AFDA proudly celebrates the remarkable achievement of Live Performance student Culture Kagiso Molatole, who secured 2nd place in the prestigious 13th African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO) Essay Competition, coordinated nationally by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS).
This milestone recognises Molatole’s academic excellence and creative insight and also marks a significant moment for the Creative Economy, which received formal recognition within this sector for the first time.
The ARSO Essay Competition is a leading continental platform that encourages African students to engage with critical issues shaping the continent’s economic and developmental future. The 2025/2026 theme focused on “the role of harmonised standards in reducing technical barriers to trade and promoting fair and just trade within intra-African and global markets,” challenging participants to explore how policy, innovation, and systems thinking can unlock Africa’s economic potential.
Molatole’s achievement stands out for its academic merit and for its broader cultural significance. By placing the Creative Economy firmly within conversations around trade, development, and standardisation, this recognition signals an important shift, one that acknowledges the role of creative industries as a driver of economic growth and continental integration.
The competition brought together top-performing students from leading South African institutions, including Stellenbosch University, the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), the University of Venda, and the University of South Africa (UNISA). The diversity of institutions represented highlights the strength of South Africa’s higher education sector and the power of varied perspectives in shaping Africa’s future.
As an initiative, the ARSO Essay Competition continues to foster innovation, critical thinking, and youth engagement across the continent. It provides students with a platform to contribute meaningfully to policy discourse while competing for national and continental recognition, including bursaries and opportunities to participate in international forums.
AFDA extends sincere gratitude to SABS for the invitation, opportunity, and exceptional hospitality throughout the competition. Platforms such as these are essential in bridging academia, industry, and policy, creating space for emerging voices to influence real-world outcomes.
This achievement reflects AFDA’s ongoing commitment to nurturing talent that is not only creatively excellent but also socially and economically impactful. Culture Kagiso Molatole’s success is a powerful reminder that the future of Africa’s Creative Economy is bright, dynamic, and in capable hands.
As AFDA celebrates this milestone, it also looks ahead with excitement to the continued growth of its students and their contributions to shaping Africa’s creative and economic landscape.