24 hours in pictures, 12 May 2025
Through the lens: The Citizen's Picture Editors select the best news photographs from South Africa and around the world.
Buddhist and Muslim devotees release a lantern in front of Borobudur Temple, the world's largest Buddhist monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Magelang, Central Java, on May 12, 2025, as they commemorate Waisak, or Vesak Day. Vesak is the most sacred day for Buddhists, commemorating the birth, enlightenment and death of Siddhartha Gautama, the Buddha, all traditionally believed to have occurred on the full moon day of the Vesakha month in the ancient Indian lunar calendar. (Photo by Yasuyoshi CHIBA / AFP)
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The South African
3 days ago
- The South African
Gayton McKenzie pays tribute to Rashid Lombard
Home » Gayton McKenzie pays tribute to Rashid Lombard Gayton McKenzie has described the late Rashid Lombard as a storyteller who was unafraid to document South African history. Image: UWC Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Gayton McKenzie has described the late Rashid Lombard as a storyteller who was unafraid to document South African acclaimed photographer, cultural activist, and jazz promoter passed away peacefully on Wednesday at the age of 74, surrounded by his loved ones. 'Rashid Lombard was more than a photographer. He was a storyteller and freedom fighter who used his camera as a weapon for justice. He captured truth when others looked away, showing the world our pain, pride, struggle, and strength. Rashid gave us history and memories that speak louder than words. Today, we honour a true artist who told our story with heart, honesty, and deep respect. South Africa has lost a giant,' the Minister said in his tribute to Lombard. Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the country had lost a cultural icon who not only documented the history of the struggle for freedom but made history in his own right. Rashid Lombard who was laid to rest according to Muslim rites on Thursday morning, was born on 10 April 1951 in North End, Gqeberha. He relocated with his family to Cape Town in 1962. He initially trained as an architectural draftsman and later pursued a career in industrial photography, beginning his professional path at the construction firm Murray & Roberts.'As a young boy in the Eastern Cape, he lived in a community where people of all races coexisted. Black, White, Coloured, Indian and Chinese families shared neighbourhoods, exchanged stories and formed bonds that apartheid later sought to destroy. It was a glimpse of what a united South Africa could be.'The arrival of apartheid brought violence and forced removals. Families were relocated based solely on the colour of their skin, and many of Lombard's childhood friends disappeared, never to be seen again. 'This trauma deeply affected him and heightened his awareness of injustice. These early experiences, along with the Black Consciousness Movement, inspired his lifelong commitment to justice and equality,' the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture said. He chose to fight not with weapons but with his camera. During South Africa's struggle for liberation, he worked as a freelance photographer and television sound recordist. His lens witnessed history, capturing the pain, courage and hope of a people longing for freedom. He documented key moments such as the growing democracy movement in the 1980s, Nelson Mandela's release in 1990, and the first democratic election in 1994. His images reached global audiences through major outlets like Agence France-Presse, the BBC and NBC, offering the world a powerful view of South Africa's journey. 'As democracy took hold, Rashid Lombard turned his energy to jazz, another lifelong passion. He held leadership roles at Fine Music Radio and P4 Smooth Jazz Radio before founding espAfrika in 1997. Through this company, he launched the Cape Town International Jazz Festival in 2000, directing it until 2014. 'The festival grew into one of Africa's largest and most respected cultural events, showcasing local talent alongside international stars and putting Cape Town firmly on the global jazz map.'Even after retiring, he remained committed to preserving South Africa's cultural heritage. He undertook the important task of digitising his extensive photographic archive, a project begun by his late wife, Colleen. Working with the National Archives and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, he ensured the collection would be accessible as a national treasure. His family continues this vital work today,' the Ministry 2010, he published 'Jazz Rocks', a photographic tribute curated by the late George Hallett. The book captures the spirit, energy and connection of jazz through Rashid's distinctive lens. In 2014, Rashid Lombard was honoured with the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver. This prestigious award recognised his exceptional impact on the arts, cultural preservation and the global celebration of South African jazz. Post your condolences for Rashid Lombard below, by … Leaving a comment below, or sending a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
eNCA
3 days ago
- eNCA
Kohli 'lost for words' after 11 die celebrating Bengaluru IPL win
INDIA - Virat Kohli said he was lost for words after celebrations of a dream IPL title turned to tragedy when 11 mainly young cricket fans were crushed to death in Bengaluru. Hundreds of thousands had packed the streets Wednesday to welcome home their hero Kohli and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after they had beaten Punjab Kings a day earlier in a thrilling Indian Premier League final. But the euphoria of the vast crowds in the southern tech city of Bengaluru ended in disaster, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi calling it "absolutely heartrending". Karnataka state Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said most of the 11 dead were young people and there were 47 others injured in the crush after a stampede near the city's M. Chinnaswamy cricket stadium, where the players were parading the trophy for fans. Kohli, who top scored in the final, said earlier it had been "as much for the fans" after the 36-year-old finally celebrated winning the IPL at his 18th attempt. Later, Kohli wrote on social media: "At a loss for words. "Absolutely gutted," he added, alongside a statement from the RCB team saying they were "deeply anguished" at what had unfolded. One of the people injured described to AFP how a "huge crowd" had crushed her. "They stamped on me," said the woman, who did not give her name, from a wheelchair. "I was not able to breathe. I fell unconscious." Most of the dead were young fans who had gone out just to catch a glimpse of their sporting heroes. - 'He died in an RCB shirt' - Street food vendor Manoj Kumar mourned the death of his 18-year-old son, killed in the stampede, who he said he had stopped from working on his stall so he could study. "I wanted him to go to college," Kumar told the Indian Express newspaper. "I brought him up with a lot of care. Now, he is gone." A grieving mother outside a city mortuary said her 22-year-old engineering student son had also died in the crush. "He was crazy about RCB," she was quoted as saying by the Indian Express on Thursday. AFP | STRINGER "He died in an RCB shirt. They danced when RCB won and now he is gone. Can RCB give him back to us?" Authorities had already called off RCB's proposed open-top bus victory parade through the streets after anticipating vast crowds. But organisers pressed ahead with the welcome ceremony and celebrations inside the stadium. RCB's social media account posted a video of cheering crowds lining the streets as the players waved back from their team bus on their way to the stadium. The team said they cut short the celebrations "immediately upon being made aware of the situation". Siddaramaiah said that the stadium had a capacity of "only 35,000 people, but 200,000-300,000 people came".
SowetanLIVE
4 days ago
- SowetanLIVE
Photographer, cultural activist and jazz promoter Rashid Lombard dies
Acclaimed photographer, cultural activist and jazz promoter Rashid Lombard died in Cape Town on Wednesday, surrounded by his loved ones. He was 74. Born on April 10 1951 in North End, Gqeberha, Lombard moved with his family to Cape Town in 1962. 'Originally trained as an architectural draftsman and later as an industrial photographer, he began his career with construction giant Murray & Roberts,' said family spokesperson Benny Gool. In 1970, Lombard married Colleen Rayson and the couple had three children. 'As a child in the Eastern Cape, Rashid experienced a diverse, harmonious community — black, white, Coloured, Indian and Chinese — until the brutal machinery of apartheid forcibly removed his friends to racially segregated areas, never to be seen or heard of again.' His political consciousness was later amplified through the influence of the Black Consciousness Movement. Lombard went on to work as a freelance photographer and television sound recordist during the height of the anti-apartheid struggle. 'His lens captured the unrest and hope of a nation in transition for international media outlets including AFP, the BBC and NBC.' Over the course of his career, he documented pivotal moments in South Africa's journey to freedom, including the rise of the democratic movement in the 1980s, the release of Nelson Mandela in 1990 and the country's first democratic elections in 1994. Gool said with democracy came the opportunity for Lombard to fully embrace his other great passion, jazz. He served as station manager at Fine Music Radio and later as programming manager at P4 Smooth Jazz Radio. In 1997, Lombard founded espAfrika, the events management company behind one of his most enduring legacies: the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, which he launched in 2000 and directed until his retirement in 2014. After stepping away from the festival, Lombard took over the digitisation of his archives, a task previously managed by his wife. He later partnered with the National Archives and the department of sport, arts and culture to make the collection publicly accessible online as a national heritage resource. Lombard's extraordinary archive — more than 500,000 film negatives, video and audio recordings — is now preserved at the University of the Western Cape. In 2010, Lombard published Jazz Rocks, edited by the late George Hallett. The book is a journey looking through the eye of Lombard's camera, capturing music, people and places that defined his life and work across the globe. He was honoured with numerous awards for both his contributions to news photography and his impact on music and tourism. In 2014, he was awarded the prestigious National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver 'for his excellent contribution to arts and culture and his dedication to promoting jazz music that has put South Africa on the map for many jazz enthusiasts around the world'. In 1986, legendary exiled photographer Ernest Cole, who had not held a camera for over a decade, borrowed Lombard's and turned the lens on him in a gesture of deep respect and recognition, Gool said. Asked in a later interview about his legacy, Lombard responded: 'No matter who you are — religion, race, male, female — you can achieve your dreams. I'm a true testament to that.' He is survived by his lifelong-partner Colleen Lombard, his sister Fazoe Sydow, his children and five grandchildren. Lombard will be buried according to Muslim rites. The Good Party extended its condolences to Lombard's family and said his contributions helped shape the soul of the nation. 'As the visionary behind the Cape Town International Jazz Festival, he brought global attention to Cape Town while ensuring that the event remained rooted in principles of inclusivity, access and development,' party leader Patricia de Lille said. She said during her time as Cape Town mayor, she had the privilege of working alongside Lombard. 'The jazz festival stood out not just as a world-class musical showcase but as an all-inclusive event that actively worked to build a more inclusive city, one that welcomed all, regardless of colour or creed,' De Lille said. TimesLIVE
