Episode 47 Good News It Up
This episode of Level Up Good News It Up (Episode 47) from iloveza.com focuses on spreading positivity and discussing relevant community issues in South Africa. The hosts, Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes, cover a range of topics aimed at young Muslims on Radio Islam International.
Key Highlights:
- Public Service Announcement: The hosts remind listeners about the final voter registration weekend for the 2026 municipal elections, stressing the importance of civic participation (2:16).
- Positive National Developments: They discuss the approval of a new 10-year driving license card validity, which is expected to simplify the renewal process in the future (10:13).
- Community Initiatives: A spotlight on Josie my Josie, an initiative focused on urban renewal and restoring safety and pride in Johannesburg (14:37).
- Inspiring Stories: The team shares an emotional story about a security guard who received a new BMW after being bullied (24:32), and the inspiring comeback of a paraglider in Mpumalanga who recovered from a near-fatal accident (31:13).
- Sports Update: Issa provides an overview of the Commonwealth Games (34:16) and updates on the Women's Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) (39:46).
The episode emphasises the value of gratitude (Alhamdulillah), community effort, and finding good news stories to counteract negativity in the media.
Listen to Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 47: Good News It Up
Sunday 02 August 2026 / 18th Safar 1448AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
Watch Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 47: Good News It Up
Sunday 02 August 2026 / 18th Safar 1448AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
Read the Transcript for Level Up with Ziyaad, Nabihah, and Isa Plaatjes on Radio Islam International MW 1548
Episode 47: Good News It Up
Sunday 02 August 2026 / 18th Safar 1448AH 14h00 - 15h00 (CAT)
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To dear listeners, it is 10 minutes almost 10 minutes past 2:00 p.m. right here in South Africa. And it's our
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favorite day of the week, Yom Aad. It's the 18th day of Safur 14:48
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ah. Alhamdulillah. and it corresponds to Sunday the 2nd of August 2026.
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I'm Zad Plachies and with me are my co-hosts Nabiha and Issa Plachis and brother Ziad is looking after us behind
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the scenes today. Inshallah we are coming to you live from Radio Islam International Studios in Johannesburg,
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South Africa. Welcome to Level Up, where we listen, learn, and grow, inshallah, with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's
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guidance, and we break down the week's news and talk about what really matters to young Muslims today. Our WhatsApp line is open. The number is 0727861548.
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You can call in on 0185472 or DM us on i love.com. That's I L O V E
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Z A C O M. We are currently live on Instagram. We're also on Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tik Tok threads, as well as upcrolled.
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So, we're already in August. We have a few more months left of there.
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I actually counted I think we're we have not counting this month, we have four more months left. Am I right?
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Um September, October, November. had to count. Yes, it is. Five months.
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No, we're in in this month.
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We're in this month and we still we already have four months left. Yeah. But you know, every day goes so quickly. So
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winter's almost over even though it doesn't feel like it in the morning sometimes. So but may Allah grant us baraka in our
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time so that uh we have more time to do what we need to and for the pleasure of Allah. Inshallah.
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Amen. So I think let's start off today with a public service announcement. Okay.
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Um it's the final voter registration weekend.
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Today today the last day actually. Yes. The last few hours.
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It it they they are there until 5:00 I think it is.
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Yes. 5:00 p.m. today. Um the voting stations are closing. Um so there's a
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lot in all the areas. As we drove here to the studios, we saw people working.
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Um they are there. They set up they're waiting for you to come in. Um even if you're just going there just to check you know if you are registered.
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Mhm.
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Um for the municipal elections which is happening on when? Who knows? The 4th of November.
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The 4th of November. So he knows.
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Okay. So Issa knows. Um so if you didn't know it's the municipal elections that's happening on the 4th of November 2026.
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Um bright and early. I think they're opening up at 7:00.
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7:00 a.m. they said. So, yes. So, we should actually be there at 7:00 a.m. or before 7:00 a.m. to be able to vote
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um you know to get a good place in the line so you don't have to wait too long. Let's hope.
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Yeah. So, we all voting for for our version of Mayor Mani. So, it is it's very important.
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No, it is. No, it's important because um I mean if you don't vote basically you are actually voting. You you're
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basically saying um whatever happens um you don't care so you shouldn't complain.
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Yeah. Yeah. So I think it it is very important because it's not only about um you know like who is going to look after
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your city. It's also about they they strongly advise that you go and vote in your ward.
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Okay. So don't if you've moved premises today your day to go and and make sure that um you've registered
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you've registered in your area so in your ward so that you can vote because at the end of the day um if things go wrong in the area that you live we're
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just starting with the area that you're living in. We're not talking about um the whole municipality. We're not talking about the whole country. We're just talking about the area that you're
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living in. If there's problems with water, with electricity, you know, with service delivery in in terms of pick it
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up or whatever it is, we can pick it up in Janisburg. I'm just using that as an example.
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And there is a person that you need to talk to. There is a person that you can go to.
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There's a counselor in your area. So, if you're happy with the way the counselor is running your area at the moment, go
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and make sure that they stay there. Um, if you're not happy, go and vote for someone that you think is going to to make a difference.
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And like I said, at the same time, if you're happy with the person, the counselor who is in your area, go and vote for them because if you don't go
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and vote for them, someone else and other people out there will start voting for someone else and then it will change.
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Exactly. So, I think the first thing is that you need to check your registration status. So you can either go down to
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your local IEC station like I said um to check if you registered or you can do it online. So there's quite a few ways. One
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is you can SMS um the SMS costs one rand. So you SMS your ID number to 32810.
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Okay the number is 32810.
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This information is available on the IEC world elections uh website. But you know, if you're listening in, um, this is your reminder.
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Just ju just just check, um, if you want to check if you've, uh, if you have a special vote application
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status, you can SMS your ID number to 3271. So that's 3271.
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if you have a special vote application that you want to know, you know, like so special vote, um I think we didn't know
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about it uh when you were pregnant with ISSA, but one of the things is if you are uh if you can't travel to your
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voting station because you are physically um infirmed, disabled, or pregnant or you can't vote at your station on election day. So, say you're
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like out of the country or whatever, then you can apply for a special vote. Oh, okay. Yeah. Okay.
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So, when we went, we were fortunate enough they saw that you were pregnant and then they let you like skip the not
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skip the queue, but I mean go to a different queue. Yeah.
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But but you can't just go there and expect that you have to apply for a special vote.
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Yeah. Well, the the special votes they usually have on another day also. Okay.
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Um so that also helps. And then um the the you can apply for a special vote at the voting station or you can fill in a
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form online as well. Um so there's an application form that you need to fill out. It's a MEC35 form and um then
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you'll be able to obviously apply for this special vote. And then if you can't travel to your voting station on election day because you are physically
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infirmed, disabled or pregnant, you can apply to cast a special vote at the place where you ordinarily reside on the
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predetermined dates only as per the election timetable. Um so you can you either use application form or you can
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have a family member or friend visit your local IEC office and submit the MEC35 form um on your behalf. Mhm.
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Okay. Sounds easy enough.
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Yeah. And I think at the end of the day, um, you know, it's it's there for us. We should be grateful and we should say
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alhamdulillah that we have the opportunity now to have, you know, people say that it's um, you know, it always goes a certain way.
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Um, but we have the right to vote and it's it's supposed to be it's the IEC says it's a free and fair election.
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Yes. So, so we're not paying to to vote and it should be fair if you go out and you actually and you're the one who who who is
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basically um choosing who you'd like to lead for your comm your municipality, your community and so on.
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Exactly.
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What you should also remember is that when you're going, you should ar you should go much earlier than you intend to, you know, for parking wise. And um
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in terms of, you know, like uh maybe pack some snacks, yes,
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for yourself. Even if you don't have children, pack some snacks and water for yourself. If you're a person who can't stand for long, I think those foldable chairs are also good to carry with.
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Yeah. Yeah. So there's, you know, there's there's a number of things that um, you know, you should do while you're there. So don't be impatient. You know that there's going to be a long queue.
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So um, that's the first thing. The second thing is get something to do while you're in the line. You know, you're going to be there for a while.
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Um, you can recite while you're there.
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You can read a book. You can, um, you know, like give yourself something to do. Um, I edit videos while I'm in the
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line so I have something to do. But then, like you said, take snacks because you don't know how long you're going to be in the queue for.
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Um, if it is permitted, take a little chair that you can you get those little chairs. I know people use um to make
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salah on um that that fold. So, you can use those as well, you know, if you can't stand for too long. Um you can play tag team.
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So there's quite quite a few few things but I think uh closer to the time we'll have a few tips.
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I think we should have closer to the time.
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Yeah. So um let's look at a few positive developments from around South Africa this past week. So we heard that the
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10-year driving license card has been approved. So it's been a while now that they've been talking about it. uh moving
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the 5-year um vehicle driver's license uh validity
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to 8 or 10 years and it's now been approved. It's not active yet. Okay. So, you're still going to have a 5-year
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validity, but it has been approved for codes A, A1, B, and EB.
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Okay.
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Okay. So, that's obviously light motor vehicles.
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So, that is ours. Yeah, that's perfect. What? What did you say? 10 year. 10 years.
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And that's from this year. If you go to renew from this year. No, no, no, no. It hasn't It's not active yet. Oh, okay.
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It's been approved, but it's not active yet. So, you're still going to have the five year. So, until it's passed.
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So, when it's approved, when will it be active?
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I'm not sure, but I mean, it's taken quite a long time just for them to approve it.
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Okay. It's been back and forth and it was going to be 8 years, it was going to be 10 years and now they've settled on 10 years. So they've at least settled on
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10 year validity which is perfect because you actually don't want to go every 5 years. You want you have to remind yourself to go um
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I suppose a lot changes you know a lot can change and that's why maybe they do that but I I think 10 years is a good amount of years.
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Yeah. um there is the chance that you do forget how to do the you know the procedures. So um as long as they make
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it easy for you to remember you know you have to what you need in order to renew your license um obviously the eye check
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eye test checks so you need to check if you your your your eyes can still see well obviously because then you know you'll be able to drive but I think 10
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years is a good amount you know for to renew your license.
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Yeah. Well, the thing is I think it's also the cost involved with you having to renew your vehicle license every year. Yes.
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And then still having every 5 years to review your um driving license. Exactly.
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Um it's very costly to have to to be a driver basically.
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Um and if you're not using it for work per se, it it becomes costly at the end of the day. Um but I think it's uh the
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process has become much easier. So, like you said, if they show people what to do and it has I went this year to renew my
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license and uh besides the fact that you can't get a booking, it's like very difficult. You have to book online before you go and it took me a while.
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So, I ended up getting a temporary license, which I don't particularly like to get. I like to, you know, book like
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four to to 6 weeks in advance. um you know that I know like 6 weeks before I think even 2
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months before and every time there was something wrong.
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Yeah. They didn't have water. Um I'm not sure what water has to do with you know renewing your license but yes
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but but the online bookings were always full also. So there was obviously a backlog as well but maybe um I don't
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know if it will get better now that it will be 10 years. Maybe it will be spaced out. Um, yes, that's also the other thing. Maybe
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the five years is too short a gap and there's quite a few people and it overlaps and they have to um I think
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maybe the 10ear gap would be a a good thing. So, it's still like you said, it's been approved but it's not active.
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Maybe they must do it um with your surname. So, then you have it in blocks.
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You know when you do certain like registration at university and then they do it uh this day if your surname ends with this then or starts with this then
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you go on this day then maybe that would work if you're listening out there but yes that's that's good you know
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driver's license I I've got another thing for Johannesburg well that that's actually nationally but I've got something for um Josie some good news
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for Josie um Johannesburg there's a Josie my Josie community initiative um which has brought some good news you
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know around Johannesburg um the Josie my Josie project launched a community-led initiative in Sutoto to
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boost local tourism preserve heritage and generate economic opportunities for residents. Um the Josie Majosi is
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actually a nonprofit civic movement by the people of Johannesburg that was actually founded in 2023. So 3 years ago,
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okay, in July specifically uh on the 18th of July. So it's just recently, you know,
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been 3 years. And this project aims to restore pride, safety, and economic health in the inner city.
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And they do this by like urban renewal.
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So that's like um cleaning the streets, um adding landscape, installing solar
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lights and CCTV cameras in um have you seen any um uh upgrades in the city?
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Not in we haven't been in the city.
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You haven't been in the city. So So those of you if you if you've noticed that you know you actually you actually
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mentioned that there's lots of um upgrades and ad and what is the word?
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not not upgrades but like a lot of things that have been done to the city.
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So we can't say not just to our city but other cities and other roads. You can't say that nothing's been done in this country. There's always development happening.
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So um yes uh it's not only by private companies, it's by government as well. There's new roads being built, new highways. I mean
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there's the N3 going down to Durban or coming up from Durban that's gone to like what five lanes it looks like 10 lanes it's like so big now
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which one are you talking about like N3 Peter Marittsburg but they con constantly doing construction all the time and it comes up to two lanes
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yeah but I mean they they're expanding it so they're working on it okay I mean it doesn't happen overnight but what I'm saying is you know that there
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is development yes um so you know you can't say you know the country is going down. No, there's a lot of things
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and unfortunately people don't realize that it's also a community effort. It's also a people effort and that's why also you need to choose your leaders wisely.
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You need to make dua for guidance and we we have the power. We have the right to vote. So let's do that.
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Yes. I think uh with that let's go for a break and then when we return then uh yes
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if you would like to join the conversation our WhatsApp line is 0727861548
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or you can call in on 0185472 or you can even DM us on.com on social
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media that's iO V E Z A C O M Let's go for a break and we and when we get back
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we'll continue our discussion tutoring mentoring homeschool assistance concessions facilitation and more
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visit after grant academy the dawn of excellence
17:56
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and welcome back to level up if you've just tuned in we've been talking about the voters registration weekend.
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Later on, I'll be talking about the Commonwealth Games and the WFcon. If you
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missed it, be sure to check out the Radio Islam International Soundcloud during the week for the podcast as well as our website.com
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for the video podcast. But right now we'll be talking about the good news.
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The good news. If you would like to join the conversation, our subline is open.
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The number is 0727861548 or you can call in on 0185472
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or you can even DM us on at.com. That's ov zoom m.
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I think before um we get into the good news um you know it's it's become a
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thing now where we talk about good news and where you mean like everyone talks about good news they say oh let's talk about
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good news and we don't want to talk too much about um the crime and whatever else and let's put out positive vibes
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but yes what are you getting to I just wanted to say um I don't think we were the first people but we um
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among the first amongst the first because especially here in South Africa um when we started ilabz.com
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in 2015 well we'll say 2015 but it was before then um well that was officially
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officially when we started spreading the positive vibes as you say but what um what did I want to say at
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that particular time we had um Jacob's Zuma as our president, right? People were not happy with the state that South
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Africa was in. We had a lot of load shedding. It was uh a time when, you know, like people weren't happy to be
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South African and we tried to change the narrative. I mean, I love ZA, you know, like trying to show that we love the country that we come from.
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Um, for anyone who doesn't know, although a lot of people use it now, so you can't really say that. And a lot of people use
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it on their website, on their um well social media. They keep saying Z A um Z
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A is the um what is the international acronym for South Africa. Uh but I mean it's even in your co.za.
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Exactly. If you have a And if you used to travel then I think you used to have like a sticker that said Za on your car. You travel um across borders.
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Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So, so we use that, but we used it to show that there's a lot more good news. There's a lot of
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positive news. It's it's it's not uh especially in in the media industry, it's not easy to sell good news stories.
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It's not we we can tell you for a fact there's it's been over 10 years now. It's been 11 years and it's not easy.
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But there is so much alhamdulillah.
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Alhamdulillah. um to be grateful for to you know like just in like we we were talking about in your community there's people that like Issa is going
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to talk about the Commonwealth Games and the WFCcon or whatever that have gone to represent their country young teenagers like Issa's age a little
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bit older you know that that are in your community that are doing things that are uh starting businesses that are we
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interviewed somebody last year also they were like fresh out of university and they were doing you know great things they are like you said around Issa's age
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I think I saw something recently um I don't know I I can't remember I I I'll be lying if it said what it was about
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but I do remember seeing quite a few stories about you know like young entrepreneurs and even young Muslim entrepreneurs so you know come out show
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us send us messages because um you're listening to us today live alhamdulillah you can listen to us um via the
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Soundcloud you can watch us on our YouTube on ilza uh.com or atovves.com.
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So you you can send us messages. If you feel like, you know, there's someone in your community or brag about yourself, you know, you're doing something good for the community, go for it. You know,
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send us the message and and show us because you should be, you know, you you're taking the initiative. You should be proud of what you're doing and you want to be spoken about.
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Yes. But um yeah, so so that's basically what happened and why we started I love commit actually to be completely honest
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why we actually started that and I'll tell you why. Um I'm a qualified journalist and um for a long time um you
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know I always thought I don't really want to write polit political stories you know political art articles and I
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was always interested more in um a person you know like and and and what the people can achieve and um you know
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community efforts and initiatives and I like to basically you know in a nutshell I'd like I like to you know write
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stories about that and I think that's where it also um grew you know that's
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where or started or it began the seed began with I love editor.com because I said I don't really want to write bad news all the time I don't really want to
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write about crime so we kept looking for good news and um I think that's when it started over over 11 years ago
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officially because this was before um I qualified a long long long time ago and I've always felt that way. So it's much
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more than 11 years obviously but um yeah so uh I think that's what you wanted to say that I love.com
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started with the positive not started but was amongst the pioneers of the positive vibes the good news stories and yeah every day nowadays people are
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looking for it and that's a good thing you know yeah well that's that that's that's what I like is that there has been an increase in alhamdulillah
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and you can go on social media now And people are sharing, you know, good stories all the time. Alhamdulillah. And
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there's a lot more traction in that. And one of the the um I won't say big news
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stories, but one that's been circulating quite a lot over the last few weeks is I'm not sure if you've seen it, but there was a video of a security guard.
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His name is Tiboho Kabayi. Um he was at based at um BMW Kempton Park. And there
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were these so-called self-claimed millionaires who were berating him and
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just you know like um being bullies basically and the video was shared across social
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media and people saw this video and they felt bad for him which I mean you humans so you know.
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Yeah. And and and at least they didn't add to the bullying.
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Yes. And um they act one of the let's say motoring influencers or whatever
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Glenn on cars actually started like a like a fund and um they raised over 30,000 rand for this guy and presented
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it to him. But just this week in within the week there was a company called Scary Bite that actually handed over the keys of a BMW to him.
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Oh, alhamdulillah. So it it was such a um you know uh what's the word? Um a
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tearful story you know like it it emotional story because um you know they
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they show the video he was surprised he didn't know that you know like it was going to happen and just to know that there's people out there that are backing you.
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Yeah. you know, he could have been going through that on a daily basis and this was just one time that was brought to light. Yeah. People didn't
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know about it and obviously these people thought, you know, they're going to get a kick out of it by sharing this video and it actually backfired on them, which
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was a good thing. But it just shows you that, you know, we stronger together. Like we
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always say in South Africa, kindness is stronger in South Africa. We have this Ubuntu And I love and I love the fact
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that you know it's not just words. If you can actually show it and I'm always you know that person don't talk just I really don't like people who talk too
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much. I know we talking right now but show more do more. Your actions speak louder. Your actions really do speak louder.
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Yeah. No, there's there's always so much um you know good to to look at you know
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like we said even the small things you go outside and you say hey they've paved our road or they've covered the potholes
27:10
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or whatever say alhamdulillah because just you know the fact that we can go out and we can pray freely
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you know we went uh during week yeah no I mean during the week there's a new forest baker that opened up in the vow.
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A halal one.
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A halal one. Firstly, that we would have never seen 10 years ago, right?
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Um so that already and that actually is 10 years ago because 10 years ago, you know, we we we actually were feeling for like you know
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a nice platter of um you know baked croissants and this and that and I think
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a nice halal um foros is good. But what you were getting at was that was the fact that firstly there's that
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you know that it's halal that you we have that option right and there's many halal options nowadays right options you mean halal um
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eeries and you know places for us for us to go where you know like we don't have to worry is there crosscontamination
28:13
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um you know you know what I mean um because and like you saying you know in contrast with 10 years ago and 10 years
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ago So might be, you know, like nothing for someone who's like 12, but you know, for or 22, you know, but someone who's
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like 32 or 40 to am I am I doing the calculations correct? It's a big deal because, you know, 10 did I say 10 years
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ago? 10 years ago, we were still, and it really was, 10 years ago, we were still looking for um um you know, places to to
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eat along the way when we're going traveling somewhere or places to pray along the way. And alhamdulillah, alhamdulillah. And there that's that's
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exactly it. Attached to this uh foras um at the VA lifestyle center, there is
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a musala. So there's a men's and a ladies masala. So there already you can, you know, eat and then go and play. So
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you're not missing your salah because you enjoying like you say a croissant or baked good or whatever it is.
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Um and then we saw not long not long after that just further down the road road there's um it looked like a a mid was being built there in Aron Park.
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Yes. So just not far from that I think there's a a nursery or something and across the road from that is a mashi that's being built. Alhamdulillah. So you know it there is development.
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Alhamdulillah. That also reminds me of that time we went to Nottingham. Not we didn't actually go to Nottingham. We were on the way from Durban to
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Johannesburg and we needed to make salah and we saw a little um uh Muslim prayer sign. You know they have that uh sign.
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And then um we thought okay we're going to a a little musalah and then that's when we found out that there's there was
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this um masid that's being built there in alhamdulillah for everything and um more
30:15
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good news is that the umbila emoi wind energy facility near Bethl in Malanga officially reached commercial operation.
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So the major project adds clean power capacity directly to the national grid while advancing local job creation and transition goals.
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So you know the there again like we're saying you know um I had the
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opportunities to see some of these wind uh facilities these wind turbines
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um and you know the other um what alternative energy um so these things are happening here in
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South Africa these are and these are important because I mean they help because we we you know doesn't always help Yeah.
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You know, and we need electricity.
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Yeah. But also it's it's creating jobs as well.
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And then um can I tell you something also in in Puma Langa that I recently read about? So a paragliders
31:18
31 minutes, 18 seconds
triumphant return to the skies where he nearly died 80 years ago.
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So yes, it doesn't sound like it's too much of a good news, but it is because he came back to the sky. So um in 2018 a
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21-year-old paraglider Calvin Fanbalan suffered a catastrophic catastrophic crash into a 12,000 volt
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power line in Barbaton in Pumalanga suffering severe electrical burns over 75% of his body. Yes, again I know it
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doesn't sound like you know good news at the moment. Um he had to spend like 413 days in ICU and be uh resuscitated nine
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times. But alhamdulillah he managed to you know to to um with with
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extraordinary determination he actually started walking again.
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Alhamdulillah. And not long uh ago, like just recently now that 80 8 years later,
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you know, at 29 years old, he's started to he he he he entered the paragliding
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um the Barbatin paragliding open, which is he the exact same, you know, um
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activity that he did exactly eight years ago, you know, he where he flew the exact same peak, but this time he
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actually secured a fourth place finish and that deeply inspired the the local community of Pumalanga and you know
32:46
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obviously it's an achieve a achievement in itself to to win fourth place but you know after that especially but uh
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you know to like uh beyond that you know it was it was like
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33 minutes, 1 second
a whole community effort and a whole the whole community were backing him you know like we met we went to the the the
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33 minutes, 8 seconds
Toyota um GR rally and we said all of these people are just supporting their um supporting the people who are
33:16
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participating. So this is basically like a community effort.
33:20
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So that is a bit of a good story because you know after having such a catastrophic crash he actually managed to go back and do
33:29
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the same thing and you know win in a certain position. Alhamdulillah.
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33 minutes, 32 seconds
So, alhamdulillah, he he was quoted to say that he was just happy that he had a good flight, which I think is an understatement. Alhamdulillah. And I
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also wanted to say that, you know, to to also bring in part of the fact that it's um we you you guys are doing the
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Commonwealth um stories just now, but you know, this is a bit of an extreme sport. I don't know if um anyone of you
33:54
33 minutes, 54 seconds
would decide to do paragliding after that. I'm not sure.
33:59
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Yeah. Um I don't know so much about that but I think let uh Issa actually get into the the Commonwealth Games. Um we
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can continue with more um positive stories after that if time permitted. Inshallah.
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34 minutes, 14 seconds
In Yes. So what are the Commonwealth Games if you
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want to know? So the Commonwealth Games is like a mini Olympics.
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So it is a massive sporting event held every four years where thousands of
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34 minutes, 39 seconds
athletes from over 70 nations and territories compete for gold, silver, and bronze medals.
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34 minutes, 49 seconds
The nations that belong to the commonwealth is a family of countries around the world like South Africa,
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34 minutes, 56 seconds
Australia, Canada, Jamaica, India and the United Kingdom.
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So everything from swimming and athletics, running or jumping to netball, rugby sevens and gymnastics. Sure.
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35 minutes, 17 seconds
The 2026 games are being hosted in Glasro, Scotland.
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I like how you said that. Was that a um a little nod to me? Because um when was it? Was it last year?
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I think when we were wrapping up last year and we were saying what was coming up for this year. Yeah. Um so that listeners if you're listening right now
35:40
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um Issa said as a little nod to me because um I think
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multilinguism multi is is that the word when you know many languages um played a
35:53
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part in me saying um the wrong word it's for for this um place it's called it's
36:01
36 minutes, 1 second
actually called say it properly please Glasgow Glasgow Oh. So when I was saying it, when I first said it, I said,
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36 minutes, 10 seconds
but being South African, I don't blame either of you. Um because that's how we how we talk here.
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36 minutes, 19 seconds
Okay, you can continue, Isa.
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36 minutes, 21 seconds
So um Oh, so Team South Africa has some of the delegations already arrived back in our Tambbo International this morning.
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Alhamdulillah.
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Alhamdulillah. But you said today's the last day, isn't it?
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So today is the closing ceremony and they also um there are a few people that are still competing um in the finals today.
36:44
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Okay.
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Um but most of them have come have returned yesterday. Um South team South Africa has won 25 medals, seven gold, nine silver and nine bronze.
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Sure.
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Um so you know it's there's been a lot of record breakings as well. Um Chad
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Lllo was the most decorated athlete in the history of the Commonwealth Games with 21 medals across five games and 16 years.
37:13
37 minutes, 13 seconds
He broke the previous record of 18 on the opening night of the swimming program and extended it three times thereafter.
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Wow. That's amazing.
37:24
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Yeah. So he he's done something that no other athlete has done and it's right here in South Africa. Yes.
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You know this is this is this is what we what we're talking about.
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Um Amy Kenny won four medals, silver in the 100 meter breaststroke, silver in the 200 meter individual medley and bronze in both the women's freestyle and medley relays.
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So, you know, there's there's quite a lot um of athletes that actually, you
37:54
37 minutes, 54 seconds
know, did really really well. There was a historic sprint title in the first judo medal on Friday night. Sinipo Dille
38:01
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won the men's 200 m in 19.96 seconds ahead of Nigeria's Udori Unura and
38:10
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Jamaica's Christopher Taylor. It is the first time a South African has won the Commonwealth 200 meter title, the country's first Commonwealth splint
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38 minutes, 18 seconds
title since Akani Simbin's 100 meter victory at Gold Coast 2018 and South Africa's first medal in the event since
38:26
38 minutes, 26 seconds
Cardiff in 1958. Akani Siminia also uh won a few medals as well. Um but yeah,
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38 minutes, 35 seconds
you know, the there were so many um you know, historic events that that
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38 minutes, 42 seconds
happened in this Commonwealth Games just for South Africa and I think we should congratulate the team on uh their
38:51
38 minutes, 51 seconds
achievements. Um, I'm not going to name everybody and all the medals that everybody's won, but I think uh all the
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information is on our website like we say.com.
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But we wish them all the success in the future as well.
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I actually wanted to mention I I know I I say this every time we come past here um to the the Radio Islam International
39:15
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studios. I always see this thing. I said one day I must take a picture of it. I took a picture of it and it's has this
39:22
39 minutes, 22 seconds
words um on the wall here in Lanesia. It says sport has the power to change the world, power to unite people in a way
39:31
39 minutes, 31 seconds
that little else does. And I found that very interesting actually because this this that's basically what this is you
39:38
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know um it's bringing South Africans together and yes
39:46
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then the WFCcon. So also what is WCON?
39:54
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Yes, I actually do want to know what is WCON.
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What is WCON? The way you say it it's like it's some I don't know like conference or something. Conference for waffles. Wcon.
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So Wcon stands for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations.
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Oh, okay. Okay, that makes sense. Con, Cup of Nations. I actually thought con was like, you know, Comic-Con
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40 minutes, 21 seconds
conference. So AFCON is the African Cup of Nations. So WAFCON is women's African
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Cup of Nations. And it is the biggest soccer tournament in Africa for women's national teams.
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The best women's soccer teams across Africa who qualify to see who is champion of the continent.
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Oh wow.
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And our national women's team is called Bana Bana. The girls they won the trophy. the trophy in 2022.
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Okay, that's great.
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Alhamdulillah. Um but at the moment, um their first match, I think it was on Monday, if I'm not mistaken, they played
41:11
41 minutes, 11 seconds
Tanzania and they lost 2-1. Then I think they played again on Friday. When was the 31st of July? Friday. Friday.
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Because yesterday was the first. Today's the second, isn't it? I think.
41:21
41 minutes, 21 seconds
Yeah. So that's still the beginning of August like you said. So they drew then um 22 and then on the 4th of August,
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when's that? On Tuesday, Tuesday, they playing Bakina Faso. So we wish them all the best for that. Um they'll need to win so they can stay in the
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41 minutes, 38 seconds
competition. Um it will be, you know, a little bit disappointing. Like Isa said, they won the 2022
41:46
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um WAF Con. Um so we're hoping that they will uh well they need to inshallah win
41:55
41 minutes, 55 seconds
against Bakina Faso to try and advance to the quarterfinals inshallah. So whatever happens happens
42:03
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though. But this no well I mean like we always say um you know if it's in their tag then um they
42:11
42 minutes, 11 seconds
will get through um but obviously we're South African so we want our national teams to advance through
42:19
42 minutes, 19 seconds
and keeping on the positive vibes and like we said today also we've got we've got so much of good news from a and
42:26
42 minutes, 26 seconds
obviously we couldn't get into all of that um unfortunately but you can check out website. I'm sure
42:33
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there is um a lot there that we we we will be sharing. And if like I said before, if you have um if there's
42:41
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listeners who from all over, not just South Africa, but but when I do mean South Africa, I don't mean just the
42:48
42 minutes, 48 seconds
talked about um most talked about places like um what's our most talked about places and Durban and Cape Town. So I'm talking
42:58
42 minutes, 58 seconds
to you from uh and I know we have listeners from the eastern cape.
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Alhamdulillah and um uh northwest and and Pumbalanga. So northern Cape Lumpo.
43:11
43 minutes, 11 seconds
Okay. Basically you know you know the nine provinces of South Africa but also internationally alhamdulillah we have listeners from there as well. So if you
43:19
43 minutes, 19 seconds
have good news go for it, share it with us and um yes we'd love to hear we'd love to know about it.
43:27
43 minutes, 27 seconds
And uh yeah, if you once again if you'd like to join the conversation during the week, you can do so on our social media
43:34
43 minutes, 34 seconds
pages. I love that's I L O V E I L O V E Z A C O M. I
43:41
43 minutes, 41 seconds
couldn't spell for a second there. And we are on Instagram, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, YouTube, Tik Tok, Threads, and
43:49
43 minutes, 49 seconds
Upcrolled. And you are welcome to read the articles on our website as well as listen watch and read the past episodes
43:57
43 minutes, 57 seconds
on our website of levelup on i loveza.com. And if you've miss up missed any of the other level up episodes or
44:05
44 minutes, 5 seconds
you'd like to just go back and listen to it, you are welcome to do so on the radio international soundcloud
44:13
44 minutes, 13 seconds
to our dear listeners for joining us on this lovely Sunday afternoon. Please join us every Sunday. right here on
44:20
44 minutes, 20 seconds
Radio Islam International from 2 to 3:00 p.m. Inshallah. Amen. From myself,
44:26
44 minutes, 26 seconds
Nabiha, from Aisa, and from Zad. And to brother Zad for um looking after us
44:33
44 minutes, 33 seconds
in the studio here, enjoy your Sunday and we wish you a wonderful week ahead, inshallah.
