South Africa’s leading HR organisations crowned at the 2026 Future of HR Awards

"We measure because numbers are what turn good intentions into proof. And once something is proven, other people copy it. One organisation's idea gets picked up by a hundred more. That's how a good idea in one company starts to change a country. So tonight we're not celebrating good intentions. We're celebrating proof. Proof that what you do changes businesses, changes people, and changes South Africa.”, said Ralf Fletcher, Topco Media, CEO.

Topco Media congratulates every winner, highly commended recipient and finalist. A heartfelt thank you to the category sponsors, Ornecy and SALGA, for their support of the Future of HR 2026 awards.

“When you look at your HR function, do you see a strategy partner or compliance officer? Do you see someone who shapes culture or administers policies? Having served at the high levels of government and international diplomacy, I've negotiated with presidents and prime ministers. HR is not shaped by the leadership's speeches but the daily practices, systems, rituals and norms that HR either reinforces or transforms. If you want an organisation that thrives, you MUST invest in people.” - Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.

Here are the results.

Employer of Choice: Small to Medium Organisations

Winner: Allan Gray Orbis Foundation
Finalists: Abalobi Solutions; BEE Online & Eyethu Group; Discover Africa Group; First Light Import and Export Pty Ltd; Humankind Group Pty Ltd; Job Crystal; Jobox; MDI; Step Ahead Staffing; TTI GROUP; Watershed Consulting; YJVR Attorneys Inc.; Zanati Group

Employer of Choice: Large Organisations

Winner: Santam Limited
Finalists: Africa Biomass Company; Bitventure Consulting Group (PTY) LTD; Dis-Chem Pharmacies; Estee Lauder Companies; Galxboy PTY LTD; Herotel Pty Ltd; Iress MD RSA (Pty) Ltd; Knight Piesold Pty Limited; National Basketball Association Africa (NBA Africa); Nestle South Africa; NWK Limited; Quantanite; Rosebank International; Saab Grintek Defence Pty Ltd; Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company; Vector Logistics

Employer of Choice: Public Sector Organisations

Winner: City of Cape Town
Highly commended: Gauteng Provincial Government - eGovernment
Finalists: Durban ICC (SOC) LTD; Gautrain Management Agency; National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa; Ombud Council; The dtic

Best: Workplace Diversity and Inclusion Strategy

Winner: Galxboy PTY LTD
Finalists: Brikor Ltd.; Hyundai Automotive South Africa; Iress MD RSA (Pty) Ltd; Mettus; Nestle South Africa; SABC; Schneider Electric South Africa (Pty) Ltd; South African National Parks; Step Ahead Staffing; The Courier Guy

Best: Learning and Development Strategy

Winner: Schneider Electric South Africa (Pty) Ltd
Finalists: Brikor Ltd.; City of Cape Town; CMS RM Partners Inc; The dtic; DHL Supply Chain; Herotel Pty Ltd; Hyundai Automotive South Africa; Marara Pharmacy; MTG RAMS HOLDING (PTY) LTD; Nestle South Africa; RCS; Röhlig-Grindrod; Saab Grintek Defence Pty Ltd; Santam Limited; South African National Parks; Tsebo Solutions Group; Vector Logistics

Best: Health and Wellbeing Strategy

Winner: Rand Mutual Assurance
Highly commended: Dis-Chem Pharmacies
Finalists: Allan Gray Orbis Foundation; Bitventure Consulting Group (PTY) LTD; City of Cape Town; Company Wellness Solutions (Pty)Ltd; Gautrain Management Agency; Schneider Electric South Africa (Pty) Ltd

Best: HR Industry Innovation Using Technology (sponsored by Ornecy)

Winner: Jem
Finalists: Company Wellness Solutions (Pty)Ltd; Discover Africa Group; Gauteng provincial government; Quantanite; Rand Mutual Assurance; Vaxowave; Vector Logistics

Best: HR Team of the Year

Winner: Tsebo Solutions Group
Finalists: Africa Biomass Company; CMS RM Partners Inc; Estee Lauder Companies; Quantanite; Santam Limited

The Future of HR: CEO of the Year

Winner: Van Zyl Botha, Herotel Pty Ltd
Highly commended: Tshepo Kgobe, Gautrain Management Agency
Finalists: Christine Osborne, Company Wellness Solutions (Pty) Ltd; Jessi Tomkinson, Humankind Group Pty (Ltd); Sbusiso Buna, Jobox; Bathobile Bebelele, Marara Pharmacy; Prof. Linda Meyer, Rosebank International; Rudhir Ramasar, Rumans Group; Craig Pitchers, The Courier Guy; Pamela Motlhabi, Tshebedisano Burial Society (Pty) Ltd

The Future of HR: Leader of the Year (sponsored by Salga)

Winner: Sandi Richardson, RCS
Finalists: Bedelia Theunissen, Bitventure Consulting Group (PTY) LTD; Ronél Coetzee, Brikor Ltd.; Opila Moodley, Estee Lauder Companies; Thatiso Dube, Galxboy PTY LTD; Shambala Phelokazi Ntanjana, Gauteng Provincial Government - eGovernment; Mevashnee Naidoo, Knight Piesold Pty Limited; Marosha Pather, Mettus; Reabetswe Mathibe, MRT Marketing; Dennis Coetzee, NWK Limited; Miina Ruth Elias, Pathcare Namibia; Fuziswa Moyo, Quantanite; Brenda Talazo, Saab Grintek Defence Pty Ltd; Marizaan Bredenkamp, Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company; Dr. Angie Ontong, The dtic; Thomas Malamule, TTI Group

The Future of HR: HR Rising Star of the Year (35 years or younger)

Winner: Tutu Monwabisi, Quantanite
Finalists: Boitshepo Tiro, Abalobi Solutions; Mieke Janse van Rensburg, Africa Biomass Company; Nondumiso Amanda Ceba, Ceba Projects; Sheinna Mungroo, HaysMac; Kamohelo Kode, National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa; Angeleque Kruger, Purpeglaze 3 PTY Ltd; Aveshini Pillay, Rocky Brands; Naeemah George, Santam; Asithandile Malote, Santam Limited; Yuleen Smit, YJVR Attorneys Inc.

Municipal HR Excellence Award (sponsored by Salga)

Recognised as leaders: Govan Mbeki Local Municipality; Waterberg District Municipality; uMlalazi Local Municipality; Mnquma Local Municipality; King Cetshwayo Local Municipality

HR ICON Award 2026

Recognised as HR Icons: Proconics; Sage; Bathu Group; Kopano Bus Service

Municipal HR leaders and HR Icons

Two awards recognised a group of honourees rather than a single winner.
The Municipal HR Excellence Award, sponsored by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA), recognised five municipalities as leaders in municipal HR excellence:

• Govan Mbeki Local Municipality
  
• Waterberg District Municipality
  
• uMlalazi Local Municipality
  
• Mnquma Local Municipality
  
• King Cetshwayo Local Municipality

The HR ICON Award 2026 recognised four organisations as HR Icons:

• Proconics
  
• Sage
  
• Bathu Group
  
• Kopano Bus Service

For any further information of our future awards, please contact our Awards Manager, Quarnita on az.oc.ocpot@tamuj.atinrauq.