Four talented Eastern Cape motocross riders are preparing to take on some of the best young riders on the African continent when they represent South Africa at the 2026 FIM Motocross of African Nations Championship (MXOAN) in Windhoek, Namibia, from 28 to 30 August.
For these four riders, however, this is about far more than simply chasing race wins. They will be carrying the colours of South Africa onto the international stage in one of the biggest motocross events on the African calendar.

The MXOAN is a team championship event, meaning every lap, every position and every point could prove crucial. Riders score points for their respective countries throughout the weekend, with the two highest scores from each country counting towards the overall team result.
South Africa will face stiff opposition from teams representing Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Madagascar, Mozambique, Senegal, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe, ensuring that the competition in Windhoek is likely to be fierce from the moment the start gates drop.

Leading the Eastern Cape contingent is nine-year-old Josh-Zion Naude, a learner at Queens College Boys Primary, who will compete in the MX-65 class. For a rider so young, the opportunity to once again compete internationally is a huge milestone and one that promises to be an unforgettable experience.
Joining him will be two riders from the Rover Motorcycle Club in Port Elizabeth, with Aiden Retief heading into the championship in impressive form. Retief is currently second in the South African Championship and will compete in the highly competitive MX-Lites class.
He will be joined in MX-Lites by fellow Rover rider Seth van der Walt, who currently sits fifth in the national championship standings. With both riders already proving themselves at national level, they will be looking to turn that form into valuable points for the South African team in Namibia.
Completing the Eastern Cape line-up is the multi-talented all-rounder, 17-year-old Caden Weise, who will tackle the fiercely contested MX-125 class.

With national pride on the line and the points battle expected to be incredibly tight, the four Eastern Cape riders will have little room for error. In a championship where every position can make a difference to the final team result, consistency, speed and race craft will all be vital.
For Naude, Retief, van der Walt and Weise, the weekend represents an opportunity to measure themselves against the best motocross talent from across Africa — and to show that the Eastern Cape continues to produce riders capable of competing on the biggest stages.
The engines will fire up in Windhoek from 28 August, and when the starting gates slam down, four Eastern Cape riders will be ready to give everything they have for South Africa.