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Bongani Emmanuel Ndlovu , popularly known as Mexican Candy , is a 33-year-old hip-hop artist from Mpumalanga Province, Bethal Farm. With a passion for music that started at the tender age of 13, Mexican Candy has never looked back. He has been driven by his love for music and his desire to spread messages through his songs. "I choose to do music because its my way of expression. I'm not just writing songs for myself, am making sure that message reaches my audiences," he explained. His motivation stems from a desire to spread meaningful messages through his music. He cites Kwesta, also known as the Dakar, as a major influence on his journey. "The person that motivates me is known as Kwesta, the Dakar," he said. Mexican Candy's story is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and believing in oneself. He has released several songs, including the T.B.O.D -1 , which has 14  tracks, and is currently working on T.B.O.D -2. His advice to aspiring musicians is to "dream on, believe in yourself, work hard, and pray." For bookings, you can reach him at emmanuelbongani53@gmail.com or contact Dr. Propah at 0824376500.

It is never too late to change your life; nothing should hold you back from living a better life. The story below is the story of Adam Mickleburgh. Now a qualified law expert, he once thought his brain was damaged by drug abuse. The road to discovery brought him to complete restoration. Sometimes, you must hit rock bottom before changing your life for the better. It is only at the bottom that one realises how far off course you are and that you must make different life choices. This is precisely what happened to Adam, who had to confront his dysfunctional behaviours before he could invite positive change into his life. Because of an addiction to drugs, Adam spent two years in prison in a foreign country, was deported to South Africa, and finally ended up living on the streets of Durban. He had harmed his parents to the point that they could no longer cope with having him in their lives. Things had reached the point where he was considering committing suicide, as there was simply nothing left of his life. Humanly speaking, he had no way to escape from the pit he had dug for himself. After seeking help at many rehabilitation institutions, his situation only worsened. Then he heard about the CYPSA (Concerned Young People of SA) program at the KwaSizabantu Mission in Kranskop and went into an internet café to look up directions. Adam arrived in June 2012, two days before a youth conference that was being hosted at the Mission. At the conference, he heard Rev Erlo Stegen preach on Romans 7:24-25, “O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God—through Jesus Christ our Lord!”   Adam said, “I had never heard such preaching before, although I had spent time in many churches. When I heard that sermon, I knew in my heart that it was the truth being preached. My life was never the same again from that day onwards”. (Read the full and other inspiring stories in our sister magazine, Devoted, by following the link: https://www.devotedmag.co.za/ )

Litha Ndikolo , professionally known as Queeng , is a versatile artist from the township of Lwandle in Cape Town. The 19-year-old rising star believes his singing career began when a friend forced him to sing at church for the first time at age four in 2010. Since then, Queeng claims to have never stopped singing. Fueled by his drive and passion for music, he formed a duo with a friend named Vuyo Maliza and performed at various events, such as weddings and church concerts. Their group, Marvellous Voices,  gave birth to an original song titled "Stars of Africa" and went on to win the Talent Express Competition . "I was discovered by a local artist, Ruben Davids, who exposed me to the public. I thought we were going somewhere, but nothing happened after I performed at his show," said Queeng. This highlights the complications of the lack of opportunities experienced by artists living in the township. Unfortunately, due to inability to juggle his musical career with his academics effectively, his family decided that it was time for him to focus primarily on his academics. After taking a break from music, Queeng made a strong comeback by recording an EP titled "EBhayi" and performing at local Hip Hop events for a few months. His efforts were recognized when he was awarded Best Newcomer and Best Male Vocalist at the Look At God Music Awards (LAGMAs) in 2022. "I think my debut live concert, 'Queeyonce,' must be the most memorable moment of my music career because it has taught me much about myself, more than I can imagine. With this concert, I challenged myself to work hard and leave my comfort zone. It is the best thing I have ever done for myself. I am grateful to myself for trusting myself with this huge initiative and having the courage," said Queeng, referring to his first-ever live concert at the Migrant Labour Museum on June 29, 2024. As the saying goes, "You reap what you sow," Queeng has been awarded the Best Male Vocalist and Best Performer at LAGMAs 2024. In addition, he now has experience planning and executing a live concert despite its associated challenges. Let's continue celebrating and supporting this youthful rising star as he represents the University of Cape Town in Africa's Campus Battle Season 6 talent competition. Let this be a reminder never to doubt the power you have, no matter your circumstances. Rise, Africans! References: Africa's Campus Battle Season 6 Queeng performance accessible at :  https://www.instagram.com/reel/C-pOx17IVGc/?igsh=MWlnM3JncG53eHo0Zg== Queeng acceptance to Semi Finals Africa's Campus Battle accessible at :  https://www.facebook.com/share/p/8atqPbodE6yyC8Ce/?mibextid=oFDknk

Meet Chantel Ndul i, a 17-year-old model and Grade 11 learner at Esther Maleka Comprehensive High School from a small town called Marble Hall, Limpopo Province in South Africa. She redefines the meaning of beauty with her stunning looks, charming personality and has already made a name for herself in the modelling world. What sets her apart is her passion for using her platform to raise awareness about substance abuse and inspire positive change in her community. As a finalist for International Teen Supermodel South Africa , Chantel has gained a significant following and is determined to use her influence to make a difference. "I started modelling in 2022 at a Provincial pageant titled Miss Capricorn and standing in front of a huge crowd for the very first time was absolutely amazing. My mom is my motivation, she is always there for me to ensure everything goes well, I am where I am because of her support”, she said. Chantel's passion for substance abuse awareness and prevention is rooted in her desire to protect her community from the devastating effects of addiction “I want to help people understand the risks, substance abuse is a serious issue that affects us all, and it's time we take action," she shared. With a strong sense of conviction, she is dedicated to using her platform to raise awareness and inspire positive change. There are lots of challenges that comes along with being a model, most importantly the issue of support in terms of donations. “ As a model, you need to be financially stable. There are a lot of things that are required and they need money. So, sometimes when you go out asking for donations from people, shops, business owners or anywhere, you can encounter people that are negative and non-supportive or supportive”, added Chantel. She continues on her journey to make a difference through God and hardwork. With her beauty, brains, and determination, Chantel is a true role model for young people everywhere. Her advice to youth out there is to believe in themselves and use education as tool to fight against poverty. “The grand finale for International Teen Supermodel South Africa was supposed to be on the 28th September but postponed to the 18th of December 2024 . Anyone is welcome to buy tickets at ticketpro and you can find information on how to do that on my social media handles.”, she concluded To learn more about Chantel's advocacy work or to get in touch with her, follow her on social media | Instagram I am chantel_nduli | Facebook I am Chantel Nduli| tiktok I am Chantel Kay 9197 or email mailto:chantelnduli@email.com . Join Chantel in her mission to create a safer, healthier community for all.

“I was always a control freak, searching for the power which gangsterism provided for me,” says Kurt van Eeden. That is why he got involved in high school, at the age of 13, in drinking and smoking cigarettes. He left school in 1986 after failing Standard 8 (Grade 10) and started working at his family-owned business. At the same time, he qualified as a sewing machine mechanic and learned several other practical skills. It was these skills that he later used effectively during his criminal activities. Kurt got involved with gangsterism. He eventually lost his right thumb in a fight, but that was not a serious enough warning for him to leave the gang. He says his thought pattern back then was that the taxi drivers should die because they wanted to take over the gangsters’ territory. He then joined the killers in the Heideveld territory. They were feared by many. They robbed people and stole from everybody who was in their way, and the cases accumulated. Kurt was 20 when he landed in jail again, and during this time, his first daughter was born. The mother of his child was only 17. In prison, he became a target because of his gangsterism history. Around eight months into his prison sentence, his daughter’s mother got involved with another man, and that threw him over the edge. It motivated him to start with intense studies about how to harm not only himself but also other people. “I now know exactly how to bring great bodily harm to people,” says Kurt. “I was fully committed to becoming a gangster again. The gangsters recruited me, and I became a leader. I was a big guy in the gangster world, giving me the power I craved. Kurt said, “In 2015, things slowly began to change for me. I visited my Uncle Bruce, who is a pastor, and I told him that I was ready to give my life to the Lord Jesus. He took me to the branch of KwaSizabantu Mission in Malmesbury. After I finished the program, I even started to work at the aQuellé factory in Franschhoek. Sadly, I ran away from them in February 2019. During the pandemic, I was smoking and using drugs and still involved in prostitution activities. My uncle came to the house where I lived then, telling me he wanted me to change. He booked a ticket to KwaSizabantu in Kranskop. I thought I would only stay for two weeks, but I am still here years later, working at the aQuellé factory. “It was intimidating for me at first because the people told me they loved me. I thought they lied to me because I thought I was not loveable. After a while, I realised that it was true. They love me unconditionally, despite my past.”   READ THE FULL STORY BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://pubhtml5.com/asxvv/eobc/

From a rebellious teenager to a valuable contributor to society, Raffiq Ismail’s journey is a beacon of hope. His story is a testament to the power of personal transformation, inspiring us all to believe in our potential for change. Raffiq grew up in Chatsworth, a large township in KwaZulu-Natal. He knew only his mother and grandmother, not his dad. He had two brothers with different fathers. At school in the early nineties, he was not sociable but a real bookworm and, therefore, did well in school. Sadly, his life at home was tainted by domestic violence and chaos, so he created his fairytale world to cope. Despite that, he was the first male child in his family to finish school, and as a result, his family had big expectations of him. He began smoking cigarettes, and it was not long before he smoked dagga. Raffiq told us that because of his upbringing, he lacked the moral compass to know right from wrong. He overdosed on ecstasy the very first time he used it. As awful as this was, the overdose made him realise it would be better to leave his so-called friends. He recalls he was about 18 when he was introduced to heroin (Whoonga): “I could control the highs so that my family did not know I was using drugs and involved in wrong things. Because of the drugs, I started experiencing severe body pains and other health issues.” By the time Raffiq turned 27, his life was a complete mess! But somehow, he staggered and stumbled through the gates of CYPSA at KwaSizabantu Mission in March 2015. That was the turning point for him. He signed in with CYPSA’s restoration program and attended regular church services where they preached about Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins. As he attended the services and listened to the Word of God being preached in truth, God started working in his life. He began confessing his sins, and the burdens he carried on his shoulders rolled away. Not long after that, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour and gave his heart to Him. He recently completed his Bachelor of Education degree through North-West University, even graduating Cum Laude (with distinction)! With the help of CYPSA and God, Raffiq is living his dreams, and we’re sure there are more incredible things in store for this inspiring young man. READ THE FULL STORY BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://pubhtml5.com/asxvv/eobc/

As we all know that the Western Cape has the most recorded incidents of alcohol abuse whether it be assault; sexual assaults or many more which is the catalyst for these incidents. In hindsight where did it all start? We all know that the stigma makes waves that "Coloured people" are the most worst drunkards but what gave this myth a reality; let's go further back when the VOC was installing wine farms in the most beautiful picturesque areas where the First Nations People ÔANANÔAGUB or Descendants owned. All the renumeration for services rendered by farm labourers was indeed wine and spirits and also this contribute to the loss of Language and Cultural dignity by "Coloured people" ....so should we justify to have this name as Cape Winelands? For the record in the Stats we see released in the media that most Khoi Community group has the most highest level of FAS ( Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) statistics. And who is the contribution giver to this? Ja you guess it right ALCOHOL. So few years back I read on social media a post stating that on Heritage Day Coloured people will just drink the day away because of its their roots to be intoxicated by alcohol. What a bunch of KAKAPUSA or Amnesia. We really need to address these elephants in the room as what we can do to curb this propaganda machine which depicts the First Nations People ÔANANÔAGUB or Descendants of problematic information in a month's that TSOATSOA or Began now we label as the month of Heritage. TOA TAMA ! KHAMS GE ( The struggle continue) Jeffrey Oarasib Hotagob Hartzenberg ©️

We are glad to see Africans trying more harder to push their talents despite their circumstances. Thabiso Douglas Thako (32) is a famous comedian from Ga Kgapane, Limpopo Province in South Africa. Khephar  as populalry known, entertain his fans with funny video clips circulating on social media.   Chatting with Phuti Ramaphakela, Khephar said: “Parents must be careful when giving their kids names cause they can be powerful. My name is “Thabiso” - meaning “Happiness”, so am here to make people happy. This a gift from God and I love seeing people laughing to relieve their stress.”   Everything started back  with a dream of being on TV and gradually moved to comedy after inspired by the likes of Trevor Noah back in 2012. Khephar never looked back since then.   “My comedy is motivated by our daily lives, I write down what is happening in the world and get on with it. My challenges are funny, It is very hard to get a partner because people still fail to separate a real me from the comedy. People are still not convinced when I try to be serious cause they see comedy reflecting on me. It is also not easy to go out the streets as fans expect to always see you in a happy moods”, added Khephar.   Times have changed, now lots of people use social media platforms to push their brands. Khephar’s comedy clips are addictive, you will never know what is gonna happen on the next clips and will always be glued to his page. We cannot forget to mention his team for doing wonderful work.   “ Who am I without my team ? Their roles are to act but on set they put out more than what they are asked for and that makes them super everytime. Aspiring comedians must be disciplined enough to know that this road is not easy at all especially coming from Bolobedu, an environment full of nay sayers. And finally when they are at the top they should be careful of the monster called pride and greed ”, he concluded.   Bookings can be done:   Youtube: Khephar Facebook: Khephar Tiktok: Khephar Whatsapp: 071 520 1046

In just more than 30 days we KARE or praise |ÛMIS TSĒS or Heritage Day; but what trauma and confusion doesn't it leave to our Khoi People? I can #AIHO or Remember one school trip to Iziko Museum in ||HUI!GAES or Cape Town; when we saw the "MISCAST OF THE BUSHMEN " exhibition which made many kids in my class of Khoi origins labelled today as !GORAN or Coloureds; actually being felt inferior and ||HOBOS or nothing left in TOAXA or Ashamed of seeing this is what we are being seen as. Which brings me to this: maybe that's why we are being feeling TOAXA of our roots as what we had been GAMA!GÂ or mislead by indoctrination of what we are yet other groups in ! NAREMÂB or South Africa wear with #NÎSA or pride their |ÛMIS SARAN or Heritage Clothing. One day that brings too many trauma and confusion and shame to a people whose ABOXAN or Ancestors built the !KHÚSIB or Wealth of this Land. So we also get sections in our society who labels us as drunkards and culture less people ( anyways next article I'll dissect the alcohol propoganda and trauma left on Khoi People); which shows us the highly KAKAPUSA or Amnesia we still have in a democratic country.  A people who lost their Language and Heritage is certainly a people who have to go through TSÛ or Pain in order to deal with things done to them.  Lastly the question regarding why Khoi People have European surnames is because the only way to have seen a Khoi Person as civilised was to baptize them with Christianity.  Still it shows we as a country has a lot to learn regarding the First Nations People ÔANANÔAGUB or Descendants who are still Gaslight victims in a TSĒKOROBE or Daily basis. TOA TAMA !KHAMS GE Jeffrey Oarasib Hotagob Hartzenberg ©️

THAMSANQA MPANZA, or lucky as he is fondly known, is 44 years old. Once a runaway and wanted by the police for serious crimes, he is finally at peace with himself and a free man. For the first time in his life, he feels loved and appreciated. He says he is no longer a criminal since he met Jesus, his Saviour. For the first time, he has a decent job as a security officer at Emseni Saverite in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal.   By age 16, Thamsanqa was already the leader of gangsters. From there on his story is marked by drugs, alcohol, witchcraft, ancestor worship, muti to enhance his criminal activities, graveyard visits, very evil spirits, and various crimes. He was eventually caught and went to prison for his crimes.   Thamsanqa said he had 57 criminal cases against him, but he is now cleared from them all and a free man for the first time since he started committing crimes as a youngster. So, how did he change his life around? “I have only the people of KwaSizabantu to thank for that, as well as the CYPSA program I committed to. In many of those cases I was charged with, the police accused me of doing the crime. I was not even there when the crime took place. I was already at KwaSizabantu seeking help for my addictions, but they blamed me for the crimes. KwaSizabantu helped me to set the record straight”.   Thamsanqa is not married, but he has12 children. He said he “was changing girls all the time and had children with them”. Two of his children have now passed away.  He wants to build a house for his children. “This is how KwaSizabantu helps people”, he said. “They help them to become better people. Even my community is now proud of me. I now walk with God. The evil spirits no longer haunt me. I no longer believe in worshipping ancestors. Once, I was a drug addict, but I no longer crave those things. The one regret I have is that my mother has passed away, and she did not have the opportunity to see how I fixed my life.”   (Read the full story of how Thamsanqa changed his life around by following the link: https://devotedmag.co.za/rejected-from-society-welcomed-by-strangers/

KELVIN LEON FYNN works at the water bottling plant at KwaSizabantu Mission in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal, where the raw material is received. But he grew up in Durban. Kelvin says that cigarette smoking is the gateway to drugs. It is not hard to move from smoking cigarettes to drugs, and that is what happened to him. He says, “I befriended the outcasts and started to smoke weed with them, but I quickly surpassed them and started using drugs. I was only 13 years old at the time! I used drugs for almost the most significant part of my life – daily. Drugs, alcohol, sex, and gangsterism were the order of the day, and I was part of that fast life. Those things were ‘normal’ to me. “I started selling drugs at our flat building when I was around 14. At some stage, I did not pay the drug lord, and he came to my house and took most of our stuff as compensation – even things that belonged to my mother. “By the age of 17, I was a gang member and had to draw blood to earn my status. When you are on drugs, there is no distinction between you and a mad person. You give up on life; that is a reality. You lose your soul – that is what drugs do to you. My life spiralled out of control. My mother lost her decent job. She had to take time off from work so many times to be in court because of my behaviour that she lost her job. In the end, she lost it all because she started to use alcohol. My brother followed in my footsteps, and she could not handle it anymore. My brother got killed because of his choice to follow in my footsteps”. Things started to change for Kelvin on Friday, the 13th of January, 2023. By then, he had suffered severe paranoia as he had not slept for a very long time. He heard about the CYPSA restoration program at the KwaSizabantu Mission in Kranskop and started hitchhiking to the mission station. “When I saw the place the next day, the beauty of it captivated me”, Kelvin says. “The landscaping, neat gardens and houses, the rondavels – all looked well maintained. KwaSizabantu restored my dignity and that of my family. They are doing God’s work, and you can see it; everywhere you walk on KwaSizabantu soil, you can see God is at work here. I have a twinkle in my eye again and am happy for the first time.”  “I chose to be here. I asked for help, and I asked for people here to pray for me. They do not judge you. They pray for you, and they accept you for who you are. They are happy, and I wanted to share in that happiness.” Read the full story by following the link: https://online.pubhtml5.com/asxvv/jdiq/

We had a chat with a 32 year old founder and soccer coach of a club called Football Club Dunuse.  Minenhle Marvin Jaca  is an ambitious young  guy from KwaDunuse, South Coast of KwaZulu Natal Province under uMzumbe Municipality in South Africa. After matriculating in 2009, he went on to be part of a programme called “Writers Lab” - a film class at Ekhaya Multi Arts Centre under leadership of Dr Edmund Mhlongo and continued to study for a three year diploma in Journalism. “Education opened up lot of doors for me , including an internship at Highway Radio Fm - ( a Christianity radio station based in Durban ). I learned a lot there and became a presenter under a training from content producer Jabulani Sithole. I went on to work as a Multi Skilled labour at Ster Kinekor at Carnival City, promoted to Shift Manager and moved to East Gate cinema in Benoni in 2017”, he said.   Taking about football, Coach Minenhle had to bring back to the community in the year 2020 where FC Dunuse was born after community members felt like they lack sports facilities. He founded a team and became a coach of FC Dunuse, which is currently playing under Deyi Mission Football Association and was voted also as a secretary. In March 2023, he was given a task to coach Kwa - santi Primary School, played three tournaments and won one.   “ Dunuse Youth Sport Consortium is a youth structure that was established by youth from KwaDunuse. We have multi talented kids and they need to be given a platform. The aim is to enhance solidarity, social cohesion and developments. Sports plays vital role in shaping our society, it makes our youth to stay away from social ills such as crime, teenage pregnancy, drugs and substance abuse” he added.   As a coach, Minenhle has achieved 3rd place at Nhlalwane Soccer Tournament in 2022 with FC Dunuse, 2023 - 3rd place at Masidlale School Tournament with Kwa - Santi Primary School, Champions Of 2023 St Faiths Circuit Schools Tournament with Kwa-Santi Primary School, 2024 U15 Easter Tournament Champions With Kwa - Santi Primary FC and went to play at Makhandas Winter Games in Johannesburg with FC Dunuse under 19 and under 15.   “Running a club is a full time day to day job which should be driven by passion, love and dedication, with my experience I've never got any form of interest or money so football is love and if you don't love the kids you can't coach them”, concluded Coach Minenhle   Sponsors can contact Coach Minenhle: Whatapp - 0640564901 | email: dunuseyouthsportclub@gmail.com  | Facebook: Football Club Dunuse