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YAY A PUBLIC HOLIDAY! Women’s Day: Celebrating women or just another day off? POLITICS IF RHODES MEMORIAL FELL Why is the Old SA Flag still legal?
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he frequently misunderstood and rarely rooted in reality author Virginia Woolf once wrote “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.” For me this statement rings true in not only the way women are oftentimes disregarded in their mere existence but also in their achievements that often go unheralded on a public platform, save for one month a year. In instances like these it is so easy for us to start losing sight of the importance of our work, choosing to dull our light so as to let others shine. One becomes “just a mom” forgetting they are raising a nation and future leaders of countries. Others see themselves as “just employees” not taking into account they are building dreams and industries! In a society that often sees women as mere objects, a woman is sooner appreciated for her buxom bust than her brilliant brain, remembered for her slender waist than her sharp wit. In this edition of the Afropolitan we would like to shake off the cloak of anonymity that many women are under and laud the
amazing things they are doing in their homes and in the boardrooms. Whether you are a Mom or a Manager, take your place and be counted and know your contribution on all fronts will impact nations and generations to come! Cuban author, Anaïs Nin put this challenge out to men and it is something all women should demand “…compel my strength, make enormous demands on me, do not doubt my courage or my toughness, do not believe me naïve or innocent. Have the courage to treat me like a woman.” Is anyone up for the challenge? Enjoy the read!
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Transformation, On Paper: The South African Literary Debate
IT WOULD BE OBVIOUS TO ANYONE WITH AN EVEN REMOTELY ACTIVE TWITTER FEED THAT ANOTHER DEBATE HAS STARTED RAGING IN SOUTH AFRICA, THIS TIME BEGUN IN THE SLEEPY TOWN OF FRANSCHHOEK. By Zoe Hinis
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
I
hate Franschhoek – it is a bastion of privilege that just stokes my class hatred. During the Franschhoek Literary Festival, Thando Mgqolozana began a discussion on the unnaturalness of the South African literary scene: during one of his panel talks he said to the all-white audience, “look at yourselves, it’s very abnormal”. He spoke about how he was quitting the ‘white literary system’, and then people got upset, but not for the right reasons.
Because in South Africa, publishing is as white, from author to reader to publisher, as bleached chalk. And of course, Twitter erupted because twits are as Twitter does, but the point he made was entirely valid. There’s something horribly wrong when the vast majority of authors published and promoted are white in a country with a minority white population. It suggests that with millions of black people, we can’t find more than a handful of authors, but every third
or fourth white person (usually male) is a literary investment. And the few black authors that make it in are not being edited, marketed and sold by other black people. If they want to get published, they must write in English, and be sold to an English market, which is dominated by a conservative readership. Oh, and they must only write political diatribes, or about ‘how black people live’. (Think I’m being facetious? Have a look at the bestseller lists, you know it to be true.)
R E A D E R ' S the cycle begins anew – there aren’t enough books for the kids to read in their home language) and definitely far too little in the way of local children’s publishing. (And what there is is always some twee thing involving rhinos.) I could go on and on – the middle class is under strain, the only books that keep getting printed are political warnings about the imminent collapse of South Africa, the refusal of the upper class to believe that anyone else even reads (this is an issue across races). The issue of black authorship and ownership of South Africa’s literary scene is part of a much wider discussion of economics, spending power, education legacy issues and the failure of traditional publishing to catch up with how we all live now.
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an entirely new publishing system could be produced, with black authors, editors, printers and marketers rising to create something new and fresh. And while it was a long time coming, at least the discussion has started. At least there has been a shaking of the tree, a kicking of the hornet’s nest. This discussion, which has been going on for a long time in very insular places, has finally broken out and been had across all groups. The ongoing silence from the publishers responsible is a pity (only Jacana appeared at the Wits discussion, from what I can tell) but I am glad that so many have come forward and had the discussion. The conversation is fascinating, as are
THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE SYSTEM IS CLOSED OFF AND OUT OF TOUCH, AND IT NEEDS TO MOVE WITH THE TIMES. THERE IS NO BLACK OWNERSHIP ANYWHERE IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN, AND VERY LITTLE BLACK PRESENCE
But! Let it be known that there is hope. In a fascinating discussion held at Wits University called “Decolonising The Literary Landscape” (google it: Books Live has all the highlights and a podcast of the event), there was vibrant discussion with practical ways forward. The examples of Gayton McKenzie The Hustler’s Bible and DJ Sbu Leadership 2020 have shown how dedicated, selfmarketing black authors can sell books in the tens of thousands outside of the traditional publishing system. While The problem is that the system is closed I generally have little respect for the kind of stuff that gets self-published, off and out of touch, and it needs to especially on Amazon (cryptozoological move with the times. There is no black erotica, anyone?), in South Africa this ownership anywhere in the supply may be our way forward. Why should chain, and very little black presence: an author with a following wait for whether it’s the bookstores or the approval from a snobbish, closed-off publishers, there just isn’t the skill set publisher? Get your books printed, or acumen, not yet. Mostly because get out there and sell, and keep ALL books are expensive to source, produce and ship, and a publishing house needs the money, rather than the measly 6% (and pitiful advance) that traditional huge initial capital to start and this means being risk-averse. Add to this the publishing offers. Mofenyi Malepe, sheer cost of books: even if we did have the author of the controversial book many black authors publishing in their 283: The Bad Sex Bet turned to Thando Mgqolozana and asked him if he still own languages, books cost too much. owed Jacana any more books, because It’s that straightforward. Local books are printed in Singapore and China and then he shouldn’t complain about a white system and keep returning to it. are shipped here because they cost too (To be fair, Jacana probably gives more much to print here. What madness is black authors a platform than any of the this? Add to this an educational system other publishers.) By taking ownership, that lacks libraries in schools (and
the questions being asked. Are black parents buying books for their children? What sells? What doesn’t? How can we break up the system? Have a look at the #LitApartheid discussion as it is ongoing on Twitter and Books Live, and think about what kind of transformation that you, as a South African, as a reader, maybe a parent or a teacher, would like to see. I am delighted that we are finally having this discussion, and that it is making people uncomfortable: meaningful change never happened in anyone’s comfort zone.
Images courtesy of Thando Mgqolozana
I used to work in the book industry, and in my time there the same questions were being asked over and over again. Why are there so few black authors? Why are the South African books in their own book ghetto? Are there seriously no female authors of colour in South Africa? How is Zoë Wicomb the only one that seems to gain any traction? Why aren’t there any publishing houses who publish in anything but English and Afrikaans? Of course, there’s always a knee-jerk reaction from the privileged who feel that their status quo is challenged, but they must listen more carefully: no one, absolutely no one, is calling for fewer books in South Africa, or the burning of all books by white authors.
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Thando Mgqolozana
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A F F A I R S
C U R R E N T
A F F A I R S
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Strike a Woman,
STRIKE A ROCK!
What Does Women's Day Really Mean? EVERY YEAR WE TAKE A DAY OFF TO SUPPOSEDLY CELEBRATE WOMEN, BUT IS THIS DAY EFFECTIVE IN WHAT IT AIMS TO ACHIEVE, AND DOES THE ORDINARY MAN AND WOMAN ON THE STREET DO ENOUGH TO PARTICIPATE? By Michelle Randall
THE HISTORY OF WOMEN'S DAY On 9 August 1956, 20 000 women led by Lilian Ngoyi, Helen Joseph, Rahima Moosa and Sophia Williams marched to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the pass laws that served to further restrict people’s movement during the apartheid era in South Africa. The march represented all races and societal layers of the country’s women, who stood together for over half an hour and sang a protest song that was composed in honour of the occasion: Wathint'Abafazi Wathint'imbokodo (Now you have touched the women, you have struck a rock). In the years since the phrase, which has been reincarnated as "if you strike a woman, you strike a rock", has come to represent women's courage and strength in South Africa. Even though the prime minister at the time, JG. Strijdom, refused to meet with the protesters, the march is considered a turning point in the role of women in the struggle for freedom and equality in society at large. While the issues that
concerned women then are very different to the issues facing women in modern day South Africa, the background of the 1956 Women's March helped to shape the ideologies that are set down in the South African Constitution.
(or Women's Month, or even Women's Decade, for that matter) truly address gender discrimination at a practical level?
Despite our political advances, South African women remain under-represented in the economy. There are more Since that eventful day almost 60 years ago unemployed women in South Africa than when 100 000 signatures were delivered in there are men. If you take these problems protest, women from all walks of life have and add on crime, rape (we have the become equal partners in the struggle for a highest rape statistics of any non-warring non-racial and non-sexist South Africa. Or country in the world) and HIV-infection, have they? the prevalent risk factors in our country, one can't help but wonder whether one day out of 365 is enough to turn the IS ONE DAY OUT OF 365 spotlight on the problems that women face ENOUGH? in South Africa, not to mention the world at large. Besides Women's Day on 9 August, South Africa has declared the entire month of And considering that Oscar Pistorius, August Women’s Month, and the African who shot and killed his girlfriend Reeva Union has further declared 2010 - 2020 Steenkamp on Valentine's Day 2013, is to be African Women’s Decade. It's a commendable move in the right direction, likely to be awarded an early release from prison, (one must cynically note that his if you look at it as an illustration of release will take place during Women's South Africa’s commitment to the United Month), it's almost impossible not to get Nations’ Convention on the Elimination into a frothy rant about Women's Day, and of All Forms of Discrimination against whether it means anything at all. Women (CEDAW). But does Women's Day
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A F F A I R S
A HOLLOW HOLIDAY? Chatting to The Afropolitan, Thandi Puren (40), a Johannesburgbased actress, begged the question: "How do we celebrate women in a society that doesn't value them? Women's Day should exist to commemorate women - both their problems and their ability to change the world - but in South Africa, this feels insincere. We live in a largely misogynistic country where there is an epidemic of violence against women. I honour the brave women that marched against the dompas in 1956, but today, the 9th of August shows up our country's lies. Women's Day is unfortunately a hollow holiday." Women's Day certainly feels hollow after a short Google search, which reveals several listicles on how to celebrate the occasion, many beginning with the suggestion that you should spoil a special woman in your life with a spa voucher, flowers, or lingerie.
Leaders of 1956 march holding petitions
It's safe to say that in 1956, 20 000 women did not march to the Union Buildings for a spa voucher, or a racy panty. By addressing the societal ills of the time, the Women's March paved the way for every South African woman to have the right to stand up and say: enough is enough. "We need to return to a time when women engaged in social protest," says Thandi, who adds that the bigger picture of South Africa’s societal breakdown provides a difficult context in which to address the problems that women face.
THOSE WHO NEED IT AREN'T TOUCHED BY IT How many women (or men) will use the day to volunteer at a women's shelter or raise money for survivors of domestic violence? Sadly, in its most basic form, Women's Day is seen as merely another public holiday.
A DAY OF REFLECTION Tracy Seeley-Jeppe (34), a Johannesburg-based attorney takes a more positive stance. "Certainly, women still face countless gender-based inequalities, but it's important to remember that we have made and are continuing to make strides towards a more equal society. Instead of focusing on the negatives, Women's Day gives us an opportunity - and certainly a platform - to not only consider progress still to be made, but to also applaud how far we have come, like the fact that there are more women in the judiciary now than ever before." Tracy suggests that Women's Day, if anything, be a time of reflection and connection. "It's a chance to connect with our communities, families, sisters and friends," she says. "It's important to celebrate women, and even the simple gesture of reassuring a friend that she's a great mom will go a long way in reaffirming her strength and determination. In many ways, every day should be Women's Day."
March on Union Buildings
I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR However you spend Women's Day this year, be it knee-deep in a community upliftment project or with family and friends enjoying some much-needed time off, take a moment to pause and consider the 20 000 women in 1956 who took a stand against injustice. Without reducing the concept of Women's Day to saccharine sentimentality, we can all draw strength from the ideology that "if you strike a woman, you strike a rock." Sometimes we just need to reminded of our strength.
Images courtesy of Google images
Pam Horwill (37), a pre-primary school teacher in Cape Town, says she doesn't celebrate Women's Day because she finds it impossible to negotiate the massive divide in our society that allows her to enjoy a day off from work while down the road, there are hundreds of disenfranchised women that are entirely untouched by the concept. "The women celebrating Women’s Day don’t need it and the women who need it the most gain nothing from it," she says.
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TERRIBLE FLAGS FOR TERRIBLE PEOPLE IN THE WAKE OF THE TRAGIC MURDERS OF NINE CHURCH-GOERS IN CHARLESTON BY A WHITE SUPREMACIST, THE OLD ‘STARS AND BARS’ CONFEDERATE FLAG IS FINALLY, THANKFULLY, BEGINNING TO DIE THE DEATH IT SHOULD HAVE DIED CENTURIES AGO. By Zoë Hinis
A
s national retailers such as Wal-Mart, Amazon, Target, eBay and iTunes rush to strip the confederate flag from their shelves, we are finally seeing progress – even if it came at the cost of nine innocent lives.
Dylan Roof, the racist who committed the murders, had photographs in which he wore the Rhodesian and old South African flags, burned the current US flag and proudly touted the Confederate flag. As a South African watching the Charleston tragedy unfold, it was dismaying to see that hideous old flag again, but at least it was keeping appropriate company. The old South African flag, like the Confederate flag, is a flag that has entirely racist overtones. The former was flown proudly above the Union Buildings during apartheid, and the Confederate flag was flown in the battle to own slaves and to secede from the Union. As written in “A Declaration of the Immediate Causes which Induce and Justify the Secession of the State of Mississippi from the Federal Union”, Mississippi proudly declares: “Our position is thoroughly identified with the institution of slavery -- the greatest material interest of the world.” While some Americans may claim that it represents ‘Southern pride’, it still was the battle standard carried by the Southern army in their battle against the North, and the rest of the United States. To put it in context, it would be as if Orania hoisted their flag and tried to become an all-white country of their own by going to war against Gauteng. In the States, it is not only the symbol of institutionalised slavery and brutality, but it is also the symbol of treason. Besides, anything waved around by the Ku Klux Klan really has no further right to claim it is a harmless symbol of Southern history. In 1924, a bill was introduced in the South African parliament for a new flag, as the British Red Ensign had been serving as a de facto flag since 1910. As with any change, chaos erupted in parliament because the British assumed the Afrikaners wanted to remove the imperial symbols. Natal Province threatened to secede
P O L I T I C S
Image courtesy of ?
(like a petulant child). It took three years before a design was agreed upon and the new flag was hoisted on the 31st of May, 1928. The base design of orange, white and blue was taken from the Van Riebeeck flag, and had been flown by the Dutch East India Company at the Cape from 1652 to 1795. It was used because it was the first flag to fly over the land (obviously, the narrative is exclusively Western) and since it no longer belonged to anyone, it was politically neutral. The South African addition to the flag was the addition of a tiny Union Jack (mirrored), the flag of the Orange Free State in the middle, and the Transvaal vier-kleur on the right. Ironically, there was huge pressure from the Afrikaans change the flag and remove the Union Jack from the flag after South Africa became a republic. Apparently, it wasn’t always clung to like a giant, nostalgic security blanket. The flag came down and was replaced with the new flag (which has a great history of its own) at midnight on the 26 or 27th of April 1994, just in time for elections. The old flag, which had represented the apartheid government and been worn by its officials, was relegated to the annals of history. Or, at least, we tried. But it still makes the occasional appearance, and never an appropriate one.
Klu Klux Klan
But that begs another question: with a constitution that is enshrined against hate speech, is the old South African flag even legal? Surely waving it around is tantamount to screaming racial slurs? Using the k-word is (and rightfully so) illegal, so it would follow that the old flag would be illegal too. Funnily enough, though, it isn’t. According to Marinus Wiechers, who was part of the team who compiled the Constitution, and Pierre de Vos, a Constitution expert from the University of Cape Town, said the right to freedom of speech means people may still display the old flag. However, private companies can ban it from their workplaces.
USING THE K-WORD IS (AND RIGHTFULLY SO) ILLEGAL, SO IT WOULD FOLLOW THAT THE OLD FLAG WOULD BE ILLEGAL TOO.
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With the recent removal of the Rhodes statue from UCT, and the discussions around changing the name of Rhodes University and removing apartheidera statues, a conversation about the worthiness of this old flag is definitely worth having. Like the Confederate Flag, the Nazi banner and the Rhodesian flag, these are symbols of past injustices that are trotted out to defend things like ‘heritage, not hate’ (in the case of the Confederate flag) or the continued racial cleansing of Europe (oh, Neo-Nazis.) But to be honest, the only real value any of these flags have is serving as a useful shorthand for pointing out white supremacists to the rest of us.
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F E A T U R E
What It Takes:
Successful Mom-Bosses WOMEN OFTEN HAVE MANY BALLS IN THE AIR: BUSINESSWOMAN, MOTHER, WIFE AND GENERAL SUPERHEROES. THREE SUCCESSFUL “MOM BOSSES” TALK ABOUT THEIR OUTLOOK ON SUCCESS FROM THE BOARDROOM TO THE HOME. By Hazel Booth ZINHLE JIYANE, AKA DJ ZINHLE, has carved a career path for herself in the house music industry as well as appearing in soapies such as Rhythm City and Imfihlo (The Secret) and presenting Jika Majika. She has also presented an insert on Club Culture. For four consecutive years she has been both a DJ and speaker at the Southern African Music Conference and was nominated by the Mail & Guardian as one of 300 young South Africans making a difference in their careers whom “you have to take to lunch”. To empower and nurture talented female DJs, DJ Zinhle partnered with Nomndeni Mdaki to launch the Firm Understanding of Sound Entertainment academy (FUSE) in February 2009. She released an album titled “Feminine Touch” in November that same year, under Kalawa Jazmee Records. DJ Zinhle is in a relationship with rapper AKA and the couple were expecting the birth of their first child in July.
Zinhle Jiyane, aka DJ Zinhle
“Being pregnant has taught me a great deal about juggling motherhood and work,” she said. “I am lucky to be working for myself because that way I can make up my own working hours and conditions. I can already see that having a child is teaching me a lot about sacrifice – things
are no longer about me. Everything I do, I have to think of the baby.” How does she balance a busy schedule? “I am a great planner, that way I can use my time efficiently,” she says. “My life has really only been about work, but with the baby coming, I am learning to prioritise other things.” She is candid about the pressure of being the boss and handling the demands of staff. Communication is key, she says. “Managing and motivating people is the hardest part about running your own business. I think there will always be a struggle when you are trying to communicate your vision with other people. Growth and success however are important for me and I want to employ more people and leave a legacy.” “Happiness and loving what you do, both at work and at home,” is how she defines success. She adds: “Don’t get me wrong, I still value money but now it’s more about loving what I do, employing more people and building a lasting legacy.” When it comes to handling the pressures of being a “mom boss”, DJ Zinhle gives this advice: “Do what feels right, create your own formula and make sure you are happy.”
F E A T U R E
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Image courtesy of DJ Zinhle, Angie Batis & Mathahle Stofile
B U S I N E S S
Angie Batis Durrant
ENTREPRENEUR ANGIE BATIS DURRANT’S online bio is overwhelming. She runs the successful blog Lucky Pony as well as co-owning Good Luck Club number 2, running Golden – an online content developing company, working as a freelance art director and space designer and she also runs two other blogs: jobest.co.za and tinypony.co.za. She is also a wife to Shane and proud mother to baby Nina.
outlook on life? “Well, now the most important person (other than my husband) in my life is my child. Even though before her birth, both Shane and I worked really hard to make sure that whatever we did, we did it well, but I find that now I'm more aware of wanting to be successful at everything we do,” Angie replies. “I want to build something amazing that one day she'll be able to call her own.”
“It's a lot harder than I thought it would be, which I guess is always the case when you have never done something before,” says Angie, on being a mom boss. “I'm very lucky in that my husband and I own our own businesses, so me not going in everyday is perfectly alright. It's awesome being able to be at home with my baby, but I have had to get someone to help me look after her during the day so I can actually get some time to concentrate on work and not smooch her all the time.”
Angie is honest about the lack of work-life balance: “At the moment it's all over the place because we have just started two new businesses and we're still trying to work on a system that allows us to have as much family time as possible.”
How has having a baby changed her
We asked Angie what she found to be the most difficult aspect of being the boss: “That sometimes you have to be the boss! Shane and I have always been friends with our staff because we believe in creating a cool working environment, but sometimes people take advantage of that
and you have to become harder, which is never pleasant.” Her goal for the businesses she and Shane run is simple: “With all our businesses we've always wanted to create something that is successful, obviously, but also something that is enjoyed and appreciated by as many people as possible.” We quizzed Angie on her definition of success, both at work and at home. “Work: If you manage to enjoy what you do and never feel like you're stuck in something that you hate. Home: if you manage to balance your work and family life just right so that work is never ever prioritised over home.” Angie has some sage advice for other mom bosses: “I love the feeling of knowing that when I'm working my heart out I'm building something awesome for myself and my family and not someone who sits in a corner office on the 18th floor.”
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F E A T U R E it sometimes is. The opportunities are endless. Through my children, I get to see myself as not just a woman, but a mother… a provider and nurturer.” Mathahle says she is able to maintain a work-life balance thanks to the support she receives from her husband. “We are in an equal partnership, which means we are both responsible for the wellbeing of our children but also for paying the bills at home. When I have to go away for work, he stays home for the kids and vice versa. When one of us wants to go on a night out with friends, the other will stay home with the kids. If we both need ‘time out’ alone together, we are lucky to have great relatives who are happy to babysit. We make it work.” On being the boss, Mathahle’s outlook is both practical and realistic. “The toughest part is probably making the final decisions and having to live with the consequences. It’s kind of like going from renting a home and owning one. Suddenly you can’t call the landlord to come and fix things – it’s all on you.” She aspires to change perceptions on beauty for black women through The Matte Project. She explains: “I want us as black women to feel validated in our own spaces, to feel ‘good enough’. I want to make black women more visible in the beauty context so that our daughters grow up knowing that all women can be beautiful. I also strongly want to send the message that beauty is not frivolous, and it has to do with way more than the way you look.”
Mathahle Stofile
Former beauty editor of Marie Claire turned entrepreneur, MATHAHLE STOFILE is also mother to her stepson, Sikhulule, 12, her son, Zimele, 3½ and daughter, Lima, 6 months. Mathahle heads up beauty consultancy The Matte Project. This project, in her own words, is “about driving conversations about beauty amongst black women. The aim is to share stories, beauty tips and tricks and really to edit down all the product messages we’re bombarded with to make them relevant to black women.”
However, starting out with her new business has had its challenges. “It has been very difficult and draining, emotionally and otherwise: the guilt you feel when you have to forgo certain things for your children because you have no idea when the next paycheck is coming in; the self-doubt and the temptation to update your CV and apply for another job; having to split your time between home and work... Luckily I have a great partner, who is also an entrepreneur. He’s my greatest supporter.”
Mathahle says that working from home has meant she gets to spend more time with her children. “I didn’t realise how much time I actually spent away from them until I started working from home,” she said.
I asked her how she feels her outlook on life has changed as a mother: “I now see how truly dangerous, unfair and ugly the world can be,” she replies. “I also see how beautiful, peaceful and breathtaking
"THROUGH MY CHILDREN, I GET TO SEE MYSELF AS NOT JUST A WOMAN, BUT A MOTHER… A PROVIDER AND NURTURER.”
So how would this go-getter define success? “At home, it would be getting a full night of restful sleep every night. It would also mean a healthy and happy family – so I guess in this regard I am very successful. At work it would be changing perceptions on beauty for black women and in general. Also, financial independence is very important to me, so that I can have more options and choices.” She adds, “I think success today no longer has a uniform or umbrella definition. Individualism is becoming more and more important to people so I feel like we are all generally paying more attention to what truly fulfills us rather than what is expected of us.” When it comes to “mom bosses”, Mathahle offers this advice: “Children want happy parents. Do what makes you happy – as long as you are not harming anyone in the process. Choose your battles…you can’t win them all. Lastly, don’t be too hard on yourself.”
Owning a business is not child’s play.
Sometimes it is.
GET IN THE GAME
Own a sports coaching franchise. Everyone wins. Economic Empowerment | Child Development | Youth Employment SOCIAL FRANCHISING SINCE 2005
www.sportforall.co.za
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A F F A I R S
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
The Threat of the Internet When Being Plugged In Becomes Poisonous
WITH SOCIAL MEDIA NOW A WORLDWIDE PHENOMENON, ANYONE CAN PLUG IN ANYWHERE, AT ANY TIME. HERE'S HOW TO AVOID THE THREATS THAT LURK ON SOCIAL MEDIA SITES. By Hazel Booth
WHAT HARM CAN HAPPEN TO KIDS? It’s 11am on a lazy Saturday and you’re checking Facebook when your 13-year-old daughter snuggles in next to you, sees your phone and announces she wants to have her own Facebook account. Now what? Before you give your child a brand spanking new tablet and a data bundle, consider what risks are out there in the cyber world. There will always be the danger of your child being exposed to age-inappropriate content. Check out the privacy settings and statements of the various social media platforms yourself so you know how to best make use of these. Achieving anonymity online is easy and with that comes the chance of cyberbullying. According to a study done by
C U R R E N T Unisa’s Youth Research Unit in 2012, cyberbullying increased by 40.3% in just two years. It can take the form of malicious comments or content, or your child’s account could be hacked. Make sure your child is aware that this behaviour needs to be reported. Cyberstalking is more sinister: a stalker targets vulnerable individuals purely to exploit them, so never allow your children to meet with a stranger. Paedophiles and child trafficking rings have been known to make use of social media platforms to befriend children, winning their trust by offering a gift or “holiday” in order to gain access to that child. They then expose children to adult content and force them into an inappropriate relationship. The US Trafficking in Persons 2014 report indicated that in Africa and the Middle East, between 2010 and 2012, sexual exploitation accounted for 53% of trafficking victims. It also indicated that the practice of forced marriage, or ukuthwala, is being used increasingly to force girls into sex trafficking. Possibly the worst threat is how ISIS has used social media to recruit young people to join their ranks. In 2014, CNN reported on three teenage girls who left the US and flew to Germany with the intention of heading to Turkey and eventually Syria. They had been in touch with ISIS recruiters on social media and gradually converted to Islamic fundamentalism. One of the parents noticed his daughter’s passport was missing and contacted the authorities. The girls were located in Germany and set back to Denver. UK chief spy Robert Hannigan said such extremist groups make use of social media platforms to engage with their target audience. They spread their message by making use of popular hashtags and do not show the full extent of their brutality, and so they gain support.
KEEP KIDS SAFE ONLINE Managing editor at DigiKids Catherine Jenkin advises the following: Have a chat: Talk to your child about their online behaviour, which apps are safe to download, what rules you have for their
data usage or sites that are a no-no. By involving them they will set boundaries in which they are personally invested. Set an example: “Children do, and always will, learn best by example. And yes, they have snuck a look at your WhatsApp history while you were in the loo, even when you think they haven’t,” she says. Check in: Establish an open device policy so you can check your child’s device at any time. If you’re wondering if it is an invasion of their privacy, keep in mind that protecting your child is part of being a parent. Say goodnight: Determine a set “bedtime” for both the child and the device. Lying in bed on a phone late at night is not healthy, so let your child know it needs to be given to you before bedtime. Get connected: Monitor the device by connecting it to a Google account. The browser history, Location information and YouTube watch and search history can be accessed in Google Account Settings from the Gmail account.
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DEFAMATION DON’TS As avid consumers of social media, adults are not exempt from the pitfalls of being plugged in. Social media law specialist and legal consultant Emma Sadlier explains that any content you post online is known as User Generated Content (UGC). By posting UGC, certain media laws will apply to you. One such law is the law of defamation which is defined as any statement made about a person which could lower their reputation. You may argue that you have the constitutional right to freedom of expression, however, Emma says, the right is limited as it cannot infringe on the rights of others, violate copyright or constitute hate speech. If you wouldn’t put your name and face next to that comment on a billboard, then you should not post the same content online.
CARELESS COMMENTS
In 2013 FHM writers Montle Moorosi and Maxim Barashenov were dismissed over comments they posted about Manager of Digitisation and Digital corrective rape on Facebook. The Hawks Services at UCT Libraries, Janine fired spokesman McIntosh Polela Dunlop, asked some hard questions in an article on Parent.24. The age restrictions after his ill-considered tweet about for Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are prison rape relating to Molemo Jub Jub Maarohanye’s murder conviction. 13, while Whatsapp and YouTube are 16 and 18 respectively. However, is your child mature enough at 13 to handle the In 2011, the issue of Sedick & Another and Krisray (Pty) Ltd (2011) 32 ILJ 752 sometimes adult content on Facebook? brought before the CCMA saw employees Will she be able to handle the social dismissed for “bringing the company pressure when her friends trade “likes” name, director, management and staff on Instagram for popularity while her posts are ignored? Age restrictions do not into serious disrepute in the public domain”. The employees aired their relate to emotional maturity and social media platforms can instil confidence or grievances regarding management on Facebook. Although made on their private nurture neediness in children. Facebook pages, it was published in the If your child devotes more time to being public domain. Thus, the employees’ online than interacting in normal social privacy was not infringed upon when situations, coupled with the ability management saw the comments online to delete, block or unfriend someone and approached the CCMA. online, they miss out on the practical experience of working out friendships “Anything you post online can make its and relationships face-to-face. Encourage way into the public domain and people interaction in the real world too. need to be mindful of this,” warns Nerushka Deosaran, an IT law specialist. Help your child to understand to stand up to peer pressure online. Kids must know it’s vital not to post PLAY IT SAFE personal information and that they can report any user who makes them feel Think twice before posting content as it uncomfortable or scared. can be shared widely and is difficult to remove. Refrain from posting negative comments about working conditions or colleagues, or inappropriate images or commentary about risqué behaviour. As a rule of thumb, ensure your posts reflect the kind of professional image you wish to have.
ESTABLISH AN OPEN DEVICE POLICY SO YOU CAN CHECK YOUR CHILD’S DEVICE AT ANY TIME.
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Kingdom of Dahomey
AFRICAN WOMEN’S HISTORY: The Dahomey Amazons
THE ORIGINS OF THE DAHOMEY AMAZONS (ALSO KNOWN AS THE MINO OF BENIN) ARE CONTESTED, BUT GENERAL CONSENSUS IS THAT THEY AROSE OUT OF THE KING’S HAREM IN 1645, TURNING INTO A BODYGUARD AND EVENTUALLY MORPHING INTO AN ELITE KILLING FORCE UNDER KING AGADJA (1708-1740). By Zoë Hinis
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"THERE THEY ARE, 4 000 WARRIORS, THE 4 000 BLACK VIRGINS OF DAHOMEY, THE MONARCH'S BODYGUARD, MOTIONLESS IN THEIR WAR GARMENTS, WITH GUN AND KNIFE IN HAND, READY TO LEAP FORWARD AT THE MASTER'S SIGNAL. OLD OR YOUNG, UGLY OR BEAUTIFUL, THEY ARE WONDERFUL TO LOOK AT. THEY ARE AS WELL BUILT AS THE MALE WARRIORS AND THEIR ATTITUDE IS JUST AS DISCIPLINED AND CORRECT, LINED UP AS THOUGH AGAINST A ROPE". M. EDWARD CHAUDOIN THREE MONTHS IN CAPTIVITY IN DAHOMEY – 1891
T
heir training would make a SEAL cry – running up barricades made of two-inch acacia thorns, survival training in forests for nine days with just a machete, and insensitivity training: the required slaughter of helpless prisoners of war in front of the community in annual ceremonies. They were also expected to perform public executions. A French naval officer named Jean Bayol visited the Abomey in December in 1889. In his written account, he writes of Nanisca, a teenage recruit who had yet to kill someone. When ordered to execute a young, bound prisoner, she “walked jauntily up to him, swung her sword three times with both hands, then calmly cut the last flesh that attached the head to the trunk… She then squeezed the blood off her weapon and swallowed it.” Obviously, all written accounts should be taken critically, but given the general viciousness of their insensitivity training, (the hurling of prisoners off walls to baying crowds below), the story is not Map of Benin unlikely.
They ran for brutally long distances, did live-fire exercises using prisoners of wars as moving targets and generally trained harder and longer than their male counterparts. Wielding two-
Seh-Dong-Hong-Beh, a leader of the Amazons
handed, double-bladed machetes on staffs, clubs and old muskets, the Dahomey Amazons became the frontline of the army, destroying armies twice as large. They trained and fought in battalions, two of which were called The Elephant Destroyers and The Reapers respectively. The Reapers were famed for their weapon: three-foot long razors, wielded capably in two hands. They crushed the Kingdom of Savi and the Whydah people in 1727, then publicly executed 4 000 prisoners of war. They crushed the Allada. And for what might considered extra credit now, they captured Okeadon by sneaking over the walls at night and opening the gates, allowing the rest of the Amazons in for plenty of murderous fun. It is estimated that in the course of four major campaigns in the latter half of the 19th century, they lost between 6 000 and 15 000 of these warrior women. And it was a good life for these women – not only did they escape the drudgery of household duties, but they had access to tobacco and alcohol, as well as
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many as 50 slaves. When the Mino left the palace, they were preceded by a slave girl ringing a bell to warn men to get out of their path and avoid eye contact. Strangers could not approach them on pain of death. Essentially married to the king, they were made celibate in theory. Historians believe that the women were recruited not because of any idea of gender equality - they were seen as men from the moment of their first disembowelment – but because the Fon were so outnumbered by their neighbours and needed the women to round out their army. The Smithsonian provides evidence from accounts at the time: "Backing for this hypothesis can be found in the writings of Commodore Arthur Eardley Wilmot, a British naval officer who called at Dahomey in 1862 and observed that women heavily outnumbered men in its towns—a phenomenon that he attributed to a combination of military losses and the effects of the slave trade. Around the same time Western visitors to Abomey noticed a sharp jump in the number of female soldiers. Records suggest that there were about 600 women in the Dahomean army from the 1760s until the 1840s—at which point King Gezo expanded the corps to as many as 6 000." In 1894, at the beginning of the war between the troops of General Dodds and the kingdom of Abomey, the army contained about 4 000 amazons divided into three brigades. "They are armed with double-bladed knives and Winchester rifles. These amazons perform wonders of bravery; they come to within 50 feet of our positions to be killed..." (Captain Jouvelet, 1894).
men. It also challenges the dominant narrative of Africa: that its women are weak and powerless, subject to the whims of men and government. For that reason alone, it is a history worth sharing.
1645:
King’s harem members become first members of the king’s bodyguard, and later the Mino
1708- 1704:
King Agadja turns the bodyguard into an elite killing force
1727: The Dahomey Amazons crush the Kingdom of Savi and the Whydah people, and execute 4 000 prisoners 1840s: Dahomey army at its peak, with 6 000 women warriors 1894:
Beginning of the Dahomey-Franco war, which lasts seven weeks. The Mino are crushed and only 50 survive. King Behanzin goes into exile
1979:
The last of the Dahomey Amazons dies, aged over 100.
After many, many decades of unsurpassed military prowess, the Dahomey Amazons finally met their match. It took seven weeks and 23 battles for the French to finally subdue these superbly skilled fighters, who had none of the ordinance but balls bigger than any other nation. They were praised by the French and English for their discipline, their skill and their toughness. This in spite of a Dahomey warrior decapitating a French governor, making his wife wrap his head in the tri-colour flag and bringing it home to the king. And despite this, in their last stand the Dahomey women were praised for their outstanding bravery by their enemies: A French Foreign Legionnaire named Bern lauded them as “warrioresses… [they] fight with extreme valour, always ahead of the other troops. They are outstandingly brave… well trained for combat and very disciplined.” A French Marine, Henri Morienval, thought them “remarkable for their courage and their ferocity… flung themselves on our bayonets with prodigious bravery.” All but 50 of the 4 000 Dahomey Amazons died in their battles with the French. Some of those that remained, however, toured the United States as part of Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show. It is estimated that the last of the Amazons died in 1979, aged well over 100, and saw her country gain its independence. Even if we peruse through all the stories and adjust them to account for the Western gaze and biases in reporting, there still remains the story of a towering military force. Though they may have been recruited to supplement numbers initially, they showed remarkable aptitude and bravery doing what was considered then (and still is) the work of
Gelele, King of the Amazons
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REDEFINING FEMININITY
WITH THE INCANDESCENT ARRIVAL OF CAITLIN JENNER, ABLAZE IN VICTORY AND CAPTURED IN HER MOMENT BY ANNIE LEIBOWITZ, IT SEEMS LIKE 2015 IS FINALLY THE YEAR THAT THE WORLD GETS AROUND TO ACCEPTING TRANSGENDER PEOPLE, AND WE CAN ALL GO HOME NOW. THE WORK IS DONE, AND EVERYONE LIVES HAPPILY EVER AFTER. By Zoë Hinis
E
xcept that behind Caitlin’s beautiful arrival there lies an ugly history of the exclusion of transgendered people from all walks of life: from medical care, political office, jobs, schools and even public restrooms. Gender reassignment is costly and either only partially covered or completely ignored by medical aid schemes and governments.
enough attention being given to transgender issues, restricting the number of carers. As for the rural areas, there is a horrifying lack of facilities for trans patients. Murder of trans people for their identity has become commonplace enough that an organisation called the Trans Murder Monitoring Project exists, under the aegis of Transgender Europe. They can only monitor reported murders, which suggests that the numbers might be much higher. 78% of the 1 350 reported trans murders since 2008 took place in Central and South America. So when someone does rise above these horrors, and makes the transition, or even approaches something close to it, it is often against insurmountable odds.
In South Africa, despite shining protection by the Constitution, transgender people face an unwilling and ignorant medical community, especially in the public health sector. In a survey of South African transgendered persons by Gender Dynamix and amfAR titled “Transgender access to sexual health services in South Africa”, many of the respondents were asked humiliating questions about their sex lives and anatomy by doctors and nurses, and their stated identity often ignored. Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover
There is a little hope though, in that the private sector experience is a great deal better, even though many can’t afford medical aid. In the South African Medical Journal, in an article titled “Transgender issues in South Africa, with particular reference to the Groote Schuur Hospital Transgender Unit”, it is noted that
The Groote Schuur Transgender Unit is under immense pressure. It only has the funding to do 2-3 gender reassignment operations annually, with monthly referrals of 3-4 clients. As it stands, there is a waiting time of up to 20 years for surgery. At undergraduate and postgraduate level, there is not
Cerenha La'Croa'n is a 32 year old nurse, formidable at 1m 95cm. She began her life as Gustavo, a boy working in the sugar fields in northern Argentina, with a machista father who beat him regularly for his femininity. It was only a chance meeting with a social worker who was openly gay that Gustavo began to realise that, despite his mother’s claims, he wasn’t ill, not at all. Gustavo moved alone to Buenos Aires, determined to live in the cosmopolitan city. He began working hard at a variety of small jobs; selling candy, books and wallets and cleaning houses.
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Emboldened in her new gender, Cerenha decided to become a nurse, even though being trans would be a huge obstacle to finding work. In Argentina, most trans persons turn to sex work due to the discrimination they face. Cerenha earned her nursing degree from a high-ranking Catholic nursing institute, Profesorado Padre Luis de Tessa, and set out to find work as a nurse. She works as a volunteer at J.M Ramos, the hospital she was admitted to after a car accident broke both her legs. She returns to the hospital each day after finishing her paid work, caring for a 93 year-old man with Alzheimers. With her unstoppable energy and incredible compassion, she helps the nurses by bathing patients and
tending to them, while also restoring their looks, using her knowledge gained as a beautician in her pre-nursing years. Sadly, though, even after a year of this service, Cerenha is still waiting for a job. In Argentina, it is illegal to discriminate against transgendered people in the workplace, but it still happens. But there
TRANSITIONING INCLUDES SEX REASSIGNMENT THERAPY AS WELL AS PHYSICAL CHANGES, AND OFTEN HAS TO BE DONE WITHIN A TRANSPHOBIC MEDICAL ENVIRONMENT.
is still a chance for Cerenha: the author of her story Meredith Hoffman stated that "When she talked to the J. M. Ramos supervisor she claimed a number of jobs had just opened up, and predicted that La'Croa'n will soon get hired. "I'd be very proud, because she'd be our first transgender nurse," says the supervisor, Alicia Noemi Marchiorre. "She has a great sense of etiquette, and aesthetics. She's intelligent, cordial and pretty." Cerenha is one of hundreds of thousands facing discrimination, abuse and violence across the world. But the tide is turning, though it does so slowly. Look at Laverne Cox, who plays Sophia Burset on Orange is the New Black. She also produced and starred in her own show, TRANSForm Me, making her the first African-American transgender person to star in her own show. She attempted suicide at the age of 11, bullied for not behaving as befitting her birth gender. She has since gone on to advocate for the rights of trans people, and has received multiple awards for her contribution to trans rights, as well as topping the World Pride Power List and the OUT Power 50 List.
Images courtesy of Google and Shutterstock
The first moment that Cerenha began to emerge was the moment Gustavo received a purse from a friend. Gustavo adored the object, and began to add more female accessories and elements to his persona, until in 2009, Gustavo the cocoon was shed to reveal Cerenha La'Croa'n. The first name comes from an Argentinian soap opera character in “Don Juan and his Fair Lady”, and La’Croa’n is a shuffling of Cerenha’s last name to create a new one.
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THERE ISN’T ENOUGH SPACE IN THIS MAGAZINE TO COVER THE INDIGNITIES AND HORRORS TRANS PERSONS FACE. Chelsea Manning, who bravely disclosed nearly three-quarters of a million sensitive military and diplomatic documents to Wikileaks, was born Bradley Edward Manning. Suffering from gender identity disorder since childhood, Bradley joined the army in the hope of confirming his identity as a male. But it was in the sharing of the Wikileaks information that Chelsea found kinship and comfort outside the military, and announced the day after her sentencing that she had felt female since childhood. Her reason for sharing the data was to reveal the nature of American warfare, including helicopter attacks on civilians and Guantanamo Bay files on prisoners. For her whistleblowing, Chelsea Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, where she is undergoing hormone replacement therapy and writes for external publications. She also tweets as @xychelsea.
Caitlyn Jenner
other families with transgender children, Jazz first faced discrimination when she tried to join her state’s girls soccer team. After a long legal battle, the United States Soccer Federation lifted the ban, creating a policy encouraging the inclusion of transgender athletes. Jazz is an author, and starred in the documentary I Am Jazz: A Family in Transition. The TKPRF mission is to create a safer and more inclusive society for transgender children, including curriculum changes in schools and medical universities. They also reach out to homeless trans youth.
Across the world, transgendered people face challenges no human should ever have to face. But there is some hope, as we see legislations change all around the world to accept LBGTIQA people. The change comes with time, but it will also happen faster with pressure from the people who care. It is grand to see the welcome Caitlin received (even if some pundits were terrible about it) – if such a welcome could be extended to all trans people, then maybe we could truly say that we’re living in the future.
Images courtesy of Google and Shutterstock
And finally, the story of Jazz, a 14 year old girl who is the face of a foundation for trans kids called Transkids Purple Rainbow. Founded by her parents to help
Laverne Cox
Cerenha La'Croa'n
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F A S H I O N
Vivo Garmin Vivo! Printed Headdress Burgundy Fly Blue and Yellow silk wrap Joel Janse van Vuuren at Egality Dress Sungoddess Bracelets Mr Price Woven Bangle Pichulik at Egality
F A S H I O N
I
f you equate Garmin with, “In 200 metres you will have reached your destination”, then let us share with you the progressive direction the company has taken — and dominated. Garmin is the leader in navigation and has long also been known for their superior fitness devices. But now, those fitness devices have reached a whole new level — encouraging fitness while embracing fashion.
The Afropolitan magazine is pleased to exclusively present the Garmin VÍVOFIT® and Jonathan Adler ranges of wellness devices. VÍVOFIT® is a stylish lightweight wellness band that encourages you to live a healthier lifestyle and stay active. It greets you with a personalised daily goal, tracks your progress and reminds you when it’s time to move. In the spirit of combining wellness with fashion, you can now also flaunt your fitness with VÍVOFIT® bands from renowned potter and designer Jonathan Adler — a range offering vibrant colours and patterns that can accessorize any outfit — and you’ll be tracking your steps in style from gym to office to a night on the town.
IN THE SPIRIT OF COMBINING WELLNESS WITH FASHION, YOU CAN NOW ALSO FLAUNT YOUR FITNESS WITH VÍVOFIT® BANDS. VÍVOFIT® also monitors your steps, sleep and calories around the clock. It’s the only activity tracker with 1+ year battery life, so you never have to take it off to charge it. The Jonathan Adler range is available as accessory packs (Manhattan Bundle, Newport, Palm Beach and Waikiki Trio) for your existing vívofit. VÍVOFIT® retail price is R1899 and R2299 for the heart rate monitor bundle. *Jonathan Adler bands sold separately
For more information go to: www.garmin.co.za/vivo
Dress Kluk CGDT Handbag Jo Borkett Suit Eurosuit Shirt Ted Baker Neckpiece Kirsten Goss
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Ashanti Wears Dress Jo Borkett, Handbag and Jewellery Stylist’s own Papi wears suit and shirt Eurosuit Zoe wears Dress Avant Apparel at Egality, Gloves Aldo, Earrings Stylist’s own Ryan wears suit jacket Eurosuit, shirt, belt and trousers Ted Baker Mikayla wears dress Avant Apparel, handbag Missibaba
Ashanti Wears Dress Jo Borkett, Handbag and Jewellery Stylist’s own
Suit Eurosuit
Papi wears suit and shirt Eurosuit
Shirt Ted Baker
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GARMIN IS THE LEADER IN NAVIGATION AND HAS LONG ALSO BEEN KNOWN FOR THEIR SUPERIOR FITNESS DEVICES. BUT NOW, THOSE FITNESS DEVICES HAVE REACHED A WHOLE NEW LEVEL —ENCOURAGING FITNESS WHILE EMBRACING FASHION.
Dress Polo, Necklace Mr Price, Ring Jo Borkett, Handbag Ted Baker
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VÍVOFIT® IS A STYLISH LIGHTWEIGHT WELLNESS BAND THAT ENCOURAGES YOU TO LIVE A HEALTHIER LIFESTYLE AND STAY ACTIVE. STOCKISTS Aldo Accessories
012 368 1045/011 784 65 46
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011 883 7240
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083 377 7730
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Shirt Jo Borkett, Jeans Polo, Sneakers Superga
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P R O P E R T Y
The Rise and Rise of
Utopia
FROM "LITTLE TUSCANY" TO UTOPIAN STEYN CITY: HOW HAS THE AFROPOLITAN HOME DESIGN CHANGED OVER THE YEARS IN STYLE AND LOCATION?
Images courtesy of Steyn City
By Michelle Randall
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B
ack in 1976, principal designer Mannie Feldman, together with Manfred Hermer and Rodney Grosskopf, unveiled the first cylindrical skyscraper in Africa. Ponte City was hailed as a sleek utopian housing complex in the exclusively white, well-to-do innercity neighborhood of Hillbrow. At the bottom of the building, lucky residents had access to retail stores, restaurants, and a gym. And at one point, the designers even envisioned a ski-slope in the building's massive hollow core. We all know what happened to Ponte. Whenever people start talking about the idea of utopia, I want to point them in the direction of Ponte, to witness the physical evidence of the rise and fall (and subsequent rise) of the utopian dream. That's the thing about buildings: they stand where you build them, no matter how the world changes around them. And boy, the world has changed.
GATED COMMUNITIES AND LITTLE TUSCANY In only a few decades since Ponte's unveiling, Johannesburg became the home of the "gated community." Utopia was no longer a high rise apartment, but a Tuscan-styled villa with a walledin postcard garden and a guardhouse. In a 2004 report presented by the The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) about gated communities in South Africa, the rise of security villages - particularly in the densely urbanised areas of Gauteng - was attributed to the alarming crime rate and a demand for security. "These areas are purpose-built by private developers with security being the most important requirement, although lifestyle requirements are also important." How we jumped from the need for security to the ubiquitous Tuscan Villa as an architectural answer, one can merely postulate. Perhaps it has to do with the fact that Tuscan architecture denotes a sense of community in an increasingly insular society. As we retreat further and further behind our walls and electric fences, we long for a quaint piazza where we can greet the village baker by name, Ciao Mario!
Steyn City
Unfortunately, at the height of the "Little Tuscany" trend, developers weren't including the piazza in the deal. They were squeezing out as many profitable townhouses as they could in the allotted land space, usually situated
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a forty-minute or longer commute from the city. And poor us, with few options, were buying the house but getting short-changed on the lifestyle.
an ideology of happiness. It's all about the lifestyle here. EVERYTHING YOU WANT OUT OF The security features are simply a given. If we could define in today's Johannesburg, wouldn't it equate to a LIFE IS ON YOUR DOORSTEP AT utopia living space that provides not only security, but the luxury Which is why it's interesting to see how the golf estate has of the piazza lifestyle too? Estates in Johannesburg that ESTATES LIKE STEYN been designed and started redefining villageCITY, living in aBLAIR offer luxury living with direct access to a safe and secure concrete jungle! ATHOLL AND MONAGHAN FARM. outdoors lifestyle. These developments offers the most of it, if not the best there is.
AN IDEOLOGY DESIGNED AROUND HAPPINESS
Images courtesy of Steyn City
When one looks at Golf Estates such as Blair Atholl and similar offerings in the form of Monaghan Farm and Waterfall Estate, they have all been designed according to
The Steyn City development under the guidance of property developer Giuseppe Plumari and businessman Douw Steyn who both shared a dream to develop a city that feels uniquely South African, based the design of the City within a city on the pedestrianized, community-orientated
Family play park, Steyn City
Cyclists cycling past the 9th Green
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Showpiece apartment lounge
cities of old. Steyn City puts people (not cars) at the centre of all activities. Basically, to follow through with the analogy we've presented, Steyn City is designed around the piazza. What you'll get, if you live here, is a heretofore unprecedented quality of life in Johannesburg. All your amenities are conveniently within reach in a secure, upmarket environment. These estates are selling you not only happiness but peace of mind.
ENCOURAGING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A CITY AND ITS INHABITANTS Everything you want out of life is on your doorstep at estates like Steyn City. If you're a resident, you'll have access to acres of green belts and parklands, health clubs, swimming pools, tennis courts, squash courts, a 60km off-road mountain bike track, a running track, a promenade, and an equestrian centre. You get to wake up in the morning and decide whether you want to play a round of golf, or go fishing. All of this is available on the property!
Showpiece apartment dining room & kitchen
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P R O P E R T Y Their adoption of a lifestyle-centered approach is a breath of fresh air in a faux-Tuscan-smothered Johannesburg. Here you'll get the house and the lifestyle. And if you ever doubt the limitlessness of the capacity to dream, you need only cast your eyes towards Palazzo Steyn, Douw Steyn's palatial Steyn City residence and its manmade aqueduct. Whether you think it a nouveau-rich eyesore or a visionary expression of imagination, it's there to tell a tale many years from now: one that begins with the definition of utopia.
Giuseppe Plumari, CEO Steyn City Properties
On some of these developments education facilities are and will be made available and Waterfall Estate and others boast their own Medical Centre. And if you're worried about your parents, there are retirement options on hand. Steyn City however is redefining utopia with the development of the city's piazza (scheduled for completion in 2018) which will include retail outlets, restaurants, boutiques and delicatessens. Steyn City is redefining utopia.
KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES When it comes to status, you'll be able to wear your golf estate address like a badge (but you'll probably be too busy mountain biking or horse riding to care). If you're keen on the idea of opening your door on a Sunday morning and being able to jog around a lake (or two), or letting your kids ride their bikes in the street without the fear of them being hit by a car, you may have found your version of utopia in Johannesburg's secure estates.
STEYN CITY HAS BEEN DESIGNED ACCORDING TO AN IDEOLOGY OF HAPPINESS. IT'S ALL ABOUT THE LIFESTYLE HERE. THE SECURITY FEATURES ARE SIMPLY A GIVEN.
the largest parkland in joburg to build your dream house and 99 more reasons to make this your home sales enquiries: 010 597 1040
2000 acres of land, 1000 acres of parkland, the largest woodland in Johannesburg. Nothing we show you can prepare you for what you will see. So book your exclusive viewing appointment on-line and experience the Grand Tour.
K i d s & Te e n s Wo n d e r l a n d • S p o r t & R e c r e a t i o n • L e g e n d a r y G o l f • R e s t a u r a n t s & R e t a i l • L e i s u r e • E q u e s t r i a n
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hospital
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heliport
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webb app
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Education • Innovative Infrastructure • City Living • Commercial • Retirement • Conservation • Security
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Q&A with
GARETH PON George Clooney and ice cream on a Sunday Getting to know Af rica’s
#1
r Ins tagram me
H
e describes himself as a “wanderer” and a “believer” with dreams of going to space and a rocket tattoo to match, but the more you learn about this talented creative, the less inclined you are to label him at all. Put simply, he evades simple labels and that’s exactly his magic. Crowned Africa’s top Instagrammer with more than 200k followers on the photo sharing platform, it seems like everyone wants to witness a bit of magic.
If a movie was made about your life, who would play you?
“Everyone should have at least one ridiculous dream they believe can come true”
From Big Fish: “There comes a point when any reasonable man will swallow his pride and admit he made a mistake. The truth is... I was never a reasonable man…”
When he’s not racking up the likes on Instagram, he can be found honing his craft as a filmmaker and photographer. Featured on the Huffington Post and other prestigious sites, Gareth’s talents have been recognised far beyond the borders of the continent. Quick to create inspired visual campaigns, we challenged Gareth to answer some quick-fire questions in 60 seconds. After all, sometimes the best way to get to know someone is to ask them “Kendrick or Kanye?
There’s nothing better than... Ice cream on a Sunday.
George Clooney would try to play me.
How does your perfect weekend begin? Sleeping.
Favourite line from a movie or song?
My mama always told me… Finish my food or else I wouldn’t be allowed to have anything to drink.
If you won the lottery, what’s the first thing you’d buy? Probably a pizza.
We’re jumping on a plane to your dream destination, where are we going?
If you could only listen to one album for the rest of your life, what At the moment probably Japan or Russia. would it be? Favourite pair of sneakers in your closet? That’s hard. “Mmhmm” by Relient K. Where does the perfect weekend begin?
Nike Flyknit Air Max.
On a plane going somewhere overseas.
Live life knowing that if you die you’ll be missed.
Kendrick or Kanye?
If you could be an animated character, who would you be?
Neither.
Popeye.
Famous last words?
Double tap this interview? Follow Gareth on Instagram and Twitter, or check out his website.
Houston
Joelene
Jennifer
Latino
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REC INER
Greta
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H O M E
L U X U R I E S
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At the flick of a
IMAGINE A HOME WHERE, WITH THE TOUCH OF A BUTTON, YOU COULD DIM THE LIGHTS, START THE COFFEE MACHINE AND EVEN SET THE TEMPERATURE OF YOUR HOME FROM A REMOTE LOCATION. IT’S NO LONGER A THING OF FANTASY: SMART HOMES ARE NOW A REALITY.
Image courtesy of ymgerman / Shutterstock.com
By Hazel Booth
H
ome automation: those words conjure up an abode fit for James Bond which has been kitted out with every imaginable gadget and device that an international man of mystery would need. After all, it’s difficult to imagine Bond doing the dishes or setting the washing machine timer – hardly spy-work that. A Bondworthy lair needs automated electronic control of appliances, household features and activities.
The popularity of home automation has grown exponentially in recent years. With most families now living a fastpaced lifestyle, automated homes take the pressure off tight schedules, long hours at the office or kids that need to be ferried to after school activities. Let’s face it: a home that runs itself simply makes life… simple. It leaves you with more time to handle the important business of living.
WHAT IS HOME AUTOMATION? Home automation refers to the installation of control systems for a range of components in the home including security, surveillance, lighting, appliances and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) that can be remotely or automatically controlled. So, after completing a meeting in Cape Town
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and you are en route to the airport to catch your flight to Joburg, you can remotely automate your home to ensure the temperature has been set, the lights are on when you arrive home and the lawn has been watered – using an app on your smartphone.
HOW DOES IT WORK? Home automation relies on software which connects via networks to a smart device. The average desktop, laptop or even tablet and smartphone can become the regulator of the functionality of your automated home. A touch of a button can adjust the temperature in a room, control the amount of sunlight by adjusting window shades or adjust the volume of your home entertainment system. Let’s get down to the nitty gritty: in order for that touch of a button on your PC to translate into the lights in your home being dimmed or the sprinkler system running from exactly 9:15pm to 9:45pm, you need sensors, controllers and actuators. If any changes occur in the home – for example, temperature, sunlight or motion – the sensors will relay that information to the home automation system. Your desktop, tablet or smartphone will act as the controller which can send and receive information on the status of the automated features installed in your home. Actuators are motors, light switches or motorised valves which control a particular automated feature.
WHICH FEATURES CAN BE AUTOMATED? Lighting: Set lights to turn on when you enter a room or turn off when not in use. Presets can also create ambience or to turn lights on before you arrive home in the evening. Home security: Should your house alarm go off, you can check the rooms with a glance at your tablet or smartphone and reset the alarm. Get real time text and email alerts if something is wrong. There is also the option to include child or pet monitoring. Tempur adjustable mattress
Appliance management: who wouldn’t want to wake up to freshly brewed coffee and the TV already tuned to the morning news? You can preset appliances to run at scheduled times to suit your needs. Disaster management: Monitor not only for fire hazards, but carbon monoxide levels as well. Entertainment system control: with just the tap of a button on your smartphone, you can dim the lights, cue the playlist on the sound system and turn on the TV when your guests are about to arrive. Thermostat control: set the heating system to come on at certain times to ensure your home is warm during the coldest parts of the day. Irrigation: Pre-set the timer on your sprinkler system to ensure the most efficient water use. Data: You can stream HD video and see the latest series online. Window covering controls: Shades can be timed to open just after your morning alarm has gone off, or should you be away on holiday to open to allow enough sunlight to reach indoor plants while giving the impression the home is inhabited. What about a smart bedroom, one that is designed to ensure you get the best night’s sleep through technology? Originally developed to protect and provide comfort to astronauts on the NASA space programme, Tempur mattresses offer a feeling of weightlessness by conforming to the contours of your body. They also give total support to your body without any counter pressure and encourage optimal blood flow through the body by removing nerve pressure. The Tempur range of adjustable base systems are technologically designed for Tempur mattresses and at a flick of a button allow you to raise your head, body or legs via remote control in order to relieve pressure on both your body and heart. It also improves circulation within your body!
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In other words, you can automate almost everything… except your children.
BUILDING WITH HOME AUTOMATION IN MIND Should you be building a home, consider installing a home automation system. Alternately, should finances or time constraints not allow for it now, design your home in such a way that an automation system can be integrated seamlessly at a later stage. For this purpose, ensure that conduits are installed throughout the house during building to connect all the rooms. It’s best to use a larger conduit as the minimum diameter needed would be 25mm but in order to connect different floors or make use of HDMI cabling (high definition multimedia interface), you will need 32mm – 50mm conduits.
WHAT ABOUT SUSTAINABLE LIVING? Today the average South African consumer is bombarded with messages about sustainable living – being kinder to the environment, utilising resources in an ecologically smart manner. How does that tie in to a home automation system, which, at first glance may seem to be the hedonistic privilege of a wealthy few? Consider this: a home automation system can reduce your energy and electricity consumption, you can schedule certain appliances to run during off peak hours for electricity usage; irrigation systems can be timed in order to reduce water consumption; energy smart lighting and temperature control can be scheduled to switch on and off at the most economical times and your home automation system can meet the needs of your lifestyle. Ultimately, this means more rands in your pocket at the end of the month.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HOME AUTOMATION? Home automation goes further than keeping up appearances or outdoing your neighbour who insists on buying the latest gadgets every month. Through installing a home automation
system, you will enjoy peace of mind knowing the security on your home is boosted and you will be notified immediately of any changes to the system. By being able to create ambience and control temperature, you can entertain guests effortlessly – before they even arrive, your lighting and music will be pre-set and the focus can remain on the time spent together. Added to this, you will save not only on labour, time and materials but also on your electricity bill at the end of the month, too.
WHO CAN DO THE INSTALLATION? Get your friends around a braai and ask about builders and invariably the conversation will turn to builders who did shoddy work or charged an exorbitant amount for the job. You can avoid that pitfall. If you are looking for a reputable company to install a home automation system for you, then consider using a Custom Electronic Design and Installation Association (CEDIA) accredited company. CEDIA members adhere to a strict code of professional conduct and ethics and are properly licensed. For a list of CEDIA accredited home automation companies in South Africa, see below or visit www. cedia.org/find-a-cedia-professional
CEDIA Accredited Installers: »» »» »» »» »» »»
»» »»
4ward-design: 17 Prince Street Gardens, Cape Town, Western Cape 8001, 021 467 9100 Audio Visual Designs (Pty) Ltd, PO Box 1185, Lanseria, Gauteng 1748, 011 782 1231 or 011 875 2293, www.audiovisualdesigns.co.za BNC Technology, 16 Skeen Boulevard, Johannesburg, Gauteng 2008, 011 023 7662, www.bnctechnology.co.za Cinema Architects, 63 Voortrekker Street, PO Box 3869, Vereeniging, Gauteng, 1930, 016 455 1000, www.cinema-architects.co.za Intello Home, La Lucia Mall, Shop L57, 90 William Campbell Drive, La Lucia, KwaZulu-Natal, 4051, 031 572 3498, www.intellohome.co.za Smart Lifestyle, Unit 33, Buena Vista Office Park, Cnr Durban & Kendal Roads, Durbanville, Western Cape, 7350, 0861 762 784, www.hometheatreshop.co.za Smart Spaces, 12 Oxbow Crescent, The Estuaries, Century Boulevard, Century City, Western Cape, 7750, 021 551 0645, www.smartspaces.co.za Sphere Custom, Ste. 1, Queens Park Studios, 16-24 Queens Park Road, Salt River, Cape Town, Western Cape, 7925, 082 903 4344, www.spherecustom.com
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T R A V E L
Get Up, Stand Up,
Explore the
Caribbean By Michelle Randall
WHAT CAN A TRAVELLER LOOK FORWARD TO IN THE LAND OF BOB MARLEY, RIHANNA, USAIN BOLT AND COOL RUNNINGS? IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR THE ULTIMATE ESCAPE, THE ISLANDS OF THE CARIBBEAN OFFER UNIQUE CULTURE, ENDLESS SANDY BEACHES, ADVENTURE ACTIVITIES AND GORGEOUS WEATHER NOT TO MENTION COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF RUM - WHICH MAKE THEM THE PERFECT CHOICE FOR A TROPICAL GETAWAY.
T R A V E L
JAMAICA ME CRAZY The grand-daddy of the Caribbean islands, Jamaica is famous for being the birthplace of musical legend Bob Marley, and offers culture in spades. The island's musical tradition digs its
roots back to the folk songs of West Africa, and today, pumps out 21st century rhythms (or "riddums") in the electronic beats of contemporary Dancehall. Music is Jamaica's soul, and wherever you go, you'll find yourself swaying to it - be it blasting from a street corner sound system, gospel choirs from one of the islands many churches, or reflected in the lyricism of the language. For a snapshot view of Jamaica's raw energy, head to Kingston. Here you'll experience riotous street parties in between cosmopolitan galleries and world-class eateries. Don't miss a chance to visit the Bob Marley Museum on Hope Road, where the musical legend lived and recorded (and played plenty of soccer) from 1975 until his death in 1981. In the north-east corner of the island, Montego Bay will give you the perfect
MUSIC IS JAMAICA'S SOUL, AND WHEREVER YOU GO, YOU'LL FIND YOURSELF SWAYING TO IT - BE IT BLASTING FROM A STREET CORNER SOUND SYSTEM, GOSPEL CHOIRS FROM ONE OF THE ISLANDS MANY CHURCHES, OR REFLECTED IN THE LYRICISM OF THE LANGUAGE.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock
W
ith loads of Caribbean destination options available, you need only decide what kind of holiday you're in the mood for: do you want romantic seclusion, or adrenaline-fueled adventure? Or are you looking for an all-inclusive mash-up of the best the Caribbean has to offer? We've got you covered. Here are The Afropolitan's favourite Caribbean Island escapes, and what you can look forward to when you visit them:
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Sandals Royal Caribbean, Jamaica
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launchpad from which to explore the verdant jungles of Lethe and the rugged adventure terrain of Cockpit Country. Besides the beaches (which are amazing) and the resorts (which range from dodgy to deluxe), think of Jamaica as Jah's Garden, a massive tropical paradise that's begging to be explored. Hike into the rainforests to discover hidden waterfalls, summit Blue Mountain Peak for sunrise views of surrounding coffee plantations, dive or snorkel the coral reefs beneath crystalline waters, swim at the Blue Lagoon (named after the Brooke Shields film), go rafting down the Rio Grande River, or ride a bicycle through the streets. Take it slow, though. There's always time to spare in Jamaica.
SUMPTUOUS SAINT LUCIA Luxury seekers make a beeline to the island of Saint Lucia for powder-white beaches, lush forests, and cultural flair. Famous for its all-inclusive resorts, Saint Lucia is a great choice for honeymooners looking for a romantic getaway that's dripping with comfort (but which is kinder to your wallet than Saint Barths). While you might want to spend your days lazing on the sands of Anse Chastanet beach, there's plenty to do to keep you entertained. Walk the jungle-shrouded Des Cartiers Rainforest Trail to spot the colourful Saint Lucia Parrot, kite-surf at Anse des Sables (sandy beach), climb the volcanic Pitons, or visit the pirate ruins at Pigeon Island. For foodies, Saint Lucia's capital city Castries is a gastronomic destination. In fact, put it on your bucket list. Here you'll find Caribbean creole cuisine with a twist (think lionfish ceviche and guava cheesecake).
Rodney Bay in the north offers modern seaside comforts, while Soufrière in the south will give you access to old plantations, hidden beaches and the chance to pimp your Instagram with the photogenic Pitons.
BUSTLING BARBADOS
In between all the revelry, take some time to visit the Unesco World Heritage site of Bridgetown, or, if you're a surfer, brave the waters on the Atlantic-battered east coast. For history buffs, a visit to St Nicholas Abbey - one of the oldest plantation houses in the Caribbean - is a must. Wherever you go in Barbados, you'll get a warm welcome.
Barbados is an island that can truly boast it has it all. In between its colonial plantation houses and sugar-cane fields, Barbados offers incredible beach resorts and pumping nightlife. The party never ends here, which, considering that Barbados is the birthplace of Rihanna, makes a whole lot of sense. Expect to drink plenty of rum.
Despite the island's party reputation, Barbados is considered the best family destination among its Caribbean cousins, mostly due to the massive selection of family-friendly resorts that offer kid-centric activities. If you're looking for an exotic family holiday to give you bragging rights among the other moms on the school run, Barbados is it.
Scrub Island Resort
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BEAUTIFUL BAHAMAS With a scattering of some 700 islands, you could spend a year exploring the Bahamas and never get tired of the Caribbean's offerings. It's like getting lost in a micro-galaxy of far-flung hideaways and glossy mega-resorts. From sailing around the Abacos’ historyfilled Loyalist Cays, to diving the Andros or kayaking the Exuma Cays, to partying until the sun comes up at Paradise Island’s Atlantis resort or lounging on Eleuthera’s pink-sand beaches, there's a Bahamian island to match whatever mood you're in.
3. BEST FOR MILLIONAIRES: SAINT BARTHÉLEMY (ST BARTHS)
need a visa if you're travelling on your South African passport.
Oozing sex, money and beauty, the small French island of St. Barth's is the chosen destination of the super-rich and famous. If you've got cash to burn, this is where it's at. You might even rub shoulders with Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Alessandra Ambrosio, or Gwen Stefanie, who spend their vacations here.
TRAVEL PLANS
The (semi) bad news: there are no direct flights between South Africa and the Caribbean. If you're travelling with the kids in tow, this might be a deal breaker. Alternatively, you could make the most of your trip and arrange a stop over in another city. Not only will it give you a chance to get your jet lag in check before you hit the beach, you can add yet another city to your travel log.
The good news: for Barbados, The Bahamas, and Saint Lucia, you won't
So where will you be spending your Caribbean escape?
If you're still unsure of where to spend your Caribbean escape, we've put together this cheatsheet:
1. BEST FOR ROMANCE: MARTINIQUE Combining the romantic sensibilities of the French with the sumptuous natural beauty of the Caribbean, Martinique's secluded white sandy beaches and luxury resorts offer just enough privacy for lovers and honeymooners who want to feel like they're castaways, while at the same time enjoy access to luxurious comforts.
2. BEST FOR SUN WORSHIPPERS: ST. MAARTEN/ST. MARTIN If you're looking for a beach holiday, this island, which is divided equally into two countries, St. Maarten (Dutch) and St. Martin (French), has 39 gorgeous white sandy beaches and nearly 60 kilometers of coastline. You're pretty much guaranteed to find a piece of paradise all to yourself.
View of the Caribbean
Great pens L U X U R Y
THEY SAY THE PEN IS MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD, BUT AREN’T PENS SOMETHING OF A DYING BREED? TECHNOLOGY HAS TAKEN THE LEAD WITH NARY A HANDWRITTEN SCRIBBLE TO BE SEEN. HAS THE PEN LOST ITS MIGHTIER-THAN-SWORD STATUS, OR IS IT MORE CUTTINGEDGE THAN WE REALIZE? A GREAT PEN IS PART OF THE WEAPONRY OF A SUCCESSFUL MOGUL, AND IF YOU NEED THE STATUS SYMBOL OF SUCCESS, THEN ARM YOURSELF WITH ONE OF THESE LUXE ITEMS. By Hazel Booth
BEST BLING – R18, 154 500.00 ($1.47M) Italian pen manufacturer Aurora created a fountain pen which offers more than mere smooth writing delivery. The Aurora Diamante Fountain Pen boasts serious bling and you will boost your status by simply uncapping this beauty. With a nib of 18 carat gold and encrusted with 2 000 diamonds, and only one pen manufactured a year, Aurora have ensured the Diamante Fountain Pen is a bold statement of wealth, as well being an incredible collectible. The nib can be personalized with a signature, portrait or coat of arms.
LUDICROUSLY LUXE – R12, 350 000.00 ($1M) Swiss designers Caran d’Ache have created the 1010 Diamonds Limited Edition Fountain Pen – a thing of beauty. Additional to its exquisite craftsmanship and smooth writing flow, this fountain pen has a dazzling display of diamonds, all ethically sourced and totalling 24.61 carats, which can stop a board meeting in its tracks. It boasts a handmade nib of 18-carat gold and plated with rhodium and a body of white gold, while the cap has 26 lines set with 22 diamonds each.
STREAMLINED SOPHISTICATION – R3, 272 750.00 ($265 000) With its inspiration drawn from the modernist architect Antonio Gaudi, the La Modernista Diamond Pen is the creation of Swiss company Caran d’Ache. This streamlined pen has a rhodium-coated, solid silver body and 18-carat gold tip which oozes sophistication. Pave-set with no less than 5 072 diamonds and 96 half cut rubies, it will outshine the Rolex of your boardroom nemesis with supreme style.
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FLAMBOYANT FINERY – R5, 0019 694.50 ($406 453) It’s not hard to see how the Caran d’Ache Gotica pen derived its name. Limited to 1140 pens, the six-sided body is created from sterling silver with rhodium plating and has Gothic windows with the floral design and fleur-de-lis motif replicated in brilliant colours. A colourful deviation from this exclusive stationery set, the Gotica is the perfect representation of a flamboyant business leader.
LUXURY AND PARISIAN ELEGANCE – PRICE ON REQUEST Skillfully made in France, Waterman creatively echoes the genius of its founder Lewis Edson Waterman, inventor of the first reliable fountain pen in 1883 and since then, the sensuality and distinctiveness of Waterman have assured its place at the heart of Parisian elegance and luxury. In its Centre of Excellence in Nantes, in France, over 500 specialists work with state of the art equipment and techniques to transform precious materials and innovative designs into striking jewels. No two Waterman pen designs are alike. As unique as the owner, each has its unique personality and traits, with the power to delight, astonish, enchant and impress.
FIT FOR A PRINCE – R3,213 470.00 ($260 200) For royal style, the Mont Blanc Prince Rainier III Limited Edition 81 pen is in a class of its own. Made to honour Prince Rainier III of Monaco, who passed away at the age of 81 in 2005, a mere 81 pens were made – making this a collectible. For the princely sum of $260 200, you will be in possession of a pen moulded from 18-carat white gold, set with not only 996 diamonds but also 92 rubies and a nib crafted from 18 carat gold.
COSMIC CREATION – R12, 350 000.00 ($1M) This feminine fountain pen, designed by Anita Tan for women, endows its owner with a fitting feel of affluence and status. The Heaven Gold Pen has a body moulded from pink gold and is set with 161 coloured diamonds and 43 carat Tsavorite gemstones. The gems are arranged in heart, flower and diamond shapes on the clip. Anita took her inspiration from the alignment of the stars and planets in 2012. Powerhouse women will pay a pretty penny for this pen.
PENCIL PERFECTION – R158 080.00 ($12 800)
*Prices based on exchange rate of the day
If you prefer lead to ink, then the world’s most expensive pencil may be what you need. Crafted from 240-year-old olive wood and white gold, the Graf von Faber-Castell Perfect Pencil features three built-in diamonds, a sharpener and an eraser. However, at $12 800 a pop it may be best to only sharpen this pricey writing instrument when calculating the profit from your biggest business deals.
www.waterman.com
www.silveray.co.za
Available at leading stationers and pen specialists
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FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS Africa’s Pride AFRICA HAS BEEN FOLLOWING A DIFFERENT SCRIPT TO THE ONE THE WORLD MIGHT SET FOR IT.
A
s the continent becomes increasingly connected to other parts of the world, and better connected to other African nations, there is an astonishing rise in entrepreneurship. Even better, there has been an increase in woman-owned businesses, increasing employment opportunities and boosting the economy. In South Africa, it is estimated that SMES will contribute 90% to the economy’s growth due to their labour-intensive nature.
By Zoë Hinis
Of course, it has not been an easy journey, and there have been great challenges for Africa’s female entrepreneurs. Consider the outright abuse of women and their treatment as second class citizens. In many countries, girl children do not get the opportunity to complete their education, often obtaining a very basic education before being drawn back into the home to complete the work of adults. Across the African region, in 47 of the 54 countries, girls have a less than 50% chance of completing primary school. There are enduring social constructs that dictate as to what is proper work for women, which is nearly always menial, unpaid and unrewarding. The horrors of child marriage only make it harder for young women to forge their own paths: more than half of the girls in Mali, Mozambique, the DRC, Chad and Niger are married before age 18. In these same countries, more than 75 percent of people live on less than $2 a day. Child brides often die in childbirth (girls under 15 are five times more likely to die), contract HIV from their much older partners and are often victims of domestic abuse. But throughout history, and even more so now, women have and are continuously escaping the traps and chains set for them. As women in Africa we have so many industries we can get involved in, and it is especially gratifying to see them overcoming these challenges with intelligence, compassion and innovation. Many of these female entrepreneurs have built social engagement into their business models, giving back more than they take. It comes back to the great phrase, ‘when you get to the top, send the elevator down for someone else’. It is even better than many of these women forged their way into industries and fields typically dominated by men. Khanyi Dhlomo
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It may have taken her a little under 15 years, but Divine Ndhlukula built a security empire from a tiny cottage
B U S I N E S S with just four employees into Zimbabwe’s second largest security company. She provides bespoke guarding services, cash-in-transit solutions and technologically-driven security solutions and employs 3 400 employees: 900 of whom are women. Her company, SECURICO, has won the prestigious Legatum Africa Award for Entrepreneurship, plus more than 20 other industry awards, and generates $13 million (R159m) in revenue. In her Forbes interview, she offers excellent advice for young female entrepreneurs: “Have a game plan and execute it with passion, determination and focus. Never mind that you are a woman. Do not think about that except as a competitive advantage. No one is going to give you anything on a silver platter. You have to work twice, thrice, five times as hard and do not lose focus.”
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order to pay school fees. It inspired her other industries to be able to do that, and that's how we'll get equality and true to create something that is made fairly with no harm to the environment or levelling of the playing field." to the people that make the product. The realm of chartered flights has The bikes are made to endure the high also benefited from the rise of South terrain and rough roads, can carry African women. SRS Aviation, owned by heavy loads, and because they are only Sibongile Sambo, is South Africa’s first one piece, it cuts down on the number and only black-woman owned airborne of parts that need replacing. To save services business. From her childhood, money, Selby grows her own bamboo, she loved being on aeroplanes, and which occurs naturally in Ghana. The talking with pilots about flying. She women she employs have little or no turned this passion and love into a education, but are paid double the thriving business. With five degrees to minimum daily wage. The bikes also her name (and soon a sixth: a Masters retail in the USA at a premium price of of Science Degree in Management of $300 (R3 600), with a waiting list of over Technology and Innovation in Aviation), 4 000 bikes. For every bike sold in the she offers as many opportunities USA, Bikes for Africa assists Afrocentric possible to black women to enter Bamboo in subsiding a bike for school aviation through bursaries, scholarships child or farmer. In every way, Afrocentric and mentorship. She is currently paying Bamboo encompasses the best of for 10 black pilots to get their flying business, and sets a sublime example for licences. Her list of accomplishments the entire world to follow.
BUT THROUGHOUT HISTORY, AND EVEN MORE SO NOW, WOMEN HAVE AND ARE CONTINUOUSLY ESCAPING THE TRAPS AND CHAINS SET FOR THEM. Looking at local successes, Khanyi Dhlomo started her career as SABC 1’s first black newscaster. Now she is currently the managing director of Ndalo Media (co-founded with Media24), which publishes Destiny and Destiny Man. She also owns destinyconnect.com, a website dedicated to helping people connect for business, as well as encouraging entrepreneurship. She is also the independent non-executive director at THE FOSCHINI GROUP LTD, and has been acknowledged by the World Economic Forum as a Young Global leader. She was named most influential woman in South African Media by The Media Magazine in 2003 and made the 2011 Forbes list of 20 Young Power Women in Africa. She is currently the owner of Luminance, the high-end fashion outlet. When interviewed by Mail and Guardian shortly after the opening of Luminance, she said: "I think that if we want true equality, it's not about just allowing people to enter an industry. It's also about allowing people who have been able to get ahead in other industries and maybe want to grow into
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includes BWA’s Regional Business Women of the Year, the BIBA (Black Woman in Business Awards), Impumelelo Top Female Entrepreneur, and the 2008 BMF (Black Management Forum) Presidential Award in the Category of Youth Business Leadership. In an interview with Suzanne Stevens, she said: "As women in Africa we have so many industries we can get involved in, embrace them, however, we must not forget our responsibilities at home." Enabling others to get to where they need to be is as noble a calling as any. Winifred Selby is a Ghanaian woman who saw the value of bamboo, and used it to make affordable, hardy bicycles, starting her business aged just 15. Now she is 20 years old, and Ghana Bamboo Bikes employs more than 40 people, creating a turnover of $320 000 (R3.9 million) in 2014. In an interview with DW, she speaks about her family’s poverty, and how in summer vacations they would sell their personal items in
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It’s not over for Africa: Africa’s women are uplifting the continent with business savvy, kindness and determination. There’s more than just sad stories and Boko Haram; it’s the meteoric rise of our women that shall change the global perception of Africa.
Winifred Selby
For more information on postgraduate studies contact Aandre Wessels at humanities1@uj.ac.za or logon to www.uj.ac.za/humanities. University of Johannesburg and Faculty of Humanities bursaries are available for prospective students; please contact Aandre Wessels at humanities1@uj.ac.za
Intellect Purpose POSTGRADUATE STUDIES The Faculty of Humanities is committed to excellence in scholarship and tuition, and to the ideals of human dignity, freedom of expression and the pursuit of knowledge, in order to advance our understanding and to increase the social good. The following Honours, Master’s and Doctorate programmes are available in 2016:
HONOURS
African Languages African Studies Afrikaans Anthropology Applied Linguistics Classical Culture Communication Theory Development Studies English Film and Television Studies French German Greek Historical Studies Industrial Sociology Journalism Latin Philosophy Politics and International Studies Psychology Religion Sociology Strategic Communication in Corporate Communication Strategic Communication in Marketing Communication
Faculty of Humanities www.uj.ac.za
MASTER’S
DOCTORATE
African Languages Afrikaans Anthropology Applied Linguistics Audiovisual Communication Biblical Studies Clinical Psychology Communication Studies Community Development Corporate Communication Counselling Psychology Development Studies English French German Greek Historical Studies Industrial Sociology Journalism Latin Marketing Communication Philosophy Politics Psychology Semitic Languages and Cultures Strategic Communication Social Impact Assessment Social Work Sociology Urban Studies Fundematal Communication
African Languages Afrikaans Anthropology Applied Linguistics Audiovisual Communication Biblical Studies Communication Studies Corporate Communication Development Studies English French German Greek Historical Studies Industrial Sociology Journalism Latin Marketing Communication Philosophy Politics Psychology Semitic Languages and Cultures Social Work Sociology Urban Studies
L U X U R Y
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Diamond Walk Opens in Sandton City
GOOGLE THE WORDS “JOBURG” AND “TOUR” AND YOU’RE LIKELY TO BE OVERWHELMED WITH PICTURES OF THE BIG FIVE AND PROMISES OF SUNRISE GAME DRIVES IN THE BUSH. AS MUCH AS WE APPRECIATE THE NATURAL SPOILS OF OUR FAIR LAND, WE SUGGEST A NEW STYLE OF TOUR; “STYLE” BEING THE OPERATIVE WORD… By Heather Clancy
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elcome to Sandton’s sparkling Diamond Walk. Home to some of the world’s most exclusive fashion brands, the phrase “well-heeled” seems designed for the customers who parade this newly tiled corridor of Sandton City. Before you punish your credit card, take a peek at our exclusive tour of the Diamond Walk. You won’t believe what we discovered.
While the name doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue, this is a fashion empire worth adding to your wardrobe bucket list. FYI: The name is pronounced “Er-men-a-geel-do Zen-ya”. Producing men’s accessories, and most notably suits for its own label, the luxury brand also produces suits for labels such as Gucci, Dunhill, Tom Ford and Saint Laurent, and has been doing so since 1920. If Malcolm Gladwell is right about the 10 000 hour rule, then this brand is a master of its craft. The first global luxury brand to open a flagship store in Nigeria, the Sandton store is a celebration of Italian tailoring in the heart of Joburg. Offering discerning gentlemen the opportunity to be original – at a cost – the store offers a bespoke service which allows customers to select their own fabric and suit details. If you’re lucky enough to purchase a suit here, you’ll be in good company. Everyone from Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck to Idris Elba and Chris Pine has suited up in this classic Italian label.
The biggest Prada store in the world, clocking in at 800sqm, it is difficult to miss especially when peering up at the 65 meter façade that welcomes shoppers. Designed by Prada’s official architect, Italian Roberto Baciocchi, the aesthetic of the store rewards even the window shopper – no purchase necessary. Although, if you have R20 000 to spare you’re likely to walk out with a new purse and a belt and maybe some change, but for a tailored dress you’ll have to find a few extra coins in your cubbyhole. But then again, the matriarch of the brand Miuccia Prada has repeatedly said her brand is “not for the bourgeoisie”. An accurate, yet strange statement coming from the designer who used to be a member of the communist party in Italy before joining the family business. However, if you’re a fashion lover, once you gaze upon the designs of this illustrious fashion house, you’re likely to feel eternally grateful for the designer’s abandoned political ambitions. DID YOU KNOW? Founded in 1913, the brand originally sold only leather goods before branching out under the guidance of Miuccia Prada.
What began as a leotard line in 1988 is now a global luxury empire loyal to its origins in the Mediterranean island of
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Sicily. The story goes that Domenico Dolce’s love of cakes and all things sweet inspired him to plan a confectionary tour of Palermo, and while scoffing cannoli the pair spotted a poster of a woman with a shawl wrapped around her head. The duo were so intrigued by the photo that they tracked down the photographer and convinced him to shoot a campaign for them in Sicily. And so their unique and much-loved Sicilian brand perspective was born and with it a global empire. The Sandton store is a sensory treat – rich, vibrant colours and touch-me velvets – the perfect home for the beautiful designer threads that await their new owners. Style over comfort, people! Despite the sweaty summers we experience here in South Africa, the store’s in-house stylists are dressed in perfectly tailored suits made of 100% wool. DID YOU KNOW? Even though Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were all Italian their first boutique was opened in Tokyo in 1989.
One of the most recognizable names in the fashion world, Giorgio Armani built a global fashion empire on the foundation of casual luxury. Debuting in 1975, the brand stood apart from competitors with its “I just threw this on” comfort blended with classic Italian tailoring. Raking in $1 million in sales in its first year, today the brand remains unique in its resistance to the trend of consolidating the luxury goods industry. Giorgio Armani, the namesake, remains the brand’s sole shareholder, managing director and chairman of the board. Not content to just wear Armani? The Armani empire extends to include hotels in Dubai and Milan. Add this to your bucket list! The Presidential Suite in the Milan hotel totals a spacious 200sqm with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the city. DID YOU KNOW? The much loved bomber jacket can be traced back to Armani. In 1970 he designed a whole range of leather jackets under his brand name.
Once hidden in a quiet passage off Nelson Mandela Square, the newly re-launched Gucci store in the Diamond Walk is double the size of the previous store. A one-stop luxury shop for both men’s and the women’s collections, including the coveted ready-to-wear ranges and accessories, the new expanded Gucci store is indicative of the growing luxury market in South Africa. One of the biggest-selling Italian brands in the world, the iconic double-G logo is synonymous with classic luxury and tailoring. The creation of an immigrant hotel worker, Guccio Gucci, the range was originally inspired by the refined style of the English nobility who used to frequent the Savoy Hotel where Guccio worked. What’s more exclusive than a Gucci handbag? A made to order Gucci handbag: “the service provides for customizable options with finishes and details and includes not only the New Bamboo but also the New Jackie and the Stirrup bags.” Did You Know? Guccio Gucci worked as a waiter, dishwasher and an elevator operator before starting his own business. His chance meeting with Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra inspired in career in fashion.
Dating back to 1856, Burberry was founded by 21 year-old dressmaker Thomas Burberry. Fast-forward over a hundred years to today, and the brand’s distinctive tartan pattern is one of the most copied trademarks in the world. The brand’s iconic trenchcoat remains a fashion classic, loved for its subtle yet distinctive style that has changed little since it was first designed by founder Thomas Burberry. The Sandton store is, in fact, the second store in Joburg, the first store located in Hyde Park Corner only 6km away. Although the trench coat is the most well-known creation of the brand, be sure to browse the latest scarf collection at the new store. Seriously! Made from a blend of cashmere and silk, the scarves are a piece of everyday luxury sure to upgrade any outfit – weather permitting. DID YOU KNOW? Burberry has three sub-brands and offers eight different styles of checks with over 500 stores worldwide.
With the passing of time, some mistakes are revealed to be serendipitous happenstance. Such is the case when reflecting on the spelling error that birthed a shoe brand loved by fashionistas the world over. Born into the Chow family, a spelling mistake on Jimmy’s birth certificate penned the beginning of a global shoemaking empire. While Jimmy’s surname differs from his family’s, his talents are clearly inherited. Born into a long line of shoemakers, Jimmy learned to make his first shoe before his twelfth birthday. Today, the brand is associated with feminine glamour, immortalised in its leading role in Sex and the City and worn by everyone from Halle Berry to Madonna. The Jimmy Choo catalogue now includes a men’s collection, accessories and handbags. Although Jimmy Choo sold his eponymous share in the shoe brand in 2001, he can be found, by appointment only, in London. DID YOU KNOW? Unless you make an appointment to meet him personally in London for a custom made pair, any Jimmy Choo shoes you buy now in stores have nothing to do with the man as he sold his stake in Jimmy Choo Ltd in 2001. Is there a more recognisable monogram in the fashion world? With just two letters, “LV”, one of the most coveted and copied fashion brands has been elevated to the echelons of fashion royalty. First launched in France in 1854, today Louis Vuitton is the distinct fusion of modern excess and refined Parisian style. A Louis Vuitton store was already in Sandton City prior to the launch of the Diamond Walk, trading in South Africa for the past 11 years. With the new luxury corridor, the French brand re-launched the store, doubling the size and adding an extended collection, including jewellery and watches. Think you can top the “LV” monogram? Personalise your leather purchase with your very own monogram with the in-store personalisation service. DID YOU KNOW? Any Louis Vuitton bags you purchase will never get damaged as they are made specifically to be water and fireproof. These bags will be one thing you can retrieve from a disaster! Note: Tods and Billionaire Italian Couture had not yet opened at the time this article was written.
ARQUE CHAMPAGNE CRESCENT Described as “South Africa’s leading champagne stockist”, Arque Champagne Crescent is the perfect spot to celebrate your latest fashion purchases with a bottle of the good stuff. Forget stargazing, drink the stars instead, or at least find out if there’s any truth to Dom Perignon’s words “Come quickly, I’m tasting the stars” when he first sipped champagne. Feeling peckish and decadent? The menu also includes extravagant meals, with 50 grams of caviar costing just shy of R5 000.
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LADIES’ NIGHT IS NOT JUST THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAST OFF THE CARES OF THE DAY WHILE SIPPING ON COCKTAILS, SHARING LIFE EXPERIENCES WHILE WE NIBBLE ON CANAPÉS AND STRENGTHENING THE BONDS WITH THE WOMEN CLOSEST TO US: IT’S ABOUT INDULGING IN A DECADENT SESSION OF SPOILING YOURSELF. By Hazel Booth
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’m in a coffee shop, surreptitiously watching three women of differing ages, races and backgrounds indulging in girl time, laughing and joking over cappuccinos. It’s female bonding in the most fundamental form – and let’s face it: girl time is universal. It’s the fabric of our relationships with one another because, at the heart of it, we thrive when we have our support network holding us up. And the highlight of girl time? The sacred ritual of ladies’ night. We have compiled some of the most luxurious and indulgent ways to spend ladies’ night.
SOUL SISTERS For a spoil with a therapeutic twist, gather your girls and book a half day at Africology Spa at the Maslow Hotel, Sandton. They offer a Circle of Friends Half Day package which means you can pamper body and soul by spending quality time with your best friends
while enjoying a soothing massage. The package includes a Hydro-bath session, Copper Hot Stone Pedicure, Copper Hot Stone Manicure and lunch. To start, you will enjoy a 30-minute Hydro-bath – a water massage which aids in improving circulation while removing lactic acid and reducing tension. For the Copper Hot Stone treatments, you and your friends will be treated to an energybalancing copper bath and a hot stone massage, after which an African potato masque is applied. This spoil is R900pp and can be booked at Africology Spa: call 010 226 4688 or 011 783 3248, email themaslow@africologysa.com or visit www.africology-spa.com After your treatments, head down to the sophisticated Lacuna Bar at the Maslow where you can enjoy a tapas-style dinner and exotic cocktails outside on the terrace. Call 010 226 4600 to book.
CHICK FLICK If you’re envisioning the standard movie experience with toddlers kicking your chair while you try not to spill your popcorn, Cine Prestige Rosebank will flip that notion upside down. Think luxury, think personalised service, and think superb night out with your girls laughing at a romcom or being drawn into the intricate web of the latest thriller. Enjoy a spacious cinema and a range of gourmet platters and beverages served to you in that ridiculously comfortable, fullyreclining red leather chair. Not only does a Cine Prestige ticket get you an incredible movie experience, but what would a girls’ night be without a delectable treat or two? You will gain access into the exclusive VIP lounge where you can choose between a range of items, from red velvet cupcakes, strawberry cheesecake and Italian tiramisu to nachos, a biltong snack tray and even platters. Cine Prestige also has the traditional sweets and snack offerings to munch on while you enjoy the movie, including popcorn, slush puppies and chocolates. Visit www.sterkinekor.com for upcoming shows at Cine Prestige in Rosebank as well as Cavendish, Cradlestone Mall, Gateway, Sandton and The Grove.
ENJOY A SPACIOUS CINEMA AND A RANGE OF GOURMET PLATTERS AND BEVERAGES SERVED TO YOU IN THAT RIDICULOUSLY COMFORTABLE, FULLYRECLINING RED LEATHER CHAIR.
DRAMA QUEENS How about absorbing a little culture with a dinner and theatre package at Montecasino? From September 3 to 13, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre will be wowing audiences with their dance spectacular. Book seats with your best friends to witness this show which celebrates the uniqueness of African-American culture. Montecasino offer four packages from which to choose: • The Standard package includes a theatre ticket and buffet dinner at Billy G. Prices are R580pp to R700pp, dependent on show time. • Included in the Grand package is a theatre ticket, plus a two-course meal or cocktail menu, for R700 to R860pp. To make sure you and your friends get great seats, • The Luxury package includes a top price theatre ticket, 3-course or luxury cocktail menu, as well as a parking voucher and are priced from R870pp to R1050pp. • For VIP treatment, splash out on the Platinum package which will not only get you a top price theatre ticket, but also a private venue, canapés and a parking voucher. From R1080pp to R1260pp. To book, email montecasino.reservations@tsogosun.com or call 011 367 4250.
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DANCING DIVAS One of your friends has gone through a heartbreak and needs to let her hair down and dance. It’s time to break out your sexy little LBD, get your girlfriends together and head to Sankayi Lounge on Thursday night for a sizzling night of salsa dancing. With a class to get you acquainted with your right foot rather than two left feet at 8pm, you’ll learn both the basics for salsa and kizomba for R100. From 9pm, you’ll be heating up the dance floor with your new moves during the social dance session which runs till midnight. No need for a partner, just come wearing non-restrictive clothing and shoes with good support and smooth soles.
And if the salsa bug bites, you can always sign up your girlfriend for dance classes where she can expand her repertoire of moves to learn merengue, zouks, bachata and Cuban cha cha. Sankayi Lounge and Club is at 90 Degrees Shopping Center, corner Rivonia Road and Kelvin Drive, Morningside, Sandton. There are also classes held on Mondays from 7pm at Café Sofia in Greenside and Tuesdays at Cofi in Brooklyn Mall, Pretoria. Visit www.salsaspirit.net or call Emmanuel for more information on 071 852 1000.
MOONLIGHT MAGIC For a magical evening out in the Mother City, Mangwanani Spa in Zevenwacht have the perfect girls’ night waiting for you and your specials. Catch the Mangwanani Bus at Canal Walk to Zevenwacht where you can enjoy cocktails and snacks on arrival, while being entertained by African drummers and singers. Your group will enjoy three treatments. Izimanga, a traditional full body massage, performed with hot stones to guarantee muscle relaxation; Molala is an African head, neck and shoulder massage to dissolve knots; and you will be royally treated with an African foot massage, Neo Maoto. To round off this evening of blissful girl-time you will enjoy not only dinner but Amarula and chocolate before being ferried back to Canal Walk on the Mangwanani Bus. Book this package for R899pp on either Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday or for R1099pp on Friday or Saturday. Call 021 903 0444 or visit www.mangwanani.co.za
LIQUID DIET Does the thought of a caramelised banana martini or a candy floss margarita appeal to you? What about the idea of a mobile bar, with beverages tailored to suit your tastes made at your own private function with your friends? For a classy cocktail soirée, order in a few platters and hire Liquid Chefs for a customised event. Choose between: a local bar – with a combination of beer, wines, spirits and soft drinks; a full bar which includes three to four types of cocktails or a cocktail-only bar stocked with fresh ingredients. For something refreshingly different, hire a coffee bar with a selection of coffees and coffee-based drinks, or a non-alcoholic and juice bar which also offers smoothies should any friends in your group be teetotallers or pregnant. You can enjoy your favourite drinks in the safety of your own home without having to worry about the dangers of drinking and driving, and as an added bonus you only pay for the ingredients you use. To book, call 011 887 4535, email events@liquidchefs.co.za or visit www.liquidchefsmobile.co.za.
Say “I do� to Zanzibar Be swept away by the magic of the perfect honeymoon getaway. When it comes to planning your honeymoon, we go the distance to make your special time that much more memorable. You can expect a complete travel experience, designed with packages that cater for your every need. These include affordable flights on Tuesdays and Saturdays, and diverse accommodation options ranging from three- to five-stars. You even get the added flexibility to use your SAA Voyager Miles to pay for any Mango flight in full or part of.
All of which, makes planning your honeymoon as easy as falling in love. MOBI-APP AVAILABLE FROM:
Terms and conditions apply.
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Are you
money savvy? HAVE YOU CONSIDERED A LIFE POLICY? ARE YOU MAKING PROVISIONS FOR RETIREMENT? ARE YOU PREPARED TO HANDLE A CRISIS? KGOMOTSO MASONGOA, FINANCIAL ADVISER AT DISCOVERY, GIVES TIPS ON BECOMING A FINANCIAL FUNDI. By Stacey Vee
Please tell us about your journey and work experience? I was born and raised in Alexandra. When I finished matric I wanted to be a chartered accountant so I did my first year at the then Midrand Campus but my parents couldn’t continue paying my fees so I had to find a full-time job. That’s when I was introduced to the insurance industry. Starting in the call centre, I then did personal financial
planning for a couple of years. I got experience in pension funds servicing, then I got into the commercial spectrum. I also did a bit of corporate financial planning. Throughout my employment journey I studied part-time – I started with my certificate of proficiency and then I did my wealth management certificate. I also did my post graduate diploma in administration. I graduated in 2011 and in January 2016 I am looking to do my Postgraduate Diploma in Financial Planning with the University
of the Free State. I have been in the industry for about 15 years now.
What duties does your current role encompass? I am a financial adviser for individuals, aimed at families and couples. But I also look at companies – we offer group risk, disability benefits and short-term insurance. I cover the personal side of insurance for individuals, third-party for companies and medical aid schemes.
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least prepared when it comes to finances, often leaving those matters to husbands or fathers and constantly being caught unaware You must save before you spend. With my upbringing, I was exposed to buying – what financial advice would you give to them? food on credit. But as I grew up and What is the one thing you learnt about money at a young age that has held you in good stead?
got to open my eyes, I realised that if only I had an investment then in five years’ time at least I would have an endowment that would have matured. Unfortunately because I didn’t have good advice, once I started working, I opened an account at a leading clothing retail store. Later on, once I realised the interest that I was paying – it didn't make sense.
What is the one thing you learnt when you were older that you wish you had learnt earlier? People only realise the importance of a life cover once there has been the death of a breadwinner. They could have had a policy to pay out. Disability - you say to young people: “Let’s talk about disability.” “No, Kgomotso, I am too young. Let’s talk about it when I am 35 or 40.” They are driving a financed car which is comprehensively insured – if they have an accident, they will get a brand new car but what happens to them if they become disabled? They get into trouble because they don’t have enough money. Retirement - young people don’t realise the importance of compound interest. Government has to take care of pensioners – people that either didn’t take care of their finances or people who, instead of saving their retirement monies whenever they changed jobs, kept on withdrawing it. Currently, government is working on a retirement reform, finding ways to make it compulsory for individuals to save for retirement during their working life. Hopefully, we will have a bit of a savings culture developing because currently people are still swamped in debt. Risk planning is extremely important. The costs for treatment of chronic illness are very high. It’s not only about the medical aid being able to cover some of your medication, or you being hospitalised, but some of the critical supplements you need to take are actually not covered.
Sadly women seem to be the
Women are not always geared up for life-changing events. There are working women who get into relationships, get married and then conveniently become housewives. But by the same token, they may be receiving allowances but not thinking of saving for their retirement. The next thing, the husband has a mistress, they get a divorce and then what happens? So it’s important to look at financial planning for you as a woman, irrespective of your circumstances.
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these kinds of situations? It is important for people to realise that they need to take a life insurance policy as an absolute necessity. It’s interesting to see a client’s priorities – some say they cannot afford a life insurance policy of R500 yet they have the full bouquet of pay TV.
Difference between provident and pension? With a pension fund, a member gets immediate tax benefits - the contributions are deducted before the tax is calculated. On a provident fund, the contributions are made after the tax is calculated so the member gets to benefit from the tax at a later stage.
In marriage, you also look to things like education planning for the children or retirement planning for yourself.
What would you recommend people (laymen) read to educate themselves on financial affairs?
Women need to take care of themselves. If there is any extra money, make sure you have policies up and running, your risk policies and importantly, retirement savings.
Learn to budget as it gives guidance on your monthly savings and expenditure. There are some television channels on finance or even on the radio, or read personal finance magazines and business newspapers.
If you are not looking after your finances or making provision for it, you might not be able to take care of yourself and end up Do you think we are doing enough to teach young people who are still with the minimal government pension.
What is the healthiest thing one can do for their finances? Save before spending. Stick to your budget and try stay away from unnecessary debt. Don’t buy on credit. Although with credit cards there is a certain period of time with lee-way of not having to pay the interest. But it is important to use it only in times of emergencies.
In most cases, people never read the fine print when they take out life or insurance policies – in what way can this be detrimental? It is important to find an accredited adviser, someone with integrity who is trustworthy. These days everything is so regulated and transparent, but when you are not happy about something you can ask for a second opinion. Do research – consumers need to get into the culture of reading.
In the current economic climate people hardly have money to save or pay for policies – what practical advice would you give people in
in high school to manage their money better? I don’t think it’s enough. There have to be specific subjects where we talk about money. Find ways to help kids know that education is important, but try also be entrepreneurial in terms of thinking. Get them to work for their money.
Do you think it should be made compulsory for people to have insurance? It’s important for people to realise the need for having insurance. For instance, car insurance on a financed vehicle: if you cancel that insurance and you are involved in an accident, you will carry on paying without even driving that car. If there is a fire in your home and you don’t have insurance and you lose your home, sadly it’s gone. Without life insurance policies – the young ones who are left behind are the ones who really suffer because now they are destitute. Take the first step and ensure that you are adequately covered. Speak to a financial adviser today.
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A W A R E N E S S
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omen continue to face a myriad of challenges in South Africa and the world over. The challenges emanate from issues of patriarchy, which leads to inequality in all spheres of life. As the bedrock of society and the pillar of the family, they are expected to run a household, which can be difficult especially when husbands and fathers are absent. Add a career on top of that and they may feel overwhelmed. All of these pressures can aggravate internal conflict or stress which often results in physical illness. The adoption of principles like gender equality, awareness of women’s rights and increased education opportunities have changed the workplace dramatically for women over the past two decades. Whilst climbing social and corporate ladders is empowering for women, their changing lifestyles come with unforeseen consequences like escalating health issues. The question is: what support structures are in place to assist women during these challenging situations? One of the most important things that human beings need when the chips are down is moral and emotional support. Wings of Hope is one such organisation. It is a non-profit organisation established in 2012 to educate the public about cancer and breast health, increase awareness and empower women in the process. The group consists of breast cancer survivors and volunteers who know how important finding a supportive community can be. This support group has a lifeline to information, support and encouragement through the good and bad times. Research has proven that support groups help reduce the three most significant stressors associated with cancer, namely: loneliness, helplessness and hopelessness
Wings of Hope are a caring group of women who understand the unique effects that being diagnosed with cancer may have on an individual both physically and emotionally. They have the ability to reach out to both men and women because they have been touched by the disease themselves and have heartfelt empathy towards the patient. In fact many amazing friendships have been formed and a strong bond has developed among the members of the support group. When someone is diagnosed with any type of life threatening disease, they often experience trauma and shock and so do their family and close friends. It is comforting to have a support structure that they can identify with, especially one that comprises of people that have gone through the same experience. The symbol of the group is the butterfly. It represents the acceptance of life changes and encourages members to accept them as casually as the butterfly does since change is the only constant in life. The butterfly unquestioningly embraces the changes in her environment and body. This unwavering acceptance of her metamorphosis is also a symbol of faith. In this instance the butterfly beckons us to keep the faith as we undergo transitions in our lives. She understands that the toils of human beings, women in particular. She helps women understand that anxiety and anger are useless against the turning tides of nature. We must also recognise the same. Wings of Hope are an embodiment of the support we all need as we take leave from good health due to life’s pressures. It helps women make it possible to have it all; a successful career, a happy family, personal happiness and health. Accepting that life unfolds as a process over time is the first step in achieving that happiness. Visit: http://www.wingsofhope.org.za or find us on Facebook.
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Car shopping on an
infinite budget SHOPPING FOR THE PERFECT CAR CAN BE STRESSFUL. FINDING THE PERFECT MATCH FOR YOU AND YOUR NEEDS CAN BE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST DECISIONS YOU MAY EVER HAVE TO MAKE.
By Damian Murphy
F
inding a car to suit the budget can also be incredibly taxing. So we thought we would go out on an Afropolitan car shopping spree, where we threw the budget completely out the window. Shopping on an infinite budget is not as easy as one would think. There are so many amazing cars for so many different tastes, how could we possibly pick our favourites? With much investigation we found two completely different cars that serve two very different kinds of drivers, but may be two of the best cars available on the market at the moment.
THE FERRARI 488 GTB Having recently attended a glitzy launch at the new Scuderia headquarters in Bryanston, we were introduced to the successor of probably the most successful Ferrari of all time, sales wise, the 458. The 458 is regarded in many motoring circles as the most complete sports car on the market and the 488 GTB aims to take the near perfect 458, to new heights. Looking and driving the 458 and then trying to perfect it must be like looking at the ceiling of the
M O T O R I N G
The 488 in the name indicates the engine's unitary displacement while the GTB stands for Gran Turismo Berlinetta. The new car is now easier to drive than ever before, even for those less experienced at handling supercar power, yet still able to deliver unparalleled performance on the track and road. The 488 GTB has an extraordinary engine and the stylish design combined with class-leading aerodynamics enhances the
overall performance of the 488. The 488 GTB also has extremely advanced vehicle dynamic controls which have drastically advanced the already razor-sharp responsiveness of Ferrari's road cars to near track level. This four litre turbo-charged is one of Ferrari’s most powerful engines ever. New technology taken straight from the F1 testing grounds mean the engineers have been able to eliminate any turbo lag and still deliver efficient, yet seductive performance. The engineers have gone as far as manufacturing the perfect soundtrack for the 488 GTB engine, tuning their sounds to deliver that unique Ferrari growl. The engine delivers 492kW of power at 8 000 rpm and a maximum torque of 760 Nm in seventh gear.
Consequently, the 488 GTB can get from stand-still to 100 km/h in three seconds flat and from 0-200 km/h in just 8.3 seconds. Ferrari told us at the launch of the 488 GTB that while this model will be able to do in excess of 325km/h, they no longer concern themselves with having the fastest car on the planet, only the best one to drive in, so we would guess the top speed is in the region of 330km/h which, combined with the handling and performance promised through the specs of the latest edition to the prancing horse stable, promises to deliver a spinetingling drive experience. The Ferrari 488 GTB will cost in the region of fourand-a-bit million rand to own, but as far as we could tell from the demand and interest, getting your hands on one will be as tough as nails.
THE 488 IN THE NAME INDICATES THE ENGINE'S UNITARY DISPLACEMENT WHILE THE GTB STANDS FOR GRAN TURISMO BERLINETTA.
Images courtesy of Rolls Royce Media and Ferrari Media
Sistine Chapel and trying to figure out what to change.
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THE ROLLS ROYCE GHOST II There is a famous saying in the world of motoring; it takes half a day to build a Toyota, but half a year to build a Rolls Royce. The reason behind the time it takes to build one of the world’s most luxurious cars is the fact that almost the entire car is meticulously put together by hand. From inserting the air-conditioning vents, to the sound system, everything inside a new Rolls Royce is put there by an expert. Rolls Royce can confidently call them experts because it takes roughly three years for their technicians to become masters in their individual jobs, so the person that installs the steering wheel (and that may be his only job on the assembly line) had three years of practice before they were allowed to put a single part in your new Rolls Royce. The reason Rolls Royce chose to avoid going mechanical was because human mistakes can be spotted and identified a lot faster than mistakes made by machines. 85% of all Rolls Royce’s sold globally are completely tailored to individual client’s desires and needs and trying to teach a machine how to make the same part in 2,000 different ways is a lot tougher than leaving it in the capable hands of someone who eats and breathes what Rolls Royce personifies.
ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING INSIDE THE CAR COMPLETELY CATERED FOR THE NEEDS OF THE PERSON IN THAT PARTICULAR SEAT.
So how luxurious is the Rolls Royce Ghost Series II we tested? Absolutely everything inside the car completely catered for the needs of the person in that particular seat. Whether you sit at the wheel, or you are the one being driven around, the Ghost II is made for you. The lamb wool floor mats were so soft and supple, you’d do well to just remove your shoes and socks and run your feet across them every time you climbed in. Those same floor
mats however, cost as much as a small German hatchback, so be careful not to spill anything on them. The gorgeous and comfortable leather seats and interior provide drivers with the ultimate cocoon of sophistication. Everything is trimmed the way it should be, the clock and dials flow harmoniously through all the design elements and your every need is taken care of at a push of a single button. But with all this comfort one would think that a car that weighs nearly two and a half tons would be rather sluggish and cumbersome for the driver but nothing could be further from the truth. What you will find hidden under the Spirit of
Ecstasy, which adorns the bonnet of every Rolls Royce, is a massive 6.6 litre V12 engine. The engine, despite its enormous size, does not thrust the driver back into his seat, but delivers an effortless ride that is both smooth and responsive. We wouldn’t want to buy a Rolls Royce to win a drag race, but having that much power at the disposal of your right foot, means you can still glide through the streets like a feather caught in the wind, a strong wind if your heart desires. If your heart longs for a Rolls Royce Ghost Series II, then that budget that you are not worried about, better be thinking of a sum above R7 million.
Tel: +27 (0) 39 313 0011 Fax: +27 (0) 39 313 0157 Email: reservations@sanlameerhotel.com www.sanlameerhotel.com
Rediscover the South Coast Paradise San Lameer Resort Hotel & Spa is located on the iconic San Lameer Estate, a mere 1.5 hour drive from Durban. The estate is a lush, sub-tropical paradise on the southernmost coastline of Kwa Zulu-Natal. The charming 40 bedroom, 4star boutique hotel offers superior, comfortable accommodation with beautiful views of the lagoon and the hotel’s swimming pools. Delectable light meals are served all day on the Promenade terrace or simply unwind here with a glass of wine or signature cocktail. Lagoon Grill restaurant is open for breakfast and dinner daily – breakfast is a lavish buffet affair not to
be missed and Chef’s dinner menu is designed to delight all palates. San Lameer Resort Hotel & Spa’s newly refurbished, state of the art conference & banqueting center can comfortably accommodate 180 delegates for conferencing and 200 guests for weddings and private functions. The facilities on the estate also make for great team building events and corporate getaways. The award winning Camelot Spa is just phenomenal! They have an all-encompassing holistic approach to health, beauty and wellness throughout their treatments which will leave you feeling years younger!
San Lameer Country Club designed by Peter Matkovich is regarded as one of the top golf courses in the country having hosted various professional events. There is also a pristine mashie course for the not so serious golfer. And, of course, a visit to the South Coast would not be complete without a swim in, or at least a visit to, the beach! San Lameer has direct access to two blue flag beaches arguably the finest on the South Coast. Visit San Lameer Resort Hotel & Spa for a “whole in one” experience - serving our Guests is our privilege and pleasure…
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P A G E S
Proudly brought to you by ON THE 3RD OF JUNE 2015, MTV AFRICA MUSIC BEST HIP-HOP ARTIST AWARD WINNER, CASSPER NYOVEST, BROUGHT THE HOUSE DOWN WITH HIS SENSATIONAL AFRONIGHTS PERFORMANCE AT KATZY’S IN ROSEBANK! BROUGHT TO YOU BY BAIN’S CAPE MOUNTAIN WHISKEY, THE EVENING WAS A MIX OF FUN, DANCE AND SOME AMAZING PRIZES UP FOR GRABS, COURTESY OF OUR VALUED PARTNERS!
Afro guests, Dudu Moremi and Tumi Mamashela
Cassper Nyovest left the crowd screaming for more
Kelebogile Shomang and Shalate Teffo
Cath Tshivhula won an all expenses paid Club Med holiday to Mauritius. With Lesego Matabane of Club Med
Winners flaunt their Mango airlines competition tickets to any local destination
The Infiniti Q50 hybrid brought another element of class to the event
flymango.com
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Introducing the all-new Ford Focus, with award-winning EcoBoost technology. Turbo charging gives you more power and a rush of adrenaline. Direct fuel injection provides exceptional fuel economy. Add smart technology and sleek design to a car that has proven itself a firm favourite around the world – and be prepared for it to become your favourite too.
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R E V I E W
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The New Ford Focus
"You can’t be serious!"
THIS WAS THE FIRST THING WE ASKED OURSELVES WHEN THE NEW FORD FOCUS WAS DELIVERED TO US. By Damian Murphy
T
he reason we asked that question is because the Focus is not a small city hatchback. It is a rather burly one, with plenty of space inside, yet it only has a 1.0 litre engine powering a car that weighs around 1.3 tonnes.
the Focus 1.5 litre EcoBoost, then we could scratch off some sports versions from most of the world’s top manufacturers. The point of all of this is that the new Focus completely took us by surprise.
It didn’t seem possible than an engine smaller than some motorbikes, would be able to deliver on the expectations of a very fussy market segment. The hatch market at the moment is so flooded with a variety of choices that the consumer is not just spoilt for choice, but spoilt rotten!
The 92kW engine probably won’t win over everyone on the planet, but if we consider that most people who buy the new Focus are not buying it to win a drag race, then it is going to make all of its new owners very happy. The model we tested has a smooth changing six-speed gearbox allowing the Focus to get great fuel consumption figures. It is nippy off the line and has a more than respectable top speed of 192km/h.
So how does the 998cc EcoBoost engine compare to the competition? Well it has more kWs than a Golf 6 1.4TSI, an Audi A3 1.4 TFSI and a Toyota Auris 1.3, to name but a few of its popular competitors. If we compared the specifications of
The interior is well laid out and caters to a young, modern driver with the Ford SYNC® on-board system with Bluetooth and voice control. The audio system has 6 speakers and delivers a crisp clear sound through USB, Bluetooth audio or even just the radio. There is ample room for five adults and the boot space is big enough to carry all their luggage. We still have an issue with all the plastic inside the Focus, and we know from experience that in most Fords the plastic tends to rattle over time, but the Focus has definitely matured since we last tested one. The outside is striking and has a noticeable presence on the road. The new headlight design gives the front end a certain aggression, which adds to the overall allure of the car.
Images courtesy of quickpic
No car in this market is absolutely perfect, but more and more of them are getting closer to perfection. At a shade under R223,000, the new Focus is a serious player in a very competitive game.
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C O L U M N
The Devil Finds Work
for id le lawyers
By Alyn Adams
I
saw an interesting article in the June issue of Noseweek. Apparently Gareth Prince – the Rastafarian lawyer who was denied the right to use the sacrament of his religion by the Constitutional Court and subsequently barred from practising by the Cape Law Society because he has a criminal conviction for using the sacrament of his religion – has turned into what Noseweek is happy to call “a vexatious litigant”. It appears Prince moved into a R2.5-million rental property in Simon’s Town – owned by a music producer and his wife who live in London – turned it into a bit of a grow house, and has spent the past three years not paying rent and repeatedly using the constitutional rights of tenants, while representing himself in court, to avoid eviction. Noseweek is very cross about this on behalf of landlords everywhere – almost as cross as they would be to find a minister ignoring a court order and doling out fishy tenders, or when unmasking a big corporation taking advantage of clients too poor to fight it legally. Noseweek is also fairly dismissive of Prince’s religion, which is called a “cult” in the article’s sub-header. To be clear: I’m no champion of Rastafarianism. Too much patriarchy, too much misogyny, too much homophobia for my taste, like most of the Abrahamic “cults”. But I am an ardent supporter of freedom of religion, if only to ensure that I can continue to join none. And if religious sacraments are off-limits to the law – the way Catholic communion wine was during US Prohibition – then Prince should be allowed to use his. Imagine if he had been allowed that right? Imagine if his conviction had been expunged, and the Cape Law Society had admitted him – would Prince now be an unemployed squatter? Of course not – he’d be practising law. True, he’d be practising the sort of law that people who live in London and own rental properties in Simon’s Town aren’t too concerned about, but at least he’d be paying his rent. I imagine he’d be taking on the cases of impoverished fishing communities disadvantaged by dodgy tenders, or those having their water stolen by illegally zoned golf estates – you know, the sort of thing Noseweek is usually delighted to support. Imagine yourself, for a moment, in Prince’s shoes. From a disadvantaged background (and a minority faith treated almost universally with suspicion), you’ve conquered the heights of university. You’ve done the work, cracked the studying, passed the exams – after years of hard slog, you have that all-important qualification that allows you to enter a profession and build a better life for yourself and your community. And then you’re barred from it, because of your religion. Wouldn’t you turn into a vexatious litigant, using your hardwon knowledge to stick it to the Man, not particularly bothered by the pain your landlord is suffering in London? If anything, this saga illustrates the illogicality of the prohibition of dagga: prohibition hasn’t stopped Prince smoking dagga, and it hasn’t stopped him practising law. All it’s done is stopped him practising law constructively.
@alyndenzel www.alynadams.com