Stories of South Africa

Image: Instagram

Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng’s Sentebale Sexual & Reproductive Health App is a game changer

Fitness & Health, Fused, Stories of South Africa / January 13, 2023

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

These days there’s an app for everything, and if used correctly, these apps can be very helpful. One of our favorite apps is one by medical doctor and author, Dr. Tlaleng Mofokeng, Sentebale App.

Sentebale, meaning ‘forget me not’ in the Sesotho language, is considered a guide to stigma-free, evidence-based, and comprehensive information about sexual and reproductive health (SRH).
“The name emphasizes the importance of not forgetting about your sexual health as a part of achieving holistic wellness,” she writes on the app’s website.

Created by Dr Tlaleng Mofokeng who is the OurEquity NPC, with technical expertise from the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the right to health and best-selling author, the app offers invaluable information on the anatomy and physiology; the reproductive health cycle; hormone therapy; infections, sexual pleasure, safer sex tools, pregnancy management, and outcomes, as well as distress and post-violence information.

“As it stands, queer, trans, and gender-diverse people adolescents, and cisgender women continue to experience. So, the content in this app has been structured to affirm, respect, and promote access to the information they need, whenever they need it,” the app reads.

One of our favorite things about this app on The Fuse is that it is available in English, Sesotho, and isiZulu. “Dr. T” as she is affectionately known, had always dreamed of ordinary people having access to information about sexual and reproductive health as it is a basic need and human right.

In June 2022, she launched the app, and just a few months later, it is being used by teachers and community health workers as well. The app is available on iOS and Android.

Image credit: Instagram

Drip founder, Lekau Sehoana, shares his experience of owning a chicken business before starting Drip

Career, Fashion & Beauty, Fused, Inspiration, Lifestyle, Sneakers, Stories of South Africa / January 4, 2023

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Most entrepreneurs say they’ve always known that they needed to start their own business from the very early stages of their lives. Although most business owners struggle to get their companies off the ground at first, with perseverance and proper research, they thrive.

The story of Drip Footwear dates back to 2003, when founder Lekau Sehoana had to make the most out of what he had, which sparked innovation and creativity. Growing up in an informal settlement of Ivory Park, Lekau Sehoana, didn’t have any shoes to wear.

He then saw an old torn sneaker and redesigned it using Denim and Polyurethane. This sneaker became a local hit and led him to enter the shoe-making business, and exchange pain for profit, for the next 5 Years of his High School life. A few years later, Drip was born, and it has been one of South Africa’s favorite shoe brands to date.

Lekau recently took to Twitter to share how just six months before starting Drip, he was running a chicken business that wasn’t doing so great.

“These pictures were taken exactly 6 months before I started DRIP. I learned so much from this journey. Running a business and bleeding money every day, literally. Each day when it came, I went further into the negative. This business tested me in so many ways,” he wrote.

All the testing was clearly just a path leading him to greater heights, and what Lekau has done with Drip is commendable and inspirational – just the motivation we all need to kick off 2023. This is your sign to go for that dream job, start the podcast, and don’t be afraid to reach for your goals. The fear of failure will only hold you back from greatness.

And in Lekau’s words: “One thing about entrepreneurship, you must never panic. Even in the midst of the worst storms, stay calm, think of solutions, and move.”

Image credit: Twitter

South Africa saw some of the most beautiful Amazibazana in 2022

Culture, Fused, Lifestyle, Stories of South Africa / December 30, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

South Africa is no doubt one of the countries privileged with many different people with different cultures and traditions – the Xhosa culture is one of them. In the Xhosa tradition, once a boy is of age, he goes to the mountain for the initiation process and is circumcised.

After about three weeks in the mountain, he returns home as ikrwala, ready to be a man. The celebration that happens upon his return is called umgidi, and his mother is izibazana (the mother of the man).

For izibazana, this celebration means a lot – her son has returned from a process that could’ve easily gone wrong (we’ve seen how many boys die during initiation seasons). Izibazana wears her best traditional gear and sings and dances, accompanied by other women while they welcome the young man approaching his home.

Here are some of our favorite amazibazana during this mgidi season:

Image credit: Instagram

Lawyer and influencer, Mary-Jane Mphahlele is our 2023 travel goals

Fused, Lifestyle, Stories of South Africa, Travel  / December 29, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Traveling is said to be one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Leaving your comfort zone and experiencing other cultures, tasting different food, and just seeing how other people live can broaden the mind in unimaginable ways.

Mary-Jane Mphahlele, or “Mary-Jane Explores” as she calls herself on social media, is an accomplished lawyer who owns a law firm – but is also an avid traveler who plugs her social media followers on beautiful “secret” locations within South Africa.

It’s always best to explore your own country at some point in your life, and Mary-Jane is seeing to it that everyone knows what places to visit in each province!

South African babies of Tik Tok that made our ovaries scream in 2022

Entertainment, Fused, Humour, Local Entertainment , Stories of South Africa / December 28, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

If you don’t have any children, these babies probably made you consider starting a family of your own, or if you have older children, these babies might’ve made you think of adding just one more. Either way, they’re the cutest little munchkins you’ll see on South African Tik Tok.

  1. If you’re a regular on Tik Tok, you must have come across mischevious little baby Una who is strong and always up to something!
@ammy_4una

18months and we still at it 😩, #fyp #motherhood #babiesoftiktok

♬ Halloween ・ cute horror song – PeriTune

2. Baby Daniel, or “Danxaza” as his nanny affectionately calls him, takes no days off! Even in his Christmas hat, Danxaza will always have a broom in hand, ready to clean up a storm!

@anellevoyi101

♬ original sound – anellevoyi101

3. Lulu’s love for her dad and food can’t go unnoticed! She’s the sweetest, cutest little baby girl. How she demolishes her parents’ food is hilarious!

@kwamatokazi

Inyama ncaaaa emntaneni wa #kwamatokazi emgidini wakwa Bangiso ekhaya

♬ original sound – KwaMatokazi
  1. No baby is as unphased about anything like baby Mohumi – his mother might suffer here and there because of his….curiosity, though!
@brandcupid

Replying to @serriggs It feels like within 5 seconds🙄🧐😄 What is he chanting🧐🧐#40millionbaby #40millionconversationswithkids #tatatata

♬ original sound – Brand Cupid
5. Baby Cyus is so adorable, and his cousin is hilarious!
@lala_d2

😅😂😅🫶🏻#BoostYourRadiance #AnythingForTheTaste #babyCyus #nephew #son

♬ original sound – Lala_d2
Image: Instagram

Loyiso Manga is making waves with his Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Career, Food & Drinks, Fused, Stories of South Africa / December 21, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

If you’re a fan of olive oil, you might be familiar with the Ubuntu brand of extra virgin olive oil. The brand was started by Loyiso Manga – a bright and innovative budding entrepreneur who saw a gap in the market related to the accessibility and appeal of Olive Oil to the broader South African market.

He searched for over two years for an Olive Farm to partner with, and despite being unemployed while searching for funding for his dream of a healthier South Africa by bringing Olive Oil to the masses – Loyiso never gave up.

Loyiso was unemployed before finally being employed as a call center agent, but even then, he knew he had a different path to follow. Now his brand is taking over shelves at Woolworths and this is just the beginning for the Eastern Cape-born entrepreneur.

After researching the benefits of olive oil in food, hair, and skin, Loyiso knew this was a dream he could not afford to let go of. “The brand was established from a desire to connect people to the benefits of olive oil in a way that is fresh, positive, and attractive, and that exudes the uniquely African philosophy of community and sharing,” he writes on the brand’s website.

Ubuntu Extra Virgin Olive Oil has won Gold in the New York World Olive Oil competition in 2019, Silver in the New York World Olive Oil competition in 2021, and Double Gold in the New York World Olive Oil competition in 2022.

Speaking to GQ Magazine, Loyiso said, “We want to serve as inspiration for young people who are starting their small chakalaka business to encourage them, that if Loyiso can do it, so can they,” and we couldn’t agree more!

Image: Instagram

South African soprano, Pretty Yende is flying the country’s flag high

Entertainment, Fused, Local Entertainment , Stories of South Africa / December 20, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Her voice has been dubbed a voice that can reach the stars by the Washington Post, and it seems South African operatic soprano Pretty Yende is aiming even higher.

In October 2022, Pretty was awarded a Ceremonial Badge of Honour for her contribution to the arts and letters in France and worldwide after just 12 years of making her professional operatic debut at the Latvian National Theatre in Riga, Latvia, as Micaela in Carmen in 2010. From the small town of Piet Retief, Mpumalanga, to the world!

Pretty was bestowed an Order of Arts and Letters award by France’s Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak.

“The Order of Arts and Letters, established in 1957 by the French Minister of Culture, rewards those who, through their ongoing engagement and creativity, have helped develop the arts and literature in France and throughout the world,” according to the Medailles Officielles website.

“I feel extremely honoured and humbled by such a prestigious Decoration,” Pretty wrote as she shared a video of the moment on Twitter.

Other prestigious awards include an award from the South African government ‘The Order of Ikhamanga in Silver’ for her excellent achievement and international acclaim in the field of world of opera and for serving as a role model to aspiring young musicians.

And more recently being a recipient of the Italian Knighthood, Ordine Stella d’Italia for her work in building extraordinary relations between Italy and other countries, making her the youngest South African ever awarded this accolade.

The sky is definitely not the limit for Pretty, and we can’t wait to see what else is in store for her!

Image: Instagram

Lorna Mlonzi is passionate about providing efficient internet services to South Africans living in informal settlements

Career, Fused, Lifestyle, Stories of South Africa / December 14, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Sky Internet SA CEO and founder, Lorna Mlonzi (29) started the company with the focus of providing fast, efficient internet services to people living in townships, and rural areas.

The company is one of the biggest telecommunications companies in South Africa and provides wireless connectivity to households and businesses in informal settlements and underprivileged communities.

Speaking to Future Females, Lorna expressed why she started Sky Internet SA, “I’m just an ordinary person who saw a gap in the townships that I come from and having studied ICT (Information Communication Technology), I realized there is actually nobody right now who is trying to improve telecommunications infrastructure within townships.

A lot of the time we look at affordability but there’s actually a lot of money within townships, you just have to know how to tap into that space and understand how to work your business within that market. It’s not easy, but one thing I can say is that starting a business is one of the best decisions I’ve made in my entire life,” she said.

Lorna believes in the power the internet has when used right, and everyone deserves fast, affordable, and reliable internet. “Where we live and come from should not hinder us from any opportunities,” is a slogan Sky Internet SA believes in!

Lorna is definitely a Fuse Favorite for all the work she does.

Image: Instagram

The Joy from Kwa-Zulu Natal is spreading joy across the globe through their musical talent

Entertainment, Fused, Lifestyle, Local Entertainment , Stories of South Africa / December 13, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

When these five young men started their music group in 2018 while still in high school, they had no idea how far it was going to take them. Now, just four years later, they find themselves entertaining global audiences, and sharing a stage with the legendary American singer and actress, Jennifer Hudson.

@thejoyofficialmus

All we’re saying is tune into NBC on Tuesday 06.12! Thank you Jennifer Hudson for the experience.We love you! ❤️🌻

♬ original sound – thejoyofficialmusic

The quintet first started posting videos of their beautiful harmonies on YouTube, while in their school classrooms – the videos blew up as they grew more popular and started releasing more singing videos.

A few years later, The Joy now boasts over 400 thousand followers on Tik Tok, with a recent video even reaching over 4 million views.

@thejoyofficialmus

🤣Been a while !!!

♬ original sound – thejoyofficialmusic

Over the past few weeks, The Joy have released a brand-new single that showcases a deeper, richer side to their sound and appeared on one of the most iconic UK music television shows of the past three decades.

Titled “Egoli” their new single maintains the quintet’s roots in traditional Zulu music and modern acapella, but the Tiago Correia Paulo-produced track brings in Maskandi-influenced guitarwork and delicate production flourishes to create a truly wonderful listening experience.

On November 12th The Joy appeared on the iconic UK music show Later…with Jools Holland; it was for a one-off live recorded specially for Jool’s 30th Birthday Bash filmed at London’s Eventim Apollo.

They performed their debut single “Isencane Lengane” on an episode of the show that also featured Michael Kiwanuka, Mercury Prize winner, Benjamin Clementine, and Swedish sisters, First Aid Kit.

Just as their slogan says, life made them friends, music made them brothers – we can’t help but be inspired by their talent, hard work, and tenacity! They are Fuse Favorites, hands down!

Image credit: Instagram

Swiitch Beauty founder, Rabia Ghoor is making boss moves

Fashion & Beauty, Fused, Lifestyle, Stories of South Africa / December 7, 2022

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

The name Swiitch Beauty will certainly ring a bell if you’re a makeup or skincare enthusiast. At just 14 years old, Rabia Ghoor started her makeup brand, Swiitch Beauty in her bedroom.

“It all began when I discovered this incredible thing on the internet, called Youtube. At the time there weren’t many South African beauty YouTubers, so I was primarily watching international makeup channels.

I remember thinking to myself: “international makeup enthusiasts have so much more of a variety” – American, European or Asian brands that are unavailable here in South Africa were constantly innovating & evolving – (especially in the digital space), while South African brands lagged behind or just straight up didn’t exist,” she writes on her brand website.

Rabia then began researching product sourcing, formulation, e-commerce, packaging, manufacturing, and design with the end goal in mind being to create a beauty brand that firstly, didn’t break the bank and secondly – made things that people would actually use in real life – things that did what they said they were going to do.

Now, a 22-year-old, stunning, award-winning businesswoman, Rabia is making more strides and growing from strength to strength. Swiitch Beauty now has a skincare range that all the girlies (and everyone, really) are crazy about!

Rabia used her brand to take a public stand in solidarity with the #BlackLivesMatter movement in 2020, and those speaking up on racial inequality and human injustice. Specifically, Swiitch offered a cash grant towards a black-owned business. She also partnered with an up-and-coming black-owned e-store as the brand’s first official reseller.

More recently (about a week ago) Rabia added the prestigious title of Glamour Woman of the Year 2022 to her long list of awards! We can’t help but stan this queen making boss moves – and keeping our skin healthy and dewy, one product at a time! She’s definitely a Fuse Favorite!

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