Latest news with #Moeketsi
TimesLIVE
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
Kippie Moeketsi's global influence: what made the South African saxophonist so great
One of the most influential artists in South Africa's rich history of jazz is Kippie Moeketsi. He was born on July 27 2025 and passed away at only 57. Like Moeketsi, Salim Washington plays the saxophone and composes jazz. As a professor of global jazz studies, he also teaches students about Moeketsi's work and researches South African jazz. As part of our coverage of Moeketsi's centenary we asked him about the music behind the man. Who was Kippie Moeketsi? Kippie Moeketsi was born Jeremiah Morolong Moeketsi on July 27 1925. He was a jazz virtuoso, a modernist and cultural icon from South Africa, active from the 1940s to the 1970s. He was highly regarded among his peers and enjoys the reputation of being a musical genius. He garnered his reputation early on as a member of the famous South African group, the Manhattan Brothers. He came of age among a coterie of outstanding local artists, including Mackay Davashe, and younger lights such as Dollar Brand (now Abdullah Ibrahim) and Miriam Makeba. During the early part of his career he was a close associate of fellow musical visionary, pianist, composer and arranger Pat Matshikiza. With him he recorded Tshona and the more experimental Umgababa. Why is he often compared to Charlie Parker? Perhaps Moeketsi's most enduring contribution is as a member of the Afro-Diasporic modernists. The musical modernists were celebrated in the US as so-called beboppers. The musicians themselves did not come up with the term bebop; they preferred the term modern music for their artistry. That movement was centred on another genius saxophonist, US jazz star Charlie Parker, known as Bird, who died at 35 in 1955. Because Kippie admired Bird, and because he was of the same generation, and because his mythology (including his penchant for drinking too much) resembled Parker's, Bra Kippie was often compared to Bird and was even referred to as South Africa's Charlie Parker. This is more about the mythologies erected around these two giants; the musical record does not warrant the conflation of their legacies. (In the US one could rather make a musical case for saxophonist Sonny Stitt, or in South Africa one could think of saxophonist Barney Rachabane, as disciples of Parker.) However, Moeketsi did inhabit many of the attributes that made Bird so important. First of all, he was a modernist who mastered the art of double timing (playing twice as fast as normal, 16 notes rather than eight) and could seamlessly employ this method wherever he felt musically justified.
The Citizen
02-08-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
Agro fund to create jobs and drive rural growth by 2027, says agriculture MEC
Agro fund to create jobs and drive rural growth by 2027, says agriculture MEC The MEC for agriculture, rural development, land and environmental affairs (Dardlea), Khethiwe Moeketsi, tabled the department's 2025/26 financial year budget at the Provincial Legislature on Tuesday, July 22. The department received approximately R1.6b for the financial touched on various issues and plans the department has for the people of Mpumalanga. She said Mpumalanga remains a predominantly rural province, but one with immense agricultural potential, favourable climatic conditions and abundant resources. ALSO READ: Mpumalanga Fresh Produce Market misses another deadline: Agriculture announces postponement of launch When discussing the Mpumalanga Agro Fund, she described it as a transformative R400m blended-finance partnership designed to drive inclusive agricultural development within the province. 'This is a strategic undertaking between Dardlea and the National Empowerment Fund. The agro fund is open to other strategic partners, and various agreements of collaboration are under way.' The expected impact includes the creation of 1 200 new agro-processing jobs by 2027; focused investment in key value chains such as grains, poultry, cannabis and aquaculture; and direct support to strategic zones such as the Nkangala Grain Corridor and the Mkhondo AgriHub. Moeketsi discussed a strategic focus on targeted groups. She said their focus remains clear: youth, women and persons with disabilities must be central to the agricultural revolution. 'This year, we will operationalise the Inkanyezi Poultry Project at Chief Albert Luthuli and activate 'Eggsellent by Lebo' at Thembisile Hani Municipality, both female-owned enterprises. As we approach Women's Month, we are conscious of the integral role women play in this sector. 'We continue with the focus on empowering women in agriculture, rural development and the environment. We will strengthen this empowerment to ensure that farming, agro-processing and environmental activities are streamlined.' The revival of the Senteeko Tea Estate in the City of Mbombela is one of the matters discussed during the budget speech. The tea estate has now been restituted to the Shamile CPA Committee and includes electrification, sewer upgrades and factory design. ALSO READ: Public works and Bushbuckridge municipality give back to Vuhlayiselo Disability Centre 'There are farmers in the Bushbuckridge Local Municipality who will be supported with irrigation systems and perimeter fencing for vegetable production, such as Danica Primary Cooperative and Elmorah Green.' Moeketsi also mentioned the Phezukomkhono Mlimi Programme, saying it represents a strategic shift in addressing food insecurity. 'Not through temporary handouts, but by empowering communities to produce their own food and build sustainable livelihoods. This approach focuses on enabling self-sufficiency, resilience and dignity. 'In 2025/26, we will support 13 000 households, establish 690 food gardens, and cultivate 18 000 hectares, creating 520 Expanded Public Works Programme jobs in the process,' Moeketsi said.
TimesLIVE
03-06-2025
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Agripreneur leaves lucrative job to pursue farming dream
After 20 years of working as a mechanical fitter at one of the biggest freight and logistics companies in South Africa, Samuel Moeketsi decided to leave his lucrative job to fulfil his lifelong desire of being a farmer. Like many boys who grew up in rural areas, Moeketsi was a herder responsible for his grandparents' flock of goats in the village of Losasaneng in the North West — this is where his love for the animals was ignited. As he grew older, he realised that farming goats made good business sense. 'There is a huge market locally and internationally for goat meat. It has become part of our day-to-day protein intake and though beef and mutton are big players in the red meat market, there is also a big demand for goat meat and I saw that as an opportunity to close the gap,' he told Sowetan. Now, Moeketsi farms commercial Boer goats and Bonsmara cattle on a two-hectare plot in Koppies, Free State. 'I left my job in 2022 and the business only took off in 2024, which proves that the journey was not easy. My wife and I started by farming cabbages and that was a big flop. We then had to come up with a different strategy and started to invest in the land we had bought to make it farmable,' he said. Though he managed to overcome several challenges when starting, the 45-year-old said he still experiences some challenges in his business. 'Diseases, theft and funding continue to be problems I find myself having to solve. Another big issue for me is finding employees who are good at animal handling,' he said. The farmer uses technological systems such as CCTV cameras and biosecurity to combat theft. He also implemented compulsory weekly training sessions for his employees and conducts research to learn about animal vaccination. 'I've also chosen not to sell from the farm directly, to avoid having criminals who would come and monitor the place.' While Moeketsi learnt most of his farming skills from his grandparents, he said Standard Bank's Agri Transformation Programme, which he recently graduated from, equipped him with everything he needs to fast-track his journey as an agripreneur. 'The programme was very handy because it taught me good farming practices, how to manage the business side of things and taught us skills such as how to make a business plan. As a result, I've had a zero mortality rate because of the methods I used from the programme,' he proudly said. While he has mastered producing animals with good body conditioning and high-quality meat, Moeketsi plans to venture into the agro-processing industry where he will manufacture lactose-free products including ice-cream made from goat milk. 'I'm also looking at exporting to the Emirates, where 90% of their protein is goat meat.'
