The Lead: Selling sweets to pay for matric ball and May's best good news stories
From a viral Grade 12 pupil selling sweets every morning at a local taxi rank to attend his matric dance to a young Ikeys rugby star who got a shock call-up from Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus, by the end of Tuesday's discussion with Good News editor Paul Herman in The Lead, we hope to leave you feeling extra inspired and proud to be a South African.
Later in the show, host Graeme Raubenheimer discusses controversial Gauteng tenderpreneur Vusimusi 'Cat' Matlala, who abandoned his bid for bail in connection with an alleged failed hit.
Finally, we look at how the economy barely budged in this year's first quarter.
Listen on YouTube:
Listen on Apple Podcasts:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News24
an hour ago
- News24
A lens through the fire: A tribute to Rashid Lombard
Be among those who shape the future with knowledge. Uncover exclusive stories that captivate your mind and heart with our FREE 14-day subscription trial. Dive into a world of inspiration, learning, and empowerment. You can only trial once. Show Comments ()
News24
an hour ago
- News24
Presley Chweneyagae was powerful, sharp, unapologetic, humorous, generous and spicy
Mahlatsi Moleya The celebrated actor died after struggling to breathe. Chweneyagae made people connect with the Tsotsi character. Veteran actor Israel Matseke-Zulu calls for normalising celebrating creatives while they are still alive. Everyone was in a celebratory mood at the State Theatre in Pretoria on Thursday as family, fans and creatives celebrated the life of award-winning actor, Presley Chweneyagae. His family said the actor died in the early hours of last Tuesday after struggling to breathe. The memorial service was led by actor and friend Thato Molamu and actress Moshidi Motshegwa, who played his mother on The River, as MCs. Today we are in Pretoria for the second memorial service of the late Tsotsi and The River actor, Presley Chweneyagae. The first memorial service was in North West on Tuesday. #presleychweneyagae — Karisa (@MpumeeMagagula) June 5, 2025 Chweneyagae was just a 19-year-old drama student when he was recruited to join the cast of one of SA's biggest films, Tsotsi, which was released in December 2005. The film went on to win an Oscar in 2006 for the best international feature film. Chweneyagae acted alongside legends such as Terry Pheto, Kenneth Nkosi, Mothusi Magano, Thembi Nyandeni, Israel Matseke-Zulu and Jerry Mofokeng wa Makhetha, who had been on screen for a long time. Some of the actors who spoke during the memorial service revealed that as much as Chweneyagae was celebrated for being in his first film, it was also their first time being part of a film, although they had been on television for longer than him. Matseke-Zulu, Nkosi and Pheto praised the late The River star for being strong-willed and owning the film as young as he was, with only theatre experience. Pheto described Chweneyagae as powerful, sharp, unapologetic, humorous and generous. 'He was quite young, hungry [for acting] and full of dreams. Yet, there he was; [he] carried the weight of the story with an intensity that left everyone [impressed]. His bravery catapulted him to immeasurable heights. I don't say that lightly, but being part of Tsotsi opened doors that I never knew existed. Terry Pheto 'Almost two decades later, I had the honour to work with him again on iNumber Number: Jozi Gold. This time, as a director-trainee and once again, he was the lead,' said the actress. Nkosi said he met Chweneyagae on the Tsotsi set, which was also his first movie. He said at the time, his ego did not allow him to say that. He said the late Cobrizi actor never had any ego. 'He carried the whole story. I cannot imagine a 19-year-old having to sit and act in one with Jerry Mofokeng or Rapulatana Seiphemo like that. He was young and trusted himself and his instincts. At some point, people from Soweto said: 'tsotsis don't sound like that', but he came with his tsotsi [style] from Mafikeng,' said Nkosi. Fellow creatives pay tribute to their late colleague, Presley Chweneyagae whose life is being celebrated today in Pretoria. #presleychweneyagae — Karisa (@MpumeeMagagula) June 5, 2025 The veteran actor said Chweneyagae made people connect with the Tsotsi character. He passed his condolences to the family and encouraged them to trust in God. Another veteran, Matseke-Zulu, who led the Thuma Mina gospel song before his speech, said celebrating creatives while they were still alive must be normalised. He said festivals should be hosted to honour people who have done well in the world. Phathutshedzo Makwarela, the co-owner of Tshedza Pictures, which is behind The River and Cobrizi, jokingly shared that Chweneyagae made up his lines most of the time. He said the actor interpreted the scripts in ways they could not imagine. Makwarela also shared that he met Chweneyagae at film school and the act was part of Tsotsi then years later, they worked together. Makwarela said when they were developing the script of The River, they struggled with finding the right person to play Cobra, until MultiChoice suggested Chweneyagae – and he fitted the character perfectly. Tshedza Pictures co-owner, Phathutshedzo Makwarela finally answers the famous question: Does Cobrizi even have a script? Makwarela shares that Chweneyagae would wing it most of the time. #presleychweneyagae — Karisa (@MpumeeMagagula) June 5, 2025 He said the Tshedza Pictures family had lost one of its children, adding that they would accept that the curtain had finally come down. The late actor's life was celebrated with song and dance, with the Drama Theatre being filled to the brim. Some people had to watch the service from the screens inside the State Theatre. Actors such as Oros Mampofu, Winnie Ntshaba, Warren Masemola, McDonald Ndou, Macks Papo, Rami Chuene and Dineo Langa came to pay their last respects. Chweneyagae will be buried on Saturday. The service will be at the Akasia Community Hall in Pretoria from 8am. He will be laid to rest at the Zandfontein Cemetery. Show Comments ()
New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
Red Sea Passage Remains a No-Go for Shipping Despite U.S. Action
The largest commercial shipping companies continue to avoid the Red Sea and Suez Canal, despite a recent cease-fire agreement between the United States and Houthis intended to make the trade lanes safer. The cease-fire, which began May 6, ended a U.S. campaign that involved over 1,100 strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and became a source of embarrassment for the Trump administration after group chats about the strikes inadvertently became public. The Pentagon had planned on a monthslong bombardment, but President Trump ended it after about 50 days. 'If the intention was to restore freedom of navigation, which is what they stated it was, then the results speak for themselves: The shipping industry has not gone back,' said Richard Meade, editor in chief of Lloyd's List, a shipping publication. Ship traffic through the Red Sea is down by around three-fifths since 2023 when the Houthis started targeting ships there in solidarity with Hamas in its war with Israel in Gaza, Mr. Meade said. Fearing that their vessels would be struck, big shipping companies avoided the Red Sea and the Suez Canal, taking a much longer route around the southern tip of Africa to travel between Asia and Europe. The Houthis have said they are still at war with Israel and will attack vessels bound for the country. And though the Houthis have not attacked a commercial vessel since December, shipping companies say they worry that their vessels may be hit, deliberately or mistakenly, and have no plans to sail the southern part of the Red Sea anytime soon. 'We're pretty far from the threshold,' said Vincent Clerc, the chief executive of A.P. Moller-Maersk, a large shipping line based in Copenhagen. Speaking soon after the cease-fire in May, he said the Red Sea would have to remain safe for the foreseeable future before the company's vessels returned. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
