Sunday, 9 August 2026

Balessa Caddy said taking over the National Arts Festival was a “homecoming”, and set out plans to grow the Makanda event as an economic engine for the Eastern Cape’s tourism and creative sectors.

Joanne Selby said the revamped Intercontinental Table Bay kept its Cape Town identity while adding space, service training and local touches such as fynbos, protea and mountain-facing guest experiences.

Cape Town will host the inaugural Marimba World Championships on 15 and 16 August at St Cyprian’s School, with more than a thousand musicians from South Africa and neighbouring countries expected to take part.

Heart Matters’ founders argued that emotional learning should sit alongside academics, with parents and schools helping children learn self-awareness, empathy, conflict management and social skills from an early age.