Good News

BULLETIN 32 January

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# The National Arts Festival’s former CEO, Tony Lankester, has been appointed as new CEO of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society in Scotland. He spent twelve years running the festival in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape, broadening the festival by increasing its global footprint by touring multiple productions to Fringe Festivals in Australia, the UK, the USA, and across Europe. The society’s chairperson, Benny Higgins, says as they build towards the organisation’s 80th anniversary year, Lankester’s leadership will be key in ensuring its long-term sustainability.

# Innovative research projects by two young South African scientists earned global recognition at the 2025 Taiwan International Science Fair. Over 600 young scientists from 27 countries competed in the fair. Fifteen-year-old Aradhya Kaushik from Bryanston High School in Johannesburg, and 14-year-old Joanna Swanepoel from C&N Sekondêre Meisieskool Oranje in Bloemfontein won prizes in their categories. Aradhya’s project provides an efficient solution for service providers to gain actionable insights from customer sentiments. Joanna’s project demonstrates how South Africa is committed to addressing global challenges with scientific solutions.

# Charity organisation Chefs with Compassion has celebrated a milestone by providing over 7.5-million meals to food-insecure communities across South Africa. The initiative has also rescued nearly two-million tons of food that would have gone to waste. Founded in May 2020, CWC operates through a network of chefs, cooks, and community caterers, that feed thousands of people weekly. The organisation’s Mark Wilson says with food security at its lowest in over a decade, the need for feeding programmes is greater than ever.

# A new foal, born three weeks ago, has blended with the Cape mountain zebra herd at De Hoop Nature Reserve in the Western Cape’s Overberg. This exciting arrival coincides with International Zebra Day celebrated today. The day highlights the need to protect zebra species. CapeNature’s conservation efforts have seen the population of this once-endangered species steadily growing. A recent aerial survey showed over 100 Cape mountain zebras across De Hoop and the Overberg Test Range. Meanwhile, visitors are urged to observe the wildlife respectfully.

# And finally: The City of Cape Town’s Central Library is celebrating 70 years of page-turning service to patrons around the metro. The library was founded in December 1954 and officially opened its doors to the public in January 1955. It holds over 200-thousand items, with a significant portion dedicated to African literature and materials in Afrikaans, isiXhosa, and English. Mayoral committee member for Community Services and Health, Francine Higham, says the library is a hub of activity and a sanctuary for curious minds:

Stay tuned for more news………….