SA Tops Our Hearts: Over 245 Accomplishments Earned Globally in 2024!

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South Africans have earned more than 245 wins, awards, and international accomplishments this year, and we couldn’t be prouder!

South Africa (02 December 2024) – In 2019, we started listing every accomplishment earned by South African winners, and readers loved it, so we decided to turn it into an annual tradition. Over the years, we have loved seeing just how much South Africans get up to. This year is no different; in fact, at the time of publishing, we have hit just over 245 accomplishments!

Many South Africans have done incredible things, and the team at Good Things Guy spent the year capturing those stories by highlighting all the awards, accolades, accomplishments and winners. Every accomplishment is worthy of celebration.

We rise by lifting others, and so many South Africans keep helping us and each other rise. This is yet another year of unbelievable pride in our country. Each year, we start off with an inspiring message to unite the country, this year, that message came from Gift of the Giver‘s founder, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman and now we end off the year with all the accomplishments by South Africans. And 2024 was in fact, a good year!

As always, it is tricky to list every single accomplishment, but we like a challenge, so we decided to sift through all the stories featured on Good Things Guy this year and put them into one giant list. And with your help – in case we missed a few – we might be able to create a complete list!

So if you see something missing or believe that someone belongs on this list, please email us at stories@goodthingsguy.com.

We have separated them into a few different accomplishment categories, like sports, lifestyle, education, musicals, and others. So let’s get started.

These are all the winners who flew the South African flag high in 2024 (and made us all feel proudly South African in the process). PS, we will keep adding to this accomplishments list until the 31st of December 2024.

Business

South African Extra Virgin Olive Oil Takes Global Crown in Prestigious Awards. Read the story here.
Cape Town Social Entrepreneur Wins Forty Under 40 Africa Category! Read the story here.
Wits Flower Hall Nominated as World’s Best Innovative Building. Read the story here.
Five South African Home Insurers Land on Forbes Annual “World’s Best” List. Read the story here.
South African Awarded ‘Best of Nation’ Medal at WorldSkills Competition! Read the story here.
Durban Student Luyanda Majozi Wins Prestigious Global Start-Up Competition in China! Read the story here.

Education

South African Coding Project Showcased at International Expo. Read the story here.
University of Pretoria Ranks in Global Top 8% for Quality, Affordable Education! Read the story here.
Amanzimtoti Primary School Wins Eco-Schools Award! Read the story here.
Eight Gauteng Schools Win Environmental Awards for Eco-Efforts. Read the story here.
The Art of Math: Dr Mahlangu Awarded An Honorary Doctorate! Read the story here.
South African Young Scientists Shine at International Science Fairs. Read the story here.
SA’s First Black Female CA Awarded Chancellor’s Medal. Read the story here.
Trailblazer Nonkululeko Gobodo Honoured With Prestigious Award! Read the story here.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti Receives Honorary Doctorate. Read the story here.
Banyana Banyana Coach Commended with Honorary Doctorate. Read the story here.
World-Renowned Conservation Scholar Prof Stuart Pimm Honoured. Read the story here.
A Starry Future for Pretoria: UP Celebrates First Astrophysics PhD Graduate! Read the story here.
Must Watch: Rassie Erasmus Honoured with Honorary Doctorate. Read the story here.
Nelson Mandela University Prof Honoured as Top Scholar in Information Security! Read the story here.
Cape Town Physicist Hopes His Award Will Make Life-Saving Tech More Accessible. Read the story here.
South Africa’s Professor Pumla Wins Prestigious Templeton Prize! Read the story here.
Stellenbosch Immunologist Wins Prestigious Harry Oppenheimer Fellowship! Read the story here.
Global Spotlight Shines on Cape Town Creatives! Read the story here.
Acclaimed Afrikaans Poet Receives Honorary Doctorate! Read more here.
Double Bronze for SA Students at International Informatics Olympiad. Read more here.
SpringBots South Africa Rock Gold at Robotics Olympics. Read the story here.
South African Professors Awarded American Nobel Prize! Read the story here.
University of Fort Hare Librarian Honoured with Prestigious LIASA Award. Read more here.

Environment

De Berg Nature Reserve Gets International Eco-Recognition. Read the story here.
Earthshot 2024 Hosted in Cape Town! Read the story here.
South African Charity Nominated for Prestigious EarthShot Prize! Read the story here.
South Africa’s ‘Flower King’ Wins Gold at Singapore Garden Festival! Read the story here.
Leon Kluge is South Africa’s Landscape Designer of the Year. Read more here.
Botanical Artist Wins Gold for SA for Floral Wonders. Read the story here.

Entertainment

Trevor Noah Wins Emmy for Outstanding Talk Series! Read the story here.
Musa Motha Earns Golden Buzzer at AGT Fantasy League Semi-Finals. Read the story here.
8-Year-Old Dance Sensation Klein Kwagga Steals Hearts on The Kelly Clarkson Show! Read the story here.
Tyla’s “Water” Makes African Music History with DOUBLE Platinum Certification! Read the story here.
South Africans Join the Voice of “Mufasa: the Lion King”! Read the story here.
Wyfie Nominated at Global Production Awards, Presented by Screen International. Read the story here.
South Africans Scoop Daytime Emmy Awards! Read the story here.
Joburg Expat Wins an Emmy Award for ‘Be a Water Hero’. Read the story here.
‘Choose Cape Town’ Film Scoops Silver at International Festival! Read the story here.
Wildlife Filmmaker and Local Reserve Celebrate Winning Two Film Festival Awards. Read the story here.
KZN Short Films Win 6 Awards at International Film Festival. Read the story here.
‘Get Me to 21’ Documentary Honouring Jenna Lowe’s Life, Wins Award. Read the story here.
‘The Keeper of the Heart’ Docu-fiction Wins Gold and Hearts. Read the story here.
‘The Shakedown’ Becomes SA’s First-Ever Amazon-Produced Film. Read the story here.
John Kani Honored with Prestigious Order of the British Empire. Read the story here.
Nomzamo Mbatha Wins Best African Actress at Septimius Awards for Shaka iLembe. Read the story here.
Wyfie and Beaulah Scoop LGBTQIA+ Representation Awards! Read the story here.
South Africa’s ‘Spinners’ Selected for New Berlin Festival ‘Seriesly’. Read the story here.
SA Production Triumphs at Toronto Film Festival! Read the story here.
Rising Star Desmond Koolen Shines at SA Performing Arts Championships, Earns 27 Medals! Read more here.
Simply Sublime: Cape Town Hip Hop Crew Win World Championships! Read more here.
SA’s B-Girl Courtnaé Paul Conquers Ghana, Claims AfroBreak International Champ Title! Read the story here.

Lifestyle

Vegan Restaurant in Clarens Earns Seat Among Top 100 Restaurants. Read the story here.
The Best Margarita of 2024 – The ‘Chakalakita’ by SA Bartender. Read the story here.
South African Brandy Wins World’s Best Brandy for a Second Year! Read the story here.
Top Restaurants of 2024 Named by Luxe: Celebration of Culinary Brilliance. Read the story here.
SA Beer Named BEST in Africa Going Against 270 Other Beers. Read the story here.
South African Mixologist Earned the Silver for the World’s BEST Margarita. Read the story here.
South African Chef’s French Restaurant Earns Michelin Star. Read the story here.
South African Chefs Bring the Flavour at the African Culinary Cup, Win Bronze! Read more here.
Siba Mtongana’s Restaurant Wins Prestigious African Award at World Culinary Awards in Dubai! Read more here.
5 South African Designers Showcase at New York Fashion Week! Read the story here.
Two SA Chefs Cook with Pride After Global Competition. Read the story here.

Medical

MSSA Gets Global Recognition for Work With Multiple Sclerosis Community. Read the story here.
SA PhD Doctor Unlocks Hope in Cancer Treatment – Findings Announced on World Stage. Read the story here.
South African Heart Surgeon Honoured for Saving Young Lives. Read the story here.
Wits Alumni Honoured with International Awards for Work in Vaccinology. Read the story here.
Professor Honoured for Global Impact in Medical Research. Read more here.

Music

South Africa’s Pop Princess Tyla to Play at Coachella 2024! Read the story here.
Tyla Wins Grammy Best African Music Performance For “Water”. Read the story here.
Durban Pianist Honoured with Prestigious Music Composition Award! Read the story here.
Cape Town Opera’s Thando Zwane Wins Prestigious Award! Read the story here.
The Akustika Chamber Singers Win, Flying the Flag High in Italy. Read the story here.
From Joburg to an Act to Know in Austria! Michael Makes SA Proud. Read the story here.
Meet The 2024 NEA Young Performer Awards Winners! Read the story here.
The Recording Academy Welcomes South African Musician Breindy! Read the story here.
Kearsney College Choir Crowned Champs of Golden Voices Competition! Read the story here.
Kwakhanya Gwadiso Triumphs and Wins Gold at National Singing Competition. Read the story here.
KZN’s Naledi Myongwane Wins Afro Pop Artist of the Year at Basadi In Music Awards. Read the story here.
Tyla Becomes the First South African to Win a VMA! Read the story here.
Pretty Yende Shares Her ‘Mama I Made It’ Moment as Queen Mary! Read the story here.
Tyla Living Her Global Artist Dreams, Secures International Achievement Award at the SAMAs! Read more here.

People

Local Photographer Wins Coveted International Challenge. Read the story here.
Mandi Friedman Selected to Represent SA at International Art Collective. Read the story here.
Limpopo Designer’s Brand Wins Global Fashion Prize! Read the story here.
South Africa’s Tristan du Plessis Wins Designer of the Year 2024! Read the story here.
Luke and Mike Bell Earn Guinness World Record for Fastest Drone. Read the story here.
South African Creative Wins Prestigious Prize for Vivid Visual Storytelling. Read the story here.
Artist Karabo Poppy Earns Gold for Her Creative Brand! Read the story here.
Bryoni Becomes Miss Supranational Africa and Miss Friendship. Read the story here.
South African Makes History Winning Mister Supranational 2024! Read the story here.
Kidfluencer Kairo Forbes Wins Coveted Nickelodeon Kids Choice Award! Read the story here.
Jody Rahme Wins, Set to Represent South Africa Globally! Read the story here.
Amanzimtoti Mural Artist Wins Prize for Her Creativity Boosting Tourism! Read the story here.
SA’s Kgomotso Molefe Breaks the Glass Ceiling, Wins International Technician Award. Read the story here.
Dr Lesley Ann van Selm Earns International Women Lifetime Achievement Award! Read the story here.
Local Photographer Showcases at Switzerland’s Top Exhibition. Read the story here.
Bravery in Bronze: Emile Conrad’s Success at World Firefighter Games. Read the story here.
‘Slaapstad’ Wins Gold Place in International Photography Contest. Read more here.
Pretty Yende is the First Opera Singer to Play Dior Ambassador! Read more here.
Margaret Gardiner Joins Judging Panel for Miss Universe 2024! Read the story here.
Kovini Moodley Honoured as Risk Manager of the Year for 2024. Read the story here.
Maritime Hero Dr Cleeve Robertson Honoured for a Life Dedicated to Saving Lives at Sea. Read more here.

Sports

Max Smart Qualifies for the Junior World Rally Championship. Read the story here.
Tennis Juniors Shine in Windhoek, Earning Medals and Making SA Proud. Read the story here.
Teen Skier to Represent SA Single-Handedly at Youth Winter Olympics. Read the story here.
East London Plays Host to World Waveski Surfing Championships. Read the story here.
Dricus du Plessis Makes History as the First South African Middleweight Champion! Read the story here.
South African Para-Athlete Darren Thomas Shatters Barriers, Wins Bronze at Wodapalooza in Miami Triumph. Read his story here.
The Dakar 2024 Has Ended; This is How Our SA Riders Did. Read the story here.
From Somerset West to São Paulo: This Young Swimmer Made a Big Splash! Read the story here.
Meet Jackson Chauke – The IBO Flyweight Champion. Read the story here.
Peet Conquers the World’s Toughest Row; Back to Land Legs at Last. Read the story here.
SA Beams with Pride as Bafana Bafana Soars in AFCON Triumph! Read the story here.
Chad the Champ Strikes Double Gold in Luxembourg. Read the story here.
Bafana Bafana Soar to Afcon Semis! First Time in 24 Years!!! Read the story here.
Erin Gallagher Starts Worlds Off with a Record-Setting Splash. Read the story here.
South Africa To Host World Rugby U20 Competition (Again) in 2024. Read the story here.
SA’s Wheelchair Tennis Teams Deemed African Champions. Read the story here.
SA Athlete Breaks Record at Her First World Para Athletics Grand Prix! Read the story here.
Leanne Maiden: The First South African Woman to Conquer the World’s Toughest Row. Read the story here.
Toni Enderli Puts South Africa on the Board After Cook Strait Swim! Read the story here.
Laureus World Sports Awards 2024 Nominees Announced – South African Representatives Feature in 4 Categories! Read the story here.
SA Beat NZ at the International Masters Cricket Over-40s World Cup. Read the story here.
South African Swimmer Amber Fillary Broke 3 Guinness World Records in 2 Days! Read the story here.
Meet Danie “Pitbull” van Heerden, South Africa’s Power Slap Representative. Read the story here.
St Benedict’s Ranked The Top Rowing School in SA for 30th Consecutive Year! Read the story here.
A First-Time Victory For Pickleball Players at the All-African Games. Read the story here.
106 Medals to Come Home After Legendary African Games! Read the story here.
Steyn De Lange Breaks SA’s Olympic Drought for Wrestling. Read the story here.
Nicole Van Aswegen is Racing Her Way to the Top of the Super Bike Rankings. Read the story here.
6 SA Athletes Successfully Completed the ‘Beyond Ultimate’ Arctic Race. Read the story here.
South Africa’s Sheldon van der Linde Drives for Jag in Formula E Rookie Test. Read the story here.
Krugersdorp Judo Champ Bags Golden Win! Read the story here.
New Records and Olympic-Hopeful Moments for SA Swimmers! Read the story here.
Former Street Kid Steps onto the Global Surfing Stage. Read the story here.
South African Smashes Records to Claim World’s Strongest Woman Title! Read the story here.
Siya Kolisi is One of TIME’s Most Influential People! Read the story here.
South African Teens Triumph as World Champs in Robotics Olympics. Read the story here.
Golden City Rollers to Rock a First for South Africa! Read the story here.
Junior and Senior Rhythmic Gymnasts Rise to the Podium! Read the story here.
South African Pro-Skater Claims Top Shelf Spot in Global Comp. Read the story here.
SA Gymnasts Bask in Medal Moments At African Champs in Morocco. Read the story here.
Springbok Women Win Africa Cup to Head to the World Cup! Read the story here.
Mhlongo Claims the First Gold Win for the Country at Para Athletics World Championships. Read the story here.
Teen Surfer Scoops Podium Spot Against World’s Top Junior Surfers. Read the story here.
Sheldon van der Linde Earned 3rd Fastest Time at Formula E Rookie Test. Read the story here.
A Record-Breaking Throw and a Medal Show For SA Para-Athletes. Read the story here.
Max Smart Earns First Podium on International Stage in Italy. Read the story here.
The SA Hockey Men Won the Bronze Medal Playoff in Poland. Read the story here.
Candice Lill Earns Podium Place at the Women Elite XCO Race in Val di Sole. Read the story here.
South African Dance Crew Dominate at World Dance Masters. Read the story here.
Tasneem Solomons Wins at World 8 Ball Pool Championship. Read the story here.
‘Flying Boy’ Sizolwethu Soars at World Freestyle Championships! Read the story here.
A Moment for the Skating History Books as Harrison Makes the Cut! Read the story here.
Kgothatso Montjane Wins Wimbledon Wheelchair Doubles Title, Making South Africa Proud! Read the story here.
15-Year-Old Jodie Van der Walt: South Africa’s Rising MMA Star Ready for World Championships. Read the story here.
Durbanville Drummies Win National Championships! Read the story here.
SA Women’s Touch Rugby “Touchboks” Team Earned Bronze. Read the story here.
South African Speedsoft Team Dazzles at First Global Tournament! Read the story here.
SA’s James Barclay Makes History as Jaguar Claims Maiden Formula E Title. Read the story here.
Bronze Triumph for South Africa: Men’s Rugby Sevens Open Olympic Medal Tally. Read the story here.
Tatjana Smith Wins First Gold for Team South Africa at Paris 2024. Read the story here.
South Africa Crowned the 2024 Ignition Group Polocrosse World Cup Champions! Read the story here.
Seth Squires Makes South Africa Proud with 4 Golds at WLDF. Read the story here.
Historic Silver: South Africa’s 4x100m Relay Team Shatters African Record! Read the story here.
South African Archers Strike Gold and World Records in Brazil! Read the story here.
Dricus Du Plessis: South Africa’s UFC World Champion! Read the story here.
South Africa to Host 2025 Speedsoft World Cup!!! Read the story here.
Bayanda Walaza Dominates World Athletics U20 Championships and Secures Gold! Read the story here.
Mpumelelo Mhlongo: A Class of His Own at the 2024 Paralympics. Read the story here.
Louzanne Coetzee, with Guide Estean Badenhorst, wins Bronze at Paris Paralympics. Read the story here.
Donald Ramphadi and Lucas Sithole Win Paralympic Bronze in Front of a Boisterous Crowd. Read more here.
Pieter du Preez Secures South Africa’s Third Medal at the 2024 Paralympics. Read the story here.
Simone Kruger Wins Gold in the Discus Throw F38 in Paris. Read the story here.
Boks Triumph Over All Blacks to Reclaim Freedom Cup! Read more here.
Toni McCann Crowned the Queen of Another Formidable Trail! Read the story here.
Caylin Majiedt Owns the Kickboxing Ring, Brings Home Bronze for South Africa. Read the story here.
Mpumi’s Record-Breaking Triumph and the Rising T44 Class at the Paralympics. Read more here.
South African Tug-of-War Team Claim Champs Title Again! Read more here.
Kamaya Moodlair Shines at SA Women’s Masters, Sets Example for Future Golfers. Read more here.
Lifesaving Athletes Make South Africa Proud at World Championships. Read the story here.
SA Aerobic Gymnasts Dominate at African Championships, Secure Double Silver! Read more here.
Georgia Singe Sets the Tone at 2024 Canoe World Champs, Grabs SA’s First Medal. Read more here.
Katlego ‘Karate’ Dlamini Strikes Bronze in Austria! Read more here.
Springboks Crush Argentina to Win Rugby Championship! Read the story here.
Chess Player Caleb Makes History for SA for ‘World Cup’ Debut. Read more here.
SA Teen Chris Smith Swimmer Overcomes Torn Swimsuit to Claim World Championship Spot! Read more here.
South Africa Dominates World Surfski Championships. Read the story here.
Hout Bay Siblings Crowned Ocean Racing World Champions! Read the story here.
Shane Jansen Van Vuuren Sets New National Record at Durban Freediving Comp! Read more here.
South Africa’s Powerlifting Star: Nicole Hasell Shatters 13 Records and Aims for More. Read more here.
South Africa’s Brad Cox Crowned World Rally2 Champion in Morocco. Read more here.
CPUT Titans Dominate South African Cheerleading Stage, Claim Gold and Silver! Read more here.
South African Aerial Athletes Soar to New Heights at World Championship. Read more here.
South African Women Strike Gold in Historic Hockey Win! Read more here.
South African Masters Make Hockey History: First-Ever World Cup Gold! Read more here.
Pieter Coetze Claims Multiple Gold Medals at Swimming World Cup! Read the story here.
South Africa’s Vuyisile Nominated as Sailor of the Year! Read the story here.
Equestrian Victoria Bags Bronze After International Showjumping Showdown! Read more here.
Coetzé Polishes Off Worlds with 7 Golds; le Clos Adds to Epic Tally! Read more here.
South African Wins Gold at World Para Surfing Champs! Read more here.
Another South African Champion: Kira Bester Triumphs at Hong Kong Mox Dragon Run 2024! Read the story here.
Brad Binder Ends the 2024 MotoGP Season at 5th in Standings. Read the story here.
Pieter-Steph du Toit: Twice the Glory, Twice the Legend! Read the story here.

Travel

First Blind Tourist Guide in South Africa Inspires in Every Sense. Read the story here.
South Africa Voted As A “Must-Visit” Destination for 2024. Read the story here.
Table Mountain Cableway Celebrates Remarkable Milestone with 31 Millionth Visitor. Read the story here.
Cape Town Voted on Most Instagrammable List for 6th Consecutive Year. Read the story here.
Cape Town Soars to #2 in Time Out’s 50 Best Cities of 2024! Read the story here.
South African Lodges Named on Top 15 Romantic Hotels List. Read the story here.
South Africans Have Spoken, These are the Travel Luxe Award Winners of 2024. Read the story here.
Prince Albert in the Karoo: South Africa’s Coolest Destination as Crowned by The Wall Street Journal! Read the story here.
Bree Street in Cape Town: A Global Cool Contender and Africa’s Best! Read the story here.
Gauteng Markets Earn Spots in the World’s Top 20. Read the story here.
This South African Beach Just Made The World’s Top 50 List!!! Read the story here.
South African Gem Among Tripadvisor’s Elite for Nature Destinations in 2024! Read the story here.
3 South African Beaches Make the World’s 100 Best List! Read the story here.
South Africans Voted as THE Friendliest Nation in the World! Read the story here.
South Africa Voted 6th Best Honeymoon Destination in the World (Again!). Read the story here.
Condé Nast Traveller Recognises Walker Bay for One of the World’s Best Beaches. Read the story here.
3 Local Lodges Make Travel + Leisure’s Readers Top 10 List. Read the story here.
Cape Town Gleams on Most Beautiful Cities in the World List. Read the story here.
Cape Town’s Mount Nelson Claims Best Hotel in Africa Title! Read more here.
Local Hospitality Gems Check Out: 3 Hotels Among World’s Best! Read more here.
South Africa is the Best Culinary Destination on the Continent! Read more here.
Cape Town Crowned Best City in the World for Food! Read more here.
South African Hotels Shine Bright in 2024 World’s Best Boutique Awards. Read the story here.

Other

Khulisa Social Solutions Wins Its 6th Global Award! Read the story here.
CSI Legacy Awards: NGOs Thankless Work in the Spotlight! Read the story here.
South Africa is Happier Than Ever, Against All Odds — 2024 World Happiness Report! Read the story here.
NGO Founder Honoured With Prestigious Award! Read the story here.
South African Charity Wins Prestigious Global Award! Read the story here.
South Africa is The Country That Laughs The Most Online in Africa. Read the story here.
South Africa Celebrates Indigenous Languages at 2nd Annual Champ Awards. Read the story here.
South Africa’s MeerKAT Telescope Unveils a Unique Discovery, in a Major Leap for Space Discovery in Africa. Read more here.
Parow Partnership Receives Prestigious Award for Tackling Homelessness. Read the story here.
Cape Town Firefighters Dominate Competition, Bring Home 10 Medals. Read the story here.
Clifton Surf Lifesaving Club Makes History at 2024 Lifesaving World Championships. Read more here.
Re.Bag.Re.Use Adds Another Award to Their Tally! Read more here.

Sources: Various – Linked Above

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South Africans Top Our Hearts With Over 245 Accomplishments Earned Globally in 2024!