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Daily Maverick
5 days ago
- Daily Maverick
Rashid Lombard — legendary photographer and jazz pioneer who forged greatness in the struggle
Rashid Lombard, who died at his Cape Town home this week and was buried according to Muslim rites on Thursday, was a legend as a photographer and pioneer of the Cape Town Jazz Festival. Dennis Cruywagen remembers him. Thirty-six years ago, in August 1989, in Gugulethu township, near Cape Town, I watched the highest-ranking Anglican clergyman in South Africa deliberately being teargassed as he resolutely tried to protect young, defenceless pupils from the fury of the riot police. That priest was the leader of the Anglican Church in southern Africa, Archbishop Desmond Tutu. On that day, he led at least 500 pupils who had resolved to show their support for the national defiance campaign launched by the mass democratic movement. The arrival of police derailed their plans. They fled into Holy Cross Catholic Church. When the Arch, as Tutu preferred to be called, arrived, he negotiated what he thought was a safe passage for the young people with the men in camouflage uniforms. The rector of the University of the Western Cape, Professor Jakes Gerwel, was with him. I was there as a reporter for the Cape Argus newspaper. Also, there was the slim, renowned and fearless photographer Rashid Lombard. As usual his black hair was tied in a ponytail. A black beret sat on his head. Black as his hair was his moustache. We watched teargas being fired at the Arch, Professor Gerwel and the teenagers. Young people scattered. On that winter's day in Gugulethu, while many were coughing and trying to wipe away tears, which are wont to flow in a teargas attack, Rashid stood firm. He calmly raised his camera and started taking photographs that would become world famous. He captured on film images of the Arch walking through a cloud of teargas. They were stunning images. He offered his pictures to my newspaper. They were declined because of the State of Emergency press restrictions. The Cape Times used them the next morning. Gutsy deputy editor Deon du Plessis was infuriated that our newspaper had turned down Rashid's pictures. Rashid allowed the paper to use them. They were subsequently splashed across the front page. His evocative pictures moved Cape Town's English-language newspapers to disregard press restrictions. I recalled this event on Wednesday when I was informed that Rashid had passed away at the age of 74. And as the recollections came gushing, I recalled his gentle, kind eyes, visionary and pioneering spirit, and his great love for his wife, Colleen, their children and grandchildren. Colleen, whom he married in 1970, was held as a detainee from 14 August 1987 until 29 January 1988. Not by choice, he became a single parent of their three children, Yana, Chevan and Shadley, for a while, as his ANC courier wife was held incommunicado. I remembered how, between 1985 and 1990, we were part of a group of news people who were reporting on the struggle. It was a job that consumed our lives and forged strong bonds. In this group were news legends such as Jimi Matthews, Adil Bradlow, Benni Gool, Ayesha Ismail, Sahm Venter, Willie de Klerk, Obed Zilwa, Eric Miller, Guy Tillim, Mike Hutchings, Azziz Tassiem, John Rubython and many others. It takes the death of a former colleague to bring back their names and the times in which we lived and reported on. To me there was a common belief that held us together: we wanted to tell the story of the struggle, the bravery of people – many of them so very young – yet not enough to stop state-sanctioned violence gleefully delivered by cruel men. We were the witnesses; Rashid's camera faithfully recording this infamous history. A lover of jazz who went on to pioneer the Cape Town Jazz Festival in post-apartheid South Africa, Rashid and I teamed up for an interview with uMkhonto weSizwe chief of staff Chris Hani. After the unbanning of the ANC, the charismatic leader and other exiles returned home. On his first open visit to Cape Town, a senior ANC member called me. I was informed that Comrade Chris would be meeting senior newspaper executives at the University of the Western Cape. I was not on the guest list. Miffed, I called Buyiswa Jack, a former detainee incarcerated under section 29 of the notorious Internal Security Act, which has mercifully been repealed, to apprise her of the situation. She contacted her brother, Pro Jack, who was assassinated years later, his killers never apprehended. I was sitting in the Argus newsroom when I was called, instructed to bring only Rashid along, and meet Pro in front of the Langa Post Office. The MK legend, Hani, had insisted that Rashid be the photographer, even if he was not an Argus staffer! Such was his reputation. We spent more than an hour interviewing Hani. The next day the Cape Argus had a poster that alerted readers to an exclusive interview with Hani. Rashid's pictures were used. Reminiscing about past stories and scoops, I went to my bookshelf and retrieved a slim publication, To the Moon and Back: A Detention Memoir. Years ago, I bought the book with the purple-blue cover at Clarke's Bookshop, an institution on Cape Town's Long Street. The author is Colleen Lombard, Rashid's widow, and fellow jazz aficionado. She was arrested with her friend and comrade, the late Zurayah Abass, as they tried to smuggle Nicklo Pedro (also late) and Yasmina Pandy across the border. During her detention she came close to taking her own life, while at home Rashid was taking care of their three children. Those were very hard years. The book, which was a project that Rashid strongly believed in and supported, was first published in 2021. Colleen wrote it 10 years after her incarceration and subsequent court appearance as an accused in what became known as the Rainbow Trial, which started in the Supreme Court in February 1989, a year before Nelson Mandela was freed from jail. The Western Cape's last so-called terrorism trial, it spluttered on until March 1991 when all charges were withdrawn against the accused. In 2014, the national government recognised Rashid's enormous contribution to the reopening of the rich well of jazz music in South Africa and awarded him the National Order of Ikhamanga in Silver for his excellent contribution to arts and culture and his dedication to jazz music. That was a richly deserved honour. Rest well, Rashid. You were a legend. You were on first-name terms with great men and women who recognised your greatness, yet you never lost the common touch and your humility. DM
IOL News
6 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
UWC's Priscilla Baker honoured with prestigious L'Oréal–UNESCO award
Professor Priscilla Baker of the University of the Western Cape (UWC), is among five winners of this year's L'Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards. Image: Supplied Professor of analytical chemistry at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Priscilla Baker, is among five winners of this year's L'Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards. These researchers will be recognised for their contributions to physical sciences, mathematics and computer science at the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation) headquarters in Paris, on June 12. Professor Baker was honoured for her contribution in the field of electrochemical microsensors for detecting contaminants in the environment, with applications in pharmaceuticals, food, health and energy. According to a statement, her dedication as a mentor in analytical electrochemistry has empowered students and early-career scientists to undertake innovative research projects in this field. She was named as the winner, also referred to as the laureate, for Africa and the Arab states. Growing up in Bellville South, Baker said she sometimes went to her old high school to motivate learners. 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 She graduated with a BSc in Physical Oceanography from the University of Cape Town in 1990. 'The practical component of oceanography required long periods at sea, but the boats were not equipped for women, and the crew were not ready to accept a person of colour as a professional," she said. She then shifted to analytical chemistry, excelling under the mentorship of Professor Andrew Crouch and later earned her PhD in Chemistry from Stellenbosch University. Professor Priscilla Baker of the University of the Western Cape (UWC), is among five winners of this year's L'Oréal–UNESCO For Women in Science International Awards. Image: Supplied "By actively sharing my journey, I have become a tangible example for female students to explore careers based on capability, not stereotypes," she said. Professor Baker is also the co-director of the SensorLab research group at UWC with Prof Emmanuel Iwuoha. The laureates were selected from a pool of 466 nominees and were announced on May 26. 'By celebrating the 2025 Laureates and each new generation of female researchers, we move closer to a world where the contributions of women are fully valued in every scientific field, and where we all benefit from their achievements,' said Lidia Brito, assistant director-general for Natural Sciences at UNESCO. Cape Argus
IOL News
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Ntandoyesizwe Mhlongo: A voice for mental health in South Africa's townships
Mr South Africa contested Ntandoyesizwe Mhlongo Image: supplied A 21-year-old Mr South Africa contestant from KwaZulu-Natal wants to use the platform to highlight issues of mental health among young men. Ntandoyesizwe Mhlongo from Stanger has spoken out about how he could use the Mr South Africa platform to effect change. The University of the Western Cape student is already a model and has worked for many well-known store brands. He is determined to use his platform to spotlight mental health among young men in disadvantaged communities. 'My journey has taught me that your background doesn't determine what you become. In fact, it should fuel your passion and drive. I want to be that representation for boys in the townships who feel unseen.' One issue he is most passionate about is mental health. 'Where I'm from, there's so much stigma around it, especially for us as young men. We were taught to bottle things up and 'man up'. But I later saw how this leads to so many adult men quietly suffering from mental illnesses.' Mhlongo believes this silent suffering often turns destructive. 'I'm a firm believer that broken people break people,' he explained. 'Studying psychology helped me understand how untreated trauma and depression can create violent and disruptive behaviour.' He has also been open about his own experiences. 'I suffer from anxiety and PTSD, which are clinically diagnosed,' he shared. 'It's okay to pause, breathe, speak to someone when overwhelmed, and journal how you want to feel. Allow yourself to feel every emotion without shame.' 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 ✕ Should he win the Mr South Africa title, Mhlongo hopes to start projects centred on healing and empowerment. 'I'd love to work with the government to host seminars where young men talk openly about their challenges, with professional input from the mental health field. I also want to launch school meal programmes and STEM skills development initiatives in disadvantaged communities because that's the future, and we're being left behind.' With the Mr South Africa finals set for December, Mhlongo remains focused not only on winning but on building a legacy THE MERCURY
The Citizen
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
How a list becomes a poem
IT'S often said that nothing could be less poetic than a list. After all, we usually make lists to organise our lives — to tame the chaos and bring a sense of order. Lists, by nature, seem logical, ordinary, and practical. Also read: Amanzimtoti model wows judges with her grace But in the hands of a skilled poet, lists can become something far more intriguing. They can reveal the strangeness that hides within the everyday. When poets turn their attention to the common objects that surround them, they often expose layers of memory, mystery, and meaning we wouldn't normally notice. South African poet and lecturer Nondwe Mpuma has a remarkable gift for doing just that. A passionate supporter of poetry communities in Cape Town and a lecturer at the University of the Western Cape, Mpuma made her debut with the poetry collection Peach Country (uHlanga, 2022), which has been praised for its deep sense of wonder and attentiveness to existence. Recently, she shared a list poem from this collection that exemplifies how poetic and profound lists can become. The poem, titled Definition, initially seems to promise clarity — definitions that make things familiar. But instead, Mpuma offers meanings that are surprising, personal, and playful. Definition The paved road, a path to a Wendy house accustomed to the beating of a pipe. A chair, a stump of an old tree in a kitchen. A Jewel, a stove that will outlive us all. The beach, a holiday I could never reach. Sand, carried with beach-dog oil to keep the ancestors at bay. A gravel road, the intimacy of a plank in the back of a van. Smoke, my grandfather's red Peter Stuyvesant. Refinery, I could smoke you like you smoke me and together we would incinerate the world. The annual AVBOB Poetry Competition opens for submissions on August 1. Visit today and familiarise yourself with the competition rules. For more South Coast Sun news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok. Subscribe to our free weekly newsletter and get news delivered straight to your inbox. Do you have more information pertaining to this story? Feel free to let us know by commenting on our Facebook page or you can contact our newsroom on 031 903 2341 and speak to a journalist. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Remembering a legacy: Graduate's emotional tribute to his grandmother
Anthony Timoteus and his grandmother Aletha Muller on the day of his graduation Image: Supplied In Honour of Mother's Day, a video of a university graduate has gone viral of him showing appreciation to his late grandmother at her workplace to pay homage for all her sacrifices. Anthony Timoteus, 29, from Belville, said the video was taken in 2022 when he graduated with his Bachelor's Degree in Education at the University of the Western Cape. But he only posted the video to social media on Wednesday evening. The video, to the soundtrack of Wimpee's Afrikaans rendition of "The Lord bless you and keep you", has received 1.8 million views and shows Timoteus walking through rubble dressed in his cap and gown as he surprises his grandmother Aletha Muller at work, who is overjoyed. The two spend a moment hugging each other while his grandmother sheds tears of happiness as her colleagues look on. 'The motivation behind the video was because my granny was hard working and never wanted to stay out of work as she was the breadwinner. "So I decided to go to her place of work because she was the person who supported me financially during my time at university." #fyp ♬ original sound - Sharifa Dudley @anthonytimmytimoteus5k Jy word gemis. Dankie vir die seed wat geplant was. Dit dra Sy vrugte vandag. Ek verstaan dat dit in God se plan is dat dit so moes uitwerk. Maar Ek mis jou nogsteeds. My anker, my rots en my bidder. Rus in vrede. ♥️💯 #SAMA28 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 ✕
