Durban-based initiative targets 13,000 tonnes of plastic recovery across KZN

East Coast Recycling Partnership, a Green Corridors-managed initiative, targets 13,000 tonnes of plastic waste recovery across KwaZulu-Natal.

Durban, South Africa: The East Coast Recycling Partnership, a project managed by Green Corridors NPC aims to recover 13,0000 tonnes of plastic waste from landfills, streets, open spaces and waterways across KwaZulu-Natal, over a 14-month period.

Set up in March 2025, the ECRP is a regional collaborative that aims to strengthen South Africa’s waste recovery value chain, focussing on the development of Buy Back Centre enterprises (BBCs), which are vital economic hubs in the recycling supply chain. In the month prior to the ECRP, the initial seven BBC partners collected 261 tonnes of plastics. By February 2026, the Partnership grew to eleven BBCs that collected 703 tons based on verified sales records.  A combined 6,260 tonnes of plastic was recycled over the 12 months to February 2026- an average of 522 tonnes a month, doubling the output.

The programme supported more than 600 informal reclaimers who recovered more than 1,376 tonnes directly from landfills, streets and open spaces and invested R5.6 million into BBCs, sustaining more than 140 permanent jobs.

The next phase commenced in May 2026 with five BBCs from the first phase and a collective baseline of 308 tonnes of plastic recycled, 124 jobs and 680 reclaimer livelihoods supported. The ECRP has expanded its footprint covering Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Newcastle, Empangeni, Ladysmith, Eshowe, Scottburgh and Margate. Working with these 10 established BBCs and start-up mini-BBCs at three Durban informal settlements, the Programme targets over 13,000 tonnes of plastic recycled, 1950 informal reclaimers livelihoods impacted and 275 permanent jobs sustained, through a combined investment of over R11 million by June 2027.

“Our main sponsors the Alliance to End Plastic Waste (AEPW) and Unilever South Africa, working alongside Producer Responsibility Organisations and other plastics recycling industry partners, are enabling the ECRP to integrate the entire waste recovery chain,” explains Gary Cullen, ECRP Project Manager. “The Partnership links informal reclaimers directly to industry and establishes a unified system that is inclusive, scalable, data‑driven, and designed for sustainability.”

“Every tonne recovered through BBCs in the ECRP is tracked through a digital reporting system, giving funders, partners and municipalities verified data on volumes recovered, incomes generated and reclaimers paid,” says Cullen

“A central focus of this phase is commercial sustainability,” says Cullen. “Our Enterprise and Supplier Development partner, Sigma International, has developed Business Support Plans with all thirteen BBCs and will provide mentorship over the next year, for which Corporate Enterprise Development funding is to be raised. These plans will guide the investments by Green Corridors and PRO partners into financial and data management, purchasing from reclaimers and infrastructure and equipment to grow and sustain their businesses.”

“This initiative demonstrates how collaboration across industry, communities, and local partners can build a recycling system that is both inclusive and commercially sustainable. The project reflects the Alliance’s strategy to drive system-level change by supporting solutions that address barriers to plastic circularity. By connecting informal reclaimers to the broader value chain, ECRP is not only diverting plastic from landfills and waterways, but also creating livelihoods, strengthening the circular economy in South Africa, and demonstrating the kind of locally grounded, commercially viable solutions needed to build more effective waste management systems,” says Kirchlin Simhadri, Senior Advisor, South Africa, Alliance to End Plastic Waste. “

“We believe we have a responsibility to invest in solutions that support the circular economy,” says Yase Godlo, Sustainability & Partnerships Manager - Unilever South Africa. “The ECRP model that links informal reclaimers directly to Buy Back Centres and industry, is exactly the kind of inclusive, data-driven system we need to scale if South Africa is going to build a truly circular economy. We are pleased to see the Partnership's growth into this next phase, and remain committed to supporting the reclaimers and BBC enterprises who make this recovery work possible.”

The ECRP is seeking partnerships with corporates that are interested to engage with mentored waste recovery SMMEs through their Enterprise and Supplier Development programmes.

Organisations, industry players and investors interested in playing a part in this collaborative partnership building a viable circular economy for SMMEs in KwaZulu-Natal can contact the project directly on ecrp-admin@durbangreencorridor.co.za.

-ends

JOMBA! @ The Market Theatre celebrates world-class contemporary dance in Johannesburg

9 – 12 September 2026 / 7pm / John Kani Theatre, The Market Theatre: Following the 28th edition of the Centre for Creative Arts' JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience in Durban (26 August to 6 September), the pioneering festival returns to Johannesburg with JOMBA! @ The Market Theatre from 9 to 12 September with a carefully curated four-night season celebrating exceptional contemporary dance from South Africa, Africa and Europe.

Now in its fourth partnership year, JOMBA! and the Market Theatre continue their commitment to expand access to ground-breaking contemporary dance by bringing a selection of the JOMBA! Festival's productions to Johannesburg audiences, to celebrate innovation, artistic excellence and the transformative power of movement across cultures, generations and borders.

JOMBA! @ The Market Theatre takes place in the John Kani Theatre and features internationally acclaimed artists and companies alongside two of South Africa's most influential choreographic voices.

Celebrating South African choreographic excellence

The season honours two previous JOMBA! Legacy Artists whose work has transformed contemporary dance in South Africa and internationally. Acclaimed choreographer Mamela Nyamza presents her breath-taking ensemble work THE HERD/LESS, a visually arresting meditation on community, conformity, vulnerability and survival. Characterised by Nyamza's fearless choreographic language and uncompromising social commentary, the work powerfully interrogates belonging and resistance.

Internationally celebrated choreographer and performer Vincent Mantsoe, whose deeply embodied artistic practice bridges ancestral knowledge with contemporary performance, presents his compelling new solo Desert Poems. This intimate work offers a profound meditation on endurance, spirituality and transformation through Mantsoe's distinctive movement vocabulary.

International collaboration takes centre stage

Opening this fourth JOMBA! @ The Market Theatre season is the extraordinary HEROES, presented by the world-renowned Dutch company Introdans in collaboration with Uganda's Joseph Tebandeke and guests, Durban's FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY. This remarkable programme spans internationally celebrated choreography by Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Iratxe Ansa and Igor Bacovich, alongside new South African choreography by Zinhle Nzama. The programme also features the inclusive masterpiece IUNGO by Adriaan Luteijn, bringing together performers of different backgrounds, generations and physical abilities in a powerful celebration of humanity, diversity and connection.

Workshops with internationally renowned artists

As part of the season, JOMBA! and The Market Theatre will host two free professional development workshops at the Sophiatown Studio, offering dancers and movement practitioners the opportunity to work directly with internationally acclaimed artists.

On Tuesday, 8 September (4.30–6pm), Giuseppe Calabrese, ballet master with Introdans, leads a repertoire workshop exploring the choreographic language of renowned Belgian-Moroccan choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Participants will engage with concepts of fluidity, musicality, connection and dynamic movement quality, drawing on Calabrese's extensive experience performing Cherkaoui's celebrated repertoire.

On Friday, 11 September (4.30–6pm), Vincent Mantsoe shares his celebrated KOBA Technique, described as a "physical meditation." Integrating traditional and contemporary dance practices, the workshop invites participants to explore identity, presence and embodied expression through Mantsoe's internationally recognised movement philosophy.

Booking Information Performance tickets: https://markettheatre.co.za/ Workshop bookings: 2024jomba@gmail.com. Workshop places are free, but booking is essential as numbers are limited.

Performance Programme

Wednesday, 9 September | 7pm HEROES Introdans (Netherlands) with guests Joseph Tebandeke (Uganda) and FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY (South Africa)

Thursday, 10 September | 7pm HEROES Introdans (Netherlands) with guests Joseph Tebandeke (Uganda) and FLATFOOT DANCE COMPANY (South Africa)

Friday, 11 September | 7pm THE HERD/LESS Choreographed by Mamela Nyamza MAM – Mamela's Artistic Movement (South Africa)

Saturday, 12 September | 7pm Desert Poems Choreographed and performed by Vincent Mantsoe

Workshop Programme

Tuesday, 8 September | 4.30–6pm Introdans Repertoire Workshop Led by Giuseppe Calabrese Venue: Market Theatre Sophiatown Studio

Friday, 11 September | 4.30–6pm KOBA Technique Workshop Led by Vincent Mantsoe Venue: Market Theatre Sophiatown Studio

Dr Ismail Mahomed honoured with 2026 JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Lifetime Achievement Award

DURBAN, 25 August 2026: Dr Ismail Mahomed, Director of the Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, was presented with the 2026 JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Lifetime Achievement Award last night (25 August) at the opening of the 28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, at UKZN, Durban.

The award was presented by Dr Lliane Loots, curator of JOMBA!, on behalf of the Centre for Creative Arts and the JOMBA! team, in recognition of Dr Mahomed's sustained contribution to South African and African contemporary dance and to the wider arts sector.

Dr Ismail Mahomed, Director of the Centre for Creative Arts (CCA) at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, received the 2026 JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience Lifetime Achievement Award last night (25 August) at the opening of the 28th JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, at UKZN, Durban, pictured here addressing the opening night audience. Photo by Val Adamson.

In presenting the award, Dr Loots paid tribute to Dr Mahomed's decades of work opening platforms for artists and dancers across South Africa, the African continent and beyond. She described him as someone who understood, often before others did, that an artist needs not only a stage but a door that opens, not only an audience, but someone willing to make the spaces in which art and dance can breathe.

Through his years of service to the arts and his leadership of the Centre for Creative Arts, Dr Mahomed has helped create openings where there might otherwise have been walls, and possibilities where there might have been silence. “Dr Mahomed’s work has never been only about presenting what is already known, but about making room for what is still becoming building platforms upon which dance makers could gather their bodies, stories, questions and dreams, and take the risks that art requires.”

“Across festivals, programmes, collaborations and countless encounters at the Centre for Creative Arts, Dr Mahomed's leadership has helped weave connections between dancers, artists, communities and countries, as a bridge-builder, a door-opener, a provocateur of possibility, and above all, a steadfast believer in the necessity of the arts. For JOMBA!, Dr Mahomed's contribution forms part of the festival's longer choreography, one built not only of dancers and dances, but of those who have helped hold the space, nurture the vision, and ensure that the dance could continue.”

In accepting the award, the festival paid tribute not only to what Dr Mahomed has done, but to what his work has enabled: the artists and dancers who found a stage, the voices and dancing bodies that found an audience, the artistic conversations that crossed borders, and the possibilities that became real because he helped make space for them.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented with what organisers described as deep gratitude, admiration and affection, marking one of the milestone moments of this year's opening night.

JOMBA! runs until 6 September at various venues in Durban, and a shorter version of it runs a The Market Theatre in Johannesburg from 13 to 16 September.

More information can be found at https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

Acts of Care: Immersive Exhibition Brings Township AIDS Project Archive to Life

A new immersive exhibition is set to transform decades-old archival material into a living, participatory experience, inviting audiences to witness, recognise, and actively continue a legacy of queer community care that began in Soweto, Johannesburg, more than three decades ago.

Acts of Care is an Extended Reality (XR) exhibition drawing on archive material from the Township AIDS Project (TAP), held by the GALA Queer Archive. Using virtual reality, augmented reality, and an interactive creative public space, the exhibition explores how communities in early 1990s Johannesburg and Soweto organised care, education, and advocacy in response to the HIV/AIDS crisis, at a time when the disease was poorly understood, deeply stigmatised, and often framed as a moral or political threat.

Acts of Care Poster 2026

Acts of Care will be launched on 5 September at the Latitudes Centre for the Arts (LCA) Shepstone Gardens in Johannesburg. It is one of the projects in Futures_Past: Amplifying Memory with Immersive Technologies, an initiative of the Embassy of France in South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), in partnership with Electric South, with funding from the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs.

Structured in three interconnected experiential zones representing the past, present, and future, that map directly into the Acts of Care visitor’s journey and experience of Caring (Witness), Loving (Recognise), and Sharing (Act). Each zone marks a different type of engagement, carrying visitors from an intimate historical encounter, through recognition and affirmation, to collective and public participation.

The first station places visitors inside a VR reconstruction of an early 1990s community counselling room in Johannesburg, narrated by Enea Motaung, who ran TAP for many years. The scene draws on lived testimony to portray the quiet, often invisible acts of care that sustained communities during the crisis.

Poster from TAP archives.

The second station is a playful, full-body AR photo experience, drawing on the bold safe-sex campaign typography and graphic aesthetics of 1990s queer activist culture, allowing visitors to see themselves reflected within the visual language of the movement. Participants can pose, move, and experiment with identity in joyful and unapologetic space. This station connects past activism to present-day self-expression and collective visibility.

At the third station, visitors are invited to design their own posters, physically or digitally, using visual assets from the TAP and GALA archive. Completed works are pasted and projected onto a growing shared wall, forming a living, evolving archive of contemporary care and advocacy that builds throughout the exhibition's run.

Archival photo of TAP outreach.

Throughout, archival photographs, pamphlets, and testimonies from TAP and the GALA Queer Archive connect the three stations, grounding the experience in lived history.

"TAP's story has lived in our collection for almost three decades, known mostly to researchers and those who lived through the HIV/AIDS crisis. Acts of Care gives us the chance to bring that history out into the open, to let new audiences encounter it not as a static record but as something they can step into and feel. This is what it means for an archive to stay alive,” says Linda Chernis, Archivist, GALA Queer Archive.

"We didn't want to simply document TAP's history, we wanted people to feel what it meant to organise care under pressure, without a manual, without institutional support, and often without the language to name what was happening,” says  Kieran Reid, Artistic Project Lead. “Building this in VR and AR helped us to hold onto that intimacy while still inviting people into something collective and hopeful, and creative."

Simon Nkoli, Township Aids Project activist, in a workshop

The exhibition draws a deliberate line between the past and the present. As international HIV/AIDS funding, including support previously channelled through PEPFAR (the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) faces cuts that are currently affecting clinics, community health workers, and prevention programmes across South Africa, Acts of Care insists that the community-led practices of care pioneered by TAP in the 1990s remain relevant today.

“Futures_Past set out to show that archives are living resources, not just repositories of the past. Acts of Care embodies that mission entirely, taking a story of care and queer resilience from the 1990s and giving it new urgency at a moment when the very systems of care it documents are once again under threat,” says Jean Spiri, Director of IFAS.

Archival poster for Pride March 1992

Acts of Care is designed to engage queer communities, HIV/AIDS activists, and health workers, as well as students, researchers, and general public audiences. It runs until 1 December 2026 (World AIDS Day) at Latitudes Centre for the Arts (LCA) in Johannesburg. Parental guidance: the exhibition has an age recommendation of 16+.

In response to and alongside Acts of Care, LCA is proud to present How is a triangle the strongest shape?curated by Denzo Nyathi,This group exhibition ponders the methodologies of endurance associated with resistance, taking a particular look at the height of the HIV/AIDS crisis in South Africa. Ephemera and other crafty practices are re-examined and brought to the forefront of fine art, with a queer cohort of artists — Talia Ramkilawan, Athi Patra Ruga and Sizwe Sama — practising their own forms of resistance. Exhibition details:

Venue: Latitudes Centre for the Arts, 12 Hope Rd, Mountain View, Johannesburg

Dates: 5 September to 1 December 2026 

Opening times: Weekdays, Tuesday to Friday, 10:00 - 15:00, &

 Select Saturdays (26 Sept, 31 Oct, & 28 Nov), 10h00-13h00

Programming for selected Saturday openings: https://twonamegames.com/actsofcare/ 

Instagram: @actsofcare_sa

Book here

Majara earns maiden SPAR race win in Pietermaritzburg

Dikeledi Majara's outstanding performance of 35:01 earned her the top spot in the Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge, held in perfect running conditions on Sunday 23 August, at the Pietermaritzburg Oval Cricket Stadium.

The race saw a new champion emerge as Tayla Kavanagh, the three-time defending champion, was absent. Majara's first-place finish marked a significant milestone, as she had previously finished third in the Pietermaritzburg legs on two occasions (2024, 2025). The 32-year-old Lesotho International athlete who pocketed R10 000 for her effort, expressed her delight at claiming the title. 

Dikeledi Majara's outstanding performance of 35:01 earned her the top spot in the Maritzburg SPAR Women’s 10km Challenge, held in perfect running conditions on Sunday 23 August, at the Pietermaritzburg Oval Cricket Stadium. Photo by Rogan Ward.

“I'm so happy to win the race. I woke up today in a very good mood, and I was feeling excited to be on the start line. The race was good, as it turned out to be a lucky day for me as I won the race.”

"It's feels like a dream to win after years of trying to come first. This is the first time winning this race as I have finished third in the past two years. It also marks my first time winning SPAR, and I didn't plan to do so. Overall, a very perfect day of running and healthy competition from the ladies," said the elated Nedbank Running Club athlete. 

Majara executed a decisive move at approximately 2km and never looked back, as the second-place finisher, Malineo Mahloko of Maxed Elite Running Club, followed with a time of one minute and two seconds slower. Meanwhile, multiple Comrades Marathon gold medallist Jenet Mbhele achieved a commendable 36:25, securing third place on the podium.

The top three finishers in the 2026 SPAR Maritzburg Women's 10km Challenge: winner Dikeledi Majara (centre), flanked by runner-up Malineo Mahloko (right) and third-placed Jenet Mbhele (left). Photo by Rogan Ward.

"At around 2km, I moved away from the bunch of athletes, and they failed to follow me. It was not even a hard pace that I was going with. I didn't stress too much regarding the gap I’ve created to the second place athlete as my goal was to finish strong, "

This year has seen Majara achieve unprecedented success, becoming the first female athlete from Lesotho to secure a Comrades gold medal, completing the race in 06:12:29 and finishing eighth overall in the women's category. Furthermore, she won the N12 Ultra 50km race in North West. Majara attributes her outstanding season to the guidance of Nick Bester, athlete manager at Nedbank Running Club.

" I think joining Nedbank last year, my life changed for the better. They have been taking good care of me and it easy for me to put out a strong performance on the road. I must thank Nick Bester for making sure that I get all what I want. So far, this is the best season of my career, "

The race attracted over 4,000 sold-out entries and at the prize giving, SPAR KZN gifted the race charity, Dlalanathi with a cheque to the value of R30,000 comprised of R5 from every entry and a top up amount donated by SPAR KZN.

Results:

Seniors 

1. Dikeledi Majara 35:01, 2. Malineo Mahloko 36:03, 3. Jenet Mbhele 36:25 4. Bathobile Mkhize 37:54, 5. Banele Mabizela 38:09

Juniors

1. Anele Mtungwa 40:59, 2. Courtney Van Wyngaard 41:43, 3. Elizabeth De Goede 51:04

40-49

1. Makhosazane Mhlongo 38:25, 2. Mabusi Makhunga 41:43, 3. Rozanne Geldenhuys 44:20

50-59

1. Janene Carey 41:38, 2. Wilhelmina Du Plessis 48:29, 3. Anita Jacobs 48:42

60-69

1. Gail Babich 48:05, 2. Zandile Mtolo 01:01:54, 3. Aletta Wegener 01:02:47

70+

1. Blanche Moila 56:37, 2. Pat Fischer 58:23

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge Durban South Regional - Hutchinson Park: Saturday 15 August

Dominating from start to finish, host team, Amanzimtoti Netball Club took the honours in the Durban South Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge at Hutchinson Park, Amanzimtoti on Saturday 15 August.

Comprising scholars from around the area, Toti’s Netball team took to the court earning convincing wins in all of their eight round robin games, netting 102 points courtesy of on-target sharp shooters, Hannah Grey and Micheala Clegg. Playmaker for the team, Tyra Norris was a firecracker in the centre, efficiently intercepting the ball on numerous occasions, and quickly feeding her attackers in the circle. Another ‘stand out’ player was their keeper, Zoey Quigley, who ‘towered’ above most of her opponents, constantly springing to life like a jack-in-the-box. 

The home team easily advanced to the semi-final, meeting three-times champions, Kingsway High School who have hoisted the trophy in consecutive years 2022 – 2024. The result was a convincing victory by Toti 18-4. In the second semi-final, defending champions, Kuswag Skool finished second overall and met travelling Hoërskool Suid-Natal who finished third place in the round robin games. In an action-packed game, only one point separated the two teams. Suidies took the game with 9 points ejecting the hard-working defending champs who scored 8 points. 

Long jump. Amanzimtoti Netball Club’s Tyra Norris stretches mid-stride to hang onto the wide pass as Hoërskool Suid-Natal’s Chantelle Coetzee desperately tries to intercept as Alexis Ahearne watches on during the Durban South Regional final of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Fast 5’s Netball Challenge that took place at Hutchinson Park on Saturday 15 August. Pic by Rogan Ward.

In the regional final, Suid Natal got centre pass, sending the ball quickly up to their post lady who fired off the first shot of the game with only 16 seconds on the clock. The ball arched over the goal, giving possession to Toti. Wasting no time, the ball made its way up to Grey who slotted in the first point of the game twenty seconds later. 

A quarter of the way through the first half, Suidies’ Chantelle Coetzee adventurously launched an attempt, successfully earning herself a 2 pointer – the only one of the game. At the blast of whistle for half time, the visitors pocketed their fourth point giving them a 2-goal deficit of 2 points. Midway the score was sitting at 6-4. The second half was littered with 1 pointers, with the fired-up Grey and Clegg adding 9 points with Suid Natal only successfully finding space around the jumper, Quigley to secure three points. The final score 15-7 in favour of Toti.

The tournament heads inland for the Southern KZN Regional hosted by Kokstad College on Saturday 22 August, where four-times winner, Shayamoya Area Secondary School aims to hold 8 teams at bay to secure their fifth title, the only team in the challenge with a 100% record. 

For more information, follow the tournament on social media.

Results:

Final

Amanzimtoti Netball Club 15 vs Hoërskool Suid-Natal 7

Semi-Final

Amanzimtoti Netball Club 18 vs Kingsway High School 4

Hoërskool Suid-Natal 9 vs Kuswag Skool 8

Round Robin

1 Amanzimtoti Netball Club 24pts; 2 Kuswag Skool 19pts; 3  Hoërskool Suid-Natal 15pts; 4 Kingsway High School 14pts; 5 RBP Netball Club 13pts; 6 Southcity Christian School 9pts; 7 Port Shepstone High School 6pts; 8 Creston College 3pts; 9 Kwamakhuta Comprehensive High School 3pts

World-renowned dance makers to share skills and techniques at free JOMBA! Workshops

From 25 August to 6 September 2026, the Centre for Creative Arts (UKZN) presents the 28th edition of JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, showcasing an international and national line-up of choreographers and companies at Durban's Sneddon Theatre, Square Space Theatre, Stable Theatre and the KZNSA Gallery.

Alongside its main stage programme, JOMBA! invites the dance community into the studio for a series of free workshops led by choreographers and companies featured on this year's festival programme.

These workshops give dancers direct access to the techniques, philosophies and creative processes of artists visiting Durban from South Africa, France, Nigeria/Ireland, Spain and Jamaica.

Presenting the workshops:

• PJ Sabbagha (South Africa) - JOMBA!'s 2026 Legacy Artist leads an improvisation session built around listening: to the self, to others, and to the space itself.

• Mamela Nyamza (South Africa) - fresh from her 2026 Silver Lion win at the Venice Biennale, Nyamza's "Body & Sound" workshop turns the body into an instrument of vocal and physical expression.

• Vincent Mantsoe (France/South Africa) - shares his KOBA Technique, a "physical meditation" fusing traditional and contemporary movement in search of identity.

• Mufutau Yusuf (Nigeria/Ireland) - leads "Your Own Groove," a playful, inclusive improvisation workshop open to dancers of all experience levels.

• Iron Skulls Co. (Spain), with Tebby Ramasike - Diego Garrido, Moisés "Moe" Gordo Gómez and Ramasike guide participants through the meeting point of Theatrical Breakin' and Afro-Butoh, set to live music.

• Dr L'Antoinette Stines (Jamaica) - the creator of L'Antech, the first Anglo-Caribbean dance technique, leads a class rooted in Kumina, Bruckins, Nyabinghi, Dancehall and other ancestral forms, accompanied by L'Acadco dancers and drummers.

Two further closed sessions round out the programme: Ugandan dance artist Joseph Tebandeke works with UKZN's third-year dance students on access and belonging in dance practice, and the Introdans Education Team (Netherlands) shares its dance education methods with Edgewood Campus trainee teachers and with youth from the KwaMashu School of Dance Theatre.

WORKSHOP SCHEDULE

Venue: UKZN Howard College Campus, Drama and Performance Studies - Dance Studio

1.Wednesday, 26 August: 4.30 - 6pm: PJ Sabbagha (South Africa) - improvisation workshop

2.Thursday, 27 August: 4.30 - 6pm: Mamela Nyamza (South Africa) - "Body & Sound"

3.Friday, 28 August: 4.30 - 6pm: Vincent Mantsoe (France/South Africa) - KOBA Technique

4.Saturday, 29 August: 10 - 11.30am: Mufutau Yusuf (Nigeria/Ireland) - "Your Own Groove"

5.Tuesday, 1 September: 4.30 - 6pm: Iron Skulls Co. (Spain), with Tebby Ramasike

6.Wednesday, 2 September: 4.30 - 6pm: Dr L'Antoinette Stines (Jamaica) - L'Antech technique, with L'Acadco dancers and drummers

All open workshops are free of charge, but booking is essential and spaces are limited. Bookings can be made through Thobile Maphanga at 2024jomba@gmail.com Open workshops are for dancers aged 16 and older.

More info about JOMBA! can be found on the website here: https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

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

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 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)

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.

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

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.

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.

Italian Trade Agency (ICE) Co-hosts Landmark Italy-South Africa Agri-Food Business Forum and MOU Signing in Cape Town

This Forum marks a significant milestone in bilateral agricultural cooperation and opens new frontiers for Italian agri-food and agri-technology business in South Africa and the wider African continent

Cape Town, 11 June 2026: The Italian Trade Agency (ICE) co-hosted the Italy-South Africa Agri-Food Business Forum at The Westin Hotel in Cape Town on 9 June, bringing together a high-level delegation of government ministers, institutional leaders, agribusiness representatives, investors and industry stakeholders from both countries to advance agricultural trade, investment and innovation.

Organised by ICE in partnership with the Italian Ministry of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, and the South African National Department of Agriculture, the Forum represents one of the most strategically significant bilateral agricultural business engagements of the year for exporters and investors. Wide-ranging discussions spanned food security, foreign investment, climate-smart agriculture, agri-technology and export development. The Forum was convened under the theme From the Soil to the Shelf - a framing that signals the shared ambition to move beyond raw commodity trade and towards integrated, value-added agricultural partnerships in which Italian expertise plays a central role.

The Forum provided a structured environment for Italian agri-food, agri-technology and food processing companies to engage directly with South African counterparts, with Business-to-Business meetings running in parallel to the programme. South Africa - as a gateway to the African Continental Free Trade Area and one of the continent's most sophisticated agricultural markets - represents a priority destination for Italian businesses seeking to expand their presence across sub-Saharan Africa. The Forum also welcomed business delegations from Angola, Zambia and Zimbabwe, reflecting the broader regional opportunity for Italian industry.

ICE President Matteo Zoppas addressed delegates during the plenary session, underlining ICE's commitment to supporting Italian companies in building lasting commercial relationships and technology partnerships in the South African market.

A highlight of the opening session was the signing of an Italy-South Africa Memorandum of Understanding, formalising a joint commitment between SACE,  Italy's export credit agency, and SIMEST, the Italian development finance institution focused on internationalisation, with the Italian-South African Chamber of Commerce. The MOU establishes a framework for long-term cooperation across research and innovation, digital agriculture, agricultural mechanisation, sanitary and phytosanitary measures, agro-processing and technology transfer - and creates a Joint Working Group to ensure the commitments made translate into practical commercial and investment outcomes.

The Forum carried strong ministerial endorsement from both governments. Italy's Minister of Agriculture, Food Sovereignty and Forestry, H.E. Francesco Lollobrigida, outlined Italy's vision for a long-term agri-food partnership with South Africa, while South Africa's Minister of Agriculture, H.E. John Steenhuisen, delivered the opening keynote. Welcome remarks were also delivered by Ambassador of South Africa to Italy H.E. Nosipho Jezile, and Ambassador of Italy to South Africa H.E. Alberto Vecchi.

Minister Steenhuisen pointed to an already strong commercial foundation, with agricultural trade between South Africa and Italy exceeding R650 million annually and horticultural exports valued at approximately R190 million. He described these figures as evidence that Italian consumers and businesses already recognise the quality of South African agricultural products. He outlined a vision for combining South Africa's production strengths with Italy's world-renowned expertise in processing, packaging, technology and branding to create greater value across entire supply chains.

Commenting on the MOU signing, Ambassador Vecchi said, “Through this MOU we are cementing a framework for deep collaboration. We want to see South African citrus, table grapes, and livestock benefit from Italian processing and packaging innovations right here on South African soil, creating local jobs and boosting export competitiveness. By building strong, sustainable, value-added partnerships today, we are setting a benchmark for how European and African economies can grow together dynamically, innovatively, and equitably.”

The Italy-South Africa Agri-Food Business Forum forms part of ICE's broader Africa programme, which in 2026 encompasses 15 activities in South Africa spanning collective Italian participations in mining, agriculture and infrastructure, as well as incoming delegations to leading Italian trade fairs including Vinitaly and Macfrut.

Competitions, Giveaways and Specials: EVERYBODY’S A WINNER AT THE EAST COAST RADIO HOUSE + GARDEN SHOW 2026!

Whether it’s one of the BIG competitions, goodie bags or Show Specials, if you’ve set your heart on an appliance, a getaway or a bag full of treats… get to the East Coast Radio House + Garden Show! Over R200 000’s worth of prizes - a wonderland for winners!

 A dream getaway, quality camping gear, electronics and appliances - you can either win them, get them discounted, or snap up an exclusive Show Special. In competitions alone, this year’s Show has over R200 000’s worth of prizes in the shape of a gaming console, vouchers, superb holidays, premium camping gear, a TV - you name it, the Show’s got it. 

Khakibush’s large outdoor stand is going to be a hive of activity, with action and interaction 24/7… it’s where all the cool outdoor people gather to swop bush, beach and bundu-bashing stories. Even better news is they’re giving away over R100 000 worth of prizes at the Show, from accommodation experiences to premium outdoor gear. And where there’s smoke… there’s fire at the stand, too. They’re running The BraaiBoss Challenge preliminary competitions every Saturday, with the hunt on for the ultimate Braai Boss for 2026! 

So many major competitions under one giant roof! Onestop Travel & Tours’ is giving away R60 000 worth of enticing travel-theme prizes? You could win an MSC Cruise to Nowhere for two OR two Airline Tickets to Turkey, OR a weekend Stay for two in the Drakensberg at Cathedral Peak. High days and holidays guaranteed. Start packing.

Are you a DIYer? Good thing, because Builders is not only showcasing their tools and tricks, but if you’re one of the lucky ones… any purchase made at their stand qualifies you to enter a draw to win one of five R1000 Builders vouchers.

Hirsch’s is renowned for their mega Show Specials, competitions and cutting-edge tech, but this year, they’ve upped their game… to Nintendo for one. The visitor who gets the fastest lap time on the Mario Kart game could win a Nintendo console or merchandise goodies valued at R12, 500. If you prefer something even racier…

Visitors can explore the latest Porsche x SMEG appliance range alongside the iconic Porsche 911 on display at the SMEG stand in the Hirsch’s Pavilion, while also standing a chance to win a matt SMEG kettle and toaster set together with an official Porsche merchandise hamper.

It’s football time, and Hirsch has a Hisense FIFA Chill Zone where you can put up your feet and indulge in your favourite sport… and better still, enter a competition to win a host of prizes, including a sizzling hot Hisense TV or Party Rocker.Plus visitors who purchase any Philips product from Hirsch’s at the Show, stand a chance to WIN a Philips hamper valued at R20,000.

Look forward to exclusive, limited giveaways from leading brands at the Takealot House at the Show, available through a variety of activations including gift-with-purchase offers, raffle competitions, and a fun selfie draw. The ultimate highlight, is the Takealot Grand Prize, valued at R40,000.

And for chefs and foodies, Melbro Wholesale is giving visitors a chance to win a Nutribullet McLaren Limited Edition Ultra Blender valued at R4,500!

So many exhibitors are promising the Show to beat ‘em all, and they’re all coming to the party. Best you get there. And if you’re up for Mobiclaw’s crazy, fun but tricky challenge to lift an egg… using the Jaws of Life… you’ll be in the right place to enter their competitions to win food vouchers, rugby tickets, hampers, sweets and more.

Fashion and Beauty at the Edgars House of Red comes in different shapes and sizes… from lipsticks to PJ’s , creams to handbags. Attend one of their masterclasses or simply visit their stand at the show - you could be taking home a glorious sample or two, perhaps a goodie bag if you are lucky.

From Special Deals to many, many major prizes and giveaways, (all with T’s & C’s of course) the Show’s all about Dream, Create & Live. If you can dream it, you could win it. See you there.

The East Coast Radio House + Garden Show takes place from June 27 to July 5 at the Durban Exhibition Centre.

Tickets are available online via quicket.co.za or housegardenshow.co.za or at the entrance on the day.

South African choreographer and arts activist, PJ Sabbagha named the 2026 JOMBA! LEGACY ARTIST

The 28th annual JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, hosted by UKZN’s Centre for Creative Arts, has announced that it will honour South African choreographer and arts activist PJ Sabbagha as the 2026 JOMBA! Legacy Artist. 

PJ Sabbagha, whose name has become synonymous with issue-based dance theatre, is the Organisation Steward and Chief Collaborator / CEO of The Forgotten Angle Theatre Collaborative (FATC  - now in its 31st year), the Ebhudlweni Arts Center (in its 11th year) and the annual My Body My Space Rural Public Arts Festival (in its 11th year).

Sabbagha was the recipient of the 2005 Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Dance and the 2006 FNB Dance Umbrella award for Best Choreography for his work, Still Here. He was also awarded the 2005 and 2009 awards for Most Outstanding presentation of a new work for The Double Room and Macbeth respectively. In 2005 he was voted top South African Artist and was also placed in the top 10 of The Star Tonight’s annual top 100 South Africans. 

He has travelled across the USA as a guest of the US State Department as part of the 2007 International Visitors Leadership Program investigating HIV and AIDS and other communicable diseases. In 2017 Sabbagha visited France as a guest of the French Ministry of Culture and Communications as part of a Seminar Focusing Arts and Culture in Service of Community and Territorial Development. Sabbagha’s choreographic work has been shown at festivals and theatres in countries that include Russia, Mexico, France, Holland, Tanzania, Mali, Mozambique and Taiwan.

Currently PJ leads FATC in its delivery and work as appointed implementing agency on behalf of the Mpumalanga Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Recreation’s Community Arts Center Support and Development Programme funded by the National Department of Sports, Arts and Culture

JOMBA!’s artist director, Dr Lliane Loots says, “Deeply significant to the JOMBA! Legacy award is PJ’s lifelong commitment to not just his choreographic excellence, but a deep-seated care for community and his pioneering work that has shifted South African dance out of urban spaces. His curation and vision have shifted our dance landscape and we are deeply humbled that we get to honour PJ in this way”. 

 “The JOMBA! festival’s 2026 overall curatorial theme and provocation is Choreographies of Activism: Moving Bodies as Disruptive Presenting and we can think of no other South African artist who has exemplified this moving across physical, economic and access borders in his dance work, whether this has been training and teaching, choreography, or curation”.

PJ and FATC will open JOMBA! on 25 and 26 August in Durban with a re-visit and re-boot of an earlier work NOAH - a multi-media dance work exploring the notions of loss, love and letting go. It uses the frame of irreversible climate change as an immersion in the moment of crisis, from which there is no return. NOAH will be performed by Nicholas Aphane, Athena Mazarakis and Shawn Mothupi, and is a layered conversation between live performing bodies, video projection and shadows that surfaces the personal and collective response to this (personal and geopolitical) moment of crisis.

JOMBA! takes place at The Sneddon Theatre in Durban from 25 August to 6 September, and the satellite festival takes place at The Market Theatre in Johannesburg from 9 to 12 September 2026.

For more information go to https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge uMvoti and oThukela Regional - Wembley College: Saturday 30 May

Wrapping up the ten tournaments around KZN, Wembley College in Greytown hosts the uMvoti and oThukela Regional on Saturday 30 May.

Historically, one of the smallest regionals grows to eight participating schools, they will be divided into two pools with the first game tipping off at 7.30am. The games will last a total of 20 minutes running time, with the cross-pool playoffs allowing for a penalty shootout to reveal a result. 

Joining host school, Wembley College in Pool A is Hamilton College who are making their second appearance, Estcourt High School and Greytown High School take up the other two slots. Competitors in Pool B are Domino Servite School; Wartburg Kirchdorf School; Hermannsburg School and Ladysmith High School.

There will be 12 pool games with a winning team earning 4 points. If two teams draw having netted equal goals, they will both share 2pts, while a goalless draw increases a teams tally by 1 point, A loss registers zero points. Once all the pool games have concluded, the first cross-pool playoff takes place for seventh place. The two semi-finals will be played after that. The two teams that finished third in their pools will face each other in the fifth placed playoff. 

At 1.30pm the two defeated teams from the semi-finals will meet for the third place playoff. Shortly after that the main game commences for the honours of hoisting the regional trophy. Five teams have had this honour with Wartburg being the current defending champions. They have seven titles to their name followed by Ladysmith High School who have their name engraved three times on the trophy. Host school, Wembly have been victorious in this regional twice while both Greytown and Domino Servite winning once. 

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.

The victorious team from this regional will head to the Grand Finals where they will meet nine other regional champs in July. They will meet Our Lady of Fatima, (Durban North Regional); Amanzimtoti High School (Durban South Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional); St Anne’s Diocesan College (Pietermaritzburg North Regional) and St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional); Grantleigh School (North Coast Regional); St Patrick’s College (Ugu and Sisonke Regional) and Ferrum High School who were victorious last weekend at the Northern KZN Regional.

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 

JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES #6 - Choreographies of Activism: Moving Bodies as Disruptive Presencing: 27-29 May 2026 Online with Free Public Access

The Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, in partnership with the JOMBA! Contemporary Dance Experience, presents the 6th edition of the JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES (JMD26), taking place online from 27-29 May 2026. 

Under the theme Choreographies of Activism: Moving Bodies as Disruptive Presencing, this year’s dialogues bring together artists, scholars, choreographers, and activists from across Africa and the Global South to explore dance as a form of embodied activism and political intervention.

“At a time marked by ongoing colonial legacies, global inequality, mass displacement, ecological collapse, and political violence in regions such as Palestine, Sudan, Syria, and the Democratic Republic of Congo, JMD26 asks urgent questions about the role of the moving body in resistance, survival, memory, and collective care,” explains committee member Dr Lliane Loots. “Rather than understanding dance as metaphor, the dialogues position choreography and movement as active political practices through which bodies assemble, disrupt, claim visibility, and insist on justice. Drawing on decolonial, feminist, queer, Indigenous, and Critical Black studies frameworks, the programme interrogates how movement generates forms of knowledge beyond institutional and textual politics.: 

The three-day programme features keynote dialogues, paper presentations, panel discussions, screendance screenings, and a major book launch. International keynote guests include Hershini Bhana Young (South Africa/USA), Preethi Athreya (India), Nora Amin (Egypt), L’Antoinette Stines (Jamaica), and Kettly Noël (Haiti and Mali). Highlights include conversations on borders, memory, dance activism, ancestral embodiment, and transformative choreographic practices. Presenters from South Africa, Uganda, Brazil, Tanzania, Kenya, Haiti, Egypt, India, Jamaica, and beyond will engage questions of ecology, gender, migration, disability, and embodied resistance within the frame of activisms.

A featured event within the programme is the launch of Encountering Disability and Citizenship Through Contemporary Dance in Africa(Routledge, 2026), co-authored by Yvette Hutchison and Lliane Loots. Emerging from a UKRI-funded research project, the publication examines how integrated dance practices across Africa challenge dominant understandings of disability, citizenship, and belonging.

All sessions are free and accessible online. The dialogues will be livestreamed via the official JOMBA! YouTube channel, and you can also apply for a direct Zoom access to join the live digital discussion space.

Access Information

The livestream can be accessed via:
JOMBA! YouTube Channel

Access the full programme updates and information:
 https://jomba.ukzn.ac.za/masihambisane-dialogues/masihambisane-dialogues-issue6-2026/

To apply for direct Zoom participation, contact:
Thobile Maphanga - 2024jomba@gmail.com

The 2026 JOMBA! MASIHAMBISANE DIALOGUES invites audiences to consider how moving bodies continue to hold memory, generate political possibility, and create spaces for collective imagination in deeply fractured times.

SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge Ugu and Sisonke Regional - Kokstad College: Saturday 9 May

Successfully defending their title, St Patrick’s College from Kokstad earned their third consecutive victory in the Ugu and Sisonke Regional of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge hosted by Kokstad College on Saturday 9 May.

They met one-time winners, Hoërskool Suid-Natal in a tightly fought regional final. Thanks to a burst attack straight after the first whistle, the ball found Saint’s attacker, Ava Stanford who wasted no time slotting in the only goal of the final. 77 seconds into the game, the ball was firmly fed to Standford from the top of the circle. Standford, stationed on the goal post, confidently altered the direction of the pass into the back of the box. 

Swept off her feet. Enthusiastic keeping, Southcity Christian School’s Siyolise Ncawdi watches as Hoërskool Suid Natal’s Anabelle Van Der Merwe tumbles in the final round of the penalty shootout. Van Der Merwe slotted in her stroke, knocking out Southcity and advancing to the finals of the Ugu and Sisonke Regional in the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge that took place at Kokstad College on Saturday 9 May. Pic by Rogan Ward.

This is the third time in their three regional final successes that they have opened the scoring. Their first against Suidies in 2024, but Suidies managed to equalise requiring the trophy to be decided by a penalty shootout. Last year they met another coastal team, Southcity Christian School and fired in an early goal, fiercely defending it until the final whistle. In similar fashion, vying for their third win - Saint Pats, with the upper hand played a calm, creative game opting to fire off a fair few overheads from the back sending Suid-Natal back. The game flowed to all parts of the field, with Suid-Natal not able to capitalise on their many advances, but quickly shutting down any further goals. 

In the build up to the final, the two finalists met in the opening fixture for Pool A with the game ending in a goalless draw. Suid-Natal proceeded to win all of their remaining games while the defending champs drew 1 all to Port Shepstone High School. Suid-Natal topped the log with 17 points and St Patrick’s finished second with 14 points. 

A dramatic conclusion unfolded in Pool B with the top three teams all ending level on points. In an identical spread sheet, all teams drew against each other and won their three other fixtures resulting in a total of 14 points across the top three rows. The deciding factor was on goals scored. Five-time champions, King Edward High School finished with an impressive 10 goals, while Southcity netted 9 in total, narrowly edging out host school and three times winner – Kokstad College on 8 goals scored. 

In the first semi-final Southcity advanced to take on neighbouring school, Suid-Natal. Suid-Natal were unable to find holes in the Southcity defence after two well earned short corners while Southcity had a rare one-on-one moment but standing tall, Suid-Natal’s Lindy Plomp charged down the brazen attempt. With no goals being scored, the game headed to a penalty shootout. Suid-Natal’s Chloe Barnard and Anika Du Toit slotted in their attempts. Missing their first attempt, Southcity’s Reagan Rosslee knocked in her attempt. The final round, all-rounder Anabelle Van Der Merwe met a zealous Southcity keeper, Siyolise Ncwadi resulting in a stroke that Van Der Merwe easily slotted for her team’s third – knocking Southcity out. 

In the second semi-final, King Edward met St Pats. Saint’s Geah Marais slotted in an early goal after a free hit outside the circle found her available in the circle. With her back to the goals, she neatly spun around slotting in the all-important goal. King Edward worked hard trying to equalise but were unable to pierce the St Patrick’s defence.

Making great strides with the whistle, Stryda Perry from Creston College was awarded the Umpire of the Day prize. Boitumelo Ramaota from St Monica’s Diocesan walked away with a magnificent Princess hockey stick that she won in a fun filled lucky draw. 

Only two more tournaments remain in this year’s SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge before the Grand Finals at St Mary’s D.S.G. in Kloof in July. St Patrick’s College is the eighth team to earn their spot at the concluding tournament. They meet Our Lady of Fatima, (Durban North Regional); Amanzimtoti High School (Durban South Regional); St John’s D.S.G. (Pietermaritzburg Central Regional); St Anne’s Diocesan College (Pietermaritzburg North Regional) and St Mary’s D.S.G. (Highway Regional); Durban Girls’ College (Durban Central Regional) and Grantleigh School ( North Coast Regional).

Results:

Regional Final

Hoërskool Suid-Natal 0 vs St Patrick’s College 1

Semi-Finals

Hoërskool Suid-Natal 0 (3) vs Southcity Christian School 0 (1)

King Edward High School 0 vs St Patrick’s College 1

Pool A

1 Hoërskool Suid-Natal 17pts. 2 St Patrick’s College 14pts; 3 Port Shepstone High School 13pts; 4 Bergview College 5pts; 5 St Monica’s Diocesan 2pts; 6 Ixopo High School 1pt

Pool B

1 King Edward High School 14pts; 2 Southcity Christian School 14pts; 3 Kokstad College 14pts; 4 Mount Currie High School 5pts; 5 Creston College 5pts; 6 Scottburgh High School 0pts