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Feature Writer
Contributors
Mbali Mavundla Prudence Ndala Patamedi Lebea Puseletso Malema Sicelo Masha Adv. Thabo Selepe
Paul Light
TYM is supported by
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two months we take a look at the significance of 27 April as individuals and as a country. We take a look at if its supposed reminder is a true reflection of where we are as a nation; as a people. 19 years later, is South Africa really free? Has the fight that our forefathers put up for this freedom that we are enjoying today mean anything? Did the 1994 elections help us or just gave us enough rope to hang ourselves? Now with June 16 around the corner, have we made these significant days about booze, opulence and a nice time? Are we free and doomed? Now that you see where we are taking this… At one point or another, you have experienced discrimination. To an extent, you have also exercised reverse discrimination. “Two wrongs don’t make a right”. And on a lighter note: I myself have unceasingly demanded Coke over Sprite. My mother prefers the red-labeled Coke over the transparentlabeled Coke. I don’t judge her. She neither judges me. In this issue, Architects share their point of view and let us know if their industry, besides designing houses and the likes, has helped in building our country. In our drive for success and a good life, we look at the new BMW X4 and the 12C Spider McLaren in our motoring section and list some great gadgets for your pleasure. Our fashion blog sheds light on why most young people today dress like their grannies and aunties back in the day. At least one friend has a friend who dresses that way – admit it. Now, tell them to read and inform themselves as to why dress sense in 2013 looks like the dress sense in the 80s. Now that Kaizer Chiefs have been crowned the 2012/2013 PSL champions, we give you a sneak preview of the last games that were played in order to bring the season to a close in sports.
Trevor Gumbi posing as a poet in one mobile network’s advert a while ago once asked, “Are you free, or are you dom?” And still today we call people at 3am and ask them if they are still sleeping. Go figure hey! Though the
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airtime might be free, being dom costs.
If you have watched Game Of Thrones, you’ll be familiar with the term, “Winter is coming”. As fall gives way to winter, we at TYM hope that you are keeping warm as you fill up with casseroles and feed your mind with books. Some of you have already started on your semester tests, and by the time you read this issue, some of you will be going headto-head with your exams. Godspeed and many favorable returns.
Anyway, enough about airtime and its supposed usages, FREEDOOMED Love, is our theme for April and May. “Why MMM FREEDOOM?” you may ask. These @masingitamasiya
wealth as part of economic freedom. When affirmative action was introduced, it meant that there would be an increase in the participation of the previously disadvantaged in the workplace. This afforded Africans many opportunities to better themselves and come out of poverty. Yes, apartheid was brutal and bad for all of us, but if we sit around and feel sorry for ourselves, then this would mean that the struggle has been wasted.
Mbali Mavundla – Qwaqwa
Yes.
Solomon Mahlangu, an activist uttered words of great wisdom once when he said, “My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight.” It is done. Solomon’s words now guide us and remind us every time of where we have come from and why we need to celebrate what freedom fighters have given us. We have been free for nineteen years and some do not even realise it.
The 27th of April 1994, South Africa gained independence – Nelson Mandela, the first black president of the republic became the best thing to ever happen to people of colour as he stepped on racial inequalities that ever stood before a black man and his right to dream without fear. Nineteen years later, we are free and still reaping the fruits of being a democratic republic without limits. So where are we now? The Bill Of Rights holds all we ever fought for – it is a declaration of individual rights usually issued by a national government applicable to every citizen of that country. To name a few: freedom of expression; the right to life; the right to a better education... Now, everyone has a choice – the chains that have kept us tied down have been broken. We can choose who we associate ourselves with and be where we want to be without any designated areas where only certain racial groups are allowed to go. Even though some still live with the permanent scars caused by the apartheid system, we are in a better place of being now due to our democracy. The new constitution allows us to be equals. It even encourages self-initiatives to people who want to make their own
Prudence Ndala – Pretoria
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meant that we would be free if we blacks were in power. Now, we have to deal with our fellow black brothers treating us like monkeys and exempting white people as super-humans. The lack of freedom has been engraved in our minds as if no matter what we do we will always be put down, or someone else will get what we want just because they can. We live trying to rectify what happened in the past but we fail because we are still trapped. Not just black people, but South Africa as a whole. Black people are torn between being vengeful and trying to make peace without being passive pushovers; white people don’t know how to learn to share, to trust and try to believe in all people being one; and Indians, coloureds and other races cannot engage in a unified South Africa so they support themselves or their native communities. Freedom is still a dream captured in eras like Sophiatown and Kitchen-Dutch days. Freedom, unlike oppression, does not have a colour or emotion or movement. In my opinion, we are more oppressed than Solomon Mahlangu, Chris Hani and the likes, and their freedom – embedded in having something to die for – exceeds the freedom we have right now. Freedom should be common courtesy. Whatever I would not want to experience I should not be the one to put you through it. Whatever dreams I want to fulfill should remind me that you too have dreams you live for. Whatever pain that I do not want to feel, I should not perpetrate for you to feel. Freedom is not in another galaxy, it is within us all. It’s the desire for a beautiful country. Aluta.
Oppression used to have a colour – white. At least that’s how we saw oppression in South Africa. But now, nineteen years after apartheid was abolished, freedom is still only a state of mind and oppression has become a lifestyle. We live expecting that half of our goals will always be out of our reach, and reaching them at all becomes absolute power over others. During apartheid, races were separated, with the most resourceful race governing the rest. After apartheid, freedom was associated with the opposing race being in power – this
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Who also resides in Ekangala is a student at Inscape Design College in Arch Draughting and is also an intern at KMI Draughtings. Her musings are the following:
@Neo_uju What is architecture to you and what drew you to it? Architecture to me is art. It’s a gift that the Almighty gave to me. Think of it this way – a relationship between lines and the artist that results in an image that will in turn produce the drawing of a person’s home; a shelter; and most of the time, a dream come true. Now, that’s art. Consequently, what drew me to architecture was the art in it and the significance of how lines can communicate with each other to create beaty. What do you want to achieve through architecture? I’ve always wanted to be my own boss running a lucrative business that will help the South African economy through many things but chiefly job creation. Do you have any favorite building in Tshwane and/or outside of Tshwane? I do. The OR Thambo building in Queenswood.
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As South Africa’s democracy turns nineteen this year, are you satisfied with where we are as a nation considering where we come from? Initially, South Africa was becoming a place of beauty right after the liberty of own black people, but in that process, we got lost and I suppose we forgot our mission and vision. I personally blame this on people who can’t do anything but be selfish. That in itself compromises whatever little unity we were building. To answer your question, I am not satisfied with the state of the country, we can do better. What are the significant contributions of architecture to our democracy? Job creation is one that comes to mind. What role would you love to see architecture play in the building of our nation going forward? This industry is more male-dominated, especially in this country. I would like to see more black young women being empowered, acknowledged and given space in the profession. In that way, gender inequality will be addressed simultaneously.
Is co-owner of Afristic Architecture (Pty) Ltd and resides in Ekangala. His offbeat thoughts about what architecture is and should be separate him from his peers in the industry. Our conversation went something like this…
@KhayaNgoma What is architecture to you and what drew you to it? Three factors define architecture for me: space, function and aesthetics. Of course we could dissect them, but I don’t think we have enough ‘space’ and time in TYM. Nonetheless, it was in grade 11 (2002) when we went on a school trip to an open day at TUT... There I saw a magnificent, pencil-drawn perspective drawing of a modern house with a detailed garden - tress, flowers and everything. That was the end of the confusion for me; I’d found my soulmate. What do you want to achieve through architecture? Well, besides being blessed with the opportunity to design and build the tallest most ecologically intelligent building in South Africa, I would love to see a generation that is educated in terms of understanding the role architecture plays in its environmental, cultural and social wellbeing, especially in the townships and rural settlements where a large number of people are still oblivious to the harmful elements in their immediate surroundings and
the poorly designed living and working spaces. Do you have any favorite buildings in Tshwane and/or outside of Tshwane? Yes. The American Embassy, Reserve Bank, DTI building, AFGRI building in Centurion and the Marble Tower in Johannesburg. As South Africa’s democracy turns nineteen this year, are you satisfied with where we are as a nation considering where we come from? Well, from a personal standpoint, I’d say I’m quite content, however, the hunger for more still prevails and I am strongly optimistic about this country’s future. Afterall, South Africa is the largest economy in Africa and it is alive with possibility.
make you believe that, in contrast to popular ignorance, South Africa really is moving. Of course this is just one example out of many. This said, I personally can conclude that architecture has contributed to this nation by being what I like to call, “The Space In-between”. What role would you love to see architecture play in the building of our nation going forward? As the whole world is faced with this common epidemic called global warming, I would love to see more and more young architects develop innovative strategies of building environmentally friendly spaces within places. We need this.
What are the significant contributions of architecture to our democracy? One major contribution is the excellently designed monuments scattered all over the country. For instance, and talking from experience, going into the Hector Pieterson Museum in Soweto, you get a glimpse of this country’s rather poignant past whilst being consoled by the magnificence of the building’s contemporary characteristics which
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Young people are less apathetic and more interested in public issues and current affairs than is commonly supposed. But politicians - along with the word ‘politics’ - are widely seen as boring, irrelevant and an immediate turn-off. Research for the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggests that low levels of interest in the political process, underlined by the turnout in this month’s local elections, do not tell the whole story where young people are concerned. Even those who declare themselves least interested in politics share ‘political’ concerns, and may have taken part in activities such as signing a petition, attending a local protest or voting in an election. Based on in-depth interviews and focus groups with a cross-section of 14- to 24-year-olds, the study demonstrates that young people vary widely in their level of interest in politics and cannot be treated as a uniform group. Those interviewed ranged between those who were actively involved, to others who claimed to be wholly cynical or indifferent. In between were groups who took a general, but passive, interest in current affairs and those whose political interests were limited to issues that affected them personally. The research by the National Centre for Social Research also found that: • The limited way in which young people viewed ‘politics’ was a key reason for their apparent apathy. The range of issues that concerned the interviewees covered a broad political agenda, even though they talked about them in ‘nonpolitical’ terms. • Politicians were commonly viewed as untrustworthy, boring, remote and selfserving. The young people interviewed belong to the first generation to have grown up with Parliament being televised - and their impressions were extremely negative. • Irrespective of interest in politics, young people had engaged in ‘political’ activities relating to issues that affected themselves or their communities. Some had signed petitions or attended demonstrations in support of local campaigns to protect leisure facilities, prevent hospital closures or improve funding for further and higher education. Others had signed petitions concerned with moral issues such as animal rights. • Although some of those who declared they had no interest in politics were over 18 and had never voted, there were many others who had. They were more likely to vote in a General Election than in local or European Parliament elections. A clear link was made between voting and the ‘right to
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complain’. • Whatever their interest in politics, young people consistently said they felt powerless. They suggested a number of ways that politics could be made less dull and more accessible. For example: • more imaginative and entertaining political education lessons in schools and colleges; • media coverage of politics focused on issues relevant to young people; • more effort by politicians to consult young people, understand their concerns and discard ‘power suits’ in favour of a less stuffy, more accessible image; • a wider cross-section of politicians in terms of age, sex, ethnic origin and social class. Clarissa White, co-author of the study, said: “Too much emphasis is placed on the supposed apathy of the young without recognising that young people are already interested in a range of political issues, even if they do not see them as ‘political’. Our study suggests that politicians, educators and all those who bemoan young people’s lack of interest in politics should give greater consideration to how best to represent their interests.” She added: “If we want young people to take a more active interest and play a bigger part in public affairs, then we must show them that politics means something more than the ‘yah-boo’ of party politicking. They need to feel confident that politicians share their concerns and have a genuine interest in their views. However, politics needs to be delivered in a more accessible way if it is to engage their attention in the first place.” – Joseph Rowntree Foundation
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10% OTHER
18% BlackBerry Z10
15% Nokia Lumia 920 12% iPhone 5
45% Samsung S4
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Samsung ZX310 – One of the thinnest laptops in the world is the Z310. 13inch/33cm thin, it beats Apple’s MacBook Air which thought it would hold the title for years to come. The specs on this skinniest laptop include: Intel’s Corei5 or i7 processors, up to 8GB of RAM and you can also choose to buy either 128GB or 256GB solid-state drive. It’ll boot up in a jiffy. This one is a musthave for all people who like to carry light things.
Alien Intelligence – The Sony VPL VW1000ES 4K Projector comes with a hefty price Tag of R215 000 attached to it. Well, it is worth it if you would like to bring a home cinema with full HD and 3D in your living room. With this being a projector, it means you can carry it anywhere you go, unlike a smart-TV/plasma. This priceless collection for those who can afford it can be viewed five metres away and the screen size can be increased beyond a living room wall without losing its quality.
Sony HDR-TD10– Sony is always on the forefront when coming to gadget innovation. Just above we told you about their 3D projector, now we are so excited to tell you about their 3D camcorder. Just at the palm of your hand you can start to record your memories in dual full HD sensors behind a pair of Wall-E-esque eyes and in 3D footage which will be stored to 64GB memory and viewed without glasses on a 3,5inch touchscreen. This masterpiece can be bought via sony.co.za on request for just R10 700. The price is reasonable for a 3D camcorder.
SOL Republic Tracks – The US-based headphone makers are getting set to make their mark in the world with their SOL Republic Master Tracks headphones. With their slick styling, they’ll impress audiophiles and fashionistas alike in no time at all. The headphones bring quality sound to your ears and are also comfortable on the ears as they were made with extra measures to satisfy the customer’s need for audibility, comfort and style.
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LL Cool J – Authentic LL Cool J is rap’s longest running act by far. “Authentic” is the first album he has released without Def Jam Records In trying to redefine the title, Cool J doesn’t mean to be “authentic” to a specific genre, but to his own roaming musical taste. The album boasts features from Travis Barker, Earth, Wind and Fire, Monica and other remarkable acts to get diverse sound. The beats are unfussy and direct. The choruses are built for radio. Cool J has never been a dazzling rhymer – he injects all his songs with energy, does party anthems and boasts as any rapper. At the same time, several tracks manage to tap the energy of their genres. “We Came to Party” uses an O.G. himself, Snoop Dogg, along with Fatman Scoop to mimic a Southern rap vibe. Meanwhile, the songs with Seal and Charlie Wilson have an R&B resonance. The best is “Whaddup” which pairs LL with Tom Morello and Chuck D to recreate ’90s rock-rap at its most roiling. 7/10
Location Camera Angle Storyline Stylist YouTube stats/views Overall
Fistaz Mixwell – Hade Mabebeza 20 20 20 20 63 501 (by 14/Apr/13) points 15
Dj Sbu - Qina 20 15 10 15 44 410 (by 14/Apr/13) points 15
95 (best) 75 (nice try) (0-40 poor) (41-80 nice try) (81- 90 good) (91 – 100 best)
Mafikizolo – Reunited Mafikizolo is at it again with a new release titled Reunited. The title is fitting as the group has been on a long break and it looked like there was no point of return for them. The new album is produced by the godfather, Oskido, and new hit makers, Uhuru, who also produced ‘My Name Is’ of DJ Zinhle. The album is still a typical Mafikizolo record with the fusion of slow and up-beat tempo (house) sounds. Their current radio single ‘Khona’, which they also shot –a-video for, is dominating the airwaves and the dance floors. The next big hit to follow from the album will likely be ‘Happiness’ – the beat is similar to ‘Khona’ as it is a Uhuru trademark sound. Other tracks you could look forward to are ‘Khani Mjongeni, ‘Reunited’, ‘Saka Harabe Bone’, ‘Nakupenda’ and ‘Ngenxa KaThixo’. Kalawa Jazmee made a great decision to reunite Nhlanhla and Theo. Reunited does not sound as if They’ve been on a break for over 5 years. It is that good. 10/10
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From the streets of Soshanguve, all you see is “nyaope boys” hustling for money through being what we might call “commuter-mediators” for their job of stopping taxis for commuters and alert the driver of where the commuter is going. But that is not the route that Tumelo Mokoena, best known as Melo, thought for himself. His hustle in the music industry has seen him work with Zola on his fifth studio album as a producer, and do a collaboration with Slickour and JR. He went on to work for Zola 7 Media and Red Pepper Production which produced various TV shows. TYM sat down with Melo at a local lounge to tell us about his next move to declare ‘checkmate’ in music.
Tell us more about the album you are working on. Like I said before, my first single is already out and I have taken a different route where sound is concerned as I am doing more of Pop. I do not want to follow trends like before when they said: “house music sells or Afropop music sells more”. The main reason for doing Pop is because I want to tap into the international market and perform in countries like UK and USA without any language barriers. I have also enlisted different producers to assist in order to get a varied sound. People can check me out on social networks for more updates. Follow: @MelloniumBug
What made your first two albums fail and what do you plan on doing differently on your next album to ensure success? Financial backing was not there to cover Distribution, and also poor marketing and poor public relations contributed to the failure of both albums of which the first was RnB followed by a house one. The current project has everything set in place such as a proper marketing plan and an experienced distribution company to enable it to succeed. My first single, “I’m a soldier”, is already on 5fm and Yfm playlists, I didn’t wait for the whole album to be complete before I started to promote it, unlike before. How can local producers progress from just being township producers to national and international stages? I think the key lies with the change of the state of mind of local producers have. They should move from just making songs every day to only sit with them in the studio at the end of the day. You must plan what you are going to do with a song after you have created it. For example: produce a track and upload it on any file sharing website for people to download for free. The more downloads means that there is likelihood that it will be shared with others, and the more it is shared the more your name brand becomes popular. In the long run, you might attract a recording deal and/ or more bookings.
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@B_Mbingeleli (Contribution by Bruce Mbingeleli) Bavarian Motor Works are set to fill the gap in their X range with the production of the BMW X4. The vehicle which will hit the markets in 2014 is set to be a smaller version of the X6. The BMW X4 which will fill the gap between the X3 and X5 models is a new compact crossover Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) – a production-ready concept of the SUV which will share the same powertrains with the X3, including a variety of four cylinder and six cylinder engines in both petrol and diesel format. Under the hood, the X4 will most likely feature past BMW engine options, such as a 176kW 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a 220kW 3.0-liter turbocharged straightsix. In America, it will be featured as an all-wheel drive with less powertrains in petrol and turbocharged engines for overseas consumers. A distinctive fastback roofline is a key exterior feature which shapes the rear end of the crossover vehicle, while a large kidney grill and twin circular headlines represent it at the front. The connection between the front LED headlights and the grill are linked by silver elements which are within the headlights. When it comes to the exterior, it has that unique fierce look. The headlights have a glimmer of silver and the front view has been added with a bit of glittering silver to compliment the embossed logo of the X4. When it comes to styling, nothing much has changed as it has identical exterior features as the the recent X models and also taking a few features from the F30 3 series. The vehicle measures 4.648mm in length, 1,915mm in width and 1,622mm in height. It bears the same length and wheelbase as the X3, but its 53mm lower and 34mm wider than the X3.  
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@ROBERT_MABUSELA If there is a supercar that is to rival the likes of the Ferrari 458 Spider, it has to be able to do so with more than one aspect. Performance, aesthetic aggressive looks, and the overall build of the supercar have to be of exceptional quality. Engineers at McLaren might have built a car to match up to supercars with the McLaren MP4 12 C and now the MP4 12 C Spider. Chopping off the roof of a supercar is a move that in the past had more downs than ups for manufacturers, as by doing so the looks of the car may have improved whist hindering its performance. The Spider is capable of carrying its extra added weight to a top speed of 329 km/h, depending on the tires fitted on your Spider. Achieving tarmac tearing performance means that you will have to order the Spider with the optional Corsa tyres which come together with the launch control essential in helping you reach the 0-100 km/h mark in 3.1 seconds. Powering the McLaren is a 3.8 liter twin-turbo engine which is similar to the one used in the coupe. The Spider has been mapped to produce a total of 460kw @7500rpm, while 600nm of torque peaks @3000 -7000 rpm. All the power and torque are channelled to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual clutch transmission. McLaren has set a benchmark with its MP4-12c Spider’s performance which as compared to its coupe sibling has only lost a second in reaching the 0-100 km/h mark. Even with its added roof folding mechanisms, it still manages to live up to supercar performance figures.
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The two piece folding roof which has put on an added weight of 40kg to the Spider gives you the best of both worlds – the convertible airy feel and the feeling of being “cockpitiezed” (hypnosis in the cockpit of a fast travelling supercar). A commonly seen retractable rear windscreen which is situated behind the passenger compartment is a feature that invites the sound of the
twin-turbocharged V8 into the cockpit even when the roof is up. Switching in between both worlds can be done in 17 seconds, even while travelling at traffic speeds of up to 30 km/h, of which going from coupe to roadster hasn’t been this easy. Inside the carbon monocell cockpit, the interior is detailed with carbon fibre which surrounds the centre console and other interior parts. The sight of buttons and knobs is still a feature to many functions of the Spider which has had minimal changes made to its interior and exterior. Apart from the roof being folded down, one would not notice any difference from the coupe, but as you start looking with 8 eyes (spider) you will then notice the not-so-obvious changes. Starting with the door handle, of which unless painted in a distinctive colour one would mistaken the sweet spot which gives motion to the suicide doors. Internationally, buyers have various colour options as it is available in 12 exterior colours which will blend in well across the different trims of its range. Different trim levels include the two new executive trims, semi-perforated leather and the Alacantra trim. South African buyers will appreciate the new Vehicle Lift System which gives a better ground clearance making it much simpler to go over speed humps. From the production of the MP4-12c, McLaren have shown that they have got what it takes to produce a full road car. With the Spider, they have added some style to a well built supercar without having to worry about losing its strongest point – performance.
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@ROBERT_MABUSELA Hundreds of custom vehicles made their way down to the German vs Japanese motor event that took place at the Nasrec Expo Centre on Saturday, 6th of April. At the event, German and Japanese manufactured vehicles were set to compete to see which of the two countries’ vehicles were best represented in South Africa.
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The various competitions that were
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held included a Show n Shine; Sound Off competition; and Dyno Runs where only the best customised and modified rides win in the different categories of each competition. In the German corner, Audi, Wolkswagen, BMW and Mercedez Benz rivaled Japan manufactured Nissan, Honda and Toyota vehicles. Out in the Show n Shine competition, German rides outnumbered the Japanese, from Wolkswagen MK1, Polo, VW Caddy, Scirocco, Seat Leon, various
BMW E generation models and the presence of the South Side crew`s old school Mercs. Even though German rides were out in their numbers, one could not miss one of the best Japanese customised rides – a Pretoria based Maroon Nissan Sabre 200sti. The show stopper feature of this particular Nissan is its “Scissor doors” which caught peoples eyes from a distance. Its doors open to a fully customised interior that features a custom dash board with a built in
DVD player, bucket seats and a 142 db sound system. Exterior customs include a 40 mm drop, 5 star chrome 18� rims, a custom boot and remote controlled rear doors with shaved door handles. Santoz Adoni`s Nissan doesn’t only have show stopping looks but also has the performance to make it a fully customised ride. IASCA South Africa hosted the Sound Off competition and Dyno Run parallel to the Show n Shine. On the Dyno, different
vehicles tested their performance. While the Germans dominated the Show n Shine, it became clear that the Japanese manufactured vehicles were all about performance. Having the most kilowatts on the Dyno was the main objective, but what was most impressive was seeing a supercharged Toyota Tazz pushing 279 kW and 418 nm of torque, which was least expected from the model.
165.3 db, Irfaan Mahomed 157.6 db and Kogilan Maistry 154.2. The German vs Jap event was a well organized show which attracted some of the country`s best custom and performance cars.
At the Sound Off competition, the overall winners were Meshack Narainsamy
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Sicelo Masha @The_PromoterSm Towards the end of the month of April, South Africa usually gathers itself for a holiday. Only a few people will take the time to reflect on the historical significance of this holiday, but for both those who choose to reflect and those who are just happy to have not gone to work or school, all owe their freedoms to the epic events of those three days of which the 27th of April is chief. Dying aged people were wheeled in wheelbarrows from unimaginable distances only so that before the eye closes for good and the ear hears no longer as the heart stills they may say “we voted for the first and only time to see the emancipation of our land from the clutches of an evil and oppressive regime”. For them their ‘first” was their “only” and that is all they needed. They had lived for decades fighting, dying, hoping and praying that they would see the day when they hand over freedom to their posterities. They did. Some did not live to see that day; some did not enjoy it very much; but all wished it for their children and their children’s children – US. They did it for you and me, and given another chance, they would do it again. Once freedom had been attained, it meant we had the freedom to be free. We were free to roam around anywhere without the restrictions of the draconian laws that dictated the travels of a black man. We were free to say what we wanted, as long it was not classified as hate speech, to and about whomever without fear of incarceration. Hell, we did not care! We were free to speak, to
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read and to live. We were free. We were also free to pursue happiness and the future looked bright. The war was over but the battle had just begun. When the soldier returns from the war, he cleans up the rubble in his yard and his street. He rebuilds his house because there all reasons to be hopeful. Life had begun anew. He prepares his children for school and he too looks forward for working for his family in order to provide and to uphold this hope. The end of the one war gave us the chance to fight another. This war was one brought about by the consequences of centuries of systematic oppression against the black man. Now that we had fought the system, we had to then fight poverty and lack which came about because we had been refused the freedom to work for ourselves and for our children for over three centuries. Now that we could work for ourselves and our children, we would need first to create work for ourselves. Again, since the system was designed to put the white man above the black man, it meant that the power to dispense with the sentiment of freedom still remained largely in the hands today of the man that had the power of politics yesterday – in most cases literally.
the fight for the liberation and not for those they purported to be fighting for. A soldier should be willing and able to lay his life down for his general if he believed the general would do the same.
Freedom fed no man, housed no man and employed no man. Multinationals sympathetic to previous regimes left en-masse for fear of appraisals. This left communities with mass unemployed and unskilled people. It left an education that needed to be overhauled and a social system that was never designed to be fair to the majority. The government of the day led by Nelson Mandela had much to do and to say to the people. Echoes were already heard from the aged lamenting: “It was better in the days of De Klerk and Smuts”. Ways had to be found to give hope again and to provide the warriors with the equipment they needed to come out victorious in this battle. I would like to join the hordes of voices who point out daily that this war still continues to this day. It continues because the generals, who often lead from the back, have forgotten for whom the initial battle was waged. They think the throngs in the battle are fighting so that the generals can live lavishly everafter. The majority of the people who were oppressed by the previous regime are the same majority fighting to escape the clutches of poverty often caused by the leaders of the day. It would appear the freedom to be wealthy has fallen only in the hands of those who led
Those who lead the attack on the apartheid machinery have caused those for whom they claimed to fight to seek ways to launch the same attack on the new leaders. It is not, to many, that apartheid had been done away with only that the proponents have become blacker, but the victims have remained the same. As a former PAC leader, former PAM leader and recently former SABC board member once said, “We have undergone the process of change to remain same or to become worse.” He may have jumped ship and has probably become as well-off as those he once accused of driving the gravy train, but to many, his words ring true. Yes we have built 3 million houses in the last 19 years. Should we even be proclaiming this? We should be proclaiming what we have built against what is backlogged. Yes the EPWP has worked somewhat but the World Cup has come and gone and has taken from the possibly more than it has returned. Yes health care is meant to be free but there is nothing there. The money earmarked for certain projects end up in red tape and in the pockets of the officials that are meant to manage it. The more I reflect of Freedom day, I wish I could just be in the other group – just happy with the holiday and not bother to reflect...
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Adv. Thabo Selepe @ThaboTisk @SAY_movement It was 19 years ago when South Africa became a democratic state – when it received a new identity, a new hope for the future and new values entrenched in its constitution under a call by the new leadership to unite under what has affectionately been call “a rainbow nation”. This is a country that was divided by race, where white was deemed to be superior and black was subordinate. Today in unity, the country continues to develop and it is currently rated as the 52nd most competitive state according to the World Economic Competitiveness Report. This is a story of “a rainbow nation” as described by Arch Bishop Desmond Tutu. There used to be a very dark cloud above South Africa for more than eight decades when we were divided by race, and our fellow countrymen and women were up in arms due to white abuse and killings by security forces under the apartheid regime. Black movements were formed because the black man was tired of all this oppression. In the 80s, we saw black children grow up with grannies while mothers and fathers went to exile to canvas for support internationally in order to build the nation. When a black person walked around the streets of South Africa with a pass as a form of identification, black people became strangers in their own land. We were given inferior education compared to that of white citizens and we had no right to choose leadership or government. Land was forcefully taken from the hands of our forefathers by the apartheid government, promulgating laws that permitted government to take land without compensation. Black people became victims of an excuse named “policy gone wrong”. All this while white South Africans were misled into believing that they were better than blacks.
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In 1976, young black South Africans showed up and held hands together in what is today regarded “as youth day” and when they showed commitment to combat all this brutality. The sad part about this era is that both black and white South Africans became strangers to one another. To date, they are trying to be one, but due to the events of the past, only few succeeded to unite. In the early 1990s, the dawn of democracy was on the horizon with struggle leaders like Nelson Mandela being freed and negotiations ensuing with the white government to build a democratic nation. A government of unity was later formed, with Nelson Mandela being the first black democratically elected president. South Africa was then set for a new spin – a life after the apartheid era which proved to be a new challenge for the country. In 1994, Nelson Mandela was sworn in as the new president of a democratic South Africa. This day will forever be imprinted in our minds. I can still visualize those military jets flying over the Union Buildings with both white and black South Africans holding hands in unity and in response to a call for a unified and a united South Africa. We became part of a global community and we were accepted back into the United Nations. We became a strong force to be reckoned with and continue to impress the world with our economic growth rate. 19 years down the line, we made strides but unfortunately we took a step back, not because we gave free houses to the poor or gave subsidy to students at universities, but this simply because of greed, lawlessness, corruption and refusal to get education that was fought so hard for by heroes of the past. Our youth is challenged by alcohol and drug abuse and lacks insight and
dedication to be active citizens that will see to it that this continued democracy becomes a legacy for future generations. Our fellow peers are lost in their own world and uninspired to further build this nation. I often ask myself what our role is as the youth – our responsibility, how we can better our communities and make sure that we have a working agreement with government to further build our nation. And then it hits me – my values are entrenched in the constitution. My dos and don’ts are governed by a book of laws respected by the world. Why can’t I see the value of this book that has the ability bring every person under the same umbrella and call for hope and service delivery? Moving forward, I call upon the youth to be active citizens; to be the oil that drives for change and accountability; the body that holds this nation together; the glue that brings all people of race, culture, and creed to unity; a generation that will hold its leaders accountable and protect its fellow citizens from harm; and to see the shared democracy live longer to serve more generations to come. My responsibility as a young South African is to join the call and be a better citizen; a leader in my own right; a brother and mentor to the needy and the helpless; a teacher to those that are hungry for knowledge and a person that continues to develop; and a child of the soil that contributes to national development. As South Africans, we need to be pushing for innovation, success and growth for the benefit of all citizens. Growing this nation is in my hands and I take responsibility. I call upon all citizens to preserve the Nelson Mandela legacy and build our nation, a day at a time. A challenge to my peers to continue doing good and call further for your combined efforts to do better than expected. Together in unity as a community.
What’s up TYM reader? If you had to choose between a ‘Beemer’ (BMW), Benz, Golf 5 or whatever else tickles your fancy and making a difference in your direct environment, what would it be? This is the question many of us feel we’re faced with when it comes to deciding how we spend our time and what we should dedicate our lives to. Modern day society makes it seem as if these are the only two options, but they’re not. You see, though it’s not a written rule, social activism has come to be synonymous with little personal and financial rewards while other societal roles that have less of a meaningful impact in the lives of the people around you are incentivised with promises of much personal gain.
or at school, start a society and get your message out there. There is no better way to start a movement or to bring about change than to get together with people who are like-minded and share your views on the difference you’re trying to make. Organise – finding like-minded people and organising yourselves into a team, a society, a group or some structure which carries one vision and one message is powerful. I’m reminded of my days at the University of Fort Hare. In my final year on campus, a group of other students and me, who had been social activists in different societies, got together when we were fed up with the way things were going on our campus.
So, what is social activism really and why is it as important to you as it is to those who are at the bottom of our contemporary society? How can it give you freedom? What freedom you ask? The freedom to be you, to live a life of meaning, to make a difference in the lives of people around you by doing what you love.
The student leaders of the time, in our opinion, were selfish and only wanted to shine and to get personal benefits. They were not passing academically and were an uninspiring bunch of populists. The sad thing was that no one was standing up to them. People were afraid to put their feet down and demand the change they deserved.
You see, social activism is your voice – it’s your way of declaring your freedom because you’re free.
So, after much thought and discussion, we decided we would do something and make a difference. We got a brilliant political activist to train us and we ran for elections. The road was not easy… We had no funds and had to raise our own money. We were a new brand and had to market ourselves vigorously. Though we had made our marks as individuals, we needed to get people to buy into who we were as a collective. We were often mocked by the power hungry populists and they would try and intimidate us with their numbers. This didn’t stop us. We had a vision, we wanted change and we were tired of being led by people who cared for no one but themselves. That year we did something amazing. Our team managed to win one seat – the Deputy President (Head of our campus). What a victory it was.
Think of how you would’ve been restricted from going into a profession of your choice; from falling in love with the person of your choice; from staring a business of your choice; from living in a particular area; from being who you want to be if you were born just fifty years earlier… Imagine that. Social activism helps you vocalise the freedom to do all the above. Without the many that made huge sacrifices, including their lives, this could not be. Fortunately for you, you don’t have to be broke, go jail or die to be a social activist. Just start with what matters most to you and what you love and you’re on your way. Write a letter to a community leader, start a group on Facebook, organise a monthly meeting on campus
We were featured in the local newspaper (The Daily Dispatch) and had made
history as the first team of independent candidates to win that position. You see, there is nothing that you cannot achieve if it matters to you. Absolutely nothing. You are free to try. Start where you are, start with your passion and get some people together who really care about your vision and make it happen. Organise, organise and organise! I wish you the best of luck. By Andani Thakhathi andani@tshwanehub.com
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@Politepal ‘’When Gideon came to the Jordan, he and the three hundred men who were with him crossed over, EXHAUSTED BUT STILL PERSUING’’ Judges 8:4 When you read Judges 8, you get an account of Gideon winning a battle against Zebah and Zalmunna, the kings of Midian. Gideon only had an army of three hundred EXHAUSTED MEN, whereas Zebah and Zalmunna had an army of 15 000 men. Now, Gideon and his people could have easily given up. First of all, they were significantly outnumbered by their rivals. Secondly, they were exhausted. This was more than an excuse for any reasonable person in their sound and sober senses to give up. When applying logic, the situation seemed hopeless. Defeat seemed guaranteed. But here is an interesting thing – despite the fact that all odds were against them, they did not give up. Wow, what a measure of faith! God honours faith. He is moved by faith. Faith is simply the application of God’s word. You apply it even when logic tells you it’s senseless to apply it in given circumstances. I was looking at a cartoon of this guy who was busy digging. He was busy digging the ground to get some diamond. Just when all he needed was to dig a little bit more to access the diamonds, he gave up and went back home. Many folks sadly do not achieve their goals and breakthroughs in life, not because they are cursed and not because God loves them less – NO! It is simply because when the going gets tough they give up. Hear me child of God, controversies are guaranteed to arise. Resistance is guaranteed to arise. You are bound to face adversaries. One way or the other you will have to learn persistence, resilience and perseverance. Even in a restaurant, the bigger the meal that you have ordered, the longer you will have to wait for it. Do not fight with the waiter because the guy that ordered ice cream after you got his ice cream before you got your meal. What you have ordered is bigger and as a result, it takes time to prepare. Therefore, it is the same with your battles in life – the greater the victory, the greater the battle; the greater the battle, the greater the victory.
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The Bible says that Gideon and his men were exhausted. You are probably exhausted now. You put effort year in and year out but it yields no results. You have been pressing and pushing but nothing seems to be happening, as a result you feel like giving up. I say don’t do it. Do not give up. Keep on knocking on those doors. Keep sending out those CVs. Romans 5:3-5 ‘’More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.’’ Maybe 2012 did not go well for you. Maybe in 2012 you were met with a lot of resistance. I am writing to tell you that 2013 is 20-taking. Matthew 11:12 ‘’From the days of John the Baptist until now, the Kingdom of heaven has suffered great violence and the violent take it by force.’’ Some doors are easy to open but some are not. Some are not for sissies. They need a little bit of force to open. They only succumb to the violent and the violent take it by force. Do not give up. Doors are different. Some may look intimidating but when you push them, they will fall down flat. Some when you push them will refuse to fall. For those ones, you will have to stubbornly walk through them in the name of Jesus Christ. Walk through them as if they are not there. They need you to be stubborn. It is better to try and fail than not to try at all. Gideon and his army refused to give up, as weary and as outnumbered as they were. Victory is certainly for the brave. This 20-taking, say ‘’forward ever, backward never!’’
North West born and bred Simon Magakwe started as a soccer player in Itsoseng before becoming an athlete. The young man who was raised by a single parent’s first love is soccer, which he left after being injured. This led to him deciding to give athletics a go. Born 14 May 1986, the sprinter always won the local athletics tournaments in his schooling days and even in tertiary. The South African record holder for the men’s 100m won in a time of 10.45 seconds in the Senior Athletics Champions in Stellenbosch in the month of April this year. The Itsoseng-born man won the title for the fifth consecutive time. As a converted sprinting sensation,
Magakwe won gold in the men’s 100m final at the African Championship in Cotonou, Benin, in 2012. He however failed to qualify for the London Olympics as he clocked in at a time of 10.29 seconds falling short of the qualifying 10.18 sec. This obviously did not sit well with him: “I was very disappointed because I worked hard for many years so that one day I would be part of the Olympics team to represent SA in London. Not making it by that margin hurt me a lot”, said the sprinter. Not one to give up easily, Simon is aiming high and is willing to work harder in order to break his national record of 10.06 seconds and also challenge the likes of Usain Bolt. “I want to keep fighting until I reach a level that I want.
I’m going to train harder and focus on the next tournaments. I will not focus on my failures because I cannot change those – I can only affect the future”, said Magakwe. The Sports Science student says he got his courage from his mom who raised him as a single parent. All the motivation he’s ever needed to work hard has always been with him. Simon’s future plan is to give back to the community and help other young stars to get the exposure he got and groom them in this particular sport. “There are a lot of talented young boys in rural communities. I would love to give back by having sports events so that scouts can see them performing”, he concluded.
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Lately, walking into a clothing store feels like taking a trip back to the 80s on a time machine. Fashion in the first decade of the 21st century did not take a clear direction but borrowed from the 80s. Just when we thought the 80s were done and dusted, along came the 80s renaissance in both fashion and culture. The 80s fashion comeback started creeping back in 2006 with the reintroduction of skinny jeans and leggings. Six years later, I’m rocking the very same turban I thought was lame when my grandmother wore it to church. So, we all accept that the 80s are back but with a bit of modern twists. I guess that all we have to do is hope that in 25 years time when we look back at old snapshots we won’t laugh as hard at the digitals as we do at our parents’ old pictures. You do not need to look that far for examples – heavy metal studs; leather leggings; the boyfriend blazer; safety pins; oversized sweaters; power shoulders; and neon clothing are only a couple of good examples of 80s clothes
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that are currently popular. Was the revival caused by lack of creativity from fashion experts or is it because the pieces in the 80s were timeless enough to be repeated? There is no solid answer for that. All that is known is that It is difficult to tell how lengthy the 80s revival is going to last but according to some fashion experts, whenever trends return they turn to last as long as they did the first time round. If that has any truth to it, I guess we need to frequent our mothers’ closets. Have some fun with it – try an outfit that consists of neon shoe laces, a pair of jeans with a tapered leg and ankle zipper or a neon pink body suit and take a dive into the 80s wearing a scrunchy. Puseletso Malema @pmalema
Tshepang Sekgororwana is a 22 year old mjita who owns and is creative director of fashion label, Venting Fabric Clothing Line (VFCL). He says this of himself, “I am not a fashion designer, but an owner of a clothing label”. Hailing from Mabopane, he started VFCL is in June 2012. He says that the idea has been with him pre-2008 and it started coming out through a Facebook group he started called Venting Fridays. It was through this group that a platform for poetry was set and ultimately gave birth to what now adorns Pretoria youth and stands to be a clothing of choice for poetry as a movement. This is poetry on cloth, hence the motto – Venting On Fabric. “VFCL is a platform of expression: a voice for those who can’t speak for themselves and those who can’t be heard”, he says.
where could dress himself with the kind of clothes he loves. Currently, VFCL has t-shirts, tank tops and snap backs, hoodies, sweaters, leggings and beanies and plans on expanding to cardigans and sweatpants. The enthusiastic young man declares that “2013 is about pushing the brand outside of Mabopane and Pretoria.” With a new range called the Vocal League coming out this month, April, do not be surprised when you see the streets of Tshwane Venting On Fabric. @StheshPoetry @Venting _Fabric
This part-time UNISA student who’s currently studying Geology and studied for a Bsc in Geology and Geography at UJ was drawn to fashion by the passion he had for it, but more so because he couldn’t afford the clothes he liked and wanted. This planted the seed for VFCL
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Back then, we were unfairly treated; we were denied the opportunities they had; we were the unfortunate; we were considered the lesser; we were the poorly educated and similarly compensated; we were the slaves. Now we are free. Free to be black. The disadvantages we had then are nothing more than the remnants of our past and the greater part of our pain. We are now emancipated from that humiliation and degradation – free from the disadvantage of being who we are. We were who they said we were, our own identities disregarded. Our colour was our caption, our caliber. Our colour was our curse. We didn’t have much and at times we had nothing at all. What good was the education? What good was the work? What good was anything without freedom and dignity? We wanted more than what they were willing to give. We deserved more than they had the power to give. Who we are is who they are – people; beings of immeasurable potential and incredible power; creatures of intense emotion made by and for love; humans that want nothing more than to succeed and proceed, with their efforts echoing in their lifetime and lifetimes to come. We all want and need, live and breathe, fail and succeed - all of us, none different in humanity to the other. We all are, and all someday won’t be anymore.
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Yet for some unbeknown reason, years after our release from the oppressor’s will, we still find ourselves firmly rooted in his opinions. We detested the man and fought our way out from under his foot but forgot our minds in his palm. Oppression is an intellectual evil that can never be made right with good deeds. Oppression needs a new way of thinking to be counteracted… It needs a new state of mind.
Freedom has absolutely nothing to do with what you can or cannot do; freedom is about what you can or cannot think. I’ll repeat that: freedom is not about being able to do as you will; freedom is the beauty of thinking for yourself.
conveniences, causing a great disservice for our services. Our minds are stuck in the struggle, so much so that with every new, smarter and stronger generation, they fight even harder against the fears of their parents.
There is nothing previous about the disadvantages of black people in this modern day. If they thought of this themselves, they would know. Our minds are still chained to their opinions of us. As their discrimination and judgment of our kind charges forth, our minds drag helplessly behind it. This has gone on for so long that they trust us enough to put us in the driver’s seat of our own hatred. After all these years, we know the way all too well. And like children all too excited to finally be behind the wheel, we fail to see ourselves heading down the path of our destruction.
We should daily take up arms and wage war against our mental state of being. For some unfortunate reason we seem to believe we are now nothing more than ‘freed slaves’. We carry on like beasts that broke free from their cages and what we do in/ with our ‘freedom’ only justifies the reason we were caged in the first place. It only proves that we indeed are beasts.
To make things right, one needs a clear understanding of what it is exactly that is wrong. And what is wrong is our understanding of ourselves as a people. We need to be re-taught who we are, and no longer subscribe to their ideas of who we should be. I cringe at the sound of the word ‘freedom’ stumbling out of a black mouth that speaks carelessly because it now has the right to do so. Our freedom will only be reclaimed in our thinking. National freedom is of no value to mental slavery. Equality means nothing to the submissive. We are so used to being oppressed we assumed the roles of our own oppressors. We only remember how to be slaves, so we became our own slaves. Only knowing how to fight, we strike, march and protest before we ask… Only the man who believes he has nothing fights for everything. Back then we were wrong having done nothing. Now we create chaos in the name of peace. We seem to create a great inconvenience for our
Today, we are unfairly treated, denied the opportunities they have, unfortunate, considered the lesser, poorly educated and similarly compensated… we are, still, the slaves. Yes, now we are free, but we are free to be the same black, even under our own rule. The problem is that we are still black. Proof that we still live under someone else’s definition of who we are is how we refer to ourselves. This classification of ‘black’ was never one we gave to ourselves. No, they called us black many years ago and till this day we never contested it. Instead, we lived it. Consider this, when we had it all and were truly free in our land, we were Africans. It all went wrong when they classified us as black and we accepted it. Jonathan Patamedi Lebea @proetic_justice
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