Nomcebo Zikode ventures into business

Congratulatory messages flooded in for Nomcebo Zikode after she launched her perfume and a clothing line in collaboration with Jet Stores in Sandton City this past weekend.

The singer has added businesswoman to her biography after wrapping up this year with a major boss move, proving to be more than just a singer.

She says venturing into business is a message for every child from the township that was made to believe that their dreams are invalid.

Speaking to Drum magazine, she revealed that her perfume line and a body spray called Duchess by Nomcebo Zikode is a reasonable perfume with an expensive scent and her fashion range, like her music, is inspirational.

"My perfumes are affordable yet they have that scent that tells people that you are here. I am one of those people who loves subtle scent that turns heads when you enter the room because it also boosts your confidence.

"These scents can be worn the whole day, and I am very precise when it comes to them because I am a performer and my day can be busy.

"I know that I can use the scents to always smell fresh because I meet people and take pictures with my supporters and have performances in-between."

It hasn't sunk in yet for R63 million #Lotto winner! #FridayFeeling

An Ekurhuleni man, 38, has finally struck it rich after winning the R63m Lotto jackpot.

The man, who works for a gas company, bought his ticket last Saturday afternoon‚ spending R100 using the quick-pick method.

"Since playing from 2013‚ I would normally use a combination of my own lucky numbers‚ whether it's family birth dates or my children's ages‚" said the winner.

Ironically, he won using random numbers selected by the betting machine.

His wife said: "Today is our day. It has finally come and we are unable to express our emotions because the news of winning is so surreal."

The couple lives in Alberton. Describing his emotions the moment he suspected he may have won‚ he said he was overwhelmed with shock and excitement. 

"On Sunday morning I was at home and my wife was at work. When the results came up I just couldn't believe it. I phoned my wife. She didn't believe that I had won – she did not buy into my story."

His wife said he has been playing for years and would always claim to have won when he hadn't.

"So it was hard to believe him again‚" she said.

The couple has since shared the news with some close family and friends. The winner is still to decide whether he will continue with his day job.

"I have also been given some financial advice and shown an extensive portfolio of investment opportunities which I will consider.

"In addition‚ I opted for trauma counselling and the counsellor could see that we are still in awe that we have won."

Ithuba's CEO Charmaine Mabuza said they were on the hunt for the R14m Lotto Plus 2 winner from the Wednesday draw. The ticket was bought in Bridgton‚ Oudtshoorn.

Mihlali Ndamase claims her throne

Media influencer and content creator Mihlali Ndamase was in a celebratory mood after she bagged an award at the South African Social Media Awards as the social media personality of the year in Sandton this past weekend.

The social media awards recognise the best campaigns, individuals and digital tools in social media.

The awards also feature 18 categories, covering every aspect of social media, across major social media channels and celebrating and allowing all creatives to shine and enjoy the fruits of their hard work.

After finding out about her win the social star went on to thank the organisers for giving her this great opportunity and those who voted for her, including the judges and the public.

"Big mood as the Social Media Personality Of The Year. Thank you South African Social Media Awards for the nominations and awards, I truly appreciate it, to everyone who voted for me allowing me to take this baby home, thank you! I'm honoured. To more."

Her timeline was filled with congratulatory messages from her fans and close friends.

These achievements show how much one can thrive in the digital space as she also got a nod at the People's Choice Awards for the African Social Star of the Year.

The vlogger and social media influencer has grown her brand since her activity in the entertainment industry in 2015.

She has always had a knack for the beauty industry and her new business venture, Malakyt, is a platform that creates job opportunities for up-and-coming beauty artists.

The certified make-up artist is also passionate about helping others. With a foundation called Siyazana, she goes around donating to impoverished communities, orphanages, homes, schools and shelters.

Her determination inspires many young people on social media.

Miss Botswana goes for the big one

The world will finally get to witness the live crowning of the 70th Miss World queen next week Thursday the 16th of December. Botswana like most countries is eyeing the Blue Crown. 

And all hope lies with the extraordinary and sparkling Miss World-Botswana, Palesa Molefe.

Molefe is among the 98 queens from across the world that are in San Juan, Puerto Rico elegantly fighting tooth and nail to secure a spot at the semi-finals, and ideally bring home the crown that has eluded Botswana for years.

Molefe has bountiful energy and a calmness around her that is literally mind-blowing. Not only has she captured the hearts of Batswana but the world at large is really taking notice of what she is doing, and some are rooting for her.

This is possibly the first time that a Miss World Botswana queen is receiving this amount of love not only from home but outside as well. Batswana are literally camping on Social Media, and Mob Star, and voting through liking her content.

Speaking in an interview with The Midweek Sun this Tuesday, Molefe said it is getting more intense as the day of the crowning draws nearer, but assured that, that is far from doing anything to dent her spirit, or even put out her eternal flame.

Instead it is pushing her even more. She explained that from a young age, she has as always had a bubbly personality. Those who she grew up with can attest to that, she said.

She said that even as it gets hectic and intense, she still takes time to meditate and pray, which she notes is doing wonders for her.

Cassper Nyovest puts his best foot forward and secures the bag

It has been months after the much-anticipated Root Of Fame sneakers were launched by the award-winning rapper and they seem to be flying off the shelves.

Refiloe Phoolo, fondly known as Cassper Nyovest, has been gushing over the sales of his Root Of Fame sneakers. 

Phoolo made a boss move earlier this year and collaborated with South
Africa's famous footwear, Drip, owned by Lekau Sehoana. 

Nyovest was no stranger to the brand as he was first an ambassador but later joined forces to make a good product for his fans.

The Good For That hitmaker expressed gratitude to his fans and promised them more. "The 990s are selling well, you can't even imagine. I am sooo grateful for your support. Look out for the 5 new colours and the 990s V2. The V2 is gonna be a gamechanger, a game winner. We working."

It's believed the rapper signed a mega-million deal with the Drip footwear owner. He also mentioned how he came up with the name, Root Of Fame. 

"My fame didn't matter. For the first time in my life it was useless. I asked myself how I can package this fame and sell it. I had to make a product not only associated with my name but that also gives people a taste of how it feels to be me. I had to dig deep, hence the name, Root Of Fame."

Sjava in new venture #FridayFeeling

The Swaziland Solidarity Network (SSN) recently made a call for artists across the African continent to join in solidarity with the cultural boycott against a Swaziland festival.

One of the main performers Jabulani Hadebe, known as Sjava, has heeded the call and rejected his invitation to perform at the Luju Festival in Malkerns this weekend.

SSN believes the cultural boycott is an effective way to address political opinions in the Kingdom of eSwatini, formerly known as Swaziland.

Sjava's management team confirmed that the South African singer, rapper, and actor will not be performing at the festival.

The spokesperson for the SSN, Lucky Lukhele, said the network welcomed the solidarity gesture made by Sjava and expressed their gratitude to him for standing with the oppressed people of Swaziland.

"What Sjava has done is his obligation … Solidarity binds us as human beings and assists us in achieving a common purpose.

"The Network wishes to also acknowledge the tireless efforts made by the People's Poet, Mzwakhe Mbuli, to encourage artists to boycott the kingdom's cultural activities and we further wish to encourage other artists to join the boycott," said Lukhele.

He added that SA Afropop group Mafikizolo is still expected to perform at the Luju Festival.

He says the network is engaging with the group to join the cultural boycott against the festival.

Sonia Mbele gets love for her water business #FridayFeeling

With the summer already sweltering, actress, TV producer and media personality Sonia Mbele has arrived at the right time to quench thirsts as she launches her alkaline water branding and bottling company, Alkamax.

This business venture has added to a list of others she has invested her time in, making her a veritable jack-ofall trades. The TV personality revealed how she saw a gap in the market and thought of filling it.

The new #Tecno Camon 17P is a phone made for social media fans #ProductReview

Tecno, the smartphone brand best known for its sales dominance across Africa, has made its next big move on South Africa's youth market, two months after launching "a flagship phone at a budget price" into this segment.

It has released the Tecno Camon 17P handset, claiming it to be the world's clearest selfie camera smartphone.

While its rise across Africa was largely premised on affordability, it is now combining value for money with cutting-edge technology – at least as far as its target market is concerned.

Along with a huge 6.8-inch full high-definition display, it has a 16MP AI selfie camera on the front and 64MP on the back, combined with 2MP bokeh, 2MP macro lens and AI lens.

The macro is sharp, bokeh works well for artistic effects, and various filters and video templates allow for great customisation of images and videos.

The phone is powered by a G85 Octa-core processor from Mediatek, which designed the chip for the premium 4G gaming smartphone segment.

They use something called HyperEngine gaming technology, which optimises the entire smartphone using four "engines" that cover networking, rapid display and touchscreen response, resource management and picture quality, enabling seamless gameplay.

More processing power means more power drainage, and the 17P addresses this challenge with a 5 000mAh 18W flash-charging battery. It allows for around two days of regular usage, but don't expect the same from powerplay.

"The eight-core CPU [central processing unit] with HyperEngine game optimisation is our fastest chip yet, giving users exceptional performance," says Danni Xu, Tecno chief marketing officer. 

"Also, intelligent scheduling and balancing allows for reallocation of resources to ensure maximum power efficiency so that your battery will last longer.

"We understand the younger generation's need for superior technology to communicate and bring their ideas to the world. In developing our smartphones, we pay special attention to camera features since selfies have become such an important part of users' online identities."

A distinctive design, tall and slim, with a gold-etched logo, gives it a premium look, which ensures it stands out from its similarly priced competitors.

How much is it?

Starts at R4 999.

Are instant noodles safe or deadly

Experts suspect flavouring which have more ingredients.

Are two-minute noodles safe to eat? This has become an important question for many consumers who often eat this instant meal because it is quick to make and often in poor communities because it is cheap and quickly fill up empty tummies.

Five children died after eating two-minute noodles recently, two in Mpumalanga and three in the Eastern Cape, while the department of health is investigating a case of food poisoning in Gauteng.

However, there has been no conclusion about what the children died from.

Instant noodles or ramen are a precooked and dried block of noodles sold with a sachet of flavouring that are cooked or soaked in boiling water before eating.

The instant variety of noodles was created by Momofuku Ando in Japan and first sold in 1958. Ando developed the process of flash frying noodles to ensure a longer shelf life. In Western countries they are usually air-dried.

Dr Hanli de Beer, senior consumer science lecturer at the North-West University, says there is little chance any organism can grow on them if the packets are sealed. 

"Although it does not spoil, what happened during the preparation and when the children ate it would be important. Food poisoning happens when a toxic substance is in the food that is eaten. Symptoms appear within a few hours," she says.

De Beer says the toxin could also be chemical, such as where a container used to prepare the noodles is contaminated. 

However, she and Nicola Brook, director of Foodpath, suspect the flavouring as it contains many more ingredients than the noodles which could be contaminated.

Manufacturer Nestlé has not been contacted regarding the incidents.

Dineo Langa gets South Africans all amped up

Media personality Dineo Langa is on a high after announcing sparkling news to her fans about being a new ambassador for JC Le Roux.

The House of JC Le Roux is South Africa's first dedicated sparkling wine cellar and a leading wine producer.

The Estate star took to her social platforms to pop the big news.

"And just like that, in my year of congratulations, I usher this one with a sparkle. Absolutely thrilled to announce my ambassadorship for the House of JC Le Roux family.

"We have another surprise in store with this fabulous announcement and we promise we won't keep you waiting for too long."

JC Le Roux also shared its excitement: "Vibrant, elegant and ready to sparkle, JC Le Roux Nectar has a sophisticated new look and the equally fabulous Dineo Langa to share it with you. Get ready for the new Nectar, coming soon to a store near you."

The content curator has since received many congratulations from fans and colleagues.

Langa said she was enjoying going from strength to strength. Earlier this year, the actress was celebrated for her new role on SABC 3's telenovela, The Estate. This happened shortly after she left The Queen, leaving fans shattered by her departure.