It's been another crazy year for South Africa, but at this time of year it's easy to forget what strides we have made toward making the country a better, more beautiful place to live. Here's five stories we should all remember as 2017 wraps itself up.
1. Esther Mahlangu gets her own boulevard in NYC
We couldn't have been prouder when we heard the news that 81-year-old Ndebele artist, and national treasure Esther Mahlangu was honoured with a street painted in her signature Ndebele patterns in New York City. The mural was part of a tourism partnership between South African Tourism's US office, South African Airways (SAA) and bicycle-sharing platform Citi Bike, and also includes branded bikes and bicycle docking platforms. Viva Esther!
2. When Cassper Filled FNB Stadium
No one thought the local muso could fill the enormous FNB stadium, but lo-and-behold, Saturday night came and he actually did it, becoming one of the top five best attended South African concerts in history.
After he broke into the music scene he stole the hearts of many hiphop fans which led to his first fill up concert at The Dome, where 20,000 people attended in 2015.
He then moved on to fill up Orlando Stadium and now he did the unbelievable by attracting 68,000 people to his #FillUpFNB concert on Saturday night. Halala Mufasa, Halala!
History was made!!! Soccer city stadium was filled!!! 68000 tickets sold!!! Thank you!!! I love you!!!! God is good all the time!!! #FillUpFnbStadium pic.twitter.com/BC9k9MX8JN
— Today we #FillUpFnbStadium (@CassperNyovest) December 2, 2017
3. France knights Zanele Muholi
LGBTQ visual activist Zanele Maholi's pioneering work was honoured by the French government with the prestigious Chevalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres medal. Loosely translated as a Knight of the Order of Arts and Letters, it is one of the highest cultural cultural honours a creator can be bestowed with by the French government.
South African photographer & activist Zanele Muholi has been awarded France's Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters. Muholi has dedicated her life to documenting South Africa's lesbian, gay, bisexual & transgender communities: https://t.co/BrZE2e6JFa pic.twitter.com/czD5Y1BP2e
— frieze (@frieze_magazine) November 27, 2017
The host of "The Daily Show" and comedian, Trevor Noah, keeps piling up the accolades and South Africans could not be more proud.
Noah's show bagged the Emmy for Best Short-Form Variety Series for the YouYube series, "The Daily Show: Between the Scenes" on 9 September in Los Angeles in the U.S.
It is with a deep sense of pride that I congratulate @TrevorNoah for winning the Outstanding Short Form Variety Series Emmy Award #Emmys2017 pic.twitter.com/FISdKya879
— Min. Nathi Mthethwa (@NathiMthethwaSA) September 11, 2017
5. South African architecture gets recognised around the world
The world's largest architectural award programme, the World Architecture Festival Awards, –– and South Africa's Ntsika Architects walked away with one of the big prizes. And to top it off two South African buildings have been shortlisted for the international Arcaid Architectural Photography Awards 2017 -- one of the world's foremost photographic prizes. Winning!
