President Cyril Ramaphosa has expressed his deep sadness at the passing of renowned photographer, cultural activist and jazz organiser Rashid Lombard, who has passed away at the age of 74.
Mr Lombard was an Esteemed Member of the National Order of Ikhamanga (Silver), which he received in 2014 for his excellent contribution to arts and culture and his dedication to promoting jazz music that has put South Africa on the map for many jazz enthusiasts around the world.
President Ramaphosa offers his deep condolences to the Lombard family and Mr Lombard’s extensive network of friends, comrades and creatives nationally and internationally.
Mr Lombard has been the organiser behind the positioning of South Africa through the arts in the North Sea Jazz Festival, Cape Town, now known as the Cape Town International Jazz Festival), and was the Festival Director of the Cape Town International Jazz Festival.
Mr Lombard was born in North End, Gqeberha, and moved to Cape Town in 1962.
Originally qualified as an architectural draughtsman, Rashid Lombard became an industrial photographer and later a renowned news and documentary photographer, and photographic artist.
He built on his creative media career by becoming an influential jazz promoter and founder of the then Cape Town edition of the North Sea Jazz Festival.
President Ramaphosa said: “We have lost a cultural icon who not only documented our history of struggle but made history in his own right.
“Rashid Lombard’s fearless depiction of apartheid’s endemic inhumanity and violence and his compassionate focus on the lives of oppressed communities and disadvantaged individuals is a powerful record of our struggle for basic human rights and dignity.
“His creative and entrepreneurial ability gave rise to his establishment of the Cape Town Jazz Festival through which he bolstered South Africa’s integration into global culture and linked this prestige event to the development of historically disadvantaged communities.
“Rashid achieved a remarkable feat with his love for the diversity and vibrancy of our nation.
“He did so with passion and humility that endeared him to everyone with whom he interacted and whose lives he touched. We reflect on his life with gratitude and with liberation and joy he leaves behind as his legacy.”
Africa Fact: Africans pioneered basic arithmetic 25,000 years ago. The Ishango bone is a tool handle with notches carved into it found in the Ishango region of Zaïre (now called Congo) near Lake Edward. The bone tool was originally thought to have been over 8,000 years old, but a more sensitive recent dating has given dates of 25,000 years old. On the tool are 3 rows of notches. Row 1 shows three notches carved next to six, four carved next to eight, ten carved next to two fives and finally a seven. The 3 and 6, 4 and 8, and 10 and 5, represent the process of doubling. Row 2 shows eleven notches carved next to twenty-one notches, and nineteen notches carved next to nine notches. This represents 10 + 1, 20 + 1, 20 – 1 and 10 – 1. Finally, Row 3 shows eleven notches, thirteen notches, seventeen notches and nineteen notches. 11, 13, 17 and 19 are the prime numbers between 10 and 20.
sweetness
Fun South African Fact: The only manufacturer of the Mercedes Benz C Class right hand drive cars is none other than South Africa.
Gold Dahlia
Gatvol – fed up / had enough [ghut-foll] Meaning ‘filled to the brim’ and is used to describe someone who is very angry or tired of the same thing happening over and over again.Example: “I’m gatvol with that nonsense.” / “I’m gatvol that they keep losing all the time.”