It was the year the arancini ball usurped sushi as the social whirl’s starch staple — and where arts-leaning events emerged as some of the most talked-about occasions on the calendar.
THE 2025 A-LISTERS WHO RULE THE RED CARPET
In January, the sadly now shuttered boulangerie-meets-patisserie jewel Just Teddy, in Hyde Park, Johannesburg, was the locale for my annual A-Listers luncheon, where nine fierce and fabulous identities were announced as the names you need to know for the year ahead.
And shine they did as the year progressed.
Scandal! star Makoma Mohale went on to be named the Next Big Thing at the prestigious South African Style Awards; rising young comedian Prev Reddy took his hit show, Prev Reddy is a Triple Threat, all the way to London; and Gugulethu-born rapper K.Keed (real name Mihlali Koyana) released her debut album, Bite the Bullet, to much fanfare. As the year unfolded, Gqeberha-born Kuhle Adams cemented her status as one of South Africa’s most glamorous; while catwalk king Denetric Malope — fresh from a successful modelling stint in Asia — was named Supermodel of the Year at the Fashion Industry Awards South Africa (Fiasa) in November.
BREATHING IN THE BRUSHSTROKES IN STELLENBOSCH
US collector Michael Silver once likened the South African art scene — with our impressive roster of talent producing works across various mediums, styles, and periods — to “being a kid in a candy store”. And there was no more picturesque place to take it all in than in the heart of the Western Cape’s wine country, where another of this year’s A-Listers to watch, the magnetic Khanyisile Mbongwa, curated the latest edition of the Stellenbosch Triennale under the theme Ba’zinzile: A Rehearsal for Breathing.
Among the art cognoscenti gathered for the festival’s spiritually infused opening ceremony — complete with a horn libation performed by Khwe-Khwe descendants — was artist Billie Zangewa, whose silk tapestries have become sought-after the world over.
ROMANCE IS IN THE AIR
You may want to wipe your phone camera lens if you missed the rock on Anele Mdoda’s finger as she walked the red carpet at a special screening of this year’s local Academy Award hopeful, The Last Ranger, at Montecasino in Johannesburg during the month of love. While the Cindy Lee short film missed out on Oscar glory, the radio host was winning in the love stakes: her lobola celebration with lawyer and Xhosa royal Bonelela James took place in the Eastern Cape two months later.
COUPLING UP
After we were first to drop the hint that Black Coffee (Nkosinathi Maphumulo) was dating South American model Victoria Gonzalez — spotted together at the opening of the Amiri store in Sandton City two years ago — the couple has come out of their shell. It felt like a full-circle loved-up moment in March when I caught up with Nathi and Victoria at the very same boutique, this time for a viewing of the designer’s new collection.
It was the day after the Grammy Award winner’s birthday, with the Drive and We Dance Again hitmaker sharing that he marked the occasion over “dinner at home, with friends and family; nice and private”.
Another couple whose on-screen love fest has turned into a real-life romance are House of Zwide actors Shalate Sekhabi and Wanda Zuma. The couple gladly posed for the cameras at the SMag party held at the Radisson Blu Sandton — the hotel was celebrating its four Youth Month cover stars, including Shalate.
GAYTON WOOS THE ART CROWD
If you’d told me two years ago that Gayton McKenzie would have South Africa’s wealthy — and largely white — art set eating out of his hand, I’d have told you it’s AI. Yet here we are: the Patriotic Alliance leader and sports, arts and culture minister, holding court with the sort of folk who wouldn’t blink at forking out R200,000 for a wall hanging.
Put together by Mark Read and held at the gallerist’s landmark Everard Read in Rosebank’s Keyes Art Mile, the meet-and-greet with the GNU charmster drew an impressive roster of art collectors. Among those in attendance were King Leruo Molotlegi of the Royal Bafokeng Nation, and tax chief Edward Kieswetter.
VENUE WITH A VIEW
You’d be hard-pressed to find a more sparkling location for a fashion show than the newly renovated pool deck of the grand Bantry Bay establishment, the President Hotel, which provided the backdrop for this year’s Cape Town Resort Collections.
The crowd — largely dressed in shades of white — sashayed in to view collections by designers such as founder Gavin Rajah, Craig Port, Thula Sindi and Thebe Magugu. Among the attendees were glamazon Vanessa Carreira-Coutroulis, businesswoman and TV personality Basetsana Kumalo, and Generations icon Faye Peters.
GLAM BRIGADE GROUND CENTRAL
When it comes to glamour, forget the Samas, miss the Metros, and certainly bypass the Saftas. Those ceremonies often give off a “trying too hard” vibe when it comes to fashion.
Year after year, it’s the South African Style Awards that set the bar, delivering a night where glamour reigns supreme. This year, Mzansi’s answer to the Met Gala saw all the coolest and chicest gals converge at Hyde Park Corner. Among them were Shashi Naidoo, back from Dubai; Connie Ferguson, a worthy recipient of the night’s Icon of the Year award, who found her dress just hours earlier on a store rail; Norma Mngoma; and this year’s IT girl, Zanele Potelwa, who — along with Makoma — was named Next Big Thing.
While the guys also stepped up their style for a change, a special mention goes to Zanele’s Hotspot Seli colleague, Siphesihle Vazi, who’s beginning to come into his own sartorially — the silk scarf masking his mug was a clever attention-grabber.
Vazi, keep it up — you might just earn a spot on next year’s A-Listers To Watch …
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