June/July 2014

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THE WORKING TERRORIST

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CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT

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12 pop culture 16 FESTIVAL review 117

Using their imagination these gents are moving ninja efficiency The excessive delusion that’s captivating cosmopolitan life Swaziland set ablaze at the Bushfire festival

LIFE 50 86

108

INdulgence

Welcome, this is Brigdas at the Franklin.

africa connect

Western Sahara is a special place not yet Uhuru

TRAVEL

A Word Cup ‘dark horse’, Croatia is an intriguing land to travel

FASHION 19 22 42

co-ords’s choice

A favourite on the flats, the school shoe is gaining trend

runway labour

Meet out our all star cast of Working Terrorists being iconic

fashion feature

The kind of revelation that warrants a bellow of “Halleluja”

CONTENTS

CONSCIOUSNESS 74 70 63 84

100

alternative thinking

Cynical Simon debuts making sense and provoking thought

EXPOSE

Diversion is a useful and effective strategy when applied correctly

focus feature

A structure can only govern that which willingly participates with it

tech today

A giant that failed to adapt and had to lick its wounds - will it bite back?

green zone

Digging more holes in the ground...

It’s a fracking problem!

SELF 82 96 95 92

106

networking

Find like minded at powerful forums like Bright Talks

careers

Work in historically popular sectors is drying up. Explore the unkown

life skills

Dance to the rhythmic tune of negotiation and win

education

You’re never to old to learn, fellowship promise a bit of fun too

wellness

They say you soul sits in you inner most self so give maximum to the inner

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Mpumelelo Macu

NITE BEAUTY AND THE BEATS

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ZONE RADAR

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PUBLISHER'S NOTE

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Q Welcome to IMBO 28. #TheWorkingTerrorist.

Words are fascinating things. They hold such power and have the ability to shape and reshape our lives. Over time words and their meaning have changed as our structures and developments progress. The word gay was once primarily described a mood and today the same word descibes sexual orientation.

Terrorism is a word that lends itself to an evolved definition. To date the word has been associated with horror and torture.

Inside each of us lies truth, knowledge and awareness. Using those, I ask you to consider our proposed redefinition of the word.

Terrorism: An intellectual and emotive

stance positioning itself at the radical opposite of an abusive status quo.

An active endeavour to deem that status quo obsolete.

Consider the normalities of our current society. Cast a thought to the confusing food distribution system, the strange energy generation methods and the weird slaughter called war.

A kind of criminal, shameless and morally skewed super gangsterism. A gangsterism that our respective governments shield us from through the acclaimed “War on Terror”.

These normalities and other oxymoronic conundrums in a similar shape are our status quo. Is this status quo abusive?

I leave that to you.

Well with this issue of IMBO we want the word back. The Working Terrorist is a call to action.

While one is oblivious to the nature of the status quo one cannot be faulted.

However, where the status quo has been found to be abusive, choice becomes

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the order of the day. Do you choose to lie down and jeopardize the future of the entire humanoid race by essentially facilitating the perpetual existence of the status quo? Or do you rise?

The new age Terrorist is the protector of human prosperity.

This issue looks considerably different to the last one because we’ve spent a great deal of effort in trying to raise the bar.

Our commitment to you, the reader, remains the same. We will continue to deliver you a global standard.

The content this month is inspiring, informing and highly motivating. Please enjoy this issue from cover to cover and remember above all else that IMBO is you.

Have a splendid month and make your choice.

Rise Terrorists.

PUBLISHER'S NOTE

This issue of IMBO was fun as the title spoke to me in many ways, because I myself am a Working Terrorist. I believe wholeheartedly in the dissection of bureaucracy, democracy: the "status quo", the term in itself many times breaks the rules of nature, togetherness and ubuntu. ZIme

PUBLISHER Gugu Madlala editorial coordinator Amanda Nkwinika

Let this issue awaken in all of us a desire to challenge all that we have come to “know” and let it sensitise us to the structures that envelop us (Focus Feature, pg. 63). Let us transcend the frivolity of materialism and work towards a legacy that generations to come can build upon. Amanda

EDITORIAL Anthea Adams, Simthandile Ford, Layout Limpho Sekepe, Koos Pad, Mmabatho Letsoalo Fashion Beekay Dlamini, Spleef, Sinalo Mkaza, Zime Keswa awesome people Abel, Sisanda, Yivani, Anam, Tseliso, Goltian PhotographerS Justin McGee, Lenni Gasant

IMBO has been a life changing experience for me. The learning, people and pressure have been coming hard and fast this month. It’s been amazing and it can only get bigger and better from here. I hope you the readers to grow with us and be apart of the amazing IMBO family. BK

The past month was a bumpy spiritual ride for me and the ‘ego’ was up to it’s tricks.

Beware the ego this month. The ego get’s in the way of communication, damages relationships, wastes opportunities and soils precious moments. Keep you ego in check and use it as you see fit. Anthea

BUSINESS Dominic Billy, Nolo Molapo

Contributors: Precious Simpasa, Amandisa Sibiya, Bongani Mawonga, Chifi Mulusa, Felicia Mosiane, Colin Adam Young, Tanya Charles, Mofuoa Selebalo, Sinalo Mkaza, Taariq Lenni Gasant, Skhumbuzo Tuswa OFFICE Bambisana Media Consortium 3rd Floor The Terraces Black, River Park, Fir Street Observatory, Cape Town 7935 Unit 204, The Main Change, Maboneng, 20 Kruger St, Johannesburg, 2094

Wow, what a month. The last 30 odd days have been a journey of epic proportions.

We are at a very exciting time in the evolution of IMBO. WE are the next big things and I cannot wait for you all to join us on this journey. I dedicated my article to my Grandmother, I love you. Nolo

All rights reserved.

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission of the publisher is strictly prohibited.

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THE GALLERY

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THE GALLERY

Emmanuel Munano Emmanuel Munano is a Pretoria born photographer. Through his photography, he combines fine art with street photography and a touch of surrealism. He is passionate about finding that decisive moment in people’s interactions with their environment. Inspired by documentary photographers such as Santu Mofukeng, David Goldblatt and Peiter Hugo and international street photographers such as Henri Cartier Bresson, Elwin Elliot, Chelsu Kim, and Eric Kim, Emmanuel’s photography documents the nocturnal street life and day to day experiences of Pretorians. Emmanuel is a member of Pretoria Street Photography − a society that documents the socio-urban landscapes of Pretoria and its people and would like to eventually be recognized and belong to a continental street and documentary photography society in Africa.

Visit tumblr.com/blog/emmanuelmunano to uncover more of Emmanuel’s photography.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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ENTERTAINMENT

amapantsula ajabulile Sinalo Mkaza Using photography and art to change perspectives, ‘I See A Different You’ show us that there is more than one side to each story.

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ENTERTAINMENT

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See A Different You is the brainchild of a Sowetan creative trio consisting of twins Innocent and Justice Mukheli and their best friend Vuyo Mpantsha.

The trio initially introduced themselves to us through their blog which started as a homage to place, family and style. Described as a passion project portraying the world as they see it, I See A Different You was in essence motivated by the jaded portrayal of Soweto in the media, which is often subjective or skewed. I See A Different You showcases a series of images shot in locations around Soweto, Johannesburg and most recently Africa and the world.

LONG TIME BROTHERS Justice, Innocent and Vuyo’s relationship began when they were 11 years old. The twins met Vuyo at their local church where they all sang in the choir. They shared a love for skateboarding and grew to share a quick, playful wit and exacting eye for style. The three are self-taught artists, illustrators, musicians and later photographers. As teenagers, they made extra money through fixing computers in their neighbourhood whilst also turning to music and graffiti as creative outlets.

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“I See A Different You started as a photographic project in December 2011 when Innocent sent Justice and Vuyo a photo of a guy on a motorbike at a carwash in Kenya whilst away on a business trip” says Justice.

“I saw it and thought, let me take a photo and send it because I didn’t want to experience it alone” says Innocent. “We saw such cool in it”.

They confess to have been relatively surprised by it: “It’s not what we expected to find in Kenya.” These young influential individuals strongly believe “I don’t want to see it alone” is the anthem of their generation. “Our ultimate goal is to make people see places in another way, because the world’s perception of these places is lacking on amazing things.”

CLICK CLICK FLASH The three started taking pictures in Soweto, using themselves as models and later expanded into other areas such as Alexandra and the Jo’burg CBD and surrounding areas.

“When we started, we were enthused by the idea of shifting the common perceptions of these places, which we knew were an inaccurate reflection. We are able to see them differently and when we look at two sides of the story, we choose to look at the positive

and try to find beauty in that place”, says Vuyo.

Their warm, widescreen photographs depict images of stylish friends, local characters and each other in “infamous places, which are known for bad things,” says Vuyo. “Each photograph tells many stories.” There are personal stories of love and loss written across the subjects’ faces and hinted at on their blog.

There is also undeniable style in each story as the trio craft a quirky juxtaposition of fashion and the streets of Soweto.

TRANSITION TO BRAND “We first launched our project on Tumblr,” says Innocent, “which was the hip thing happening at the time. The blog got its legs when a lot of people took notice and we later launched it on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and that’s when things started picking up.”

The hobby became a business when the Markham’s fashion retailer approached the trio to do a shoot using their unique style for shopfront visuals and print material. The guys were also asked to model the clothing which was used in the retailers advertising campaign. The brand has since been a part of the Diesel+EDUN Studio Africa campaign,

ENTERTAINMENT exhibited in Japan and worked with major brands such as Coca Cola, Castle Lager and the ANC amongst others.

MAKING IT LOOK EASY Despite its notoriety and popularity, I See A Different You remains an afterhours endeavour.

Innocent and Justice are art directors by day and Vuyo a copywriter. Citing entering the industry with only basic knowledge as their biggest challenge, these creatives continue to pursue their passion and share their perspective of the mother continent and the world.

The trio recently shot their first short film “WarChild”, which features the emotional and inspirational journey of Soweto up-and-coming boxer − Rofhiwa Maemu. Produced and shot by 3Quarter Pictures, a production company founded by the guys, the film is a stunning exploration of hard work, determination and tenacity. With no formal training in the craft, these boys are defining The Working Terrorist.

Stylish attire and hipster camera’s in hand, these hardworking boys have laid a foundation for global impact.

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POP CULTURE

THE BIGGER THE BETTER Mofuoa Selebalo An all-consuming world of bling, flash and cash sees many of the Gen-Y population slowly asphyxiating in the thin air of excessim.

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dam smith; moral philosopher and one of the pioneers of capitalism argued that the pursuit of luxury goods and materialism would ultimately be the driving force that would ensure a life of bliss for human kind. According to him, department stores and shopping malls would become cathedrals where a new religion would be born. They would be a place where envy, temptation and seduction would be oxygen, with the advertising industry at the heart of it all.

It would no longer be about what the product can do for you, but what kind of person the product promises to make you feel like.

THE ALLURE Consumerism makes a number of promises to its unsuspecting victims. It promises that the experience of purchasing things will be enjoyable and empowering; however fleeting or short lived the effects.

The culture, now typical of modern day life seems to have birthed what can only be termed as “excessism.”

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POP CULTURE

Excessism, as a phenomenon, represents a way of life that is obsessed with material commodities and even accumulating more than one can consume. This has resulted in a mental rearrangement where things are the vehicles that give life meaning and not the other way around.

After 9/11, former American President George W. Bush urged Americans to shop, as this would help alleviate the immense collective pain and sorrow the country was experiencing. This advice became a scathing indictment on modern consumerism or its culture.

UNDER THE INFLUENCE Upon joining the eco-system of various cosmopolitan cities such as Johannesburg or Lagos, many Gen-Y professionals often assimilate and get sucked into the world of fervid ostentatious spending and flaunting. This culture has reached its peak in the twenty first century and is at a point where it operates on autopilot. This is evident in the way in which the acquisition of material goods now appears

to be the ultimate motivation for success and being able to afford most of life’s necessities and live comfortably is no longer sufficient.

But those are just the physical and social consequences of ‘excessism’.

The physiological implications on the human psyche are staggering. In light of the argument that a lack of money can bring about so much suffering, would the opposite also not be true?

In the context of South Africa, a country which is only now truly embracing the economic game, it seems that we are destined to repeat the mistakes of the west as its culture has spread globally as truth. The tragedy is that this propaganda is directed at the youth, whose opinions are more malleable than those of adults. Through the powerful medium that is the media, the “promise” is put forth and the seed thus planted.

THE CURE The immediate and most obvious threat of this disease is that this way of life motivates

greed. It focuses on the financial prosperity of the individual and not the collective. It places importance on material wealth and not spiritual health. Sacred texts which have guided our moral lives for generations have warned against this path, “Be on your guard against all forms of greed; a man’s life is not consist in the abundance of his material possessions.”

Alas, these messages have been lost an drowned out by the menacing, hypnotic bass lines and suggestive lyrics of popular urban music, which by in large promotes a life of excess.

This leaves us with the question of an alternative way of being. It is important for Gen-Y to start looking for answers elsewhere. We must search for our own truth, and put forth our own promise to ourselves, independent of popular opinion and influence. It is essential to be aware that we are merely pawns in a much greater game, one where the rules continuously change, and posts perpetually shifted. It is a game that is anti-human and anti-life.

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In Greek Mythology, NYX (niks) is the GODDESS OF THE NIGHT – she rules after nightfall and is a symbol of beauty and power.

NYX Cosmetics was created in 1999 by Toni K., an entrepreneur with a background in the beauty industry. She had the vision to develop a quality line of color cosmetics inspired by the goddess, NYX, which is available to both professional makeup artists and everyday women.

She serves as both founder and Chief Creative Officer for the NYX brand. She travels the world to conduct research and finds inspiration for NYX products, combining beauty and power with:

s 3OPHISTICATED MODERN INNOVATION s 0ROFESSIONAL GRADE FORMULATIONS s #OLOR PALETTES STRAIGHT FROM THE RUNWAY s 5LTRA MODERN PACKAGING AND STYLE STATEMENTS s !PPROACHABLE PRICE POINT FOR ALL CLIENTS

!CCESSIBILITY IS THE KEY TO .98 In addition to being affordable:

s .98 WAS DEVELOPED FOR ALL SKIN TYPES s 4HE VAST RANGE OF COLOR CHOICES WORKS FOR all skin tones and ethnicities s 0RODUCT POSSIBILITIES AND COMBINATIONS support the potential to create any look – from natural to dramatic – and allow any artistic vision to come to life

NYX is available in over 60 countries, with both shop in shop installations and freestanding stores. NYX is proud to be able to continue to present the world with constant innovation and quality which set it apart in the world of fashion and beauty.

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COORD'S CHOICE

BACK TO COOL Chifi Mulusa

This month, my latest obsession is school shoes. Despite what you may think, they remind me of childhood, Kiwi shoe polish and everything else that represents getting ready for a productive day. It’s not just me; the volume of gas extracted from the ground is hard to quantify until the process is completed which raises questions designers

and fashion innovators have taken this trend to new heights and are bringing the cool back into school shoes. Jane Sews’ amazing designs are the perfect example of this vogue. The brand’s Mila and Anita sandals are so reminiscent of the many school shoes I wore for those dreaded twelve years. Adrian Kuiters and Laduma have also joined in on this trend and showcased their autumn/winter collection at the Joburg Fashion week with their models in crisp black school shoes.

This is one of the easiest looks to pull off.

Make it your own with a pair of school shoes from any local retailer for that preppy look.

However, for the more trend driven look, simply get a pair from one of our proudly South African designers. The aim is simplistic nostalgia so have fun and never grow up!

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HOT LIST Chifi Mulusa

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HER 1. DENIM PARKA. R 699.00. TRUWORTHS 2. PINK JUMPER. R 399.00. TRUWORTHS 3. COATED PONTE LEGGINGS. R 649.00. WOOLWORTHS 4. BUCKLE ANKLE BOOT. R149.99. MR PRICE

HIM 5.FLEECE SWEAT TOP. R129.99. MR PRICE 6. CANVAS SNEAKERS. R 299.00. WOOLWORTHS '14/ ISSUE 28/ IMBO/ • 21

Runway Labour L

abour: Physical work that encompasses synonyms like toil, exertion and struggle.

The word associates itself with the lower end of the working class existence.

The character of the labourer is a marvel.

Here, individuals earn their keep. Here there is no lying down.

Black South Africa’s fashion heritage and history is tightly intertwined with the labourer.

This months’ fashion takes its lead from this demographic See the strength, peace and style permeate through the blend of high vintage fashion and Gucci guy flavour

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Cargo Pants (Brown): Tweede @Kitchners Brown Jacket: Tweede @Kitcheners Olive Green Shirt: Tweede @Kitcheners Tan Shoes : Models own 28/ IMBO/ • 23 '14/ ISSUE

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White Shirt: Arrow New York Blue Jeans: Arrow New York Bow Tie: Arrow New York Black Hat: Newbrow

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Grey Vest: Somerset West Vintage Polo Neck: Tweede @Kitcheners Suade Trousers: Tweede @Kitcheners Shoes: Models Own

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Purple Shirt: Arrow New York Grey Suit Jacket: Arrow New York Blue Fade Jeans: Arrow New York '14/ ISSUE 28/ IMBO/ • 29

Vintage Knit: Tweede @Kitcheners Lace Skirt: Tweede @Kitcheners Vintafe Knit T-shirt: Tweede @Kitcheners Shoes: Models Own 30 • IMBO/ ISSUE 28/ '14

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Velvet Jacket: Arrow New York Black Trouser: Newbrow Pattern Jersey: Newbrow Floral Shoes: Newbrow

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Rusty Brown Hat: Newbrow Brown Jacket: Tweede @Kitcheners Gold Spaghetti: Tweede @Kitcheners Purple Trousers: Tweede @Kitcheners

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Chequered Jacket: Tweede @Kitcheners Velvet Skirt: Tweede @Kitcheners Black Silk Shirt: Tweede @Kitcheners Shoes: Models Own

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Grey Suit: Arrow New York Purple Shirt: Arrow New York Striped Tie: Arrow New York Shoes: Newbrow

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FASHION

uitgevat in my SUNDAY BEST Chifi Mulusa

A chunk of the population reserves their best fashion for a Sunday.

Church fashion is undoubtedly a category in its own right.

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here is no right or wrong way to dress for church because essentially, different churches have different dress requirements. While some don’t approve of exposed shoulders or anything that hovers close to the knee area, others have embraced the ‘come as you are’ ethos and will let you get away with a little more. Whatever the directive though, one thing most church goers will agree on is that church wear has been making fashion statements for years. To this day, many of us have certain items in our wardrobe that will not see daylight on any day except a Sunday. These items are purchased for the sole purpose of being showcased on Sundays as we sprinkle a little style into praise.

COMFORTABLE STYLE Perhaps the idea of the ‘Sunday best’ has its roots in the idea of making oneself pure as you present yourself to God. Thus, the normal rags are saved for other occasions and only the best reserved for Sunday. The 21st century has seen this trend being stretched to its limit with going to church becoming a spectacle and church aisles and alters making the perfect runway.

The main idea behind church fashion is comfort.

Whether you go extravagant and over the top or minimal and understated, you should feel comfortable when you look at yourself and be satisfied with how you present yourself.

Some churches have a standard uniform that the congregation is expected to wear in an effort to promote the idea of unity and that ‘we are all equal before the creator.’ There is no denying however, the stylish look that comes from that clean, crisp and freshly ironed look of the dark turquoise and white/blue Zionist church gear. The head wrap and thick waist belt used to finish off this infamous church attire has been adopted by many fashion forward individuals because there is no denying its inherent style.

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FASHION

GET WITH IT Church fashion does not require specific garments. It is important to be yourself and wear what makes you feel most comfortable.

The suit was once one of the most popular church items for both men and women but as the times change, it has come to be a symbol of conformity and more and more people are opting for less restrictive garments for church and continue to add their own personal flair to their outfits. A collared shirt is always a must for men and women as it can be easily styled and worn up or down and can be paired with pencil skirts, denims, suit pants or bootlegs.

Taking into account how busy Sunday mornings can get as you rush to make it to the service on time, having items in your wardrobe that can be easily styled and paired with other items will prove worthwhile. A sprinkling of bright and tonnes of neutral colours is the way to go. Also, you can never go wrong with black as it is an essential colour that can be paired with any item. Black pants, a black skirt or a black dress will go well with any colour shoe or accessories.

PUTTING IT TOGETHER Although there are no South African brands that cater specifically for church fashion outside the standard uniform realm, you should be able to pull together whatever it is you were on regular days, mix and match this in a way that feels most comfortable for that ‘holy’ day.

If you are a new comer and are attending a specific church for the first time, use the net to out what you are getting yourself into before you jump in. Google the church and have a look at their webpage, just to get a feel of what the church’s style is like. The church doesn’t have an internet presence? Then choose that foolproof outfit that always makes you feel good.

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A FASHION REVELATION! Felicia Mosiane

The previously tunnelled perception of what fashionable looks like is slowly being broadened by a fashion brand taking the lead in plus-sized apparel.

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FASHION

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FASHION

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or the longest time, the fashion industry has been dominated by brands that portray women with super-slim waistlines and mile-high legs as the only admirable form of beauty. The constant bombardment of this vastly unattainable image of what a woman is supposed to look like has led society to adopt and maintain the belief that one has to be a size 26 and 6 feet tall to be considered beautiful.

To our great fortune, we now live in a world where people oppose existing stereotypes of how we “should” act, “should” live and “should” view the world. This change in approach is no different when it comes to what people have come to consider fashionable and from this, a new generation of designers has risen. Designers that specifically cater to a previously overlooked market of consumers are singlehandedly diversifying the industry through their fresh approach to fashion.

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK A proudly local example of a new age fashion house with a difference is Revelation Fashion.

Revelation is a fashion brand that specializes in stylish yet affordable formal wear for the confident, fearless, plus size (38 to 50) woman.

Revelation caters for the woman who before now had very little opportunities that could help make her feel and look fashionable.

Revelation Fashion was founded in 2012 after Semole Mooka and Khomotso Bopape noticed a gap in the market for a plus sized line that is affordable, well-fitting and fashion savvy.

After a lot of intense market research, they found that plus size consumers still didn’t have many options and they had a “Revelation” that led them to start their own label to fill this gap.

Since then, this duo of young and creative business women has been committed to growing and expanding their brand by providing their clients with garments that are more poignant than trendy with impressive detailing that flatters their figure and expresses the essential features of their shape.

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Their line highlights the perks of being curvaceous that were previously overlooked.

Revelation Fashion now seeks to become the leading designer brand to break the mould in South Africa, offering designer options for plus size customers and catering to a strictly plus size customer base. “Our mission is to consistently knock down barriers and stereotypes of the perception of the plus size allure” WHY IT’S A HIT? The brand has been doing exceptionally well since its inception and much of this success is owed to constant reinvention of the brand’s style. While maintaining a close and open relationship with their growing clientele, Semole and Khomotso stay in touch with the latest trends while still upholding the brands image.

Providing the ever so beautiful curvy South African woman with immaculate garments, unquestionable attention to detail, a custom fit and unparalleled production management has been the main focus of the brand. No longer does she have to pay exorbitant prices to have stylish and fashionable garments made for her.

A BRAND IN ITS OWN LEAGUE There may be other examples of up-andcoming plus size brands trying to resize and redefine the parameters of fashion and what general society allows to be fashionable.

However, Revelation Fashion stands out because there are no other plus size brands in the country that cater to their customers in the manner in which they do. They make it their mission to understand what their customers’ needs are and ultimately satisfy them.

Looking forward, I suspect that this revelation in fashion will grow into a revolution that will see room being made for every size and every figure. Every possible womanly silhouette will finally be appreciated. The brand will be available in various retail stores and boutiques throughout the course of the year but until they reach a retailer near you, you can find and contact them on Facebook or visit their Tumblr page.

FASHION

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INDULGENCE

A LITTLE TASTE OF CUBA Anthea Adams

Five years later, Café Mojito is still a firm favourite for the Cape Town crowd.

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ong Street is known for its myriad restaurants and cafés. Anyone visiting is spoilt for choice as the area is filled with anything from affordable, quaint spots to upmarket and pricy establishments for the more hoity crowd. Nestled on the upper end of the street, Café Mojito adds a little taste of Cuba to the hustle and bustle of Long Street.

FEEL Stepping into Café Mojito feels like what I’d imagine stepping onto the set of Desperado would feel like, and the white fans hanging from the ceiling add to the restaurant’s tropical feel.

Just as you get lost in the allure, your ears are smacked by the sound of the live band and your mood is suddenly jolted up a notch by the distinctive murmur of casual conversation that lingers in the space.

Café Mojito has a lot to offer and there is so much to absorb with the intriguing Latin

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American photographs colouring the wall.

The restaurant offers a choice of sitting by the fireplace, the island inspired bar or street side tables. My favourite option (which is now a ritual) is sitting by the window, which allows me to sit back, sip up and take in the world as it unfolds. Perhaps it’s the familiar red and black pictures of revolutionary Che Guevara or the carefree Caribbean vibe, but Café Mojito attracts a wide variety of people. From travellers to locals, the place is definitely the IT spot by all standards.

One thing to be mindful of is that although the surroundings and vibe are relaxing, and the chances of meeting the friendliest waiters very high, service is not as fast as the snapping of fingers.

Dubbed ‘little Cuba’, Café Mojito is an all day affair. One can enjoy the laughter and chit-chat of people walking past, the sound of vehicles driving by, and the hum of

INDULGENCE

,,

“For a ‘pick me up’ after a long day at the office, Café Mojito has a daily special for cocktail lovers from 5pm to 6pm”

neighbouring bars and restaurants between 10am and 2am every day.

FOOD Well known for their unique burgers, their menu offers a wide selection of tapas, salads and meals. The tapas are the most popular as they pair well with the drinks. Buffalo wings, sticky ribs, chilli poppers and a personal favourite: nacho chips smothered with zippy salsa, guacamole and topped with melted cottage and cheddar cheese are also on offer. The restaurant has a great menu for both meat lovers and vegans.

Café Mojito is known for making Cape Town’s finest mojitos, and they are certainly refreshingly well made. Other than the Mojito’s, the restaurant offers a wide variety of common cocktails such as the Long Island, Margarita, and Strawberry Daiquiri and shooters such as White Mexican and Storm Trooper.

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For a ‘pick me up’ after a long day at the office, Café Mojito has a daily special for cocktail lovers from 5pm to 6pm when all cocktails go for half price. The Cuban inspired restaurant loves lifting the spirits of its people and has a “two for the price of one” burger special every Wednesday.

BEST FOR If cooling off is needed after a long day at work, head down to Café Mojito for their cocktail hour. For a laid back evening with an added tang, it’s the perfect place to grab some grub and a well-deserved drink while relaxing to the soothing sounds of reggae. Café Mojito has a great open atmosphere making its visitors comfortable and free. I recommend this venue for any mood, and as the ultimate reason to get out.

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INDULGENCE

BRIGDAS AT THE FRANKLIN Skhumbuzo Tuswa

Brigdas is the latest addition to the vibey Newtown scene.

IMBO got a chance to sit-down with the brains behind the establishment, all while enjoying pickings from their menu.

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INDULGENCE

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t was as if there were a secret code that only a few had access to, and I had to stop a few times to ask exactly where ‘Brigdas’ is. The whispers led me just around the corner onto Pritchard Street’s hidden heaven. I walked in to the venue, with its white ceilings high up like brightened clouds and its quiet, domineering windows separating me from humanity.

UNCONVENTIONAL SPLENDOUR The large room gives off a natural and refreshing comfort, with the tables almost having grown themselves from the glossy wooden floor.

“You’re only as strong as the tables you dance on” and my personal favourite: “Never trust a skinny cook” are some of the emboldened one-liners that clung onto the wall next to me. You instantly feel like you’re home, free to choose just where and how you want to sit.

Bridget Pike, the proud owner of the establishment, tells me that she dresses it up for a number of occasions; conferences, parties, weddings, even birthdays. In fact, when we met, she was finalizing plans for an underground hip hop party happening the very following night. “It gets pretty full here during the night, we host a lot of gigs and that enables us to get different crowds into the space.”

HMMM MENU The menu, influenced heavily by Bridget's Mozambican origins, is a mosaic of tastes, with each meal seducing your senses. I followed her suggestion and ordered the Galinha Zambeziana: two quarter leg chicken pieces basted in coconut milk served on a bed of mustard infused mash potato, fresh chilli and a dollop of peanut butter. Like a taste of surrender, the chicken was at ease in my mouth, almost as if it didn’t want to pick a fight with my jaws. The gentle whisper from the coconut milk was nothing but a stroke of genius. There were other offerings that were begging for my appetite. Items like Brigdas Massive Sticky Ribs: a 500-gram serving of grilled ribs basted in the chef’s secret sauce served on a bed of wedges.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! The Market Photo Workshop, Sci-Bono Discovery Centre, Moyo Market Theatre and Carfax are amongst the restaurant’s ‘neighbours’ in the Newtown community.

Bridget gave me a tour of the restaurant’s take away section, which looks simpler and is strategically located close to the pedestrian traffic nearby. Its neighbours include a pharmacy, printing shop, hair salon and a

modest café just next to it.

A lot of the Brigdas patrons are young professionals who work in the area as the spot serves great dishes and is intimate enough to make it feel like a piece of home. The pricing is just right for the establishment’s target market, especially in light of the excellent menu options and service.

LOCAL IS LEKKER A woman of many talents, Bridget is also a phenomenal songbird and actress groomed at the National School of the Arts. Her passion has led her into a career in the theatre and she tells of the opportunity she has received to further her studies overseas in dramatic arts.

However, only a few months after such a huge opportunity, she got word that her mother had fallen ill and had no one to help her.

Loving what she is doing right now, Bridget has no regrets about her choice to stay. After the experience I had at her restaurant; the service, the interiors, colourful menu, I think that it’s safe to say her customers know exactly what they’re talking about when they say “Local is Lekker”.

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FEATURE PROFILE

THE FACE OF CHANGE Anthea Adams

Mario Masuku and many other Swazi nationals face prosecution as they fight for democracy in their beloved land.

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FEATURE PROFILE

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FEATURE PROFILE

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n 2011, president of the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), Mario Masuku, was awarded the distinguished Danish Democracy Prize in recognition of his fight for democracy in Swaziland. Masuku has dedicated his life to politics, vehemently showing an undying desire to see the people of Swaziland live in a democratic nation.

SWAZILAND – A NATION OF CONTROVERSY A small oval country in sub-Saharan Africa, Swaziland is Africa’s last remaining monarchy.

Ruled by the Royal House of Dlamini, Swaziland has recently come under the spotlight as more and more of its citizens warm to a revolution that will see the current government removed.

The increasing media attention on the Kings’ lavish lifestyle against a backdrop of the majorly poor populous has seen to the emergence of many anti-monarchy political movements. One such party is the (banned) People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO). PUDEMO is Swaziland’s largest opposition party. The party is “committed to the creation, protection and promotion of a constitutional multi-party democracy, a transparent and accountable government, an environment conducive to the economic growth and empowerment and the development of a culturally vibrant and tolerant society, based on maximum participation and the respect of the will of the people.”

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FEATURE PROFILE

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Charges brought against him have ranged from sedition in 2001 to terrorism in 2008.

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GROWING UP IN SWAZILAND Mario Masuku was born in 1951 in “the low but humble village of Makhosini” and is the sixth child in a family of ten. Masuku attended Makhosini primary school and later went to Evelyn Baring High. Raised by a mine worker father and “simple yet humble” stay at home mother, his family did not always have the financial means to support his education. In an article published by Afrika Kontakt, Masuku recalls that it was quite usual for his siblings and himself to occasionally run out of school fees. He carries on to say that it was only in 1966 when he and a local boy received an invitation to attend Evelyn Baring High School that he was able to stay in school.

Now Swaziland’s most renowned political activist, Masuku tells Eric Singh in an interview for African News Analysis that he decided to take a political stand against the monarchy when in 1973, former king− King Shbhuza II− made a proclamation that came to be known as the ‘King’s Proclamation to the Nation’. In this proclamation, the King announced that “he was suspending the national constitution and assuming all powers, including legislative, executive and judiciary.”

Essentially, this meant the effective banning of all political parties in Swaziland as well as any form of political activity.

intellectuals and students who assembled on the banks of the Mbuluzi River near Mantjolo dam” in an effort to unite the Swazi in the struggle for liberation. Thirty years later and with the nation now under a new king, PUDEMO is still a very active yet banned political party. Masuku has since been arrested on numerous occasions for his work as an activist. Charges brought against him have ranged from sedition in 2001 to terrorism in 2008. In 2013, the leader wz “I, myself, have spent a year behind bars in this process of trying to destroy the king and his nepotism” says Masuku.

After awaiting trial behind bars for a year, Mario was acquitted by the court of all charges laid against him.

THE SOUNDS OF A REVOLUTION The people of Swaziland are increasingly speaking out against the current government at the risk of prosecution with no possibility of a trail.

It is no secret that the royal family boasts a lavish lifestyle at the expense of the people and much like our inevitable abolition of the apartheid system, Swaziland is a nation awaiting a revolution and individuals such as Mario Masuku continue to fight for their country’s liberation, even under harsh circumstances.

THE BIRTH OF PUDEMO In 1983, a decade since King Sobhuza II took over; the People’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) was born. PUDEMO was created through the gathering of a group of “workers,

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TECH SHIFTERS

boss TECHNOLOGY - RAPID DIAGNOSIS Simthandile Ford

Providing affordable and reliable diagnostic test kits for poor communities, Ashley Uys is manafacturing weapons for the fight against disease and epidemics.

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TECH SHIFTERS

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lthough sophisticated medical technology is readily available in health systems across developed cities, continual research and development advances are not made easily to all classes of society.

So while many are able to quickly test for and subsequently treat illnesses such as malaria, individuals on the margins continue to suffer and even die from such diseases due to a lack of access to proper and rapid diagnosis and treatment equipment. To bridge this gap, Ashley Uys founded Medical Diagnostech, a medical technology company that is helping decrease the chances of diseases progression through rapid detection.

NO NEED TO REINVENT THE WHEEL Ashley was only 24 years old when he started his company− Real World Diagnostics in 2006.

Not trying to reinvent the wheel, Real World Diagnostics was a distributor of medical test kits (for pregnancy, HIV and drug abuse) and the profits made from this endeavour were used to fund Medical Diagnostech which was established in 2010. “I saw a gap in the market, where pharmaceutical wholesalers were not catering for lower income individuals, that’s when I thought of the concept of distributing affordable rapid test kits to this demographic,” says Ashley.

Medical Diagnostech is a Cape Town based medical technology company that develops and manufactures high quality rapid lateral flow diagnostic test kits. These kits may be used to test for fertility/ovulation, pregnancy, drug

and alcohol abuse, as well as diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. When Ashley first got onto the idea to shift from being solely a distributor but also a developer of his own kits, Cape Town was in the midst of serious drug problem as “tik” was making its debut on her streets. People from poorer communities had no means of testing their children whom they suspected were using the horrible drug and that’s where Ashley and his company were of value.

ALL THE RIGHT SKILLS Starting a medical technology company is complex and requires a large capital outlay, and this was one of the problems that Ashley faced. “I chose a different type of a capital model to raise capital and basically boot strapped the whole company,” says Ashley.

When Medical Diagnostech eventually raised enough capital to create their own manufacturing facility, the facility was situated near its biggest client, ICT diagnostics, which exports malaria diagnostic kits to countries such as Pakistan, India and some World Health Organization funded programmes.

Understanding the market has been one of the advantages Ashley and his team cite as having helped the company flourish. As an individual trained in the field of biotechnology with an Honours degree from the university of the Western Cape, Ashley now employs 35 highly qualified scientists. Medical Diagnostech test kits are providing low-income communities with the ability to test for diseases before they progress to irreversible levels. In

communities where the incidence of malaria is high but access to medical care scarce, Medical Diagnostech’s low cost diagnostic kits empower communities by giving them the ability to test themselves and subsequently take the necessary steps to get medical help, before it is too late.

MORE INNOVATIONS ON THE HORIZON Medical Diagnostech recently partnered with the Department of Education and the City of Cape Town to supply drug test kits to the Cape Town metropolis and schools. The company has also developed a mobile phone application that can be used to analyse drug use. This application uses the camera’s flash to analyse the pupils’ reaction to light in order to determine intoxication. “This tool is helping put control back into the parent’s hands by providing quick feedback,” explains Ashley.

Ashley and his team seek to continue producing innovative medical products and this vision will be carried forward by his youngest company, Oculus ID. Launched in 2013, Oculus ID is a company that specialises in the development of “biometric solutions with impairment detection through the application of non-invasive, cost effective and hygienic innovations that are safe for the environment.”

Staying ahead of new technological breakthroughs is a challenging task but Ashley and his team seem up for the challenge.

Ashley was listed as Forbes top 100 under 35 African Entrepreneurs in 2013. Godspeed.

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PROFESSIONALS

Anthea Adams

DR SANDILE KUBHEKA Age is what you make it. Armed with a big heart and sharp mind Dr Sandile Kubheka 'that guy'.

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orn on the 1st day of 1994 in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal; Dr Sandile Kubheka officially became South Africa’s youngest doctor when he completed his MBChB degree and graduated with distinction in Obstetrics and Gynaecology earlier this year. Now an alumni of the College of Health Sciences at the University of KwaZuluNatal, he is an inspiration to South Africans of all ages.

Kubheka began formal schooling at the innocent age of five and graduated from Siyamukela High School at just 15. With a porous young mind, he enjoyed many other interests while growing up; one of which included computer engineering. However, with the help of his mother, he opted for a career in medicine instead and enrolled at the UKZN Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine.

A STEADY FOUNDATION Kubheka was raised by a single mother as one of five siblings. His mother, employed as a supermarket employee for over 30 years; dedicated her life to providing the best essentials for her children. The youngest of the five siblings, the young doctor recalls a childhood brimming with close bonds and support from his three sisters and brother. It is through their support and encouragement that he was able to tough out the challenges that came with being a young medical student.

Considered a genius from an early age,

TRAILBLAZER As a sixteen year old first year university student, the memory of his classmates teasing him for being the youngest in lecturer halls still makes him chuckle. “They use to call me neonate and infant, because I was the youngest in the class. Even though they made fun of me, I couldn’t care because I WAS the youngest and I was trying to adapt.”

Even so, Dr Sandile enjoyed every aspect of medical school and gives credit to his classmates for the immense role they played in his life over the five years spent with them.

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The ecstatic doctor admits that studying medicine was a challenge and most of his time was spent buried in books. “You can’t have more fun than when you are working.”

Currently serving his internship at the Greys Hospital in Pietermaritzburg, he also volunteers his time helping the disadvantaged and offering free medical advice in rural communities.

DREAM BIG Dr Sandile and his former classmates are in the process of launching a Trust Fund that will be aimed at offering ‘mentorship opportunities and scholarships to promising students from under-privileged backgrounds.’

Voted as most likely to be Minister of Health by the 2013 UKZN medical class, the young doctor emphasises that it is important to “dream big and work smart.” Being part of a generation that is free means that “we are all liberated from the struggles of the past. We can now chase our dreams, using the opportunities our parents did not have.”

PROFESSIONALS

Anthea Adams

THANDO HOPA Defying stereotypes,Thando Hopa is making moves as a model and Public Prosecutor.

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he media continues to paint a flawed image of the experiences of individuals living with albinism in Africa. Superstitions about this congenital condition continue to put many of their lives at risk on a daily basis. More so, on a superficial level, the criterion of beauty lingers on a tight margin that excludes albinism completely.

FIGHTING FOR ‘NORMALITY’ 25 year old model and Public Prosecutor Thando Hopa was born in Lenasia South, a township in the south of Soweto. Thando (along with her younger brother) was born with albinism and although she always felt normal and part of the family at home, she started noticing her uniqueness when she grew a bit older. Often teased by her peers and sometimes having to deal with negative stereotypes about her condition everywhere she went, Thando also battled with poor eye sight which saw her struggling to read small fonts in textbooks or see clearly on the blackboard in school. In her interview for web-based journalist project GroundUp, Thando recalls how vulnerable

she felt when she met new people because of her uncertainty about how they would react.

“Some people were positive about it, but others demonised it and it was very unsettling.”

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS Despite all these challenges, young Thando still managed to find other ways to cope with her stunted learning at school. She opted for books with bigger fonts to counter her bad eyesight and took on exercising to help improve her short concentration span. After high school, Thando enrolled for a Bachelor’s degree in Law (LLB) from the University of the Witwatersrand and now works as a Public Prosecutor at the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA).

Proving that one can have both beauty and brains; Thando is also thriving in the modelling industry and has been working closely with Gert-Johan Coetzee as the face of his designer collection and also walks the runway showcasing his work. Understanding the crucial impact her modelling has on the

fashion industry and the young people living with albinism, Thando is working to change the negative stereotypes and perceptions about albinism. Her recent collaboration with photographer Justin Dingwall resulted in an illuminating exhibition which sought to “explore the aesthetics of Albinism in contrast with the idealized perception of beauty.” This exhibition − titled “Albus” − ran earlier this year and saw Thando use “her visibility to address the negative perceptions surrounding albinism.”

A YOUNG WOMAN WITH A VISION Thando Hopa is clearly a woman on a mission.

She is still fully focused on her career as a prosecutor and considers her work as a model to be a “sprinkle of colour” to her life. Thando told the City Press that there is still work to be done in terms of creating awareness about Albinism as well as eliminating the stigma attached to it.

Thando and Gert-Johan continue to work together towards their common goal to speak out for people living with albinism.

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FOCUS PROFILE

Rev. Frank Chikane The Working Terrorist of yesterday

Amanda Nkwinika

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FOCUS PROFILE COMING TOGETHER OF CHURCH AND STATE Born in 1951 to James and Erenia Chikane, Rev. Chikane is former director-general of the presidency, respected struggle veteran and celebrated author. After high school, Rev. Chikane enrolled at the University of the North (now University of Limpopo) where he studied towards becoming a mathematical physicist. His foray into politics began while at university when he met Cyril Ramaphosa and became heavily influenced by the Black Consciousness movement. Also a man of the cloth, the reverend began his pastoral training at the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) which he completed in 1979.

Although committed to the church, Rev. Chiknane was an active cadre of the liberation movement. When he was ordained as a pastor in 1980, he began advocating for social programmes for the black population that included soup kitchens and adult education programmes. However, his involvement in politics came at a steep price as in 1981, he was defrocked due to his political involvement.

Following his appointment as General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches in 1987, the police raided the SACC offices as it was believed he may have been using the organisation to push the liberation agenda.

beaten several times for his political activism.

In 1989 however, the reverend faced near death when his underwear was soaked with poison that was meant to kill him. Former Police Minister Adriaan Vlok and his police chief Johan van der Merwe were implicated for the crime and received a suspended 10year sentence.

THE CANCER THAT IS CORRUPTION Having served as special adviser to then Deputy President under the Mandela administration and director-general to the presidency from 1995 - 2009 (covering the presidency’s of Mbeki, Motlanthe and Zuma), Rev. Chikane like many South Africans has expressed a deep concern over the corruption that grips the nation.

In an interview on Interface, the reverend spoke out against this epidemic. “I refused to be corrupted and I stand for the poor and those who need justice. I made great sacrifices for our freedom and I wasn’t going to mess with that freedom. You can’t corrupt the people’s movement and you can’t corrupt government because when you do so, you lose what people died for,” says Chikane. The reverend believes that

the South Africa needs a critical mass that will make sure that the corrupt know that their days are numbered and make sure that there is no fear to speak out against it.

SA’S FUTURE IN THE HANDS OF BORN-FREE’S A crucial pillar to the foundation of a now democratic South Africa, Rev. Chikane believes that South Africa’s future now lies in the hands of a generation that has not felt the thrashes of apartheid. So while the old order is loyal to the ANC due to the shared struggle, the new generation will need a bit more convincing. In a recent trip to Washington, Rev Chikane spoke to Joe Davidson about the challenges faced by the ruling party today. “The new generation are free thinkers, which is a misfit in the ANC,” says Chikane. “They will question everything and ask questions that are uncomfortable.”

According to the reverend, with the democracy maturing, the biggest challenge faced by the ANC is how they are going to deal with the “born-frees”. If it doesn’t change, the ANC will lose this generation, and this will have radical implications for the future of the party and the future of South African politics.

EVERY WAR HAS A PRICE Like many others with him, Rev. Chikane grappled with the challenges that came with being a vocal and active agent against the apartheid regime. In 1977, he was “detained for a month under the Terrorism Act” and since then, he has been detained, abused and

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South Africa needs a critical mass that will make sure that the corrupt know that their days are numbered.

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DEEm them obsolete.

For centuries the human race has been governed by oppressive and abusive structures. Gen-Y and Gen-Flux’s working terrorist cannot continue to accept the status quo as a matter of fact.

The active and participating population are implored take a closer look at these structures diagnose the abuse and endeavour to deem them obsolete.

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FOCUS FEATURE

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couple of months ago, I imagined a world void of some governance structures; what it would look like and how everything would function.

Sadly my mind struggled to fully conjure such a world. The idea and necessity of some form of governance is so firmly entrenched in my mind that I struggled to envision an alternative.

This made me realise that because we are born into systems; whether religious, financial, educational or political, our relationship with them is warped. To such an extent that we seldom question these systems at a fundamental level.

When these structures become abusive, we hardly notice because our understanding of them tells us that they are immovable and are a sort of life-giver. By never actively and purposefully putting the notion of systems in its rightful place as a subservient of the humanoids. And so today our lives and progress are governed by these structures at their undeserving mercy.

In light of the many economic, social, political and religious injustices that plague our society today, it seems high time we take a closer look at these structures. And in instances where we find them to be corrupt and doing more harm than good, it seems only responsible that we replace them, and deem them obsolete.

MANY KINDS OF GOVERNANCE STRUCTURES Upon hearing the term ‘governance structure’ the common inclination is to think of government structures in a political picture.

More truthfully, and by definition, governance structures are any and all structures that control or regulate, in one way or another, the myriad processes that form a part of our

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lives and existence. Associations, the legal institution; religious and financial institutions, parents, patriarchy, codes of a sport and even corporation codes of conduct are a governance structure in their respective relativity.

A governance structure entrenches itself. In some instances, like religion, it goes as far as having authority over our morality and subsequent behaviour.

WHERE STRUCTURE ENDS AND LIFE BEGINS The reality of poverty and diseases across Africa and the greater earth has become a kind of ‘matter of fact’ phenomena, and something “we can’t change right now”.

When scrutinized the problems behind such a reality are seen to be perpetuated by the global governance structure. During scrutiny it becomes absolute that the governance structure is the absolute status quo. An abusive status quo.

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Governments Governments have risen and fallen all through history. Closest to home is the apartheid system; then there’s slavery and patriarchy. These are all well entrenched government realities that were overthrown and replaced through various actions.

Governance structures however, are not only deemed obsolete through war and protest as is most often the case with government structures. With wider governance structures systems can simply become redundant with the advent of technology, advancement in understanding and general collective societal progress.

The rise of Silicon Valley saw the end of many industries, regulations as ways of business.

When governance structures are deemed obsolete it is a result of organic progression and human evolution.

GOVERNANCE WE CAN DO WITHOUT...

Despite what we have grown to believe, here are some examples of governance structures we can do without: BANKS AND INTEREST The idea of paying back a loan with interest is something that most of us have come to accept as a fact of life. One reason for this could be that there is no other way in which we can get a loan except through agreeing to this trap and we believe that there is nothing we can do about it.

So in the meantime financial systems, which are fuelled by fabricated money, continue to exist because we continue to use them blindly and pay this interest.

Banks continue to exist because we use them without questioning how abusive they actually are. Does it make sense that those who need money (loans) the most are made to pay more interest (because they are more of a risk) which results in them being in even more debt which makes them need even more loans?

That is how abusive the financial structure is, yet we bend to its demands because we believe that we cannot survive without it, when in truth, it is the other way around.

POLITICAL AND FINANCIAL STRUCTURES Politics is essentially a game dominated by those with money and those with money effectively control the world. Rapidly declining resources, famine, wars, exploitation of nations and people, economic slavery in the form of labour and wages, interest and perpetual debt are all a direct result of the political and financial system both local and global. It makes no difference whether it is a democracy, monarchy, oligarchy or even a socialist system; the results are always the same because fundamentally, the neurosis of centralised power remains.

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Media has long been our greate same breath, it’s difficult to deny manipulation, especially in the pu

ONE DIMENSIONAL EDUCATIONAL STRUCTURES Over the years, the conversation over the sad state of South Africa’s education hasn’t really gone anywhere.

Through big failing ratios, high dropout rates, questions of quality and other challenges, different curricula have been introduced and scrapped and reintroduced and scrapped again in pursuit of a fix. However, each time a curriculum is introduced, another problem seems to arise. Not so long ago, the national pass rate was dropped to a mere 30% in what seems an effort to systematically remove learners from the system itself.

The structure of higher education is also coming under much scrutiny when stacked up against the large number of unemployed graduates. It’s no secret that many organisations are reluctant to employ recent graduates because of their significant lack of practical skills. But instead of working together with government and train students as part of their curriculum, institutions of higher learning (more especially universities) continue to remain inflexible. And this leads to graduates that are unable to meet the demands of life after school.

Education seems to want fundamental evolution. It seems the manner, concept and point of teaching and learning has been

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missed. Many scholars and academics argue that the system is a glorified factory that is producing subservient and loyal employees.

They note that instead of teaching vital skills that are applicable in the real world and can produce entrepreneurs and social engineers, the system is focused on having learners follow instructions blindly and punishes them when they show any kind of independence and deviance from it.

They say that instead of nurturing virtues such as creativity and complex problem solving the system rewards conformity and still uses an unfair merit-based system that is unable to judge fairly.

I say that from my experience, those who are not born for the classroom in its traditional sense are beaten and bruised by the system and enter working life from a handicapped base point. global and local MAINSTREAM MEDIA The value of the media can never be in question.

Media has long been our greatest source of information. In the same breath, it’s difficult to deny that the media is vulnerable to manipulation, especially in the pushing of propaganda.

When the U.S needed to rally support from

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est source of information. In the that the media is vulnerable to ushing of propaganda.,, the rest of the world to wage a phoney war on Iraq; it has been credibly substantiated that it released old images of Iraqi nationals being tortured and killed in order to get the world to believe that Saddam Husain was a violent dictator hurting his own people and threatening to use weapons of mass destruction on them.

That version was global and shaped our opinions all the way down here in the south of Africa. We’ve seen similar reports of many sovereign states that did not want to succumb to external pressures. In all these examples as well as our everyday life, collective consensus is influenced by the media and stories it feeds us.

GLOBAL GOVERNMENT Undoubtedly, one of the most corrupt and abusive governance structures to date is the global government structure; more commonly referred to as a global governance structure as there is no official recognized global government structure. For our conversation we will refer to this group as the global government structure.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), “Global governance refers to the way in which global affairs are managed. Global governance typically involves a range of actors including states, as well as regional and international

organizations.” By this definition, it would seem that all sovereign states on earth form part of the global government structure and all (ideally) contribute in deciding how global affairs should be managed. However, we all know that this is not the case. In reality, it is nations that have the strongest economies that exert the most authority when it comes to global issues.

It is widely accepted that Western super corporations sit alongside governments at the at the top of the global government structure and have remarkable power and influence to carry out any act they see fit through the use of institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the World Bank and even the International Criminal Court.

For your own health, read john Perkins’ Confessions of an Economic Hitman.

OIL AND ENERGY CORPORATIONS The governance structure here is scary.

This sector of the system affects not only the humans but it has immense ramifications for Earth and all Earthlings too. The Corporatocracy stops at nothing to achieve its fundamental aim of increased profits. In pursuance of power and wealth, corporations (in the name of a free market, an open economy and trade liberalization) are depleting the earth’s natural

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FOCUS FEATURE

resources and making obscene profits and sometimes unnecessary products.

Water, forests, arable soil other critical natural resources are being depleted rapidly with no regard for the next generation or the planet.

It is said that our generation, within a period of 100 years, has used up more of the earth’s resources than all of the previous generations before us combined.

When doing the math, results show that this way of life is not only unsustainable but also completely avoidable.

WORKING TOWARDS CULLING THE BEASTS The process of deeming governance structures obsolete is largely guided by the nature of the beast.

When the beast is one that is overtly and openly oppressive and abusive and refuses to yield to reason, then brute force is the only way to cull it.

In instances where the beast hides in sheep’s skin and controls every aspect of our lives while making us believe it is there for our own good, then culling this beast will require effort on our part to rely less and less on it.

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This is because the less we rely on banks and their services, then the greater the chances of them becoming irrelevant.

The less we depend on our employers for employment and work towards making our own living through living our dreams and ferocious entrepreneurship, then the beast of economic slavery is culled.

The current education system can only be deemed obsolete when we choose alternative ways to educate ourselves and our young.

With the advent of online education, we no longer have to rely on the current education system. The internet has made it possible for us to enrol and take up courses from international institutions that are doing a better job at knowledge impartment.

Not just that, the myriad tutorials, books and information sources that we have at our disposal are but waiting on us to engage them.

All it takes is a little effort on our part to learn as much as we can, beyond what is taught in the confines of a classroom. With this in hand, we can also find ways and means to teach others what we have learnt.

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In increasing the irrelevance of mainstream media, we should be looking at independent media outlets that aren’t funded by the same companies that use them.

The internet with its many blogs, vlogs and independent news websites offers us an alternative voice of what is really happening around us. Here, we are more likely to find a variety of objective voices and this will allow us to make truly informed decisions.

CNN, Al Jazeera, the SABC, the BCC and any other variation of such media outlets need not be our holy grail of trusted media, because in reality, they are sometimes propaganda machines used to keep us ignorant.

Conceptual technology that has the capacity to deem the global governance structure obsolete is already available.

As calculated by Jacque Fresco of the Venus Project; the earth as it is has the technology, capacity and resources that can allow every single person on earth to live comfortably without having to rely on any of the aforementioned systems in any way.

This would means that human beings would be in a position to seek higher intelligence

and enlightenment because issues such as poverty, war, economic slavery, and excessive consumption will no longer weigh us down.

Alternative fuel sources that can replace oil and other fossil fuels that harm the earth and countries are available.

Technology that can enable each and every person to benefit off of the world’s resources is available. All we need to do is awaken from our collective slumber and do our bit now, in our different corners of the world; to rely less on the existing structure and figure out how we can embrace the alternative that is there.

In our continued struggle as working terrorists that participate at all levels of the ecosystem and have no interest in seeing the status quo remain, it behoves us to take a closer look at the structures we exist in. It is equally imperative that we actively engage with alternatives that are being kept in the dark by the power that be. wIn an effort to embrace alternatives and consequently rely less on the current status quo, it is important that we question and scrutinize as this is the only way we can ever hope to live like our birth given projection promises we can.

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UGANDA: THE GAY DIVERSION? Simthandile Ford '14/ ISSUE 28/ IMBO/ • 71

EXPOSE

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EXPOSE

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s Uganda approaches the 2016 presidential elections, the series of events that have gripped the nation are the quintessence of a political trend in African states when leaders have been reluctant to relinquish power. Following his successful leadership of the National Resistance Army into Kampala to seize power in 1986, President Yoweri Museveni has managed to remain in power for four terms.

Although most have had a lot to say about his competence, it seems they may have been appeased by the latest distraction.

countries, wars had been used to distract citizens from the many unscrupulous economic changes being implemented behind the scenes.

Uganda has been a prominent feature on international news feeds for the past few months and owing to this is the Anti-Homosexuality Act that was signed into law earlier this year.

Besides the fact that the very law is flawed on so many levels, the question about the urgency to turn this bill into law lingers.

The opposition has criticised the new law, saying that homosexuality was not “foreign” and that the issue was being used to divert attention from domestic problems. Andrew Mawenda, a journalist in Uganda and founder of The Independent says, “The government has failed to serve the interests of the citizens and is now relying on cultural bigotry to bolster its political fortunes.” He accused the government of having “ulterior motives” and using the issue to divert attention from other issues, including Uganda’s military backing of neighbouring South Sudan’s government against rebel forces.

BEHIND THE SMOKE SCREEN The (sometimes) blatant tactic of using distractions to divert attention has been well documented in political history. Many argue that George W. Bush used the tragic 9/11 attacks to secure his second term as president.

The central premise of this line of reasoning is that Bush emphasised his commitment to bringing the terrorists to justice in order to create a “false” sense of national unity that would momentarily have the nation focus less on his shortcomings as a leader. Additionally, Naomi Clark in her illuminating book, ‘The Shock Doctrine’, also highlighted how in many

In light of this, it is not surprising that Uganda’s NRA is using the newly instated AntiHomosexuality Act to advance their leader’s comfortable position in the presidential race. Muhumuza Ivan Kashilingi, a social and economic commentator in Uganda says, “The president’s approval ratings are still high, with a current survey putting him at 62%.

DO NOT BE FOOLED According to Politicaldiversions.com, finding government diversions is easy. All a government needs to do is to identify the desired goals of political focus groups and in the case of Uganda; those would be the religious groups and the traditional leaders as well as special

interest groups. The Anti-homosexuality act fits the current agenda of the NRA. In a country structured like Uganda, the homosexuality act goes way beyond arresting two homosexuals.

Most Ugandan elites who were cheering for the President on social media missed the entire purpose of the passed bill.

Ethnicity has been a persistent and divisive force in Ugandan politics, both before and after independence. There appears to have been a consistent dissatisfaction with the balance of power between ethnic groups, which usually resulted in conflict or confrontation. “The Anti- homosexuality Act has spiked Musuveni’s popularity because most ordinary Ugandans were for and not against the bill,” says Muhumuza The African plight has not changed, even half a century after the so-called African independence boom of the sixties. Many African leaders are still selling off what is most valuable to Africa, its resources and the welfare of its people. African heads of states still choose to focus their attention and efforts onto issues that have little, if no, consequence to the growth of Africa. All of this is done in the name of retaining power and the pursuance of personal agendas with diversions proving to be the ultimate tool to achieve these goals.

Mr Museveni, we see you. We see you loud and clear. The Working Terrorist will rise.

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ALTERNATIVE THINKING

TERROR WHAT? Cynical Simon 74 • IMBO/ ISSUE 28/ '14

ALTERNATIVE THINKING

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ALTERNATIVE THINKING

T

he word “Terrorism” has become an integral part of the global vocabulary for the last 13 years. Since the tragic events of September 11th and the inception of the “WAR ON TERROR” terrorism has reached cult status.

Films and television has perhaps strategically aired content educating the populous on terrorism. The continued exposure to this media acts as an adhesive, entrenching it as part of contemporary society.

What is terrorism though, where does it come from and most importantly what is a terrorist?

The Concise Encyclopedia defines “Terrorism” as violent acts that are intended to create fear, are perpetuated for religious, political or ideological goals and deliberately target or disregard non-combatants i.e. military personnel in peacetime or civilians.

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In the social context terrorism is associated with revolutions and liberation struggles where a tyrannical regime is being overthrown. The liberation movements of Apartheid South Africa were all terrorist organizations by the determination of the NP government and all their efforts, both violent and non-violent were classified acts of terrorism.

Today the poster boys of terrorism are undoubtedly of Middle Eastern decent, and Islamic from a religious perspective.

I Say The way I see it, the American military industrial complex and Western media have vilified Islam and its people for at least the last 90 years. I suspect all in an effort to dehumanize them so they could be easily seen as an enemy. From the time of the 911 attacks (False Flag attack), repetition of words and images cemented Islam as the face of terror worldwide.

The American people are also the victims of this monolithic conspiracy; having had their fears systematically raided after they were attacked on their home soil all in the effort for the public to be okay with their governments strategy of disaster capitalism.

Disaster Capitalism Disaster capitalism is when a country is invaded and its social institutions strategically attacked. Sites like schools, critical infrastructure, plumbing, sanitation and good old electricity.

Post conflict the invaded country is rebuilt under the direction of some global structures.

An exclusive group of companies tenders for the contracts and business goes on.

Examples of this can be found in the journals of Chile, Iraq, Afghanistan and Argentina amongst others. The rebuilding process is governed by fear as the population has just experienced war. The collective narrative is lost leaving the

ALTERNATIVE THINKING

people helpless, so helpless that any new plan by the government will be embraced without question even if it means the loss of their civil liberties.

The Redefinition To quote George Carlin “ I don’t believe anything the government tells me and this doesn’t make me a very good American because I like to form my own opinion” Mr. Carlin makes a very good point though; apathy and a sheep mentality are the main causes of humanities plight. We have become so hopelessly dependent on the system that we even allow them to shape our opinions.

The possibility that the Important and Powerful can get together and conspire plans that serve only their own interests is real. There is a credible global exposing of this plan, a kind of truth revolution.

The Gen-Flux Terrorist A Gen-Flux terrorist is a person who opposes the status quo on a large or small scale; it’s also someone who uses the status quo to finance their particpation in The Rise. It’s the people who are aware of everything that shapes their lives and refuse to passively accept anything without first asking why.

I’m talking about the informal recyclers, that revolutionized and monetized South African recycling. Street vendors are working terrorists, selling their products informally is illegal but they stay surviving.

Artists, capturing the soul of a moment through song, documenting global change and the people behind it through film or photography, or imagining a new world through a painting or new media. Terrorist

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FINANCIAL FUNDIS

SASOL! YOU FRACKING BEAUTY. Skhumbuzo Tuswa

Sasol is poised to be at the forefront of what seems to be an energy revolution. Some strategic business over the past few years has positioned the company exceptionally well in the USA. 78 • IMBO/ ISSUE 28/ '14

FINANCIAL FUNDIS

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S

asol has been confirmed to be making a record-breaking multibillion dollar investment project in the form of a US based facility in Louisiana. The $20-billion outlay will cover the expansion of Louisiana’s Lake Charles chemical plant, where it will develop an ethane cracker and derivative units, followed by a gas-to-liquids (GTL) plant. The cracker project consists of a processing plant that will convert ethane, a constituent of natural gas, into ethylene and will cost between $5-billion and $7-billion.

The gas-to-liquids plant, with an estimated cost of between $11-billion and $14-billion, will produce fuel from natural gas and other by-products. Sasol is in a prime position to take advantage of the current global political atmosphere. Like oil, natural gas plays an important geopolitical role.

STATE SUPPORT Governments generally support fracking that can be done in an environmentally friendly way.

British Prime Minister David Cameron recently said in a statement that they are going all out for shale. He said it would mean more job opportunities for people and economic security for his country.

States are quick to strike deals with hydraulic fracturing firms as they can secure lucrative revenue opportunities, and South Africa is

no exception. President Jacob Zuma told Parliament in his State of the Nation address that the development of shale gas could be a “game changer” for the economy.

Independent newspapers recently revealed that regulations for hydraulic fracturing will be published by the Mineral Resources department in the middle of May. Sasol’s chief competitor, Shell is already planning to start with its exploratory fracking in the Karoo once it receives its licence to do so.

The company is expected to spend more than R1-billion in the process, which will boost local employment.

With regards to its US chemical plant, the state of Louisiana will pay Sasol a special incentive of $257-million in grants, including giving it millions of dollars in tax breaks, a $20-million worker training facility and a $115-million payment to the company for land and infrastructure.

READY FOR THE CHALLENGE Sasol’s Chief Executive, David Constable, has expressed a lot of eagerness about the capabilities the energy company can bring to the natural gas industry landscape. Sasol is the only company aside from Royal Dutch Shell which has the technological capacity to handle such a venture. A further advantage for Sasol is that the company brings a lot of

experience from its similar projects in British Columbia.

An important consideration to take into account is that although there is a lot of money to be made through ‘fracking’, there are valid reasons, some of them economic, to challenge the feasibility of such ventures. Julia Schünemann, a researcher from the Institute for Security Studies, told delegates that a research project on the future of fracking in South Africa looked at various scenarios, including one in which the government levied an execise tax on gas from fracking, in addition to the energy tax, which would be invested in renewable energy production and infrastructure. South Africa would capitalise on the economic gains from shale gas by investing in renewable energy, which would drive long-term sustainability.

Fracking might tap into what is believed to be some of the world's largest reserves of the energy source, and Sasol is poised to be at the forefront of what some see as a giant leap for energy efficiency.

With US scientists making advances in the search for easier, cheaper and cleaner ways to turn natural gas into usable fuels and chemicals, Sasol can expect sustainable growth in the sector as more funds are allocated to research in the area.

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NETWORKING

“STIMULATE YOUR MIND” Amanda Nkwinika

An invaluable opportunity to learn from industry experts; Bright Talks are a must for anyone who's serious about growing their marketing career.

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NETWORKING

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nyone who has successfully made considerable moves in their career can attest to the importance of arming yourself with the relevant knowledge and skills.

However, it goes without saying that some of the necessary expertise can neither be taught nor learnt in the classroom as they require experience.

Conceived by Ross Chowles and launched in July 2013, Bright Talks are an interactive platform that allow for the sharing of experiences and knowledge essential for anyone in the marketing and advertising industry.

A FOUNTAIN OF KNOWLEDGE Ross is a graduate of the Johannesburg high school for art, ballet and music. His artistic skills saw him land a job as a junior Art Director in the advertising industry in 1980. The next 33 years spent in the industry saw Ross create and help others create advertising that had an impact on consumers. In 1994, Ross went on to co-found the agency Jupiter Drawing Room Cape Town and following that success; he flipped a neglected warehouse in Woodstock Cape Town to make space for his Bright Day creative studio.

In the words of studio manager Nicole Chowles, “Bright Day is an art school and a creative space that hosts workshops, events,

social networks and Bright Talks.” Bright Talks are monthly talks open to veterans and novices of the marketing and advertising industry.

According to Nicole, much like the globally popular TED talks, Bright Talks are there to inspire, educate and stimulate individuals with an exclusive focus on the marketing industry.

A CHANCE TO LISTEN AND GROW The years spent in the advertising industry have helped Ross develop a thorough understanding of people and what motivates them. These skills have since manifested themselves through him teaching both his staff and students. It is for this reason that Ross decided to create Bright Talks.

Bright talks are held one day of every second month and host two expert speakers (who are either advertisers or clients) as well as featureing a short presentation by Ross.

Since their inception, Bright Talks have hosted a number of impressive expert speakers.

Adeshia Singh (MD of Singh & Sons), Graham Lang (Chief Creative Officer at Y&R), Gavin Levinsohn (MD of Ogilvy Cape Town) Ravi Naidoo (Founder and MD of Design Indaba) and Graham Warsop (Founder and Chairman of The Jupiter Drawing Room SA) are some of the guest speakers that have shared their experiences and expertise with the Bright Talks audience.

Bright talks are not only a great way to learn more about the nuances and intricacies of the marketing industry not taught at AAA or Vega, but the talks also offer individuals the opportunity to network as well as develop and build rich relationships that are needed to propel their careers. “The evenings are fun and relaxed and the audience is made up of marketers and advertising folk,” says Nicole.

The talks are accompanied by a pleasant tea and lunch break, thus making the experience of interacting and networking even more exciting.

GET YOUR TICKETS The next Bright Talk will be held at the Bright Day Creative Space on the 11th of June. Guests will include Alistair King (Chief Creative Officer of King James), Chris Gotz (CEO at Ogilvy Cape Town) and the creative minds behind Two Bop − the international street wear brand from Cape Town. Ross will also be giving a talk that examines the real value of strategic planning through “exploring the winners and losers in this highly valued part of the marketing process.”

With only 45 seats available, it will be worthwhile for anyone interested to book their place now. Tickets are available for R650 including a scrumptious lunch from talented Chef Matt Manning. You can visit www.brightday.co.za/ talks for more details.

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TECH TODAY

NOKIA: ADAPT OR DIE Skhumbuzo Tuswa

An exclusive autopsy of the tech company that was once the world’s mobile powerhouse.

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alk into a room full of people with a Nokia 3310 in your hand and watch them react with a strong sense of nostalgia. Most of them − if not all − will have a story to tell about their own now vintage Nokia device.

This is because once upon a time, Nokia was the giant in the telecommunications industry with the company having sold more than two billion of its headsets worldwide by 2005. Fast forward to 2013 though, and the company finds itself struggling to position itself as a worthy opponent in the era of smartphones with this reflected in it owning only just 3% of the global smart phone market. Let’s take a closer look at what went wrong for this communications company and what exactly does the future hold?

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TECH TODAY

THE EPITOMY OF ADAPTABILITY Nokia began as a paper production company in Finland when mining engineer Fredrik Idestam set up a wood pulp mill in the town of Tampere.

By 1871, Idestam, with the help of his friend Leo Mechelin, had established Nokia as a share company. The name ‘Nokia’ came from Nokianvirta, the banks on which the company was established.

By 1898, the company had expanded to the rubber business, “making everything from rubber boots to tyres”. Nokia rubber boots become a bona fide design classic, still on sale to this day – though the company no longer makes them. The company’s operations later expanded to electronics and cable works in 1912.

Nokia is a historically adaptive company evident in the many business operations the company has expanded into. Additionally, the company has always stayed ahead of the curve which saw it introduce the first car phone in 1982 and the first handheld mobile phone (the Mobira Cityman) in 1987. In 1992, the company introduced the first “digital handheld GSM phone”, the Nokia 1011 and by 1998 is the world leader in the mobile phone market.

A LESSON FROM HINDSIGHT According to an article by James Surowiecki of the New Yorker, Nokia’s adaptability or the fact that it was “an engineering company that needed more marketing savvy,” don’t quite explain the decline in the company’s market share.

One of the factors that proved to be the company’s Achilles was that at its core, Nokia was a hardware, rather than software company.

Nokia’s engineers were “experts at building physical devices, but not the programs that make those devices work.” Evidence of this is the company’s reputation for manufacturing durable phones that could withstand the harshest of conditions. We all know that it was Nokia, and not Sony, that introduced the earliest water resistant mobile device back in 2006.

Nokia’s biggest mistake was its failure to recognise the growing importance of software.

When Apple launched the iPhone in 2007, Nokia still underestimated “how important the transition to smartphones would be” as at that time, the company was still earning over 50% of profits in the mobile industry. While Apple and the Android engineers saw hardware and software as equally important, Nokia still resisted transitioning into the new era and “overestimated the strength of its brand” instead of upgrading its own operating systems.

In 2011, the process to acquiring the Finnish company’s mobile devices wing was officially entered by Microsoft in an effort to save the now plummeting share price. Unfortunately for Nokia; Apple and Samsung had already overtaken the giant in the smartphone sector.

A few years later, the company is reportedly returning to profit “after an 18- month spell of losses” and lost jobs, only time will tell how long this profit climb will last.

LEARNING FROM OTHER’S MISTAKES Being a leader in the tech industry is hard and usually short-lived. The competitive nature of the industry requires a mind-set that is not only flexible but can also anticipate future problems. This has given rise to a new breed of professionals, known as Gen-Flux. This psychographic generation is essential for this particular industry and perhaps Nokia and countless other companies were unable to realise this before it was too late. For a bit more insight into just how cut throat the industry is, we give you lessons from: Kodak After eventually making a shift to digital, Kodak held second place in digital camera sales in the US. But its products were quickly substitutable with cameras on cell phones, smartphones and tablet computers. After filing for bankruptcy in 2012, the company announced on March 12 2014 that Jeffrey J. Clarke would serve as its new CEO as part of its reorganization plan.

RIM Advocate Founder and CEO Marcus Nelson told Forbes Blackberry’s story is proof that denial isn’t just a river in Egypt. He was referring to comments made by then Blackberry CEO Thorsten Heins, after Apple introduced the iPhone in 2007. BlackBerry, which had a market value of over $80-billion in 2008, was worth only about $13-billion in 2013.

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THE LAND IN THE DESERT Amandisa Sibiya

A contested territory in the North of Africa, Western Sahara is home to a fiercely independent people and vast desert land.

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AFRICA CONNECT

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territory of its own, modest and nonself-governing, Western Sahara is a vast nation with a small estimated population of 550 000. The Sahara desert covers 75% of this country, leaving it hot and dry with frequent, cold, offshore air currents.

Western Sahara (Sahara meaning ‘the Great desert’ in Arabic) is a daughter of North Africa, a sibling to Morocco, Algeria and Mauritania.

THE PEOPLE AND THE CULTURE The indigenous people of Western Sahara are known as Sahrawi and they are largely a nomadic people. “The Sahrawi are ethnically mixed descendants of the Berbers, Arabs and Black Africans” and although inhabitants of a non-self-governing territory, they are known to be a fiercely independent people. 17th, 18th and 19th century history gives an account of how the “nomads banded together in order to protect their homeland against exploratory expeditions by the Spanish and the Portuguese.”

The most important part of the Sahrawi tradition is the making and drinking of tea. It is very common for families, co-workers and even friends to gather several times a day to partake in this activity.

NOT YET UHURU A former Spanish colony, the nation was later annexed by its North American neighbour, Morocco, in 1976. Not only has this seen Western Sahara become Africa’s remaining colony, but this has also resulted in a long and strained conflict between Morocco and the Polisario Front − a Sahrawi national liberation movement that seeks to end Morocco’s

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occupation of Western Sahara. A UN monitored cease-fire has been in effect since 1991 but due to a stalled referendum, many Sahrawi are faced with the choice of living under occupation, in refugee camps or exile.

Nonetheless, Western Sahara has a steady developing market based economy of which fishing and pastoral nomadism are the main industries. The nation also enjoys rich mineral resources such as phosphate and oil, a blessing in the assistance of its economy.

ARID CHARM Western Sahara is a flat and sandy territory, hardly providing heavy or permanent streams.

The nation enjoys minor glimmers of aqueous nourishment during the spring season. The soil through the coast is low and rises mainly in the north, into the eastern small mountains that stretch up to 600 metres.

In the midst of the low lying plains and numerous sand dunes, the nation “offers tourists a unique holiday opportunity that includes laid back and adventure tours”. Like many coastal nations, tranquil beaches are to be expected but with a little something extra.

Arts and cultural expression play an integral role in Sahrawi’s youth expression of their daily lives and struggle. Numerous walls at the Dakhla refugee camps are lined with graffiti art documenting the conditions of the modern day Sahrawi people. Annual film festivals see a large influx of renowned Spanish film makers and actors attending to share in the cinematization of the Sahrawi reality and thus raising awareness of the current situation in the country.

Cognac and single malts, our prisons throw the best parties.

POWER Talk caller

Where others tread lightly, Eusebius McKaiser cuts to the chase. With a sharp wit and a cage rattling attitude, he’s never afraid to get to the heart of the matter in every fierce debate. Tune into every explosive edition of POWER Talk: Weekdays from 9am to 12pm.

98.7 FM Pretoria/Johannesburg • 103.6 FM Johannesburg South/Soweto • 107.2 FM East Rand • 104.4 FM Vereeniging/Vaal

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TJDR 55894

AFRICA REPORT

AFRICA CONNECT

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AFRICA REPORT

FROM TRAGEDY TO big biz Amanda Nkwinika

Rwandan siblings Patience Nduwawe and Chance Tubane run one of Rwanda’s most successful tech support company’s against all odds.

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uch has been reported about the Rwandan genocide of 1994.

Books, documentaries and movies have been written and made, documenting the devastation that saw many Tutsi nationals slaughtered and many more displaced. Among those affected were siblings Patience Nduwawe and Chance Tubane.

Their journey of living separately in exile reads like a well written novel as ten years later, the siblings reunited to beat the odds and build their very own tech support company and launch Tohoza.com. Tohoza.com is Rwanda’s number one internet advertisement platform that helps thousands of Rwandans find what they are looking for as they continue to rebuild their lives.

AN INEVITABLE EXILE Patience and Chance were only 17 and 11 respectively when they escaped to the Democratic Republic of Congo with their family. Soon after their arrival, their mother lost her life due to complications following a surgery and Chance was sent to live with

her godmother in Belgium while Patience remained behind with their father to continue his education. In 1996, Patience travelled to Bakavu for his university entrance exams and while there, violence erupted in eastern DRC, forcing his father to move back to Rwanda, leaving Patience alone and with no contact with his family. Ten years later, after years of searching for Patience following Chance’s return from Belgium, the siblings were reunited in their country of birth.

A FRUITFUL MEETING Two years after their reunion, Patience and Chance have gone on to found Com&C LTD − a tech support company that offers services such as “web development and hosting, IT consulting and marketing and software development.” Using their combined knowledge in IT and communications, the pair also went on to launch Tohoza.com. Tohoza. com is today Rwanda’s largest online classifieds directory ands helps citizens find jobs, buy and sell products and advertise opportunities.

The company has been compared to the

popular American website, Craigslist. When asked about their inspiration for this company, the siblings told AFKinsider in an interview, “We wanted to help all Rwandans in their day-today lives, helping them find jobs, buy, sell or rent cars or houses. But also, we wanted to show another image of Rwanda, an image different from our sad past. The current Rwanda is full of hope and is progressing positively.”

HELPING REBUILD THE NATION In 2013, the siblings launched the 1st edition Empowering Creative Women Initiatives & Programs for Development (E-CWIPD). The weeklong event featured seminars and workshops aimed at empowering and teaching women how to develop and use their skills. The event hosted guest speakers who were there to share their stories of experiences in an effort to inspire and Rwandan women.

Not wanting to focus solely on their own development and business, the siblings aim to continue contributing to the development of East Africa, starting of course, with their home country.

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EDUCATION

FELLOWSHIP FELLOWS Sinalo Mkaza

More than just a glorified ‘change of scenery’, Fellowship programmes are a great way to travel, learn and grow your discipline.

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any of us have learnt − in school or from watching TV − that some historical discoveries that have changed the course of history were a result of serendipity.

For the most part though, human knowledge and understanding has been aided by research, whether in formal institutions or through trial and error. Thus, it comes as no surprise then that universities pride themselves on their research capabilities as each year, papers are published and shared across faculties and boarders. Fellowships are fast becoming another way for knowledge advancement but what exactly are fellows and how does one get involved?

AKA: PROFESSIONAL SOCIeTIES By definition, a fellowship is a friendly association amongst a group of people who gather to pursue a shared interest or aim.

This concept originated in the 1200's and became popular because of its frequency in the Bible as Christians are often encouraged to be in close fellowship with fellow Christians in order to strengthen their faith.

Contrary to popular belief however, fellowships don’t only happen in church nor do people only discuss religion when ‘fellowshipping’, if they do at all. Fellowships are about sharing and gaining knowledge from like-minded individuals who have similar interests, motives and values and have now evolved to become frequent in the professional environment.

Academic fellowships (also known as professional/learned societies) are a prime example of fellowships in the professional environment. Various universities offer fellowship programmes (such as the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship Programme) on a yearly basis and eligible professionals practising or studying in that particular field can apply.

Fellowship programmes offer the opportunity for inter-university learning as students from a local university have the opportunity to study and work in international universities for the duration of the fellowship.

EDUCATION Fellows are expected to perform different types of roles depending on the type of fellowship they are a part of. Research fellows, for instance, are expected to develop research independence and produce research outputs under the supervision of a principal investigator while also supervising undergraduates. Teaching fellows on the other hand, are normally given a teaching position at a particular university and thus perform lecturing and supervising duties like any other member of staff. Graduate school fellowships however, are more closely related to scholarships. These types of fellowships are merit-based and offer graduate students financial support to pursue their doctoral degree without any teaching or research obligation on the part of the student.

FAMOUS FELLOWSHIPS President Derek Bok established the Harvard South Africa Fellowship Program (HSAFP) in 1979 to address the needs of South Africans who were denied access to advanced education by the apartheid system. This program was established, and is still intended, for mid-career professionals educationally disadvantaged by past laws and resource allocations in South Africa. Under the current presidency of Drew Gilpin Faust, the HSAFP seeks to expand its reach to institutions and organizations across the country in a continued effort to draw the broadest possible range of candidates to the program.

academic (NON-DEGREE) and professional work” states Harvard. Selection is based on leadership potential and commitment to public service. Candidates gain experience in U.S. society, culture, and professional fields.

The program offers a foundation for potentially lasting, productive ties between Americans and their professional counterparts in South Africa. Successful candidates are placed at participating universities in the United States Rather than there being just one person at the heart of the quest, members of professional fellowships form a tightly-bonded fellowship of remarkable leaders, who together can change the world. CEOs do this by establishing a trusted inner core, encouraging frank debate, and fully devolving decision-making. With deep trust and a shared dream established, these teams can go at hyper-speed.

“The Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program brings accomplished mid-level professionals to the United States for a year of combined

TRAVEL, LEARN, GROW Fellowships serve the main purpose of promoting an academic discipline or profession. For this reason, fellowship programmes differ by discipline and entry can be open, honorary or require a particular qualification such as a Ph.D. Fellowships can be best thought of as incubators that cultivate knowledgeable minds and a great way to spend time abroad forming rich relationships and networks.

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LIFE SKILLS

OPEN is more than just an office.

Work Make OPEN your home for work. Step into a comfortable, technologically advanced office where people come together to be inspired, share ideas and create new opportunities. OPEN offers made to measure memberships for individuals and companies and even flexible, walk-in day use.

Meet OPEN has ideal spaces for your meetings, workshops and training sessions, big or small.

Our meeting rooms include: 3 multimedia and web conference equipped boardrooms, 2 workshop/ training rooms, an innovation space, 4 informal meeting/working rooms.

Experience OPEN offers a different, ideal environment for your conferences and events, with various large and small, edgy spaces broken up by a 9-hole putting green and beautiful views. OPEN can host up to 150 people for an event: our putting green turns into a large presentation area and our rooms around become ideal break-out and workshop spaces.

4th floor Mainchange Building 20 Kruger Street City & Suburban Maboneng Johannesburg 2094 +27 10 900 2000 openworkspaces.co.za

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“Scaffold to Heart”: acrylic paint on masonry wall, 6 m x 4 m, Lorenzo Nassimbeni (2012), concept : Elena Rocchi, Architect.

OPEN is where creatives, leaders and professionals come together in an inspiring and diverse space.

Whether you’re an individual or business, explore the new frontier of free and open thinking set in the Maboneng Precinct.

LIFE SKILLS

NEGOTIATING YOUR WORTh Tanya Charles

The ability to negotiate for a better position or outcome is an invaluable skill for any working terrorist.

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very so often we hear the saying; “You must know who you are”, a cliché derived from the maxim ‘Know thyself’ made popular by the great philosophers Socrates and Plato. But what exactly does it mean to know oneself? And more importantly, why does it matter when it comes to the art of negotiation? The simple answer is: you can’t get what you want if you don’t know what you want.

IT BEGINS WITH THE SELF Whether asking for a raise, trying to score a date or simply bartering at the corner market, having a good idea of your needs, and what you are willing to compromise on, is important.

If you are negotiating for a raise, you must be prepared to explain why you deserve it. You must be willing to show what you have done that justifies the company spending more on you. Is it because you recently put in more hours or brought money into the company?

Are you being head-hunted and simply offering your organisation a chance to give a counter offer? Simply saying you need the extra money won’t cut it! Be clear about your skills, knowledge and potential.

NEGOTIATE INTERESTS, NOT POSITIONS Negotiation in personal or even social relationships is a little more difficult, especially when aiming for an outcome that does not sever the relationship. Negotiating the fifth rent hike with your land lady who has come to be your adopted mother for instance, will require a bit more skill.

According to Roger Fisher and William Ury, authors of Business Week’s bestseller, “Getting to Yes”, the key here is to understand that there are two positions, theirs (rent hasn’t been increased in a while) and yours (the rent is too high). However, an effective negotiation will be one that focuses on the interests of both parties (this lessor-lessee relationship is too important)

and not the positions. Thus, a smart negotiator in this instance would not open the floor by stating their position and communicating an intention not to deviate from it, as this will only invite hostility from their counterpart. Instead, they would consider their perceptions about the current situation as well as those of their counterpart and then discuss these in a way that successfully breaks down all the false ones.

They will then give their counterpart a chance to name their stake as people are more likely to approve of an outcome if they feel a part of it.

If you are about to get into negotiations of any kind, here are some tips to keep in your back pocket: Know what you want: Have facts prepared, even if you have to write them down first.

Be calm: If you are feeling emotional, tired or hungry, don’t do or say anything until you are in a better state of mind. People tend not to hear what you are saying when you are upset, even if what you are saying makes sense.

Don’t give up: There are times when you need to keep fighting, like when negotiating for better service. However, remember no means no in other situations, especially social relationships.

Don’t be afraid of change: Sometimes not getting what you want is a chance to reevaluate your life and goals. It may just lead you to better circumstances and opportunities.

Financial negotiation is a whole other ball game. Fundamentally, it is about paying for goods and services that are worth the monies that escape your pocket. Let the other party name a price first so you can counter with a lower price than the one you intended.

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CAREERS

A CLOSER LOOK AT CRIMINOLOGY Precious Simpasa

Trying to develop ways of reducing criminal behaviour and recidivism, Criminologist are research driven crime fighters.

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iving in a country with high crime statistics, ways in which to reduce criminal behaviour are undoubtedly at the top of any law enforcement agency’s agenda.

Gratuitous crimes like that of Oscar Pistorius and Anene Booysen leave many wondering if more crimes like these can ever be prevented.

Perhaps the answer to preventing such crimes lies in understanding all aspects of them, something which criminologists live for.

CRIME PREVENTION The core function of a criminologist is to scrutinize certain types of crimes in an effort to learn more about the frame of mind and motivations for committing said crimes, and thus develop ways to prevent criminal behaviour and reduce recidivism.

Criminologists gather and study statistical data in order to determine useful patterns and categories such as demographics and locations to help with their study.

Professionals in this field work closely with “law enforcement, community leaders and politicians to develop policies that will help reduce crimes.” The job is mostly research based, so a criminologist’s workplace is usually in an office unless they are on the field conducting research. They usually work 40 hours a week and sometimes overtime is required so utmost passion for the job at hand is beneficial.

WHAT YOU NEED If you're interested in becoming a criminologist, you should possess excellent organizational skills and should have a good grasp of mathematics especially in the fields of statistics

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and probability. You should also possess strong interpersonal communication skills and must be comfortable with conducting research as well as a knack for explaining statistical data, and compassion for fellow humans is a must.

In order to be employed as a criminologist, you must have a degree or combination of degrees in criminology, criminal justice, sociology or psychology − especially in applied psychology with a concentration in forensic psychology. These modules are offered at most institutions in South Africa including the University of Pretoria and Monash South Africa.

Graduate level education is compulsory for any research position and at a university or college level a Ph.D. is beneficial.

A PRIME EXAMPLE Anna van der Hoven is someone who has been successful in this particular line of work.

She is an independent criminologist and was a lecturer of criminology at UNISA from 1978 till 2008 when she retired to concentrate on her independent company named after her. Anna presses that most criminologists can present their research data in courts and can therefore be excellent expert witnesses.

Criminologists cannot perform personality tests, but they can develop their own scales and models to identify risk factors which may indicate an individual’s level of dangerousness.

Anna can be contacted via email at annavdhoven@gmail.com for further questions regarding this career.

TJDR 55877

He knows he’s guilty, why is he wasting our time?

POWER Lunch caller

Lunch time with Azania and soul food is on the menu. A delicious serving of scandal, heart-to-heart conversations and inspiring South African stories. Just a warning though, sometimes the truth is hard to swallow. For your daily serving of laughter and tears, tune into POWER Lunch: Weekdays from 12pm to 3pm.

98.7 FM Pretoria/Johannesburg • 103.6 FM Johannesburg South/Soweto • 107.2 FM East Rand • 104.4 FM Vereeniging/Vaal

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FEEL GOOD

THE A.S.S.I.S.T Precious Simpasa

Townships are battling a multitude of challenges.

Crime and anarchy are a great timekeep for youth.

The A.S.S.I.S.T is working on the problem.

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FEEL GOOD

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lexandra rests on the outskirts of Johannesburg, a township scattered with poverty while crime runs rampant through its streets.

Unemployment sits at around 60 per cent and the majority of its residents live in overcrowded informal settlements or shacks.

As a consequence, the impact that such an environment has on the youth of Alexandra is felt daily as most struggle to make it through school and as a result turn to a life of crime or sustained poverty.

Founded by three young graduates from Harvard University, the ASSIST was established to address the complex needs of the youth of Alexandra. Dennis Zheng, Patrick Li and Ian Choe dedicated their time and used their goals and passions for athletics and serving others to make a lasting contribution to this community of Johannesburg.

LEARNING MEETS FITTNESS The African Sports and Scholastic Initiative for Students in Townships is a Non-profit organisation that offers supplementary educational assistance to promising youth in Alexandra. The organisation rallies academic and athletic activities and programmes that include academic assistance, sport/physical development and mentorship. With the help of volunteer tutors from the University of the Witwatersrand, learners receive assistance

with their school work on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 pm to 6 pm at Pholosho Secondary School. Grade 12 learners receive matric exam prep and the learners are offered a supplementary academic programme that focuses on English, Mathematics and the sciences during school holidays.

Through the organisations’ collaboration with the Alexandra Basketball Association and Africa Youth Development Fund, they have incorporated physical fitness into the programme in an effort to develop basic traits such as perseverance, discipline and teamwork.

Through the ASSITS’ partnership with the Model C Foundation - a non-profit cooperative whose primary focus is fostering the personal development and growth of high school youths in townships - mentorship is gven as a key resource to facilitating this development.

This organisation assigns influential mentors to their impressionable students in order to lay foundations for positive esteem building, career planning and goal setting.

COUNTRYWIDE ASSISTANCE Dennis, Patrick and Ian, along with their volunteers wish to see the ASSISTs model grow beyond the Alexandra area to include neighbouring townships in Gauteng, thus solidifying relationships with long term contributors in order for the organisation to have a greater impact that may spread to the rest of the country.

They envision a superior education system that will bridge the gap between the “haves and have not’s.”

The organisation is growing even as it mostly relies on volunteer students who take time away from their busy schedule’s to give back to the community and are proud to announce that, due to the increase of volunteers they will now be embarking on a two week holiday programme which will see these volunteers teaching for 7 hours each day to ensure that the students are better equipped to do well in school.

The organisation is proud of the fact that they engage with the families of their learners by conducting home visits at the beginning of each year as this consolidates the engagement of families with parents’ meetings that happen each quarter.

YOU CAN ASSIST Through the support of the community, the ASSIST will continue to realise its goals and succeed as a sustainable organisation that makes a measurable impact over the long term and should you wish to donate, you can visit the ASSISTs website theassist.org; or call 079 232 4679. With the right vision and enough dedication and human spirit, any one of us can make a difference in this world.

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are you FRACKing mad!

Colin Adam Young

Fracking promises major gains for the economy, but it also promises quantifiable destruction. Are the profits worth the damage?

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GREEN ZONE

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GREEN ZONE racking, or hydraulic fracturing, has become a buzzword among politicians, activists, environmentalists, the business community and now the public at large.

This mining practise which sees the extraction of natural gas or oil from rocks below the earth’s surface is the latest environmental craze which has received a number of mixed reactions. Fracking is a “water-intensive process” which requires high pressure injection of a liquid solution (usually water, sand and chemicals) into shale formations thousands of meters below the ground. The high pressure injection fractures the rock surrounding gas or oil wells, thus allowing for the extraction of these resources.

THE UPSIDE It’s estimated that South Africa may be sitting on the fifth largest reserves of shale gas, exploitation of which promises to have considerable benefits for the country’s economic development as well as potential job creation.

Some studies point to a trillion rand windfall if only 6% of the estimated gas is extracted through fracking. In addition to the economic impact, fracking can reduce South Africa’s dependence on coal and lower its emissions in energy production. Additionally, the exploitation of vast gas reserves for energy would make South Africa energy independent, potentially making blackouts a thing of the past and might be a boon to industries requiring cheaper energy to maintain profit levels. As the population and the demand for energy increases so does the need for new sources of energy and fracking offers the opportunity to provide for these demands for many years to come.

THE FLop Sounds good right? Perhaps not.

Environmentalists and activists warn of a dark side to this practice. In usual circumstances, the use of chemicals in water could lead to the contamination of water supplies. Not just that, but the process itself requires large volumes of water. Being a water scarce nation raises several red flags around the process of fracking. Is it worth depleting one essential resource to produce another and what is the plan for disposing of water contaminated in the fracking process? A recent study of an area in Pennsylvania, United States found 27 people who claim to have had health complications

There’s a Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children”. ranging from rashes to respiratory problems since fracking began in their area. Interestingly and quite unexpectedly, the area was found to have higher levels of air pollution as a result of this fracking− something which has been unforeseen and underrepresented as a danger in the process.

The Karoo − an area in South Africa with shale reserves also happens to be an area with low population density, thus minimising the potential impact of fracking on humans. Nevertheless, what is of concern to environmentalists is the degree of biodiversity in the area. Six thousand plants species are found in the Karoo, 40% of which are unique to it.

Even without these concerns the volume of gas extracted from the ground is hard to quantify until the process is completed which raises questions about the expected multibillion dollar windfalls and promises of thousands of jobs.

Are the current estimates just wide of the mark or deliberate attempts at massaging the truth to win over a reluctant population? Sadly, at this stage this question - as is the case with much about fracking, is shrouded in mystery and fierce debate and will probably remain so for some time.

ONLY A MATTERR OF TIME In 2011, a moratorium was placed on all fracking due to environmental concerns.

Howbeit, recent reports indicate that it’s only a matter of time before it’s lifted and major energy companies are already lining up to do exploratory fracking with a view towards later winning the right to profit off commercial fracking.

Being resource rich has defined the history of South Africa, in both good and bad ways.

Discovery of resources doesn’t guarantee an end to poverty but cheaper energy may prove irresistible to people struggling to put the lights on.

The numbers, if true, are impressive and definitely worth consideration but the environmental concerns shouldn’t be dismissed too easily.

There’s a Native American proverb, “We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children”. It’s as worthy of consideration as potential profits and job creation.

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SPORTS

BORN TO WIN! Taariq Lenni Gasant

Ernest van Dyk is a champion that exceeds all expectations.

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he most powerful messages in human history are usually the ones that reflect uncompromising endurance in the face of great hardship and suffering. Anyone born into this world will have their fair share of battles and challenges, but being born with a disability demands that one be a fighter from the moment they take their first breath.

Ernest van Dyk has more Boston Marathon winners medals than he can count on his hands.

Here’s a man who has been named the laureus sports person of the year.

THE MAN, THE CHAMPION Ernst Francois van Dyk is my favorite kind of man, he is a Champion. Born in Ceres in the Western Cape in 1973 with congenital absence of both legs, Ernest is an award winning wheelchair racer and hand cyclist.

Despite his glaring disability, Ernst demonstrated an affinity for all sports codes from an early age and was encouraged by his parents to participate in various activities from gymnastics to swimming and even table tennis, all the while feeding his hunger to compete. By the time he was 17, Ernest had earned his national colours for swimming and went on to compete in the 1992 Barcelona Paralympics where ended fifth in the pool. It was at these Paralympics that Ernst figured he was better suited for the track, when he made it to the semi-finals in the wheelchair events.

Since then, Ernst has gone on to win gold at the 2008 Beijing Paralympics in the Road Race event and yet that is still not what Ernst is best known for. Of all his endeavours, Ernst van Dyk is best-known for his achievements as one of South Africa’s top track and road wheelchair racers. Ernest competes in between three and six high-profile marathons a year, the majority

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of which are international. In 2010, he was awarded the Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for “his excellent achievements in Paralympics and serving as a role model to all South Africans.”

Having won the Boston Marathon 10 times, Ernest now finds himself in the company of great South African cultural icons in the form of David Glodblatt and Zakes Mda, who are similarily champions in their own standing.

RISING ABOVE THE CHALLENGES His tenth Boston Marathon win came with a bitter sweet taste following the horrific bombings of the previous year. “There was a police patrol on every block this year. It's good to know that they wanted the people of Boston to feel safe, but it should never have happened in the first place,” says Ernest. “The bombings just made me realise how important it is to tell my story.”

Also a motivational speaker when he is not on the track, Ernest says that “In today’s modern world, one can be anything they choose to be, despite any hardships or disabilities. The secret to getting to success is wanting it bad enough. You have to want to win and if you want it more than anyone else, you will get it.”

If he wakes up and he doesn’t feel like training, Ernest tells himself that it's noon in Australia and some of his biggest competitors (who come from Australia) have already had a two hour head start in training.

Even though Ernst is approaching “the twilight” of his career, he has no plans of slowing down. In fact, he is on the brink of starting a gruelling regiment in order to prepare for the Rio Paralympic games in 2016.

Ernst Van Dyk is a Champion and his trade mark to date is victory.

SPORTS

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WELLNESS

TAKE A BREATH AND WOOSAH...

Anthea Adams

Attaining emotional wellness is the awareness and acceptance of one’s feelings which will lead to the understanding of life, the world and those around you.

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y first assumption about emotional wellness was that it is the ability to control ones emotions, sort of like telling yourself you are happy even when you are sad until you believe it. Although that type of control is close to impossible.

More than just the handling of stress or doing frequent breathing exercises, the ‘emotional dimension of wellness emphasizes that one is aware and accepts their own feelings.’

This awareness is not just realising when you are feeling happy or sad, it is also includes management of your feelings and related behaviours which often includes autonomy development and a realistic assessment of your own limitations.

WHY EMOTIONAL WELLNESS? Psychologists have reported that the most successful people in the world are those who do not react impetuously to stressful situations, thus giving them the advantage of handling the situation in a positive and constructive manner. Never mind the number or intensity of problems, being emotionally healthy means that you are able to come out of the situation having grown. w Unlike engaging in self-harming behaviours such as substance abuse or isolating themselves and prolonging the stalling the healing; emotionally healthy people often see a problem as an opportunity to learn another survival mechanism or more about themselves.

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An emotionally healthy person values and understands the importance of laughing, having fun and dealing with changes better than the average person.

The tough truth about life is that it will never be perfect, there will always be obstacles along the way, and there will always be emotions from our past, present and future which we will try to repress. In doing this though, we fail to realise that not paying attention of these emotions, especially the more overwhelming one’s, will affect who we are, our relationships and what kind of person we eventually become.

CREATING AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY WAY OF LIFE Learning to develop the emotional aspect of your wellness cannot be achieved in one go, it requires months and sometimes years of practise and a commitment to change.

The outcome makes the effort worth it as this positive change - even in attitude - will result in a more fulfilling and meaningful life. Here are a few things to keep in mind on your quest for emotional health.

Don’t be a fugitive from your emotions: Psychologist and life coaches say it’s detrimental to ignore your emotions, rather identify and deal with them – good or bad.

Ignoring your emotions acts as an undetected malignant cancer which will grow and affect other areas of your life.

Pay attention to the complex emotions: It’s easy to recognise when we are feeling angry, happy or even sad, but being emotionally healthy is involves the capacity to identify and understand complex emotions and where they stem from.

Embrace and then bounce back: Be resilient − bounce back. Change, loss, pain and trauma are all inevitable experiences and it is important that we learn to embrace and accept what you are feeling but not allowing this to negatively affect your healing and future.

A healthy body, a healthy mind: Take care of yourself - get enough sleep, eat healthy and exercise; all these factors affect the functioning of the brain. One example of your body affecting your mind is when the mind is unable to focus due to a lack of sleep.

Cut your anchor relationships and invest in supportive relationships: We are taught that it is amongst our five needs as humans to socialise. Find people who will support you and recognise your worth.

WELLNESS

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TRAVEL

BEAUTY, HISTORY AND WHITE BEACHES Amandisa Sibiya

Titillate all your sense with the many pickings on offer in Croatia!

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TRAVEL

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TRAVEL

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European country at an arm’s length from Italy, Croatia is an enchanting nation known for its rich culture.

One of six republics of the former Yugoslavia, Croatia is a historically rich nation with an population of about 4.5 million people. The nation lies on the intersection of Mediterranean, Southeast and Central Europe and is home to a diverse group of nationalities including the Croats, Serbs, Hungarians, Slovakians and Albanians. Relatively young, independence was won in 1991 and Croatia is now a unitary parliamentary republic.

WORLD CLASS TOURIST DESTINATION Famous for its attractive white sandy beaches and a pulsating club scene, Croatia is perfect for a well deserved summer getaway.

Croatia is one of the world’s most popular holiday destinations and in 2013, hosted over 14 million tourists. The nation was named the “Top Pick Destination” of 2005 by Lonely Planet and in 2006 National Geographic Adventure Magazine chose the republic as their “Destination of the Year”.

The country is ranked 9th on the Business Insider’s “World’s best attraction list.”

WHERE TO GO Whether you are into the coastal beach scene or inland exploration of old ruins and antique architecture, Croatia cannot disappoint as the country is divided into eight distinct tourist regions, leaving you spoilt for choice.

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Istria: This region has beautiful geographical features; it is situated on the north of the Adriatic Sea, and has the largest peninsula.

Istria is well known for its highlands and amazing scenery.

Zagreb: With a dense central European feel, Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and also features the largest cultural attractions. The region is the centre of great mass culture made up of museums and galleries.

Zadar: Situated at the centre of the country and on the Adriatic Sea, Zadar offers a range of yachting and leisure activities.

WHAT TO DO If you are planning a trip to Croatia, you need to take the time to explore the best markets.

Consider chartering a boat as many locals own small boats that they hire out. This will definitely make the whole experience more authentic as you explore the nooks and crannies hidden from plain sight.

Dalmatia-Split: The second largest city in Croatia after Zadar and a coastal city, Dalmatia-Split has unique Roman heritage and is built around Diocletian's Palace.

Dubrovnik: This destination features the most favoured tourist sites such as the Ancient City Walls as well as museums, popular churches and great towers.

Central Croatia: This region explores the artistic heritage of Croatia and also promotes a number of beautiful ancient buildings.

Slovenia: Still developing its tourism industry and embracing its large variety of beautiful birds and fauna, Slovenia is regarded as the largest and most captivating preserved European wetland.

Croatia has a mediterranean climate around the Adriatic coast so be sure to pack a bikini.

Remember to take full advantage of the hearty stews and meaty meals that the Croats relish.

Seafood and Italian cuisine is also available so be sure to indulge yourself.

SAFETY FIRST The political history means one must remain mindful of all the undetonated minefields.

Take care to research your various destinations and their safety suggestions. Be sure to remove the term “Yugoslav” from your vocabulary. Since independence, the Croats do not take kindly to this term.Whether you enjoy the soul of the turquoise crystal seas, hiking trails, the sound of the waterfalls, the beachfront, or Croatia’s diverse culture, nightlife, and history; it is safe to say that the country is one of the best coastal holiday destinations in the world.

TRAVEL

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REVIEWS

BOOKS

Skhumbuzo Tuswa

We Need New Names NoViolet Bulawayo R 263.00

MANUSCRIPT FOUND IN ACCRA PAULO COELHO R 299.00

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he city is about to head into battle against the crusaders, which many believe is pointless. During this time they look to the wise and mysterious ‘Copt’ for guidance. He has summoned men and women of every age and creed so he can address all their questions, doubts and fears. There isn’t so much a plot, but rather a lengthy philosophy regarding a number of ideas humans battle; love, sex, loyalty, solitude and nearly every other basic facet of human existence.

Manuscript Found in Accra dates back to circa 1307 AD, and was discovered by English archaeologist Sir Walter Wilkinson in 1974 in Egypt. The narrator acquired the text in 2011 from Sir Walter’s son, and what we read is his transcription. The text itself has its own writer and he puts the date down to “the fourteenth of July, 1099.” A fact that lends a mysterious element to Accra is that the text itself was not found in Egyptian territory. Even the way the text was eventually transcribed by Coelho makes it easy for readers that want to give its messages time to sink in.

Accra is popular among social media enthusiasts for the style of writing. The book can be consumed in fragments, and some see this as having been key to its success with social media.

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F

rom a distance, NoViolet’s ‘We Need New Names’ is a story of kids with random names in a struggling African country, dreaming of a better life far away. One of these oddly named children eventually grows up to journey across continents to the promised land of America.

Bastard, Chipo, Godknows, Sbho, Stina and Darling live in a slum called Paradise. They are mostly left to fend for themselves as their parents are more engrossed with elections, political violence and ‘the sickness’; HIV. The children are playful and outgoing, although some of the games they play are not so guiltless. They sometimes visit the more prosperous ‘Budapest’ neighbourhood, with the aim of stealing guavas. They also spend a lot of time re-enacting violent events they have witnessed in their community.

A captivating coming of age story, We Need New Names offers a chilling account of immigrant life, expectation and the struggle to adapt. With a seductive use of the language, this masterpiece offers an honest and raw narration of Africa and the experiences of her diaspora.

It’s a story about a love for your people and how even with all the problems, there still is no place like home. I can’t put it better than Afripop Magazine’s Mwanabibi Sikamo when she quoted Darling’s friend asking: “Tell me do you abandon your house because it’s burning or do you find water to put it out?”

REVIEWS

MUSIC

Bongani Mawonga

FEMI KUTI NO PLACE FOR MY DREAMS

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orn Olufela Olumfemi Anikulapo-Kuti, Femi Kuti was born on June 16, 1962 in London, England. Femi was raised in Nigeria and is the eldest son of legendary afro-beat sensation Fela Kuti. To date, Femi (along with his younger brother Seun) bears the torch of his father’s musical legacy.

Femi has perfected his music through the practising of his father’s style of music and through the years earned his stripes as a musical genius in his own right. Through determination, ambition, love, passion and steadiness− Femi has established himself as a world renowned independent artist around world.

No Place for My Dreams is the latest offering from Femi and is nothing short of poignant lyrics and inspirational afro-beat sounds fans have come to love. The album is a rich fusion of African-American, Latin and Caribbean sounds. Juxtaposing the image of a hardworking African woman against everyday hopelessness on the cover, the album paints a harsh picture of the power of oppression and the sense of injustice apparent in much of everyday life.

Unlike his 2011 offering, Africa for Africa, which was a combination of his new and old material, No Place for My Dream was released under Knitting Factory and features all-new-material.

The album is a story of his life journey, executed meticulously with real vulnerability and honesty.

Femi Kuti is truly setting an unyielding trend for the young aspiring artist of Afro-beat music.

JUNIOR KELLY PIECE OF THE PIE

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unior Kelly −born Keith Morgan− is a dread-locked, fervent Rastafarian reggae recording artist. Surrounded by music from a young age, Junior hails from a family of musical individuals. His mother was a church choir singer, his eldest brother (Jim Morgan) a popular DJ and rapper and his father and grandfather were both fierce banjo players.

His musical career began in 1980 when he released his first single, Over Her Body. Since then, he has appeared in major stage shows in Jamaica, such as the Reggae Sunsplash and Sting festivals.

Piece of the Pie is Junior’s tenth studio album and the 15 track masterpiece marks his 34th year in the music industry. Featuring tracks such as “Go Round Dem”, “Lots of Herbs”, and “Save Your Soul” that capture the man’s spirituality and love for the herb, the album is delivered with unquestionable passion and power. This charming and popular artist went all out on this album and features collaborations with some of the best dancehall musicians such as Mark Wonder and Smiley.

Although the album features several re-done tracks that real Junior fans will recognise, it is nonetheless worth the listen. Whilst he often releases an album each year, he is on a serious musical mission, and that is to manifest his significant contemplative lyrics in an effort to uplift the young generation’s mind-set.

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REVIEWS Bongani Mawonga

ELELWANI

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lelwani, which means ‘recall’ or ‘to remember’ is the first Tshivenda film to be screened in South African cinemas.

The film is based on a 1959 novel by Dr Titus Ntsiene Maumela who wrote about the role education can play in changing the Venda community and the treatment of the Vhavenda women. The film is written and directed by Ntshaveni wa Luruli. Ntshaveni is well-known for his work as assistant director in Spike Lee’s ‘Malcom X’ and J‘ungle Fever’.

The film tells the story of a formerly rural woman, Elelwani (Florence Masebe) who returns to her home village in celebration of her university graduation and to introduce her boyfriend; Vele (Vusi Kunene) to her deeply cultural family. Battling to reconcile her new life in the

screen

city with that of her home village and cultural expectations, Elelwani and her boyfriend are met with rejection as she soon finds out her hand has been promised to the village’s King.

This highly anticipated film was first screened last year from the 1st to the 7th of November at the Rosebank Cinema Nouveau and officially released nationally on January 31st, 2014. Although void of theatrical gunfights, kidnappings, heists and explosions; this critically acclaimed film unfolds as a poetic venture and has been positively received by South Africa audiences. An expressive and vocal exploration of the Venda people and culture, Elelwani broadly reflects the value an education can have on a woman’s life.

FANIE FOURIE’S LOBOLA

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he chronicles of an inter-racial couple trying to navigate through their cultural differences amidst their passionate love affair, Fanie Fourie’s Lobola is a colourful match made in Mzansi. The romantic comedy tells the story of two well cultured ‘love birds’− Fanie Fourie (Eduan van Jaarsveldt of Catch A Fire fame) and Dinky (Zethu Dhlomo) who come from totally different cultural backgrounds.

A young falcon consumed by wanderlust, Kai (Jeremy Suarez) seeks to venture beyond the confines of his now mundane and lonely Katungu Boundary. Forbidden to leave by his strict father, Tendai (Samuel L. Jackson); Kai sets on an adventure to the ‘bird city’- Zambezia, where he comes to learn about his origins and how to be part of a community.

Fanie is a typical Afrikaans guy that designs custom cars and upon a dare, decides to ask Dinky to accompany him to his brother’s

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wedding. Trying to get her traditional father off her back, Dinky agrees on condition that he pretends to be her boyfriend; little do they know that feelings will soon develop. The movie is a realistic exploration of the complications and beauty that come with the fusion of the Afrikaans and Zulu culture. With race as a sensitive issue in South Africa, the film’s use of humour allows for the raw exploration of real issues while breaking down old and worn-out clichés.

Directed and co-written by Henk Pretorius, the movie features a star studded cast with likes of Jerry Mofokeng (Dumisane Magubane), Lillian Dube (Auntie Nomagugu), Chris Chameleon (Sarel Fourie), Marga van Rooy (Louise Fourie) and Richard van der Westuizen (Oom Kobus).

Fanie Fourie’s Lobola has already won the Film Festival Audience Award at the 2013 Jozi Film Festival as well as the Audience Award at the 2013 Sedona International Film Festival.

REVIEWS

MTN BUSHFIRE FEST May 30 to June the 1st saw Swaziland painted with colours of joy and entertainment; it was the Bushfire Music Festival!

T

he 2013 Bushfire music festival experience was filled with magnificent colour, a vibrant crowd and three days of captivating and unimaginable performances. The line-up was laced with talented South African artist such as Toya Delazy, Black Motion, Euphonik and many other local and international acts.

SOME ENTERTAINMENT In its 8th year running, Bushfire will once again be hosted on the grounds of its birth− Swaziland. To be held at the Ezulwini Valley in the heart of an inviting mountain of beautiful and tranquil sunsets, the organisers are warming up to welcome an audience of up to 20 000 people from all over the globe. The event is expected to deliver the same impeccable standard of live music, theatre, poetry, film, circus, dance and visual arts.

This year’s line-up is expected to feature artists from over 10 countries. Some South African artists expected to perform include Uhuru, Bongo Muffin, Derik Gripper and Lady Smith Black Mambazo amongst others.

SOME SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT MTN− proud sponsor of this event− take pride in their involvement in community initiatives such as these and the profits are going to be used to develop the community, as well as

increase public awareness on environmentally responsible behaviour. Funds to assist in social development will be provided by MTN when it donates some of its profits to Swazi NGO− Young Hero’s. Project and development merchandise will also be donated to nonprofit rural community project− boMake Gone Rural.

It is evident that this music festival brings with it creative expression and entertainment while promoting social responsibility. Attracting locals and tourists from all across Africa and the world, the festival is making moves in different areas within the community and its people.

WORTH IT? A festival that has the hearts of the community and makes participants rise up and light the fire, Bushfire is expected to be nothing short of a pleasant spectacle open for anyone to enjoy.

The MTN Bushfire music festival celebrates the power and brightness of our spirits, influencing fumes of movement within us.

Tickets are still available and can be purchased at the event or online at the event website− www.bushfire.co.za.

Available in general or golden lounge, tickets range from 200 pre-sale and 400 at the event to 500 pre-sale and 950 at the event. Be a part of this festival of fire and make lasting memories with loved ones and fellow Africans!

festival

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Gig GUIDE Cape Town The Fugard Theatre BioscopeMarco Spada.15 June

LONG TABLE BRUNCH Continental Avenue Pedestrian Bridge. 15 June The Playhouse Annie the Musical. 17 June

Mgebas Place Naakmusiq MJ from Generations. 14 June Bravo Lounge Comedy with Marc Lottering. 29 June

Baxter Theatre 10th Jive CT Funny Festival. 08 June

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Johannesburg Sandton Convention Centre Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. 12 June

The Fairway Hotel and Golf Resort Sky Dinning Dinner. 28 June The Cola-Cola Dome Armin Only Intense . 14 June

The Lyric at Gold Reef City Casino Raga Fantasy . 15 June Theatre Of Marcellus at Emperors Palace.

99% Zulu Comedy. 18 July.

Pieter Toerien Main Theatre Defending the Caveman. 11 June

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