TEDxCapeTown 2026 Theme reveal… years of ideas. One moment to begin again.

Since 2011, TEDxCapeTown has been a space for ideas that challenge, inspire, and move us forward. As we mark this milestone year, we find ourselves asking a new set of questions—about change, about responsibility, and about the role each of us plays in shaping the future.

This year’s theme emerges from a deep process of listening, reflecting, and engaging with our community. It reflects not only the world we are living in, but the people moving through it.

Join us for the official reveal of the TEDxCapeTown 2026 theme—and be part of the moment where this next chapter begins. \n\nAcknowledgement: In partnership with the Hasso Plattner d-school Afrika at UCT, we hosted an interactive Design Thinking Workshop including up to 25 volunteer participants from our TEDx community. They engaged in a creative, hands-on process to uncover the central idea that captures where TEDxCapeTown is headed next.

Whether you’re a long-time TED fan or new to the community, the 11th of April event will give you a chance to go deeper into the “ideas change everything” that shape our city, continent, and future. In partnership with Workshop17, our official venue partner.

The day will include:
x3 selected TEDx video talks by South African speakers aligned with our 2026 Theme
A live Q&A session moderated by Ondela Mlandu\n- 2026 Theme Reveal moment
An opportunity to connect, reflect, and share insights with others passionate about change

nHealth, Energy & Equity in Africa’s Future
Across the continent, the future is already being shaped in unexpected ways.
In kitchens and communities where food is reclaimed as a source of identity and healing.
In boardrooms and innovation hubs where financial systems are being reimagined as engines of sustainable energy and growth.
In movements led by women determined to reshape the climate transition and redefine leadership for a new era.

This session brings together three powerful perspectives at the intersection of personal choice, systemic transformation, and economic possibility. It traces a journey…from the deeply personal foundations of health and daily living…to the structural forces that determine who holds power and how it is distributed…to the bold innovations that could redefine Africa’s economic future.

Together, these voices illuminate a simple but profound truth: The resilience of tomorrow is being shaped today. Not only through policy or investment… but through the everyday decisions people make, the systems they challenge, and the futures they dare to imagine.

Join us for a day of connection and possibility. Let’s actively work together to shape what comes next.\n\nAbout the Panelists:\n- Yvette Zihlalirwa: Works across food identity, nutrition, lifestyle disease prevention, and virtual healthcare delivery through global organisations bringing care directly into homes. She anchors the first layer of resilience: food systems, health access, and community wellbeing.
Tasnika Goorhoo: Champions gender equity in the energy transition. Her mission is to ensure women shape the climate and energy systems that will define Africa’s future.\n- Kumbirai Makanza: Reimagines diaspora remittances as engines for clean energy development, entrepreneurial growth, and regenerative, sustainable economic models.

About the Moderator: Ondela Mlandu\nOndela Mlandu is a Communications and Multimedia Specialist with a dynamic background spanning journalism, digital marketing, radio broadcasting, and corporate communications. Passionate about elevating African narratives, she is committed to strategically amplifying these stories across corporate, print, and digital platforms. With a sharp and impactful communication style, Ondela aligns messaging with purpose and audience to achieve maximum resonance and influence. Through powerful storytelling, she brings authentic African experiences to life, using media to inspire, educate, and empower. In recognition of her outstanding contributions to the media industry, she was named one of Mail & Guardian’s Top 200 Young South Africans in 2022 in the Film and Media category.

About the MC: Graeme Raubenheimer

Graeme is a seasoned, award-winning South African broadcast journalist, documentary producer, and scholar with 16 years of experience in major newsrooms, including News24 South Africa, eTV, eNCA, Eyewitness News, and Heart FM. He currently hosts and produces The Lead, a daily podcast for News24. Raubenheimer is a 2023/24 UK Chevening Scholar, having earned an MA with Distinction in Contemporary History and International Politics from the University of York, UK, with a dissertation on Britain’s ties with apartheid South Africa in 1966. He co-founded Born-Rauby Productions with Jan Bornman, securing a documentary deal with MultiChoice, and has worked as a correspondent for international outlets like CBC, BBC, and AFP. Additionally, he is an occasional guest lecturer at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, a bassist, and an indie/math rock/post-punk musician.

MPORTANT TO NOTE:
We’re so excited to bring this TEDx experience to our community — and we’d love your support. To help us cover the cost of hosting the event, we’ve included a small ticket fee as part of the ticketing process. Please note: Quicket’s service fees have already been included, so your full contribution goes directly toward making this event possible.
Thank you for being part of the TEDxCapeTown journey.