Who are you to tell me how to run my church?

That was a question I was asked on Fathers Day last year. At the time I was still drunk on the word received from my church. I had honoured an invitation from my Bracken High School friend, Nalo. The girl who decided to shortened my name from Khanyiswa to Khanyi. So to accommodate all the white speakers who found it difficult to pronounce the swa, the last three names of my full name. So there I was in Soweto, at this different kind of church where R60 offering is collected at the gate. Before you could see the different evangelists, prophets,apostles and pastors of this different church took to the show grounds to wow congregants with their car spinning skills. The Bible was the line up of BMW 320 or BMW 3 series E21 cars renamed to Tezza, MA. ERA, Izinyoka nyoka and Skudunga. These cars to wow the crowd as they spin on the field until all tires were damaged or the sport referee calls them out as soon as he spot danger. When watching the sport live, you can't help but clutch your teeth and cross your fingers that the driver doesn't loose control and he come crushing on the bob wire fence. According to Floyd, one of the participants and name the sport as a BEE sport. The sport is costly. He bought his BMW E21 as a second hand for R40 000. He has his own mechanic and has spent almost R100 000 on just maintaining it. One of the courageous ladies, Phumzile from Protea North in Soweto said she loves the sport as it helps her release stress. Phumzile aka Lady P first saw the sport at the South African hip hop star, Pro Kid's memorial service. "I fell in love with the adrenaline rush that it brings. From that day on, I bought myself a car and whenever I want to release stress. I climb on it". Car spinning is not a new sport but it is a growing sport in the black community.

Every Wednesday and Sundays there are sessions held all around Soweto with competitions held in Durban and Cape Town. Please follow us on the various social media pages: Facebook: Khanyiswa Ndabeni Instagram: Khanyiswasa Youtube:Khanyi Ndabeni and here is the link with this article https://youtu.be/QXQ67xYqZEE Twitter: @ndabenik

English is not my mother tongue

IT took a lot for me to gather courage and blog today. I mean so much has happened and critics have been on my case on the blog, the grammar and spelling errors in my other posts. So much had been said to the point that, I my self lost the confidence and focus of why the blog was started in the first place. First and foremost, it was so that I can continue write African Stories.

Especially positive stories coming out of the hood or black community of South Africa. The second point was that, I as a beneficiary of many youth empowerment project that were ran in the 90s and saw me benefit from them, I would also go back to centres like, Youth Alive, Teen Out Reach and the Gifted Child Programme and maybe schools around to teach and learn from the new generation how stories are told. Of course, English is the universal language but growing up in South Africa before our democracy, I always had an attitude towards it and Afrikaans. Thanks to the legacy of former statesman and hero of the struggle and not to mention both my parents who were active during their time with African National Congress (ANC), I was amongst the first group of black student to be enrolled at Rand Girls High, a formerly white school but when the government got rid of the apartheid policy it took in black students for the first time in 1996. Apast from that, I also went to one of the premium high schools in Gauteng, Bracken High School prided itself with 100 % matric pass rate during my time and it has continue with this record over the years. But not only that, it was in this school that I learnt to read and write proper English. Our English teacher was so creative that she would go as far as letting us watch inspirational film in order to register a point through.

Yes, I was amongst those kids who studied George Owell's animal farm, Mac Beth, Cry the beloved country, The Suit and Boesman and Lena in my English class and I really got good symbols too considering that it was not my home language and I was doing it on higher grade. What is my home language you may ask? Well, I am a mixed breed that was manufactured at a time that black people were rebellious towards apartheid as a result I do not have an English ie slave name. My father is a Zulu man and if you read Trevor Noah's book, born a crime, you will know that Zulus are proud warriors who once fought the colonial armies that invaded South Africa centuries ago with spears and shield. Of course, they were murdered in thousands but they never stopped fighting. My mother though is from another tribe, Amampondo which are also associated with Xhosas. Nelson Mandela and Mama Winnie are also from this tribe. They are known to be thinkers and they've also tried their luck with the colonisers and lost. But their approach however was learning the language of the Whiteman so that they will be able to negotiate with them. Anyway, in the height of apartheid my parents formed me. I'm still not sure if they were trying to send out a message to the white man that black people are united when the mission was to divide and rule the black nation then. Anyway, knowing this little history might give you as a reader a reason why, I write the English language the way I do on this blog. I mean for 12 years, I was very professional. Oh, no it's not even 12 years. It is more than that when I count the years at school and my stint at PE Technikon, the creative and journalism qualifications I obtained at Intec College. Before I embarked on a 12 year long career as a print journalist. I started at a community newspaper and received a national within six months of being in the game. I then wrote for The Herald but the stories were also shared by Dispatch,Sowetan and many other titles under the then Tiso Black Star. Before I left the company, I counted six awards. Two were regional and the other four were national. While the other were a team work, my first and my last stories which got national nods were a sole project. I even went as far as honouring, Mr Drum, a well known journalist who went all out to tell the truth under the difficult banner of apartheid. Now, if Im so educated and have had the status quo "Black by nature, proud by choice" on my Facebook profile for over a decade now. By the way, that was stolen from Nelson Mandela. Why would I be shaken by what other people say about me. Because of what they say, do I then forget that I grew up surrounded by educated black men who encouraged me to take education seriously. Of which I did and still do as I enrolled for law at Unisa and did the Social media marketing and Blogging through Shaw academy as well as learning other creative ways of telling stories. Why can't I then do what I want to do without caring what the other person say, especially if the criticism is not to build you but rather pull you down. Why can't I be like Steve Biko and just write what I like? Anyway if you like my work please follow me on instagram:Khanyiswasa Facebook: Khanyiswa Ndabeni You Tube: Khanyi Ndabeni Twitter: @Ndabenik I'm more than just a writer, I'm an aspiring actress and tv talk show host. I also make and sell African jewellery

Grrrrrrrrr!!! The Wolf is here with some business punches

As unfit as I am, yesterday I found myself in the midst of those people who take their body fitness seriously. Yes, the ones that spend hours and hours at the gym inflicting pain on their bodies. Exactly the ones that will tell you that they are trying to shed off either fat or preparing for a tournament by torturing each and every muscle in their bodies. Yep, I was among those bunch of health fanatics from Ultimate MMA Fitness in Kyalami on main. Soon after I had enjoyed my amagwinya with a slice of palony, snoek fish and atchaar. While they were busy squatting and doing all those painful exercises under the instruction of a friend and former EFC bantamweight champion Demarte Pena, I wasn't bothered at all. Pena,29 is the undefeated multiple division champion who also goes by the ring name, The Wolf but to me it ends there shame. I'm still ok with loosing weight through fasting... Lets just say, I enjoy spiritual pain than a physical pain and God knows why. But this young father was excited as I was with the launch of his own brand, Demarte Pena which produced among other things, genuine leather boxing gloves that goes with a price tag of R1500, MMA Sparring Gloves for R650, Shin Pads that are selling at R950 and hand wraps that will cost you R250. I was rather proud as how this fella was making a lemon juice out of the lemons life throws at him. The World Anti-Doping Agency( WADA) has placed a four year ban on him last year. "Soon after the ban I opened up the gym. It caters for everyone living in Kyalami and surrounding areas. I also train fighters for competitions," he said. Pena originally from Angola but based in Johannesburg was alleged to have used banned substance in a fight between him and Irshaad Sayed. Though he managed to convince the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) that he didn't intentionally dope instead the substance was traced back to the approved athletes supplements he was using. That decision was appealed by WADA but he lost due to other things lack of finances of hiring international experts as a result, he lost the case. "Yes it was not easy at first to accept but I've learnt to live with it. To be quite honest I enjoy being at home with my family now. When I was competing I didn't have time for them. I was always irritated even by small things. But this whole experience has taught me to enjoy life," he said. His gym operate weekdays and Saturday while you can purchase any of his items either at the gym or online shop www.demartepena.com Please read the original story I did on him while working for the Sunday Times two years ago. This mixed martial arts featherweight champion was once labeled as the best Extreme Fighting Champion in Africa. "I'm not totally out of the scene as I still do commentary every now and then. I've been fighting for nine years and not sure if I will have the same energy when the four year period is over. But I'm pushing my brand while waiting," he said. Please note the first pic was taken from his online profile. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wwBanYnKs4 to see his gym Please like and share the story. You can also follow me on Twitter @ndabenik, facebook: Khanyiswa Ndabeni and Instagram: Khanyiswa2. My youtube Channel is Khanyi Ndabeni https://www.timeslive.co.za/sunday-times/sport/2017-07-08-fighter-faces-tough-bout-against-supplement-maker/

Twinning up to build a legacy that benefit SA

They are probably one of the many unsung heroes of the black community. But for decades now, twin brothers -Thabo and Mpho Putu- had been grooming and supporting many gifted children from the previously disadvantage communities to excel and and make a impact on others. Their aim, is to see these kids grow up to become leaders in various fields including art, politics, sports and other areas that will later benefit South Africa. Through their early 90s programme, Gifted Child Development Programme (GCP) they have produced the likes of Kwaito kingpin Kabelo Mabelane who became one of the members of music group TKZee, SABC3 Isidingo's new director and actor Motlatsi Mafatshe and the current Democratic Alliance (DA) leader, Mmusi Maimane. It is no surprise that in some households they are called deputy fathers as they provide the father figure and guidance to many youth especially those from single parenting homes. I too have felt their extended fatherly love in the 90s. When the South African government opened white schools to accommodate black students, these two brothers went all out raising funds that saw me become part of the first black students at Rand Girls High in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. It did not end there, together with teacher friends, Humphrey Mogale, Paul Dlamini and Ben Setlhatlhole volunteered to teach us English, mathematics, science at PACE High School in Soweto.

An exercise that was suppose to prepare us for Model C schools.

In those days some of us had never had a chance of being in the same room with white children nor did we know how a science laboratory looked like. While the five days camps at Rocky Valley and Stoney Ridge was a nice holiday away from home but also had spiritual and educational programmes to boast our confidence and believe in our dreams. Our 1993 educational trip to the SABC Auckland Park where we met and interacted with the much love newsreader then, Noxolo Grootboom sparked an interest in me of gathering news. I listened with interest as she told us that she started as a receptionist and later groomed for news.

Not knowing later in my life I will become a print journalist for a community, regional and national newspaper with five awards (national and provincial) to my name. "We strongly believe in prevention," said Mpho as we set down for coffee at Seatlle in Rosebank.

"Better give the child everything they need so they do not end up doing crime. Make them believe that everything is possible and they can be anything they want to be. Ours is to give them that kick start". Both are teachers by profession but also run their own community church, Orlando Baptist church and Mondoer Baptist Church. Both churches have youth ministry every Friday.

They still advocate and lobby for exchange programmes and have traveled to countries like America, Ethiopia and all over the world.

Just recently, they were able to facilitate for more than 800 students who wouldn't have had the opportunity of studying at a tertiary institution. "For us this has been our life purpose and calling. Hence we've never stopped and instead we continuing with the work and growing in all areas that we have served," said Thabo. They have a collection of MBAs, degrees and masters. You can imagine the embarrassment I felt when I had to tell them, I'm still trying to complete my law degree at Unisa,i didnt even reveal I was hustling for a TV job over and above the journalism and creative writing qualifications on my belt. I mean, as one of the loud mouth playful student.

I did feel a bit embarrassed by the little effort I had put on my education. But felt a light burden been lifted off as they encouraged me in all the projects I'm currently doing. I met the brothers at Teen Out Reach Christian Club. At the time, my father had just returned from exile with nothing and they were helping him to rebuild his life. The club was formed in the 1970s and is one of the living legacies of Rev Frank Chikane and Pedro Raboroko.It was formed to continue the work Steve Bantu Biko's black consciousness movement.