Let 2009 begin

This year i'm officially starting off the year as a full-time sports journalist at The Times. The previous year (2008) was trying and at some stage got too scary during the xenophobic attacks..At one point I literally thought I was going to die when these attacks escalated and as a journo I WAS IN THE THICK OF THINGS....

However, my move from news to sports was made smooth by my editor and sports photographer Archie Henderson and Sydney Seshibedi. I will continue to share these experiences with you all about how this year's Confederations Cup and the 2010 World Cup are going...KEEP READING THE TIMES...
http://www.thetimes.co.za/Sport/Article.aspx?id=872754

Sunday Times and The Times photographers at it again!

True art: http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/08/fuji-photo-award-winners/ and http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/08/living-inside-a-bridge/

Where will he end up?

It is one of the biggest talking points in the soccer fraternity at the monment...Where is the 28year-old Brazilian star going to play next season? Ronaldhino fell out of favour with Mr. Raijkaard last season at Barcelona and is set to be showing his skills elsewhere this coming season.

But what is more confusing is that, the new coach has declared that the star midfilder is not in his plans but the club is still reluctant to sell him to bidding teams like Manchester City and AC Milan. Futher more, he has been selected in the Brazilian squad to play in Beijing 2008 as one of the older players but the club still refuses to let him go there...!! Is there sometype of conspiracy against the star?

Phone Booth

The next edition of phone booth has started yet again...Photographer, Moeketsie Moticoe brings to life some of the hidden and already famous talent in Mzantsi. Check it out for yourself.
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/07/the-dirty-skirts/ (dirty skirts)

Will I be one of these?

I'm moving to the sports sections of The Times as of Monday 14th July..and day and night I keep thinking to myself..."Will I be like one of these"? Now these men have built a name for themselves in the sports (soccer) fraternity and they are well respected for their knowledge of the business...

I'm talking about Mninawa Ntloko and Bareng-Batho Kortjaas. Ntloko wrote for The Times but was later recruited back by Business Day and BBK is currently with the Sunday Times and does the Metro FM sports show...Clearly these men have built a name for themselves, no doubt about that. I'm a bit nervous and excited at the same time...Is passion enough for this or I need more than just passion,determination and hard-work?

Whatch this space...I resume my duties on the 14th July.!

My first ever "podcast"...

As I type this...it has been viewed by 320 people with 3 comments (i guess people just like viewing and not commenting)...Its about the Hartebeespoot dam which has been infested by high levels of algae! check it out
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/06/3-year-clean-up-for-dam/

Hopefuls..or Young Talent?

Be the judge..
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/videos/2008/06/singing-season-auditions-kick-off/

Controversy or Normality?

Who should be the judge?? Gays and Lesbian wedding bliss in USA..!
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/06/us-gays-wedding-bliss/

New Talent discovered..

Moeketsi Moticoe, The Times photographer..has done it again. He is discovering new South African Talent in the form of music, fashion and whatever is there to be scouted..check-out his latest discovery in PHONE BOOTH..
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/06/the-phone-booth/

Give me access..

I have a story to tell..It's about my press CARD..I finally used it on Friday last week..It was a hostile situation and I needed access to hear ANC general-secretary Gwede Mantashe accepting the Memorandum that was handed to him by the Khutsong residents.

They (Khutsong residents) are @it again..they are very angry about service delivery issuess and being forcefully removed to North West...! So the cops were holding back the masses (there were literally thousands there) as well as ME..but I was on some:"Sir, i need to hear what that guy is saying"..he then asked me:"Are you from the press? and I said YES..he said show me proof..I reached for my wallet and showed him my press card..and that was it..I USED MY PRESS CARD FOR THE FIRST TIME..!!

Happy Birthday to us..

Can you believe it..We (The Times newspaper) are a year old..its has been a year full of Drama and excitment. From being load-shedded to almost dying during the recent xenophobic attacks, we have managed to keep our heads up...I have however been hear for 2months and can not do justice to how the past year has been so check out our Multi-media producers relating the stories they loved doing..

http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/videos/2008/06/its-been-a-memorable-year/

Enjoy..! (pictured, is Ray Hartley..our Editor)

Your xenophobic displacement in 1minute..

President Thabo Mbeki has described the xenophobic attacks as a Disgrace to SA..the plight of the after effects of the attacks it still very visible as thousands of foreigners are packing up their bags to go home..
See the heart-warming pics by The Times photographers

Faces in Places..

Faces in places is a brilliant photographic journey by a young photographer @The Times..
check it out its absolutely beautiful..I promise you - you will want to become a photographer after this..
http://multimedia.thetimes.co.za/photos/2008/05/faces-in-places-3/#comment-1717

Is this SA 2008??

Once again the Xenophobic attacks in our country continue to spread like wild fire. I am fortunate to say I did not see what my fellow journalists saw. However, I was running for cover recently @Kay Sands - west of Johannesburg after police opened fire on Monday morning. My beloved girlfriend's heart is heavy because she is involved with a journo and as much as this is part of my life now...it is also part of her life and I feel for her. What is SA coming to??Why aren't our leaders saying or doing anything about this??They keep speaking out from their comfort zone..instead of addressing the situation head on and possibly deploying the army..! I watched The Times slideshow on these Xenophobic attacks and i was left in shock. I teared up when i saw all these events taking place across our "RAINBOW NATION"..that has seemingly turned into "RAINBOW HORROR"..we might actually need counselling after all of this.

I also saw a 2year old with blood on her face...they said she was not caught in a crossfire but rather fell down while she was running away from the cops. It got me all watery inside..Between me and you I'm just tired of going to Alex, Kya Sands, Reiger Park and so forth to...I say this with TEARS in my eyes....PLEASE STOP THIS MADNESS,IT IS NOT THE SOUTH AFRICA WE WANT TO LEAVE IN...NO ONE WANTS TO DIE AND NO ONE REALLY WANTS TO GO TO JAIL..!

Check out: The Times slideshow on accumulating attacks

Report on man burning alive..!

Life of a journo.

You know what they say: "From hero to zero.." This is how I feel after I had two stories in a row this week (one of them included the almost traumatic event in Alexandra township). I then went to a press briefing @the COSATU house on Wednesday and had what i deemed to be a good story..actually I wrote up three stories on the day. Guess what, none of them got published..I have to say this has left me feeling down. A journalist needs to get more things published so his confidence can be built up..especially if you are a juniour journo!!

Aaaggg..the sub-editors had their reasons as to why they did not put my stuff in there, NO HARD feelings. I need to deal with it now because that is going to be the story of my life as a journo..! I will continue to thrive in my skills coz I believe I am a damn good writer and no one can take that away from me..! I'm not angry just low in confidence..! OK..!
Guess what..you can still google my name to find more stories that I have done..They have certainly increased in number..!

Racist "killer" fielded...

Gert van Schalkwyk of the Waterkloof fame, was seen playing for the West Province again..He was found guilty of murder in 2005 along with his 4friends after they beat a homelessman to death. The killing was seen as racially motivated [check out the stories and be the judge]
His stepfather is actually the coach of the Pumas and amazingly enough, the crowd cheered him on when he was fielded last week Friday...! [another story]

Perhaps the death penalty should be brought back?

The Times published an article titled "Hang him, crowd bays at rape accused" (15th Feb 2008)..I started asking myself "What is our world coming to"?What is a person thinking when they decide to rape a seven-year-old little girl?It is because of such sinful acts that our country (or mostly the people on the recieving end of the rape) start to shout out for the death penalty to be brought back into our country! What do you think? I mean a mother is compelety shattered by this happening to her daughter, not to mention the little girl herself..maybe the government should seriously concider this issue..how else does one deserve to be punished for such?I know that in the end all these criminals and rapists will answer to our heavenly Father and i believe there is always space to repent over what they have done..Now the seven year old can no longer have kids when she grows up and that has happened to so many girls who have been raped..they still even continue to live with the trauma.!