Essays of Africa March 2015 by Kwenta Media

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OF AFRICA

ESSAYS OF AFRICA www.essaysofafrica.com MARCH 2015 • VOL2 • NO4

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ESSAYS A WOMAN’S JOURNEY

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ZINGISA TAHO

A female force behind digital migration in AFRICA

CAMEROON-BORN

Dr Nathalie Chinje & WEConnect are breaking down barriers for women in business

I CHOSE TO LEAVE MY CHILDREN

TIMELESS

Denim

Simple ways to style it MARCH 2015 R30.00 (VAT incl.) Other countries: R26.27 (excl. TAX)

5 MONEY MISTAKES SMART WOMEN MAKE

Rosie MOTENE

Life’s a challenge but she’s winning hands down!

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CONTENTS EOA

Inside ESSAYS A WOMAN’S JOURNEY

OF AFRICA

www.essaysofafrica.com

MARCH 2015

people 32 REAL LIFE: I chose to leave my children.

cover stories 40 PROFILE: Zingisa Taho, a female force behind digital migration in SA. 48 Life’s a challenge, but ROSIE MOTENE is winning hands down. 56 SELF-EMPOWERMENT: Entrepreneurship 101: Women, claim your business!

ZURI, MAM’ THOKO ZWANE.

HAIR & MAKE-UP: PRUDENCE SEGAMI. FASHION: TSOTETSIKL. ACCESSORIES:

MAIN COVER: PHOTOGRAPHER: GARETH JACOBS. STYLING: TUMI MDLULI.

22 MAIN FASHION: Denim doesn’t fade!

62 WOMEN’S NETWORK: Cameroon-born Dr Nathalie Chinje is leading empowerment agency WEConnect as they knock down barriers for women in business.

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34 Q&A: EOA talks to Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha, the founder of Kgololo Academy, about her dream to bring world-class education to the townships. 68 MY JOURNEY: Dolly Mbuyane, owner of Nozihle Cleaning Services, reveals the secret to her success as an entrepreneur. 86 MAN Q&A: Ricardo Dunn, head of Advocacy and Outreach at the UN, explains how there’s a strong need for younger Africans in multilateral diplomacy.

features

58 MONEY: 5 Money mistakes smart women make. 64 RELATIONSHIPS: Don’t drizzle on your sizzle. Are you in a cycle of selfsabotage?

columns

66 SEX & INTIMACY: The backdoor club – just how much do you know about anal sex?

18 GUEST BLOG: Tokelo Motsepe celebrates the natural beauty around her.

72 PARENTING: Oversharenting: How clean is your digital slate?

36 UNCOVERED: The magic of female friendships.

76 NEWS REPORT: We talk to two recipients of the L’Oreal-UNESCO For Women in Science SubSaharan Africa Fellowship.

88 #GAYBESTFRIEND: The lady who ate too much. 136 THE FINAL WORD: When your bestie falls in love with Prince Douche!

80 HEALTH: Matters of a healthy heart. 84 MAN FEATURE: Feminism: Are you man enough for it? 3

MARCH 2015

beauty

regulars

90 BEAUTY NEWS

EDITOR’S LETTER

91 SEXY 7: Best buys this month

ON LOCATION

92 BEAUTY MAIN: Mix-n-match your lip and nail colours to make a fashion statement.

ONLINE UPDATE

98 HAIR AFFAIR: Brushes and combs for the best hair effect.

12 LETTERS PAGE

100 BODY BLITZ: Brush on the blush. 104 BEAUTY Q&A: Bongi Mlotshwa gives advice for young make-up artists looking to make their mark in the industry.

fashion 16 SEXY 7: Best buys this month 20 FASHION NEWS 22

MAIN FASHION: The timeless appeal of denim.

32 119 BOOKS

115 SOCIAL SCENE SPECIAL 132 HOROSCOPES 135 STOCKISTS

120 DÉCOR NEWS 122 TRAVEL: Africa’s vibrant markets. 126 ENTERTAINMENT Q&A: Wandile Molebatsi transforms local storytelling with his latest movie, Hear Me Move. 128 MOVIES & THEATRE 130 MOTORING 134 MUSIC

101 SOCIAL SCENE REGULAR

114 TECH NEWS & APPS

42 SHOPPING: Monochromatic moments.

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21 READERS’ CORNER

106 FOOD & ENTERTAINING: Create the perfect charcuterie board with Miranda Ballard.

116 DÉCOR STYLE FOCUS: Four key trends for 2015.

82 MAN FASHION: Less drama with denim.

19 EOA SUBSCRIPTION

lifestyle

37 REAL WOMAN: Style your look with what’s in your wardrobe.

70 ITEM OR OUTFIT: Gorgeous timepiece or stylish outfit?

10 CONTRIBUTORS

106 ESSAYS OF AFRICA

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ESSAYS A WOMANâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S JOURNEY

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CEO of Kwenta Media & Founding Editor of Essays of Africa

Consulting Managing Editor Deputy Managing Editor Features Writers Fashion & Beauty Editor Fashion Assistant Beauty Writer DĂŠcor Writer Columnists Contributors Proofreader Designer Junior Designers Digital Administrators Production Manager Sales Marketing/PR & Events Coordinator Operations & Finance Coordinator Executive PA & Admin Coordinator Advisory Board

Office Drivers Publisher Physical Address

Postal Address Websites Subscription Queries Advertising Editorial Information & Enquiries Printers Distribution

Nawaal Nolwazi Mdluli

Zama Nkosi Tracy Maher Caryn Thandi Petersen, Hayden Horner, Thina Mthembu, Hlulani Masingi, Phindiwe Nkosi Tumi Mdluli Tebatjo Manamela Vuyiswa Mothlabane Rhoda Davids Ndoni Khanyile, Tumi Morake, Hayden Horner, Morongwa Makakane, Robyn Bloch, Helen Herimbi, Lebohang Masango, Tokelo Motsepe Cheska Stark Nicky de Bene Lelethu Tobi Siphokazi Masele, Asanda Mazwi Tatenda Zuva, Shelly Mathole, Mpho Mahlo Tumi Mdluli New Business Development Team Mbalenhle Fakude Nuraan Motlekar Antoinett Botha Fazila Bizor, Lindsay Breytenbach, Lindelwa Isabelle, Ndoni Khanyile, Busisiwe Mahlaba, Sen Mdhluli, Moeketsi Mosola, Dr Salifou Siddo, Nthabe Zondo, Sonto Ndlovu Yusuf Msinyi, Gabriel Mashishi

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

ED’S LETTER EOA

COLOUR ME Denim

PICTURE: KWENTA MEDIA.

utting this issue together relied on collecting many stories and hearing about many journeys, from the French town of Nimes to different places on the African continent. It was difficult and at times exhausting, and quitting a bittersweet option. There are always parts of a journey that are like climbing a mountain and many times we feel as though we are not able to keep on going, but that is when we know we have to brace our shoulders and push on. What would you say if I compared women to denim? Yes, the fabric. I think it might sound silly coming from a man, but I am a woman and it makes sense to me. But before I spark a reaction out of my feminist sisters, let me explain. Women are the core of most households and a key thread in our society. Our lives are woven together by the warps and wefts made by the females who raise us and lead us. When I think of a fashion staple that has always been in my closet, I immediately think of blue denim. I have always had a love-hate relationship with denim, from my first pair of Bang Bang and Wranglers as a teenager to the many pairs I have worn over the years. But interestingly, each pair has told their own story as I have journeyed through life; the styles have changed, looks have evolved and trends have emerged. Jeans remind me that every journey I travelled has had its own challenges; the power was in the overcoming of these challenges and in sharing the narrative to help others through theirs. As my body has changed over time, rather than focus on the physical I have prayed for agility of mind, clarity of purpose and wisdom. I have a pair of whitewashed jeans that I still cling to (even though

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

I no longer fit into them) and sometimes I long to be like them – they may have faded over the years but they are resilient and show character. Some jeans tear, some shrink and others are strong and timeless. You grow out of them and they wait patiently in your closet for you to return to the size you were. It feels good to be a woman today and to be an African woman who believes, who pushes and pulls to get noticed and to achieve. I think of our cover model, Rosie Motene, in her gorgeous headscarf epitomises the beauty of the women of Africa and she reminds us to embrace our authenticity. Like denim, African women represent a test of time, simple yet authentic. You cannot think of denim without being reminded of hit 2005 movie The Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants, where a group of friends stay connected as they share one pair of second-hand denims that miraculously fits each of them perfectly during their individual journey. If you talk about a narrative and being connected, that was it. So the next time you grab that pair of denims from your closet, consider your relationship with jeans throughout your life… the hands that wove the fabric, the different trends throughout the years that have clung to your curves and the common colour that has drawn you and your women friends closer in conversation many a time. Continue along this journey with me. E

Nawaal 7

MARCH 2015

EOA ON LOCATION

THE WHOLE CREW FOR THE DAY WITH THE COVER MODEL, ROSIE MOTENE, HAVING A “THAT’S A WRAP!” MOMENT.

PRUDENCE SEGAMI ADDS MAKE-UP TO ROSIE’S FLAWLESS FACE.

ROSIE MOTENE, A STAR IN HER ELEMENT!

TUMI MDLULI AND HER ASSISTANT, TEBATJO MANAMELA, HELPING ROSIE WITH THE ACCESSORIES.

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PRUDENCE SEGAMI APPLYING THE FINAL TOUCHES TO ROSIE’S HEAD WRAP FOR A COVER STAR LOOK.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WORDS BY ZAMA NKOSI, TUMI MDLULI. PHOTOGRAPHER: GARETH JACOBS.

Rosie Motene may have spent the last few years behind the camera, but that did nothing to dull her ability to shine when she’s in the limelight. Rosie was the life of the shoot as she caught up with our make-up artist,Prudence Segami ,who had worked with Rosie a decade ago and chatted to the rest of the team with ease, confidence and a lighthearted edge that made what would ordinarily be quite a stressful day very pleasant.

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Our most faithful followers are in for a special treat as we are giving away an iPhone 6 and other awesome prizes to someone who will do any or all of the following: 1. Facebook – ‘Most Liked’ campaign. Like our page, share our post of the day with your friends and get them to like our page as well. 2. Twitter – Anyone who follows us with #EOAMAG on Twitter and follows @EssaysOfAfrica. 3. Instagram – Anyone who follows EOA and posts the most pictures with Essays_Of_Africa.

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Our new platform, Share Your Secret, has taken off as readers share their innermost thoughts or darkest secrets. If you want of offload, visit www. essaysofafrica.com/secrets/ or send your secret directly to secrets@essaysofafrica. com. You can choose to reveal or conceal your identity… but be sure to go back to the website to check for your published secret. So go ahead and tell somebody…

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MARCH 2015

EOA CONTRIBUTORS

Hot chocolate, red wine and vegetable soup keeps me going in the cooler months. Nights spent reading by the fireplace and weekends cuddling on the couch are other staples... Now just to find that cuddle partner!

CARYN THANDI PETERSEN, features writer

My gas heater (great during load shedding), my WilliamsSonoma Soup Of The Day Cookbook and my winter reading, which includes: The Blacks of Cape Town by C.A. Davids, The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison, Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy, and We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo

HAYDEN HORNER, columnist and features writer

My favourite autumn/winter things are my many flavoured teas, gigantic scarves and the huge, pink mink blanket my grandma bought me for my 21st birthday. Nothing quite like working on one’s bed wrapped in all that warmth

LEBOHANG MASANGO, features writer

HELEN HERIMBI, features writer

PREPARING

FOR THE

CHILL

As we head into the cooler months of the year, our contributors share what treats they are most looking forward to. I definitely cannot go without my tissue oil to keep my skin glowing, as well as cardigans and light jackets to keep up with the unpredictable Highveld weather.

SIPHOKAZI MASELE, junior designer

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WORDS AND PICTURES: EOA TEAM.

What will make my autumn/winter, is getting my hands on Toni Morrison's new book, God Help The Child, and turning those pages with my aunt’s cookies – perfect for the cool weather – at my side.

Gentle hydration with ocean minerals for refreshed and revitalised skin.

ÂŽTrademark ÂŠ Johnson & Johnson (Pty) Ltd 2014. Talk to us on sharecall 0860 410032, email jnjza@its.jnj.com or sms jnj & comment to +27 83 293 3273.

EOA LETTERS

Your letters A SOURCE OF INSPIRATION

I just need to acknowledge this because I realised sometimes being shy can be a serious blockage. You are an inspiration to my friend and me. I remember since high school I have always wanted to start a youth inspiration magazine, and two years ago we wanted to start a magazine for women, one with a holistic approach of communicating with a woman as a whole ‘being’. When I saw Essays Of Africa, I fell in love and said that God had at last blessed someone to do this work. Essays Of Africa is a wonderful source of inspiration and I wish it the best. Kea Tebatso

STRONG AND POWERFUL I just love Essays Of Africa so much! The name is much stronger and powerful. You are a blessing to our generation and I thank God for your life. Well done to you and your team. Sibongile Maxulu

POSITION IS KEY! Thanks for a great magazine, I picked up your second issue, which also happened to have been my first copy and it truly makes for interesting reading. I look forward to many more copies. Please ensure that your magazine is correctly positioned in the stores and within good view! Thandi Mtshemla

SOCIAL MEDIA Rosie Motene @ PrincessRTM @EssaysOfAfrica Thank you for phenomenal shoot! Day filled with beautiful positive energy! Can’t wait for March! Gladys Matasane @ GladysMatasane Hehe if horoscopes are anything to go by, things are looking good? Lol thank you @EssaysOfAfrica for the inspiration #Sagittarians rock! Selloane Moleli @ kennamaletsatsi @EssaysOfAfrica the layout is nice and simple. But I love that it focuses on the Africa lifestyle. Mathabo Auta @016Miss_A

Spotted @EssaysOfAfrica mag for the first time today, love at first sight. Neo @_maditla Had a piece on Ipeleng Mkhari in @ EssaysOfAfrica with Pamela [Nomvete] on the cover. Ipeleng is too cool. Ms Tifa @Ms_Tifa @EssaysOfAfrica just finished reading the first issue I bought – a breath of fresh air! Really great content and inspiration. #loveit #greatjob Michaela Le Roux @ Me_Chaela Absolutely love this magazine @ EssaysOfAfrica… Leading women in the right direction!

Fikile King F Mekgoe Yay I got my copy – seeing her on the cover took me back to the year 2005 when Thuli Sithole won Miss SA. I remember how she inspired me to be the next Miss SA. I carried the magazine she was featured in every day to work and gym and kept saying one day I will wear the crown. Her story of being the first Tsonga lady to wear the Miss SA crown showed me that anything is possible. Then, seven years later I was the first black person to be crowned Mrs SA. The truth is sometimes we might not know how our stories are touching other people out there. We might think it is a small thing, but some rural girl sees it as a confirmation

that she can be anything she wants to be and achieve anything she wants to. Thank Nawaal for this issue. And friends, you can invest in this one, it is worth your R30.00! Wezi Muyembe Njovu Tears of joy can’t stop rolling down, I always used to dream of featuring in international magazines and now my dreams are coming true. A whole page! I don’t even know how to thank Essays Of Africa, Nawaal and Nuraan and the team… I am humbled… To my ladies who made this happen, I say thank you. My brother and professional photographer Paul Kabungo-Mfula what can I say? To God be the glory!

Email us at letters@essaysofafrica.com or post your comments on Facebook.com/essayofafrica, Twitter @ EssaysOfAfrica or post your pics on Instagram at Essays_Of_Africa.

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Share In The Stories Of the Continent

S Y A S S E

’S A WOMAN

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com

frica. www.essaysofa

A force behind digital migration in AFRICA

N CAMEROON-BOR

Dr Nathalie Connect Chinje & WE g down are breakin women barriers for ess sin bu in

5 MONEY MISTAKES SMART WOMEN MAK E

Rosie

E MOTLiEN fe’s a

challenge but she’s winning hands down!

TO LEAVE I CHOSE D REN IL H C Y M

TIMELESS

Denim

to style it Simple ways incl.) R30.00 (VAT TAX) (excl. MARCH 2015 ries: R26.27 Other count

• Essays Of Africa print and digital magazine is alive with the bold stories of women who are blazing trails throughout the continent, uplifting not only themselves but their communities and living the message of hope and liberation. • Essays Of Africa is available anytime, anywhere with instant online access to our digital and social media platforms.

Start Your Journey Today! Essaysofafrica.com E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

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Women on a Journey

Fashion & Beauty

Relationships & Sex

Omotola Jalade Ekeinde

Visit our NEW website

Lifestyle

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Uncovered: Chats

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EOA FASHION

Sexy 1 SEVEN MULTI-LAYERED GOLD NECKLACE, R105, Edgars.

A touch of playful colour always takes a well-styled outfit to the next level, and these are Tumi Mdluli's best picks for March.

BLACK FITTED DRESS,

R389, Rage.

ORANGE CLUTCH, IRIS, R6 065,

Luisa Spagnoli.

Ed’s

! k c i p

SUNGLASSES, R6 350, SDM Eyewear. 16

BLACK SUEDE SANDAL,

R2 250, Castelo.

PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY STOCKISTS.

COLORFUL NECKPIECE, R329, Zara.

CRYSTAL WATCH, R499, Woolworths.

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CELEBRATE YOUR UNFORGETTABLE MOMENTS

FOR THE PERFECT GIFT DISCOVER THE NEW COLLECTION Bracelets from R895, charms from R499 pandora.net BALLITO BROOKLYN CANAL WALK CLEARWATER EASTGATE

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EOA BLOGGER COLUMN

ALL THINGS BEAUTIFUL Tokelo Motsepe is surrounded by beauty; from her work as a buyer and blogger to the decision to celebrate the natural beauty of the world around her.

Beauty – noun, plural beauties The quality present in a thing or person that gives intense pleasure or deep satisfaction to the mind, whether arising from sensory manifestations (shape, colour, sound, etc.), a meaningful design or pattern or something else.

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Knit Poncho Wrap: Blown away by the vision that was the monogrammed Burberry poncho on the runway at their last show, this piece is at the top of my list. Chunky Knit:

natural state, be it in a sunrise/sunset, a flower in full bloom or a happy child with ice cream all over their face. Seeing such things brings a smile to my face and its these little joys that come together to bring me happiness throughout the day. Being a fashion buyer and blogger, I’m no stranger to beautiful bits and baubles. Scrolling through my various social streams of visual inspiration, I come across lovely images of beautifully clad individuals and scintillating selfies. That kind of imagery makes it easy to get sucked into feeling like you’re not good enough. I have since had to balance what I expose myself to by adding visuals of wondrous places I dream of visiting and encouraging affirmations to get me raring and ready to go. I’ve learnt that filling your life with the right kind of beauty is what’s important; the things you are exposed to and see on a regular basis feed and fuel who you are becoming. One thing to keep in mind that my mother drilled into my head from a young age, is how external beauty fades faster than one thinks and it’s more important to nurture one’s inner beauty and seek to bring out the beauty in others.

I love knitwear. It’s perfect for transitioning and layering, and oversized chunky knitwear would be the best way to add some newness to the range of knits I already have. Suede Over-The-Knee Boots: Yes, they’re back. New Nude: As the days get colder, I tend to gravitate towards darker or more muted, neutral shades of lipstick. Nude lipstick is my go-to colour in autumn and a new season brings a new shade. Parka Jacket: Also conducive to layering, this lightweight jacket can be worn with just about anything and with the weather being as unpredictable as it can be in Cape Town, I’ll be ready! E

Find out more about Tokelo through her blog throughshadedeyes.com/. Twitter: @TokeloMotsepe Instagram: @throughshadedeyes

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

PICTURES SUPPLIED BY TOKELO MOTSEPE.

find it interesting that in a time when we basically have just about anything at our fingertips, the search for beauty is an ongoing one. I wake up every morning and open up my curtains to be greeted by the sight of the sun peeking over the mountain range in the distance. One would think it gets old but that pretty picture doesn’t seem to lose its marvel. Majestic views are one of the things on my list of loves; there’s nothing like nature’s artwork. #teamnatural I grew up hearing how ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’, and it took some growing up and a number of positive influences to realise just what that meant. Yes, we all have different tastes and therefore, what one person may find beautiful may not appeal to the next. I’ve also come to understand, however, that it’s also about how you look at certain aspects of life. I believe that surrounding yourself with beauty is so important because it has an effect on your mood and energy. I roam the world and float through cyberspace looking for beauty in its most

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ZINGISA TAHO

www.essaysofafrica.com

A female force behind digital migration in AFRICA

CAMEROON-BORN

Dr Nathalie Chinje & WEConnect are breaking down barriers for women in business

I CHOSE TO LEAVE MY CHILDREN

TIMELESS

Denim

5 MONEY MISTAKES SMART WOMEN MAKE

Rosie

MOTENE

Life’s a challenge but she’s winning hands down!

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MARCH 2015

EOA FASHION NEWS

PAUL SMITH: A Suit To Travel In

Finally, a suit that won’t be creased by travel. By using high-twist 100% wool yarn, the autumn/winter 15 Paul Smith ‘A Suit To Travel In’ is designed with quick recovery crease-resistant cloth that has waterrepellent qualities. Details on the suit include high-density corozo nut buttons and split Melton collar with contrast panels, of Paul Smith tailoring signature. The suit will be available worldwide from Paul Smith shops and selected wholesale partners from May 2015. For more information, visit www.paulsmith.co.uk/asuittotravelin.

EVERY DAY FASHION FOR PLUS-SIZED WOMEN

ARE YOU A CLOSETCLIQUE CHICK?

Looking for the best way to de-clutter and refill your wardrobe? Have you considered fashion swapping, the fun way of exchanging your once-loved items for new clothes? Julie Despraz, the founder of closetclique.co.za, started an online platform that allows South African women to shop, sell and swap their fashion items. With a fresh edge and extra online features, closetclique offers an online experience that is fun and easy. If you’re not into online swapping, then their monthly Sip & Swap meets held in Cape Town might be for you. Jozi’s stylish women will be happy to know that closetclique is now available there too. Shop and swap online at www.closetclique.co.za. E

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WORDS: THINA MTHEMBU. PICTURES: PAUL SMITH: A SUIT TO TRAVEL IN; CLOSETCLIQUE; WWW.FACEBOOK.COM/REVELATIONFASHION.

Semola Mooka studied at the University of Witwatersrand (WITS) and decided to pursue a career in fashion through LISOF. In 2012 she noticed that there was a gap in the market for affordable, plussized designer wear. The REVELATION brand was born specifically to cater to fuller-figured women with different shapes. Following two successful years, it became clear that her designer garments needed expansion into everyday wear too. REVELATION now caters to women of different sizes and operates on the ethos of body diversity, focusing on dressing the women and not the size. Visit www.revelationfashion.co.za/ for information on the brand.

READER’S CORNER EOA

When Simon Chambert purchased a copy of Essays Of Africa for his partner, he didn’t realise it would leave him so inspired!

PICTURE: SUPPLIED BY JO ANKE GALLERY.

came across the second issue of your magazine while waiting in one of those long payday queues at the shops last month. I vividly remember the title A Woman’s Journey – Essays of Africa attracting my attention. Why vividly? I am not sure; perhaps because it was just different. In a world where we face difficult times and complex challenges, the presence of women is unfortunately still highly under-represented in political, entertainment and business sectors. Women and Africa’s singularities are slowly but surely infusing these spheres with a breeze of fresh ideas desperately needed to face these multiple challenges. Reading through Nawaal’s editorial and the reason for the name change from Essence of Africa to Essays of Africa, I recall how I liked the idea of ‘Essays’ as a concept of actively writing the (his?)story. I was also impressed by the courage it must have taken to “pause, reflect” after only one issue of a brand new magazine and to effect

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a change in the name that would reflect its true essence. After skimming through the pages and taking in the diversity of stories about women, I selected this magazine for my fiancé, as I believed it would inspire her. She recently opened Jo Anke, an art gallery in Orange Grove, Johannesburg, and she is bravely bringing her own fresh perspective to this mostly white-male-dominated industry. Success stories are built on the lessons we learn while making mistakes. It takes a lot of those “pause, reflect and innovate” moments, as Nawaal puts it, to propose one’s own alternative to the status quo. Empowerment is a long and rocky road. It is not for the fainthearted and takes courage to navigate; courage to go against the grain when society constantly reminds you what is expected of you, courage to stand up again and again after each unforeseen stumbling block. By sharing the stories of the women in Africa, I am sure that this magazine and its essence – the women represented in it – will remove some of the obstacles from the path for others to make further progress. I won’t lie… I didn’t purchase the magazine for my own reading. I thought it would inspire my partner but the truth is, it inspired me… to keep learning, keep growing and keep moving, despite all odds. To the Essays Of Africa team and to all women in Africa: all the best on this exciting journey. We need you. E

MARCH 2015

THE TIMELESS APPEAL OF

Denim

Denim is a style staple and is versatile in the form of dresses, shirts, jumpsuits or high-waisted jeans. Tumi Mdluli selects the best in the latest of this blue fashion must-have to add to your wardrobe this season. MA RC H 2 0 15

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FASHION MAIN EOA

BLACK HAT, R489, TOPSHOP. WESTERN DRESS, R999, STUTTAFORDS. EARRINGS, MODEL’S OWN. GOLD CUFF, R180, ZURI. BLACK BACKPACK, R629, TOPSHOP. BLACK ANKLE BOOT, R1 200, TOPSHOP. BROWN HAT, R299, ZARA. DENIM DRESS, R2 250, G-STAR RAW. GOLD EARRINGS, EDITOR’S ACCESSORY. GOLD CUFF, R180, ZURI. FASHION CODE POUCH, R559, ZARA. BROWN ANKLE BOOT, R1 199, ZARA.

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MARCH 2015

BLACK LACE-UP BUSTIER, R1 199, GUESS. S/SLEEVE DENIM SHIRT, R1 999, G-STAR RAW. SCARF USED AS HEAD WRAP, R199, TOMMY HILFIGER, STUTTAFORDS. DARK BLUE SKINNY JEANS, R1 399, G-STAR RAW. FLORAL SNEAKERS, R600, SUPERGA.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FASHION MAIN EOA

COLD SHOULDER FLAG GIRL TEE, R399, GUESS.LADIES SKINNY DENIM, R599, SOVIET. BLACK & GOLD CHUCK TAYLOR, R1 220, ALL STAR, STUTTAFORDS. SILVER BACKPACK, R679, TOPSHOP. GOLD CUFF WITH BLACK STONES, R180, ZURI. BLACK TRAFALUC TOP, R299, ZARA. BOYFRIEND JEANS, R999, LEVIS, STUTTAFORDS. BLACK ANKLE BOOT, R1 200, TOPSHOP. BLACK BACKPACK, R629, TOPSHOP.

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

DENIM SHIRT, R1 599, G-STAR RAW. MARKET FLORAL SET ME UP BUSTIER, R799, GUESS. SUPER HIGH-WAISTED SKINNY JEANS, R749, TOPSHOP. CHUNKY BRONZE NECKPIECE, R230, ZURI. FLORAL SNEAKERS, R600, SUPERGA.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FASHION MAIN EOA

BRITTNEY SKINNY ANKLE SLIM FIT, R1 500, GUESS, STUTTAFORDS. DENIM SHIRT, R800, GAP, STUTTAFORDS.

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

PINK BACKPACK, R679, TOPSHOP. WHITE T-SHIRT, R199, GUESS. GOLD EARRINGS, EDITOR’S ACCESSORY. WESTERN LIGHT BLUE SHIRT, R699, LEVIS, STUTTAFORDS. BLUE DISTRESSED JEANS, R759, ZARA.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FASHION MAIN EOA

BLACK HAT, MODEL’S OWN. LONG DENIM JUMPSUIT, R999, ZARA. BLACK PATENT SHOES, R559, ZARA. SHORT DENIM JUMPSUIT, R759, ZARA. DROP EARRINGS, MODEL’S OWN. BLACK SNEAKERS, R950, ALL STAR, STUTTAFORDS.

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

BLUE & BROWN HAT, R140, ZURI. WIND SAMANTHA TOP, R899.95, GUESS, STUTTAFORDS. BRITTNEY SKINNY ANKLE SLIM FIT, R1 500, GUESS, STUTTAFORDS. COLD SHOULDER WASHED PEPLUM TOP, R599, GUESS. DARK BLUE SKINNY JEANS, R1 399, G-STAR RAW.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

PICTURES: BY GARETH JACOBS.

FASHION MAIN EOA

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MARCH 2015

Leaving my children was my

CHOICE

Motherhood always marks some kind of change for women but for 37-year-old Sizakele*, it was one that threatened to suffocate her. M A RC H 2 0 1 5

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

REAL LIFE EOA

“By the time my daughter turned a year old, I knew that I had made a mistake by having her. Motherhood is something I never questioned; to me it was the natural progression of life and womanhood. I waited until I was married to have my first child and I was about to turn 30 so the timing seemed perfect – I was ready or so I thought. My now ex-husband took to parenthood much better than I did and he is an amazing father. I struggled with the transition from woman to mother and was told that I suffered from postnatal depression (PND). Assured that this would pass, and that with some help I would be able to get my life back on track, I convinced myself that everything would be okay. As couples do, my husband and I went on to have two more beautiful children – two boys that changed our lives even more. I love my children. They have brought me a lot of joy, but I cannot say that I have ever again felt a sense of normalcy since the birth of my children. For me, it felt as if motherhood stole a part of me and that part was gone forever.

WORDS: ZAMA NKOSI. PICTURES: ©iSTOCK.COM.

NOT A MONSTER

When I left my kids, they were six, three and two years old – just babies, even by my own definition. I had been thinking about walking away from the day my daughter had been born, but it took me five years to muster up the courage to actually do it. I have been criticised and asked, if I felt this way after my daughter’s birth, why I went on to have more children. The answer I give is that I truly hoped and believed that I would feel differently the second… and the third time around. I always considered myself to be a caring, level-headed and dependable person, but rather than stir up feelings of contentment, motherhood evoked in me a sense of entrapment that grew steadily more intense as the years passed. My husband and mother were the first to notice that something wasn’t right with me. I appeared to cope well enough with the physical tasks of being a mother: I loved my children, dressed them, played with them and did everything else that was expected of me. As these daily responsibilities increased, my sense of self seemed to shrink and I retreated more and more into myself. Despite my mother’s attempts to reach out and help me, I began to spiral into a suffocating world of confusion and emptiness. After all, how could I reveal and explain my deepest thoughts and feelings to my mother, who valued motherhood as the greatest gift in the world? My husband observed from a distance, justifying my lack of connection as the understanding that parenthood required some level of self-sacrifice.

CROSSING A LINE

While my husband was prepared to rationalise and wait out this ‘phase’ in my life, and focus on his role as the devoted father and husband until our children grew older, I knew by 2013 (the year my youngest turned two) that I had failed at my role. The suffocating grip of motherhood has become too much and I wanted out – I needed out if I was to survive and regain any sense of purpose. I let both my husband and my mother know on the same day and,

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amidst their shock and disbelief, I prepared to leave. Neither of them thought I would go through with it and my husband asked if I was leaving him to be with another man. This might have made my decision to leave more painful but somewhat understandable, but this was not the case. I was leaving for someone – for me. And I did leave. Society has no sympathy or empathy for women who walk out on their children and two years later, I am still haunted by the guilt of leaving my children. However, I have worked really hard to find out who I am outside of being a wife and mother. What I have learned is that I am a loving person and a woman who chose something that she did not fully understand. I never anticipated how motherhood would make me feel – I didn’t choose to not want to be a mother. My decision to leave my children was costly; my relationship with my family is not what it once was and I lost my husband and many friendships. Few people can understand the choice I made. I did not leave to live a life of parties and casual romances. Rather, I devoted this time to a journey of rediscovery, to my emotional and spiritual health, and I still seek this discovery alone. I am comforted by the knowledge that my children have an incredible father and my mother is there to help and support him. I know that by choosing my own happiness above a life of raising my children will have hurt them in unimaginable ways, but I stand by my decision as the best one I could have made at that time, for both my family and for myself. Occasionally I toy with the idea of going back, but I know that it can never be in the capacity my family wants. At some point I hope to be more involved in my kids’ lives, if they will want me there, but I want to make sure that when I do that, I go back as a whole person. E * Not her real name.

MARCH 2015

An inspirational

SCHOOL OF THOUGHT It’s not every day that someone opens up a school but that’s exactly what Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha and her husband, Thulani Mbatha, decided to do. They founded Kgololo Academy and the kids of Alexandra will be thanking them for it.

lexandra Township is a long way from home for Waahida TolbertMbatha. The South Kentucky native went from being a high school student with untapped potential to a highly skilled and dedicated woman with a Masters Degree in education. These days Waahida is doing more than just excelling in her own studies; she has embarked on the life-changing path of opening up her own school in one of the most notorious townships in South Africa. Her passion for providing the community of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, with great education for their kids has seen her through the harrowing task of creating a school that she can be so proud of that her own son is part of the founding class. Q How Did You Initially Get Involved In The World Of Teaching? I kind of fell into teaching. I wasn’t the most well-behaved student. I had the

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potential but for a variety of reasons was not tapping into it. I was screaming for someone to say ‘what’s going on, how can we help you’, and I didn’t get that attention from my teachers. I was fortunate to get into a meritbased institution called Berea, which catered for students with high academic potential that came from low-income communities. An admissions counsellor from Berea named Cassandra came to my school in my final year of high school and she saw something in me. She told me in the first term that I had to make straight A’s and I did. The people in the school office didn’t even recognise me anymore because I was there for excelling instead of being in trouble. In college we went on field trips and when I went to some of the schools I would see packed classes, no instruction happening, teachers looking overwhelmed and no lesson plans. I thought I had it bad and that made me feel compelled to be a teacher.

Q How Did You End Up In South Africa? I met my husband in Berea. He was president of the African Student Association and I was president of the Black Student Union and we would do a lot of things together. Thulani was always very patriotic about his country. When I went to Ghana, he was telling to me to go to South Africa. At the time, he was the only South African student and I didn’t know the history of the country. We started dating after college. When we were discussing our marriage, I knew that living in South Africa at some point would be part of our marriage contract. Our son Themba was born in 2009 and we came to SA in 2010 for the Fifa World CupTM, after which I was more open to moving here. We officially moved here in 2011. Q Were You Not Intimidated By The Reputation That Alexandra Has? I was never scared to be in Alex, as I didn’t grow up hearing bad things about it. My experience of Alex is good. I’ve knocked on every door on 2nd Avenue and been warmly

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

Q&A EOA welcomed. This is the only place I know where you knock and people immediately say ‘come in’ without asking questions. There are a lot of good things here.

WORDS: ZAMA NKOSI. PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED BY WAAHIDA TOLBERT-MBATHA.

Q What Led You To Open Up A School? When we moved here, opening up a school was definitely not part of the plan; I didn’t know what I wanted to do and I taught at a school in Pinelands in Cape Town. Most of the kids were from Khayelitsha, Gugulethu and Langa and they had been handpicked because of their abilities. Although this was important, I still didn’t see anything for the average person who showed great potential; there were no schools in the townships that were considered centres of excellence. This frustrated Thulani and me, and after I came across a quotation: ‘What is the best you have to offer to the world?’ the idea of a school popped into my head. I kept rejecting the idea, but one day after I came home from a particularly bad day at school, Thulani said that ‘That’s it, let’s open up this school!’ Q How Did You Go About It? I would speak about the local education system to anyone who would listen. I created my own residency and went to visit schools. I wanted to juxtapose the schools in the townships with schools in the suburbs to see what did and didn’t work in both. I did all of this with a lens on black children. I noticed how black middle class parents sent their kids to school in the suburbs for a better education and while this might benefit them academically, it placed them in a situation where they were a minority. I wanted to create a place of excellence that would prepare kids for university, but not remove their culture from the education system. I started spending a lot of my time in Alex to try to learn the needs and wants of the community, with the understanding that I had to consider these from a local perspective and not just transplant American ideas to this community. With funding I was granted to do a feasibility study, I hired a few interns and we surveyed about 200 parents. We then created a vision for the school, which included it being located in Alex; it having both English and Zulu as mediums of instruction; having extended school days that finished at 4pm, and the school being a university preparatory. The results of our survey were positive, as many

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

of the parents wanted their kids to be a part of our school, and we used the feedback to help shape and mould our vision.

we are here. Every child has potential and we aren’t going to exclude kids that haven’t had that potential exposed yet.

Q How Did You Get Yourself Ready For The Launch Of The School In 2015? Between 2011 and 2015 I tried to raise the money to open the school and prepare myself to be a leader. Luckily in 2013, I applied for a global fellowship with a network of schools in the US called KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Programme). They have done a fantastic job of opening over 100 schools in the US for low-income communities. We also spent a lot of time training our teachers because we are very specific about what we want for the kids.

Q What Are The Long-Term Goals Of The School? One of the measures is that in 2027 and 2028, when the kids who started with us this year get their results, all our kids will have B-aggregates. If we don’t get that, we would have failed. We also want them to have the choice of going to university or tertiary study. A lot of parents are here because they want a life of choice for their children that they didn’t have. We want our kids to be well taken care of. We make sure that if a child has been sad for a few days, that we communicate with the parents because their character and success is a joint partnership between the school and their parents.

Q Provide A Few Examples Of Some Of Your Specifics For The School. It’s a big myth that parents from the townships are not dialled into their kid’s education. The truth is that they haven’t been engaged. We have a Whatsapp group for our parents and they engage very well. You have to use what tools the parents have in order to reach them effectively. We cater to our parents at their level and it is important to have face-to-face contact. I’ve learnt all the parents’ names and people say that’s because we are still small, but I think it’s because we have made the effort. Q How Many Children Currently Attend Your School? We have 22 kids in grade R and 13 in pre-R. We accept anybody who applies on a firstcome, first-served basis. We don’t want to be selective and exclude kids with aptitude tests. We feel that if a child isn’t on the level we want them to be on, it is our job to get them to reach that level – that’s why

Q What Are Some Of The Challenges You’ve Faced Along The Way? Raising money is always a challenge. Most of our funding started off with friends and family making small donations. We’ve had a few fundraising events. One of the biggest funders was someone I met at a wedding who has been replenishing her donation. On the day we were conducting our teachers’ training we received our first really significant donation, which helped us to install the kitchen and will help with other things that we would have had to go without. We are very open to donations from the public – big and small. E For more info on the work being done at Kgololo Academy, visit www.khululafoundation.org/khulula-

WAAHIDA AND HER HUSBAND, THULANI MBATHA.

MARCH 2015

EOA UNCOVERED

THE MAGIC OF FEMALE FRIENDSHIPS NDONI KHANYILE looks at how her group of close female friends has always been an anchor to her own sense of self. BY NDONI KHANYILE

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How do you stay connected to your closest friends as you navigate getting older? Join the conversation on our website or social media #EOAFemaleFriendships. @EssaysOfAfrica

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

PICTURE: SUPPLIED BY NDONI KHANYILE.

ny woman who is lucky enough to have a long-standing girlfriend knows that a relationship like that is worth its weight in gold. Your bestie inevitably knows you better than you care to admit and she has probably seen you through all the seminal moments along the way that made you who you are today. I’m blessed to have not just one, but a group of fiercely loyal and incredible women in my life – they have become my chosen family. We all have very strong personalities, but our individuality is where we first discovered common ground. We all saw ourselves as misfits in one way or another; we shared the experience of others seeing us as different or odd because of the way we chose to interact with the world. It was so freeing to be a part of a group where ‘fitting in’ wasn’t deemed important. As a teenage girl still dealing with massive

insecurities and self-doubt, it was a gift to be surrounded by young women who were courageous enough to be themselves, no matter how much disapproval that would invite. Watching them deal with difficult questions and seeking to understand themselves and the world around them encouraged my own self-exploration. They have been my kindest critics and most enthusiastic champions throughout that journey. Coupling usually comes hand in hand with a shift in priorities and social life as you start hanging out with other couples or cultivating a joint friendship group. This stage is important as it builds a stronger sense of a shared life. I did, however, feel the absence of my girls when I first moved to a new city to start my married life. I missed not having to be polite, being able to meet for a long lunch at a moment’s notice, dropping in unannounced and having an automatic date for that movie your partner really doesn’t want to see. Most importantly, I missed not having to explain myself. I missed having people around me who knew me and loved me enough to not stand for my self-delusion. These days we live our lives at a distance, spread out around the world. The spaces our relationships now have to navigate make it harder to have all night catch-up talks or lazy market days, but the wonders of Skype and cheap airfares have gone a long way to making my friends feel closer. People who inspire you to be the best of yourself are rare finds. Treasure them. E

REAL WOMAN EOA

STYLE YOUR LOOK... Tumi Mdluli shows you how to use what you have in your wardrobe to create the perfect look for any occasion.

Traditional WEDDING

WHITE TOP, R250, WOOLWORTHS. AFRICAN PRINT PENCIL SKIRT, R350, EBENEZER DESIGNS. NUDE SANDALS, R750, WOOLWORTHS. GOLD NECKPIECE, R249, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES. GOLD CLIP-ON EARRINGS, R129, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES.

Maki Mokome is a daughter, sister, friend and aunt, and a role model to many. At 35, she is a brand manager for a private health care company and the owner strives to inspire her and other budding entrepreneurs. She is currently working to complete her B.Comm degree in Marketing Management and hopes to pursue a Masters Degree abroad in Business Administration abroad. On the side, Maki runs a successful direct selling fashion accessories business that empowers other women and also adds that bit extra to her income at the end of the month. It brings Maki great joy to see women empowered and able to afford the little luxuries that life has to offer. In her heydey, her grandmother was a stylish woman and her mother was known as ‘Ms Fashion’. Maki’s mother clearly passed her fashion sense onto her daughter, having groomed her to always look good and wear her stockings to church! To this day, Maki still consults her mother for fashion tips and what stockings to buy. This real woman’s fashion style is relaxed and she is obsessed with combining African print with more modern pieces. Weekends are her time to show off her fashion sense, which she does in style! E

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

EOA REAL WOMAN

Office

OCCASION

Dinner DATE

NAVY BLUE DRESS, R350, WOOLWORTHS. GREY STILETTOS, R350, WOOLWORTHS. SILVER EARRINGS, R250, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES. SILVER CUFF, R149, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES.

WHITE TOP, R250, WOOLWORTHS. BLACK PEACOCK SKIRT, R450, WOOLWORTHS. GREY STILETTOS, R350, WOOLWORTHS. SILVER CUFF, R149, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

REAL WOMAN EOA

Lunch

WITH THE GIRLS

Women’s

NETWORKING TEA

PHOTOGRAPHER: HUW MORRIS PHOTOG-

RAPHY. MAKE-UP: PRUDENCE SEGAMI.

LONG MAXI DRESS, R2 500, PRINGLE. NUDE STILETTOS, R650, DUMOND. GOLD CLIP-ON EARRINGS, R129, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES. GOLD CHAIN, R180, ZURI.

DENIM SHIRT, R250, TRUWORTHS. BLACK PEACOCK SKIRT, R450, WOOLWORTHS. NUDE SANDALS, R750, WOOLWORTHS. GOLD CUFF, R149, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES. GOLD EARRINGS, R149, HONEY FASHION ACCESSORIES.

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MARCH 2015

keeping a close watch on

ZINGISA TAHO As the General Manager of Regulatory Affairs at Multichoice Africa, Zingisa Taho chats about competition, overcoming obstacles and her confidence that the small screen revolution will be televised.

ingisa Taho epitomises triumph over trials. For this 38-year-old single mother of two boys, the journey to becoming Multichoice Africa’s General Manager of Regulatory Affairs, specifically for Southern Africa, has been one of peaks and valleys. She’s been in this role for four years but the television industry wasn’t part of her original plan. “I was always a reader,” starts the self-described introvert who is currently reading Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s book, Half Of A Yellow Sun (Knopf/Anchor). “I was passionate about people and helping them. That passion came from my mother who had a tremendous influence on me. Her compassionate nature made me think that I’d want to be a nurse.” But a career in medicine wasn’t to be for the young woman who was born and bred in the Xhukwane village of the Eastern Cape. She attended the girls-only Inanda Seminary and matriculated in 1992. Reading developed in her an interest in the violation of people’s rights, which sparked a desire to become a human rights lawyer. She graduated in 1998 with BProc and LLB degrees from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Zingisa was soon faced with her first major trial to overcome – one that didn’t involve a courtroom. “My plan was to go and serve my articles at one of the best law firms in South Africa or nothing at all,” she explains. But her plan went pear-shaped when none of the best chose her. Instead of letting that break her spirit, Zingisa says: “I knew the competition was tough from the get-go, but I told myself that I would get into a big law firm even if I have to take a detour.” That detour included a 10-month consultancy stint, a fiveyear dabble in insolvency law – during which she obtained an Insolvency Law and Practice diploma from the University of Pretoria. She then decided “to drop everything and serve my articles because my goal was not to abandon my dream of becoming an attorney.” A cold-call and warm reception from the Sonnenberg Hoffman Galombik law firm (now known as Edward Nathan Sonnenberg) saw Zingisa face another trial: leaving her young son with her parents in 2003 to move to Cape Town. She

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soldiered on for almost two years and this became the place that allowed her to discover that commercial law was her forte. In 2006 she received an unsolicited call and was offered a job at Verizon. The internet service provider had offices in Botswana and Kenya, which piqued Zingisa’s interest in the rest of Africa. When Multichoice decided to target the mobile broadcasting world, Zingisa seemed a good fit for Regulatory Affairs Manager. She was in this role for three years before assuming the General Manager of Regulatory Affairs, Multichoice Africa position looking after the Southern African region. Now, Zingisa’s key tasks entail “ensuring the environment in various jurisdictions are conducive for the business. That includes securing licences, liaising with industry bodies and engaging with governments on policy and legislative matters. And mitigating risks for the business.”

MIGRATION OF THE DIGITAL KIND

There is an area of her work that both excites and challenges her: Digital Migration. The International Telecommunications Union convened and it was agreed that the world should make the move from analogue broadcasting to digital terrestrial television by June 2015. With the deadline looming, Zingisa says, “There’s a lot happening with regard to policy development in the continent. Digital Migration comes at a price, though. The right to information is a basic right; however, governments are faced with conflicting challenges. For instance, most countries have competing challenges, such as healthcare, education and poverty alleviation, so digital migration isn’t top of the list,” she clarifies. “Countries are trying to strike a balance.” Multichoice is a Goliath pay television on the continent continues to stay winning through innovation as competition intensifies. Zingisa chuckles before she says, “When you know your stuff, you welcome your competition.” It’s this kind of attitude that has rendered Zingisa consistently triumphant. “It’s a cliché to say ‘do what you love’ but that is one of the things I attribute to success,” she shares. “One has to accept that one doesn’t know everything, so never stop learning. And ditch the nineto-five mentality. If you let go of fear, you can do anything.” E

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WORDS: HELEN HERIMBI. PICTURE: SUPPLIED BY MUTSAI MUSA.

PROFILE EOA

“One has to accept that one doesn’t know everything, so never stop learning.” E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

Shopping BLACK & WHITE PRINTED DRESS, R700, CHARTER CLUB, EDGARS.

POLKADOT PRINTED PLAYSUIT, R399, LONDON FASHION HUB, ZANDO.

LONG ROAD PRINTED SWEATER, R700, MANGO.

BIG PRINT TARTAN TROUSERS, R659, ZARA.

‘MY BOYFRIEND IS A PLAYER’ DRESS, R499, HASHTAG SELFIE, ZANDO.

L/SLEEVE POLKADOT TOP, R759, ZARA.

MONOCHROMATIC MOMENTS Black and white as a combination has stood the test of fashion trends and seasons. Find the monochrome look that suits your tastes from these beautiful and attention-grabbing statement fashion items.

BLACK & WHITE SHIFT DRESS, R400, KELSO, EDGARS.

BLACK & WHITE LOAFERS, R1 199, ZARA.

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HOUNDS TOOTH PATTERN SKIRT, R399, CATWALK, ZANDO.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FASHION EOA LEOPARD PRINT TROUSERS, R659, ZARA.

BLACK & WHITE LARGE-STRIPE SWEATER, R350, KELSO, EDGARS.

LOW-CUT SNEAKERS, R649, SUPERGA POIS, ZANDO.

Pearl Thusi keeps it simple with stripes. SMALL PRINT TARTAN TROUSERS, R659, ZARA. BLACK & WHITE L/SLEEVE PRINTED SHIRT, R659, ZARA.

FORMAL JUMPSUIT, R200, RAGE.

TRYPE HIGHWAISTED SHORTS, R399, HASHTAG SELFIE, ZANDO.

SUPERSTAR W SNEAKERS, R999, ADIDAS, ZANDO.

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

Shopping

BLACK LACE DRESS, R1 000, CHARTER CLUB, EDGARS.

CELESTEJUMBLE CHARM NECKPIECE, R1 999, WOOLWORTHS.

BLACK & WHITE CHECK WRAP DRESS, R700, CHARTER CLUB, EDGARS

ZEBRA PRINTED SHEATH DRESS, R369, RAGE.

QUEEN OF STRIPES Make sure you keep things proportional when wearing polka dots. Keep to small dots if you are petite and go bold if you have the height and slender build!

FRONT SPLIT TUBE SKIRT, R649, WOOLWORTHS.

PRINT CULOTTES, R890, WOOLWORTHS.

KAREENA LACE DRESS, R599, LONDON FASHION HUB, ZANDO. CUNHA-GIRAFFE HEELS, R1 190, ERROL ARENDZ, ZANDO.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FASHION EOA Lira looking elegant in diagonal lines.

PRINTED SUMMER VISCOSE DRESS, R249, UTOPIA, ZANDO.

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BLACK DRESS WITH WHITE DETAIL, R4 800, KAREN MILLEN.

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VANISHING ACT SLIPPER, R1 300, WOOLWORTHS.

MARCH 2015

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GEO TRIBAL SNOOD, R129, FUNKY FISH, ZANDO.

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FASHION EOA

FORMAL SKINNY PANTS, R389, RAGE.

BLACK & WHITE SWEATER, R350, KELSO, EDGARS. S/SLEEVED JUMPSUIT WITH BELT, R629, LILLI LONDON, ZANDO.

BLACK & WHITE FORMAL CLOSET DRESS, R419, RAGE.

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POLKA DOT PRINTED PLAYSUIT, R399, LONDON FASION HUB, ZANDO.

Lupita Nyong’o revved up for an afternoon at the races, perhaps?

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

LEATHER & WAVE SLINGBACK SANDALS, R159, UTOPIA, ZANDO.

MARCH 2015

MA RC H 2 0 15

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

COVER STORY EOA

Everything is

ROSIE

She’s conquered the small screen, the theatre and the big screen, but most importantly Rosie Motene has navigated life with her head up and a smile on her face.

here aren’t many people who add sparkle to a room when they enter it, but when we meet up with 40-yearold Rosie Motene for our cover shoot, she radiates confidence and her quick laughter injects a sense of playfulness into the air. That same energy is present when we meet up for our interview in Melrose Arch. Rosie is bubbly, confident and assertive and as she tells her story, I realise that those are qualities that she has earned over the course of her life. Born in a humble home in Phokeng in North West province, Rosie’s childhood was more textured than many people’s. “I was born into a black Lutheran family, but because my mother was a domestic worker, I grew up in Emmarentia (Johannesburg) in a white Jewish home with my foster parents. I was sent to a Catholic school, McAuley House, and most of my friends were Muslim so my sense of identity was made up of a lot of factors that didn’t necessarily all make sense at the same time,” Rosie explains. Her on-screen presence first took South Africans by storm when she was cast as Tshego on the new local SABC 1 soapie, Generations. Despite her very obvious acting chops, this wasn’t Rosie’s original plan – dance was. “I loved dance so much and got to just one level below becoming a teacher. I came across

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

a movement class while studying at Wits and that piqued my interest. From there, Johnny Barbuzano convinced me to audition for Ken Temba’s The Suit. On opening night, I knew that I was onto something,” Rosie recalls with a sparkle in her eye. Since then, Rosie’s CV has included a role in the acclaimed movie Hotel Rwanda, where she worked alongside the likes of Nick Nolte and Don Cheadle; presenting, producing and directing for Studio 53, and touring Australia and the UK as part of the cast of John Kani’s Nothing But The Truth.

THE DESIRE TO STRETCH Even though she had already become more than on-screen talent, Rosie decided that she wanted to try her hand at movie production. “In early 2011, I called Akin Omotoso and asked if I could shadow him in whatever he was working on. He told me he wanted to tell the story of the xenophobic attacks of 2008 in a movie called Man On Ground. Despite a minimal budget through crowd funding, Akin’s solid industry relationships had managed to secure the talent of amazing actors and an incredible crew. There was never any attitude; there was not one day when someone threatened to down tools.” As an associate producer on the film, Rosie was confronted with hurdles that she had to overcome. While looking for funding, she was sometimes met with less-than-welcoming

MARCH 2015

attitudes. “Some people would want to know what an actress knew about film production and, while this was my first film, I had production experience that many people didn’t know about,” Rosie explains. “There was also a level of sexism, but I always stood my ground,” she adds. When she speaks about business, Rosie’s demeanour becomes serious and it’s very clear that her bubbliness doesn’t mean weakness by any stretch. “Jenna Clifford always told me that, while it’s still a man’s world, women need to play the game as women and not be afraid of our femininity – we should never degrade ourselves to another person’s level. There was one instance where a man put his hand on my leg – suggestively – and I stood up and left. It didn’t matter how much money he was going to give us – his actions were inappropriate and he would have never treated a man that way,” Rosie says with conviction. While trying to figure out how to make it to Canada for the premiere of Man On Ground at the Toronto Film Festival, Rosie was invited to an indaba (conference) by the National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF). “It was a particularly difficult month for me, but I knew that I wanted to be there,” she admits. “They spoke about what they were doing for women in film and this encouraged me to write a letter of motivation to them about the Toronto Film Festival and I got their support. Going to the Toronto Film Festival as a producer was amazing. All of a sudden you book certain meetings that you would never have been able to before – it’s a different level altogether.”

WHO AM I REALLY? While Rosie’s career was moving in a positive direction, she had personal issues that she had to deal with. She admits to having always experienced one or other form of identity crisis, right up to her 30s. “How I grew up always left me conflicted in terms of my identity. I often had people telling me I didn’t know who I was and I would lash out at them.” Rosie explains how she started wondering exactly where and how she fitted in when something came up with her foster family that left her feeling ostracised. “I had been completely pushed away by my biological family,” she shares. “Although I was still in contact with them, subconsciously I

M A RC H 2 0 1 5

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

COVER STORY EOA was still embarrassed to be black and to be associated with my black family. I would go home for the odd Christmas and throw money at the situation,” she explains. While working for the Jewish radio station, CHAI FM, three years ago, Rosie felt a sharp pain on the left side of her body while driving on the highway one day. “I pulled over and something within me told me that I needed to go home to Phokeng,” Rosie recalls. “I called my biological mom, who said I must come, although I think she thought it was for a weekend.” Rosie had never lived with her parents. Having grown up her with mom in the outside living quarters of her mother’s employers, she had at one stage been moved into the house where her mother effectively became her maid. And so her journey of selfdiscovery began. “At the age of 38 I had to figure myself out. I had never had a proper conversation with my father,” Rosie admits. “For example, I didn’t know that he had an amazing baritone voice. I discovered so much about my family that I just didn’t know. I also decided that I wanted to learn Tswana,” Rosie says, “but I had to remind myself that I didn’t have to do everything at once. I ended up staying at home for 18 months, during which time I learnt the importance of unconditional love from my parents and my older sister, Nellie.” Rosie also used this time to make significant decisions regarding her faith when she converted to Judaism. “Judaism had always grounded me from the beginning, so in 2010 I started the journey. I did the reading material and because I had grown up around Judaism, the reading helped me understand better. The conversion has been a huge factor in my life and the knowledge of God’s importance in my life has been life-changing,” she says with a smile even brighter than usual. As Rosie and I chat, people stop to say hi and all of them are received with warmth and that megawatt smile. As she waves goodbye to one particular gentleman, she explains, “I told him about my favourite cheesecake place in Brooklyn, New York, and he tried it.” That lightheartedness isn’t just reserved for friends, I notice, as she’s just as warm and friendly to the waitress who is serving us.

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

Auditions for Hotel Rwanda and gets a role as a receptionist that originally only involved two calls but ended up having 14 calls. She acted alongside Don Cheadle and Nick Nolte.

Rosie leaves the cast of Generations.

Tours Australia alongside John Kani in Nothing But The Truth.

2004

2005

Lands the field reporter job on Studio 53. She also worked on the show as a producer, something that she had to ask for because she wanted to learn more. She stayed with Studio 53 until 2010.

A LONG CLIMB TO REACH THE SUMMIT In December 2013, Rosie’s name was in the papers but not for reasons she would have liked. While at a party in Gaborone, a businessman from Botswana physically assaulted her. Rosie says, “Had I not stayed at home for a bit, gone through my conversion to Judaism and gone for therapy, I really think I wouldn’t have come out of that situation as positively as I did.” Although it was a difficult six months for Rosie, she refused to back down and proceeded with charges against the man. “I knew that backing down meant that another woman would have to go through what I did at the hands of this man,” she says vehemently. One day while recovering, Rosie was outside her parents’ home and she made a decision to go through the feelings brought on by the assault. “I allowed myself to cry and throw things at trees. I knew that I would get through it. I was also really angry because I had been planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro in the following February to raise money for the Tomorrow Trust and because the incident happened in December, I had to stop my training.” Then Rosie decided that she would still do the climb, despite what had happened. “I was told that I had to be ready because the challenge was 60 percent mental. I put everything together and, by the grace of God, the money came through.” When Rosie got to the last summit of the climb, she suffered from severe heartburn and felt very sick. The guide

M A RC H 2 0 1 5

Embarks on another Nothing But The Truth tour, this time in the UK.

2007

Does the last of her behind-thescenes work with Studio 53. Gets into film production, working as Associate Producer on Man On Ground.

2010

Shoots Nothing But The Truth Film.

2011 Registers her Pan-African talent agency, Waka.

asked her what she wanted to do and she told him she wanted to get to Uhuru. Advising her to approach at her own pace, at one point the guide told her to put on her sunglasses and as she turned around, Rosie witnessed the most breathtaking sunrise. “I burst into tears and started praying. It was an incredible moment for me! I had the chance to turn around at Gilman’s but I decided that I needed to go on to reach Uhuru to be sure of myself. I knew that if I didn’t get over that assault, it would cripple me in other ways for the rest of my life and I didn’t want that.”

PAN-AFRICAN AGENDA In 2011, Rosie officially launched her talent agency, Waka. Of her motivation behind opening the agency, she says, “Because of my work with Studio 53, I saw how stardom in the rest of the continent was on the rise, especially West Africa. Friends had often asked Rosie her advice regarding contracts and how to negotiate deals. She also received calls from PR agencies seeking certain talent and she was able to point them in the right direction. “I decided to formalise it,” Rosie says. “I also recognised that there is room for industry training. Many people have raw talent but lack the formal training, so I have started a few workshops to enable people to understand industry standards. I think this is an important step for our industry to grow.”

LOOKING AHEAD With so many lessons and victories in the bag for Rosie, when asked what she

Does another round of the Vagina Monologues.

2013

2015 Comes back to the small screen with a role in Mzansi Magic’s Zabalaza.

hopes for when it comes to her future, she says thoughtfully, “I’ve written a book which is in the publishing phase and I really want that to do well.” Rosie admits that the brutal honesty of her book has already ruffled a few feathers. “It’s important when there is adoption to deal with traditions and religious factors and how these affect the child. It’s caused friction, but I am telling the truth.” With a wisdom that she has gained through years of hard-earned experience, Rosie says, “I believe that you have to heal the past so you can move forward.” She is also returning to television with Zabalaza. “I’ve been under the radar for a while, so it’s a little bit nerve-wracking but I am hoping to receive constructive feedback. Interestingly, Johnny Barbuzano is directing Zabalaza and he was the first person to push me into acting – it’s almost as if we’ve come full circle,” Rosie contemplates. And on the romantic front, this vibrant woman also has big plans. “I’m ready for love again! I’ve been saying it for a while now, but after going through my whole journey, I now know the kind of love I deserve. When the time is right, it will come into play. “One of the biggest challenges ahead for me is that I do want children. I am doing the research of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and the freezing of my eggs, but it’s a reality I am ready to get into now.” Considering the grace with which Rosie has handled parts of her journey, we don’t doubt that whatever follows will also be dealt with head-on, and with a stellar smile to boot. E

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

COVER STORY EOA

WORDS: ZAMA NKOSI. PICTURES: BY GARETH JACOBS. STYLING: TUMI MDLULI. MAKE-UP: PRUDENCE SEGAMI. FASHION: TSOTETSI KL. ACCESSORIES: ZURI.

“I wasn’t always into nature but as I’ve grown older, I’ve realised how healing it is to be connected to the earth.”

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

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AP R I L 2012 • V o l 4 • N o 2 9

FOR PREGGY WOMEN

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MEDICATION

MISTAKES

Women CLAIM YOUR BUSINESS

Despite surveys showing that small, medium and microenterprises play an important role in South Africa’s economy and development, women are still getting the short end of the stick. In her final instalment, MORONGWA MAKAKANE highlights issues preventing women from being part of that process. ccording to the SMME Survey 2014, “a small business owned by a woman has a better chance of being profitable, than one run by a man”. And yet, according to the Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Quarter 1: 2014), even with women making up 51 percent of our 54-million population, they continue to take second place. With these numbers, you’d imagine that women would dominate leadership positions, big companies, parastatals, government departments or small, medium and microenterprises. However,

M A RC H 2 0 1 5

this is far from the truth as men continue to occupy these fields. That’s because women have, for the longest time, been pushed into the roles of nurturers and homemakers, thereby being unable to further their education. So, while their male counterparts went to school, young girls had to learn how to look after the home, get married, have children – just like their mothers. Their lack of education automatically limits female participation in the economy. Additionally, limited exposure to technology or the principles of running a business, even while they manage their family expenses really well, has had a major impact

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

SELF-EMPOWERMENT EOA

on the ability of most women to start their own business. Of course, the situation has also been exacerbated by women themselves, whose lack of confidence to stand up for themselves has perpetuated the stereotype of women having no place in the boardroom. It is worse for black women in the rural areas and the townships. Because of the slow development of the rural areas, there are very little, if any, opportunities for participation in the economy. However, the close proximity of townships to the cities and towns has improved their viability, offering a marginal improvement in participation in the form of small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs), usually limited to their communities. Many of the women-owned SMMEs run by black women are informal. Your typical spaza shop, tavern, backyard hair salon, sidewalk fast-food outlet, fruit and vegetable stall and tailor are just some of the examples of the informal business currently dominating the townships. Most of these can’t even be classified under the SMME category because they do not adhere to the legal requirements, standards and procedures that the formal sector follows. They also do not pay tax and, because the government is not involved, there is no control over them and they cannot be followed up on non-compliance. For those who have had the courage or inclination to start their companies, access to finance and funding is a problem. The traditional financial institutions discriminate against women applying for start-up finance, or any finance for that matter. For black women, access to financial services is saturated by informal savings, funeral and burial schemes that provided sparse credit to the enterprise.

IS SOMETHING BEING DONE?

There are a number of initiatives and programmes in place, both by government and the private sector,

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intended to assist women. The existing support programmes, all useful in helping women expand their SMMEs, can be broken down as follows:  General Information And Education Programmes Headed up by government, women’s groups or the private sector, these are mainly skills-building and training programmes on specific points to give women the skills needed to start and run a business. Attendance at workshops is normally complimentary, but some include a nominal fee.  Mentoring And Coaching Programmes Facilitated by government or NGOs, these mentoring and coaching programmes assist women on the aspects of business plan development. The government normally enlists the assistance of experienced business owners and partners them with the emerging entrepreneurs to assist them in establishing their business.  Support For Networking Structures Networking forms part of the core offering of many government agencies, and include training and skills mentoring. Some of the networking initiatives and peer-to-peer learning are facilitated by women themselves and normally have structured networking sessions.  Financial Assistance These are mostly offered by government agencies and private sector companies, and range from loans for start-up finance to financial grants, as well as non financial assistance. A full list of each support programme and what type of support is provided can be found in the Seda Women Owned Enterprise Development Information Booklet. Visit www.seda.org.za.

WHAT CAN YOU DO AS A WOMAN?

As a woman, you need to exercise your intuition in identifying business opportunities and go out and grab them. Have the courage, even if you are not educated, to seek the skills development and learn about business, and what to do to be successful. Go for it! If you are an already a successful woman entrepreneur, pay it forward by helping out your sisters. Identify a young girl in your community who has an interest in becoming an entrepreneur. Give them an opportunity to work in your business as a way of learning the ropes of running a business. And finally, as a woman, you owe it to yourself and to other women to make a success of yourself. Take responsibility; no one can do it for you. So, whatever it takes, do it! It can only serve you, the community and your country better. E

MARCH 2015

MONEY MISTAKES SMART WOMEN MAKE Being on top of your finances is a lifetime commitment, but are you as diligent as you should be? We list a few mistakes that can leave you in the red.

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ESSAYS OF AFRICA

MONEY EOA inances are a topic that is central to living but with our payslips, bank balances and debts all shrouded in secrecy, it’s often the last thing people want to talk about. This is part of the reason why so many people go through financial turmoil after they’ve reached a place of financial security. Sadly, it’s not enough to be able to balance out your budget at the end of the month; keeping financially healthy requires a lot more. Here are the five most common mistakes that smart women make when it comes to managing their money.

1. ROMANTIC DEBT

No matter your age, overspending on your dream wedding is a financial mistake that will leave a dent in your pocket long after you’ve exchanged your ‘I Dos’. “Many women start their marriage with a debt hangover from their wedding day,” says Stephen Mulima, Director of MSM Debt Counselling. While it’s understandable that people want to splurge on their weddings, the financial chaos it creates for someone who is usually on top of their finances can be damaging. Another serious mistake is women banking on their husbands or partners being able to assist with their finances. Mulima warns that this is a risk that has no guarantees, adding that, “It’s better to bet on your own finances and let your partner’s money be a bonus outside your own financial goals.”

2. BACK TO SCHOOL

Not making an effort to understand your finances is a recipe for financial ruin somewhere down the line. “Having a finance guy who helps with your investments from time to time doesn’t count,” advises Lehlohonolo Moloi, a Johannesburgbased financial advisor. She urges you to educate yourself about your money. “Investigate your options, read financial magazines; it’s not smart to stay ditzy about something that is so tied into your wellbeing.” Moloi says that at 20 or even 30, you may be excused for being a little clueless but, after that, you are setting yourself up for some nasty surprises. “And stop believing everything financial advisors tell you! Do your own investigations – it will pay off in the end,” she says.

3. NO DIRECTION

Do you actually know what you are saving for? If not, you’re part of a great number of women with no financial goals. “Pick a number and attach a goal to it because, like other things in life, saving aimlessly is less successful than saving with a purpose,” cautions Moloi. Decide if you want to

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

pay off your car in a year or build your dream house in five. “This will keep you focused and will help you adjust your financial plan because you will have a clear idea of what direction you are trying to go.” Lois P Frankel, PhD, author of Nice Girls Don’t Get Rich (Warner Books), says a great formula for saving is your current savings + the amount needed to achieve your vision = your mission. Write that somewhere you can see it and hopefully this will change how you use your money.

4. MONEY MARTYR

Are you the one everyone phones whenever there is a financial problem? That is a problem! People often mistake your financial security as a sign that you are able to loan or give them money. “This is especially tricky with loved ones, where loans easily turn into gifts. Helping out is good but, if you’re doing it often, you aren’t helping your loved ones; you’re crippling them and yourself,” says Moloi. She advises you to use that money to make more money or add it towards your retirement. “Those

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returns seem far away but the truth is you can never have too much money for retirement or rainy days.” Set financial boundaries; they are just as important as financial goals.

5. BEING CHEAP IS PRICEY

You may pride yourself on getting the lowest price possible for everything and it makes you feel good to know that you are saving money. However, very often, being cheap can be costly. “If you buy inexpensive pots that will last you a year instead of buying amazing pots that will last a lifetime, you are wasting money,” says Moloi, who believes that how you spend your money is important. “Always calculate what something seemingly inexpensive will cost you in the long run; just ticking it off your monthly expenses is not good enough. Being cheap also extends to your time. Rather spend a bit of money instead of doing something that saves you a few Rand but takes up more time.” Your time is your biggest moneymaking tool, so be careful how you spend it while trying to save some of it. E

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

EOA MONEY

Maria Sharapova never stops challenging herself. Like TAG Heuer, she keeps pushing her limits and never cracks under pressure.

AQUARACER LADIES

TAG Heuer Boutiques; Sandton City & V&A Waterfront. Also at selected fine jewellers nationwide. For further information please call 011.669.0500. www.picotandmoss.co.za

or all those go-getters whose goals exceed that of merely being their own boss and reach towards business on a global scale with some of the world’s top corporations, it is now even more realistic to invest in your passion and become the entrepreneur of your dreams. WEConnect International, which operates in South Africa and Nigeria to serve as the bridge between local, women-owned enterprises and commercial giants such as the Protea Hotel Group, Microsoft and Wal-Mart, is at the helm of that change. While buzzwords such as ‘sustainable development’, ‘diversity’ and ‘empowerment’ are often used in the world of business, WEConnect has stepped in to fill the gap in active pursuit of providing specific means to those ends. With this network in place, corporates are presented with a wide-ranging catalogue of women-owned enterprises from which they can have their pick of suppliers. “By women-owned enterprises we mean those companies in which a woman or a group of women have a minimum stake of 51 percent. The ownership for us is very important and legally, at 51 percent we know that we’re really empowering those entrepreneurs,” the group’s executive director for South Africa, Dr Nathalie Chinje says. As the woman in charge of establishing WEConnect International’s first base on African soil, Dr Chinje has had an impressive run since it launched in 2013. “We’ve been here for over a year and this database of 600 women-owned enterprises are now able to connect with more than 4 800 companies

MAKE THE

Connection Too many women start new businesses but lack the opportunities to broaden their horizons. This is now changing, thanks to empowerment groups such as WEConnect International, whose Market Lead in South Africa is Dr Nathalie Chinje. MA RC H 2 0 15

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WOMEN’S NETWORK EOA across 18 geographies, which represent more than 50 percent of the world’s population – at no fee. By just entering their information on our platform, within two weeks we approve registration and invite them to our training,” Dr Chinje says.

ALWAYS GIVING BACK

WORDS: LEBOHANG MASANGO. PICTURE: SUPPLIED BY TUMI NTSHINGILA.

WEConnect works with women because it has been scientifically proven by the World Bank that a woman will use between 60 and 90 percent of her income within her community. As an organisation that believes in sustainable development, Dr Chinje says it’s critical that women are involved because whatever she earns by getting a big contract will go back into the community. As the founder and director of her own company, Upbeat Marketing (www.upbeat.co.za), a strategic marketing consultancy firm also based in South Africa, she speaks of this initiative with remarkable fervour. Revealing that what gets her out of bed is her desire to save the world, it is clear that Dr Chinje has a deep love for community and the African continent. Upon becoming members, enterprises join the guest list to various corporate training events and seminars, mainly held in Johannesburg, that focus on themes that include safety in the workplace, negotiation skills and procurement. “We have Meet The Buyer, our extensive procurement workshops where the chief procurement officers of our corporate members present information on their specific procurement processes,” says Dr Chinje. While equipping enterprises with this specialised knowledge is a top priority, she also asserts that all of these initiatives are geared towards a much greater objective, which leads to the additional function of the network. “In order to become successful and sustainable, they need contracts from those corporate companies and before that happens, they need to become certified with WEConnect.”

cost, but rather as an investment,” declares Dr Chinje, in light of all other WEConnect events and services that are freely accessible. She says that as an entrepreneur, 2015 can be the year of incredible achievements for many struggling female entrepreneurs, just by walking through the doors that WEConnect has opened. “Whether you are interested in a multi-city catering deal, providing linen for a major hotel or boosting your transport company to become a service provider for an international retailer, all it takes is a few clicks to register your enterprise on the WEConnect portal and begin the process of verification to become connected to a whole new world full of lucrative opportunities,” Dr Chinje concludes. E

For more information, visit www. WEConnectinternational.org/.

KNOCKING DOWN BARRIERS

Dr Chinje emphasises that certification has been the main stumbling block with regards to South African women-owned enterprises engaging with the global market. “The sad reality is that those corporates that have believed in inclusion and supply-diversity programmes have burnt their fingers. Not only are some enterprises fronting [by pretending to be women-owned], some are not realistically able to deliver the kind of services that we had expected.” Considering that this has been such a significant problem, WEConnect presents itself as the solution through also being an authorising body that conducts thorough due diligence to verify the legitimacy of businesses. “The certification fee of about US $600 should not be seen as a

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DR NATHALIE CHINJE, MARKET LEAD OF WECONNECT INTERNATIONAL IN SOUTH AFRICA

MARCH 2015

DON’T DRIZZLE ON THE

sizzle

You’ve been there; one minute a romantic relationship is all warm and fuzzy, and the next it just fizzles out. What did you do wrong? You may be sabotaging your relationship and not even be aware of it. ou may not be familiar with Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby, but she is the self-described master on the subject of self-sabotage. The American author is famously quoted as saying: “Self-sabotage is when we say we want something and then go about making sure it doesn’t happen.” When it comes to sabotaging romantic relationships, some women are masters in their own right. Clinical psychologist, Teboho S. Monyamane, says it’s common for people to be unaware that they’re setting themselves up for failure. “It can be because of a fear of intimacy,” says Monyamane, “fear of getting hurt or even not believing that they can have a successful relationship.” Take Siyanda* for example. Fresh from a breakup with a boyfriend, she went to a national music

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festival to drown her sorrows and clear her mind. She didn’t expect to meet Joe*, a stranger with muddy feet and a similar taste in liquor and lyrics. That weekend, Siyanda and Joe really, really got to know each other. But when Monday rolled around, a sober-minded Siyanda was afraid of being hurt again so she deleted Joe’s number from her cellphone. She still thinks about him though, wondering what may have happened if she hadn’t backed away. Fear and a lack of hope aren’t harmful traits experienced by only women. Monyamane insists: “When it comes to relationships or the emotions and fears involved, there are a lot of similarities between men and women, even if they manifest in different ways.” He adds, “Insecurity is common to both men and women but might be expressed differently.”

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

RELATIONSHIPS EOA For Lufuno*, sabotage came in a different form. She briefly dated a guy who tickled her fancy and ticked most of her boxes. He was pretty much perfect for her, except for one thing: his idea of quality time was watching the derby (soccer) together. On paper, he seemed right for Lufuno but she quickly took a page out of Beyoncé’s book and told him ‘to the left, to the left’. She is yet to find her Mr Right. If these scenarios sound familiar, it’s because many women go through similar bouts of wanting something and then ensuring that it never happens. Here is how to quickly realise how you are unwittingly sabotaging your relationship, and what you can do to remedy it.

“Self-sabotage is when we say we want something and then go about making sure it doesn’t happen.” – Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby 1. In Search Of Unicorns

They say almost doesn’t count and some women can let one notso-perfect trait overshadow the many great qualities of a partner. Monyamane says, “While it is good to have standards, sometimes people have unrealistic expectations of others. Sometimes fear of being hurt can cause people to be unforgiving of the other person’s imperfections.” Don’t chase Mr Almost-Right away; learn to be realistic about people’s flaws. It’s important to also remember that you too have flaws that someone will have to be realistic about; that is the nature of life and relationships, and nobody will ever be perfect.

2. La-La Land Extreme

Already planning a wedding and picking out your baby’s name? That’s a form of sabotage that can be insidious. “Not evaluating a new relationship can lead to choosing the wrong partner or causing someone to run for the hills because you are moving too fast,” explains Monyamane. So ditch the idea of getting married by a certain age. Instead, take the time to evaluate if your partner is the right person for you. Be in the moment, see the situation for what it truly is and enjoy that. Fairytales are adorable, but they are for kids.

in the past can be detrimental to a new relationship. No happy ending comes from comparing him to your ex or obsessing about how he may have been with his exes. While it’s good to learn from the past to improve yourself and to avoid making the same mistakes, it’s unfair to punish a new partner for an old partner’s behaviour.” So how do you move on? According to Monyamane,“It’s important to be able to take a step back and assess each person on their own merits. Your current partner cannot be a replica of your ex and you wouldn’t want him to expect the same of you.”

5. The Settling Trap

“Love the one you’re with” may have sounded good when Luther Vadross sang it but, in reality, settling isn’t a good idea. Low selfesteem and a false sense of security is one of the many factors that makes some women choose to stay in relationships that aren’t ideal. “Some women don’t believe that they’re worthy of a partner who can make them happy. Sometimes women become disillusioned because of previous experiences and start thinking that there are no good men out there, or that one just needs to accept whatever you can get, which is problematic,” says Monyamane. Live a little, date a lot and believe in yourself. Love isn’t meant to be about settling for second best.

6. Bad PR

So what if you have cellulite or can’t cook to save your life? Constantly pointing out your flaws can cause your partner to shut off whenever you open your mouth. Monyamane sheds some light on this. “Sometimes people point out their flaws before others can. It could be a way of protecting oneself; saying it first so the other person doesn’t need to bring it up. It can also be a way of seeking reassurance from one’s partner. Either way, these are signs of insecurity.” It’s okay to laugh at yourself every now and then, but for every bad thing you say about yourself, find something that you do like and then focus on that. You will start to feel better about yourself and stop drowning your partner in negativity.

“Live a little, date a lot and believe in yourself. Love isn’t meant to be about settling for second best.”

3. Miss Always-Right

Sometimes you have to let sleeping dogs lie or face the consequences. “If you think you’re right all the time, it means you don’t allow room for the other person’s feelings, thoughts or point of view, which isn’t healthy in a relationship. Reasons for this could include insecurity, control issues or even poor communication skills,” says Monyamane. Avoid alienating your partner by listening to what they’re saying and evaluating if your point helps or harms your relationship.

4. Ex Marks The Spot

Don’t jump from the frying pan into the fire. It didn’t work out with your ex for a reason. Monyamane believes: “Being stuck

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While Alyce P. Cornyn-Selby may have called herself the master in self-sabotage, there is still a chance for you to ditch this bad habit and become the master of your fate. Good luck! E * Not their real names.

Tell us some of the ways that you have sabotaged your romantic relationships in the past. Join our chat on www.facebook.com/essaysofafrica.

MARCH 2015

THE BACKDOOR CLUB

There are numerous names for it and jokes about it – we toy around with it and give knowing, salacious winks when the topic comes up. But how much do you actually know about anal sex, besides all the dirty girl references?

here are very few sexual taboos left in the world these days. Sex before marriage is considered normal, the idea of threesomes is no longer the huge shocker it would have been a few decades back and thanks to 50 Shades of Grey, even people who are into vanilla sex dabble in entry-level BDSM. However, the one sexual topic that many still don’t discuss, despite the world’s supposed sexual liberation, is anal sex. That doesn’t mean that people aren’t doing it. Research conducted by the US Journal of Sexual Medicine found that 35 percent of sexually active women have either tried it once or are practising it regularly. Even though people aren’t necessarily talking about it, statistics show that it’s not some bedroom taboo reserved just for the sexually adventurous. The numbers seem to be growing and the reasons are varied. As porn viewing grows amongst both men and women, the sexual adventure lines broaden and more things are put on the sexual plate, so to speak. Now that we know that people are doing ‘it’ (despite their silence when the topic comes up), here are a few important things you really do need to know about anal sex.

SO, DOES IT HURT

Myth is often based on differing levels of truth. So yes, anal sex can hurt. The vagina is built to stretch to accommodate penises and even babies – but the rectum is not built in the same way. But just like

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having vaginal sex for the first time, you have to be prepared when it comes to anal sex – physically, emotionally and mentally. “Take it slow,” advises sexologist, Dr Elna McIntosh. “Give yourself time to relax and experiment.” Communication is key to pleasure. She advises working up to intercourse with sex toys or simply his tongue and finger. Relaxation is also crucial in avoiding pain. “Try having an orgasm before you begin anal play to help relax.” If you don’t remember anything else about anal sex, remember this – lubrication is not optional! “Lubricate, lubricate, lubricate,” warns Elna, stating that thicker, waterbased lubricants are the best. “When you think you’ve used enough lubrication, put on some more,” she adds. Remember, a rectum doesn’t produce its own lubrication like a vagina does, so no lube means dry friction – and that’s not so pleasurable!

WHOSE PLEASURE IS IT ANYWAY?

The notion that anal sex is just about male pleasure is simply not true. “Don’t be fooled into thinking anal sex is only for a man’s pleasure,” says Elna. “It can be quite stimulating for women too. The anus is rich in nerve endings. Some women can orgasm from the pelvic contractions combined with the excitement of anal play.” Many women confess to a more intense orgasm from anal sex. Similar to doggy style, it allows the shaft to hit a woman’s G-spot at a different angle – often producing a tingly and intense feeling that can explode into

earth-shattering orgasm – the type many women yearn for. Elna also suggests that your clitoris be stimulated during anal penetration, to help you relax into it and heighten your pleasure. Men obviously also get pleasure from it; your anus is tighter than your vagina so that creates its own sensation, which is highly pleasurable.

SEXSCALE OF DANGER

Do you remember when you used to rate your levels of sexual activity? First base is safe, second base a bit racy and by the time you’re going to third base, things are getting very steamy and therefore potentially dangerous. Like all other sexual play, anal sex opens you up to some risks. It’s safer in that it guards against pregnancy – but that’s where the ‘safety’ ends. The risk of contracting an STD when you have anal sex is very high. Because the anus doesn’t have any natural lubrication, it’s very likely that you can get small tears around it when engaging in anal sex, which makes it easy for viruses like HIV to get into your body. So the number one rule is, always wear a condom – but you’re already doing that, right? Elna adds that it’s vital not to switch back and forth from anal penetration to vaginal and warns that this can cause an infection.

TWO-WAY STREET

While most people think about men penetrating women when it comes to anal sex, the opposite is a real part of pleasurable sexual play for many couples. Many men like it too! It has to be said that just because a man wants to be penetrated

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

SEX & INTIMACY EOA

SEX TOYS YOU CAN BUY TO INTRODUCE ANAL SEX INTO YOUR SEX LIFE.

WORDS: CARYN THANDI PETERSEN. PICTURES: ASTROGLIDE.COM LOLA MONTEZ, LADYFAYS.CO.ZA, DR EVE.

LUBED UP – You already know the importance of a good lubricant. It’s the one thing worth investing money in. Astroglide is one of the best lubricants on the market and is available from adult shops and pharmacies. Dr Eve’s shop (www. dreve.co.za) has alternatives perfect for this experience.

anally does not mean he is gay. For men, anal sex feels really good because their prostate gets plenty of attention. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland that you can feel through the wall of the rectum about five centimetres inside. Stimulating the prostate can give a man truly amazing orgasms. The same rules apply in terms of lubrication being a must and lines of communication being open. There are different ways of introducing anal sex with the woman as the one who penetrates. You can start with your finger and graduate to sex toys – there are many options available should you want to explore.

LET’S GET DIRTY?

We’ve all heard those horror stories involving undesirable smudges and other rear-end occurrences. Hardly an image you want when getting into the mood. Yet whilst this can happen, it’s not that common. And despite what your girlfriends say during afternoon

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bubbly sessions, having an enema before you engage in anal sex is certainly not a requirement. If you’re healthy and don’t have diarrhoea, constipation or intestinal diseases, once you’ve done a number two, the rectum is left empty and pretty much clean until the next load of waste comes along. According to Elna, a little bleeding is also normal but if it’s more than just a few drops, stop immediately. Like any other sexual act, trust and open communication are essential, whether you’re in a committed relationship or having a one-night stand. If you’re hesitant or resistant to the idea of anal sex, stop! No one should ever pressure you into something you’re not comfortable trying. But if you’re more than just a little bit curious or even turned on by the thought of anal play, don’t hold back. After all, sexuality is about exploration and having a good time. E

BEADED PLEASURE – Anal beads that vary in size can be useful for those who are still getting used to anal sex. Insert the smallest bead first and once you get accustomed to the feeling, move onto the next size. Don’t worry about these getting lost; they have a handle or string to ensure that doesn’t happen.

BUTT PLUGS – The general rule is to go with smallest ones first, in both length and girth. Butt plugs can help you get used to anal penetration and because of the many nerve endings back there, it brings pleasure. They can also be inserted while you’re having vaginal sex or masturbating. According to Dr Eve, anal plugs like the black Tano by Picobang sell better than anal beads at her shop.

MARCH 2015

DOLLY MBUYANE

lthough Dolly Mbuyane comes from a family who eats, sleeps and breathes business, she did what many young girls did at the time – she went to school, aimed for good grades, followed a tertiary education and got into teaching. “I studied at Mgwenya College in Mpumalanga for a diploma in education and later a further diploma that focused on children with special needs. This led me to teaching at a primary school,” recalls the soft-spoken Dolly. However, as most teachers realise after studying hard to follow their calling, the salary often does not match the passion they put into their jobs. “Growing up I never took an interest in the family businesses, but when I realised that my salary was no longer meeting my needs and wished to give my daughters the best, I came up with my business idea,” says Dolly, a mother of three girls aged 26, 17 and 15. After sitting on the idea for two years, it was Dolly’s husband who encouraged her to get the ball rolling. “In 2002 I registered Nozihle [meaning beautiful] Construction and Projects, which I named after my lastborn.”

A SWEEPING SUCCESS

DOLLY MBUYANE tells us how, when her day job barely made ends meet, she turned her dreams into reality. As the owner of a leading cleaning service, she’s proof that anyone can make a sweeping success of their business plans. M A RC H 2 0 1 5

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

MY JOURNEY EOA SLOW BEGINNINGS

As any successful business person will admit, the infancy stage of a business is the hardest. Between her teaching job and raising three young girls, Dolly set about growing the status of her business. “After registering on the government and State Owned Companies (SOCs) databases, Eskom became the first company to award us a cleaning contract in 2004, hence the birth of Nozihle Cleaning Services,” says Dolly, who would soon discover that compliance was a big issue when it came to big business. And this was just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. With no start-up finance, office out of which to work or bankable business plan, financial institutions were unwilling to support her. “I had no financial backing other than my salary and I ‘hijacked’ my husband’s work space to run the administration of Nozihle Cleaning Services.” As business grew for Nozihle Cleaning Services, Dolly says it demanded more of her time and in 2007, she made the decision to resign as a teacher and run her business on a full-time basis.

AHEAD OF THE CURVE

From its humble beginnings, Nozihle Cleaning Services now employs 131 people, not counting temporary staff, across two provinces and with services ranging from: cleaning windows on highrise buildings to maintaining construction sites, providing carwash services and attending to residential homes. “The competition is stiff, but we ensure that we stay ahead by investing in the constant training of our staff and state-of-the-art equipment, and always looking for innovative ways of making our service stand out from the rest,” beams an obviously proud Dolly. Living by their motto of the customer always being placed first, the business also operates a 24-hour line for our staff in case they experience challenges at any of our sites. Before the start of every shift, Dolly and her staff pray together to channel the guidance, wisdom and strength they need to do be the best at what they do. “Mediocrity does not work for me; it’s either you do it right or you don’t do it at all. I don’t compromise when it comes to quality and I can easily spot an area that has not been given attention. I also do spot checks at any of our sites at any time,” she says, adding that when someone pays for quality, they should get nothing less than the best.

CHANGE IS POSSIBLE

Dolly is a great believer in women changing not only the course of their own lives but the lives of others. “Just imagine if each South African woman was to strive to leave a legacy for her children; our country would be like streets of gold. Naturally, we are nurturers: patient, understanding, loving,

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Mediocrity does not work for me; it’s either you do it right or you don’t do it at all.” “Just imagine if each South African woman was to strive to leave a legacy for her children; our country would be like streets of gold. responsible and caring, so bringing that natural gift into the business just makes imparting skills and knowledge look like a walk in the park. That is why Nozihle Cleaning Services is managed by women at senior level,” says Dolly. Nozihle Cleaning Services, which turns 13 in June this year, has won numerous performance awards, including the prestigious Diamond Award for two years in a row, as well as the SAWEN Ligugu Lami Award – and Dolly has her sights set on bigger and greater achievements for the year ahead. “We are planning to explore beyond our scope. Our biggest goal is to have well-established branches throughout the country. We believe that our quality management system will ensure that our growth is without hurdles,” says Dolly. Nozihle Foundation will also be launched this year, which will strengthen their corporate social investment, a passion Dolly says she’s had since her teaching years. “We will also be launching our Bright Woman initiative, so watch this space.” E

MARCH 2015

EOA ITEM OR OUTFIT

1 item

ChronographWatch in Rose and White, R4 499, Michael Kors, American Swiss.

A LITTLE TIME OR A WHOLE LOT OF STYLE?

Every girl should have a timepiece in her accessories collection. Would you buy this beautiful Michael Kors timepiece for R4 499 or this outfit for less?

STUNNING OUTFIT WORTH R4 200.

Or 1 outfit

Black Long Line Bra, R230, Sissyboy, Edgars

Post Drop Earrings, R450, Lucky Brand, Edgars.

Nency/Cream Dress, R1 000, Lipsy, Edgars.

Different Shades Of Blue Neckpiece, R500, Zara.

Red Handbag, R999, Mango.

WORDS: TUMI MDLULI. PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY STOCKISTS.

Black Bikini, R120, Sissyboy, Edgars.

Stiletto With Ankle Belt, R500, Call It Spring.

Open Stacked Ring Set, R450, Lucky Brand, Edgars.

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Beyond the Blue C49329

How clean is your DIGITAL SLATE? Are you or someone you know guilty of oversharenting? It can be too much, too often and too embarrassing, says Loren Stow.

acmillan Dictionary defines a sharent as ‘a parent who regularly uses social media to communicate a lot of detailed information about their child’. Think Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and blogging – millions of people share their lives, interests, likes, dislikes, and even their lunch on social media. When they also happen to be parents, it’s only natural that their children become part and parcel of what they share. Sharenting – further defined as parents aged mostly 35 plus and early adopters of social media – is so popular that a 2010 survey by internet security company AGV found that 92 percent

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of American toddlers had some form of online presence – a digital footprint so to speak. In fact, 23 percent of unborn babies have already had their sonogram picture posted online. Of course, the vast majority (70 percent) of parents said that they shared their children online for the benefit of keeping in touch with far-flung family and friends, but 22 percent of mothers said that they posted information about their children in order to expand their social networking profiles; a further 7 percent of moms did it just because others were doing it.

OVERSHARENTING

Of course there are always those that take things a step too far, posting pictures of poop, vomit, or their children behaving erratically (albeit hilariously) after anaesthetic and

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PARENTING EOA having their video viewed literally millions of times. In fact, I have personally seen pictures posted of a toddler who died – as they died – minute by horrific minute. Yes, this toddler had a long illness that the family had bravely fought. And yes, social media was the platform that this family used to update everyone who was thinking of their toddler’s wellbeing. But really, who wants to see those pictures? This is where sharenting evolves into something that is darker and more bizarrely narcissistic – oversharenting. In the age of social media it is completely acceptable to write about, post pictures of, celebrate, and even giggle at your child’s antics. It is social media after all – like a gigantic social event that never, ever stops. Sharenting in and of itself is not a bad thing, but there are some things to consider before you post that next ‘sitting on the potty’ picture. And we are not alone here, the vast majority of moms we asked on Facebook felt the same way about overzealous sharers and social media stalwarts.

PAUSE BEFORE YOU POST

In actual social situations where people are casually chatting to other real people, sharing what their child did with their poop the previous day is quite humorous. It also lasts for the moment that it is shared, and then it’s gone and but a memory. In online social situations where a person is chatting to hundreds of people (and potentially thousands or more if their privacy settings are not up to scratch), and they upload a picture and post about said poop incident, it may garner a couple of likes or some retweets. It may make someone else’s day, but the post and the picture live on forever in cyberspace. One day that toddler will grow up, and they may not really appreciate the digital footprint that has been created for them – without their permission or even vague understanding – by their parent. In our world today it is almost strange for an adult not to have an online presence. To Google someone and find nothing is almost creepy. Where on earth do they come from? Where have they been? And why aren’t they online like the rest of the planet? Most people have digital footprints dating back 5, 10 or 20 years – the children born today will have digital legacies dating back to their birth and even the womb, many filled with pictures and anecdotes that they may find cringe-worthy at best, or utterly embarrassing and socially paralysing. Imagine for a second being able to Google your schoolmate and discovering that they liked to paint their bedroom with their poop when they were little? Or imagine finding out that your parent doubted that they should have you in the first place? What about stumbling across pictures of your sibling, as they died, moment by moment online? “The problem with digital footprints,” said Tony Anscombe of AGV to The Guardian in an article titled ‘The Pros and Cons of Sharenting’ (18 May 2013), “is that it’s difficult for an individual to control that information once it’s out there. When it comes to our children, we’re making the decision to put things out on their behalf, and what seems appropriate now may not be appropriate in ten years’ time.”

IT’S NOT ALL BAD

While some parents are consciously choosing to keep their children’s digital slates completely clean – a choice not

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unlike becoming vegetarian or going to church on Sundays – some parents have sparked incredible friendships with people they’ve never met in countries across the planet, via social media. I am one such person, having blogged about my son and his diagnosis of Down syndrome from 2008 for the first three years of his life. I met other bloggers – mothers of children with Down syndrome – from across the world, and our connections were the lifeblood of my early parenting days. I am still in regular contact with many of these moms today via Facebook and really consider them to be friends. I have watched their children grow up, achieve amazing things, and continue to pour over their pictures and anecdotes with sincere interest. These connections are far from frivolous or shallow, and I truly appreciate them. However, I can say that I have always stopped before posting something to a blog or social media site and asked myself, “What if my child sees this one day? How would it make them feel?” And of course, I assume the vast majority of parents have the same concerns, carefully choosing what they post.

TIPS TO MANAGE YOUR CHILD’S ONLINE PRESENCE

James Steyer, founder and CEO of Common Sense Media, an American non-profit organisation that is dedicated to improving media and technology choices for children and families explains, “As parents, it’s important to remember we’re the keepers of our children’s personal privacy until they’re old enough to take it on.” So, even though you may want to share the details of your life, don’t presume that your

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EOA PARENTING

child would like theirs shared, and if you do share information about your children Steyer recommends reflecting on the online history and reputation you are creating for them. Consider using social networks to create small, closed groups for people you are happy to share private moments with. You do not need to remove yourself from all social platforms media entirely and can still enjoy a presence that is less restricted for yourself, but you can choose what you’d like to share publicly or privately about your child. Consider why you are posting what you are posting about your child. Are you particularly proud of your child on their first day of school, or are you posting something just for laughs that may embarrass your child in years to come? Adopt the new photo etiquette of asking parents’ permission before you post pictures on social media that include children other than your own. Don’t assume that parents are comfortable with you sharing and tagging them in pictures of their children. Social media is still a relatively new concept and the longterm impact is not yet fully understood. Like most aspects of life, there is the good, the bad and the downright ugly to contend with. Walk the social media line with care when it comes to your children – the first generation where many will never be afforded the choice to lead completely private lives.

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Mamtaz Moosa Saley says she hasn’t uploaded a photo of her baby yet by choice. Nombukelo Porcha Peter shares how she didn’t feel comfortable showing her baby’s photo before three months, or “having her known to the world”, because this is part of her tradition. Karabo Candy Mosome thinks everyone is entitled to their opinion; she posts pictures of her child on social media and sees it as sharing her joy with the world, especially friends and family who stay far away. But she respects parents who choose not to post pictures of their children. Ke Bontlebame believes that it is our choice to be on social media and we should afford our children the same choice when they are mature and sensible enough, “Social media is like a mall or a big party, it is not a safe place and we must protect our children from it and be careful when and how we expose them to social media.” Bontle Letlape feels that parents are overexposing their children, especially with the crime rate and kidnapping of young children. “I think we should be careful of how much information we share about our kids.” Lethabo Legodi doesn’t see anything wrong with posting a few photos, but agrees that some ladies can get out of hand. “I am seeing a lot of mommies creating Facebook profiles for their children. I find it really unfair for the child as their life is already out there before they can even decide for themselves if they want to be on social networks. This is something that parents need to think about.” E

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WHAT OUR FACEBOOK MOMS HAD TO SAY ABOUT SHARING PHOTOGRAPHS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR CHILDREN ON SOCIAL MEDIA:

OLUWATOYIN ADELEKE, NIGERIA

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NEWS REPORT EOA

African Women IN SCIENCE RECEIVE RECOGNITION

It is well known that the women of Africa often drive social change in their communities. L'Oréal and UNESCO are at the forefront of empowering young women in science to find solutions to very real problems.

In 2010, L'Oréal in partnership with UNESCO created L’OréalUNESCO For Women in Science Sub-Saharan Africa Fellowship programme. The aim was to support young women from different parts of the continent who were trying to pursue scientific studies. Covering 49 countries, the fellowship programme was able to honour 10 exceptional women by the end of 2014 for their work and potential impact in the scientific field. We spoke to two of these remarkable women who received recognition for their research in tuberculosis (TB).

OLUWATOYIN ADELEKE, NIGERIA – Post-Doctoral Fellow

When Oluwatoyin (36) read about the fellowship, she was intrigued by the programme’s emphasis on empowering women, specifically women in science. As a pharmaceutical scientist, currently working for the Council for Scienctific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Oluwatoyin fits the bill. “I specialise in the field of pharmaceutics, which in layman’s language is called Industrial Pharmacy,” says Oluwatoyin. “They develop patient formulations such as tablets and syrups that pharmaceuticals create.” Oluwatoyin’s research focuses on developing patient-friendly TB solutions. She believes that the current treatment regimens have many drawbacks and hurdles that make patients less likely to complete their treatment. “You can find a person taking a lot of

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pills, like 10 to 12 at a time, instead of just a single tablet. There are pills like RIFA that require a person to take four, but the problem is that each pill is too big and people never comply due to the side effects,” explains Oluwatoyin. Her focus at the moment is in reducing the number of pills patients have to ingest and the side effects of TB medication. Oluwatoyin is very passionate about her research benefiting the continent. “It seems TB is our continent’s problem and this is something I always put at the back of my mind as I carry on with my research.” She is attempting to develop either very small tablets or medication that comes in the form of lollipops. The thinking behind this is that not all parts of Africa have water on demand. “Most places don’t have portable water, so it’s an African problem which needs an African solution. With the help of this fellowship, I believe I’m getting close to the solution,” she concludes.

CANDICE RASSIE, SOUTH AFRICA – Doctoral Fellow

Candice is a 25-year-old, enthusiastic student from the University of Western Cape who is very ambitious about pursuing science. She heard about the fellowship from her professor, who told her that two people from her university had been successful with the fellowship. “I am part of an

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EOA NEWS REPORT

WORDS: HLULANI MASINGI. PICTURES: L’ORĒAL SA..

electro-chemistry group, where we develop biosensors for different diseases,” Candice explains. “I want to develop a sensor that can determine a person’s metabolic profile towards TB drugs. That way we can tailor treatment for TB according to a specific person’s metabolism,” she says. Her interest in the disease comes from the high numbers of sufferers in South Africa due to the high HIV/Aids rate. Candice says, “Currently the treatment for TB is so generalised that a lot of people become sick from taking the tablets. This is due to the drug reaction and side effects caused by the rate of the body’s metabolism. If you have too much of the drug in your system that your body is not using up, you will feel sick.” She adds, “This is one of the reasons that causes people not to finish their treatment.” Candice emphasises that her research does not focus on finding a cure for TB. “It is important for people to understand that the sensor will not cure TB. Rather, it will make it easy for a person to be cured by decreasing the side effects, tailoring the treatment and having point of care,” she clarifies. When Candice heard that she had won the fellowship, she felt encouraged. “If you are doing your PhD, it means you have been studying for a long time and at some point you become tired,” she admits. “The award has motivated and reminded me that I am doing awesome work and should carry on.” E

TB IN AFRICA

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), TB occurs in every part of the world. In 2013, the largest number of new TB cases occurred in the South-East Asia and Western Pacific Regions, accounting for 56 percent of new cases globally. However, Africa carried the greatest proportion of new cases per population with 280 cases per 100 000 population in 2013. Visit www.who.int/ mediacentre/factsheets/fs104/en/ for more information. CANDICE RASSIE, SOUTH AFRICA

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02/02/2015 14:22

The BITTER TRUTH about SUGAR

You got hooked in childhood and now even in adulthood, you just can’t seem to shake your addiction to the sweet stuff. We investigate the impact of sugar on our health and lifestyle. veryone is doing it: LeBron James did it, Gwyneth Paltrow attempted it and there’s probably a woman at your office who’s been telling you how she did it. It’s true. Many people are drastically cutting down their consumption of sugar. In the past decade, celebrities and Joe Soaps alike have jumped on the sweet bandwagon, but quitting or cutting down on your sugar intake can be a daunting task. It’s especially hard if you’re not a world-famous actress or athlete who can afford to be personally coached out of a life of juice, decadent confectioneries and 3pm chocolate runs at the office. But why is sugar the frenemy we didn’t know we had?

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Our bodies run on carbohydrates. When we eat starchy food, the body digests it into glucose molecules, which is our brain’s preferred fuel source. It’s important to note that not all carbs are intent on being your brain’s BFF. The enemy appears when you’re at home eating sweets, biscuits and sipping fizzy drinks. These foods are high in glucose, but are not a good choice because they are low in other nutrients. They also spike blood sugar levels while robbing you of your vitality. Now that we’ve got the big words out of the way, is it still necessary to cut down on sugar? The short and sweet answer is yes, and clinical dietician, Nathalie Mat, explains why. “Sugar contains a large amount of energy in a very small serving of food. If we choose to

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HEALTH EOA use a lot of sugar in our meals, we can easily exceed the total amount of energy that we need in a day.” Instead, she recommends filling up on less concentrated sources of energy, such as vegetables and fruit. “In roughly three teaspoons of sugar there is the same amount of carbohydrates as a slice of bread; that’s a lot of sugar, without it being a satisfying amount of food. Sugar also has no added nutrients, such as fibre, vitamins or minerals,” says Mat.

THE WAIST FACTOR

While not everyone strives for unrealistically skinny bodies, it’s important to understand how sugar affects your weight and, therefore, your health. Excess sugar and weight gain have been linked to metabolic diseases such as diabetes and even heart disease. “When it comes to managing your weight, you should try to decrease the total amount of energy you eat in a day,” advises Mat. You may not necessarily eat more than five slices of bread in a day, but all those tea breaks or juices you consume in that same period can add up to significantly more than five slices. However, before you swear off sugar for your body’s sake, Mat says it’s important to know that a physical toll is not the only consequence of a lifestyle loaded with the sweet stuff.

SUGAR-FUELLED ROLLER COASTER

Highlighting comfort eating as an example of how what you ingest affects your mental and emotional health, Mat says if you comfort eat with sugary food, the reward centre in your brain is stimulated and you produce the feel-good hormone, dopamine. “So, in the short term, you feel a little better. This doesn’t, however, take away the stress that made you comfort eat in the first place. When that same stress arrives tomorrow, you will want the same comfort again, starting a cycle of comfort eating. “What this means is that sugary foods may make you feel better but, if you never learn to manage your stress better, you will always be comfort eating and missing out on better food choices,” she says.

A SUGAR-FREE LIFESTYLE

We all know that sugar tastes good, so it’s important to look at other immediate benefits to kicking the habit. “When you cut out sugar, you tend to crave it less. So it’s often difficult in the beginning, but gets easier with time. When you replace sugar with less refined options, such as lentils in place of lollipops, you tend to have better blood sugar control. This leads to better energy levels. It may also help reduce the amount of energy you eat in a day, making weight control much easier.” The first step in attempting a sugar-free diet is going au natural, says Mat, who recommends fresh fruit and the occasional piece of chocolate. Now, remember the keywords: occasional and piece, not a slab. She also cautions against simply substituting sugar with sweeteners because that doesn’t deal

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with the root issue. “I personally advocate reducing all forms of sweetness in one’s diet, whether from sugar or artificial sweeteners. While some artificial sweeteners can be safely used to substitute for sugar, they still stimulate your cravings for sweet foods.” The road to reducing sugar in your diet is not without potholes but, if you have the willpower to keep going, the emotional and health benefits make the journey worthwhile. E

3 SIMPLE STEPS TO A LOW-SUGAR LIFE

It may be overwhelming to go cold turkey, or cold-toffee as it were, but not all hope is lost. You now have the information, but how should you actually start? Here are Nathalie Mat’s practical pointers on how to say goodbye to your frenemy and begin your low-sugar life: 1. Reduce the amount of sugar in tea or coffee by half every two weeks; this gradual reduction is often easier to manage. If you need to use half or a quarter of a teaspoon for a month before going sugar-free, that’s fine. 2. Dilute fruit juice with water. Juice, although made from fruit, is a really concentrated source of sugar and is best avoided. If you really want to drink juice, dilute it to reduce the total amount of sugar consumed. 3. Stick with it! The cravings will go away in time. It generally takes two to four weeks before your sugar cravings decrease, meaning it will get easier. At the end of the day, it is important that your overall diet is balanced instead of focusing on a single food. Eating a small portion of sugary food once or twice a week will not cause harm. As toxicology founder Paracelsus said: “The dose makes the poison.” E

MARCH 2015

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MARCH 2015

ARE YOU MAN ENOUGH FOR IT?

Feminism has changed the world and is radically reshaping women’s lives, but something is still missing. HAYDEN HORNER questions the presence of men in the global movement.

eminism is often hastily viewed as purely a women’s movement based on the inclusion of women and the exclusion of men. However, the days of ‘angry’ women burning their bras in the streets at the risk of being labelled menhaters and lesbians are long gone, and the movement is slowly heading in a new and important direction – to include men as partners. Recently, Emma Watson, Harry Potter star and the newest United Nations

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Women Goodwill Ambassador, gave an impassioned speech on feminism and gender at the U.N. headquarters in New York. This marked the launch of the HeForShe campaign, which aims to conscript one billion men and boys as advocates against the inequalities that women and girls face globally. Addressing the 2014 UN General Assembly, Watson pointed out how the more she spoke about feminism, the more she realised that fighting for women’s rights has too often become synonymous with man-hating, an assumption she says has to stop. “By its very definition,

feminism is formed on the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.” But are men ready for this new role and, if so, do they have the nerve to ‘burn their own bras’ in public for the greater good?

HE FOR

Luqman Jina, a 24-year-old devout Muslim from Cape Town, knows all too well the repercussions of embracing feminism, especially where the roles of men and women have been defined by religion. “Without vilifying Islam or portraying the struggle of Muslim women as more

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MAN FEATURE EOA hopeless than women in other settings, we’ve all heard about the honour killings and the shooting of girls like Malala Yousafzai (the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate) when they try to take a stand. My own feminist views took shape during high school when I witnessed guys my own age treating our female counterparts, their sisters included, as lesser beings.” Luqman says his infuriation led him to deliberately seek the opinion of his female schoolmates whenever the guys were discussing school politics or sport. “I would feverishly be reminded that it was bid’ah [innovation of the religion that is frowned upon] to include women in ‘male discussions’ and be threatened with being reported to my mother or the school’s principal,” says Luqman, adding however that these threats were almost always replaced by derogatory names and physical violence, which were dished out after school. The bullying and jeering have not dampened Luqman’s resolve. Having been raised entirely by his mother and two older sisters, he has an altogether different understanding of the strength and roles of women in society. “This became apparent at an early age as I witnessed my mother hold down two jobs in order to give my sisters and me the best.” Dale Choudree, an expert on gender and policy transformation, based at the University of Cape Town, believes the sooner we realise the shackles of patriarchal, hetero-normative slavery, the sooner we will feel the urgency to socialise our children and each other differently. “We have to constantly unlearn the roles and behaviours that appear to be ‘normal’,” says Choudree.

. PICTURES: EVERYDAYFEMINISM.COM.

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Most of the time, the home should serve as the ideal setting in which to school young minds and this should be the responsibility of parents. However, where the mother and father are from different religious or cultural backgrounds, there may also be a conflict of interest. Samantha*, a 30-year-old single mother of two young boys, from Wentworth in Durban, says raising her kids with liberal views was easy. “I basically looked at the way my father raised my three brothers, and then did the complete opposite because my father wasn’t exactly a New Age man; in fact, he was a misogynist pig. He expected hot meals and a drink each day after work, even though my mother arrived from her own job two hours after he did.” She says her father would become abusive when his demands were not met. “And this abuse did not end with my mother. My little sister and I were also on the receiving end because, by association, we were as useless as our mother. I should probably feel sorry for him because he was brainwashed by a system that, in teaching him to oppress and objectify women, robbed him of the love and respect of his children,” says Samantha.

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The system that Samantha refers to is known as patriarchy, and it supports the dominance of men in our societies. Choudree points out that when we interrogate the nature of patriarchy, we recognise how harmful it is to men, in the ways in which we relate to each other, which too often is expected to be competitive, aggressive and violent. “Recognising how such a system operates in our private and intra-personal relationships demonstrates how dysfunctional, limiting and destructive patriarchy ultimately is,” he says. Samantha says her choice to be a single mum has earned her the titles of man-hater and frigid, both of which she proudly wears if it means keeping male influences, such as those of her late father, away from her young boys. “My goal is to raise two perfect gentlemen because the world, and Wentworth, needs more good men.” While the efforts of a single mum such as Samantha may be admirable, Choudree says it also needs to be the responsibility of men to teach other men how to be better partners, brothers and fathers. “We burden women with the expectation that they will assume responsibility for gender transformation, yet it is us men who need to transform.” * Not her real name.

MAPPING THE ROLES OF MEN EngenderHealth, a leading global women’s health organisation, recognises the importance of partnerships between women and men, as well as the need to reach out to men to help them share the responsibility for maintaining strong reproductive health. For this purpose, the organisation launched its Men As Partners (MAP) programme in 1996, which encourages men to play constructive roles in promoting gender equity and health in their families and communities. To date, EngenderHealth has developed MAP programmes in more than 15 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. MAP uses many approaches to address gender inequalities, including: n Holding interactive, skills-building workshops that confront harmful stereotypes of what it means to be a man. n Enhancing the capacity of healthcare facilities to provide men with quality care by training healthcare professionals to offer male-friendly services. n Leading local and national public education campaigns, using murals, street theatre, rallies and media, which explore the theme of partnership. n Building national and international advocacy networks to create a global movement. n In the United States, EngenderHealth is working with adolescents in Austin, TX, to address teen pregnancy prevention by looking at the impacts of gender norms on the sexual behaviours of youths. For more information, visit www.engenderhealth.org. E

MARCH 2015

RICARDO DUNN HELPING TO GIVE AFRICA A BIGGER VOICE THROUGH HIS WORK WITH THE UNITED NATIONS.

BIG IN NEW YORK From once humble beginnings in Durban, RICARDO DUNN, who is now the head of Advocacy and Outreach at the UN, tells HAYDEN HORNER of the strong need for younger Africans in multilateral diplomacy.

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MAN INTERVIEW EOA

You grew up in Durban. Did you ever imagine that you’d end up in New York?

Not at all! Durban is a long way from Manhattan, but I must admit that I’ve always been somewhat of a restless soul, having lived in several cities before finally settling down in New York.

You’ve been there for 10 years; what’s that like and do you miss South Africa?

After a decade in the city, I am still enthralled by what seems like a paralysing range of options. On any given day one is able to satisfy the most obscure of tastes, whether gastronomic, sartorial or intellectual. This can be comforting but also disorienting. There is, however, a lack of stillness in the city, which ironically has become a commodity. Of course, I do miss South Africa as I live my political life digitally. That is to say, I find myself each day scouring the wires in order to engage albeit at a distance with the narrative life of a nation still in transition. They say that in translation, humour goes out the window and it is perhaps the laugh-outloud humour that I miss most.

What’s it like working for the UN Headquarters and are there many Africans working there?

PICTURES: RICARDO DUNN.

Working at the United Nations Headquarters provides me with a fly-on-the-wall perspective of the inner working of international diplomacy, which is simultaneously enriching and disheartening. The shifting political alliances and the extent to which ethics are evacuated in the interest of national interests constantly intrigues me. In recent years there has been an effort to bring more Africans into the organisation, but much more can and should be done on this front. There is a strong argument for younger Africans to work towards a career in multilateral diplomacy, which would not necessarily ensure but at least contribute to a far more articulated continental voice and presence in international affairs.

Tell us a bit about your job and what qualifications were needed?

I’m currently head of the outreach and advocacy

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division in an office that focuses on the development challenges of economically vulnerable countries, most of which are located on the continent. A significant part of my work is communicating, through various regional and international media channels, the obstacles that hinder sustainable development in these countries. The aim is to effect policy change both at the national and international level. I have two postgraduate degrees in African Studies and Journalism, both of which have proven useful in working towards a career in foreign affairs. But I think that for those who wish to explore a career at the United Nations, it is important to think outside the traditional ambit of international relations, as the United Nations’ mandate is far more comprehensive. For example, there is ample room for students of economics, gender rights, civil society, etc.

Your daughter attends school in New York. How is the level of education compared to back home?

My daughter attends the United Nations International School in New York, which is academically challenging but intellectually and culturally rewarding. Her peers have their roots in many nations from Guatemala to Madagascar, from Senegal to Columbia. This multicultural environment instills in her many valuable lessons. The most important one, I believe, is that by being exposed to differences, she is able to see it as a valuable and productive thing and not something that one ought to fear.

What advice do you have for Africans considering living abroad?

I can’t speak to that question as Africans have many reasons for wishing to live abroad and, of course, for a significant number of people it is not really a choice but a decision made as result of a myriad of unfortunate circumstances. I can, however, encourage Africans to consider working for international organisations like the United Nations in order to engage decision-makers. Over the last 10 years we have seen a renewed focus on the continent, and in order to continue that momentum these organisations could certainly do with the wide range of African talent. E

MARCH 2015

EOA #GAYBESTFRIEND

THE LADY WHO ATE TOO MUCH HAYDEN HORNER

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VIP tickets to the J&B Met. As you know Ruth and I love big events but instead of her trademark excited cackle, I heard a sniffle over the phone as she confessed she could barely fit into her outfits. I made my way to her apartment, rummaged through her closet, selected a few favourite pieces and headed to Tidy Tucks Tailors for some emergency alterations. Suddenly it became clear to Ruth why I always insisted she buy garments with a wide seam. This just makes extending the garment easier so that extra weight is accommodated. Miss Ruthless and I are the newest members of the Virgin Active Gym. Even though three months have passed, some consequences take longer to get rid of than others. I even wrote a poem for her, which I stuck to her fridge door with super glue: You won’t have a cookie, not even a lick. You’re only to chew on a long celery stick. You won’t have hot biscuits, or corn bread, or pie. You’ll munch on a carrot and quietly cry. Every bit of food that you like must be banished. Till all the additional weight has vanished. Because I love you, Your GBF

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

PICTURE: HAYDEN HORNER.

ello again, darlings! The prospects of 2015 are vast: new resolutions, new fashion and, in the case of Ruth, new fat from all her festive feasting. Poor dear, the heady aromas of glazed gammon, slow-cooked ox tongue, corned beef, pastas and pastries were too much for her to resist. Fortunate enough to spend Christmas with her at her family home, I was afforded a sight only visitors to the Maasai Mara National Reserve can witness – a feeding frenzy deserving of a slot on Animal Planet. And why not; it’s only once a year that we throw culinary caution to the wind and stuff our faces with home-cooked treats seldom enjoyed in single life. Of course I also partook but even as I wrestled Ruth’s nephew for the last piece of roast lamb, I silently recited my dieter’s mantra like a crazy yogi: “A moment on the lips, a lifetime on the hips. Gucci Gammon, Dior Desert, Ralph Lauren Lamb... some of these things just don’t belong here.” I looked across the dinner table at Ruth for moral support but she’d succumbed to her primal instincts. I thought I saw froth on her mouth and realised it was cream from a huge slice of strawberry pavlova. Miss Ruth looked ruthless. A couple of months passed with not a word between us about that brutal buffet. She became distant and conversations were limited to the telephone, until I got us

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EOA BEAUTY & HEALTH NEWS

PROTEIN IN MODERATION

TAMING YOUR AFRO

Professional image consultant, Francois Louw, has some styling advice for those who are struggling to get their Afro looking just right:  Style your natural hair in the shower in the direction that it grows. This helps to minimise tangles.  Don’t use too much product, as this will only starve your hair of the natural moisture that it needs. Your natural hair regimen when styling should consist of a sulfate-free cleanser/shampoo, conditioner, leave-in conditioner, hair-growth tonic and styling product.  If you want your style to set and last, use some styling product with hold factor. Apply this from ends to roots to make sure hair is saturated.  Keep in mind, with some products less is more so pay attention to your hair when styling.

COCONUT BEAUTY

Coconut oil is a super versatile product and works great as a beauty product. 1. Hair Conditioner – It is the go-to product for dry hair. Warm the oil by running the bottle under hot water. Apply a coinsized amount on your hair, cover your hair with a towel and keep it on overnight. Rinse it out in the morning. Do this regularly and dry hair will be a thing of the past. 2. Make-up Remover – An inexpensive way to remove even the toughest mascara and eyeliner, coconut oil is sensitive enough not to harm your eye area. 3. A Smooth Shave – Tired of nicking your skin whilst shaving? Coconut oil makes shaving smooth and easy, and it will leave your legs well moisturised without being greasy. E

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According to a new study published in the physiology journal, Cell Metabolism, a high consumption of protein by people aged 50 and over has been linked to an increased risk of lifestyle diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. Interestingly, the opposite holds true for older adults, as the study finds that participants aged 65 and over who ate a high-protein diet are linked to a reduced risk of cancer-related deaths. From these results, it seems that the old adage holds true: everything in moderation.

GELISH NOURISH CUTICLE OIL, R68. EASY TO FORGET, CUTICLES NEED CARE LIKE THE REST OF YOUR BODY. KEEP THE JUST-MANICURED LOOK WITH THIS NOURISHING OIL.

BEAUTY EOA

BIONIKE DEFENCE HYDRA5 BOOSTER, R185. STEP UP HYDRATION A FEW NOTCHES IF YOU SUFFER FROM DRY SKIN.

Decant

THE DECADENCE

As the seasons change, so do your skin and hair needs. Keep yourself well hydrated and ready to face cooler days and drier air.

WORDS: VUYISWA MOTHLABANE. IMAGES SUPPLIED BY STOCKISTS..

BIONIKE DEFENCE ELIXAGE VELOUR, R525. ENVELOPS THE SKIN WITH A SATIN-LIKE TEXTURE LEAVING YOUR SKIN FEELING FRESH.

OIL OF MOROCCO ARGAN OIL EXTRA HYDRATING HAND CREAM, R89.95. HANDS OFTEN FALL VICTIM TO EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS. THE OILS IN THIS PRODUCT KEEP THEM PROTECTED FROM COLD, DRY AIR.

SENSAI CELLULAR PERFORMANCE LOTION AND THE CELLULAR PERFORMANCE ESSENCE, R995 TO R2 120. THIS RANGE CREATES A SILKYSMOOTH APPEARANCE ON THE SKIN AND DOES WONDERS FOR CLARITY.

MIZANI, MOISTURE STRETCH, , R182. THE HARSH WINTER CLIMATE RESULTS IN DRY HAIR, WHICH BREAKS EASILY.

CLARINS HYDRAQUENCH CREAM MASK, R445. GETS RID OF DEAD SKIN CELLS, WHILE TRAPPING IN MUCH-NEEDED MOISTURE FOR RADIANT COMPLEXION.

MARCH 2015

YOUR LIPS AND NAILS MAKE A STATEMENT… LIPS: WILD THINGS 001, IMAN COSMETICS. NAILS: FLASH OF GRENADINE, ESSIE.

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BEAUTY MAIN EOA

KISS, KISS,

BANG, BANG!

Our mouths and hands are vital tools of communication and we use them to express our words and emotions. People are drawn to our lips and nails so why not make the most of them to flaunt the seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest look or zhoosh up an outfit without adding too many accessories. With an abundance of lipstick palettes and nail colour and finish varieties available, you can mix-n-match or create your own new trend. Let your lips and nails do the talking for you! By Tumi Mdluli E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

LET THEM INVITE…

LIPS: CORAL 080, REVLON COSMETICS. NAILS: ORANGE IT’S OBVIOUS, ESSIE.

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BEAUTY MAIN EOA

LET THEM CONCEAL…

LIPS: NO. 96 FREEDOM SYSTEM LIP PALETTE, INGLOT COSMETICS. NAILS: THIGH HIGH, ESSIE.

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MARCH 2015

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PHOTOGRAPHER: GARETH JACOBS. HAIR AND MAKE-UP: NTHATO MASHISHI. ACCESSORIES: ZURI. NAIL POLISH: ESSIE. MANICURISTS: FROM L’ORÉAL.

BEAUTY MAIN EOA

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

LET THEM REVEAL!

LIPS: PINK NO. 53 AND MINT NO. 92 FREEDOM STYLE LIP PALETTE, INGLOT COSMETICS. NAILS: SHAKE YOUR $$ MAKER (GREEN) AND STATUS SYMBOL (PINK), ESSIE.

MARCH 2015

HAIR AFFAIR Combs are often the back-up singers of hair styling, but without them you can never truly achieve the look you want. Here’s your guide to different brushes and combs and how they bring out the best in your hair. 2. PADDLE BRUSH LONG HAIR AND WEAVES BENEFIT MOST FROM A PADDLE BRUSH. IT CAN GET THROUGH THICK HAIR, DETANGLES WELL AND IS GREAT FOR SMOOTH FINISHES.

y t u a be ’s ed

! k c i p 1. VENT BRUSH THIS IS A MUST-HAVE BRUSH IF YOU BLOW-DRY YOUR HAIR OFTEN. THE VENTS ALLOW THE AIR FROM THE HAIRDRYER TO HIT THE HAIR DIRECTLY FOR FASTER DRYING.

3. WIDE-TOOTHED COMB GREAT FOR DETANGLING WET HAIR WET, THE WIDE-TOOTH COMB (ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH FINER TEETH) ARE BEST FOR CREATING A SMOOTH FINISH ON HAIR. 4. RATTAIL TEASING COMB IF YOU WANT VOLUME AND LOTS OF IT, THIS IS THE COMB TO ADD TO

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BEAUTY EOA YOUR COLLECTION. 5. PINTAIL TEASING COMB THE TAIL END OF THIS COMB HELPS YOU PART HAIR ACCURATELY WHILE THE FINE TEETH HELP YOU SMOOTH OUT THE HAIR. IT IS EFFECTIVE FOR ACCURATE

7. ROUND & RADIAL BRUSH THIS BRUSH MAKES LIGHTER WORK OF CREATING CURLS. REMEMBER, THE BIGGER THE BRUSH, THE BIGGER THE CURL. SHORTER HAIR REQUIRES A SMALLER BRUSH.

SECTIONING OF THE HAIR. 6. HALF RADIAL IF YOU LIKE THE FLICKEDBACK LOOK, THIS IS THE PERFECT BRUSH FOR YOU. DON’T MISTAKE IT FOR A VOLUMISING BRUSH, AS IT WON’T ADD VOLUME TO YOUR STYLE.

! s i h t g i d e W 8. PICK AFRO COMB THE CORNERSTONE COMB FOR BLACK HAIR AND MOSTLY USED ON AFROS, IT IS USED TO DIG DEEP INTO THE SCALP, STRETCH OUT TIGHTLY COILED HAIR AND ADD VOLUME. E

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

MARCH 2015

EOA BEAUTY

BLUSHIN, R89, DIS-CHEM STORES.

CATRICE MULTI COLOUR BLUSH, R69, DIS-CHEM STORES.

BLACK OPAL MOSAIC RASBERRY BRONZER, R180, CLICKS, EDGARS, FOSCHINI, TRUWORTHS.

MAYBELLINE BOUNCY BLUSH IN PLUM WINE, R99, CLICKS, EDGARS, FOSCHINI, TRUWORTHS.

a TOUCH of

BLUSH PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY STOCKISTS.

CHOC AU LAIT, R89, DIS-CHEM STORES.

PALLADIO, R89.95, DIS-CHEM STORES.

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L’ORÉAL PARIS TRUE MATCH BLUSH, R169, CLICKS, EDGARS, FOSCHINI, TRUWORTHS.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

SOCIAL SCENE EOA

MBALENHLE FAKUDE

GUGU,PRECIOUS, SIPHESIHLE AND NOMSA

DYNAMIC YOU On the morning of Saturday 31st January 2014, Thina Mthembu and Mbali Fakude attended the launch of Fikile Mekgoe’s book, Dynamic You, held at Hackle Brooke Conference Venue in Hyde Park, Johannesburg.

pon arrival we were greeted like Hollywood celebs with a red carpet entrance and soon we were surrounded by a host of beautifully clad women excitedly waiting for the guest of honour to take to the podium. Shirley Tshwale welcomed the guests and introduced her mentor, Fikile Mekgoe. Once she took to the microphone, ex-Mrs South Africa Fikile inspired the women (and the men who were sprinkled in the audience) with her personal story. “For a long time I felt like a failure because my mentors had their own vision of me,” she said. “I had to focus on what God wanted me to be,” she added.

As a result, her self-empowerment book was born. “Dynamic You has to make you dream,” Fikile explained, “and you have to ask what defines you and how reliable you are.” Fikile encouraged her supporters to realise that it is not the material things, but the people who have helped you, that matter the most. Nawaal Mdluli, Editor of Essays Of Africa, was proud to be invited as a guest speaker at the event. Her message was one of the importance of women uplifting and empowering each other in society. After an enjoyable lunch networking with like-minded women, we headed home with a copy of the book in our hands and new outlook on life in our hearts. E

“Dynamic You has to make you dream and realise that all you need to make it in this life we’re living is within you. You are born to fulfill your own purpose.” – Fikile Mekgoe E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

FIKILE AND HER LOVING HUSBAND, PASTOR TSHEPO MEKGOE

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EOA SOCIAL SCENE

FIKILE WITH SURET LOUW, DIRECTOR OF ALIVE AND BALANCED. SHE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE STYLING OF THE BOOK COVER.

FIKILE WITH TARIEN CRONJÉ, DIRECTOR OF APPRENTESSES AND KYNA CONSILI DESIGNERS

NAWAAL NOLWAZI MDLULI GIVING A MOTIVATIONAL TALK AS A GUEST SPEAKER.

FIKILE’S MENTEE THABISILE NDLOVU WITH MANDISA MAGWAZA

MOGOMOTSI MARUMOAGAE AND TESS RATEMA.

NONDU, MASECHABA, TUMI AND NTHABISENG

SHIRLEY TSHWALE, THE HOSTESS FOR THE DAY.

FIKILE’S MENTEE, MBALI WITH HER BEAUTIFUL MOM.

DR LAVERNE ASANTE, MISS COMMONWEALTH CHARITY 2014.

COMFORT HLATSWAYO, FOUNDER & MD OF INFICHANGE

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PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY FIKILE MEKGOE.

DEBBIE BRAUN, MANAGING MEMBER OF URUS, SINGER GENEVIVE WILLIAMS AND JUANITA MICHELL, MRS SA BUSINESS WOMAN 2012.

PATIENCE TALA SHARING HER GRATITUDE TO HER MENTOR, FIKILE MEKGOE.

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he’s been working as a make-up artist for 24 years and shows no signs of putting down her brushes. Bongi Mlotshwa is well respected in the media industry and her work has been on some of the country’s biggest magazines, TV shows and music videos. Establishing your own brand as a make-up artist isn’t an easy feat, but Bongi did it and she is now sharing her lessons with younger make-up artists. Q Explain How You Made The Decision To Enter The Beauty Industry? I used to enter beauty pageants and other girls would ask me to do their make-up because they liked the way I did my own. I realised during that time that make-up was a calling for me, so I went to SA Beauty School and studied make-up and beauty therapy. When I was done with school, I didn’t know how to go about getting into the industry, but I hustled because I believe in that. I went to the SABC and I met a lady called Ausi Ntibi and she gave me freelance work for shows like Pick A Box. It was a great opportunity to work with her, but my career didn’t pick up very much because I was an assistant. In 1995 I did a show for Scholtz Films that I thought would be my big break, but things went very quiet when that show was finished. I then used that time to pursue my acting and voiceover career because make-up didn’t seem to be working out.

STAYING POWER Bongi Mlotshwa is a name that is synonymous with beauty, artistry and the ability to stand the test of time in a fickle industry. We spoke to her about how she has mastered the world of make-up.

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Q What Was Your Big Breakthrough And How Did It Change Your Path? Between 1998 and 1999 I heard that Channel O was having auditions. I had no desire to be a presenter but I went to that audition anyway. My audition didn’t go very well, but I had told the woman who was auditioning us, Pam, that I was a make-up artist and I asked her to take a look at my portfolio. She agreed and was pleased with what she saw. She told me that she would call me in two weeks and when she didn’t I called her and set up a meeting with her. A week later I started working as Channel O’s first ever make-up artist. That was my break and it allowed me to make connections as people started to find out about the quality of my work. I’ve worked on shows like Face of Africa and Idols. I’ve also done many magazine covers, TV shows and music videos. My personal highlight was working with Miriam Makeba on her Pata Pata music video. For the last six years, I have been working on soapies, first Muvhango and now Generations – The Legacy.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

BEAUTY EOA Q What Are Some Of The Challenges You Faced In Your Industry? It’s a very small industry and there are a lot of people who want to be a part of it. There are also no permanent jobs; everyone is a freelancer. I find that the industry is tough for newcomers because clients tend to stick with the people they know because they can trust their work. It is also a fickle industry and people don’t easily want to help you. I knew from early on that I would have to knock down doors! Q Explain How Your Mentorship Programme Began. Complete strangers would call me and ask for jobs. I never understood why they thought I could help them until my daughter pointed out that it might be my calling. So I started looking into doing something that would help others. In 2011 I registered Plan B Beauty Team and started running workshops. I don’t charge for it; people attend and only pay for the food and venue costs and I try help them understand what it means to be a make-up artist in a realistic way. I impart all the knowledge that I have learned over the years, things that I didn’t know when I was starting out. I conduct these workshops quarterly because they are intensive and require a lot of work. Most of the girls are so talented and they go out there and make me proud. I love being able to help some of them find entry-level jobs into this industry. This mentorship programme is my way of giving back after having had such a rewarding career. Q What Tips Do You Have For Those Seeking To Make It In The Industry? I want them to know that just like any dream job, you have to chase it; it won’t just come to you. There will be times when business is slow; you can go for six months without getting a call for work. It takes time and effort to create a reliable client list to guarantee regular work – so be patient and work at it. If you need work, identify the Head of Make-Up on TV shows and offer to intern for them. Small things like that can be the difference between getting a chance or not. You will not only gain experience but also the trust of that HOD, which could mean more work in future. I tell the girls I mentor that marketing yourself and realising that your fate is in your hands is the difference between people who make it and those who don’t. If you’ve studied make-up but find that you’re not getting work, why not do make-up for weddings and matric dances? That work will help you invest in a great make-up kit and will be the beginning of a business that can grow. Waiting for handouts is not an option. You have to create opportunities for yourself.

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

Q What Is The Business Side Of Make-Up Artistry Entail? Make-up artistry is all about professionalism. Without it you will not survive in the industry. You can’t afford to ever forget an appointment or arrive late, as you will earn a bad reputation. I advise always arriving at least 30 minutes before everyone else is expected. You also need to be on top of your finances. Because you’re a freelancer, all the invoicing is your responsibility. Make sure you do that professionally so that people take you and your business seriously. Ours isn’t a job that is highly respected and it means dealing with a lot of egos, but success is possible. I raised two kids doing make-up and managed to send them to private schools and university – if I could work towards it, so can you. E

BONGI MLOTSHWA DOING WHAT SHE DOES BEST.

BONGI’S QUICK TIPS FOR MAKE-UP ARTISTS

1. You always have to be neat and clean. Because we are in people’s faces all day, habits like smoking and drinking show disrespect for your craft and your client. Make sure you present yourself in a manner that honours your craft. 2. Invest in a good make-up kit. They are very expensive but it is worth it because it helps you do your work well. Make sure your kit is well stocked and clean because it represents you. 3. Don’t forget that your make-up kit can now be insured. 4. Put money aside for times when business is slow. Even during those times make sure your kit is ready for work and that you have money to get to wherever your clients need you to be. 5. Networking is a big part of the job because people will recommend your work once they’ve seen it. Try to make a positive impression and it will go a long way in creating a good name for you. E-mail Bongi on planbbeauty3@gmail.com. Instagram: @makeupgurubongi

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THE ITALIAN BOARD

Use prosciutto, pancetta, salami, bresaola and pastrami to create a true Italian charcuterie board. Add on bruschetta, sundried tomatoes, olives, crostini and Parmesan, but whatever you do, don’t forget the all important olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

MOVE BEYOND COOKING

Sometimes entertaining can be daunting because of all the cooking that has to take place. CHESKA STARK shows you how to entertain without slaving over a hot stove.

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Not all great dishes take hours over the stove or in the oven to make. Charcuterie, the art of presenting meat products, terrines, pâtés and confit is a must-follow food trend at the moment. Perfect for entertaining, Charcuterie is all about sharing, tasting and enjoying together. We turned to Charcuterie by Miranda Ballard with photography by Steve Painter (Ryland Peters & Small, R412) for the ultimate guide to creating the perfect charcuterie board. Here are three popular types of boards to try out:

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

FOOD & ENTERTAINING EOA THE FRENCH BOARD

Baguette anyone? Like any true French meal, this board would not be complete without a fresh baguette. Meats to include are all kinds of hams, like jambon and Saucisson sec (similar to salami); pĂ˘tĂŠs and terrines are a must-have in this French-inspired meal. Want to add a little something extra? Go for olive tapenade and cheeses such as Brie or Roquefort.

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THE SPANISH BOARD

For the Spanish board, think traditional Spanish tapas and go for Spanish hams. No Spanish charcuterie board would be complete without the all-important chorizo, so make sure there is plenty to go around. Add some olives, roasted red peppers, and even almonds.

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FOOD & ENTERTAINING EOA

‘SUSHI STYLE’ PROSCIUTTO-WRAPPED GOATS’ CHEESE AND ROCKET Sushi was another triumph in man’s battle against shelf life. Like salami, the method of fermenting fish with rice and vinegars was designed to extend the life of the fish. Before methods were developed to make the rice and wrapping just as delicious as the fish in the middle, the rice was discarded before the fish was eaten. So, as a tribute to our ancestors’ peers in the Far East, here’s a sushi-inspired recipe using charcuterie.

Ingredients

(Makes 24) § 12 slices prosciutto § 3 tablespoons Puttanesca Relish § A handful of rocket (about 4–5 leaves per roll) § 200 g goats’ cheese, sliced into 12 strips (or cheese of your choice; Gorgonzola is good too)

Method

1. Lay a slice of prosciutto flat on a board or plate. Spread 1 teaspoon of the relish over the surface. Sprinkle 4 to 5 rocket leaves on the top, and then put a strip of cheese on top in the middle. 2. Roll the prosciutto over on itself to enclose the filling, like a ‘nori roll’, and then slice (it is easiest to snip with kitchen scissors) in half to create two circles. Push a cocktail stick through each assembled bite to hold it together. 3. Repeat to make 24 bites in total. Serve immediately. 4. Alternatively, roll each slice of prosciutto with its filling into a cone so it’s wider at the top, like ‘temaki’. You will make 12 larger bites using this method.

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MOZZARELLA PEARLS WRAPPED IN PROSCIUTTO

So simple. Don’t use a whole slice of prosciutto per mini mozzarella pearl, as that’s a heavy mouthful, as well as being expensive for entertaining. I use kitchen scissors to cut each slice of prosciutto into quarters.

Ingredients

(Makes 12) § 3 slices prosciutto § 12 mini mozzarella pearls § Freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Cut each slice of prosciutto lengthways in quarters (kitchen scissors are best for doing this) to make 12 strips in total. Wrap each strip around a mini mozzarella pearl. 2. Pop a cocktail stick through the middle of each assembled bite to hold it together, crack a little black pepper over the plate and serve.

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FOOD & ENTERTAINING EOA

APPLE SLAW

You’ll see quite a lot of sour or acidic ingredients in the accompaniments and the recipes. They go so well with the rich, salty salami, so it really reaches the far sides of your taste buds. Here’s a slaw recipe with a sour apple taste.

Ingredients

(Serves 2-3) § 1 tablespoon cider vinegar § 2 tablespoons mayonnaise § 1⁄4 white cabbage, cored and shredded § 1 carrot, grated § 4–5 spring onions, finely chopped § A big pinch of freshly chopped parsley § 2 eating apples, cored and coarsely grated (leave the peel on) § Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Pop all the ingredients into a bowl and mix well. 2. Be sure to taste the slaw and then adjust the seasoning and add more of anything to suit your taste. 3. Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. 4. Try to make this at least 1 hour before serving, so that you can chill it really well and allow the flavours to mingle – this creates a delightful contrast with salami.

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MARCH 2015

PARMA HAM AND MELON

This is a classic appetiser – what it lacks in imagination and flair, it gains in everyone still having plenty of room for a lovely big main course. So don’t knock it until you’ve had seconds of pudding, when you’ll thank it.

Ingredients

(Serves 4) § 8 slices Parma ham § 1⁄2 melon, peeled, deseeded and sliced into thin slices § 4 squeezes of fresh lime juice § 4 pinches of freshly ground black pepper

Method

WORDS: CHESKA STARK. CHARCUTERIE BY MIRANDA BALLARD WITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE PAINTER IS PUBLISHED BY RYLAND PETERS & SMALL.

1. Divide the ham and melon evenly between the serving plates. 2. Either place the Parma ham and melon neatly on the plate next to each other or wrap the Parma ham around the slices of melon. 3. Squeeze lime juice over the top of each serving and sprinkle with pepper.

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FOOD & ENTERTAINING EOA

Extra virgin olive oil, 1litre, Karoo blend, R125, Prince Albert Olives, .

Botanical spreaders, set of 4, R199, Maxwell Williams, Home Etc.

Black gold balsamic reduction, 250ml, R49, AB Products, Yuppiechef..

Ridged bowl, R99, Jamie Oliver, Boardmans. Tradional tapenade, 125g, R42, Chaloner.

Stoneware mini round cocotte, 14cm, R30 each, Le Creuset.

Du pain wooden board, R649, Laid Back Company.

Charcuterie by Miranda Ballard (Ruland Peters & Small, 2014)

Explore cheese set, set of 4, R319, Boska, Yuppiechef.

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EOA ENTERTAINMENT READY TO BOOM

Acer recently announced the Liquid Z410 smartphone, a small powerhouse to be launched on our shores soon. With a focus on speed and power, it features LTE 4G connectivity, 64-bit superfast processors, excellent audio with stereo sound, a voice-commanded camera and prolonged battery life of up to 5.5 hours talk time or 400 hours in standby.

SMART WEAR

TECH & APPS FREE-FLOWING TRAFFIC

With most people spending at least 30 minutes commuting to and from work, solutions are being sought to cut this time in half. One such technology is virtual traffic lights, which could reduce commute time by 40 percent, not to mention lowering carbon emissions, congestion and accidents. The lights will appear on car windshields as they approach an intersection. The US is already working on this technology, but it’s still a long way off.

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SHOPPING SMART

If you take your shopping seriously, these apps are the ones innovating the way South Africans shop: n Shoprite Checkers left competitors in the lurch with their nifty app, being the first South African retailer to offer instant shopping discounts on your smart phone through digital coupons. The app allows you to browse, select and use the Eezi Coupons at any of their stores, saving you thousands of rands on groceries and the hassle of bargain hunting. n SA’s most innovative online retailer, TAKEALOT. com, took smart shopping to new heights with their app. Like a mall in your handbag, the app gives you instant access to a world of online shopping wherever you are, night and day. Register, browse and then buy goodies with ease. Anything from kitchen utensils and baby products to high-tech gadgets and DVDs are all delivered to your home. Easy as pie! n Named International App of the Year for 2013, PriceCheck is a must-have for any savvy shopper. The ultimate price comparison tool, it provides on-thespot guidance when making a purchasing decision. With daily updated pricing on millions of products and expert product reviews, you’ll be sure to get the best price for whatever you’re after. n OLX is one of the country’s most popular free classifieds sites and their app will be too. The app is easy to use and even lets you search for ads near you using your smartphone’s location. And if you’re looking to sell something for some extra cash, you can simply take a photo of the item, add a description and upload it onto the classifieds. E

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WORDS: CARYN THANDI PETERSEN. PICTURES: ACER. SONYMOBILE.COM.

Sony has taken wearable products to a whole new level with their SmartWear range, featuring concept devices such as a multi-sensor, waterproof headset designed for optimising performance and providing real-time insight on the running track. Over the past year they’ve worked with creatives and brands from across the lifestyle, fashion and design spectrum to explore innovative custom apparel. Created in collaboration with Google, the SmartWatch 3, in stainless steel, pairs with your Android smartphone, although it also boasts impressive standalone functionality without it, such as music playback and a GPS sensor.

SOCIAL SCENE EOA

LEFT TO RIGHT: LAUREN WATTERS, NATASHA BENNETT, KELLY CLIFTON, SUZANNE KOTZE AND CATHI TREVOR.

LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATION.

GUESTS DRESSED ALL IN WHITE MINGLING.

JACKIE BURGER

PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY CLINIQUE.

JENNY ANDREWS FROM WANTED MAGAZINE.

AROMATICS IN WHITE Only the media and Clinique consultants were privy to this exclusive fragrance launch, hosted at The Venue Green Park, Sandton, Johannesburg. Dressed in white, the guests were treated to the introduction of the NEW Clinique Aromatics in White, a scent specifically created for the woman that seeks a signature scent to boldly set her apart. A confident interplay of serene woods, transparent petals and warm amber notes, along with the selection of raw and pure ingredients, creates a sophisticated fragrance that is both modern and complex. Available at selected retailers for R1 135 (100ml). E

LEFT TO RIGHT: RENE BENKENSTEIN, CARMEN SEECHURAN, MANDY MOODLEY AND NELLI MBAMBO.

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NATASHA BENNETT

MANDY MOODLEY AND NELLI MBAMBO FROM CLINIQUE WITH FACE MODEL, PHINDI.

FRAGRANC TESTING TABLE

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Style it

DISPLAY YOUR COLLECTIONS AND LET THEM TELL A STORY.

YOUR WAY

A recent report by Durban-based trend researcher Chris Read stated that Mixed Metallics, Collections, New Minimalism and Warm Touch were among the top décor trends for 2015. With the insight of some of South Africa’s top décor and design experts, we take a closer look at these four trends. CURIOS COLLECTIONS

According to Misi Overturf, author of Real Easy Décor & DIY and creator of B.Things.me, the Collections trend has been around for a while. “Surrounding yourself with objects you like is part of creating your home. These items define personal spaces and also make them unique. Collections have different worth – they can be born from nostalgia, elitism or even obsession; however, in my opinion this trend has longevity because it stems from preservation and holding on to personal history,” she says. The trend is totally conducive to the South African décor

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environment, especially one with a strong focus on history and heritage. “These days heritage influences design in a big way, and many décor interpretations bring back valuable skills, items and stories from the past. It’s a beautiful way to remember our roots,” explains Misi. It’s quite easy to incorporate collections in the home; however, you do need space and time, but when done with thought and care they can be introduced into almost every room. “Walls are perfect to display your collections – mounted higher they draw the eye upward giving the illusion of height, a valuable design trick,” she adds. Other options include shelves, open or boxed, which can be bought ready made or even an old cupboard, which immediately give the collection a different kind of allure. “Keep kitchen paraphernalia in the kitchen or a collection of Victorian butterflies in a study or in an elegant living room. Collections also complement workspaces, so create a display that fits the work environment. For example, in a fashion design studio create a focal point by displaying old patterns or pairs of scissors, or in an artist’s studio old paintbrushes hanging from ceiling rafters will add a sweet touch.” This trend is fun and meaningful and can ignite interest and passion in the creator. Collections tell stories, so go on and tell yours.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

DÉCOR STYLE EOA NEW MINIMALISM

Ashley Stemmett, lover of spaces one can connect with and the mastermind behind Atmosphere Design, explains how the trend of Minimalism tends to resonate with those who wish to streamline their lives and in turn have their spaces reflect this ideology. Many yearn for simplicity in stark contrast to the often-chaotic work and social lives we lead these days. According to Ashley this trend is more about what we don’t want and speaks of tactility and the appreciation of simple understated form and function – a love of light and bright, uncluttered spaces. “The key to making this look work is natural light – it is after all an antidote inspired by dark cold winters. Bigger windows and openings, skylights, solar tubes – anything that will make the lightcoloured surfaces and wall colours seem even brighter. Home offices or workplaces will particularly benefit from this style as it will energise most spaces,” explains Ashley. Having said that, the style and architecture of a building should reflect the interior and vice versa, so if you’re

going for this look for your interior spaces, your exterior should reflect the same chic simplicity. He adds, “If you love a particular style there are always ways to work it into your home, as long as you take the structure/ building into consideration. However, it’s important to remember that balance is key to getting this trend just right.” Ashley says to create this look at home, go for predominantly off-white walls and lots of pure white trim for doors and windows; focal walls can be in shades of grey. Timber furniture such as dining tables and chairs can be left untreated, or if treated, go for a matt sealer. Sofas and upholstered chairs should have sophisticated lines with no pretentiousness. Small bursts of colour make these spaces fun and bright and keep them from becoming too monochromatic. “This trend is authentic, uncomplicated, honest, confident and mature. It looks good without trying too hard,” says Ashley.

WARM TOUCH

Fabric designer and owner of Constantia Fabrics, Saleh Abrahams loves creating

interiors that fit in with our South African environment, while focusing on the finest natural fabrics. “I think this trend can be seen as a rebellion against engineered and processed fibres and textures,” Saleh says. “We are more mindful of mass production, so more consumers are intentionally choosing custom-made natural products and finishes in their homes. They are timeless and authentic.” In the home, cork finishes are essential in decorative touches, such as chairs. A focal wall clad with cork tiles will be striking and adds beautiful raw texture and warmth to any space. “When it comes to soft furnishing, go with natural fabrics such as linen and cotton as these add an understated elegance to any room. With furniture, it’s important what your dining room table looks like and equally as important to know where the wood comes from,” adds Saleh. This trend can work well in a living space, a bedroom, a bathroom and even a study. “Warm up a traditionally hard space like a study by bringing in beautiful textured curtains, natural coir rugs and

THE KEY TO MINIMALISM IS USING NATURAL LIGHT AND BIG WINDOWS TO BRING ENERGY INTO THE ROOM.

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EOA DÉCOR STYLE

MIX AND MATCH METALS WITH OTHER MATERIALS FOR A DOWN TO EARTH FEEL.

rustic wood tables; add a throw for those long nights when you burn the midnight oil,” says Saleh. Naturals will always be popular in South Africa and this trend is about working with nature; it’s mindful of the planet and protecting it. It’s about appreciation for handcrafted textures, fabrics and materials that are sustainable and authentic. Saleh adds, “The recession has also helped us see the value and appreciation in upcycled pieces like that old wood table from yesteryear. This trend is about less stuff and more quality. It is unpretentious and should be embraced.”

MIXED METALLICS

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THE WARM TOUCH IS ABOUT LESS STUFF AND MORE QUALITY; RUSTIC WOOD TABLES ARE A GOOD EXAMPLE.

that can add the ‘wow’ factor, try adding structural elements such as exposed copper piping in your bathroom or copper counter tops in your kitchen,” adds Kim. This trend is timeless and doesn’t have to be too flashy, expensive or over the top. Don’t overdo it in one space and experiment with different options including shiny, matt and a little weathered. “Metallics don’t try hard and are the ultimate neutrals that can be paired with any colour, shade or tone.” E

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

Bohemian at heart and a lover of good design and inspiring photography, décor stylist Kim Bougaardt explains that during difficult economic times, a touch of metallic instantly adds a touch of class, warmth and richness, and who doesn’t want that? Kim says that there are numerous ways that this effect can be achieved, the easiest being soft decorative touches. “A gold desk lamp can add some drama to your study, while gilded trim on an armchair in a bathroom adds some luxury to the space. Copper pots adorning your kitchen walls add that old country charm. You can also try to mix and match metals with wood and other materials such as concrete for an urban downto-earth feel. Dark walls together with copper can be striking and dramatic in an interior space,” says Kim. Alternatively, she suggests that you glam up thrift items with spray paint for an instant shine. For example, as a budget option spray paint some clay pots in silver or gold. “The beauty of this trend is that it can work well and confidently in just about any space, with any other décor style. For a more permanent option

BOOKS EOA

DYNAMIC YOU DEFINE YOUR WORTH R120, Self-published

If you’re juggling many roles including that of wife, mother and career woman, it is very easy to lose your sense of self. Or maybe you haven’t quite reached the heights of success you had planned for and feel like you don’t have a sense of purpose. If you can relate, then this book by Fikile Mekgoe is for you. Fikile first became well known in mainstream media when she became the first black woman to win the Mrs South Africa title in 2012. The title was one of her many victories as she’s built a happy, balanced and successful life despite her very humble beginnings. Her her faith-based book promises to help you to regain your sense of self-worth, find your purpose and use resources that you already have to lead you to the life you are destined for. Fikile attributes a lot of her success to God and she applies tools she has learnt in her life’s journey in the roles of life coach, mentor and inspirational speaker roles to help readers tap into their winning streak.

WORDS: ROBYN BLOCH. PICTURES: FIKILE MEKGOE, JONATHAN BALL PUBLISHERS, PENGUIN.

This book promises to help you to regain your sense of self-worth, find your purpose and use resources that you already have to lead you to the life you are destined for.

HUNGER EATS A MAN Nkosinathi Sithole (R220, Penguin) Father Gumede has lost his faith. He wants only to find ways to support his povertystricken family. Then his son writes a prophetic story about the downtrodden rising up to march on a wealthy suburb that makes him rethink everything. It’s poignant, with a helping of triumph that makes it a worthwhile read.

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LEADING THE LIFE YOU WANT: SKILLS FOR INTEGRATING WORK AND LIFE Stewart D Friedman (R450, Jonathan Ball Publishers) What do Bruce Springsteen, Michelle Obama and Sheryl Sandberg have in common? They all manage pressured careers and still remain authentic, whole and innovative. They have that work-life balance we’re all after. Using in-depth research and interviews with six highfliers, Steward Friedman lists ways to live an inspired life.

FUNNY GIRL Nick Hornby

LOST & FOUND Brooke Davis

(R295, Penguin)

(R285, Penguin)

Funny Girl follows Barbara Parker, a bored 20-year-old who shoots to stardom on a hit comedy show. Peopled with an array of lively characters, the book is full of wonderful detail that brings 1960s swinging London to life. Another good, easy read from the writer of High Fidelity and About a Boy.

This cutesy book is full of quirky characters trying to confront loneliness, fear and death in their lives. It follows an eight-yearold whose mother has abandoned her. Together with two octogenarians who’ve each escaped their own prisons, she goes on a journey to find her. E

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AND THE COLOUR OF THE YEAR IS…

Marsala Pantone 18-1438 – It can best be described as earthy wine red; it’s rich and full-bodied and will undoubtedly make a statement in your home or your wardrobe. The colour is grounded in red-brown roots and is sophisticated, yet natural and earthy. In the home this colour will be enhanced in textured surfaces making it perfect for upholstery, rugs, plush throws and curtains.

COLOUR, COMFORT AND COOKWARE All the latest news, updates and products you need to know about.

Scatter the love

Robert-Thomson.com has taken our love for scatter cushions to a whole new level with its new ‘Love It Collection’. The stunning new range boasts a fun and fresh selection of 50cmx50cm printed scatter cushions ideal to add a fabulous touch to any space. The 100% organic cotton canvas is machine washable and durable, so why not give your living room or bedroom a quick makeover in one step – just scatter those cushions!

SLEEK SEATING

It’s the last of the warm days and nights, and entertaining and relaxing outdoors in style. Mobelli’s new Phorma range includes an elegantly designed upholstered couch and armchairs ideal for lounging about. The fabric is superb quality dyed acrylic, which is UV protected and water repellent to withstand the elements if left outside in the rain or sun. The Phorma comes in classic taupe but can be customised into colourful cushions. Prices range from R7 999 for the armchair to R24 999 for the set, which includes two armchairs and one two-seater couch.

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DĂ&#x2030;COR NEWS EOA

FOODIE FAVE!

Pots and pans never looked this good. Le Creuset has just introduced a new line of premium stainless steel products to its world-class, beautiful range of cookware. Stainless steel is new territory for the brand yet it has maintained its signature design elements, including the three-ring detail of the lid. The grade of stainless steel used uniquely resists against discolouration and staining over time. The tri-ply construction of each piece ensures even heat conduction and distribution while cooking and is highlighted with a rolled, sealed and polished precision-pour rim that protects the full aluminium core. So add a stylish touch of bling to your kitchen with Le Creuset Stainless Steel.

SLEEP SWEET BABY

WORDS: RHODA DAVIDS. PICTURES: SUPPLIED BY STOCKISTS.

Sealy, one of the most trusted brands of all time now brings your little one optimum support with its Sealy Baby Cot Mattress. The mattress is breathable, made from nonallergenic materials and conveniently fits a standard cot frame. In addition, it is washable, waterproof and durable with a PU film barrier to protect the mattress against infestation of dust mites. The surface can also be wiped with a damp cloth. We can only wonder why it took them so long to introduce this gem. For more info, visit www.sealy.co.za.

Scale down on size, not style

The Aventos KH-S lift system is ideal for sleeker, small cabinets and is designed with touch lift usability. This Red Dot Design award-winning system makes a big impact on the overall kitchen experience by helping to maximise the use of space. The compact system (which fits into a cabinet with a maximum height of 400mm) enables the user to keep cabinet doors in a full or partially open position making it easy to access the interiors without doors getting in the way. For more information, visit eclipsegroup.co.za. E

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Africa’s

VIBRANT MARKETS

With its diverse cultures, gourmet dishes, colourful fabrics and lively cities, Africa is the place to be when checking out the vibrant markets of the world. From Cairo to Kigali, you’ll be sure to find your shopping fix. FE B RUA RY 2 0 1 5

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TRAVEL EOA KHAN EL-KHALILI IN CAIRO, EGYPT

shopping for traditional Ghanaian fabrics and prints. With over 10 000 stalls, it is touted as the largest of its kind in West Africa. The central section of the market is its heart, with stallholders stocking a huge selection of printed, bright fabrics ready to be made into any beautiful garment imaginable. Visitors should work he markets in concentic circles, from the centre outwards, visitors here can expect to find local crafts, jewellery and food. Remember to stay close to your travel companions, as it is easy to lose sight of familiar faces at this market. Best times: Open all day, every day. A guided tour takes about four hours. Location: Central Market, Kumasi

MAPUTO FISH MARKET, MOZAMBIQUE

WARWICK MARKETS IN DURBAN, SOUTH AFRICA

Situated in the Islamic district of the city, Khan el-Khalili is a major souk or bazaar, where all sorts of local goods are peddled to both locals and travellers. Traders here offer a variety of souvenirs, antiques and jewellery, while surrounding workshops, including those specialising in gold, still operate as they did many years ago, providing employment for city dwellers. This is also a great spot to try out some traditional Arabic coffee in one of the many coffee shops, or to investigate Egypt’s street-food scene. Best times: From early morning to sundown every day, except for Friday mornings and Sundays. Location: El-Gamaleya, Qism El-Gamaleya, Cairo Along the arch of the northern coastline of Mozambique’s capital city at Costa do Sol lies the Maputo Fish Market. Visitors to the market can expect to see the variety of fresh seafood brought in daily by local fishermen to sell to locals and travellers, while traders also offer other produce renowned here, including cashew nuts and pao (a Portuguesestyle bread). Seafood is priced according to weight and there are restaurants alongside the market that will prepare and cook your choice to perfection. Best times: Open daily, but visit in the afternoon when the fresh catch of the day comes in. Location: Marginal Avenue, Maputo

KEJETIA MARKET IN KUMASI, GHANA

This open-air market is known as the place to go when

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This borough of markets may seem confusing from the outside, but once you’re inside, different sections peddling a variety of wares are clearly demarcated into nine separate markets. Situated at the city’s largest public transport interchange, it is a convenient shopping destination for locals. The nine markets offer everything from the spices that Durban’s curries are known for, to natural, herbal remedies doled out by traditional healers. A guided tour of the market is a good idea to help tourists navigate the local stalls. Best times: Open every day except for Sunday and close early on Saturdays. Book a guided tour with Markets of Warwick to get the best out of this experience. Location: Warwick Avenue, Durban

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ADDIS MERCATO MARKET IN ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA

Ethiopia is known for its fantastic coffee, so it stands to reason that this is the primary item that passes through this East African market. Other agricultural goods are also predominant, while spices and traditional food are also readily available. The market covers several square kilometres and can be pretty chaotic at the best of times. One of the most interesting sections of the market includes the ‘recycled’ goods section. Pick up a pair of rubber sandals made from the tyres of passing trucks as an authentic souvenir! Best times: Opens from 6am to 7pm, Monday through Saturday. Location: Addis Ketema, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

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KIMIRONKO MARKET IN KIGALI, RWANDA

Set inside a warehouse in Kigali, Kimironko Market offers a plethora of fresh produce, local crafts and imported goods all under one roof. Although mostly frequented by locals, stallholders are used to tourists wandering through the crowded aisles on the lookout for a deal. Because of the lack of cold storage facilities, it’s a great place to haggle and walk away with as much as you can for as little possible. It’s a great idea to hire a Rwandan to help you with your bags and barter for you, making the language barrier easier to handle. Best times: Open seven days a week, but it’s best to arrive early in the day. Location: Rimera, Kigali

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TRAVEL EOA

ANDRAVOAHANGY HANDICRAFT MARKET IN ANTANANARIVO, MADAGASCAR

A great spot to pick up Malawian craft in the country’s capital. Traders offer beautiful examples of Malawian weaving, in addition to wooden sculptures and intricately crafted furniture as well as textiles. Also popular is the fine basket weaving that Malawi is known for. Visiting later in the day usually ends in a better deal from traders looking to make their final sales of the afternoon before closing shop. Best times: Open daily, but head there in the afternoon for the best deals. Location: Kamuzu Procession Road, Lilongwe E

Often described as one large open-air market, the Andravoahangy Handicraft Market is listed as one of the top five places to visit when travelling through Madagascar. Close to the city’s centre, this is a great stop for handmade souvenirs, as well as traditional clothes and woodcarvings. Travellers can also pick up silver jewellery and semi-precious gemstones from street vendors; just be careful that you’re getting the real deal. Best times: Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Location: Antananarivo Avaradrano, Madagascar

LILONGWE CRAFT MARKET IN LILONGWE, MALAWI

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t’s a hot day, in 2006, on the balcony of a posh building in Greenside, Johannesburg. Wandile Molebatsi is deathly silent. Then, suddenly, he is alive, transformed. Shooting off an Al Pacino monologue from Glengarry Glen Ross. It’s intense. He finishes his impromptu scene and the only sounds to be heard comes from the cars below. Then everyone is called into an exclusive screening of the first episode of Khalo Matabane’s brilliant series, When We Were Black. It’s been nine years since Molebatsi’s star was set ablaze. These days he wears suits, is less intense and takes meetings to speak about his endeavours as a film producer at Coal Stove Pictures, a company he owns with director, Scottness Smith, and screenwriter, Fidel Namisi. In February 2015 they released their first feature film, Hear Me Move. The movie is about a sbhujwa-dancing son who goes looking for his pantsula father’s legacy and, in the process, finds himself. Sitting down with Molebatsi, he explains the purpose behind the film. “It was a long development process. Our aim was to capture post-apartheid urban South Africa 20 years after democracy and how young people express themselves now,” he says. “We realised pantsula is a dance form that is uniquely South African. We were concerned because the narratives are quite thin in dance films. It’s usually ‘a guy wants a girl so he dances to get the girl’.

THE WAY HE MOVES It’s not every day that we hear about dance films made in South Africa. WANDILE MOLEBATSI tells us about Hear Me Move and how he hopes it will transform local storytelling.

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WANDILE MOLEBATSI

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

ENTERTAINMENT EOA Molebatsi continues, “So, together with the National Film and Video Foundation, we figured out a way to infuse it with a lot of meat, basically. We wanted to tell a fresh story, so we researched Sophiatown and how that morphed into pantsula, which then morphed into isbhujwa and now, the latest iteration is skhothane. We wanted to capture a snapshot of that moment.”

WORDS: HELEN HERIMBI. PICTURES: COAL STOVE PRODUCTIONS.

THE BIRTHPLACE OF DANCE

Molebatsi is a firm believer that while films like Step Up and You Got Served are box-office hits, a dance film should’ve come from Africa first. Admitting that his view might reflect a certain arrogance, Molebatsi confidently says, “Africa is the birthplace of rhythm and dance is our stuff, so we’re arrogant to say Hear Me Move is the first SA dance film and Africa is where the first dance film should’ve germinated from. We want to build a dance film franchise.” The film stars relatively unknown leads because its choreographer, Paul Modjadji, insisted that the tight shooting schedule and little time for rehearsals meant that it would be easier to audition dancers for the movie, rather than train actors to dance. Veterans such as Lilian Dube, Sthandiwe Kgoroge and Makhaola Ndebele appear in key roles, and although he had to audition, Molebatsi snagged a role too. The film also sees celebrities such as Khanyi Mbau, Lorcia Cooper and Boity share the limelight – something that critics may consider a sign of desperation for mainstream success. But Molebatsi explains, “We were very brutal with ourselves. We said: ‘this is not a struggle film, this is not an AIDS film, and so what does that mean?’ “For us, it meant that we needed to tap into our current urban culture and people who are doing stuff now! We talked to Thembi Seete and she was like, ‘don’t even tell me what the budget is, I’m there.’ Khanyi Mbau hosts a dance show in the film and Lorcia Cooper, who is an amazing dancer and actress, plays the part of a judge in the film,” explains Molebatsi. He says that because of the narrative demand of the film, they needed to buffer it with a core of seasoned actors. “I think Mam’Lilian, Makhaola and Sthandiwe could also see the hunger and respect Scottness had for their process.”

he says, adding, “the industry is still controlled by white capital. I make the distinction because there’s a difference between white production houses and white money. It’s endemic in every industry, but film is just really bad. It’s annoying but it’s also encouraging because I see the work that people like Thabang Moleya, Jamal Qhubeka, Ndoni Khanyile and Thomas Gumede, to name a few, are doing.” Although Molebatsi says he’s the first to admit that government assistance takes too long, he’s also quick to remind us that it works. “I don’t have advice for people. I only have the scars to show and the places to say ‘look, here is where I’ve bled, so learn from that so we don’t have to bleed again.’” It was clear from that day long ago in the leafy suburb of Greenside, and it’s clear today that Molebatsi is not just a businessman, but a man who means business. But how are his skills on the dance floor? “Uhm, look, I stink. But luckily, because of the character I play, I don’t have to dance. I have to be the happy friend!” E

BEHIND THE SCENES SHOTS OF THE HEAR ME MOVE CAST.

SMALL BUDGET, BIG HOPES

Hear Me Move was shown at the Pan African Film Festival in America and Molebatsi hopes it will get a run at the Africa Movie Awards in Nigeria. With a government-assisted budget of R6.9 million, Hear Me Move’s success is important to Molebatsi as he says it will show there is a return on investment in African dance films in particular and African films in general. “It’s important that we not delude ourselves,”

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MOVIES & THEATRE

This month’s best movie and theatre offerings, with funnyman Alan Committie’s new show are set to have you rolling in the aisles with laughter. A Night Under the Stars

If you’re already dreading the onset of rainy gloomy days, fret not. The beginning of autumn is a magical time, where the sun still shines yet you don’t need to change outfits five times a day from all the sticky sweatiness of summer. Take advantage of these balmy, breezy evenings with the ultimate date night. Galileo Open Air Cinema screens all of your favourites, from romance and comedy to action and adventure, in stunning outdoor settings throughout Cape Town. This month’s line-up is packed with films to tickle your fancy, such as Dirty Dancing, Notting Hill, Titanic and Gone with the Wind. If that hasn’t convinced you, there’s also an array of gourmet snacks and craft beers on offer, not to mention fluffy blankets so you can cuddle up with your loved one. Visit www.thegalileo.co.za for the full programme.

The Sound of Laughter

In the tradition of No, Seriously?, Happily Ever Laughter, Fully Committied and Bigger! Better!! Faster!!!, Alan Committie takes to the stage for a lively, merry evening of mirth in his latest one-man show. Having performed at the Edinburgh Festival and starred in Aladdin at the New Wimbledon Theatre, the home of British pantomime, he has plenty of stories to share from 2014. The show’s crowning moment comes with Alan’s thoughts on turning 40, set to the theme tune of The Sound of Music. The Sound of Laughter is on at Theatre On The Bay until the 15th March.

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ENTERTAINMENT EOA

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

If you enjoyed the first Exotic Marigold film, be prepared for more delightful wit, warmth and wackiness. Dev Patel continues to charm audiences and guests alike as he tries to manage the demands of expanding his hotel catering to the “elderly and beautiful”, while preparing to marry the love of his life. Richard Gere joins the original cast led by Maggie Smith and Judi Dench in this poignant sequel. The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel opens on the 6th March at Ster Kinekor cinemas nationwide.

COLLIDER.COM, VENTUREBEAT.COM, BROADWAYWORLD.COM.

WORDS: CARYN THANDI PETERSEN. PICTURES: LEXIEGRACE.WORDPRESS.COM, SHOWME.CO.ZA,

A Night of Cabaret

Welcome to the infamous world of the Kit Kat Klub, where MC Sally Bowles and her raucous ensemble take to the stage every night to tantalise the crowd, enticing them to leave their troubles at the door. But as the life of pre-WWII Germany grows more uncertain, will the decadent allure of Berlin nightlife be enough to get them through the dangerous times? This Tony Award-winning production features a talented local cast and will leave you breathless. Cabaret is on at the Fugard Theatre from the 10th March.

Chappie

From our very own Neill Blomkamp comes this riveting sci-fi drama, starring another South African who’s made it big in Hollywood – Sharlto Copley – alongside Hugh Jackman, Sigourney Weaver and Dev Patel. The story focuses on Chappie, who, after being kidnapped by two criminals during birth, becomes the adopted son of a strange, dysfunctional family. Chappie is preternaturally gifted, one-ofa-kind, a prodigy. He also happens to be a robot. Chappie opens at Ster Kinekor cinemas on the 13th March. E

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The perfect

MATCH

We may all long for our carefree youthful years, but the stylish new Audi S1 is a reminder that adulthood comes with way better perks, writes Caryn Thandi Petersen.

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n a recent trip to Cape Town with my girlfriends, I was reminded of how it once felt to be a blissfully free student without the pressures of bills to pay or a career to think of. For one glorious week we partied till dawn and slept till noon, only worried about which decadent cocktail to order next. However, in the midst of this wild debauchery, it dawned on me that as fun as it was to live like a 20-year-old again, it was much better doing it as an adult. Sure the hangover may have been worse and my feet could only take a few minutes of dancing in sky-high heels but at least now I could spend the next day recuperating in comfort, safe in the knowledge I had something truly stunning waiting for me at home. This something, of course, was the new Audi S1, a car I could never have dreamt of driving as a student. A head-turner of note with its striking S model design, this sporty beast is the perfect antidote to the stress and pressures of daily adult life. Its introduction to the market represents a milestone for Audi, being the first A1 with quattro all-wheel drive. This pocket rocket combines all the virtues of a sports car, with mind-blowing performance and excellent handling. Its two-litre engine accelerates the S1 from 0 to 100 km/h in just 5.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250 km/h. Continuing its sporty exterior in its interior, it seduces with its statement style. From stainless steel pedals to S1 Sport seats and embossed instrumentation, this sexy car is all about being seen; no shrinking violets allowed. So, if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in the mood to live it up a little, give it a whirl.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

MOTORING EOA

SECONDARY FEATURES TAKE TO THE SKIES

Ford recently unveiled the Transit Skyliner Concept luxury van, heralding the future of ultra-premium land transportation. This custom motor coach comes with a spacious interior that morphs to support an immersive entertainment experience or a business meeting, with the swipe of a smartphone. The Transit Skyliner can transform into four dramatic modes: theatre, business, travel and reception, all with movable, custom-designed throne seats that automatically reposition. The entertainment system features surround sound speakers, a satellite for HD TV and a media server with storage space equivalent to more than 300 Blu-Ray movies or more than 1 000 DVDs.

PICTURES: QUICKPIC.CO.ZA.

GOLF R ON STEROIDS

If you thought the new Golf R was fast, which it undoubtedly is, think again. Volkswagen has developed one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most successful cars to beyond the limits of what was thought feasible in sporty performance. They demonstrated this with the world premiere of the Golf R 400 concept car, a delicious beast that almost defies belief. Its powerful engine propels the Golf to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds, reaching a top speed of 280 km/h (governed). With its shimmery metallic silver paint, six-speed manual gearbox, Recaro seats and neon yellow trim (including the engine!), this is a magical machine. The Golf R is slated for production this year. E

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Pisces Star TAMAR BRAXTON Born: 17 March 1977 Age: 38

Pisces people yearn to live the dream. The most illusory yet intuitive sign of the zodiac, Pisceans tend to pick up influences wherever they go, like sponges, evolving into multilayered individuals who are often deeply in tune with others. US born singer and Piscean Tamar Braxton is testament to this. Her five octave vocal range, not unlike the diva herself, had Whitney Houston once telling her: ‘Your voice is amazing! You’re going to be a star.’” Undoubtedly a powerful thing for an impressionable 14-year-old to hear. Pisces is a Water sign that knows how to go with the flow. Pisces is ruled by Neptune, a planet that adds glamour, intrigue and a sense of heightened reality – or unreality – to all it touches. The arrival of the entire Braxton singing family on reality TV in Braxton Family Values in 2011 couldn’t have worked out better for the star in the making. Tamar then appeared with husband, record executive Vincent Herbert, in a spin-off TV series, Tamar and Vince. It’s way too easy for Pisces folk to stay in the shadows, to support, to give up their own desires to further other people’s ambitions. Now a Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter, model and reality TV show personality, with forays into hosting talk shows on culture and the launch of her own fashion line Get Your Life in 2012, dedicated to ‘real chicks’. Tamar reveals: “I realise now it all boils down to timing.” The launch of her own album Love and War in 2013, Tamar declared: “It's finally time to be me.” She couldn’t be more right. Astrology is all about timing, and with Neptune in Pisces, its home sign, now until 2025 the timing couldn’t be better for Tamar and all her fellow Pisceans to get in touch with their true creativity. It’s about immersing oneself in what you love doing. Too scared? That goes with the astrological timing now too, in a ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’ sense as planetoid Chiron, symbolising the wounded healer, is also in Pisces for a long stay. By facing your fears you’ll heal them, is the cosmic message. It’s time for the sign of illusion to finally get real.

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PISCES 20 February – 20 March Happy birthday, Pisces! A New Moon eclipse in your sign changes the game plan this month. You're totally able to reinvent yourself. If you don’t, circumstances may nudge you to for your own good! Work on your wellbeing too as you’ll need to be fit to enjoy all the romance heading your way from August this year through to 2016. Love: If someone plays it cool now, don’t get mad. Get (even more) fabulous to show them what they’re missing out on. Career: You can get where you want to be at work now, slowly but surely, but check that you’re going the right way about it and in the right direction. Money: Impulse buys may prove irresistible this month, for a lover or for the sheer hell of it. Your best Investment is in yourself, so splurge on sports gear or gym membership.

ARIES 21 March – 20 April Love: You’re in demand this month for your style, talent and wit, as romance is back on the menu in a big way after a recent unseemly lull. Career: Your work persona is evolving. Get serious about learning more about the world of work you’re in -–or the one you want to be in – if you want to get ahead. Money: Your route to savvy spending this month? Shop smart and aim to invest in quality rather than impress with ‘here today, gone tomorrow’ must-haves.

ESSAYS OF AFRICA

WORDS: STELLA NOVA. PICTURE: LIVENATION.CO.UK.

HOROSCOPES EOA TAURUS 21 April – 21 May Love: You could be spoiled for choice this month, as admirers will be all but lining up for your attention. Already spoken for? Avoid the green-eyed monster by totally focusing on your one and only. Career: Uncertainties or changes at work simmer down now. Too unsettling? It could be time to set up on your own or with an entrepreneurial friend. Money: Pooling resources may be the best way to get what you and others want this month. Prepare to share.

LIBRA 24 September – 23 October Love: Coupled up? You could take the next step this month, by joining forces and finances. For single Librans it’s the start of a surprisingly seductive phase. Career: A fresher, healthier, more productive approach to what you do now will improve the way you work. The added bonus… You’ll feel re-energised too. Money: Are you in charge of your money or is your money in charge of you? It’s time to transform some of your ingrained but slightly skewed beliefs about finances.

GEMINI 22 May – 21 June Love: Work may need you more this month, but you still need your love life so keep in touch with the people who love you – use telepathy if you have to! Career: Prepare for some adjustments. A New Moon eclipse heralds fresh starts or much needed changes. Your adaptability is your best asset at work now. Money: A financial health check is a wise move this month. Whether it’s smart ways to make more money or better ways to handle what you have, seek advice.

SCORPIO 24 October – 22 November Love: Healthy body, healthy mind, and healthy attitude to love. Strive to achieve the first two this month so that next month you can have all three. Career: Are you coasting along on luck or living on past successes? Rework the way you work to be the very best you can be. Make yourself relevant now, not redundant. Money: Live within your budget. Save up for what you need. Why jeopardise what you want most of all for what you want now?

CANCER 22 June – 23 July Love: A friend could help your love life along this month, either by playing Cupid or by turning out to be ‘the one’. It might be time to look at a guy pal in a new and more loving light. Career: You’re super dynamic at work now so keep the surprises coming. You’ll shock anyone who didn’t think you had the get up and go to be this good. Money: Keep doing what you’re doing to keep on top of things and you’ll turn around a bothersome money situation within weeks. Only then you can afford to celebrate!

SAGITTARIUS 23 November – 22 December Love: It’s all about the game of love this month, the chase and the excitement. Single? New romance could arrive unexpectedly. Long-term love also offers delicious romantic surprises. Career: You could reach a peak or potentially a plateau at work now. It’s time for new challenges, ones that suit who you’re becoming, not who you are. Money: Step back this month to rethink your values and priorities. Things are looking up financially but avoid rushing things, or rushing into things.

LEO 24 July – 23 August Love: Spontaneous displays of affection or romantic trips away hold promise now. Single? Listen out for overseas accents to raise the romantic temperature. Career: You’re going to love your job this month. Dress to impress, but let your skills be what really gets you noticed at work now. Money: Overdrawn or underpaid? Make major moves to improve either scenario and by April things will look a whole lot rosier as hard work and luck are a powerful combination.

CAPRICORN 23 December – 20 January Love: If you’ve wanted be nurtured by love rather than overpowered by passion, you get your wish now. Give yourself permission to indulge. Career: Work may go through changes so be enterprising and have a Plan B that you’ll love. Setting up your own business may appeal so learn some new skills to help make it happen. Money: Forward planning is so you. Start investing in your home and your future now if you want to see a solid return on your investments sooner rather than later.

VIRGO 24 August – 23 September Love: An eclipse recalibrates your closest relationships to be just what you need now. They might not match your dreams but could turn out to be even better than you imagined. Career: Working with someone whose skills complement rather than compete with yours is the ideal combo for mutual career success this month. Money: You could be rather secretive about how you spend and save. It might all come out in the open next month so be rigorous about getting your finances in shape.

AQUARIUS 21 January – 19 February Love: You’re back on romantic form now but the one you love or who you want to love you may still be playing it cool. Don’t worry, next month you’ll both be on the same page. Career: It’s not what you do it’s the way that you do it now. Doing your job with extra skill and passion turns even the most mundane task into a labour of love that gets you noticed. Money: An eclipse could make you face things you’ve been avoiding on the financial front. Deal with it now before it deals with you. E

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EOA ENTERTAINMENT

MUSIC FESTIVAL MUST-SEE

The sexy and soulful Melanie Scholtz is set to headline the 2015 Cape Town International Jazz Festival, this month. An award-winning jazz singer and composer, Melanie has been performing since the age of five. With five albums already under her belt, as well as countless collaborations with South African and international artists, she’s certainly no stranger to the jazz world. Her most recent album, Our Time, speaks of ancestry and heritage. Produced by Bokani Dyer and featuring a stellar array of musicians, the album showcases Melanie’s unforgettable sound, which ranges from Motown to jazz and Hip Hop.

ALBUM REVIEWS

SONG (THE BALLAD BOOK) BY COURTNEY PINE Destine-E Records Joining Melanie Scholtz at this month’s jazz fest is the groundbreaking multiinstrumentalist, Courtney Pine. Born to Jamaican immigrant parents, Courtney Pine has led a transformation in the British jazz scene, broadening its scope with his exciting and innovative style. His music integrates drum and bass and UK garage with contemporary jazz, surprising listeners with sounds of calypso, ska (piano and guitar) and merengue. His 2012 album, House of Legends, was the Jazzwise album of the year and his latest offering, Song (The Ballad Book), looks set to win equal acclaim.

BY DIONNE WARWICK Universal Music Scintillating, soothing and sensual best describe the familiar voice of five-time Grammy Award-winning legend, Dionne Warwick. Feels So Good is her 28th project to date, packed with star-studded guest appearances from the likes of Jamie Foxx, Gladys Knight, Billy Ray Cyrus, Mya and Cyndi Lauper. The 14-track album features classic Warwick hits redone as duets, including A House Is Not A Home with Ne-Yo.

DID IT FOR LOVE

BY VUSI NOVA (Universal Music) Soul singer Vusi Nova has worked his way up the South African RnB ranks, garnering Metro FM nominations for Best Male Artist and Best RnB Album. Known for his superb rendition of the Etta James classic, I’d Rather Go Blind, his latest album displays a younger side guaranteed to get people dancing. His cover of Brenda Fassie’s Memeza is particularly memorable.

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REFLECTION

BY FIFTH HARMONY (Sony Music) If you’re in the mood for some shameless girl-power fun and flirty pop music, Fifth Harmony has your back. Smash hits Sledgehammer and BO$$, which accumulated over 1.5 million YouTube/ VEVO views since its release, sets the tone for their debut album.

MOTSWAKO HIGH SCHOOL

BY HHP (Universal Music) Jabba never seems to disappoint and, with 2015 marking his 15th year in the industry as a solo act, he has every reason to celebrate. His latest offering features a wide array of sounds, styles and collaborations that ensure he caters to fans with that one of a kind Jabba vibe. E

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WORDS: CARYN THANDI PETERSEN. PICTURES: VUSINOVA,MUSICTIMESCOM, IDMMAG.COM, AMAZON.CO.UK, AMAZON.COM

FEELS SO GOOD

STOCKISTS EOA

FASHION, BEAUTY, DÉCOR

HAIR AND MAKE-UP: NTHATO MASHISHI. PHOTOGRAPHER: GARETH JACOBS. ACCESSORIES: ZURI. NAIL POLISH: ESSIE. MANICURISTS: FROM L’OREAL

AMERICAN SWISS BOARDMANS CALL IT SPRING CASTELO CHOLANER CLICKS STORES DIS-CHEM STORES DUMOND EBENEZER DESIGNS EDGARS ESSIE FOREVER NEW FOSCHINI G-STAR GUESS HOME ETC. KAREN MILLEN LAIDBACK MAM THOKO ZWANE MANGO PRINGLE RAGE CLOTHING SDM EYEWEAR SOVIET JEANS SPREE STUTTAFORDS TOPMAN TOPSHOP TRUWORTHS TSOTETSIKL WOOLWORTHS YUPPIECHEF ZANDO ZARA ZURI

E SSAYS OF A F R I C A

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EOA LAST WORD

WHEN YOUR BESTIE FALLS IN LOVE WITH

PRINCE DOUCHE

TUMI MORAKE gives her take on when your best friend’s Prince Charming turns out to be a bona fide pain in your butt.

BY TUMI MORAKE

Well, You Have Two Choices:

1. Put on your best Oscar performance and act like you agree that the sun just might shine out his posterior, OR 2. Tell your friend the truth. If you easily picked Option 1, please immediately relinquish your crown as bestie. You cannot be two-

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Now here comes the part you were dreading: she may call you crazy, a liar, jealous, exaggerating and bitter. Heck, she may even block you on Facebook and stop calling you. But if she really is your friend she will come around and do something about Mr Totally Wrong. She may even acknowledge that those are his faults and nobody is perfect and she can live with those faults. It could mark the beginning of one of your biggest fights or the end of a long friendship. She could also accept that you don’t vibe with him and not shove him down your throat. And when she comes crying on your doorstep you won’t need words because… you saw it coming. E

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PICTURE: WHACKED ENTERTAINMENT.

eeting the new beau in your bestie’s life is usually a simple exercise of putting a face to Prince Charming. It should end with you determining whether he’ll share bestie with you nicely or if you’ll have to wrestle him for her. But what happens when he is a less-than-desirable creep? How do you handle it?

faced with your friend. Honesty doesn’t need to be blunt; the art of sugarcoating is underrated. You need to be delicate – you don’t say ‘your ass looks fat in those jeans’, instead you call the jeans ‘unflattering’. My point is this is your best friend. The one who you’d help stash the body for. So, kindly proceed by applying Friendship Diplomacy 101: • You’re probably sitting with a limited edition copy of Potty Mouth Dictionary with a whole plethora of words to describe this new guy, but for the sake of your friendship ditch it. Your friend will just be hearing ‘I hate your boyfriend, I hate your boyfriend, I hate your boyfriend’ throughout your conversation, so avoid words that will support this notion. • If you’re single, good luck! You’re about to look like a bitter spinster. Let her know how happy it makes you to see her happy. Acknowledge her feelings but make her acknowledge yours as well – your feelings are equally valid and she should know that you don’t want to see her get hurt. • Never make this guy being a douche about you or anyone else. It’s about her wellbeing. If you honestly cannot say how this affects her then look out for an article on ‘when you’re in denial about your jealousy’. • Always back your story up with facts and try and avoid hyperbole. Remember, she may have seen the same signs you saw but interpreted them differently and as long as you stick to facts, it won’t look like you’re on a witch hunt.

LIVE YOUR

PASSION

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