South Africa’s emerging animation industry has a new star in creative entrepreneur Lwazi Msipha, who has just debuted a first-of-its-kind African cartoon show on a global network. 



IMAGINE IF YOU COULD DRAW AND CREATE your own friends. Self-taught South African animator, Lwazi Msipha, did exactly that, in the process, making himself several friends around the world.



The 27-year-old is the owner and creative director of Old Fashioned Youngin, and the animator behind My Cartoon Friend, a South African cartoon that debuted this year on American cable television’s Cartoon Network.



“I used to love watching the channel growing up. And I always wanted to be on the credits. But now seeing a show that I created [on there] is definitely one of my proudest moments,” Msipha tells FORBES AFRICA.



From Boksburg, on the East Rand of South Africa’s Gauteng province, Msipha grew up inspired by the shows on Cartoon Network such as Courage the Cowardly Dog and Dragon Ball Z on local channel SABC.



Early on, these influenced him to want to pursue animation – a profession unheard of back in the day – and he laid out the initial blueprint for his career, by drawing cartoons using flipbook animations.



“I love seeing my characters come to life. And that was the spark for me. I was like, ‘this is what I want to do, I want to create, I want to see my animations’,” says Msipha.



With support from his mother who encouraged him to pursue the art form, he was able to give shape and form to his dreams after graduating in 2017. He started out as a graphic designer but quit as he wanted to venture into animation full-time.



He began creating cartoons on social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok until he won the 2019 Digital Lab Africa pitching competition.



This opportunity led to the beginnings of one of Africa’s first original hybrid comedy shows, My Cartoon Friend.



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:28% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="819" height="1024" src="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020-819x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-53231 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020-1638x2048.jpg 1638w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Photo-Ariane-Suveg-2020.jpg 2000w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">The content in itself was really interesting. And very clear, with a real promise. – Ariane Suveg</blockquote>
</div></div>



The show portrays Msipha as an animator who plays around with animation software and creates a cartoon character named Themba who magically materializes in real life. Themba becomes his friend and Msipha teaches him to navigate the real world as there are certain things he can’t do as a cartoon.



This interaction unravels a comical repertoire as they embark on adventures together.



But in real life, as Msipha observes, the production work was anything but fun and games.



There’s a lot of toil that goes on behind the scenes, from pre-production and script-writing to character design, dubbing and editing.



Unlike animation for adults, writing for kids is challenging, as the educational nuances and the language used become important.



According to Msipha, it can take approximately five months of pre- production and planning to produce a two-minute episode.



Ariane Suveg, the Kids Content Director for France, Africa &amp; Israel, WarnerMedia, which houses the Cartoon Network brand, was one of those who saw Msipha’s potential.



“I think it [My Cartoon Friend] is a really good example for other young animators in Africa,” she tells FORBES AFRICA over Zoom from France.



“Regarding the fact that we don’t have enough African content on air, it was a time when we were thinking, ‘well, we need fun stuff on air, we need to be creative, we need to do something that we didn’t do before’,” she says.



Msipha’s show was just the continental content they were looking for.



“Also, the content in itself was really interesting, and very clear, with a real promise,” she adds.



While Msipha is the show’s producer and animator, Cartoon Network came on board as the financier. Global networks are always searching for African talent and content, but it isn’t always easy finding them.



“It’s not so easy, because I think from both sides, we don’t necessarily know each other and the African talents don’t necessarily know how to get in touch with us. For me, it’s about time to spend to build the bridges between the creators who don’t necessarily have the networks or connections,” Suveg adds.



There aren’t many animation schools in Africa either, helping young creatives break into the industry.



Additionally, Msipha says there is still a gap in terms of certain stories being told.



“[I think] African spiritually is definitely something that needs to be told more of. It’s the one thing that sets Africa apart from the rest of the globe. That is definitely something that needs to be explored.”



Msipha hopes the young girls and boys who watch his show are inspired.



“It’s ultimately inspiring to watch them see something they can resonate [with], like, ‘oh, this character looks like me, this character is in my hometown, and I know that building’! How exciting is that!”



“I’m really convinced that African stories are bringing something different that is expected elsewhere,” says Suveg.



“I think there are a lot of values that we can see in your stories that do not exist elsewhere. From my side, I see values of optimism, friendship, community and that is a positive way to see life,” she says.



“There is also something beautiful talking about sharing dreams, and with this kind of energy that you don’t necessarily see in Europe or the western countries. So it’s really new,” Suveg says.



Msipha’s future plans are to grow the South African animation industry and create programs for African animators to develop their skills and make animation more accessible as an industry.



He drew his way to success, and for the others, the drawing board beckons.



<h2 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-animation-action">Animation Action</h2>



Despite the institutional challenges, the past few years have seen a trend in more African animation making it to mainstream platforms. Nigerian animator, Ridwan Moshood, garnered a contract with Cartoon Network for his show, Garbage Boy and Trash Can.



Disney too is set to release an African show called Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, a 10-part anthology crafted by filmmakers from Zimbabwe, Uganda, South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya and Egypt.



Additionally, pan-African entertainment company Kugali has created an animation series titled Iwaju, which Disney announced a partnership with. Two other South African animations are set to be released – Kiff by Lucy Heavens and Nic Small and Kiya and The Kimoja Heroes by Kelly Dillon and Marc Dey.



All these pockets of African creativity bring great encouragement for animators to enter the global scene and advance the representation of African cartoon characters in mainstream media.

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Lights, Camera, Animation: The Self-taught African Animator Behind The New Cartoon Network Show

In Africa, a new creative energy is seeing tech geeks give up their consoles and day jobs to take to full-time video game development. It’s not a level-playing field but they are engaging a growing hyper-connected audience.



THE YOUNGEST continent in the world has a new obsession – mobile gaming. What’s newer is local content created by Africans for Africa. Take 39-year-old Khumo Moerane, the developer of Kea’s World and founder of the Africa Space Programme Video Games Studio in Johannesburg, South Africa. 



He is using a modern medium to tell old tales, celebrating and preserving African folklore among children and adults. Today, he solely designs and develops African video games. And has reached another level altogether. The scene was set in the late 1980s, in Ga-Rankuwa, a large settlement in the northwest of Pretoria, the capital of South Africa, when his parents bought him his first console, a third-generation 8-bit home video game called Sega Master System. 



He was instantly hooked. “But back then, you were like ‘man, there are no South Africans or Africans that are making games’. So, in this sense, it was almost like a far-fetched dream; something that would never happen,” he tells FORBES AFRICA. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:34% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="681" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-681x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50897 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-681x1024.jpg 681w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-199x300.jpg 199w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-1021x1536.jpg 1021w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-1362x2048.jpg 1362w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/DSC_0801-scaled.jpg 1702w" sizes="(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">But back then, you were like ‘man, there are no South Africans or Africans that are making games’. – Khumo Moerane</blockquote>
</div></div>



After studying graphic design, Moerane moved to Cape Town in 2012 where the gaming life found him again. With friends, he hosted monthly FIFA tournaments for gamers, playing for eight to 12 hours at a stretch. In 2017, Moerane quit his job as a graphic designer at news broadcaster, eNCA, and went on pursue a Master of Science in Video Game Enterprise, Production and Design at Birmingham City University in the United Kingdom under a Chevening Scholarship.



His very first creation, Kea’s World, is a free-to-play gaming app downloaded by users across the world. In May 2020, he was featured by Apple in its Africa Month Promotion and again on Heritage Day on September 24. Moerane’s aim is to continue to inspire and promote native languages and African folklore. 



“So it’s like now how do I use games to inspire other people, inspire kids, but then we’re using characters that look like them. Because I think all this time we’ve been playing games with characters, but we can’t relate to them,” he says



<h3 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-room-for-development">ROOM FOR DEVELOPMENT</h3>



 Like other sectors, the global gaming industry to lacks representation when it comes to women, Africans, and people of color. But beyond that, it is also difficult to. sustain a career in gaming on the African continent due to lack of funding and investment. 



Sithe Ncube, the founder and director of Prosearium, an initiative to get 1,000 African women to create and self-publish their own games, says: “Sometimes you can see the common thread among communities across the continent, which is usually related to the lack of accessibility of resources when compared to the Western games industry… It is difficult to find local game publishers and financing options almost throughout the continent.” 



Her journey with gaming began in 2013 in Lusaka, Zambia, post an inspiring meeting with a local game developer. She sought out more of them, which led her to host small events teaching the tools of game development to beginners. She slowly began to realize how significant the problem was for Africans keen on entering the field. 



“Outside of South Africa, there are not many places one can study game development-related courses on the continent,” she says. 



So in 2014, Ncube moved to South Africa to study computer science and entrench herself in the local game development scene. “In South Africa, there is an art focused and often experimental approach to game development that often mirrors what you see in other places outside Africa,” she says. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:46% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="684" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sithe_Hi_Res_2_supplied-1024x684.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50895 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sithe_Hi_Res_2_supplied-1024x684.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sithe_Hi_Res_2_supplied-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sithe_Hi_Res_2_supplied-768x513.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sithe_Hi_Res_2_supplied-1536x1025.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Sithe_Hi_Res_2_supplied-2048x1367.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">It is difficult to find local game publishers and financing options almost throughout the continent. – Sithe Ncube, founder and director, Prosearium</blockquote>
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Michael Preece, an advanced gaming player based in Johannesburg, knows this only too well. He has spent thousands of hours playing hundreds of different titles across multiple platforms for over 12 years. Yet, of all the games he has played, only a small percentage of them are those developed in Africa by Africans.



“The sad reality is that most African-based gaming studios are rather small and don’t develop especially well-known IPs, [they usually develop] Indie and mobile games, which, to be frank, aren’t even remotely the biggest markets,” he tells FORBES AFRICA. 



The gaming market is competitive with established commercial game developers, yet, the cost to download content in Africa and the digital divide are crippling issues, making this field prohibitive for the talented few. But not all hope is lost. 



African creators and game developers like Moerena are rising to take on the challenge to ensure there is more African representation. Ncube says that in West Africa, there is a proliferation of locally-created mobile games and therefore, a new talent pool of people developing related skills.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-style-large is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow" id="h-i-also-suspect-there-would-be-fierce-competition-among-telcos-who-have-been-trying-to-get-into-the-gaming-business-to-try-to-fill-the-gap-in-distribution-and-sales">I also suspect there would be fierce competition among telcos who have been trying to get into the gaming business to try to fill the gap in distribution and sales.</blockquote>



In Cameroon, there are studios creating distinct intellectual property that tell local stories. In Zambia, there are young hobbyist individual developers creating and sharing games to showcase their skill. According to a report by the BBC in 2019, the video games market in Kenya was worth $50 million in 2016 and is expected to double this year. 



“As industries become more visible, we’re bound to see more variety crop up around the continent,” says Ncube, full of hope.



<h3 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-ethiopia-s-endless-creative-inspiration">ETHIOPIA’S ENDLESS CREATIVE INSPIRATION</h3>



 In Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa, a young gaming enthusiast is bringing more visibility to the industry. Dawit Abraham is the founder and CEO of Qene Games. He is also a game developer and android application engineer. 



“The industry in Ethiopia is still in its infancy with only a few active studios present. Ethiopia doesn’t have Google and Apple merchant accounts that would have allowed Ethiopian game developers to sell their games across the world. The industry is also yet to be recognized and supported by the government,” he tells FORBES AFRICA. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:38% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="400" height="400" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Dawit-Abraham-supplied.jpeg" alt="" class="wp-image-50889 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Dawit-Abraham-supplied.jpeg 400w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Dawit-Abraham-supplied-300x300.jpeg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Dawit-Abraham-supplied-150x150.jpeg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Dawit-Abraham-supplied-80x80.jpeg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">University graduates are now actively pursuing game development as a career option. – Dawit Abraham, founder and CEO, Qene Game</blockquote>
</div></div>



However, despite these challenges, the industry is alive and kicking. “Gaming communities actively get together and build games on hackathons and game jams. University graduates are now actively pursuing game development as a career option,” he says. 



“Ethiopia, as a country with more than 3,000 years of history and culture, has a large pool for creative inspiration. From the artistic styles that have been around for millennia, unique music styles, and many fascinating legends and folklore, our game developers have an endless source to feed their creativity and imagination.” 



Hubs of creativity and inspiration thus make countries like Ethiopia great places to begin when seeking ideas for original and unique games especially against the backdrop of the continent’s burgeoning creative economy. Abraham believes that as more publishers become interested in the African market, the more game developers and games we will see. 



“I expect that we would see a rise in the number of mobile game developers and also the quality of games coming out of Africa. I also suspect there would be fierce competition among telcos (telecommunication operators) who have been trying to get into the gaming business to try to fill the gap in distribution and sales,” he says. 



Augmentative Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) gaming experiences are also great opportunities for the African tourism industry to explore. Companies such as Guzo Tech in Ethiopia have received grants for their work in AR tourism showcasing the country’s historic sites.



<h3 class="has-text-align-center wp-block-heading" id="h-covid-as-a-game-changer">COVID AS A GAME-CHANGER </h3>



Meanwhile, another game developer is also representing his country in the global gaming arena. 



Cordel Robbin-Coker is a Sierra Leonean who grew up in the United States. About three years ago, he launched Carry 1st, which is a leading mobile games publisher serving first generation African smartphone users. 



“I never really thought it was conceivable to have a successful career in gaming so at some point I put my console away and got a job!” he tells FORBES AFRICA. 



He spent the first decade of his career in corporate finance and private equity. Thankfully, Robbin-Coker found his way back into the gaming industry and is making a real impact through what he knows best. As featured in Forbes, his company raised $4 million to catalyze gaming in Africa. 



Tapping into the smartphone generation was a smart move for Robbin-Coker as the African continent has the highest number of millennials and Generation Z compared to the rest of the world. 



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile" style="grid-template-columns:39% auto"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="483" height="482" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cordel_Headshot_supplied.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-50887 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cordel_Headshot_supplied.jpg 483w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cordel_Headshot_supplied-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cordel_Headshot_supplied-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Cordel_Headshot_supplied-80x80.jpg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 483px) 100vw, 483px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">We have very social hyperengaged populations. Social gaming is a perfect fit. – Cordel Robbin-Coker</blockquote>
</div></div>



“As more of them get smartphones, there is an extraordinary demand for digital services, with entertainment and connection being at the top of the list. We have very social hyper-engaged populations. Social gaming is a perfect fit,” he says. 



Over the last year, Carry 1st has been focused on completing the transition from a game studio to a regional publisher with third-party game studios. Their first publishing partnership was with Abraham’s Qene Games. With many big plans to expand, Robbin-Coker says that the pandemic has provided more opportunities to thrive than he ever thought possible. 



“For our business, we transitioned from three offices to zero. Going fully remote has forced us to strengthen our processes and our dissemination of the company culture and values. We’ve been able to recruit top industry talent in Europe to complement our strong core on the continent. The pandemic has honed our focus on what matters most as a company and in our personal lives,” he says. 



According to ironSource, a platform that builds technologies that help game developers take their game to the next level, there are 2.51 billion gamers worldwide and it is predicted that by 2022, 45.9% of the population will be mobile gamers. 



The market of mobile gaming is predicted to be worth $56.6 billion by 2024 taking up 59% of the global games industry by 2021. According to the Africa Gaming Market – Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2020-2025), mobile gaming is gaining popularity in remote parts of Africa. 



“For example, more than 290 million people in North Africa use mobile phones. The mobile market in the region generates USD 90 billion annually,” the report states. 



The scene is set in Africa, and the game has begun, with some clear winners emerging.

Rear View Of Boy Playing Video Game On Computer In Darkroom

How Africa Is Getting Its Mobile Game On!

Emma Inamutila Theofelus is Namibia’s youngest minister hoping to turn around the fortunes of Africa’s youth.



EMMA INAMUTILA THEOFELUS IS NOT YOUR average 24-year-old. She is the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology in Namibia, and at the top, represents her country’s majority demographic – the youth.



First appointed by President Hage G. Geingob as a Member of Parliament (MP), and then also as Deputy Minister in March last year, her immediate task was public communication on the government’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic.



“I have learned that in a time of crisis, people panic and are susceptible to unverified information. I have also observed that citizens need to hear the same messaging in order to start believing it and trusting the source,” says the young politician, who was born and raised in Katutura, a township in Namibia’s capital Windhoek. 



There is the obvious issue of the glaring age gap between her and the parliamentarians she works with, but she says she does not let that intimidate her.



“We all started somewhere. I am not new to leadership and can leverage the skills I have learned in my activism to make a success of this role. Quite frankly, I believe I am well on my way,” says Theofelus, also a social justice lawyer.



In her dual role as MP and deputy minister, she plans to continue influencing decisions and laws made in the interest of young people.



“In my specific role, I have set out some key goals being that of communicating the programs of government effectively and so far we have done well in setting up a Government Information Centre. Secondly, I want to optimize the use of our Multi-Purpose Community Centres which act as ICT hubs for communities who have limited access to ICT. Thirdly, I want to help bridge the digital divide in the country through the prioritization of setting up ICT infrastructure,” she says.



Previously, Theofelus has worked as the Legal Officer at the Ministry of Justice, Vice Chairperson of the Global Entrepreneurs Network Namibia Board, the Commissioner of UNESCO Namibia and Junior Mayor of the City of Windheok.



<div class="wp-block-media-text alignwide is-stacked-on-mobile"><figure class="wp-block-media-text__media"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="683" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-683x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-49652 size-full" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-683x1024.jpg 683w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-768x1152.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-1024x1536.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-1365x2048.jpg 1365w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-300x450.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-600x900.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Hon.-Emma-Thefelus-3-scaled.jpg 1707w" sizes="(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px" /></figure><div class="wp-block-media-text__content">
<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">We all started somewhere. I am not new to leadership and can leverage the skills I have learned in my activism to make a success of this role. Quite frankly, I believe I am well on my way.</blockquote>
</div></div>



“She is seen as a beacon of hope, so she has the youth vote and the youth support,” says Luis Munana, a FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 list-maker in 2019 from Namibia. “Everybody is waiting for the old guys to leave so that new change comes into the country because we are tired of the old system as it is not really serving the people.”



Theofelus adds diversity to Namibia’s government, following in the footsteps of the first woman to serve as the Prime Minister of Namibia, Saara Kuugongelwa.



The fight to advance women’s empowerment and youth development on the continent has been a top priority for many countries, which has seen most governments appoint female leaders. In neighboring Botswana, trade economist and consultant Bogolo Kenewendo was only 29 when she was appointed Minister of Investment, Trade, and Industry. In 2018, Zimbabwe appointed Kirsty Coventry, former Olympics swimmer, and world record holder, as the minister of Youth, Sport, Arts, and Recreation. Vera Daves De Sousa became Angola’s finance minister in 2019 at the age of 35.



Back in Namibia, to Africa’s youth, Theofelus says: “We are going to get this continent right.”

Hon. Emma Theofelus 2

‘We’re Going To Get This Continent Right’

Early last year, at the inception of the Covid-19 pandemic, Malawi was also battling for democracy. When Lazarus Chakwera became President in June, his win was hailed as a victory for democracy and justice. Born in Lilongwe to a subsistence farmer, the philosophy and theology graduate leads a nine-party coalition, the Tonse Alliance. He spoke to FORBES AFRICA in this exclusive interview about taking on the reins during the pandemic and his plans for the country’s future.



Q. What has changed in the few months you have been in office in the midst of a pandemic? 



A. My first week when I came into office was to change the direction of our country. Ours had been a country deeply entrenched in systematic corruption, greed, nepotism, executive arrogance, and economic atrocities committed by a huge cartel of state criminals. That’s why we are talking of changing direction for this sinking ship. That change of direction is embedded in my administration’s Super Hi5 Agenda, which is a blueprint for the plan to transform our country’s approach to governance. The tenets of this agenda are servant leadership, uniting Malawians, prospering together, ending corruption, and the rule of law. To execute this agenda, we have put together a formidable team of cabinet members committed to the renewal of Malawi, close to 40% of who are women.



Q. How have you managed to deal with the health and economic ramifications of the pandemic so soon into your new role?



A. The Covid-19 pandemic is such a colossal challenge that requires a complex cocktail of both domestic and international interventions. At a local level, we have focused on supporting our fragile health system in its provision of care for Covid-19 patients, campaigning vigorously with messages for preventive behaviors across our society, monitoring the inflow of travelers across our points of entry from Covid-hit countries, setting up a robust nationwide infrastructure for testing suspected cases, and curating innovative ways to support economic activity and income security for the most vulnerable of our people. At an international level, we have worked relentlessly to forge partnerships with other nations and international corporations to scale up and fast-track our access to and mobilization of funds, expertise, and medical supplies for our fight against Covid-19. In my capacity as President, I have also used my addresses at various global fora to call for a wide range of interventions for countries like mine, including debt cancellation and favorable terms for the movement of supplies and goods we need to sustain our fight and our economy.



Q. What initiatives do you plan to undertake in your first year in office?



A. We have no time to waste, which is why we hit the ground running. We have embarked on reforms in all the departments of government, a high priority initiative housed within the Presidency through the Office of the Vice President. Secondly, we have engaged to stimulate our economy towards both our job creation and economic productivity agendas, including the passing of a budget that delivers on our key economic promises. Thirdly, we have implemented the Affordable Inputs Program that will revolutionize the agricultural sector and guarantee food security for our rural masses. Fourthly, we have strengthened both the judiciary and law-enforcement agencies with sufficient funding and autonomy to uphold the rule of law without political interference, which now makes Malawi a stable environment for foreign direct investments. Fifthly, I have rolled out an ambitious and necessary Climate Change Agenda, which includes the inauguration of a National Clean-Up Day.



Q. Africa is one of the youngest continents, how do you plan on involving more youth in government?



A. Malawi’s population now stands at 17.5 million, of which 75% are youth and 51% are women. This means that empowering youth and women is the key to unlocking the economic potential of Malawi as a whole. To achieve this, my administration is launching the National Youth Service which I promised before taking office. In the short term though, we are training youth in business, vocational, livelihood, and technical skills. We are providing startup tools and equipment and linking the youth to financial lending institutions to commodify their innovations.



We have also embarked on a nationwide project to rehabilitate existing youth centers, build new sports centers, including the National Netball Complex and a Sports Academy. Principally, my administration intends to ensure that services rendered to young people are designed with input from young people, which is why within the first two months of my administration, I held a Youth Summit to get the best ideas from young people for implementation at the highest level.



Q. What are your plans in turning Malawi into an economic hub like South Africa or Nigeria?



A. The success of Malawi’s economy, going forward, will be anchored on a solid institutional foundation, a thriving private sector, and an environment that is conducive to foreign investment, youth and women empowerment, and zero tolerance to corruption. We will continuously carry out public sector reforms in order to achieve these goals.



Q. You have put the fight against corruption at the top of the agenda. How are you dealing with it?



A. In the first place, my administration is equipping and resourcing the arms and institutions leading the fight against corruption to ensure their autonomy, including the Anti-Corruption Bureau, the judiciary, the police service, and others. You will see that reflected in the recent funding allocations in the national budget that we presented and approved by the National Assembly. To complement these institutional efforts, I have made it my business to position my administration to lead by example in the handling of public resources, demanding that all members of my cabinet declare their assets.



Q. How will you ensure that individuals who plundered government resources are prosecuted?



A. By promoting the independence of bodies constitutionally mandated to prosecute suspects of corruption and holding those at the helm of those bodies to public scrutiny and account.



Q. There are so many expectations by Malawians that your presidency will solve almost all challenges. This could be a tall order. How do you plan not to lose the trust of the citizens?



A. Public trust is lost through lack of integrity, lack of service, lack of empathy, and lack of accountability. I plan to stay in front of these landmines by avoiding and removing anything that has the potential to foster such.



Q. What initiatives or changes will you bring to the health system of Malawi and when do you expect them to be implemented?



A. My administration’s vision for the health sector is to give all Malawians access to quality, equitable, and affordable healthcare through the Universal Health Coverage. The following key interventions will be of focus in our approach: Scaling up the provision of sexual and reproductive health services, we have a goal to eliminate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. My administration is implementing a National Strategic Plan for the HIV response, which aims at 95-95-95 coverage targets for diagnosis, treatment, and viral suppression by 2025. We are eradicating all forms of malnutrition and as a step towards that, 76 nutritionists across the country have been trained and employed to lead the efforts. Another one of my administration’s most daring goals is the eradication of Malaria, and we will soon be launching the ‘Zero Malaria Campaign’’ to support community awareness. We are strengthening Community Health Infrastructure by constructing more health posts as we work towards our long- term goal to put health services within walking distance of every Malawian.



Q. What final message would you have for Malawians and Africans across the world?



A. We can achieve more together than apart, but to work together, we must have the courage to see the things that unite us, not the things that divide us.

MALAWI-VOTE

‘Empowering Women And Youth Key To Unlocking Malawi’s Economic Potential’

With only four months to go this year, what is the inevitable uncertainty that awaits us? With a still-increasing Covid caseload, how must Africa and its battered economies learn to co-exist with the virus? A half-year report. 



With the world attempting to return to normalcy in the second half of the year, global experts suggest the worst is not over yet.



Mid-year, globally, there had been over 15 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 with more than 600,000 deaths. 



Speaking from Geneva, in June, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted we’re not out of the woods yet.



“Although the situation in Europe is improving, globally, it is worsening,” he warned.



With North America having, cumulatively, the highest incidence of Covid-19, globally, with over six million infections mid-year, Africa was at the bottom of the ranks, comparatively, with almost 600,000 confirmed cases as of July. But with fast-surging figures, the impact of the virus on the continent continues to have dire effects.



“Looks like the month of August will be the most devastating in terms of new cases and deaths,” says Dr Titus Divala, a medical doctor and epidemiologist based in Malawi.



This spike in cases will no doubt worsen the current burden on Africa’s already ailing public health systems, and in particular, will limit the attention on all other diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis.



As a result, this may lead to an unprecedented increase in preventable death, which Divala calls “Covid-19 collateral damage”.



In July, WHO acknowledged there was evidence emerging that Covid-19 is airborne. However, the organization emphasized that more research was “urgently needed”. Airborne transmission means that new infections could accelerate farther and faster.



“Until now, airborne transmission has never been on the cards. Our understanding from Chinese Covid-19 transmission dynamics data, supported by a body [of] evidence from SARS, MERS, and [previous] coronaviruses has always been that the virus spreads [via] droplets which are way bigger than aerosols [necessary for airborne transmission],” Divala says.



Experts like him caution that the emerging evidence must be taken seriously to re-orient prevention messaging before it’s too late. Particularly in Africa, where many socio-economic issues exist.



The Africa Covid-19 Community Vulnerability Index (Africa CCVI), developed by American development body, Surgo Foundation, outlines the 10 most vulnerable regions across the continent, identifying hotspots in six countries. They include the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which has four of Africa’s most vulnerable regions, and then, Malawi, with two, along with Ethiopia, Uganda, Cameroon, and Madagascar. 



South Africa has emerged as one of the world’s top hotspots for the virus.



By the third week of July, the country recorded well over 350,000 cases and 5,000 deaths with 180,000 recoveries. The continent’s second biggest economy is currently on Level 2 of lockdown restrictions.



And then, there are the myriad unanswered questions: how long before a vaccine is developed?



At the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, Shabir Madhi, Professor of Vaccinology, says Africa may likely see a Covid-19 vaccine in the first quarter of 2021.



In July, Madhi, who is also leading a vaccine trial at the university, told Reuters that the ‘ChAdOx1 nCoV-19’ experimental vaccine is one of 19 currently being tested on humans, globally. The vaccine is also being trial-ed in Brazil by scientists from Oxford University in the United Kingdom.



While trials are still in the early stages, business must go on. The second half of 2020 may see more firms attempting to return to normal operations. In terms of the education sector, South Africa has decided to continue with the academic year with some pupils going back to school as others continue classes online.



In July, via Presidential Address, Kenya announced that the 2020 academic year has been completely lost. Schools are expected to resume only in early 2021.



In terms of industry, the challenge that remains is how to rebuild business over the next few months. All businesses will need to become more agile while adopting new technology and online marketplaces. But there are opportunities in the chaos and Covid-19 has accelerated change in building a new reality and navigating the risks as the pandemic rages on.



Undoubtedly, Covid-19 may be with us longer than we anticipate. However, there is hope that African experts will offer new solutions on how to co-exist with the virus, minimize transmissions, and keep our economies and societies running. For now, corporate Africa is preparing itself.



Tshandu Ramusetheli, a Senior Specialized Finance Transactor at Investec in Johannesburg, reiterates that to co-exist with the virus, businesses will need to re-engineer their offerings and adapt to new ways of doing work.



“Most companies (in the services sector) are realizing that their employees can work effectively from home. The downtime that employees would have spent traveling to and from work, coffee breaks in the office, lunches, and general ‘chats around the floor’ have all been replaced by employees spending more uninterrupted time in front of their computers in the comfort of their homes,” he says. “The effect of this is that employees tend to be more productive working from home. Smart employers will capitalize on this and introduce employee incentives for productivity, such as flexi-work where employees work four business days out of five.”



With more focus on the home, hospitals are also now gearing towards the home-based model of treatment for milder cases. FORBES AFRICA 30 Under 30 entrepreneur and list-maker Ogutu Okudo from Kenya resorted to exercising and making her own home-based treatments when she tested positive for Covid-19. She ate foods such as onion soup, wasabi, fruits, and took Vitamin C. In five days, she had fully recovered and got tested again with negative results.



“They say corona isn’t ‘real’ until you know someone who has gone through it, and in my case, that person happened to be me,” she tells FORBES AFRICA. With nations exiting lockdowns and lifting restrictions around the world and Covid-19 continuing on its unwavering rampage, the second wave of the pandemic may soon be upon us. The question is: how much longer before a well-conceived tested cure that is available to all?



&#8211; By Karen Mwendera

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The Corona Conundrum

One man working alone at night using notebook during quarantine

Covid-19: The Ultimate Disruptor

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Forbes Africa #30Under30 List: Leading The Charge

In December, Zozibini Tunzi made South Africa – still euphoric after the rugby world cup win – proud again by winning the Miss Universe pageant in Atlanta. She also campaigns against gender-based violence and believes the world is ready to embrace a different narrative of beauty. 



From the quiet village of Tsolo in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa to the catwalks of the world, Zozibini Tunzi is the newly-minted Miss Universe, the first black South African to win the global pageant. In this interview FORBES AFRICA conducted with her before her historic win, while she was still Miss South Africa, she conveys the struggles of being a woman in her home country.



What does it mean for you to carry the title of Miss South Africa?



South Africa is a democratic country; that means it [must]
not discriminate against anyone, it should give everyone living in it equal
opportunity. The reality is that being a woman in South Africa is still a
struggle. We have come so far from the Stone Age and a lot has changed but more
can still be done. We find that women are still trying to shatter the glass
ceiling and I hope one day we won&#8217;t have to do that. 



It means that I am a representation of South African women.
I want women and young girls to look at me and see their faces reflected in
mine. 



What is the one thing you would like to change about the beauty industry?



For the longest time, the assumption of beauty has been
one-dimensional and westernized. There hadn&#8217;t been a wide range of
representation in the beauty industry for women. It has taken a while for the
world to recognize being African as beautiful. We are now slowly moving into a
space where black and being curvy is also beautiful just at it has always been.
It needs to change at a faster pace. I&#8217;m hopeful that we will soon get there.



Any anecdotes from the New York Fashion Week you attended ? 



It was one of the greatest highlights of my Miss South
Africa journey. What people may not know is that I have no background in
modeling, so for me to do a fashion show at that level, was mind-blowing. I
remember seeing the models I knew from America’s Next Top Model and thinking,
‘geez, Zozi, you&#8217;re really here doing this’. I am forever grateful to have been
able to experience that, especially with South African designers.



Who are some of your role models?



Mama Winnie Madikizela-Mandela and Harriet Tubman. What
these women have in common is their ability to be very firm in what they
believe in. They are fighters and they are fearless.



What are some of the values you live by?



Humility, kindness and respect. They are the core of
everything I live by.



What message would you like to leave young African women inspired by you?



My message to them is to never compromise on who they are and what they believe in. They should not be afraid to bend the rules even if just a little. All the greats in the world have had to fight for what they believe in so we shouldn&#8217;t be scared to do it too.

The 2019 Miss Universe Pageant – Show

‘Don’t Be Afraid To Bend The Rules’ – Miss Universe

Kirk Semple, a professor of environmental microbiology at Lancaster University, was in South Africa recently sharing ideas on how waste and water can be components of the circular economy.



IN AN UNPRETENTIOUS SUIT, TIE and glasses, Kirk Semple looks every bit the academic he is.



Flying in to South Africa from a visit to Ghana for the first time, to speak at the annual Future Of Education Summit, organized by the ABN Group on December 4, this professor of environmental microbiology at Lancaster University in the United Kingdom is part of the institution’s Recirculate project, exploring different ways in which waste water can sustain communities.



“My original love is to do with how we can use microorganisms to deal with pollution in the environment, particularly from hydrocarbons in the soil,” he says.



Born and bred in Scotland, he is the Director of International Engagement at the Lancaster Environment Centre, Associate Dean International of the Faculty of Science and Technology and Interim Director of the Future Cities Research Institute at the university.



Seated in FORBES AFRICA’s offices in Sandton, Johannesburg, Semple takes us to the complex and captivating world of microorganisms.



“They still pose that metabolic versatility to degrade or decompose [waste] and we have been using them for hundreds and thousands of years,” he says.



As part of the Recirculate project, the key focus is to protect humans from contaminated water and disease using a sustainable water treatment system.



“As a population, we produce a lot of waste so it’s about taking that waste and using it to produce energy, the so-called bio-energy. And bio-energy is a sustainable off-grid system where you can convert bio gas, which is the product of this process and is combustible, into energy, whether heat or whatever.



“What we have discovered is that waste is actually nutritionally rich. But we are not alone in this. We have been looking at ways in which we can take that waste and use it instead of inorganic fertilizers in crop production.”



This, in turn, would offer an opportunity for farmers to possess sustainable and affordable solutions to grow crops. Semple says there are huge opportunities for this project in countries like South Africa.



Together with researchers from Stellenbosch University and the University of KwaZulu-Natal in the country, he has submitted several grants for the “waste-energy-food nexus”.



Water from toilets and taps end up at a water treatment plant and a big part of this nexus is to use microbial activity to decompose this waste into cleaner water.



“I’ve always been an optimist and I see lots of opportunity to work together and fortunately, at the moment, there’s a lot of funding opportunities, whether it is from government, business, the World Development Bank, the African Development Bank or charities,” he says.



They have since received £78 million ($101 million) from the Global Challenges Research Fund, to support the Recirculate project to develop a safe circular water economy.



Semple insists collaboration is key to solving some of the world’s biggest problems.



“What is really good is how people from different African countries are trying to work together to make life better and that for me is really important given what is going on in the world politically, and given what is going on in the world in terms of the environment.”



Looking back at his journey at Lancaster University, Semple did not always see himself in the world of academia. After working at a research institute as a post-doctoral researcher in 1995, he wanted to figure out what he really wanted to do.



“I was still adamant I didn’t want to be an academic,” he says. He chanced upon a vacancy for a position at Lancaster University which was in his area of interest. However, he dismissed the thought. A couple of weeks later, he saw the same post again, but did not pursue it. The third time he saw it, destiny had its way. Semple applied for the job and the rest is history.



His fulfilling assignment in West Africa has allowed him to collaborate with more researchers across the continent and teach post-graduation students, creating better solutions for the planet’s water crises.

recyclable waste,broken bottles, many broken glass bottles from waste separation factories for recycling.

‘Waste Is Rich’

Top
Employers Institute is the global HR authority on certifying excellence in
employee conditions. For over 28 years, our firm has been dedicated to
accelerating the impact of people strategies to enrich the world of work through
certification, benchmarking, and connecting Top Employers around the world.



Through our
HR Best Practices Survey, we enable organisations to assess and improve their
workplace environment. Recognition through our programme helps companies become
elevated as an employer of choice. We certify organisations worldwide. We
recognise Top Employers based on a global four-stage programme governed by a
strict standardised process. The leading-edge international research we conduct
each year determines whether an organisation meets the required standard of
excellence for Top Employer certification.



Africa’s Top
Employers for 2020 were officially announced in November last year at the
annual Top Employer’s Certification Dinner. A record 230 organisations officially
registered to participate in the 2020 programme, 210 organisations spanning 32
African countries and 23 industry sectors were certified throughout the
evening. 96 organisations will now carry the South African certification, while
114 Top Employers from 31 other African territories will carry their country
specific certification. Top Employers Institute also recognised 17 continental
Top Employers who have achieved certification in 4 or more countries.



Billy
Elliott, Top Employers Institute Regional Manager: Africa, says that the
certification provides employers with an important quality metric that enables
them to position their brands more effectively in the attraction, retention,
and engagement of top talent. “The Top Employers Institute is not just about
certifying Africa’s Top Employers. We have seen a progression of HR in Africa
over the last few years, and it is our role to empower and advance people
strategies across the world. We are driven not just to certify but to benchmark
and connect outstanding employers around the world,” he said.



These are
organisations of the highest calibre, continuously working hard to create,
implement and advance their people practices. This group of Top Employers
provide an outstanding workplace experience, empower employees, and make the
working world a greater place.



Read more about Africa’s 2020 Top Employers in the Forbes Africa supplement <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Top-Employers.pdf">[HERE]</a>



Have you got
what it takes to be a Top Employer?



Visit <a href="http://www.top-employers.com/en-ZA/get-certified">www.top-employers.com/en-ZA/get-certified</a> for more information.

Website image 4

Africa’s Top Employers 2020

In the coastal country’s capital Accra, the South African musician savored street food and a different kind of music, in tandem with the sound of the waves.



For Unathi Nkayi, life is all about investing in experiences, be it in her music or her travel sojourns.



The popular South African musician and Idols South Africa judge has lived in and visited several countries around the world, but one of her most abiding memories of a holiday was last year in the coastal African country Ghana.



“I felt the beauty of the continent in Ghana and her pride and respect and her anointing,” Nkayi tells FORBES AFRICA.



In December, she accompanied a friend who was traveling to the West African country, and spent six days in the capital Accra, well into the New Year.



They stayed at the Mövenpick, situated on a busy street down the road from the military base, the presidential house and in close proximity to the beach.



“I’m a beach person so wherever I travel for leisure, I have to be on the coast,” says Nkayi.



On New Year’s Day, she was at one of Ghana’s most popular beaches, Labadi Beach, and it was the most beautiful she had seen – and what attracted her to it more, were the Afro beats emanating from it as she arrived at the parking lot.



The air was spiked with a medley of music, from Burna Boy to Tiwa Savage to D’banj and Wizkid.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="768" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG-0332-1024x768.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46761" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG-0332-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG-0332-300x225.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG-0332-600x450.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG-0332-768x576.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/IMG-0332.jpg 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As she sauntered closer to the white sandy shores, the music got louder and it became apparent it came from the restaurants serving food to serpentine queues of visitors on the beach.



With music in the air, and the clear blue waters of the ocean under her feet, Nkayi experienced a serene calm as she closed her eyes and shut out her city life in far-away Johannesburg.



The two-hour professional spa massage she received on the beach, with the sound of the waves in her ear, made her de-stress totally. After that, it was time for some soul food on the busy streets of Accra.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-46759" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-600x600.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-2048x2048.jpg 2048w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/GettyImages-171155842-80x80.jpg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Busy Nima area.</figcaption></figure>



“You park on the streets and your table and chairs are on the street. And then, they bring you a tank with live fish and you choose,” she says of the unique experience savoring local delicacies.



She relished her fish with jollof rice and some plantain, the local staples that took her on a culinary journey.



“It was very multicultural in that sense, and experiencing the vastness of Ghana which is absolutely beautiful.”



Apart from the food, the culture and the scenery, Nkayi greatly appreciated the people.



“They are the most gracious people I have met,” she says of their welcoming nature.



Nkayi grew up in Namibia, England and Wales, studied in the Netherlands and Spain, has traveled to France and Belgium, but says nothing compares to visiting countries like Ghana.



“There’s a grace and respect I feel that I don’t feel in the rest of the world,” she says. “It is almost royal.”



She was especially impressed with the way Ghanaian men treat women.



“They adore women… there’s a deliberate acknowledgement of the feminine presence of power,” she says.



Hailing from a country where the femicide rate is one of the highest in the world, she was struck by these genteel attributes.



“For example, there are certain things I do not wear in South Africa. There are certain parts of my closet I only go to when I go on holiday [to places like Ghana], and that is because I know that the West African man will not whistle at me, and he will not call me ma bhebheza [meaning ‘my baby’ as a form of cat-calling].



“There’s an adoration West Africa has for women that I don’t get to experience in any other part of the world,” she says, adding this is something all countries could learn from.



More on Ghanaian hospitality: on one particular morning in Accra, she and her friend visited a local couple who cooked them a three-course meal for brunch.



Alcohol of every kind was offered, including some of the finest from Nkayi’s home country, South Africa.



But what she loved most was the sauce that accompanied her meal.



“There’s a Ghanaian fish sauce I love called shito,” she says.



It’s a hot pepper soup that consists of fish or vegetable oil, ginger, dried fish, prawns, crustaceans, tomatoes, garlic, peppers and spices.



The couple gifted her with three jars of shito that they made, which she carried back home, and thrust into her freezer, so she could enjoy them for longer.



And what can South Africa learn from Ghana?



“Everything!” says Nkayi.



“We need to be more open, and we need to be more hospitable. We need to look at our own continent the same way we marvel at traveling to America or Europe… Africa is beautiful and I marvel at how complex she is.”



Nkayi hopes to visit Ghana again, but not just yet.



Her next trip is to another pristine beach, at Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean, for the carnival in February 2020.

H&M reveals collaboration with African brand Mantsho

#ExecutiveTravel: Unathi Nkayi’s Ghana

A pick of some of the weirdest, coolest tech that could come hurtling our way this year. 



<ol class="wp-block-list"><li>A bot that delivers
toilet paper</li></ol>



Forgot to instal toilet paper in the loo? The Charmin RollBot is designed to carry a roll of toilet paper on two wheels. With the press of a button on your phone, the RollBot will help with your sanitary requirement.



Using Bluetooth, the bot will commence its mission; an infra-red sensor able to navigate its way to you. According to Business Insider, there&#8217;s no price or release date for RollBot, nor is it clear if it will ever be released as a consumer product. Charmin calls RollBot a &#8220;conceptual prototype”. The brand unveiled the bot last month at the CES 2020 expo in Las Vegas.



2. The Cyrcle phone



If for any reason you got bored of your rectangular handset, the circular phone is always an alternative offering a different view and take. According to the makers, the phone was designed with the Generation Z, female audience in mind. It’s round and features two headphone jacks. The device was designed by a US-based startup delivering a shape that it says is more “sensual”. The company reckons it will be ready to launch in a year’s time.



3. A smart bed



There’s nothing like a good night’s sleep. But it’s not always possible to have the best sleep every day. Or is it? There is a bed that’s guaranteed to give you your beauty sleep the way you want it.



Sleep Number Climate 360 has a mattress with features that warm your feet to help you sleep faster. It will also help you stay asleep by cooling your body, and balance your temperature with your natural wake and sleep cycles.



But what’s most intriguing is the fact that the bed also gives you a Sleep IQ score for personalized sleep insights. It measures your heart rate, breathing and movement, tracks your circadian rhythms and can show how your heart rate varies. The smart bed received the CES 2020 Best of Innovation award and is only expected to be available in 2021.



4. Self-changing trash can



For those who dread taking out the trash, this device is possible a no-brainer. Apart from its motion sensors to detect when you need to throw trash, when it’s full, it will automatically seal the trash bag and line the bin with a new one, all with a press of a button.



Even if the bin is overflowing, the top compartment will lift up so it can still seal the bag shut without any mess. The bin, called the Townew bin, was designed by a Canadian company, Knectek Labs.



5. Vertical TV



Just when we were getting used to wider TVs, it seems taller screens may soon be coming to your living room. Samsung’s Sero TV vertical-oriented will soon be hitting markets.



The TV can not only work in the traditional horizontal format, but is also able to turn on its side for playing vertical videos in portrait style.This might come in handy when watching videos from social media platforms such as TikTok or Instagram that deal primarily with vertical videos.



It sits on a stand that prevents it hitting the floor when turning, and can be paired with a phone so that it automatically orientates it correctly based on what’s beamed from the handset. According to TechRadar.com the pricing and availability are yet to be revealed, but the Sero will be leaving Korea and is headed to the US and “several global markets” later this year.

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The Top 5 Emerging Crazy Tech

In Johannesburg, city-dwellers like Linah Moeketsi have taken the future of sustainable farming into their own hands. Where land is becoming scarce, they look to the skies. 



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Doornfontein is one of Johannesburg’s older inner-city
suburbs with decaying buildings and dingy alleys that wear a dour, monochrome
look. 



Daily commuters and street surfers jostle with delivery vans and mountains of metal scrap but the grey of the concrete city makes it hard to believe that there could be a patch of green in a most unlikely location.



READ MORE| <a href="https://www.forbesafrica.com/focus/2019/09/16/no-seat-at-the-global-table-for-indigenous-cuisine/">No Seat At The Global Table For Indigenous African Cuisine</a>



Above the humdrum of life here is a rooftop hydroponics farm
looking down on the city, but upwards to a new route to restoration and urban
preservation. 



Atop the eight-floor Stanop building – offering a
breath-taking view of the city and the landmark Ponte Towers in the distance –
one woman has made it her mission to turn a grimy grey terrace into a green
lung on the city’s skyline.



“City life is taking on a totally new direction… even people who think they couldn’t one day farm, find themselves on rooftops,” Linah Moeketsi tells FORBES AFRICA.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42474" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0057.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Moeketsi grows herbs, used to treat non-communicable diseases (NCDs), in a 250m x 500m greenhouse on the building’s terrace. But her rooftop farm is sans any soil – it uses a hydroponics system.



“I think because we are in the city and we would like to produce for people in the city, hydroponic farming is one of the answers because you can actually harvest more than twice the produce, and the growth rate is quicker and there is produce that you can have throughout the year that people demand because it is in a controlled environment,” she says.



On a windy Wednesday morning in October, we meet Moeketsi at
her aerial green facility, a couple of days before she is to send some of her
plant produce to the market.



She talks about her journey as an offbeat farmer. It all started when her father fell ill in 2013, when doctors failed to correctly diagnose his disease.



“They couldn’t see that he was diabetic. He didn’t show the signs of diabetes, but he had this foot ulcer that just wouldn’t go away,” she says.



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">&#8220;The future of city farming is great simply because we have more and more young people getting into this space. Even though it&#8217;s farming, they are looking at it from a very different angle. </blockquote>



Moeketsi decided to do her own research, so she read up
books on African medicinal plants and used some herbs that belonged to her late
mother, who had been a traditional healer.



“It took me a good eight months to help my dad and I
actually saved him from having an amputation.”



The news of Moeketsi curing her dad’s diabetes using herbs
spread. Sadly, her father died in 2016, at the age of 87. But she is proud to
have helped prolong his life.



“So he passed away in his sleep, not sick, nothing, he was just old. But he was always grateful; he was like, ‘even when I die, I’m going to die with both my limbs’, so we would make a joke about it.” 



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After her father’s demise, Moeketsi rented some land and
turned her knowledge on natural herbs into a fully-fledged farm. However, when
the owner of the land returned, she was forced to vacate.



Land was always going to be a problem in the city. But instead of giving up, Moeketsi looked to the skies.



“Because of this passionate drive for an answer, I found
myself researching what’s happening outside Gauteng and South Africa, and I saw
in Europe, they were farming on rooftops,” she says.



In 2017, her dream became a reality when she secured a deal with the City of Johannesburg as part of an urban farming program, and started the rooftop project a year later.



When we visit her greenhouse, we are welcomed by the sweet
lingering scent of herbs. It’s hot and humid, and two fans whir away to cool
the air.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="681" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-681x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42472" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-681x1024.jpg 681w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-300x451.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-600x902.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-200x300.jpg 200w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-768x1155.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043-1022x1536.jpg 1022w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0043.jpg 1277w" sizes="(max-width: 681px) 100vw, 681px" /></figure>



Moeketsi walks around the greenhouse wearing dark glasses and a white jacket, with a syringe in hand – she could easily pass off as a medical doctor.



She elaborates on the hydroponics system. There are four pyramids, each attached to their own reservoirs of water. On each pyramid, different plants, ranging from spinach, lettuce, sage, parsley, basil and dill, rest on beds with pipes connecting them to the reservoirs. Moeketsi plucks out one of the pipes and inserts the syringe; water spouts out of the tube and she returns it to the bed.



“Twice a day, you have to check that water is actually going
through the pipes, because that’s how the plants get water and nutrients,” she
explains, as she unblocks a pipe using the syringe. She says it’s one of the
best ways to farm using little water.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42473" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0083.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



“When you put in certain plants in the greenhouse, you know
you are guaranteed sustainable farming because you can produce those plants and
harvest them,” she says.



Moeketsi adds that this allows her produce to stay
consistent season after season.



“So, from that point of view, it makes the city more sustainable in terms of food produce that is easily accessible and cost-effective for the consumer because not everyone around here can afford the high prices of food but they can at least afford what we sell, whether it is at R10 ($0.5) or R15 ($1).” 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42475" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0108.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As Moekesti continues to tend to the plants, a farmer she works with walks in and begins filling up the reservoirs. 



Lethabo Madela has known Moekesti for almost six years.



“When you look around Johannesburg, there is no space, so
rooftops have saved us a lot, especially those of us that love farming,” says
Madela. “I’m learning a lot and I think she [Moekesti] changed the whole concept
of farming for me because I used to farm vegetables. I didn’t know culinary
herbs or medicinal herbs.”



Moeketsi speaks of other farmers around the city who have taken to the rooftops to farm plants such as strawberries, lemon balm, spinach and lettuce.



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In a suburb called Marshalltown, a 10-minute drive from
Moeketsi’s farm, Kagiso Seleka farms lemon balm also using hydroponics.



He produces sorbet and pesto from his produce which is then
used to make ice cream.



“It [hydroponics] is great for farming sensitive plants in
terms of temperature. Lemon balm does not like frost. But it’s better to grow
even out of season so you can set a higher price,” he tells us.



However, he says hydroponics farming is a luxury not many
farmers can afford.



“It [hydroponics] does have a bit of a higher capital upfront, but you get a higher yield and higher quality, so people are willing to pay more. Hydroponic planting saves about ninety five percent of water soil farming in a water-scarce country,” says Seleka. 



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“We do have water shortages, and I know people are on the
whole ‘organic trip’ but, is it more important to have an organic plant versus
a water-saving environment?” 



The Program Coordinator for Agriculture at the City of
Johannesburg’s Food Resilience Unit, Lindani Sandile Makhanya, says there
certainly are more rooftop farmers in Johannesburg now than ever before.



Converting idle terraces into avenues of profit is becoming
a norm. There are new rooftop farms being set up every day, offers Makhanya. 



He regularly visits Moeketsi’s farm to check on the progress
and collect produce to sell.



“Urban farming in Johannesburg is rising, mainly because the
idea of producing our own food is very important because most people are moving
to urban areas and therefore it stands to reason that we have to try to produce
as much as possible,” says Makhanya.



“[There is growth] even in animal production, although we are moving away from the bigger numbers, but we are involving the smaller ones; because of the space issue, they are increasing overall.” 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="681" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088-1024x681.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42476" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088-1024x681.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088-300x200.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088-600x399.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088-768x511.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/DSC_0088.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



For Moeketsi, her farm has changed her life and given her
hope for a better future. In addition to the teas, tinctures, ointments and
medicinal products she processes from her plants, she plans to include more
by-products such as syrups in the future.



“The future of city farming is great simply because we have
more and more young people getting into this space. Even though it’s farming,
they are looking at it from a very different angle,” she says. “That is why the
city is changing and rooftop farming is going to get bigger and bigger.” 



Clearly, farming in Africa is covering exciting new ground.

DSC_0093

Green-Sky Thinking

The world of comic books is dominated by stories from the West. Two South African brothers are helping reshape that narrative with a central character inspired by the iconic hero.



Nelson Mandela had his own following at the recent Comic Con Africa convention at the end of September in Johannesburg.



At the center of all the organized chaos at the event at the
Gallagher Convention Centre attended by 71,000 visitors over four days was a
comic book bearing the late South African president’s name created by brothers
Phemelo, 28, and Omphile Dibodu, 25.



The comic book, Young Nelson, features an African superhero,
for readers in the continent and beyond.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="819" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-819x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42302" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-819x1024.jpg 819w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-300x375.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-600x750.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-240x300.jpg 240w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-768x960.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n-1229x1536.jpg 1229w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/69712219_2127595184208556_1696296882583633920_n.jpg 1536w" sizes="(max-width: 819px) 100vw, 819px" /></figure>



Co-founders of Rainbow Nations Comics, a black-owned comic book and publishing company established in 2018, the Dibodu brothers were born and bred in Rustenburg, known as ‘platinum city’, in South Africa’s North West province. 



Far from their hometown, the duo were in the big city for
the event, showcasing their creations to an adept audience – people dressed as
superheroes, cyborgs and zombies – who crowded around their stand and were as
colorful as the comic books they were thumbing through. 



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“Wow, that looks cool, who is Young Nelson?” asked a curious
bystander.



Phemelo was ready with his answers even as his brother
assisted with more queries.&nbsp; 



“Young Nelson is a proudly South African black comic book inspired by the late Nelson Mandela,” responded Phemelo.



In front of him, on the table, a large poster of Young Nelson, featuring a young black male with the South African flag over his shoulders and a gold-colored map of Africa emblazoned on his shirt.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="960" height="960" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42307" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n.jpg 960w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n-600x600.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/70915590_2143969049237836_5672567550701993984_n-80x80.jpg 80w" sizes="(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px" /></figure>



This day saw the launch of the very first issue of Young Nelson titled An Act of Kindness, for R20 ($1.3) a copy.



Phemelo, the writer, and Omphile, the illustrator, say they
were inspired by Mandela and some of their own life experiences growing up.



“I think I wanted to pay tribute to the old man in a way
that it would hopefully inspire others to look at him in the way that many
South Africans see him,” says Phemelo to FORBES AFRICA.



In the story, ‘Young Nelson’ gets his nickname when he volunteers at a local boxing gym. The people watching him witness his skills and ability to solve problems, so they equate him to the young Mandela, who was famously a boxer in his youth.



“[The lead character] doesn’t like the nickname at first but
once he sees the significance of it and his heroics, how they are taken up by
the community to represent who they are, he takes the name and rolls with it
and that’s his superhero name going forward with the series,” Phemelo explains.



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Young Nelson’s real name in the comic is actually ‘Thabo Mo
Afrika’, inspired by South African president Thabo Mbeki, who succeeded
Mandela.



“ ‘Mo Afrika’ is a generic surname [which] translated into
English is ‘an African’. So I wanted to see every African seeing themselves in
Young Nelson,” Phemelo adds.



The young writer’s plan is to take his product to bigger markets, but for now, the African comic industry is a tough market to capture for lack of any funding.



“Imagine getting paid for what you are doing. That would [make a] big difference. Once people realize that their art can be compensated, more of us will actually start creating content the world would want to start reading,” he says. 



Bill Masuku, a speaker at the Comic Con event and who is
also a digital artist, shares the same sentiments.



“In Zimbabwe, where I am from, it is pretty grassroots.
Everyone is self-publishing and if you don’t really have a passion for it, the
book won’t come out,” says Masuku, who has been a part of the African comic
industry for over three years. He is the founder of Enigma Comix Africa, and
creator of Razor-Man and Captain South Africa. 



“As much as new creatives are coming out every day, what
really makes the comic book industry is distribution. And seeing that [Young
Nelson] has such widespread potential really makes me hopeful for where we are
going,” says Masuku.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1024" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-1024x1024.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-42303" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-1024x1024.jpg 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-300x300.jpg 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-100x100.jpg 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-600x600.jpg 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-150x150.jpg 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-768x768.jpg 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-1536x1536.jpg 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n-80x80.jpg 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/53559971_409471066265829_2304970625718228030_n.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



For comic books to thrive on the continent, they need a big
financial push from publishers, distributors or investors, unlike any other
medium.



The Dibodu brothers were fortunate to have been sponsored by
the Rustenburg Herald, a weekly local newspaper in Rustenburg.



“The problem with creating by yourself is that you can only
create at a certain rate and you do burn out. So you find people who have been
making comics who have three or four issues out and it’s easy to forget about
them as a consumer,” he adds.



Globally, platforms like Weekly Shōnen Jump in Japan make it
easy for Japanese creatives to publish their work as the comic book and manga
industry is thriving there, making it one of the best-selling magazines. Weekly
Shōnen Jump has sold over 7.5 billion copies since 1968.



But the African comic industry has a long way to go.



Kugali, a digital platform founded by three entrepreneurs
and friends from Nigeria and Uganda, is designed to help people find and share
the best African narratives and comics. It is an entertainment company that
focuses on telling stories inspired by Africans, offering much-needed exposure
to young creatives such as Masuku and the Dibodu brothers. For now, the
reception the Dibodus are receiving give them some hope.



“It’s been awesome and inspirational. I didn’t know people
felt the same way as me. It’s amazing when people are [reading] the story of
the character and people are saying ‘you know what, that’s what we need’,” says
Phemelo. At the end of Comic Con, they managed to sell over 300 copies of Young
Nelson.



“People are catching onto the culture. I think it might even
grow bigger than the American industry only because I think we are a very
artistic community… Whether you look at the hieroglyphics in Egypt or the cave
paintings by the bushmen in South Africa, we draw,” he says.



He also plans to sell his comics to local book stores in the country.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="1018" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-1024x1018.png" alt="" class="wp-image-42306" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-1024x1018.png 1024w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-300x298.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-100x100.png 100w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-600x597.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-150x150.png 150w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-768x764.png 768w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-1536x1527.png 1536w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster-80x80.png 80w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Young-Nelson-Poster.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The team is currently working on their next creation – a
black African female superhero called Imbokodo.



“We are looking for new creators we can partner with and
create our own justice league, our own Avengers, to actually have young kids in
South Africa look at their heroes the same way Americans look at their heroes
in the Comic Cons to come.” 



Young Nelson is a refreshing reminder that not all heroes wear capes.

RNC – Phemelo Dibodu (left) and Omphile Dibodu (right)

Colors For Mandela

In a world that’s embracing new technology, inspiration is
being found in bug behaviour. The hard-bodied dung beetle is now key to
robotics research, in Africa too.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



Under a scorching African sun in the Kalahari Desert, 70kms
outside Vryburg, a town situated in the North West Province of South Africa,
researchers from the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits in South Africa) and
Lund University, Sweden, monitor the movements of a dung beetle in windy
conditions.



The insect, with a rotund body and metallic luster,
resembling a miniature cyborg, is expertly rolling away a ball of dung,
oblivious to the gaze of science.



The researchers aim to explore more about what influences
the dung beetle’s movements.



They find that it uses visual cues such as the sun,
polarized light, color gradients, intensity gradients in the sky, and even the
Milky Way, as external reference points.



The insect uses the sun as a direction tool but what happens
after dusk? The researchers find that in windy conditions, the dung beetle
switches from using the sun as a navigator to using the wind.



Astounded by this discovery early this year is Marcus Byrne,
one of the researchers from Wits.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="932" height="618" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marcus.png" alt="" class="wp-image-41746" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marcus.png 932w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marcus-300x199.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marcus-600x398.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/marcus-768x509.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 932px) 100vw, 932px" /><figcaption> Marcus Byrne, one of the researchers from Wits. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure>



Having studied dung beetles for over 20 years, he believes
that this new knowledge from a tiny being could influence the bigger world of
artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics.



“We have gone from massively complicated to as simple as
possible, using insects as a model,” he says.



In Byrne’s office at Wits, dozens of dung beetle replicas
sit on his bookshelf that’s also heaving with thick volumes and encyclopedias
on entomology.



A large poster of a dung beetle, almost in flight, hangs on a wall. To tech geeks and film buffs used to the sci-fi genre, this would look more like a still from the Transformers movie series.



Byrne excitedly scavenges for an apparatus used to
illustrate how the dung beetle’s brain works.



The insect has a navigation feature, such as switching from
the sun to the wind, and an orientation feature that Byrne explains in detail.



Orientation means the dung beetle is able to maintain its
body in a straight line to a specific direction, whilst navigation means that
it is able to know where it is, relative to something else. 



Being able to switch between the two is an amazing skill for
insect life to have, according to Byrne.



Some dung beetles can operate with one of the systems while
others can operate with both.



For Byrne, the dung beetle species the researchers worked on
was only able to use its system of orientation.



“What makes this feature of the dung beetle key to
researchers and robotics, is that unlike other insects such as the bee, the
dung beetle does not need to be trained to do an experiment,” he says.



“She will just roll the ball if you put the dung ball down.
And if she is in the mood, she will roll that ball,” he says. 



When a dung beetle is in searching mode, it uses its sense
of smell to find the dung.



After the dung is found, it rolls it up into a ball and then switches to a visual system to recognize the ball. 



<blockquote class="wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow">“It switches its brain from smell to vision. And we think that that’s because it has a very limited set of neurons. It probably has less than a million neurons in its brain.”</blockquote>



The dung beetle, despite the size of its brain, can process
information and decide which sensor to use.



“They are scanning the horizon to look for a large dark
object against the horizon and that’s probably a ball, and you could teach a
robot to do that,” adds Byrne.



“What you have is a compass with a fallback system that if one
cue is not available, another one can be incorporated and if all of the visual
cues fail, it still has a mechanical cue,” he says.



In this way, Byrne suggests, it could aid in the development
of robots and AI.



“This is the sort of thing that the air force, GPS and
anyone who wants to orientate across the planet, [would] want their machines to
be able to do,” he says.



“What if the power goes off and what if the battery goes
flat or someone shoots down the satellite? Now, you have a natural full-proof system
that does not require any external energy inputs, it just uses the signals in
nature.



“This is what we can learn from insects, you can solve what
appears to be a complex problem by actually having a very simple set of rules,”
he says.



Learning from the beetle brain



The dung beetle has a miniscule brain, with less than a
million neurons, when compared to the brain of a human being which has over 100
billion neurons. 



But despite this, the beetle is still able to use its
neurons to process two different sets of inputs at the same time, and can pick
from a wide array of inputs to complete a task at any given time.



“It can choose between the polarized light input and the sun
input using the same neuron, it just codes the information in a different way,”
Byrne says.



When it reads polarized light, the spikes in the neurons are
a different pattern from when it reads sunlight.



“This is also dead cool because you have limited computing
power and you don’t have to build a new transistor or a new wire or a new gateway
for this information. 



“You can use the same communicating system. You just code
the information differently.



“It is very difficult to convince even an intelligent
computer what is the most important piece of information it needs to deal with
at any given time,” he says.



After learning about Byrne and his work on dung beetles from
an online article, another professor from Wits was interested to see how they
could collaborate.



Benjamin Rosman is a principal researcher at Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in South Africa’s capital Pretoria
with a focus on machine learning, AI, robotics and automation.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="928" height="615" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Benjamin1.png" alt="" class="wp-image-41747" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Benjamin1.png 928w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Benjamin1-300x199.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Benjamin1-600x398.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Benjamin1-768x509.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 928px) 100vw, 928px" /><figcaption> Benjamin Rosman principal researcher at Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure>



He also spends his time lecturing at Wits teaching
bright-eyed students about the world of robotics, something he is passionate
about.



“Robotics and AI have a long history and relationship with
understanding living organisms,” Rosman says. 



He grew up interested in making computer games but later
found AI and robotics much more intriguing.



Now, he believes that the world of robotics has a thing or
two to learn from insects. 



“On the one hand, you can look at insects to solve robotics’
problems and it’s a general thing we do in AI because there’s already a proof
of concept. Living creatures can do intelligent things,” Rosman says.



Robots can be built from understanding the way the insect
brain works,&nbsp; for example, the artificial
neuron networks Byrne mentioned earlier.



But the roles too can be reversed where these robots can
help humans understand insects.



“So you can study these natural phenomena to get a better
idea of how to build robots or systems or solve problems, and the flip side of
that is you can build robots that help you understand the natural phenomena,”
Rosman says. 



Insects saving lives? 



With modern inventions such as self-driving cars at the cusp
of commodification, the word ‘autonomous’ is on everyone’s minds.



Byrne believes that insects such as the dung beetle also
have a say in this.



But, forget self-driving cars, Byrne believes learning from
the dung beetle could also potentially save lives.



He explains how this could work in a life-threatening
situation.



If a robot is programmed to navigate and orientate like the
dung beetle, it could do so autonomously if sent into a building that is
burning.



The robot would be able to maneuver around the building,
find people and alert where the humans are trapped in the building even without
being programmed.



“It’s a life-saving device that even if it gets burned in
the building, it is not a big deal,” Byrne says.



On another continent, a researcher from Scotland created
robots inspired by insects.



&nbsp;Barbara Webb, a
professor of robotics at the University of Edinburgh, has been studying insect
behavior to build robots for over 10 years.



<div class="wp-block-image"><figure class="aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="388" height="597" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Barbara.png" alt="" class="wp-image-41751" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Barbara.png 388w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Barbara-300x462.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Barbara-195x300.png 195w" sizes="(max-width: 388px) 100vw, 388px" /><figcaption> Barbara Webb, a professor of robotics at the University of Edinburgh. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure></div>



“Recently, we focused on navigation behavior in insects; so
how ants and bees are able to get back to their nests. They started by keeping
track of how fast they have moved in each direction and so we have a few
hypotheses on how they do that and what brain mechanism is behind that,” she
tells FORBES AFRICA.



By studying the insects’ brains, she and her team were able
to implement and test out the theories they had and built a robot that used a
similar mechanism.



One of the robots they built was made of wheels, a mobile
phone and mirrors to keep track of their navigation and recognize a route to
detect familiarity.



“Insects typically have 360-degree vision and so we try to
copy that by having a mirror near the camera to have that kind of 360-degree
view,” she says.



“The main reason we are interested in looking at them is
because they have managed to do this kind of behavior such as navigation with
very small brains, and if you compare that to self-driving cars, which has had
very successful research now, but they depend on having very complicated, very
detailed sensing, lots of information about the maps of the world that they are
moving in and very high degrees of computing, and yet none of them are
available to the insect but they still manage to get around very well,” she
says.



Is it a bug, robot or cyborg?



The material environment has always taken inspiration from
insects and animals.



Biomimicry, as it is called, is an innovative approach to
the design and production of materials, structures and systems modeled on
biological entities. 



Some examples can be seen in modern-day inventions such as
the bullet train, inspired by the kingfisher, or wind turbines modeled after
humpback whales, and the list goes on.



But an entrepreneur and multi-disciplinary artist in the
United States has taken biomimicry to a whole new level.



Ever seen a cyborg-looking-beetle with machine-made parts
looking like something out of a sci-fi film?



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="866" height="435" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/beetle7.png" alt="" class="wp-image-41749" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/beetle7.png 866w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/beetle7-300x151.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/beetle7-600x301.png 600w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/beetle7-768x386.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 866px) 100vw, 866px" /><figcaption> Cyborg-looking-beetle by Mike Libby. Picture: Supplied </figcaption></figure>



Well, Mike Libby, founder of Insect Lab Studio in Maine,
incorporates this form of aesthetics to his contemporary designs.



He customizes preserved insect specimens with mechanical
components, to create art that illustrates science-fiction.



His journey began when he found a dead beetle, dissected it and incorporated into it with watch parts and gears making it look like something out of a Transformers film. 



“There are a lot of different things in science fiction and
there are a lot of things in real science that create context for this type of
work to develop,” he tells FORBES AFRICA. 



He collects beetles from licensed dealers all over the
world, including Africa.



One of the beetles he has collected is the African flower beetle that feeds from the pollen and nectar of flowers. Its biological name is Cetonidae/Eudicella Gralli Orientalis and is 3.5 inches wide.



Libby customized this beetle with his own idea of an
exoskeleton, giving it brass and steel parts, gears, a crown, springs, screws,
watch jewel, pulley and belt.



Today, he sells these pieces for $500 to over $8,500 to
clients all over the world.



<figure class="wp-block-image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="615" height="578" src="https://www.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Beetle6.png" alt="" class="wp-image-41748" srcset="https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Beetle6.png 615w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Beetle6-300x282.png 300w, https://cms.forbesafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Beetle6-600x564.png 600w" sizes="(max-width: 615px) 100vw, 615px" /><figcaption> Cetonidae/Eudicella Gralli Orientalis created by Mike Libby. Picture: Supplied</figcaption></figure>



“Just a couple of weeks ago, I sold a small beetle to a
gentleman in France whose wife’s birthday was coming up and I think that’s
where 50% to 60% of the gifts end up, as special gifts,” he says.



He has also created art using crabs and lobsters.



If he can do this using dead bugs and broken technology,
imagine what the next few years could be with moving AI, robotics and living
insects?



Perhaps we are closer than we think to living in a world with one of the Transformers’ contraptions next door.



<h4 class="wp-block-heading">Africa’s dung idea</h4>



There are about 800 species of dung beetles in South Africa
alone, and a wider variety of them on the rest of the continent.



With all this wealth of insects and diversity on our
content, it is safe to say that Africa is at a higher advantage than most to
develop technological solutions from the natural environment.



With AI and the fourth industrial revolution on the rise,
Africa should have clear advantage to merge AI, robotics and insects.



Rosman believes the same.



“I think we have a lot of opportunity here. In the research
space, we are always looking for what are the advantages of being in Africa.
And I think one of the things we can think about is this kind of natural
diversity,” he says.



“The diversity of animals we have here is another big
strength which can come into the way we think about machines doing intelligent
things.”



Therefore, for Africa to get ahead, ideally, we need to
leapfrog into such technologies. 



However, there are challenges.



“There’s the technical challenges of how do we build these
systems that can work in those kind of ways. Then there are questions around
how it interacts with our politics, particularly the unemployment situation,”
Rosman says.



The big question, Rosman says is: “Should we be spending
government money on building autonomous dung beetles?”



However, the plus side of such innovative tech is the
potential it has to encourage young Africans to get involved in STEM (science,
technology, engineering and math) fields.



It is important to educate and inform the masses on such
trends and how it could enhance our daily lives. 



As tech advances, it is possible that we will live in an
autonomous world where we don’t have to tell our tech what to do, it will
already know what to do and when.



“That’s the world we want to live in, that our technology
helps us without us even having to think about it… and I think that’s the kind
of thing we could get more easily by studying how animals and insects interact
in these kinds of ways,” Rosman says. 



Dung may be the currency for the beetle, but maybe the
beetle can be the currency for our technology.



With the natural environment at our finger tips, Africa may
just have the potential the world has never seen before, thanks to a small,
unassuming, rotund insect with a steely resolve.



<hr class="wp-block-separator"/>



The Power Of Rolling Stones



In the
1960s, dung beetles from South Africa were introduced in Australia to help
improve the quality and fertility of cattle and reduce the population of flies
that feed off cattle dung.



The African
dung beetle was also introduced in North and South America for the same reason.



Dung
beetles assist with nutrient recycling, aeration, soil penetration and pest
control.



“They are
massively important in any agricultural economy,” Byrne says, adding that the
value of dung beetles is in the billions as they play a crucial role in natural
and agricultural ecosystems.

Author: Karen Mwendera

FORBES AFRICA SOCIAL MEDIA