Esther Mahlangu’s new mural is dedicated to the spirit of uBuntu! Planted at a London garden gallery, its larger-than-life stature stands tall amid the greenery, giving Londoners something bright, beautiful, and proudly South African!

London, England (20 October 2024) — After her work enjoyed its fair share of the limelight and celebrity appreciation in the USA, Esther Mahlangu’s new mural is taking up space in London!

At nearly 90-years-young, the acclaimed Ndebele artist continues to share her bold and bright geometric masterpieces with the world. Her new mural, titled ‘Umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu’ is an ode to the South African philosophy of uBuntu. In fact, its translation from Ndebele to English reads ‘I am because you are’.

 

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A post shared by Esther Mahlangu (@esthermahlanguart)

The new mural has been ‘planted’ at Serpentine Gallery’s North Garden based on West Carriage Drive, where it boasts the artist’s immediately recognisable patterning and confident style. Painted across 16 wooden panels, the energy of the new mural is larger than life, much like the uBuntu ethos.

Simultaneously, Esther Mahlangu is also the talk of London’s art scene in a different part of the city. At a solo exhibition at the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair, Esher’s work brought an immediate rush of vibrance and life to the walls of Melrose Gallery in the West Wing!

 

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A post shared by Esther Mahlangu (@esthermahlanguart)

Meanwhile, in another creative news piece that made us feel proudly South African, artist Jake Michael Singer has been given the opportunity to represent our country through sculpture at a prestigious event overlooking the magnificent Pyramids of Giza! Jake’s sculpture, We Will Meet Again in the Sky’ is a must-see, and you can learn more about it here.

Sources: Email Submission

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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South African actress Marié Botha has a role in the second biggest show in the world right now, ‘The Penguin’ starring Colin Farrell! Not only this, but her episode has achieved the pinnacle of IMDb ratings with a 9.6/10 score:

Global (15 October 2024) — Fans of Batman’s world and all its various spin-offs are likely already very familiar with the latest rollout from Gotham, ‘The Penguin’ starring a hardly recognisable Colin Farrell. In fact, even if you aren’t necessarily a fan of the notorious fictional city’s stories but simply can’t resist an intriguing show with thick plot lines, you might’ve picked up on the fact that the series is revealing itself to be quite the hit. According to IMDb, it’s the second-biggest show in the world right now!

All of this is hardly bad for the mood for South African actress and self-proclaimed ‘boeremeise’, Marié Botha who nabbed the role of villain Magpie in the show that’s already made the 100 top-rated series of all time list!

As a matter of fact, the episode Marié is in (episode 4) has been hailed as ‘the best episode of The Penguin yet,’ per Esquire. By IMDb standards, the episode has also reached the gold standard, thanks to a rating of 9.6/10.

It’s a big deal in the world of dreams for Pretoria-born Marié, who certainly deserves her flowers.

Born in Pretoria, Marié left home at 18 and headed off to the Big Apple to study at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. Following her BFA degree (which she earned with honours) Marie enrolled in the masters programme at Yale’s school of Drama—a position only 17 other students achieved despite thousands of applicants.

Equipped with an MFA—the jet fuel of her acting dreams—Marié began working as an actress in New York. With countless auditions, indie films, commercial voice-overs and Off-Broadway productions under her belt, Marié finally got her big break after 14 long years.

“I play Magpie, a villain with a split personality and a penchant for shiny things,” shares Marie. “When we see flashbacks of Sofia Falcone in Arkham Asylum, we meet Magpie. She befriends Sofia, but eventually paranoia takes over and Sofia starts to see Magpie as a threat and a spy. This is the first time we see Sofia truly pushed to the edge and the outcome is dire.”

Marié explains that the role was complex but a gift:

“Playing Magpie was like walking a tightrope. In one way, she is this beautiful, dreamy, childlike creature, and on the other side of her sits darkness, trauma and vengeance. It’s a gift to get to play characters that call on me to transform and put myself in parts of a psyche very unlike my own—Magpie is like that.

“She is troubled, haunted by childhood trauma, yet still trying to maintain positivity and look for beauty in her life. It’s sort of sweet and deeply sad. She is very dear to me.”

Marié refers to the callback process as being the ‘most intense’ of her life.

“I was visiting my family in South Africa at the time and had just extended my trip when I got the callback. It was to be on Zoom with the director of episode 4, Helen Shaver. I logged on at midnight, 6pm New York time, and the most intense callback of my life ensued. We worked for ages on the first Magpie scene, doing it this way and that, almost to a point where I thought, “Am I messing this up? I don’t know which way is up anymore.” Right after the audition I was certain that was the end of the road on this one. But the next day I got a call from my agent that I had booked the job and needed to be on a plane back to New York the next morning for a hair and makeup test!”

For the Batman fan, it was a dream role and one of many complex characters she hopes to play.

“For as long as I can remember, I’ve been attracted to playing villains. And for as long as I can remember, I have been a Harry Potter fan,” says Marié of her ‘dream role’.

She adds that she’d love to play Bellatrix Lestrange but also doesn’t feel ready to say goodbye to Magpie.

“It excites me that Matt Reeves is cooking up a lot more in the DC Universe, and I do feel that this incredible character has a lot more story to offer. Fingers crossed!”

As for her South African roots, Marié shares that despite the length of her life in New York and identifying as a New Yorker in her soul, she will always be a South African at heart.

“It’s impossible to let go of the Afrikaans ‘boeremeisie’ in me, and I would never want to. The moment I step off the plane in Cape Town and smell the sea air, hear the melting pot of languages, step through immigration like a local and see my parents waiting to take me to Hermanus, I know I’m home, always.”

You can catch The Penguin on Showmax and M-Net with new episodes every Monday! You can catch the trailer below:

Sources: Supplied

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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South Africa has been named Africa’s Best Culinary Destination per the World Culinary Awards, following several wins from all sorts of restaurants, from fine dining to farm-to-table offerings!

South Africa (14 October 2024) — South Africans know that culinary offerings from our country tend to be peppered with that extra hit of pizazz, salted with something special, or cooked with a specific flavour of South African passion. But, did you know that your inclinations toward how good our food is have a lot of merit? Well, they do, because South Africa was recently named Africa’s Best Culinary Destination per the World Culinary Awards!

A mighty feast for the servers of feasts, the 2024 World Culinary Awards praised our country as the top destination for foodies coming to Africa.

On top of this, many individual restaurants were also spotlighted as winners of their own sub-categories, while the City of Cape Town was ranked the Best Culinary City Destination across the continent.

Winners From the 2024 World Culinary Awards

• Epice—South Africa and Africa’s Best Restaurant
• Salsify at the Roundhouse—Africa’s Best Landmark Restaurant
• The 11th Floor—Africa’s Best Rooftop Restaurant
• TANG V&A Waterfront—Africa’s Best Asian Cuisine Restaurant
• SALON—Africa’s Best New Restaurant
• SIBA—The Restaurant @ Table Bay—Africa’s Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant
• Babel @ Babylonstoren—Africa’s Best Farm-to-Table Restaurant

Says Charné Sampson the Head Chef of Epice on the full circle victory:

“We are over the moon to have received this acknowledgement – considering we won Best New Restaurant in 2020, to have been awarded the title of Best Restaurant in Africa only four years later is truly amazing. I couldn’t be prouder of our amazing hard-working, dedicated team.”

Additionally, Marble was plated as South Africa’s Best Culinary Experience, while Azure Restaurant @ The Twelve Apostles was named SA’s Best Hotel Restaurant!

Sources: World Culinary Awards 

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Hout Bay siblings Holly and Ryley Smith have been crowned Ocean Racing World Champions thanks to the huge splash they made in Madeira at Worlds!

Global (08 October 2024) — Holly and Ryley Smith from Hout Bay don’t just share DNA. They also share fierce determination, champions’ hearts and a serious skillset when it comes to navigating watery raceways—so much so that the sibling duo have been crowned Ocean Racing World Champions!

The siblings both competed in the Ocean Racing World Championship held in Madeira, Portugal, where they would both come home and be splashed with victory as the Mixed Doubles U18 World Champions.

It wasn’t an easy feat. Conditions were said to have been challenging, with flat waters, strong currents, and fierce headwinds to tackle. Nonetheless, the siblings pushed through it all to claim their shared win.

Both are young talents, with Holly being in matric and Ryley in Grade 10. Their school, Camps Bay High, couldn’t be more proud of their accomplishments.

“Holly and Ryley’s achievements are truly inspiring. Their dedication and commitment to the sport, combined with their teamwork as siblings, is something we don’t often see at this level. They are incredible ambassadors for both the school and South Africa,” said a proud Busi Ngcwama, the Head of Sport at their school.

In addition to their joint victory, both competitors also earned individual wins. Holly clinched silver in the Singles U18 Women event, while Ryley (who is an U16 athlete) took an impressive 6th position for his singles race in the U18 Men’s division.

If Holly’s name rings a bell, it’s because this is not her first World Champion rodeo. She is a three-time World Champ who has also won the Women’s Double U18 Canoe Marathon and the Women’s Singles U18 Ocean Racing event.

Young Ryley is following in his big sister’s footsteps epically, with this win marking his first World Champ title in Ocean Racing.

“Winning a World Championship is always an incredible feeling, but to do it with my brother in my final year of racing in the U18 category makes it even more unforgettable,” said Holly. 

Sources: Supplied; Camps Bay High School

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43 South African Irish dancers have qualified to represent our country at the Irish Dancing World Championship!

Global (08 October 2024) — In dazzling news from the local dancing scene, 43 talented South African Irish dancers have successfully qualified to take part in the 2025 Irish Dancing World Championships!

These talents will represent four provinces (Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape and the Western Cape) as well as 9 different dancing schools in a region synonymous with the dance—Dublin.

The dancers’ success comes after an electrifying season of fancy footwork showcased at the 25th anniversary of the South African Irish Dancing Championship that was held in late September. There, respected judges from Ireland flew all the way to Gauteng to be a part of the adjudication panel—a worthwhile trip thanks to the impressive skills, energy and teamwork on display at Nationals; all of which earned them the judges’ favour!

Those selected as part of the squad of 43, include dancers as young as 10 years old and seasoned performers in their 20s.

Beyond individual spotlights, several local dancing schools have also qualified to take part in team events at the World Championships; an area where South Africa has already made its mark with the Robinson Dance Studio famously claiming the Junior Figure Dancing Section in 2022.

Our South African Irish Dancers will be competing from 13 to 20 April 2025.

Sources: Email Submission 

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All of South Africa is singing the Springboks praises after last weekend. It’s a golden era for the Boks, and few are as proud as former Bok Bryan Habana, who has called the squad ‘the best Springboks side we have ever seen’!

South Africa (07 October 2024) — Last weekend, South Africans could only see green, gold and victory after the Springboks’ nail-biting success against Argentina at the Rugby Championship. It’s a golden era for the Springboks, and former Bok Bryan Habana shares his thoughts!

“Just looking at what this Springboks team as a collective [have] done over the last 6 years under Rassie in charge, undoubtedly the best Springboks side we have ever seen,” shared Bryan in an interview.

“The manner in which they kicked on from the World Cup [2-23], yes there was the disappointing loss to Ireland and Argentina. Nevertheless this side has broken records and done what no other Springbok team has done.” 

For the rugby legend, the golden era for the Boks has had a significant impact on South Africa as a whole.

“Their success has put them on a pedestal and long may it continue,” he said. “If you look at the way it has managed to bring South Africans together from all walks of life. If you look across Jo’burg {Johannesburg], Pretoria, Mbombela, Cape Town how the South African crowds have got behind this team is extremely special. It special to see this team achieve greatness.”

Naming and faming, Bryan gave shoutouts to several of the Boks’ stars.

“Including the import of a Tony Brown who has added an extra element to our attack which has been really good to see and our most experience player Eben Etzebeth breaking records of becoming the most capped player of all time.

“Pieter-Steph du Toit who is surely in the reckoning to be nominated for World [Rugby] Player of the Year. Siya [Kolisi], Cheslin {Kolbe], Damian de Allende and Handre Pollard if you look at those names and the manner in which they are playing it puts South Africa in a phenomenal space where we could show our most success between World Cups. Which has been a rarity since the game progressed in ’96.”

Of Eben Etzebeth, Bryan praised:

“I reckon Eben is only getting better with age, his maturity, leadership and the manner in which he fully represents South Africa when he puts that jersey on over his head is something phenomenal to see. I was fortunate enough to be at the start of his career, be there for his 1st Test and 50th. To see the accolades of his achievements and the manner he puts the Springbok team on the pedestal, it just speaks volumes of the type of person he is.”

Sources: Sportsboom.com 

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Baigum Abrahams has defended her title as South Africa’s Toughest Female Firefighter Alive thanks to her exceptional competition at the National Challenge held in Mossel Bay! As for the men’s champ, Emile Conrad, this marks his 7th time winning:

Mossel Bay, South Africa (04 October 2024) —The Toughest Firefighter Alive National Challenge recently saw the typically quaint harbour town of Mossel Bay light up with all the action as firefighters from across the country competed fiercely.

It was a beyond-busy weekend filled with enthusiasm and grit as competitors, young and seasoned, took to different challenges for the 9th edition of the Challenge. Here, the nation’s Toughest Firefighters Alive would be determined for 2024–a title not to be taken lightly.

From fire-simulator mazes to speed and strength tests, the Challenge saw over 400 firefighters battle it out at De Bakke Beach and quickly became the most successful TFA, as Mark Smith of Firefighters for Excellence shared.

But, when it came to the final countdown, there was only one woman fit for the title.

Baigum Abrahams is once again South Africa’s Toughest Female Firefighter Alive—an epic feat for herself, her fans and the City of Cape Town, who she represented so well!

As for the Men’s champion, Emile Conrad, representing the Garden Route, reigned victorious, making this his 7th time holding the title.

Baigum recently competed with her male counterpart at the World Firefighter Games, where Emile made SA super proud by ranking in the Top 20 of the World’s Toughest Firefighters Alive list!

Sources: Various (Linked Above); Supplied 

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Robotics squad SpringBots South Africa is bringing home gold from Greece thanks to their victory at the World Robotics Olympics!

Athens, Greece (01 October 2024) — Local robotics team SpringBots recently showed off their South African STEM chops in Athens, Greece, thanks to their outstanding participation in the World Robotics Olympics (FIRST Global Challenge).

The SpringBots team includes Mukondi Sinogu, Ponani Keletso Nkuna, Katiso Mallane, Amahle Mkhize and Chaydon Weldschidt, with mentors Jared and Roxanne Reddy.

Held this past September, the competition saw over 190 countries’ teams vie for victory. Competitors consisted of robotics team members between the ages of 14-18, all of whom enjoyed the thrill of modern magic amid the ancient history running through Athens’ veins.

Just to put it into perspective, the Opening Ceremony took place at the Parthenon Olympic Stadium—a striking reminder of what innovation once looked like thousands of years ago. Just imagine the Parthenon’s patrons back in the day bearing witness to teams for robots! Not to mention a Black Eyed Peas performance.

Despite the SpringBots getting off to a rocky start, they showed true, South African-approved grit. The SpringBots’ robot, affectionately named the McKenzie Bot in tribute to Gayton McKenzie, our Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, experienced some damage during its transit. This ultimately complicated the team’s competition, but not for long!

In a familiar slate of South African resilience, the team pushed through the disheartenment to repair the McKenzie Bot together in full unity.

“In the spirit of Ubuntu, we established a coalition called Africa Unite, aimed at supporting fellow African nations facing similar challenges,” Roxanne shares.

“We collaborated with teams from various countries, fostering camaraderie and teamwork throughout the event.”

This commitment aptly promoted unity in robotics and was honoured with recognition when the team received the Dr. Mae Jemison Award for International Unity.

On top of this, the SpringBots also claimed gold at the prestigious competition! With this victory in their arsenal and support for their future endeavours well-earned, the team have shared big plans for the future.

At the top of the list is a plan to establish over 100 robotics teams in underprivileged communities so that robotics and STEM education becomes more accessible to all. Additionally, the team are working hard to bring FIRST Global back home to South Africa.

“As we embark on this important journey, we remain committed to fostering innovation, collaboration, and unity in robotics across Africa,” concludes Roxanne.

Sources: Email Submission 

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All Cornelle wished for ahead of her wedding day was the chance to see her husband waiting for her at the aisle. In a story encompassing romance, unity and proudly South Africa support, this bride-to-be has gotten the wedding gift of a lifetime: her sight!

Berlin, Germany (30 September 2024) — Most brides tend to have a few requests and wishes before their big days. But one South African bride-to-be named Cornelle Leach had a unique wish that no wedding registry could hold a candle to: the gift of seeing her soon-to-be husband on their wedding day.

Cornelle has Stargardt’s Macular Dystrophy. It’s a debilitating retinal disease that has made her centrally blind to the point that she had 0% vision—meaning she’d never actually seen her fiancé before.

The two have navigated life through Cornelle’s struggle. For her, Russel’s been the guiding light of her mind’s eye.

“Amid the darkness, I found a beacon of light in the form of love,” Cornelle says.

“I am blessed to have found the man of my dreams, Russell, who sees beyond my impairment and stands by my side unwaveringly.”

When Russel’s family discovered Fedorov Vision Restoration Therapy, an institution in Berlin that could help Cornelle, magic and miracles married.

The institution could be the one that gifted Cornelle her sight again—no sure bet at the time, but a damn good one.

Cornelle started a crowdfunding campaign on BackaBuddy to rally support for her chance. Even though she knew it might not work, she placed her bets on hope.

As the word spread, her story caught the attention of the likes of renowned local fashion designer, Gert-Johan Coetzee and famed comedian, Schalk Bezuidenhout.

Gert kindly offered to make Cornelle’s wedding dress and encouraged support for her while Schalk got to sharing the ‘bride to see’s’ story (his apt reference to Cornelle) with his own audience and as many people as possible.

What had staggered in support soon became a whirlwind of it, and by August, the institute for her treatment was paid for and the flights to Berlin, booked!

Both Schalk and Cornelle simply couldn’t believe how quickly South Africans responded to the call for support. In a matter of days, the impossible had become its counterpart.

“I have never been so proud to be a South African,” Cornelle shared.

“It was the effort of a lot of people giving the little amounts of what they could,” said Schalk.

In the update South Africa had been waiting for, Schalk met up with Cornelle in Berlin on the last day of her treatment in late September—an encounter they attribute to fate since he just happened to be in town for a show.

There, Cornelle revealed the incredible news that the treatment was a success! Moreover, it had even started working earlier than anticipated, doubling the amount of active cells in her retina already. The biggest joy of all? She got to see her love for the very first time.

“It has made such an impact on me and I don’t have words to express my gratitude because it’s not everyday when a girl can get her sight back or at least get the opportunity to,” Cornelle said in reference to everyone who helped her, near and far.

We’re sure her wedding day on 11 January will be the happy ending to a story that certainly deserves its own movie. But it’s also a one-of-a-kind reminder that sometimes truth isn’t just stranger than fiction, it can also be far more beautiful.

Sources: Schalk Bezuidenhout; BackaBuddy

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Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African.

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At 14 years old, chess player Caleb Levitan has made history for our country and become the youngest champ to represent South Africa at the World Cup of Chess—the Chess Olympiad:

Global (30 September 2024) — Caleb Levitan has carved his spot in South Africa’s history books after he became the youngest chess player ever to have represented South Africa at the World Cup of Chess—the Chess Olympiad!

For the 14-year-old King David Linksfield learner and FIDE Master, the opportunity was nothing short of an honour and a dream realised.

“It’s every chess player’s dream to compete at the Chess Olympiad,” he remarked when the news was shared of his upcoming chance to compete.

While what he shared might be true, unlike Caleb, most chess players don’t get the chance to head off and compete with their country’s national team of chess giants while they’re only in Grade 8.

Along with a decorated squad of local chess stars (International Master (IM) Daniel Cawdery, FIDE Master (FM) Daniel Barrish, IM Jan Karsten and FM Banele Mhango), Caleb journeyed off to Budapest where the competition of competitions would unfold.

Caleb made a fantastic debut, earning respect from fellow international players and several victories.

As his school shares, he won five of his games and drew one against a Phillippines master before competing in the finals against Nicaragua. Five hours later, Caleb secured his win and helped earn South Africa a top 3 spot for the continent, as well as qualification for the 2025 competition!

Needless to say, the chess world will be keeping tabs on Caleb while South Africa celebrates yet another moment to be proud of.

Sources: King David High School Linksfield; GTG 

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