Propak Cape returns to Cape Town from 27-29 October 2026, bringing together more than 200 exhibitors showcasing the latest developments across packaging, plastics, printing, labelling and food processing.
The 2026 edition has grown from 190 exhibitors at the previous Propak Cape in 2023, giving visitors an even broader opportunity to discover technologies and solutions for an industry facing increasing pressure to improve efficiency, manage costs, maintain consistency and respond to evolving customer, market and sustainability requirements.
At the heart of Propak Cape is the opportunity to experience technology first-hand. Live demonstrations will enable visitors to see machinery and solutions in operation, compare technologies and engage directly with suppliers, technical specialists and industry experts.
Automation and end-of-line solutions, marking and coding, packaging efficiency, food and beverage applications, and developments in sustainable and recyclable packaging will be among the key areas of focus.
Among the technologies being presented in 2026, SloniTec will showcase its Aseptic Bag in Box Filler, designed to extend product shelf life at ambient temperatures, while Progetto will demonstrate an automated carton packing solution for integration into automated production lines.
Goldpack will showcase its partnership with GroupMosca, with a particular focus on applications for South Africa’s citrus industry and solutions across strapping, wrapping and end-of-line packaging. REA South Africa will take visitors through marking and coding applications across different stages of production, from label creation through to end-of-line.
Sustainability will remain an important focus, with developments in recyclability, lightweighting, mono-material packaging and more efficient packaging formats on display.
Tetra Pak will showcase its Tetra Recart carton packaging for shelf-stable tuna, brought to market in collaboration with Spanish seafood producer Jealsa. Visitors will also be able to see the 750ml Eco-Flat Wine Bottle developed for the South African wine market by Polyoak Packaging in partnership with Packamama, Safripol and Stellenbosch Vineyards. Its lightweight and space-efficient format demonstrates how packaging design can contribute to more efficient transportation and supply chains.
Mark Anderson, Propak Cape Portfolio Director, Montgomery Group, says Propak Cape’s value lies in connecting industry challenges with practical technologies and expertise.
“Packaging and processing businesses are balancing demands for greater efficiency and productivity with changing market and sustainability requirements. Propak Cape gives visitors the opportunity to see how technology is responding to those challenges, experience solutions in action and have meaningful conversations with the people behind them.”
Beyond the exhibition floor, the free-to-attend seminar programme organised by the Institute of Packaging SA will add another dimension to the visitor experience, with industry experts sharing insights into technologies, case studies, industry best practice and legislative developments.
With more than 20 years of experience, Propak Cape continues to provide a meeting place for packaging and processing professionals to discover solutions, explore emerging technologies, strengthen industry connections and identify opportunities to improve their operations.
Propak Cape 2026 incorporates Pro-Plas Expo, FoodPro, Print Expo and Pro-Label Expo and is supported by IPSA, Packaging SA, Plastics SA and Printing SA.
Propak Cape 2026 takes place from 27-29 October 2026 at the Cape Town International Conference Centre (CTICC).
Electra Mining Africa has concluded its biggest edition in its 54-year history, bringing together over 1 000 local and international exhibitors, an expanded footprint of more than 44 000 m² net exhibition space, and 41,390 visitors from across mining, manufacturing, automation, electrical, power, transport and related engineering industries.
Held at the Johannesburg Expo Centre in Nasrec from 7-11 September, this year’s exhibition demonstrated continued demand for technologies, products, expertise and business connections that can help companies improve productivity, safety, efficiency and operational performance.
The record scale of the exhibition was reflected not only in the increased exhibition space and exhibitor numbers, but also in the level of engagement across the show floor. Exhibitors reported strong visitor interest, valuable business conversations and opportunities to connect with both existing and prospective customers.
“The excitement of customers coming through this year’s show has been amazing,” said one exhibitor, while also highlighting the networking opportunities and access to mining decision-makers that can otherwise be difficult to reach.
For many exhibitors, the increased scale of the show also translated into new faces, project discussions and opportunities to reconnect with existing customers.
“Electra Mining Africa has been a stand-out show. Not only has there been an increased number of exhibitors for this year, but this has also brought far more visitor feet through the doors and lots of new faces. There have been a number of valuable conversations around potential project leads, and we’ve also been able to reconnect with customers that we might not have seen for some time.”
For companies using Electra Mining Africa to launch products, demonstrate technologies and engage directly with the market, the exhibition provided a broad platform for interaction.
“We also used this year’s show to launch a new product to the market and each area of our stand has been very busy, and we’ve focused on more demonstrations for this year. Discussions with visitors have varied, from technical questions to talking with students, many customers and suppliers, and even former employees. It’s a great opportunity to reach customers, media and more.”
The focus on practical customer needs was another strong theme, with exhibitors reporting more substantive discussions and enquiries.
“We have exhibited at 11 editions of Electra Mining Africa, and we decided to approach this year’s show in a highly customer-centric way, looking at problem solving for specific needs. We’ve received a lot of interest this year, with more tangible, quotable enquiries.”
Connecting industry beyond the exhibition floor
The programme of seminars, conferences, workshops and specialist activities attracted strong participation throughout the five-day exhibition, extending the value of Electra Mining Africa beyond the exhibition stands.
The Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (SAIMM) seminars drew excellent delegate attendance, with an engaging programme of speakers and topics addressing issues relevant to the mining and related industries. The Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa (LEEASA) conference also attracted strong participation, providing delegates with opportunities to engage with industry expertise and current developments.
The Women in Mining South Africa (WiMSA) workshop also attracted a high number of delegates, providing women in mining with an opportunity to share knowledge, learn from industry experience and build valuable professional connections.
The SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering (SAIMechE) Skills and Career Hub proved successful in strengthening connections between industry and the education and training sector. Participants reported that the interactions were beneficial both through engagement on their own stands in the Skills Hub and through visits to exhibitors across the wider exhibition, creating additional opportunities for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
The Geological Society of South Africa (GSSA) Explorers’ Pitch provided another highlight, with the winning student team delivering an exceptional presentation to the judging panel before being named the competition winner.
Celebrating innovation and engineering excellence
Innovation remained a key feature of this year’s exhibition, with 33 exhibitors receiving New Products and Innovation Awards for products and solutions demonstrating excellence and advancing technology across the industrial sector.
The awards recognised the breadth of innovation being developed by local and international companies, with winning products and technologies addressing industry challenges across the sectors represented at Electra Mining Africa.
A meeting place for industry
With six complementary sectors represented across the exhibition, visitors were able to explore technologies and solutions spanning mining, manufacturing, automation, electrical and power, transport and related engineering industries, while engaging directly with suppliers, manufacturers, technical specialists and business leaders.
“This year’s Electra Mining Africa has demonstrated what is possible when the industry comes together at scale. The record exhibition footprint, increased exhibitor participation and strong visitor response have created a dynamic environment for business, knowledge sharing and connection,” says Charlene Hefer, Portfolio Director at Montgomery Group Africa, organisers of Electra Mining Africa.
“We are proud to have delivered the biggest edition in Electra Mining Africa’s 54-year history and would like to thank our exhibitors, visitors, industry associations, partners, speakers, delegates and everyone who contributed to its success.”
The next edition of Electra Mining Africa will take place in 2028. For more information, visit www.electramining.co.za
Buyer registration for WTM Africa 2027 is officially open. Taking place from 7–9 April 2027 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC), Africa’s premier B2B travel and tourism exhibition is calling on outbound travel buyers, travel technology professionals and decision-makers to claim their spot.
The 2027 edition is shaping up to be the most geographically diverse yet, bringing together an expanding roster of destinations and suppliers alongside the trends, technologies and market opportunities shaping travel across the continent and beyond.
“If you’re serious about doing business across the African travel and tourism landscape, this is where you need to be,” says Megan De Jager, Portfolio Director for Travel, Tourism and Sports at RX Africa.
“Representation on the show floor is expanding, with new and returning regions adding depth and diversity to the buyer experience, along with valuable opportunities to grow their networks and forge new partnerships.”
Based on the current sales pipeline, the 2027 show is expected to feature expanded representation from the following markets. Some have participated previously and are increasing their presence, while others will be joining the event for the first time:
North Africa: Egypt and Algeria
West Africa: Nigeria and Benin
East Africa and the Indian Ocean: Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Madagascar, Mauritius and Réunion
Southern Africa: Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Angola
The Middle East: United Arab Emirates (UAE)
For outbound travel buyers and travel technology professionals, this breadth of representation means more destinations to explore, more suppliers to meet, and more partnerships to forge, all under one roof, over three focused days.
“We are proud and excited to welcome the world’s travel and tourism community to Cape Town once again for the 2027 instalment of WTM Africa in April next year,” says Geordin Hill-Lewis, Mayor Cape Town. “As the premier travel and tourism expo on the continent, this important event creates invaluable opportunities to connect, collaborate and unlock new possibilities for African tourism. With an even broader range of destinations, suppliers and industry expertise coming together, this promises to be an exciting edition. I encourage travel buyers and tourism professionals to register now and secure their place at this important gathering in our city.”
Buyers’ Club: A smarter way to work the show
WTM Africa’s Buyers’ Club is back, and it means business. Designed exclusively for qualified buyers with genuine purchasing and contracting authority, the Club delivers a focused, high-value experience built around the connections and products that drive real commercial results.
Buyers’ Club 2027 membership includes:
Priority access to new destinations, suppliers, and product developments.
Exclusive networking with exhibitors and senior industry decision-makers.
Access to the dedicated Buyers’ Lounge, with complimentary Wi-Fi, refreshments, and lunch.
Members will also qualify for travel discounts, with details of participating offers to be announced soon.
“Buyers come to WTM Africa with clear commercial objectives, so every part of the experience is designed to make their time count,” says De Jager. “From pre-scheduled meetings and targeted networking to relevant industry content, we want buyers to leave with valuable contacts, fresh market intelligence and tangible opportunities for growth.”
Register now
Buyer registration for WTM Africa 2027 is open now. Don’t wait. Qualified travel buyers and purchasing decision-makers are encouraged to register today and start building their show experience.
WTM Africa 2027
7–9 April 2027
CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Cape Town, South Africa – September 2026 – The FAME Shorts Film Festival has announced the nominees for its 2026 Awards, celebrating outstanding achievement across 17 categories and recognising the filmmakers, performers and creative teams behind this year’s festival programme.
The FAME Shorts Film Festival Awards will take place on 30 October 2026, ahead of the official festival programme, which runs from 30 October to 1 November at The Rockefeller Hotel in Cape Town.
Now in its fourth edition, FAME Shorts brings together short films from Africa and around the world across fiction, documentary, animation and student filmmaking. Since its launch, the festival has screened 129 films, providing a platform for emerging and established filmmakers to showcase their work, connect with audiences and become part of the wider screen industry gathered in Cape Town for FAME Week Africa.
The awards recognise the complete filmmaking process, celebrating storytelling, directing, cinematography, editing, music, design and performance, alongside dedicated awards for documentary, LGBTQ+ representation and student filmmaking.
“Four years into FAME Shorts, I’m incredibly proud of the range of filmmakers and stories the festival continues to attract,” says Martin Hiller, Portfolio Director of FAME Week Africa. “Short film gives filmmakers the freedom to experiment, take risks and tell stories in unexpected ways. These nominations celebrate the films audiences see on screen, while also recognising the extraordinary creative talent and craft behind them.”
2026 FAME Shorts Film Festival Award Nominees
BEST SHORT FILM
‘Aasvoëls (Vultures)’
‘APART’
‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
‘Whispers of a Burning Scent’
‘Everything Between Us’
BEST DIRECTOR
Dian Weys – ‘Aasvoëls’
Naishe Nyamubaya – ‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
Pola Maneli – ‘APART’
Robyn Phillips – ‘Everything Between Us’
BEST SCREENPLAY
Dian Weys – ‘Aasvoëls’
Mo Harawe – ‘Whispers of a Burning Scent’
Robyn Phillips & Brandon Clarke – ‘Everything Between Us’
Spike Lee, Tim Jones, Jeff Leisawitz & Lubabalo Matti – ‘APART’
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Cameron Baatjies – ‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
Jason Prins – ‘Everything Between Us’
Pauline Pyras – ‘Burning Lies’
Jason Prins – ‘Vimba! 2’
BEST EDITING
Dan Sadowsky – ‘Dears in the Headlights’
Dian Weys – ‘Aasvoëls’
Shelby Ncube – ‘Everything Between Us’
Shelby Ncube – ‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
BEST USE OF MUSIC
Black Coffee + Jamute – ‘APART’
Chris Laco Snyman – ‘Everything Between Us’
Lungile Themba – ‘Sikelela: The Enoch Sontonga Story’
Tendaiishe Chitima (Mavis) – ‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
Ydalie Turk (Jess) – ‘Colour of Dreams’
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kate Pinchuck (Claudia) – ‘Dread’
Jill Levenberg (Gayle) – ‘Aasvoëls’
Nellie Modimola (Thandiwe) – ‘Everything Between Us’
Wizzy Mangoma (Chirongoma) – ‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
BEST ACTOR
Edwin van der Walt (Paul) – ‘Aasvoëls’
Innes Maas (Simon) – ‘Everything Between Us’
Leroy Siyafa (James) – ‘God Sleeps on Sundays’
Omar Abdi (Hanfade) – ‘Whispers of a Burning Scent’
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Albert Pretorius (Anton) – ‘Aasvoëls’
David Sherwood (Alfred) – ‘The Man, The Cliff and The Dog’
Hénoc Kiyombo (Raymond) – ‘Leopard of Congo’
Brian Ogola (Benjamin) – ‘GOAT’
BEST LGBTQ+
‘Dread’
‘Everything Between Us’
‘Luna’
‘Queezy Visits the Races’
BEST DOCUMENTARY
‘Amigo the Griot’
‘Dears in the Headlights’
‘Talking to Family’
BEST STUDENT FILM
‘It’s Just a Movie’
‘Sugarcane, Burning’
‘Talking to Family’
‘Queezy Visits the Races’
The winners will be revealed at the FAME Shorts Film Festival Awards on 30 October, setting the stage for three days of screenings and filmmaker experiences as the 2026 festival gets underway.
Tickets for the 2026 FAME Shorts Film Festival are on sale now through Quicket, with individual screening blocks priced at R75 and an All-Block Pass available for R275. Audiences can explore the full festival programme at www.fameshortsfilmfestival.com or read the official 2026 programme here.
“For us, FAME Shorts is about discovering filmmakers and celebrating the people behind the work,” adds Hiller. “Whether someone is making their first student film or has already built an international career, short film remains an incredible space for creativity. We want audiences to discover these stories and, importantly, remember the names behind them.”
The fourth edition of FAME Shorts continues the festival’s commitment to championing original voices, recognising filmmaking craft and creating a platform for the filmmakers shaping what audiences will be watching next.
970 attendees across three days, 260 + companies representing 20 countries, came together in Cape Town for practical insight, technology, networking and conversations shaping the future of customer experience in Africa.
Cape Town, South Africa, August 2026: CEM Africa 2026 concluded at the Century City Conference Centre following three days of strong engagement across Africa’s customer experience community.
The 14th edition welcomed 970 attendees from more than 260 companies across 20 countries, bringing together senior CX, customer service, marketing, digital, technology and transformation leaders alongside solution providers and industry partners.
The event achieved a Net Promoter Score of 69, reflecting a strong response from delegates and reinforcing the relevance of the CEM Africa platform.
Across the programme, delegates had access to 43 workshop and breakout sessions and 10 main stage content sessions, with feedback consistently highlighting the quality, relevance and practical value of the content.
Discussions tackled the issues shaping CX today, including AI adoption, trust, customer intelligence, employee experience, digital transformation, customer journeys and the growing pressure to demonstrate measurable business value.
Standout voices and timely conversations
Under the theme “Trust, Technology and the Human Future of CX in Africa”, the programme combined global perspective with distinctly African CX challenges and opportunities.
Business journalist and best-selling author Bruce Whitfield delivered “The Trust Advantage”, exploring the role of trust in reducing friction and creating stronger business outcomes.
Zahirah Variawa, Founder of The Fourth Thread, opened Day Two with “The Moments People Remember: Why the Experiences We Create Matter More Than We Think”, placing human connection firmly at the centre of customer experience.
Martin Urrutia, Head of Global Retail Experience at The LEGO Group, delivered “Experience Is the Brand”, examining how organisations can design experiences that differentiate, scale and build loyalty.
From the public sector, Rashid Toefy, Deputy Director-General at the Western Cape Government, presented “Citizen Experience by Design: Building Trust Through Better Public Services”, highlighting the importance of experience design in strengthening trust between institutions and the people they serve.
Together, these sessions reinforced one of the strongest messages to emerge from CEM Africa 2026: technology is reshaping customer engagement, but trust, relevance and human connection remain fundamental to great experience.
Engagement across every part of the event
CEM Africa 2026 was designed to encourage participation beyond the main stage.
Delegates moved throughout the venue between keynote sessions, 43 workshops and breakouts, panel discussions, solution demonstrations, the exhibition and direct conversations with technology providers and peers.
Day Zero set the tone with The Social Club: Play. Taste. Connect, live podcast discussions and opening drinks, creating an informal environment for the community to connect before the main conference programme began.
Across Days One and Two, engagement continued through the exhibition, matchmaking and smaller-format sessions, while Matchmaking and Happy Hour and the CEM Engage Party created further opportunities for delegates, speakers and partners to build relationships outside the formal programme.
The event closed with WiN CX Africa, bringing female leaders together around leadership, safety, trust and inclusion in customer and employee experience.
Strong response from partners
Sponsors and exhibitors also reported a highly positive response, with partners contributing actively to both the content programme and the wider event experience.
NiCE, Lead Sponsor of CEM Africa 2026, played a prominent but integrated role throughout the summit, bringing practical perspectives on AI-powered customer experience, enterprise AI agents and the evolving relationship between human and AI-enabled service.
The wider partner community contributed expertise across Voice of Customer, customer intelligence, automation, conversational engagement, journey orchestration, contact centres and CX measurement, helping ensure that technology conversations remained grounded in real operational and commercial challenges.
The numbers behind CEM Africa 2026
The post-event results underline both the scale of the community and the depth of engagement across the programme:
970 total attendance
260+ companies represented
20 countries represented
43 workshop and breakout sessions
10 main stage content sessions
+69 Event NPS
For CEM Africa, the NPS of 69 is particularly significant. It is not simply a measure of satisfaction, but an indication that delegates found genuine value in the content, connections and overall event experience.
“The response to CEM Africa 2026 has been incredibly encouraging. What stood out was the level of engagement across every part of the event, from the main stage and workshops to the exhibition, matchmaking and networking functions. An NPS of 69 reinforces that the community is finding real value in these conversations and in the connections CEM Africa creates.”
Terry Southam, Group Director retail – VUKA Group
Momentum builds towards CEM Johannesburg Edition
With the Cape Town flagship complete, attention now turns to the CEM Johannesburg Edition, taking place on 10–11 November 2026 at NH Hotel in Sandton.
The event expands to a full two-day format in 2026, bringing together senior CX decision-makers, practitioners and solution providers around practical workshops, peer-led insight, solution discovery and purposeful business networking.
The strong response in Cape Town is already carrying forward into Johannesburg, with growing interest from delegates, speakers and commercial partners.
Download the CEM Johannesburg Edition Sponsorship Brochure
CEM Africa is Africa’s leading customer experience summit and a platform for the people and organisations shaping the future of customer engagement across the continent.
Through its flagship Cape Town summit, the CEM Africa Awards and regional Editions, CEM Africa connects senior leaders, practitioners, technology providers and innovators around practical insight, collaboration and the business value of stronger customer experiences.
From French buyers, distributors and producers to co-production opportunities, creative entrepreneurship and cinema, France’s Destination Focus comes to life in Cape Town this October
This October, France takes centre stage at FAME Week Africa as the 2026 Destination Focus, bringing French and African creatives, producers, buyers, distributors, entrepreneurs and cultural organisations together to create new opportunities for collaboration and business.
Taking place from 28 to 30 October 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre and then heading to the Rockefeller Hotel from 30 October to 1 November, the France Destination Focus will run throughout FAME Week Africa, with activity spanning film, television, music, fashion, design, gaming, publishing, digital creativity and cultural entrepreneurship.
At its heart, the Destination Focus is about creating stronger connections between France and Africa’s creative industries – putting people in the same room, opening doors to new markets and creating opportunities for African and French creatives to work together.
From bringing French producers to Cape Town interested in exploring co-production opportunities with African producers, to French buyers and distributors looking to discover African content, dedicated speed networking, industry conversations, the Création Africa programme and the African premiere screening of The Phantom of the Opera, France will have a presence across the FAME Week Africa experience.
CREATING REAL BUSINESS AND CO-PRODUCTION OPPORTUNITIES
For Africa’s film and television industry, one of the key elements of the Destination Focus will be the opportunity to meet French producers, buyers and distributors at FAME Week Africa and MIP Africa.
A delegation of French producers interested in co-production will participate in dedicated speed networking sessions, putting African and French producers directly across the table from one another. These focused meetings will provide an opportunity to introduce projects, identify areas of mutual interest and start conversations around potential partnerships.
French buyers and distributors will also attend, creating further opportunities for African producers and content owners to present their work, understand what the French market is looking for and explore potential acquisition, sales and distribution opportunities.
A dedicated co-production panel will take the conversation further, bringing together producers and industry experts working across film, television and animation to share their experiences and unpack the realities of international co-production.
From finding the right partner and developing a project together to financing, production and international distribution, the conversation will look at where the opportunities lie for French and African producers to work together.
“What excites me about having France as our Destination Focus is that this is about creating real opportunities. We’re bringing French producers, buyers and distributors to Cape Town to meet African creatives, we’re creating dedicated spaces for co-production conversations, and through initiatives such as Création Africa, we’re showcasing some brilliant creative businesses coming out of the continent. Then there’s the cultural side – from fashion and design to the African premiere screening of The Phantom of the Opera. It’s a great mix of business, creativity and culture, and hopefully the start of some exciting new partnerships between France and Africa,” says Martin Hiller, Portfolio Director of FAME Week Africa.
CRÉATION AFRICA: SUPPORTING THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE CREATIVITY
Another important part of France’s presence at FAME Week Africa will be Création Africa. This is an initiative of the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs, the Embassy of France and the French Institute of South Africa (IFAS), created to support entrepreneurs working within the cultural and creative industries.
The second edition attracted 340 applications, from which a Top 50 participated in an intensive seven-week mentorship phase before pitching to a jury. Fifteen businesses from South Africa, Lesotho and Malawi were ultimately selected to move into the programme’s final incubation phase, receiving tailored business guidance, sector expertise, investor introductions and support to become funding-ready.
At FAME Week Africa, delegates will have the opportunity to meet these entrepreneurs and discover their work through the FAME Week Africa pop-up store, panel discussions and activities taking place throughout the event.
“Création Africa reflects France’s commitment to supporting the growth and international development of cultural and creative entrepreneurs across Southern Africa. This second edition demonstrates the quality, diversity and ambition of creative businesses emerging from the region. FAME Week Africa provides an important platform for these entrepreneurs to connect with industry leaders, investors and potential partners, while showcasing their work to wider audiences,” says Jean Spiri, Head of Cooperation at the French Embassy in South Africa, Lesotho & Malawi and Director of the French Institute of South Africa.
Meet the Création Africa Top 15
The businesses represent an exciting cross-section of Southern Africa’s creative economy:
Music
Music Business Lab — Ninel Musson
Digital Media
iQHAWE Media — Renaé Mangena and Anastatia Nkhuna
Gaming and Interactive Media
Vetkoek Studios — Mamello Raboroko and Eric Gardiner
Film, Television and Animation
Better Yet — Hallie Haller
Lincoln Green Media — Kudakwashe “Kudi” Maradzika
Publishing
Bridge Books — Griffin Shea
Design and Craft
Pinda Furniture and Interior Design — Siyanda Mbele
Neimil — Keneilwe Mothoa and Lubabalo Mxalisa
Emotives Africa — Xolela Madlanga
Akhada Baskets — Tisungane Thomson
Fashion
SWANK JOZI — Lindelani Nedoboni
Thethana — Nkotseng Moleko
GUGUBYGUGU — Gugu Peteni
LEO SZN — Kirsten Leo
House of Xandria — Xandria Kawanga
Their presence at FAME Week Africa gives delegates an opportunity to discover not only the products and creative work emerging from the programme, but also to meet the entrepreneurs and businesses behind them and explore opportunities to work together.
FRENCH CINEMA COMES TO FAME WEEK AFRICA
Film will naturally form part of the France Destination Focus, with the African premiere screening of the highly anticipated The Phantom of the Opera (Le Fantôme de l’Opéra). Directed by Alexandre Castagnetti and starring Deva Cassel, Julien de Saint-Jean, Romain Duris, and Laïka Blanc-Franquart the film brings Gaston Leroux’s iconic story into present-day Paris.
The story follows Anastasia, an 18-year-old dancer who arrives in Paris with dreams of joining the prestigious Opéra Garnier. While rehearsing Orpheus, a supposedly cursed opera said to have been composed by the Phantom, she becomes drawn to a mysterious pianist. As opening night approaches, strange accidents and unsettling revelations pull her into an impossible love story somewhere between reality and the supernatural.
Its inclusion at FAME Week Africa gives Cape Town audiences an opportunity to experience a major new piece of French cinema as part of the wider Destination Focus.
OPENING DOORS TO FRANCE
Beyond film and co-production, the Destination Focus will also look practically at how African creatives can connect and collaborate with France.
A dedicated cultural collaboration panel will bring together practitioners and organisations to explore opportunities available through French cultural institutions and programmes – from professional exchanges and training to project development, funding, partnerships and access to international markets.
The aim is to give African creatives greater insight into what opportunities exist and, importantly, how to access them.
ONE DESTINATION FOCUS. MANY WAYS TO CONNECT.
Création Africa, French producers, buyers and distributors, co-production speed networking, industry conversations and the African premiere screening of The Phantom of the Opera are just some of what France will bring to FAME Week Africa this year.
The France Destination Focus is about getting people together and creating opportunities to do business. Whether that is an African producer meeting a French co-production partner, a buyer or distributor discovering their next African title, a creative entrepreneur making a new business connection, or audiences discovering new French cinema, we want people to leave FAME Week Africa with new contacts and conversations they can take forward.
BE PART OF IT
FAME Week Africa takes place from 28–30 October 2026 at the CTICC in Cape Town, bringing together African and international creatives, producers, buyers, distributors, entrepreneurs and industry decision-makers.
Join us in Cape Town this October to meet the people, discover the opportunities and be part of the growing creative relationship between France and Africa.
Strategic collaboration combines international trade-fair expertise with deep regional market knowledge, bringing analytica Lab Africa, IFAT Africa and Africa Automation Technology Fair together in 2027
Messe Muenchen India has announced a strategic partnership with RX Africa to strengthen the scale, reach and market impact of its premier co-located trade fairs, analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa, ahead of their 2027 editions.
The move will bring the Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) into the same co-located event from 06 – 08 July 2027, staged at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg, giving exhibitors and visitors access to a broad ecosystem of complementary technologies.
RX Africa, part of RX Global, is one of Africa’s leading exhibition organizers, with a strong portfolio of established events across key industries and markets. With an experienced team on the ground, deep local market knowledge, and long-standing relationships with industry stakeholders, associations and business communities, RX Africa is well positioned to support the continued growth and development of analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa.
This collaboration aligns with Messe Muenchen India’s targeted expansion strategy across the African continent. The partnership is designed to further strengthen both trade fairs as robust, future-facing business platforms for international trade, industrial development and sectoral exchange.
As Southern Africa’s leading trade fair for water, sewage, refuse, and recycling, IFAT Africa serves as a critical hub for environmental technologies across South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Co-located with analytica Lab Africa, the region’s leading trade fair for laboratory technology, analysis, and biotechnology, the exhibitions already connect technology providers with industries addressing critical requirements in environmental management, research, testing, quality control and scientific development.
Africa Automation Technology Fair (AATF) adds another important dimension to the platform. With a 28-year legacy, AATF is Africa’s leading and most comprehensive automation technology platform, attracting visitors and international exhibitors from across the world.
Together, the three trade fairs will bring scientific analysis, environmental technologies, industrial-scale implementation and automation technologies into one integrated business environment.
Track Record of Industry Impact
Over the years, these co-located exhibitions have contributed meaningfully to industrial development across the region. The platforms have successfully facilitated international business relations and direct technology transfer by consistently bringing together government entities, municipal authorities, local stakeholders, key market leaders, and scientific researchers.
Past editions have actively driven regional market development by introducing specialized country pavilions from manufacturing hubs like Germany, China, the United Kingdom, and the USA. Furthermore, the events have established a legacy of knowledge sharing through interactive seminars, technical training workshops, and forum presentations that address pressing regional infrastructure and analytical challenges.
Driving Next-Phase Regional Growth
As industries across Africa continue to modernize and scale, the demand for sophisticated laboratory sciences and sustainable environmental infrastructure has intensified.
This partnership responds directly to that market momentum. By combining Messe Muenchen India’s proven capability in building sector-leading trade fairs with RX Africa’s specialized regional insight and execution strength, the partnership aims to deliver an even more compelling showcase of technologies, expertise and business opportunity.
Stefan Rummel, CEO, Messe München, said, “Africa is an important growth market for Messe München. Our approach is to combine the reach and expertise of our global trade fair networks with strong regional knowledge and established local relationships. Through this partnership with RX Africa, we are strengthening analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa as platforms for technology transfer, international business and long-term industrial development across the region.”
Bhupinder Singh, President – IMEA (India, Middle East, Africa), Messe München and CEO, Messe Muenchen India said, “The true value of analytica Lab Africa and IFAT Africa lies in their ability to turn conversations into commercial realities. This alliance allows us to deepen those connections, ensuring that both local buyers and international exhibitors experience a far more impactful trade environment.”
The 2027 editions will feature an enhanced supporting program led by international experts, giving local buyers direct access to global market leaders and technologies. As part of the worldwide IFAT and analytica networks, which span Germany, China, India, Turkey, Vietnam, and the USA, the South African editions offer exhibitors and visitors a reliable gateway to international business relations.
Carol Weaving, Managing Director, RX Africa, added, “Our role in this collaboration is to bring strong regional insight and an established on-ground perspective to support the continued evolution of these already successful exhibitions. Together with Messe Muenchen India, we aim to strengthen market relevance and ensure the delivery of enhanced value and world-class solutions to the important industries served by these platforms.”
Plans are already underway for the 2027 editions, with both organizations aligning resources to deliver an expanded showcase of technologies and high-level networking opportunities. The upcoming editions will focus on bridging the gap between international innovation and regional execution, establishing a benchmark for industry events in the region.
About Messe Muenchen India
Established in 2007 as a wholly owned subsidiary of Messe München GmbH, Messe Muenchen India is one of the leading B2B trade fair organizers in the IMEA (India, Middle East & Africa) region. Its portfolio includes 25+ large-scale B2B trade fairs such as electronica India, productronica India, bauma CONEXPO India, IFAT India, analytica Lab India, analytica Africa, IFAT Africa among others. The company serves a wide range of industries, including electronics, capital goods, clean technology, environment, and life sciences—facilitating meaningful business connections and global knowledge exchange across the IMEA region.
About RX Africa
RX Africa is Africa’s leading exhibition organiser, creating business and consumer events that bring together people, markets and industries. Part of RX, a global leader in events and exhibitions, its portfolio spans sectors including travel and tourism, design and décor, media and entertainment, and pop culture, with established event brands such as World Travel Market Africa, ILTM Africa, Decorex Africa, FAME Week Africa and Comic Con Africa.
MultiChoice Group, a CANAL+ company, in partnership with FAME Week Africa, has announced an exclusive Unscripted Call for Projects for MIP Africa 2026, giving producers the opportunity to pitch bold, premium unscripted formats directly to MultiChoice Group.
The call is looking for original Entertainment and Reality concepts for premium channels, with an immediate hook, addictive storytelling and the potential to become conversation-driving cultural events.
Concepts should feel unmistakably premium, rather than conventional free-to-air entertainment, while remaining simple to understand, commercially viable and adaptable across markets.
Projects should be capable of travelling across key CANAL+ and MultiChoice Group territories, including South Africa, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Poland and France.
MultiChoice Group is looking for projects that demonstrate enhanced production value and ambition while remaining within a commercially viable budget framework. Concepts should not rely on large-scale financing and should be capable of being funded by one specific business unit before being scaled across additional markets.
“At CANAL+, we’re looking for premium unscripted reality concepts that surprise audiences, spark conversations and feel culturally relevant. We’re excited to hear about concepts with a bold and unique point of view, that keep audiences hooked episode after episode, and that have the ambition to scale across markets. This brief is an open invitation for creators who are ready to reimagine African entertainment and bring it to a global stage,” says Nomsa Philiso, Executive Vice President of Content for Canal+ Africa.
WHAT IS MULTICHOICE GROUP LOOKING FOR?
At the heart of the brief is a singular creative vision: an original and ambitious concept that can be explained in one sentence and does not rely on casting alone.
Projects should have clear engagement mechanics and dynamic pacing, with tension, twists, cliffhangers and strong narrative arcs that keep audiences watching across episodes.
Premium execution is equally important. Concepts should demonstrate the potential for cinematic production values, bold artistic direction, an authentic emotional core and a distinctive, self-aware point of view.
Casting should bring together diverse, charismatic and compelling participants, with unexpected choices that move beyond clichés and overused stereotypes.
Importantly, the format needs to be scalable and cost-efficient. Producers should demonstrate a clear and repeatable structure that can travel across cultures, support multiple seasons and, where relevant, benefit from a production hub model.
Ultimately, MultiChoice Group is looking for strong IP with the potential to develop into recurring franchises across MultiChoice Group and CANAL+ markets.
Genres actively sought include dating shows with a twist, reinvented game and talent shows, social experiments with a strong point of view, and adaptations of existing IP such as games, brands, fiction or digital culture.
“One of FAME Week Africa’s greatest strengths is getting African producers in the room with decision-makers who are actively looking for content. This Call for Projects gives producers a very clear brief: bring bold unscripted ideas with a strong hook, real entertainment value and the potential to travel across markets,” says Martin Hiller, Portfolio Director of FAME Week Africa.
WHAT DO PRODUCERS NEED TO SUBMIT?
Producers are required to submit:
A creative treatment in PDF format
An estimated production budget, including the principal cost assumptions
A proposed format and season structure, including episode duration, number of episodes and recurrence
The creative treatment should demonstrate that the project has progressed beyond simply having a good idea.
Under Creative Vision, producers should explain the concept’s hook in one sentence, what differentiates it from existing formats, how audiences should feel while watching, why the format is relevant now and the key proof points for why it will work.
Under Format Mechanics, submissions should identify the programme’s core engine — whether competition, game, social experiment or another mechanism — alongside the key rules and mechanics and what will create tension, cliffhangers and twists across episodes.
Storytelling and Pace should outline the proposed season structure, demonstrate how a typical episode works and identify the main narrative arcs and potential iconic moments.
Talent and Casting should explain who will participate, why they will be compelling to watch and whether any talent is already attached.
The Editorial DNA should demonstrate why the concept belongs on MultiChoice Group’s premium channels rather than conventional free-to-air television and explain what will make its execution feel distinctive and premium.
Producers should also demonstrate a clear understanding of Audience and Impact, including the core target audience, relevant existing communities and why the programme has the potential to generate conversation both in person and across social platforms.
Finally, submissions should address Global Franchise Potential: whether the concept can sustain multiple seasons, how it can evolve while remaining recognisable, and whether it can be efficiently adapted across different countries and cultures.
Shortlisted producers will be invited to Cape Town to pitch their projects live at FAME Week Africa 2026, presenting directly to the MultiChoice Group selection panel and giving them the opportunity to respond to the brief in person.
The live pitch places selected producers directly in front of the team looking for these formats, creating an opportunity to present the concept, explain its creative and commercial potential and demonstrate how it could work across MultiChoice Group and CANAL+ markets.
The Call for Projects forms part of FAME Week Africa’s continued focus on connecting African producers and creators directly with broadcasters, commissioners and platforms actively looking for new content.
Submissions close on 12 October 2026. You can submit your pitch here.
For queries, contact:
Laura Diaz
FAME Week Africa takes place from 28–30 October 2026 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC2), bringing together broadcasters, streamers, producers, distributors, investors and creators from across Africa and international markets.
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CRÉATION AFRICA: SUPPORTING THE BUSINESS BEHIND THE CREATIVITY
