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Country duty: Entrepreneur Theo Baloyi worked for PwC before striking it out on his own and founding Bathu sneakers. As well as capitalising on his love for sneakers, he also started the brand to help to address unemployment in South Africa.

Q&A Sessions: ‘I am a product of opportunities’ — Theo Baloyi

Theo Baloyi, motivated by his love for sneakers and his goal of reducing unemployment, founded Bathu in 2015. He shares his transition from corporate employee to entrepreneur

Fighting back: Jes Foord started a foundation to help others who have been raped and to work with people, particularly youngsters, on preventing sexual abuse. (Rogan Ward)

I am not giving up, says rape survivor Jess Foord

Jes Foord told Lyse Comins that she believes she had to get the horrific ‘degree in rape’ so that she could help thousands of sexual violence victims through her nonprofit…

Songs that make the whole world sing: The multi-talented Ralf Schmitt is the force behind the highly successful Ndlovu Youth Choir that has seen it release its own recordings and videos and are now known internationally

Ndlovu Youth Choir’s Ralf Schmitt — From ‘just chilling’ in Limpopo to world fame

Meet Ralf Schmitt, the mastermind behind the Ndlovu Youth Choir. The conductor, composer and producer talks to Ntombizodwa Makhoba about how the choir was born, his dreams and…

Risk-taker: Bokang Masala, the owner of Bonema Tracker, says some years’ experience in the corporate world gave him the confidence to start his latest new venture. (James Puttick)

Bokang Mosala: ‘I am an entrepreneur at heart’

Businessman Bokang Mosala has, from a young age, chased financial independence. In high school, he sold sweets and at university he embarked on various business ventures that…

Quality time: After Dr Zolelwa Sifumba was in a car accident, which occurred after she worked for 36 hours straight, she realised how important it was to get enough regular rest. (Paul Botes/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: Dr Zolelwa Sifumba on learning to rest and healing herself

Dr Zolelwa Sifumba went from being a frontline healthcare worker to stepping back from clinical work. She speaks to Elna Schütz about her shift into more open spaces

All-rounder: Proteas fast bowler Kagiso Rabada’s parents still remind him to nurture his other skills, in addition to his talent on the cricket field. It seems he took this advice to heart: together with a school friend, he produced a short film, Ring of Beasts, during the initial hard lockdown.  (Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Q&A Sessions: Kagiso Rabada — ‘When I retire, I will know that I gave my best shot’

Kagiso Rabada talks to Eyaaz Matwadia about his love for music and production, how the lockdown affected him, and how he hopes to get back to his best

A proudly South African export: Lebohang Morake may be best known for his role in scoring The Lion King, but he has plenty of other stories to share. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy/M&G

Q&A Sessions: Lebo M — a lifetime of roaring

Lebo M tells us about his journey from South Africa to Hollywood, his days as a ballroom dancer and his successful battle against alcohol abuse.

Challenge: Cathy Dreyer says new technologies and innovative strategies give her hope that ‘we’ll be able to stem the tide of poaching’. (Karin Schermbrucker)

Q&A Sessions: Meet Cathy Dreyer, the rhino whisperer

Cathy Dreyer, the first female head ranger of the Kruger National Park, speaks to Sheree Bega about earning the trust of black rhinos by reading to them and why the park’s…

Family first: Alistair Mokoena, the director of Google in South Africa. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: Google’s SA country director tells us about his first 17 months in office

Alistair Mokoena has an impressive CV, but says his family will always be a priority

Former Eskom chief executive André de Ruyter.

Q&A Sessions: ‘I cannot fix Eskom. But we can fix this’ — André de Ruyter

Meet the father, the cook and the chief executive of Eskom, who wakes up at 3am and writes speeches. André de Ruyter speaks to Athandiwe Saba about the future of the power…

Veteran journalist Felicia Mabuza-Suttle

Q&A Sessions: Felicia Mabuza-Suttle, standing on the shoulders of heroes

Veteran journalist Felicia Mabuza-Suttle tells us about how she dealt with patriarchy, her passion for youth development and why she is a germaphobe

Motivated: Kgothatso Montjane first started playing tennis when she was 19 and despite all odds made it to the top. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: Montjane: The unlikely tennis star

Kgothatso Montjane speaks to Athandiwe Saba about her becoming the first black woman South African player to reach the Wimbledon final, her ‘robotic’ leg, being a DJ and the love…

Curious about complexity: Prof Gobodo-Madikizela remembers herself as an inquisitive child, and that as an adult she is still asking uncomfortable questions, specifically about trauma
and the TRC

Q&A Sessions: Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela: ‘How do we repair this brokenness?’

Author and academic Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela spoke to Nicolene de Wee about the government’s failure to heal a broken country

Locked in a suitcase: Chester Missing makes shocking allegations of maltreatment against Conrad Koch and wonders when his looters are coming to liberate him. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: ‘A loud and a rude little man’

Conrad Koch, the award-winning performer and the human voice behind Chester Missing, tells Nicolene de Wee what it’s like to share his life with Chester and how anthropology…

Speaking truth: Judge Navi Pillay has spent her life seeking justice: fighting against the apartheid system, sitting on the Rwanda tribunal, and in her capacity as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. (Paul Botes/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: Judge Navi Pillay, a woman of many firsts

Judge Navi Pillay talks to Athandiwe Saba about being the daughter of a bus driver, a little girl who swore at school, and the pressure of being a leading woman in the world…

National treasure: John Kani has always believed in approaching the artistic process as an honest journey, and with an open heart.  (Paul Botes/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: From sangomas to the world’s biggest stages, John Kani has seen it all

His father took him to isangoma when he wanted to be an actor. Today Dr John Kani is revered the world over. He tells Athandiwe Saba about his passions

Buzzing: Mokgadi Mabela founded Native Nosi after she couldn’t keep up with her former colleagues’ orders for her dad’s honey and she needed to secure her own supply. (Delwyn Verasamy/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: Meet Mokgadi Mabela — the DJ, beekeeper and mother delivering sweet, sweet honey from Native Nosi

Mokgadi Mabela is the bee lady whose love for good honey has blossomed into a business. She tells us about her genius dad and her late introduction to bees

A full circle, illustrated: Artist Loyiso Mkize used to read Batman comic books as a child; now he is drawing for the same publications. (David Harrison/M&G)

Q&A Sessions: South African DC Comics artist praises parents for superhero success

Loyiso Mkize talks to Bongekile Macupe about joining the DC Universe, the influence of his parents and teachers, and getting up more than falling down

No nonsense: Edward Kieswetter says ‘the actors of state capture, until today, still have their tentacles everywhere’, even in the revenue service. (Dwayne Senior/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Q&A Sessions: Kieswetter, the choral master of tax

Commissioner Edward Kieswetter, head of the South African Revenue Service, will not tolerate any political interference at the tax authority

Q&A Sessions: For Mosadi Mahoko, plastic surgery isn’t glamorous, but it saves lives

Plastic surgeon Dr Mosadi Mahoko reflects on the less glamorous aspects of her job, winning the prestigious Jack Penn award and why she loves the sea