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3 - 10 December 2020

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Hope in new HIV prevention drug Fears that the world is losing focus on the HIV epidemic were reflected by figures in South Africa that showed 225 000 HIV/AIDS patients in Gauteng had discontinued their anti-retroviral treatment (ARV) this year, partly but not only because of difficulties accessing care during the Covid-19 pandemic

UNAIDS director Winnie Byanyima

Johannesburg - Health officials are hoping that new drugs to help prevent HIV infection will be a turning point for the fight against the health threat that has been eclipsed by the Covid-19 pandemic. The region is especially hard-hit; with South Africa having the biggest epidemic in the world with 7.7 million people living with HIV, according to the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/ AIDS (UNAIDS). In separate studies of men and women earlier this year, including one by the HIV Prevention Trials Network and the Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (RHI) at the University of Witwatersrand, the drug Cabotegravir had successful trials. The shot given every two months has been proven to be 90% more effective than the daily pill PrEP. In her World AIDS Day message on 1 December, UNAIDS director Winnie Byanyima said over 12

million people are still waiting to get HIV treatment, while 1.7 million were infected with HIV in 2019 because of lack of access. “Companies should openly share their technology and know-how, and waive their intellectual property rights so that the world can produce vaccines, including for Covid-19, at the scale required. The global AIDS response was off track even before Covid-19 and the world needs to reset its targets if it is to meet the goal of ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030,” she said. Fears that the world is losing focus on the HIV epidemic were reflected by figures in South Africa that showed 225 000 HIV/AIDS patients in Gauteng had discontinued their anti-retroviral treatment (ARV) this year, partly but not only because of difficulties accessing care during the Covid-19 pandemic. Health officials and women however, hope that cabotegravir could

mean less visits to health centres, as many look to reduce exposure to Covid-19. Director of research at the Johannesburg-based RHI, Dr Sinead Delany-Moretlwe said women in sub-Saharan Africa, who are disproportionately affected, are among those who will benefit significantly from the drug. Some research suggests women may be at greater risk of getting HIV through sex than men, but Delany-Moretlwe added that social issues also contribute significantly to their increased risk. “Women do not always have power in relationships, and up until fairly recently, negotiated condom use was a challenge particularly in relationships where women rely on their partners for financial support or where the threat of violence is enough to keep women quiet,” Delany-Moretlwe said. Women such as 26-year-old Khanyiswa Kwatsha, who is currently taking the daily PrEP pill and

promotes it among young women, are eagerly anticipating access to the new treatment, saying it will be much easier for them to protect themselves with an injectable drug they only have to take every eight weeks. “I am very happy because taking a pill every day is not easy, while you know that you are not sick but taking it to protect yourself,” she said. The clinical trials were conducted among over 3 200 women at research sites in South Africa, Uganda, Eswatini, Kenya, Malawi, Botswana and Zimbabwe. Cabotegravir is being developed by ViiV Healthcare, which is mostly owned by GlaxoSmithKline, with Pfizer Inc and Shionogi Limited. The study was sponsored by the US National Institutes of Health, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and ViiV. The drugs were provided by ViiV and Truvada’s maker, Gilead Sciences.

Inner-city Gazette

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Looking for a new career? Here are the 3 most promising careers of 2020 Natalie Rabson on Behalf of Boston City Campus 2020 proved really tough for all South African’s. You know that parent that says, “if you don’t stop complaining I’ll give you something to complain about?” Well that’s what 2020 felt like! So, we need to adapt and change our mindset for 2021 – let’s make it great! We need to remain positive and upbeat –and we have some practical ways for you. What are the downsides of what we are experiencing? Chaos, panic and stockpiling, loss of work and maybe of studies. So how do we turn this around? Consider what will be in use 24 hours a day? The internet! Tech! This is where we will not only spend our time, but we can create our futures. The temptation will be to spend all the time on Netflix, but imagine if you set some aside to gain new skills? Our present and our future is all about what happens on our laptops – so make yourself valuable and learn or upgrade your career. Due to the nature of online learning, Boston has always used it in order to pass on the benefits which include greater knowledge retention as well as learning in your own time and your own space, and lastly of course, at your own pace. Now is the best time to take advantage of this with new careers such as cybersecurity, data science and project management. Computer and mathematical occupations are growing at a rate of 22% and they have one of the highest average salaries. Thanks to expanding mobile networks, and a growing energy sector, IT professionals have an extremely favorable outlook. As big data increasingly drives commerce, the skills needed to control our vast networks of information are more valuable than ever. The demand for data scientists continues to grow. Data Science has emerged as one of the most popular fields of the 21st Century. Companies employ Data Scientists to help them gain insights about

3 - 10 December 2020

Malicious apps distribute intrusive adware Parents should teach their children to be careful about apps they download, and make sure children’s devices have a security solution installed Tech Reporter

the market and to better their products. Data Scientists work as decision makers and are largely responsible for analysing and handling a large amount of unstructured and structured data. In order to do so, he requires various tools and programming languages for Data Science to mend the day in the way he wants. Cyber security secures your future as you need to always be one step ahead of where the next breach will be. Cybersecurity is the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks. These cyberattacks are usually aimed at accessing, changing, or destroying sensitive information; extorting money from users; or interrupting normal business processes. Graphic designers’ and web developers job functions are so important now as retail, shopping and education move online. People are starting new businesses and need websites with customer relationship and management functions. We are unlikely to go back to ‘what was’. Online is now our reality. Wikipedia describes Project Man-

agement as “the practice of initiating, planning, executing, controlling, and closing the work of a team to achieve specific goals and meet specific success criteria at the specified time. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all of the project goals within the given constraints”. Both Project and product managers work across disciplines, taking the output of team members and integrating it into the bigger picture. One of the most notable characteristics of opportunities for project managers is their truly global nature. If one of these fields speaks to you, there’s plenty of time to get prepped and make the switch, and use the time you have now to develop so that when we can plan to emerge from this recession, with the flexibility and knowledge needed to be able to offer employers up to date skills, or to open your own consultancy because you will be in such high demand! It’s never too early to get started enjoying the sense of well-being derived from promising and fulfilling work. Prepare to thrive! Visit www.boston.co.za, or call 011 551 2000.

ad actors online have attempted to exploit popularity of the openended video game Minecraft, to further their objectives. Minecraft, first released in 2009, allows users to craft their own 3D world. It is currently the bestselling game of all time with over 200 million copies sold as of May 2020. Kaspersky researchers recently discovered over 20 apps available for download on the Google Play store that claimed to be modpacks, usercreated packages that add additional gameplay elements, such as additional textures for crafting buildings for the game. However, they were actually distributing adware; software that bombards users with unwanted ads, disrupting their normal use of devices. Upon downloading the modpack, users would be able to open the app once, enough to notice that it does not actually download any mods. Upon closing the app, its icon disappears on the phone, leading the user to forget it was there in the first place. However, it has actually not disappeared, but is hard at work in the background. The app then begins to display highly intrusive ads. The fake modpacks analysed opened a browser window every two minutes and had the ability to open Google Play and Facebook and even play YouTube videos; interfering with the users’ use of their smartphone.

A teenager on her smartphone

Fortunately, the malicious modpack does not try to restore itself once it is deleted, but it can be hard to locate. Since the icon is not present on the home screen, users have to first remember that they downloaded the app, and then locate it in their device settings to delete it. The least ‘popular’ modpack had been downloaded 500 times, while the most popular had more than a million installations. Google has been notified and has removed all the malicious applications. Security expert at Kaspersky Igor Golovin says these malicious apps are particularly troublesome because they target children and teenagers, many of whom are unaware of how to spot potentially malicious apps or how to remove them. “In addition, because the apps can open the smartphone’s browser, Facebook or YouTube, users might assume the problem rests with these applications, rather than a modpack they might not remember they downloaded. Parents should teach their children to be careful about which apps they download, and make sure their children’s devices have a security solution installed,” Golovin says.

3 - 10 December 2020

Inner-city Gazette

Premier warns of possible Covid-19 spike early next year

NGO launches national GBV awareness campaign Johannesburg - The 1 000 Women NGO has launched a national campaign urging parents to teach sons about consent, boundaries and respect for women, and join the fight against gender-based violence GBV. Co-founder and trustee of the NGO, Tina Thiart says close on 100 women and children have been murdered over the last few months in South Africa. “Sickeningly, from babies and children to young girls and elderly women, all women are targets for rape, abuse and murder, and something needs to be done,” she says. The campaign centres on a children’s doll, Krissy Doll, which appears to have been brutally assaulted. In a digital film, two girls play with the doll, putting make-up on its face to cover up cuts and bruises. “The doll denotes how women cover up abuse or violence inflicted upon them. By showing a potential future in which little girls accept battered and bruised dolls as if this were the norm, we hope to shock South Africans into having critical conversations with their sons,” Thiart says. The NGO has made free-for-all

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“Unless everyone takes steps to prevent a resurgence of Covid-19, which may be much bigger than the first wave in winter, the province will be in serious trouble in the next three months.” 1 000 Women co-founder Tina Thiart

digital resources available at maketime.org.za. The site hosts age-appropriate talking points and tips on how to speak to boys up to teen age, an auto-calendar function to set a reminder to make time, and an option to share a pledge to #MakeTime on Facebook and Twitter to drive further awareness. “Children’s behaviour and attitudes are moulded by those who care for them. If every South African took just half an hour a month to talk to their sons, or boys in their care, about the right way to think and act, consent, boundaries and respect for women, we would soon see less violence, abuse, rape and murder. We also need to help our daughters understand that abuse is not okay, and should not be covered up,” says Thiart. For more visit maketime.org.za.

Johannesburg - During a virtual delivery of his end-of-year address on Friday Gauteng Premier David Makhura raised concerns that residents are letting their guard down and not complying with Covid-19 safety protocols. Makhura said experts are deeply concerned about a possible Covid-19 spike early next year. He however said indications show that the province’s infection rate is stable. He said experts are concerned about how the infection rate could possibly increase when residents return from their festive holiday destinations in January. “Depending on what we do, come January, the situation could be back to the peak of June and July. The numbers may dramatically increase when people return from holidays,” he said. Makhura added that unless ev-

eryone takes steps to prevent Covid-19 resurgence, which may be much bigger than the first wave in winter, Gauteng will be in serious trouble in the next three months. He urged citizens to avoid large family gatherings and parties during the festive season, and said experts have noticed a seven-day rolling average of between 5% and 6% positive tests in the last few weeks. “Some of the rural areas have high Covid-19 cases; with people either taking Covid-19 to areas where there is none in rural areas or bringing it back to Gauteng; and this will increase during the interprovincial travel. There are chances of greater contact between people and infecting each other,” he said. By last weekend over 233 000 Covid-19 infections had been confirmed in the Gauteng province.

Premier David Makhura

Inner-city Gazette

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Professor details reforms for 4IR

“We need to urge people to adopt technology and get technological skills.” Johannesburg - University of Johannesburg (UJ) vice-chancellor Professor Tshilidzi Marwala says reforming the education system should be a priority in preparing for the fourth industrial revolution (4IR). Marwala said SA should first focus on equipping pupils with understanding English. “Many coding systems are programmed in English; without an understanding of the language it would be difficult to be taught how to code, and acquire the skill,” Marwala said. His other reform proposal is teaching basic mathematics to pupils at a basic education level. “A strong performance in mathematics is essential for 4IR linked careers such as computing, programming, finance and machine learning. Teaching pupils the ability to think logically and critically should be the cornerstone of the education system,” he said. With such interventions students will be able to code in the world of computing with ease, Marwala said. “If we compare SA to the rest of the world we are behind in terms of embracing 4IR. In SA we have a crisis in the education system. Unless we unlock this bottleneck, we will always fall behind. But if

Professor Tshilidzi Marwala

we compare ourselves with the rest of Africa we are doing well,” said Marwala. He refers to Cape Town being a hub of innovation, with many startups and technology firms. The area is known as Silicon Cape, a reference to Silicon Valley in San Fran-

cisco, US, the mainstay of high technology and entrepreneurship. In Africa Marwala singled out Rwanda as the technology and 4IR frontrunner, saying the country sometimes uses drones to deliver medicines to people in far-flung rural areas. “Ghana is another to look out for on the 4IR front, with Google recently investing $1 billion in the country to build an artificial intelligence research laboratory, which will develop technological solutions in healthcare, education and agriculture.” In SA embracing technology has conjured up fears of job losses and machines replacing people. Marwala said instead of debating potential job losses, the focus should be on reskilling the labour force for the new technological world. “In matters of demand and supply, competitiveness is the key. For example the local textile sector has been decimated due to us no longer being competitive. You now get textile products from Asia. In 4IR, production will be automated and countries that adopt automation will be more competitive. If we don’t, we will be thrown in the dustbin of history. We need to urge people to adopt technology and get technological skills,” he said.

Armed robber shot dead The robber who was carrying the bag with the money was shot dead after he allegedly pointed a firearm at a security guard Crown Mines - On Monday a security guard shot and killed an alleged robber who pointed a gun at him at the Cash and Carry supermarket in Crown Mines, while another was arrested, according to police. Police spokesperson Captain Xoli Mbele said the manager was giving out wages to employees when one of the suspects entered the office, pretending to be one of the workers.

“The manager could not identify him as he was wearing a mask. When he asked him for his company number the suspect pointed a firearm at him, and was joined by one of his accomplices, who also pointed a firearm at the manager. They took an undisclosed amount of money and put it into a school bag. One of the employees screamed for help and the robbers fled,” he said.

The robber who was carrying the bag with the money was shot dead after he allegedly pointed a firearm at a security guard, Mbele said. “He was shot several times and paramedics certified him dead at the scene. Police recovered two unlicensed firearms with live ammunition and a school bag with money. The arrested suspect was assaulted by community members before security guards rescued him. The suspect, aged 26, has been charged with business robbery, possession of an unlicensed firearm and ammunition. The third suspect managed to escape,” Mbele said. He added that the firearms would be sent for ballistic testing to ascertain if they were used in committing other serious, violent crimes.

3 - 10 December 2020

Researchers search for Covid-19 origin Researchers in various countries have suggested that cases may have gone unnoticed long before December 2019, based on analysis of wastewater or blood samples Geneva - Researchers are trying to unravel one of the greatest mysteries of the corona virus, exactly where it came from. The World Health Organization (WHO) has assembled an international team of 10 scientists to trace the origins of the virus. They will have to investigate both the suspect animals and how the first patients may have been infected. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: “We want to know the origin and we will do everything to know it.” The first cases were reported in the Chinese city of Wuhan a year ago, before the world began to record growing infections. The WHO said the first cases in Wuhan are believed to date from the beginning of December. “But where an epidemic is first detected does not necessarily reflect where it started,” it said in a November report. In recent months, researchers in various countries have suggested that cases may have gone unnoticed long before December 2019, based on analysis of wastewater or blood samples. Etienne Simon-Loriere, of the virology department at the Institut Pasteur in Paris said there no clear evidence to back up these claims. “To establish a virus family tree, researchers rely on genetic analysis. This can help better understand transmission dynamics, particularly how the virus may have evolved over time and how clusters might be related in time and place,” the WHO said. Scientists agree that the disease has an animal origin. “The big question is what led it to jump into humans; suspicions have fallen on bats, which are a major reservoir for coronaviruses,” Simon-Loriere said. But there would likely have been an intermediary animal to shepherd SARS-CoV-2 into people. WHO investigators will need to clarify this point by probing the wet market in Wuhan, which sold live and wild animals, and has been linked to many of the early cases. Simon-Loriere said they could look out for an animal with a virus receptor, a protein called ACE2, similar to the one found in humans. It is through this receptor that the virus latches onto cells. Some animals such as mink and ferrets have been found to have a

WHO director Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus

very similar receptor to humans, while others are quite different. Another origin theory that swirled in conspiracy rumours for months was that the Wuhan Institute of Virology was involved in the outbreak. US President Donald Trump touted the idea, claiming the virus could have leaked from the biosafety lab. China has rejected the accusations. While Simon-Loriere said it was not yet possible to completely rule out the idea that the virus escaped accidentally, he stressed that there was “no indication it was manmade”. “All the elements of its genome have already been observed in nature, mainly in bat corona viruses,” he said. The WHO says understanding how an epidemic began is essential to preventing further introductions to the human population. But it has warned that the process of tracing how a disease jumped from animals is a ‘riddle that can take years to solve’. The goal is to “understand the mechanism and put in place measures to avoid the emergence of a new SARS-CoV-3, 4, etc,” said Simon-Loriere. For example, during the 2002 SARS epidemic, a ban on the consumption of civet cats, identified as an intermediary host of that coronavirus, is credited with having helped prevent the reintroduction of the virus into humans. The UN health agency sent an advance team to Beijing in July to lay the groundwork for the probe. But it has remained unclear when the larger team will be able to travel to China to start its work. In late November the WHO said it hoped to have a larger team of scientists on the ground ‘as soon as possible’. The US has accused Beijing of not being transparent, while it says the WHO kowtowed to China and dragged its feet in investigating how the outbreak first started. Others have voiced concern that the agency may have allowed China to dictate the terms of an international investigation into the origins of the virus. On Monday Tedros told critics to stop ‘politicising’ the issue.

3 - 10 December 2020

Inner-city Gazette

News

Call for over 60s to join Covid-19 vaccine trials The Covid-19 investigational vaccine clinical trial is being conducted at the Helen Joseph Hospital Clinical HIV Research Unit’s research site

Graduates of the Tshimologong Precinct App Factory internship programme

First digital innovation interns graduate This approach enables them to hone skills required by the industry even when entering the job market as software developers, a foundation to allow them to grow and be part of shaping the 4th Industrial Revolution. Braamfontein - The first group of interns in the Samsung and Tshimologong Precinct App Factory internship programme recently graduated. A graduation ceremony was held at the Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct in Braamfontein on 26 November. Samsung SA, in partnership with Wits University’s Tshimologong Digital Innovation Precinct created the App Factory, a programme to help interns to work on real-world projects under the guidance of a senior developer over nine months. This approach enables them to hone skills required by the industry even when entering the job market as software developers, a foundation to allow them to grow and be part of shaping the 4th Industrial Revolution. The partnership with Samsung’s R280 million Equity Equivalent Investment Programme (EEIP) seeks to build software development skills for unemployed youths. Tshimologong CEO Lesley Donna Williams said: “We are commit-

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ted to grow tech skills through these programmes. It can only be successful when partners like Samsung join forces for the common good.” The event was attended by representatives from Samsung, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Tshimologong project managers as well as Wits University representatives. Graduate Lindiwe Mncwabe said: “I look forward to my future as a software developer. Ever since I was young, I was always fascinated by computers, general applications and their function. I knew I would end up in the tech space and thank Samsung for their commitment to skills development.” Another graduate Frans Mahlangu said: “This programme had a positive impact on my life. If I had not been part of this internship, I would not have learnt the problem-solving skills that I now have, and am looking forward to being employed so that I may use my newly acquired skills.” The director of the Business Innovation Group and Corporate Affairs

at Samsung SA, Hlubi Shivanda said young people are most affected by social, economic and environmental challenges. “Samsung aims to empower them by equipping them with futureproof skills and practical understanding of the technologies that will shape their future and enrich sustainable growth of the world. We believe they can play a vital role in building communities and creating a prosperous future for all,” he said. Tshimologong Precinct is now looking ahead to next year and seeks graduates who can demonstrate their ability to code in C#, Java and C++ and are familiar with object-oriented principles. Successful candidates will be paid a stipend for the duration of the internship. The programme, starting on 4 January 2021, will cover C#, ASP. NET Webforms, ASP.NET MVC, Angular, JavaScript and other relevant topics. Those who may be interested may email a CV and covering letter to internship@tshimologong.joburg by 13 December this year.

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Johannesburg - Scientists are calling for people aged over 60 to volunteer for trials in a bid to produce an effective possible Covid-19 vaccine. This is in view of that more than half of SA’s Covid-19 deaths are people older than 60. The Covid-19 investigational vaccine clinical trial is being conducted at the Helen Joseph Hospital Clinical HIV Research Unit’s research site. The unit is a division of the Wits Health Consortium, part of the Faculty of Health Sciences at Wits University. The unit said this is a testing site for the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson’s Phase 3 clinical research study, the Ensemble trial, to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the Janssen’s investigational Covid-19 vaccine candidate. In addition, Right to Care’s Esizayo Clinic in Cosmo City is a recruitment site for the trial. This phase of the vaccine trial involves a single vaccine dose of the Janssen vaccine candidate versus placebo, in about 60 000 adults 18 years and older, including those

Dr Sharlaa Badal-Faesen

who are aged more than 60 years. “Participants will be randomly selected for either the vaccine or the placebo, an injection that contains an inactive substance. The trial will include those both with and without comorbidities associated with an increased risk for progression to severe Covid-19,” the unit said. The unit and Right to Care are enrolling up to 500 adults over the age of 40 from Johannesburg, with access to Helen Joseph Hospital and those living in and around Cosmo City. Dr Sharlaa Badal-Faesen said: “People over 60 have accounted for 54% of Covid-19 deaths in SA and a significant proportion of cases. Therefore, to protect older citizens, we need them to help find a vaccine. We are encouraging people over 60 with or without comorbidities to participate. Comorbidities may include hypertension or high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease or HIV,” she said. For more information or joining instructions send e-mail to info@ chru.co.za, call 072 416 5735 or visit the Ensemble trial website.

Inner-city Gazette

3 - 10 December 2020

Inner-city Gazette

The Arts

Actress graduates with PhD Levy Pooe’s artwork titled Stokvel Meeting

Award winning artist Levy Pooe

Bag Factory announces award winners Johannesburg - The Bag Factory in Mahlathini Street, Fordsburg, and Strauss Education have announced artist Levy Pooe as winner of the 10th edition of the Cassirer Welz Award. The runner-up was Abongile Sidzumo, and third was Liona Nyariri. The Cassirer Welz Award, named after South African auctioneers Reinhold Cassirer and Stephan Welz, is presented annually by the Bag Factory in partnership with Strauss & Co to a South African-based visual artist in painting, drawing, or sculpture. Only artists under the age of 35 and not represented by a commercial gallery are eligible. The selection jury comprised of Bag Factory director Candice Allison, artist Phumulani Ntuli, Strauss & Co, director Susie Goodman and senior art specialist Wilhelm van Rensburg. They agreed that Pooe is an excep-

tional painter who will benefit from an opportunity for substantial creative and professional growth. Johannesburg-based Pooe works on painting, charcoal, collage and photography. He tells stories and creates narratives that speak to the urban black experience. Pooe got a 10-week residency at the Bag Factory from 1 December to 5 February 2021, and R 25 000 towards the residency stipend, materials, and production costs. The residency culminates in a solo exhibition of newly created work at the Bag Factory opening on 6 February 2021. Runner-up Sidzumo works in Cape Town. He completed study in Fine Art at the Michaelis School of Fine Art in 2019 and was co-awarded the Simon Gerson prize for excellence upon graduation. He also won the Blessing Ngobeni Art Prize in 2020.

Nyariri has exhibited widely including in New York, also having been a fellow with the Whitney Independent Study Programme at the Whitney Museum. Her work uses mythology and speculative fiction to explore themes around Pidgin languages and the written and oral traditions of Southern Africa. In a statement Strauss & Co said the award has helped winners launch their careers and make a name for themselves in the South African art market. “As the award reaches its 10year milestone, we confirm commitment to support the award during this time of unprecedented uncertainty in a global pandemic. Now more than ever, we recognise the importance of continuing the legacy of this development award for emerging artists in South Africa,” the statement added.

Johannesburg -The University of South Africa (Unisa) has conferred a PhD to actress Regina Nesengani. Nesengani, 65, plays the part of Chief Azwindini’s mother vhoMasindi Mukwevho on SABC 2 soapie Muvhango. Her doctoral dissertation, which she wrote in tshiVenda is on gender-based violence (GBV). “The topic was inspired by the prevalence of GBV. I wrote on women abuse through dialogue on drama books written by male writers. The contention was that most of the books were written by men, in which women are often portrayed in a negative manner, and seldom portrayed as intelligent enough to think and decide for themselves,” she said. She explained that she was touched by stories of women who were abused by their partners. “I was shocked that this happens in 2020, with all the awareness and education on GBV. I researched more on GBV and found shocking discoveries, dating back from the early 1970s; which con-

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Dr Regina Nesengani

tributed to my decision to take it further and pursue a PhD. I hope this will add to the body of literature and knowledge on GBV issues,” she said. Nesengani completed her master’s degree while working as a primary schoolteacher, and has been an actor for over 30 years. Muvhango creator Duma Ndlovu said SABC and Word Of Mouth Pictures are planning a celebration to pay homage to Nesengani for her historic achievement. “Ladies and gentlemen, we present to you Dr Nesengani,” he said. Fans and colleagues have also congratulated Nesengani for her momentous achievement.

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Soccer tourney raises GBV

awareness among boys Uyapo Majahana

ast Saturday Afrika Tikkun, in partnership with Odirile Wa Rati recently hosted a soccer tournament at Ekhaya Park in Hillbrow for the youth, as part of an outreach programme to teach young men about social justice issues like genderbased violence, sexuality and leadership skills. The tournament featured six teams in the under 13 age group. Afrika Tikkun expert in health and fitness Thomas Taole, said the programme called Young Urban Men has a vision to get involved early in the lives of young men, so that they can guide them to be responsible and contribute meaningfully in society. “It is important to have open conversations about sexuality, masculinity and gender-based violence

with these young minds so that they grow up to be better men. A huge thank you goes to the Nelson Mandela Children’s fund for supporting this outreach programme. We also commend the football fraternity for embracing this initiative and making it a success. Sports, particularly football is a good avenue to effect social development causes owing to its popularity,” he said. Johannesburg inner-city sports coordinator and head coach for Odirile Wa Rati, Gololo Fire said this programme’s importance cannot be downplayed considering that the inner-city is riddled with many social ills the youth need to be cushioned from, while keeping them preoccupied with productive activities. “Hillbrow is a dangerous place for young people. Drugs and alcohol abuse is real, hence our interven-

Coach Gololo Fire addresses the youth during the event

tions need to target every age group. Although we focused on under 13s this year, the event will grow bigger to incorporate other age groups in the coming years,” he said. The winning coach of the tournament, Thabang of Jozi Sportic FC said the consistency his boys have

shown is impressive. “Just yesterday in another tournament, we almost added another trophy to the cabinet, but narrowly lost in the final match. But what is more striking to me about this tournament is the overarching goal to go beyond soccer and motivate the young men to be

the best version of themselves. This involves dismantling societal stereotypes like those that vilify emotions in men as if they are taboo,” he said. Other participants in the soccer tournament included Joburg United Smitshoff, Transformers, Uno Court and Doornfontein United.