Blog

The end-of-year festive season has arrived. Many of us find ourselves preparing for gatherings with family and friends—a time often filled with joy, laughter, and warmth. However, it’s also a period when the complexities of our relationships can come to the surface. Comments about how we are as siblings, friends, or family members may arise, […]

The drive to the Tai Chi class earlier this week was a breeze. I sang “Schools out for summer!” joyously. What will the summer holidays hold for me this year-end? Driving home I listened to Clement Manyathela, last month’s Radio 702 award winner of the “Best Daytime Show.” Clement’s topic was about the gym and

A disturbing television news report about an Eastern Cape mother who’s been missing since 2021 left me cold. A Newzroom Afrika reporter detailed the difficulties the Bili family in Libode, Eastern Cape, had been experiencing following the mysterious disappearance of their mother, Nolizwi Bili. She was last seen on 6 December 2021, at a local

A friend, Dineo, (not her real name) told me recently she was recovering from a stroke. A few days ago, my nephew postponed our dinner arrangement because his friend had had a stroke and the prognosis was not good. Indeed, the outcome was a funeral. Last Sunday, 24 November, controversial American preacher, TD Jakes had

My best memories of my maternal grandparents are the Christmas holidays I spent with them. I remember one particular day vividly; we were sitting in the kitchen with my grandmother, watching one of my cousins washing dishes after supper. On that day, just like many other days, I was recounting tales from KwaMashu with much

Mid-year 1991 Joe Slovo, husband to me, liberation struggle hero to others, phoned me. I was a couple of hours drive away from our Johannesburg home. I was having solo writing time, finishing the last chapter of my PhD. “Please come home earlier,” he asked. He had something urgent to discuss with me. That evening

There is a question that we often pose to attendees of our “Live by Design” workshops. It’s a simple yet profound inquiry: “What quality do you already have that, if amplified, would further improve your life?” The responses are diverse, but without fail, several reveal a common thread – patience, compassion, curiosity, and an eagerness

Around 02:00 on 28 September in the village of Nyathi, Ngobozana, in Lusikisiki, Eastern Cape, relatives assembled in two houses. The family members present, mainly women, settled late into their bedrooms after a long evening of preparing food and drink. In the morning, they would travel to another village, taking everything with them, to participate

It has been a tough week. Mapi and I felt subdued. It is not possible to live in a bubble, impervious to the Lusikisiki killing spree on the home front and the escalating events, mobile device explosions, missile attacks and counterattacks in the Middle East. This past Wednesday, 2 October, was Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish

On Friday, I had the opportunity to speak at Tourquing with Giants, a leadership breakfast summit. My presentation aimed to encourage leaders to pause, reflect, and hopefully inspire a shift in how they lead and live. Here is the abbreviated version. Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. My name is Mapi Mhlangu, and I want to