10 reasons South Africa doesn’t suck in 2016 – January edition

February is here! January was full of drama and the economy kind of sucks right now. But it’s not all bad. AAISHA DADI PATEL scoured a few good news tags for things that happened in 2016 so far to make you smile.

1. Operation Hydrate
The intermittent drought facing South Africa has hit some areas of the country particularly brutally, but the spirit of Ubuntu is coming through – a group of community volunteers partnered with Proudly South African to set up collection points for water donations to take to some of the worst-hit places in the country affected by the drought and water shortages.

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2. The gogo who matriculated so that she could open up a crèche
Blossom Msibi, 66, was part of the matric 2015 class and in early January found out she achieved 79% for maths and science. Mam’ Blossom is all about ubuntu – she got an education so that she could pay it forward, and have the necessary qualifications to fulfil her dream of opening up a crèche.

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3. The resounding success that was #ForBlackGirlsOnly
One of the most liberating events to have taken place so far, Kabura Nganga, an attendee at the Cape Town leg of the event wrote “We are learning to live here, finding ways to breathe and love one another.” The Johannesburg leg took place on the last day of January. And of course, our timelines were blessed with #BlackGirlMagic ✨

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4. The five-year-old girl who reduced a fireman to tears with her kind words
“To this child, we are heroes. We may not wear superhero costumes, but she thinks the world of us and what we do. It’s overwhelming,” Simonsberg firefighter Charlton Matthyse told News24 after reading the card from five-year-old Saba.. A six-day fire had raged through the Western Cape town, believed to have been started by arsonists.

5. South Africa wins an award for curbing malaria by 82% since 2000
At the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on Saturday, South Africa was awarded an African Leaders Malaria Alliance (ALMA) award, for achieving the malaria millennium development goal target.

Take that, Anopheles mosquitos.

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6. The inimitable Kagiso Rabada
The 20-year-old wunderkind Rabada became the youngest South African player to take ten wickets in a single test match. The right-handed fast bowler took a total of thirteen wickets, helping South Africa beat England in the final match of the Sunfoil test by 280 runs.

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7. Team South Africa winning the 2016 International Schools Moot Court competition at The Hague
Tackling the issue of crimes against humanity during the time of war, the competition is presided over by the judges of the International Criminal Court. Claire Rankin and Clara-Marie Macheke from Springfield Convent in the Western Cape toppled Team USA to take the top spot.

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8. 20 year old triple amputee Lucas Sithole claims top spot in Australian Open’s wheelchair tennis quad doubles final

With his playing partner, American David Wagner, Sithole beat the British/Australian combo of Andy Lapthorne and Dylan Alcott 6-1, 6- 3 at the Australian Open held in Melbourne in the last week of January. This was Sithole’s second Grand Slam title following his win at the US Open singles final in 2013. 

http://twitter.com/mbalulafikile/status/692955612729249793

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9. The lions rescued from a Bulgarian circus now thriving in a South African game reserve
Jora and Black, eight year old lion brothers, were rescued from the European beast wagon late last year and transported via the UK to Shamwari Game Reserve near Port Elizabeth, where they now live freely and happily.

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10. Free coding programme empowering South African youth kicks off
WeThinkCode provides young South Africans with free programming training, and equips them with the skills to “become world-class digital problem solvers”. Free to anyone aged 17-35 who may legally work and live in South Africa, the two-year course also provides a R2000 stipend a month.

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Featured image via Wikimedia CommonsÂ