My Journey through the lens

Author of Journomotortianment Robert Mabusela, capturing a lineup of BMW E30`s during the Soshanguve Spin Kings road show. Photo by Bruce Mbingeleli @B_Mbingeleli of Innovativemotoring

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

My passion for photography and journey as an aspiring photographer started after one of my photo`s got published in a community Newspaper. The photograph was taken during a Spin City event that was hosted in honor of King of Reverse and One "RN1" Bongos Coka, at the Shoshanguve Spinning Palace. This was published along an article I wrote, at that point I was still new to the game but through the performances put up by Spinners like Bongani Makhubo, Tshepang Mkhonza, and Zwikhodo "Zikho" Nembambula at the event, I knew that Bongos was a major player in the game.

Today photographs are different, I look at photos with a different eye than what I would have in the past, but most important my career towards being a Motoring Journalist and Professional Photographer has been influenced by three things that keep my finger on the shutter. Journalism, Photography and the Subjects in the photo, as well as those who view the captured moments. Studying Journalism is what introduced me to photography and since my enrollment at TUT there is no turning back. The different elements of photography and what's produced when they are combined to make a good photo are a constant reminder of how one should improve.

Having the most influence and being the most important contribution towards my passion are the subjects involved in the photo and at the event or location. Yes, it's my passion for photography but it is influenced by others. For example take a photo of a car spinning, you will notice how plain it is as the main focus will be on the car. On the other hand if you have a crowd in the background and they have smiles on their faces or a certain facial expression then that's photography, pity one can't say I took a "photography".

Apart from the main reason why photographers capture photographs are the elements which add detail to the photo, attending Spin City events doesn't mean your main focus is on the car. Action is the most important, not only action from the vehicle itself but it can be that of a facial expression by the driver or a certain stunt being captured that will tell a story of the spinners performance.

It has been two years since I've had my first camer, a Nikkon Cool Pix 8mp camera and yes excuse the pun but it does take cool pix. My most captured car is the BMW E30 also known as the “Gusheshe”, in the pits, on the pitch and on the streets of Soshanguve. Touching on Soshanguve, the township and the people I have met will always be what I look at and say that's where it all started. I have had the opportunity if not a privilege to spend some time with the Soshanguve Spin Kings, who are one of my favorite Spinning Crews both on and off the lens.

Drop top December

40 Year Old successor to the Jaguar E-Type, available in three models, two V6 engined and a V8 S (Picture Disento Art.com)

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

December`s festive season has always been a month associated with dropping, from musicians dropping the hottest singles and ladies rocking sexy outfits after dropping jean sizes throughout the year. Driving by the beach or to your holiday destination, if you`re headed to the coast in drop top hot wheels wouldn`t be off the drop list.

This year’s Paris Motor Show gave a platform for motor brands to launch some of their vehicles that are set to reach markets soon.  Jaguar launched their F-Type roadster which is the manufacturer`s 40 year old successor to Jag`s E-Type roadster. With rivals like the Aston Martin Vantage S Roadster and the Porsche 911 Carrera S cabriolet, Jags F-Type convertible certainly has a lot of hair to pull back, if it wants to make an impression against rivals who are known in the convertible league. The range will be produced in three different models starting with the F-Type V6, V6 S and the top of the range V8 S.

According to Jaguar brochures engine derivatives include engines ranging from the entry level Supercharged 3 liter V6 that has an output of 250kw, followed by a 280kw V6 S to the more powerful range topping 368 kw, 5.0 liter V8 that claims to do the 0-100 km/h sprint in 4,2 seconds while reaching a top speed of 300km/h. A steering wheel mounted, 8 speed automatic quick shift gearboxes are set to provide the driver with quick responses when shifting between gears throughout all three models.

Revving the Jag produces a sound track that is tuned and channelled by active exhaust flaps fitted in S models, providing an exhaust note described by Jaguar musicians as a deep and dramatic exhaust note. Pretoria News and The Star Motoring Journalist, Jesse Adams reckons that the Jags “purr” must be the best sounding V6 in the world.

It`s closest rival between the 911 and Vantage in the 0-100 sprint is the Carrera S Cabriolet which is powered by a 3.8 liter direct fuel Injection (DFI) producing a maximum of output of 294 KW at 7,400 rpm achieving a O-100km/h time in 4.7 seconds.  The Vantage S Roadster`s  power rating comes in at an approximate 313 kw that comes from a V8 engine producing a 0-100km/h sprint time of 4,9 seconds.

Interior features include a feedback system that interacts to an extraordinarily sensitive degree enabling the driver to enjoy all the high performance dynamics. Visibility in the cabin is ‘driver-centred’ promising excellent visibility and minimal distractions.

Jaguar`s F-Type being the smallest vehicle to come out of Jaguar power plants makes it an affordable but Sporty convertible. When it is said that dynamite comes in small packages Jaguar must have come up with the F-Type to fit in with the phrase as they have produced a distinctively agile looking sporty Jag.

South African die hard Jaguar enthusiast who have been waiting for 40 years to see a successor to the E-Type, will have to wait a few more months as the Jag is only expected to hit South African shores in June next year.  

*Article also published in the Tshwane Youth Magazine @tym_mag December issue 

BMW Mommy`s Potential Vehicle "MPV" concept

BMW Tourer concept, to be released with a 1,5 litter Twin Power turbo petrol 3 cylinder engine that will be matted with an electric motor for a combined 140kw (Picture Carsession.com)

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

Bavarian Motor Works predominantly known as BMW have launched a concept car that is due to fill in the MPV or “Mommy`s Potential Vehicle” segment, where the brand plans to rival cars like the Mercedes B-Class. This will be the manufacturers first MPV offering, appealing to a wider variety of customers. The Active Tourer Concept will not only be the first MPV launched by the brand but it will also feature Beemer`s fist three cylinder engine and front wheel drive system vehicle.

It may seem that the numbers are decreasing but it will all benefit the customer with average fuel consumption figures of 2.5 litters per 100km, and CO2 emission levels of under 60 grams per kilometre. Powered by a 1.5 litter Twin Power turbo petrol engine that will run along an electric motor, both power sources will bring a combined output of 140kw. Moms` might just be able to get to the shops before they close, as the Tourer goes from 0-100 in eight seconds.

A lithium-ion battery will be able to last for an all-electric driving range of around 30 km, charging the battery can be easily sourced from an ultra-efficient plug-in. The cabin features various displays including an eight-inch instrument panel, optional full colour-head up display (HUD) and large 10, 25 inch hangdown centre section display.

Interior pictures of the concept have not been released but knowing the brand when coming to interior elements including the design, comfort and overall premium feel one can look forward to a design that will complement the “Cool Shade" roof. The cool shade feature which is set to be enjoyed darkens or lightens the panoramic roof to suite the driver and passengers preference all at the touch of a button.

*Article also published in the Tshwane Youth Magazine @tym_mag December issue

SA Drift King crowned at Zwartkops Raceway

Wade van Zummeren crowned the SuperDrift champion at the Zwartkops Raceway after drifting in wet conditions during  the Zwartkops Extreme Festival

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

The final round of the Superdrift series took place during the Zwartkops Extreme festival, which happened at the race track on Saturday the 24^th of November. The festival featured various race events and other activities for spectators to participate and enjoy while they take a break from racing which happened throughout most of the day.

South African Superdrift champion Wade van Zummeren was crowned the Drift SA champion after he endured challenging weather conditions that left the race track wet  during the Superdrift Series final Round.  van Zummeren in his Rockstar Energy Drink Nissan Skyline out drifted second place and youngest drifter in the series Jason Webb at the age of 19. Webb and his Monster Energy drink sponsored Nissan 200sx put up a good performance against the champ during the final round that lasted for four rounds, instead of two as the top two drifters executed drifts that made the judges panel judging criteria seem not enough to separate the two.  Michael Radloff finished third at the event as well as in the series ending. Drifting in South Africa seems to be dominated by the Japanese as the top three drifters in the series use Japanese manufactured vehicles.

Drifting, Extreme Supercar racing, the Red Square Kawasaki runs and the Tsebo Porsche challenge were the order of the day. Live music bands from music groups Planet Joy, Wicket Sticks, Action Thriller and Dead Alphabet entertained the spectators at the event. The  Zwartkops Extreme Festival provided a day  full of entertainment on and off the track, a series of this event  will take place next year with the first festival lined up for March next year.

Peugeot Onyx Concept

Picture from RD Magazine

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

French manufacturer Peugeot has always been associated with Aesthetic designs, Slick lines and futuristic interiors. Peugeot designers have come up with a concept car that`s performance is based on the French Manufacturer`s Le Mans 24hrs racer car.

The  mid-engined Onyx supercar concept will be powered by a 3.7-litre V8 hybrid HDi FAP engine similar to the one that is used for Peugeot's Le Mans programme,  developing  447kw that will be transmitted to the rear wheels through a six-speed sequential gearbox . Extra power will come from the push of a button, the Onyx boosts an extra 60kw from a boost button that will give that extra power when needed.

Peugeot`s energy system features a Kinetic energy system, battery power will be produced from brake energy. Breaking and the generation of brake energy will be assisted by 380mm front discs and 355mm at the back

Hand-made Copper sheets are used to make the door panels while Carbon Fiber material is responsible for other body panels. Light weight acrylic constructed roof and windows, will be used in order to produce a light weight supercar that weighs in just over a ton at 1100kg.

Article published in the November issue of the Tshwane Youth Magazine

Like most recent concepts the onyx interior comes to light with a digital instrument cluster, in addition to the natural light that will be sourced into the car through its glass roof. The concept see`s away with traditional seats and various other components which may changed if and when design improvements are made.

Mercs Answer to Audi`s RS3

Photo from ForceGT.com

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

Mercedes Benz is taking an aim at the top performance premium hatchbacks within the “Big Three” German brands with its plans to launch the A45 AMG, which is the flagship of the model range from Merc`s A class offerings. Merc has taken a bold step by dubbing the A45 AMG a possible RS3 killer, not because Audi is any greater than its German rivals but because of how Merc has used two top hatchback models as benchmarks for their A45 AMG.

Competition in the hatchback segment is tight with competitors including BMW`s M135i and their main target the Audi RS3, amongst others. Merc has always benchmarked it`s sports cars amongst the top three German brands. Although from the previous A class range there has not been a model produced in the range that could compete in the less powerful Audi S3 and BMW 130i league, but as soon as Merc unveiled plans of creating such a model they didn't limit the capability of Mercs performance. The A45 will be powered by a 2.0 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which will be the most powerful four-cylinder engine Merc has produced. It Is one cylinder shorter than Audi`s 2.5 liter turbo engine which powers the RS3 and two of BMW`s 3.0 liter six-cylinder Twin turbo engine, it will be interesting to see all three rivals go head to head.

Mercedes plans to use a similar system to Audi`s Quattro system, the A45 will transfer power to all four wheels via a twin-clutch gearbox and a Haldex-alike multiple clutch four wheel drive system.  This sounds complicated but essential enough to propel Merc`s “RS3 killer” from 0-100 in five seconds. According to www.autocar.co.uk, “Mercedes-Benz insiders suggest it will match the claimed (0-100 km/h) time of the M135i “, but the RS3 does the dash in Just 4,6 seconds.  On paper the A45 is able to match the M135i`s performance, but will this be another case were figures are good on paper but tell a different story when they officially go head to head on the tar? Not to mention that the RS3 will be 0,3 seconds away from the Merc

The A class has always appealed more to consumers as a mom’s car, so one would think that it will be more reasonable for the brand to start matching its performance with models like the Audi S3 and most probably the BMW 130i. The A class hasn't had a model that could compete in the S3 and 130i league but as soon as Merc unveiled plans of creating such a model they didn't limit its capability.

On paper, this is may seem to be a bold step but we shouldn't rule out the possibility that Merc could give Audi a taste of its own medicine as we have seen Audi`s smaller capacity engine giving their bigger counterparts a run for their money, in the case of the S3.

The battle between Audi and BMW in the hot hatch segment has been going on for years while Merc has been absent, but credit goes to the brand for jumping into the competition.

Article featured in the November issue of the Tshwane Youth Magazine

Model Specifications

CAR	Mercedes Benz A45 AM	BMW  M135i	Audi RS3
Engine	2.0l Turbocharged	3.0l Twin turbo	2.5l Turbocharged
Power (KW\h)	261kW	331 kW	250kw
0-100	4.9 (Estimated to match M135i)	4.9 secs	4,6 secs
Drive	All wheel drive	Rear wheel	Quattro (all wheel)
Transmission	7 speed dual clutch	6 Speed Manual	7 Speed Double clutch

Support exchanges hands at Spin City

Open hood spinning by Pontso Raikane, at the Summer Spinning Bash hosted by Westside Connect in Pretoria West

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

A challenge when hosting Spin City events has always been the support from spinners and the measure of the events success, petrol heads and motoring fans attending the event.

October marked the beginning of a new era in the spinning industry and the beginning of consistent spinning events at an official spinning venue in Pretoria West. Motoring enthusiast in their numbers attended Westside Connect Crew`s Spin City Grand opening, a day that will go down in the history books of the Spinning industry as contributions to the industry will be made in Pretoria West. The event featured local and guest spinners from as far as Botswana, local spinners showed their support to Zwikhodo “Ziko” Nembambula, who has always supported other spinners at their events. The Sheriff, Thuto Rasegojwa returned to the opening after making his debut at one of the build-up events to Westside Summer Bash.

The Sherriff provided the crowed with spinning from a Botswana perspective during his performance, while other guest spinners included Speed and Sound (SnS) Spin Army spinner, Sunesh Pursad and Vernon Veejaro Hendricks who made his debut at the event. Soshanguve Spin Kingz member, Bongani “RBM” Makhubo and Sunesh Pursad showed comradeship during the event.Makhubo and Pursad were the top two spinners who put up the most performances at the event. Mamelodi Spinners member, Mabitsi Kekana`s reverse and one “RN1” signature move seemed to be a crowd pleaser, as supporters waved their hands back and forth simultaneously to Kekana`s performance.

Zwartkops and Mayhem Raceway`s were the only venues in the Pretoria West where people can go out and enjoy a day of motoring but both venues didn`t cater for Spinning events on a regular basis and this is where the opening filled in the gap.

Apart from performances by people who weren`t featured as spinners which brought up mixed reactions from the crowd, the event set a benchmark that will keep supporters returning for more action.

Article published in the November Issue of the Tshwane Youth Magazine

Spinners at the Event

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Vintage Pavement Photo Shoot

Classic 1972-1973 Ford Fairlane, parked outside Chicken Kwasa in the  township of Soshanguve, Pretoria

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

It`s not every day that you`re at the right place at the right time, with your equipment and the subject is ready for an unplanned photo shoot.

After a long day of attending lectures back to back, I left campus to go and meet up with a member of the Soshanguve Spinning Kings Bongani Makhubo in Shoshanguve block H. Walking out the gate of the Tshwane University of Technology`s Soshanguve North Campus I glanced in the opposite direction that I was supposed to be travelling towards and I spotted from far what I thought was a Plymouth valiant.

The subject for the pavement photo shoot was Second Generation 1972-1973 Ford Fairlane 500, this particular Fairlane was the 135 model range. The two tone classic car had a white top roof followed through by a Maroon coated body with chrome bumpers, grill and trimmings. The twin exhaust pipes feeding out of the V8 engine, are reminiscent of the times of the Ford V8`s during the 1970`s.

According to information adapted from a Wikipedia search result, the Australian-designed ZF series Fairlane was launched in April 1972, with swoopier bodywork, but there were criticisms that it looked too much like a four-headlamp version of the basic Falcon. The ZF Fairlanes were joined by an even more upscale LTD in August 1973, with hidden headlamps and vinyl roof. Model names remained the same (Custom and 500), as did the engine choices, as the previous model year. The 1973 ZF also saw the last manual transmission; afterwards, all Fairlanes would be automatics.

The brown Interior of this particular Fairlane has an authentic quality feel to it, pretty much what is missing from cars produced in the 21^st century. Looking at the texture, quality of stitching and the leather used to cover the seats, one could closely associate the upholstery to be handmade (see interior pictures below)

For more photos go to Journomotortainment`s Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/JournoMotorTainment?ref=hl

Interior Pictures

Dashboard, no changes except for front loader CD player

Quality stitched rear seats

Driver door panel

SA Parliament home to German brands

The big three Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz are the usual suspects parked outside the National Assembly in Cape Town

ROBERT MABUSELA

The image of the state is very important, it also should be maintained and improved, without price tags presentation is key. Members of Parliament or should I say the “Big Spenders” are those who have no choice but to hold up the image of the state.

I had the opportunity to observe some of the ways big spenders represent our country through their individual images, from tailor made suites, watches and most importantly their vehicles. Parked outside the South African National Assembly in the city of Cape Town, one witnessed what taste Members of Parliament have when coming to the cars they drive. The South African Parliament is invaded with German executive sedans and various other vehicles that may be spotted in blue light convoys.

Yet again Audi, BMW and Mercedes Benz are the brands of choice, parked right before the first step leading into the National Assembly were an Audi Q7, BMW X5 and Mercedes Benz ML. This is when I knew that the big spenders mean business, opposite the entrance were three other executive saloons parked but this time with the absence of one from the German big three. The executive saloons that were parked were Audi’s A6, a BMW 5 series and Toyota`s luxurious Lexus IS 460, which invaded the German territory. After seeing this I notice the competition there isn`t  just at the parliament parking, which arguably maybe similar to parking lots around top business empires around South Africa. 

Members of Parliament and various other Political figures may be the same but seeing a Lexus parked amongst the “Big three” posed a question if they all are big spenders?.

Maintaining the image of the state is important and although it is not mentioned in their contracts but it is part and parcel of the Political scene. The Parliamentary motoring scene is interesting and shows us which brands are most preferred by the members of the state.

If you ever get a chance to become a Member of Parliament make sure you go big, buy within the big three but never rule out the “under dogs” which are looking to break into the parliament parking. 

German Territory, from this view only one out of the nine vehicles parked outside the National Assembly is not a German Brand.

Caostal Motor Scene vs Inland

Side view of the Second generation (1953–1956) Ford F100, spotted opposite Amalfi Executive on Regend rd Suites in Cape Town

ROBERT MABUSELA

Different parts of our country are known to have different motoring cultures, living in Gauteng I’ve always wondered how the motoring scene in the Western Cape is and if one can put it up against  GP`s Motoring scene.

A question that has always been on the motoring section of my brain is which of the two provinces has the best motoring scene, can they be compared? or do they have different scenes?. Walking around the streets of Sea Point one will come across modern cars, old school and various imports that would make you question your motoring knowledge.

Down Regend rd parallel parked across Amalfi Executive Suites, I came across an American hot rod. Known as bakkies in South Africa, the American three seater pickup truck was a hot rod that I had never seen before. Ask me today and all I know is it’s a ford, but after a google search on the Ford F series i came across all the info one needed. So back to the question at hand which province has the best motoring scene, in my opinion the Gauteng and Western Province can’t be compared. In the streets of Gauteng parking lots are filled with the latest models, or should I say expected models.

 On the other hand the Western Province has a combination of the latest models plus executive cars. In Gauteng one would know what to expect whilst in Cape Town walking down the streets is an adventure, plus a reminder of how much more knowledge petrol heads still need to acquire. Mainly about classic cars, old school and hot rods to complete your historical motoring syllabus. Around the City of Cape Town one can find a variety of dealerships, from main stream dealerships like Audi, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz and Toyota only to name a few. Executive dealerships like Lamborghini and Austin Martin where customers usually have to flex their cheque books are no stranger to the coastal city.

Now to choose between the two, Gauteng is a fast paced province, where the latest models fly off the showroom and on to the streets in no time. Cape Town is more chilled like the vehicles you spot, from hot rods to classic cars and executive sports cars that are seen on the street, usually travelling at speeds below 60km/h. My decision sways  in favour of the mother city, it possesses the same motoring scene as that of the capital city plus the extra variety in terms of old school classic cars as well as hot rods from the times of our grand if not great grandfathers.

More picture views of the Ford F100 second generation F series

Superdrift Series

Report by Robert Mabusela

Spin City to take center stage

 

It is without a doubt that Soshanguve township entertainment sector is vibrant compared to other townships.  Sosh Spin Kingz famously known as SSK are one of the reasons  why Soshanguve (Sosha) is been highly praised when coming to hosting spinning events, which are compressed with  drifting, stunts, donuts and show & shine.

Local Spinning crew SSK is a spinning crew that also organizes spinning events within Pretoria. Since its inception in 2009, SSK has hosted over 10 events between Soshanguve and Pretoria West whereby most popular names within the spinning game have already graced SSK events such as Jeff James, Magesh, Lahri Brothers, Hemoo, and Sunesh just to mention but a few. The support keeps increasing after each and every event due to the fact that events hosted have different line-up`s as compared to the previous events. Spinners also make it a point that they up their game by introducing new stunts which fascinates fans to keep supporting events hosted by the crew. SSK events also attract spectators from Mabopane, Ga-Rankuwa, Hammanskraal, Mamelodi, Soweto, Rustenburg, Limpopo and other places.

Without much said, SSK is hosting yet another thrilling spinning event on the 3^rd of November 2012 at one of the most secured spinning venues, the “Soshanguve Spinning Palace” which is situated at the industrial site in Soshanguve, Block F. This upcoming event is hosted in honour of SSK member and Co-founder, Tshepang Mkhonza who is also known as “Isla Bonita”. Mkhonza is one of the most celebrated spinners in Pretoria and other provinces. This event has already gained hype due to the fact that most popular spinners from other provinces have declared on their social networking sites, that they will grace the show with their remarkable stunts and skills. Features spinners are looking forward to the event as they count down in anticipation towards the event.  

SSK as the organizers of the next event promise nothing but superlative 12 hours of spinning, drifting and various other stunts that will take place from 14:00 till late. Featured at the event will be a line-up of some of the best names in the game that have competed at the annual Macufe Spin City and Kimberly Spin-Off shows. On the decks at the event will be a dj`s that will also be blazing hot tunes on the side to keep the crowd entertained while spinners battle it out on the Spinning pitch. Cost for the event will be R50 for adults and only R30 for children under the age of 12.

Press release, for more info contact

Mr Tshepang Mkhonza (Co-Founder of SSK)

073 564 1746



Zwartkops hosts 7th Supedrift Series

Side by side drifting. Winner of the Superdrift Series 7th leg, Wade van Zummeren going sideways alongside Michael Radlof at the Zwartkops Raceway this past Saturday.

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

The seventh leg of the Superdrift Series kicked off on Saturday the 22nd of September at the Zwartkops Raceway in Pretoria West. The day started off with rain which managed to clear off as the day progressed and the drifting was to take place. This worked in favour of photographers and judges by ensuring that they will have that much needed Smoke detail. Having smoke doesn't only cause harm to the ozone layer but complements photography, while judges like to see smoke as it impacts on judging criteria

Wade van Zummeren finished in first place after maintaining his drifting to qualify for the top 16 before upping his drifting going through to the elimination rounds. The finals was a testimony that Japanese engineered Nissan's are made for drifting as van Zummeren's Rockstar Energy sponsored Nissan Skyline R33 battled it out with Adam Shefer in his Nissan 200sx sponsored by Achillies Tyres in the finals.

Judges only had one round of the finals to decided as the finalist clipped one another just as they began drifting in the second round. Shefer seemed to be a victim of the number two as he finished in second place, clipped van Zummeren in the second round of the finals and lost both his front and rear bumpers. Third place went to Michael Radlof after 18 year old Jason Webb's fuel pump burst out as he came out of the second corner in the semi-finals. This meant that Webb couldn`t continue in the battle for third place making him settle for fourth place and the points allocated for that position.

According to Bruno Miranda, one of the judges of the drift series. Drivers are given 10 points at the begining of each drift and points are deducted based on four categories which include style, angles, speed and flair. Impressing the judges required drivers to carry out the drift and link it from the starting point until the finish line. This is usually executed by using two methods, by poping the hand break just as you begin drifting or the kick clutch method which puts driver's footwork to the test.

Drifting will take place at a different altitude as the next superdrift Series will go down to the coast. The Grand West Casino in the Western Cape is set to host the next event which will run from the 5th to the 7th of October. The Northern Regions will see the drifting action return to Zwartkops Raceway on the 24th of November during the Zwartkops Festival.

Twitter as a reporting tool

@ROBERT_MABUSELA

Twitter was a platform that provided up to the second information about the Marikana massacre through following the right journalist and hash tags. Journalist have seen the benefits of using twitter while they are covering stories which we have seen in the recent Marikana shootings where information was spread quickly through twitter.

Talk radio 702 Journalist Gia Nicoliades, covered the massacre on the day, her first tweet was “#Lonmin very quite here this morning. Police are expected to brief the media on the way forward.” This was early in the morning before the events unfolded. She tweeted throughout the day and also tweeted pictures, her tweets were very descriptive touching on the miners, police and the media present at Marikana. Her tweets also guided her followers on which international news sources where the shootings made headlines, including @BBC and @Skynews  Nicoliades used twitter and all its different functions to keep people updated on the story. Nicolides currently still following developments around the story. Nicoliades twitter timeline for the day had 29 tweets on the day which included 7 photographs.

E News Channel Africa “Enca” reporter Hajra Omarjee`s tweets were interesting as she interacted with one of her followers with the tweet handle @TabedjiM who witnessed the shootings live and requested Omarjee`s email address. This is one of the benefits of twitter, where followers can use media personalities to spread news. This bridges the gap of information because people who use twitter are publishers and may bring fresh material to the main stream media through social media. Omargee also asked questions in some of her tweets which sparked conversations about the topic at hand.

Karin Labuscagne from Jacaranda news also used twitter as twitter tool on the day of the Marikhana incident, she also tweeted using the hash tag lonmin (#Lonmin). Labuscagne only started tweeting about the incident later on in the evening, which is when she started following the story just before the police were about to give a media briefing based on the shootings that happened during the day. Her tweets and tweet pics were mostly describing the latest events at the mine,  Labuscagne is still following the story closely.  Labuscagne had a total of 19 tweets which included 6 pictures.

Most Journalists used twitter as a Journalism tool to bring their followers together with those that follow the different media companies they work for with up to the minuet tweets, about the Marikana Massacre. This helped to provide information as it happend instead of having to wait for the reports that will only be published or broadcasted after they have been edited. It was also important to note the importance for the Journalists to provide accurate information that won`t bring them and their employer to distribute.

The Marikana massacre is an example on how Journalist use twitter as a Journalism to and how other users get information through social media by following the correct people who will bring you relevant information.

Petrol heads head to Spin City

Soshanguve Spin Kings member Oupa Maisela leads a cloud of smoke at the Soshanguve Spinning Palace during a spin city event on the 25th of August.

Robert Mabusela

Ultimate spinning machines BMW E30`s from around South Africa headed to the Soshanguve township in Pretoria on the 25th of August, in attendance of a Spin City event. A chance for spinners to go head to head and an occasion for petrol heads who would rather spend their time in an atmosphere filled with smoke. This leaves their clothes with the scent of a cologne that comes from a concoction of tyre brands, which isn't gender based but rather on a common interest of spinning and drifting.

The Soshanguve Spin Kings hosted the Spinning vs Dj`s event at their spinning palace in Block F which is one of the events that attracts petrol heads from neighbouring provinces to Soshanguve. Apart from local spinners support came from as far as the Limpopo province, team Y & SONS pulled one of the best stunts at the event. The Limpopo crew executed a four men stunt which comprised of the driver and passengers jumping out of their vehicle, leaving it to do a couple of rotations before entering their blue and red branded Y&SONS BMW E30 to finish off their performance. Speed and Sound (sns) Spinning Army added fitness to their stunt, showing the crowd that one doesn't need a gym membership to keep fit as SNS Spinner Sunesh Pursad finished his set of push ups while their Army green BMW rotated driverless.

To single out an interesting moment from the event would be one of the last performances at the event by Hamoo Khuber. The rule at spin city events is to spin until a tyre burst or a double pop. Spinners usually bend the rule if only one tyre burst, by spinning in the opposite direction a technique that allows the other tyre to burst. Damage was weighed against limitless spinning, when Limpopo spinner Hamoo Khuber went beyond the limit and metal was put the tarred surface at the Palace. Khuber continued to spin even though his rims damaged the tarred surface.

Petrol head and spinning fanatic Masego Pitse mentioned that he enjoyed the event and spending the day with his favourite spinners, “the event was super good and fun but towards the end of the event. I enjoyed performances by Hamoo, Jeff, Sunesh, RBM, Isla Bonita, Ziko and Alphy” Said Pitse. Spin City events are usually enjoyable but the return of spinners like Jeff James to the spinning palace made the event more competitive ensuring that the crowed spent their money`s worth.