CAPE TOWN; South Africa – It is common cause that
children usually start following Kaizer Chiefs Football Club because
they think that South Africa’s biggest football club is called ‘Kaizer
Chips’.
This is before they discover the real name is actually Kaizer Chiefs, named after its founder and owner Kaizer Motaung.
When Motaung founded the Phefeni Glamour Boys in 1970 he
used his first name Kaizer, and joined it with that of the club he first
played for in the United States, Chiefs, from Atlanta Chiefs. Since
then Kaizer Chiefs has gone on to become the most decorated football
club in South Africa and clearly the biggest sporting brand to date.
But on Monday this week, the ‘Kaizer Chips’ name came close
to reality as the SOWETO born outfit known as AMAKHOSI (the Chiefs),
launched a potato chip range.
Marketing Director of Kaizer Chiefs, Jessica Motaung invited ‘fans everywhere to get Khosified and truly fuel your passion’.
Kaizer Chiefs said it has launched the potato chip range to
take “the essence of passion from the football pitch to the palate”.
This move by AMAKHOSI has also led to social media going abuzz with
reactions.
Chiefs is expanding its commercial footprint at a time that
the club is going through its eight year without winning a trophy under
the South African Football Association (SAFA)-Premier Soccer League
(PSL) calendar.
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This week however,,Jessica Motaung was upbeat about a turnaround among fans.
“Our vision was clear — to deliver a snack range that
embodies the boldness and vibrancy of the Kaizer Chiefs brand. With
these explosive flavours, we invite fans everywhere to get Khosified and
truly fuel your passion,” she said.
From social media and elsewhere fans are excited, with some
joking that the launch was “unofficial” recognition of ‘Kaizer Chips’,
which is how some people, mainly children, pronounce the club’s name.
Lawrance Maile commented, “Chiefs marketing department, you
guys are doing a great job in ensuring that the brand grows. So
innovative, thinking out the box … unlike other football clubs. I know
most people won’t stop criticising you for a wonderful job you are
doing. People should know that football today is a business.”
While Themba Tshabalala tweeted on X: “Smiles everywhere as
@KaizerChiefs launches their snack range. You can have Kaizer Chips
while you watch Kaizer Chiefs.”
Cape Town: One of the saddest experiences of growing
up in a South African township is that of the level of violence that
sometimes leads to injury or even loss of lives. That was the experience
we were accustomed to growing up in the 1980s, those of my generation
born in the 1970s and later 70s.
This violence came from political insurrection or gangsterism or down
right thuggery. But of course, there’s the brighter side to the
township life. Sport, recreation and the arts top the chart in my book.
By all accounts, children and the youth have the most fun when
engaging in these three activities.During my township schools days in
the 1980s and early 1990s these disciplines were the norm in the
township, including township schools. Somewhere, somehow along the way
as the 1994 post apartheid democratic order came into effect, steadily
the cracks started showing.
The all popular sport athletics days for primary and high schools in
the townships, and district athletics meetings would become something of
the past, this would see other sporting codes, including drama, arts
and many recreational activities going under the bus. Of course, the
problems didn’t all start after 1994, even before 1994 and mostly during
school holidays, the lack of activities for what seems to be the
majority of the township kids and youths was and still is a living
reality.
Back in those days, we ended up creating our own activities like
street soccer, cricket, tennis and other popular games in the townships.
Another sector that showed promise especially from the 1980s to the
early 1990s was that of township youth structures, such as youth clubs,
boy cups, scouts, brownies (for girls) and girl guides formed part of
popular township kids and youth culture.
When Kwaito music emerged in the early 1990s, it looked as if all
that was for the youth in the township would just blossom and blossom,
regrettably that has not been the case. Although Kwaito music has
continued to enjoy an amount of success, even breaking into the
international fold. The reality is that youth and children in South
Africa are experiencing a serious neglect as most are not just
unemployed, but have been failed by a system that doesn’t pass the test
when it comes to nurturing them in activities that they are entitled to
in terms of national and international laws.
In the post 1994 dispensation, some programmes for children and
youths have been available to mostly a few, while some others have been
grossly neglected. In this chronicle, I’m not even planning to mention
the government sector’s role or lack thereof, possibly, part of the
problem has been too much dependence on the government for almost every
development that is needed. Closer attention to this possibility has to
materialize to fix what needs to be fixed.
The challenges facing townships are multifaceted, as some have
suggested, this is probably the case that also needs closer scrutiny.
That’s why the process of fixing these township challenges has to be
owned by all sectors and become a daily priority for all to find what
has gone wrong and how we can go about fixing what is wrong.
Committed and dedicated people in leadership roles like school
Principals, sport forums and other sectors should be entrusted to get
things going in reviving activities in schools and in township
communities. In partnership with the Department of Education, SABC drama
series in the late 1990s, Yizo-Yizo did a sterling job in exposing and
highlighting what is wrong within township schools and township life in
general. From corrupt teachers with a negative influence on the learners
to unscrupulous members of the community corrupting the schools and
learners, for self interest; to good members of society, including
school governing bodies (SGB) who would go the extra mile in ensuring
that things run accordingly in the townships and learners and youth get
the best education and support they need, the SABC drama series
kick-started a process that allowed the nation to zoom in on what is
happening in the townships.
These stories cannot be lost in the nation’s consciousness if we hope
to turn our situation around and create a winning nation.Most probably,
a possible winning formula to turn things around lies somewhere else in
the world.
If countries like the USA, Germany, UK, France, Russia, Italy, China
to name a few, have had a remarkable record when it comes to global
sporting events like the Olympics, winning the most medals to date, then
it would make perfect sense to study how they run their development
programmes for their children and youths in their communities and
schools.
Under Apartheid, things were not perfect, but the township situation
for children and youth participation in sport, arts and recreation has
dilapidated since the dawn of the democratic dispensation in 1994. By
the looks of things, things are likely to get worse if no urgent
intervention is made to reverse the situation. Even the new programmes
like cluster leagues, where teams comprising players from schools mixed
up with players from the community, have in many cases collapsed or
never started at all.
Even other programmes like the Siyadlala Community Mass Participation
Programme; Spur Masidlale Soccer Programme, CAF African Schools
Football Championship and other mass sports programmes need serious
acceleration to broaden their base and reach all of the township kids
and youths.
Yesteryear sports people, men and women, and other people in the arts
and recreation sectors can rescue another generation from a tragedy of
wasted talents. Let’s do it for the past, current and future
generations. Let’s all play our part.
Can you imagine if all our private and public organizations,
institutions, industries, sectors and businesses ran children and youth
programmes of all kinds as part of their Corporate Social investment
(CSI), how much difference could that make?
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa and Russian President Vladimir Putin
PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa is the unluckiest president since the
dawn of South Africa’s democracy in 1994, confided one ANC activist
recently during a brief chat the other day.
Just less than two years into the highest job on land, in March 2020
South Africa, like most nations across the globe, was affected by
Covid-19 lockdowns, added the activist.
For sure, this global pandemic by far was unprecedented, in the last millennia or so.
More businesses collapsed, job loss went up, the death rate; and a
variety of other factors negatively befell the human species during this
period.
True to form, South Africa turns to get a lot of media attention, quite a dramatic country others would say.
For instance, South Africa recorded the highest number of Covid infections in Africa during the pandemic.
As reportedly the most unequal country on earth, South Africa, finds itself constantly on the news for mostly the wrong reasons.
The country also gets a lot of media attention for many positive activities from sports, the arts, and in other fields.
This time around, the rolling blackouts are doing just the same
damage to the nation’s fabric just as witnessed during the Covid
lockdowns.
Could Ramaphosa be asking himself why he took the job in the first
place judging by the myriad of hurdles his presidency has encountered up
until now.
The 2021 July unrest saw more than 350 lives lost. R50 billion worth of damages to property to mention a few.
The torching of parliament and other private, public, and government
institutions that have come under attack right across the land, could
signal a president overwhelmed by the wills of power.
Ascending to the ANC presidency propels the leader of the governing
ANC to become the president of the country, as the governing party has
enjoyed landslide victories in every national election since 1994.
The Ramaphosa presidency has already been termed in certain quarters
and including by some media groups as the worst administration to date.
Maybe, or maybe not, the issue at hand now should be whether South
Africans can continue to place their trust in the hands of Ramaphosa and
his party.
And that the anti-Ramaphosa sentiments within the ANC, are also
drumming up the noise for the president’s exit from office, which could
very much lead to a situation where the ANC goes into next year’s
national election further weakened from the factional battles that have
become the everyday reality of Africa’s oldest liberation movement.
As if Ramaphosa and the ANC problems were not a lot. Then there’s the
headache that faces South Africa as it prepares to host this year’s
BRICS Summit
The bone of contention is whether or not Pretoria will arrest Russian
President Vladimir Putin should he attend the summit, scheduled for
August 2023.
The charge for Putin’s arrest is led mostly by Russia’s erstwhile
enemies the Western Powers including Britain and the US, this of course
follows Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier in 2022.
Notably, the Russian-Ukraine Conflict has already had devastating effects on the whole economically and otherwise.
These two energy giants fighting has contributed greatly to the rise
if costs globally and the escalation of the high prices of petrol for
example.
For South Africa this and ramifications of great proportions when you
consider that both Britain and the US are one of SA’s biggest trading
partners, worth hundreds of billions of investments annually and
millions of jobs could be lost.
On the other hand, should Pretoria succumb to its Western Allies,
then the ANC-led South Africa will be breaking a century-old
relationship with Russia, much of it existed during the liberation
struggle.
Not forgetting that many African countries usually side with Russia
during such crises, as they also were beneficiaries of support from the
USSR during the anti-colonial era. And many if not all have kept close
ties with Russia.
A tough one indeed for Ramaphosa, whichever way you look at it.
The Putin matter has the serious potential to divide the ANC even
more. In the worst-case scenario, it could divide the country along
ideological lines.
On the international stage, it could lead to further cracks in global
unity and strengthening tensions between countries across ideological
and economic lines, historical alliances, and relations.
Although it may sound extreme and even far-fetched to suggest that
this global disunity and unstable environment, can create conditions of a
world war, it won’t help the world not to seek to prevent such a
possibility.
Few to none saw the coming of World War 1 and World War 2. Few to
none saw the coming of many other conflicts and market crashes and
economic disasters.
And as for South Africa, it is hard to hear some of the citizens hurt
at the rolling blackouts and their pessimism on overcoming this ‘power
curse’.
But again, every challenge is accompanied by an opportunity.
What could be the solution?
The solution could come from all sectors of society, locally and
internationally finding one another on pressing matters affecting all of
us.
Be it rolling blackout, foreign policy, service delivery and effective leadership of our nations and the world.
When those bestowed to lead are not giving the masses any reason to
trust that they can turn things around and create an equal and winning
society for all its people.
ALMOST 30 years since South Africa became a democracy with equal
status, rights and laws for everyone, at least as far as the statute
books are concerned, the story of South Africa today lives many at odds to say the least.
Disturbingly, the country which is among Africa’s three biggest
economies and often described as the most advanced economy on the continent, remains the world’s most unequal nation.
From a stubborn high crime rate, to corruption, to violence leading
to injury and loss of lives including billions worth of destruction to
property, the world has become accustomed to the negative vibes that
have become the everyday culture that wrongly defines this once most
promising nation with the brightest future in the world.
And at some stage, especially during the Nelson Mandela years the
country was declared by many across the globe as a ‘beacon of hope’ for the rest of the world to emulate.
The infighting in the governing party, the African National Congress
or ANC, who others now call the ‘African Notorious Criminals’, has led
the country to a downward spiral with record unemployment figures surpassing 40% in a country with 60 plus million people.
The ongoing ‘blackouts’ that have devastating effects in job loss,
businesses collapsing and loss of lives form part of the failures that the would be ‘free country’ had promised.
For many years now, one has been looking deeper as to what other
alternatives in the leadership and governing of the country could South
Africa turn to in order to create the best life for all its people.
Specifically, as a practicing Christian, I’ve always wondered why a
country that has the Christian faith as its biggest faith with about 85
percent plus of the population associating with Christianity, is not led by a Christian party.
With the Black Christians forming the bulk of the estimated 85% plus Christian community in South Africa.
Yet Christians in South Africa turn to be in a loss of words when the
question of: why is South Africa not governed by Christian party.
Furthermore, the majority of the political parties in South Africa
inside or outside Parliament are pro Christianity, they will attest.
Or it can be said they subscribe to the values and principles of the
Christian faith, regardless which denomination they fall under.
Suffice to say, that since the first all race elections of 1994, a
Christian party like the African Christian Democratic Party or ACDP, has
barely enough Members of Parliament to effect any meaningful change.
In-fact, in all the elections, be it local or national elections, the
ACDP, can not influence policies that will govern the people. That
includes in the coalitions that it has entered into at local
government level.
As records show, the ACDP says it seeks to apply Biblical principles “to build a better South Africa.”
Also, the party notes that its platform is based on “the biblical
standard of reconciliation, justice, compassion, tolerance, peace and
the sanctity of life, the individual, the family and community.”
Although it is anti-abortion, it supports the death penalty for
certain heinous crimes. I personally am against the death penalty and
know many others too who don’t want the death penatly to come back.
Now, in a lot of cases these values are shared by Christians and people outside the Christian faith.
Yet, the ACDP shares 0.84% of the vote since the 2019 national elections.
There are probably different explanations for this poor performance in the last national polls and other elections.
One such reason for the poor performance in elections could stem from
poor leadership in the organisation’s hierarchy, to lack of resource
and/or the it could be that the Christian majority in South Africa are applying double standards.
The former is more common with all organisations inside and outside South Africa.
But the latter could spell out what kind of Christians the country
has and the lack of faith of the majority they have in the Christian Faith.
The claim that the governing ANC and other parties are pro
Christianity does not hold, as the other parties don’t openly support
and promote “Biblical Principles” in the manner that the ACDP does.
The ACDP was formed and exists merely as a Christian movement and only supports Christian values and principles.
The official Opposition party of South Africa, the Democratic
Alliance (DA), is advocating for other parties to form a coalition to
remove the ANC from power in the 2024 general elections.
Note, the problem with this approach is that it lacks or has no set
goals and targets of what needs to be achieved in a form of an
alternative ‘New Developmental Programme’ for South Africa, but seeks to
focus on removing the ANC from power as the basis of the mission.
Just like I asserted in certain circles when Opposition parties
formed a coalition to remove former president Jacob Zuma from power
during his tenure, when the mission was accomplished the coalition will
die a natural death, as the parties concerned will discover they have
little to nothing in common.
This has been seen also in coalitions at local government level, when
parties turn against each other due to a various differences in what they stand for once in power.
This is why a Christian movement and coalition needs to step in.
South Africa has some of the biggest Church in Africa and elsewhere.
Some of the churches in South Africa have national footprints with millions of members.
What could be stopping this Church groups from joining forces with a
Christian movement like the ACDP and take over power with the numbers
they enjoy and lead South Africa to a new and truly Godly led nation for the first time.
South Africa just like many African countries and others in the world
from colonialism to democracy today, has had governments influenced by
foreign ideologies like fascism, communism, Marxism and other ideologies
that have brought many countries in Africa, South America and Eastern
Europe to their economic knees with growing poverty and
underdevelopment.
Not that capitalism has been a solution either in many cases.
In all, these ideologies have not worked for various reasons. At the
core is the possibility that these ideologies are controlled by people
with ulterior motives and self serving agendas than to serve the people.
The question remains for the Christian community and leadership in
South Africa, in Christian dominated countries in Africa and the world,
as to why do Christians continue to vote and put in power non-Christian
parties and parties not prioritizing Biblical principles and values to lead their countries.
As South Africa approaches the 2024 National Elections, will Christians in this country choose God or parties of the flesh.
It remains to be seen if the Christian community globally will ‘walk the talk’.
Dieunedort Ministries Holds Second Leadership Training In Langa
Cape Town – The globally recognised Dieunedort Ministries
International held its second Leadership training in Langa, Cape Town at
the weekend.
Hosted by Phandulwazi Educational & Development Centre, the
workshop was conducted by the esteemed leader, Pastor David Long of the
Friend of God Church.
A former prison warder, Pastor Long, was the guest speaker who focused his lesson on defining “The Life-giving Leader”.
Pastor Long started with the message that his passion is the home/family.
Pastor Long said the Church as we know it today, came from the family.
During the 1-on-1 session, Pastor Long said: “Covid-19 presented an opportunity for the ‘Family Church’ to grow.”
On the Life-Giving Leader, Pastor Long said that life was not smooth as a leader. It has ups and downs.
“In your life as a leader, there are many voices like fear, but you
always have to turn to God for help,” said Pastor Long.
During the engagement, participants came up with various qualities they believed the Life-Giving Leader has including:
The Life-giving Leader is a King, and here a Queen can be added as well,
The Life-giving Leader is a Healer.
The Life-giving Leader is a Helper.
The Life-giving Leader is a Protector.
The Life-giving Leader Unites.
The Life-giving Leader is prepared to lay down his/her own life for his sheep.
The Life-giving Leader is a Provider.
The Life-giving Leader is a Coach/Mentor.
The Life-giving Leader is a Teacher.
The Life-giving Leader is a Peace Maker.
Pastor Long also preached that the success of a tree was to produce fruit and seeds, to cause other trees to multiply.
“God is a tree and we are branches of the tree,” explained Pastor Long.
“We as branches depend on the tree. The tree is Christ. Just like branches, we must depend on Christ.”
In another session with Pastor Long, participants looked at different types of leaders and their various roles.
“There are different leaders, some lead people the wrong way, others lead people the right way,” added Pastor Long.
The participants pointed out leaders in communities that included:
Parents;
Uncles/Aunts;
Prison Wardens,
Cashier/Staff at Shops,
Employee/Employer;
Neighbours,
Family,
Co-Workers among others
It’s all about love. Pastor Long added: “You can’t love people, you don’t love God. To love people is to do good works.”
However, Pastor Long noted: “In the life of a ‘Worldly’ leader the centre is the ‘Self'”.
But with the Life-giving Leader, the centre of his/her life is God and serving the people, said Pastor Long.
Pastor Long continued, he said the reason there are so many prisoners is because of broken families.
Founder of Dieunedort Ministries International, Bishop
Dieunedort explained: “We are organising the Leadership training and
inviting the leaders (Guest Speakers) to help people to unlock the gifts
God has given them.”
Furthermore, Dieunedort Ministries International runs classes
from Mondays to Fridays at Phandulwazi Centre in Langa, Cape Town 5 pm
– 7 pm.
Mondays are for Foundation classes; Tuesdays for Business and
Finance, Wednesdays for Marriages, Thursdays for Deliverance and Fridays
for Prophesy.
Every first Saturday of the month is for Leadership training from 10 am.
Sunday is reserved for normal church service from 2 pm to 5 pm all hosted at Phandulwazi Centre, in Langa, Cape Town.
CAPE TOWN/South Africa: Dieunedort Ministries
International, a globally recognized organization, successfully held its
second Leadership training in Langa, Cape Town.
The workshop, held on Saturday, July 1, 2023 was hosted by the
Phandulwazi Educational & Development Centre, featured esteemed
leader Pastor David Long of the Friend of God Church as the guest
speaker.
With a background as a former Prison Warder, Pastor Long captivated
the audience with his lesson on “The Life-giving Leader.” He emphasized
the significance of the family, stating that the Church, as we know it
today, originated from the family. Reflecting on the impact of the
COVID-19 pandemic, Pastor Long remarked that it provided an opportunity
for the “Family Church” to flourish.
In his breakdown of what it means to be a life-giving leader, Pastor
Long highlighted the inevitable challenges that leaders face. He
stressed the importance of turning to God amidst the various voices and
fears that arise. “In your life as a leader, there are many voices like
fear, but you always have to turn to God for help,” Pastor Long
expressed during the 1-on-1 session.
The class actively engaged with Pastor Long, contributing diverse
perspectives on the characteristics of a life-giving leader. Some of the
views included seeing a life-giving leader as a King or Queen, a
Healer, a Helper, a Protector, a Unifier, someone willing to sacrifice
for their followers, a Provider, a Coach/Mentor, a Teacher, and a Peace
Maker.
Pastor Long also drew attention to the analogy of a tree, emphasizing
that a tree’s success lies in producing fruit and facilitating the
multiplication of other trees. “God is a tree, and we are branches of
the tree,” he emphasized. “We, as branches, depend on the tree. The tree
is Christ. Just like branches, we must depend on Christ.”
The class then embarked on a discussion to define who qualifies as a
leader. Pastor Long and the participants acknowledged the existence of
leaders with different roles and highlighted the significance of leading
people in the right direction. They identified leaders in various
aspects of life, such as parents, uncles/aunts, prison wardens,
cashier/staff at shops, employees/employers, neighbors, family members,
co-workers, and more.
Pastor Long further stressed the importance of love and its
connection to leadership. “You can’t love people if you don’t love God.
To love people is to do good works,” he affirmed. Furthermore, he
contrasted a “Worldly” leader, whose focus revolves around the self,
with a life-giving leader, whose center is God and serving the people.
Bishop Dieunedort, the founder of Dieunedort Ministries
International, explained the purpose of organizing these Leadership
trainings, stating, “We are inviting leaders (Guest Speakers) to help
people unlock the gifts God has given them.”
Dieunedort Ministries International conducts classes at the
Phandulwazi Centre in Langa, Cape Town from Monday to Friday, from 5 pm
to 7 pm. The classes cover Foundation topics on Mondays, Business and
Finance on Tuesdays, Marriages on Wednesdays, Deliverance on Thursdays,
and Prophesy on Fridays. Additionally, the organization holds Leadership
training on the first Saturday of every month from 10 am, with regular
church services taking place on Sundays from 2 pm to 5 pm at the
Phandulwazi Centre in Langa, Cape Town.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa – IN times of crisis great leadership
becomes a necessity to resolve obstacles facing society. So much so as
individuals, we have to dig deeper to our leadership gifts and talents
in the process of building better lives for ourselves and for other
people.
This much came up during the recent Leadership Training organized by
the Dieunedort Ministries International and hosted by the Phandulwazi
Educational & Development Centre in Langa, Cape Town recently.
To touch on some of the points raised on Leadership by the
internationally renowned Bishop Dieunedort, participants left the two
day training equipped with lessons on what they ought to do and
contribute to their lives and in improving the human condition.
Bishop Dieunedort started out, a leader is an influencer be it in the
family, community, organisation, institutions and any other sector of
society;
A leader is someone that leads in good things. A leader must first
lead him/herself before he or she can lead other people. A leader is
someone who takes initiative. A leader is someone who thinks for other
people situations. A leader opens a way for him/herself and future
generations. A leader is a builder. A leader is the pillar of the
community. A leader is a shining star. A leader is always ahead of
others. A leader must be disciplined. A leader must listen to other
people and always learn. A leader must serve society.
The Rev Pastor Jean Paul Bukasa of Hope of Nations Church who was the
Guest Speaker during the two day training added that a leader must be
teachable.
A leader must be reliable; A leader must be faithful; A leader must
be loyal; A leader must be dependable; A leader must have character.
In a one-on-one session on day two Pastor Busaka added that in order to make progress in life you must have boundaries.
In other words, a person must have NO. NOs to certain things. You can’t do as you please and not obey God’s Will.
” You must do good things you have never done before. And become a person you have never been before to make progress in life.”
And other people’s contribution to the issue of Leadership after the
training at Phandulwazi added that a leader must show people direction,
meaning that a leader has to know the way and show others how to get to
the destination.
A leader must have a vision & mission, meaning that leader must
have targeted goals and drive to achieve those goals working and leading
other people in the process.
A leader must be a problem fixer, a Mr. Fix It or a Miss Fix It. A
leader must be an effective communicator and teacher. Of course the are
many other definitions of Leadership in the world.
But the above are just a few of what Africa and most of the nations
battling with high levels on poverty, unemployment and inequality must
strongly pay attention to. In fact , Leadership Training programmes
should be integrated into the schooling system.
And for organisations like PHANDULWAZI Educational & Development
Centre this must form the basis of the education and training that the
organisation is embarking on in the future.
Perhaps, when the question of Leadership development has been
addressed, real change and transformation in our society will come to
life.
