{"id":6838,"date":"2026-03-10T13:25:54","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T11:25:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/?p=6838"},"modified":"2026-03-10T13:25:54","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T11:25:54","slug":"tropika-island-search-takes-past-celebrity-contestants-on-a-global-search-for-the-next-island-of-treasure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/tropika-island-search-takes-past-celebrity-contestants-on-a-global-search-for-the-next-island-of-treasure\/","title":{"rendered":"Tropika Island Search Takes Past Celebrity Contestants On A Global Search for The Next Island Of Treasure"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p><strong>Johannesburg, 10 March 2026 <\/strong>| Last week, the highly anticipated 12th season of Tropika Island of Treasure was announced alongside the star-studded cast of Nadia Nakai, Caster Semenya, Francois Hougaard, Leandie du Randt, Sandile Mahlangu, Amanda Du-Pont, Lalela Mswane, and Wiseman Mncube. Now, Clover is excited to reveal an innovative companion series that takes the Tropika Island franchise to new heights: Tropika Island Search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this exciting expansion, host Zanele Potelwa will travel to seven stunning international destinations, accompanied by a rotating lineup of former Tropika Island of Treasure contestants who bring their island experience, insider knowledge, and infectious energy to the search. Together, they will evaluate breathtaking locations to determine the perfect tropical paradise for the upcoming 12<sup>th<\/sup> season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help her navigate the world\u2019s most beautiful locales, Zanele has called on an elite group of former contestants who know exactly what it takes to survive and thrive on the island.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The scouting team includes:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Hungani Ndlovu:<\/strong> (Season 11)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shashi Naidoo:<\/strong> (Seasons 2 and 10)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bobby Van Jaarsveld:<\/strong> (Season 11)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nay Maps:<\/strong> (Seasons 8 and 10)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Jonathan Boynton-Lee:<\/strong> (Seasons 7 and 10)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Nqobile Khwezi:<\/strong> (Season 11)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Chad Jones:<\/strong> (Season 11)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>The search will take Zanele and the former contestants to island paradises like Mauritius, Antalya, Turkey, Phuket, Thailand. Bali, Indonesia, Mombasa, Kenya, La R\u00e9union and Vietnam<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Every episode, viewers will join Zanele and her celebrity companions as they explore the beautiful beaches, vibrant cultures, luxurious resorts, and hidden gems at each spot, assessing everything from scenic beauty and adventure potential to challenge suitability, most importantly, that all-important smoooth Tropika island magic. This companion series adds a fresh layer of anticipation, giving fans an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at how the iconic reality adventure show selects its dream location.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>&#8220;With <em>Tropika Island Search<\/em>, we are essentially opening the curtains and inviting our viewers into the boardroom and onto the plane with us,&#8221; says <strong>Miantha Roux, Business Unit Head: Beverages at Clover<\/strong>. &#8220;This expansion allows us to showcase the sheer scale of the <em>Tropika Island of Treasure<\/em> property. It\u2019s not just about the final destination; it\u2019s about the journey, the adventure, and the high standards we set to ensure Season 12 is our most visually spectacular yet.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Sveti Kovatcheva, Brand Manager: Dairy Fruit Mix at Clover<\/strong>, adds: &#8220;Taking seven of our most beloved past contestants on this global scout is a tribute to the &#8216;Smoooth&#8217; family we\u2019ve built over the years. By exploring destinations like Vietnam, Bali, and Antalya, we are bringing a world of inspiration to our audience before the first challenge even begins. We wanted the search for the perfect island to be an event in itself, and Zanele and our former celebrity contestants are the perfect team to lead that charge.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dichaba Phalatse, Marketing Manager for SABC Video Entertainment comments \u2013 \u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to launch Tropika Island Search on S3. With the vibrant Zanele Potelwa at the helm, the show takes viewers on an exciting journey across seven tropical destinations alongside some of the most memorable winners from the Tropika Island of Treasure franchise. It\u2019s a vibrant mix of travel, nostalgia and competition that speaks to S3\u2019s progressive ambition \u2014 opening South African audiences to the world through a distinctly local lens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Auditions for Tropika Island of Treasure Season 12 Now Open<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While the search for the perfect island destination is about to begin, Tropika is also looking for eight smoooth members of the public to join the season 12 celebrities on the island. Think you have what it takes to compete? Upload your audition tape to either TikTok, Facebook, X or Instagram, tagging @MyTropika and using the hashtag #Tropika. Finalists will compete for the grand prize of a shared R1 million and receive a <strong>R10,000 shopping voucher from Pep<\/strong> to ensure they are island-ready in style.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Auditions are open until 5 May 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By taking viewers across continents before the main competition even begins, <em>Tropika Island Search<\/em> raises the stakes and deepens the connection fans have with the franchise. It\u2019s not just about arriving in paradise, it\u2019s about discovering it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Watch Tropika Island Search every Monday from 16 March at 18:00 on S3 with a repeat every Friday at 17:00 on SABC 1.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>ENDS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>For any media requests or interviews, please contact:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For media enquiries<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Caroline Phalakatshela<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Publicity Specialist \u2013 Video Entertainment<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>072 382 2032\/ <a href=\"mailto:phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za\">phalakatshelamc@sabc.co.za<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Tropika Island of Treasure:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tropika Island of Treasure&nbsp;is a South African&nbsp;reality competition&nbsp;television series that first aired in 2008 features an equal number of South African celebrities and public contestants competing in a variety of challenges on a luxurious paradise-island location for a grand prize of a shared R1 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About Zanele Potelwa:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Zanele Potelwa is a radio and TV host whose passion for the entertainment industry has been proven since her internship at 5FM in 2016. A multi-faceted young woman from the Eastern Cape, Potelwa has been part of a variety of stations such as Tuks FM and 94.7. She is best known for her inspiring and bubbly personality on 5FM\u2019s Lunch and Drive shows, as well as her role as TV presenter for&nbsp;SABC 1\u2019s Selimathunzi. Potelwa\u2019s talent and hard work is evident after winning the \u201cBright Stars Award\u201d at the Liberty Radio Awards 2019 and her nomination at the 2023 Radio Awards. She has been the host for a variety of incredible events such as the South African Music Awards red carpet in 2019 and the Feather Awards 2021. Potelwa continues to elevate in her career as a host on Expresso Morning and Tropika Island of Treasure. She is nominated in the 2026 South African Film and Television Awards in the category of Best TV Presenter. &nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>About S3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>S3 is a revamped&nbsp; channel servicing the independent thinker and the progressive South African millennial. We want our viewers to open up to new lands, new content, new ideas and new ways of being. Through this new positioning, S3 invites viewers to take in all the new programming that is on offer; to open up to a dialogue with your public broadcasting channel. Ultimately, our vision is to foster the spirit of curiosity and spearhead a generation of free thinkers. S3 is opening itself up to new viewers. These viewers, who fall under the millennial umbrella, are more socially conscious and environmentally aware than their predecessors. They are progressive and open-minded and S3 will champion their frame of mind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Johannesburg, 10 March 2026 | Last week, the highly anticipated 12th season of Tropika Island of Treasure was announced alongside<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":6839,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rank_math_lock_modified_date":false,"pgc_sgb_lightbox_settings":"","footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[234,239],"tags":[],"rttpg_featured_image_url":{"full":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2.jpg",1080,567,false],"landscape":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2.jpg",1080,567,false],"portraits":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2.jpg",1080,567,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-300x158.jpg",300,158,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-1024x538.jpg",990,520,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2.jpg",1080,567,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2.jpg",1080,567,false],"exsc_200x144":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-200x144.jpg",200,144,true],"vodi-480x270-crop":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-480x270.jpg",480,270,true],"vodi-696x677-crop":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-696x567.jpg",696,567,true],"vodi-990x440-crop":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-990x440.jpg",990,440,true],"masvideos_video_large":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-640x360.jpg",640,360,true],"masvideos_video_medium":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-480x270.jpg",480,270,true],"masvideos_video_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-120x67.jpg",120,67,true],"masvideos_movie_large":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-600x567.jpg",600,567,true],"masvideos_movie_medium":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-300x450.jpg",300,450,true],"masvideos_movie_thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/TROPIKA-ISLAND-SEARCH-2-150x225.jpg",150,225,true]},"rttpg_author":{"display_name":"Katlego Marungwana","author_link":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/author\/marungwanak\/"},"rttpg_comment":7,"rttpg_category":"<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/category\/media-center\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Media Center<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/category\/media-office\/\" rel=\"category tag\">Media Office<\/a>","rttpg_excerpt":"Johannesburg, 10 March 2026 | Last week, the highly anticipated 12th season of Tropika Island of Treasure was announced alongside","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6838"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/22"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6838"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6838\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6840,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6838\/revisions\/6840"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6839"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.sabc3.co.za\/sabc3\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}