Nine months later
Remember the Women’s Shutdown last November, when South Africans demanded that gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) be treated as the emergency it is? Nine months after GBVF was officially classified as a national disaster, the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide has finally held its first meeting. But are women any safer? More than 50,000 GBVF cases were reported between April and June alone. Declarations are one thing, but this is a conversation we cannot let slip out of the spotlight. Ever.
Masked cowboy
Imagine Roy Orbison meets Elvis, add rhinestones, cowboy boots, a fabulous fringed mask and a distinctly queer spin on old-school country, and you’re somewhere near Orville Peck. He’s been around for a while, but with his new album, Mule, out on September 18 and the ridiculously catchy Already Gone on repeat, it’s time to get acquainted. Oh, and one more thing. The mysterious masked cowboy was born Daniel Pitout. In Joburg. Yep, Orville Peck is South African.
King of horses
South African equestrian legend Enos Mafokate, known as the “King of Horses”, has died aged 80. Starting out as a stable hand during apartheid, he became the country’s first black showjumping champion, breaking barrier after barrier in a sport that was overwhelmingly white and elite. In 1980, he took his talents international, competing in Britain. In 2006, he founded the Soweto Equestrian Centre, opening up the world of horses and riding to young people who might otherwise never have had the chance.
