Olwethu Bandezi, 23 yrs. Magazine founder,
writer, neo-cultularist and creative
I am part of Coolab, which is a creative collective that aims to execute ideas that we feel should exist in Durban. Coolab is the product of marrying out different projects, mine being Brandr Magazine; an online lifestyle magazine. I also serve as a member of Life Long Learning, which is an N.G.O aimed at promoting learning across all ages through creative workshops such as the TED talks screenings. Currently I live in Glenwood, by Entabeni Hospital.
What Project/s are you currently involved in? Brandr Magazine, Ted Talks , Cosi Cosi Pop Up Cinema, Fork Knife and Glass, and I also contribute in MindMap-SA.
What is it about Durban that still gets you? The fact that Durban is so hard to impress; good ideas and strategies fail all the time in Durban. The general approach of dazzling Durban becomes useless and requires you to really look at creating genuine content to win her attention and sustain it. It has been noted how faithful Durban can be to you when she has fallen for you / your idea.
What lifestyle would you say you / your work fits into? I am obsessed with the word ‘Sustainable’, with the understanding of its meaning – something you can handle. So my lifestyle is mainly based on what I can afford, not just monetarily, but emotionally.
Your work philosophy is? I am a very faithful worker. Projects or work that I execute the best are ones that I have been able to align with some emotional value and therefore am attached to.
Do you believe in Sub-cultures? Yes, subcultures still exist, however I am one to believe that a subculture stops being such the moment it becomes popular.
What is your antithesis? Most probably one who is made mostly of all my bad habits.
Define your marque of crazy? One that believes they are non-conformists.
Why do you create? Because I seem to be able to, and have been granted the chance to so, “I must”.
Your own footprint on this planet is? Made of all the peers I speak highly of in private.
What will still be worn in a 100 years? Dreams and fears are a sure thing to still be worn. Materialisticly, possibly hats.
What song is currently playing in your life? I had to think about this very hard, but its a remake of Nina Simone’s song If You Go Away.
What is your cool about? Cool? I don’t think I am in any way cool. Cool in this instance is purely based on what I like or am impressed by.
What do you refuse to wear? Anything that exposes how big my tummy is, anything that resembles tights, ties usually don’t work out well with me either because I have a short but big neck. These things cause me a huge deal of discomfort.
What skills do you have? I am mastering thinking critically, I write, and I am also learning to master how to wait.
check out the video here
