JennT

Writer and editor. Sometime storyteller

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@FIFAcom you chose the US as World Cup hosts, the lack of respect and access particularly to African officials and fans shown by that country (knowing what we do about that chaotic country) lies at your door

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@charise_lee That was truly remarkable

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@TheFigen_ The Grinch

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@KANI_ELDER Happy happy birthday dear sir

[Sahil Bloom @SahilBloom]

Major cheat code for life: Finishing things. The world is full of half-written books, half-built businesses, and half-kept promises. You stand out by closing loops. By showing up. By doing what you said you’d do. Anyone can start, but few have the courage to finish.

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@SahilBloom Much needed thought for the day, thank you

[JennT @JennTWrites]

A valiant life, a real person.

[Phumzile Van Damme @zilevandamme]

What a devastating shock.

In a past life, I was a Spokesperson. I fought vigorously and passionately with many a journalist. Ah yes, the political party, ever the eternal victim of journalists who, we convinced ourselves, critiqued not for truth but from deep personal hatred.

Over time, I learned a harder, humbler truth: we were not the only ones who felt like victims. Journalists too carried that weight, perpetually vilified by politicians and political parties alike. I stopped seeing them as enemies and began to see them as people: flawed, passionate, committed to their craft. And I came to understand that the mark of a great journalist is not to please but to provoke, to unsettle everyone equally so that no side can ever fully claim them. Tshidi embodied that spirit. Every party, at some point, felt itself her victim. That is the hallmark of a great political journalist. And that is who South Africa has lost.

Many say they love South Africa, but few care deeply, personally, and genuinely about its fate. Tshidi cared. And it is devastating to lose someone like that. Many claim bravery, but few step willingly into the arena, stare down the bull, and refuse to flinch. Tshidi did. She didn’t write to fill a quota, she wrote because South Africa mattered to her. She didn’t speak because it paid her bills, she spoke from conviction, from a fierce desire to see this country live its full potential. Nowhere was this passion more visible than when she confronted, head-on, the poisonous “white genocide” lie.

Her passing is a grave loss, not only personal, but national. I grieve, deeply, for the absence of one of the rare, brave ones who carried South Africa’s burdens with honesty, courage, and care.

South Africa has lost a good one. Tshidi, us’shiyeleni? Gone too soon. Truly, far too soon. 💔

[Door of Hope Children's Mission SA @DoorofHopeJHB]

We give thanks to the Lord, his faithfulness and love endures forever. Our court order has been extended to 25 August.
Thank you all for your support and prayers.
He will not forsake us, he will not abandon us.
Thank you to Baby Savers SA and the wonderful legal team!

[JennT @JennTWrites]

Hard agree

[Phumzile Van Damme @zilevandamme]

I’m going to say something many will disagree with, but I don’t care: the Global South has a unique and unprecedented opportunity to step into the moral space left vacant by the United States and redefine itself as the true custodian of liberal democracy. For too long, power has been equated with geography, and influence with historical dominance. But the world is shifting, and the structures that once seemed immovable are beginning to crack.

This is not an easy undertaking. It will require strategic diplomacy, economic leverage, and intensive groundwork. But it is not impossible. A coalition of powerful nations could emerge, aligning with Europe where interests intersect, yet retaining the autonomy to shape a new global order that reflects the realities of the 21st century. It won’t be all of the Global South, of course, only a few will have both the vision and the means to take on this role, but South Africa is well positioned to be a major player. Its historical experience, democratic foundations, and strategic influence make it an ideal candidate.

Of course, I recognise that I, too, carry cognitive biases that I need to work through to fully define the scope of this vision. We have all been conditioned - whether consciously or not - to see the Global South as subsidiaries, as dependent rather than self-determined, as reacting rather than leading. This is a narrative deeply embedded in global politics, in economic structures, and even in our own minds. But narratives can be rewritten.

The question is: will the Global South seize this moment, or will it allow itself to be relegated to the margins of the world order and history once again?

[JennT @JennTWrites]

How do I get hold of the Randburg Municipal Clinic @CityofJoburgZA
Phone is never answered

[JennT @JennTWrites]

World Tourism Day focuses on tourism and peace.
#Peace
#WorldTourismDay2024
We should work for peace every day

Image is of Isivivane, spiritual resting place of South Africa's ancestors.
(Freedom Park)

[Pan South African Language Board @PanSALB]

Learn South African Sign Language finger spelling.
Please attempt to sign your name and then send us the videos of you signing it.🤟🏽
#DeafAwarenessMonth

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@Joseph_Fasano_ I have no words ...

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@BrentLindeque You are spit on - they are for reals real

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@LakotaMan1 That would not be an imposition at all, it would be an honour

[JennT @JennTWrites]

Have to agree - that first scent of jasmine

[Brent Lindeque @BrentLindeque]

There’s something truly magical about Spring in South Africa.

Maybe it’s the sun rising just a bit earlier, those tiny green leaves peeking through, or the first splash of colour as flowers start to bloom. Or perhaps it’s the smell – yes, the smell!

And no, it’s not the "summer" braais that pop up at every sunset. It’s that distinct scent of Spring.

You know exactly what I mean, right?

Or maybe it’s the warmth, each day getting a tad toastier. Or it could be the sight of short shorts (hello, Boerboel-Broekies!) and sunglasses making their first appearances. Even the birds seem to be on the same page – those hadedas we love to hate are up and at it, squawking a bit earlier too. It might be the anticipation of those evening highveld thunderstorms, or the thought of soon running through sprinklers and diving into pools.

Spring is a promise – of new hope and days brimming with joy.

I know, officially, Spring in South Africa starts on the 23rd of September, but let’s be real – we’re already feeling it.

And come on, do we ever stick to the book?

Of course not! We carve our own way, making Spring arrive early every year because it brings us so much joy.

Yes! There’s something undeniably special about Spring in South Africa – it’s a season of happiness, harmony, and hope.

And I’m already feeling it. My wish for you today is that you’re soaking up that joyful Spring vibe too!

Okay. Love you. Bye.

[JennT @JennTWrites]

As uTata said: The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.
You did NOT fall, you ran your heart out and that counts.
So proud
#TeamSouthAfrica

[Stephen Mokoka @MokokaSteve]

Poured everything I had into today's race, but sometimes, no matter the preparation, it's just not your day. The ups and downs of sports are what makes it so real, so human. Today, I finished 27th, improving from 49th in London 2012 and DNF in Tokyo

1/2

[JennT @JennTWrites]

What an incredible race #Paris2024 #women's Marathon
I'm exhausted just watching that finish

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@Olympics Africa

[JennT @JennTWrites]

@Shaun___M Proud of you!