News Brief

This is Why the EFF Decided Not to Interrupt the 2019 SONA

South Africans all waited to see whether or not the EFF would disrupt the State of the Nation Address last night.

Last night, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered his maiden State of the Nation Address (SONA) in parliament. There were concerns that the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), as in previous years, would disrupt the proceedings. However, the comrades were impeccably well-behaved.


Prior to the 2019 SONA, the EFF had threatened that they would disrupt the proceedings if President Ramaphosa did not engage them in a Q&A which centered on his accounting for a large sum of money from the embattled business conglomerate, Bosasa, that was used to pay for his political party's campaign.

In a statement to SAfm, the chairperson of the EFF, Dali Mpofu, said:

"Ramaphosa will be the one disrupting the SONA because we cannot sit when we have a president who has lied. We cannot be addressed by someone on serious matters of the state when he has committed an impeachable offence. So, if Ramaphosa continues without addressing the Bosasa matter, he will be the one disrupting the SONA."

Following the completion of last night's SONA, EFF leader Julius Malemasaid:

"After the press conference of the EFF, the president had an interview with eNCA, answered the Public Protector, including releasing the statement he has given to the Public Protector. This is the president who says to all of us that he is available to account."


Watch the video that was posted onto the EFF's Twitter page.

News Brief
Photo by Cindy Ord for Getty

Trevor Noah Wins Prestigious Erasmus Prize

Trevor Noah is the first comic to win the prestigious Erasmus Prize since Charlie Chaplin in 1965.

Famous South African comic Trevor Noah has won the prestigious Erasmus Prize from The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation. The award is named after Dutch philosopher Desiderius Erasmus' most famous piece of work.

According to a statement from The Praemium Erasmianum Foundation, Noah was receiving the prize “for his inspired contribution to the theme ‘In Praise of Folly,’ named after Erasmus’s most famous book, which is filled with humor, social criticism, and political satire.” (Desiderius Erasmus was an influential Dutch philosopher from the northern Renaissance era.)

Noah is the first comic since 1965 who has been awarded the honor. The last comic to win the prize was Charlie Chaplin, who received the recognition in 1965. Since 1958, The Erasmus Prize has been awarded to recipients recognized for many achievements, including literature, music, philosophy, and social activism. Some notable recipients who have received the award in the past include Jorge Luis Borges, Isaiah Berlin, Ingmar Bergman, and Amartya Sen.

The panel that selects awardees for the prize includes a committee of scholars and cultural experts who review nominations and recommend to the board of the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation after weighing in on the strength of each candidate. After the recommendation, it is up to the board to make the final decision on the award recipient. The prize is typically awarded in the fall during a ceremony in the Dutch royal palace in Amsterdam.

Beyond his work as a comic, the former Daily Show host has been vocal about his social justice advocacy and has been a strong advocate for human rights issues on a broad scale. While a host on The Daily Show, he consistently used his voice to highlight other prominent Africans. It is safe to say that the 39-year-old has indeed made South Africa proud.

Music
Photo Credit: Sjava

Sjava: The Man In the Mirror

Breaking down the South African hip hop artist’s latest album, Isibuko.

Sjavas third studio album Isibuko raked in more than 7.7 million streams in its first week. This was done without a lead single, just a well-planned and well-executed rollout and a loyal and ever-growing fanbase that had last heard from the BET Award-winning artist in 2021 with his previous project, Umsebenezi.

Isibuko is Sjava’s most personal album to date. Sjava lays his vulnerabilities bare. “Till today, my life is a mess, because of what I do. I was happier before I put out the music,” the South African artist is heard saying in the album’s trailer. “But now I’m happy because I finally understand that it doesn’t matter what another person says.”

Through a Broken Mirror

The album's trailer reveals a man in the process of self-reflection. Isibuko’s provenance was a minor accident. “I bought this mirror at Game,” Sjava said, explaining the album title is IsiZulu for “mirror,” during the album’s listening session in Rosebank, Joburg. “But then when I was walking down the stairs, I dropped it and it broke. But it was still in its packaging, so I just kept it as is. I would look at myself every time when I was getting ready, checking out my swag nam’ saying. And where I live, it’s quiet, so sometimes I’d just look at myself in that mirror and just think.”

From that reflection was born the concept of Sjava taking a moment to examine himself. “So,” he says, “I decided, let me make this album, an album for someone who will listen to it by themselves and it speaks to them. The music you play when you’re alone is usually not what everybody plays. I wanted to create that kind of music.”

Sjava - Isibuko (Album Trailer)youtu.be

“This is an album you can listen to when you are at home on your own or you are driving, music that will uplift you. Whenever you feel like a failure, you have a song that will encourage you, tell you that you are just pushing pressure on yourself, you are on the right track.”

The last sentence is a quote of the hook to the poignant “Amavaka,” a song on Isibuko where Sjava speaks of disliking who he sees in the mirror. “Ngay'buka es'bukweni ngay'zonda / Ngathi, ‘uwena omosh' impilo yami,’ ngaz'khomba,” (which directly translates to: “I looked myself in the mirror, and hated myself, and said, ‘you are the one who’s messing up my life’”) he sings as a lo-fi instrumental hisses under his hoarse alto.

YouTube Lo-Fi Beats

The lo-fi production is one of the elements that set Isibuko apart from Sjava’s previous three projects — Isina Muva (2015), Umqhele (2018), Umsebenzi (2021) which were almost exclusively produced by his long-time producer Ruff. About 30% of Isibuko was produced by lo-fi producers Webmoms and Delayde who are both from the U.K.

Sjava found their music while listening to lo-fi beats on YouTube after a stressful day, he says. Some beats caught his attention. “I saw the names, went on IG and DM’d them saying, ‘I’m Sjava from SA, I fuck with your shit.’ I sent them links to my music, they liked what they heard, they sent me a beat and "Umcebo" was born.”

He recalls having one beat on loop as he drove and started freestyling what would later become “Grounding,” a song about a conversation between Sjava and his mother, who is asking him to settle down and get married. Sjava lets his mother know that the game today is different from dating during her time. “Uthando lwamanje sel’hlukile, lugcwele udlame (love today, is violent),” he sings.

Sjava #Isibuko Live Medleyyoutu.be

Webmoms and Delayed also produced “Ubuhle Bendalo,” a song about the necessity for humans to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city and reconnect with nature and their roots. “We went to Emtshezi on a camp,” says Sjava, “I was just walking around and the chorus came.”

Webmoms and Delayed are among a number of producers who contribute to the 18-track album. Bassist and guitarist Vuyo Manyike produced “Ungavumi." Manyike, who’s also an instrumentalist, played the guitar on “Ubuhle Bendalo” on Isibuko and "Winter Nights" on Sjava's 2015 album, Isina Muva.

A Personal Body of Work

While some songs draw from observing the lives of others, a majority of the album feels personal because of the amount of detail in his writing. From the story of an ex who drunk texts him at 3 a.m. as she listens to too much Summer Walker (“Amaphiko”), to a song like “Amakhehla,” where he sings about walking around guarded by his ancestors, or a song like “Isoka” where he warns his woman that haters will talk shit about him, but she shouldn’t be bothered as no one is flawless.

“But, I was talking about the public more than intombi (a woman) because there have been situations where I was portrayed negatively so that the girl, who’s you, would dump me,” Sjava says. He was likely referring to the sexual harassment case that was opened by his ex-girlfriend Lady Zamar, a case that was later dismissed by the court due to a lack of evidence.

On “Ithuna,” a song featuring maskandi legend Shwi, Sjava sings from the perspective of a womaniser reflecting on his ways, which he equates to digging himself a grave. “I’m encouraging amajongo (gents) to slow down and settle down,” Sjava says. “After recording it, I felt like I had said my piece but the song needed an elder’s voice. Then I went to uBab’uShwi and broke the idea down to him." The maskandi legend introduces himself through backing vocals on the hook before dropping gems on his verse.

“It’s important to go back to our legends because they are the ones who inspired us to get here. If you listen to my music, you hear a lot of Shwi,” Sjava says.

Late kwaito legend Mandoza offers inspiration to Sjava in the song “My Life,” which features fellow ATM (African Trap Movement) member Emtee and Emtee Records signee, Lolli Native. “People who know me know how much I look up to Mandoza. He motivated me,” Sjava says. “That song was inspired by his vibe and aura. When I was making it, I remember saying to Ruff I’m not sure if it will sound the way it does in my head, but let me try.”

In the song, Sjava and his collaborators express that their lives aren’t perfect, which is a misconception people tend to make when looking from the outside. One can’t be blamed for thinking that. Sjava has fought some battles since his introduction to the game in the 2010s, but he has effortlessly maintained momentum in his thriving career.

With the release of Isibuko, Sjava further settles into the hearts of South African music lovers’ hearts and the annals of contemporary South African music.



News Brief
Photo by Nipah Dennis.

Idris Elba, Black Sherif and Sheryl Lee Ralph Join Kamala Harris in Ghana

Idris Elba, Black Sherif and Sheryl Lee Ralph recently visited a music studio in Ghana with Kamala Harris.

Idris Elba, Black Sherif,Sheryl Lee Ralph and other celebrities joined Vice President Kamala Harris in Ghana as she visited the Vibration studio at the freedom skate park in Accra, Ghana. Harris visited the community recording studio with the stars as part of her weeklong tour of Africa. The visit was a step towards highlighting the growth, talent and evolution of African creatives and the creative industry in Africa. Other notable figures who joined Harris on the tour included Baaba J, Ria Boss, and Moses Sumney.

In the past, British actor Elba, whose mother is Ghanaian, has been vocal about the West supporting and investing in African creatives. Earlier this month, he joined forces with Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu to launch a joint film and TV venture that would support new projects from rising African talent in the continent and the diaspora.

While talking with the press, the “Luther” actor said that he and his wife first met Harris at the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit last year.

“[Harris] said, ‘Hey, I really want to come to Africa. And we said we’d love to do that,’” Elba told White House press reporters in Ghana, according to The Hill.

“If you ever go to Africa, let me know,” Elba said. “So here we are.”

The Golden Globe winner also mentioned that the creative talent pool in Africa is rich, and it was a good idea that Harris had visited.

“I think it’s a great signal for VP to come to Ghana, to come to Africa and be that interface to show the rest of the world that actually it is a fantastic place to sort of look at in terms of partnership and investment,” said Elba.

During the event, which gathered a crowd of creatives, Lee sang “Endangered Species,” after which she addressed the attendees.

“You must invest in yourself, in your art, first. And then you birth it out to the world,” Ralph said.

After her visit to Ghana, Harris will make a stop in Tanzania and then wrap up her African tour in Zambia.

Beauty
Photo courtesy Industrie Africa.

Five Women-Led Companies Taking African Fashion to the World

These are just some of the trail-blazing women who are overcoming obstacles and globalizing African fashion with their e-commerce platforms.

E-commerce has become a vital part of the fashion industry. In recent years, it’s revolutionized the way we shop for fashion and beauty products, and made it easier for consumers to access products from all over the world. African fashion has become more accessible for anyone who wants to wear it – thanks to a number of e-commerce hubs that help bridge the gap between brand and fashion-loving consumer.

E-commerce revenue in Africa is only going to keep increasing, and by 2027, it could even reach a value of over $82 billion, according to estimates by Statista, an international consumer data and marketing company. E-commerce platforms help address many of the challenges faced by African fashion brands in getting their product to buyers, particularly when it comes to shipping.

But according to International Finance Corporation, which runs an initiative with the European Commission aimed at boosting online commerce opportunities for women in emerging markets, there is a need to close the gap between the earnings of male and female merchants. Doing so, they say, would increase Africa’s market value by about at least $14.5 billion.

There’s been a dearth of women successfully raising giant companies in this sector. Techpoint Africa reports that only 10% of female-founded startups in West Africa have raised up to $1 million since 2010. Women’s Month presents an opportunity to highlight this, and to raise up those women who have, in spite of this, managed to make their names known as leaders in this realm.

Here are 5 women who spoke to OkayAfrica about the highs and lows of owning an African e-commerce business in the fashion world.

Nisha Kanabar

An image of Nisha Kanabar in a blue dress, looking off to the side, smiling, with her arms crossed.

Nisha Kanabar created Industrie Africa to challenge how people perceived African fashion and what it could be.

Photo courtesy Nisha Kanabar.

Nisha Kanabar, a Tanzanian of Indian descent, built Industrie Africa in 2018, along with Georgia Bobley, to challenge the stereotypical constructs and bias of what people perceive African fashion to be. She wanted to harness pan-African industry voices through a global fashion lens and framework, and to create a hub of connectivity within the industry that would make it easier for the next generation of entrepreneurs to break into the business.

“I first launched Industrie Africa as an answer to the fracture and underrepresentation of Africa’s fashion industry at the time,” Kanabar tells OkayAfrica. “[I also wanted] to address the media bias, the gaping lack of global presence, [and] the ignorance of even the simplest of its vernacular. By establishing Industrie Africa, I kind of intended to create a channel for authentic connectivity – regionally and globally.”

In May 2020, Industrie Africa launched an online retail destination, enhancing its content around African fashion. Through this e-commerce platform, Kanabar intended to give people access to the top designers in Africa, and create a sustainable way of bridging existing barriers between these designers and their markets.

“It’s been a special journey with a steep learning curve,” says Kanabar. “I’ve had to break conventions and get creative in order to cultivate relationships with logistics partners, like DHL, to access payment tools that are user-friendly, or to create systems around quality and consistency.” She encourages other women who have an interest in this area of fashion to dive in. “It’s never too late to break into the space, and do what you feel passionate about,” she says. “All your experiences matter, and [it] enriches your perspective and what you bring to the table.”

Pinaman Owusu-Banahene

An image of Pinaman Owusu-Banahene looking at the camera wearing a black dress with a striking image embossed on it.

Pinaman Owusu-Banahene started building Adjoaa as a multi-brand online marketplace for African brands in 2021.

Photo courtesy Pinaman Owusu-Banahene

Pinaman Owusu-Banahene has a unique eye. The Ghana-born fashion tech entrepreneur brings her background in public policy together with her love for fashion in Africa in running ADJOAA – a one-stop shop for consumers looking to purchase garments that value sustainability and are from young design talents in Africa. The likes of LVMH semi-finalist Bloke, Ajabeng Ghana, Boyedoe, and Olooh Concept are currently stocked here. “ADJOAA is a curated multi-brand online marketplace [that was built in 2021], specializing in sustainable fashion and lifestyle products by African designers and of African descent,” Owusu-Banahene says.

She has consistently contributed to the development of this space, and in 2015, staged New Zealand’s first-ever Africa Fashion Festival, before going on to explore the e-commerce space. “Although I have been following fashion for a very long time [since 2010], I have looked at this from a perspective of economic development,” she tells OkayAfrica. “And I saw that our fashion industry and young designers [have] been at the fringes of the global fashion market.” ADJOAA aims to rectify this – so far, they’ve introduced over fifty African designers from fifteen countries in Africa and in the diaspora onto the site.

Financing, however, remains Owusu-Banehene’s biggest challenge. “Part of my work with the International Chamber of Commerce is also to highlight that access to capital is a major barrier,” she says. “I’m excited about the works that are underway to support growing fashion SMEs in the continent. We want to be more proactive about building this.”

Amira Rasool

An image of Amira Rasool in a brown dress looking towards the camera with her hand on her knee.

Amira Rasool is behind The Folklore, one of the top places to find the best African designers.

Photo courtesy Amira Rasool.

Based between New York City and Cape Town, Amira Rasool has nurtured The Folklore into an e-commerce company that gives a diverse range of brands the tools they need to reach their customers. The idea for The Folklore came about when the New Jersey-born entrepreneur moved to Cape Town in 2016 for her post-grad at the University of Cape Town, and found a growing interest in the local items she was wearing when she’d return to the U.S.

“[We built The Folklore] to source brands and place them on our platform, so merchandisers, buyers, and retailers can find them,” she tells OkayAfrica. The success The Folklore has amassed in the four years since its inception is notable: it launched during New York Fashion Week in 2018, and now has a hand-picked selection of apparel, shoes, and jewelry from more than 20 designers from the continent and in the diaspora.

“It’s been pretty challenging getting this together. A challenge for us and the brands has always been logistics and bringing said products here [to the U.S.],” Rasool says, “but it’s really why we’ve continued to collaborate and work with logistics companies to empower us and help overcome such challenges.”

Aderonke Ajose-Adeyemi

A portrait of Aderonke Ajose-Adeyemi looking straight at the camera.

Aderonke Ajose-Adeyemi started Losode Inc. because she believed in the strength of commerce and is passionate about it.

Photo courtesy Aderonke Ajose-Adeyemi

Nigeria’s Aderonke Ajose-Adeyemi is the founder of Losode Inc., a multi-hyphenated e-commerce platform that places itself between fashion designers and brands that make affordable clothing and accessories in Sub-Saharan Africa, and buyers or merchandisers. “I started Losode [in 2020], and I did it because I really just believed in the strength of e-commerce, and have been passionate about it,” she tells OkayAfrica. In the last 15 years, Ajose-Adeyemi has worked across tech in Nigeria, the U.K., and the U.S., and has incorporated that knowledge into building Losode.

“With Losode, we’re building an infrastructure that will drive trade and commerce across Africa,” she says. “We don’t have a solid commerce structure in Africa.” Losode has over 30 designers and beauty brands, and the business is centered around five major core values, including empowering entrepreneurs and dismantling existing trade borders. “We’re really just bold and confident about these pillars that guide us because we’re all about smashing these borders, and building something that allows others to have access to the remarkable works of the brands in Africa,” adds Ajose-Adeyemi.

The biggest challenge her business faces, she says, is finding the right quality brands, and bringing them onto the platform. To address this, she asks each brand about its vision, and listens to their entire process. “It helps us get a better sense of who they are, and their values,” she says.

Elorm Dela-Seshie

An image of Elorm Dela-Seshie looking towards the camera with some tree leaves in the foreground.

Elorm Dela-Seshie started Adorn Me Africa to help a few small sustainable brands and independent artisans based in Ghana get more exposure in the U.S.

Photo courtesy Elorm Dela-Seshie.

Like almost every success story in fashion, Elorm Dela-Seshie was introduced to an appreciation for clothing at a young age. Growing up in the U.S., she fell in love with fashion when she saw how her parents confidently represented Africa through their Ghanaian attire. Being an African in the diaspora instilled within her a kind of curiosity for the culture, and by extension, its fashion.

“That same curiosity birthed Adorn Me Africa; which I started in 2017 as a means to play a supportive role in assisting a few small sustainable brands and independent artisans based in Ghana in hopes of getting more exposure to these brands and helping them to sell their products to a wider market within the US,” she tells OkayAfrica.

What started with a focus on contemporary fashion in one country 7 years ago has since expanded to sourcing from over 30 different brands from over 15 countries across the African continent. “Our ultimate goal is to represent and feature sustainable products and independent fashion brands from all 54 countries of the African continent,” says Dela-Seshie. This, of course, comes with its own difficulties, such as supply chain issues in importing from Africa and the cost associated with doing so.

“Despite the challenges that we’ve faced, we’ve continued to push forward and respond with innovation, strategic pivoting, and a creative perspective on how we can best position the brand to continue to make the most impact and continue to serve as many brands as we are able to,” says Dela-Seshie.

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