Today (Wednesday) heralded the end of a fairytale story as S’Manga Khumalo, who had risen from a poverty-stricken background in Umlazi to become the first black jockey to win the country’s biggest race and to become a twice SA Jockey Champion, was sentenced to a 15 year ban for a serious integrity breach with five of those years suspended.
The three charges he had been found guilty of were:
- Corrupt / dishonest practice – improper communication of non-public race information
- Charge 2: Corrupt receipt/acceptance of money or benefit (gratification) connected to race activity
- Charge 3: Conduct affecting the performance of a horse / failure to ride on the merits (race fixing)
Click here to read the details of the charges
The NHA press about Khumalo’s sanction can be read below.
The Inquiry into Jockey S’manga Khumalo concluded before an appointed Inquiry Board on 10 June 2026 for the delivery of sanction following his finding of guilt.
Accordingly, the following sanction was imposed in terms of the Rules of the NHA:
- Mr Khumalo’s current jockey licence is cancelled with immediate effect.
- Mr Khumalo is precluded from applying for, renewing, holding, or being issued any jockey licence for a period of fifteen (15) years, commencing 23 March 2026, of which five (5) years are suspended for 15 years on the conditions as set out by the Inquiry Board, as attached.
Mr Khumalo has the right of appeal.
Click here For Inquiry Board Sanction (in detail)
Michael Shackleton
Legal Executive
