Good News

BULLETIN 7 August 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# Ninety-year-old Caspar Greeff has earned his Bachelor of Commerce in Accountancy from the University of Johannesburg. Once an actuary, Greeff embraced online learning, overcoming tech challenges with help from lecturers and his daughter. He’s now a symbol of perseverance and lifelong education showing it’s never too late to learn. UJ says his achievement highlights the power of inclusive academic opportunities. Greeff says discipline and curiosity are the secrets to success at any age.

# University of Fort Hare lecturer, Ntokozo Happy Msiza, was named among Sunday World’s 2025 Unsung Heroes in Academia and Education. The recognition honours South Africans making impactful contributions in their respective spaces. Msiza founded a registered an agricultural consultation company, PhahlaLwendlu Farming. She also champions representation and gender equity in science. The university says Msiza’s recognition affirms her influence as a scholar, innovator, and entrepreneur, reshaping agriculture and inspiring women in science.

# Tshwane University of Technology’s Pharmaceutical Scientist and PhD candidate, Rethabile Moshoeshoe-Molapisane, is gaining recognition in public health policy and grassroots advocacy. TUT says her pioneering research on substandard and falsified medicines is influencing national health regulation. Meanwhile, her work with autism support in township communities is bringing hope and education to families in need. Moshoeshoe-Molapisane was recently named a finalist in the Ideal Positive Impact Leader category at the upcoming Young Leaders Connect and was selected as one of the 31 Women of Impact 2025.

# Applications are now open for the curated programme of the 52nd National Arts Festival in Makhanda in the Eastern Cape for next year. The programme assembles some of the country’s most exciting award-winning talent alongside global works and edgy genre-bending experiences. This year’s curated programme included Cape Ballet Africa’s triple bill SALT, the UK’s Action Hero’s theatre work The Talent, and Rehane Abrahams’ new work The Fugue of Tjebolang. Artists, producers, and creative practitioners are encouraged to apply by the third of October.

# And finally: MasterChef has returned to TV screens with the launch of a new series that was filmed before hosts Gregg Wallace and John Torode were sacked over allegations against them. The BBC decided to still show this year’s amateur series, but it faced backlash from some groups saying bad behaviour should not be rewarded with prime-time coverage. There are fewer jokes and less chat between the hosts and the chefs. One of the contestants has also been edited out after asking for the new series not to be broadcast.

Stay tuned for more news………….