MPHO POPPS

Mpho Popps is a remarkable South African comedian who is best known to TV viewers for being one of the superstars to compete in the sixth edition of the SABC3 reality dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing, in 2013. Popps initially got noticed on the SABC1 competition So You Think You’re Funny! in 2009 before going on to  the club scene in Johannesburg, where he swiftly made a name for himself. He has consequently appeared on Blacks Only, Mzansi Magic’s Opening Guys and Laugh Out Loud and on the talk show Late Night with Kgomotso. He also performed in the miniseries Taxi Ride as Kumba, a man of many faces who is a flamboyant person with a roguish side.

Popps made his primary appearance on DStv’s Comedy Central station in May 2012 on the first ever episode of Comedy Central Presents… Live @ Parkers. He was also a reviewer on the second season of the Vuzu show 10 Over 10, in 2013. And in 2014 he hosted the SABC1 reality cooking series The Perfect Sishebo Show.

Now Mpho Popps has become huge in South Africa as major TV and film star. Out of the clatter and the publicity one humble and physically slender young comic seemed to arise, a fully formed talent. One clip of Mpho’s comedy was enough to turn anyone into a fan, but there is also more than recommendation of expert comics who respected his talent and felt tenderly enough toward him to inspire South Africans to consider him. We knew we wanted a comic from the next generation of post-apartheid jokers and Mpho was the best among them, commented critics as he was nominated for the Newcomer Award at the 2011 South African Comic’s Choice Awards, as well as in 2012 for the Breakthrough Act Award.

The twenty eight year old kid from the township of Soweto, worked extremely hard at college studying Logistic Management as a major. He never thought his jump on to the comedy scene would create such a big stir in a short two years.

Mpho Popps  launched his finest one-man comedy show, Exhibit A at the Gold Reef City’s Lyric Theatre in February 2015. With a unique style all of his own, tempting stage personality and a reputation for enthralling audiences, Mpho has shone across our screens making thousands of individuals laugh with immense stand-up comedy shows like Mass Hysteria and Blacks Only.

cj STANDER

Christiaan Johan Stander is a South African-Irish former rugby union player. Stander’s career began in his native South Africa, where he played for the Blue Bulls in the Currie Cup between 2010 and 2012 and for the Bulls in Super Rugby in 2012. He moved to Irish province Munster in 2012 and, after qualifying via residency in 2015, made his debut for Ireland in 2016, going on to earn 51 caps for his adopted country, as well as 1 cap for the British & Irish Lions in 2017, before retiring in 2021.

Stander was born in George, South Africa, where his family own a farm. Prior to focusing on rugby, Stander was a champion discus thrower as a teenager.

Stander is married to Jean-Marié Neethling, the sister of South African Olympic gold medallists Ryk Neethling. Their daughter, Everli, was born in August 2019. His brother, Janneman Stander, is a rugby union player in South Africa for the SWD Eagles. In May 2017, the Mayor of Limerick, Kieran O’Hanlon, made Stander the city’s inaugural honorary international ambassador.

He was also named an honorary Limerick man at the Limerick Person of the Year awards in April 2021,  and appeared on The Late Late Show in May 2021, discussing in particular the famous figure of 8 that the Ireland players formed in tribute to Anthony Foley ahead of their historic first ever win against New Zealand in 2016, and the support he received from the vast majority of the public when faced with criticism of being a South African playing for Ireland.

RYK NEETHLING

Ryk Neethling  is a South African businessman who rose to prominence as the three-times World Champion and four-times World Record Breaking Olympic swimming champion. He is known as one of the most accomplished swimmers in history.

He is CEO of the Princess Charlene of Monaco Foundation South Africa, a Laureus Sport for Good Foundation Ambassador, founder of the Ryk Neethling Swimming Schools and a director and shareholder of Val de Vie Estate. He is also an international keynote and motivational speaker

He won an Olympic gold medal in the 4×100 m freestyle relay at the 2004 Summer Olympics and won three individual gold medals at the 2006 FINA World Aquatics Championships in Shanghai. Winning nine National Collegiate Athletic Association championships makes him the third best men’s swimmer in almost 100 years.

He is the former joint owner of the 4×100 m freestyle relay world record and broke the 100m Individual Medley World Record three times in 2005. He is also the first South African to compete in four successive Olympic Games. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Business from the University of Arizona, which also named him the American NCAA Swimmer of the Year and Athlete of the Century in 1999.

Born in Bloemfontein, he attended Grey College, where he excelled in swimming, earning a place in the South African swimming team for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, where he came fifth in the 1500 m freestyle. Immediately following the Games he was enrolled at The University of Arizona in the United States, where he further cemented his swimming reputation, earning a numerous awards and accolades, including being the 9 times NCAA National Champion, Arizona Athlete of the Year and PAC-10 Athlete of the Year for four consecutive years, 1999 NCAA Swimmer of the Year, and the University of Arizona Athlete of the Century award.

He continued his international career at the 1998 Commonwealth Games, winning the silver medal in the 1500 m freestyle, but only managing fifth at the 1998 World Aquatics Championships. In 1999 he had a much better Pan Pacific Championships winning silver in the 1500 m freestyle, and bronze in the 400 m and 200 m freestyle. After achieving a disappointing 5th in the 1500 m freestyle event and 8th in the 400 m freestyle at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney he elected to discontinue competing in the 1500 m event, concentrating instead on the 50 m and 100 m freestyle events. He is the only men’s swimmer in Olympic history to swim in the 100 to 1500m freestyle finals At the 2002 Commonwealth Games he won a bronze medal in the 100 m freestyle and came 4th in the 50 m freestyle events. At the 2006 Commonwealth Games he won silver in the 100 m freestyle and was part of the S.A gold medal winning 4×100 m freestyle relay team. After finishing the 2008 Summer Olympics. He became the first South African to participate four successive Olympic Games.

He is now shareholder and marketing director of Val de Vie Estate a luxury property development in Paarl, South Africa.