BRYAN Habana, Boks legend will make his debut in the 2026 Conservation Cup, South Africa’s premier golf tournament in support of wildlife conservation and education, as he joins another glittering array of South African sports legends, celebrities and business leaders at the Pearl Valley Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course on 3 September.
Habana will tee off with fellow rugby icons Odwa Ndungane, Akona Ndungane, Breyton Paulse, Robbie Fleck, Marc Watson, Schalk Brits and Juandre Kruger, cricket legends Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Graeme Smith, Vernon Philander and Ashwell Prince, football stars Tovey, Shaun Bartlett, Mark Fish and Jimmy Tau, and former Miss South Africa and Miss World Rolene Strauss in the third edition of this event.
The tournament is played between two teams – Team Rhino and Team Pangolin – in a mini Ryder Cup format over 27 holes.
This year, former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey will captain Team Rhino against Team Pangolin, which will be captained by business leader Ethel Nyembe.
Since its debut in 2024, the Conservation Cup has fast risen to become a vital partner in The Fisher Foundation’s ongoing work of conservation and education among the youth living in communities adjacent to South Africa’s national parks and protected wildlife areas, as well as the relocation of vulnerable species.
The funds raised from the 2024 and 2025 tournaments have been used to further educate a new generation of South Africans between the ages of 12-14 who live in fence-line communities about the value of wildlife conservation, and through immersive camps with experienced conservation educators.
The tournament also supports critical wildlife interventions such as the translocations of elephant and cheetah and numerous rhino dehornings.
One of the key beneficiaries of the 2025 Conservation Cup was the wildlife documentary, SCALES, which highlights the illegal trafficking of pangolin scales. The documentary has garnered global acclaim and won over 20 international film awards as it continues to shine a light on the plight of the world’s most illegally trafficked mammal.
“Education in conservation is a moral imperative, and with additional funding from events such as the Conservation Cup, we plan to grow our model to include more comprehensive camps catering for grade 11 and 12 students.
Our vision is to ignite a passion for them to not just develop a conservation mindset, but also to hopefully pursue job opportunities in conservation,” said says Richard Fisher, the Founder and Executive Chairman of City Logistics and President of The Fisher Foundation.
“This year, the response from corporates, individuals and leading brands has been phenomenal. I believe we have created something quite special and the support stands as testament to that.”
Image supplied (Business leader Ethel Nyembe will captain Pangolin Team, recorded with former Bafana Bafana and Orlando Pirates defender Mark Fish.)
