Inner City Gazette

Empowerment opportunity for black women

Johannesburg - The Association for Communication and Advertising (ACA) and the Media Development and Diversity Agency (MDDA) have initiated a programme to move bright young black women from discourse to action, and celebrate the industry champions who are moving to action.

The programme, called Leading Women Creating Change in the New World Order, is open to black women working in advertising agencies from mid-management level and above.

The programme is intended to move personal and institutional efforts towards doing the right thing.

“By building on the big lessons of the Covid-19 pandemic, we can create the next new normal which is not only focused on diversity for the sake

of compliance, but embraces and celebrates the value of previously marginalised and minority groups on the basis of race, gender, class, age, sexual identity, religion, culture and ethnicity,” the programmes; statement said. This course is designed and delivered by Shireen Chengadu, an academic and practitioner, expert in the field of women leadership, gender studies and building inclusive organisations. The course will be supplemented by the voices of men and women in various sectors who are championing true change and transformation.

In addition to contextual strategy and mastery sessions, the course will be complemented by coaching groups lead by professional coaches to enable the participants to refocus on self

and the necessary building blocks to lay and navigate in order for them to reach their full leadership potential.

The programme encompasses a holistic approach in addressing personal and professional development, using an integral coaching model designed by expert coaches that focuses on inspiring individuals to reach their full potential in a way that allows meaningful shifts towards somatic, cognitive and emotional wellness.

Successful applicants will be expected to attend six one-day programme sessions between August 2022 and February 2023, details of which can be found on the application form.

ACA chief executive Mathe Okaba says: “To create empowerment opportunities we invite black women in

the advertising industry to participate. The industry wants to create change and this programme will assist women in leadership positions shatter the glass ceiling, and also guide those who are unapologetic about bringing actionable and visible transformation to the ad industry culture.”

Only black women, as recognised by the Broad-based Black Economic Empowerment Act 53 of 2003 (BBBEE Act), are eligible for the bursary. The B-BBEE Act defines black people in a generic term which means Africans, Coloureds and Indians who are South Africans.

The form is on http://acasa.co.za/wpcontent/uploads/2022/07/2022-Application-Form-Ash.pdf. It is to be sent to Sharon@acasa.co.za by 2 August.

ACA chief executive Mathe Okaba

NEws entrepreneurs have the winning Formula For business

A few years back, (or maybe more than a few!), students finished matric, chose to work or study, and then entered and followed a career. Employees could grow in a career through working 8-5 and showing loyalty and commitment. A burgeoning population, economic stressors and radical environmental challenges created the need for a new mindset and fourth IR skills and traits, one of which is entrepreneurship.

Entrepreneurship involves a shift in mindset. It is an attitude and approach that actively seeks out change, rather than adapting to changes that happen.

This mindset embraces critical thinking, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Says Leonora Swart, Financial Manager at Boston City Campus, “It’s about never being complacent. Growth does not happen in a comfort zone – whether personal or organisational.”

Boston Travel and Tourism Graduate

Ncumisa Mkabile is a farming success story. While she may not be working in her field of study - she is an excellent example of entrepreneurial success through making opportunities, reinventing yourself, and using the skills you acquired in your studies to grow your own success. An entrepreneur at heart, this newly appointed Afasa provincial youth leader is raising the bar as a farmer and community activist.

Want to work in a medical environment but don’t have the entry requirements to study a medical degree? A clinic or hospital needs varied skills to keep it operational and effective – everything from PR to marketing, bookkeeping to paralegal.

“What we are suggesting is that you use lateral thinking to work in the industry you want,” says Leonora.

Why is entrepreneurial spirit important?

Entrepreneurial individuals and businesses have increased productivity, better problem-solving, and fresher ideas. There is an idea that entrepreneur-

ship means starting your own business because you couldn’t find a job or because you couldn’t afford to study” says Leonora. “For success, you need a foundation of tertiary studies - whether financial or bookkeeping, fourth IR such as the BSocSci – or even travel and Tourism like Ncumisa – ‘varsity studies are the best foundation for any successful business.” And then a fourth IR trait added to the mix -Entrepreneurship.

“An entrepreneurial spirit is a way of approaching situations where you feel empowered, motivated, and capable. Companies that nurture an entrepreneurial spirit encourage their employees to not only see problems, solutions and opportunities, but to come up with ideas to do something about them.” (Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of FlexJobs, from Forbes.com).

Developing an entrepreneurial spirit requires:

1. Cultivating a belief that you can and do possess the ability to achieve: People who believe in their abilities actually improve their ability to complete tasks.

2. Envisioning success: Understanding what success feels like is the first step toward achieving it.

Leonora says that entrepreneurial people “don’t take no for an answer, like our CEO!” Entrepreneurial people think anything is possible, they think with-

Africa faces growing cyber threats

Tech Reporter

Threats facing organisations in Africa has grown over the past few years, while only about 17 of the 54 countries have completed cybersecurity strategies, which opens up the threat landscape and increases risk.

out boundaries, and they work well with their team – people who aren’t afraid to lead the project and are as content to be given the to-do list. Entrepreneurship is successful when there is true collaboration and buy-in to the concept. And they surround themselves with people who have tenacity. “Everyone has a voice that needs to be nurtured, not criticised, in order to bring innovative ideas to life.”

These 10 characteristics are shared by entrepreneurial individuals:

• Determination.

• Willingness to take risks. Resourcefulness.

• Optimism.

• Innovation.

• Constant evolution. Leadership.

• Curiosity.

“My advice is to rate yourself on a scale of 1-10 on each of these traits, then set yourself goals of improving your rating to cultivate your entrepreneurial spirit, and thereafter your personal and business success,” says Leonora. Go ahead -write your traits and ratings on a sticky note, stick this on your laptop, and get your spirits up!

Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/ jacquelynsmith/2013/10/22/howto-keep-your-entrepreneurial-spiritalive-as-the-company-you-work-forgrows/?sh=4577b230c0d4

These are among the findings of a KnowBe4 and IDC Impact of Cyberextortion on Africa report, which reveals a complex cybercrime landscape in sub-Saharan Africa with data leakages, insider threats, malicious emails and attacks seriously impacting business security. The threats are compounded by budget constraints and that nearly 60% of organisations plan to increase connectivity and Internet of Things (IoT) use over the next 12 months. Growing investments into cloud, IoT, connectivity and digital solutions increase the risks alongside benefits.

Top threats organisations in subSaharan Africa face are data leakage (61%); insider threats (43%); phishing attacks (37%); cloud-related attacks (34%), and ransomware attacks (30%). The top five global threats are business email compromise, cloud misconfigurations, software supply chain attacks and non-compliance. Phishing or social engineering attacks remain the second most common cybercrime and are evolving in technique and success rates. The challenges influence security strategy for organisations with 43% focusing on security for cloud migration, 40% on strengthening secured access for a distributed workforce, and 36%

on strengthening customer trust in digital services.

According to the report, 56% of organisations in sub-Saharan Africa are in the first two stages of data security maturity, which means that many still struggle to find their security footing. Cyber security threats keep decision makers and security teams off balance, particularly owing to skills shortages, budgets and regulatory complexity.

Vice-president and evangelist at KnowBe4 Africa, Anna Collard says information security officers are struggling to find competent staff that can handle security alerts, while keeping up with data protection regulations, and building networks capable of withstanding cyber threats.

“In addition one out of three companies believes that there is insufficient integration between security and IT teams, with 30% saying that hiring and retaining security skills is a challenge,” Collard says.

Cyber extortion is lucrative, and cybercriminals do not expect much retaliation from African states. This means it is unlikely to stop and likely to become even more prevalent.

“Organisations have to focus on security investments and strategies to combat this threat with resilience. This means prioritising a defence in depth model with cloud security, privacy and compliance; the right security service providers and building a security culture among decision makers and employees,” Collard says.

Travel and Tourism Graduate Ncumisa Mkabile

KnowBe4 evangelist Anna Collard

Natalie Rabson for Boston City Campus

City warns of housing scams

Walk-in centres for school applications

Johannesburg - The Gauteng Department of Education recently outlined plans for the online application process for grades 1 and 8 pupils for the 2023 academic year.

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi announced about 50 walk-in centres to process admission applications for parents who cannot access the online platform.

Lesufi said parents should not wait until the eleventh hour to avoid disappointment.

“Parents or guardians with no internet access may go to one of the 48 decentralised walk-in centres located across the province’s 15 education districts.

They may also visit designated public libraries; 105 community libraries are available to assist parents who do not have access to the internet. We urge community leaders, especially councillors to assist

community members to come to these libraries,” he said.

Lesufi urged parents to submit correct information and valid documents when following the five-step virtual application process. He admitted that the system has not been without challenges, but urged parents to take advantage of the online process; while those who cannot submit online have the option to submit at chosen schools.

“Last year we had separate applications for Grade 1 and for Grade 8, but this year they go through a single process, parents have to apply at the same time for both grades,” Lesufi said.

Earlier he announced that the system’s capacity had been improved to take up to 40 000 applicants simultaneously, and that changes would allow at least 120 000 applications to be completed in an hour.

He added that the online platform has been upgraded to ensure protection from hackers.

“We urge parents to ensure they make an application. There must be no excuse that the system failed or that they could not access the system, we have improved that part.

We also know that when we start the process it creates excitement in the world of hackers, we are ready for that,” Lesufi said.

The process closes on 19 August.

Johannesburg - The City of Joburg has warned the public about scammers who swindle residents seeking housing.

Mayor Mpho Phalatse said the Joburg Department of Human Settlements has been inundated with walk-ins and calls from victims who have lost their money to scammers using fake social media accounts, images, the name of Human Settlements MMC Mlungisi Mabaso and the department’s name to claim credibility to their fraudulent activities.

The platforms used include WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and TikTok.

“These fraudsters have even registered cellphone numbers in the MMC’s name, which they use to extort money from residents seeking housing. It is becoming clear that we are dealing with syndicates who might be working with some human settlement officials. It is part of a growing trend where scammers put up fake social media posts and accounts to swindle un-

suspecting victims. They then disappear after promising them an opportunity to jump the RDP housing queue or to sell them non-existing houses. The Department of Human Settlements would never ask RDP beneficiaries to pay for a house or assist them to jump the queue.

The department is in the process of getting its social media accounts verified to distinguish fraudulent accounts from the department’s official pages,” Phalatse said.

She said law enforcement officials are working hand-in-hand with the City to address the problem, and urged residents to report the housing scammers to the police.

One employee of the department was arrested last year and three non-employees were arrested in February in connection with housing scams.

MMC Mabaso said more employees could be involved with the scammers.

“We are investigating to see if there are others involved,” he said.

MMC reflects on roadworks issues

Johannesburg - City of Joburg Transport MMC Funzi Ngobeni has called for road maintenance issues to be addressed urgently.

He said Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) teams are often unable to do road repairs because of water on the surface owing to pipe bursts, standpipes without drainage and blocked or leaking sewer lines spilling sewage onto roads.

“There are over 2 000 reinstatements that need to be completed by Joburg Water. Joburg Water and the JRA had a service level agreement, but owing to the need to complete the works rapidly Joburg Water opted to appoint contractors to expedite the reinstatements. The JRA is only able to do its work efficiently if other entities do their work effectively,” Ngobeni said.

He added that the interdepartmental initiative must ensure that de-

partments hold each other accountable for actions or lack thereof, and that they keep sight of the need to enable each other’s departments and entities to perform their duties with little hindrance.

“As the JRA prepares to resume the A Re Sebetseng service delivery blitz, I hope outstanding issues on road maintenance urgently get resolved. Excess water on any road surface leads to the formation of potholes and other defects,” he said.

The JRA has engaged with several city departments and entities where service delivery challenges were impacting negatively on the JRA’s ability to perform its work, including filling potholes and resurfacing roads.

“A resolution of these matters should bode well for customer satisfaction. Engagements will take place monthly to monitor the work of all departments and entities concerned,” Ngobeni said.

073 782 7355

Education MEC Panyaza Lesufi

JRA workers engaged in road repairs work

Mayor Mpho Phalatse during the briefing

“The Joburg Department of Human Settlements has been inundated with walk-ins and calls from victims who have lost their money to scammers using fake social media accounts, images, the name of Human Settlements MMC Mlungisi Mabaso and the department’s name to claim credibility to their fraudulent activities.”

Call for pressure on skills training providers

“The

but they must also be ready for the world of work. If work readiness is not incorporated into learnerships learners will struggle to find work when they graduate.”

Johannesburg - Learnerships designed to address youth unemployment, close the skills gap and drive employment have to deliver more than an NQF registered qualification, according to head of sales for EduPower Skills Academy, Sean Sharp.

“The work-based learning programmes linked to an occupation need to produce graduates who have the skills and ability to perform a specific occupation, but they must also be ready for the world of work. If work readiness is not incorporated into learnerships learners will struggle to find work when they graduate,” Sharp says.

He believes that companies sponsoring unemployed candidates for learnerships and bursaries for skills development need to put pressure on training providers to go above and beyond the curriculum, to ensure that their learners are set up for success.

“A qualification, Grade 12, a certificate, diploma or degree, does not guarantee that a learner is employable. Employers want to hire workready people, and who can step into a role and perform from day one.

It is therefore our job as training providers to ensure that our learners are proficient in these essential skills,” says Sharp.

Work readiness is a combination

of attributes and behaviours that ensure prospective candidates have the skills, critical thinking and ability required to perform and retain their jobs. To develop these skills among learners, Sharp advises companies to ask their training providers if some steps are included in their learnerships.

Every learnership programme is designed to comprise 30% theoretical training and 70% work experience. This means that learners should graduate with a minimum of 900 hours of practical on-the-job experience in a specific occupation, preparing them for work and giving them the skills and experience they need to perform effectively in an entry-level position.

Work experience provides learners with the opportunity to work together and learn from each other, giving them a better understanding of the job on hand.

It imparts practical, on-the-job ability training such as effective communication, presentation skills, email and telephone etiquette, and even conflict.

The world of work has many unwritten rules that employers often take for granted that a new employee understands. The training provider should therefore be operating in the same way as a business, and learners need to follow

the discipline of working a five-day week, being punctual, adhering to leave practices as well as completing tasks accurately and timeously. By doing this they give the learner a meaningful introduction to the world of work.

Some learners adjust quickly to a new environment while others take more time and may even need help. This is where coaching and mentoring are effective to ensure that young people have the support to achieve their full potential.

“When learners understand the theory of the learnership it boosts their confidence, making them positive contributors. This results in a great attitude that will help them find their first job and set them up for future career success. Learnerships require considerable financial investment on the part of the sponsor company. It is therefore important that the training provider ensures that learners are equipped with all the resources required to thrive in a work environment. Through your investment in learnerships, your company has the ability to empower employability. By ensuring that work readiness is a part of every learnership programme, you will be providing graduates with a fighting chance at getting employment that will positively impact our economy and the future,” Sharp says.

Business app awards open

Johannesburg - The MTN business app of the year awards has opened for entries, with the prize money for the country’s best digital developers at R1 million. The competition provides innovators an opportunity to showcase their skills and get recognised. Entries close on 9 September, after which the judging panel will start the shortlisting. The awards ceremony will be on 13 October. MTN head of marketing Kholofelo Magagane says the opportunities are endless. “We would like to see more new entrants and fresh talent in this year’s competition,” Magagane says.

For more info visit https://www. appoftheyear.co.za/submit

Female-led agency takes the lead

Johannesburg - In a bid to empower and partner with up-and-coming black-owned advertising and communication agencies, Metropolitan has appointed Think Creative Africa as its lead agency.

The agency, founded by two women, chief executive officer Mukondi Kgomo and chief creative officer Nkgabiseng Motau, has worked on award-winning campaigns on various brands.

Metropolitan chief marketing officer Tlalane Ntuli said they are delighted to welcome Think Creative Africa to the Metropolitan family.

“We were impressed with their pitch and felt that their approach resonated most closely with our vision. Part of our brand journey and growth strategy is centred on partnering with the right agencies who understand the brand and our vision. The process was extremely rigorous because we needed to make sure that we have the right people walking this journey with us,” Ntuli said.

Think Creative Africa’s chief executive officer Kgomo said the effect of adding Metropolitan to their stable is incalculable in terms of the energy it releases within the agency.

“This matches our vision of partnering with amazing brands to tell new insightrich stories. This is a truly South African brand with whom we are excited to take on the future, and we are delighted to be joining the Metropolitan family,” she said. Think Creative Africa is a creatively-led, insight-driven agency that has been solving business challenges from an African perspective. The agency prides itself in

Think Creative Africa CEO Mukondi Kgomo

creating content that moves people, communication that solves problems, and innovation that impacts society.

For more information on the agency visit the site www.thinkcreativeafrica.com.

EduPower Skills Academy sales head Sean Sharp

“A qualification, Grade 12, a certificate, diploma or degree, does not guarantee that a learner is employable.”

programmes need to produce graduates with the skills,

MTN’s Kholofelo Magagane

Handbook confronts African stereotypes

Johannesburg - The Africa No Filter NPO is challenging stereotypical news about Africa with its latest handbook Why Change

the Way We Write About Africa? A storyteller’s guide to reframing Africa

The handbook hopes to close the gap between mainstream and alternative stories of Africa by equipping storytellers with the tools to write about the continent beyond poverty, disease, poor leadership, corruption and conflict.

It defines what narrative is and the impact of the stereotypical one about Africa. It also provides the historical context that informs current narratives about Africa, from political events like the Berlin Conference and the Mau Mau uprisings, to literature and pop culture moments like Live Aid concerts, and their impact on African stories. This is part of Africa No Filter’s work of shifting stereotypical narratives about Africa to reflect a dynamic continent. The handbook includes a checklist of practical suggestions to start telling African stories with nuance. For example, in addition to hiring Africans to tell the continent’s stories or including more Africans on global storytelling platforms and forums, the handbook also suggests seven steps to overcoming stereotypical framing. These include using African experts and people with experiences

Lover’s killer jailed

Healthcare innovation programme opens entries

Johannesburg - A partnership between Regent Business School and Siemens Healthineers is launching its global Innovative Think Tank (ITT) Certification Programme, to encourage local researchers to drive international healthcare innovation.

Yusuf Vawda said: “With the 4IR technologies we are designing an innovation space specifically for the programme with the aim to preserve and support the prototyping and production of some of the participant innovations.”

of events, avoiding stereotyping in the choice of words and images, providing an accurate and specific context instead of framing Africa as if it is one country, and respecting the agency of subjects; which can be done by applying ethical storytelling principles. The handbook also has examples of the kind of nuanced storytelling it is calling for.

Africa No Filter director Moky Makura says: “This is a call to action for the media and storytellers to help them understand how narratives are formed and chances for them to develop alternative stories rooted in the continent’s reality.”

The handbook can be downloaded on https://africanofilter.org/disruption/why-we-need-to-change-theway-we-write-about-africa.

Johannesburg - The Gauteng High Court has sentenced a man to life imprisonment for strangling his lover to death in 2020 following an argument.

The man, Thabo Maake was convicted for malicious damage to property, assault and murdering Thokozile Kubheka in July 2020. The incident happened in Katlehong Extension 16 in what police said was made to look like a suicide in an attempted cover-up.

According to the State, Kubheka’s family tried to reach her with no luck. At her place they found her lifeless body, with a rope around her neck. The State said Maake had

The school will be the first higher education institution in South Africa to host this programme. Just 40 participants will be selected to develop innovative solutions to some of the most urgent healthcare issues the country is experiencing, and attain a world-recognised certificate on completion of the innovative research programme.

Country head for Siemens Healthineers Ayanda Swana said the economic survival of healthcare across the globe lies strongly in innovation.

“This is particularly true for Africa where we have challenges that limit access to quality, cost-effective healthcare,” she said.

The ITT Certification Programme has been run in more than 120 experiential learning programmes globally to develop creative pioneers capable of delivering innovative and customer-centric solutions to the biggest challenges in the healthcare industry.

Regent’s iLeadLABs manager

threatened to kill Kubheka in front of her mother and daughter, but he pleaded not guilty and said she committed suicide.

A month before Maake had set items belonging to Kubheka alight and fled the scene. Judge Mohamed Ismail said Maake never apologised to the Kubheka family and maintained his innocence.

“You killed your wife in the most brutal and cruel manner, she was killed by strangulation,” he said.

Ismail added that Maake knew the family had been looking for her but he did not give them any information.

He said the brutality of Maake’s

Immersive learning will take place in hybrid format virtual and at the iLeadLABs, under the leadership of Professor Sultan Haider, the global head of Siemens Healthineers ITT, who has established and is leading 72 ITT locations at Siemens Healthineers and prestigious institutions.

Head of School for Healthcare Management at Regent Dr Nivisha Parag said successful South African applicants will be drawn from healthcare, IT, engineering and business.

“They will work in muliti-disciplinary groups to develop innovative processes and products that will make a valuable impact on healthcare in the country. Programme participants will retain the intellectual property of their innovations,” Parag said.

When run in other countries, the participants in the ITT programme have managed to learn the ITT methodology to identify challenges and get tangible outcomes.

The ITT Certification programme

actions described his ‘callous disregard for life’.

Maake’s lawyer Lumka Qoqo told the court that she was instructed to apply for leave to appeal the conviction and sentence.

She added that on the first count of malicious damage to property, Maake said a lamp fell and caused the fire that destroyed Kubheka’s belongings. On the assault charge Qoqo said Maake had said he was defending himself from Kubheka. She said the court erred in finding whatever Kubheka had said before the incident, that she was going to die, implied she was in danger.

The State asked the court to dis-

with be run for seven days over two weeks, from 5-13 September and will cover ITT methodology, identifying healthcare challenges and trends and developing solutions. This programme is SAMA CPD accredited for 30 points to registered HPCSA professionals participating in the Innovation Think Tank Certification Programme 2022. Applications close on 5 August.

For more information visit the site https://regent.ac.za/itt-programs.

miss the application, as there was no reasonable prospect of success. Kubheka’s sister Thandeka said though Maake was sentenced to life imprisonment she was not satisfied. “When a person kills someone he must also be killed because at the end of the day he will be out of prison and we will continue seeing him. It will be painful when Thoko’s children see him, so there should be a law that says if you kill someone, then you should also be killed, or else gender-based violence will still continue,” she said.

Scores of people sang and danced outside the court building in support of the late Kubheka’s family.

Healthcare Management head at Regent Dr Nivisha Parag

Africa No Filter director Moky Makura

for life

“When a person kills someone he must also be killed because at the end of the day he will be out of prison and we will continue seeing him.”

Theatre hosts Women’s month productions

Lusanda Zokufa

The Market Theatre has curated productions to celebrate Women’s Month, which marks tribute to over 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on 9 August 1956 in protest against the extension of pass laws to women.

Actress Nqobile Sipamla returns to the theatre to give a performance in I am a Woman up to 14 August. Sipamla dazzles as Mmabatho in the new one woman play by novelist Nthikeng Mohlele, set in Gauteng.

AfrimA reminds artistes to submit entries

Arts Correspondent

The International Committee of the All African Music Awards (Afrima) has reminded music professionals and other stakeholders within Africa and across the diaspora to submit their entries for the 2022 edition.

Afrima juror representing Diaspora Northern America Hadja Keita said the award platform would not extend the submission date beyond 5 August.

“It is important that all relevant parties submit their entries on time. We are a very thorough and transparent organisation, and have a clear process for the award ceremony every year. Once submission of entries ends, we spend time judging the materials before we can derive our final nominations list. We also have a specific time allotted to voting. The entire process is also audited by a firm of international repute, Pricewaterhousecoopers. We do not just wake up and nominate people. Afrima 2022 will be held from 3-6 November this year. To achieve this we cannot extend deadlines at this point,” Keita said.

This year’s edition retains its exist-

ing categories, all of which are curated to celebrate the best of talents within the African music scene as well as communicate the strengths of Africa for global competitiveness. A pre-screening and main screening process will be carried out, respectively, by a 13-member jury of music experts from across the five African regions and the diaspora, between 5-16 August.

A world media announcement of the Afrima 2022 nominees list will be held on 17 August, officially heralding the voting period for this year’s edition.

From 24 August the Afrima Academy and music fans around the world will begin participation in the public voting process to be conducted on the Afrima website, during which the nominees will receive votes that could lead them to emerge as winners in the various categories.

The awards ceremony will be held from 3-6 November featuring a four-day fiesta of music, glitz and glamour. The event is scheduled to commence with the welcome soiree, followed by the Afrima Music Village, the host city tour, African

Music Business Summit, and the exclusive nominees’ party and concluded with the live awards ceremony broadcast to over 84 countries around the world.

According to Afrima, all entries must have been created between 20 August 2021 and 5 August 2022, being the year in review for all submissions.

Artistes, artiste managers, music producers, recording companies, labels, video directors, disc jockeys and other relevant stakeholders can submit their work or submit on behalf of their clients via the official Afrima website https://www.afrima.org.

The submissions must be done in consonance with Afrima guidelines, terms and conditions, which are available on the official Afrima website.

SAFTA nominees announced

Johannesburg - The 16th annual South African Film and Television Awards (Saftas) have announced the nominees for this year’s awards. The nominees are an indication of the creativity, innovation and resilience of local industry despite the trials that were faced since the onset of the pandemic.

Multichoice Group (MCG) has dominated the nominations board. Of the many categories, they achieved nominations in The River, Dam and Tali’s Baby Diary. Each received 11 nominations each, while DiepCity and Suidooster earned 10 nominations each and GIL received nine.

The SABC group received six nods for Skeem Saam, three for 7de Laan and the documentary, Murder in Paris, received four nominations while Giyani: Land of Blood received two nominations, to name a few.

Three new telenovelas also received Saftas nods such as SABC 3’s newcomer The Estate, three nods, while Showmax’s The Wife received 10 nominations where Bonko Khoza, Abdul Khoza and Zikhona Sodlaka received nomina-

tions for Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress respectively. eTV’s House of Zwide received eight nominations while Scandal received nine nominations.

The feature film leading nominations tally is Netflix’s I Am All Girls, with 11 nominations.

How To Ruin Christmas, Season 2 received 16 nominations.

CEO of the NFVF Makhosazana Khanyile said: “Last year we faced our greatest challenge ever post-Covid, this year, we celebrate the connectedness that helped us get through, while actively promoting optimism within our industry. We are looking forward to a remarkable show that will showcase the creative innovation that our industry has continued to display despite the circumstances faced.”

The Saftas will take place on 2 and 3 September as a simulcast on SABC 3 and Mzansi Magic.

Voting lines open on 1 August for votes to be cast.

For more visit https://www.nfvf.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Full-SAFTAs-16-Nominees-List-130722-FINAL_.pdf.

The piece is anchored around themes of love and belonging, female identity and feminist sentiments, place of women in modern SA, tragedy and loss, and interplay between personal and societal tensions. The central premise is an examination of human hearts; what it means to love, to have a meaningful life and how fate can enrich or derail personal dreams.

Sipamla’s debut was in the multiaward winning play The Suitcase in 2006 which earned her the Naledi award for Best Newcomer 2006. She was also recently nominated at the South African Film & Television Awards (Safta) for her lead role as Thuli on the sitcom Abomzala

The second installation of the Women’s Month Celebration is the

Tony Award winning production

Ruined by Lynn Nottage from 5 August to 4 September. The ensemble includes Hlengiwe Madlala, Shoki Mmola, Fulu Mugovhani, Samu Maseko, Molefe Monaise, Edward Nkumishe, Thapelo Sebogodi, Anele Situlweni and Vaughn Lucas.

Ruined involves the plight of a group of women in the civil wartorn Democratic Republic of Congo. It is set in Mama Nadi’s bar, a haven for miners, government soldiers and rebel militia, where they come to forget the ruins of war. The play centres on the lives of the women working in the bar and their resolve to survive despite the atrocities they have experienced.

For more contact 062 329 4741 or desmondm@markettheatre.co.za.

Some of the winners during a previous All African Music Awards

Actress Nqobile Sipamla

New refereeing techno unveiled

Johannesburg - FIFA has announced that semi-automated offside technology will be used at the World Cup 2022 in Qatar starting on 21 November.

The technology will speed up decision-making around marginal offside calls, easing pressure on the VAR. The system was developed with partners including Adidas and the Working Group for Innovation Excellence.

The system relies on unique cameras attached to the roofs of stadiums and creates a 3D animated skeleton of players. The feed is assessed 50 times per second to ensure correct decisions.

The match ball for Qatar 2022 will have an inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensor that aids the camera feed. This sensor, in the centre of the ball, sends data to the video operation room 500 times per second, allowing a precise detection of the kick point.

If a player is offside, the system alerts the VAR operator within half a second to validate the proposed decision. After validation the referee gets a message and can blow if he agrees the attacker was interfering with play.

Banyana crowned as team of the year

Sports Reporter

Following their success in the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON)

Banyana Banyana have been crowned as the CAF National Team of the Year, and also named as the Fair Play Team.

Banyana beat hosts Morocco 2-1 in the TotalEnergies Women’s Africa Cup of Nations last Saturday in Rabat in a highly contested tie that brought out the best of both teams.

At the heart of this success was goalkeeper Andile Dlamini who kept three clean sheets in the six games Banyana played at the tournament. Her efforts were rewarded when she walked away with the Goalkeeper of the Year Award - an award that she dedicated to her family for their enormous support.

“In 2018, I was watching from the bench and I told myself that I want to play next time. As a team we worked hard to achieve this and this means so much,” Dlamini said.

Her teammate Hilda Magaia whose brace secured the WAFCON title for South Africa was named the Woman of the Match and finished as joint top scorer at the 2022 edition with three goals alongside Moroccan captain Ghizlane Chebbak and Nigeria’s Rasheedat Ajibade.

Banyana captain Refiloe Jane said: “This is big for South Africa, for women’s football. We wanted to bring hope and bring back smiles to South Africans. We are grateful for the support they have shown to us.”

Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis was named as Africa’s Coach of the Year in the women’s football category, during the recent Confederation of African Football

(CAF) Awards in Morocco.

It was a third CAF Coach of the Year Award for the Banyana mentor. There was more South African success at the gathering as Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies were named Africa’s Women’s Club of the Year after winning their domestic league and the inaugural Champions League in Egypt in 2021.

The Full List of Winners at the CAF

Awards:

Player of the Year (Men)

Sadio Mane (Senegal and Bayern Munich)

Player of the Year (Women)

Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and FC Barcelona)

Interclub Player of the Year (Women)

Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas

Ladies/Alvaldsnes)

Interclub Player of the Year (Men)

Mohamed El Shenawy (Egypt & Al Ahly)

Young Player of the Year (Women)

Evelyn Badu (Ghana & Sekondi Hasaacas

Ladies/Alvaldsnes)

Young Player of the Year (Men)

Pape Matar Sarr (Senegal and Tottenham

Hotspur)

Coach of the Year (Women)

Desiree Ellis (South Africa)

Coach of the Year (Men)

Aliou Cisse (Senegal)

Club of the Year (Women)

Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa)

Club of the Year (Men)

Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco)

National Team of the Year (Men)

Senegal

National Team of the Year (Women)

South Africa

Goal of the Year

Pape Ousmane Sakho (Senegal & Simba)

Banyana Banyana players and officials celebrate after winning the recent AWCON tournament