Lifestyle Archives

FROM JOHANNESBURG TO ATLANTA: Gallery MOMO takes Mukheli and Blaai to the world stage

18Sep

By News SANo Comments

Culture, Lifestyle

FROM JOHANNESBURG TO ATLANTA: Gallery MOMO takes Mukheli and Blaai to the world stage

BY SITHA MALIWA: Blessing Blaa (Image: Supplied) From the streets of Soweto to the grand halls of Atlanta, two South African artists are taking their stories, visions and distinctly African voices to one of America’s most dynamic art fairs. Gallery MOMO will present acclaimed artists Fhatuwani Mukheli and Blessing Blaai at the Atlanta Art Fair, running from 1 to 4 October 2026 at Pullman Yards in Atlanta, USA. For Gallery MOMO, the appearance marks more than a first at the Atlanta fair. It is another chapter in the Johannesburg gallery’s steadily expanding American footprint - one that has seen it exhibit at EXPO CHICAGO since 2019 and present Mukheli and Blaai at Chicago’s Navy Pier in April this year. Now, the spotlight moves south to Atlanta. The...

Where the smoke meets the flame: American barbecue finds common ground with the South African braai

18Sep

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

Where the smoke meets the flame: American barbecue finds common ground with the South African braai

BY ZEE: (Image: U.S. Embassy) Smoke curled into the Johannesburg air as beef hit the flames, bringing two culinary worlds together - Kansas City barbecue and the unmistakable South African braai. At the Johannesburg Culinary & Pastry School (JCPS) in Meredale, American chefs Vaughn Good and Guy Danforth turned up the heat for a culinary exchange that was as much about culture as it was about cooking. Hosted as part of the U.S. Diplomatic Mission to South Africa’s Public Diplomacy Culinary Arts Envoy Programme, the showcase formed part of Freedom 250, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States. Good, owner and executive chef of Kansas City’s Fox and Pearl restaurant and a 2020 James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: Midwest, brought ...

FROM RAMOTSWA TO THE GLOBAL STAGE: Kelebogile Marope makes history with FNB Art Prize

14Aug

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

FROM RAMOTSWA TO THE GLOBAL STAGE: Kelebogile Marope makes history with FNB Art Prize

BY SITHA MALIWA: A young artist from the quiet Botswana village of Ramotswa has broken through one of contemporary Africa’s most fiercely contested artistic spaces, making history as the first Botswana artist to win the prestigious FNB Art Prize. Kelebogile Marope has been named the recipient of the 2026 FNB Art Prize, turning years of painstaking work with sculpture, drawing and mixed media into a career-defining breakthrough. Her victory, announced on 2 August, comes as FNB Art Joburg enters its 19th edition and reinforces the fair’s commitment to discovering and elevating Africa’s most compelling artistic voices. For Marope, however, the prize represents more than recognition. It is a moment in which Botswana’s contemporary art sce...

PASTOR ENOCH F. PHIRI: A Journey of faith, pain and restoration

22Jul

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

PASTOR ENOCH F. PHIRI: A Journey of faith, pain and restoration

By Katlego Rammusa: For many people across South Africa and the African continent, Pastor Enoch F. Phiri is a familiar face on television - a respected evangelist whose messages of hope, faith and restoration have inspired countless viewers. As a television preacher, author and public speaker, Pastor Phiri has spent years using media platforms to proclaim the Gospel, strengthen families and address the challenges facing modern society. His ministry has reached diverse audiences, earning him recognition as a voice of encouragement during difficult times. Yet behind the public ministry lies a deeply personal story of heartbreak, resilience and restoration. A PERSONAL CRISIS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING After 18 years of marria...

Hobhouse doctor advances to Miss South Africa Top 24

2Jul

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

Hobhouse doctor advances to Miss South Africa Top 24

By Rorisang Rampheteng: Growing up in the small Free State town of Hobhouse, Palesa Mandie van Rooyen always dreamed of competing in the Miss South Africa pageant. Today, that dream is one step closer to coming true after she secured a place in the Miss South Africa 2026 Top 24 final. Van Rooyen, a medical doctor, submitted her entry on 17 May and waited anxiously until 19 June when the finalists were announced. "It had been a long and stressful day at work when my phone suddenly started flooding with congratulatory messages. I called my sister, who was driving ahead of me, and we pulled over to celebrate. Passing trucks even hooted in celebration with us. I couldn't believe it, but I was overwhelmed with joy," van Rooyen...

FROM PARIS TO PEERS AND FISHER: Where eyewear becomes art

23Jun

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

FROM PARIS TO PEERS AND FISHER: Where eyewear becomes art

By Sitha Maliwa: In a world dominated by mass-produced fashion and predictable trends, true originality is becoming increasingly rare. Yet, tucked away in the leafy suburb of Dunkeld West in Johannesburg, a quiet revolution in eyewear is unfolding = one that connects the elegance of Parisian design with South African individuality. For more than three decades, Peers and Fisher Optometrists has built a reputation for exceptional eye care, blending clinical excellence with a passion for style. Founded in 1992 by optometrists Michelle Pencharz and Shana Cohen, the practice has become synonymous with personalised service and carefully curated eyewear that goes beyond functionality. For Michelle and Shana, glasses are not merely medical devi...

BEAT THE EXAM PANIC: The Habit That Changes Everything

4Jun

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

BEAT THE EXAM PANIC: The Habit That Changes Everything

By Sitha Maliwa: As thousands of South African Grade 11 and Grade 12 learners prepare for one of the most important examination periods of their academic careers, a silent battle is unfolding behind bedroom desks, kitchen tables and school libraries across the country. It is not a battle of intelligence. It is not a battle of talent. It is a battle against time. For many learners, the coming weeks will determine more than just report card results. Their performance could influence admission into university programmes, unlock bursary opportunities and shape future career pathways. Yet education experts say the difference between top-performing learners and those who struggle often comes down to a surprisingly simple habit: effective time ...

Teboho Goes to the Semis With Hope to Pass Through to the Final

16May

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

Teboho Goes to the Semis With Hope to Pass Through to the Final

By Katlego Rammusa: With the semi-finals of the Mrs South Africa 2026 pageant around the corner, it's time for our readers to participate in the contest by voting for their fairest and dignified woman and potential winner whose heart is attached to the community, family, women upliftment while dedicated to her profession. The 38-year-old television producer, Teboho Mthimkhulu, is waiting for your vote to push her to go through this tough and crucial stage of the contest. At her age, this media personality is shaping a career that reflects the evolving landscape of South Africa’s media industry—blending traditional broadcasting with a growing focus on storytelling and public engagement. Born in Boksburg and now based in Centurion, Mthimkhulu h...

A NEW ERA OF LUXURY: Lindiwe Kunene redefines fine jewellery with LDK Jewels

11May

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

A NEW ERA OF LUXURY: Lindiwe Kunene redefines fine jewellery with LDK Jewels

By Sitha Maliwa: Beneath the glare of polished glass and the silence of locked vaults, something new is being forged in South Africa’s luxury landscape. Not just jewellery - but identity cast in gold, memory set in diamonds, and meaning carved into metal. From this vision emerges LDK Jewels, a contemporary fine jewellery house founded by Lindiwe Kunene, redefining what it means to wear luxury. This is not an adornment for ornament’s sake. It is storytelling made tangible. There is a language the earth speaks long before any jeweller lays a hand on stone - a language of pressure, time, and transformation. Deep beneath African soil, diamonds are formed in silence, and gold is refined through heat and patience. These elements do not rush. ...

A NATION ON A PLATE: Eat Out 2026 celebrates the power of South African cuisine

8May

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

A NATION ON A PLATE: Eat Out 2026 celebrates the power of South African cuisine

By Sitha Maliwa: There is something happening inside South Africa’s culinary world - something bigger than fine dining, bigger than restaurant trends, bigger even than food itself. A cultural awakening is unfolding on the plate, and the 2026 edition of Eat Out arrives at the centre of it all. For nearly three decades, Eat Out has documented the rise of chefs, celebrated fearless creativity and captured the heartbeat of a food industry constantly reinventing itself. But the newly released 2026 issue feels different. It does not simply observe South Africa’s dining scene - it announces its arrival onto the global stage. From the moment the pages open, the magazine pulls readers into a world where food becomes memory, identity, art and rebellio...