CATCH UP: Here's what you MISSED this weekend!

THIS past long weekend was a busy one in Mzansi. From flood drownings in Western Cape to President Cyril Ramaphosa and some members of the media being stuck in Poland, there was a lot on people's minds. 

Friday, 16 June was Youth Day and many people wore school uniform and headed to Hector Pietersen Memorial in Orlando West, Soweto, to prepare for the commemoration of June 16, while Amatshitsi and young boys in Duduza tackled early sex, alcohol and drugs as part of Youth Day activities.

But the day was not all rosy for most young people, who gathered at the memorial site, as they reflected on how far they have come in their liberation given the struggle the fallen soldiers fought for in 1976.

In the world of radio, June 16 was a reminder of another fallen soldier, South African radio personality and music composer, Eddie Makhosonke Zondi, who died on this day nine years ago. 

Grief visited Eddie's daughter, Keletso Lula Odiba who reflected on her dad's passing. This got the twitter streets buzzing with many sharing their heartfelt messages.

Zondi was not the only thing who kept the twitter streets talking. Ramaphosa trended at number one over his African Peace Initiative mission between war ridden countries Russia and Ukraine over the weekend. 

His first leg of peace talks with Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Friday, 16 June began on a rocky foot.

Members of the media and Mzansi’s delegation were left stranded for nearly 24 hours at the airport with the presidential guards after the Polish Foreign Ministry highlighted there were "dangerous goods were on board the plane."

Being barred from leaving the airport left a sting on the president's head of security, Major-General Wally Rhoode, who claimed this placed "the life of our president in jeopardy".

But after all that fiasco, the president managed to get his word of peace to both countries.

Otherwise peace was the last thing on the mind of a Free State family this as they entered the long weekend on a bloody note when four deaths came knocking on their door, 

A 32-year-old man allegedly shot five family members on Thursday, 15 June. A 71-year-old woman believed to have been the grandmother of the suspect and three children, aged three, eight and 10, died.

The man will have his time in court on Monday, 19 June.

Blood was not the only thing pouring this weekend. In the Western Cape, the province was hit by stormy weather for several days now, recording at least two deaths in the Overberg region and West Coast. The condition remains dire at this stage.

Shifting the focus to the world of sport, South Africans will be pleased to hear that Bafana Bafana remained unbeaten after defeating FIFA World Cup semi-finalists Morocco 2-1 at the FNB Stadium on Saturday night.

The boys made their intentions very clear early in the game after Percy Tau opened the scoring in the fifth minute before Zakhele Leasa secured the victory goal with a second goal in the second half.

Finally, the much-awaited new TV series about the story of Shaka Zulu, Shaka Ilembe, finally hit TV screens on Sunday, 18 June.