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IOL News
18-07-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
Lance Witten recounts meeting Madiba
It was 2004 and I was a cub journalist at a major commercial radio station. It was fairly late in the afternoon when my News Editor received a call that upon Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's passing that day, Nelson Mandela would make a statement at his home in Bishopscourt, Cape Town. I quickly jumped at the opportunity; a 22-year-old journalist getting the chance to get within touching distance of the Father of our Democracy... it had always been a dream of mine. So off I went to Bishopscourt to sit on the neatly manicured kerb across the road from his house to wait for his arrival. Madiba would be flying to Cape Town from Joburg, and was expected to arrive within three hours, but there would be the need for security checks, so the journalists had to get there early. It wasn't a large group of us, I recall; perhaps six or seven journalists, one or two television cameras, a handful of photographers. We sat in the fading November sun, while sniffer dogs went through our bags, drinking Oros from crystal glasses on a silver tray brought to us by one of Madiba's aides. The mood was light – some journalists reclined on the cool of the grass, others made leisurely calls to update the office, but mostly we joked and shared the dark humour journalists so commonly are known for. 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 From the bend at the top of the road we could see a mint green early 90's-era Mercedes-Benz sedan approaching slowly; the gates to his modest home opened, and armed guards came out to usher us to the front pedestrian gate. We waited there for perhaps another half an hour, but by now, my excitement was palpable. I had butterflies in my belly, and even in the warmth of the Cape evening, my palms were coldly clammy. We went inside and arranged ourselves in a semi-circle in the courtyard just off the main entrance's stoep. The cameramen frantically set up their tripods, we checked our audio recording equipment, did sound checks and white balances, checked our pens and notepads for their readiness... and then he emerged. Huddled over, walking stick in one hand, the other clasped around the arm of his private secretary Zelda la Grange, as she guided him to the centre of the patchwork slate stoep. He looked frail, I recall. Was there a mild feeling of disappointment in me? This once powerful statesmen who so confidently took on the apartheid regime, so proudly guided our country through what should have been a traumatic transition, now looked worse for wear, worn out, tired. He cracked a joke to Zelda, and his frame shook as he chuckled quietly and endearingly. He looked over us, and smiled. "Thank you all for coming," he began, and then, handing Zelda his walking stick, took a step away from her and closer to us, and drew a deep breath in. That's when I witnessed the Madiba Magic. With that breath, he straightened his back, drew back his shoulders, lifted his head to catch the fading light... suddenly, he towered above us. A giant among men. He spoke of the loss of his dear friend, and the importance of peace in the Middle East, and repeated his sentiments that there could not be true freedom until the people of Palestine were free. It was a brief address, and afterwards he took the one step off the stoep, down to the ground level where we were all gathered, smiled genuinely and deeply as he looked into the eyes of each one us as he shook our hands. After I got back into the car I looked at my hand in awe. Would I ever wash it again, I wondered. I drove back to the office feeling something like euphoria having had the chance to meet Nelson Mandela, and shake his hand, knowing he may never remember my name, but feeling seen by him in that brief moment. Back at the office I pulled out the audio recording equipment to cut my soundbites and write my story, when my heart sank... I'd forgotten to hit "record". * Lance Witten is the Editor of IOL.
IOL News
10-07-2025
- IOL News
JUST IN: How baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar was found
Sameemah Jacobs appears in the Bellville Magistrate's Court. Image: Genevieve Serra In a dramatic testimony during the bail application of accused baby snatcher Sameemah Jacobs in the Bellville Magistrate's Court on Thursday, a veteran police officer gave a blow-by-blow account of how they found baby Mogamat Imaad Sharmar. The 37-year-old Jacobs stepped into the dock dressed in a white and brown jacket and donned a pardah and scarf. State prosecutor Salaahuddeen Simon asked whether the accused's face could be she shown, saying that during the first appearance a week ago he thought she was sick. Jacobs's Legal Aid lawyer, Asongewa Mafuya, said his client wore the pardah due to religious reasons. Sergeant Dawid Fortuin told the court that he had 22 years of service under his belt. In the blow-by-blow account and armed with the case docket, Fortuin said the case started as far as February when a woman named "Sameemah" had befriended Imaad's mother, Imaan Sharmar at the clinic. 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 ✕ Fortuin said the woman named Sameemah had bought Sharmar food and they had even visited a local beach together and exchanged numbers. He said Sameemah had accompanied Sharmar to hospital on the date of delivery on June 19. He detailed that in May, a woman who identified herself as "Chevon" had visited the mother's home and stated that she worked for the "Zoey Project" and that they helped single mothers. He said that a day prior to the kidnapping, Chevon contacted her and said she would receive R500 in cash and a baby packet containing clothing on June 28 when they attended a workshop in Bellville. The next day at 11am, Chevon arrived at her home with a white Suzuki and when she climbed into the vehicle she saw Sameemah sitting at the back. The driver's name was Allan. "Chevon had a birthmark on her face and a beauty spot on her cheek," he said. He said when the car arrived in Bellville, Chevon said a work vehicle would fetch her. "On the way to Bellville the complainant drank Oros, which was given to her, and when she arrived at the mall she said she is feeling dizzy and light headed and she was given Hungry Lion. "She had to use the bathroom as she had vomited in a bin. "She gave the baby bag and the bag to Chevon. "Five minutes later when she came out, Chevon was gone with the baby." Fortuin said the mother started to search for the woman and was shown CCTV footage, which showed Chevon leaving the mall. He said the investigation then continued and on Monday, June 30, when he joined the team, they received vital information from a missing persons unit, that a resident had provided. "This informer said that a woman in her road named Sameemah had asked her daughter for her urine because she was pregnant and needed it for a project," he said. He added that they had earlier followed-up on a lead, which was negative. He also said that records of the Uber trip showed two addresses, that of one in Blombos Street, Lentegeur, and the baby's home in Strandfontein. Hanging on the sergeant's every word, Simon asked what the team did next. Fortuin said that at 6pm the missing persons unit called him again stating that the community of Tafelsig was riotous. He said teams were mobilised including the Public Order Police and several others. Upon entering the home, an elderly woman who identified herself as Jacobs's mother, led him to a back house or separate entrance where a young man was. Fortuin added that he found a woman with an infant. "She was breast feeding the baby and I could see that the baby was in distress." He asked the woman to identify herself and had asked her whose baby it was to which she answered that the infant was hers. He then asked her for proof. Watch officer Dawid Fortuin recount the abduction of little Mogamat Imaad Sharmar from Middestad Mall. The accused, Sameemah Jacobs, claimed to be the infant's mother. 📹 @genserra01 — Cape Argus (@TheCapeArgus) July 10, 2025
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Greater Birmingham area experienced big tourism boost in 2024: report
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — The Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau announced historic tourism data at the organization's annual luncheon Thursday. In 2024, Jefferson County tourism generated the following: A record-breaking $2.57 billion in 2024 economic impact More than 51,000 jobs $302 million in tax revenue 4+ million overnight visitors 'In 2024, major events like MLB at Rickwood Field and the second annual Food + Culture festival put Birmingham in the national spotlight and delivered significant economic impact,' Oros added. 'This new momentum, combined with impact from our celebrated annual events such as the Children's of Alabama Indy Grand Prix, SEC Baseball Tournament, Magic City Classic and Birmingham Bowl, produced a strong year of tourism that has positioned us for continued success in 2025.' Taxes generated for the state by tourism in Jefferson County totaled more than $195 million, while local government received $107 million in 2024. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
