Spar Superstars BRM 2026

SIX-YEAR-OLD Likhanye Mgobhozi has made her family and Port Natal School proud after being crowned International Miss South Africa 2025 Queen which earned a spot in the International Miss Pageant in the USA.
She was crowned in the four to six years age category of the pageant, International Miss South Africa (IMSA) which was held at Vodaworld in September 2025.
“She emerged victorious against contestants from across the country and proudly took home the national crown in her division,” said school management.
Following her achievement, Likhanye earned herself the honour of representing South Africa at the International Miss Pageant in Denver, Colorado, USA last weekend.
“Likhanye’s journey is an inspiration to children everywhere, proving that determination, confidence, and hard work can lead to extraordinary opportunities.”

A selection to the KZN Provincial Netball team is propelling one 12-year-old learner at Curro Heritage to limitless heights. Not only does she ‘extremely’ enjoy the sport, but she is winning!
Aliana Maharaj dominates the courts in both indoor and outdoor U12 netball. It has only been two years of dedicated playing that has garnered her recent success. “I am really working hard to improve my studies. Although netball is my first love, my academics at this point in my life must take centre stage,” Aliana said.
She is currently playing for the school’s boys’ cricket team as well, having made her mark in the past in swimming, badminton, boys’ soccer, and hockey.
She foresees a future career in netball, “playing overseas against different clubs and countries”. She reckons the Olympics would seal the dream.

ST JAMES Primary School head boy Wandile Khumalo is inspiring hope among the student body with his positive thinking.
The Grade Seven learner is a great believer in hope, positivity, and in “trusting that you can do more than you think you can”.
“Hope means not giving up when things get hard. If you believe and keep trying, you can achieve what you set your mind to.”
Applying this mentality, Wandile was selected as the head boy of St James.
Wandile said, “When you have hope, you feel stronger and more confident. It reminds you to always try your best, no matter what.”

NABIL Bejia of Clifton College has been selected for the SA U18 Water Polo Team that will participate in the Men’s U18 World Aquatics Water Polo Championships in Rio Maior, Portugal, from June 27 to July 4. Nabil is just 16 years of age and is also a provincial and 1st team hockey player as well as a College Ambassador. The school shared, “We are exceptionally proud of this incredible young all-rounder.”
The event features 20 qualifying national teams from across the globe. Bejia will make his mark in Group E, which consists of South Africa, Greece, and Australia.

HER eyes are set on playing for the SPAR Proteas and beyond, improving her game from humble beginnings to world stages.
Zanele Bock, a Grade 12 learner at George Campbell School of Technology, has been playing netball since she was seven years old, and the results of her journey are showing.
She was recently selected for provincial trials, and she admits that although she didn’t bag the spot for colours, she did extremely well and reached the second round. Her GA position has seen her score countless goals for her school team, raking in medals and trophies along the way, capping all the glittering ornaments with player of the match accolades.
The 17-year-old juggles a stressful academic calendar with the netball court, and has been in the top 10 achievers in the first semester. “I could always do better in my studies; however, sometimes the book load is too much this matric year,” she admits.
This 2026 prefect reckons, “If netball does not take all my time, I would like to study towards a bachelor’s degree in engineering, towards a qualification as an Internet of Things (IoT) Developer.
The Glenmore resident had her hands spread in choir singing as well, but netball is one of the occupations that has taught her a lot. “Netball has taught me to be calmer, even in the face of loss. It has shaped my competitive nature, and has allowed me to depend on others, and teamwork to achieve goals, literally,” Bock said.
Zanele is eagerly looking forward to display her crafts in the upcoming indoor netball school term.

YOUNG vocalist Kate Fobo is hitting all the right notes after achieving a distinction in her Trinity College London Grade Six Singing Examination recently.
The Maris Stella School learner earned an impressive 96%, a result that drew praise from her teachers and supporters. Reflecting on the achievement, Kate said one of the biggest challenges in singing is not the technical aspects, but conveying the emotion behind a song.
“In vocal coaching, it’s really easy to note bass, work on vocal technique, breath control, etc. But tapping into the emotion of the song isn’t something that my vocal teacher can tell me how to do.
“A lot of the songs handle things like depression, heartbreak, and even grief, which are all very heavy topics, and so I have to find a way to express my own emotions through the piece without taking away from the meaning of what is being sung about.”
Despite her struggles with balancing her singing and other commitments, Kate says practise comes naturally. “I find that whenever I have free time, it’s almost instinctive to pull out my music file and practise my singing.”
Among her favourite pieces is the song Somewhere from the musical West Side Story. “The song is about the hope of two lovers and their want for a place and a time where they can be in love freely without judgement or fear.”
Looking to the future, Kate dreams of performing alongside Grammy Award-winning artist H.E.R. “Her music is very soulful and emotional. Everything down to the way she produces her songs feels very authentic to the feelings being portrayed in the music,” said Kate.

AT just 15 years old, Sanaa Habiba Nakooda from Orient Islamic School is making waves in the volleyball world after an outstanding performance in the Westville Volleyball League.
Sanaa recently received three individual awards in the U19 division: Best Server, Best Attacker, and Most Valuable Player (MVP). While the accolades recognise her exceptional talent and dedication, Sanaa remains humble about her success.
“Winning these awards means more than trophies to me,” she said. “It shows that hard work and trusting my team pay off. We won together, and I couldn’t have achieved this without my amazing teammates.”
Nakooda’s volleyball journey began in 2019 when she was in Grade Three. As an energetic youngster who loved staying active, she participated in several sports before discovering her passion for volleyball. Today, the sport has become an important part of her life.
Balancing academics with training sessions and competitive matches is no easy task, but Sanaa credits discipline and effective time management for helping her stay on track. “I use any free time I have to study and complete my work,” she explained.
One of her most memorable volleyball moments came during the 2025 AISJ Johannesburg Tournament. Their efforts paid off when they unexpectedly claimed victory in the final.
Sanaa attributes much of her growth and success to her coaches, Ayabukwa Ngubelanga, Busi Maposa, and Aneesah Loonat. She also expressed gratitude to her parents and family, whose encouragement, support, and sacrifices have helped her pursue her passion for the sport.
Her advice to aspiring athletes is simple: “Be loud, stay consistent, believe in yourself, and take every opportunity, even if it feels impossible.”
Looking ahead, Sanaa hopes to play volleyball at university level, compete in the USSA Tournament, and ultimately represent South Afica on the global stage.

DURBAN High School cricket captain Joshua van Biljon has hit another massive milestone in the sport, having been called up to the SA U19 squad.
Joshua will soon travel to England with the team which includes former DHS 1st XI captain Bayanda Majola (Class of 2025), proving the school’s prowess in the sport.
“We are ecstatic, excited, beaming and incredibly proud,” said the school management.
The junior Proteas will compete in three Youth One-Day Internationals (YODIs) from June 30 to July 6, followed by two unofficial test matches from July 10 to 20 across England. Joshua is among the five uncapped players that are part of the squad.
Having an incredible year so far, Joshua recently celebrated reaching the rare milestone of earning 100 caps for DHS 1st XI. Reaching 100 caps at school level is widely regarded as a significant feat, reflecting not only talent but durability, discipline, and sustained performance in the sport.
School management praised the accomplishment as a moment of pride for the institution and for the wider cricketing community.
“Again, we simply cannot express enough how proud we are of the two of you,” said management.
The squad convened for a camp at the Centre of Excellence in Pretoria ahead of their departure to England on June 22.