Latest news with #Manyathi
The Citizen
16-07-2025
- Health
- The Citizen
Smile Foundation's 25 years of changing lives
What began with a mother's letter to Nelson Mandela has grown into a legacy of free life-changing surgeries, helping over 1 500 children smile with confidence. Smile Foundation director Marc Lubner, left, 17-month-old Zaylin Jantjies, with mother Amy, and the first beneficiary of the Smile Foundation Thando Manyathi. Picture: Michel Bega Twenty-five years ago, Thando Manyathi's mother wrote a letter to former president Nelson Mandela asking for help with her seven-year-old daughter's lower facial paralysis. Manyathi suffered from moebius syndrome, which left her without any facial expression. The beginning of the Smile Foundation Mandela reached out to philanthropist Marc Lubner, who at the time was with the Young Presidents' Organisation. The two intervened and after much research and investigation, decided rather than sending Manyathi overseas for surgery, it would be best to bring the world's leading surgeons to South Africa and, in turn, help train local medical professionals, which would see this become an ongoing effort. The face of a national legacy Today, Manyathi smiles readily and confidently holds a receptionist job at the Smile Foundation. After going through various medical procedures Manyathi completed a number of administrative courses and computer skills training programmes. She also worked through a number of different departments within the Smile Foundation and Lubner's other charity, Afrika Tikkun. Spending time in the presence of Manyathi, Lubner and his associates recognised that she possessed a lot of love and joy and realised that Manyathi would be ideally suited to being 'the face' of their company – at the helm of the front desk. Thousands of lives changed She is among about 1 500 beneficiaries of the Smile Foundation's 25 years of efforts to provide life-changing reconstructive surgery to underserved communities. This week, as part of Smile Week at the Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital where it all started 25 years ago, 14 children will receive surgeries that will give them new smiles, fresh confidence and a hope for the future. ALSO READ: Baby girl's life saved by surgery One mother's emotional journey to hope Among them is 17-month-old Zaylin Jantjies from Fochville, who is receiving cleft palate surgery. Mother Amy Jantjies said being a beneficiary of the Smile Foundation is life-changing. 'These operations are so expensive and I'm really grateful for them,' said Jantjies. When describing what it was like finding out her baby had a cleft palate at birth, Jantjies said: 'It was heartbreaking. It was traumatising. It felt like my world did crash. I lost a lot of weight.' Jantjies goes on to explain how the surgeries have not only helped Zaylin, but also her mental state as a mother. 'After Zaylin's first operation, I started gaining weight again. I feel like my heart is clean. I do still cry about this because it's heartbreaking but at the end of the day, it's also tears of joy because I never thought it was possible for her to become more beautiful than she already was to me. I'm relieved that now no-one will be able to tease her when she grows up.' Eleven-month-old Gorataone Modise and mom Kgothatso at Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital during Smile Week. Picture: Michel Bega A mother's gratitude Lubner is quick to point out that the Smile Foundation is just a facilitator of this programme and that it's the surgeons at the hospital that deserve the recognition for their time and skills. Additionally, Lubner thanks the Vodacom Foundation that has supported the initiative from the start. Looking back over the 25 years, just before Mandela Day, Lubner recalls how he and Mandela's dream came true. 'This is proof of what's possible when people come together to make a difference, and it's just the beginning of the next chapter.' *Smile Foundation is a South African non-profit organisation dedicated to providing comprehensive health care for children and families affected by facial conditions and burns. NOW READ: Smile Foundation give little Caroline a reason to smile
The Citizen
11-07-2025
- The Citizen
3 arrested after Mkhondo councillor's 2022 murder
Three suspects, aged between 32 and 36, have been charged with the murder of Mkhondo Municipality councillor Muzi Manyathi. According to Lowvelder, the breakthrough comes nearly three years after Manyathi was gunned down at a fuel station in Mkhondo on the evening of November 4, 2022. The charges were laid yesterday, and the suspects were expected to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate's Court later the same day. A police report states the suspects arrived at the fuel station in a Mercedes-Benz with Gauteng number plates. They allegedly moved from one pump to another without refuelling. One of the suspects then exited the vehicle. Manyathi was shot, allegedly by him, multiple times. The group fled the scene in the same vehicle. Mkhondo police and paramedics responded swiftly, but Manyathi was declared dead on the scene. The attack occurred just days after Manyathi posted a Facebook Live video in which he accused ANC members of being behind political killings in the Gert Sibande District. The Mercedes-Benz was later found abandoned near a dam. Investigators determined the number plates were fake and that the car had been reported stolen from Brakpan in April 2022. According to Mpumalanga police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the investigation led officers to three men who were already in custody on an unrelated matter. 'Details of that case will be made available at a later stage,' he said. Acting provincial police commissioner Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi praised the investigative team for their dedication. 'We made a vow that we would not rest until the perpetrators were brought to book so that justice could be served for the victim's family – and we have delivered. We trust that the suspects will be convicted and receive a harsh sentence,' he said. Breaking news at your fingertips… Follow Caxton Network News on Facebook and join our WhatsApp channel. Nuus wat saakmaak. Volg Caxton Netwerk-nuus op Facebook en sluit aan by ons WhatsApp-kanaal. Read original story on At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The Citizen
10-07-2025
- The Citizen
Three arrested for 2022 murder of Mkhondo councillor
Three suspects, aged between 32 and 36, have been charged with the murder of Mkhondo Municipality councillor Muzi Manyathi. The breakthrough comes nearly three years after Manyathi was gunned down at a fuel station in Mkhondo on the evening of November 4, 2022. The charges were laid on Thursday, July 10, and the suspects are expected to appear in the Piet Retief Magistrate's Court later today. ALSO READ: Six accused in murder of former City of Mbombela councillor appear in court According to a police report, the suspects had arrived at the fuel station in a Mercedes-Benz with Gauteng number plates. They allegedly moved from one pump to another without refuelling. One of the suspects then exited the vehicle, approached Manyathi and shot him multiple times. The group fled the scene in the same vehicle. Mkhondo police and paramedics responded swiftly, but Manyathi was declared dead on the scene. The attack occurred just days after Manyathi posted a Facebook Live video in which he accused ANC members of being behind political killings in the Gert Sibande District. ALSO READ: Calcutta SAPS continues the search for ward councillor's killer The Mercedes-Benz was later found abandoned near a dam. Investigators determined that the number plates were fake and that the car had been reported stolen from Brakpan in April 2022. According to provincial police spokesperson Brigadier Donald Mdhluli, the investigation led officers to three men who were already in custody on an unrelated matter. 'Details of that case will be made available at a later stage,' he said. Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General Dr Zeph Mkhwanazi, praised the investigative team for their dedication. 'We made a vow that we would not rest until the perpetrators were brought to book so that justice could be served for the victim's family – and we have delivered. We trust that the suspects will be convicted and receive a harsh sentence,' he said. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
