The 2020 Joburg Film Festival will be held over two days on 28 and 29 November: instead of the usual six days, considering the Covid-19 pandemic. This year’s festival will focus on a limited film selection with a huge focus on youth development workshops.
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In an effort to ease the stress of laundry day, the Dr Beckmann Odour Remover, by ACDOCO SA, has been created to give a long-lasting freshness and boost to your clothing. It is suitable for any occasion and celebration and is made to ensure your garments remain fresh all day.
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The 23rd Annual BASA Awards have teamed up with Hollard to once again shine a light on continued partnerships between business and arts in seven categories.
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In a world bristling with technology and an abundance of information, how does one build a successful career as a content creator?
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#TourismMonth2020 – Yesterday, South Africa joined the globe in celebrating World Tourism Day with festivities at Maropeng’s Cradle of Humankind in the western corridor of the Gauteng Province.
World Tourism Day is a United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) initiative observed annually on 27 September to highlight the sector’s contribution to the socio–economic development of nations.
The theme for this year’s celebration was ‘Rural Development and Tourism which aims to highlight the significance of domestic tourism market in reigniting the sector, especially in spearheading tourism in lesser-visited rural communities.
“As they navigate a path to recovery, and gradually re-open our borders to safely welcome international visitors, The Tourism department urges South Africans to travel and explore their country responsibly,” said Tourism Minister Mmamoloko Kubayi-Ngubane.
The tourism industry is one of the largest economic sectors in the world – creating jobs, driving exports, and generating prosperous local economies.
The UNWTO’s May 2020 extended scenarios on tourism growth predict that the market will rebound in mid-2021 based on assumptions of a reversal in the evolution of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Minister Kubayi-Ngubane said she remains hopeful that South Africa’s domestic market would have gained strides in recovery, providing an amicable environment for inclusive and sustainable growth.
“Our authentic heritage and cultural experiences have been a drawcard for international visitors for many years. Although a large number of employment opportunities have in the past been driven by international tourist arrivals, The tourism department believes that these jobs, and those yet to be created, will be sustained by the renewed strength of their domestic tourism markets.”
“I encourage you to explore your country, embrace your heritage and help us re-build our local economies to usher in the benefits we envisioned when we fought for our democracy,” concluded Minister Kubayi-Ngubane.
The Cradle of Humankind hosted a day-long global event that featured internationally-acclaimed and award-winning DJ, Black Coffee, who entertained global fans with a unique two-hour set from the Sterkfontein Caves that was broadcast live on DSTV Channel O. The electrifying Busiswa and Master KG concluded the celebrations in style inspiring attendees to hit the dance floor in response to President Cyril Ramphasa’s call to join the #JerusalemaDanceChallenge.
The Opel Combo Life 1.6 Turbo Diesel is probably the most versatile car that I have ever driven. It is perfectly fit for purpose, particularly for someone who lives a highly versatile life. Whether you are a family woman or man, a business owner, or love adventure. The Combo Life is suitable every lifestyle.
Opel combo comes into variations, Combo Life and Combo Cargo. The later is for strictly business, as it as a panel van.
I’m a mountain biker, so every now I and then my friends and I visit various cycling trails so what I loved the most with the Combo Life is that I can easily tuck my bike in the car with ease, without having to remove bicycle’s wheel like I would in a normal hatchback car. The is no need for a bicycle carrier as well. Not only I could fit my own bike, but friends’ too. I just needed to fold the rear seats and voila the car was now a panel van.
There is storage for days. Actually, you will run out things to store in the Combo Life than storage space. It has countless storage solutions. With the rear seats folded down, you get a whopping 2 126 liters of storage.
Like I always say, the goodness of any car is in the driving (check my previous review here). Opel has done a great job in making the Combo Life a solid car and pleasurable to drive. The 1.6 Turbo Diesel engine produces 68kW and 230Nm of torque and coupled with a 5-speed gearbox. At times the turbo takes a bit of time to kick in, so you need to make sure that you get the gear selection right.
Fuel consumption of any is often linked to the driver’s driving style. I found the Combo Life’s fuel consumption pretty good it lived up Opel’s claimed 5L/100km.
When it comes to safety rest assured, the Combo Life is fitted with 6 airbags, ABS, electronic brake-force distribution (EBD), electronic stability programme (ESP), traction control and hill-start assist.
It is also fitted with IntelliLink Infotainment System that features a 7-inch touchscreen that is Android Auto and Apple CarPlay enabled. So, there is no need for an AUX cable.
The Cobo life is competitively priced with prices starting from R399 000 and comes with 3 years/120 000KM warranty and roadside assistance, Anti-Corrosion Warranty – 12 Years / Unlimited km, and Service Plan – 3 Years / 60 000 km.
Now that South Africa is on Level 2 of the national lockdown a road trip in the Opel Combo Life will be a great idea. Request a test drive here.
Ndiani Studios recently announced the launch of Working Wives, a web series that takes the Mickey out of the “Real Housewives” franchise with an African twist. This 12-episode dramedy/mockumentary series unravels the lives and loves of a group of Harare women from the perspective of a millennial. Using a touch of comedy and lots of drama, the series explores what it means to be an African modern woman and navigating tradition versus urbanisation.
Working Wives is an adaptation from a blog series created by Sharon Bwanya and is created and produced by Tendayi Nyeke. This is her third independent series, and outside of the web launch the series will be distributed by Africa’s biggest distributor Cote Ouest to other broadcast platforms and on Vimeo as of 10 August 2020.
Tendayi says, “the series is an exciting Pan-African collaboration that was shot between Zimbabwe and South Africa, starring a crew and talent from both countries in a time that sees borders fall as far as storytelling and viewing experience is concerned”.
The storyline portrays what was meant to be the baby shower of her Mabel’s dreams becomes a nightmare when her twin nephews are kidnapped which triggers the revelation of the secrets of the women, she thought were her friends…
“Brace yourselves for a comedy drama because as crazy as life gets, it is always easier to swallow the hard pill with a good laugh”, concludes Nyeke.
Watch here and let us know on the comments below whether they are getting a Pat or a Slap?
South African consumers can now experience the same refreshing Hunter’s taste without alcohol with the new Hunter’s Chilled Non-Alcoholic Drink.
With the increasing uncertainty over the sale of alcohol due to the government lockdown regulations, alcohol brands are forced to do things differently in order to remain in business. On the other hand, South Africa is facing a huge battle of alcohol abuse and binge drinking. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa is the 6th largest drinking nation in the world even though only 30% of South Africans consume alcohol.
One particular alcoholic brand that is making its contribution to promote healthy lifestyle and securing its future is Hunter’s as it launches a non-alcoholic variant, Hunter’s Chilled.
After three years of delivering on its crisp refreshments, the distillery has now launched its new non-alcoholic variant. Hunter’s is not the first alcohol brand to enter the non-alcoholic beverages scene, though. Last year, another Distell-owned brand, Savanna also launched non-alcoholic variant Savanna Non-Alcoholic Lemon.
Brand Manager at Hunter’s Cider Distill, Banele Msimango has highlighted the brand’s goal to dominate trends in promoting a healthy lifestyle to its fans, and moderate drinking due to the current proliferation of non-alcoholic ciders within the competitive space.
“This is really exciting for our brand and we are thrilled to finally have a non-alcoholic variant in our range. It offers more opportunities for Hunter’s fans to drink their favourite cider and we hope it will also help us to find new Hunter’s fans who only drink non-alcoholic drinks”, added Msimango.
The brand has also emphasized that the new cider still refreshes like nothing on earth, with the same distinctive crisp refreshment Hunter’s cider has to offer to its fans.
If you would like to try out Hunter’s Chilled, it is available at all major retailers in South Africa.
Do you think Hunter’s gets a Pat or Slap for this move? Let us know in the comments section below.
After the independent release of her debut album “VICTORY”, the multi-talented Moozlie is back with a brand new single to get fans going! After debuting the song on the #CastleLiteUnlocks YouTube platform hosted by world-renowned hip hop head Sway, they have taken to social media to share their excitement for the new music.
The single, appropriately titled “I’m A Star” was produced by highly respected SA Hip Hop artist & producer Zoocci Coke Dope. This was the first time the two had ever worked together and neither of them knew what to expect from the collaboration. When asked about what he felt upon their first musical encounter, Zoocci said “From the time she came to record the song, she’s been nothing but cool, flexible and open-minded to ideas. That’s always a great combo for any artist when it comes to working with a producer, especially one that likes to get involved like me.”
Sonically, “I’m A Star” packs a serious punch, led by hard drums that have become a part of Zoocci’s signature style. Which is exactly what Moozlie was after when she decided to reach out to him. “I wanted something that would make you sit up and listen and almost all of Zoocci’s music will do that to you,” she said. When asked about the content of the song the rapper says it’s all about showing love to her hometown Benoni, which she affectionately calls “BenCity”.
“It’s time for me to take things to the next level and I wanna take everyone from my hood with me and there’s no better way to do that than with the music.” Expresses Moozlie.
On this week’s episode of Family Feud, it is the battle of the airwaves as 947 and Kaya FM go head-to-head in a bid to raise money for their chosen charities.
Both radio stations have a strong footing in Johannesburg and it would be interesting to which station will raise more funds for their charities.
The 947 team is represented by Fresh on 947 team, with the legendary Thato Sikwane – aka DJ Fresh as the team’s captain. He is joined by his on-air team members:
947 puts their support behind the Lambano Sanctuary, which was founded on the vision of Melanie Prinsloo in 2001 to help HIV positive children with little chance of living. Today Lambano provides full-time care for children who live with life limiting and life threatening illnesses at their four Forever Homes and they also have the only paediatric medical step-down and hospice facility in Gauteng.
Kaya FM is represented by the Breakfast show and team captain is David O’Sullivan who brings along:
Family Feud is hosted by entertainer, businessman and philanthropist STEVE HARVEY, the game show calls on two family teams in each episode to compete in naming the most popular responses to gathered survey questions in order to win cash and prizes.
Which charity benefits the most from the battle of the stations and which Sikwane spouse walks away victorious? Find out this Sunday 3rd May at 6pm on e.tv on Family Feud.
The popular South African series dedicated to educating South Africans about the dangers of
HIV and AIDS, Intersexions has been one of the most groundbreaking series since the days of Phamokate – a series similar to Intersexions that was shown in the early 2000s.
Netflix has announced that Intersexions will be made available for streaming on the 5th of May, followed by a second season which is due to be made available a week later. With the lockdown pushing consumers to turn to its platform to catch the latest series, documentaries, and movies, they’ve decided to gift South Africans with a list of “throwback shows” which South Africans loved. Shows such as Gaz’lam, Soul City, Tsha Tsha and many more. This will also include iconic South African movies such as Jerusalema, Tsotsi and Kalushi for viewers to enjoy.
Earlier this month, the streaming giant had announced its decision to list Tjovitjo on its platform which has been one of a few locally produced series that is available for viewing. With this decision, we hope South Africans will enjoy reminiscing on their past favourite shows.
South Africa is currently on lockdown and very few brands are thinking about launching new products because they don’t know when things will get back to “normal”. Many experts say most businesses won’t be able to open doors after the lockdown. Clearly, Skinny Sbu Socks is not one of those businesses as they launch the most expensive sock.
Sockpreneur, Sibusiso Ngwenya founder of Skinny Sbu Socks announced the launch on his Instagram. This is most expensive sock his brand has ever produced. A single pair of the limited-edition Signature sock will cost you R920. For the first time, they removed the iconic triple S logo and replaced it with their signature.
The new Skinny Sbu Socks Signature edition will be available on the 9th of September 2020 and they are currently taking pre-orders online via www.skinnysbusocks.co.za.
The Pop Bottles School Of Events is a campaign initiative that has been put together to help support the events and entertainment industry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the many restrictions that people are currently faced with, Pop Bottles has found a solution to still let people be proactive in the comfort of their own homes.
The campaign, which kicked off in March, has opened up the platform in getting industry specialists to come through and drop knowledge regarding all there is to know about how to make an event work.
Through the Pop Bottles School Of Events followers have been given a few tricks, tips, and cheat codes to help them along their eventing journey. And Pop Bottles think it’s time to put your skills into practice! Yet, what would the School Of Events initiative be without giving its class members the opportunity to put everything into practice?
And so, for followers who think they’ve got a knack for planning epic events, big or small and would like to get into the industry, Pop Bottles is offering to journey along with them. One lucky winner could stand the chance to win an event sponsorship package to the value of R120,000.00. To enter, followers must submit any of their dopest event concepts to soe@popbottles.co.za and they could win a sponsorship support package courtesy of Pop Bottles, Red Bull and Yfm. For more information, be sure to visit www.popbottles.co.za/pages/school-of-events
With the lockdown extended, Africa’s biggest premium beer brand, Castle Lite will keep South Africans entertained with Castle Lite Unlocks in Bed With …, a series of 30-minute live stream sessions bringing you a taste of what you have come to love about Unlocks into a jam-packed digital experience. In addition to bringing fans entertainment during this country wide lockdown, Castle Lite will donate one rand for every view to the Solidarity Response fund.
Castle Lite will be hosting a livestream on the brand’s YouTube channel with famed media personality and American Hip-Hop aficionado, Sway Calloway, a unique performance by multi-award-winning rapper and one of the most successful musicians in Africa, Nasty C. Moozlie will also be entertaining fans in the most unfiltered way ever seen, as well as The Kiffness who’ll be taking his game to another level.
“We want to continue contributing to this genre’s already-massive footprint by bringing it all home; the same epic experience Castle Lite Unlocks is known for, on a different scale, in your home. This bold new move will also allow Castle Lite to continue to make a bigger contribution to African Hip-Hop. We are excited to be venturing into new territory as we establish a digital entertainment platform to satisfy your need for entertainment during the extended lockdown period,” said Castle Lite Brand Director, Silke Bucker.
Castle Lite Unlocks in Bed With…premiers on Wednesday, 15 April 2020 19:30 with host Sway setting the tone for the show. Nasty C will give fans a never seen before performance from his home studio and might even surprise fans with a special guest star during his performance.
Tune in to Castle Lite’s official YouTube channel (CastleLiteSA).
With the national lockdown being extended as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa last night, we might be running out of things do to keep ourselves busy and entertained. There are few things that one can do to fill up time, you can either use this time to acquire a new skill or simply relax.
Here are FIVE activities that you can participate in, to help you maneuver through this COVID-19 lockdown.
Digital marketing has helped elevate one’s skill in the marketing landscape. These skills can help you improve your business/brand or even your skillset as a professional. Websites such as, U-dimension University, Learn Digital With Google (Free), Shaw Academy and GetSmarter are platforms that provide access to all there is to know about digital marketing.
Now with food being the one thing that all of us would be consuming during this lockdown, it wouldn’t hurt to learn how to make a few dishes for yourself or your family to enjoy. Platforms like Foodies Of SA, Cucumbers and Cream, Cooking With Luyanda, LesDaChef, The Lazy Makoti are sure to give you a wide variety of simple and easy to prepare dishes which you can showoff.
With the demand for digital content on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, it’s no secret that almost EVERYONE is either creating or tuned into content across all these platforms. If you’re planning on opening up a page or channel, you may want to explore the websites such as Borrow Lenses, PeerSpace, and Videomaker to help you with video editing 101. There are also some tutorials on YouTube to help guide you if you’re ever stuck.
Closely tied with the video content creation activity, photography is one activity that some will end up mastering during such a time despite restrictions placed about going outside. Whether you have a smartphone or camera lying around, use this time to perfect your picture-perfect skills. Websites such as iPhone Photography School, Expert Photography and Creative Live, will provide top-notch lens work that you could start developing as a hobby on the side.
While many will be attempting to shed off the lockdown kilos, others want to achieve peace of mind that can enable them to be productive during this time or just work on relaxing their minds and bodies to alleviate any tensions. There are several platforms that can help you find your inner peace during this lockdown such as Headspace: Meditation and Sleep, Yoga Journal, and Very Well Mind. Other activities can include reading a book or any form of material if available at your disposal.
These are just examples of some of the activities that you can do during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Be sure to share your feedback and experiences if you’ve done any of these and tag @PatOnBrands #PatOnBrands .
With everything else that’s going on in the world, one can’t help but try be creative in the comfort of their own home. Whether you’re working from home or you’re on school holidays for the next four weeks, I’m sure you’ve exhausted your options in terms of what to do at home.
There are only so much social media interactions we can also commit to, so why not Netflix and chill out. I recommend the following top five Netflix shows that you should catch up on while on quarantine.
Queen Sono – A first for Africa, Queen Sono is the first ever Netflix Original series created in South Africa which features the beautiful Pearl Thusi, Loyiso Madinga, Vuyo Dabula and many more. The action-packed series unpacks the story of South African spy Queen Sono finds herself in a nefarious web of business and politics as she seeks to uncover the truth behind her mother’s death.
Big Mouth – An animated series that details the journey of adolescent teenage friends who find their lives upended by the wonders and horrors of puberty. Very appropriate for teenagers and adults, the series is an edgy comedy that will have you laughing through it’s relatable content.
Black Mirror – This sci-fi anthology series explores a twisted, high-tech near-future where humanity’s greatest innovations and darkest instincts collide. The award-winning series features a list of actors such as Jesse Plemons, Cristin Milioti, Jimmi Simpson.
Set in the UK, Sex Education is a series that’s similar to Big Mouth which tells the story of an insecure teenager who explores the topic of sex through his mother who is a sex therapist. He uses this knowledge to teach the children at his school all there is to know about sex. Throughout his teachings, he realises that there’s a whole lot that he doesn’t know about and is still yet to learn.
A creepy and thrilling series documents a bookstore manager who is insanely obsessed with a female writer and goes to the extent of doing just about anything to be with her – including harming those around her.
For more on these shows, visit www.netflix.com .
We’re only three months into the year and its already at a standstill for many people across the world – particularly for those whose countries are affected by the Corona Virus pandemic.
The COVID-19 has spread throughout developed and underdeveloped countries such as Italy, China, USA and South Africa. With a disease that’s characterised as a far more “hectic flu”, it’s difficult to say how long it will last since its inception in 2019. Not only have businesses been affected, but so have people’s day to day activities including school, work and more importantly, socialisation outside of these environments.
Bringing it closer to home, many brands have taken decisive action to ensure that South Africans don’t get infected and don’t want to run up the risk of spreading the disease further than its current 60+ cases. The following events announced postponements/cancellation due to this crisis;
With many more announcements yet to be made, we advise that you keep your ears and eyes open on social media on events taking place near you.
Breathe Out Proudly, For Longer The Game is here and it is all thanks to Clorets fans who responded to the call to participate in the creation of this limited edition game.
The Game is a culmination of stories shared confidently by South Africans who have found themselves in situations that took longer than they expected… Moments that required confidence to help them push through in hopes of a better outcome.
As the #1 fresh breath expert, Clorets believes that in moments like these we all need a little more confidence and a boost that will make us Breathe Out Proudly, For Longer.
So, to illustrate that we are all in the same boat Clorets asked Comedians Chris Forrest, Ndumiso Lindi and Glen Biderman-Pam to kickstart the call for entries by giving them the boost of confidence to share their stories via regional radio. Fans eagerly responded with an influx of stories, which resulted in a mix of human truths and shared experiences that all South Africans can relate to in one way or the other.
“With this we were able to produce Breath Out Proudly, For Longer The Game – a game for confident people in awkward situations.” says Nadia Matlala, Category Brand manager for Gum at Mondelez.
“We would like to thank Clorets fans for helping us create The Game and call on many more to embrace life’s experiences by popping a Clorets and getting that boost of confidence that we all need from time to time.” Matlala concludes.
For a chance to WIN a limited edition set of The Game* follow Clorets Facebook and Twitter pages for more information.
Let confidence come from knowing that Clorets 40 Minutes, with active ingredients of extra Actizol and Chlorophyll, is the only gum that not only masks bad breath but eliminates it allowing you to #BreatheOutProudlyForLonger.
*The Game is not available for purchase.
After Nomayeza Ngesman’s employment contract ended she founded TheWoolie so that she continues to stay in varsity and finish her B Com Accounting Degree at the University of Johannesburg. TheWoolie is no longer a way of survival for Nomayeza’s but a solid brand that is well underway to take South African and the world by storm.
I got to hang out with Nomayeza to learn more about TheWoolie.
TheWoolie (Pty) Ltd is an upcoming leader in the design, manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of premium wool made products. We make sweaters, golf T-shirts, crotchet tops, beach cover-ups, and bikinis. Our aim is to create a space where you can find everything woven, from clothing to homeware and accessories. For over a year, our long-standing reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, sales channels, and local markets. We believe that our breadth of product offerings and multichannel distribution are unique among luxury and apparel companies.
Our facility is totally woven, so the name is self-explanatory. We make wool made products.
My customers range from individuals to organisations who are looking to invest in unique quality products and style.
We target sports clubs(cricket, golf, and tennis clubs), corporates and individuals who enjoy the luxury of being unique and comfortable. We make clothes suitable for all ages in different sizes, colours, and gender.
You can find our product on social media Facebook: TheWoolie , Instagram: @thewoolie_ and Whatsapp: 0721359315. You can also email us: thewoolie1@gmail.com.
We are currently working on an online store and we will also be launching our baby and homeware range. People need to stay tuned to our social media pages to stay up-to-date with TheWoolie.
Every year, Castle Lite surprises South African hip hop fans with a range of international artists for their annual Castle Lite Unlocks show.
This year’s reveal was done differently where consumers were asked to visit the castlelite.co.za website in order to start purchasing tickets from as little as R50. Every 30 minutes, the price would go up by R50 and would conclude at R450 for early general access tickets.
Despite a very smart strategy to increase ticket sales during those hours, fans were a bit upset at the fact that the website crashed seconds into the release of the tickets but that never stopped them from continuously refreshing until it allowed them to purchase.
Fans were also given several hints from their local favourites such as Rouge and DJ Maphorisa, who had fans guessing who this year’s surprise act would be. And as fate would have it, Castle Lite unlocked award-winning rapper, Cardi B to be this year’s headliner amongst other local acts.
The Bodak Yellow hitmaker tweeted with such excitement and even asked Mzansi fans to teach her more about South African culture.
Castle Lite Unlocks will be taking place at the TicketPro Dome on 12 June 2020. Tickets can be purchased on the Castle Lite website. Tickets retail from R690 up to R990.
For more information, be sure to check the latest updates on the Castle Lite social pages @CastleLiteSA #CastleLiteUnlocks.