#100MenMarch stands up against women and children violence

Over 1000 men gathered in the country’s capital in anticipation for the 100MenMarch to the Union Buildings with an intention to highlight the impact of violence against women and children while also calling for an end to the violence. The march took place on the 10^th July as part of the Nelson Mandela centenary celebrations. A host of reputable speakers from civil society, government, religion, and media shared messages with the masses.

The programme director on the day was Minister of Communications, Nomvula Mokonyane who called on men to not only march but practice what they preach as well. She requested men to hold hands and say ‘not in my name, no means no, I am Mandela’s product, real men don’t abuse and rape – they love and protect’. The minister and other government officials lit a torch and signed a pledge board vowing to help stop gender-based violence in South Africa.

The police brass band opened proceedings by reciting national anthem.

Hundreds of young law enforcement officers from the South African Police Service (SAPS) Tshwane Training Academy took part in the 100MenMarch. Police Minister, Bheki Cele said the potential officers’ invitation to these proceedings was to urge them to protect women. “When women come to police stations battered, bruised and bloodies, they should not be sent back home to negotiate because that is sending them to their deaths,” he said.

Cele continued his address by stating, “If you can’t handle her, turn around and walk away, because if you put a hand on her, you are no more a man.”

The minister also urged women not to stay in abusive relationships. “Women don’t stay with a man who raises his hand against you, leave because he will proceed to stabbing you with a knife,” Cele’s remarks about women taking care of themselves didn’t go down well with some as they felt he was putting the blame squarely on them.

Another grouping that didn’t support the march was #TOTALSHUTDOWN, a women’s league that often marches against intersectional gender-based violence. The national spokesperson of its task team claimed they were not part of the march. “We cannot march with our perpetrators, we cannot continue pretending that everything is okay whilst we are murdered on a daily basis and assaulted right in front of a government that is not taking any action,” said the spokesperson. They also stated that formed Department of Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister, Mduduzi Manana, is still walking free after getting a slap on the wrist in court and with no action taken after assaulting his domestic worker. The organization believes this march was a PR stunt from the government. They are striking against the march as they don’t feel safe around men.

Amongst other government officials at the march, was the Minister of Women in the Presidency, Bathabile Dlamini, who said violence against women and children is against humanity and urged men to understand that when a woman says No she means No.

Executive Mayor of the City of Tshwane, Cllr Solly Msimanga walked side by side with other men around the capital city. He encouraged men to stand against violence on women and children. “We need to say enough is enough, we will take a stand and say we will protect women and children,” he said.

National Parliament’s Deputy Speaker, Lechesa Tsenoli urged men not to use violence to resolve disagreements. “When we become violent, it doesn’t solve the problem, it simply complicates things and this has a huge impact on children, said Tsenoli. He further stated that its impact on society as a whole is bad as it reaffirms the notion that this is how problems are solved and it is not worth it.

Tsenoli told the crowd they could benefit a lot more by using persuasion. “Persuade and be persuaded as men, this is a better and more humane way of handling things”, he concluded.

 Photos: Google

Inspiring youth’s lives through jazz: 

Tshepo Maseko

T

shepo Maseko worked for a couple of companies but after not being satisfied with the way he was treated and the wages he was given, he opted to trade it so he could follow his passion for music. Armed with his father’s support, Tshepo founded a company and named it Elephant Maseko, which assists young talented musicians through a project titled It Has To Be Jazz.

According to a recent study, our taste in music changes as we get older to match the shifting circumstances in our lives. The elderly tend to listen to classical and jazz music whereas the youth lean towards contemporary music such as pop and hip-hop. Using It Has To Be Jazz, Tshepo is disrupting the generational listening trends. The project’s aim is to expand the platform for young jazz cats and sister to get their music out whilst also preserving the genre for the future.

Tshepo established this project working with friends and musicians he’s known for a while. The project grew through word of mouth and has attracted struggling young musicians looking to get their big break. They meet on a regular basis at a studio in Pretoria, 15 to 30 minutes later they’re jamming and that jam is being recorded. In fact, every aspect of these sessions is documented. “A group of jazz musicians who have never met before, gather in a studio to jam and record together for the very first time,” says Maseko.

“I can’t change people but I can plant a seed and they can decide what to do with that seed”

The 27-year-old possesses a Degree in Marketing Management and a Diploma in Sound Engineering. He wasn’t happy working at an event management company so he decided to quit his job and pursue a career in music. Tshepo says the inspiration to get his company registered comes from his dad. “It Has To Be Jazz project is a gift of love from my father. The project remained a concept for a while waiting for the right opportunity to be explored and implemented,” he says.

Through the project, they expose raw talent in the industry where young jazz musicians get to do what they love doing best, which is to get into several jam sessions and showcase their talent. They sell their albums and engage in live performances as well.

These are but a few of the many skill sets that have become invaluable in successfully running and growing It Has To Be Jazz while addressing the issue of entrepreneurial opportunities for the youth. Poetry is also an integral part of It Has to Be Jazz when jazz and poetry are combined.

They are not just recorded, but also documented in a book. The first has been published, titled It Has To Be Jazz - Captured Moments, it profiles each of the musicians and the ideas behind the album they have contributed in. The other albums, already recorded, are called Spontaneous Combustion, The Exchange, The Horn of Africa, Mother Tongue and Playground.

The biggest piece of advice Tshepo can give to young people is to take 100% responsibility for their lives and stop feeling sorry for themselves.

His biggest fear is to let his parents down because they have sacrificed and invested a lot in him. He is a family orientated young man and when free, he makes sure he spends time with them. As for ladies, he is so single.

Being in control of his own time and talents and building a legacy for the next generation gives Tshepo the most satisfaction. “I can’t change people but I can plant a seed and they can decide what to do with that seed,” he concludes.

Q & A with Jackie Phamotse, author of Bare_The Blesser’s Game

 From blessee to entrepreneur

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ackie Phamotse has experienced the trauma of gang-raping at age 17, homeless and abuse. At only 29-years of age, she is the author of the best selling autobiographical novel, Bare_The Blesser’s Game, which exposes young women to the realities of the blessee lifestyle often glamorised. Jackie became a success against the odds, she is currently a businesswoman, motivational speaker and brand strategist for MoFaya. She is currently traveling across the continent launching her book and despite her tight schedule we managed to have a quick interview with her.

·         

  What is the inspiration behind your book?

I started working on Bare the blesser’s game in 2014 after realizing I was dealing with a lot of unresolved personal issues and my standing in the society which prompted me to share my experience with those seeking my assistance. We are raised and taught to regard our parents as our seniors where we cannot confide in them when faced with challenges. It was imperative that I communicate my teenage struggles as I entered adulthood. Writing served as my way out because I found it difficult sharing my mental struggles with friends. While writing and conducting research on the issue of sugar daddies and human trafficking, I came to realize that lots of girls around the globe were struggling with similar issues.  

Sex trafficking or slavery is the exploitation of women and children, within national or across international borders, for the purposes of forced sex work. Commercial sexual exploitation includes pornography, prostitution and sex trafficking of women and girls, and is characterized by the exploitation of a human being in exchange for goods or money. Each year, an estimated 800,000 women and children are trafficked across international borders—though additional numbers of women and girls are trafficked within countries. 

Fact is, some of this human trade is highly visible, an example is prostitution. However, a lot of trafficking victims remain unseen, operating out of unmarked brothels in unsuspecting and sometimes suburban neighborhoods. Human trafficking victims may also operate in public and private locations such as massage parlours and strip clubs.

Adult women make up the largest group of sex trafficking victims, followed by girl children, while a small percentage of men and boys are trafficked into the sex industry as well. 

Human trafficking migration patterns tend to flow from East to West, but women may be trafficked from any country to another at any given time and trafficking victims exist everywhere. The poorest and most unstable countries have the highest incidences of human trafficking, with poverty being a common bond among trafficking victims. Where economic alternatives do not exist, women and girls are more vulnerable to being tricked and coerced into sexual servitude.

 Increased unemployment and high unemployment levels have undermined women's incomes and their economic position. A stalled gender wage gap, as well as an increase in women's part-time and informal sector work, push women into low paying jobs and hidden unemployment, which leaves women vulnerable to sex traffickers. Social media sex work has increased over the last 3 years and women now find it easy to trade themselves online for material goods, lavish lifestyles, overseas trips and swanky apartments. In some cases, sugar daddies supplement their tertiary fees and force them into various sex cults. In my book, I share a story that many people in the world relate too.

·         
  What is the objective of your book?

BARE, is social lifestyle educational novel.

It educates as well as informs young people of the dangers of sugar daddies while also shedding light on this dangerous phenomenon. I wanted to open doors to conversations that many fear to tap into.

Organized crime is largely responsible for the spread of international human trafficking and sugar daddy relationships are the biggest trend that increases cases of human trafficking. Sex trafficking—along with its correlative elements, kidnapping, rape, prostitution and physical abuse—is illegal in nearly every country. However, widespread corruption and greed make it possible for sex trafficking to quickly and easily proliferate. Though national and international institutions may attempt to regulate and enforce anti-trafficking legislation, local governments and police forces may, in fact, be participating in sex trafficking rings.

·         How has your life changed after releasing the book?

Apart from death threats and people stopping me for pictures and sharing their stories with me, my life is truly very simple. I started my career as a model and that on its own placed me in the spotlight. So, becoming a self-published bestselling author has given me opportunities that many fail to attain. I recently launched BARE in Swaziland and did a documentary with BBC Africa in Kenya, it has been an amazing journey.

My focus is on women education and empowerment and I am launching my foundation end of June ( SAVE A TREASUER FOUNDATION ) I am also a motivational speaker so I use the book to share insights on how we can solve social ills in Africa. I am also busy writing the next 3 books which will be released in 2019-2020.

·   What was your hardest scene to write, and why?

BARE is extremely detailed and graphics, however, the hardest must have been the rape scene in chapter 14 and my mother being kicked out of her home. Those parts took me a very long time to overcome and complete. Even after I had printed the book I can’t read those chapters. Being gang raped is a heavy mental process and it affects you for years, so going back and writing about was truly difficult. It opened old wounds. The chapters about my family foundation were tricky to write too as it exposed a lot of family secrets and my siblings were not ready for what I had to share with the world.

·       How long did it the take you to gather up the courage to write the book?

3 years.

          The way your book ends raises a lot of questions, are you planning to write part two?

Yes, there is a sequel titled BARE the doors of the hockey club.

·    Towards the end of your book, you mentioned a couple of women who died in the name of love. The number of violence against women has escalated, what’s your take on that?

It's horrific that every day a woman is killed by a lover, we need to educate our men and find better solutions to abusive men. What is scarier is that women die just after they leave abusive men, which means the biological strength of men is poor.

         What advice can you give to young women who feel like dating blessers is the “it” thing or is the only option for them to get out of poverty or any circumstance?

Work to achieve your own dreams because no amount of money will increase your personal value. Education opens a chain of sustainable opportunities that money can’t give you. Just believe in your own self-value and dreams.

·    By looking at social media, your book hit a lot of nerves, some positive others negative. How do you deal with haters?

I don’t entertain such at all. It has no effect on me.

The ex-blessee bares it all in her book, purchase yourself a copy on her website www.jackiephamotse.com and in all bookstores including Exclusive Books, Bargain books, Take a Lot.com and University Bookshops including Compubooks.

Jackie Phamotse has been recognised for contribution to literature in Africa by the African Icon Awards in Lagos, Nigeria and will accept the award for Literary Icon of the Year for 2018

Photo Credit: Instagram

Hard work pays off: 

Class of 2018 graduation celebration 

For the past few months, institutions of higher education all over South Africa hosted their graduation ceremonies where students were officially honored and conferred with their respective qualifications. This serves as proof of how unstoppable young people can be and displays their zeal for world dominion. Grad is always a great occasion and we’ve included some wonderful graduation photos seen on social media. 

Celebrity fitness trainer, Sbahle Mpisane has obtained a bachelor’s degree in housing and town planning from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

Actress and philanthropist, Nomzamo Mbatha graduated with a BCom Accounting degree from the University of Cape Town (UCT). She wore a dress filled with pictures of her loved ones who have passed away along with the contact numbers for the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG).

The Nelson Mandela University Law graduates, from left to right: Ruaan de Lange, Nikita Govendor & Susan Bowden.

      

   Shanel Thole and friend obtained their Psychology degree from the University of Johannesburg (UJ).

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          Simon Chisala Phiri obtained his Bachelor of Science with honours in Psychology at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

7.   

And guess what readers, I Sibongile Vukela obtained my Journalism Diploma at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) where I am currently pursuing a BTech.

“Young people must take it upon themselves to ensure that they receive the highest education possible so that they can represent us well in future as future leaders.”- Nelson Mandela

Congratulations to the 2018 autumn graduates.

Be careful of “Fly by night” colleges

Deciding on your next step after matric can be both exciting and confusing for any young person who’s spent over 10 years in a classroom setup. We have witnessed learners braving the intense heat and blistering cold as they converge to universities to start the journey for a better life for themselves and their families. Due to limited spaces in public universities, a lot of prospective students are forced to consider private colleges in a bid to avoid taking a gap year.

We are in no way implying that colleges shouldn’t be considered as an option and depending on a student’s future plans post-tertiary, a college could offer more to a younger than a university. A lot of colleges offer qualifications that do not require a national senior certificate for enrolment and courses you can complete under 12 months.

 

There is no shortage of good private training colleges offering accredited qualifications but we have seen a gradual increase in the number of bogus/ fly-by-night institutions taking advantage of desperate youth. These bogus colleges are not registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and their qualifications not accredited by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). They operate illegally without the necessary paper work and brought heartache to thousands of students.

One victim of such colleges is Jabulile Mkhwanazi*, a 25-year-old lady with a passion for the nursing profession. To realize her dream, she used R36,000 from her father’s pension payout to register for a nursing qualification at a popular private institution. Jabulile says she couldn’t complete her studies as a result of a “misunderstanding” with the Nursing Council. “We were informed the college was in extensive consultations with the Nursing Council which resulted in us undertaking an extended course, unfortunately further investigations revealed the college was not entirely honest,” said Mkhwanazi.

She said her decision to enroll at that particular college was based on the fact that it was well-known and she could acquire her nursing diploma in 2 years. “I opted not to register at a public university because I’d have to study towards a 4-year diploma and would struggle to acquire the finances for such,” said Mkhwanazi.

Upon realization that the academy was unregistered, Mkhwanazi and her fellow classmates decided to lodge a formal complaint at a local police station while also roping in a political party. The young lady’s dreams to become a professional nurse and contribute towards healthcare were shuttered. With no money to further her studies, Jabulile is now an unskilled jobseeker.

The DHET confirmed Thuto Bophilo Nursing Academy (Pty) Ltd’s   provisional registration was cancelled on 11^th August 2014. This is the college Mkhwanazi had entrusted with her father’s pension payout.

According to DHET, all private TVET colleges and higher education institutions must be registered with  them and qualifications should be accredited by SAQA.

DHET Deputy Chief Education Specialist, Monica Motloi said the quality of education and training provided by such private education institutions and the validity of their qualifications was of great concern to the department. “We are working closely with law-enforcement agencies to bring to book private institutions operating illegally and we would like to encourage students to report them to the police,” she said.

Motloi said the police continue to conduct raids on fly-by-night colleges based on complaints and cases opened against them. She also stated that the DHET is currently undertaking a national education campaign aimed at educating the public on these colleges. “This campaign creates awareness and enhances the level of understanding for both parents and prospective students,” she explains. The campaign is further aimed at informing the public to exercise their right to demand the following information before they enter into any contractual agreements with private colleges:

• ·         Is the college registered and qualification accredited?
• ·         Can it provide a brochure with all its details, including qualifications offered?
• ·         Does it operate in suitable and safe premises with adequate space, lighting and appropriate equipment?
• ·         Can it provide full details of its academic staff and their qualifications?
• ·         How does it compare with other public colleges in terms of qualifications and services offered?
• ·         Can it provide a sample copy of a learning contract?

Any member of the public can inspect the Register of private colleges to determine   which private colleges are provisionally registered to offer continuing education and training qualifications on the following address:

www.dhet.gov.za/Resources/Registers or contact DHET at 080 087 2222.

With regard to claiming a refund from a fly-by-night college, students can approach their nearest Small Claims Court for the amount up to R15 000,00 and if the amount is above R15 000,00 they can engage an Attorney.

Photos: Google

Movie Review: Acrimony 

Tyler Perry's Acrimony is a 2018 American psychological thriller film produced, written, and directed by Tyler Perry. The film follows a loyal wife who decides to take revenge on her unfaithful husband.

Cast: Taraji P. Henson (Melinda), Lyriq Bent (Robert), Jazmyn Simon (June) & Crystle Stewart (Diana)

I

 have seen a lot of films but this particular movie is something else. Melinda, a young college attending girl brought up in a middle-class family, falls in love with a poor fellow student whose father happens to be a prisoner. The young man named Robert suffered a tragedy as a result of his mom dying when he was very young, which has resulted in him living all alone in a recreational vehicle (RV).

During the course of the movie, Melinda’s mom passes away and Robert is there for her. She falls deeply in love with him and loses her virginity to the young man. Melinda inherits a home and receives money left behind by her late mother. She informs Robert about the inheritance, which does not go down well with her sisters, they are not very fond of her boyfriend. Robert sees this as a ticket to a better life and demands niceties from his girlfriend. Melinda buys him a car, takes him out on expensive dates and pays for his tuition.

After everything she has done him, Robert cheats on Melinda with Diana. Melinda catches them red-handed having sex in his RV. Guess what she does next? She drives her car into Robert’s RV and in the event, she unfortunately hurts herself and is admitted to the emergency room at the hospital where it is ascertained that she has sustained injuries that will prevent her from having children.

You know guys will always be guys, right? Especially when they know that they have something to benefit. Robert apologizes and the two reconcile. He proposes to Melinda with a plastic ring, imagine and they are soon married. On their wedding day, Melinda’s sisters do not pitch because they are not happy about their relationship, they could see Robert was only with Melinda for her inheritance and the cheating hasn’t earned him any brownie points.

When Robert finally graduates from college, Melinda is happy believing life will improve because he will find a job and will contribute financially. Melinda has two jobs she is not very fond of but carries out her duties because she does not have a choice. It is not easy for Robert to get a job because of his shoplifting conviction at age 15 which resulted in him obtaining a criminal record. The worst part is that he only informs Melinda after their marriage.

Robert decides he is going to invent a rechargeable battery and spends Melinda’s money designing it. He convinces her to mortgage her mother’s house in order to continue funding his work. It is not easy for Melinda so she agrees. It’s also not easy for Robert to make his invention a success, years go by without him getting any offers but he doesn’t give up and his patience costs them a lot of money.

For the sake of saving Melinda’s house from going under the hammer, Robert’s in-laws try to get him to work with them at a delivery service, something he is not very keen on. After much persuasion, he reluctantly takes up the offer.

Robert later reconnects with Diana, who offers to set up a meeting between him and her boss Prescott in hope of selling his battery design.

This movie will get you sucked in from the very first scene and triggers your emotions. I would recommend everyone to go see it. I also believe this is the best Tyler Perry movie with Taraji P. Henson is the best person to play Melinda character.