Esinako Ndabeni

Esinako Ndabeni is a writer, an undergraduate student of International Relations and Anthropology at the University of Cape Town, South Africa. She is interested in the ways in which popular culture encourages and normalises certain raced, classed and gendered ideas and behaviours. Therefore, with Born to Kwaito, she interrogates how women are imagined in popular culture, the impact that these imaginings have on real lives and how women in kwaito fought back against various forms of discrimination.

Is kwaito an old thing yet?

Friday Esinako Ndabeni - 21 Sep 2020

Kwaito was born during South Africa’s transition to democracy and lives on as a kind of heritage

Extract from ‘Born to Kwaito’: How we choose to fashion ourselves

Friday Esinako Ndabeni - 21 Sep 2020

How we choose to dress is an instrument to communicate personal, race, class, gender and identity politics, as discussed in this extract from ‘Born to Kwaito’

The descendants of TKZee

Article Esinako Ndabeni - 4 May 2018

It may have traditionally been a definitively kasi sound but kwaito has grown to include different demographics

Press Releases

Special Reports

Land reform still a hot potato

special reports - 24 Nov 2020

The land has got to belong to all the people of South Africa, and many believe that there’s no other mechanism for that except expropriation

Special Reports

UP chemical pathology scientists develop ground-breaking nanobodies for Covid-19 detection and therapy

special reports - 24 Nov 2020

Nanobodies are smaller than conventional antibodies and easier to work with so they are ideal for good cheap sensitive rapid tests for Covid-19

Special Reports

Inclusion as learned experience in higher education

special reports - 23 Nov 2020

Understanding the complexity of intersections between oppressions relating to race and gender is key to any commitment to creating a culture of inclusion and social justice

Special Reports

Local government in crisis: how it can be fixed

special reports - 20 Nov 2020

Local governments are supposed to promote non-racial development, in a decentralised manner, but the reality does not match up

Special Reports

Covid-19 accelerates adoption of technology by the African property sector

special reports - 20 Nov 2020

It’s not the technology itself that is valuable, it’s the opportunities that it creates: this may be the perfect time for reinvention

Special Reports

BE 1 OF 8 LUCKY PEOPLE TO DRIVE OFF WITH R80 000

special reports - 19 Nov 2020

From 23 to 30 November 2020, simply purchase any BMW bearing the number “8” and you could be one of eight lucky people to drive off with R80 000

Special Reports

Introducing Sabinet Judgments

special reports - 18 Nov 2020

A well-rounded view of reported and unreported judgments supplemented by an advanced system to enable users to rapidly find the information they require

Special Reports

The Southern Africa Tuberculosis and Health Systems Support Research and Publication Interventions

special reports - 13 Nov 2020

The project places emphasis on rolling out a standardised package of occupational health services and mining safety standards across four countries