CATEGORIES

From Durban to Bombay

Ebrahim Essa’s satirical memoir tackles questions of identity and belonging from the vantage point of a first-generation South African Indian living in Durban at the beginning of apartheid, and in Bombay, shortly after India’s independence.

Cynthia Gogotya

The Big Issue vendor Cynthia Gogotya is a role model to her family, community and fellow vendors. She shares her experiences of the last three months.

A hopeful exchange

Cape Town’s The Hope Exchange began in the 1980s as The Carpenter’s Shop, offering homeless people carpentry training and a hot meal. Founder member and chairman of Maynards Office Technology, Geoff Burton shares this social enterprise’s remarkable journey.

How Will History Judge Us?

Adri Marais, CEO of Christel House South Africa, turns the spotlight on the fractures in South African society revealed by COVID-19, and explores feasible solutions to issues such as homelessness.

The Power Of Co-Creation

Stanley Henkeman, Executive Director of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation, delves into the power of co-creating a better future as South Africans in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown.

How Can We Serve You Better?

Elaine Brass, CEO of the Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA), shares the entity’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lessons it has learnt in the midst of this crisis.

In the ring with Siv Ngesi

Actor, stand-up comedian and now Bollywood singer, Siv Ngesi is bubbly by nature. Whether boxing, supporting charities or jetsetting for work, he always maintains his charismatic smile and sunny disposition.

Beyond The Secret Elephants - Of Mystery, Elephants And Discovery

Beyond the Secret Elephants continues the story of Gareth Patterson’s eighteen years of research into the secretive Knysna elephants. It also reveals his startling discovery of a much more mysterious being than the elephants – a relict hominoid known to the indigenous forest people as the Otang.

Couch Surfing 101

Looking to see the world and enjoy extraordinary experiences without breaking the bank? Angel Campey lets us in on her secret to travelling to places like New York City and Montreal on a shoestring.

‘Who needs a leg?'

When Thabo Dube lost his leg in an accident, his dreams seemed permanently shattered. but creativity kicked in and he began telling his story through the manufacture of leather bags.

Tracking Deon Meyer

He is currently the South African author whose name is on everybody’s lips. IRNA VAN ZYL managed to speak to the thriller writer Deon Meyer in between book launches, TV appearances and awards ceremonies.

Times of invention

Business Insider South Africa has named the most “exciting South African inventions” of the decade, and students, staff and alumni of the University of Cape Town (UCT) feature prominently on the list.

Ready Read Rise

Inspiring non-profit organisation Read to Rise is creating opportunities for children in impoverished South African communities to broaden their horizons through reading.

Patrick's purrfect love

Patrick Lupuzi was always a dog person, but when his wife brought a cat home from work one day, he opened his heart to felines too. This inspired him so much that he now works for an organisation that cares for feral cats at the University of the Western Cape.

Pangolins

Will they become the dodo of our generation?

My name is Sophia, I am a robot

Robots have arrived, but will they take over?

The right to read

78% of Grade 4 learners in SA are unable to read with understanding. With 60% of South Africans living in households without a single book, The Big Issue has partnered with several players in early childhood learning to stem the tide of illiteracy.

The impossible return

Siona O’Connell’s Impossible Return, Cape Town’s Forced Removals brings to light the real stories of people who were forced to move from their homes in Harfield Village in the early 1970s. In this extract, we are introduced to Shannon Edwards who lived with her family in 1st Avenue, Harfield.

Forest Whitaker's peace ambassadors

Actor and UNESCO Special Envoy for Peace and Reconciliation, Forest Whitaker’s WPDI Youth Peacemaker Network programme is empowering Cape Flats youngsters to become agents of change and peace in their communities.

Brian's peace mission

Already a success in South Sudan, the US, Uganda and Mexico, the WPDI programme will help to break the stronghold of gangsterism on the embattled Cape Flats. Meet the man who designed it; a professor with roots in this neighbourhood.

Restoring Dignity Through Forensic Art

Growing up in an era when television shows like MacGyver and Police File were at the height of their popularity, Kathryn Smith developed a deepseated fascination with forensic imaging. This unusual interest led her, fortuitously, to a career-defining opportunity.

Safety In The City

Crime is a constant issue in any metropolis. Luckily for us in the Mother City, there are dedicated people like Muneeb Hendricks who fight this scourge every day.

Malaria-Free Game Reserves For Families

Wondering what to do with young kids on a bush holiday and not keen on the hassles of malaria medication? LAUREN MCSHANE suggests child-friendly stays at malaria-free game reserves throughout South Africa.

Lift-Off!

Are you a nervous, new or frequent flyer? Here are four easy tips for the best flight ever.

Khayelitsha

A tourism hub in the Cape Flats, Khayelitsha lives up to its Xhosa name, ‘Our New Home’.

Hot Water

Donovan Copley, lead singer of the band Hot Water and father to three children, chats to us about his music and plans for the future ...

Forage & Feast

LAUREN MCSHANE joins wild food forager and educator, Roushanna Gray, founder of Veld and Sea in Cape Point, to forage for wild food in preparation for a delicious feast.

For The Love Of The Land - Being A Farmer In South Africa Today

Away from the heated political debates, For the Love of the Land by Ivor Price and Kobus Louwrens introduces South Africans to the unsung heroes of the agricultural industry. Here’s an extract written by Ivor, which focuses on the power of land to promote nation-building and social cohesion by telling stories that are often overlooked by broader society.

A Sense Of Place

Not just the oldest game reserve in Africa, but also the oldest Zulu hunting ground, the HLUHLUWEIMFOLOZI PARK is a very special place to visit.

Climate Warrior

Teenage climate change activist Lily Shaw shares why she is sacrificing her education to demand climate justice for her generation from those in power.