What to expect as SMag marks 30 years of SA democracy

Published with four different covers, the April “Fab 30” issue of SMag marks 30 years of SA democracy.

Gracing the covers are musician Zoë Modiga, presenter Nomalanga Shozi and Skeem Saam actor Hungani Ndlovu – all born in 1994, setting off the age of “born-frees” in SA.

The last cover features soccer legend Lucas Radebe, who reflects on his 1994 transfer to Leeds United, which triggered his stratospheric fame.

While the issue is out tomorrow, here are some highlights to look forward to:

Modiga on being a "born-free": “Being a "born-free" is so layered. After 1994 there was this idea of a rainbow nation [with] democracy and more opportunities. We were born under a different system and there was so much promise about it being a melting pot. While it was a beautiful thing, the older you get the more you realise there is a lot of legacy from the previous way of living with oppression, that it’s still running through in whispers in our everyday lives. You will still be stereotyped and racially profiled – we have inherited those problems. There is that shadow that keeps following us.”

Shozi on her lowest moment in showbiz, where she ended up sleeping in the public restrooms at the airport: "I felt so undeserving of my brand. This one time, I took off my wig, my Nomalanga ‘The Flame’ wig that made me, and used it as a pillow. I took out all my clothes from my suitcase and arranged them on the floor in one of the toilet cubicles to create a bed. Those toilets stank. I cried my eyes out. That was embarrassing.”

Radebe on his 1994 transfer to Leeds United: "It changed not only my life but also the game. We (Radebe and the late Phil Masinga) took that opportunity to another level. We realised we were stepping into the limelight not just for us but for everyone who couldn’t get that opportunity to be recognised internationally."

Radebe on the current state of soccer in SA: "We could have done better, having hosted such great sporting events. That should have taken our game to the next level and the disappointment is that we didn’t take advantage or use that as a stepping stone to improve our football. We need to bring the youth in to play a role. We are supposed to be a reference for the youngsters on what football is like. It feels like the current players don’t look back and take pride in what we have achieved through the game, so that they can see themselves rewriting history."

Ndlovu on fatherhood: “At first, I thought I wasn’t doing enough as a father. What does it mean to be a father? Being someone from the acting world, I would research my characters, but when it came to fatherhood, I couldn’t find any information on it. It was only by the time our daughter was six months that I realised that I was doing it and it’s enough.” 

The issue is out on Friday April 5. Available for free inside when you purchase Sowetan on that day.