Good News

BULLETIN 17 April 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Government has welcomed the recent findings by Intelpoint Research, which rank South Africa as the second most literate country in African, with an adult literacy rate of 95-percent. This research is based on the percentage of the population aged 15 years and older who are able to read and write. Seychelles are ranked number one at 95.9-percent literacy. Government spokesperson Nonkululeko Mtshali says this remarkable achievement stands as a testament to the effectiveness of the government’s progressive education policies:

# Tshwane University of Technology’s third-year Integrated Communication Design student, Mufaro Ncube, has won the ROTOCON Wine Label Design competition for 2025. The competition challenges students to develop innovative, cutting-edge wine label designs. Ncube’s winning design is called The Point, and is influenced by the topographical map of Cape Town, which is highlighted by the die-cut on the design. The 21-year-old has won 30-thousand-rand in prize money, and will also be honoured at WineLand Media’s 30 Under 30 Awards in May.

# The Groote Schuur Hospital Trust in Cape Town has launched an Emergency Surgery Project to boost resources and improve trauma care. The trust aims to add 70 emergency theatre slots annually, targeting weekends and public holidays to manage peak trauma cases. If successful, around 200 extra emergency surgeries could be performed. The trust has already raised just over 300-thousand-rand through donations, to fund the first three months of the project. An additional 1.86-million-rand is need to allow the project to be sustained beyond June.

# Actress and director Campbell Meas from Johannesburg is the winner of the 2025 National Playwright Competition with her play Vakavigwa (Burials/They were buried). The competition, facilitated by the National Arts Festival, is designed to amplify the voices of emerging playwrights countrywide. The judges say Vakavigwa is a gripping and ambitious work that exemplifies the evolution of contemporary theatre. Meas’ play will premiere at the National Arts Festival in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape in June.

# And finally: Comedian Nate Bargatze will host the 77th Emmy Awards from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles on September 14th. In 2024, he was the highest-earning stand-up comedian, having sold 1.2-million tickets. Bargatze has released six stand-up specials to date, with the most recent being Your Friend, Nate Bargatze on Netflix. Bargatze says it is a huge honour to be asked to host such an iconic awards show, and he is beyond excited to create a night that can be enjoyed by families around the world.

Stay tuned for more news………….