Good News

BULLETIN 11 August

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# South African director Ryan Kruger’s outrageous sci-fi horror comedy Street Trash is now in local cinemas. A loose sequel to the 1987 cult classic by the same name, the movie is set in dystopian Cape Town in 2050, where homeless misfits uncover a plot to liquify the poor with a mysterious chemical known only as “V.” The film has wowed global festival audiences, including in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland. The film features an all-South African cast including Sean Cameron Michael, Donna Cormack-Thomson, and Alex Joe Vaz.

And in more movie news, New Line’s mystery horror Weapons won over critics and audiences alike at the weekend, as it debuted at number one in the North American box office. The movie starring Julia Garner and Josh Brolin is about a group of missing children. Disney’s Freakier Friday starring Lindsay Lohan and Jamie Lee Curtis premiered at number two. Disney and Marvel’s superhero film The Fantastic Four: First Steps dropped to third. Universal and DreamWorks Animation’s The Bad Guys 2 and Paramount’s The Naked Gun rounded out the top five.

# North-West University senior lecturer, Moleboheng Mokhele-Ramulumo, has been selected as one of the finalists in South Africa’s Forty Under 40 leaders for 2025 in the Education category. The awards aim to celebrate 40 South African leaders under the age of 40 who demonstrate impact through leadership and innovation. The university says a key project that contributed to Mokhele-Ramulumo’s recognition is ReneWable Rangers, which introduces early learners to renewable energy through storytelling, play and cultural relevance. The project is disability-adaptive, multilingual and inspired by her personal experiences with her sons.

# The Tshwane Tourism Association says preparations for the Tshwane Tourism Awards, set to be held on Saturday, are progressing well. The awards honour outstanding tourism products including hotels, attractions, conference and events venues. This year’s theme is Welcome to the Wildest Capital City in the World. The association’s chairperson, Susan Marais, says the awards focus on recognising excellence across four key pillars. These are Community Contribution and Sustainability, Internal Environment and Team Culture, Industry Collaboration and Engagement, and Business Growth and Improvement.

# And finally: Researchers from Stellenbosch University have developed a South African version of an augmentative and alternative communication tool for Afrikaans-speaking children with speech challenges. It includes pictures or symbols that children can point to. Partnering with Tobii Dynavox, the team adapted symbols and words to reflect local realities. Project leader Juan Bornman says it’s about giving every child a voice, making communication inclusive, with plans to expand into other South African languages.

Stay tuned for more news………….