Lifestyle Archives - Page 3 of 5

THE SILENT KILLER: How diabetes breaks the heart before you even know it

13Nov

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

THE SILENT KILLER: How diabetes breaks the heart before you even know it

By Sitha Maliwa: The numbers are staggering and terrifying. Across the world, diabetes is quietly tightening its grip on millions of lives. According to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), 537 million adults between the ages of 20 and 79 are living with diabetes, roughly one in ten people. Even more alarming is that almost half have no idea they’re living with the condition. This global health crisis is not slowing down. By 2030, that number is expected to rise to 643 million, and by 2045, a jaw-dropping 783 million people will be affected. And here at home, South Africa is not spared. Diabetes has become the second biggest killer in the country, according to research by Wits University. As of August 2024, an estimated 4.2 million South Africans, about...

WALKING IN MADIBA’S FOOTSTEPS: Thousands to honour Nelson Mandela in Annual Remembrance Run

7Nov

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

WALKING IN MADIBA’S FOOTSTEPS: Thousands to honour Nelson Mandela in Annual Remembrance Run

By Sitha Maliwa: Twelve years after the passing of Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, South Africans will once again lace up their running shoes and take to the streets of Tshwane - not merely to race, but to remember. The Mandela Remembrance Walk and Run (MRWR) returns on Sunday, 7 December 2025, a powerful annual tribute to the global icon whose footsteps continue to guide a nation’s conscience. Hosted by the Nelson Mandela Foundation (NMF) and the Gauteng Department of Sports, Arts, Culture and Recreation (SACR), the event unites athletes, families, and dreamers under one banner -to honour Madiba’s towering legacy of justice, equality, and unity. The race begins and ends at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, the very seat of the democracy Mandela helped forge. P...

MOËT, MACARONS & MASTERPIECES: A Night of Timeless Luxury at Shemer’s Sandton Launch

4Nov

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

MOËT, MACARONS & MASTERPIECES: A Night of Timeless Luxury at Shemer’s Sandton Launch

By Sandiswa Naki Red carpet entrance at the Shemer Sandton Launch (Image supplied) World-renowned luxury jewellers, Shemer’s new flagship store that opened in high society Sandton, proves that when it comes to luxury, a timepiece truly is the ultimate investment. Luxury That Tells Time and a Story Luxury watches aren’t just statement pieces anymore; they’re becoming serious investment assets. A recent Swiss study even revealed that top-tier timepieces are outperforming traditional investments, including property in South Africa. That’s exactly what Shemer, one of South Africa’s most established jewellers, celebrated with the opening of its brand-new flagship store at Nelson Mandela Square. The event theme “Moët, Macarons & Masterpieces” set the tone for an ev...

A GEM OF THE CITY: Sandton City Diamond Walk sets the standard for luxury in Africa

22Oct

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

A GEM OF THE CITY: Sandton City Diamond Walk sets the standard for luxury in Africa

By Thobile Jiwulane: (Images: Courtesy of the Sandton City) Global luxury brands in the heart of Johannesburg, including Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Cartier, Bvlgari, Versace, Burberry, and Dolce & Gabbana Each year, thousands of people travel to Johannesburg for one reason only - to shop at the Diamond Walk at Sandton City.This stretch of pure indulgence has become the ultimate destination for luxury on the African continent, drawing both international visitors and local fashion devotees, who know they do not need to leave Africa to shop the world’s most prestigious brands.The global names behind the glamourThe Diamond Walk is home to a remarkable bouquet of fashion, jewellery, and accessory brands that are usually associated with London, Paris, or Dubai. But here, shopper...

THE GREAT HOME AWAKENING: Spring 2025 redefines interior style

30Sep

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

THE GREAT HOME AWAKENING: Spring 2025 redefines interior style

By Zenoyise John: Spring 2025 has arrived - not with a gentle breeze, but with a full-blown design revolution. Across South Africa, living rooms are shedding their winter skins, bedrooms are waking from their slumber, and entire homes are undergoing dramatic, soul-deep transformations. This isn’t just a seasonal refresh. It’s a rejection of the cold, impersonal spaces that dominated the last decade. The once-revered greys and hard lines of minimalism are being cast aside in favour of warmth, texture, and life. Interior designers are declaring war on blandness - and homeowners are finally listening. “We’re entering an era of emotional interiors,” says Cheryl Herweg, founder of Changing Spaces Interior Design. “It’s not about what looks good for a photo. It’...

FROM MOP TO MASTERCHEF: Nonny Vellem’s rise to the top

13Aug

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

FROM MOP TO MASTERCHEF: Nonny Vellem’s rise to the top

By Sitha Maliwa: In the heart of Cape Town, where luxury kitchens hum with precision, one woman’s story sizzles hotter than any stove. Nonkosi “Nonny” Vellem didn’t start with a chef’s knife in hand - she began as a cleaner, sweeping the floors of The Table Bay Hotel. Yet, amid the clatter of pots and the aroma of high tea, she discovered her true calling: pastry. “I fell in love with pastry from the first moment I saw it,” Vellem recalls, her eyes lighting up. “I had no experience, just passion and curiosity.” Six months of cross-training later, she moved to the kitchen permanently, her talent impossible to ignore. The hotel sent her to the South African Chefs Academy, where she earned her diploma and set her sights on bigger dreams. Today, Vellem is the execu...

THE HEADPHONE DILEMMA: What no one tells you before you press play

13Aug

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

THE HEADPHONE DILEMMA: What no one tells you before you press play

By Sitha Maliwa: You’re standing in an electronics store, blinking under the cold glow of overhead lights. Shelves are lined with glossy boxes screaming for your attention - promises of “pure sound,” “immersive bass,” and “next-gen noise cancelling.” Your heart pounds. Your wallet whispers caution. The sales assistant hovers like a hawk. You just want headphones. But what kind? In the age of too many choices, the simple act of listening to music has become a warzone of specs, marketing fluff, and overpriced tech. Before you blindly hit “Add to Cart,” stop. Ask yourself what kind of listener you really are. Because the wrong headphones won’t just be a waste of cash - they’ll sabotage your sound. 1. Fit: The first betrayal Ever tried running with over-ear h...

HOMEOWNERS: Your bond may be the key to survival

30Jul

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

HOMEOWNERS: Your bond may be the key to survival

By Sitha Maliwa: (Image: Creazilla) As National Savings Month draws to a close, the numbers don’t lie: South Africans are under siege. Skyrocketing food prices, fuel hikes, power instability - it’s a slow grind, and it’s eating into every budget. For many households, the question isn’t how to save - it’s how to survive. But right now, quietly and without fanfare, thousands of homeowners may be sitting on one of the most underused financial tools available: the funds tucked away inside their home loans. It’s called access funds - money that becomes available through overpayments on a home loan - and it could be a critical buffer in times like these. “A home loan is more than debt. When used wisely, it becomes an incredibly useful tool to support your broader finan...

WORLD HEPATITIS DAY: Breaking down barriers to awareness and treatment

28Jul

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

WORLD HEPATITIS DAY: Breaking down barriers to awareness and treatment

By Sitha Maliwa: Today, the world unites to shine a light on one of the most persistent and under-recognised global health challenges: hepatitis. Marked under the theme “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” World Hepatitis Day 2025 focuses on increasing awareness, dismantling stigma, and expanding access to prevention, testing, and treatment. Hepatitis refers to inflammation of the liver and is most often caused by viral infections. Five main viruses - hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E - are responsible for the majority of cases. While hepatitis A and E usually lead to short-term illness, hepatitis B and C can linger in the body for years without symptoms, gradually causing serious damage such as cirrhosis, liver failure, or liver cancer. Despite the severity of the...

WHY SO MANY WOMEN ARE SINGLE: Choosing self, peace and purposes

25Jul

By News SANo Comments

Lifestyle

WHY SO MANY WOMEN ARE SINGLE: Choosing self, peace and purposes

By Sitha Maliwa: Oprah In a world that is constantly evolving, more and more women are choosing to remain single - and it's not because they can't find love. It's because they are finding themselves. From the outside, society often places a timeline on a woman’s life: finish school, find a job, get married, have children. But a growing number of women are boldly rewriting that narrative, placing self-growth, financial freedom, and emotional peace at the centre of their life choices. Dr Asiphe Ndlela, a Johannesburg-based psychologist who works closely with women navigating relationship dynamics, explains that the shift is both psychological and cultural. “Many women are healing from generations of emotional neglect, inequality, and toxic love patterns,” she...