People Pride

South Africa has much of which it can be proud, from its heritage and history to its many inventions and talented citizens. Whether they are artists lauded for their talents, designers with unique ideas or medical doctors involved in life-saving work, South Africa’s diverse people bring pride to the nation daily.

Nkosinathi Maphumulo – better known as DJ Black Coffee – recently celebrated a lifelong ambition as his album Subconsciously won the Grammy award for Best Dance/Electronic Album, and he became the first African to win this category.

This is a unique achievement since previous African Grammy winners received their awards under the World Music category. Black Coffee indicated that he was especially pleased to have ended what he calls the “pigeon-holing” of African music to the side-stage as opposed to what he refers to as the “main stage” of music events and festivals.

He notes that one of the biggest reasons he does what he does is to carry the flag for South Africa, adding that he hopes this success will inspire some more of the “unmatched talent coming out of Africa”.

Staying with the Grammy theme, another local success story was represented at the event, with Skinny Sbu Socks chosen as the “official sock partner of the 64^th Grammy Awards 2022”. The company’s socks were included in the Grammy awards gift bag, handed out to the media, awards presenters, nominees and performers at the event. It was the only African brand included in the gift pack.

The company’s founder, Sibusiso “Skinny Sbu” Ngwenya, suggests his mother taught him to be business-minded from a young age. And, because he was always tall for his age and found his pants were seldom long enough – leading to his socks always showing – it didn’t take long for him to come up with the idea of a business built around unique, funky sock designs.

Ngwenya says the partnership with the Grammys is a great and exciting start to the year for the brand, which has now achieved the goal he set from day one of the business: to build a brand that could be described as “glocal” – having global appeal, but remaining relevant to local customers.

On to the woman who helped guide the country through its biggest medical crisis this century – no list of great South Africans would be complete without mentioning Professor Glenda Gray.

The first female president and CEO of the South African Medical Research Council, Gray is renowned globally for her research into HIV vaccines and interventions to prevent mother-to-child transmission of the disease.

She has also co-founded and led, with James McIntyre, the globally eminent Perinatal HIV Research Unit at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, receiving the prestigious Nelson Mandela Health and Human Rights Award in 2002. In 2013, Gray was awarded the nation’s highest civilian honour, the Order of Mapungubwe, for her research into HIV and AIDS.

Perhaps she is most noted as the Chair of the Research Committee on COVID-19, bringing scientific evidence and experience to the Minister of Health and the National Coronavirus Command Council and acting as the voice of reason during the confusing early days of the pandemic.

Referred to by many as the most trustworthy person in South Africa, Dr Imtiaz Sooliman founded the Gift of the Givers Foundation some 30 years ago. Today, it is the largest disaster response nongovernmental organisation of African origin on the continent.

The organisation has, in a 13-year period, delivered more than R160-million to 22 countries, including South Africa, most notably playing a critical role in disaster relief following the recent flooding in KwaZulu-Natal.

Such was his dedication to helping people that Sooliman gave up his career as a medical doctor for the field of humanitarian aid. He says he did this because this work transcends the boundaries of race, religion, culture, class and geography.

He has received significant recognition for his efforts, including being awarded the presidential Order of Baobab (silver) and, earlier in 2022, being named Social Justice Champion of the Year. He also won the prestigious South African of the Year Award, run by the Daily Maverick.