R90 000. That is the gap between eight-year-old Evan de Wet of Gordon’s Bay and the African Schools Individual Chess Championships in Windhoek, Namibia, from December 6 to 14, and his family is now appealing to funders and sponsors to close it.
Chess South Africa confirmed that Evan earned his place through his performance at the recent Chess South Africa Open. The federation framed the result as both a sporting milestone and a market opportunity of sorts. “Evan’s qualification is a significant achievement and provides him with the opportunity to compete against some of the strongest young chess players from across Africa while proudly representing South Africa on the international stage,” said Chené Jeffries, general secretary of Chess South Africa.
The family’s chess calendar carries real costs. Evan is due to compete in the Mzansi Youth Chess Championship at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein from December 13 to 19, a national inter-provincial tournament in which he will represent the Western Cape while his sisters, Lila and Zoey de Wet, contest the individual section. Because the two tournaments overlap, Namibian organisers have agreed that South African players may depart after the final classical round on December 13, allowing Evan to fly out of Windhoek and join his sisters in Bloemfontein.
His mother, Simone de Wet, has launched a BackaBuddy campaign with a R90 000 target to cover travel, accommodation and the other costs attached to the children’s participation. The family previously received support to fund Evan’s trip to Georgia, an indication that private backing has already underwritten part of this competitive pathway.
That pathway is well established. Earlier this year Evan represented South Africa in the Under-8 section of the FIDE World Cadets Cup in Batumi, Georgia, and he has also competed in the Cape Town senior chess league, playing on board two in the C section at the age of eight. His competitive record began at Gordon’s Bay Primary School, where he took up the game before progressing through school competitions, the Western Cape Top Schools competition and the South African Junior Closed Chess Championships.
Those close to his development describe an unusually committed young operator. Dorothy Potgieter, his teacher and the school’s chess coordinator, said Evan demonstrated strategic thinking, determination and maturity beyond his years. “His ability to compete confidently against much older and more experienced players is particularly impressive. I believe he has a very promising future in competitive chess,” she said. His coach, Armand Etsebeth, who has 21 years of coaching experience, was equally direct about the investment case. “Evan is one of the most naturally gifted chess players that I have seen over my 21 years of coaching. His level of determination and discipline is exceptional, especially for someone so young. He is truly destined for chess greatness,” he said.
Simone de Wet traced the origin of that commitment to a single moment. “He loved chess from the moment I showed him how the pieces move. His dedication to the game was immediate and hasn’t wavered. He put in the time daily to practise, mostly playing against himself, so both black and white moves were made, as his sisters didn’t want to lose all the time. I am so proud of him and all he has achieved already and can’t wait to see what’s next,” she said.
The BackaBuddy campaign is explicitly seeking both public contributions and sponsor support, positioning the family’s appeal within the broader question of who funds young South African talent when it reaches the international stage. Further coverage and background on the selection appeared at https://bolanderlifestyle.co.za/news/2026-10-22-gordon-s-bay-chess-player-selected-for-african-schools-championships/, and readers can find Bolander on TikTok and Instagram at @ccmonlineza.
Whether the R90 000 target is met before Windhoek may determine how much of this pathway the family can keep funding on its own.