Latest news with #Amandla
IOL News
6 days ago
- IOL News
Heartbroken father seeks justice after 22-month-old Amandla dies at unregistered daycare
Baby Amandla Ziqubu Image: Supplied 'I wouldn't wish this type of pain on my worst enemy.' These are the words of heartbroken father Njabulo Ziqubu, whose 22-month-old daughter Amandla died at the Little Inocence Day Care Centre in Goodwood last week. The little girl was found unresponsive at the creche after nap time, allegedly after eating noodles and becoming drowsy. The creche now operates on a partial basis, only catering for children whose parents already paid for the month and no longer takes on new applications since it's been revealed that the creche had been operating illegally- not being registered as an Early Childhood Development Centre. Amandla's devastated father, Ziqubu, spoke to the Weekend Argus while preparing for his daughter's funeral, which will be held in KwaZulu-Natal. 'I wouldn't wish this type of pain on my worst enemy. It's a pain, as a parent you cannot describe, all you know is that it hurts so very much. Right now all I want is justice for Amandla,' he said. Ziqubu recounted the last morning he spent with his daughter. 'She was full of life when I dropped her at creche that Wednesday morning. There was nothing wrong with her, we had such a happy morning, singing and counting, she was a very intelligent girl and when she got home, the plan was to put on her favourite show Cocomelon.' But the day that began with joy quickly turned into a nightmare. He received a frantic call from his partner urging him to get to the creche immediately something had happened to Amandla. 'When I got to the creche the principal and teachers were standing outside crying. I watched how other parents rushed off the property holding their children safe by the hands or on their hips. A parent who knew me asked if I saw my daughter, I said no. He then pointed to a room and said I must go inside,' Ziqubu recalled. He paused, his voice breaking. 'When I got there I found my child laying over a man's lap (who introduced himself as a first aider) on her stomach, he was rubbing her back. I took my child from him and started speaking to her, I wanted her to know that I am here and that she is safe. I reminded her that we were going to watch Cocomelon. She didn't respond… I could feel my heart breaking into pieces she always responded just by the mention of Cocomelon.' Ziqubu said he then carried his daughter to the car, with police escorting them to the nearest hospital after learning that the creche had allegedly not called for medical assistance. 'It was not even long before the doctor at the hospital came to me and said those words: 'We tried everything to resuscitate your baby, but she was already dead.' I later learnt that the children had noodles before their nap time at 12:00 and Amandla became drowsy. When they tried to wake her up three hours later they noticed she wasn't moving.' Njabulo and his baby girl Image: Supplied Ziqubu said the principal begged him and his partner for forgiveness, admitting fault. He later discovered that the so-called first aider was, in fact, just a security guard and the principal's husband. He also questioned why the creche gave his daughter noodles when they packed lunch for her every day, due to her being a picky eater. 'Up until today I cannot accept what happened. She was only there eight days. I have all these questions and I want answers. Above all, I want justice for Amandla.' The centre's principle, Odette Innocentio, when contacted by the media, expressed her condolences to Amandla's parents and family. "I have said everything I can say. Right now the matter is still under investigation. I am in turmoil and exhausted, so I cannot even imagine what her parents and family is going through. I honestly sympathise with them and am also wanting answers." She further added that the incident had left her in shock. 'We have never experienced anything like this before. On that day, the child did not want to eat so we gave her noodles. Yes, the parents provide a snack, but we also give cooked meals. At month-end we sometimes do treats, so we serve noodles, hotdogs and so on and I want to state we not buy food from spaza shops and I always check the dates." Innocentio admitted that while they are not legally registered as an ECD, they have submitted registration documents during the Covid period but did not receive any feedback. "I was informed I applied on the old system and now there is a new system." Little Inocence Day Care Centre Image: Google Maps Western Cape Education Department spokesperson Millicent Merton confirmed that the facility is not registered with the WCED. Merton further explained: 'The facility (also) does not appear on the database for unregistered facilities in the process of registration. 'A team has been established to conduct an investigation into the circumstances of the death at the facility.' Police spokesperson Sergeant Wesley Twigg said an inquest was registered for investigation by Goodwood police station and are currently under investigation. 'No arrests have yet been made.' [email protected] Weekend Argus
The Citizen
07-08-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
PICS: Meet the cast of BET's new telenovela ‘Black Gold'
The show will premiere on 18 August on DStv channel 129. BET is bringing star power to the screen with its brand-new telenovela Black Gold. The show will premiere on 18 August at 6.30pm on DStv channel 129, airing from Monday to Thursday each week. Produced by Mandla N's Black Brain Pictures, the series features a strong mix of award-winning actors, well-known stars, and newcomers making their acting debut. ALSO READ: 'I was super nervous and scared to mess up': Nasty C on his debut on news channel as a guest host Black Gold's cast members Black Gold follows the gripping journey of Amandla Zungu, played by Nomalanga Shozi in her first lead role. Amandla is cast out of her ancestral home after being falsely accused of her father's murder. To survive, she enters the dangerous world of illegal mining — determined to reclaim her legacy and confront the woman who betrayed her. South African Film and Television Awards winner Dawn Thandeka King stars as Amandla's stepmother, Florence. Veteran actor Sello Maake KaNcube plays Tom Motsepe, Florence's secret lover and partner in crime, and the cold-blooded CEO willing to destroy a legacy to build his own! Big Brother Mzansi Season 5 winner Sweet Guluva has also landed his first acting role in the show. The cast also includes acclaimed actors Warren Masemola and Thulani Mtsweni, along with The Real Housewives of Durban alum Mbali Ngiba. Big Brother Mzansi Season 5 winner Sweet Guluva has joined the cast of BET's new daily drama series 'Black Gold' The show premieres on 18 August 2025 at 18:30 on channel 129. August 6, 2025 NOW READ: Aldrin Sampear dumps journalism for government job after leaving news channel
The Citizen
31-07-2025
- General
- The Citizen
Ubuntu's first outreach starts with Amandla Primary
Sometimes kindness walks through the gates, asks what you need, and delivers. That's what happened this Mandela Month when Ubuntu Community Development brought practical support to the learners of Amandla Primary School in Albion. Held on July 25, led by Lucky 'Taposa' Makua and Mandla 'Power' Shongwe, the Ubuntu Community Development is a growing force for good in the city, rooted in empathy and watered by community trust. Taposa and Power is set out to do things differently. Instead of assuming what was needed, they asked. And then they showed up. 'We went to the principal and asked her what we could do for them. Indeed, they spelled out all they were seriously in need of,' said Taposa. 'We chose Amandla because it's in Albion, on the farms, and when we looked around, we saw that the kids truly need this support,' he added. Among the donated items were four-plate gas stoves, refilled gas cylinders, serving tables, fresh vegetables, sanitary towels, cleaning materials, and other necessities designed to improve the daily lives of learners and staff alike. School principal Annia Manzini-Phiri accepted the donations with deep appreciation and used the occasion as a teaching moment. 'Give, so that it can be given unto you,' she told her learners that generosity isn't just a gift; it's a value that builds character and community. Amandla Primary School learners welcomed and appreciated the gestures with a special dance. For Ubuntu Community Development, this charity drive marks a hopeful beginning. It was made possible by the heartfelt support of the Tasbet 8 community and its potential sponsors, who believed in the mission. Their involvement turned a simple idea into a successful campaign, reminding everyone that real change starts with unity and intention. As their first official outreach effort, Taposa and Power hope this will open doors for them to drive change around the city of eMalahleni. Breaking news at your fingertips … Follow WITBANK NEWS on our website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or TikTok Chat to us: [email protected]
The Citizen
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Amanda Strydom unplugged: SA's cabaret icon on miscarriage, psychosis and healing powers
Amandla!: Singer-songwriter and actress Amanda Strydom is widely regarded as an icon and pioneering figure in South African cabaret. Legendary performer Amanda Strydom gave a raw and honest account of her life and career on KykNET's 'Net Mens'. Picture: Supplied From smouldering cabaret to award-winning acting performances and that 'Amandla' power salute, Amanda Strydom has sprinkled her stardust far and wide over the past 46 years. The iconic artist – who was featured on the second episode of kykNET's short series Net Mens – reckons however that she is 'far from done'. Amanda, who has been open about being bipolar, enters the fray of Net Mens with raw honesty, stating: 'I am Amanda Strydom, and I am just human.' The versatile performer The singer-songwriter with a dark velvet voice released her first Afrikaans LP in 1983, titled Vir my Familie (For my Family). In 1985, her first English LP, Jupiter Jones is Amanda, saw the light. One of the roles she created for television was that of a Polish singer, Elzbieta Karski, for John Cundill's 1922 series. For her powerful performance, Amanda won the Star Tonight award for best English actress in 1985. At the same time, she also began performing as a solo cabaret artist at Garbo's in Cape Town and Club 58 in Hillbrow. Amanda Strydom was the featured guest on the second episode of 'Net Mens'. Picture: Supplied In Net Mens, the celebrated artist recalls her childhood in Port Elizabeth, revealing her love for the stage and telling stories from an early age. ALSO READ: Karlien van Jaarsveld: From a rebel with torn stockings, Derick Hougaard and into the fountain Miscarriage and '1922' Amanda spoke with raw honesty about the tragic miscarriage she suffered while married to copywriter Jeff Nauss. She began bleeding at her stork party in Port Elizabeth. Later, in Johannesburg, her gynaecologist broke the news that the baby, a boy, was no longer alive. 'I don't think I ever got over it,' she said. Shortly afterwards, she was cast in 1922, and, as Amanda put it, she clung to the role as Polish singer Elzbieta Karski like a piece of driftwood. 'It was one of the most amazing roles I've ever played,' she said. 'All hell broke lose': Amanda Strydom talks 'Amandla!' According to her, a turning point in her career was when she shouted 'Amandla!'and gave the black power salute at the end of a concert at the Oude Libertas in Stellenbosch in 1986. 'All hell broke loose,' Amanda said. The writer Hennie Aucamp – whom Amanda called 'Master' – told her afterwards that she needed to understand that nothing would ever be the same again. 'I tried to cope with it. Like with the miscarriage – you try to suppress and suppress. 'But when people repress hurt and humiliation, when your soul is trampled on and you keep it all inside, you're building a bomb inside yourself – a bomb that will definitely explode at some point.' Amanda Strydom: Overcoming the obstacles of life and love Amanda began hearing voices, and all the emotions she had suppressed, turned into psychosis. She was admitted to a psychiatric institution, where she underwent shock therapy, among other treatments. A psychiatrist recommended that she find work with a fixed routine – a 9-to-5 job that could restore her sense of dignity. During this time, Amanda came to terms with being alone and made friends with her neighbours. When their house was sold, a new tenant moved in, and that's how she met her husband, Tony de Beer. She eventually returned to the stage, and her career went from strength to strength with many regarding Amanda Strydom as an icon and pioneering figure in South African cabaret. LISTEN: 'Ek Loop die Pad' In Net Mens, the star also performed excerpts from some of her most beloved songs, including 'Ek Loop die Pad', the very first song she ever wrote. 'It's healing when you write about deep hurt – and then also manage to have a sense of humour about it,' Amanda said. Guests featured on the episode – which is available on DStv Stream and Catch Up – include Coenraad Rall, her friend and long-time accompanist, as well as Karen Meiring, Saartjie Botha and Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck, all of whom have known Amanda through the arts for many years. Next on 'Net Mens'… Actress Hanna Grobler is the guest on the third and final episode of Net Mens which will air next Sunday, 20 July at 8pm on kykNET (DStv channel 144). The complete series is also available on DStv Stream and Catch Up.
