Youth identities and future attitudes

By Bongiwe Tutu


As the youth of South Africa we are people who have come into a world that has undergone a great deal of revolutions and transitions in government policies. An immense amount of tension and fear was instilled in a number of people, oppression, poverty, fear and lack of hope for the future. Looking at our brief history with the Apartheid regime in Africa, World Wars in the Northern States followed by the Cold War. These are the things which called for change. A change which came at a time when we; the youth of today were born. That was during the 1990s when the country implemented Democracy and there was a great deal of national unity amongst the people.



This change enabled some of the people who were living in poverty, to be able to grow out of it and develop better futures for themselves and their families. However, a large number of the African people weren’t able to move out of poverty because they were never well off during apartheid. Issues of social welfare; poverty, poor education, poor infrastructure, unemployment and crime ravelled around and thus caused the divisions in our people. These are the divisions which we grew up into and we are therefore living through the consequences of our countries past.



With the new technological advancements coming in every single minute of the day, developing machinery that can do things quicker and easier, there is a less need to have workers and so the division is increased evermore as the unemployment and poverty rate increases. These technologies increase globalisation and so our identities are hindered as our cultures are under the scrutiny of Western trends and lifestyles which are depicted as the ideal ways of living life. Beyond this, there is the youth which is under the pressure of keeping up with all these technologies and trends taking place, being on a social network and putting your name out there to “chat” with people all over the world, trying to live like Jay-Z, and busy “Keeping up with the Kardashians”. So our identity becomes a puzzled box where many find it difficult to embrace in their own talents and personalities.



However, not everyone has access to these technologies or information as they are living under different circumstances and that is how divisions lighten up. You can see the differences in our youth by looking closer into class and racial standards; however, the stronger signifier of divisions which affect our attitudes and identities is class. Race is not an issue unless you are living in poverty. So, you have amongst us those who are in well off class standards, educated, happy and hopeful, and those who are living under the hindrance of poverty who might end up engaging in crime as they have a hopeless attitude for their futures and in need of social welfare. That is how the notion of individualism comes in where most of our youth break out of their social barriers and strive to change their lives as they are hopeful for their future. So the onus is on you, you can either grovel and roam around your disadvantages or try to make something out of yourself. There is so much out there for us, take a stand and make history.

Girls, Ladies, Women, Mothers.

By Bongiwe Tutu




Caption: A collage with my Mother(left and bottom centre with my brother) and Noeleen (right)

Women have always been inspirational leaders in my life, leaders and groundbreakers who aspired for greatness. Strong and determined women who always attain on doing more than what is expected of them, making history, making a difference and assisting in establishing a better tomorrow. That is the kind of woman I look up to. That is the kind of woman my mother is, that is the kind of woman she has groomed me to become.

That is how I’ve grown to look up to leading women in my future profession, where I’ve seen women such as Noeleen Maholwana Sangqu who are expanding and sustaining the role of women in the country, extending the premise of women empowerment in the world at large. I hold these women close to my heart because they are very driven and push me to attain my goal of being a TV journalist in the near future. Noeleen is a South African woman in Media, Entertainment, Art, born in Umtata in the Eastern Cape, on the 14th August 1967. My mother, Thembela Tutu was also born on the same year, on women’s month, on the 10th day of August 1967. This is the day after South Africa’s celebrations of as National Women’s Day, a day in which great women in our history and our future are acknowledged for their contribution to society.



Noeleen has been the Presenter for 3 Talk in Johannesburg since 2003, she has been the News Reader for Radio Transkei since 1988, this phenomenal woman is also the chair for Tomorrow Trust. She has been amongst other forms of media such as the SABC (South African Broadcasting Corporation) as a presenter in the year 2004, a Talk Show Host for Talk Radio 702 for a year from the year 2002. Above all this, Noeleen has received awards for the Best Global Radio Programme by the Global Population Institute in Cuba, the Chrystal Award from the People Magazine in Johannesburg, the Duku Duku Award by the SABC in Johannesburg, the Mzansi Star TV Presenter by the Mzansi Awards also in Johannesburg. Noeleen, the queen of Talk TV, “SA Oprah Winfrey”, professional speaker, loving, fun, energetic MC, is also a wife and a mother of two daughters and a son. She holds very strong values and inspires me further in my future platforms.


My mother is above all the strongest creature this earth has offered me and I am more than thankful as I’m truly blessed to have her in my life. Her drive is beyond what one can ever imagine. She is ever so hopeful and faithful. I hold her close to my heart, together with her wisdom and courage, her strength and values. She is always assisting me in accomplishing my goals and she is the ultimate hero, by my side every step of the way. I worship her very being and everything I do, I do it with her in my mind.

Lerato on pause

Lerato on pause

by Wendy Ngcobo and Sesethu Malgas

This is the story of Lerato, who has been waiting for three years for his final school results.

Lebo: In love. With Blackberry

Lebogang Mgiba is a 2nd year Journalism student from the University of Johannesburg.

________________________

Lebogang Mgiba from the University of Johannesburg is originally from Mpumalanga “I was a very good young boy, said Lebogang,” He described that he was a very clever and a naughty young boy who always seemed as good as the other. He liked to play soccer with friends and he also liked to spend much of his time with his grandmother. “I liked to stay with my grandmother because my mom was always at work,” he explained.

His dreams were to be a teacher because he was not mature enough and he did not have sufficient information.”My mom bought me a bicycle to show how much she cares and loves me” Lebogang said. He wanted his mom to pay much attention to him so if his mom ignored him he pretended as if he had a headache.

He explained that he used to play with both girls and boys because he had cousins of which some of them are girls and others are boys. He also has a few nieces. Going to school is the other thing that he liked to do. He never bunked school, he was a good listener and a much disciplined young boy when he was at school, never bothering his teachers.

Lebogang is a very cute, medium guy and he is slender. He is a very talkative and polite boy who likes to communicate and share ideas with people about what he knows. For instance, he likes to be on Twitter most of the time but he does not only share information with people on Twitter but also with people around him.

Anorth Mabunda: Media cop?

Inspired: Anorth Mabunda posing outside the Rhodes Journalism Department.

Most Journalism students aspire to reporters, sports journalists, magazine journalists, investigative journalists. However, few aspire to be press ombudsmen – arguably the toughest job in the media.

Twenty-four year old Anorth Mabunda is an exception. He attributes his desire to be an ombudsman to the values he learnt in his childhood.

The tall, lanky Mabunda describes his childhood in Tzaneen as challenging. His parents divorced when he was nine and he feels that this greatly affected his childhood. “What I would change about my childhood would be to have both of my parents in one household,” he said.

He believes that growing with an abusive stepmom made him critical and pessimistic but it ultimately also made him a strong person.

Mabunda, the middle child of three children, wanted to be a lawyer whilst growing up and in his spare time, he enjoyed rapping with his friends. “I would always be freestyling with my friends in the corner,” he adds. He enjoyed socialising but he had no core group of friends while growing up.

He also did karate and he believes this instilled discipline, and focus in him. Despite attending a “ghetto” high school, Mabunda was not swayed by the violence and partying he witnessed from his high school colleagues. “I’ve always had natural ethics. I was not easily affected by what people around were doing around me,” he said.

Key to being an ombudsman is objectivity and a strong sense of right and wrong. Anorth’s inherent values, enthusiasm and strength of character will make him a great ombudsman one day. Watch this space!

Give me black, says rally ace

The journey here began with a newspaper headline titled, "Motorsports Needs More Blacks", many years ago that sparked interest in the man that we know as "Africa's fastest brother," Gugu Zulu, one of South Africa's leading rally drivers talked about the developments in South Africa's Motorsports industry in a Think!Fest seminar during the ongoing National Arts Festival in Grahamstown.Zulu began his presentation with a short insight into his life's achievements and what motorcar racing all about.

Motorsports is defined as a collection of sports which have an engine, two to four wheels, which can be raced. The various types of racing include, Formula One, Nascar, Track, Rally, Off Road, Drag Racing, Karting, Midget and Oval Racing.The foundation for motorsports begins at Karting Zulu said."Go-Karting is like the kindergarten of motorsports," he said. This is a popular sport in South African and is sustained by interest from young children who can develop to the next stage known as the junior section. Track too has a following that involves the running of Road shows across the country.

Production racing cars are used and these are your Golfs, Audis and your VW's, Zulu said, adding that South Africa also has a healthy motorised riding industry known as the Motorbike Super. Rally racing is another field in motorsports that Zulu enjoys because, "It's purely controlled chaos." It has a navigator who tells the driver how far he is and where his next turn is. "It's pure speed and madness," Zulu said, adding that he once flew off the road at 170km/hr!Zulu said that SA motorsport is seen as a hobby for a select few and there isn't enough support from the South African audience. He said that while there are 450000 American fans of motorsport, there South Africa has just 10,000 making it difficult for the industry to be sustained.

Most drivers self-fund or get corporate sponsorship.This might explain why there are not too many black South Africans in motorsports.Zulu believes that motorsport is a great marketing tool for corporate business in South Africa. "Motorsport is a huge mobile billboard," he said, although he lamented the negative perception of the sport in corporate circles. Zulu also talked about expensive budgets for motorsport."When it comes to Africa, it all depends on whose got the money," Zulu said.

By Amanda Onamandla Mathe

Kesivan Naidoo turning 30

A clip of kesivan Naidoo, Standard Bank Young Artist Award winner for Jazz celebrating his 30th birthday.

Kesivan Naidoo performed alongside his band The Light at the Standard Bank Jazz Festival on 3rd and 4th of July 2009. His performance was electrifying and if you think you know Jazz, you haven't seen Kesivan Naidoo and The Light.

Clip provided by Dave Naidoo (Father) and taken from the Daily Despatch.

Literature and Culture equals WordFest

It began as demonstration to promote writers and the work of the South African Library for the Blind. As EC MEC for Arts and Culture, Xoliswa Tom said, “Be proud of what you do.”

Writers came in their traditional attire to support the cultures that make South Africans proud, ranging from Xhosa, Zulu, SiSwati and Sesotho. Thoko Mgwebi’s poetry opened WordFest 2009. The programme notes were written in three isiXhosa, Sesotho and Afrikaans.

The ceremony began with a welcome address by the Vice Chancellor of Rhodes University, Dr. Saleem Badat who shared his views and concerns about language and culture.
“Words can librate us and can imprison us,” Dr. Badat said. “Universities need to build a lasting relationship with local schools so that children of the present generation are not left behind due to a lack of literacy.”

Amanda Onamandla Mathe—FJP

FJP's at work

Business & pleasure at Grahamstown Arts Festival 2009

9 months no houses for tornado victims -Grahamstown

It was in early October 2008 when the mini tornado hit Grahamstown; a number of residents, especially in Vukani location were left houseless. Early this year they were provided with two room –tents and promised to be in their houses by the end of March 2009. Elections came and passed in April 2009 and still the houses were not in place as promised. Attempts to speak with the officials failed a number of times due to their unavailability. In an ever changing Grahamstown weather I personally witnessed that the tents are not in good condition. They have holes and the winter freezing wind just blows in, they are small as you can hear from the audio accompanying this article. Sad enough residents do not even know who their councillor is, they are only depending on the coming of the officials when they like to do so. The hope is on the new government if they can deliver something different for these residents.

Only listen the first part of this podcast which is relevant to this article otherwise you can listen to the rest for interests' sake.

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Simphiwe Kanityi 08

The fun we've had!

Ongezwa
Today is the last day for us here at the Future Journalist Programme Workshop at Rhodes University. It is a sad day but it’s ok. Some of us miss home and some don’t. But we keep telling ourselves that we will see each other in June. That’s pretty close if you think about it. I remember when we first arrived, it was strange. We didn’t know each other but after a day or so things changed. We were no longer strangers but a team.
I, for one, didn’t know what to expect or what was expected of us but within no time I felt comfortable. The camp was my first camp, it was my first time away from home, and I have never had to spend days with strangers. The outcome for me was great. Teamwork, friendship, patience, confidence and trust are just a few of the things that we learned from the Team Building Camp at Umlambo. As we got back from the Camp we did a lot together and shared our life experiences. That for me has made me realise that there’s more to life and also that nothings impossible. This programme has been a real eye-opener for me and probably the whole group.