Latest news with #Setswana
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Presley Chweneyagae: Mourners gathered at Mmabatho like they did in 2018 for HHP
Referring to Chweneyagae by his local nickname, Tobetsa, Makapan said the late actor was a people's person. The first memorial service of Presley Chweneyagae was hosted in his hometown of Mahikeng. Picture: Presley Oageng Chweneyagae/Facebook In his welcome note at the memorial service of actor Presley Chweneyagae, the mayor of Mahikeng, Tshepiso Mphehlo, reflected on the pinnacle of the province's art scene when Tsosti was released. 'That period was a pinnacle period for the arts and culture in Mahikeng,' shared Mphehlo. The memorial service is being held at the Mmabatho Convention Centre for the late 40-year-old actor, who passed away a week ago. This is the first of two memorial services expected this week. The other service will be held at Pretoria's State Theatre on Thursday for his friends and industry colleagues who are based in Gauteng. ALSO READ: 'Working with Presley and keeping a straight face is almost impossible' — industry mourns Chweneyagae 'Like we did for HHP' The mayor said that when the Oscar-winning film Tsotsi was released in 2005, Motswako — a rap style that blends Setswana rap lyrics with English — was at its height, with artists like HHP and Tuks in their prime. 'For us as youngsters, this provided hope. We had believed that challenges in our background could be overcome. We knew through their rise to stardom that we too will be called for greatness,' said the mayor, mentioning other artists from the province like Mo Molemi, among others. 'Today, like we did in 2018, in this very hall for HHP, we are gathered here to bid farewell once again to a torchbearer of hope. Through the decades, we've seen him illuminate our TV screens with talent.' Real name Jabulani Tsambo, HHP died of suicide in 2018. ALSO READ: Presley Chweneyagae's family reveals cause of death, memorial, and funeral details 'A people's person' Friend and former Generations actor Rantebeng Makapan was one of the speakers on the day. Referring to Chweneyagae by his local nickname, Tobetsa, Makapan said the late actor was a people's person. 'Tobetsa was able to gather people. Tobetsa was a people's person. There are many people who wanted to get this opportunity to speak about their experience with Tobetsa, but did not have the opportunity to come here. 'It's not that you were undermined [or] ignored…it's just that the programme was set the way it was. I wasn't even supposed to be standing here, the person who was meant to stand here was unable to attend,' said Makapan. The actor, whom many viewers will remember as Thomas on Generations, said he spent most of his time with Chweneyagae in Pretoria, where they first met after being introduced by a mutual friend. 'Even through the pain we're feeling right now, we all know he made us laugh. He was a people's person who was able to be, [to] chill with us. He didn't care to chill at a five-star place, even if we chilled under the tree, he never judged people.' Makapan said he went to Chweneyagae's house after the news broke of his passing, and that the deceased's wife said he should be celebrated instead of mourned. 'He did so many things for us to come here and cry for him.' NOW READ: Nozipho Ntshangase's husband of 17 years marries second wife
The Citizen
4 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Entrepreneur assists SA's young business owners in accessing international markets
The countries that Motau and her team help entrepreneurs to access markets include Argentina and Australia. Itumeleng Motau is an entrepreneur, business mentor and a founder of G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance. She is also the president of the G20 Young Entrepreneur South Africa. Picture: Supplied Entrepreneur Itumeleng Motau is on a mission to assist South Africa's young business owners in accessing international markets. Motau, fondly known as Itu, is the founder of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs Alliance and the president of the G20 Young Entrepreneurs South Africa (Yesa), a foundation specialising in assisting young entrepreneurs to meet and share ideas with other business people based in the G20 countries. The countries that Motau and her team help entrepreneurs to access markets include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the UK, and the US. ALSO READ: Tips for entrepreneurs looking for government tenders: R1 trillion infrastructure investment loading A few months ago, Motau led a group of young entrepreneurs to a business summit in Goiania, Brazil, where they connected with like-minded entrepreneurs from around the world. During the event, they met hundreds of young entrepreneurs to share ideas and catalyse economic renewal, job creation, innovation and social change. 'Our objective is to promote entrepreneurship ecosystem conversations and celebrate impact projects carried out by young industrialists across G20 states,' she says. 'Our conference, set for 18-20 September at the Sandton Convention Centre, will host over 600 young entrepreneurs from G20 states and other countries.' 'Game-changer' Apart from being a prominent figure in Yesa, Motau is also a passionate businesswoman who serves as a partner at Potlako Global Logistics, a subsidiary of MSC, the world's largest container shipping line. As an enterprise development beneficiary, she operates on all customs and clearing services required internally, as well as freight forwarding services for some of MSC's clients. 'Holding a master's degree in maritime economics, I have found this opportunity to be a game-changer for my career. I'm also a director on the MSC South Africa board on the cargo side and help commercially with the MSC cruise business,' she says. ALSO READ: SMEs' growth absent in Budget 3.0. Here's what entrepreneurs expected Her second business venture is ITU golf wear, a golf apparel brand that embodies the spirit of 'Be Happy' – a direct translation of her Setswana name, Itumeleng. ITU Golf Wear is 100% black woman-owned. She says the ITU golf wear offers high-quality, stylish golf clothing and accessories for men, women and kids. 'Our mission is to innovate and lead in providing the best value products and services globally, while making a positive impact on our customers, business partners, employees, and communities.' ITU Foundation Under the ITU brand, Motau has established the ITU Foundation, which utilises clothing to advance golf development, diversity, and inclusivity. She said the foundation has already supported 150 young golfers by providing them with clinics, allowing them game time, and supplying them with relevant apparel to help them excel in the sport. Last month, she had the opportunity to run a pop-up shop in New York. ALSO READ: Is your child interested in starting a business? Here is an entrepreneurship challenge for kids 'The Flying Solo brand works closely with New York Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week and gets our brands to be featured in high-end magazines like Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, Glamour and Cosmopolitan,' she says. She urges young people who wish to emulate her to stay focused, work hard, and never give up on their dreams. 'Surround yourself with positive people and always be willing to learn and take calculated risks,' she says. Motau says she is proud to be a part of various initiatives that promote entrepreneurship, golf development, and community upliftment. Entrepreneur's early life The business mogul was born in Mamelodi, Pretoria, and grew up in an entrepreneurial and spiritually grounded family. Her grandfather ran a successful retail business, and her mother became a renowned entrepreneur and a game-changer in the hospitality industry. Her family raised her with a strong emphasis on education, family values, and social consciousness. She attended primary school in Mamelodi and secondary school in Limpopo. After matric, she obtained a BSc in biochemistry and microbiology from the University of Limpopo; a chemical engineering national diploma from the University of Johannesburg; a postgraduate certificate in water engineering from University of Hanover, Germany; management advancement programme from Wits Business School; and a BCom masters in maritime economics from University of KwaZulu-Natal. ALSO READ: How mental health affects entrepreneurs Not yet married, she has a life partner she adores. 'While I don't have kids of my own, I'm a great mother and aunt to many. I'm very family-oriented and love cooking,' she says. She also mentors young and old professionals and businesspeople. 'I'm passionate about taking care of future leaders,' she says. – masoka@
The Star
16-05-2025
- General
- The Star
Hope and high-fives in Alexandra as elite school changes lives
AFP | Published 3 hours ago Students engage with each other during an activity at the Kgololo Academy in Alexandra, near Johannesburg, on May 8, 2025. The Kgololo Academy is an elite school in the destitute township of Alexandra. Here, classes are small, teachers enthusiastic, and every child is known by name, a learning environment miles away from the under resourced local state school marred with discipline issues and overcrowding. Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha co-founded the school ten years ago with her husband Thulani Mbatha, a native of the poverty-stricken township which borders the rich neighbourhood of Sandton, known as Africa's richest square mile. Image: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP Banele Phaladi wolfed down a thin slice of bread and kissed his mother goodbye before walking through the dilapidated streets of Alexandra to his colourful classroom at the Kgololo Academy. At this elite primary school in one of the most destitute areas of Johannesburg, classes are small, teachers enthusiastic, and every child is known by name -- a learning environment miles away from the under-resourced local state school marred with overcrowding and discipline issues. Jumping between potholes and puddles, twelve-year-old Phaladi passed the gates at dawn, welcomed with a cheerful greeting of hugs and high-fives from the school's staff and his fellow classmates. The daily greeting "allows us to make sure everyone is seen, who's in a good or bad mood, but also who has been injured, sick or has a bruise," said Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha, the 45-year-old American founder of the Kgololo Academy -- meaning "to set free" in the local Setswana language. With only 173 students -- an average of 25 per class -- the independent school says it aims to provide children with "a world-class education, within their community". "In the public school next door where classes have more than 50 pupils, the teachers have to focus on the few more advanced kids," said math teacher Portia Mamba, 32. "Here we are able to focus on the ones who are struggling. Any child can learn when given the right platform," she said. Tolbert-Mbatha co-founded the school ten years ago with her husband Thulani Mbatha, a native of the poverty-stricken township that borders the affluent neighbourhood of Sandton, known as Africa's richest square mile. When Mbatha was a child, a visiting American teacher spotted him writing his homework in an abandoned bus. The teacher tutored him and his friends and eventually funded their university education. "This completely changed the trajectory for him -- but it is problematic that all the people who made it were 'discovered' because they happened to be at the right place at the right time," Tolbert-Mbatha, who has a teaching background, told AFP. "We wanted to create an environment where everyone gets discovered," she said. - Quality education at home - To achieve academic success, Alexandra's best pupils usually rely on scholarships to private schools in more affluent areas. South Africa's ongoing legacy of racial segregation, even 30 years after the end of apartheid, means the children often stand out in rich, white-majority schools. Kgololo Academy aims to give them -- at least at primary school level -- access to "high-quality education that doesn't focus on academics only" without having to leave their community, said the school's principal, Nelly Mhlongo. "It brings a new, fresh air in our community to have a private school in a township," said Phaladi's mother, Eva, who raises her son as a single mother in a house shared with his uncle, aunt and cousins. The fees of about R30 000 per year, a fortune in one of the country's poorest neighbourhoods, are covered more than halfway by NGOs and private donors. Parents and grandparents scrape pennies together to afford the rest. To support the children, who face a myriad of challenges in a community plagued with unemployment and crime, the school has hired two psychologists and a social worker. "It has been a game-changer" and many pupils now see the counsellors even for everyday issues, said Tolbert-Mbatha, whose own children are also enrolled at the school. Unlike other prestigious private schools, the key to admission at Kgololo Academy is not the child's academic prowess but rather the parents' involvement. "We can take any student, we cannot take any parent," the founder said. "They must create habits to help their kids be successful." Before heading to their first-period isiZulu language lesson, Phaladi and his classmates warmed up with a lively game of musical chairs in the courtyard. The teachers here know how to make learning "interesting and fun", the good-natured pre-teen said. Next year, Phaladi's commute to school will be very different: like 90 percent of Kgololo's learners, he has just been awarded a fully-funded ride to a prestigious high school.
IOL News
16-05-2025
- General
- IOL News
Hope and high-fives in Alexandra as elite school changes lives
Students engage with each other during an activity at the Kgololo Academy in Alexandra, near Johannesburg, on May 8, 2025. The Kgololo Academy is an elite school in the destitute township of Alexandra. Here, classes are small, teachers enthusiastic, and every child is known by name, a learning environment miles away from the under resourced local state school marred with discipline issues and overcrowding. Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha co-founded the school ten years ago with her husband Thulani Mbatha, a native of the poverty-stricken township which borders the rich neighbourhood of Sandton, known as Africa's richest square mile. Image: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP Banele Phaladi wolfed down a thin slice of bread and kissed his mother goodbye before walking through the dilapidated streets of Alexandra to his colourful classroom at the Kgololo Academy. At this elite primary school in one of the most destitute areas of Johannesburg, classes are small, teachers enthusiastic, and every child is known by name -- a learning environment miles away from the under-resourced local state school marred with overcrowding and discipline issues. Student Banele Phaladi (L) waits during assembly at the Kgololo Academy in Alexandra, near Johannesburg, on May 8, 2025. Image: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP Jumping between potholes and puddles, twelve-year-old Phaladi passed the gates at dawn, welcomed with a cheerful greeting of hugs and high-fives from the school's staff and his fellow classmates. The daily greeting "allows us to make sure everyone is seen, who's in a good or bad mood, but also who has been injured, sick or has a bruise," said Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha, the 45-year-old American founder of the Kgololo Academy -- meaning "to set free" in the local Setswana language. With only 173 students -- an average of 25 per class -- the independent school says it aims to provide children with "a world-class education, within their community". A learner waits for her school transport in Alexandra. Image: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP "In the public school next door where classes have more than 50 pupils, the teachers have to focus on the few more advanced kids," said math teacher Portia Mamba, 32. "Here we are able to focus on the ones who are struggling. Any child can learn when given the right platform," she said. Tolbert-Mbatha co-founded the school ten years ago with her husband Thulani Mbatha, a native of the poverty-stricken township that borders the affluent neighbourhood of Sandton, known as Africa's richest square mile. When Mbatha was a child, a visiting American teacher spotted him writing his homework in an abandoned bus. The teacher tutored him and his friends and eventually funded their university education. "This completely changed the trajectory for him -- but it is problematic that all the people who made it were 'discovered' because they happened to be at the right place at the right time," Tolbert-Mbatha, who has a teaching background, told AFP. "We wanted to create an environment where everyone gets discovered," she said. - Quality education at home - To achieve academic success, Alexandra's best pupils usually rely on scholarships to private schools in more affluent areas. South Africa's ongoing legacy of racial segregation, even 30 years after the end of apartheid, means the children often stand out in rich, white-majority schools. Kgololo Academy aims to give them -- at least at primary school level -- access to "high-quality education that doesn't focus on academics only" without having to leave their community, said the school's principal, Nelly Mhlongo. "It brings a new, fresh air in our community to have a private school in a township," said Phaladi's mother, Eva, who raises her son as a single mother in a house shared with his uncle, aunt and cousins. Eva Phaladi (R), the mother of Banele Phaladi (L), a student at the Kgololo Academy, opens the gate as he prepares to walk to school in Alexandra. Image: EMMANUEL CROSET / AFP The fees of about R30 000 per year, a fortune in one of the country's poorest neighbourhoods, are covered more than halfway by NGOs and private donors. Parents and grandparents scrape pennies together to afford the rest. To support the children, who face a myriad of challenges in a community plagued with unemployment and crime, the school has hired two psychologists and a social worker. "It has been a game-changer" and many pupils now see the counsellors even for everyday issues, said Tolbert-Mbatha, whose own children are also enrolled at the school. Unlike other prestigious private schools, the key to admission at Kgololo Academy is not the child's academic prowess but rather the parents' involvement. "We can take any student, we cannot take any parent," the founder said. "They must create habits to help their kids be successful." Before heading to their first-period isiZulu language lesson, Phaladi and his classmates warmed up with a lively game of musical chairs in the courtyard. The teachers here know how to make learning "interesting and fun", the good-natured pre-teen said. Next year, Phaladi's commute to school will be very different: like 90 percent of Kgololo's learners, he has just been awarded a fully-funded ride to a prestigious high school.
The Citizen
10-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Citizen
VIDEO: Female duo makes history at Sarona Kalahari race
Boksburg's Anne van der Vyver and her driver, Martié Bachfischer of Randfontein, made history by becoming the first all-female team to complete the legendary Botswana Desert 1 000km race and to finish strong. Competing in the 2025 Sarona Kalahari 1 000 Desert Race from April 11 to 13 in the mining town of Jwaneng in Botswana, the dynamic duo powered their way to a third-place overall finish out of 20 competing vehicles and secured second in their class. Life-changing ride Van der Vyver, a seasoned navigator and Boksburg resident, described the experience as nothing short of transformative. 'This was something big for us to accomplish. For three days, we took it day by day, which was 'drive to survive', and make it to the end,' she said. 'Survival meant more than just endurance, it required grit, quick thinking and trust,' she said. The race of legends The Desert 1 000, originally launched in the late 1970s, is considered Southern Africa's most iconic and brutal off-road motorsport race. It covers 1 000km of unforgiving desert terrain across three relentless days. Previously part of the South African National Championship, the event became an independent Botswana race in 2023, rebranded as the Sarona Kalahari 1 000. The word sarona means ours in Setswana, a nod to Botswana's proud motorsport heritage. ALSO READ: Walton equals record with seventh rally This year's race, powered by Cyro Motorsport Group, drew massive local and international attention, with searing heat matched only by the intensity of the competition. A stormy start, with a gritty comeback Van der Vyver and Bachfischer's historic journey began dramatically during Friday's 40km time trial – right in the middle of a sudden cloudburst storm. 'We had zero visibility, but still managed to push through,' Van der Vyver recalled. They started Saturday's leg in 12th place, facing fierce competition and gruelling terrain. About 150km in, a serious fuel pump issue threatened their run. But thanks to some clever improvisation from Bachfischer they turned a potential disaster into a mere delay. 'She made a genius plan using our drinking water pipes to siphon fuel between tanks. We lost 20 minutes, but it saved our race. By the end of the day, we had climbed to fifth place.' Sunday brought more challenges. Without GPS, road books, or navigation equipment, the duo had to rely on raw skill and years of experience. 'As a navigator, you are in the hot seat. You must concentrate, rely on the trip meter, and communicate at every turn. If I mess up, the driver messes up. It is pressure, but this is what I love,' said Van der Vyver. Support, strength, and sisterhood Van der Vyver credited their success to their bond and the support of their families. 'We are grateful to my husband, Martin van der Vyver and Bachfischer's partner Gideon Jacobs, who believed in us every step of the way,' she said. When the checkered flag waved, and they announced the results, emotion poured over the team. 'To hear we placed third overall; words can't explain it. We went through so much to get there. And we did it. Together.' For the duo, the Desert 1 000 was more than just a race; it was a testament to resilience, teamwork and the power of women in motorsport. 'It is about having fun, learning from each other, and building trust. We made history and we are just getting started,' said Van der Vyver. ALSO READ: Watch: Lamborghini Huracan Sterrato showcases 'rally mode' on snow At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
