Eleven of the Western Cape’s most charming teens will go wand to wand in the dexterous art of Close-Up magic and stunning illusions of Stage Magic at the 2021 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships on Saturday 18 September 2021.

Proudly hosted by the College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, the Championships sees the province’s most talented and beguiling youngsters compete for top honours.

The 2021 Championships, like most events in the past 18 months, will have a wonderful transformation this year when it is hosted as a hybrid online and live event! While most spectators will be tuning in for the thrilling proceedings virtually at home, a select few magic fanatics will be able to watch the dazzling action in-person at the College’s mysterious manor in Claremont.

An afternoon of amazing magic awaits!

Come and support your magical local champions at the 2021 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships:

A ringside seat ticket to all of the incredible action is available from R50 per person for online spectators or R 100 per person for those wanting to experience the magic live. The Close-Up magic contest will be held at 2pm, followed by the Street Magic contest with the grand Stage magic contest bringing all of the enchanting hijinks to a close at 4pm. Remember – buy one ticket and it is valid for both shows – how magical is that?!

Don’t miss THE magical battle of the year - get your Championship tickets TODAY at Quicket.

Celebrating its 41st anniversary in 2021, the College of Magic, a non-profit organisation and the only one of its kind in the world, welcomes donations from members of the public. Please donate at www.collegeofmagic.com/donate if you are able to.

For updates about the incredible 2021 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships, please follow the official College of Magic Facebook page.

Cape Town’s College of Magic is sharing the wonder of magic for free this September by hosting its 2020 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships online on Saturday 5 September 2020.

Hosted by Stuart Taylor, one of South Africa’s leading comedians and a graduate of the College of Magic, the Championships will see magical teens from all over the province go wand to wand for top honours and the Close-Up and Stage Magician trophies! 

Share in the magical Ubuntu spirit for free online: 

Raise your magic silk hankies for your favourite young contestants by joining Stuart Taylor, his co-host Ran’D Shine ,one of the USA’s most sought-after performers, and the College of Magic at the 2020 Western Cape Junior Magician Championships on Saturday 5 September 2020. 

The Close-Up Magic Contest will be hosted at 2h30pm, followed by the Street Magic Contest at 3h30pm and the Stage Magic Contest  at 4h30pm.

 Register for free to receive the streaming link NOW!Streaming will open 15 minutes before show time. 

Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2020, the College of Magic, a non-profit organisation and the only one of its kind in the world, welcomes donations from members of the public. Please donate if you are able to. For updates about the enchanting Western Cape Junior Magician Championships, please follow the official College of Magic Facebook page.

The College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, will celebrate its 40th anniversary by welcoming a new generation of aspiring magicians on Saturday 1 February 2020.

Keen magic fanatics are invited to the discover the impossible with the beginner's Course One at the College's mysterious Victorian manor, which is home to Africa's largest magic museum, in Claremont each Saturday.Course One will see the magicians-in-training explore the world of magic through a 15 week exciting and intensive diploma course which the magic wand and includes rope magic, card tricks and coin effects as well as an introduction to the allied arts, namely  juggling, mime, clowning and puppetry.

Celebrating 40 years of  teaching the art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children and adults this year, the College of Magic first welcomed students on 23 February 1980. Graduates of this world-renowned institution include comedians Riaad Moosa, Stuart Taylor and Conrad Koch, actor Francis Chouler and film director Jenna Cato Bass, as well as South African Magic Champion Olwethu Dyantyi.

Founder and director David Gore is excited to welcome the next generation of magical students:

"We are thrilled to kick-start our milestone year by introducing these youngsters to the world of magic and showmanship! Over forty years, we've seen first-hand the positive changes that learning the art of magic has had on thousands of students. The improvement of their confidence levels and social skills is amazing to see and we cannot wait to share this with our 2020 aspiring magicians."

Discover the impossible with the College of Magic:

The entry-level Course One is suitable for learners aged 10 to 13 years old. Course One will run at the College of Magic, 215 Imam Haron Road (previously Lansdowne Road) in Claremont each Saturday for six months from Saturday 1 February 2020  with classes at 09h00 and at 12h00. Fees are R3 200 and include all course equipment and notes, as well as participation in any or all of the allied arts on offer.

Registration for the College of Magic’s 2020 Course One is now open. Call +27 (0) 21 683 5480 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to secure your booking.

For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com

The College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, is set to cast an enchanting spell and dazzle audiences at the Artscape Theatre on Sunday 6 October 2019, with their latest production - World of Magic!

A magical journey awaits audiences as they are whisked through a fantastical world filled with incredible illusions, dazzling magic, hilarious antics and fun-filled fantasy for the whole family.  Celebrating 39 years of teaching the art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children and adults in 2019, the College of Magic is renowned for hosting enthralling mega magical events that captivate audiences and leave them begging for more fantastical fun.

The World of Magic! spectacular show, directed by Santika Naidoo, will feature some of the Mother City’s exceptional entertainers, illusionists, clowns, jugglers and more, as they blur the lines between illusion and reality and a world of make-believe comes to life.

Naidoo, a graduate of the College of Magic and a member of its voluntary teaching staff,  is currently a full-time student in her final year at the University of Cape Town, studying a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Television, Psychology and Organisational Psychology. Passionate about transforming the roles of females in the male-dominated magic industry,  Naidoo is thrilled to be heading up this new show:

“We’re specialise in making the impossible possible at the College of Magic and having spent years training under the tutelage of strong female magicians, I look forward to not just producing World of Magic!, a spectacular show, but also helping our young girls find their own voice and performance styles, joining the show’s amazing, diverse cast. Come one and all and experience the magic for yourselves this October!”, says the excited director.

A World Of Magic awaits Capetonian families at the Artscape Theatre!Join the College of Magic’s incredible cast at the not-to-be-missed World of Magic! spectacular shows on Sunday 6 October 2019 at 2pm and 6pm.Tickets are R165 with discounts for family bookings. Book your tickets TODAY at Computicket.

For more info, please call +27(0)21 683 5480 ,send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., visit www.collegeofmagic.com or follow us on Facebook.

It’s been a magical year of note for young township junior magician Sesona Gagana - not only has he recently returned from representing South Africa’s magical youth on a whirlwind educational tour of Las Vegas and New York, but he was also awarded the much-coveted Siegfried and Roy Foundation Scholarship at the College of Magic’s annual graduation on Saturday 17 November 2018.

The 15-year-old teen illusionist from Khayelitsha is an ardent student of the magical arts who voraciously absorbs everything he can learn about close-up magic, stage magic, juggling and mime and clowning during his weekly lessons at the College of Magic, the only magical arts organisation of its kind in the world, in Claremont.

Each year, the College of Magic, now in its 38th year of teaching the art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children and adults, honours its exemplary students at two graduation ceremonies, one for the junior and one for the senior students.

As part of their annual SARMOTI Grant to the College of Magic, Siegfried and Roy present a bursary in the form of a full year’s tuition to a most deserving senior student. The Siegfried and Roy Scholarship is awarded this year to Gagana as the most deserving Course 5 student for his excellent achievements. This magical allrounder goes into his final year of training at the College of Magic in 2019.

Having met Siegfried, one half of the world-renowned illusionist duo on his recent visit to Las Vegas, Gagana is absolutely thrilled with his scholarship:

“Magic has transformed my life so much this year. Travelling overseas for the first time and meeting my magical heroes was a dream come true and now I’ve been awarded this scholarship! Thank you so much to Siegfried and Roy and to the College - I promise to make you all so proud of me!”, says the excited teen magician.

The College of Magic,a non-profit organisation, is equally pleased with this honour:

“We are committed to helping our young students realise their dreams through the art of magic. To have two of magic’s most iconic performers support this initiative and assist us in helping Sesona achieve the impossible is an absolute privilege and honour“, says Yolandi van Jaarsveldt, CEO of the College of Magic.

As the top senior juggler at the College of Magic, Gagana was also awarded the Senior Juggling Shield - another award to be proud of and to encourage him to strive for excellence in his Course 6 year in 2019.

Experience the impossible with the College of Magic in 2019:

An enchanting new learning adventure awaits aspiring Harry Potters who would like to follow in Sesona’s footsteps as the College of Magic welcomes new wizardry recruits to its beginners' programme, Course One, from Saturday 26 January 2019!

Course One will see the magicians-in-training explore the world of magic through a 15 week exciting and intensive diploma course which includes rope magic, card tricks and coin effects as well as an introduction to the allied arts, namely  juggling, mime, clowning and puppetry.This entry level course is suitable for learners aged 10 to 13 years old.

Course One will run at the College of Magic, 215 Imam Haron Road (previously Lansdowne Road) in Claremont each Saturday for six months from Saturday 26 January 2019 with classes at 09h00 and at 12h00. Fees are R 2950 and include all course equipment and notes, as well as participation in any or all of the allied arts on offer.

Registration for the College of Magic’s 2019 Course One is now open. Call +27 (0) 21 683 5480 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to secure your booking.

For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com.

The College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, honoured its top students at two charming graduation ceremonies held at the Rondebosch Boys High School on Saturday 17 November 2018.

More than 160 aspiring magicians were awarded their various course diplomas,signifying their successful mastering of different levels of training in magic and its allied arts, including juggling, puppetry and drama, mime and clowning.

Now in its 38th year, the College of Magic is the only organisation of its kind in the world and offers a six year on campus diploma that covers all aspects of the magic theatrical performing arts.Each year, the College of Magic, based in Claremont, honours its exemplary students at two graduation ceremonies, one for the junior and one for the senior students. The Student of the Year trophy is awarded to the best all-round junior and senior students with a record of excellent performance and participation in College life and events.

In 2018, Jessica Williamson and Duncan Shelver were awarded Junior and Senior Student of the Years awards respectively.

Williamson (13), from Plumstead, is a dedicated student of the magical arts, having competed in and placed 2nd  in the Junior Clowning Contest, 3rd in the Junior Puppetry Contest, 2nd in the Junior Stage Magic Contest and 3rd in the Puppet Idols Finals contests. This young lady of magic is thrilled with her Junior Student of the Year trophy:

“I am so happy that I’ve won this incredible award! I love magic because it helps me to express myself. Studying the art of magic is unlike anything else and I cannot wait to further my studies!”

Shelver, who also won the 2018 Children’s Entertainment Trophy, has recently returned from a whirlwind magical and educational tour to Las Vegas and New York in the United States in early October.The 16-year-old Bellville resident was one of six students chosen to represent South Africa’s budding magical talent at a series of workshops, demonstrations and meet and greets with some of magic’s greatest entertainers including David Copperfield and Penn and Teller.

The teenage magical allrounder,who graduated from his final year at the College of Magic in 2018,  is ecstatic about his multiple awards:

“Wow, what an incredible honour to be recognised for my achievements with these awards! What I loved most about studying at the College of Magic is the sense of belonging to a magical family and the atmosphere and I am going to miss it. I’d encourage anyone who is thinking of studying magic, to join the College! ”

Each year, the College of Magic also honours staff, students and graduates for long service, community service and excellence in magic theatrical performance and its allied arts. The 2018 honourees include: Ann Pawley and Dion Wabanie, Seniors: Alfred Baba, Sesona Gagana, Anela Gazi, Liam Hewitson, Emma Hutchison, Dale McManus, Lukhanyo Mpondo, Luvo Mrolota, Jonah Poole, Thando Rala, Sahil Samlal, Jenna Shorkend, Zeta Wanamaker, and Juniors: Gabriella Mans, Ruby Park and Anja Steyn.

Experience the impossible with the College of Magic in 2019:

An enchanting new learning adventure awaits aspiring Harry Potters as the College of Magic welcomes new wizardry recruits to its beginners' programme, Course One, from Saturday 26 January 2019!

Course One will see the magicians-in-training explore the world of magic through a 15 week exciting and intensive diploma course which includes rope magic, card tricks and coin effects as well as an introduction to the allied arts, namely  juggling, mime, clowning and puppetry.

This entry level course is suitable for learners aged 10 to 13 years old. Course One will run at the College of Magic, 215 Imam Haron Road (previously Lansdowne Road) in Claremont each Saturday for six months from Saturday 26 January 2019 with classes at 09h00 and at 12h00. Fees are R 2950 and include all course equipment and notes, as well as participation in any or all of the allied arts on offer.

Registration for the College of Magic’s 2019 Course One is now open.

Call +27 (0) 21 683 5480 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to secure your booking.

For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com.

The College of Magic, the Mother City’s only magical arts organisation, welcomed the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival’s international performers Mooky Cornish and Raymond Raymondson to its sprawling and wondrous Victorian manor in Claremont on Saturday 21 July 2018. 

With it being the first day back at the College of Magic after their winter school holiday, the organisation’s more than 200 students were excited to be re-immersed into their beguiling training which includes lessons in magic and its allied arts of juggling, mime and clowning, puppetry and ventriloquism. The Festival performers’ visit was a thrilling treat for the students! 

Mooky, a Canadian comedienne best known as the former lead clown for the renowned Cirque du Soleil, is a pianist, puppeteer, mask maker, accordion squeezer and chicken trainer!  Frenchman Greg Lackovic, who performs as Raymond Raymondson, began studying the art of magic and illusion at age 14. A gold medalist of the visual arts of the stage and music in 2014, this lauded artist shares his special brand of magic at festivals, cabarets and theatres worldwide. 

After a whirlwind tour, led by the non-profit organisation’s CEO Yolandi van Jaarsveldt, of the College of Magic’s century-old building and facilities which include Africa’s largest magic museum and the Magic Shop, South Africa’s only brick and mortar magical supplies store; the dynamic duo joined the Mime and Clowning, Puppetry and Juggling classes.  Mooky imparted some well-earned tips for entertaining audiences and how to step up a puppetry performance with the learners, while Raymond dazzled them with his gravity-defying juggling feats. 

Celebrating 38 years of teaching the art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children and adults in 2018, the College of Magic, the only organisation of its kind in the world, regularly hosts international artists for visits and guest lectures at its charming Victorian mansion: 

“What an absolute treat for our students to learn from and be inspired by international performers who have achieved immeasurable success in magic and its allied arts of clowning, puppetry, juggling and busking! We truly appreciate the support of the Jive Cape Town Funny Festival and their commitment to having their star global acts visit us each year. Thank you to Mooky and Raymond for sharing their entertainment expertise with us!”, says van Jaarsveldt. 

The Jive Cape Town Funny Festival runs at the Baxter Theatre in Rondebosch until Sunday 5 August, 2018. Please visit www.funnyfestival.co.za for more information about the Festival. 

For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com or call +27(0)21 683 5480

The world-renowned College of Magic, Cape Town’s only magical arts organisation, welcomed a record number of 64 new students to its introductory Course One and Course Magic and Showmanship classes at its incredible Victorian manor base on Saturday 3 February 2018!

Bright-eyed youngsters from all over the Mother City, keen to start their enchanting magical education, were treated to a special assembly with David Gore, the College of Magic’s founder and director, and a whirlwind tour of the organisation’s mysterious building which is home to Africa’s largest magical museum, the continent’s premier magic shop and the wondrous Imagination Centre where the College’s popular festivals and events are held.

With the strike of the College of Magic’s enchanting gong to signal the start of lessons, it was time for the new recruits’ very first magic lesson. In their inaugural peek behind the wizard’s curtain, the new students learnt an introductory magical effect, received their first wands and joined in a recital of the Magician’s Code - a promise to never ‘spoil the wonder’ by revealing the secrets of magic to the public.

In 2018, the College of Magic, the only organisation of its kind in the world, celebrates 38 years of  teaching the theatrical performing art of magic and its allied arts as well as vital life-skills to children.The organisation is thrilled with the fantastic sign-up for the first day of lessons:

“It’s been incredible to see how eager Cape Town’s youngsters are to learn the art of magic! In nearly 40 years, this is one of the largest intakes we’ve been privileged to have and we are excited to lead our new students on this educational journey of wonder!”, says Gore.

Registration for the second intake of Course One for the year will open in July 2018. For more information about the College of Magic, please visit www.collegeofmagic.com or call +27(0)21 683 5480.