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Refreshingly simple—and amazingly successful.
Lots of people resolve to lose weight in the new year—then for a variety of reasons end up throwing in the towel. Not Marga Banaga. She did keep her New Year’s resolution to eat healthier and exercise nearly every day, and she’s seen amazing results.
RELATED: How to Ease Withdrawal Symptoms When You Quit Sugar, According to a Nutritionist
In a before-and-after Instagram post, Banaga shared that she lost 30 pounds in 100 days. “I did it!!!!” she wrote in the caption. “I survived 100 days of eating clean and trying to workout everyday! Never really had a cheat day.”
So what did she do to lose weight and get in shape? For 100 days, Banaga did not consume alcohol, meat, cheese, or sweets. She committed to a pescatarian diet, meaning a vegetarian diet that includes seafood (tuna and shrimp were frequent meals).
In a 20-minute YouTube video, Banaga shared even more details of her weight loss, plus daily updates.
Banaga decided to launch her New Year’s regimen after reaching her heaviest weight, which made her feel depressed. Early on, she even declined invites to hang out with friends so she could strengthen her resolve. “I could not tempt myself with food and alcohol because my self control was not good yet.”
Though she didn’t notice any body changes in the first two weeks, she said she felt better, and her clothes were fitting differently after less than a month.
Her road to health was not particularly easy, and in her YouTube video, Banaga was honest about the more difficult days. On Day 67, she revealed that her brother had passed away. “I haven’t been in the mood to do anything,” she said, admitting that she was too upset to eat or work out.
RELATED: 5 Habits of Vegetarians You Should Steal
She considered ending her challenge there, but ultimately decided to keep going. On Day 81, she noted that her form had improved since her first trip to the gym. And while she’s crossed the 100-day finish line, Banaga isn’t giving up her newfound healthy living plan.
“Now that the 100 days are over, I need to challenge myself even more,” she wrote in the Instagram post. “Thinking of counting my macros so I can get all the nutrients I need and I’m thinking of lifting weights already! Need to push myself even more!!”
Cape Town – Star Proteas batsman AB de Villiers reveals that he feels sorry for the three Australian cricketers involved in the ball-tampering controversy.
Former Australian captain Steve Smith, vice-captain David Warner and opening batsman Cameron Bancroft were all banned by Cricket Australia (CA) for the scandal which erupted during the third Test between South Africa and Australia at Newlands last month.
Smith and Warner received one-year bans, while Bancroft received a nine-month suspension.
READ: A look at the 48 matches banned Smith, Warner will miss
De Villiers, who is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for the Royal Challengers Bangalore, revealed in an interview with the Guardian that the scandal surrounding the Test series was “uncalled for”.
“It was rough,” De Villiers told the Guardian.
“But it was the best series I have been a part of. There were scandals that weren’t called for but cricket-wise, the way we dominated was, well, I haven’t been part of a team that has done that to them.
Prior to the ball-tampering incident, in the first Test in Durban Warner and Quinton de Kock were involved in a stairwell spat that got personal.
“I felt they got quite personal. Although we had an instance in Durban where one of our players (De Kock) did too … that’s a long story. But overall, I loved the toughness of the cricket played. It’s just the rest that was uncalled for,” said De Villiers.
READ: ICC aims for tougher ball-tampering sanctions
The 34-year-old sympathised with Smith, Warner and Bancroft and believed that the bans handed by CA were harsh.
“It was blown up massively,” stated De Villiers of the worldwide response.
“Yes, it is a serious matter but it was taken to a level where it really hurt them individually and I felt sorry for them. Especially Smith, who stood up thinking he was doing the right thing by his players. The way he was punished was harsh.”
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A SUPREME PROPERTY INVESTMENT COMPANY BASED IN DURBAN IS LOOKING FOR A DYNAMIC AND FINANCIAL-SAVVY PROPERTY INVESTMENT CONSULTANT TO JOIN THEIR TEAM AND PROVIDE INVESTMENT CONSULTING FOR RESIDENTIAL BUY-TO-LET INVESTMENTS.
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Applicant must reside in DURBAN or surrounding area.
Only South African citizens, who are suitably qualified, live in the applicable area and meet the requirements of the position are eligible to apply for this vacancy.
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Embattled North West Premier Supra Mahumapelo appointed his own team to look into the province’s health crisis.
This comes after Cabinet decided to place the health department under the administration of the national government, in the wake of protests ravaging the province.
Mahumapelo on Friday welcomed Cabinet decision to invoke Section 100(1)(b) of the Constitution to address his province’s health crisis.
READ: Cabinet places North West health dept under administration
“We welcome this intervention and will give it our full cooperation to ensure that the health services of our province are normalised,” he said.
The premier’s spokesperson, Brian Setswambung, said that Mahumapelo appointed a team of three MECs to intervene in the health department.
Without giving details, he added that the team had already made strides in its engagement with the National Health Education and Allied Workers Union (Nehawu).
Mahumapelo further emphasised that the province will cooperate with the inter-ministerial task team which was appointed to deal with critical issues in the province.
Inter-ministerial task team
On Thursday Ramaphosa announced that a team headed up by Dr Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma would conduct an urgent assessment of the state of governance in the North West.
The team will have to hand over a report to Cabinet by May 9 to advise on what steps to take.
Some of the hospitals and clinics in the province remain closed after staff members downed tools two months ago in a strike led by Nehawu.
There were reports that some staff had intimidated their colleagues and forced them to abandon patients.
The strike led to a shutdown of the main medical depot‚ resulting in a shortage of medication and other supplies.
The health crisis escalated as violent protests broke out across the province amid growing calls for Mahumapelo to step down.
On Wednesday, there were reports that protesters had denied entrance to ambulances at the Tshepong Hospital in Klerksdorp, which led to a patient’s death.
DURBAN – South Africans must not let the slow pace of economic freedom underestimate their hard-won democracy, struggle veteran Mac Maharaj said on Friday.
He was a guest speaker at the Freedom Day celebrations in Inanda, Durban.
Minister in the Presidency Jeff Radebe and eThekwini Mayor Zandile Gumede were meant to attend but did not show up.
Maharaj urged South Africans not to take their freedom for granted.
Watch the interview with Maharaj above.
eNCA
GAZA – Three Palestinians were shot dead Friday as thousands demonstrated along the border between Gaza and Israel for a fifth consecutive week of rallies dubbed the Great March of Return.
More than 300 other people were hospitalised for gunshot wounds and tear gas inhalation, Gaza’s health ministry said.
Forty-four Palestinians have now been killed by Israeli fire since major protests began on March 30, with hundreds more wounded. No Israelis have been hurt.
Marchers are demanding the right to return to their homes seized by Israel in 1948.
Israel said that allowing the refugees in would mean the end of the Jewish state, and accuses Gaza’s Islamist rulers Hamas of using the protests as a pretext for violence.
READ: Hamas using ‘children as cannon fodder’ in Gaza: US ambassador
The protest movement is officially independent but has the backing of Hamas, which has fought three wars with Israel since 2008.
On Friday protesters again gathered at five sites near the border fence, though numbers were down on previous weeks.
Dozens of young men burned tyres and threw stones a few hundreds of metres from the border, with Israeli soldiers occasionally firing tear gas and live ammunition.
Two men, who were not identified by the Palestinian health ministry, were shot dead east of Gaza City, while a third, 29-year-old Abdul Salam al-Bakr, was killed along the border in southern Gaza.
Three journalists were among those injured, the Gaza Centre for Media Freedom said.
The Israeli army said in a statement around 10,000 Palestinians had taken part in “riots.”
We asked some Israelis about their opinion on Gaza’s protests. Here’s what they had to say: pic.twitter.com/cSw7HaKYDe
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) April 27, 2018
“Attempts have been made to harm security infrastructure, roll burning tires, hurl rocks and fly kites with flaming objects attached to them.”
In response, it said, “troops have used riot dispersal means and have fired in accordance with the rules of engagement.”
Demonstrations are expected to spike again in the lead up to May 14, when the United States will move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The decision has infuriated Palestinians, who see the annexed eastern half of the holy city as the capital of their future state.
Amnesty International on Friday called for an arms embargo of Israel over the use of live fire.
“For four weeks the world has watched in horror as Israeli snipers and other soldiers, in full protective gear and behind the fence, have attacked Palestinian protesters with live ammunition and tear gas,” the human rights organisation said in a statement.
Israel has rejected calls for an independent inquiry into the deaths along Gaza’s border, with the army saying its troops only use live ammunition as a last resort.
AFP
When Kate Whalley-Hands struggled to put baby Imogen to sleep during a 15 hour flight from New York to South Africa, SAA air hostess Mavis Xotongo came to the rescue.
The 20-month-old baby was restless and crying and being rocked to sleep did nothing to stop her bawling.
That was until Xotongo offered to assist and tied the toddler to her back.
Kate Whalley-Hands, who is originally from Durban but relocated to Toronto in Canada six weeks ago, took to Facebook to share the proudly South African story.
#ProudlySouthAfrican
The post read: “A 15-hour flight (between 2 transits) is never an easy task for a parent travelling on their own to undertake. I had a massively proud-to-be-South-African moment yesterday when Mavis (on my SAA flight from New York to Johannesburg) took Imogen out of my arms and baleta’d her, and then carried on serving people so that I was able to eat my meal. 15 minutes later she returned to my seat with a fast asleep Immy. Mavis, thank you for being a rock star. I appreciate you #proudlysouthafrican #southafricanairways #FlySAA.”
The post has been shared more than 7 000 times and liked by more than 17 000 people.
Mavis with baby Imogen. (Kate Whalley-Hands via Facebook)
Speaking to News24, the 37-year-old mom said she left Toronto at around 02:00 on April 24 to a catch a flight from New York to South Africa.
“During the flight, Imogen was understandably struggling with the time difference. She had been on a flight before because we used to live in London, but on this particular flight she was restless and crying.”
Whalley-Hands, who is a procurement director, said she stood in the galley trying to rock Imogen to sleep but it did not help.
“This was three hours into the flight. When I was rocking her, Mavis came up to me and said: ‘Let me help you’.”
Whalley-Hands said Xotongo seemed like a trustworthy person and so she handed over Imogen.
‘Imogen was so comfortable on Mavis’ back’
“She placed her on her back and first wrapped her with our blanket, but it was too small so then she took the SAA blanket and wrapped that over our blanket.
“Imogen was so comfortable on Mavis’ back. Mavis continued to help other passengers and [move] her trolley up and down, with Imogen on her back.”
Whalley-Hands said Xotongo returned shortly afterwards, with Imogen fast asleep.
“It was completely amazing. I’ve flown many times and air hostesses just do their jobs. She went above and beyond the call of duty.
“I want to say the biggest thank you for not only putting Imogen to sleep, but for giving all of us South Africans something to smile about. While she carried the baby, you could see the smile on the faces of other passengers.”
She said Xotongo personified the spirit of Ubuntu.
“We need to be more kind to one another. My mom said the story made her week.”
Whalley-Hands added that it was the perfect birthday gift for her mother, Jane, who turns 71 on Saturday.
‘I am the happiest gogo alive’
Jane said, when she heard her daughter was coming to visit, it was a lovely surprise.
“I am the happiest gogo alive. I love the story because we have so much negativity in South Africa, so this story gives you hope that one day we can live together in harmony,” said the grandmother of three.
Xotongo said: “I love what I do and I do it out of passion for our airline and our customers. We rise together and look forward to the positive path ahead.”
South African Airways spokesperson Tlali Tlali said: “As part of our service offering, our crew strives to show empathy and care towards our customers and will go an extra mile to assist those who are in need.”
He said in reaching out to customers, SAA do not merely render a service, but show that Ubuntu is truly part of their makeup.
“Through working together as teams, the combined efforts of our crew will surely take us to a higher service altitude, excellent customer service at all times, on all our flights. Nothing is as fulfilling as a happy customer and that’s the highest reward we can derive from every flight.”
Tlali said Xotongo was one of SAA’s exemplary cabin crew members.
“We are proud of her. She has been with SAA since 2009.”