How to refresh your #marriage

Date your spouse 

Family Life reports that it's important couples don't lose that loving feeling they had at the beginning of the relationship. Flirt with one another! Tell your husband that he still makes you blush, or you can't get enough of his charming personality. As a couple, you should romance one another at every opportunity and work at keeping the butterflies flapping, even after an argument.

Develop meaningful communication

Healthy communication is the bedrock of any relationship. Everyone communicates differently; learn your partner's  communication style and language of love. You should also let your spouse in and constantly allow them to get to know you better.  Also, try to be a good listener. Listen to your spouse's point of view and try to comprehend what exactly they're trying to get across, rather than concentrating on formulating a response.

Make sex a priority

The importance of sex in an intimate relationship can't be underestimated and it is each spouse's responsibility to make sure the sex is great. Always try to fulfill your spouses needs before your own, reports Family Life. In addition, simple things like holding hands in public and stealing discreet kisses when you are around each other will do wonders for your sex life. Also, try to be adventurous and spontaneous – have sex in another room, or – if you're looking for an even more exciting thrill – take your lovemaking outside.

Apologise and forgive 

Harbouring resentment is harmful to the growth of your relationship. If you feel you have been wronged, but you and your partner have decided to resolve the issues and rebuild trust, make a conscious effort not to hold onto baggage. Let go of any resentment, bitterness or pain. Family Life reports that you should take Paul's words to heart: "Do not let the sun go down on your wrath." (Ephesians 4:26).

If your words or actions have hurt your partner, then you need to admit you were wrong and ask for forgiveness, according to Church Leaders.

Serve your partner 

To experience oneness, you must give up your will for the will of another – in other words, you must put your partner's needs before your own. If you do this, your needs won't go unmet. Make the first move and watch as your spouse reciprocates, reports Family Life.

Guess what? The #Rooibos experience is back!

Young and old can enjoy the Rooibos Experience at the popular Root44 Market in Stellenbosch on the 28th and 29th of April, which promises to be bigger and better than last year's festival.

On the menu is Audacia's "no sulphites or preservatives added" red wine, created by using Rooibos and Honeybush toasted wood chips, Stellenbrau's Rooibos-blended lager, the Woodstock Gin Company's Buchu and Rooibos-infused gin and Rooibos tea kombucha – a natural tea fermentation, which has been perfected by Brew Kombucha. Larry Berger will also be hosting several masterclasses to promote his award-winning aperitif, the Spirit of Rooibos, which was first distilled in a steel water geyser. Berger thought it an ideal still to initially experiment with given his trade as a plumber…

Non-alcoholic beverages, such as Rooibos smoothies, Uber Flavour Brews – made from Rooibos and 100% fresh fruit juice and Theonista's top-quality Rooibos iced teas promise to be a hit among health-conscious visitors. Also on offer is a range of sugar-free, organic and unsulphured dried fruit and vegetables that have been rehydrated in Rooibos tea using an innovative process that has been patented by RedBushed Fruit, while meat-lovers are sure to salivate over Bay Biltong's range of Rooibos flavoured cured meats.

Must-try beauty products include the popular ranges from Annique and African Extracts, as well as the all-natural skincare products, balms, soaps and foam baths from Red Cedar. Sanguru's detox blend, called, Teatox, is also recommended for those suffering from bloatedness, gout and constipation. It's also been touted as a great weight-loss product and includes only indigenous, organically grown hand-harvested Rooibos and other Karoo herbs.

The Nuwe Graskoue Trappers, who belong to a group of "Riel" dancers from Wupperthal, will this year again perform various dances that aptly reflect the culture and traditions of the people who come from the Cederberg region. See them in action on Sunday, 29 April at 1pm. A wide variety of loose leaf teas, beautiful teapots and accessories will also be for sale by The Tea Merchant.

Visitors to the Rooibos Experience at Root44 are encouraged to arrive early to make the most of the day as the venue can only accommodate 4 000 people at any given time. Doors open from 09h00 to 16h00 and entry is free.

For further information about the Rooibos Experience, visitwww.sarooibos.co.za or the SARC Facebook page: www.facebook.com/rooiboscouncil/ for updates.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's legacy lives on

Following her passing at age 81 in a Johannesburg hospital on Easter Sunday, Brand South Africa highlights the important role that heroine of freedom, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, played in helping South Africa transition peacefully from apartheid to a stable democracy in 1994.

Madikizela-Mandela's courage to speak her truth and dedicate her life towards fulfilling a vision of an equitable, prosperous, better future for South Africa is what made her a truly powerful icon of freedom. 

A true patriot, Madikizela-Mandela faced untold hardships during the apartheid years, yet she confronted each with an inner strength and fortitude. It is her courage and bravery as well as fearless commitment to fulfilling the dream of economic and political freedom which will remain her ultimate legacy. 

"Her spirit, her passion…her courage, her wilfulness: I felt all of these things the moment I saw her," said former South African President Nelson Mandela of the woman he would later marry.

Her dedication to the resistance movement meant she had to push many of her personal goals aside. The first black professional social worker in South Africa, Madikizela-Mandela had been married to Mandela for just a few years, when he was sentenced to life in prison in 1962. Like many black women of her generation, she was forced to become a single mother to her two small daughters and was thrust into the limelight as a 'political widow'. 

"We were hardly a year together when history deprived me of you," she wrote in a letter to Mandela while he was in prison in 1970, published in her autobiography 491 Days, Prisoner Number 1323/69.

Madikizela-Mandela took up the challenge of continuing to resist the racism and sexism that defined her generation with a maturity beyond her years.  It was thanks largely to her, that international attention remained focused on the story of Nelson Mandela and the fight against Apartheid while he served out his prison sentence.

"Your formidable shadow which eclipsed me left me naked and exposed to the bitter world of a young 'political widow'. I knew this was a crown of thorns for me but I also knew I said, 'I Do' for better or worse. In marrying you I was marrying the struggle of my people," she wrote to Mandela in 1977, in a letter also published in her autobiography.

It was when she was arrested by the apartheid police and taken away from her two daughters, then aged just nine and ten years old, that she was forced to bear the true weight of personal sacrifice for her people. She spent 491 days in detention, much of this in solitary confinement under unimaginably brutal conditions.  Two trials later, she was finally released. 

"She refused to be bowed by the imprisonment of her husband, the perpetual harassment of her family by security forces, detentions, bannings and banishment. Her courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to me, and to generations of activists," noted ArchbishopDesmond Tutu, Nobel laureate after her passing.

Former deputy chief justice Dikgang Moseneke, once part of the legal team who defended Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, said she had an "incredible ability to be able to take on injustice and soak up pain in a way that is not immediately describable."

Madikizela-Mandela traded what could have been a simple life of motherhood and marriage for an active political life.  Instead, she became fondly known as the "Mother of the Nation", serving as a mentor and mother to many of South Africa's young activists, including Fikile Mbalula, current chair of the ANC's subcommittee on elections and Malusi Gigaba, now Minister of Home Affairs, both of whom who lived with Madikizela-Mandela as young members of the party's Youth League.  

"Mam' Winnie lost her innocence because of a struggle she actually didn't choose, the struggle entrusted upon her by the husband she chose and the people she identified with - the vulnerable people who were discriminated because of apartheid," said Sello Hatang, CEO of the Nelson Mandela Foundation in tribute to her.

Actress Terry Pheto who played Madikizela-Mandela in the BET drama Madiba, said she grew up looking up to Winnie, because her mother did as well.  "I was very aware of her journey, her struggles and her fights. Because of that, it was important for me to see this role as I've always seen her; an important and necessary figure in our time," Pheto said in an interview in 2017 with HuffPost.

Age: 31, Position: Cabinet Minister. Meet Bogolo Kenewendo - #Botswana's new Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry

Two years after becoming Botswana's youngest MP, 31 year-old Bogolo Kenewendo has been appointed Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry.

Born in the Motopi village in Boteti, it was clear early on that Kenewendo was destined for big things.

In 2009, she was selected as one of two youth delegates to represent Botswana at the United Nations General Assembly, where she was nominated to deliver the statement of African youth to UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Two years later, she was invited to attend former First Lady Michelle Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative for young women leaders.

Inspired by her encounter and driven by a passion for youth development and women empowerment, Kenewendo co-founded Molaya Kgosi – a women leadership and mentorship programme that has been rolled out across several schools across Botswana.

"My path has kept changing as my life changes and as I see new opportunities, but the consistent undertone is my desire to impact development through policy in one office or the other," she said in an interview with This is Africa.

"I am passionate about youth and women empowerment. There is so much more we can accomplish by ensuring that we invest in these resources. There is also a need for economic development, especially through private-sector growth."

Kenewendo holds a Masters in International Economics from the University of Sussex in the UK, which she attained as a recipient of the prestigious Chevening Scholarship in 2012.

Prior to becoming an MP, Kenewendo worked as a trade economist in Ghana's Department of Trade and Industry for several years, with a special focus on macro-economic policy, public debt management, trade policy, export development and trade and investment policy.

Over the years, Kenewendo has been recognised multiple times for her resolve to build young leaders in her country.

In 2012, she was awarded the 10 Outstanding Young Persons award by the Junior Chamber International Botswana, while in 2016, she received the Botswana Change Makers Award in the business and leadership category.

In the same year, she walked away with the Formidable Woman Award and was honoured by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office International Leaders Programme.

You can now stream videos with #Apple music

Subscribers can expect to see a lot more of their favourite artists in this platform, as Apple Music is now home to the best music video-watching experience available anywhere.

Fans can enjoy new and exclusive music video playlists and never-seen-before – all completely ad-free.

The platform will also regularly debut new, exclusive music videos from superstars and rising alike as a home to one of the most extensive music video catalogues available.

READ MORE: Apple sales reach new records

Videos premiering exclusively on Apple Music include A Tribe Called Quest's The Space Program, Beck's Colors, Kylie Minogue's Stop Me From Falling, Sabrina Carpenter and Jonas Blue's Alien and a live performance music video of Evergreenfrom emerging artist YEBBA.

The platform promises to continue its tradition of delivering expertly-curated experiences with all-new, exclusive music video playlists showcasing decades of hits from popular genres and celebrated artists.

Video playlists available now include Today's Video Hits, The A-list pop videos and Classic Dance Moves.

READ MORE: Is Apple slowly losing its shine?

Subscribers can also build their own music video playlists, add their favourites to their library and download for offline viewing.

The new music video experience is available on iOS, Android and Apple TV.

Trevor Noah on path to empowering youth to excel

South Africa-born comedian Trevor Noah on Wednesday launched his own foundation focusing on equipping orphans and vulnerable youth with the education, life skills, and social capital necessary to pursue further opportunities upon graduating high school.

Noah, the host of The Daily Show in America, said that he was inspired by advice from South-African born Hollywood actress Charlize Theron to "believe in drops in the bucket" when setting up a foundation to benefit people facing complex challenges.

"The journey and goal is the start a programme, and better understand how to help schools move forwards. Then, we want to help these schools become self-sufficient. Each experience will inform the next. Today is only the beginning," Noah said.

"We are going to look for people who are already pushing, and we are going to help them push. Many hands can make light work. Fundamentally, the foundation is going to bridge the gap between learners and the education they deserve."

The Trevor Noah Foundation, which was launched at New Nation School in Johannesburg, aims to invest in three priority areas: psycho-social support, skills development, and career guidance. 

You asked for it and guess what.... #BeingBonang is back by public demand

It seems the people have spoken and they want to see more of "your girl B".

"Back by popular demand. There is going to be lots of laughs and lots of quatables. This season is a lot more international, and you'll get to meet a lot more people," Bonang Matheba said in an interview withChannel24. 

Show favourite Pinky Girl is set to receive more airplay this season, with cameras delving deeper into her life, while documenting Bonang's journey as a single woman.

News of the series renewal came as a surprise after it was announced in September last year that the show wouldn't be returning for a second season, following poor ratings.

Stats released by the Broadcast Research Council showed that Being Bonong failed to make a list of the top 30 most-watched shows on DStv.

After three episodes, the show had garnered less than the 327 831 viewers, with more people tuning in to watch Mzansi Magic's telenovela Isithembiso instead.

In an interview with TimesLive, Olwethu Mlotshwa defended the show's ratings, partly attributing the low viewership numbers to the show's time slot.

"From the numbers we have so far, Bonang's show is doing very well, especially since it's in such a tough time slot," he said in August last year.

Mlotshwa, who directs Somizi Mhlongo's show Living the Life with Somizi, was seconded to co-direct and produce Being Bonang mid-season in an attempt to beef up viewer numbers.

"I've watched the reaction to the show closely and I think the problem is that people have unrealistic expectations. They think it will be the same Bonang they saw on Live Amp, but Bonang is older and she is different."

Though critics of the show have called it boring, but Mlotshwa said viewers need to understand how fiercely protective Bonang needs to be over her personal brand and so you won't see her behaving badly.

"This reality show is different to other reality show, including those I have worked on before. Bonang is not a wild, ratchet person whose life is filled with drama. She has a brand to uphold and she also has to be true to herself. I don't think people understand that," he said.

Being Bonang returns on 4 May.  

Here is what to expect at the #Lusito land festival

A gigantic wine barrel marquee will be part of the Portuguese culture at this year's Lusito Land Festival to be held at Cayman Road in Alewynspoort, Johannesburg South. The barrel marquee was custom-made for the event.

The festival will take place from 26 April to 6 May 2018, with a two-day break on 2nd & 3rd May.

The wine-barrel will be the place to go to find out a little more about Portugal and its distinctive culture and way of life. Two ceramics producers will be amongst the exhibitors, one of which produces the traditional blue tiles that are used extensively throughout Portugal.

An exhibition highlighting the Portuguese language will be hosted by the Camões Institute, which was established in 1992 to promote Portuguese language and culture around the world.

In addition, Portuguese castanhas assadas (chestnuts), a Portuguese classic will be available in the marquee. "Typically roasted on open flames, castanhas assadas are a traditional Portuguese snack, consumed in large quantities during the festival celebrations or on a cold winter's days. In the streets of Portugal, these delicious nibbles come straight from the brazier and are usually served in a newspaper cone," explains Contente.

In addition to activities in the wine-barrel marquee, visitors to the festival will be able to catch top South artists such as AKA, Sketchy Bongo, The Parlotones, Mi Casa, Bobby van Jaarsveld, Snotkop, Matthew Mole, Lady Zamar, GoodLuck, Shekhinah and Dr Victor & The Rasta Rebels.

Contente says more artists have been added to the line-up to keep festival goers entertained. "Visitors to the Lusito Land Festival can also look forward to great acts such as Denim, 1^st Project, Puppetsula, Choppa, Garth Taylor, Rubber Duc and Ballyhoo."

Denim is a successful Afro pop band with several hits to its name. The band will be at the festival, keeping audiences captivated with its professional and slick act.

1st Project will also be at the festival to enthral audiences with its vigorous percussion music. The band has played over 2 000 shows, toured in more than 25 countries, and been featured in hundreds of media spots worldwide, positioning themselves as South Africa's biggest drumming act.

Master puppeteer, Jabu Simango, will also bring his unique and highly entertaining show, Puppetsela, to the Lusito Land Festival. What started as a part-time hobby featuring two marionettes is now a sought-after act with several marionettes.

Multi-instrumentalist and SAMA nominated artist, Garth Taylor will also take to the stage at the Lusito Land Festival. He is most renowned for being a chart-topping singer-songwriter and recording artist. He was personally handpicked by Sir Richard Branson to entertain at his son's wedding in 2013.

And then there's Rubber Duc, a fresh South African four-piece band made up of Nick Jordaan, Brendan Campbell, Sheldon Sham and Amiel Gopal. The DUC sound is fun and authentic, with cheerful, catchy melodies and clever lyrics that are sure to get audiences grooving.

Remember that 1981 mega-hit Man on the Moon? The band responsible for it, Ballyhoo, is a Lusito Land favourite and will be returning once again this year to show South Africans just how popular its music is.

With so much great entertainment and good food on offer at the festival, make sure you don't miss out. Tickets are available at Computicket -

https://online.computicket.com/web/event/lusito_land_festival/1200078314/0/85568200

 

Ticket pricing

Adults and teens: R130

Kids between six and 12 years: R50

Pensioners: R50

Kids under-five: Free

#ProductReview : The #LandRover phone is just a master piece

Land Rover and Bullitt Group have unveiled details of the Land Rover Explore Outdoor Phone, designed for people who live for adventure and need a phone that can survive whatever it's put through.

The Land Rover Explore features a powerful 4 000mAh battery that supports two days of typical use, or a full day of activities, with constant GPS navigation mapping activated on the 5" HD display.

Battery life can also be doubled by adding the included Adventure Pack while on the go. It can replace the need for a separate GPS device with its GPS patch antenna that improves the reliability and accuracy. It also adds an additional 3 600mAh of battery power and premium topographic mapping with Skyline augmented reality, courtesy of ViewRanger.

Other hardware packs available include a 4 370mAh additional battery and a universal bike mount, all designed to enhance any adventure by enabling owners to go further and stay out for longer.

The phone is designed in close collaboration with Land Rover and takes subtle design cues from the unbeatably capable and versatile Land Rover Discovery.

Taking inspiration from the front grille design through to the headlamp architecture and even the knurled finish of the interior dials, it elegantly reflects the essence of the Land Rover brand. It's a durable smartphone in a stylish design that is suitable for the office or enjoying the great outdoors.

Joe Sinclair, Director of Branded Goods and Licensing for Jaguar Land Rover, said: "We are excited to be collaborating with Bullitt Group to create the smartphone that we'd all like to own. A perfect combination of design and functionality that embodies the Land Rover DNA and enables customers to be outdoors for longer, with the confidence to go further."

The CEO of Bullitt Group, global mobile licensee for Land Rover, Peter Stephens, said the Land Rover Explore embodies everything we know to create a device perfectly suited to any outdoor activity, while retaining a sleek design.

"Building on our leadership in the rugged mobile market, we see the growing customer dissatisfaction with the fragility of their mobile phone and the poor battery life, in particular, preventing them from using their mobile for key parts of their day to day life," said Stephens.

The phone will be available for pre-order in South Africa from April this year.

A timeline of #WinnieMandela's life

• 1955: After obtaining a degree in social work, Madikizela-Mandela turns down an American scholarship for a job as the first qualified black social worker at Baragwanath Hospital.

• 1957: She meets Nelson Mandela during the Treason Trial, marrying him the following year in the Transkei and moving to his small Soweto house.

• 1961: The Treason trialists are all acquitted, allowing the Mandela family (which now includes toddlers Zenani and Zindzi) a semblance of normal life for eight months.

• 1962: Mandela is captured near Howick and arrested. He's later sentenced to life in prison in 1964 at the conclusion of the Rivonia Trial. Madikizela-Mandela, meanwhile, is subjected to a run of banning orders, preventing her from working and socialising. She's restricted to Orlando, Soweto and sends her daughters to boarding school in Swaziland.

• 1969: Madikizela-Mandela is detained under the Terrorism Act and placed in solitary confinement for 17 months. In 1970, she's placed under house arrest, an order she flouts repeatedly.

• 1976: During the youth uprisings, she establishes the Black Women's Federation and Black Parents' Association, both aligned to the black consciousness movement. As a result, she's detained in 1977 under the Internal Security Act and banished to Brandfort in the (then) Orange Free State, where she sets up a crèche and clinic with Dr Abu Baker Asvat.

• 1986: Madikizela-Mandela returns home to Soweto shortly after making her infamous Munsieville speech, in which she declares: "Together, hand in hand, with our boxes of matches and our necklaces, we shall liberate this country." The conduct of members of the Mandela United Football Club, young men who acted as her bodyguards, causes some anti-apartheid groups to distance themselves from her.

• 1990: Mandela is released from prison, with Madikizela-Mandela beaming at his side.

• 1991: Madikizela-Mandela is elected to the ANC's National Executive Committee (NEC) after its unbanning. She's also found guilty of kidnapping youth activist Stompie Seipei and sentenced to six years in jail (reduced to a fine of R15 000 on appeal).

• 1992: After resigning her ANC positions, she makes a surprising comeback as President of the ANC Women's League (ANCWL). She separates from Mandela.

• 1994: She's appointed Deputy Minister of Arts, Culture, Science & Technology, but is dismissed the following year by President Mandela for allegations of financial mismanagement.

• 1996: Her divorce from Mandela is finalised.

• 2003: She's found guilty of 43 counts of fraud and 25 of theft. An appeal judge at the Pretoria Supreme Court overturns the theft conviction, but upholds the fraud charge, handing her a three-and-a-half-year suspended sentence. She also resigns as President of the ANCWL.

• 2007: She's elected a member of the ANC's NEC in Polokwane.

• 2013: She's portrayed in the film,Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, by British actress Naomie Harris.

• 2016: Madikizela-Mandela celebrates her 80th birthday at a gala fit for a queen at Cape Town's Mount Nelson Hotel with family, friends and colleagues including Julius Malema and President Cyril Ramaphosa.

• January 2018: Madikizela-Mandela is awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in recognition of her fight against apartheid by Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda.

• April 2018: Madikizela-Mandela passes away in Johannesburg