Kon-Tiki

Kon-Tiki is a competition where Scout Troops build a raft from drums, rope and poles using pioneering. In the Western Cape and Gauteng Kon-Tiki events, a patrol or team stays on the raft for 24 hours and completes various challenges while other Scouts who assisted in raft construction take part in "fringe" events on shore while the raft is afloat. Cub and Meerkat activities also take place as part of the overall Kon-Tiki event.

The Kon-Tiki competition is named after Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 expedition from Peru to the Tuamotu Islands.

The first Kon-Tiki Scout competition took place in Cape Town in 1978 where is has become an annual event for the Western Cape. Gauteng (Transvaal) adopted its own Kon-Tiki competition in 1985. More recently, other Kon-Tiki competitions have taken place around the country including Eastern Cape South, and even in Australia (based on the South African competition).

Gauteng

The first Kon-Tiki in Gauteng was held at Donaldson Dam and was then held at Murray Park from 1985 to 2011. It is now held at Arrowe Park, Benoni. More details and registration on-line

Date	Venue	Theme	Badge
17-19 May 2024	Arrowe Park	Ship Wrecked
19-21 May 2023	Arrowe Park	Hawaii
20-22 May 2022	Arrowe Park	Back to the past
May 2021 (not held)		Wait for It !!!
May 2020 (not held)		Recalling the Past
17 - 19 May 2019	Arrowe Park	The Minions are Coming
May 2018	Arrowe Park	Kon Tiki visits Middle Earth
May 2017	Arrowe Park	Kon Tiki Let’s Build (Lego)
13-16 May 2016	Arrowe Park	The Jedi Knights Kon Tiki Welcomes
May 2015	Arrowe Park	Here be Dragons
May 2014	Arrowe Park	Kon Tiki Goes Green
May 2013	Arrowe Park	Kon Tiki visits the Wild West
May 2012	Arrowe Park	The Vikings Visit Kon Tiki
May 2011	Murray Park	The Roman Empire
5-7 March 2010	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Visits The Incas
6-8 March 2009	Murray Park	Pirates of the Caribbean
7-9 March 2008	Murray Park	Kon Tiki visits Brownsea Island
2-4 March 2007	Murray Park	James Bond visits Kon Tiki 2007
May 2006	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Goes on an Enchanted Journey
May 2005	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Visits Russia
May 2004	Murray Park	Land of the Rising Sun
May 2003	Murray Park	Kon Tiki visits the South Pole
May 2002	Murray Park	The Highlands of Scotland
May 2001	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Visits Venice
May 2000	Murray Park	2000 Leagues Under the Sea
May 1999	Murray Park	Knights of the Round Table
May 1998	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Joins the Circus
May 1997	Murray Park	Voyages of Vasco Da Gama
May 1996	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Goes Star Trekking
May 1995	Murray Park	Kon Tiki goes Down Under
May 1994	Murray Park	Battle of Trafalgar
May 1993	Murray Park	Out of Africa
May 1992	Murray Park	In the Grecian Groove
May 1991	Murray Park	Asterix Visits Kon Tiki
May 1990	Murray Park	Slow Boat to China
May 1989	Murray Park	Walk Like an Egyptian
May 1988	Murray Park	Mighty Waterways of the Mississippi
May 1987	Murray Park	Kon Tiki Celebrates World Jamboree Australia
May 1986	Murray Park	Navies of the World
May 1985	Murray Park	In Footsteps of Thor Heyerdahl
May 1984	Donaldson Dam	No Theme

Western Cape

Kon-tiki Western Cape started in 1978. The competition is an annual event and is split into a Raft Competition, a Fringe Competition (land sports) and a Cub Competition. It is held at the Sea Scout Base, Sandvlei.

Year	Chairperson	Chief Judge	Theme	Theme Badge	Winners - Fringe	Winners - Raft
2025			DreamWorks
2024			Folklore			2nd Bergvliet
2023			Comics		1st Muizenberg	1st Bergvliet
2022	Jason Raad	Jason Raad	Apocalypse (as per 2020)			2nd Bergvliet
2021 (not held)	N/A	N/A	N/A		Event not held	Event not held
2020 (not held)	Angela Lee-Wright	Craig Burchell-Burger	Apocalypse		Event cancelled	Event cancelled
2019	Angela Lee-Wright	David Roux	Roald Dahl		1st Durbanville	1st Bergvliet
2018	Alister Raine	Charles Prince	Vikings		1st Bergvliet	1st Bergvliet
2017	N/A	Robbie Owen	Local is Lekker		1st Bergvliet	1st Bergvliet
2016	N/A	Robbie Owen	Star Wars		1st Bergvliet	1st Monte Vista
2015	N/A	Robbie Owen	The Musical		2nd Bergvliet	2nd Bergvliet
2014	N/A	Robbie Owen	Laboratory		1st Bergvliet	1st Bergvliet
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1989
1988

Eastern Cape South

Kon-tiki Eastern Cape South is an annual event and is split into a Raft Competition, a Fringe Competition (land sports) and a Cub Competition. For the first time in 2024, the Meerkats have been included into the event. It is held at a variety of locations.

Year	Location	Theme	Badge
2024	East London	Heroes vs. Villains
2023	Port Elizabeth	Speed
2022	Port Elizabeth	Pirates of the Brakkeduine
2003	Port Elizabeth	The rafts were rowed from Swartkops to Redhouse. Algoa Sea Scouts won the Scout event and Cotswold won the Cub event.
2002	Port Elizabeth	The annual Scout Kontiki Raft Race was held in February on the Swartkops River just a few meters up from the Redhouse Yacht Club. The boys arrived bright and early and began assembling the rafts. After the judges had checked that the all rafts were "river worthy" they were allowed into the water to await the starters whistle. This years Kontiki was slightly different with various bases placed along the length of the river. In order for the teams to win they would have to complete each base along the way and finish first. Cotswold finished with one Patrol in first position for their age group and the other finishing closely behind. Cotswolds Scouters / Fathers achieved 1st position in the supporters' race.
2001	Port Elizabeth	The Scouts camped overnight and were judged on rafting as well as various bases and a cooking competition. 1st Newton Park Rangers won the Scout competition. The Cub event took the form of a race and the heavens opened as the race ended. The Cub event was won by 1st Lorraine. This was followed by a ladies' and a men's team races using the Cubs and Scout rafts. The rules of the race were row to the opposite bank, one person to get off the raft, stand on the bank, wave, run back to the raft, and then row back again to the starting point. 1st Lorraine won both these races.
2000	Port Elizabeth	Kontiki was held on a sunny & warm 26 February at Redhouse. There was a very good turn out of rafts with a total of 27 teams. It took the form of a long distance race, similar to that from about 6–7 years ago. The race was from the public slipway, a little paddle down stream, around a buoy & a check point, then a very long ± 1.8km paddle upstream to go around yet another buoy & check point, & finally paddle another ± 1.8km all the way back to the finish. The weather conditions deteriorated in the latter part of the race as the wind picked up quite a bit & took toll on the tired arms & spirits of the scout & guide crews. The race and the overall Kontiki was won by Kudu Patrol from 1st Cotswold in a time of 2 hours 23 minutes. Second place in 2 hours 48 minutes was a 4-person raft crewed by Girl Guides.