One on one with Afrosoul singer ANDILE SITHOLE >>andile.sithole@media24.com
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HANDEKA Zulu (25) is a vocalist, actress and singer who has made her name in the entertainment industry. Her aim and dream is to get the the youth from her home town of Tongaat, to follow in her footsteps. Coastal Weekly reporter, Andile Sithole recently caught up with her to find out more about what she wants to achieve. CW: Where did you grow up? TZ: I grew up in Hambanathi in Tongaat. CW: What did you want to become as a child? TZ: I wanted to be an entertainer. CW: Who is your source of inspiration? TZ: I look up to Mbongeni Ngema. CW: What have you achieved so far in the industry? TZ: I worked with a group called Lindokuhle from the age of eight. While at school I had a privilege of working with Jae [African-pop artist] as a backing vocalist and dancer. After [completing] matric I worked with Mbongeni Ngema in productions, Sarafina, Jola and
Stimela Sase-Zola to mention a few. In 2010 I ventured into modelling, which opened many doors for me. I was also part of a chorus in a production called Spirit and Bones, which was performed at the Pretoria State Theatre and in Johannesburg at the Winde Bra Theatre. That year I was hired as the lead dancer at the Crown Gospel Awards gala dinner. I started working with Afrosoul as a dancer and backing vocalist before I became a lead dancer. CW: You were one of the actresses for Uzalo, so how did you end up on television? TZ: I kept on going to auditions. CW: Viewers know you as Nombuso on Uzalo, how different are you from Nombuso’s character? TZ: Nombuso is like my twin, her background and mine are almost the same. CW: You landed a role in a Zulu comedy movie in 2016. Who did you play? TZ: I played Thembalethu and enjoyed it. My partner Shokwakhe is a good actor. CW: You are part of a local band, Afrosoul, what is your role in it? TZ: I’m the only female member of this multi-award winning trio called Afrosoul.
North Coast’s top performers THE North Coast schools had reason to celebrate their results once again with many achieving pass rates over 90%. Matric pupils from Mountview Secondary in Verulam produced excellent results with an increase in the pass rate. Pupils achieved an impressive overall pass rate of 92,26%. Top achiever Siphesihle M Mtshali achieved seven distinctions in English, Afrikaans, mathematics, engineering and graphic design, life sciences, physical sciences and life orientation. The other three pupils who achieved six distinctions were Kavir Bodha, Khwezilokusa Maphasa and Jeneane Naidoo. Verulam Secondary School achieved a 95.62% pass rate with 58% of their pupils gaining university entrance and a whopping 180 subject distinctions. These accolades made Verulam Secondary one of the top performing schools within the Billy Nair Circuit. Principal Mr. S. Govender attributed this success to the synergy that exists between the circuit manger, Mr. S. A. Chetty, members of the school governance, the academic team, pupils and parents. Chairperson of the governing body Mr MA Moidin said: “Verulam Secondary has always been the most consistent school in generating academic excellence. The governance is full praise for excellent leadership from the principal and his team.” Some of the top achievers from Ver-
ulam Secondary were: Sameera Alli (7As), Mikaila Olivier (7As), Roweena Bramdeo (6As), Nirelle Reddy (6As), Sthembile Gracia Mkihize (5 As), Sthabile Stembokuhle Maphumulo (5 As), Kovilan Kobalan Moodley (5As) and Deveshen Bobby Chetty (5As). The matric class of 2016 from Protec Tongaat had reason to celebrate as they excelled achieving significantly better results than the KZN and national average. All 32 Protec matriculants passed, with 91% of the students achieving university passes. There were a total of 44 subject distinctions with five distinctions in math and physical science, the two core subjects at Protec. The top pupil Sinethemba Dlamini, achieved five distinctions. Other star pupils were Khaylihle Mpanza and Akshay Durgapersadh, who both achieved four distinctions. “We are extremely proud of our pupils who worked consistently hard throughout the year and the most important thing about these results is that they enable our pupils to pursue meaningful careers,” said Protec Tongaat manager Marion Takis. The pupils who received bursaries are Sinethemba Dlamini and Khayelihle Mpanza. Dlamini received a bursary from Sasol and will be studying BSC chemical engineering at UKZN and Mpanza received a bursary from Investec to study BCom at Wits University.
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12 January 2017
NEWS
coastal
11
WEEKLY
CW: Do you have any advice for aspiring singers. TZ: Believe in your dreams, pursue them and keep working hard because there is enough light for all of us in the world.
Thandeka Zulu is the third member of multiawardwinning band, Afrosoul. PHOTO: SUPPLIED
What you can expect to earn with a matric, and beyond SOUTH African youth who stay in school for longer have much better salary prospects than those with limited schooling, said Analyico, a company that provides earnings analysis in South Africa. “Based on our research, for South Africa to overcome the large earnings inequality staying in school for longer will have a significant impact on reducing the polarisation of our labour market. “Education has a prominent role to play in reducing income inequality and depolarising a currently deeply divided society,” said company spokesperson Jaén Beelders. However, completing high school does not translate into individuals finding themselves in a better position in the labour market. There is an important distinction to be made with regards to the quality of education, since the poorest South Africans only have access to “free schooling” and these schools generally do not perform as well as more affluent schools, Beelders said. Studies in South Africa have shown that the wealthiest 20% of South Africans in Grade 6 have far better reading tests scores than the least wealthy 20%, indicating that the quality of education must be considered to determine earnings capacity upon leaving school,
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Beelders said. “The current education system, instead of fighting earnings inequality, is reproducing the patterns of poverty and inequality that we are observing currently in South Africa.” Furthermore, the estimated dropout rate of 44.6%, which is assumed to be largely in the more impoverished areas in South Africa, young people entering the labour market are finding themselves in unskilled occupations. Consequently, they must compete with more experienced individuals in this sector decreasing their chances of employment. If young South Africans drop out of school, it can be observed to have a significant detrimental impact on their potential future earnings capacity. It can further be observed that pupil who leave school early often experience sustained periods of unemployment and this in turn further reduces their potential earnings capacity relative to their more educated peers. This results in a spiral of poverty and inequality in the South African context for youngsters, Beelders said. The company did research on young South Africans’ earnings potential based on educational outcomes. The following analysis was conduct-
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ed with Statistics South Africa data, using the Analytico Earnings Analysis ModelTM with a total sample size of 717 364 individuals with educational outcomes of Grade 8 to Bachelors level. It was based on median gross income per month in October 2016 terms. Analytico said the figures here are what one could reasonably expect to earn on entering the labour market given the grouped qualifications: • No schooling: R1 704 • Some primary (Grade 1 – 7 incomplete) education: R1 867 • Completed primary school (Grade 7): R1 946 • Some Secondary Education (Grade 8 – Grade 12 incomplete): R2 660 • Grade 12: R4 977 • Grade 12 with Certificate: R8 326 • Grade 12 with Diploma: R13 378 • Bachelor’s degree: R21 527 Beelders emphasised that the analysis does not account for tenure, specific occupations, professional designations, decision-making bands or the differentiation between full-time or parttime employed individuals. “This information should not be regarded as a substitute for more detailed earnings research,” he said. - Fin24.
Congratulations to our Baby Girl
KHAJAL SUMSUDDIN SARKER
On your Matric Pass May Allah bless you abundantly Khajal Sumsuddin Sarker attended Tongaat Secondary School. Lots of Love Dad, Mum and Mohammed Imtiaz