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IOL News
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Honouring Rashid Lombard: The South African photographer who shaped the jazz scene
Rashid Lombard passed away on Wednesday at the age of 74. Image: Brenton Geach/Independent Newspapers Sekunjalo Group and espAfrika extended their condolences on the passing of Rashid Lombard, an acclaimed photographer, cultural activist, and jazz promoter. Lombard passed away on Wednesday at the age of 74, surrounded by his loved ones. Sekunjalo Group and espAfrika said Lombard's passing is a profound loss to South Africa and the global arts community because his work is etched across multiple spheres. "From his work as a courageous photojournalist during the anti-apartheid struggle, to his pioneering role in founding espAfrika and conceptualising the Cape Town International Jazz Festival (CPIJF), now ranked among the four largest jazz festivals in the world," the organisations said in a statement. In 1997, Lombard founded espAfrika, which orchestrated one of his most notable accomplishments: the CPIJF. Launched in 2000, he directed the festival until his retirement in 2014, leaving a profound influence on South Africa's jazz scene and its global recognition. After stepping away from the festival, he dedicated time to digitising his extensive archives, a task previously overseen by his wife, Colleen. Partnering with the National Archives and the Department of Sport, Arts, and Culture (DSAC), he aimed to make his vast collection publicly accessible as a national heritage resource. "As we pay tribute to his life and legacy, we extend our deepest sympathies to his beloved wife Colleen, his sister Fazoe Sydow, his children Chevan, Shadley, Yana, Zach, and Daniel, and his cherished grandchildren Liya, Aydin-Malik, Oliver, AmirUccio, and Stella Ahed," read the statement. Born on 10 April 1951 in North End, Gqeberha, Lombard's family moved to Cape Town in 1962. Initially trained as an architectural draftsman and later as an industrial photographer, he began his career at the construction giant Murray & Roberts. 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 ✕ During the tumultuous years of the anti-apartheid struggle, Lombard worked as a freelance photographer and television sound recordist, capturing moments of unrest, resilience, and hope for international media including Agence France-Presse, the BBC, and NBC. His work immortalised pivotal events in South Africa's transition to democracy, from the rise of the democratic movement in the 1980s to Nelson Mandela's historic release in 1990 and the first democratic elections in 1994. With the dawn of democracy came Rashid's opportunity to fully embrace another of his great passions: jazz. He served as the station manager at Fine Music Radio and later as the programming manager at P4 Smooth Jazz Radio Image: Phando Jikelo
The Star
22-05-2025
- Business
- The Star
Dr Iqbal Survé Calls for Digital-Driven Youth Employment at Future of Jobs Summit
Sekunjalo Group chairman Dr Iqbal Survé delivered a passionate and personal address at the 2025 Future of Jobs Summit held at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Thursday. Speaking alongside civic and business leaders, including Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, FNB South Africa's Head of Marketing Katlego Mahloane, and Gauteng Legislature's Dulton Keith Adams, Dr Survé used the platform to spotlight the role of technology and media in combating South Africa's youth unemployment crisis. Receiving a warm welcome from delegates, Dr Survé veered off-script at moments to share anecdotes from his journey — from a young medical doctor to leading a multi-billion-rand conglomerate with over 8 000 employees. Half of them, he proudly noted, are black African youth under 35. 'Sekunjalo doesn't just talk about youth empowerment — we live it, breathe it, and invest in it daily,' he told the audience. 'This is why today's conversation isn't theoretical for us. It's practical. It's urgent.'Dr Survé highlighted Sekunjalo's investments across energy, media, ICT, e-commerce, and telecommunications, and drew attention to the group's philanthropic work supporting youth entrepreneurship and education through Survé Philanthropies. Focusing on the summit's core theme — jobs for the future — Survé zeroed in on digital transformation. He shared the inspiring story of Thato Joseph Mashifane, a young man from Dennilton in Limpopo who, after losing his job, turned to TikTok with a comedic character named "Sis Maria." With just a smartphone, broomstick, and a laptop, Mashifane has built a social media empire with over 1.3 million TikTok followers, turning content creation into a sustainable career.'This is the power of media and technology,' said Survé. 'If one young South African can rewrite his future with a smartphone and passion, imagine what millions could achieve.'
IOL News
22-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Dr Iqbal Survé Calls for Digital-Driven Youth Employment at Future of Jobs Summit
Sekunjalo Group chairman Dr Iqbal Survé delivered a passionate and personal address at the 2025 Future of Jobs Summit held at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 22 May. Image: Itumeleng English Independent Newspapers Sekunjalo Group chairman Dr Iqbal Survé delivered a passionate and personal address at the 2025 Future of Jobs Summit held at the DP World Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on Thursday. Speaking alongside civic and business leaders, including Johannesburg Mayor Dada Morero, FNB South Africa's Head of Marketing Katlego Mahloane, and Gauteng Legislature's Dulton Keith Adams, Dr Survé used the platform to spotlight the role of technology and media in combating South Africa's youth unemployment crisis. Receiving a warm welcome from delegates, Dr Survé veered off-script at moments to share anecdotes from his journey — from a young medical doctor to leading a multi-billion-rand conglomerate with over 8 000 employees. Half of them, he proudly noted, are black African youth under 35. 'Sekunjalo doesn't just talk about youth empowerment — we live it, breathe it, and invest in it daily,' he told the audience. 'This is why today's conversation isn't theoretical for us. It's practical. It's urgent.'Dr Survé highlighted Sekunjalo's investments across energy, media, ICT, e-commerce, and telecommunications, and drew attention to the group's philanthropic work supporting youth entrepreneurship and education through Survé Philanthropies. Focusing on the summit's core theme — jobs for the future — Survé zeroed in on digital transformation. He shared the inspiring story of Thato Joseph Mashifane, a young man from Dennilton in Limpopo who, after losing his job, turned to TikTok with a comedic character named "Sis Maria." With just a smartphone, broomstick, and a laptop, Mashifane has built a social media empire with over 1.3 million TikTok followers, turning content creation into a sustainable career.'This is the power of media and technology,' said Survé. 'If one young South African can rewrite his future with a smartphone and passion, imagine what millions could achieve.' 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 ✕ The summit comes amid sobering statistics. Youth unemployment among South Africans aged 15-24 has surged to 62.4%, according to Statistics South Africa's latest social profile report. Survé called the figure not just alarming, but morally unacceptable. 'That number represents more than 4.8 million young people waking up without economic dignity or hope.'Still, he urged delegates to view the demographic youth bulge not as a crisis, but as South Africa's greatest opportunity. 'With 37% of our population under 20, we must act now. We must harness the global digital economy as a launchpad for youth transformation.' Referencing Deloitte and Business Research Company reports, Dr Survé outlined booming sectors — including AI, media tech, gaming, and cybersecurity — that are generating millions of jobs globally.' Are we preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist, using technologies we haven't invented, to solve problems we don't even know about yet?' he asked, quoting U.S. Secretary Richard Riley. 'I choose to believe we are.' Closing his speech to applause, Survé reiterated his call for stronger collaboration between the private and public sectors to scale tech-driven opportunities. 'Our youth are not liabilities. They are our single greatest asset. Let's give them the tools, the platforms, and the belief to rise. 'The summit, led by Dr Nik Eberl of The Future Leader Forum, continues this week with a series of innovation labs and youth-led panels exploring solutions for job creation in South Africa's digital era.
IOL News
01-05-2025
- Business
- IOL News
Dr Iqbal Survé: A resilient spirit against political persecution
To Dr Iqbal Survé, we acknowledge your perseverance. Your journey shows that vision and determination transcend political shifts. FROM 2015, Dr Iqbal Survé, the tycoon behind Sekunjalo Group, faced what could be described as the most brazen abuse of State Power from politicians, banks, and the media. His bank accounts were closed, and he was haunted by the court of public opinion. The targeted actions against Survé's followed a strategy reminiscent of apartheid-era tactics: Financial restrictions through sudden bank account closuresRegulatory scrutiny via continuous investigations, media criticism aimed at influencing public opinionPolitical influence to influence other arms of the State and other actors Despite these hurdles, Survé exhibited resilience that distinguishes him as a survivor who weathered the storms and did not falter. Instead of conceding defeat, Survé became stronger and has put his enemies to shame. His determination not to surrender serves as a notable example of entrepreneurial endurance and personal conviction. And history often has a way of balancing scales. As Survé ventures into advanced artificial intelligence (AI) development to compete with companies such as NVIDIA and after hosting the successful International Cape Town Jazz Festival, his adversaries are facing significant challenges in particular serious allegations of corruption by the US Government after years of impunity and laws which only target a few such as Survé. The hunters now face their own demons, but Survé is just beginning his ascent. As in the famous words of Mahatma Gandhi: 'Power is of two kinds. One is obtained through the fear of punishment and the other by acts of love. Power based on love is a thousand times more effective and permanent than the one derived from fear.' Power that punishes adversaries cannot endure, and neither is it effective, as Gandhi teaches us, it eats itself and becomes redundant and eventually rejected by the masses. And at the same time, the arc of justice is long, but it always bends toward the truth, and as we will see, the temporary abuse of power and successes of corrupt systems eventually weaken. One of the lessons, of course, with this regime, which was bent on destruction and elimination of opponents, is that real power comes from creation, not destruction. Survé's new AI venture clearly establishes him as a global player in semiconductor technology, offering both inspiration and a warning. His story is an inspiration to entrepreneurs facing unfair systems and is equally a warning to those who abuse power. To Survé, a resilient figure, we acknowledge your perseverance. Your journey shows that vision and determination transcend political shifts. * Phapano Phasha is the chairperson of the Centre for Alternative Political and Economic Thought, whose focus is on the Global South and BRICS Plus countries. ** The views expressed here do not reflect those of the Sunday Independent, Independent Media, or IOL.
IOL News
29-04-2025
- Business
- IOL News
"The journey of Dr Iqbal Survè: From medicine to business and philanthropy
Sekunjalo Chairman Dr Iqbal Survè says humility is one of the key secrets to success. Image: Henk Kruger / Independent Newspapers THERE are many things that have had a profound impact on Dr Iqbal Survè's life and enabled him to enjoy success in various aspects of his life, including his time in the medical fraternity, in business and contributions as a philanthropist. Conducting himself with humility and respecting people regardless of their rank or profile in society were some of the soft skills that formed the bedrock on which Dr Survè's achievements were built. These insights were shared while Survè addressed nearly 500 employees, who represented various companies under the Sekunjalo Group's banner, during a conference at the Cape Town International Convention Centre last week. Surve, who is the chairman of Sekunjalo, used the occasion to express his gratitude to staff for their respective contribution to the group. In detailing the family values he lived by, Survè indicated that treating people with respect were among the key lessons that came to the fore during his time as a medical doctor treating patients, including caring for political prisoners, before venturing into business. He said there was a time when he and other doctors had to look after political prisoners, those who were tortured, and served lengthy prison sentences. "It started with what was then the rehabilitation programme using post-traumatic stress disorder tools, developed in Scandinavian countries to help people that were destroyed, because, yes people were very brave when they go through that — being in prison for 15, 20, 25 years and more for their beliefs and their values," Dr Survè said. 'I worked with them because it was difficult for them to adjust to their families, difficult for them to adjust themselves. And quietly, with a group of many other doctors and physiotherapists, we did the work to get people back into society. Many of whom became our leaders in the first government of our country, post 1994,' he said. 'What did I learn in that period as a doctor from them? I learned how unfair life can be. I learned how beautiful people are. I learned that despite spending time in prison for 25 to 27 years, you have a sense of humour. You make everything look funny. You have an amazing resilience. I learned that you don't put yourself first. You put others first. I learned that families were traumatised, and how difficult it is to adjust again to your family. 'I learned, most importantly, that something which I am still trying to learn today is humility — to make yourself a better person by being humble, and then you treat everyone the same, whether they are the king or queen or prince, or president, or someone that cleans your toilet — you treat them the same,' he said. 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 ✕ About continuous learning, he shared how he studied while working and obtained three degrees in medicine, something that led to him being roped into practicing sports medicine, where he worked with Bafana Bafana, the national football team. At that time, the squad, which had the likes of Doctor Khumalo and Philemon Masinga, and were easily losing to African powerhouses Nigeria and Cameroon. 'I said guys, what's wrong, because you look fit, and then I discovered it's in their heads. They didn't have the confidence to play against some of the international teams who were much bigger…and so I started the process with the same techniques that we used on political prisoners, and the rest is history. They went around to win the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time ever,' he said. Dr Survè did the same with the ladies' hockey team, and they eventually won a gold medal, which again demonstrated the importance of focusing on psychology or seeking mental health assistance to overcome the battle of the mind and succeed. He described being a medical doctor as the best 10 years of his life. 'There is no better career, no better profession. To have been given the privilege of entering someone's personal life, physical, emotional, and psychological space is a privilege that I always treasured. 'But to get someone to be better, and to heal them physically and emotionally was a treasure of mine. I was a poor doctor. I had a yellow beetle, but I loved what I did every day of my life because I made a difference,' Survè said. On the importance of humanity, he detailed how he never lost a patient in the emergency room. He said this was not because he was medically better than any of his colleagues. 'I had a reputation at the hospital for never losing a patient in the emergency room, which is quite challenging. And even when senior people were trying to save patients, they called me when I was not supposed to be in an emergency. But sometimes, to help intubate the patient. You know how difficult it is sometimes to put something down someone's throat when they are heavily traumatised. 'And I used to relax the patients, as to say, I'm here to help, if you allow me, I will. The other doctors were quick to try and the patients resisted. So, treat a patient like they are alive and living and they will help you as a doctor, to do your best,' he said. In 1998, he had to make the most difficult decision of his life. His options were going into government or becoming a professor. At the time lecturing at the University of Cape Town. He also had invites to become a professor from two US universities (New York and Texas). His other options were to continue practicing medicine in South Africa or go into business and make an impact. 'Somehow, I thought that with business, when I became a millionaire, I could donate more money and save more people. I could even invest in clinics and all similar things.' The difficulty, however, was in building something on that scale without money. He had ideas and networks, but none of that could get him to the top. 'And then I thought to myself, hold on, you are good at understanding the value of people, why don't you use the same principles you had in medicine, and apply them to business? Lo and behold, 18 months later, May 1999. I listed on the main board of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE), one of the first black companies in the country,' he said. His example highlighted the importance of using the skills you already possess to make a greater impact. While Survè encouraged entrepreneurship, he also stated that there was nothing wrong with not wanting to be in a business, but one has to constantly innovate and have the desire to do better wherever they are. DAILY NEWS
