Mpho Rantao - The African Mirror

May

14

2026

The song of Maria McCloy

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

IF there is a name associated with a city, it's Maria McCloy. Maria didn't just love Johannesburg, she breathed it; she was part of the heartbeat of the city. A child of Africa, growing up in Maseru, Lesotho, and Maputo, Mozambique, she wanted to create and curate a space of stories told from an African perspective. She did just that. If you needed information for a cultural event, wanted details on an artist, or a story about the city's latest cultural growth, Maria was the answer. As someone just over half her age, I saw McCloy as a gatekeeper of sorts…

Mar

18

2026

By Mpho Rantao

Morocco handed AFCON title after Senegal are stripped

FOOTBALL

TWO months after they were crowned champions, had a trophy tour in their nation's capital and awarded lucrative bonuses, Senegal have been stripped of their mantle as African football champions. Morocco have been named the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Champions after the Confederation of African Football (CAF) appeal board made a landmark decision, overturning Senegal's helm as the champions of the 2025 tournament following an appeal made by Morocco. The night in question involved a goal scored by Ismaila Sarr that was disallowed before Morocco were awarded a late penalty following VAR intervention. In protest to the call, Senegal…

Jan

15

2026

By Mpho Rantao

Nick Cassidy & Citroën capture glory in Mexico

MOTORSPORT

NICK Cassidy started 2026 on an exemplary note, winning the Mexico City E-Prix at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez. Cassidy handed his team and newcomers to the Formula E World Championship series (FE), Citroën, their maiden win, setting themselves up as a forthcoming and fascinating team to watch as the season progresses. Edoardo Mortara delivered for Mahindra, securing second and his first podium of the season, as Formula E's defending champion Oliver Rowland (Nissan) followed in third to notch his second podium of the campaign. “I'm so so happy with that,” Cassidy exclaimed post-race. “I mean, with Citroën, what a first…

Aug

06

2025

By Mpho Rantao

Two Ghana cabinet ministers killed in helicopter crash

NEWS

GHANIAN Defence Minister Edward Omane Boamah and Environment, Science and Technology Minister Ibrahim Murtala Muhammad have died in a tragic helicopter crash that killed eight people on board, according to Ghana's government. The Ghanaian Armed Forces reported that a Z9 air force helicopter heading towards Obuasi, a town northwest of the capital, had disappeared off its radar after taking off from its hangar in Accra just after 09:00 GMT. The statement said that five passengers and three air force crew members were on board. "The President and the government extend their condolences and solidarity to the families of our comrades and…

Jul

13

2025

By Mpho Rantao

Mitch Evans take victory in Berlin E-Prix

MOTORSPORT

MITCH Evans surged to his second win after 11 races at the Berlin E-Prix this weekend, steering clear of the on-track chaos to clinch a crucial win ahead of reigning Formula E champion Pascal Wehrlein and third-place finisher Edoardo Mortara. Starting from pole position and battling poor visibility throughout the race, Evans stayed cool and put on a commanding display to lead every lap. Jaguar’s strategic gamble finally paid off for the New Zealander, who rebounded from a string of retirements and low-grid finishes that had dulled the momentum of his season-opening victory in São Paulo. "[It was] tricky conditions,…

Jun

14

2025

By Mpho Rantao

When the Bubble of Whiteness Becomes the Room

THOUGHT LEADERSHIP

HAVE you ever heard of the term 'white fragility'? It was coined by Dr. Robin DiAngelo in a 2011 academic paper and later expanded into a bestselling book called White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism. It refers to the defensive responses white people often exhibit when confronted with conversations about race, racism, and inequality. These reactions of denial, avoidance, minimisation, serve to maintain comfort and avoid the discomfort of acknowledging racial injustice. In curated spaces—be they art institutions, award shows, or national policy—this fragility is often disguised as “neutrality” or "universalism". Tyler, The Creator…

May

28

2025

By Mpho Rantao

A LIGHT THAT ILLUMINATED CINEMA IN AFRICA, WORLD: Remembering Presley Chweneyagae

NEWS

THE golden statue stood gleaming under the Hollywood lights that March evening in 2006, when Tsotsi claimed South Africa's first-ever Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. At the heart of that triumph was a young man from the townships whose raw talent and authentic spirit had captured the world's attention. Presley Chweneyagae didn't just act in Tsotsi - he breathed life into a character that would forever change how the world saw African cinema. Now, as news of his passing at just 40 years old reverberates across continents, the entertainment world has lost not merely an actor, but a…

May

27

2025

By Mpho Rantao

FINAL CALL: Award-winning ‘Tsotsi’ star Presley Chweneyagae has died at aged 40

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AWARD-winning South African actor Presley Chweneyagae died on Tuesday morning, according to a statement released by the actor's talent agency, MLA. Chweneyagae rose to stardom in his breakout role as 'Tsotsi' in the titular film, where he played the lead, David/Tsotsi (meaning "criminal" in South African Tsotsitaal slang), a young street thug who steals a car only to discover a baby in the back seat. He starred alongside actress Terry Pheto, and the pair was praised for their roles in the film along with the director, Gavin Hood. The film won the Best International Feature Film at the 2006 Academy…

May

16

2025

By Mpho Rantao

Nissan’s Oliver Rowland seeks team home win in Tokyo

MOTORSPORT

THIS week, Formula E (FE) fans say Konnichiwa as Tokyo’s streets play host to the next two rounds of the championship. The Japanese city’s street circuit has been revised and shortened from its first iteration used in the 2024 season. The current layout measures approximately 2.58 km, featuring the removal of the chicane at Turn 16 and track widening at several corners to improve flow and overtaking opportunities. After a favourable reception following its inaugural ePrix, the accelerating battles between the 24 drivers for the FE World Drivers’ Championship are bound to deliver drama, chaos, and elation as they cross the start-finish…

May

05

2025

By Mpho Rantao

South Africa’s Blitzboks cap off season as 2025 Sevens Series Champions

SPORT

SOUTH Africa closed off a rather challenging Rugby Sevens season with a triumphant win in the United States, at the Los Angeles Sevens tournament, to win the overall men's series title. Africa's most successful rugby men's Sevens team fought against finalists Spain to win 19-5 , to cap an unbeaten tournament campaign and claim their first world series title since 2021. https://twitter.com/Blitzboks/status/1919201782930039040 The Blitzbok's clinical attack moves outplayed the Spanish outfit, with massive tries scored by Zander Reynders and Selwyn Davids, who was named Player of the Final. The team managed to keep Spain away from their tryline with solid defence,…