditional advertising and design, iPendoring continues to create space for publishing houses, digital creators, filmmakers and emerging storytellers working in indigenous languages, reflecting how audiences engage with content today and how storytelling continues to evolve.

“At 31, iPendoring has reached a point of maturity where the conversation is no longer just about inclusion, but about excellence,” said Keun.

“We are seeing more confident, authentic work across languages and that is incredibly encouraging. Together with our partners, we are excited to build on that momentum in this year’s awards.”

Entries are now open at www.pendoring.co.za and will close on 28 August, with the awards ceremony scheduled for November.

Umpetha 2026: The Champion of Indigenous Voice
The Prestigious Umpetha Award represents the highest honour, celebrating excellence in advertising and communication using indigenous South African languages.

“Umpetha” (isiZulu for champion) is awarded to campaigns that demonstrate exceptional creativity, cultural nuance, and a minimum of 70% indigenous-language content. Through a partnership with The One Show, the winner is also entered into these global awards shows to compete with the very best from around the world.

The winning agency will receive a trophy, certificate, and a single entry into The One Show, where it steps onto a global stage alongside the world’s best creative work.

Last year, Joe Public United took home the award for “Afrikaraoke” (Client: SAB / Castle Milk Stout) and was entered into The One Show, one of the most respected awards in global advertising and design.

Through its ongoing partnership with The One Club for Creativity, iPendoring creates a direct pathway for standout work to be seen and judged on a global stage, reinforcing the calibre of indigenous language creativity in South Africa.

In addition, winners receive gold and silver iPendoring trophies, with cash prizes awarded to the Overall Student Winner, reinforcing the awards’ role as a meaningful launchpad for emerging talent. It continues to champion the power of language in shaping how we tell our stories, with this year’s awards building on that momentum.

As creative work in indigenous languages becomes increasingly bold, expressive and central to the industry, the 2026 programme reflects a growing confidence in saying things the way they are truly meant to be heard.