Over the weekend, former Miss South Africa and Miss Universe 2019, Zozibini Tunzi, quietly tied the knot with Luthando Mluleki Bolowana in an intimate ceremony in the Winelands outside Cape Town. The couple, known for their grace and grounded personalities, chose a minimalist yet enchanting celebration.
It was a perfect reflection of their shared love for simplicity and peace, away from the constant spotlight. What truly stood out about their union was not the glamour or the gowns, but the subtle beauty in how this couple quietly builds their life together.
Their wedding website gives a glimpse into their down-to-earth personalities, sharing anecdotes about movie nights and debates that make them feel real and relatable.
In an age when social media oversharing is the norm, Tunzi and Bolowana’s low-key, private ceremony was a stark contrast and a gentle reminder that love can and should be cultivated away from the cameras. Their choice is a perfect example of the “work in silence” mentality, a powerful reminder that not every success or moment of happiness needs to be paraded for the world.
As the Bible says in Matthew 6:6, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen; then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” The couple’s approach to life, celebrating quietly and letting their love grow without external noise, is a testament to the strength of a relationship built on authenticity and mutual respect.
The wedding reminds us that some of the most meaningful moments are those shared in silence, far from the prying eyes of the world. Perhaps this is the most enduring lesson from their wedding: that true happiness doesn’t need validation from anyone except the people you hold most dear.
— Pikolomzi Qaba, via e-mail
Sacred mission
As we commemorate Human Rights Day, it is appropriate to pay homage to Ashwin Trikamjee [who died earlier this month aged 80]. He served with distinction in the promotion of equality, fairness and justice for all in apartheid and continued in the democratic South Africa. As a sports leader and administrator and in the dark days of apartheid he fostered better race relations and integration of football in heading the then Federation Professional League, allowing and permitting all races to participate.
He was a pandit (Hindu priest) and readily assisted the community in religious ceremonies and activities while heading the South African Hindu Maha Sabha [great society]. As a human rights lawyer and activist, he also always been in the forefront for the promotion of dignity and human rights for all regardless of race or religion. He spoke out against anti-Indian sentiment in the lyrics of songs and the invasion of Cato Manor in the democratic South Africa.
In his interfaith role in democracy, he called upon religious leaders, businesses and like-minded individuals to address corruption, violence, unemployment, the decay of the state, poverty, low economic growth and the energy crisis, and to provide a moral compass for society.
As one possible solution among others he called for divine intervention to resolve the myriad challenges facing South Africa, including poor political leadership and management in the democratic era.
— Sagy Ram, via e-mail
Our dodgy china in Beijing
Barney Mthombothi hits the nail on the head with his observation that the diplomatic service under the ANC serves as “… another avenue to reward or dump their cadres” (“Rasool is collateral damage in ANC’s diplomatic debacle”, Sunday Times, March 23).
Back in the day, I used to conduct orientation lectures on economic diplomacy at the department of international relations & co-operation’s diplomatic academy, where attendees included outgoing diplomats of senior rank.
In one such lecture in late 2020, there sat Siyabonga Cwele, the former minister of state security under president Jacob Zuma. He acquired some notoriety as an enabler in the Zondo Commission’s findings into state capture but was on his way to Beijing, where he still serves as ambassador.
Where prudent, political appointments to diplomatic service are common practice the world over. However, in South Africa the practice has been undermined and compromised by cadre deployment. Since most appointments are sinecures for political loyalty to the ANC, the professional ethos of the service has suffered severely, thus exposing serious deficits in skills, knowledge, and experience, which are the bedrocks of a career-driven service.
— Garth le Pere, Kibler Park
How to arrive alive
Recently a bus conveying church members crashed down a steep bank near Mandeni in KwaZulu-Natal close to the N2. Nine people lost their lives and many persons were injured, some critically. A spate of bus accidents sadly followed in various parts of the country with deaths and injuries.
Generally, motorists must be patient, courteous, alert and considerate and ensure that their vehicles are roadworthy. Pedestrians also must obey the rules of the road as many accidents involve them.
In this way collisions and accidents will be greatly reduced, as well as deaths and injuries. It must be noted that the cost to the country with regard to accidents is massive and accidents also put a huge strain on already stretched miscellaneous resources and personnel.
Safe travels to all, especially with Easter approaching. Arrive Alive and road safety initiatives are commended. Better be late than dead on time!
— Simon T Dehal, Verulam
The ankole have bolted
The whole of South Africa is persona non grata to Trump, not only [Ebrahim] Rasool. [President Cyril] Ramaphosa and his cabal may keep on trying to remedy the relationship with America until the cows come home. The previously disadvantaged people have been compromised by all those who represented them in Codesa. That is why Elon Musk, AfriForum and the DA are the only organisations welcome in America.
— M Nqoro, Western Cape
Unsavoury truths
In what is being described as a huge scandal, senior members of the Trump administration were planning military strikes against the Yemen-based Ansarullah Houthis in a private Signal group chat, only to discover that Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg had accidentally or otherwise been added to the chat — which in turn allowed him to report on the sensitive information.
This extraordinary news comes in the wake of the expulsion of South Africa’s US ambassador Ebrahim Rasool, demonstrating the utter disaster confronting the world at the hands of Donald Trump and his bunch of incompetent ministers.
Barney Mthombothi (Sunday Times, March 23) reminds us Trump’s secretary of state Marco Rubio who “welded the axe on Rasool” is an interesting character.
While campaigning in 2016 to be the Republican presidential nominee, Rubio subjected Trump to insults and abuse, calling him a “con artist”, among other insults.
Despite this he sucked up to Trump, got a top job and [has] an eye on the presidency once Trump’s second term ends.
Unsavoury characters with dubious agendas and raw racism who, like Rubio, form Trump’s inner circle of decisionmakers, and who have provided Israel carte blanche to annihilate Palestinians, are not only a threat to South Africa’s sovereignty but also to global stability.
— Iqbal Jassat, Media Review Network
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