I really find it hard to believe that someone with such a great opportunity to be herself would want to do something like this. There are so many people who would die for such an opportunity and she just goes and does that? Aish, I am really disappointed and truly shocked as well- Cynthia girl-you blew it!
P

SIMPLY APPALLING!

Dear Matt, if its correct spelling and grammar you are hopin to correct, read a newspaper, you take up space with petty and ridiculous spelling corrections, even now i am continueing the cycle. by commenting on yours. Its the comment..THE FORUM..we log on to discuss..not spelling.

Matt, get a hobby.

people r staving, people r homeless, there are worse things to face than skinner about this Cynthia woman.She will get her day, let's not make a big thing about this. sounds like you guys have got something against her, Why?

The old homeless, starving argument. Frankly that is not my reality. Publishing is, and I will comment when I feel strongly about the fact that other people are given the opportunities that should be given to those more qualified and deserving. I agree with appaulling (yes I know that is spelt incorrectly), she was given an opportunity most of us would dream of, have worked hard for and she blew it. That is my reality and it p***** me off, as does poverty, hunger, world famine, war, etc etc.

It is never good to copy. I could easily copy the New Zealand game plan and we could win World Cup, but that wouldn't be fair. I have my own game plan that I came up with all on my own and that should be enough to win world cup. Take a player like Bobby Skinstad, for example. He copied David Beckham's mohawk hair style. This is not right. And that's why he's not going to World Cup.

It is never good to copy. I could easily copy the New Zealand game plan and we could win World Cup, but that wouldn't be fair. I have my own game plan that I came up with all on my own and that should be enough to win world cup. Take a player like Bobby Skinstad, for example. He copied David Beckham's mohawk hair style. This is not right. And that's why he's not going to World Cup.

Rudi Straueli [25 Sep 2003 12:15]

I was so disappointed when I found out that Rudi dropped me because of my mohawk. What if I grew a mullet? Would you reselect me, Rudi? Or what about a perm?

- paassive resistance..
or it must have been der olie veed to leed
hair to such mortal complications.

Karen and I bought a Sansui Hi-Fi from Dion's last weekend! We have now recorded copies of "Die Heelbeste Langarm Sokkie Danstreffers 183" onto cassette tapes, for all of our friends! Doppies and Bakkies were so happy that they bought Karen and I each an old South Africa flag that we can wave about at the World Cup!

Hehehe, this is damn funny, but not quite as funny as that joke of a career Cynthia has now!

Oh, and Bob, good luck for 2007...

Oh dear...what a good one that was. In spite of it, Naas seems to get better w/ age.
Re: the discussion on 'copying'...wonder where Cynthia studied journalism? Rhodes University makes students sign a slip that must be stapled to everything handed in stating that 'this is my own work and has not been plagiarised or borrowed in any way from another source'. Great way to drum this into the heads of those in training. Are the media hiring the right people? -or just those who won't pose a threat to the powers that be? There does seem to be a dumbing down in the media across the spectrum...do we want that? Do we want to breed scores of Simpsons and Jerry Springer contestants? It seems the media is trying to encourage this. Why here? Why now? If it's going that route I'll seek yet another developing country in which to live. I pulled out an old Star Tonight from the early '90s...chalk and cheese to what we read now...it was so much more substantial. But then again, I do realise that media is about advertising sales and bottom line...the quality thing is just a facade.
sigh...

Both Vongai and Bristow-Tovey hold a mirror to our editorial environment, reflecting the dearth of talent as well as the inability to recognise true talent.

The media industry is full of talented people, the problem begins when those talented people are given too big an opportunity to deliver on and they don't have the humility to ask for help or to tell someone that they cannot meet a deadline or an expectation. The problem comes in when those people start to believe their own PR. Cynthia Vongai shot up from features writer at Cosmopolitan to editor of ELLE. She had no management experience or magazine production experience, never mind her lack of actual editing experience. It is sad that she had to resort to plagiarising someone else's work to save face instead of asking for assistance or telling The Sowetan that she couldn't meet their deadline. We are all human and that means that we all have the right to admit to being fallible.

"Stealing ideas from thousands is called research, but stealing from one is called plagiarism" Steven Wright

thats what happens when a lot of south african talent is left to idle. cynthia is zimbabwen and that lady from O is also a foreigner. As far as I know she has no journalism experience. Simply because they speak eloquently and are able to endear themselves with the right people.

this reflects bad on initiaves to give black people from this country a chance to succeed in good positions.

Give a South African QUALIFIED AND CAPABLE writter a chance. Let posh accents and the abilty to be " a different black person" not be a measure of potential.

I really do think Vongai made a big mistake and so do we all. Am sure many of you people who comment on this website would have done the same. Copied someone's article. It happens everywhere even in advertising. People steal and copy other people's ideas. Its just that most of you are jeolous and definately being silly. Its unfortunate it was also done by a black person who was given the chance to show what she is made of. So please do get a grip all of you and concentrate on looking for new ideas to write in the magazines. As for Taweni keep it up coz Oprah is an international magazine and its not about being a kwerekwere and you deserve all the claps coz you are the editor and not some silly people from this country. I can imagine what people will be saying if Oprah was the editor of true love mag will they still call her a Kwerekwere coz she's american. Many people need to go back to school coz they do not know that them Kwerekwere's keep the economy pumping.

FYI - I know for a fact that my sister Taweni is one of the most original, creative, educated, intelligent and wise young women Africa has to offer right now. The same goes for Cynthia Vongai. Yes, the African sister i am is bold enough to take you on Pope - you and your Babylonic vatican of ignoramus that claim to have business brains. And you know what, i will vent on you because i am appalled at the brief but so narrowly lettered comment - is the space between your brain cells that narrow too? If you read the Bible you will undoubtedly know that God's own word confirms that "you are fearfully and wonderfully made" - This is a confirmation God makes to my sisters every day of their lives! And I know that is not something that makes devils like you happy - but hey, take it up with the Most High God huh, and start offering suggestions on how we can reach amicable solutions to curb a problem that has existed in the media and business industries for decades! Can you claim to have never written anything that someone else said and not even give that person credit? Can you claim that you don't have issues Bag Pope? (that's a cool name huh? I think Erykah Badu should write a follow song on Bag Lady and title it Bag Pope just for you).

It seems to me Pope that you have lost all hope in your own capabilities and dreams to become the ultimate that God created you to be so you spend time marking the downfall of others. You really need to have that low self-esteem checked earthling! Maybe write a letter to Dr Phil or Sis Dora? It will do you a world of good! Plus we need more positive people in this world and less of the negative you's.

God will continue to bless and inspire every letter we (my sisters and I) pen, motivate every thought we think, and you know what else, God Himself will continue to edit every word we say and write... because our lives are purposed to be the divine rhythm of the Soul of All as He lives! In layman's terms - just for you Pope - we are here on earth to fulfil a divine purpose of God and not to get doses of intoxicated mumble from lots like you. In fact, the only reason i am writing back at ya is coz i know my sister is not the kind of person who would even be bothered by the detestable opinions of the likes of you. I would recommend that you save yourself some grief why you're still ahead, because God is about to work an "open" on ya!

Homework: TRY and write a sensible article that you can send to a newspaper or magazine - something that is positive and encouraging and keeps Africa in motion, something to save the dying children, educate our people, feed our souls and stop the wars. Now THAT will be wholesome.

Just as a matter of interest - why is it that you shamelessly tag yourself as the Pope? Been sleepin' with the devil? Sure says a lot about you - your snide remarks and apparent bitterness and jealousy... eeeysh, mfwethu you got issues.

As for you - mr Xenophobia - get a life, i mean a REAL one, not one you have borrowed scraped off the streets. How African are you anyway - are you at all? Without turning this into a political platform, do you really believe that SA people would have had the freedom they all enjoy right now had the rest of our African nations not supported you? Do you even know that people elsewhere on this beautiful continent of ours DIED for your peace and freedom - women's husbands, children's mothers, friends' lovers, sisters's brothers... or are you so enclosed in your own thinking that you rather display the bright and shiny clump of ignorance you call views? When you guys come to our African countries we treat you as friedns, and we welcome you as we do our own blood, what is it about you mr Xenophobz that you can't look beyond your personal issues to identify the key issues at hand and accept us teh same way? 'Yazi, Jahovah uzokusorta wena, like fresh bread baked on a sunday morning God will ounce you on your judgement day. In fact, I am sure God is trying to make a break-through in your life, why don't you take your cares to Him and let Him heal all the pain you carrying? As Queen Latifah sings: tell the devil he's a liar and you're fed up! Jahova will make a witness out of you.

For the rest of the negativoz - peace be unto you. Pray to God there is noone out in this world who feels as viciously for you as you do for my sister because when your day comes IT WILL COME!!

God bless! Keep Africa in motion Tawe, do your thang ladies - this is eezy peezy stuff that the devil thinks he can wage against the God of All. hahahahahahaha! Pathetic creature isn't he? God YOU ARE THE FIRE - BURN BABYLON DOWN!! MO FAYA TO ALL AFRICAN WOMEN HOLDING THE SPOT AND DOING WHAT THEY DO THE BEST WAY THEY KNOW HOW! I SALUTE YOU!

This has gone beyond xenophobia, if people like the ones posting notices on Kwerekweres (pope 3, junior journo and the likes) are allowed to practice journalism, who knows, it might be the beginning of another ethnic cleansing/genocide/holocaust. One commits a crime not because they are from somewhere but because of lack of morality. During the apartheid era, your leaders (Mbeki, Tambo etc.) Lived in exile, among people with a dire desire to see this country free and you still utter such profanities?
You peaces of shit are now living languishing and you want to use the very dirty tactics used by the NP against fellow black people, disgusting.
The reason why you working hard and not getting the job given to the Kwerekwe is because of your attitude Junior Journo/ pope 3, for the sake of all the KWEREKWERES AND WHITE PEOPLE, this JUNIOR JOURNALIST person should never make it anywhere in the industry, after he is done with foreigners, he will go after the only other threat to his stupidity (Mugabe style), and that’s white people if he is black, and the other way round .

THERE HAS BEEN A TENDENCY IN THIS COUNTRY TO BURY THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY AND ELEVATE,ENHANCE,ADVANCE,COMFORT,CONVENIENCE AND SETTLE FOREIGNERS AND THAT`S WHY SOUTH AFRICANS ARE UMBRAGED BY THE PROLIFERATION OF FOREIGNERS IN THIS COUNTRY.

FOREIGNERS HAVE BECOME UNTOUCHABLE WHERE EVEN THE POLICE HAVE TO STUDY THE CRIMINAL PROCEDURE ACT VERY THOROUGHLY BEFORE THEY ACT ON FOREIGNERS.WHEN A FOREIGNER COMPLAINS EVERYBODY FROM THE CABINET MINISTERS WHO WILL INSTRUCT THEIR PROVINCIAL SUBJECTS TO GIVE HIM THEIR ATTENTION TO OUR SECTION 9 COMPANIES AND NGO AND THIS IS HAPPENING WHILE THEY ARE NOT AN ASSET BUT A GREAT LIABILITY AND RISK TO THIS CUNTRY AND THE PEOPLE OF THIS COUNTRY ARE LABELLED FIRST AND TOLD ALL KINDS OF THINGS LIKE YOU`RE XENOPHOBIC OR GET OUT IF YOU`RE NOT HAPPY AND THIS IS WHAT GET THE GOAT OUT OF LOCALS.

it's said that to imitate a person is the best form of appreciating that particular person's skills. so when does one cross the line from imitating in admiration to stealing or even pillaging ones words or thoughts. was the intent purely malicious or was it paying homage to ones words to the extent of being misconstrued as stealing them? that is the question that begs to be answered and only cynthia can shed light on what she was indeed doing when she "loaned" somebody else's words. we could all sit and speculate without much cause, but if "dear" cynthia is a plagiarist then one has to wonder if anything she has offered the public was indeed hers originally or thoughts emancipated from other people...

Any journalist or writer worth their salt would know that passing off someone else's work as your own is disrespectful. What is sad though is that younger journalists do this all the time without batting an eyelid.

Black, white, pink or green Cynthia was not qualified enough for the position she was put in to, along with the pressure, limelight etc.
She was too inexperienced and I bet that her staff were the ones who really put that mag together - the sales, marketing, production people who are not glamorous but actually know what they are doing. Perhaps she should have given them her columns to write as well. I am not attacking Cynthia - I hope she bounces back because she is gorgeous and has a lot to offer the industry - I am attacking an unfair system that has to change.

Cynthia has alot on her plate and could not ask for help , TV shows , Travel , Sowetan and edit a magazine , girl there is no way you could cope please . I feel sorry for the career limiting move . Maybe she can now come back to earth.


Sorry girl .

If the people who expressed themselves with so much hate on this site are "talented people" seeking their break, then I say, grow some balls and print your name if you have a constructive comment as a SA citizen. Such small-mindedness is what will keep you waiting forever. Be bigger, better and smarter than that. Don't forget it is the same "foreigners" who invest in SA's growing movie industry.
I would like to keep my life long enough to enjoy the potential future.

C c c c ynthia Vongai is an i i i i i diot! S s s s ay no to p p p p lagerism!Ä

One of the first things I learnt at varsity was the value of referencing other people's ideas, words, whatever. If someone is at a position like dear Cynthia in this case, then I'd expect them to know that you cannot use other people's words as your own, especially in a case where it will be published. Maybe, just maybe, she was not qualified for the position and she should suffer the consequences even if she probably got the gig through AA (NOT BLAMING) from Elle. Hell they saw O mag (awesome by the way) with Taweni and they thought well we're also good enough to have a black chick take over the powers, and they failed.

I agree with Tooseday. When one is unable to fulfil a function for which you were employed (be it AA or by bullsh**ng your way about your experience & qualifications), this is what happens. No-one in their right mind would plagiarise word for word, and then RE-use it in the media. HELLLOO!!! Someone's going to notice!

The path of the righteous journalist is beset on all sides by the inequities and tyrannies of the evil plagiarist. Blessed is he or she who in the name of charity and goodwill shepherds his or her brothers through the valley of a lack or originality. For he or she is truly his or her brother's keeper and the finder of original copy. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who try to poison my brothers with imitations. And you will know my name is the lord when I lay my vengeance down upon thee.

I'm privy to the fact that Cynthia was caught fiddling expense claims... For business trips that never existed a few years back. It was all swept under the carpet by her 'politically correct, let's embrace black empowerment and we don't our names in the papers again employers'

Karma Cynthia.... Karma

Oh, there's also a really good journo course at Cape Tech apparently... you might learn to write something.

Isn't strange how SA supports these type of people?
Talentless individuals riding the AA wave... You'll get dumped sooner or later.

Sorry guys, I don't agree with the hiding behind the curtain while screaming loader than the warthog.

I am a Black man who came here 3 years ago. The SA gov gave me a visa to come and train people and I have trained more than 15 people who are now earning well. To try and destroy Cynthia based simply on the fact that she is a foreigner is sad. If she did wrong, she will pay in time like us all. She will learn from her mistake. To use this as a springboard for "kwerekwere" vitriol is simply sad. Through education and skills-transference, every one will eventually get their break and the chance to shine. For those who carry such hate, it is not the way forward brothers and sisters. SA is a shining light to the world, please try and add your energy to that. It is what you should be most proud of.

From: A foreigner who REALLY DID come home, not like the western celebrities you hateful people run after who stay long enough to take a pic with OUR Madiba and then run back to the 747 .... but one who is here to stay, who fights Home Affairs, Telkom, the rates administration ... and you haters everyday. Untill I die or one of you kills me.

This has gone beyond xenophobia, if people like the ones posting notices on Kwerekweres (pope 3, junior journo and the likes) are allowed to practice journalism, who knows, it might be the beginning of another ethnic cleansing/genocide/holocaust. One commits a crime not because they are from somewhere but because of lack of morality. During the apartheid era, your leaders (Mbeki, Tambo etc.) Lived in exile, among people with a dire desire to see this country free and you still utter such profanities?
We are now living languishingly and you want to use the very dirty tactics used by the NP against fellow black people, disgusting.
The reason why you working hard and not getting the job given to the Kwerekwe is because of your attitude Junior Journo/ pope 3, for the sake of all the KWEREKWERES AND WHITE PEOPLE, this JUNIOR JOURNALIST person should never make it anywhere in the industry, after he is done with foreigners, he will go after the only other threat to his stupidity (Mugabe style), and that’s white people if he is black, and the other way round .

Yup, she palguirised but I wouldn't exactly paint all AA appointed people with the same brush. Just a question...B4 this debacle when would u have spoken out about Cynthia being a 'talentless AA rider'. I think it's very dangerous to stereotype people..

This is a sad state of affairs. Many of us dream of such positions and are working hard to get there.It hurts when someone blows it up esp a woman. But this is also a lesson to the media employers who trust foreigners more than us. We need a chance.
What will we say to aspiring young journalists? That journalism is about copying. No Idon't think so.

This has gone beyond xenophobia, if people like the ones posting notices on Kwerekweres (pope 3, junior journo and the likes) are allowed to practice journalism, who knows, it might be the beginning of another ethnic cleansing/genocide/holocaust. One commits a crime not because they are from somewhere but because of lack of morality. During the apartheid era, your leaders (Mbeki, Tambo etc.) Lived in exile, among people with a dire desire to see this country free and you still utter such profanities?
We are now living languishingly and you want to use the very dirty tactics used by the NP against fellow black people, disgusting.
The reason why you working hard and not getting the job given to the Kwerekwe is because of your attitude Junior Journo/ pope 3, for the sake of all the KWEREKWERES AND WHITE PEOPLE, this JUNIOR JOURNALIST person should never make it anywhere in the industry, after he is done with foreigners, he will go after the only other threat to his stupidity (Mugabe style), and that’s white people if he is black, and the other way round .
PARASITE! [31 Oct 2003 22:52]

God Cynthia,
If plagiarism is the fashion...you're last season's pumps!

I understand where these frustrated young, passionate journos are coming from. Not a single f@@@@@ person in the industry cares about those journos who are brilliant at what they do. Five job interviews in one place and what I get: a big kick in the arse. A person I tutored gets the f***** job I applied for, why becos they are AA employees. I am so sorry that I happened to not be black enough altho I have never been white. Screw all those copy cats they need not be in the industry. we need people who are really passionate or else SA's media industry is going to the dogs, Oh wait, it already has!!!

I will take my passion for writing to another country where I shall be appreciated.

Please dont comment and use abrupt language for those who disagree with me because it would just mean that you my man are one of those AA riders.

Screw the lot!!!