OceanHub Africa launches Impact Report at Ocean Innovation Africa 2026 in Durban

Durban, South Africa — 24 March 2026 — OceanHub Africa (OHA) will launch its 5-year Impact Report at Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) 2026 in Durban on 23 March 2026.

This report reflects OceanHub Africa’s first five years of building a more regenerative and inclusive ocean economy in Africa, shaped by local entrepreneurs, stronger ecosystems, and coastal communities that can thrive alongside healthy marine environments. It shares what has been achieved, what has been built, and what is needed next to deepen and scale ocean impact across the continent.

From the beginning, OceanHub Africa’s belief has been simple: the Blue Economy must create value that stays in Africa. It must strengthen livelihoods, restore ecosystems, and unlock solutions rooted in local realities. While policy and research remain essential, OceanHub Africa has focused on entrepreneurship as a way to translate ideas into practical change with speed, adaptability, and proximity to real-world needs.

Over the past six years, OceanHub Africa’s work has focused on four strategic levers: enabling frameworks, capability development, enterprise-driven regeneration, and access to finance. Through this approach, OHA has supported 149 ocean-impact businesses, helping founders turn early ideas into stronger ventures while also building the partnerships and support structures that make the wider ecosystem more resilient.

“Rather than forcing a model the market was not ready for, we focused on building what was missing… OceanHub Africa evolved from a startup support initiative into a broader platform to support, connect and invest in Africa’s ocean-impact ecosystem.” - Alexis Grosskopf, Founder and CEO, OceanHub Africa

“Over the past five years, the impact has been measurable: ventures in our ecosystem have mobilised $20M+ in capital, women’s participation has increased from 24% to 61%, and our portfolio has created and sustained 1,700+ full-time blue jobs—proof that disciplined, tailored support can build real readiness and long-term potential.” - Herland Cerveaux, Managing Director, OceanHub Africa

With the launch of the Impact Report at OIA Durban, OceanHub Africa is bringing this momentum to the stage, sharing how an Africa-led ocean-impact ecosystem is growing, and what it will take to scale what has been proven.

Media are encouraged to request access to the report and attend the launch at Ocean Innovation Africa to hear directly from the team about the next chapter of building a future where people and the ocean thrive.

Launch details

What: Launch of OceanHub Africa’s Impact Report

Where: Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA) Summi 2026, Durban, South Africa - ICC

When: 23 March 2026, 2PM

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban Central Regional - 3 Schools Trust: Sunday 22 March

Just over midway in the 2026 SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, teams participating in the Durban Central Regional take to the turf for the sixth regional, at 3 Schools Trust on Sunday 22 March, hosted by St Henry’s Marist College.

St Henry’s welcomes Durban Girls’ College; Durban Girls’ High School; Inanda Seminary Secondary School; a combined team representing Inanda, Ntuzuma and KwaMashu and defending champs, Maris Stella School. 

Six schools will be vying for the title in this year’s challenge, with home team - St Henry’s taking on Durban Girls’ College in the opening fixture. The first game gets underway at 8am, with all of the 15 round robin games lasting 25 minutes. During the round robin, running time is allocated for the games, except for the final that allows for a penalty shoot-out if the concluding game ends in a draw. 

Leading up to the final, victorious teams will be awarded 4 points on their log, while teams that tie will both earn the same number of points. A goalless draw will see each team adding 1 point to their tally, while a game tied with goals will each earn 2 points. A loss registers zero points. Once all the games have been played, the top two teams will meet for the regional final. 

Four teams have already earned their spot for this year’s Grand Finals which takes place at St Mary’s D.S.G. in July. First to book their place was Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional) followed by Amanzimtoti High School (DBN South Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional) and St Anne’s Diocesan College (PMB North Regional). Teams in the Highway area will be duelling it out the prior day (Saturday 21 March) at Westville Girls’ High School. The final four spots will be revealed as the challenge continues to travel around KZN in May. 

Three teams playing in this regional have advanced to the Grand Finals. Durban Girls’ College dominated with 14 wins since the tournament’s inception in 2011. Maris Stella broke their long standing record, earning their first Grand Finals appearance last year. Durban Girls’ High School went on to the Grand Finals three times when they participated in the Durban South Regional in the early days of the tournament. 

Matrics participating in the challenge will have the opportunity to win a year’s bursary at eta College, a leading Sport Science, Coaching and Management tertiary institution in Durban. The bursary will be awarded at the Grand Finals.

All the games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport Schools app, so if you can’t get to the sidelines, you can catch all the action online.

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook: SparSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram sparkznhockey or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey or use the hashtags: #ChixWithStix; #HeartoftheCommunity; #SuperLocal; #MyKZNSPAR #MySPAR

Director-General of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries for the EU to give keynote address at Ocean Innovation Africa Summit in Durban 23-25 March 2026

 Durban, South Africa (17 March 2026): The Director-General of European Commission’s Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (DG MARE), Charlina Vitcheva, will deliver the keynote address and participate in a high-level panel at the Ocean Innovation Africa Summit in Durban.

Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA), in collaboration with eThekwini (city of Durban), hosts the OIA Summit 2026 at Durban’s International Convention Centre from 23 to 25 March. The significance of this annual Summit is reflected in last year’s attendance, of 593 delegates, 59 countries including 28 African Nations. 

The Summit welcomes Ms Vitcheva, both as a keynote speaker where she will speak to the theme of the Summit, and as a panellist on Blue Finance for Resilience : shifting from aid dependency to sustainable local capital. Ms Vitcheva is responsible for EU policy on maritime affairs and fisheries, working to promote a healthy ocean, sustainable fisheries, a thriving sustainable blue economy, and vibrant coastal communities across Europe and with international partners. 

Her department is also responsible for developing, implementing and evaluating the common fisheries policy which helps to support Europe’s food security, and leads the co-ordination of the European Ocean Pact which brings together the EU’s ocean-related policies, including maritime security, international ocean governance and ocean observation. 

The OIA Summit is no ordinary conference – “it’s an innovative, and important  shift from the traditional conference format, designed to move past conversation into real, co-ordinated action with the right people and organisations,” says Alexis Grosskopf, co-founder of OIA. “Ms Vitcheva’s participation will help bridge policy, investment priorities and practical pathways to scale regenerative ocean solutions across Africa. She brings a depth of experience and expertise across all spheres of the OIA focus, from finance and innovation, to science and implementation.”

Charlina Vitcheva said “The European Ocean Pact is our blueprint for the protection and sustainable use of the ocean.  International cooperation is one of its fundamentals. Through strong international partnerships, including under Global Gateway Strategy and initiatives like BlueInvest Africa, we want to work with partners across Africa and beyond to promote sustainable ocean governance, support local value creation and unlock investment in ocean solutions. Because protecting the ocean and building prosperity for coastal communities must go hand in hand.” 

Themed Accelerating and Scaling Out Regenerative Blue Economy Action the Summit focuses on an audience of policymakers, practitioners, innovators, community leaders, investors, researchers and development partners. It will spotlight key pathways across Science-to-Business, Technology, Investment, and Policy for the uptake of African-developed solutions. It will focus on regenerative blue business models and nature-positive growth; blue finance pathways, from aid to local and blended capital, marine protection, economic expansion and community stability, pan-African innovation ecosystems.

 Ms Vitcheva’s presence at the Summit is significant for OIA 2026 bringing deep policy experience to stimulate fresh thinking, debate, and innovative solutions to the challenges faced globally around the regeneration of ocean health and management of the blue economy. 

“As the host city, we are honoured to welcome Charlina Vitcheva to the Summit,” says His Worship the Mayor, Cllr Cyril Xaba. “For Durban, a coastal city deeply connected to the ocean economy, having a global leader responsible for maritime affairs and fisheries in Europe engage directly with African innovators, policymakers and investors helps open important opportunities for regeneration, and growth.” 

For more information or to register, go to:   www.ocean-innovation.africa

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Highway Regional - Westville Girls’ High School: Saturday 21 March

Nearing the halfway mark, Westville Girls’ High School hosts the Highway Regional, the fifth regional out of ten in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on their astro turf on Saturday 21 March.

In one of the more competitive regions, eight hopeful teams walk on to the pitch in the hopes of claiming the Highway trophy. One-time winners, Westville Girls’ High School will lead the charge with home ground advantage, taking on Curro Hillcrest; Gelofte Skool; Hillcrest High School; Kloof High School; Pinetown High School; defending champs, St Mary’s D.S.G and Thomas More College.

The teams will be split into two pools for this tournament, with St Mary’s D.S.G.; Hillcrest; Westville Girls’ and Gelofte being drawn in Pool A and Thomas More; Curro; Kloof and Pinetown filling out Pool B. All games will be a quickfire 20 minutes long. Once the pool games are all wrapped up, the teams will then meet in a cross-pool playoff, with the semi-finalists playing an extra game. 

Games tip off early at 7.30 with the defending champions, St Mary’s D.S.G. taking on Gelofte Skool in the opening fixture. St Mary’s have lifted the Highway Regional trophy an impressive 14 times and also gone on to win the overall title on seven occasions since the tournament began in 2011.

In the build up to the final, after each game the teams will be awarded points on their logs. A win results in 4 points, while a draw with goals adds 2 points to the team’s tally, a goalless draw only increases your total by 1 point while a goalless draw registers zero points. 

Five more tournaments are still to be played in the 16th challenge. Currently four teams have secured their berth at the Grand Finals that will be taking place at St Mary’s D.S.G. in July. They are Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional) followed by Amanzimtoti High School (DBN South Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional) and St Anne’s Diocesan College (PMB North Regional).

At each of the regionals, Matrics participating in the challenge can enter a lucky draw with the possibility of winning a year’s bursary at eta College, a leading Sport Science, Coaching and Management tertiary institution in Durban. The bursary will be awarded at the Grand Finals.

If you are unable to get to watch the action live, you can catch the action on SuperSport Schools with all the games being on the SuperSport Schools app.

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook: SparSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram sparkznhockey or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey or use the hashtags: #ChixWithStix; #HeartoftheCommunity; #SuperLocal; #MyKZNSPAR #MySPAR

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Pietermaritzburg North Regional - St Anne’s Diocesan College: Sunday 15 March

A familiar name secured victory in spectacular fashion at the Pietermaritzburg North Regional, with host school St Anne’s Diocesan College holding the trophy aloft at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Sunday 15 March. 

The defending champs, St Anne’s managed to defeat The Wykeham Collegiate in the regional final, earning their twelfth title. Having won their earlier round robin game, St Anne’s walked on as favourites meeting long-time rivals, Wykeham. The final consisted of two 15 minute halves, with a 5 minute half time. The home team had a flawless first half, netting two well crafted goals. Their first was off a short corner awarded after nearly 5 minutes of play. Vice-Captain, Willow Crawford capitalised on being in the right place at the right time after their set piece didn’t quite go according to plan. 

Seven minutes later, Belle Hofmeyr added one more after a quick free hit just outside the circle was rapidly sent her way. Wasting no time, Hofmeyr, lurking just inside the circle, rerouted the pass goalwards, beyond Elam Ndakisa, keeper for The Wykeham Collegiate, knocking in the defending champs second. 

In the second half, St Anne’s still seemed to dominate with magical bursts in the Wykeham’s circle. Ndakisa was up for the challenge, a third of the way through the second half, her skill was put to the test. The first, the St Anne’s attacker was meters away from the right hand post, Ndakisa bearing down on her, the solo striker sent the ball on its way, but the ball veered right. Two minutes later, an impressive run down the left found St Anne’s in a good position with numbers in the circle. The ball was worked to the top of the D, with a St Anne’s forward extending her stick out and deflecting the ball towards the left-hand post. In desperation, Ndakisa just managed to stop the ball sliding her right foot out and edging it out of danger. 

Wykeham perked up tremendously after their great defending. With eight minutes remaining, Hannah van Wyk found herself in space, stretching her legs, charging towards the St Anne’s goals. Finding herself in a one-on-one situation, quick thinking, keeper for the home team, Lili-Anna James calmly came right out to meet van Wyk, sliding neatly, halting the brave attempt. 

With just over three minutes left in the final, Wykeham earned a well-deserved short corner, The ball flew up to the top of the circle, then was passed left under the stick of the first striker. The player to the left redirected the ball to the right where McKenzie Du Bourg was set up to fire in a shot from just inside the circle. The scoreline was now on 2-1. 

The tempo of the visitors was raised some more, with mounting pressure Wykeham again pierced into St Anne’s circle, looking severely threatening but time was not on their side, the final whistle sounded securing victory for St Anne’s. 

Leading up to the final, Courtney van Wyngaard, a Grade 11 student from Riverwood College was over the moon when she won a Princess Stick in the lucky draw prize. Delighted with her new treasure, she unwrapped it and went off to play with it. 

Young Jordan Licen from Treverton College was acknowledged for his decisive decisions with the whistle and was presented with the Umpire of the Day award. 

St Anne’s Diocesan College is the fourth team to reserve a place at the Grand Finals that will be taking place at St Mary’s D.S.G. in July. Ten teams in total from around KZN will converge for the Finals. The three teams that have secured their spot already are Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional); Amanzimtoti High School (DBN South Regional) and most recently, St John’s D.S.G. (PMB Central Regional). 

Results

Regional Final

St Anne’s Diocesan College 2 vs The Wykeham Collegiate 1

Round Robin Results

1 St Anne’s Diocesan College 16pts; 2 The Wykeham Collegiate 12pts; 3 Howick High School 8pts; 4 Treverton College 3pts; Riverwood College 0pts

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge PMB Central Regional - Epworth School: Saturday 14 March

For the fourth consecutive year, the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional was decided in a nail-biting penalty shootout with St John’s D.S.G claiming their fourth title at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge hosted by Epworth School on Saturday 14 March. 

St John’s met host school and defending champs, Epworth School in the regional final that flowed to all corners of the astro. Both teams had moments of pure brilliance where they crafted fantastic attacks after mounting pressure, bursting into each other’s circles, only for magical defence to turn play around, sending it back to the other side.  

Epworth earned three short corners; the first surge was after 68 seconds of play. St John’s were up for the challenge and didn’t allow the set pieces to pierce their defence. On the other end, St John’s had two short corners. Their first was an elaborate run around, with the ball being injected to the top of the circle, moving left, then back to the injector who pushed it back up to the tip of the circle before the player at the top of the D was in possession again. Epworth’s defenders tracked the ball carefully, charging down the ball before the attacker could finish her flamboyant shot. St John’s second set piece was awarded with only 12 seconds left on the clock. Slowing things down, St John’s went back to basics with a skilful, simple manoeuvre of pushing the ball to the castle, and fired off a ferocious flick that was neatly stopped. The score remained on nil nil after fulltime. 

Six players lined up for both teams with the responsibility of taking the penalty shootouts. First to go was St John’s Ananbele Balmer who drifted to her left, slotting the ball under a diving Epworth keeper, Kenya Zwane. Siphokazi Mpantshane stepped up to take the first round for Epworth. Mpantshane made quick work of levelling the scoreline as she charged towards St John’s goal, spinning around – foxing the goalie, Deborah Lock with her 360, slotting in her shot. 

In the second round, Emma Williams trotted in for St John's also veering left before changing tack, keeping the ball away from Zwane and knocking it in the middle of the goals. Young Owami Mthethwa had the task of levelling the score for Epworth. Unlocking her bravery, Lock danced off her line to confront Mthethwa who was advancing keenly. The bold move by Lock cut down the angle for Mthethwa, with a retreating Epworth’s striker, hurriedly trying to knock in her shot but was unable to, by an ‘on-the-ball’ Lock.

Stepping up in the final round, Kate van Breda had the opportunity to claim victory for St John’s if she managed to slot her shot in. She followed in similar fashion to Williams, resulting in a regional winning goal. The final score for St John’s was 3 to 1 goal for Epworth. 

A budding talent, representing St John’s with the whistle, a sincerely cheerful Marcel Diaz had an impressive day overseeing the hotly contested games. Grade 12 learner, Cara MacFarlane from Epworth School walked away with a brand-new Princess hockey stick in the lucky draw prize that was held in the 20 minute break ahead of the finals. 

The top ten teams will converge at the Grand Finals being held in July at St Mary’s D.S.G.. St John’s is the third team to secure their spot, joining Our Lady of Fatima (DBN North Regional) and Amanzimtoti High School (DBN South Regional). St Anne’s Diocesan College were crowned champion the following day (Sunday 15 March) in the Pietermaritzburg North Regional. Another six teams remain to be decided with the tournament travelling around KZN in the coming weeks. 

Results

Regional Final

Epworth School 0 (1) vs St John’s D.S.G. 0 (3)

Round Robin Results

1 St John’s D.S.G. 24pts; 2 Epworth School 20pts; 3 Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School 16pts; 4 Maritzburg Christian School 6pts; 5 Carter High School 3pts; 6 Russell High School 3pts; 7 Alexandra High School 2pts

Call for Submissions for JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES #6 Online Colloquium 27–29 May 2026

The Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), in partnership with the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, will host the 6th JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES (JMD) Colloquium in an online format from 27 to 29 May 2026. Under the theme “Choreographies of Activism: Moving Bodies as Disruptive Presencing,” this year’s dialogues invite scholars, artists, choreographers, and activists to explore the role of dance as a powerful form of embodied activism in contemporary global contexts.

“Across the Global South, dance has long served as a site where histories of resistance, survival, refusal, and futurity are carried through the moving body,” explains Dr Lliane Loots, the chair of the JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES steering committee. “We are looking to examine dance - not simply as metaphor - but as a practical mode of political engagement—a way that bodies assemble, appear, disrupt, and claim space, visibility, and justice within systems shaped by colonial and postcolonial power.”

Close by …  La rue d’à-côté … (JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience 2024) Compagnie Ex Nihilo (Marseille, France) in an encounter with FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY (Durban, South Africa). Photo by Val Adamson

In a global moment marked by deep political upheaval, economic inequality, and the lingering impacts of colonial histories, the dialogues ask urgent questions about the role of movement and performance. How does the dancing body respond to forms of censorship, erasure, and the denial of humanity experienced in many parts of the world today? What possibilities do rhythm, gesture, stillness, improvisation, and collective movement offer as alternatives to dominant social, spatial, and political orders?

The programme will bring together international and regional contributors to engage with myriad questions including: how dance can be used as activism, and what choreographic strategies act as a form of disruptive presencing under conditions of risk, surveillance, or repression amongst others.

uXinzelelo (JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience 2024) BreeH Cele. Photo by Val Adamson

JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES welcomes a range of presentation formats that reflect the embodied nature of dance research and practice. These include academic papers, lecture-demonstrations, performance lectures, artist talks, facilitated movement scores, curated panels, and other hybrid or experimental forms.

Proposals of up to 450 words are invited and should be submitted by Thursday, 2 April 2026 (4pm).  Abstract submissions and enquiries email: 2024jomba@gmail.com  

For the full submission call out go to: https://tinyurl.com/yc2d7m6v

For more information about the JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE Dialogues and archive, visit:
https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/masihambisane-dialogues/

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Pietermaritzburg Central and North Regionals Saturday 14 March & Sunday 15 March

Action-a-plenty awaits schools from the greater Maritzburg area in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge with Epworth School hosting the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional on Saturday 14 March and St Anne’s Diocesan College welcoming schools for the Pietermaritzburg North Regional on Sunday 15 March.

The busy weekend of hockey will see 12 schools taking to the turf in the hopes of being crowned regional champion. On Saturday, joining Epworth School on their astro are Alexandra High School; Carter High School; Maritzburg Christian School; Pietermaritzburg Girls’ High School; Russell High School and St John’s D.S.G. 

On the prowl for their fifth title, Epworth School looks forward to defending the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional on their astro on Saturday 14 March for the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge. Lining up for the host team are Cara Macfarlane and Siphokazi Mpontshane. Pic by Val Adamson

Sunday sees five schools head to St Anne’s for the annual contest. The guest schools are Howick High School; Riverwood College; Treverton College and The Wykeham Collegiate. 

The weekend’s fixtures have all teams meeting in a round robin format, with games in the Central Regional lasting 20 minutes, and 25 minutes in the North Regional. A victorious team will earn themselves 4 points on the log, while drawn games – both teams will share the points. If both teams have the same number of goals, they will each earn 2 points while a goalless draw will add 1 point to your tally. A loss registers zero points. 

There have been five schools that have had the honour of representing their regions at the Grand Finals since the tournament’s inception in 2011. The top ten schools from around KZN converge on St Mary’s D.S.G. in the hopes of being crowned overall champion in the challenge. Both hosts schools are defending champs.

Leaders of the pack. St Anne’s Diocesan College’s Hannah Schwegmann (vice-captain), Holly Hofmeyr (captain) and Willow Crawford (vice-captain) prepare to defend their title in the Pietermaritzburg North Regional at the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge. The only matrics donning the St Anne’s kit this year, the trio will be welcoming teams onto their turf on Sunday 15 March. Pic by Val Adamson

The two home teams will be walking on to the fields as defending champs. St Anne’s have lifted the regional trophy 11 times while Wykeham Collegiate have three. In the Central tournament, Girls High have their name engraved on the trophy seven times, followed by Epworth with four wins and St John’s three successes. 

Two teams have already secured their spot at the Grand Finals in the 2026 edition. First to qualify was Our Lady of Fatima waving the Durban North Regionals flag and joining them is Amanzimtoti High School from the Durban South Regional who were victorious last weekend. 

Matrics present on the day should keep an eye out for eta College. The leading Sport Science, Coaching and Management tertiary institution in Durban is offering a year’s bursary at eta College, which one lucky player could win. The bursary will be awarded to a lucky young lady at the Grand Finals.

All games at these two tournaments will be livestreamed by SuperSport Schools, so if you can’t make it to the sidelines to support, you can still catch all the action online. 

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook: SPARSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram  sparkznhockey or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey or use the hashtags: #ChixWithStix #HearthoftheCommunity #SuperLocal #MyKZNMySPAR 

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban South Regional - 3 Schools Trust: Saturday 7 March

The most decorated team in the Durban South Regional reclaimed the title when hosts Amanzimtoti High School hoisted the trophy for the seventh time in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 7 March at 3 Schools Trust. 

This is the first time in over a decade that Toti have met Kingsway High School in the regional finals with Kingsway stepping onto the field as the defending champs. In recent years Kingsway have featured four times in the main game, with Toti only making it to the final round twice – both times victorious. 

Up close. Defending, Kingsway High School’s Sisipho Mathenjwa works hard to keep the ball away from top shooter, Nadine Smit from Amanzimtoti High School during the final of the Durban South Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that Toti hosted at the 3 Schools Trust Astro on Saturday 7 March. Pic by Rogan Ward

Drawn in the same pool, the two teams met in the first fixture of the day and wrapped up the challenge, with both results going the way of the hosts. The first score had Toti 3 nil up but their persistent neighbours dug deep, not giving Toti much freedom in their circle. With only 76 seconds on the clock, Toti fired off their first shot but in haste, fumbled her attempt and Kingsway’s keeper, Nosipho Mhlongo easily redirected the shot. 

A minute later, Toti earned their first of two short corners, but both set pieces made no impact to the scoreline. Kingsway gained confidence and turned the possession around, taking the ball up several times into the Toti circle but were unable to penetrate agile keeper, Revthi Singh’s defences. 

Celebrations. Amanzimtoti High School’s Naledi Duma; Revthi Singh (goalie) and Zethu Ngwenya relish their success after Singh kept her opponents, Kingsway High School’s attempts out during the concluding penalty shootout at the Durban South Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that Toti hosted at the 3 Schools Trust Astro on Saturday 7 March. Pic by Rogan Ward

Nearing full time, Toti had a glimmer of hope when they took the ball up into Kingsway’s circle. A generous umpire allowed advantage when the attacker accidentally nudged the ball with her foot, giving her an opportunity to fire off a shot but, again, Mhlongo pounced on the shot quickly booting it out of danger. The final whistle sounded with the scoreline unchanged on nil nil. 

With the regional final heading to the penalty spot for the decider, Toti stepped up to the spot first. Shayla Schwarz confidently ran the ball directly for the right hand post, nearing the goals she tapped the ball under Mhlongo who was bearing down on her. Diyaru Pillay’s turn didn’t make it past Singh who calmly watched the challenge, acting quickly as the ball made its way towards her, clearing it neatly. 

With their tails up, Toti’s Zibusio Mkhize charged into the goals, wasting no time as she rocketed off her attempt that pummelled into the box. With the mounting pressure, Sisipho Mathenjwa started the do or die penalty, making a beeline towards Singh. Sensing victory, Singh dashed out to confront Mathenjwa, cutting off all angles of attack, the nimble goalie halted the valiant endeavour earning a sensational win for her team. 

This was the second time that Kingsway’s outcome played out in a penalty shootout. In the second semi final they met their next-door neighbours and long-time rivals, Kuswag School. At the final whistle the scoreline was level with no goals being scored, similar to last year’s final where in a dramatic upset – Kingsway walked away winners. The final scoreline this year going 2-1 to the defending champs. In the second semifinal Toti defeated New Forest 2 nil. 

In the third-place playoff, Kuswag took on the hard-working New Forest High School. This is the second time that New Forest have been a fantastic surprise package, having finished second in 2019. This year the underdogs took on a determined Kuswag for the final step on the podium. Having held Kuswag to a 1 all draw earlier in the second fixture of the day, the tenacious team ran out of steam after Kuswag were lucky enough to find the back of the net going 1 nil up. Kuswag battered the New Forest defenders with several well crafted attacks but were only able to double their scoreline, claiming third place with a 2 nil triumph.

Referring in his first SPAR Challenge, Kingsway High School’s up and coming Grade 12 learner, Bayanda Sangweni (12) had a fabulous day with the whistle. Umpiring for next door neighbours, Kuswag, the matric pupil earned the recognition of Umpire of the Day. Durban Academy High School’s Vuyokazi Titus, a Grade 9 won for herself a grand new Princess hockey stick. After winning her prize, the youngster traded in her old stick and played out her remaining games in style. 

The challenge heads inland this weekend with a back-to-back fixture for the two Pietermaritzburg challenges with Epworth School hosting teams for the Pietermaritzburg Central Regional on Saturday St Anne’s Diocesan College welcoming their opponents for the Pietermaritzburg North Regional on Sunday. 

Results

First place playoff

Kingsway High School 0 (0) vs Amanzimtoti High School 0 (2)

Third place playoff

Kuswag School 2 vs New Forest High School 0

Positions

1 Amanzimtoti High School; 2 Kingsway High School; 3 Kuswag School; 4 New Forest High School; 5 Werda Skool; 6 Queensburgh High School; 7 Port Natal School; 8 Durban Academy High School

Realness Institute Strengthens Producing and Writing Skills Development in African Film and Television Industry with New Board and Alumni Advisory Council

Cape Town, SA. 9 March 2026: Cape Town-based Realness Institute, the pioneering organisation that supports the growth of independent African storytellers in cinema and television, has announced the appointment of a new Board and Alumni Advisory Council to steer the organisation into a new era of sustainability.

Since its inception in 2015, Realness has been a driving force in supporting African voices through skills development programmes in writing and producing, and networking opportunities that connect talent to professionals both on the continent and internationally. Its programmes include the prestigious Creative Producer Indaba - a fellowship for producers focused on sustainability and co-financing opportunities that can stabilize their companies and careers, and the AuthenticA Series Lab, which supports the development of episodic content in partnership with StoryBoard Collective and Series Mania..  The institute has empowered 200+ film industry professionals who have gone on to become award-winning producers, writers and directors with premieres and wins at festivals that include Sundance, Cannes, and Venice Film festivals. 

Alongside the appointment of 4 new Board members, 9 alumni from across various Realness programmes will serve on an advisory Sub-Committee to the Board. Drawing on their hands-on experience of the programmes, they will support both the Board and the operational team in contributing to the development of an alumni network offering and strategic direction for the organisation.

The new Realness Institute Board comprises:

·  Dillion Phiri (South Africa,: a filmmaker, founder, and creative entrepreneur known for building platforms and networks like Creative Nestlings that boasts over 100K+ creatives and aims to unlock the power of creative tech to power Africa’s transformation. 

·  Enyinnaya Omeruah (Nigeria), talent manager and film financier who has extensive experience in film production, and distribution.

·  Moussa Sene Absa (Senegal) a painter, writer, musician, and award-winning film director whose works have been celebrated at Carthage, FESPACO, and Berlinale, and whose paintings have been exhibited in Europe and North America.

·  Thabiso Molefe (South Africa) a media and communications professional with experience in television, public sector strategic communication, and political stakeholder engagement across the SADC region.

New board members: Top Left To Right: Dillion S. Phiri (Zimbabwe/Malawi), Enyinnaya Omeruah (Nigeria); Bottom Left To Right: Moussa Sene Absa (Senegal), Thabiso Molefe (South Africa) 

The Sub- Committee comprising Realness Alumni include:

·  Sales agent and independent consultant Berry Hahn (Madagascar,France)

·  Filmmaker and producer Godisamang Khunou (SA)

·  Screenwriter, director,and  producer, Kudi Maradzika (Zimbabwe, SA) who was recently named to Forbes Africa Over 30 Under 50 list.

·  Screenwriter with extensive experience working on live action shows, Omotunde Akiode, (Nigeria)

·  Director, artist, and founder of Kulunga Filmes, Lara Sousa (Mozambique)

·  Filmmaker and producer trained in fine arts, working across documentary and fiction,  Maéva Ranaïvojaona (Madagascar, France)

·  Filmmaker and producer  with extensive experience in production and film financing,, Mimi Bartels, (Nigeria)

·  Director, producer and writer Tapiwa Chipfupa (Zimbabwe)

·  Story development executive and producer Tshenolo Mabale  (SA)

Realness Alumni Advisory Council: Top Left To Right: Berry Hahn (Madagascar/France), Godisamang Khunou (South Africa), Kudi Maradzika (Zimbabwe/South Africa); Middle Left To Right: Lara Sousa (Mozambique),  Maéva Ranaïvojaona (Madagascar/ France), Mimi Bartels (Nigeria); Bottom Left To Right: Tapiwa Chipfupa (Zimbabwe), Omotunde Akiode (Nigeria), Tshenolo Mabale (South Africa)

“Across much of Africa, the near-absence of government support for film and television means filmmakers are left to shoulder every risk alone — and that's simply not sustainable.” says Mehret Mandefro, Managing Director and  co-founder of Realness Institute. “With a committed, skilled, and film-savvy Board now in place, and the deep experience of our Alumni Advisory Council Sub-Committee, we are ready to provide African screen talent with the structural support they deserve — the kind that makes sustainability inevitable."

For more information on the Realness Institute : https://www.realness.institute/

Africa Positions Regeneration at the Heart of the Global Blue Economy Agenda

Durban, South Africa: Ocean Innovation Africa (OIA), in partnership with eThekwini Municipality as host city, will hold its 2026 summit in Durban, from 23 to 25 March at the International Convention Centre.

The Summit is aimed at positioning Africa at the forefront of the global shift from a sustainable to a regenerative blue economy, and brings together policymakers, investors, scientists, entrepreneurs, development finance institutions and community leaders to accelerate implementation, unlock capital and investment, and coordinate tangible action across the continent’s ocean economy.

Photo supplied by Durban Tourism

As host city and main partner, the eThekwini Municipality demonstrates its active leadership in advancing the blue economy by looking towards how to strengthen coastal management, support maritime and port-linked innovation, and align local development strategies with climate resilience and ocean sustainability objectives. By hosting OIA 2026, eThekwini reinforces Durban’s position as an important continental hub for ocean innovation, investment, and policy leadership.

“As climate pressures intensify and ocean degradation accelerates globally, our continent stands at a defining moment,” says Alexis Grosskopf Founder of OceanHub Africa and spokesperson for Ocean Innovation Africa .“With more than 38 coastal and island states and a rapidly expanding ocean economy, Africa has a unique opportunity to lead a regenerative model, one that restores ecosystems, strengthens long-term stability and drives equitable economic growth.”

Photo supplied by Durban Tourism

Unlike traditional conferences, Ocean Innovation Africa operates as an ongoing action platform. 

“We’ve structured the Summit to move past conversation and into real, coordinated action with the right people and organisations,” explains Grosskopf.

The 2026 Summit, will focus on regenerative blue business models and nature-positive growth; blue finance pathways, from aid to local and blended capital, marine protection, economic expansion and community stability, pan-African innovation ecosystems and solution-oriented workshops and curated Business-to-Business matchmaking and investor meetings and dialogues.

Following the public summit, a smaller, invitation-only Ocean Impact Retreat (25–27 March) will convene select stakeholders to deepen alignment across finance, policy, science, innovation and delivery infrastructure. While not open to the broader public, this working session is designed to ensure that momentum generated at the summit translates into practical next steps.

The global ocean economy is valued in the trillions of dollars annually, yet overfishing, habitat loss, pollution and climate change are undermining both ecological stability and economic security. Incremental sustainability is no longer sufficient.

“Africa is setting a new global benchmark for the ocean space and OIA 2026 is designed to coordinate such action - we bring finance, policy, science and entrepreneurs in the same room to ensure that commitments move into implementation. Africa has the opportunity to build a regenerative blue economy from the outset - one that restores ecosystems, strengthens communities and delivers economic growth within planetary boundaries.”, says Grosskopf.

By convening African and international stakeholders under a regenerative framework, OIA aims to move beyond commitments towards coordinated implementation and measurable outcomes.

“We expect that investors, policy-makers, and innovators will join forces and co-ordinate strategies to tackle priority bottlenecks, drive practical collaborations, scale solutions, and reinforce Africa-led regenerative framing within global ocean dialogues.”

With increasing global attention on ocean-climate solutions and post-2030 development pathways, OIA 2026 positions Africa as both contributor and leader in shaping the future of the blue economy.

For more information or to register go to:   www.ocean-innovation.africa

SA Film GOD’S WORK selected for Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt

The South African film GOD’S WORK, directed and written by Michael James, and produced by Sithabile Mkhize, will have its Middle East and North Africa  premiere in the Long Film Competition at the 15th Luxor African Film Festival in Egypt from 30 March to 5 April.

GOD’S WORK which had its South African premiere at the Durban International Film Festival last year, screened to sold-out houses, and critical acclaim, and is due to be screened at the Joburg Film Festival on Sunday 8 March.

Mbulelo Radebe, Thobani Nzuza and Siya Xaba in God's Work directed by Michael James and  produced by Sithabile Mkhize.

The film is set in Durban where a group of unhoused men are surviving on the society’s margins in a dilapidated building that offers a fragile sanctuary. They are  bound by quiet loyalty. The audience is drawn into their personal journeys as they  navigate a world of indifferent authorities, opportunists, and looming violence. It is their  inner worlds - woven from memories, visions, and ghosts - that hold reality as vivid as the one they fight to live through.

Director Michael James describes the film as an act of bearing witness; and one which forces us to question our understanding and relationships with  unhoused people.

Thobani Nzuza in God's Work directed by Michael James and produced by Sithabile Mkhize.

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

GOD’S WORK is written and directed by Michael James, and Produced by Sithabile Mkhize (SA), Co-Produced by Marco Orsini (USA), Executive Produced by Toni Monty (SA) and Gary Springer (USA). A Maverick Resistance production in association with the KwaZulu-Natal Film and Tourism Authority, the National Film and Video Foundation of South Africa, Amafrika Films, and Mojo Entertainment LLC, supported by the Durban Film Office.

For the trailer, press notes and additional information visit the website at: https://www.godsworkthefilm.com/ and follow on social media: Facebook: @godsworkthefilm Instagram: godsworkthefilm

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban South Regional - 3 Schools Trust Astro: Saturday 7 March

Amanzimtoti High School hosts the second tournament of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge inviting teams for the Durban South Regional which takes place at 3 Schools Trust Astro on Saturday 7 March.

Eight teams will take on this year’s challenge in the hopes of raising the trophy and advancing to the prestigious Grand Finals where nine other regional winners from around KwaZulu Natal will converge. The Grand Finals concludes the challenge at St Mary’s D.S.G. at the end of July. One team has secured a spot, Our Lady of Fatima was crowned the Durban North Regional champion on Sunday (1 March).

All smiles, teammates Nandy Mseleku and Elihle Ncwane from Kingsway High School gear up to defend their title at the upcoming Durban South Regional. Amanzimtoti High School welcomes teams to the 3 Schools Trust for this SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge on Saturday 7 March. Pic by Val Adamson

Defending champs, Kingsway High School will meet host school, Toti in the first game of the fixtures. The day gets underway at 7.30am with each game lasting a rapid 20 minutes. A victorious team will earn 4 points, with teams that draw sharing the same number of points. A draw with goals earns 2 points, while a goalless draw earns the teams 1 point each. Zero points will reflect on a losing team’s log. For teams that dominate, their tally will be capped at a maximum of 7 goals recorded.

The schools participating have been split into two Pools, with Amanzimtoti and Kingsway being joined in Pool A by Port Natal Skool and Queensburgh Girls’ High School. Pool B will have Durban Academy; Kuswag Skool; New Forest High School and Werda Skool. Once the pool games have concluded, the teams will all get the chance to participate in a positional cross pool play-off. The top two teams from each of the pools will meet in a semi-final, with the losing teams heading to the bronze medal game and the two successful teams clashing for the regional honours.

In the cross pool play-offs, teams ending with a level score will head to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out where three players from each team will have the opportunity to edge their opponents out.

Four teams have represented the area at the Grand Finals, with host school Toti leading the charge with 6 appearances at the Grand Finals. Kuswag have their name engraved on the trophy three times, including the inaugural tournament in 2011and two times since COVID. Sharing the honour of three wins is Durban Girls’ High School, who moved across to the Durban Central Regional in recent years. Adding their name to the list, Kingsway High will be keen to defend their title and claim their second title.

Matrics participating in the challenge will have the opportunity to win a year’s bursary at eta College, a leading Sport Science, Coaching and Management tertiary institution in Durban. The bursary will be awarded at the Grand Finals.

All the games will be livestreamed on the SuperSport Schools app, so if you can’t get to the sidelines, you can catch all the action online.

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook: SparSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram sparkznhockey or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey or use the hashtags: #ChixWithStix; #HeartoftheCommunity; #SuperLocal; #MyKZNSPAR #MySPAR

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban North Regional - Crawford La Lucia: Sunday 1 March

Securing their seventh title in the Durban North Regional, Our Lady of Fatima return as champions in the opening fixture in the 16th year of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that took place at Crawford La Lucia on Sunday 1 March.

In a replay of the 2025 final, Fatima took on defending champions, Ashton International College in the concluding game. Having put on a very methodical performance throughout the day, Fatima met a determined Ashton who were keen to keep the trophy they had doggedly won in a hard-fought battle. This year was no different; Ashton put up a valiant fight, faltering Fatima’s dominance. For the first time that day, Fatima’s keeper, Kayla Driver, was on her toes as Ashton edged play into Fatima’s circle on several occasions but were just unable to make any impact.

Charge. Turning around the play, Zoey Seppings from Our Lady of Fatima defends scuppering Ashton International College’s Emmerson van Zijl valiant attempt to break the solid Fatima defence during the final of the Durban North Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that took place on Sunday 1 March at Crawford La Lucia.  Pic by Val Adamson

 On the other end, Stella Fourie was perfectly poised, slotting in Fatima’s first goal as she pierced her opponent's circle after 150 seconds, quickly gathering herself and punching in a feisty shot, slotting it into the left-hand corner beyond Ashton’s last line - Isabella Baxter. Two minutes later, Fatima’s Charly-Rose Boyle charged down the centre of the field, finding some freedom to drift right as she entered the circle. At pace, she attempted a spirited shot that flew right of the post.

After 12 minutes of play, Rachel Da Sousa was stationed on Ashton’s post. Yet another attack from Fatima found their forwards on the baseline, quickly moving the ball goalward. Da Sousa was there on hand to pounce on the pass, confidently knocking it in identical fashion to Fourie’s earlier goal.

The final eight minutes, Ashton bravely retaliated, with several surges into Fatima’s circle spurred on by vice-captain, Emmerson van Zijl threatening runs, but the advances were shut down by a composed defence. The final whistle blasted with Fatima victorious with their two class goals.

In the build up to the final, Ashton met Reddam House uMhlanga. Reddam who have been growing in stature at this tournament have regularly featured in the top four in recent years. Reddam held Ashton to a nil nil draw after full time. The game being decided in a penalty shootout. After three rounds, the scoreline was level with both teams netting one goal each. The tempo raised with the game now going into a round of sudden death. Reddam were first to go with their attempt sadly going wide. Capitalising on her earlier goal in the penalty shootout, Kimberly Johnson ran the ball in for Ashton, sliding left scooping the ball in, just beyond the travelling Reddam keeper Kaela Magjee, claiming their spot in the regional final.

In the second semi, Fatima met long time rival, and previous regional winners Danville Park Girls’ High. In a display of pure dominance, Fatima bamboozled Danville with an emphatic win of 5 nil.

Eighty two goals were scored in total after 23 games in suffocating heat, with Fatima netting 21 goals in their pool games and seven in the medal games, while Ashton earned 17 in their pool games and another two in their silverware games.

Umpire of the Day was awarded to hard working Tyler Tomset representing Ashton. In the build up to the finals, one young player from each school had the opportunity to win a Princess hockey stick in a fun lucky draw. Participating for the first year in the Ashton first team, Grade 9 Caylea Duncan earned herself the magnificent prize.

Fatima is the first of ten teams to book their berth at the Grand Finals taking place in July. This coming weekend, teams from Amanzimtoti, the Bluff and Queensburgh take to the turf at 3 Schools Trust for the second fixture in the challenge, the Durban South Regional.

Results

Final

Ashton International College 0 vs Our Lady of Fatima 2

Semi Finals

Ashton International College 0 (2) vs Reddam uMhlanga 0 (1)

Our Lady of Fatima 5 vs Danville Park Girls’ High 0

Pool A

1 Ashton International College 13pts; 2 Danville Park Girls’ High 13pts; 3 Crawford La Lucia 5pts; 4 Reddam House Ballito 2pts; 5 Curro Salt Rock 1pt

Pool B

1 Our Lady of Fatima 16pts; 2 Reddam House uMhlanga 12pts; 3 Durban North College 5pts; 4 Northlands Girls’ High School 4pts; 5 Crawford North Coast 1pt

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Durban North Regional - Crawford La Lucia: Sunday 1 March

Launching into the sixteenth year, this year’s SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge action unfolds at the Durban North Regional hosted by Crawford La Lucia on Sunday 1 March.

The first of the ten KZN regionals welcomes ten schools from the area. Split into two pools, the teams will take to the pitch for their pool games, followed by the top two teams from each pool going head-to-head in the cross-pool semi-finals revealing the challengers who will meet in the regional final.

Game faces on! Poised and ready to defend their title, Ashton International College’s Anna Angelopolous (captain) and Emmerson van Zijl (vice-captain) hope to lead their team to their fifth victory in the Durban North Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that will be hosted by Crawford La Lucia on Sunday 1 March.  Pic by Val Adamson

Defending champs, Ashton International College take on the home team, Crawford La Lucia in the first game for Pool A, joining them are Danville Park Girls’ High School; Curro Salt Rock and Reddam Ballito. The second game of the tournament welcomes Our Lady of Fatima and Reddam uMhlanga participating in Pool B. Northlands Girls’ High School; Durban North College and Crawford North Coast have also been drawn into this pool.

A total of 23 games will be played in this regional with all games lasting a quick fire 20 minutes. A successful team will add 4 points to their log, while the loser acquires zero points. In a case of a goalless draw, both teams earn 1 point but if two teams managed to net the same number of goals, they will each earn 2 points.  A maximum of seven goals will be recorded if a team dominates. If the playoffs end with the scores being level, three players from each team will head to a penalty shootout.

Emerging from this regional, the first finalist representing the suburbs north of Durban will head to the Grand Finals where they will meet the nine other finalists from around the province. Four schools have had the honour of participating at the concluding tournament. 

Defending champions, Ashton earned a third place last year, the best result for a team from this region. Ashton have gone on to the Grand Finals four times, sharing this record with Danville Park Girls’ High School. Our Lady of Fatima’s claimed victory in the inaugural regional, and has their name engraved six times on the trophy. Host school, Crawford La Lucia have also gone on to the Grand Finals once and with home turf advantage, will be keen to reclaim the title.

Matrics participating in the challenge will have the opportunity to win a year’s bursary at eta College, a leading Sport Science, Coaching and Management tertiary institution in Durban. The bursary will be awarded at the Grand Finals which takes place at St Mary’s D.S.G. at the end of July. 

For more information, follow the tournament on Facebook: SparSchoolGirlsHockeyTournament and Instagram  sparkznhockey or TikTok spar.kzn.hockey or use the hashtags: #ChixWithStix  #HeartoftheCommunity #SuperLocal #MyKZNSPAR #MySPAR 

Diary Listing: East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026

East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026

Dream, Create & Live

Saturday 27 June to Sunday 5 July 2026

Out with your diaries! The doors to a myriad opportunities to Dream, Create & Live open on Saturday 27 June to Sunday 5 July at the Durban Exhibition Centre. It’s the 2026 East Coast Radio House + Garden Show - Durban’s high point on the city’s sunshine calendar for décor dreamers and garden schemers! 

It’s the all-under-one-roof home of fresh ideas, the incubator of new concepts, benchmark of global home tech, platform of endless entertainment and celeb cooking dems, plus fabulous family time! 

Kitchen inspirations at the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show

This year’s East Coast Radio House + Garden Show is bursting with innovative ways and means to create, shape and transform your home and garden dreams into a life and lifestyle that’s uniquely yours. Come on in – the mood is magical. Bring us your dreams, and let our skilled home and garden creatives, experts, specialists and artists help turn that dream into something extraordinary.

Discover familiar favourites and wonderfully new innovations, gourmet food experiences, eye-opening local creative talent, stylish indoor and outdoor lifestyle trends, and breathtaking kitchen and bathroom inspirations. From plants to paints, appliances to art, colour to craziness…it’s all here – and more - at the Show.

Decor inspirations at East Coast Radio House + Garden Show

An outing to the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026 promises to be a real tonic! Oodles of eateries, live music, well-organised entertainment and a play area for the kids…while you clear your head (and home) of everything dated, and fill it with lively, contemporary ideas to make your Dream, Create & Live a reality. Come see, feel, taste, buy and bring on the difference! It’s all happening at the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026! 

Save the date: The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show 2026 runs from 27 June to 5 July at the Durban Exhibition Centre. For more information and updates, visit www.housegardenshow.co.za and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @housegardenshow.

Good to Know

Venue: Durban Exhibition Centre

Parking: Secure Parking available at Centrum opposite DEC /Workshop 

Dates: 27 June to 5 July 2026

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

South African Feature God’s Work Selected for Joburg Film Festival

God’s Work, the uncompromising South African feature directed by Michael James, has been selected to screen at the 8th edition of the Joburg Film Festival on Sunday, 8 March at 16:15 at Artistry in Sandton.

Set within an abandoned inner-city building, God’s Work confronts homelessness not as abstraction, but as lived economic exclusion. Hunger, addiction, fractured memory and systemic neglect shape the interior and exterior worlds of men pushed beyond society’s margins. Stark social realities collide with surreal psychological landscapes, creating a film that resists easy categorisation.

Still from the film God’s Work

The film embraces a hybrid cinematic language — blending documentary textures, staged encounters, archival material and symbolic imagery — to question how cinema frames lives that exist outside systems of access and visibility.

“South Africa’s deepening social fractures are no longer peripheral,” says Producer Sithabile Mkhize. “People are being steadily removed from opportunity, recognition and support. God’s Work offers a direct encounter with these realities.”

Director Michael James describes the film as an act of bearing witness:
“This film is ultimately an exercise in empathy. Cinema allows us to dismantle distance — to attempt to see one another without mediation or judgment.”

Still from the film God’s Work

Early responses have described God’s Work as “a film that does not ask for sympathy but demands reckoning” and “a powerful confrontation with the human cost of inequality.”

The film features emotionally grounded performances from South African talents Thobani Nzuza, Mbulelo Radebe, Omega Ncube, Siya Xaba, Zenzo Msomi and Nduduzo Kholwa. Cinematography by Jared Hinde captures the textured physicality of the setting, while George Acogny’s haunting score deepens the psychological and emotional tension of the narrative.

God’s Work is produced by Maverick Entertainment, Amafrika Films and Mojo Entertainment, with support from the KZN Film and Tourism Authority, the Durban Film Office and the National Film and Television Foundation.

Producers: Sithabile Mkhize
Executive Producers: Toni Monty, Gary Springer
Co-Producer: Marco Orsini

God’s Work screens Sunday, 8 March at 16:15 at Artistry, 22 Fredman Drive, Sandown, Sandton.
Tickets: webtickets.co.za
Trailer: https://vimeo.com/1072745582?fl=pl&fe=sh

When archives speak: Immersive exhibitions bring Southern African histories to life

What happens when archives are no longer silent, static, or locked behind glass, but can be walked through, listened to, and felt? From September to December 2026, audiences across South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi will encounter a series of groundbreaking immersive exhibitions, transforming archival collections into living, interactive experiences.

Futures_Past: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies is a collaborative initiative organized by the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS) in partnership with Electric South and local cultural institutions, archives, and international collaborators. Supported by the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, and funded by the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the project runs from July 2025 to March 2027.

Following an open call, the project brings together artist teams based in the countries of six selected archives. Over the next eight months, these teams will work closely with archives to co-create immersive digital works that explore and illuminate the stories contained within historical collections using virtual and augmented reality, spatial audio, and interactive installations. The resulting experiences will be presented in exhibitions across South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi from September to December 2026.

“Across Southern Africa, archives hold collections of profound historical and cultural value, yet many struggle to reach new audiences,” says Jean Spiri, Director of IFAS. “Futures_Past creates space for collaboration between custodians of memory and immersive artists, allowing these collections to be approached with care, technical skill, and contemporary relevance.”

Selected artist–archive collaborations:

!Khwa ttu San Culture & Education Centre — Yzerfontein, South Africa
Linocuts, exile, and San cosmology
!Khwa ttu holds over 600 linocuts by !Xun and Khwe artists affected by displacement linked to the South African Border War. The selected creative team will work with the collection and with community members to explore ways of bringing these linocuts into an immersive, multi-sensory spatial experience. Through processes of community co-creation, the work will foreground lived histories, memory, and San cosmologies, using light, sound, voice, and sculptural elements to activate the linocuts in three-dimensional space. Artist team: Indigene Corefio Harris (N!hunkxa); Faye Victoria Katiiti Khakasa Kabali-Kagwa; Inka Kendzia; Thando Mthembu; Xabiso Vili

Top row (L-R): Faye Kabali-Kagwa, Indigene Corefio Harris Bottom row (L-R): Inka Kendzia, Thando Mtembu, Xabiso Vili

GALA Queer Archive — Johannesburg, South Africa
Activism, care, and HIV/AIDS history
Focusing on the Township AIDS Project (TAP), founded in 1989, the project draws on archival material linked to figures such as Simon Nkoli. The creative team will create immersive, participatory experiences that transform the archive into a space of action, inviting audiences to engage in practices of care, memory, and solidarity rooted in queer activism and HIV/AIDS response.Artist team: Kieran Reid; Tiisetso Tsholofelo Dladla; Tim Flusk; Jordan Green; Kirsten Reid

Top row (L-R): Jordan Green, Kieran Reid Bottom row (L-R): Kirsten Reid, Tiisetso Tsholofelo Dladla, Tim Flusk

Iziko Museums of South Africa — Cape Town, South Africa
Water as memory, science, and spirit
Working with material linked to Iziko’s upcoming Amanzi eAfrica exhibition,  the creative team will develop an immersive project that explores water as a cultural, spiritual, and environmental force. Drawing on archives, oral histories, and ecological research, the work will invite audiences to engage with multiple perspectives on water, past and present.
Artist team: Sarah Frances Summers; Desiré Laurent de Laroche Souvestre; Kyle Donald Marais; Reilly Robynn Cloete; Laurine Platzky

Top row (L-R): Sarah Frances Summers, Desiré Laurent de Larouche Souvestre Bottom row (L-R): Dr Laurine Platzky, Reilly Robynn Cloete, Kyle Donald Marais

Music Crossroads Malawi — Lilongwe, Malawi
Listening to endangered songs and oral traditions
The Music Crossroads Malawi Folksong Archive documents 217 traditional songs covering initiation, agriculture, spirituality, storytelling, and social life. Drawing on this rich heritage, the creative team will develop virtual and physical experiences that invite audiences to enter a living circle of storytelling. 
Artist team: Laura Schuerwegen; Matthew-Lusayo Chawinga; Roosevelt Kasimba Mwandira; Andrew Jere Kanthiti; Thandiwe Phiri; Chikondi Nkhoma; Christopher Ngalu; Kas Mdoka; Andrew Chilonga

Top row (L-R): Christopher Ngalu, Chikondi Nkhoma Middle row (L-R): Kas Mdoka, Andrew Chilonga, Thandiwe Phiri, Laura Schuerwegen Bottom row (L-R): Roosevelt Kasimba Mwandira, Matthew Chawinga, Andrew Jere Kanthiti

National Film, Video, and Sound Archives — Pretoria, South Africa
Reframing apartheid-era images
The Moolman Opnames collection comprises fourteen reels of 35mm film shot between 1960 and 1966. The footage documents everyday life and state activity during apartheid. The creative team will transform these archives into experimental 360°installations inviting audiences to interrogate what the images reveal and what they leave out.
Artist team: Amy Louise Wilson; Francois Knoetze; Kaelo Molefe; Nomandla Vilakazi

Top row (L-R): Francois Knoetze Bottom row (L-R): Nomandi Vilakazi, Amy Louise Wilson, Kaelo Molefe

Royal Archives, Museum and Information Centre — Matsieng, Lesotho
Reimagining royal memory and national history
The Royal Archives preserve records central to the political history and cultural heritage of Lesotho, including official correspondence, royal photographs, and audio-visual material. Drawing on these collections, the creative team will develop a 360° experience that traces the royal succession of Lesotho. The team therefore invites audiences to explore the intersections of monarchy, history, and heritage.
Artist team: Mokhethi Gilbert Phohlo; Phillip Leteka; Telmo dos Reis; Moleboheng Khothatso

Top row (L-R): Phillip Leteka  Bottom row (L-R): Mokhethi Gilbert Phohlo, Moleboheng Khothatso, Telmo dos Reis 

Each selected archive offers a window into stories of resilience, identity, and cultural memory, which the artists bring to life through immersive, participatory experiences.

Reflecting on the collaborative model, Ingrid Kopp, Director of Labs and Partnerships at Electric South explains: “These partnerships are not about overlaying technology onto archives, but about working with artists and institutions to find forms that respect the material and open new ways of participation  and understanding for the public. Immersive tools are used here as a means of interpretation and engagement rather than spectacle.”

The immersive exhibitions will open across Southern Africa from August to December 2026, offering audiences the opportunity to encounter history, memory, and creativity in entirely new ways. 

International mobility and professional training

Two members from each artist team, along with an archive representative, will travel to France in April to develop international relationships and partnerships. This mobility supports professional exchange and longer-term cooperation between Southern African and French cultural and creative sectors.

Emerging producers will also participate in a six-month structured training program, gaining hands-on experience in immersive storytelling, sound design, exhibition development, and archival interpretation. This holistic approach ensures the project not only revives archival knowledge but cultivates a new generation of creative professionals equipped to carry these stories forward.

Alongside the creative collaborations, Futures_Past includes the Immersive Arts Mapping Study, documenting the immersive arts landscape in South Africa, Lesotho, and Malawi, and identifying opportunities for support, training, and collaboration. Practitioners are invited to participate via the online survey link.

“Through this project, archives are no longer just repositories; they become spaces of experience, dialogue, and imagination,” says Sofia Saa, Regional Head of New Media, Film and Television at IFAS. “Audiences will not only see history, but step inside it, connect with it, and feel its resonance today. By situating artist teams in the countries of the archives, and including emerging producers in every stage, we are ensuring a truly local, collaborative, and forward-looking approach.”

Mother City Documentary Screening to Spark Vital Conversation on Housing, Belonging and the Future of Cape Town

The hard-hitting cinematic-documentary Mother City, which interrogates the housing crisis, belonging and the future of Cape Town, will be screened at a special event presented by Cape Talk on Wednesday, 18 February at 6pm at the Labia Theatre.  This will be followed by a robust  conversation hosted by no-holds barred broadcast journalist Lester Kiewit of Good Morning Cape Town.

Broadcast journalist Lester Kiewit of Good Morning Cape Town

The discussion will unpack the social, political and human stakes raised by the film and what possible pathways there could be to talking frankly about building equal cities. 

From 34 global festivals to powerful impact screenings, Mother City has travelled the world leaving conversations and change in its wake. The film has become a catalyst for change - igniting conversations, inspiring communities, and creating opportunities for tough debates.

The documentary follows activists from Reclaim the City, the social movement fighting for affordable housing in well-located areas of the City in their David versus Goliath struggle against entrenched property power. The film exposes the systems of exclusion that continue to define Cape Town, while calling attention to their fight for dignity, access, and the fundamental right to live in the city.

“Amidst the ever-increasing housing crisis in Cape Town, spurred on by a myriad factors including the surge in the short term-rental market, citizens are asking: “Who is the City for?” and we need answers and tangible solutions,” says Kiewit, the host of Good Morning Cape Town  on Cape Talk. “Mother City forces us to confront uncomfortable but necessary questions about power, belonging and who gets to call Cape Town home. These are conversations we cannot keep having in isolation; they need to happen face-to-face, in shared spaces, with room for listening, disagreement and collective reflection.”

The event reflects Cape Talk’s growing commitment to engage audiences beyond the airwaves, and to foster community-centred gatherings that become part of the City’s cultural fabric — spaces people can return to, participate in, and use to build a shared civic imagination.

“This is about taking conversations that matter out of isolation and into collective space,” says Kiewit “It’s about listening together, thinking together, and imagining our City differently. This is not just an invitation into a vital public conversation about justice for the unhoused in Cape Town.”

Event details:

Labia Theatre, Cape Town

Wednesday, 18 February at 18:00

Tickets: R100

Bookings: https://tinyurl.com/MCCapeTalk

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY 2026 Schools Touring Programme HISTORY IS A HOME ADDRESS

A choreo-poem inspired by the poetry of Mongane Wally Serote
(For Grade 8–12 learners)

In 2026, FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY invites schools across KZN to host FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY as they offer a powerful and moving touring dance-theatre experience that brings poetry, history, and embodied learning into the classroom. HISTORY IS A HOME ADDRESS is a newly created choreo-poem inspired by the writings of renowned South African poet, cultural activist, and public intellectual Dr Mongane Wally Serote.

FLATFOOT Dance Company Pic by Val Adamson

Loosely inspired by the title of one of Serote’s most recent poetry collections, HISTORY IS A HOME ADDRESSresponds to his enduring invitation to reflect on memory, belonging, and the political histories that shape who we are. The dance work asks a vital question for today’s learners: do the words of an anti-apartheid poet still resonate in contemporary South Africa—and how do young people carry history in their bodies today?

FLATFOOT Dance Company Pic by Val Adamson

Created collaboratively by choreographer Lliane Loots and the six dancers of FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY (Jabu Siphika, Sifiso Khumalo, Zinhle Nzama, Siseko Duba, Sbonga Ndlovu and Ndumiso Dube), the choreo-poem draws on Serote’s iconic early anti-apartheid poems alongside his later writing. Through movement, spoken word, and evocative physical theatre, the dancers explore personal and collective histories, asking what we remember, what we forget, and what continues to live on in our bodies and hearts.

High school audiences are immersed in a rich theatrical experience that weaves poetry, dance, and storytelling into a “spoken-word dance choreopoem”. Celebrated poems such as City Johannesburg and No Baby Must Weep are re-imagined through contemporary African dance, offering learners an embodied encounter with South African literary and political history. The performance honours Serote’s profound contribution to South African culture while making his words accessible and relevant to a new generation.

FLATFOOT Dance Company Pic by Val Adamson

 More than a performance, HISTORY IS A HOME ADDRESS creates space for dialogue and reflection. Each school presentation includes a facilitated post-performance discussion with the dancers and choreographer, allowing learners to engage critically with the themes of history, identity, protest, and belonging. An extended package also offers a practical dance workshop, encouraging learners to respond physically and creatively to the ideas explored in the work.

FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY is KwaZulu-Natal’s iconic African contemporary dance company, with a national and international reputation for excellence. With numerous awards and international tours, FLATFOOT promises to bring world-class contemporary African dance directly into school spaces—making live performance, critical thinking, and embodied learning accessible to young people.

FLATFOOT Dance Company Pic by Val Adamson

The tour takes place from 10 February to 30 April 2026 on weekdays (with negotiated options on Saturdays). There are two options available for schools: a one-hour performance and discussion at R35 per learner, and a two-hour package which includes, the performance, discussion and an hour’s workshop at R50 per learner.

FLATFOOT will work with schools to accommodate preferred dates and times, subject to availability. Contact  lootsl@ukzn.ac.za for any further queries and for bookings.

This creation of this programme is funded by PESP, the National Arts Council of South Africa, and the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust.