Table of contents for Issue 326 2024 in The Big Issue

Green activists unite … It’s predicted that El Niño will sweep through South Africa early in 2025 bringing with it the effects of drought, which could mean drier taps, a keen reminder of the drought that persisted in the Western Cape from 2015 to 2018. Across the grand span of time this is but a glimmer of cause and effect in global weather patterns, but for the fragile life of a garden, planted with lawns and delicate species that aren’t endemic to the area, it is a critical moment and an eternity. We were forced to change our habits and reset after Covid-19, when will we shift our gardening habits to reflect more sustainable, water-wise living? Why do we insist on watering, fertilizing, and cutting our colonial-style lawns repeatedly in…

If you would like to support our vendors you can contact Melody at The Big Issue at placements@bigissue.org.za. Your assistance would be greatly appreciated. Former South African president Nelson Mandela said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” As an organisation, we also agree, the only way we can eradicate the cycle of poverty in our vendors’ families is through education. We are constantly looking at ways of educating our vendors and their children to empower and encourage them to do better in their lives. Each month The Big Issue hosts monthly vendor workshops focused on different topics. The vendors are included in the decision making process when setting the workshops and we ask them what they’re curious about. We then get in…

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] [ WRITERS’ CORNER ] What is it about South African history that intrigues you? South Africa’s history is complex, convoluted, and complicated. As an example, if I were to ask, ‘when did South Africa gain its independence?’ what would your answer be? Will it be 1910 when we became a Union, or will it be 1961 when we became a Republic or will it be April 1994, when all races could vote in the general elections? It is that very complicated history which gives our modern-day challenges and problems a degree of knottiness. The country is going down the drain in front of our eyes and yet a sizeable portion of the population still obsesses about sport results week after week What is it about South…

“Suffering a mechanical breakdown in a remote part of the Karoo while travelling off-road is a disaster any adventurer would dread. But if you’re in an oxwagon pioneering a new route through unknown territory and your disselboom, the main haulage shaft of the wagon, breaks while crossing a dry donga, you plainly have a crisis on your hands. This was one of the many challenging situations faced by the famous explorer and naturalist, William John Burchell, on the return leg of his four-year, 7 000-kilometre journey across the southern African veld more than two centuries ago. Along the way, the idealistic young Englishman collected more than 63 000 specimens of plants, mammals, birds, insects and snakes, describing many of them for the first time for science. By the end of…

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] Something that fascinates me is how we all see things differently, depending on the lens through which we view the world and our experiences. For example: How do you see a tree? Some people regard trees as living beings, they may even feel a spiritual connection. Others may see them as a commodity, providing fuel, fibre and shade. Yet another person may view trees as a potential hazard and risk, as branches can fall and damage property, roots can impact walls and sewer lines. From the City Council’s perspective, trees are a responsibility: they require management, pruning to make them safe and to clear electrical lines. I think it helps to look at something from different points of view. As a landscaper I have noticed…

COURTESY OF INSP.NGO The world is in a state of flux. That we cannot deny. Political, economic, social, and technological change seems to be accelerating – or, to put it another way, change is the only constant. For those of us in the journalistic world trying to decipher what will happen in the year 2024, fear not. Help is at hand. The Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism has released its report: “Journalism, Media & Technology Trends and Predictions 2024”. Below I have captured some of the main points and offered some reflections as to what this could mean for our street paper movement*: Politically, our calendars for 2024 are filled to the rafters. 40 general elections are due to take place this year, including in the UK and…

[ THE BIG ISSUE ] [ WRITERS’ CORNER ] "For some strange reason, the nice people at Penguin Post [The Big Issue] think you’ll be interested in reading about how I tackle writing a book, which seems a bit weird to me, but who am I to judge? So, grab a cuppa and I’ll try to make the months-long slog of sitting on my bottom, in front of the computer, drinking lots of tea and making stuff up seem a bit more exciting than it really is. I’d love to be able to point to a single point of inspiration when I’m asked where a book came from, but the truth is that I’m a magpie (albeit a large, hairy, somewhat-tubbier-after-lockdown [though still uncannily sexy], Scottish one). All my novels are…

Sipho and Max went hiking on Saturday. Max left his walking shoes at home. The group leader said, “You can’t hike without walking shoes. Your feet will get hurt.” Max didn’t care. He hiked in sandals. He made it to the end of the hike. “You did it!” said Sipho. Then Max tripped over a rock. He cut his foot. “Ouch! I’m hurt! How will I walk home?” he said. “Don’t worry. I’ll ask my dad to drive you,” said Sipho. Max got into the car. They drove home. “Mom, I’ve cut my foot!” said Max. “You’re hurt. You should’ve worn the right shoes. Next time you’re wearing walking shoes,” said his mom. WHAT IS A CONTRACTION? A contraction is when we join two words. We use an aspostrophe like…

The English naturalist William Burchell arrived in Cape Town in June 1811 to explore the flora and fauna of the vast southern African interior. Over a four-year period, and travelling in a custom-built ox wagon, he amassed an astonishing 63 000 specimens of plants, bulbs, insects, reptiles and mammals -many not previously documented for science – as well as over 500 paintings and illustrations. While the outbound trek is well described in Burchell’s famous travels in the Interior of Southern Africa, little has been published about the challenges and discoveries made on his return journey to Cape Town from 1812–1815. This pioneering book traces the homeward leg of Burchell’s epic odyssey – through the arid Northern Cape, the Great Karoo, the war-ravaged Eastern Cape, and along the Eden-like southern Cape…

[ UNEMPLOYMENT CRISIS ] [ THE BIG ISSUE ] In the challenging landscape of South Africa, where the assumption of seamless transitions from education to the job market falls short for many young individuals, non-profit company Just Grace’s Phakama! Youth Activation Programme has emerged as a powerful force, addressing the critical support gap. With less than a third of South African adults holding a matric certificate (dhet.gov.za) and a staggering youth unemployment rate of 43%, according to www.gov.za, the programme confronts the stark reality of what many young people face – disengagement, prolonged unemployment, and the Not in Education, Employment, or Training (NEET) label, placing them at risk of long-term economic and social exclusion. BARISTA SKILLS & MORE Just Grace (focused on poverty alleviation) employs a strategic approach that’s marked by…

All artworks featured on this page are for sale. Email info@bigissue.co.za to buy a specific piece or to donate items for art classes. Visit Elaine’s website at www.bridgingpolarities.co.za…

[ WE ARE VENDORS ] Buy The Big Issue from vendors in the suburbs of Cape Town, or from select Spar, CNA or Pick n Pay stores nationally. MAKE A VENDOR’S WISH COME TRUE Get in touch with our Social Worker Melody at placements@bigissue.org.za Vendor Name: Siphokazi Magobiyane Vendor Number: 2141 Find Siphokazi: at the corner of Strand Street and Buitenkant Street, Cape Town. About: Siphokazi is 52 years old and lives in Crossroads, Nyanga. She has sold The Big Issue magazine for 23 years. She is a single mom with two of her adult children unemployed and her youngest, 17, in Grade 10. She has no other business besides selling The Big Issue. She is grateful to her customers for their support, stopping in traffic during heavy rain, wind…

On Living with Polite Ghosts and Experiencing Miracles “When I tell people that I’m an accountant I usually get a look of polite surprise. Maybe it’s the tattoos, my posture, the faint smell of coffee and unrequited hope on my skin. Whatever the reason, I sincerely love everyone who has ever raised an eyebrow and said, ‘An accountant? I thought you were an ageing barista or something.’ Of course, there’s nothing wrong with accountants as such – lovely people, well, some of them – roughly the same ratio as you would fi nd elsewhere. The reason I love the people who look surprised is because I’m a little surprised too. How did I end up spending my days working with numbers when, for most of my life, I’ve been convinced…

Go-getter Lindokuhle Mathenjwa is a 23-year-old law student at Varsity College and an entrepreneur. She self-published her first book in 2021 and founded her comprehensive freelancing and publishing company PBL in the same year. With an undying passion for literature, she hopes to inspire other young creatives to take the risk and pursue their journey. Her latest book 101 Poems – Things We Should Be Loud About is a collection of poems that explore themes of identity, self-discovery, love, grief, war, and social justice. She says, “through my writing, I aim to inspire readers to speak up about the issues that matter to them and to embrace their authentic selves. Buy the book on Amazon. SILENT SHOUTS A Roar Against Social Injustice and Revolutionising Change A calling to BE Be…

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) tells South Africans to prepare for the coming hardship of drought with El Niño predicted to be sweeping through early in 2025. We may have dodged Day Zero, but now more than ever, we need to create resilient landscapes and gardens capable of withstanding and rebounding from extreme weather conditions. This will involve looking with new eyes at our cities and urban landscapes and reconsidering traditional garden practices and aesthetics. We can learn from natural ecosystem processes and consider environmental stress as an asset. Imagine if the new goal was to create green outdoor spaces that thrive solely on rainfall, that support maximum biodiversity and function ecologically? Guest Editor for this edition, Marijke Honig, shares her insight on what local gardeners can…

MARK LOTTERING HOSTS MUSICAL THEATRE STARS Finding The Light is an assembly of London’s West End and South African musical theatre stars in a two-hour musical event featuring the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra and hosted by Marc Lottering. All of the proceeds from the show will go to The Kolisi Foundation which was set up by Siya & Rachel Kolisi in 2019 to tackle some of the toughest challenges facing South African communities. For five nights only, audiences can experience the transcendent power of some of musical theatre’s best loved shows like, Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables, West Side Story, Company and many more, with the exquisite on-stage accompaniment by the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra. “I am delighted to be venturing back onto the utterly magnificent Opera House Stage…

KIRSTENBOSCH SUNSET CONCERTS Enjoy the last of summer with a good line-up of different bands at the Kirstenbosch Summer Sunset Concerts. Remember Vicky Sampson of Afrikan Dream fame? Also South African icons Marah Louw, Leslie Kleinsmith, Niesa Abrahams, Aviva Pelham, and Terry Fortune? Catch them on 3 March. Fokofpolisiekar celebrates their 20th anniversary and Sun-El Musician and Simmy take the stage on 24 March. The concert season ends on 31 March with Neon Dreams and Ard Matthews. Moyo Restaurant Kirstenbosch will offer a variety of delicious eats for all the concerts. You’re also welcome to pack your own picnic, or pre-order one (book five days ahead of time) from the Kirstenbosch Tea Room or Moyo itself. Dates: 3, 24 and 31 March Venue: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Cape Town Tickets:…