Adventure At Your Fingertips

Woman Who Moves the City: Mogau Seshoene on Food, Fear and S...

Wanderlust. Passionate. Disciplined.For Mogau Seshoene, food is about far more than following a recipe. It is about creating moments, bringing people together and making the kitchen feel like a place where everyone belongs.Better known to many South Africans as The Lazy Makoti, Mogau is a chef, entrepreneur and bestselling cookbook author who has built a career around making cooking feel less intimidating and a whole lot more joyful.Her work celebrates the simple but powerful role food plays in our lives: the recipes we pass down, the tables we gather around and the memories created somewhere between preparing a meal and sharing it with the people we love.Her journey has also earned her international recognition, including a World Gourmand Cookbook Award. Yet behind the accolades is a woman who still believes in learning, exploring and, importantly, beginning before you feel completely ready.For our Women Who Move Joburg series, we caught up with Mogau about food, inspiration, her love of an early morning and the simple piece of advice she believes more women need to hear: do it with the fear.Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.I am a chef, entrepreneur and bestselling cookbook author.I love helping to make the kitchen a less intimidating space and helping people create special moments to share with their loved ones.What has been your proudest achievement so far?Being awarded the World Gourmand Cookbook Award.Have there been women who have inspired or mentored you along the way?The late Dorah Sithole, who was a chef and food editor.She was an all-round inspiration and mentor to me.Describe yourself in three words.Wanderlust. Passionate. Disciplined.Early bird or night owl?Definitely an early bird.Heels or sneakers?Both.Heels for dressing up. Sneakers for work.Where do you get the best coffee in Joburg?Manaka Coffee.What’s your favourite restaurant in Joburg?I’m loving the new Vlamo.What’s one word your team would use to describe you?Positive.Finally, if you could leave one message for every woman reading this, what would it be?It’s never too late to start something new.Do it with the fear.A Woman Who Moves JoburgThere is something wonderfully fitting about Mogau's approach to both food and life.A kitchen can be intimidating until you start cooking. A new idea can feel overwhelming until you take the first step. And sometimes courage doesn't arrive before you begin.Sometimes you simply have to begin afraid.Through her work, Mogau has helped make the kitchen feel more accessible, reminding people that food doesn't need to be intimidating to be meaningful. What matters is creating, sharing and making memories with the people around you.And her message to women carries that same uncomplicated encouragement.You don't need to have everything figured out. You don't need to wait for the perfect moment. And you certainly don't need to wait for the fear to disappear.Start anyway. Do it with the fear.

ZEVGOSA is Building Digital Platforms for South African Audi...

South Africa has a distinct digital environment. Local regulations, payment systems, consumer habits and market conditions often differ from those found in larger international markets, yet many websites targeting South African users are still built around information originally created for audiences outside of South Africa.ZEVGOSA is a Proudly South African independent digital publishing enterprise created in South Africa for South Africans, with a focus on developing online platforms specifically for local users. Founded in 2025 and operated by Fanie Zevgolis, the business is building a portfolio of specialised websites centred on clarity, local relevance and practical information. Rather than trying to cover every subject under one broad publishing brand, ZEVGOSA focuses on developing individual platforms around clearly defined topics. Each project is structured around the needs of its intended audience, with attention given to usability, regulatory context, mobile performance and the way South Africans search for and use information online.ZEVGOSA is Building for a South African AudienceCreating useful local content for South Africans involves far more than changing a currency symbol or adding “South Africa” to a page title. Information created for another market does not always translate neatly to local users, particularly when regulations, payment methods, terminology and available services differ from country to country.For example, in regulated industries such as online betting, local accuracy is especially important because rules, licensing requirements and consumer protections can differ significantly between countries. ZEVGOSA approaches this by researching the South African environment first and building content around the systems, services and regulations that apply locally. This information is then presented in a clear and practical way, while still giving users enough context to understand what they are reading and make informed decisions. That same thinking extends to how the websites themselves are built. ZEVGOSA places a strong emphasis on straightforward navigation, mobile usability and well-structured pages, so users can find relevant information without having to work through unnecessary content or complicated layouts.ZEVGOSA and the Regulated Online Betting Market in South AfricaOne of ZEVGOSA's first major projects is Betline.co.za, a South African betting information and comparison website developed specifically for the locally regulated market. The platform focuses on betting sites licensed to operate in South Africa, with particular attention given to local licensing, betting site operator information, payment methods and consumer education.That local focus is important because South Africans searching for betting information online can easily come across international websites that recommend offshore operators or provide guidance based on regulatory systems that do not apply in South Africa. Betline takes a different approach by focusing on locally licensed operators with an identifiable South African business presence and clear company information.Betline itself is also locally based and transparent about who operates the platform, with South African contact details, including a business address and contact number, made publicly available. This gives the site a clear level of accountability and makes it easier for users, operators and other industry participants to know who is behind the information being published.Rather than simply publishing lists of betting sites, Betline aims to organise information in a practical way and give users the tools to verify important details for themselves. This includes resources explaining South African gambling regulation, operator licensing and how to independently check whether a betting site is authorised to operate locally.ZEVGOSA is Making Licence Information Easier to Access for South AfricansUnlike a general comparison website, BetWatch.co.za is built specifically around verification. When a user searches for a betting site, the system compares the name against known bookmaker and betting-site records in its database and attempts to identify a matching operator. Where a match is available, the result can include details such as the operator name, licence number, licensing authority and licence status. BetWatch can also identify offshore betting sites that target South African users but do not operate under the local provincial bookmaker licensing framework.This focused approach reflects the broader way ZEVGOSA develops its platforms. Instead of trying to place every type of information on one website, each project is built around a clear purpose and a specific user need. In BetWatch's case, that purpose is to make betting-site verification easier and more accessible for South Africans by bringing relevant licence information into a simple search-based format.BetWatch therefore has a distinct role within the ZEVGOSA network. While Betline provides broader information about locally licensed betting operators, BetWatch concentrates on the verification process itself. Where appropriate, verification results can also direct users to more detailed betting site operator information on Betline, allowing the two platforms to complement each other without serving exactly the same purpose.ZEVGOSA is a Network of Specialist Platforms Tailored for South African UsersZEVGOSA's longer-term strategy is centred on building a transparent local network of specialist digital websites for South African users, with each one created around a specific purpose rather than trying to cover everything under a single brand. Some focus on comparison and information, while others are being developed around verification, search and reference tools.This approach gives each site room to develop its own identity, content and functionality while still forming part of the wider ZEVGOSA network. Together, they are intended to create a broader collection of locally focused digital resources that serve different user needs without simply repeating the same information.As the network expands, new websites can be developed around specific gaps in the South African market while remaining connected through the same broader focus on local relevance, usability and practical information.Local Context as a Digital Advantage for ZEVGOSASouth African publishers operate in a market where international websites often have larger teams, greater resources and a stronger established online presence, but local publishers can compete in a different way by understanding the environment they are writing for. That means knowing how South African regulations work, which services and payment methods are available locally, how users search for information and where international guidance does not always translate well to the South African market.For ZEVGOSA, that local understanding is closely tied to trust and accountability. The business is based in South Africa, operates from a registered local address and has identifiable ownership, giving users and industry participants a clear point of contact behind the websites and the information they publish. ZEVGOSA is also a Proudly South African member, certificate number C06092, which further reflects the local foundation of the business.Rather than adapting international content after the fact, ZEVGOSA develops its websites around South African users from the beginning. That allows each project to reflect local regulations, services and practical realities while also making it clear who is responsible for the information being presented. As the network grows, that combination of local relevance, transparency and accountability remains central to the way ZEVGOSA approaches digital publishing.

Woman Who Moves the City: Mpho Phalane on Food, Connection a...

Curious. Resilient. Generous.For Mpho Phalane, food has never simply been about what arrives on the plate.As the founder and creative steward of Food, I Love You, Mpho uses food as a way to explore memory, identity, culture and human connection, creating experiences that invite people to gather differently and think about everything a meal can carry with it.Her journey didn't begin in the kitchen. Mpho started her career in advertising before food kept calling her back. What began as a personal food blog more than a decade ago has since evolved into a multidisciplinary creative practice encompassing intimate dinners, large-scale events, restaurant concepts, product development and collaborations.For our Women Who Move Joburg series, we spoke to Mpho about building something of her own, the women who inspire her, finding meaning beyond the plate and why we should give ourselves permission to evolve.Tell us a little about yourself and what you do.I’m Mpho Phalane, the founder and creative steward of Food, I Love You, an experiential food practice based in Johannesburg.Food is my medium, but the work is really about memory, identity, culture and connection.I create experiences that invite people to gather differently and to think about what food carries beyond the plate: our histories, our relationships and the ways in which we care for one another.I started my career in advertising, but food kept calling me back.What began as a personal food blog more than a decade ago has grown into a multidisciplinary practice spanning intimate dinners, large-scale events, restaurant concepts, product development and creative collaborations.What has been your proudest achievement so far?My proudest achievement is that I have continued to build Food, I Love You, even through the seasons that required me to completely rethink what the business could be.I’m proud that something which began from such a personal place has grown into a recognised creative practice, and that I’ve been able to remain curious and evolve without abandoning the heart of the work.Building something of your own is rarely defined by one triumphant moment.Sometimes the achievement is choosing it over and over again.Have there been women who have inspired or mentored you along the way?Absolutely. I have been shaped by women in both formal and informal ways.One of those women is my good friend Lwando Xaso, a constitutional lawyer. Although she doesn’t work in food, she has been instrumental in shaping the philosophy of my business and encouraging me to think more deeply about what the work can mean beyond what is on the plate.I’m also increasingly inspired by the women who are my peers, collaborators and all-round trailblazers. Women such as Nandi Dlepu of Mamakashaka, Keitumetse Khobane of Monate Coffee, Matsela Moshokoa of Path Nomad, Tumelo Moema of Hayani Africa, Ramielle de Jager and Olebogeng Mathibe of Wolkberg, and the late Maria McCloy, to name a few.There is something powerful about watching women create lives and practices that don’t necessarily follow the conventional script.They fail forward. They show up for their communities, create beauty in all they do and take their craft seriously.They navigate male-dominated industries with grace, advancing what is possible for women.Describe yourself in three words.Curious. Resilient. Generous.Early bird or night owl?A reluctant early bird!My work has trained me to wake up early.Heels or sneakers?Sneakers, especially if there is a kitchen, a site visit or any real work involved.But I do love a beautiful heel when the occasion calls for it.Where do you get the best coffee in Joburg?Kohi at 44 Stanley, definitely.And wherever Monate Coffee is popping up.What’s your favourite restaurant in Joburg?This is a very unfair question to ask someone who works in food!But, in no particular order, I would say Baha Taco, Glory, Embarc, Taste of China and Che Argentine Grill.I’m drawn to restaurants that understand that hospitality is about more than what is on the plate.What’s one word your team would use to describe you?Particular!Annoyingly so at times.I care deeply about the details, and I know that can make me demanding, but it always comes from a place of passion and wanting the work, and the people behind it, to reach their fullest potential.Finally, if you could leave one message for every woman reading this, what would it be?In this season of my life, I’d say:Give yourself permission to become more than the version of you that other people have grown comfortable with.You are allowed to change your mind, expand your ambitions and outgrow the things that once defined you.Most importantly, trust what is unfolding within you.A Woman Who Moves JoburgMpho's journey is a reminder that building something meaningful doesn't always happen in a straight line, and success doesn't always arrive as one defining moment.Sometimes it looks like listening when something keeps calling you back.Sometimes it means reimagining what you've built without losing sight of why you started.And sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is give yourself permission to become someone you haven't met yet.Because you are allowed to evolve.