#Insight

Vukosi Baloyi Vukosi Baloyi is the founder of Vukosi Baloyi Sport Academy which is set to be launched in December. He is the chairperson of Vukosi Baloyi Foundation and he is a junior lecturer at the Tshwane University Technology at the Department of Journalism. Hope Motau a Television Assistant at the Department of Journalism and Baloyi’s colleague said, he is an inspiration to him and others because he has achieved so much at just at the age of 26. Baloyi was born and bred at Mphambo Village, a small village located in the Limpopo Province (Vhembe District). He is the third born in his family and has three other siblings. He started his schooling career at Mheho Primary School which is close to his home. He then proceeded to Sasa Combined School which is in Venda and he had to travel daily and he decided to finish off his high school at Shingwedzi High School where he obtained his Matric in 2008. “I then made my way to TUT to study Journalism, as I was a foot

Sizwe Salt Sizwe Tswayi was born and raised in the dusty street of Madadeni, a township situated in Newcastle Kwazulu Natal. He is the first born and has 3 siblings. He started his schooling career at Ntobeko Primary School, proceeded to Esipheni Senior Primary School and went to Sabela High School where he matriculated in 2003. He said that his love for music started at primary school level as he was part of the school choir until he reached high school. “Growing up I used to attend church every Sunday and use to lead my church choir at Faith Mission now known as Potters House Family Church and the first demo I made was a gospel song,” said Tswayi. He formed an Afro-Pop music group with his friend and his cousin and they were known as MaDucks . The group was welcomed by it community of Newcastle as their hit song used to be played on the local community radio station known as Newcastle Community Radio (NCR). They performed at the annual Amco Dam Music Festival as

Sipho Phakathi owner of Siphodu Catering  Sipho Phakathi was born at Natalspruit Hospital on the east side of Gauteng in 1981 July 4 th . He then moved to Mpumalanga Daggakrall to live with his grandmother, as his mother was a domestic worker in Gauteng. He started his primary at Daggakrall at Tribal Primary School, then proceeded to Zabalaza Senior Primary School in Newcastle as his paternal family was based there. During his primary school days, he once tried to commit suicide due to the ill treatment he was receiving from his paternal family but the suicide attempt failed.  His maternal grandmother fetched him at Newcastle so that he could start his grade8 at Seme Secondary School at Daggakrall. He only did grade 8 and 9 and was forced to move back to Newcastle when Seme Secondary was closed down by community members. He enrolled at Bethamoya High School situated in Madadeni a township in Newcastle, that where he finished off the remaining 3 years of his high sc

Monde Somzana holds his book Ashes. He was born in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape; he was raised by a single mother. When he was 7, he moved to East Rand in Gauteng with his mother. He has a younger brother Anele and a little sister Bongi. He went to Jongimfundo Primary School in Vosloorus, he then proceeded to William Hills High School in Benoni, that where he matriculated in 2008. He then went to the University of Johannesburg to do a one year course in Computer Science in 2009. In 2010 he enrolled for a New Venture Creations at a school in Vosloorus known as MACE for two years. In 2014 he registered at Tshwane University of Technology to study Industrial Design. He said he choose this course because he likes to do all things at once. “I have been reading for as long as I can remember,” said Somzana. He started writing poetry and use to post it on a page that he created on facebook. He said “from poetry I transitioned into writing a book because of the recurr

Christopher J Ndonga His father and mother met in the military just after 3 months of dating they got married. After two years, Christopher Jongamawawa Ndonga was born in Pretoria at the One Military Hospital on the 1 st of January 1995. He was later moved to live with his paternal grandmother in the Eastern Cape at Mount-frere for 10 years. He came back to live with his parents after his grandmother passed away. His mom and dad later left the army. He continued with his primary education at Uitsige Primary School in Centurion. “I didn’t know English when I moved to Pretoria because of the poor education system we had in our village, I had to attend speech therapy in order to perfect it,” said Ndonga. He participated in various sport but excelled in rugby and was selected to play for the Junior Blue-Bulls rugby team when he was in Grade6. He scored himself a scholarship to play rugby and study at Pretoria Boys High School. “It was a privilege for me to get a

Sthembiso Sithole Born in the dusty street of Senaoane in Soweto, He is the last born of Mr and Mrs Sithole. He has two older siblings namely his older brother Siphiwe and his second born sister Brenda. He was raised in a loving, warm home. He grew up like any other child as his parents both were working. His mother worked at a dry clean company after losing that job she was a maid and use to do catering with friends. His father was a driver for various companies, he used to travel across the country. Both his father and mother are retired now. He started his schooling career at Emaweni Primary School, which was 5-10minutes walk from his home. He then proceeded to Bafikile Higher Primary School, and he did his high school at Phafokang Secondary School in Rockville (Soweto). During his first year at Phafokang High School when only he was in Grade8, he came up with a school newspaper idea. He designed the newspaper also came up with stories that will go into the newspaper bu

Gia Nicolaides Award winning journalist Gia Nicolaides addressed the Tshwane University of Technology journalism students on Friday. Speaking about her recently published book "Reporting from the front line" Untold stories from Marikana. In her address to the students, she goes back and relives her journey during the Marikana massacre that took place in August 2012. Nicolaides says that when she took on the story, she thought to herself it just another protest. Little did she know that it would make international headlines with 34 people gunned down. Nicolaides emphasizes that the mine workers were standing up for themselves, they didn't want to be affiliated with any Union (AMCU/NUMSA). "The mine workers didn't want to be interviewed by journalist especially female journalist, at one point one of the female journalist of E.NCA was threatened with rape but that didn't stop me  from getting the story" Nicolaides stresses that "you should be pa

Hope Motau and Barry Roux (Oscar Pistorius Lawyer) Ngwanamakwa Hope Koketso Motau was born on 29 th of September 1990 at Ga-Mathabatha village, 80km outside Polokwane in Limpopo province. He is the Second born out of three children. The first born is his brother Shima and the last born is his younger sister Kgahlego. He grew up like any other playful boy child in the village and he was staying with his brother and his cousin Ponko, while their parents were based in Gauteng due to work purposes. He started school and completed his Grade 7 at Dikgeu Primary School. He moved to Diepsloot in Gauteng province to enrol with Rabasotho Combined School where he completed his Grade 8 to 10. Motau went back to Ga-Mathabatha village to do his Grade 11 and Matric at Mashianyane Secondary School. “I have always been passionate about radio since high school; I just didn’t know which platform to take.” Said Motau. His parents told him that if he wants to be in radio he must be a tea

Makhosini Nkosi Born in Piet Ritief Mpumalanga,  African National Congress  Mayoral candidate for Newcastle Local Municipality Makhosini Nkosi was born  by Jacob and Jessey Nkosi. He was raised by his grandmother when he moved to Dundonald former Kwa-Ngwane Homeland, and his parents moved to Ermelo due to work purposes. He is married to Nokuthula Mncube and they have two lovely children, Msizi (boy) and Afika (girl). Nkosi has other three daughters which he had before getting married, namely Lindelwa, Swazi and Ntando. On a recent interview #Insight had with him he shared his life journey. As he outlined that he grew up like any other naughty boy in Dundonald and he attended the local schools in the area. He attended Esithembisweni Primary School, Ekuphakameni Higher Primary School, Ligugu Secondary and matriculated at Mabande Comprehensive High School in Ogies just outside Witbank. The reason Nkosi changed from Ligugu Secondary to Mabande Comprehensive High School i

Jabulile Mamkhwanazi Khumalo Outgoing Amajuba District Mayor Jabulile Mamkhwanazi Khumalo was born in the dusty street of Madadeni. A township situated in Newcastle north of Kwazulu Natal, born by Mambonane and Nehemia Mkhwanazi. She is the eldest out of five children, with two brothers namely Sizwe and Siyabonga and two sisters Thandile and Bonisiwe. Khumalo also has a family of her own with four children, one passed away and now she is left with three and one granddaughter.  Zama is the eldest daughter (24), Zithulele her son is (22), her last born Zodidi (12) and her granddaughter Ingiphile (2). On a recent interview she had with #Insight, she shared her life journey with us. “I started my primary school at Zuza then Khulakahle to Zabalaza Primary, I then completed my Matric in 1992 at Sekusile High School.” Said Khumalo. After completing her matric she enrolled in a 6 months Administration Course at Madadeni Technical College now Amajuba TVET. “Between 1994 and 1995 I

Sihle Sinethemba Dlamini SABC Kids News presenter, Tshwane University of Technology student studying towards a Language Practice Diploma. Born in Mzimkhulu a village located in Kwazulu Natal, a first born out of four children raised by his grandmother. Sihle Sinethemba Dlamini shared his life journey with #Insight On a recent interview I had with him, he said he grew up in Mzimkhulu for the first ten years of his life. Mzimkhulu is a rural area located in Kwazulu Natal. He described the difficulties he faced growing up in an area with no basic facilities. “I used to fetch water, wood and cattle daily.” Said Dlamini. He mentioned that he used to engage in stick fighting and traditional dance as a hobby as they were no playing facilities such as parks for children in the area. In 2007 in the middle of the year when he was in Grade 8 at ST.Paul’s Secondary School he got ill. “I was now a burden to my grandmother, because at some point I couldn’t walk.” Said Dlamini. Hi

Tshamano-Makhadi Born at Ha-Ramantsha, Sinthumule, a small village just outside Makhado town in the Limpopo province. He is the last born of six children born to Tshinakaho and Madauvhi Makhadi. During an interview with him, Makhadi said he grew up like any other child in the village. A few years later, his family moved to Itsani village about 6km outside Thohoyandou. His parents were very strict especially his mother. Makhadi said “we were not even allowed to swim because it was not a safe thing to do due to a lack of not having proper facilities in the area”. Even though his parents were uneducated, they always emphasised the importance of education towards their children. Makhadi said “I followed on the footsteps of my older brothers, they were my role models”. Makhadi’s mother always emphasized that even when you have successful elder brothers, you can’t be a beggar, a man must stand up for himself. “I grew up knowing that education is important.” said Makhadi.