LIFESTYLE - The African Mirror

Apr

25

2025

The trust factor: How modern influencers navigate digital ethics

LIFESTYLE

IN today's digital landscape, where anyone with a smartphone can potentially reach millions, what separates truly influential voices from the crowd isn't just follower counts or viral content - it's trust. The recently released 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer reveals a striking statistic: 70% of consumers distrust messaging from business leaders. This scepticism has created fertile ground for influencers, whose more relatable personas often resonate with audiences seeking authentic connections. "The currency of life isn't money. It is not even time. It's attention," notes Naval Ravikant, highlighting why the ability to direct audience attention has become such a valuable commodity in…

Apr

22

2025

By TINASHE MUSHAKAVANHU

Zimbabwe’s house of stone: the gallery that showcases a famous sculpture tradition

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ZIMBABWE is the house of stone, both literally and figuratively, with its very name derived from the ancient stone city of Great Zimbabwe. Stone is more than just a material here – it’s the totem pole of the country’s identity, shaping both its history and artistic legacy. And there’s no better place to witness this than Chapungu Sculpture Park. On the outskirts of Harare’s industrial zone, the sprawling estate is both a gallery for stone artistry and a living landscape, home to over 90 varieties of indigenous trees, with a tributary of the Mukuvisi River running through it. Art and…

Apr

19

2025

By BONFACE ORUCHO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Botswana is stepping into the spotlight in bid to become Africa’s next film hub

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

BOTSWANA is borrowing a page from South Africa’s cinematic playbook and strategically deploying film-friendly policies to revitalise its creative economy and position the southern African nation as an international filming hub. According to Mary Bohanze, a film tutor at the South African Film Academy, early adoption of supportive policies and legislation has been vital to turbocharging South Africa’s film industry, “which is now a regional benchmark.” “South Africa’s success has created a gravitational pull for regional players. Botswana’s emergence shows how one strong market can catalyse growth in neighbouring countries.” South Africa's film and TV sector has long been a…

Apr

18

2025

By KYLIE THOMAS

Ernest Cole: the South African photographer at the centre of a powerful and heartbreaking film

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

ERNEST COLE is famous for photographing the everyday realities of South Africa’s racist apartheid system. His 1967 book House of Bondage ensured his damning critique of the white minority regime was seen by the world. But its publication sent him into exile, and he was banned at home. The startling discovery of a vast archive of his work in a Swedish bank vault in 2017 has returned him to public view. House of Bondage was republished in 2023, and then, in 2024, celebrated Haitian filmmaker Raoul Peck made Ernest Cole: Lost and Found. It would win the documentary prize at…

Apr

17

2025

By SETH ONYANGO, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Ethiopia’s viral dating show eyes Africa with Swahili and Pidgin dubs

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE afternoon sun slants through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Metasebia Yoseph’s office, casting a harsh glow on potted plants and vibrant abstract paintings that line the walls. The co-founder of D!NK Multimedia leans forward, her voice animated, as she recounts the journey of Latey: Looking for Love — a reality TV show that has upended Ethiopia’s cultural scene. Filmed in sleek Addis Ababa lounges, bowling alleys and ice-skating rinks — a far cry from Western clichés of coffee ceremonies — the show’s 10 female contestants navigate love, ambition, and societal expectations, all while racking up millions of YouTube views. Latey…

Apr

14

2025

By The African Mirror

Africa Creator Festival launches in Cape Town, marking new era for continental content creators

LIFESTYLE

AGAINST the picturesque backdrop of the JC Le Roux Brand House, in the picturesque Cape Winelands, the inaugural Africa Creator Festival (ACF) made its official debut on April 8, bringing together over 20 influential content creators from across the continent in what organisers describe as a watershed moment for Africa's digital storytelling landscape. The brainchild of founder Jolene Roelofse, the launch event served as both a celebration and strategic gathering ahead of the full-scale festival scheduled for June 7 in Johannesburg. Attendees included a carefully curated mix of micro and mid-tier travel and lifestyle influencers, media professionals, and industry stakeholders.…

Apr

11

2025

By CLAIRE ISABELLA GILMOUR https://theconversation.com/profiles/claire-isabella-gilmour-1345375 PhD Candidate, Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Bristol

Tutankhamun: plain-looking mud trays in pharaoh’s tomb have been key part of complex afterlife rituals

LIFESTYLE

MORE than 100 years after the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun in the Valley of the Kings, new interpretations of the burial are still emerging. A recent article published in the Journal of Egyptian Archaeology proposes that a set of seemingly plain, functional objects are in fact a key part of the complex rituals which would ensure the transformation and regeneration of the young king in the afterlife. Tutankhamun inherited a throne tainted by the shifts in religious and political practices implemented by his father, Akhenaten. His reign had been hallmarked by the move from the capital city of…

Apr

11

2025

By The African Mirror

Keyshia Cole live in SA this month

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

THE highly anticipated Keyshia Cole: Live in South Africa tour taking place later this month is almost upon us. The show organisers revealed the incredible local talent set to share the stage with the Grammy-nominated superstar. Keyshia Cole, known for her powerhouse vocals and soul-stirring performances, has etched her name in music history with chart-topping hits like 'Love', 'Heaven Sent' and 'Let It Go'. Her magnetic stage presence and raw, emotional lyrics have earned her a devoted fanbase worldwide – and South Africa is no exception. Get ready for an electrifying experience! Joining the upcoming tour is none other than…

Apr

09

2025

By LUCY DURÁN

Amadou Bagayoko: the blind Malian musician whose joyful songs changed west African music

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

AMADOU Bagayoko (1954-2025), iconic Malian guitarist, singer and composer of the famed duo Amadou & Mariam – known as “the blind couple of Mali” – passed away on 4 April in Bamako. He was 70. The married singers, who met when she was 18 and he 21, took traditional Mali music and blended it with Western rock and many other influences to shape a whole new sound that was both rich and playful. They would sell millions of albums for hits like Sunday in Bamako and Sabali. They would tour the world, opening the 2006 men’s Football World Cup, closing…

Apr

05

2025

By IRVIN KINNES

Inside an urban terror network: book reveals how police finally cracked Pagad gang violence in Cape Town

LITERATURE

A campaign against gangsterism in Cape Town, South Africa led by the People Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) turned violent in the mid-1990s when a group known as Pagad G-Force began what became known as an urban terrorism campaign. Lives on the Line, written by security analyst David Africa, is the true story of the secret team in the country’s crime intelligence division that waged a six-year battle against the terror group – and won. The terror campaign was brought to a standstill in 2002. Criminology professor Irvin Kinnes sets out why it’s a riveting read, a bold tell-all account…