Search Results

Khayelihle Mholong is 30 years old and looks calm and organised at first glance. But a relaxed and friendly face can hide a troubled past. “I was always an angry child and gave my parents a hard time”, he said.  “I had many grudges with my mother. I was a fighter and later became a gang leader. I was imprisoned for the first time when I was 16 years old. Everybody was afraid of me. Around 2016, I left home and went to Johannesburg. I started to drink more. My brother was selling drugs, and I joined him in 2018. The drug lord eventually killed my brother, and I became a drug lord in his place. “I went back home in 2019, but very soon, I used up all the money I earned through drug dealings. I became broke and homeless, sleeping under the bridge. I started to break into houses, and by then, I was addicted to heroin, mantras, rock, and crystal meth.  “In 2022, I started to fight with the community where I lived. For every crime, they would point a finger at me. I left the community then but soon was looking for capital again and started killing people for money. Those images still haunt me at night. Evil spirits took over my life, and I got involved with witchcraft for special muti that would increase my customers. But the muti did not help, and my customers left me. The witch doctor then advised me to draw human blood, which I did. In 2023, I ran away from Johannesburg to Daveyton in Mpumalanga, but I could not find the peace I sought. “I was then reminded about KwaSizabantu, and I started attending church services in Daveyton, but that also brought me no peace. My younger brother had a passion for fraud, and he was also selling drugs. I joined him, but my love for crime was gone. I went back to Johannesburg and joined my friends again, but now I was doing fraud while selling drugs. “In August 2023, my life improved when my parents sent me to KwaSizabantu for help. It was also my choice to come here. They accepted me for who I am and helped me get rid of the demons in me and the addictions. I now want to live God’s way.” The KwaSizabantu Mission cannot be compared to other church ministries in terms of how it functions. The Mission runs, among other outreaches, annual youth conferences and the CYPSA restoration program for people with addiction. They work in extraordinary situations, under exceptional circumstances, with unique challenges, and with people from broken homes. Young people and adults from the streets face difficult circumstances and turn to the Mission, seeking refuge and salvation. READ THE FULL STORY BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://devotedmag.co.za/restoring-lives-khayelihle-mhlongo

The CYPSA (Concerned Young People of SA) restoration program has been doing excellent work, leading to formal invitations from education departments to conduct campaigns within their jurisdictions. CYPSA provides drug and human trafficking awareness workshops for principals and educators. They visit communities and schools to educate and raise awareness about addictions. Thanks to the goodwill of the KwaSizabantu Mission, these services are offered free of charge to schools. The youth helped by CYPSA include drug addicts, drug dealers, pimps, gangsters, human traffickers, HIV-infected youth, and pornography addicts. Additionally, CYPSA visits prisons to bring hope to inmates through reconciliation. Dumisa Myeki received help for his previous addictions through prayer and counselling. He stated, "I come from the Eastern Cape in Mount Frere. I joined CYPSA at KwaSizabantu Mission on the 4th of December, 2016. I was struggling with alcohol addiction, and it had severely impacted my life. Due to my alcohol abuse, I lost my job and was unable to support my six children. This took a toll on my self-esteem to the extent that I gave up on life and spent my days drinking. I was depressed because I couldn't be the father I wanted to be for my children. “However, the Lord brought people across my path who told me about CYPSA and the KwaSizabantu Mission and introduced me to the Lord Jesus Christ. I arrived at CYPSA with no skills, having been a general worker at my previous place of employment. After the Lord blessed me with employment at aQuellé as a general worker, I was promoted to machine operator, and I am now working as a mixing technician. Only God knows the plans He has for us! I am very thankful to those at CYPSA who sacrificed so much and have been used by God to save my life and the lives of so many others. Thank you, and God bless you.” READ THE FULL STORY BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://devotedmag.co.za/i-was-helped-through-prayer-and-counselling

Did You Know? The following items on the Coat of Arms in our Nation's Government institutions means the following: Sun - Rebirth/ Knowledge Blue Crane bird - Protection Protea - Our National Flower Shield/ Human figure - Roots/ Unity/ Lintrots of Khoi Rock Arts Elephant tusks - Eternity/ Power/ Wisdom Wheat flour - Feeding People - Heritage and Humanity Knobkierie - Defence Note that !KE E : |XARRA ||KE is N|UU for " Unity in Diversity" but her sister Language KhoiKhoi has its meaning as " |GUI!NÂXASIB KA #GUI!NÂGUSIB" Jeffrey Oarasib Hotagob Hartzenberg ©️

Anele Zangwa  was born and raised in Greenville, Eastern Cape Province in South Africa. A talented artist is currently a third year student at Walter Sisulu University and specialises with Additive Mono Print, Painting and Drawing. “I am very passionate about drawing, my art concepts revolves around the theme of “Hustling” and the aim is to inspire others to embrace their own unique struggles. I am inspired by Andrew Ntshabele. Art has always been my first love, growing up as an introvert, I never liked outdoor life. I have been making art for 12 years now and am not gonna stop”, he said. Like many careers, Anele is struggling to get more customers and support for his artworks. Sometimes people do not want to pay or pay less for his hardwork. Lack of connection with galleries for exposure is another challenge. “Artwork needs passion and hardwork. I rely on social media plartforms to market my work and it is not easy. My dream is to be a Sketch Artist / Forensic Artist and help police to solve their cases. I also want to teach art in prisons in order to help people to change their lives and build an art school in my hometown. The industry has a lot of money to take our people out of poverty”, he added. Aspiring artist must never give up their dreams, they must use what they have to push their talents. Anele is very focused and nothing is going to stop him. Rise Africans Newspaper wish him all the best! He can be found : Facebook page “Anele Zangwa Art”| WhatsApp : +27 60 385 9460

KHOIKHOI MÎDI DI |GAI|GAI!NÂ KHOIKHOI WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT NE GOWAS TI ABOXAN DĪB "This is my Ancestors' Language" HOA DA NÎ !HOA "We all are going to speak" NE GOWAS TA |GAI KAI TE "This Language will make me strong" ||KHA||KHA TE TI ABOXAN GOWABA "Teach me the Language of my Ancestors" SI TA MA DA GA I O; TARE-E? "If we don't; who will?" KHOIKHOI MÎDI DI SAOGUB KHOIKHOI VOCABULARY PEREB - BREAD PIRI - GOAT SARI - VISIT SÎ - SEND SOAS - OPPORTUNITY SON - DISAPPEAR SORES - SUN SOROS - BODY TAR-E - WHAT TARI-E - WHO TOROB - WAR Jeffrey Oarasib Hotagob Hartzenberg ©️

You will suffer in the long term if you believe you are entitled to better treatment than others or freebies. Entitlement can result in relationship conflict, unhappiness, abuse of many things (because you have money you have not worked for), and a severe lack of gratitude. The world does not owe us anything—we owe the world us all. The KwaSizabantu Youth conferences gave birth to the CYPSA Restoration Program. This program looks holistically at the socio-economic challenges of young people and helps them if they ask for help. The rationale is linked to the principle of attitude, which implies that a person can only change their life for the better if they are committed to the program. That is the only requirement to be accepted for the CYPSA program:  The person who wants to change for the better and commit to the program will be helped, and then change will happen. Change starts with the individual. Due to CYPSA’s work, education departments have formally invited them to conduct campaigns within its jurisdiction. CYPSA provides drug and human trafficking awareness workshops for educators. They visit communities and schools to educate and raise awareness for addictions. Through the goodwill of the KwaSizabantu Mission, the services are free to schools. Youth helped by CYPSA include drug addicts, drug dealers, pimps, gangsters, human traffickers, HIV-infected youth, and pornography addicts. They also visit prisons to bring hope to inmates based on reconciliation. CYPSA runs a Youth Inclusion Programme (YIP) that allows former drug addicts to complete their high school careers or pursue tertiary education. It also provides skills development and employment opportunities. After in-depth discussions with people who have restored their lives and overcome severe challenges, I found that gratitude makes a difference. An attitude of entitlement destroys a person and society. Many of those I spoke with highlighted that people who receive grants and other freebies are encouraged not to work and to use the money for the wrong things. The vicious cycle of entitlement prevents them from positively contributing to their lives. Thamsanqua Mpanza is one of the many who came to KwaSizabantu to seek help and now contributes constructively to society. Drugs, alcohol, witchcraft, ancestor worship, criminal activities and many other challenges previously marked his story. He is now a happy man, healed and working at the Mission. He wants others to learn from his story and help prevent them from taking the wrong path as he previously did. READ THE FULL STORY BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://devotedmag.co.za/rejected-from-society-welcomed-by-strangers/

The paying it forward principle, also known as ‘repay-in-kind,’ is closely linked to the principle of gratitude. It refers to being kind to someone in response to the kindness shown to you by someone else. Instead of paying that person back directly, you pass kindness on to someone else and do not expect anything back in return. The KwaSizabantu Mission reaches out to communities in countless ways through youth conferences, skills development, assistance through restoration programs, and help to those in need. Its CYPSA restoration program has helped over 20,000 people with all kinds of addictions and related ills, and they visit schools across the country and borders to create awareness. Many who have been helped choose to stay behind and help others by sharing their stories or paying it forward in other ways. Some have also become missionaries and dedicated their lives to helping others. Some people helped through the CYPSA Restoration Program stayed behind and worked at KwaSizabantu, like Qiniso Khumalo. He now works at the Mission’s water bottling plant in Kranskop.    Qiniso said, “I was born in Ntuzuma Township but grew up in KwaDukuza (Stanger), KwaZulu-Natal. In 2015, I arrived at CYPSA (KwaSizbantu’s restoration program) and enrolled in its restoration programme as a drug addict in desperate need of help. “It was then that my friend told me about CYPSA, where I would be welcomed with open arms and be able to get help. God set me free from my drug addiction. I went back to my community and apologised to all the people I had wronged in the past. I was then allowed to work at the aQuellé water bottling factory. After having started as a packer packing loose packs onto pallets, I was appointed to become a machine operator. Now, I am working in the Technical Department as a technician and have received training on the maintenance and repairs of the manufacturing equipment used at the factory. God has truly changed my life.”   READ THE FULL STORY BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://devotedmag.co.za/i-was-in-desperate-need-of-help

I recently helped with the activities at the 50th anniversary of the KwaSizabantu Youth Conferences, and I have shared some behind-the-scenes information with the Riser’s readers. I visited different venues randomly and spoke with around twenty people to understand the organisation behind the event and its purpose. Those I spoke with were regular helpers, but I know others came to help for the first time. Those who come regularly to help said they would do it again, God willing. Since its inception, KwaSizabantu has been a beacon of hope for young people, hosting youth conferences twice a year. These week-long events, which provide free accommodation, gospel teachings, and life skills training, have profoundly impacted the lives of those who attended. The Mission's commitment to this cause is further strengthened by its collaboration with churches, schools, and charity organisations. I had an hour-long talk with one of the ladies helping prepare the food for the almost 8,000 youngsters who registered for the week-long event.  She caught my attention because of her age and the joy of how she went about doing the work. Greama Kwela is a resident and worker at KwaSizabantu and is in her golden years but as fit as a fiddle. She put a lot of youngsters to shame and worked with more vigour than I saw people half her age doing! She said she enjoys the work tremendously and is thankful for being part of it. “I was here from the beginning when Erlo Stegen started with KwaSizabantu”, she said. “I was part of his ministry when he started, even before that when the revival came to Maphumulo. I got married in 1966 – I was the first to get married here at KwaSizabantu.  I was here from the beginning of the youth conferences and was at all of them.” What a revelation that was – for 50 years, twice a year, this old lady did what she likes the most, and in between conferences: Sharing the gospel with those who want to hear and serve His people literally! What a testament to what it means to be a great servant… The Thursday after the conference, the Mission held a braai  for all the workers, and I have learned my most valuable lesson of gratitude. It was now time for the Mission’s management to serve those who served the others during the event… One of the most inspiring outcomes of the youth conferences is the CYPSA restoration program. Over the years, thousands of young men who attended a youth conference decided to change their lives and asked for help after they were touched by a message. The program was formed to support these individuals and has since helped over 20,000 people start a new life. Some choose to stay behind and help others in need, sharing their experiences to inspire hope and change. My visit to KwaSizabantu for the youth conference was a powerful reminder of the role of gratitude in personal development. I witnessed firsthand that attitude makes all the difference. Attitude is gratitude without the “gr,” and it is this attitude that can help a person overcome all that is wrong in his/her life. Gratitude, being thankful for even the most minor things, has the power to transform us into better, more resilient individuals. Do not miss the following article focusing on the paying it forward principle. TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS CONFERENCE, READ THE SPECIAL PUBLICATION BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://online.pubhtml5.com/asxvv/heul/

KHOIKHOI MÎDI DI |GAI|GAI!NÂ KHOIKHOI WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT NE GOWAS TI ABOXAN DĪB "This is my Ancestors' Language" HOA DA NÎ !HOA "We all are going to speak" NE GOWAS TA |GAI KAI TE "This Language will make me strong" ||KHA||KHA TE TI ABOXAN GOWABA "Teach me the Language of my Ancestors" SI TA MA DA GA I O; TARE-E? "If we don't; who will?" KHOIKHOI MÎDI DI SAOGUB KHOIKHOI VOCABULARY PEREB - BREAD PIRI - GOAT SARI - VISIT SÎ - SEND SOAS - OPPORTUNITY SON - DISAPPEAR SORES - SUN SOROS - BODY TAR-E - WHAT TARI-E - WHO TOROB - WAR

My journey to the 50th anniversary of KwaSizabantu Mission’s youth conferences in KwaZulu Natal was a profound experience. Arriving at the mission station in Kranskop, KwaZulu-Natal, on Saturday, 15 June, and departing on Saturday, 30 June, I was privileged to witness two weeks of transformative experiences and invaluable life lessons. The impact of these conferences on the lives of the youth over 50 years was truly priceless, instilling hope for their future. Imagine two conferences for 50 years attended by thousands of youngsters every time, each leaving with a renewed sense of purpose and hope for their future. The planning related to event management was significant and mind-boggling on the day of the Thanksgiving event. From managing the parking arrangements for hundreds of vehicles, they accepted and welcomed honorary and other guests and guided them inside the auditorium where the service took place. Then, there was coordination in managing the spillover of the attendees after the 10,000-seater auditorium was capacitated. For this purpose, huge tents were erected by workers and filled with chairs before the time. Afterwards, the tents were used to hand out food parcels for the extra visitors. More than 12,000 received food on this day. About six tents were well prepared for a five-star meal for the expected guests and the dignitaries. Everything happened as if the team of workers and helpers had practised many times before the time. The youth conference can better be described as an event that operates seamlessly through the effective coordination of many parts, leaving me impressed and amazed at the level of organisation and dedication. KwaSizabantu has hosted youth conferences at its Mission station twice a year for fifty years. At first, a small group came to hear the gospel and listen to testimonies of other people’s restored lives. Quickly, the numbers grew, with significant numbers of young people coming to the Mission to get help from a wide variety of socioeconomic challenges, including addictions.  Very soon, the Mission realised that the socioeconomic challenges of the young ones were far more than what the community and government helped with, and it opened its gates to help those in need. The youngsters come in impressive numbers to the KwaSizabantu Mission, with almost 8,000 registering for the celebratory conference in June. They received healthy meals three times per day. They attended services where the gospel was shared with them, and others could share their inspiring stories of life-changing events.  The services and meetings were held three times daily, and highly respected speakers were invited to share messages of hope. The youngsters could also participate in a sports day, where all the activities have been designed to allow them to participate, from general games to more skilled sports activities. To conclude: Attending this event was life-changing, and the rewards were significant and encouraging. Be on the look-out for the next article which will focus on why this conference is different from others. READ MORE ABOUT THIS CONFERENCE IN THE SPECIAL DEVOTED EDITION BY FOLLOWING THE LINK: https://online.pubhtml5.com/asxvv/heul/

Slasenger Dingole Mokone , (23) is an author and entrepreneur from Turfloop, Mankweng Unit A, Limpopo Province in South Africa. His journey began with a book titled " I Conquered ," which delve much into psycho social challenges such as depression, loneliness, and fear, offering insights on overcoming them through relatable short stories. “My writing was inspired by profound challenges that I have to face growing up. It was not easy to deal with loneliness and fear. Drawing from personal triumphs over these obstacles, I aimed to share my experiences and support others in similar situations. I penned down " Show Me the Light ," my first book, inspired by Sylvia Maleka's organisation called "Show me the Light" which helps the children and youth. The book explores how to transform oneself using the mind, mouth, and heart—the three organs that shape our state of being. It serves as a guide to engineer personal growth and achieve a better state of being”, he said. Beyond writing, Slasenger is also passionate about entrepreneurship and currently focused on building his clothing brand called Priest Amare ®. Priest here does not mean a religious leader but someone who stands for those who can't stand for themselves in any given situation. The word "Amare" means to love in latin . “Standing for myself and others in love is  embodied  by determination and success as our slogan is "success is mine", he added. He recently released a third book titled, " I Am Preparing Myself for Marriage and This Is How... ," motivated by his observations of broken relationships. “Through research, I uncovered that personal character deficiencies often contribute to marital failures example lack of self control can lead to cheating which leads to divorce. This book offers insights into developing essential characteristics  for sustaining marriage, for a successful marriage is a marriage that is or has been well maintained”, he concluded. His message to all aspiring authors is to keep writing and forget about finance issues, write down what you want to achieve and look at it time to time one day it will manifest and develop habits that lead to your goals. His books are available and costs only R 150,00. More information can be found:  0798336414 | Facebook : Thapelo Slasenger or TikTok as wordsmith.

Another Mankweng township pride! Tumelo Mantsi Jocomina Bopape is a Gospel Artist from Unit F, Mankweng, Polokwane, Limpopo Province in South Africa. A single mother of a baby boy named Blessing started her school at Makeketela Primary School, Makgongoana High School and Mamabudusha High School. Later on she went on to acquire Certificate in call center Communication Marketing and Advertising. She went to Northern Computer School to do Diploma in Cashier, Project Management Certificate Preparation Programme with Saltiq College and Intel Learn Easy steps course with University of Limpopo.   “My love for music started at an early age at church, it is infact a talent from God. One day a guy named Kennedy Malifonde  from Zambia recognised my talent and featured my music. In 2021, I recorded my single titled “Mighty God” and it was online from August 2021”, she said.   Beautiful songstress told us about challenges in the music industry such as finding the right people who understand the type of music, making music without funds, lack of gigs and difficulties to find radio interviews. She is currently rehearsing and planning to record 3 or 4 songs next year.   “My advice to aspiring Gospel artist is to keep pushing, it has never been easy to make it in the music industry. Perseverance is a mother of success, keep praying, God will never fail you. I want to see myself winning more awards and my music being played on all platforms, radios and television. I want the world to know Christ through my voice and change people lives through my singing/my voice ”, concluded Tumelo.   Her music is found on Youtube, Itunes, Boomplay, (search song titled Mighty God - Tumelo B | Facebook: Tumelo B Smallgirl.   Rise Africans Newspaper wishes her all the best in her career.