Port Alfred – The road to the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final runs straight through Port Alfred this year. The Rip Curl GromSearch presented by The Royal St Andrews Hotel and supported by Sea Harvest will decide which two South African surfers secure the country’s berths at the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final.
The Port Alfred contest serves as the sole South African qualifier, with the U16 Boys and U16 Girls champions earning berths at the international final and receiving a R20,000 travel voucher each towards their trip.
The Rip Curl GromSearch features U12, U14, U16 and U18 divisions for boys and girls, but the U16 division remains the premier category and the focus of the international pathway.
In previous seasons, the South African GromSearch ran as a multi-event series, with overall champions qualifying for the international finals. Over the past two years, South African winners have travelled to Canggu in Bali and Hossegor in France to compete against the world’s best junior surfers. The location of the upcoming Rip Curl GromSearch International Final has not yet been announced, though it traditionally takes place at one of Rip Curl’s premier surf destinations.
The Rip Curl GromSearch International Final brings together young surfers from across the global GromSearch network. Qualifiers come from regions including Australia, North America, Brazil, Europe, Indonesia, Argentina, and South Africa, as well as winners of the #GromSearch online video competition, creating a truly international lineup of emerging surfers competing against peers from around the world.
Once at the international final, surfers are hosted by Rip Curl throughout the event and mentored by elite athletes from the brand’s global team. Previous mentors have included Molly Picklum, Stephanie Gilmore and Crosby Colapinto.
The pathway has produced many of the sport’s biggest names. More than 60 per cent of current Championship Tour surfers are former GromSearch winners, including Caity Simmers, Caroline Marks, Gabriel Medina, Erin Brooks, Leonardo Fioravanti and Samuel Pupo.
South African surfers who have travelled to the international finals in recent years include Rory Dace, Louise Lepront, Kai Stubbs and Emily Jenkinson.
The Rip Curl GromSearch is run under the banner of Surfing South Africa and forms one of the anchor surfing events of the Port Alfred Easter Festival. The festival brings together sport, music and community events across the town each Easter.
At East Beach, some of the country’s best young surfers will compete for the chance to take their surfing from a South African contest jersey to the lineup at the Rip Curl GromSearch International Final. For many of them, the next step after the junior competition will be the Royal St Andrews Hotel Rip Curl Cup QS, also held at East Beach during the festival.
KOUGA – The Media and Communication Section in the Office of the Deputy Municipal Manager at Kouga Local Municipality has received national recognition for its work during one of the municipality’s most challenging emergencies.
The team received the Crisis Communication Excellence Award at the 2026 National Communicators Forum (NCF) Awards. The event was hosted by the South African Local Government Association (SALGA) in Cape Town.
The award recognises teams that deliver clear, consistent messaging during emergencies. It also honours communication that provides accurate and timely information that guides, informs, and reassures the public during difficult situations.
Responding to the January Fires
Kouga Local Municipality submitted the nomination following the devastating fires that swept across the Kouga region from 6 to 15 January 2026.
The fires threatened lives, homes, infrastructure, farms and the natural environment. As a result, the event became one of the most demanding disaster responses in recent municipal history.
From the start of the crisis, the municipality activated its Disaster Joint Operations Centre (JOC). This centre coordinated the emergency response across multiple teams.
The Media and Communication Section formed an essential part of the JOC. Their role focused on ensuring that verified and accurate information reached residents, businesses and stakeholders as quickly as possible.
Clear and Continuous Public Updates
During the emergency, the team issued regular updates across digital platforms and traditional media channels. In addition, they produced internal staff briefings, public advisories and safety notices.
The team also engaged directly with affected communities. At the same time, they worked to counter misinformation and clarify evacuation procedures.
Residents received regular updates on road closures, firefighting progress and available relief measures. Consequently, the communication flow helped communities stay informed while emergency teams worked on the ground.
Importantly, the strategy covered both internal and external communication. Municipal leadership, operational teams, councillors and emergency responders remained aligned and informed. Meanwhile, residents received clear and reassuring updates during a period of uncertainty.
Dedication Beyond the Call of Duty
Kouga Media and Communication Manager Monique Basson said the award reflects the dedication of the entire team.
“This award is a testament to the incredible resilience, professionalism and commitment of our Media and Communication team,” Basson said.
“During the fires, our team worked extended hours, often late into the night and over weekends, to ensure that residents received accurate and timely information. They went the extra mile because they understood the critical importance of communication in protecting lives and maintaining calm.”
Basson added that crisis communication plays a vital role during emergencies.
“In times of crisis, communication becomes a lifeline. Our responsibility was to ensure that every message remained clear, factual and constructive. We understood that our words could either create panic or build confidence. Therefore we communicated with empathy, transparency and responsibility.”
Leadership During the Crisis
Basson also acknowledged the leadership of Deputy Municipal Manager Dawie de Jager during the disaster response.
“We extend our sincere appreciation to Deputy Municipal Manager Dawie de Jager for his exceptional handling of the disaster,” she said.
“He navigated a complex and rapidly evolving situation with clarity and calm. Furthermore, he motivated teams and ensured strong coordination within the Joint Operations Centre.”
According to Basson, this leadership helped communicators remain fully informed throughout the response.
“As a result, we could keep the public accurately and responsibly informed at all times. His leadership played a key role in the effectiveness of our communication strategy.”
Strengthening Public Trust During Emergencies
The recognition at the National Communicators Forum Awards highlights Kouga Local Municipality’s commitment to transparency, accountability and community-focused governance.
By integrating communication into its disaster response structures, the municipality ensured a steady flow of information between emergency teams and the public.
As a result, trust remained strong during a difficult period.
The Crisis Communication Excellence Award recognises the team’s work during the January fires. At the same time, it emphasises the important role that strategic communication plays in disaster management and public safety.
For Kouga, the award stands as both a proud achievement and a strong reminder of its ongoing commitment to protecting and supporting its communities.
A fight in a beach parking lot, apparently over a girl and who had the most money, left a 21-year-old with a serious head wound and two young men under arrest.
Keno Rossouw, 20, and Niklaas Jooste, 19, have been charged with assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm after allegedly attacking Diaan Pienaar, 21, in a St Francis Bay parking lot on New Year’s Day.
Jooste, of Johannesburg, and Rossouw, of Paarl, were expected to appear in the Humansdorp Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Only Jooste was in the dock.
It is understood that the early-morning incident happened while the two accused were holidaying in St Francis Bay, where they had only met each other during the trip.
During the scuffle, someone made remarks to the effect of asking who was richer.
However, it appears the dispute was actually over a young woman.
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