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IOL News
20 hours ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Exploring Politics Through Art: Nanda Soobben's provocative book, 'Shut Your Pothole'
Multi-award winning cartoonist and animator Nanda Soobben launched his latest book, Shut Your Pothole. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Media VETERAN cartoonist and animator Nanda Soobben launched his third book, Shut Your Pothole, at the Glenwood Book Fair, on Saturday. Soobben, who has been keeping a close eye and depicting his take on local and international politics for 40 years in that time, is regarded as a Struggle media personality. It's no surprise that the book has strong political flavour and Chapter One is titled: 'Apartheid and Racism" Mandela, women, GBV and human rights, Donald Trump, one of the most dominant personalities in world politics presently, are some other prominent themes to feature in the book. Some of the audience who attended the launch of nanda Soobben's latest book, Shut Your Pothole. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Media Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ During the launch event, Soobben engaged his audience and gave insights on the inspiration for Shut Your Pothole, including the catchy title. 'I saw Bheki Cele (the former minister of police) shouting at someone, who was asking a relevant question about a woman who was killed in a township and he was telling her to shut up and was shouting at her. 'I was watching it play out on TV and instinctively said, shut your pothole!' About the presidents who ruled nations during his career as cartoonist, Soobben said: 'I have seen stupid men rule the world, everyone one was stupid. There was only one who was more dignified than the others, the rest were all stupid because of the things they did.' Nanda Soobben giving insights on some of the depictions in his latest boo, Shut Your Pothole. Image: Sibonelo Ngcobo/Independent Media
IOL News
21 hours ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Mamelodi Sundowns vs Pyramids FC: Predicted lineups for CAF Champions League final 2025
THE CHOSEN XI Here are the latest predicted lineups and key stats for the CAF Champions League final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Pyramids FC. Picture: Itumeleng English/Independent Media Mamelodi Sundowns and Pyramids FC will lock horns once more in the second leg of the CAF Champions League final, in Cairo, on Sunday evening. Kick-off is 7pm SA time. Sundowns drew 1-1 with Pyramids last week at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria, as the visitors bagged a crucial away goal. Previously, in four two-legged finals involving a South African club which failed to win the first leg at home, only once has a comeback been pulled off. That of course came 30 years ago when Orlando Pirates drew 2-2 at home and then beat ASEC Mimosa 1-0 away in the return leg.
IOL News
a day ago
- Politics
- IOL News
What Ngugi wa Thiong'o Taught Us About Freedom, Power, and Betrayal
Reflecting on the life and legacy of Ngugi wa Thiong'o, Dr Iqbal Survé explores the profound lessons he imparted about freedom, power, and the ongoing struggles faced by Africa. Image: Independent Media January 5, 1938 – May 28, 2025 Last week Thursday, 28th May, saw the passing of Ngugi, the East African novelist. He was widely regarded as East Africa's greatest novelist and one of the best in Africa. (He coincidentally shared a birthday with my son.) He was unfortunate never to win the Nobel Prize for Literature despite being nominated several times and considered a favourite to be awarded the prize. Perhaps he had angered too many powerful people in Europe and among the elites. Ngugi understood Africa and the politics of the continent better than most. He explored through his novels the class struggles of ordinary people — a reality that remains with us today, as Africa continues to grapple with inequality and poverty. His work brilliantly intersected the personal and the political, a gift that reminds us that storytelling can be a form of resistance. NGUGI AND HIS IMPACT ON MY THINKING ABOUT POST-LIBERATION POLITICS The apartheid years — my formative years — especially the student movement in the post-1976 and 80s, were shaped by writers like Ngugi. For student activists and leaders, Ngugi's works were essential reading. We were fighting the apartheid system, a system of 'racial capitalism', race laws institutionalised to support economic exclusion. As activists and freedom fighters, we opposed this system, envisioning a non-racial society and socialism as a real alternative to benefit the people post-apartheid. While we were imagining a post-apartheid South Africa grounded in the Freedom Charter, Ngugi was imagining a post-colonial Kenya, where genuine freedom would reach the people, not just the new ruling elite. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading THE NGUGI BOOKS I READ AND THEIR MEANING TODAY Petals of Blood (1977)I first read Petals of Blood in my early student years, during my time in the SRC and the Committee of 81. It may even have been banned in South Africa then. We hid these books alongside many other struggle literatures, mindful of the consequences if they were found. Petals of Blood was Ngugi's last novel written in English before he committed to writing in his indigenous language. The novel is set in post-independence Kenya and tells the story of villagers disillusioned by the broken promises of independence. Ngugi shows how the new ruling elite quickly resembled their colonial predecessors, a theme too familiar even today across many parts of Africa. The Trial of Dedan Kimathi (1976)This play recounts the story of Dedan Kimathi, the leader of the Mau Mau uprising, who refused to betray his fellow revolutionaries under British torture. Many South Africans can relate to this heroism, the sacrifices made by anti-apartheid leaders who endured torture, imprisonment, and, too often, death. A Grain of Wheat (1967)Set during the struggle for Kenyan independence, this novel grapples with betrayal, loyalty, and the burdens borne by revolutionaries. South Africa, too, has its stories of betrayal, of those accused of collaborating with apartheid authorities, of the tragic labels of impi and askari. Ngugi was ahead of his time in laying bare the complexities and moral ambiguities of liberation struggles. His works continue to remind us: it is not enough to fight for freedom, what matters is what we do with it after it is won. NGUGI WAS A SAGE If He Could See South Africa TodayThe elites have benefited. The poor remain poor. Unemployment is massive. Racial capitalism, though no longer enshrined in law, endures in practice. Ngugi, a staunch anti-colonialist and communist, might have seen in our reality a confirmation of his warnings: that without vigilance and moral clarity, power merely changes hands without changing society. Though I differ with Ngugi on communism — I do not believe it offers a full solution for South Africa — I do believe that Africa must remain focused on what works, whether that is found in the best of socialism, capitalism, or something altogether different. Ideology must not triumph over pragmatism. We must be bold enough to accept uncomfortable truths: that we have, too often, failed to fulfill the promises of liberation. The struggle was noble, but the aftermath requires an even greater commitment to justice and transformation. Ngugi's writings teach us that history will judge us not by our intentions but by the realities we create. If we care, if we truly value our people, we must reduce poverty and inequality, not in theory, but in lived experience. The past should inform us, but it must not chain us. Our focus must be on the now and on the future. * Dr Iqbal Survé is the Chairman of Sekunjalo Group and the Past Chair of the BRICS Business Council & Co-Chair of the BRICS Media Forum and BNN. * Follow Dr Survé's updates via his WhatsApp Channel. * The views expressed do not necessarily reflect the views of IOL or Independent Media.
IOL News
3 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Q & A: Graeme Smith on his love for Lord's, the Aussies and Proteas spearhead Kagiso Rabada
GRAEME Smith and other Proteas legends speaking at the current squad's send off ahead of the departure to the World Test Championship final at Lord's. | Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers Image: Itumeleng English/independent Newspapers Independent Media's Zaahier Adams, who will be covering the World Test Championship final between the Proteas and Australia at Lord's, sits down exclusively with former captain Graeme Smith. Smith shares his vast experience of the unique challenge of facing Australia, the charms of Lord's, and speculates about the make-up of the Proteas starting XI… ZA: Graeme, we here at the Betway SA20 office, how is the day job going these days? It's actually unbelievable the amount of people that think when our season finishes that the work comes to an end. You get asked, what are you doing now? I've got a really good team at SA20 and working hard already on hopefully improving a number of things and getting things right for Season 4. ZA: But before that gets underway, there's quite a big thing happening in South African cricket the next couple of weeks, the World Test Championship final, with the Proteas playing for the golden mace, something you know a little bit about … I've been fortunate to get my hands on the mace a few times. The thing about the mace is to get there and get your hands on it, the amount of toil and hard work that goes into achieving that No 1 status in Test cricket. Travelling the world, you've got to have a team that can handle pressure for five days, that can handle the mental state and perform the skills consistently in many different conditions. It's a reward of performance over a period of time. It's great that South Africa are back in that place with the opportunity to get their hands on it. Graeme Smith PROTEAS legend Grame Smith. | Itumeleng English/independent Newspapers Image: Itumeleng English/independent Newspapers ZA: The opposition is none other than the arch-enemy Australia. A team you enjoyed many a battle with. So, let's rewind to your debut series in 2001, you receive a verbal barrage, and you speak about it publicly afterwards… It came back to a bit of innocence as well, naivety. I think for me, playing against that great Australian team, making my debut as a youngster at 21 years old, and then performing reasonably well in a cauldron like that when it was so highly pressurised, The (Australian) attack was probably one of the better attacks I've ever played against … (Jason) Gillespie, (Brett) Lee, (Shane) Warne, (Glenn) McGrath. And of course, Steve Waugh was still there, that old school hard Australian style. I think for me, just doing an interview afterwards, I was actually speaking out of excitement. I learnt a valuable lesson because the reporter took advantage of it and it became a big thing. Independent Media's Zaahier Adams will be at Lord's covering the ICC World Test Championship final. Picture: Independent Media Image: Independent Media ZA: Four years later, you are now captain of the Proteas heading Down Under. And you take a lot of the responsibility on yourself both on and off the field. Do you feel it is key that the captain has to lead the way when facing Australia? I think as you grow, you balance things. At the time, we were a team that probably wasn't good enough to go and win in Australia. A lot of players going there for the first time. It was a valuable lesson for me, that tour. It was my first experience of touring Australia. Yes, I tried to take a few things extra on my shoulders. We fought hard in that series. I think for me, a lot of valuable lessons that I took away, that really helped frame us going back there in 08-09 and how we wanted to go about it. Building the type of team that can go there to be successful. (3:56) What are the challenges you need to overcome? (3:58) A lot of hard lessons on that first tour that were tough, (4:01) that ultimately framed the future successes. ZA: You finally climbed Everest in 2008. You beat the Aussies on their home patch. The celebrations in Melbourne were extremely special. What did that mean to you as a group to go there after all the hardship that had gone before? Winning at probably one of their most iconic stadiums, winning the series at the MCG. When you start on Boxing Day, you walk out there, you're like, wow, this is just an incredible coliseum to perform in. Then winning for the first time in Australia was just an amazing moment. I had watched teams and been a part of a team that had gone there and suffered at the hands heavily. It's a hard tour. The media is tough. The crowds are tough. They're an incredible cricket nation, a lot of outstanding players. It's a huge hurdle to overcome. I think it was so important that South African Cricket broke that barrier down in 08-09. There's an image that I'll never forget of getting onto the team bus and Jacques Kallis is all emotional and in tears. For him, it had been such a tough run and now he'd overcome it. There was JP Duminy bouncing on him on his first ever tour. He was like, what's all this fuss about? The Proteas claimed the ICC Test mace at Lord's under Smith's leadership in 2012. Picture: AFP Image: AFP ZA: And then you head back in 2012, and do it all over again! By then we were a team that had come together. We had some incredible bowlers. A great attack. We had depth with Kallis as an all-rounder and De Villiers performing and another all-rounder in JP. We also had a batting unit where the majority of the guys averaged close to 50 or over 50. We built a culture, we built a value system. We knew what we stood for and the performances just followed. ZA: It all basically reached a crescendo at Lords in 2012, and you lift the mace. The Proteas are the best team in the world. Just that experience, the Lords' experience. How does this young Proteas side going there now, how do they cope with the enormity of the situation? There's a lot of experience around South African cricket now. Maybe that's something we can get better at is the sharing of knowledge and experience of what was important for us. For example, arriving at Lords, there can be a lot of fanfare because it's people's first experience of the museum, the ground, the traditions that come with it, the Members Stand. Often, it's about getting those little things out of the way and dealing with it pre-game. It is just an amazing place to go and play cricket and to have a final, a World Championship final there, adds to the occasion. Hopefully the South African team really just recognises the opportunity and is determined to go and do well. ZA: What are the biggest challenges facing the Proteas? We know that they've got certain challenges they're going to need to overcome against a very successful Australian team. They're the underdogs. But what an opportunity. It would be fantastic to see, in a one-off Test match, they give it everything and perform their skills. ZA: How do you approach a once-off Test match? Obviously, preparation is key. I think for the underdog team it's a benefit. If you can get your stuff together and a couple of players or you get a batting unit that suddenly posts a total or your bowlers get you into the game, it really is. Over a three to five test match series, you expect the better teams to get better and better. The pressure over a lengthy period of time will take its toll on a team that's maybe got a few gaps. But in a once-off, you've got six days to really get it together and perform your skills. Graeme Smith has the highest score by an overseas batter at Lord's. Picture: AFP Image: AFP ZA: How do you think Temba Bavuma, as captain of the Proteas, needs to front up to the Aussies? I think Temba will go about it his own way. He's not a guy that shouts from the rooftops. He's calm, assured. The most important thing for Temba is his performance with the bat. There's a lot of players in that line-up that can bat around a Temba, and with his consistent performance of late, if he can take that into the game, it really does calm things down and settle things down for the rest of the unit. Then tactically, I think it's going to be important to see how they go about it, him and Shuks, in terms of selection. What's the type of bowling line-up they're going to put together? What's the weather? What's the pitch look like? Try and put combinations together that can really hurt Australia. ZA: In 2012, we saw the importance of JP Duminy and Vernon Philander scoring valuable runs at Nos 7 and 8. Do the Proteas stack their side again with the all-rounders? Just watching Shuks, he is a little bit unpredictable in terms of his selections, but I do think that he likes those options in terms of having a few more options with the ball and batting a little bit deeper. Depending on the weather, I would always be very nervous at Lord's to go without a spin option. Kesh (Maharaj) has been an outstanding option for Temba. If the sun does come out, sometimes that pitch can get good and you'll need someone to control the game as well. That's often the nuance as a captain and a coach is trying to find that balance in your XI. ZA: If you had a message to this young Proteas side before easily the biggest game of their lives, what would that message be to that group of players? Well, motivation shouldn't be an issue for the guys getting there. If you're not motivated, then there's something wrong. A lot of work probably needs to go into handling of situations, how they're going to handle the media, what's going to be their messages. Getting used to the Duke ball what are the key factors that they want to get right in the Test Match from a strategy perspective. Focusing on that and then putting all things on the table. I think one of the great things about the team that we built when travelling to Australia, we actually built in things to deal with. Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen will be influential for the Proteas at Lord's. Picture: AFP Image: AFP
IOL News
3 days ago
- General
- IOL News
When location matters more than quality housing
The Bottlebrush informal settlement sprung into life in the 1980s, after the floods hit Montford. File picture: Siyanda Mayeza/Independent Media The Bottlebrush informal settlement sprung into life in the 1980s, after the floods hit Montford. File picture: Siyanda Mayeza/Independent Media Image: Siyanda Mayeza/Independent Media TO UNDERSTAND housing policies in practice, one must walk the footpaths of the communities they intend to serve. In my own journey across South Africa, I have visited countless neighborhoods where the grand promises of the Constitution meet the grit of everyday survival. One such place is the Bottlebrush Community in KwaZulu-Natal, an informal settlement tucked behind Crossmoor and Shallcross in Durban's Chatsworth area. Bottlebrush sprang up in the 1980s, when floods displaced people, mainly Indian, in nearby formal townships, and desperate families grabbed a patch of vacant land rather than be shunted to distant government camps. Today, Bottlebrush is a sprawling shantytown of an estimated 19 000+ residents, many drawn from rural South Africa and even neighbouring countries by the magnetic hope of the city. The settlement sits cheek-by-jowl with the formerly established Indian suburbs, a poignant symbol of apartheid's fading geography and with an invisible line separating formal homes from informal homes. As you step off a paved road in Crossmoor onto the dirt road of Bottlebrush, the world changes, you enter a maze of RDP homes, shacks assembled from plastic and election boards, timber off cuts, iron sheets, anything that can keep out the rain. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ Previn Vedan at the Crossmoor Transit Camp Image: Supplied Narrow pathways wind through this hill of humanity, some live electrical wires - some illegally connected - dangle perilously overhead and the smell of wood smoke mixes with refuse in the air. Nearby, in the Crossmoor Transit Camp, one of the most ethnically diverse spaces you will find in South Africa, I saw true leadership in a Mozambican national named Paul Manhica. A community once rocked by xenophobic violence, Manhica, married a South African woman and was elected unanimously as the Camp's chairperson. This was not just an act of tolerance, it was a triumph of Ubuntu. His leadership helped bridge divides and reminded me that belonging is about contribution, not birthplace. Walking through Bottlebrush on an early morning, I witness scenes of resilience regardless of hardship. Women walk long distances balancing buckets of water on their heads, collected from communal Jojo tanks located on roadsides, since many shack homes lack running water. Children in crisp school uniforms pick their way around mud puddles, determined to get an education that might one day allow them to move out of here. One young man, Phineas, tells me he came from the Eastern Cape in 2007, lured by relatives who said jobs were plentiful in Durban. Within two weeks, he did find a job at a local mall. This is proof that opportunities do exist in urban hubs. 'I'm happy living here,' he insists. 'My shack is not a palace, but good enough for my needs. Work is nearby, my family back home depends on my earnings'. His words echo a sentiment I hear often; location can matter more than housing quality. Many Bottlebrush residents value being close to jobs and transport over having a larger house in a far off settlement. The once vacant land was invaded under the tenure of a politician who served as the councillor for the area initially as a member of the Minority Front and later under the Democratic Alliance. He said the pursuit of a 'better life' into this land of milk and honey had enticed many to make Bottlebrush home. Paradoxically, even though living conditions are harsh - shack homes get flooded in heavy rains and electricity theft causes frequent fires - people see it as a place of hope, a foothold in the city economy. However, the idyll of informal settlements as a 'promised land' is tempered by stark challenges basic services are a constant struggle; illegal electricity connections - as mentioned - weave a dangerous web, electrocutions and shack fires have occurred and neighbours in formal houses also suffer outages from the now overloaded grid; water tankers service Jojo daily to supplement the trickling standpipes; there is no formal sewage system for part of the settlement, many rely on pit latrines or makeshift toilets; waste removal is infrequent, trash accumulates in piles, attracting rats. These are not just inconveniences, they are daily indignities that erode health and morale. Service delivery protests erupt with depressing frequency, as residents barricade roads and burn tires to demand the basics of modern life. Often the response from the government is a mix of promises and temporary fixes, but the underlying issue is that the hundreds of informal settlements throughout South Africa are still considered 'temporary', even though they are decades old. The government hesitates to fully install infrastructure on land that was originally invaded, fearing it might encourage further land grabs. And indeed, land invasion is part of the DNA of South Africa. Bottlebrush expanded over the years through new waves of occupations. The settlement now covers over 25 000 square metres and has offshoot settlements like the nearby Ekupholeni - which was born when shack dwellers became aware of a government housing development and decided to invade the development site, in the desperate hope of being given preference to the 'to-be-built' homes. Many believe informal settlements are occupied by the destitute and unemployed. My work, particularly during the Covid-19 vaccine outreach, shattered that illusion. I struggled to find people over 60 years old in these communities because most residents are working age individuals. Informal settlements are hubs of mobility, people rent close to industrial areas, stay during the working periods and return home during festive or year end holidays. Poverty, here, is not always about laziness, it is about proximity to opportunity - And this particular point requires an investigation into wage payments from employers, if this investigation is overcome then we must turn to the discussions of a minimum wage versus a living wage. The phenomenon of the 'shack lord' deserves mention. In many informal areas, a few enterprising (or rather exploitative) individuals stake claim to sections of land and then rent out shack homes to others, effectively becoming slumlords in an extra legal property market. In the Lusaka settlement, which is also located in Chatsworth, for example, some who were allocated formal RDP houses in a nearby project simply moved tenants into their old shack homes at about R500 per month.
