Odette Mashinini, a 34-year-old intern social worker from South Africa, has won a Hisense Infinity F72 smartphone worth R1,999 in a competition run by The Sowetan. The smartphone features 128GB storage, a 5000mAh battery, and a high-definition camera. Mashinini's win comes as a significant relief, as she had been struggling with a faulty cellphone for five years.
Mashinini's career has seen a breakthrough this year with her new position at the Mpumalanga social development department. However, her old phone had been causing problems, often making it difficult for her to communicate with clients. The phone's screen would frequently go white before becoming blank, and she would struggle to hear people on the other end of the line. This made it challenging for her to perform her job effectively.
The competition, which ran for three weeks, aimed to help one of The Sowetan's readers who needed a cellphone. Over 2,000 readers entered the competition, but only 400 met the requirements. Mashinini was selected as the lucky winner by a judging panel after the competition closed on September 25. Her win is seen as a significant turning point in her life, especially considering she had been job searching since 2023.
Mashinini expressed her happiness at winning the phone, stating it would greatly improve her ability to do her job. As a social worker, she often deals with desperate families reaching out to her after work hours during crises. The new phone will enable her to communicate more effectively with her clients, rather than having to wait until the next day to use the landline at the office.
The Sowetan's WhatsApp competition was simple to participate in, requiring entrants to prove they were following the Whatsetan WhatsApp news channel and "like" the competition post. The platform regularly posts exciting competitions, and readers can engage with news stories by reacting with an emoji and participating in polls. This encourages reader engagement and provides opportunities for others to win.
Mashinini's win is a testament to the success of The Sowetan's efforts to engage with its readers and provide them with opportunities to benefit. The newspaper aims to create a channel of well-informed winners who will be regularly rewarded for their efforts. Readers can join The Sowetan's WhatsApp channel to stay informed and in touch with the latest news.
The Sowetan encourages readers to join their WhatsApp channel to stay updated on the latest news and participate in future competitions. By joining the channel, readers can engage with the newspaper's content and increase their chances of winning exciting prizes. Mashinini's story serves as an inspiration to others who may be facing similar challenges, highlighting the potential for good fortune to change one's circumstances.
Key points
- Odette Mashinini wins R1,999 Hisense Infinity F72 smartphone in Sowetan competition.
- The competition aimed to help readers in need of a cellphone, with over 2,000 entrants participating.
- The win marks a significant turning point in Mashinini's life, improving her job prospects as a social worker.
