Afternoons with Relebogile Mabotja

First known as 'The African Drum', the magazine was launched by Robert Crisp, a journalist and broadcaster, supposedly to depict Black South Africans as 'noble savages'. The South African government allegedly sent copies abroad to make evident their success in managing the 'Bantu'. The content consisted mainly of tribal preaching and folk tales, and despite a readership of about 20 000, the magazine was not financially successful.

Paul Kaseke, Sessional Lecturer, School of Law, University of the Witwatersrand was on the radio with Azania this afternoon discussing the possibility of a South African government without deputy ministers. The South African government recently outlined several measures to cut its running cost. This includes a R7 billion reduction in the public sector wage bill over the next three yearsas well as a reduction in travel costs, entertainment budgets, catering expenses and restrictions on conferences.

Tea is the second most consumed drink in the world, surpassed only by water. An often-surprising fact to tea novices is that all teas (Black, Green, Oolong, White, and Pu'erh) come from the same plant. The scientific name of this versatile plant is Camellia sinensis (it's actually related to the lovely camellia flowers seen in botanical gardens and landscapes). Dilhan C. Fernando is the younger son of Dilmah Founder, Merrill J. Fernando. The names of Dilhan and his brother Malik form the 'Dilmah' brand, the first producer owned tea brand.  Dilhan C. Fernando was today’s master teache. He taught us all about tea; the types, flavours, how to taste and brew your favourite cup of tea.

Your fingernails — composed of laminated layers of a protein called keratin — grow from the area at the base of the nail under your cuticle. Healthy fingernails are smooth, without pits or grooves. They're uniform in color and consistency and free of spots or discoloration. Sometimes fingernails develop harmless vertical ridges that run from the cuticle to the tip of the nail. Vertical ridges tend to become more prominent with age. Fingernails can also develop white lines or spots due to injury, but these eventually grow out with the nail.

Taking great photographs of food is a hard-earned skill—after all, that's why some people are lucky enough to get paid for it. But it's also a lot easier to hone these days, no matter who you are; even a smartphone can yield gorgeous, high-quality images.  Sure, professional cameras and lenses—provided you know how to use them—can make taking a great photo easier, but they're by no means necessary to the process. Just think of all the amazing Instagram feeds out there. What separates magazine-worthy photos from their less impressive counterparts isn't a fancy camera or expensive equipment. It's an understanding of what it takes to compose an appealing image and the confidence to execute your vision.

Itchy skin is an uncomfortable, irritating sensation that makes you want to scratch. Also known as pruritus (proo-RIE-tus), itchy skin may be the result of a rash or another condition, such as psoriasis or dermatitis. Or itchy skin may be a symptom of a disease, such as liver disease or kidney failure. Depending on the cause of your itchy skin, it may appear normal. Or it may be red or rough or have bumps or blisters. Long-term relief requires identifying and treating the cause of itchy skin. Itchy skin treatments include medications, wet dressings and light therapy. Self-care measures, including using anti-itch products and taking cool baths, also can help.

Simon Boyle, Senior Manager: Logistics, Independent Electoral Commission was our master teacher in today’s Master Class edition focussing on the ballot paper. A lot has changed for SA elections since the country’s first democratic elections in 1994. Ballot papers have gotten longer, broader and more tech savvy, while ballot boxes morph into more environmentally friendly containers. Simon gave us a lesson on the history of the ballot paper, security measures used to prevent duplicates and whether or not the paper will be soon phased out, allowing the introduction of electronic voting devices and systems.

An important component in the conversation around sexual violence is the issue of consent. What constitutes consent and how do societal values influence this? Can you rape or sexually assault a person unintentionally, because you assumed consent through their actions? One of the possible solution to this dilemma has been going traction in universities across the U.S. and it is the concept of affirmative consent.  Simply put affirmative consent is an idea/standard that requires the person who initiates sexual contact must receive a VERBAL YES (affirmative consent) from the other person before engaging in any sexual activity -- and that consent must be on-going throughout the sexual encounter. 

Author, Zakes Mda, shares his transitions throughout his life from studying in Switzerland to the inspiration behind his latest novel titled Little Suns.702's Azania Mosaka spoke to the literary giant, who now resides in the United States, regarding his most recent work. Zakes described his work as inter-textual you see because they draw from historical texts, from original primary sources and from the oral tradition.

Azania spoke to Hugh Masekela about the upcoming shows which sees him reuniting with Abdullah Ibrahim.