HE WANTED TO BUILD A MEMORIAL TO MANDELA - BUT COVID CRASHED THE DREAM OF A TOURIST MECCA IN ALEX - Scrolla.Africa

Friday 26th February
                                        2021, 0145

Real News. Scrolla.Africa

HE WANTED TO BUILD A MEMORIAL TO
MANDELA - BUT COVID CRASHED THE
DREAM OF A TOURIST MECCA IN ALEX
Everson Luhanga

Tumi Masite is a multi-talented man who dreamt of turning the
street he lives on into a tourist Mecca in Alexandra north of
Johannesburg.

Tumi stays on the same street where Nelson Mandela once
rented a room in the 1940s. That was when Alexandra was
called the “Dark City” due to having no electricity when the rest
of Johannesburg was lit up at night.

“My intention was to make 7th Street and Hofmeyer Streets
buzz like Vilakazi Street in Soweto,” he said. “That has been my

dream ever since I realised that I was staying in the same Street
the icon embraced.”

Tumi is the owner of the Ekasi gym, once visited by Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Reg Park and Richard Branson. He sells his
drawings and paintings to tourists from all over the world and
has a tattoo parlour.

He is a well known figure in Alex. He gave a beautiful painting
to former President Jacob Zuma in 2012 while the ANC was
celebrating 100 years of existence and has hosted local boxing
championships.

But like thousands of others, Covid-19 crushed his dreams and
destroyed his businesses - now he is drowning in debt.

He told Scrolla.Africa from his home in Alexandra that
everything stopped in March last year when the government
introduced lockdown regulations.

No one came for tattoos as restrictions were introduced, and
tourists who used to buy his paintings stopped travelling as
borders were closed.

He kept the hope alive that things would get better, and
breathed a sigh of relief when people started coming back to
his gym.

But there was no money in their pockets.
“When I asked for subscription fees, they would tell me that
they too have lost jobs.”

The father of three had to provide for his family so he sold
some gym equipment, his television set and a washing machine
and went to borrow money from the bank.

But now he is drowning in even deeper debt.

He said the couple has had to pack up the place they were
living. His girlfriend has gone to stay with her gogo on the other
side of Alex with the children. He has gone to stay with his
gogo.

His girlfriend, 28-year-old Sizakele Zuma, lost her job as a
waitress during level five of lockdown.

The couple said Tumi’s uncle who works at charity
organisations as a driver delivered food parcels to them. “My
uncle has been helping us a lot.”

Tumi said in a normal world, he used to make nearly R20 000 a
month from all his activities.

“Now I cannot make R1000 these days. How life has changed.”

The largest mass vaccination program in
history has begun - but it needs to be
even larger
Arthur Greene

                On Wednesday, Covax delivered its first major
                shipment of Covid-19 vaccines to Ghana.

The global initiative plans to distribute over two billion doses of
the vaccine to 92 countries this year, which, officials say, would
make it the largest vaccination operation in history.

The shipment of 600,000 doses was delivered to the capital
Accra first because studies have suggested that the spread of
the virus in West Africa has been much wider than official
numbers show.

According to a recent study, at least one in five people in Lagos,
Nigeria, could have contracted the coronavirus by October last
year. Similar results were found in Accra.

Covax, which will provide vaccines to low and middle-income
countries, will work against wealthy countries’ “vaccine
nationalism” and make distribution fairer.

However, the buying-up of jabs by rich countries still dwarfs
Covax’s efforts.

The New York Times reports that while 44.5 million Americans
have already received a shot, as of last week more than 130
countries had yet to vaccinate a single person.
.
Even Covax’s shipment to Ghana covers less than one per cent
of the population.

And by the end of 2021 they will only have been given enough
jabs to vaccinate 20 percent of its population of 30 million, so it
will have to purchase more.

The United Nations secretary-general, António Guterres, said
last week that the distributions had been “wildly uneven and
unfair.”

He added that the pandemic will not end until everyone has
been vaccinated.

“This is not a matter of charity,” he said. “It’s a matter of
epidemiology.”

It is not enough for wealthy countries to provide enough
vaccines for their own populations. They must ramp up their
contributions to Covax if the pandemic is going to end.

Picture source: @WHOAFRO

Wear a mask, Sho Madjozi - the kids are
watching
By Mmaditaba

Covid-19 has undoubtedly affected the livelihoods of everyone,
including artists, but what message are our celebrities sending
in a time of a global pandemic?

With the ban on events in South Africa, South African musicians
have resorted to going to neighbouring countries to perform.
Which is good - but where are your masks guys?

Sho Madjozi has been in Tanzania for almost a month -
shooting amazing content and living her best life - but where is
your mask Sho?

Cassper Nyovest was also in Zanzibar flexing his famous bottle
dancing skills that we love him for. But Cass: where is the
mask?

Fellow musician Focalistic performed in Kenya earlier this
month to a very large crowd that wasn't wearing masks.

Celebrities always say they didn't ask to be role models but the
title comes with fame. When Sho Madjozi changes a hairstyle,
so do all the kids. When she launches a clothing line, the kids
are first in line.

We are not asking that they stop making a living - not at all,
times are tough. We are not asking for them to perform with a
mask while they are alone on stage. But why is the crowd at
your feet not wearing masks?

In a world, particularly in Tanzania, where there is a denialism
of this global crisis, we are not asking you to be role models,
just to be responsible for your own health, or to keep the
irresponsible behaviour off social media. The kids are watching.

Video source: @ShoMadjozi

Zim’s Vice President leaves a trail of sex
scandals and angry husbands
Joseph Chirume

                 Calls are getting louder and louder for
                 Zimbabwe's Vice President, Kembo Mohadi, to
                 resign.

Mohadi, 71, who has had two collapsed marriages, is accused
by angry husbands of destroying their marriages.

One of the women works in Mohadi’s office as a Central
Intelligence Officer.

Mohadi was allegedly approached at his Glen Lorne home by a
CIO agent, Jacob Mumpande accusing the vice president of
sleeping with his wife, Abbigal Muleya. Mumpande demanded
that his wife be removed from Mohadi’s office.

This is after Abbigal was heard on the phone asking Mohadi if
he had taken sex enhancing tablets ahead of their meeting later
at a lodge.

Mohadi is also accused of bedding Chervaughn Choeni,
prompting her husband, Martin Chabuka, to file for divorce.

In a leaked telephone conversation Mohadi is heard asking: "So,
when will you give it to me?"

Choeni replied that she had come to his office earlier.

"Actually, I had come with the intention of giving it to you,” she
said.

“So you want to give it to me in the office?” asked Mohadi.

"Yes," responded Choeni.

Mohadi then said: “Okay, there is no other place. We will have
to do it in the office."

Mohadi is also said to be paying full tuition fees for a young girl
who lives in Bulawayo. She has allegedly been trying to end the
relationship after telling Mohadi that she has a boyfriend her
own age.

ZimEye.com on Twitter says, "Mohadi impregnated a Harare
based Advanced Level student, giving her an STI (sexually
transmitted infection) and making her feel worthless."

Oliver Zaranyika wrote on Facebook, "I think the Mohadi
scandal is just the tip of an iceberg. It is actually a culture in
Zanu PF. The country is bleeding left, right and centre. But they
are busy thinking about sex."

A Twitter account in the name of Mohadi's former wife,
Tambudzani Mohadi reports that: "He has a pregnant girlfriend
who is in form six. Another girlfriend is his cousin's child."

Mohadi divorced Tambudzani, his wife of 30 years in 2017, then
quickly married Juliette Mutavhatsindi in 2018 but has not been
seen with her since 2019.

Picture source: Zim Live

Zambian coach in court for fondling
woman’s buttocks
Joseph Chirume

Zambian coach Milutin Sredojevic is learning the
hard way that fondling a woman's body without
her consent is not a joke.

Sredojevic appeared for the second time today at the New
Brighton Magistrate’s Court in Qqeberha, formerly Port
Elizabeth, facing sexual assault charges.

He will appear again on 25 May for trial at the New Law Court.
His bail of R10,000 was extended to the same date.

NPA regional spokesperson, Anelisa Ngcakani said during the
Cosafa Games in Qqeberha on 7 December a woman took
Sredojevic coffee at the Wolfson Stadium and asked him if he
needed anything. He allegedly said he needed another type of
sugar, pointing at her private parts.

The complainant complained to her boss who warned
Sredojevic, but later the same day Sredojevic allegedly touched
her buttocks.

The court case attracted a small group of women activists who
had come to give support to the victim.

ANC spokesperson for the Young Women’s Desk, Nomafa
Sinetile told Scrolla.Africa it was a very important case because
it was not penetrative rape nor was there aggression.

“Most attention is given to penetrative rape but touching a
woman's body without her consent is a worse form of rape.
That is body shaming and reducing the dignity of the victim,”
she said.

"We want to see justice being done and this case should set an
example that women’s bodies should not be touched without
agreement. The South African law should set a good example
with this case.”

Homeless Felix Hlophe denies he is
broke
Philani Mzila

                KZN based Gagasi FM radio breakfast host Felix
                Hlophe is homeless after he was allegedly kicked
                out of his rented home in Pinetown, Durban.

According to two close insiders Felix is battling financially and
even went to beg a traditional healer and businessman
Bhongolwethu Mzozo, known as Dr Khehlelezi, for help.

"Since the lockdown began he hasn't been able to live the
flashy life he likes to lead. Things are not coming together for
him," the source said.

According to another source he visited and begged Dr
Khehlelezi to invest R80,000 in his gin business but would not
give Dr Khehlelezi his car keys.

"Khehlelezi wanted the car as insurance but Felix did not
provide it. He asked for a huge amount and no one can give
that kind of money," the source said.

“Felix must swallow his pride and move back home.”

Dr Khehlelezi confirmed meeting Hlophe about a loan.

"He came to me to ask for money to pay for his kid’s education
but the amount is between us," he told Scrolla.Africa.

Felix denied asking for a loan and being kicked out of his home
but said his meeting with Dr Khehlelezi was purely business.

"How can I put my family through that? I have properties in my
name. My gin business needs more cash and I thought working
with Khehlelezi was the best idea," he said.

“I'm not bragging but I have no money issues.”

Hlophe offered to send copies of his title deeds for his
properties but at the time of publishing Scrolla.Africa was still
waiting.

Nasty C to feature on the Ellen
DeGeneres Show
Sizwe Sibiya

The past year has been tough for artists in the music industry
unable to perform live shows but the career of Mister ‘Zulu
Man With Some Power’ Nasty C has really rocketed up.

Just a week after releasing visuals of his single ‘Black and
White’ from the album ‘Zulu Man With Some Power’ with
American singer and songwriter Ari Lennox, Nasty C - whose
real name is Nsikayesizwe Ngcobo - is going to be appearing on
America’s Ellen DeGeneres Show, one of the world’s leading
daytime television shows.

“Yea we are going up tomorrow!!! Let the whole world know!!”
said the 24-year-old rapper from Durban.

Nasty C thanked Ellen, the host, for inviting him on the show
that will air on Friday, 26 February.

“@theellenshow thank you for the put on.”

Nasty C has already appeared on another American show, Late
Night with Seth Meyers.

As if that is not enough, his name is trending on social media
with SA rapper Stogie T’s ‘Dunno’ music video – and he also
made another appearance on SlikourOnLife, an online show
hosted by veteran rapper of the group Skwatta Kamp, Slikour,
on Thursday.

He gives props to the team behind him for his making the big
moves, saying “I am not going to sit here and act like the guy
who pulls all the strings and makes all this s*** to come
together, I am not.

"I have a team."

Nasty C who is signed under Def Jam, like Sho Madjozi of the
Gqom hit ‘John Cena’ will reportedly perform his love song
‘Black and White’ with the featured Ari Lennox on the daytime
television show.

Picture Source: @Nasty_CSA

Man faked his own kidnapping to get
off work
Some people will do almost anything to get off
work – but a man in the American state of
Arizona took it to extreme lengths by tying
himself up and faking his own abduction and kidnapping.

He also invented a story of treasure hidden in the desert.

The New York Times reported that after responding to a call,
police found the man, discovered to be 19-year-old Brandon
Soules, with his hands bound behind his back by a belt and a
hankie “stuffed in his mouth”.

Soules told officers that he had been abducted by two masked
men who struck him on the back of his head and knocked him
unconscious.

He told investigators that he had been kidnapped because his
father had a large amount of money hidden in the desert.

Hospital records showed that Soules had no concussion or
injury to his head and text messages did not show messages or
phone calls he described.

Eventually, Soules admitted that he had made the whole story
up. He has been arrested and charged with false reporting, the
police said in a statement.

According to the Times, Soules worked at a car shop, the Tire
Factory, where he installed tires and drove around to pick up
parts for the store. According to Soules’s Facebook profile, he
no longer works there.

Picture source: NyTimes.com

TWO YEARS IN A TENT
Lungani Zungu

After more than two years of living in a
government tent, about 120 Umlazi residents
have been told they will be moving to a transit
camp.

The residents, including children, were hoping that the
eThekwini Municipality would rebuild their houses that were
destroyed by floods in 2019.

Since Ntombenhle Ntendeni’s two-roomed mud shack was
washed away in the floods she has stayed with her three
children in the tent that was erected outside Tehuis hostel near
Mega City mall at Umlazi V section.

“I’m glad to be alive. Many people lost their loved ones during
the floods,” she said.

“But I don’t want to go to a transit camp. We will never have a
place to call home again,” Ntendeni told Scrolla.Africa.

The tent is divided into a male and female section. When they
bath, they have to look out for prying eyes.

“We don’t have running water, and there are no ablution
facilities. There is no social distancing,” she said.

“We hear that the municipality was told about us, but no one
has listened to us. No one cares.”

Another resident said the ANC government only cared about
itself. She said the government had promised to build houses
for them when the floods hit the township.

“We want the government to build our houses and not place us
in transit camps,” she said.

Vanessa Burger, who had helped the victims, said they were
understandably appalled.

“Why has the municipality seemingly prioritized the
construction of new transit camps instead of permanent
housing?”

Hildah Magaia sets sights on world
football
Timmy T Maranda

Banyana Banyana star, Hildah Magaia signed her professional
contract with Moron BK in Sweden on Wednesday and she is
ready for the new challenge.

Magaia was part of the Banyana Banyana side that retained the
Cosafa Cup 2020 and she was named the best player in the
Cosafa Women's Championship.

The striker had a fantastic season with Tshwane University of
Technology in the SAFA National Women's League by scoring 36
goals and finished the season tied with Rhoda Mulaudzi in the
scoring charts.

The striker also helped TUT to finish as runners up in the SAFA
National Women's League behind Champions Mamelodi
Sundowns Ladies.

The Denilton born striker told Scrolla.Africa she is very happy
and ready for her new journey.

"The time is now. I’m hoping to have the best time of my life in
Sweden and to be able to use the talent that God has given me
in a good way. I want to make my family and the nation proud,”
she said.

Magaia joins a growing list of Banyana Banyana's players who
are flying the South African flag high in world football.

Banyana Banyana players now playing overseas:

Thembi Kgathlana, Spain
Noko Matlou, Spain
Jermaine Seopasenwe, Portugal
Refiloe Jane, Italy
Ode Fuluditulu, Finland
Janine Van Wyk, Scotland
Bambanani Mbane, Belarus
Lebogang Ramalepe, Belarus
Kelso Peskin, France
Amanda Mthandi, Spain
Nothando Vilakazi, Spain
Rhoda Mulaudzi, Belarus

Andisiwe Ngcoyi, Kosovo
Zanele Nhlapo, Kosovo, Albania
Linda Motlhali, Sweden
Regina Mogolola, Serbia
Rachel Sebati, Turkey
Amogelang Motau, USA
Letago Modiba, Turkey
kholoso Biyana, Spain
Leandra Smeda, Sweden

Picture source: @BanyanaBanyana

McCarthy says playing Leopards away is
tough
Menzi Magubane

              Coach Benni McCarthy is looking to end
              AmaZulu’s trophy drought when the Nedbank
              Cup returns this weekend. Usuthu last lifted a
trophy in 1992.

McCarthy wants to correct that by taking out everyone in front
of them. Black Leopards are next in line and Usuthu are heading

there on Saturday when they face each other in the last 16 of
the competition at Thohoyandou Stadium at 3pm.

"As much as any club, such as Mamelodi Sundowns want to win
the cup, so do we at AmaZulu. We play to improve, but
ultimately we want to win it,” he said.

"We have new ownership, new management and new coaches
so we want to go all the way. It's not going to be easy but we
will push.”

He said playing Leopards is never easy especially in Venda.

“Travelling to Thohoyandou is a nightmare and conditions are
totally different to Durban. But what's going to make it even
harder is their new coach, Kostadin Papic,” he said.

"Players always play differently under a new coach as we saw in
their win against Golden Arrows. I'm expecting a tough match
but we have also improved in the past weeks."

The round of 16 begins on Friday with two GladAfrica
Championship outfits in a Cape derby.

Cape Town All Stars will host Cape Town Spurs at Parow Park at
3pm. Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila face Swallows at Peter
Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane at 6pm.

Picture source: @diski365

Manchester City rule supreme
Timmy T Maranda

Manchester City have extended their unbeaten
run to a brilliant 26 matches in all competitions.

They beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 in the 1st leg of the
UEFA Champions League at Puskas Arena in Budapest on
Wednesday.

Goals by Portuguese Bernardo Silva and Brazilian Gabriel Jesus
were enough to hand the Citizens the two away goal cushion
going to the 2nd leg in Manchester.

The first score came when Joao Cancelo’s pinpoint cross found
Bernardo Silva unmarked and Silva headed City into the lead.

Gladbach’s threats were thwarted by defenders Eric Laporte
and Ruben Dias, the home side coming close with a tricky back
heel that went across the face of Ederson's goal.

Manchester City doubled the lead in the second half with Silva
turning provider to Gabriel Jesus who scored to secure the 19th
win in all competitions without a loss and 12th win on the trot.

The Citizens take a comfortable two-goal lead back to
Manchester with the best chance to qualify for the quarter-final
in the UEFA Champions league.

Meanwhile, 13 time UEFA Champions League winners Real
Madrid left it late to beat a 10 man Atalanta 1-0 in the 1st leg
tie to take an away goal advantage heading to Spain at Atalanta
Stadium in Bergamo, Italy.

Tottenham beat Wolfsburg 4-0 with a seven goal aggregate
lead at Tottenham Hotspurs Stadium in the UEFA Europa
League.

Picture source: @manchestercity

Chiefs and Downs’ fixtures reshuffled to
make way for CAF commitments
Menzi Magubane

               To accommodate Mamelodi Sundowns and
               Kaizer Chiefs' CAF Champions League
               commitments, the PSL has reshuffled their
fixtures for the weekend and next week.

Downs and Chiefs will travel to their different destinations on
Friday as they are in action on Sunday in Champions League
matches.

Masandawana travelled to Tanzania for their Group B match
against CR Belouizdad of Algeria at the Benjamin Mkapa
Stadium in Dar es Salaam at 3pm. The fixture was originally
scheduled for 23 February but was cancelled due to medical
restrictions in Algeria.

Downs were scheduled to take on Polokwane City in the
Nedbank Cup last 16 on Saturday but the PSL has confirmed
that this fixture has been rescheduled for Wednesday 10 March
at Loftus Stadium in Tshwane at 3pm.

Downs' visit to Stellenbosch for the DStv Premiership fixture
has also been postponed and the league is yet to confirm the
new date.

This game was meant to take place on the coming Tuesday, just
three days after Downs' match in Tanzania.

Amakhosi were in the same predicament as Sundowns as far as
their next league fixture was concerned. Chiefs had a match
away in Polokwane against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila
next Tuesday but the league postponed it as well.

On Friday morning Amakhosi will fly from Joburg on a special
chartered flight for Burkina Faso where they have a date with
Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca in Ouagadougou at 4
August Stadium at 6pm.

This Group C clash was originally meant to have taken place on
13 February in Casablanca but it was postponed by CAF after
the Moroccans did not issue Chiefs with visas.

Picture source: @kaizerchiefs