Initiation schools- a death condemnation for teenage boys

By Ayabonga Nkalitshana

It’s that time of the year again where boys will be gearing up to become men, an unknown experience to them which has taken just under 120 initiates for the past two years. This has been a growing problem because even with the involvement of traditional leaders to try and resolve these botched circumcisions, but there are still a vast number of illegal initiation schools being set up around the Eastern Cape and teenage boys with prospects of becoming men, are still losing their lives through inexperienced and illegal initiates who target young boys who some are just under the required age to go to initiation schools.

The Eastern Cape Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs together with the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders, through the initiation monitoring intervention strategy will embark on a safe initiation week between the 10-13 of November this year, in an attempt to try and educate in-school initiates and out of school youth about the importance of ritual, and what is expected of them before and during initiation. This is to ensure that the initiation season this year goes smoothly and try to minimise the number of deaths and injuries from 119 deaths and 66 injuries respectively, with only eleven convictions.

During the fees must fall demonstrations we might have seen what we might like to forget but have we stopped to wonder about the pluck-cards held by these students, the message they carried and the meaning of those messages and what they could mean about the state of our country and the future of education and social life of ordinary citizens. Sometimes what we tend to not pay attention to is an important indicator that gives warning or even depicts the picture of the real situation, outlining the problem and its cost.

THREE THINGS THAT ACCELERATES THE RATE OF AGING

By YONELA MAKANA

According to science, there’s a difference between chronological age and biological age, which means you can be 50 years old and literally have a body of a 40 year old. I’m sure you’ve met someone that not only looks 10 years younger, but has boundless energy and stamina. That being said, I’m sure you’ve seen the exact opposite as well, someone that looks and acts much too OLD for their actual age.

So what’s the deal?  Is it genetics?  I know it sounds like the most reasonable answer.  But genetics have very little to do with how fast or slow you age.  Believe it or not, YOU have way more control over the aging process than you think.

Seriously, it’s not science fiction… you CAN slow your aging process, BUT only if you know what to do.

1. Cardio

Too much cardio can make you age FASTER

Too many people think that cardio is the answer to everything related to weight-loss and fat-loss.  And although cardio can be helpful (if done properly), it does nothing to slow the aging process.  In fact, it does the exact opposite!.  Doing long frequent cardio sessions will break down your muscles and increase the production of free radicals.  These free radicals are nasty little things that damage the cells in your body and accelerate aging.

2.  A Low-Fat Diet

Nutrition Facts Label - NOT eating fat makes you age faster

It’s hard to believe that “low-fat” is still a dietary recommendation because science has proven that fat is not the cause of weight gain or heart disease.  In fact, since the introduction of the fat-free diet, the world has gotten more fat and sick than it has ever been before.

Fat is not the enemy.  Fat does NOT make you fat.  In fact, fat is an absolute must if you want your body to look and feel younger!  Why?  Because healthy fats are an essential source of good cholesterol, which is KEY to producing the hormones that enhance your youthful qualities.  (Not all cholesterol is bad, by the way — good cholesterol is a crucial component of healthy skin tissue, making your skin more supple, glowing, and youthful).  If you’re following a low-fat diet, you’re depriving your body of the nutrients it needs to slow aging and keep your youth.

3. Yoga

Yoga is great for relaxation, but is NOT best for fat-loss

Yoga has been around for thousands of years and it’s still around after all this time because it’s very effective for things like improving your inner consciousness, mind-body connection and spiritual health.  However, it should NOT be considered an effective form of exercise.  Sure, some movements are difficult and physically challenging.  BUT strictly physiologically speaking, yoga lacks the necessary components to stimulate your body to build lean muscle, burn fat and most importantly… trigger your youth-enhancing hormones to help slow aging.  Yoga can improve your flexibility and calm your mind, but it will NOT stimulate your “youth” hormones.

FOOTBALL – THE BEAUTIFUL GAME

BY AYABONGA NKALITSHANA

As a game of sport you wouldn’t expect football to be as dramatic and shocking as it is, the most relevant about football is flair, passion, glamour and love for the game as it has been said, but like any other thing that is associated with glamour it is not entirely flawless.

There has been a lot of conspiracy theories about it over the years but what remains a mystery is whether one of them is true: let me refresh your memory by the 1998 world cup, Brazil vs France, Ronaldo apparently fell ill the night before the final but a certain sponsor could not afford to have Ronaldo not play, conspiracy theory you decide.

It’s very hard to deny the fact that it isn’t entirely full of drama with recent scandals surrounding the mother body of football around the world FIFA, which has been under scrutiny about certain donations made to benefit a few individuals to say the least to encourage them to just ‘make the right decision’…, but that’s not all with allegations of (Barcelona) having benefits on and off the field through a partnership with UNICEF.

 The same has been happening in south African football with recent reports claiming the withdrawals of a number of senior players in Bafana squad with “good” reasons was not a coincidence after all. Is this really what makes it the beautiful game? The sport played by gentleman…? Or does that also remain a conspiracy theory.

Drug smuggling on and off school premises

By: Luviwe Pinda

Drug smuggling and use has become a common practice by school children who often find themselves in situations, where they may be forced into smuggling drugs and alcohol into the school premises. Such incidents often happen during the course of the year, end of year farewells, mid-year and final exams. This is mostly because of the stereotype by teenagers that drug use makes you cool and accepted by your peers.

This result to criminal activities to some and most end up not paying attention to educational programs and that teenager get sexually assaulted; several crimes are committed immediately after using any type of drug and some become mentally ill. A worst case scenario, Defence Minister Nosiviwe Mapisa Nqakula’s son, Chumani, was killed last week Saturday, and it appears that the accused admitted to constraining the murder.

According to the stats released by the Hospital Association of South Africa (HASA), show that there was an increasing number of young teenagers at young age than 20 being admitted to treatment centres. Approximately, the average age of Mandrax users, is just about 21, whereas, across the country, the age for dagga users ranges from 19 – 21.

NKONKOBE MUNICIPAL WORKERS GO ON STRIKE!

Looking right through leadership in Africa over the past twenty years

by Ayabonga Nkalitshana

Over the past twenty years leadership in Africa has been characterised by development and a transitional stage from stagnant economies to urgent economic growth and land reforms, also trying to implement newly developed policies to ensure there is proper alignment of equality with development.

The basic aims were to ensure that no one is left behind from the eras of oppression and racial segregation, and that empowerment, is for all to ensure equal opportunities. Adoption of foreign economic policies, the introduction of “aid” reliant alliances between the Northern economically empowered and Southern ‘third world’ states with the West enjoying continued influence over the rule of African states even though there is independence within the rule of law.

Even though we claim to enjoy freedom and democracy, the truth is as Africans we’re not independent and yet, we’re still are under the influence and control of Europe through the trade alliances and aid policies they have over African states.  Let’s look at one of the instances; the obligatory acceptance of gay laws by African states under the banner of human rights, but the African culture and social moral does not agree to take such consents as law or in practice, as it misrules African culture and tradition. 

The most powerful weapon global influence has to ensure that African leaders and their states stay in line and abide to their rules is vast number of sanctions.

After reading this, as an African citizen and a well learned individual what are the possible solutions to ensure that African states and its leaders enjoy total freedom and independence? And what role as citizens can we play to ensure equality and economic freedom is safe guarded for future generations.

Poverty, unemployment, social inequality and in law, corruption are the biggest challenges that Africa faces and continue to grow with the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer…