Author: Sinesipho HABANA

Emotional Black Male Venue: Graham Hotel Next Performance: 26 June 20:00 Preview By Sinesipho Habana As a Black man in South Africa, stand-up comic and RMR radio presenter Thumamna Sibhozo’s experiences have shaped both his comedy and his views on masculinity. “We are at the centre of a lot of good and bad in this country,” he said. “I think as South African men, there’s a lot of conversations that we need to have.” With Emotional Black Male, Sibhozo takes humour – and his alter ego of Uncool Tea – to this conversation. “I’m a male who’s very much in…

SIYA CHARLES Profile: Standard Bank Young Artist Award Winner By Sinesipho Habana and Ntombekhaya Busuku Love, kindness, and humility were evident at the same time when jazz musician Siyasanga ‘Siya’ Charles greeted us. “How are you?” she asked, clearly happy to see people who reminded her of her home (South Africa) and her home language (isiXhosa). Even though Charles is making her name overseas, that doesn’t stop her from remembering her origins. “Ndikhumbula kakhulu especially ukutya, ububele, and uthetha isizulu sam esaphukileyo xa ndise Joburg,” she told Grocott’s Mail (I miss home a lot, especially the food, the hospitality, and…

By Sinesipho Habana The protests at Hendrik Kanise Combined School in Alicedale show no signs of abating as parents, learners, and community members remain resolute in their demands for immediate action from the Eastern Cape Department of Education (DOE). Nearly two weeks after alarming safety concerns regarding the ageing infrastructure surfaced, the school remains closed, with parents refusing to allow learners to return until their safety is guaranteed. Despite previous assurances from DOE officials that safety measures would be implemented, the promised intervention has yet to materialize. On April 8, the school gates remained locked, symbolizing the community’s determination and…

By Sinesipho Habana The situation at Hendrik Kanise Combined School in Alicedale has reached a critical point, with the ageing infrastructure now unsafe for educational activities. Parents, teachers, and community leaders have expressed their deep concern for the safety of the pupils, particularly as reports of structural damage have surfaced. The school, which has historically excelled in academic performance, now faces the threat of losing its reputation due to the deteriorating conditions. The long-awaited construction of the school has yet to commence, nearly a decade after the Eastern Cape Department of Education allocated approximately R150 million for the project. The…

By Ndalo Mbombo  Yet again docLove is bringing you some film flavour. What’s brewing in the pot this time? Join us this afternoon (Friday 14 March) at 2.15pm in the BioScience Major lecture theatre on Rhodes University Campus. Free entrance for all.  No Simple Way Home is a film about the struggles of people in South Sudan and narrates the story of the most prominent political family in South Sudan’s history. Directed by Akuol de Mabior, this film pays tribute to her late father, John Garang de Mabior, former vice president of South Sudan, while honouring the life of her…