Deaths:

The death of music legend Whitney Houston : The 48-year old singer’s body was found submerged in a bathtub in her Beverly Hilton Hotel suit in February.

SA lost a kwaito Legend Brown Dash Sphiwe Mpamile in May this year.

Usher’s 11-year-old stepson Kile Glover died after an accident and was removed from life support after it was determined the injuries were too severe to overcome.

Births:

It looks like this year was the year to get a baby. I also welcomed my bundle of joy in March this year. Anyway, enough about me here are the celeb couples who welcomed their gifts from above:

Beyonce and Jay Z welcomed their bundle of joy and probably one of the most eagerly-anticipated babies,  Blue Ivy Carter in January.

After two girls, Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner finally welcomed a son in February this year.

Character whose real name is Senzo Langa became a dad to his daughter Zeza Thabatha.

Who can forget the infamous tweets by Miss Boom, Sit Down, I can buy you Nonhle Thema who also gave birth last month to boyfriend Young Nucho’s baby girl named Star Phoenix Ivy Zime.

I hope she’ll be a better mom because she was calling other people’s mom’s hoes, be careful Them’s karma is a biatch.

Earlier this year Bassie and Romeo Kumalo welcomed their 2nd born child, Shaka Emmanuel.

24-year-old singer Adele and partner Simon Konecki welcomed their baby boy in October.

Loyiso and Jennifer Bala welcomed a baby girl this month.

Preggers:

Kate Middleton and Prince William are expecting their first child together.

Dineo Ranaka is also preggers with her boyfriend Blaklez’s child. This will be her second child.

Book releases:

Our local celebs have given us some literature, maybe you could even buy one as a birthday prezzie for a loved one.

Bonnie Henna: Eyebags and Dimples it’s about R169, if my memory serves me correctly and sitting right next to it was Kelly Khumalo’s “The Kelly Khumalo Story” book written by Melinda Ferguson based on interviews with Kelly also priced around that range, this is at CNA by the way.

And the Khanyi Mbau tell-all Bitch Please! I’m Khanyi Mbau which goes into sordid details about her marriage to fallen Mandla Mthembu.

Splitsville

This is the year for break ups so many shuuh:

Who can forget Songstress Zonke Dikana dumping her baby daddy and manager Tumi Mokwena who is rumoured to be dating Zamajobe.

Mshoza and her hubby Jacob Mnisi are rumoured to be on the brink of a break up.

I don’t know if this would classify as a break up but Chris Brown and Karrueche. There are rumors that these two are still seeing each other.

There was also Uyanda Mbuli’s messy divorce with estranged husband Sisa Mbuli.

Sophie “Queen” Ndaba pulled a surprise wedding to “Bishop Keith Harrington”  in December last year. Close to 6 months later Generations together with Sophie released a short press statement,: “Generations management team and Sophie Ndaba hereby sadly announced that after much soul searching and prayer, Sophie Ndaba and her husband have taken the painful decision to separate.

Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise split up after a five-year marriage.

Reunions

Chris Breezy and Riri reunited and even released a song titled “Nobody’s business”.  I didn’t see that coming. Interesting ‘love triangle’ can’t wait to see how it pans out.

Our local ‘It’ couple ‘your Girl B’ and Dj Euphonik also had a public break up and even went as far as court cases.  However love won at the end of the day and Bonang dropped the charges of assault against Euphonik and they lived happily ever after……..

Kristen Stewart who cheated on Rob Pattison with director Rupert Sanders and made a public apology and then they reunited .

New Couples

So we hear musician Donald “In Denial” is in lurv with  Yfm’s  lovely Pearl Modiade but it’s still hush hush.

Also songstress Phumeza and Shota (yummy) are a rumored couple. I like this couple.

This couple is not new but they haven’t gone out in public much, Kabelo Mabalane aka Bouga Luv and The Wild actress Gail Nkoane.

Marriages

Robbie Malinga wed his bride Anne at a white wedding last weekend.

Oskido is set to wed for the second time with his long time fiancée and baby mama, Kibi.

Dumisani Mbebe and Mbali Maphumulo wed in a traditional ceremony in Durban earlier this year.

Fezile Makhanya wed his sweetheart Nondyebo Dzingwa in a traditional ceremony late April or early May this year.

Thapelo Mokoena is rumoured to have wed long time girlfriend Lesego-Tshepang Sedumedi.

Jessica Biel became Mrs Timberlake.

Chilli M tied the knot with his girlfriend, Sibongile, in secret over the weekend.

In other news:

Who can forget the never-ending trial of Molemo Jub Jub Maarohanye and his co accused Themba Tshabalala who were found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in jail.

Hopefully we’ll see more love next year but we still lurv the craziness and drama of the celebs. Please share your highlights for the year. May you all have a blessed 2013!

“IF YOU LISTEN WITH YOUR EAR ON THE GROUND YOU MIGHT HEAR THE SOUND” – The Soil

If you missed The  Soil’s  performance on the 16^th of November, have no worry, catch them again, this time not to be missed, they will be performing with Zakwe.

DATE                 :  07 DECEMBER 2012

VENUE        :  THE MARKET THEATRE

TIME                 : 20h00

DAMAGE        : R150.00 (YOU WON’T REGRET PAYING A CENT)

TO BOOK YOUR SEAT CONTACT:

Neo

072 365 7473

(011) 832 1641 ext. 135

NeoL@markettheare.co.za

“Bornchild aims to encourage self-awareness of young girls’ personal identity for the confidence to make decisions for personal upliftment while avoiding bad decisions just for the sake of fitting into society.  Bornchild Boutique is Bornchild’s first program.   It represents the freedom and confidence Bornchild believes women intrinsically have; to express their inner beauty through how they dress and not be influenced about what society dictates as to how they should look.” – Thobeka Mabaso

What is the meaning of Bornchild? How did you come up with the name?

I wanted to start and focus on something that had significance hence the name Bornchild just came effortlessly symbolising a birth of a new and growing brand which mainly represents women empowerment in the form of restoration of confidence.

 What uniqueness does Bornchild bring? I mean it seems as if every second person is creating their clothing lines, e.g celebrities and fashion designers. How does Bornchild differ?

-The brand Bornchild is aimed at raising awareness towards the social ills that young girls/ women are exposed to with regards to the role society expect women to potray.  Bornchild is not a clothing brand, the boutique is the foundation of the objectives that Bornchild wishes to achieve.  In the long run, Bornchild Boutique will stock garments by different designers who produce what the boutique believes to be what young women are looking for as the best way to present the confident and respectable individual each young woman is.

Your boutique is opening in Durban. Why Durban?

KwaZulu Natal seems to be behind with developmental programs and as a woman, the safe guarding as well as grooming of young women is more a priority to me especially being a young woman myself.  With the opportunity to make a difference, I am more than excited to take a first step, even in the form of a boutique, to reach out to young women and extend a hand of aid and guidance.  Everything starts in Johannesburg I wanted Durban ladies to have the same experience and be able to celebrate themselves through the talent of our own SA designers.

Who is your target market and how have they reacted to the brand thus far?

Our target market is women from all walks of life.  The first brand to be stocked in Bornchild Boutique is by FabroSanz Creations, based in Johannesburg.  Durban ladies are  very excited about the launching of Bornchild Boutique and we have more in store as we will not be an ordinary boutique.

Are there other companies or partners that you are working with?

We are currently working with FabroSanz Creation with the clothing range.

Where will the boutique be located?

197 Stamford Hill in Morningside Durban.  Shop number 3.

Your launch is coming up, tell me  more about that, when and what can we expect?

December 7, 2012 @18:30 will be the official launch of Bornchild Boutique with the boutique officially opening on December 8, 2012 @9:00 till 17:00.

Selected garments will be on sale at a discounted rate, we are currently running a competition whereby 5 lucky Ladies will attend the store launch as our VIP guests.

There will be a fashion show and the rest of the evening will be a smart yet casual event launching the boutique.

One can expect to be entertained!

Where will Bornchild be in 5 years time?

Bornchild’s vision is to instil identity, self worth, pride, confidence, integrity and passion for living amongst young women in the modern world with these in place we want to have inspired self-belief for feminine excellence to a vast majority of young women in high schools going into tertiary level.

How can people get hold of you? (email/ website/ facebook)

- info@bornchild.co.za

-www.bornchild.co.za *under construction*

-@bornchild_ (Twitter)

-Bornchild (Facebook)

The winners for the various categories were as follows:

• Most Gifted Ragga Dancehall Video: Buffalo Souljah’s Styra Inonyengesa featuring Cabo Snoop

• Most Gifted African East Video: Ay for I Don’t Want to be Alone featuring Sauti Soul

• Most Gifted African West Video: D-Black’s Falling featuring Mo’Cheddah 

• Most Gifted African South Video: Cashtime Fam for Shut It Down (Stundee)

• Most Gifted R&B Video: Flavour (Nigeria) for Oyi featuring Tiwa Savage

• Most Gifted Kwaito Video: Ees and Mandoza for Ayoba

• Most Gifted Dance Video: DJ Cleo (South Africa) for Facebook

• Most Gifted Afro-Pop Video: Brymo (Nigeria) for Ara

• Most Gifted Hip Hop Video: Ice Prince (Nigeria) for Superstar. 

• Most Gifted Video of the Year: D’Banj for Oliver Twist

I hooked up with Sparks the designer and owner of the well respected Vancouver brand. The interview was pretty funny with a lot of off the record material. I kept asking Sparks to hire me as one of his models but he was reluctant and I asked him if I’d grown fat or looked older? Alright back to Sparks, here is how the interview went:

Zee: When and how did you start designing?

Sparks: Actually it came about in high school where I started sketching designs and when people saw my work they encouraged me to consider fashion designing. I ended up at Commercial college (now called Waterberg college). I started by designing school bags and the students loved them. The school asked me to mass produce the bags seeing as they were becoming very popular.

Zee: How much did you sell them for?

Sparks: 50 bucks and that was in 2007. With those fifties I was able to pay my rent imagine! Business was so good I even dropped out of school.

Zee: (surprised) Why did you drop out of school?

Sparks: I had to choose between school and a career. You see for people like us, school can be a hindrance to our creativity. (Laughs). Anyway I moved to Johannesburg and got a job doing decorations, well actually patterns for a company called Honeydew Nets. I was doing patterns for cushions and loungers.

Zee: And then?

Sparks: I quit the job again!

Zee: Why did you quit?

Sparks:  I felt as if my life was going in another direction. I went to school for fashion designing and I decided to chase that. Besides I was already designing clothes for my colleagues. So after quitting my job I had to move again and I guess you know why I ended up in Alex, I couldn’t afford rent.

Zee: So fashion doesn’t pay?

Sparks: No, I mean I had just quit my job. Zee just ask me about Vancouver.

Zee: I’m getting there Sparks. Ok so why the name Vancouver?

Sparks: My company is called African Son Design, you know the baby of Africa, the son of the soil. Well there came a point where I thought ASD won’t get me to a point where I want to be internationally. I wanted something versatile. I felt the word “Africa” has been overused.

Zee: And then you came up with Vancouver?

Sparks: Yes, Vancouver is named after a city in Canada, founded by a man named George Vancouver who was an explorer.

Zee: What does Vancouver offer?

Sparks: We offer new style,  not just new style, but unique style. If you ask anybody, they will tell you about our woolen jeans. They are absolutely fabulous. We have different ranges of clothes which are funky, formal and traditional wear. If anybody comes across each of our ranges, they would think that we only do that range because we really excel and have perfected each and every range. They only find out later that behind all these ranges is a dreadlocked guy, the Superman (laughs).

Zee: Where are your clothes sold?

Sparks: I’ve been very picky with outlets, because I want my clothes to be in recognized boutiques and stores such as YDE, Edgars, Legit and other stores. For now people can contact me for orders or order them from the website www.asdvancouvers.co.za

Zee: What is your price range?

Sparks: Our jeans start from R1000 and they are our trademark jeans. They are called “brake jeans” because if you wear the jeans, people will stop and stare. They will hold their brakes

Zee: Fashion shows?

Sparks: We have done a fashion show at Lebathong lounge on the 18^th of December 2011. We also did another one at Bellaskie Lounge on 31 March 2012. Our next fashion show is in Rosebank at Mibar on the 17^th of November 2012.

Zee: What can we expect to see?

Sparks: (With confidence) Expect to see fire on clothes and hot models. I should be sponsored by Nando’s, they have been playing with fire for 25years and they are hot like me!

Zee: Where can people get tickets?

Sparks: Call Sparks on 0784057651 or get the tickets at Mibar in Rosebank (preferably before the event).

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned and in this case the scorned woman is South African Olympics runner Oscar Pistorius’ ex girlfriend Samantha Taylor who has come out to label him a heart breaker  This, she revealed to the City Press stating that they had been dating for a year and a half and they recently
parted ways and from the sounds of it, it’s because of his player ways. She also says that Oscar is not what people think he is. That’s confusing because most people think he is a runner right?

Last week Oscar showed up at the SA Sports Awards accompanied by FHM Model Reeva Steenkamp (who is smoking hot by the way) and everyone wanted to know who she is because  not so long ago Oscar and Samantha appeared in Seychelles in the SABC3 show Top Billing.

However Reeva denies that there is any chemistry between them, using the usual phrase “We are just friends” which in my books is equivalent to “No comment”. It was funny that she also said it was a coincidence that they arrived in the same car and sat on the same table (Puleeze). Oscar himself has not commented and why should he? If the guy’s got it the guy’s got it right? Oscar has also been seen all too often with Russian supermodel Anastassia Khozissova, reports the New York Post.

So is Oscar a player or is he just enjoying the attention? We will surely know after Samantha reveals what she promised is an account of “what Pistorius made me go through”. In the mean time we patiently wait…

If you are a man reading this and are about to grab a razor and shave, don’t touch that! Or else just shave your armpits (pretty please!?). If you think you have been seeing a lot of moustaches around well you have. The men that you have been seeing (and you are hopefully part of) are the Mo Bros. They are part of a global movement called Movember which in the month of November has its members grow moustaches to raise funds and awareness for men’s health, particularly prostate cancer.

So how do you become a Mo Bro?

 You go to movember.com and register with a clean shaven face and then throughout the month of November you grow (and groom) that moustache all the while looking more attractive and manly. You don’t just grow a moustache but you become an ambassador and talk, educate and raise awareness on issues of men’s health and thus saving more lives.

What about sisters?

If you are a female and you are interested in the movement then you can also register and become a Mo Sista. Mo Sistas support the men in their lives (including family) raising funds and seeking sponsorship for the movement. And if you are a sister that can grow a moustache too, bravo!

Interesting Facts about November

• Movember started in Australia and has grown globally into many countries including Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the UK, South Africa, Ireland, Finland, the Netherlands, Spain, Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Czech Republic.
• There are over 1.9 million Mo Bros and Sistas around the world.
• In 2011 Mo Bros and Mo Sistas raised ZAR 949 million towards the cause.

At the end of November the Mo Bros and Mo Sistas around the world celebrate by throwing their own Movember Party or attending a gala organized especially for Movember. So by all means let that moustache grow and let the word go around, educate, inform and who knows how many lives you will save? Happy Movember!