Latest news with #Afrikaans
National Geographic
2 days ago
- National Geographic
Earth's Most Interesting Animals
Photographs by Getty Images Before your visit, discover some of Earth's most captivating creatures found at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, like the stealthy Sumatran tiger, the soaring California condor, and the resilient desert tortoise—each with its own fascinating traits that you can observe during your safari adventure. The southern white rhino, nearly 99 percent of which are found in South Africa, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe, is one of the largest land animals on Earth, second only to elephants. Despite the name, these rhinos are gray, and "white" was likely derived from the Afrikaans word for "wide," referring to their broad, square mouths. These semi-social animals often live in groups; males are usually solitary and mark their territory with dung. White rhinos are grazers, and enjoy rolling in mud to cool off and protect their skin. The critically endangered Sumatran tiger, native to Indonesia's island of Sumatra, is the smallest of all tiger subspecies—possibly an adaptation to its dense, island habitat. Built for stealth over stamina, it relies on quiet, calculated ambushes rather than long chases, and is capable of sprinting up to 40 miles per hour in short bursts. Desert tortoises native to the southwestern U.S. and northwestern Mexico, thrive in extreme heat by digging burrows up to 30 feet long to escape the scorching sun. A desert tortoise can collect rainwater in grooves it digs in the ground, and survive for up to a year without fresh water by storing water in its bladder. While generally solitary, male tortoises occasionally fight for dominance, using the curved horns on the undersides of their shells to flip each other over; the defeated tortoise accepts its loss once it rights itself. The platypus is one of nature's most curious creations, often described as looking like it's part duck, part beaver, and part otter. Native to Australia, it's one of only two egg-laying mammals, with females nesting in burrows and nursing their young for three to four months after they hatch. In the water, the platypus hunts with its eyes, ears, and nostrils closed, using its sensitive bill to detect prey on the riverbed. Despite its playful look, the male platypus carries venomous spurs on its hind legs, making it as formidable as it is fascinating. Przewalski's horses are considered by many to be the last truly wild horses, and were named after Russian explorer Nikolai Przewalski, who first encountered them during his expeditions in the late 1800s. These hardy horses roamed the grasslands of Asia and Europe for millennia before becoming extinct in the wild by the 1960s. Thanks to captive breeding and conservation efforts, they've been reintroduced, though some scientists now believe they may be descendants of domesticated horses that returned to the wild. Today, only around 2,000 Przewalski's horses remain, living in social groups called harems led by a single dominant stallion and known for their strong family bonds, or in smaller "bachelor" groups of breeding-age males driven out of the harem by the stallion. The California condor, the largest flying bird in North America, has a wingspan of nearly 10 feet and can soar up to 15,000 feet. Once ranging across North America from coast to coast, California condors now live mainly in California, Arizona, Utah, and Mexico. These scavengers prefer feeding on large mammal carcasses and can travel hundreds of miles a day in search of food. With slow reproduction rates, the critically endangered condors faced near extinction, but captive breeding has helped boost their population. Père David's deer, also known as milu in their native range, are large, stocky deer that thrive in cold, seasonally flooded conditions. With webbed hooves, these strong swimmers are at home in the water, and eat aquatic plants and grasses. Unlike other deer, their antlers have a front branch as large or larger than the rear-pointing one. Once extinct in the wild in their native China, the species survived in an imperial preserve in Beijing until it was destroyed by floods in the 19th century. The surviving deer were hunted and killed for food. French missionary Père Armand David had previously exported several of the deer to Europe, where a breeding program was established, and the species was saved. The deer were reintroduced to China in 1985. The okapi, often called the 'forest giraffe,' is a shy and solitary animal found only in the Ituri Rainforest and other dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Though it resembles a mix between a zebra and a deer, it's actually the giraffe's closest living relative. Its striped rump helps the okapi blend into shafts of sunlight filtering through the trees, and its long, dark, prehensile tongue is perfect for stripping leaves from branches. With a four-chambered stomach and a diet of fruits, leaves, and even clay for minerals, the okapi is uniquely built for life in the rainforest.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Tears and heartbreak over tragic story of South African girl sold by her mother
A video clip of a laughing Joshlin Smith, who was six years old when she went missing more than a year ago in South Africa, left most people in the courtroom sobbing. It was shown during a hearing in Saldanha Bay, near Cape Town, ahead of the life sentence given to Joshlin's mother - a drug addict who is believed to have sold her for money. Racquel Smith, also known as Kelly Smith, was convicted of kidnapping and trafficking her daughter earlier this month. The 35-year-old mother of three was convicted and sentenced along with her boyfriend Jacquen Appollis and their friend Steveno van Rhyn. Even the court interpreter could not hold back her tears as she translated the victim impact statements into English. A court official read out those statements first in Afrikaans, the language spoken by those in the impoverished Middelpos informal settlement of Saldanha Bay, where Joshlin had lived. In their own words, Joshlin's grandmother, the family friend who had wanted to adopt Joshlin and her teacher spoke of their pain and bewilderment about how she could have been sold by her mother. One witness during the trial had alleged this was to a traditional healer, known in South Africa as a "sangoma", who wanted Joshlin for "her eyes and skin". A local pastor also testified that he had once heard Smith talk of selling her children for 20,000 rand ($1,100; £850) each, but would have been willing to accept a lower figure of $275. "How do you sleep [and] live with yourself?" a devastated Amanda Smith-Daniels, asked her daughter in her victim statement on Wednesday. She now looks after Smith's oldest child and the youngest stays with her father. Smith and her co-accused refused to take the stand during the eight-week trial that began in March and was held at a community centre in Saldanha to allow the wider community to attend proceedings. But as Joshlin's mother heard the statements on Wednesday and saw the video clip, she sobbed uncontrollably. Joshlin's teacher, Edna Maart, described the little girl as a quiet pupil who was "very tidy". She said she struggled with daily questions from Joshlin's schoolmates about her whereabouts. Determined not to forget her, she said the class listened to her favourite gospel song God Will Work It Out at the start of every school day. It was also played to a teary courtroom on Wednesday. To this day no-one knows what has happened to Joshlin. Her disappearance on 19 February 2024 caused shockwaves across the country. Bianca van Aswegen, a criminologist and national co-ordinator at Missing Children South Africa, likened it to the case of Madeleine McCann, a British girl who went missing in Portugal in 2007. Madeleine was aged three when she vanished from a holiday apartment in Praia da Luz in the Algarve - and hers is one of the most high-profile, unsolved missing person cases in the world. Ms Van Aswegen told the BBC that while the trio's conviction in Joshlin's case had given people a sense of relief, "the matter of fact is that nobody knows where Joshlin is and I think that's the big question that South Africa is still asking". A picture of Joshlin's troubled life emerged during the trial - and a better sense of her personality during this week's hearings ahead of sentencing. She was born in October 2017, to Smith and her former partner Jose Emke, who broke down on Wednesday and had to be carried out of the courtroom. Their second child - she and her older brother, now 11, had both suffered from neglect, according to a social worker who testified during the trial. Growing up, Kelly Smith had lived with her maternal grandmother and had struggled with substance abuse since she was 15 - often becoming abusive towards her and her children when she was high, social workers said. A report prepared by a social worker for the sentencing hearing paints a stark picture of Smith's drug addiction at the time of Joshlin's birth. Her grandmother had kicked Smith out of the family home because of her drug use and she had threatened to stab her own son at that time. The judge noted that it took Smith five months to register Joshlin's birth - by law this must be done within 30 days - and had lived intermittently at a shelter for abused women. When she went into rehab later on, family friend Natasha Andrews stepped in to care for Joshlin - and she and her husband had wanted to adopt her. "We could have provided for her better than her mother," Ms Andrews said during the trial, but the plans fell apart in 2018 as the parents "wouldn't agree" to it. Despite this, Joshlin often visited the Andrews family for weekends and school holidays and would go on trips with them. The clip shown in court on Wednesday of Joshlin laughing was from one of those holidays and formed part of Ms Andrews' victim statement. She shared this and other photos of Joshlin playing with her own daughter because "so many people… don't know what Joshlin sounds like", she said. It was this and her description of her family's pain that sparked the greatest outpouring of emotion in the courtroom. Joshlin grew up in a corrugated iron structure located in Middelpos informal settlement with her mother, her mother's partner, her brother and younger half-sister. The social workers' report described the shack as offering "little in the way of privacy due to its highly restrictive living space". Smith did odd jobs to support her family, including part-time domestic work for Kelly Zeegers, who lived with her family in a nearby neighbourhood and paid her with groceries instead of cash. "This is to make sure that she and the children have a plate of food," Ms Zeegers said during her testimony. Some witnesses did describe Smith as a good mother; her sister told the court Joshlin was the spitting image of her mum when she was young. The little that is known of what happened to Joshlin on the day she disappeared is thanks to Laurentia Lombaard, who turned state witness. She had been at the shack smoking drugs with Appollis and Van Rhyn at the time. She explained that Joshlin, who had started school a few weeks before her disappearance, and her brother had stayed at home that day because they did not have clean uniforms. The children had been mainly left in the care of Appollis as Smith was in and out during course of the day, occasionally returning to smoke. It is not clear exactly how or when Joshlin went missing but the trial established it was some time during the afternoon - but the preoccupation of most of the adults meant the disappearance was only reported to the police at 21:00. The social worker appointed to compile the report on the trio ahead of their sentencing described Smith as "manipulative" and someone who told "bald-faced lies". "It is therefore not a stretch to conclude that Smith is the mastermind behind the trafficking of her own daughter," he said. Ms Van Aswegen said Joshlin's disappearance reflected a growing crisis in child trafficking. "It is much more of a crisis than police stats actually show us due to the fact of many cases going unreported," she told the BBC. She said what was unusual in Joshlin's case was that it had captured the whole nation. "I have never really seen a case blow up like this in South Africa before [and] neither have we seen such a big search for a missing child. I think social media played a big role [and] we had political parties get involved in the case." According to South African news site IOL, 632 children were reported missing last year and 8,743 over the past 10 years. Earlier this month, police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe said many children were eventually reunited with their families. Ms Van Aswegen said this showed that one could never give up hope and the search for Joshlin would continue. This hope was reflected most by the Andrews family during the sentencing hearing. A poem written by Ms Andrews' 14-year-old daughter Tayla was also read out in court. It described her pain of not knowing what had happened to Joshlin and her hope that she was safe. "We just want to hug you again," Ms Andrews' said in her statement. "You are our flower, our baby and our green-eyed child." Joshlin Smith: A six-year-old's disappearance spreads fear in South Africa's Saldhana Bay 'The selfie that revealed I was a stolen baby' Go to for more news from the African continent. Follow us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica Focus on Africa This Is Africa
Daily Maverick
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Maverick
Single mom and Cape Town activist Yumna Alexander gives adults a second chance through night schools
'People are really serious about changing their lives and the lives of their children. It all starts with you, and it is so beautiful to watch people because nobody is going to do it for them but themselves,' says single mom and community activist Yumna Alexander, who runs 10 Hopeful Leaders Night Schools in Cape Town, helping school dropouts get their matric. Having dropped out of school herself, Yumna Alexander understands first-hand the challenges faced by those who leave school early. She left school after falling pregnant and struggled for years to find stable employment. With limited qualifications, she took retail and call centre jobs to support her child. Determined to change her path, she decided in her mid-20s to return to school and pursue her matric, holding on to her long-standing dream of becoming a teacher. After completing her matric, she began volunteering at the age of 32 at a leadership college in Manenberg. Without internet access at home, she used the Manenberg library as her study space. While there, she began helping others with basic computer use, but soon realised there were deeper issues. 'I realised through the training that in every five people, only one person had matric. They used to tell me that they want to complete school, but do not know how to. I approached ward councillors to help open a programme, but I was told I would never succeed,' said Alexander. That discouragement didn't stop her. Today, she runs 10 night schools across coloured communities in Cape Town, including Manenberg, Mitchells Plain, Delft, Bishop Lavis, Hanover Park, Lavender Hill, Bonteheuwel, Elsies River and Ravensmead. More than 600 learners are currently enrolled, and Alexander has employed more than 20 teachers, many of whom earned their matric through her programme. Learners pay R15 a class and a once-off registration fee of R50. Every cent earned goes directly back into the programme – paying staff and covering the cost of essentials such as copy paper and ink. 'We are getting no support from the government; we are doing this on our own, and it's okay… We operate from 6pm every Monday to Thursday. We have subjects that include maths literacy, English home language, Afrikaans additional, mathematics, geography, history, life sciences, business studies and religious studies,' said Alexander. Matriculants' testimonies Natalie Muller (36) said she joined the Hanover night school at the age of 34 after failing matric. She says her experience at the school was incredible, and working with Alexander was inspiring. 'I found her [Alexander] on Facebook calling people to come register, and I did. It was easy studying with old people because they were mature and focused. We did a lot of revision and wrote exams. Yumna always told us to study further, and I did, in finance; today, I am helping with finances at the schools. Everyone has a chance in life, and it is never too late,' said Muller. Another matriculant, Waeeda Abrahams, dropped out of high school in Grade 11 and had three children. In 2020, she overheard people speaking about the night school and learnt Alexander's name. 'I heard Yumna was working at the library, and I went to her because I needed to make something of myself. I then attended the night school… I managed to pass with a bachelor's pass. I struggled to get into university, but I got into Two Oceans Graduate Institute [in Cape Town], and I completed two years with the school. I started working at night for Yumna as an administrator. I went to Unisa [through] a bursary,' said Abrahams. She said she is now an administrator at one of the night schools and wants to help others find success. 'She [Alexander] can be very strict, but she will work with you side by side. She also asks us for advice and is not a boss type, just an open person,' said Abrahams. According to previous reporting by Daily Maverick, around 40% of South African learners who begin Grade 1 do not reach matric. This staggering dropout rate is fuelled by a mix of factors such as financial hardship, lack of resources, limited support at home and social pressures such as early pregnancy. Alexander said her dream of becoming a teacher had seen her open doors to employment by helping people who had not matriculated. DM For anyone wanting to assist, these are the details for her Hopeful Leaders Night School. Account Name: Hopeful Leaders Institute Bank Account: Nedbank Account Number: 1266769854 Branch code: 198765 Swift Code: NEDSZAJJ.
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Business
- Newsweek
The Bulletin May 17, 2025
The rundown: South Africa has found itself at the unlikely center of an American political firestorm, Elon Musk, who grew up there during apartheid, weighing in repeatedly. Here's everything you need to know. Why it matters: Last week, America welcomed the first group of South African Afrikaans refugees to the country, a move which has proved contentious. Some dispute the validity of their refugee status and others see "double standards" of this program amid Trump's immigration crackdowns. The exodus began after the South African government signed into law a new land expropriation bill in January. Musk, who was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and lived there for 18 years, has spoken out about the bill multiple times, often alongside his claims that a "white genocide" is taking place in South Africa. South Africa has repeatedly denied allegations of discriminating against people with a recent court ruling calling claims of a white genocide "clearly imagined" and "not real." Read more in-depth coverage: Donald Trump Faces Criticism After Taking in White South African Refugees TL/DR: "The South African government passed a law legalizing taking property from white people at will with no payment," Elon Musk posted in March, "Where is the outrage? Why is there no coverage by the legacy media?" What happens now? Musk also has an ongoing gripe with South Africa's race relations laws, which stipulate that any investors in the country's telecoms sector provide 30 percent of the equity in the South African part of the enterprise to Black-owned business. Deeper reading Elon Musk's War With South Africa, Where Apartheid Scars Run Deep
The Citizen
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
New Afrikaans birthday song campaign celebrates 100 years of the language
New Afrikaans birthday song campaign celebrates 100 years of the language Afrikaans celebrated its 100th anniversary as a national language on 8 May. In light of this, a 'proudly Afrikaans' insurance company is questioning if it's time for another version of 'Veels Geluk, Liewe Maatjie'. They are launching a nationwide campaign to create a brand-new Afrikaans birthday song. 'Something memorable, meaningful, and proudly local. A song that can be sung at every birthday, by anyone who loves Afrikaans.,' said Morné van Emmenes, head of marketing at Virseker. 'We're inviting all South Africans to help write it. Whether you're a poet, rapper, student, singer, or just someone who loves the language – share your lyrics, ideas, audio, videos or even voice notes. The only rule? It must be proudly and powerfully Afrikaans,' said Van Emmenes. Participants have the chance to win hampers and shopping vouchers. A panel of iconic artists – including Sonja Heroldt, Early B, Karen Zoid and Anton Goosen – will help decide which ideas will inspire the final version. Visit for helpful tips and to join the movement. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
