The bell has rung for a new era in South African school sport and achievement coverage. NovaNews has launched its Schools Zone on Youth Day, creating a national digital hub that promises to amplify every learner’s success story from the classroom to the rugby pitch and beyond.
It’s a bold statement of intent timed perfectly for 16 June, Youth Day,when South Africa reflects on young people as agents of change. And it comes with serious firepower behind it.
Eleven years of legacy, supercharged
At the heart of this launch sits Schools That Rock, the pioneering platform founded by Christo du Randt in 2009 that has spent over a decade documenting school achievements across the nation. Now incorporated into NovaNews, that archive of thousands of articles and photos gets turbocharged distribution through NovaNews’s formidable network – 389,000+ active users, over one million Facebook followers, and 21 community newspaper titles spanning the country.
“Over the past eleven years, Schools That Rock has published thousands of articles and photos — a true digital archive of pride and achievement,” reflects du Randt. “Every story, every smile, and every victory has reinforced the vision: every child has a success story worth sharing with the world. I am proud to continue this legacy on the NovaNews platform.”
That philosophy, that every child deserves their moment in the spotlight, drives everything the Schools Zone represents.
More than just rugby
Whilst school rugby remains a cornerstone (amplified through The Rugby Factory vodcast hosted by Andy Daniel), the Schools Zone casts its net far wider. Netball stars, athletics champions, academic achievers, cultural performers, debating champions – if it happens at a South African school, it deserves recognition.
And that’s precisely the point.
“The launch of the Schools Zone and School Sports Zone on Youth Day is deeply intentional,” explains Bettie Giliomee-Rossouw, NovaNews Head of Digital and Editorial Commissioning. “We believe that every school has a story worth telling, every learner has an achievement worth celebrating, and every community deserves to see their young people recognised on a national platform.
“By bringing Schools That Rock into our ecosystem, we are honouring eleven years of extraordinary work and taking it to an entirely new level. This is our contribution to Youth Day — giving every South African school a louder, stronger voice.”
Your School, Your Story
Here’s where schools, parents, coaches, and learners themselves come in. The Schools Zone thrives on community participation. Got a match report? A photo of your team’s championship victory? A video of that incredible try scored in injury time? NovaNews wants to share it.
Send news, photos, achievements and videos to:
📧 dustin.wetdewich@novusmedia.co.za
Dustin Wetdewich, NovaNews National Digital Sports Editor, heads up the operation, ensuring school stories receive the national coverage they deserve. No longer will stellar performances languish in obscurity or get lost in social media algorithms. The Schools Zone provides permanence , a digital archive documenting South African youth excellence for years to come.
Also Read: NovaNews launches Schools Zone on Youth Day giving every school a voice
Every story matters
In an era where elite school sport often dominates headlines whilst smaller schools struggle for recognition, the Schools Zone represents something profound, democratised coverage. It’s built on the radical notion that a Grade 8 pupil’s first try matters just as much as a Craven Week star’s hat-trick. That a rural school’s netball team deserves celebration alongside urban powerhouses.
Every Story. Every School.
It’s not just a tagline. It’s a commitment.
