FROM BEHIND BARS TO DROPPING BARS

FROM BEHIND BARS TO DROPPING BARS

Image: Instagram 

Mr Boitshoko Reba (28) says his rap music career saved him from a life of crime.

Fast cars, fast money, fast life is the reason behind Boitshoko Reba entering the world of car hijacking and house breaking.

I made friends with this guy who always wore designer clothes and drove only German cars. He me got involved in the car hijacking business.

“I bought myself a Golf 7 at age 18 and moved out with the money I made from crime” Boitshoko Reba reckons.

Mr Reba believes that he is a very fortunate person because of the many times he escaped from crime scenes, unlike his many partners in crime.

He shares a crime story where himself and one of his friends hatched a house breaking plan which almost came into fruition but was disturbed by the retired old man and his gun.

 The community of Soshanguve Block X arrived at the old man’s house after hearing gunshots to find Mr Reba’s unfortunate friend held gunpoint. He became a victim of mob Justice that day and was beaten to a pulp.

Boitshoko Reba could only watch helplessly as his friend was getting a beating of his life. He was in a taxi on his way back home to Aterridgevile.

He eventually got caught in 2019 on the 16th of July after a car hijacking went terribly wrong. “All I remember is the many cops that were present at the scene that day.” He recalls.

Picture: Facebook 

This was rather a blessing in disguise because it was the turning point for Mr Reba. He resurrected as Shokie Shoking, a better human bieng as the man himself proclaims.

He Is today a devoted Muslim and is preparing to release a 6 track E.P, based on the controversial yet inspirational story of a young man.

A young man who had to go through darkness in order for him to find the light that has always been in him.

‘Shocky’ believes that music and Allah saved him from a dark way of living. “ I express myself through music, it helps me forget about all that I have been through” , he believes.

A Jack of all trades type of Hip Hop musician that focuses on not only writing his music but he goes the extra mile in producing his own beats.

His story Is one of many parallels as he was an aspiring student who was completing his studies in language practice at Tshwane university of technology(TUT) to criminal to rapper. A story of many parallels.

Below: Shokie Shoking shares his musical journey 

https://youtu.be/q5J4dxruW6c

FORTUNE NGOBENI 

BAFANA BAFANA : A SAD STORY TO TELL

BAFANA BAFANA: A SAD STORY TO TELL

By : Fortune Ngobeni

Twitter: Computa@5

Email: ngobenicomputa@gmail.com

Image: SAFA.net

1996 was a very special year for the many football fans in ‘Mzansi' that still love the beautiful game to today. It is the year where history was made by a group of extraordinary individuals who expressed themselves in the football field in an unprecedented manner.

Bafana Bafana won the Africa cup of Nations (AFCON) the most prestigious continental trophy on offer for African national teams.

Today, one has to live with a sour truth that ‘Gone are the glory days’. All that a Bafana Bafana fan can do is reminisce on the past glory to actually find any positive direction that our national team is taking.

.                   Image: SAFA.net

Bafana Bafana has failed to qualify for AFCON 2021 (something they used to win) and the last time they qualified for the FIFA world cup was by default because South Africa were the 2010 FIFA world cup hosts.

What is the reason behind Bafana Bafana’s tremendous downfall? Politics outside the field of play have deeply affected how well organised things are on the field. Nowadays our national team cannot even secure the availability of a training field before crucial games on time.

According to Michael Madyira(a reporter for GOAL.com) , the South African Football Association (SAFA) failed to avail a training pitch for the the preparation of a friendly between Bafana Bafana and Sierra Leone. This says a lot about the type of support and competence that role-players off the field to players on the field. “ Don’t ask me where we are going to train because I don’t (can’t ) tell you “. This are the comments made by head coach for Bafana Bafana Hugo Broos at a pre-match conference for a match they probably did not prepare for in a way they would have wanted, merely because SAFA couldn’t book them a pitch on time.

Many football fans also believe that the quality of footballers that are available in the country has deteriorated From time to time. This can be supported by making a quick comparison of where players in 1996 were playing and where the current crop of players are playing today.

In 1996, There was someone like Lucas Radebe who today has a street named after him in the city of Leeds for his legendary status as “The Chief” of Leeds United that played in the best league in the world. The English premier League.

There were about 5 players in the squad that played England and Turkey respectively. Playing environments considered to be of the best quality in the world. Today, the number of players that ply their trade in the best leagues in the world is slim-pickings. The very same players that ply their trade in the leagues considered to be the best are merely bechwarmers that hardly ever feature for their respective teams.

If quality and off the field politics improve, we will retain our status as a footballing nation.

https://youtu.be/YZVdpeQ8XVM

MASANDAWANA CONNECT WITH THE FANS

MASANDAWANA CONNECT WITH THE FANS

.              image: official Mamelodi Sundowns (Twitter)

Before their DSTV premier League clash against AmaZulu, the champions Mamelodi Sundowns decided to connect with their fans through the Sundowns fan activation event.

Soshanguve crossing was the place to be for members of the Kabo yellow family. Daniel “Mambush” Mudau and the Mamelodi Sundowns Soshanguve branches leadership headed the proceedings.

.                 Image: official Mamelodi Sundowns (Twitter)

Fun quizzes, competitions and hamper giveaways were the order of the day, However the highlight of the event was the arrival of the highly anticipated Sundowns players. Namely Hashim Domingo, Rivaldo Coetzee and Lebogang Maboe.

The players were met with a reception fit for a king and the event was topped off with an electrifying Dr Malinga performance.

Dr Malinga live performance:

 https://youtu.be/-K5MVD5QtD8

Thapelo finds fresh way to make a living

 THAPELO FINDS FRESH WAY TO MAKE A LIVING

Name: Fortune Ngobeni

Email:ngobenicomputa@gmail.com

                       image: Sizwe Nkosi 

Thapelo Moremi who has turned 25 on 6 April 2022 decided to give entrepreneurship a chance and he has never looked back.

 Thapelo has not been formally employed yet despite having entered the job market in 2018 after he graduated from Matric.

The first quarter of 2020 amidst the covid-19 pandemic, Youth unemployment was relatively high because 63.3%(10 million people) of young people were unemployed in the labour market meaning that 4 in every 10 young people were without a job according to Statistics SA. One must take into consideration the fact that South Africa has the highest number of young people in the world. Most people are jobless in South Africa. This problem has warranted and alerted government into attempting to help those that are unemployed with the R350 social relief grant.

                   Image: WWPS.org

 Thapelo finished his high school in 2017 and started looking for employment immediately. By 2020 he was still yet to find employment. “Covid-19 made me smell the roses because people were losing jobs and many were facing retrenchment”, said Thapelo. Such tough situations are the main reason behind Thapelo establishing himself as an entrepreneur within the informal sector.

Youth entrepreneurship in South Africa is a great way for the youth to empower themselves in the fight against poverty because with little help from government they will need all the empowerment they can get. Times are tough.

Today Thapelo supplies the streets of Soshanguve where he resides with fresh produce of fruits and vegetables that he purchases at Tshwane market in Pretoria on a daily basis using his own private vehicle to push his hustle.

Unlike many people who are in a similar situation, Thapelo has not resorted to crime in order to put food on the plate. Thapelo has decided to empower himself through entres to provide for himself and family in an empowering and exemplary manner and many of his peers can learn a thing or two from this humble young man.

https://on.soundcloud.com/PJTNJ

https://youtu.be/MPPbzRyPnc8 YOUTH ENTREPRENEURSHIP : A DOCUMENTARY

BY GOVERNMENT ZA

COVID-19 AND THE CLASS OF 2020

COVID-19 AND THE CLASS OF 2020

By Fortune Ngobeni

Twitter: Computa@5Ngobeni

Email: ngobenicomputa@gmail.com

Image: Bongekile Machupe(TImesLive)

2020, The year many would love to forget because of the dread it has brought to many people’s lives, some are still recovering from all that they had to go through during the pandemic .

A grade 12 student, under normal circumstances faces a lot of pressure and challenges that never end. Imagine having to finish your basic studies during a whole pandemic.

The national pass rate for the class of 2019 for the NSC was 81.3%, a 3% increase from the previous year. Whilst the class of 2020 achieved a national pass rate of 76.2.

The decrease in the pass rate did not come as a surprise because of the pandemic, however the pass rate in itself is a decent one because the class of 2020 simply attended extremely less classes than the class of 2019.

Katlego Sebola(20), a 2020 grade 12 pupil at tweeling High School in the small town of Rietz( Free State) fell behind with her school work because of lack of digital resources. “The COVID -19 regulations made writing exams even more stressful” Katlego recalls.

Image: Shelly Christians ( Sunday Times)

 “Matric class of 2020 and 2021 have produced the best quality passes”.The minister of Basic education Angie Motshekga said during the results announcement in January 2021.Regardless of the many challenges that grade 12 students had to experience. A 76.2% pass rate, under the circumstances they had to face is more than good enough.

Interview with Class of 2020 student: Katlego Sebola

https://on.soundcloud.com/7sazm

Matric in the year of COVID-19

https://youtu.be/kXcTQT7juXM