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The South African
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The South African
'Who the hell is that?': Rasta's Presley Chweneyagae portrait irks public
Rasta has done it again with another celebrity portrait that has left South Africans fuming. The Zimbabwean artist, Lebani Sirenje, unveiled his portrait of the late Presley Chweneyagae at his funeral on Saturday, 7 June. The service for he late actor took place at the Akasia Community Hall in Pretoria. On X, images of Rasta's painting of Presley Chweneyagae at the actor's funeral service had social media users up in arms. In the art picture, the painter shared his likeness of the Cobrizi star. In a second portrait, Rasta recreated the poster for Tsotsi, the 2004 feature film which gave Presley his breakout role. However, South Africans were not remotely convinced that the man in either of the portraits was the late screen star. X user @tlhonolo_ posted: 'Who the hell is that supposed to be?' Some were even angered by Rasta's attempt at creating Presley Chweneyagae's image. Another X user, @KkKakaza, added, 'Someone close to Rasta must tell him to hand himself over to the nearest police station. KZN SAPS is looking for him.' In 2023, the then Minister of Sport, Art, and Culture, Zizi Kodwa, sternly warned Rasta over his portrait of the late singer Zahara. In one viral pic posted on X, the minister was seen chatting to Rasta. Like the portrait of Presley Chweneyagae, Rasta's painting of Zahara went down in flames on social media. Images via X: @lesufipanyaza Gauteng Premier Penyaza Lesufi posted on X at the time: 'The Minister @zizikodwa is seriously engaging Rasta on the sidelines about his drawings of Zahara.' Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 . Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp , Facebook , X, and Bluesky for the latest news.
The Citizen
6 days ago
- Business
- The Citizen
Mashatile spent R2.3m on travel, food, and laundry for Japan trip
Mashatile confirmed that he undertook four official international trips, costing approximately R7.9m since July 2024. Deputy President Paul Mashatile has disclosed that he spent R2.3 million on a single working visit to Japan in March 2025, with expenses including flights, accommodation, ground transport, restaurant services, and laundry costs. This latest revelation adds to previous travel expenditure totalling over R5.5 million since taking office in July 2024. The revelation came in response to a parliamentary question from ActionSA MP Lerato Mikateko Ngobeni, who requested a complete breakdown of all official travel undertaken by Mashatile since assuming office on 3 July 2024. Four international trips with combined costs exceeding R7.9m Mashatile confirmed that he undertook four official international trips since the specified dates. These included: Working visits to Ireland and the United Kingdom in September and October 2024, Representing President Cyril Ramaphosa at the inauguration of Botswana's President Duma Boko in November 2024, Attending an extraordinary SADC Summit in Harare, Zimbabwe, also in November 2024, and A recent working visit to Japan in March 2025. The Ireland and UK working visits cost R5 475 829.03, while the Botswana inauguration cost R52 867.58 and the Zimbabwe SADC Summit cost R56 166.20. The latest Japan trip alone cost R2 319 138.19, bringing the total expenditure for all four trips to approximately R7 903 901. While comprehensive details were previously provided for the first three trips in February 2025, Mashatile's latest parliamentary response focused specifically on the Japan working visit, which took place from 16 to 19 March 2025. ALSO READ: Gauteng underspends budget but says R1.8bn not lost Importance of Mashatile's Japan visit The deputy president emphasised the strategic significance of the Japan trip, describing it as focused on 'strengthening political, economic and social areas of cooperation between the two countries.' The visit coincided with the celebration of 115 years of diplomatic relations between South Africa and Japan. In his parliamentary response, Mashatile stated that he was accompanied by a high-level delegation including Deputy Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Thandi Moraka, Minister of Sport, Arts, and Culture Gayton McKenzie, Minister of Higher Education Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, Minister of Agriculture John Steenhuisen, Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau, and Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Nomalungelo Gina. Economic focus and business engagements Mashatile highlighted Japan's position as South Africa's fourth-largest trading partner as a key motivation for the visit. He noted that 'many Japanese companies have expanded investment plans in the pipeline in South Africa, thereby having assured the South African Government of Japan's trust and support in its economic policies.' During the working visit, Mashatile and his delegation engaged with Japan's business community across various sectors including manufacturing and machinery, mining and mineral beneficiation, energy cooperation, the automotive industry, and greater market access for South African agricultural products. According to the deputy president, key engagements included a visit to the Isuzu Fujisawa Plant Service, meetings with Dr Akhiko Tanaka, President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency, and discussions with the Japan-African Union Parliamentary Friendship League. The delegation also met with representatives from the Japanese business community, including the Japan External Trade Organisation, the Japan Organisation for Metals and Energy Security, Keidanren, and the Association of the African Economy and Development in Japan Committee. ALSO READ: Mashatile's Japan trip hailed as 'strategic' amid US trade tensions High-level political meetings The visit marked 'the first high-level engagement between South Africa and Japan in the last 10 years,' according to Mashatile. He met with Prime Minister Ishiba and Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi 'with the objective to foster closer political collaboration.' Mashatile also delivered a keynote address at the United Nations University under the theme 'South Africa's G20 Presidency: Solidarity, Equality, and Sustainability – a conversation with Japan.' Detailed cost breakdown for Mashatile's Japan trip The comprehensive cost breakdown for the Japan trip revealed expenses totaling R2,319,138.19. Flight costs amounted to R613,214.92 for the delegation, while accommodation expenses reached R1,235,569.73. Ground transport costs totalled R410,926.94. Additional expenses included R8,033.50 for laundry services and R51,393.10 for restaurant services covering food and beverages. Previous travel expenses dwarf Japan costs The Japan trip, while expensive, was not Mashatile's costliest international travel during the period in question. The Ireland and UK working visits in September and October 2024 cost significantly more at R5,475,829.03, with accommodation in London alone costing over R3.2 million. The two regional trips to Botswana and Zimbabwe were comparatively modest at R52,867.58 and R56,166.20 respectively, partly because the deputy president was transported by the South African Air Force for these shorter trips. Delegation composition and individual costs Mashatile's spouse, Humile Mashatile, accompanied the delegation and 'participated in the Spousal Programme,' with her flight costs listed at R117,518.08 and ground transport at R73,592.80. Mashatile's own expenses included R117,518.08 for flights, R956,057.00 for accommodation, and R77,360.32 for ground transport. Senior staff members accompanied the Deputy President, including Deputy Director-General Mduduzi Mbada, Political Advisor and Acting Spokesperson Keith Khoza, Acting Head of Communications Itumeleng Mafatshe, and various administrative and protocol support staff. Each staff member's role was clearly defined, from providing strategic and advisory support to handling communication, administrative duties, and protocol requirements. G20 and African agenda alignment Mashatile noted that the timing of the visit aligned strategically with South Africa's G20 Presidency and Japan's hosting of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development in August. This confluence presented 'a unique opportunity for South Africa to communicate its position and priorities for the continent to Japan and the expected support and role that Japan could play in this regard.' NOW READ: Starlink proposal: Mashatile says Cabinet holds final say on policy changes
The Hindu
24-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Historian calls for restoration of ancient Mallela Gutta hillock temples of Vijayanagara era
Gorantla-based historian MyNaa Swamy on Saturday urged the State government to undertake the restoration of ancient temples of the Vijayanagara empire, located atop the Mallela Gutta hillock near Vanavolu road in Sri Sathya Sai district. Speaking to the media at the Madhavaraya temple here, Mr. Swamy said that a formal representation was being submitted to the Department of Tourism, Archaeology, and Culture, seeking the reconstruction of these historically significant structures. The historian said that the department's Principal Secretary, Ajay Jain, had positively responded to the representation and assured that a team of officials from the Archaeology wing would soon conduct a ground-level survey of the site. Mr. Swamy said that the two temples on top of the hillock were constructed in Vijayanagara architectural style. 'One of them is still called the Madhava Rayala Sannidhi. Both temples slowly slipped into oblivion and were subjected to neglect and dilapidation,' he said. The historian said that in recent years, he along with local villagers from Vanavolu, and surrounding hamlets, visited the ruined sites to assess the condition of the temples. The historian said that the inscription carved on a large rock in front of the temple was a testimony that Emperor Venkata Raya-II of the Vijayanagara empire had granted land to the temple for its maintenance in the year 1638 of the Saka era. Mr. Swamy called for the preservation of such historical monuments as they would not only highlight the cultural and religious significance of the region, but also serve as a testimony to the lost heritage of the Vijayanagara dynasty.
The Citizen
23-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Roodepoort parkrun sees strong turnout
The Roodepoort parkrun was once again buzzing with enthusiasm on Saturday, May 18, as 444 runners and walkers gathered, awaiting the run director's signal to start the 5km run. This was event number 607 and saw 29 volunteers facilitating the event by directing participants, scanning barcodes and providing support and encouragement. The event drew an amazing 31 first-time runners, and as always, a whole host of participants celebrated the coveted parkrun milestones, including Tatum King, who completed her 10th; Vincent Joel and Helen Mittwoch with their 100th; and Sadiq Gordon with his 150th run. Desmond Campbell was also honoured on the honours board for his 200th parkrun alongside Gielie Nel with 300, and John Carstens closed off the board with 350. Also read: Easter fun at parkrun According to Pascal Simba, the ambassador for Roodepoort parkrun, a new initiative has been introduced by Discovery Vitality and the Department of Sports, Arts, and Culture called Give2move, which kicked off on May 10 in celebration of World Move for Health Day. Watch video here: 'The aim is to collect 100 000 pairs of shoes in all sizes, which will be donated to those who need them the most. 'Parkrunners are encouraged to donate old or new shoes of any size every Saturday, and that will be appreciated,' he said. Pascal would also like to remind the community that the parkrun takes place every Saturday at 08:00 at Len Rutter Park in Florida Park. The event is free and is a two-lap course. All you have to do is register on print out your barcode, and you are ready to become part of the parkrun community. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
National News
25-03-2025
- Politics
- National News
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Time. Topic 12:00. Meeting of the subcommittee of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Higher Education, and Culture, chaired by MP Halima Kaakour, to continue reviewing the proposed amendment to Law No. 515 (June 6, 1996) on school budgeting and tuition regulations for private non-free schools. The session will be held in the Education Committee Hall, 1st Floor, MPs' Offices Building
