Spar Superstars HWM 2026

WESTVILLE Senior Primary School’s SPAR Star of the Month Malandiswe “Landi” Masinga combines academic excellence with remarkable achievements in sport, the creative arts and community involvement.
Sport has been a particularly significant part of Landi’s school journey. Her peers voted her as the Athletics Captain of her house. Since Grade Four, she has competed annually in high jump, long jump and shot put, winning all three field events every year. At this year’s Inter-House Athletics event, Landi won every track and field event in which she competed, earning her the Victrix Ludorum trophy with a 100% success rate.
Landi is equally accomplished on the netball court. A member of the First Team netball squad, she has been named ‘Player of the Tournament’ at several tournaments. She also participates in cricket, cross-country, hockey and touch rugby. Her sporting versatility was further recognised when she was recently selected for the U13A KZN Touch Rugby team, which she will represent on tour soon.
The Grade Seven learner also has a passion for the creative arts and has been cast in one of the larger roles in this year’s school production. Her artistic talent is also evident in her artwork, which has been selected for exhibition at the school’s annual art exhibition each year.
Landi is also a member of the ‘Sprouts’ Club, where learners develop landscaping skills, work in the school garden and participate in community projects, including rubbish clean-ups. In her spare time, she enjoys crochet and is currently working towards starting her own small crochet business, which she plans to promote at the school’s Market Day next term.
She credits her parents as her greatest role models. She said they have always supported and encouraged her, while teaching her the importance of hard work and perseverance.

HIGHBURY Preparatory School recently hosted the annual Abigility Maths Competition, an event that saw the participation of 180 learners competing within their respective age groups and levels.
The competition challenged each child to complete their paper in just three minutes, testing their speed, accuracy, confidence, and concentration under pressure.
Zachariah Nobin, a Grade One learner from Star College, demonstrated exceptional dedication and skill throughout his journey and has been named SPAR Star of the Month.
Over the past year, Zachariah has learned valuable lessons beyond quick calculations. He discovered that consistent practise, learning from mistakes, and perseverance are key to improvement.
Expressing his excitement, Zachariah’s first words after receiving his award were, “Tell Mrs (Shannon) Boorman I won my competition!”
“Congratulations on your outstanding performance Zac. Your determination, confidence and love for learning makes me incredibly proud!” said Boorman, his class teacher.

LYNDHURST Primary School has nominated Zion Ntshayisa as the SPAR Star for September.
The school said Zion has been a shining example of determination, commitment and positive character.
“He has made remarkable progress in his schoolwork, consistently putting in greater effort and showing a commendable attitude towards his learning.
“Beyond the classroom, Zion continues to excel on the soccer field, where his talent, dedication and teamwork have allowed him to perform exceptionally well for his club.”

STAR College Boys High’s SPAR Star of the Month is Ntando Buthelezi who is described as a leader on and off the field.
The Grade 11 learner has shown unwavering commitment to soccer, never missing a training session and consistently pushing himself to improve.
He is the leading striker for the U18 soccer team. Known for his ability to score goals, Ntando has mastered his techniques through disciplined practise and a genuine love for the game.
This year marks Ntando’s final year of playing soccer before entering his matric year in 2027. Despite the approaching end of his youth soccer journey, he did not let this stop him from shining brightly this season. Ntando has scored a hat-trick in two games and played a pivotal role in securing the league title for the U18 team for the third consecutive year.
Dan Nair, the Sports Head at Star College, said, “Ntando will be sorely missed on the field. His awareness of the game situation is at such a high standard that he is always ready to seize the moment. His passion, dedication, and leadership make him a role model to all aspiring athletes.”

LUBANZI Maluleka was one of the first Hillcrest High School learners to join the Model United Nations team and to attend the UKZN Debating Union MUN Conference in 2025. There she won First Position for Best Speaker and the Best Position Paper award.
She attended a further three MUN conferences where she, along with her teammate, was awarded both a Gold and a Silver award for ‘Best Delegation’ for their outstanding teamwork. Her achievements in MUN Debating have earned her Full Colours at school, which were awarded to her at the Sports and Cultural Awards.
Lubanzi is also a member of the Spoken Word Club where she discovered her talent for writing and performing poetry. She performed at the HHS ‘Slam Jam’ and at the ‘Public Speaking Banquet’ last year, spreading her wings this year to perform her poetry at the Clifton Slam Poetry Evening. There she was awarded ‘Best Poetry Performance’ for her poem ‘The Pretender’ whilst up against learners from top private schools in Durban.
As the 2026 Debating Captain, Lubanzi has been a stalwart of debating at Hillcrest High School and has represented the school at both local and national competitions, most notably at NIDPISC in 2025 and 2026, where she competed against learners selected to represent SA internationally. Despite facing competitors of this calibre, Lubanzi has consistently held her own and demonstrated exceptional skill, confidence and resilience.
She has also embraced a mentoring role, supporting and developing younger debaters within the club. Her dedication, leadership and commitment to both her team and the school are commendable.

DEVASHREE Kisten is the Westville Girls’ High School SPAR Star of the Month. She recently took on the exciting challenge of competing in The Taste Master SA (Junior) Season 3.
The competition brings together 12 talented young foodies for a culinary journey inspired by cuisines from around the world. Each week, the young chefs take on challenges focused on a different country, exploring its iconic dishes, ingredients and cooking techniques.
The Grade Nine learner said she entered the Taste Master Junior to exceed her cooking and baking skills and to learn new techniques in the kitchen.
“My mum is ultimately my inspiration for cooking and baking. It started off when I sat and watched her make my siblings’ and my birthday cakes. I was intrigued by the intricate decorations from piping to fondant work. My mum came across an advertisement on Facebook and suggested that I enter.
“I qualified as a contestant and I have learned from a professional chef and I have also learned so many new techniques and skills in the kitchen,” said Devashree.

FOR Waterfall College Grade Nine learner Bryce Hay, karate is much more than a sport – it is a source of structure, connection and personal growth.
Bryce has been practising karate for the past five years, after being introduced to the sport by his older brother. What began as an introduction to martial arts has developed into a passion that has taken him to new levels of competition, locally and internationally.
“Karate is an escape for me. It brings formality, connection and structure to my life,” said Bryce.
Now a Junior Black Belt competing in the U16 category, Bryce has enjoyed an impressive run of achievements in recent months. In July, he competed at the SA Open and Elite Championships, where he earned a silver medal in the Cadet Boys Kumite 14/15 Years +70kg category.
He also claimed gold in both Kata and Kumite at the Annual Waterfall College Karate Tournament before adding another gold medal to his collection at the National Karate League at the end of August.
But it was on the international stage that Bryce achieved one of his biggest milestones yet. Selected to represent SA at the UFAK Cadet, Junior & Senior Championships 2026 in Algeria, Bryce competed in the Cadet Kumite Male +70kg division — his first international competition.
Bryce won his quarter-final 8-0 before securing a 3-1 victory in the semi-final. In the final, he faced a top-10 world-ranked Egyptian competitor, ultimately earning a silver medal and finishing second in Africa.
It was a remarkable achievement for Bryce, who proudly represented both South Africa in the green and gold and Waterfall College on the international stage.
Bryce hopes to continue building on his success, with ambitions of competing at Commonwealth level and reaching even greater heights in the sport.
His journey is a testament to the dedication, discipline and commitment that karate has brought into his life,

NTANDO Mbele is St Benedict School’s SPAR Star of the Month.
The Grade 11 learner played an outstanding role in the school’s 70th Birthday Celebration Talent Show.
Not only did Ntando take part in the show as a performer, but he also took on the important role of one of the Masters of Ceremonies for the evening. He did a sterling job, confidently guiding the audience through the programme and helping to create an enjoyable and memorable atmosphere.
“Ntando’s talent, confidence and enthusiasm shone throughout the evening. His contribution to the success of the Talent Show was truly appreciated, and we feel that he is most deserving of being called a star.
“Well done, Ntando! We look forward to seeing what the future holds for this talented young man,” said educator Shareen Gould.