Bukayo Saka has announced his engagement to his long-term partner, Tolami Benson.The announcement in a social media post where the couple shared beautiful photos from the proposal. The private event took place during an intimate evening at a hotel in London. The Arsenal star arranged a cool setting before presenting Benson with a diamond ring.

Saka and Tolani : Instagram

Saka and Benson have been together for five years and they kept the relationship low-profile. You will rarely see them appear publicly together nor share posts. Despite Saka’s stardom, they have kept it private. Tolami has shown support for her partner as she attended some of England’s matches at the Qatar FIFA World Cup and at the European Cup in 2024.

Saka and Tolami : Instagram

Tolami Benson is from Hatfield in Hertfordshire and studied Public Relations and Media at Birmingham City University. She graduated in 2022 and started a career in retail role at Harrods before moving into public relations. She is currently a senior executive at a communications firm in London. This aligns with her professional approach online.

Saka and Tolami : Instagram

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The 24 year-old Saka has found a way to balance his career at Arsenal with his private life. This engagement shows how a relationship could blossom in the absence of public attention. For a couple that prefers discretion over online noise, the engagement announcement appears intentional.

Diamond : Instagram

It also marks a new step for both of them as they prepare for a new chapter. Saka is in an important stage in his career, and Benson is progressing in the media and public relations industry. Their partnership has remained steady during demanding schedules and growing public attention. The decision to share the engagement suggests they are ready to share carefully selected moments to the public while still protecting the life they built away from the spotlight.

They have moved into a new stage which could define their future. Their story will continue to draw huge interest from their fans who will be eager to follow their journey.

When the 31st South African Music Awards take place in December 2025, the ceremony will be hosted by Scoop Makhathini and Pamela Mtanga, a pairing that promises to bring a balance of experience and fresh perspective to the stage. The SAMAs’ theme this year, “Flowers For Those Who Keep Our Nation Singing”, puts the spotlight on everyone who contributes to South African music: from performers to producers, songwriters, and technical crews.

Pamela Mtanga – Instagram

Scoop Makhathini is a familiar face in South African broadcasting. Over the years, he has built a reputation as a presenter and cultural commentator who understands the significance of recognising talent across the industry. Pamela Mtanga, on the other hand, has emerged as a voice of her generation. She has spent the year hosting major events and creating digital content that resonates with younger audiences, giving the SAMAs a fresh and contemporary edge.

Photo – Google

The organisers say the choice of hosts reflects a broader aim for this year’s ceremony. It will honour both established names and rising talent. The 2025 show will combine live and digital elements, making it more accessible and creating opportunities to engage audiences who cannot attend in person.

The theme is clear in its focus. It highlights the contributions of those working behind the scenes: producers, sound engineers, choreographers, and other professionals whose work is essential to South African music. By recognising these roles, the SAMAs are acknowledging the wider ecosystem that supports artists and shapes the soundscape of the country.

Pamela Mtanga – Instagram

With Scoop and Pamela leading the event, viewers can expect a mix of engaging performances and thoughtful recognition. The hosts are set to guide the ceremony with a tone that balances celebration and respect, ensuring that both mainstream artists and those often overlooked receive acknowledgment for their contributions.

This year’s SAMAs promise to go beyond awards. It is a night to celebrate the people who make South African music vibrant and diverse, and to give credit where it is due: on stage, behind the scenes, and across the country.

Lauryn Hill’s appearance at this year’s DStv Delicious Festival could have played out like any other major international booking, arriving, rehearsing, performing, then flying out. Instead, her time in Johannesburg unfolded in a way that made South Africans pay attention to more than just the setlist.

After returning home, Hill posted a detailed reflection on her visit. What stood out immediately was her decision to open with an apology in isiZulu. It came across as her recognising the people she was speaking to. From there, she went straight into the parts of the trip that stayed with her, and the picture she painted was far more textured than a typical “thank you, Joburg” message.

Photo: Google

Hill spent time with Ndaba Mandela and members of his family, which she described as grounding and informative. It gave her a clearer sense of the country’s cultural present, not in a ceremonial way, but through straightforward conversations. For someone who rarely explains her movements publicly, the detail in her post hinted at how seriously she engaged with the people she met here.

Her sons, Zion and YG Marley, were active throughout the weekend as well. Together, they teamed up with Grade Africa for a merchandise pop-up. The collaboration wasn’t treated like a quick branding moment. Hill said she took the opportunity to learn from the designers and young creatives involved, and that those discussions mattered to her. It was one of the few times a visiting global artist treated a local fashion partnership as something more than a photo opportunity.

Photo: Google

Hill’s styling choices also drew attention, mainly because they were so specific to the country she was in. She wore a red-and-black Sotho-inspired suit designed by Thebe Magugu, complete with feather detailing and an Isicholo-style headpiece. Her vocalists and dancers wore MaXhosa Africa. These weren’t token nods to local fashion; they were deliberate choices that placed South African designers squarely in view of an international audience.

Photo: Google

Her daughter Sara added another dimension to the trip by visiting a Johannesburg school during their stay. Hill mentioned the visit briefly but clearly, saying it stood out for her family. It was the kind of moment that didn’t show up on festival cameras but still shaped her experience of the city.

When Hill finally took the stage, the festival crowd responded the way you’d expect for someone of her stature. The performance included Wyclef Jean and appearances from her sons, giving the set a mix of nostalgia and a passing of the torch. Festival-goers had waited years for a moment like that, and Hill acknowledged the energy she received from the audience.

Photo: Google

What made her post interesting wasn’t only what she said, but how she said it. She spoke plainly about what she saw, who she met, and what she hoped to return for. That honesty made South Africans feel that she wasn’t just passing through.

For the festival and for Hill, the weekend ended up being more than a booking on a poster. It became a reminder of why international artists still look to South Africa for genuine engagement and why South Africans expect that respect in return.