Meet the Smoooth Fans ready to take on Tropika Island Of Treasure As Season 12 Premieres This Month

The countdown to the latest season of Tropika Island Of Treasure is officially underway, and eight Smoooth Fans are preparing to trade everyday life for adventure, competition and the chance to win a share of the ultimate prize.

Joining the celebrity contestants on the island, the Smoooth Fans come from diverse backgrounds spanning radio, education, entrepreneurship, finance, content creation, sport and environmental science. While their stories may be different, they share one thing: a willingness to step outside their comfort zones and take on one of South Africa’s toughest reality competitions.

This season will see the contestants heading to the spectacular Réunion Island, where they will be pushed mentally, physically and emotionally as they compete alongside their celebrity partners in a series of challenges.

“We have an incredibly exciting group of Smoooth Fans this season, each bringing a completely different personality, background and set of strengths to the competition,” says Sveti Kovatcheva, Brand Manager: Dairy Fruit Mix at Clover. “What makes Tropika Island Of Treasure so special is seeing ordinary South Africans take on extraordinary challenges, and we cannot wait for viewers to get to know these contestants, cheer them on and experience their journeys with them. There is going to be plenty of adventure, surprises and, of course, smoooth moments along the way.”

Here are the Smoooth Fans who will be putting themselves to the test:

Andile Khuluse

Age: 24
Hometown: Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal (Currently based in Johannesburg)

Andile Khuluse is a final-year Bachelor of Education student who has spent the past four years gaining practical experience through an internship, building relationships with fellow educators, parents and learners along the way. Outside of his studies, Andile is a fitness enthusiast, personal trainer and sports coach, with a passion for photography and cinematography.

He entered Tropika Island Of Treasure with his sights firmly set on changing his life: from the opportunity to compete for his share of the R1 million grand prize to gaining media exposure and opening doors to future opportunities with major brands. Andile is determined to use the platform to inspire young people to pursue their ambitions and “shoot for the moon”. His biggest strength, he says, is anything physical, combined with his observant nature.

Anke Coetzer

Age: 26
Hometown: Swellendam, Western Cape

Anke Coetzer is a qualified pharmacist from Swellendam with a love for running, singing, making music and cooking. She has also been a long-time fan of Tropika Island Of Treasure and says taking part in the show is something she has wanted to do for as long as she can remember.

For Anke, the opportunity represents a chance to challenge herself and experience something she knows may only come around once in a lifetime. She believes her greatest advantage in the competition will be her determination and absolute refusal to give up.

While she may describe herself as a blonde who is “pretty smart, most of the time”, there is no joking about her love of science as Anke is particularly passionate about chemistry.

Ashay Sewlall

Age: 25
Hometown: Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal and currently based in Durban

Ashay Sewlall is a content creator, radio personality and athlete with a passion for entertainment, fitness, sport and music. Through his lifestyle, entertainment and motivational content, he has built a platform focused on connecting with people, making them laugh and inspiring them along the way. Naturally energetic and outgoing, Ashay also has a fiercely competitive side and is not one to back down when things get tough.

He entered Tropika Island Of Treasure to step outside his comfort zone, test himself both mentally and physically, and experience an adventure he will never forget. His sporting background has taught him discipline, teamwork and resilience, while his ability to connect with people could prove to be one of his biggest advantages in a competition where relationships matter just as much as physical strength.

Iana Strydom

Age: 27
Hometown: Johannesburg

Iana Strydom grew up between Johannesburg and her family’s farm in Frankfort, developing a lifelong love of adventure and the outdoors. She holds an Honours degree in Environmental Sciences and began a Master’s degree before taking her career in an entirely different direction, becoming a full-time content creator. Her list of hobbies reads almost like a challenge in itself: hiking in the Drakensberg, cycling, running, stand-up paddleboarding, rollerblading, guitar and competitive padel are just some of the activities she enjoys. She is also passionate about fishing and outdoor adventures.

Highly competitive and always ready to turn almost anything into a competition, Iana entered Tropika Island Of Treasure because she wanted to discover exactly what she is capable of. She believes her strong-willed mindset, athleticism and never-quit attitude will give her an edge. There is also one particularly unusual fact about Iana: she was attacked by a lion when she was little. Despite that experience, she admits she is still more frightened by the creepy crawlies that appear in swimming pools.

Jodell Tantij

Age: 25
Hometown: Johannesburg

Jodell Tantij is a South African radio presenter, broadcaster, content creator and educator known for her energetic personality, authentic storytelling and ability to connect with audiences. As part of the 5FM team, she has built a reputation for engaging on-air content and digital storytelling, while her background in education has also seen her use her voice to empower young people.

She holds an Honours degree focused on curriculum development and design and has a passion for people, travel, fitness and trying new things. After leaving her teaching career, Jodell was craving an adventure and saw Tropika Island Of Treasure as the perfect opportunity to challenge herself. A self-described team player, she believes her combination of intelligence, fitness and ability to work with others could make her a formidable competitor.

Sesimphiwe ‘Sesi’ Mbatha

Age: 25
Hometown: eMsinga, KwaZulu-Natal (Currently based in Cape Town)

Sesi Mbatha is an entrepreneur, content creator and hybrid athlete with a passion for business, adventure, fitness and community. She is the founder and owner of Sweat & Sound and holds a Finance degree from the University of Arizona in the USA. An avid outdoors enthusiast, Sesi loves bringing people together through events, but is equally happy escaping off the grid to explore mountains and new places.

She entered Tropika Island Of Treasure because she is always chasing new experiences and challenging herself. Winning would give her the opportunity to invest further in her business, get a car to explore more of South Africa and build meaningful connections that she hopes will last long after the island. Sesi believes her biggest strength is her ability to adapt. Athletic, competitive, resourceful and a natural leader, she brings a strong “never-say-die” attitude to everything she does.

Shaun Farrell

Age: 28
Hometown: Pretoria

Shaun Farrell is a Pretoria-based Chartered Accountant working in technology and digital transformation at Deloitte Global, but behind the corporate world is an endurance athlete and adventurer who enjoys discovering what he is capable of when things get uncomfortable.

From swimming from Robben Island to Blouberg to competing in HYROX, Shaun is no stranger to testing his limits. Fiercely competitive but quick to laugh at himself when things go wrong, he describes himself as deeply loyal, with his family, Christian faith and love for people at the heart of who he is. Shaun entered Tropika Island Of Treasure to step into the unknown, push his limits and create memories that will last long after the competition ends. Born six weeks premature at just 1.78kg, Shaun has spent his life defying the odds, and clearly has no intention of stopping now.

Thando Zwane

Age: 35
Hometown: Johannesburg

Born and raised in Johannesburg, Thando Zwane is an entrepreneur and actor who runs Sthaweni Trading Enterprise with his sister, Noluthando Zwane. Adventure and sport have always been a major part of Thando’s life. A former football player who progressed through a football academy into the professional league before a serious injury ended his playing career, he now keeps active through boxing, indoor soccer and padel.

His Tropika Island Of Treasure journey has been years in the making. After previously making it to the callbacks during an earlier audition, Thando found himself walking past the Tropika activation at Menlyn Mall on the final day of auditions earlier this year. A Tropika in hand and a little encouragement later, he decided to give the dream another shot. This time, he made it. A confident, adventurous and determined competitor, Thando says his greatest strength is the fight within him and his refusal to give up.

The eight Smoooth Fans will now have to put their individual strengths to the test as they face the physical challenges, strategic gameplay and unexpected twists that have made Tropika Island Of Treasure a South African reality television favourite.

With the competition taking place against the stunning backdrop of Réunion Island, the contestants will have to rely on determination, teamwork and their ability to adapt if they hope to make it to the end.

Tune into all the action when the new season of  Tropika Island Of Treasure premieres on 23 September at 21:00 on SABC 1, with a  repeat on Thursday, 24 September at 18:00 on S3.