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Key Takeaways:
- Nqweba Meteorite: A rare space rock fragment found by a 9-year-old girl in the Eastern Cape becomes a major scientific milestone.
- Scientific Collaboration: Teams from Wits University, Nelson Mandela University, Rhodes University, NASA and international labs joined forces to analyse and trace the meteorite’s origin to asteroid Vesta.
- Public Engagement: Citizen reports and rapid local response were key to recovering fragments before international collectors arrived.
When a two-ton meteor streaked across the Eastern Cape sky on 25 August 2024, few imagined the journey that would follow. But for 9-year-old Eli-zé du Toit, the event turned into a once-in-a-lifetime discovery that drew scientists from around the world to the small town of Nqweba all chasing fragments of a celestial visitor from the Main Asteroid Belt.
Their Story
Eli-zé’s encounter with the meteorite was pure chance. A small black rock, no larger than a child’s palm, fell from a tree in her grandparents’ garden just days after the fireball was seen across the province. It would later be confirmed as the first piece of the Nqweba Meteorite, a rare type of space rock known as an HED breccia believed to have originated from asteroid Vesta, over 4.5 billion years old.
Her discovery quickly reached Dr Carla Dodd from Nelson Mandela University, who coordinated with colleagues from Wits and Rhodes universities to begin a scientific search and analysis mission.
The Event/Occasion
A public lecture hosted by Nelson Mandela University on 23 September 2025 titled “Fire in the Sky and Rocks from Space” brought these discoveries to light. Professor Roger Gibson from Wits University’s School of Geosciences emphasised the crucial role of citizen observers who captured the fireball on cellphone, dashcam, and security footage.
“The excitement, the sense of wonder that people felt when they saw ‘fire in the sky’ and quickly reported it… was critical to scientists researching this event and the meteorite recovery,” said Prof. Gibson.
Within just 18 days of searching under scorching conditions, scientists found a total of 10 fragments, weighing around 500 grams combined remnants of a space rock originally two tons in mass and travelling at 20km per second.
With official permission granted swiftly by the Eastern Cape Heritage Authority, the teams were able to act before global meteorite hunters could intervene.
Community Reactions
The story has captured imaginations across the Eastern Cape and the country. People reported hearing thunder-like booms, feeling ground vibrations, and even ducking in fear as the fireball blazed overhead. From Gamtoos Valley to Bloemfontein, over 150 eyewitness accounts were gathered a remarkable instance of science and community collaboration.
The meteorite fragments are now under analysis using 3D CT scanners, electron microscopes, and chemical probes. The international Meteoritical Society officially named it the “Nqweba Meteorite” in September 2025 a rare honour for a South African find.
“This is a collective story,” said Gibson, “built around citizen scientists and multiple institutions across multiple countries… we are still on the first steps of our journey of discovery.”
The collaboration continues, as researchers hope to uncover more about the meteorite’s composition, its ancient journey from asteroid Vesta, and perhaps discover more fragments hidden in the Eastern Cape soil.
