Examines kwaito as it has developed alongside the democratization of South Africa over the past two decades. Tracking the fall of South African hope into the disenchantment that often characterizes the outlook of its youth today - who face high unemployment, extreme inequality, and widespread crime - Steingo looks to kwaito as a powerful tool that paradoxically engages South Africa's crucial social and political problems by, in fact, seeming to ignore them
'When you see a township resident driving past in their new car, and they wave, and you wave back, it is extremely gratifying to know that they built their chakalaka business based on the small contract you gave them ten years previously, and now they have expanded and provide other companies with products, because they were able to seize the opportunity you offered to them and developed it.' – MaZwane MaZwane has become a legend in South Africa as a pioneering entrepreneur – and an inspiration for those who ask questions about opportunities in the informal township economy. Her answer to those who doubt whether they can make it, is that you do it through perseverance, sacrifice, seizing opportunities, and offering superior products and service. In 1989 Phumlaphi ('Rita') Zwane left KwaZulu-Natal to find work in Johannesburg after becoming a teenage mother. She could count on the love of her family, a matric certificate and her faith, but had no job prospects, and no knowledge of the business world or life in the big cities. Her memoir takes the reader from the tough times of finding her feet in Johannesburg, through a variety of jobs and life experiences, to finally fighting her way to success as a respected member of the township economy and starting the successful Imbizo Shisanyama business. MaZwane tells how she progressed from having virtually no income or permanent home to becoming the first person to formalise and commercialise shisanyama in the townships – and provide a comfortable home and legacy for her children. Along the way, she befriended many people who contributed accommodation, job opportunities, advice, and companionship. With them cheering her on, she learned how to navigate the different and difficult aspects of the hospitality industry – and slowly reach her desired place of independent security. Conquering the Poverty of the Mind - From Shipping Container to BUSY CORNER shows the true grit of a Zulu girl who believed in herself – and did it against all odds.
Given what we know about climate change, should we still be raising and eating cattle? And how do we weigh the cultural and economic value of cattle against their environmental impact? This engaging book brings history, science, economics and popular culture together in a timely discussion about whether current practices can be justified in a period of rapid climate change. Journalist Gregory Mthembu-Salter first encountered South Africa’s love of cattle during his own lobola negotiations. The book traces his personal journey through kraals, rangelands and feedlots across South Africa to find out more about the national hunger for cattle. He takes a broad sweep – drawing on such diverse sources as politicians involved in land reform, history, braai-side interviews with cattle farmers and abattoir owners, conversations with his mother-in-law, and analysis of cutting-edge science.
"It doesn't matter what you choose to call it, ultimately. Every South African understands what the significance of the barbque is. This is where we come together to gossip, laugh, argue, debate and enjoy each other's company. Long may it continue." - Sipho Hlongwane South Africa loves to barbeque. In Shisanyama (which means 'barbeque' in Zulu), Jan Braai asked South Africans to send him their best braai recipes, mixed them with some of his own favourites, made sure they were easy and really worked, and then put them in this book! So if you want to know what South Africans love to braai, and how they do it, this is the book for you. Easy recipes, using readily available ingredients, Shisanyama is another Jan Braai classic following on from Fireworks, Red Hot and The Democratic Republic of Braai.
The informal business sector is the next great frontier of Africa and it is undergoing an economic revolution, a new world of small people doing big things, transforming the continent. Prepare for this new generation, prepare for the Afripolitan Generation. A revolution is taking place in the great marketplaces of the informal sector and it contains an unquantified scale and power as an economic engine and a way of life for the majority of our low income populations. The KasiNomic Revolution may still be a murmur in the streets, a grassroots economic groundswell, but it is the future of African economic activity. Kasi is the South African term for the township, a teeming conurbation of homes and businesses, entertainment venues and social meeting places. GG Alcock uses the term KasiNomics to describe the informal sectors of Africa, whether they are in the township, a rural marketplace, at a taxi rank or on a pavement in the shadow of skyscrapers. Brought up in a rural Zulu community, GG has learnt and shares the lessons of African culture, language, stick fighting, lifestyle and tribal politics, along with shared poverty and community, which have prepared him for accessing the great informal marketplaces of Africa. He is uniquely placed to uncover the extraordinary stories of kasi businesses which not only survive but excel, revealing a revolutionary entrepreneurship which is mostly invisible to the formal sector. KasiNomic Revolution is a story of kasi entrepreneurs on one side and, on the other, of great corporate successes and failures in the informal community. KasiNomic Revolution is at once a business book, and at the same time a deeply human book about the people and lives of rural and urban informal societies. KasiNomic Revolution is about the lessons of marketing, distribution, culture and modernity in an informal African world. Prepare for a KasiNomic Revolution.
67 of South Africa's finest cooks, chefs, gardeners, bakers, farmers, foragers and local food heroes let us into their homes - and their hearts - as they share the recipes they make for the people they love. Each recipe is accompanied by stunning original photography that captures the essence of our beautiful country. Featuring over 130 recipes, from tried and true classics to contemporary fare, The Great South African Cookbook showcases the diversity and creativity of South Africa's vibrant, unique food culture.
'I really, really loved it' - Marian Keyes 'Absolute heaven - I am cackling out loud!' - Nina Stibbe 'The most exciting new heroine I've read in a very long time' - Katie Fforde 'Blows apart the South African society with one of fiction's most dynamic heroines' - Stylist Shortlisted for the Comedy Women in Print Prize ___________________________ Blessed [pronounced bles-id] The state of being blessed, often referring to a person, usually female, who lives a luxurious lifestyle funded by an older, often married partner Young, beautiful and ambitious, Bontle Tau has Johannesburg wrapped around her finger. Her admirers are falling over themselves to pay for her Mercedes, her penthouse, and her Instagrammable holidays. She's come a long way, and it's been far from easy. Yes, Bontle gets the blues from time to time. The shrink keeps wanting to talk about a past she's put behind her. But what she doesn't think about can't hurt her, can it? Darkly comic and razor-sharp, The Blessed Girl is an international bestseller about men, mental health, and getting rich by any means necessary...
What does it take to be an incredible marketer, creating campaigns that move something from 'here' to 'there' so that it is noticed, believed, loved, and ultimately (and importantly) bought by customers – whether in business-to-business or business-to-consumer contexts? How does a marketer devise strategies to fulfil the 360° dreams, aspirations and objectives of an entire business? Is it through brand building, maintaining brand health and reputation, or effective storytelling? Is it about raising product/service awareness, pricing strategies, or the choice of promotional channels – whether above-the-line, below-the-line, or through digital and AI messaging? Or perhaps it's about delivering a message like, 'We hear you; let's build a sustainable future, together.' And how do you decide which aspect to market? Is it ... The product; The price; The place; The promotion; The people; The positioning; The process; The parable; The performance; The promise? OR, is it bits and pieces of all, or some, of the above? This book delves into these questions, providing insights and guidance for creating comprehensive marketing strategies that resonate and drive success. In The Book Every Marketer Should Read our authors examine aspects of the original '4Ps of Marketing' and transform this outdated 1960s framework into a dynamic, contemporary approach suited for the 21st century. Start reading and make notes on what you can implement today to become a marketing maestro.
An African Bite celebrates the simplicity and authenticity of African food for a contemporary cook. Chef Mbombi has a deep connection to his culture, yet he is also a modern man living an urban lifestyle. Recognising that if we don’t keep cooking ‘heritage’ dishes, there is a risk of them being lost forever, he set out to create a cookbook that celebrates the food he was raised on. Traditionally, cooking skills were passed from mother to daughter and there were no written recipes or YouTube videos to refer to. Nowadays, social media can overwhelm us with too many choices and it is hard to know who to trust. An African Bite is Chef Mbombi’s tribute to the women who taught him to cook – from his mother and grandmother to the high-school economics teacher who made him realise he could turn his passion into a career. His uncomplicated, straightforward recipes will encourage even hesitant cooks to attempt dishes like curried tripe, chicken gizzards, goat meat stew, amathambo (meaty beef bones) umleqwa, shisanyama, vegetable sides like imifino (leafy greens) and muboora (pumpkin leaves), and traditional drinks like umqombothi and amahewu.
You may have read GG Alcock's books about the kasi economy; now follow his journey to the dynamic world of KasiNomics and learn about the tribal forces that shaped him. Born White Zulu Bred is the story of a white child and his brother raised in poverty in a Zulu community in rural South Africa during the apartheid era. His extraordinary parents, Creina and Neil Alcock, gave up lives of comfort and privilege to live and work among the destitute people of Msinga, whose material and social well-being became their mission. But more than that, this is a story about life in South Africa today which, through GG's unique perspective, explores the huge diversity of the country's people – from tribal Zulu warriors to sophisticated urban black township entrepreneurs. A journey from the arid wastes of Msinga into the thriving informal economies of urban townships. GG's view is that we do not live in a black and white world but in a world of contrast and diversity, one which he wants South Africans, and a world audience, to see for what it is without descending into racial and historical clichés. He takes us through the mazes of township marketplaces, shacks and crowded streets to reveal the proud and dignified world of township entrepreneurs who are transforming South Africa's economy. This is the world that he moves in today as a successful businessman, still walking those spaces and celebrating the vibrant informal economies that are taking part in the KasiNomic Revolution. GG's story is about being truly African, even as a white person, and it draws on the adventures, the cultural challenges, the informal spaces and the future possibilities of South Africa.
