United Maverick Vl 03 by Ingrid Alice Irsigler

WITH

AFRICA

THE DIFFERENCE ISâ&#x20AC;¦

WE ARE UNITED!

A Note From The Editor

From The United Charter Services Group HQ

United Maverick Team

AFRICA 10

Cracking The Code

12 Sugarbush Baby

FASHION 28 Great Expectations 44 Queen for a Day 66 Enchanted Forest 82 Midsummer Night’s Dream 88 Twilight 248 Flights Of Fancy

14 Doyenne of Design 60 From Mink & Manure to Africa’s Riches Square Mile 98 The Plunge That’s Saving Africa

TRAVEL

104 Investing in Africa

120 Above the Mists of Africa

110 The Real Wilds of Africa

132 Tweaking your Soul

114 Politics, Power & the SA Minibus Taxi industry

142 Land of the Dragon

116 Taxi Talk

172 A Slip of the Tongue

118 Lighting the Dark Continent

182 Dorp Driving

CONTENTS | 03

LIFESTYLE

AVIATION

150 Wine, Worms & Wisdom

230 United Charter Services

156 10 (Out Of 10)

234 Deity of the Sky – Dassault Falcon 7X

164 Whisky Quest

239 Aircraft Sales With UCS

192 We Heart Haenertsburg

240 Aircraft Specifications

214 Inventions in Africa

MOTORING

264 Thank You 265 Fashion Credits

218 Lovin’ A Little Italian – Maserati Quattroporte GTS

266 Fashion Credits

222 Your Chariot Awaits – Mercedes Maybach S600

271 Contact us

228 Challenging Conventions – Aston Martin DBX Concept

272 UCS Thank You

IMAGINE A FLIGHT not only defined by sophisticated style and luxurious aircraft,

but equipped to deliver our legendary UCS service excellence experience. From check in to arrival, our people-orientated management team ensure a lifestyle of privacy and comfort awaits above the clouds. As a leading name in global aircraft charter, United Charter Services offers flexible scheduling, personalised service, and unrivalled selection of aircraft culminating in a truly efficient, safe and reliable charter solution.

The difference is… We are UNITED!

United Charter Services 24/7: +27 83 270 8886 Lanseria International Airport t: +27 11 788 0813 Office 9, First floor, f: +27 11 507 6814 Main Terminal Building e: info@unitedcharter.co.za

— www.unitedcharter.co.za —

A NOTE FROM

— THE EDITOR —

very issue of United Maverick is a labour of love. This entire publication is produced by a core team of three people, with freelancers in the form of writers, illustrators and photographers joining us where necessary. So, as you hold the magnificent publication that is United Maverick in your hands,

it’s not too hard to realise that this magazine is close to our hearts and an immense passion and love of the United Charter Company brand is what brings it to fruition. But this issue. This issue is different. This edition unites our love of United Maverick, United Charter Company and Africa into one beautiful book. This has been our adventurous issue. We ventured to new (and surprisingly exciting) lands in the form of Cambodia, Mount Kilimanjaro and even Limpopo! We’ve welcomed new writers like Jenny Crwys-Williams and welcomed back many of our favourites, like Rob Rose. We have explored aspects of cultures that are part of our DNA in Africa and, yet, there is so much that so many don’t understand! And we have uncovered delectable treats and feasts for you in the form of Café Hemingway’s. As every editor will tell you, producing a magazine or book is an emotional process, and this is no exception. Each image featured and each word written has been pored over endlessly to ensure it does justice to a continent that too often is portrayed as one of only poverty and dust. Our aim is to bring you the other side of Africa. The unexpected beauty in remote places. The depth of cultural experience in our everyday lives and, of course, the endless talent that lies in the creative corners of this remarkable continent. For this is my Africa. A continent of extremes, and surprises, enormous talent, beauty and varied experiences. This is our continent. And we are United. Love Philippa

WE ARE UNITED | 07

FROM THE

UNITED CHARTER

SERVICES GROUP HQ — S 25º 56' 06.00"

E 027º 55’ 32.38"

Dear Reader,

Elevation 1,372m —

On behalf of all the staff and management at United Charter Services

aircraft mechanics, “Hoepel” Schmidt and Allan Webb. The business

Group, we wish you a warm welcome to the Third Edition of our

commenced as a flying school and air charter business and was based

publication, United Maverick, themed In Love with Africa!

at Youngsfield, Cape Town.

In this edition, our writers, illustrators, and photographers take you

Owenair acquired a Piper Aircraft dealership early on and procured

on a magical journey through Africa which includes its vibrant people

three Piper Cub aircraft. These aircraft were used to provide pilot

and locations and they explore the powerhouse of Africa, the mining

training for civilians. Before long, Owenair grew to become the second-

sector. We are delighted to be focussing the spotlight on this incredible

largest private aviation company in South Africa, providing a range of

continent, one that we proudly call our home.

aviation services, which included pilot training, air charter services, air

2016 has thus far, been an incredibly exciting year for us at United Charter Services! We began with United Charter Services being

ambulance flying services, aircraft sales (Cessna and Piper dealerships) and aircraft management and maintenance services.

awarded the Air Ambulance contract for International SOS, one of

At one stage, Owenair had a scheduled airline route from Cape

the worlds leading assistance companies. Our contract went live on

Town via Springbok to Luderitz! This scheduled service opened up

1 July 2016 and a fleet of Hawker business jets have been converted

the remote town of Luderitz and we understand that Owenair also

into dedicated Air Ambulances to support this contract. We are

delivered cargo consisting of items that were in short supply at the

extremely proud to be the exclusive Air Ambulance service provider to

time, such as pasteurized cow’s milk, fresh fruit, urgent car spares, and

International SOS for the Sub-Saharan Africa region, and look forward

even a wedding dress that was flown back to Cape Town for urgent

to applying our operational expertise, thus allowing International SOS

alterations! Life-saving air ambulance flights were also undertaken,

to deliver critical care to their clients.

without which lives would have been lost.

United Flight Support is now entering it’s fourth year of operations

The legacy of Owenair secures its place in history as a founding

and continues to provide exceptional Flight Support Services to many

member of business aviation in South Africa, and its members can

domestic and international clients. United Flight Support is an integral

only be described as aviation pioneers. We are sure that the company’s

part of the Group and ensures that all aspects of operating our aircraft

founders would be proud of the business as it stands today, that is, one

around the world are arranged efficiently and professionally. Our team

of Africa’s most trusted business aviation operators.

is ably led by Clinton Moodley who has over 20 years’ experience in

United Aircraft Services Group are honoured to be the owners of

both domestic and international markets, and who has visited all but

Owenair and we wish Owenair, its staff, and management our heartfelt

two countries in Africa to personally establish relationships with the

birthday wishes on this very special occasion!

aviation authorities and on-the-ground handling companies. We also celebrate a very special event within the group as Owenair

We wish you a pleasant journey through this edition of United Maverick, with blue skies and safe travels.

turns 70 this year! Without a doubt, Owenair is one of the oldest commercial aircraft operating companies in the world. It was incorporated in 1946 by

Our Warm Regards,

Col. Owen Glynn Davies, a decorated World War II South African Air Force Pilot, former Commanding Officer of No. 60 Squadron and

Jonathan Wolpe

David Howarth

one of the first South African Airways pilots. Col. Davies established

Chief Executive Officer

Managing Director

Owenair shortly after the end of World War II along with two senior

United Charter Services Group

12 6th Street, Parkhurst, Johannesburg www.whitelillybridal.com | info@whitelillybridal.com |

(+27) 011 027 6801

CREDITS | 09

— UNITED —

MAVERICK TEAM RONEL VAN HEERDEN — DESIGN NINJA(& LAYOUT ARTIST) —

Illustrator and layout artist inspired by the tranquillity of small town South Africa. Ronel has worked in all spheres of magazine design. Her exposure to both the mundane and the extraordinary has honed her ability and she delights in adding value that extends much further than the confines of a mere title. Ronel plays with typography and design the way some play with puppies. She revels in them and this abundant joy shines from the pages of United Maverick. “In the midst of noise, we find stillness – as we find simplicity in complexity. It depends on which way you look. As a designer I find merit in both dualities”. — www.nineninetynine.co.za —

INGRID ALICE IRSIGLER — CONCEPT GEIJUTSUKA (& CREATIVE DIRECTOR) — Indy rebel creative director and photographer, challenging conventional thinking from Cape Town to NYC. Ingrid Alice is a creative high end fashion, advertising & portrait photographer who has her feet firmly on the ground and her aesthetic in Wonderland. A true-to-life marketing leader, her approach to brand development and image creation has been shaped by seventeen years in the international creative and design industries. Her practice is grounded in engaging concept generation, story driven design and bold advertising strategies. A whimsical flower child with a rock and roll soul. — www.ingridalice.co.za —

PHILIPPA ROSE-TITE — WORDSMITH MAGI ( & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF) —

Wordsmith, marketing magi and lover of Africa. Philippa is the passionate owner of Purple Raindrop, a boutique brand building and marketing agency based in the rolling Valley of a Thousand Hills. Nineteen years in sales and marketing provided the foundation for the launch of Purple Raindrop and she has been working with customer marketing concept development and implementation ever since. Philippa’s true love is the written word in any and all its forms and she is resolute in her belief that great copy elevates brand engagement beyond the mundane. This extends into the world of social media where Philippa and her company lead the charge in taking brands to the next level with their digital and social media strategies. — www.purpleraindrop.co.za —

by Suzanne Jefferies

the code

AFRICA | 11

CAN I TELL YOU A SECRET? I’ve never received a love letter. Not even a cut-out cardboard red heart, scrawled in crayon. I used to long for a grammatically correct, well-spelt missive that spoke of untold passion and unreached depths of desire; alas, however, my tastes tend to run to the boorish as opposed to the erudite of the male species. How do I disguise my lack of epistolary affection? Do I wait out my declining years in the hope of a dashing, distinguished silver fox, a man of letters? Ah, no. I do what any modern, young(ish) woman would do – I, the goddess of love, become the sender rather than the receiver. Now why have I wasted time waiting, waiting, waiting, when instead, I could have embraced the subtle art form that is the Zulu love letter?

ade and delivered only

being married is an aspirational status to

The Zulu love letter also acknowledges the

by women, the Zulu love

reach – apparently it isn’t just Jerry Maguire

seamier side of love – the trials, tribulations,

letter, at first glance, could

who recognises the power of the words “you

sagas and betrayals – as well as the hearts

be misinterpreted as

complete me”.

and flowers that Western love letters seem

brightly coloured beadery.

So it stands to reason that the bead

bewitched by. Not quite so much a love letter,

Nothing more than frippery, decoration, a

“language” of Zulu women needs to observe

as an “unlove” letter. So, the colour green

technicolour jamboree, to be sported by the

certain social rules in its design. The basic

might also well mean illness or discord, and

beloved. Yet, each individually crafted piece

design shape is that of a triangle (ibheqe);

the colour red, anger. Could that be interpreted

conveys a multitude of layer and meaning

its three points representing father, mother

as the (previous) object of their affection

for the recipient to interpret; a complex

and child. Depending on its position, it

making the sender sick to the stomach? Or,

interplay of communication between male

denotes marital status. If the apex points

is it an indication that their bad-tempered

and female (as if it were ever anything but).

downwards, the female wearer is unmarried

nature is causing discord in the relationship?

Any beadwork worn by a man has been given

or “unfulfilled”. If the apex of an inverted

I’m not sure. Pink, seen in some cultures

to him by a woman, which can help bridge

triangle points downwards, the wearer is

as synonymous with femininity, indicates a

awkward communication such as; “does your

an unmarried man. Two triangles joined

suggestion that the recipient might not want

wife/girlfriend/partner know that you visit

together at the base to form a diamond or egg

to gamble away the lobola money. Certain

this bar/supermarket/office?”’’ while casting

(symbol of fertility), signifies “completion”

colours may be used more than others to

surreptitious glances towards ring fingers.

or marriage. Two triangles meeting together

emphasise meaning - an abundance of yellow,

Even if a man wanted to give a love letter to

at the apexes (hourglass) mean that a man is

far from being bright and sunny, in a negative

his beloved, a female member of his family

married. Should a woman wish to express her

light can mean withering away.

would have to assist in playing cupid. Far

love for a man, she would bead a white triangle

For the recipient, the task is in the

from being mere decoration, these love letters

with apex down, enclosing a red triangle with

interpretation. What did she mean? What

are representative of Zulu social values and

apex up. But there’s more to these love letters

is she asking? How do the colours read the

culture. Clearly, when it comes to matters of

than just the arrangement of the beads.

patterns of her heart? Not surprisingly, men

Part of the key to interpreting meaning is

require their mothers or sisters to help

These love letters or incwadi (translation:

understanding not only the symbols but how

crack these female codes, being less fluent

one writes in order that the other should

colour is aligned within them, to let Mr. Right

in speaking “female”. I know what you’re

reply) have been around since before the

know exactly how she feels, without having to

thinking though. I pondered the answer

invention of plastic or even glass beads. Prior

say a word.

myself. How do you manage to keep beading

the heart, the warriors are the women.

to that, seeds, ostrich eggshell, and seashells

In this particular language of love, there

without losing both your eyesight and your

were just as effective at communicating love.

are many colours, not just the fiery Hallmark

intended as you wrestle with said beads?

As with most cultures, matters of the heart are

red so beloved by marketers everywhere.

The answer to that conundrum lies in their

not mere trifles to while away idle days. In the

As much as you may wish for said deep red

size - think more postage stamp than A5 card.

Zulu culture, marriage is seen as an important

passion, there is also the green of domestic

Within a few short hours, this simple love

transition to adulthood, with married couples

bliss and contentment. As the song suggests,

letter can be completed, richly layered in

awarded higher status or seniority than

you can’t have one without the other. Blue next

meaning, ready to confound, baffle and delight

their unmarried counterparts. Those Zulu

to white signifies fidelity, whereas blue, white

the recipient.

adults whose status is “unmarried” are not

and black denotes marriage. But that’s only if

yet complete, not yet adult. Not surprisingly,

this particular love letter is positive.

I guess the only thing left to decide is who said lucky recipient will be.

AFRICA | 13

ugarbush S Baby By Reneé Olivier

With mythological

associations to the minor Greek

god Proteus – who assumed various forms

in order to go unrecognised - the multitude

of shapes and forms that encompass the Protea genus is just one reason this iconic flower is the symbol for strength and transformation. It also has a habit of constantly evolving new species, hence its association with diversity and courage. The plant is also known to release its seeds after bush fires, giving it phoenix-like qualities, as these durable shrubs literally rise from the ashes and even thrive in poor, acidic soils. Often referred to as the most beautiful and resilient flower in the Cape floral kingdom, the Giant or King Protea is not only the national flower of South Africa, but has also lent its name to the South African national cricket team. This same flower is featured in the South African coat of arms, an apt symbol for a country blossoming into its cultural and aesthetic potential. More than just a pretty face, proteas have been used for decades as a source of sweet, nutritious syrup - also the reason they are known as sugarbushes. The medicinal use of this rubyred nectar dates back to the late 1700s, when it was used to cure coughs and treat many other chest complaints. Ranging from deep maroon hues to startling bright orangereds and pale ice-pink and even white, the stiff velvety petals of the cone-shaped flowers are luxurious and sumptuous against the hard, bark stems and leathery leaves of this distinct plant. With 92% of the 400 indigenous species of Protea being found in the fynbos belt of the Cape, the plants also grow wild in the high altitudes of the Drakensberg mountain range, one of the country’s World Heritage sites. So it is no surprise that this astonishingly varied plant has captured the imagination of both local and international artists for decades, making it among the most prolifically painted indigenous flowers and probably the most recognisable. Photographer Post Production Model Styling Hair Makeup

Ingrid Alice Irsigler Galina Snitsaruk Jes Forber Jes Forber Jana Coetzee Michael MacOlive

DOYENNE OF DESIGN by Philippa Rose-Tite

MAVERICK IS INTERNATIONAL. It travels way beyond South African shores to find itself

in the bedrooms and boardrooms of the elite all over the world. So when my creative director Ingrid and myself

were planning this – the In Love with Africa issue - there was never any doubt that we wanted to delve into the

creative depths of South Africa’s fashion industry to bring you photoshoots and fashion editorials that are the equal, or in many cases the superior, to any you would find gracing the pages of international fashion publications. Our stylist, Karin Orzol, adopted this vision with alacrity and was soon to be seen scurrying all over the country, emerging from wardrobes and trunks, Narnia-style, draped in the finest couture imaginable. I am not one given to hyperbole or hysteria over clothes, but watching Karin hang artwork after artwork in preparation for our next five days of shooting did actually make me a little weepy. See, I may not get emotional over clothes, but art… well… art is another story entirely. There is very little doubt in my mind that what our fashion designers actually do is art. Sometimes we don’t “get it”, sometimes it totally misses the mark, but the times when it’s spot on, in terms of form, function and just plain style, elevate the humble act of clothing oneself to an exercise in worship. Without further ado, let me introduce you to some of the gods of South African fashion.

AFRICA | 15

MARIANNE

FASSLER I

f you don’t know the entire design story of Marianne Fassler, then you

need to go and read it immediately. Even fashion Bedouins, who wouldn’t

be able to identity a Chanel logo if

their morning latte depended on it, are able to confidently declare an item a Marianne Fassler, for all the world like they’ve been studying

fashion their entire lives. The longevity of the brand astounds, 30 years and counting, and clearly sets Marianne Fassler apart from her contemporaries. I confess to being something of a fan-girl here. I love that her pieces are quintessentially African and that her creative workshop is called Leopard Frock. I simply adore that no matter your size, your ethnicity and your age you can always look astoundingly beautiful, and every bit the African Queen in a Marianne Fassler. Web www.mariannefassler.co.za Facebook www.facebook.com/mariannefassler Twitter @Leopardfrock Instagram @leopardfrock

DAINTY I

nspiration comes in many forms and for me, that form is Dainty Frocks. “As

a newlywed, clothes didn’t fit my new

position as a Zulu wife, they were too short! So my brand was born in my living

room with just one machine,” says chief designer and founder of Dainty Frocks, Nqobile Tshalata.

The clothes themselves positively exude glamour,

illustrating an emphatic nod to 1950s fashion with

an African twist. Gorgeous Eastern Cape produced shweshwe fabrics lend themselves to the structure of the skirts and dresses, and an Afropolitan feel is introduced with fabric from Nigeria and Mozambique. African print and a gorgeous cut are the two mainstays of every piece produced by Dainty Frocks. The brand identity is strongly that of the proud African woman who is stylish, no-nonsense but still feminine with an eye for quality. She is elegant, hard-working and in fact tells the story of the African women better than anyone else. Web www.daintyfrocks.co.za/ Facebook www.facebook.com/DaintyFrocks Cell 078-277-5963

FROCKS

AFRICA | 17

acelyn Gozadinos worked in the fashion industry for 10 years, travelling extensively to source unusual fabrics and assist in the development of various collections before deciding to go her own way. Released from the constraints of othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

imaginations, Jacelyn opened White Lilly Bridal in 2013. This beautiful brand has quickly become a leader in South African couture, and espouses the ideals of femininity and romance in every piece. The collections are unique and include boholuxe gowns that feature hours of delicate beadwork and embellishments. Although with a nod to tradition, many of the pieces are unique and, as a woman who has adored floaty, romantic, princess-type dresses since she was a little girl, their dresses snag a chord in my soul every time. For every barefoot bride there is the perfect ensemble in White Lilly. Web www.whitelillybridal.com Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/White-Lilly-bridal Instagram @whitelillybridal

WHITE

LILLY

ARGARMENTRY WEN I

tâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s exceptionally hard to walk the line between oldeworlde elegance and cutting-edge design, yet Arwen manages with panache. One of our favourite South African designers, Arwen began its journey in 2000 when founder Arwen Swan, then a graphic design

artist, decided that she would rather use her knowledge of design and sculpture to make the quality corsets she could never find anywhere. Since then the range has diversified and now operates in most areas of clothing design and creation (even corporate wear), always keeping to the strict principles required to create these challenging pieces, which are built using couture methods. They also have an almost cult-like following all over the world and continue to push the boundaries of fashion and lingerie.

Website www.arwen.co.za Facebook https://www.facebook.com/ArwenGarmentry Instagram @arwenswan

AFRICA | 19

ashion, specifically couture, is hardly associated with nature and simplicity, and yet that is the very essence of Lunar. This South African fashion and lifestyle brand uses natural fibres such as hemp,

silk, linen, bamboo, organic cotton and wool as well as natural pigments for dye, in their clothing design. All the clothing is locally made with their one-off and sample pieces being hand-stitched by an in-house team of skilled seamstresses. Every piece is inspired by the African landscape and celebrates the natural beauty of the environment, while contributing to sustainable business practices and empowerment of local artists and crafters. Lunar have recently launched a lifestyle collection made up of vintage and retro furniture, art and accessories that complement each of their clothing collections. Web www.lunarlife.co.za Facebook www.facebook.com/lunarclothing Twitter @Lunarclothing Instagram @lunarlifestyle

LUNAR

GERT-JOHAN

COETZEE T

he boy from Koster in conservative North West province is now one of South Africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blue-eyed wonder boys of fashion, catering for A-listers from Kelly Rowland to Bonang Matheba.But this is no cold-hearted fashionista with only

buttons and zips on his mind. Every collection he produces is dedicated to a specific cause and in the past he has supported survivors of domestic abuse, raised breast cancer awareness, helped with demystifying albinism and even created talking points around water conservation. As a true believer in fashion with a conscience, he is also a firm advocate for developing talent and he awards a three-year bursary to two promising young students to complete an internationally accredited fashion qualification, every year.Gert-Johan Coetzee clearly wears many hats and as the South African ambassador for Swarovski crystals he creates some of the most talked-about gowns worn at the biggest events on SAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social calendar. You can find his ready-to-wear ranges online at www.spree.co.za and in luxury store Luminance (Hyde Park and Sandton) and other hand-picked boutiques. Web www.gertjohancoetzee.com Facebook www.facebook.com/Gert-Johan-Coetzee-PtyLtd Twitter @Gertjohan Instagram @gertjohancoetzee

AFRICA | 21

rika Groenewald is an adventurer in the world of jewellery design, with a passion for steel, semi-precious and precious metals. Having launched her company e.g. Jewellery Design in 2012, Erika has a love of elegant, simple designs for evening and everyday wear, and uses materials which range from precious metals to wood, bone, industrial fasteners and even rubber.

Erika is a firm favourite at SA Fashion Week and is regularly featured in the fashion pages of glossies all over the world as the international appetite for industrial-image jewellery increases. Simple and beautiful, e.g. Jewellery Design is a contemporary and timeless addition to your jewellery box. Web www.egjewellery.co.za Facebook www.facebook.com/e.g.jewellerydesign

e.g.JEWELLERY DESIGN

KLûK CGDT I

f you have even a passing knowledge of the fashion scene in South Africa (and beyond), you will have heard of the dynamic duo; Malcolm KLûK and

Christiaan Gabriel Du Toit. If there is any designer that has taken African fashion to sophisticated new

heights it’s this passionate and driven brand. The luxury of any item made by them is evident in the attention to

detail; the cut, the fabric and the finishes. With boutiques in

Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria, their name is fast becoming a household one, especially as they produce six ready-to-wear collections a year. But it is their bridal couture which really grabs the imagination and makes it soar. Each dress is designed for the individual bride “Bridal wear is not like fashion, it represents a dream with a lifetime of expectations, and this is what we strive to fulfil,” and with a sentiment as magical as that, who wouldn’t love them? Web www.klukcgdt.com Facebook www.facebook.com/klukcgdt Twitter @KLuKCGDT Instagram @KLuKCGDT

AFRICA | 23

PICHULIK I

f you’re looking for an intrinsically African-made piece then you couldn’t

Website www.pichulik.com

possibly do better than Pichulik jewellery. Created by eight local women in

Facebook www.facebook.com/Pichulik

Woodstock, Cape Town, these earthy pieces feature brass from West Africa,

Twitter @Pichulik

recycled glass from Ethiopia, fossilised pieces from Niger, Ghanaian agate

Instagram

and silver trade beads, as well as fabric and rope. Katherine-Mary Pichulik,

the owner and designer of Pichulik, has her roots in the Michaelis School of Fine

Art at the University of Cape Town and actually qualified as a pâtissier, before travelling the world and finding her inspiration to make beautiful jewellery. Winner of a plethora of awards from all over the world, it’s clear that to be a true connoisseur of African jewellery you simply have to own a Pichulik.

@pichulikafrica

VESSELINA G

PENTCHEVA

race. Elegance. Understated sexiness. Femininity.

These are the things that lie at the heart of this designer’s beautiful work. Born in Bulgaria, this fashion prodigy presented her first collection when she was just 16. Moving to South Africa in

1993, Vesselina went on to study at the Gordon Flack Davidson Academy of Design and soon after was snapped up by another SA fashion icon, Marianne Fassler. This unique designer went her own way in 2000, launching her wedding collections as well as her ready-to-wear lines, which are luxurious and dramatic and have garnered international followings among those ready for a little edgy sophistication. Vesselina embraces the structured lines of well-made corsetry and twins them with beautiful details in the form of beading and embroidery, creating a juxtaposition of elegance and flippancy. Says Vesselina, “My work allows me to express all the complexity of being a woman with all its emotions and power,” something we can clearly see in her beautiful pieces. Website www.vesselina.co.za

AFRICA | 25

BIJI– LA MAISON

DE COUTURE

ny designer that uses Chantilly and French corded

lace (not to mention silk and Swarovski crystals)

is a designer that I can support without thinking twice, and Biji certainly makes that easy. From an unprepossessing start in Randfontein, Biji escaped to

the “Big Smoke” to study design and was already so far advanced in her knowledge that she skipped first year altogether and that was just the start. A series of brave career moves later, this talented young woman chose to forge her own path at just 21, breaking away from the safety of working under someone else’s brand. Clearly this move agreed with her and she went on to find her love of wedding dresses was more than just a love, it was a calling. Each dress made by the Biji team is truly one of a kind, with even the embroidery being designed by Biji herself. Website www.bijilamaison.com Facebook www.facebook.com/Biji-La-Maison Twitter @BijiCouture

DESIGN

he talent pool in Africa is deep and pulls

from myriad cultures. This strange mix makes for designers whose work becomes

an embodiment of the African vernacular,

as well as designers who have grown up in

IN PROGRESS… Rich Mnisi

www.richmnisi.com

rooted in the more stylised Western cultures. And, still,

Laduma Ngxokolo

www.maxhosa.co.za

we have other influences. Arabic cultures were imported

Dope http://dopestore.tumblr.com

onto our continent generations ago and continue to

Erre

www.erre-fashion.com

impact on culture and even style. Our youth are bringing

Mapitso Mokhele

http://mapitso.co.za

their own unique mix to this bag, and we’ve identified the

Mantsho www.mantsho.co

ones to watch.

Esnoko www.instagram.com/esnoko

more Eurocentric environments and whose aesthetic is

Photographer Merwelene van der Merwe

AFRICA | 29

GREAT EXPECTATIONS From the Arwen Garmentry hand-made leather corset, to the soft-drapery that emphasizes all the right curves, South African fashion designers are forging their own identities when it comes to international fashion. Join the United Maverick team as we step back in time to the sophisticated design of a classic French home hidden in the mountains of Limpopo, and combine it with the best South African designers and fabrics.

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PHOTOGRAPHY Ingrid Alice Irsigler POST PRODUCTION Galina Snitsaruk | Kay Van Niekerk STYLIST Karin Orzol HAIR AND MAKE UP Sam Scarborough MODELS Shalati Masekane Amber Konahos Jade Hill PROJECT MANAGEMENT Purple Raindrop PHOTOGRAPHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ASSISTANT Christopher Tite

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Queenfor a Of cakes and queens and delicious things, by Philippa Rose-Tite

Day

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“Off with their heads,” the Red Queen was heard to cry over and over again. Now the sentiment may have been a little archaic,

longer hours and would be able to enjoy their

and not a little ruthless, but the conviction with

afternoon tea between 3 and 4pm, but as it was

which those words were uttered has to be admired.

pretty rushed, it would generally be served at

Similarly Marie Antoinette was heard to mutter

tall tables or enjoyed while standing, hence the

that the starving French populace, in need of basic

term high tea. It was a little more substantial as

foodstuff such as bread, should – instead of starving

they would only be home later and often involved

– “eat cake”. So passion and cake combine, in

something sweet as well as something meaty (for

history, in fairy tales and now in Café Hemingway’s

those who could afford it!). The high-born class

(Kyalami, Johannesburg).

decided that they rather liked this idea and so

Drive passed Kyalami Downs Shopping Centre

appropriated it for themselves, but of course they

and you would be forgiven for not even slowing

made it a lot more lavish than the common man

down. It’s unprepossessing to say the least. That is,

could, and being too posh to stand, it was served

of course, until your eye is caught by the billowing

seated at table.

Bedouin drapes. What frippery is this? You can’t help but be drawn in, even if it’s just for a little explore. Café Hemingway’s is a delightful surprise

Now this little piece of history is being re-enacted with a lot more style and a lot more panache in the delightful Café Hemingway’s.

secreted away in a corner of Kyalami you may

This modern day high tea, the one lavishly thrown

otherwise ignore. The décor, menus and just

just for you, by the passionate café team is a once

beautiful bar all speak for themselves, but what will

in a lifetime experience. Think elaborate towers

really take you by surprise are the high-teas.

of croque-en-bouche, bite-size treats stacked

If we have nothing else to thank our colonial forefathers for, we should, abjectly and without

layers high, tea served in paper-thin cups and elegance overflowing.

reserve thank them for bringing their tea with

It’s a stunning testament to a bygone time, and

them to Africa, and as I wander through the café

it’s something everyone should experience at least

and watch them set a table for a previously booked

once. Combining savoury and sweet treats that

Marie Antoinette high tea, I can’t help but think we

run the gamut from traditional to the exotic, each

should thank them for this tradition too!

high-tea has its own feel and flavour. Says Café

In days of yore, the English had two versions of

Hemingway’s “Each individual tea has specific

tea. Afternoon tea which served as a bridge between

crockery selected just for the feel and flow of that

lunch and supper for the upper classes who would

menu. Table décor has been designed with each tea

invariably be spending their evening hours at plays

in mind, so for example on the Alice in Wonderland

or card evenings, before coming home famished

tea you can expect crazy coloured tea cups and tea

late at night to sit down to the meal we now call

pots as well as table décor that includes rabbits and

dinner. This afternoon tea was fairly light, and

even a dormouse! Our aim is to make each guest

generally involved not much other than a pastry or

feel special, each tea feel like it’s the only one we’ve

two, and of course the obligatory cup of tea.

ever held. We want to make our guests feel like a

The lower classes however would work much

Queen for their day”..

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“I sell dreams, small comforts, sweet harmless temptations to bring down a multitude of saints crashing among the hazels and nougatines” – Joanne Harris, Chocolat

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DESSERTS AT CAFÉ HEMINGWAY’S! Café Hemingway’s cakes and desserts (especially the platters) have quickly become the stuff of legend. Their approach is very inclusive and on any one day, while casually sitting sipping a milkshake, you may be asked to try a batch of cookies or cake as they play with new recipes, or get input from customers on how they would like their dessert options structured. It is not only the passion for delectable treats that make Café Hemingway’s who they are, they really live their approach to community development1 and there’s a thriving kitchen of interns all learning to make ’n bake, as well as more experienced team members who coach them in their quest to become the best in their field. Café Hemingway’s is a place of contradictions. A rundown shopping centre is home to this world-class gourmet establishment. The fixtures and fittings - all top class - are a sweet juxtaposition to the ethos which drove this café to launch. It’s a business driven by a passion for people, and started with nothing but good intentions and heart; that has managed to turn a world driven by fads and “the next big thing” on its head by becoming the go-to place for a return to old fashioned values and the timeless high-tea 1

Café Hemingway’s was founded in December 2014, when Jonathan

Wolpe, who had been going to the café since he was a teenager, was told by the owners of what was then a little House of Coffees, that they would be closing. Jonathan didn’t want to see the people he had grown up around unemployed just a few days before Christmas, so he bought the shop, and began development of what would, in two short months, become Café Hemingway’s. The shop now employs more than 30 people with skills development being a core tenant of the enterprise, including barista and bar-tending courses, cooking, baking and frontof-house learning..

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ook your high tea for 4 or more, with Café Hemingway’s! Choose between the Marie Antoinette high tea, Great Gatsby high tea, Isabel high tea or Alice in Wonderland high tea!

Marie Antoinette High Tea “Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.” – Chaim Potok. THE QUEEN’S HIGH TEA, TO BE SHARED WITH ONLY THE MOST FAITHFUL OF COURTIERS AND KINGS. 2x Mini Croquembouche Filled with Decadent White Chocolate Strawberry Mousse & Dark Chocolate Mousse Cake Pop Surprise Macarons 5x Assorted Mini Cakes Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée, with Seasonal Berries & Sugar Truffle Box Meringues Cognac Cake Shot Citrus Lemon Madeleines Three Time Layered Blueberry Cheesecake Mille Feuille Salmon & Cream Cheese Croissants Served With Fresh Greens & Chives Oysters served with Migonette Pearls & Champagne Foam Duck Bruschetta with Foie Gras Mayo & Candied Citrus Zest Open Fillet Sandwich Topped with Strawberry Preserve & Crumbled Feta Saint Emilion Cheese Open Sandwiches Served with Grilled Peaches Sherry Duxelle Mushroom Quiches Topped with Fresh Thyme Prawn Cocktail Vol-Au-Vents Topped with Avo Dust Standard Tea & Coffee Contact us to book your event! reservations@cafehemingways.co.za

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“Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind”. — Elizabeth I

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rder your very own cake from the Cake Queen at Café Hemingway’s. Be it a mini cake, naked cake, layered cake, themed cake, or even a wedding cake, let Chef Engela delight you! Flavours include; Red Velvet Cake, Blue Velvet Cake, Black Velvet Cake, Vanilla

Cake, Chocolate, Strawberry Cream Cake, Rainbow Cake, Carrot Cake, Double Chocolate Cake, Triple Chocolate Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream Frosting, Fudge Chocolate Cake, Caramel Chocolate Cake, Coffee Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Black Forrest Cake, Ombre Cake, Wild Blueberry Cake, Pink Lemonade Cake, Rose Water Cake, Butter Caramel Popcorn Cake, Caramel Apple Cake, Lemon Mascarpone Cake, Almond Pear Cake, Flourless Dark Chocolate Soufflé Cake with Earl Grey Cream, Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, Tiramisu Cake, Hazelnut Praline Cake, Salted Caramel Layer Cake, all flavours of Cheesecake!

+27 (0)11 466 0195 reservations@cafehemingways.co.za Kyalami Downs Shopping Centre Corner Kyalami Boulevard & Kyalami Main Road (R55), Kyalami, Midrand, 1684 www.cafehemingways.co.za @HemingwaysJozi www.facebook.com/HemingwaysJozi www.instagram.com/hemingwaysjozi

Photographer Post Production Styling Makeup & Hair Photographerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Assistant Venue Dress by Project Management

Ingrid Alice Irsigler Galina Snitsaruk Karin Orzol Sam Scarborough Johan Bredenkamp Sharon Wolpe Arwen Garmentry Purple Raindrop

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FROM

MINK

MANURE TO AFRICA’S

RICHEST SQUARE MILE

rick-for-brick, it’s the richest patch of land in Africa. Sandton, rippling with gaudy over-thetop shiny skyscrapers, perpetually gridlocked traffic and bumper-to-bumper fashion stores, is the Wall Street of Africa.

Photographer Ingrid Alice Irsigler | Post Production Crowbloody | Model Kana from Major Model Management | Styling Lisa-Smith Craig 4 Season Style Management | Makeup & Hair Griselle Rosario

Photographer Niels Melander

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ithin

its

borders,

hybrid of Sandown and Bryanston (Sand-ton).

you’ll find the biggest

Newspaper articles recorded this fightback in

stock exchange on the

gory detail. Back in April 1969, for example, a Mrs

continent and one of the

Forster of Bryanston told the Sunday Times that

20 largest in the world

“I will fight to the end against this name, I think

(The JSE Securities Exchange). You’ll also find the largest law firms doing business in Africa perched atop vertigo-inducing towers, as well as global banking giants like JP Morgan, Deutsche Bank and the China Construction Bank, as well as the local heavyweights like Investec, Nedbank and the FirstRand group. This is why Sandton, barely a few kilometres wide, makes up most of the GDP of South Africa’s richest province, Gauteng, which in turn accounts for 9% of the GDP of the entire continent.

it’s ghastly”. “It sounds sterilised, and reminds me of my nursing days,” she said. Campaigns were held and stickers were distributed bearing the slogan: “reject Sandton”. The complaints centred on the fact that the name Sandton was apparently “difficult to pronounce, has no meaning, sounds foreign and is more like the name of an industrial area”. One shopper sniffed that it sounded “almost Japanese”. Town officials at the time said they’d

Mark Gevisser, in his new book “Lost and

vote on it, and asked residents for alternative

Found in Johannesburg”, describes Sandton’s

suggestions. But the alternatives were far worse.

“ostentatious and disorderly cluster of skyscrapers,

The other four names sent in to officials from

each one an unfortunate suitor to the caprice of

which to choose were Sandia, Sandpark, Sandrand

our times, from the concrete mass of Sandton City

and Sandston.

to the neoclassical pastiche of the Michelangelo

One of the town councilors, GAA Bosman, said

Hotel to the asymmetrical contemporaneity of the

residents had proposed some equally awful names:

Norton Rose Towers”.

“some of the suggested names were outrageous.

Gevisser, in visceral detail, describes how

One person suggested Jukskei, another suggested

these corporate towers are “all held together

we name the town Stokkiesdraai after the farm

by the continent’s largest shopping mall,

owned by the late Dr Verwoerd”.

where middle class black South Africans now

But Sandton it was to be. The new town’s first

outnumber their white compatriots in their

mayor was a newspaperman called Alexander

conspicuous consumption.”

Tweeddale who, intriguingly, married the twin

And yet Sandton as we know it is less than 50-years old, an upstart in the same way that Canary Wharf is to London, or Dubai is to the Middle East. If you stand between the skyrises today, you’d

sister of his wife who died tragically four years before he took up office. In any event, it might just have been another forgettable suburb, sprawling out from the centre of what was Africa’s biggest mining town,

hardly believe that Sandton’s motto in the early

Johannesburg, like so many others.

days was “where the country meets the town”,

But then a couple of things happened which was to seal the new suburb’s destiny as the centre of Africa’s economic power.

a refuge for the well-to-do to hack their horses and spend lazy weekends picnicking near the Jukskei River. Nechama Brodie, writes in ‘The Joburg Book’ how in the 1960s and 1970s, “Sandton clung to its semi-rural identity”.

Fortuitously, property developers Michael Rapp and Natie Maister bought 32-hectares of land in

“Town planner Barry Bristow described the

Sandhurst for about R4m in 1969, with a plan to

area as a town of 30,000 whites and 15,000 horses,

build about 12 houses and a small shopping district.

which explains why the region became known as

But as they mapped it out, they began to realise

the mink and manure set”. In fact, it’s easy to forget that even the very name Sandton stirred up such fury from the wealthy

it could be much more. The project soon morphed into a plan to build the biggest mall in the Southern hemisphere to be named “Sandton City”.

residents of the area in the late 1960s when

Photographs from the time show the two

the new district was declared. These residents

aspiring property moguls surrounded only by tall

campaigned vociferously to have the “ugly” name

grass and veld at the site of the eventual mall, with

changed - described at the time as a hideous

building plans splayed out on the boot of their car.

Photographer Waldemar Wellman

It seems almost Stone Age, considering the cluster of brick and concrete on that site today. Of course, at the time there was no guarantee it would work. There were already a few smaller

Today, of course, there’s no room for any horses. Now, there are three times as many shops, ten hotels, a theatre, a convention centre and 45,000 metres squared of commercial office space.

malls nearby – Hyde Park and Rosebank – and

People even fly into Johannesburg from other

many thought the notion of Sandton City was just

African cities and specifically head to Sandton

too remote to succeed.

to shop.

Rapp and Maister took their inspiration from

As Liberty Properties’ Mel Urdang told the

two malls overseas, the Centre Commercial Parly 2

Business Day newspaper, “many of the luxury brands

in Versailles in France and the Yorkdale Shopping

in Sandton City are not in, say, Nigeria or Ghana.

Centre in Toronto, Canada.

Hence we have people flying to Johannesburg and

Eventually, when the new shopping centre opened in September 1973, yellowed advertisements for “the wonderful world of Sandton City” speak to the naivety of the time as well as the fact that success was anything but a straightforward bet.

Breathlessly, the centre boasted how there’d be “120 shops enclosed under one roof in a totally climate-controlled environment.

then using the convenience of the Gautrain”. It’s been a boost for those lucky enough to have invested when it was all just veld. Back in the 1970s, the pension fund of electricity company Eskom (now renamed Pareto) took up a 25% stake in the fledgling shopping centre, while Liberty Properties (which bought Rapp and Maister’s company) held the other 75%. Today, Pareto CEO Marius Muller says the investment in Sandton has paid off many times.

Escalators whisk you from one level to another

“It exceeded our expectations. I can’t take any

and along the spacious Malls. Flowers, plants and

credit, because it was before my time, but it’s been

trees create an atmosphere of natural surroundings.”

good for us,” he says.

“You’ll have no traffic or parking problems, no bad

Muller says part of the draw card is the fact that

weather worries, no busy streets to cross. Yet you’ll

Sandton City is now a tourist destination for foreign

be able to make the same purchases here as you

visitors. “We get a fair amount of African visitors to

would in the whole central area of Johannesburg.”

the centre particularly,” he says. Today, Sandton City’s

Anachronistically, there were even stations for

growth means it represents about 15% of Pareto’s

shoppers to tether their horses, should they have

portfolio. Office rentals have also rocketed. In the

wished to.

1970s, Sandton was able to lure companies out of

AFRICA | 65

the Johannesburg central business district precisely because office rentals were so much cheaper.

“Generally, we need to introduce more of an urban feel to these streets,” he says.

Today, the inverse is true: Sandton charges far

However, staff working in those companies

higher rates for office space than Joburg’s inner city,

are treated like royalty - as well as they would be

where only a few blue chips, including Standard

anywhere in the world. In the offices of healthcare

Bank and Barclays Africa, continue to resist the

giant Discovery, for example, there is a running

encroaching decay. But as businesses began to

track on the roof, while banking giant FirstRand

decamp to Sandton, Brodie says the “initial ardour

and the JSE have in-house gyms.

for a semi-rural lifestyle began to wane”. The city

Nedbank offers two crèches for children of

council, in 1979, ended Sandton’s rural phase, laying

its working parents, while other offices offer

the platform for the explosion in businesses we see

in-house beauticians, pharmacies and full-

there today.

service restaurants.

Within 25-years, the population of the region had

But the chaotic and fluid expansion, driven by

quadrupled from 40,000 in 1969 to 150,000. Today,

corporate demand, means there are few parks,

it sits north of 300,000. At last count, between 7%

green spaces, museums or tourist attractions (other

and 10% of the top companies listed on the JSE

than shopping) in the area - unlike many well-

Securities Exchange are located in Sandton.

reputed cities in Europe, like Barcelona, Madrid,

Paragon architect Hugh Fraser says this explosion in demand meant that Sandton wasn’t planned

Paris or Lisbon. Fraser doesn’t think that’s as much of a problem

particularly well, with new areas and districts being

as we do.

tacked onto the existing spaces with little forethought

“We think Europe appreciates what they’ve got. Actually, they don’t - they’d happily trade it in for more all-in-one shopping centres, like the US has,” he says.

or planning. “I think anyone would agree that the city hasn’t planned Sandton very well, so a lot of it has been fairly haphazard,” he says. What this means in practice is that there are virtually no cultural areas and pedestrians are

If money is the barometer by which Sandton will

forgotten as massive skyrises compete for space in

be judged, then the verdict can only be that it’s been

the Sandton skyline. Traffic is a disaster, with South

far more successful than Rapp and Maister can ever

Africa’s minibus taxis treating roadmarkings as little

have envisioned. All of this despite its sterile and

more than a vague suggestion.

ghastly name.

The lush Magoebeskloof indigenous forests are the perfect backdrop for showcasing the sumptuous elegance of these South African designed, fairytale frocks. Indulgent fabrics combine effortlessly with gem-encrusted designs to evoke nothing but romance and myth.

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“Come away, O human child! To the waters and the wild With a faery hand in hand, For the world’s more full of weeping than you can understand.” WB Yeats, The Stolen Child.

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PHOTOGRAPHER Ingrid Alice Irsigler POST PRODUCTION Crowbloody / Galina Snitsaruk STYLIST Karin Orzol MAKEUP & HAIR Sam Scarborough MODELS Shalati Masekane Amber Konahos Jade Hill PROJECT MANAGEMENT Purple Raindrop PHOTOGRAPHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ASSISTANT Christopher Tite

Just as in Shakespeare’s legendary play, nothing is as it seems in the mountains of Limpopo. It’s all drama as Jade, Amber and Shalati play hide and seek with decadent couture and the natural beauty of the hydrangea ponds.

“Though she be but little, she is fierce.” William Shakespeare.

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“The lunatic, the lover, and the poet Are of imagination all compact. One sees more devils than vast hell can hold, That is, the madman: the lover, all as frantic, Sees Helen’s beauty in a brow of Egypt: The poet’s eye, in a fine frenzy rolling, Doth glance from heaven to earth, from earth to heaven; And as imagination bodies forth The forms of things unknown, the poet’s pen Turns them to shapes, and gives to airy nothing A local habitation and a name. Such tricks hath strong imagination, That if it would but apprehend some joy, It comprehends some bringer of that joy; Or in the night, imagining some fear, How easy is a bush supposed a bear!” Theseus, William Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.

PHOTOGRAPHER Ingrid Alice Irsigler POST PRODUCTION Crowbloody Alex Sedova STYLIST Karin Orzol MAKEUP & HAIR Sam Scarborough MODELS Shalati Masekane Amber Konahos Jade Hill PROJECT MANAGEMENT Purple Raindrop PHOTOGRAPHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ASSISTANT Christopher Tite

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;In my sky at twilight you are like a cloud

and your form and colour are the way I love them. You are mine, mine, woman with sweet lips and in your life my infinite dreams live.â&#x20AC;?

Pablo Neruda.

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PHOTOGRAPHER Ingrid Alice Irsigler POST PRODUCTION Crowbloody STYLIST Karin Orzol MAKEUP AND HAIR Sam Scarborough MODELS Shalati Masekane Amber Konahos Jade Hill PHOTOGRAPHERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S ASSISTANT Christopher Tite PROJECT MANAGEMENT Purple Raindrop

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Mining may be the reason

Africa made it onto the global map in the first place, but the choke on metals prices in the past two years leaves the continent perilously placed.

t’s a grim story. Gold prices have tumbled 20% in

But what is indisputable is that considering Africa

the past two years, platinum has sunk to its lowest

holds a third of the world’s natural resources like gold,

levels since the financial crisis in June 2008 ($940

oil and copper, and two-thirds of the globe’s diamonds, it

per ounce) while oil has tumbled from more than

has precious little development to show for 150 years of

$100 per barrel to around $45.

fevered extraction.

It’s been nothing less than a rout, which has upended

This is why the notion of the “resource curse” –that

the power dynamic in boardrooms and stock exchanges

being blessed with a ludicrous amount of gold, platinum

across the world.

and metals has ironically only made it harder for the

Take Anglo American, the definitive South African blue chip which traces its roots back to 1917 when German

continent to drag itself to a level even comparable with its less well-endowed peers – has stuck.

immigrant and diamond buyer Ernest Oppenheimer

The statistics back this up. Economists showed that

managed to scrape together £1-million from investor’s to

between 1960 and 1990, countries with hardly any

mine for gold under Johannesburg.

natural resources grew two-to-three times faster than

For so many years, Anglo was the Rolls-Royce of

countries supposedly in the pound seats. If anything,

South Africa’s stock market. Today, it’s the equivalent of

it should be the reverse – countries with oil, gold and

a clapped-out Lada.

platinum should have outpaced the rest.

Investors in Anglo American have seen the value of their money fall by more than 50% between 2014 and 2015. To put that in context, the loss in Anglo’s value in a single 52-week period overshadows the entire GDP of Botswana, Namibia or Madagascar. The trajectory of the other one-time global giants is similar: BHP Billiton (down 36% in a year), Rio Tinto (down 26%) and Glencore (down 57%). For some, this crash has only vindicated their view that smart investors should have been avoiding commodities for some time. Charlie Munger, the long-time business partner of Warren Buffett, was never a particular believer in commodities. “I think gold is a great thing to sew into your garments

The social consequences are even worse. As a report from global think-tank Chatham House argued, “large resource revenues create a pot that is worth fighting for – since whoever is in power is better able to plunder that pot”. Many of Africa’s worst wars, its most brutal coups and dramatic social upheavals have commodities to thank be it oil in Angola, or diamonds in Sierra Leone. With commodities prices in freefall, however, there’s no telling what impact this will have on a continent which still relies far too heavily on these resources. Take Zambia, which is pretty much built on copper. More than 80% of Zambian exports are copper or cobalt, so you can imagine that the plunge in the copper price, from $7,500/tonne to just about $5,000 over the past five years has smacked the Zambian economy hard.

if you’re a Jewish family in Vienna in 1939 but I think

The reason for this rout isn’t hard to find: China.

civilised people don’t buy gold,” he said.

The Asian powerhouse has been hot for commodities

Nevertheless, for anyone still sitting in the executive suite at a mining firm, it’s been a horror show.

for years to fuel its giddying growth. But in the past year, China’s GDP growth has slumped alarmingly amid some

But the silver lining for Africa is that, perversely, this

rather awkward questions about whether the mega-

particular commodities crash might finally present the

growth numbers it reported for the past decade were, in

opportunity for the continent to shake off the tag as the

fact, even real to begin with.

bewitched victim of the “resource curse”. Right from the time that 15-year-old Erasmus Jacobs stumbled across a shiny pebble in 1866 on the banks of a river on his father’s farm, in a place today known as Hopetown in South Africa’s Northern Cape (which turned out to be a 21-carat diamond), the African mining story has been cast into a particular mould. The narrative is this: rich foreigners arrive, suck the minerals out, and depart, leaving chaos and a society at war over the scraps that are left. That cliché, like all wellpeddled clichés, isn’t always true.

With China under pressure, its budding romance with Africa could be on the rocks.

Already, the Asian giant has invested more than $100-billion in the continent, buying mines (even in Zimbabwe’s notorious diamond fields of Marange), taken stakes in large companies (the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China bought 20% of Standard Bank for R38-billion) and done trade deals across the continent.

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“ECONOMIC GOVERNANCE CONTINUES TO The joke is that Africa is China’s “second continent”, IMPROVE, PROVIDING and that it is somehow hellbent on a new form of “colonialism”, in which it takes over Africa to secure its PROTECTION AGAINST resource needs. This is a bit far-fetched: while Africa needs China, THE BOOM-BUST China really doesn’t particularly need Africa – only 5% of its trade is with Africa, as the public policy group CYCLE FUELLED Brookings Institution points out. BY EARLIER “The popular focus on China’s vast economic endeavours in Africa seems to suggest that COMMODITY Africa is somehow critical for China. In reality, Africa accounts for only a tiny percentage of BOOMS” China’s overall foreign economic activity… [and] politically, the continent is of small importance to China’s foreign policy agenda,” said Brookings fellow Yun Sun.

receipts tripled between 2000 and 2012,” it said.

So if China isn’t likely to come running to Africa’s

The spell, as much as it ever existed, might finally be

assistance, the continent has to come up with its own

broken. Which would be just as well, considering the

plans to survive this new commodities plunge.

havoc in the mining industry is likely to continue for

Chatham House says the collapse in commodity prices

some time.

is a “salutary reminder of what the resource curse is

Jacko Maree, the former CEO of Africa’s biggest bank,

all about – namely, the creation of an economy overly

Standard Bank, said in July 2015 that South Africa’s

dependent on revenue from a volatile and finite source.

mining industry – once the foundation of mining in

But the good news is that there are actually some

the world - isn’t likely to simply recover from this

fledgling signs that this time, it’ll be different; that this time, African countries can ride out the commodities crash as their economies are less dependant than they used to be. In 2013, Former United Nations secretarygeneral Khofi Annan said there is finally, “good reason to be optimistic”. “Economic governance continues to improve, providing protection against the boom-bust cycle fuelled by earlier commodity booms,” he wrote in the 2013 Africa Progress Panel. He said this defied “the predictions of those who believe that Africa is gripped by a resource curse”. Others agree. In an essay early in 2015, titled ‘The Twilight of the Resource Curse’, the Economist magazine said few

current predicament.

“For more than a decade China’s economic impact was greater than (that of) Germany, France and Italy put together; that kind of economic stimulus will not be repeated again. That means demand for commodities, especial industrial commodities, are not likely to return to historic levels,” he says. The problem says Afriforesight, a market intelligence company which does a monthly round-up of commodities markets, is that “in most cases, it’s not demand, but supply, that ends up being the main determinant of price.” Too many mining companies digging up too much means a glut of commodities on the market.

African currencies have collapsed, which suggests that

Afriforesight says that by the end of 2015 or 2016, there

investors don’t see the commodities plunge as the kiss

should be a (slow) recovery in metals prices – except for

of death for their economies any more.

gold, iron, copper, coal and natural gas which are still

“Economic growth is starting to come from other

likely to struggle.

places. Manufacturing output in the continent is

But over the longer-term, nothing is going back to the

expanding as quickly as the rest of the economy. Growth

way it was. Perhaps it’s a good thing that Africa’s economy

is even faster in services… [and] tourism, in particular,

has had to reinvent itself for a world where mining is no

has boomed: the number of foreign visitors doubled and

longer critical for economic or social development.

Photographer Ingrid Alice Irsigler | Post Production Crowbloody | Model Georgie from Major Model Management New York | Styling 4Season Style Management |

Make up & hair Griselle Rosario | Dress Laurel DeWitt

Photographer Greg da Silva (Joâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;burg Skyline)

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INVESTING IN AFRICA A STATUS REVIEW BY DR LANCE VOGEL

The

persistent global themes of a

and the forex availability. Through that, it’s

strong US dollar, a slowdown

affecting everybody.”

in Chinese GDP growth, the

The big decline in oil prices has already had a

collapse in commodity prices and the pressures that

severe impact on Nigeria and Angola, the continent’s

these are placing on emerging market economies

top two oil exporters. The collapse in metals prices,

are cause for reflection in terms of where assets are

meanwhile, is adding to the economic woes of

allocated in global investment portfolios. As South

mineral exporters, including South Africa, Africa’s

African-domiciled portfolio constructors and asset

top mining destination, and Zambia, the continent’s

allocators, the opportunities for investment in

second-largest copper producer. Even countries less

countries north of our borders are obvious candidates

dependent on the export of raw materials are enduring

for review. In our review we draw on the work of a

the headwinds of the commodities price decline.

number of strategists, commentors and academic researchers who are ideally placed to provide insights into the investment opportunities in Africa. The investment landscape on the African continent has been dominated over the past decade by a growing Chinese presence. A recent Special Report by the Financial Times points out that from Khartoum in Sudan to Lomé in Togo, ostentatious palaces have

“The big new projects in East Africa, the avenues of future growth – they are all commodity related. In Mozambique it’s coal and gas; in Tanzania it’s gas; and in Kenya it’s oil and gas, and pipelines,” Azevedo says. “So everything that is new and sizeable that was helping these countries move forward is also oil and commodity related.”

been built with Chinese money and labour. Mine shafts

The depreciation of local currencies also offsets

have been sunk, oil pipelines laid, and countless roads,

some of the cushion non-oil producers could have

bridges and airports have been built. Vast amounts

expected from weak oil prices and raises the cost

of oil, coal, copper and iron ore have been shipped

of imports, with most African states being import

eastward to satisfy China’s hunger for Africa’s raw

dependent. Any US interest rate rise would add to the

materials. A flood of Chinese manufactured goods,

pressures on volatile currencies. Meanwhile, access to

from dumper trucks to toys, has come in the opposite

finance is also expected to become more difficult. In the

direction. At times, China’s presence has been

past, China has financed much-needed infrastructure.

controversial, but it has been a core theme of Africa’s

Governments have also taken advantage of global

recent growth. Now the slowdown in China’s economy

investors’ search for yield and tapped international

and the global ripple effects, particularly the collapse

capital markets at unprecedented levels. Zambia,

in commodity prices, are combining to present many

Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana, Senegal and Ivory

African nations with the toughest economic challenges

Coast have issued foreign-currency-denominated

they have faced in years. Mines are being mothballed,

sovereign bonds. But with general investor risk

projects delayed and jobs shed. And countries across

aversion and the potential for a US rate rise, financing

the continent have seen their currencies tumble

is likely to become more challenging and expensive.

against the US dollar.

“We are between a rock and a hard place,” says Martin

“In the short term this is the perfect storm,” says

Kingston, head of Rothschild for sub-Saharan Africa.

Miguel Azevedo, head of investment banking for

“Many African nations have fiscal deficits or are

Africa at Citigroup.

approaching deficits and it’s going to be very difficult

“It’s really hitting hard in terms of demand for

for them to borrow their way out of the problem.”

extractive industries – it’s hitting local companies,

That raises questions, Kingston says, about how

it’s hitting the budgets and it’s hitting the currencies

African governments will move ahead with much-

Photographer John Wollwerth (180 degree aerial panorama of Nairobi, Kenya)

AFRICA | 107

needed infrastructure projects that have helped foster

“What we will not have now is available capital for

economic growth, development and job creation. In

crazy public spending.”

July 2015, before the latest spate of emerging market

“The combined impact of the current market

volatility, the International Monetary Fund (IMF)

conditions, power, security and corruption is that the

forecast growth for sub-Saharan Africa of 4.4% for

short-term outlook for Africa is challenging,” says

2015, down from 5.0% in 2014.

Yvonne Ilke, head of sub-Saharan Africa coverage at

On the upside, economists point out that Africa’s

Bank of America Merrill Lynch. Rita Babihuga, analyst

positive growth of the past decade was not simply

in the Africa sovereign ratings group at Moody’s, says

driven by the commodities boom. New technologies

that these problems are putting more pressure on

and the growth of consumer industries have altered

currencies across the region, which is likely to lead

the way Africans interconnect, shop and socialise.

to tighter fiscal and monetary policies to preserve

Facebook, for example, says its active user population

macroeconomic stability. “Countries that didn’t build

on the continent swelled by 20% to 120 million

up sufficient reserves, such as Angola and Nigeria,

between September 2014 and June 2015. More than

face the double threat of deteriorating external and

80% of those users access the social network on their

domestic conditions, and are likely to face greater

mobile phones. The technology developments have

aversion from foreign investors,” she says.

coincided with the expansion of the middle class, with

For a number of countries, including Ghana,

a youthful, aspirational, fast-growing population that

Uganda and Zambia, the cycle of higher US interest

is rapidly urbanising.

rates – which is expected to encourage investors

Corruption is still entrenched in many countries,

to take money out of emerging markets – has come

but improved governance and better macroeconomic

at a time when their economies are weakened and

management are also cited as critical factors behind

policymakers have limited capacity to adjust rates

the continent’s continued development.

to counter this. Falling prices for bonds issued by

“It might not be that Africa is rising, but Africa

countries in sub-Saharan Africa illustrate this shift,

certainly is changing,” says Steve Kayizzi-Mugerwa,

with the yield on a 10-year bond issued by Ghana

chief economist at the African Development

last year up from 7.71% to 10.13%. Nigeria, which has

Bank. There have been few bigger boosts for

struggled to adapt to falling oil prices, was removed

Africa’s credentials than Nigeria’s election in 2015.

from the JPMorgan index of emerging market

Muhammadu Buhari became the first Nigerian

government bonds in 2015, a decision that cannot

opposition candidate to defeat an incumbent through

be reversed for 12 months and one that has closed

the ballot box. The question now is whether Nigeria

the door to billions of dollars of passive-investment

and others are able to use the shock of the commodities

money tracking the index. But not every country is

collapse to focus more attention on other sectors.

experiencing heavy outflows of global capital.

Kayizzi-Mugerwa says the experience should “...bring some realism to what Africa needs. Maybe looking at the basic things like manufacturing and also agriculture.” Bismark Rewane, chief executive officer of the Lagosbased firm Financial Derivatives, says the confluence of events has provided African policymakers with a reality check. “The policymakers are the first people that need to accept the reality,” he says.

“The typical African country is less dependent on global capital markets and less beholden to the often irrational behaviour of investors towards emerging markets,” says Jan Den, head of research at Ashmore, a specialist emerging markets investment firm. Many obtain the bulk of their financing from

But even as clouds gather over the continent’s

bilateral and multilateral institutions, which can act as

economic outlook, bankers expect investors’ appetite

an alternative source of financing at times of market

for the potential of the African consumer to remain

stress. Foreign investment also tends to be the preserve

healthy. With Africa’s population forecast to more

of specialists who are less likely to pull out money

than double to 2.4 billion by 2050, multinationals

during bouts of global volatility. However, in spite of

have been eyeing the continent for opportunities

the breadth of funding and the recent development of

in consumer-linked sectors. The growth of the past

a local pension and insurance sector in sub-Saharan

decade has already helped remove the stigma investors

Africa, the confluence of mounting external pressures

had attached to investing in Africa. Gradually, intra-

is expected to be uppermost in investors’ minds for the

Africa trade is also picking up. And in spite of the

rest of the year.

current volatility, Citigroup’s Azevedo says capital will

In a recent report, David Pilling, Asia editor

still be available for the right projects – albeit more

of the Financial Times, points out that in the 10

selectively. “Ten years ago, I don’t think capital was

years to 2014, trade between Africa and China

available even for the right projects,” says Azevedo.

increased 20-fold to more than $200-billion. The

combination of low debt and high revenue allowed

uncontested territory. “Chinese companies can go and

many African governments to tap capital markets for

cut their teeth at [low] prices, because the top tier of

the first time. In some cases, that funded the discovery

Western companies are not there. It’s an ideal training

of more reserves of minerals and hydrocarbons. “The

ground.” Cheap Chinese products, such as textiles,

past decade has been very benign for Africa,” says

have often been blamed for wiping out whole swathes

Paul Collier, an Oxford economist, “but that’s over.”

of African industry.

The period began, he says, with debt relief before

But French argues that the death of inefficient

“commodity prices went through the roof”. Collier

industries selling overpriced goods to unfortunate

adds that: “This was the biggest opportunity that Africa

African consumers is not necessarily to be mourned.

ever had, but it has broadly been a missed opportunity.”

The trick is to harness the new opportunities provided

Countries that did not prepare in the good times by diversifying or building strong economic buffers are now likely to suffer a Chinese hangover. That does not necessarily mean the Chinese-African relationship has ended – far from it. For a start, China’s economy may be slowing but, barring a catastrophe, it is unlikely to grind to a halt. Even at 5% growth, China would add an Indian-size

by Chinese interest in the continent, he says. If governments respond with the right incentives, as Ethiopia has tried to do, by encouraging manufacturers to invest locally, transfer technology and employ local staff, China can be more of a boon than a threat. Ha-Joon Chang, a development economist at Cambridge University, says that even though the Chinese state has been every bit as exploitative as the West, Beijing’s growing presence in Africa has been largely beneficial.

economy to its already massive bulk in four years,

“The most important thing is that there’s

implying a steady, albeit more moderate, demand for

competition,” he says. “For African countries, there

African raw materials.

used to be only one bank in town. It was called the

Second, the China-Africa relationship goes much

World Bank.” Ethiopia has found Chinese finance to be

deeper than extracting raw materials. “Rwanda and

“smoother and faster”, he adds. African nations, Chang

Ethiopia are not commodity exporters,” says Deborah

says, must wean themselves off simply “digging things

Brautigan, an expert on China-Africa relations at Johns

out of the ground”.

Hopkins School for Advanced International Studies.

Instead, they need to move to an early industrial

Those two economies have close trade and investment

phase in the mould of now-wealthy South Korea,

ties with China, and have racked up years of impressive

whose GDP per capita in 1960 was half that of Ghana’s,

growth. In the case of Ethiopia, the relationship has

based on value-added, labour-intensive industrial

been built on trade, and investment in infrastructure

models. Other countries such as Rwanda, Mauritius

and manufacturing, says Arkebe Oqubay, architect of

and Ghana, have set off in the right direction, says

the country’s industrial policy. More than any other

Chang. On the other hand, “Zambia is still digging

country in Africa, Ethiopia has made concerted efforts

copper … and Angola doesn’t appear to be doing much

to build an industrial base.

to prepare for the future.”

“While Africa cannot copy Chinese stages of

“The next decade or so,” he predicts, “will see sharp

development, it may be able to learn more than from

divergence between countries with good policies and

Europe,” Xu Weizhong of the Institute of African

those countries without. China’s interest in Africa,

Studies told a Chatham House conference this year.

albeit tempered by the current slowdown, means

“Ethiopia, for example, has studied Asian dragons and

that opportunity will continue to knock. But it will

tigers, which have influenced its policies.”

not knock equally.”South Africa falls into the general

Howard French, an academic and author of China’s

classification that is emerging markets, together with

Second Continent, says that rising labour costs at

the likes of China, India, Brazil, Russia, South Korea

home and the Chinese public’s growing awareness

and Indonesia, for example. Many of the African

of environmental damage is driving some lower-

countries referred to in the previous paragraphs fall

end manufacturing out of China. These push factors,

into the classifications that are frontier and horizon

says French, make Africa an interesting offshore

markets. As these last two classifications suggest,

destination. “It is already a big deal, and potentially a

the countries are less well researched, less well

very big deal.” He describes Beijing’s resource grab,

understood and fraught with potential pitfalls for the

lubricated sometimes by massive bribes, as mostly

uninformed investor.

“pernicious”. Yet Chinese individuals, and Chinese

While there clearly are investment opportunities

companies, can have a potentially beneficial impact,

for investors in these markets, the use of investment

he says.

specialists in frontier and horizon markets is highly

One of Africa’s attractions is that it is largely

recommended to guide the process.

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AFRICA | 111

BY SHANE OOSTHUIZEN

The depths of Africa have always been reserved for the toughest of four-wheel drives. When recently asked what I deemed to be “the toughest car in Africa”, it was no surprise that I confidently answered “Toyota Land Cruiser”.

Mercedes’ love affair with Africa

started in 1896, when a gentleman by the name of John Percy Hess imported the first Benz into Africa.

In essence, I wasn’t that far off. Toyota continues to be the most successful marque in Africa with many an old Land Cruiser, Hilux and Corolla bearing testament to the brand’s durability. However, after much deliberation, I’ve since changed my point of view somewhat. When it comes to conversations about the toughest vehicles on the planet – usually had around an open fire and charring meat – four-wheel drives almost always feature. After all, what’s tougher than a large, tall-riding SUV charging through the desert? Toughness, though, is not a straightforward idea. On the one hand, it can be defined by the ability to handle all the punishment Africa, and her people, can throw at it. On the other hand, toughness can speak to how long this relentless abuse can be taken. We know that the likes of the Hilux and Cruiser excel in these areas. But there is another brand that has by far surpassed the legend that is Toyota. We don’t often associate it with toughness, but it has all the credentials to be a contender. While watching a recent documentary about North Africa’s political infighting, I kept noticing one car brand over and over again – Mercedes-Benz. The unmistakable shape of late 1970s and early 1980s Mercs dominated the traffic in city streets. From buses to tipper trucks to sedans, one could make out Mercedes insignia in just about every shot. This begged the question – could the posh, German, luxury car be one of the most resilient cars in Africa? The stats, of course, only reinforce this line of thought. Two out of every three cars in circulation in Mauritania are 1980s Mercedes-Benz 190 sedans and this gives the country’s car traffic a very particular character. Similarly, no less than half the cars in circulation in Bamako, Mali’s capital and biggest city, are old Mercedes’, imported from Europe. These are mainly 1980s Mercedes 190s, 220s, 230s and 1990s Mercedes C-Class, all relegated to taxi service. By years of service alone, Mercedes has managed to forge itself a reputation of wrought steel. It’s a testament to the unrelenting durability of the old cars that has seen them test the sands of time. And win. So much so, in fact, that Mercedes-Benz even offers something called a high mileage award for vehicles that have done in excess of 250,000kms. Mercedes-Benz first introduced the high mileage award in the 1960s to recognise the vehicles still on the road that had reached the 100,000 miles mark, some had even exceeded the

AFRICA | 113

700,000 miles mark. The mind boggles when you think how many miles the Mercs of Africa have done, completely off the grid and unmeasured. In many ways then, Merc’s history by far outstretches that of many other marques in Africa. Other than the Japanese staple breeds such as Toyota and Nissan, the only other real competitor to the toughness throne (could that be the iron throne then?) comes from the French stables of Peugeot and Renault. Mercedes’ love affair with Africa started in 1896, when a gentleman by the name of John Percy Hess imported the first Benz into Africa. At that time, he told the then Bank of Africa to arrange payment to the manufacturer, Benz & Co. of Mannheim in Germany. The car was shipped to Port Elizabeth in 1896 and transported to Pretoria by railway. Hess became the sole agent for Benz Motors in South Africa, driving his two-seater Benz Velo for the first time in 1897. This was such a grand occasion that President Paul Kruger was in attendance, having commissioned a specially minted gold medal to commemorate the day. A week later, the Benz was shown at the Wanderers in Johannesburg and sold to coffee importer A.H. Jacobs who offered a viewing to anyone who purchased 500g of coffee from his Pritchard Street shop. Of course, as irony then kicked in for the new owner, a few months later the car was destroyed in a fire. The continent of Africa has since enjoyed a long and prosperous working relationship with the 3-pointed star. Egypt’s Egyptian German Automotive Company accounts for the bulk of the world’s E-Class, C-Class and GLK manufacture, while Nigeria assembles the majority of the Mercedes-Benz branded trucks, buses and Sprinter vans. Even the muchrevered new C-Class is built in South Africa’s own world-class Mercedes-Benz factory in East London. While the business end of Daimler-Benz thrives on the Dark Continent, it’s the customers who keep it going. Mercedes continues to be the dictator’s car of choice, and you can be sure to find an S-Class serving in almost every parliament in Africa. Needless to say then, having that 3-pointed star on your bonnet is as aspirational to the people as the cars themselves. That said, it might be a long shot to simply bestow Mercedes with the much coveted title of “Toughest Car in Africa”. There are many aspects at play here. I know a 190 sedan will never be able to conquer the wilds of Africa like a Land Cruiser would. In fact, I doubt a G-Class could go where a Cruiser can. The point is that Mercedes has lasted in Africa. Not only in the metal, but as an aspiring brand. Perhaps “toughest” is the wrong adjective to use. There is no doubting the brand’s footprint in Africa. It might not be the car to travel the forest paths and desert dunes, but it has been a car that has adapted to the toughest places in Africa – the cities.

Can Mercedes luxury and solid

engineering translate into a vehicle tough enough for Africa?

sk any South African about taxis, and

violence to remain at the top of the food chain (often by

you’re bound to get an earful. Notorious

killing off rival association members) when competing

for their perceived lawlessness – their

for the most lucrative routes. A taxi operator described

blatant disregard for passenger safety

the industry as a “Mafia-like trade organisation”. Much

as they fly through red robots or gun it

like their Sicilian counterparts, taxi operators were

down the emergency lane on the highway, the cutting

coerced into joining these mother bodies who would

off, the cutting in – even former president Thabo Mbeki

provide them with “protection” from other mother

once referred to them as “mobile coffins”. Yet, commuters

bodies, and for this honour they would hand over their

continue to use them in enormous numbers. Taxis are

money. In her paper titled, From Low Intensity War

cheap, will take you where you need to go (dropping you

to Mafia War: Taxi violence in SA (1987-2000), Jackie

off at your exact location – often to the detriment of the

Dugard described operators as “lucrative empires cum

cars behind them, as they come to a crashing halt) and,

protection rackets”. On an individual level, the striving

above all, are fast. But attempts to regulate this industry

for financial independence outside of the constrictive

have been fraught with the kind of terminology that

mother bodies and taxi associations was not always easy,

makes for a gripping thriller – bribery, corruption,

nor was it viable for lone entrepreneurs. In addition, the

strikes and turf wars.

industry was beset with problems such as bribery and

From the outset, the minibus taxi industry reflected the

corruption when dealing with the police; and the level of

realities of apartheid South Africa. Under apartheid, taxis

lawlessness only increased as the end of the inhumane

were the answer to a need to transport large numbers of

apartheid regime drew to a close.

black workers into the urban areas from which they had

In 1994, with the arrival of the new government,

been forcibly removed. Ironically, the apartheid regime

something had to be done with an industry that threatened

offered the economically suppressed black population

the lives of commuters, if not from the violence then from

the entrepreneurial opportunity provided by the

unroadworthy vehicles, and reckless drivers. The new

blossoming minibus taxi industry, with both hands. How

government had in fact inherited a rogue industry that

else could labourers get to work quickly and cheaply?

seemed to have “self-regulated”. Michael Wines, in the

Both currently as well as historically, the taxi industry

Seattle Times, reflected on the situation where it was

is the only one dominated by black leadership, truly an

deemed, “politics, race and crime have so muddied the

example of black economic empowerment (BEE).

cartels’ rivalries that they are beyond easy resolution”.

Deregulation in the late 1980s, which introduced the

In effect the new government had a number of problems

radius system to the industry, flooded the market with

to deal with – an industry that was synonymous with

permits, creating an opportunity for those willing to use

violence, no specific legislation, a large and increasing

AFRICA | 115

Photographer Momelezi Nodada

number of illegal or “pirate” taxis in operation and a police

– an indirect contributor to tax via the fuel levy. An

force ill-equipped - if not a little scared – to crack down.

additional 5% of the total fuel price goes to the Road

In 2001, the South African National Taxi Council

Accident Fund. Furthermore, taxi operators need to

(Santaco) was founded, engaging all stakeholders in

have a valid income tax clearance certificate in order

the taxi industry to find a way forward. Policy took the

to acquire or renew their annual taxi operating licence.

form of a Taxi Recapitalisation Plan (TRP) to re-regulate

Therefore, taxi operators are certainly being forced into

the industry and improve safety standards. But the

tax compliance. At present, about 60% of taxis have valid

taxi operators were not so foolish as to assume that any

operating licences. However, those not registered are

policies were aimed at bettering their industry – they

frowned upon by other operators.

were savvy enough to realise that government’s broad

Of the South African public transport market, Arrive

aims for policy were directed towards better commuter

Alive, a road safety information portal, estimates that

satisfaction and safety – any additional benefits for the

minibuses have a market share of 65%, with buses at

taxi operator were merely secondary. Another problem

20% and rail at 15%. As an industry, it comprises of more

with trying to legislate the industry was that any

than 20,000 owners and 600,000 jobs (drivers, rank

intervention by government was seen as an attempt to

managers, associated service providers), with more than

disempower black economic opportunities. Conditions

150,000 minibus taxis on the roads, and an estimated

were ripe for the staging of numerous taxi strikes which

turnover of R40-billion. It’s further estimated that 15

effectively brought, and still do bring, South Africa to a

million commuters make use of this industry each day.

standstill.

Fifteen million. Contrary to popular belief, only 3 in 36

Jump forward 10 to 15 years and many of the issues

road-related deaths can be attributed to taxis. For all

have yet to be resolved. Within the industry itself, there

intents and purposes, the minibus taxi industry is an

are cracks surrounding the representative bodies,

economically viable, legitimate public transport system.

with split allegiances and no central overseeing body.

Yet, the industry still suffers immense reputational

Attempts to legitimise the industry as a viable business,

damage for its perceived “lawlessness”.

subject to taxation as well as labour laws, and to protect

Changing the distrust of operators towards government

the rights of taxi drivers, who have previously been

policy interventions, not to mention that of motorists

exploited by less-than-savoury associations, have been

and government towards operators, could prove more

fraught with tension.

than challenging considering that the taxi industry

Yet, according to TaxiChoice, a representative of

has continued to survive and grow, both in spite of and

the business interests of the taxi environment, the

because of the political environment and the policies that

industry is the biggest purchaser of fuel in the country

have sought to regulate them.

As you walk

out of airport doors the blare of taxi horns welcomes you to the bustling streets of Joâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;burg, Durban or Cape Town. Traditional taxis quietly wait in line to welcome you, and then there are the other type of traditional African taxi. The mini-bus taxi. With music pumping, and bright artwork on the sides, they wait to take you anywhere in your chosen city. Generally safe, always cheap, you have to take a ride at least once! Flagging them down is easy with our guide to taxi talk!

AFRICA | 117

here are many things you expect to

revolution, skipping right on to mobile devices.

hear while lumbering through the

Almost as if someone had flicked a light switch, the

Zambian savanna while on the back of

Dark Continent was lit up with mobile technology.

an enormous African elephant.

Today, even in the most remote African villages,

Of the many you’d associate with this

mobile phones are a common sight. It’s been

scenario, like “Look, a zebra!” or even “Don’t let the

estimated that the number of mobiles will rise to

monkeys steal your hat”, I’d wager that “So what’s

930 million by 2019. Smartphones, some of which

your Twitter handle?” really isn’t one of them.

now cost as little as US$25, are likely to push internet

Jo, our chatty and extremely linguistically talented

penetration throughout the continent to 50% within a

guide, has been involved with elephants all his adult

decade. Forget 4G and Wi-Fi for a moment. Although

life. He’s also worked all over Africa, speaks more

bigger cities like Nairobi and Lusaka have embraced

than seven languages and has a deep and abiding

public Wi-Fi, it is one of mobile’s most humble

passion for his pachyderm charges. But being from

technologies that’s taking people places.

neighbouring Zimbabwe, he can only travel home once a year to visit his family. In a country where the postal service is pretty

USSD or Unstructured Supplementary Service Data has opened rural Africa up to a multitude of new avenues – for both consumers and sellers.

much nonexistent, he’s had to rely on social networks

For consumers, it’s provided the means to do

like Facebook and Twitter to keep him connected to

everything from buying airtime to recharging

his family. He says this way he can see photos of his

electricity vouchers, and even sending and receiving

children continuously, keep up with their day-to-

money. For sellers, it’s provided a new way to

day activities and even send money back home to his

reach their consumers, making it an inexpensive

family far quicker than he could if he used more…

marketing platform for wholesalers and banking

traditional means.

institutions. This business environment has attracted

Surprised? I certainly was. Isn’t this deepest,

a number of Western companies to invest in Africa.

darkest Africa where lions roam the streets and we

Microsoft is funding a small firm that is developing

only got out of our animal skins about a decade ago?

wide-area Wi-Fi systems able to cover entire regions

Revelations like this underscore a remarkable

at less than a hundredth of the cost of existing mobile

change taking place in Africa. A continent that has long accepted technological hand-me-downs from the West has quietly been

tech. Cisco, a maker of network gear, and now an angel investor, are hurriedly looking at changing their architectural landscape.

innovating. You see, while we were battling dial-up

Even social giant Facebook has joined the fray,

tones and 16-bit graphics in South Africa, the rest of

partnering with phone operators to make internet

Africa continued with their everyday chores, vastly

connectivity available for free, through an initiative

unaware of Western toys like personal computers.

known as internet.org, in the hopes of signing up

Africa missed the 486 and Pentium desktop

Africans before indigenous social media nab them.

AFRICA | 119

By Philippa Rose-Tite

Start-ups are also being developed.

rations to refugees. They are designed to be cheap and

EmergingCrowd, a London-based crowd-funding

rugged enough to deploy across the continent, and

firm, aims to match investors with companies in

could perhaps serve as a proving ground for retailers

emerging markets, predominantly in Africa. One of

like Amazon that are unable to experiment as freely

the first firms to raise money on it is Bozza, a market

in the rich world because of strict regulations.

for African music and film producers who would otherwise struggle to sell their work.

It’s this peculiar union of economic and political circumstances that nurtures innovative thinking

All of this is allowing Africans to go beyond merely

like this. Thanks to weak governance and light

copying technology used elsewhere and adapting

regulative authority, engineers can try things that

it to fit African circumstances. Mobile money is

are either prohibited or prohibitively bureaucratic

possibly the best example.

elsewhere. It is also sustained by the rareness

A technology that long struggled to gain traction

of traditional infrastructure, whether roads or

in the West has transformed economies in places

landlines, because of landmines and war-ravaged

such as Kenya, where millions of unbanked people

land, meaning that new technologies or business

have been brought into the financial system. Some

models face few established competitors.

firms are even using mobile money applications to sell life insurance policies. Opportunities abound in the services arena too, where phones not only reduce the cost of collecting

The real question here is – where to next? What Africa makes, it will inevitably export, the same way Germany gave us SoundCloud or Israel gave us Waze.

small premiums but also allow insurers to remind

In fact, it’s already happening.

customers to take their medicine. One innovator,

A Wi-Fi device called BRCK that was made at an

Olam, a Singapore-listed farm-commodity firm, has

African tech incubator has been used to patch up

signed over 30,000 farmers in Tanzania as suppliers

dead spots in Wisconsin. A system called Ushahidi,

of coffee, cotton and cocoa through a mobile-phone

a crowd-sourcing platform that was used to track

system, boosting profitability for all.

incidences of violence around elections in Nigeria,

This type of thinking has in turn birthed an entirely new wave of innovation. With poor roadways making the transport of

has been used by the Washington Post to track snow cleanup, and by The Huffington Post to monitor election polling.

goods difficult, a group of European engineers –

But that’s not all Africa will export as it becomes

supported by IBM – has begun trials using airborne

more connected. Innovation isn’t just in technology.

drones as a means to supply lightweight cargo within

There’s innovation in trends and popular culture too.

a 120km radius.

As Africa slowly continues on its journey to

Christened “flying donkeys”, these drones are

becoming an international innovation hub, it will

said to carry up to 10kg of cargo in order to supply

bring us closer to African culture, literature, fashion

medicine to remote communities, or emergency

and media. And that will be the real innovation.

Aerial view of Mt Kenya, Africa: Joseph Sohm

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Debra

Bouwer

the Mists of Africa — Mt Kenya — Wet and sweaty after five days on the mountain, we crammed into a beaten-up, blue, 1952 Land Rover. Within seconds the windows had misted up. The driver wired the doors shut and off we went.

Lake Michaelson on Mt Kenya: Dmitry Yurlagin

Endemic plants are Senecio Kilimanjari: Oleg Znamenskiy

TRAVEL | 123

Two

rain

peak where a pair of hiking boots, fitness and

and a stream of traffic

determination are all that is required to reach

had turned the steep,

the summit.

days

heav y

downhill Chogoria road into a pavlova of

Mt Kenya is beautiful. Her many-sided

whipped-up mud and deep trenches.The vehicle

approach means she presents a range of different

looked as bad as the road. Door handles were

faces, each with unique flora and fauna. She

missing, the front bumper buckled and bent,

rises above the surrounding plains like a series

and one wiper blade was all that remained. The

of arthritic spines, casting endless shadows over

roof hadn’t escaped unscathed either; its dented

the valleys below.

demeanour was evidence that at some point it had sustained a roll.

Having chosen a six-day trek along the Sirimon Chogoria route, our first day was a dusty four-

Gripping the steering wheel, our driver

hour walk to Old Moses Hut. Approaching camp,

aimed the Land Rover down the ruts, at times

we were greeted by the happy clatter of pots

steering up against the bank, using it to keep

and pans as teams already in situ went about

the vehicle “on the road”. Two hours later our

preparing their evening meal. Porters darted

downhill mud-ski ended and we emerged from

to and fro, men huddled over gas burners and

the camphor forest. The rain stopped. The road

a cacophony of radio songs echoed across the

ahead was dry. Behind us the mountain hid

courtyard. Outside the huts, trekkers huddled

under a blanket of cloud.

together in tiny patches of fading sunlight.

Our trek up Mt Kenya had begun five days

Early morning our door creaked open and the

earlier on a sunny morning. Mt Kenya, like its

light crept in, beckoning us to venture onto the

southern sister, Kilimanjaro, is a volcano formed

mountain. It was a clear day. Far in the distance,

about three million years ago. Although Mt Kenya

Nelion and Bation peered over a ridge to inspect

ranks as Africa’s second-highest peak, it once took

the morning traffic in the foothills.

centre stage, reaching an estimated height of over

The vegetation on Mt Kenya is diverse. At first

6,000m. All that remains today are some glaciers

we found ourselves in a heath zone with gnarled

and jagged eroded peaks. Home to the mountain

sedges and red hot pokers. Prickly tussock grasses

god of the Ngai people, it boasts three summits

bit through our socks. A never-ending stream of

named after Maasai chiefs; Nelion, Batian (both

fat safari ants crisscrossed the path, oblivious

technical climbing peaks) and Lenana.

to the increasing gain in altitude. Alpine chats

Lenana, like K ilimanjaro, is a trekking

and starlings followed us, darting back and forth,

Kilimanjaroâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Night Sky: YongKX

Rain forest with Mt Kenya in the back: John Wollwerth

Waterfall in rain forest on slopes of Mt Kenya : John Wollwerth

TRAVEL | 125

“Faeries, come take me out of this dull world, For I would ride with you upon the wind, Run on the top of the disheveled tide, And dance upon the mountains like a flame.” WB YEATS, The land of heart’s desire

catching their afternoon meal as it sprung from

camp. We were welcomed by a colony of hyrax,

the grass. Out of nowhere, a wide-eyed duiker

grunting and chattering welcome messages.

bolted across the path. Our stop for the night was

Above us loomed the chieftains of Nelion and

at Liki North, a remote and seldom used camp. A

Batian and, hidden over a ridge, Lenana waited

lone wooden hut resides in the haunted narrow

patiently to greet us.

valley alongside a frozen stream; its decaying

The next morning saw an early start – 4am!

timber like pages of an unpublished novel. The

We picked our way through steep, rocky, stone

silence was almost deafening until late afternoon

scree guided by the light of our headlamps. With

when shrill cries of a thousand ghosts screamed

Patrick at the helm, we made our way through

through the valley. “Hyrax,” yelled Patrick, our

the mist and away from camp and, in the early

guide, “hyrax!” The rock hyrax is a short, squat,

morning sunlight, we basked at the summit of

thickset and rotund creature. With their stubby

patient Lenana.

legs and soft-padded feet, they dart about the rocks

The approach route was beautiful, yet nothing

calling across the valley. Night comes quickly on

prepared us for the exquisite tapestry laid out on

the mountain, and with it, the biting cold.

the descent. Here Mt Kenya presented us with her

Like every morning, the next day we were met

most captivating face; steep, smooth-sided cliffs,

by the warmth of the rising sun and slowly headed

the incredible avocado green Gorges valley, and

up and away from our valley of solitude, to join

the azure blue and turquoise Lake Michaelson.

the trail to McKinders Hut. As though turning

The best surprise was her cloak of endless groves

the page of a picture book, we found ourselves

of yellow and orange protea bushes. That night we

dwarfed by massive, green-leafed scenecios with

camped in Alice’s Wonderland.

their craggy trunks. The path disappeared into

So it was that we reached the final day of our

the shadow of their leaves and the entire valley

descent. The night had brought intermittent

seemed awash with green groundsel. Dotted

rain, and left a mist to accompany us past steep

along the ridge were inflorescent finger-like

buttresses to the base of the mountain. We found

tendrils of lobelia telekii reaching for the sky. It

ourselves in a rosewood forest, with long, twisted

was like walking through a scene from Middle-

lichen braids hanging like curtains at the end of

Earth meets Day of the Triffids.

a mesmerising show. All that remained was a

The path to McKinders snakes through the valley, then rises steeply up a stony ridge to the

forest of camphor and a long muddy road to the Chogoria Village.

Late afternoon shadows at Karanga campsite: Steve Lagreca

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— Mt Kilimanjaro — 350km to the south, lies the snow-capped Kilimanjaro, reaching 5,895m. “Kilema Kyaro”, as she is known in the Chagga dialect, means “’‘impossible journey”, while “njaro” means “demon of the cold”. So great is her global attraction that each year about 24,000 people gather in the hopes of reaching her summit.

Mt Kilimanjaro route to the summit: Peter de Jong

Elephant on savanna. Mt Kilimanjaro at sunset: NiseriN

Machame route to Kilimanjaro summit: Polina Meleca

TRAVEL | 129

rekking through the forest on

valley below and, for every 200m climbed, the

our first day was like walking in

temperature drops around two degrees. Along

a fairyland. Heavy rain the night

the paths grow grey shrubs and the once tall

before, coupled with the morning

aquaria trees, now short and squat and struggling

heat, had spread a blanket of mist

to survive in hostile conditions.

which hung suspended above the thick mud

Shira is a dusty, sprawling camp, which erupts

that gathered under our boots. Tall trees fought

into a hive of activity each day as hundreds of tents

for a patch of sun, their feet firmly anchored by

are spread out in preparation for the afternoon

a maze of roots. Lichens hung in sheets from

show. Over the course of the day, the sun and the

branches and tiny red flowers decorated the

clouds compete for attention. As the afternoon

forest floor. All the while, a stream of heavily

draws to a close, the sun steals the final show by

laden porters trudged past us on their way to

painting the skies bright orange and red before

Machame Camp, watched by the shy black-and-

taking up its evening rest. Being equatorial,

white colobus monkeys.

sunrise and sunset on these mountains is abrupt

Our first cold night on the mountain passed

and night temperatures plummet. It is not

quickly and we woke to the familiar sound of

surprising to wake to a camp covered in a thin

pots clattering and porters singing. The smell

veil of ice.

of cooking eggs and porridge, mixed with the

Heading away from camp, we stopped and

dankness of the forest, drove us from our tent

looked back. We had literally stepped out of

to an incredible sight. Shrouded in cloud the

one geographical zone into the next. Unlike

evening before, the summit of Kilimanjaro now

Mt Kenyaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s complexity of vegetative zones,

stood proud, her glacial mantle set afire by the

Kilimanjaro is neatly laid out as though its

morning sun.

creator walked about with a measuring tape,

K ilimanjaro comprises three volcanoes,

demarking zones of 1,000m each. The base

Shira and Mawenzi, which are extinct, and

is a thick rain forest, then a heath zone, misty

Kibo, which is dormant. It is Kibo that forms

and rocky. Above that lies a lunar landscape of

the summit peak, her last eruption being about

contorted volcanic rock and then a zone of snow

100,000 years ago, resulting in the loss of five

and ice. Walking among the endless streams of

metres from her summit.

molten lava rock, I became acutely aware that

That day our aim was Shira Camp, a long, steady

we were walking on a volcano. Millions of years

climb over rocky terrain, amid everlasting flower

of rock and debris lay around us, gnarled and

bushes resembling overgrown pom-poms. At

crumpled by the sheer heat of the volcanic forces

about 12pm each day, the mist rolls in, filling the

that blew it from its prior resting place.

A happy trekker above the clouds: mountaintreks

Top of Mt Kilimanjaro â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Uhuru Peak, 5895 m: Victoriia Chukalina

Trekkers arriving at Base Camp, Mt Kilimanjaro: Mike Gatt

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“Mountains are earth’s undecaying monuments.” Nathaniel Hawthorne.

Continuing along the Machame route, one

stitch on earth’s infinite tapestry.

of seven routes to the summit, we headed past

The air is thin and biting; the moonlit

“Lava Tower” to Baranco Camp. Here, towering

landscape stark. Nothing moves except the

scenecios stand as beacons of survival. These

biting wind and melting ice. All you hear is your

incredible plants have adapted to high-altitude

breathing and feet crunching through frozen

living. Each day their leaves open, forming a

scree. I once heard that if you make it to sunrise,

rosette, capturing moisture from the air. At night

you will make it to summit. The thought of a

they wrap themselves up, letting gravity take the

warm bed, a hot cup of tea, a descent to lower

moisture to their hollow core. As the leaves die,

altitudes are an easy lure to a tired mind and

they wrap down around the trunk, insulating it

ailing muscles. There is something magical

against the cold.

about a rising sun on a bitter morning. It lifts

A short scramble took us up the imposing

your spirits and bathes everything around you in

Baranco Wall and into endless valleys. Our

a wash of golden light. Unlike Mt Kenya, summit

companions for the day were large black crows.

pull is a good two hours longer and the scenery

Joining them was the odd chat and grey field mice

on the upper ridges more inhospitable. To the

scurrying about in the undergrowth.

far right the volcanic vent of Kilimanjaro lies

Soon, Barafu Hut came into view, our last

dormant along with massive towering blocks

night’s stop before summit. Barafu means “ice”

of the remains of Furtwangler Glacier. Ahead,

in Swahili and, true to its name, it is a cold and

stands the rickety remains of the summit board.

inhospitable camp. Tents squashed onto bits

Just three degrees south of the equator, Mt

of open ground, their pegs buckled against

Kenya and Kilimanjaro stand as beacons in

the hard earth. Porters huddled against rocks,

Africa. Their unsung heroes are the many guides

seeking shelter. Trekkers’ boots lay discarded

and porters who work tirelessly to showcase

in the dust. The howling wind whipped through

their beauty to endless visitors.

camp, stealing much-needed oxygen.

Africa is more than endless savannas with

After a short sleep, our guide Juma, assisted

teeming wildlife. She is more than vast stretches

by the rising moon, pulled us from our warm

of ocean and craggy shorelines or the canyons of

beds. Heading up to the famous Uhuru peak,

Augrabies Falls or Blyde River. Above the clouds

I recalled how at the start of the journey I

lie incredible mountain peaks, with such a

had taken two steps each second. Now every

diversity of plant and animal life, that it feels like

two seconds, I was taking one step. Time was

a world unto itself. Perhaps they are indeed the

reversed as we slowly moved forward. Up here

mystical lands which grew from Jack’s beans, all

I felt like nothing more than an inconspicuous

those years ago.

TRAVEL | 133

There are artists

who have defined an age, a medium

or a period of time. There are images, whether in paint, clay or photography, that are immediately identifiable as the work of one of these talented individuals, and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just this immediate recognition that sends a thrill through the viewer and fosters the emotional connection to the image, that tweaks our soul.

A man who tweaks our soul

to an almost

infinite degree is the exceptional Laurent Baheux. This talented French photographer, shooting almost exclusively in black and white, captures the emotion and attitude behind the wildlife of Africa. There is an almost daguerreotype feel to some of his portraits, reminiscent of the 19th century portrait photographers, and it is in this personification of these magnificent animals that we feel their pride, their spirit and â&#x20AC;&#x201C; most importantly of all â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our responsibility for them. Between continents, Laurent managed to answer a few questions for United Maverick.

TRAVEL | 135

You began in sport photography for a number of years, only making the transition to African wildlife later. You had great success in your field, so why did you make the change at all? I have worked in photography since 1994, beginning with press and then moving on to sports agencies. I followed international competitions and tournaments like the Olympic Games and covered various sports like soccer, rugby and tennis. It was a great experience and very formative because you have to be attentive, reactive, and constantly available. But at the same time, I dreamed about the African continent. Its quiet and authenticity. That’s what drew me to Tanzania in 2002. It was a tremendous shock for me, completely disrupting my life and changing not only me, but my approach to my photography. Finally, I was able to shoot with my instincts, my feelings and with my vision for photography and nature and not only for editorial requests. It was liberating.

Do you think you missed anything, by not getting a “formal” photography education? That’s a great question. I often receive messages from young photographers asking for advice on how to become a professional. It’s really difficult to answer because my path was in no way classical. In fact I feel almost lucky that I didn’t get a formal photography education. It allows me to shoot with no prejudice, and no preconceptions. You try, you test and you build your own vision. For me, techniques and tools are secondary.

You shoot in untamed environments, have you ever been in a position of danger while shooting? Well, at the beginning that happened all the time, due to lack of experience. You have to understand that you are entering an animal’s territory. This is their place, their kingdom and you are there by their grace. Now I feel less threatened with them than I do with “civilised” people.

What’s your opinion of Instagram and other social media environments; do they help or hinder photography as an art? The development of social media environments like Instagram is a great opportunity to reach a large number of people easily and directly. It’s amazing! At the same time, it is more difficult to establish yourself and hold your place in a world where new great things are being discovered all the time. I don’t think we have enough history yet to judge whether these environments help or hinder photography as an art. Nevertheless, I think that art, like many other sectors, is impacted by internet and social networks. For example, in March 2015 Leonardo DiCaprio (who is an avid art collector) spotted his next great acquisition on Instagram.

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Is there anything specific you haven’t yet had an opportunity to shoot that you would like to? Nature is my principal source of inspiration. In order to show its power from another angle, I have started taking landscape pictures in the United States recently. Taking photographs of magnificent natural landscapes fulfils another dream of mine.

Your shots deliberately highlight the animal’s human characteristics. This is clearly intentional, but why is this your focus? Each animal has his or her own personality, their own character. It is not necessarily a question of species. I love to focus my work on what the animals are feeling: happiness, sadness, tenderness, anger. I want people to understand that animals – and more generally nature, plants included – are sensitive and precious.

You obviously travel extensively in Africa, which country did you find the most interesting? I don’t like to choose a favourite; animals – after all – know no borders. That said, Tanzania is still my favourite location. There are beautiful landscapes and broad plains. I can always get great compositions for wildlife pictures there.

What has been the worst travel experience you’ve had in Africa? The worst part about travelling so extensively is when I see the wild African territories that fall each year…

And the best? My best travel experience in Africa was my first trip in 2002. To Tanzania. Looking at these enormous mammals in the wild, the scenes were so much more magical than I had ever imagined. It was the beginning of a life that would be forever changed.

TRAVEL | 141

Do you have a favourite shot? Actually, one of my favourites is a shot of a lion in the grass. I was only 30 metres away from the lion and I had been waiting for that moment the entire day. The breeze, the light and the grass were all perfect!

There are so many photographers out there trying to make their mark and get recognised. What is the best advice you can give a newcomer? Oh, definitely self-confidence.

What was the best advice you ever received? It is important to believe in ourselves, as we are all capable of reaching our wildest dreams.

In your opinion, what should our governments be doing to protect and nurture the wildlife that you photograph? What do you think would be the best use of their resources? Economic incentives for environmental protection are needed in developing countries so as to preserve the wildlife territories. In Africa, people and the animals are competing for land, especially in East Africa where human population is on the rise and more land is required for agriculture and livestock. Ecotourism helps and it doesn’t necessarily cause damage to the environment, but it can be a nuisance at times. Inevitably it’s a doubleedged sword.

You have won so many prestigious awards, are there any in particular that have special meaning for you? Awards are a good way to show your work as well as promote it. The first one that was special to me was Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2007 which I won for a picture of a lion’s tail. It was in the category “Creative Vision of Nature”. This is exactly what I think I am: a nature creative not a naturalist.

Laurent Baheux is the author of The Family Album of Wild Africa.

DEBRA BOUWER INTRODUCES US TO HER CAMBODIA & VIETNAM PHOTOGRAPHER JANI BREEDT

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“I CAN’T SAY WHAT MADE ME FALL IN LOVE WITH VIETNAM... (AND CAMBODIA)... THAT EVERYTHING IS SO INTENSE... THE COLOURS, THE TASTE, EVEN THE RAIN. NOTHING LIKE THE... RAIN IN LONDON. THEY SAY WHATEVER YOU’RE LOOKING FOR, YOU WILL FIND HERE. THEY SAY YOU COME TO VIETNAM AND YOU UNDERSTAND A LOT IN A FEW MINUTES, BUT THE REST HAS GOT TO BE LIVED. THE SMELL: THAT’S THE FIRST THING THAT HITS YOU, PROMISING EVERYTHING IN EXCHANGE FOR YOUR SOUL. AND THE HEAT. YOU COULD BE FORGIVEN FOR THINKING THERE WAS NO WAR.” THESE WERE THE WORDS OF THOMAS FOWLER FROM THE FILM THE QUIET AMERICAN WHICH SO ACCURATELY SUMS UP VIETNAM. IT IS A LAND THAT CAPTURES YOUR SOUL AND TAKES IT ON AN UNFORGETTABLE JOURNEY THROUGH THE LAND OF THE DRAGON.

ncient mythology spins a tale of a people descended from the Dragon Lord, Lạc Long Quân and the Immortal Fairy Âu Cơ. According to myth they produced 100 children, 50 of whom lived with their mother in the mountains while the rest remained with their father in the sea. So steeped in mythology is the land of Vietnam that the history of each area is shrouded in mystery and myth all its own.

TRAVEL | 145

Landing in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam and home to about 3.7

more than 2000 years. The area was once home to numerous

million people and 1.2 million motorbikes, is like landing in the

craft guilds which created separate work areas. When the streets

heart of a giant mosquito that never sleeps. Endless streams of

were eventually christened, each street was named after the craft

bikes pass you each day, many with families of four squeezed on

that had made its home there. So, today, if you need shoes, you

the back, and heading off on their daily chores. Farmers from

head for Hang Guay, and for jewellery, Hang Bac.

outlying areas meet at the morning market at 3am, and by 7am

Leaving the bustle of the city and travelling north towards the

have vanished like mist. At night, entire streets are transformed

sea, Highway 5 takes you to a World Heritage Site, and the tail

into night markets which trade under the stars, until late in the

of the “descending dragon”. Halong Bay is an endless canvas of

evening. Unlike its sister city, Saigon (or Hồ Chí Minh City),

1969 limestone islands, 989 of which have been named. Many

Hanoi has narrow streets and retains much of its ancient city

of these islands are home to hundreds of caves, some of which

charm. The old quarter, known as the “36 Streets”, dates back

can be visited on foot while others can only be reached in the

pleasant tranquility of a kayak.

the narrow cobbled streets are lined with old buildings, temples,

According to local legend, Halong Bay was created by a family

pagodas and endless shops selling handmade trousers for $15,

of dragons, sent by the gods to help protect the Vietnamese from

evening dresses for $25 and three-piece suits for $40. In the heart

Chinese invaders. The dragons spat out pears and jade stones

of the town is the Ving Hung Hotel, which served as the dressing

which soon turned to myriad islands which would protect the

room for Michael Caine during filming. Today, tourists jostle to

citizens from the invaders. Today, these very same islands provide

book into the same room which overlooks the narrow, bustling

an idyllic home to many small floating villages, the inhabitants of

lantern-lit streets below, which come alive during the festival of

which survive on the 200 species of fish and 450 different species

the full moon.

of mollusks that the waters provide.

From the quiet tranquility of Hoi An, a short flight takes

Far south of Halong Bay is the small, picturesque and extremely

you into the belly of the dragon, Saigon or the modern day Hồ

historical town of Hoi An, where The Quiet American was partially

Chí Minh City. Inhabited by 8 million people and 4 million

filmed. Between the 15 and 19 centuries the town served as one

motorbikes it pulsates 24 hours a day. Travelling through the vast

of South-East Asia’s most important trading ports for spices and

tarred streets with towering modern hotels and malls, it is hard

silk, and today it’s still a traders’ paradise. Cars are banned and

to believe that the city started out as a small fishing village in an

TRAVEL | 147

area that was originally swampland. But, when heading out into

us descended into the dark abyss below. The tunnels are narrow,

the neighbouring areas the tranquility of forgotten days soon

dark, airless and in places slope down and narrow further, so you

prevails. Endless rice paddies line the countless roads that spread

have to slither on your belly. About 40 minutes was all it took for

out from the city. Farmers work the land, harvesting rice in the

me to realise that as a non-sufferer of claustrophobia, another

blazing heat. Old carts are pulled by weary horses. Rubber trees

20 minutes would surely have made me a convert. Lack of air.

are methodically planted in rows, their sticky sap slowly seeping

Stifling heat.

into wooden bowls for collection.

For the Viet Cong, life in the tunnels was difficult. Sometimes,

Taking a slow drive back in time, one arrives in Cu Chi, whose

during periods of heavy bombing from American troops, the Viet

121km hand-dug underground tunnels became famous as a

Cong would be forced to remain underground for many days at a

battleground of the Vietnam War. The forested area is littered

time. Malaria and sickness were rampant and accounted for the

with B52 bomb craters and the endless spattering of gunfire can

second-largest cause of death after battle wounds.

be heard from the firing range. Some of the tunnels are open for

As horrific as life in the tunnels must have been, it is the images of

tourists to experience, for a brief period, what life in the tunnels

the war weapons and traps set by the Viet Cong for the Americans

must have been like. In the blistering heat of the day, seven of

that will remain in my memory for a lifetime but, as one local guide

said, when your way of life is under attack, you will do all in your

grapefruit, jackfruit, spinach, fish and every kind of vegetable

power to protect it.

imaginable. Trade takes place under the shade of Vietnamese hats

South of Saigon lurk the arms and legs of the dragon, whose claws spread out to form the massive expanse of the Mekong Delta. The

while hotel and restaurant owners on the shoreline yell their daily orders across the water.

area, also known as Nine River Dragon Delta, covers an expanse of

About 20 minutes up the Mekong, we headed along a narrow

more than 790 000km2. The Mekong is the 12th-longest river in

tributary to explore life upriver. Locals wade about in the waters

the world, and runs all the way from the Tibetan Plateau through

catching fish. Children cycle and play along narrow sidewalks

China, Burma, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia, into Vietnam and

dodging chickens and dogs. Mothers sit at the waterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge washing

finally into the South China Sea.

clothes while the men potter about fixing their boats. Farmers

With such an expanse of water itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not surprising to find that

make a living on a combination of fish and rice, generating an

the residents of the Mekong area are river people. Where Hanoiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

average of $35 a month, while small family businesses survive

streets come alive with early morning markets, the tributaries

making rice cakes, rice paper and potent rice wine.

of the Mekong erupt into a chattering washtub as hundreds of

Leaving the peace and tranquility of the Mekong, our next stop

boats navigate the narrow channels, laden with hands of bananas,

was neighbouring Cambodia, lying at the back of the dragon.

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Like Vietnam, the history of Cambodia is marred with foreign

Many of the Hindu statues have been removed and replaced

invasions, international political intervention and internal

with sculptures of Buddha, and numerous renovations and

conflicts. The pinnacle of Cambodia’s history was attained during

preservation projects are under way. Time seems to have stood

the rule of the Khymer kings between about 800–1400AD. It was

still, leaving an imprint of mystique. It was here that I lost my

during this period that the Khmer kings built the most extensive

heart, to the temple, and to Cambodia.

concentration of religious temples in the world – the Angkor temple complex – and hundreds of surrounding temples.

I cannot say what made me fall in love with Vietnam and Cambodia. Perhaps it was the ever-smiling faces of the people,

Then – in 1431– the Thais plundered the area and the complex

the sheer simplicity of life or the vast green rice-fields; the smell

of Angkor was abandoned. For almost 200 years nature made its

of the rain or the sounds of children splashing about kicking

presence felt, invading and almost obscuring the temples. Fig

a home-crafted soccer ball. Perhaps it was the excitement with

trees took up residence on temple walls and slowly engulfed the

which vendors haggle over prices or the intense respect shown

buildings. Moss adorned the intricate carvings and aerial roots

by children to their elders. Whatever the reason, Vietnam and

flowed to the floor.

Cambodia left an indelible imprint on my heart and a yearning to

Today, the complex of temples is a World Heritage Site.

return in my soul.

WINE, WORMS Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la RomanĂŠe Conti (and so much more) talks to Jenny Crwys-Williams of United Maverick

WISDOM

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THE WINES OF DOMAINE DE LA ROMANÉE-CONTI Romanée-Conti Corton La Tâche Richebourg Romanée-St-Vivant Grands-Echézeaux Echézeaux Montrachet Corton

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When

Aubert de Villaine,

co-director with Henri-Frédéric Roch of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti in Burgundy, walked into the small library at Mosaic in the Francolin Conservancy, there was no hint of tiredness, although he would have been excused had he been a trifle weary.

In the past few years, the harvest has had to recognise a new and hungry demand beyond Europe and North America; China has loomed large as a determined buyer. Rarity has a price, and at the time of writing, Romanée-Conti itself is easily one of the rarest wines in the world.

He’d crossed continents to be here in the Crocodile

De Villaine shrugs lightly. “If only I could produce

River Valley near Pretoria; from the wintry vineyards

more,” he says, “I would be very happy. But ce n’est pas

of Burgundy to the southern tip of Africa, with

possible.” Another almost imperceptible shrug. “So, we

sweltering temperatures more suited to the Sahara at

have to allocate.”

noon than a Highveld summer. The last time he was

Sitting on a sofa close to hand but as silent as an owl on

in South Africa was 20 years ago. He crosses his legs

the wing, is Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s sole South

clad in an impeccably tailored pair of chinos, waves

African distributor, founder of fine wine importer and

away any suggestion of a drink and begins telling me

merchant Great Domaines, Wayne Visser. For 16 years

about his evening.

his relationship with De Villaine and Domaine de la

This naturally abstemious man had hosted a dinner

Romanée-Conti and its wines has flourished. Like

the night before: a wine tasting of some of the world’s

the soft-spoken De Villaine, he shrugs. “Seven bottles

finest Burgundian wines, followed by a six-course

of Romanée-Conti is better than no bottles.” And, of

blockbuster degustation menu created by chef

course, there are more buyers than bottles.

Chantel Dartnall, twice voted South Africa’s Chef of

In a good year, South Africa is allocated just seven

the Year. The small audience was select, because each

bottles of the elixir. The 2009 vintage of Romanée-

of the people there had, at some time or another,

Conti came at a price of R50,000 per bottle, but this

bought a wine (or really, really wanted to drink one)

is easily exceeded by the London price of a bottle of

from the Domaine, if not from Romanée-Conti itself.

the same vintage, which sold for R225,000. “But that,”

Let’s talk about the wines, because here we’re

Visser points out, “is because there’s an educated fine

approaching something close to vinous heaven. De

wine market there and wine’s traded as a commodity.”

Villaine is sometimes described as the Cardinal of Pinot

It was a good vintage, producing wines described as

Noir (the wines of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti are

“plush”.

predominantly made of the capricious pinot noir grape

De Villaine’s wine journey has been a long one (he

and chardonnay) in no small part due to his emotional,

is in his mid-70s) and his arrival as a man of vision in

physical and financial investment in these Burgundian

his industry is no mistake, although it could be argued

princes. The white varietal – aligoté - is also grown by

that he started in pole position by being born into the

him but the fields are outside the Unesco certified area.

family business, which stretches back generations. The

There are eight estates which make up Domaine de la

wines themselves are among the oldest in the world,

Romanée-Conti (often abbreviated to DRC) and the

cultivated initially by the Romans and then, in 1232,

grandest of these alluring wines are the silken bottles

by monks, marking the first “official” vintage. There

of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Corton itself. At

are long memories of wine and climate and vinous

auction or by allocation, these wines are probably the

heritage in this part of Burgundy.

most expensive in the world.

When I ask him about climate change concerns he is

I’m not sure if De Villaine is smiling with delight

cautious. “One should not be in too much of a hurry,” he

or not; he is, essentially, a modest man, frequently

says. “Around 1500 there was a very hot spell and then

described by himself and others who know him well,

later on, a very cold spell, but neither of them lasted.

as humble. But let’s say he’s not dismayed. In an average

Nonetheless, it is fair to say we are taking precautions.”

year, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti produces only 460

He will not be drawn on them. He has to be cautious,

cases nurtured on an estate of no more than 1.8 hectares

he says, because everyone wants to imitate a wine from

yielding around 6,000 bottles. In a year when the crop

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and as such they are

is extraordinary, it can go to around 500 precious cases.

fiercely guarded against exploitation.

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When first embarking on his 40-year career,

Romanée-Conti, as a wine that doesn’t want to

he undertook to restore the reputation of

show off. “It doesn’t have lipstick or make-up. It

Burgundy itself, beset by phylloxera in the 1880s,

has a hidden elegance.”

World Wars 1 and 2, and, he says, it only began

One of his major achievements is to have a

to recover its stature from the 1950s. “I think I

carefully delineated part of Burgundy – including

was conscious of a certain number of things that

the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti – declared a

were essential for progress in quality. I tried to

Unesco World Heritage site. But behind all of this

put them in place and little by little it worked.”

is a quiet enjoyment in his passions. What then for

Like biodynamics.

Aubert de Villaine, himself, I ask.

“It began by going organic 25 years ago,” he

What, for instance, is he doing in South Africa,

says, “and that made a real difference to the wines

last visited by him 20 years ago? Is he, perhaps,

produced.” And then, in his quest for “the greatest

thinking of a partnership with one of our great

possible wines” he moved to biodynamics. It is the

winemakers? De Villaine shakes his head. “Non,

small details which count, he explains carefully,

non. I am here to look, taste, say thank you and no

the layering of care and humility for the soil.

more. One day I would like to retire.” He hesitates

This includes, by the way, horses in the

slightly. “But not just yet.”

vineyards to haul the grapes because their weight

So what is his idea of a sliver of pure happiness

does not compact the soil as tractors would. And it

and contentment in the midst of this drive, this

includes worms. It was when he saw these useful

vision which so occupies him? The man who

little creatures aerating the soil in ever increasing

wanted to become a teacher either of literature or

numbers that he knew organic, biodynamic

philosophy thinks carefully.

cultivation was the route for greater, even more complex wines. He loves them unreservedly. It is easy to be seduced by all of this, and De Villaine knows it. He describes his first love,

“It is very simple. Sitting drinking a wine that is totally open, with music I love, like a Beethoven quartet, in a place that is where my heart resides. That is happiness, non?”

THE DOMAINE ROMANÉE-CONTI MENU AT RESTAURANT MOSAIC Prelude Jewels of the Sea paired with Champagne Salon 1995 Luderitz Oyster with a Home Cultivated Pearl First Growth Asparagus Mousse Le Premiers Plats The Alchemists Infusion paired with Bâtard-Montrachet 2000 West Coast Lobster, Hibiscus Consommé and Heirloom Vegetables Birds of a Feather paired with Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru 2006 Local Game Bird Terrine with Truffle Brioche Ostrich, Pheasant, Rock Pigeon Queen Quail Brushed with Acacia Honey Plats Principaux Cochon de Lait paired with Romanée-St-Vivant 2003 Slow Roasted Suckling Pig with Spiced Pickled Cherries Prints in the Paddock paired with La Tâche 2005 Waterbuck with a Fine Herb Jus Cours de Fromage Singularity One Cheese, One Wine Dessert Passiflora Paradise paired with Weingut Kruger-Rumpf Münsterer Pittersberg Riesling Eiswein 2009 Passion Fruit with Elder Flower and Vanilla Café et Mignardises

Photographer Ingrid Alice Irsigler

(out of 10) Out with the old and in with the new, the delicious and the simply fabulous.

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There’s

been a shift in the world of fine dining. It used to be all stuffed

shirts, whispered conversations and terrifying waiters. Dinners would be astoundingly complex with tiny portions of unrecognisable morsels, layer upon layer of cutlery and a feeling of not having actually eaten as you are ushered to the door. But there’s been a seismic event, change is coming, and for us in South Africa its epicentre is a little establishment in Kyalami called Café Hemingway’s. There are many hidden gems to this café and bistro, but my favourite is that concealed behind a bookcase (where all delights lie), there is a decadent and elegant private dining room. This is “10”, where your gastronomic dreams will be fulfilled by an excited and talented team. Café Hemingway’s has been built on the premise of fresh, artisanal food made by chefs who are absolutely passionate about their kitchen, and “10” serves only to build on that thinking. Diners are able to book the venue for a personal dining experience for themselves and nine of their closest friends.

The Food

The team has spent considerable time on research

and in experimental cooking and molecular gastronomy. For the patrons, this is excellent news as they work with every customer to design a menu according to their taste - for their exciting dining experience. This will obviously change for every event, and will depend on the season, availability of fresh ingredients and the latest trends in international cuisine. When I chatted with this talented team they were obviously excited about “10”. Says their Head Chef, “It’s a new way of experiencing food. The rise of shows like MasterChef, mean diners are more discerning than ever, and that’s not limited to those from the top economic sectors. Every single person who ventures out to eat, expects, and has a right to, amazing food and an amazing experience. ‘10’ will provide both and the ever-changing menu means that myself and my team get to constantly challenge the status quo, which is a great way to learn and explore culinary design.”

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The Chefs

There is a pervading sense of constant learning

when you speak to the Chef group and their passion for both their craft and their team is obvious. Not afraid to experiment, they spend a good portion of every day developing new menu items and experimenting with the more traditional fare to improve tried and trusted recipes. “Cooking is chemistry and physics, except you get to eat your lab work,” so says Jack Bishop (chief creative officer at America’s Test Kitchen). Molecular gastronomy and all that it promises is a fundamental cornerstone of the café’s menus and something they spend a lot of time exploring. With each member of the team having worked in all sections of the kitchen at some stage in their careers, the chefs have a well-rounded view of what is and isn’t possible as well as what should be possible, even if the theory says it isn’t!

The Space

As previously mentioned, access to “10” is through

a secret doorway, nestled at the back of Bar Hemingway’s. Innocuous as it looks, the bookcase hides an intimate experience. Slide it open and step into an elegantly appointed dining room, where it is immediately apparent that no expense has been spared and attention to detail is obvious. The first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful WillowLamp chandelier hanging from the centre of the room. It’s more functional artwork than simple light, but when designing the new space Ingrid Irsigler (from BigCityLife) took the view that every single item in the Café, Bar and now “‘10” had to be aesthetically coherent, hail from Africa if at all possible, and had to be both functional and beautiful. She’s clearly done her job well and as your eye travels around the room you can’t help but be delighted by the small touches. The table (reclaimed oak), chairs and even the wallpaper (hand-painted in France) have all been cherry-picked with only design and functionality in mind. The crockery is all made locally and, again, hand-painted by a local artist. The space is cosy, pretty and luxurious and I for one wouldn’t mind spending just a little more time here running my hands over the wallpaper or nestled in a chair eating delectable treats or even just staring at the beautifully designed Moooi horse, which is a feature of the private dining experience.

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The Events

“10” is about a great holistic dining experience.

It’s about trying new food in a very personal way, and make no mistake, it’s about being special. The private room, the amazing food, the breathtaking attention to detail, it’s all designed to make for a unique experience that you can share with your chosen people. And when you get down to it, great food, drink and friends, aren’t those life’s real treasures?

on 8

‘10’

1. You will work with the Café Hemingway’s chefs to personalise the menu for your and your guests’ experience. 2. Each menu is 10 courses. 3. “10” seats 10 people. 4. Wine, whiskey or rum pairings can be done on request. 5. Menus start at R950 a head. 6. The chef team have been experimenting with options for “10” for 10 months. 7. The hot kitchen and the pastry (or cold) kitchens collaborate to develop desserts that complement each menu at “10”. 8. The waitrons for “10” have been hand-picked and receive special training.

+27 (0)11 466 0195 | reservations@cafehemingways.co.za | Kyalami Downs Shopping Centre, Corner Kyalami Boulevard & Kyalami Main Road (R55), Kyalami, Midrand, 1684 | www.cafehemingways.co.za @HemingwaysJozi | www.facebook.com/HemingwaysJozi | www.instagram.com/hemingwaysjozi

Food Photographer Styling Project Management

Big Shots Photography Café Hemingway’s Purple Raindrop

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WHISKY QUEST — by Philippa Rose-Tite — Photographer Kim Maxwell | Styling Café Hemingway’s

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“Drinking wine

was not a snobbism nor a sign of sophistication nor a cult; it was as natural as eating and to me as necessary...” Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast.

like tequila. I like it a lot. And, as my despairing father can attest, I even learnt to respect it a little after returning from a particularly raucous Grahamstown festival sporting both a tattoo and the kind of hangover that would

make Mickey Rourke question my health choices. Time has taught me a few things. Friends are

important. Tattoos are permanent. Being passionate about my work makes me happy. And life is too short to imbibe, forever, the kind of swill that passes for drinks when one is a penniless student. It is for this final reason that I fell in love a little with Bar Hemingway’s in Kyalami, Johannesburg. Nothing makes you feel quite so “sophisticated New Yorker” as sitting at a beautiful, 20-foot, hand-crafted copper bar, sipping an Old Fashioned while dangling a sparkling sandal from a perfectly pedicured toe (so this has to be about 10 seconds after leaving the salon). As soon as you walk into this special venue there is a sense of time slowing down. The exposed red-brick walls and aforementioned bar counter are a perfectly posh counterpoint to the comfortable couches and elegant, almost kingly chairs that beckon you into their midst. As is not the case in many bars I have frequented (and yes I’m thinking of you dodgy dive-bar from Boston), the lighting is simply perfection, with beautiful WillowLamp chandeliers (proudly made in South Africa) accentuating the string lights to create a cosy, romantic ambience that still allows you to read the menu. And what a menu! The hefty 28-page tome reads like a favourite fairy tale for those among us who like their liquor with a touch a class. Just like the food menu at next door Café Hemingway’s, every cocktail is named after a literary character and comes with a story of its own. Bar Hemingway’s offers every conceivable cocktail in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic varieties and they have even developed a craft G&T menu which is not to be missed!

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hile we can all agree that cocktails are a great distraction on a night out, there may come a time when there’s a little something

special to celebrate, and it is in this that Bar Hemingway’s excels. Sparkling wine? Champagne? There are enough options to keep even the fussiest of us happy and I for one have my beady eye on the Louis Roederer Cristal, a gorgeous champagne that I have been dying to take for a night out. Alas, it was not to be on the night I visited, as I got … distracted. Distracted, that is, by 140 varieties of whisky. I have to admit I came late to the whisky game. By the time my taste had matured enough to appreciate fully the finer points of a malted whisky, I had missed many a whisky tasting and many an opportunity to learn more about the fascinating process of making a fine whisky. But I’ve now found a place where I can do as much research as it requires to turn me into an expert! There are whiskies from all over the world. Ireland, Scotland, Japan, even India, so this is clearly just the place to continue my education. To assist in this (ahem) noble endeavour, Bar Hemingway’s can arrange tastings for you and your party of nine friends. This can be a whisky, rum, tequila or even a gin tasting. Pair that with a small but elegant and deeply satisfying bar-food menu, a small side trip to experiment with a little absinthe, and your recipe for a great night out, or at the least a great story, is complete!

Portrait Photographer Post Production Food Photographer Styling Project Management

Ingrid Alice Irsigler Alex Sedova Big Shots Photography Café Hemingway’s Purple Raindrop

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— HOUSE OF THE MACALLAN — Craigellachie, Scotland – Considered the most prestigious whisky house in Scotland. Sienna Ruby Amber Rare Cask — SCOTCH TOUR — A journey through the different whisky-producing regions Jura 10yo – Isle of Jura Ardbeg 10yo – Islay Highland Park 12yo – Orkney Islands Aberlour 12yo – Highlands Auchentoshan 12yo – Lowlands Glenrothes 1995 – Speyside — THE BOURBON ROUTE — A tour of the main bourbon distilleries in the US Maker’s Mark Knob Creek 9yo Four Roses Small Batch Bulleit Elijah Craig 12yo Woodford Reserve — HOUSE OF HIGHLAND PARK — Orkney Islands 12yo Dark Origins 18yo Freya (very rare) — HOUSE OF JAMESONS — 12yo Gold reserve Select reserve 18yo — HOUSE OF NIKKA — JAPAN Pure Malt Red label Pure Malt Black label From the barrel All Malt (rare) — HOUSE OF LAPHROAIG — For the peaty whisky fans 10yo Select Quarter Cask — ORIENTAL TOUR — A tour of the lesser known but incredibly tasty whisky makers Amrut Cask Strength – India Amrut Kadhambam – India Kavalan Solist sherry cask – Taiwan Kavalan Concertmaster port cask – Taiwan

by Philippa Rose-Tite Research Assistant: Roxanne Smith

slip

of the

tongue

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“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head, but if you talk to him in his language that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela

Basotho man wearing traditional blanket on a horse: Gil.K

outh Africans were astounded when their government chose 11 official languages. “It’s untenable” – they cried, “Unreasonable to expect government to communicate in 11 official languages. Imagine the additional costs of all that printing, interpreting and general upkeep.

How third world, how African!” Except, it isn’t. Countries all over the world do in fact have more than one official language, with two seeming to be the standard. That isn’t to say that more languages aren’t spoken, just that very few are officially recognised. Our northern neighbour, Zimbabwe, holds the record for official languages at 16, but Papua New Guinea has more than 800 unofficial languages, so our 11 pale in comparison. The 1994 government had a good reason for wanting to include as many languages into the official lexicon as possible. A decision that has - in hindsight -proven correct. For South Africans, a language isn’t limited to what you speak: it’s your heritage, it’s in your blood, it’s part of your belief system and for many, their politics is closely intertwined with their language. We don’t differentiate between, for example, a Zulu person and a Zulu speaker. That said, we would like to take a little time to introduce you to each of the languages, as well as the “unofficial” South African language.

English An official language of up to 51 countries, English was brought to the sunny shores of South Africa in the 1800s and is now the

lingua franca of the government, media and politicians. It’s widely spoken in South Africa among the general population,

with accents heavily dependent on the area from which the speaker hails. The local language plays fast and loose with the idea of traditional English, contributing colloquialisms that you won’t find anywhere else in the world. Words such as “howzit”, an amalgamation/contraction of “how is it going?”.

Zulu

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One of the most widely spoken languages of South Africa, Zulu is also spoken further north in places like Botswana and it is estimated that up to 10 million people are native speakers of this melodious language. It is also the most commonly spoken language in South Africa. Although not documented until the mid-1800s, Zulu has a fascinating history. It’s classified as part of the Nguni family of languages and makes use of various clicks, though not as many as Xhosa. Insila kaShaka by John Dube was the first novel written in Zulu in 1930, but the first document that appeared in Zulu was a Bible translation in 1883 by a Norwegian missionary, Hans Shreuder. There is a vast difference today between standard Zulu and urban Zulu. In fact, in a conversation with my son’s best friend (himself a proud descendent of the Zulu nation), he mentioned it was easier to pass Afrikaans than Zulu at school because it was so far removed from the everyday (or urban) Zulu that he speaks at home and with his friends. — USEFUL ZULU PHRASES — Sawubona Hello Lala kahle

Good night

Ungathanda ukudansa nami?

Would you like to dance with me?

Ngisaqala ukufunda isiZulu

I’ve just started learning Zulu

Xhosa There are few people who have heard the The Click Song and not been moved. It’s a stunning show of linguistic prowess as

Miriam Makeba takes us on a journey of every click sound we

can possibly imagine. It’s a traditional song, sung at weddings to bring good luck to the happy couple. Some 7.6 million South Africans speak this fascinating tonal language (a word with the same spelling can have varying meanings depending on the rise and fall of tone). It is estimated that 15% of the language has in fact been derived from the traditional Khoisan languages, hence the many and Photographer jbor

varied clicks. The opening stanza of the hauntingly beautiful South African anthem was originally a Methodist hymn, written in Xhosa, by Enoch Sontonga in 1897. Predominantly spoken in the Eastern and Western Cape, one of South Africa’s most revered children, Nelson Mandela, was himself Xhosa. — USEFUL XHOSA PHRASES —

Photographer Michael Jung

Nceda uthethe ngokucothisa

Please speak more

slowly

Lo mfana uzakubhatala yonke into

This gentleman will

pay for everything

Andiva

I don’t understand

Amathamsanqa

Good luck

Afrikaans One of the worlds’ youngest creole languages, Afrikaans is a

daughter language of Dutch, brought to South Africa in the 1600s by settlers. Currently it’s spoken by about 13% of the population and has the widest distribution across race and geography of any language in South Africa. Afrikaans is well known for being an extremely expressive language. This is in no small part due to the guttural nature of the pronunciation as well as the blending of words from other languages. It truly is a language reflective of the melting pot of cultures we have in South Africa. — USEFUL AFRIKAANS PHRASES — Voetsek

Go away

(generally derogatory)

Nou sit ons met die gebakte pere Now I’ve ended up with

your problem

Pantoffels Slippers Tjank soos ‘n hond

Cry like a dog

Northern Sotho Spoken predominantly in Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Polokwane region of Limpopo, this language has just over 4

million South African speakers. I have long loved the musicality of this language, stemming, I think, from a story I was read from a young age about the spiritual matriarch of this language, Queen

Photographer Gil.K Photographer Robyn Gwilt

Modjadji (the Rain Queen). It’s extremely close, linguistically, to Southern Sotho and Tswana, divided more by culture than by language. — GOOD TO KNOW – Mošupologô Monday Labobêdi Tuesday Laboraro Wednesday Labonê Thursday Labohlano Friday Mokibêlô Saturday Sôntaga (or Lamorêna) Sunday

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Ndebele

Photographer Daleen Loest

There is a great phrase which means the “Ndebele way

of doing or saying”, isikhethu. Before Ndebele was officially recognised, people were discouraged from speaking this Nguni language publicly. The majority of Ndebele speakers rather used Zulu, which was used as an educational language. It’s a tonal language and sentences are made up primarily of nouns. — USEFUL NDEBELE PHRASES —

Photographer Inna Felker

Southern

Sotho This is the official language of not one, but two countries. Lesotho and South Africa, where up to 8% of the population

Photographer Gil.K

speak it.

Photographer Leksele

Southern Sotho is one of the primary contributors to “Tsotsitaal” a unique urban slang (though not a language) spoken predominantly in Southern Gauteng townships, and the dominant language of kwaito music. — USEFUL SESOTHO PHRASES — Ho hata kwekwe

To walk gracefully

O dilemo tse kae?

How old are you?

O dula kae?

Where do you live?

Hlokomela!

Watch out!

Sikhathi bani nje?

What is the time now?

Ngiyathokoza

Thank you

Iba netjhudu

Good luck

Tswana The kissing cousin of both Northern Sotho and Southern Sotho (Sesotho), Tswana is the official language in Botswana. My Dad is from there, so I grew up hearing him speak this language, and watching baffled expressions turn to ones of delight when people realised that he could converse with them fairly fluently in their own language. It’s a widely spoken language with most South Africans understanding it due to its close association with the Sotho languages, and is spoken predominantly in the North West province which borders Botswana. — USEFUL TSWANA PHRASES — o bua Tswana

You speak Tswana

Pholo e ntle! Cheers

(toast when having a drink)

Mokoro wa me o tletse ditlhapi My hovercraft is full

of eels

Laleme le le lengwe ga le a lekanela

One language is

never enough

Photographer Andaman

Venda As a written language, Venda uses the Latin alphabet, and is only

spoken by about 2% of the South African population, making it one of the minority groups in South Africa. It’s closely related to

Kalanga (Western Shona, completely different to Shona) and is an official language of Zimbabwe. During apartheid-era South Africa, the Venda homeland was created in the northeastern part of Limpopo and, in the 1970s, Venda had some of the least educated citizens of any of the South African homelands. As the SA government was desperate to get the inhabitants to accept their homeland, it used education as a bargaining tool, resulting in a sharp increase in education and literacy in the area, and ultimately one of the most educated groups to come out of any of the homelands in 1994. — USEFUL VENDA PHRASES — Ndi khou humbela pfarelo

I am sorry

Tshiimo tsha shishi Emergency Fumi Ten Vha khou ya ngafhi?

Where are you going?

Photographer Joney

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Tsonga

My favourite Tsonga phrase “I malebvu ya nghala” literally translates to “It’s a lion’s beard” and means things often look

Photographer Vadim Petrakov

more frightening than they are in reality. It has a great sound,

Photographer Ulrich Mueller

rolling off the tongue. Tsonga is one of the few African languages with no clicks (geographically the Tsonga wouldn’t have come into contact with the San people who contributed so much to the indigenous languages of South Africa – including the clicks). It’s spoken in four countries (South Africa, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe) and is an official language of Zimbabwe and South Africa. — USEFUL TSONGA PHRASES — Khombo

Danger

Ndza ku rhandza

I love you

Xana i mali muni?

How much is this?

Photographer Urosr

Swati Another branch of the Nguni language, Swati is spoken by about 1.5 million people across Swaziland and South Africa and is the closest to Zulu of all the indigenous languages. It’s spoken predominantly in Mpumalanga, which borders Swaziland, and English speakers tend to refer to this language as Swazi. — SWATI PHRASES —

Photographer Anne08

lusuku lwekutalwa loluhle

Happy Birthday

Ngiyacolisa

I am sorry

Wentani?

What are you doing?

Common South African Even with these 11 official languages, South Africans feel they need more, and as such we have developed a unique language all our own. Ag shame! This actually has a few uses. It describes how simply adorable something is (as in “Ag shame, did you see the little girl on America’s Got Talent last night? Only five years old.”) It can also mean that you take pity on someone as in “Ag shame, she caught her husband naked with the pool guy.”

phrases you will need to know.

Bakkie – buck-key: What you may call a pickup truck in other countries. Biltong: One of our national snacks, it’s a spiced, dried meat usually made from beef (though ostrich and game meat isn’t uncommon). America tried to make something similar, it’s called jerky, but it’s not a patch on this. Ag shame!

Bladdy: This is the SA version of “bloody”. Boet: Strictly meaning brother it also refers to any comrade-in-arms (see also Bru)

Boerewors – boo-rah-vors: A kind of sausage, made using ground meat and select herbs and spices. Very popular to braai, and eaten like a hotdog.

Braai – brr-rye (rolling r): Everyone else calls it a barbecue. They’re doing it wrong. It involves a lot of standing about chatting about rugby and/or soccer, and beer drinking.

Bru: A form of brother, meant more for a friend. Check: To look at or investigate something. Dof: Stupid or silly. Dorp (or dorpie): A rural, small town. Doss: To sleep.

Izzit: Is it? Used to show surprise or amazement at something.

Eina – ay-na: Ow, or to express pain at something. Eish – aysh: This is a great South African word. It means everything. It

Ja – yah: Yes Jislaaik – yis-like: This word is used to show surprise. Jol – jo-rl: Used interchangeably to describe a party and a great

expresses admiration, exasperation, contempt. It really is the jack-of-all-

time.

trades for words!

Gatvol – ghut-foll (roll the g’s as you do for Germanic languages): Again a great South African word meaning “I’ve had enough”.

Graze: Eat, but for humans!

Hectic: Denotes amazement at something, also shows extremity of a situation.

Just now: Ahh the famous South African “just now”. This could

mean 30 seconds or three days. It simply means “I will do it, when I am good and ready”. No two just-nows are the same!

Kak – kuck: This literally is an expression of excrement. But it’s used to describe a situation, or when one is talking nonsense.

Kif (or kiff or kief): Cool, lekker, nice, e.g., That was a kif jol last night. And, I just bought a kif pair of takkies.

Hey: Another multi-use South Africanism. It’s used to get someone’s

Koeksister – cook-sister: This dessert is made of deep-fried

attention, as a greeting, as a not-so-friendly greeting, and as a term of

dough dipped in syrup. It’s amazingly delicious and a staple of the

agreement.

traditional Afrikaans teatime.

Howzit: The famous South Africanism meaning “hello” and “how are

Klap – klup: A greatly descriptive word meaning to hit someone

you?” all in one!

or something. Often used in the context of a warning.

Photographer Felix Lipov

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Pap – pup: A maize based porridge. Robot: Traffic light. Rock up: To arrive somewhere. Sangoma – sun-go-mah: Traditional healer. Scale: To steal something. Scaly: A disreputable person. Shebeen – sha-been: A (generally illegal) pub. Often in the townships.

Shot: Meaning thank you. Sies (sis): Yuck. Sjoe – shoe: Another expression of generalised amazement. Skinner: Gossip. Skollie – skoh-lie: A criminal type person. (see also Tsotsi). Sommer – soh-mer: Just because. Slap chips – slup chips: French fries. Sosatie – soh-sah-ti: Kebab. Takkies – tack-keys: Sneakers, sports shoes. Tannie – tunnee: Aunt, but used in many cultures as a respectful term for an older woman.

Lank: Meaning very or extremely. Larny – larn-nee: Fancy in the extreme. Lekker – lack-err: Again a multi-use descriptive word used to say that something is fun, delicious or just nice.

Mal – mull: Mad or insane. Moer – moe-rr: Meaning to beat up. Muti – moo-ti: A word nearly all South Africans grow up with, muti describes medicine. It can also mean the “prescription” or ingredients used by a traditional healer.

Nooit – noyt: Meaning never, and again used for emphasis. Now now: Used in the same context as “just now” although it tends to mean a little sooner.

Oke – oak: A guy (like boet). Oom: Uncle, used as a sign of respect in many cultures, for an older gent. Padkos: Snacks for a road trip.

Tassies – tus-sees: Super-cheap red wine called Tassenberg,

favoured by students and anyone hard up for cash.

Tsotsi: A criminal or person of ill-repute.

Vetkoek – fet-cook: Another South African dish, which is made of dough, deep-fried and either filled with mince or something sweet.

Voetsek – foot-sack: A disrespectful way to tell someone to go away.

Voetstoets – foots-toots: Meaning to sell something as is with no obligation on the part of the seller.

Vrot: Off or rotten. Also used to denote extreme drunkenness. Vuvuzela – voo-voo-zeh-lah: A trumpet-like device used in sports (often soccer).

Woes – voos: Extremely angry. Yebo – yeah-boh: Yes. Yo – yoh: An exclamation of surprise or horror. Yussus – yuh-siss: An exclamation of surprise or horror.

Dorp Diving ‘Dorp’ – <noun> From the Afrikaans meaning a small rural town or village.

Philippa Rose-Tite & Shane Oosthuizen take you on a tour of their favourite small South African towns.

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Our pace is frenetic.

Days (and nights!) are filled

with work, meetings, people, traffic, noise, and the city girl in me is delighted by all this tumultuous busyness. But every so often, in the darkest hours of the night, as I crouch over a bright laptop screen in a dark room, I think to myself, “This is some crazy madness! What am I doing? Why is it that only myself and the ladies of the night are up at this time working our proverbials off?” It’s at around this time that the tequila starts to look better than the tea and then I know, it’s come. It’s time to leave this maddening world and escape to somewhere a little less manic and a little more relaxed, a little less latte, and a little more home-made milk tart. Small towns get a bad rap. Uncouth, disorganised and unfriendly tend to be the attributes generally associated with small towns, but I disagree entirely. What is deemed to be unfriendly is – more often than not – just a wariness of strangers. It’s extremely easy to confuse the slower pace with a disorganised disposition and, of course, sophistication is what you make it. Small towns offer history, much of it so intertwined in the people and the town itself that visitors can’t escape without at least one interesting story in the local coffee shop. Join me on a tour of some of South Africa’s best-loved small towns,

and find your own soul again.

ranschhoek

I’m going to ease you into this slowly, with one of the most popular and more “touristy” of the small towns I adore. Don’t get me wrong, when I say touristy I don’t mean cheap, tacky and over-priced. I mean it’s completely geared for the visitor, and not only do they not mind strangers wandering about their streets, they actively encourage it. You want to visit for the beauty, but you want to stay for the food and

wine! This picturesque little town lies cradled in a valley in the Cape Winelands and is but a hop, skip and a jump from Cape Town. The town itself boasts a strong French tradition and culture, dating back more than 300 years, to when the French Huguenots arrived, and this is celebrated in lavish and decadent style on Bastille Day when the entire town drapes itself in French culture and the festivals take to the streets. Accommodation is plentiful and, almost without exception, pretty. You can walk to local restaurants and there is so much to keep you busy (not least of all the tasting of the wines that come from this very valley).

St Lucia This awesome KwaZulu-Natal Wetland Park - and World Heritage

site - stretches along the Zululand coast from Maphelane in the south to Kosi Bay in the north, on the Mozambique border.

St Lucia has always been a much-revered saltwater fishing destination, with hippos still roaming the streets at night. Couple that with a quaint coastal village on what is ultimately an island, and the allure is easy to understand. Surrounded by an estuarine system and the Indian Ocean, St Lucia forms part of the iSimangaliso Wetland Park - an astonishing variety of habitats from the Ubombo Mountains to grasslands, forests, wetlands, mangroves and ancient dunes, magnificent beaches and coral reefs There is an actual sign near the estuary requesting that tourists must please refrain from feeding the crocodiles. That’s the wild crocodiles, with enormous teeth and sour dispositions. Apparently people need to be told!

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Prince

Albert Prince Albert is one of the few places where you can explore beautifully preserved Cape Dutch, Karoo and Victorian buildings

from the 1800s. So well preserved in fact, that 13 of them are listed as national monuments. Prince Albert, taking its name from “Naar zijne Hoogheid” - his Royal Highness, is well situated for overnight stops on long road trips from Gauteng to Cape Town. But you might just end up staying a little bit longer once this charming little village takes hold. Prince Albert is known all over the world for its sun-ripened dried fruit, and its champion Angora goats, along with other local delicacies like Karoo lamb, olives, olive oil and homemade cheeses. Venture a little further out of town and take a trip up the Swartberg Pass, down the protea-lined Gamtaskloof and into De Hel, and stay in the original homes of the families that worked the land in the 1800s. Photography: Peter Titmuss

Clarens I didn’t visit this little hamlet until about five years ago, and then I had to wonder why I hadn’t been before. Nestled below the Maloti Mountains in the Free State, Clarens is a hive of gastronomic delight. Combine this with the beautiful environment and it’s easy to understand its popularity. You can spend the morning sipping fragrant, freshly brewed coffee over a delectable breakfast, then go for an easy stroll in the mountains, returning just in time to sit in front of a roaring fire, sipping wine and reflecting on the passage of time. I love Clarens in winter. Sure it’s a little cold, but there is that rare and most cherished oddity in Clarens at around that time. Snow. In Africa, that’s almost untenable! For a truly magical experience, book The Clarens Castle, which comes complete with Rapunzel’s tower and is just the most magnificent place to lay your weary head after a day of snowball fights, wine and walking.

Nottingham

Road

While Nottingham Road in KwaZulu-Natal continues to be a favourite among the tourist set, few people know of its rich history. In the 1830s, an aptly named regiment of soldiers called the “First Sherwood Foresters” were dispatched to the region to try and limit stock theft. At that time, the mountains were home to indigenous San tribesman – who incidentally found a rare and welcomed food source in the form of British sheep and cattle. The soldiers went on to name the village Nottingham Road after their English Midlands home. Today, Nottingham Road is the de rigeur weekend destination for the budding fly fisherman and mountain explorer, with the annual Sherwood festival drawing crowds year on year. Notties, as it is fondly known, has also played host to a number of film crews, with Disney’s Racing Stripes filmed at a stud farm not far from the town centre. The brave can even stay at the famous Nottingham Road Hotel, where it’s said ghosts roam the halls at night.

aternoster

Of all the fishing villages in the Cape, Paternoster should be the first on your bucket list.

As one of the oldest fishing villages in the area, it’s known

for its multi-coloured fishing dinghies lining the beaches. Paternoster is as picturesque as a coastal village could possibly be. From its unique architecture, to its explosive palate of colours, it’s a photographer’s fantasy come to life. This little town also caters for the foodie among us, with world-renowned chef Kobus van der Merwe – of Oep ve Koep bistro fame – making it home, among other people. And while you are there, be sure to visit the last manned lighthouse built on the South African coast. Or the wreck of The Lisboa which ran aground on 23 October 1910. It’s the perfect “get lost” holiday, with long white beaches to laze on or walk along, little nooks and crannies that beg to be explored and, of course, to soak in just a little of that South African sunshine.

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utherland

Although famous for its large telescope and cold winters, Sutherland was founded in 1858 as a church and market town to serve the district’s sheep farmers. The small Karoo town owes its name to Pastor Henry Sutherland, who oversaw the religious wellbeing of the community. Sutherland is famous for its warm hospitality, snowy winters, starlit nights and dramatic landscapes. But more than this, the true wealth of Sutherland lies in its people. While most natives of Sutherland are Afrikaans speaking, the majority of the populace speaks English as a second or third language. What their English may lack in polish is amply compensated for in sincerity and warmth. And thanks to their convivial country hospitality and old-fashioned manners, they won’t hold it against you if you happen to mangle their language in return. Always useful for a girl who scraped her way through the language in school and is frankly embarrassed by how little has been retained over the years. Sutherland has a fascinating history, unique natural assets and numerous outdoor activities, all of which combine to make it one of our most charming small towns.

Dullstroom

Contrary to everything the name promises, this little town is anything but dull. It’s picturesque in the extreme, and offers a host of activities to keep the keenest of adventurers busy. But then it’s also the little town that boasts of the Annual Sheepdog Trials, the fishing, the wildflower tours and Tonteldoos’s Cheese and Yarn Barn. We just adore that most of the pubs are dog friendly, being caretakers of a number of hairy dependents that object to being left at home when we travel, and it’s exceptionally family friendly, catering for ankle biters of the human variety as well. The area is noted for its fishing, so if you need a little break on your drive from Joburg to the Kruger National Park, this is definitely the place to stop off and pull on your fishing shoes! One of the great things about Dullstroom is that you can use it as your base to visit some of the great attractions in the Mpumalanga region of the country. Pilgrims Rest (a quaint, historic little mining town offering a glimpse into the African gold rush), Hazyview (home to gorgeous waterfalls, forests, the Blyde River Canyon and God’s Window), Sabie (again a naturist’s dream overflowing with forests, waterfalls and even the ever-elusive black leopard) and Graskop (a must-see for the Bourkes Luck Pot Holes and Mac-Mac Falls).

ugrabies

Derived from the Khoi word “Aukoerebis” meaning “Place of the Great Noise”, Augrabies is home to one of the world’s largest waterfalls (56m), which explains the thundering racket. Rugged and barren, the Augrabies Falls National Park region is also home to the Nama people and is lucky enough to contain a great diversity of wildlife from springbok to leopard. This region’s flora and fauna have developed unique adaptations to survive the extreme temperature fluctuations ranging from freezing to sweltering. Only the strongest can survive in this beautifully tough part of South Africa. Guests can explore the craggy outcrops of Moon Rock, Ararat (a viewing spot where you can see the gorgeous black eagle) and Echo Corner. If you are needing to get a little perspective on how you fit into the world, the enormous Orange River Gorge will certainly help you!

Graaff-

Reinet With one of Southern Africa’s richest histories dating back to 1786,

Graaff-Reinet is the fourth oldest magisterial district in South Africa and is often referred to as the “Gem of the Karoo”. This beautiful heritage town is just about the only one in South Africa that is virtually surrounded by Camdeboo National Park, home to the world-renowned Valley of Desolation. The environment is so natural that herds of buffalo often have to be shooed off the high school rugby field.

The town has more than 220 heritage sites - many of these being private dwellings. As a destination, Graaff-Reinet is the ideal place to truly find yourself. Whether you choose to experience a tranquil farm stay, go wildlife viewing or even take a relaxing stroll through the area Graaff-Reinet is a little like stepping back into a simpler time, and who couldn’t benefit from that?

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Hogsback Sprawled across the plateau of the mighty Amatola

Mountains, Hogsback is the perfect place for those looking to unwind. This village can be found high up and surrounded by centuries-old indigenous forests. It has a dramatic natural beauty, with views that look out at steely mountains, broken only by slivers of silver in the shape of waterfalls. And what of the name? Therein lies the mystery hidden in this beautiful place of mist-wreathed forests and fantasy. Hogsback offers those looking to break away a plethora of activities such as hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, bird watching, and mountain climbing. Or you can simply relax and drink in its truly amazing scenery.

Nieu

Bethesda Nieu Bethesda is one of the few places in South Africa that can honestly be called “a hidden gem”. Hidden on a dirt road that defected from the N9 highway, Nieu Bethesda appears like an oasis at the foot of the Sneeuberge Mountains along the banks of the Sundays River. Upon driving into the town, you’re met with an almost western feel. You half expect to see a saloon at the end of dusty streets, and a duel at midday. Nieu Bethesda shares an eclectic mix of residents, with many taking advantage of the tourist traffic. None more so than Helen Martins, creator of the mystical and unforgettable Owl House and Camel Yard, who has immortalised Nieu Bethesda. Be warned though, just as it appears to be steeped in time, in some cases it is, with nary an ATM or card machine facility to be seen.

Greyton Now being a Rose myself, I was naturally attracted to the annual Rose Fair which takes place in October in Greyton. Imagine a

festival filled to overflowing with gorgeous blossoms, the smell of freshly baked treats wafting through the air as music plays and children romp in the streets. Greyton is truly a step back to a more civilised and more humane time, with a strong sense of community. There is a market every Wednesday morning where locals get together to swap or sell local and organic produce, a town kraal, dipping tank (for the townies among us, that’s for the anti-flea dipping of sheep and cattle), and even a town blacksmith. The architecture has remained largely untouched and the town feels historic, with many of the original buildings still standing (that’s from around 1840). Even the original leiwater (irrigation) system of street furrows can still be found. Naturally this means that there are a plethora of weddings held here, and the locals don’t seem to mind this at all. I love this town. I love the prettiness, the history, the bike trails, the absolute dedication to living in the now, and living with humanity. If you need to find your soul, there’s no better place to start than the little town of Greyton.

Adventure awaits Whether meeting the Gorilla’s or Himalayan Trekking, no matter your dream journey Nomadic Adventures will take you there.

See the world in a different light www.nomadicadventures.co.za nomadicadventures@mweb.co.za +27 31 767 3373

Nomadic Adventures — Get out there —

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—We need to travel more — Whether you travel once a month or once a year or even once in your lifetime, we need to travel more. Mark Twain said, “Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all of one’s lifetime.” And if Mark Twain said it, you know it’s true! We hail from a country that is beautiful. Not in the way that cities such as Paris or even Amsterdam are beautiful, but South Africa has a raw, almost primal, beauty all its own. It is also wildly unexplored by many South Africans. As a nation we tend to stick to the main roads, or the ones that lead us back to our family when we travel, so there are vast tracts of this amazing land for you to still uncover. An area of South Africa that I have never wanted to explore is Limpopo. It just didn’t seem... exotic enough. Until I actually went there.

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—The Hidden Gem — Nestled on the escarpment in the Magoebaskloof area of Limpopo is the little town of Haenertsburg. Almost always cocooned in early morning mist, this dainty little hamlet is home to a smattering of about 350 families, with another 2500 people living on “The Mountain” as it’s fondly called by locals. You get the idea – it’s tiny! The central town itself only has a few roads but it is the surrounding area that is the real draw card. It’s a charming little place this, as evidenced by the cottagey wooden restaurant covered in flowers that is the very first marker as you drive into town. Everything just seems to fit. From the collection of country-inspired eateries to welcoming guesthouses, Haenertsburg feels every inch the “home away from home” we’re all looking for.

— The Activities — “’Scuse me while I kiss the sky.” Jimi Hendrix

On weekends, and being only a mere three-hour drive from Gauteng, the valleys and twisty mountain roads near Haenertsburg are often alive with sounds of motorcycles curving around the bends. It’s also a favourite among cyclists and hikers looking to explore the adjacent mountain passes. The area is a popular spot for fly-fishing fundis and birding enthusiasts with the nearby Ebenezer Dam, a mere double-haul cast from the village, being home to a variety of water sports. For those feeling less inclined to keep their feet on the ground (or water rather), the Magoebaskloof Canopy Tour is simply the most fun you can have in the air. It soars over waterfalls, rivers and gorges and gives you an unparalleled perspective of this beautiful part of our country. There is also berry picking on offer, game reserves (about an hour away), walks, hiking, mountain bike trails abound, and once you become a regular, locals (who are extremely friendly) will even invite you to join their sundowner parties or lake-side celebrations!

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—The Land —

As you can clearly see from the pictures that adorn these pages, this area is not short of forests. They are everywhere. Serene, sometimes eerie but always beautiful, these forests are part of the reason for the existence of this little town. The official name for the grasslands is the “Woodbush Granite Grasslands”, and they are currently under threat for a number of reasons. They support a variety of animals and other vegetation and include a number of plants used by traditional healers. Close enough for an afternoon drive lies the Debegeni Waterfall. It’s spectacularly beautiful but beware of the rocks at the base of the falls which are deceptively slippery. Nestled nearby is a short hike through an indigenous forest, making this a great way to spend an afternoon.

—The Festivals — Festivals abound in this part of the world and vary from those including grass and wildlife to those that include obscene amounts of music and fun! Not that grass isn’t fun... February sees the Berry Festival. You can pick them on participating farms, or you can visit the town markets with all things berry-minded and delicious. The ever popular Haenertsburg Food, Wine and Beer Festival takes place in March or April every year and is bursting with craft beer, organic foods, wedding expos and all things foodie orientated.

“I want to do with you what spring does with the cherry trees.” – Pablo Neruda

June sees the Neighbourhood Market which is a great affair where pretty much the entire population turns out, all bringing their arts, crafts and delicious treats. Again, a great way to meet the locals. Our favourite of all the festivals in the area is the Spring Festival (www.springfestival.co.za). The Japanese flowering cherry trees are enveloped in clouds of blossoms, the azaleas are playing to the crowds in full bloom with their pink, purple, and white flowers and even the crabapple trees are showing their colours. It’s breathtaking and the entire area seems to shimmer with prettiness in September. Definitely a time to go! Of course, throughout the year, there are a number of athletic events as well. Trail runs, mountain bike races, marathons and even fishing competitions are on the go, and the fresh air sees many an enthusiastic athlete pit him or herself against their peers in an effort to say that they conquered The Mountain.

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“What a strange thing! To be alive beneath cherry blossoms.” – Kobayashi Issa, Poems

“The earth laughs in flowers.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

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—The Seasons — This part of the world can be extreme. Soaring temperatures in summer and plummeting depths when you least expect it. The best advice we can give is to pack everything, and dress in layers. At some point in your day you will be down to as little as possible, and at another you will be wearing a jacket more suited to an arctic winter. The weather can turn without any notice, going from warm and sunny to misty and raining in minutes – as we found out during our photoshoots. It truly can be an “all seasons in one day” experience. But that just adds to the mystique of The Mountain. It adds character, layers if you will. We just loved the early mornings, when you could watch the mist roll in, and bizarrely it really does roll. It’s beautiful. But it clears in an instant and what was a foggy outline of a mammoth forest god will suddenly materialise into a majestic tree. Like magic.

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—What To Wear & Bring — Bring a book. Lots of books. It’s a beautiful part of the world, majestic and peaceful. Your mind can recharge and discover new things, so books are definitely on the cards. Bring a rain jacket, even if it’s just for walks in the morning mist. Then bring costumes, because... well... lakes and rivers abound, and they are wonderful to take a dip in. It can be blazing hot, so if you are planning on doing any hiking, or walking in the forests, bring a hat to keep you cool and protect you. If you are self-catering, you need to bring most of your groceries. Sure you can pop down the road for milk, but the nearby stores are pretty basic so if your taste extends beyond milk, butter, cool drink and tea then it’s advisable to bring whatever you need. There is a local bottle store, but its stock is limited to the most popular items, so if you are looking for anything specific, maybe rather pack it at home.

“Life is full of whimsical happenings, Watson.” – Sherlock Holmes

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— Directory — — NEED TO KNOW —

Find out more about this area and plan your holiday www.magoebasklooftourism.co.za www.mountaingetaways.co.za www.golimpopo.co.za

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— Directory — — SHMECKLES OF YUM — THE IRON CROWN PUB AND GRILL It is pretty much the only nightlife in this area, and the Iron Crown makes great pub food. Having hosted our teams on two different photoshoots, we feel absolutely qualified to say that you should order their famous burgers! +27 15 276 4755 | +27 15 276 4755 | Rissik Street, Haenertsburg BLUEBERRY HEIGHTS + 27 83 880 8787 | www.blueberryheights.co.za | jon@blueberryheights.co.za RED PLATE On our five-day shoot Colleen and the lovely team at the Red Plate catered for us and not only was the food plentiful, but it was delicious. We thoroughly recommend them! +27 83 305 2851 | www.redplate.co.za | 161 Rissik Street, Haenertsburg MINKI’S The only place for delicious breakfasts and great coffee! They also have a lovely little homeware shop. +27 15 276 4781 | Rissik Street, Haenertsburg

“Breathing dreams like air.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald

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— Directory — — TAKE A LOAD OFF — BLUEBERRY HEIGHTS +27 83 880 8787 www.blueberryheights.co.za | jon@blueberryheights.co.za WOODMERE LODGE Astrid welcomed our group of ten into this lovely accommodation, and it is fantastic. In fact, it was so good our make-up artist, Sam, refused to leave when we all did and stayed another night. + 27 83 255 5816 | www.limpopobookings.co.za/woodmere-lodge.php azbotha@gmail.com CHEERIO We stayed here on our first trip to Magoebaskloof and the little town of Haenertsburg. With many different chalets, it’s a lovely little resort, made even better by the magnificent Cheerio Gardens and the incredible hospitality. +27 72 650 2366 | www.cheerio.co.za | reservations@cheerio.co.za AFRICAN IVORY ROUTE +27 15 781 0690 | www.africanivoryroute.co.za

— GETTIN’ BUSY — MAGOEBASKLOOF CANOPY TOUR +27 83 866 1546 | www.magoebaskloofcanopytour.co.za MAGOEBASKLOOF ADVENTURES +27 83 866 1546 | www.magoebaskloofadventures.co.za WEGRAAKBOSCH ORGANIC DAIRY + 27 82 853 8754 | 071 687 5218 | www.limpopobookings.co.za/wegraakbosch Road M1, Cheerio Valley, Magoebaskloof KUHESTAN ORGANIC FARM + 27 82 903 7593 | + 27 82 903 7593 | www.kuhestan.co.za Road J 22, Houtbosdrop Road, Magoebaskloof. LEKGALAMEETSE RESERVE + 27 15 290 7341 | www.golimpopo.co.za LIMPOPO WILDLIFE RESORTS +27 15 293 3611 | www.wildliferesorts.org

“Despite the forecast, live like it’s spring.” ― Lilly Pulitzer

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“My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies Fairytales of yesterday will grow but never die” ― Freddie Mercury

Photographer Ingrid Alice Irsigler Post Production Crowbloody / Alex Sedova Models Tatum Clark Sian Ryan Styling Nicola Luther Clothing Lunar Makeup Tatum Clark Hair Jana Coetzee Project Management Purple Raindrop

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AFRICA THE MOTHER OF INVENTION by Danielle Fine

“Necessity is the mother of invention” — English proverb

frica. The continent that

BC. It consisted mainly of tools used to chop,

birthed the human race,

pound, and scrape, enabling hominids like

with its infinite capacity

Homo habilis to butcher meat.

for imagination and the

When

technology

advanced

from

indomitable will to survive.

manipulating materials to make tools, to

Deprived of the claws and furs of the animals

creating those materials, the innovators

that were both our predators and our prey, we

were found here as well. Some of the earliest

had to rely on that imagination to give us the

ironworking technology—including copper

tools of survival and meet our changing needs.

smelting and high-heat blast furnaces—was

In short, we had to become a continent of

also invented in Africa, in southern Tanzania

intrepid inventors.

and northern Zambia at around 3000 BC. The

Looking at these, the instruments and

Haya people of Tanzania have been able to forge

institutions we’ve developed through the

steel for about 2000 years—several centuries

years, gives us insight into the conditions and

before the process was discovered in Europe.

struggles people in Africa have faced, and continue to overcome on a daily basis.

“Who was the first that forged the deadly blade? Of rugged steel his savage soul was made.”—Tibullus

“Thousands of years ago, civilizations flourished in Africa which suffer not at all by comparison with those of other continents.” —Haile Selassie

With mankind’s history stretching back into

With the advent of civilization, mankind’s

Africa’s warm cradle, it shouldn’t come as a

focus widened from being purely survival

surprise that the very first inventions can be

driven to embracing the gathering and

traced to her fertile soil. Our earliest creations

furthering of knowledge, and the improvement

were focused only on survival, on giving us the

of the quality of human life. This is reflected in

edge to keep ahead of our hairy competitors for

the inventions of this age, which range from

very limited resources.

understanding the mysteries of our anatomy

At around the time our earliest ancestors

to contemplating the infinite reaches of space.

moved from primarily consuming gathered

Ethiopia is widely regarded as the first

food to a more meat-based diet, ancient

established country, and was evidently the first

hominins founded the first stone tool industry,

to implement laws, religion, and international

the Olduwan, in East Africa around 2.3 million

trade, as well as being the first to discover coffee

(for which they get my undying gratitude).

with a British electrical engineer, a South

Philosophy was taught in Ancient Egypt from

African physicist, Allan Cormack, developed

around 2800 BC, and you only have to look at

algorithms that use X-ray scans and electronic

the ruins in Egypt, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and

detectors rotated around the body to create a

the Sudan to see the incredible contributions

tomographic, or 3D, image of the body. Opening

Africa made to early architecture, with the Step

a new field in medical research and diagnostics

Pyramid in Saqqara generally recognised as the

earned the duo the Nobel Prize in Medicine

oldest stone building in the world.

in 1979.

The Egyptians have reputedly been star-gazing

A biomedical engineering inventor, Selig

for almost 10 000 years, and have the astonishing

Percy Amoils, created the Retinal CryoProbe at

cosmic alignments of the pyramids and the

Baragwanath Hospital in Soweto, South Africa,

Nabta Playa stones as proof. This also led to them

in 1975. This device removed cataracts using

developing the first calendar to use a 365-day year

cryosurgery—destroying abnormal or diseased

divided into 12 parts. Some academics speculate

tissue by means of extreme cold.

that the Egyptians inherited their astronomical

Most recently, in December 2014, doctors

knowledge from the Ethiopians. The Dogon

at Stellenbosch University in South Africa

people of Mali performed detailed astronomical

performed the world’s first successful penile

observations and calculations and knew of the

transplant. The recipient was a young man

existence of Saturn’s rings, Jupiter’s moons,

who’d had his penis amputated after a

Sirius B, and the spiral shape of the Milky Way,

botched circumcision.

many years before their European counterparts.

The Egyptians weren’t only forerunners in

The earliest known surgery was performed

medicine, however; they were also pioneers

in Egypt in 2750 BC and the earliest recorded

in the technological field, inventing ramps,

physician, Hesy-Ra, was Egyptian. They had

paper, clocks, ships, maps, pottery and glass.

extensive pharmacological knowledge and

Their bold example has been followed by many

a basic understanding of the functioning

Africans in modern times.

of the brain, liver and heart—using this

The dolos, a concrete block in a complicated

knowledge to treat a wide variety of ailments,

geometric shape, was invented by two South

including skin disease, dental problems and

African harbour engineers, Aubrey Kruger

even tumours. Egyptian medical thought

and Eric Merrifield, in 1963, to prevent erosion

influenced the Greeks, including the “Father of

from wave action in harbours. The concrete

Medicine”, Hippocrates.

dolosse form an interlocking porous wall that

Narrowing our focus to more specific

deflects waves to the side.

inventions in modern medicine, we can see that

While trying to develop an adhesive to

Africans have made significant contributions

hold the components in a cable-junction

throughout the ages, starting with Max Theiler,

box together, a South African engineer

a South African who, in 1937, developed the

from Krugersdorp, George Pratley, invented

vaccine against yellow fever and became the

Pratley Putty. The putty was later used in the

first Nobel Laureate from Africa.

Apollo XI mission to hold parts of the lunar

On 3 December 1967, Dr Christiaan Barnard

lander together, and to stop cracking in one

of South Africa performed the world’s first

of the supports of the Golden Gate Bridge in

successful human-to-human heart transplant

San Francisco.

at Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. The

A swimming pool vacuum cleaner, the

operation took nine hours and a team of 30

Kreepy Krauly, was invented by Ferdinand

doctors and was a milestone in life-extending

Chauvier, a hydraulics engineer from Springs,

surgery, even though the patient only lived for

South Africa, in 1974, and is still in use today.

18 more days.

Henri

Johnson,

inventor

from

Although the Computed Axial Tomography

Somerset West in South Africa, developed

(CAT) Scanner was jointly developed

the Speedball—a handheld device which

LIFESTYLE | 217

accurately measures the speed and angles of

A young Kenyan engineer, Evans Wadongo,

speeding objects like tennis and cricket balls. It

has developed an award-winning solar lamp,

was officially launched at The Oval in London,

which he’s named MwangaBora or “Good Light”

England, during the 1999 Cricket World Cup.

in Swahili. This light is cheaper, more efficient

In 2008, South Africa developed its first

and healthier than the most prevalent form

electric car, the Joule. It can travel at speeds of

of lighting in poverty-stricken rural areas—

up to 135km/h and has a distance range of about

the kerosene lamp, which, aside from being

150km before it needs to be charged—which

expensive and a fire risk, can cause respiratory

takes between 10 and 12 hours. Reducing fuel

illness and damage eyesight.

costs by 80% and having fewer moving parts, it’s

Repurpose Schoolbags, created by Rea

cheaper and easier to service than the standard

Ngwane and Thea Kgatlhanye from Rustenburg

combustion engine. The Joule produces no

in South Africa, are schoolbags made from

tailpipe emissions, making it environmentally

recycled plastic bags that contain a solar lantern

friendly as well as efficient.

-this charges up during the day, giving students

Our northern neighbours are no less intrepid, with Segun Oyeyiola, a Nigerian

from underprivileged areas an emission-free light to study by at night.

student, retrofitting a Volkswagen Beetle into

Anthony Mutua from Kenya invented a

a wind- and solar-powered car at a cost of less

thin crystal chip that can be inserted into any

than $6000. With a solar panel on the roof

shoe to generate electricity when the wearer

and a wind turbine under the bonnet, it also

walks. This electricity can be used to charge a

comes with a GPS app that measures the car’s

cellphone either during a walk or immediately

overall health.

after, as the chip can also store electric energy.

“We are kept keen on the grindstone of pain and necessity.” —H.G. Wells, The Time Machine As we move forward into the future, new

If you’re more of a cycling enthusiast, an innovative electrician from Tanzania, Bernard Kiwia, has developed a bike-powered dynamo also used to charge cellphones.

innovations coming out of Africa deal more and

DryBath, a topical, moisturising, bio-

more with the needs of a continent struggling

degradable germicidal gel, was invented by

with poverty, dwindling resources and failing

Ludwick Marishane, a student from Limpopo

infrastructure. Many areas in Africa are still

province in South Africa, when he was just 17

without reliable electricity and safe water, and

years old! This innovative product—the first

the keen minds of Africa’s brightest are working

of its kind in the world—could be a lifesaver

on solutions.

for the more than 2.5 billion people worldwide

The Freeplay monitor is a power-free

who don’t have access to clean water and often

foetal heart monitor that uses a hand crank

die from easily treatable diseases found in

to generate its own electricity. Invented by

stagnant water.

Philip Goodwin, Stefan Zwahlen, and John

Ronnie Stuiver of Delmas in South Africa

Hutchinson from Cape Town in South Africa,

adapted a children’s merry-go-round into the

it was created for use in rural, underdeveloped

Playpump, a device for pumping water. As

areas where about 500 000 women in Africa

children spin on the merry-go-round, it drives

die annually in childbirth, often from

a borehole pump, which extracts water from

preventable complications.

underground and pumps it into a tank, where it

Along the same lines is the Cardiopad,

can be easily accessed using a tap.

developed by a Cameroonian engineer,

Although the glory of the ancient civilizations

Arthur Zang. The touch-screen medical tablet

might be far behind us, it’s clear that Africa is

enables heart examinations, such as the ECG

still producing some of the world’s top thinkers

(electrocardiogram), to be performed in remote

and innovators, and that these great minds are

locations, sending the results to qualified

bent on moving Africa, and the world, into a

professionals for interpretation.

better future.

Lovin’ a little Italian

Shane Oosthuizen does the unthinkable and loses his heart to a four door. The Italian Maserati Quattroporte GTS.

sk a non-car person to tell you what a car is, and you’ll get a generic answer including “four wheels, boot at the back, four doors in the middle, bonnet”. In most cases, describing ye ole’ basic saloon car then. It makes sense too, as the vast majority of family and executive cars are of the saloon variety. They boast space and practicality, and with the right badge upfront, can highlight

success and status too. But in essence, when you get down to it, they’re all much of a muchness. That is until you get behind the wheel of the Maserati Quattroporte GTS. No ordinary saloon

car, this! In fact, it’s not even that – it’s a full-size luxury sports limo. And it’s that little addition of the word “sport” that makes the Quattroporte GTS something of an anomaly in the world of four-door luxo-barges. An anomaly that even non-car people can appreciate. The QP has been updated for 2016, with the look sharpened somewhat over the earlier models, and the addition of a diesel to the lineup. New front and rear treatments have been nicely focused and more defined, giving the car a handsome, less awkward stance – not that the outgoing model was ugly (Maserati doesn’t do ugly) but this one is just a little more slick.

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Only the Italians can get away with calling a car “four door” and make it sound exotic. But don’t let that bland display of the obvious take away from what is essentially a Ferrari-derived driver’s car.

want them to, and the motor more than happy to rev. Driver’s can control the suspension mode too, switching between Sport and Normal, however most will opt to leave it on Normal and

In GTS guise, the big Maserati sports a Ferrari-developed 3.8-litre,

simply cruise. The beauty of this, is that you can leave the motor and

Twin-turbo V8 mill, mated to a creamy smooth 8 speed, ZF automatic

exhaust settings in Sport, without compromising ride quality, with a

gearbox. This equates to 390kW and 650Nm of twist from only 2250rpm,

lovely V8 burble as accompaniment.

taking the big Maser from 0-100kph in 4.7sec and onto a top speed of 312kmph, making the QP GTS the quickest V8 saloon on the market.

Sadly, you won’t hear much because the double-glazed acoustic glass keeps all the good stuff out of the cabin.

While you’ll get more standard kit in an AMG S-class, and you’ll do

Assistance from the two turbos means acceleration and overtaking is

no worse in an Aston Martin Rapide or a ‘hotted-up’ 7 Series, what they

a doddle, transferring all that torque to the road smoothly and without

lack is the same sense of occasion when you’re firing up the big Maser.

fuss. It’s deceptively quick too, and you won’t realise you’re traveling

The new 3.8litre GTS isn’t quite as vocal as the old 4.7litre V8, but

above the speed limit until you actually look at the LCD speedometer.

there is no mistaking its supercar heritage. Press the starter button and

But above all else, the real win here is the steering feel.

the engine growls into life with a bark that turns heads everywhere.

Maserati has opted to stick with hydraulically assisted steering

Inside, the re-worked centre console features a new higher-

protocols instead of the now-almost-expected electrically assisted

resolution infotainment screen that now matches contemporary

racks. While it’s a small victory for driving enthusiasts, it’s a bolster to

standards. The quality of the leather seats and general fit and finish of

the confidence that Maserati gave it considered thought.

the somewhat conservatively styled cabin, are as sumptuous as you’d hope for the price tag. You don’t slide into the cabin as much as step into it. Make no mistake – this is a big car. At 5.3metres in length and almost 2metres in width you have to remind yourself that you’re piloting a very large vehicle.

At the end of the day, the Quattroporte GTS takes all the strengths of sporty V6-powered cars and adds the V8 punch and soundtrack, without losing out on ride quality and overall luxury. But you’re not going to be buying a Maserati for high-tech toys and plushness. This is car you drive, and put the chauffeur in the back.

Nonetheless, this two-tonne limo-esque Maserati is dynamically as

It’s old-fashioned in the sense that you relax into the leather and enjoy

close to a driver’s car as you’ll get. Regardless of where or how you drive

the ride, whether you’re steering or lounging about. It may sound like

it, the QP responds in just the way you might expect from a Maserati.

a cliché, but as I mentioned earlier, every time you step into a Maserati

It rides beautifully on most surfaces, the tyres biting when you really

it’s an event and that’s where your money goes.

MOTORING | 223

YOUR CHARIOT AWAITS

— THE MERCEDES-MAYBACH S600 — BY SHANE OOSTHUIZEN

hen the first brace of modern Maybach lux-barges broke cover in 2002, Maybach was blatant in its declaration that these were “the epitome of luxury motoring”. After all, they were as exclusive as they were expensive, taking the fight directly to Rolls-Royce and Bentley – the very brands Mercedes had declined to purchase in the late 1990s. The trouble was that by the time the cars rolled off the production line in 2003, they were being built on outdated platforms and had the uninspired styling to match. Needless to say, it wasn’t the roaring success the upper echelon at Daimler had hung their hats on, not by a long shot! As a result, sales were predictably slow. Maybach never quite reached the 1,000 units per year forecast, selling only 3,000 in the past decade, with a reported loss of more than $500,000 per car. Mercedes, somewhat red-faced and deeply out of pocket, quietly discontinued the brand in 2013. Critics suggested a return of the badge unlikely, banishing it to the brand scrapheap. Now, though, a mere two years later, the Maybach nameplate has returned. With a tip of the hat to the bones of the current year’s S-Class, Mercedes has elevated their near-perfect, range-topping S600 to the next level. By bolting the Maybach nameplate onto the big S-Class, Mercedes has gone about creating a

MOTORING | 225

luxury car with tasteful, understated looks, complete with an opulent interior that can hold its own among the “world’s best”.

Although the Maybach shares all the technological wonderment of the S-Class range, it’s more about presence than gadgetry.

The S-Class has always been about conservative style and elegance merged with leading automotive engineering. It is, and always has been, the most forward-looking luxury car on the planet. In fact, many standard features we take for granted today, such as airbags, anti-lock brakes, and the passenger safety cell, are owed to the S-Classes of yore. Although the Maybach shares all the technological wonderment of the S-Class range, it’s more about presence than gadgetry. There really is no better way to demonstrate your success while wafting between airports and business meetings. The most obvious difference between the “stock” S600 and the Maybach is space. The length and wheelbase have increased by about 20 centimetres, solely to the benefit of rear-seated passengers. With much more legroom and a bit more headroom, it offers what Daimler claims to be the quietest back-seat experience in any production car. A full panoramic sunroof is standard, allowing natural light to illuminate the cabin by day, while automated fibre-optic ambient lighting picks up the task at night. Although the S-Class already features a best-in-class interior, the Mercedes-Maybach takes that up a notch, adding more lavishness than ever before. Inside the Maybach S600 it’s more private jet than private town car, with a list of comfort features that read like the itinerary of a Hilton Hotel’s presidential suite. The rear seats, for example, offer a full range of power adjustability, with massage function and powered calf-support. A footrest

can also be powered out of the front seatbacks to award the aft-seated mogul added relaxation. In addition, the interior features a unique wraparound wood trim, an IWC-badged clock with individually milled numbers and chrome-plated speaker grilles. Speaking of the acoustics, passengers have full benefit of a Burmester 3D-surround sound system, and a pair of Robbe & Berking silver-plated champagne flutes. Passengers enjoy cup holders that serve both cooling and warming functions, as well as articulated tables that unfold from the rear console. On the outside, the details are similarly subtle, yet effective in setting the Maybach apart from its S-branded siblings. The only telltale Maybach emblems you will find are on the rear pillars and headrests. No gaudy Subarutype STI badging here! The stretch in wheelbase leaves the Maybach looking even more substantial than the already vast S-Class. Upfront, the grille features distinct Maybach-esque chrome strips, followed by a vast bonnet and deftly raked front windscreen. This detail flows across the carâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s flanks, ending with one of the neatest rear-ends on any sedan. A triangular window has been added to each of the C-pillars, allowing the rear doors to be shortened. This has been done to offer the occupants a little more in the way of privacy, providing them with a titch more metal to hide behind. This, along with the standard privacy shades for the rear windows, means a harder time for any would-be paparazzi. As with all cars of this class, buyers have the luxury of choice when it comes to customising their orders, with individuality being the watchword. Buyers have a plethora of options when it comes to exclusive materials, no

MOTORING | 227

less than 20 colour options, and many wheel designs. But of course it doesn’t stop there. After all, something needs to keep those forged 20-inch wheels turning. And turn they do. Under the sloped bonnet, Maybach buyers can opt for six, eight or twelve cylinders, though some markets will only offer the latter. Featuring the same 525 horsepower bi-turbo 6.0litre V12 found in the big S-Class, the Maybach S600 will breeze from 0-100km/h in five seconds, topping out at an electronically

The S600 Maybach manages to successfully combine old-world luxury with newworld technologies, making it a real contender.

limited 250kmh. With the 2016 Mercedes-Maybach S-Class already filling a more luxurious niche above S-Class range, the German carmaker has unveiled an even longer and more luxurious version, bringing back the Pullman name. Since several pre-production prototypes of the new model have already been spied around Brabus’s headquarters in Bottrop, it seems that the ultra-long MercedesMaybach Pullman was developed and will probably be manufactured by the famed tuner. The more modest Mercedes-Maybach S600 officially reached showrooms in April 2015, where it has been pitched at a price point squarely aimed at Bentley’s Flying Spur. Starting at a whisker over R2.5-million, the big Merc is a bargain when compared to the likes of Rolls-Royce. The S600 Maybach manages to successfully combine old-world luxury with new-world technologies, making it a real contender. Instead of aiming to create an all-new brand, Mercedes has taken an already world-class car and made it even better. The Merc-Maybach is a proper competitor now, taking the fight directly to the likes of Bentley and Rolls. As a result, the new Maybach has managed to successfully do what the old car couldn’t – be one of the greatest cars in the world.

much-revered British marque unveiled

The

Aston Martin’s new CEO, Dr Andy Palmer, commented:

the DBX Concept at the 85th Geneva

“The DBX Concept is a challenge to the existing status quo

International Motor Show in March

in the high luxury GT segment. It envisages a world, perhaps a

2015, in a bid to defy conventional

world not too far away, when luxury GT travel is not only stylish

thinking around the luxury GT

and luxurious but also more practical, more family friendly and

marked departure from the sports cars for which the brand is best known.

“Environmentally responsible” is the key phrase here. With

But just as Porsche did when it launched the Cayenne, Aston knows that in

more and more luxury motorcar brands exploring electric

order to sell more cars, especially in the emerging Russian, Brazilian and

power as an alternative to the traditional combustion engine,

Chinese markets, it needs to offer something just a touch more practical.

it was only a matter of time before Aston would follow suit.

segment. This is also Aston Martin’s first foray in the SUV arena, and is a

more environmentally responsible.”

However, unlike the big Porsche, Aston has opted to join the luxury SUV

The DBX Concept showcases an all-electric, all-wheel

paddock with an entirely new level of thinking. Where Porsche has taken

drivetrain along with a major evolution of the marque’s

an approach of “bigger is better”, Aston has taken a stance of “intelligence

renowned design language, combining traditional Aston

and beauty”. The DBX Concept really does look like it deserves a GT badge.

Martin beauty with elegant form and function.

“GT” is the acronym almost always associated with “Gran Turismo” –

Embracing the very latest engineering techniques and

loosely translated as “Grand Touring”. By that logic then, the DBX Concept,

theories, the DBX Concept has no engine compartment thanks

should it ever come to the production line, encompasses that moniker in

to its use of electric, inboard-of-wheel motors powered by

its entirety.

lithium sulphur cells. Palmer, who before moving to Aston

MOTORING | 229

ASTON MARTIN DBX CONCEPT CHALLENGING CONVENTIONS BY SHANE OOSTHUIZEN Aston Martin is looking to challenge the conventions of luxury GT travel with the debut of the DBX Concept.

Martin was the head of Nissan’s electric division and was responsible for

contrast to the Concept’s hi-tech equipment and hard exterior,

driving the electric Nissan Leaf into production, knows what it takes to build

and moves the DBX’s interior into an entirely new space.

electric vehicles.

From the outside, the DBX Concept features more of

Unlike Nissan’s Leaf though, Aston has spared no expense in the design

the same. Finished in what Aston are calling Black Pearl

stakes. The DBX Concept truly is a thing of beauty – as all Aston Martins

Chromium, a paint deliberately created to imitate a black

should be.

pearl, with micro-fine layers of chrome, there is a level

Instead of simply bolting a seven-seat body onto a pre-existing chassis, the DBX Concept blends sultry lines with real-world capability, hauling four adults and their luggage in comfort.

of reflectivity that is unique and can’t be replicated with standard paint. Palmer explained:

The DBX’s roof is also notably lower than the big SUVs coming out of

“A concept car such as this should, in my view, challenge

Bentley or Maserati, but still has the high seating position that most people

conventional thinking and explore the art of the possible.

look for in a SUV. Although the Concept is presented as a three-door, the

In the DBX Concept, I believe we have created a new type

production is likely to have five doors, offering the three-door option – think

of luxury car that can not only broaden the appeal of Aston

Range Rover Evoque – but in this instance, Aston is looking to highlight

Martin to a whole new generation of customers, but sit with

“sport” over “utility”.

pride alongside the rest of our range.”

In an effort to create an unmatched ambience of cocooning, Aston looked

For now, the DBX Concept is still very much a project, but if

outside the standard automotive materials available on the market, opting

Palmer has anything to do with it – we can expect to see DBX

instead for Nubuck leather (a velvety, soft material). This offers a stark

on showroom floors by 2020.

AVIATION | 231

UNITED CHARTER SERVICES AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT WITH A DIFFERENCE DAVE HOWARTH

Managing Director of UCS talks aircraft ownership, management and operations. OWNING YOUR OWN AIRCRAFT SHOULD BE A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE, one where the aircraft owner spends time on-board enjoying their amazing asset. This

enjoyment is only enhanced when the aircraft owner has the peace of mind that all the back office administration, financial management, regulatory compliance and red tape are competently and professionally managed with absolute financial efficiency. Some aircraft owners elect to assign the majority of aircraft management duties to the pilot, or senior pilot in the case of multi-pilot aircraft. This is a task that is outside the duties for which pilots have been trained i.e. to fly aircraft professionally and safely. In some instances, the pilot may never before have managed an aircraft in which case it can be a truly daunting undertaking. One has to consider that a large percentage of pilots today begin their training straight out of matric or university. They then spend at least 12 months in ground school training and flight training to earn their wings. During this time, there is no emphasis on managing the asset they will end up operating. This is, in our opinion, a grave oversight for pilots wishing to follow a career in private business aviation.

nevitably, the pilot gains aircraft management experience

with managing the aircraft for the aircraft owner with access to the

through trial and error. Unfortunately, the road to experience

operator’s finance personnel (for coordination of billing), but the

for the pilot can be a costly, inefficient affair for the owner!

majority of management duties still lie with the pilot/s. Of course

Even business owners with employees and managers

there is some level of charter operator management, but at this point

tasked with operations, finance, legal and administration find

most operators are trying to do what they do best – manage the charter

managing an aircraft a difficult and often expensive experience. You may ask yourself, why this is the case? Surely it can’t be that difficult?

operation and fly aircraft. Another option can include stand-alone aviation professionals who

Simply put, the complexities involved in the management and

offer their experience as the primary reason to engage their services.

operation of aircraft are in a league of their own. In fact, the process

However, this option can often lead to less than effective results, as the

of managing and operating an aircraft is a little like running a large

overall scope of a truly turnkey aircraft management service requires

business, in terms of the structures that need to be implemented in

a solid team of professionals, each with their own particular areas of

order to do it effectively.

expertise, working in unison to ensure the maximum benefit to the

One only needs to consider the multiple facets involved in owning

aircraft owner.

and operating aircraft... keeping up with the ever-changing regulatory

Without doubt the preferred solution for aircraft owners wanting

requirements both locally and internationally, the associated upgrades

a seamless experience is to contract the services of a professional

required to keep ahead of the technology curve, implementation

aircraft management and operations company. This is because the

and fine-tuning of maintenance planning, parts acquisitions, pilot

organisation is geared to provide the specialised service that is aircraft

training and selection, pilot recurrent training, fatigue management,

management; as well as providing operational support for the aircraft.

programme subscription planning, financial planning and

Even then, the effectiveness of an aircraft management and operations

management... the list goes on.

company can vary tremendously.

For the owner who wants an aircraft without the hassle, an

At United Charter Services we look at things a little differently… we

outsourced management and operations solution is the most

approach aircraft management extremely seriously, so much so that

beneficial route to follow. An assessment of all the available options is

you would be excused for thinking that we actually own the aircraft

necessary to ensure the aircraft is managed effectively and operated

we are managing.

efficiently, inside a safety culture and with the greatest cost benefit.

Whether it is going the extra mile to explore all the options

Some charter operators offer ancillary aircraft management

globally and locally available when a part acquisition is needed,

services, where pilots are either directly employed or contracted on

or negotiating preferential terms with a variety of trusted service

a freelance basis to operate the aircraft under the supervision of the

providers, it takes time, it takes effort and, more than those things, it

charter companies’ operations staff. Often the pilots are then tasked

takes passion and expertise.

AVIATION | 233

BENEFITS TO HAVING YOUR AIRCRAFT UNDER THE MANAGEMENT AND OPERATION OF UNITED CHARTER SERVICES: •

Our teams are highly motivated, industry experts who live our values.

• Pilots and cabin crew who are assigned to operate the aircraft are hand-picked to ensure only the highest levels of safety, professionalism and client care. • Our crews have extensive VIP aircraft operation experience. They are rigorously tested for proficiency and are managed by our chief pilot and head of cabin services respectively. This reflects in our impeccable aviation safety record and standards. • Coordination of all the operational financial planning and maintenance planning for the aircraft. • We develop annual budgets to ensure owners can understand the expenses involved with aircraft ownership and measure cost efficiencies. Our financial reporting is perhaps the most transparent available, with each and every original supplier invoice provided to support all expenses incurred. •

Maintenance planning is streamlined in conjunction with the aircraft manufacturer’s maintenance schedule, to ensure maximum operational availability of the aircraft.

• We provide on-the-ground management of aircraft maintenance tasks being carried out by appointed service providers. • We track all regulatory requirements that apply to key areas of ownership operation and advise owners of any requirement changes. • Track and manage various aircraft programmes, documentation, subscriptions, crew training and crew documentation using our cloud-based, in-house developed software. • Planning and arrangement of aircraft upgrades, modernisation, interior refurbishments and aircraft painting. • The option to realise income from the aircraft asset, thus reducing overall total cost of ownership, by allowing the aircraft to be placed onto our commercial operations licences. • Access to our in-house flight support division and the financial benefits that come with our economies of scale. • Preferential aircraft insurance rates. • Future aircraft acquisitions and sales management. If you would like to know more about United Charter Services’ aircraft management and operations solutions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

OUR CORE VALUES THAT WE APPLY TO AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT ARE SIMPLE: 1) All aircraft are treated like the owner would treat them. With immense care and respect. 2) Provide the necessary time and skills that aircraft management and operations demand in order to be effective. 3) Respect the associated commercial aspects of ownership. With the above values at the core of our aircraft management and operations division, United Charter Services employs the correct people to do the job, where expertise, passion, diligence and innovative thinking is an intrinsic part of our DNA. This thinking also extends to our service providers who undergo rigorous scrutiny to ensure that they reflect our values in their businesses and everyday interaction with ourselves and their other customers. When aircraft owners see tangible results, such as savings over a set financial period, due to our efficient management of their aircraft, eyes widen in our clients’ boardrooms with the full knowledge that without our drive, vigorous management, expertise and experience, such savings could not have been achieved. What makes United Charter Services different? Aviation professionals have described our aircraft management company as “unique” and that we go “above and beyond” what one would usually expect from a service provider in our field. We believe this difference can be largely attributed to our values, our people and our service provider network. We at United Charter Services have a passion for aviation and are dedicated to ensuring that our aircraft-owner customers receive a service that exceeds their expectations, making aircraft ownership a pleasure, not a burden.

DEITY OF THE SKY Elegance and comfort combine effortlessly with military precision and power to bring you the Dassault Falcon 7X By Philippa Rose-Tite

AVIATION | 235

A DISTINGUISHED HERITAGE

Dassault is a name long held in great esteem in the aviation industry. It has a distinguished and fascinating history, having been started by a young boy called Marcel Bloch (later Dassault) who would decide - at just 17 years old - that he wanted to dedicate his life to aviation after witnessing a Wright biplane fly. By 1915, when he was just 22, he produced his first aviation product— the Eclair Propeller. By 1931, Bloch was designing long-distance trimotors for airmail transport and even branched out into motors for long-distance passenger transport. By 1932 he was producing motors for long-distance medical evacuations. The following decade would see Marcel Bloch deported from France (for refusing to build German war planes) to Buchenwald where he would nearly die of diphtheria, only to return at the end of World War II to his largely untouched manufacturing plants where he would continue to innovate and design new aircraft that would change the way the world would travel. Although almost specialising in fighter jets at this stage, the father of the Falcon 7x business jet was developed in 1963 in the form of the Mystère 20. Of course things have moved on from there, rather substantially in fact, but the underlying culture of innovation and commitment to great aviation can still be found in the newer, sexier Falcon series.

THE FALCON

Popular Mechanics called the 7X the “Business jet that thinks it’s a racing plane”, after seeing its exquisite speed and manoeuvrability at the National Championship Air Races in Reno in the United States in October 2015. It’s certainly fast, with a top speed of 488 knots (TAS), and there is no doubt that the technology is singularly advanced for a business jet, with much of the learning gained in the military and fighter jet production (which formed the backbone of the Dassault company in the preceding decades) being applied to the Falcon to make it one of the most advanced in its class. The Falcon 7X is an ode to technical innovation. Its sleek design could possibly delude one into thinking that it’s all prom-dress pretty with no substance, but this aircraft is all about power. The three engines deliver 6,400lbs of thrust each, are built by industry greats Pratt & Whitney Canada and provide both short-term power (for smaller airport runways with minimal take off space) as well as the stamina to travel non-stop distances of up to 11,000km.

It’s also the first business jet to have a digital flight control system,

and a maximum width of 2.34m allow for a more comfortable journey,

taken directly from Dassault’s jet fighter range, allowing pilots almost

and when purchasing this aircraft the Dassault team will work with

unprecedented control over their aircraft as they can be in direct contact

their clients to ensure the correct cabin configuration (there are three

with their controls. This allows for a precision that we have yet to see

“lounge” areas and these can be configured into sleeping quarters or

in any other business jet. This digital flight control system (DFCS), as

even private areas), as well as choosing the most pleasing finishes made

Dassault calls it, may be completely digital as opposed to analogue but it

from the best quality products.

operates on the same basis, making this the supercar of business jets for

The Dassault team have designed the 7X for maximum fuel efficiency

those lucky enough to pilot one. It has the added bonus of autocorrecting

(with possibly only the fighter jet in their range more sleek) and have

the aircraft should it come upon turbulence or gusts of wind, and this

combined that with a much lower carbon emission total than the

combined with the flexible and slightly longer high transonic wing,

general business jet.

means that this is possibly the smoothest ride any passenger could hope

When you combine the technology, comfort, performance and even safety (think slower approaches and landings), it’s easy to see why

for when journeying from one distant land to another. Talking of comfort, the Dassault team have paid just as much attention to the cabin as they have to the technology. Both 1.88m of headroom

those in the know choose the Falcon 7X. It is, after all, the supercar of aircraft travel.

KEY FEATURES DIGITAL FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM

CABIN

Automatically dampening turbulence, the DFCS is so advanced it

Featuring three lounge areas, the cabin in the 7X features every

allows pilots maximum responsiveness by responding to the smallest of

possible luxury with an environmental system that provides an in-flight

movements, allowing for a precision that has not been possible previously.

cabin altitude of 4,800ft even at 45,000ft. It also features an advanced “quieting of acoustics”.

HIGH TRANSONIC WING This new design improves mightily on the predecessor, allowing the

FLIGHT DECK

7X to fly at much higher altitude and Mach while using less fuel. It also

The flight deck on the Falcon 7x was developed using the Dassault

allows for a slower and thus safer approach.

jet fighter Man-to-Machine interface as its springboard. The EASy II is more intuitive and intelligent, allowing for greater situational

FUSELAGE AND WING SHAPING The advanced new design includes leading-edge slats and double

awareness and responsiveness. It sets a new standard in business jet cockpits.

slotted Fowler flaps for a smoother flight. ENHANCED VISION SYSTEM ENGINES

Improved safety margins, including when flying in bad weather such as

The 7X has enormous power for short take-off as well as stamina for

fog, haze and snow, are the result of the Enhanced Vision System (EVS)

long hauls. It’s also exceptionally quiet which is surprising considering

utilised by the Falcon 7X.

there are three 6,400 pound thrust Pratt & Whitney Canada PW307A turbofans. The three engines also allow for security over large tracts of water or desolate areas. *Please note: All statistics are taken directly from the Dassault Falcon 7X specification guide and have not been provided by United Maverick.

AVIATION | 237

THE FALCON 7X IN NUMBERS External Dimensions

Length

23.19m

Height 7.83m

Wing Span 26.21m

Internal Dimension

Cabin length (excluding cockpit/ baggage) 11.91m

Maximum Headroom

1.88m

Maximum Width

2.34m

Cabin Volume

(excl. cockpit/ baggage)

44m3

Weight

Maximum take-off weight

31,751kg

Maximum zero fuel weight

18,598kg

Maximum fuel

14,488kg

Maximum landing weight

28,304kg

Engines

Manufacturer P&W Canada

Nbr/ Type 3x PW307A

SL-ISA Thrust 28,48kN

Flat rated to ISA +17°C

Max. Operating altitude

51,000ft

Range

11,019km

Max.speed

488 ktas / 904 km/h

Max. operating Mach (MMO)

M .90

BFL at MTOW: SL – ISA

1,740m

Approach Speed Vref at typical landing weight

104 kias

FAR 91 landing distance at typical landing weight

631m

PREMIUM AIRCRAFT SALES IMAGINEâ&#x20AC;Ś YOUR AIRCRAFT. YOUR CREW. YOUR SCHEDULE. 24/7 READINESS. United Charter Services Aircraft Sales provide an unbiased aircraft sales service, and are not affiliated with any particular aircraft manufacturer or agency. This allows us to provide you, our valued client, with a range of aircraft that will suit your individual requirement allowing you to make your choice from a selection of suitable aircraft. We manage the entire aircraft sale process from procurement, to delivery and take care of all the regulatory red tape associated with purchasing assets of this nature. We also provide a dedicated aircraft management solution and if you so wish, United Charter Services can provide additional income by putting your asset to work within our aircraft charter division. Take to the skies with the freedom of aircraft ownership.

THE DIFFERENCE IS... WE ARE UNITED!

AVIATION | 239

we offer the following aircraft for sale... vip airliners

VIP airliners offer the highest standards of comfort, luxury,

and diversity of amenities. Championed by world famous offerings like the Boeing Business Jet, VIP airliners truly

offer you a home or office in the sky. With ample space for

passengers, luggage, and even cargo, these airliners are the optimal choice for those who want to travel long distances in luxurious comfort, without concern for aircraft limitations.

airliners

Airliners are designed for large groups of passengers, and/

or large cargo transportation. Passenger capacity can range from 30 passengers to upward of 500 passengers, depending on the particular aircraft chosen. Ideally suited for domestic and regional travel, the airliners generally need to operate into and out of larger airports.

jets

Business jets can be chosen to meet diverse requirements.

Business jets are the optimal choice for fast luxury transport short, medium or long range. Business jets are available with various performance attributes and passenger capacities.

turboprop

Turboprop (turbine propeller engined) aircraft are not quite

as cost-effective to operate as piston engined aircraft, but can provide greater average range, speed, and comfort, than piston aircraft. Turboprops can maintain speeds of up to 450 km/h and typically have a range of some 1800km. Turboprops are cheaper to operate than jets and are commonly used for

short to medium distance flights - with the added advantage of being able to take off and land using virtually any airport runway (including grass or sand).

helicopters

Helicopters (selectable from a wide variety of models)

allow short to medium distance flights. They are useful

where landing strips are not available. Helicopters can be reconfigured to serve diverse missions. Helicopters often

provide VIP Â transport for executives travelling city to city. They can also perform cargo missions, medical evacuation flights, and offer versatile passenger transport.

24-Hour Hotline:

+27 (0) 11 788 0813

w: www.unitedcharter.co.za

e: info@unitedcharter.co.za

a: Office 9, First floor, Main Terminal building, Lanseria International Airport

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UNITED CHARTER aircraft specs

nited Charter Services is proud to be a leading brand on the African continent, having flown an extensive number of global Government Officials, Ministers, State Presidents, Celebrities, Mining Executives and Corporate Executives to almost every corner of Africa, Europe, China and the United States of America. With a firm focus on simplifying complex travel needs, and a belief in offering services to suit all of our passengers, United Charter Services can provide solutions that range from light aircraft and helicopter transfers to global air cargo and executive travel. Our extensive fleet ensures that we can accommodate all your needs irrespective of where you may be based. Our flexible scheduling and personalised service will ensure that whether you are flying for business or pleasure, your experience will be effortless and relaxed. United Charter has access to an unparalleled fleet of aircraft, including modern wide-bodied, luxury jets from the Falcon, Challenger and Gulfstream series, all with intercontinental capability and customised seating for up to 15 passengers. For larger parties, specific long-range airliners such as the V.I.P. Boeings and Airbus aircraft, specially configured for between 25 and 100 passengers, are also available for charter. PLEASE NOTE: The following list, is just a snapshot of the available aircraft we have on offer. For a full list and specifications on Fixed Wing, Turbo Props, Helicopters and Cargo aircraft, please view our website on: www.unitedcharter.co.za

SHORT RANGE BEECHCRAFT PREMIER 1 – multi-engine jet –

A light multi-engine jet designed and manufactured by Raytheon/Hawker Beechcraft it accomplished its goals of being the fastest light jet with the largest cabin cross section, when it entered service in 2001. The composite carbonfibre/epoxy honeycomb fuselage, swept metal construction wings, T-tail and two Williams-Rolls FJ-44 turbofan engines makes this sleek aircraft the perfect light corporate jet.

6 2

CITATION MUSTANG – multi-engine jet –

A business jet that has been specifically designed with the new jet-set in mind. Comfortable club seating is the order of the day, and there is no need to pack light with the ample external and aft baggage areas. This plane has true jet speed that will chew 630km in an hour and keep doing so over a three hour period. It effortlessly combines efficiency with performance and great, sleek looks. 4 2

MID RANGE BEECHCRAFT KING AIR 200 – multi-engine turboprop –

The Beechcraft King Air might just be the world’s most popular turboprop aircraft. Originally developed as a compromise between pistonengine and jet aircraft, the King Air flies further than a piston-driven engine can, and lands on runways far shorter than a jet can handle. This T-tail, twin-engine, craft remains a firm favourite in commercial and civil aviation, as well as with military buyers.

8 - 10

Passengers

Flight Deck Crew

Cabin crew

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BEECHCRAFT 1900 C/D – multi-engine turboprop –

The big brother of the King Air 200, the Beechcraft 1900 was developed for the regional airline market. The lengthy fuselage (there is stand-up head room in the D model), powerful engines, modified tail with tailets, and stabilons on the lower rear fuselage, improved both comfort, and hot and high performance. 19 2

BOMBARDIER LEARJET 45 – multi-engine jet –

A private high-quality jet that combines new technology with a tried and tested design; the cruise performance is fabulous and it handles exceptionally well. Swivel, recline or track in the comfortable cabin space that includes a dedicated temperature control system that is separate to the cockpit, fold-down tables and a noise level that does not exceed 72dB. 8 2

BOMBARDIER LEARJET 60 – multi-engine jet –

The Learjet 60 serves a niche market for jets that climb to cruise altitude quickly, has an impressive cruise speed, operates economically and of course, is completely reliable. It has the largest cabin in the Learjet line and has added space where it counts the most. The aircraft was built using NASA/Boeing Tranair CFD software, resulting in a particularly aerodynamic design. 7 2

HAWKER 700 – multi-engine jet –

Meet our quiet, mid-size jet with advanced avionics and high performance qualities that make it the perfect choice for short to long-range flights. A wide cabin that is devoid of noise, easily seats eight passengers, travels at 720km per hour and can comfortably reach distances over 3,000km. 8 2

BOEING 737-200 – multi-engine jet –

The Boeing 737 twinjet is the world’s most successful jet airliner model. It was built in response to airlines needing a slightly higher passenger load for their short and mid-range flights. The 737-200 stretch model, features aerodynamic refinements and a range of improvements. 105 2 6

LONG RANGE BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 300 – multi-engine jet –

The Bombadier Challenger 300 started life as the ‘Continental’ due to its ability to fly coast-to-coast in the USA. A large cabin, lower direct operating costs and its capacity for relatively short field performance also sets it apart. 8 2 1

Passengers

Flight Deck Crew

Cabin crew

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BOMBARDIER CHALLENGER 601 – multi-engine jet –

The jet of choice for governments, the armed forces and the rich and famous – more airliner than private jet – the Challenger 601 is economical and large among its class, particularly where it matters: in the cabin. The cabin is also well isolated from noise and vibration, and the plane has two engines and four back-up power systems.

2 1

GULFSTREAM GIII – multi-engine jet –

The third generation in a highly successful family of private jets, the GIII was designed to supersede its predecessors. The two-engine configuration provides the performance capability whilst keeping costs low. The 10% extra wing achieves a significantly improved range and Whitcomb winglets further reduce fuel burn. 14 2 1

GULFSTREAM GV – multi-engine jet –

The first ultra-long-range private jet that is capable of flying nonstop from New Zealand to San Francisco or Cape Town to Beijing, the Gulfstream is an extremely reliable, high performance aircraft. In an exclusive and very competitive class the Gulfstream V holds its own. It is ideal for anyone who needs to go cross-country or fly internationally quickly and reliably. 14 2 1

HELICOPTERS BELL 206 JETRANGER The Bell 206 helicopter is a single engine turbine seating up to 6 passengers, and is perfect for flying domestic distances in and around your region. 6 1

BELL 206 LONGRANGER The Bell 206 LongRanger offers a light helicopter with greater capacity and utility over the JetRanger. It is powered by a single engine turbine engine and has a maximum cruise speed of 230 km/hr with a non-stop range of 690km. The LongRanger seats up to 6 passengers. 6 1

BELL 407 The Bell 407 integrates reliability, speed, performance, and manoeuvrability, with a cabin configurable for an array of missions and payloads. Its Rolls Royce 250-C47B turbine FADEC engine delivers exceptional hot & high performance, with the ability to cruise at 140 knots (259 km/ hr). The 407’s spacious cabin seats up to five passengers in wide-open clubpassenger seating. For added passenger comfort, the Bell 407 also provides an exceptionally quiet and smooth ride in virtually all weather conditions. 6 1

EUROCOPTER EC120 The Eurocopter EC120 is a single engine turbine helicopter and seats up to 6 passengers. The design of the helicopters cabin makes it suitable for a wide variety of missions, such as utility transport and corporate transport. This is a popular charter helicopter owing to its versatility, range and speed. 6 1

Passengers

Flight Deck Crew

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CARGO AIRCRAFT BOEING 737 CARGO The B737-200 Cargo is a twin-engine, Short to Medium range jet aircraft and has a max load of 15 tonnes. 2

BOEING 747 CARGO The B747 is a 4-engine, Long range jet aircraft and has a max load between 95 - 120 tonnnes.

BEECHCRAFT 1900 Short to Medium range twin-turboprop aircraft with a max load of 1.95 tonnes.

ILUSHIN IL76 The IL76 is a 4-engine, Medium to Long range jet aircraft and has a max load of 45 tonnes. 2

AVIATION | 249

FLIGHTS OF FANCY There is a place we go sometimes. To heal, to seek solace in our souls and sometimes because of a yearning we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand. A yearning to reconnect with that which makes us African, makes us part of this tumultuous and beautiful land. We lift our faces to the sun and the smell of Africa invades our being. It is the shiver that wracks our bones when a lion growls or the fear that flickers over our thoughts when we hear a hyena cackle in the night. It is Africa and once loved, it will never permit you to forget. There are places where we go to remember this Africa. This piece of our soul. We explore the lands where the wind sighs into the trees and teases the rivers and dams into playful waves. Where the sky is boundless, an endless horizon. We explore fashion inspired by this Africa, with designers who embrace the playful side of travel. Blown out skirts, faux-fur, prints and bold colours belong in the luggage of every intrepid explorer.

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“Africa – You can see a sunset and believe you have witnessed the Hand of God. You watch the slow lope of a lioness and forget to breathe. You marvel at the tripod of a giraffe bent to water. In Africa, there are iridescent blues on the wings of birds that you do not see anywhere else in nature. In Africa, in the midday heat, you can see blisters in the atmosphere. When you are in Africa, you feel primordial, rocked in the cradle of the world.” – Jodi Picoult –

“The only man I envy is the man who has not yet been to Africa – for he has so much to look forward to.” – Richard Mullin –

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“I never knew of a morning in Africa when I woke up that I was not happy.” – Ernest Hemingway –

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“There is something about safari life that makes you forget all your sorrows and feel as if you had drunk half a bottle of champagne — bubbling over with heartfelt gratitude for being alive.” – Karen Blixen –

WORLDWIDE AIRCRAFT CHARTER

AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT

AIRCRAFT SALES

CATCH A PLANE WE WILL DISPATCH YOUR INTERNATIONAL PASSENGER OR CARGO FLIGHT WITHIN A FEW HOURS OF YOUR FLIGHT-PLAN CONFIRMATION

Safety, efficiency, comfort and privacy are the Owenair commitments to you as our VIP guest. Our fleet of private aircraft and jets is a picturesque vision of elegance amid the latest technology available for all your entertainment and corporate requirements. We are dedicated to handling customers and freight on all our aircraft with the utmost professionalism and efficiency. At Owenair we are proud of our reputation for the finest attention to detail. We provide the highest VIP standard possible to all our clients. Our full service operation begins by the selection of an appropriate aircraft for your trip, ready to fly to your destination anytime (day or night). We ensure that the aircraft meets your travel requirements, that the price is within your budget and the comfort is first class (or better). Onboard you can look forward to 5-star gourmet catering and amenities for your enjoyment. Our departure lounges are designed to provide a quiet and relaxed environment for our passengers prior to departure or upon arrival. While you relax in one of our lounges we will preclear your passports, attend to the logistics and handle your baggage. Our experienced team will guide your decisions on aircraft, route and cost â&#x20AC;&#x201C; ensuring you the best aircraft at the best rate. Complex passenger and freight flights are our forte. Your personalised Owenair team will have you travelling within a few hours after your charter or freight confirmation. We have maintained an impeccable safety record. Our pilots are highly experienced and well trained with every one of our pilots exceeding the training standards set by the Civil Aviation Authority for charter flights. A full range of piston driven, turbine and jet aircraft is available. Your choice of any destination within South Africa and/ or worldwide can be accommodated. Helicopter transfers are available on request.

Cape Town International Airport Signature Flight Support t: +27 21 934 1174 e: info@owenair.co.za

AVIATION | 263

“I CAN NO OTHER ANSWER MAKE

BUT THANKS, AND THANKS,

AND EVER THANKS…”

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

The making of Maverick is a labour of enormous love, but our dedicated

team are always ably assisted in varied forms by many bright and beautiful individuals, without whom it just wouldn’t be possible. Thank you so much to each of you for helping to produce this beautiful edition of Maverick. Monika and Henk Smith, for the use of their gorgeous home, Glenshiel Farm, for our photoshoots. Stanford Lake College for the use of their lake for our photoshoot. Mika and Jordan Schoeman, for the use of their forests on Woodmere Farm. Our thanks to Dirk Botha for being the quintessential gentleman, and assisting us in all things logistical for our photo shoots in Limpopo. Karen Borelli, for being our guide in Limpopo. Thanks to our tireless proofing team of Deborah and Jeremy Gordin. Mosaic, for inviting us to interview the wonderful Aubert de Villaine. Sharon Wolpe for the use of your divine home to shoot the Queen of Cakes photoshoot. Arwen Swan for the most beautiful Marie Antionette dress for our Queen of Cakes photoshoot. The pages of this edition are draped in beautiful clothes, jewellery and accessories loaned to us by some of the most talented designers we have ever had the privilege of working with. Thank you to each of them; Marianne Fassler

+27 11 646 8387

BIJI – La Maison de Couture +27 11 784 8018

Dainty Frocks

+27 78 277 5963

Arwen Garmentry

+27 11 447 0247

Gert-Johan Coetzee

+27 11 024 4677

Lunar

+27 11 726 5558

Pichulik

+27 21 408 7600

Vesselina Pentcheva

+27 11 442 7501

White Lilly

+27 11 027 6801

KLûK CGDT

+27 83 377 7730

e.g Jewellery Design +27 82 773 5979 In addition the production team would like to thank United Charter Services for the opportunity to work on this incredible production. Thank you for trusting our vision for this edition of United Maverick, it remains as close to our hearts as it does yours.

CREDITS | 265

— CREDITS — WE ARE UNITED

Photographer / Creative Director: Ingrid Alice Irsigler Project Management: Purple Raindrop Post Production: Galina Snitsaruk Styling: Karin Orzol Makeup & hair: Sam Scarborough Photographer’s Assistant: Jana Coetzee

Model: Tana Ferreira Dress by White Lilly, accessories stylist’s own.

Model: Tana Ferreira Dress by H&M, feather necklace collar & shoes stylist’s own.

Model: Tana Ferreira Dress by White Lilly, accessories stylist’s own

Model: Diana Hoyos Dress by Tiger of Sweden.

Model: Diana Hoyos Dress by White Lilly.

Model: Tana Ferreira Hat by H&M, skirt & blouse by Tiger of Sweden.

Model: Tana Ferreira Yellow skirt by Forever 21, silk scarf by H&M, blouse vintage Prada, heels and accessories stylist’s own.

Models: Tana Ferreira & Diana Hoyos Both dresses by Rosa Karoo.

Model: Diana Hoyos Dress by White Lilly.

ILLUSTRATIONS Maverick Team (page 09)

Ulricke Nelson

Cracking the Code (page 10)

Nicole Bruigom (flags, bracelets) & Ulricke Nelson (main image)

Doyenne of Design (page 14)

Ulricke Nelson

Sho’t Left (page 114)

Ronel van Heerden

Taxi Talk (page 116)

Nicole Bruigom

Lighting the Dark Continent (page 118)

Ronel van Heerden

Africa, The Mother of Invention (page 214)

Nicole Bruigom

Aston Martin DBX Concept Car (page 228)

Ulricke Nelson

— CREDITS — GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Photographer / Creative Director: Ingrid Alice Irsigler Project Management: Purple Raindrop Post Production: Galina Snitsaruk / Kay Van Niekerk Styling: Karin Orzol Makeup & hair: Sam Scarborough Photographer’s Assistant: Chris Tite

TWILIGHT

Photographer / Creative Director: Ingrid Alice Irsigler Project Management: Purple Raindrop Post Production: Crowbloody Styling: Karin Orzol Makeup & hair: Sam Scarborough Photographer’s Assistant: Chris Tite

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress by BIJI – La Maison de Couture.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by Marianne Fassler, accessories stylist’s own.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress and belt by BIJI – La Maison de Couture.

Models: Jade & Shalati Jade’s oversized jacket by Marianne Fassler, belt stylist’s own. Shalati’s dress by Marianne Fassler, necklace & bag Dainty Frocks.

Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Dress by White Lilly, faux-fur shrug by White Lilly, long mother-of-pearl earrings by Dainty Frocks.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by Robot, jacket by Marianne Fassler, bag by Pichulik.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress and faux-fur shrug by White Lilly.

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress by Marianne Fassler, earrings by Pichulik.

Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Dress by Arwen Garmentry, bracelets by Dainty Frocks.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by Arwen Garmentry, necklace by Pichulik.

MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress by White Lilly, accessories stylist’s own.

Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Dress by BIJI – La Maison de Couture.

Photographer / Creative Director: Ingrid Alice Irsigler Project Management: Purple Raindrop Post Production: Crowbloody / Alex Sedova Styling: Karin Orzol Makeup & hair: Sam Scarborough Photographer’s Assistant: Chris Tite

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress by Gert-Johan Coetzee.

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Corset by Arwen Garmentry, toile skirt by Lunar, bag, necklace, earrings by H&M, faux-fur shrug by White Lilly.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by Gert-Johan Coetzee.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Corset by Arwen Garmentry, wooden bracelets by Lunar, faux-fur shrug by White Lilly and necklace, stylist’s own.

Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Dress by BIJI – La Maison de Couture.

CREDITS | 267

ENCHANTED FOREST

Photographer / Creative Director: Ingrid Alice Irsigler Project Management: Purple Raindrop Post Production: Crowbloody / Galina Snitsaruk Styling: Karin Orzol Makeup & hair: Sam Scarborough Photographer’s Assistant: Chris Tite

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress by BIJI – La Maison de Couture, earrings by Pichulik.

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress & skirt by Gert-Johan Coetzee.

WE LOVE HAENERTSBURG

Photographer / Creative Director: Ingrid Alice Irsigler Project Management: Purple Raindrop Post Production: Crowbloody / Alex Sedova Makeup: Tatum Clark Hair: Jana Coetzee Styling: Nicola Luther

Model: Tatum Clark – Lampost Dress by Lunar.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by KLûK CGDT, jewellery by Pichulik. Model: Tatum Clark – Lampost Dress by Lunar.

Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Velvet jumpsuit by BIJI – La Maison de Couture. Model: Tatum Clark – Lampost Dress by Lunar. Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Dress by BIJI – La Maison de Couture, jewellery by Pichulik.

Model: Sian Ryan – Ice Models Dress by Lunar. Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by KLûK CGDT, jewellery by Pichulik.

Model: Shalati Masekane – Ice Models Dress by KLûK CGDT, jewellery by Pichulik, gold arm cuffs by Dainty Frocks.

Model: Amber Elizabeth – Boss Models Dress by Vesselina Pentcheva, jewellery by Pichulik.

Model: Jade Hill – Ice Models Dress by Gert-Johan Coetzee, shoes stylist’s own.

Model: Sian Ryan – Ice Models Dress by Lunar.

Model: Tatum Clark – Lampost Dress by Lunar.

Sprinkling Magic Dust On Your Brand! Purple Raindrop is a boutique creative agency working with select clients to build their brands in a competitive world. We will facilitate the production of a marketing strategy as well as oversee the execution of all activities related to the brand and brand building. Our project management team will assist with all aspects of project management for the media, creative space as well as IT spaces.

+ 27 83 644 9351 @Purplraindrop

info@purpleraindrop.co.za

www.facebook.com/PurpleRaindrop

PurpleRaindropZA

The difference isâ&#x20AC;Ś We are www.unitedcharter.co.za

United Charter Services Lanseria International Airport Office 9, First floor, Main Terminal Building. 24/7: +27 83 270 8886 t: +27 11 788 0813 f: +27Â 11 507 6814 e: info@unitedcharter.co.za w: www.unitedcharter.co.za

United Flight Support Lanseria International Airport Office 9, First floor, Main Terminal Building. 24/7: +27 83 270 8886 t:+27 11 788 0813 f:+27Â 11 507 6814 e: info@unitedflightsupport.com w: www.unitedflightsupport.com

Owenair Cape Town International Airport Signature Flight Support t: +27 21 934 1174 e: info@owenair.co.za w: www.owenair.co.za Owenair is a proud member of the United Charter Group Of Companies UCS Maverick w: www.unitedmaverick.co.za

THANK YOU FOR FLYING UNITED CHARTER SERVICES We trust you enjoyed your flight, and look forward to many happy travels as your trusted charter company Warm Regards Jonathan Wolpe