News Bulletin of 18 December 2025, 4pm

University of Pretoria master’s student Pieter Pienaar has become the first South African to win the individual division of the 2025 Microsoft Excel Collegiate Challenge (MECC) in Las Vegas.
The 23-year-old MCom Accounting Sciences student competed against participants from over 1,100 universities worldwide.
Pienaar, who also founded the UP Excel Club to support fellow students, has steadily improved his performance in the MECC since 2022, moving from 12th place to first on his fourth attempt.
He credited his success to careful problem-solving, mentorship, and his focus during competition.

Thousands attended the Unity on the Square festival at Greenmarket Square on Tuesday, celebrating music, culture, and community spirit.
Local bands and the XO Empire dance crew performed, while headliners Mafikizolo kept the crowd dancing despite a light drizzle.
Attendees also took part in the Tree of Hope initiative, donating educational gifts that were delivered to children facing terminal illnesses, extending the festival’s impact beyond the square.
The event marked Loukmaan Adams’s 50th birthday and included a tribute to the late Taliep Petersen.
Western Cape Mayco member JP Smith and MEC for Cultural Affairs and Sport Ricardo Mackenzie praised the festival for bringing communities together and spreading festive cheer across Cape Town.

Volunteer grandmothers in McKinney, Texas are running a pop-up “Grandma Stand” where anyone can sit and talk with an elder.
The initiative offers people the chance to share personal challenges or seek advice on parenting, relationships, and other life matters.
The stand was inspired by a similar concept in New York City, where a reporter’s grandmother provided weekly chats that helped people feel heard.
The McKinney project rotates volunteers through the booth and has become a space for connection in an increasingly digital world.
Organisers say the initiative may expand to other U.S. cities and even Canada.