<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-3 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-2-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51362" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-2-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51362" class="wp-image-51362" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-2-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-2-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-2-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-2-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, 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768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-4-of-13-1536x818.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-4-of-13-2048x1091.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-item__caption"> </figcaption></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51365" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51365" class="wp-image-51365" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-5-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51366" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51366" class="wp-image-51366" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-6-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51367" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51367" class="wp-image-51367" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-7-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51368" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51368" class="wp-image-51368" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-8-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51369" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51369" class="wp-image-51369" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-9-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51370" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51370" class="wp-image-51370" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-10-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-item__caption"> </figcaption></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51371" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51371" class="wp-image-51371" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-11-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-item__caption"> </figcaption></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51372" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51372" class="wp-image-51372" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-12-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="51373" data-full-url="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-scaled.jpg" data-link="https://www.forbesafrica.com/?attachment_id=51373" class="wp-image-51373" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Fight-With-Insight-13-of-13-2048x1365.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li></ul><figcaption class="blocks-gallery-caption">Young boxers participate in activities at a new Fight With Insight boxing gym, launched on Youth Day at Hillbrow in Johannesburg, South Africa, with founder Luke Lamprecht, the gyms assist in training and feeding inner-city youth in Johannesburg; photographs by Yeshiel Panchia</figcaption></figure>



Today marks 45 years of the Soweto Uprising in South Africa, when thousands of unhappy schoolchildren challenging an apartheid regime fearlessly took to the streets protesting being taught in Afrikaans. June 16 1976 ended in fire, fear and tears. Commemorated as Youth Day in South Africa, FORBES AFRICA captures the rousing emotions of today, but in a boxing ring in inner city Johannesburg, where the youth now bond over sport as part of a broader upliftment program.



June 16 is a hallowed day in South African history, observed as Youth Day commemorating the student uprising of 1976 in Soweto which saw students lead demonstrations against an education system that would eventually lead to menial jobs. Some 20,000 students partook in what was to be a peaceful protest, but when the day was over, at least 176 had been killed by the bullets and brutality of apartheid. The children laid down their lives but it marked a new chapter in South Africa’s liberation struggle.



Across South Africa today are events marking the memory of that fateful day, and FORBES AFRICA joined one such occasion of hope and healing in Hillbrow, a residential neighborhood in Johannesburg, for the opening of a third gym for inner-city youth by Fight With Insight, a youth empowerment initiative directed by Luke Lamprecht, a child protection and development specialist.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“Children have had dreams put on hold or broken altogether; schooling has been disrupted; families separated; and food and social security systems taken away from them.”</blockquote>



Lamprecht founded the first such gym in Johannesburg in 2006, and chose Youth Day this year to mark the opening of his latest outlet, offering daily training to aspiring boxers as also supplying healthy meals to them. “2020 has been a bad year to be a child,” says Lamprecht to FORBES AFRICA, referring to the Covid-19 pandemic that put the brakes on the social and psychological development of young children, and dried up the support networks and sustenance that many of them depended on to lead normal lives.



“Children have had dreams put on hold or broken altogether; schooling has been disrupted; families separated; and food and social security systems taken away from them.”



His initiative aims to meet some of these deficiencies, offering camaraderie, exercise, food and above all, belief and purpose to children in need. The advocacy aspect is not new to the personnel at Fight With Insight, as they have provided training and food even within Covid-19 lockdown restrictions all of last year. At their height, they served 1.4 tonnes of food a day. However, this June 16 marks an easier time than the last, with children ending training before their meal by breaking a paper chain – symbolizing breaking free of the challenges and restrictions that hold them back.



Many of the urban youth at the center say they find both their physical and emotional sustenance inside the ring. They are in it to win this perennial fight called life.

Fight With Insight (2 of 13)

Youth Day Photo Essay: Gloves On For The Big Fight Called Life

2020. Unexpected. Unprecedented. The year a virus tore through the core of our being and assailed our health systems and the wellbeing of our economies. Its effects ricocheted through every street, every alley of South Africa. FORBES AFRICA trained its lens on the new reality the year is leaving behind.



Photographs and Words by Motlabana Monnakgotla &amp; Chanel Retief 



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-the-last-mile">The Last Mile</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="591" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-1024x591.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49381" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-1024x591.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-300x173.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-768x443.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-1536x886.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-2048x1182.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Last-Mile-600x346.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



When Kagiso Ramphela (above) started Ramphela Funerals, a funeral parlor, just before Covid-19 struck South Africa, he never anticipated what was in store. Deemed essential services during the pandemic, his business, in a bizarre twist of fate, picked up.



“I don’t want to say business is booming, because it sounds like I am saying for business to boom, people must die. But what I will say is I think things have been fair to us,” Ramphela says, scratching his head, when we meet him at his office in Soweto, Johannesburg.



In this business, he always expects the unexpected, and this could mean calls in the middle of the night, from harried relatives requesting caskets for their loved ones. Ramphela needs to also ensure his staff is protected and safe from the virus at all times, whilst providing support to grieving families.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-coping-with-loss">Coping With Loss</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="732" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-1024x732.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49377" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-1024x732.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-300x215.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-768x549.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-1536x1099.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-2048x1465.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Coping-With-Loss-600x429.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



“There’s no closure,” says Charlie Mpogeng (above) standing by his brother&#8217;s grave at Westpark Cemetery in Emmarentia, west of Johannesburg. On the morning of July 17, he lost his 37-year-old brother, Herman Motlhabane, to Covid-19. “Everyone loved and respected him,” remembers Mpogeng.



“We were dressed in PPE gear to go see his body at the funeral home. We had to come out, take off the PPE, and get sanitized. And then immediately I had to get on to a call with the undertaker. There was no time to sit down and be like, ‘oh, snap I just lost my brother’.”



At the funeral, those in attendance had to observe social distancing and the ceremony only lasted a little over an hour. This is a familiar story for most who have lost a loved one to the pandemic this year. As of mid-November, South Africa recorded over 20,000 Covid- related deaths.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-a-brake-on-business">A Brake On Business</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="649" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-1024x649.png" alt="" class="wp-image-49376" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-1024x649.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-300x190.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-768x487.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-1536x973.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-2048x1298.png 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/A-Brake-On-business-600x380.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



With most of the country reverting to a new Work-From- Home reality in the wake of Covid-19, South Africa’s taxi industry took a hard knock. In June, taxi associations across Johannesburg announced that they would be increasing their fares from a minimum of R11 to R30 ($1) a trip, also lamenting the lack of adequate government relief. 



New regulations stipulate that public vehicles are only allowed to carry 70% of their maximum capacity and to mandatorily practice social distancing, mask-wearing, and hand sanitizing. 



Public taxis are a popular mode of transport for daily wage earners and office commuters, especially in South Africa’s sprawling townships. Another business that braked to a screeching stop? The neighborhood car-wash facility.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-unemployment-woes">Unemployment Woes</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49382" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Unemployment-Woes-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



According to the National Income Dynamics Study-Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey, approximately three million South Africans have lost their jobs due to covid-19. Disgruntled unions came together in a nationwide protest (as in this image taken in the central business district of Johannesburg) on October 7 against unemployment, wage disputes, and job losses. Some demands were related to Covid-19 corruption, the failing economy, and the fact that due to a setback in the government’s wage agreement, workers may not receive salary increases in the next financial year. 



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-off-track">Off-Track</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49378" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Off-Track-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



The pandemic also derailed the rail industry, with a reported surge in cable theft at railway stations. Reuters reported that during the lockdown – implemented in various stages in South Africa since march – organized, sometimes armed, criminal gangs stole valuable copper from the railway lines. As part of his economic recovery plan, President Cyril Ramaphosa has proposed the privatization of some of South Africa’s key train routes in a bid to improve transport access to millions of South Africans.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-butt-seriously">Butt Seriously </h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49374" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Butt-Seriously-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



One of the most controversial lockdown regulations in South Africa was the banning of the sale of cigarettes. This forced many to either resort to more expensive, often ‘illegal ways’ to source their smoking stock, or quit altogether.



The Research Unit on the Economics of Excisable Products, based at the University of Cape Town, and the South African Medical Research Council&#8217;s Dr Catherine Egbe, found that nearly a million people quit smoking during the lockdown.



On the other hand, British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) released a media statement in July saying that research shows 11 million smokers in South Africa are still able to purchase cigarettes from illicit suppliers. “These illicit suppliers are not suddenly going to become compliant and start obeying the law and paying taxes when the ban is eventually lifted. They evaded taxes before the lockdown, they’ve made billions tax-free during the ban and they will evade taxes after the ban,” said BATSA’s Head of External Affairs Johnny Moloto in July.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-something-to-wine-about">Something to Wine About</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-1024x683.png" alt="" class="wp-image-49380" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-1024x683.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-300x200.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-768x512.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-1536x1024.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-2048x1365.png 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Something-To-Wine-About-600x400.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



Another point of contention was the back and forth regarding the ban on alcohol during the lockdown. This impasse specifically had a negative impact on the country’s bars and restaurant businesses.



The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) CEO Wendy Alberts says the hard lockdown put a strain on several restaurants that have had to permanently close their doors.



RASA ran a survey in which 23,000 restaurants across South Africa participated (during alert level two of the lockdown). Of that, 30% stated they have shut down while 50% said they do not know if they will be able to reopen due to massive overheads and debt.



“I am very heartsore for those restaurants that have lost their businesses and staff that have lost their jobs. So although this appears to be a win, there is no win in this space because people have lost, and people have been hurt,” says Alberts.



With lockdown restrictions now eased, the restaurants and bars are slowly returning to life. In this image, taken at SOD in Soweto, the South African summer seems to have revived conviviality in outdoor spaces.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-art-of-the-matter">Art Of The Matter </h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="618" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-1024x618.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49375" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-1024x618.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-300x181.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-768x463.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-1536x927.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-2048x1236.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-400x240.jpg 400w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Art-Of-The-Matter-600x362.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



A child rides past a mural painted in August by South African artist Graham Mckuur, known as ‘Dimms’, on Kremetart Street in Eldorado Park Ext 3. The work is in tribute to Nathaniel Julius, a 16-year- old allegedly shot and killed by police in Johannesburg&#8217;s Eldorado Park. 



The teenager had Down Syndrome, which sent shockwaves on social media. According to BBC Africa, the family said Julius was shot for not answering police officers’ questions. News reports say that three officers have been arrested on charges of murder.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-room-for-change">Room For Change</h2>



<div class="wp-block-image is-style-default"><figure class="aligncenter size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49379" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/room-for-change-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></div>



2020 definitely changed the way we work. the hard lockdown in level one of the pandemic saw emptying office spaces, until around alert level three when most companies gradually had staff trickling in to work. But with Covid-19 still a sore reality, most office-goers have slipped into the work-from-home mode for longer, or indefinitely. 



This has also amplified digitalization and the need for companies to quickly streamline technology to enable better workflow processes. The International Labour organization has also been reporting on the rise of the flexible workforce’. The final word on the future workplace is still being scripted.

00 Opening

The Year That Changed Everything

Six months into the coronavirus pandemic in South Africa, the fate of most small businesses remain uncertain. The few left are struggling to survive. Skilled laborers are without jobs and the country faces an unemployment crisis. On the following are snapshots of some parts of the economy slowly crawling back to life.



BUSINESS WAS GOING WELL FOR JOHNNY ZULU, the owner of a 20-year-old salon named K&amp;S Beauty in Johannesburg, before Covid-19. But ever since the state-imposed lockdown that unfolded in various stages in the country, he says he has lost more than half of his customers. “I am not making money like I used to. Most customers say they fear for their lives and the virus,” rues Zulu. “I had no income, I had to make means to pay my rental. I survived through house calls.” To minimize the risk of clients getting infected, Zulu has now employed a new staff member so customers don’t have to wait in queues outside, and he has also started working on appointments. In this image, Zulu is wearing PPE as he works on a client, and as he also awaits another customer who is late for an appointment.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48260" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/2-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



A fully-loaded taxi leaves the crowded Winnie Mandela taxi rank at Kempton Park, east of Johannesburg on a busy weekday. All passengers are to mandatorily wear masks and sanitize before boarding the vehicles. 



Sifiso Vilakazi, a taxi owner and former professional South African soccer player, says during Level 5 of the lockdown in South Africa, most drivers lost their daily income and their families went hungry. “Now, since people are going back to work, we have more commuters and things are slowly getting back to normal,” says a hopeful Vilakazi.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48263" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/3-600x401.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



With lockdown restrictions gradually easing, and restaurants and bars reopening in South Africa, people are rediscovering the simple joys and conviviality of eating out. Here, youngsters treat themselves to their favorite local delicacy, called inyama yenhloko (head meat), with pap and salsa, at the popular Kwa Skero restaurant in Soweto, Johannesburg’s urban sprawl. 



Tiisetso Kumbula, a regular patron at the eatery, says she hadn’t enjoyed her favorite meal since March. “When the lockdown started, I had to learn how to cook from TV shows and when the President reopened restaurants, the first thing I wanted was to come here,” enthuses Kumbula.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48261" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/4-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



A mobile street vendor pushes his trolley filled with fresh fruits and vegetables on a sunny Friday morning. He can now conduct his business freely, without being asked for a special permit as was required during lockdown Levels 5, 4 and 3, by the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and South African Police Service (SAPS) patrolling the streets in some parts.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48262" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/5-600x401.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



With South Africa’s tourism sector reopening, strict Covid-19 regulations have been implemented in most facilities such as the Kloofendal Nature Reserve in the West Rand of Johannesburg, where mask-wearing, temperature-scans and hand-sanitizing are mandatory. Only smaller groups are allowed for hiking activities.



Adventurer Sabelo Zitha, who loves hiking, is happy to be back at the park, and says: “When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced we could hike again, I was very pleased to hear that. The recent hike we did was quite adventurous because I was doing what I love: being outdoors and engaging with various people, after a long stay at home. It was priceless. Now, I am even happier we can travel and hike in different provinces.’



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48264" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-768x512.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/6-600x400.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



After a fairly long and dry spell in South Africa, television shows have been given the green light to be shot on-location. In this image, an elderly citizen passes the site of a TV shoot in progress with Morgan Gould, a South African international footballer, in Rockville Soweto.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-style-default"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48265" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-2048x1367.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/7-600x401.jpg 600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Senior citizens wait in long queues at a local municipal building in Soweto to collect their monthly social grants. Social distancing is mostly not adhered to at these collection depots. Some of the grantees arrive early to stand in line, braving the cold morning air and Covid-19.

A Day In The Life Of…

The Enos Mafokate Equestrian Club is a riding stable in the sprawling township of Soweto in South Africa, founded in 2007 by Enos Mafokate, the country’s first black showjumper and Olympic athlete in Barcelona. 



The equestrian facility is currently undergoing an upgrade,
for which Milmac Produce Supply, an animal feed company, has partnered with
it.&nbsp; 



“We do fund-raising together; it’s not only about donating money. We do shows here and help promote the club and get our clients involved,” says Kirsten Bowyer, the marketing coordinator of Milmac, referring to the donations and volunteer work the facility is encouraging from the public. 



July is celebrated every year as ‘Mandela Month’ in South Africa, dedicated to the late former South African president, Nelson Mandela, who was born on July 18. At the Enos Mafokate Equestrian Club in July, to honor Mandela, volunteers gave 67 minutes of their time to help with the cleaning and overhauling of the stable and yards.  



&nbsp;In this image, at the
facility, a young man is washing a horse at dusk, before the sun rays make way
for a starry night. 



Among other things, he works hard during the day cleaning
the barns and ensuring the horses are safely ensconced in their stables.

Stable

Big Shots: Stable Support For Mandela

May 8, a
landmark day for Africa’s second biggest economy. South Africans will cast
their votes for the country’s sixth general elections since the dawn of
democracy in 1994.



In the
run-up to the polls, the country saw flagrant protests in some parts, as disgruntled
citizens expressed disapproval of their stifling living conditions.&nbsp; 



In this
image, a resident of Alexandra, a township in the north of Johannesburg, squats
in the middle of a busy road leading to the opulent precincts of Sandton,
Africa’s richest square mile. &nbsp;



The
dichotomy of socio-economic circumstances is an accelerant in one of the
country’s poorest communities filled to the brim with squatter camps and the
restlessness of unemployment.

Poll Position: The South African 2019 Elections

The billion-rand spaza shop (township tuckshop) industry in
South Africa is not a regulated sector. Most transactions at these shops are in
cash, and not electronically tracked. This makes it difficult for spaza shops
to be financially credited in South Africa.



But there are now fintech solutions such as Zande Africa offering financial and distribution platforms, operating out of warehouses, to assist these spaza shops in their townships, by delivering daily necessities to them.



READ MORE: <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/economy/2019/02/20/in-pictures-the-occupation-of-unemployment-in-south-africa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener" aria-label=" (opens in a new tab)">IN PICTURES | The Occupation Of Unemployment In South Africa</a>



&nbsp;In this image, Tedy
Tizedo, the owner of Thandabantu, a tuckshop in Ermelo in the Mpumalanga
province of South Africa, pays a local Zande Africa agent for delivering bread
from its distribution warehouse. 



&nbsp;The fintech company
provides cash and credit service offerings to all spaza shop owners and creates
relationships with them for better pricing and service.&nbsp;

Credit

Cash, Credit  And Community

Men gather around a kraal in Mcwangele, a village in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Most traditional families in rural South Africa own kraals, or enclosures designated for livestock.



During ceremonies, women are traditionally not allowed
inside the kraal, unless they are more mature and elderly, and on the rare
occasion, selected to speak.



In this picture, a cow is confined to a kraal to observe rituals ahead of the unveiling of a tombstone (a culture practiced mostly by black South Africans). A cow is used, rather than sheep, on this occasion.



Decades ago, my great grandparents were buried in this
village of their birth about 840kms from Johannesburg. 



Three generations later, I am here with my family to support
our grandparents who felt the need to mark their parents’ graves that had been
in a dilapidated condition.&nbsp; 



Remembering her father, my&nbsp;
grandmother Dade Patricia Monnakgotla, said: “Our father, Dabula Petros
Nhose, would travel regularly to Gauteng by bicycle or horse from here and it
would take him about 10 days.” 



The anecdotes from the older generation about a bygone era
were indeed engrossing. Nhose died in 1977, while his wife, my great
grandmother, Monica Chule Nhose, died in 1971. 



The legacy of the Nhose clan name lives on, tattooed on my arm.

Cow-603

Gathering Around The Kraal

September is celebrated as ‘heritage month’ in South Africa honoring history, tradition and culture through food, music, art and fashion.
Here, we deep-dive into the colorful world of African fabric and print, showcasing Aurelie Tshimbombo, born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and now based in Johannesburg as one of the city’s many entrepreneurs promoting African print.
“I fell in love with fabric, I fell in love with how clothes make a woman feel,” says Tshimbombo.
<a href="http://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2014/08/01/designer-dreams-sweeping-floors/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">READ MORE: The Designer Who Dreams of Sweeping Floors</a>
“Women feel empowered, they feel prettier, they feel braver, and they feel more unique if they wearing something that brings out the confidence in them. I found that whole process intriguing.”
Almost a decade ago, Tshimbombo’s epiphany was when she started making clothes for herself but couldn’t find anything in the market that reflected who she was.
“I am a short, curvy African woman,” she says.
Her label’s name is Afrinique Chic, which she says is a luxury lifestyle fashion brand for Africans and the rest of the world.

Aurelie-BigShots-823

The African Spin

Sixty two years ago, on August 9, 20,000 women of all races, classes and creed marched, singing and chanting, babies on their backs, to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa’s capital city, to deliver a petition to then Prime Minister J.G Strydom against the introduction of the apartheid pass laws.
This meant black women were not allowed in urban areas for more than 72 hours unless they possessed a pass with the holder’s details, including payment of taxes and permission to be in these urban areas. The march was led by the struggle stalwarts: Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Albertina Sisulu, Sophia Williams-De Bruyn and Rahima Moosa.
“I didn’t see much of Helen Joseph at the march, she was in front of the crowd. She was a big strong woman and she led the march with other strong women. They told us that women are holding passes and if we don’t demonstrate against [the government], we [too will one day end up] holding these passes,” recollects Ramnie Naidoo to FORBES AFRICA. She was only was 14 years old at the time, escorting her mother at the march.
Pictured here is Helen Joseph (1905-1992), founding member of the Federation of South African Women, and Rahima Moosa (1922-1993), union activist and member of the Transvaal Indian Congress, both co-leaders of the 1956 Women’s March.
They have been immortalized in the Long March To Freedom, a procession of 100 life-sized bronzes celebrating the pioneers of South Africa’s journey to democracy, at the Fountains Recreation Resort in the City of Tshwane, Gauteng, South Africa.

Womens-march-470

Celebrating Women With Monumental Strength

The Wonders of Rock Art: Lascaux Cave and Africa exhibition is a recreation of the world-renowned Lascaux caves in southwestern France where an estimated 17 000 years ago, humans painted wild animals on the rocks of the caves. For the first time in Africa, the exhibition replicates these outstanding paleolithic masterpieces and the cave itself.
The Nave, seen here, is the exact replica of a chamber or cavern 66 feet long and 23 feet high. In this picture, a viewer peeps into the artwork.
There couldn’t have been a better setting for this exhibition than South Africa, with its own iconic prehistoric art, and famed for its Cradle of Humankind site and the deep, dark Sterkfontein caves in Maropeng.
The exhibition is on until October 1 at the Sci-Bono Discovery Centre in Newtown, Johannesburg, South Africa.
&nbsp;
Big Shots is a new section in FORBES AFRICA that captures offbeat moments in business, politics, art and life, using a single image to tell the story with a short blurb. These images throb with life and color.

Category: Big Shots

Youth Day Photo Essay: Gloves On For The Big Fight Called Life

The Year That Changed Everything

A Day In The Life Of…

Big Shots: Stable Support For Mandela

Poll Position: The South African 2019 Elections

Cash, Credit And Community

Gathering Around The Kraal

The African Spin

Celebrating Women With Monumental Strength

Cave Art From 17,000 Years Ago

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA

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