A time capsule of all things mzansi...

“Mzansi (n): Xhosa word used to describe South Africa.”

Introduction

Sports

Music

Fashion

Architecture

Literature

Acting

World leadership

Conclusion

South Africa has had a tumultuous history. From the Anglo Boer war to Apartheid. The seeds of division have always been sown in our country.

Yet by 1994 it was time to ring in change, through years of suffering our leaders realised that they needed to work together to create democracy for us.

They needed to create generations that did not know about racial divide, generations that could do anything their hearts desired and not be hindered by something as petty as the colour of their skin.

From 1994 onwards South Africa started becoming a tolerant state.

Tolerant of all differences.

We as a people still have a long way to go but we have indeed come a long way in a mere 19 years.

This is our legacy.

Host of the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

First Fifa World Cup held on the African continent.

Rugby world cup champions in 2007.

Rugby world cup champions in 1995.

Host of the 1995 tournament.

First international rugby tournament after re-admission into world sport.

First racially integrated national rugby team.

Hollywood movie made about the journey to the 1995 rugby world cup final directed by award winning director Clint Eastwood starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman - Invictus.

Afcon champions in 1995.

Host of the 1995 tournament.

First international soccer tournament after re-admission into world sport.

First racially integrated national soccer team.

Parlotones- award winning, multiplatinum selling rock band started in 1998.

Opened for Coldplay when they performed in South Africa on their world tour.

Had a song feature on CW network’s series “One Tree Hill”.

Tkzee – award winning pioneers of a unique South African music genre called “kwaito”.

Started in 1997 and have a record for the fastest selling single in South African history.

Soweto Gospel Choir – choir group who sing folk, gospel, reggae and popular music.

Tour internationally several times a year.

Won a grammy award in 2007 and 2008.

Brenda Fassie – award winning afropop singer born 1983 and died 2004.

Featured in Time magazine in 2001.

Miriam Makeba – award winning folk singer and anti-apartheid activist born in 1932 and died in 2008.

Won a grammy award in 1966.

Performed with Paul Simon and Harry Belafonte.

Sophiatown – was a hub of black cultural activity and destroyed during apartheid.

During the 1950’s and 1960’s Sophiatown was popular for jazz clubs and this brought with it a unique sense of style that people would indulge in.

Zulu traditional wear – is known for animal hide and beaded items of clothing.

Young boys and girls dress differently to men and women.

Cape minstrels – colourful dress inspired by Caribbean minstrel carnivals but this has evolved over the years and cape minstrels have added a few original touches.

Marc Bouwer – Award winning designer who has dressed Beyonce, Emily Blunt and Angelina Jolie.

Designed Whitney Houston’s wedding dress.

Errol Arendz – award winning designer who has dressed Joan Collins, Joanna Lumley and Sharon Stone.

Designed the South African national airline’s cabin crew uniforms.

Gavin Rajah – couture designer who has regular shows at Paris fashion week.

A UNICEF Goodwill ambassador.

David Tlale - couture designer who has regular shows at New York fashion week.

Michelle Obama has worn his designs.

Soccer City stadium –also known as “The Calabash” (traditional jug used to drink homemade beer out of at traditional ceremonies).

Built between 2008 and 2010 for the Fifa world cup tournament in 2010.

Nelson Mandela bridge – completed in 2003 and connects the 2 cultural hubs of Newtown and Braamfontein.

Named after Nelson Mandela to symbolise his role in bridging the apartheid divide.

Moses Mabida stadium – completed in 2010 for the Fifa world cup tournament.

Houses the world’s largest swing.

Van Staden bridge – opened in 1971 and has become known as a “suicide bridge” due to the high number of suicides from it.

87 people have jumped from the bridge since it opened.

Wally Serote – award winning poet, writer and anti apartheid activist born in 1944.

A Fulbright scholar who obtained his masters degree at Columbia University.

Athol Fugard – playwright, novelist and director born in 1932.

Wrote the Academy Award winning movie “Tsotsi”.

Zakes Mda – award winning novelist, poet and anti apartheid activist born in 1948.

Currently a professor at Ohio University.

Nadine Gordimer – award winning writer and anti apartheid activist born in 1923.

Won a nobel prize in 1991.

Charlize Theron – born in 1975 and started her career by modelling from the age of 16.

Won an Academy Award in 2003 for the movie “Monster”.

Sharlto Copley – born in 1973 and his breakout role was in “District 9”.

Played the iconic role of “Murdock” in the movie remake of “A-team”.

Arnold Vosloo – born in 1962 and his most familiar role is in “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns” which starred Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz.

Terry Pheto – born in 1981 and her breakout role was in the Academy Award winning movie “Tsotsi”.

Made her debut on American television in 2011 with a role in “Bold and the Beautiful”.

Nelson Mandela – first democratically elected president of South Africa.

Won a joint Nobel peace prize with FW De Klerk in 1993 for working together to bring about the end of apartheid.

Established South Africa’s first black law firm with Oliver Tambo.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu – won a Nobel peace prize in 1984.

First black archbishop of Cape Town.

Headed up the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which was established after apartheid to investigate human rights violations during this period.

FW De Klerk – last apartheid era president on South Africa and was instrumental in bringing about the end of apartheid in conjunction with Nelson Mandela.

Won a joint Nobel peace prize with Nelson Mandela for this work in 1993.

The journey through our tumultuous history has been a long and bumpy road.

We have yet to reach an ideal society but each day we work together as a people to repair the damage on this road done by apartheid.

This time capsule shows the many aspects of our country that we have to be proud of. Many aspects that make up our cultural tapestry.