Andyplay'79.co.za

Kindness must be exercised with some sensitivity

2017-01-20T04:55:00.000-08:00

Kindness must be exercised with some sensitivity to the perception of the wider society - I think about this in the light of the recent outcry by many people when a picture of a woman sitting in a sheep's cage at the back of a farmer's bakkie in the Eastern Cape.

In his defence the farmer does explain that he did offer the pregnant woman to sit in the front but the woman, who is pregnant, needed fresh air and opted for the back, which happens to be installed with a sheep's cage. In all fairness the farmer did not do anything wrong. In fact he was merely offering help to this woman who needed to go to a clinic that is approximately 60 km to access primary, or presumably antenatal, health care services.

I think about this in relation to a facebook post a friend, who is an educator, was shocked that her primary school grade learners did not know a particular late RnB/Soul musician whose fame was dominant all the way from the early 80s and well in the first decade of the millenium, untill the passing of the musician a couple of years ago. She then went further to say that she took a decision to go and get some music of this popular singer so that she can play the music for the pupils. My response to her post was to say that she needed to check what the school or Departmental policy says about that. My justification is that often the most noble of acts that involve an educator and a pupil may lead to an outcry from a society that expect educators to conduct themselves within the framework of policies that regulate their interface with the children they teach. She later explained to me that there was a book lesson about this musician so getting chldren to listen to the music merely enhanced that lesson.

On the other hand black Americans dont take kindly to people of other races calling them "nigger". It does not matter how jolly the occasion is black americans become sober and quiet with expressions of disapproval on the utterance of this divicive word by anyone outside the black race.
In my view, in this particular instance what the public outcry is calling for is for white people to be sensitive to the history of this country and look out for objects in everyday life that remind us of the painul past where objects of similar nature were used by the oppressor to dehumanize black people.

I once overheard a conversation between a 4-year old and a middle aged man who both live in a commune. The old man was cooking supper and the kid was playing in this kitchen. On seeing that the man is about to eat the kid asks for some food. The man's response was that the kid must ask the mother, who is a fellow tenant in this commune. The man even went further to express to the child that he feared giving her food. I thought that was a sad but adequate response by this man where he was requested to give food to a minor without the permission of a parent or guardian. I thought about this when considered the complexities of having insufficient knowledge of a minor's medical status, what the minor is alllergic to, and how such a deed may have been misintepreted where people live in close proximity and are prone to quarrels.

This is exactly the kind of sensitivity that white people in this country must exercise, even in the most noble circumstances. People in this coutry are witnessing a great deal of racial intolerence, with black people often at the receiving end of these acts. It is difficult to distiguish between innocent acts of kindness and those that are intended to cause harm and dehumanise black people. On the other other hand as black people we need to also be on the lookout for those situations that dehumanize and take away our dignity.

SEPTEMBER: BIRTHDAY MONTH: Lindelwe Mncube

2013-09-02T02:58:00.001-07:00

Almost five years ago, on the 22nd of September 2008, I was blessed with this beautiful angel, the sunshine of my life. Since that day I have never been able to life for anything or anybody else.

ANDILE MNCUBE PHOTOGRAPHY vs. SBAHLE UNIQUESMILE KHUMALO -

2013-08-30T07:23:00.001-07:00

On Sunday 25 August 2013 I packed my camera to meet up with Sihle Khumalo, founder and creative director at Bodicandi Clothing, and his younger brother Sbahle Khumalo for a photo shoot at Alexander Park Skateboard Park, near Pietermaritzburg.

By the way Bodicandi Clothing is a successful brand that's making waves in the fashion and youth culture scenes in both Pietermaritzburg and Durban as the major cosmopolitan areas of KwaZulu-Natal.

THE MODEL:
Sbahle is a cool guy with introverted characteristics. Like many other youth in his age he finds Hip Hop as an outlet to project hit thoughts, world views, and self image. He is a medium-height slender guy with a typical millennia college student body weight.

Sbahle in Bodicandy Nerd style glasses

THE LOCATION:
Alexander Skateboard park is a not the best location but we had to work with what we have. I once did a shoot on this location before with the UKZN student comic group, Just Nje, what I like about this location is the presence of colour through graffiti art that is found in the skateboard rams and walls. it seemed a perfect location of this virgin model as it appeals to his age and lifestyle.

His sleek slender body projects a street-cred image and flows well with the location

A great long sleeve Bodicandi top

THE SUBJECT:
The subject of this shoot was a youth black male model in street-gear wearing garments designed and produced at Bodicandi Clothing. we used the different dimensions of the location to render different moods and emotions exhibited by both the subject and his wardrobe.

A great silhouette against a strong blue sky background

Sbahle in an inferno red Bodicandi hoodie

Sbahle demonstrated a resilience and was keen to learn on different techniques of working with professional lens. the outcome of this shoot was amazing, given the fact that it was his first time in front of a camera.

Powered by Andile Mncube Photography & Bodicandi Clothing

Little Design Pieces

2012-11-28T10:37:00.000-08:00

Between September and October we were out travelling all over the province doing consultation workshops. At one time we were at Osizweni Handicraft Centre, Osizweni Handicraft Centre is a facility which function as a protective workshop for persons with disabilities and is run by KZN Provincial Department of Social Development.

It was for the second time for me being at this facility. One of the most conspicuous features of this facility is its basketball court which is used by paraplegic basket ball players in the community.

Osizweni Handicraft Centre Basketball Court overlooking the Township of Osizweni: I took this image in this way because I felt that I needed to communicate the message that the centre is a facility for the community of Osizweni.

I have to say that when I am here I cant help but want to take pictures of this basketball court. The message that it communicates to my imagination is too powerful for me to resist. I'm delighted that I was able to capture the essence of my imagination in this photo.

As if capturing this photo was not enough we got the opportunity to get into the workshop stores to look at some amazing handicraft that the people in the centre create. These included mostly different types of baskets. My colleagues and I painted that place red ans we shopped different sets of basket accessories and mats. We were quite happy to make this kind of contribution while we received a little bit of luxury with our hands.

So as I was looking at the many possibilities of using these baskets one of the ideas which came to mind was to buy fruit baskets and tea baskets and paint them in assorted colours of choice. So I decided to try this idea by choosing one basket which I would use to contain bread rolls and I painted it.

White Painted Bread Rolls Basket 1

White Painted Bread Rolls Basket 2

I think that it is important to dress up this bread rolls basket. So in order for me to accentuate this white color I used a bold light blue/turquoise colour table mate and a a red and white checked table napkin in order to contrast the color.

I am happy with this outcome and thanks to the wonderful and creative people at Osizweni Handicraft Centre for giving me something to take away from this trip.

Why is SABC 3 feeding us the failed American Dream cum Propaganda?

2012-07-31T06:45:00.001-07:00

This year's winter business has afforded me the time to be 300% lazy, couch-potato and watch television from as early as 17h30 during the week.

Now SABC 3 has added a show into their line-up of early evening comedy, (1)The Cosby Show. I remember how I used to watch this show when visiting relatives or through lace curtains at a neighbours' houses. Perhaps it was fun watching this show then, I absolutely have no recollection as I did not have much understanding of the English Language at that time, excuse my Bantu Education English. It was never meant to help me indulge on sophisticated TV shows such as The Cosby Show.

Ok! Now that I'm older and wiser than I used to be then and I can afford the Concise English Dictionary I watch this show and I am totally shaken, and to a greater extent disturbed by the head of programming at SABC 3 for choosing to air this show when one can see that the show, in its original setting was not a true reflection of the African-American society, and is still not a true representation of the segment of the market that SABC 3 is targeting.

I see these gaps and and vacuums in the relevance of the story to society and I wonder if the programmers at SABC 3 did take to time to do a dry run of watching the show before airing it in order to test the reaction of the audience.

Perhaps SABC 3 used the review that The show was praised for breaking traditional racial stereotypes, portraying African-Americans who were educated and successful. How ever some reviews which, in my opinion were correct, say the show was noted for portraying only a certain portion of the African-American population.

So one day after watching the show I had a discussion with my colleague saying that The Cosby Show is American Dream propaganda. My argument was that when I grew up I didn't know the people portrayed in the show and I still don't know those people. So in my opinion The Cosby Show is a lie.

In a small research to support my argument I came across (2)Will Brooke's 2003 book entitled 'The Audience Studies Reader".In his book Brooke argues that "For all its intentions The Cosby Show leaves us with an ideological problem. It sustains and promotes the widespread assumption that a positive image of a black person is necessary for an upper middle class black. This generates contradictory attitudes: first it 'proves' that black people can make it in a predominantly white world, even though most black people have, on this reckoning, failed; second: it cultivates the illusion that economic success is as achievable for black people as is for white people. This forces black Americans to buy into a system that handicaps them, without being able to explain (or accept) their persistently low levels of achievement".

Now the question that I ask myself by borrowing from Brooke's passage: Is the SABC saying that the majority of its audience prefer that shows that address situations about black people must portray a positive black image? Can we trace such elements in most of its programming? It is a known fact that the majority of SABC 3 audience are predominantly upper middle class white. These people have an advanced and sophisticated consumption of television media. They have a wide-ranging choice (such as DSTV) and they can influence what they want to see on their screen. Can we continue to allow this segment of the population to continue to dictate what we should be watching on national television?

Brooke continues to say that "The Cosby Show and other like it divert attention from the class-based causes of racial inequality. More than this the series throws a veil of confusion over black people who are trying to comprehend the inequalities of modern racism. It derails dissatisfaction with the system and convert it, almost miraculously, into acceptance of its values. In a culture where white people now refuse to acknowledge the existence of unequal opportunities, the consequences of this acceptance are, for black people, disastrous".

This analysis of the Cosby Show by Brooke is the very situation that we are facing in this country today where racial relations are poor due to the obvious inequalities and unequal opportunities which exist between different racial groups of this country.

Perhaps the best advice for SABC 3 is to steer away from cushioning the small segment of the South African population from the realities that the country faces by continuously showing American content which the majority of South Africans cannot identify with. These American programmes do not educate us about the life in our door step and they continue to teach our children values which undermine the African values, languages, culture and traditions.

.................................................................................................................................................................

(1) The Cosby Show is an American television situation comedy starring Bill Cosby, which aired for eight seasons on NBC from September 20, 1984 until April 30, 1992. The show focuses on the Huxtable family, an affluent African-American family living in Brooklyn, New York. (wikipaedia.org, 2012)

(2)

Will Brooker

0 Reviews

Routledge, 2003 - 347 pages

Has political propaganda ever been effective? To what extent do African-American families interpret their favorite TV show differently from their white neighbors? Are romance novels and teenage magazines reactionary fantasies or do they provide women with an important space of their own? The Audience Studies Readerbrings together key writings exploring questions of reception and interpretation, reprinting forgotten pieces and combining key essays with new research. Beginning with a general introduction to theReader,each extract is placed in its historical context with specially written section prefaces and suggestions for further reading. Organized chronologically and thematically, sections address: the paradigm shift--from "effects" to "uses and gratifications"; moral panic and censorship; the active audience and reading as resistance; shifts in screen theory --the spectator and the audience; the fan and the audience; gendering the audience; internet audiences, convergence andincreased levels of interactivity; and nation and ethnicity. The conclusion discusses the effects of Internet "overflow" and the increased level of interactivity it seems to offer. The Audience Studies Readerprovides a guide to historical approaches and suggests new ways of looking at the relationship between media texts and those who receive, consume and interpret them.

http://books.google.co.za/books?id=nMsRSrD0mAEC&printsec=frontcover&dq=will+brooke+audience+studies+reader&source=bl&ots=r-FNrJ1WLL&sig=xi_5ipe2x1_pgwpcTLrIk0smEtA&hl=en&sa=X&ei=7tAXUJXuJZKLhQeR9ICQDQ&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false

Listen To The Voice Of Reason

2012-03-28T00:30:00.000-07:00

A few months ago my colleague and business partner at Enterprise Exposure Magazine, Thabani Mkhize had a great opportunity to hold an interesting interview with someone others call a ‘social entrepreneur’ but consider himself Pietermaritzburg’s number one youth volunteer, Jabulani Myeza, founder and chairman of Youth of Choice organisation Youth Of Choice Organization, a noble organisation which applies multi-approach strategies to addresses issues which are pertinent to the youth and empower young people to find solutions to solve problems which they face.

Needless to say that this was one of the most memorable interviews we’ve ever had due to us having witnessed so much passion from one man for the youth and how much he believes that the youth has the power and the ability to bring about the change that society needs.

One of the questions which was asked during this interview was as follows: “Jabulani, one of the causes of the inadequacy in programmes offered by government to support youth initiatives is the lack of leadership and sheer incompetence by leaders of youth institutions in this country. If you had the opportunity to be at the forefront of youth leadership at these institutions what would you do differently to ensure that the youth from all communities are not marginalized by the very programmes which are aimed at developing and supporting them?”

Before I provide Myeza’s response to this question I’d like to say that I really admire this gentleman and we have interacted on several occasions after this interview. I would like to think of him as my friend in this sector that we work in – youth empowerment, and i hope he feels the same way about me.

When I crafted the question I never really dwelled on the response which I expected from Myeza or anyone else for that matter whom I might get the opportunity to ask a similar question. I guess my expectations were merely limited to gaining insight into one’s career ambitions, which is transparent towards the end of the question.

This was his response, which I think will give insight into the quality of man that Myeza is. “I don’t think that leaders of youth development are incompetent. I just think that when you are working with young people you need to be in line with what young people are doing, be there with them, walk the walk with them and be in their shoes” said Myeza.

In my opinion I think this was very diplomatic response to the question and his approach was that of building – constructive, rather than judgemental and degrading. I think those are great charateristics of a leader. If one of his peers was in that room when we did that interview this would have upgraded their admiration of Myeza. Personally I have to admit that Myeza’s response has since bugged me. It kind of urged me to do a bit of introspection and ask myself whether am I that pessimistic and whether I have such severe cynical view of the structures that be in terms of youth development. However this introspection is short-lived when I read something recently.

In the City Press of 25 March 2012 Steve Mokoena, CEO of the National Youth Comissionwrites: “NYDA thrives on greed”. Pause-Rewind-Stop right there! “Youth development in South Africa is an unfulfilled promise. It has become a cheap phrase that rolls off the tounges of politicians and incompetent state officials. In fact, the only time jouralists write about youth development is when they remind the nation that the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) is nothing more than a body of greedy incompetent political appointees be holden to the ANC Youth League”.

Find yourself this article in the City Press to get the my drift but Mokoena’s arguments allowed me to find refuge, without leaving my province, in his assessment of the situation that it is not a cynical view to think of leaders within the NYDA (as the paramount body responsible for the nation’s youth development) as incompetent. Mokoena’s arguments exhibits a fearless posture, one that is non-apologetic and fed up with what he observes to be total disregard of the plight of many youth in this country by those who are entrusted with policy, legislation, institutional arrangement, and financial and human resources to address the needs, the aspirations and the yearnings of the youth of this country.

In this picture a group of youth operating a spaza shop at kwa-Dambuza Location near Pietermaritzburg. Copyright: Andile Mncube 2012

It is no longer an excuse that the NYDA is not visible in many central points where the youth is found because this institution has been around for over two years but has nothing tangible to show for what it has done for the youth of this country.

Many grassroots organisations which operate on limited budgets and resources, and charity-based funding have achieved significant results for the many youth in different communities than these government institutions.

A community development worker in a resource-stricken district office of government department service so many youth alone in a year than any effort which the NYDA has ever made in the last two years.

In this picture marchers to the recently held Economic Freedom march

In essence I reject my self-inflicted torture of introspection and self-doubt and still hold the view that there is sheer incompetence by leaders of youth development at these government institutions.

Ten Things I Find Attractive: Inspired by Twitter Listings

2011-11-07T05:11:00.000-08:00

#8 Molami Head/Earphones

The way we listen to music has been redefined on more time by this Swedish Deign House of Molano by creating headpieces that blend with our clothes.

Photo Credits: Katarina W. Lagerbielke

The sleek design combines functionality with timeless style

Now that's how I wanna rock some headphones in public and enjoy my MUSeek!

Ten Things I Find Attractive: inspired by Twitter Listings - #09

2011-11-03T23:13:00.000-07:00

#09: Rols Royce Interior

The wooden venners of a Rols Royce interior combined with leather gives the Rols Royce that organc feel for the driver, saying that 'Live here'. It is a timeless design and this standard has been kept in all the Rols range from the first ever Rols Royce.

This picticure looks at the interior of the Rols Royce Ghost. The interior of Ghost is a convivial private sanctuary that leaves you relaxed and unruffled after the longest journey. It is simple yet contemporary with large expanses of soft-full grain leather, natural wood veneers and deep Blenheim carpets

Appreciate the distinct finish and fuzzy feeling that you would derive from just being inside this machine, let alone dirve it.

Everything is mastered to perfection. Look at this detail. the Amience just kills me - period!

It's the Suff of Legends!

I saw this Road Gem at Pietermaritzburg Botanical Gardens when we were buss doing a photoshoot with Sihle Khumalo of Bodicandi Clothing. A retired English had visited Pietermaritzburg and to check on the maintenance of their Masterpiece.

Unattended Letter To Top Billing Magazine: Nicky & Lee-Ann’s Photo Shoot

2011-11-03T07:26:00.000-07:00

By Andile Mncube[i]

Pietermaritzburg

After the 31 May 2011 episode of Top Billing I was anxious to get my hands on the June issue of Top Billing Magazine. This was after I was enchanted and inspired by Nicky and Lee-Ann’s “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” photo shoot. It was during my lunch break when I finally got it on Thursday 2 June. When I reached my desk I went straight to page 14 to read about the shoot.

Being an armature photographer myself I was very much interested in studying the print quality of the shoot. What captured me and captivated my attention was the perfect use of lighting in the shoot, combined with natural light, which rendered natural tones of the couple and romantic atmosphere of the location, the Table Bay Hotel. I was very keen to see the scene of the deck where, on TV you showed Lee-Ann flirting with the camera and Nicky’s eyes adoring her face. In the magazine this scene is perfectly laid out and has the same sentiment as on TV. The combination of lighting and natural colour can also be observed in the magazine pictures with the diffused shadows and textured three-dimensional appearance of the objects in the scene. BRAVO camera crew!

Another scene that grabbed my attention is the shoe scene with Lee-Ann, where on TV the set designer explained how she used the shoes to make them appear to be little stars in their own respect during the photo shoot. What I like about this scene was the positioning of the camera, which was lowered to render a majestic appearance of the shoes. In the magazine there is one shoe at the background, which appears to have a lacy print design. The Table Mountain backdrop outside the window behind the shoe (while I don’t think it was intentional) upsized the shoe to give it a statue appearance against this background. Again, fabulous work!

I was very much surprised to learn, in the mag, that Nicky is not a model. And there he was, so natural and flexible and confident in front of the camera. I was definitely fooled, during when I was watching TV, to believe that he is a professional model. And Yes, this question was asked in the mag interview.

This has left me with one more life debt, to find and watch the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” movie DVD.

Thanks to Top Billing for talking us through the step-by-step creation of glamour and lifestyle. I was greatly INSPIRED by the shoot.

[i] Andile Mncube is a Monitoring and Evaluation practitioner for a KZN provincial government department. He is also a founder, managing editor and principal photographer for a Pietermaritzburg-based youth digital publication, Enterprise Exposure Magazine. He writes in his personal capacity.

Ten Things I Find Attractive: inspired by Twitter Listings - #10

2011-11-03T06:43:00.000-07:00

#10: Wingback Chair

I have always been a fan of Wingback seaters, whether vintage or new. I find it to be a timeless piece of furniture, and very adventurous if you can compare some of the designs that are outthere of this seater. its distinctly winged design has inspired so many furniture designs. In recent times it is found in many studios but is slowly making its way back into our living room solely for aesthetic purposes and as beautiful decor items.

Kim Jones, a Designer at Luis Vuitton Mixes African Nomadic Heritage with Vuitton Signature to Produce Wearable Casuals

2011-10-28T12:28:00.000-07:00

I am on Dazed & Confused Magazine's mailing list. So a week or two ago I got one of their usual e-mails. I follow links on the mail to view some photographs by Yang Wang. I was taken by what I saw as designed by Kim Jones, a designer at Luis Vuitton, the strong-coloured fabrics. There is something strikingly ecclectic about the fabrics of the designs. There are those western American elemnts, as well as South American, and some of the African clutures can be associated as well. Great fashion and style as menswear winter collection.

I downloaded the pics and did not peruse them until I boarded a train to Jo'Burg. On the SAA's Sawubona Magazine pages Wham-BANG! the fabric on Kenyan Masai doing a traditional dance in this article about Masaai Mara, where men and wldebeest converge. I had seen these, I though.

So I decide to go back to the e-mail and read more about this article. Yes, in the interview with Dazed Magazine Kim Jones, a former designer at Dunhill, mentions his influence for his choice of fabric as influenced by his nomadic life in Africa. So explains this coincidence.

Have You Ever Seen Her

2011-10-27T09:49:00.000-07:00

During the Plush ultra Lounge Photo Shoot we hook up with the raw but amazing talent and love for camera of Jo-Anne. Let me leave it up to you to decide. As fas as i'm concerned this lady can put up a tough competition for Naomi Campbell

On the face observe the distinct facial features, the clear outline of the nose, a chin and a perfect frame of the face

Notice the distinctly long torso of a upper body, an important ingredient in a model for designers

Look at that demeanour!

Deep Tan Vintage Bag: Must-Have for Men

2011-10-27T00:31:00.000-07:00

Deep Tan Bags have made their circles one more time as a must-have for men. Deep Tan shoes, a belt, khakis, a deep tan vintage suitcase and one of these bags is something bespoke when you add a crisp 100% pescent white cotton shirt

Last night I had a dream that I was buying myself one of these bags. I was so angry when i woke up to realise it's just a dream.

[disclaimer: Photos: www.coggles.com]

A Sushi Bar, the Dalia Lama, the Rugby World Cup, Desmond Tutu, South Africa’s Foreign Policy, and the Bokke Jive

2011-10-10T02:37:00.000-07:00

I have prepared myself a full English breakfast: pork neck bacon, sunnysides, mini pork sausages, and whole grain bread. I’m having it while watching House Hunters on Fine Living Network channel.

I don’t get to have such a breakfast very often because sometimes I can be so busy or lazy that I can’t get the chance to prepare it or even sit at a coffee shop to be served one.

So as I’m watching this Danish guy who has just sold his house and wants to relocate to the Carribean island of St Lucia. In one of the houses that he gets to view, which is an open plan his reaction to a kitchen counter which separates an open plan kitchen to the dining area he says: “Wow I can have a sushi bar here! You know, serve sushi to my friends”. Now as he say that I my mind is rushing I recall an SMS sent to me last night by a friend complaining about how much she can’t get used to the idea of the Kenny Kunene a.k.a. ‘Sushi King’ reality show ‘So What’ on E-TV. It got me thinking that sushi is, in some circles, much bigger that we know it in our shores. One wonders as to why, of all the cheap goods that we receive from Asia, the price of sushi remains staggering above R120.00 per serving at a supermarket in South Africa.

Thinking about sushi as cuisine which the world inherited from the Asian cultures I also think about the recent debacle between the Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, and South Africa-China Relations. A debate which I attended over the weekend was entitled “A Dilemma or Dalia Lama”. In this debate a greater proportion of the discussion centred around South Africa’s Foreign Policy versus our economic relations with China. Mind you I was not allowed to take any footage or pictures in this debate because some of the people who were part of it belong to certain offices and did not want to be quoted without their knowledge. Emanating from the discussion it became clear that there certainly is a dilemma for the government to choose to offer a visa to someone who is considered to be an enemy of China. Some based their arguments on the fact that China’s foreign policy is an interfering in nature. China’s economic muscle combined with a foreign policy that wants to extend its political and cultural hegemony seem to have played a role in the government’s decisions to delay the issuing of a visa to someone who is well known and whose visa application, when other things are equal, should have been afforded the urgency and the courtesy which it deserved. So one must wonder if the exorbitant price of such will drop accordingly or is it going to be inflated by Desmond Tutu’s outrage and expression of anger to a government which misrepresent him by not allowing his buddies to come to his slumber party.

As if that is not enough to leave the rainbow nation divided into two the South African rugby team lost and thrown out of the world cup. A friend posts something on facebook which says that his friend said that he does not know why he says this but he blames Desmond Tutu for South Africa’s loss in the world cup. Some people even went to the extent of blaming the Dalai Lama himself. It is quite sad because as a nation we were so united behind the Bokkes. Even a bunch of hip and happening trendsetters taught us the ‘bokke jive’. So losing like that was shameful and for this to happen at such a time it is obvious that we are gonna need to pray about this and we must also fast and even refrain from eating anything which is raw fish, rice and algae for the next four years. However maybe South Africa had it coming because a bad omen started with Bafana Bafana celebrating their qualifier to the CAF and only to be told that South Africa did not make it. Perhaps South Africa’s foreign policy needs to change from being a ‘no interference’ to something else. I can’t help but blame SAFA for failing to pay the sangoma for doing the job that he was tasked with and expect the results. The SAFA bosses have caused a mere R10, 000.00 to cost us our position in the CAF games because anyone can see some forces at play here. Bafana is in the first position in log of its group and the next thing a team that is in second position in that group is selected over the first one...no-no-no Sangoma!

For The Love Of Architecture

2011-09-19T03:36:00.000-07:00

Pietermartizburg may not be a big city but this beautiful city is big on heritage. Its heritage legacy can be seen in its Victorian building dating back to the 17th Century.
I recently decided to take a drive around the city to take a few pictures but mainly to take a few shots of the Cotton Pub. The Cotton Pub is situated at the corner of Burger and Boshoff streets.

Pietermaritzburg is also known of its red brick building designs which is why it is known as: UMgungundlovu oNdonga ZiBomvu (loosely translate: Pietermaritzburg of Red Blood Walls). as burger street turns to join Chapel streed at the corner is this beautiful mansion which is directly opposite the KZN Department of Transport

Above is the side facing Burger street;

Above is the western side facing Chapel street.

Victorian building design is symbolic for its rich culture and art. i observed this on the palisade design of Standard Bank Church Street:

The 2011 Alan Paton Literary Trail Tour

2011-08-29T10:24:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends of the 2011 Alan Paton Tour,

I wish to express my sincere thanks and gratitude to the organisers of the Tour: Heidi Govender; Mary Kleinenberg; and Jewel Koopman. On behalf of Enterprise Exposure Magazine it was a great pleasure to be part of this tour and meeting all or you and thanking you for your keen interest in the heritage of our Pietermaritzburg, a city we are very proud to be part of. Thank you for inviting us.

I forward this note with all the photos which were taken during the tour. I provide these images in order for you to use them whichever way that you desire. However, we would appreciate it if you were to acknowledge the authors [Enterprise Exposure Magazine].

I would like, also to thank you for your interest in Enterprise Exposure Magazine. I have already received some correspondence from some of you requesting copies of the Magazine. Your interest is highly appreciated.

I hope that (drawing Mary’s attention) the proposed Georgetown, Edendale tour will happen. I find that project to be very close to my heart because I was born in Georgetown. I look forward to be with you during this tour.

It is important for the youth of Pietermaritzburg to be educated and made familiar about the heritage of the City. Enterprise Exposure Magazine is committed to educating and empowering the youth of the KZN. To know our heritage and where we come from is integral to our development and empowerment as the youth. It is because of such that issues of youth leadership, youth entrepreneurship and youth lifestyle is central to our editorial vision.

Background on Enterprise Exposure Magazine:

Enterprise Exposure Magazine is a Pietermaritzburg-based youth digital magazine. The magazine was started by two young professional, Andile Mncube as Managing Editor and Thabani Mkhize as Editor-in-Chief.

The magazine targets the youth which are the young professional and those in tertiary institutions. It profiles and showcase inspirational stories of youth individuals who are excelling in their careers or in business and are making a significant contribution to society.

The magazine is distributed freely to over 5000 readers in our database. It is distributed as a digitally-engineered PDIF spread via emails and compact disks (CDs). The magazine was started in May 2010 but was recently launched in July 2011. A total of three issues have been published so far. A web site was also launched, and is still under construction. Only basic information is available so far.

For any further details please contact:

Andile Mncube: 083 367 5627; amncube@gmail.com; or

Thabani Mkhize: 082 817 0855: thabzz@gmail.com

Thank you and kind regards,

Andile Mncube

Managing Editor

Enterprise Exposure Magazine

Enterprise.exposure@gmail.com

www.exposuremag.co.za

The Marginalization of the (black) Youth from Full Participation in South Africa's Economy

2011-08-23T23:24:00.000-07:00

The Marginalization of the (black) youth from full participation in the country's economy has not only deprived the youth opportunities to participate in global economic forums but has also crippled our efforts of mobilizing resources and make significant contributions to our African societies asuch as the missed opportunity for SA youth to make interventions in Somali

Comment on the “Illegal Abortions In Pietermaritzburg” article by Nicole John & Tarryn Adriaan, which appeared in the Maritzburg Echo of 11 August 2011

2011-08-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

While, as effect of legislation, state facilities provide services for termination of pregnancy it is, however, still very much frowned upon by a society that is pre-dominantly Christian in religion and largely traditional, the society of Pietermaritzburg.

Being a non-cosmopolitan city that it is Pietermaritzburg consist of different communities which have strong cultural values and religious beliefs. The Islamic and Hindu communities subscribe to strong cultural values and religious beliefs. Pietermaritzburg is close to many rural communities. Therefore the core of its community is largely traditional. Also there are numerous Christian faith missions and religious organisations. All these value and belief systems are strongly opposed to termination of pregnancy. As a result all these characteristics, the society of Pietermaritzburg exhibit a people whose attitude is, to a greater extent, apprehensive to accept abortion as a part of its practices as society.

On the other hand Pietermaritzburg have, in the past few years, been experiencing an influx of youth immigrants from other provinces and towns who come to the city in search of educational institutions. These youth are away from the care and guidance of their parents, which in-turn expose them to a lifestyle which involves drinking, partying, and unsafe sex. The result of that are the growing statistics of teenage pregnancy. Ruthless opportunists have opened up these illegal abortion businesses to take advantage of the plight of the city youth that is desperate for a solution to a problem which, to mind of the youth, cannot be solved by going to a state institution due to fear of shame and possible negative criticism by service providers at these institutions.

I recently had the opportunity to spend time and photograph “Nje-Just”, a UKZN-based comic group formed by students of this university. As part of the photo shoot itinerary the King Edward Avenue bus stop which is located near the main entrance of the university was one of the locations on which shots were to be taken.

If you are familiar with this facility you know the state of degradation that it is in. So as we are taking shots on one side of the shelter we are confronted by these “Safe Abortion” posters which are posted all over the walls of the bus stop shelter. Thinking that the whole scene could provoke thought to the viewer and lead to discussions around the issue of abortion, teenage pregnancy and related issues we decided to take shots of different members of the group poised in such a way that illustrate a picture of a couple who are in their youth, are confronted by a situation in which a major decision has to be made between themselves and seem to be in a serious discussion about such an issue. Therefore the “Safe Abortion” poster in the background is placed in the middle of the shots. The purpose of this was to achieve a composition of flier being the issue between the couple, or the issue of abortion being the subject matter of their conversation.

Nicky & Lee-Ann’s Photo Shoot

2011-08-23T10:47:00.000-07:00

This has left me with one more life debt, to find and watch the “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” movie DVD.

Thanks to Top Billing for talking us through the step-by-step creation of glamour and lifestyle. I was greatly INSPIRED by the shoot.

Following Style: Bongie Alexandra and the SA's Top Model Launch

2010-10-06T02:59:00.000-07:00

My colleague and I agreed that Bongi's dress for the SA's Top Model Launch was stunning. I notice the lenth of the dress that it is above the knees. A dress like this one, ladies, is practical in the sense that it is easy to wear for many occassios. We are highlighting this one for our fashion trend report of Enterprise Exposure Magazine.

I am totally smacked by Bongie for poor complement. let me rectify this by saying that: "Bongie you looked gorgeous and the dress complemented you"

What a Dash

2010-10-05T02:10:00.000-07:00

Our Beloved Enterprise Exposure Magazine Thabani Mkhize sets the trend today in a checked charcoal stroller coat with a distinctive blaxk tux collar. perfectly matched with Puce pink tie and pocket square.

Exposure Rating: 4/5

SABC 2 Interview with Tshepang Mosiea

2010-07-02T00:46:00.000-07:00

In our last issue of Enterprise Exposure Magazine we featured Tshepang Mosiea, Senior Project Manager for ICT research projects at Meraka Institute. Tshepo was recenlty featured in the SABC 2 Breakfast show. We were able to record the interview:

Enterprise Exposure Magazine would like to congratulate Tshepo Mosiea for his noted achievements.

Enterprise Exposure Magazine presents the Editor-in-Chief

2010-07-01T23:36:00.000-07:00

Thabani Mkhize is the Editor-in-Chief of Enteprise Exposure Magazine. Mkhize brings a great deal of expeience to the direction of the magazine and its editorial vision. Having worked for student newspaper and other publications, Mkhize clearly brings a clear vision of where the magazine should be going.

Enterprise Exposure Magazine Feature

2010-06-30T05:43:00.000-07:00

In our Launch Issue of Enterprise Exposure Magazine we featured Tshepang Mosiea for our careers feature. Tshepo is a Senior Project Manager, Euro-Africa ICT, at Meraka Institute. Mr Mosiea was recently featured in the SABC news breakfast show.

Building Character

2010-06-29T02:42:00.001-07:00

There are many sayings which warn us about the unfair treatment that life throws on us sometimes. People often say “Life’s a Bitch!” I heard in a movie someone say that “Life’s a bitch and then you die”. In another occasion some one said “Life is unfair, so get used to it” I have lived with the second one for a long time and it has, perhaps, manifested itself into some sort of principle for me. It is probably because of my understanding that in life we are born different. There are so many things that make us different. Sometimes this difference is pronounced in some of the things that other people have and we don’t in our physical designs. I suppose life is unfair like that, and we have to get used to it.

When we decide to get used to some of the unfairness of life it is then that we realise how unfair because it is then we have to deal with certain personal expectations and those of our peers. It is during this stage of life, when we have to impress, that we realise that we are different, that there are things that we cannot do as well as others or cannot do at all. When we realise that there is this kind of flaw in our physical design, or in our lives we become frustrated, hateful and spend a great deal of time being resentful. It is unfortunate that during this time people around you may choose to be understanding or sympathize with you or patronize you, mock you, or ridicule you or even reject you.

However, there is an option we can choose other than being miserable about our imperfection. Firstly we need to get out of the denial zone and accept that we are different so that we can move into the zone of action. When in the zone of action we find out what is it that we can do to change our situation. At this stage it is important to identify that what you can change and that what you cannot change. If you can change something change it, of you can’t leave it.

People who have everything going well for them and believe that they are perfect and are God’s gift to other people tend to be arrogant and lack the respect and compassion for other people and life in general. However, people who identify and acknowledge flaws about themselves tend to work hard on building their character, earning the respect that they deserve and respecting others and life in general. It is this flaw that becomes one’s milestone in life while it brings one an opportunity to be closer and have a relationship with God and also understand perfectly who they are. People like that are able to live in tranquility and often easily find peace with themselves. It is this flaw that becomes a drive for one to work hard and find creative ways to succeed in life while others spend valuable time mocking and ridiculing others’ flaws for the amusement of their mundane life and that of their peers.

Therefore sometimes it is good to be flawed because if you had it all and thought you were perfect you would not be able to respect other people, you would not work hard in your life to succeed and accentuate your good characteristics and you would probably not understand who you are and therefore will never have good character. It is expected that you would do certain mistakes which will hurt you, other people and those who are closer to you. However, making mistakes can be part of a learning curve sometimes. It is these mistakes that allow you to reflect on life and work towards not doing the same mistakes in the future. Eleanor Roosevelt said that “People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built”