Latest news with #Setswana
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
SA's first DIY mobile app launches with real-time stock in-app checkout and multilingual support
SA's first DIY mobile app launches with real-time stock in-app checkout and multilingual support Built specifically for mobile and tailored for local users, the app offers a seamless experience with real-time stock updates, in-app self-checkout, and smart features that simplify home improvement shopping. Unlike scaled-down websites, this app is designed from the ground up for mobile users, even in low-connectivity areas. It supports five local languages (English, isiZulu, Afrikaans, Sesotho and Setswana), with more on the way. Whether you're on-site checking product availability or browsing from home, the app makes it easy to build shopping lists, scan barcodes in-store, track orders, and manage your account. Features like loyalty rewards, a WhatsApp-style chat, and a self-service refund portal make the experience smooth. Customers can also set their preferred store and check real-time availability across all five Gauteng branches, being Fourways, Little Falls, Boksburg, Greenstone and Centurion.
TimesLIVE
08-07-2025
- Entertainment
- TimesLIVE
‘I survived targeted shooting': Tebogo Thobejane launches foundation to fight online abuse and GBV
Actress and entrepreneur Tebogo Thobejane has broken her silence after a harrowing period marked by violence, bullying and personal attacks — announcing the launch of the Botlhale Foundation, an initiative aimed at tackling digital abuse and gender-based violence (GBV). Thobejane, known for her work on screen and in the beauty industry, has taken on a new role: activist and advocate. 'I am a survivor,' she said. 'I survived a targeted shooting — an act meant to silence me. I have survived the brutal weight of online bullying, defamation and relentless character assassination. I've been mocked, humiliated and threatened — not just as a public figure but as a mother, a woman and a human being.' While many might retreat from the spotlight after such trauma, Thobejane says her experience lit a fire in her. 'Through it all I found purpose in my pain.' That purpose now has a name: the Botlhale Foundation, a movement rooted in wisdom, healing and justice. 'Botlhale' means 'wise' in Setswana and Thobejane says the foundation is a safe space for women, children and marginalised voices — especially those who've faced bullying, silencing or abuse, simply for existing or speaking out. The foundation will focus on: combating social media bullying and digital abuse; supporting survivors of GBV and public shaming; advocating for legal reform, mental health resources and digital accountability; and creating safe spaces for dialogue, education and storytelling. 'My story is not unique and that is the tragedy. Many women suffer in silence. I no longer will,' she said. Thobejane called on the public, stakeholders and partners to support the movement and take part in building a more compassionate and just society. 'This is more than a foundation. It is a voice for the unheard, a shield for the vulnerable and a call to action for a country that must do better,' she said.
The Star
29-06-2025
- General
- The Star
Small school sparks big dreams
BANELE Phaladi wolfed down a thin slice of bread and kissed his mother goodbye before walking around the dilapidated streets of Alexandra township 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, 12-year-old Phaladi passed the gates at dawn, welcomed with a cheerful greeting of hugs and high-fives from school staff and his 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,' explained Waahida Tolbert-Mbatha, the 45-year-old American founder of the Kgololo Academy – meaning 'to set free' in local Setswana language. With only 173 learners – 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 maths 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 10 years ago with her husband Thulani Mbatha, a native of the poverty-stricken township which 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,' said Tolbert-Mbatha, who has a background in teaching. '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, says the school's principal, Nelly Mhlongo. 'It brings a new, fresh air in our community to have a private school in a township,' agrees 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 30,000 rands (RM6,962) 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 academy. Unlike other prestigious private schools, the key to admission at Kgololo Academy isn't 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 lesson, Banele 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% of Kgololo's learners, he has just been awarded a fully-funded ride to a prestigious high school. — AFP
The Citizen
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Chef showcases passion on a plate
From slicing vegetables at his grandmother's side to working in professional kitchens across the US, Siyabulela Khuse has built a culinary journey defined by passion, perseverance, and creativity. • Also read: Fashion takes centre stage in Rand West Known by childhood friends as Dijo – the Setswana word for 'food' – Khuse discovered his love for cooking early on. 'I ended up adopting my grandmother's cooking techniques,' he recalled. After matriculating, he trained at the HTA School of Culinary Arts in Randburg and went on to work in various esteemed kitchens, including stints in North Carolina and Florida. In 2017 and again in 2019, he sharpened his skills abroad, learning from top chefs and refining his own approach. Everybody can cook, but not everyone can be a chef,' he said. 'I've given it my all.' Today, Khuse runs his own business, MacZino's, where he combines Swiss, Italian, and French influences with traditional African dishes. 'I'm always trying to strike a balance between new and classic flavours.' Despite the challenges of the profession – long hours, pressure, and high standards – he's determined to grow. He hopes to return to the US to deepen his skills and later open a restaurant in his hometown, mentoring young chefs. 'Stay humble and never give up,' he advises. 'You need heart, strength, and a great mentor.' Khuse will showcase his culinary art at the Rand West Fashion Festival until June 28, adding flavour to fashion with his unique dishes.
IOL News
24-06-2025
- Lifestyle
- IOL News
Global unity celebrated at Maropeng on International Yoga Day
IN a powerful fusion of ancient tradition and human heritage, thousands gathered at the Cradle of Humankind last Saturday to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga. Image: Supplied IN a powerful fusion of ancient tradition and human heritage, thousands gathered at the Cradle of Humankind last Saturday to mark the 11th International Day of Yoga (IDY) under the theme 'Yoga for One Earth, One Health'. The event, hosted by the Consulate General of India in Johannesburg, took place at Maropeng, the UNESCO World Heritage Site that holds the fossils of humanity's earliest ancestors — a symbolic backdrop for a practice that bridges millennia. This year's theme underscored the urgent connection between personal well-being and planetary health, echoing the site's message of shared human ancestry. 'Yoga is not just exercise — it's a discipline that unites mind, body, and environment,' said a Consulate spokesperson. 'Where better to celebrate this than at the birthplace of humanity itself?' Maropeng, meaning 'returning to the place of origin' in Setswana, is home to fossils dating back millions of years. By hosting the event here, organisers aim to merge India's 5 000-year-old yogic tradition with Africa's narrative of human evolution — a bold statement on unity in a fractured world. 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 The mass yoga session, led by expert instructors, will be open to all, regardless of age or experience. But the day goes beyond physical postures. 'This is about reconnecting with ourselves, each other, and the Earth,' said one organiser. Amid rising global tensions and environmental crises, the event pushes yoga as a tool for inner peace, social cohesion, and ecological consciousness. The choice of Maropeng is no coincidence. As climate disasters escalate and conflicts divide nations, the IDY celebration positions yoga as an antidote to modern fragmentation. 'We're all from the same origin,' said a local participant. 'Yoga reminds us of that bond.' The Consulate has called on community groups, wellness advocates, and the public to take part in what promises to be a historic gathering. As the sun rises over the Cradle of Humankind, attendees will stretch, breathe, and meditate — not just as individuals, but as part of a collective journey toward healing, balance, and a healthier planet.
