Young people making way for themselves



Minenhle, the co-host presenter
on Mzansi Insider.

Minenhle Dlamini, born in Durban, won the role of the new Live presenter search in June 2010 and she took over from Phila Mazibuko and made her first public appearance for the show on Wednesday, 16 June 2010 at Moretele Park in Gauteng, when the show covered Youth Day and World Cup celebrations. In 2011 she joined the cast of the M-net Soapie, The Wild.

 Three days after learning about the sudden cancellation of the soapie, The Wild, Minenhle, also known as Minnie, confirmed that she is leaving SABC1’s Mzansi Insider, where she co-hosts the show with Phila Mazibuko.

Minnie, who plays Zintle Lebone on The Wild, denied that her career was crashing down – saying thatas a matter of fact, she is working on another programme with SABC1. She said that she can’t reveal too much about the show at the moment but “people must watch out because it is going to be 100% my personality, [the] Minnie that is not dictated to by anyone.”



Minnie at her 21st
birthday party in
2011.

Minnie, now also on Metro FM, recently co-hosted SABC1’s Live alongside Bonang Matheba and Sizwe Dlhomo. She also appeared on SABC1’s popular soapie, Generations. Minnie was then crowned the face of Legit in 2011. She launched her Minnie Series range to wide appeal and an overwhelmingly positive response

Minnie’s publicist, Pumza Nohashe, said: “We have been in talks with SABC1 since February and the public will see her many layers as a person, she will have more input on the show and its content.” Nohashe said the show would most likely hit our television screens by the end of the year.

Now it is very inspiring to see young females who are taking charge of their lives and trying out different career paths and actually succeeding in them (presenting, acting and being a radio dj).

Lack of communication and research equals to a total disaster!



Khanyi Mbau as Lebo
Mathosa



A musical written and directed by Sello Maake Ka-Ncube about the late Lebo Mathosa Drama Queen was expected to blow people away but in actual fact it was rather disappointing for those who attended. Many celebrities dressed to kill to attend the show’s gala opening at Pretoria’s State Theatre this past Tuesday night.

Khanyi Mbau and Sindi Nene were among the five lovely ladies who were on stage, but then tough critics said that while Khanyi was a great dancer, she couldn’t sing and Sindi sang beautifully but couldn’t dance. Boom Shaka member Thembi Seete said “I was so excited about the show, but it lacked a lot of truth and emotion and there seemed to be no research done about what really happened. The five girls are talented and beautiful, if they had come to us, we would have helped.”

Sindi Nene who is a
great singer but can't
dance...





One of Lebo’s closest friends said: “The producers could have researched more. The people who lived with Lebo are still alive, her spirit and soul was not on stage!” 3Sum member and socialite Amstel said: “I’m not happy at all about the show. Not that I wanted to be a part of it, but she was my friend and we could have told the story better. Not just anyone can play Lebo. The costumes were ridiculous, nothing like Lebo. All I saw was blonde weaves, I am not convinced at all!”When called for comment, Sello said: “I know where my shortfalls were and I am open to the Boom Shaka members Theo, Thembi and Junior helping out, but the only person I had contact with was Thembi. “People must just understand that it is just a start.”

It looks like Sello Maake Ka-Ncube did not communicate and research as much as he was supposed to with people who knew Lebo well and as a result a disastrous show.

Art - meant to PROVOKE

They say art is a form of self-expression and others say that art is meant to provoke. If that is the case, then Brett Murray’s controversial portrait, The Spear, certainly provoked many people.

The controversial painting
of  president Jacob Zuma

South African icon, Zakes Mda, spoke from the United States about The Spear, a career sharpened by apartheid censorship and the necessity of the art debate that was currently raging in South Africa. “Today of course you hear black people say naked bodies in art are against African culture. Which of the many African cultures? The shamefulness over the naked body is something that came with our Victorian colonisers. We can never go back to the old censorship in an age of the internet, but do you fear that self-censorship is heightened when work is attacked like this from all sides?”

The now defaced painting

Many people say and believe that the painting crossed the line between freedom of expression and the right to dignity, while some say that it is just art and Brett Murray was just practising his freedom of expression. Whatever the case may be, the painting went as far as causing division in the ANC and many of those saw the painting as offensive.

At the end of the day, the painting was defaced at the Goodman Gallery by those who thought the painting was offensive, but then people were still willing to buy the painting for R136 800, even in its defaced form. Now did Brett Murray go a little too far or was he within his right of self-expression and practising his talent? Now that’s a point where many fail to agree on.

South African film industry

South Africa has a growing, vibrant film industry that is increasingly becoming competitive internationally. Local and foreign filmmakers take advantage of the country’s unique and diverse locations – as well as low production costs and favourable exchange rates.

The leading actor in Tsotsi,
Presley Tshweneyagae

The movie “Tsotsi” is the jewel in this industry’s crown, a drama about a young gangsterin Soweto, won an Academy Award for best foreign language film in 2006. The award came on the heels of an Oscar nomination for “Yesterday”, a story about a struggling HIV-positive mother, and “U Carmen E Khayalitsha”, a Xhosa-language film which won the Golden Bear award at the 2005 Berlin Film Festival, has cemented South Africa’s reputation for creative, quality film making.

Building on this reputation, a string of successful big budget international productions have been filmed in South Africa:

·         Blood Diamond with Leonardo DiCaprio

·         Lord of War with Nicholas Cage. Lord of War showcases South Africa’s breath-taking locations – with Cape Town appearing as 57 different settings in the Middle East.

TELLING AFRICAN STORIES:

Leonardo DiCaprio and Djimon
Hounsou in Blood Diamond

South Africa consists of a long history in the film industry. It began with the shooting of the first-ever newsreels during the Anglo-Boer War. “African Mirror”, the weekly cinema newsreel was launched in 1913 and ran until the 1980s. South Africa’s first feature film, “The Kimberly Diamond Robbery”, was also shot in 1910.

The government has stressed the importance of film in building the country’s heritage by telling its own stories, and has set about providing an “enabling regulatory framework” to encourage the production of local content.

NATIONAL FILM AND VIDEO FOUNDATION:

The National Film and Video Foundation (NFVF) helps the industry access funds, promotes the development of South African film and television audiences, develops talent and skills in the country – with a special emphasis on previously disadvantaged group- and helps filmmakers represent and market their work internationally.