Saturday Star 2024-03-30

Our favourite TV shows are always tapping into daily life events to create captivating storylines that educate viewers about a thing or two. SABC 1’s second most-watched show, Skeem Saam is known for keeping up with the times and tackling the issues of everyday life. Sthoko, portrayed by Innocent Sadiki, took the leap to find love again following her messy divorce, but she didn’t wait until the stars aligned – she took matters into her own hands. Taboo, right? A woman taking the leap and asking a man out; but society has changed, such is done, and considering it is a leap year, the odds are in the lady’s favour. “For the longest time Sthoko has always focused on everyone else besides herself,” said the actress. “Now this is her…

In 1980, when James Clavell’s blockbuster historical novel Shōgun was turned into a TV miniseries, about 33% of American households with a television tuned in. It quickly became one of the most viewed miniseries to date, second only to Roots. I’m a historian of Japan who specialises in the history of the Tokugawa, or early modern era – a period from 1603 to 1868, during which the bulk of the action in Shōgun took place. As a first-year graduate student, I sat glued to the television for five nights in September 1980, enthralled that someone cared enough to create a series about the period in Japan’s past that had captured my imagination. I wasn’t alone. In 1982, historian Henry D Smith estimated that one-fifth to one-half of students enrolled in…

Fikile Zungu’s culinary skills are on fire. Her passion for preparing exquisite meals carries her through life. Zungu, affectionately known as Fikz by her friends and social media followers, is from Soweto. Being the eldest of four siblings, her younger years were filled with both joy and challenges. She did not have any tertiary education and was the breadwinner at home. Zungu currently resides in Belgium with her partner and two children. Her love for cooking started when she got promoted from being a domestic worker to a house cook for the residence of the ambassador of South Africa in Belgium in 2018. The same year, she started banting. “I was not aware that I could cook until that time. I then started posting the meals that I cooked on…

Catherine, Princess of Wales , pictured, announced that she is undergoing preventive chemotherapy to treat cancer discovered after she had abdominal surgery. While the exact situation is difficult to determine because the 42-year-old princess did not disclose the nature of the cancer, here is an explanation of preventive chemo. Chemotherapy is the use of powerful drugs to stop cancerous cells from growing, dividing and creating more cells. There are many kinds of chemotherapy, depending on the cancer, how far it has spread and the treatment regime. Because these treatments cannot distinguish between different cells, they end up killing some cells that do good, such as white blood cells, causing some side effects. Preventive chemotherapy is often used after surgery to “decrease the likelihood” that cancer will return, Kimmie Ng, an…

We’re excited for the long-awaited Easter break – a time filled with the comforting scents of hot cross buns, the tang of pickled fish, and the joy of family reunions. Our local celebs are no exception to Easter fever, each with their own way of embracing the holiday traditions. Juan de Jongh Retired Springbok centre Juan de Jongh has always stressed the importance of family in his life. Together with his beautiful wife of 7 years, Simone de Jongh, they have two adorable children. For De Jongh, family time during Easter is non-negotiable. Being a Christian, he finds it crucial to reflect on the true meaning of the holiday – the resurrection of Jesus Christ. “It’s a special time for us,” De Jongh explained. “We use it to gather…

rabbie serumula THERE ARE many ways to say:,“Raise your awareness to acknowledge your manifestations when they unfold”. Thobani Mntambo, a dear brother and brilliant writer, put it best: “If you listen closely to the hourglass, you can hear the universe speaking”. Two editions ago, I wrote in this column and put it out to the universe that it would be a blessing to see my son again. The universe heard me. I listened closely to the hour glass, and the universe said: “It is done”. It had been 14 months since our last encounter, Kganya and I, and I wondered, would he remember me? This week, for a moment, time seemed to stand still as our eyes met from a distance, a silent acknowledgement passing between us. Within that same…