THE year 2022 has been nothing but a roller-coaster, with a number of stories leaving people shocked, including:
1. Zodwa Wabantu accepting her ancestral calling
Who would have predicted that Zodwa had a calling? Well, it happened right in front of our eyes, leaving most people shocked when she announced the news in January.
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It is fair to say that Zodwa’s journey in the entertainment industry has not been easy. She was discovered by Mthokozisi Khathi, popularly known as DJ Tira.
People loved to hate her but once she went on stage, they were absorbed by her energy. She received a lot of backlash from the public and during interviews, she often mentioned that her colleagues had rejected her. From time to time, Zodwa also shared that she was not in the industry by mistake, but that supernatural powers had placed her there.
Looking back, one can see that she had been dropping hints of her ancestral journey.
2. The R22 million flag
Another story that shook Mzansi was the R22 million flag, announced by Sport, Arts and Culture Minister Nathi Mthethwa in May. The issue was not the flag, but the millions meant to erect it.
South Africans, along with the creative industry, felt this was a slap in the face of artists and the majority of the country’s poor. The purpose of this flag was to foster social cohesion in South Africa.
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The minister received backlash from political parties, artists and civil societies to the point where President Cyril Ramaphosa instructed him to “cancel that thing”.
3. Trevor Noah leaving The Daily Show
Trevor left the talk show that he had joined in 2015, taking over from Jon Stewart. His last show was on 8 December. There were mixed reactions when he joined the show, but he was generally well-received by his audience and the public. And seven years later, everyone was eating out of the palm of his hand. Since August, well-wishers have been congratulating him on a job well done over the years.
4. The Senzo Meyiwa case
The trial for the murder of the soccer star resumed in March, riddled with inconsistencies from witnesses. The twists and turns left Mzansi shocked. Some of the shocking revelations came up in an interview by Zandie Khumalo-Gumede on eNCA. She insinuated that Senzo’s wife, Mandisa Mkhize, and his mother, Ntombifuthi Meyiwa, might have a case to answer to.
Advocate Malesela Teffo, who was initially representing the Meyiwa family, was also arrested inside court. This left a bad taste in the legal fraternity. Eventually, he was struck off the roll.
This case is far from over but the witnesses’ conduct, the police who attended the scene and Senzo’s friend, Tumelo Madlala, left Mzansi shocked and hopeless in the justice system.
