In the gloom, two South Africans bring global glory

Amid the weeping, wailing and gnashing of teeth which seems to be present-day South Africa, it is good to know that our supposedly traumatised country can still produce world-beaters.

There were two of them this week who rose to the highest heights in their respective fields. SA-born Artist Marlene Dumas set a global auction record for the most expensive painting sold by a living female artist.

This after her 1997 painting Miss January sold for a staggering $13.7 million (more than R245 million) at Christie’s 21st Century Evening Sale auction in the United States.

Fair enough, Dumas, 72, has lived in Amsterdam since 1976… but we’ll still call her ours.

ALSO READ: SA-born artist Marlene Dumas breaks global record with over R245 million painting sale [PICS]

Someone who hasn’t left and has his feet still solidly on local ground is newly crowned strongman world champion Rayno Nel, a former Cheetahs rugby player who has won the World’s Strongest Man championship in California.

He was the first athlete from Africa to take the title in the 48-year history of the event.

The achievement was even more notable because Nel only took up the strongman sport two years ago, after retiring from rugby and then focusing on his career as an electrical engineer.

Fly, the Beloved Country…

ALSO READ: Rayno Nel eager to keep improving after winning strongman world title