Ash-ley Ogle and Lasizwe dominate nominations for the 2025 South African Social Media Awards

The South African Social Media Awards (SASMAs) are back for 2025, and they have officially dropped their nominees list with the spotlight on former "Big Brother Mzansi" star Ash-ley Ogle and media personality, Lasizwe Dambuza. 

The two personalities have been making their mark in the digital space and are now leading this year’s pack with three nominations each.

Dambuza, one of South Africa’s most recognisable online creators, is nominated in three major categories: African Social Media Star of the Year, where he is competing with artists such as Tyla and Black Coffee. 

He is also nominated in the Most Popular Content Across Platforms and Social Media Personality of the Year.

The 27-year-old content creator has been tickling the funnybone for years, when he started with his comedic skits on Facebook.

He has maintained his bold online presence, which has kept him at the top of the digital entertainment scene for years.

Ogle has built her own empire since her "Big Brother Mzansi" season five days. Even though she left the show just four weeks in, she built one of the most loyal fan bases to come out of the franchise. 

This year, she is nominated for Emerging Personality of the Year, Best Social Media Newcomer, and Most Popular Hashtag of the Year. 

During her time inside the "Big Brother" house, #AshleyOgle was one of the hashtags that dominated social media and was quite popular.

She is up against some familiar faces, including her former "Big Brother Mzansi" housemates, Yolanda, Mshini Lekwadu, as well as Sweet Guluva.

Beyond nominations, Ogle’s rise has been nothing short of impressive. In the past year, she has bagged endorsements with a luxury car dealership and has become an ambassador for DJ Zinhle’s Era brand.

Her fans, who proudly call themselves the “Ashes”, continue to push her name to new heights.

The SASMAs remain the country’s biggest celebration of online talent, recognising not only individual influencers but also the brands and agencies shaping the digital world. 

This year’s ceremony is set to take place on November 22, with voting lines open until November 8.