The film, which is set to be released on the 8th of August, features Jennifer Hudson as Aretha and tells her story from when she was a kid, singing in her father’s church choir up to where she became an international superstar. It also features icons such as Forest Whitaker as Aretha’s father and Marlon Wayans as her first husband. Other supporting roles include Tituss Burgess, Mary J. Blige, and Marc Maron.

Of the actors and the crew, the Fracteton born Liesl had nothing but praise, describing them as ‘focused professionals’. Most of Liesl’s praise is reserved for the iconic Forest. She described him as a ‘humble genius’ that operated “on a level of complexity… that is really impressive”. She also described Jennifer as being devoted to making Aretha come to life by preparing both her voice and practicing Aretha’s body movements, months in advance. Of the comedic icons, Marlon and Tituss, she says that people will be pleasantly surprised by how gifted and talented they are in these dramatic roles.

Liesl is grateful that both the cast and crew trusted her and in return, she trusted them back. She says that in general, a movie set has a director and everyone listens to that director. However, on Liesl’s set, she made sure that everyone was equal and had a say in what the move should look like. This led to a work environment where there was no drama and nobody was trying to outshine the other. Instead, everybody showed up on time and excited about making the vision she had in mind, come to life. This is the vision that got her both the job and the respect of everyone that worked on set.

Now, being chosen to do a movie is not as simple as it sounds and studios usually interview many directors before they choose one. Liesl says that she was contacted by the studio bosses for a meeting where she was asked to share her ideas about how she would do the movie. When she got to the meeting, she greeted everyone and jumped right into what her vision for the movie was which included the time period, the songs, and the style of the movie. After the meeting, they thanked her and told her that they would get back to her. Two weeks later, they called her back and told her that she got the job. Studios also usually first hire a screenwriter and then a director, but the studio bosses were so confident in Liesl’s vision that they hired her first.

Of course, this is Liesl’s first movie but a South African always has a plan and she is not one to come unprepared. She had always wanted to do movies and started practicing with a film camera while directing her stage plays. One of the things she did was experiment with a camera to see how she could make her theatre plays even better. Some of her plays also had to be recorded on film which basically meant that Liesl also had to ‘direct’ the cameraperson to make sure that they filmed from the right angles.

The next thing she did was practice her hand at filmmaking by directing episodes of television programs. These include popular shows such as Queen Sugar, Insecure, The Walking Dead, and Jessica Jones. By the time she started working on ‘Respect’, she was confident that she had sufficiently prepared herself for the major task of filming a big-screen movie. She had spent years making sure that she could handle a camera and once again, by the looks of the trailer, it seems like she got it right. But of course, it isn’t just about the camera. It is also about making characters come to life and for a director, that means connecting with the character on a deeper level.

When asked what part of her identifies with Aretha, Liesl quickly responded that it was Aretha’s political identity. Having been a kid in apartheid South Africa, she could understand how Aretha felt as a kid in a racially segregated US. Like Aretha, Liesl was always surrounded by adults talking about revolution and resistance. Also like Aretha, Liesl isn’t just all talk and she used her art to fight against racial and gender discrimination.

Whereas songs such as Aretha’s ‘Respect’ became a big part of the civil rights movement (the US’s version of the struggle), Liesl used the theatre to make her mark in the world of activism. Liesl’s family had moved to the US when she was 15 and it was here that she was involved with her first high school play, ‘Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When the Rainbow is Enuf’. Written by Ntozake Shange, the play is essentially about seven African American women who have experienced horrors such as rape, abandonment, abortion, and domestic violence. This play was the beginning of her journey as an artist, a journey that would lead her to direct many plays right across the US, including the award-winning Broadway play, Eclipsed.

Eclipsed was written by Danai Gurira (who is most famously known as, Michonne, on the hit show, The Walking Dead) and it was the first Broadway play to feature an all-black and all-female creative cast and team. The play, which is about five Liberian women and their tale of survival near the end of the Second Liberian Civil War, went on become a massive hit, running for several years and receiving several awards and nominations. These included a Tony nomination for Liesl for best director, the highest honour a US stage director can receive. Her activism did not stop when she partnered with Disney to direct the R400 million stage version of Frozen.

Disney is very strict about how it does things and always features characters in their stage plays that look like the characters in the movies. The Frozen movie essentially featured all-white characters but Liesl insisted that if Disney hired her, she would be able to hire a more diverse cast. This led to the first African Americans playing the roles of Anna and Hans. Kids of all races and ages loved it and it made no difference to them that Anna was black (proving once and for all that the world will become a better place because of future generations). Cooper Howell, who played the part of Hans, said that Liesl made sure that everybody was equal and no one was treated differently because of the colour of their skin. Needless to say, Liesl had already made a major contribution towards the fight for equality, just like Aretha had.

When asked what inspiration the audience (especially young people) can get from the story of Aretha Franklin, Liesl looks at how everyone can relate to the trauma and pain that Aretha experienced. Not only did she have to deal with racial and gender discrimination, but she also dealt with childhood sexual abuse as well as the divorce of her parents, and as an adult, she survived a physically and verbally abusive marriage. However, says Liesl, “everybody has their own capability to heal themselves” and “find a light at their own dark tunnel”. The key, says Liesl, is to connect with that part of “the self” that “that is bigger than the trauma or the pain” and Aretha found this through her faith. Liesl concludes that Aretha struggled and “got trapped in her own head but she ultimately fought her way through that into a brighter, better future for herself”.

The movie will premiere on the 8th of August internationally and on the 13th of August in South Africa, in cinemas right across the country. If you’re a fan of Aretha and want to experience her larger-than-life story, be sure to show some ‘Respect’ by grabbing a ticket at a cinema near you.

If you want to watch the trailer, check it out below:

The post Cape Town’s Liesl Tommy Brings Aretha Franklin’s Story to the Big Screen appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

On Saturday in a match against Chippa United, Amazulu made history, scoring the winning goal and for the first time in its existence, clinching the first place position on the log.

With Luvuyo Memela scoring the winning goal from outside the 18-yard box, the team climbed to 50 points (for the first time ever) and sailed past the reigning champions, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Mamelodi Sundowns had already won the PSL title 10 times and is currently sitting with 48 points on the log.

The team’s dramatic turnaround came when businessman, Sandile Zungu, bought the team, handing over the management of the team to lawyer, Tsepiso Mofokeng and adding well-known players such as Siphiwe Tshabalala‚ Xola Mlambo‚ and Luvuyo Memela.

The last and most important ingredient to the team was the coach and that is when they turned to Benedict Saul McCarthy.

To understand the impact that Benni has had, one has to look at the history of Amazulu.

It had only managed to crack the top 10 three times, only managed to climb as high as 7 ^th place (back in 2012) and the last time it won a trophy was in 1992 when it beat Kaizer Chiefs to take Coca-Cola Cup title.

Since then, it had become one of the teams that were most likely to be relegated and had generally finished its seasons on the bottom half of the rankings.

Last year it finished 13 ^th place on the log, raking up 30 points, won only 8 of its matches, and got beaten 3-0 by eventual trophy winners, Mamelodi Sundowns.

This year, however, it had so far moved to first place, earned 50 points, won a record 14 matches, remains unbeaten in their last 16 games, and drew against Mamelodi Sundowns.

Although the draw was not the desired outcome, it did seem to have a mental effect on the defending champions.

While Amazulu managed to win 4 of its last 5 games (its fifth being the draw against Mamelodi), Mamelodi seemed to have struggled to regain its footing, winning only 2 of its last five games, drawing two, and losing one.

Being from Hanover Park, Benni is not known for keeping his opinion to himself, criticizing everything from the state of the football pitch to the unprofessional conduct of some referees.

However, when it comes to the team, Benni shows his humble nature by refusing to talk about himself and instead, choosing to praise his players and the rest of the team.

He has warned however that the team should remain humble because winning a game does not mean they will win the next.

He advised them that instead of thinking of the trophy or the next championship, they should instead remain focused on winning the next game.

Although it’s too early to say who is going to win the trophy, as has been shown during this PSL season, it is never a good idea to place your bets against the pride of Hanover Park, Benedict Saul McCarthy.

Check out the video below of Benni celebrating with his team and if you want to know more about Benni, check out his story by clicking here .

Usuthu Usuthu Usuthu pic.twitter.com/QO6Gxu0NOU

— #Majuba Magwaza (@MajubaMagwaza) April 28, 2021

The post Super Coach, Benni McCarthy, Takes AmaZulu to Number One Spot, Makes History appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

The DA won the by-election in Delft’s ward 20 in Cape Town but it continued to lose support, winning only 51%; down a whopping 12 percentage points from 63% in 2016.

The CCC managed to land in second place, grabbing 19% of the vote, enough to position itself as the only party capable of removing the DA from power.

This 19% is remarkable given the fact that this was the first time the party contested an election and it did so with virtually no money and no media coverage.

The DA however had millions at its disposal as well as the support and resources of its wealthy donors.

At its launch in December 2019, it was doubtful that the party would move beyond its identity as ‘Gatvol Capetonian’ and find its feet as a serious party with clear objectives.

The CCC, however, seemed to have landed with its feet firmly on the ground, taking up the space that the GOOD party had abandoned.

With Minister Patricia de Lille’s popularity, the GOOD Party was positioned as a viable alternative in Cape Town and the Western Cape, but its lack of a realistic strategy saw it collapse into obscurity.

In his statement, the leader of the CCC, Fadiel Adams, clarified that the party’s main objective is to chip away at the DA’s majority while building election machinery that can rival that of the DA.

He further stated that their team “has shown that the DA is a party in decay” and that they will “make it suffer like they do to us”.

He also suggested that the party is making itself ready to become the ruling party in the Western Cape so that they can finally “have a say in our children’s futures”.

He also thanked organiser, Nigel Williams, stating that the result would not have been possible without him.

The post Cape Coloured Congress Stuns by Taking Second Place in Ward By-Election appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

According to News24, the men (Ashwin Fortuin, Ronald Adams, Aubrey Andres, Edmund Cloete, and Leroy Vosloo) were arrested for trespassing and being in possession of the herb “without a permit”.

They appeared in the Bellville Regional Court and released on Thursday on a warning but will “return to the court on 17 May for a pre-trial conference to discuss progress regarding… the investigation against them”.

The incident took place on a farm in Durbanville and the person who reported them is the farmer, the alleged owner of the farm.

The herb itself is not an endangered plant species, is fast-growing and is widely distributed from South Africa to Zimbabwe.

The “Sackcloth People” formed as a way to escape poverty and reject the violence that afflicts poorer communities, by engaging in the traditional practises of their Khoisan ancestors.

They also practice Rastafarianism, giving them the more formal name of the ‘Khoisan Rastafari’.

As indigenous people, they believe that the government does not have the right to deny them their traditional rights which include living off the land and moving around freely.

They do not engage in crime and violence; and do not consume alcohol or drugs (besides using marijuana as part of their religious practices).

Apart from living off the land and making their own clothes, they also earn extra money by selling their traditional remedies at markets.

The Western Cape is especially well known for its vast supply of medicinal plants which the Khoisan used to cure ailments used for thousands of years.

This knowledge was passed down through the various generations, extending to the present, the Khoisan Rastafari being proof of that knowledge.

The arrival of the Europeans; however; brought along genocide, mass diseases and poverty as well as the theft of their land, the enslavement of their people and the attempted destruction of their medicinal knowledge.

However, the knowledge survived both colonisation and apartheid, the proof being in the ‘Khoisan Rastafari’ pudding.

The post Young Khoisan Men Arrested for Picking Traditional Khoisan Herbs appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

The 36 year old lawyer has been listed as one of the “100 Most Influential Young South Africans”, an accolade she shares with previous awardees such as Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya.

The ‘Most Influential Young South Africans initiative’ aims to identify young people with an outstanding record of contributing to the growth of South Africa and inspiring (or influencing) other young people to do the same.

Melene was recognized for the work she did through her ‘Women Lead Movement’ which she started in 2017 at the age of 32.

It aims to empower women and girls through mentorships and human rights programmes.

The movement has thus far helped thousands of women and young people, has been recognized by local and international human rights agencies, expanded internationally, and also runs projects to teach boys and young men about the rights of women so that they can become better adults.

This accolade is just one of many for her work with the movement.

Melene has already been selected as an Inaugural Obama Leader in Africa, a Future Africa Forum Leader, a Mandela Washington Fellow, a JCI 2020 ‘Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World, a JCI ‘Ten Outstanding Young Persons of South Africa’, an African ‘100 Most Influential Women’ and a Brand Ambassador for Brand South Africa.

She was also selected by the International Advocacy Organisation, ONE Global Campaign, to feature in three of their global campaigns and she has had the honour of meeting former President Barrack as well as having written and spoken extensively on Democracy and Governance in Africa and generally sought after to speak at international conferences (the latest being at the ‘Young African Initiative’ conference held in Ethiopia).

Melene completed a degree in Law at the University of the Western Cape where she was also elected to and served on the Student Representative Council.

She worked as a Candidate Attorney, a legal researcher at the Constitutional Court of South Africa in the office of Constitutional Court Judge, Albie Sachs), National Cabinet Committee Secretary responsible for Justice, Crime Prevention and Security as well as Governance and Administration (in the office of the presidency), Special Advisor to the Minister of Sports and Recreation and Media Liaison for the Minister of Tourism.

She also graduated with a Masters degree in Public and Constitutional Law as well as Diplomas in Media Studies (Institute for Journalism South Africa).

Through the prestigious Mandela Washington fellowship, she completed a course on Governance and Democracy (University of Virginia) and Leadership (William & Mary – Raymond A. Mason School of Business).

The post Another Accolade for Melene Rossouw: Selected as ‘100 Most Influential Young South Africans’ appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

In 2015, the 19 year old from Graaff Reinet caused quite a stir when he stopped the clock running 45.42s over 400-metres in Potchefstroom.

As South Africa’s second-fastest 400 metre sprinter in 2015 (the first being Wayde van Niekerk), it was believed that Berend was a future champion in the making, especially given the fact that he was one of the few South African athletes that managed to dip under 45.50 seconds.

Things, however, did not quite work out as he had hoped.

His family was going through tough financial times which may have impacted his ability to focus on the track.

Berend had qualified to compete at the 2015 World Championships in Beijing but clocked a time of 46.52s during the heats.

Things had not gotten any better as time passed, not only with his athletics but also with his family’s financial situation.

In 2018, being a responsible kid, Berend felt that he was being selfish for focusing on his athletics and decided to quit.

He says that he got a job on a game farm in the Eastern Cape and despite it being tough, he kept at it because he wanted to help his parents.

He had not, however, stopped thinking about athletics and dreamed of running that one perfect race.

Last year, the national relay coach, Paul Gorries, came knocking at his door and told him “you don’t quit athletics when at 19 you ran 45.42s race in the 400 metres”.

This made Berend think hard about what he wanted to do with the rest of his life and he realised that this was a second chance to fulfil that dream of the perfect race.

Towards the end of 2021, at the age of 25, Berend joined Tuks (University of Pretoria) Athletics.

Being 25, he realises there is no time to waste and he has got to make every minute count when he is on the athletics track.

He is confident that he will dip under 45 seconds in the 400 metres but he is realistic about how tough it will be.

Berend explains: “It is fast from the start. I consider the first 50 metres to be crucial. Then the thinking games start. You can never afford to slack down, but you also don’t want to burn off too much energy too early. I prefer being in the second or third position after 200 metres. The last 150 metres is usually the moment of truth. That is when the battle between your brain and muscles start in earnest.”

Paul is also confident that Berend will dip under the 45-second mark.

“Berend now realises what life outside of athletics is about,” says Paul.

“I don’t doubt that his experience as a farmworker has mentally toughened him- motivated him. That is why I think he will dip under 45 seconds.”

Note: Edited from an article that appeared on the University of Pretoria website

The post Top 400m Sprinter, Berend Koekemoer, Returns to the Track appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

It was further revealed that he died on Sunday evening, the 7 ^th of February, but it is not clear what the cause of his death was.

Minister de Lille described Edwin as a “true partner and supporter” always giving her “the freedom to pursue” her work in “serving the country”.

Both she and her son, Alistair de Lille, described him as a “loving father”.

Of their “lifelong partnership”, the Minister stated their “marriage was built on respect”.

“Eddie was a true partner in the sense of the word and never stopped me from following my convictions,” wrote Minister de Lille.

“There was respect and support until his final days and I will miss him dearly.”

The post Minister Patricia de Lille’s Husband, Edwin, Has Passed Away appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

Directed by well know Cape Tonian, Loukmaan Adams, the play brings together a dynamic group of talent to tell a collection of stories from the Yusuf’s life story growing up on the Cape Flats.

Despite portraying the hardships of growing up during apartheid, the stories are described as hilarious, heart-warming and uplifting.

It delves into universal topics such as family, friendships, community, traditions and culture; while also looking at the reality of having to grow up in a racist era surrounded by gangsters and poverty.

It shows how Yusuf, as a young boy, took the various challenges that were thrown at him and turned them into positive opportunities, making the most of living through these trying times and under these conditions.

The dynamic cast of six performers mostly play multiple characters and include Tashreeq de Villers, Alexis Petersen, Eldon van der Merwe, Anzio September, Crystal Finck and Yvan Potts.

Tashreeq, Anzio and Crystal also starred in Marc Lottering’s hit productions Aunty Merle, The Musical and Aunty Merle, it’s a Girl.

Loukmaan, who makes his debut as a director, is a well established artist who has received a Tony nomination, the Laurence Olivier Award for his performances as well as the Best Actor in a Musical for his role in Kat and the Kings, an FNB Vita Award for best performer and choreographer and a Naledi Award for Best Choreography for Ghoema. H

Not forgetting the Covid protocols, the performances will be limited to fifty percent capacity and will include the availability of hand sanitisers, tracking and tracing, temperature checks, mandatory wearing of masks and practising of physical distancing.

Audience members are advised to arrive at least an hour before the start of the performance to avoid delays.

Living Coloured runs at The Baxter Concert Hall from 8 December 2020 to 9 January 2021.

Ticket prices range from R125 to R225 and booking is through Webtickets on 086 111 0005, online at www.webtickets.co.za or at Pick n Pay stores.

For discounted school or group block bookings, fundraisers or charities, contact Carmen Kearns on 021 680 3993 or e-mail her at [email protected].

The post Yusuf Daniels’ Bestselling Book, Living Coloured, Brought to Life on Stage at Baxter Theatre appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

More specifically, she was named as one of the Top Ten in the Category of Leadership which means that in 2020, the 34 year old Melene is considered to be a top 10 leader in Africa.

Melene was selected among other celebrated Africans such as Tunisia’s Pan-African activist, Aya Chebbi and South Africa’s international athletics champion, Caster Semenya.

The award itself aims to recognise young Africans for their outstanding contributions towards the development of Africa and the criteria for selection include “excellence in leadership and performance, personal accomplishments, commitment to sharing knowledge, breaking the status quo and being an accomplished young African”.

For those of that have not read the ‘ Story of Melene Rossouw ’, the constitutional lawyer and internationally celebrated humanitarian is the founder of the ‘Women Lead Movement’, an organisation that empowers women and girls through mentorships and human rights programmes.

Despite having limited resources (she used her own money), soon grew the movement into an internationally recognised organisation that helped thousands of women and young people.

She began expanding the movement internationally, opening an office in Madagascar with plans to open another office in Namibia.

It is for her work with the movement that she started receiving numerous accolades, which include becoming an Inaugural Obama Leader in Africa, a Future Africa Forum Leader and a Mandela Washington Fellow.

She had been selected by the International  Advocacy Organisation,  ONE Global Campaign, to feature in three of their global campaigns (“Progress not Promises”, “ Yours  in Power” and “Pass the Mic”) and she has had the honour of meeting former President Barrack Obama (as an Obama Leader).

To give an idea of how huge her platform is becoming, the last ‘One Global Campaign’ she participated in reached an audience of 250 million people.

This year alone, she had been selected as one of the JCI’s 2020 ‘Ten Outstanding Young Persons of the World’, a JCI ‘Ten Outstanding Young Persons of South Africa’ (nominated for her ‘Contribution to Children, World Peace and Human Rights’) and most recently, she was selected as one of Africa’s ‘100 Most Influential Women’, in the category of Philanthropy.

Being a highly qualified professional and having to sacrifice a highly paid career, Melene confesses that she was not sure whether she could handle the financial burden of this new path she had chosen.

However, she adds that when she looks “back at the strides” that has been made with the movement, she knows that she is on “the right track”.

The post Melene Named as one of ‘100 Most Influential Young Africans’ and Top 10 African Leader appeared first on Coloured South Africa .

Born and raised in Cape Town’s Retreat, the 42 year old Celeste is the founder and CEO of React24, a company that is based in the male dominated maintenance and construction industry. More specifically, her company does building and home maintenance for the largest companies in the country as well as government, which include everything from plumbing to laying down cables for fibre internet.

The ‘Standard Bank Top Women Entrepreneur’ award aims to recognise trailblazers whose efforts have uplifted women in business and society. The award is especially focused on women leaders and trailblazers currently making waves in the world of business. Over her 20 years of experience in the industry, Celeste has certainly made a lot of waves and as a woman; you have to make waves to break through the glass ceiling.

Celeste says that the maintenance and construction industry generally discriminates against women because it is believed that only men can do the industry’s ‘tough’ jobs. She says that there are many talented but unemployed women with plumbing, electrical and carpentry skills. Despite these skills being in demand, these women are not getting the jobs simply because of the crime of being born female. It doesn’t get any better if you move up the managerial ladder.

She says that despite her vast experience, her leadership and competence are still questioned, once again, just because she is a woman. Although things have improved over the years, she confesses that it is still sometimes the case that women (especially women of colour) struggle to get the larger private and government contracts, especially in her home province of the Western Cape. However, under Celeste’s leadership, React24 has built the kind of highly respected reputation that makes it hard to be ignored.

She says that she started the company around her kitchen table with the help of her husband as well as two employees and one vehicle. It is now one of the most well-known maintenance and building companies in South Africa, catering to the largest private companies and being part of the largest government construction projects. She has even added the React Training College, which aims to empower persons of colour with the vital skills needed for the industry as a whole. She is especially interested in empowering women and is in fact, one of the few companies that employ female plumbers. Her commitment to women empowerment was yet again celebrated earlier this year when she won the 2020 Woman Mentor of the Year at the inaugural Empowerment and Recognition of Women in Construction Awards.

For those hoping to become entrepreneurs, Celeste advises that your most valuable asset are the people that work for you, so get the best and treat them well. She also says that you have to be a tough and a bit forward. The world of business is only kind to those who are willing to take charge and take chances. She says that she never takes ‘no’ for an answer and this has helped her get far.

If you want to know more about Celeste and her company, or just use her services, you can do so by visiting React24.co.za

The post Celeste Named Standard Bank Top Women Entrepreneur of the Year appeared first on Coloured South Africa .