We are so happy to be looking back at every single proudly South African accomplishment earned in 2021 in our beautiful country!
South Africa (26 November 2021) – In 2019 we wrote an article listing every accomplishment earned by South Africans and readers loved it, so we decided to turn it into an annual tradition. Last year, 2020 was a rough one but we had many reasons to celebrate and we can now say the same for 2021 as well!
Many South Africans have done incredible things, and the team at Good Things Guy has spent the year capturing those stories by highlighting all the awards, accolades, and accomplishments. 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. It may have been a hard year, but we still have reason to smile.
As always, it is tricky to list every single accomplishment, but we like a challenge, and so we decided to sift through all 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 comment below.
We have separated them into a few different accomplishment categories, like sports, lifestyle, education, musical, and others. So let’s get started.
These are all the people that flew the South African flag high in 2021 (and made us all feel proudly South African in the process). PS, we will keep adding to this list until the 31st of December 2021.
Business
- SA Vineyard Awarded “Ethical Company of the Year”. Read the full story here.
- Local Cape Town Low-Alcohol Brand Takes Top Honours Globally! Read the story here.
- SA Company Earns International Acclaim by Winning Top Design Award. Read the full story here.
- Joburg Development Retains ‘World’s Best Title’ at International Property Awards. Read the full story here.
- South African Woman brings Home the Forbes Young Achievers Award. Read her story here.
- 11 South African Women in Tech Making Enormous Waves in This Crucial Industry! Read the story here.
- V&A Wins Global Award for Helping Others During Covid-19. Read the story here.
Education Accomplishment
- Local Matric Crowned First Female Morabaraba Champion. Read her story here.
- SA Student Breaks African #PiDay Record, Recites 3004 Digits from Memory. Read his story here.
- South Africans Join Global Team To Reveal Behaviour of Magnetic Fields Around Black Holes. Read the full story here
- University of Pretoria Named Top Design Institution in Africa and Middle East. Read the story here.
- SA Teens Earn 2nd at Imagine Cup Junior Virtual AI Hackathon Girls Edition. Read the story here.
- Jazz Legend Abdullah Ibrahim and Generations Creator Mfundi Vundla Receive Honorary Doctorates! Read the story here.
- Meet the Inspiring Hjalmar Rall, TUKS’ Youngest Graduate Cum Laude. Read the story here.
- 30-year-old TUT Graduate the Youngest to Get Doctorate in Nursing. Read the story here.
- SA Man Worked Towards 5 University Degrees, Now a Lecturer Abroad. Read the story here.
- 25-Year-Old Sets New Record as Youngest PhD Law Graduate at NWU. Read the story here.
- Nine SA Universities Make List of World Best. Read the story here.
- Meet the SpringBots – SA’s Robotics Team Flying the Flag Internationally. Read the story here.
- SA Intern Becomes Rhodes Scholar, Heading to Oxford to do Great Things! Read the story here.
- South African Vet Wins Belgian Prize for Dissertation! Read the story here.
- “I Was Caught Completely Off Guard” – Master’s Student Whose Thesis Was Converted into PhD. Read the story here.
- Founder of Ground-Breaking SA Initiative Awarded Internationally for Innovative Ideas. Read more here.
- These 10 Exceptional Young Minds Just Got a Scholarship for Oxford!!! Read the story here.
- Presidential Award for Local Maritime Educator. Read the full story here.
Environment
- Joburg Initiative Selected as One of The Top 300 Best Practices on Sustainability in The World! Read the full story here.
- First Dedicated Pangolin Veterinary Ward Opened in South Africa! Read the full story here.
- South African Vineyard Awarded “WWF Conservation Status”! Read the story here.
- Three SA Researchers Shortlisted in International Forestry Research Award. Read the story here.
- Cape Town’s Biodiversity Steals Show in 2021 City Nature Challenge. Read the story here.
- Cape Town’s Great African Sea Forest Is a ‘New World Wonder’. Read the story here.
- SA’s Greenpop Selected as Partner for UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration. Read the story here.
- Young South African Received Award in Memory of Princess Diana. Read the story here.
- 109 South African Firefighters Flown To Canada To Assist With Wildfires! Read the story here.
- Winners Announced for 10th Annual Rhino Conservation Awards. Read the story here.
- South Africa Organisation Wins WWF Living Planet Award. Read the story here
- Local Recyclers Win Global Award. Read the story here.
Lifestyle
- My Octopus Teacher Documentary Nominated for an Oscar. Read the story here.
- Series Animated by SA Firm Up for International Animation Award. Read the full story here.
- My Octopus Teacher Wins Best Documentary at BAFTA. Read the story here.
- SA’s ‘My Octopus Teacher’ Has Won Best Documentary At The Oscars! Read the story here.
- SA Gin Brand Wins Three Awards at 2021 International Spirits Challenge. Read the story here.
- South African Movie Makes List of World’s Top 10 on Netflix! Read the story here.
- SA’s Triggerfish Wins Mifa Animation Industry Award at Annecy 2021. Read the story here.
- The Queen Spotted Wearing a Local Jewellery Designer Piece… Again!!! Read the story here.
- SA Documentary “District Six Rising From The Dust” Wins Big Internationally. Read the story here.
- Cape Town Pizzeria Voted Best in Africa 2021 by 50TopPizza. Read the story here.
- Two SA Restaurants Land on World’s 50 Best Restaurants Top 100 List. Read the story here.
- This is The Only South African Restaurant to Make The World’s BEST List! Read the story here.
- South African Independent Film Wins Two International Film Festival Awards. Read the story here.
- Award-Winning Barakat is South Africa’s Official Selection for 2022 Oscars. Read the story here.
- South African Designer Collaborates with BARBIE!!! Read the story here.
- Restaurant Klein JAN Won “World Hidden Gem” at the La Liste in Paris. Read the story here.
- Local Langa Restaurant Wins Big! Congratulations Mzansi! Read the story here.
- Cape Town’s “Best Kept Secret” Makes World Top 100 List! Read the story here.
Medical Accomplishment
- Proudly South African Medical Invention: Game Changer for COVID-19 patients. Read the story here.
- SA Researchers Receive Prestigious Grants for Cutting-Edge Cancer Research. Read the story here.
- South African Young Scientist Scoops Award at Taiwan Science Fair. Read the story here.
- South African Surgeon’s Technique is Gaining World Acclaim! Read the full story here.
- SA Man Innovates Wheelchair to take on Buildings without Ramps. Read the full story here.
- Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award Honours Top Trauma Surgeon! Read the full story here.
- Young South African Revolutionises the Blood Glucose Test! Read the story here.
- South African Veterinary Specialist Performs What is Believed to be SA’s First Neuroprosthesis on a Horse! Read the story here.
- Top SA Urologist Becomes First to Complete 1 000 Robotic Surgeries. Read the story here.
- 21-Year-Old Doctor Makes South Africa Proud as Youngest Doctor. Read the story here.
- Local Doctor Brings Home International Badge of Honour. Read the story here.
Music
- We Made It – Mi Casa’s Big International Collaboration! Read the story here.
- South African Wins at BBC Cardiff Singer Of The World 2021 Competition. Read the story here.
- Talented South African Recording Artist Nominated For a GRAMMY Award! Read the story here.
- SA-Born Singer Gugu Zulu Wows at “The Voice of Germany” Finals. Read the full story here.
People
- Prof Thuli Madonsela Receives French Knighthood!!! Read the story here.
- SA Master Distiller to be Inducted into the Global Whisky Hall of Fame. Read the story here.
- South African Honoured with Oscar for Technical Achievement in Film Industry. Read the full story here.
- A South African With Cerebral Palsy Honoured as “Hero of the Year”! Read the full story here.
- South African Chef Wins Prestigious Michelin Star For The Second Year in a Row! Read the full story here.
- Proudly South African Novelist Joins Marvel for Black History Month Comic. Read her story here.
- South African Human Rights Activist Wins Prestigious Global Award! Read the story here.
- Prof Charles van Onselen Wins Prestigious Humanities Book Award! Read the story here.
- South African 8-Year-Old About to Become The Youngest in the World to Ever do a TEDx Talk! Read the story here.
- South Africa’s Gizzelle Uys Wins Miss Eco International Title for 2021. Read the story here.
- South African Director Wins Prestigious Global Animation Prize!! Read the story here.
- South African Student Wins Top Prize at the Sony World Photography Awards! Read the story here.
- South Africa’s Thuso Mbedu Lands Role in New Star-Studded Movie. Read the full story here.
- Dr John Kani Honoured with an International Shakespeare Award. Read the full story here.
- South African Sculptor Wins International Fine Art Award. Read his story here.
- SA Student Film Shortlisted for BAFTA Student Film Awards. Read the story here.
- SA FIFA Players Among The First and Youngest to Ever Feature on Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 List! Read the story here.
- SA Teen Wins Big at Royal International Miss Pageant in Florida. Read the story here.
- Thato Mosehle to Make History at Miss Supranational. Read the story here.
- South Africa’s Lloyd Harris Claims Victory Over Rafael Nadal. Read the story here.
- SA Woman Wins World Championship of Public Speaking. Read the story here.
- Christiaan Barnard Memorial Award for ‘Caring Intellectual Giant’. Read the story here.
- Meet Leah Bessa, a Top 50 Global Culinary Innovator from SA! Read the story here.
- Professor Wins Prestigious Award at “Science Oscars”! Read the story here.
- Grade 8 Student Becomes Youngest Milliner in South Africa. Read the story here.
- Incredible South African Initiative Wins 2 International Awards for 2021. Read the story here.
- SA Writer-Director Phumi Morare Wins Gold at 2021 Student Academy Awards. Read the story here.
- A South African Just Won the Prestigious 2021 Booker Prize!!! Read the story here.
- South African Guide Voted As One of The Top 3 Specialist Guides in The World! Read the story here.
- SA Wedding Photographer Wins Big at International Competition. Read the full story here.
- South African Receives Honorary Seoul Citizenship for Saving Someone From Suicide! Read the story here.
- Miss South Africa Makes Top 3 at Miss Universe 2021 Pageant. Read the story here.
Sports Accomplishment
- African Bronze: A Career Highlight for Madibaz Judo Star. Read the full story here.
- Extreme Swimmer Ryan Stramrood Nominated for International Award. Read the full story here.
- South African Solo Rower Grant Blakeway Completes World’s Toughest Row! Read the full story here.
- Brad Binder and MotoGP 2021: Time for the Next Level!!! Read the story here.
- Chris Bertish is Launching World’s First Solo Wing Foil Transpacific Crossing! Read the full story here.
- Wayde van Niekerk Announced as Laureus Sport for Good Ambassador. Read the full story here.
- Zirk Botha Finishes World Record 7200km Solo Transatlantic Row in 70 days. Read the full story here.
- Almost 9 Hours of Swimming But Another Extreme Swimming Record for Ryan Stramrood! Read the story here.
- South African Sets New Women’s Deep Cave Diving Record! Read her story here.
- South African Garth Holden Helps Crew Win Esteemed Annual Boat Race! Read the story here.
- 50 Most Influential Rugby Players in the World Named and South Africa Have Topped the List! Read the story here.
- Watch the Moment SA Relay Team Earn 2021 World Relay Champion Title. Read the story here.
- South African Jordy Smith Makes It Into The Top 5 and Finals!!! Read his story here.
- South African Trail Runners Break World Record on Table Mountain! Read the story here.
- South African Junior Paddlers Selected to Participate in the Olympic Hopes Sprint Regatta! Read the story here.
- Good News!!! South African Rowers Qualify For Olympics!!!! Read the story here.
- Newlands Cricket Ground Honour Legendary Ice Cream Seller!! Read the story here.
- Cool runnings!!! Irvette Van Zyl SMASHES 50km World Record! Read the story here.
- Historic Moment for South Africa as Two Women’s Artistic Gymnasts Qualify for Olympic Games. Read the story here.
- Jordy Smith Takes SA Surfing to the 2021 Tokyo Olympics for the very first time. Read the story here.
- Sixth South African Woman Conquers Mount Everest. Read the story here.
- SA Synchronised Swimming Women Qualify for Olympics for First Time in 29 Years. Read the story here.
- Nicholas Dlamini is Ready to Represent SA Cycling at the Olympics. Read the story here.
- Springboks Receive Award from Black Management Forum. Read the full story here.
- Rising hockey star Edith Molikoe joins SA Hockey Squad for Olympics. Read the story here.
- SA Man Breaks World Record for Longest Distance Traveled Solo on Wing-Foil. Read the story here.
- Nic Dlamini becomes First Black South African to Compete at Tour de France. Read the story here.
- Gary Player Sings the Praises of SA Golf Great Garrick Higgo. Read the story here.
- Kgothatso Montjane Makes History Reaching Wimbledon Final!!! Read the story here.
- Meet Everyone from TeamSA Representing South Africa at the Olympics. Read the story here.
- UCT Student Takes World Canoe Ocean Racing Crown. Read the story here.
- Team South Africa: Tatjana Schoenmaker Sets New Olympic Record!!! Read the story here.
- Proudly SA: Bianca Buitendag clinches SILVER at Tokyo Olympics. Read the story here.
- Proudly South African: Tatjana Schoenmaker Wins Silver in 100m breaststroke!!! Read the story here.
- Tatjana Schoenmaker makes a SPLASH at Olympics, breaks another RECORD. Read the story here.
- SA’s Tatjana Schoenmaker Wins Olympic GOLD, Smashes WORLD RECORD!!! Read the story here.
- Proudly South African: South Africa’s Tokyo Olympic Medalists. Read the story here.
- Morné Steyn and Eben Etzebeth Reflect on Special Victory! Read the story here.
- Binder Earns Podium at MotoGP – Braving Rainfall and Slick Tyres to get it! Read the story here.
- SA Earns Several Titles at the Badminton Tournament in Benin. Read the full story here.
- Two For Two: Boks Victorious In Second Test Against Pumas. Read the full story here.
- Team South Africa Earn Paralympic Gold and Silver Medals in Tokyo. Read the story here.
- Team South Africa Add to Medal Count with Gold and Bronze. Read the story here.
- Ntando Mahlangu Just Earned South Africa’s 4th Gold at Paralympics. Read his story here.
- Water Polo Coach Delaine Mentoor Receives National Award. Read her story here.
- Listed: Paralympic Stars Bring Home Gold, Silver and Bronze. Read the story here.
- SA Announces Para Surfing Team for World Para Surfing Championships. Read the story here.
- Greg Minnaar Wins 4th UCI Mountain Bike World Championship Title. Read the story here.
- South African Hard Enduro Rider Becomes Hero Champ in Poland! Read the story here.
- Minke Sets 7 International Swimming Records in One Week! Read the story here.
- Meet Hannah Pearce… The First South African to Captain Harvard’s Hockey Team! Read the story here.
- South Africans Setting New Guinness World Record Skate to Victory! Read the story here.
- Hard Enduro Racer – Wade Young – Wins 6th Roof Of Africa In Lesotho! Read the story here.
- First South African to Captain Harvard’s Hockey Team Has Just Been Named Player of The Year! Read her story here.
Travel
- Cape Town Makes ’50 Best Places for Remote Working in 2021′ List. Read the full story here.
- Cape Town Lands Top 50 “Most Instagrammable Cities” List for 3rd Consecutive Year. Read the story here.
- Condé Nast Names South Africa on 2021 Best Holiday Destination List. Read the full story here.
- Camps Bay Beach Earns Top 25 “World’s Best” from Travel + Leisure. Read the full story here.
- SA Lands Several Nominations for 2021 World Travel Awards. Read the story here.
- First-Ever Local Production of Survivor South Africa Boosts Wild Coast Economy by over R10 million! Read the story here.
- SA’s Silo Hotel Listed as 3rd Best Pool in the World. Read the story here.
- Cape Town Tourism Shines at International Film Awards. Read the story here.
- Lekker Bru: These Two South African Streets Were Just Named Coolest in the World! Read the story here.
- Table Bay Hotel Wins At International Tourism Film Festival!!! Read the story here.
- Chapman’s Peak Lands on World’s ‘Most Beautiful Road Trip Routes’ List. Read the story here.
- Labia Theatre Named Among the Best in the WORLD. Read the story here.
- Boulders Beach Named One of the Best Beaches in the World. Read the story here.
- Cape Town International Airport has been named as Africa’s Best!!! Read the story here.
- #NSFW Travel: South Africa is One of the Best Places to Skinny Dip. Read the story here.
- SA’s Blue Train Named One of Most Luxurious Train Carriages in the WORLD. Read the story here.
- Kruger National Park Named 10th Most Popular Selfie Spot in the World. Read the story here.
- Cape Town Awarded Number One City in the Middle East and Africa! Read the story here.
- Table Mountain Cableway in Running to Become “World’s Leading Cable Car”. Read the story here.
- These South African Resorts Have Just Been Announced As The Best In The World!!! Read the story here.
- World Travel Awards Announce South African Winners. Read the story here.
- Cape Town Named The World’s Best Festival and Event Destination For 2021. Read the story here.
Other
- South African Invention Will Soon Bring More Astronauts Safely Home From Space! Read the story here.
- Organisation Helping Mothers Grieve, Wins Prestigious Award. Read the story here.
- NASA Launches Proudly South African Product into Space! Read the story here.
- Ladles of Love Breaks World Record – More Importantly, Helps to Feed Nation! Read the story here.
- Two South Africans Win at Women in Science Awards. Read the full story here.
Sources: Linked Above
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Accomplishment, accomplishment, accomplishment, and accomplishment.
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