There were two more continental records broken by South African swimmers on the final day of the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore on Saturday.

Christian Sadie, who already has a silver and two bronze medals from these championships, set a new African record in the S7 100m freestyle, but just missed out on another podium spot. He stopped the clock at 1 minute 04.77 seconds on his way to fourth place. Gold was taken by Ukrainian Andrii Trusov in a new championship record of 59.90 seconds.

“The finals went really well. I was able to execute what I needed and it was an amazing way to finish off the gala with a personal best time by a second and a little bit, as well as another African record so I’m super-stoked with the swim,” he said afterwards.

As for finishing the championships with three medals, Sadie (Top image) added: “I couldn’t have asked for a better gala. I think it’s definitely shown the work that we’ve put in, and the pieces are starting to fall into place that we’ve invested in for a long time so it’s nice to see it paying off.”

Nathan Hendricks (Image below) once again showed some fine form on his way to an African record of 2:16.55 in the SM13 200m individual medley. But it was ultimately not enough to secure a medal as he finished in sixth spot, with Russian Egor Shchitkovskii securing the gold in 2:06.07.

“The 200IM I was quite happy with. I was a bit sick, but I was happy with how I performed, getting that record,” said Hendricks.

“It makes me excited because I know there’s still a lot I can improve on, especially in that race – the backstroke I can improve on, the breaststroke, and the turns. I’m pretty excited that I can still drop time in it,” added the 20-year-old.

The other South Africans in action on Saturday were Alani Ferreira and Danika Vyncke, who both finished sixth in their respective heats of the SM13 200m individual medley in the morning and did not progress to the evening final.

Head coach Theo Verster said after the end of the championships that the feeling in the Team South Africa camp is one of excitement for the future with an eye on the next World Championships in 2027 and ultimately the Paralympic Games in 2028.

“We’re super-happy with the performances of Team South Africa. It’s a nice build on what we achieved in 2023 when we got two golds, a silver and a bronze and it’s very refreshing to see that we could pull this off with Christian and managing quite a few spots where we couldn’t convert into medals, we got quite close to which was very good to see,” said Verster.

A few factors affected what could have been an even greater medal haul, with former world champion Kat Swanepoel unable to compete as she is undergoing treatment, and Ferreira being reclassified into the S13 class, having to compete against athletes with less severe visual impairments.

“Unfortunately, with Alani being upgraded to S13, that cost her a medal. If she was still S12, she would definitely have swum another medal for South Africa so that’s quite sad. But hopefully by 2027, with a review date just round about there, we hope that she’ll be pushed down to S12 again just before the Paralympics and that we’ll be able to convert some of her amazing swims into medals for LA 2028,” explained Vester.

“From a management point of view, we’re super-excited for the future. This is our third consecutive world championships, 2022, 2023 and now 2025 where Team South Africa have brought back medals, and it’s just getting better as we’re getting closer to the rest of the world. Hopefully going forward, we’ll be able to convert the fourth and fifth places into medals… so we’re looking forward to that. It’s exciting times for Para swimming.”

Jessica Thompson stole the show on the second day of action at the Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships in Pietermaritzburg on Friday, breaking a national record and equalling the African mark held by Zimbabwe’s new International Olympic Committee president Kirsty Coventry.

The 18-year-old was disappointed to miss out on the SA record in the 50m butterfly on Thursday, but responded in the best way possible, setting a new mark in the 50m backstroke of 26.85 seconds. That saw her breaking the record that had been set by Chanelle van Wyk 16 years ago. Van Wyk was poolside to witness the achievement, providing the commentary for the television coverage of the championships.

“It’s so good, especially after last night. I think it was a bit of a tough pill to swallow, but I’m really happy to have gotten it tonight and just getting that time is a really big deal for me,” said an ecstatic Thompson afterwards.

As for having Van Wyk on hand to watch her break her 2009 record, Thompson added: “It was really nice to have her there and seeing where swimming in South Africa is progressing to.”

Meanwhile, the 50m backstroke title was claimed by Chad le Clos, who is rapidly reinventing himself as a backstroker. He powered to victory in 23.62 seconds, in a race he described as the main takeaway of his last two days of racing.

The former Olympic champion was back in more familiar territory just a few minutes later, also securing victory in the 100m butterfly in a time of 50.81 seconds.

“I feel great. I think the backstroke was the highlight… It’s weird, my backstroke and my freestyle were probably my better swims, not my butterflies,” he said afterwards.

“I want to try and keep going as long as I can and I think the 50s have given me a lot of life, especially short course. I know I will improve and I’ve got a lot of big things coming… I think I’m going to settle nicely into the new year, build towards April and then hopefully surprise everybody next year, that’s the plan.”

The women’s 100m butterfly produced a surprise champion in 16-year-old Abigail Kotze, who beat Olympian Duné Coetzee to the title in a time of 1:00.69.

“Obviously you go into it hoping, I think everyone hopes and believes they can do it. But I’m just so grateful to actually have done it,” said the Western Cape swimmer. “Swimming against Duné – I’ve been looking up to her since I was 10 or 11, so that was just such a big honour swimming against her,” she added.

Coetzee had earlier picked up victory in the 200m freestyle, winning in a time of 1:59.71, while it was Matthew Caldwell who took the men’s title in 1:49.01.

“I actually didn’t see the guys in the outside lane there. It was a really good swim from those guys,” said Caldwell afterwards. “I knew I was racing my race, so whatever they did, I was doing my own thing, so it was good… It went like I wanted it to. I did my little last push at the end and got the medal.”

The 800m freestyle titles were decided earlier in the day, with Carli Antonopoulos thrilled to claim a first national short course title, winning in 8 minutes 53.28 seconds, while 17-year-old Stephan Engelbrecht took the win in the men’s race with a time of 7:56.72.

Antonopoulos was especially pleased with the result, considering the year she has endured – having slipped and broken her arm in February and only returning to full training in May.

“It feels good. I’m really happy, especially after what happened at the beginning of the year, breaking my arm and coming back, so it’s been good,” she said of the victory.

There were also first-time champions in both the men’s and women’s 400m individual medley with 18-year-old Keira van Heerden taking the women’s title in 4:51.13 and Juan Boshoff the men’s in 4:21.29, taking over two seconds off his previous personal best.

Van Heerden was taken by surprise by her victory, given this was her first time competing in the 400m individual medley.

“This is my first time swimming the 400 IM, I just went into it because I wanted to improve my 200 IM, building up more fitness for the 200 so that’s just been the goal the whole time,” explained the 18-year-old.

Swimming action at the Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships continues in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday and runs until Sunday.

Jessica Thompson and Chad le Clos kicked off the Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships in Pietermaritzburg with two titles each on Thursday, both collecting golds in the 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly.

18-year-old Thompson (Top image) claimed a comfortable victory in the 100m freestyle in 54.29 seconds before doing the same in the 50m butterfly in 25.66 seconds

She admitted afterwards, though, that she was hoping she would break the national short course record of 25.54 in the butterfly, a mark which has been held by Tayla Lovemore for the last seven years.

“I didn’t want to say anything, but that is kind of what I was going for. The record has been standing since 2018,” she said afterwards.

“But to walk away with two PBs, I’m really happy with that. I didn’t expect that, especially considering the block of training I’ve had. So I’m really happy with how I performed tonight.”

Le Clos was also happy with his day’s work. He finished a body-length in front of the field in the 100m freestyle, winning in 47.55 seconds, before completing an impressive victory in the 50m butterfly in 22.79 seconds. Second place was secured by 18-year-old Tai Pearson in 23.64, while third was taken by a swimmer more than half Le Clos’s age – 15-year-old Eric Kotze in 23.79 seconds.

“It was good, I’m happy,” said a relaxed Le Clos (Image below), who has returned to competition after an extended break. “I’m in a really good space… I’ve only been seriously training under a proper programme for the last six weeks. This year I was kind of floating to it’s nice to swim decent and it’s nice to see the youngsters swim really well.”

Lara van Niekerk was equally pleased with her opening day’s performances in Pietermaritzburg after claiming the 100m breaststroke title in 1 minute 05.98 seconds. She followed that up with second place in the 100m individual medley, an event she just swims for fun, in 1:02.78.

Just a week ago, the double Commonwealth Games champion was struggling with a knee niggle so was pleased just to be in action at this event.

“My knee started acting up a week ago, to the point where I couldn’t kick breaststroke in training, so I’m just really grateful to be here,” she said afterwards, saying before the injury she was expecting great things at these championships. “It kind of took the expectations away… Having the knee thing last week I think took some pressure off me and I’m just happy I could do that time.”

The men’s 100m breaststroke title was secured by World Aquatics Championships finalist Chris Smith, who reached the wall in a time of 58.24 seconds.

“It felt OK. I didn’t taper or anything for this meet so I’m happy with the time,” said the 19-year-old.

There were first-time national titles for both the winners in the 200m backstroke, with Grace Morris claiming the women’s title in a new personal best of 2:09.56 and Adrian van Wyk the men’s in 1:56.42.

“The turnaround was pretty tight from heats to finals, there wasn’t a lot of time, so I’m not going to lie – the last 50 hurt a lot,” admitted Van Wyk, who only took up swimming seriously around two years ago. “The plan is just to get better from here, so let’s see how it goes.”

While her main focus is on the 50m freestyle, Caitlin de Lange raced to victory in the 100m individual medley in a personal best time of 1:00.69.

“It was a lot better than this morning. This morning I messed up a few of the turns, from the back to breast especially, so I just wanted to focus on the turns and I feel like it was better, but it’s definitely something I can work on in training to get under 1 minute,” she said.

The men’s 200m individual medley was easily won by visiting Swedish swimmer Linus Kahl in 54.61 seconds, meaning the national title will go to second-placed Giano Dos Santos, who finished in 58.28 seconds.

Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships action continues in Pietermaritzburg on Friday and runs until Sunday.

Veteran Chad le Clos will make a return to national competition at this week’s Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships at the GC Jolliffe Swimming Pool in Pietermaritzburg.

The 33-year-old former Olympic champion has taken an extended break from competition to recover from a back injury, but will line up KwaZulu-Natal in preparation for one of the World Cup series meets in Carmel, Indiana. The next big target is then the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“My back is feeling good… feeling great. I’m going to be heading to the World Cup afterwards, probably just swimming one leg, we'll see how we go,” said Le Clos.

“I raced a couple of weeks ago in Cape Town… So we'll see if we can build on that and then build for a big Commonwealth next year, big trials next year. By then we'll have a good squad up and running and it’s going to be very exciting, I can't wait.”

Le Clos (Top image) will compete in the 100m freestyle, and the 50m and 100m butterfly at the short course championships, as well as making an unusual foray into backstroke racing, taking on the 50m event.,

“I'll see how those go, and then at the World Cup I'll just kind of see where I'm at with everything,” he added.

Also among those lining up in Pietermaritzburg this week will be newly crowned world junior champion in the 200m butterfly, Kris Mihaylov, and Jessica Thompson, who just missed out on a medal by two hundredths of a second in the 50m backstroke at the same event in Romania.

For Thompson (Pictured below), the SA short course championships are the most exciting of the national events, thanks to the added turns and underwater skills required.

“It's just it's so much more exciting because anyone can pull anything out of the bag,” she said. “You want to swim as many national competitions as possible and just get the experience you need and keep working on your skills, keep refining them and seeing what you need to fix,” added the 18-year-old who will be competing in the 50m butterfly, backstroke and freestyle and the 100m freestyle and backstroke this week.

Asked what her goal is in the KZN capital, Thompson reckoned: “Hopefully get some PBs and just have fun with it, just enjoy swimming again, take the pressure off and just be there.”

Also in the mix this week are sprint breaststrokers, Chris Smith, who reached his first long course world championships final in Singapore this year and Lara van Niekerk – the double Commonwealth Games gold medallist in 2022 who is still on the comeback trail from serious injury.

The championships will run from 25-28 September with morning heats kicking off at 8.30am and evening finals at 5pm.

Photo credit: World Aquatics

Need a quick and convenient pickup point? The PUDO locker at The Local Choice Pharmacy HILTON HEALTH is now up and running!

Whether you're expecting a parcel or sending one, you can now use our store as your Courier Guy PUDO collection and drop-off spot.

Pop in and collect your parcel while you grab your essentials!

We were delighted to host a special Seniors' Luncheon this week, for past pupils from 1949 to 1970. Twelve Old Boys joined us on what proved to be a truly beautiful day on campus, with the mood matching the sunshine.

Our Grade 7s served as waiters, while Grade 5 and 6 pupils surprised our guests with a light-hearted pop quiz about “life in the olden days” at Cowan House. The quiz quickly sparked stories, laughter, and fond memories, making the afternoon both nostalgic and heartwarming. We are so grateful for the unwavering support of our community across the generations, and it was particularly meaningful for our current pupils to share in the wisdom and experiences of our seniors.

Thank you, gents, for visiting us—this occasion looks set to become a firm favourite on our school calendar!

Celebrate 30 years of “My African Dream”, the iconic anthem that captured the spirit of a nation, as Vicky Sampson and Thuba Myeki come together for a unique musical experience titled Next Level: From the Stage to the Heart. This one-night-only performance takes place at The Knoll on Thursday, 2 October 2025 at 19h00.

The powerful production brings together two generations of vocal talent: the legendary Vicky Sampson, whose soulful rendition of My African Dream became a defining moment in South African music history, and Thuba Myeki, the dynamic vocalist and former Idols SA finalist known for his versatility and magnetic stage presence.

A Journey Through Three Decades of Song and Story

Next Level: From the Stage to the Heart is more than a concert—it’s a journey through the soundtrack of South African life over the past three decades. Blending soaring vocals, heartfelt narrative, and evocative visuals, the show explores personal and national moments that shaped the artists’ paths and the music we’ve come to love.

Audiences will be taken on an intimate musical journey, where favourite songs meet behind-the-scenes stories, dreams, lessons learned, and cultural touchstones. The show weaves together the aspirational theme that “Everybody has a Dream,” inspiring audiences from all walks of life.

The duo is being brought to the KZN Midlands by well-known producer, Colin Law. “The energy between Vicky and Thuba is electric and deeply moving,” says local co-producer, Charles Webster. “They don’t just perform—they connect. This is a show that will stay with you long after the final note.”

The collaboration also reflects a full-circle moment. Thuba Myeki was born the very year Vicky Sampson captured South Africa’s imagination with her debut—adding a playful, intergenerational twist to their onstage chemistry.

Following a sold-out performance at the Redhill Arts Festival (#RedFest), where audiences praised the show as “truly superb,” the Midlands now has its chance to experience this unforgettable evening of music and meaning.

 

EVENT DETAILS

Venue: The Knoll

Date: Thursday, 2 October 2025

Time: 19h00 (Doors open 18h00)

Food and beverages available for purchase

Bookings: WhatsApp 082 331 7271

Thuba Myeki and Vicky Sampson in Next Level - YouTube

 

About Vicky Sampson
Vicky Sampson is one of South Africa’s most beloved vocalists, best known for her timeless hit My African Dream, written by Alan Lazar of Mango Groove. A defining anthem in post-apartheid South Africa, her voice continues to inspire hope and unity.

About Thuba Myeki
Thuba Myeki first won hearts as a top 11 finalist on Idols SA in 2009. Known for his genre-spanning vocal range and engaging stage presence, he brings fresh energy and contemporary flair to every performance.

Reporting crimes to your local SAPS
Please report any crime, no matter how small, to your local SAPS and Security Service Provider. If you have items stolen it is important that you open a case and get a CAS number. Reporting crime to the South African Police Services is very important.

KSS Staff are happy to support and guide you through the process.

The SAPS will open a case docket and investigate the crime, effecting arrests of suspects and presenting the case to courts for prosecution.

The Process:
When a person has been a victim of crime, they can contact the police by dialing 10111 or visit their nearest Police Station. If a Police Official attends the crime scene, they will obtain a statement from the complainant and witnesses if possible.

The Police Official will then go to the Police Station and register the case in the SAPS Crime Administration System (CAS) and give the complainant the reference which is called a CAS number.

The complainant must ensure that he/she retains this CAS number as a reference for future enquiries regarding the criminal case.

If the complainant visits the local Police Station to report the crime, they will be attended to in the Community Service Centre by a Police Official. The Police Official will first interview and then take a statement from the complainant and register the reported crime into the CAS file.

The complainant will then be given a CAS number which must be used for all enquiries regarding the reported criminal case.

The completed case docket is then allocated to a Police Detective who will carry out the investigation and all enquiries can then be directed to this detective.

The Detective in charge of the particular case will complete the investigation and present the docket to the relevant court for prosecution.

The complainant will be notified by the Detective when he/she is to attend the court hearings.

The local SAPS contact numbers are:
Radio Control (Hilton) 10111
SAPS Howick 033 239 9340 / 033 239 9320 / 033 3304104
SAPS Mpophomeni 033 238 0078
SAPS Hilton 033 845 6521
SAPS Boston 033 997 1721 / 039 832 0007
SAPS Nottingham Road 033 266 6713
SAPS Town Hill 033 845 7789 / 033 845 7790
Flying Squad (Hilton) 033 845 6500
Stock Theft 082 411 6466

There are many local organisations, Security Service Providers, NHW groups and community members trying to make a difference and reduce crime. Please play your part by reporting crimes responsibly and opening cases with SAPS so that all these efforts are not in vain. Please also be sensible and responsible about your use of social media when reporting crimes.

You can also contact Knight Security Solutions 24/7 on 033 330 5911.

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Hunter Kennedy launches his latest single, “Waiting for Maria”- the Fokofpolisiekar and Die Heuwels Fantasties lyricist trades his usual existential edge for something more intimate: the hope, purpose, and meaning awakened in the quiet, anxious days before becoming a father.

A Lighter Shade of Hunter Kennedy: New Single Marks Emotional Shift

Fatherhood can turn life’s biggest questions into clear answers. For South African singer-songwriter Hunter Kennedy, that moment came while waiting for his daughter to be born. In his latest single, “Waiting for Maria”, the Fokofpolisiekar and Die Heuwels Fantasties lyricist trades his usual existential edge for something more intimate: the hope, purpose, and meaning awakened in the quiet, anxious days before becoming a father.

Hunter came to a realisation that becoming a father awakened his purpose – after years of trying to find meaning – and in one pivotal moment, understanding emerged. Yet he carries a raw, fundamental uncertainty into the next chapter of his life, where his drive to be a good father collides with his longing to be loved in return.

He realises their lives are intertwined, and they will experience the journey together. At the same time, he shoulders the responsibility of preparing – not sheltering – her for what lies ahead.

“I wrote the chorus while I was sitting in the hospital waiting area after she was born,” says Kennedy. “It struck me that I’d probably be waiting for her for the rest of my life – outside school, outside a house party, even at my deathbed. And in that moment, all of life just made sense.”

“After ten years in the making, Fred Den Hartog (long-time producer/collaborator and Die Heuwels Fantasties member) and I first produced the song in a pop, almost hip-hop vibe, but when we stripped it down, it felt more honest,” he says. “It’s the most basic form – and somehow the most truthful.

This creative shift mirrors the life changes that inspired it, adding colour to his work – a lighter emotional shade compared to his usual style, which is often existential, satirical and sometimes “just downright weird”, he admits.

“Funnily enough the song isn’t really about Maria,” he laughs. “It’s about the changes her arrival unlocked in me. Maybe she’ll get it when she has children.”

The lyrics are thoughtful, warmly sentimental and surprisingly upbeat – a song his daughter may look back on with a knowing smile.

This single is sure to resonate with people who recognise and share in those small spaces, those between moments, waiting for those you love.

“Without knowing it, I had been waiting for her all my life,” he reflects. “I know people say it’s risky to make your kid your sole purpose - what happens when they grow up and leave? – but right now, it works for me. Being a dad and exploring the world through a child’s lens is probably the most fun I’m having at the moment. I dunno. Fight me.”

With “Waiting for Maria,” Kennedy offers more than a song – he offers a reminder: in the layered quiet between life’s milestones, there is beauty, purpose, and meaning to be found. It’s in these fleeting pauses, where the vastness of existence meets the intimacy of small, precious moments, that the song finds its heartbeat.

Follow @hunterkennedy.music and click to pre-save - Waiting for Maria now!

https://ffm.to/waitingformaria

Hunter’s close friend and Fokofpolisiekar band member, Francois van Coke, was so taken with the song that he encouraged Hunter to release it and perform it live for the first time at Francois van Coke & Vriende, held at SunBet Arena in Pretoria on 3 October 2025.

Photo credit: Margot Rothman

Jessica Thompson added two more gold medals to her haul as Lara van Niekerk showed glimpses of her old self on day three of the Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday.

Thompson (Top image) has already collected three national titles at these championships and added two more on Saturday, in the 50m freestyle, which she won in 24.19 seconds, just five hundredths of a second off the national record, and the 100m backstroke in 58.34 seconds.

“I think in the 50, you don’t have time to think – that’s the beauty about the races. It’s more just trusting in your training and you can’t think about it – your body goes into autopilot,” said the Johannesburg swimmer.

Speaking about racing national short course record holder Cailtin de Lange, who finished second in the freestyle in 24.65, Thompson added: “Caitlin is such an incredible swimmer, especially in the sprint free event so swimming against her I knew I had to be on my best game, top form and it was really nice having her next to me so I could get that extra push.”

Meanwhile, after a year of battling back from injury, illness and numerous disappointments, Van Niekerk (Image below) looked to be in a much happier place as she added the 50m breaststroke title to the 100m gold she won on the opening day of competition. The 22-year-old took the win in a time of 30.04 seconds and while she was hoping for a sub-30-second time, she said afterwards: “I can just take this as a positive. It’s faster than I went at worlds last year, so it’s baby steps. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so we’re getting there.”

As for the mental aspect, the double Commonwealth Games champion added: “I’ve just got back to why I started swimming in the beginning and I’m really enjoying it again. I love going to training every day and at least I’m enjoying racing again. There was a stage last year where I was scared of racing, so it’s good. It means I’m improving as a person and I’m getting back there.”

Chris Smith took the men’s 50m backstroke title in 26.31 seconds, but said afterwards, he wasn’t expecting too much more from himself in terms of the time.

“I think it was good, especially for this time of year. It’s a bit more than half a second away from my personal best time, but overall I’m happy,” he said afterwards.

In the absence of Chad le Clos, Tai Pearson finally got his hands on two gold medals on Saturday – in the 100m backstroke and 200m individual medley. He took the win in the 100m backstroke in 53.29 seconds and followed that up with the IM gold in 2:01.49.

After several second places to the returning Le Clos, Pearson admitted he was pleased to finally have topped the podium.

“It’s been hard the past two days racing Chad in my events because I’m a butterfly swimmer, and freestyle, so I came second in three events and he came first, so I’m really happy with getting the double now,” said the 18-year-old. “It was a tough one, so the legs are definitely hurting.”

Duné Coetzee returned to winning ways in the 400m freestyle, winning in a time of 4 minutes 11.38 seconds. Having recently moved back to Pretoria after finishing her studies in the USA, the 23-year-old has been pleased with her progress.

“I’ve only been swimming with Rocco [Meiring] for about two months, so I’m really happy with all my solid performances… This meet was just kind of to see where I’m at and what we need to do in training, so I’m very happy,” she said.

The men’s 400m freestyle title went to Matthew Caldwell, who won in 3:48.47.

Keira van Heerden made a return to the podium, completing an individual medley double, adding to her 400m IM gold by holding off a fast-finishing Georgia Els to win the 200m event in 2:14.79.

And there was a first-ever national title for Armand Landmann, who won the 50m freestyle in 22.09 seconds.

The Bombela Concession Company SA National (25m) Championships in Pietermaritzburg will come to an end on Sunday.

Team South Africa continued to show impressive form at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore on Friday.

Nathan Hendricks (Top image) just missed out on a medal in the S13 400m freestyle for visually impaired swimmers, finishing fourth in 4 minutes 15.28 seconds. Gold was claimed by Russian Egor Shchitkovskii in a time of 4:02.14.

“Last night I swam the 50 free so it was quite a tight turnaround to the 400 free this morning, being the first event,” he explained afterwards. “So this morning was me just trying to make certain I made the final, and then in the final it was just go guns blazing and see how I do. I left everything in the pool, so I was very chuffed with this race.”

As for the position he finished, Hendricks added: “I was quite chuffed with the placing, coming fourth. I was quite happy with that. Time-wise, I’m OK with it, I could do a lot better but now I know what I can work on, especially more into the swim and the turns because the turns weren’t too great, but I can definitely work on those and get better.”

Meanwhile, after already securing three medals at these championships, Christian Sadie (Image below) once again went quicker than ever before, setting a new African record in the S7 50m freestyle. The 27-year-old finished in a time of 28.70 seconds to finish fifth in the final, with the gold once again going to Ukrainian Andrii Trusov in 27.98 seconds.

“Today went quite well overall. The 50 free is always a fun one. I think it’s just a splash and dash and small technical things need to go right, and execution needs to be good,” said Sadie.

“I think in the morning, the swimming was really good, but there were some small technical things that I got really wrong,” he added.

“It was a good time, but for what I knew I should have been doing, maybe not as great as we could have had. But in the evening we fixed up all of those things. The technical stuff was a lot better and execution was also a lot better, so overall I feel like it was really good in the morning and we were able to improve in the evening as well.”

After also progressing through their morning heats of the S13 400m freestyle, Alani Ferreira finished seventh in the final in 4 minutes 56.05 seconds, while Danika Vyncke was eighth in the same race in 5:05.55.

The World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore come to an end on Saturday, 27 September.

Dreaming of a brighter future for your child?

One of the most enjoyable stepping stones is fostering a love of books and reading—right from the earliest years. Early exposure to books brings far-reaching benefits: richer vocabulary, stronger reading and learning skills, even better maths. It also increases the chances of finishing school and studying further.

And let’s not forget the joy—parents and children bonding over stories, laughter, and imagination.

As we dream of brighter futures, we dream with open eyes… and open books.

More from iThemba Projects

As part of a Grade 7 Creative Art project during term 3, pupils set out to create clay models of a person either holding or playing a musical instrument or participating in a sport. After a lesson on planning, discussing different techniques and ‘tricks’ the building started. The Grade 7 pupils thoroughly enjoyed the activity, learning some key life lessons about resilience and not giving up on an idea.

 

Celebrate a birthday and Spring with Style De Vie!

 

SEPTEMBER BIRTHDAY MONTH SPECIALS 2025
Pedicure
30min Back massage

R730 

30min Back massage
30min Reflexolgy

R600

60min Sports massage
30min Reflexology

R750

 

Book on 072 891 3294

Paying it forward, the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge aims to make a difference to more than those who are able to participate in the popular annual regional hockey tournament that travels around KwaZulu Natal.

Growing the grassroots of hockey was always the vision for Tournament Director, Les Galloway, of Schoolgirls’ Sport, together with SPAR KZN whose passion aligned. Fifteen incredible years since the initial dream to support schoolgirls' hockey came to life with the birth of the SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge, the ripple effect is now reaching those in more remote areas, and making a difference.

This year, the team from SPAR KZN led by Nomfundo Shezi and Mfanelo Ntanzi, with Galloway travelled to Khwezi Primary School in the Sobantu Community Development in Pietermaritzburg to meet up with Enzo Ntshangase who is the driving force behind the phenomenal sports programme in the area.

Through the tournament that travels to ten areas in KwaZulu-Natal, the challenge was able to appeal to participating schools to donate their unused equipment. What started off in 2023 as a humble donation by a few players, has now snowballed into a significant offering of sticks, shoes, balls and other hockey gear.

‘Enzo's passion to grow hockey at grass roots is truly inspirational and there is some amazing talent coming through in spite of their lack of adequate facilities. We felt privileged to have visited him on site for this handover today.’ Galloway recounted.

‘It takes a village! We are tremendously appreciative by the generosity of others,” says SPAR KZN Advertising & Sponsorship Manager, Nozipho Mkhize. “Because of this vision, and the paying it forward passion of the players in the tournament, we hope to ignite the next generation of young hockey players. We thank everyone that has contributed and made a difference. And thanks to Enzo for his incredible hard work.”

Included in the donation was the beautiful act of kindness by Ashton International College’s Matthew Sanders who collected 60 hockey sticks, 80 balls and five bags to gift to Galloway’s initiative on behalf of SPAR KZN.

“We would whole-heartedly like to thank every individual and team that contributed to our drive and especially this young man Matthew for his effort in bringing in this ‘haul’.’ a delighted Mkhize stated.

The SPAR KZN Schoolgirls’ Hockey Challenge hopes to continue this goodwill in the coming years, reaching more young players and continuing to make an impact through sport.

Pictured at the handover of pre-loved equipment at Khwezi Primary School are Les Galloway (Schoolgirls’ Sports); Nomfundo Shezi (Sponsorship Controller and Events for SPAR KZN) and Enzo Ntshangase from the Sobantu Community Development programme.

Where can you meet with friends, enjoy great music in a beautiful environment with roaring fires, hearty food and a cash bar – all for just R50? Music in The Hills (MiTH) at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm in Hilton every second Wednesday! Your best bet for an affordable, soul-stirring

MiTH 24 September 2025 – HERITAGE DAY!

Venue: The Knoll Historic Guest Farm

Entrance: R50.00 (Cash or Zapper at the Door)

Info: 082 331 7271

MiTH on 24 September will be dedicated to our country’s rich heritage of stories and a palette of music reflecting our own MiTH community.

The Living Years Project

Our main act for the evening, The Living Years Project, is the brainchild of local psychologist (and music lover), Clive Willows, who will grace the MiTH stage for the first time ever. Clive brings a personal story from a songbook that reflects relationships between family and friends. These are words we have heard, and sung, and which we live out with parents, children, siblings and friends. He has roped in his friends, Brian Bedingfield, Ilan Lax, Huyton Watts, and Grace Botha, to weave the words into a musical tapestry; expressing feelings of gratitude and personal heritage in our living years.

Heritage IRL

The rest of the evening will be sprinkled with four of the Midlands’ favourite parent/child groupings, namely the Bedingfields, Bothas, Reids, and Websters – each bringing you a 15-minute taste of deep familial favourites. These promise to be off-the-beaten-track, delicious, artsy and eclectic, rather than the usual mix you’ll hear played elsewhere.

A Communal Crescendo

MiTH’s Heritage Day evening will be topped with a collaboration by the whole gang – The Living Years Project and Heritage IRL. There will be harmony. There will be melody. But mostly there will be soul, musical heritage and a lot of warm fuzzy. This MiTH won’t be quite like any other you’ve ever experienced. Just. Be. There.

ABOUT MiTH

KZN Midlands’ favourite music venue! MiTH is a platform for beginners, pros, and music lovers to celebrate the joy of music. Every second Wednesday at The Knoll Historic Guest Farm, Hilton. Food and soft drinks for sale. Cash bar available.

Visit www.mith.co.za for more info or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to perform.

DIRECTIONS TO MiTH

Take the N3 to Hilton. Turn into Hilton Village and drive 5.2km along Hilton Avenue, which becomes Dennis Shepstone Drive. Look for Knoll Drive on your right; the entrance to MiTH is the second left into The Knoll Historic Guest Farm.

Fresh deals, fresh taste!

Rotunda Farm Stall offers Free delivery to Hilton, Howick & Midlands.

Pensioners enjoy 5% off on Tues & Wed!

Specials valid Wed–Sun, 17–21 Sept (while stocks last).

 

World Water Monitoring Day - why communities must get involved

The 18th of September is World Water Monitoring Day, held each year to promote public awareness around the importance of water quality by involving communities in water testing and monitoring.

“Community participation is essential to preserving this precious but scarce resource, without which we cannot survive,” says Dr Lester Goldman, Chief Executive Officer of the Water Institute of Southern Africa (WISA).

However, says Goldman, ongoing training and capacity building among all stakeholders is critical to ensuring South Africa manages water demand meaningfully and effectively.

Water scarcity in SA

Stats SA estimates that South Africa’s population in 2025 is 63.1 million people. By 2040, that figure is projected at 74 million and by 2050, just over 79 million. Although the population continues to expand, the country’s water supply does not.

According to the World Bank, while each Icelandic person had 456,351 cubic metres of water available to them in 2021, each South African had only 728 cubic metres.

“Our water is a fixed sum and can only be preserved through protection of water sources, conservative use and heavy recycling, all of which take concerted effort by municipalities and the public alike,” says Goldman.

The good news is that targeted training and capacity building that engage communities has already shown results in several past projects.

Good examples

Water projects in Mogale, Emfuleni and Khayelitsha each enlisted the help of their communities to build capacity and achieved outstanding results through training and workshops.

In Mogale City, the Demand Management Training Programme addressed the municipality’s skills shortages by training twelve unemployed and indigent youths - especially women - as water demand managers. These individuals were taught various skills, such as leak detection, data logging, meter reading and installation, control valve maintenance, and more. The result was improved capacity, better skills and job creation.

The Emfuleni Leakage Reduction Project was created to address abnormal consumption due to the overuse of hosepipes and sprinklers by residents. The municipality hired and trained 51 Water Services Assessors and two Water Services Assessor Coordinators, and implemented schools’ awareness, community awareness and water wise gardening programmes. This resulted in better reporting of water and sanitation problems, allowing municipal capacity to be allocated more effectively.

In Khyelitsha, the main source of leakage was identified as damage to low-cost housing plumbing fittings by the high-pressure water supply. Residents could neither afford to repair the constant leaks nor foot the bill for the wasted water. A Pressure Management Project saw the construction of a pressure management installation to reduce excessive pressure using local labour, the training of two municipal personnel to maintain and operate the installation, and the participation of the community in making the project a success. The programme saves more than nine million cubic metres of water per year, amounting to R27 million per annum.

“These projects show the importance of community involvement, but they can only succeed through good leadership and professional expertise,” says Goldman.

The need for professionalisation

Professionalisation in municipality water planning, management and operations ensure that communities are dealt with ethically and competently.

“Professionalisation is a core driver of capacity building and training because those implementing efficiency programmes and passing skills down to communities have proven themselves compliant with law and recognised standards of competence and practice,” says Goldman.

WISA makes itself available to municipalities across South Africa to build professionalisation in the water industry.

“This can ensure that more of these projects are initiated and concluded successfully for effective water demand management and the preservation of our most precious resource,” says Goldman.

Sources:

https://www.dws.gov.za/Projects/WorldWaterMonitoringDay/default.aspx
https://www.statssa.gov.za/?p=18613
https://data.who.int/countries/710
https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/ER.H2O.INTR.PC?name_desc=false
https://wisa.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/WISA2010-P141.pdf