Table of contents for Issue 334 2024 in The Big Issue

As the editor of The Big Issue South Africa, it’s a privilege to bring you this special edition celebrating the power of sports in our communities. This month, we’re thrilled to feature Layla Arrison on our cover, breaking new ground as the first English female rugby analyst at SuperSport and the sole English-speaking female voice in rugby commentary across Africa. Her journey is an inspiring testament to resilience, passion, and shattering boundaries — a beacon for young people everywhere. Layla’s story is a reminder of the unique ability sport has to lift us. Sports empowers and instils confidence, providing positive outlets for expression and growth. From rugby fields to skateparks, we see countless examples of youth using sports to channel their energy into constructive paths, developing discipline, teamwork, and leadership…

When it comes to weight loss, diet and exercise are usually thought of as the two key factors that will achieve results. However, sleep is an often-neglected lifestyle factor that also plays an important role. The recommended sleep duration for adults is seven to nine hours a night, but many people often sleep for less than this. Research has shown that sleeping less than the recommended amount is linked to having greater body fat, increased risk of obesity, and can also influence how easily you lose weight on a calorie-controlled diet. Typically, the goal for weight loss is usually to decrease body fat while retaining as much muscle mass as possible. Not obtaining the correct amount of sleep can determine how much fat is lost as well as how much…

Dear Readers and Loyal Customers. For this edition, we are experimenting with packaging and presenting our magazine content in a different way to reduce printing costs. The ever increasing costs of paper and printing is forcing us to look at alternative ways to keep the magazine sustainable for you and our vendors. This edition is designed in what we call the Wraparound Option. The Wraparound Option has eight full colour pages up front and eight colour pages at the back of the magazine, and in-between the front and back colour sections, the rest of the pages are designed in black and white. This allows us to save money on the cost of printing the magazine. I hope you understand our good intentions. As we have recently seen in the news,…

It was never my dream to become a Springbok rugby player. I wanted to become a designer of Formula 1 racing cars.’ In Just a Moment, Schalk Burger Snr, one of the greats of South African rugby, shares the many layers of his colourful and eventful life. Rugby legend and businessman, wine farmer, cultural custodian, musician, father and grandfather, Schalk Burger takes us on an intensely personal and honest journey through the triumphs and hardships that have shaped the life of this much-loved South African. Burger is a storyteller extraordinaire and will have you snorting into your beer as you read about run-ins with officialdom, fisticuffs on the field, how he became the first white Springbok selected from a coloured team, and the day Cheeky Watson asked to wash his…

Social media is well recognised as beneficial because it can enhance connections and serve as a forum to discuss important issues. But it’s also a platform for the dissemination of misinformation, hostile views and hate. Similarly in sports, the widespread use of social media has enabled closer connections between fans and athletes while also providing a forum to spread misogyny, racism and homophobia. Online public shaming, or expressions of disapproval or hostility directed towards an individual or group, is one form of negative online interaction that typically occurs in response to perceived transgressions from norms. Norms refer to guiding psycho-social and cultural principles that influence behaviour. They may be legal (criminal codes, for example), social (like unwritten social rules) or community-specific (faith-based rituals, for example). In sports, norms may include…

MAKE A VENDOR’S WISH COME TRUE Get in touch with us at placements@bigissue.org.za Cape Town City Bowl Vendor: Zamikhaya Mtila Vendor Number:1238 Pitch: Orange Street at the Engen garage. Zamikhaya (42) lives alone in a shack in an underdeveloped area in Samora. Zamikhaya has sold The Big Issue for 21 years and this is his only job. He has a family in Cape Town, and they visit each other but he is financially independent. His neighbourhood has communal toilets and taps but the area floods when it rains, blocking the drains and causing illness for residents. Wish list: Driving lessons and a licence. He also wishes for donations to help him earn a security guard licence and would appreciate extra work, either as a painter or gardener. Ambition: He sees…

Siya Kolisi is the current captain of the Springboks, and the first black man to lead his country in over 128 years of South African rugby. In Rise, Kolisi shares his story in an extraordinarily intimate memoir, charting his journey from being born into the impoverished Zwide township, to leading his proud nation to an astonishing victory at the Rugby World Cup in 2019. However, the book is not simply a chronology of matches played and games won; it is an exploration of a man’s race and his faith, a masterclass in attaining a positive mindset, and an inspirational reminder that it is possible to defy the odds, no matter how they are stacked against you. In 2020, partly in response to the pandemic, Siya Kolisi, launched The Kolisi Foundation,…

Layla Arrison is a dynamic and versatile sports personality whose journey spans several milestones, from excelling as a rugby player to becoming South Africa’s first female English-language rugby commentator on SuperSport. Arrison’s story reflects passion, perseverance, and the breaking of barriers in a male-dominated industry, as she continues to make significant contributions to the visibility and growth of women’s sports. Below is an in-depth look at her background, career moves, key achievements, and future goals. A PASSION FOR SPORT AND ENTERTAINMENT Layla Arrison’s love for sports began early, but her first athletic interest was not rugby. Growing up, she was more drawn to cricket, where she admired figures like Kass Naidoo—one of the first female cricket commentators in South Africa. Her father also played a pivotal role in encouraging her…

Email info@bigissue.co.za to buy an artwork featured here or to donate items for art classes. Find more info at www.bridgingpolarities.co.za…