Destiny Careers March Edition

MARCH 2020 R50,00

BE BRAVE

How to ace your next job interview Can we keep up with the rapidly changing world of work?

Is your employer draining you?

Here’s what to do Invest in property (without buying it)

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Multitalented, multiskilled and taking up space

ISSUE 03 R50,00

DINEO & KOPANO

20003

Meet

DESTINY CAREERS

FOCUS ON KIM BLANCHÉ

How theatre helped the thespian find her voice

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PG 58

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Editor’s note

During one of his segments, US late night talk show host Seth Meyers uses a fire extinguisher to abruptly blow out the candles on a birthday cake. If the phrase “Party’s over!” was a gif, this scene would be it.

That gif is what comes to mind when I think about journalism. I’ve been in this industry for a decade (which is both a long time and a short time), and to me and a lot of my contemporaries, it sometimes feels like we joined the industry when the “good old days” were over.

It’s like we walked in during a birthday party and the hosts took one look at us and decided to blow out the candles on the cake and throw it in the bin. Party over. Go home. The party, of course, was the golden age of print, when newspapers and magazines were making – and as a result, spending – loads of money. Back when it meant there was at least one person for every job.

But with the economy being the way it is and print sales in decline, it means that some of us got into the industry when retrenchments were a regular (and traumatic) occurrence, and as a result we’ve always had to be multiskilled. Now, more often than not, you have one person filling in multiple roles, and as draining as that is (not just physically but mentally), it’s also proven to come in handy because one’s post-journalism options aren’t as limited as they previously were.

There was a time when people with multiple titles were made fun of (on the Japanese dating reality show Terrace House, for instance, one of the contestants is often accused of lacking ambition because he does many things instead of just one).

You know, the ol’ “jack of all trades, master of none” cliché.

And while of course you should be able to pursue and perfect one thing if you so wish, there is nothing wrong with pursuing more than one path. In fact, it might be better in the long run because it increases your chances of being adaptable in this changing world of work.

That’s why this month we have a few stories focusing on being multidisciplinary: in our career paths, in our hobbies, in our thinking, in our healing and in our education. And who better to embody being good at more than one thing than our cover stars, novelist/ doctor/ activist Kopano Matlwa and actor/ director/ producer/ presenter Dineo Lusenga?

And if you do want to be multiskilled but are too afraid to start, perhaps this edition might give you a nudge in the right direction(s).

Denim jacket & jeans: Zara. T-shirt: H&M Styled by Karin Orzol. Photographed by Judd van Rensburg

Pearl Boshomane Tsotetsi

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DESTINY CAREERS

Fear is normal‌ but isn’t it more terrifying to not follow your dreams?

Aurora James, fashion creative director

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Contents

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How to ace your job interview

Multifaceted creatives on the essence of tapping into multiple aspects of themselves

HOW TO

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March 2020 - Issue 03

DIARY

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26

A day in the life of social media influencer

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HOW I MADE IT

Delve into the world of a journalist who’s done it all

COVER

48

OPINION

Why choose between a 9-5 and a dream when you can have both?

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OPINION

Complex nature of mental illness integrated solutions that include indigenous knowledge

DESTINY CAREERS

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80 102 64

90

Doctors restore dignity by offering free healthcare

How to invest in property without physically buying it

FEATURE

68

PROPERTY

OPINION

106

78

Which makeup looks work best for the office and how to switch it up for the evening

What it’s like to be the only black girl with a seat at the table

HEALTH

What being a man with mental illness feels like

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ADVICE

Signs that your partner is draining your resources

BEAUTY

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EXIT INTERVIEW

Mmamitse Thibedi shares what makes her tick

Hey

Contributors March 2020 - Issue 03

Wandi Jama

What being the only black woman with a seat at the table taught me, pg 68 IG: @Wandi_lee

If you could change anything about yourself, what would it be?

I would change how impatient I am because I tend to want to have control over situations I have no control over and being impatient also heightens my stress levels.

Monyane Tekateka Dumi Gwebu

The women who have captured each other’s imaginations, pg 26 IG/ Twitter: @dumigwebu

What is your greatest achievement?

Buying my parents a house. A family home. Now I can leave my place on the weekend and spend a weekend at home. Not kaGogo. For me, saying that fills me with pride.

A doctor a day keeps the ailments away, pg 64 IG: mr_kaofela

What does happiness mean to you?

Happiness to me means God, growth and peace. It is the part of life that feels like fresh air on your face or in your lungs.

Yvonne Mtengwa

The formula to pursuing your dreams and a career, pg 48 Twitter: @QFYvonne IG: @Quintessentially_Yvonne Website: www.reinventedtoday.com

What or who is the greatest love of your life?

God is the greatest love of my life, for it is in Him that I have received the gift of the earthly beings that make my life beautiful; that is my husband, our two children, my parents and siblings, extended family and the greater tribe of friends and mentors who too have become my family.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Hey

Bomzi Lekgoro

The women who have captured each other’s imaginations, pg 26 IG: @iambomzi FB: Hairdiaries With Bomzi & Bomzi Zee Lekgoro

Who would I play in the movie of my life?

I would play myself seeing that the movie is about my life, simply because I’d like to tell my story authentically.

Lindokuhle Cebisa YouTube over a degree, pg 85 IG/ Twitter: @lindo_king

What is your favourite journey?

My favourite journey is from the door to my bed after a long day at the office.

Khotso Ramphele

7 important skills your financial advisor should have, pg 94 IG/ Twitter: @the_advizar

If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

Tkzee’s Halloween. It was guys who grew up with us in Soweto, that went to the same Model C schools we went to and were accepted by everyone.

The album is still relevant today. The hip-hop heads will listen to it. AmaPianos will want us to think it’s their genre. But it will always be kwaito.

Samantha Steele

Low budget ways to protect yourself from cyber attacks, pg 20 IG/ Twitter: @mcsteelio (Pic by Judith Belle)

What is your favourite daydream?

My favourite daydream has me placed in the middle of a Jane Austen novel, wiping a fountain pen against my dress while I scribble the next great novel.

Shout out

Letters

Share your thoughts via email: us@destinycareers.co.za.

Engage with us:

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I grew up in the era of Free4Alls and a lack of diverse career advice, I want to say thank you for providing us with content that is engaging and informative on the vast careers that are available to us as we enter the working force. Keep up the good work, I look forward to your next issue.

– Nonkululeko, Richards Bay

Coming from a background where your options are limited to being a housewife or languishing in some low-level corporate job, the idea that we can start our own airlines as read about in the February cover story on Ogaga Udjo has pushed my thinking beyond what is to what can be. I want to say thank you for introducing me to the world of aviation from a different perspective. I really do appreciate how you guys get candid with the content you deal with.

– Phelisa, East Rand

My cousin visited me recently and she had a copy of your magazine with her. It’s cool, I like the clean design, the content is informative and interesting. I just wish you had more education-focused stuff. Great work, though. All the best, looking forward to the next one (if I can get my hands on it, lol).

- PCJ, Los Angeles

TWEETS Finally got a copy......

“The smiling assassin” They were giving these away at CUT two weeks ago and I have to say it’s one of the best magazines I’ve ever read. Such quality and beautiful design. Every page is a story of its own and I can’t wait for a new one next month.

- Puseletso Rantsatsi @Pusse0208

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- Riley @outcastriley - Itumeleng Mohoang @Itu_Mohoang

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How To

Applying for a job has to be among the most emotionally exhausting tasks in a country like South Africa where unemployment stands at 29%. From fussing about whether your CV is impressive, compelling and comprehensive enough, to drafting a cover letter and the waiting after the application process.

You are alone with your thoughts like: ‘Are they going to call or email to schedule an interview?

If they don’t, what did I do wrong? Should I write them again to check if they received my application?’

Finally, you get the ‘big call’ and are invited for an interview — and the anxiety of having to prove you are the best candidate for the job is one that overwhelms you so much that you might find yourself fixating on the smallest mistakes while being interviewed.

Whether you’ve been to a few interviews and have not managed to impress as much as you had hoped, or you’re a rookie when it comes to interviews, Talent Acquisition Specialist, Carol Ledwaba, has some advice on how to successfully get through an interview.

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Don’t sweat the small things

Before you can prepare for an interview, remember that it’s a conversation to assess your skills and personality — these are things that you know. The purpose of an interview is for you and the company to reach a common understanding in that, you’re elaborating on skills already listed in your CV and they’re trying to figure out if you are the most suitable candidate, not only for the job, but to add value and growth to the company.

*

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ways to ace your job interview

Tips on how to make a positive impression before you’ve even said anything and how to handle those dreaded questions about your strengths, weaknesses, as well as salary negotiations words maki molapo

Research

The first step in preparing for an interview is research.

“Get extensive information about the company, the position and the interviewer prior to the interview.

Research the company’s website and social media, latest articles on the company’s financial results, international connections, company culture, mission statement and values,” Ledwaba advises. Although the details of the position are almost always included in the job advertisement, Ledwaba advises that you should familiarise yourself with the details of the position, including responsibilities, reporting lines and key performance areas. “Ensure that you prepare pertinent business questions,” she adds.

Additional documents It’s perfectly normal to want to take extra copies of your qualifications or other documents that you think might come in handy. But Ledwaba says you should first ask if you need to bring additional documents, “if not then don’t take anything because the company already has your CV”.

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2 Job spec

Although it’s an interview about a profession you are well versed in and you’ve prepared as much as you can, you can’t help but think, “will they ask me difficult questions?” Even though it’s not clear what these may be, Ledwaba says you can expect job related questions.

“Understand the job specification, so that when they ask you job related questions you are able to answer and give examples in your answers.”

DESTINY CAREERS

First impressions

As far as creating an impression is concerned, Ledwaba says the basics are always important: “Be punctual, dress smart, show interest in the company and the role you are being interviewed for”. How you look says a lot about you and dressing in a professional manner is a great way of creating an impression before you’ve said anything.

This means, “a suit jacket, a shirt and tie for men, while women can wear a blouse and a skirt, or pants, or a statement dress.

Colours are just as important.

Navy, white, grey and black usually do the trick”. While you may now know the dos, Ledwaba also shares some don’ts: “Don’t chew bubble gum during the interview, don’t be late and don’t lack energy or enthusiasm”.

6

As intimidating as interviews may be, they are not only for the benefit of the employer; believe it or not, they are also for your benefit. While plenty of emphasis has been placed on making sure that you deliver your best to impress the potential employer, it’s equally important to ensure that the working environment is conducive for you to perform at your best. This forms part of your research because you will need a thorough understanding of what is expected of you. Knowing which questions to ask can be very tricky because you don’t want to ask ‘stupid’ questions — even though its often said that there’s no such thing.

Ledwaba says, “remember, this is a two-way discussion. So, think carefully when asking questions and make sure they are relevant to the industry, market, company and the role you are interested in. You can ask about the expectations of the role, KPA’s and how your performance will be measured”.

7 The most challenging questions

Regardless of how prepared you are, there are certain questions that still strike fear within you; not because you don’t know how to answer but because you don’t know how to structure your responses concisely and comprehensively. The three most (arguably) daunting and challenging questions to answer are “tell us about yourself”; “what are your weaknesses?”; and “why should we hire you?”.

Ledwaba says the first question allows you to sell yourself to the company. “Talk about your work experience and career achievements in your current role that relate to the job you’re being interviewed for”. The biggest challenge with selling yourself, also comes with having to talk about weaknesses honestly. You obviously

8 The S word

You may be confident in your ability to get the job done but can you put the right price to it? While you may have been paid a certain salary at your previous/current job or researched what the package is for people in the position you’re interviewing for, you don’t want your salary to be lesser or astronomically higher than the industry-

don’t want to jeopardise your chances of getting the job. “The trick is to structure your answer in a manner that makes your weaknesses sound like something you can overcome. Always provide positive feedback in relation to weakness; for example, speak about the things you’re doing to help improve your weakness,” says Ledwaba.

While trying to be an impressive candidate, the ultimate trick when answering the question “why should we hire you?”, is to still sell yourself by giving an answer that is short and straight to the point. The employer wants the assurance that you can do the job and, “indicate that you can do the work and that you will fit in with the team and the organisational culture,” Ledwaba says.

related amount. The interviewer will ask what your package is and telling them your amount might be a little awkward. “Always state your current cost to company and when asked about the expected salary always make sure you range the salary instead of saying an amount,” Ledwaba says. For example, rather say R5,000-R10,000.

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Ey man, be cool

When you are vying for a position, you don’t want to seem desperate. “Last impressions are almost as important as first impressions,” Ledwaba says.

She adds, “if the prospective employer offers you the position during the meeting, do not feel under pressure to give an immediate answer.

Indicate your interest in the opportunity, give them a timeframe for when they’ll get a response from you.

Thank them for their time and give a firm handshake before leaving”.

How To Section

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Two-way street of interviews

Diary

12 HOURS WITH GORGEOUS MBALI

Mbali Sebapu is a social media influencer who is popularly known as Gorgeous Mbali by her followers Mbali, who spent about 10 years in the military, has also added businesswoman to her growing list of titles. She is the founder of Hermosa Flor cosmetics – products that she says she wants to help accentuate the beauty of any woman or member of the LGBTQ+ community. Hermosa Flor means beautiful flower in Spanish and also relates to her name – Mbalenhle which also means beautiful flower From being fitness goals, to fashion goals and now entrepreneurship goals, we caught up with Mbali to find out what she ordinarily gets up to on a daily.

12 HOURS

with a social media influencer

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06:30 07:00

I wake up and get ready for gym. I sometimes go in the morning or in the afternoon; it all depends on the type of day I have planned. If it’s a busy morning, then I go to gym in the afternoon.

07:00 08:00

I have a smoothie and black coffee before I go to the gym. Kale, mango, banana, almond milk and sometimes oats are my go-to ingredients for a delicious smoothie. When I’m at the gym I love going for a class: my favourite is a heat class.

08:1508:45

I take a shower and get ready to start my day. I dress according to the kind of meetings I have lined up for the day. If it’s a relaxed meeting, I can even go wearing sweatpants. That’s usually when I’m meeting up with Hermosa Flor packaging and delivery suppliers – I dress as comfortably as I want. But if it’s a formal meeting I wear something nice but not too serious because I still want to be comfortable.

09:00 09:45

I eat breakfast; my go-to breakfast meal is oats with berries. I then browse my socials – I start with my Instagram DMs and comments and then move to WhatsApp. I rarely check my Facebook, I visit it once a week. I’m not on Twitter anymore because it’s toxic.

I attend meetings or shoot product content for the Hermosa Flor page in the mini studio I created at home. During this time, I usually listen to relaxed music, such as Snoh Aalegra and Elaine. I normally go to my Pinterest page for some creative inspo for my product shoots.

13:00 – 17:00

I go out for lunch with my friend. I make sure that I’m always dressed up for my lunches because this is where Insta content is generated.

My outfits always go according to what the weather’s like. I like wearing summer dresses or jeans and a sheer or light blouse when it’s sunny and warm. If the weather’s gloomy I go for jeans, a T-shirt, blazer (a must!) and heels or sneakers. I sometimes wear a short skirt and stockings with Chelsea boots and a poloneck. I usually use my phone for pictures and my friend takes the pictures.

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10:00 12:00

We like places that aren’t too full and popular; we like trying out new spots in Joburg. I always order warm water with lemon before I eat.

I prefer having something light and healthy – something along the lines of couscous salad.

17:00 – 19:30

I go back home and read a book or something, before I start preparing dinner. I make veggies with meat – that’s what I often have. I’m a really good cook. I can give Somizi a run for his money! Lol! I usually set up the dinner table and then have dinner with my partner. No TV or phones during this time.

19:30 – 22:00

I catch up on the soapies Isibaya, The River and The Queen and I check my socials with the TV playing in the background, but I make sure that I go to bed at around 10pm. I always pray before I sleep every day – I usually ask God for protection, for Him to use me and prepare me for my blessings. I also pray for my family and friends and for sick people.

Gorgeous Mbali Trivia The one meal you never get tired of?

Half skop, I’m a township girl and that’s my favourite township food. It’s my dad’s favourite, too Lip gloss, lipstick or lip balm?

Depends, but lipstick during the day and lip gloss at night to moisturise my lips after a full day of matte lipstick.

One beauty trick you wish women would apply?

I wish they’d brush their eyebrow hairs with a mascara brush first before using eyebrow pencil or powder, it thickens and makes them look natural.

First makeup item you fell in love with or one that made you want to explore makeup?

My mom’s eyebrow pencil.

The best and worst clothing item ever created?

The best is jeans. I can’t think of the worst.

I can’t live without: heels, sunglasses, good hair or makeup?

Sunglasses Favourite form of art?

Music – Elaine’s actually my favourite

artist and I love her Elements EP. An ideal travel destination must have…?

Ocean views, private villa, private pool and a bae.

The one fruit or vegetable (or both) that is not celebrated enough?

Watermelon.

What does luxury mean to you?

Good quality.

The hardest habit to kick that you picked up from the military?

How I say time. I say thirteen hundred hours instead of one o’clock.

Where do you prefer conducting business: in the office, at a restaurant or over the phone?

At home over the phone.

Which aspect of admin do you most despise?

Bookkeeping.

The greatest lesson that business taught you about people and yourself?

Patience is a virtue and that as a service provider you must always remain calm.

The best and worst business advice you’ve received?

The best is always have a strategy/ plan that foresees how you intend on growing the business. I haven’t received the worst yet.

Your current fave businessperson or gamechanger?

Can I say myself? Lol, kidding. I think it’s Fezeka Simelane – she owns a beauty salon called Dolce Looks. I like a consistent queen who understands the power of social media marketing and takes advantage of it.

Philosophy you live by or your favourite quote?

“Positive thinking is powerful thinking” Find Hermosa Flor Cosmetics on social media: IG: @Hermosa_flor_cosmetics Twitter: @_Hermosaflor Facebook: Hermosa Flor Cosmetics Find Gorgeous Mbali on social media: IG: @gorgeous_mbali Facebook: Mbalenhle Sibapu

Spotlight

How I Made It

Lesley Mofokeng journalist, broadcaster, editor, author

Please tell us about yourself.

My name is Lesley Lehlohonolo Mofokeng. I’m a former journalist and editor, now dabbling in PR and publicity, as well as pursuing some academic qualifications. I’m a proud father of two, Leseli and Chapatso and I’m a committed member of the Uniting Reformed Church in Alexandra.

Please tell us about your childhood.

My childhood was peaceful. I was brought up by my grandparents (my father Moses Mofokeng’s parents). My grandfather Wilfred Mofokeng was an evangelist of the Dutch Reformed Church and my grandmother Mahadi Mofokeng was a serial entrepreneur.

So, the church was central in my life; faith and prayer were the mainstays. It was a sheltered childhood. There was a lot of love from my strict grandparents and I always felt it. I never lacked in anything, physical or spiritual – I was fulfilled. My parents also contributed to my upbringing as supportive parents and I got to experience the best of both worlds in Lotlhakane village in Mafikeng and Katlehong in Ekurhuleni where I was born and my parents lived.

How long have you been in the media industry?

I have been in the industry for over 24 years. I started off as an intern at the Sunday Times in 1996 and became a full-time employee in 1998. I never looked back. After 12 years at Sunday Times, I moved to City Press where I worked for six years and my last job was as entertainment editor at Sowetan.

In between I did a lot of radio work as a correspondent on Metro FM, YFM, Motsweding FM and Kaya FM. I also produced Motswako, the SABC2 talk show and was a Strictly Come Dancing contestant in 2007. I write scripts for award shows and whatever else I get commissioned to do. I have two biographies to my credit: Bitch, Please! I’m Khanyi Mbau and Dominoes: Unbreakable Spirit – The Somizi Mhlongo Story. Last year I co-authored Chef Nti’s cookbook.

What drew you to journalism?

I’ve always loved the world of media. I was inspired by my mother Lebohang Mofokeng, an avid newspaper reader.

This drew me to the world of print media and storytelling, which I was 18

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already enjoying at school during the creative writing class. It was my teacher Mr Amos Lesetedi who nudged me in the right direction and sent me to study communications at North West University. Even before I completed my studies, I had started printing news from the village on pieces of paper and distributing them at the bus rank. On completion of my Honours degree, I was blessed to land the Sunday Times internship.

What was your first job?

It was the Sunday Times internship. I’m forever grateful that I got to work in the industry I loved and studied for. To say it was a dream come true is not even enough.

What pushed you to become one of the top journalists and editors in the country?

I never lost my passion for storytelling and writing. I thrive on competition, pressure and tight deadlines. I love languages, I love meeting people although I was a timid child, journalism took me out of my shell and put me on high tables with presidents, kings and queens.

How do you keep your career alive?

I’m currently in a state of transition, moving from a newsroom journalist to a freelance writer, publicist and PR practitioner. I’m excited by the opportunities that have opened for me so far. I see that the many years in the newsroom have stood me in good stead when it comes to navigating the cutthroat media space.

interview bongani tau Journalism has taken me to the US, Europe, Asia and all over Africa. I’ve been exposed to different cultures and languages from Morocco to Kenya and Nigeria to Senegal. It has been a fantastic ride that I don’t take for granted.

Worst thing about your career?

Time away from your family. Missing important milestones of your children’s growth and development. Being unable to attend some family gatherings because you’re travelling.

What are your tips for those looking to work in the same industry?

Stay woke. Know your worth. Remain humble and curious. If the fun is gone, it’s time to find the next thrill. Keep that fire burning.

How would you like to be remembered?

Don’t be an entrepreneur if you don’t have the stomach for it, because you are going to have many upset stomachs.

However, it is the best decision you can ever make to change your life and that of others. I believe that the more entrepreneurs a country has, the greater the country becomes.

How would you like to be remembered?

As someone who gave life his best shot!

Hardest career lesson learned?

That you’re not indispensable. You can be up there today and nobody the next day. And there is always someone ready to do your job, sometimes even better than you. Never rest on your laurels. You are never done.

Best lesson learned?

Courtesy, respect, kindness, professionalism, punctuality and always seek to improve your skills set.

Favourite thing about your career?

I love the travelling that comes with working in the media.

DESTINY CAREERS

People ask, ‘How do you work all the time?’ Because I dreamed myself into a corner and I have to be responsible to those dreams.

Dolly Parton, music icon

Advice

Low budget ways to

Cyber attacks are on the rise and freelancers are just as vulnerable as the big corporates they work for. Here’s how to keep your delicious data secure words samantha steele

As a freelancer you might feel like the lowest rung on the ladder, but you’re still a juicy target for hackers: a vulnerable link in the cyber security chain and a doorway to attacks on you and the companies you work for.

“Third party hacks are on the rise, where it is often easier to hack the freelancer than to hack the high-wealth individual who likely has many protections in place,” says Ross Saunders, a Data Protection Specialist. “If you have clients that are seen as significantly ‘juicy’ targets, you may be targeted in order to get to their information.

Extortion of high-wealth individuals is a lucrative game, and hackers will do their research.”

Here’s a number you won’t like: it takes, on average, 200 days to uncover a cyber hack and data breach. That’s close to seven months before you even know anything’s wrong. That’s 29 weeks of a malicious presence tracking your emails, accessing your client’s files, getting your passwords and tapping into your cloud. Added to that, it takes another 70 days to contain the attack, according to the IBM Security and Ponemon Institute’s 2019 Cost of a Data Breach Report.

“Weak passwords and poor practices often lead to [crucial] information being leaked out, sometimes without you even knowing until it’s too late. Not only could you be disrupted from your work, there is also a very real risk in terms of getting sued, fined by a regulator, or even blackmailed,” Saunders says. In his experience, freelancers and remote workers are particularly vulnerable to phishing attacks

because they predominantly communicate through email.

Phishing attacks have advanced far beyond ‘foreign princes’ asking for capital — they are increasingly sophisticated and can trick even the most savvy person into giving up huge amounts of money.

And as last year’s proliferation of cyber hacks showed, these kinds of attacks are increasing exponentially. In 2017, according to T-Systems South Africa, the number of cyber attacks peaked at 4 million. In 2019, this peaked at an astonishing 53 million.

Low-budget ways to protect yourself from cyber attacks Now that you know the risk, how do you protect yourself?

This one is a blow. Working in coffee shops, airport lounges and any of the multitude of places that have Wi-Fi, is a major perk of freelancing, but unfortunately, these wide open Wi-Fi networks are wretchedly easy to hack. Says Alain Tshal, District Sales Manager Sub-Saharan Africa, at F5 Networks, “even public Wi-Fi networks that require a password are rarely encrypted and even when they are, they often use old standards such as Wireless Encryption Protocol (WEP) or WiFi Protected Access (WPA), which are both more susceptible to attacks. In fact, tools such as Aircrack-ng, which is easily available online, are purpose built to perform brute force attacks to crack weak keys on networks using WEP or WPA”.

“VPNs act as a secure tunnel by adding an extra layer of security for information to pass through, keeping it secure and less accessible to hackers.

It’s important to remember that not all VPNs are equal in their security measures though,” Tshal says. He recommends paying for one, as free VPNs still leave you vulnerable.

Start with your email password and have a password phrase rather than just a password. “If [hackers] get in to your email, you can say goodbye to your online identity! Any password resets for any of the services you are subscribed to will all come to your email account, so a compromise there is really handing someone the keys to your life,” Saunders says. He recommends apps like 1Password, Dashlane, and LastPass to help manage all your passwords.

Advice

If you’re a big company under attack — sure, you have a lot to lose (try $3.92 million per successful cyber hack) — but you also have big resources: an IT department, cyber insurance, security infrastructure and most likely, some kind of encryption system to keep your crucial data safe. If you’re a freelancer, you’re doing this gig solo.

Advice Super easy to do and this is a great way to give you an additional level of security. “Any would-be attacker would need to be in possession of your phone as well as your password in order to get access to your services. Most online services like Facebook, Gmail or Twitter will assist you in setting this up in their privacy or security settings,” Saunders explains.

Encryption is another way to protect your physical laptop from physical theft. “Without your unique code, everything on that device becomes unreadable — a tremendous advantage,” says Saunders.

Protect yourself against ransomware by making a physical back-up of your data — don’t just rely on the cloud.

Advises Brian Pinnock cybersecurity expert at Mimecast, “Look carefully at who the email is from — check the display name and the sender name. Look for spelling errors and any other suspicious characteristics. If the email is triggering emotions like fear or urgency or greed — be careful. If the email comes from a senior person in your company and is asking you to do something outside of normal processes phone them.”

With the focus on cyber security, Saunders says, it’s easy to forget the physical risk you’re under as well. Here are his tips on staying safe in the real world: • • • •

Close your laptop when you go to the bathroom in a coffee shop: best practice is to enable autolocking after a certain period of inactivity.

Be careful of over the shoulder hacks: Don’t work on vulnerable files in a public space where people can peer over your shoulder.

Don’t say vulnerable information out loud in public — like your ID number.

Unshredded documents: Saunders had his identity stolen through unshredded documents — this is a real risk.

Even as a freelancer, there are some easy ways to keep yourself safe, so be sure to take your cyber safety seriously.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Opinion

Without academic excellence, a student leader doesn’t have politics

Thoughts Ace Moloi

Established political theory teaches us that the personal is political. If you can’t speak to people at their level of self-interest, you’ll never win in organising them for any progressive action. For most of us, this is how we were introduced to politics and it’s a key lesson Barack Obama had to learn in the early stages of his political activism, as he writes in his book, Dreams from My Father.

However, the personal is not only political in campaigning for action, it’s political even when it comes to leaders themselves. But people define the personal based on shared interest. So, if one is a student leader, their personal is academic as they are in a university space where the core business is education and their academic is political. Therefore, without academic excellence, a student leader doesn’t have politics. The trending narrative is that student leaders don’t graduate and leave campus, but stay on for many years like ghosts whose families haven’t come to claim their souls.

There are many reasons for this spooky phenomenon, which we can find at the intersection of institutional culture, personal conduct and the political economy that makes young people fight for government deployment using campus leadership structures and, sometimes, plain corruption through the abuse of resources. Institutions – perhaps as a way to assert their power in the battle of ideas – are rarely kind to student leaders. They don’t have adequate support mechanisms for students who’ve taken up the mantle of leadership. This often leads to academic exclusions and other forms of victimisation that affect students personally and financially (such as losing financial aid over poor academic performance).

Yet, ironically, student activists do more meaningful work than some university officials. They run around unpaid (unless they’re in the SRC), fighting for young people to register. Furthermore, they act as the conscience of institutions of higher learning, reminding them that they’re dealing with people, not just commodities.

Mentally, student activism can drive a person into depression as a result of handling cases they aren’t trained for and, sometimes, bearing the brunt of police brutality during protests, as we’ve seen with #FeesMustFall, at a spectacular level.

I’ve had the privilege to experience student leadership in different ways, first as an ordinary SASCO member in my first year; later as a campus journalist at our university newspaper; as a social justice activist through the Students for Law and Social Justice (SLSJ); and as a prime at a predominantly black men’s residence.

There have been times when I had to choose between fighting for a poor migrant student to be allowed back into res, or spending the night in our small newsroom proof-reading the paper, or travelling across South Africa to have conversations with other human rights activists. It can be overwhelming, I know.

Nevertheless, compassionate as we may be towards student leaders, they still need the discipline to manage their polygamous relationship with politics, academics and their social lives. Most of them forget that in a higher learning institution, reciting Karl Marx and Bantu Biko by heart means nothing if ‘course is chowing.’ In fact, by neglecting academic responsibilities, student leaders betray their own political cause, making it easier for university management to discredit them in the eyes of their constituency.

The system uses the academic to defeat them politically. Who’d want to join a movement when every activist they know is in their fourth year institutionally, but first year academically?

Although institutional compassion is important in the training and development of youth leadership, the bar for anyone who aspires to be a leader must always be higher for the sake of upcoming generations. They should learn earlier in life that leadership is not a romantic escapade down the corridors of power, but a responsibility bigger than them. They must not develop an addiction to power, comfort and fame — walking around in Student Representative Council (SRC) blazers like kids parading their Christmas clothes.

Another addiction to guard against is of treating leadership structures as social clubs which they use as a reason to bunk classes and discuss empty rhetoric the whole day. Most of us who’ve been in leadership before are victims of this tradition.

Some had to sorrowfully go back home and can now only type ‘sbwl’ when their (former) comrades post selfies with ministers. The fact that many campus leaders belong to political organisations means they’re most likely to be in government, parliament and other influential platforms. So, it matters significantly the kinds of leaders they are, their values and relationship with excellence.

Following the 2019 National Elections, we saw both the Economic Freedom Fighters and African National Congress fielding young people from their youth ranks as Members of Parliament (MPs), joining some of the young MPs the Democratic Alliance already had.

Therefore, student leaders must be the brightest in the room, boasting a sharp understanding of their fields of study just as they have a solid grasp on social issues. There should be mutual affirmation between academic excellence and political consciousness. In any case, this ability to be involved and excel at the same time is what many employers are looking for. So, it’s a unique selling point to champion a cause and still deliver on deadlines.

If all a person knows is politics, they’ll wreak havoc in every space they occupy. Most of us know the frustrations of being led by politicians who have absolute disdain for ethical considerations.

They’ve been put in those positions because they’ve managed to sing the loudest for their supper and not because they demonstrated aptitude at varsity. State-owned enterprises are infested with them. Struggling municipalities are managed by them. To them, their jobs are their political dues. To us, they are service woes. The worrying thing is that some of them acquired these corrupt behaviours while in student leadership.

- Ace Moloi s a freelance writer, broadcaster, social commentator and award-winning former student leader.

Column

A nonlinear career holds unseen reward

Thoughts Vuyolwethu Ndongeni

For some reason when you belong to the group of the population whose careers don’t take a linear and (ultimately) upward trajectory, it becomes so easy to discount, not only yourself, but also every speck of effort that you’ve ever put into making you career work. It’s difficult to appreciate where you are in your career when you know and have seen where it should have been (by now) if it were headed towards success.

When I was reading for my Master’s thesis, although it was a Media Studies project, I read across disciplines: law, sociology and political science. I had stacks of books and academic articles from those various fields and in the end, the result was that I had a few paragraphs directly quoted from the books and articles. Everything that I read from those other fields expanded my approach to my topic. During that period I dedicated many hours to unquantifiable reading, but it is valuable nonetheless.

Basically, there’s more than one way to skin a cat. Let’s explore the one that you’re discounting because it doesn’t look linear and, ultimately, forward-moving.

Let’s consider what a linear and, ultimately, upward career trajectory is likely to look like in my industry: One may gain entry into the industry through an internship programme that will place them in a newsroom for a period of six to 12 months; after which the company will most likely take you on as a junior reporter; two years later you’ll be eligible for intermediate positions with a specialist beat; and in three more years you’ll have senior newsroom acclaim. (And if you’re a man, you’re likely to leap from junior to senior newsroom acclaim). And that’s the trajectory I wanted for myself, because with all of that movement comes an unmatched swag and a level of confidence that I envied about other reporters in the newsroom.

However, it didn’t work out that way, but I believe I’m now in a position to say it still worked out.

Oftentimes a workplace will underutilise your skills and talent.

This can be frustrating because it affects the confidence you need to have in your skills and performance, but you also start to feel so unseen. And sometimes a job simply becomes what pays you to keep the lights on and not the thing that fulfills and brings you joy.

This is why it might not be a bad idea to start exploring and finding different ways to approach what you have in mind for your career. Create an avenue for yourself to express the ambitions you have. Even if eventually you may have to drop or quit it because you run out of resources or the extra time it takes to keep it functional.

Years ago, there was a young woman who was a fashion blogger. She had an enviable Instagram account (when no-one could even fathom Instagram being a career path) and impeccable style. During those years blogging was very different to what it is now, but even then, it was easy to tell that she aspired to be a notable name in the fashion world. I can remember conversations about her lack of follow-through on social media. The conversation was that she never saw any of her projects through – she had the fashion blog that she apparently abandoned, then went to a prestigious fashion school, and then had a YouTube channel and it seemed as though nothing came out of it all. However, no one could’ve

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seen at the time that Influencing would eventually spring up as an ultra-lucrative career path. Now that young woman is a top influencer in the country.

On the extreme end of being underutilised, is that workplaces can also extract the most out of your body and mind with very little compensation. The reality is that the workplace (and many other socio-economic and political spaces in the country) is historically and structurally designed to constrict the upward movement of (particularly) black women. If it feels like you’re hitting a brick wall no matter how much effort you put in or how many years you’ve been in a junior position, it’s because that brick wall is intentionally placed there. If you’re not going to quit your job, but you still feel as though you are burdened with an unfair workload (granted that it isn’t dangerous to your physical and mental health), it will turn around. It may not necessarily be at your current workplace. I just do not believe that your effort and sacrifice will amount to nothing. I am so sure of this because I recently witnessed how the many years of what we believe to be to unrecognised, unrewarded effort can culminate into an instant and “overnight” success – as it did for someone I know.

This person worked for years under a manager who basically never spared their workload – anything extra that needed to be done, she would be picked out to do it. She was also very good at her job, but it just was exasperating being asked to do more without appropriate compensation. After that manager left the company, this individual had to work under a new one who underutilised her skills. And then suddenly the company went through a major and unexpected restructuring and had to let go of the manager. A new order was established and this person was placed in charge simply because they had the most to offer.

So this is the reason why my perspective on career development feels like I’m looking at stacks of books and academic material and having to deal with how little of that reading actually ends up on paper, but that the overall project is all the more richer because I also explored disciplines that fall outside of my field of study. It’s also that only you will ever measure the depth of what it feels like to randomly receive an offer for a career project and instead of being excited in the moment, you’re running to the bathroom to weep because years ago you gave your blood and sweat to establish a similar thing but had to abandon it for whatever reason. In fact, no one can measure a full-circle moment.

- Vuyolwethu Ndongeni has worked as a sub-editor for publications such as Business Day, and The Herald and Daily Dispatch in the Eastern Cape. She holds a Master’s degree in Media. With more than 7 years in the media industry, most of which have been “behind the scenes”, she’s excited to once again experience the simple, yet invaluable pleasure of occupying a byline. Ndongeni also has a blog, lovingme.co.za.

DESTINY CAREERS

Column

The necessity of ‘job hopping’ in the age of disruption

Thoughts Ayanda Moholi

When you think of someone reinventing themselves, maybe you think Madonna or Janet Jackson.

Having their looks and sound, decade after decade, be vastly different from one another. But do we look at reinventing ourselves through our personal and professional lives? Sure, we’re supposed to grow as people (emotional intelligence is so NB!), but how about changing careers drastically? And not just once, but a few times.

Enter “Episodic Careers,” a term coined by Farai Chideya in her book, The Episodic Career: How to Thrive at Work in the Age of Disruption. The premise is that we have to move with the times in order to make ourselves relevant. Staying in the same job or career that is being disrupted and, potentially, overtaken by automation and globalisation will keep you far behind. You could be at risk of things like retrenchment or just never growing in your job. “It makes sense to seek protection by reinventing ourselves before someone else decides we are dispensable,” Helen Barrett of the Financial Times has said.

“Episodic Careers” are not the same as having a side hustle. It’s not about supplementing your current job with something you enjoy or getting extra money. (However, your side gig could become the next chapter or episode in your professional life). It’s about moving into a new career space.

The concept of the corporate ladder is disappearing before our eyes.

Apparently we should aim to have five careers in our lifetime, according to Financial Times.

On a project with a student accommodation company, one of my key tasks was to understand the struggle of South African students in 2019. We could gather from the #FeesMustFall movement, that the struggles were financial, and the point of this struggle was to see how it compared to an older generation’s struggle, which was mostly, Apartheid.

Apartheid was about the struggle to live and be human in the face of racism. This generation’s struggle is to live and be human in the face of financial stress.

Does a linear career guarantee less financial stress?

Someone I used to work with at an agency said that because she doesn’t have formal post-Matric education, she’s had to ‘job hop’ to move up. She’s become head of a department in just the seven years I’ve known her. Good for her.

Oh boy. Here it comes. “Typical millennial”; “Millennials and Gen Z’s are always job hopping”; “Gen Z’s don’t know how to hold down a job”.

Perhaps this ‘job hopping’ comes at a time when we need to adapt to the global technological advances as well as South Africa’s uniquely high unemployment rate. Workopolis says, “the key to the successful careers of the future will be adaptability”. Adapting your personal situation, but also adapting to the movement of the economy and technology.

I went from studying economics, to being a journalist, to being a sales rep, to being a digital strategist. There might be a common link with each job. Five years ago no one understood how I could be dealing with things like social media when I could have been in the financial industry.

Today, the tune is different. The tune is “ah, smart move”. This wasn’t intentional. I didn’t plan on having had three or so different careers, but I guess it was the logical thing for my professional growth.

Metcalfe’s Law (and subsequently, Reed’s Law) speaks to how as time goes by, exponential growth is achieved at a faster pace. While the law was initially specific to telecommunication networks, it has now related to all sorts of industries that can essentially be digitised. Example, the Sony Discman gained popularity in the ‘90s; the iPod and iTunes disrupted the music scene in the early 2000s but by the mid-2000s, Spotify arrived and consumers were curating music on their phones. “We can barely adjust to a new reality before a new new reality comes along,” Chiyeda says.

The key to the successful careers of the future will be adaptability But will that work for you? In a formal work environment and with employees who haven’t seen or understood the need for an “Episodic Career,” job hopping is then seen as instability. What they don’t seem to understand is the job market is unstable.

The future of work relies on us navigating through our struggles, willingness to reboot and reinventing ourselves and thus creating our own opportunities, whether it be on our own, within your current organisation or in new organisations. That could mean navigating through four, five or six different career paths until retirement. How do you feel about that?

- Ayanda Moholi is a digital technology consultant, having over 8 years of experience in the digital industry. She’s worked on brands such as Nedbank, Woolworths and Nestle. She’s a Masters candidate for Digital Business at Wits Business School.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Section

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Dineo Lusenga

Kopano Matlwa

Pearl Boshomane Tsotetsi

Themba Mbuyisa

Shelley Mokoena

Dumi Gwebu

Vuyo Varoy

Bomzi Lekgoro

The women who have captured each other’s imaginations An award-winning author and the producer turning her seminal debut novel into a film, speak about their collaboration, their admiration for each other and the importance of doing things that scare you

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DESTINY CAREERS

Cover It was a great way to end off the year. On December 10, 2019, Dineo Lusenga tweeted a picture: it was her, seated at a restaurant, a copy of Kopano Matlwa’s award-winning and acclaimed debut novel Coconut in her hands, her smile big, beautiful and pure. Sharing the table with her was Matlwa herself, clad in black, a gorgeous smile framed with red lipstick.

The caption? “I read this incredible book Coconut 10/11 years ago. At the time, I was still a TV & Film student at Wits just wanting to tell stories. Today, I have optioned film rights for this masterpiece by Kopano. Prepare your mind for when the things you prayed for, come true.”

To say people were excited is an understatement. Although released in 2007, Matlwa’s exploration of race and class in postapartheid South Africa feels more relevant to our country today than it did 13 years ago. As Lusenga said of the book in a radio interview: “The book forces us to look at the society that we have created.”

Matlwa – that’s Dr. Kopano Matlwa Mabaso, thank you very much – was a medical student at the University of Cape Town when she wrote the novel. Lusenga came across it when she was a student at Wits, working as a producer on radio station YFM. It would be more than a decade before the two would meet, when

Lusenga approached Matlwa’s agency with a proposal: to turn Coconut into a film.

If you were to experience the women in each other’s presence, it would be hard to believe that they haven’t known each other their entire lives. On set for our cover shoot, there is an effortlessness, an easiness, gentleness, respect and love that flows between them.

It is palpable but it isn’t overwhelming - it dances through the set like a cool breeze on a summer’s day. That energy transforms the set into a relaxed and fun one.

Their body language often mirrors one another, and during filming, Matlwa relaxes a bit more in front of the camera when she’s sharing the frame with Lusenga. It’s beautiful to witness and beautiful to be a part of.

So when asked how long they’ve known one another, it’s surprising to find out that it’s only been a few months. But you know what they say, when you know, you know.

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Lusenga describes Coconut - which was awarded the European Union Literary Award and the Wole Soyinka Prize for Literature in Africa – as “a masterpiece ahead of its time”, and explains why she feels now is the time to not only revisit it, but give it new life: “Looking at our society today, it is stunning how relevant the book still is. Many young people don’t know about the book, yet the stories of [the characters] Ofilwe, Fikile and Tshepo are narratives that they live daily. I thought it was an important story that needed to be told again, and I wanted to be the one to tell it. And because it is cinematically rich, there’s a lot one can do with it.”

What made Matlwa say yes to the project? After all, giving someone else the room to reinterpret your work must be beyond daunting.

“Dineo absolutely just melted my heart with her love and passion for the novel and her excitement and vision for what it could do on the big screen. I think she loves Coconut even more than I did!” she laughs. “Dineo’s great. She’s gifted. She’s talented and she is kind.

She gets the ‘why’ of the story and believes in it. It’s such an honour to have someone read something you have birthed and love it as much – if not more – than you do. There was no way I could say no. I can’t think of anyone better to do this movie.”

The film is in the developmental stages - there’s still fundraising to be done – so it will be a long while before we see it on the big screen.

I had approached Lusenga – whom I had met years earlier on a media trip in the Eastern Cape (I think) when she was a DJ on 5FM – as soon as the film announcement was made. She and Matlwa were on board immediately, but as we drew closer to the time of the cover shoot and interview, Lusenga was concerned that we could be overhyping something so early in its development. I understood her concerns, especially because South African media is stingy with positive attention, but assured her that the Coconut adaptation was only a small part of the story. The real story would be the women behind it, the women central to it – she and Matlwa, their journeys, their skills, their talents and how they cope with and control it all.

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Kopano Matlwa is a trained medical doctor with a special interest in public health. She currently heads up Grow Great, which is a campaign that aims to galvanise a national commitment to zero stunting in SA by 2030 (a quarter of children under five in SA are stunted). Matlwa says: “This is a real travesty as stunting is a completely preventable condition that has long term consequences for children’s health, education and economic prospects across the life course. We work with communities, media, policy makers and academics to bring us closer to a future where no child is unjustly denied the opportunity to reach their full potential as a result of a preventable condition. It’s been a great privilege to work on such an important social justice issue.

It’s challenging and all-consuming, but incredibly fulfilling.”

Not many people have the privilege of doing work that is fulfilling, but Matlwa always aims to do work that she is passionate about, especially because she is a mother of two.

That informs her decisions to take on new projects. “I heard a quote once, that goes something along the lines of ‘Being

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a mom give you incredible focus, because there is always somewhere better you can be’, and that’s proven so true in my life. Any side hustle I consider taking on is competing with time I could be spending with my children. So it really needs to ignite me. Time is so precious. Children grow so fast. I don’t want to miss any of that, so I only take on work and projects that have meaning to me and that will make my children proud.”

How does she manage to fit all that she does into her schedule? How does she stay productive? After all, we all have the same 24 hours but it feels like some people have more hours than the rest of us. Matlwa’s approach is simple: “One day at a time, I suppose. As I said, because of my children, I can’t afford to be too frivolous with my time, so I weed out any nonproductive, non-meaningful activities in my life and try to only do the things that energise me, that challenge me, that scare me. If projects or opportunities come up that don’t measure up to that criteria, I politely decline.”

DESTINY CAREERS

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I weed out any nonproductive, nonmeaningful activities in my life and try to only do the things that energise me, that challenge me, that scare me

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DESTINY CAREERS

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You know how they say you are one decision away from a completely different life? It’s not a lie - Dineo Lusenga Aside from Coconut, Matlwa has two more published books to her name: 2010’s Spilt Milk and 2016’s Period Pain. After all the attention she received for her first book, did she find it difficult to follow that up? “Definitely! Suddenly going from being a random medical student to being an award-winning author with an audience was petrifying. I’d completely lost the safety of anonymity and found myself self-editing a lot as I began to write again post-Coconut.

“But I soon realised I was sapping the joy out of my writing, which I had initially begun doing, not because I thought anyone would read my work, but because it made me feel so whole. So yes, it was work, but I eventually learnt to shut the world and the self-doubt, the fear of not being able to ‘do it again’ out and just write, because it makes me happy, because I need to, because my voice matters and because I have something to say.”

The eldest of six children and self-described “grandma’s baby”, Dineo Lusenga has dreamt of making television since she was 10 years old. “I wake up every day in disbelief that that little girl, with all the oblivion of a 10-year-old, chased her dreams and saw them through.” In addition to an impressive radio career, she has worked as an actor and producer and her CV boasts projects like Intersexions and Nomfundo, and hosting the TV show Living Land. She runs her own production company, Kiwi Films, which is the company making Coconut.

Of all the titles she has and hats she wears, which is her favourite? “I don’t really have a favourite because I think that everything that I do somehow feeds into the other. So I prefer to just put all those titles into the basket of ‘storyteller’, because I believe there’s an element of storytelling in everything that I do,” she says. “Radio, as it has always been said, ‘is the theatre of the mind’, and you have to be – to some degree – a storyteller to be able to take listeners on a journey on that medium. When I produce, direct or act, it doesn’t matter what kind of project it is, the main objective is to always tell a story. My scene study lecturer at the New York Film Academy, Gail Bryson once said, ‘Storytelling is a noble calling’. That is my calling.”

Lusenga studied acting at the Academy after leaving her

job at 5FM in 2015, a move that surprised many because who the hell gives up their show on one of the most high-profile radio stations in the country? “Since joining 5FM in 2010, it felt like I was just going with the motions and I hadn’t been intentional with most of my decisions. Five years later, I felt like I had control over how things would pan out. You know how they say you are one decision away from a completely different life? It’s not a lie. I was at that crossroad. I wanted to start building myself as a storyteller in the visual medium.

While I love radio with all of my heart, at the time, I felt slightly distracted from my long-term vision of making films, so I made the decision to leave to focus on building that dream.”

She says the first few months post-5FM were “the easiest” because she was living her dream in Los Angeles: “Taking acting classes every day, casually walking past Warner Brothers Studios every day on my way to school, hiking up to the Hollywood sign at a moment’s notice, planning day trips to Disneyland. I was a resident of Burbank, Los Angeles.

Life was great!” But when she returned home, the reality that she was no longer a 5FM presenter hit her. “I didn’t have a radio show anymore, I wasn’t getting any of the internal communication about the cool campaigns, and I was not getting free tickets to concerts,” she laughs. “It was extremely difficult to grapple with my new reality, but I was excited about what the future held.”

That future, her present, meant that she could be more intentional in her decisions and with the projects she takes on. She misses radio and wouldn’t mind getting back into it. “I have reached the kind of balance in my career where I can get back and serve this medium without compromising or neglecting my other skills or work.” So what informs her decision to take on another work? “The why of the project.

I always ask: why are we doing this project? What does it mean, what is it supposed to do for the viewer? What does it mean to me? I have previously taken on projects that I would later realise I did not connect with, and those were the worst decisions. I would never do that again. Sometimes you take on projects because you need the money; again, not the best decision. Practical, in that moment, but I have hated most of the projects I only ever took on for money. As I get older, I pray for projects that are in alignment with my goals and my bigger picture.”

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Life is really just too short and too random to be spent on worry. Sadly, difficult times come to us all, whether we take chances or not, whether we try new things or not, so I’m of the view that I might us well bet big on myself and my dreams than hide in a corner, afraid to try.

- Kopano Matlwa

In an interview on the Girlboss Radio podcast, US fashion designer and Brother Vellies creative director said her fear of not trying is bigger than her fear of failure. Are either Dineo or Kopano afraid of failure? And what does failure mean to them?

Kopano says: “For me, failure is not realising my purpose, not making the contributions I am uniquely called to make.

Leaving this life without having realised my full potential, that’s what I fear. I’ve tried a lot of new things that have ended up in epic fails. But my life is richer for it, and at least I don’t have to live with ‘what ifs’. I can close those chapters and move forward knowing that I tried. Life is really just too short and too random to be spent on worry. Sadly, difficult times come to us all, whether we take chances or not, whether we try new things or not, so I’m of the view that I might us well bet big on myself and my dreams than hide in a corner, afraid to try. Either way, life will have its ups and downs, but rather downs from some epic heights, than downs in selfcreated dumps.”

Dineo echoes this: “Failure to me means having a burning desire for something and not pursuing it. Failure to me means letting fear cripple you. I am not afraid to try new things, I am an advocate of trying new things – and if it doesn’t work out, oh well, you only regret the things you did not do. But from trying new things, I have had to learn how to deal with rejection – you will always be rejected at first, but keep going.”

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What are they currently on working on? Kopano says she’s “always doodling, scribbling, journalling. I have scraps of thoughts, half characters, incomplete storylines everywhere.

So yes, I am writing, but whether it will come to anything worth publishing in the near future, I don’t know. I am just enjoying messing around with it for now and trying not to put too much pressure on myself to force my musings into a novel.”

And that’s one of the key messages both Dineo Lusenga and Kopano Matlwa offer: stay true to yourself, your vision, your beliefs. Don’t rush. Everything happens in its own time. And don’t be afraid to try.

Dineo offers this parting shot, which seems to apply to her relationship with Kopano: “Issa Rae once said: ‘We have a tendency to try network up, and it really is about networking across. Who’s next to you? Who’s just as hungry as you are? Those are the people you need to build with.’ That bit changed my life, it changed how I approached projects and certainly how I approach my dreams.

“In some instances, it has helped even to alleviate the pressure of the need to do it all. There’s always someone around you with whom you can achieve great things, find them and then don’t let them go. It is then when you will discover that maybe, just maybe, you can do a bit more than you ever imagined you could.”

DESTINY CAREERS

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DESTINY CAREERS

Kopano Matlwa Q&A What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

I pray: I listen to the voices of my children who are often already awake and giggling in their room and thank God for his blessings, a new day, another chance, air in my lungs and the love that surrounds me.

What motivates you?

The history of black people in South Africa, on the continent and abroad. It’s incredible what we as a people have endured and overcome, black women especially. I am motivated by what it has taken to get us here and feel a sense of responsibility to do good by the privileges and opportunities that are possible for me because of the sacrifices those before me have made.

What is your ethos?

Ethos? Hmm… I guess I try in everything I do, to do it with integrity. I’m not a perfect human by any means, but I do try to use my life to add value to the lives of others, to be a positive energy in the room, to be honest and to be kind, even when it’s hard.

Most important lesson learned, either professionally or personally?

I’m still learning, every day! But I suppose it’s trusting my own truth, trusting my voice, trusting that the path, the journey I am on will unfold as it should, and it’s ok if it’s not like anyone else’s, its mine and it’s just the way it should be.

Are you kind to yourself?

Probably could be kinder! - But I try.

Any words of advice for people who want to pursue more than one thing but are afraid to do so?

Don’t overthink it! Trust your instinct. Follow your heart. Sounds lame I know, but it’s true. There is only one you, so you can’t rely on scripts you have seen before. You’re writing yours as you live it, but you have to live it to know. As the experts say, ‘most of what we worry about will never happen’ – so stop worrying, get out there and do you, boo ;)

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Dineo Lusenga Q&A What’s the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is check my phone: missed calls, messages, emails, social media. This is a really bad habit as I have realised that depending on what is happening on social media, it tends to determine my energy for the day; it often leaves me drained before the day even starts. So I am trying to get into a habit of checking my phone for time and important messages, but avoid social media at all costs so early in the morning. Wake up, set my intention for the day and then pray. I will get there.

What motivates you?

“You don’t have to be famous, you just have to make your mother and father proud,” said Meryl Streep. The desire to always make my parents proud motivates me, and having little sisters who have grown up watching me and looking at me for direction. One day they said to me; it must have been on a birthday message or something, “One cannot have you as an older sister and not be a hard worker, or fearlessly chase their dreams. It just wouldn’t make sense.” I cried.

What is your ethos?

It really depends on what I am going through that day, but one that has always overarched my life is this one by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe: “Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it; Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” Just start.

Most important lesson learned?

Personally, money! Money! Money! The importance of it, and the value of it. Yes, we may argue that money doesn’t make you happy. But let’s acknowledge that it does make life a lot easier. I am bringing this up in the context of chasing one’s dreams. Chasing one’s dreams on an empty stomach can be frustrating and it will make one resent one’s own dreams.

Hardest lesson learned?

Everything happens in its own time, at the right time. It may not be your preferred time, but always believe that it was meant to happen at that moment. Put in the work and let that time, find you prepared.

Are you kind to yourself?

Hahahaha! Not really. I am working on it though. I am learning how important this is.

Advice for people who want to pursue more than one thing but are afraid to do so?

DO IT! There’s nothing to be afraid of. Remember, you don’t have to do all the things at the same time. It’s okay to take breaks from some other aspects of yourself while you focus on others. The goal is to feel like a well-rounded person who has diligently served every aspect of themselves.

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, ‘I used everything you gave me’,” said Erma Bombeck. Print this quote and put it up where you can see it every day.

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Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity and change Brené Brown, research professor and author

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DESTINY CAREERS

Opinion

The formula to pursuing a dream and a career

Thoughts Yvonne Mtengwa

Career development and scaling the ladder of corporate success; nailing the side hustle until it becomes the real hustle; building the homegrown brand; and growing the company that one can only dream of owning. Let’s face it, under 40s today face the growing quagmire of options to pursue relentlessly in an effort to make (good) money. Whether it’s having the job or the business venture, the ‘multiple streams of income’ rhetoric is out there and it’s coming at us hard every which way we turn. Does the under 40 professional join the pursuit of the side hustle or press in at the 9-5 in the hopes that it will translate to a strong sense of financial freedom and winning at life?

Being in what felt like a perennial state of migration as a modern expat always made me feel a certain way about which of the above to go after. While living in Zambia, working wasn’t an option, as the work permit was reserved for my husband whose budding career exploits had paved way for our relocation to the country. And so perhaps starting a business (whether it was enrolling in a network marketing program or utilising my marketing skills as a consultant) seemed to make sense. But we all know businesses need a little more than just one or two years before they really take off.

It would only be several years later that I would feel confident enough to leverage the skills formerly attained during my corporate years, to build a business in PR and communications strategy for entrepreneurs and small businesses. In my case, I was fortunate enough to now be able to use this as my creative outlet too — balancing the skills in marketing with the passion for creative expression.

My PR career was birthed from the need to find something to do because sitting at home packing lunch boxes wasn’t going to work at the time for this former corporate high-flyer.

I don’t know about you, but for young women raised by medium income earning parents in the ‘80s and ‘90s, the key message was clear and simple: work hard so you can get good grades that would garner your acceptance into an institution of higher learning so you could become the enviable doctors, lawyers and accountants of your communities. Then, and only then, would you drive the nicest car and live in a fancy house with a sprawling lawn in its backyard.

The notion of being paid bloggers and influencers, musicians and fashion designers was nowhere near any scope of conversation nor parental advice back then, yet here we find ourselves today, actively looking at what we should invest in further in the hopes that one day, the titles of VP or CEO of some company we work for will be embossed in gold typography in our business cards. If that’s seemingly unattainable, maybe our creative gifts could be watered and developed well enough so much that we can actually get paid to do what we love.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Opinion

Winning in the game of both

There are countless under 40s who have opted to dabble on both sides of the fence to balance the pursuit of financial freedom through both corporate growth and entrepreneurship. Take for instance Takudzwa Chitsike, legal counsel at a multinational organisation with operations across Southern Africa, who doubles up as the owner of a handmade jewellery brand Dee-Kaw-Zee. Her passion for making jewellery was ignited during a long season of jobhunting after having graduated with a law degree from the University of the Western Cape.

With mounting bills, one afternoon stroll at a Pretoria flea market led to her meeting a stall owner who quickly showed her how to make a piece of statement jewellery within minutes. Today, Dee-Kaw-Zee jewellery is shipped to customers across Africa, the US, the UK and Australia, while Takudzwa works her day job practicing commercial law. The balancing act is by no means easy, but she maintains that there is no other way she would rather have it as she’s doing what she loves across the board and ticking the rudimentary ‘multiple streams of income’ box.

Tshepiso Dumasi, Director of his self-titled Foundation which seeks to develop and mentor young boys into the leaders of tomorrow, is no stranger to wearing multiple professional hats while pursuing his social entrepreneurship goals. Having held numerous executive posts at FMCG; in manufacturing; the building materials and packaging industries, Dumasi was moved by the rising statistics of young children being involved in gang activity and other forms of crime in their communities.

His decision to leave corporate South Africa came out of the sheer desire to not only build his own businesses, but also enjoy the freedom of being able to impact the youth through mentorship programmes. His new book Uncovered:

Dee-Kaw-Zee jewellery

“Discover that you are born a leader and unlock the leader in you” – is an ode to the journey he has walked in his professional and entrepreneurial journey; one he wrote with the hope that it would encourage young men to look beyond their circumstances in their pursuit of success, on whichever path they have chosen.

The question begs of whether one can attain both; success in the corporate upper echelons of power, or as an entrepreneur on a quest to, one day, free themselves of the 40-60 hour work week. Today’s under 40 continues to illustrate the abundance of possibilities that one can create for themselves with commitment towards a distinctive pathway to success.

This group is debunking the myth that one need to work hard to be awarded the corner office, which subsequently translates to financial freedom, power and sustainable growth. We are witnessing the rise of the creative, the social entrepreneur, the change agent and the innovator, all of whom are coming together to curate personal journeys that shape industries and build communities. Perhaps the question we should all be asking ourselves is whether doing one thing really is enough to live a life of purpose, selfmastery and of course, freedom from not having enough resources to build foundations that will impact the lives of others.

-Yvonne Chiedza Mtengwa is an international speaker, publicist and the author of “Reinvented: Challenging insecurity to live authentically through faith”, a book encouraging women to confront their issues with relationships, insecurities and self-fulfilling prophesies, in an effort to truly discover who they were created to be. Visit and subscribe to her website on ReinventedToday.com or check out her Instagram @quintessentially_yvonne.

Opinion

Lives of radio jocks should match the shows they present

Thoughts Nkox Leader

When it comes to radio programming, jocks should be placed on shows based on a jock’s ability, personality and lifestyle. In my experience of having previously managed presenters, jocks generally performed better when they did shows where they didn’t have to try hard or adapt.

Although adapting often affords the jock an opportunity to diversify their skill set and also learn in the process, we can’t shy away from the fact that if the radio show is part of your lifestyle, even prep becomes a bit of a breeze; your confidence and passion, when broadcasting, resonates because you are generally talking about things that interest you.

For this approach to work effectively, it requires the interests and lifestyles of the jocks to somewhat reflect those of the station’s listener and show or brand identity. Otherwise you run the risk of losing your core listenership and brand identity. It also helps immensely if the jock has the radio basics covered, such as understanding radio fundamentals like mastering the desk, respecting airtime and being timebound. Tbo Touch (at Metro FM), Ba2Cada (at Lesedi FM), Xolani Gwala (702), Robert Marawa (at Metro FM), Gareth Cliff (at 5FM), Mac G & Mo Flava (at YFM): all these guys were able to make an impact in their respective shows and stations because their lifestyles and interests outside the medium, at the time, were not far off from the shows they were doing.

This being based on my observations of their social media platforms.

Don’t get me wrong, the jocks still need a producer who has a dialectic relationship with them during show prep.

Because the jock’s social life complements the show outside the bounds of broadcast, the producer somewhat relies on the jock for stimulating show prep ideas. For instance, the jock is most likely to know what’s relevant in the market, at that particular moment; they will forecast trends and have a network within that particular cultural lifestyle to enhance prep through ‘expert’ analysis. The producer’s job is then to use their prerogative to filter the content ideas and structure them within the show in an organised manner. Not only that, but to also enhance the creative elements within the proposed ideas.

Mo Flava was on, primarily because they understood that the content and the music on the show was an extension of the on-air personality, which also happens to be an extension of the Y-brand. This approach led to what was known as the Y-culture, and this culture embodied a ‘cool youth leader.’

It didn’t matter where you came from or what your music taste was if you had a certain ‘cool factor’ on air and were living your on-air persona even outside the studio, YFM gave you a chance on air… which is why, to this day, one can spot a YFM jock even ‘in the making.’

There are, of course, shortcomings to my proposed approach. For starters it could either work (and when it does, it works very well), or it could fail and drastically so. It might create a rift between the producer and the jock, especially if more power is bestowed upon the jock since they are the on-air personality. The creative freedom could also lead to rules being broken in the name of ‘creating good radio.’

We have seen this even with the likes of Phat Joe and Chilli M, where their controversial approach landed them in hot water with the BCCSA a couple of times and, ultimately, got them fired. It is needless to say that for this approach to work effectively, the programming manager would rely heavily on the jocks to have an astute level of maturity, understanding of broadcasting, a good work-ethic and, most importantly, discipline. Unfortunately, that’s a rarity, but not impossible to find and execute if the will is there.

However, a significant number of jocks tend to be egotistical, thus mutual respect and discipline is required for this approach to work effectively. Often, I find that it only works if the jock is a little intimidated by the producer, because of the work ethic displayed by them.

Don’t get me wrong, structure is important, and I’m aware that ‘as a professional, a good jock should be able to adapt and do any show they are assigned to.’ However, if you want to cultivate greatness out of a jock, give them creative freedom (with responsibility, of course) and assign them a show that is an extension of their lifestyle… just watch what happens next.

Coming back to my initial point… If someone is well-read, charismatic, has a good sense of overall general knowledge, is a bowl of energy, and is conscious about social and pop culture issues, then that person would probably do well on a drive show (morning or afternoon). Even the music that is scheduled on the show must reflect the overall feel of the show, which is highly influenced by the jock’s brand identity.

YFM used to execute this better than any other radio station in the early 2000s, because they were not afraid to take risks when it came to their programming. The music you would hear on a drive time show done by Dineo Ranaka and Bujy was different to the drive time music you would hear when

- Nkox is an experienced radio jock with a demonstrated history of working in the media broadcasting space as both a broadcaster and broadcasting training coach. He has trained radio jocks for community radio stations such as Kovsie FM, Motheo FM and CUT FM. He is a strong business development professional with a Bachelor of Arts degree focused in Political Transformation and Governance from University of the Free State. Having previously co-founded an online pop-culture publication called “Central Vibe” which was accompanied by a lifestyle entertainment show on YouTube. Nkox is always diversifying his interests and skills within the media space.

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Opinion

There’s enough knowledge to apply traditional and western methods to mental healing

Thoughts Esihle Lupindo

We are aware from existing knowledge that the world is becoming more interconnected and a fragmentation of knowledge may not be the best way of engaging with contemporary issues, rather a multidisciplinary approach is necessary. Multidisciplinary is the combination of various schools of thought, ideas, industries and people that work together in trying to find a solution for a particular problem.

The almost immediate thought that arises when the term multidisciplinary is brought forth is the use of different academically recognised ways of thinking and solving problems. However, the lived experiences of multitudes on the continent tell us that not all forms of knowledge are confined to academic spaces and textbooks.

Spirituality is an important part of many African people’s lives and different days of the week are normally reserved to tend to their spiritual practices. In many African countries the rapid rate of modernisation has not stopped the use of traditional African ways of healing and it should not. One of the major medical challenges that South Africa is grappling with right now is mental health.

The South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) states that 16,5% of South African adults suffer from mental disorders such as depression and anxiety, and 17% of children and adolescents suffer from mental disorders. Research conducted by the SADAG in KwaZulu-Natal reveals that 41% of pregnant women are depressed. The World Health Organization, last year, published that suicide occurs every 40 seconds and a suicide attempt is made every three seconds and suicide is “the second leading cause of death among young people aged 15-29 years, after road injury”. There is an extreme disproportion between available psychologists in relation to patients; Melvyn Freeman, who is a clinical psychologist and Chief Director for Non-communicable Diseases at the National Department of Health has previously told SADAG that, “it’s not acceptable that only 14% of our psychologists are available to treat nearly 85% of the population.”

between the two that recognises that traditional healers are health providers who are key role players in applying a holistic approach for both the mind and the body.

Mhlangabezi Arosi who is a medical doctor, a registrar in psychiatry and a sangoma in training, speaks about some of the difficulties that come with the lack of alignment between modern medicine and traditional medicine. “It is a diagnostic blur when someone believes they have a calling to be igqirha (a healer) and they are labelled as having a grandiose delusion that require antipsychotics. It is an even bigger challenge when you are both a doctor Arosi and V’iz’celo (Arosi’s spiritual name) and you think a patient has a spiritual illness that may not respond to medication alone, yet your professional code of ethics requires you to practice using one model of healing.”

“

16,5% of South African adults suffer from mental disorders such as depression and anxiety

While another study shows that between 80%-85% of black South Africans consult with traditional healers for conditions relating to their emotional wellness. Most people make use of both the traditional and the western route, as well as use words such as “affirming” to describe their experiences with traditional healers.

A multidisciplinary approach towards finding solutions for mental health has not only been limited to traditional healing systems and the western methods, it has expanded even in the legal sector through legislations such as the Traditional Health Practitioners Act. The act recognises traditional healers in South Africa as health practitioners and also notes that the act it will “provide for a regulatory framework to ensure efficacy, safety and quality of traditional health care services…” and its purpose is to “protect the interests of members of the public who use the services of traditional health practitioners”.

The consultation rates of traditional healers are often cheaper than private medical care and the public healthcare system is already overburdened. In addition, traditional health services can often be accessed by people in remote areas who may not have public or private healthcare services close by.

A possible solution to the current mental health crisis includes destigmatising mental conditions and the awareness that for some people the western approach works better, and for others it will be the traditional approach and for some people it will be both approaches.

There is a mental health crisis and it seems that a mono approach that makes use of western medicine alone is not yielding the expected results and, perhaps, a multidisciplinary method between traditional Africa ways of healing and psychiatry might be needed. There is an unofficial marriage

- Esihle Lupindo is a Black Queer South African writer and Sociologist who cares about marginalised people and identities and how they navigate the world. He is on a constant journey of finding the truth, learning and unlearning. His social media handle for both Twitter and Instagram is @EsihleL.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Art Illustration by Lauren Mulligan www.laurenmulligan.com Email: info@laurenmulligan.com Insta: blahgrapher

Q&A

A take on the local film scene

We catch up with the director of Sarafina!, a film that has firmly cemented itself in our living rooms annually on Youth Day. Darrell Roodt pans over the local film scene and tells us why young directors should avoid making Black Panther-esque films on their first go interview yolisa mkele It has been almost 30 years since Darrell Roodt’s seminal film Sarafina! put a bee in the bonnet of the South African film landscape. Since then we have seen the rise and fall of Leon Schuster films, Tsotsi won an Oscar and most importantly, an entire generation of talent has been born and is now looking to enter the game.

What types of films/shows do you think emerging filmmakers should be focusing on creating?

There are two sides to the story. You can make pure entertainment, so shows like The River and co, which are fantastic — but are going to be much harder for an emerging filmmaker to create, because

While, the world may have drastically changed since 1992, there are still few better teachers than experience, which explains why Roodt, among others, recently participated in a Multichoice Talent Factory workshop aimed at beefing up the skills base of young people in the video entertainment industry. A select group of future Ava DuVernays from the Eastern Cape were invited by the Department of Arts and Culture to pick up a few pearls of wisdom from minds like Roodt, in the hopes that they may add a bit of polish to their budding careers. We caught up with Roodt to find out a little about what the industry is like for young filmmakers and why finding their voices is important.

How difficult is it to get into the game for emerging filmmakers?

There are all kinds of grants and incentives out there, but it is difficult to land them. As a professional filmmaker it is difficult to fill out some of the forms required to get funding so one can imagine how hard it must be for a creative. Also, It can be hard to get a film made today. On the low end you probably need about R4-5 million. If you are lucky you can probably get the dti (Department of Trade and Industry) to fund about 80% of it, the other 20% is going to need you to have a good compelling story if you want to rope in other funders.

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Do you think South African film has its own unique voice?

I think our voice has been lost for a while now. I mean I remember when we made the first film in Zulu with subtitles, you would’ve thought that would have opened up the market but it didn’t. As an emerging talent, it is imperative that you find your own. It doesn’t always have to be a serious message it just has to be done well.

With the advent of smartphones and their fancy cameras, do you think it is possible to shoot films on a smart phone?

The key to creating a good film is that the subject matter has to be all powerful.

There are some good movies that have been shot entirely on iPhones, so it is possible but it needs to be done well and, again, the quality of the subject matter must be key. South Africa is a fascinating place for a lot of reasons, especially as the rainbow nation disintegrates, so there are tonnes of good stories out there.

What advice would you give to young film makers?

You have got to work hard at it. You can’t write a screenplay once and think it works. I know acclaimed directors who have had to rework their scripts 18 times before it was finally ready. Even if you can’t do anything else, watch movies.

they tend to need more in the way of expensive production bits and pieces.

The second is to create something with more of a message. One that plays to the strengths of having good characters and a great story. A lot of storytellers get seduced by the Hollywood thing and car chases and stuff, but if you stick to making good stories with compelling characters, you won’t need to rely on that expensive stuff

Watch them over and over again and absorb them. See where the camera placement is and understand why; figure out why something was shot in one way and not another. Too many people are seduced by things like the car chases and big flashy scenes.

It is cool to want to make Black Panther but you’re going to need about $200 million to do it, so in lieu of that, play to your strengths and craft a really good story.

DESTINY CAREERS

Education

How to get a formal qualification for the skills acquired at work We shed some light on how people who had gained skills and knowledge through informal, non-formal or experiential learning can be recognised and awarded credits for their learning words staff writer It is often said that knowledge is power and that (in an ideal world), if you work hard enough, you will be rewarded accordingly. However, in South Africa, the most unequal society in the world, one can be excused for not enthusiastically nodding along when these sentiments are callously bandied about. On paper, South Africa is said have ‘one of the best constitutions in the world’, this according to a myriad of sources on the internet.

“If you go into the constitution of the republic, it says that universities and technical colleges are there to advance the interests of society they should come up with activities that are aligned to our challenges,” says Mpho Madzibadela, Principal of CTC College.

In relation to education, the constitution specifically says: “The state must consider all reasonable educational alternatives, including single medium institutions, taking into account — (a) equity; (b) practicability; and (c) the need to redress the results of past racially discriminatory laws and practices.”

In his conversation with DESTINY CAREERS, Madzibadela is interested in the clause that speaks to redressing past discriminatory laws in the higher education space. He believes that, among other actions, Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) has the potential to assist those who were previously disadvantaged in accessing formal qualifications for jobs they have been successfully doing for decades, but due to racial discrimination were unable to access institutions of higher learning.

“There are many people who have knowledge in terms of what they can do. For example, you’ll find that someone is good at building roads, houses and brigades and so on, but they don’t have a formal qualification. So, there are a lot of them who can’t access employment in the formal sector because of lack of qualification.

“There are people who have been employed for years and are unable to get a promotion, RPL can help them because it also saves time. Instead of being fulltime in a classroom, RPL is able to reduce the time spent in lecture room. So, RPL plays that physical role where you are measured against a qualification.”

To contextualise Madzibadela’s views, the 2013 RPL policy states that, “it is a process by which individuals who had gained skills and knowledge through informal, non-formal or experiential learning can be assessed, recognised and awarded credits for such learning if it meets the requirements of an NQF registered qualification or part qualification.”

Madzibadela’s bone of contention with the policy as it stands it only credits up to 50% of the knowledge obtained elsewhere and requires the rest to be completed in an institution of higher learning.

“An RPL applicant should be given an opportunity to apply for 100% recognition when it comes to certification purposes and should it be that an applicant does not qualify for 100%, then we can recommend they study.

“South African universities don’t really like the policy because they are able to make money using the conventional methods,” Madzibadela says.

He is also of the view that, among other institutional inhibitors, there is a general lack of awareness around the policy, by those who are tasked to implement and those who are meant to be the benefactors of it.

“I have found that not many people know about RPL. We need to start informing the public and creating awareness with employers so that they are able to fund RPL ambitions of their employees. This will help improve their skills and growth within the company.

“The other problem is that SETAs (Sector Education and Training Authority) don’t disburse funds accordingly to support employers to improve their working conditions. This is because those appointed to oversee this process don’t understand it. So, lack of competence within SETAs leads to dysfunctionality. I would say that they really need or to develop their employees so that they are better able to articulate and implement policies,” Madzibadela says.

Perhaps one day, our society will truly reflect the policies it is lauded for, but in the meantime uncomfortable conversations, that lead to reform, need to take place to reach the utopic dream other societies view South Africa as.

People

Vulnerability and versatility are her secret weapons

Between theatre, film and TV, Kim Blanché reveals coming face to face with the realities of working in entertainment, the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach to building her career and what you should know if you aspire to do the same Jade Kelly

After watching her striking performance as a lead in the play A Howl In Makhanda, I am reminded of how power and vulnerability are a pair of truths that can exist simultaneously. This is especially true in Kim’s case, as she reveals in our interview that she once struggled with self-confidence as a result of bullying and that the performing arts became an outlet for her to not only find her own voice, but presented the opportunity to raise up the voices of so many others. The play, directed by award-winning Qondiswa Jones, explores issues around race, identity, and gender at an elite all-girls boarding school in South Africa.

Sharing how she stumbled her way into her passion for performing, Kim says: “I didn’t always want to be an actress. I was quite shy and a sort of introverted extrovert growing up. Although, I was always passionate about being exactly who I am. I was bullied in primary school (which I think so many people can relate to) and that knocked my confidence quite a bit. My turning point was in grade 9. I found a particular kind of confidence through drama as it allowed me to own my truth. Since then, my passion for performing has grown exponentially.”

Kim’s passion lies in perfecting her craft in a variety of mediums and she expresses how self-awareness and finding her own strength have made her a better performer: “I am proud of my growth. I have grown to love the vulnerability of performing and now consider my openness a strength and not a weakness. I am also really proud of the fact that I get to hone my ability to embrace realities that aren’t mine and then portray them on stage.”

Looking at the body of work she’s created in such a short period of time, it becomes difficult to place Kim in one category. On the contrary, she refers to herself as a “vessel” and highlights the importance of adopting a multidisciplinary approach to her career: “It is important, I think, that people don’t 56

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Kim Blanché Actress

DESTINY CAREERS

People have a one-dimensional perception of who you are because as people we are multifaceted. Challenge that perception as often as you can.”

This is no better reflected than in her involvement in a multitude of industries at the same time. Between theatre, film, modeling and presenting on DSTV’s youth television show EKSE, Kim carves out the time to constantly build her personal brand through optimising the use of social media to create meaningful collaborations and land some pretty big endorsements.

For Kim, the biggest challenge in the entertainment industry is in its unpredictability and inconsistency: “One moment you have multiple projects and the next it’s very quiet. You have to keep pushing yourself because you set certain goals and it is my passion that keeps me going.” As she continues to building her career, she realises that the glamour of the industry does not exist the way people expect it to and that it’s important to be rooted in your own purpose when facing long days, bouts of rejection and self-doubt. “It is a constant reminder to not try to live up to the expectations of what other people have placed for me versus the goals I have set up for myself.”

Her advice for those who aspire to break into the industry is as follows: “Push your truth. If your passion is there. Then you need to believe that you have it in you to make it because you do. You can’t expect others to believe in you if you don’t believe in yourself first.” She goes on to emphasise the importance of consistent work in the face of failure, to make an unwavering commitment to executing the goals you have set and to surround yourself with people who hold you accountable.

In the next few months, audiences can look forward to seeing Kim in the movie Barakat,

by Amy Jephta and Ephraim Gordon. For those who missed the A Howl in Makhanda in Cape Town, the play will be taken to the National Arts Festival in Makhanda in June.

“

You have to keep pushing yourself because you set certain goals and it is my passion that keeps me going

People

From land to sky, the world is his playground Nothing is beyond Tumelo Maketekete’s grasp, who drives through punishing roads for breakfast, leads hiking and camping expeditions for lunch, electrifies airports for dinner, and washes it all down with a presenting career Gugu Masuku

It only takes a spark to ignite an engine, big or small, a spark will awaken a roaring V12 and bring all 12 pots to life.

The same applies to people — while some may require a little more than a single amber to bring out the best in them by way of purpose and passion, there is a rare breed of individual who has had the fortune of having a little flicker of light open up a world of opportunity.

Growing up straddling the line between the streets of Soweto and the mountainous landscapes of Lesotho, Tumelo Maketekete had the benefit of experiencing two contrasting worlds — one urban and the other agricultural. Ultimately, only one would etch its place into the crevices of his heart. Having a father who owned a vast farmland in the baSotho region, a young Tumelo spent his school holidays basking in the richness of the farmlands, while the rest of his time would be spent in Soweto. After years spent making the commute between the two locations and travelling through challenging roads, Tumelo made a vow that next time he would undertake the jarring commute it would be in a 4x4 bakkie. By then his ‘80s Toyota Corolla — purchased from his stern, hardworking mother — had endured enough abuse. With nothing but geat experiences and long service with the Japanese brand, upgrading to a Toyota Hilux was a natural progression.

With the tyres still fresh with rubber hair, Tumelo wasted no time in enlisting the pickup into the Hilux4x4 Club and soon participated in his maiden 4x4 challenge, which was what could only be described as a baptism by fire. Not only did he arrive late, which meant fellow competitors could not engage first gear to begin the course, but as a rookie, he made the error of pitching up to such an event in a factory grade 4x4, with no modifications to tackle the grade 4 course (grade 5 is the most challenging).

The former issue was quickly resolved as he put his fluent Afrikaans to good use with a heartfelt apology — easing flared tempers. Unbeknown to him at the time, his multilingual tongue would stand him in good steed with the 4x4 and Afrikaans community for years to come. “It wasn’t my favourite subject (Afrikaans) at school, but it instinctively kicked in when I started 4x4ing,” he says.

“Now I relate with this community on so many levels, and I’ve realised that we actually have more in common than we think.”

Tumelo Maketekete Personality

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People Following the bumpy induction, the novice 4x4 enthusiast slowly began applying changes to his Hilux, eventually modifying it to the hilt, with a raised suspension and 32-inch wheels, to name but a few. He proceeded to take on a more significant role in the sport and became a 4x4 martial. “This is where I was scouted and began my television career as a 4x4 car presenter.”

In his tenure as a broadcaster, Maketekete has anchored a variety of television programmes, including the 4x4 segment on Ignition GT. The outdoors lifestyle opened him up to the world of camping and hiking.

After residing in a gated complex for over a decade, the call for open living with acres of land could no longer be ignored, in response Maketekete acquired a sizeable plot of land and affectionately named it Yirha Lam Farm. The new space unlocked a world

of opportunity for the young land owner. Currently a small-scale farmer of rabbit, lamb, as well as the African staple, maize, his new lifestyle paved the way for his camping and hiking business. “I wanted to bring a different element to black people,” says Tumelo, when asked what spurred the desire to involve others in his camping and hiking. He now hosts a hike and camp every month.

Yirha Lam farm is home to an array of species: animals, big cars, as well as the odd motorcycle or two. Having begun riding back in 1993 on his 50cc motorcycle, the two-wheeled bug bit him and has not loosened its grip since. When Tumelo isn’t tending to his animals and plants or out on a 4x4 track, you’ll find him cruising around on two wheels before proceeding to pen his thoughts in a carefully crafted motorcycle review.

So, what does Tumelo Maketekete really do for a living? Well, all of the above. His career, however, is in electric engineering. Having studied the subject closely in university and opting to take the heavy current route, this multidisciplinary spends his 9-5 as a senior electrician at the O.R. Tambo International Airport on a weekly basis — ensuring that the runways are well maintained and that every corner has a steady flow of current running through it.

Tumelo’s talent and skills have played an integral role in his outdoors lifestyle; from the off-roading and biking, to running and maintaining the solar powered farm rigged by the man himself — talk about a multidisciplinary approach to life.

People

Tourism boost is in the unconventional strengths South Africans have Brett Hendricks

Tourism wunderkind

Brett Hendricks reveals his plan to fix spatial segregation in the Cape Town tourism sector, as well as offering discounted prices to South Africans to encourage tourism within our borders words leonard solms

Accounting and auditing are not professions commonly known for the creativity one would need for a top job in tourism. For new Cape Town Tourism Board Chairperson Brett Hendricks, a background in finance gave him his break in the industry and he has not looked back.

to just communicate it differently. Rio de Janeiro gets more tourists than us, but their crime rate is through the roof.

“There, they’re open about it. [They say:] ‘Don’t walk there; don’t go there.’ The visitors still come because they’ve just marketed it in a better way.”

Investment holding company Thebe Tourism recruited the accounting honours graduate from the world of corporate finance in 2006. Hendricks has since served as a group financial manager and the Chief Financial Officer. In 2012, he became Thebe’s General Manager — a position he holds to this day. Last year, he was elected as the board chairperson of Cape Town Tourism.

Another way in which Hendricks feels South Africans can boost their country’s tourism industry is to travel within its borders.

Hendricks tells DESTINY CAREERS that his experience in accounting and auditing has, in fact, been a significant asset to him in the tourism industry.

“Given where I am today within Thebe Tourism… Whatever business we intend to invest in, having that financial [background] helps tremendously,” Hendricks says.

“It would be difficult to look at a business if you had a sales and marketing degree or something and you were creative.

If you’re creative, you think the big ideas, but financial — if you have both. You think: ‘Ok, what return am I going to make’?”

Hendricks used unconventional strengths to make a significant mark in tourism. He believes that ordinary South Africans can follow suit, as they have the power to affect the industry, whether they realise it or not.

“It’s a mindset I believe we have in South Africa — we like to always talk about the bad. When visitors are here, we tell them about crime,” Hendricks says. “It’s right, but we have 60

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“It’s a crazy example to use because the USA is one big ‘continent’, if you want to call it that,” Hendricks says. “They have so many states, but generally, Americans travel within [the USA] because there are things to do and it’s affordable and cheap.

“We need to think about doing that. We can’t be charging locals the same price we’re charging international [tourists].

Access becomes an issue — how do you get transport?”

This is only one of many questions which Hendricks has to apply his mind to in his new position.

One particularly burning question for the Mother City is how to address spatial segregation. A 2016 Statistics South Africa survey ranked Cape Town as South Africa’s third most racially segregated major city, out of six, in terms of residence.

At 0.67 on a scale from 0 (no segregation) to 1 (total segregation), Cape Town was found to be almost as divided as Nelson Mandela Bay (0.70) and eThekwini (0.69).

Johannesburg performed significantly better at 0.57.

Hendricks admits that tourism has only a limited potential to change these statistics but believes there are clear ways in DESTINY CAREERS

People

“

Cape Town Tourism CEO Enver Duminy pledged to offer, “remedial support” to the victims in the aftermath of the incident, as quoted by ANA. Meanwhile, City of Cape Town mayoral committee member for economic opportunities and asset management James Vos praised the agency for its swift response. Hendricks, however, passes praise onto Khayelitsha reseidents.

“I might offer bicycle tours, but I’m going to take you for shisa nyama across the road, because he [the butcher] is part of my tour.

“The community played their part; they knew who they (criminals) were, they knew some of the faces and they directed the police,” he says. News of a first arrest broke on Sunday, 12 January, two days after the robbery.

South Africans can boost their country’s tourism industry is to travel within its borders

which the industry can evolve to benefit the lives of residents of Cape Town’s townships — almost all of whom are people of colour.

“If you think about the entrepreneurs within the townships who are providing the service, they are obviously creating business,” Hendricks says. “What those communities do well is they share the experience.

“I think one of the biggest challenges and frustrations in our industry is that you’ll find the cost [of tours within the township compared to others] is unreasonable. Had that tour been in Camps Bay, it would have probably been double the price for the same experience.

“The tourist doesn’t specifically know what the price is.

Remember, they’re dealing with an agent who puts the package together. I feel that needs to change from a pricing point of view — it’s not fair.”

Hendricks admits that tourists may be put off touring some areas due to safety concerns. Here, he feels technology can have a key role to play in solving the problem.

“I’ll take the CBD as a very simple example. How many of those buildings in Cape Town have cameras? There must be cameras on almost each of those buildings,” Hendricks claims.

“Why can’t the South African Police Service and the City of Cape Town link one control room that monitors all these cameras? We know where the [crime] hotspots are. Just focus and have a presence [in the hotspots].

“Technology, for me, is there. In the township, nothing stops [the use of it] as well… the community can play a part… They know that [criminals] are taking money away from them [by driving tourists away].”

Hendricks points to a January incident which reportedly saw 11 tourists robbed at gunpoint in Khayelitsha as an example of what the city needs to avoid.

Hendricks admits that such events have a negative effect on outside perceptions of South Africa but claims the 2010 FIFA World Cup had precisely the opposite impact.

“I think it was a brilliant World Cup. We only saw the benefit thereafter. It got the A+ from FIFA and, I think, generally the world. It was the first time people got to see this country.

Perception [previously] was: ‘It’s backwards; it’s third world.’ All of a sudden, the world got to see the beauty of this country and its people.”

For Thebe Tourism, the World Cup was also a steep learning curb. By Hendricks’ own admission, they overestimated the amount of foreign visitors who would come into South Africa during the tournament, leading to them overinvesting in rooms.

This plunged Thebe into dire straits at the time, but Hendricks takes pride in the way they have bounced back.

“After 2010, where we took a massive knock, I guess the shareholders were also saying: ‘Guys, I think it’s time to close this business.’ We’ve worked hard and we’ve just reinvented ourselves, thought about things — our stakeholder management has been important.

“Now, we’re a recognised player in the tourism industry. We’re not a big team — we’re a small team. Yes, there’s the likes of Tourvest and Cullinan, who are the big players, but we try to do things differently. That makes us niche and unique.”

Having played a significant role in leading Thebe out of murky waters, the challenge now is for Hendricks to work the same magic on the whole of the Mother City.

People

Thabiso Bapela

Actor & Skills Development Assessor

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DESTINY CAREERS

Entrepreneur and actor, Thabiso Bapela, has found his perfect role in playing himself. Although he’s busy, he has no plans of ditching one job for the other, as they both nurture different parts of him words anelisa hlathi Juggling two jobs, with numerous roles, can be a daunting exercise, but for 33-year-old entrepreneur and actor, Thabiso Bapela, the trick of his trade is prioritising, time management and discipline.

Bapela is the co-owner of Bapela Global Concepts — a company that provides training in skills development, assists small to medium companies reach their targets and goals, and uplifts the youth. He is trained as a skills development assessor, a qualification he attained at Infomage Rims Group. He is also trained as a voice over artist.

His interest in entrepreneurship developed after he was scouted by producers of a reality television show in 2007.

“I got to be part of a reality show called The Starting Block.

The producers were going around the country to find 12 students who were doing well at school and had a passion for business. They took about 1,000 people and they had to narrow it down until they got 12 people. I was fortunate to be chosen among the 12.

“We would be followed by cameras as we were doing research, going around interviewing people and doing the tasks that we were given on a weekly basis,” Bapela recalls.

After spending a year on the show, he was fortunate enough to get an internship at the skills development organisation Informage Rims. This was followed by acquiring more business-related qualifications that equipped Bapela with the skills that he boasts in his business after having worked in a number of companies. “I got to understand during my working career that actually I am the one that goes around and does the skills audits and conducts training on behalf of the companies I was employed by, so I decided to open my own company,” Bapela says.

Bapela Global Concepts is a Services SETA accredited company, with a clientele that includes matriculants, unemployed youth and SMMEs. “I’ve got a partner that I work with. We’ve got freelancers that come in to help with certain projects, depending on how big it is and where it is.” For Bapela, what drives his passion is being able to give somebody a skill and help them become employable.

“What inspires me about this industry is changing a person’s life, making them employable and more productive at work.

We enhance skills that are there already and by doing that we make our clients fit in a competitive space. My passion is seeing someone’s life changing for the better,” he says.

When he’s not facilitating a training session, Bapela prepares for his acting by reading scripts. His most recent role was

on Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story, which premiered on BET Africa in November last year. He has also appeared in popular television shows such as Generations: The Legacy, Isithembiso, The Imposter and The Herd. “In 2016, I auditioned for a role on Generations: The Legacy, where I played a role of Dr Sizwe. I got a cameo role in a show called Keeping Score on SABC2. After that I got a role to play a character known as Chris Lincoln in a Nigerian telenovela. Recently I just did Dream: The Lebo Mathosa Story,” he says. His acting is a passion he has nurtured from high school.

Having two jobs requires a huge amount of discipline that you need to instil within yourself “High school is where I developed the love for it. I had planned to study performing arts, especially drama, but I got discouraged because of how the industry was perceived. My mother asked if I would make enough money and how I was going to survive in an industry infiltrated by drugs. I ended up not pursuing the dream.” Acting, Bapela says, is fascinating because he gets to understand the role he is playing and fully embodies. “Acting brings you to your true self so that you’re able to portray the character you play.”

So, with the increasing demands of being his own boss, a facilitator and reading scripts, how does he cope? “It’s time management. It is prioritising too. Having two jobs requires a huge amount of discipline that you need to instil within yourself; discipline in terms of time management, respecting each industry and respecting all the clients you get.

“I plan my time around both careers. The best thing about it is that they don’t always happen at the same time. I might be doing training during the day and when I knock off, I go to shoot. Sometimes my business partner takes over and attends meetings and conducts training,” he says. Bapela has no plans of ditching either of the two careers. In fact, he’s more determined to grow in each.

“I see the company grow in terms of the clientele we have.

I see us building a brand that people can identify with and trust. In terms of acting, I see myself growing and grooming my talent and working with reputable production companies.”

People

The act of keeping up with himself

Feature

A doctor a day keeps the ailments at bay

Countless communities in South Africa are at the fringes of our society while also being faced with the burden of poverty and inequality. The Our Health Foundation in Bloemfontein recognises that they have the skills to uplift communities and restore dignity by offering free healthcare to those who are underprivileged words monyane tekateka

Imagine that you’re sick and your ‘drive’ to the doctor isn’t an actual drive, but a 10km walk and the line you wait in to see a doctor stretches for hundreds of metres, then finally when you get to see a doctor the medicine you require is finished or no longer available. We take some of the most important, but yet, simplest privileges in our lives for granted; for example, for a simple headache we would just take an 64

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over-the-counter pain med and that’s that. But the reality for a lot of people is that access to basic healthcare is little to non-existent. This is especially the case in rural areas where access to doctors and hospitals is difficult.

Healthcare is a fundamental right for all because it affects our opportunity to pursue life goals, it reduces pain and suffering DESTINY CAREERS

This is where a group of people who call themselves the Our Health Foundation appositely fit in, whose purpose is to bring quality healthcare to underprivileged communities. On an early January morning a friend and keen philanthropist, Will Choene, gives us (Loop Media) a call to see if we would like to come and help him out by documenting a new initiative that he and his team are about to roll out. This is an initiative that he believes and hopes will not only impact people of the Free State, but one day Africa at large.

In short, the Our Health Foundation came about as the brainchild of four organisations, Uncommon Business, B.Kind Always foundation, Dr Matthys Heyneke and W.N Capital who came together after witnessing the volumes of people with lack of access to basic healthcare, a challenge that is further exacerbated by the scars of our country’s past. They set up mobile clinics and offer free healthcare services to communities that are far away from hospitals and clinics, to play their part in making access to quality healthcare available for all South Africans.

We meet the first member of the team, Heyneke, at around 5am. At first glance, you would say the doc looks more like an extreme sports connoisseur, in his camo gear he’s refreshingly different from the conventional doctor stereotype. He attaches a large old school holiday caravan onto his bakkie — this is used as a consultation room on the day. I can’t help but feel something about this caravan yells ‘hope!’ with its large South African flag painted on the side. He then packs his trailer with medical supplies and we set off for Botshabelo.

It is one of the largest townships in South Africa and is also the most populated place in the Free State, however, a large part of the township is rural and is far from the services that its people require. We arrive in Botshabelo (east) at 6am to meet the rest of the team who are eagerly awaiting the doc’s arrival. As soon we arrive the team springs into action and sets up tents that will serve as waiting rooms. They also set up an administrative system to efficiently coordinate the hundreds who’ll pass through their waiting rooms. Initially, the plan was to see at least 100 people in a day (but they ended up seeing 450 patients) and try to get the word out that they were in the area. At first, some community members react with apprehension but they are met with warm smiles and graciousness from the team.

One by one, people start to arrive and you can tell that wordof-mouth is doing what it does best. Community members seem pleasantly surprised because the idea of “a free doctor” is an occurrence that is rare to them. Patients arrive with all sorts of ailments; and one who comes to mind is a young boy who has had a headache for four days and the mobile clinic is the first opportunity his mother has to get him painkillers.

It’s not the infrastructure that saves lives — it is the people.

These are people who get up early in the morning with the sole intent to help; people who give their time and money to the next man to see them do better. I believe as South Africans we have misplaced our ubuntu and placed it on a parental government, whereas the skills to help and shape our communities are with us.

Feature

and helps prevent premature loss of life. This is particularly important for those who are impoverished, considering they have to battle a host of intersectional challenges that are thrust upon them due to their status in the economy. It is easy to believe that the government is solely responsible for the healthcare of those who are poor in South Africa, however, a society as a whole has an obligation to make access to an adequate level of care available to all its members, regardless of their ability to pay.

WIN!

A Beauty Boss Course valued at R70,000 1 entry per person

Become a Beauty Boss with the Beautique Academy

The world of aesthetics and beauty is constantly changing and the industry is growing rapidly. Millions of people around the world not only take good care of themselves, but they invest in making sure they look and feel good. That’s why working in the beauty and aesthetic industry is a viable and exciting career choice.

One of the leading and world-class academies in South Africa is the Beautique Academy, which offers comprehensive beauty, aesthetic and applied business training programmes aiming to facilitate career growth, entrepreneurial ventures and even a career change within the beauty and aesthetic industry.

Whether you’re fresh out of school, already established in the industry or wanting a whole new career, it’s worth

considering a venture into aesthetic and laser training at Beautique Academy.

At Beautique Academy, we inspire students to kick-start or upgrade their career, as it is vital for both new and existing cosmetologists to remain at the forefront of new technologies and treatment options.

The aim of the Acadamy is to allow one to study while they work. Traditional beauty schools offer 2 or 3 year full time diplomas. With Beautique Acadamy moduler learning allows one to complete modules in their own time and work simultaneously. Example, become a masseuse or facialist and complete beauty diploma while you work and earn.

WIN! A 2-year beautique course valued at R70,000 Beautique Academy wants to provide a platform for aesthetic training to individuals passionate about the beauty industry but who have never been able to afford training courses. That’s why we want you to be your own Beauty Boss by not only training you in beauty treatments, but also teaching you business management.

The course that Laser Beautique, together with Beautique Academy, offers will entail the below modalities: • Electrolysis: including history, the human body, the skin and its appendages, ethics, marketing, starting your business; as well as over 300 hours of practical studies.

• •

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Laser Hair removal: including application methods, hair and skin types, gridding and device orientation.

This course is to the value of R70,000.

At the end of the course the successful Beauty Boss will be able to apply for a loan from any financial institution to purchase their very devices or apply to Beautique Brands for rent to buy opportunities. When their application is successful they can charge R950 an hour and have earning potential of R95,000 a month.

How to enter Like, share and comment on the Beautique Academy Instagram page ON why you should win and stand a chance to win!

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beautique_academy_sa DESTINY CAREERS

• • •

Services Seta – Sector Education & Training Authority – Accred. No :9662 The International Therapy Examination Council (ITEC) (UK) South African Association of Health & Skincare Professionals (SAAHSP)

Who is the Beautique group?

The group has played a big role in revolutionising the hairremoval industry in South Africa in the past decade. Among many firsts, it was the first to offer pain-free, permanent laser hair removal and pain-free electrolysis treatment in SA, which is also safe for African, Asian and Indian skin and is effective on dark and light - even white - hair. Another disrupter the group is responsible for is inventing the technology facial.

Technology facials are treatments that co-founder and owner, Tzvia Herman, is particularly proud of. “Your skin is the largest organ of your body, it is a powerful protective barrier, which prevents the permeation of any external foreign elements & limits the effectiveness of traditional topical lotions & serums. To effectively reverse the hands of time, correct, defy & slow the aging process, you got to use technology within facials” says Tzvia.

Beautique Distribution not only sells devices such as pain free permanant lasers, non-surgical lipolysis, face lift and electrolysis technology but also rents devices out to business owners looking to get into aesthetics.

Terms & Conditions One entry per person Entries close on 28 February 2020 All practical hours to be done at any Laser Beautique Clinic Entrants must be over the age of 18 info@thelaserbeautique.co.za

beautiqueacademysa www.beautiqueacademy.co.za

Section

Beautique Academy houses globally recognised qualifications as well as local qualifications.

Opinion

What being the only black woman with a seat at the table taught me

Thoughts Wandi Jama

It’s 8AM on a Monday. You walk into the boardroom, smile, pull up your chair and patiently wait for the meeting with your white counterparts to commence. You engage in small talk and it’s in that brief moment that you realise the crude reality of constantly being the only black woman in the room. The constant feeling of having to overlook micro-aggressive remarks; balancing your own emotions with the perceptions and intentions of others; and making everyone feel comfortable, instead of (unreasonably) nervous.

This is what being the only black woman in a leadership position in workplace that was predominantly white taught me:

To find my voice and use it effectively

I’ve been conditioned by society and its predominantly white institutions to feel that, as a black woman, I come across as aggressive when I speak my mind as compared to a man or a white woman making the same statements. Working in the editorial and publishing industry is demanding and requires one to always rise to the occasion. When you’re the only black woman at a magazine company, you tend to be wary of being labelled as the ‘angry black woman’.

Being the only black woman in a meeting was often nervewracking, but I had to force myself to speak up and contribute in what was inherently an intimidating environment. There was an instance where I had an idea about a concept that could be implemented in the magazine but it was overlooked as it came from me but was only considered once my white counterpart suggested the same concept. I had to remind myself that I had earned that seat and, therefore, it was my duty and responsibility to speak up when the time called for it.

language was English, especially in a meeting.

I learnt that discrimination isn’t always outright or blatant. There was another incident where my white counterpart outright told me that it was not necessary for me to attend a work event as I probably wouldn’t fit in or enjoy it. That encounter taught me that, at times, it’s best to not engage someone who already has preconceived ideas about me and is not willing to treat me as an individual with my own unique experiences. I have

In hindsight I now know that those were opportunities to learn and they gave me practice to speak up, to ask questions and ask for feedback. Speaking up had a cumulative effect because I would receive more feedback, which made me more comfortable and confident, and as a result, I began to find my voice and make more of that seat that I occupied.

Pick my battles wisely

I recall an instance where there was a meeting and my white counterparts insisted on conversing in Afrikaans in my presence as if to signal that they didn’t acknowledge me. That incident illustrated to me that they were aware of the microaggressions they were perpetrating, because later they asked if I understood the language and I told them I did but my preferred

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also realised that in such situations you shouldn’t be overly sensitive because chances are, there’s not much you can do to change it — I always ask myself ‘is this my battle to fight and is it even worth it in the long run?’

Create a support system with other black women

It is widely reported that black women are often unfairly stereotyped and as such, I learnt how important it was to create my own tribe by surrounding myself with likeminded people.

Reading about familiar circumstances also evoked a sense of sisterhood within me. Books such as Slay In Your Lane by Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke are helpful sources to assist black women navigate their careers and personal lives.

“Even the greatest self-help books could only go so far in dealing with the unique challenges black British women face. These were written by white women and were great, but they didn’t have the added complexities of how to be a black woman and get ahead”, Uviebinené explained in an interview with The Guardian.

I previously worked in the United Kingdom and experienced similar challenges black British women face in their careers. I had to interview a well-known designer and he was shocked to find that not only was it a black woman interviewing him, but a South African as well. He was unsettled and outright asked if I would be the only one interviewing him or if there was someone else coming to assist me. Although the interview went great, I had to first win the trust and sense of credibility from the designer. How exhausting. Creating my own support system by reaching out to other women in my field has helped a great deal, because it reminds me that I’m not exhausted alone and they offer smart ways for me to navigate the maze of micro-aggressions at work.

To actively seek a mentor

Mentors are an invaluable support system for everyone, but especially for women and minorities. There is a void of black women in leadership positions and it can be very demoralising to watch other people who do far less in their job advance quicker.

My mentor once told me “you will, at some point, have to see beyond the racism and discrimination. You will be disrespected, both blatantly and subtly but you have to remember your worth. You’ll always have to work ten times harder to get a fraction of what is given to others but never let this lead you to questioning yourself and your capabilities.” My mentor has been my sounding board and has often helped me decide on the best course of action in difficult situations.

To embrace my authenticity

Many people feel as though they can’t be their true selves in the workplace without facing the risk of seeming unprofessional.

I used to think I had to dampen aspects of my personality to fit into the culture of the workplace. I always thought I had to dim my light to make people comfortable. I learnt to never compromise my integrity and to never allow people to frame their own assumptions about me. I had to learn to stop seeking validation to prove my worthiness. Celebrating my strengths and being my own cheerleader has helped me regain my power.

- Wandi Jama is a writer, a curve model signed under Boss Models and a cofounder of The Unconventional Woman, a girls’ outreach NGO. She recently completed a short course in Digital Marketing from the University of the Arts London. She worked at the Fashion Network UK as a content writer and was recently one of the Christian Dior models for their Cruise 2020 collection.

Opinion

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I had to learn to stop seeking validation to prove my worthiness

Art The multifaceted nature of people means we often have to explore and portray different parts of ourselves based on the circumstances. However, multidisciplinary artists who reject titles find it challenging to be taken seriously in a world fixated with certainty words palesa buyeye In a 1963 interview with Gene Swenson, Andy Warhol claimed that, “an artist ought to be able to change styles without feeling bad… I think that is what is going to happen, that’s going to be the whole new scene.”

Creative director of Louis Vuitton and co-founder of OffWhite, Virgil Abloh can be seen as a current example of this claim; a DJ who studied civil engineering and architecture, often dabbling in museum art exhibitions, Abloh has hustled his way through the fashion and interior design industry with his short signature quotes.

Although he was named one of TIME Magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world in 2018, he is also regarded as one of the greatest ‘scammers’ of our time. With the art of being more than one thing being normalised we wonder: “are we all possibly becoming scammers?”

“In the age of the internet it is easy for people to become fixated with public imagination, where people like to have a label on what it is a person does and when one deviates from that they don’t understand, so identifying as multidisciplinary opens up more possibility on what it is I can do,” Julius explains.

“It’s more important for me to work within the medium the project requires as opposed to trying to contour or squeeze the project into the medium I am versed in. It allows for more integrity of the project. Let’s say I want to do a project on women’s sexuality but I am only practising as a photographer, that means that now the possibilities of what that project could be are quite narrow as a result of only willingness to practise photography.”

Photographer, DJ, researcher and art curator Zara Julius considers herself a social practice artist who is multidisciplinary, with her work being focused on projects rather than her job titles.

Another such artist is filmmaker, actress, theatre maker, visual artist and musician Carla Fonseca who directed the sold out show Modjadji in Abstentia, at the Market Theatre last year.

She also wrote and directed the film Burkinabe which has screened in nine countries, and is currently working on her debut visual art exhibition with Nthato Mokgata.

She recently curated Rapture Institute, a space that embodies conversation and practical work in spirituality, film, dance, music and mental health, to name a few. Her repertoire also includes a performance on the Afropunk stage last year.

“I think I am just a creative, I try to use a variety of material in the process of each project and I try to keep my methodology consistent with many different kinds of mediums and, sometimes, it just starts of as an experiment and if I feel confident in it I go ahead with it,” Fonseca says.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Art

The consistent methodology of Fonseca’s work is applying a critical view of social, political, cultural and personal to reference what is currently happening in society, her life or past traumas. “Creating or sharing a similar understanding of pain or joy.”

Having acquired a degree in Theatre and Performances, her background influenced her multidisciplinary outlook, as theatre often encouraged the use of multimedia in productions.

“We were always told to push the envelope and go much further, take risks and see what happens instead of just being the conventional storyteller.

“As creatives we can’t be boxed, if you are a creative it means you have the ability to delve deep and develop from different parts of you, in different ways.”

Julius’s anthropology and visual art history background allowed her to also approach work from an academic point of view, although many skills were picked up from practical work and not formal training.

“Ideas and social engagement drive me. I was a photographer before I did a short course at the Market Photo Workshop, so I was already working in that medium.

“I applied for fine arts after finishing my first degree but decided to not go that route and did a postgrad in anthropology instead, because I think what drives me is exploring and being able to articulate complex ideas,” Julius says.

Although she is currently doing her Master’s in Fine Arts, it is through research and practice, so she is constantly figuring it out as she goes, along with her career. “I think once we’ve figured anything out that is when we’re in trouble.”

“As a generation we often seek legitimacy from an institution or from a short-course and I think a big part of what we’re fighting, as a generation and not just as multidisciplinary artists, is to try figure out ways of internalising legitimacy without having to prescribe to older forms of it.”

Julius has found believing in the work, or intention of the story, helps one find part of the legitimacy that one seeks.

Award-winning visual artist and curator Banele Khoza is another example of an individual who seeks internal validation for his multiple interests. “It really has been a selfexploration journey of my primary interests, when I was still a student and a child, and when some of those did not work out I had to experience new things and put myself out there,” Khoza says.

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As creatives we can’t be boxed, if you are a creative it means you have the ability to delve deep and develop from different parts of you, in different ways

“From visual arts, I started having an interest in interior which added a new element to me, which further took me to art curation and opening a space.”

Although Khoza owns a gallery in Braamfontein and is currently taking up exhibition space in Cape Town, he has dreams of writing and going into politics. One would think this is a far-fetched idea, but then remembers that artists like Picasso did such.

Although the idea of multidisciplinary in arts allows for more opportunity, especially with a lack of funding in creative spaces in South Africa, the narrative of being a, ‘Jack of all trades and master of none,’ is still a thought that threatens the legitimacy of the work.

Although the process can be rewarding, Fonseca says there can be drawbacks to being a multidisciplinary.

“I make my own stuff because getting in, even if you’re aligned, is difficult. I am friends with some of the top directors in the country and sometimes getting them to audition me is hard because it is like the actress or director in me is not taken seriously, because of the multiple mediums,” explains Fonseca, emphasising the thrill and expense of creating a body of work, but something that needs to be done for recognition.

This has led former American journalist and musician turned visual artist Ferrari Sheppard to adopt the art of planting himself one career at a time, rather than that of multidisciplinary.

“I had to stop being a journalist in order to be taken seriously as a music producer and after making music with Mos Def, it was necessary to stop making music to pursue my visual art career,” Sheppard says.

“I learnt later in life that focusing on one thing is better than spreading oneself thin.”

Julius, however, believes in the multifaceted nature of humans and that we are multiple versions of ourselves without having to be a whole different person, posing the idea that, perhaps, the true scam is being human.

“My DJ name is my real name, it is part of the same project when I am curating, DJ-ing, performing as a performance artist, or making objects, or films. It is part of the same congruent project.”

“It’s like how people of colour do not have to fit a particular thing of what it means to be a black or brown person; we are as complex as the water is wet.”

Feature

IS LOCAL EDUCATION MATCHING THE LEVEL OF MULTIDISCIPLINARY CHANGE GLOBALLY? With rapid change everywhere, the education sector, from kindergarten all the way to post graduate employees, is grappling with the question of how to best equip students for the world of (future) work rather than a job words edwin naidu

The world of work in the 21st century is increasingly about ensuring that one is equipped for a multidisciplinary career requiring a variety of skills.

Gone are the days when one prepared for an interdisciplinary career with a singular focus, staying in the same lane until retirement. The days of the specialist are over with, a multidisciplinary focus has taken over, calling for a combination of skills in the workplace to address different challenges holistically.

For example, nowadays one is more likely to find teams, or squads as they are labelled in HR-speak, made up of individuals from different areas in the workplace, such as marketing, finance, operations, information technology and human resources, working collectively to solve a problem drawing on skills from multiple disciplines.

“People are not going to be as rounded in terms of specialisation as in the past, they will still be challenged in their inter-discipline within multidisciplinary teams,” according to human resources expert Mandy Murugan.

How does one function in a multidisciplinary team? “Let’s say you have a finance person in a marketing team, and there is a financial matter to be solved, that problem would still be fixed by the finance person, however, this finance person, unlike previously, no longer operates in a silo and is part of the marketing squad, able to engage on a variety of functions, such as marketing or human resources,” she adds.

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Murugan says global human resource practices are based on systems to enable one to carry out one’s tasks but these systems do not teach practical or theoretical knowledge, so in order to function effectively in a multidisciplinary team, scaling people up to the task is critical.

“Unlike in the past where one had a specialist focus, the employer of the future wants employees who are constantly developing, able to display critical thinking, manage themselves, look after their own terrain but function as part of a broader team with a larger organisational ethos,” she adds.

Murugan says training is key to ensuring that one is constantly developing one’s skillset with an eye on embracing new challenges and contributing to a team-driven workplace culture where solutions are owned by teams.

University of Johannesburg vice-chancellor Professor Tshilidzi Marwala is one of the country’s leading advocates of a multidisciplinary approach to studying, arguing that in the world of 4IR one cannot study without a multidisciplinary curriculum where the same topic is studied from the viewpoint of more than one discipline.

“We need to modernise the curriculum to become more multidisciplinary. We need to deepen our internationalisation strategy to broaden the depth and breadth of the educational experience. We need to bring technology into our classrooms. We need to bring innovation and

DESTINY CAREERS

“Universities must ensure that students are given multidisciplinary education and have exposure across disciplines to embrace the changes this epoch brings with it, for maximum human benefit,” he suggests, adding that innovation, knowledge sharing and multi-stakeholder partnerships are key for shaping the future of South Africa.

Lebogang Madise, a member of the Microsoft Education South Africa team, says they’re driving a multidisciplinary approach using artificial intelligence to unpack programmes so everyone might access the fundamentals. “We are saying that you need to take your specialisation, whether agriculture, psychology, or any chosen field, and marry it to technology, thus creating exciting opportunities in the future of work,” she says.

Madise believes that the South African youth has a tremendous opportunity to bolster their skills using technology to advance their career prospects. “It’s not just a multidisciplinary focus we are seeing, people are transitioning from teacher to leader, which in itself is moving towards intra-disciplinary focus,” she adds.

Anthony Salcito, Vice President for Worldwide Education at Microsoft, says instilling a multidisciplinary ethos should start in school where one is prepared for the world of work rather than a job. “It’s a tough one but the challenge is to get school leaders and system leaders to embrace the value of skills, people have said they want the hard maths and the hard sciences to be the foundation of assessment, there doesn’t have to be a conflict and one should not side on traditional content, that’s old thinking, what you need to realise is that both are important and we have to support each other.

“If you want to learn algebra, at the first lesson, in your classroom kids will say, ‘what does this have to do with the real world?’ Students are looking for context and purpose for what they learn, if your answer is ‘it’s in the test or in the curriculum,’ students may say they’re not really interested.

But if you see algebra in your own life when you eliminate variables — when you lose your house keys, how do you deduce and make decisions and understand fabric of

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Universities must ensure that students are given multidisciplinary education and have exposure across disciplines to embrace the changes this epoch brings with it, for maximum human benefit

abstract thinking? You can get students excited in ways that technology can enable that exploration and curiosity. It does not have to be bound by curriculum,” he says.

Speaking at a media roundtable at the Bett 2020 conference in London last month (January 21-22), Salcito concedes preparing a child in kindergarten for a job that may have changed a couple of times before they graduate may be a challenge for teachers. “You are starting to see a recognition that the value of the content does not go away but the lens that it carries is through the skill. Am I an effective communicator? Do I appreciate the value of others and get the best out of my teams? Am I able to assess data to make critical decisions appropriately?

“There are foundational skills that we need to build in our students and recognise whether it is a competency-based approach or appreciation of social and emotional learning with students to recognise the value of the whole students.

Those things are going to be foundational to the changes we want to make. Once you have that, that canvas will apply to jobs that will change and morph as we move forward, but collaboration and leadership is important,” he adds.

According to the Institute for Futures Research at Stellenbosch University, “the world of work will unfold in accordance with the combination of empowerment in the workplace and the rate of technology uptake where the mode of work will be via platforms, projects, gigs, and tours of duty, with goods and services being produced and delivered by new technologies such as artificial intelligence and personal devices”.

Regardless of the work-mode scenario that materialises, the study says, in order to become and remain relevant, workers will need a higher quality education that integrates general knowledge in both the arts and sciences, with emerging technologies. As a result, competencies in creativity, tolerance, appreciation of diversity and social skills will also form part of a high-quality education system.

“It’s a fascinating time to be preparing for a career in the world of work as things are rapidly changing but with a positive mindset and a can-do attitude, one can take on many different tasks and become indispensable in the workplace with a variety of competencies,” Murugan concludes.

Feature

commercialisation into our university system. We need to effectively govern our universities. We need to focus on educating rather than certificating our people,” Marwala says.

Feature

THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS which isn’t driven by money but is rewarded with it

It is often said for people to make money they need to solve problems that society grapples with. Often times, this requires multifaceted thinking. Multidisciplinaries who are shaping our communities share how their quest for self-actualisation has led to businesses that empower themselves and others words nandipha shologu What does it mean to be multi-talented; is it a gift, or does it really all come down to practice-makes-perfect? Are some people just born with it, or is it true that you need to fake-ittill-you-make-it? Whichever is true, some people know how to hone their skill set, whether you’re a doctor, yoga instructor, social worker, engineer, training consultant, lawyer, blogger, or a mother who manages to juggle the whole world in her hands — it takes special discipline to master a talent.

Songwriter, composer, producer and singer Alicia Keys playing two pianos simultaneously at the 61st Annual 2019 Grammy Awards, was the perfect personification of a

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multidisciplinary. “It has always been a dream of mine to play two pianos”, she said while paying homage to pioneering black pianist Hazel Scott. Keys gave some rousing renditions of all the songs she “wished she wrote”, while seated between two grand pianos like Scott in the 1943 movie The Heat’s On. This was a special and notable moment, not only for Alicia Keys, but more so for everyone who was mesmerised by her artistry. Mastering an instrument is a challenge enough, let alone doing so while wedged between 176 piano keys and remembering lyrics to music by other artists. That’s the stuff of legends.

Ziphozonke Mafika, who is a Haematologist, Prenatal Care and Termination specialist says, “there is a difference between a multidisciplinary team of doctors versus a multi-skilled individual doctor.

A multidisciplinary team of doctors is comprised of different doctors who are fundis in their chosen speciality. This extends beyond doctors, to allied health professionals like psychologists, nurses, social workers, physiotherapists, all looking after a single individual.

Mafika says that in his field of work, a discipline is a specialty and the multidisciplinary concept does not apply to him, but rather multiskilled is more accurate. He proceeds to share why he chose this particular specialty: “I chose my discipline because there was a huge vacuum, and clear succession plans didn’t exist in the country. This meant it would end up being a scarce skill as a lot of skilled doctors have emigrated to other countries for greener pastures.”

“For example, you can have a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals (doctors and others) looking after just one patient. You could have a cardiologist, nephrologist, pathologist and psychologist looking after that individual at the same time. This is what constitutes a multidisciplinary team. A multi-skilled doctor, on the other hand, is a single individual who performs different therapeutic strategies on the same patient.”

He adds that he thoroughly enjoys his profession as every day offers a new experience. “I don’t take the work I do for granted because of the impact it has had on the lives of the many people I have encountered. They come to us vulnerable and seeking answers, it is, therefore, our responsibility and job to alleviate suffering, educate and empathise.”

Mafika has lived up to his name (Ziphozonke), which means ‘one who possesses all the gifts.’

DESTINY CAREERS

YOLISA MAKALIMA Yolisa Makalima says she never wanted to become a social worker when she was growing up. “I learnt about Occupational Social Work in the military through a male colleague of mine who had told me there were no female social workers in the army. So here I am.

“The challenge as a female social worker within the military is mainly the understanding and respect for the profession, more than just the rank, as with our male counterparts. The reason I say this is that as a young female, one is faced with doubts regarding one’s professionalism and knowledge of one’s craft, due to something baseless such as age, gender and appearance.”

Makalima admits that her profession demands an above average form of discipline and adherence to a code of ethics. “Our profession is deeply rooted in the basic principles of ubuntu and respect; which is to depict a picture of tolerance regardless of our diversities.

Your ambitions change daily because your inner potentials are revealed to you day in and day out.” Proving that this young military worker is a true force.

Lebo Mopeli-Nyangiwe says she is driven by the belief she is to make the world a brighter place. She is a Heart Intelligence Coach who does one-on-one sections teaching abundant living and, through workshops, facilitates meaningful (small group) discussions and guided mediation. “I just left my job in corporate as a sales ambassador; and I am now in transition to becoming a freestyle joyful dance instructor.”

In addition, Mopeli-Nyangiwe also has a shoe range that encourages people to walk barefoot. “Through Eternal Soles I am an advocate for barefoot walking, to have more contact with the recharging power of the earth. My day to day business is creating online stores for people who want to ship goods from China to their respective places.”

Through the Acadium platform, she also helps people in gaining digital marketing skills in order to create their own employment. On this portal, she recruits SMEs that want to promote their businesses beyond their provinces.

Over and above all these projects, she also has an online show called Soul Dive which is geared towards helping people live more abundant lives, “adding one thing per week to their success toolkit”, Mopeli-Nyangiwe says.

When asked about the discipline it takes to multi-task all of her work she says, “I don’t think it takes discipline, I think it is about living in the flow from the heart because then you know what to do, when to do it instinctively”.

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LEBO MOPELINYANGIWE

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SIYANDA MFANA

AMANDA DEYSEL Amanda Deysel, who is a cell technician, started her journey as an apprentice in the automotive electrician field, and qualified as an Artisan. She says men are becoming more accommodating in the engineering world. “I was taught to never curb my abilities, to broaden my knowledge and upskill myself. Being technical minded helps a lot, you need to have an open mindset, and be a problem solver.”

Deysel books and attends training on new technologies. “I live by the company’s core values which are Discipline, Respect, Integrity, and Passion.”

When asked about her aspirations within her field of work, Deysel, like many of her colleagues in engineering, hopes to travel abroad and further her technical training, “it is everyone’s aspiration from, the engineers within our company, to be selected for the programme in Germany.

You haven’t seen the automotive world until you go to the mother country of its origin.

Siyanda Mfana is a Strategic Director, Graphic Designer, Trainer and Business Consultant. “The career itself is quite broad, because you interact a lot with users and you’re always training people on using IT systems. You’re always introducing change to a business, or a new way of operating and optimising business processes.”

Mfana is currently building his original idea as a training consultant, who specialises in business and IT courses and subskills, with an interest in upcoming skills related to the 4IR and international courses relevant to the industry.

Mfana elaborates on his business which is an IT, business and soft skills training company, with a focus on workplace integrated learning through short courses and full qualifications.

“The uniqueness is in our approach to full qualifications (yet to be operational), but we’ll be blending theory with practical applications towards studying a full qualification.

“What drives me is perseverance and going against the grain — there’s power in pursuing your passion,” he concludes.

“We’re now in the 4IR and I believe I’m in the perfect space to co-create our future world of technology. There are so many exciting things happening in my sector, more so to do with artificial intelligence, and I look forward to being part of the evolution and the expansion of it.”

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ZANDILE NGQEKEZA

NANGAMSO PHAKATHI Then we have the mothers who seem to have the whole world in their hands, Nangamso Phakathi, a mother of two boys, works as a senior editorial coordinator at a tertiary academic publishing house. “I am responsible for the editorial quality control and project management of each book, from its inception as a raw manuscript until its availability as a hardcopy, to be used by students in tertiary institutions.”

Her job allows her to be multidisciplined as she needs to give each book the same level quality control, while also juggling being a single mother, a content creator of her own hair blog, FroChic, as well as serving at her local church.

She believes being multidisciplined means being fully present in each area in your life, “this means when I am on mommy-mode, I won’t be also focusing on my blog or work, while cooking and helping the kids with homework.”

Madeleine Albright once said, “I do think women can have it all, but not all at the same time”, and the next woman might be testament to that.

Zandile Ngqekeza, a mother of four boys has taken the risk of starting her own business. “I’m nowhere near where I want to be. I’ve always had a passion for business, because both my parents were small business people.”

Ngqekeza decided to go into business when she was in tertiary, because she saw that she wouldn’t be suited for an office job. She registered her first company when she was 19 years old and tried her stint at tenders, doing, mostly, catering. “My motto has always been to do things to perfection and not quit.

I now have scary dreams that I never thought I could achieve, but because I know I can do them, I don’t give up.”

Ngqekeza adds that last year she attended a friend’s baby shower, and as with all showers there was cake, “I noticed how everyone was putting the icing aside and not enjoying it, so I decided to start a hobby of baking fresh cream cakes.”

This pushed her to start a business that took her by surprise as she was not a baker; however, she says orders continued to come in and haven’t stopped since. She concludes that what inspired her to delve into her inner multidisciplinary is her children and her mother. “I want to succeed for them so that they will never lack,” Ngqekeza says.

Health

When the darkness of depression consumes your very existence, know you’re not fighting alone words mxolisi tshabalala 78

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D A R K N E S S

DESTINY CAREERS

Health I don’t think there’s going to be another song that makes sense in my life like J. Cole’s Love Yourz – a total classic.

He has to be among best storytellers of all time, for me.

(Though, while growing up Tupac’s Dear Mama accurately encapsulated exactly where many of us were). J. Cole has given me something to hold onto now.

Whether there are lyrics or not, music has the ability to move people in ways that cannot be seen. I constantly grapple with thoughts about, ‘what’s there to love about my life as a man battling mental and emotional illness?’ A man who’s had his entire family turn their backs on him; a man who has feelings of despair about the fact that upon his death, my father’s family did not stand up for him when we had no means to bury him. I’m a man is who a breadwinner and is currently taking care of a family of five; a man who never enjoyed varsity; a man who shares a home with his mother and sister who are also battling depression.

What’s there to love?

I’m under the age of 30, battling depression and I was raised by both parents and had an amazing father. I never thought I’d tell someone that I no longer have a father. His influence in my life is enough for me to believe in good and present fathers. I was the first in the family to get a higher education and have a formal job. The first to take care of my mother, and my siblings. The first to take care of home.

However, that’s never enough because money’s not the only salve when the family depending on you requires more than money. Everyone feeds off your energy, your mood and emotions.

Battling mental and emotional illness at a young age has changed me. It has altered many facets of my life. I’ve even changed how I use social media – I only social media when working or pushing my personal brand now. I’ve always asked myself, “how do people live without writing a book, song or poem? Without creating art, clothing or podcasts?”

Where do all the thoughts, imagination, pain and tears go?

Writing and speaking have always been my therapy. People ask me how I’ve managed to be so honest about my pain, nothing speaks volume more than the honest conversations you have with yourself when no one is watching or listening to you. Men need to be aware of these emotions.

I saw a tweet that read: “You’re not lazy, unmotivated or stuck. After years of living your life in survival mode, you’re exhausted. There is a difference”. This is me. This is where most men are stuck. This is where I hope my family searches to find me. My level of mental and emotional exhaustion scares me so much that I’m not ready to start my own family. I have a lot of work to do towards my healing. I would

have to know what it takes to be strong enough to accept when I’m not well, I’d have to know the triggers of my mental breakdowns and know how to overcome those emotions. I’m currently learning that.

I’ve realised that unprocessed pain, for me, was at the core for many of my breakdowns. The same way it is for many societal problems created by men. Having penned down a book about my battle with mental and emotional illness, I realised that I suppressed a lot of emotions – I tried not to cry. I tried not to show that I wasn’t well. Other men would say I tried to be, indoda emadodeni. However, I noticed that after speaking up, a lot of men reached out to tell me how strong I was. They told me how crucial it was for me to speak for them, but every man has to speak for themselves. To their partner, their siblings, parents, friends, colleagues and the people that make up their world. I never want to be indoda emadodeni, that’s actually a weak copout – come to think of it.

We men tend to mislead ourselves at every turn. I mean when I started speaking up about my mental state, friends would send wishes on my social media platforms but not in person. It doesn’t count. Honestly, it doesn’t bother me but I’m more concerned about the men who aren’t as strong mentally. They are given false hope, people who see these public displays of ‘concern’ on social media, think you’re getting the support. Each day, I choose to heal. To heal rather than looking for destructions. But have I healed?

No, but I’m in the process. Still learning and trying to find a balance because some days I’m an employee. Some days I’m a storyteller. Some days I’m a servant. Some days I’m a son. Some days I’m a brother. Some days I’m a shoulder to cry on. Some days I’m a friend. Some days, a lover. Some, a stranger. Some days, I’m the only one someone has. Some days, there’s something and someone I cannot be for any of the people around me. Some days I’m all in one. Some, I’m everything to everyone, but nothing to myself – all because, I’m a breadwinner.

A friend asked me how I wanted them to feel when reading my book. When sharing my story, people respond with, “at least I’m not the only one. I’m not alone”. Here, I want you to feel that you’re alone; that your emotional and mental unavailability affects you before the next person. Be at the centre of healing all your pain and scars.

Forgive me if I’m being bluntly honest about my life as a young man. If you see me smile somewhere in the street, know that I’m still a man going through all the pain and depression. But, I will win. I will heal. My family will heal – Love Yours.

Mxolisi Emmanuel Tshabalala is on a journey to defeat depression. He is a production assistant and coordinator, as well as writer and speaker. He is a self-published author of the book “Are you HEALING or DISTURBED?” Mxolisi is passionate about storytelling and creating conversations about mental awareness — ­ in telling his story he’s been fortunate to have been afforded an opportunity to share it on Metro FM, #TheTakeOff, The Morning Show on eTV and various print publications.

Advice South African employees are in a precarious position where they find themselves caught between the fear of shockingly high unemployment and depression rates. This is the perfect recipe for exploitation and burnout, here’s what employers and employees can do to get the best out of each other words lerato hope serole

Do you really enjoy what you do? Or do you continue to trudge along because you need to cover your debts and put bread on the table? Are you constantly overworked, with the pile growing bigger daily? Or maybe you have a job that depletes you mentally and emotionally?

With burnout having been officially declared a workplace syndrome by the World Health Organization last year, it’s important to be aware of how your employment may impact your health, as well as your personal life. It is said pressure releases diamonds but in your case is it the kind of pressure you are likely to buckle under? On the other side of

the spectrum, are employers aware that burnout is likely to negatively affect the financial outcome and productivity of the business?

As many as one in six South Africans suffer from anxiety, depression or substance-use problems (and this does not include more serious conditions such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia), according to statistics released by the South African Depression and Anxiety Group. Compound this lack of help with the consequences of burnout that are felt even after you leave the office, and it’s a recipe for disaster for both the employer and employee.

Employers who have unrealistic demands for employees but do not motivate them, whether by implementing flexible work hours or financial incentives are, often times, fully aware of their actions and are taking advantage of the unemployment crisis to create a climate of fear for their employees. Sooner or later, this will result in pent up resentment and low morale within the workforce, which will ultimately translate in the quality of work produced.

“I think the first thing is, the employee should let their manager know.

No one wants a worn-out employee who would underperform. So, a solution can be reached, be it a short break, some time off or other solutions which can be proffered,” David Adeoba, a Human Resources Manager at Logic Spares, advises.

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Advice There are strategies both employees and employers can use to ensure that everyone is healthy and willing to play their role effectively.

For example, the team leader can chair a meeting with management to raise concerns about lack of support and resources. However, some work environments don’t have a culture that encourages employees to speak up, especially when one is junior and has no agency.

“As an intern, I do everything as my boss requires.

I can do everything from planting to harvesting. I feel like I am not developing at my work, as my boss does not give me any challenging work. This drains and frustrates me,” says *Dineo Mokoena, who is an agriculture intern.

Adeoba advises that, “it starts with getting a good job fit. Not everyone can do sales, just like not everyone can do accounting. A job or skills mismatch will frustrate both employee and employer.”

Acknowledgement and positive affirmations go a long way. Award ceremonies and internal recruitments indicate to employees that they are valued and their hard work is recognised. On the other hand, your physical health also contributes to your energy levels and performance, perhaps health facilities and nutritional options might help lift the mood. After all, it’s the small things that make a big difference.

Open and honest communication might do the trick but, in some instances, the organisational culture might need more interventions for it to reform. Motivational workshops that require both parties to work towards change are also useful.

In an ideal environment the resolutions will be implemented long after this event. Some companies offer holistic support to employees and provide assistance to those who are struggling with depression if there isn’t already an inhouse counsellor.

Customer Service Attendant *Puleng Lepade sought support and her company provided it to her because they understood that success was a collaborative effort. “I suffered from trauma and depression and because my performance [at work] was showing it, I managed to get help from work. They took me to a healing centre from three months, on full pay, until I was back on my feet and I was welcomed back.

“My point is, both you and the company take part in producing results and success. There will always be job pressure. If you can’t find assistance in the company, rather leave to sort yourself out. It does not mean you rejected a job if you no longer have interest or capacity to complete the work,” Lepade says.

Adeoba says, “above and beyond that, an employer can provide incentives for employees so they put their best into achieving expected goals.”

Repression might serve as a short-term coping mechanism but in the long run, it’s bound to boil over. Some employees find that they cannot freely express their opinions because they are fearful of being targeted by their superiors if they do.

“The law specifies what’s expected from the employer in terms of working conditions,” Adeoba says, suggesting that there’s recourse for the employee if an employer is found to have acted outside the bounds of the law.

It is important that you leave no issue unresolved as it also impacts other parts of your life. Always keep in mind that you do not grow by turning back but by identifying a problem and coming up with solutions.

*Not real name

Advice

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ways partners can

The emotional nature of romantic relationships makes it difficult to tell if a relationship is depleting you. Some of the things you are losing are not physical but may leave you feeling like a shadow of your former self. Here are some signs to watch out for words lerato hope serole Many of us are not aware that we perpetually commit to toxic relationships that deplete us emotionally and mentally. The end result of accumulated toxicity is usually stress that manifests in not being able to perform professionally or academically. You don’t know if you are coming or going and are constantly uncertain about your place in your relationship. However, the signs are there, and they start subtly, we just need to learn how to read them.

A loved one can drain you in ways that you won’t even notice until it’s too late:

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DESTINY DESTINY CAREERS CAREERS

Is everything about money? Not really, but when the giving is not reciprocated, it can put a strain on the relationship. Demands of one favour after another and materialistic things seem to matter more than your wellbeing — you are treated like an ATM and are invisible when you don’t have much to offer. Another sign is that your partner seems to always have a crisis on their hands which is often accompanied by fabricated stories to guilt you into parting with your money.

“I spent my money and assets on someone who was there to just milk me. That drained me a lot. I had to make a choice to get out of the situation and focus on myself, which is what I’m still doing now,” says Las Keme, Managing Director at Las Artist Management.

The risk to constantly giving money to your partner is that by the time the relationship ends, you’ll be financially vulnerable with no savings. The emotional downfall is that when there isn’t money, your partner may find it difficult to understand and this will contribute to feelings of uselessness on your side.

“You have to set up healthy boundaries. By that, I mean have selfish moments for you, invest in you, stand up for yourself in a respectful manner, of course. Because the more you put yourself second, the more you will be miserable and drained, but if you can learn to have a winner’s attitude, set goals for yourself, and work towards that, then you will be on the right track,” advises Mpho Makgopa, a social worker.

2. Emotional Vampire

Your feelings and emotions are not protected. You are always blamed (for the smallest of things) and whatever you say is not respected privately or publicly. Your partner is, somehow, always the victim even when they are wrong. You find yourself often apologising to ease the tension and your partner refuses to admit their mistakes.

You might think it’s best to be the bigger person even when you’re not in the wrong, however you are a creating a vicious cycle where there is no accountability. “One has to speak out.

It all starts with assertiveness, speaking your mind without apologising. Deal with that issue when the early signs start to emerge because if you let a partner make a habit, it then becomes difficult to break from that routine,” advises Sherlock Bopape, a social worker.

3. Manipulation Masterminds

You are not just dealing with a smart partner but one who knows how to wrap you around their little finger — even when you know you should bolt towards the exit, but you stay. They understand your thinking and find ways to convince you that what you’re feeling is imagined or insignificant. It often doesn’t feel like abuse

because these are partners who are charming and know which words to say and the right things to do just when you’ve finally had enough. “First things first, you need to know who you are and what you want out of life. Find out what makes you happy and tick. I have learnt that you cannot change another person, attempting to do so will also drain you, but the only person you can change is yourself,” Makgopa says. In other words, if you are in touch with your inner voice, you will always know what does and doesn’t serve you in a relationship even when manipulation rears its ugly head.

4. What’s Yours Is Mine

You just bought something with your money or probably own something but your partner feels like they have full entitlement to it. In other words, you’re not worth what you have. You are always sharing what’s yours but your partner doesn’t bother to share with you what they have. They are their own priorities and you come last. Such situations cause one to not understand what their entitlements are and values.

5. Self-centred

Everything is about them. They seem to crave the spotlight everywhere they go and external validation from others is what gets them going, but they won’t reciprocate. Their self-image matters so much that the only thing that matters is who they are seen with. Because you’re dating this person you are also perpetually surrounded by empty relationships. Such partners create self-doubt because you are likely to alter things about yourself to suit the environment and model yourself after whatever your partner wants you to be on that specific day. The risk is, you might end up losing yourself in the process.

6. Bees Always Follow You

Your partner has always got you involved in drama. Since you’ve been with them you can’t seem to get out of trouble; and the worst part is most times the drama has nothing to do with you, yet you end up refereeing their disputes.

This may result in you feeling unsafe and always confused because you will perpetually ask yourself ‘what’s next?’

Lack of certainty makes you vulnerable and weighed down because you spend too much time carrying your partner’s burdens more than working on yourself. This is a recipe for disaster because you’ll feel emotionally stunted if you aren’t developing as a person.

“To avoid depression or other mental illnesses, involve professional help. In some cases, people refuse to attend therapy, but that should not stop the other partner from going for therapy as that will help them to be of sound mind, and proceed to make decisions that are good for their lives. Family elders can also be consulted in this regard. If things don’t change walk away,” Bopape says.

Based on expert advice, here are things to remember: • •

•

Because of the emotional nature of romantic relationships, it’s normal to feel unsure about whether you are being drained or not.

Learn to write your values down and compare them with how you are currently being treated. Try to think outside the confines of your relationship to make sense of what is and isn’t acceptable — you will find an objective answer.

If you still want to work things out, talk to your partner about your issues. Open communication is

• • •

important, they might not even be aware of some of the challenges.

If you still feel unheard, it might be time to involve a professional.

Starting over might be difficult but your mental and emotional health should be prioritised above all else.

Relationships end - don’t be embarrassed to admit things didn’t work out. Learn from it and know that it’s okay to change your mind about the situation you find yourself in if it doesn’t enhance you.

Advice

1. Financial Leeching

Opinion

You are what you think

Thoughts Sapho Dlangamandla

The intention of this article is to make you aware of your own divine power. Money is in the air — we all receive it from the same source. Ask yourself this: “How do I feel about money? How many limiting thoughts do I have about my prosperity?”

What are limiting thoughts, you ask? Well, here are a few examples: “Money is the root of all evil”; “In order to be successful I need sell my soul”; “White people have all the money” and, “Men are the only ones who earn more money.”

All these thoughts are just taking power away from you.

Money, to a human being, should be like water to plants and animals. Or, even better, money should be seen to be the same as oxygen. We shouldn’t have to fight for it or struggle for it. It’s there. It surrounds us. To understand this concept, you need to see yourself as a part of the universe. Plants and animals understand abundance, and if you understand abundance, you will understand the law of money.

There are laws that the world is built upon, such as the Law of Attraction and the Law of Compensation. When you listen to your inner being guiding you, you will see great wealth coming in your direction. Start thinking about money positively and have a feeling of infinite abundance while you do so.

Pay attention to your feelings and change any negative thoughts. I often ask myself, “why would God – the Source – put me on earth to suffer?” I’ve learnt over the years that when I feel like I’m losing, I am actually winning.

As a result, I’m not afraid of making a mistake or going for what I want. I understand that my inner being is always guiding me towards my true self. I deserve all the beautiful things that life has to offer. And so do you.

Affirm immediately that, “God is my instant and everlasting supply”. Believe it.

When it comes to cultivating a positive mindset, patience is important and repetition is key. It takes time to unlearn a “lack” consciousness.

An example of this is when I want to tip a car guard I always give them higher amount. For instance, if I have a R2 and R5 in my pocket I tip with the R5 — I train my mind that I have more than enough. See yourself as the person you want to be. You need to treat your mind like a garden – water it every day with positive “I

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am” affirmations: “I am prosperous”; “I am abundant”; “I am living my best life”; “I am enough”.

Never see money as something you need to work for. It is the energy you bring to your life while serving others in a meaningful way that adds value to the world. Creating value is your work and purpose on earth. Choose to give yourself the life you’ve always wanted.

To quote inspirational speaker and author, Abraham Hicks:

“

Pay attention to your feelings and change any negative thoughts

“You’re not manifesting, you’re creating the environment that allows the manifestation… Talk as if what you want is in the process of coming… There is nothing you cannot be, do or have.”

Start by being kind to yourself and allowing good thoughts to fill your life. Let me recommend two books to start you off on your journey: Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill and Mind Power

by John Kehoe.

- Sapho Dlangamandla - A multi-disciplinary creative focused on business and brand design. Love for detail, aesthetics and a fascination for learning new applications. He is the founder of KANAKA design studio – a marketing & communications company that offers brand solutions that change how humans perceive companies.

DESTINY CAREERS

Feature

over a degree Every year we see more South African YouTubers and content creators quit university to pursue digital entrepreneurship. Is this a classic case of pursuing passion or have content creators struck gold in the world of the internet? words lindokuhle cebisa At the beginning of 2017, well-known South African youtuber, Sibusiso “Sibu” Mpanza announced that he was quitting his Social Sciences studies at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and moving to Johannesburg to focus his energies on being a full time YouTuber.

Fast forward three years later and Mpanza has built three YouTube channels; grown his subscriber base in leaps and bounds; worked on numerous brand partnerships; ran successful influencer campaigns and scored himself radio and TV gigs. The incredibly heavy demands of an academic degree would have made it impossible for him to achieve all of that in this short space of time.

Even before Mpanza announced his exit from UCT, George “Okay Wasabi” Mnguni had left his own studies at the University of Johannesburg to be a full-time content creator and soon after, his hit show Kota Past 9 blew up on YouTube.

Renowned beauty and lifestyle influencer Mihlali Ndamase in 2019 announced that she had put her studies on hold to grow her business.

In her first video of 2020, Buhle Lupindo, a relatively new but widely loved YouTuber, announced that she was also putting her academic studies on hold. Although Lupindo cited other reasons for freezing her degree, she did state that she would be dedicating her time to creating YouTube content.

George “Okay Wasabi” Mnguni and his hit show Kota Past 9 blew up on YouTube.

There have not been enough case studies of digital entrepreneurs choosing YouTube over a degree to call it a trend, however, we are seeing more and more cases of well-known and respected content creators choosing to walk the path (previously) less chosen without the fall-back of an academic qualification.

It is not news that creatives quit school to focus on careers in entertainment, from Robert Marawa to Bonang Matheba, the list is endless. However, in these cases, TV presenting, music and acting are mainstream industries, whereas most people in South Africa are not consuming YouTube content and aren’t exactly certain what an influencer is.

South African youtuber, Sibusiso “Sibu” Mpanza

Celebrity culture in the late ‘90s informed the public that entertainers were able to make a substantial amount of money, which is what may have motivated some to pursue entertainment over traditional careers. This begs the question, is digital content creation a lucrative career choice?

Returning to Ndamase, during an interview with another popular YouTuber, Mpumi Ledwaba, she revealed that she had made her first million rand from influencer work. Mpanza and Lupindo, who are a couple that lives together, have been able to sustain themselves and even go on holidays with money earned from their work. Anyone who follows Mnguni on social media knows that he is constantly buying expensive camera equipment and has also been sustaining himself with the money he earns from being a content creator. This is a fair indication that these digital entrepreneurs have found a way to sustain themselves doing work that, a decade ago, would have been scarcely heard of.

The debate about the relevance of professional degrees is one that still wages on and should be substantially engaged with, however these content creators seem to be doing just fine without one.

Popular YouTuber, Mihlali Ndamase.

Be good to yourself, you are crucial When you do physical work, you are able to track your progress, but the challenge is different when it’s mental and emotion work. The most important thing is to remember you are never alone words esihle lupindo You are about to step into a new world. Each day is a step of faith and a step towards your dreams, whatever they are. I want to firstly congratulate you, you have made it here and you deserve to be here and celebrated. There may come a time when you feel like you do not belong where you will be planted, but I want to assure you that you have earned the space you will occupy.

as well as a language for new feelings.

C

There will be hard at times, but you will find your rhythm. You will fall a few times but that is how you will learn to walk, that is how you will figure many things out.

Healthcare is unbelievably expensive and there are many who cannot afford basic healthcare. When your mental health is compromised and even when you think it is not, please make use of the counselling services if your institution offers them. There is no blood that will leave your body and there is nothing that will fall off your skin that will tell us you need help for your mental condition(s). These are different for everybody and the internet will not always have all the right answers.

There are two skills you will need to survive. You will need to learn to forgive yourself for many things including not knowing certain things and not learning at the pace you would like. The secondly, you must always give yourself the permission to learn and unlearn. There is no sin in changing your mind about things you thought were rigid. There is learning that will take place outside of your lecture halls, do not undermine this kind of learning as it will expose you to various schools of thoughts.

Some of you will start having sex for the first time. Some of you will discover different ways of having sex, while others will choose to abstain and all of these are valid. For those who will become sexually active; consent, sexual pleasure and sexual health are crucial. For those who will engage in anal sex, those who masturbate and even the people who engage in virginal sex, lubricant and condoms are important and these can be found in most university wellness centres and/or HIV offices, for free.

For those of you who will leave home, maybe for the first time, there will be days when home will seem further than it is in on your map. When that happens, you will have to find ways to shorten the distance between where you are and home. You are going to lose yourself and find yourself again and that is okay and expected. Please do not shy away from asking for help, there are people who want to help you make this journey a little easier.

Voluntary testing of STIs and HIV/AIDS can also be conducted at your institution’s wellness centres/ HIV offices. The Postexposure Prophylaxis (PreP) is a revolutionary medical intervention. PreP is medication that can be provided to students for free if they require it, it lowers your risk of contracting HIV. It is important for you to find these spaces on your campus so you learn more about these from experts.

It is okay to take a day off school when you are overwhelmed and need to come up for air. We cannot afford to lose you, you are important, and you matter more than you can imagine, your destiny is intertwined with all of us. You will acquire a language for many things that you know and feel,

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There are many of us who are rooting for you as you walk this journey. We understand the anxieties that might be filling you because we have been there but we are rooting for you.

We are here to help you until the very end, we will cheer for you wherever you find yourself.

DESTINY CAREERS

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Tech

Forward-thinking tech innovations for your multidisciplinary career Artificial intelligence is smarter, and augmented reality is practically real — new technologies are giving you the best office upgrades you never knew you needed to manage your work life words papi mabele There was a not-so-quiet revolution on the technology front in 2019. Artificial intelligence got smarter, and augmented reality became real. All of this not only changed the way we live, but how we work. And I believe the transformation will continue in 2020, driven by several key trends.

These technology trends are in different stages of technical readiness and adoption. As disruptive as they are especially robotics, 3D printing and augmented reality -

they have captured the popular imagination with exciting applications demonstrated across all sectors. However, behind the individual use cases, the readiness and adoption of each technology tells a different story.

Without further ado, allow us to present the best office upgrades you never knew you needed to assist in managing your multidisciplinary career.

The Internet of Things

Enterprise Wearables

Often presented as a revolution, the Internet of Things (IoT) is an evolution of technologies developed more than 15 years ago. Operations and automation technologies are now blending, albeit conservatively, with sensors, the cloud and connectivity devices of the information technology (IT) industry. Most importantly, IoT involves a variety of hardware and technologies such as smart devices, robots, and artificial intelligence to improve efficiency and create new business opportunities.

Enterprise wearables (including augmented and virtual reality) make up a nascent, fast-growing market projected to grow to a staggering $60 billion in 2022, according to a report by ABI Research, with devices continuing to mature in terms of comfort, functionality and safety.

Luckily, there are devices designed specifically for career driven individuals, like portable large screen displays and videoconferencing setups.

Increasingly, manufacturers are attempting to add a level of intelligence to these devices to make them more useful and easier to control. There are also new technologies such as smart monitoring apps that can warn you if you’ve been attending to, or neglecting, certain projects for too long and gather data to encourage you to improve your habits. Big tech companies are also turning their attention to ways of bringing all these disparate devices together to be managed more effectively.

While the success of Apple Watch has attracted the most attention when it comes to enterprise wearables in the workplace and in one’s career, the market is beginning to split into battles for the wrist, the eyes (i.e.

Google Glass) and the ears (i.e. AirPods). Not to mention wearables for the body — smart garments and (God forbid) implantables.

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Advanced robotics have long handled the ‘dull, dirty and dangerous’ jobs, and currently automate 10% of production tasks. Robots were often separated from people for safety reasons, but now, a new generation has ‘come out of the cage’ for 24-hour shifts, working alongside human counterparts. Increasing return on investment, insatiable Chinese demand and advances in human-robot collaboration will increase their adoption to 25-45% of production tasks by 2030, accordingly to a 2017 World Economic Forum white paper.

For small businesses and individuals in multidisciplinary careers, the most important thing is repetition. If there’s something you do more than once that adds value — you would want to look into automation and robotics.

For example, machine learning automation is making inroads in talent acquisition and employee recruitment.

For human resources departments, automating processes like tracking down potential candidates and scheduling interviews frees up time for humans to examine potential employees and determine who is the best fit for the business.

For those with customer service facing careers, by now you would’ve noticed several departments are getting an automation makeover with the introduction of tools like chatbots. These consumer-facing tools automate typical customer service interactions, answering inquiries immediately and only referring customers to a representative when the chatbot is insufficient for handling their needs. Up to 80% of customer service interactions could be handled by a chatbot alone, offering businesses and individuals the potential to significantly cut costs and time associated with conventional customer service.

Artificial Intelligence Artificial intelligence (AI) is quickly changing just about every aspect of how we live, and our work lives certainly aren’t exempt from this. Soon, even those of us who don’t work for technology companies or on technology-related projects will find AI-enabled machines increasingly present as we go about our day-to-day activities.

From how we are recruited and on-boarded, to how we go about on-the-job training, personal development and, eventually, passing on our skills and experience to those who follow in our footsteps, AI technology plays an increasingly prominent role. One of the reasons that the subject of AI in the workplace makes some people uncomfortable is because it is often thought of as something that will replace humans and lead to job losses.

However, when it comes to AI integration today, the keyword is very much “augmentation” — the idea that AI machines will help us do our jobs more efficiently, rather than replace us. A key idea is that they will take over the mundane aspects of our role, leaving us free to do what humans do best — tasks which require creativity and human-to-human interaction.

3D Printing 3D printing is revolutionising traditional production processes, aided by a recent surge in metal 3D printing capabilities. In the near future, 3D printing will be best suited to industries where customisation and time to market are key value drivers — typically with low-volume, high-value parts, such as aerospace and healthcare. Today, and for the foreseeable future, 3D printing means that no market is too small, allowing inventors to create incredibly niche products, making life easier and more enjoyable for all. And of course,

the rise of 3D printing will give birth to a whole new host of self-employed consultants.

The speed of technology and the way it affects the workplace is like nothing we’ve ever seen before. We’re on the cusp of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and in 2020, we’ll see things change in ways that have no historical precedent.

Buckle up — it’s going to be a wild ride.

Tech Section

Advanced Robotics

Property Education

How to invest in property

without physically buying it words nosiphiwo balfour

Buying your own home is a dream for many people. You start working, you save and then adulting hits you at a rate of 180 km/hr. So that dream starts to look more like a distant reality. However, owning your own home isn’t the only option in entering the real estate market.

The South African Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) sector^ is comprised of 30 listed property companies (REITs) that are listed on the JSE and account for a market cap of R486bn+.

A REIT is a company that owns and manages commercial real estate portfolios. By buying shares in a REIT you get exposure to commercial property such as shopping centres, hotel/leisure, offices and industrial/warehouse properties. A few REITs also own residential properties and in recent years have forayed into student accommodation and hospitals/ healthcare. In comparison to direct home ownership, REITs represent investment in commercial property, which generates continuing rental income from underlying tenants.

Simplistically, REITs allow investors to reap the benefits of owning property as an asset class without directly owning and managing the property.

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So, where do I get started?

What makes REITs attractive?

Due to the regulatory requirement placed on REITs to pay out a minimum of 75% of their taxable income and improved transparency in reporting standards, investing into the underlying companies has become more attractive and accessible.

You earn distributions which are company dividends that come from profits derived by REITs and distributed as income payments to investors. REIT distributions are fuelled by the stable income stream of contractual rents paid by the underlying tenants of their properties. As share prices improve over time, as the investor you also benefit from the capital growth.

Unlike owning direct property, there are no large upfront costs such as transfer duty or ongoing property maintenance that you would have to be responsible for.

Buying shares would be dependent on the method you choose to invest, however, for a marginally small amount* you can open a portfolio and begin trading.

Because you would be buying shares in listed companies, they are readily traded, making for good liquidity when compared to direct property.

Through an accredited stockbroker who can guide you in opening a brokerage account, enabling you to buy/sell shares in a portfolio. Alternatively, many asset management companies offer unit trusts which are regulated by the Collective Investment Schemes Control Act and through an initial investment a portfolio manager will make the stock selection on your behalf. Monthly debit orders also make it easier for you to top-up your investment. And depending on when the REITs pay distributions (dividends) you can also opt to payout the proceeds into your bank account or reinvest them.

Fees do apply when buying or selling shares in addition to brokerage fees, so always ask for a breakdown of these upfront.

Outlook

The operating environment for many companies makes it tough to deliver inflation-beating total returns with higher vacancies and muted rental growth. Historically, SA REITs have paid out close to 100% of their taxable income and as a result of pressurised rental growth, few have guided that this payout ratio may fall closer to 92%.

Notwithstanding economic challenges, the steady rental income streams still support the investment case. The total return performance over the past year for REITs has been lacklustre, however, some of the sector’s diversification into offshore markets has assisted in cushioning against weakened domestic fundamentals. The combination of knowing which property asset class and management team will remain resilient through this environment will be fundamental to share selection. Should growth expectations start to improve, REIT valuations will look compelling.

Key: ^Based on the FTSE/JSE All Property Share Index *This amount would be dependent on the financial institution you choose to invest via. + As at 10 February 2020 Nosiphiwo Balfour is a property practitioner and Commercial Property Director with more than 14 years’ experience. In her most recent role she was the former CEO of Texton Property Fund, a public listed Real Estate Investment Trust with property assets, located in the United Kingdom and South Africa, valued at R5.5 billion.

She currently performs strategic advisory work and serves as an Independent Non-executive Director on the Board of Communicare Social Housing NPC.

Property

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REITs allow investors to reap the benefits of owning property as an asset class without directly owning and managing the property.

Property

What you need to know before investing in real estate It is often said that purchasing property is the best way to invest, however, that pesky fine print can be tricky. So, we’re here to show those blind spots before you proceed to build your house on sand words maki molapo

Living in an era where a single income accommodates only your basic needs means you must find creative and smart ways of securing more bags. While you may be young with a lot of energy to juggle more than one hustle, you also don’t want to burnout. In fact, working smart should be your priority and part of that is figuring out how to get your money to work for you. As such, investments are the most recommended means of doing exactly that.

Despite these tumultuous economic times, property investment has become quite popular among young working professionals. While this may be because of the financial security that the property market offers you, it might be a good segue into creating generational wealth. As exciting as being a property owner may be, there are a few considerations to make before embarking on this journey, and Sizwe Mlungwana of Sizwe Properties says investment is a business and property investment is multifaceted.

Mlungwana says property investment is buying property with the sole purpose of making money from it. He adds, “buying a house and living in it may be considered an investment, but in this context it is not an investment”. The first step towards investing in property as a young professional and a firsttime investor, is research. Through research, you will be able to determine the bond you qualify for, as well as the type of property you can invest in, the location of the property and the target audience.

As far as your bond is concerned, research states that the conditions of your IOU include the term of the bond — how long the loan is borrowed, with a date by which it must be repaid — and the cost to the borrower, which would normally be in the form of interest, paid at regular intervals over the term. Mlungwana adds that it’s important to consider the area in which you intend to invest in. “Whichever property you can afford to buy varies from city to city, because of different markets. So, what you can afford in Bloemfontein might cost more in, say, Cape Town,” Mlungwana says.

When searching for a bond, it’s, firstly, important to compare what different banks have to offer because interest rates inform whether a bond is a good or bad deal. The second important thing is the duration of the bond. Mlungwana advises, “a bond should never exceed 30 years to repay; once it takes that long, it means that your affordability is low.

The norm is 20 years. In terms of interest rates, the prime is 10.25%, so 11% or 11.2% is a good rate, but if it’s 12% and more, it

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means your credit rating is very low and they gave you the bond because you can afford it but they see you as a risk, which is why they inflate your interest”.

Mlungwana further adds that you should never be charged more than 30% of your gross income when you repay your bond. “When you go to the bank, ask what you qualify for and you’ll be given an amount. However, instead of buying property that costs that exact amount buy property that costs less and still pay what you would have paid if you bought property at the amount you qualify for. This will help you pay it off quicker compared to whatever duration your bond was initially at, plus the interest rate remains the same.

Look for a quicker way to finish your bond”. The important thing when you are buying property is to get it at a good price, this informs whether it is a good investment or not.

A good price is one that is below market value but if you buy it at market value, Mlungwana warns that, you must be willing to top up certain payments until the property starts generating profit and that could take up to five years.

Buy-to-let

Buy-to-let is a type of property that you buy with purpose of renting out and not living in it. Regarding residential investment, Mlungwana warns that as a first-time investor, you should be patient and consistent for some years. This is because the rent will be paying off the bond, over the years, while you pay for the rates and levies. Mlungwana adds, “you need to be willing to part ways with some money. But the advantage is that rent appreciates by 10% every year as it continues to settle the bond, while the rates and levies stay the same throughout the years”.

In order to also grow your property investments, there is the option of access bond. As the rent increases by 10% every year, the money accumulates, giving you the choice to either ask for the cash, or use it to decrease your bond. “If you buy property at a certain price this year, it will appreciate after a few years. At that point, the banks calls in a property evaluator who assesses how much the property is worth, looks into how much you still owe the bank and deducts it from the current value, and then you have the option to take the difference and buy a second property cash or use it for other leisure activities,” Mlungwana says.

However, in the event that you buy your first property cash and want to get a second property, you can use the first

DESTINY CAREERS

Property

property’s rent to pay off levies and rates of the second property, while the second property’s rent takes care of its bond. Mlungwana says, “you will have to buy the second property using a bond because to buy property you need a lump sum. So, you can use the first property’s rent as income to acquire a bond; which is a great advantage because you don’t have any outstanding debt”.

The disadvantage with residential property is that tenants abuse the fact that the government’s residential laws favour them over the landlord. So even if they can (can’t) afford to pay, they come up with excuses and you can’t forcefully kick them out because housing is their basic need and primary right; you will need an eviction order, which is dictated by legal processes.

Commercial property

Commercial property is real estate property that is used for business activities, but it can also refer to land that is intended to generate a profit. This property can be used for rent purposes for businesses such as day-care centres, medical practices, shopping centres and other businesses.

Mlungwana says, “you hardly experience payment problems because businesses pay on time. If there are payment issues, evicting a commercial resident is relatively easier than evicting a family.” He also adds that eviction orders for commercial residents are easier to acquire, unlike for residential tenants.

Another profitable form of investing in residential property is student accommodation. This is where you partner with some individuals and buy a building or a block of flats. After which you approach a university that’s within range to notify them of the student accommodation. “This is easier because students who are bursary and NSFAS holders can make use of the building so that way, the university pays you directly instead of having to directly deal with the students,” Mlungwana says. Another option, he adds, is buying property close to factories or big businesses and partnering with the employers to accommodate employees for convenience, and they pay you directly. This way you also don’t have to deal with tenants. Mlungwana also says that property remodelling - where you buy property to renovate and resell - is also an easier and hassle free option.

Developing land

Before you build on land, you must first consider location; especially if you’re building for the purposes of selling. If it’s residential property, then you must consider proximity to certain conveniences and if it’s income property then, the closer to the city the better. What you also need to consider is “how close is the plot from the bulk infrastructure and municipal services infrastructure. The further you are, the more expensive it will be to put water and electricity in your property”, Mlungwana says.

If you want to build income property for people earning a certain salary, you must consider whether it’s upmarket or not, because municipal rates also inform how expensive the building will be, as well as whether your target audience will be able afford it. It’s also best to build in a sought-after location. Mlungwana adds, “the best market is the middle class — a market that can afford any amount below one million rand. As a buyer, always go for the ones that are going to sell quicker so that you also build yourself up. Upmarket properties take longer to sell”. Target audience and area, in this instance, go hand in hand.

While it is important to consider a property’s location, you must be careful not to jump for a property that might seem like a bargain because of its proximity to amenities. You need to do extensive research on who owns or manages the building because that will inform whether it’s a good deal or not. “Is it managed by a company or by a body corporate?

It’s advisable that you buy a building that’s managed by a body corporate compared to one that’s managed by a company. That’s because companies are not a vigilant to the maintenance of properties. However, body corporates often maintain the buildings and their levies are often cheaper; this is mainly because they are not as profit-orientated as companies and they use the money to maintain their property,” Mlungwana advises.

Whether you are remodelling houses or developing land, Mlungwana says it’s always best to use an agent because they understand the rules. “There are a number of things to consider when you sell property that go beyond just money.

There are legal aspects that need to be considered, such as the National Consumer Protection Act, which serves to guide and protect you from any unfortunate situations,” Mlungwana says. The same applies for residential property – agents have a criterion that they follow that determines whether an individual is eligible to be a tenant. “For example,” Mlungwana says, “can they afford to pay rent, are they credit worthy, and so on? This way, should you want to evict the tenant and it turns out that you didn’t do you due diligence, the tenant has grounds to live on your property for the remainder of the lease. So, an agent is there to protect you”.

There is a lot of hype around property investment and it makes sense why people recommend it as much as they do. However, there is plenty to think about before you invest, and you must understand that not all information is onesize-fits-all. Research is a key element in ensuring that your investment is profitable. Another aspect is being realistic with your finances. The idea of owning property sounds great but make sure that you can afford all the extra costs that come with investing. It’s not all black and white — the fine print is especially important. Once you’ve sorted your way through all the admin and responsibilities, you should be ready to post #PropertyOwner to your title and the socials.

Finance

7

important skills your financial advisor should have

words khotso ramphele

At my first job, at the age of 21, I was doing my articles at an audit firm. I walked into a medium size firm not realising that I was going to be worked thoroughly. I went from the idea of ticking and bashing with my green pen, to drafting financial statements, doing tax computations and submitting income tax returns to SARS. I felt I was being cheated when it came to my salary, as the work I was doing was more than the required at my level.

With time and having spent over five years in taxation and consulting, I eventually realised that even though I was being professionally abused that I was picking up multiple disciplines which would make me a better leader in the long term. I realised that when most companies came to the firm, they lacked certain skills and disciplines that only we could

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provide. Those disciplines they came looking for were going to push their business to the next level.

With an increase in salary, my lifestyle and outlook changed and, eventually, I had to see myself as a business, not as an individual. With that, I realised that to accumulate wealth and keep it, I also had to find an individual who would assist me in doing so. And working with other people led me to the conclusion that not all financial advisors and planners were the same.

As I looked for my ideal financial advisor, I knew I wanted an individual who had certain skills and had mastered certain disciplines. So, here are seven important skills your financial advisor should have, at a minimum.

DESTINY CAREERS

2. Planning

3. Legislation

4. Taxation

Understanding risk is one of the first and most important skills the advisor must have. He needs to be able to look at your life and understand the different types of risks you will face over time. He needs to be able to forecast financial risks in your life and plug the holes. If you consistently have financial losses that have not been transferred to a provider to cover them — change your financial advisor.

Scenario planning plays an important role — your financial advisor should be able to draw up different scenarios of how risks may play out. You can always tell the difference between a cancer patient at an oncology ward who has had a quality financial advisor and one who hasn’t. A great financial advisor would have ensured during scenario planning that the client would be able to afford all medical treatments, as the medical aid will not covered them. If he cannot draw you a detailed scenario of how the plan will be executed, change your financial advisor.

Keeping abreast with changes in legislation is important.

The changes should be consistently communicated to you as they could affect the growth of your investments, and may affect beneficiaries at a later stage. Your financial advisor should be able to tell you that when it comes to pension, your beneficiaries are nominees and the names you write down are not necessarily the final list as the trusties of the pension fund will look for other undeclared dependents. So, a scenario he should draw up should consider that your spouse is paying black tax to other family members who will be penniless in the event of your death. Those dependents may have every right to claim from your spouse’s pension. If your advisor has not explained how the legislation will affect your plans, change them.

Taxation planning is critical to all aspects of your life. We are taught in accounting that tax evasion is illegal, but tax avoidance is legal. I never understood this until I had to pay tax to the equivalent of someone else’s salary. I then realised that tax planning was important, to reduce how much tax I was paying. If taxation planning or submitting a taxation return is a skill your advisor has not acquired, change them.

5. Financial Mathematics

6. Trust

When it comes understanding the best way to obtain a loan and whether or not the interest could be better, this skill is essential. It is a skill that may come in the form of multiple questions such as: What will my investment return be long term? If I bought a house via a loan from the bank, will there be a high return on that investment? If you cannot get an answer the from the basic questions that are listed above, you will always be looking for ‘x’ with your financial advisor, so it’s best to change them now.

You need to be able to trust your financial advisor and know that he will always be there when you are looking for him.

Recently, there was a two-year period where investments did not perform and financial advisors blatantly avoided their clients as they couldn’t stand by the promises they made. If your financial advisor is among those who can’t be found, change them.

7. Regulation

Mostly importantly, please always make sure that your advisor is authorised by the Financial Sector Conduct Authority. Speaking to a financial coach is always lovely but remember that they are not regulated, so you will not be protected should something untoward happen to your finances.

- Please note that the information provided above does not constitute financial advice; in fact, we are precluded from giving specific advice. Generic information has been applied given the context of the subject. We have limited details about you and your circumstances — such detail may impact any advice provided.

Khotso Ramphele is the founder of My Advizar (Pty) Ltd, an authorised financial service provider in terms of the FAIS Act. He has over 15 years in auditing, accounting, taxation, business consulting and financial planning. Ramphele is a former financial guru at YFM and can be currently be heard on stations like Power FM and Voice of Wits FM speaking about all things money.

Finance

1. Risk

Find your peace within, hold it sacred, bring it with you everywhere you go.

Cleo Wade, poet

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Motoring

SECONDHAND IS THE NEW ‘BRAND NEW’

We all grow up with an bonnet, they’ll be yours idealistic view of life and to deal with. In other how things should turn words, voestoots. out at certain stages of Finding a vehicle that’s our lives. One such idea still on warranty and is that by the time we’re has a maintenance plan in a financial position to attached to it is your best Whether you engage in a bidding war at an acquire a set of wheels, move. Alternatively, bring we’ll be able to pull a car off your uncle’s favourite auction, or snatch your car off a glimmering the showroom floor with 0km mechanic along for the showroom floor — buying a (practically) new car on the odometer. This isn’t excursion — he’ll know the often the case, and often times pitfalls to look out for. on a budget has never been easier we have to settle for a different alternative. Thankfully for you, there are other means to get those buttocks on the seat of an almost 2. Dealerships words gugu masuku new vehicle without forking out the full Original equipment manufacturer (OEM) dealerships are known mostly for selling premium — be it on finance or otherwise. new vehicles off that gleaming showroom floor, but they also offer an assortment of used vehicles 1. Auctions on the floor, adjacent to the one facing the main entrance.

Sadly, more vehicles end up in this lot than you realise, but as the The dealerships of your favourite automotive brands are in the saying goes, “one man’s trash...” you know the rest. Traditionally, business of buying and selling vehicles, and in the ‘selling’ basket auction houses were the dumping ground for banks after is where were looking, more specifically at what they often refer repossessing that cute red Mini of yours due to a breach of to as a demo vehicle. contract (ie. failed payment). The poor thing then ends up with one of many auctioneers around the country where it awaits its In most cases a demo will have very low mileage and be almost fate — and finally, the day comes where the gavel drops and it’s new in its overall condition. As the name suggests, it would have sold for less than what it’s worth. Remember, the bank is merely been used for demo purposes, as a test mule for someone looking to recover the outstanding amount on the vehicle, nothing looking to sample the vehicle before purchase. In some instances, more, nothing less. the demo is a vehicle utilised by one of the staff members as a With that said, the business model has evolved slightly over the years, and now one of the biggest auction houses allow individuals to willingly give up ownership of their vehicles at a market-related value. Now what do you need to know about purchasing a vehicle off an auctioneer? Well, firstly, that the odds of getting a great deal are in your favour, and you can pick up something fresh for less. As with any other environment, there are tricks of the trade you will need to consider. Do not make the mistake of pitching up for the party on the day of the party, no. The majority of clients who purchase vehicles at auctions are used car dealerships and going up against these sharks in a bidding battle will likely end in disappointment.

Your best move is to show up before the big day, find what you like and when you are confident to make the purchase you’re able to avoid undue pressure, impulsive buys and potential migraines. Of course, there is a risk attached to this method of purchase.

In many auction rooms you’re buying the vehicle as it is, which means if there are any potential gremlins lurking beneath the

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company vehicle.

In both scenarios what’s important to note is that the vehicle is sold before it reaches a certain mileage (very low), and at times you may not even be able to differentiate between a demo and a new unit. You may be wondering why not just opt for the new vehicle? Well, because the price difference between the two can be substantial, making financial sense to go for the vehicle that looks new, and has negligible mileage on it. The other advantage here, is that you have recourse in the event that things go wrong, and you’re almost guaranteed that the vehicle will have the bulk of its maintenance plan still intact.

Be careful not to confuse an OEM dealership (BMW, Toyota, VW) with a used car dealership. The latter is your least preferred choice when shopping around for a near perfect vehicle with low mileage and fresh paint. Chances are, you’ll end up spending more with these guys, as they are the same people who snubbed you at the auction and are now selling you the same vehicle but with a R10,000 positive difference. Shop wisely, fellow citizens.

DESTINY CAREERS

“Aside from my banking app, it’s Uber or Bolt – because I can’t drive.”

- Shelley Mokoena, fashion designer, interior designer, art director “My banking apps. I do everything there. I don’t wanna go to the bank, I hate queues. So I do everything on the app.”

- Senzo Bhengu, director “My Nike running app. It makes me feel good when I see how my runs are progressing. I also can’t live without the XE currency app.

I like checking how the Rand is doing: it makes me feel good to know that I’m a multimillionaire in Vietnam.”

- Sapho Dlangamandla, founding director: KANAKA design studio “Twitter. Because of how quick it is to get information and, although sometimes toxic, people share some pretty interesting insights into various subject matters.”

- Maki Molapo, DESTINY CAREERS features writer “Apple Music helps me stay productive.”

– Sanelisiwe Maliza, senior copywriter and content strategist “Apple Music – it’s one of the cheapest forms of escapism and I can take it anywhere. My mornings are premium because I shower with the speaker in the background. Don’t knock it till you try it.”

– Unathi Shologu, DESTINY CAREERS chief sub-editor “Twitter. It upsets me as much as it exhilarates me. I’m basically in a melodramatic marriage with Twitter.”

– Pearl Boshomane Tsotetsi, DESTINY CAREERS editor

APPS PEOPLE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT

“My emails. I check my emails more than my Instagram.

That’s why I get irritated with people who take a billion years to respond to emails. I prefer emails to WhatsApps. On emails you state your case but keep it moving.”

- Didintle Ntshudisane, stylist “My emails app, because it organises my life.”

– Ogaga Udjo, managing director: ZA Logics “Banking app. I like to see my money.”

- BK Dikobe, makeup artist “Instagram and the podcast app.

Instagram because it holds me accountable to producing work and the podcast app keeps me motivated because people are doing bomb sh*t.”

– Lauren Mulligan, photographer, illustrator, filmmaker “Spotify. Listening to a podcast (Jay Shetty & Oprah) or music in the morning is the only thing that will get me up. It’s the reason why I have a life, otherwise, I would just be in bed the whole day.”

- Lerusha Reddy, graphic designer, art director

Just cause

“FNB Banking app. Because you always need to know how much money you have.”

- Jeffrey Rikhotso, photographer

Books

The Eternal Audience of One RÉMY NGAMIJE

2020/02/07 16:19

The necessary work of hanging dirty linen in public words the cheeky natives

RĂŠmy Ngamije is a Rwandan-born Namibian novelist, short story writer, essayist, columnist, and photographer. His debut novel The Eternal Audience Of One is available from Blackbird Books and Amazon.

He also writes for brainwavez.org, a writing collective based in South Africa. He is the editor-inchief of a Namibia online literary magazine, Doek! More of his work can be read on his website, remythequill.com. We catch up with Ngamije to talk about his debut novel.

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DESTINY CAREERS

In The Eternal Audience Of One, it was interesting to explore the ambitions that drove numerous characters abroad.

In particular, I wanted to explore transcontinental migration because it seemed, to me, that numerous stories that are centred on migration tend to focus on the western world. Having never experienced that myself, it was more comfortable and more rewarding to explore it on the African continent.

CN: There is an exploration of difficult relationships between children and parents. Tell us more about what this exploration means.

RN: I’ve never been the child of a citizen — a fully enfranchised member of society, with a clear sense of belonging.

I’m the child of immigrant parents, who are some of the most challenging parents to have because they constantly strive to provide you with a life they’re aware they never had and they try to raise you to be an independent and enfranchised member of society, even as they are denied those same freedoms.

The exploration of those child-parent relationships was quite challenging, because it involved confronting the narrow lives such parents have to live to provide for their children. But to confront such immigrant indignities on paper felt representative, like people would know, somewhat, what it’s like to be from somewhere else and to try to make a decent life despite facing numerous hardships.

CN: It took seven years for this book to be written. What was the writing process?

RN: I’d be flattered if this book took seven years to write. I’d use that as a marketing tool to really sell the hardship I had to endure. Alas, it took about two years to write. I’d been dreaming of the story in bits and pieces for about four years and parts of it were in notebooks and scraps of paper. But it really coalesced into

something workable after I read Zadie Smith’s On Beauty and Marlon James’s A Brief History Of Seven Killings. Smith had a sense of humour and was a narrator I admired, and James showed me what was achievable in a novel. After reading those two books, I sat down, collected all of my ideas together and started the difficult process of plotting and imbuing characters with autonomy.

The rest of the writing process was clearer after that: read and research, create a workable writing schedule (I have to work multiple jobs to make ends meet), and to stay determined and hopeful.

CN: The book is divided into three very separate parts. What was the importance of this as a literary device?

RN: The three parts, to me, were a way of organising my thoughts, separating geographies and histories. They were also a way to allow me to make decisive breaks between certain character actions and to show how, regardless of section breaks, or time spans, the consequences of actions can show up much later. I rather liked the idea of having three separately titled parts, an idea I’m glad my publisher liked too.

Each part is also anchored around a particular Rwandan proverb that weaves itself into the narrative. The power of those proverbs, though, is for the reader to decide.

CN: There’s a “Great Plan” spoken of in this novel. Take us through it?

RN: The immigrant dream is to land in a place, secure work and an income, find love if one doesn’t have it, gain a foothold in society, and then, hopefully, build towards a new and better life. So they do what they are told they must to secure this better life: work harder than everyone else, study harder than everyone else, gain as many qualifications as possible and try to find work in the most respected professions (engineering, medicine, law and finance).

The belief is that if they do this, then they’ll be fine and their children will live better lives. This Great Plan is rarely fulfilled, though. Especially with children because they have their own dreams and ambitions. The irony is that this Great Plan isn’t that great at all, because it doesn’t work for the local citizen.

Personally, I’m not sure how I managed to tell my parents I wanted to pursue a career in writing, but I think that speaks volumes about them as parents because they were brave enough to let me follow my own stars.

CN: The book has been well-received in South Africa. Has it been well received in Namibia?

RN: I don’t think many books about home are well-received by the people back home because there is a sense that things which shouldn’t be aired are being put out on the public washing line.

There’s a sense of invasion, especially when the topics or themes being explored are unsavoury and they are voiced by someone who’s considered to be an outsider — like me, I’m Rwandan by birth but Namibian by duration and naturalisation.

So, there are some who don’t consider The Eternal Audience Of One to be an authentic Namibian story because I’m “not really Namibian anyway.” This kind of sentiment is much stronger from places that aren’t subjected to literary scrutiny. So, the Namibian reception is mixed — there are many who think it was high time a story about Namibia was written, and there are others who would’ve preferred a different book about Namibia to be written.

CN: You were at the Open Book Festival and South African Book Fair, share your experience with us.

RN: The Open Book Festival was hands down, so affirming to me as a reader and a writer. It was unreal to be around people who enjoy the art of storytelling so much they’re willing to put their economic resources to host a whole festival for it. Being a reader and meeting other readers with different reading interests was a connective experience.

Few things compare to sharing reading recommendations with people who like books as much as you do.

As a debut author, it was comforting to be welcomed by other authors and seasoned writers. I learned much from them about the craft of writing and the responsibilities that writers carry. I’ve made friends who will be the recipients of long emails in the days to come.

CN: What is next for Rémy?

RN: As a writer: to continue pursuing a lifestyle that permits me to write and keep a roof over my head. I’m working on a collection of short stories that have been well received, eight have been picked up this year alone, and getting into shape for the next long writing project.

As a reader: to immerse myself more in this activity that has always been welcoming and comforting. I have a long list of books to read and time is my only enemy.

- Follow Rémy on social media @remythequill Author Interview by The Cheeky Natives a literary podcast primarily focused on the review, curatorship and archiving of Black literature. cheekynatives.co.za

Books

The Cheeky Natives: The story is set in a number of countries, with political commentary. What inspired this transcontinental journey?

Rémy Ngamije: I was interested in migration and the way foreign places shape people’s desires, fears and ambitions. There is an attraction to the foreign when one isn’t happy with their own geographic setting. Another place always seems to be the solution in such situations, that things might be better if one just left. This speaks to the present moment in southern Africa, and the world, with people leaving their home countries in search of a ‘better,’ whatever that might be. In most instances, these ‘better’ places turn out to be a different setting where you face the same social, economic, and political issues.

Travel

Spotlight

Mpumalanga

words pearl pillay

As one of the most geographically diverse provinces in South Africa, it’s no secret that Mpumalanga translates to the “place of the rising sun”. Bordering both Swaziland and Mozambique, the province of endless views goes all out to make sure that if you’re trying to accomplish the feat of visiting three countries in one day, the South African leg will be more than worth it.

With endless mountain ranges, breathtaking waterfalls and enthralling wildlife, this province should not be overlooked as the perfect holiday spot for nature lovers.

Kruger National Park Top of the list, of course, is the Kruger National Park.

Originally known as the Sabie Game Reserve, the park had its name changed in 1926, and prides itself on offering one of the best wildlife experiences on the continent as the home of the Big Five. Sitting at almost two million hectares, the park is definitely a place to dedicate a few days to. Fortunately, it is home to 12 rest camps, where you can recharge after a long day.

The park is a self-driving facility but if driving away from a herd of elephants is not part of your skill set, you can easily book a game drive through one of the many travel agencies in and around the park. Pro Tip: Plot out a driving route in advance and carry enough snacks and food as once you’re inside, the only places to rest outside your vehicle are the actual camps.

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DESTINY CAREERS

Mpumalanga is home to Richard ‘Gert’ Sibande and Nokuthula Simelane, both anti-apartheid freedom fighters who are honoured here. Sibande, a farm workers’ activist, was one of the first people to be accused in the Treason Trial and helped Ruth First expose the horrific conditions farm workers in the Bethal area were living under. He now has a district municipality named after him and upon visiting the municipality, you will be welcomed with a statue of him as well as a brief history lesson.

The Panorama

Still on the nature trail, no trip to Mpumalanga can be complete without The Panorama. Truly the greatest part of this province, it is home to the Blyde River Canyon, God’s Window, the Mac Mac Falls, and Pilgrim’s Rest – a region that demands to be driven through. Your drive will take you through Hendriksdal where you will drive through the mountains, surrounded by lush pine forests, towards Kiepersol, which has been casually linked to the Garden of Eden and where you will find banana plantations, avocado and mango trees and macadamia nuts.

The Blyde River Canyon All of this leads up to the Beyoncé of The Panorama: The Blyde River Canyon. Known as the largest green canyon in the world, the Blyde River Canyon is truly a magnificent site. With the options of seeing the canyon by water, air or land, the angles for the perfect Instagram photo are endless. Beyond that, the overwhelming sense of peace and relaxation that comes from this wonder of nature is truly unmatched. The Canyon is home to attractions like the Three Rondavels, the Pinnacle Rock and the Echo Caves (known as some of the oldest caves in the world).

Mac Mac pools

Along the way, make stops at the Mac Mac pools, a gorgeous picnic spot which allows you to swim in the natural pools created by the waterfalls in the area.

You can also do this at Bourke’s Luck Potholes (no, not that kind of pothole), a brilliant rock feature formed by pebbles swishing together where the Blyde and Treur Rivers meet. This is a picturesque spot, with many people taking off their shoes and dipping their feet in the tiny rock pools that have been formed around the area. It’s a bit of a walk to get there, but it’s definitely worth being out of breath for.

Goliath’s Foot

If you’re looking for a spiritual journey, Goliath’s Foot might call out to you. Touted as one of the most sacred places in South Africa, Goliath’s Foot is often cited as proof that giants once roamed the earth, and with a matching, opposite footprint in Sri Lanka, it’s easy to be captivated by the myth that the footprint was created by the giant known as e’Mpuluzi, a 10-metre tall woman who was running toward her lover when a volcano erupted, killing her, but leaving an imprint of her foot in the lava.

Of course, there are many other stories that have been passed down through generations but whichever one you choose to believe, this is definitely a sight to see.

Simelane was an Umkhonto we Sizwe operative who “disappeared” in 1983 whilst on a mission to South Africa from Swaziland under the guise of needing to purchase attire for her upcoming university graduation. Her remains have, to date, not been found, and her captors were given amnesty during the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. A statue of her has been erected, facing that of Sibande. Mpumalanga also hosts a historical monument dedicated to President Samora Machel, who was killed in a plane crash in Mbuzini. This monument marks the spot of the crash and was declared a national heritage site in 2006.

Still keeping to the theme of historical travel, you can take a visit to the original Johannesburg, Barberton. The height of the gold rush of the 1800s, Barberton is home to the largest gold rush before Witwatersrand and offers an informative dive into the history of gold that shaped the economy of South Africa. A visit to Barberton should be in tandem with a stop at Pilgrim’s Rest, a monument that is a living museum that documents the gold rush in the area.

Concluding the mining segment of your vacation should be a visit to the Kendal Power Station, the largest coalfired power station in the world, if for no other reason but to scream into the void and ask them what stage 8 of load-shedding actually means.

Mpumalanga is, without a doubt, one of the most underrated provinces in South Africa. Steeped in history and surrounded by indescribable natural beauty, it should be a standard feature on anyone’s travel bucket list.

Travel

History buffs, you’ve not been forgotten either.

Food

You (u)cook

It might be a good idea to update your health resolutions by adding kitchen time to the list of things you’ll definitely, certainly, for real this time, be doing for the rest of the year. Here are some simple and delicious recipes to try, whether you’re a cooking pro or a newbie.

recipes ucook

ASPARAGUS & BERRIES with goats’ cheese & butter beans Light, fruity flavours fill this fresh and filling dish. Best eaten outside on a picnic blanket, under a tree, watching the sunset with a glass of rosé.

Serves: 4 Overall Cooking Time: 35min Active Time: 20min

Ingredients:

200g Goats’ Cheese 480g Asparagus 200g Blackberries 40ml Raspberry Vinegar 120g Mixed Leaves

40g Sunflower Seeds 400g Butternut Chunks 480g Butter Beans 15ml NOMU Provençal Rub

What you need: Oil Salt & Pepper Paper Towel

Procedure: 1.

Place a pan (large enough for the beans) over a medium heat. When hot, toast the sunflower seeds for 2-3 minutes until taking on a bit of colour. Remove from the pan on completion and set the pan aside for later. Meanwhile, drain and rinse the butter beans.

2.

Using a peeler, shave the asparagus into ribbons, discarding the first layers of tough skin. Alternatively, thinly slice the asparagus at an angle. Rinse, dry, and roughly chop the mixed leaves. Rinse the berries and cut in half lengthways. Toss the mixed leaves and asparagus shavings together in a bowl with the raspberry vinegar, some seasoning and a drizzle of olive oil.

3.

Return the pan over a medium-high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, fry the butter beans for 3-4 minutes. In the final 1-2 minutes, add the Provençal Rub and some seasoning. Remove from the pan on completion

4.

Plate up the Provençal beans, stud with goats’ cheese and berries. Top with asparagus and mixed leaves. Sprinkle over the sunflower seeds.

Bon appétit!

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Travel Food

CHICKEN ALLA CACCIATORE Italian-style with sweet potato, olives & basil pesto In Italian cuisine, alla cacciatore refers to a meal prepared “hunter-style” with tomatoes and pepper. Poppy seeds bring an extra element of texture, making this dish perfect to get you through the chillier months.

Serves: 4 Overall Cooking Time: 45min Active Time: 20min

Ingredients:

4 x Chicken Breast Skin on 800ml Cooked Chopped Tomatoes 2 x Green Pepper 160g Pitted Green and Kalamata Olives

60ml Pesto Princess Lemony Basil Pesto 1000g Sweet Potato Chunks 10ml Black Poppy Seeds 3 x Garlic

What you need: Oil Salt & Pepper Sugar/Xylitol

Procedure: 1.

Preheat the oven to 200°C. Evenly spread the sweet potato on a baking tray. Drizzle with oil, season and toss to coat. Roast in the hot oven for about 35-40 minutes until cooked through and turning golden. Shift the tray halfway for even colouring.

2.

Drain and roughly chop the olives. Deseed and cut the peppers into bite-sized chunks. Loosen the basil pesto with 40ml of olive oil. Peel and grate the garlic.

3.

Place a pot on a high heat with a drizzle of oil. When hot, flash-fry the pepper chunks for 2-3 minutes to lightly char but not cook through. You may have to do this step in batches. Remove from the pot on completion. Return the pot to a medium-high heat with the cooked chopped tomato, garlic, 200ml of water, and chopped olives. Bring to a simmer for 15-20

minutes until reduced and thickened. On completion, taste to test and season with salt, pepper, and sugar/ xylitol (if you’d fancy). Stir the pepper chunks through.

4.

Place a nonstick pan (with a lid) on a medium heat with a drizzle of oil. Pat the chicken dry and season.

When the pan is hot, fry the chicken, skin-side down, for about 5-7 minutes. Flip, pop on the lid and fry for a further 5-7 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from the pan and allow to rest for about 5 minutes before slicing. Keep the chicken covered so it stays warm!

5.

Make a bed of roasted sweet potato with a dollop of cacciatore sauce. Top with the sliced chicken. Drizzle the basil pesto over. Sprinkle the poppy seeds on top.

Buon appetito!

Beauty

The perfect office makeup

Has it ever occurred to you that maybe your red lipstick almost cost you the job, or that your thick black cat eye liner keeps you from being invited to work functions and meetings? No, you’re not being paranoid - your office look is as important as your date night look. Not sure how to separate these two looks? Don’t worry, I’m here to help with that.

Tips vuyo varoy

Face You’re probably thinking, “I’ve got to wear foundation”. But it’s okay to skip it, as some foundations tend to be too heavy and end up making you look cakey. You can achieve a clean, flawless look by just applying a tinted moisturiser instead, and finishing it off with a pressed powder for a natural look.

Eyes Subtly enhance your eyes by applying soft browns and plums on your eyelid and into the crease. Blend them together using more café colours like mocha and cappuccino. Leave the winged liner for later on when you’re going on a date night.

Mascara Getting the right mascara, especially for work, can be a bit tricky as you don’t know what the right amount to apply is. All you need to do to have a great looking mascara application is 3 sweeps on each eye and you’re good to go.

Blush Office lighting can be terrible and you need to bring back the health-looking glow to your skin, so neutral pink blushes or bronzers are key in making sure there is life in your face.

Lips Be careful not to wear too much lip gloss as this can make you look like you’re drooling. Wear long lasting and hydrating lipsticks in neutral colours like pink nudes or soft peaches.

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Now let’s switch it up for a date night look Face Now you can apply the foundation but still make sure it’s not too much – look at the areas you think you need it the most. This will most likely be under the eyes and on some blemishes around your face.

Eyes Adding onto what you did for your office look, just add a darker shadow on the crease of the eye and finish it off with a winged black liner and you’re good to go.

Blush A warm blush at night is always a good idea, you want to have that almost sun-kissed look, like you’ve been just absorbing the sun during the day. You can achieve this by adding bronzers that have more red or orange undertones and blush away.

Powder To finish off your look, you’ll need to set it by applying powder in areas that need it. Apply on your T-zone, chin, tip of your nose and a bit under the eyes.

Lips Quickly remove the long lasting lip you were wearing the whole day and line your lips with a red or a burgundy lipliner, depending on your mood that night. Finish it off with a lip colour matching your liner.

Fashion If there is anyone who perfectly captures this month’s theme – being multidisciplinary – it’s Dear Ribane (Manthe Ribane, Tebogo Ribane, Kokona Ribane). The production company and performance artists use their talents across various disciplines: art, fashion, music, art direction, dance. The common threads running through their work are creativity, boldness and fearlessness. This is Dear Ribane in their own words: “A multidisciplinary family creative collective production, with an altered state of mind. Dear Ribane are inspired to build new narratives [and] to create innovative and impactful experience through different mediums of art and performance.” Enjoy the show.

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Exit

Mmamitse

Thibedi Modelled on Marcel Proust’s questionnaire, we ask our favourite people questions which could either reveal who they truly are — or shroud them deeper in mystery.

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Exit Mmamitse Thibedi Creative director and executive producer of Uzalo, Ifalakhe and eHostela

Describe yourself in two words.

Warm and imaginative.

What’s your favourite quality about yourself?

I joke a lot.

What’s your favourite quality in others?

Sincerity.

Your most dominant characteristic?

I’m loving.

Your biggest flaw?

I censor myself too much.

What do you most appreciate in your friends?

Hugs (words can also hug you).

On what occasion do you lie?

Sometimes to get out of a sticky situation.

What would lead you to cut someone off?

If they insist I give them something I don’t have.

What’s your favourite possession?

My laptop and phone make me really happy.

Exit Your idea of happiness?

Chilling on the bed with my dogs.

Your idea of misery?

Working with people I don’t like and respect.

Which word or phrase do you overuse?

Juxtapose (it’s a design thing).

What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning?

I want to say meditate, but the truth is I look at my phone.

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What’s the last thing you do at night?

Look at shark puppy videos with my nephew.

Night owl or morning bird?

Morning bird. I’m really good at waking up early and being happy about it.

If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?

Issa Rae. I love her professional trajectory.

If you could only listen to only one album for the rest of your life, which would it be?

Lauryn Hill MTV Unplugged no. 2.0 – my favourite of all time.

Best advice you’ve ever received?

“Don’t live for other people.” - My Mom How would you like to be remembered?

As one who creates magic that lasts a lifetime.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela was pretty amazing DESTINY CAREERS