Ignited Woman - April/May 2020

ISSUE:8 | APR/MAY 2020

WHY DIGITIZING YOUR BUSINESS WILL HELP YOU SCALE

HOW TO CLAIM FROM YOUR CREDIT LIFE

EFFECTS OF

NNEILE NKHOLISE Innovating sport science through bio-technology

R29.00 Incl VAT RSA

COVID-19 ON BUSINESS

Payment holiday?

All you need to know

Get your autumn trends inside

CONTENTS REGULARS 08 09 10 12

MONEY SAVVY BUSINESS BITS YOUR HEALTH MENTAL HEALTH

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FEATURES

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20 24 64 30

GAME CHANGERS BLACK GIRL MAGIC DISRUPTOR INSPIRATION

24 FOCUS ON COVID-19 11 SME RELIEF FUNDING 20 CREDIT LIFE FAQ 32 KEEPING HEALTHY

APRIL/MAY2020

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17 TRENDS 15 16 18 28

BOOK REVIEW LIP & EYE COLOUR BOSS GIRL LOOK FOOD

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editor's picks

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Editor's Note A new way of working as world grapples with COVID-19 As the world grapples with the COVID-19 pandemic , small business have been forced to be creative and innovate new ways of doing operating.

The past few weeks have not been easy but it has been intensely interesting to observe the shifting dynamics.

It is no secret that small business will be severely affected by everything that is happening around us at the moment, more so because we do not know what the future holds.

The country have been directed to go into lockdown to ensure that the curve o infections is flattened.

While this is the best thing for us all the results will not be favorable for most.

Be that as it may, what is a certain now is that the South African government has been excellent in putting measures in place for small business to thrive.

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www.ignitedwoman.co.za

We hope that the majority of small businesses will access the different types of funding that have been set up and use these to keep afloat.

In this edition we have put together a COVID-19 resource segment intended to assist small business owners and individuals alike on how to access funding or repayment holidays.

We feature on our cover the dynamic entrepreneur and founder of 3DiMO, Nneile Nkholise, whose innovation will make her a key player in the detection of diseases such as COVID-19.

We also speak two women who are working to transform the construction sector and make it more inclusive for women.

Don't miss out on the insights from our expert contributors on business development, money management and health.

Check out page 16 for autum trends.

Kamo

Founder & editor Kamogelo Seekoei

Content creator Basetsana Makhalemele

graphic designer tumelo mosue

Contributors Dr Relebohile Ncha' Dr Nkomile Setlaba boitumelo monyatsi Dikonelo mile edith mjuluki mpho mabote

Marketing Kea Ngakantsi

Advertising Adriana Botha Flair Media adriana@flairmedia.co.za Christos aranitis L & C Advertising christos@landcadvertising.co.za

Subscriptions Visit www.ignitedwoman.co.za or send email To: info@kannamedia.co.za

3275 Unit 1 Ext Selosesha, Thaba Nchu, 9783 Phone: +27 61 434 4631 Cell: +27 81 708 1412

Published by Kanna Media productions All Rights Reserved.

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Money Savvy

Empowering financial strategies for women

By Dikonelo Mile As the famous saying goes: little girls with dreams become women with vision. It is key to have our communities filled with women who work towards their financial wellbeing.

When women are empowered, our communities are empowered. This month, our focus is on financial strategies that empower women.

Managing finances is a personal journey. Even with all the tips and advice, you still have to customize your finances to your own goals and desires. First things first: The basics. Creating a Vision and starting with the end in mind.

Track your Net-worth Your net-worth is the difference between all your assets and all your debts. The big number will give you an indication of where you are financially. Track your net worth on a regular so that you can see all the progress you are making and where you can fill in the gaps.

Draft a Financial Vision Board We usually do a vision board for the different aspects of our lives. A financial vision board can motivate you to adopt better money habits and also keep track of your financial goals.

Credit Report Review your credit profile report regularly and keep your eye on your credit score. The aim is to have good credit. Credit which assists you to grow your net-worth in the long run.

Knowing your credit profile in detail will assist you with better debt management strategies. Remember to pay off all the unnecessary debts.

Get Your Insurance in order Building your wealth and protecting it is equally important.

Look at the different types of insurances and choose the ones you need. Remember to create and review your will.

Investing Review and re-balance your investment portfolio at least once a year. Reviewing your portfolio will help you with an investment strategy that matches your current financial goals.

.

This article is for eucational purposes and does not constitute financial advice. Dikonelo Mile writes in her personal capacity.

Contact her at info@successtuned.co.za | 0614937069

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Business Bits

Small businesses and the digital era

By Edith Mjuluki Since around 1880 computing has been used to solve number crunching problems. The use of commercial computers came in the 1950s. Since then the growth has been rapid. Today businesses cannot function without computers and technology is making things easier for small businesses to thrive.

Digital transformation has led us to so many avenues in data management and storage. One of the examples of digital transformation is cloud computing. It reduces reliance on user owned hardware and increases reliance on subscription based cloud services".

The question is how ready are we as business owners for this transformation?

Are businesses using the benefits of digital transformation? How can small business take advantage of digital transformation now?

Small businesses have an advantage to make use of available resources in transforming their businesses and participate in digital business markets. The available digital platforms can transform your business without much effort. Look at how insurance companies have evolved from field marketers to digital marketers!

This proves that business transformation is key. It will serve most small business owners if they move with the digital age and start implementing new technological ways of managing their businesses in order to thrive in this fast paced world. So where to from here?

When social media became an advertising and marketing platform marketing and advertising companies took advantage of social media platforms.

Who knew that WhatsApp could be a business communication platform? As a business consultant for the past 13 years, I have seen and worked with small businesses. I can tell you now that we still have dozens of businesses which are still using old and expensive methods of advertising, marketing, transactions, communication and so on. With the high pace of digital transformation, these businesses are moving 20 steps backwards and are overtaken by new businesses who make use of digital transformation. It has been proven that, using computer technology to reach your clients is much cheaper than printing flyers to distribute on the streets and newspapers. Readership of newspapers has dropped due to availability of instant news headlines online and on social media. would encouraged small businesses to invest in websites that are designed to keep up with the evolving digital technology, invest on social media flyers, Marketing and advertising using the latest computer technology.

Be visible and attract clients across boarders (depending on your product and services). Be familiar with the current digital platforms and transform your business.

Edith Mjuluki has been a business consultant for 11 years, working with some government agencies in assisting small and start up business to achieve their goals. Contact email edicobs@gmail.com

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Your Health

Know your health care rights as a patient

Dr Relebohile Ncha

In the era of human rights and the right to know all about your health, it’s important that you know what your rights and responsibilities are towards your health and health care so that you are empowered about what is acceptable.

It is important for you as a person seeking medical attention to know what to expect so that when those expectations are not met, you can take your case further.

As a person seeking medical

attention, here are your rights: Access to health care Access to Health care refers to the fact that when one needs medical attention they get it. The following have been specifically mentioned under this point because of their critical importance in promoting good health within our communities. Access to health care refers to: Receiving emergency medical attention at any health care facility regardless of the ability to pay Treatment and rehabilitation services available must be made known to you as a patient so that you can understand those treatments and know the pros and cons of such treatment There is provision for special needs in new born babies, pregnant women, the aged, disabled persons, patients in pain, persons living with HIV/AIDS

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Counselling without discrimination, coercion or violence on matters such as reproductive health, cancer or HIV/AIDS Palliative care that is affordable and effective in cases of incurable or terminal illness To be treated with kindness by health care providers who demonstrates courtesy, human dignity, patience, empathy and tolerance Health information that includes the availability of health services and how best to use such services.

More rights to access in the health care system

A healthy and safe environment Participate in decision making Knowledge of one’s health insurance or medical aid scheme Choice of health service Be treated by a named health care provider Informed consent Refusal of treatment Continuity of care Referred for a second opinion Complain about health services

All the above are your rights as a patient. They are entranced within our Constitution and these rights should be upheld at any given time provided they don’t impose on other people’s right to health.

Read more on our website.

Dr Ncha is a Public H alth Medicine Specialist. She is also part of the Nehillah Health Consultants and writes in her personal capacity.

Please read the rest of the article on our website: www.ignitedwoman.co.za

Mental Health

JUST SADNESS OR ARE YOU DEPRESSED?

By Dr Nkomile Setlaba

Sadness is part of the inherent human experience. So then where do we draw the line between being sad and having depression, or Major Depressive Disorder as scientifically known?

The World Health Organization predicted that Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) will be one of the leading causes of disability by 2020. We are not even almost halfway through the said year and this prediction seems to have manifested.

Clinicians are seeing more and more patients complaining of symptoms of depression and suicide rates, resulting from the disorder, have increased. It is thus necessary to have the knowledge in order to be able to recognize it in yourself or those close to you. Because there are no physical manifestations specific to the disorder, or tests that can be conducted in order to pick it up, diagnosis is dependent on report from the sufferer and also recognized in their behaviour.

With sadness being an expected or normal reaction to various negative experiences that individuals go through, its duration and intensity usually decreases with time. If this is not the case, for instance, in instances where the emotion lasts longer than expected or is more intense than would be expected for the situation, depression needs to be considered.

People who are sad or going through a period of sadness must still be able to perform their roles in their respective areas of functioning, if this is not the case, then a diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder needs to be considered.

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T The world is continuously changing and there is more demand placed on society; individuals often find themselves under pressure to perform at a certain level, in order to keep up. This results in increased stress on the physical, emotional and mental well-being of individuals. Stress plays a key role in the development of Major Depressive Disorder, which may then lead to functional impairment of the sufferer.

Major Depressive Disorder is more than just an emotional or mental disorder; it also affects physical well-being. It occurs as a result of a chemical imbalance that takes place in the brain and body, due to various reasons. In most cases there is an identifiable social stressor that precedes the onset of the disorder; however this is not an absolute requirement.

The diagnosis of MDD is made after an extensive interview with the person who suffers from the disorder. The symptoms and signs include the following, as paraphrased from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, fifth edition are on the side bar.

The above symptoms and signs will be considered with the rest of the history that is taken from the patient, as well as a full physical examination to ensure that there are no other medical causes of the symptoms.

Read ore: www.ignitedwoman.co.za

Symptoms and signs

Depressed mood most of the day, nearly everyday Decreased pleasure in previously enjoyed activities, or inability to experience pleasure An inability to concentrate Excessive tiredness or previously effortless activities take too much energy Poor sleep (insomnia) or sleeping too much An increase or decrease in appetite associated with weight changes Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or nappropriate guilt Suicidal thoughts, or desire to commit suicide or a wish that one would be better off deceased

DR Nkomile Setlaba wries in her personal capacity.

Read the rest of the article on our website: www.ignitedwoman.co.za

COVID-19

FOCUS ON COVID-19 SMEs get payment breaks from banks

By Kamogelo Seekoei South African banks have committed to assisting small business owners to will most certainly be struggling to repay loans as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. With the lockdown fully enforced many businesses have started feeling the pressurecWhile these payment breaks will give much needed reprieve especially to small businesses it is important to note is that interest and fees will continue to accumulate on outstanding balances. All the banks have a criteria they use to determine those who qualify.

From 1 April to 30 June FNB will implement measures to provide relief to individual and business customers whose financial stability has been impacted by COVID-19.

The bank said its interventions will assist customers who demonstrate sound banking behavior, such as having honoured their repayments to the bank on a consistent basis prior to COVID-19.

For those customers that qualify, the bank’s COVID-19 interventions will be for all products with us, will be available for a period of three months and cover the following: • Instalment cashflow relief, during which part or no instalments/repayments will be due for a specific period; • A preferential interest rate will apply to the COVID19 relief interventions given; • No fees will be charged for any relief granted; • Assistance with processing credit insurance claims, where possible; • Individualised bridge facilities for those who need it.

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According to Standard Bank the Coronavirus Business Interruption Payment Scheme will provide loan instalment relief businesses for 90 days. This scheme will launch on the 1st of April and strives to support small and medium-sized business with a payment holiday for 90 days. The banks says you are eligible for the Coronavirus Business Interruption Payment Scheme if your business is in good standing.

Yourbusiness has to be South African based, with a turnover of no more than R 20 million per year or your Business Current account, Bizlaunch account and Business Lending accounts are paid up to date. The bank’s offer will be automation but anyone wishing to opt out may do so by contacting the bank.

Nedbank said customers can delay your loan repayments through a three-month payment holiday. Applications will be assessed case-by-case.

All individual and business clients, with existing loan agreements, and who are in good standing. Apply to home loans, vehicle and asset finance, NedBonds and term loans. Other COVID-19 SME support from the bank includes • Free daily (small group) and weekly (large group) webinars to share information/guide business leaders. • COBRA War Room – business support to avoid business rescue (pro bono or discounted fees). • Knowledge base and expert Wiki to consolidate information, policy updates and support for enterprises from external takeholders (eg banks, Government, CIPC, associations).

Absa has created a payment relief plan to help customers financially impacted by COVID-19. The plan applies to corporate, business and retail customers who have credit products and it is free to all qualifying customers.

Its corporate and business customers will receive tailored solutions specific to their individual circumstances. These solutions will apply to credit products including: Loans Mortgage-Backed Business Loans Commercial Assert Finance products You can visit the websites of all the banks to get more details on their respective offers.

SME relief from government

By Kamogelo Seekoei

The Small Business department has had a rapid response to the hard effects that the COVID-19 is having on small business.

In an effort to rescue small businesses who are more inclined to fails due to the break in revenue a special website for urgent applications has been set up. www.smmesa.gov.za.

Companies can specify the kind of assistance they require, but there is no indication what might be on offer.

The site asks for basic details, such as contact details and shareholder information, with the option to ask for either financial assistance, or non-financial assistance, or both.

Businesses that are involved in critical sectors, from manufacturing masks to the distribution of food, are expected to receive priority support.

The department said it planned a Business Growth/Resilience Facility, with the implication that debt relief and similar measures would be available.

The small business initiative is also apparently not linked to the Solidarity Response Fund that President Cyril Ramaphosa also announced. That fund has received an initial R150 million from government, and is soliciting donations from the public.

The Solidarity Response Fund, announced

by Ramaphosa will be privately managed and administered. By Tuesday morning it had not yet released details of its plans.

All you need to know about credit life insurance Life has so many uncertainties. There is no guarantee that you will still have your job tomorrow. You don’t know if you will still be able to walk next month. However, one thing you can be sure of is that your debt is not going to go away because of your circumstances.

In 2016, the Office of the Credit Ombuds found that many consumers are still not aware that they can pay their debt through credit life insurance. The office found that credit providers are selling products that are not relevant to their customers. Some were selling retrenchment covers to self-employed or retired consumers.

What is credit life insurance?

According to Lee Bromfield, CEO of FNB Life, you can take out this form of insurance to be able to meet your debt obligations in the event of disability, death, retrenchment or any other risk that may prevent you from being able to repay your debt. This insurance covers any form of credit: credit cards, overdraft, student loans, vehicle loans and home loans.

Is credit life insurance compulsory?

Often credit life insurance is included when calculating the cost of your loan. Many consumers have accepted these costs with no questions asked. According to the National Credit Act (NCA), credit providers can propose that you take out mandatory credit life insurance. However, you have the right to reject the policy offered in favour of a policy of your choice. The law also states that a credit provider may not demand that you purchase insurance that is unreasonable.

According to Bromfield, some products have compulsory credit life insurance for the smaller loan amounts. For instance, when you take out a personal loan, your provider may insist that you take out a credit life insurance. Some credit providers offer it for loans longer than six months. However, most credit products have voluntary products.

How does this insurance benefit you?

Bromfield says the benefits vary depending on the insurer and type of cover taken out.

“It is essential that consumers fully understand the type of cover as well as the terms and conditions of their policy when taking out credit life insurance,” advised Bromfield.

How do you submit your claim?

In the case of retrenchment or disability you can submit the claim yourself. However, in the case of death, the credit provider will submit claims on behalf of the customer.

The NCA states that if the premiums are paid annually the consumer is entitled, upon settlement of the credit agreement, to a refund of the unused portion of the final year’s premium.

SOURCED FROM MONEY SHOP

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Winter Must-have wardrobe essentials With Byssiecloset

Leather Jacket

If you do not own a biker jacket, go get it now! It is a compulsory wardrobe essential every woman should have, it gives you that cool and boss look! With a pair of a leather jacket you are ready to rock winter.

Snake cowboy style boots

Knitwear

Another winter fashion must-have has to be animal skin boots!

They are unique and so fashionable. They give that queen and stylish vibe and you can wear them with a skirt/dress, pair of jeans or comfortable pants.

Go grab a pair for yourself! From Linzi.

They are warm, soft and so comfy. They are most definitely a that you item this winter to stay in style all throughout the fall.

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Innovator

WEARABLE SENSOR THAT CAN DETECT DISEASES SUCH AS COVID-19

By Kamogelo Seekoei

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Her

smart wearable sensors monitor human performance and health. The innovation is aimed at helping companies detect if one of their employees has symptoms that may be a risk of health, COVID-19 being one of them.

3DIMO, a sport biotech company based in Cape Town and San Francisco, has been working towards launching a smart-wearable that will monitor body temperature, heart-rate and fatigue levels or stress levels so that it gets actionable statistics that can easily help, especially companies detect if one of their employees as symptoms that may be have health risks.

With a special focus on sport, the company wants to help sports clubs educe the financial losses due to injuries, and reduce athlete injury rehabilitation. The data insight that 3DIMO collects is able to get and model could help in having tailor-made insurance plans for elite sport athletes.

3DIMO is provides actionable data insights to predict and prevent sport injury risk through the development smart hardware and interactive sport data visualization software, giving real-time insights on athlete performance and helping clubs with business and technical intelligence to optimize performance and reduce injury risk.

The company’s founder, Nneile Nkholise, says although her company has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic because sports team had to go into lock down to help flatten the curve on new infections, she believes that the best of entrepreneurs are not those with a high intellectual quotient but those with a high adversity quotient to thrive through turbulent times.

She was an ambassador of the presidency as one of the community of young people that would be activist of the National Development Plan of 2030.

The Thaba Nchu born entrepreneur was also recognized by the World Economic Forum as the top female innovator in Africa in 2016.

“Although, it was a prestigious award which I hold dear to, I also believe it was a call to action to be actively involved in the continental development of market creating innovations,” she says.

She lauds this achievement as a stepping stone to other opportunities that have helped her to broaden her horizon.

HER BUSINESS Nneile launched her career in 2011 as a mechanical engineer at the Free State’s Public Works Department, before founding iMed Tech in 2015. Her work at iMed Tech in CAD and Additive Manufacturing in breast prosthesis earned Nkholise several awards, including Forbes 30 Under 30 and the presidential award for Science, Innovation and Technology at the South African Youth Awards in 2017.

“I started 3DIMO from the lessons I learnt from my previous startup and from my experience of working in sport and playing basketball,” she explains.

She started 3DIMO with an idea to create presurgical planning models (which were either digital or 3d printed) to support Orthopedic surgeons with surgery planning to help speed up surgery time, reduce cost of surgery and also increase accuracy of surgery.

Her company partnered with some few Orthopedic surgeons to help with pre-surgical models, and it was while doing this work that she picked up that professional sports athletes left their injuries until too late.

“They would incur a minor injury and ignore it and still play with the injury for a prolonged time until the injury affects a large region of the body and becomes very severe,” she explains.

It was at this point that the idea to create injury sensing wearable software to predict in real time injury risk potential. From her own experience she took a step further and added features in the product that allow them to predict performance targets of athletes based on the sport they play, position, physical attributes.

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FOCUS ON SPORT She says the reason they focus on sport injuries is that an estimated 88.5 million people play a team sport in the US - basketball, football, soccer, volleyball and baseball - and about 1.1 million people play rugby in South Africa.

“Sport is recognized as one of the greatest forms of entertainment with the level of competitiveness continuing to increase with seemingly no end in sight. This meteoric growth in sport has resulted in revenue growth for sport clubs and athletes equally,” she says.

Admittedly the growth has led more pressure from young athletes getting into the game.

This is where her work becomes critical as athletes become more prone to injuries because of the risks they take while training and during games.

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“The desire to be and deliver the best can often result in the greatest setback of an athlete's career and life. With athletes' careers and clubs' investments potentially at risk, the conversation about early injury detection and prevention has developed from research to a growing business area with huge opportunity,” she explains.

market of breast prosthesis in South Africa, I learnt that we might have a great product with great impact however our scaling opportunity was limited so I had my first business failure in 2018,” says Nneile.

The business failure came as they were losing so much money for the sale of each product.

BUSINESS FAILURE Nneile previously had a medtech company called iMed Tech which she started to pursue her of creating prosthesis and implants using additive manufacturing for people who had damaged or lost body features due to accidents or diseases such as cancer.

“The company grew into us creating breast prosthesis for women who had undergone mastectomy and hence lost a breast or both, due to the small

INVESTMENT For now Nneile hopes that there will be more investment interest in her field.

Getting investors has been difficult in South Africa because Sport Tech has not been a sector that investors have paid attention to on the continent however we still believe that long-term, there will be a great opportunity for the work that we are doing.

Game Changers

Transforming construction sector

By Kamogelo Seekoei Newly appointed CEO of the National Construction Incubator, Patt Chalwa believes that women have the competence to drive this change in the construction industry as it faces tough economic times and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

Through innovation and tenacity, Chalwa believes that women only need the right kind of support to completely change the sector. She says women cannot be excluded in a sector that fundamentally affects them and their families.

“The National Construction Incubator remains committed to provide a conducive environment for women to establish and maximise on meaningful networks and we are continuously working closely with public and private partners to strengthen our offering for the good of the sector and South Africa’s economy,” she says.

Chalwa says it is common knowledge that the economic inclusion for the historically disadvantaged is not where it ought to be.

But enabling government policies can be applauded as they support thought leaders of industry to have an audience they would otherwise not have, she states.

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"

Female owners of construction companies will tell you that they not only didn’t have to work twice as hard, but they have delivered projects within unprecedent ed time lines as well

“The construction sector is a typical sector that any layman will tell you is a man’s world. My tenacity throughout my career has been driven to demystify this myth,” pronounces Chalwa.

She believes that women are endowed with the ability to reach sensitive spaces and come up with innovative solutions to address inequalities.

“Female owners of construction companies will tell you that they not only didn’t have to work twice as hard, but they have delivered projects within unprecedented time lines as well. I am confident that during this trying economic time and global pandemic, it is women who will drive this change,” she exclaims.

Also new to the role, NCI chairperson of the board, Dr Ndlovu says they believe that substantial impact in the industry will only be realised when women are at the helm.

“To that effect, we at the National Construction Incubator, have been unapologetically intentional about the transformation agenda. We have ensured that key leadership positions are occupied by women and that women across all levels of the organisation are continuously uplifted and empowered,” she says.

In addition they have targeted women entrepreneurs in the sector and provided them with incubation opportunities so that they can access markets, access finances and grow their networks, she reported.

“As we know the saying that when a woman is empowered, the In the past two years, massive job cuts, liquidations and gender discrimination within the sector have

been a cause for concern with little to no change or solutions proposed to help stabilise this important sector.

Reforms to be implemented in this sector that are developed by the NCI are in the pipeline.

These are intended to address various issues including the empowerment of women, development and mentorship as well as job creation.

Accessibility is an important aspect of growth that the NCI has identified and made means to address, particularly for those contractors who have struggled to get funding, mentorship and assistance in setting themselves up within the industry.

The NCI has since opened a new branch in Empangeni, KwaZuluNatal through anew partnership and will be launching a second branch in the same region, uMhlathuze Municipality. asThis was done to ensure inclusivity and access across many of the marginalized are in and around KwaZulu-Natal.

With the strides that the new NCI is making in sustaining the industry through various changes aimed at growth, the organisation is in the forefront of creating opportunities to improve the sector through its strategic positioning. Ultimately, the sector will continue to develop and contribute to the economy of the country by implementing innovative and just means in redressing the stifling elements that have long crippled the construction industry.

IN THE BUSINESS

NCI FOCUS Women empowerment: The NCI has recently made a milestone in making the construction field one that is inclusive and equal.

The company now comprises of 83% female senior management,

Development and mentorship: StatsSA reported as many as 30 000 job cuts in the construction sector in the year of 2019. This is incredibly disheartening and calls for development of emerging contractors and mentorships to help remedy the situation Job creation: Giving support to contractors through funding, mentorship and interpersonal development has been at the heart of the work that the NCI does and has proven to be efficient

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Disruptor

Letting her authentic work speak for her

By Basetsana Makhalemele Creative entrepreneur Selloane Moeti believes her work allows her to tell her truth, to contribute and to be part of an African woman narrative that will be documented and archived for decades.

Creative entrepreneur She lets us into her creative space.

Ignited Woman (IW): Briefly tell us about yourself and where you are from?

Selloane Moeti (SM): My mother is Swati and my father is Mosotho. I was born and raised in KwaZulu-Natal KZN, South Coast of Durban.

IW: Tell us about your journey of discovering your gift and how it all started?

SM: From the 4th grade, I've been drawing maps for everyone in my class, but I think the most distinctive memory was in grade 9 when my fellow peers asked to see my painting, I later found out everyone was raving about.

IW: What does your work entail and what does it mean to you and for your career?

SM: I get to tell my truth, I get to contribute, to be part of an African woman narrative that will be documented and archived for decades. That alone means the world to be, it’s an honor.

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IW: What does your work entail and what

IW: You have won numerous awards for

IW: Would you like to tell us what you are

does it mean to you and for your career?

your work, how has this helped to catapult

working on next?

SM: I get to tell my truth, I get to contribute, to

your career?

SM: I’m working on my next solo show' I

be part of an

SM: They were a great humbling validation,

African woman narrative that will be

but work continued as normal.

can't say much about it

documented and archived for decades. That

alone means the world to be, it’s an honor.

IW: You also run figure drawing and

conceptual development sessions for youth

IW: One of your recent exhibited work is

and kids in Durban and you have been

Bayeza; can you take us through your reason

appointed as art director for NGO Rural

and inspiration behind it?

Youth Development Foundation SA, how has

SM: Bayeza is a special tribute piece; I painted

that journey been?

it last year for a group show at Smith Studios

SM: SketchIN is a figure drawing and

Sound Advice:

right after my solo show. It was as an

concept development class; a safe space

“We need to be thick-skinned and

acknowledgment to the higher powers,

purely built for us by us - Durban visual art

exceptional at the same time.

dedicated to the spirits that guard us. I

lovers. I founded it in 2017 with my sisters

So never stop researching and learning.

played around with the concept of Dharma

and peers and it has been going strong

Create a strong foundation for your

Protectors by portraying these women

ever since. My main objection is to use a

narrative, build relationships and be in

that hold and sustain positive order in my

segment at SketchIN as art therapy, for it is

life.

to link it with the work I did at the NGO. Try

charge of your point of view”.

before the announcement is made. I’m also collaborating with other women artists for group shows, bag collaboration and finally hopefully shooting my second short film pieces.

and implement art in the curriculum for IW: You may not describe yourself as one but

rural schools.

many of us see you as a true activist

especially for women. How important is it for

IW: What do you think fine art and the arts,

you to also be an activist through your work?

in general, ought to achieve in society?

SM: I am committed to challenging the

SM: For me art influences society by

stereotypes and marginalization of black

changing opinions, documenting

women in South Africa. I feel it's important as

history, to teach and heal the next

a black African woman to have that dialogue

generation.

in my work.

IW. How has staying true to yourself, your

craft and being authentic, helped you in

IW: Compared to Europe, how do you think

your career?

South Africa fares in recognizing and

SM. Through the journey of trying to find my

celebrating the arts and those in the arts?

lineage, I have had to accept many realities

SM: I feel we still have a long way to go but

that come with being an artist. I've had to

change is brewing. There

choose and understand that honesty and

are tons of brilliant visual art graduates

telling my story sets me apart. This method

yearly in SA, some are self-taught

has worked in my favor thus far.

with not enough galleries to represent us.

Some cities like Durban only has one

contemporary art gallery space, just imagine.

IW: Being an entrepreneur means you have

The truth of the matter is most

to juggle various projects, how do you juggle

galleries don't take proposals from artists, so

everything?

we as independent artists have

SM: It's not easy to juggle everything it’s a

to always strategically place ourselves so a

matter of prioritizing. I know if I paint and

curator can discover our work. We

produce gangs of work the first 7 months of

do open studios, we invite gallerist to our

the year I’d have to time to spend on

spaces, the internet plays its role

Sketchin and other collaborative projects

to be discovered too, we collaborate with

I have. I do all of this while working a full-

independent curators.

time job.

25

Black Girl Magic

Setting her sight in the fashion industry

By Basetsana Makhalemele “Do what sets your soul on fire, without caring what other people think”. This is what the young and talented founder of ZiiApparel Zizipho Mgxothwa. Believes.

Until she sat in front of a sewing machine and started sewing, Zizipho had thought very little of fashion, let alone a career in it.

Having an on point drawing and hand sewing skills from a very young age, the young creative has shaped her gift and talents to create exquisite clothing for people.

"So at a very young age I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer, I knew I wanted to create for a living,” says Zizipho. t all started with an interest in creating her own toys from paper and boxes and creating clothing items and bags.

"I started when I was a little girl. II didn't even realize that I was entering into the world of designing back then,” she says adding that the funny thing is that I was never really a stylish person,” she adds.

Zizipho describes how her brother sparked her interest to become a fashion designer by bragging to his friends about her work and introducing to her the term fashion designer, she then fell in love with it.

"My brother was so fascinated with my drawings, he used to brag to his friends about my beautiful drawings. He always believed that I would one day become a fashion designer,” she muses.

26

One of the challenges she faced was not knowing where to start like most people who want to start their own business.

"I didn't know how or where to start. I was actually afraid and ashamed of being seen starting small after obtaining my qualification in Fashion Designing, plus I knew I was the first one in my family to start a business, not having any business background really freaked me out," she says.

Until she started working for a local designer for 3 months. Where she grasped how a fashion house is managed, how to manage clients and what happens inside a fashion studio, how to deal with clients, different fabrics, how a fashion studio should look.

That is what gave the fashion designer confidence to wake up and give birth to her business ZiiApparel in 2017.

"I knew that I didn't really have anybody to back me up but God and my mother,” she says.

Zizipho has always believed that God called her for greatness, she knew that if she went to look for a job, she would be playing things too safe and she would get too comfortable and not reach her dreams.

According to her, she was fond of her fashion style of wearing her late grandparents clothes as a student and started making and selling vintage shirts.

People loved her style but they were not taking out money to buy. She stopped wearing my grandparents clothes.

"As I was growing as a woman I started designing modern, trendy but unique clothing and people started buying ZiiApparel clothing,” she says.

Today Zizipho creates clothes for both men and women, but mostly women.

She says when she started the brand, she wanted to

opportunity to learn at an affordable amount", she says.

Believing that she is learning interesting things about sewing and fabric that she believes she would have never known had it not been for the classes.

Zizipho plans her day and makes sure that she sticks to it. Being a God fearing woman as she is her day starts with a prayer.

"I have realized that when I don't pray my day becomes unproductive and I don't get things done that are planned

dress women only but she started designing for men at

for the day", she says.

She is kept going by not

a later stage because they loved her work. She has recently start sewing

allowing people to waste her time, as she sets time for every task and appointment

classes in Bloemfontein, teaching other people who

and does not extend times. "i have other things I'll have

are interested in making their own clothes, as

to do during that day," says Zizipho.

she marks as her greatest success, pursuing her dream of owning a very first

Her inspiration is sparked by everything around her.

"If I see fabric I like, I buy it

Business Fashion School.

Her is aim to give young

and design something later on," she says.

people who were taking a "gap year" an opportunity to learn a new skill and not let the year just go to pass.

"Studying fashion costs a fortune, so I wanted to give people who want to get into the fashion industry but don't have the funds an

Next coming five years: In the next five years she will be owning the first accredited Business Fashion Product School.

She says her biggest dream is to see ZiiApparel selling in at least 5 retail stores in South Africa.

"

I thought I would own a vintage clothing store. But later I realized that I wasn't making much sales from the vintage fashion.

27

Stokvel insights BOOK TITLE: Stokvels: How they can make your money work for you AUTHOR: Palesa Longolo

The South African economy has a secret weapon: stokvels. At present, around R49 billion is saved annually by over 11 million South Africans in more than 800 000 stokvels. But how can you harness this collective power to achieve your savings goals?

This book simply and clearly explains basic financial principles and how to make sound financial decisions, and contains all the necessary information you need about stokvels, including how stokvels emerged and how they have evolved; how to set up a stokvel, and the admin, challenges and benefits involved in running one; the opportunities stokvels provide and how financial institutions, retailers, corporates and businesses that deal with them can leverage their buying power; and the future landscape of stokvels.

Whether you’re looking to fund your monthly groceries or have set your sights on buying property, joining a stokvel can help you achieve your goal quickly, without having to borrow money from the bank.

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Appealing to readers who are already in a stokvel, those who want to be in one, and even those who never thought of joining one, this book explains how to use the power of a collective to save for a goal, make money on investments, and, ultimately, achieve financial security.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Palesa Lengolo is a finance professional with 10 years’ experience in financial services in the fields of accounting, investments and banking. With qualifications in Accounting Science and Financial Information Systems, she is a member of the South African Institute of Business Accountants. While she’s passionate about her corporate career, she is also committed to empowering people with investment and financial education via Palengo Holdings, an investments holding company.

"

This book simply and clearly explains basic financial principles and how to make sound financial decisions.

‘Stokvels are on the move: moving from villages to cities, from mattresses into savings accounts and investment instruments. And as they move, they evolve and their potential for growth and their ability to create wealth increases.’ – Ntombi Tisani, head of marketing at Old Mutual Personal Finance.

Moments

Ignited Woman turned one