Caster’s career threat unites South Africans
CASTER Semenya is truly a South African hero.
The outpouring of support for her by South Africans from all walks of life as she undergoes another intrusion into her life is testament of the love the country has for the 800m phenomenon.
With good reason, too.
After all, what the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) is trying to do through its new rule requiring female athletes to reduce their testosterone level to a specific amount in order to be allowed to compete is nothing short of a witch-hunt against our beloved Mokgadi – a witch-hunt that began the moment it became clear this child of the soil was going to be an unstoppable force in her chosen field – the two-lap race on track.
And as they usually do when one of their own is attacked, South Africans rallied behind her and made it clear to the IAAF that “you touch her, you have all of us to contend with”.
Semenya will be out in Switzerland when the international athletics body puts its cards on the table as it strives to prove that the world champion from Moletjie enjoys an unfair advantage over her opposition due to her high levels of testosterone.
But when she boarded the plane to Europe, she would have been aware of the general stance taken by her compatriots – right up from her running friend Akani Simbine through Banyana Banyana coach Desiree Ellis down to ordinary South Africans – that “let our Caster be who she was born to be”.
It is this kind of support that has seen her overcome a ban from competition a few years ago to return even stronger and obliterate the opposition.
And Semenya would have left for the hearing knowing that a whole country not only views what she is being put through as inhumane, but also will be consulting all the different deities they believe in to be with her throughout and give her success.
That she has in her corner a team of experts made up of what could easily be termed a UN also speaks volumes about the fact that it is not only us – her fellow countrymen and women – who believe the IAAF is out of order.
That much should be proven by the end of the hearing and Semenya will return home to yet another hero’s welcome. A FORMER Kimberley pupil and now a budding South African designer, Thebe Magugu has been crowned the winner of the International Fashion Showcase (IFS) 2019 at the London Fashion Week.
Magugu was born and raised in Kimberley and matriculated at St Patrick’s College before studying Fashion and Apparel Design at Lisof Fashion School in Johannesburg.
The IFS describes Magugu as “a contemporary South African fashion brand primarily operating within the field of women’s ready to wear, while having a firm footing in accessories and small multidisciplinary projects”.
“Adhering to his values of quality, novelty and culture, he is constantly seeking new ways of presenting women with clothing that both complies with and enhances the everyday.”
Magugu is inspired by the women who played important roles in his life.
At this week’s IFS, Magugu, whose presentation combined motifs from Africa’s past with a forward-looking, global approach, was awarded the honour from a judging panel that called him “a leader of his generation”.
This year’s project saw 16 creatives from across the globe given the chance to represent their respective countries via a series of immersive installations showcasing their menswear and womenswear collections and exploring the issues of politics, sustainability, identity and heritage.
In an Instagram post sharing the news of his win with his followers, Magugu said he was “overwhelmed by emotions and gratitude,” adding: “Fashion is such a powerful, intelligent medium and I hope we use this tool to our advantage.”