Innehållsförteckning för Issue 335 2025 från The Big Issue

Welcome to this bumper edition of The Big Issue! We’ve made it to the end of 2024. Firstly, thank you so much for making this purchase. We fully appreciate that you afforded your copy (you can read more about this on page 9 for some insight into how much this helps our vendors). For some of you the purchase is about the equivalent of a six-pack of mince pies, for others, the purchase will be felt in more significant ways. For a select set of peeps, the year-end will come as a relief as they pluck annual leave from their calendars and look forward to tasty Christmas delights, riding reliable cars to interesting places. For others, pockets will wear thin against the tide of inflated living costs, battling it out,…

HAVE I GOT GNUS FOR YOU BY ZAPIRO South African cartoonist, Jonathan Shapiro, professionally known as Zapiro, has been a prominent cartoonist for decades expressing political views best understood as drawings. He released his latest annual titled Have I Got GNUs For You in October 2024. Using humour through drawing, Zapiro dissects complex issues with incisiveness, provoking reflection and dialogue. His ‘GNU’ collection, published by Jacana Media, compiles his cartoons from the past year, providing a satirical take on South Africa’s political events and global issues. This marks his 27th annual release, continuing a tradition of encapsulating major events through humour and visual critique The book focuses heavily on South Africa’s political scene, including the lead-up to and fallout from the 2024 national elections, which have been characterized by coalition-building…

After my first near-death experience, I seemed to recover. Again, I am good at pretending; I think that at this point in my life, I deserve a Grammy for pretending I am fine when everything is not fine. But… at 18 months old, the jig was up: I was failing to thrive; I was either extremely happy or extremely unhappy. I have a contagious laugh, a smile that could light up a whole room, but when I am unhappy, I am as stormy as the day I was born. My sister, a charming little girl, had already started walking but me? Nope. I refused to walk, preferring to, instead, crawl at turbo-speed, hurling myself from one corner of the room to another, much like a small ping-pong ball, also throwing…

24. That is not only the American drama series I watched on my way from Bangkok to Singapore on my last international flight, but also happens to be the number of flights I have taken from the beginning of this year. Already. That is a lot of chicken, beef and vegetarian dishes in aisle, middle and window seats. There is something magical about being a frequent flyer, as this mode allows me to be transported to both near and far-off lands. Growing up in a township, my childhood friends and I would look overhead at every flying plane and wish the captain would make an unscheduled lay-over at our dusty soccer pitch, just so we could hitch a ride to absolutely anywhere. But before arriving at far-flung cities like Pattaya…

We’ve had to find creative solutions to stem the tide of rising paper and printing costs to support our vendors with income-generation. Despite the new digital media age, The Big Issue is a lifeline for our vendors and their families. The Bumper edition is our second attempt at saving money printing the magazine in a new way – edition #334 was the first: 32 pages are full colour and 24 pages are black and white. We call this the “Wraparound” printing option which helps us save money on printing plates and ink costs. From January 2025, we will have no choice but to increase the price of the magazine to R40 due to the usual rising costs of paper and printing. The last time we had a price increase was…

Every South African knows someone who has a cousin living in Perth. You see, once upon a time, a long time ago, Australia was a seriously popular destination choice for some of my brothers and sisters when the topic of conversation at the braai centred around “where are we going?!” Everyone had their reasons for wanting to flee. The refrain was often, “the kids can’t grow up like this”. Over the years on stage, I’ve often hinted at this South African/Australian love-affair. My character Aunty Merle would refer to a neighbouring family in Athlone – a family that constantly speaks of their intention to eventually make it to Oz – so besotted are they with the idea of Australia that the kids are named Perth, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide. “Move…

George Knapp, the venerable journalist and longtime chronicler of the extraterrestrial, has once again taken audiences by storm with his appearances on Netflix’s thrilling documentary series Alien Investigation. Known for his groundbreaking reporting on Area 51 and his decades-long dedication to uncovering the truth about UFOs, Knapp’s insights anchor the series, weaving a compelling narrative of science, conspiracy, and cosmic mystery. With each episode, the series delves deeper into humanity’s most fascinating questions: Are we alone? And if not, what do our cosmic neighbours want? Here, we explore some of the most captivating stories from the series, highlighting Knapp’s role in bringing these mysteries to light: THE INCIDENT THAT STARTED IT ALL Episode one sets the tone with Knapp revisiting his investigative roots: the now-legendary Bob Lazar interview from 1989.…

Read the story below. Circle the words with the OO sound. BONGI Our school gives us lunch. We are happy. We like to eat lunch. My mother cooks food for us also. Good food is nice. Ben also wants good food. BEN I like to eat porridge that is cool. Bongi likes lots of food. Tidi is not at school today. I am hungry for school lunch. Read these sentences about the story. Tick yes ☑ or no ☒ next to them. Tidi is at school today. ☐ Ben is hungry for school lunch. ☐ Bongi’s mother cooks food for him. ☐ Ben doesn’t want good food. ☐ Read the words out loud. Listen to the OO sound. Write a sentence using two of the OO words. Which pictures have…

1974. I was six. That was my first time on an aeroplane, and my mother’s second. It was her first trip back home to Germany after having left six years earlier on a one-way ticket to the southernmost point of Africa, where she had, in short order, met my father, married him within six weeks, and then moved to a farm at the end of an endless dirt road in a remote kloof in the Eastern Cape, and had three children. It was time for us to meet our German aunts and uncles. I remember nothing of that flight except the horror of my little brother screaming non-stop from Johannesburg to Frankfurt. And then again to Hamburg. And my tearful mother having to contend with the ever more vicious stares…

MAKE A VENDOR’S WISH COME TRUE Get in touch with us at placements@bigissue.org.za Hout Bay Vendor: Joseph Klink Vendor Number: 207 Pitch: Mainstream Mall, Hout Bay Wish List: If anyone wants to donate a scooter bike, Joseph would be glad for it. His Ambition: With a scooter bike to and from the office and his pitch to sell the magazines and he’d have his own transport for his business. During the weekends he sees himself driving his scooter from home to the Waterfront and back. His message to you: “I am very grateful to my customers. May God Bless You All. I am financially independent because of my customers. I am not a burden to anyone.” Cape Town City Bowl Vendor: Zamikhaya Mtila Vendor Number: 1238 Pitch: Corner of Orange…

In Broken and Beautiful, Jess shares an evocative, raw, and sometimes humorous journey through the challenges and adversities of living with Cerebral Palsy. She invites readers into her world of introspection, resilience, vulnerability, and the power of self-acceptance. This deeply personal autobiography candidly outlines the experiences Jess has faced while navigating life with this neurological condition that impacts movement, balance and muscle tone. In her autobiography, Jess shares a series of stories detailing her experiences, each of which have tested her limits but also taught her invaluable lessons about self-worth, resilience, and the importance of finding a sense of community. Jess’s life is defined by strength, struggle, and perseverance. With Cerebral Palsy, she has found herself engaged in a constant battle with her physical limitations. From a young age, she…

SHIP MISSING SINCE 1856 Listverse reports: The Le Lyonnais, a 260-foot steamship constructed by Laird & Sons in England in 1855, was designed for the Compagnie Franco-Américaine to carry passengers and mail between Europe and North America. The ship, combining an iron hull, a steam engine, and sails, represented significant advancements in mid-19th-century maritime technology. This hybrid structure made it well-suited for the long trans-Atlantic journey and established it as a technological marvel of its era. On 2 November 1856, however, during a return voyage from New York to Le Havre, France, disaster struck. The Le Lyonnais collided with another vessel, the Adriatic, near the American coast. The Adriatic, built in Maine, was on its way from Belfast, Maine, to Savannah, Georgia, and managed to return safely for repairs. The…

“Using the caracal is an effective way to capture public attention By cleverly tapping into the human love of all things feline, researchers in South Africa have transformed a misunderstood predator into an online star. Meet the caracal – a sleek, wild feline with iconic tufted ears. Once considered vermin by farmers, this small carnivore is now a flagship species for urban conservation, thanks to the efforts of the Urban Caracal Project (UCP). WHAT’S THE BUZZ ABOUT? The UCP, hosted by the University of Cape Town, has been studying caracal ecology since 2014. Its findings, recently published in Environmental Communication, reveal how social media hasn’t only raised awareness but also turned this feline into a conservation influencer. Turns out, the caracal’s resemblance to domestic cats and its starring role in…

Enjoy your free Art, Craft + Museums Map brought to you by www.mapmyway.co.za Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront offers an array of art experiences and day tours that highlight the city’s rich history, culture, and natural beauty. Here’s a closer look at the artistic and scenic opportunities that await visitors in this vibrant area. ARTISTIC HIGHLIGHTS The Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (MOCAA) is a must-visit for art enthusiasts. Located in a repurposed grain silo, the museum is home to Africa’s largest collection of contemporary art. Visitors can explore dynamic exhibitions that showcase the creativity and diversity of African artists For those interested in history and visual storytelling, the Chavonnes Battery Museum offers exhibits that combine historical artifacts with artistic interpretation. The museum presents Cape Town’s colonial and maritime history…

Email info@bigissue.co.za to buy an artwork featured here or to donate items for art classes. Find more info at www.bridgingpolarities.co.za…