Innholdsfortegnelse for 3/12/2020 i You South Africa

I’M NOT usually attached to my phone but now I have a beautiful new nephew and everyone in our family is obsessed. We receive daily WhatsApp updates on what he’s up to, how he’s rather cheeky, how lovely he’s being, how he’s acting just like my grandfather . . . as I said, obsessed. One of the things that fascinates me most about this cute little kid, however, is how curious he is. He’s currently trying to sit up and hasn’t quite got it yet. But he’s so determined to do it and I love seeing how he just doesn’t give up. He did the same thing when trying to roll over from his back to his belly – he kept trying until he succeeded. Watching him has reminded me…

Adopting two Jack Russell terriers, aged nine and 11, has been an absolute eye-opener for me. They were saved by a caring animal rescue organisation after seven years of living with homeless people under an old car. Although they were well fed by the animal organisation after being rescued, once I adopted them they were very hungry and needed feeding more than three times a day. They never seem to get enough food, poor things. Please, kind people, adopt animals from situations like this. These two are wonderful and have changed my life for the better! R PERL, CAPE TOWN ■ I recently adopted two kittens from an animal rescue centre. Visiting the place, with its rows of cages and all the soulful eyes of cats and dogs behind bars,…

DUTY before all else – that’s been Her Majesty’s motto since she first sat on that formidable throne 68 years ago. And she expects it of her family members too. Being born into a position of privilege and prestige is one thing but they’re here to serve the public – and they should never forget that. Yet Queen Elizabeth, who has at times been accused of favouring a stiff upper lip over displays of warmth and emotion, has a soft side too. And those in the know say it’s been abundantly evident in the way she’s treated her grandson, Harry, recently. The monarch has graciously allowed Prince Harry to walk away from the palace. Disappointed she may be, but there’s one thing she was never going to do and that…

More than 80 women accused Weinstein of abusing them, but many of the incidents happened too long ago, therefore falling outside the US statute of limitations. However, two women’s cases went all the way to a New York federal court. JESSICA MANN (34) The aspiring actress met Weinstein at a party in Los Angeles in 2012. He lured her to a hotel suite with the promise that he’d give her the chance to audition for a movie he was making. Shortly after she arrived, he grabbed her arm and led her into his bedroom where he performed oral sex on her. After that she fell into what she described as an “extremely degrading” relationship with him. She said although she wasn’t sexually attracted to him, she wanted his approval. “I…

SHE’S been through a lot in the past few months: a double mastectomy and the surgical removal of 10 lymph nodes. But although it’s been a painful and nerve-racking process, Rianda van Wyngaardt isn’t complaining. She knows that if she hadn’t had the surgery when she did, she probably wouldn’t be alive today. Rianda (59), a marketing manager from Gordon’s Bay, near Cape Town, was diagnosed with breast cancer in August last year. She didn’t have medical aid, so her only option was state health care, which meant being on a waiting list for up to six months. Her doctor, realising Rianda was running out of time, put her in touch with Dr Liana Roodt, and within three months she was being wheeled into an operating theatre for the critical…

OIL ACID FLAVOURING TURKISH SHEPHERD’S SALAD A simple salad with a basic salad dressing. SERVES 3-4 PREPARATION: 15 MIN SALAD 8 baby Roma tomatoes, roughly chopped 1 medium cucumber, diced 1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced in rings 1 green pepper, diced 6 radishes, thinly sliced 1 celery stick, thinly sliced (optional) 125ml (½c) chopped parsley TO SERVE vinaigrette (see recipe) 1 Salad Lightly mix all the ingredients and transfer to a pretty salad bowl. 2 To serve Pour the dressing over just before serving. VINAIGRETTE 60ml (¼c) extra-virgin olive oil 80ml (¹/3c) freshly squeezed lemon juice grated zest of 1 lemon (optional) 1 garlic clove,crushed (optional) salt and freshly ground pepper Mix all the ingredients well in a jar. CAULIFLOWER AND BROCCOLI SALAD ROLLS SERVES 3-4 PREPARATION: 30 MIN…

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BEFORE & AFTER Unfortunately, getting a new passport every 10 years requires a new photo. As a woman in her mid-40s hands her old passport and a new recent picture to the clerk, she sighs. “I like the original photo better,” she complains. “Trust me,” says the clerk, “Ten years from now, you’ll like this one.” SEEING IS BELIEVING All Sipho’s friends wear spectacles and he feels like the odd one out. He tries to convince his mom that he needs a pair of glasses too so his worried mother takes him to the optometrist to have his eyes checked. Sipho is asked to read the bottom row of letters on the eye chart. He says, “All right, I can see the ‘O’ and the ‘P’ and the ‘T’ in…

PISCES ON RECEIVING GIFTS They’ll love a journal in which they can write their dreams. A new pair of shoes is the Fish’s wish. You’ll make their day with tickets to a music concert. They long for a gift voucher for a foot massage. Don’t bother giving them an alarm clock. A year’s subscription for a DIY magazine is a waste. A diary or day-planner will likely be forgotten in a drawer.…

Earth Day is observed annually on 22 April. This is a special day to celebrate the environment and raise awareness about pollution. It was started in 1970 by US senator Gaylord Nelson and went global in 1990. Today more than 190 countries take part. FIND OUT MORE To find out more about why trees are so important to our environment and the planet go to: tinyurl.com/ Importance-of-trees COPY: CUM LAUDE MEDIA. SOURCES: UIR.UNISA.AC.ZA, CER.ORG.ZA, JOURNALS.CO.ZA, NETWERK24.COM, NATION.COM.PKS, WWW.GOV.ZA,CLIMATECENTRAL.ORG,PLANTR.CO.ZA,GOODTHINGSGUY.COM,NATGEOKIDS.COM,KIDS.BRITANNICA.COM,WATERWISE.ORG.UK,EARTHDAY.ORG, PZA.SANBI.ORG, ARBORDAY.ORG…

IT’S been 10 years since she turned her back on the glitz and glam of showbiz and these days people in the neighbourhood know her more as “Max’s mom” than veteran entertainer Patricia Lewis. But that doesn’t mean she’s lost her sense of the dramatic – even today, as the doors to her three-storey mansion swing open, she appears at the top of the stairs, one knee bent, smile in place, signature blonde locks tumbling around her shoulders. She doesn’t grant many interviews anymore but she’s invited us to her luxury home on the Zimbali estate near Ballito on the KwaZulu-Natal south coast for a catch-up. Patricia’s life has calmed down significantly since a decade ago, when she was performing as often as 30 times a month. “Even here at…

Cherel de Villiers (Michelle Botes) was the soap’s serial bride – not because she was a diehard romantic but rather because of her burning ambition. When the show debuted she was married to mine manager Pierre de Villiers (Wilson Dunster). After his death, she wed the notorious Barker Haines (Robert Whitehead). When that marriage ended in divorce, she sank her claws into another business mogul, Braam le Roux (Anton Dekker), secretly drugging Braam’s wife, Marlien (Elize Cawood), to make her seem insane. Braam later died in a fire and his son, Benjamin (Arno Marais), tried to frame Cherel for his death. Cherel’s last wedding was in 2014 to cop Eddie Holmes (Paul Buckby). The event was so glamorous it was even broadcast on lifestyle programme Top Billing.…

Michelle Botes: Cherel de Villiers (1998-2007 and 2010-2013) “Cherel was a gift and I love playing a baddie,” Michelle says. “I really enjoyed the fact she had no scruples. She was power-hungry and wanted nothing other than to get to the top. Although she sometimes stumbled, she never stayed down for long.” Michelle was also part of the soap’s 21st birthday celebrations in July last year. “Isidingo was a big part of my life.” Hlubi Mboya Arnold: Nandipha Sithole (1999-2011) She played HIV-positive Nandipha at a time when there was still a huge stigma attached to having the condition. “I grew up on the show – it was my first professional acting gig. I was 21 and wet behind the ears. I learnt everything I know now as an actress…

The premiere of Queen Sono, Netflix’s first original African series, was a star-studded affair, with celebs bringing their fashion A-game to the red carpet at Joburg Theatre. The show, which stars Pearl Thusi, Vuyo Dabula, Rob van Vuuren, Kate Liquorish and Chi Mhende, is a spy thriller about a highly trained South African secret agent who has to tackle her most dangerous mission yet while dealing with major changes in her personal life. We asked some of the cast to tell us what they loved about working on the series. “The respect that actors received throughout was encouraging. We were working with directors who believed in us, gave us a good script and trusted us to carry it through . . . I can’t wait for people to see it.”…

“Whatever happened to DUFFY?” is a question that’s been asked by pop music fans for the better part of a decade. The Welsh singer skyrocketed to fame in 2008 with her album Rockferry. But in 2010 her second album bombed and by 2012 she’d pretty much disappeared from the scene. Occasional stories over the years attempted to solve the mystery – and usually ended up pointing to statements she’d made about her dislike of all that came with being a star. ‘I asked myself, how can I sing from the heart if it’s broken?’– DUFFY Now, the 35-year-old has taken to social media to reveal that she withdrew from the limelight as the result of trauma from being kidnapped and raped. In an Instagram post she wrote, “The truth is,…

While disgraced movie mogul HARVEY WEINSTEIN (67) is headed to jail, his ex-wife GEORGINA CHAPMAN is finding solace in the arms of actor ADRIEN BRODY. Rumours that the British fashion designer and the Oscar winner were dating started doing the rounds last year, and a source close to Georgina recently confirmed they’re still going strong. Georgina (43) and Adrien (46) had socialised previously, but they hit it off last April when they were both invited to Puerto Rico for the launch of model Helena Christensen’s swimwear line. Insiders claim Georgina – the mother of Harvey’s two youngest kids, India (9) and Dashiell (6) – vowed not to date again after the dissolution of her marriage in 2017, but it’s believed Adrien was a big source of support for her during…

‘I was pretty upset about the way things happened’– NICOLAS CAGE ON HIS MESSY SPLIT FROM ERIKA KOIKE AFTER a disastrous 2019 NICOLAS CAGE’s love-life seems to be back on track. The Army of One actor was snapped looking content, clutching his new love’s hand and a huge stuffed whale toy in his other. The star and his mysterious girlfriend have been dating for a few weeks, sources say. They were spotted looking cosy at the Independent Spirit Awards in early February. Nicolas (56) famously filed for an annulment just four days after marrying makeup artist girlfriend ERIKA KOIKE in Las Vegas last March. In court documents he claimed the marriage was fraudulent, and he was granted a divorce two months later. But things certainly got messy, with Erika (36)…

Recent reports that vehicles made in South Africa don’t meet international safety standards confirm our government’s complete indifference to the lives of road users. Those who bought vehicles that have been revealed as death traps should be allowed a full refund. RICHARD BENSON, SMS Dear Tito Mboweni, you said we must tighten our belts. Sorry, but you’ve already taken my pants, with the result being that I can’t! LYN, MENLO PARK Please, SABC3, don’t take Isidingo off the TV. I’m a pensioner who pays her TV licence without hesitation, just so I can watch my favourite programmes every day. You took The Bold and the Beautiful. Please don’t ditch Isidingo. SOAPIE FAN, SMS Two names that will never disappear from our hearts are Hansie Cronjé and Princess Diana. God bless…

TRASHED trains, last-minute cancellations, lax security, appalling vandalism and catastrophic cash-flow problems. The list of issues plaguing the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (Prasa) goes on and on – and the people who rely on its services to get to work every day are fed up, to say the least. The numbers speak for themselves: in 10 years the number of passengers using trains daily has dropped from 3,8 million to 387 530 – and there’s one person who can’t blame them. “It’s a national crisis,” says Bongisizwe Mpondo, the man who has what must be one of the most unenviable jobs in South Africa: digging Prasa out of the deep, dark hole it’s in. He’s been given 12 months to turn the entity around and he acknowledges it’s…

THE reaction of the young fan in a shopping mall suggests there’s a serious A-lister in the area. She can barely contain herself, fighting back tears as her idol gives her attention. “What are you doing here?” she asks incredulously before requesting a hug and a selfie. “I love everything about her,” the 12-year-old gushes. Next is a 20-something shopper who wastes no time getting a receipt out of her bag so she can get an autograph for her little brother, who’s a big fan. “I find her inspiring,” she tells us. The “her” is 19-year-old Chané Grobler, a lip-sync content creator who’s become a huge star with young people worldwide. These days, the young woman from Pretoria can’t go anywhere without being recognised – thanks to her vast following…

TIP Polka dots look great paired with a solid colour. If you choose a pastel polka-dot print, wear it with a light- coloured blazer for sophisticated style. If the rest of your outfit is all-white, keep your polka-dot item monochrome. When wearing a loose-fitting dress, add a belt around your waist as this creates shape. Don’t opt only for polka dots on a neutral background. Colours are also fun in this print If you're going to mix and match polka dots make sure you have one print that's smaller than the other. STOCKISTS ACKERMANS 0860-900-100; FOSCHINI 0860-104-764; H&M 021-826-7300; LOVISA 021-551-1051; MILADYS 0800-310-290; MRP 0800-21-25-35; POETRY 021 419 0020; WOOLWORTHS 0860-022-002 WE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PROVIDE ACCURATE PRICES BUT MISTAKES MAY OCCUR. YOU AND THE SUPPLIERS DO NOT BIND…

THERE’S nothing like a divorce to bring out the worst in people. Now on top of all the anger and bitterness you may be feeling towards each other, you have to haggle about who gets to keep the toaster, the couch and the cat – no wonder the situation often ends in tears. Whether a couple are married in community of property or not, with or without accrual of capital, often one party believes they’re entitled to more than the other. To further complicate matters, one partner may suspect the other of hiding assets to avoid sharing them. Here are the red flags to look out for if you think your soon-to-be ex is stashing away cash. BANK ACCOUNTS One of the signs that someone’s hiding money is when they…

HE’S A KILLING MACHINE Vin Diesel’s latest film is the comic-book adaptation Bloodshot, in which he plays a former marine who’s brought back from the dead with special nanotechnology and transformed into an indestructible killing machine. “It deals with issues like post-traumatic stress disorder,” he says. “The script was one of the most interesting scripts I’ve ever read. It plays with your mind in a way you don’t normally see in movies.” The film, which also stars Sam Heughan (Outlander) and Eiza González (Baby Driver), was partially shot in Cape Town and local comedians Donovan Goliath and Jason Goliath have small parts in it. SELF-STARTER Vin’s first film job was a small one, as a hospital orderly (he wasn’t even credited) in the 1990 movie Awakenings starring Robert De Niro.…

BIRDS OF PREY Crime comedy. With Margot Robbie and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Director: Cathy Yan. 16DLV. Sometime after the events of Suicide Squad (2016), master villain the Joker breaks up with his girlfriend, Harley Quinn (Robbie), which makes her a target for all those she’s wronged. One of her enemies is gangster Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor, trying to create a memorable baddie out of thin air), who wants a diamond stolen by a young thief (Ella Jay Basco). Harley agrees to find it if Sionis spares her life, and during her search she gets mixed up with a vigilante (Win-stead), a singer (Jurnee Smollett-Bell) and a cop (Rosie Perez). One positive thing most critics had to say about the much-derided Suicide Squad was that Harley was the best thing in it.…

THE VEGETARIAN KITCHEN By PRUE LEITH and PETA LEITH Bluebird I was lucky enough to watch Prue Leith make her paneer curry from scratch at a recent cookery demo when the legendary chef and writer was in South Africa to promote this book. At the curry’s essence are simplicity and tons of flavour, which are pretty much the hallmarks of this lovely vegetarian cookbook. Prue has collaborated with her niece Peta, a lifelong vegetarian, to come up with this collection of recipes that go beyond the standard vegetarian repertoire of risottos, pastas and veggie lasagnes. Not that it’s fussy. You won’t find foams, jellies and edible flowers everywhere. Just good, honest, hearty fare. Aware that plant-based cooking is having its day in the sun, both cooks are eager to share…

WALKING a mile in another man’s shoes is hard. But playing soccer in his boots is even harder – especially if it’s not on a grass pitch. This was a lesson Musa Maluleka learnt early in life. As a young boy playing on gravel, he quickly wore down soccer boots designed for playing on grassy turf. And when he couldn’t find footwear suitable for playing on the gravel pitches in Atteridgeville, Pretoria, where he grew up, it was the start of what would become a brilliant business idea. “I kept asking myself, ‘Why are there millions of kids playing on gravel without soccer boots suitable for gravel?’ ” Musa (19) muses when we meet him at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg where he’s in the third year of…

ASHLEY CALLIE The Isidingo team and fans were stunned when Ashley died in a car crash in January 2008 aged 31. “Her death affected everybody,” executive producer Pumla Hopa says. “We chose not to replace her because Ashley was a phenomenal actress and carried the character of Lee so well. Replacing her wouldn’t have been right.” LESEGO MOTSEPE She left Isidingo in 2011 after playing Letti Matabane from 1998 – the year the soap was born – until 2008. Lesego later announced she was HIV-positive and spent the years before her death at age 39 in 2014 advocating for HIV/Aids awareness.…

ZURAIDA JARDINE Wait. What? How? The radio and TV presenter just turned 45 – and she’s rocking it! Zuraida rang in her birthday with a hot snap on Instagram. “Celebrating my privilege of T I M E today. Taking nothing for granted & everything with gratitude.” KENZIE BALA Singer Loyiso Bala wrote a touching message to his darling daughter on her seventh birthday. “You’re unbelievably precious to me. The depth of your kindness and love influences not only my life but the lives of everyone you meet.” MINKI VAN DER WESTHUIZEN Ready to cut her cake and eat it! The TV presenter celebrated her 36th birthday with a beautiful cake that complemented her lovely lilac blouse. The former model and mom of three hashtagged her birthday posts #ItOnlyGetsBetter.…

IT WAS always Harry, with the naughty twinkle in his eyes and impish humour who had us in stitches. But now, with the deadline looming for him to abandon his royal duties, body-language expert Judi James says KATE, the Duchess of Cambridge, is ready to take over the torch as the “fun one” in The Firm. Prince Harry (35) – who along with his wife, Meghan (38), will officially step down from their positions as senior royals at the end of this month – has often been seen making Kate (38) and William (37) laugh. “Since Megxit there are some trends and traits in Kate’s body language that suggest she’s now trying to recreate the Harry ‘fun’ role herself,” Judi says. “She’s often seen trying to make her husband laugh…

ME, MY DAD AND YOU MY MOM left my dad when I was eight years old and he took on the challenge of raising me single-handedly. Being a daddy’s girl, I embraced this change with a smile. Although I missed my mom, my dad always did the best he could. This included him always bringing me his boss’ YOU magazines to keep my mind off things. Twenty eight years later I’m happily married with two lovely girls of my own whom I’d never leave – no matter what. School homework and life get to them sometimes, and I try to be as good a mommy as I possibly can by doing the puzzles and word searches in YOU with them. Thank you, YOU. May you make another little girl’s day…

Make the most of life after work with YOU Retirement. It offers expert advice and real-life stories from retirees to help you make proper financial, physical and emotional preparation so you can greet this new chapter with peace of mind and in good health. Plus, this new magazine includes brain games to keep your mind active. Order your copy online at youstore.co.za or contact Johan Terblanche on 021-406-4962 or at johan.terblanche@media24.com and have it delivered straight to your door.…

These types of cooking gels are highly flammable, says Marietjie Lutz from the department of chemistry and polymer science at Stellenbosch University. “Many gel fuels don’t create a highly visible flame. Users might believe the fuel is no longer burning so they might add more gel to an already burning fire, which could cause an explosion or catastrophic fire. “Once ignited, you should always handle fuel gel like a fire even though the flame isn’t clearly visible.” Kashan Singh, a senior technical specialist with the Fire Protection Association of South Africa, says this type of gel is a “widely accepted fuel source, which is a real concern”. The substance is extremely flammable, he adds. “The product must be sealed at all times when not in use otherwise it releases flammable…

He’s due to be sentenced on 11 March and his legal team is expected to appeal. He’ll also have to gear up to face further charges in California, where he’s accused of rape and sexual assault. If he does end up in Rikers, he’s in for a tough time. The jail has been plagued with gang fighting, overcrowding and human rights violations. And Weinstein, being a sex offender, could find himself the target of abuse. “He’ll take strain, especially at first,” says Steve Dagworthy, a former prisoner who helps middle-class prisoners adapt to prison life. “To survive and even thrive he’ll need to show respect to his fellow inmates.” New experiences all round then. SOURCES: NYTIMES.COM, LATIMES.COM.GUARDIAN.CO.UK, DAILYMAIL.CO.UK…

IN HER new book, All Sorts of One-Dish Wonders, author Chantal Lascaris proves you can cook delicious, wholesome meals by using just one pot or pan – be it for breakfast, main meals, side dishes or even dessert. TANGY TUNA PENNE SERVES 4 PREPARATION: 15 MIN COOKING: ABOUT 15 MIN 750ml (3c) water 200g penne pasta pinch of salt oil 200g asparagus, cut into thirds or quarters 30ml (2T) chopped onion 30ml (2T) chopped capers 125 ml (½c) sherry salt and pepper 125ml (½c) cream cheese 60ml (4T) tangy mayonnaise 30ml (2T) lemon juice 2 cans (170g each) tuna in brine, flaked fresh parsley for garnishing, chopped 125ml (½c) salted potato crisps, roughly crumbled (optional) 1 Pour the water into a large deep pan, bring to the boil and add…

THICKENING, volumising, curling, lash-defining, non-clumping . . . there’s a bewildering array of mascaras to choose from. Each person’s lashes differ in length and thickness and mascaras come in so many shapes and sizes to give you the volume and length you desire. Just like with other makeup, it isn’t good to sleep with mascara on as particles could end up in your eyes and cause irritation. To remove mascara, use an oil-based eye makeup remover. It gently removes the product while nourishing the lashes. A makeup remover that’s too harsh will dry your lashes and make your eyes feel dry too. Don’t keep your mascara for longer than three months. Air is drawn into the tube when you apply it, making it a breeding ground for bacteria. If your…

SHE NEVER ENJOYED SEX WITH ME Q I’m devastated. My wife and I have been married for 10 years and I believed we had a wonderful marriage. She recently decided to see a therapist because of traumatic experiences in her past that she wanted to work through. Her therapist called me in and shared a letter with me that my wife wrote to her about our sex-life. In the letter she says she’s never enjoyed our lovemaking and has been faking all the time. When I asked my wife about it she told me her therapist didn’t have her consent to share the letter with me. For me the issue is that seeing what she wrote has changed the way I look at my wife and made me emotionally cold…

PISCES 19 FEBRUARY – 20 MARCH Use the arts to express yourself creatively Communicative Mercury moves into your sign, freeing up words and loosening your tongue. Whether you want to charm yourself into someone’s heart, show your compassion or share your concerns, it’s a good week in which to verbally express your feelings. If you’re a Pisces with a creative streak, express yourself through the arts – whether you want to paint or draw, write poetry or lyrics, or lip-synch or sing on stage. YOUR LUCKY NUMBERS 30, 17, 26, 5, 48, 14 ARIES 21 MARCH – 19 APRIL  Your personal year is coming to an end and a new beginning is around the corner, right up the alley of an Aries who thrives on fresh starts. Mull over options…

■ His real name is Mark Sinclair. His stage name is from his ’80s nightclub bouncer days. ■ When Vin returned to the Fast & Furious franchise with 2009’s fourth instalment, he also became a producer of the series through his company One Race Productions. “As a producer, the first thing I addressed was multiculturalism. In the first film, you had the Asian, Hispanic and African-American cliques all divided. When I came back as a producer, I had to break those barriers. Hollywood wasn’t even thinking about that.” The ninth instalment will be out later this year. ■ He has a fraternal twin brother, Paul, who worked on his film Multi-Facial as a sound editor.…

ANGEL HAS FALLEN Action. This third film in the series, after Olympus Has Fallen (2013) and London Has Fallen (2016), sees Gerald Butler return as worn-out American secret service agent Mike Banning, guardian angel of the US president. He now watches over Allan Trumbull (Morgan Freeman), the former vice-president who’s taken over after the retirement of Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart). After a futuristic drone attack, only Banning and Trumbull survive, and the finger is quickly pointed at Banning as the traitor behind the incident. To keep things topical, there are references to Russian interference in the US presidential election. The massive amount of skop, skiet en donder does little to elevate the thin plot and predictable finale above the usual run-of-the-mill action fare. – ANNELENE OBERHOLZER 2019. 116 MIN. 16LV.…

MATT HAIG @matthaig1 Twenty years ago this summer I nearly died by suicide in Ibiza. I knew I had no future. I knew I’d never be happy again. Today I’m in France. With family. And dog. Enchanted. I’m alive. I’m happy. In the future that couldn’t exist. The impossible happens via living. JOHN BOYNE @john_boyne I’m working on a novel (for 2021) about social media, researching why so many people spend their time online in attack mode. A thing I’ve learnt: don’t reply to bullies. Just mute them. What you don’t see can’t hurt you. Never let strangers affect how well or badly your day goes.…

You can grow your own spekboom in just six weeks and be part of the #SpekboomChallenge. Follow these easy steps: ■ Cut off a small piece of spekboom from an adult plant and allow it to dry out slightly in a cool area for two days. ■ Plant the cutting in sandy soil and water it lightly. ■ Keep the plant in an area that’s warm and shady and water it lightly every two weeks. ■ Roots will start forming and you should have a new plant within four to six weeks. This way, you can be part of a generation that helps in environmental conservation.…

FOR years she’s been the glamazon of women’s tennis: statuesque, formidable, icy and driven, with a piercing grunt that shattered on-court decibel records. But now Maria Sharapova has called time on her long career. And she’s chosen to announce it on the glossy websites of Vogue and Vanity Fair, penning an intimate love letter to a sport that’s afforded her both fame and notoriety – as well as a vast fortune. “How do you leave behind the only life you’ve ever known?” she begins. “How do you walk away from the courts you’ve trained on since you were a little girl, the game that you love – one which brought you untold tears and unspeakable joy – a sport where you found a family, along with fans who rallied behind…

Isidingo’s plots didn’t away from social, socioeconomic and political commentary. It was important that episodes reflected what was happening in the country and internationally, says Sipho Tshapu, one of the series’ writers. “Isidingo thrived by including real-time current affairs, especially on topical issues. It was the trade secret we perfected over the years.” Here are some of the touching topics it tackled. ■ The Big C. Sechaba Moloi-Matabane’s first wife, Lerato (Tema Sebopedi), was diagnosed with cancer and as a result was unable to have children. ■ Road death. The passing of Letti Mata-bane (Lesego Motsepe) “was touching in the most incredible way – our audience really felt the pain of it all,” executive producer Pumla Hopa says. ■ Labour struggles. Including the mineworkers strike in August 2018 was deliberate.…

THE widow of retired basketball player KOBE BRYANT painted a poignant portrait of her late husband and daughter GIANNA at a memorial service held in Los Angeles last month. Speaking through tears, VANESSA – who also shares daughters Natalia (17), Bianka (3) and Capri (8 months) with the late athlete – spoke of Kobe’s devotion to his family. She described Gianna as “an amazingly sweet and gentle soul”. She also spoke of their shared love of basketball and their close bond. “God knew they couldn’t be on this earth without each other. He had to bring them home to have them together.” Though the 37-year-old is grieving, she’s focused on protecting her family’s legacy. She recently hit out at Los Angeles police when a deputy was accused of showing off…