NHA set to sentence S’manga Khumalo on June 10
South African jockey S’manga Khumalo has been found guilty on three serious integrity charges, including race-fixing, after an inquiry conducted by the National Horseracing Authority (NHA).
The inquiry board reconvened on May 25, where Khumalo pleaded guilty to charges relating to the improper disclosure of non-public racing information and the receipt of approximately R128,000 from alleged betting associate Noor Iqbal between October 2025 and February 2026.
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According to the NHA, the information allegedly included intended riding tactics, stable instructions, horse fitness details and expected performance data that could be used for betting purposes.
Khumalo, who rode Sparkling Water to the 2022 Durban July victory, also pleaded guilty to accepting money linked to the provision of that information. However, he pleaded not guilty to a third charge alleging he deliberately failed to ride horses on their merits to influence race outcomes.
The inquiry board nevertheless found him guilty of the race-fixing allegation. Arguments on penalty have been heard, with sentencing reserved until June 10. Khumalo remains under interim suspension pending the outcome of the proceedings.
