SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge North Coast Regional - Grantleigh School: Saturday 1 August

Rain stopped play at the enthusiastic North Coast Regional where 11 schools were putting all the efforts into taking home the trophy in the opening tournament of the 6th SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at Grantleigh College on Saturday 1 August.

In the 21 games played, it rained goals with a total of 227 being netted. The second team from Khombindela High School were leading in the lunchtime fixture against Felixton College before umpires made the responsible call to halt play in the downpour. Only two more rounds in the pool games remained until the semi-finals.

High five. Hoerskool Richardsbaai’s Samantha Viljoen launches herself to intercept Felixton College’s Zenande Mncwabe during their pool game at the North Coast Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at Grantleigh School on Saturday 1 August. Pic by Val Adamson.

The four previous champions were all looking good to advance to the semi-finals, with Dlangezwa High School also putting their hand up to be considered. Leading pool A was one time winner, Tholokuhle High School who had 12 points with one game in hand. Tied at second place was Hoërskool Richardsbaai who raised the trophy two years ago and Dlangezwa, both sitting on 10 points. Hoerskool Richardsbaai had scored a total of 21 goals while Dlangezwa, still with a game in hand, had a tally of 26 goals.

Defending champions, and two times winner, Khombindela High School's first team found themselves level on points with one time winner, Empangeni High School both on 15 points.

 Step to it. Weighing up her options, : Sabelwe Makhanyavs from Empangeni High School plans her attack while her team mate Xoliswa Cele watches her opponents moves. Elihle Nzuza and Coco Cameron playing for Grantleigh School  keep an eye on the ball during their pool game at the North Coast Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5s Netball Challenge that took place at Grantleigh School on Saturday 1 August. Pic by Val Adamson.

Khombindela looked to be stronger, with a game still in hand, after they dominated their fixture against their neighbours, Empangeni - winning 13 to 8. Khombindela had racked up 5 goals in their three pool games while Empangeni slotted in 30 goals in their four pool games.

The tournament heads to Amanzimtoti where ‘Toti Netball Club will host the upcoming Durban South Regional on Saturday 15 August

For more information, follow the challenge on its social media channels.

Celebrate Women's Day while Making a Difference at Action in Autism's "Bridgerton Under South African Skies" A Women’s High Tea

This Women's Month, the community is invited to step into an afternoon of elegance, connection and purpose at Action in Autism's annual Women's Wellness Day Fundraiser, Bridgerton Under South African Skies High Tea, taking place on Saturday, 15 August 2026, from 14:00 to 16:30 at 105 Haig Road, Parkhill, Durban North.

Established in 2005, Action in Autism (AiA) is a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights of autistic people. Through innovative educational programmes, skills development and family support services, the organisation works to promote acceptance, empowerment and inclusion for autistic individuals and their families.

The annual Women's Wellness Day is one of Action in Autism's signature fundraising events. More than just a high tea, it is a celebration of women and an opportunity to pause, reconnect and prioritise wellbeing. The event also raises vital funds that enable Action in Autism to continue providing essential programmes and support services throughout the year.

Carers and educators from Action in Autism get dressed up in their annual Women's Wellness Day Fundraiser, Bridgerton Under South African Skies High Tea, taking place on Saturday, 15 August 2026.

A special focus of this year's event is to provide complimentary tickets for single mothers of autistic children. These women often devote themselves tirelessly to caring for their families, with little opportunity to prioritise their own wellbeing. In recognising their strength and unwavering commitment, the event aims to offer them an afternoon of rest, appreciation and connection.

"Raised by a strong woman who became my rock, I honour her, and all autism mothers who rise through exhaustion, stand firm in meltdowns, face judgement with courage, and keep hope alive. This Women's Wellness Day, we celebrate resilience. You are our Rock!" says Bongiwe Nyoka, an autistic adolescent.

Through the generosity of sponsors and supporters, Action in Autism hopes to make this opportunity possible, giving these mothers a meaningful reminder that they, too, deserve care, recognition and support.

"We believe every woman deserves the opportunity to feel valued, celebrated and supported," says Action in Autism’s Director Diane Mariah-Singh. "By attending this event or partnering with us as a sponsor, the community is helping create meaningful experiences for women while ensuring autistic individuals and their families continue to receive the support they need."

The event is expected to welcome approximately 200 guests, including autistic individuals, family members, community leaders, business professionals, donors and supporters. Guests are encouraged to embrace the theme, Bridgerton Under South African Skies, with their own creative interpretation through their attire.

Tickets are now available. Businesses and individuals are invited to support the event through financial sponsorships, donations of products or services, or contributions towards the complimentary tickets for single mothers. Major sponsors will receive recognition through event promotions. All donations are eligible for a Section 18A tax deduction certificate.

Whether attending the High Tea, sponsoring a guest or partnering with Action in Autism, every contribution helps create a more inclusive community where autistic people and their families can thrive.

For ticket bookings, sponsorship opportunities or more information, please contact info@actioninautism.org.za

Event at a Glance

• Event: Bridgerton Under South African Skies High Tea

• Date: Saturday, 15 August 2026

• Time: 14:00 – 16:30

• Venue: 105 Haig Road, Parkhill, Durban North

• Dress Code: Your interpretation of Bridgerton Under South African Skies

• Tickets: info@actioninautism.org.za

• Sponsorship enquiries: aiadirector@actioninautism.org.za

JUST GEEKIN' BRINGS DUNGEONS & DRAGONS, COSPLAY AND E-SPORTS TO THE 34TH HILTON ARTS FESTIVAL

Teaser: Geek Culture gets its own stage this August, with tabletop gaming, an Artist's Alley, a cosplay competition and more - running all weekend at Hilton College.

Geek Culture is officially joining the programme at this year's Hilton Arts Festival. Just Geekin' , a brand-new addition to the 34th Hilton Arts Festival, from 7 to 9 August 2026 at Hilton College, bringing three days of tabletop roleplaying, Esports gaming, cosplay and comics to the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands.

Designer, illustrator and graphic artist, Nivesh Rawatlal will be exhibiting in the Just Geekin’ Artists’ Alley at the Hilton Arts festival this year.

Curated by award-winning, multidisciplinary South African graffiti and hip hop artist, poet, and activist Ewok (aka Iain Robinson) and well-known artist and musician Daniel Sheldon, the Just Geekin’ Festival hopes to attract a new audience of creative thinkers, gamers, artists and performers. 

Just Geekin’ @ Hilton Arts Festival is curated by award-winning, multidisciplinary South African graffiti and hip hop artist, poet, and activist Ewok (aka Iain Robinson) (right) and well-known artist and musician Daniel Sheldon (left), the Just Geekin’ Festival hopes to attract a new audience of creative thinkers, gamers, artists and performers.  In centre is Durban-based gamer and adaptive surfer, David Williams of Konke Gamers who is collaborating with the festival bringing adaptive controllers and accessible gaming setups to disabled gamers.

Just Geekin’ takes place in the Hilton Theatre complex, with a packed 3 days programme that includes:

• Tabletop Roleplaying Games, including Dungeons & Dragons sessions for new and experienced players 

• The Artist's Alley, showcasing comic and concept art from local creators

• E-Sports Tournaments, and free-play stations (entry fees apply for play) in collaboration with Konke Gamers, led by Durban-based gamer and adaptive surfer, David Williams. Konke creates accessible spaces for people with disabilities, bringing adaptive controllers and accessible gaming setups to disabled gamers. Williams teams up with the festival to champion esports for people with disabilities, opening up competitive gaming to a community too often left out of it.

• Celebrity Games -  with local celebrities (experienced or not) will try their hand at Tabletop Roleplaying Games-  including whacky musician Veranda Panda, theatre personalities radio presenter from PlayZN Keri Miller, and Steven Stead. These games can be viewed from arena styled seating or watch on the big screen at the fest or on Twitch .

• A Cosplay Masquerade in partnership with GES-Cosplay, on Sunday 9 August, is open to all (experienced pros, beginners, adults, children and the elderly too) - with incredible prizes to be won. These include goodies from the Just Geekin’ Market, a Les Gateaux voucher, and tickets to ICON Durban, the Renfaire Hellfire Gala and to the rAge Expo.

• A comic book launch, film screening, workshops and discussions as well as various live art activations and a rotating line-up of other geekin’ activities.

Artwork - Soothsayers - Jailbird by Ethan Austin, A.K.A Black Light Comics.  Austin, who explores the dark, haunting, and mysterious aspects of humanity through horror and sci-fi storytelling, will be exhibiting in the Just Geekin’ Artists’ Alley at the Hilton Arts festival this year.

Young Gunz and Trail Blazers is an opportunity for artists between the ages of 12 and 23 to attend and exhibit at the festival, with prizes including an Inscape Graphic Design course, courses from Dweba School, and a signed comic book . This is through a partnership with Dweba School – the online school for artists and creators, that will also be doing hands-on workshops and giveaways, including illustration courses, sticker packs,digital drawing tablets. Just Geekin' @ The Hilton Arts Festival, is curated for newcomers and lifelong enthusiasts in equal measure, offering a complete Geek Culture experience including a Geek Market for geek-styled retail therapy within one of South Africa’s most established cultural calendar events.

A ticket unlocks a whole day. Day tickets are R75, with a full weekend pass available for R100, and both grant access to the Geek Lounge with a variety of activities, with no restriction on coming and going as you please. Additional ticketed activations and add-ons will be available in the Geek Lounge as well.

Artwork- Abisola - by Luke Molver currently works as a freelance illustrator in Durban and self-publishes his own comic books, including his South African cyberpunk series Nero, the swamp-noir horror Sunday’s Slave, and the award-winning historical graphic novel series Shaka Rising and its sequel, King Shaka. Luke will be exhibiting in the Just Geekin’ Artists’ Alley at the Hilton Arts festival this year.

Follow for updates and programme on social media:

Instagram: justgeekinza

Facebook: Just-Geekin

Website: https://hiltonfestival.co.za/geekin/

For participant, vendor and media enquiries, contact justgeekin@hiltonfestival.co.za

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge 2026 - Date Announcement KwaZulu-Natal

Nearly 90 schools will have their court appearance at the upcoming SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge that kicks off in August.

The tournament now in its sixth year has hosted 34 regionals in the five years since its inception in 2019. The first year, the fledgling tournament started with only four regionals, quickly growing to seven areas over the following two years. The successful Challenge has now doubled in size and travels to eight areas in KZN.

"SPAR KwaZulu-Natal is pleased to see how the Challenge has evolved over the years,” says Nelene Rampersad, Promotion, Advertising & Communication Manager for SPAR KwaZulu-Natal, sponsors of the tournament. “Our involvement goes beyond sponsorship; we believe in the power of sport to build confidence, discipline and creating a sense of belonging among young women and their peers.”

Netting the first tournament this year, Grantleigh School welcomes teams for the Zululand Regional on Saturday 1 August. Travelling down the coast, Toti Netball Club hosts teams for the South Coast Regional at Hutchinson Park on Saturday 15 August. The following weekend the Challenge moves inland to Kokstad College who opens up their picturesque school for the Southern KZN Regional. Wrapping up the August commitments, Durban Girls’ College is the venue for the Durban Central Regional on Saturday 29 August.

Thomas More College will enjoy having teams competing on their campus for the Upper Highway Regional on Saturday 5 September. The final local tournament, the Durban North Regional unfolds at Ashton International College in Ballito on Saturday 12 September. Concluding the Challenges, Pionier Hoërskool in Vryheid is ‘hoopful’ that teams participating in the Northern KZN Regional will shoot for glory on Saturday 19 September. 

Eight teams will be returning in the hopes of defending their titles. The North Coast Regional has had four champions, with Khombindela High School eager to retain the honour and earn their third title. Newcomer, Kuswag Hoërskool is the third team to hoist the South Coast Regional trophy and are keen to have a back-to-back victory. The only team with a 100% record in the challenge is Shayamoya Area Secondary School who will be determined to continue their dominance in the Southern KZN Regional. 

With home turf advantage, Durban Girls’ College will be vying for their fourth title in the Durban Central Regional. Another team on the prowl for their fourth title, Hillcrest High School have stood tall dominating the Highway area, the only other team to feature on the top step is Luthayi High School. Three teams have been crowned in the Durban North Regional, with Danville Park Girls’ High’s name engraved on the trophy twice and on the hunt for a third victory. Ferrum High School currently is the defending champions in the Northern KZN Regional, but host team Hoërskool Pionier have also had the honour of raising the regional trophy once, as have the Smurfs twice, representing Dundee High School. 

Eight weeks of action packed netball is due to unfold around KwaZulu Natal as the sixth SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge tips off next month.

For more information, follow the tournament on social media.

28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Honours Three Giants of South African Contemporary Dance

Three of South Africa's most influential dance voices PJ Sabbagha, Mamela Nyamza and Vincent Mantsoe, feature at the 28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience this year, each bringing decades of artistic courage and innovation to the Durban stage.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre for Creative Arts presents the 28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, a thirteen-day celebration of world-class contemporary dance running from 25 August to 6 September 2026. This year's festival is curated around the theme Choreographies of Activism: Moving Bodies as Disruptive Presencing.

PJ Sabbagha’s Noah

Each year JOMBA! celebrates a South African artist whose contribution has fundamentally reshaped the country's dance landscape. The festival opens on Tuesday 25 August with 2026 JOMBA! Legacy Artist PJ Sabbagha’s work Noah. Choreographer, curator and arts activist, founder and Artistic Director of the Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative, PJ Sabbagha has, for more than three decades, taken dance beyond urban centres and into rural communities, through initiatives including the Ebhudlweni Arts Centre and the internationally respected My Body My Space Rural Public Arts Festival. As part of the Legacy celebration, audiences will experience Noah, the concluding chapter of Sabbagha's acclaimed Noah trilogy - a multimedia dance-theatre work reflecting on climate crisis, loss, memory and survival through the metaphor of the biblical flood.

Past JOMBA! Legacy Artist Mamela Nyamza returns to the festival hot off receiving the prestigious Silver Lion for Dance at the 2026 Venice Biennale, one of the highest honours in international contemporary dance. Nyamza brings her new ensemble work THE HERD/LESS to JOMBA!, a visually arresting meditation on community, conformity, vulnerability and survival. Known for her fearless, politically incisive choreographic language, Nyamza's return confirms her place as one of Africa's most important contemporary artists.

THE HERD/LESS

Internationally celebrated choreographer and performer Vincent Mantsoe joins the Legacy line-up with his new solo, Desert Poems. Mantsoe's deeply embodied practice has long bridged ancestral knowledge with contemporary performance, and this intimate new work offers a meditation on endurance, spirituality and transformation - reaffirming why he remains one of South Africa's most respected dance artists on the world stage.

All three artists will also lead free public workshops during the festival, giving Durban's dance community direct access to some of the country's most significant choreographic minds. Booking for workshops is essential.

Audiences can look forward to a rare convergence of three defining voices in South African contemporary dance with their works reflecting decades of artistic courage, activism and innovation. This is an unmissable opportunity to experience South African dance at its most powerful.

The festival hosts talks, panel discussions, workshops, performances and residencies.

For more information got to www.jomba.ukzn.ac.za. To book for performances, go to . Special full festival passes at a discounted rate are available. To book for workshops email: Thobile Maphanga on 2024jomba@gmail.com

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Grand Finals St Mary’s D.S.G.: Saturday 25 – Sunday 26 July

A new champion has been crowned at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, congratulations to Our Lady of Fatima for winning their very first Grand Finals at St Mary’s D.S.G. on Sunday 26 July.

Wrapping up two days of phenomenal hockey, the Durban North Regional winner met a polished team from St John’s D.S.G. representing the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional in the final. St John’s started off hot in the first half, with several promising probes. Fifteen seconds into the first half, the yellow sticks from Maritzburg earned their first set piece. Firing in a low flying missile, keeper, Kayla Driver quickly diverted the shot in the first short corner of the game. 

Two minutes later, Driver was called into action again when Mia Howie from St John’s was gifted a superb through-ball. In a one-on-one scenario, Howie attempted two back-to-back shots but wasn’t allowed any space and soon the Fatima defenders swooped in to assist Driver. For the remainder of the first half, St John’s were relentless with constant attacks, but the Fatima backline confidently shut down all advances. 

The high tempo continued in the second half, but the tables were turned. A determined Fatima started running the ball up into the St John’s circle, finding their flair from the first day. With just under ten minutes left in the final, St John’s earned their second short corner but again, Driver blocked the shot without hesitation. 

Less than two minutes later, the ball was run down the left side for Fatima and passed to the waiting forwards in the circle. In a flurry, Fatima’s front line started peppering keeper for St John’s, Deborah Lock. On their third shot, Charly-Rose Boyall wasted no time slapping in the rebound directly into goals for the all-important goal. 

As time wound down, St John’s picked up the pace, desperately searching for the equaliser, but the Fatima defence didn’t falter and held strong for the final seven minutes. The final score was a well earned 1 nil to Fatima who broke their spell having five fifth places to their names in all of their runs at the Grand Finals. 

St John’s making their fourth appearance can be proud of their second silver, adding to their impressive results. They earned their first silver in 2024, a bronze in 2022 and in their first appearance in 2017, they finished fourth.

Leading up to the finals, both St John’s and Fatima topped their pools with wins in all of their games, including two tightly contested semi-finals. In Pool A, St John’s were victorious against Ferrum High School (6-0); St Patrick’s College (3-0); Amanzimtoti High School (7-0) and in the second last game on Saturday, beat host school and defending champions and seven-times winner, St Mary’s (2-0). Our Lady of Fatima were successful in Pool B against one-time winner, St Anne’s Diocesan College (3-1); five-time champions, Durban Girls’ College (1-0); Wartburg Kirchdorf School (7-0) and Grantleigh School (6-0).

In the first semi-final, St John’s met Durban Girls’ College who were returning for their fourteenth appearance. College finished tied on 9 points with St Anne’s but with a better goal difference after their four pool games and advanced to the semi. After a hard-fought clash, the yellow sticks netted one goal, courtesy of Paige Williams, against the highly decorated College team. 

In a nail biter second semi-final, Fatima met second the host school, St Mary’s who were keen to raise the trophy for the eighth time. With three seconds left on the clock, Fatima found a gap in the Saint’s defence, their Cinderella performance continuing to the main game of the Grand Finals thanks to yet another beautiful goal by Boyall.

A new concept for the tournament, the introduction of the Plate Final. The inaugural recipient was the Pietermaritzburg North Regional team, St Anne’s. This is their eleventh run at the Grand Finals, with a long list of achievements they were the first team to raise the handsome trophy in 2011 and adding to that, they are now the first winners of the Plate. 

Over the ten regionals, matric students have been adding their name to a lucky draw to win a bursary through Durban based, tertiary institution, eta College. Amahle Khumalo from Vryheid Hoërskool won for themselves a year’s bursary at the Sport Science, Coaching and Management college valued at R89,000.

Ten teams took to the field in the conclusion of the 16th year of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, after 31 games over two days of high energy hockey, a total of 97 goals were scored with Our Lady of Fatima being the fourth team since the tournament’s inception in 2011. 

Results

1 Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional); 2 St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional); 3 St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); 4 Durban Girls’ College (DBN Central Regional); 5 St Anne’s Diocesan College (PMB North Regional); 6 Grantleigh School (North Coast Regional); 7 St Patrick’s College (uGu and Sisonke Regional); 8 Ferrum High School (Northern KZN Regional); 9 Wartburg Kirchdorf School (uMvoti and oThukela Regional); 10 Amanzimtoti High School (DBN South Regional)

Celebratory Mother City Screenings following Constitutional Court Victory for Housing Justice Movement (Cape Town & Johannesburg)

Following the historic legal win for Cape Town's housing justice movement, the award-winning documentary Mother City will celebrate this victory with public screenings at The Bioscope Independent Cinema in Johannesburg and at The Labia Theatre in Cape Town on 28 July.

The screenings follow the landmark Constitutional Court ruling handed down on 2 July 2026, that the sale of the former Tafelberg School site in Sea Point was unlawful. This reaffirms the constitutional obligation of both the Western Cape Government and the City of Cape Town to actively address apartheid's spatial legacy through well-located affordable housing and, crucially, ordered the Western Cape government to report back to the same court on the steps taken to fulfil its housing obligation. The judgement is a watershed moment for spatial justice, recognising that where people live is inseparable from their access to work, education, healthcare and dignity.

Mandisa Shandu at the High Court win after judgement passed by Judge Gamble in 2020

Through the voices of Reclaim the City activists and the Ndifuna Ukwazi legal centre, documents a decade-long struggle for the right to live in the city. What began as a documentary about resistance has become a powerful record of a movement whose vision has now been affirmed by South Africa's highest court.

Directed by Miki Redelinghuys and Pearlie Joubert, Mother City follows Reclaim the City activists and Capetonians struggling to find housing over six years, tracing the fight to use well-located public land, including the mothballed Tafelberg site and Woodstock Hospital, for affordable housing rather than private developments. The Tafelberg case has anchored the film's impact campaign since the project began, with the filmmakers describing it as the goal that could "set a very strong precedent for prioritising public land for social and affordable housing" nationally.

Nkosikhona Swartbooi in discussion at cinema screening at the Labia Theatre, Cape Town

The Mother City team took the courageous and difficult step of self-distributing the film to create the impact they set out to make. Since its international premiere at Sheffield DocFest in June 2024, the film has screened 175 times across 36 countries (an average of more than seven public screenings a month) over 63 film festivals, 46 independent cinema runs, 41 grassroots impact screenings and 21 academic engagements. It has been subtitled into Spanish, Portuguese and French, and is now also available on the KINEMA streaming platform, and plans are for a South African cinema release in September.

The film’s mobilisation intensified around the Tafelberg hearing, and screenings have since gone on to mobilise housing and tenant movements as far afield as London, Berlin, Bogotá, Mexico  City, Budapest, Lagos and Belgrade.

Mother City Filmmakers at Encounters South African International Documentary Festival

"We always believed this film could do more than tell a story, we believed it could support the fight for access to housing in the City and in other urban centres around the world, facing similar struggles," says director Miki Redelinghuys. 

Pearlie Joubert reflects "Seeing the Constitutional Court confirm what the Reclaim the City activists have argued for a decade is an joyous  vindication, for all South Africans, for everyone who has opened their doors, their communities and their courtrooms to Mother City along the way."

The Constitutional Court ruling states: “A city’s architecture tells a story of its soul. In Cape Town, as in most, if not all South African Cities, that story remains one of division, where the echoes of apartheid spatial planning continue to reverberate through its streets and suburbs.”  

Mother City reveals in carefully observed detail the violent impact of these divisions, while celebrating the people who tirelessly work to build a more just society. 

Screenings Tuesday, 28 July at The Labia Theatre in Cape Town and The Bioscope Independent Cinema in Johannesburg  followed by a discussion. Tickets can be booked here https://www.mothercitydocumentary.com/watch.

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Grand Finals Ten Teams - St Mary’s D.S.G.: Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July

Ten regional champions will be descending on St Mary’s D.S.G. turf for the Grand Finals of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July.

A total of 34 schools have participated in the concluding tournament that wraps up the ten regionals. This is the first year in the history of the Grand Finals that all the reigning champions have made a prior appearance.

Travelling from Kokstad, the Ugu and Sisonke Regional Winner St Patrick’s College will be stepping onto the turf for their third time. From just up the road, St John’s D.S.G. representing the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional will be tackling their fourth final. In their three previous runs, they bettered their result having finished fourth, then third and last year second. Will a new team walk away with the top honours? 

Maritzburg teams, St Anne's Diocesan College and St John's D.S.G. will be facing finalists from around KZN in the Grand Finals for the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls' Hockey Challenge taking place next weekend (Saturday 25 and Sunday 26 July) at St Mary's D.S.G. in Kloof. Pictured here are St John's first team captain, Emma Williams (left), with St Anne's players; Inati Ncgobo (top), who just made the SA U16 team, and first team captain, Willow Crawford (right). Photo by Val Adamson.

Three teams have been crowned champions since the tournament’s inception in 2011. This year all three are back in the hopes to have their names engraved again. Host school and defending champions, St Mary’s D.S.G. representing the Highway area are on the prowl for their eighth title while Durban Girls’ College, flying the flag from the Durban Central region are back with a bang. Both St Mary’s and Girls’ College will be making their thirteenth appearance at the concluding tournament – the two most decorated teams.

Walking onto the turf for the eleventh time, St Anne’s Diocesan College from the Pietermaritzburg North Regional is the only other team who has hoisted the trophy at the Grand Finals and have played in the podium games in each of their runs.  Joining them with eleven impressive innings, representing the Northern KZN teams – Ferrum High School is on the scour for an elusive top four placing. 

The last team to secure their berth, Wartburg Kirchdorf School will proudly be making their eighth appearance for the uMvoti and oThukela region. Two teams return for their seventh outing, from the North Coast Regional, Grantleigh School and Amanzimtoti High School from the Durban South Regional. 

The first team to punch their ticket, Our Lady of Fatima are the most consistent team in the history of the Grand Finals. In their five previous excursions, they have earned a hard earned fifth place each year. Will their sixth break their cycle?

Joining the home team in Pool A are St John’s D.S.G.; Ferrum High School; St Patrick’s College and Amanzimtoti High School. Drawn in Pool B are St Anne’s Diocesan College; Durban Girls’ College; Our Lady of Fatima; Grantleigh School and Wartburg Kirchdorf.

Thirteenth Appearance

Durban Girls’ College: Durban Central Regional Winner - Gold (2013, 2014, 2015, 2022, 2023), Silver (2012, 2016, 2017), Bronze (2019), Fourth (2011, 2018, 2024)

St Mary’s D.S.G: Highway Regional Winner - Gold (2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025); Silver (2022, 2023); Bronze (2011, 2013); Fourth (2015)

Eleventh Appearance

St Anne’s Diocesan College: Pietermaritzburg North Regional Winner – Gold (2011); Silver (2014, 2018, 2019, 2025); Bronze (2015, 2016, 2017); Fourth (2013, 2022)

Ferrum High School: Northern KZN Regional Winner – Fifth (2012, 2015, 2025); Sixth (2011, 2018, 2024); Eighth (2019); Ninth (2017) Tenth (2013, 2014)

Eighth Appearance

Warburg Kirchdorf School: uMvoti and oThukela Regional Winner – Fifth (2016); Sixth (2015); Seventh (2017); Eighth (2013); Ninth (2014; 2019); Tenth (2025)

Seventh Appearance

Amanzimtoti High School: Durban South Regional Winner - Tenth (2015, 2016, 2017, 2019), Eighth (2018); Ninth (2024)

Grantleigh School: North Coast Regional Winner – Seventh (2022, 2023), Eighth (2011, 2016, 2017, 2024)

Sixth Appearance

Our Lady of Fatima: Durban North Regional Winner – Fifth (2011, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2024)

Fourth Appearance

St John’s D.S.G.:  Pietermaritzburg Central Regional – Silver (2024); Bronze (2022); Fourth (2017) 

Third Appearance

St Patrick’s College: Ugu and Sisonke Regional Winner - Seventh (2024, 2025)

Cutting Through Carbon Footprint Guesswork: Verified Impact's Free Knowledge Series for Tourism

Verified Impact is a carbon footprint measurement and benchmarking programme for eco-lodges and boutique properties across Southern Africa, built on real, measured activity data rather than estimates. From July to November 2026, the programme is running a free online Knowledge Series, open to anyone in the tourism industry who wants to properly understand what it actually takes to measure a carbon footprint accurately and reduce their impact.

Verified Impact is pioneering the kimkim Climate Action Plan pilot, delivered in partnership with the Wilderness Leadership School, ETC Africa, and The Eco Travel Boutique. Together, the partners are currently working with around 25 properties across Southern Africa  helping them measure and understand their carbon footprint, providing practical training, benchmarking performance against best practice as well as equipping properties to communicate their impact transparently and authentically to guests and trade partners. 

The Pod, Cape Town, SA.

The VI Knowledge Series is open to property owners, sustainability leads, marketing teams, guides, and operators who are still trying to figure out where and how to start measuring their carbon footprint.

The series takes place as free monthly online sessions from July to November 2026. Programme lead, Duncan Pritchard of ETC-Africa, a Carbon Footprint and Greenhouse Gas expert as well as other experts will be sharing what the data is actually saying: what's working, what isn't, what the real levers are for reducing a property's footprint and how the tourism industry can bring this in to the guest experience. 

“It is important that the industry moves away from jargon, greenwashing, and theory that is divorced from what's happening on the ground,” says Pritchard. ‘We will be sharing patterns that are showing up  across scores of real operations we are working with, and the practical thinking that comes out of them.”

“Climate literacy is fast becoming as essential to tourism as service standards or guest safety,” says Pritchard. “Travellers are asking harder questions about the footprint of their trip. Agents and buyers are building carbon and sustainability credentials into how they choose who to work with. And properties that understand their own impact, and can talk about it with real confidence, are the ones building trust with both.”

“The problem is, most of the industry is flying blind on this. Few properties actually measure their carbon footprint, let alone understand what it involves or how their footprint measures up against peers. Sustainability claims are often more marketing than substance. And there's a real cost to getting it wrong. Carbon accounting is what ensures we keep sustainability claims honest and backed by verifiable data”

ETC Africa has spent years gathering real baseline data from tourism properties across Southern Africa, measured and benchmarked into one of the most detailed pictures of eco-tourism carbon performance the region has seen.

Each session runs about an hour and is built to be genuinely interactive. Participants are invite to bring questions, their owns experience, what has worked and what has not. 

Different sessions speak to different parts of a business, and attendees are welcome to pick the ones most useful to them. “While the series is built around hotels, lodges and property managers, whether running a single property or a whole portfolio, the value doesn't stop there. Travel agents, tour operators, and anyone else whose livelihood is tied to tourism will find it just as relevant.”

Session line-up:

·      Carbon Literacy: The Basics That Stick, 22 July 2026 (11h00) The essentials: what a carbon footprint is, how it's measured, and what terms like offsets, avoided emissions and intensity reporting actually mean.

·      Data That Doesn't Lie: 5 August 2026 (11h00) What real portfolio data is telling us about carbon performance, the traps that quietly wreck data quality, and practical ways to get yours right.

·      The Low-Carbon Kitchen: 26 August 2026 (11h00) Food-waste and sourcing wins from real properties, busting common myths, and how to bring your kitchen's sustainability story to guests.

·      Telling Your Climate Story: 16 September 2026 (11h00) Why guides and front-of-house are your most powerful storytellers — making climate part of the guest experience, without the greenwash.

·      Speaking Climate Without Spin: 21 October 2026 (11h00) Communicating with credibility for marketing teams, taking the guilt out of travel, and turning numbers into a story guests actually connect with.

·      What Agents & Buyers Want: 18 November 2026 (11h00) with The Eco Travel Boutique - Global trends in responsible sourcing and carbon transparency, what certifications really mean, and what agents and clients are actually asking for behind the scenes.

Registration is open here. Attendees can select the sessions relevant to them and will receive meeting details directly. For more information go to: https://www.verifiedtourismimpact.org/

The Centre for Creative Arts and the University of KwaZulu-Natal present 28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience 26 August – 7 September 2026

 Moving Bodies. Speaking Truth. Choreographing Resistance.

The University of KwaZulu-Natal's Centre for Creative Arts presents the 28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, a thirteen-day celebration taking place from 26 August to 7 September 2026. JOMBA! features internationally acclaimed choreographers, emerging artists, scholars and audiences in a festival that is one of the continent’s leading platforms for contemporary dance.

This year's programme welcomes artists from South Africa, Spain, France, Jamaica, the Netherlands, Uganda, Ireland, Nigeria, Tanzania and Brazil, presenting an extraordinary programme of performances, artist residencies, workshops, public dialogues, youth platforms and digital dance.

The theme for JOMBA! 2026 is Choreographies of Activism: Moving Bodies as Disruptive Presencing. Curator and Artistic Director Dr Lliane Loots explains: “Whether confronting histories of colonialism, racial injustice, environmental catastrophe, gendered violence, displacement, disability or belonging, dance remains one of humanity's oldest and most powerful ways of making ourselves visible. This year's JOMBA! asks what it means to move as an act of presence - and to dance as an act of activism.”

Honouring a Lifetime of Dance Activism

Each year JOMBA! celebrates a South African artist whose contribution has reshaped the country's dance landscape, and this year’s Legacy Artist is the acclaimed choreographer, curator and arts activist PJ Sabbagha, Founder and Artistic Director of the Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative. He presents Noah, the concluding work in his Noah trilogy that combines multimedia performance, dance theatre and powerful visual imagery, to reflect on climate crisis, loss, memory and survival. 

Celebrating South African Choreographic Excellence

Two of South Africa’s most influential choreographic voices, and previous JOMBA! Legacy artists, Mamela Nyamza and Vincent Mantsoe. Mamela Nyamza, presents her breath-taking ensemble work THE HERD/LESS, a visually arresting meditation on community, conformity, vulnerability and survival. 

Internationally celebrated choreographer and performer Vincent Mantsoe, whose deeply embodied practice has long bridged ancestral knowledge with contemporary performance, brings his new solo, Desert Poems, which offers an intimate meditation on endurance, spirituality and transformation.

A Global Conversation Through Dance

Jamaican guests and one of the Caribbean's leading contemporary dance companies L'ACADCO: A United Caribbean Dance perform in an exhilarating programme 1LUV. Founded and directed by the legendary Dr L'Antoinette Stines, L'ACADCO has a distinctly Caribbean contemporary dance language rooted in African diasporic histories, Jamaican cultural traditions and the internationally acclaimed L'Antech technique. This is a powerful celebration of Black creativity, spirituality and resilience. 

Another major highlight is HEROES, presented by the acclaimed Dutch company Introdans in collaboration with Uganda's Joseph Tebandeke and Durban's FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY. This remarkable programme spans internationally celebrated choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich, alongside South African choreography by Zinhle Nzama, and the inclusive masterpiece IUNGO by Adriaan Luteijn, bringing together performers of different backgrounds, generations and physical abilities.

Tanzanian-based French choreographer Matthieu Nieto, presents PEPONI (Paradise in Swahili), the debut of the House of Wondar, created in collaboration with Tanzanian performers and South African poet and dramaturg Koleka Putuma. The work explores the idea of paradise from an African perspective, and whether hopeful futures can be imagined and created. 

Nigerian-born, Ireland-based choreographer Mufutau Yusuf, whose intimate site-responsive solo Proses on neither here nor there forms part of the KZNSA Gallery programme. Through movement, meditation and quiet physical intensity, Yusuf reflects on mortality, memory and renewal - an immersive encounter that blurs the boundaries between performance, ritual and public space.

Spanish Focus: International Collaboration and World Premiere

Following recent successful international Spanish partnerships, JOMBA! offers a focus on contemporary dance from Spain, in partnership with the Embassy of Spain in South Africa.

One of Europe's most exciting choreographic collectives Barcelona-based Iron Skulls Co., with their innovative fusion of breakdance, hip-hop, physical theatre and contemporary dance are the festival’s Artists in Residence. They will develop the world premiere of Accumulation of Unaccountable Awakenings, created with South African choreographer Tebby W.T. Ramasike. This ambitious work brings together Iron Skulls' explosive urban physicality and Ramasike's distinctive Afro-Butoh practice, creating a powerful dialogue around memory, resistance, spirituality and healing. 

Other features of the festival include: 

The JOMBA! Durban Edge Solo Grants, presented in partnership with the KZNSA Gallery, showcase two newly commissioned works by Durban artists Skyla Buchanan and Mthokozisi Mkhwanazi.

Digital artists include Cape Town's award-winning Darkroom Contemporary, and Brazilian choreographic duo Davi Pontes and Wallace Ferreira, with the acclaimed film Delirar o Racial (Delirium of the Racial).

JOMBA! DIGITAL OPEN HORIZONS, showcases new screen dance from emerging filmmakers and choreographers; the JOMBA! LIVE OPEN HORIZONS provide a professional performance platform for emerging and established choreographers, and the much-loved JOMBA! YOUTH OPEN HORIZONS, in partnership with the Stable Theatre all add to the festivals’ rich offerings.

The FEMME FORWARD Residency, has expanded its commitment to supporting emerging women-identifying dance artists in KwaZulu-Natal. This year's residency focusses on dance for the screen, in partnership with Darkroom Contemporary, with five Durban-based artists. 

JOMBA! Talks Dance are post-performance conversations on stage, while the JOMBA! Forging Futures, is a free dialogue to debate questions facing contemporary performance in South Africa and beyond. The JOMBA! KHULUMA Dance Writing Residency supports emerging dance writers, particularly postgraduate dance and performance students, by building their critical writing skills within the festival environment.

Local dancers can take part in professional workshops and masterclasses led by visiting South African and international artists. Booking is essential.

For more information go to: www.jomba.ukzn.ac.za or to book go to Webtickets. Special full festival passes at a discounted rate are available.

Action in Autism Invites Businesses, Schools, and Individuals to Make Every Minute Count this Mandela Day

This Mandela Day (July 18) Action in Autism invites the community to turn compassion into action by helping create meaningful and lasting change in the lives of autistic children, young people and their families.

Action in Autism (AiA) is a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to advocating for the rights of autistic people. Through innovative educational programmes, training and support services, AiA promotes a culture of acceptance, inclusion, enrichment and empowerment for autistic individuals and their families. As a non-profit organisation, AiA relies on the generosity of individuals, businesses and community partners to help sustain and enhance these vital services.

The focus of this year's 67 Minutes Mandela Day Campaign is Adopt a Classroom. This initiative aims to transform the learning environments within AiA's Early Learning Intervention Centre (ELIC) and Shahumna Centre. Thanks to the generosity of donors over the years, AiA has created specialised classrooms that meet the unique learning needs of autistic children. However, after years of daily use, these spaces require refurbishment to ensure they remain safe, welcoming and conducive to learning.

The campaign will upgrade four ELIC classrooms, the Shahumna Centre (adult training centre) and dedicated calm rooms through painting, repairs, improved lighting, sensory-friendly enhancements and specialised visual supports. A key feature of the project is the enhancement of calm rooms and sensory spaces. These dedicated areas provide autistic learners with a safe, quiet environment where they can regulate their emotions and sensory experiences when feeling overwhelmed. Equipped with sensory tools, visual supports, soft lighting, textured materials, visual timers and noise-reducing resources, these spaces enable children to return to the classroom feeling calm, confident and ready to learn.

"Every child deserves a learning environment where they feel safe, understood and empowered to reach their full potential. By investing in our classrooms, we are investing in the future of autistic children," says Director of Action in Autism, Mariah-Singh.

The organisation is inviting community members, schools, businesses and corporate partners to contribute their 67 minutes by painting classrooms, assisting with maintenance, creating educational resources, assembling sensory materials or sharing professional skills. Donations of paint, classroom furniture, educational resources, stationery, sensory equipment, educational toys, storage solutions and décor are also welcomed.

In addition to the Adopt a Classroom campaign, Action in Autism is encouraging the public to support several other Mandela Day initiatives:

• 67 Stationery Packs: Equip a child for success by providing essential learning materials.

• 67 Sensory Packs: Sponsor sensory tools that promote regulation, communication, focus and participation.

• 67 Hygiene Packs: Help autistic children build confidence and independence through resources that support daily living skills.

• 67 Food Vouchers for Families: A grocery voucher of R250 can provide much-needed relief to families facing the financial demands of therapy, transport and caregiving.

• Volunteer 67 Minutes: Share your skills, expertise, services or time to support Action in Autism's programmes, facilities and learners.

“Mandela Day reminds us that lasting change begins with collective action. Whether through volunteering, donating resources or sponsoring a classroom, every contribution helps create opportunities for autistic children and their families to thrive,” says Diane Mariah-Singh.

To support Action in Autism's Mandela Day initiatives or learn more, contact Action in Autism on 031 563 3039, or email aiadirector@actioninautism.org.za / info@actioninautism.org.za.

Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge - The Oval: Sunday 23 August

The pioneering race of the SPAR Women’s Challenge is back. The Maritzburg SPAR Women's 10/5km Challenge - the original iconic race in this hugely popular national series - returns to the streets of Pietermaritzburg on Sunday 23 August.

Entries for this year’s event are now open online, with the limit capped at 4,000 participants. The main race, the more challenging 10km is now only open to women, but men are welcome to support their friends and family by joining in the shorter 5km event. Both distances will set off at 8am, with the routes “out-and-back” starting in Princess Margaret Drive and finishing at The Oval, Cricket Stadium.

For teams of ten or more wanting to enter, a team leader will need to coordinate the group, by booking for them electronically. Bulk entries close on Monday 10 August and individual online entries close on Monday 17 August (or once the entry limit is reached).

Entries cost R200 for both distances. If a temporary license is required for the 10km race, this will need to purchased for R60 during the online entry process. 

This year participants will need to collect their Race Packs at a participating SPAR store. During the online entry process, participants must select a SPAR store closest to them, where they will collect their race pack which includes a race bib and T-shirt. Eight stores will be the pick-up points in and around Pietermaritzburg on Saturday 22 August from 10am to 4pm only. The Collection Points are: 

SUPERSPAR Greendale

SUPERSPAR Mega Edendale

SUPERSPAR Mega Parklane

SUPERSPAR Mills

SUPERSPAR Northway

SUPERSPAR Hilton Quarry

SPAR Nottingham Road

SPAR Breland (Dalton)

Every finisher will receive their race medal and their Goodie Bag after they have completed their run. 

For the more serious runners, prize giving starts at 10.30am followed by the usual fantastic lucky draws. 

This year the race charity is Dlalanathi, an organisation that provides psycho-social support for children facing trauma, through play by training and supporting care-givers.  

Given that Cape Town, Durban and Tshwane all sold out ahead of their entry closing dates, early entry is strongly advised.

To enter: visit https://sparwomenschallenge.co.za/Maritzburg/

Felix Laband Talks to Peter

Berlin, 8 July 2026: Acclaimed electronic musician and visual artist Felix Laband is the latest creative talent to appear on Talk To Peter, a new podcast from South African arts writer and former Director of the Durban International Film Festival, Peter Machen.

Focusing on the emotional and intellectual processes behind Felix’s music, the in-depth conversation explores the ways in which Felix’s personal life and the ever-changing environment of South Africa have influenced his work. The career-spanning conversation covers a lot of ground, including the difficulties of giving up recreational drugs, a geeky discussion about remixes and covers, and why the music of Bruce Springsteen continues to resonate.

Felix Laband. Photo by Dave Southwood.

Talking about his latest interview subject, Peter commented: "I first met Felix at South Africa's National Arts Festival when he was a scrappy teenager and I was an aspiring journalist pretending to cover the festival. I remember immediately recognising a deep, punky intelligence in him, and it's that same leftfield genius that courses through his music with a shimmering grace, all these years later." 

The interview, along with a showcase of Felix’s work, can be viewed in full at www.talktopeter.com/blog-posts/felix-laband. Felix is currently signed to leading independent German imprint, Compost Records.

Peter Machen

Peter, who currently lives in Berlin, has been talking to creative people for more than 25 years. His Talk To Peter website and YouTube channel features many of these archives interviews, including with such revered names as Patti Smith, Will Oldham, Arundhati Roy, Baaba Maal, and John Pilger. Looking towards the future, coming episodes of Talk To Peter include an in-depth conversation with American photographer Roger Ballen and archive interviews with musician Matthew Herbert and REM’s Mike Mills.

AuthenticA Series Lab Returns for Fifth Year, Inviting Applications from African Screenwriters

The AuthenticA Series Lab, a screenwriters programme from South Africa-based non-profit Realness Institute, is now open for applications for its 5th edition. This six-month programme is delivered in partnership with The StoryBoard Collective, a Swiss non-profit organisation dedicated to holding space for storytellers from underrepresented communities. Series Mania returns as the programme festival partner, where the writers will pitch their projects to industry decision-makers as part of the African Series Pitch in Lille, France, in March 2027. The Canada Media Fund also returns for a third year as a funding partner, supporting the participation of one African Canadian writer in the programme. 

The programme has supported 15 African writers since its inception, with some writers currently in active co-production conversations with companies across the UK, France, Canada and the US. Now entering its milestone fifth year, the AuthenticA Series Lab comes at a time when the industry is particularly volatile and unstable, making this offering even more necessary. 

The programme welcomes submissions of original series projects in any genre, from writers living in Africa or the African diaspora, provided the story concept is set in Africa. Four writers will be selected for the programme, which is conducted through a mixture of online and in-person sessions, taking place from September 2026 to April 2027. Selected writers will be mentored by Selina Ukwuoma, Story Consultant and Director of Writing Programmes, and Mehret Mandefro, Creative Producer and Managing Director of the Realness Institute. 

Selina Ukwuoma says, “The lab offers writers a rare opportunity to take creative risks. It gives them the confidence to trust their most audacious ideas and shape them into series with real craft, rigour and clarity.”

“Giving writers the time and space to bring their boldest ideas at a time when the industry is so unstable is the best way we know how to meet this moment,” says Mehret Mandefro. 

Experienced industry experts are invited to engage with the cohort as guest speakers, sharing their insights and professional journeys through case studies, offering a range of industry perspectives and practical guidance. Past guest speakers have included Anthony Q. Farrell (Writer/Director/Producer, Canfro Productions), Layla Swart (Producer/Co-Founder, Yellowbone Entertainment), Aoife Lennon-Ritchie (Managing Director of Torchwood Literary & Scouting), Sameer Gardezi (Founder, Break the Room Media) and Pauline Fischer (Founder & CEO, PMF Media Group, Inc.). 

For our fifth year our programme opens with in-person sessions in Ethiopia, a first, and then moving through online sessions, which culminates in a two-month residency in Geneva, Switzerland, before the cohort pitches at Series Mania in Lille, France. The outcome of the programme is that each participant will deliver a pitch deck and a pilot script. The rights to the material developed through the programme will remain with each writer. 

“This programme reflects what we believe in: backing bold storytelling from voices the industry hasn't made enough room for," says Laure de Peretti de la Rocca, Director of The StoryBoard Collective. "Partnering for this lab, and hosting the AuthenticA writers in Geneva at the StoryBoard House, is how we put that belief into action.”

Francesco Capurro, Series Mania Forum Director says “AuthenticA’s pitching sessions have become one of the Forum’s most anticipated highlights. International industry professionals continue to show a strong appetite for distinctive voices emerging from African content, and this is due to the outstanding preparation and mentoring work carried out by the teams at the Realness Institute and StoryBoard Collective. I am already looking forward to discovering the 2027 cohort.”

As part of its ongoing commitment to investing in Canadian African diaspora storytellers, the Canada Media Fund will sponsor the participation of one African-Canadian writer in the programme. 

“The Canada Media Fund is proud to continue its partnership with the AuthenticA Series Lab and support the participation of an African-Canadian writer for a third consecutive year," said Jessica Lea Fleming, Director of Industry Development, CMF. "Programs like AuthenticA create meaningful opportunities for creators to develop bold, unique stories while building the international relationships that are increasingly essential in today's screen industry. We are pleased to support an initiative that strengthens creative and business connections between Canada and Africa, while helping elevate diverse voices whose stories will resonate with audiences at home and around the world.”

The call for applications is open from Monday, 06 July 2026, closing on Saturday, 1 August 2026. 

For more information on eligibility and how to apply, visit https://realnessinstitute.com/2026/07/04/authentica-african-series-lab-call-is-open/ or email submissions@realness.institute

THE EAST COAST RADIO HOUSE + GARDEN SHOW 2026

Thank you KZN for coming out in tens of thousands to support local! A R263 million injection into the local economy. Durban really is the Warmest Place to Be!

What a week in Durban! From the country’s top horse racing event – the Hollywoodbets Durban July – to the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026, Durban was undoubtedly the warmest place to be in Kwazulu-Natal, with Show attendance numbers shooting up to 66,300, 2 percent up on last year! Visitors from around the province and beyond, flocked east to Dream, Create and Live, at this year’s legendary annual Show for everything house, garden and…entertainment! Families arrived for breakfast, some stayed for lunch, others came for supper, picking their favourite brand of eats, drinks and live music from round the globe. It was the ONLY place to be.

Photo by Stuart Queripel.

Tens of thousands streamed through the Show doors to enjoy favourite established brands and discover new ones…and there was plenty NEW. This year’s Show put the spotlight on interactivity and activations…whether it was the remarkable part AI, part human, Dolly and her Trolley and stilt walkers, or long-legged ladies flying the House of Red’s flags, there was something to grab the attention round every corner. School holidays meant children rule, and the Show didn’t disappoint! Loads of interactive games and characters like Nintendo’s Mario and Luigi, fun activities like (really) giant inflatables, fun arts and crafts opportunities, and a host of favourite eats, treats and sweets.  

Mario and Luigi at Nintendo. Photo by Stuart Queripel.

As always, the East Coast Radio House and Garden Show has a resounding impact on the economy of Durban. New Show Director Lara Bezuidenhout spelt it out: “The Show generated around R263 million though travel, accommodation, restaurants and tourism – that’s a substantial figure to add to the local economy, as well as the hundreds of jobs created, from electricians and artisans, to stand builders and cleaners.” She added, “One of the things we’re most proud of, is the great exposure we’re able to give small businesses. Both new and upcoming as well as established businesses are offered a substantial platform to reach tens of thousands of new clients, and build long lasting relationships through the Show. “

Small business owners Lulu and Keith Rodericks of LuluBee showcased their products for the third consecutive year. Decorated mindfully with handmade wreaths, dried flowers and freshly picked herbs daily, their delightful stand was an eyecatcher: “Our soap flew off the stand, so much so we had to restock three times. The Show is also excellent for driving traffic to our permanent market outlets, with a visible spike in sales there too.” 

Solly Suleiman’s Highlight RSA interiors focussed on concealed storage in a bold, stylish walk-in closet. He was thrilled with the attention his products received, and with well over 30 000 views on each of his Tiktok and Instagram accounts, visitors were seeking him out. “We’ve had designers and stockists wanting to collaborate with us, built up some great relationships, and have appointments lined up from the minute the Show closes.”

Standholders applauded this year’s massive uptick in activations such as the Braaiboss competition smoking hot at the Khakibush magazine stand, the House of Red’s fashion and beauty master classes, and the great interactivity of Domestos, who took the award for Best Interactive Experience. Food lovers reserved their spots as their favourite chef showed them exactly how it’s done at the Hirsch Kitchen, while online shoppers learnt about Takealot’s new relationship – Takealot Now and Mr D - as well as discovering Takealot’s very own brands.

Hirch’s Demo Kitchen. Photo by Stuart Queripel.

Much of Hirsch’s merchandise drew gasps, as fridge doors became full entertainment centres, hands-free electronic window washers effortlessly cleaned massive sheets of glass, and yesterday’s Sodastreams became tomorrow’s sexy “Must Have” item! “Today’s consumer wants to know what’s in the food he’s buying…so to make sure, he makes it himself. Health is a real driver of appliance purchases,” says Richard Hirsch. Ice cream machines were flying off their shelves; so were juicers.

Competitions and prizes topped previous years, with delighted winners announced live on East Coast Radio throughout this past weekend. From international travel prizes to oodles of local holidays, cool camping gear to the latest braais, over three hundred thousand rands worth of goodies and gadabouts was handed to lucky Showgoers.

Photo by Stuart Queripel.

For Bezuidenhout, “The energy throughout the Show has been outstanding. It was especially encouraging to see so many new exhibitors joining us this year, alongside our long-standing supporters, creating a fresh and dynamic experience for visitors. Thank you KZN for coming out in droves to support everybody’s favourite house and garden show. Wait ‘til you see what we have planned for next year!”

Award-winning South African feature opens at Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau Rosebank from 10–16 July.

Before South African audiences have the opportunity to see God's Work on the big screen, the film has already attracted international acclaim for doing something few films attempt: turning the camera back on itself.

Earlier this year, God's Work won the Radwan El-Kashef Prize for Best Film Addressing an African Issue at the 15th Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt, where it celebrated its Middle East and North Africa premiere.

Named after the acclaimed Egyptian filmmaker Radwan El-Kashef, the award recognises films that engage deeply with African realities through cinematic excellence and artistic vision.

Yet the film's greatest achievement may not lie in what it shows, but in what it asks.

Set among Durban's unhoused communities, God's Work begins as what appears to be a documentary. As the story unfolds, however, the filmmaker himself enters the frame, exposing the uncomfortable power dynamics between those who are seen and those who control the act of seeing. Rather than claiming to speak for marginalised communities, the film interrogates whether that claim is ever truly possible.

Writer and director Michael James says the project emerged from recognising the limits of observation itself.

"The camera did not grant access - it revealed distance. I realised I wasn't simply documenting reality; I was constructing it through my own perspective. Rather than hide that tension, I wanted the film to confront it directly."

That bold approach drew particular praise from internationally respected South African filmmaker Ntshavheni Wa-Luruli, who served on the Luxor jury.

"What I appreciate about this film is its fearless commitment to a unique storytelling vision. It does not seek permission from established conventions, nor does it defer to the technical formalism that has too long defined and constrained South African filmmaking."

Wa-Luruli went on to praise the film's pursuit of "an authentic cinematic voice rooted in its own cultural soil" and described it as part of a new generation of South African filmmakers "willing to experiment, to dismantle inherited structures, and to build something new in their place in pursuit of a genuine South African film identity that has long been overdue."

Producer Sithabile Mkhize believes the film's greatest achievement lies in its willingness to examine the act of representation itself. "God's Work doesn't claim to speak on behalf of anyone. Instead, it asks audiences to consider how stories are told, whose perspectives shape them, and what responsibilities come with representing lives marked by inequality. Rather than offering easy conclusions, the film invites viewers into a conversation about visibility, empathy and the ethics of looking."

The film features Thobani Nzuza, Mbulelo Radebe, Omega Mncube, Siya Xaba, Zenzo Msomi and Nduduzo Khowa with cinematography by Jared Hinde and score by award-winning composer, West-African born George Acogny.

The Luxor award forms part of an expanding international festival journey that includes selections at the Joburg Film Festival, the Durban International Film Festival, and the Zanzibar International Film Festival.

Now, after travelling internationally, God's Work returns home for its first commercial theatrical engagement.

South African audiences will have just seven days, from 10 -16 July, to experience one of the country's most internationally acclaimed independent films at Ster-Kinekor Cinema Nouveau Rosebank.

KAVANAGH TRIUMPHS IN DURBAN TO EXTEND SPAR GRAND PRIX SERIES LEAD

Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Tayla Kavanagh continued to deliver in what has been a breakthrough season, extending her lead in the SPAR Grand Prix Series with a hard-fought victory at the Durban SPAR Women's 10/5km Challenge on Sunday 28 June.

Kavanagh, representing Hollywood Athletics Club, pushed the pace from the start of the women's 10km race, shaking off most of the field within the first few kilometres, with only Ethiopian athlete Selam Gebre (Nedbank Running Club) able to hang on.

Tayla Kavanagh (Hollywood) and Selam Gebre (Nedbank) chasing down the Durban SPAR Women's 10/5km Challenge title. Photo: Rogan Ward.

Gebre lost touch with around 500 metres to go, approaching the finish at King's Park, and Kavanagh broke clear to win in 31:32, just six seconds outside her personal best.

"I had very strong competition from Selam today, and I think we really produced a good race out there. We challenged each other a lot and really kept each other going, and I enjoyed the competition," said Kavanagh, who also won the first leg of the SPAR Grand Prix Series in Cape Town in March.

"I put together a good race and I'm really happy with the consistency I've been able to produce over my last couple of 10km races, so I'm really looking forward to what lies ahead for the rest of the season, and I'm just very grateful to be feeling healthy and strong at the moment."

Despite fading in the closing stages after Kavanagh put in a big surge, Gebre held on to take the runner-up spot in 31:45.

Tayla Kavanagh (Hollywood) and Selam Gebre (Nedbank) chasing down the Durban SPAR Women's 10/5km Challenge title. Photo: Rogan Ward.

After missing the opening race of the series in Cape Town, due to visa issues, Gebre picked up valuable points in the SPAR Grand Prix campaign.

"Tayla led for most of the race, and technically and physically I was not good today, but I admire how Tayla won the race. She deserved the win," Gebre said.

Lesotho national record holder Neheng Khatala (Hollywood) rounded off the podium by taking third place in 32:09, proving she had recovered well after taking eighth place at the Two Oceans ultra-marathon in Cape Town in April.

"Since I came back from the ultra-marathon my training has been going very well, and my plan was to run sub-33 today, so I think I did well," Khatala said.

Behind her, producing another impressive result after winning the SA half-marathon title in Gqeberha the day before, Cacisile Sosibo (Boxer Athletics Club) dug deep to finish fourth in 32:16.

Her Boxer teammate Karabo More, who earned the national mile title at the SA Road Running Championships in Gqeberha, ended fifth in 32:44.

There was a sellout entry of 13 355 athletes. Each entry contributed R5 to the race charity, iThemba Lethu from Manor Gardens. Ralph Rajagopaul, SPAR KZN’s Marketing Director, handed over a cheque to the value of R100,000 to Director, Melissa Leslie. 

One lucky participant, Veloshni Naidoo of Phoenix was as the lucky winner of a brand-new Hyundai EXTER vehicle, valued at R269 900.00 following the race.

Caption of Cover Photo: Top 3 at the Durban SPAR Women’s 10/5km Challenge Selam Gebre (Nedbank) 31:45 (second), Tayla Kavanagh (Hollywood) 31:32 (first) and Neheng Khatala (Hollywood)  (third). Photo: Rogan Ward.

THE ART OF WELLNESS - WELL, WELL, WELL

Wellness isn’t the same as health or absence of illness. Wellness is the active, conscious and continuous pursuit of an optimum quality of life. It’s about mindful lifestyle choices

This year’s East Coast Radio House + Garden Show (27 June to 5 July) has embraced the heightened awareness around the importance of wellness. It’s a global phenomenon, and visitors to the Show will find numerous stands focussed on holistic health products and concepts, including everything from the future of sleep technology, to what bees can do for you.  

The benefits of a good night’s sleep are indisputable. Sleep is essential to how your body recovers, resets, and prepares for the day ahead.  For decades, consumers have bought beds based on how they feel: firm, medium or plush. But those are not support systems, they’re descriptions about the feel of the bed. At the heart of a good night’s sleep, is great support.

Feel is how you fall asleep. Support is how you wake up.

Durban-based sleep innovators Lylax and Serta are challenging conventional thinking, and changing the way we buy beds. For over four decades, Kiran Sales, manufactures of Lylax and Serta, have been engineering sleep systems designed around one simple principle: better support creates better sleep. That philosophy has led to the development of Best of Both technology, an internationally patented sleep system developed here at home, in South Africa. Combining advanced pocket spring comfort with the proven support of Miracoil technology, Best of Both delivers precisely what it promises: the best of both worlds. Developed in South Africa, celebrated globally, they’re changing the conversation from Feel First to Support First. The Future of Sleep is better support. 

And listen to this. Heard about South Africa's first MPE Smart Lounge Chair?  It combines innovative technology with exceptional comfort, at the touch of a button via the AI Smart Bed App or remote control. You can choose from six intelligent comfort modes, namely including Leisure, Relax, Yoga, Stretch, Deep Relaxation, and Flat Position. And wait for it – the chair has Zero-Gravity positioning and a head and foot vibration massage system with three intensity levels and a timer. What’s not to love?

Whether it’s reiki or a sports massage, treatments are as much a part of wellness as what you eat. Relaxation is important, and what could be more wonderful for body and soul than a quality massage chair at home? Talk to Electro Medics at the Show.

Walk, run, climb or swim? Keeping fit is a key component of wellness, not only for the body, but for the mind and mood too. Innumerable studies show how a simple walk a day not only lifts spirits, but reduces blood pressure, increases longevity, and a host of other positives. If getting out there is more difficult for you, think home gym…which means of course, no excuses. Take a look at the Speediance range at the Show…from the Gym Monster 2, the Velonix Training Bike AI, to the Body Analyser and more.

Nutritional choices are a significant part of the quest for wellness, and the Show has a good range of natural health products, and easy ways to add them into smoothies, dips and more. Hunt down Melbro Wholesale’s speedy, good-looking and top quality Nutribullet Blenders & Accessories – so easy to use, they soon become an integral part of the good life at home.

Inside and out, wellness is just as much about feeling good as looking good. Whether it’s courtesy of nature’s hard workers, the bees, in the Lulubee brand of Skin Health Products or Salt of the Earth’s range of natural products including collagen, Himalayan salt and lamps, magnesium oil, colloidal silver, castor oil, honey, and peanut butter.

Wellness is a mindset, and no matter what stage of life you’re in, it’s never too late - or too early - to set your sights on well-being. The secret is to explore until you find the exercise, relaxation and so on, that work for you. Then make sure you instil those values in your family – it’s the secret to living your best life.

Good to Know

Venue: Durban Exhibition Centre

Parking: Secure Parking available at Centrum opposite DEC /Workshop / ICC

Dates: 27 June to 5 July 2026

Show times: Daily 10am – 9pm. Sundays 10am – 8pm

Tickets available from Quicket.

Durban SPAR Women’s 10 / 5km Challenge - Plan your route

Durban: Sunday 28 June With 12,500 participants, along with thousands of supporters, heading into Durban for this year’s  SPAR Women's Challenge on Sunday, 28 June, organisers are urging all entrants to plan their travel arrangements and parking well in advance.

Thousands of participants will take to the streets for the 36th running of South Africa’s most beautiful race, with the routes taking participants around the Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium precinct and along the beachfront. The route is a fast and flat ‘out-and-back’ course starting under the shadow of the Stadium, on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue and finishing on the outer fields of this iconic Durban landmark.

The following road closures that will affect access into the area. The 10km race starts at 8am and the 5km at 9am on Masabalala Yengwa Avenue, outside Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium outer fields.

Road Closures for Sunday 28 June

From 02:00

·       Snell Parade between Athlone Drive and the VIP entrance to Suncoast Casino.

·       Battery Beach Road between Snell Parade and Masabalala Yengwa Avenue.

·       Masabalala Yengwa Avenue between Smiso Nkwanyana Road and Isaiah Ntshangase Road.

·       The South bound lane of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue between Smiso Nkwanyana Road and KE Masinga Road.

·       Kingsmead Way and Eden Gardens Crescent. 

From 04:00

•      KE Masinga Road (the 2 left lanes) between Eden Gardens Crescent and Masabalala Yengwa Avenue.

•      Masabalala Yengwa Avenue between Argyle Road and Smiso Nkwanyana Road

•      Somtseu Road at Masabalala Yengwa Avenue

From 06:00

•      The West bound lane of Athlone Drive between Snell Parade and Masabalala Yengwa Avenue

•      The off ramp from the M4 (Ruth First Highway) to Athlone Drive (in both directions)

Road Openings

Roads will be opened as soon as possible after the last competitor has left that portion of the route and the cleaning team has ensured that there is no litter.

Most roads will be reopened by 11:30.

FREE EVENT PARKING:

Access to the Parking on Hollywoodbets Kings Park fields KP3 & KP4 will be via Smiso Nkwanyana Road into Jacko Jackson Drive. Note– once this area is full access will be limited to emergency and official vehicles only.

Access to Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium fields KP9 and KP10 will be via Umgeni Road to Isaiah Ntshangase Road and through the Virgin Active Parking area onto the fields.

Parking on these fields is free.

10km ROUTE

The START is in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue, on the North bound carriageway North of Jacko Jackson Drive proceeding North, crossing onto the South bound carriageway at Simiso Nkwanyana intersection.

Turn right onto Athlone Drive towards the Ocean.

Turn right onto Snell Parade using the shortest route towards Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World.

Turn right onto Battery Beach Road moving across to the West bound lane.

Turn left onto Masabalala Yengwa Avenue using the Ocean side lane on the South bound carriageway.

Turn left onto Kingsmead Way using the slip lane.

Turn right onto Eden Gardens Crescent (counter clockwise at the circle).

Turn right onto K E Masinga Avenue (contra-flow).

Turn right onto Masabalala Yengwa Avenue moving to the inland lane of the South bound carriageway.

At Battery Beach Road intersection cross onto the North bound carriageway of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue.

Turn Left onto the Kings Park Stadium outer fields (using Gate F adjacent to the Kings Park Archery Club)

Turn left onto the outer fields with the FINISH on the field towards the South.

5km ROUTE

The START is in Masabalala Yengwa Avenue, on the South bound carriageway north of Jacko Jackson Drive proceeding North.

Turn right onto Athlone Drive towards the Ocean.

Turn right onto Snell Parade using the shortest route towards Suncoast Casino & Entertainment World.

Turn right onto Battery Beach Road.

Turn right onto the North bound carriageway of Masabalala Yengwa Avenue.

Turn Left onto the Kings Park Stadium outer fields (using Gate F adjacent to the Kings Park Archery Club)

Turn left onto the outer fields with the FINISH on the field towards the South.

EAT, COOK, LOVE: COOKING UP A STORM AT THE EAST COAST RADIO HOUSE + GARDEN SHOW 2026

Right at the heart of the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show, is the Hirsch’s Kitchen, powered by The Kitchen Studio, and populated by some of the province’s top culinary heroes. Dems, tastings, laughter and learning – make sure you have a seat!

The Hirsch’s Kitchen calendar of dates and times is out, so if your favourite chef’s name is there, diarise it! Fabulous Chef Gummy is the MC, and get this – there’s absolutely no charge at all for those visiting the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show. It’s the Kitchen where all ages are welcome, you’ll enjoy tasters and recipes, get six demos of one hour each daily, and there are giveaways galore. Whether you’re a vegetarian or a hearty meat eater, a chocoholic or a dessert fiend, there’s an accomplished and entertaining chef ready to teach you something deliciously new! From 11am daily, somebody skilled will be stepping up and showing you how it’s done.

Keeping it real, is energetic Fehmida "Fehmz" Jordaan, the prominent South African food and lifestyle content creator and author of the cookbook Damn Good Food. That’s what she makes. Fehmz focuses on good, simple home cooking that doesn’t intimidate! She blends her South Asian heritage with her South African upbringing, so expect everything from steamy curries to favourite classics.

German born, Durban bred, Johannes Richter is the multiple award-winning chef from The LivingRoom at Summerhill Guest Estate. A fervent champion of KwaZulu-Natal produce, Chef Johannes is renowned for locally sourced ingredients, with a strong focus on sustainability and ethical farming practices. With that number of awards under his belt, it’s a privilege to watch him at work. Be there.

Meet Leigh Hill and Philly Hill, the talented sisters behind Fig and Fork, a personalised event catering company. From weddings to private home functions, they’ll show you how it’s done. For the Show, they’ve curated a sensational focaccia charcuterie spread, plus they’ll show you how to make the dough and plate it perfectly with cheese, hams and more. You’ll also learn how to make a whipped pate or dip to go with it. Entertaining’s never looked this good…or easy!

Leigh Hill and Philly Hill Fig and Fork

Hands up for chocolate, baking and pastry. Chef Sumaiyah Sheriff is Ganache Art, a masterful chef who focuses on artisan chocolate, confectionery, desserts, and culinary education. She’s conjuring up a modern tiramisu dessert…with a twist. She says it’s inspired by the viral fruit-shaped dessert trend…and she’s chosen to reimagine this classic Italian favourite in the shape of a coffee bean. Perfect to elicit a round of applause at your next dinner party!

Chef Sumaiyah Sheriff is Ganache Art, a masterful chef who focuses on artisan chocolate, confectionery, desserts, and culinary education.

Everybody’s favourite Jackie Cameron of Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine in Hilton, will be showcasing different food genres. A massive supporter of local - celebrating what we have in KZN - Jackie spends time learning and understanding local cuisine. She calls her style Heritage Food, so expect delicious, unpretentious, honest food. Also expect gluten free – she was recently diagnosed, so if that’s you, best you get here to pick up some hints and tips. She’d love some of yours, too!

Jackie Cameron of Jackie Cameron School of Food & Wine in Hilton

Mom Nontobeko Nxumalo, a content creator and foodie, was always on the hunt for simple, delicious meals that brings a family together around the table. Today, that passion’s grown into creating and sharing recipes, food ideas and lifestyle content with her audience: “I enjoy showing everybody that cooking doesn’t have to be complicated to be enjoyable and memorable.” Look out for her and her healthy, family-friendly recipes.

Nontobeko Nxumalo, content creator and foodie.

The Hirsch’s Kitchen is going to be on fire at the Show. Think Sweet Potato & Leek Soup with Caramelized Bacon Strips and Focaccia, thanks to Chef Linda Mnikathi. Wrap your tastebuds around Salted Caramel Cheesecake & Basque Burnt Cheesecake by Shahistah Khan (mykitchenza) and Priyanka Chanderdeo (Inspired by pri !). From Uthika Naidu - Braised by Uthika - to Joshua Jacobs, the Hirsch’s Kitchen is packed with celebrity chefs who celebrate the joy of cooking – they’re well-known chefs, influencers, models, you name it, a wonderfully aromatic potjie of personalities, flavours and full-blown entertainment.

Your seat’s waiting for you at the Hirsch’s Kitchen at the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026. 

The stage is being set to Dream, Create, Live and Eat, Cook, Love  – diarise it. June 27 to July 5.

Good to Know

Venue: Durban Exhibition Centre

Parking: Secure Parking available at Centrum opposite DEC /Workshop / ICC

Dates: 27 June to 5 July 2026

Show times: Daily 10am – 9pm. Sundays 10am – 8pm

Tickets available from Quicket.