Mzansi Life & Style showcases the best that South Africa has to offer in terms of entertainment, fashion, lifestyle, culture, cuisine, travel, beauty and celebrity news. Subscribe to my website by adding your email address in the "follow" button below.
Jeremy Renner is ready to make some Renner-vations! The two-time Academy Award® nominee and Marvel superhero joins forces again with Disney+ for the highly anticipated debut of his four-part Original series “Rennervations” from Disney Branded Television. Renner and his team of expert builders use their skills to reimagine decommissioned vehicles and rebuild them into mind-blowing creations that serve communities around the world. Every build has a purpose. All episodes of “Rennervations” premiere on Wednesday, 12 April 2023, exclusively on Disney+.
This week I attended the launch of the new Samsung Galaxy S23 Series at Artistry in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. unveiled the Galaxy S23 Ultra, Galaxy S23+, and Galaxy S23, marking a new era of Galaxy’s ultimate premium phone experience. Samsung Galaxy’s most epic camera gives users more freedom to explore their creativity, like capturing truly cinematic Nightography videos with transformative artificial intelligence (AI). The Snapdragon® 8 Gen 2 Mobile Platform for Galaxy unleashes a future-ready mobile gaming experience and powerfully sustained game play, supported by exclusive chipset enhancements made possible by Samsung’s close collaboration with Qualcomm. Galaxy S23 series’ new standard-setting innovations are housed within a striking design that advances Samsung’s sustainability commitment with the more recycled materials of any Galaxy smartphone.
“The most impactful technology is measured, not just by what it enables for people today, but also how it contributes to a better future,” said TM Roh, President and Head of Mobile eXperience Business at Samsung Electronics. “Galaxy S23 Ultra and the entire Galaxy S series line-up are the new standard-bearers of a trustworthy premium smartphone experience that merges industry-leading innovation and future-forward sustainability.”
TCL, one of the dominant players in the global TV industry and a leading consumer electronics brand, launched its latest line of Google LED TVs in a glittering event held at the Galleria Sandton. Adding to an already impressive range of televisions, TCL unveiled the feature packed C835, C735, C635, P735 and P635 products, with the brand quickly making headway into the South African market.
Global Outlook
Globally, TCL is now the No.2 ranked LCD TV brand and holds the top positions in many key markets. It also ranks as the No.1 Android TV brand in the world and its smart TVs rank in the top five in more than 20 countries and regions by sales volume, growing by over 52% YoY in European and over 38% in emerging markets respectively. It is also the No. 2 and No. 3 ranked LCD TV Brand in the US and France respectively in terms of Sales Volume in 2021.
With the brand growing at rapid pace globally, TCL announced its worldwide partnership with the Brazil football team, revealing their four football brand ambassadors – English midfielder Phil Foden, rising superstar and Spanish international Pedri, Brazilian winger Rodrygo and famed French defender Raphaël Varane to symbolize and reflect their brand motto – Inspire Greatness.
Tim Shaw and Fuzz Townshend next to the Pristine. (National Geographic)
National Geographic’s top-rated car restoration show with a heart, Car S.O.S,has returned to screens for its tenth season and can be seen on Tuesdays at 19:00 (C.A.T.) on DSTV Channel 181 (National Geographic). The series consists of 10 unmissable new episodes including a very special anniversary show, featuring the 100th car to be made-over on the series and a stack of celebrity faces who will be popping up throughout the run.
Each new episode features a different heart-warming and inspiring story from owners who deserve the chance to have their treasured classic motor car fully restored back to its prime condition, with car enthusiast Tim Shaw and master mechanic Fuzz Townshend, who are joined by special guest stars, including ex-England football legends Bryan Robson and Wes Brown, who are on hand to lend their time, energy and moral support to a very special Car S.O.S reveal at Old Trafford football stadium. Other celebrity Car S.O.S fans who make cameo appearances in the series are David Beckham, Sir Paul McCartney, TV mechanic and motoring specialist Edd China and Emmerdale actress Natalie J. Robb.
I attended Comic Con Africa for the first time in 2019 and what an experience it was! Check out some images and footage from the 2019 expo here, here and here.
It looks like this year’s Comic Con Africa is going to be bigger and better than ever, so get all the details of what to expect below.
Comic Con Africa, Africa’s largest multi-genre pop-culture and gaming festival, which is taking place from 22-25 September 2022 at the Johannesburg Expo Centre, has announced another exciting addition to the event this year: StreamerCon– the place to celebrate and experience all of the online magic and wonder in real life.
Geared towards celebrating digital creators, platform innovators, and their fans all in one place – StreamerCon is bringing together everything that is a part of creating, watching, and promoting video content. More than that, StreamerCon will be the hub for creators to expand their reach, collaborations to spark, and for aspiring content creators to be guided by industry veterans.
Comic Con Africa’s Show Director, Carla Massmann, expressed her elation at the addition of StreamerCon by saying that local content creators are at the core of planning and bringing StreamerCon to life.
“We’ve seen the growth and talent of South African streamers – and want to offer these very talented individuals an opportunity to be celebrated.” Massmann added. “The influencer today is very different to what it was. Content creators today are the micro-influencers who drive exceptional engagement through niche communities.”
“In the past year Comic Con Africa has worked to give local streamers and content creators a platform to promote themselves and we believe that now more than ever it is an imperative new addition to the show.”
StreamerCon aims to create awareness around the world-class local content creators irrelevant of their platform – be it Twitch, YouTube, TikTok, or anything else.
In 2021, Comic Con Africa launched Streamer Takeovers which allowed members of the South African streaming community to showcase themselves on Comic Con Africa’s Twitch channel. After engaging with this community, that displays great passion and comradery, Comic Con Africa has set out to highlight content creators – established and upcoming – across the continent.
StreamerCon is also excited to welcome streaming software companies, tech brands, high performance software and systems, peripherals, and components, streaming equipment, streaming and recording software, video editing and design software, vlogging kits, as well as so much more.
Follow *StreamerCon on Twitter to get the latest updates and see the website for more information on attending and exhibiting.
Comic Con Africa returns bigger, better – and safer – than ever in 2022
Comic Con Africa 2022 is the ultimate pop-culture and gaming festival in Africa, and the biggest of its kind offering something for everyone in the pop culture space. With tickets on sale since December 2021, the festival is set to take place during the traditional Comic Con month of September, from the 22nd to the 25th. Ticket sales have been staggered into a phased approach to ensure the control of capacity as well as being of benefit to the early birds who buy their tickets in the early phases.
Below are some images from when I attended Comic Con Africa in 2019:
The team at Comic Con Africa HQ have spent the past two years performing the necessary due diligence to ensure that the event in 2022 will be bigger, better and safer than ever before – with the strictest of Covid protocols and measures in place, to ensure peace of mind for all attendees and vendors.
Comic Con Africa 2022 will see more activations and international talent, and in order to accommodate this growth (and social distancing measures) the event has found a new home – the Johannesburg Expo Centre at Nasrec. This venue boasts a capacity that is a great size for the anticipated 80 000 plus visitors, while still offering further growth potential for years to come with its extensive indoor and outdoor areas.
The show floor will play host to international celebrities, the best in gaming and gear, Artist Alley, pop culture merch, table top games, and of course the highly anticipated Cosplay Competitions alongside various activations leading up to the event. Not only is this a pop culture playground for enthusiasts and professionals, but there will also be the KidsCon edition, creating a space for the entire family to enjoy the ultimate day out!
Brands and individuals interested in exhibiting at Comic Con Africa 2022 can contact info@comicconafrica.co.za.
Tickets for the festival and more information can be found on the official Comic Con Africa website.
For the latest Comic Con Africa 2022 news and updates, be sure to connect online:
If you have never heard of Comic Con, here’s what it’s all about:
Comic Con Africa is Africa’s largest multi-genre pop-culture, gaming and fan festival.
The festival features a large range of pop culture and entertainment elements including cosplay, comic books, anime, manga, tech, film and series, gaming (including video, mobile and esports) toys, gadgets, clothing, collectible card games, fantasy/sci-fi books and authors as well as the ever-popular Artists’ Alley. The inaugural 2018 event welcomed over 42 000 visitors (ABC Audited) and 2019 saw over 70 000. In 2019 KidsCon was a new addition to the festival, allowing for the festival to be the ultimate family day out with loads of activities for all to enjoy. A single Comic Con Africa ticket gets you access to both Cons at Johannesburg Expo Centre NASREC on 22 – 25 September 2022. (www.comicconafrica.co.za)
Comic Con Africa is owned by Reed Exhibitions (Pty) Ltd and used under license by Mogull Media Proprietary Limited.
Africarare, Africa’s first metaverse is set to unlock African creativity and connect Africa to the global digital economy. At an event in Johannesburg on 28 February 2022, plans were announced for commercialisation of the 3D virtual reality experience, that is set in Ubuntuland, a virtual world that marries creativity, cryptocurrency and commerce.
Firstly, virtual land will soon be available to purchase and develop with MTN, Africa’s largest multinational mobile telecommunications company, joining Africarare with an upcoming 12×12 village (144 plots of real estate) secured in Ubuntuland. Additionally, M&C Saatchi Abelhave entered the metaverse as the first South African advertising agency to do so. There will only ever be 204 642 plots of land available, made up of different village sizes in various community hubs. The land is positioned and priced according to a tiered value system.
Landholders will be able to customize their 3-D land spaces, such as hosting shops, producing resources, renting virtual services and developing games or other applications. Designated spaces will serve the community for work, play and wellness purposes, including state of the art meeting rooms, online therapy rooms (with optional anonymity), concert stages, film festival spaces, meditation lounges and other dynamic interactive environments. And, there’s more to come, such as staking, DAO (decentralized autonomous organization) and blockchain play-to-earn gaming.
Huawei’s newest nova series raises the smartphone experience with a bold design, advanced camera capabilities and productivity-boosting features. The Huawei nova series specifically targets the African youth by bringing them not one but two spectacular devices that are price conscious, stylish and socially on-par with what is out there right now. These two devices are the HUAWEI nova 8 and HUAWEI nova Y60.
“Gen-Z pride themselves on being the most digitally connected generation that keeps getting better and better. They prefer bite-sized video content and are not about to start compromising now; that’s why Huawei has tailored two smartphones just for them that meet their needs,” says Justin Sun, General Manager of Huawei Consumer Business Group South Africa.
Huawei also announced its collaboration with sneaker brand Bathu and another exciting Huawei Joburg Day with 947 collab, for their event in October. “African youth are all about fashion and music, so these two collaborations are important for the nova series; we are very excited about the future,” explains Sun. “Bathu is uniquely African, and speaks to Gen Zers who value fashion and style, while Huawei Joburg Day with 947 has been entertaining this country’s youth with the best local musical talent for many years now.”
“Bathu is synonymous with the colourful South African spirit and has evolved beyond our imagined vision: cutting across ages, professions and places to resonate with any and everyone who appreciates innovation. We are thrilled to collaborate with the formidable Huawei nova 8 and Huawei nova Y60 series that heed the call to giving our consumers the ultimate style experience, in order to expand our reach as a brand,” says Theo Baloyi, the Founder and CEO of Bathu Sneakers.
“947 is home to the best music, top artists and the biggest personalities. For the second time this year, Huawei Joburg Day returns. It’s just fitting that HUAWEI nova inspires the October edition of Huawei Joburg Day as the event becomes more engrained in youth and lifestyle culture through a fusion of fashion, design and music. This edition of Huawei Joburg Day forms part of 947’s popular Big September campaign, so listen to 947 over the next couple of weeks as we announce the exciting new artist line-up and big giveaways inspired by HUAWEI nova,” says Thando Makhunga, 947 Station Manager.
Introducing the HUAWEI nova 8
The HUAWEI nova 8 comes in a spectacular Blush Gold colour. It features a thin and light body that weighs only 169 g. From the back, the universe-inspired Nebular Camera System sits elegantly on the exquisite glass panel, giving the device a unique and highly recognisable look.
HUAWEI nova 8
The display on the HUAWEI nova 8 can render up to 1.07 billion colours, which allows the display to show smoother gradients and more realistic content in vivid colours. So, if you’re going to be spending hours on end watching Youtube videos, streaming video content or playing games, you’re guaranteed the best time because the quality will enhance your viewing pleasure even more.
Capture all the best angles
The HUAWEI nova 8 is equipped with a 64MP high resolution rear camera that lets you take vividly sharp photos. Using incredible 4-in-1 light fusion technology, it can capture more detail in crystal-clear quality whether during the day or at night. When taking photos at night, HUAWEI nova 8 Super Night Mode makes sure that you still capture your best angles ever. It makes your photos sharp, bright, and ready to share thanks to AI technology and the 120° Ultra-Wide Angle Camera. The Main Camera and Ultra-Wide Angle Camera on the back of the HUAWEI nova 8 work together to enable Dual-View Video. And, if you love selfies, the 32MP front camera snaps hi-res selfies which will make you the talk of the town among your social circles, because who doesn’t love a good selfie?
Super charge battery
The 66W HUAWEI SuperCharge support saves users the trouble of charging the device frequently, especially during games and movies. It can be charged to 60% in just 15 minutes and 100% in 35 minutes. In the time it takes to have a quick shower and breakfast, users can have the phone fully charged and ready to go.
And here is the HUAWEI nova Y60
Super smart cameras
If you are passionate about taking stunning pictures and sharing them on social media, then the HUAWEI nova Y60 will impress you. The HUAWEI nova Y60 comes with a solid AI Triple Camera, allowing users to capture clearer photos of everyday moments with ease. The 13MP Main Camera has an f/1.8 large aperture.
HUAWEI nova Y60
Even at night or in low-light conditions, the built-in noise reduction processes make photos look bright and clear. The 120° Ultra-Wide Angle Camera allows users to include more people in a group photo, while the Depth Camera creates a blurred background effect to make the subject stand out. The 8MP front camera and built-in AI Beauty algorithm offers customised beautifying effects, making the HUAWEI nova Y60 a great selfie phone. With a 6.6″ HUAWEI FullView Display, the new nova series gives users an immersive multimedia experience. Covered with a simple yet trendy hood, the HUAWEI nova Y60 is available in two classic colourways – Crush Green and Midnight Black.
More social media time thanks to longer battery life
Equipped with a 5000mAh large battery and Huawei’s power-saving AI Algorithms, the HUAWEI nova Y60 lets users explore as much of what they love on their phone throughout the day. Coupled with Ultra Power Saving mode, the smartphone can last longer even when the battery level is low, which is a welcome relief, especially if you’re on the go and rely heavily on your device.
I fondly remember eating Halls sweets as a child, with my late mother. She absolutely loved Halls and always carried a tube in her handbag, with the smell of eucalyptus wafting everywhere.
So it was with delight and nostalgia, that I excitedly accepted my Halls Press Drop from the delivery person this week!
Halls has re-branded itself from a lozenge, which has somewhat of a medical feel to the word, to a “lifestyle candy with purpose.”
Whilst Halls has achieved unparalleled success to date, as a soothing lozenge for winter coughs and trusted for its product efficacy, the Halls candy is able to offer so much more. The brand is bringing that to the world as a catalyst to establishing a stronger relationship with its consumers.
The original mission of the Halls brothers was to “help the world breathe better” in the smog of the industrial age. In today’s techno-world, mental congestion is the more relevant challenge. For the generation raised to be ‘always on’ in this fast-paced time, breathing better – and the mental clarity that results – is more important than ever before. Halls, with its unique long-lasting cooling effect, can authentically own the mental benefits that flow from breathing better.
I can’t say that I am the world’s best rugby fan, mainly because I don’t understand the rules of the game. But that does not mean that I cannot enjoy the match! I am certainly looking forward to the Rugby World Cup final on Saturday, 2 November, now that I know South Africa has made it through, after they beat Wales 19 to 16, yesterday. So, England plays South Africa in the final this Saturday. Fingers and toes crossed for us!
But what fun activities can one have till the final match?
Heineken® has launched the #TeamHeineken Experience, an interactive activation set to thrill rugby and non-rugby fans ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2019™knockout phase.
The activation was unveiled at the Rosebank Mall in Johannesburg, demonstrating that everyone can enjoy the spirit of the tournament, whether they know the rules of the game or not.
Telkom, the official connectivity and gaming partner of Comic Con Africa 2019, has announced that R1.14 million is the combined prize pool for the teams playing in the Telkom VS Gaming Masters tournament, with each tournament getting R570 000.
The second edition of Comic Con Africa takes place at Gallagher Convention Centre 21-24 September 2019. Comic Con Africa is an unforgettable scene to most, as each day, thousands of people walk about exploring in excitement what the festival has to offer, providing for all pop culture, comic book and gaming enthusiasts an experience of a lifetime.
Telkom VS Gaming, Africa’s largest esport league, will be hosting the largest annual tournaments, the VS Gaming Masters – for South Africa’s leading competitive games, DOTA 2, and Counter Strike Global Offensive (CS:GO). These tournaments are the culmination of the VS Gaming esport circuit, where teams qualified online or through a physical event.
“The world of gaming, and esports respectively, is rapidly growing in Africa and platforms like Telkom VS gaming play an important role in facilitating the movement with tournaments that give gamers the opportunity to connect with each other”, concludes Wanda Mkhize Executive, Content for Telkom VS Gaming.
Esport was included for the first time globally at the inaugural Comic Con Africa last year and judging by the success of that event, Telkom VS Gaming is setting the pace in defining the African esport landscape.
Do you want to attend this weekend’s Comic Con Africa at Gallagher Estate in Johannesburg, South Africa?
Sure you do! I have 30 tickets to give away courtesy of Telkom VS Gaming.
All you need to do is follow @mishkah7 on Instagram and enter here.
The first 30 followers to do this will be emailed a ticket on Friday, 20 September 2019 by the sponsor’s PR company. Each ticket is a weekend pass and is worth R500. Competition closes at noon on Thursday, 19 September 2019. Travel is not included in this giveaway.
For more Information visit www.telkom.co.za for exclusive Comic Con Africa deals and competitions.
Halls has re-branded itself from a lozenge, which has somewhat of a medical feel to the word, to a “lifestyle candy with purpose.”
Mzansi Life & Style by Mishkah Roman-Cassiem 