Latest news with #Mahikeng
News24
14-07-2025
- Health
- News24
‘My fight against lupus is part of my mission to empower others'
Lolo Lekgoane's life changed when she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus. The Mahikeng resident faced immense challenges, including giving up her job, losing mobility and enduring frequent hospital stays. Yet, her indomitable spirit turned adversity into purpose. Lolo (37) launched a foundation dedicated to educating others about lupus and offering support to those affected by the chronic autoimmune disease. This is her story. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lolo Loliza Lekgoane (@lolo_lekgoane) 'I was diagnosed in 2012. Basically the symptoms I experienced were joint pain and fatigue. I would sleep for eight hours and I would feel like I hadn't slept and like I had been hit by a truck. I ignored the symptoms because I was young and I thought I was okay. But the symptoms persisted. One day I was on the couch and I couldn't breathe. I was rushed to the hospital. I also had what they called a butterfly rash – it's a rash in the shape of a butterfly on your cheek. That's one of the most common symptoms of lupus. Thankfully, when I arrived at the hospital, there was a doctor who immediately recognised my symptoms and suspected lupus. Her quick understanding and expertise led to tests that confirmed the diagnosis. The first thing that came to my mind when I was diagnosed was my aunt, Kgomotso, who died from lupus at the age of 33. She was ill for 13 years but she was misdiagnosed. Lupus is often misdiagnosed because its symptoms mimic many other medical conditions. For years, doctors believed she had arteritis [arterial inflammation], and she was treated for it until further tests finally revealed the correct diagnosis. By the time doctors realised it was lupus, it was too late – her fingers had been amputated, and her body was deteriorating. I started my treatment, which included steroids and antidepressants. For about two years I was good. Sometimes I even forgot to take the medication because I was doing well. But in 2015 I had a relapse, or what we call a flare-up. It was very severe. I was diagnosed with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) which causes inflammation in your brain, spinal cord and optic nerves. I lost my sight, I got meningitis and I was hospitalised for two months. I was wheelchair-bound. I'm partially blind in my left eye. My life has never been the same since. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lolo Loliza Lekgoane (@lolo_lekgoane) I worked as a marketing intern at an airline. I used to wear heels but I just couldn't do that as I was sick. I started missing out on work a lot. I eventually had to resign. In 2023 I spent seven months re-learning how to walk, how use a fork – things most people take for granted. Every year since 2017, I've been hospitalised due to NMO. I hadn't heard a lot about lupus in local media, so I started sharing my story on social media. Once I started, others living with lupus shared their stories with me. I was inspired to start Lolo Lekgoane Lupus Foundation in 2018. It was important for me to use my voice and to be an advocate. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Lolo Loliza Lekgoane (@lolo_lekgoane) Lupus isn't that visible. On the outside you look okay but the battle you're fighting on the inside is completely different. I want to educate, raise awareness and offer counselling. Every May, during lupus awareness month, my foundation has a walk in Mahikeng, in the North West. We also do talks at schools, churches and businesses. I also run support groups on Facebook and WhatsApp and caregivers are also welcome to share their experiences. I also do a lot of media interviews. I feel like the government prioritises other illnesses, such as cancer and HIV/Aids but I want our battle with lupus to be recognised too. A lot of people I've met have been sick for years, and only get diagnosed years later, like my aunt. Because of this I'm committed to raising awareness and speaking out. Protea Hotel by Marriott Mahikeng and Clicks Mafikeng with our warriors after giving out some nice Souvenirs 👌🏾... Posted by Lolo Lekgoane Lupus Foundation on Sunday, May 11, 2025 At these talks there's always a mother or sister who comes to thank us. It's great to see how many people have realised they aren't fighting lupus on their own. I can't completely change their or my situation but being able to be a voice goes a long way. Being able to build community helps. Having my mother and the support of my family and friends has really helped me on this journey. You can manage lupus by taking your medication and taking care of your mental health. And do things that bring you happiness, and surround yourself with people who won't keep reminding you that you're sick.' Show Comments ()
Mail & Guardian
13-07-2025
- Mail & Guardian
Justice delayed, grief denied: When the courts fail the bereaved
When my father died in September 2023, our family's grief was hijacked first by bureaucracy, then by betrayal, and now by the court system. The first part of this story exposed how the Master's Office in Mahikeng We are now nearly a year into our pursuit of justice. Our first court appearance was in March 2024, after we secured the services of a handwriting expert to analyse the mysterious will. The expert's report confirmed what we feared: the signature didn't match my father's. We thought we were finally on a path toward truth. We were wrong. On that first appearance, the case was postponed. The other party, comprising several of my late father's siblings, wanted time to find their own handwriting expert. Understandable, perhaps. But what followed would be laughable if it weren't so painful. The matter was then postponed to September 2024, almost six months later. The date, painfully ironic, falls at about the time of my father's death. Their report arrived. It didn't outright contradict ours, but tried to soften the blow, citing my father's neurological condition to explain the discrepancies in his signature. They presented medical documents as proof. Our legal team requested another postponement, this time to February 2025. Why? Because both reports needed to be reviewed and discussed. No progress. No closure. Just waiting. Then came the real gut punch. In early 2025, the case was postponed again because the matter wasn't 'trial-ready'. Of the six siblings contesting the will, only one had been served. The others? The court's sheriff couldn't find them. So we grieving family members became private investigators. We searched for addresses. We made phone calls. We drove to their homes. In the end, we managed to track down most of them, but May 2025 came, and the case still couldn't be heard. A new date must now be requested. And the process of serving all six must be restarted. Again. At this point, we are not just fighting for an estate. We are fighting for the right to be heard. Ours is not an anomaly. It is a reflection of the civil court system, a system riddled with delays and inefficiencies. In 2021, the then justice minister, Ronald Lamola, said in parliament that the country faces huge court backlogs, particularly in civil matters, citing staff shortages, ageing infrastructure and high caseloads. But for families like mine, those explanations offer no comfort. In our case, justice has been postponed five times. Not because of complex legal arguments. Not because of lack of evidence. Section 34 of the Constitution promises that 'everyone has the right to have any dispute … decided in a fair public hearing before a court'. But when cases are delayed indefinitely sometimes for years that right becomes theoretical. In a country where estate fraud is rising and wills can apparently materialise months after burial, these systemic failures embolden the very people who should be investigated. We have the reports. We have witnesses. We have intent. But the court has yet to even hear our case. We don't talk enough about what this does to people. Every court date is a trigger. Every postponement reopens the wound. You prepare yourself emotionally, mentally, financially. You gather paperwork. You re-live your loss. And then someone says, 'Come back next year.' This is not just about money. It's about dignity. It's about the truth. And it's about what kind of country we want to live in: one where the dead are protected and honoured, or one where silence is bought with time and incompetence. The delays in our case aren't just emotional, they're profitable. While we've endured repeated postponements, judges and lawyers continue to draw full salaries every day the case drags on. Consider the Senzo Meyiwa murder trial: after three long years marred by delays and adjournments, Legal Aid SA said it had already spent R6.5 million on legal fees alone. Civil courts aren't immune. The burden falls on families. In our case, one uncle threatened to attach my mother's R900 000 home to cover R64 000 in legal fees, which was the one time we saw the sheriff was a scare tactic but we refused to back down. Through bribes, witch-doctors, logistical snags and endless formalities, we are determined: justice may be delayed, but it will not be denied. I am writing this because the system has failed us. But silence would fail us more. We must document this for every South African who has had to sit in silence while justice crawled. Because the real death isn't the one we bury, it's the one the system lets happen slowly, year after year, in courtrooms that never open. Orateng Lepodise is a writer and communications specialist. She is documenting her personal experience.
News24
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
5 iconic moments from The River's Cobra in tribute to Presley Chweneyagae
When it's all said and done, 'I just want to be remembered as an actor who loved his work and who had great respect for others.' These are the words of award-winning actor Presley Chweneyagae, who passed away at the age of 40 on Tuesday morning, 27 May 2025, as confirmed by his talent management agency MLA. A family spokesperson explained to Newzroom Afrika that 'There will be two memorial [services]. One will be in Mahikeng, one will be in Johannesburg. Those days will be next week, that will be communicated during the course of this week so that the public is aware that these are the plans.' Mzansi first caught wind of the thespian as the young Tsotsi in the Oscar Award-winning film of the same name, earning him a spot as one of the country's revered creative talents onscreen and performing in theatre productions like A Midsummer Night's Dream, Hamlet, Julius Caesar and more. The Mahikeng-born actor also made his mark on the industry with standout performances in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom and as Shoes Moshoeshoe in the action film iNumber Number and it's spinoffs and sequels. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Presley Oageng Chweneyagae (@presleychweneyagae) But few could forget his iconic role as the hilarious Thuso 'Cobra' Mokoena in the Mzansi Magic soapie The River. Presley took on the role and breathed life into it like no other for six years of the show's run from 2019 to 2024, winning two Best Actor awards from the SAFTSAs for his portrayal. He revived the character in 2025 for the 13-part spinoff series called Cobrizi. As family, friends and industry colleagues remember the light he shone in entertainment, we look back at some of Cobrizi's most memorable moments: Dressed to the nines, Cobra comes to the party and represents Tumi at lobola negotiations in the best way possible. Cobrizi proposes to Paulinsky with his newly found mysterious wealth. Cobra is awarded with a new job as a traffic officer after a bribe, calling for 'a young celebreezy with Cobrizi'. Just when the Mokoenas seem to be getting along, Cobra finds out that Morena lied about not stealing Dimpho's laptop. In an act of anger, Cobra beats up Morena. Cobra is forced to represent himself in court after learning about JJ's sudden death but things take a quick sharp turn when he starts bashing Angelina.
News24
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
The year of Cobreezy: Presley Chweneyagae lets us in on his The River character
Award-winning actor Presley Chweneyagae died on Tuesday. In his honor, we reflect on a memorable conversation we had with him during the height of his illustrious career. He's a busy man right now. He's helping his son become an ace debater while trying to keep the family together. There's a lot going on in his life, but the one thing that remains constant is his English, which he throws out in spades, whether he's drinking at a tavern or spending time with his family. That's Cobra aka Cobreezy for you. The man who plays him, Presley Chweneyagae, thankfully has none of that kind of drama in real life. He recently scooped an outstanding lead actor award at the Royalty Soapie Awards. We look back back at an interview we did with him. MASSIVE COBRA Presley, who's originally from Mahikeng and is based in Pretoria, says he's enjoying the role of Cobra. His character is fondly known for using big words on the show. 'Cobra would never simply say 'good morning', he would say 'revolutionary greetings' instead,' Presley says with a laugh. 'He's a very interesting character to play. He's a complex in many ways and he is based on many uncles in people's families where you really don't understand why he's not successful when he's so smart. Read more 5 things you didn't know about The River's Presley Chweneyagae 'But in many instances, people's careers are interrupted because the bottle takes over and that changes their lives. 'He's the type of guy who uses big English words to show everyone that he is well-read, that his general knowledge is on point and after a few drinks he is not afraid to tell people's secrets,' he says. One of Cobra's favourite words is 'massive' and he says he chuckles when fans come up to him in public and call him 'Massive'. 'Some of the fans come to me and imitate Cobra or say, 'He, monna, e kae diamond?' (Hey, man, where is the diamond?) because Cobra recently stole it. I am humbled by the way the fans appreciate the character because it reminds us of the human element, it means our work touches them somehow.' GETTING STARTED He started out his career on a high note when the filmed he starred in, Tsotsi, won an Oscar for best foreign language film in 2006. 'When I auditioned for Tsotsi there were seasoned actors who were there for the same role but because I was younger, I got it. It opened many doors for me,' Presley says. He is still in contact with his co-star Terry Pheto who has also gone on to be in major productions such as The Bold and The Beautiful. 'She's my sister. We speak every now and again and it's wonderful to see her doing such great things.' Presley started attending drama classes for R5 in his younger days in Mahikeng and went to Tshwane University of Technology to study acting, but when the opportunity for Tsotsi came along, he took it. He was away from school for more than eight weeks and when he wanted to return, he was told he had missed too much work for that year. He never went back. 'The industry is changing. We must accept that there are people who went to school for this, some have honours and others come in through social media, but acting is not simple, it's more than just 'likes',' he says. He's travelled the world in various theatre productions going to countries like Scotland, Germany and France. 'I've been very fortunate to be able to do something I love. I started in theatre and when this opportunity for a TV role came, I took it with both hands. As an artist, one always seeks to be relevant. The older generation know me as Tsotsi and the skrrr skrrr generation know me as Cobreezy, and it's an honour for me to reach and impact different generations. I'm happy to create a body of work that resonates with the audience. I appreciate the love from the fans and it motivates me to do more.' BAG OF TALENTS His career has seen him play different roles in many productions – including More Than Just a Game and Zama Zama. In The River, he also stars alongside many great actors. 'You learn from the legends. I grew up watching Ntate Don and I've followed Moshidi's career, even in theatre.' Read more | Sindi Dlathu on her character on The River: 'I don't recognize myself when watching her' Acting with experienced actors is great but you can also learn something new when you act with the younger actors who are new to the industry if you open yourself up to it. Whenever there's authenticity in work, that honesty comes out for the viewers. 'It's great when you're in a scene with someone who also works hard, it means you're able to feed off each other. It's great when you take it up a notch knowing the other person in the scene is able to go up with you.' Presley says Cobra has got a lot up his sleeve this season and that in the upcoming episodes of the show, views can expect to see 'fireworks'. 'Things are about to get interesting and there will be relationships that will suffer when loyalty is tested,' he reveals. EXCITING PLANS When he's not acting, he's busy with philanthropic work through his NGO, the Presley Chweneyagae Foundation. 'As a foundation, we do our best to give up-and-coming actors opportunities and teach them about the ins and outs of the industry. 'It's not as glamorous as it looks. We are often up at 4am every day and we work 12 hours. We do motivational talks and workshops as well. Not too long ago we had young actors from Free State, Mpumalanga and the North West in a play about substance abuse. 'The truth is, when you look at substance abuse it doesn't only affect the users but their families and communities as well.' His foundation is also affiliated with the Southern African Youth Movement. Next, he plans to get into animation. 'These youngsters are great with technology and with art, so why not combine the two? There's money in animation and I would like to encourage them to get into those spaces. It's important to get them while they are still young so they know there are other career opportunities and they must not limit themselves to just acting. There are also behind-the-scenes opportunities available to them. 'I would also like to produce my own work going forward,' he adds.
News24
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Award-winning Tsotsi and The River star Presley Chweneyagae dies aged 40
Multi-award-winning actor Presley Chweneyagae, known to viewers as Cobra on The River and recently in the spin-off Cobrizzi, has died at age 40. Chweneyagae rose to international prominence with his starring role in Tsotsi, which won the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film. The Mafikeng-born performer leaves an impressive legacy spanning stage and screen, with numerous accolades. Acclaimed South African actor Presley Chweneyagae, best known for his portrayal of Cobra on 1Magic's The River, has died aged 40. Chweneyagae's death was confirmed by a statement issued by his management MLA on behalf of his family. 'It is with profound sadness that we confirm the untimely passing of one of South Africa's most gifted and beloved actors, Presley Chweneyagae, at the age of 40,' the statement reads. The actor most recently appeared in Cobrizzi, the Mzansi Magic spin-off of The River. The Mahikeng-born performer rose to international prominence with his starring role in the 2005 film Tsotsi, which captured the Academy Award for Foreign Language Film at the 78th Academy Awards. Getty His powerful performance in the title role earned him the Black Movie Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role, establishing him as one of South Africa's most compelling acting talents. His agency added: 'Presley was a longtime and cherished member of the MLA family - more than a client, he was a friend, a mentor to many, a beacon of creativity and perseverance. His passion for empowering the next generation of artists will remain an integral part of his legacy. 'We extend our heartfelt condolences to his wife, children, extended family, colleagues, and all who knew and loved him. While we grieve the immense loss of a remarkable talent, we celebrate the light he brought to the world.' Born on 19 October 1984 in what is now the North West province, Chweneyagae discovered his passion for acting early, beginning drama classes at just 10 years old at the North West Arts Council (now known as The Mmabana Arts, Culture and Sports Foundation). His extensive stage career included performances in numerous productions, including Hamlet (playing the title role), Julius Caesar (as Mark Anthony), A Midsummer Night's Dream (as Bottom and Puck), and Dikeledi, an adaptation of the Greek tragedy Electra. His versatility on stage provided a strong foundation for his later screen success. In addition to his groundbreaking work in Tsotsi, Chweneyagae collected significant accolades throughout his career, including two Golden Awards – one for Best Actor in a Feature Film for Tsotsi and another for Best Actor in a Telenovela for his work in The River, where his portrayal of the complex character Cobra resonated deeply with South African audiences. Beyond television and film, the versatile performer appeared in commercial work, including MTN advertisements, and participated in The National Land Act Exhibition and Beautiful Things. Throughout his three-decade career, Chweneyagae demonstrated remarkable range and depth as a performer, transitioning seamlessly between stage and screen while maintaining a distinctive presence that captivated audiences across different media. This is a developing story, with further details regarding the circumstances of his passing yet to be released.
