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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Hallelujah Khumalo is 6 years old, living in Johannesburg, South Africa. Reading since the age of 3 and a half, she has always had a love of books, and started creating books as birthday gifts for her friends at the age of 5. She loves using her imagination to create wonderful stories where anything is possible.

Hallelujah is one of the country’s youngest authors, she recently wrote her first book, Where I Fit – a story of a little puzzle piece who can’t quite figure out where she fits in. The book encourages her young peers to learn with her the importance of being unique and special and how it takes all of us to create a colourful, beautiful world.

The book tells the story of fitting in whilst celebrating one’s individual quirks and differences, from a unique and authentic child’s perspective.

Where I Fit was inspired by the people who may not always feel as though they fit in – Hallelujah has learned, through writing her book, that she fits in wherever she goes, because her being unique and different is what makes her special, and in the same way, what makes her friends, who may not be quite like her, special too.

This book speaks to diversity, inclusivity, self-acceptance and a celebration of one’s individuality. Where I Fit teaches the reader that differences don’t have to be divisive, be they big, or small; rather, they are what create the wonderful world we see around us.

When the little is not busy writing books, she can be found in the kitchen, baking up a storm with her supportive mother.

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Lotsha Onaka is a South African retailer known for showcasing different African cultures and traditions through their range of products created and sourced from a pool of talented individuals. They are an omni-retail business that focuses on selling all things African – truly capturing the beauty of the diversity in Africa through fashion, homeware and everything in between.

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Although Lotsha Onaka is now a thriving business, it hasn’t been a journey without challenges, says CEO Onaka Tsangwane, especially as the first ever entrepreneur in her family.

“With the lack of a business background there is no one in my family to guide me. Most of the time our families are our biggest [critics] when we want to pursue our own business ventures. Business is a passion that doesn’t allow a person to work under someone’s authority. It is a calling that has to be answered with a risk-taking appetite. Businesspeople are a different breed, we want to start something of our own,” Onaka wrote on her LinkedIn.

“We don’t like to work for someone. We have a certain amount of confidence in our abilities. We know in our subconscious that we can do something that is against the tide. We don’t like to do things that everyone else is doing. We are trendsetters. First-generation entrepreneurs have to struggle much more than next-generation entrepreneur who has a family business to back them up. A first-generation entrepreneur has to learn from his own mistakes and avoid making those mistakes again,” she continued.

In conclusion, Onaka encouraged new entrepreneurs on their journey with their businesses and said once they take that first leap of faith, there’s no turning back.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Mbali Nwoko, 31, of Sunninghill in Johannesburg is the CEO of Green Terrace, a Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) Level 1 agribusiness focussing on primary crop farming.

Mbali was introduced to the world of farming by a friend, who revealed all the available opportunities in the agricultural sector. As a determined entrepreneur, she then researched the farming industry and founded her agribusiness Green Terrace in 2016.

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Green Terrace is a female owned hydroponic farm producing sweet peppers under multi-span greenhouse tunnels for leading retailers, food processors, exporters and fresh produce markets across South Africa.

Mbali is a multi-award-winning farmer, entrepreneur, speaker, columnist & podcaster. “My passion for agriculture has definitely grown over the years and has afforded me the opportunity to speak on global platforms by sharing my insights on farming and views about the agriculture sector. Furthermore, my work includes helping other farmers and aspirant farmers through mentorship, which I do over my various social media platforms,” she writes on her business website.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

SABC 1’s Generations: The Legacy creator, Mfundi Vundla was recently bestowed the Order of Ikhamanga Silver in recognition of his contribution to the arts and culture in South Africa.

“Since the dawn of democracy, Mr. Vundla has been a stalwart and consistent creator of impactful stories that have shaped the aspirations and hopes of South Africans. His immense contribution as a pioneer of uniquely South African soapies is being duly recognised by the Presidency and as Generations: The Legacy, we cannot be prouder to be associated with such an iconic figure in the history of Arts and Culture,” said the show.

The Presidency has announced that the National Honours will be bestowed upon recipients on the 28^th of April.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Photography, like any art, has the power to bring to life a story in the most beautiful, authentic way that brings people together – and that’s exactly what Dan Carter does every time he steps behind the camera.

International photographer based between Cape Town, South Africa & Paris, France, Dan Carter captures serene moments that inspire reflection. Dominated by soft tones and rich hues, his images express a unique connection to the landscape. 

Don’t believe us? These 7 images speak for themselves:

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BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

African Fashion International (AFI) announced the finalists for the AFI Fastrack™ 2023 designer development programme.

The 2023 cohort each presented a look before they were unveiled on the first night of Cape Town Fashion Week. They were part of a show that featured AFI Fastrack alumnus, 2021’s designer of the year winner, Shamyra Moodley of LaaniRaani and Keneoua Mhletswa who designs for AFI’s in-house brand, House of Nala.

“The 2023 cohort comprises of talented designers who are ready to take their careers to the next level,” says businesswoman and philanthropist, Dr Precious Moloi-Motsepe, who is the Founder and Executive Chair of AFI.

“AFI Fastrack’s goal is to curate and propel emerging designers to be business-savvy and industry-relevant. The programme offers mentorship and guidance on how to make an impact in the African fashion industry.”

One of the finalists is Mimangaliso Ndiko, founder of Sixx6. “Sixx6 is a sustainable high end ready to wear brand that promotes an unrestricted concept of self-expression through clothing. A lot of the brands aesthetic is a mixture of vintage corporate suiting, pre-colonial silhouette shapes up-cycled, interchangeable, comprises of detachable components and adjustable features to further increase the longevity of every garment. Pre-colonial attire/silhouettes were the perfect example of self-confidence, a celebration of body positivity, sex appeal and what our brand stands for!” Mimangaliso wrote on social media.

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The finalists will undergo a year of mentorship and being guided on how to be designers who will make an impact in the African fashion industry, while also becoming savvy business professionals.

AFI Fastrack™ is an incubator programme by African Fashion International (AFI), with a special emphasis on the business of fashion. AFI Fastrack’s goal is to curate and propel emerging designers to become technically savvy and commercially minded fashion entrepreneurs who incorporate sustainability into their work.
Since 2011, AFI Fastrack, has brought emerging African designers to AFI Fashion Week stages in Joburg and Cape Town, showcasing the wealth of homegrown talent at the continent’s disposal.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Wits University awarded Dr David Fine an honorary degree at the Faculty of Science graduation ceremony on 17 April 2023.

“The last time I was in this Hall was 59 years ago, when I received my BSc Honours degree, second-class, in chemistry. That was before all you graduates were born. It was before even most of your parents were born, so I feel it’s appropriate for me to mention some of the lessons that learnt that I wish I’d known very much earlier,” said Fine, after congratulating all graduands and “especially to those who are first in their family to receive a university degree”.

The first lesson, Fine said, was in solving tough technical problems, “If you’re an expert, it blocks a lot of your innovative thinking. You want to be the beginner. So, the right way to solve the problem is to read about it just enough to understand. No more. Stop. Then think of all the possible solutions.”

Lesson two is the realisiation that you’re going to get push-back. “When you have new ideas, people very often don’t understand what you’ve done or don’t believe what you’ve done,” said Fine.

Lesson three: The importance of chance – “We all meet our spouses and our lovers by pure chance, by pure accident, serendipity. That’s a very powerful tool. If it works so well in our personal lives, I started to use it in science as well,” said Fine.

Lesson four is to thrive on failure. Fine cautioned the graduands: “When everything works when you’re a scientist, when everything’s going great, and you’ve had no failures for a while … beware of getting in trouble. And I say that very seriously, because you’re not pushing the limits of your mind, you’re not pushing the limits of your knowledge. You have to have failure. Failure is how you learn. You have to enjoy failure, thrive on failure, because that’s how you jump to the next level.”

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

 At a public pool the Soweto township, older women who have never previously had a chance to learn how to swim, go to the pool every week in the summer to improve their health.

More than 40 older women, who have never previously had a chance to learn how to swim, go to the pool every week during the summer to face their fear of drowning and improve their health.

Lifeguard-turned-coach Sibu Zabane launched the class in 2021, when COVID-19 was circulating widely in South Africa, in an effort to help vulnerable older members of the community get fitter.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

A group of Emalahleni women have come together to form a club aimed at fighting poverty. The call themselves Sonqoba Simunye Women’s Group (Will Succeed United).

When the club was started, it had the blessing of the Emalahleni Council Chief Whip, Petunia Maseko. The launching of the program was held at the Extension 11 Community Hall late last month.

According to Mr Robert Mugalula the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Community Development Foundation Agency (CDFA) the process started when 40 women per ward were recruited, and the number totaled 370 in all the wards. The group also has managers in each ward.

“This is a community-driven programme managed by CDFA and the women were offered training in basic entrepreneurship skills and business set-up. Training was offered by Interlink which put together three companies to make the programme a success. The programme is linked to all the township tuck shops which will be supplied with certain products, like cool drinks, eggs, water and other products. The program will result in the process of creating, developing and managing the new business venture to generate profits,” said Mugalula.

BY Nkosazana Ngwadla

Spar Proteas goalkeeper Phumza Maweni is hoping to make the final squad of coach Norma Plummer’s 12 players who will represent South Africa at the tournament.

The Vitality Netball World Cup 2023 will be the sixteenth staging of the premier competition in international netball. The tournament will be held from Friday, 28 July to Sunday, 6 August at the International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa. This will mark the first time the tournament will be held in Africa.

Phumza Maweni is a South African netball player in the Netball Superleague in the UK, representing Team Bath Netball.

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She was raised in Cala, in the Eastern Cape of South Africa. She went on to compete for the Kingdom Stars and Southern Stings in the South African Brutal Fruit Netball Cup and has also played several seasons in England’s Netball Superleague, first for the Loughborough Lightning and later for the Severn Stars.

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Phumza’s exceptional form in the local South African league led to national team coach Norma Plummer calling on her to be signed by foreign clubs in higher profile leagues. She has featured for the South Africa national netball team on several occasions, most notably in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

She was signed by the Sunshine Coast Lightning in Australia ahead of the 2019 season and spent three seasons with the Suncorp Super Netball club, playing all 47 matches. She then signed for Team Bath Netball in England in December 2021 and played for them during the 2022 Superleague season.