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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

The University of Johannesburg’s (UJ) Rowing Club’s senior men’s A 8+ team recently participated in the International Rowing Regatta of University Eights – St Dujam at the University of Split in Croatia from 13 to 14 May 2023. On Saturday, the opening day of the competition, the Orange Army (UJ) competed in the University Race, finishing in 4^th position out of 13 entries.

“This was quite a big achievement for the UJ team given the level of competition and the calibre of universities that competed in the race. We are proud of our team for showcasing the excellent work that we do here at our University,” says UJ Rowing Club Manager and Coach, Mr Sizwe Ndlovu.

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Oxford University finished in first position with Cambridge University finishing as runners-up, while Imperial University placed in third place just ahead of UJ. Remarkably, UJ finished ahead of Korea University and the University of Split who finished in positions 5^th and 6^th, respectively.

The other prestigious universities which competed in the race included Aachen University (Germany), Zagreb University (Croatia), Jagiellonian University (Norway), and Dubrovnik University (Croatia).

In another leg of the competition on the second day (Sunday), the participating universities were clustered continentally to represent Africa, Asia and Europe.  The European universities won the competition, with Africa coming in second place ahead of Asia.

The UJ team comprised student-athletes Sven Clausen, Daniel Basson, Christiaan Steyn, Rudy Bellengère, Caleb Haydock, Lyle Swanepoel, Dane Walker, Keegan Reynolds who were coxed by Louise Basson.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Founded in January 2021 by friends Mpho Serabele and Dimakatso Motiang, Twin Chicks is a female owned poultry farming business. The name Twin Chicks was as a result of people assuming that Mpho and Dimakatso were twins.

Mpho is from Harrismith, Free State and Dimakatso from Madidi Village where their farming business is based. In addition to working as a banker, Mpho owns and operates the Comfort Luxurious Wellness Spa in Johannesburg while Dimakatso works independently as a Clinical Psychologist.

Both women had a strong interest in agriculture and considered themselves successful businesswomen, so they decided to start their own company together. They were aware of the requirements for running a business and the sacrifices that would be demanded from them. Their idea was to take care of the company now so that it can take care of them in the future.

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Mpho’s and Dimakatso also shared valuable advices to young people who want to start their own business. “Motivation can’t get you where you want to go; discipline can. Keep in mind that discipline is what keeps you going, not motivation,” said Mpho.

“Do what you want, and then act as if it were impossible to fail. We must alter our mentality. Let us stop making excuses and make opportunities for ourselves,” said Dimakatso.

The acquisition of the land on which they began raising chickens was their greatest achievement. Their farm has been growing despite all the challenges they face every day. They are part of the Proudly South African brand.

Expanding into different livestock farming is one of the goals for the future. Twin Chicks want to become experts in poultry before they move on to other types of livestock. They would prefer to process and package their own meat. They also plan to provide training for people who want to start a poultry business.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

South African expat Musa Motha has danced his way into the hearts of Britain… and raised the flag for South Africa on the Britain’s Got Talent stage. Judge Simon Cowell said he had NEVER seen the audience react in such a huge way before. Every single person – including the judges – was on their feet for a never-ending standing ovation.

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Thanks to the audience demanding it, history was made as all four judges united to give their first ever group Golden Buzzer.

The heart-warming audition took place during the show’s semi-finals a couple of days ago. Musa, whose leg was amputated after he was diagnosed with cancer at a young age, could not stop grinning. He had dreamt of this moment all his life, visualised himself up on stage.

Musa told the judges that it was his dancing friends who taught him how to dance with his crutch. Before cancer struck, Musa had been a football player living in South Africa, but says he recently moved to London in the UK, in “my favourite country, England”.

Musa hopes his performance will “inspire a lot of people out there”. Musa’s mantra is to turn ‘impossible’ into I’m Possible.

The video of Musa’s audition has already clocked up over 2.3-million views on YouTube… with South Africans proudly congratulating the superstar-in-the-making for showing the world anything is possible.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

A Cape Town father has written a book about living with autism hoping to provide insight into the constant battle to belong and never give up.

Mogamad Salie, 51 better known as EM, is the self-publishing author of the book, titled: “Chicken Legs.”

For the first time in his life, Salie took pen to paper and wrote about his life, in the hope that it would bridge the gap in understanding people living with autism. Salie, a father of three, husband, and a qualified electrical engineer, who worked in Switzerland for 15 years, was diagnosed with autism only in his adulthood.

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He recalls how as a little boy, he had always felt he was “different” but never gave up, and how he encouraged and supported by his parents.

Salie was also diagnosed with a cervical degenerative disc disease leaving him with constant neck and arm pain, and has been unable to work for a few years now.

He is a coach for Fighterz INC, MMA and Wellness Academy, Mixed Martial Arts, Wellness and Personal training studio and began jiu-jitsu in 1997 in Cape Town. As a child, Salie was always interested in mathematics, patterns and shapes.

In the book, Salie described his life as an infant to age 17, growing up in Cape Town during the Apartheid era, family life and tradition, and says it is an ode to his parents who encouraged him to rise above his circumstances.

“I wanted someone who reads the book to relate, it is not about book sales. My father and mother played a big role in my life and my mother knew how to deal with me, she didn’t know I was autistic, it is somewhat an ode to my mother. It is about how I could not connect or relate with people” he expressed.

Keeping the spirit of never giving up, Salie also has another impressive, and very rare skill under his belt. Fidaah Edries, the Head Coach of Fighterz Inc MMA, said Salie was a skilled MMA fighter: “Yes, he is the head Brazilian jiujitsu instructor at Fighterz Inc. MMA. He is one of the first people in the Western Cape to get a black belt in Brazilian jiujitsu. He graded under the Gracie family that founded jiujitsu.”

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

South African academic Professor Tshilidzi Marwala, the Rector of the United Nations University in Japan and former Vice-Chancellor and Principal of the University of Johannesburg and Dr Denis Mukwege, a Congolese gynaecologist and human rights activist, are winners of the 2023 African Genius Awards (AGA).

As AGA winners, they have been conferred with genius status and beat 17 AGA nominees – who were named Outstanding Achievers – to become winners of this year’s awards.

Established in 2021, the AGA recognise exceptional Africans working to advance Africa’s global competitiveness, problem-solving skills, self-love and patriotism and who are committed to the continent’s development.

The AGA are run by Priority Performance Projects, which is part of Plus 94 Research, the largest independent, South African and black-owned research company in the country.

Image: African Genius Awards

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Fifth-year MBChB student at the Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine, Mr Mohamed Hoosen Suleman was selected by the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) to attend its conference in Copenhagen, Denmark recently. He was part of the Medical student delegation, representing South Africa and the global medical youth voice.

He landed at King Shaka International Airport on 20 April and shared his exhilarating and thought-provoking experiences after engaging with senior experts in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases during his trip.

The Head of the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Health, Dr Sandile Tshabalala, extended the Department’s congratulations to Suleman and wished him well.

Suleman said global experts advocate for a multidisciplinary approach to the evolving epidemic of infectious disease outbreaks, especially reflecting on lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and different countries’ responses.

‘I learned about the latest data and research on molecular mechanisms of pathogenicity; virulence factors’ interactions with host cells; innate and adaptive immunity to infection; the development of vaccines against viral and non-viral pathogens; genomic sequencing of pathogenic bacteria; clinical microbiology, antibiotics and resistance; immunology; nosocomial infections; therapeutics and prevention of infectious diseases and other related topics,’ said Suleman.

The meeting was attended by leading researchers, medical specialists, clinicians, scientists, scholars and students from across the globe. ‘Many presentations focused on biology, transmission of pathogens, infectious disease diagnostics, the latest treatment guidelines and infection prevention and control policies. The scientific discussions had a particular focus on the host immune response to infection, community-acquired infections, and emerging infectious diseases,’ he added.

Suleman said that the keynote addresses by the World Health Organization’s Director-General, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, and H.E. Mia Amor Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados and Chair of the Global Leaders Group on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) were particularly fascinating. ‘Major commitments were made to ensure that AMR remains a top health priority and the road to the United Nations General Assembly High-Level Meeting on AMR in 2024 will unpack detailed interventions to halt the burden of AMR,’ he said. 

‘AMR continues to rise and has now surpassed mortality rates due to HIV and AIDS or malaria. The latest data published in The Lancet reveals that more than 1.2 million deaths occurred in 2019 as a result of AMR and that sub-Saharan Africa had the highest number of deaths. Novel interventions that seek to address the AMR epidemic are urgently needed.’

A top-performing student at UKZN and a youth healthcare leader, Suleman is widely respected for his advocacy efforts and holds numerous awards and accolades from the University and beyond.

Advising other students who may wish to follow in his footsteps, Suleman said: ‘Curiosity, passion, persistence and perseverance are fundamental attributes that one needs to have in order to successfully pursue a career path. I think it’s also important for students to have a mentor and someone whom they can look to for inspiration and motivation.’

Source & image: University of KwaZulu-Natal

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

The South African Local Government Association (SALGA) has taken public participation to another level by publishing a children’s book aimed at encouraging children interest in local government.

The book titled: My Local Government, was recently launched at the sixth Annual SALGA National Communicators’ Forum in Cape Town. It follows the journey of four young characters and a librarian who educate the reader about South African governance.

“As SALGA, we found that not many children understand what local government is and what it is responsible for and so educating children on responsible citizenry became a priority for us. “This book is one of many interventions that we believe will enable children, to change the landscape of public participation,” says SALGA spokesperson Marelda Boshielo. The book is targeted at children aged 9 to 12.

It allows children to walk away feeling empowered by all the information they receive. Children also gain an understanding of their rights and responsibilities as citizens.

After reading the book, children will be better informed about the laws that govern their communities and the consequences. The book introduces children to the different spheres of government, which are responsible for basic services such as water, municipal roads, transport and infrastructure.

Boshielo says her favourite aspect of the book is the unique perspective on how children can practise responsible citizenship and hold adults accountable for their irresponsible behaviour.

This is done through a fresh take and age-appropriate manner. SALGA has plans to publish more books, which will focus on some of the key themes of local government, such as infrastructure, careers in local government, community building and provision of recreation facilities. Young children are encouraged to read My Local Government. My Local Government will be free to access at public libraries soon.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Suit Luxe is a bespoke suit tailor making brand founded by Xolisa Mgqubeni. Xolisa’s mother is a dressmaker, his grandmother is a retired dressmaker, and his late grandfather owned his own tailoring business. Xolisa says the bond he shares with his family is woven together by cloth, creativity and love.

By the time he was 13 years old, he already knew how to alter his school pants and shirt to a perfect fit. His grandmother and mother share the same sentiment when it comes to their tailoring machines, no one uses them. They were overprotective with their sewing machines, so he resorted to handwork. He has always been obsessed with the fit and disliked clothes that were too loose.

Xolisa’s love for a well-fitted suit is so deep that he often repeats his mantra, “If you can’t invest in a good quality suit, then invest in a perfect fit”. That’s how he ran his business while furthering his tertiary studies. As a student he couldn’t afford bespoke suits, so Xolisa turned to ready-to-wear suits because they were relatively cheaper, and he could make his own alterations to ensure a perfect fit.

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Now, he runs his own suit brand, Suit Luxe, which specializes in bespoke suits and is based in Johannesburg, South Africa. They take pride in their high-end fabric selection and luxury craftsmanship, including Holland and Sherry, Drago, and many others.

Whether you’re going to a business meeting to close deals in style or to your wedding to compliment your beautiful wife and your day-to-day elegant office/work suits made of breathable, natural stretch, luxurious fabrics, a well-crafted suit from Suit Luxe will boost your ego.

From their tailors to their stylists and consultants, their team is passionate about fashion and excellent craftsmanship.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

With South Africa hosting the 2023 Netball World Cup from 28 July to 6 August, the first to be held on African soil, Cabinet has called on the nation to roll out the red carpet for the competing countries.

“With the Netball World Cup taking place in Cape Town, South Africa will build on its proven track record in successful mega-events including the recent Formula E Cape Town ePrix. Lessons learned from hosting these events have been integrated into our planning to ensure that sporting fans and visitors to our shores have an enjoyable and safe stay,” says Minister in The Presidency, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

Briefing media in Pretoria recently, the Minister said Cabinet calls on everyone to support the Netball Friday’s campaign.

The campaign encourages everyone to dress up in their supporter’s outfits every Friday to show their support for the South African National Netball team which is known as the Spar Proteas. 

Meanwhile, Minister of Sports Arts and Culture Zizi Kodwa says hosting the Netball World Cup is a giant step towards the goal of building a united, non-racial, non-sexist, democratic, and prosperous society.

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“On our part, as the government, we support the hosting of major sports events. Not only for their entertainment value but also for their positive impact on economic growth, nation-building and social cohesion.”

 According to Minister Kodwa, the Netball World Cup is held in a year that the government is dedicating to women in sports, as a tribute to all women athletes in the country. 

He added that government is ready to assist the organisers to make the tournament a success.

“This event is the first of its kind on the African soil. Our track record of hosting premier global sporting events is unparalleled. We want to host the most inspirational tournament in Netball World Cup history,” says Minister Kodwa.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

It’s no secret that when it comes to fashion, South Africans have impeccable taste. All around the world, South African culture and fashion is celebrated on different platforms. It therefore comes as absolutely no surprise then, that a South African was hailed the best dressed audience member on Jennifer Hudson’s talk show in the United States of America.

South African musician, Sicelo Ntshangase took to social media to share his excitement about being picked as best dressed:

“One of the best moments happened at Jennifer Hudson Show @jenniferhudsonshow .. being chosen as one of the best dressed was overwhelming,” he wrote.

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