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CONTENTS
36 CONTENTS REGULARS
FEATURES
STYLE
TRENDING
8 SIYABONGA BEYILE FROM THE THREADED MAN 10 THE ULTIMATE TIMEPIECES
GROOMING
12 SUMMER FRAGRANCES
23 GOOD MORNING MADAM PRESIDENT
PROFILE
28 INTRODUCING THE AFROPOLITAN'S NEW EDITOR
LIFESTYLE
HEALTH
14 HIKING IN JOHANNESBURG
32 PUBLIC SCHOOL LIBRARIES 53 DURBAN’S FINEST
BUSINESS
TIME OUT
19 UPMARKET TOWNSHIP RESTAURANTS
ENTERTAINMENT 90 AFRO EVENTS
LAST WORD
96 YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA
36 STATE OF THE ARTS 44 THE BOSS LADIES
LIVING
58 URBAN GARDENS
TRAVEL
88 CHASING PAVEMENTS
60 CATER TO YOU 66 THE PEARL OF AFRICA
FASHION
CULTURE
MOTORING 74 FAST FASHION
69 CENTRE STAGE 5
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FROM THE EDITOR EDITOR Lerato Tshabalala CONTRIBUTORS Zama Buthelezi Zamahlasela Gabela Refiloe Mpakanyane Palesa Madumo Bonolo Sekudu Mbalenhle Sibanyoni PUBLISHING HOUSE Contact Media & Communications 388 Main Avenue, Randburg Block A Tel: +27(0) 11 789 6339 Fax: +27(0) 11 789 7097 email: pressman@contactmedia.co.za web: www.contactmedia.co.za CEO & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Sean Press MANAGING DIRECTOR & PUBLISHER Donna Verrydt FINANCE & OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Lesley Fox SALES MANAGER Quincy Matonhodze SALES Damian Murphy Michelle Jones Didi Okoro DESIGN & LAYOUT Quinten Tolken COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Gareth Jacobs Photography SUB-EDITOR Angie Snyman PROOFREADER Haley Abrahams PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Gwen Sebogodi IT AND WEB MANAGER Carmen Petre REPRO & PRINTING Kadimah Print
SPRING IS HERE! G
reetings, Afropolitans!
So, three months ago, after deciding I was over editing a design title, one of my friends told me that The Afropolitan magazine was looking for an editor. This was before the launch of my debut non-fiction book, The Way I See It, and I was itching to get back to the world of magazines (after a two-year hiatus). Three days after making that decision, I found myself being presented with the opportunity to edit this great quarterly. DISTRIBUTION Gwen Sebogodi & distributed by:
FOR ANY DISTRIBUTION QUERIES CONTACT: 011 401 5870 Copyright © 2016 Contact Media & Communications. The Afropolitan is published by Contact Media & Communications. All material is strictly copyright with all rights reserved. No material may be reproduced in part or whole without the express written permission of the publisher. No responsibility will be accepted for unsolicited material. The publisher accepts no liability of whatsoever nature arising out of or in connection with the contents of this publication. Whilst every care has been taken in compiling this publication, the publisher does not give any warranty as to the completeness or accuracy of its contents. The views and opinions expressed in The Afropolitan are not necessarily those of the Publisher, Kaya FM or contributors.
Now here we are! I can’t tell you how excited I am to bring you this edition, which follows our 10th anniversary issue. Can you believe it’s been a decade!? They say after 10 years – whether you’re in a relationship or running a business – you relook things and improve the places that you’ve neglected. This issue you’ll see that we’ve updated our look and added some new content to make sure we’re giving you all the good stuff you need. But that’s not all we’re doing. We’ve got loads of giveaways too, as a way of saying thank you for showing us love for all of these years. From now on, you’ll be seeing more of us around town as we turn up the volume on
our #AfroEvents. Crucially, though, we’re about to get serious about our social media platforms and making sure we stay in constant contact with you. Make sure to follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. We’re thrilled to bring you five gamechangers in this – our spring and heritage – issue, who have done amazing work – whether it’s in media, like our cover star, entrepreneur and model Masego “Maps” Maponya, or the medical and retail field, such as business woman and Luminance owner, Judy Dlamini. On a glorious Monday, we took two supercars – in the form of a Ferrari 488 and Ferrari California T, to Summer Place in Hyde Park, and lived sophisticated luxury. As we journey into the next decade of The Afropolitan, we are totally committed to the promise of being the ‘signature of African sophistication’. So lay back, relax and allow us to bring you the best in travel, lifestyle and everything trending. Till next time! Love & light
7
STYLE
Q&A
SIYABONGA BEYILE
BARELY OUT OF HIS TEENS, 22-YEAR-OLD SIYABONGA BEYILE IS THE CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF HIS INCREDIBLY SUCCESSFUL BLOG – THE THREADED MAN – A RUNNERUP FOR THE AFRICAN BLOGGER AWARD THIS YEAR
TT
ell us about the Threaded Man?
The Threaded Man is a modern African who doesn’t only dress well but also respects those around him, especially women. The Threaded Man is a lifestyle; it’s not only about grooming men in terms of style, but also challenging how they think. As men in society, we need to do better.
The five essentials in every guy’s wardrobe are… Chelsea boots, a well-fitted suit, jeans, V-neck tees and a quality leather jacket.
Your top three stylish SA men are… Wow! It has to be Riky Rick, Siyabonga Ngwekazi and Nape Phasha.
What’s on your playlist currently? Right now I’m rotating these albums: Maxwell’s BLACKsummers’night, Miguel – Wildheart, The Life of Pablo by Kanye West, The Dreaming Room by Laura Mvula and Views by Drake.
In your opinion, what’s the difference between style and fashion?
I read a great quote that says, “Fashion is what you buy and style is what you do with it.” I truly believe that.
8
Siyabonga Beyile
STYLE
What kind of doors has The Threaded Man opened for you? It’s opened so many doors! Most importantly, it’s given me the platform to be able to engage with my peers on more than just fashion but other issues that face our generation. I’m in a position of influence to make positive change.
Men’s fashion is… Life!
Essential packing for an overseas trip? Always pack a smart blazer/jacket, a good pair of jeans, clean white sneakers, and three really good fragrances.
What’s sexy in a woman?
Everything. Women are the most complicated human beings, but that’s what makes them so intriguing. I’m attracted to women who don’t allow men to dictate their lives. They make decisions that make them happy.
Love is… Love.
If you could be anyone for a day who would it be? Kanye West!
You can invite nine guys to dinner. Who would they be and what would be on the menu? I wouldn’t invite nine guys – too many people overwhelm me. I would invite three guys: Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk from Paypal and the late, great Albert Luthuli. The menu would be traditional Xhosa dishes.
What makes a guy a ‘Threaded Man’?
He doesn’t only dress well but he carries himself impeccably.
Where are you hoping to take The Threaded Man? All over the world. I recently travelled to New York, and a lot of opportunities presented themselves for us to expand into other markets.
What does it mean to be a black man in SA right now?
It means that we no longer have to pander to the fairer skin to achieve greatness.
What’s next for you?
Travel and work. I can’t wait to take my company to the world and experience the growth that comes with that.
FASHION IS WHAT YOU BUY AND STYLE IS WHAT YOU DO WITH IT Who would you like to collaborate with that you haven’t yet? Laduma Ngxokolo of MaXhosa. He’s incredible, and collaborating with him would be an honour.
What has surprised you most about The Threaded Man? The fact that it’s grown so fast in a space of two years – what started off as a blog two years ago is now a fully operational business with employees. It’s crazy when I think about it. I never knew this would be my life at 22.
What puts a smile on your face? My family – that’s my happy place and source of inspiration.
If money was not issue I’d… Provide free education.
Love or money? Right now in my life, money.
IMAGES Austin Malema
Threadedman.co.za @siyabeyile
Siyabonga Beyile
9
STYLE
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HEALTH
HEALTHYTALK
BY ZAMAHLASELA GABELA
TAKE UP HIKING AND LEARN HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN GREEN SMOOTHIE
CLIMBING FIT If ordinary gym sessions aren’t cutting it for you any more, why not give hiking a go this spring? There are some fantastic trails in and around Joburg, guaranteed to give you a good dose of adventure.
These are our top 3… HENNOPS TRAILS
Probably one of the most popular hiking trails in the region and situated just 40 km outside of Joburg, choose from two trails along the Hennops River. Be prepared to cross the river, walk over it on a suspension bridge, and get the opportunity to ride in a cable car. You might even spot some kudu which, at just R60 per adult and R40 per child, makes it even more of a treat for the whole family. Visit Hennops.co.za for more info.
SUIKERBOSRAND NATURE RESERVE
Just outside Joburg near the town of Heidelberg is a gem of a hiking spot, ideal for overnight excursions. This reserve has an impressive combined 66 km of unspoilt hiking trails. For prices and more on exploring this beautiful collection, visit Footprint.co.za/suikerbosrand.htm.
GOING GREEN Search #greensmoothies on Instagram and you’ll find thousands of posts dedicated to this delicious trend. Depending on your tastes, the benefits can be endless. From the combination of beloved kale (high in fibre with zero fat) with a handful of mango (reported to aid eyesight and lower
UITKYK HIKING TRAIL cholesterol levels) to an avocado, spinach and apple variant, it’s the freshest and easiest way to get the most out of your fruits and veggies. Boost your nutritional intake by preparing green smoothies as a breakfast option, or pack one into your gym bag for an after-workout snack.
If you’re looking to ease into hiking, then this 9 km trail is just for you. Complemented by waterfalls and the scenic Magaliesberg mountains, the glorious views of Hartbeesport Dam when you reach the top will help you appreciate the splendour of nature even more. Find more on the experience at Footprint.co.za
Get your smoothie on with a Kiwi & Spinach Smoothie loaded with just enough punch to get you through any day: • 2 kiwis, peeled and halved • ½ banana, peeled • 1 cup baby spinach leaves • ½ cup (125ml) vanilla-flavoured yoghurt (or flavour of your choice) • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed (optional) • ½ cup (125ml) apple juice • 10-12 ice cubes
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IMAGES Shutterstock
INGREDIENTS
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Some of South Africa’s biggest entertainment awards have happened in Durban. This is not surprising considering the city’s warm, tropical weather throughout the year. The numbers also prove that Durban is the place to be, having had more than seven million tourists visit its shores in 2015. It’s no wonder then that the city is beginning to give Joburg’s upmarket township spots a run for their money. One such establishment is Artizen in KwaMashu. With well-known DJs playing sets over weekends, Artizen is perfect for a chill-out session with great music and good friends. The restaurant often posts events on its Twitter page @artizen_sa, so make sure to follow it so you don’t miss out. CONTACT: 082 970 7475
VUYO’S IS SET IN THE ONLY STREET IN THE WORLD WHERE TWO NOBEL PRIZE WINNERS HAVE LIVED
VUYO’S 8038 VILAKAZI ST, ORLANDO WEST, SOWETO
You know a place is special when it’s located opposite Archbishop Desmond Tutu’s house. After months researching a character called Vuyo, based on an advert about an entrepreneur who started his own mobile vending business, Miles Kubheka discovered that Vuyo was a fictitious character, but still decided to trademark the name and make it a brand. Vuyo’s, set in the only street in the world where two Nobel Prize winners have lived, is a restaurant that combines modern with traditional. Only a couple of steps away from the house where Madiba lived from 1946 to 1962, Vuyo’s is also a five-minute drive away from the Hector Pieterson memorial. This double-storey restaurant has great views of Soweto; you can enjoy the well-stocked bar while dining on some sebete (chicken livers), mokopu (butternut) and kasimari (a township twist on fried calamari). You’ll love it in the summer when you get to sit outside, people-watch and check out the supercars that are a feature on Vilakazi Street during weekends. CONTACT: 011 536 1838
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If you’re a meat lover, then Bafokeng Corner is the place for you. From beef stew to chicken and wors, this is a meat-lover’s paradise. With platters meant for groups, Bafokeng Corner is the modern-day Joburger’s prime spot and with its minimalist white interior, the restaurant is both welcoming and sophisticated. The platters, described as ‘hampers’ on the menu, start from R150 and go all the way up to R350, depending on the size of your posse. Located close to Jabulani Mall, the restaurant is near the M1 North and is easily accessible from major Jozi routes. For the guys, if you’ve been given a weekend visa, then this is the perfect spot for you and your friends to chill on a boys’ weekend. CONTACT: 084 505 8318
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TRENDING
GOOD MORNING,
MADAM
PRESIDENT!
IMAGE U.S. Department of State from United States [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
FOR THE FIRST TIME IN SOUTH AFRICA’S HISTORY, A WOMAN CANDIDATE COULD BE A SERIOUS CONTENDER FOR THE PRESIDENCY. BUT ARE WE READY TO BE LED BY A WOMAN, ASKS MBALENHLE SIBANYONI
Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma
23
TRENDING
T
he story goes that during her presidential campaign, Liberia’s Ellen Johnson Sirleaf’s supporters shouted out, “Ma Ellen! Ma Ellen!” wherever she went. Others would often be heard shouting, “She’s our man!”
The 64-year-old mother of four made history by being elected the first female president in Africa. She was inaugurated as President of Liberia on 16 January 2006 while dignitaries, including former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African President Thabo Mbeki, former United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and former US First Lady Laura Bush looked on. Standing under the Liberian flag, with her hand on a Bible, she swore to “faithfully, conscientiously and impartially discharge the duties and functions of the office of the President of the Republic of Liberia to the best of her abilities”.
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT A FEMALE PILOT, A FEMALE ENGINEER, THE WORD FEMALE IMPLIES A BIT OF SURPRISE
“The administration must endeavour to give Liberian women prominence in all affairs of our country. We will empower Liberian women in all areas of our national life… We will enforce without fear of failure, laws against rape recently passed by the national transitional legislature. We will encourage all families to educate all children, particularly the girl child,” she said in her speech. It made headlines all over the world, and everyone had an opinion about what the momentous occasion meant for women and the African continent. Following the inauguration, Rice said, “It’s exciting for the country, because if you think back to three years ago or so in Liberia – when the front pages of papers were covered with pictures of young kids holding AK47s – Charles Taylor was rampaging the country, and there were armed gangs everywhere. I think it would have been hard to imagine that they would have free and fair elections this fall and now (to inaugurate) this woman as president.” Sirleaf had, in this singular moment, changed the story of not only Liberia but all women on the continent, which suddenly patriarchy seemed defeatable in Africa. It became a reality instead of a far-off concept discussed at conference after conference. A mindset change had finally reached Africa. Looking back, her presidency made us believe in the dream, but she also created a legacy of having led an African government that doesn’t tolerate corruption and auspicious spending by political leaders.
IMAGE World Bank Simone D. McCourtie
Fast forward to 2016 and talk that Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is tipped to be the next candidate for the ANC presidency and South Africa. This at a time, when in the US, Hillary Clinton just made history as the first female elected as the Republican candidate for president. Glaring similarities between our countries abound, particularly with race relations, and the powerful Black Lives Matter campaign reaching boiling point. Both have challenges that run so deep they will only be resolved by decisive and insightful leadership. Patriarchy and sexism are even more pronounced in Africa. Worldwide, the dominant view is that men are natural-born leaders, not only in politics but in society as a whole. Deep-seated patriarchy stacks against women from rural homes to those in leafy suburbs and the glistening hallways of large corporates. When Jill Marcus was appointed governor of the South African Reserve Bank, she excelled in a male-dominated field. She didn’t overtly push the issue of gender equality, though. Marcus, like Clinton and the head of the France-based International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, could be perceived as ‘asexual’ or ‘androgynous’. Meanwhile, leaders like former Shanduka Group CEO, Phuti Mahanyele, and Mamphela Ramphele are distinctly feminine. In her book Across Boundaries: the Journey of a South African Woman Leader, Ramphele notes, “The spectre of the honorary male looms large for women in my position... How does
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Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
one function in roles which were previously the preserve of men? There are a variety of responses. Some women have chosen to operate as though they were men. Their focus is to fit in and show their male colleagues they have what it takes to succeed… as with Margaret Thatcher, to beat men at their own games, including making and winning wars. They see their success as proof that they are able to transcend the stereotypical female inadequacies. At one time some of these women went as far as wearing pinstriped dark suits, just like their male counterparts. Some of them became more aggressive and thoroughly unpleasant in wielding power than their male colleagues.” Others, she adds, understand the trailblazer roles they hold and survive in an alienating environment through the help of mentors. Those who are the opposite “manage to negotiate a role which draws on the best in their femininity, whilst not shying away from the strengths which they derive from the masculine aspects in their personality. Such women bring the integrative strengths of the female personality to boost their capacity to tackle multiple roles simultaneously – an essential ingredient of success in executive positions.”
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The United Nations says the percentage of women in global governments has doubled in the last 20 years, but this only translates into 22% of women in parliament today. In her groundbreaking book, Lean In, Facebook chief operating officer Sheryl Sandberg wonders “what it would be like to go through life without being labelled by my gender. I don’t wake up thinking, what am I going to do as Facebook’s female COO, but that’s often how I’m referred to by others. When people talk about a female pilot, a female engineer, or a female race driver, the word female implies a bit of surprise.” Sandberg also delves into the political space – of 197 heads of states, only 22 are women. While, in 2015, 41% of South Africa’s cabinet ministers were women, a woman running the country still seems just out of reach.
IMAGE U.S. Department of State from United States [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
On the one hand, some laud Dlamini-Zuma for her exceptional role in turning Home Affairs around during her time as its minister, while on the other, some say she failed in leading the African Union. A recent article by French journal Le monde Afrique, titled ‘How did Mrs Zuma mess up the AU?’, asserted that under her, the organisation had no vision and that its decline was accelerated. A Nigerian publication even penned a piece titled ‘Good riddance Dr. Dlamini Zuma’, saying she failed Africa because the Ebola outbreak and the return of Muhammadu Buhari happened under her watch. But, another giant problem that dogs female leaders is the fact that they’re judged based on their gender and, to compound issues, their success or failure becomes a reflection on the entire gender. So if Zuma’s alleged failure is indeed valid, it raises the question whether it could set the rest of the female population back many years. Yet another drawback when it comes to gender and leadership. But what society has failed to understand is that leadership by its very nature lends itself perfectly to the female of the species. Great leaders understand the larger vision of the organisation, and they can ignite the belief in the greatness that will be achieved when everyone plays their part. Women – having lived in a male-dominated world all their lives – can exhibit the positive characteristics of male leaders, but are also able to demonstrate intuition and talk to the hearts and minds of people. They’re carers, listeners and can articulate the overall feel of what needs to be achieved, instead of just the logistics of the process. American motivational speaker Jim Rohn must have been referring to the ideal female leader when he said, “The challenge of leadership is to be strong, but not rude; be kind, but not weak; be bold, but not bully; be thoughtful, but not lazy; be humble, but not timid; be proud, but not arrogant; have humour, but without folly.” The crux of the issue, though, has never really been whether women are able to lead. The real question, unfortunately, is whether society (both men and women) is ready to be led by a woman. More than being ready, we as women need to understand and know we are truly capable of leading. In Lean In, Sandberg also poignantly argues (and was roasted by some for stating it) that women are victims of patriarchy and sexism, but are also unfortunately complicit in their own discrimination. She says that there is the external age-old system of patriarchy which is a barrier, but also that women have internalised the belief that we’re less capable than men. Both these factors, she says, often stops women from ‘leaning in’ and taking their seat at the leadership table. Some disagree with her views, others agree, but the intense debate she elicited points to the fact
Hillary Clinton
WOMEN – HAVING LIVED IN A MALE-DOMINATED WORLD ALL THEIR LIVES – CAN EXHIBIT THE POSITIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF MALE LEADERS, BUT ARE ALSO ABLE TO DEMONSTRATE INTUITION AND TALK TO THE HEARTS AND MINDS OF PEOPLE that there is still much to be thrashed out on the issue of women and leadership. But when it comes to the issue of whether SA’s ready for a female president, the answer is a resounding yes. Whether it’s DlaminiZuma or the Madame Speaker of Parliament, Baleka Mbete, as is also rumoured – if the woman candidate is ready and capable, then we’re ready to shout “She’s our man!” from every single corner of the country.
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Lerato Tshabalala
28
IMAGES Gareth Jacobs Photography
PROFILE
FIRST LADY OF AFROPOLITAN
PROFILE
LERATO TSHABALALA OUR NEW EDITOR AND THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE RATHER CONTROVERSIAL BESTSELLING BOOK THE WAY I SEE IT
L
erato, we’re calling you ‘The Tornado’ at Afropolitan headquarters because you’re like a whirlwind of energy, passion and ideas. We’re really excited that you’re our new editor. Ha, ha, thank you very much. I’m really excited about it too! It was an opportunity that just came to me. I left my previous job on the Friday and, by Tuesday, I was sitting in the Afropolitan boardroom, facing this amazing new position. It was meant to be.
pleased to learn from all of this is that South Africans are not apathetic, and when they are passionate or emotional about a topic they will speak their minds – just like I was speaking my mind when I wrote the book in the first place.
So, in a nutshell, what is the book all about?
As it says on the cover: it is the musings of a black woman in the Rainbow Nation. It is a book about my experiences in the post-apartheid new South Africa. I touch on social, political and cultural affairs and highlight all the good and bad of South African society, using satire and humour. Random House even put a warning on the cover. It says: guaranteed to offend.
As we celebrate our 10-year anniversary, we are excited to see where you will take the Afropolitan brand How do you cope with the negative This brand doesn’t need a total overhaul, comments, though? it has been doing great things for the past 10 years. I love that it’s ballsy, feisty and yet sophisticated! We need to push that even further, and to do it in a fresh and more trendworthy way. I want to embrace controversy and create conversations.
Yes, you certainly don’t shy away from controversy, do you? So let’s get right to it... your book The Way I See It hit the shelves in a… well, ‘tornado’ of controversy. Tell us all about it. Listen, I live by the saying: if you pray for rain, you have to deal with the mud. You don’t write a provocative book like mine and then not expect an uproar. What I am
Most negative comments stemmed from a weekend newspaper running an 800 word extract of the 17-chapter book – which obviously presented the book out of context and much of the satire was missed, but it’s okay. To the people who made negative comments, I ask: did you read the whole book? If they didn’t, then they really don’t have a true sense of what the book is all about. If they did read it, then I say, “Okay. let’s chat!” And isn’t that the point, conversation? We are all living in South Africa and we all want it to be great, but it won’t be if nobody tells the truth. We all need to contribute to making SA great.
What did you hope your book would achieve?
For white South Africans, I wanted an understanding of the bigger picture. For instance, I wanted a white South African to think about the woman that cleans their house. What her life is like before she arrives in the morning and after she leaves at night. For black South Africans, I wanted to show that we might be missing some important social cues that we need to take us to that next level. Bottom line here is if we can all face the harsh truths about ourselves and the way we live, we will lead more meaningful conversations.
To be very clear here, you may have had a handful of negative comments on social media, which subsequently landed you on television and radio talk shows defending yourself, but the majority of South Africans have in fact embraced your book.
They have, indeed. The Way I See It is currently the number one bestselling nonfiction book for Penguin Random House in South Africa – so no matter what anyone thinks, it has certainly garnered attention, and hopefully created conversation.
This is why you and Afropolitan are a great fit. Afropolitan is more than a magazine; it is a mindset, a lifestyle and a community – which encourages conversation.
Absolutely. I’m exceptionally eager to grow the Afropolitan community. I want to do this by combining the traditions of print
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PROFILE
with the power of social media. I want to bring the brand to the people through events and one-on-one interactions, and I want the right type of people contributing to, and consuming, our content. There is so much good about this brand and, taken to the next level, it will be unstoppable.
There’s nobody better to take it to the next level, with your wealth of experience. Tell us where it all began?
I was born in Meadowlands in Soweto. I’m the first of three kids, and I went to Barnato Park High School. Although I didn’t realise it at the time, I was already a journalist back then. I had started a book at school, where I asked fellow pupils questions about their lives and about their friends. I wanted to create a keep sake for myself, but the book became ‘of public interest’ as everyone in the school wanted to know what the others were saying. Soon the book disappeared! Later, while in matric and deciding what to do with my life, I found a text book from when I was 13 years old where a teacher suggested I become a writer, so I thought – ja, that’s what I’ll do!
After studying, where did your journalism career kick off?
I started as junior journalist at Fairlady in Cape Town. It was my first town out of Joburg and I found the city to be alienating and cliquey.
You hated Cape Town?
The city is lovely and all, but I found that people were very compartmentalised there. Whites with whites, coloureds with coloureds and blacks with blacks. I yearned for the integration and diversity of Joburg. I had to beg my editors to send me back to the Big Smoke. After that I worked at Marie Claire and Oprah magazines as a senior writer, I edited the Sunday Times Lifestyle supplement for four-and-a-half years (where I wrote a satirical column called Urban Miss), and eventually I became the editor of True Love magazine. So I’ve been around these print streets.
What was your most defining moment as a journalist?
I won a Mondi Award (the Oscar of magazine work) for an investigative piece I did with editor Suzy Brokensha, called ‘Would you put this in your vagina?’ It was
about rural women who would dry out their vaginas because they thought it made for a more pleasurable experience for their men, but it actually increased their chances of getting HIV/ AIDS and various STDs. I loved writing about health issues.
GIVEAWAY!
We’re giving away five signed copies of The Way I See It. All you have to do is follow us on Facebook and Twitter @AfropolitanMag and hashtag #TheWayISeeItGiveaway #TheAfropolitanMagazine. Happy reading!
What have been some of the challenges you faced in your career?
There have been many, but one of the most relevant challenges has been publishers. For the most part, the publishers I worked with in the past were often out of touch with their audience. They didn’t understand who they are talking to and they had no respect for their readers. It was all about the commercial entity, which of course is important, but it cannot be the sole focus – it should be a balance. I want to work with publishers who are not afraid to face critical issues, who listen to their readers and who are not ashamed to be honest about their limitations. I want to work with publishers who trust the editor to know the reader and to deliver what is important. And, in turn, as an editor it is important for me to appreciate and respect the trust given and to deliver on that. I feel I have found that at the Afropolitan and I love working with all these likeminded people.
What are your passions?
I love travel. Some of my favourite places in the world are: Namibia, Uganda, Kenya and the United States. I’m excited to be heading off, with the Afropolitan, to San Francisco and New York soon. I also love to eat! My quick-pick recommendations are: Turn 'n Tender, Parktown North; Pronto, at the Colony in Craighall; Societi Bistro, Cape Town (Coldplay even ate there and loved it!); Little Havana, in Umhlanga; and Sakhumzi or Next Door in Vilakazi Street, Soweto. I also love art and music concerts; in fact, I am just mad about music in general. I have more than 1 000 CDs… am I showing my age here?
As mentioned you are high energy. Do you ever relax? I haven’t had a chance to relax in quite a while, but when I do I like to be horizontal, with a glass of wine in my hand, watching a movie.
Well, they say there’s no rest for the wicked and we look forward to your energetic, inspired and very wicked leadership of The Afropolitan magazine. Long may you reign!
I can’t wait to get cracking! The Afropolitan is going to be the ultimate destination for signature living, luxury, shopping, travel and food. We are the embodiment of sophistication, after all.
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LIFESTYLE
SHELF LIFE IF BOOKS ARE THE ONLY WAY MANY CHILDREN CAN SEE THE WORLD, REFILOE MPAKANYANE ASKS WHY MORE ISN’T BEING DONE TO KEEP OUR PUBLIC LIBRARIES ALIVE
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he first floor windows of the library bring us eye level with the bleak treetops and rooftops of Wattville. That fine dust which blows in from the factories settles on every leaf of every plant, roof, car and the windowsills of the school building. The September wind carries it into every crease and crevice, and I feel like Frodo in the ashy heart of Mordor. This grim check on our enthusiasm is almost unbearable but for the boxes of books we carry up the stairs from the outdoor assembly area to the library, slowly swelling with books.
Inside the library, Happiness*, one of the Grade 11s, updates me on the most popular books from last year’s book drive. David Remnicks’ Obama biography is a hit. He even keeps a list of who wants to read it next and who’s held onto it too long. Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom is another fave, and the kids are talking about starting up a reading club. Their enthusiasm for books makes my heart smile – I get to talk books with them and they get to talk to someone they know from the radio. Every year, despite its simple infrastructure, the children and staff of Ephes Mamkeli Secondary School make their community proud with one of the
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LIFESTYLE
IMAGES Shutterstock
best matric pass rates on the East Rand. Without very much else beyond strong leadership from their principal, they uphold their end of the education social pact, but still something’s missing to complete the chain. For the past three years, I’ve spent a few days with the learners of this school as well as others when, in my own small way, I try to ‘make a difference’ by bringing in boxes of books. As part of our National Book Week, I give media interviews in which I wag my finger at the young ’uns and their parents and tell them to read a book. I do the usual spiel about how books will open up new worlds for them and take them to far-away places without leaving the comfort of their living rooms. And all around South
Africa, I imagine kids rolling their eyes and thinking, “Bitch, where?” Where are these books they should be reading because, chances are, they don’t attend the 1 817 out of 25 145 schools that actually have functional libraries? How do they get their hands on books in a country where community libraries are in decline, book sales are taxed and bookstores are only the mainstay of suburbs? I proceed regardless, because I really do believe in my spiel. But after winding up my book drive, I ninja bomb* out of their lives and back to my own frenetic life until the next year’s book drive. It’s all so tiring.
We need to breathe new life into our school libraries so that they become more than just storage rooms for old furniture, past papers and textbooks. So they become living, communal spaces that writer Matthew Battles describes: “Tugged by the gravity of readers’ desires, books flow in and out of the library like the tides. The people who shelve the books in [Harvard’s] Widener talk about the library’s breathing – at the start of the term, the stacks exhale books in great swirling clouds; at the end of term, the library inhales, and the books fly back. So the library is a body, too, the pages of books pressed together like organs in the darkness.”
I told you that story so I could tell you this one…
Such sweet and beautifully geeky words. Can’t you just picture yourself back in high
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LIFESTYLE
School is more than a classroom, a curriculum and careworn textbooks. At the heart of it is the most fundamental shared space in any community – the school library – a place where kids get to access a higher purpose and tap into a communal spirit. But South Africa sits now with a dearth of school libraries. Not all children enjoy reading, but even for those who use libraries grudgingly for assignments or to keep out of the cold during breaks in winter or to study because home is not conducive to concentrating, the result is still the same: a place for intellectual stimulation and solace. To say nothing of the girl whose hunger for words has her swopping her Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie short stories so that she can
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wander the bookshelves and discover more African writers, like Zakes Mda. When, exactly, are black children meant to have these experiences? Can you imagine the sense of betrayal when they step excitedly into the Wartenweiler Library at Wits for the first time, only to find that the private school kids and the Model C kids have been having it good all along? It pains me to think of all the ways that we fail to validate and affirm our children and the missed opportunities to show them they’re worth a damn. The biggest injustice we do black children is to tell them they are the future and then show them otherwise with our actions. Schools around the country uphold their end of the deal by doing their best, and it’s time for us to honour ours. This is to say that if we are serious about our pursuit of equal education opportunities, we cannot hobble our children with half the education experience. Any worthwhile school experience is one that honours the fact that black children are multifaceted beings who do follow intellectual pursuits, who do read for fun, who do deserve the societal investment of simple extramural activities and facilities that so often go overlooked in township and rural schools.
WE NEED TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO OUR SCHOOL LIBRARIES SO THAT THEY BECOME MORE THAN JUST STORAGE ROOMS FOR OLD FURNITURE AND TEXTBOOKS
No more campaigns urging kids to read books that we haven’t put in their hands. IMAGES Shutterstock
school grabbing a Tolkien or an Ursula Le Guin off the shelf? Lounging on a library beanbag while marvelling at the explosion of words off the pages of The House of Hunger? Or checking out audio tapes to listen to in the solitude of your boarding school cubicle? I remember those days with so much fondness. Always taking it for granted that my school library had all those resources just for me. All tended to by the lovely Mrs Hack who was more than a librarian, but a counsellor, disciplinarian and a friend who was always game to indulge the boys with their graphic novel obsessions or show me new biographies that she’d just received.
Books now. Libraries now.
* Not real name
*Ninja bomb: v. To leave a party without telling anyone you’re leaving, so as to disappear – like a ninja. (Urbandictionary.com)
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Aida Muluneh, Dust on a Butterflies Wings, 2016
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IMAGE Courtesy David Krut Projects
CULTURE
CULTURE
STATE OF THE
WITH THE GLOBAL GAZE FIRMLY FIXED ON AFRICAN ART, PALESA MADUMO GIVES YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS OF WHAT TO EXPECT AT THIS YEAR’S FNB JOBURG ART FAIR
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“It feels really good to be starting the countdown towards our first decade as a premier art trading event on the African continent. We’re an accessible fair and our model has always been to open up the spaces for both established and emerging artists, so as usual, we’ve reached out to many art platforms around the continent and we have an interesting and strong collector base,” says Mandla Sibeko, co-director of the FNB JoburgArtFair. Art aficionados don’t necessarily subscribe to trends (or rather, don’t care to admit it) but, trend or no trend, contemporary African art around the world has become quite popular and bullish. In some markets like London, global art auctioneers Sotheby’s is even launching its first dedicated auction for African modern and contemporary work in May 2017, as a result of contemporary African arts sales in the region. Auction house Bonhams, also in London, sold Ghanaian sculptor
IMAGE ©Mariane Ibrahim
ine years ago, Africa’s biggest and now premier visual art event, the FNB JoburgArtFair, was established and has since gained tremendous momentum. This year will see local and international art lovers, makers and dealers converge at Johannesburg’s Sandton Convention Centre on 9-11 September, with a curatorial special focus on modern and contemporary art practices from the East African region. Various cuttingedge art galleries and platforms will present solo exhibitions, site-specific installations and a number of group exhibitions by artists from Ethiopia, Kenya, Eretrea, Uganda and the larger East African area and their diaspora.
ARTS
Maimouna Guerresi, Lobna's dream
FNB JoburgArtFair
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CULTURE
Sibeko, however, doesn’t buy into the fad. “Yes, globally there is this talk of rising African art, but in my opinion we have always produced quality art that can stand on its own amongst the other international artists. This notion of a trend has to come to stop, I don’t buy into trends. We’re here to stay beyond the trend. I don’t buy into the notion that our African art is emerging, we’re always emerging then because we have excellent artists and art. In fact, I believe that every major gallery in the world should at least carry one African artist in its establishment. That should be the movement instead of headlines,” he says. This year’s participating galleries include an exciting new player in Keyes Art Mile – an art-focused spatial development project in the lower Rosebank area, built around the corner of Keyes and
FNB JoburgArtFair
Maurice Mbikayi, Mulami Mushidimuka (Modern Shepherd)
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Jellicoe Avenues in Johannesburg – the first art precinct of its kind in Joburg. The building will host a set of handpicked, creamof-the-crop art galleries, complemented with cafés and shops. There will also be a collection of East African art galleries that’ll help open up that region to art lovers, collectors and pundits at the Fair. These include the Mariane Ibrahim Gallery, which will present Kenya’s Jim Chuchu, Joburg’s; David Krut Projects, which will present Ethiopian artist, Aida Muluneh; and group exhibitions by platforms like Kampala Trust, Addis Foto Fest and the like. Considered one of the most important contemporary African artists of recent years, and definitely one to watch, is Kenya’s own global art superstar, Wangechi Mutu. She’s recently relocated her studio and family to Nairobi, following 20 years living and working in Brooklyn, New York. She will present two exciting works: The Sleeping Serpent, an elaborate sculpture first shown
FNB Art Prize Winner 2015
IMAGE Courtesy of the artist and gallery MOMO
El Anatsui’s 1999 sculpture Used Towel for £176 500 – a record for a wooden sculpture by the artist – earlier this year.
CULTURE
at London’s Victoria Miro Gallery, and a second piece titled The End of Eating Everything – an animated short film Mutu created in collaboration with American singer-songwriter, Santigold. The FNB JoburgArtFair attracted more than 11 000 visitors last year and sold R26 million worth of art. This year, the vibrant three-day melting pot aims to do even better and make even more of a mark on the art industry. The Fair is able to build opportunities for industry players, art lovers and artists from across the continent, introducing people to and celebrating African creativity, while also unlocking mutually beneficial potential. The unique environment grows audiences and participants exponentially.
EVERY MAJOR GALLERY IN THE WORLD SHOULD AT LEAST CARRY ONE AFRICAN ARTIST IN ITS ESTABLISHMENT
“The business of the arts in South Africa has such huge potential to really grow tourism, we have the ingredients and need all stakeholders to take it seriously. We can learn so much from Europe about what art has done to position cities. Also, I believe an education goes a long way in teaching creative problemsolving skills to young people, and we need leaders who’ll solve the complex problems we face in South Africa. The arts has the ability to shape new leaders.” says Sibeko. Special features of the Fair include a series of curated Special Projects; a VIP Programme that has hosted top international curators and directors from institutions like the Tate Modern, Venice Biennale, Centre Pompidou and CCA Lagos; as well as a Talks Programme that invites art-world figures, philosophers and critical theorists to deliver keynote lectures and participate in panel discussions. The 2016 Fair will also see the sixth edition of the FNB Art Prize – a major opportunity for an artist to realise new work at the Fair. A groundbreaking addition and highlight of the 2016 FNB JoburgArtFair is the first ever series of TEDxJohannesburg talks, themed on the contemporary visual arts of Africa, that’ll include a full day of talks presented by dynamic artists, curators and thinkers at the Theatre on the Square at Nelson Mandela Square. This year may be exciting, but it’s certain that next year’s decade anniversary will bring even bigger names, art lovers and greater exposure to African art.
IMAGE Copyright Penny Siopis. Courtesy of Stevenson
IMAGE Courtesy the artist and David Krut Projects
Penny Siopis, Note 48, 2015
Aida Muluneh, All in One, 2016
The FNB JoburgArtFair will be at the Sandton Convention Centre from September 9-11. Fnbjoburgartfair.co.za
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DUNE/AFROPOLITAN_SEPT16
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THE HOME OF SPORT
THE KAYA FM SPORTS TEAM WORKS AROUND THE CLOCK TO BRING LISTENERS UP TO DATE NEWS AND VIEWS FROM COACHES, ATHLETES AND ANALYSTS. WE TAKE A GLIMPSE INTO THEIR WORLD TO FIND OUT HOW THEY GET THEIR SPORTS GAME ON POINT, ON THE HOME STRAIGHT AND DAILY SPORTS BULLETINS
M
osibodi Whitehead gets to studio before most people decide to wake up in the morning. He walks into Kaya House before 6am ready to join the high-energy, tonguein-cheek 180 with Bob show, co-hosted with Kuli Roberts, from 6-9am as it beams into the homes, cars and smartphones of Kaya FM listeners getting ready for the day ahead in Gauteng. On weekdays, the airwaves are interposed with Mosibodi’s ebullient voice, accompanied by the familiar Kaya sports jingle. Mosibodi and Sotho Meyer are in the driver's seat as they co-host of The Home Straight on Monday and Friday evenings. Known for his rousing reporting and dramatic blow-by-blow descriptions of the latest developments in soccer, rugby and athletics, the 34-yearold started as a weekend sports presenter on Kaya FM seven years ago. Mosibodi actually started his career in horticulture and holds a BSc degree specialising in Botany from the University of Cape Town. Although he worked for a landscaping company after leaving university, his passion for sport inevitably led him to pursuing a career in broadcasting.
Mosibodi Whitehead
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Discovered by former Kaya FM sports editor Jeff Moloi, Mosibodi started as a weekend presenter and then moved on as assistant producer and part-time presenter on Jeff's drive-time show, called Heading Home with Jeff Moloi. As part of that afternoon drive time-team on
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Kaya FM from 2010 to 2012, Mosibodi, Jeff and Thabiso Mosia took a different look at sport and introduced traditionally male sports news to a female audience. A ball of energy on and off the air, Mosibodi is a family man who leads the sports team at Kaya with the same gusto he applies when running the gruelling Comrades Marathon each year. Before you know it, lunch break turns into late afternoon and the vibrant voices of the Kaya Central team – MoG joined by traffic reporter Mvangeli, news reader Keneoue and sports presenter producer Sandile van Heerden – take over the drivetime slot of 3-5pm. Never one to shy away from a hot topic, whether it’s the controversies of a questionable decision by a referee at a rugby match or his adventures on the golf course, Sandile has managed to garner the laughs, sympathy and adoration of fans as he recites sports facts and results with the team. A Swaziland native, Sandile moved to South Africa as a teenager and at 38, the sports presenter is almost childlike in his love for life and sport, especially while watching a good game of football, rugby, cricket, tennis or golf. Sandile’s passion for sports was nurtured at Athlone Boys' High School, where he represented the school in first team rugby for union and league, first team cricket and A-team tennis. Along the way, he also captained the second hockey team, took part in middledistance events in athletics, and swam. When he’s not producing sports news for television and radio, he pursues his passions such as working on his skateboard brand. You could also bump into him at one of Johannesburg’s many golf courses, trying to improve on his 13 handicap.
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Mosibodi Whitehead congratulates a Mvelaphanda learner at the Sacred Heart College Three2Six Challenge in June 2016.
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BUSINESS
THE BOSS LADIES
Lira Kohl
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BUSINESS
IT WAS HARD FOR US TO NARROW DOWN THE 10 WOMEN WHO HAVE MOVED OUR SOCIETY FORWARD IN THE LAST 10 YEARS, BUT ZAMAHLASELA GABELA MANAGED TO FIND THE BIGGEST FEMALE GAME-CHANGERS IN SOUTH AFRICA
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n a country like ours, with a history of great struggle and triumph, you don’t have to look far to find women who’ve been instrumental in their respective industries. The strength and drive of a South African woman is something that can never accurately be described. When the Department of Women released the first-ever Report on the Status of Women in the South African Economy in August last year, it was clear to see that although a significant amount of work had been done towards allowing women the same access to collateral as men, the journey isn’t yet complete. Despite this, there are women who’ve managed to push beyond these restrictions and shatter every barrier in their way. Fresh from Women’s Month, we celebrate 10 feministas who’ve made a significant impact on the country’s landscape over the past 10 years, and whose pioneering spirit will continue to resonate in the coming years.
THE ARTS TONY GUM
It’s not often that someone gets referred to as being the coolest girl in Cape Town by Vogue magazine, but for this homegrown creative, it’s all in a day’s work. The 20-year-old’s quite literally revolutionised the way that South African art has been perceived globally, giving the world a peek into the rich tapestry that is our country. Her blog intro reads, “If I could afford to be a minimalist – I would be done, but for now, this one’s for the creative kids,” and judging from her creations like the uTwiggy series (a reconceptualisation of the 1960s famous model), and her contribution as co-founder of The Local Collective vlog on YouTube, she’s certainly not suffering from any lack
of creativity. Referring to herself as “an artist in learning”, it’s clear that Gum will continue adding colour to people’s perceptions while unapologetically nudging us all towards thinking without restriction.
I HAVE, HOWEVER, PROVED TO MYSELF THAT WHERE WE COME FROM DOES NOT HAVE TO DETERMINE WHERE WE END UP
BUSINESS PHUTI MAHANYELE
Forbes named her one of Africa’s 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa, while she’d been voted Africa’s Business Woman of the Year by the magazine in 2014. Almost 10 years ago, The Wall Street Journal included her in its Top 50 Women in the World, too. But these are just a few of the accolades that Phuti Mahanyele has under her belt. As the former chief executive officer of one of the country’s leading investment holding companies, Shanduka Group, the announcement of her exit from this position last year had people wondering what her next big move would be. Well, that move took shape in the form of Sigma Capital, a proudly African investment company that she’s founded. She’s proved her staying power over and over again, clearing the path for women in the boardroom today and forever.
AVIATION ASNATH MAHAPA
“The statistics of people qualified as pilots in this country are far from meeting the racial demographics of its population,” said Asnath Mahapa in a speech she delivered as a guest speaker for the Department of Education in August 2013. Born 70 km north-west of Polokwane in a small village in the province of Limpopo, she’s the first female black commercial pilot in the country. With more than a decade’s experience, she has no plans
of slowing down and is passing the skill and opportunity she received to other young South Africans through founding the African College of Aviation. In that speech in 2013, highlighted that she saw an industry which hadn’t changed much since her entrance (now 17 years ago), and this sparked the inception of the African College of Aviation.
MUSIC LIRA KOHL
When Lira quit her job as an accountant to pursue a full-time career in music, it was a leap of faith that paid off multiple times over. Despite having started off as an R&B singer in Arthur Mafokate’s 999 stable, she later reinvented herself as an internationally acclaimed Afro-soul songstress. Managed by her husband, Robin Kohl, Lira has bagged 11 South African Music Awards, created the first live music DVD to come out on Blu-Ray in Africa and performed during President Barack Obama’s inauguration celebrations in 2013. Lira's career has represented a flower in all its stages of bloom, right from the get go. In her biography, LIRA: Making Herstory, released in 2013, she reflected that, “I have, however, proved to myself that where we come from does not have to determine where we end up. We have the power to write our own story, to choose a new path, to carve a new future – if we are willing. Life can become what we want it to be.”
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BUSINESS
INDUSTRY NTSIKI BIYELA
When Ntsiki Biyela was awarded a scholarship from South African Airways to study winemaking back in 1998, she’d never even tasted a single sip of the beloved beverage. Hailing from the village of Mahlabathini in KwaZulu-Natal, the closest thing to alcohol that Ntsiki Biyela had been exposed to was traditional homemade Zulu beer, umqombothi. This didn’t stop her from becoming the first female black winemaker in South Africa, entering an industry dominated by white men. “Women have entered the industries that have been known to be male-dominated without fear and have excelled, women are now raising their voices and being heard,” she says. It’s this very school of thought that led to Biyela’s South African Woman Winemaker of the Year Award in 2009, proving her talent in a relatively untested career path for black South Africans. She’s currently consulting for Stellekaya wines, a winery she’s been based at as head winemaker since 2004. But her biggest venture to date is her own independent wine brand that she’s been working on for the past two years, Aslina Wines. Fittingly named after her grandmother who played a huge role in her life, the wine is currently being exported, but will be available in South Africa soon. “As a winemaker, I’m continuing to do what I now know best, making wine,” adds Biyela. We’ll toast to that.
POLITICS NOMPENDULO MKHATSHWA
It’s difficult to think of the historic #FeesMustFall movement of 2015 without picturing an ANC head wrap-clad Nompendulo Mkhatshwa. The current Student Representative Council president at the University of the Witwatersrand, She indirectly became the face of this generation’s struggle when images of her leading marches on the campus started circulating on social media platforms. Despite continued speculation around her political stance and her actual role in the movement as a whole, she’s managed to reignite participation in politics among the youth of South Africa, which is something that simply cannot be ignored. In an interview with Radio 702 in 2015 regarding #FeesMustFall, she said, “There was no master plan. Every decision was guided by the spirits of Hani, Sobukwe, Ngoyi, Maxeke. We just moved.”
MEDICINE DR TSHIDI GULE Phuti Mahanyele
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Undeniably one of the sharpest minds in medicine, Dr Tshidi Gule saw a gap in the
BUSINESS market when she put her business cap on and founded the MediSpace Lifestyle Institute 10 years ago. It’s a boutique offering of health solutions focusing on lifestyle-related diseases. Her bold pursuit has garnered much success, something she elaborates on in her business memoir, Rough Diamond. She credits Basetsana Kumalo’s mentorship highly, and is a definite source of inspiration for embarking on such business ventures. Dr G, as she’s popularly known, was referred to as “a rock star in a white coat” by her mentor at the launch of her book, which she was encouraged to write by the publisher of MF Books, Melinda Ferguson.
SPORT CASTER MOKGADI SEMENYA
At just 25 years old, Caster Semenya has endured enough public scrutiny to run an entire marathon. Even so, this history-maker has pursued her dreams without hesitation, collecting a string of medals along the way. This year alone, she has broken the series record at the International Association of Athletics’ Diamond League by winning gold for the 800 m in Monaco, and won the 1500 m at the African Championships, to name just a few of her incredible achievements. Resilience doesn’t even begin to describe the Limpopo-born Olympic star. International sporting brand Nike, which has endorsed Semenya since 2009, continues to rally behind the athlete.
President Jacob Zuma himself! Well, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Internationalisation at the University of Cape Town, Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng, knows that feeling all too well. The Presidency describes the award as being given to “South African citizens for distinguished service in the fields of: business and the economy, science, medicine, and for technological innovation; and community service”. It’s quite a mouthful, but an honour that Prof. Phakeng is well-deserving of. With her love for mathematics and education at the core of all she does, this phenomenal woman has published an astounding 57 peer-reviewed research publications, among many other notable accolades, and is both locally and internationally recognised. And so you see, whether it’s through the arts, business or sport, the women of South Africa are refusing to back down. Their spirit brings to the fore words said by renowned poet Gcina Mhlophe in her poem titled, ‘Say No’. “Say no, black woman, say no when they give you a back seat in the liberation wagon.”
SAY NO, BLACK WOMAN, SAY NO WHEN THEY GIVE YOU A BACK SEAT IN THE LIBERATION WAGON
Caster Semenya
ENTERTAINMENT
IMAGE Paalso Paal Sørensen 2011 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], via Wikimedia Commons
BONANG MATHEBA
With a combined Instagram and Twitter following of more than two million, Queen B* has remained relevant throughout her 14-year career. Reigning supreme (as she’d like to say) in fashion, beauty and business, she has reinvented the concept of self-branding in multiple ways. Her international footprint has also expanded, with the biggest spotlight coming from being named the face of Revlon South Africa and becoming a brand ambassador for the global cosmetics giant. Add to that her lingerie range with Woolworths, Distractions, the numerous awards and cover features with local magazines, and her Favourite South African Radio DJ Award win at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles last year, and it seems everything she touches turns to gold.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PROFESSOR MAMOKGETHI PHAKENG
Imagine receiving the most prestigious award in your field, the National Order of the Baobab, from none other than
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ADVERTORIAL
MONEYTALKS FROM MANAGING A WEEKLY BUDGET OF R250 DURING HIS STUDENT DAYS, GIVEN KOBANI HAS MANAGED TO EDUCATE HIMSELF ENOUGH TO CONFIDENTLY PROVIDE PEOPLE WITH SOUND FINANCIAL ADVICE
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anaging a budget from a young age gave Given Kobani the handson experience invaluable to providing sound financial advice.
Ask anyone in a room and they’ll tell you that two of the most difficult conversations to have in life are those about death or money. But they are two of the most important conversations you’re likely to have. Given Kobani (33), business executive of a Soweto-based Discovery Financial Consultants (DFC) franchise, has difficult conversations about money every day. But he says it’s a passion that has changed his views on life and people. Kobani believes that people often only realise the importance of reliable financial advice and planning when a life-changing event, such as the death of a breadwinner, occurs. Solid advice from the start can help people plan better. This enables them to be better prepared for their financial future. Kobani’s passion for sound financial planning is grounded in personal experience. Like many South Africans, he grew up in a single-headed household, with his mother working in the neighbourhood to make ends meet. “I realised early on that I had a little that had to go a long way. I didn’t have the luxury of close adult figures who could advise me on how best to use money. No one was financially savvy enough to teach me.
Given Kobani
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“My lessons about money came mostly from the Bible. There’s a parable about a master who gives each of his servants a different number of talents. The master is pleased with the one who puts the money to work and is able to double the original amount, commending him by saying, “You
ADVERTORIAL
have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things.”” From this, Kobani learnt that no matter what one has to start off with, it is one’s responsibility to use what they have wisely and well. He also quotes Thorton Taft Munger, who said, “The habit of saving is in itself an education. It fosters every virtue, teaches self-denial, cultivates the sense of order, trains to forethought and so broadens the mind.” A National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) loan put Kobani through university, but the day-to-day requirements of being a student needed more than tuition fees. “I would work at Truworths on weekends and this took care of my transport, printing and food costs.” This R250 weekly budget was essentially the first budget that Kobani had to manage. Like many people, the true test of Kobani’s money personality came when he landed his first job. He obtained a spot on Discovery’s Marketing learnership in late 2007. But unlike many young people with a new salary, Kobani was much wiser and fought the urge to immediately buy a car. “The first thing that came to mind when I first got a salary is that we had three shacks at home, one of which I was living in, so I decided to build three outside rooms in their place. I saved for a while and started buying building materials. I then got people to start doing the job, and after a short while, I went to get a loan to finance the difference that I couldn’t afford.” It was only after the rooms’ completion that Kobani decided to buy a car. “I think the way I used my salary in those early days showed the sense of responsibility I’d formed as a result of my background.” During this time, Kobani had avoided becoming part of the growing number of graduates who found themselves heavily in debt. At the end of his learnership, Kobani got a permanent position in Discovery’s customer conservation unit. This is where his passion for financial advice was reignited. Kobani says, “My job was to try and retain clients who were cancelling their policies, and find out why. If affordability was a factor, I would suggest restructuring their policy to fit their budget. This was training for me in basic financial planning principles.”
GIVEN KOBANI’S TOP THREE FINANCIAL MUST-HAVES: • SAVINGS PLAN (UNIT TRUSTS OR AN ENDOWMENT PLAN) • RETIREMENT ANNUITY • LIFE ASSURANCE (LIFE POLICY)
“When clients told me they couldn’t afford the policy or had been offered something else, it motivated me show them a picture that would help them make the right decision for their planning needs. The desire and opportunity to try and help someone out is what really drove me.” Now as a business executive, this desire still drives Kobani, who
WHEN I’M ABLE TO HELP SOMEONE PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURE, ADDRESS THEIR CHILDREN’S AND FAMILY’S WELFARE, AND HAVE FINANCIAL PEACE OF MIND, I KNOW THAT I’M MAKING A DIFFERENCE believes that as a financial planner he provides people with a critical map. “A clear financial plan tells you where you are now and where you are headed, given your current financial situation. If you’re giving advice, it has to be based on reviewing the client’s needs, linking them to your own financial knowledge.” Kobani takes pride in being a person who people in Soweto can go to for expert financial advice. “As they say, education is instruction for change. I have the honour of being able to instruct that change and help Sowetans apply what I’ve given them. When I’m able to help someone plan for their future, address their children’s and family’s welfare, and have financial peace of mind, I know that I’m making a difference.” The DFC Soweto franchise has brought financial planning closer to the people. “What we’re doing differently is to be present and visible in the community that we work with,” he says. Kobani and his team are also bringing the people closer to them by striving to provide a more personalised service. “We don’t treat a customer like one transaction and move on to another one. We don’t do one visit and go. We sit down and collect all the information about you and your life. We try to come back and advise you on things you need to do.” Kobani adds, “Even after we’ve got your business, it’s not a matter of sending you an email that says your policy has been accepted, and here’s your certificate. We put it in an envelope and deliver it to you. We make the service more personal. This is because we believe that if service is personal and trust is created, we can work together on an ongoing basis, because we have a relationship.”
Given Kobani is passionate about sharing his insights on planning for the future. For more information, contact him at Maponya Mall or call DFC Soweto on 011 933 1441
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Central location. Boundless convenience. STARTING FROM R3.1m VIEW OUR SHOW APARTMENT In the heart of Sandton, Central Square offer a range of impressive apartments and simplex penthouses. Designer interior finished apartments feature a large spacious open plan that prioritize kitchen and living areas while maintaining practical comfortable bedroom sizes.
www.centralsquaresandton.co.za Sales Office: 060 781 9650
COMPLETION 2ND QUARTER 2017 Inspiring private Sky Deck and other features include:
Sat & Sun from 11am - 5pm and Wed from 12pm - 6pm
• Beautiful building with breath taking views • Generous and spacious apartment sizes with full height BIC, kitchen and lounge units • Gas technology for hot water and cooking • Fully integrated high spec kitchen appliances • High gloss imported kitchens • Fully air conditioned apartments • Full height (3m) glass doors onto spacious private balconies • High Spec apartment technology with unsurpassed speed, connectivity and convenience • Building designed with security and safety in mind
• Top class security team, finger print access, building cameras and surveillance • 5,000m² Piazza with landscaped gardens, water features and tranquil private areas • Restaurants, coffee shops, deli’s, farmers markets and convenience stores • High spec gym and health spas • Shuttle services to Gautrain and around Sandton Central area • Full concierge services with business centre services • Apartment cleaning services and car wash services
Central Square Sales Centre: Ground floor, Central Square Sandton, Corner West Road South & Lower Road, Morningside, Sandton, 2196
LIFESTYLE
AS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ECONOMIES IN SOUTH AFRICA, DURBAN IS ALSO HOME TO SOME OF THE WORLD’S MOST HISTORICAL ART DECO ARCHITECTURE. BONOLO SEKUDU GIVES US A GUIDED TOUR
D U RB A N ’ S FINEST
Prefcor House at 398 West Street
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LIFESTYLE
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I’ve always loved the fashion of the 30s and everything that came with the Art Deco era – the jewellery and the glamour,” American actress Emmy Rossum is quoted as saying. You may ask yourself what Art Deco architecture has to do with fashion but, after it was established in the 1920s, the geometric shapes and sunrise patterns of the design infiltrated almost every part of modern life including furniture design, jewellery, ceramics and, indeed, fashion. Anyone who’s in doubt of the Art Deco influence on pop culture only has to look at the remake of The Great Gatsby, with music produced by Jay Z, to realise how decades later the design aesthetic still informs so much of what we consume. According to Wentworthstudio.com: “The style takes its name from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925 as a showcase for new inspiration. The style was essentially one of applied decoration. Buildings were richly embellished with hard-edged, lowrelief designs.” Some of the most memorable and iconic buildings in America that embody this design include New York’s Chrysler Building and the famous Rockefeller Centre.
WHEN LOOKING UPON THESE AWE-INSPIRING BUILDINGS, THEY SHOULDN’T BE OBSERVED SET IN BLACK, INDIAN, COLOURED OR WHITE HISTORY, BUT A COLLECTIVE SOUTH AFRICAN HISTORY
Taking a page out of Egyptian and Aztec art, with some even going so far as to call Art Deco ‘tamed Cubism’ (Cubism is a style of painting that used geometric motifs, invented and made famous by the legendary artist Pablo Picasso), Art Deco architecture spawned an entire generation’s worth of design inspiration. From the 20s to the 40s, Art Deco dominated the scene, and it’s no wonder then that this architectural design also made its way to our shores. And no other city in South Africa embraced Art Deco architecture quite like Durban. It’s been just more than 70 years since the trend waned, but the beauty of the geometric buildings built in the city during that time is still something at which to marvel. It’s also not surprising that this vibrancy was embraced by one of our country’s sunniest and warmest cities throughout the year, we must add. From hosting award shows to music festivals, you can’t separate Durban from its interesting historical background. In 2015, during the festive season alone, there were 1.45 million visitors with a total direct spend of R3.1 billion. The city’s a leading tourist attraction, both domestically and internationally. The home of one of the most well-known African tribes, the Zulus, Durban also has the biggest Indian community outside of India. The history and beauty of the city is rich, so it’s fitting that Durban has hosted the Tourism Indaba, one of the biggest African tourism events on the calendar, since 1998. The many Art Deco buildings leave a lasting impression on the thousands of international visitors who attend the Indaba.
Cheviot Court on the corner of Musgrave & Poynton, Berea, Durban
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LIFESTYLE
DURBAN ART DECO BUILDINGS PIXLEY HOUSE is located on the historical Dr Pixley Kaseme Street in central Durban – a street named after the president of the South African Native National Congress in 1912, known today as the African National Congress. Pixley House was built in 1938, inspired by the Art Deco architectural craze. This historical building was also home to a prominent store of the time, Payne Bros Stores. The building has recently been refurbished and is now a residential block. COLONIAL MUTUAL BUILDING is a prominent landmark, recorded as being the tallest building in South Africa when it was designed and completed between 1931 and 1933. It’s almost 57 metres high, with 14 storeys. It encapsulates the image of economic and political power, according to researcher Lindsay Napier. “Gothic and Romanesque elements are used as reference to the strength and longevity that Gothic and Romanesque architecture symbolised.” It was built for the Mutual Life Assurance Society at 330 Dr Pixley Kaseme Street. CHEVIOT COURT is found on the corner of Musgrave Road and Poynton Place. It was built in the 1940s, and the six-storey building is used as a residential block today. Well-maintained to date, unlike other buildings that have fallen in decay, Cheviot Court has been refurbished in vibrant colours. SURREY MANSIONS is at 323 Currie Road and is an eightstorey apartment building that was built in 1937. The Durban Deco Society claims it as one of the great Art Deco buildings, with excellent resolution of geometry in the use of rectangular and curved forms.
Surrey Mansions at 323 Curry Road, Berea, Durban
The buildings and icons tell of a history largely steeped in British and Indian influence. For instance, The Cenotaph was erected in honour of soldiers who died in World War I, and the monument was completed in England and shipped to Durban in 1926. Pixley House, another remarkable Art Deco building and formerly known as Prefcor House, has its roots entrenched in our history and the South African Native National Congress, known today as the African National Congress. Pixley House was witness to a history of struggle, a narrative familiar to South Africa, one we’re used to hearing and are now celebrating.
THE CENOTAPH is an outstanding construction work and this monument has a powerful story to tell. Completed in England and shipped to Durban, the beautiful sculpture was unveiled in 1926 in commemoration of soldiers who died in World War I. It is 11 metres tall and is made of granite.
Cenotaph on the corner of Cnr Gardiner & Smith, Durban
Art Deco buildings are storytellers, not in words but in complex designs, sharp geometric shapes and striking colours. When looking upon these awe-inspiring buildings, they shouldn’t be observed set in black, Indian, coloured or white history, but a collective South African history. They need to be preserved as the visible tapestry that is our country’s rich heritage. So the next time you’re in Durban, snap a selfie next to one or two of these marvellous old buildings, put them on social media and make a point of sharing our South African treasures – our foundations and heritage, no matter whose history they once belonged to.
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LIVING
URBAN GARDENS WITH PROPERTIES GETTING SMALLER AND CITY LIVING BECOMING MORE DESIRABLE FOR NEW HOMEOWNERS, ROOFTOP GARDENS ARE A GROWING CITY TREND
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eautifying grey urban work and residential areas has been a challenge in many concrete jungles around the world and, in recent times, busy city dwellers have a newfound appreciation for the greener side of life. As a result, a whole new world of flora opportunities has sprouted in city centres around the world. Often dubbed the greenest commercial complex in India, CRISIL House, Hiranandani Gardens, Mumbai has 14 gardens inside the building; the ITC Green Centre in Gurgaon is certified as one of the world’s greenest buildings, eco-friendly yet commercially viable, and uses drip irrigation for the garden; and in New York, Bank of America Building (One Bryant Park) is the city’s most sustainable skyscraper, with green roofs and an Urban Garden Room that brings the park nearby into the architecture, emphasising the natural
Nedbank Phase II
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qualities of city life. As a solar-rich country that typically experiences adequate rainfall to sustain urban greening, Johannesburg – with its millions of trees, and as one of the most wooded cities in the world; has joined the urban greening movement, led by corporates as well as individuals around the city. The Green Building Council SA developed the Green Star SA rating tools to provide an objective measurement for green buildings in South Africa and to recognise and reward environmental leadership in the property industry. Multiple awardwinning company, Insite Landscape Architects, has worked on several four-to six-star rated premium projects such as Nedbank Phase II, Sandton and Standard Bank in Rosebank. The Green Building rating incorporates design, construction and operational practices that significantly reduce or eliminate the negative impact of development on the environment and people – green buildings are energy efficient, resource efficient and environmentally responsible. The striking five-star rated Standard Bank building at 30 Baker Street is one of Johannesburg’s corporate buildings featuring an atrium with trees. It also overlooks a rugby-sized urban garden with 422 trees, indigenous flower gardens and lawn areas. Talking to Business Day about the cost of attaining
Vodafone Site Solution Innovation Centre
a Green Star rating, Rory Roriston, head of Standard Bank Real Estate Asset Management, said the development had achieved the five-star rating without substantial additional costs. Achieving a Green Star rating had cost only about 3% more than the same building without sustainable features would have cost, he said. More laid back is The Living Room, based in the vibrant Maboneng District of Johannesburg – a unique urban jungle oasis filled to the brim with vertical gardens, trees and plants that serves as an event venue, cafe and show space. Patrons enjoy healthy food, sharing food, salads, smoothies and sundowners in a relaxed, plant-filled rooftop. And if you’re thinking of putting a garden together at home, it’s as simple as a quick Pinterest search, and local flora can be used on just about any rooftop and work very well if you are looking for minimal maintenance. However, it’s advised that a licensed professional checks out the structural capacity of the building beforehand, to assess whether or not the roof is stable enough to support the additional weight of a rooftop garden and the waterproofing component is also
LIVING
IMAGES GLH Architects
critical. This, of course, could be more of a challenge if you’ve got a body corporate with strict rules on either the aesthetics or structure of your apartment; however, a bit of digging for the right information may lead you in the right direction. Puwai Mpofu, is a farming and gardening enthusiast and entrepreneur who also makes and sells rooftop and hanging gardens, says that although the uptake of residential gardens hasn’t been very high, he believes it’s growing. “It’s my opinion that every building should have a green roof. Although the visual, convenience and even health aspects of rooftop and hanging gardens are undeniable, they have yet to rise in popularity in Johannesburg and other cities in South Africa. Rooftop gardens work really well and the financial barriers that deter most homeowners will eventually subside with more competition from installers of the solution.” The Johannesburg Development Agency has also made a mark on the ground with a project called Makhulong A Matala (“greener pastures”), and has planted a rootop food garden on the corner of Peterson and Edith Cavell streets in the inner city of Johannesburg. This rooftop garden is aimed at empowering people to promote healthy eating, overcoming
ROOFTOP GARDENS PROVIDE TEMPERATURE CONTROL, HYDROLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS hunger, transferring skills, reducing unemployment by supplementing the family income through saving on the purchase of fresh vegetables, and alleviating malnutrition. This is one of six other projects of this nature at buildings in Johannesburg. There are four rooftop gardens and two ground gardens in Hillbrow, Joubert Park, Troyeville, Newtown and Fordsburg, growing spinach, beetroot, onions, tomatoes, cabbage, beans and rosemary, among other crops. There are several benefits to rooftop gardens – besides the decorative and food benefits, rooftop gardens provide temperature control, hydrological benefits, architectural enhancement, recreational opportunities and, on a large scale, may
even have ecological benefits. Simply tending a garden has been known to have calming effects, and is therefore a great remedy for stress. With the rising unemployment rate in South Africa, the growth of green roof market creates new job opportunities related to manufacturing, plant growth, design, installation and maintenance. “People being able to live off a piece of land, no matter how large of small, is an excellent privilege to have, so I believe South Africans should take much more advantage of the opportunity, and in terms of urban planners, becoming green should be very high on their priority list,” says Mpofu.
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TRAVEL
Everview Suite
CATER TO YOU THERE WAS A TIME WHEN ‘SELF-CATERING’ MEANT ROUGHING IT IN CHEAP BUNK BEDS, BUT OUR LUXURY TAKE ON IT WILL HAVE YOU FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE IDEA
WESTERN CAPE
EVERVIEW SUITE, CAPE TOWN
If you could picture nirvana on earth, then Everview Suite could be the closest we can get to paradise. With unparalleled views of the Atlantic, this Camps Bay apartment gives you equally impressive panoramic vistas of Lion’s Head. Accommodating six people, Everview Suite has three recently renovated bedrooms all with en-suite bathrooms; its open-plan modern décor is perfect for a couple’s retreat (sadly it does not accommodate pets). With wireless Internet throughout the property and a Nespresso coffee machine and milk frother, you won’t have to leave the house if you don’t want to. But if you do – the apartment is only a 10-minute drive to the Table Mountain Cable Car and a short walk from Camps Bay’s buzzing beach – getting around won’t be a problem, because it is located 100 metres away from a myCiti bus stop. As Everview Suite is part of a bigger property that includes bungalows, the owners stipulate no parties or smoking, and the minimum stay is two nights. When you consider that Everview Suite is considered to be on Airbnb’s current top 15 listings from around the world, it’s not surprising then that a night’s stay here will cost you R6014. But you can’t put a price on the suite life, can you?
BEST PART Everview Suite interior
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BY LERATO TSHABALALA
The apartment is serviced Monday to Friday, so no need to stress out about cleaning up after yourself when you’re on holiday. www.airbnb.com
TRAVEL
Melkkamer Manor House
MELKKAMER MANOR HOUSE AT DE HOOP, OVERBERG
For those with a penchant for the great outdoors, De Hoop’s Melkkamer Manor House is the place for you. Just a threehour drive from Cape Town, De Hoop, according to capenature.co.za, “forms part of the world’s smallest and most threatened plant kingdom – the Cape Floral Kingdom”. It is the perfect pit stop if you’re on your way from the Cape winelands to preppy Plettenberg Bay. Whether you want to gaze at the stars and learn about the constellations, or perhaps go on a guided ecoquad bike trail, you won’t need to worry about missing the gym while you’re vacationing. Bird enthusiasts will love the two-hour guided bird walk, but if you’re looking at activities less strenuous, then you could simply go on a game drive and enjoy the wildlife (don’t forget to bring your binoculars and sunscreen). Melkkamer Manor House has four bedrooms – all with ensuite bathrooms – and an outdoor braai area, and is perfect for children. It offers babysitting but at an extra cost. Ladies, you will definitely need to book yourself a treatment at the SPA @ De Hoop and get pampered with Africology products. With 36 000 hectares of De Hoop conservation area being part of a World Heritage Site, the outdoors has never been more luxe.
Melkkamer Manor House interior
BEST PART
Whale-watching season between May and November, when 40% of the world’s Southern right whales come to breed each year. www.dehoopcollection.co.za
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ZENCELO is a Full-Flat switch designed as much for being admired as being used. Available in Silver Bronze (SZ) and White (WE).
TRAVEL
Brahman Hills interior
KWAZULU-NATAL BRAHMAN HILLS, NATAL MIDLANDS
“This is self-catering without the ‘self’ catering” sounds like a bold assertion, but in this case it’s true. Taking care of everything from making beds and washing dishes, Brahman Hills will even organise you a chef on days when you don’t feel like cooking. The self-catering cottages are situated in the Blue Crane Nature Private Reserve and they’re equipped with the full DStv bouquet, a jacuzzi for your enjoyment during the summer months and a fireplace for cooler seasons. With expansive views of the Drakensberg mountains, you may recall Brahman Hills in its previous incarnation as the Windmills Hotel. Gill Bowmaker, a hospitality specialist, assisted the property's new owners in achieving Brahman Hills’ makeover. Yet this is not one of those refurbishments that cost the environment, as they used repurposed materials such as recycled corrugated iron (which you can see while at the Afro Zen Spa for a treatment). With a dedicated halaal chef, you might also want to book 89 on Copper, for a private dining experience, and celebrate your life with those you love.
Brahman Hills view
BEST PART
Getting married and need a venue with spectacular views and great accommodation? Brahman Hills is known as a premium venue for a wedding in the Midlands. It can accommodate up to 380 people. www.brahmanhills.co.za
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TRAVEL
Walkersons Hotel
MPUMALANGA WALKERSONS HOTEL AND SPA, DULLSTROOM
Walkersons Hotel interior
It’s often said that you’re likely to come back empty-handed after an afternoon of fishing, but with famously well-stocked trout dams, this won’t be your experience when you stay at Walkersons Hotel and Spa in Dullstroom. For a five-star self-catering experience book the eight-sleeper, aptly named Riverview Cottage, which overlooks the idyllic Lunsklip River. Walkersons prides itself on having a chef who is a member of the elite Chaîne des Rôtisseurs international gastronomic society. Chef Adri van Wieringen changes the menu every day, so you are guaranteed to dine like the African queen or king you are. But Chef Adri also contributes to the local community by providing free cooking courses for the community; 11 of his former students have found employment as a result of the classes. Back to your holiday, though, take time out to dine over a five-course meal, or sit outside your room and enjoy the Mpumalanga hills. Children over six years old are also welcome to join their parents in the family dining room.
BEST PART
Famous for its scones and high tea, Walkersons Hotel and Spa is great for day visitors who want a little bit of fine dining while road-tripping. www.walkersons.co.za
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TRAVEL
Swimming pool at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa
THE PEARL OF AFRICA
LERATO TSHABALALA FINDS HERSELF ENCHANTED BY KAMPALA’S BEAUTY AND HER WARM PEOPLE
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You southern Africans like to say ‘neh’ a lot. What does it actually mean?” asks Mildred Apenyo. An ironic question considering that according to Africa’s geographical history, we have a lot in common as Bantuspeaking people. It’s 2014 and I’m at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana on a fellowship with 24 other Africans from all over the continent, and Apenyo is one of my classmates. Apenyo, an entrepreneur who runs Kampala’s first women-only gym, is the first person I meet and interact with who’s from Uganda. Feisty, strong-willed and one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen, Apenyo would wake up on Sundays and make traditional food that reminded her of
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home. I recall eating some delicious greens (like our version of morogo) she’d made and wondering if I’d ever visit her country. Speaking mostly Luganda, Ugandans are part of the Bantu-speaking people of East Africa, with most Bantu nations starting in Central Africa, including nations around the African Great Lakes and in southern Africa. Swahili, one of the country’s most widely spoken languages, has a lot of similarities to Zulu (for instance, the word for someone white in Zulu is umlungu and in Swahili it’s mzungu). Fast forward two years later and I’m on an Airlink flight to Uganda’s capital city, Kampala, inhabited by more than a million people. As a proud Joburger, I’ll tell you something for free: flying over this buzzing
metropolis is as thrilling as watching paint dry. We have no sea views, no mountains or hills to marvel over, just plain old flat buildings. However, there’s nothing liking flying over Lake Victoria. With the tiny islands that float magnificently over the lake, you are greeted from above by the promise of a memorable trip. And fortuitously for me, Kampala didn’t disappoint. I finally understood why Winston Churchill decided to anoint Uganda as the ‘Pearl of Africa’.
THE FOOD…
The first thing you do when you land in a new place is eat, for practical reasons obviously, but also because it’s often said that there’s no better way to learn about a
TRAVEL host, Byron, called out “Megan”, “Eddie” and “Natasha” and marvelled at how each of the chimps would respond when their name was being called.
Golf course at Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa
country than to see how the people eat. An hour after checking into the ridiculously well-located Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa (LVSGR & Spa), I’m standing at the hotel’s buffet wondering whether I should have some posho (or ugali, a maize starch that tastes and looks a lot like pap) or matooke, which is mashed plantain cooked in a sauce with peanuts, with my luwombo (a stew made with either beef or chicken). The hotel, which has 124 rooms and spectacular views of the lake, has themed food nights and on the night of our arrival, the theme was traditional food. When you’re eating out in Kampala, look forward to eating a lot of greens and enjoying the rich tapestry of culinary influences from around the world (like a chapati usually served with fried beans, called kikomondo). I discovered that the best way to wash down my food was with my favourite Ugandan beer, Nile Special. For sundowners over Lake Victoria, I found the local coconut-flavoured gin, Uganda Waragi, to be the perfect accompaniment to my tonic.
But if spending your hard-earned randelas is what you’re after, then head on over to the markets (Nakasero Market and Bugoli Market on Luthuli Rise come highly recommended). This is one of the few times when you’re travelling that you’ll be glad to be carrying rands, because 300 Ugandan shillings are about R1.18. On the day we visited the market, I bought three bags, oven mitts made with beautiful traditional fabric, a sarong for my sister, earrings for a friend and a leather cuff, all for just less than R700. You can get anything from accessories and furniture to some of the most gorgeous leather bags and shoes for next to nothing because of the exchange rate. Just don’t end up like I did – a miscalculation at the ATM had me carrying so many notes I felt like an 80’s tycoon.
FOR ADRENALINE JUNKIES...
Try riding as a passenger on the Ugandan motorcycles called a boda-bodas. I say adrenaline junkies will like it, because the traffic in Kampala is not for the faint of heart. From motorists navigating tricky roads to motorcyclists on boda-bodas zigzagging around pedestrians and other vehicles, at the end of your journey you’ll feel like you were riding with Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible. But if that’s not your thing, then the hotel can arrange transfers for you, as well as a shuttle for getting around. Much like taxi drivers in Dubai, drivers in Kampala are quite keen on getting there – whether they’re late or not – so it’s best to steel your nerves when in a car.
THINGS TO DO…
Travellers are divided into two types: people who want everything to be within the property of the hotel they’re staying in, or those who would rather use the hotel as only a place to sleep after an adventurous day. If staying put is your thing, then the newly opened Spa at the LVSGR is perfect for the ladies to unwind while the gentlemen enjoy a round of golf at the nine-hole golf course “designed to USGA specifications by internationally acclaimed golf specialists, Golf Plan”. However, for those who prefer to be out and about, you can book a boat cruise and get to see the tiny islands around the lake up close. You can also spend some time at the Ngamba Chimpanzee Sanctuary, about a 40-minute boat ride from the hotel. The sanctuary is home to 49 of our primate cousins, each with a name they answer to. When it was time for them to eat, we watched as our
A MISCALCULATION AT THE ATM HAD ME CARRYING SO MANY NOTES I FELT LIKE AN 80’S TYCOON SAD BUT TRUE…
It’s important that you take note that in 2014, homosexuality was declared illegal in Uganda. That means if you’re gay, you can’t be free to be yourself with your partner, lest you end up spending your holiday in a jail cell. Ugandans are incredibly welcoming and warm people, but this law does alienate a large amount of travellers. A real pity, considering what a lovely country this is.
ONE MORE THING…
The great weather probably has a lot to do with why Ugandans are always in a sunny disposition. The average temperature throughout the year is 26 degrees – a sweet figure when considering South Africa’s icy temperatures during the colder months. I suggest you plan your trip between December and February, when the weather gods are singing. Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa www.serenahotels.com Email: reservations@serenahotels.co.za
Lobby of Lake Victoria Serena Golf Resort and Spa
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LIFESTYLE
CENTRE S T A G E
COULD SOCIAL MEDIA BE A GATEWAY TO HELPING SOUTH AFRICA’S DWINDLING THEATRE AUDIENCES FALL IN LOVE WITH THE STAGE AGAIN? BONOLO SEKUDU GOES IN SEARCH OF THE ANSWERS
IMAGES Felix Maponga Photography
Market Theatre faces
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SO MUCH MORE THAN RADIO
WWW.KAYAFM.CO.ZA
EVENTS | TRAVEL | COMMUNITY | SOCIAL | MEDIA | FAMILY | FUN
LIFESTYLE
John Kani
S
outh African theatres could do with a lot more excitement. That’s not to say we’re lacking on great narratives or talent. Actors and actresses on our television screens, who started their careers in theatre, are proud of this. For them, theatre is where rawness and up-close talent is nurtured and witnessed. Best actress SAFTA awardwinner (for her role in e.tv’s Scandal), Masasa Mbangeni, says theatre audiences are somewhat predictable. “It’s almost like you know who’s going to come to watch a play,” she says.
IMAGES Felix Maponga Photography
Getting theatre to be abuzz and relevant means young people have to be excited about it. When the youth are involved, word gets around fast, because their fingers are ever ready to take a picture, start a conversation, convey a message or debate issues on social media. A visit to the Market Theatre, a historical monument that incubates South Africa’s heritage and raw talent in the Johannesburg inner city, becomes a thought-provoking one, considering the recent metamorphosis of its surroundings. Opposite the theatre is Newtown Junction, a mall that was officially opened in 2014
and is always teeming with young people on their phones.
or digital trends need to be exhausted for it to be continuously relevant,” says Msomi.
The idea that fresh audiences aren’t growing as expected is a concern. Since the opening of Newtown Junction mall, newly built apartment buildings and offices, one would imagine that people would not only pass by but that they would take interest in going into the theatre, but sadly not.
The evolution of technology and a new generation means a disruption of existing norms. In townships, where theatre’s footprints were first set, the medium was not just storytelling – it was entertainment and a way of life, a powerful medium of expression in apartheid South Africa. Today, theatres in townships, which once housed the finest entertainment, are dilapidated and decayed buildings. Audiences seem to have moved on. The convenience of bingeing on a TV series is too attractive. In 2016, gadgets are the preferred mediums of entertainment, convenience and comfort. Take, for instance, Netflix – subscribe to it and you get to stream movies, documentaries and TV series at your leisure via a smartphone, tablet or even laptop.
The increased presence of young people in the area hasn’t translated into bums on seats at the Market Theatre. Brand and communications manager at the theatre, Zama Buthelezi, explains that they’ve made a commitment to unearthing new talent and exposing upcoming writers, directors and performers. “We want to make theatre less intimidating,” Buthelezi says. Are people not going to theatres because they feel it might be for specific folks? Or is their preference elsewhere? Legendary playwright, producer and director, Welcome Msomi, whose most famous work, uMabatha, an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Macbeth, was written in 1970 when theatre was at its peak, concedes that theatre audiences have declined over the years. “To keep theatre alive, social media
Why the numbers are stagnant in theatre could be attributed to the fact that what was entertainment then for young people is not a widely preferred outlet for entertainment today. Inside the Market Theatre, there’s a mature and wise perspective on the status of theatre in South Africa. Known as the godfather
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LIFESTYLE of South African theatre, Dr John Kani, who was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Philosophy in 2013 by Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, commands my attention with his unmistakable voice. “Theatre will never die. It is timeless; theatre is the descendent of the great storytellers. Theatre is not just entertainment, it is art and a lens through which we view our society,” he declares. You can’t argue with a man who has an empressive 40-year-plus body of theatrical work. But you can reason with him... While there is talent and interest in townships, Dr Kani says it’s challenging to access theatres in urban areas. The perception that theatre is accessed and enjoyed by the elite, predominately white audiences, is one that Msomi protests against. To him, “theatre practitioners need to find a way to make theatre more accessible for different demographics in the country,” in order for the art to be passed over to the next generation. Dr Kani and Mbangeni are currently working together on a play, written 20 years ago by arguably one of our country’s best writers, Zakes Mda, called Dying Screams of the Moon. It was prophetic of Mda to have written that work two decades ago, because today the subject of land and identity is being debated, and this is at the core of what the play’s about. At 73 years old, Dr Kani says content in digital spaces lacks insightful and influential ability. But I tend to disagree. Young people have simply moved their conversations to different
Outside Market Theatre
platforms. Identity is an issue young people have taken interest in on social media. Debates about racism and land redistribution are always trending. The Cyberspace has become confrontational and personal; opinions and questions are uncensored. These might not be expressed through art, but are a reflection of our society today. The challenges in South African theatre are not isolated. Solutions are being constantly forged. International counterparts are not letting theatre die; instead, they’re using technology to engage audiences by making theatre available on the Internet. In Britain, sites like Digital Theatre allow people to view theatre via social media just by clicking a button to purchase the entertainment. In America, extensive marketing and advertising on social media seems to be working, what with the success of Fela! on Broadway in 2012. Although South African theatre might not have big budgets, it has social media, and it may be time for our theatres to rethink their marketing. “If we could have anything from America’s theatre industry, it’s their budget and marketing abilities, that’s all,” laments Mbangeni. Theatres need to be mindful that new audiences may come when a new approach is used. It’s not that young people don’t care – they do. They tend to engage with platforms they perceive to be cool, easily relatable and accessible, the way social media is. It’s becoming increasingly clear that the future of theatre is in need of rigorous and targeted social media interaction.
SOUTH AFRICA’S HISTORIC THEATRES MARKET THEATRE The iconic Market Theatre, situated in Newtown, Johannesburg opened in 1976 and challenged the apartheid regime by addressing social and cultural issues at the time. The venue has three theatres, two art galleries and a cabaret venue. Today, the Market Theatre still tells stories that tackle identity, racism and other issues that shape South African society. Markettheatre.co.za STATE THEATRE The Pretoria Theatre on Church Street in the CBD was opened in 1981, and has five theatres featuring shows like opera, ballet, musial, drama and cabaret. It embodies the preservation of heritage, and embraces culture and local talent. Statetheatre.co.za THE JOBURG THEATRE Previously known as the Johannesburg Civic Theatre and owned by the City of Johannesburg, this theatre was opened in 1962 and rebuilt between 1987 and 1992. The Braamfontein complex stages home-grown productions and Broadway musicals, and houses four theatres, including the Nelson Mandela Theatre, and also has dance studios. Joburgtheatre.com ARTSCAPE THEATRE is the main performing arts centre in Cape Town. It was opened in 1971 and features an opera house seating almost 1 500 people, a theatre seating 540 people, and a small venue for 140 people. It was formerly known as the Nico Malan Theatre, but was renamed when it was privatised in 2001. Artscape.co.za THE BAXTER THEATRE CENTRE Built in 1976, the Baxter was a pillar of hope during the apartheid era. By leveraging its strong relationship with the University of Cape Town, the theatre was able to present multiracial, progressive work at a time when all other racial interaction was banned or censored. The Baxter boasts a world-class theatre, rehearsal rooms and a studio stage. Baxter.co.za
IMAGES Felix Maponga Photography
THE PLAYHOUSE COMPANY was originally opened in 1935 in the heart of Durban on Smit Street. It offers a variety of theatre experiences and incorporates an opera auditorium, drama auditorium, cinema for corporate presentations, a loft and an intimate venue used as an experimental theatre. Playhousecompany.com
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FASHION
FAST FASHION TO CELEBRATE HERITAGE MONTH, WE TOOK SIX BUSINESS CHANGEMAKERS TO SUMMER PLACE, WHERE THEY GOT TO EXPERIENCE FERRARI'S NEW 488 SPIDER AND THE SPORTY CALIFORNIA T
Lerato Tshabalala, Judy Dlamini and Ego Iwegbu
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FASHION
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FASHION
Welcome Msomi
WELCOME MSOMI PLAYWRIGHT AND LIVING LEGENDS CHAIRPERSON
“The richness of our culture, both from a South African perspective as well as the diaspora, is one of the many reasons I love being African. When I lived in New York City, I never let go of my heritage; I would find ways to slaughter a goat (though secretly, because it’s illegal in America) by taking it to the basement and performing the ceremony as a way to honour my ancestors. I was born in Chesterville in Durban. My mother was a teacher and my father, who comes from Ndwedwe in rural KZN, was a detective as well a conductor for the Methodist church. Our family is related to the Zulu royal family and when I was about 10 years old, after having my parents teach me how to cook, I made something for King Cyprian (King Zwelithini’s father), and he liked it so much he made a quip that I should come and cook for him at his home. Later, when I would get into theatre as a director and playwright, I would use my life as a way to tell our people’s stories.”
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FASHION
JUDY DLAMINI MANAGING DIRECTOR AND EXECUTIVE CHAIRMAN MBEKANI GROUP
“As a woman in SA, I’m in charge of my destiny, I’m exposed to different sectors of the economy and interact and learn from different people. Though gender inequality is a global challenge, Africa has done better than some developed countries in certain aspects. I’m equally comfortable wearing a business suit to a meeting as I am wearing a doek and a long dress to visit my husband’s ancestral home in rural KwaZulu-Natal in Exobho; slaughtering a cow to honour my ancestors and going to church to thank God for His blessings are two sides of the same coin in my life. My African heritage means I have angels who watch over me – Roman Catholics call them saints, I call them ancestors. It means as a makoti I am comfortable to cook on an open flame and brew umqombothi for my in-laws.”
Judy Dlamini
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Maps Maponyane
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MAPS MAPONYANE ENTREPRENEUR, MODEL AND MEDIA PERSONALITY
“My African heritage is extremely important to me, because I’ve realised that it’s the sameness within our differences that make us such a diverse and beautiful people. I’m Tswana, born in Meadowlands, Soweto, and growing up, my cousins and I would go to my grandmother’s house in Dobsonville for the school holidays. We had to be resourceful with our playtime, so I ended up being quite active and sporty from running around the neighbourhood. My parents worked really hard and sacrificed a lot to make sure I got a good education. My mom was a strict academic and my dad wasn’t as much; this background helped me be able to relate to people from all walks of life. I still buy groceries for my grandmother every time I’m in the country, because my family is part of the reason I’m so grounded, even with the highly glamourised life I lead. I believe if we as Africans used our resources and didn’t wait for the world to take our culture and sell it back to us, we’d do amazing things. Africa is not only the future, but it’s also the present.”
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FASHION
Archie Masebe, Maps Maponyane and Welcome Msomi
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FASHION
ARCHIE MASEBE MANAGING DIRECTOR MCCANN
“Africa presents a unique opportunity for developmental paradigms. It has a surging professional class that came from modest beginnings; it has also afforded most people the opportunity to aspire to a new kind of lifestyle. “I am a part of the storywriters who are telling the narrative about the wealth that the continent has to offer; a story that strongly says we are not just about poverty. As Africans, we are looking less and less for external help and validation. There is a growing pride and confidence in being African.”
Archie Masebe
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Ego Iwegbu
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EGO IWEGBU CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER MISS SALON LONDON & MSLONDON COSMETICS
“I was born in Rostov-On-Don, Russia, to a Nigerian father and a Russian mother. My mixed race heritage means a lot to me. I love that I get to experience, understand and feel a part of both cultures through things like food, attitude, language, style, home and family. I’ll happily enjoy a plate of pounded yam and egusi soup with a bottle of Moët in Sandton any day. I feel completely at home haggling in Asaba market for the best material for a pair of harem pants for a night out in London. And easily rock my snake-skin clutch from Lagos airport at a sophisticated soirée in Washington DC. My first name, Ego (meaning ‘money’ in Igbo) is short for Egoagwu – it means ‘money will never end’. It was my Nigerian grandmother’s name. I feel lucky to have it.”
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FASHION
LERATO TSHABALALA EDITOR - THE AFROPOLITAN
“It’s often said that when you come from Soweto, you can’t really be cultural. My grandmother, Ntombilinah Jwara, a Mpondo woman (part of the Xhosa tribe), married my grandfather, John Tshabalala, and together they had an indelible effect on me as a child. Growing up in Meadowlands, Soweto, my grandmother insisted that we master Zulu, and I’m grateful that she did because now I can read, write and speak Zulu fluently. My grandfather was linguistically talented in that he could speak just about every language in SA with ease, from Venda to Sotho. He loved impressing people by showing them he could speak their language. Their teachings, combined with my parents’ modern outlook on raising my two siblings and I, meant I’ve been blessed with an incredible tapestry of cultural heritage.”
Lerato Tshabalala
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CREDITS PHOTOGRAPHER Gareth Jacobs STYLIST Dominique Wolf, The Style Coach VEHICLES Scuderia South Africa SUITS T M Lewin DRESSES Rubicon & Luminance AFRICAN ACCESSORIES Rosebank Craft Market ZULU SKINS AND SHIELD Rosebank Craft Market VENUE Summer Place CHAIR DL Furniture WATCHES AND FRAGRANCE Bacher & Co.
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The company, with over 1300 stores and partners worldwide, has become an important landmark and epitomizes the “Made in Italy” ethos that has earned Scavolini the trust of millions of people over the years. Scavolini has become internationally synonymous with Italian quality, design and innovation in the modular kitchen industry. The Scavolini headquarters can be found in Montelabbate, Pesaro where it was originally founded with Valter still at the helm. With his children and grandchildren entering, and continuing within the company, the family roots are embedded in the company that is not only the heart of this massive company but also keeps it down to earth and in a way modest. This is important when understanding the simple things in the market and customer satisfaction. Scavolini kitchens manage to conquer a specific corner of the market by focusing its efforts on high quality and affordability yet creating optimal practicality for everyday usage, where real people get together to prepare real food and enjoy it together. This coincides with the Scavolini philosophy that is keeping costs at a competitive level, guaranteeing high standards of product and service quality, and practical innovation in the modular kitchen industry making it efficient and enjoyable for the end user. Scavolini has in the years not only designed and produced kitchens in residential homes but also of late been partnering with other elite and famous designers in other various industries adding new lines and innovation to the design of the kitchens and bathrooms such as, Karim Rhashid, Michael Young, Giugiaro Design, Diesel Industry, Design Nendo by Oki Sato and others. The Scavolini range today consists of three categories: Easy, Basic and Scavolini, with a total of over 30 models with many different variations to each. Each maintaining the core levels of quality but each level being designed according to different levels of affordability offering clients in almost all economic brackets well designed and priced kitchens for everything, from small apartments to large mansions. Scavolini also design and sell high quality bathrooms and living units manufactured purely to your sizing needs and practicality. On the 27th of June the very first Scavolini Store opened in Pretoria and the company is looking at expanding in other major cities in South Africa offering a very competitive range of Italian quality, price and design to the South African market. We pride
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MOTORING
CHASING PAVEMENTS DAMIAN MURPHY PRESENTS TWO SUVS THAT HAVE THE GRIT TO TRIUMPH OVER POTHOLED CITY STREETS, YET POSSESS SO MUCH LUXURY YOU’LL NEVER BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO WHAT YOU DROVE BEFORE
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sports utility vehicle (SUV) has become one of the most popular vehicle choices for modern living. Whether it’s for room to accommodate your golf clubs on weekends, or carrying extramural kit for the kids on weekdays, city folks have come to appreciate the usefulness of a 4x4. With unmatched space, impeccable finishing, superior ride (for better safety and off-road capabilities), these recreational vehicles have evolved to become an important part of city life. Some people buy SUVs for the space, but very few actually buy them for the purpose for which they were built – to take you off the tar onto roads less travelled. For this issue, we drove the new Jaguar F-Pace and the Mercedes Benz GLE Coupé – both incredibly capable of handling themselves around town and in the great outdoors.
Jaguar F-Pace
THE JAGUAR F-PACE
The F-Pace is described by Jaguar as “an SUV that combines maximum driving exhilaration with efficiency. It has the capability for every road and the capacity for every day.” The F-Pace is inspired by Jaguar’s F-Type sports car. Its DNA is inherently racing, but its delivery is completely practical. Owners of this new performance SUV have a multitude of models to choose from, including a supercharged 3.0 litre petrol version and a turbocharged diesel version. Both come with their fair share of thrills but for our own selfish reasons, we’re going to look at the slightly restrained, yet equally impressive, 2.0 litre diesel version. In a world that is all about efficiency and the environment, to get a car that is economical, designers find themselves forced to cut back on power or tone down on torque. These days, it would appear that it’s not possible to deliver a car that thrusts you back Jaguar F-Pace interior
into your seat every time you ram your foot onto the accelerator, yet still only expels 129 g of carbon dioxide per kilometre. Well, not anymore. The F-Pace does just that – delivers on power and performance. Behind the wheel of the F-Pace, you feel in control of the world around you. The engine is incredibly responsive and delivers on what’s required of it. The eight-speed automatic transmission shifts through the gears effortlessly, creating a smooth and elegant ride. We’re not 100% sure if the heads of fellow motorists were turning because the Jaguar stands out more than the competition, or just because it’s so new, but the F-Pace is most certainly a noticeable ride. As far as the off-road capabilities are concerned, the F-Pace is definitely built to tackle tough terrain, but whether we’d want to scratch the immaculate paint job is up for debate. Inside the F-Pace is where the nearly R800 000 you spend on this SUV really pays dividends. Absolutely no expense was spared in creating a car that caters to the every whim and need of a discerning driver. The F-Pace has an extensive range of leathers and sophisticated finishes to choose from, giving you the freedom to create a space that reflects your individual style. It’s all the little touches throughout this Jaguar that add to the luxury of the interior, without compromising on the sporty feel you get behind the wheel. Everything inside the F-Pace is seamlessly connected, eight-inch touchscreen display gives the driver safe control over the audio, navigation and Bluetooth operation of your phone. In the F-Pace, you can watch the road and keep the family happy all at the same time.
PRICES RANGE FROM R770 000 TO R1 218 000 88
MOTORING
THE F-PACE – DELIVERS ON POWER AND PERFORMANCE the city’s toughest of terrains, but one cannot deny that with some of the potholes and roadworks around Joburg, this could easily qualify as rough terrain. Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé interior
THE MERCEDES-BENZ GLE COUPÉ
The GLE joins a very long line of SUVs that Mercedes has released over the last few years. However, the new GLE Coupé represents the first time Mercedes-Benz has produced a full-size sports utility coupé. Its design combines SUV and coupé elements, while its handling combines performance and agility. The end result is a vehicle that is built to inspire. The GLE 450 AMG Coupé has a 3.0 litre V6 petrol engine that delivers a head-spinning 270 kW of power. The ride is unashamedly smooth. Admittedly, we didn’t get to put it through
Back inside the car, the interior is designed to be luxurious in every way. One of the particularly exciting features is the optional ionisation for the interior air. This feature aims to improve the air quality inside the car, giving you that crisp, fresh feeling every time you drive the GLE. The interior, with its high seats and wide-opening doors, makes this coupé feel bigger than it already is. Overall, it’s really tough to find too much wrong with this particular SUV. Mercedes-Benz says the GLE Coupé has been designed to “bring out the best of any terrain” and we couldn’t agree more.
PRICES RANGE FROM R1 123 400 TO R2 089 600
Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé
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ENTERTAINMENT
AFROEVENTS
JAGUAR AND THE AFROPOLITAN MAGAZINE HOSTED A DRIVE EXPERIENCE THAT STARTED AT JOBURG'S TINTSWALO AT WATERFALL AND ENDED AT THE IDYLLIC DE HOEK COUNTRY HOTEL
Salmon formed part of the exquisite lunch menu served by De Hoek Country Hotel
De Hoek serves an exquisite three-course plated meal
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Welekazi Jabosigo gets up close with the Jaguar F-Type
ENTERTAINMENT
Jaguar’s marketing manager, Baxolile Msomi, thanks guests for attending with personalised gifts from Jaguar South Africa
The beautiful Jaguar convoy, ready for the drive back to Tintswalo at Waterfall
The breathtaking Jaguar range
Kagiso Jabosigo falling for the Jaguar XF
IMAGES Gareth Jacobs Photography
Guests enjoy welcome drinks at De Hoek Country Hotel
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THE STYLISTICS
FEAT ORIGINAL MEMBERS AIRRION LOVE & HERB MURRELL
WITH SPECIAL GUEST
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AFROEVENTS
ENTERTAINMENT
RECENTLY, THE AFROPOLITAN AND BAIN'S CAPE MOUNTAIN WHISKY HOSTED AN EVENING OF CONVERSATION ON WEALTH CREATION, ASSISTED BY SANLAM WEALTH
The Afropolitan’s Didi Okoro gets the conversation started
Themba Mogale and Vusie Gulwako enjoy a glass of Bain’s
The Sanlam Wealth team
IMAGES Khwezi Photography
The Little Tuscany kitchen created five-star canapés
The presentations were extremely informative
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ENTERTAINMENT
AFROEVENTS EDCON INTERNATIONAL BRANDS RECENTLY LAUNCHED THEIR SPRING / SUMMER '16 FASHION LINES AT A INTERACTIVE EVENT AT LANGHAMS LIFESTYLE ESTATE IN FOURWAYS, OUR FIRST AFROPOLITAN FASHION NIGHTS EXPERIENCE, HAD VIP GUESTS ENJOYING BRANDS LIKE RIVER ISLAND, DUNE OF LONDON, T.M. LEWIN, MANGO, TOPSHOP TOPMAN, JIGSAW, DOC MARTENS, VINCE CAMUTO AND VERA MODA OVER SOME GOOD AND GREAT TUNES.
The VW photobooth surrounded by Only & Vera Moda display Menswear by T.M. Lewin
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Shoes by Vince Camuto
ENTERTAINMENT
Sushi by the Culinary Co.
Photobooth lovelies The Afropolitan editor Lerato Tshabalala
Liquideep
IMAGES Gareth Jacobs Photography
Guests enjoying the evening
Models displaying the latest fashion
Winner of the R5000 voucher from T.M.Lewin with Puseletso Phiri of Edcon
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LAST WORD
AFRICA‘S PRINCESS ONE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S LEGENDARY SONGSTRESSES, YVONNE CHAKA CHAKA, CHATS WITH BONOLO SEKUDU ABOUT WOMANHOOD, POPULARITY AND AGEING GRACEFULLY
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Not only has her timeless music earned her the title Princess of Africa, she’s now recognised for her humanitarian work as an ambassador for the United Nations. Yvonne Chaka Chaka is an inspiring woman who reminds other South African women of the power they have to build, influence and dominate, wherever they are.
A woman is an all-rounder, a fighter and a Well-Organised MAN (WOMAN).
What does womanhood mean to you?
Women lifting each other up without kicking anyone else down the ladder once they get on top. There isn’t enough support among women – we should aspire to move past this mentality of segregating each other. Womanhood means not looking down on each other, irrespective of your position in the ‘hierarchy’ and status.
As someone who travels quite a lot, what do you love most about travelling? I’ve had the privilege to travel for years and years, since starting out in the music industry decades ago. So whenever I travel, I bring something special back home from countries I visit, from clothes to furniture. That’s why my home of 26 years is such a special place for me.
What are the three things you can’t travel without?
the perks of being in the industry. I’d say popularity taught me that nothing makes anyone who’s in a high position of power or influence better than the next person. It’s taught me to respect other people as human beings.
What makes a good mother?
I’m a mother to four boys, and I can tell you that being a good mother has no recipe. One of the decisions I made was to travel with my children from when they were little. As an artist who travelled all over the world, I didn’t want to compromise on that. I promised to be a present mother, no matter how busy my work schedule was.
What has marriage taught you?
I’m blessed to have a husband who’s understanding and has been very supportive throughout my career. He let me be shared by other people. Marriage has taught me that working together and supporting each other makes a marriage complete.
Without singing I... Am a zero.
First on my list is definitely my Airwaves blackcurrant-flavoured gum – I never go anywhere without it. I love it. Second is my Elizabeth Arden Eight Hour face cream, and third has to be my hand lotion.
Music is my...
Classy. I’m not into fashion trends, but I love good-quality clothes. I still have clothes I bought in Paris and London during my early days of travelling and, although some don’t fit me anymore, I’ve kept them.
Never take anything for granted. Your fans are your masters and the sky isn’t the limit. There aren’t limits to what you can be and what you can achieve.
How would you describe your personal style?
What do you do to look this good at 50?
I’m a little lazy to do gym, so I have to give credit to good genes – my late mother’s to be praised for what you see.
What has popularity taught you?
For me, it was never about being popular, but it comes with
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Life.
What are the three lessons you’ve learnt from show business?
Which phrase has remained constant in your life? God is the only one I will glorify.
What are your thoughts on legacy? Legacy to me is doing what I love best. I may not change the world, but I live to do good, better. That’s what I want to be known and remembered for.
IMAGE Felix Maponga Photography
How would you define a woman?
Yvonne Chaka Chaka
AFROPOLITAN_SEPT16
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