Ibingumyadala wombhiyozo kwi sixeko ekuthiwa yi Alexandra Township izolo, xa uTato oMkhulu welali egqiba iminyaka emashum asibhozo ananye yeminyaka.
Pan Africa Mall enika elixhego lingu Twala amabhakete ayi 1200 okutya
I traka ngee traka bezigilana kwi ndlu yelixhego kleviki. Ziza ziphethe izipho ngezipho zokubhafisa lo mfo.
Imini yakhe, uqale ukuyibhiyozela ngolwesibinini kwi Cawe ka tatu Bisho Nhlanhla Nhlapo ebizwa ngoba yi God Never Fails.
Apho, iqonga wayecula nalo likwaba liqonga lika mama wakhe, Midnight Harmonies, likhe lacula livuyisa oomakhulu kwaye naye ngale mini yakhe yokuzalwa.
Kuba imini yangolwesibini ibimfutshane, uphinde waphinda kwakhona sele bhakelwe ikuku yi Pan Africa Mall kwanye ne Talis Property and Redefined Property Group.
I Pan Afrika Mall ikhuphe amabhakethe okutya a ngaphayo kwe 1200 ukuze lo tata anike oomaKhulu bakhe.
Lomfo uyabathanda kakhulu ke lamaxhegwazana akhe. Kwaye ne ntombi yakhe yokugqubela uGcina uthi, utata lo wakhe akasanqandeki xa esebenzela abamakhulu.
Khroqo ngemigqibelo yofika lo ka Twala ekhupha impahla no kutya ukuze lamaxhegwazana elelali akwazi ukutya nabantwana babo.
Uyewaxelela abantu base Alexandra ukuba baze banga yeki ukulwela unhlaba wabo.
Wabaxwayisa nanga ngok'ba kukho bantu abathi umhlaba wase Lanbro Park nase Frankenwald abantu base Alexandra fanele bakhuphe R15000 for wona.
"Xa ungasebenzi wena kuqala, uzoyifumanaphi lomali? Lamhlaba ngowabantu base Alexandra Township qha", litshilo ke ixhego elifuna kwakhiwe elinye ikhaya labantu abadala kwalapha kwesisi xeko. Etsho exelela omnye wabantu base Redefine properties Group, Talis Property Fund and The Afrika Mall staff.
Klo nyaka umbiyozo walomfo ubuxhaswe nayiyo i Zanele Mbeki Foundation, Gift of the Givers, Shoprite.
Cutting the Cake...Twala share his cake with those who came to celebrate with him
Our father, the President of Alexandra Township has urged the youth of the oldest township in South Africa, to take on the baton from where he and others left of in the 60s.
FATHER...The president of Alex celebrated his 81st birthday
"I hear report that the land in Linbro Park, and Frankenworld have been taken by other people,' says Bab' Linda Twala.
He was addressing the community who came to celebrate his 81st birthday at Bishop Nhlanhla Nhlapo's God Never Fails (GNF) church on Tuesday this week.
Helicopter ride on the cards... Twala speaking about the importance of kids riding a helicopter
Though, the turn out of sponsors at this year's annual celebration was affected by the G-20 event which was hosted in the country last month.
But the Gift of the Givers Foundation,The Zanele Mbeki Foundation and Shoprite were part of the sponsors that turned out to make sure that the senior citizens of the township received their food parcels and enjoy the activities of the day.
The food parcels for the grannies who came to celebrate Ntate Twalas birthday
Before he addressed the youth of the township, he first asked the community to come on board donating money so that the children of Alexandra township can have educational tours which include helicopter rides.
"These children need to be exposed to such as this will broaden their minds," he said.
Another elderly showed appreciation for Twala's role in the struggle and how he was constantly harassed by the security police for hiding and feeding the youngsters then who rebelled against the then apartheid government.
According to google search, Frankenworld also pronounced as Frankenwald is a major urban development site slated for massive affordable housing projects to of about 30 thousand units.
The project is designed to address a massive housing shortages, intergrade communities and support Alexandra's de-densification involving developments, public participation and educational initiatives by the Wits University.
The project also aims to transform unused land into a new city hub. It currently faces challenges like legacy land disputes and environmental concerns.
According to Nelson Mandela's long walk to Freedom and advocate Tembeka Ngcukaitobi's The Land is Ours, the land was forcefully taken from the Xhosas, Zulus and Basothos during the first and second Anglo-Boer War. Zulu's tried to fight men with swords and guns with spears and shield.
The Basothos tried to negotiate for the land lost after the war but their pleas just like the Xhosa and Zulus were ignored.
Instead the Xhosa King of that time, King Sandile was stripped of all his powers and were transferred to Charles Brownee, an Afrikaaner who didn't like black people and was ready to shoot and kill anyone they didn't like.
King Cetshwayo ka Mpande was forced to exile.
Up to 1994 white South Africans used to celebrate the defeat of the great Zulu leader, Dingane at the battle of Blood River in 1838 on December 16.
While Black South Africans mourned the day of the massacre of Zulu impis(warriors or soldiers) who fought Boers with guns and they only has assegais that time.
Three Cakes for an old man
It is said that the water of the nearby river ran red with blood of the impis who were trying to protect their own land.
Centuries later after decades of the formation of the African, National Congress(ANC) and exhausting all avenues of peaceful protests and demonstrations with the nationalist government on black matters including land.
The ANC military wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe frustrated by the racist government launched their first attack on it using homemade bombs which destroyed power stations, government offices in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Durban.
All the efforts was to try and get their land back from the white man.
Speaking at the celebration on Tuesday, Bab' Twala said there were people demanding that Alexandrians must first earn R15 000 a month can in order to occupy the space.
"Where are you going to get that kind of money if you are unemployed?
That land belong to the people of Alexandra Township. We fought for it and got it back way back in 1967," said Twala.
According to google search, Linbro Park, a mixed-used area adjecent to the township is known for its logistics/industrial zones and developing residential areas serving as key part of the Alexandra Renewal Programme (ARP) that built infrastructure like water reservoirs and roads to upgrade living conditions int he dense, historically disadvantaged township.
The celebration continues at his centre, in 16th avenue today.
Caption: Stealing a selfie moment with Bassie at The Herald Miss PE held at the Feather Market Centre in 2009. Bassie was the MC on the night attorney Di-Ann Qoto won.
Helllloooowwww ...there!!!!!!! Welcome to South Africa's women's month.
Pic from SA History online.. The faces of the 9th August March
I don't know about you, but I still can't believe that it is exactly 69 years since the women, across all racial groups in the country marched to the Union Building in Pretoria.
Yes, the over 20,000 women lead by Mam' Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu and Sophia Williams-De Bruyn
Picture from SA History on line.. The brave faces behind the famous historic march of 1956
I don't think J.G. Strijdom who was the prime minister then was expecting the unity and the courage of these women who were sick of the oppressive pass laws.
At the launch of Bassie-My Journey of Hope in Sandton in 2019
So in the unity spirit amongst us women uniting and passing on the baton, I thought why not do a close look on the book, Bassie-My Journey of Hope. Miss&Mr Freshett Nelson Mandela Metro University 2019
This was released by Penguin Random House in 2019.
Besides, we are all about creating the culture of reading amongst us South Africans and Africans especially with the group that the like of Bassie speak to.
We really need to know about our story, gone are days where someone else told our stories and there was a broken telephone situation or sensory of information.
Miss Gauteng finalist
This is a book that every beauty pageant girl in South Africa should have. Bassie is the face of the post apartheid beaty pageant queen.
Pic from the Bassie book launch in 2019
I mean the girl, GXHEBE!!! the big sister was rolling with the president of the country then, Nelson Mandela and the relationship lasted until his last days and even after his passing, Bassie continued to be a child that can give the family all the support it needed from a child.
Nelson Mandela's Memorial Service held at the FNB stadium with US president then, Barack Obama speaking at the memorial service
During the disorganized memorial service where important people that needed to be properly credited and given a chance to pay their last respect to the men were not given the chance.
Nelson Mandela's funeral service in Qunu
To Mam' Operah Winfrey, thee mother of talk shows having to pose for a selfie before they will get an accreditation to the funeral.
As much as she spills everything, I'm only assuming out of disgust of how we (South Africans) have
quickly forgotten where we come from and the respect that was instilled in us by our parents just flew out of the window as soon as we heard and given the word, rights.
Bassie Book Launch 2019(I think pics were taken from her instagram account or I took them, not sure)
In her book, she also pays a tribute to Mama Winnie Madikezela Mandela. The two last met in hospital.
Footage from
The old lady gave her a bit of a lecture on how she needed to pass on the baton i.e train other youngsters to be in the position she is currently in.
With Alexandra Townships upcoming beauty queens
In the Book, Bassie also introduce you to the other side of her. The normal South African woman who
also suffered physical Gender Base Violence (GBV) under her then boyfriend and boxing icon, Dingaan Thobela.
Alex Community Unites during a GBV case held in Alexandra Magistrate Court in 2024
She is also a religious who puts God first in almost everything she does. A woman who suffered the painful loss of eight babies while yearning to be a mother.
A woman, whom despite being a public figure still loves her husband a former Metro FM jockey, Romeo Khumalo. She had a chuff life indeed but you can see that Bantu Education really worked on this one.
Some of the lessons learnt from the book:
1.The money and friends can work. If all parties respected each other when it comes to money
2. She interviewed Micheal Jackson during her top Billing years, the interview was done in a musical shop. Not sure why but if you are MJ's fan like me, in one of his Youtube documentary, the child's star reveals how fame didn't allow him to do little things like grocery shopping and has been yearning to go to shopping malls.
Mam Doreen Morris picture from internet
3.Questions to ponder on or would really make you want to know more on is the question.
If Miss SA was Mam' Doreen Morris's brain child, how did it end up with the Weils family and Sun International?
With Miss World 2014 Rolene Strauss
Sistas need to give us clearity before black people start toy toying the event. She is in a better position to provide us with clearity.
This is the time where everyone who is still in the office gets irritated because e-mails communication comes back with an automatical seasonal greetings.
By this time, the receiver or the person whom the message is meant for is either on holiday or if you are a journalist in the newsroom your e-mail will be read next year and by then, the story will be long over.
When I worked in the coast.
I used to love this time of the season, I never took leave in December No!
Not me, I was out there, writing about girls wearing bekinis at Kings Beach, fun things to do at Hobbie Beach or that exciting opening of the Summer season at Summerstrand Beach.
I love December and all the fun stuff that comes with the festive season.
Hence, when I received an invitation to attend King of Gomara's birthday party I really didn't hesitate.
The old man, the God father of many and government of the oldest township in South Africa was on another level this year.
This whole past weekend was his weekend and as always, he had everyone.
I mean the smallest child in Alexandra Township to the his age mates feel that ekse, die groot maan is baie groot.
This year, his day kicked off at his centre, the Phuthaditjhaba Care of the Aged at 17th Avenue Alexandra.
This is where, he has displayed and documented all his work through out the decades. Earning a recognition by the Sowetan, Old Mutual and SABC ONE as the community builder of the decade.
Through working with a local church, God Never Fails(GNF) headed by Bishop Nhlanhla David Nhlapo.
He has flown the grannies from the township to a four day stay in Cape Town where they also visited the famous Robben Island. While the primary school kids had their first experience of riding a helicopter.
An experience that was made possible by the church in partnership with the old man. Not to mention the houses build for the poor in the past 22 years GNF had been in the area working with Bab'Linda.
So this past weekend, he pulled all the stops
Toyota SA was amongst the sponsors who came to donate goodies so that Bab'Linda who was now the father Christmas can distribute to the kids of the township.
For the three days, the grannies travelling from all corners of the township also recieved their food packs
Together with Mc Donald
donated soccer balls and party packs for the kids.
Both the pre- event and the main event were MCed by Alex FM and South African Traditional Music Achievements Awards (SATMA) nomineem Musa Mabika.
But the draw card was the East London cheifs, chief Salakuphatwa and wife Xolelwa, Chief Mtoto and Nobahle as well as Chief Mshweshwe who came in their traditinal regalia to celebrate with the man.
I remember when he invited my son and I to his party three years ago, I was surprised and shocked that at his age, 78 years he was still active and helping out with the grannies food distribution.
According to him, her mother inspired him to start this after the burial of a local Gogo, Mashabalala in 1967.
There is no way of telling an Alexandra Township story without roping or mentioning this man.
Over the decades, the township has produced some of the finest who are served or serving the country on national level.
Umbhaqanga king, Mahlathini and the Mahotela Queens had their taste of fame in this township.
I remember back when I was a kid, Brenda Fassie and the Soul Brothers were said to be amongst the people who came to perform in Kwa Nobuhle Hostel and made it big then.
Bab'Twala himself has rubbed shoulders with the likes of Operah Winfrey,Bill Clinton, King Zwelithini, Queen Elizabeth to mention just a few.
FEW years ago, just before the Covid 19 lockdown.
I had the pleasure of meeting up and be part of a small acting workshop group that met every Sunday afternoon at the workers museum in off Mary Fitzgerald Square down town Johannesburg.
Back then, I was preparing and focusing on going full time on my art.
By then, I had done everything that I thought would please amongst others, my father who was against the idea of me becoming a full time artist and making a living out of it as my childhood dream.
I had ticked all the boxes to prove not only to the public but to myself that I was educated enough to make and maintain myself through art.
Through working as a domestic worker, security guard and later print journalist.
I had earned all the experiences needed to manage, budget and use my money wisely.
So financial savy that, when I started my beads business, I had no car instalment as the Toyota Etios 2012 model payment was long over even before I purchased my second property.
My surburb flat allocated at the back of the fluent surbub of Melrose Arch, a five or ten minutes drive to Sandton Mall and a walking distance to Alexandra Township together with my son were the only huge responsibility I had then.
I was so prepared for the future that even in my wardropethrough out the years,had special clothes for that audition job for a TV presenter/ talk show hosts or a role of a classy businesswoman on the biggest South African Soap Opera, Generation the Legacy.
I could speak at least seven South African languages then and the magazine and TV had trained me enough on what to expect.
So me being with this crew on a Sunday was a step closer to my dream world.
One of the sister, I met at Melrose Arch Camphor Cream advert auditions told me about these classes which were offered for free for any inspiring actor.
But the lady forgot to tell me that the person giving them was a Nigerian national.
I'm not sure if she had kept that information from me deliberately, knowing how I will act towards the information.
The only part I got was that, he was the director of of Isibaya, a popular drama series that was airing on Mzansi Magic daily,it was quite big on our telies then.
His name he did tell me, but out of arrogancy, I thought he was either Vhenda or xhitsonga or Pedi.
So there I was in the workers museum every Sunday amongst other inspiring actors some who had done a bit of TV work while others were still hustling to get in.
The guy was so nice. Coming to his work shops made me forget my troubles with the big Sunday national newspaper then.
Lets just say, it had some attachement issues and I was just enough with being bullied for a salary.
The bullying had made the passion for writing and reporting on national stories on print vanished. Instead, I was looking at the other means of telling and documenting our African stories.
Coming to the acting workshop though was a therapy, it reminded me of the 90s British sitcom, Mind your language which aired on SABC1 but this was an African version of it.
The Mr Brown was this Nigerian guy, with students from all over the township of Johannesburg. He spoke English, his students could hear him but others find it very hard to express themselves in the language.
As a reader, you need to understand how apartheid affected especially the black men's education system in order to know and enjoy how these young actors reacted.
But the nicest thing, the master was patient, no one had wrong answers in the class. Some answers were right but not for use in the current moment, they were prophetic answers.
His work ethic made me forget one of my my life rule ie....Stay as far away from Nigerians as possible especially when have no back up.
Sorry Nigeria but in
South Africa, Nijas are notorious for many things ie abduction of girls and forcing them into prostitution.
As a journalist, one of the most inhumane brutal stories ive ever done was that of a small body of a teenage girl thrown out of the fourth floor building in Central Port Elizabeth.
The three Nigerian men who were well built and more masculine than her were trying to force her to take drugs.
This was a high school girl from New Brighton, a member of an Apostolic church and the only child her mother had.
Nor will I ever forget the humiliation, dissappointment and betrayal of Nolubabalo "Babsie"Nobanda from Grahamstown.
She was well educated, came from a well off family what she did didn't add up with her character according to what I picked up from relatives and friends.
But like all stories, there was a Nigerian man behind her betrayal.
I interviewed her family soon after her arrest and dumped the SA drug mule in Thailand. Her story read like something in the movie and yes, there was a Nigerian brother played with her innocense. He didn't care of the pain, humiliation he had caused to not only the family but the community and South Africa at large.
Trust was already broken even if you met a nice one there was always that...."But you are Nigerian my friend, I dont trust you"
Anyway, the guy heading the workshop was generally nice had his coworkers from the drama coming in to talk to us or help him out.
I remember one of the event he took us to Sandton convention centre to present our short theatre play on xenophobic, it was so nice I even twitted about it,
Khanyiswa Ndabeni🇿🇦 (@ndabenik) posted at 9:14 am on Sun, Nov 17, 2019:
Nigerian artist, @iam_kcee and I were preaching the same message at the @RiseupNija an event aimed at uniting Africans and saying no to Xenophobia https://t.co/eS8nlVdJKk
I was sold to the whole Idea, with little knowledge of what the root course of the so called xenophobic attacks.
But I was all over preaching no xenophobic and even gunned an interview with NijaTV. Telling the whole continent and the world how we needed to stop the hate and start loving each other.
Lets just say, ugal was already running with the vision with no direction.
But the little information from the stiries i picked up and read while doing full time print journalism.
To be quite honest, it is only now when I think of it.... Were South Africans really xenophobic or were bullied by our own African brothers out of everything they had.
No one dared to really listen to the voice of SA then, it is only now through drips and drabs that we seeing the real cause.
Bullies have been at it and got away with it for a long time while even the good guys were painted with the same brush.
As Africans, what happened to our communal set up. Why would a fellow country men keep quiet when another is doing wrong as this affects the image of everyone from that country.
Black leaders, do they stop to lead and guide their people once their outside their homestead?
Im saying this because I've seen for myself that some of the incidents could have been avoided had a leader rose up and told their people to stop it.
I am a born South African story teller.
Even if I am not paid or work in a commercial set up, I will tell stories not even aware that what comes out of my mouth is attention grabbing to slow the production of any group work.
Whether people believe the stories I tell to be true or not.
I have really outgrown that stage of trying hard to convince them. But I do still trying hard almost everyday to hone my skill.
But from when I was young, story telling has been around me and has been the only or major way to get my attention or teach me something.
Whether these came in a form of a family evening gathering under tree and fire wood down in Engxongweni in Port St John's Ceskei in the early 80s.
Or watching and imititating the Chinese movies starring Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and other 90s Chinese movie with the line "You killed my mother and father, now I've come to kill you" at the Port Elizabeth township bioscope.
Or better yet, spending my evening at my aunt's house in 3rd Avenue Alexandra Township watching and learning all kinds of story telling platforms from action movies, drama, comedy, soapies, romantic to reading different genre of books and ended up being a collector of amongst other favourite authors then, Sydney Sheldon an American screenwriter.
Inspired by him, especially his novel Rage of Angels- a novel released in the 80s about a female lawyer who beds both powerful politicians and dangerous gangsters- I wanted to study law as it is said story tellers are best lawyers in the world...LOL!*Winks*.
But anyway, driven by my passion to try other platforms of story telling that would open doors for me for screenwriting or writing.
I saw myself in Mafatsane Hall, Evaton,South Africa.
Attending a Scriptwriters workshop hosted by Writers Guild South Africa( WGSA) with the late Mr Richard H Nosworthy the main tutor.
The week long free event was organised to benefit writers from the previously disadvantaged community.
That is creative writers in South African who cannot either afford training or access to information about the industry due to their financial background.
The guilt also protect the writers rights as many of them in South Africa are freelancers and do not get royalties on work repeated on other platforms of media in the African continent.
The guilt was established in 2009 and aims to train more local writers in their South African vernacular language and also helps with their business education planning.
They work with International Affiliation of Writers Guilds (IAWG) and American Guilt and had been instrumental in getting writers included in the South African Film and Television Awards.
Mr Nosworthy was a very paient man as he encourages most of us to believe in ourselves. Knowing that I was a writer for print, he wanted me to know that the very same words written must know be acted out on stage, tv, through music, film or animitation.
"The must be a reason why you telling the story," his words as I battled to polished my short film, Holly Gangsters.
The film was a test of our knowldge gained from the workshop and if selected stood a chance to be entered in the Muse awards with the overall winner announced at the SAFTAs of that year, 2019.
Anyway,I think due to Covid19 WGSA is still to issue me with the certificate and results of the film.
Being a passionate writers of what is now going on in South African churches. Especially after my mother's death.
The film, Holly Gangsters focused on a family of a woman seeking justice after a man of "God" and congregants conned community members and preyed on those desperate for long term illness healing.
Based on my experience and a series of articles that I have written while with main stream media.
Mr Nosworthy helped bring the emotions of trust and disgust as I reveal how the grieving family is expected to pay transportation and accommodation for one of their leaders to conduct the service.
The family was also not getting anything from the R10 000 funeral burial plan taken by the deceased in the church.
Even though, she had constantly paid monthly fees for years.
Close members of the family revealed how in the last days the church discouraged her from taking her medication and instead should rely on the water and salt the church was offering for healing.
Hey guys,
Hope you enjoyed the last read as I have enjoyed bonding with Alexandra Township these past two weeks.
I mean, one of the Sundays.
Moa and son bump into a colourful, jubilant community of Alex last Sunday in high spirit as I visited the old man of kraal.
I was curious to know what was happening and couldn't resist but get on to taking pictures and videos of the beautiful display.
I mean, I was home and there was work.
You don't really need to ask for permission but do what you are known for around the world.
So me, missed my planned Sunday church services because God says start with him, family and the rest will follow right.
So there I was that Sunday morning following the Fieldband who were touring the township and showing off their victory celebration.
The first stop for the group who had beaten other band teams from as far as Eastern Cape and Western Cape at Wanderers Stadium, was the 1912 house in second avenue.
Here, Bab'Twala and his girlfriends were waiting to give the guys some blessings.
Yes, the man and the Gogos were so ready and proud of the kids achievement.
I mean six trophies? He even organised a nice curried stamp freshly made by Devine Foods.
I don't know how he read my mind, but I last ate a delicious curry meal like that in Woolhope High School back in Malarbar township of Port Elizabeth.
But anyway, while I was admiring Bab Twala's work and consitancy for so many years....
I mean through his frika Tikkun, a non-profit organisation that man has put lawyers, chartterd accounted,businessman through school from their creche stage right up to their career stage.
as I was waiting with the grannies outside the tent.
As I waited univited to the event, the granies shared powerful stories on how he automatically became the father of some household.
Giving the widows food and the necessary support after they were almost kicked out of their homes.
The celebration day coincided with their day of collecting clothes and food parcels.
I did take some great pictures of the event that day, but unfortunately the ones saved for this blog were erased from my phone together with all the other material.
Hence you see some of the image material is collected from my social media pages.
But one of the highlight of the day is in this video below. This women just spoke to my heart and I knew I was home... Please watch
Explainer: She is basically expressing her proudness in the children.
The term used is not the vulgar term, here it describes how everything is going to be lit after all the preparation she will do to enter the competition.
Anyway, chow for now and please do follow us on all social media platforms.
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