Latest news with #Ubuntu
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Sport
- New Indian Express
Collaborate, 'Pause and Reflect', IOC president elect Kirsty Coventry's way forward
CHENNAI: Mother. Wife. Friend. Former multiple Olympic champion and now next International Olympic Committee (IOC) president... Kirsty Coventry is all of that and a lot more. She is just days away from taking charge as the most powerful person in the world of sport. When she takes the reins from Thomas Bach on June 23, she will shatter several glass ceilings as well. She will be the first woman IOC president, first from Africa, the youngest and one of the most decorated sportspersons to hold top office. This is just the beginning of an era. By the time her term ends, she would be hoping to leave a legacy that will not only withstand the ravages of time. The last three months since her election in March had days of briefing and debriefing, and in swimming parlance "a deep dive or a deeper dive into all the information in and around the IOC". "Bach has been very good in sharing all of his knowledge and expertise and background on all the various topics which has been extremely helpful," she said during an online roundtable with select media. Bach is one of her biggest supports. During the close to one-hour online interaction, Coventry has given a glimpse of her vision and the way she has envisioned to run the IOC. Collaborate and listen is what she said. And how it will be like the Ubuntu, the philosophy of Africa. "I like to collaborate. I like to be able to listen. I like to be able to hear everyone's opinions. I think it's very important. It's something that we saw when I was the athlete chairperson of the IOC. When we open things up, and open platforms for athletes to share with us what they were thinking and feeling. We had open dialogue and open conversation. It really went a long way at the end of the day. I also know that I'm the IOC president, and I need to make the decisions, and we need to move. But I truly believe that you get more collective if everyone feels that they've at least had a say… at the end of the day we have been driven by the same purpose of delivering incredible games and inspiring the next generation." There were some profound words from Coventry and this topped them all. "I would say that there's never a dream too big. There's always a way to achieve something, and don't ever let someone talk you out of having that dream of what could happen and what it could be and what things could look like. It's really powerful." The IOC president-elect felt that not just her background as an Olympic athlete but as a mother of two young children too would help her drive the very tenet of Olympism. She felt the children would play a role in defining her tenure as well. "They are a daily reminder that we have a big responsibility to ensure that sport remains relevant and that the Olympic Games remains relevant. Listening to them and watching them. And I'm sure and I know a few people on the call have young kids as well, and you have all been parents. So you've gotten to see the sports that your children find fascinating and find exciting. I think those are the things that we have to be able to look at and acknowledge and have an appreciation for, and those are going to be again opportunities for me that I hope will help to carve a pathway through my presidency…" The 41-year-old also announced that she has called for two-day workshop after the handover ceremony. "I have invited the IOC members to stay two extra days to have a "Pause and Reflect" workshop with them so that I can really hear what is on their mind and what they see as our opportunities and what they may see as our challenges as we move into the future and come up with different ideas." Coventry takes strength from her Zimbabwe background as well. "That's where I see one of my strengths coming from Zimbabwe, a much smaller National Olympic Committee, a developing country. The challenges that countries like mine go through, their athletes go through. And how do we close that gap? How are we going to be able to really ensure that athletes from all walks of life have, if not the same opportunities, equal opportunities to get access to sport. There's a lot of expectations. This is where I think us engaging as a movement, looking at our programmes and how we deliver them; the use of technology. How can that really broaden the scope and impact… that it can really reach far places. Those are really going to be important assets and facets for me to follow through in my presidency." Moving on "I feel like I am right in the middle of bridging both age gaps so very much want to tap into both sides, and all of the members have incredible backgrounds, incredible ideas. We need to ensure that we are using all of that to the best of our ability to strengthen our movement. I'm not someone, and I never have been. I think even my competitors, when I was swimming, can tell you that once the competition was over we were friends, and we moved forward. We had that mutual respect for each other. I hope that that will be the case in our movement in terms of what we will be doing again on the 24th and 25. To give you guys a little bit of insight. We have a workshop where the members will be in five different groups. One of the leads of the groups is a candidate, and was a candidate, and had some very strong opinions on this specific topic. So again it's important for me that everyone is engaged. Everyone feels that they have a seat at the table, and can really share their ideas and their thoughts. "And then it's about us collectively coming together and deciding what we feel is going to be the best for the future of the movement. And again, for me, I will obviously always be looking at it as how does it impact all of the stakeholders. And how are we going to reach those 9 and 10-year-olds around the world to ensure that the movement remains relevant for them?"
Eyewitness News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Eyewitness News
District Six pensioner likely to be evicted for a second time
CAPE TOWN - A pensioner who was forcibly removed from District Six during apartheid now faces being evicted from the area for the second time. The 73-year-old was outside the Western Cape High Court on Thursday, where he joined about 60 others who illegally occupied Irene Grootboom House in Darling Street, to challenge being evicted from the site. An Irene Grootboom house occupant, Barrymore Jossie, says being served with an eviction notice to vacate the Darling Street property feels like apartheid all over again. Jossie and about 60 other illegal occupants living in the three-storey building were handed eviction notices earlier this month. Jossie recalls his experience in 1972. "I couldn't understand... When I asked my grandmother why? She said the white man wants us out, bottom line. They don't want us... They want to get rid of anyone that's not of a proper colour." The 73-year-old has called on the government not to behave in a similar way. "That was in the past... If there is Ubuntu in this country, then why don't the government show it to us? If we are one, then give us a fair share." Housing activists Ndifuna Ukwazi are opposing the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure's application for the eviction of the occupants from site.
The Citizen
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Citizen
Nduduzo Makhathini on spiritual understandings anchoring his music and remaining modest
Makhathini was recently awarded the Deutscher Jazzpreis, the German Jazz Prize, in the Live Act of the Year International category. Makhathini was recently awarded the Deutscher Jazzpreis, the German Jazz Prize, in the Live Act of the Year International category. Picture: Supplied (Robert Winter) South African artist Nduduzo Makhathini is one of the world's most recognised pianists, composers and live performers. His live performances are capable of taking you on both a spiritual and artistic journey. He is calm, soft-spoken and quite unassuming. Like Rihanna, he is appreciated at home and beyond the borders of his home country. But like an unknown session musician, he has the humility to remain in the background while simultaneously contributing to some renowned bodies of work, without making a fuss about it. Makhathini was recently awarded the Deutscher Jazzpreis, the German Jazz Prize, in the Live Act of the Year International category. The awards shine the spotlight on the diversity and creativity of the German and international jazz scene. ALSO READ: SA Gen Z's love for new-age Maskandi and Americans' craze over Amazayoni music Modest Makhathini However, in his acquisition of these accolades, Makhathini has remained modest, saying Ubuntu informs this. 'I feel very strongly that when we get these rewards, they are responding to moments that have really past for us artistically,' says the 42-year-old. '…they give me a sense of humility and acceptance that all things we are doing now can only be seen or acknowledged much later and some of it when we're not in this world and that just gives me so much humility.' Makhathini is the first South African artist to be signed to revered international Blue Note Records. Modes of Communication: Letters from the Underworlds, his debut album under Blue Note Records, was named one of the best Jazz Albums of 2020 by The New York Times. He has won the South African Music Awards (Sama), a Metro FM award, and a slew of other accolades. The award-winning musician is a former Head of the Music Department at Fort Hare University and left the role in 2023 to join the University of KwaZulu-Natal as an educator and researcher. ALSO READ: DJ Doowap takes SA street culture to Germany and France Makhathini's musicality He says all of his work is anchored in spiritual understandings. 'It's just really a way of making sense of the intangibility of sound and music and the fact that it is something that we feel [or] sense but do not really see or can even touch. That for me is enough to suggest that music has a transcendental quality.' This transcendental quality, he says, is what people are sensing all around the world. 'So I feel very honoured to receive an award for something that resides within the realms of the intangible, which makes a confirmation that it is really something that is felt and people gather around it all around the world,' he shared. Makhathini has collaborated with a diverse range of artists, including both young and established artists, such as the late Zim Ngqawana, Thandiswa Mazwai, and the younger Tumi Mogorosi. 'I've been blessed to collaborate with some of the best musicians from around the world,' says Makhathini. He mentions names like Wynton Marsalis and Billy Harper. Collaboration is fundamental to jazz music, and most acts are comprised of a band, which necessitates collective effort. 'Collaboration is very fundamental in jazz, this music in itself originated as communal music and communal because it was a musical of displacement, a music of homelessness and music of protest during catastrophic moments where people were commodified as slaves,' shares Makhathini. ALSO READ: Siphephelo Ndlovu on his hiatus from music, getting into the family business of TV, as he returns to stage Live at Untitled On Friday, he will share the stage with South African trumpeter Ndabo Zulu and the Soweto Central Chorus. He says the show is part of a project he's been working on, where he challenges himself as an artist to break new sonic barriers. 'I challenged myself by stepping into unfamiliar territory by way of configuration, by way of sound, by way of repertoire,' he says. 'So this is one of those, and I'm really excited to keep going with this idea of an ongoing rehearsal because it liberates the ways we think about being in the world, forgiveness, continuity, space and time concepts and expanded notions of being in the world.' NOW READ: 'Bucket list checked': Zakes Bantwini graduates from Harvard
News24
4 days ago
- Climate
- News24
Spirit of ubuntu shines through after rural KZN community was left reeling by storm
Sakhiseni Nxumalo/News24 Over 100 homes were destroyed in Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal, as severe storms battered the region, leaving families without food, clothing, shelter or electricity. Many residents live in poverty and in mud-brick houses, which collapsed under the harsh weather conditions. KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and minister Velenkosini Hlabisa visited the affected areas, launching emergency relief efforts while local disaster teams assist with temporary shelter, food parcels and clean water. Ubuntu was on full display in the rural community of Impendle, KwaZulu-Natal, as neighbours stepped in to shelter and feed each other after more than 140 homes were destroyed by a severe storm. Mud homes collapsed, roofs were blown off, and families were left without shelter, water or electricity in the aftermath of the disaster – and it was the spirit of human solidarity that became the first line of response. Last week, the extreme weather conditions in KwaZulu-Natal caused damage to 138 schools in 12 districts. This prompted some schools to halt exams as teachers waited for the provincial education department to assess the damage. According to KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli, more than 400 homes have been affected by the recent inclement weather conditions which hit parts of the province for two days this past week. Ntuli said no lives were lost. In Impendle, which is 48km west of Pietermaritzburg and 37km north-east of Bulwer, more than 140 houses were affected, with over 58 completely collapsed. However, stricken residents, many already living in poverty, found comfort in one another's support while waiting for formal relief efforts to reach them. 'This thing (storm) took us by surprise. We thought it was a normal wind because almost every year around this time we experienced heavy wind. To our surprise, the wind was way too strong, and it was only after it had passed that we realised it had damaged so many houses,' said Vusumuzi Nyembe, a resident in the area. Nyembe told News24 that many families were left homeless and had their food, clothes and other vital items blown away. Sakhiseni Nxumalo/News24 Sakhiseni Nxumalo/News24 He said residents had been able to find shelter through unaffected neighbours who welcomed them into their houses. 'There is one family where there are two children around 20 and 16, but they don't have parents, and they stay alone. Their house was the only thing that they had left, and now they have nothing,' said Nyembe. Many of the homes are mud brick houses. The bricks are made by mixing sand and water. This is out of necessity due to widespread unemployment and extreme poverty in the community. 'We've been unemployed for years,' said Nyembe. 'There are no jobs here. We had no choice but to use mud to build because we couldn't afford cement. These structures are not safe, yes, but what can you do? You can't stay outside,' he said. READ | Disaster teams 'working round the clock' after strong winds and snow hit parts of KZN Isabel Mazibuko recounted how the wind blew part of the roof off before shaking the walls of her home until the entire structure collapsed last Tuesday. She said when the walls started shaking, she took one of the children who is disabled to a neighbour's house. 'It all happened so fast. The house had five rooms, and it accommodated all of us. We are just glad that we have another room available to house some of us (family of 12). Others sleep at the neighbour's house and come back in the morning,' said Mazibuko. Sakhiseni Nxumalo/News24 Sakhiseni Nxumalo/News24 The lack of stable employment and economic opportunities in Impendle has left most residents unable to rebuild their homes straight away. 'At first, we thought it was just passing like it always does, so we didn't panic. But within minutes, the roof was gone, and it landed in our neighbour's yard,' said Bizelweni Ndlovu. Ndlovu, 47, said the walls of her home then collapsed, and there was nothing they could do but watch. Her voice shook as she pointed to the ruins. 'As you can see, the roof was still new and had been renovated just two months ago, and this happened. It's sad because I don't have a place I can call home. I'm hoping that the government will assist us,' said Ndlovu. On Tuesday, KwaZulu-Natal Premier Thamsanqa Ntuli and Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Velenkosini Hlabisa visited the area. According to Hlabisa, their aim was to assess the scale of the damage and lead emergency relief efforts. Local disaster teams have been activated to assist displaced residents with temporary shelter, food parcels and access to clean water. Many, however, remain without electricity or basic sanitation. Hlabisa said: We are grateful to God that in this area, even though they experienced severe damage, no life was lost. It's sad, yes; lives are important and cannot be replaced. We are also very much appreciative to community members who came together, housed those who were affected and provided food. Hlabisa said he had engaged Minister of Human Settlements Thembi Simelane, her provincial office and other government departments. He said they would compile a report after assessing the extent of the damage, after which it would be sent to the national Cogta department for the affected areas to be declared disaster areas. 'The Department of Human Settlement will quickly move in to assist by providing temporary housing for the affected families. There have been over 100 food vouchers and food parcels that will be distributed to the victims,' he said.
IOL News
12-06-2025
- Politics
- IOL News
China's Ambassador to South Africa celebrates International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations
China's Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng said the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations aims to enhance global awareness of the vital importance of civilization, diversity and intercultural exchanges. Image: Supplied Dialogue among civilizations is a bond of peace, a driver for development, and a bridge of friendship. This was the message conveyed by the People's Republic of China's Ambassador to South Africa, Wu Peng, on celebrating the First International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. The Ambassador spoke about this landmark achievement during an event hosted at the embassy in Pretoria on Thursday, which was attended by a delegation from the Government, including Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and other dignitaries. In June last year, the 78th United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution by consensus, which was initiated by China. It was co-sponsored by over 80 countries, including South Africa. Ambassador Wu said the establishment of this international day echoes the common aspiration of people from all countries for promoting dialogue among civilizations and progress of humanity. 'The world today is faced with turbulence and transformation. How different civilizations coexist harmoniously represents a critical issue of our era.' The ambassador added that more dialogue means less confrontation and greater inclusion reduces estrangement. The International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations aims to enhance global awareness of the vital importance of civilization, diversity and intercultural exchanges, to encourage the international community to strengthen mutual learning and solidarity, and to jointly explore solutions to global challenges, Wu said. He stressed that China has constantly upheld a civilization outlook, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness and has always been an active champion of inter-civilization dialogue. 'What has sustained Chinese civilization across 5,000 years is no accident. It is our ancestral conviction that harmony breeds prosperity, that diversity is strength…' The Ambassador added that true progress comes from mutual learning and enlightened integration. He said South Africa's success to a large extent lies in the traditional spirit of Ubuntu. 'This African wisdom teaches us that 'I am because we are', forging national unity through shared dignity. The Ambassador said this cultural affinity and convergence have established an essential framework of common values, facilitating intellectual and cultural dialogue not only between China and South Africa but also among all nations. 'Our world comprises over 200 countries and regions, 2,500 ethnic groups, and diverse religions. In this era of interconnected destinies, all nations and people should respect differences, embrace harmony in diversity, and pursue peaceful coexistence.' He said China stands ready to work with South Africa and the international community to actively implement the Global Civilization initiative. 'Together we can foster inclusive co-existence and mutual learning among civilizations and use dialogue to promote world peace and shared development, thus jointly composing a new chapter for building a community with a shared future for mankind,' Wu said. Dlamini-Zuma meanwhile hailed China, calling for the 10th of June to be known as the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations. 'As we move faster and faster into a multipolar world, the international community must welcome this initiative by China to ensure dialogue among civilizations and peoples.' She pointed out that the Freedom Charter is emphatic: 'There shall be peace and friendship". She said the Freedom Charter speaks clearly to the principles and values of dialogue between civilizations.
