Funiculi Funicula ... Eric Stoch

Eric Stoch, or “Thabo”, as he is better known by his friends, is a man of as many skills and interests as the number of languages that he speaks. He fills director positions at a variety or companies, Trusts and organisations, such as the HIT Parade Foundation and the North West Province Umbrella Fire Protection Association, where he is the Chairman and also does strategic planning.

Pierre and Ndabankulu with Eric Stoch

He is involved as a volunteer working with stressed children (gangsters, alcohol & drug abuse, kids living with HIV and AIDS etc.) and is a member of a number of municipal and provincial disaster management fora. 

Eric specialises in Environmental, Strategic, Social and Management consulting. We chatted to him about his work with the Hit Parade foundation and their participation in the iStart2 Song that will be released later this year: "It is something we can really be part of", he says, " iStart2 sing. We are Africans, we sing. We sing when we are happy. We sing when we are unhappy. We sing when we rejoice."

Eric is a passionate person who loves what he does, does what he loves, and in the process transforms the world around him to one that is safer and better for humans and the environment. 

To listen to the show just click play:



Thought for the day:

         

Tune in at 17h30 to the iStart2 Show on Radio Today 1485 AM in Jozi, Nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Show hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa. The show is broadcast every Monday at 17h30 and repeated on Thursdays at 17h30 (SA Time). 

Please Visit our website: www.istart2.com and join our movement.

  
    

M'Bifo ... Mbongeni Buthelezi

This man is unique: "I don't know of any artist in the world that does what I do. I wish I had four hands," he says.

Mbongeni Buthelezi Starts2

"The only thing I think of is plastic"

Mbongeni Buthelezi is an artist whose art is renowned for its distinctive, personal, and innovative style. For his artworks Buthelezi exclusively uses industrially produced plastic materials with various imprinting, making art from plastic rubbish. "I collect rubbish and create something beautiful from it. I collect something that has no value and give it new life. That's what we can do with ourselves and our lives". 

The use of such material shows Buthelezi's awareness of environmental problems. "I have to believe in climate change and what the experts are telling us." He is convinced that seeing his works and his history, people are able to realize that in South Africa there are many opportunities, too, and that it is possible to create a better live and a career out of nothing; making art would enable people to change their lives and to contribute something positive to the world.


Buthelezis works have been exhibited internationally, including the Museum of African Art in New York, the Goch Museum in Germany as well as the Prague Biennale

To listen to his journey, just click below:




Thought for the day:

Tune in at 17h30 to the iStart2 Show on Radio Today 1485 AM in Jozi, Nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Show hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa. The show is broadcast every Monday at 17h30 and repeated on Thursdays at 17h30 (SA Time). 

Please Visit our website: www.istart2.com and join our movement.

Basimanyana ... Ntsako Mkhabela

Basimanyana ... the wisdom of forgiveness...

“Activism is dirty; it needs your hands whether it is a veggie garden, teaching kids how to paint or how to write, activism needs your hands more than your voice,” says Ntsako Mkhabela. "We need to get dirty man. We need to think deeply about realities... look outside the window."

Ntsako is a playwright, director of theatre and founder of the Spelling Bee in South Africa. She feels strongly about sustainability and believes it speaks to our own ability to survive on this earth. "It's not my business to mess with the earth."

We chatted to Ntsako on the iStart2 Show and listened to her favourite song by Vusi Mahlasela. To listen to the interview just click play:



Thought for the Day:

Tune in at 17h30 to the iStart2 Show on Radio Today 1485 AM in Jozi, Nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Show hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa. The show is broadcast every Monday at 17h30 and repeated on Thursdays at 17h30 (SA Time). 

Please Visit our website: www.istart2.com and join our movement.

Time to heal ... Zubz

"How can anyone tell my story better than me?" says Zubz; this guy definitely does not conform to the stereotypical picture of a hip hop rapper! He not only impressed us with his professional approach and seriousness in shooting his video part of the iStart2 Anthem song (that will be out soon by the way), but also touched the iStart2 Team with his lyrics and commitment to creating a song that is going to take South Africans and the world by storm. 

iStart2! Ndabankulu, Keitu,Zubz & Pierre

A peek at his rap lyrics, emphasises his positive, but serious outlook on life:

I plant the thought right now,
A seed in your mind and your heart right now,
The future for all right now, 
Depends on what we start right now, 
The path that we walk right now
Leads to the light or the dark right now
  - Zubz (Listen to the interview to hear the full verse)

 Great fun during the iStart2 video shoot in Diepsloot 

Zubz understands his place in the big picture and he believes that every person needs to decide whether they are going to build or to destroy. He is a firm believer in the power of the human spirit and is committed to making a difference in creating a more sustainable world. We chatted to Zubz about his life, his contribution to the iStart2 Song and sustainability and he shares his advice with people interested in entering the iStart2 Challenge.

To listen to the wisdom and insights of this remarkable wordsmith and two of his songs "Only your love" (with Pops Mohamed & Ntsiki Mazwai) and "Time to Heal", just click play below.





Thought for the Day:

Tune in at 17h30 to the iStart2 Show on Radio Today 1485 AM in Jozi, Nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. Show hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa. The show is broadcast every Monday at 17h30 and repeated on Thursdays at 17h30 (SA Time). Please Visit our website: www.istart2.com and join our movement.