#fuel prices affect all and sundry: #entrepreneurs, #students and all #consumers

Everyone knows the petrol price is high, very high. And most people know the weak rand and high crude oil prices are to blame.

But we don't always realise the full extent of the increases as we tend to focus on the price only when it rises. We'd rather forget that petrol used to cost less than R2/litre at the beginning of 1998.

And unfortunately, petrol is a necessity.

We need 200250 litres every month to get to work and back and to fetch the kids from school. The result of higher petrol prices is everybody had to reduce spending on other things to pay that extra R1500 per month for fuel.

Not only did the increase in the cost of petrol cut deeply into our disposable income, the little we have left buys much less because of higher inflation.

Unfortunately, things won't change while the oil price remains high and the rand stays weak. Let's hope oil prices don't go any higher. 

Time Anchor's #Mirari brings you tips on how best to mix and enjoy your #gin. #WorldGinDay

You may have been told before that you are mixing your gin the wrong way? Well, there are actually over 50 different ways to mix your gin, but getting the best out of the mix is the trick. But how do you do this? Shanna-Rae Wilby, Chief Distiller at Time Anchor Distillery takes us through the perfect ways to serve up the perfect gin, every time.

If you are a true gin connoisseur, you know that not all gins are the same. One of the best ways to maximise the taste of a high-quality gin is to choose a premium tonic water as your mixer, after all tonic makes up ¾ of your G&T and it's important to have a quality product that highlights your Gin and doesn't dull the flavour. We've all had that one gin that was either too strong or too weak or just plain bland. A good quality gin is one that has been distilled with natural ingredients, so you need to ensure that you look out for authenticity, and trace back where your gin is actually made - embracing conscious consumerism.

From a taste perspective, you are looking for a product that has a symphony of flavours when you drink it, instead of a one-dimensional taste that lacks depth and structure. Here are five ways you can serve the perfect gin. We have used the Mirari Amber African Botanicals Gin as our gin of choice;

1.     Pair with Fitch & Leedes Indian Tonic Water, Barker & Quin Indian Tonic Water or Ginger Ale (not Ginger beer).

Garnish with any of the following combinations:

2.     Orange Wedge, which brings out the citrus notes of the sweet orange that we used when distilling, and blackberries.

3.     Fresh Fig and a sprig of Thyme is a perfect addition - the fig pairs with the figs that we use when making the gin.

4.     Cinnamon quill and a sprig of Rosemary - the cinnamon quill brings out the warm notes of the cassia bark from the gin and the rosemary bolsters the juniper flavours.

5.     Lime wedge and Cucumber ribbons to increase the citrus profile of the gin and enhance the crisp refreshment of summer – making this serving a great one for a sunny Sunday afternoon.

If you're looking for a relaxed Friday afternoon, a G&T with citrus is perfect for the summer, and as we head into the winter season, Negroni is your ideal paring. If you are feeling like a naughty night out, a good quality Martini is the perfect way to get your party on.  Now that you know how to perfectly serve your G&T, you can be a hero among your friends.

#Mobicel launches affordable LTE enabled #smartphone for just R899.

Mobicel, the South African smartphone brand, has launched the Trendy 2 – an affordable LTE-enabled smartphone that runs on the Android PGo platform. The new smartphone is the successor to the popular Trendy Smartphone and offers a range of value-added features and powerful specifications at the accessible price of R899.

 

Device highlights include a 5.45-inch display, a 2 megapixel front camera, 5 megapixel back camera and 8GB of onboard memory. The integrated 4G/LTE capability, meanwhile, allows entry-level users to enjoy a better experience when using bandwidth-intensive applications such as video and music streaming.

 

The Trendy 2 is one of the first smartphones in its price bracket to run on Android PGo, the Go edition of the latest version of the Android operating system. The operating system tailors and refines the user experience as you use the phone, learning your preferences and shaping your interface accordingly.

 

It prioritises your apps based on how often you use them, ensuring that the apps you seldom or never use won't drain on your battery life. It can even monitor how you use certain apps and run the in-app features you use most in the foreground for your convenience.

 

PGo makes data about how you use your device available to you, so you can see how much time you spend on your phone, which apps you spend the most time on, and your habits at particular times of the day. You can use this info to set daily, weekly and monthly limits on your app and data usage. Your phone will alert you when you've reached these ceilings.

 

Mobicel products can be purchased online at Mobicel.co.za and at all major retail stores around the country.

 

#Exclusive: Blue Mbombo joins #Moziak magazine as a partner

Off the back of curating content for Condé Nast (media house for the likes of Vogue Magazine) at their recent International Luxury Conference in Cape Town, Blue Mbombo will now be running her own magazine as she joins Moziak Magazine as a partner. 

Moziak Magazine is an online culture publication focused on telling authentic African stories, with a footprint in South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, the USA and the UK.

"With the trajectory of where digital is going, owning an online magazine makes good business sense," shares Blue Mbombo. She adds: "I was drawn to Moziak Magazine because of their great content and continental footprint. I'm excited to join a team of disruptors and trend setters and I look forward to bringing my creativity alive in a magazine format. 

Blue Mbombo will hold the title of Creative Producer at Moziak Magazine and will play a significant role in the creative direction of Moziak covers going forward; with her first cover dropping this Friday, 31 May 2019, featuring South African media personality Boity.

 

#StandardBank redefines "banking on a budget" with the #MyMo launch that also gives u free #airtime and #data. Its just R4.95 a month!

Standard Bank has launched a pay-as-you-transact bank account that costs R4.95 per month. 

"MyMo" account holders will get 1GB of free data when applying for the account on Standard Bank's app. Customers who swipe their cards at least four times a month will get R50 free airtime and 500MB free data.

Withdrawal fees at supermarkets cost R1.40; withdrawals at Standard Bank ATMs R6.50 and at other banks' ATMs R12. Debit orders are R3.50; electronic payments R1.20; electricity purchases R1.50; and payment notifications R1 a month.

Customers will be able to make cashless payments through Masterpass or SnapScan; receive SMS notifications when there's activity on their account and they can tap to pay at certain retailers.

Go big or go bust! Social media can help you go big if used correctly #MondayMotivation

This digital age we live in is dominated by social media and this can be a huge advantage to all of us. 

Social networks are platforms we can use to make money. 

It could open up international opportunities and you could end up living your best life.

Social media isn't a waste of time some people say it is. It all comes down to how you choose to see and use it.

Connecting with influential people and those in your career path is the first step to opening up doors of unlimited possibilities. 

What's next for the fans after #GameOfThrones Endgame?

I managed to miss all 73 episodes of Game of Thrones, which I understand had a disappointing conclusion.

The problem seemed to be that the film had got ahead of the book.

But it managed to dethrone The Sopranos, attracting 19.3 million TV viewers.

However, the author George RR Martin, is apparently going to write a different conclusion. This is a shrewd marketing move.

Fantasy, which started its semantic life 700 years ago meaning "imagination" has become vast business, since the wizardry of special effects has come into its own in the realisation of bizarre creatures and magical transformations.

Currently "on screen" is the starkly titled Avengers: Endgame, uncritically labelled "the mother of superhero films", including "every figure in the Marvel cinematic universe".

Normally staid critics get carried away on a "huge sugar rush of excitement in this mighty finale".

The father of Middle Earth, as he might be called, Professor JRR Tolkien, was rightly suspicious of Hollywood and only grudgingly accepted the International Fantasy Award in 1957.

"Fantasy" has become a multifarious genre, including mythological figures like Thor, modern creations like Ant-Man and abstract entities like Quantum Realm.

But what happens to all those fans after "Endgame"?

Here is the #ComradesMarathon refreshments list

With less than three weeks to go until the 2019 Comrades Marathon, runners across South Africa — and the world — are doing their last-minute preparations for race day.

While that is going on, the race's organising committee is ensuring that all Comrades refreshment stations are adequately stocked at strategic points along the route.

Sunday, June 9 will see the 94th running of the Ultimate Human Race.

This will be the 48th up run, starting at the Durban City Hall and finishing 12 hours later at the Scottsville Racecourse in Pietermaritzburg. Along the 86,83 km route, over 40 refreshment stations will stock the following:

• Coke: 30 350 litres

• Fanta/Crème Soda: 10 650 litres

• Coke paper cups (175ml): 430 000

• Water sachets: 2 million

• Energy drink sachets: 480 000

• Mageu Number 1: 32 640 sachets

• Oranges: 4,5 tons

• Energy biscuits: 500 kg

• Salticrax biscuits: 500 kg

• Racefood energy bars: 20 000

• Cooked potatoes: 1,5 tons

• Bananas: 9 tons. — Sport24.

Don't miss it! Zodwa Wabantu's TV show premieres tomorrow. #FridayFeeling

Socialite and vosho queen Zodwa Wabantu is ready to dish her life to the public uncensored.

Titled "Zodwa Wabantu Uncensored", the show that is predicted to become the most hardcore reality show to hit SA television will premiere on Moja Love TV (DStv channel 157) this Saturday.

Viewers will watch Zodwa as her reality show unpacks her scandalous life unapologetically. The reality show is packed with a lot of crude language, including wearing, and more shockers.

It will capture her confronting mortality and buying her own casket to her relationship with her Ben 10 (younger lover). Viewers will see as she pops the big question with a R55 000 ring and sending a delegation to pay lobola for her man.

Speaking to Sowetanlive, Zodwa said she was excited about the show because she had worked hard for it.

"I want the people who are jealous of me to see who I am. I want Celeste Ntuli to see because she is one of those that believes I must not be booked and she keeps asking why people are booking me because I have no talent," said Zodwa. "I want them haters to be exposed because I do not know what they want from me because I am not competing with them," she said. She promised viewers a blockbuster reality show that will also take viewers back to her roots, where she grew up and show her closest friends. Though she had a tough childhood that forced her to flee home at the age of 16, she said she has forgiven her family members who mistreated her.

"The show will track my journey from birth to the Zodwa Wabantu that people now know. People will get to see where I was born and how I grew up. My family allowed me to bring cameras and on the show, I will show the public where they used to lock away amaqanda nesonka (eggs and bread) so that I don't eat them."

Zodwa further said her followers will watch as she put "rude people" in their places since she does not tolerate sh*** attitude.

She said people tend to be rude or try to belittle her because they know she is uneducated.

"If you come to me with a sh** attitude, I return the favour. You see...I do not have time to gossip about others. I'm always minding my own business."

"I don't even understand this trend of celebrities posting RIPs on social network when you actually did not know the person who died."

Some of the interesting highlights of the show are how Soweto-born Zodwa once stole Khanyisile Mbau's man. – Sowetan

Four #wedding planning awards for #Mzansi! #OPW

South Africa won four awards at the 11th edition of an international online contest created to celebrate wedding planners around the world.

The Belief Awards celebrate wedding planners, wedding designers and wedding co-ordinators. It recently announced the results of its competition and released its award-winning images of top-class weddings from around the world.

There were 412 entries in the various categories, of which 31 made it into the final gallery.

The most awarded continent was Europe, with 15 awards. Italy received eight awards, Portugal five and UK two. Mexico, US and Canada received five awards in total.

South African wedding planner Jadee Fernandes McGowan won for her Hindu ceremony.

McGowan also nabbed the special photo category for the wedding of British couple Sophie and Jamey Bashford. The couple involved the local residents in their celebrations.

Keelyn Crowley came out tops in the wedding concept category for a couple who wanted an outside reception with a relaxed and laid-back vibe.

Sunelle van den Berg was praised for her destination wedding concept in the Western Cape mountains and winelands. |

#MaryJane: Mzansi's cannabis infused gin that's taking the country by storm! #FridayFeeling #ProductReview

The Gin market has been booming in the past few years and now there's more gins out there than we can hope to taste in a whole year! Distillers are getting creative and creating all sorts of master gins. 

Hand crafted gins are the next best thing globally since uhhhhm.. Since gin. 

We tried out Monks Mary Jane gin and it isn't just a gin. It oozes so much verve. 

Mary Jane is a cannabis infused gin and has taken the local market by storm. 

It's casing boasts of a layered design that cleverly marries a contemporary, clean and pure look with heritage.

The bottle structure and size make it easy to hold and pour. 

A cork stopper and simple tamper seal, all used in hand-finished bottle production.

Nose: starts on citrus note and a kind of smoky hemp influence, really nice. Wild blackberries and dried figs. Dulce de leche. Also nice waxy notes and orange peel. The antique style really, hard to beat. 

Mouth: It matches well with the 43% Abv. It's not underpowered and the flavours are nice enough. Some redcurrant and raisin but also a lot of bread, leather and spicy oak. Herbal tea

Finish: medium, with citrusy freshness but also burnt wood, leather and fudge.

A remarkably fine gin that is truly distilled for the inspired. 

And what does the distiller say?

How has the journey been for Mary Jane?

It's been an interesting one. We find ourselves including an educational element to every tasting – spreading the word one sip at a time. There is still a lot of misconception and fear surrounding the Cannabis plant and in a country such as ours where laws were created by God fearing conservatives, it's been a delightful opportunity to enlighten and allay those fears.

 

How have consumers embraced this concept?

They love it. She's definitely our best seller and the crowd favourite. She attracts a huge amount of interest from people from all walks of life, in particular, over 50s conservatives who are opening their minds to the value of Hemp and realizing that the very old fashioned laws and mind numbing conditioning that they grew up with are no longer relevant.

 

Is Mary Jane available nationwide and where can people buy this gin?

You can find Mary Jane in over 300 liquor stores nation-wide and this is growing daily. We try and update our store locator on our website as often as possible but anyone looking for where to purchase in their neighbourhood is welcome to contact us via our website or on Facebook and we will do our best to point them in the right direction.

 

Having broken new ground with this sensational gin, what does the future hold for Monks gin?

We're starting to export which is very exciting. We're already shipping to Germany and Mauritius and Australia and Switzerland are next. We're also making headway into Canada and the USA so the future is bright.

 

Do you think you have ticked all the right boxes into becoming a household brand?

We definitely feel that we've ticked the right boxes. We have three totally different flavour profile gins so our appeal is broad. Our packaging is beautiful, making it a great gift and our pricing is competitive in the hand crafted premium spirits sector.

 

What has the general feedback been for Mary Jane?

Generally very positive. We have only ever had one person refuse to try it when we were the Gin Box gin of the month. She returned her box in outrage so we replaced it with a Medella which I am sure she enjoyed immensely.  

 

Are there any health benefits in this gin?

There are dozens of health benefits to hemp but it would be remiss of us to say that there are health benefits to drinking in any form. All alcohol should be enjoyed in moderation. If it contains ingredients that could be healthy and delicious at the same time, all the better.

 

Trendnation digital June 2019 edition is out! Featuring #TigerWoods #gin #KFC #RSAMade #BookReview #Motoring #beauty #GirlTalkZA #magazine #PressReader #newsletter #inspiration #Loxtonia #Mzansi

The lid is off and that can only mean one thing right? RIGHT!

Trends Mzansi blog's Trendnation digital June 2019 edition is now out and ready to be enjoyed on PressReader. 

This month we feature: 

* How RSAMade can take your brand to greatness.

* Lessons learnt from Tiger Woods sensational comeback that can improve your life or business.

* KFC initiative is adding hope through their ground breaking scholarships. 

* How to deal with the trauma of being unemployed. 

* Loxtonia cider and Mary Jane gin reviews. 

* How Deep South distillery remains relevant in the tough spirits business.

* Explaining the benefits of natural vegan hair care products.

Get your copy now on PressReader and inspire the way you live. Get it by following this link

https://www.pressreader.com/south-africa/trendnation-south-africa/20190601

For any info, requests, suggestions, tips and shout out, we are an email away - trendsmzansi@mail.com

Here is how much it would cost you to enjoy quality entertainment on #StarSat @Starsatsa

StarSat offers direct broadcast to all clients. It uses the SES-5 satellite technology that has extensive coverage across the country. 

To access the digital TV signals that the company offers, you need a StarSat decoder that is affordable.

How much does StarSat cost? The package that includes a high definition decoder and a satellite dish costs R599 . 

This cost is inclusive of the installation costs that may sometimes vary slightly depending on the installer.

StarSat is one of the most affordable satellite TV in South Africa. 

Star satellite offers the following packages;

* Special package with over 50 channels – R109 per month

* Super package with over 80 channels – R209 per month

* Max package with over 150 channels – R299 per month

* Indian package with 9 Indian channels- R109 per month

* French package with 12 French channels- R129 per month

* Chinese package with 21 Chinese channels – R209 per month

* Sports+ package with additional sports channels- R99 per month

Woman owned Precious and Pearl brands scoop the R50 000 #Firstwatch Entrepreneurs Challenge top prize. #GirlTalkZA

The Firstwatch Entrepreneurs Challenge final round took place this weekend at Disoufeng Pub in Soweto.  The chosen top ten candidates had five minutes to pitch their business ideas 'Shark Tank Style' in front of an audience as well as a panel of influential judges.  The panel of judges included:

• Tilldan Bungani (Brand Manager of Firstwatch Whisky)
• Marnus Broodryk (CEO of Beancounter)
• Lele Mehlomakhulu (Founder of mPower People Solutions)
• Dawn Nathan Jones (CEO of Growealth)
• Andile Khumalo (Founder of I AM AN ENTREPRENEUR).

From the pitches that were delivered, a top five were chosen.  Ntokozo Nzima - Owner of Ignite Academic Solutions came fifth, Gift Lubele and Matthieu De Gaudemar - Owners of Kudoti came fourth, Vizolet Kuwanda and Takura Chimbuya - Owners of Brothers Beard came third, Rebecca Kamanga and Lesego Legobane - Owners of Leebex came second and Mpho Mohaswa - Owner of Precious and Pearl Brands came first, walking away with R 50 000 support for her existing start-up business.

 

"I feel very good about winning the Firtswatch Entrepreneurs Challenge as it shows that all the hard work that I have been putting into my business is finally paying off.  This indicates that I am on the right track and that the judges understand my vision and see potential in my business.  It is great to have an established brand such as Firtswatch Whisky backing my business idea. Winning for me means more growth, brand awareness and brand visibility which will result in more sales for the business," says Mpho.

 

Precious and Pearl Brands is a South African registered entity which manufactures and sells the best homemade ginger base non-alcoholic drinks.  The company started off with the production of beverages branded as 'Ghemere', a ginger based true South African traditional drink which is mostly served at weddings, funerals and parties or can simply be enjoyed at home with some scones.

 

"The advice that I can give to other entrepreneurs is that you first need to understand your market and then work on strategies that will help you grow and reach your market.  It is important to know what your market wants and needs so that you can implement it into your business.

 

In addition to the R 50 000 support that was awarded to the winner, the 100 entrepreneurs that made it through the selection process were given a two-day business training workshop which was aimed at helping them take their businesses to the next level.

 

"I feel completely proud about last night's final event.  To see the growth of the entrepreneurs who took part in in this program has been rewarding.   Our judges and facilitators have been one of our greatest assets, and we are glad that they invested their time with the entrepreneurs.  We are also immensely proud of the winner, Mpho Mohaswa - Owner ofPrecious Pearl Brands.  We can't wait to get stuck in with her and her business and also see what we can do to aide her businesses growth even further," says Tilldan Bungani – Brand Manager for Firstwatch Whisky.

 

#LoxtoniaCider Is a refreshingly cool all season #cider! #ProductReview

We all love our drinks, don't we? When we aren't watching telly then the ultimate destination would be the braai area with a drink in hand. 

South Africa rocks when it comes to ciders. Errrr... That's according to a recently published journal that found Mzansi as the number one cider destination. 

We sought out to find out why SA prefers cider so much and stumbled upon a treasure. 

Cleverly named Loxtonia Cider, this locally produced cider is the real deal. 

Loxtonia is an award winning farm-to-bottle cider located on the iconic Ceres farm. Not only is their location rather beautiful, but their cider is stunning too! 

Their range of ciders are made with hand-
picked apples from the Ceres Valley. The apples are freshly pressed and naturally fermented to produce a premium, natural cider without preservatives or artificial additives.

Loxtonia Cider offers four refreshing flavours to choose from in 340m glass bottles. Flavours include a fruity Crispy Apple Cider, Sparkling Apple Cider, Stone Fruit Flavoured Apple Cider, African Sundowner Cider, and Pale Amber Apple Cider.

They are all very refreshing and smooth to the palate. An ideal thirst quencher to enjoy all year round. 

Our personal favourite is the Crispy Apple Cider. 

Visit loxtonia.co.za and follow them on Twitter

Thuli Madonsela to climb Mt Kilimanjaro for a worthy cause #WednesdayWisdom

Former public protector Thuli Madonsela is taking the call to support our girls' hygiene needs to new heights literally.

On August 9 Madonsela joined by an expedition of influential women is scheduled to summit Mount Kilimanjaro to raise funds for the Caring4Girls menstrual hygiene programme.

We've barely started to amplify the narrative around the gross injustice of our girls missing school due to a lack of sanitary products, which should be available at no cost to those who cannot afford them. Their plight has now intensified far beyond meaningless rhetoric.

 

Therefore, it's heartening to see (especially) a woman in leadership rolling up her sleeves to help alleviate the struggle of our girls.

Why should our girls continue to suffer indignity while the financially capable among us look the other way — or, worse, look on indifferently?

 According to a research project on employment, income distribution and inclusive growth, about 1% of South Africans own at least 50% of the country's wealth, and the richest 10% own 90%95% of all wealth. 

Stats SA has just released the first-quarter unemployment figure for 2019: it is 27.6%. If we ensure that our girls remain in school, they could become much-needed meaningful role-players in our economy and even create jobs.

Showing support for our girl children is a true test of our moral fibre as a society, not to mention the legacy we're building. And if we can supply them with medically sound and environmentally friendly products, even better. 

Let's not become complicit in forging (arguably) the biggest Achilles heel in the way of their development. With a good dose of creativity, generosity and compassion, we can help our girls manage their period with dignity, allowing them to focus on their education.

When will the real #KaizerChiefs stand up? *Big Yawn*

Kaizer Chiefs supporters must have wished they were in a galaxy far, far away on Saturday night, after Amakhosi were humiliated by a new stellar football team on the block, TS Galaxy, in the Nedbank Cup final. 

Ernst Middendorp's Amakhosi, even after a shambles of an end to the Absa Premiership season, where they finished outside the top eight for the first time in 12 years, were odds-on favourites to beat the Tim Sukazi-owned National First Division outfit that only came into existence ahead of the start of the 2018-19 campaign.

And yet Chiefs could not even manage a goal, edged out, right at the death, by a Zakhele Lepasa penalty.

It was a glorious, fairy-tale moment for Galaxy, the first NFD side to win the Nedbank Cup, and for their coach, Dan Malesela, one of the more underrated tacticians in the local game.

For Chiefs, though, it was a new low for a side that is by a distance the most popular in the country, but that in recent seasons has let down its fans time and time again.

This is the fourth season in a row that Chiefs have ended a season empty-handed.

It remains to be seen if Middendorp survives Saturday's calamity but at Chiefs, the problems run far deeper than just their head coach.

#Lenovo Announces World’s First Foldable Laptop

Foldable smartphones are coming out this year, from several companies that already announced their products. The most notable one is Samsung's Galaxy Fold. However, the foldable part of these products will be adopted for other products- laptops.

Lenovo is proud to announce what the company calls the "world's first foldable PC". Lenovo says it has been working on the laptop for the past three years, and will likely be launched as a commercially available product in 2020.

Lenovo hasn't officially announced detailed specs yet of this kind of laptop. But according to Tom's Hardware, which got a chance to check out the prototype in person, the prototype has an unspecified Intel processor, a display with a 4:3 aspect ratio, two USB Type-C ports, a Windows Hello-compatible IR camera, and stereo speakers.

The Verge reports that the device weighs less than two pounds. And Gizmodo explains that when you're using the ThinkPad X1 foldable in laptop mode, you get a 9.6 inch 'half screen.

Also we don't know how much the foldable laptop will cost. But if smartphone makers expect people to spend as much as $2600 on smartphones with foldable displays, I certainly don't expect laptops with even bigger foldable displays to be cheap anytime in the near future.

Apparently, adopting folding screens in laptops is the exact opposite to smartphones. In case of phones, manufacturers are trying to turn a smaller device into a larger one. In case of laptops, Lenovo is trying to make a larger device smaller, more portable.

#SarayKhumalo paves the way for Mzansi women to be "On Top Of The World!" #MondayMotivation

A South African woman has made history. She has climbed Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, becoming the first black woman from Africa to accomplish one of the world's greatest challenges.

After four unsuccessful attempts Johannesburg business executive and philanthropist Saray Khumalo never gave up but persevered and achieved her ultimate goal – reaching the tallest peak in the world on Friday morning. She proudly planted the South African on top of the world.

In doing so, she has demonstrated that women are just as capable as men, nullifying the myth that women are the weaker sex.

Of even greater significance is that the conquest of Mount Everest by Khumalo is a morale booster for black South African women.

The government is pursuing a policy of gender parity in all government departments. For instance, it wants all speakers in the provincial legislatures controlled by the ANC to be women.

I wish all women could aspire to be like Khumalo. They can also be on top of the world.

Its 31 for Pearl Thusi and she continues shining

Pearl Thusi just turned 31 and celebrated with a lovely shindig this past weekend. The star's close family and friends gathered at J Something's restaurant, Something's Cooking . by J'Something in Johannesburg.

Guests included her BFF DJ Zinhle,Moozlie, Boity, and Linda Moeketsi among others.

Bonnie Mbuli in massive #Yardley collaboration. #BonnieXYardley

Actress Bonnie Mbuli has teased us with a new collaboration with global beauty brand, Yardley. The star took to social media to share sneak peek at what she's up to and left us guessing at a possible make-up line?

We will have to wait and see until the official announcement. We can't wait to see what they have in store!

What do you think it could be?

Stand a chance to drive a #Ferrari at #Kyalami as #Vodacom unleashes #RedTrackDay

Life in the fast lane is about to shift into overdrive as Vodacom Red brings you a once-ina-lifetime opportunity to climb into the seat of a Ferrari 360 Challenge at the #RedTrackDay at Kyalami set to take place on May 16.

This offer will see customers experience a day as racing royalty, where they will live the life of a Formula One star and mix with the stars of sport and the celebrity world. 

Players from Orlando Pirates and Vodacom Super Rugby will be part of the event. 

The #RedTrackDay experience will include a lightningfast Ferrari Hot Lap where Vodacom red customers are driven around Kyalami by a professional racing driver, experiencing the kind of G-Force fighter pilots go through.

South Africans generate massive #crowdfunding support. #Sponsor #Donate #BackaBuddy

The numbers are in and they reveal that South Africans are generous, community minded people who are willing to sponsor a stranger in the name of charity.

Since its inception in 2007, the online crowdfunding platform Back-a-Buddy has seen more than R100-million raised across 6 832 campaigns from 125 800 donors.

'As a platform, Back-a-Buddy allows us to come together as communities to support people and causes that we believe in, regardless of our differences,' said BackaBuddy CEO Patrick Schofield.

'For every cause, accident or catastrophe that we face, we bear witness to the many who step up when asked to by their peers.

'This is the immense power that crowdfunding facilitates and which goes far beyond just the funds that are raised.'

Campaigns for many causes, including medical and tuition fees, are hosted on the platform with the campaigns, with initial support, raising R20 000 on average.

A most notable Back-a-Buddy campaign was the raising of R80 314.46 for Siboniso, a young autistic boy from Shongweni, KZN.

Owing to his parents' financial struggles, Siboniso was unable to attend a school that would meet his special needs.

Everyday Siboniso would sit under a tree with his school uniform, polished black shoes and a little suitcase packed with books, and pretend he was in the classroom.

Responding to his plea to attend school, The Angel Network set up a campaign on Back-a-Buddy to fund his school fees of R40 000.

More than double was raised.

In another heart warming story, more than R1.4-million was raised for threeyear-old Aaron Lipschitz from Cape Town to receive a bone marrow transplant.

'Unfortunately some people are still very sceptical when it comes to donating to causes,' said Back-a-Buddy Chief Operations Officer Catherine du Plooy.

'To overcome this, we as an organisation have found that the public is more responsive to individual causes when donors are secure in the knowledge that their contributions are used for the intended purpose.'

Crowdfunding has also created an opportunity for NPOs to diversify their income stream.

Security in place for #Elections2019 - Minister Cele. #SADecides

Police Minister Bheki Cele, has assured South Africans that the general elections on 8 May will be violence free.

Cele said security would be beefed up throughout the country to ensure a free, fair and safe environment.

He revealed that the election security plan was being managed through the joint structures at national, provincial, district and local levels.

'We want to create a climate conducive to a free and fair election. Police will continue to deal decisively with so-called no-go areas and all voting stations around the country will be accessible,' he said.

Cele said no protests or shutdowns will be allowed on election day.

'People should be allowed to exercise their democratic right to vote for the party of their choice.

'All 22 924 voting stations across the country will be ready and secured countrywide.

'During the build-up to election day, on the day of the election and post-election, we will increase police visibility through focused deployment.

'Through our intelligence structures, we have identified a number of hot spots and potentially volatile areas that will be monitored on a continuous basis.

'These areas will be targeted through intensified operations, informed by thorough analysis and intelligence-based deployments,' he said.

Cele further urged citizens to act responsibly, observe the laws of the country and to cooperate fully with all law enforcement agencies.

Youth ditch hookups for #Instagram glam

Young people are far more interested in looking good on Instagram when they go on holiday than getting drunk and having casual sex, according to Thomas Cook.

A year on from ditching its notorious Club 18-30 brand – once synonymous with cheap, rowdy, booze-fuelled holidays – the tour operator insisted the "age of foam parties and Brits behaving badly abroad is a distant memory".

For decades, young Britons would flock to hedonistic destinations for fun in the sun, but a poll by the holiday giant found just 10% of 18- to 25-yearolds now rate partying as a priority, while 42% said the local culture at destinations was most important to them, such as museums, galleries and temples.

Thomas Cook abandoned its Club 18-30 brand last year in a bid to provide more stylish holidays for young people who want to post "cool pictures on Instagram". A spokesperson added: "Millennials want to look after their bodies, shy away from one-night stands and hangover fry-ups, and favour wheat-grass smoothies, which make for better Instagram fodder."

Meanwhile, Thomas Cook claimed it had even witnessed the "death of the holiday romance". It said the spread of dating apps such as Tinder mean there was less incentive for holidaymakers to chat someone up in a bar. |

Entries open for Top 100 Young Independents. #Influencers #Innovators #Trailblazers #Healers #Disrupters

The search is on for young people from across the Southern African Development Community (SADC) who are making differences in their communities, to take part in the annual Top 100 Young Independents (TYI) competition.

They will compete for the title and for prizes to boost their projects.

The competition, in its fifth year, is an initiative by the Independent Media Group and offers trailblazers, influencers, healers, innovators, entrepreneurs, and creative and social activists the chance to showcase their community contributions and efforts towards community development.

"Platforms such as the TYI give us the opportunity to celebrate African excellence. The platform allows us to focus on the contribution of young people in reshaping their communities and the greater continent," said the group's executive public sector and Young Independents founding member, Mike Ntsasa.

There will be five categories – Innovators, Influencers, Trailblazers, Healers and Disrupters – and prizes worth R257 360 will be shared among the 20 winners selected for each category, including the runners-up, to support their projects.

Nominees vying for the title of The Young Independent should be aged 18 to 35, be leaders in their respective fields, and be citizens of any country in the SADC region – Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Comoros, Lesotho, Malawi, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, the Seychelles, South Africa, eSwatini, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Nominees from previous competitions are also welcome to submit entries again.

"We're delighted to open the entries for the 2019 edition of the Young Independents awards," said TYI multimedia journalist Nosipho Nyide.

Nominations for any of the five categories can be submitted online at www.tyi.co.za. Entries close on June 14 and the winners will be announced at an event in Joburg on August 29.

The judging panel will be representative of all SADC countries.

#CasterSemenya remains a true champion

The despicable ruling by the IAAF (forcing female athletes to regulate their testosterone levels) is indicative of the fact we live in a world where stupidity reigns.

Caster Semenya was created just like any other human being on this planet... a unique, functioning individual who has worked hard at achieving the sporting glory that she so richly deserves.

The debate about her testosterone levels is nonsense. Semenya will always be a champion.