Hear Hear ... Jannie du Toit

What do you do to make theatre and music spaces more accessible to people with disabilities? Most people only think of building ramps for people in wheelchairs. Jannie du Toit, one of the leading musicians in South Africa and Jopie Koen from the Pierneef Theatre have taken the issue of acccessibility a bit further than most.

Jannie du Toit with Therina Wentzel, Fanie du Toit and Eloise Cupido

Not only does Jannie print his programmes in braille, but in partnership with the National Council for Persons with Physical Disbilities in South Africa, they are pushing the boundaries to create theatre experiences that are completely accessible for persons with disabilitites. This week the focus was on persons with post-lingual hearing loss and the installation of the induction loop system.

A song in sign language

We chatted to Jannie du Toit on the iStart2 Show about his career, the Hear Hear initiative and his work with persons with disabilitites. Jannie believes there is always room to think about people with disabilitites. " I believe truly in love and I love gracefully," says he and commits: "iStart2 care more".

To listen to the show and two of Jannie's most beautiful songs, Drie-uur in die more and Kinders van die Wind. just click play:




Thought of the Day:  I hear you ... I see you.

Listen Thursdays @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.

Green Times ... Elma Pollard

What is the role of media in creating awareness of climate and sustainability issues. Are journalists doing justice to the climate debate? Is it fair to link the ‪#‎CapeFires‬ and climate change? 

We chatted to Green Times Editor, Elma Pollard. She is an educator, reporter, recycler, a writer and an activist. She is all of these, and more. Elma now runs the Green Times, trains eco journalists and, time permitting, writes stories.

"Our times demand that everyone becomes 100% aware of the full extent of their impact on the planet," says Elma.

Green Times is a social enterprise focused on climate change and other environmental news with a particular focus on creative and constructive solutions. They are dedicated towards youth and adult education to support effective mitigation and adaptation to the challenges of our time.

To listen to the discussion click play below:




Thought of the Day:

Listen Thursdays @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.

Bicycle Race ... Raymond Rampolokeng & Sipho Tati

HG Wells said: "Every time I see an adult on a bicycle, I no longer despair for the future of the human race". Two guys who give hope and inspire our community through riding their bicycles are Raymond Rampolokeng and Sipho Tati from Bhoni4kasi.

#Bhoni4Kasi is an NPO founded by professional bicycle mechanics promoting a healthy lifestyle and developing a culture of cycling in our communities. We chatted to Raymond Rampolokeng (Birdman of Soweto) and Sipho Tati about events leading up to Freedom Ride Jozi on 22 March 2015.

This is the third edition of Freedom Ride Jozi and a whole week of cycling events in March 2015 are organised, culminating in a Freedom Ride on Sunday 22^nd March 2015. The ‘Cycle Jozi Week’ will include cycling activation events such as rides along the City’s newly developed and planned cycle lanes, a Jozi Hustle and Critical Mass. The City will allow bicycles to be taken on-board City buses, and the JUCA Way Finding system will be marked out to guide cyclists on their daily journeys.

Sing along with Queen's Bicycle Race and listen to the show. Just click play below:




Thought of the Day:

Listen Thursdays @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.

For the belief in me ... Ashish Joshi & Yvette Hardie

Two people living their lives through music and theatre...

YVETTE HARDIE challenges all theatre houses, theatre patrons and funders, and theatre-makers to ensure that 21 000 young audience members (under age 21), who have never or seldom seen theatre before, get to the theatre before the end of March 2015: "Take a child to the theatre today"

Yvette  serves as Chairperson of ASSITEJ SA, Deputy Chairperson of ACYTA (African Children and Youth Theatre Arena) and now President of ASSITEJ, which has chapters in over 80 countries worldwide. In these capacities, she creates opportunities for artistic exchange, mentorship, skills development and cross-cultural collaboration.

Yvette Hardie: "The Arts are our soul"
Ashish Joshi: "iStart2 create sustainable gigs"

ASHISH JOSHI, a musician who said goodbye to the corporate world a few years ago: "I consciously gave up my day job. If you want to do it ... do it. Stop being afraid to be in a fearful state of false security." Ashish challenges South Africans to live a simpler and greener life. We chat to Ashish about his favourite instrument (the tabla) and sustainability in music and life.

To listen to the show and music by Ashish Joshi just click play:





Thought of the Day:

Listen Thursdays @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 Madiba Shirt ... Sonwabile Ndamase

Prince Sonwabile Ndamase, designer and creator of the world-acclaimed Madiba Shirt, has built Vukani! Range Creations situated in the heart of Joburg, into one of South Africaís leading fashion design houses. Hailing from the Royal blooded family in Pondoland, Prince Ndamase became a household name in tantalising African trends of fashion. Today he is a world renowned activist for his creativity and leading role in SAFDA.

"Fashion is revealing. Clothes reveal what groups people are in. Styles show who you are, but they also create stereotypes and distance between groups. Fashion is a language which tells a story about the person who wears it", says Sonwabile. " Clothes create a wordless means of communication that we all understand". 

Such an honour to have had this wonderful man with his great sense of humour, sharing and telling the story behind the story of the Madiba Shirt on the iStart2 Show. " I wanted to honour and thank Mandela for his magnanimous bravery by giving him his own style as a way of saying thank you".

"iStart2 Believe I can fly" - Sonwabile Ndamase

To listen to South African greatness and the success story of the Madiba Shirt in the words of its creator, just click play below:





Thought of the Day:

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Thursdays on Radio Today 1485 AM, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by Pierre du Toit and the beautiful Keitu Gwangwa.

God Bless Africa ... Karen Hauptfleisch

Karen Hauptfleisch is maybe better known for her passion for the environment and underprivileged/vulnerable children which led her to the establishment of the non-profit and non-governmental organisation called SOAPkidz (www.soapkidz.org).  SOAPkidz has to date taken over 17,000 children and volunteers into nature where they are made to feel special and they are each taught about nature and their environment.  Through this stimulating experience, they are also taught that they have a role to play in the future of this planet.  

Karen Hauptfleisch with Deon Warrin, Keitu and Pierre

" iStart2 make a difference"

Karen has started a personal dream to be the first South African and woman to clean the highest peak in each of Africa’s 54 countries.  To date she is halfway and has had the opportunity the “see” the sunrise on 33 peaks throughout Africa.  This endeavour is affectionately called Sunrise on Africa’s Peaks (SOAP) and it started with a trip to Kilimanjaro in 1992.  

On each of these trips she takes the opportunity to interact with the local communities and clean up the litter on top of the peaks: "I always cry when I get to the top of a mountain. The destruction on some of the mountains, however, is heartbreaking".

We chatted to Karen on the iStart2 Show this week. To listen to this remarkable woman, just click play below:



Thought of the Day

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM in Jozi, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful  Keitu Gwangwa and Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and the show is repeated on Thursdays at the same time. Join us! 

Confluence ... Steve Dyer

 "I haven't seen artists with musical instruments wanting to go to war," says Steve Dyer. He believes artists have a positive role to play and that we need to learn to accommodate each other. "The more dignity you give to others, the more dignity you give to yourself." 

This man is a beaming reflection of diversity in this country. Not only does he speak a few of our official languages, including Sepedi, but he continues to celebrate South Africa's sense of diversity through his work. We chatted to Steve about the role of diversity in his music and life and he shares his views on sustainability issues; "There is no monopoly on culture", the art of life; "Humans not finding the value of the other,"  and lessons learnt in his long and illustrious career where he has "migrated" to a number of countries. 

" iStart2 live a life where I treat everybody with dignity and respect"
- Steve Dyer on the iStart2 Show

If Jazz is your thing, catch Steve performing with Nono Nkoane in Tshwane on the 13th February at the Rendezvous Theatre. To listen to the interview and some tracks from his latest cd, Confluence, just click play below:



Thought of the Day: #ForeignFear

The iStart2 Show is broadcast at 17h30 on Radio Today 1485AM in Jozi, nationally on DSTV Audio Channel 869 or worldwide on www.1485.org.za. The show is hosted by the beautiful Keitu Gwangwaand Pierre du Toit. You can listen every Monday at 17h30 and the show is repeated on Thursdays at the same time. Join us!