EDITION 41
TECHNOLOGY KENYA Africa’s Silicon Savannah
BUSINESS FRED SWANIKER Who Will Fix Africa?
LIFEST YLE
Ikiré Jones
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AFRO TRAVEL Afropolitans at Club Med Bali
The untold
CULTURE Searching for a Sangoma
Renaissance
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C O N T E N T S
In This Edition
EDITOR Brendah Nyakudya
CONTRIBUTORS
6 EDITOR'S LETTER
Alyn Adams Heather Clancy Damian Murphy Stacey Vee Michelle Randall Cath Jenkins
Je Suis... Responsible
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8 READER'S EXPERIENCE The ANC is Changing Lives!
12 BUSINESS FEATURE Fred Swaniker
17 BUSINESS Online Education
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CEO & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR
12
Sean Press
MANAGING DIRECTOR AND PUBLISHER Donna Verrydt
20 FEATURE
FINANCE AND OPERATIONS DIRECTOR
The Opium of the poor
SALES MANAGER
Lesley Fox Chioma Didi Okoro
23 FEATURE
SALES
If I knew back then what I know now...
26 FEATURE Love in a time of Xenophobia
28 CULTURE Preserving African Languages
32 FASHION
Damian Murphy Quincy Matonhodze Luey Naicker Melanie Scheepers Paul Styles
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DESIGN & LAYOUT Janine Louw
SUBBING & PROOFING
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Stacey Vee
PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR Gwen Sebogodi
Ikiré Jones: The untold Renaissance
IT AND WEB MANAGER
40 CULTURE
REPRO AND PRINTING
Mircea Nicolae & Carmen Petre Kadimah Print
Searching for a Sangoma
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44 TECHNOLOGY How Africa Tweets
48 TECHNOLOGY Kenya: Africa's silicon Savannah
50 TRAVEL Malawi – Africa's Heart
54 TRAVEL
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80 COLUMN Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other
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E D I T O R ' S
L E T T E R
Je Suis... W
Responsible
ith every new year it is easy to spew out the obligatory Happy New Year messages that do the rounds, but I would like to assume that we are done with that stage and I'm looking forward to what the year will bring - with the optimism that it will be positive and that which isn’t will be a learning experience. As the year began news channels were flooded with reports on the horrifying terrorist attack in France, where Islamists Cherif and Said Kouachi killed 12 people at the offices of the satirical magazine Charlie Hedbo. This has culminated in protests and an outpouring of support from all angles with people all proclaiming “Je Suis Charlie” in solidarity. This very sad incident has led me to understand and be fully aware of the responsibility that media has in society and the fine lines we have to constantly walk in order to maintain our role of informing, educating and entertaining. While satire and freedom of speech are
very much a legal and necessary part of the media age, my question would be where does moral responsibility come into play? Are satire and freedom of speech licenses to offend and disrespect the various sectors of society with which we don’t agree? All too often we hear and read offensive diatribe all in the name of freedom of speech and satire, without any regard for consequence and in my opinion that is not right. While I condemn, without reservation, the attacks in France, I do believe, as the media we need to re-think our role in society and use that role to build up, not tear down, uphold not disregard, educate and not insult. Happy 2015 everybody!
@brendahnyakudya @AfropolitanMag Facebook: TheAfropolitanMagazine
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R E A D E R ' S
E X P E R I E N C E
The ANC is
Shack residence in South Africa
Changing Lives! WITH THE TURN OF EVERY YEAR AS SOUTH AFRICANS GATHER AROUND THE BRAAIS DURING THE HOLIDAYS, TALK ALWAYS COMES DOWN TO THE TOPIC OF THE ANC GOVERNMENT AND WITHOUT FAIL, WHEN THE RULING PARTY BECOMES THE HOT TOPIC, SERVICE DELIVERY FOLLOWS SOON AFTER! By Brendah Nyakudya
W
hen it comes to the issue of service delivery in South Africa, there seems to be two schools of thought: those who applaud the ANC government for the strides they have made in the last 20 years of democracy and those who are disappointed and disgusted that 20 years in there are people that still have to use the bucket system as a form of sanitation. While both parties are correct in their contemplations, I am of the opinion that one is more correct than the other. If one had enquired of me at the beginning
of 2013 what my thoughts were on the subject I would have, without skipping a beat or pausing for breath, loudly proclaimed that the ANC is a disastrous institution whose failures were resulting in a tougher life for all citizens. That the corruption, that is so deeply entrenched in the system, was going to be the downfall of what was the greatest political party SA has ever known. So convinced was I that quality of life for black people had deteriorated since the ANC took over, and even at times agreed with those that proclaimed that life was better under apartheid rule.
But with much humility I now change my tune. While it is true that there is a lot that still needs to be done by the current government to warrant a lot of disappointment and negative reviews, one has to take a step back and look at what the expectations are of the institution. In an opinion piece by Khaya Dlanga in the Mail and Guardian on the same issue, he makes a very pertinent point that while the apartheid government was praised for its efficiency in service delivery, one has to realise and never forget that that government was only catering for a very small section of the country. All their
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R E A D E R ' S
E X P E R I E N C E
THERE HAVE BEEN SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS THAT HAVE PROVIDED A BETTER LIFE FOR ALL AND THESE NEED TO BE APPLAUDED WITHOUT RESERVATIONS. RDP houses with solar facilities
efforts and resources were catering for about a tenth of the population. In that regard, it is very easy and quite possible to provide nothing but the best. The current government, however is now responsible for servicing 100% of the population – a mammoth 52,98 million and counting, which compared to the 4,5 million white people that were priority in the dark days, is a huge task. While this in no way exonerates President Jacob Zuma and his band of merry men and women from their shortcomings, of which there are many, there have been significant achievements that have provided a better life for all and these need to be applauded without reservations. Just to recap, these are the achievements made by the ANC since they took over the reins: • By 2012 the ANC had built 3.3 million houses benefiting 16 million people.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
• A total of 16 million of our people now get support and assistance from their government. • Six million households have gained access to clean water since 1994 and electricity has been connected to nearly five million homes. • In 1994, only 62% of households had access to clean drinking water, in 2012 this had increased to 93%.
• In 1994, only 50% of households had access to decent sanitation, in 2012 that number increased to 77%. • In 1994, only 36% of South Africans had access to electricity, in 2012 it was 84%. Today the majority of people are provided free basic services in water and electricity. In his end of year statement to the nation in 2014, President Zuma shared the following figures: »» To date, 2,7 million South Africans are on antiretroviral treatment, which has improved life expectancy. A total of 3 590 public health facilities are now initiating patients on antiretroviral treatment compared to 490 in February 2010. »» There has been a remarkable 67% reduction of mother-to-child transmission of HIV from 8% in 2008 to 2,6% in 2012. »» Within the first 100 days of this fifth administration, 45 schools were completed. Eighty-one schools were provided with sanitation, 58 with electrification and 88 with water. »» In addition to three new universities being established in Gauteng, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga, 16 sites have been identified for the construction of 12 new Technical and Vocational Education and Training College campuses.
»» To date more than 11 million households have been connected with electricity, double the number of households with access to electricity in 1994. »» From April to October this year, 131 089 electricity connections were concluded. »» Government also facilitated electrical connections to boreholes in Ngobi village near Hammanskraal, ensuring safe water supply to 1261 households, benefitting about 5 000 people »» This year, the number of bucket toilets eradicated in the five most affected provinces are as follows: Free State 6 021, Limpopo 777, Eastern Cape 1 675, North West 379 and Northern Cape 2694. »» In October, there was provision of water to 55 villages in Giyani in Limpopo and for a total of 16 200 households in Umkhanyakude District in KwaZulu-Natal. For the first time in 30 years, they will get water from Jozini Dam. Its easy to sit in our middle and upper class luxury and decry the failings of the ANC but if you were to take a walk in the shoes of a man who was previously living in abject apartheid squalor, with no running water, sanitation, electricity or the prospects of education for his kids, you would realise that the ANC was and still is changing peoples lives for the better and taking that away from them because of their other failings is a gross injustice.
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B U S I N E S S
Fred Swaniker, Co-founder of The African Leadership Academy
Fred Swaniker
FRED SWANIKER OPENS HIS TED TALK WITH THE LINE; "I EXPERIENCED MY FIRST COUP D'ÉTAT AT THE AGE OF FOUR." IT'S A LOADED SENTENCE THAT LEAVES YOU WINDED, BUT THE GHANAIAN ENTREPRENEUR DOESN'T LET YOU WALLOW IN "VIVID RECOLLECTIONS OF FEAR" FOR LONG. By Michelle Randall
H
is talk, "The Leaders That Ruined Africa, and The Generation That Can Fix It," doesn't mince words. From the outset it's clear that Fred Swaniker is a man with a plan for Africa. Born in Ghana in 1976, Fred Swaniker has lived in the Gambia (where his family was forced to leave due to another coup), Botswana, and Zimbabwe. On his changemakers bio, he says that with each part of Africa he lived in, he fell more deeply in love with the continent, and
with this love came a strong desire to see Africa prosper. It led him to question: what will it take to make Africa prosper? Fred Swaniker's answer: leadership. In his TED Talk, Swaniker recalls that in Botswana, "everything worked." He speaks about how, at the age of 8, he watched Nelson Mandela on TV, when the iconic leader was given a chance for release on the condition that he gives
up the Apartheid struggle. Mandela didn't relent; he refused to give up the struggle until he'd achieved his objective of freeing South Africa from Apartheid. Swaniker says he remembers feeling how "just one good leader could make such a big difference in Africa." At 12, Swaniker went to high school in Zimbabwe. At the time, Zimbabwe, with its growing economy and excellent infrastructure, seemed like it was a model for economic development in Africa. However,
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B U S I N E S S
Swaniker returned to Zimbabwe after graduating college and says of returning to the shattered country, "it seemed all of a sudden as if 30 years of development had been wiped out." Millions of people had emigrated and the economy was in a shambles. "How could a country go so bad, so fast?" he asks. "Most people would agree that it's all because of leadership." According to Swaniker, Africa's weak institutions mean that here, more than anywhere else, one leader can make or break a country. He categorises African leadership into three generations: the first generation of African leaders brought independence to Africa. The second generation brought warfare, corruption and human rights abuses to the continent. The third, Nelson Mandela's "stabilizer generation" of leadership, managed to "clean up much of the mess of Generation two."
AFRICA'S NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS Africa is the second-fastest growing economic region in the world, which according to Swaniker means that our next generation of leaders, Generation four, has a unique opportunity to transform the continent. This future generation of leaders needs to both create prosperity for Africa, and build its institutions. "None of the previous
WE MUST BE MORE SYSTEMATIC ABOUT CULTIVATING LEADERS. WE MUST BE PROACTIVE ABOUT INCREASING THE NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS WHO CAN CONCEIVE OF IMPORTANT NEW IDEAS AND IMPLEMENT THEM. generations have been able to tackle this issue of poverty," he says. Africa has the fastest-growing population in the world, but it's also the poorest. By 2030, Africa will have a larger workforce than China. By 2050, it'll have the largest workforce in the world. One billion people will need jobs in Africa. "If we don't grow our economies fast enough, we're sitting on a ticking time bomb, not just for Africa, but for the entire world."
CULTIVATING LEADERSHIP Swaniker realised that in order to sustain and accelerate Africa's development, “we must be more systematic about cultivating leaders. We must be proactive about increasing the number of individuals who can conceive important new ideas and implement them." In line with the idea of cultivating leaders, Fred Swaniker co-founded the African Leadership Academy in 2004. He comes from a long line of educational entrepreneurs who have founded schools across Africa, and knows the enormous impact that education can have in transforming society. Swaniker first had the idea for the African Leadership Academy while living in Nigeria in 2003 where he recognised the urgent need to increase the supply of effective and ethical leaders for Africa. "Through the African Leadership Academy, I hope to create a powerful new system for supporting and growing these young leaders of Africa."
During his TED Talk he announced publicly that his goals for the academy include building 25 universities across Africa. Each campus will accommodate 10 thousand leaders. "We'll be educating and developing 250 000 leaders at any given time." Swaniker hopes that half of these leaders will become the entrepreneurs that will create the jobs that Africa needs, while the other half will go into government and the non-profit sector to build Africa's institutions such "that we're never held to ransom again by a few individuals like Robert Mugabe." Fred Swaniker
AFRICA'S IVY LEAGUE Fred Swaniker has launched a further four organisations that aim to develop leaders in Africa. These include the African Leadership Network, a gathering of African leaders under the age of 50, which takes place every year in a selected African city; Global Leadership Adventures, which is a worldwide youth leadership development programme with campuses in Ghana, South Africa, India, Brazil and Costa Rica; the Africa Advisory Group; and Synexa Life Sciences, a biotechnology company in Cape Town that today employs more than 30 South African scientists. He holds an MBA degree from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was named an Arjay Miller Scholar, a distinction awarded to the top ten percent of each graduating class. He also holds a B.A. degree magna cum laude in economics from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. He was recognised by Echoing Green in 2006 as one of 15 "best emerging social entrepreneurs in the world" and listed as one of Africa's top 10 young "power men" by Forbes Magazine in 2011. In recognition of his work in developing Africa's future leaders, Swaniker was selected as one of 115 young leaders to meet US President Barak Obama at the White House in 2010. In 2013, Obama praised Swaniker as an education entrepreneur saying, "Fred helped to start a biotech company, and now uses his expertise to help other young Africans develop their leadership skills so that they can come back and put those skills to use; serving their communities, starting businesses, creating jobs. So thank you, Fred, for the great work that you’re doing." The African Leadership Academy teaches leadership skills to students from across Africa, waiving fees on the proviso that graduates remain in Africa afterwards. Of the academy, Swaniker says, "Think of this as Africa's Ivy League, except that the main criteria for getting into this university will be: what is the potential that you have for transforming Africa?"
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B U S I N E S S
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Online
Education How valuable is open-source learning? THERE ARE COUNTLESS SKILLS THAT YOU CAN LEARN ON THE INTERNET. WE LOOK AT THE TOP ONES AND WHETHER OR NOT THEY ADD ANY WEIGHT TO ONES CV. By Michelle Randall
U
sing the Internet as a learning tool: does it increase the value of your CV in the job market, or is it merely a source of add-on skills that'll give you an extra edge in your current role? In 2009, YouTube launched its EDU channel to centralise content from more than 100 universities and colleges, and today provides open access to lectures, research, and campus tours. Think of it as an enormous global video classroom, divided into three sub-categories: Primary and Secondary Education, University, and Lifelong Learning. Nearly every major educational institution in the world hosts its own collection of news, lectures, tutorials, and open courseware on this platform. Ever longed to wander the hallowed halls of Harvard University and tap into extraordinary minds? Save yourself the airfare and click on Harvard's YouTube channel. It's that easy. But what value does open-learning hold when you're facing an HR Manager over a wood-veneer desk and talking five-year goals? Mishal Fortune, 30, is the post-production coordinator at Cooked In Africa Films. With no tertiary qualifications to his name, he's a prime example of someone using the Internet to gain skills in a niche discipline, and flourishing.
"Most of the skills I use daily, including motion graphics, online editing and technical engineering, I learned online," says Mishal, who adds that holding his current position is an accomplishment in itself, given his lack of formal training. Before he joined the postproduction department in the television industry, Mishal was a shop assistant at clothing retail outlets. He used the internet to study editing tutorials, learn video formats and different editing programs, and brush up on how to meet local and international broadcasting standards. While Mishal acknowledges that accessing the wealth of knowledge available on the internet continues to provide him with new skills and an added edge to his job, as well as keep him abreast of industry trends, he doubts whether it holds any clout on his CV. "I think that although the knowledge I've gained has practical merit, it doesn't carry the weight of a qualification from a traditional or recognised higher education institution. However, I'd like to think job experience would be the deciding factor in an interview." Certainly, the practical values of some skills learned online couldn’t be denied. For instance, learning a language is a skill that will definitely hold its own on the front page of your CV, and YouTube EDU provides several language tutorials to achieve this. While you
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"Even if you're just starting out in an industry, there's already unlimited information available." But what about "soft skills," which fall outside of technical or practical how-to? These are the skills that make up your emotional intelligence; your work ethic, communication skills, how you relate to and deal with other people, and what your outlook on life, is despite your past experiences. These are skills that can't be taught, but can be learned through experience of and exposure to any number of scenarios. A case in point: while perusing YouTube EDU's Lifelong Learning channel and looking for valuable skills, I got distracted and absorbed by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TEDx Talk entitled "We should all be feminists." While an entertaining talk overall, I can't quite measure what I gained in terms of education, other than an opportunity to see through a window into someone else's experiences. Then again, empathy is a soft skill we should all hone. The lowdown: YouTube EDU is a bit mix-and-match. You've got to put in some time to scroll past seemingly endless lists of irrelevant tutorials to find something valuable. If you're specific about what you're looking for, I'd suggest you start with Google and search from there. If you've a thirst for knowledge, the Internet is your friend. As in Mishal's case, use the unlimited resources at your fingertips to achieve your goals. And if you've got some money to invest in learning a new skill, check out Get Smarter.
Chimamanda Ngozi
don't gain a qualification from the EDU channel, speaking a second or third language - depending on where you want to work - could benefit your potential employer. However, if you are looking for a qualification, online schools with pay-to-learn courses are beginning to enjoy job-market credibility.
GET SMARTER, WHICH IS AFFILIATED WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN, OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF SHORT COURSES ONLINE, ALL OF WHICH YOU CAN COMPLETE IN YOUR OWN TIME WITHIN A STIPULATED PERIOD. Get Smarter, which is affiliated with the University of Cape Town, offers a wide range of short courses online, all of which you can complete in your own time within a stipulated period. Browsing through Get Smarter's available online courses, there's no doubt they are practical. Everything from business management, payroll and tax administration, to graphic design courses is on offer. "Since we're already behind a computer for most of the day, plugging into the knowledge at our fingertips is an effective tool for use," says Mishal.
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F E A T U R E
The Opium
OF THE POOR
“IF YOU GO ABOUT FEEDING PEOPLE GRASS AND PETROL, YOU MUST KNOW THAT YOU ARE NOT A GOOD SHEPHERD.” - Gauteng infrastructure development MEC, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza speaking at a church in Pretoria. By Michelle Randall
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
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T
he videos went viral, the tabloids ran with headlines such as “Holy petrol tastes like pineapple juice!” and the ever-present News24 commenters did what they do best, and spewed hate speech.
who drank the “Iron Brew flavoured” petrol attest to a sudden sense of health and vitality. Our natural tendency as humans is to imbue repeated behaviour with meaning. Repeated enough certain acts take on a symbolic meaning and become rituals. In psychology, the term “ritual” is often used to denote repeated behaviour methodically used by an individual or group to neutralize or stop anxiety.
The behaviour of the grass-eating, petrol-drinking congregation in GaRankuwa is easy to dismiss as foolish, irresponsible and perhaps dangerous, but beyond the initial judgement the story is far more telling... For those With this in mind, perhaps the who were not exposed to the media consumption of petrol and grass is frenzy surrounding the aforementioned simply a ritualised defence mechanism church, here’s the story: Pastor Lesego Daniel, leader of the Rabboni Center Ministries invited his more than thousand-strong congregation to drink petrol and eat grass. The warning on the church’s YouTube video that this unusual act of devotion should not be attempted by those unable to turn water into wine, the petrol was first lit on fire to prove its authenticity. Self-proclaimed professor, Pastor Daniel claims that the act was part of the Bible's passage that says “people Congregation eating grass at Rabboni Center Ministries will do greater miracles than Jesus did.” Following which, church members notably including pregnant women, participated in the unorthodox practice.
American philosopher George Santayana once wrote "out of the context of concrete acts of religious observance... religious conviction emerges." This is a meaningful observance in that, many, and especially those who are not religious, believe that belief is prior to practice. However, Pastor Lesego Daniel Santayana’s sentiments, which are echoed by many religious against an uncertain world. "Without practitioners, state the exact opposite. faith, it is impossible to please God so First you do and then you believe. In I'm going to drink my petrol," said a the words of Kurt Vonnegut: “We have member of Pastor Daniel’s Rabboni to continually be jumping off cliffs Center Ministries. Although it is easy and developing our wings on the way to label groups that do not follow down.” With this in mind, perhaps mainstream practices as “cults” such the seemingly irrational acts of Pastor labelling is problematic in that to Lesego Daniel devout followers are deem a group or religion a “cult” is to attempts to initiate belief? “Do you deem such beyond the scope of socially believe in the Father?” Pastor Daniel accepted morality and logic. What exists repeatedly asks his congregation. What beyond the often arbitrary line that we better way to convince yourself of your as society have deemed “right” is often own convictions than with an act so met with suspicion and distrust. Labels extreme? Petrol contains hundreds of harmful chemicals and yet followers are powerful and indicative of the
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times. Originally referring to an “act of worship” or “religious ceremony”, the word “cult” has evolved in its meaning. First used as a sociological classification to denote groups that found inspiration outside of the predominant religious culture, today the label “cult” is pejorative and sweeping in its damage, so much so that there have been legal battles regarding the use (or misuse) of the term. Mistakenly assumed to be a synonym for any unorthodox belief, the application of the term is illustrative of the zeitgeist of society. While the practice of eating grass and drinking petrol is unorthodox and potentially dangerous, Rabboni Center Ministries does not meet the established criteria of a cult. Importantly, members are not forced to attend and the sermons are dictated from the Bible thereby deeming the beliefs congruent with the rest of the country’s overwhelmingly Christian population. However, despite not being a cult, the practices endorsed by charismatic leader Pastor Daniel are not without criticism. In light of the unusual acts, Thoko MkhwanaziXaluva, chairwoman of the Commission for the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Cultural, Religious and Linguistic Communities (CRL Commission) stated that “They (traditional healers and priests) need to be regulated by their own peers because they understand the field better than anyone else. Right now, I can wake up and say I am selling water, and ask people to eat grass and wash it down with petrol. Right now, it is a free-for-all.” Legal implications aside, the question remains, why has Pastor Daniel managed to attract such a large following? Drawing increasingly large crowds from South Africa and beyond, is his church’s popularity due to his unusual practices or in spite of them? Regardless of the answer Pastor Daniel doesn’t seem to care. Despite being subjected to media scrutiny, the young pastor claims that he doesn’t have to answer to anyone adding “You ain’t seen nothing yet. People are going to fly.”
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F E A T U R E
If I knew back then what I know now… THEY SAY “WITH AGE COMES WISDOM, BUT SOMETIMES AGE COMES ALONE”. THIS MIGHT BE TRUE FOR SOME FOLK BUT FOR THE REST OF US WE HAVE ALL LEARNT A THING OR TWO FROM THE GREATEST TEACHERS OF ALL…TIME AND EXPERIENCE.
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Ж “T Own o Th ine True Self Be .”
By Brendah Nyakudya
W
e asked some of our seasoned Afropolitans to share some of the valuable lessons they would pass on to the younger Afropolitan • generation.
ON YOUR SELF • The body you see as fat and unable to wear one of those sweet little bandeau tops, will never be as perky as it is right now. Wear that crop top chick! • Good sex has nothing to do with the image in your head of the perfect cutout magazine girl, spend less time agonizing over your body and spend it enjoying what it can do. Once you know that sex will just keep getting better. There's nothing like a committed and trusting relationship
when it comes to sex. And lingerie, so much fun. Even when you're thirty and your bits are jiggly. Losing weight is so hard once you gain it after 30. Starting an exercise regime at 33 is a lot harder than at 23.
• Being popular gets you nowhere – be hardworking, reliable, kind and have integrity. That is what will open doors. • “To Thine Own Self Be True.” Living by that statement will keep you out of a lot of emotional messes!
ON LOVE • Take a cooking class. You might think it's great how microwave meals are
♥ Call your mom. She misses you.
easy to do, and that you won't need to learn to cook, despite the fact that you don't live at home...but it's going to be mega-embarrassing when you meet a man you like, and try to invite him to your house for dinner, only to end up feeding him rancid vegetables and half frozen chicken schnitzel. • There is no such thing as The One. There will be partners you have a better chemistry with than others, but it's up to you and you alone if you are going to live happily ever after. • You'll have a lot of bad sex - just to get the guy to like you. Sad but true. • Don’t get married young and on the basis of infatuation, good looks or good sex. That all goes out of the window when bills pile up and kids get sick.
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F E A T U R E
• Love is worth it. Even if it ends in tragedy, sometimes the hard lessons are the ones that matter most. • Don’t waste so much time in your twenties chasing after The One, usually the one that doesn’t want you (at least not in the white-picket-fence way you want him to want you), and then define yourself as someone unworthy because of this! Lesson learned: if a man wants you, nothing will stand in his way, but if he doesn't, nothing will make him stay. It doesn't mean you're not worth loving. It means he's not worth your time. • People will treat you the way you let them treat you. Make your stand and always demand to be treated with respect and consideration, and do the same to others. • If he seems crazy then he probably is. Stay Away!
> You will fail. Many times... catch you when you fall. And you will fall - just don’t stay down. Get up and try again. • Be kind to your hairline! • For Heaven Sakes, moisturise.
ON WORK AND MONEY • Stop buying shoes. You do not need forty pairs. Put that money into your bank account and leave it there. • Don't ever withdraw your pension savings when you switch jobs. You tell yourself you're still young, and there's plenty of time to start saving, but you'll be devastated if you knew how much that money would have grown if you'd left it. • My father gave me this piece of advice: "Don't be in a hurry with your career. Spend your 20s learning everything you can about your trade. Work in every aspect of the business. Start from the bottom. Then in your 30s - specialise."
ON YOUR PARENTS
• Step away from the tweezers! Eyebrows aren't the enemy, you will miss those caterpillars one day. • Any opportunity to sing karaoke is a good opportunity. • No one knows what he or she is doing. Really. • Being right and being happy is not the same thing. • Your life will change drastically after becoming a mother, but you still wouldn't change a thing. • Time flies by so quickly, so put down that phone and live in the moment more wholeheartedly. • Wine is awesome! Learn about it and appreciate it, stop wasting your time on Schnapps or Brandy and Coke.
• Listen to everything your parents say, right now, even though it will piss you off. They will be gone before you know it, so go home for breakfast every Sunday. Yes, even if it means you're going there while hungover. Your parents do not care. Go. • At some point in your 20s or 30s, you will look at your parents, and they'll suddenly become human beings with flaws just like you. Cut them some slack. • Call your mom. She misses you.
ON LIFE • It's very cute how you think you have a life plan. In ten years time, absolutely nothing that you are doing or have now, will be in your life. Plan for change, because it will happen, whether you like it or not, and when change comes embrace it. • You will fail. Many times. In your work, relationships and as a parent. It’s normal and it happens to everyone. Calm down, have some wine and try again tomorrow. • Don’t feel bad that you don’t have the answers to life. No one has the answers or the winning formula – we are all just whinging it, playing grown-up and suppressing hysteria. • Stay close to your friends and nurture those relationships as you get older. They will be the net to
Love is worth it!
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F E A T U R E
By Michelle Randall
Image courtesy of Shutterstock
IS IT REALLY POSSIBLE THAT EVERY NIGERIAN LIVING IN SOUTH AFRICA IS A CRIMINAL, DRUG DEALER, OR FRAUDSTER? THIS IS THE QUESTION REV. EJIMADU CHIDOZIE ASKS IN HIS COMMENTARY FOR ONLINE MAGAZINE SANIGERIANS. THE STIGMATISATION OF NIGERIANS IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS BECOME SO DEEPLY ENTRENCHED IN PUBLIC CONSCIOUSNESS THAT IT HAS CREATED THE NEED FOR AN ORGANISATION TO SMASH THESE STEREOTYPES.
F E A T U R E
U
nited Nigerian Wives in South Africa (UNWISA) is a group of South African women married to Nigerian men who have formed a united opposition against the prejudice and hostility displayed by society towards them and their Nigerian husbands. What began as a handful of committed women in February 2013, UNWISA now has more than 60 members across South Africa. They aim to address issues of harassment and discrimination directed at their spouses by state authorities like the Department of Home Affairs and SAPS, and further the strides of freedom and justice so that all who legitimately live in South Africa enjoy equal treatment before the law.
THE PREJUDICES Boiling from ordinary citizens and directed at non-South Africans, prejudices such as victimisation, extortion, and even name-calling
UNWISA JOINED THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS WOMEN'S LEAGUE (ANCWL) TO BUILD SOLIDARITY WITH THE GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF NIGERIA AGAINST BOKO HARAM, AND TO JOIN THE EFFORTS OF PROGRESSIVE FORCES TO 'BRING BACK OUR GIRLS SAFELY.'
have increased at an alarming rate, particularly since the outbreak of xenophobic attacks that took place between 2008 and 2009 and more recently too. Among the many reasons for the attacks at the time, one of them was that foreign men (specifically Nigerian men) were stealing South African women from their counterparts. Even South African women who are legally married to foreigners are not spared these prejudices, and are labelled as gold-diggers or prostitutes, while their Nigerian husbands are branded as drug dealers and fraudsters who also participate in human trafficking. The ostracisation of these women often begins at home where their own families will question their wisdom and label them as ‘loose women’ for marrying a Nigerian. Unsurprisingly, these stereotypes have permeated into the Department of Home Affairs where members of UNWISA face the most discrimination. According to reports, home affairs officials accused Thelma Okoro of accepting money from Kenneth Sunday Okoro to marry him. The officials came to this conclusion during a routine marriage recognition interview, in which the couple had a minor dispute over the colour of their bed sheet. Kenneth said the sheet was red, but Thelma was more specific and said the sheet was rust-coloured. This inconsistency led the officials to believe that the Okoro’s had a fraudulent or 'paper marriage.' Furthermore, one of the officials allegedly threatened to deport "the dog" and detain the South African woman. He said this in the presence of the couple’s child. In a different incident, UNWISA leader Lindelwa Uche was at a human settlements office to apply for an RDP house where she was told, “they wouldn’t deal with foreigners.” Officials stated to her that if she wanted a house, she would have to divorce her Nigerian husband. It was an accumulation of scenes like these, compounded by the victimisation their children face at public schools where they're labelled as 'Kwerekweres,' a derogatory term for foreigners that inspired Okoro, Uche, and a few other women to do something, and so UNWISA was established.
THE STRUGGLE At the start, UNWISA provided only sisterly support to advise and encourage one another about the discrimination they were facing in their daily lives. But as time went on, and more and more
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women came forward with stories of facing serious prejudice, particularly in their workplaces, UNWISA sought the help of professional counsellors. Their mission is to educate those who don’t know about Nigeria instead of fighting or defending themselves, and they do so by: accepting the stereotype; showing themselves to be God-fearing women who stand for truth and justice; openly and visibly condemning illegal and fraudulent activities; and by being actively involved in community projects that fight against crime, drugs and abuse. This mission further extends to the union's willingness to work with any organisation or government in an effort to unite Nigeria and South Africa. On 22 March 2013, UNWISA marched to the Department of Home Affairs in Johannesburg and handed over a memorandum decrying the delayed and often outright refusal by officials to issue residence permits for their spouses. They also highlighted discrimination against South African women married to Nigerians, their husbands, and children, by Home Affairs officials. In December 2013, UNWISA held a charity event at the Usindiso Ministries Shelter for Women and Children in Johannesburg and donated educational items, clothing, food and sanitary products. On 27 April 2014, UNWISA organised a Visibility March in Johannesburg to create awareness of the dangers of drug trade and drug abuse. On 17 May 2014, UNWISA joined the African National Congress Women's League (ANCWL) to build solidarity with the government and people of Nigeria against Boko Haram, and to join the efforts of progressive forces to 'Bring Back Our Girls Safely.'
THE FUTURE UNWISA hopes to establish a Skill Acquisition Centre with programmes to assist unskilled and stranded male migrants and citizens to acquire skills such as building, painting, bricklaying, plumbing, panel beating, and automechanics. This will not only make them employable and economically relevant, but also will keep them away from crime. Similarly, young women will be equipped with skills in catering, beauty therapy, interior decoration, hairdressing, and knitting. UNWISA is open to all women married to Nigerian citizens residing in South Africa. To connect with UNWISA visit their Facebook page and do your part to fight xenophobic tendencies!
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C U L T U R E
Preserving African Languages AS THE AFRICAN CONTINENT BECOMES MORE AND MORE OF AN ECONOMIC AND COMMERCIAL HUB AND ADAPTS TO THE DEMANDS OF THE WORLD BEYOND ITS COASTLINES AND BORDER POSTS, WILL THE FUTURE GENERATIONS KNOW, OR CARE ABOUT ITS LINGUISTIC CULTURE? By Cath Jenkin
SOUTH AFRICAN INDIGENOUS AND OFFICIAL LANGUAGES Legislatively, South Africa has eleven official languages - Afrikaans, English, Ndebele, Northern Sotho, Sotho, Swazi, Tsonga, Tswana, Venda, Xhosa and Zulu. Granted, the linguistic spread throughout the South African population is a little skewed, with more than 20% of the population listing Zulu as their first language and English hitting the mother tongue mark with less than 10% of South African citizens. Venda, Ndebele and Swazi collectively are the home languages for little more than 6% of the South African population. There are estimated to be between 1500 – 2000 African languages
being spoken on the continent but many are slowly dying and very little is being done to preserve them. As more of the Western world encroaches on our borders physically through immigration, culturally through the media and economically through business - the risk that faces our native languages on our own shores increases. Beyond our borders even smaller percentages of the world speak Zulu so the “ulimi ibhizinisi”or language of business, remains English, rather than a truly indigenous language. With business taking place and precedence within the continent, and an increase of foreign nationals settle in South Africa to take advantage of the business opportunities within the country at present, so the tiniest
increments of indigenous languages are whittled away. Discarding an indigenous language, in favour of a more easily understood and generally accepted tool for communication seems to be the expected thing amongst black families with the assumption that it will have very little repercussions on a person or entity. But nothing could be further from the truth! When the world around us demands that we discard our mother tongue so that we can survive and thrive within it, what do we do then? In a Ted Talk on "Preserving Your Mother Tongue" Suzanne Talhouk observes, “The only way to kill a nation – is to kill its language”. While this may sound radical and rather exaggerated, it is true. As a people we gain our cultural identity and therefore a large proportion of our personal identity, through the language
Oromo IsiXhosaRunyakitara Shona
C U L T U R E
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Kirundi Tshiluba Chinyanja
Kiswahili
Kreol
we speak. Just as our parents teach us to communicate by speaking to us as toddlers, so the language we learn shapes our world and colours our imagination. Without constant attention and usage over time, the use of a language decreases and the delicate intonations, distinctive inflections and particular turns of phrase that go with it, disappear.
Akan
languages, which hopefully will bear fruit in future years. In effect, and despite a myriad of complaints and concerns emanating from the general public and an already overburdened public education sector, the South African government is steaming ahead in an effort to preserve and nurture the eleven official languages. Trialed in 2014 and entering implementation phase at the beginning of 2015, the Department of Basic Education has committed THE PRESERVATION OF to its Incremental Introduction of AFRICAN LANGUAGES African Languages Policy. In short, the THROUGH EDUCATION National Curriculum Statement makes provision for three levels of languages Despite the 1976 massacre of children in to be taught in every grade. The Home South Africa, the Department of Basic Language, First Additional Languages Education has been reported to still be and Second Additional Language battling on the administrative front, become compulsory parts of the Grade as private schools in particular refuse 1 Curriculum in 2015, effectively to make the necessary steps to wholly extending the South African school day incorporate the teaching of indigenous for this grade. Through its incremental languages in their classrooms. To this approach, the policy and addition day, Afrikaans is still taught to kids in of a third language to each grade’s school as a compulsory second language curriculum will extend the school day with very few schools offering an African and increase the instructional load language as an alternative. However, this throughout each grade, implemented hasn’t prevented the institution and its up until 2026, by which time all grades attached initiatives from implementing a will be learning three languages in a firm and bold policy around indigenous compulsory fashion.
Lingala
Seselwa
Igbo Somali Malagasy
AmharicSeswana
Mauritian
Luo
IciBemba Wolof
Afrikaans Sindebele Isizulu Kinyarwanda Chichewa Eυegbe Yoruba Hausa Sesotho Tigrinya KikongoLuganda Creole
Leboa
“THE ONLY WAY TO KILL A NATION – IS TO KILL ITS LANGUAGE”. WHILE THIS MAY SOUND RADICAL AND RATHER EXAGGERATED, IT IS TRUE.
BEYOND THE CLASSROOM Beyond the classroom and behind closed doors, indigenous languages while still very much a part of South African homes are at risk of dying an expected death. The sad reality is as the world becomes more Westernized, more and more African parents are losing the desire or commitment to teach their kids their native languages. This can be due to a number of factors: For most, it can be blamed on the great economic migration of families as some made the move to urban areas and grandparents who were the true custodians of language and culture were left behind in the rural areas. For others who marry across tribal and border lines, eg Xhosa and Shona, Yoruba and Sotho etc. it is easier to converse at home in an universal language and they feel English is the best option as it also gives their children an advantage at school. For another group, the move to more affluent and “whiter” neighbourhoods resulted in them socializing with people who speak mostly English and the need to speak in their own mother tongue fizzled away. Others, sadly just don’t feel the need to instill this in their children as they themselves now mostly converse in English as class and racial lines are broken down. While these reasons are all justified, the sad reality is it has resulted in a generation of black children who are black by colour and not much else. So separated are they from that which makes them who they are, they stand the risk of losing their identity completely. The rich culture of storytelling and traditional communication survives somewhat, but has for the most part lost its place in the home where every evening the family would gather around Gogo and be enthralled by her stories of the Rabbit and the Hare being told in vernacular. This tradition has been replaced by parents reading Dr Seuss at bedtime to their kids. And, while some of the country’s most loved storytellers, like Gcina Mhlope, still tell their stories in a variety of languages, it is a far cry from where it should be when it comes to preserving African languages. But without active and effective intervention, the gentle clicks and hollow rolls of the tongue that are so distinctively South African, could fade into obscurity as the need to communicate at an international level takes priority over being able to tell a South African story, the South African way.
Creole
Shona
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IciBemba Wolof
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Mauritian
FOREIGN LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION South Africa’s close trade and industry ties with China and other BRICS nations could mean though, that Mandarin Chinese becomes even more important. A growing number of schools have started offering Mandarin Chinese as a learning subject already and, under the new language policy set out by the Department of Basic Education, it’ll become one of the Second Additional Languages that can be taught. Higher and Further Education institutions like Wits University already provide instructional courses in Mandarin Chinese so, it may not be too far off in the future where the language becomes more firmly entrenched into the South African curriculum.
Kirundi Tshiluba Chinyanja
Afrikaans
It’s important to note that even Mark Zuckerberg, the head of global phenomenon, Facebook, has learnt Mandarin. At an October 2014 Q&A session held in Beijing, Zuckerberg spoke fluently and comfortably in Mandarin. Owing to his familial ties through his marriage to Priscilla Chan, Zuckerberg undertook to learn the language but the obvious positive effects of it in his business must also have come into play. It’s interesting to note though, that Zuckerberg elected to learn Mandarin, but his wife is reportedly more comfortable conversing in Cantonese. Perhaps his astute business skills had more to do with his linguistic learning than familial ties, indeed.
www.facebook.com/PatioWarehouse
Images courtesy of Chris Denovan
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F A S H I O N
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THE UNTOLD
Renaissance ONE IS NOT BORN A STYLISH MAN, ONE BECOMES A STYLISH MAN
IKIRÉ JONES Menswear is constantly changing and has always been a delicate part of fashion. Many times, our dear fashion industry has crossed the line with bold statements and outrageous designs. You can be the type to never back down from a challenge or you can appreciate stylish garments with a nice touch. That latter introduces the touch of Nigerian designer Wale Oyejide for the Ikiré Jones brand/label. It looks like something Solange Knowles might have created. Beautiful gather in an industrial setting that seems to exist solely to juxtapose the bright shades of their perfectly tailored clothes. The promotional film titled “The Untold Renaissance” was in fact created by Walé Oyéjidé creative director behind the menswear brand Ikiré Jones. Named one of the “Best Dressed Real Men in America” by Esquire magazine, this Nigerian-born musician, attorney and fashion designer describes Ikiré Jones as “a marriage between Neapolitan tailoring and African aesthetics.” Along with musician and bespoke tailor Sam Hubler, the two men formed Ikiré Jones because in their words: “we know that someone has to make things better, and that it might as well be us.”
Images courtesy of David McDowell
Lacking formal fashion training, Oyéjidé draws from his heritage using African wax-printed fabrics combined with British wool. Utilizing Huber’s training in pattern drafting and garment construction, the team itself is a metaphor for the brand: African inspiration combined with precision tailoring. A symbiosis further illustrated by the fact that the brand is named after Oyéjidé’s father’s village in Nigeria, and his wife’s maiden name.
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F A S H I O N
MENSWEAR IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DELICATE PART OF FASHION. MANY TIMES, OUR DEAR FASHION INDUSTRY HAS CROSSED THE LINE WITH BOLD STATEMENTS AND OUTRAGEOUS DESIGNS.
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F A S H I O N
THIS NIGERIANBORN MUSICIAN, ATTORNEY AND FASHION DESIGNER DESCRIBES IKIRÉ JONES AS “A MARRIAGE BETWEEN NEAPOLITAN TAILORING AND AFRICAN AESTHETICS.” Creating a range of handmade sport coats, coats, shirts, scarves and pocket squares – each piece from Ikiré Jones has its own history and unique identity to be remade by the owner. “It is our hope that these small pieces of (often-invented) history will give the wearer a story to tell, a place to visit, and a new memory to create.” Painstakingly dedicated, Hubler spends nearly fifteen hours on the creation of each jacket. Committed to craftsmanship and business with a conscience, Ikiré Jones stands against the ubiquity of “faceless workers who have been left little choice but to accept subservient wages while shovelling mediocre products out the door”.
ESCAPE TO NEW LAGOS COLLECTION "An imagining of Lagos in the year 2081 A.D. The Great Crude Explosion has just occurred; leaving oil flowing freely through the streets of the slums. Politicians have been exiled at the heels of bomb blasts and the populace’s uprising. The building of a new Center of the World has begun, much to the bewilderment of Western nations. This is the birth of New Lagos…and men of taste are wearing." Escape to New Lagos is a collaboration between Vigilism (Lekan Jeyifous, a Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based architect, artist and designer) and menswear designer Wale Oyejide.
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F A S H I O N
THE UNTOLD RENAISSANCE This collection pays homage to 18th century textiles and tapestries while exploring the absence of persons of color in Medieval and Renaissance-era European art. Borrowing from the sampling method employed in hip hop culture, each reinvented piece tells an satirical narrative from the perspective of Africans who have been placed in an alien context. Through this reverse lens to the past, the present circumstances of individuals who feel displaced and alienated may also be considered.
DAVID EVAN MCDOWELL The photographer behind “The Untold Renaissance” collection, David Evan McDowell, lists legendary photographers Irving Penn and Richard Avedon as his influences. Creating striking images that swim above the sea of forgettable visuals on the internet, McDowell also collaborated with Ikiré Jones on the “Escape to New Lagos” 2013 collection. Based in Philadelphia, McDowell’s interests span from film and analogue cameras to hip hop and travel. See more of David's work at: www.davidevanmcdowell.com
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F E A T U R E
Searching for a Sangoma By Heather Clancy
“S
he feels disrespected and offended.” That is the text message that I received following my attempt to interview a middle-aged sangoma from Pretoria. Our conversation, jilted by poor network coverage lasted all of one minute but in that sixty-second stretch I managed, unintentionally, to not only offend but disrespect someone that I had never met. No mean feat for someone who struggles to raise their voice above a whisper in an argument. The mistake that I made was linguistic, yet the repercussions spoke to my cultural ignorance amongst other
things. My friend had said “we call her Aunty Sarah*” and I had misinterpreted what was an instruction as a suggestion. My logic was this: she was not my aunt, it would be inappropriate and falsely intimate of me to call her such. Without much thought I called her Sarah and repeated her name several times as the phone line faltered. This omission I later learned was deeply offensive and my cheek burned with embarrassment as I recalled the brief conversation. “Remember, we are all different, with different beliefs.” My friend, who had put me in contact with
the sangoma offered as poor consolation as I contemplated the damage. For weeks I had been attempting to find a sangoma to interview. Most sangomas that I contacted were suspicious of my intentions and reluctant to participate. “What exactly is your angle?” replied a young sangoma from Rosebank. I could understand the reservation. Google “sangomas in South Africa” and the search results themselves tell a story. The ubiquity of adverts and the prevalent discussions about the role of traditional healers contradicts the reality that the work of sangomas is still very much veiled in mystery.
F E A T U R E
Top Sangoma – Strong Sangoma on Line NO.1 Love Spells Caster Solving Love Problems Despite the fact that more than 80% of the South African population visits a sangoma more than three times a year, in the media, sangomas are still largely interpreted from a sceptical Western understanding. The “modern sangoma” trope is tirelessly repeated with little interest beyond the seemingly dazzlingly contradiction between modern living and traditional practice. Fetishized and even promoted as such, several tourist websites offer consultations with “the shamans of Africa”. Oscillating between cultural oddity and cultural norm depending on your perspective, the history of sangomas is illustrative of the history of South Africa. Once deemed witches and criminalised under the apartheid government’s Witchcraft Suppression Act of 1975, today the law is still in existence although it is interpreted differently with several attempts being made to repeal the law altogether. “Would you go to a sangoma?” I ask my oldest friend, Lesego*. She simply laughs at my question. Her scepticism is blatantly obvious. I push her for a full answer and she replied echoing much of the debate surrounding sangomas. For her, belief in traditional healers cannot coexist with Christianity. “My parents never entertained such ideas” she adds when I look frustrated. While many argue to the contrary, insisting that Christianity and traditional beliefs are not mutually exclusive, the debate itself is telling. Since traditional beliefs date prior to the practice of Christianity in South Africa, why is it that some have abandoned these beliefs in favour of Christianity? Viewed as doctors of a different kind, one divorced woman that I spoke to insisted that one must visit a sangoma if your physical symptoms are severe – in other words, to her mind, beyond the scope of modern medicine. Described as a calling not a profession, the work of a sangoma is work which divines beyond this lifetime. While high blood pressure and other common ailments are treated by a medical doctor, the woman insisted that more serious conditions necessitate the intervention of a sangoma. “Then the ancestors are not happy” she says with a stern look. For many, acknowledging the role of their ancestors is acknowledging their ties and responsibilities beyond this lifetime. A life forever tethered to the past. Not only answerable to their
immediate families, their decisions are judged by their ancestors too. Judgement and responsibility beyond this lifetime. An individual’s wellbeing or illness are a manifestation of their ancestors’ judgement of them. This kind of intergenerational responsibility is a tough pill to swallow as it contradicts the contemporary millennial message of “living by your own rules” since your own rules are swiftly overridden by those of your ancestors. However, this restrictive and burdensome interpretation of the layered relationship with ancestors facilitated by sangomas is one-sided and overlooks the potential benefit of such belief. Sangomas provide an invaluable service: they remind people that they are truly not alone. Whether pleased or angered, the ancestors interest in the lives of their kin elevates the actions of the individual above their selfish day-to-day concerns. If the human condition dictates a tireless sense of loneliness then the work of sangomas is the work of every philosopher through the ages: to understand our shared humanity. *Not their real names.
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Post Office Logistics – from a letter to bulk frozen freight Whether you want to send a gift parcel overnight, ensure safe delivery of precious bulk cargo, or start an online shop, the Post Office Logistics group designs a perfect solution. “To courier an item overnight – to even a tiny town or village – you need us. Moving bulk items in secure containers? You need us,” says Nhlanhla Dube of SA Post Office Logistics. Dube explains the unique advantage of Post Office Logistics – designing special solutions. “One of our more unusual operations is delivering tiny citrus moths from the Lowveld, where they hatch, to citrus farmers in the Western Cape. The moths fertilise flowering citrus trees and without them there would be no fruit production. We transport the moths in special containers that protect them 100%.” SA Post Office Logistics acquired 26 new Mercedes-Benz and Fuso trucks at the end of 2012, making a huge improvement to the coverage and reliability of its fleet.
On a less fragile note … SA Logistics delivered the 2013 budget supplements for newspapers countrywide (and under strict security) from Cape Town. For the 2011 National Census, SA Logistics delivered 41 million items countrywide, and returned the completed material to Stats SA – all within deadline. Individual retail customers also deserve flexibility. Speed Services Couriers, available at all Post Office counters, offers the most affordable counter-to-counter courier service in South Africa. A courier item can be handed in at more than 2,000 Post Office counters for delivery the next day. And for account holders, Speed Services Couriers will collect items from the customer’s door for next-day delivery. Both sender and receiver can track items via the web, call centre or sms. Speed Services Couriers recently introduced a cash-ondelivery facility for business owners. XPS couriers – a subsidiary of SA Post Office Logistics – focuses on business-to-business delivery, reaching 3,200 destinations daily and offering peace of mind through electronically captured delivery confirmation documents. Clients receive proof of delivery via hard copy, CD or website. PX – another subsidiary – targets the niche freight market of retailers and related business sectors. PX moves consolidated loads of up to three tons in tailor-made containers right to the client’s doorstep, offering a threeday loose consignment service. Post Office Logistics offers a particularly cost-effective service through alliances with postal operators in neighbouring Swaziland, Botswana and Namibia.
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F E A T U R E
How Africa Tweets
Chukcha / Shutterstock.com
TWITTER HAS BECOME A MAJOR SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM THAT HAS NOT ONLY BROUGHT THE WORLD CLOSER BUT GONE SO FAR AS TO CREATE ITS OWN LANGUAGE; CASE IN POINT #HASHTAG #SELFIE...
A
s fickle as the cyber world is, Twitter shows no signs of losing popularity and is bound to get even more popular as more and more people leave Facebook and hop over to TwitterVille. According to research done by Strategic Communications company Portland, this is how we, as a continent, tweet:
THE MOST ACTIVE CITIES IN AFRICA
African Twitterville and make up for 75% of the tweets analysed. Following that Zulu, Swahili, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Portuguese and the next most popular languages.
FREQUENCY Most Africans seem to tweet mostly on Tuesday and Fridays with tweets rising steadily through the afternoon and evening.
Johannesburg is the most active city in Africa when it comes to tweeting with a total of 344,215 geo-located tweets in the fourth quarter of 2013. Ekhuruleni was second with a total of 264,172, Cairo was third with 227,509 tweets Durban fourth at 163,019 and Alexandria (in Egypt, not Jhb) fifth with 159, 534 Nairobi was sixth on the list with 123,078 tweets in the fourth quarter. Accra was the most active in West Africa and seventh overall with a total of 78,575 tweets.
MOST VISIBLE BRANDS
MOST COMMON LANGUAGES
DAY WITH HIGHEST NUMBER OF TWEETS
English, Arabic and French are the most common languages in
The day Mandela Died.
Samsung (#SamsungLove) Adidas (#Adidas) Magnum Icecream (#MagnumAuction)
MOST DISCUSSED TOPIC Soccer, with Orlando Pirates being the most popular team!
A D V E R T O R I A L
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INSURANCE
It’s a New Year and time to “spring-clean your insurance policies” By Steven Isaacs - Commercial/Retail Gauteng
I
t is 2015, the start of yet another year, filled with new challenges, new opportunities and of course the never-ending phenomena of “New Year’s resolutions”. The fresh beginning also provides a great opportunity to have a critical look at your insurance policies: for example did you acquire new assets or sell off others? Has the value of any your assets changed? Below I list some key points that will assist you in re-evaluating your policies for the year ahead, in no particular order:
HOUSEHOLD CONTENTS: You may have purchased new assets such as TVs, appliances or new furniture and simply forgotten to update the sum insured of your household contents. The easiest way to always critically consider the value of your contents is to request your insurance company or broker to provide you with an inventory form that will allow you evaluate the contents of your home at your own convenience. It is best to do this on a room by room basis to ensure that you have covered everything. You should value your household contents at their replacement value – ensure that they are valued at what it would cost you to buy them again today and not the price that you actually paid for them. If it would cost more to replace the assets than the amount you have insured them for, your entire claim may not be settled and you could find yourself responsible for replacing certain items from your own pocket.
MOTOR: When looking at the motor section of your policy, it is important to know if your particular policy will replace your motor vehicle (in the event of total loss) on its market value or retail value. Either way, the onus is on you to ensure that your vehicle value is updated at least once a year: as vehicles lose value each year, this should result in you paying lower premiums. When replacing an old vehicle with a new vehicle, you need to establish if your insurance company will replace the vehicle with a new one if stolen and not recovered within 12 months of purchase or where the damaged and assessed cost of repairs exceeds 70% of the current retail price of a similar model as new. The maximum that most policies would pay will be the current price at the time of loss or damage of a new vehicle of the same model or the sum insured, whichever is the lowest, less any first amount payable due by you. Other important factors to be aware of include: • Whether your policy contract provides additional cover, such as car hire and roadside assistance ... you will need this in the event of loss or damage; • Whether your policy makes provision for credit shortfall, especially in the event of total loss of your vehicle; • When insuring a vehicle such as a 4x4, remember to include any additional extras as part of the insured value of the vehicle.
SPECIFIED ALL RISKS – JEWELLERY: For jewellery, the need to consider replacement value becomes even more significant. With changes in precious metal prices and in the rand/dollar exchange rate, the replacement cost of jewellery can be very different to what you imagine it to be. It is your responsibility to ensure that such items are valued by a jewellery specialist and that you obtain proof of such valuation in the form of a certificate. Once obtained, you must submit a copy of this certificate to your insurance company or broker (remember to keep the original certificate safely stored) and request them to increase or decrease the specific item on your policy. The certificate submitted to the insurance company will act as proof of the latest value of the item insured in the event of a claim.
CLAIMS What to do when submitting a claim to your insurance company or broker: • As soon as reasonably possible, and in most cases within 30 days of any event which may result in a claim, notify your insurance company or broker and provide them with: • Written details of the event; • Particulars of any other insurance covering the same event; • Any proof, information and sworn declarations as required by your insurance company; • Any documents or details of any communications received in connection with your claim;
• In the event of theft or loss or any malicious damage to your insured property, report the matter to your nearest police station and provide your insurance company with the case number.
IMPORTANT FACTORS YOU SHOULD BE AWARE OF: • Most policies make reference to a first amount payable. This is the amount you have to contribute in the event of any claim. You should establish beforehand what this amount will be in the event of any claim: you don’t want any surprises when submitting your claim! • No admission, statement, offer, promise, payment or indemnity may be made by you without the written consent of your insurance company; • You must provide information and assistance which may be required to recover property from other parties or to facilitate identification and physical recovery of located or stolen property. If you don’t assist, it could result in you having to pay back any amounts paid in respect of such claim; • If a claim is rejected by your insurance company, you have 90 days from the rejection date to appeal such decision in writing. Once the 90 days have expired, you have a further six months in which to serve summons to your insurance company. If you don’t act within this period, it will relieve your insurance company of all liability. We have had a look at some of the key characteristics to be aware of when looking to “spring-clean your policies”. In doing so, do be aware that terms and conditions will differ from policy to policy and as the policyholder yourself, you need to make sure that you have read and understood the terms and conditions relating to your own policy document. And now, all that’s left for me it to wish you a happy and safe year ahead. Contact details Tel: 011 780 2059 www.lionsure.com Find us on Facebook or Twitter
Kenya:
Africa’s Silicon Savannah
WHILE SOUTH AFRICA AND NIGERIA ARE SLUGGING IT OUT IN AN ECONOMIC FISTFIGHT OVER WHICH COUNTRY HAS THE BIGGEST GDP, KENYA IS QUIETLY CARVING A NICHE AS THE TECHNOLOGICAL HEARTBEAT OF THE CONTINENT. By Stacey Vee
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ell, maybe not so quietly. If you happen to be a venture capitalist, then you know that the words “start-up” and “Nairobi” are practically synonymous. Kenya is attracting investors from across the globe with her innovative solutions and forwardthinking technologies. They’re calling Kenya “Silicon Savannah”. Companies like EatOut Kenya, Waabeh (a mobile music service which works like iTunes), and Rupu (which is like Groupon), are just three of hundreds of start-ups that are calling attention to the East African country’s foray into the ICT space. In 2002 Kenya’s tech-related exports brought in just $16m. Fast-forward to 2010, and that number is closer to $360m. So what’s behind this leap forward in technology and communications, in a country that is more famous for growing coffee than coding software?
AFRICA’S TECHNOLOGY PARADOX Arguably, the flint that sparked this technological revolution, not just in Kenya but right across the continent, is the mobile phone. It is not without irony that because Africa lags behind in the infrastructure needed to provide cheap, accessible broadband to her people, there are now more mobile phones per person in Africa than anywhere else in the world, and it is this very fact that is driving innovation in the ICT space, thus putting tech hubs like Nairobi in the international EatOut Kenya website
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limelight. The fact is that Nairobi is one connected city. There has been something of a price war in Kenya, as a third and fourth mobile telecoms provider have entered the market, driving down prices by as much as 90% in the last handful of years. This is according to a May 2014 report released by telecoms researchers BuddeComm, who also state that 76% of all Kenyans have a mobile phone, and 63% have access to the internet. Given that only 0.1% have fixed lines that means almost all Internet access in the country comes from mobile phones. To put this in perspective, in South Africa the penetration rate of mobile phones is 154% (so one-and-a-half mobile phones per person), but only 53% of people have access to the Internet. While there are more phones in SA, most of them are low-end devices that can’t go online – meaning that the average Kenyan has a better phone than the average South Africa. According to NetIndex.com, which measures broadband speeds across the globe, Kenya beats both South Africa and Nigeria, when measuring upload and download speeds, even if it is well below the global average. Upload Speeds
Download Speeds
Nigeria
5.9 mbps
4.4 mbps
South Africa
5.9 mbps
2.4 mbps
Kenya
7.4 mbps
5.6 mbps
Global average
21.8 mbps
9.7 mbps
THE MPESA STORY According to The Economist, Kenya leads the world in mobile money. Mobile banking service mpesa was launched in the country in 2007, as a solution for the unbanked population in a rural country where few live close to an ATM. Now more than 13 million Kenyans are signed up with mpesa, and an incredible 25% of the country’s GDP flows through the service. It has transformed the way that money is handled in that country. Vodacom launched mpesa in South Africa in 2010, expecting similar success, but it gained less than 100,000 users in its first year. It was subsequently relaunched in 2014 with a new game plan more suited to the local market.
THE BIG PICTURE While South Africa, Nigeria and Kenya still have the most tech hubs on the continent, according to a graphic released by the World Bank in February 2014, they’re not alone. Ghana, Tanzania and Senegal are home to fast-growing technology start-ups – which is good news for Africa. Technology behemoths like Microsoft, Google, and IBM are swooping in to establish accelerator programmes in some of these countries, no doubt hoping to stake out their share of Africa’s renaissance. Circling back to the fight to have the biggest GDP on the continent, what Kenya’s economy lacks in size, it makes up for in inventiveness and agility. If this were a Darwinian battle for survival, then Kenya just might have the edge.
Meet serial entrepreneur Mikul Shah Most famous for combining his passion as a foodie and his skills in IT, Mikul Shah has made waves around the world as a serial entrepreneur, by creating online portals and investing energy into networking hubs that make a difference to the lives of many. Born in Mombasa, Mikul spent a decade in the United Kingdom as he studied and then returned home to Kenya, settling in Nairobi to raise his family. Bringing a global flavour to his home country and applying his Information Technology skills in a clever way, Mikul launched EatOut in 2009, enlisting the help of two partners who were well versed in the realms of marketing and hospitality. As the EatOut portal grew, so too did its reach, with the online offering now branching into other African countries. In an interview with StartUp Academy, he says of the early days of EatOut’s success: “Kenya’s ICT Board was sort of pushing venture capitalists and angel funds to come into Kenya and look at what the startup scene is like. We managed to get in front of a number of VCs, and we were able to pitch our concept.” But Mikul’s portfolio of success isn’t limited to the EatOut portal and network.
SleepOut Kenya website
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As a serial entrepreneur, he’s played an important part in launching other startup businesses too. Launched as an offshoot of EatOut, SleepOut spotlights African countries and cities, making it easier for interested tourists to book their accommodation at a variety of accommodation establishments. Mikul is also involved as a mentor and investor at 88mph, a hub that helps African web and mobile startups access funding and networking opportunities across the continent.
Mikul Shah
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Malawi Africa’s Heart IF I WAS BLIND, I WOULD THINK THAT IT WAS SUMMER. THE SUNLIGHT IS WARM ON MY FOREARM AND THE SHY BREEZE IS PERFECTLY TEPID, BUT LOOKING OUT FROM OUR TOUR BUS, I CAN CLEARLY SEE THAT IT IS WINTER. THE WORLD OUTSIDE IS DRY AND YELLOW LIKE A THIRSTY POT PLANT. By Heather Clancy
Lake Malawi
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Named after the Scottish town that David Livingstone was born in, Blantyre is one of the oldest urban centres in central, east and southern Africa. And over the next four days we will attempt to see a third of this small, landlocked country. As we travel, it will become clear that distance is not an appropriate marker for how long it will take to arrive at a destination. With hardly any traffic, but so-called “dirt roads� and several abrupt diversions, travelling through Malawi is much like the country itself: slow and peaceful.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
nly two hours ago I was in wintery Johannesburg and now I am in Blantyre, the largest city in Malawi and the commercial capital of the country.
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EXPERIENCING THIS ISLAND FEELS LIKE I’VE BEEN LET IN ON A SECRET
MAJETE WILDLIFE RESERVE Our first stop, Majete, is known as a success story in the war against poaching. Once severely depleted of game, like much of the country, Majete Wildlife Reserve is now home to the Big Five and other wildlife as well as hundreds of species of birds, including the majestic African Fish Eagle. Almost ridiculously remote, a long drive followed by a quick walk across a shaky bridge reveals the lodge. The sound of insects pierce the silence and the darkness beyond the lodge is opaque. I am captivated.
compared to this darkness. Staying only one night at Majete, I am sad to leave this reclusive hideout but as Kerouac put it “we had a longer way to go but no matter, the road is life”.
is luxurious. Still owned by the original family, the stately house that now serves as the hotel and restaurant was once the family’s home. It is difficult for me to imagine what it would be like growing up in such a grand environment. The thought of calling so much space “mine” is foreign to me. To grow up knowing that the expanse further than your eye can see is yours to claim must do something for your idea of dreams and ambitions. Watching a young family play croquette, I pretend that this is all mine: the rolling greenery, the ancient trees and the sense of peace that comes from being surrounded by nature.
MUMBO ISLAND
HUNTINGTON HOUSE
There are rare moments that if I had the power to change – I wouldn’t, I would From Majete we trace our route all the leave them, perfect as they are. Of all way back to Blantyre. We are to spend my life there are only a handful of these the afternoon at Huntington House. Built moments that I can remember, more in 1920, this grand home on an estate of that I have lived and forgotten. One such a tea and coffee plantation is the bricks moment that I will remember is my and mortar manifestation of old-world first and only night on Mumbo Island… charm. We all coo at the undeniably After taking a ferry across Lake Malawi romantic surrounds and begrudge our we arrive late in the afternoon, the sky and the water are the same colour: inky The rooms are large and the meaning of decidedly unromantic company. Earlier when driving towards the entrance of blue. Unique for being an electricity“open plan” is stretched to its extreme the estate, the greenery was dense and free island, the tiny island feels like a with a stark, but beautiful absence of enveloping, it felt like the tour bus would refuge for the weary. My room seemingly a river-facing wall. I smile gleefully balances upon a Jenga-like stack of be swallowed. Besides the stinging as I take a selfie with nothing but the high rocks on the extreme edge of the impenetrable blackness of the sky as my noise of insects, there was not a sound island. Looking out from my balcony – frankly, it gave me the creeps. Once or background. Coming from Joburg, it is I feel like a captain of a slow-moving twice we drove past someone staring at not often that I experience night as the total absence of light. Although Joburgers our tour bus with no apparent curiosity. ship, my only view is the water and the sky. Best described as a furnished tent, often complain about the lack of working Now sitting in the serene garden, it is there is a hammock, two single beds, a streetlights, Joburg is a carnival of light unquestionable that Huntington House
NOW SITTING IN THE SERENE GARDEN, IT IS UNQUESTIONABLE THAT HUNTINGTON HOUSE IS LUXURIOUS. STILL OWNED BY THE ORIGINAL FAMILY, THE STATELY HOUSE THAT NOW SERVES AS THE HOTEL AND RESTAURANT WAS ONCE THE FAMILY’S HOME
T R A V E L mosquito net and not much else. I am not exactly a low-maintenance kind of girl, however, the beds, hammock and almost everything else on the island are rendered superfluous when standing on the balcony with only the star-pocked darkness for company. The clarity of the stars is uncanny and I try to urge myself to stay awake, but with the darkness as thick as a blanket, I float into sleep that feels like going home. When I wake up in the early hours of the morning, I find myself smiling. I feel like a princess in a Disney movie, three little birds are lining the balcony staring at me, their heads all tilting to the side as if asking me “how did you sleep, princess?” I notice that the staff have left a wooden tray with tea, coffee and cookies at the entrance, I promptly conclude that I never want to leave even though I know that I have to. Once again the water curls around the ferry as we leave the island. Not even a dot bigger than my thumb on the map, experiencing this island feels like I’ve been let in on a secret. In my life up until now, I had not thought much about Malawi. Of late, the news channels that I sometimes watched had featured brief reports on Malawi’s former president, Joyce Banda and her subsequent fall from grace, but other than that I was ignorant. Now as I type this, I acknowledge that although I am still very much ignorant, I have been thinking a lot about Malawi. I now think about the kind people that I encountered, even briefly. I think about the ubiquitous Baobab trees robbed of their lustre by winter. I think about the emptiness, the clarity of the stars and the pristine beaches of Lake Malawi. Surprisingly, I also think about the food, both delicious and fresh. In my short stay I had some of the best meals of my life. I think about the children screaming “botto-botto” hoping for our water bottles. I think about the men cycling late at night, their dynamo lights flashing like Morse code for a language that I wish I understood. I think about the steamy nightclub where lovers made like sandwiches and swayed together as close as possible. But most of all, I think about that night on Mumbo Island when I didn’t feel like I was in Malawi or anywhere that I could imagine, I was simply a citizen of earth enjoying the show. It was just me, the whole world and nothing else. Huntingdon House, Malawi
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Afro-Travel in
Blissful Bali
WHEN TWO POWER BRANDS LIKE AFROPOLITAN AND CLUB MED COME TOGETHER THE RESULTS CAN ONLY BE SENSATIONAL. FOR TWO LUCKY AFROPOLITAN READERS, JABU AND THOKOZANI HANSEN, THE PARTNERSHIP SAW THEM FLYING OUT TO THE MAGICAL ISLAND OF BALI FOR AN ALL EXPENSES PAID TRIP COURTESY OF CLUB MED. By Brendah Nyakudya
Club Med Bali
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So where in the world did Club Med take you? We went to Bali in Indonesia for seven days with a two-day stopover in Hong Kong, China, on an all-expenses paid trip. We still can’t believe this happened to us. This was such an incredible experience for us both. Club Med and Afropolitan really rocked our world!
Tell us about your travel experience? Wow! Where do we start? We had such conflicting feelings at first, excited and scared at the same time. We are used
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to flying around South Africa with the furthest distance being Cape Town, and all of a sudden we had to fly 12hours 45minutes. On such a long haul flight you kind of don’t know what to do with yourself. Jabu: I couldn’t sleep the entire flight to China. I was watching movies and wanted to see everything, as if there was anything to see. My wife on the other hand slept the whole way; it was very overwhelming for her. On our return trip it was a bit tough. We guess the reality of coming back to the real life also took its toil after being spoilt rotten for more than a week.
CAPE TOWN PACKAGE MARCH 2015
• Charter Flight from Johannesburg to Cape Town R3 900, taxes included per person • Apartment Accommodation from R2 250 per couple per night • Robben Island Cruise & Lunch R380 per person • Point to point shuttle from R500 a day per couple • Wine tours from R850 per person • Car hire from R890 Terms & Conditions apply
Office 18 Bonaero Park Shopping Centre Bonaero Park Tel: 010 900 4921 Email: ult@ult.travel
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We understand that this was your first time travelling overseas, was it everything you expected? If yes, how so? If not, what was different? Oh yes! It was indeed our first time travelling overseas. We won the trip in November and the 27th of December was our 10th year anniversary - so the whole trip was just a blessing from heaven for us. The thought of going overseas had always seemed like a far-fetched dream so you can imagine how excited we were. It was everything we expected. We started with a stop-over in Hong Kong - what a city! At night the whole city comes alive. It’s hot and over populated but really great nonetheless. Jabu: Our first day walking in the city, I was about three or four steps ahead of my wife and we lost each other in the crowd. She had to send me a message from the hotel! It was interesting to note that as over populated as Hong Kong is, people are very disciplined - they do not litter or jay-walk. A funny story is that I always thought Hong Kong was in Japan, and not China. I even took photos at one of the Universities and sent them to my former lecturer pronouncing boldly that I was in Japan!
Jabu and Thokoz
What intrigued you about Bali?
We were astonished to see the empty sea in some part of the ocean, in the The food is an acquired taste, something afternoon the sea goes away only to return later in the evening I guess. your palate needs to get used to. But we enjoyed the food in Bali. The chef at the Something we had never seen before, Club Med resort prepared a special meal and we grew up in Durban, and that for us, which was a really special treat. phenomenon is unheard of. The GOs What stood out for you at the resort? said to us that it was low tide, and that went right over our heads! It is hard to single out just one thing, but we were humbled by the treatment we Another thing was the fact that they received from everyone we interacted do not have skyscrapers. The buildings with, especially the Club Med GO's are limited to the height of a coconut (Gentu Organisateur), who are the tree - an equivalent length of about four ambassadors for Club Med. The guys at stories. There are no taxis so every house the main and beach bars were awesome, has more than three motor bikes or the theme for each day was interesting scooters of some sort parked outside and and the great shows every night were there are lanes dedicated to them. This entertaining. includes school kids, who are allowed to drive scooters without a driver’s license Thokozani: There was so much to do at the resort with all the activities like gym, only for purposes of going to school. tennis, putt putt, soccer, pool etc. The resort is child- friendly and they have their own amenities, so the parents that brought kids along didn’t have to worry about them at all because the GO’s are excellent with kids.
Jabu: On the day we left we were accompanied by a convoy of GO’s, some cried, my wife cried and I almost cried too. It was like leaving family behind. One guest travelling with us to the airport commented ‘’Wow! What a sendoff, what makes you guys so special?”
Which country or Club Med resort would you like to visit next?
ani
It’s hard to choose but it has to be Mauritius, Maldives or Brazil – one of the three.
What was your best memory of the trip? The entire trip was special to both of us. We made new friends at the resort: Sally, Deena, Fahri, Pam - the list is endless. We took photos with almost all the GO’s whom we are still in contact with, "adopting" one of the ladies, called Dian as our ‘‘daughter’’ and leaving her my cap as a gift. She called us Momma and Poppa, which was very sweet. During meal times every GO wanted to be on our table. And we got invited to attend a wedding ceremony in Paris by a friend we made there. Jabu: Another highlight was going to the club late at night and giving the DJ my memory stick with South African music and setting the dance floor alight, and of course chilling on the loungers by the beach only to be asked "what would you like to drink sir and you ma’am?" It was paradise!
IT IS HARD TO SINGLE OUT JUST ONE THING, BUT WE WERE HUMBLED BY THE TREATMENT WE RECEIVED FROM EVERYONE WE INTERACTED WITH ESPECIALLY THE CLUB MED GO's
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Club Med Bali
If you had to describe your Club Med experience, how would that read? If better was possible, good is not enough! It was a home away from home, and even better! Given a chance we would go back again and again.
Would you recommend other travellers to use Club Med?
Ulun Danu Temple, Beratan Lake, Bali
Do not expect the food to be the same as what you know in South Africa because it is not! The sooner you understand this, the better for you. If you are going to have interconnecting flights state that during your luggage check in so that you won’t have to off load and load your luggage now and again, the airline does all that for you. And very importantly, take a lot of pics!
Definitely, we have already told a few friends about Club Med. It is beautiful, and the service is out of this world. From what we experienced and gathered from the GO’s and other guests who have been to the other Club Med resorts, the experience is the same at all their resorts.
An African original flavour from the first sensational sip
Did you learn anything new during your time with Club Med?
Try the new flavour of Africa, richly distilled into a bold, gold, clear spirit aperitif, with a flavour like nothing you’ve known before.
Yes, we were inspired to travel more and explore other parts of the world. We also realized that it is actually affordable, and just needs proper planning in terms of the 'moola', but other than that Club Med does the rest for you.
Amarula Gold is a world-first, a totally original, cream-free expression of the wild-harvested marula fruit, indigenous to sub-Saharan Africa. Exclusive to South Africa and selected duty-free markets across the globe world, it’s turning heads and palates ready for a daringly different experience.
If you had a piece of advice for first time international travellers, based on your experience, what would that be?
Seductively fragrant, it fills your mouth with ripe, summery abundance and a refreshing tang, and it literally glides over the tongue. With a 30% alcohol by volume, it’s made for mixing, any way you choose.
Google everything you need to know about the country you are visiting, learn one or two things about their culture and way of life. It would do you good to learn the basics of the local language too. The people just love people who show an effort in trying to learn about them and their country.
Relish it over ice, with soda, with Appletiser, cranberry juice or passion fruit or mix it up with sparkling wine, with apple sours or with ginger or chilli and take your own taste adventure.
Visit the travel clinic and exchange a lot of cash to the currency of the country you are travelling to, or US dollars as they are international, to avoid unnecessary charges on your Visa Passport Card. Club Med offers all-inclusive packages and guests actually don’t need to carry cash with them. The only cash needed is perhaps for buying souvenirs for your loved ones.
From a tall drink to a cocktail or shooter, you can amplify its aromatic fruitiness and sensational spice with a whole new generation of recipes.
Otherwise every aspect of your holiday is taken care of. We mean everything! Transport from the airport to resort, food and drinks throughout the entire holiday this really makes traveling very convenient and stress free.
AMARULA GOLD:
Just like Amarula Cream, Amarula Gold is made with marula fruit that is fermented with the skins for maximum extraction of flavour, and turned into marula wine, that’s twice distilled and aged in French oak for two years but that’s where the resemblance ends.
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Hard Soft
&
‘AN UNDENIABLY CONTEMPORARY YET WELCOMING HOME,’ IS HOW INTERIOR ARCHITECT NINA SIERRA RUBIA DESCRIBES THIS STANDOUT PROPERTY IN CAPE TOWN’S CAMPS BAY.
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project undertaken by herself and Greg Scott of SITE Interior Design, took almost a year to complete, but the result – a cool industrial shell tempered by ‘an inviting, family-friendly skin’ of timber and other tactile materials – is nothing short of arresting. This end result was in keeping with the owners brief which was for their interiors to reflect a similar look to the boutique hotel, characterised largely by its use of raw materials, bold lines and minimalist flair. The couple’s house, says Greg, was indeed just a concrete shell featuring austere and unfinished surfaces. But far from wanting this raw ‘skeleton’ concealed, the brief was that it should be incorporated into the décor. Tasked with outfitting all the rooms, bar the kitchen and bathrooms, Nina and Greg applied the methodology of considering each space and its relationship with the rest of the house prior to installing any items or fittings.
THE CONCRETE CEILING WAS LEFT BARE AND THE FLOORS UN-TILED, WHILE BLACK FEATURE WALLS WERE INTRODUCED. INITIALLY MAKING FOR ‘A FAIRLY HARD, INDUSTRIAL LOOK’
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THE FURNITURE WAS EITHER SOURCED FROM WELL-KNOWN LOCAL OR INTERNATIONAL DESIGN NAMES OR CUSTOMDESIGNED BY NINA AND GREG THEMSELVES designed sofa and coffee table, a bar, a plush charcoal carpet and soft backlighting. For the timber features used throughout the house, Greg and Nina looked to poplar, not readily available given its soft qualities. Indeed, the pair believes they used some of the last batches of poplar veneers available in Cape Town at the time of the project, which adds a further unique aspect to the house.
Article and Images courtesy of Gallo Images/House and Leisure/Micky Hoyle
A case in point is the lounge area, which the owners envisaged as a multifunctional space that seamlessly incorporated a TV, a gas fireplace and the outside patio area. The concrete ceiling was left bare and the floors un-tiled, while black feature walls were introduced. Initially making for ‘a fairly hard, industrial look’, features such as a magnificent wooden wall length cabinet and sheer curtains created an elegant, softening effect, says Nina. A similar look was carried through to the dining room, although here the black walls and concrete ceiling were offset by a smooth white table and ethereal orb-like lights, that look as if they could have been spun by spiders. The upstairs bedrooms, occupied in keeping with the seasons, were decorated accordingly, with the summer room awash in a calming palette of grey, white and beige, and the winter room characterised by dark charcoals and bolder furnishings. For the ground-floor bedroom, Nina and Greg drew on an element utilized to great effect at the POD hotel, namely a striking wooden ‘up and over’ frame that cocoons the bed. Rich parquet flooring; natural charcoal-hued fabrics and neutral blinds tie the room together. An exciting part of the project was the conversion of the basement into a private cinema, named ‘The Legend Room’, which the designers transformed into a bold, edgy space that ‘embraces the darkness’ in line with the owners’ mandate. The intimate room is fleshed out with a dark-toned, custom-
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The furniture was either sourced from well-known local or international design names or custom-designed by Nina and Greg themselves. As a rule, they avoided patterned textiles, opting rather for unique, handcrafted fabrics, such as for the bed throws, the seaweed-like couch throws and the rich, woven loose rugs. The overall effect, says Nina, is ‘a bold but distinctly livable interior that displays a very clear identity.
THE UPSTAIRS BEDROOMS, OCCUPIED IN KEEPING WITH THE SEASONS, WERE DECORATED ACCORDINGLY, WITH THE SUMMER ROOM AWASH IN A CALMING PALETTE OF GREY, WHITE AND BEIGE
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R22 Million
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www.pamgolding.co.za m.pamgolding.co.za
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Nip, Tuck & Snip
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SIGNING UP TO GO UNDER, IN PURSUIT OF PERKIER BREASTS OR A THINNER WAIST, HAS BECOME QUITE A POPULAR PRACTICE NOWADAYS. WHILE PLASTIC SURGEONS SEEM TO BE RAKING IN THE MILLIONS AS MORE AND MORE PEOPLE SIGN UP FOR NIPS, TUCKS AND SNIPS, WHAT’S REALLY HAPPENING TO THE IDEA OF GROWING OLD WITH GRACE? By Cath Jenkin
Among the well-heeled members of society, for whom the benefits of cosmetic surgery are more easily and economically accessible, it’s very obvious that it’s become well accepted and almost expected. A 2014 report released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS), highlighted a definite increase in the demand for cosmetic surgical procedures, with “15.1 million cosmetic surgery procedures, including both minimallyinvasive and surgical procedures” being performed in the United States in 2013, up three percent since 2012. In addition, 5.7 million reconstructive surgery procedures were performed last year, up two percent”.
THE SELFIE TREND EFFECT
number of clients the need for cosmetic surgery is exactly that...a need. For cancer patients who have had to undergo Interestingly – and possibly hilariously mastectomies having breast implants – the trend of snapping a selfie seems to have stoked the fires of cosmetic surgery. becomes more than a vanity procedure. As the American Academy of Facial Plastic This is also true for women who are born with large breasts, which start and Reconstructive Surgery (AAFPRS) to pose a number of health problems reported in 2014 too, “one in three facial plastic surgeons surveyed saw an increase such as neck and back pain, skin rashes, in requests for procedures due to patients breathing difficulties, problems with posture and nerve problems. To curb being more self aware of their looks in these issues, women then opt for breast social media posts. In fact, 13 percent of reduction as a way of improving their AAFPRS members surveyed identified quality of life. Those who are born with increased photo sharing and patients’ facial deformities also fall under this dissatisfaction with their own image on category as cosmetic surgery gives them social media sites as a rising trend in a much-needed chance to live a normal practice. As a result, AAFPRS members life amongst their peers. surveyed noted a 10 percent increase in rhinoplasty (nose job) in 2013 over 2012, as well as a seven percent increase in hair BUT WHAT ARE PEOPLE transplants and a six percent increase in CHANGING ABOUT eyelid surgery”. And you thought that selecting the right kind of Instagram filter THEMSELVES IN AFRICA? was enough. With the newly classified African Middle Class becoming more affluent and cosmetic surgery losing its taboo status, NOT JUST VANITY reports indicate that more and more But it’s not just vanity that’s spurring black clientele are going under the knife. people into surgeries. For a certain While one would think the most popular
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
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hy are so many people going under to lift up? As a medical science, many of the practices related to cosmetic surgery are still relatively new, but primitive cosmetic procedures have been around since 2000BC. Nowadays though, cosmetic surgery is almost "de rigueur" for many sectors of society - an often contemplated and regularly undertaken process, more excitedly approached, the older one gets.
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surgical procedures would be breast implants, the opposite is true with nip-and-tuck procedures, breast reductions and even lip reductions topping the list. South Africans are not the only ones who are following this trend, in an interview with Voice of Africa, Dr Lorraine Melvill, of Surgeon and Safari, noted that there has been an upsurge of clients who are making their way down the continent for cosmetic surgery. Due to South Africa offering a favourable exchange rate and first-class and safer methods and health institutions, the increase has resulted in 80% of her client base now coming from sub-Saharan Africa, mostly from Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Angola and Zambia, with an increasing number from Ghana. In tune with their South African counterparts, African clients are also choosing breast reduction over enhancement, liposuction and tummy tucks.
WHAT’S NEXT FOR FANS OF SURGICAL ENHANCEMENTS? The enhancing of posterior assets seem to be popular right now, thanks to the likes of Kim Kardashian and others and more women are heading to their surgeons for a little extra padding on the posterior. Why? Perhaps it’s because they’d like to snap beautiful belfies. Search the hashtag “#belfie” on your favourite social network and you’ll be greeted with grand displays of backwards glancing people, showing off what they sit on. It seems the butt is on the up, with Brazilian surgeons reporting that they performed 64 000 buttock augmentation surgeries in 2013.
DUE TO SOUTH AFRICA OFFERING A FAVOURABLE EXCHANGE RATE AND FIRSTCLASS AND SAFER METHODS AND HEALTH INSTITUTIONS, THE INCREASE HAS RESULTED IN 80% OF HER CLIENT BASE NOW COMING FROM SUBSAHARAN AFRICA, MOSTLY FROM MOZAMBIQUE, ZIMBABWE, ANGOLA AND ZAMBIA, WITH AN INCREASING NUMBER FROM GHANA. But like anything in the world, there is always more on the horizon. Offering women the ability to ‘test drive’ a new set of breasts, Dr Norman Rowe’s aptly named “vacation breasts” could be the next big thing in surgical circles. Dr Rowe claims a quick fix, temporary surgical solution whereby breasts can be temporarily enhanced for 24 hours. Great for those who need to look their best or most buxom under the glare of a camera or at a special event, Dr Rowe’s patients undergo a quick procedure whereby the doctor injects their breasts with a saline solution, temporarily increasing their size and fullness.
Dr Rowe claims he’s been using this technique to help patients get a better feel for how they will look once they’ve had a full breast augmentation surgery but also for patients who may want to enjoy a bigger cup size for a bit. He’s currently conducting trials to make these implants last up to two weeks, making them the perfect kind of “holiday breasts”. Dr Rowe is working towards FDA approval and getting this surgical enhancement into the general marketplace by 2016. Another surgical procedure that seems to be catching on is the strangely named, yet apparently popular, “Cinderella Surgery”. Many women seem to be signing up for this type of procedure to adjust the size and shape of their feet, enabling them to fit more comfortably into designer shoes. Often also referred to in relation to the globally renowned Jimmy Choo shoe range, foot re-shaping procedures are becoming more and more popular with women all over the world.
A FOUNTAIN OF MONEY, IN PURSUIT OF THE FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH But, of course, staving off the effects of ageing or altering one’s body to stay on trend doesn’t come cheap. Cosmetic surgery remains a hobby for the richer members of society - especially as most medical aids or medical financial cover programmes don’t make allocation for the more vanityinduced sorts of surgery. In comparison to overseas countries though, the cost of surgical procedures performed here is minimal. It’s for that reason then, that many tourists flock to South African shores to reap the benefits of cheaper, professional surgical assistance. With well-qualified surgeons and an exchange rate that favours foreigners’ wallets, combined with the country’s tourist attractions, South Africa is fast becoming a popular place to visit, if you’d like to return home a little differently. The Medical Tourism industry is booming in South Africa, with a range of travel and tourism operators focused on fulfilling this unique type of travel and accommodation need. Larger tourism operators have begun offering specialized packages or service sets that cater for this particular need, while other smaller companies have cropped up, providing niche and specialized services for tourists keen on the South African sunshine and scalpels. Locally, South Africans are opting to take out finance in order to get the body they believe they should have been born with. According to First Health Insurance (FHI), a financial institution that provides loans for plastic surgery, applications to the value of R100 million were lodged in 2012 and anticipated a lot more for 2013/2014. Without the required cash on hand South Africans are willing to put up their valuable items as the required collateral for surgeryrelated loans. But it’s not all roses and recovery There’s a dark side to cosmetic surgery that many conveniently forget about in their excitement. Any and all surgical procedures carry some level of risk and, with cosmetic surgeries; these risks are often even higher. Aside from life-threatening complications, side effects or scarring, procedures can go wrong, leaving patients disfigured or in pain for life. Perhaps the allure of the fountain of youth’s sweet, yet illusionary, elixir is too much. But, as more and more people sign up to lift up, nip out or tuck in their bodies to look younger or different, we can’t help but wonder – is it really worth it, after all?
F E A T U R E
COSMETIC SURGERY REMAINS A HOBBY FOR THE RICHER MEMBERS OF SOCIETY - ESPECIALLY AS MOST MEDICAL AIDS OR MEDICAL FINANCIAL COVER PROGRAMMES DON’T MAKE ALLOCATION FOR THE MORE VANITYINDUCED SORTS OF SURGERY.
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New Year! New Fragrance! THERE IS NOTHING AS ALLURING AS A WOMAN WHO SMELLS GORGEOUS AND WE ALL LOVE TO FALL INTO THE ARMS OF A MAN WHO SMELLS AS GOOD AS HE LOOKS.
T
here is nothing as alluring as a woman who smells gorgeous and we all love to fall into the arms of a hunk that smells as good as he looks.
FOR HER DOLCE & GABBANA A fragrance whose scent was inspired by the romantic vibe of Sicily, this new Dolce is a mixture of white flowers. When to wear it: First date with the one you have had your eye on for a while. Perfect in making a lasting impression.
BALENCIAGA ROSABOTANICA EAU DE PARFUM Complemented by its gorgeously striking bottle Rosabotanica is the latest addition to the Balenciaga family. Based on a contemporary green rose accord mixed with milky fig leaves the Rosabotanica takes the classic rose and makes it something even more beautiful… and dangerous!
ELIE SAAB L'EAU COUTURE EAU DE TOILETTE Created by master Perfumer Francis Kurkdjian as an aromatic partner to the spring/summer 2014 couture collection - this perfume with its orange blossom and vanilla notes is sophisticated and passionate. When to wear it: A must have on your wedding day or anniversary date. This one is for making memories in.
GUCCI FLORA 1966 EAU DE PARFUM Inspired by Gucci's iconic floral motif, which we all know was specially designed for the amazing Grace Kelly in 1966, this musky new member of the Gucci Flora family is said to “evoke all of the glamour and history of the brand.” When to wear it: When implementing the ultimate seduction – an occasion when clothes are optional!
When to wear it: Night out with the girls in your best LBD and your highest heels!
GIANNI VERSACE COUTURE JASMIN EAU DE PARFUM Who can resist something so beautifully packaged? Encased in a studded nappa leather case and available only in 100ml bottles, you know the GV Couture Jasmin will smell as good as it looks with heady jasmine notes. While is not cheap, its worth every penny! When to wear it: Everyday. Everywhere. You will not want to go without this gem!
B E A U T Y
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FOR HIM ROSE D'ARABIE BY ARMANI PRIVE
POUR HOMME BY BOTTEGA VENETA
We all love a bit of Armani and Rose D’Arabie makes us fall in love with the brand all over again. A mixture of patchouli, Damascus rose, saffron, amber and precious wood mixed with golden dust makes for a magical heady sensation.
Calabrian bergamot, pine from Siberia and juniper from the Balkans…these are just some of the notes you will find in the Bottega Veneta. The heart has notes of Jamaican pepper and Canadian fir resins making this a real man’s fragrance. Where to wear it: To a gentlemen’s club for an evening filled with whiskey and cigars.
Where to wear it: When an occasion arises that is worthy of this fragrance, you will know.
AMBRE NUIT BY CHRISTIAN DIOR Christian Dior is well known for it’s epic scents and Ambre Nuit is no different with its bright and luminous fresh notes of grapefruit and sunny bergamot as an exciting overture to Turkish rose combined with passionate pink pepper. Where to wear it: To a meeting where you will be signing a multi-million dollar deal.
TERRE D’HERMÈS Complex would be the word to describe this offering from Hermès. With scents that range from bright to spicy and musky this is an “alchemic journey through the elements: earth, air and water.” Where to wear it: Wherever you damn well want to wear it, for this scent will hold its’ own in any setting.
EAU SAVAGE The first Eau Savage was introduced in 1966 as the first fragrance for men by Dior, and has become a firm classic favourite since. This is one for a man who is so comfortable in who he is, he doesn’t feel the need to prove anything to anyone. A sexy scent for a sexy man. Where to wear it: First date. First meeting with the in-laws. Interview at a Fortune 500 company. You choose.
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Spor ts Utility Vehicles Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) seemed to come out of nowhere, for when we were growing up if you were adventurous you got a 4x4 bakkie and if you had a big family, you got a station wagon.
NOW SUVS ARE ALL THE RAGE AND THE SOUTH AFRICAN ROADS ARE CRAWLING WITH A PLETHORA OF DIFFERENT TYPES, TO SUIT ALL KIND OF BUDGETS, TASTES AND NEEDS. SOME ARE FUNKY, SOME ARE PRETTY AND SOME ARE ACTUALLY BUILT TO TAKE YOU OFF ROAD AND ONTO ROUGHER TERRAIN, HOWEVER, MOST MANUFACTURERS WOULD ADMIT THAT THE MAJORITY OF SUV DRIVERS DO NOT PURCHASE THEM WITH THE INTENT OF TAKING THEM TO THE BUSH TO BLAZE TRAILS INTO THE UNKNOWN. By Damian Murphy
THE JEEP CHEROKEE (R500,990) We mentioned above that some of these SUVs are funky, offering the driver a standout ride, something that sets them apart on the road. The new Jeep Cherokee is one such vehicle. When we told people which car we were testing, most replied with the same remark; “oh, that’s the one with the funny front and strange headlights.” Jeep is a very distinct brand and their front grill is famous, as an iconic symbol that has its lineage dating back to the early years of World War Two. The new Cherokee has kept the essence of the symbolic front end and thrown in a whole bunch of craziness. The design of this particular Jeep lends itself well to the Cherokee’s rather unique offering. The exterior is where the crazy ends though, and once you open the doors, the Jeep is all business. The finishings are first class as everything inside the Cherokee is laid out with a great deal of purpose. A lot of thought went into the details to insure the driver’s environment is both comfortable and luxurious. Everything is either available at your finger tips or is located conveniently
within reach. The onboard entertainment system has a brilliant set of features, which include the UConnect™ functions such as Bluetooth and SatNav. Aside from all the comfort and trimmings of an executive’s sedan, the Cherokee also drives extremely well on the open road. Because of its size and weight, the version we tested was rather sluggish off the line, but buyers have the option of a bigger 3.2 litre V6 brother to choose from if speed is your game. The engine we got to play with delivered 130kW of power with a respectable 229Nm of torque pulling it along. Some have voted The Cherokee as the best-in-class 4x4 available and though we did not have a chance to really push it past what is easily available in and around Johannesburg, we can attest to the fact that it most certainly can hold its own on loose gravel roads, sandy hills and wet grassy velds. The adjustable drive functionality makes switching between road, sand and snow as simple as twisting a knob and we can be certain that owners of the new Cherokee would not be afraid of an adventure or two, although this wouldn’t be something we would tackle the Okavango in.
M O T O R I N G
THE INFINITI QX70 S (R701,200) Infiniti is the luxury arm of Nissan and they have been a surprise discovery for us over the last year or so because we as South Africans weren’t exposed to Infiniti outside a few movie appearances. As a brand, they are singing all the right tunes at the moment. The QX70 S is a large SUV that is undoubtedly built for a fashion runway first, city streets second and even a racetrack third. Of the three SUVs we tested, this is by far the one we would least like to take off road. That’s not to say it cannot go off road, it does have 4x4 capabilities, but you wouldn’t play with lions wearing a meat necklace, you’ll only get scratched and mauled. The Infiniti QX70 is a little too pretty for the bush and you wouldn’t want to wreck it by taking it there. It has elegant lines, curves that accentuate its design and the model we tested was a stealthy black colour with 20” five spoke black rims to match. The powerful 3.0 litre diesel engine pumps out 175kW of power coupled with a whiplashincluded 550Nm of torque making your journey adrenalin filled. The QX70 S looks like it means business and the interior
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delivers business class style. The all leather, plush interior is elegant and equipped to deal with just about anything. There is space aplenty for five grown adults and although the boot’s shape isn’t conducive to heavy packing, it is large enough to accommodate everything you may want to carry; you just need to be creative with your loading. The QX70 S did a lot to impress us in our time behind the wheel and they have promised the world big things this year and the next, so we can’t wait to see what they give us next.
Infiniti QX70 S
Range Rover Vogue
THE RANGE ROVER VOGUE (R1,439,600) The grand master, the big daddy, the Godfather! The Range Rover Vogue is at the top of the pile when it comes to SUVs. It is the benchmark others try to follow and it is the car of choice for many a celebrity and successful businessman. It is also astronomically expensive, but when we put the Vogue through its paces, we could understand why the bill is so high. As we sat behind the wheel inside this spaceship-esque mega-SUV we did all we could to find something that was missing. We searched for fault and looked for something we could add to this article to make it seem like there was at least something wrong with the Range Rover and the only conclusion we could come up with is that the designers of the Range Rover Vogue must have done exactly the same thing with every other SUV on the market, and then just made sure there was nothing amiss in thier creation. A motoring and engineering marvel, the Range Rover
Vogue could be one of the best cars we have tested for The Afropolitan. The driver has everything from electronically adjustable seats with heating and air-conditioning to individual zone climate control. And those luxuries, along with the multitude of others are pretty much standard for almost every passenger in the Vogue. When you get into this monolith of a vehicle you can’t help but think how a 3.0 litre diesel engine could move something of this size with any grace or speed, but with 600Nm of punch coming from under the bonnet, it is no wonder the driver would feel in control of the world behind the wheel. And when we say world, we mean the whole world. The Vogue is actually better off the tarmac than it is on it. We were lucky enough to have some time to test it’s off road abilities at the Land Rover Experience in Lonehill. Not only did it wade through half a meter of water like a hot knife through butter, but it also climbed up sandy hills and down rocky passes like a kid on a jungle gym. It was completely capable and it gave the driver ultimate confidence in the car’s and their own abilities.
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E
nzo Ferrari is said to have called it the most beautiful car in the world. Steve McQueen had one in his garage and so did Bridget Bardot... Those not lucky enough to own one could marvel at it in the Museum of Modern Art in New York. It could only be one; it could only be the Jaguar E-Type. Once the fastest production car in the world; the E-Type has always been more than a pretty face. Today Jaguar’s legendary stable extends far beyond the legacy of the E-Type. The Jaguar F-Type S Coupé is the kind of car you buy as a defence mechanism against mediocrity. It goes from 0-100km/ h in 4.9 seconds, which is coincidentally the same amount of time it takes to fall in love with this beast of a machine. Reminiscent of its iconic predecessor, the Jag F-Type Coupé’s classic aesthetic with its uninterrupted arc of a roofline is sure to upgrade any garage or parking lot. However, the car’s predatory appearance is only secondary to the driving experience afforded by this modern sports car. Speeding (but trying not to speed) through Cape Town’s most beautiful obstacle course (during the launch of this beauty): Chapman’s Peak, the Jag F-Type S Coupé attracts encouraging waves and fist-pumps from fellow motorists making its driver feel like someone who has achieved something amazing! Stopping to take the obligatory #mylifeisbetterthanyours selfie against the backdrop of the ocean makes the experience look like you’re living in an advert for a life that you can’t afford, but really want to. After deleting the phrase “the engine growls” repeatedly one has to resign themself to the cliché and firmly assert that the engine does in fact growl, to be more specific, it growls like the best sound you’ve ever heard, the first “I love you” from a totally out of your league lover… In fact, the use of this cliché is vindicated when a man walking past asks if he can rev the accelerator so that he can record the growl (there it is again) on his phone. Naturally we happily oblige and at about the same time we become that person that we all hate: the douchebag driver – and it is wonderful!
Jaguar F-Type S Coupé
1922:
The year that the Swallow Sidecar Company, which later became Jaguar, was formed.
Did you know?
Jaguar’s sale slogan was “Grace, Space, Pace”.
200:
The original number of XK 120 Jaguar’s to be built before the popularity of the car sent it into mass production.
1961:
The year that the celebrated Jaguar E-Type was launched.
5,595:
The original cost in dollars of the open two-seater Jaguar E-Type.
2.5 billion:
The dollar investment made in the new facilities in the U.K. plant of Solihull to build to new Jag XE.
275km/h:
The top speed of the Jaguar F-Type S Coupé.
1, 358 400:
The number of Rands you will have to give up to be the owner of the Jaguar XFR-S, the fastest Jaguar saloon car ever built.
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“Radio is the original social media, a heavily pressured space which can only grow with the current form of innovation unlike print and TV which are currently under threat� By Greg Maloka
A
s media channels its energy into a mass of digital platforms that are progressively being developed, what does the future of radio hold? Will broadcast exist in an FM frequency or migrate to the Internet? Will podcasts and live streaming dominate the radio space or will it grow in its original form. At Kaya FM, we believe we are, and will strive to be, ahead of the digital trends linked to radio. Rooted with local visions and incorporating global influence, our content is distributed to a community that functions between radio and digital spaces. Our time is split between the two mediums. Together they work in sync to make the consumer more aware of how their content feeds them. Audible content is now being played via live streaming or podcasts and on-demand listening is a space that is continuing to grow. Consumers are being given choices when it comes to connecting to information. They can either log in or plug into live streams of talk or music or return to a podcast online when they have the time.
A D V E R T O R I A L
Kaya FM’s digital make-up is comprised of listeners interacting with the station through SMS, website, Facebook, Instagram, blogs and Twitter. We are able to cross breed the content between different platforms so listeners can connect to the presenters on air and online. The digital interaction has been made more visually entertaining, showcasing video and audio in an engaging way as the online space pairs up its shows with commentary, blogs and discussions.
get people to think of an advert when they hear a specific song is part of the strategy. The more emotion a song produces for a listener, the more likely the nostalgic affect. We want to be able to bring people back home, through our sound, and their memory, by using sound bites, jingles and playlists that remind them of their family, lifestyle, mind set and awareness.
Kaya FM works great as a call to action. Our objectives are to stay relevant, innovative and creative. Once Podcasting has evolved into one of the given briefs, it is essential that we great trends of today. Benefitting the understand the whole campaign before provider and the consumer, this medium understanding single components. This has gained insight for marketing a brand requires us to examine everything from or product in a direct and authentic way. copywriting to nuance and applying the Known to cater to a spectrum of digital content in a customised way for a middle platforms, podcasting has taken radio class market who we call The Afropolitan. to a new level of interaction, engaging varied topics and diverse audiences with Our future vision is simple. We start with a holistic plan and tune into tweet its content. This tool not only opens feeds more often. We ask that the client up conversation, but allows for the extension of radio advertising too. When and station’s social media accounts work together. This way we marry the it comes to the future of sales, we often brand with the audience and enhance need to consider which platform will the relationship between the agency, work best. station and client. As the digital space The fundamentals of radio will always dominates the usage of our time, so stay the same. Everyone is on the too will the way we use it to convey or internet because there’s a need to be; upload messages. People have adapted to however radio is accountable and drives the digital space and it is fast becoming everything. The intimacy of radio allows future of the world. There has been an messages to get out immediately. As a immense uptake of applications. proactive medium, it mirrors the trends in society, and in that, we expect our Nowadays, there is an app for sales team to research, understand and everything and anyone, from avail themselves to their clients. business, to fitness, gardening to making movies. There is however a Clients need to tell stories in their huge gap in apps specifically for the adverts. It is important to bring details, Afropolitan consumer. Often society facts and sound effects to campaigns. is overwhelmed with the amount of Sonic triggers are vital, as music plays information going back and forth, a huge part and evokes an emotion. To however, we are not going back to the dot.com boom; we are advancing in a digital revolution. We can’t go back to analogue, we have moved forward with the times. Radio is advancing by adding the element of web cams, which enables users to peek into radio. These platforms will be using live streaming using YouTube channels to broadcast their sessions live where the microphone will not be replaced, but enhanced by digital platforms. Another strategic marketing tool at Kaya FM is that of events, which we take very seriously as ultimately events are those critical touch points we have to engage and develop a deeper understanding of our Afropolitan listeners. Earlier in my write-up, I stated that technology is the future of radio; similarly late adapters to mobile technology within the events space will leave you wanting more.
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In my opinion, mobile technology has given the organisation the ability to engage with listeners in real time at events, the data collected from these functions is then mined to give real value to research that will be able to measure and in turn enhance return on investment, never losing sight that content must drive connection between brand and listener. The mobile revolution has made everything easier and certainly more environmentally friendly within the events space. So if the future of marketing is that bright, what does it mean for the future of music? The format ratio at Kaya FM is made-up of 60% music and 40% talk. This means that we constantly have to seek out opportunities that will add value to the consumer and client. One progressive feature we have introduced on the station is the live & unplugged sessions we host. The rise of live music offers a platform to known and unsigned artists who want to share their music with the Afropolitan listener in an intimate setting. Although everything else is evolving what will remain constant at Kaya is that we are the ‘Home of the Classics’ and will not compromise the sound of the station. You will find music at Kaya FM, which you will not find on any other station. We have music specialists in their own right such as Brenda Sisane who shares her love and passion for jazz and Nicky B who brings her deep knowledge of world music to the station, which allures a great number of young Afropolitans who always seem to migrate home as they have their hearts deeply rooted in Africa. Celebrating 20 years of our democracy this year as South Africans, we cannot ignore the role that music has played towards our liberation, hence the future of music in this country is for musicians to make meaningful music and create sustainable businesses from their skills. Artists these days no longer require expensive recording studio’s to make music but can have the same quality of music in a home studio with easily accessible technology. Music conferences like Moshito and the Southern African Music Conference (SAMC) which shine the spotlight on the business of music, places specialist speakers in front of musicians who will cover topics like the changing patterns of the consumption of music in South Africa and encourage musicians to be dynamic and be involved in their music. *Greg Maloka is Managing Director of Kaya FM
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Transformation in South Africa –
what needs to happen? J
ohn Lewis in his book “Walking with the Wind: A memoir of the movement” tells a story about when as fifteen children, they were at his aunt Seneva’s home. The heavens unleashed a great storm and Aunt Seneva ushered them all into her modest home. As the storm was getting bolder and more boisterous, Aunt Seneva’s house started to shake. They were all petrified as the house began to sway and the wood plank flooring began to bend. A corner of the room started lifting up as the storm was uprooting the house. Aunt Seneva told them to clasp hands – all fifteen of them – line up and hold each other’s tiny hands. She then told them to walk as a group towards the corner that was rising. As they did that, another corner started being raised by the storm. With fear firmly gripping them, they walked to any corner that was being risen, literally holding the house down with their small bodies. And he lived to tell the story. We, the people seeking to have a South Africa that is free from all forms of racism and discriminatory practices in this country, are not dissimilar to those fifteen children, who were rocked again and again by the winds of one storm and then another. What saved the situation in that storm was that there was courageous and visionary leadership – in the face of the storm, Aunt Seneva’s vision was to hold her home down and it took great courage for her not to flee. She saw the potential of “small” people to help her achieve her vision. She went beyond seeing the potential but totally believed
in their abilities and thus totally relied on them. Aunt Seneva and the small people clasped their hands together and resolutely marched in the direction of the onslaught. This background story got me thinking of what it will take to free South Africa for real. Visionary and courageous leadership is a must. We must have a very clear vision of what a fully transformed South Africa will look like. The clarity and probability of this vision must both excite and propel us into progressive action. We also need our government to be truly courageous otherwise they run the risk of being transitional leaders instead of transformational leaders. A truly courageous government that is expressly intent on changing the face of our corporate landscape is needed. A government that is willing and able to enforce its laws, acting against anyone who flouts them without fear or favour, we must have. Us “small” people must believe that we are individually and collectively enough. Let not our self esteem be minimised by those who “other” us on a daily basis. It is time to realise our collective power and act on it. Auctioning our souls to the highest bidder will simply not do. We must pledge to fight against any and all injustices that we encounter. Let us with boldness, intention and precision liberate this country one corner office at a time. Let us not delude ourselves, total
Tantaswa Fubu
emancipation will not come to us on the wheels of inevitability. Let us see new possibilities as we recognise the strength piercing through our tired and darkened eyes. Fear and doubt cannot have permanent residence in our personhood. Let us return to the culture of resistance, where our souls were nourished and nurtured. Paraphrasing Maya Angelo, let’s with both our voices and our actions proclaim that we are the ones to ensure that our children will one day be able to dress their dolls in flags of true freedom, true reconciliation.
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P A G E S
Proudly brought to you by IT TURNS OUT THE AFROPOLITANS DIDN’T GET ENOUGH OF THE OL’SKOOL KWAITO. SO ON 5 NOVEMBER 2014, AT KATZY’S IN ROSEBANK, WE SHUT DOWN THE YEAR WITH A GREAT PERFORMANCE FROM THEBE THE KWAITO LEGEND. BROUGHT TO YOU ONCE AGAIN BY BAIN’S CAPE MOUNTAIN WHISKY, IT WAS A PERFECT NIGHT.
Thabang Noe and Xoli Sesoko
Zoe and Regan Strachan
Katlego Mphafudi and Tshepiso Makhalemele
Munene Khoza, Thobile Shongwe and Adoma Peprah
Tumi Chidi and Mmathabo Disemelo
Mpho and Lebo Mabatla
Wondu and Thato
Shingi and Gladness Rupare
Edgar and Clarissa Chinian
Maritza Pieterse
NOT FOR SALE TO PERSONS UNDER THE AGE OF 18
Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, awarded Best Grain Whisky in the World at the 2013 World Whiskies Awards. Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky competed amongst the world’s leading whisky-making countries when it was awarded this coveted accolade. More than 300 whiskies were assessed during numerous rounds of blind tasting by an independent panel of judges that included some of the foremost international whisky palates.
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Six of one, half-a-dozen of the other WHEN KATIE HOLMES DIVORCED TOM CRUISE (APPARENTLY, SHE GOT TIRED OF WALKING NEXT TO HIM IN A TRENCH HURRIEDLY DUG BY MINIONS EVERYWHERE THEY WENT – IT WAS EITHER DIVORCE, OR GIVING UP HEELS COMPLETELY), I WAS WORKING FOR A CELEBRITY MAGAZINE (DON’T JUDGE; I NEEDED THE MONEY). By Alyn Adams
M
y colleagues were atwitter at the news (and sadly, not just on Twitter). The strangest response was the sigh of relief that Tom and Katie’s daughter, Suri, had been “saved” from Scientology. “Katie will raise her Catholic,” was the satisfied murmur doing the rounds, with the ironhard assurance of women convinced they knew the intentions of someone they’d never met half a world away. This relief struck me as odd. I was raised by Catholics, (which is a lot like being raised by wolves, but without as much nurturing), and I wondered if Suri wasn’t out of the frying pan and into the fire. I’m not convinced that either of those faiths is necessarily better than the other. Sure, one is a bizarre cult with some really weird ideas that hang onto its membership through a combination of guilt, threats and blackmail, but the other was made up from scratch by a sciencefiction author less than a century ago. One way or another, Suri is going to be expected to swallow some odd ideas during her religious education. So when the Ed suggested I write a satirical column about the various gullible flocks on our own dear continent who can be hypnotised into eating grass or swallowing “petrol” to demonstrate their faith, I had two immediate questions: 1) How is that any different from saddling a newborn with original sin or insisting “thetans” are real? And 2) Good grief, Ed, are you trying to turn me into the poster-boy for sneering white atheist cultural chauvinism in one fell swoop? It’s hard enough being a Progressive Person of Paler Pigment* these days (because from the outside, you look just like the unreconstructed racist troglodytes who may even share your surname, so you have to find ways to let your fellow citizens know you’re one of the good ones without going on about it all the time. I favour Madiba shirts and learning all the complicated handshakes). If I started wringing laughs out of somebody else’s sincerely held beliefs, all it would take is one disapproving, out-of-context tweet, and I’d be consigned to the “cultural imperialist” list along with… oh, I’m not giving them any extra publicity; you know who they are: that old British fart who fled here because it’s easier to pretend to be an aristocrat in the colonies, then got fired for being utterly contemptuous of African cultures, that Afrikaans bloke who sings Die Stem as if he were blowing up a power station, and his “intellectual” mate, who sued a puppet. “Godsless” heathen that I am, I try to keep it simple. “If it harms none, do what you will” and “Treat others as you would have them treat you” more or less cover all moral eventualities between them. I’ve known many Catholics, and a number of Scientologists. Most, of both faiths, have been ordinary, loving people trying to care for their families, raise their kids, and make the world a safer, happier place (and a tiny minority, of both faiths, have been batshit-crazy fanatics, but that’s kind of the point). If swallowing whatever the pastor tells you to while sacrificing your money gives your life meaning and makes you feel exhilarated, who am I to stand in your way? Heck, in the US, some sects religiously handle poisonous snakes, because the Bible says they can. Of course, we generally only hear about them when one of the congregation dies from a snakebite, so if this column does have a lesson, here endeth it. * “White Liberal” just sounds so 20th-Century…
@alyndenzel www.alynadams.com
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