Betheny books is making reading a culture of convenience Stories for the people by the people Malahleni News

Reading is becoming a vital element in building and transferring knowledge within communities and the Society at large. As book clubs are becoming more popular by putting book lovers under one roof, such a movement can be found in our very own community of Emalahleni. Betheny Books was founded in 2018 by Bethuel Mbebe and Enica Thlapi who are the Managing Directors of the company. This is a black owned business that sells local and international books in Emalahleni with the purpose of empowering the community and sharing convenient knowledge by transforming and inspiring people through books. Betheny Books also owns a book club with over 50 members. The club gathers together each month for a book reviewal and members share insights on the book they read. Inspired by the impact books were making in our lives and we knew if books can change our lives, creating an environment and a culture of reading could change the society we living in says co-founder Bethuel Mbebe. The company has also commits themselves in serving and uplifting the community by donating books to Hlalanikahle Library of Hope and Coronation High school to name a few. With the incredible work the organisation is does they landed themselves an interview on one of the SABC morning show which has gained them recognition to a vast range of audience. The are many benefits of reading to name a few, such as mental development, vocabulary expansion, decreasing of stress, encourages life goals, stronger analytical thinking, and better writing skills. “The solutions to the problems you are facing are just one book away. Learn to read at least one book a month and your life will never be the same again” Themba Bethuel. by: Precious Masuku

The company sells a variety of books including; African literature, religious, business, biography, spiritual, novels, children’s books and many other categories It is quite true and accurate to say that this is a movement to be reckoned with, Betheny Books is transforming the community of Emalahleni by enforcing the culture of reading which is the most important when building a community or Nation.

Upcoming Book Review Date: 28 September 2019 Book to be reviewed: Finding Umakoti Venue: Visit Vakasha Guest House

Get in touch with Betheny Books on Social Media Platforms: Facebook: Betheny Books Instagram: Betheny_books Twitter: @bethenybooks Youtube: Betheny Books

Contact Details: Call: 063 175 8603 WhatsApp: 061 922 7382 Email: bethuel@betheneybooks.co.za Website: www.betheneybooks.co.za

No more stressful applications for Matriculants when applying at Universities

Challenges matriculants face when applying at Universities become a barrier to attaining a Qualification when their registrations become unsuccessful due to a number of reasons. Project Matric came up with a solution to put an end to application failures by starting a company that assists learners in successfully applying at the Universities of their choice.

The company founders are Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students who saw a need to solve the problem matrics face when they register to further their learning, or finding the right course for them or even lack information and the requirements at Universities they are enrolling.

The purpose of this project is to reduce the unemployment rate and it is to give South African teenagers or anyone who wishes to study at higher level, the opportunity to reach their ultimate goal and make their dreams attainable through education. They believe this project will assist greatly by decreasing the number of walk-ins and late applications.

This project is making it easier for matrics and gives them less stress and worry on applying since they’ll start writing their finals. With all relevant information given to the project team, you can be guaranteed successful applications.

Drummist Djembe a muse of African sounds by: Precious Masuku Charles Sihlangu known by stage name Charley Djembe was born on the 26th of August 1988 in the city of coal, Emalahleni. The young and upcoming vibrant musician started playing instruments back in 2006. He is a creative artist who expresses himself through music and African instruments. Charles Djembe grew up in the dusty streets of Emalahleni former Witbank with nothing but passion for instruments in his heart. He recalls how as a child he’d take shoes and use them as a violin and he would mimic the sounds of the instrument with melodies. In 2016 he travelled to Zimbabwe to learn more about Marimba and also got an opportunity to teach music at a school there. He currently works as a musical teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas School in eMalahleni teaching drums and marimba. He started playing in social events, corporate events and night clubs in 2015 and his distinctive sound has gained him popularity amongst the music scene since then. He has performed in events like the Spring Fiesta in Emalahleni and G3 Farm in Middleburg. He has also performed with big household names, the likes of; Black Coffee, Vick Lavender and Vinny Da Vinci to name a few. He believes that the community of Emalahleni is a beautiful one and has immense talent but is plagued by unfortunate circumstances. He says, there is a lack of business opportunities and employment. He believes schools should receive proper facilities and more initiatives and awareness to fight drugs should be done and the promotion of sports and arts & culture for the betterment of the economy is vital.

A Golden Star on the Rise

By: Precious Masuku A 13-year-old girl from ezinambeni extention 14 has a dream of one day becoming a Scientist. We sat down with the young and energetic Lufuno Makola who attends at Kwa-guqa Primary School situated in Emsagweni at the extensions about her academic achievements. Lufuno who realised at age 8 she was smart after she got eight certificates for all her subjects which she said left her surprised and overwhelmed opens up about her dreams and interests in the different Planets. The young girl enjoys reading informative books and going online to learn through the Vodacom E-book. She is currently conducting her on research on EL Nino as she wants to learn more about the cause of the warming water in the Pacific Ocean in her own words. She enjoys Maths and Science and says her teachers inspire her by how they present the subjects. Lufuno’s class teacher Mr. says “she is the best leaner and in a cream in the school” He describes the young girl as a disciplined, self-reliant and respectful as traits she takes from home. She takes part in debates one being the Science Olympiad which runs on an annual basis as part of the school programmes and other programmes the school does. Mrs. Mugulwana the Principal of Kwaguqa Primary School attests to Lufuno being one of the best and top students the school has ever had. She describes her a humble child with a strong focus on her work. Lufuno says being focused on your studies and practicing everyday will help you improve and become excellent in your subjects a motivation to other children. Her mother states that she realised her daughter was intelligent when Lufuno was in Grade 3. She says her pre-school teachers would tell her about Lufuno’s brilliant mind but came to fully realise this when she received 8 certificates for all her subjects at only age 8. But due to unemployment she could not take her child to study at a good school where she would excel. Lufuno’s wish is to attend school at one of the best skills in the country as she believes she will get more exposed and skilled in her favourite subjects Maths and Science. It is without a doubt that this young lady is exceptionally a dime and has a bright future ahead of her. She sure does have the power and character to change her life and become all she dreams off.

by Precious Masuku Exxaro conducted a two-day transformational programme on “Women in 4IR” at Fortis Hotel in Emalahleni on the 14th and 15th of August. The purpose of the event was to raise awareness on the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) and to empower women in business. The world as we once knew it is changing and the new technology in the 4IR is reshaping how the world once worked and is coming up with new innovations and solutions that disrupt the status quo of normalcy. The new dawn of automation, artificial intelligence and robots was the core discussion in the Women in the 4IR programme which ran for two days. The programme provided women with relevant information and opportunities this new era brings. Women were encouraged to see the 4IR as an opportunity for new business ideas and transformation rather than a threat to jobs said; Nicky Verd, one of the guest speakers of the event. “Adapting to the new ground-breaking technologies that are changing the way we interact with the world around us is vital and the 4IR is here to create jobs and bring new opportunities” she says. The event was attended by women from different industries with speakers who shared their thought on the subject and shared their success stories on building powerful businesses and brands. Speakers included; Faith Mangope a broadcaster on eNCA as a news anchor, Palesa Sibeko Co-founder of Signil a Consultant and design facilitation Company and Vicky Nerd author of ‘Disrupt Yourself or be Disrupted’. The programme involved training on the second day where women were taught the basics of social coding. Here they learnt how to design an automation box and how to train a robot to answer Frequently Asked Questions for their business websites.

Communications minister - Stella-Ndabeni-Abrahams

“Robots are not smarter than us because we train them how to interact with us” said Karabo Mphele a lady who attended the event. She further goes on to say as a young woman in business she sees the 4IR as an opportunity for entrepreneurship and stresses that this is the revolution the world has been waiting for and she is ready to embrace the change it brings. With the digital age upon us from smartphones, automation machines, tablets, convenience to platforms like; banking apps or online shopping. It is without a doubt the 4th Industrial Revolution is a force to be reckoned with. You either adapt or get left behind is the notion of this new revolution. .

Emalahleni’s Court Manager opens up on the challenges of his job by Precious Masusku Being a Court Manager comes with a lot of challenges. But born into the royal family of the Ndebele tribe, Thulani Mabena, Emalahleni’s Magistrate Court Manager knows just how to deal with the pressure. Mr Mabena grew up in the Emalahleni township Kwaguqa where he attended Primary school at Magubane and later matriculated at Edu Combined School in Pretoria. Mr Mabena who grew up herding cattle as a young boy, never imagined that one day he would be at the helm of one of the biggest Courts in the Region. Destiny played its role by shaping his future when one day he received a call from one of his neighbours informing him about job vacancies that were available at the Emalahleni Magistrate court. He didn’t hesitate and went on to apply and got the job as he started his career out as an Interpreter. Mr Mabena started growing interest in Court management and pursued further studies by obtaining a qualification. He was then lucky to further his studies and getting assistance from the Government to enrol for a Coperate management course at the University of the Free State where he then obtained his qualification in Interpretation of Statutes that landed him the title of court manager. He upholds the South African constitution as one of the best constitutions in the world with a clearly outlined mandate of The Department of Justice. “Justice is accessible to all the people of South Africa irrespective of race, age, religion, social standing, whether it’s, domestic violence, maintenance services, small claims court, estate or criminal court the services are accessible to all. With one of the best justice systems globally our responsibility is then to assist, whether rich or poor, to access our services” he says. One service though, that’s close to his heart, is the maintenance court.He believes a country that doesn’t take care of its children is bound to be in doom. He therefore dedicates most of his time to making sure these cases are finalised within the time frame as set out by the Department of Justice and that all key players participate accordingly in ensuring the well-being of the child at the end of the day. Mr Mabena says being a Court manager comes with a lot of challenges on a daily basis from the heavy flow of work, to dealing with cases of staff, one could really loose his sanity in this position. But his love for people and Country makes it worthwhile, as he enjoys being a servant of Justice to the public. He believes, as a Court manager, its his best way of serving the community of Emalahleni. Mr Mabena is also a cultured man who also assists and sit in Traditional courts back at Kwa-Ndebele as a way to serve his role of Justice in his own Tribe. “I enjoy being an African, culture plays a major role in my life”. He says culture is a lifeblood of a person that shapes the behaviour and conducts the concept of Ubuntu in a person. He says success is having to leave something for future generations to inherit. He believes the youth is very fortunate to be living in South Africa where there is access to free education and a lot of opportunities that lay within their reach, they must stand up and start businesses to make a positive contribution to the economy. They must go to school and acquire the much-needed skills in order to develop themselves and the country. As much as there are so many negatives we are facing as a country right now, there are also positives they must take note off. Let’s fight crime and unite to build this country”. Thulani Mabena, Emalahleni’s Magistrate Court Manager

There is a prevalence of overweight and obesity in our society, because of a lot of western cultures we adapted. It is very important to weigh ourselves regularly, to know if we are underweight, overweight, obese or we have a normal weight. Overweight means having a weight for height that is above normal or desirable, whereas obesity mean having excessive body fat of more than that of an overweight person. This is caused by consuming more food (energy) than your body needs and not exercising enough causing the body to store the energy as fat. Some may blame their genes for being overweight and obese, forgetting that our lifestyleplays a big role in our weight state. A healthy and balanced diet will greatly assist in weight management. This can be achieved by not skipping meals, enjoying a variety of healthy foods, eating plenty of fruit and vegetables, eating unrefined high fiber starches, eating lean meat and other protein sources, drinking lots of clean safe water and consuming less salt, fat and sugar. Going to a dietician helps one maintain a healthy balanced checklist of do’s and don’ts . Being active, exericising regularly and monitoring what you eat can save and prevent obesity levels among our society. Being active is as easy as choosing stairs instead of the lift or escalator. Walk faster, skip, join sports, take a jog, park your car or get off the taxi, bus or train some distance away so that you can walk part of the way. Always remember that eating healthy and being physically active goes hand in hand. You cannot eat healthy without exercising and vice versa. Dietician - Sharon Mphahlele

Charley Sihlangu aka Djembe

By: Precious Masuku

Charley Sihlangu known by stage name as Charley Djembe was born on the 26th of August 1988 in the city of coal, Emalahleni. The young and upcoming vibrant musician started playing instruments back in 2006. He is a creative artist who expresses himself through music and African instruments. Charles Djembe grew up in the dusty streets of Emalahleni former Witbank with nothing but passion for instruments in his heart. He recalls how as a child he’d take off his shoes and use them as a violin and would mimic the sounds of the instrument with melodies. In 2016 he travelled to Zimbabwe to learn more about Marimba and also got an opportunity to teach music at a school there. He currently works as a musical teacher at St. Thomas Aquinas School in eMalahleni teaching drums and marimba. He started playing in social events, corporate events and night clubs in 2015 and his distinctive sound has gained him popularity amongst the music scene since then. He has performed in events like the Spring Fiesta in Emalahleni and G3 Farm in Middleburg. He has also performed with big household names, the likes of; Black Coffee, Vick Lavender and Vinny Da Vinci to name a few. He believes that the community of Emalahleni is a beautiful one and has immense talent but is plagued by unfortunate circumstances and challenges that delay the growth of the City in the Arts sector. Djembe says there is a high level of unemployment that exists in the community and lack of business opportunities. “I would love to see schools receiving proper learning facilities. I believe that more awareness campaigns to fight drugs off our street is very vital in transforming the community. The promotion of Arts & Culture within our community as very important and can play a major role in economic transformation and development”.

By Precious Masuku

Emalahleni Youth Against Substance Abuse [EYASA] Sports Academy is a Non-Profit Organisation established in 2012 with the purpose of raising awareness and fighting the growing scourge of drugs and alcohol abuse in the community. They hosted their annual soccer and netball games at the Lynnville stadium as one othe their awareness programmes. “We hosted our 2nd annual Sports games with the aim of nurturing young talent, by promoting mental health, wellness, building of confidence, growth stimulation, physical strength building, release of stress and anxiety from personal life at home or at school and the importance of understanding team work for all children who participated in the games”, said founder of the organisation Crosswell Libazi. The sport tournament games were launched in 2018 and started out with four Primary schools playing against each other which took place at eZinambeni Kwa-guqa Primary School along Makuse, Siphendule and Moruti Makuse Primary School. This year took a different approach. Teams that participated in the tournament consisted of local teams from the Location, Klarinet and eZinambeni competing against each other for the title of the best soccer and netball team of under 15/16 of Emalahleni. The tournament served also as a trial for talent scouting and placement in the EYASA Sports Academy. The purpose of the academy is to encourage and create a culture of sports-based programmes that are vital for growth, social change and impact in these children’s life. They are a platform to address some social ills prevalent in the community, they are to educate and campaign against substance abuse and to keep the children off the streets. They are designed to transform and empower the children of the community using sport as a motivation for their own personal success. “The strong purpose is to prevent the younger generation from experimenting with drugs and alcohol. We believe in such measures and physical activities because prevention is better than cure” said Libazi. For the past two years the event has been taking place, Emalahleni Local Municipality and Glencore were the main sponsors. This is one of the effective ways of tackling youth issues and addressing challenges of substance abuse. Sports programmes are also about bringing communities together and inspiring social change and impact within society.