Latest news with #Dikeledi
News24
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- News24
Lesotho style, Paris dreams: Designer Thabo Makhetha ready to take Basotho heritage global
Thabo Makhetha is a fashion designer who integrates Sotho heritage into her designs, notably using Basotho blankets. From launching her collection in 2011 to showcasing at SA Fashion Week, her milestones include collaborating with Jerry Mofokeng and international recognition with her designs featured at global events. Makhetha focuses on celebrating Basotho culture through bold, impactful designs while aspiring to showcase her work on international platforms in cities like Paris. Once again, celebrated Sotho designer Thabo Makhetha has taken the fashion industry by storm with her latest collection showcased at SA Fashion Week in April, and she has set her sights on international runways. Known for her remarkable use of the Basotho blankets, the designer celebrated heritage once again in her latest collection, featuring the iconic print in pastel colours and various shades of brown. For Makhetha, fashion has always been a huge part of her life and the only plan in terms of a career. 'Fashion is just something that's always been with me,' she told News24. In her early life, Makhetha often heard that her gift for sewing came from her grandmother, Dikeledi, whose name inspired the print in her newest collection, showcased at SA Fashion Week. 'The collection that you also saw now, the print on this 100% cotton is called Dikeledi. That's my grandmother's name. 'People say that I got the gift for sewing from her. It's just always been with me. I've never actually thought about doing anything else. I don't know what else I can do but fashion,' she said. The Dikeledi collection featured the Sotho print on 100% cotton, showcasing a lighter and more versatile evolution of the blanket design. 'It's a translation of a lighter fabric and possibly the future of textiles for Basotho culture in terms of using those beautiful bold prints and colours,' she said. The boldness of Sotho blankets For Makhetha, the designers are meant to make a powerful statement while also putting Sotho in the spotlight both locally and globally. 'It's my story, it's my heritage. It's amazing; it stands out,' she said, adding that the boldness of the blankets is not just about aesthetic appeal but also about making a cultural statement. According to the designer, her journey in the fashion industry started in 2009 after she completed her tertiary studies. Instead of seeking employment and working under someone else, she dived headfirst into building her own brand. Two years later, in 2011, she introduced the celebrated 'Kobo ea Teng' collection, marking her signature use of Sotho blankets. When asked if she thought her work would become successful enough to land on SA Fashion Week's runway, Makhetha said bigger milestones are yet to come. 'We haven't yet gotten to the part where we're having these interviews, and you and I are talking in Paris and all these other foreign locations. So that's the answer to that one,' she grinned. Career milestones and creative collaborations Makhetha's career has seen various significant milestones, with one of her proudest moments being her collaboration with legendary South African actor and director Jerry Mofokeng. The two worked together on 'Hope on a Horse' in Cape Town, an artistic performance blending fashion and storytelling. Mofokeng, who directed the event, praised Makhetha's vision, describing her work as a way of wearing 'the best of yourself on your skin.' Mofokeng, who donned one of Makhetha's pieces for a poetry programme in Cape Town, told News24 about how the garment impacted him. 'Nobody must touch my body except Thabo. And she got me right... really brought the best out of me,' he said. He also applauded Makhetha's ability to redefine traditional Sotho elements, particularly referencing her latest show as a redefinition of 'Tethana,' a Sotho skirt symbolising youthful grace among Basotho maidens. 'There is something in Masoto for the little young maidens called Tethana. She redefined Tethana today. 'That last dress is something for the awards ceremony. It cannot be worn at anything less than that. It requires an event that has lights and cameras,' the veteran actor said in an interview with News24 after the fashion show. Another memorable milestone was when former Elle magazine editor Jackie Burger showcased a Thabo Makhetha cape seated at the front row of a Louis Vuitton fashion show. 'And I think for her, it was that seal of approval to say, 'Girl, you're doing the right thing. Keep going in this way'. And really encouraged me to get to where I'm at now as well,' she said. A celebration of culture and craft Makhetha's SA Fashion Week collection demonstrated her creativity and dedication to preserving and celebrating the Basotho culture. The final dress during her show made a huge impact and was described by Mofokeng as perfect for award ceremonies. This is because it symbolised the grandeur and bold elegance Makhetha is known for. 'That last dress is something for the awards ceremony. It cannot be worn at anything less than that,' he said. 'It requires an event that has lights and cameras.'
BBC News
31-03-2025
- Climate
- BBC News
Africa Daily Why does southern Africa experience so many devastating cyclones?
Have you noticed how southern Africa tends to be hit by deadly cyclones that leave a trail of destruction? Right now the people of Mozambique are trying to piece their lives together after Cyclone Jude battered the country this month. Before it, two others, Chido and Dikeledi, hit the same part of southern Africa in quick succession. All three claimed dozens of lives, leaving schools, homes and other buildings severely damaged. Today Alan Kasujja sits down with Lehlohonolo Thobela of the South African Weather Service in Pretoria. 'If you speak about Mozambique, Madagascar, South Africa, those are usually the areas that usually experience tropical cyclones. Geographically, the Indian Ocean is in the eastern parts. The Indian Ocean itself is where cyclones are born. Why? Because they need warmth', Lehlohonolo says. Alan also hears from Mary Louise Eagleton of UNICEF, who is in Maputo. She's been to the most affected areas and shares what she's seen.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mozambique cyclone cluster raises fears of new norm
Three cyclones have battered Mozambique in three months, pounding one of the world's most impoverished regions, pushing thousands of people into distress and leaving experts wondering whether more frequent storms will become the norm. The unusually clustered series of cyclones has also piled pressure on aid groups assisting people in the area, where the repeated disasters have destroyed tens of thousands of homes. "Mozambique is experiencing a truly bad series of cyclonic impacts," said Sebastien Langlade, chief cyclone forecaster at the Regional Specialized Meteorological Centre based on Reunion island in the Indian Ocean. The first of this cyclone season -- which typically runs from November to after April -- was Chido which struck in mid-December, killing at least 120 people after tearing through the French territory of Mayotte. Dikeledi made landfall in January, claiming at least five lives. And then came Jude, which last week brought winds of up to 195 kilometres (120 miles) an hour, according to Mozambican authorities. It killed at least 16 people in the country and destroyed more than 40,000 homes. It affected around 420,000 people across Madagascar, Malawi and Mozambique, the UN has said. Jude and Dikeledi made landfall at almost the same location in the province of Nampula, about 1,400 kilometres (870 miles) north of the capital Maputo. Chido hit about 200 kilometres further north. - Repeat disasters - "It's double tragedy. These are communities that did not have an opportunity to recover from the first cyclone," the head of the Red Cross and Red Crescent delegation in Maputo, Naemi Heita, told AFP. The impoverished and remote area is home to some of the most vulnerable people in the world, "who are just not well set-up to withstand these kind of impacts," UNICEF's Mozambique spokesperson Guy Taylor said. By the time Jude arrived, "all river basins and dams in Nampula province were already almost full," said Taylor. The recurring disasters are also putting strain on the capacity of international aid organisations to respond. "Supplies become depleted -- after one cyclone, two cyclones, three cyclones, you start to run out," said Taylor. While the extreme weather is leaving these regions increasingly vulnerable, there is no matching rise in resources available to help them, said Heita. "We are definitely concerned about the increase of the disasters, the intensity as well as the frequency. And that has made us realise that we need to invest more into preparedness," she said. - Increased frequency - This part of central Mozambique has experienced some terrifying storms, including Idai which claimed more than 600 lives in 2019. Even if the number of people killed in this season's cyclones was lower than some previous ones, experts are seeing an increase in frequency. Mozambique has been struck by eight cyclones since 2019, said Langlade. "This is unprecedented in the cyclonic history of the country," said the meteorologist who has catalogued all weather systems that affected the area since satellites were first used in 1969. Previously there were between six and seven such events -- cyclones as well as tropical storms -- a decade, he said. But in the previous six seasons, there had already been 10, he added. A factor may be the warming of the waters in the Mozambique channel between Madagascar and Africa, with warmer seas among the elements that fuel cyclones, he said. For the whole of the southwestern Indian Ocean area, eight of the 11 recorded tropical storms this season reached cyclone intensity, the expert said. "This ratio is above normal. Typically, it is 50 percent, but so far it has exceeded 70 percent," he said. "Is this simply a natural long-term fluctuation or is it a response to climate change? It's still too early to tell." "Adaptation is necessary," said Taylor. UNICEF has, for example, built more than 1,000 classrooms in Mozambique that can stand up to cyclones. Preparedness also saves lives, he said. "It really makes the case for investing in resilience, because if you don't, it's almost like not having infrastructure in some of these places, because it just gets knocked down time and time again." str-clv/br/jcb/sbk
Russia Today
18-03-2025
- Climate
- Russia Today
Deadly cyclone hits African nation (VIDEO)
Cyclone Jude has wreaked havoc in Mozambique, leaving 16 people dead and impacting over 302,000, a local news agency reported on Monday, citing the National Institute for Disaster Risk Management and Reduction (INGD). The storm made landfall in multiple provinces, including Tete, Manica, Zambezia, Nampula, Niassa, and Cabo Delgado. The INGD's latest update says that more than 65,000 families were affected, with over 70,000 houses either totally or partially destroyed. Almost 1000 homes were flooded. Educational infrastructure suffered extensively, with hundreds of schools and classrooms hit. The storm interfered with eight supply systems and damaged over 2,500 kilometers of roads, hindering access to essential services. The Mozambican government has ramped up efforts to support affected communities, deploying response teams to impacted provinces and reactivating emergency operations centers across various districts, according to spokesperson Inocencio Impissa. He stated that the measures include 'the dissemination of information, preventive evacuations, distribution of shelter materials and food, as well as increased awareness campaigns through community radio stations.' Mozambique has already been struck by Cyclones Chido and Dikeledi this rainy season, which lasts from October to April. The northern regions of the country were the main ones affected. The storms have collectively impacted approximately 736,000 people and caused widespread destruction of property. Between 2019 and 2023, extreme weather events resulted in at least 1,016 deaths in Mozambique, affecting around 4.9 million people, according to the Club of Mozambique news outlet, citing data from the National Institute of Statistics. AFP cited the National Disaster Management Agency as saying the death toll from Cyclone Shido, which struck in December, has reached 94 people.
Voice of America
13-03-2025
- Climate
- Voice of America
Cyclone Jude batters Malawi, Mozambique; no deaths reported
Tropical Cyclone Jude slammed into parts of southern Africa this week, causing no deaths but leaving widespread damage, especially in Malawi and Mozambique. Officials in the two countries said thousands of people were homeless and some areas were without power. Aid agencies distributed relief where they could, but washed-away roads made the task difficult. The storm made landfall in northern Mozambique early Sunday and moved over southern Malawi, resulting in heavy rains affecting 13 districts from Monday to Wednesday. A preliminary assessment from Malawi's Department of Disaster Management Affairs released Thursday showed that the cyclone had so far affected more than 11,000 people. This means their crops were washed away or their houses and property were either destroyed or submerged by floods. The assessment said the cyclone displaced more than 3,000 people, who are now sheltered in six evacuation camps. No deaths were recorded, but the disaster management department said collapsing buildings injured 15 people, including 5- and 8-year-old boys. 'The 5-year-old is receiving medical attention at Queen Elizabeth Central, and the 8-year-old is admitted as well and is at Mwanza District Hospital following the collapsing of a wall of a house,' said disaster management department spokesperson Chipiliro Khamula. He said rescuers were still looking for three people who went missing Tuesday in Nsanje and Phalombe districts after their boat capsized on a flooded river. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that in Mozambique, relief operations were severely hampered by lack of access to thousands of people in Nampula province, where main roads, bridges and culverts were washed away. The United Nations agency said moving relief items and personnel from Cabo Delgado province to Nampula was also difficult because the storm cut off the N1 national highway. In Malawi, international aid agencies and the government were able to start relief operations in accessible areas. For example, the World Food Program on Thursday distributed some relief items to affected people in Mulanje district. Simon Denhere, WFP's acting country director in Malawi, said, 'With support from the UK government, WFP and the Department of Management Affairs have prepositioned food supplies, emergency kits and operational equipment, including search and rescue boats, to enable rapid response.' Lucy Mtilatila, director of Malawi's Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services, told VOA that Cyclone Jude had moved from Malawi to Mozambique, where it was expected to dissipate. 'Right now, the threat of the cyclone is almost over.' she said, adding that floods were still a concern, although "the impact that could come with rains that we are getting now will be very minimal.' Jude is the third cyclone to affect Mozambique in the past three months, following Cyclones Chido in December and Dikeledi in January. Malawi avoided a hit from Dikeledi but was struck by Chido in December.
