South African surfing star Jordy Smith has successfully claimed his second win of the season, climbing the leaderboard to claim the top spot ahead of his competition!

Australia (27 May 2025) — Legendary South African surfer and Durbanite Jordy Smith has claimed his second win of the World Surf League (WSL) season thanks to a smashing score at the 2025 Western Australia Margaret River Pro!

Against competitor Griffin Colapinto from the United States, Smith claimed a score of 12.00, placing the South African surfer in the first spot and 4.84 points ahead of Brazilian talent Italo Ferreira in the Championship Tour standings. It was pace and patience that stood in the surfer’s favour most during the final heat, as well as a dedication to making every wave count.

The 37-year-old surfer dedicated the win to both his family and iconic surf filmmaker Jack McCory who recently passed away.

“Jack McCoy is someone who has inspired me throughout my whole life. All his movies, his videos, his family, this is for you guys.”

There are still five events left in the Tour schedule, with hopes high that Smith will keep his winning momentum! The next round will take place in sunny California for the Lexus Trestles Pro from 9 June.

Last month, in Punta Roca, El Salvador, Smith made fans enormously proud when he secured his 7th Championship Tour Victory in a riveting and emotionally charged moment for his supporters everywhere. This was the surfer’s first victory of this kind in 8 years and marked a proud moment for the veteran.

 

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Sources: Supplied

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South African teacher Nadine Smith has been awarded internationally for her efforts in STEM education. One of four global recipients, the educator was the sole African awardee.

Global (27 May 2025) — South African teacher Nadine Smith is a Coding and Robotics educator who recently made the local STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) field enormously proud when she was honoured with a prestigious award. Nadine was awarded the 025 EDGE in Tech Athena Award for Early Career Leadership!

Awarded by the Center for Information Technology Research in the Interest of Society and the Banatao Institute (CITRIS) at the University of California, Nadine was honoured as part of a unique ceremony at UC Berkeley.

The South African teacher was the only recipient from Africa and one of just four global recipients of the award.

Nadine’s accolade celebrates individuals who are leading the charge in creating technology ecosystems that are more diverse, equitable and impactful.

“I believe every child deserves to see themselves in STEAM,” Nadine says. STEAM encompasses STEM fields but with the addition of art.

“Through coding and robotics, I strive to ignite confidence, curiosity, and creativity in learners, especially those who don’t yet realise they belong in tech. This award is not just a personal milestone, but a reminder of the importance of creating inclusive learning spaces where all young minds can dream, build and lead,” she says.

Beyond leading initiatives, Nadine also trains fellow teachers in integrating emerging technologies.

“It is incredibly important to recognise the people doing the difficult work of expanding access to essential tech fields,” explains Jill Finlayson, the Managing Director of the CITRIS Innovation Hub (which oversees the awards).

“Those who champion on-ramps into STEM, fair workplaces and welcoming cultures are critical to the development of innovative technologies and help ensure that new solutions will work well for everyone.”

Sources: Supplied 

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South Africa’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show design stole the show and won gold for the second year in a row. In exciting news for all who celebrated the win, the display is coming home for spring!

Standford, South Africa (26 May 2025) — South Africans celebrated in a big way last week when we learned that our flora display at this year’s ever-prestigious RHS Chelsea Flower Show won gold! This marked our second year back at the world’s top-tier flower show following a lengthy hiatus. And we won gold both times, continuing the legacy of the nearly forty medals South Africa claimed before our hiatus era.

The design this year took visitors to the sea by exploring the influence that two oceans (the Indian and the Atlantic) have on the flora in our natural heritage-rich Western Cape. The arrangements boasted around 25,000 stems, hauls of fynbos and other cliff-dwelling plants to create what acclaimed horticulturalist and lead on the display, Leon Kluge, deemed a celebration of South Africa as the ‘flower basket of Africa’.

In exciting news for everyone who perused the display’s photos many times over, these gold-claiming Chelsea Flower Blooms are coming back home for South Africans to enjoy in real life!

The Grootbos Foundation and the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve have announced that the display will be replicated in Stanford, Western Cape; set to be recreated by the same team who earned gold in London. Last year, the same occurred for the ‘slice of the mountain’ display.

The magnificent flora art will be a part of the Standford in Bloom Spring Festival, so mark your calendars for 10-24 September.

Sources: Grootbos Foundation 

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Naor Lombard claimed the honour of being the highest point scorer in the Open Men’s division at the 2025 South African Lifesaving Championships all while defending his title as the Ironman.

Gqeberha, South Africa (25 May 2025) — At just 20-years-old, Naor Lombard has realised a lifelong goal after he earned his place as the highest point scorer in the Open Men’s division at the 2025 South African Lifesaving Championships.

This was a season-best performance for the Clifton Surf Lifesaving Club and National Team athlete, and one that’s come after dedicated training that included a full racing season in Australia.

“Being the highest point scorer has always been a goal of mine,” shared Naor. “I’m stoked with the result—but even more so with how much I’ve improved over the season.”

A standout moment saw Naor defend his title in the premier Ironman event. The Ironman event is notorious for the challenge it presents both physically and mentally.

However, as Naor explains, the real difficulty lies not in the racing but in the training.

Not one to refrain from giving others their flowers, Naor spotlighted the efforts of his Clifton teammates.

“Clifton is like family. The senior boys had this energy that felt electric—we pushed harder for each other, especially in the team events. I was racing even harder for the team than I was individually.”

Other athletes he celebrated included Amica de Jager who recently made an incredible comeback.

“Amica is such a dedicated athlete and a positive person—it’s always special to share a podium with someone like that, especially when we’re representing the same club and sponsor.”

Looking ahead, Naor will continue to navigate life as a student-athlete; undertaking an elite training schedule, part-time work and his studies.

The champ is also gearing up for biggies like the Coolangatta Gold, which also happens to be his favourite event.

His advice to others is wise beyond his years:

“The biggest lessons come from your losses. Review your races. Figure out what went wrong. And always stay clear of distractions. Fun doesn’t have to come at the cost of your goals.”

Sources: Christina Mallion 

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South Africa has struck gold once again at the 2025 RHS Chelsea Flower Show following last year’s winning comeback!

London, United Kingdom (20 May 2025) — It’s another gold for South Africa at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in London thanks to acclaimed horticulturist and floral legend, Leon Kluge, right-hand Tristan Woudberg and their larger team.

Following last year’s magnificent and winning comeback that ended a lengthy hiatus SA took from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, hopes were high that the 2025 South African floral display would continue our golden streak, hopes that bloomed in full.

This brings South Africa’s tally of wins at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show (over a four decade period) to an incredible 39 medals; an inspired total considering that this is considered the world’s pinnacle flower show.

While last year’s display offered a slice of the mountains and the Cape Floral Kingdom’s wonders amid them, this year’s design was inspired by the ocean.

The design explored the influence that two oceans South Africa knows well, the Indian and the Atlantic, have on the flora in our country to gorgeous effect; offering both fynbos and cliff-dwelling plant arrangements to celebrate South Africa as “the flower basket of Africa” as Leon put it beautifully.

As such, the design required an incredible shipment of locally grown flowers and fynbos travel across the pond for the show. As Leon shares, there were approximately 25,000 stems that had to be cut by the team in order to get them into the water!

 

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A post shared by Leon Kluge (@leonkluge)

Revealing the gold win to South Africa, Leon explained that the team were nervous pre-show and that the win came as a wonderful relief.

 

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A post shared by Leon Kluge (@leonkluge)

South Africa couldn’t be prouder of our natural heritage and those who nurture and celebrate it as much as this team does.

Sources: Leon Kluge; GTG 

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South African artist Marlene Dumas made history this week after her painting shattered a world auction record for a living female artist!

New York, USA (16 May 2025) — Jenny Saville’s record for the highest auction sale for a living female artist’s work was shattered this week in New York. A painting by South African artist Marlene Dumas knocked the previous record off its feet when the bids rose and rose and eventually sold for a cool $13.6 million (nearly R250 million).

As such, history has been made by Marlene and ‘Miss January’, the artist’s 1997 painting, which is now the visual for the new world record.

 

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A post shared by Christie’s (@christiesinc)

Marlene’s journey to such a monumental feat has been a long, winding and rich unfolding. The artist forayed into the art world by studying Fine Arts in Cape Town before heading to the Netherlands to attend Ateliers ’63 in Haarlem. In the 70s, Marlene began showcasing her work but was barely noticed at the time.

During the decades in between that time in which attention seemed so far away and now (where all eyes were on her work), Marlene built her skills as a painter, her knowledge in psychology, her reputation and her exhibition chops to become an award-winning artist who has showcased her work all over the world and in some of the most prestigious places.

However, the record she’s set extends far beyond herself. Cutting through the politics and economy of the art world, the news alone will undoubtedly give young female artists immense inspiration in their own creative pursuits.

While the art world is still largely dominated by deceased male artists in both the literature, fixations and numbers of it all, there’s something to be said about the female artists’ rise and a hope for the balancing of the scales in terms of whose work will be spoken about at length in a hundred years from now.

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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Another day, another reason to be proud of Tyla. Our superstar is hosting the 2025 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards!

Global (16 May 2025) — If breaking pop culture barriers was a South African, it has to be Tyla.

Following what has already been a jam-packed year for the superstar (she’s done and dusted the MET Gala, claimed the title of World Artist of the Year, rocked Coachella and surpassed one billion streams for ‘Water’, to name a few), it’s officially been announced that Tyla is set to host the 2025 the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards!

 

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This will be the very first time that a South African will be hosting global coverage of the Kids’ Choice Awards.

Known for bringing a fun, childlike and slimy spin to traditional award ceremonies, the Kids Choice Awards orbit (you guessed it) kids choosing their favourites in the entertainment world.

From voting for the Kid’s TV shows that they love the most to artists and even villains, there are a plethora of categories for up-and-comers as well as industry veterans to vie for the most unfiltered opinions around—that of children.

As such, hosting such a widely publicised and A-lister-centric ceremony is no small gig. It speaks volumes about our firecracker’s popularity around the world and places her in good steed to get even bigger hosting opportunities (we’d hardly be surprised to see Tyla host the Grammys one of these years).

The Kids’ Choice Awards will be live and airing on 21 June.

Meanwhile, in more Tyla news, her latest track, ‘Bliss’, is out, proud and ready for you to listen to!

Listen: South Africa’s Tyla Releases ‘Bliss’… And It’s Fire!

Sources: Various (Linked Above)

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In thrilling news from the tennis court, two South African players are gearing up to qualify for the Roland Garros Junior Championships in Paris, one of the most prestigious tennis tournaments in the world

Paris, France (15 May 2025) — Young South African tennis players, Jahnie van Zyl and Connor Doig are gearing up for a massive moment in the world of tennis, the Qualifying Draw of the Roland Garros Junior Championships 2025!

The Roland Garros Juniors is a hugely prestigious tournament in the world of tennis and features the top young players from around the world; identifying the tennis-royalty of tomorrow.

While neither player is fully through the door to compete just yet, they’re at the cusp of the opportunity, which is well worth celebrating in our books!

Per Tennis South Africa, Jahnie and Connor have both made the Qualifying Draw round (AKA, the stage before the Main Draw). Here, they will compete to secure spots in the main tournament.

This stepping stone to the big leagues marks a major opportunity for both young players to sharpen their skills, gain international experience at a top-tier level, and collect ranking points (and bragging rights!)

The Roland Garros Junior Championships 2025 will kickoff in Paris this month; running from 29 May to 7 June.

Meanwhile, in news from other young and talented South African sports stars that had us celebrating, South Africa’s Junior Aquatics Team were recently crowned the champions of the African continent thanks to their stellar medal haul at the 16th Africa Junior Swimming Championships! Read all about it, here.

Sources: Tennis South Africa 

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South Africa’s Junior Aquatics Team have been crowned the champions of the African continent thanks to their stellar medal haul at the 16th Africa Junior Swimming Championships!

Cairo, Egypt (09 May 2025) — Young and talented South African swimmers deserve all the rounds of applause; they are officially the champions of the African continent!

Thanks to a stellar series of performances at the recent 16th Africa Junior Swimming Championships, Team South Africa’s Juniors walked away with not only an impressive medal haul but also a finish at the tip-top of the medal table. The championships, held in Cairo from 30 April to 4 May, saw talent from all over Africa compete for the coveted spot.

According to Africa Aquatics, the SA Junior team earned an incredible 52 medals overall!  Exceptionally, 25 of these medals were gold, while 17 were silver and 10 were bronze.

Egypt scooped the second overall spot at the Africa Junior Swimming Championships, ultimately claiming a total of 43 medals.

“South Africa showed incredible strength, skill and unity in the pool. Your hard work and dedication paid off—you’ve made your nation and the entire continent proud!” Africa Aquatics shared proudly. 

Meanwhile, in more news from swimming superstars that made up proud, South African Paralympic swimmer Kat Swanepoel has dedicated the month of May to beating MS by swimming for a cause that isn’t just close to her heart but has profoundly impacted every aspect of her life.

Kat has signed up to swim 50km to raise both awareness and much-needed funds for both research and support of people living with MS. Read more, here. 

Sources: Africa Aquatics 

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Surfski superstar Kira Bester dominated Atlantic, Indian and Mediterranean waters with three wins in just 7 days!

Global (08 May 2025) — South African surfski superstar Kira Bester has opened the 2025 season like a champion.

Claiming three wins across three oceans in just seven days; the reigning 2024 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Champion showcased a flair of dominance few could match.

The campaign began on home soil with a powerful performance at the South African Surfski Championships in which Kira outpaced the field on the 21k course from Simon’s Town to Fish Hoek.

“That win meant a lot,” reflected Kira. “It’s a “It’s a tough course that demands physical and tactical strength. I had to work smart, and draw on the strength of the paddlers around me. To take the title was a huge sense of relief and pride.”

Only a few days later, it was time for her next victory. Teaming up with powerhouse Melanie van Niekerk, the two tackled the Freedom Paddle—South Africa’s premier doubles ocean race around Robben Island.

“Mel was phenomenal in the back,” Bester said. “Her power and experience were unmatched, and I learned so much from her. I just focused on steering clean lines and keeping us efficient —it was a real team effort.”

The final leg of her whirlwind week was in Villajoyosa, Spain, where she secured the overall women’s title at the ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Cup!

“This event has been on my bucket list for a while, so to win it was massive. The competition was world-class, and to come out on top on an international stage gives me huge confidence going forward,” she said.

While her results speak volumes, the campaign came with its challenges.

“Mentally, staying sharp through back-to-back races took a lot,” Bester admitted. “There were moments of doubt and exhaustion, but I leaned on my team and kept focused on one race at a time.”

Key to her success, Bester credits her training environment, singling out Pete Cole of the Orka squad for surfski preparation, and Mitch for gym-based strength and conditioning.

“The balance they bring to my routine — on the water and in the gym — has been a winning formula. I’m lucky to have them both in my corner.”

For younger paddlers watching her success, Bester encourages perseverance and confidence, sharing:

“Don’t be afraid to get uncomfortable — that’s where the growth happens. When I started, I was one of the few girls on the water and often felt out of place. But that became my motivation. Find your passion, show up every day, and celebrate the small wins.”

Looking ahead, Bester’s sights are now set on the 2025 ICF Canoe Ocean Racing World Championships, to be held in Durban, South Africa.

“It’s a huge opportunity to race against the world’s best on home soil,” she says.

“Durban’s ocean is unpredictable and exciting — I’m preparing hard and giving it everything I’ll be proud no matter the result, but yes, I’m absolutely racing to win.”

Sources:Supplied

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

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