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Surviving a harrowing rape ordeal that pushed her to a suicide attempt in 2016, Bonakalisile Ngquba found an escape from the traumatic encounter in waste-picking.

Eight years later, Ngquba, through her business Imbokodo Green Works, employs 11 permanent staff. The start-up also indirectly supports about 100 waste harvesters.

Imbokodo is a recovery recycling centre that sorts, deals and bales waste. The bales are then shipped to processors.

Speaking to Vuk’uzenzele, the 28-year-old civil engineering graduate, was raped while studying in Durban.

Budding mixed farming prodigy, Kelebohile Matsose, produces her own chia plant tea, called Feel Good Tea, from her recently acquired farm in Makwassie, near Wolmaransstad - Dr Kenneth Kaunda District Municipality.

After relative success in livestock and crop farming, Matsose in 2022 turned to producing her own tea. This was after she was introduced to chia tea and flax seeds while attending an Agricultural Research Council training programme.

The new members of the National Executive, who were sworn in recently, say they are ready to serve the people of South Africa and work towards stabilising the economy.

The new members were recently sworn in at a ceremony officiated by Chief Justice Raymond Zondo and President Cyril Ramaphosa in attendance.

Chief Justice Zondo presided over the swearing-in of Deputy President Paul Mashatile and other new members of the National Executive at Tuynhuys in Cape Town.

Deputy President Mashatile led seven Ministers and nine Deputy Ministers in taking their oath of office.

As of 1 March 2023, the wages of domestic workers and farm labourers have increased by 9.6%.

This was recently announced by Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi.

 “The percentage increase for farmworkers and domestic workers will translate to R25.42 per hour, whilst the EPWP will be R13.97,” the Department of Employment and Labour said in a statement.

Wages for workers

Consumed by boredom while stuck in her flat in Cape Town at the height of the COVID-19 one evening, Namhla Dotwana had a light bulb moment that gave birth to a blossoming start-up.

Dotwana, 31, founder of Namhla Collection, recounted her journey to Vuk’uzenzele.

Namhla Collection is an innovative organic skincare range business based in Egotyibeni village in Tsolo, in the Eastern Cape.

The start-up journey began when Dotwana remelted an old cinnamon-scented candle deformed by harsh sunlight on her window sill.

Thapelo Keetile (33) of Kuruman in the Northern Cape is thankful and explains what it feels like to be a Digital Artist in South Africa today. 

Umar Jones (10) of Silverton in the Western Cape says bullying is a crime that needs to be stopped. 

Jones, who has suffered at the hands of some of his schoolmates, now lives to tell the story of how he survived bullying.

“Join our anti-bullying team. Now is the time to put an end to this crime," writes Jones.

With the autumn and winter seasons approaching, members of the public are urged to be cautious when using fire in order to prevent house and wildfires. 

The Acting Leading Firefighter at Maruleng Fire Station in Limpopo, Lucy Molobela, says: “fire can be your enemy and can destroy your life if you are careless.”

She shares tips with Vuk’uzenzele:

The National Treasury’s Jobs Fund has partnered with CapaCiti Digital Career Accelerator (CapaCiTi) to bridge the digital divide and tackle youth unemployment in the country.

Alleen Magumbi is on the verge of becoming one of the leading poultry producers in South Africa through his business, Ulusoy Africa Poultry (UAP), based in Hartbeespoort in North West. 

His business produces 560 000 broilers every six weeks, which are housed in 19 poultry facilities.