Try GOLD - Free
Bafana Bafana's victory sparks national happiness surge
Saturday Star
|October 18, 2025
WHEN the late South African president Nelson Mandela said, “Sport has the power to change the world; it has the power to inspire; it has the power to unite people in a way that little else does,” he knew exactly what he was talking about.
After Bafana Bafana qualified for the 2026 Fifa World Cup in North America by beating Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday night, statistics showed that happiness levels rose throughout South Africa.
According to real-time data from the Centre for Wellbeing, AI and Social Impact (C.WAIS) at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa's national happiness index spiked after the win compared to the usual midweek average.
This story is from the October 18, 2025 edition of Saturday Star.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Saturday Star
Saturday Star
Secrets, séances and disappearing girls: 'Playing Gracie Darling' is disturbing in all the right ways
I RECENTLY found myself binge-watching Playing Gracie Darling, a six-part Netflix series which blurs the line between a psychological thriller and a supernatural mystery.
2 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Time magazine names 'architects of AI' as its 'person of the year'
TIME magazine named the “Architects of AI” as its Person of the Year on Thursday, highlighting the US tech titans whose work on cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming humanity.
2 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Malema labels Trump ‘Hitler’, calls for closer bond with Beijing
ECONOMIC Freedom Fighters (EFF) leader Julius Malema has urged the South African government to abandon what he described as its deteriorating relationship with the United States and instead focus on strengthening ties with the People’s Republic of China, the world’s second-largest economy and a longstanding ally of Pretoria.
1 min
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
High Court rejects bid to appeal Omotoso’s acquittal
NPA DEALT A BLOW
1 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Rachel Kolisi unveils ‘falling forward
RACHEL Kolisi is ready to open a deeply personal chapter of her life with Falling Forward, a new documentary that traces the themes that have shaped her journey.
2 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Remembering Junior King’s impact on SA hip hop
JUNIOR King, born Dugulth Ferreira, was a rising star in South African hip hop from Gqeberha in the Eastern Cape.
1 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Nzulu. 3. celebrates the priceless gift of a smile
IN A heartwarming milestone that underscores the transformative power of healthcare, 3-year-old Nzulu from the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast recently blew out birthday candles for the first time.
2 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
From security guard to dealer principal: Sibiya’s journey
ZWELI Sibiya, has risen from humble beginnings to lead a top-performing dealership in Gauteng, in a story of determination, adaptability, and resilience.
1 min
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Game drives just got LIT: a new G-Class Cabriolet in the making
MERCEDES-BENZ is keen to take advantage of the legendary status that its iconic G-Class off-roader enjoys, and in product planning terms, that means expanding the family.
1 mins
December 13, 2025
Saturday Star
Fan group calls for ‘immediate halt’ to ticket sales
FANS’ group Football Supporters Europe (FSE) called on Thursday for FIFA to stop the sale of tickets for next year’s World Cup due to their “extortionate” cost.
1 min
December 13, 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size