The Big issue South Africa. by Frankio

+ GOODNEWS SECOND RUNNER-UP BEST PUBLICATION WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, 2019 SA PUBLICATION FORUM AWARDSISSUE POCKETCHANGE R12.50 to the vendor (on-street sales) R6.40 to TBI Vendor Fund (in-store sales) R25 PROFREVISITING MADONSELATHULI RISETOWNSHIPS TOPOWER by VanyaattorneyGastrow PROF FALKOFNICKY discusses fear culture in SA SOFFERLARRY Mentalism & magic to blow your mind! SOCIAL JUSTICE EDITION 9781990958502 22310

Giving a hand up, not a

www.futurefoundations.co.za

The iGardi Food Project provides underprivileged communities with access to a nutritious diet by teaching them to grow and maintain their own food gardens.

hand-out.

Future Foundations is the Novus Holdings social investment programme which is firmly rooted in the belief that empowering lives and uplifting communities is key to sustainable development.

Future Foundations supports the iGardi Food Project as we believe it truly empowers communities by giving them a hand up rather than a hand-out.

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 20222

[ ED’S LETTER ] Editor

W elcome to the social justice edition of The Big Issue . The Oxford English Dictionary cites ‘social justice’ as the fair distribution of wealth and opportunities within a society, with taxation being an instrument of social justice to redistribute wealth. Like ‘world peace’, the term is superlative. An ideology. The former infers that there’s injustice in the world, and the latter, that there’s strife. Both are true. We herald our cover, aptly, with former public protector Prof. Thuli Madonsela and revisit her biography, a most ﬁ tting book for this issue. While Thuli is currently busy as a judge for the Miss South Africa pageant, she continues to make her mark as a crusader against the ills of a corrupt SA with her timeous legacy and her role as Professor of Law, occupying the Law Trust Research Chair in Social Justice at Stellenbosch University. More to the point, social justice is also what The Big Issue does best. As an NGO and social justice warrior, The Big Issue is a vehicle to employ marginalised groups of people; our vendors. In this issue we look to local academics for insight: professionals who are brilliant storytellers and who write with academic vigour and methodical research, while crafting wonderfully visceral copy that is compelling and without pomp, in an easy-to-understand fashion. Their arguments are powerful and their research convincing. They bring us the gifts of the paradigm shift, so that we may change our minds, and our perspectives.Oftenmedia is rife with words like: ‘violence, GBV, MEC, unemployment, loadshedding, protest, corrupt, erupt, fast-tracking, policies, state of the nation, faction, report, community engagement’. If your eyes glaze over at the thought of these terms, fear not. We’ve brought it down to a relatable level. We have tried to humanise the gaping issues of social justice with story choices that help us understand one another, and shift attitudes. And for the biggest shift of all, read our article about Larry Soffer, the magician and mentalist who bends metal with his mind. It’ll demand you suspend all judgement with an openminded state of being. It was Steve Biko who once said, “The most potent weapon in the hand of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.” The power is in you. Enjoy!

INPOWERTHEYOU

and we will post a free sample copy of the magazine to you. Or download a free PDF

Authentic Luxury is the Absence of Need and the Presence of Meaning According to the 2016 PIRLSReport, South Africa was placed last out of 50 countries. [The Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) is a research project designed to measure Reading for Meaning at the fourth-grade level.] issue magazine is designed for Grade R-3 learners to help improve their learn-to read and read-to learn literacy levels . little issue is distributed FREE to mainly primary schools in townships around the country. support little issue through personal giving, philanthrop y, family trust, company foundation or CSI division. Or purchase the magazine at selected PicknPay and stores nationwide. atinfo@littleissue.org.za at at

derekcarelse@mweb.co.za and on 0827887098/ 021 littlewww.littleissue.org.zawww.bigissue.org.za4616690.issueisownedbyTHEBIG ISSUE NGO.

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Contact our MD Desireé Johnson for a discussion of your needs or requirements at 021 013 0411 • desireejohnson@mikatekomedia.co.za www.mikatekomedia.co.za • twitter: @MediaMikateko • instagram: @_mikatekomedia facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MikatekoMedia/

Media is a black, female-owned and controlled communications agency and has been operating since 2008. We are a Level 2 B-BBEE supplier and we pride ourselves on partnering with our clients along their business journeys. As a strategic communications agency, our strength lies in using content as a powerful tool to create conversations between brands and their audiences. Over the last three years, we have raked in more than 60 awards for creative and editorial excellence. The Mikateko Media team would be pleased to journey with you and be a partner in your communications strategy and execution.

Claremont, Cape Town

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Name: Goodman Zenani Vendor number: 1654 Age: 46 Find him at: the robots at the corner of Bowwood and Main roads, Claremont, near the Lotto ofﬁces. About: Goodman joined The Big Issue in 2008. He has four children (two boys and two girls) ranging in age from 9 months to 11 years. A resident of Gugulethu, Goodman is a talented pencil artist, and he gets his inspiration from nature and other things he sees around him. He is also a house painter, and does waterprooﬁng and plastering.

[ WE ARE VENDORS ] SOURCE:ANDIMAGES NHEMACHENATSEPHISO LOVE YOUR LOCAL VENDOR Our vendors operate as self-made entrepreneurs and their sole earnings are the proﬁts made from each magazine they sell. We appeal to you to donate to their wish lists below, enabling them to further their opportunities. And, if you can make a dream come true, please get in touch.

The Big Issue because it has given him a chance at making some money. He is also a ‘jack of all trades’ and is hardworking.

Wish list: Goodman is appealing to readers for painting or waterprooﬁng jobs so he can earn extra income. He also needs help buying clothes for his enjoyschildren.selling

The Big Issue is available from vendors in the suburbs of Cape Town, and from select Spar, CNA, and Pick n Pay stores nationwide. GET IN TOUCH! Email our social worker Tsephi placements@bigissue.atorg.za

Name: Odwa Ntlanganiso Vendor number: 2106 Age: 21 Find him at: Bowwood Road and Main Road, Claremont. About: Odwa joined The Big Issue in February 2021. He is unmarried, and has no children. This Philippi resident

Wishlist: His dream is to get a driver’s licence (code 14) so he can get work as a driver. He would also like to train to quality as a security guard.

“I enjoyed [it] very much. I would want to have more outings like these because they are fun” – Buhle

FILM FUN FOR BIG ISSUE KIDS that keep them in dire poverty. The lack of exposure continues to create these barriers as their interests are limited by their circumstances. Bridging this gap is not easy due to ﬁnancial constraints but we try to do what is within our capacity. Despite the restricted budget within which we operate at The Big Issue, we managed to execute the plan. A great achievement!Our Big Issue head ofﬁce would love and appreciate discounts or vouchers, from whomever can offer them, to treat the children more often than we do. After the outing, this was what the kids had to say:

Watching a new, trendy movie is a experiencedelightfulforany teenager. More so for the vendors’ children, especially because such opportunities don’t knock on their door often. On 16 July, we took the vendors’ kids on an outing to watch the movie Minions: The Rise of Gru. This was an exciting day and for most of the children, their very first experience watching a movie at the cinema. It delights us to know that we were able to afford the kids an experience that will form part of the significant memories of their lives. The kids in the group were aged between 13 and 18, but it’s worth noting that the average first cinema experience for children in more privileged settings is between three and four years old, according to US-based Journalist Sierra Filucci. The vendors’ teens are therefore considered late starters regarding this cinematic experience, which for many is as commonplace as eating or sleeping. As a part of improving the lives of disadvantaged people and marginalised groups of society, taking the kids to movies forms part and parcel of our endeavours.Weknow for the vendors there are many competing priorities, and a movie outing is not top of their list. We try to offer their children opportunities that their peers in different settings experience. This is an effort to bridge the social gap that exists between the vendors’ kids and some of their peers. The distribution of these opportunities helps to remove barriers

“The whole experience was exciting and fun. I really enjoyed myself. I am looking forward to doing this again. I couldn’t wait to share with my friends about the movie. I even took a video [of the day] to share with my friends” –Unako

TheSocialNhemachena,TsephiWorker,BigIssue

“It was very nice. It was not my ﬁrst time to watch a movie at the cinema, but I last watched one a while ago. So, this was a great experience for me” –Zandile We look forward to many more wonderful outings.

[ SOCIAL WORK COLUMN ] IMAGES:ANDSOURCE NHEMACHENATSEPHI THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022

If you would like to support our vendors in any way, or if you have opportunities and ideas that could help them, please feel free to get in touch with Tsephi via email or give her a call. She is looking forward to engaging with you at placements@bigissue.org.za or call 021 461 6690.

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] 7

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

For most of our vendors’ teenage children, a recent outing to watch a movie in a cinema was a ﬁrst-time experience.

It was very nice. It was not my ﬁrst time to watch a movie at the cinema, but I watchedlast one a while ago. So, this was a meexperiencegreatfor–Zandile

www.capeculturalcollective.org.za/capeculturalcollective//capeculturalcollective//cape-cultural-collective/Atthe monthly cost of two burgers and a coke, you can allow Rachel* to realise her potential. “When I am with the choir, I feel I am worth something”- 14-year-old Rachel* The CCC promotes youth development through choirs and music lessons. The Circle of Culture is our main funding platform - a network of people who contribute R200 a month or an annual lump sum. Kindly make a donation and invest in the future of our children. For more information, contact us at capeculturalcollective@gmail.com. To donate, visit our Donate page https://capeculturalcollective.org.za/go/donateat *Name changed to protect identity

Tablet computers were recently given to Eerste River grandmothers as part of the goGOGOgo project.

WORDS AND IMAGE: SIPHOKAZI MNYOBE, PUBLISHED ORIGINALLY ON WWW. GROUNDUP.ORG.ZA

“During the pandemic, children were compelled to study online and most gogos were not familiar with technology. We saw this as an opportunity to educate older people about technology so they can adapt and move with time.” Jane adds that Vumatel sponsored the project and they hope to expand it to other township schools in the future.

“M y grandchildren will grow up knowing not to give up on their dreams,” says 66-year-old Olga Mhlontlo from Mfuleni. Olga was among 11 grandmothers (gogos) who received tablet computers earlier this year after completing two weeks of training on how to use technology to access digital applications and online government services.Thiswas part of a project called goGOGOgo, piloted in Alexandra, Johannesburg, which teaches older people in townships to be more tech savvy. In most cases, the gogos are the sole providers for their families and are raising their grandchildren using their Older Persons Grant. During lessons, they were taught the basics of using the internet, emails and some commonly used social media apps. The gogos from different townships were dressed in traditional attire. One by one they shared their experiences with the project and how they learned to navigate the apps on the tablets. They also received certificates for completing the workshop. “I learned about social media and the benefits of connecting with people. I always thought people were wasting time on Facebook or WhatsApp but now I know you can even advertise your business there. I will also ask my grandchildren to teach me things I do not know, like downloading a bank app,” Olga says. She first heard about the project from her two grandchildren who attend Apex High School in Eerste River, where the training was held. Sheila Moore, a Neighbourhood Watch member, says, “We are trying by all means to ensure that there’s no crime in the community and that children go to school. I’m sure that when children see these gogos graduate, they will be inspired to do more in school.”

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

My theirtoknowinggrowchildrengrand-willupnotgiveupondreams

Cape gettownshipTowngranniestechsavvy

FOR INFORMATIONMORE More than ever, families and communities are being held together by older women. goGOGOgo exists to support them. Visit www.go-gogo-go.org.za.

Jane Simmonds, Founder of goGOGOgo, says the tablets will help the gogos bond better with their families, as well as help their grandchildren who will now be able to do research on the devices, too.

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ WRITER’S CORNER ] 10

CHAIR

The biography, No Longer Whispering to Power: The Story of Thuli Madonsela by Thandeka Gqubule, (Jonathan Ball Publishers) received mixed reviews, and, although it was published in 2017, remains a national staple that helps makes sense of a corrupt and complicated South African social justice system. In the author’s words, “If someone has the power to make a change that he or she can see will reduce injustice in the world, then there is a strong social argument for doing just that.”

JUSTICESOCIAL

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

T hulisile Nomkhosi ‘Thuli’ Madonsela, South African advocate and professor of law, holds a chair in social justice at Stellenbosch University. She conducts and coordinates social justice research, and teaches constitutional and administrative law. She served as the Public Protector of South Africa from 19 October 2009 to 14 October 2016. In her final days in office, Thuli compiled the explosive State Capture Report and, before that, the report on past President Jacob Zuma’s Nkandla residence. Praised and vilified in equal measures, she has frequently found herself at centre stage in the increasingly fractious local political scene. It could be argued that her success has been down to timing, dealing with some of the biggest political scandals in SA. Yet, despite the intense media scrutiny and criticism, Thuli remains something of an enigma. Who is this soft-spoken woman who stood up to state corruption? Where did she develop her views and resolve? This book attempts to answer these questions, and others, by exploring many aspects of her life: her childhood years and family, involvement in student politics, contribution to the Constitution, and her life in law. Thuli once described her role of public protector as being akin to that of the Venda traditional spiritual female leader, the Makhadzi (a woman who is entrusted with making the biggest decisions in the family; an advisor or aunt to the king), who whispers truth to the ruler. When the sounds of the exchanges between the ruler and the Makhadzi grow loud, Thuli said, that is when the whispering has failed. No Longer Whispering to Power focuses on her tenure as public protector, during which the whisper grew into a

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022

‘Indlala ibanga ulaka.’ Hunger causes anger – Thandeka Gqubule

Mpho Bernadette writes on Goodreads: “I actually abandoned the book. To say it was disappointing was an understatement. Thuli [the author] should have asked Redi Thlabi to write it. I needed a thesaurus to try and read it and then also had to navigate through lessons on pointless idioms that really should not have been there in the ﬁ rst place. Waste of trees, ink, electricity and space on the shelf, shame. I wanted to really get to know Thuli Madonsela and what made her. I may try to read it again at a later stage to fulﬁ l the purpose of knowing who the remarkable subject matter is. Truly speaking, Thuli Madonsela is a phenomenal woman.”

PUBLIC REVIEWS HP Ntuli reviews via Goodreads: “Very interesting angle in telling Thuli’s story. At ﬁ rst I had no idea how politically active she has been in her youth. I guess it’s the predemocracy life of any black South African to be always caught in the mix of politics. [It] seemed her and her brother found politics the only way to make a difference in their communities. Pretty fascinating was her [rise] to the top ofﬁ ce. There, she assumed the role of a real people protector with vigour. It was quite clear that her involvement in struggle was motivated by the need to make a difference, the need to contribute positively to her people. In her role, she fought greed with all she had, questioned the masters that hired her and rewrote the South African history of hope and belief that all nations regardless of colour can work towards a common goal. She led the South African protest for equality and transparency without compromise. Her no pain no gain attitude made her fearless to all the threats and stones thrown at her. At the end, Thandeka drives it home to me by almost asking the important question. What kind of South Africa do we all want?”

cry. It’s the story of the South African people’s attempt to hold power to account through the Ofﬁce of the Public Protector. More signiﬁcantly, this important book stands as a record of the crucial work Thuli has done, always acting without fear or favour.

Sarahleen Strickland, reviewing on Amazon, reports: “I thought it was a very well written book. Very intensively researched and not an easy subject matter. I did struggle with the end result though, for me, it was more a book about the history of SA and the ANC rule, the terrible corruption, raping of the resources of SA and incompetence of the ANC ruling party and other ofﬁ cials. I was looking forward to learning more about the person – Thuli Madonsela – but felt it concentrated on the ofﬁ cial person, who is obviously a very admirable and morally strong woman. I felt I was reading a thesis or dissertation, and am none the wiser about Thuli Madonsela.”

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Siphiwe Dondolo writes on Amazon: Loved it! The strength and resolve of Thuli Madonsela is truly inspirational. I got a good sense of who Thuli the person is and Thuli the Public Protector. Great work by Thandeka Gqubule.

Author of Citizen and Pariah, Vanya Gastrow completed her PhD in 2017. She holds a BA LLB MPhil (private law) from UCT and is an admitted attorney. Her research interest in law and society has resulted in a compelling book about xenophobia, foreign traders and their existence in South African townships, a complex topic. A visceral reporting style reveals a parallel fantastical legal ‘reality’ that in no way reﬂects the constitutional laws of SA.

The rise townshipofpower

T hose who have never set foot in a township will develop a new and educated view about the enormous part townships play in South African society, as Vanya Gastrow unpicks a sub-strata of systems that work parallel to local laws. Her book transports the reader to the heart of the townships that evoke fear in many of us, appalled and horriﬁed by the levels of poverty and crime, often preferring to look away. Some have forgotten, others not old enough to know, but Steve Biko was sceptical about black assimilation into society. He believed black South Africans

WORDS: LAURA JONES

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

Police and government are reluctant to get involved, preferring to sit on the sidelines to avoid ‘escalation’ and outbreaks of violence, doing little to correct residents’ misinterpretation of the law. The casualties of these informal systems are foreigner traders. Vanya writes, “In most cities in South Africa Somalis have established neighbourhood enclaves where they live in tight-knit communities that are largely cut off from mainstream South African society.” She says that SA residents tolerate them because of their low prices and the range of services they offer. Most Somali asylum seekers or refugees can legally live and work in SA. But their rights are made tenuous by SA’s corrupt and erratic refugee reception ofﬁces.

A woman Vanya interviews describes punishment that is meted out, recalling a problematic youth in Lloyd who repeatedly committed crime. The youth was apprehended, and the committee called a meeting to discuss his fate. Residents in attendance were frustrated and at their wits’ end, and after some discussion, community leaders at the meeting requested that all women leave the“Thevenue.woman shakes her head as she thinks back. At the time she found the request odd, she says, but she followed through with the instruction and left. The men who remained behind apparently surround the delinquent youth and beat him to death.” Vanya writes, “This dramatic illustration is difﬁcult for me fully to absorb and I drive home in numbed shock.”

“To a great extent violent vengeance was as much a means of gaining a sense of control over local surroundings as it was a way of pursuing justice,” Vanya says.

FICTIONAL LAWS Vanya reports that a Reverend Mbekwa, who has chaired meetings between traders in Khayelitsha for years, addressed an audience at Khayelitsha Resource Centre about foreign traders in Cape Town. She writes: “What he describes as official ‘law’ is partly fictional... No law in Cape Town requires spaza shops to possess permits. Likewise there is no by-law limiting the so-called influx of foreign traders in the neighbourhood or city. But no one in the room – including representatives of the South African Police Service who are there – seems willing to question Mbekwa’s construction of a parallel legal reality”.Oneof the biggest mistakes you can make, as an urban South African, is to assume that township society is disorganised and haphazard. Quite understandably Vanya says townships on the fringes of Cape Town rely on self-help and governance.

She documents, after interviewing a shop owner, “Just operating a spaza shop can be a form of psychological warfare. ‘I couldn’t sleep at night,’ a former Khayelitsha trader conﬁded. Three of his friends were murdered in separate incidents in his vicinity. While lying restlessly in bed a night, his mind would jitter with thoughts of assailants lying in wait.”

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ SOCIAL JUSTICE ] couldn’t escape their predicament by trying to assimilate into white society. Biko was adamant that only when blacks and whites could openly discuss issues about race, would there be true unity. His statement infers an emotional intelligence beyond ﬁnger pointing, and was particularly relevant during the dismantling of apartheid. But what has become of that bold, open-minded thinking today? Do South Africans have enough maturity and depth to want to challenge their belief systems? Or are we worn out and angry after decades of abuse from governments that have failed to deliver, let alone unify people? These are difﬁcult questions.

The communities are meticulously organised from street level upwards with street committees convening regularly, sometimes twice a week. Unresolved issues are dealt with by area committees and thereafter escalated to ward or township committees. All of these fall under the South African National Civic Organisation (SANCO) invested in township governance. This highly regulated system incorporates laws and punishments that are entirely ﬁctional, running in a parallel reality to real local laws. It’s two different worlds. Vanya explains that this fabricated system often overrides many voices at street level, unable to compete with the hierarchy. She says that these rules and customs can mean death or injury as punishments can be violent, explaining that members of the community enforce their laws themselves.

Citizen and Pariah not only lifts a lid on xenophobia – which exists as part of the giant fabric of township life, ingrained in the psyche of every township dweller – but also informs and exposes the truth, for a renewed understanding of how and why violence is perpetrated in the townships. There is deep insight on how residents live and deal with criminal behaviour, and form certain attitudes in their own societies. You’ll gain an understanding of why the government and police often ignore what goes on in townships.

SOCIAL JUSTICE IN TOWNSHIPS

“Meting out violence against criminals, suspects or ‘skollies’ seemed more like a purging, an attempt violently to remove what was perceived as wrong or corrupt within society. Through such acts residents were able to vent deep-seated feelings of social and personal frustration and disaffection, and create a renewed sense of order and control.”

Q In essence, your book opens a door to the curious reader, providing a wide window through which to view and understand township life differently. South Africans can get a visceral sense of township cultural identity and understand why people there behave a certain way. Your book can help shift old attitudes, and longheld beliefs because your experience and research have helped de-mystify the unknown by providing carefully researched information and in-depth knowledge of the workings of the townships. Thoughts?

provides a valuable perspective on how localised contestations can gradually gain momentum and inﬂuence national level laws and politics over time.

A One of the advantages of indepth qualitative research is that it tends to expose how varied and complex people and situations are, making it harder to pigeon-hole individuals and lump them into neat groups. It also humanises and portrays members of society as three-dimensional beings, even when they may be acting in extreme and hostile ways. I think that this does have the potential to demystify the ‘unfamiliar’ whether they are impoverished residents in Cape Town satellite neighbourhoods, or foreign traders working late into the night behind their tills. This fosters more productive discussions than debates founded on tropes and stereotypes.

Q A lot of the research was collected about a decade ago, and the book published recently. Why the lapse in the timeline?

Q We read about the paradigm shifts you experience on a personal level as well. What is most signiﬁcant for you after having completed this project?

A I think that when local informal governance reﬂects the spirit of the country’s constitution and its underlying values of dignity, freedom, and equality it can make a healthy contribution to democracy. However, when it becomes a parallel system that enables people to by-pass laws protecting vulnerable groups and behave in corrupt, exclusionary and tyrannical ways, it can threaten the country’s democratic fabric. Political leaders and elected ofﬁcials should therefore not by any means tolerate or condone the latter phenomenon.

A After collecting my initial ﬁeld work between 2010 and 2013, I wrote three reports on the topic, completed a PhD, and had two children. The latter being by far the most challenging endeavour! By the time I began writing the book, many years had passed. However, inadvertently, the time lapse meant that the book could examine the evolution of regulatory actions over a decade, as opposed to a more static depiction of events. This WITH

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

IN DISCUSSION

A The lootings did not arise out of nowhere. For many years leading up to the riots, grassroots leaders across the country had utilised anarchy and violence as a means to achieve their ends. Often, this entailed inciting crowds to join protests, not by appealing to any common vision or struggle, but simply through offering the incentive of material reward through looting. Police were usually poorly prepared and disorganised in the face of these organised attacks, and reluctant to crack down on ring leaders. In my view the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal lootings largely mirrored these earlier patterns of protest, except that until 2021, those targeted were primarily foreign small business owners, not small, medium, and even large South African-owned enterprises.

Q To some extent your research informs us about behaviour around the 2021 KwaZulu-Natal lootings … the inaction/slow-to-action policing, the highly organised modus operandi. What would you say to this?

VANYA

A I have come to realise that many social ills stem from the simple phenomenon of invisibility, which although very common and often unintentional can be brutal on and suffocating for those who experience it. I think we are all conditioned by society to not really see and acknowledge many people around us. The encounters I had, sensitised me to my own habits in this regard, and to an extent changed how I relate to others and understand political and social dynamics.

Q What is the solution, if any, to the legal conundrum with one set of fantastical rules for township residents that don’t comply with the real legal system in SA?

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 Vuyo Myoli has set himself up as a beekeeper in the Cape Town township. WORDS AND IMAGES: ASHRAF HENDRICKS, PUBLISHED ORIGINALLY ON WWW.GROUNDUP.CO.ZA. sweetestGugulethu’sbusiness [ SUSTAINABLE LIVING ] 16

“I needed something that would keep me grounded.” In high school, he learnt about agriculture. These lessons came back to him, and in 2017 he started with small gardens in his community. This helped him out of his depression.

Near a roaring train line and informal market in Gugulethu, the unexpected sound of bees buzzing can be heard from a nearby high school. But these are not wild bees. They belong to Vuyo Myoli, who has set himself up with a small urban beekeeping business. “I’m a farmer by day and artist by night,” says Vuyo, a musician who started beekeeping two years ago. He has a small honey business called Beez Move and he has two active hives at the Gugulethu Comprehensive High School (Intshukumo), alongside a community garden.

Beez Move is near a train line and informal market, on school grounds. But Vuyo is planning to move his business to Manelisi’s Urban Farm in Gugulethu, where he hopes to expand it.

“The idea is to give a free pollination service to these market gardens,” says Vuyo. With the hives placed near the gardens, bees nourish and pollinate the crops. With the knowledge he has gained from mentors over the past three years, he also wishes to educate his community.

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

Vuyo runs workshops in agriculture and beekeeping.“Theythink bees are enemies,” he says. “Bees are friendly. They react to what you are doing. They don’t just attackVuyoyou.”says he fell into a deep depression around 2014 because of the ups and downs of the music industry.

“Not a lot of people will allow you to place bees in their areas,” Vuyo says. He explains he has never been stung, but the volunteers he works with have.

I thought that we were safe in the township until the incident happened,” heInsays.Gugulethu, space is an issue for keeping bees.

most people think gardening is for old people. “They don’t realise that it’s a very important thing. It’s part of our food security.”

As a musician, Vuyo says that honey is necessary backstage to “clean your throat” and “boost your vocal cords”.

“To touch soil is therapy,” he says. When he reconnected with an old musician friend from Stellenbosch, who is a beekeeper, he was introduced to apiculture.Vuyosays

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ SUSTAINABLE LIVING ]

Apart from honey, bees produce wax which can be used for medicines, soap, and hair products. Bees also produce propolis, which they create to tightly seal the hive, and which has medicinal value.

“I don’t know … maybe they know my smell.” There are costs in setting up as a beekeeper, he says. A swarm of bees can cost R1 000; the beehive R1 500; the safety equipment R1 200. Vuyo sells his honey for R100 for a 500g jar, and he can get up to 25kg in a season. He mostly sells to early childhood development centres through the Violence Prevention through Urban Upgrading Programme and the City’s Expanded Public Works Programme of which he is a part. In spring, Vuyo will move his operation to Manelisi’s Urban Farm in Gugulethu. His goal is to expand his business to 40 hives and start producing wax and propolis products. To do this he needs hives, extractors and a container to house his business.

When he started beekeeping, his ﬁ rst Vuyo began beekeeping in 2020. bees died. “I removed them in winter,” he says. He wasn’t sure what they needed to eat. He has also had to deal with vandalism. Recently, someone jumped over his fence and tried to steal his hive. “When you’re keeping bees in the wild, you’re worried about baboons.

Enjoy your free sample of the little issue magazine ISSUE#9 PLUS 9781990958489 22009 All about measuring. How tall are you? PAGE 20 PAGE 18 Your calendarbirthday ISSUE #10 schoolstoFREEsponsored R25 (R12.50 to vendorsold on street. soldVendorR6.25Fundin-store) GRADE R 3 RETAILNORMALPRICEBASED ONTHECURRICULUMNATIONAL JUNE – AUGUST 2022 English,Isixhosa,Afrikaans,Isizulu,SesothoInside PLUS Activities, puzzles and What’s thatweird plantWhoandcreature?Actitoutbesilly!arethethieves? PAGE 14 PAGEPAGE364 WIN A THEATRE OUTING! Rong is waitingfor you insidetheHurry!magazine! COLOURING COMPETITION9781990958489 UJABULiLE! PHUMELELA! PAGES 3&6 Stories • Activities • Recipes • Jokes • Riddles • Competitions 19 Buy YOUR copy of little issue at select Spar, CNA and Pick n Pay stores NATIONWIDE excluding the greater metros of Cape Town YOU ARE THE BOSS OF YOUR BODY NO MEANS NO! STAYING SAFE WHAT IS CHILDLINE? AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

NO MEANS NO! I do not have to be polite if someone makes me feel scared or uncomfortable. It is okay to say NO to a bigger kid or a grown-up and family members.

20 THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 Is botheringorsomebodysomethingyou? Speak out. Call 08000 555 55 anytime. If you feel •••callthreatenedalone,orscared,us.ThenumberisfreetocallfromallcellphonenetworksYoudon’thavetosaywhoyouareSomeonewillbetheretolistenandhelp. Your body, 1. You are the boss of your body. You do not have to hug or touch if you do not want to. 2. Nobody has the right to play games with or touch your body, especially the area that is covered by your bathing costume. 3. We do not look at, touch or play games with anyone else’s private parts. 4. We use the right words for private parts. They are not weird or funny. Everybody has them. 5. No grown-up should ever ask you to keep a secret, especially one that involves your body or theirs. 6. It is not okay for someone to touch their private parts in front of you or show you photos or videos of people without their clothes.

21AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE your rules Draw bathing costumes onto the boy and girl. Make sure to cover their private parts.

22 stay safe Write the names of 3 grown-ups you can talk to when you feel scared or threatened. 1.2.3. responsibilitiesYour Kids belong in school and should never have to work as hard as grown-ups. If you help out at home, you must also have lots of time to play. THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 What are your parents’ or caregiver’s telephone numbers?Whatisyour home address?

@issue_little thelittleissue @littleissue ABOUT THE LITTLE ISSUE • 48 pages, in full colour • Grades R to 3 • Four languages • Numeracy, language, and life skills • Fun activities, giveaways young minds matt er l issuettle HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED Join us on this wonderful journey to help nurture young minds, with these opportunities: SPONSOR schools to receive a minimum of 100 copies four times a year. ADVERTISE in the magazine. FUND the little issue magazine as part of your company’s corporate social investment initiatives. ISSUE #10 schoolstoFREEsponsored R25 (R12.50 to vendor when sold on the street. R6.25 to Vendor Fund when sold in-store) GRADE R 3 RETAILNORMALPRICEBASED ON THECURRICULUMNATIONAL JUNE – AUGUST 2022 English,Isixhosa,Afrikaans,Isizulu,SesothoInside PLUS Activities, puzzles and What’s that weirdplantWhoandcreature?Actitoutbesilly!arethethieves? PAGE 14 PAGE 36 PAGE 4 WIN A THEATRE OUTING! Rong is waiting for you inside the Hurry!magazine! COLOURING COMPETITION9781990958489 22010 UJABULiLE! PHUMELELA! PAGES 3&6 Books & Colour Me crayons WINFREER25young minds matter l StoriesissuettleActivities Crafts Jokes Riddles • Competitions Issue #3 What did the tree say to Spring?Beaksthatspeaktous.Make your owncraftsfunpizza! Find hidden shapes! Fumana iimilo ezifihliweyo! FREER25 (R12.50 to young minds matter l issuettle What’s the story? Make up your own adventure using the pictures and words on the cover! Tell it out loud or write it down. 1 of vouchers10 WIN Stories • Activities • Crafts Jokes Riddles • Competitions Hlala ukhuselekile kwiNtsholingwane yeKhorona Issue #2 young minds matter l issuettle can you find red ant and satellite Issue #4 FREER25 4 LANGUAGES INSIDE: ISIXHOSA, SESOTHO, ENGLISH AND AFRIKAANS! Ho shebana le ChristmasbulliesCopingbonkwapowith trifle recipe WIN TREASURECUPCAKEBOX! young minds matter l StoriesissuettleActivities Recipes Jokes • Riddles Competitions Issue #5 FREER25ISIZULU, ISIXHOSA, SESOTHO, ENGLISH & AFRIKAANS INSIDE. March 2021 May 2021 a book! WIN PAGE Why staring?everybodyis Find out on page 36 Bukela inkwenkwe ikhula ibe yintaka! Watch a boy grow into a bird! Bake with munching Mike and bouncy Ben KIDS! Little Ant’s Big Plan young minds issuematter ISSUE #7 FREER25 ON THE GRADE R 3September November 2021 ENGLISH, AFRIKAANS, ISIXHOSA, Stories Activities Hidden pictures Jokes Riddles Competitions What happened to Sonny’s kwibholaKwenzekeball?ntonikaSonny? what’s pangolin? has a PLANBIG The secret to banana pancakes… young minds matter l StoriesissuettleActivities Recipes • Jokes Riddles Competitions Issue #6 FREER25 INSIDE.SESOTHO,ISIZULU, June 2021 August 2021 books! WIN Get 50% off with Weird animal inside Awonke, the maths star Cook with Clever Cat 4 amazing tostoriesread! Why don’t taxis soccer?play PURPLE MAKE MUSIC ON issue ISSUE#8 FREER25BASED ON THE NATIONAL GRADE R 3November 2021 January 2022 ENGLISH, AFRIKAANS, ISIXHOSA, Multilingual stories and activities, recipes, crazy facts BEETLESDUNG 3 crazy but true facts Win! R880worthonbookspage Nqoba! Let'sMasibhake!bake! ISSUE#9 to sponsored R25 CURRICULUM GRADE FEBRUARY APRIL 2022 PLUS Loads of multilingual stories inside! OO! G D FOOD Let’s go game spotting! How many animals can All about measuring. How tall are you? Tom & the football team PAGE 18 Your calendarbirthday slicehiddenon page 42 Isixhosa, Isizulu, Issue #10 now available For more information about sponsoring or advertising in the little issue, contact: Derek Carelse on 082 788 derekcarelse@mweb.co.za.7098,

12 -year-old Wonga Makrwaqa and 13-year-old Onako Dlakadla take part in a class at the Ntinga Khozi Fine Art Centre in Makhaza, Khayelitsha.

“We have so many artists in Khayelitsha,” says Ntinga Khozi Fine Art Centre Owner Nwabisa Nkonyana, who teaches the creative subject to children and hopes to expand further.

The surrounding land was occupied earlier this year, but the new residents kept this plot for something to beneﬁt the whole community. After several community meetings, Nwabisa was asked to use the plot for her project.

On a sandy piece of formerly vacant ground in Makhaza, Khayelitsha, is Nwabisa Nkonyana’s art centre.

WORDS AND IMAGES: ASHRAF HENDRICKS [ PHOTO ESSAY ]

TOWNSHIP ART GALLERIES 24

The Ntinga Khozi Fine Art Centre operates both as a gallery and as an art centre, where children from six to 16 attend dance classes, art classes, storytelling and educational games. Nwabisa teaches the art classes – she can’t dance or write, she laughs.

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE 25

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ PHOTO ESSAY ]

Nwabisa, who is from Qonce (King William’s Town), came to Cape Town in December 2016 after completing a Fine Arts degree at Walter Sisulu University. After moving to Khayelitsha, she says she had trouble ﬁnding a space to work, and struggled ﬁnding work as an artist.

“I couldn’t ﬁnd studios here, I couldn’t get galleries,” she says. “I was just looking for space that I could work from, but I couldn’t get any.” Finally, she decided to do it herself and in December 2018 she and her business partner Yolanda Sihlali launched the Fugly Art Gallery from a shack in Town 2, Khayelitsha.

“I started collecting artworks from local artists. That’s how I knew we had so many … in Khayelitsha,” she says. “But it was challenging”, she explains, “because the gallery was a new concept in the area”.

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

Except for a handful of “art lovers,” most residents showed little interest. But with the help of tour guides, they got tourists to visit their gallery and started sellingNwabisapieces.says she was surprised that she didn’t need to go to town to sell art. “I can sell art from a township! That was so huge for me.”

After her business partner left, Nwabisa found the gallery a new home in an RDP house in Makhaza. It was here that she realised she needed more than a gallery. She wanted to create an art centre where she could teach children and emerging artists; a place where she could host events. This was the beginning of the Ntinga Khozi (‘Arise Eagle’) Fine Art Centre.

Email ntingakhozifac@gmail.com to ﬁ

“People

Nwabisa shows a class how to get proportions right when drawing a face. She wants to inform people in the community about art and art as a career. are making good money,” she says. She hopes to show parents that children can “make it” as artists. nd out how you can help, donate and grow something special.

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ PHOTO ESSAY ]

AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

“My focus now is to show township stories through the gallery. I have the land, but I don’t have the money,” says Nwabisa.

The centre cost R20 000 to build, which Nwabisa funded herself. She would like to paint the outside but paint and brushes are needed. Operating from occupied land has its own set of challenges. There isn’t any electricity, and children have to use neighbours’ toilets. Safety is also an issue. “People are getting shot every day in Khayelitsha. You never know when it’s your turn,” says Nwabisa. A fence was donated to the centre but part of it was stolen. “More than anything else, we need to feel safe.” The classes, held every weekday, are free. Parents are asked to pay a small donation but that isn’t always possible. The centre needs art supplies, easels and chairs. The space is also cramped and Nwabisa would like to get containers to make the centre bigger, and to work with ceramics, paint and clay. She says she has worked with close to 50 artists from Cape Town townships.

SOCIAL ANXIETY

A round the middle of 2013 a series of stories appeared in the South African press about a new phenomenon called ‘plasma gangs’, presented as the latest iteration of the country’s crime crisis. Journalists, broadcasters, police and government spokespeople, social media users and local residents shared tales online and in mainstream media of the frightening exploits of these gangs, said to be located in Alexandra (Alex) township in the north of Johannesburg. Alex like other South African townships, is an underdeveloped and sometimes precarious area, blighted by the inequality and racial segregation that were central to apartheid spatial engineering. Developed in the early 20th century to house around 30 000 people, it is now home to an estimated 700 000. This density creates intense pressure on infrastructure and resources, as well as a powerful community culture that lends itself to the transmission of urban legends.

WORDS: NICKY FALKOF, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND, PUBLISHED ORIGINALLY ON WWW.THECONVERSATION.COM

PLASMA GANGS Plasma gangs were not like ‘normal’ robbers, who stole anything of value. They had very speciﬁc modus operandi. They were said to break into Alex homes with the express purpose of stealing plasma televisions. According to the stories, the gangs used various technologies to achieve this aim, such as hypermodern electronic devices that could tell from outside which homes contained the TVs. Another method involved techniques of muti, indigenous magic, that sent residents to sleep while their homes were plundered. They were extremely violent and often caused death or harm. But rather than selling the desirable consumer goods they stole, as one might expect from criminal syndicates, the gangs were said to dismantle them and break them open. Then they extracted a mysterious white powder that was used to make nyaope, a street drug otherwise known as wonga or whoonga. Depending on which story one heard, the gangs were either nyaope addicts themselves or professional dealers of the drug.

Worrier State: Risk, Anxiety and Moral Panic in South Africa, (Wits University Press), by Nicky Falkof delves into the culture of fear in South Africa. Anxieties about security and identity are examined with candid pragmatism that South Africans will relate to and understand.

The plasma gangs story shows the way in which township residents’ narratives about their own precarity are both hypermodern and related to globalised and transnational anxieties about status, consumption, belonging and identity. It combines the local and the global, the historical and the contemporary, to reveal the social utility of urban legends. The fact that plasma gangs are not empirically ‘real’ is almost beside the point. The story condenses fears about security and crime, drug dealers and drug users, police failures and corruption, dangerous foreigners, unruly youth, the intersection between crime, witchcraft and technology and the insecurity and visibility of township life.

technology rather than a substance. The powder contained in these devices is magnesium oxide, a small amount of which coats the display electrodes in a thin layer. Magnesium oxide is easily purchased at health food stores. It has never been shown to have any psychotropic effects. Concerns about drug users and dealers played powerfully into the plasma gangs narrative. The nyaope connection is part of what set this story aside from “normal, everyday” crime and helped it morph into an urban legend that continues to be disseminated as one of the risks of living in South Africa.

NYAOPE Nyaope is notorious in South African cities. It is extremely destructive and the subject of a large body of urban mythology. Experts generally agree that it is comprised of a mix of substances, usually a base of cheap heroin with additions like asbestos, rat poison, milk powder, bicarbonate of soda and even swimming pool cleaner. As is common with drug-related panics, stories about nyaope pull a range of other social anxieties into their axis. There is no mysterious powder in plasma televisions that can be used to get high. Plasma is a descriptor for a

Worrier

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ SOCIAL ISSUES ]

A tale of gangster criminality, personal danger, magic, violence and fear offered a way to foreground the contradictions that come with living in the South African township, a place that both deﬁnes residents as aspirational global citizens and imposes conditions of insecurity upon them.

A series of existing fears, spurred by the experiences of people living in a place that is both insecure and communityminded, both high risk and aspirational, layered on top of each other to produce a story that had a peculiar amount of social power.

In considering the plasma gangs we can see how myth, uncertainty, rumour and strangeness inform South African cultures of fear: crime is not just frightening in and of itself but also because it connotes the presence of hidden forces that undermine the predictability of everyday life. This kind of “crime talk” is endemic in South Africa but oddly quiet in academic literature, which often associates fear of crime with whiteness and wealth.

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

MAKING SENSE OF FEAR

State 31

The plasma gang scare is a compelling example of the power of narrative to condense and codify collective anxieties.

It illustrates the way in which certain South Africans develop and transmit stories and rumours that helped them to make sense of the world they live in.

The short answer is that I don’t know.

Seldom do we feature people in the media really talking about how their attitudes were shaped, we never really share, listen and swap stories … This is such an interesting question, and you’re absolutely right that we’re all quick to dive into another round of Let’s

Of course that’s unlikely while our media landscape is becoming less stable, as readership and funding shrink and news media become increasingly reliant on clickbait and paid content to survive.

Hate The Racists. I think one reason for this is that racism has become extremely taboo in SA, outside of specific circles. And yet we still, obviously, live in a hugely racist society, where the majority of poverty and violence is concentrated among black people. So how do we, and by ‘we’ I mean middle class white people like me, who think of ourselves as ‘not racist’, process this? We enthusiastically demonise public examples of racist speech. We treat people who say these terrible things as the ‘real’ racists. We talk about them as though they are monstrous, not like us, something different that we can reject from society. And this allows us to conveniently tell ourselves that the problem of racism is a problem of language rather than a problem of economics: it’s all about who said which bad word, rather than who owns what, who has a house, who has reliable medical care, who has private security at the touch of a button. Of course racist speech is an issue, but by focusing solely on that, instead of the structural and historical components of ongoing injustice in this country, we allow ourselves to avoid blame by being the ‘good whites’ who don’t say the bad things. (I am hardly the first person to make this point: Biko said this years ago in I Write What I Like.) I think we use blame and fear as a way to not have to think more carefully or answer more difficult questions. We are not interested in asking how people’s attitudes were shaped because that would require us to humanise them, when it’s much easier to pretend that these visible performances of racism come from monstrous nonhumans. We do the same with gender based violence: spectacular incidences of rape and femicide lead to an inevitable diagnosis of the monstrousness of the perpetrator, instead of a much more difficult conversation about what is going on in our society that facilitates this. What do you think about the idea of talking around subjects that are painful in South Africa, instead of meeting them head on? From one failed government to another, how do we hold people accountable? Possibly if the TRC had a clearer mandate to investigate corruption and economic crimes, if it been able to do the kind of work that Hennie van Vuuren and OpenSecrets do in Apartheid, Guns and Money, we would have had a more transparent transition, which would have acknowledged that the ‘new’ South Africa was inheriting a rotten state. Instead, the narrative suggests that apartheid South Africa worked really well and the ANC messed that up. I am no fan of the ANC, but our state-level problems definitely predate them. So yes, on balance I agree that more transparency, more clarity, would be a good thing. But I don’t want to lay too much blame on the media: even the most honest, vociferous reporting of social issues will not force a broken government into accountability. For that we need people in power who value the country over the party or their own enrichment, and that doesn’t seem to be happening among any of the major political players at the moment. WITH NICKY FALKOF, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR, WITS

The emphasis on risk, threat and fear seems to be endemic to much global media, rather than speciﬁc to South Africa. We could even speculate that passing on stories about danger and disaster is a feature, not a bug, part of what mass media do, one of the ways in which they gain audiences. It seems unlikely that the SA media narrative around fear will ever shift to any major degree, although we can always hope that the discourse becomes less hysterical and less prone to scapegoating.

5 MINUTES

In my book I refer a lot to the work of the sociologist Zygmunt Bauman, who writes powerfully about what he calls ‘cultures of fear’, the persistent anxieties that underpin contemporary life. He ties these to the conditions of late capitalism: we feel helpless and insecure in the face of a vast global system of power that we can never understand, that even supersedes traditional politics, and collective explosions of fear are part of how we deal with that. So when media transmit these dramatic and emotional stories they’re actually responding to social phenomena rather than simply creating them. We read and listen to ranting about racism and we, necessarily, call out the rat pack fast and furiously.

When will the South African media narrative around fear and social inequality evolve?

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ SOCIAL ISSUES ]

The answer to this question depends 33

“Unfortunately, in many instances, the protection afforded by the law is beneﬁ cial only to consumers who know about the legal principle as well as the Ombud’s ofﬁ ce. The majority of the public is left paying for debts that have prescribed and are therefore legally no longer collectable by creditors,” says Reana.

Vigilantebankcollections

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

“The Prescription Act prescribes the time period after which a consumer’s obligations to pay a monetary debt to the creditor will be extinguished and the instances in which this period will be delayed or interrupted. The Prescription Act is clear. Generally, contractual and Consumers, be alert and aware. Some banks will still try to collect prescribed debts from you even when it’s illegal. Bank fraud is a hassle you can do without. Here’s what you need to know.

LETTER OF THE LAW So what exactly is a prescribed debt? In South Africa, the Prescription Act 68 of 1969, read with Section 126B of the NCA, stipulates that a debtor’s liability to pay a speciﬁ c debt to a creditor is written off once a prescribed length of time has passed.

civil debts will be extinguished if not paid or acknowledged as being owed to the creditor by the debtor for a period of three years from the date the payment was due,” says Reana. However, there are exceptions where the prescription period for certain contractual and civil debts is longer. “For example, a bank’s claim for the repayment of a monetary debt based on a Court Judgment, as well as claims for debts secured by mortgage bonds, only prescribes after 30 years and not three years,” she cautions.

WHEN CAN A CREDITOR COLLECT ON A PRESCRIBED DEBT?

The aim of this law is to safeguard consumers against unfair and exploitative practises by creditors, and has been in effect for a number of years. Despite the legal requirements and the guaranteed protection offered to consumers, Reana Steyn, the Ombudsman for Banking Services (OBS), warns that the OBS is still receiving, investigating and resolving complaints from bank customers, relating to prescribed debts. In some cases, banks have been found guilty of engaging in this illegal practice.

T he law forbidding creditors from collecting on prescribed debts, which falls under the National Credit Act 34 of 2005 (NCA), is well-known, established and adhered to, or so you might think.

WHEN IS INTERRUPTED?PRESCRIPTION

RECENT AGAINSTALLEGATIONSBANKS

•

“If you are a bank customer and none of the above happened, and you receive a letter of demand from the bank or its lawyers for payment of a debt you believe has prescribed in law, you should raise prescription.

Reana explains, “It is important for consumers to be aware of the fact that once they have acknowledged owing the debt, even if they have not made payment, they will not be able to successfully raise the defence of prescription in Court, should they be sued by creditors on prescribed debts.”Under the protection offered to consumers by the NCA, the banks and other creditors are prohibited from collecting or selling a debt that has prescribed. “Therefore, debtors no longer have to be aware of this law and they do not have to raise the defence of prescription … to be absolved from paying these debts and to have their credit bureau proﬁ les updated to reﬂ ect the correct state of affairs,” says Reana.

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ EMPOWER YOURSELF ] on whether or not the debt falls within the scope of the NCA. In other words, whether the debt is from a credit agreement and falls within the deﬁ nition of a credit agreement as described in the NCA. Examples include overdraft facilities, mortgage loans, personal loans or credit card debt and vehicle ﬁ nance agreements.Theprotections given to consumers by the NCA aren’t applicable to all agreements and as such, it’s still legal for creditors to demand payment or call consumers to get them to acknowledge a prescribed debt – and even sue on a prescribed debt – for agreements falling outside the NCA.

According to the Prescription Act, the running of prescription is interrupted if, during the three years after the payment was due, any or all of the following has happened:

STUDIES

The debtor admitted, verbally or in writing, to owing the debt;

If they continue to demand payment or take any other steps to collect the debt, you should log a complaint with the OBS,” advises Reana. She adds that, while banks claim that they have policies and systems in place to ensure they don’t breach the law and collect on prescribed debts, the OBS still regularly receives these kinds of complaints from bank customers.

The following case studies are examples of the typical type of prescription disputes successfully resolved by the OBS.

CASE

• The creditor issued and served a summons on the debtor.

SOURCE: SERVICES BANKINGFOROMBUDSMANTHEFORCOMMUNICATION&PRBULLIONLAZARUS,LOLA

Reana conﬁ rms that, between January 2021 and July 2022, the OBS received and investigated a total of 193 complaints relating to allegations of collections on prescribed debts by banks. As a result, an amount in excess of R1 million was written off or repaid to complainants. A total of 118 complaints were received in 2021. In about 33% of these cases, the banks in question were found to have been unlawfully collecting or attempting to collect on prescribed debts by the OBS. “In 2022, the OBS has to date received 75 of these matters. In 29% of these cases, banks have again been found to have transgressed the Prescription Act as well as the NCA,” says Reana. She adds that, as recently as last week, an amount of R216 197 (the outstanding balance) was written off in one case and the complainant was also refunded the R3 200 he paid towards the prescribed debt.

*Mr X obtained a personal loan from his bank for the amount of R74 687. The funds were paid into his account on 8 December 2016. Sporadic payments were received by the bank until 4 January 2019 when the last payment was received. In March 2022, Mr X lodged a complaint with the OBS alleging that the account in question had prescribed as he hadn’t made payments for more than three years. He also didn’t acknowledge the debt nor had he received a summons from the bank. In a response dated May 2022, it was the bank’s submission that the debt had not been prescribed as the payment made on 4 January 2019 interrupted the prescription. Additoinally, the bank claimed that, in a call made to Mr X by its collection attorneys, Mr X acknowledged the debt. The bank also advised that a summons had since been issued and served on Mr X on 4 February 2022. Based on these seemingly reasonable factors, the bank was of the opinion that the personal loan debt had not prescribed.Uponinvestigation, the OBS found that the outstanding balance was more than R112 495. The OBS studied the loan account statements and the summons, and listened to the call recording. The OBS found that the debt in question had legally been prescribed since the last payment was received on 4 January 2019, no other payments were forthcoming for this account. The summons, which was served on Mr X on 4 February 2022, also fell outside the three-year prescription period, which had lapsed. Lastly, upon listening to the call recording, it was clear to the OBS that Mr X had not

• The debtor made a payment towards the debt; or

Mrs J obtained a Revolving Credit account from a major South African bank in 2013 to the value of R110 000. Payments were received by the bank until Mrs J became unemployed in 2014 and could no longer afford the repayments. Mrs J claimed that for seven years, she had been receiving messages from the bank’s lawyers, requesting her to pay the debt. Mrs J complained to the OBS that the bank had, for all these years, kept the account open and that the outstanding balance had increased to in excess of R500 000. It was her submission that the bank was guilty of reckless lending and asked the OBS to help her. In response to Mrs J’s allegations to the OBS, the bank claimed that the RCP account was issued to the complainant (Mrs J) subject to the affordability requirements as set out in the NCA. It was therefore the bank’s submission that, at the time that the credit was given to Mrs J, she could afford to make the required contractual repayments.

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER Visit: WhatsApp:Call:Email:www.obssa.co.zainfo@obssa.co.za08608009000664730157 COMPLAIN TO THE OMBUD 35

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

Reana encourages all South Africans to take the time to read up on, or be informed of, the laws governing the agreements they enter into with creditors. “It is imperative that consumers know and understand their rights. They should also be aware of the free professional assistance offered by different organisations such as the OBS.” In conclusion, Reana raises a very important issue. This is that the information presented in this article isn’t aimed at encouraging people to stop repaying their debts. She reminds consumers that, in the majority of the cases, the OBS found in favour of the bank. The debts in these cases hadn’t prescribed, and the outstanding balances had drastically increased from the original debt or balance due to the arrears as well as the additional legal fees, in cases where legal action was taken by banks to recover amounts legitimately owed to them. acknowledged the debt.

Regarding the outstanding balance, and out of its own accord, the bank noticed there was an issue. An account reconciliation was conducted by it, which resulted in the amount of R318 664 being written off by the bank. This reduced the outstanding balance from R542 067 to R223 403. The bank considered this fair, given Mrs J’s circumstances. However, upon investigation by the OBS, it was discovered that Mrs J had in fact made her last payment on 30 June 2014. The OBS’s investigation further concluded that, between 30 June 2014 and 29 May 2017, Mrs J had never acknowledged owing the debt to the bank, nor did she receive a summons, which would have interrupted prescription. It was the OBS’s conclusion that the R223 403 debt that was demanded by the bank had prescribed. The OBS successfully recommended that the bank should write off the debt and update Mrs J’s credit bureau proﬁle.

It was the OBS’s recommendation to the bank to write off the entire debt, and the bank agreed. Mr X was issued with a paid-up letter and his credit bureau’s proﬁle was accordingly updated to reﬂect the true status of the account.

* Mr D opened a credit card account with a South African bank in May 2016. Mr D received a credit limit of R25 000. He transacted with the card and the transactions amounted to R26 305. Sporadic payments were received by the bank. Due to defaults, the bank handed over the account to its attorneys for collection. In November 2016, Mr D signed a Section 58 Consent to Judgment. The last payment on the account was received by the bank in August 2017. On 1 March 2021, the Consent to Judgment was made an Order of the Court by the bank for an amount of R29 222. From August 2021, Mr D resumed making payments to the account.Upon the OBS’s investigation, it was argued with the bank that the Consent to Judgment signed by Mr D in November 2016 – together with the payment that was received in August 2017 – constituted an acknowledgement by Mr D. Since Mr D had not made payments nor acknowledged the debt verbally or in writing, it was the OBS’s ﬁndings that the debt had prescribed in August 2020. A recommendation was made that the bank apply to rescind the Court judgment that was obtained in March 2021 as well as refund all the payments Mr D made after August 2020. The bank agreed. Over R26 000 was written off, and the bank refunded a further R3 000 to Mr D.

*Names of sources withheld to protect anonymity.

The repo rate is set to rise by 75 basis points, meaning property owners with a bond of R2 million can now expect to pay R953.21 more each month.

HOMEOWNER BOND PAYMENTS

GET A SECOND QUOTE

Getting a second quote on car and household insurance to reduce your premium is a way to offset this increase. For example, a tenant who lives in a Landsdowne-managed property, renewed her lease agreement, which had escalated by R500 per month. After voicing her struggle to pay, she was offered a solution. A new quote on her car and household insurance meant she is now effectively saving R790 per month on what she was previously paying. She is now able to save R290 per month, even with the R500 escalation on her rental.

Jonathan adds, “Earlier this year, we partnered with Telesure Investment Holdings (TIH), which owns and operates top insurance brands, including Auto & General, 1st for Women, Dialdirect and Budget, to launch personalised insurance solutions for residents of estates offering discounted premiums.”

www.landsdowneservices.co.za

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 SOURCE: GROUPPROPERTYLANDSDOWNE [ FINANCIAL JUSTICE ]

With three more possible rate hikes expected in September and November 2022, and January 2023 respectively, analysts predict that the repo rate will end up at pre-pandemic levels of around 6.5%, forcing homeowners to rethink other critical expenses.

“To counter this and future interest rate hikes, we suggest people look at ways to reduce their monthly expenses, like car and household insurance.”

Surviving interest rate hikes

L ocal homeowners have been hit with a signiﬁcant interest rate hike, after the South African Reserve Bank announced that inﬂation hit 7.4% in July.

To get a better grasp on what homeowners can expect to pay on their bonds over the next few months, Jonathan demonstrates using a bond of R2 million paid off over a 20-year period. At the current prime lending rate of 8.25%, the monthly instalments are R17 041.31 per month. After a 75 basis points rise, the instalment increases to R17 994.52 per month, with the prime lending rate increasing to 9%. This equates to a whopping 5.3% increase in the bond repayments.

“Increased rate hikes coupled with high inflation, the rand depreciating significantly against the dollar, and the soaring costs of utilities, are going to affect the affordability of the property owner as well as the tenant,” says Jonathan Kohler, CEO of Landsdowne Property Group, which provides property management services, financial services and insurance solutions to the residential real estate market nationwide.

There is a way homeowners can offset the recent homeloan repayment increase. Get your insurance, or other monthly costs, reduced.

L arry Soffer says the reason he does magic for a living is that he wants to inspire people to believe in the impossible.

WORDS:

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

“I want people to know that they are capable of anything they put their minds to if they believe in it. I also love what I do, because I see the joy it brings to people. When they see what I do I get to see how they break free from life’s stresses and be transported to a world of childlike wonder. To be honest, if I wasn’t doing what I am doing, I wouldn’t have a clue what else I would be doing. I

MIND EXTRAORDINAIREREADER 37

Thousands of years ago, before the advent of religious ideologies, which served to govern people at the time, sorcerers, shamans and medicine people were, (some still are), an essential part of society. Evidence of ancient and inexplicable mysteries of the world also exist: the sacred spaces of Tulum, the pyramids, the undeniable power of ring forts, Stonehenge, Machu Picchu, and Nazca. Enter modern day magician and mentalist Larry Soffer. His natural abilities will blow your mind! LAURA JONES

IMAGES:ANDSOURCE GETPUBLISHED.ANDSOFFERLARRY

thought prediction, mentally moving objects – these are intuitive gifts aren’t they? I studied magic, and I am a trained magician, however, what I do today is mentalism. Magic is very much sleight of hand or illusion, whereas mentalism has more to do with the capabilities of the mind. As a mentalist, I use influence, I read body language and micro expressions, as well as using intuition to create the impossible. I studied for many years to become a mentalist, so it is something you can learn, but I think it also takes natural abilities to be good at what you do. When and how did you realise your abilities? I became interested in magic at the age of four or five, when my grandparents bought me my first magic set. I kept learning more and more from books and any other material I could find. Doing magic was a talent that came very easily to me. I then started studying at The College of Magic when I was a teenager. This is where I became really intrigued in mentalism and pursued that after school. I realised that mentalism was very powerful and inspired people to believe that there is more to life. So I wanted to go in that direction because my purpose is to inspire people to believe in the impossible, so they can believe in themselves and achieve their dreams. And through the art of mentalism, I can achieve that. How did you begin performing as a teenager? I was about 13 when I started performing at kid’s birthday parties. I remember my very first ‘gig’ was for a girl started doing magic when I was five years old and there has just never been another option for me because it was my passion. I never had anything else to fall back onto or anything else I wanted to pursue. I started working as a teenager and I have never had another job in my life.”

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ]

That said, people ﬁnd that what Larry does is unbelievable and they can’t stop talking about for years after seeing him perform.

Q&A WITH LARRY What is mentalism? The mind reading, I read minds and bend metal using the power of my mind. I make things move and levitate from a distance! Who else does that?

Larry says, “My show is different from other forms of entertainment and special because of the impact it has on people. It’s something people never forget. I am deﬁnitely known for putting on a great performance.”Headds,“Ithink some people think that what I do is just for kid’s parties. I have also encountered very religious people who think what I do is from the devil. I usually know how to handle them and make them feel at ease, but you sometimes get people who just won’t budge on their beliefs.”

Larry has performed since the age of 13 at restaurants and kids parties as a magician – 27 years in the industry and 22 years professionally. He studied at the College of Magic from the age of 13 where he learned ventriloquism , juggling, magic and illusions, graduating with the highest accolade one can achieve. He became more interested in Mentalism in his teens and at 16 years old, met Derren Brown’s consultant who made an impact and inspired him.

The most extraordinary thing that has ever happened to you on stage? I have had a long career so have experienced quite a lot on stage. This includes working with a real tiger in Taiwan; working with David Copperﬁeld’s consultant to make the Voortrekker Monument disappear; almost being attacked by the First Lady of Kenya’s guards mid-performance while blindfolded, doing a dangerous act holding a knife; cutting my hand open on stage and having to keep performing, and, of course, all the amazing celebrities for whom I’ve had the honour of performing. However, the most extraordinary thing that happens for me on stage, is seeing the happiness and wonder my art brings to people.

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

at school’s little brother, and I charged her R80. My dad used to drive me to all of my shows and I remember telling him that I would have done it for free because I loved it so much. The money was just the cherry on top. I also started working weekends and holidays at restaurants like Primi Piatti and Cape Town Fish Market (CTFM) for tips. I was quite the entrepreneur and made a good chunk of change. I paid for myself to visit a magic convention in Spain when I was 16. And it was around that time that I did my first professional corporate event as well. What is the Magic Castle in Hollywood? It’s appeared in many Hollywood fi lms and is a prestigious castle and club of magicians who perform there for audiences they invite to come and watch their shows. It’s an invitation-only experience. I was invited to perform there in 2006. At the time, I was the youngest South African magician ever invited to perform, and the only one to be awarded a membership. You studied in the US with Siegfried and Roy ... I received a grant in South Africa at The College of Magic. Siegfried and Roy had a standing grant that would go to the student of the year to pay for their fees for the following year. I was lucky enough to receive that in my final year.

COMPETITION CLOSING DATE

From poetry competitions to curated art, enjoy these reﬁned cultural experiences. ↑POETRY IN MCGREGOR

WHAT’S ON?

COMPETITION Entries can be submitted in English and Afrikaans in either the Youth Category for those aged seven to 17, or the Adult Category for 18 and older.

FESTIVAL

Submit entries to Jane De Sousa at info@poetryinmcgregor.co.za by Friday 30 September. The deadline for submissions to participate in the festival is 31 August. Email Jane De info@poetryinmcgregor.co.za,Sousa see website for competition rules. Live: 18 to 20 November, Temenos Retreat, McGregor Tickets: The festival programme will be announced in September. Ticket sales open in October. Call McGregor Tourism: 023 625 1954 or email info@tourismmcgregor.co.za Westernwww.poetryinmcgregor.co.zaCape

PARTICIPATE IN THE POETRY

AdultPRIZEScategory: ﬁrst prize R5 000, second prize R2 500 and third prize R1 000. Youth category: ﬁrst prize R2 500, second prize R1 000 and third prize R500.

THE JUDGES Poems will be judged by external wellknown poets, and their decision will be ﬁnal. Finalists will be published on the website by 31 October and the prize winners will be announced at the opening event of the festival on 18 November.

The McGregor Poetry Festival has grown to be one of the most popular literary festivals in South Africa, and the theme this year is Touching the Wild. The event celebrates poets, their muses and creative offerings. Founder Billy Kennedy says, “Now in its tenth year, we will reﬂect on our wondrous journey thus far, ﬁlled as it was with the exuberant passion and generosity of the many poets who have supported our vision.”

THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 [ LIVE ENTERTAINMENT ] 40

IMAGES:ANDSOURCES KULTURE.CREAMBOOK,MEDIALKGOODMAN-GALLERY,EVERARD-READ, AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 THE BIG ISSUE

Live: 11 August to 1 October, Everard Read CIRCA Gallery, 2 and 6 Jellicoe Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg Tickets: call 011 788 4805 Gautengwww.everard-read.co.za

Established in 1913, Everard Read is Africa’s oldest commercial art gallery and presents modern and contemporary art from South Africa. Its beautiful Johannesburg galleries have a rigorously curated exhibition programme of South Africa’s top artists.

← COMEDY WITH KEV With nearly half a million online subscribers and the ability to get bums in theatre seats, Kevin Fraser has taken SA ‘culturalisms’ and made them go global. Currently on tour internationally, watch Kev live on stage in South Africa from November to December in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. You can also catch his hilarious Cream Kulture brand of comedy online.

International

CAPE TOWN ART CIRCUIT

Live: 14 July to 3 September, 37a Somerset Road, The Goodman Gallery, De Waterkant, Cape Town. Tuesday to Friday 9:30am to 5:30pm Saturday: 10am to 4pm. Tickets: call 021 462 cpt@goodman-gallery.com7573/4 Westernwww.goodman-gallery.comCape

The Goodman Gallery is at the forefront of contemporary art in South Africa. Its focus is on artists from SA, the greater African continent, and other countries that engage in a dialogue with the African context. See visual artist Cassie Namoda’s Life Has Become a Foreign Language, where, she explains, “I try to create scenes one can view without looking away. I do this by creating curiosity.”

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] 41

→WORLD-CLASS GALLERY EXPERIENCE

Everard Read presents The Owners of the Earth (Vissaquelo), a solo exhibition by Teresa Kutala Firmino. The artistic series is an ever-evolving journey of research where the artist focuses on the psychology of trauma and the use of fantasy and imagination as a tool to address the present and the future.

TikTok:

Facebook: Kevin Fraser Instagram: @kevinfraserofficial kevinfraserofficial YouTube: Kevin Fraser www.kevinfraserofficial.com

IMAGES: SUPPLIED ARTVENDORBIGCOLLECTISSUE This issue, our vendors’ art class theme was ‘Fire, warmth and light in the darkness of winter’; exploring the cosmic, earthly and inner ﬁre. Art classes are offered to The Big Issue vendors by Elaine Millin, our Process Art Facilitator and all the artworks on this page are for sale. Email info@bigissue.co.za to buy an artwork on this page or donate items for art classes.

Solomon Masoso –Magniﬁcent Protea

[ VENDOR ART ] THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022

Cynthia Gogotya – Loadshedding

A READER’S STORY Reader Sue de Hutton says: “I met Solomon selling The Big Issue in Fish Hoek. He was very friendly, and somehow we got chatting about his art lessons. He mentioned that a picture of his was in the current edition of the magazine, and so I looked, and then bought one of his pictures. It was obvious that what Elaine Millin offers is so enriching.

Thank you Sue!”

As everyone who has done anything creative will know, art materials are expensive. Even a small donation can help enormously. Perhaps we could all donate a few brushes, paints, whatever to this incredibly vital cause. All of us can ﬁnd joy in this soul-satisfying activity!”

Lizo Qatase – Dreaming of summer

Noluthando Batayi – Cele – My home Xoliswa Ntunta

Warmth of friendship Nomthintelo

Elaine says: “It’s heartwarming to have such wonderful people who support our vendors.

– Crocodile 42

Good ideas about yourself Cards for calm, creative confidence and love www.getstreamcards.com 15% OFF FOR BIG ISSUE READERS ‘GOODREADGOODDEED’ Apply this discount code at checkout. Valid once. @stream_cards @getstreamcards The way you feel about yourself matters. These cards are tools for making small, steady shifts in your self talk. Small and random acts of kindness create powerful ripples of love. Imagine the social and political change we can create in South Africa by winning each other’s hearts through daily acts of kindness in our thoughts, words and deeds. Use words on social media that contribute to positivity, peace and harmony in South Africa. “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud” – Maya Angelou CHANGE IS IN YOUR POCKET Uthando South Africa uthandosa UthandoSouthAfr http://www.uthandosa.org/

[ PLAYTIME ] THE BIG ISSUE AUGUST – SEPTEMBER 2022 Across 1 Athlete that competes in water (7) 5 Wounds, cuts or scrapes (5) 8 Exchanges for money (5) 9 Lower in price (7) 10 Annoyance, nuisance or hindrance (13) 11 Names of books or compositions (6) 12 Parts of a whole (6) 15 A careful examination done by the police to solve a crime (13) 18 A settlement smaller than a town (7) 19 Very angry, furious or enraged (5) 20 Drive too fast (5) 21 Genuine or honest (7) Down 1 Japanese dish of raw fish (5) 2 Forbidden by law (7) 3 Fail to interpret something correctly (13) 4 Self-propelled missile (6) 5 A detailed description of design for a piece of work 6(13)Become ready to eat (5) 7 Computer monitors (7) 11 People who steal (7) 13 Long-term weather conditions of an area (7) 14 Organs that filter certain poisons from the body (6) 16 Estimated worth (5) 17 Daughter of a sibling (5) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 CROSSWORD Swimmer,1AnswersAcross:5 Sores,8Sells, 9Cheaper, 18Inconvenience,1011Titles,12Pieces,15Investigation,Village,19Irate,20Speed,21Sincere.Down:1Sushi,2Illicit,3Misunderstand,4Rocket,5 cation,Specifi 6Ripen,7 Screens,11 Thieves,13 Climate,14 Livers,16Value, 17Niece. 2 4 5 3 9 1 7 6 2 7 2 1 9 3 1 1 5 5 7 4 3 9 7 3 8 Feeling the pressure cracking puzzles? Kranzle solves all your high pressure cleaning equipment problems. www.kranzle.co.za | 021 5515339 | rod@kranzle.co.za Complete the grid so that every row across, every column down and every 3x3 box is filled with the numbers 1 to 9. SUDOKU SOURCE: WWW.XWORD.CO.ZABYSUPPLIEDCROSSWORD 44

Unit A057, Selwyn Street Studios The Palms, 145 Sir Lowry Road Woodstock, Cape Town 8001 Tel: 021-461-6690 For more info, email: md@bigissue.org.za