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The live-streamed nominee announcement media event was the culmination of more than two years of preparation and dedication – and several instrumental changes – to put the awards back on South Africa’s events calendar, all with sole aim of honouring the best of the country’s stand-up comedians and comedic content creators.

Along with the new voting system, run by an independent third party, the word “comedy” was added to the event’s title, to make it more accessible to the public. Incubator workshops have been launched, the first of which was held alongside the Savanna Newcomer Showcase in Cape Town in February.

And lastly, Waldo, the awards trophy, has been refashioned. It will be unveiled at the main awards show.

The wait to find out who made the shortlist is finally over.

Thabiso Mhlongo and Sifiso Nene lead the pack with three nods each, followed by Nina Hastie, Vafa Naraghi, Robby Collins, Mbali Gudazi, Suhayl Essa and Wazi M Kunene with two nominations each.

Here are the nominees for the 2023 Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards (in no particular order):

Stand-Up Comedy

Best Solo Show Award

Comedy Festival/Show Award

• Armchair Comedy Wednesdays
• Bioscope Sundays
• Extreme Comedy Wednesday
• Johannesburg International Comedy Festival
• Women in Comedy Show

Savanna Newcomer Award

Breakthrough Act of the Year Award

Comedian of the Year Award

Non-English Award

Comedic Content

UpLIFTing Comedic Comedy Award

Funny Influencer Content

Funny is Funny

Sauce of the Year Award

Hall of Fame Award Recipient: Alan Committie

Vote for your favourite and win!

To bring the awards closer to the public, four of the categories now go out for comedy fans to vote for their favourite:

• Breakthrough Act of the Year Award
• Sauce of the Year Award, Presented by Mrs. Balls
• UpLIFTing Comedic Content Award, Presented by LIFT
• Funny is Funny Award

Your vote puts you in the running to win an exclusive VIP trip to the awards on 15 April. Go to www.comicschoice.com before 2 April to cast your vote.