the big issue

The Big Issue packed with Issues Big and Small

25 March, 2013 by Wotz Leave a Comment

Hot on the heels of its sell-out “Big Rhino Issue”, The Big Issue follows up coverage of this important conservation issue with a consumer report uncovering the loopholes in the rhino fundraising industry. With no single body monitoring the more than 400 organisations collecting funds to save the rhino, the largely unregulated industry is easy prey for charlatans wanting to capitalise on people’s goodwill, warn conservationists. “It’s distressing that there are people out there who would use rhino poaching as a trick to line their own pockets, but it’s a reality,” notes editor, Melany Bendix. “Our report gives the public all the info they need to support rhino conservation wisely, along with a step-by-step

Tagged With: arts and entertainment section, Cape Town, Cape Town Publication, job creation, Naked Bike Race, NGO, social development, the big issue

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The Big Issue – Rhino Issue

26 February, 2013 by Wotz Leave a Comment

How apartheid’s bush war led to rhino slaughter, special unit’s criminal tricks exposed, why Jackie Selebi’s hands are covered in blood & more... The Big Issue takes coverage of the rhino poaching crisis to new depths in its February 25th edition with a massive cover story that gets to the bottom of the slaughter. An exclusive report by investigative journalist and author De Wet Pretorius reveals how South Africa’s apartheid bush wars led directly to today’s rhino poaching crisis. Pretorius also reveals how the former Endangered Species Protection Unit used criminal tricks to reduce poaching, and he tells why disgraced ex-Police Commissioner Jackie Selebi has rhino blood on his hands. Another report looks at

Tagged With: Deep Fried Man, Endangered Species Protection Unit, February 25th edition, Jackie Selebi, R20 (R10 goes to the vendor), rhino poaching crisis, the big issue

Charity

Ride the Argus for The Big Issue!

21 February, 2013 by Wotz Leave a Comment

Cycle as a Big Issue Bird OR Sponsor a Big Issue Bird and help raise Funds for this fantastic cause! A flock of feathered birds raised more than R18 000 for The Big Issue’s job creation and skills development programmes by riding the Argus in 2012, proving that “the sky is the limit”! This year, the Big Issue is inviting YOU to get involved by either riding The Cape Argus Cycle Tour on Sunday, March the 10th for The Big Issue, or sponsoring a rider. We are helping people to earn their own income and we need YOUR help to keep us going... The Big Issue... The Sky is the Limit!

Tagged With: 10 March 2013, Argus Cycle Tour, charity, job creation, skills development, Sponsor, the big issue, The Cape Argus Cycle Tour

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The BIG Issue: Francois Pienaar exclusive

1 October, 2012 by wotzupcapetown Leave a Comment

Hot on the heels of its record sell-out SA Music edition, The Big Issue delivers another cracker magazine, with a heavy focus on the people in South Africa making change on all levels. “During crazy times like these where South Africans seem to be inundated with social, political and economic problems, looking at what people from all walks of life are doing to effect change — big and small — is, for me, a strong elixir against the despair that we could all so easily succumb to,” says Melany Bendix, editor. The inspirational stories begin with an exclusive interview with cover star, rugby icon Francois Pienaar. What many don’t know about the former Springbok captain is that, for the past decade, he’s led a mission

Tagged With: francois pienaar, make a difference, shnit load of entertainment, short film festival, sports development, the big issue

Charity

You’re gonna get lucky this Friday the 13th!

13 July, 2012 by wotzupcapetown Leave a Comment

An exlusive interview with the Dalai Lama

Friday the 13th may be an unlucky day for some, but for vendors of The Big Issue South Africa it’s sure to be a windfall of a day as they hit the streets armed with an edition featuring an exclusive cover interview with His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. The now 76-year-old Dalai Lama gave the interview and rare photo shoot to the International Network of Street Papers, an umbrella organisation for street papers in 40 countries, including The Big Issue South Africa. During the interview, he praised the street paper model, which empowers unemployed vendors who buy magazines at half price and sell them on the streets at the cover price. Crucially for South Africans facing the threat of a media clampdown due to the

Tagged With: friday 13, international network of street papers, the big issue, the big issue competition, the dalai lama

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The Big Issue’s Amazing Competition: R 43 000.00’s worth of Travel through Europe up for grabs!

21 June, 2012 by wotzupcapetown Leave a Comment

The Big Issue is iconic - plain and simple. It’s a great magazine with varied content, and an agent for change and self-empowerment for so many less fortunate brothers and sisters. Now The Big Issue, together with the super folks of Busabout are giving you the chance to win grande-BEEEG, all while doing something good at the same time! Heard of Pamplona, that crazy place in Spain, where in a 400 year-old tradition, maniacs are chased through the middle of a cobbled street by a mob of angry bulls? 4 days, TICK! What about Ibiza… the party and club capital of the world, aka gorgeous island? YES, 7 days, TICK! Throw in a six-leg hop-on, hop-off flexi-leg bus tour, where you can make up your own trans-European

Tagged With: big issue, Busabout, compétition, competitions, Europe Adventure, Ibiza, Pamplona, Spain, the big issue, the big issue competition, travel abroad, Whats Up Competitions

Charity

Special Youth Day edition proves the kids aren’t all bad

1 June, 2012 by wotzupcapetown Leave a Comment

At a time when youth wage subsidies, escalating unemployment among the young, teen pregnancies, ailing education systems and substance abuse dominate headlines relating to South Africa’s youth, The Big Issue’s Youth Day edition shows there’s still a huge amount of positive news about the kids of 2012. “That’s not to say there aren’t enormous problems plaguing South African youth or that these issues are ignored in this special edition,” said editor, Melany Bendix. “But we chose to primarily use this edition to give both our teen and adult readers a deeper and more balanced insight into youth issues and to put the spotlight on some of the many young people making meaningful

Tagged With: afrikaner blood story, big issue competition, boys from the border, june edition, live mag, the big issue, umuzi photo club, waves for change, youth day special

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Bold cover of latest BIG ISSUE supports emerging SA film

14 May, 2012 by wotzupcapetown Leave a Comment

The Big Issue makes the bold move of featuring up-and-coming actor Jafta Mamabolo on the cover of the latest edition. A stunning image of a semi-submerged Mamabolo is accompanied by the tag line, “The emerging face of SA film”. “Jafta stars in Otelo Burning, which hit the big screens around the country on May 11, the same day the magazine comes out,” explains Melany Bendix, editor. “We decided to feature him on the cover as we have a well-founded hunch that Otelo Burning may be as big as Oscar-winner Tsotsi, judging by the rave reviews and string of awards it has already garnered.” She adds that The Big Issue has a reputation for supporting the local arts and the latest magazine

Tagged With: big issue, chic mamas do care, jazz icon, kyle shepherd, otelo burning, release, the big issue

Charity

Heavy-hitter exposes some big issues

23 April, 2012 by wotzupcapetown Leave a Comment

The late April edition of The Big Issue is a heavy-hitter, carrying not one, but two large exposés. The first is an in-depth look into human trafficking to supply South Africa’s sex trade. The report carries a first-hand account of a child survivor of human trafficking, along with a snapshot of the global battle to fight the illegal trade in humans and South Africa’s progress in that battle — or the lack thereof. It also includes a report on how the ANC Women’s League’s call to decriminalise prostitution could, according to advocacy groups, lead to a clampdown on human traffickers. “Human trafficking is by no means a new topic. But we felt it was crucial to

Tagged With: DJ, domestic worker abuse, modern day slavery, Roger Goode, sex trade, SOUTH AFRICA, the big issue