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january

2014

got the munchies? r thear way o iye m ’s e It is n w h t y a hi-w

MPHO POPPS MODIKOANE

FOR THE MENU see pages 2&3

ponders what to do with his last few cents after the festive season…

Mpho interviews

Pearl Thusi Who is Pearl’s ultimate crush (other than Mpho, obviously)?

Benny Masekwameng How long has Benny been practising that smile?

PLUS Gadgets, games, Gangs of Ballet, kitesurfing, camping, and 34 ways to change your life in 2014

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View from the Top JANUARY IS NAMED after Janus – the Greek god of unwanted gifts. The name Janus is itself derived from the ancient Latin saying: ‘put it where the sun don’t shine’, referring specifically to those gifts that are not only inappropriate but also mildly offensive, like giving your wife a mop for her birthday, or receiving a book from your mother-in-law on how to raise your children (sorry – her grandchildren), or a Boney M greatest hits CD. Of course there are also lesser degrees of unwanted gifts that might become the subject of re-gifting, where you rewrap the item and pass it on to the next unsuspecting celebratory. First in line are those things that were given to you with absolutely no consideration of your interests (probably themselves re-gifted), and which therefore do not weigh on your conscience when you pass them on, such as a coffee table book on tropical diseases, or a chromed plastic frame containing a picture somebody else’s brat, or a Boney M greatest hits CD. These are all perfectly good re-gifting opportunities for your mother-in-law. Just make sure that you did not get the offending item from her in the first place (unless she’s already forgotten).

More difficult are those items that clearly show a lot of forethought, but remain completely useless, like a case of zero-alcohol beer, or an All Blacks rugby shirt, or a Boney M greatest hits CD. Basically, the gift giver has seriously considered your interests, but just got them completely wrong. These things should weigh on your conscience if you intend to regift them. Unless they came from your mother-in-law, in which case she should know you better, and you might want to make a point by returning the gesture. But generally you might feel guilty about giving them away and so they will end up in a cupboard and will move house with you two or three times before you forget where they came from, or they’ve grown mould and moved into the garden.

And then there are those gifts that you just completely misinterpreted – like the little blue sweets that had you sleeping on your back for a week, or the chewy toy that you gave to your dog only to discover that it had batteries inside, or that Boney M greatest hits CD. By now you might have picked up the common theme: there must be a proliferation of freely available hallucinogenic substances out there.

So if you got something that you really wanted over the festive season – like a kulula ticket – then be eternally grateful and give the person a big kiss. Even if it is your mother-in-law … and even if you really wanted a Boney M greatest hits CD instead.

Have Your Say Whether you’ve had a great flight or feel like we could improve our service, we’d like to know. Drop us a line at khuluma@picasso.co.za.

Good afternoon, My mother, who will be 79 this year, flew for the first time this weekend on kulula flight MN907 from OR Tambo to George.

She had a window seat, and I got a lump in my throat listening to her and seeing her excitement. The crew were so friendly and the flight was perfect, no bumps or anything. We returned yesterday, (MN926), and again watching her made me realise how much we take for granted.

Thank you for having us aboard.

Regards Teresa Coetzee

Check out

our Reader’s Survey and win!

We at khuluma value your thoughts, so we invite you to participate in our Reader’s Survey.

All we need is a smidgen of your valuable time to tell us what you think is lekker or not so lekker in khuluma. The results will be reported as statistical totals only, and you won’t be individually identified. Visit www.khulumaonline.co.za, click on Reader’s Survey, and begin.

One lucky participant can win an incredible hamper from Dynamic Vision consisting of a Guess purse, Guess mens belt, Guess ladies fragrance, Guess mens fragrance, a pair of Carreira sunglasses and a Nine & Co by Nine West handbag. All that for sharing your opinion! Competition is open to all South African residents, excluding employees of Picasso Headline/Times Media Ltd/kulula.com. Competition closes 31 January 2014.

Erik Venter, CEO: Comair Ltd

kulula.com

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Contents 22 Healthy takeaways

30 Forum Homini

35 Watch

41 Gangs of Ballet

regulars 1 LETTERS Speak your mind 11 ÜBER-EDITORS LETTER Popps’ patter 12 KULULA PAGES Tips for making some new friends this flight

guide 14 EVENTS Get busy in the new year

45 Games

20 EAT Scrimp the stylish way, and chow down on healthy takeaways

27 SHOP

Second-hand secrets

30 SLEEP Live the way prehistoric man would’ve loved to at Forum Homini 35 WATCH Stay in with the latest DVDs, and check out our Grudge Match competition 37 READ Have a literary new year 39 LISTEN Free, legal music downloads, plus we chat to Durban rockers Gangs of Ballet 45 GAMES Flights of final fantasy and more 49 GADGETS Gizmos to save you time and money

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EVERYTHING WE TOUCH TURNS TO SOLD!

55 YEARS OF REAL ESTATE EXCELLENCE! Tel: +27 (0)12 682 9600 | E-mail: info@aida.co.za | Web: www.aida.co.za

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Contents chat 53 ACTOR Mpho hits on Pearl Thusi with his very first question 61 CHEF Benny Masekwameng and Mpho get epically epicurean 68 LOCAL HERO An agricultural super-lab … on wheels

travel 74 CAMPING It’s still the cheapest way to go on holiday 82 THE NOW YEAR 34 things you have to try this year

action 94 BEHIND THE SCENES Fancy flying a kite – at sea?

102 CARS The French get tough, plus stylish car-related gadgets 107 CONSERVATION Get herbal at home

stuff

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HOW TO ENTER:

113 MINDBENDERS Mind your monetary matters

Spot The Courier Guy vehicle

115 BUSINESS It’s time to get sensible with your money 117 PROPERTY Tips for sustainable home living 118 HEALTH Indulged a little over the silly season? We can help 120 COLUMN The new year is all about taking the plunge

94 Kitesurfing

Take down the vehicle registration number and WHERE you spotted the vehicle. E-mail this information with your name, telephone number, and which Spa you would like to go to, kulula@thecourierguy.co.za.

You can send as many entries as you like, providing that it is a different registration number.

Closing date 15 December 2013 - Winner to be announced on 23 December 2013

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JE TS E T T E R CHAT

EDITOR Anthony Sharpe anthonys@picasso.co.za

thermoset, does not melt, drip or spread flame

CONTENT COORDINATOR Vanessa Payne

environmentally friendly & recyclable

COPY EDITOR Joy Capon PRODUCTION EDITOR Shamiela Brenner

high compressive strength

moisture and wind resistant

HEAD OF DESIGN STUDIO Jayne Macé-Ferguson DESIGNERS Mfundo Ndzo Shaun Reddiar COVER PHOTOGRAPH Whacked Management ADDITIONAL COVER PHOTOGRAPHY Morné van Zyl CONTENT MANAGER Raina Julies rainaj@picasso.co.za BUSINESS MANAGER Robin Carpenter-Frank robinc@picasso.co.za

aesthetically pleasing

PROJECT MANAGER Richard White richardw@picasso.co.za

the right choice for intelligent organs

reduces energy usage in a building

SALES CONSULTANTS Bonnie Eksteen, Randall Grace, Francois King, Steve Norval, Marc Plastow, Andre Potgieter, Luke Roebert, Alec Rompelman, Roman Ross, Clint Smith, Zelda Stein

superior long term R-value

FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT Lodewyk van der Walt

To advertise in this magazine please contact Richard White (Project Manager) on 021 469 2500 or richardw@picasso.co.za

w w w. r i g i f o a m . c o m SENIOR GM: NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES Mike Tissong ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Jocelyne Bayer

TM

kulula.com CEO COMAIR LIMITED Erik Venter MARKETING MANAGER, kulula.com Shaun Pozyn SENIOR BRAND MANAGER, kulula.com Bridgette Ramuluvhana BRAND MANAGER, kulula.com Thembeka Mabaso COMAIR LIMITED 1 Marignane Drive, Bonaero Park, Kempton Park, 1619 Tel 011 921 0111 kulula.com contact centre 0861 KULULA (585852)

CAPE TOWN: Tel: +27 (0)21 981 8814 • Fax: +27 (0)21 981 6322 E-mail: carol@rigifoam.com • Units B18/19 Kruis Road, Brackenrite Business Park, Brackenfell.

PORT ELIZABETH: Tel: +27 (0)41 453 0277 • Fax: 086 532 5702 E-mail: ronnie@rigifoam.com • 4 Bedford Road, Neave Industrial.

KWA-ZULU NATAL: Tel: +27 (0)31 700 5250 • Fax: +27 (0)31 700 4924 E-mail: tristan@rigifoam.com • Unit G Pine Mead Industrial Park, 47 Gillitts Road, Westmead.

JOHANNESBURG: Tel: +27 (0)11 421 0313 • Fax: +27 (0)11 421 0410 E-mail: duncan@rigifoam.com • 3 Detroit Street, Apex, Benoni.

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Copyright: No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publishers. The publishers are not responsible for unsolicited material. khuluma is published monthly by Picasso Headline Reg: 59/01754/07. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Picasso Headline, kulula or Times Media. All advertisements/advertorials and promotions have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publishers. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of its contents, neither kulula, nor the publisher can be held responsible for any omissions or errors, or for any misfortune, injury or damages that may arise therefrom. We reserve the right to edit interviews for layout purposes.

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ÜBER-EDITOR OF THE MONTH

Über-editor Mpho Popps Modikoane

picture: Whacked Management

I’ve got your number

Who will be our next ed?

South Africa’s a funny place. It’s got lots of funny people.

And some are damn hilarious. Every month, khuluma chooses a particularly amusing individual to be our übereditor. This funny man or woman interrogates prominent South Africans for us. So book your flight for next month or check out www.khulumaonline.co.za to see who it’ll be.

Oceans of credit

Credit for the beautiful pictures on page 121 of khuluma December 2013 must go to the Two Oceans Aquarium.

kulula.com

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FROM DOING OPEN spots at the Comedy Underground in Melville, to dancing around on national television wearing a salmon leotard, to being the guest editor of khuluma magazine. Talk about starting from the bottom, now we’re here!

Hello all khuluma readers, if you’re reading this … then you can read. No really, on a more serious note, I’m Mpho Popps Modikoane, your guest editor for January, and let me just start off by saying what an honour and privilege it is to be given the title of Magazine Editor for an entire month. Believe me when I say nothing beats starting the new year with your face on the cover of a magazine.

Not only that, but I was also given the task of interviewing two influential South Africans of my choice. Immediately, without flinching, I shouted: Pearl Thusi!

Pearl is, in my opinion and the opinion of many, many South African men, one of the hottest, hardest-working female personalities in the country. I jumped at this opportunity because I knew what it entailed: an official lunch with Pearl (I was so excited I started singing 90s RnB tunes while looking for an outfit).

Sadly, because of our busy schedules we couldn’t meet up for lunch (which broke my heart), so we did a telephonic interview instead. Almost instantly I went from heartbreak back to belting out RnB tunes, as I realised this meant that I, Mpho Popps Modikoane, would have Pearl’s number.

When it came to choosing my second interviewee, I wanted to find someone who started from humble beginnings and is today living the South African dream. That was none other than MasterChef SA judge Benny Masekwameng, who grew up on the dusty streets of Alex wearing Carvelas and cooking magwinya (vetkoek), and who’s been said to have the most infectious smile on local TV (whoever wrote that clearly hasn’t seen the MiWay ads). Let me just say that not only is he a boss in the kitchen, but he’s actually quite a funny dude too. I spent a good part of our interview just laughing.

Chatting to these two was probably more rewarding than being on the cover, if you ask me. I learned and laughed so much, but if there’s one thing that I can take from it all, the one thing that will stick with me forever and never leave me: I got Pearl Thusi’s number! ■

Mpho’s creds Mpho Popps Modikoane first came to national attention as a contestant on 2009’s local reality show, So You Think You’re Funny! Since then, he’s performed all over the country, sharing the stage with the likes of Trevor Noah and Marc Lottering. Most recently, he became the face of the MiWay ad campaign, and he also made the ‘Mail & Guardian 200 Young South Africans 2013’ list. Follow him @MphoPopps.

JANUARY 2014

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Flying 101:

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Get great deals with our partners

Trev’s Hot Spots

Shaken, not stirred I RECALL CHECKING out that Formula One race in Monaco when I was a laaitie,.

You know the one, where cars race through the streets while James Bondtype okes watch from the decks of yachts, sipping martinis. From then on I wanted to be an F1 driver, surrounded by schmodels, spraying and champagne on myself.

Anyway, this childhood dream came rushing back as soon as I checked in to the Winchester Mansions in Cape Town.

This place is like a little slice of Monaco in Mzansi. The contemporary elegance of the Cape Dutch architecture, palm trees and all, certainly made me feel a bit like 007.

My secret-agent daydream continued as I walked through the lounge, with its wood-panelled walls, comfy wingback chairs and old books, towards the pool deck.

Yoh, the pool deck! I’m telling you, me and my lady have never been more chilled than when relaxing on those sun loungers with those fluffy white hotel towels.

When I’m in Cape Town I always get excited about the awesome restaurants to pick from. But at the Winchester, we didn’t

even have to leave the hotel. Their signature restaurant, Harvey’s, is an institution – a bistro and cocktail spot by day, and an elegant restaurant by night, serving a fusion of local cuisine with European twists. We had dinner in the courtyard, a stunning Italian piazza-style setting with palm trees and fountains, nogal.

The next morning, after a lekker breakfast on the terrace, I went for a bit of a saunter down the famous Sea Point Promenade to work off the bacon and eggs, while the wife had a full treatment at the hotel’s Gingko Health and Wellness Spa. It didn’t worry my wallet at all because she got a 25% discount as part of our package. Then it was time for a bit of shopping at the V&A Waterfront, because my lady wanted to buy a snazzy new outfit for Winchester’s in-house Sunday jazz brunch.

So all in all, we had a blast down in the Kaap. Especially because we got two nights’ accommodation in a classic room (with brekkie included), return flights from Lanseria (or OR Tambo), two days’ car rental with 200km a day free, 25% off at the Gingko Spa, and they even shuttled us to and from the airport – all for only R3 775 per person sharing. What a win.

Okay, it’s cheers from me, 007 Trev, for now.

Your one stop for bookings to just about anywhere with Vitality Discovery Vitality members get top deals on kulula flights – up to 35% off. How? It’s simple: by taking action to get healthier. In 2014, Vitality members will be even more spoilt for choice. Save on holidays just about anywhere – up to 35% off local and international flights with British Airways, Emirates and Qantas. Vitality members will also get up to 50% off at more than 500 hotels, lodges and resorts with the Vitality Hotel Collection, once the benefit goes live.

And there’s one convenient stop to book it all: www.kulula.com. Just log in with your Vitality details and save on your next breakaway. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www.discovery.co.za or call 0860 99 88 77.

Choose your favourite Tsogo Sun hotel and let kulula book your room. Now that’s luxury you can afford.

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THE NOTICEBOARD extra luggage?

If you have more luggage than the one free 20kg and one piece of hand luggage allowance, you can buy extra bags online or by calling the contact centre on 0861 KULULA (585852). This will save

PS: If you want to catch the awesome international and local acts at the 2014 Cape Town Jazz Festival, book your Winchester package for 28 and 29 March.

kulula.com

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you from paying the airport fee of R350 per extra bag. Be sure to book your extra bag at least two hours before flight departure, and save 30%.

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GUIDE | EVENTS

What’s on in

CAPE TOWN

LAUGH IT UP Until 11 January

TONE DEAF 5 January Live music

Until 12 January Horse race

One of the country’s most prestigious horseracing events, the L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate, will hold its 11th running on the 11th of January 2014, at Kenilworth Race Course.

Tickets are R250-R2 500, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Horses and fashionistas alike will be jockeying for attention.

Every Thursday Open-air cinema

WHO’S THE BOSS? 26-29 January Live music

Golden oldies fans will be pleased to hear that Bruce Springsteen will be playing three shows at the Bellville Velodrome. One of the biggest touring artists in the world, he’s well worth seeing live. He will also be performing at the FNB Stadium in Jo’burg on 1 February. Cape Town tickets are R560-R1 010 and Jo’burg R350-R1 900, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Gardeners like to spring into action.

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JANUARY 2014

THE SUMMER OF 69 28 January Live music

POP SOME CORN EDI T CHO OR’S ICE

The Baxter Theatre is showcasing Nik Rabinowitz in a brand-new show that takes the Pistorius out of everything South African. Tickets are priced at R99-R210, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Theatres tend to look suspicious because they stage everything.

Take a date to the Galileo Open Air Cinema at the Croquet Lawn of the V&A Waterfront. Pack a picnic, grab a blanket and sit down to all-time classic films every Thursday until April 2014. Tickets are priced at R70-R95, available from www.webtickets.co.za.

Please note: Movies are made on reel estate.

Cape Town’s Grand West presents, for one night only, Bryan Adams live in concert on his Bare Bones Tour. This is a rare opportunity for fans to see this classic rocker in action. Tickets are R400-R680, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Psychologists are divided on whether the desire to be 18 until you die is a healthy one or not.

DON’T FORGET A PADDLE

30 January – 2 February Music festival

Prepare yourself for one of the coolest festivals the Cape has to offer: Up the Creek 2014 on the Breede River near Swellendam. Artists include Jeremy Loops, Black Cat Bones, Desmond & The Tutus, The Plastics and many more.

Tickets are R500-R650, available from www.plankton.mobi.

Please note: Water you waiting for?

Just jump in.

text: richard noble; pictures: supplied

GIDDY UP!

Make your way to Kirstenbosch Gardens for a Kirstenbosch Summer Concert featuring The Parlotones. Pack a picnic and some bottles of wine, and enjoy one of South Africa’s most accomplished rock bands. Tickets are R115-R145, available from www.webtickets.co.za.

Please note: Topiary is at the cutting edge of garden design.

Live comedy

kulula.com

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GUIDE | EVENTS

What’s on

WAX IT UP 8-19 January Live comedy

SOUND OF MUSIC

The Pieter Toerien Main Theatre welcomes the hilarious Ruby Wax – comedian, writer and health fanatic. It’s guaranteed to be one of the funniest moments you’ve ever experienced.

Tickets are R90-R250, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: They were married by candlelight, but their marriage lasted only a wick.

11 January

LOOK A GIFT HORSE IN THE MOUTH

Live music

You’ve heard their music on the radio, and let’s be honest, everybody kinda likes it. Head to Emmarentia Dam to see Bastille, for one night only. Tickets are R365, available from www.webtickets.co.za.

Please note: The musician in jail was anxiously awaiting his next release.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH 16 January – 2 February Live music

Are you a fan of the late Elvis Presley? If so, you should make your way to the Joburg Theatre for Elvis – The Show, straight from Las Vegas.

The show features Nathen Belt, considered to be the best Elvis impersonator in the world. Tickets are R100-R200, available from www.joburgtheatre.com.

Please note: Noteworthy musicians are very composed.

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JANUARY 2014

LOOK INTO MY EYES 15 January – 9 March Hypnotist show

The Pieter Toerien Studio Theatre at Montecasino presents Andre The Hilarious Hypnotist, as the awardwinning showman brings his own special brand of humour to the stage.

Be warned: your participation is expected! Tickets are R100, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Hypnotists tend to go out of business when they run out of suggestions.

MUSIC TO YOUR EARS

’S TOR EDI OICE CH

19 and 26 January

Outdoor and leisure

The South African Lipizzaners will be performing at the Lipizzanner Centre in Kyalami. The only performing Lipizzanners in the world outside Vienna, they are affiliated to the Spanish Riding School (so they’re something special).

Tickets are priced at R110, payable at the entrance.

Please note: If a horse could predict the weather, it would say it was stable.

27 January – 14 February Live music

Don’t miss Johannesburg’s International Mozart Festival – two weeks of amazing concerts and cultural events in and around Jo’burg. Ticket prices vary according to concerts and venues. For more info, visit www.join-mozart-festival.org.

Please note: The concert violinist believed in exercise – he was fit as a fiddle.

DON’T GET BATTED 2 February

text: richard noble; pictures: supplied

in JO’BURG

Live sport

Keen to see big hits and lots of wickets?

The Wanderers Stadium presents the RAM Sam T20 Challenge: Dolphins vs Lions. Tickets are R25-R50, available from www.ticketpros.co.za.

Please note: Expect gentlemen on the field and hooligans in the stands.

kulula.com

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GUIDE | EVENTS

What’s on

in DURBS SHE LIVES ON

FORE!

Live music

Golf tournament

Until 5 January

ROCK ON 1 February Live music

Live – The Venue is the place to see one of Canada’s finest hardcore punk bands, Comeback Kid. It’s their first time in sunny South Africa, so get out there and give them a truly South African welcome. Tickets are R150, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: You have to be lucky to make it as a punk.

What’s on the

9-12 January

The Izulu Theatre at the Sibaya Casino welcomes the Whitney Houston Show.

Belinda Davids plays the role. Considered one of the best Houston impersonators, she has travelled the world with her show – and she’s a local girl! Tickets are priced at R250, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Belinda quickly tired of the ‘Houston, we have a problem’ jokes.

If you’re a keen golfer, make your way to the Durban Country Club for the Volvo Golf Champions tournament A number of top golfers from the European tour – as well as some of our top lads – will be walking the course. Tickets are R50-R120, available from www.computicket.co.za.

Please note: Two fur traders once took a golfing trip together. They played a skins match.

THAT’S A RAP 7 February Live music

Hip-hop fans will be pleased to know that Kendrick Lamar is coming to South Africa with his good kid, m.A.A.d city tour, which starts at The Wavehouse at Gateway shopping mall. Tickets are R390-R750, available from www.computicket.co.za. A further two concerts will be taking place in Jo’burg (8 February) at the Jo’burg Stadium, and in Cape Town (9 February) at the Bellville Velodrome.

Please note: Sweet rappers tend to get trashed easily.

GARDEN ROUTE

RIDE ON

Live music

Mountain-bike race

5 January

End off your summer holiday on a high note with a show by awesome instrumentalists Sterling EQ at The Barnyard in Plettenberg Bay. Tickets are R120 and bookings can be made by calling 044 698 1022 or via management@thebarnyard.co.za.

Please note: Why can’t evil people have flutes? Because then the terrorists woodwind.

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18 January

’S TOR EDI OICE CH

Shed some of that Christmas weight by taking part in the Attakwas MTB Challenge, a gruelling 130km race from Oudtshoorn to Great Brak. For more info on the race and to register, visit www.atta.co.za.

Please note: I keep falling off my bike, but I get right back on and ride. I’m a firm believer in recycling.

text: richard noble; pictures: supplied

FIT AS A FIDDLE

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8 – 9 feb 2014

coca-cola dome exclusive deals • massive Savings • R250k Prizes 80 Travel exhibitors • entertainment

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guide | eat | stylish scrimping

Christmas has come and gone. We all need to tighten our belts – in every sense of the phrase. Anna Trapido has some tips for scrimping (stylishly).

1:

Waste not, want not. the difference between a rat and a squirrel is marketing. modern cooks have become profligate and have lost their love of leftovers. it’s time to rebrand last night’s leavings as retro chic eco-epicureanism. Bubble and squeak is ripe for a revival.

Tip

2:

there is a time and place for expensive wine, but now is not it. a glass of wine to relax at the end of the day is all that is required.

Don’t tell the wine snobs, but in south africa, budget-box vino is perfectly drinkable. While elsewhere in the world, cheap wine often tastes like paintstripper and sometimes antifreeze, chez nous there really isn’t any truly bad wine.

Tip

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But novice box-wine buyers, beware: the one-litre boxes have a plastic screw-off lid and a thin foil cover over the opening. check that the seal has not been broken on the lid before you buy. it is surprisingly common to get home to find that some other poor soul has opened the box and had a sip in the supermarket. and if one of the things stressing you out is that you can’t zip up your jeans, try robertson Winery crisp extra light – you will be pleasantly surprised.

3:

ask yourself whether you really like the expensive ingredients or you just think you ought to like them. if white truffles give you a headache, now is the time to say so. if you think oysters are only palatable

Tip

4:

Unfamiliar starches are always much more filling than the ones your stomach is used to. your tummy takes a while to work out how to digest them and so you feel full for longer. central and east african starches are new to most south africans. try the plantain lituma at pretoria’s Zemara restaurant (072 756 2057). pick up a couple of cassava chiqwanga breads from the congolese traders or a yam from the nigerians at the salt river train station in cape town. eat ethiopian teff flour injera breads at Johannesburg’s abyssinia (072 918 8824/011 615 3128).

Tip

5:

it really does grow on trees at this time of year. ashamed to be seen scavenging for wild ingredients? ascribe your behaviour to that other über-fashionable word: heritage. We can all play this gourmet game. in every rural dorp there are afrikaans aunties making num-nums and nagskade into konfyt. Xhosa imifino wild spinach, such as rhwabe, makes an excellent addition to salads. Venda-style wild-gathered lerotse melon flowers are the height of heritage hip. What are you waiting for? now is the time to lie in wait with the pedi for the midsummer mopane worms. happy new year and happy hunting.

Tip

picture: supplied

Credit munch

when masked by tabasco, don’t be ashamed to let them slide. it is time we all stopped pretending that we prefer 80% cocoa content, comes-with-acertificate-of-provenance chocolate to a Kit-Kat. there is no room for foodie fibs in the land of thrift.

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festival fuel Celebrate the festive season the Col’Cacchio pizzeria way with Italian-inspired food, excellent wine and warm generosity. Choose from our impressive variety of gourmet pizzas, delicious salads and fresh pastas.

Kids are given dough to play with and can draw up their own pizza designs on our brown paper ‘bases’, making Col’Cacchio pizzeria the perfect place for the whole family. Kick back, relax and enjoy the holidays with us.

Find a Col’Cacchio pizzeria near you.

www.facebook.com/colcacchio

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guide | eAT | HeAlTHy TAKeAWAyS

Eat out, don’t pig out So you’ve packed on the Christmas kilos and want to get the year off to a healthy start, but the pockets have burnt through. Stick to those hard-and-fast New Year’s resolutions with fast, easy, healthy eats that won’t break the bank.

Kauai Known for its amazing hangoverdefeating smoothies, Kauai offers wheat-free versions of its wraps and sarmies. It also has markers indicating what’s dairy, meat or nut-free, with vegan-friendly options. Get the chicken Caesar duo with a smoothie for R46.90. www.kauai.co.za

Nando’s Discovery Health still endorses this much-loved SA brand of Portuguesestyle flame-grilled chicken. For just R50 you can get a quarter chicken meal with mielies and a side salad. Just stay away from those chips! www.nandos.co.za

Simply Asia These folks do a tantalising take on Thai.

We love the green curries and glutenfree glass noodles. With an average spend of R65 a meal, it’s flavourful fast food that packs a healthy punch. Who needs Corenza-C when you can have this much garlic, chilli and ginger in one dish? www.simplyasia.co.za

Col’cacchio No one said you can’t have pizza! These gorgeously thin crispy bases can be ordered free of gluten, and you can opt for the Foro, which has a hole filled with salad (R55 for a margherita). Plus you can pile on the veggie toppings. Just ask for half cheese and share it with a friend. www.colcacchio.co.za

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Specialised takeaways Sababa Serving up Israeli-style dishes that have made vegetarians drool with delight and Cape Town hipsters shave off their beards (we wish), this eatery is the epitome of cool, healthy indulging. Try the wheat-free chocolate fudge cakes, and takeaway lunchboxes, which include a choice of three salads and a meat (or veg main) for R50. Find them in Sea Point and the City Bowl. sababa.withtank.com

OSumo A favourite of housewives and hungry children, OSumo offers excellent smoothies and specialised healthy kids’ meals. Get the chunky chicken wrap for R44 or soup for R35. Find them in Cavendish, Sea Point and Canal Walk. www.osumo.co.za

Earthmother Organic Durban’s go-to health store also has a café-cum-deli, where diners can run in and pick up vegetarian dishes and

text: xenia onatopp; pictures: supplied

Franchise favourites on (almost) every corner

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guide | EAT | HEAlTHy TAkEAWAyS

he alf t uth h t os So Alm bles in hrough s. dt eta veg are sol arket ce m ica Afr -produ h fres

Market to market Sometimes we want a little pick-me-up direct from the earth, and where better to get it than a farmers’ market? Here are our favourite markets for healthy takeaway treats.

Bryanston Natural and Organic Market Open Thursdays and Saturdays, Joburg www.bryanstonorganicmarket.co.za

Blubird Whole Food Market Open Sundays, Atholl, Joburg 083 311 4768

Neighbourgoods Market Open Saturdays, Arts on Main, Joburg, and Woodstock, Cape Town www.neighbourgoodsmarket.co.za a range of options for the glutenintolerant. Don’t miss the raw chocolate tarts (who said chocolate was a no-no?) for R300. There’s a fresh veg market on Fridays.

031 202 1527

Fresh Earth Café Set in Joburg’s Emmarentia, this

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bustling super-deli offers meals of the day with gluten-free, dairy-free vegetarian, vegan and raw food options.

Its takeaway menu also features a melange of breakfast and lunch options.

Try the Med wrap for R44 or the chickpea-and-avo wrap for R42. http://www.freshearth.co.za/store/ t-fresh_earth_cafe.aspx

Victoria Street Market Open daily, Durban 031 306 4021

Wild Oats Community Farmer’s Market Open Saturdays, Sedgefield www.wildoatsmarket.co.za

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SECOND-HAND SHOPPING | SHOP

One man’s

JANUARY IS THE MONDAY of months.

The bonus is all gone, frittered away on Christmas presents, petrol and antacids, and work looms large. Pretty much the only good news is that if you have the nose for a bargain, you can still live like a king with little more than the change in your ashtray. Second-hand shopping may make some people feel a little icky, but finding something awesome and handing over less money than you would for a packet of chips is a feeling that’s hard to beat.

pictures: kirsty machen, Thinkstock®

The art of the bargain There’s definitely some skill to secondhand shopping. First, you need to be able to spot a good place. That antique store with the beautiful wares ruled over by the icy crone? No bargains there, I’m afraid. Generally, the grimier a place, the better. Old furniture littering the curb is a good indicator, as is a hand-painted sign and a few people loitering around with nothing better to do.

Semi-industrial areas, where the rent is cheap, are generally good places to

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junk…

Will Edgcumbe grabs his waterless hand sanitiser and goes hunting for bargains. find second-hand shops, as are really small towns in the middle of nowhere (it’s here where the stunning earthly goods of some deceased landed gentry will wind up because the grandkids ‘don’t care for old things’).

Second, stamina is key. Many charity and second-hand shops are chaotic and packed to the rafters. It takes great patience to sift through a mountain of crud to find something amazing, but the end result is always worth it.

Third, stay hydrated and keep some waterless hand sanitiser on you – mildew-coated hands just feel gross.

It’s also good to have a plan.

Make a mental list of the kinds of things you’re looking for, so you don’t end up buying a ton of stuff that will just clutter your home and

irritate your co-habitant. And be careful of pests – that chest of drawers might look great, but if it’s riddled with wood borers you don’t want to take it home with you. Trust me.

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SHOP | SECOND-HAND SHOPPING

Check out these cool goodies found at Mint the Shop

Go forth and hunt Half of the joy of second-hand shopping is discovering a spot yourself, but to get you started, here are some pretty foolproof places: Most towns and cities will be home to SPCA, Hospice or Salvation Army charity shops. Not only can you find amazing stuff at dirt-cheap prices, but your money will do some good.

Check out www.nspca.co.za, www.hospicepalliativecaresa.co.za, or www.salvationarmy.org.za to find your nearest charity shop.

It’s hard for me to share this next one with you in case it’s picked clean the next time I go. If you find yourself in the Durban area, head down to Warner Beach and drive along the R102/Kingsway Street. There are loads of fantastic second-hand shops that will keep you busy for hours.

Online second-hand shopping is a great way to kill time at work.

Mint The Shop puts up four new items each weekday morning, from unusual furniture to retro smalls and ancient appliances.

The goods are sold on a firstcome, first-served basis, so you have to be snappy. Otherwise, some canny sleuthing on Gumtree or Junkmail will root out the odd deal. Go to www.minttheshop.com, www.gumtree.co.za, or www.junkmail.co.za.

1. 4 x coloured trios R240; 2. Enamel plate R120; 3. Art deco Silver Plated Coffee Set R450; 4. Poole contour teapot R200; 5. Clamp lamp R130; 6. Vintage Sunbeam mixer R450

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Getting a bargain is great, but taking advantage of someone’s desperation isn’t. Don’t haggle a desperate shopowner or charity shop into the ground for the sake of 10 bucks. If something is worth the price tag, pay the price.

If you see someone might really need the piece of bric-a-brac you only want ironically, don’t outbid them. If buying from a second-hand shop is merely an option for you, consider yourself very lucky indeed.

JANUARY 2014

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A FRESH new look, TO GROW YOUR BUSINESS?

FULL SERVICE SIGNAGE & BRANDING EXPERTISE

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2013/11/11 3:12 PM

The cradle and the silver spoon

Forum Homini has taken all the things we should be proud of as modern man and laid them out on a platter 30

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JaNUaRY 2014

What makes the Cradle of humankind so unique is not that it’s a mere hour from the fast-paced rush of Joburg’s big smoke. It’s not even that it’s one of only eight south african World heritage sites, and home to about 40% of the earth’s human ancestor fossils (although that is pretty remarkable).

What makes the Cradle of humankind so unique is that you can stay here: in the birthplace of man.

You can sleep where our earliest ancestors slept, eat where our earliest ancestors ate, walk where our earliest ancestors walked. Only it’s a whole lot more comfortable – and significantly less dangerous – than it was for them.

It’s hard not to wonder at these things in the midst of the world’s richest hominin site. hominin, for those out of the know, is the collective term for all modern humans, extinct human species and our immediate ancestors: Homo, Australopithecus, Paranthropus and Ardipithecus.

pictures: mark peddle

Who said getting to know your ancestors had to involve dank, dark caves or smoky fires? At Forum Homini in the Cradle of Humankind, Bridget McNulty connects to early man in the most delicious way imaginable.

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foRUm homiNi | SLEEP

You might find yourself, as we did, sipping on chilled bubbly and watching the sun set from our private porch, wondering what ancient man would have made of all of this. The high thread-count sheets, the decadent bath overflowing with scented bubbles of your choosing, the quirky décor and unbelievably fine dining – Forum Homini has taken all the things we should be proud of as modern man and laid them out on a platter. I’m pretty sure ancient man would have loved it, once he’d recovered from the shock.

Homo aestheticus That’s not to say Forum Homini is removed from the rich history laid out on all sides. In fact, its emphasis lies firmly on the history of humankind, translated into a modern aesthetic.

From the handmade stone walls to the eco-friendly slanted roofs planted with indigenous grasses, from the cave-like suites cut into the earth to the striking artwork and stalactite lights in each room, this is how ancient man wished he had lived.

What’s amazing about it all is that none of this feels in the slightest bit gimmicky. It’s quirky, there’s no denying that, but the feeling you get as you walk along the lake, the sky overhead ablaze with an orange sunset, or wind your way along a softly lit stone-walled path to your cave for the night, is that this really is the best of all possible historical translations.

This is one boutique hotel that doesn’t take itself too seriously (a rare find!), that isn’t afraid to choose the décor around the theme of rocks and stones, right down to the cushions, plush pebbled carpet and rough-hewn basins.

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FORUM HOMINI | SLEEP

foss Some o f il foun homini the m re d in Hu m t stag mankin he Crad ains geri le of d da ng 3 .5-m te back illio n ye a ars.

It’s African in a gloriously over-the-top way that feels just right.

The Forum Homini vision was to make the story of humans accessible and interesting – to create a place that stimulates conversation about people, art, culture, food and wine. They’ve done just that, and more. Situated in the Letamo Game Estate – home to kudu, hippo, gemsbok, black wildebeest, zebra and more, as well as 200 species of birds and 140 endemic plants in the hotel area alone – they take the environment seriously. It’s impossible not to relish the seamless way in which the suites blend into the natural surrounds; this is truly architecture that lies gently on the land.

Getting back to your roots Suitably relaxed and unwound, gently reminded of your ancestors at every turn, it’s time to make your way to Roots, the on-site restaurant that will make you forget every other restaurant at which you’ve ever eaten. Chef Adriaan Maree is a magician in the kitchen. Think six-course dinners and five-course breakfasts of such delicate, intricate artistry that you almost don’t want to disturb the plate.

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Think fine dining that isn’t fussy, but is exceptionally beautiful, using simple ingredients inspired by African and oriental flavours to produce a party in your mouth with every mouthful. Think I’m waxing a bit too lyrical? Trust me: one unforgettable meal at Roots and you’ll be searching for every adjective in your vocabulary too.

Cradle this Of course, no matter how wonderful a hotel is, there’s no point in going to one of South Africa’s World Heritage Sites and staying indoors all day (although you will probably be tempted to do so). The 53 000ha expanse of the Cradle of Humankind is home to all kinds of birds, animals and plants – even a few unlucky giraffes, which, disturbingly, are often struck by lightning from the epic storms that sweep across the plains.

So it’s well worth spending some time adventuring, whether to the official Cradle of Humankind sites of Maropeng and Sterkfontein, or on one of the amazing archaeologist-led Palaeo Tours, which take you into an actual fossil site, or even floating above the Cradle in a hot-air balloon. It’s up to you how you choose to connect to your ancestors.

The 53 000ha expanse of the Cradle of Humankind is home to all kinds of birds, animals and plants JANUARY 2014

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2013/12/10 10:59 AM

Watch this…

WATCH | GUIDE

pictures: supplied

THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST Mira Nair (Monsoon Wedding, Vanity Fair) directs this adaptation of the novel by Mohsin Hamid. The Reluctant Fundamentalist tells the tale of a young Pakistani man chasing corporate success on Wall Street. He finds himself embroiled in a conflict between his American dream, a hostage crisis, and the enduring call of his family’s homeland.

It’s a pretty decent adaptation of the book, with strong acting from a talented cast, but a slightly heavy-handed approach to the storytelling.

Anticipatometer: 3/5 ■ ■ ■

RED 2

PAIN & GAIN

THE RELUCTANT FUNDAMENTALIST

Down to your last pennies? Anthony Sharpe reckons you should throw a bag of popcorn in the microwave and stay in with one of the latest DVD releases.

PAIN & GAIN

RED 2

The infamous Michael Bay directs this strange crime comedy about a trio of bodybuilders in Florida who get caught up in an extortion ring and a kidnapping scheme that goes terribly wrong. Beefy Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie play the bodybuilders, and Tony Shalhoub their hapless victim. It’s an unusual direction for Bay, whose box-office gross per movie is directly proportional to the number of things he blows up in them.

Anticipatometer: 3/5 ■ ■ ■

The sequel to 2010’s surprisingly entertaining action comedy Red reunites Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren and Mary-Louise Parker, while throwing Anthony Hopkins, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Byung-hun Lee into the mix. Willis plays retired CIA agent Frank Moses, who reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device. It doesn’t quite capture the easy-going charm of the first film, but it’s a decent bet for a Sunday night.

Anticipatometer: 2/5 ■ ■

Grudge Match giveaway To be released in cinemas on 24 January, Grudge Match is a comedy with a heart that stars Robert de Niro and Sylvester Stallone as ageing boxing rivals who come out of retirement for one final match – 30 years after their last fight.

We’ve got five awesome hampers from the movie to give away, consisting of a T-shirt, hoodie, boxing shorts, desktop punching ball and old-school gym kit. To enter, go to www.khulumaonline.co.za and click on the competitions tab. The competition is open to all South African residents, excluding employees of Picasso Headline/ Nu Metro/Times Media Ltd/kulula.com, and closes 31 January 2014.

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skipped My a beat!

Fun for the ! y whole famil

e the Experienc mile” s “Segway

We

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We made i to the top! t

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READ | GUIDE

library lounge

Advertising greats, marriage advice and an intrepid pilot … check out Richard Noble’s reads for the new year.

Marrying Black Girls for Guys Who Aren’t Black

text: richard noble and supplied; pictures: supplied

Lessons from the Boot of a Car Reg Lascaris Penguin If you’re a fan of the TV show Mad Men, this is the book for you. Reg Lascaris is one of South Africa’s most celebrated marketers, and Lessons from the Boot of a Car tells the story of his long road to success: starting out literally selling from his car, and eventually partnering with John Hunt to create some of the most iconic ad campaigns in the world, including the famous Nando’s campaign. The book is aimed at aspiring entrepreneurs who want a little advice on how to succeed in a very demanding and competitive sector.

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Hagen Engler MF Books What happens when a white-guy goofball, armchair liberal hooks up with a black-diamond struggle veteran and shoe fetishist? Marrying Black Girls for Guys Who Aren’t Black describes Hagen Engler’s journey from being the whitest person this side of a Smokie concert to being slightly blacker. Living with a gorgeous, militant black woman has helped this ex-FHM editor understand the cultural and economic reality, and realise that while he can appreciate the kwaito-house works of Oskido and the later releases of Letta Mbulu, he will never enjoy Basketball Wives, Kenny Lattimore or boiled tripe. This is a brilliantly funny book on our emerging, common culture.

Extract from the book Ironically, this pisses my wife off beyond belief. ‘I did not march in the struggle so that my child could be poor,’ she tells me, only half joking.

‘Well then maybe you shouldn’t have married a white guy,’ I respond. Also, only half joking. Every now and then she will forward me a job ad, say for marketing manager of ACSA, the Airports Company of South Africa.

In response I will mail her back, ‘Ag, that job should probably go to a black person. It wouldn’t be right for me to apply.’

Pilot in the Wild John Bassi Jacana Media Pilot in the Wild tells John Bassi’s story of living and working in the wilderness areas of sub-Saharan Africa. Fuelled by a passion for African wildlife and conservation, Bassi was involved in the growth and change of South Africa’s game-capture industry.

As a helicopter pilot, he has become one of the leading experts in game capture, and has accumulated an impressive 16 000 hours flying throughout southern Africa. If you’re a fan of aviation, you’ll be captivated by Bassi’s detailed accounts of what it’s like to be in control of a chopper while someone is trying to dart an animal.

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CD REVIEWS | LISTEN | GUIDE

Let me tell you something

for nothing

Bank account looking a little empty after your holiday spending spree?

Don’t worry, says Claire Martens: thanks to Creative Commons, the internet and good-old fashioned generosity, great music doesn’t have to cost a thing.

A number of websites like Soundcloud, Amazon, Noisetrade or Jamendo allow you to download free, legal music (just don’t forget to tip).

Mix n Blend & SFR

pictures: supplied

Mother City Independent

Jillette Johnson Whiskey & Frosting Wind-up Records

Singleton Uncovered Independent

While South African artists aren’t averse to giving away their music for free, Mix n Blend are no small fry. Twice nominated for a South African Music Award, this collaborative outfit is taking local sound systems by storm. Teaming up with SFR, they bring another hard-hitting EP, all for the price of your data. Mother City is delectable, unadulterated dance, perfectly showcasing our country’s collective differences, our desire for fun and our ability to blend the ordinary to create the extraordinary. With lekker kwaito flavours, hip-swaying ragga undertones and energising international electronic influences, this is one ship you need to board.

Whiskey & Frosting is just a little taste of what this New York City-based singer-songwriter is capable of – which is a great deal, in more ways than one.

Ms Johnson’s full-length debut album, Water in a Whale, was recently released and, if her EP is anything to go by, it’s something of a peach. Her songs are piano-laden pop numbers with strong commercial structures, enthralling vocal lines and attention-grabbing choruses. While her sound may seem indistinguishable from the Norah Joneses of this world, her themes are hard-hitting and controversial. Her support of the world’s misunderstood is an anthem for the liberal and a thing of beauty.

I can’t help it: I just have to say I am singularly overjoyed to have uncovered this band from far-off Ukraine. Okay, perhaps that’s a bit much, but a little bit of irony is necessary to give this fivetrack EP a little extra edge. Fronted by the fierce Alina Fedorova, with a voice to match her brazen ways, Singleton achieved minor acclaim after the release of debut album The High Seas. Like most indie-pop bands, they attempt to differentiate their sound with an extra something; in this case, a Blondie-esque impudence breaks the monotony. Along with beautiful guitar layering and crisp and clear vocals, Uncovered is a dignified EP awaiting your download.

Download from soundcloud.com

Download from noisetrade.com

Download from jamendo.com

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INTERVIEW | LISTEN | GUIDE

yes/no/grey matter Durban rockers Brad Klynsmith (vocals/guitar), Hardus de Beer (bass), Jono Rich (keyboard) and Josh Klynsmith (drums) are Gangs of Ballet. Annie Brookstone chats to the boys about their first full-length album, yes/no/grey, the music biz and making it big.

On yes/no/grey versus their earlier EP. The biggest difference is that the album’s longer – it’s like twice the size [laughs].

Tonally, it’s different, and I’d say musically it’s a bit more interesting. It’s also very diverse – that’s part of us trying to find our way and we’re unapologetic about that. We’re a young band: there’s a little bit of hard rock, a little bit of folk … there’s a whole spectrum.

picture: ravi panchia

On defining their (or anyone’s) sound.

Unless you’re playing outright blues or jazz or similar, it’s difficult to categorise.

If you connect with a song, if you like it, so what if it’s a rock song or a pop song?

We like to connect with people and music is the vehicle for that – especially in a live context. I guess you could say we’ve got the anthemic element that we’ve carried from the EP to the album. At the same time, though, an album is a collection of songs: if you write an album over the course of a year, you’re not the same person at the end of that year. This album has been a journey for us.

On the moment they discovered that yes/no/grey had reached the top of the local iTunes chart (within an incredible 12 hours of its release).

Oh, you know, we were living the life, packing up gear [after their Joburg album launch show in late August] and our label manager Kevin Grenfell came through with his phone and told us. We

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started jumping up and down – it was the last thing we expected.

On whether bands from Durban struggle harder to make it.

Maybe Durban bands don’t try hard enough to make it. When we started the band, we never thought, ‘Oh crap, this is going to be so hard because we’re from Durban.’ If anything, it’s actually worked in our favour: we don’t live in a major city, so we’re not playing there the whole time, which means that when we do play, people come. In South Africa it’s really easy to oversaturate your market, but we’re lucky to have a little more exclusivity.

On making music videos.

Acting is awkward. Cameras add immediate pressure, but awkward as they can be, music videos are really important. If we hadn’t made a video for ‘Hello Sweet World’, we wouldn’t have been able to get playlisted on VH1 worldwide.

On knowing when a song’s done.

It feels right – you develop a sixth sense about it. If you play through it, you can feel when something’s lacking. But when it’s flowing and solid and it feels seamless from top to bottom – oh, and you’ve got all the words – that’s pretty final. We call it ‘maths and magic’, because that’s what music is.

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GAMES | GUIDE

Light, fight or fright…

Honour the one resolution you know you can: spend more time playing video games.

new release: Lightning RetuRns: FinaL Fantasy Xiii We get it: trying to stay on top of the Final Fantasy series’ many iterations and spinoffs is a challenge, but here’s how to decode this title: it’s part three of the 13th game.

Okay, maybe that hasn’t made things any easier.

The final part in this mini-trilogy sees the return of the game’s main protagonist, Lightning – a god-like warrior with some serious capacity to kick butt with both traditional weapons and powerful magic.

You’ll play as Lightning and, quite unusually

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for the series, only Lightning. Since there are no other playable characters to join her on her quest, Lightning has the ability to change ‘garbs’ (skill schemata, essentially) that shift her skills in battle through various disciplines, and give the player the same level of control they’re used to having in Final Fantasy games. That control extends to the world map, where Lightning can freely roam, discover towns, accept quests and meet interesting people.

Pre-order from BT Games for added downloadable content.

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GAMES | GUIDE

NEW RELEASE: DRAGON BALL Z: BATTLE OF Z In Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Z, up to eight players vie for supremacy against one another across a range of game modes (including a superpowered battle royale), selecting their fighters from a roster of 70 beloved characters and their respective transformations.

Players can duke it out on the ground and in the air, with characters divided into different fighting styles like Support (regenerates health and has powers that empower allies) and Ki Blast (long-range fighters), each of which boasts different abilities and roles in battle.

In addition to four-on-four team battles with eight players, four players can also play cooperatively, synchronising their attacks, pairing their abilities and healing one another in order to defeat enemies. Team battles can be played against giant characters like Great Ape Gohan, Great Ape Vegeta and Hirudegarn. You’re also able to customise your chosen character by collecting and equipping ability cards to make them even more powerful.

text and pictures: supplied by BT Games

NEW RELEASE: PLANTS VS ZOMBIES: GARDEN WARFARE If you thought Plants vs Zombies was just about defending your suburban home against the endless onslaught of the undead, think again. Garden Warfare allows players to take on the roles of the defenders or the attackers in an epic battle that takes the Mickey out of other war games like Call of Duty and Battlefield.

Garden Warfare takes the form of a 24-player completive multiplayer battle, or a fourplayer co-op mode, in which a small team of plants must face endless waves of zombies. Players can play different classes of zombies or plants, each with their own special abilities, and can customise their loadouts with unlockable weapons, gadgets and aesthetic goodies to create a unique combatant in this great war between age-old enemies.

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CONNECT TO SUMMER IN CAPE TOWN M

yCiTi welcomes visitors to the Mother City. Cape Town’s safe, reliable, convenient bus system, MyCiTi is the perfect way to access some of the most famous tourist and leisure destinations.

Explore the city’s historic heart – from Greenmarket Square to the Grand Parade, the Bo-Kaap, Castle and District 6 and the Company’s Garden. Unwind in the entertainment zones of Long and Kloof streets and Green Point. Visit the V&A Waterfront, Africa’s premier shopping and leisure destination. Cool down

in sparkling waters at Camps Bay, the Sea Point Pavilion and Bloubergstrand.

Kitesurf Big Bay or take a bike along the cycle paths.

HOW TO START YOUR JOURNEY WITH MYCITI Get your myconnect card at the MyCiTi station outside the main Airport terminal. Ride in comfort to the city centre from just R41.80, and then pay as far as you go. Buses leave the Airport station every 30 minutes from 04:45 to 22:15, seven days a week.

For more info call the Transport Information Centre (toll-free 24/7) 0800 65 64 63. Visit www.myciti.org.za

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2013/11/11 3:23 PM

GADGETS | GUIDE

Gizmos & gadgets

James Matthew foolproofs his summer with the latest tech.

Alcosense ONE

Aquapac for phones

The Aquapac casing not only protects your precious data, but actually extends the functionality of your phone by being completely waterproof to 5m, meaning you can now bomb Facebook with pristine underwater selfies and make everybody insanely jealous.

R350, contact info@terrabrands.co.za for stockist info.

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Aquapac giveaway

We’ve got two iPhone and two Samsung Aquapac cases to give away! To enter, go to www.khulumaonline.co.za and hit the Competitions tab. The competition is open to all South African residents, excluding employees of Picasso Headline/Times Media Ltd/kulula.com, and closes 31 January 2014.

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Summertime is synonymous with all manner of mischief, but now that your wallet’s been truly milked by Santa, it would be prudent to avoid hefty fines and/or expensive lawsuits and/or hospital bills arising from that most daft of the daft pursuits – drunken driving. No matter how much fun it may seem at the time, heavy machinery and liquor do not gel and can cost lives. Just breathe into the Alcosense ONE and it gives you a readout indicating whether you’re over or under the limit. Much better than breathing into the face of a cop.

Find it at www.thegadgetshop. co.za for R399.

Transcend JetFlash 360 USB Flash Drive – 32GB

If you are like most people, you have had your camera out, snapping away, almost continuously over the festive season. And now that it’s all over, you’ll need somewhere to stash those precious memories. Somewhere safe. Hard drives can fail, cloud storage just guarantees that the NSA is sifting through your selfies, and your iPad can simply get stolen. The best bet is to score a few of these cheap yet ultra-durable flash drives, upload your favourite snaps, wrap them in a plastic baggie and bury them in the garden for future retrieval.

Only R232 from www.takealot.com.

OZtrail Eco Switchback Instant Tent

Partying as hard as one does at this time of year leaves one rather burnt out. However, being on the back foot at the beginning of the year does no one any favours, so it is imperative that some true RnR be had before your workload gives you a backhander. Take a weekend, take a friend or a lover, take this ridiculously easy-to-use tent and take to the hills. Once there, it’s 30 seconds to whip the tent into shape and then you are free to get on with the serious business of unwinding.

Get it at www.takealot.com for R599.

TomTom Runner

Whoops! Looks like we published the wrong picture with our November write-up of the nifty athlete’s friend, the TomTom Runner. The Runner looks like this.

Get it for R1 999, available from Cape Union Mart, check out www.tomtom.com/en_za/wheretobuy/sports/ for further stockists.

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CHAT

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ACTOR | CHAT

My name is Mpho Popps Modikoane chats to Pearl Thusi, and finds out there’s more to the gorgeous Isidingo star than her (pretty famous) afro.

pictures: Destiny Magazine, Kevin Mark Pass, Star Models

I feel like in the little battles to be where I am now, I’ve been successful in ways that I didn’t expect

Mpho Popps Modikoane: First things first: Pearl, are you single?

Pearl Thusi: Am I single? Well, when I’m filling out forms to apply for things, then I call myself single. I fill in that box that says ‘single’, so by that action I am single. I’m not married! [Laughs] That qualifies me as single.

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MPM: Yes! Fantastic. Okay, what is success, and have you achieved it?

PT: Success is something people won’t define the same way. It’s about how you achieved a task, how you felt about it. You can have a lot of money, but you may not feel successful because the way you got it doesn’t feel right. You’re successful in

what you’ve done, but maybe it wasn’t really what you wanted to do.

For me, I feel like in the little battles to be where I am now, I’ve been successful in ways that I didn’t expect or plan. But in the greater scheme of things, I’m trying to have an effect on the world; I’m trying to make people feel good, leave them

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2013/12/09 10:48 AM

ACTOR | CHAT

with something. Even if it’s not a lot of people, if I’ve left just one person with something, then I’ve been successful in what I believe my mission from God is.

Because my mission is godly. I’m here to leave something. I’m here to jumpstart my career in heaven.

MPM: I’m gonna use that: ‘I’m here to jumpstart my career in heaven.’ Nice.

PT: People must be sad, and they must be happy that I existed the day that I’m out of here. Madiba has been the greatest example – and we’ve had a lot of examples, a lot of people teaching us how things can be done. Sometimes you don’t know what the plan is, but you know why you’re doing what you’re doing. And you know where it’s going to take you.

Usually the greatest stories have the biggest risks, and result in the greatest rewards. Madiba lived his life, and today we have a greater return of freedom.

That’s the sort of thing I bow down to.

MPM: I know, I’m gonna write a book.

PT: [Laughs] MPM: Okay, make-up or no make-up?

PT: I’ve got a bit of lip gloss going on, a bit of mascara. I don’t really do make-up, but when I went to watch Maxwell I wore make-up because…

MPM: Because you were obviously trying to bag the guy? [Laughs] PT: I almost smacked that ass! He was in front of me, and I almost spanked it, but I behaved myself and did the right thing.

Anyway, back to the topic. [Laughs] I don’t really like wearing make-up.

I associate it with work. If I’m not being paid for it, I’d rather chill. I need to give my skin a lot of rest and I need to separate my life from television. I can’t wear make-up daily, because then I’m living a fake life every day. I do television, which means I need to amplify myself all

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Usually the greatest stories have the biggest risks, and those result in the greatest rewards

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ACTOR | CHAT

the time. I need to do things differently so that I can keep in touch with who I am. And I don’t need make-up to be comfortable with who I am.

MPM: I agree with you 100%. When it comes to social media, do you speak your mind or, because you have such a huge following, including kiddies, do you feel you have to censor yourself?

PT: Absolutely I have to censor myself, and maybe for all the right reasons.

I also go a bit cray-cray now and again, but I know that because of the world we live in, it might not be the right time.

MPM: Okay, besides me, who is your ultimate male crush? I made it hard by taking myself out of the equation.

PT: I have so many, hey. I must date Lil Wayne for a short period of my life.

MPM: Then Maxwell?

PT: Maxwell seems like a vampire; it might get awkward. But Prince Harry …

I would forgive England for everything, all the colonisation. The Queen must just bring the Cullinan diamond back.

MPM: [Laughs] Ah, you’re a weirdo Pearl, that’s what they don’t know.

PT: James Franco, all of a sudden.

MPM: Is it because he was kissing Seth Rogen in that video? Check it out.

PT: He’s so silly, he just seems like he’ll make me laugh. A man who can make me laugh will get very far with me.

MPM: Hey hey… [Laughs] Okay listen, I’ve never seen you rocking a weave in my life. What is your take on South African girls and weaves?

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ACTOR | CHAT

PT: I have very mixed feelings about them.

I mean Madiba went to prison so that people could have freedom. However, I still think that people should take care of their natural hair.

Your own hair doesn’t have to suffer because you have a weave on.

MPM: You put the African afro on the map.

PT: I’ve had people come to me and say, ‘I’m growing my afro because of you.’ So you can have a weave and still grow your afro. Just look after your scalp.

MPM: Okay, I’ve got some quick-fire questions.

What was the first major gig you landed?

PT: Zone 14.

MPM: Zone 14? Was that the first one?

Wasn’t Lovers Plus major, Pearl? You’ve been in everyone’s bedrooms.

PT: I’ll tell you about it when I see you. I also did Miss SA Teen, which was a competition.

MPM: Okay, you’re one of the hardest-working celebrities in our country. What motivates you?

PT: I want to die with nothing left. I don’t want to take anything I should’ve given to the world.

MPM: What is your greatest accomplishment to date?

PT: To be centred and true to the girl I was when I was younger.

MPM: Who inspires you?

PT: Basetsana Khumalo and Meryl Streep.

MPM: What path would you have pursued other than this?

PT: Originally, I wanted to be a vet. I wanted to be a wildlife vet.

MPM: Wow! Can you cook and what’s your signature dish?

PT: Sure, I can cook. I don’t have a signature dish; I’m like an improvised cook. Whatever I find in the fridge, I make up.

MPM: Finally, what kind of impact did Madiba have on your life?

PT: Hope, faith and peace. Something that I learnt from church is that none of us are perfect, but we are meant to be great. We are all righteous in our own right, because God made us so and we deserve a life of greatness.

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I want to die with nothing left. I don’t want to take anything I should’ve given to the world JANUARY 2014

59

2013/12/12 3:23 PM

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CHEF | CHAT

The talent we have in this country is there for everybody to see

MasterChef and commander

pictures: M-Net/Lisa Skinner

Benny Masekwameng might slate your cooking, but he’ll smile while he does it.

Mpho Popps Modikoane interviews MasterChef SA’s Mr Nice.

Mpho Popps Modikoane: First, can you describe how it felt when you were called to be a judge on MasterChef?

Benny Masekwameng: First I screamed silently when they told me, and then aloud once I put the phone down. Luckily I was in my office at Montecasino. People saw me jumping up and down, but couldn’t figure out what was happening. I had to go to four auditions, and I was very nervous that I wouldn’t make the cut.

They notified me after the fourth one.

MPM: People probably thought you were toyi-toying when you were jumping up and down.

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Interview 2.indd 61

BM: [Laughs] It was more like I was on a trampoline.

MPM: Have you always been a fan of the show?

BM: I’m a big fan of shows that promote our profession, but as you know, a lot of chefs don’t watch cooking shows. I had watched a few episodes, but I just didn’t follow it like most people did. Had I done that, the way I give feedback wouldn’t have been as original.

MPM: There are some confused people out there. Some people have said that you have the best smile on TV, and I’m not sure if you’ve seen mine, comrade.

BM: [Laughs] MPM: Be honest, how long have you been practising that smile?

BM: Ever since I could smile!

MPM: [Laughs] So it’s not a new release then?

BM: No, it’s been out for a while; it’s just that people are only really getting to see it now.

MPM: If you hadn’t taken the path of becoming a world-renowned chef, what would you have pursued?

BM: Well, becoming a chef was plan B for me. I wanted to become an electrical engineer, but I didn’t have enough funds.

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2013/12/12 2:25 PM

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2013/12/10 3:52 PM

CHEF | CHAT

I really tried to raise the money. For two years after matric, I worked with my mom trying to raise enough money for the course, but we just couldn’t cut it.

I didn’t want to waste another two years.

I had to come up with plan B. So… MPM: While making a sandwich…

BM: No, no, we had been cooking, going around selling magwinya [vetkoek] and hot plates, that kind of stuff. I went through department-hopping, then came across the food and nutrition department. The first question I asked was which course involved cooking. They said catering management. I figured that because I’m good at cooking, I wanted something more practical, where I do more cooking than theory. So I enrolled for catering management. It involves a lot of other things, but the cooking part carries more weight in terms of scores.

MPM: What’s been the highlight in your career so far?

BM: Well, becoming involved with MasterChef is the biggest thing that’s happened to me. Obviously it’s the exposure, but also getting the knowledge across to people who are not as clued up as we are. And also change how people look at food. Kids now also want to become chefs. I remember when I was studying catering management, there were only five guys in our class of 28. Nowadays there are a lot of cooking schools; there are lots of kids wanting to become chefs.

MPM: And chief, what was the first job you ever got?

BM: The first job I got was counting cars in Hillbrow – how many cars parked in a block, to see if they needed more parking space. I had to work 12 hours a day for five days. I had to keep a record of when cars parked, and left, that sort of thing.

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I WAS JUST FINISHING THAT MasterChef SA season 2 runner-up Leandri van der Wat tries to halt Benny’s culinary investigation.

After five days, I bought my first pair of Carvelas.

MPM: [Laughs] What colour were these shoes?

BM: Brown. Leather ones. [Laughs] And this was back in ’93.

MPM: How does our local MasterChef compare to the international shows?

Are we on par?

BM: I think we are where the rest of the countries are, like the UK and Australia.

We must remember that the MasterChef brand has the same blueprint for each country. Then it has to be customised to suit the food trends and traditions of that country.

MPM: Local flavours, yeah.

BM: We’ve received a lot of praise from the UK market, but I’m not sure about the Australian one. For the first season, we were nominated for the SAFTAs, and season two was nominated for the Emmys, which the Australians won. But the race was very close.

Remember, Australian MasterChef really came to the fore after the first season. We’re in our second season, and

already we’ve been nominated twice.

It shows the quality of the show. The knowledge of the contestants in the second season was phenomenal and I’m looking forward to season three; hopefully we’ll be able to win something.

The talent we have in this country is there for everybody to see; we just need to believe in ourselves and our products.

MPM: I’m with you 100% there. Now comrade, tell me, do you have an e-tag in your car?

BM: Uh, no.

MPM: Thank you!

BM: I don’t have a car at the moment.

I drive a VW, which is owned by VW, so they’re responsible for the tag.

MPM: [Laughs] Salakabona! Nice one, chief! Now tell us, are you a Zambuk or Labello kind of guy?

BM: I’m a Labello kind of guy. I never liked the tin – you know, it’s not like I’m carrying snuff or something in my pocket.

MPM: [Laughs] Did you ever think in your wildest dreams that you’d be living the life you’re living now?

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CHAT | CHEF

TOO MANY COOKS… Andrew Atkinson, Benny and Pete Goffe-Wood have, basically, the best jobs in the world.

BM: No. Even though I wanted to have the kind of life I’m living now, and I still have dreams of living even better than I am, I never thought that I’d be on TV, in the first place. I’m grateful that I’m blessed with the opportunity not to really stress about a lot of things.

Looking at my career and how I’ve grown, I’m happy with my progress so far. I was doing well, in terms of where I wanted to be, but yeah, TV and MasterChef were just the cherry on top.

And I’m looking forward to a whole lot more challenges.

MPM: Started from the bottom and now you’re here! Tell me, has there been any interest from the international kitchens for your signature?

BM: I’ve been doing a lot of South African promotions. I just came back from Dijon in France, doing South African food at the Dijon Food Fair – SA Tourism and France invited me to come through.

There are a couple of people from the Food Network who are interested in doing stuff, but it’s still in the early stages. I would love to promote South Africa around the world.

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JANUARY 2014

Hotel school basic training is based on the French model, so it was an honour to cook there MPM: And where would be your ideal country to do that?

BM: I don’t have one particular country.

France, for me, was a dream. Hotel school basic training is based on the French model, so it was an honour for me to cook there. I would like to go to many more countries. I haven’t travelled to the East, I’ve only been to three countries in Europe, and I haven’t been to the States.

MPM: Okay, two more questions. Who’s the one local up-and-coming chef, in your opinion, we should be on the lookout for? Besides you, obviously.

BM: Too many to mention. I would love to mention people that I’ve worked with.

There’s this one guy who does pastries:

Patrick Ngobezi. He’s not very well known now, but watch this space. I regard him as our own Cake Boss.

MPM: Last one: where can we go to get a taste of your cooking, man?

BM: There are two sides to this. One thing I like about it is that I can be found countrywide. I work for Tsogo Sun Hotels, and at any given point I could be in Cape Town, Durban, Joburg, Nelspruit or Bloemfontein. I post on Twitter and Facebook to say where I’ll be. I don’t have one particular restaurant, but I’m based at head office in Joburg, at Montecasino.

MPM: Oh, lovely. Well, we’ll keep following you and we’ll track you down, chief. We’ll be there complaining and judging – this plate gets a five!

BM: [Laughs] You know, when I’m cooking, I always put myself on the spot. Whenever I’ve designed a menu, I’ll choose some people who are dining and I’ll say, you’re the judges and I’m the contestant. Whatever you think about my food, tell it like it is.

MPM: That’s what makes you better.

There’s no point in people just saying, ‘Oh my word, it’s so delicious.’ I’d rather have people come back and give me proper critique, so I can improve it.

BM: Exactly.

MPM: Well sir, I’m looking forward to having one of your magwinyas in the near future.

BM: No problem, no problem.

MPM: And when I complain, I’m going to say, ‘Take it back to the chef who’s wearing brown Carvelas, please.’

BM: [Laughs] Back in the day they were the thing!

MPM: Benny, thank you so much, it’s been an absolute honour.

BM: Thank you.

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S agr A’s com gro icultu merc r w i 14% n by a al sect al or p per yea proxim has r sin a ce 1 tely 970 .

The incredible

rolling lab

NotwithstaNdiNg the fact that the truck in front of me is swathed in flamboyantly shiny orange and white, there is nothing hinting at anything particularly special about the 20-metre unit with the words ‘Mobile agri Lab’ emblazoned on its flanks.

But on the other side of a short flight of steps leading from the muggy Lowveld heat into the vehicle’s cool

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interior, an astonishing surprise awaits – thanks to the efforts of an organisation that eats heroism for breakfast. the Mobile agri Lab, launched at the Kruger Mpumalanga international airport near Nelspruit in september, is the latest development from non-profit training service provider Mobile agri skills development and training (Masdt). one of the most

technologically advanced mobile laboratories in the world, the facility is set to spark a high-tech renaissance in the country’s emerging farmerdevelopment strategy. developed with the help of a R3-million donation by the small enterprise development agency (seda), the scania truck unit is intended to act as a comprehensive one-stop support

pictures: MASDT

A new mobile laboratory is bringing science and technology to farmers who need it most. Dale Hes tests the soil.

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agriculture | LOCAL HERO

The state-of-the-art lab will travel across Mpumalanga and further afield, allowing rural farmers to receive real-time lab results for soil, water and disease tests centre for agricultural enterprises struggling with a lack of resources and expertise. The state-of-the-art lab will travel across Mpumalanga and further afield, allowing (among a number of other attributes) rural farmers to receive real-time lab results for soil, water and disease tests.

The laboratory is expected to strengthen MASDT’s hand in catapulting the growth of emerging farmers into commercial producers. ‘The benefits of the lab are numerous,’ says Seda spokesperson Beverley Kgame, ‘and include bringing conformity assessment support closer to emerging farmers, giving them access to a testing facility that will help them in their farm planning and crop production.’

Project manager Kevin Gambaran is

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wholehearted in his conviction that the groundbreaking facility is one of the finest of its kind to be found anywhere.

‘This is the first mobile lab on the continent, and it is safe to say that it is also one of the most technologically advanced in the world,’ says Kevin. ‘We are incredibly proud to launch it after years of hard work.’

A dozen wheels of science More than 300 people were involved in the construction of the laboratory, which was painstakingly built by hand and custom-made in Cape Town. A walk around the modern, clean-cut interior of the flashy lab-on-wheels backs up Kevin’s sentiment, revealing what makes this pioneering development so extraordinary.

In addition to enough laboratory equipment to make Einstein drool, including microscopes, incubators and fizzing test tubes, the truck has on board a fully equipped interactive training room complete with a digital projector and benches. A top-of-the-range Apple Mac enables the full-time scientists to assist with analysis and research, and the technology doesn’t stop there.

Two high-definition screens have been built onto the outside of the truck, connected to cameras that can relay the activities going on inside. This has been specifically designed for the Agri Lab to be used as an educational tool for schools and farmers.

‘The plan is to support rural schools by taking the laboratory unit to them and demonstrating experiments by using

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AgrIcuLTurE | LOCAL HERO

The Department of Trade and Industry awarded MASDT the ‘Best Performing Incubator of the Year 2012’ in South Africa.

the television screens,’ says MASDT managing director Lynette Bezuidenhout, who leads a team of 30 full-time professionals at the organisation. ‘This will make students aware of basic agriscience and show them that agriculture is a worthwhile profession.’

The lab is environmentally friendly too, with all electronic equipment on board, bar the air conditioners, powered by solar panels soaking up the sunny rays that beat down on Mpumalanga for almost 300 days a year.

On the road The types of services offered by the laboratory are normally available only in South Africa’s large urban centres, and so are inaccessible to emerging farmers.

The Mobile Agri Lab seeks to smash this obstacle. ‘With the assistance of new technologies, one can increase

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agricultural income and productivity,’ says Lynette. ‘MASDT intends rolling out some technological innovations that will add value to the efforts of the emerging farmers.’ In addition to the lab, these include nifty innovations such as electronic payment systems, farmer helplines, mobile management and supplier networks, vehicle-tracking systems and tendering platforms.

The lab hasn’t started rolling just yet. ‘We are awaiting accreditation from the South African Bureau of Standards before we can start operations,’ Lynette explains. ‘Schools are still on holiday and the majority of farmers have already done their testing, so it makes sense to start early in 2014.’

The new truck will add to MASDT’s fleet of vehicles, which already visits projects, and delivers seedlings and mechanisation to areas in Mpumalanga.

The organisation’s long-term goal is to establish a Mobile Agri Lab in each of our nine provinces.

Home soil MASDT chairperson Mathews Phosa believes developments such as the Agri Lab are vital to South Africa’s economy, as hordes of commercial farmers are leaving the country. ‘Many African and eastern European countries continue to lure away our farmers with extremely lucrative contracts,’ says Mathews. ‘More worrying is the fact that the average age of our commercial farmers is 62. It is clear that the future of food production and rural job creation lies with South Africa’s 2.5-million emerging farmers.’

Since MASDT’s inception in 2005, it has made huge progress in uplifting emerging farmers through its core function as a business incubation system. ‘Last year

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AgRICuLTuRE | LOCAL HERO

alone, MASDT was instrumental in establishing 286 new small, medium and macro enterprises (SMMEs), creating more than 400 jobs,’ Mathews explains.

With the support of SEDA, MASDT’s incubation programme takes farming ventures under their wing for at least three years, to develop their skills and find ways to optimise production.

Participants can leave the programme only once they are trading at a profit and have mastered the intricacies of sustainability planning, financial management and established market delivery. ‘Turnover of sales and harvest of the enterprise must be consistent for at least three production cycles,’ explains Lynette, ‘and the ventures must be able to produce on a minimum of five hectares.’

We mean business Currently more than 272 emerging agricultural businesses in South Africa are supported by the programme, and SMMEs assisted by MASDT have accounted for a collective total turnover of R18.8-million and secured R23.7million in grants over the past three years. MASDT has also cemented relationships with corporate and governmental heavyweights such as AgriSETA, British American Tobacco, the

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Eskom Foundation and South Africa’s Department of Trade and Industry.

‘The most important principle for MASDT is to provide ongoing support through a transparent and ethical business model, with real return on investment for our funders,’ says Lynette. Permanent staff at the organisation include highly qualified business-development officers, agricultural economists, project managers, procurement officers and training co-ordinators. MASDT also has a wide range of mentors, agricultural specialists and other service providers that it can rely on to provide expert input on specific technical aspects of farming, as the need arises.

‘MASDT exists to change lives for the better, add value through nationally recognised training, and nurture emerging farmers to become successful small and commercial farmers in rural areas,’ concludes Lynette. ‘This is what we have done here and this is where the future lies.’

MASDT exists to change lives for the better, add value through nationally recognised training, and nurture emerging farmers to become successful small and commercial farmers in rural areas

How you can help Fancy sowing the seeds of a brighter future? Companies who want to support the MASDT through CSI and SED funding should contact Lynette Bezuidenhout on 013 753 2470 or info@masdt.co.za.

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Roughing it Will Edgcumbe chases the fish moths out of his sleeping bag for a rundown of the best camping spots around the country.

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Lotheni, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park Situated in the southern Berg, and reached via nottingham Road, lotheni is famous for its gorgeous mountain scenery, particularly in winter when snow dusts the surrounding peaks. Five walking trails of varying length and one mountain-bike trail will take you to waterfalls, canyons, clefts of forest and grasslands, as well as some gorgeous viewpoints. a must-do is the easy 2km hike to beautiful Jacobs ladder, a series of waterfalls emptying into clear pools. The large pool at the bottom is perfect for swimming, but will probably give you brain freeze. Bear in mind that there are no plug points, and remember that the weather in the Berg is unpredictable, so be sure to take warm clothes, even in summer.

No of sites: 14 People per site: 8 Facilities and activities: ablution block with hot and cold water, trout-fishing, swimming, hiking, guided walks, curios, charcoal, maps Rates: R140 per campsite for two people, R70/R35 per extra adult/child per night.

Contact: 033 845 1000, www.kznwildlife.com

pictures: Beaverlac, Tzendse Rustic Campsite, Utshwayelo Lodge and Camp, Glen Reenen

Holidaying can be prohibitively expensive, especially if you have a largish family, but if you’re willing to forego a bed and share ablutions, then camping is the best way to see a beautiful corner of the country on a budget. no matter how rustic the campsite, if you go in with your eyes open, you can have a killer holiday for almost the same cost as staying at home.

The beauty of camping in South africa is in the staggering range of campsites on offer. Mountains, valleys, deserts, beaches, game parks or resort towns – name the kind of place you want to go to and there’s bound to be a bunch of fantastic options. So break out the tarps and your skottel, grab your headlamp, and hit the road.

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Utshwayelo Lodge and Camp, Glen Reenen

CAMPING | TRAVEL

LACKING LITTLE Beaverlac is insanely beautiful, has two rivers and is surrounded by gorgeous mountains

Tsendze Rustic Campsite, Kruger National Park

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Tsendze is practically surrounded by game, so bring your binoculars

Tsendze, 7km from Mopani Rest Camp, is everything you’d want from a campsite in the wild – secluded, quiet and with no electricity, it’s just you and your tent. Each site is carved from the bush, so they’re nice and private, and a number of sites are set alongside the perimeter fence, so you can observe animals as they go by. The campsite is extremely well-kept and generators aren’t allowed, so you can be assured you’ll have a peaceful stay. There are lots of trees around, so you can bird-watch from your tent. And, this being the Kruger, the game viewing is superb.

No of sites: 30 People per site: 6 Facilities and activities: ablutions and cooking facilities, including a gas freezer. Each site is equipped with its own braai stand and a rubbish bin. One freshwater tap shared per three sites. Birding and animalwatching galore.

Rates: R225 per campsite for two people, R68/R34 per extra adult/child per night.

Contact: 013 735 6535, www.sanparks.org

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bRiNg youR sPeedo A large pool and waterfall lie a fiveminute walk from the Beaverlac campsite.

all kiNds oF seCluded It’s pretty much you, your tent and the bush at Tsendze Rustic Camp.

Beaverlac, Cederberg, Western Cape High in the Olifants River Mountains, above Porterville in the southern Cederberg, is Beaverlac. Surrounded by mountains and blessed with two rivers pocked with pools and waterfalls, it’s a beautiful and secluded place to spend a couple of days. Beaverlac doesn’t take bookings for camping – you just turn up and pitch your tent, so you need to be willing to fly by the seat of your pants, although no one has ever been turned away. The setup is pretty rustic, with no power points available and no cellphone reception, and although drums and music are not allowed, dogs and kids are welcome, so things can get a little raucous. There are some beautiful walks, and a large pool with a waterfall is a five-minute walk from the campsite, so bring your swimming gear.

Facilities and activities: braai areas, ablution blocks (some with hot water), a shop that stocks the basics, public telephone, birdwatching, swimming, hiking.

Rates: R15 per car on entry, R45 per adult, R25 per child, R40 per dog per night.

Contact: 022 931 2945, www.beaverlac.co.za

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aNimals eveRywheRe This pearl-spotted owlet (left) was spotted at Tsendze, and hippo can be seen at the nearby Shipandane Hide.

Tietiesbaai, Paternoster, West Coast The West Coast is famous for its magical, wind-scrubbed beauty, of which Tietiesbaai has plenty. Set in the Cape Columbine Nature Reserve, just 5km from Paternoster, the campsite is set on a rocky stretch of coastline overlooking the sea. There’s nothing better than enjoying a fish braai as the sun sets into the Atlantic (you can buy fish from the locals) or walking along the path from the southern end of the campsite, which runs along the shore and through the dunes.

There’s also a surprising amount of wildlife to be spotted if you’re patient, including tortoises, buck and loads of

birds, and if you happen to be there during spring, you’ll be treated to some amazing flowers. Be warned that the wind can blow pretty fiercely, so make sure you take a strong, good-quality tent, otherwise you might end up kitesurfing in your sleep. You can book only via fax, and bookings are received only once a week, so make sure you book at least two weeks in advance.

No of sites: 60 People per site: 6 Facilities and activities: ablutions (cold water only), water taps, hiking trails, swimming, kayaking, seafishing, crayfishing (permit required).

Rates: R123 per site per day.

Contact: 022 752 2718 (tel)/ 022 752 2015 (fax)

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2013/12/12 9:05 AM

CAMPING | TRAVEL

Utshwayelo is situated at the entrance gate to the Kosi Bay Mouth Reserve and Estuary

SOMETHING FISHY The Tsonga fish traps near Utshwayelo are a site unique to Kosi Bay.

Utshwayelo Lodge and Camp, Kosi Bay In the north-eastern corner of iSimangaliso Wetland Park, just 5km from the Mozambican border, is Kosi Bay, a system of four lakes that feeds into the ocean at its mouth. Utshwayelo Lodge and Camp offers 18 campsites, each enclosed in reed fencing and shaded under large water-berry trees. Utshwayelo is situated at the entrance gate to the Kosi Bay Mouth Reserve and Estuary (a World Heritage Site), and is 2.5km from the beach, so you have plenty of options when it comes to snorkelling (the water is as clear as an aquarium), salt and freshwater-fishing, swimming or even just exploring the area on a walking trail. You can’t leave without seeing the nearby Tsonga fish traps, built to trap fish moving in and out of the estuary with the tide.

No of sites: 18 People per site: 12 Facilities and activities: ablutions (hot and cold showers), braai, plug point, a light, water tap, swimming pool, bar, turtle-watching (November to March), snorkelling, swimming, fishing, hiking trails, bird-watching.

Rates: R135/R70 per adult/child per night, minimum charge of R350 per campsite per night.

Contact: 074 587 1574, www.kosimouth.co.za

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I DON’T SPEAK LION… …but a rough translation might be an invitation by one of Tzendse’s residents to voetsek.

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cAmpiNg | TRAVEL

Basic tips for an awesome camping experience

As fun as camping can be, it can be truly awful if you’re underprepared. You don’t want your friends forever repeating the story of how your trip ended up with you losing three toes to frostbite because you couldn’t figure out how to pitch your tent, so here are a few tips to make sure your experience is a fun one: 1. Find out first if the campsite has drinking water or power. If there’s no drinking water and you’re in the middle of nowhere, you’ll be rather parched. Likewise, if you need power for your gear and the campsite doesn’t have plug points, you’re in for a frustrating couple of days.

2. Make sure you know what time the gates close; there are far too many stories of people getting shut out of campsites after dark and having to sleep in their cars.

3. Know the climate. Make sure you have a seasonappropriate sleeping bag and clothing. Not all sleeping bags are made equal – you don’t want to freeze in winter or boil in summer.

4. Learn how to pitch your tent and use your other gear before you leave home. Trying to figure out a complicated system of poles and guy lines in the rain or dark for the first time is no one’s idea of fun.

5. Respect your fellow campers; no one goes deep into the silence of nature to hear you play dubstep at top volume. You might be impressed with your car’s sound system, but not everyone else will be.

6. Leave no trace. If you camp, chances are you dig nature. Prove it by cleaning up after yourself.

7. Last, but not least, if you’re fumbling around in the dark trying to find a place to pee, don’t do it against the side of your tent if you haven’t put your fly sheet up. In fact, don’t do it against anybody’s tent.

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goldeN oPPoRtuNities Guided walks, canoeing and abseiling are all offered at Golden Gate National Park.

Glen Reenen, Golden Gate National Park, Free State Golden Gate National Park is one of the most aptly named places in South Africa; the evening sun striking the sandstone cliffs, especially the imposing Brandwag rock, is a site to behold. The park’s highland grasslands are home to eland, oribi and black wildebeest, and the rare bearded vulture (lammergeier) and bald ibis can also be spotted. Glen Reenen campsite is extremely easy to get to, just off the R712, which cuts through the park. The park is extremely quiet, so it’s very satisfying simply sitting outside your tent, watching the golden cliffs and listening to little more than the sigh of the wind.

There are a number of pleasant walking trails and viewpoints, and the quaint town of Clarens is 15 minutes away by car.

No of sites: 45 People per site: 6 Facilities and activities: ablutions with hot water, braai, scullery, power points in ablution block and some campsites, hiking trails, game viewing, tennis, horseriding, swimming, picnic sites.

Rates: R180-R215 per campsite for two people, R68-R72/R34-R36 per extra adult/child per night (prices vary due to some sites having power points).

Contact: 058 255 0000, www.sanparks.co.za

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3 4 ways

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to change your life this year Why wait until you’re another year older, another kilo lighter, stronger, leaner, meaner or richer? The key to a fulfilling life is living in the moment. That means now. From star-filled skies to big-city lights, Keith Bain picks some life-changing experiences for the Now Year.

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liviNg iN the Now YeAR | travel

Fall in love with the stars Forget celeb-spotting. Real stars shy away from crowds. Go to Sutherland, where unpolluted skies, plus the southern hemisphere’s largest optical telescope, make it the country’s stargazing capital. Or navigate potholed dirt roads to Bulungula, an off-the-map paradise, where your first night is free if you don’t spot shooting stars. www.discoversutherland.co.za www.bulungula.co.za

The Otter Trail gives you five blissful days of Tsitsikamma wonderland

it takes all sorts Besides mountains and forests, the Otter Trail takes hikers along raw beaches.

Swim like a polar bear Lewis Pugh’s resistance to cold suggests he’s superhuman, but ordinary folks also brave icy seas for epic swims.

The Cape Long Distance Swimming Association promotes open-water, longdistance (over 7km) swims in bracing waters, including ultra-hectic legs between Camps Bay and Robben Island.

Wetsuits optional. www.capeswim.com

pictures: Keith Bain, David Collett, Andrew Brauteseth, supplied

Experience civilisation’s antidote You needn’t be a Bear Grylls acolyte to survive SA’s wildest hike. Stretching 280km along the Wild Coast, it takes in sandy and rocky beaches, secluded coves, estuaries, wave-bashed cliffs, lagoons, tidal estuaries and mangrove swamps. It takes a month to walk it, but parcels of three-to-six-day sections make for manageable, memorable hikes.

Harmoniously mixing beaches, forests and mountains, the Otter Trail gives you five blissful days of Tsitsikamma wonderland. Or face off against the Hoerikwaggo Trail, linking Cape Point with Table Mountain. www.wildcoasthikes.co.za www.sanparks.org.za

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just coasting The Tsitsikamma’s rugged coastline cuts a fantastic silhouette at sunset.

feel the burn Art installations like this one – entitled The Lotus – are a common sight at AfrikaBurn.

Visit the Sky Kingdom

Develop GPS envy

Oft-ignored as some landlocked mystery, Lesotho’s lowest point is 1 500m above sea level (the highest in the world) and much of it remains restrained from modernisation. Beyond Sani Pass, you’ll experience traditional Basotho culture, spectacular vistas, and high-altitude trekking with the sturdiest ponies on earth. www.seelesotho.com

Their preciousness will only truly be understood once extinct, but you can still witness loggerhead and leatherback turtles nesting along KZN’s Maputaland coast. Returning to lay eggs on protected beaches, they mysteriously navigate to the precise location where they themselves hatched. www.isimangaliso.com

Snorkel with giants

Play like never before

Surrender to the indifference of upsize sharks in Mozambique’s Tofo Bay, home to the world’s densest whale shark population. Feeding on fish eggs, krill and crustaceans, they reach over 18m in length, but pay little heed as you bob alongside. www.oceans-discovery.com

A vast playground on steroids, AfrikaBurn will flip your reality. In this zany vision of Utopia, community and self-reliance go hand-in-hand as the arid Tankwa Karoo becomes a vast canvas for human creativity. www.afrikaburn.com

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liviNg iN the Now YeAR | travel

Fall from dizzying heights Combining adrenaline and untethered freedom, nothing matches skydiving.

Record-holder Felix Baumgartner jumped from three times the average jetliner cruising altitude. That took courage. Start your journey with a oneday course, culminating in a static-line jump from around 1 200m. Rewarded with a sense that you’ve cheated death, life will never again feel the same. www.skydiveafrica.co.za www.skydiving.co.za

khaya kuier Bodhi Khaya meditation retreat comes with sumptuous surrounds to detoxify the mind.

Experience music in a forest Perhaps the most underrated winemaking region in SA, Elgin also boasts a woodland amphitheatre, Hope@PaulCluver, set magnificently amid towering ghost gums. Folk-music legend Suzanne Vega played there recently, and January’s line-up includes The Parlotones and Dutch cabaret star Herman van Veen. After the concert, sleep in a caravan with a difference at nearby Old Mac Daddy. www.cluver.com www.oldmacdaddy.co.za

Scale a mountain Without suggesting investing in crampons, change your perspective on things – literally – by gaining altitude and summiting a peak under your own steam. Once you’ve conquered gravity and poked your head into the clouds, you’ll feel ready to take on any challenge. cen.mcsa.org.za

Kayak around a very big island Insane adventurer Riaan Manser goes all the way around, but just 10 days

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don’t take that tone The Parlotones come home to perform at Hope@PaulCluver this month.

exploring Madagascar’s Masoala Peninsula will revitalise your soul.

It’s an off-grid adventure involving untouched rainforests, mangrove-lined rivers, reef snorkelling, bucket showers, beach camping and super-fresh seafood. www.madagascarislandsafaris.co.za

Empty your mind Find your Zen at a dedicated meditation retreat. CNN named The Buddhist Retreat Centre in Ixopo one of the world’s best. In the Karoo, Poplar Grove hosts retreats for novice and experienced meditators. And Bodhi Khaya, near Gansbaai, runs restorative themed getaways to help you to reconnect. www.brcixopo.co.za www.stoepzen.co.za www.bodhi-khaya.co.za

it’s a duck’s life Easy living at Julian Melck’s Kersefontein farm.

Bond with a farmer Beneath the Swartberg, surrounded by jungly gardens, Boesmanskop is where Tienie Bekker spends his days milking cows, hanging tobacco and feeding ostriches. Then he returns to the farmhouse to fix gourmet meals for his guests. It’s life lived close to the earth, far from the madding crowd. Nearer Cape Town, historic Kersefontein is a 7 000ha working farm where Julian Melck hunts wild pigs and lets experienced riders take his horses out on the range. Communal dinners are served in the 18th-century Cape Dutch farmhouse that’s been home to many generations of Melcks – with good reason. www.boesmanskop.co.za www.kersefontein.co.za

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living in the now year | travel

Party like there’s no tomorrow Featuring 400 DJs in three days, Tomorrowland is the world’s largest electronic music festival, but requires a trip to Belgium to dance with 185 000 other hedonists. Meanwhile, our own energetic festival scene is enriched by spectacular outdoor settings. if February’s internationally produced Ultra (where local icons Black Coffee and goldfish share the bill with tiësto and nicky romero) doesn’t float your boat, then Up the Creek on the Breede river might. or soak up the hedonism of one of the Cape’s notorious trance parties – Origin is always stellar. www.ultrasouthafrica.com www.upthecreek.co.za www.originfestival.com

Go extreme there’s road-running, then there’s trailrunning, and then there are extreme marathons where lunatics set off for days at a time, pitting themselves against harsh environments, packing everything they need to survive. among the most gruelling is the Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon, covering 250km in a week. whether you’re fit or foolhardy, it’ll challenge you in the extreme. www.extrememarathons.com

fit for a king Emperor penguins young and old in Antarctica.

Open the throttle live your Formula one fantasy at Kyalami or Killarney – both grand Prix tracks – or shorter Zwartkops, near Pretoria. Zip around in a road-hugging Jordan F1 racer or put foot in a reynard single-seater, marvellously stable even when careening around at 240km/h. www.fantasticracing.com

Cook in the Karoo abundant water and fresh produce have transformed time-trapped Prince albert into a modern culinary destination, not least for its funky cooking school, African Relish. Kitchen courses are occasionally taught by celebrity chefs such as reza Mahammad or reuben riffel. www.africanrelish.com

Learn to breathe

Get wet rapidly

if yoga is on your to-do list but downward-facing dog sounds like a bit of a stretch, consider that this ancient form is essentially about breathing, so anyone can do it. with practice, you’ll align mind, body and soul, while improving posture, flexibility and suppleness. the health benefits are genuine. www.completeyoga.co.za www.yogaevents.co.za

Succumbing to gushing rapids can be as much fun as successfully navigating a rubber duck through turgid waters. rafting the Zambezi guarantees plenty of capsize action. the other must-do white-water adventure starts across the namibian border, where you drift through the richtersveld on the Orange River. www.zambezirafting.com www.felixunite.com

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did you say veld?

Exploring the Richtersveld by canoe on the Orange River.

Do the seventh continent infiltrating a world usually reserved for scientists and explorers, white Desert has made the last continent ridiculously accessible. Provided you’re prepared to splurge the cash, visiting Antarctica demands little more than a five-hour flight from Cape town. once across the Southern ocean, you’re taken to an eco-camp in the stark white wilderness, where expeditions include an eight-day emperor penguin safari. www.white-desert.com

Do Mozambique by dhow Protected as marine reserves, Mozambique’s Bazaruto and Quirimbas archipelagos are best seen by dhow. once used to transport slaves, these hardy arab sailing vessels have been repurposed for island-hopping. expect snorkelling, kayaking and beach excursions, along with the chance to spot humpbacks, turtles, dolphins and possibly rare dugongs, too. www.sailaway.co.za www.mozambiquedhowsafaris.com

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LIVING IN THE NOW YEAR | TRAVEL

Boxing provides a controlled environment in which to vent

GET OUT OF YOUR CORNER Take boxing classes at The Armoury and then sign up for three rounds of Fight Night glory.

Stalk animals on foot Tracking big game on their own terms turns the safari experience on its head, as every step and snapping twig can change the game plan. With its history of conservation, the iMfolozi Wilderness affords perhaps the best on-foot rhino tracking in the world. Three nights on the ‘primitive trail’ will totally rewire your circuits. www.kznwildlife.com

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Besides finding out what it’s like to step into the ring, boxing provides a controlled environment in which to vent. In Cape Town, Pound for Pound and The Armoury hold Fight Nights with all the energy and bloody noses of professional bouts, as does Topbox in Fourways.

Happily, amateur and white-collar boxing stipulates headgear and groin protectors to reduce unsightly wounds, so you can show up for work on Monday without fielding too many awkward questions. www.poundforpound.co.za, www.armouryboxing.com, www.topbox.co.za

Witness the magic of meerkats

Snorkel with seals On land they resemble blubbery, bumbling blobs, yet seals are astonishingly agile in water. Although capable of biting, they’re naturally curious around snorkellers, frolicking with them and stopping for an occasional wide-eyed stare. Expert-supervised boat trips, with thick wetsuits on board, leave Hout Bay Harbour for the 15-minute trip to Duiker Island, where around 15 000 Cape fur seals live. animalocean.co.za

Pick a fight

Learn the basics of wilderness guiding and revitalise your relationship with the great outdoors. A six-day Wilderness Trails Skills course in Kruger’s far-north Makuleke Concession could be the first step towards a whole new life. www.ecotraining.co.za

Oudtshoorn’s meerkats have starred in National Geographic and Discovery Channel documentaries, but meeting them in person is unforgettable. Devey Glinister leads pre-dawn expeditions to watch these gregarious creatures emerge from their burrows to perform their early-morning soap opera of sentry duty and sun-worshipping. You can also see meerkats at play at the Nossob Rest Camp, deep in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. www.meerkatadventures.co.za www.sanparks.co.za

Ride the big one

Rediscover Jozi’s inner city

Sun, salt water and sea air. There are good reasons why surfers stay younger, fitter and fresher for longer – and you’re never too old to learn. With eight surf schools along the coast, Learn 2 Surf has a large pool of reliable instructors and all the equipment you need to start riding the big one. www.learn2surf.co.za

Cape Town has Clifton and Llandudno, but Joburg’s inner-city refurb includes The Beach in Braamfontein. With umbrellas, deck chairs and a bar, it’s as much a high-altitude party in the sand as a chance to sunbathe amid high-rises.

And when the sun goes down, you’re surrounded by big-city lights… www.playbraamfontein.co.za

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Developing

small businesses The sefa story In its very first year of existence sefa can proudly boast that they have approved R440 million, and almost half of the amount was dispersed. Through its direct and indirect lending, 28 000 SMMEs have been assisted. By 2018, sefa hopes to have doubled the number of small businesses they’ve assisted, says Thakhani Makhuvha, the chief executive officer.

Established in April 2012, as a subsidiary of the IDC, sefa’s role is to foster the establishment, survival and growth of SMMEs. It also contributes towards the alleviation of poverty and job creation by providing financing to small businesses from as little as R500 to a maximum of R5 million. These funds, unlike other finance lending models, are made available immediately to the business owner, via wholesale or direct lending. sefa loans are provided through direct lending, wholesale and credit guarantee scheme with banks: • Wholesale Lending offers loans to SMMEs through partnership with Microfinance Institutions, Financial Cooperatives, Retail Financial Institutions and Specialised Funds • Direct Lending products are directed at SMMEs offering loans from R50 000 to R5million • Credit Guarantee Scheme offers security cover to banks for SMME’s loans between R50 000 to R5 million.

Through these products, according to Makhuvha, sefa wants to be a leading catalyst of SMMEs development in the country by providing finance and creating employment largely through these businesses. Furthermore the agency wants to create a national footprint and to build itself into a sustainable performance driven organisation with a strong brand emphasising accessibility to SMMEs.To maximise the impact of its activities and that people are aware that access to funding is available, the agency has been engaging the public through on-going national roadshows.

sefa CEO Thakhani Makhuvha These roadshows are important to educate entrepreneurs on the know-hows of accessing funding, and to support regional offices to engage directly with SMMEs.The agency also collaborates with other agencies to offer complete support to aspiring and established entrepreneurs.

Makhuvha says accessing funding is simple, all entrepreneurs have to do is to ensure that they complete an application form (available at all sefa branches) and the website. They must produce a business plan showing financial reports and cash flow projections for the next five years (this indicates the viability and sustainability of the business). sefa, also has a fully operational call centre through which applicants can access information.

One of the biggest challenges facing entrepreneurship today is access to adequate financing, bookkeeping skills, and the expertise to compile comprehensive business plans. It is for this reason that the Small Enterprise Finance Agency in partnership with the Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), joined hands to assist entrepreneurs who face this triad of challenges.

Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) Tel: +27 12 748 9600 | Fax: +27 12 748 9790 Eco Fusion 5, Block D, 1004 Teak Close, Witch-Hazel Avenue Eco Park, Centurion

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LIVING IN THE NOW YEAR | TRAVEL

Purr like a kitten Eastern thinking postulates that massage is more of a necessity than a luxury. With this in mind, Enmasse – with branches in Cape Town and Johannesburg – offers mind-blowing Thai massage without oil, nudity or the need for weeks-inadvance bookings. The deep-tissue pampering comes close to something like religious bliss. www.enmasse.co.za

HOME IS WHERE THE HOG IS House of Machines creates beautiful customised bikes for the wild at heart.

AM I IN HEAVEN? Deep-tissue massages at Enmasse approach religious bliss.

Swoon at dunes Many swear it’s the most beautiful place on earth: De Hoop Nature Reserve stretches along 51 kilometres of unspoiled coastline, featuring rock pools, wetlands, limestone cliffs, coastal fynbos, blinding white dunes, and abundant marine and bird life.

Not to be outdone, the lonely nothingness of the Namib Sand Sea covers a staggering 3-million hectares of Namibia’s coastline. Recognised as one of earth’s last untouched spaces, its shape-shifting red dunes are so distinct that they earned World Heritage status last June. www.dehoopcollection.co.za www.namibiatourism.com.na

Rock on A symmetrical basalt wall from which spills Africa’s highest waterfall, the Drakensberg’s Amphitheatre is 10 times larger than Yosemite’s El Capitan.

Among the world’s most awesome rock faces, it’s a genuine natural wonder.

Rock-climbers tackle it head-on, but there’s also a three-day slackpacking trail covering the 1 200m ascent at a more civilised pace. www.drakensberghikes.co.za

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Relive Easy Rider Cycling’s fine, but lycra gets clingy.

For genuine open-road freedom (and zero pedalling), there’s nothing like crossing the country by motorcycle to power up your loins. Harley-Davidson offers test rides for prospective buyers, or you can get personal and adopt a droolworthy custom-built steed from The House of Machines in Cape Town. www.harley-davidson.com www.thehouseofmachines.com

Go deeper underground They may be dark, dank and slippery, but exploring Cape Town’s subterranean water tunnels linking Table Mountain

to The Castle will change your understanding of how cities are made. www.goodhopeadventures.com

Gaze (or dive) into the abyss During the dry season, when the Zambezi River is at its lowest, brave swimmers can wade to the edge of the Devil’s Swimming Pool and peer down from the lip of Victoria Falls, where the rock ledge forms the world’s most death-defying infinity pool. Or look down just before you jump off Vic Falls Bridge. Theoretically, the heart-stopping 111m bungee will stop 10m above the bubbling waters in Batoka Gorge. www.wildhorizons.co.za

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e r e h W the wind s w o l b Twenty years ago it had barely been invented; now kitesurfing is easily the world’s most awe-inspiring water sport, combining waveriding with the ability to blast around in the air.

This month, one of the sport’s defining events, Red Bull King of the Air, returns to Cape Town, along with a number of top-drawer international kiters.

Keith Bain shoots the breeze.

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KITESURFING | BEHIND THE SCENES

The more you think about a trick, the more room there is for error.

I just do it Oswald Smith SA kitesurfing champion

<pul ‘’ – ‘’ – O

IT’S VISUALLY CONTAGIOUS. Done right, kitesurfing (aka kiteboarding) is a graceful dance on – and above – water. Seeing a kitesurfer launch 40 or 50 metres into the air is always breathtaking, and as sporting moves go, it never ceases to grip the imagination. While there are probably safer, simpler ways to ride waves or fly through the air, nothing combines the two experiences quite so effortlessly, nor with as much potential for an adrenaline rush.

A sport in the making for thousands of years, kitesurfing was born in the late 1990s out of the desire to harness the power of the wind to improve waveriders’ speed on water. Seen one way, it’s wakeboarding with the boat replaced by a parabolic inflatable kite tethered by 20-metre lines. It’s an innovation that brings immeasurable freedom.

What’s always surprising for anyone unfamiliar with the sport is the tremendous power of the kite. Weird laws of aerodynamics mean a kite is able to generate pulling power exponentially greater than the wind force acting on it. This explains why kitesurfers can launch in as little as five knots of wind. That combination of force and strength, and the resultant speed, mean kiteboarders are able to lift high off the water and perform acrobatic tricks that resemble the stunts of aerial gymnasts and trapeze artists.

Kitesurfing’s appeal lies in its three-dimensionality; it enables riders to soar through the air as though flying, but without mechanised assistance.

‘What makes it great,’ explains Martin Kooger, who has been active in the sport since it took off in 1999, ‘is that your kite is actually 20 metres away from you. So while you’re steering it with the control bar and there are lines in between, you don’t notice them. You can see everything around you, whereas with windsurfing, you always have a sail in front of your face.’

The natural Someone who has taken his kitesurfing ability way beyond the ability merely to perform cool tricks is Oswald Smith. At age 17, the easy-going Capetonian is the country’s top kitesurfer. Something of a natural, Oswald

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kitesURfiNg | BEHIND THE SCENES

won his first junior title when he was 15, and in 2013 – now competing in the open age group – won both the national and African titles.

Oswald started kitesurfing when he was 11, encouraged by his windsurfing parents. ‘The first time I got up on the board, it was like I’d been born for this.

It was weird; I got it immediately. My first session on the board, I was cruising up and down. I even landed a jump. So I guess I skipped a lot of steps and just went for it.’

Like any of us watching from the outside, what immediately attracted Oswald to the sport was seeing the enormous jumps kitesurfers are capable of, witnessing huge air leaps combined with flights over fairly long distances.

‘That’s what got me into it,’ he says, ‘seeing guys jump 40 metres into the air, going really big. And that’s still what I really enjoy. It’s so sick, just hanging up there, looking down on the world.’

Yes, there’s a lot of risk. I’ve dislocated the vertebrae in my back. I’ve broken my nose, bitten through my tongue … just small stuff. I can manage, though. It’s not like I’ve torn ligaments or anything Oswald Smith SA kitesurfing champion

pictures: Craig Kolesky/Nikon/Red Bull Content Pool; supplied

It’s a question of style It was this awe factor, in fact, that launched the pursuit as a mainstream sport. Back in 1998, when kitesurfing was still very much a fringe activity, Red Bull took notice of a small event held in Maui. With just 25 kiters, it had been christened the Kitesurfing World Championship, a tongue-in-cheek appellation denoting the aspirations of the sport’s early stars, most of whom were fresh from windsurfing. The following year, the event became Red Bull King of the Air, propelling the sport into the global consciousness.

One of the initial challenges was the rapid differentiation of the sport.

There are more than a dozen individual kitesurfing styles, including waveriding,

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kitesurfing | BEHIND THE SCENES

There can be only one freestyle, wake-style, course-racing, speed, down-winders, jumping, airstyle, wake-skate and kite-cross.

Consequently, kitesurfing can mean different things to different people.

For some, it’s flying and carving and surfing, while for others it’s more about handlebar passes and technical tricks.

This has made it difficult to set judging and competition criteria. Still, for the crowd on the beach, it’s old-school jumps that tend to get the applause – ‘big air’ moments that look amazing because they seem to defy gravity, going beyond the rational.

In competition circles, though, the current focus for kitesurfing seems to be very tricky technical handlebar-pass combinations. These types of tricks are difficult to execute, but they’re also difficult to spot and understand, so their appeal to spectators can be limited. Big jumps always tend to pull focus.

Oswald, who is among the international heavyweights invited to compete at King of the Air, says, ‘It’s special because it’s a “go-as-high-asyou-can event”. It’s really extreme – there’s no other competition like it.’

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Winds of change Even with considerable experience and success behind him, Oswald remains cognisant of the dangers.

He lists a string of injuries, and says he remains in awe of the wind and the waves, and their power. ‘Sure it’s scary – jumping flippin’ 40 metres into the air will definitely get your adrenaline going. But it feels so good. I don’t even know how to describe that feeling.

It’s about freedom. When you’re up there you don’t have to think about anything else.’

Back on dry land, though, what Oswald is probably thinking about is the prospect of one day being world champion. Even with the responsibilities of school, he’s managed enough international podium finishes to rank third in the world in his division. There are currently two pro tours covering freestyle and waveriding respectively, but for a young star like Oswald, the future is wide open. If current discussions to admit kitesurfing as an Olympic sport pan out, the wind may just be blowing him all the way to Tokyo in 2020.

An annual event for several years after the emergence of the sport, King of the Air went into hibernation in 2005.

It was resuscitated in 2013, finding a new home in Cape Town, regularly touted as one of the best locations in the world for kitesurfing. According to the organisers, King of the Air is about compelling kiters to explore the limits of possibility, testing their potential in each of three areas of kitesurfing: big air (high jumps); handle passes (rotation control); and mega loops (power).

Competition director Sergio Cantagalli explains that the judges look for a combination of technique and skill, with kiters given 20 minutes to put on their best possible performance. ‘It’s not just a freestyle competition or a high-jump competition,’ says Sergio. ‘King of the Air involves extreme skill and a level of danger. More than technique and precision, it’s also about height and extremity, style and execution, variety and difficulty. We’re looking to show where the future of the sport lies. We’re testing the limits of kiteboarding.’

Red Bull King of the Air happens at Big Bay between 25 January and 9 February, dependent on prevailing conditions.

For more information, visit redbullkingoftheair.co.za.

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KITESURFING | BEHIND THE SCENES

Take off!

Most people are able to get up and riding with about 20 hours of training Martin Kooger

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Martin Kooger, who manages Windtown, SA’s first dedicated kitesurfing hotel, says one of the biggest misconceptions about the sport is that you can teach yourself. ‘It’s not a difficult sport,’ he says, ‘especially for anyone with some experience with waveriding, or if you understand how to fly a kite. But a lot of people think it’s easy to start by themselves. That’s how people end up flying into houses or containers on the beach. Because it looks easy, they make assumptions.’

Another assumption is that kitesurfers require strong, muscular arms.

‘People have this idea that the kite and equipment is very heavy,’ says Martin, ‘but it’s quite light actually.’ Most of the strain, he explains, is through the legs and core, via the harness attached to the waist. The arms only pull on the control bar in order to steer the kite. ‘However, people tend to underestimate the force of the wind and the kite, and they lack the knowledge about what size to put up in particular wind conditions, and that’s when things can go horribly wrong.’

The key to kitesurfing is learning to read the wind and fly the kite.

Typically, lessons start on the beach, where kite control is taught using a small training kite with shorter, easy-to-control lines. Beginners are taught how to watch the ‘wind window’ – a 180° arc in which the kite flies – and they’re instructed how to steer the kite within that window. ‘By spending time steering the kite in the middle of the wind window, you physically experience where the most wind force is,’ says Martin. ‘Initial beach training is all about learning how to use that force, discovering what can be done with it. That force is what you use to get yourself out of the water.’

Having grasped the basics of kite control, beginners then move into the water, where it’s a lot safer and obviously more fun. Before the board is strapped on, though, you get some practice steering the kite as it drags you through the water face-first. It’s called ‘body dragging’, and teaches you how to use your body as a rudder. The next stages teach water-starts and then, ultimately, riding upwind. ‘We have all kinds of tricks to help people learn how to handle the kite and fly more efficiently,’ promises Martin.

‘Most people are able to get up and riding with about 20 hours of training.’

And tricks? South African champ Oswald Smith says that a year’s experience should enable you to start doing handle passes, where you spin around and pass the control bar from one hand to the other. He says that while the tricks happen extremely quickly, during execution, time seems to slow down. ‘Then again,’ he says, ‘the more you think about a trick, the more room there is for error. I just do it.’

Windtown is a small-scale resort with in-house kitesurfing instructors and watersport equipment available for rent. It’s located in Langebaan, an ideal kiteboarding training ground, due to flat water and frequent wind, especially during the peak season (October through March).

Check out www.windtown-sa.com for more info.

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À la montagne!

On test: Renault Duster 1.5dci French automaker renault is no stranger to controversy, and this time it’s outdone itself by making the equivalent of a hummer. at first I was a bit confused. See, renault is better known for zippy hot

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hatches and mummy movers. What could the French know about making a serious offroader that offers a go-anywhere attitude – and remains affordable? clearly they know something, as a partnership with romanian car company Dacia has seen the renault

Duster reach South africa. the Duster is the sum of a number of existing car parts; the diesel engine and 4x4 system are from nissan, while interior fittings come from renault. It’s an interesting mix, but the bonus of using existing technology is that it keeps costs down.

pictures: supplied

pictures: supplied

David Taylor channels his inner French action hero with a surprising new 4x4.

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CARS | ACTION

The Duster is a large, solid offroader, and it looks quite masculine – making it feel like the motoring equivalent of a Gauloises-smoking French action hero.

Because of the low price, you really don’t feel bad driving it over boulders and through sand. In more expensive machinery, you drive around with a grimace on your face, expecting to hear the awful sound of metal scraping on rocks and bushes. But here, turn the drive mode dial from two-wheel to fourwheel drive with lock, and you’ll see offroad performance from the Duster that will make you feel like a general in the French Foreign Legion.

It’s not bad on the road either, with the 1.5-litre diesel engine offering a good blend of performance and fuel economy.

Personally, I quite enjoyed the rough truck-like noise it makes, and I could practically feel manly hairs sprouting from my chest as I drove around.

It may cost only R240 00, but you’re still getting a surprising number of cool gadgets that come fitted as standard.

It has satellite navigation, USB ports for media integration, park-distance control, along with a full set of airbags and other safety features. It also features a large boot, and cabin space is in abundance. It seems Renault really hasn’t skimped on anything with the Duster; this is a very comprehensively equipped SUV. The Renault Duster is a magnificent offering. It’s cheap and competent over the rough stuff, yet still boasts 21st-century creature comforts for the family. If you’re after something that can match the big boys in the dirt and provide easy day-to-day driving, but don’t have pockets deep enough for a Land Rover, this is your car.

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S n i p p e t S

Tanks, tanks! Get your cheap tanks here!

Tired of taxis cutting you off? Considering taking on the e-toll gantries? Might I interest you in an armoured vehicle? Tanksforsale.co.uk is offering some classic, low-mileage Cold War-era beasts at competitive prices. If tanks are too slow for you, check out the selection of armoured trucks.

Bulletproof German car-maker Mercedes-Benz is offering armoured versions of its M-Class SUV. The bodywork has been reinforced, and the windows have been thickened, with a polycarbonate layer to prevent shards from flying inside the cabin. The tyres are able to run effectively even while fully deflated, and the entire vehicle conforms to international VR4 ratings, meaning it can withstand high-powered handguns as well as an AK-47.

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cool car things

ACTION | CARS

Ever wanted to show your love of car brands, but can’t afford the actual vehicles? Check out these cool motoring-related items.

Siemens, Bosch and Porsche Design teamed up to create this nifty stainless-steel kettle. It’s a simple, classic design (like a Porsche 911) and the manufacturers claim it’ll be reliable (like a Porsche 911).

R850, shopza.porschedesign.com

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French carmaker Peugeot has a huge reputation for bicycles and grinders. Be it coffee beans, salt crystals or peppercorns, Peugeot’s grinders are surprisingly popular in Europe and boast impressive levels of durability. R360, www.cutleryandmore. com/peugeot

FERRARI GOLF BAG

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3

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Ferrari and golf aren’t exactly a match made in heaven, especially when you realise that golf clubs can’t even fit in the boot of one of the famous red sports car. Nevertheless, this is a stylish and unique golf bag that should make your mates jealous. R9 733, store.ferrari.com/en

RENAULT GORDINI HANDBAG

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se Becaulove we allist al

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R

Gordini is famous for the little blue Renault race cars with white stripes, and this sexy little number is for women who appreciate handbags and motorsport heritage. Perfect for girlfriends who have to put up with their men’s obsession for all things petrol.

R900, www.renaultboutique.co.za

ASTON MARTIN CUFFLINKS

Astons are symbols of understated luxury, which makes these subtle cufflinks the perfect accompaniment to your new suit. Hopefully you’re mature enough to avoid the awful cliché of ordering your martinis shaken, not stirred… R1 100, www.astonmartin.com/en/shop

text: david taylor; pictures: supplied

the fiver

PORSCHE KETTLE

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EDIBLE GARDENING | CONSERVATION

How does your garden grow?

text: Life is a Garden, Anthony Sharpe; pictures: Life is a Garden, Anthony Sharpe, supplied

Why trek to the shops every time you want fresh herbs or veggies, when you can grow them in your own back yard (or on your balcony)?

THE NEW YEAR has rung in, the naughty Christmas elves have sown all our clothes at least two sizes smaller, and we all have a long list of New Year’s resolutions we’re intending to keep for at least a month or two. Luckily, that’s all you’ll need in order to reap massive rewards from at least one of your resolutions – if you have ‘Plant a small organic kitchen garden so I can pick fresh, healthy and tasty herbs and veggies on demand’ on your list.

Why not make life more affordable and convenient by having ready access to fresh herbs in spots on a sunny windowsill or in a small garden just outside the kitchen? If you only have a balcony, there are some gorgeous vertical planter bags and stands you can buy.

Otherwise, there’s the DIY method:

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organise yourself some basic materials and get constructive.

Step 1: Find yourself a pallet. These are used to transport goods to and from warehouses. You can buy new or second-hand ones, and some businesses may even give you an old one for free, if you’re lucky.

Step 2: Get yourself a staple gun and some landscape fabric. This can be bought at nurseries, and you’ll need enough to wrap one side and three edges of the pallet, with a folded hem on each edge so it doesn’t tear.

Step 3: Choose a selection of plants – bushy herbs and vegetables work well, as do flowers such as pansies and petunias, to add a bit of colour.

Step 4: Wrap your pallet like a present, leaving the top edge and front side (with the narrow slats) open.

Step 5: Lie the pallet on its back and fill with potting soil, working in some organic fertiliser or bone meal as you go.

Step 6: Make troughs between the slats and pack your plants in tightly, about a dozen per row. Pack any gaps with potting soil.

Step 7: Leave your pallet garden lying flat for two to three weeks, to allow the plants to take root, watering daily.

Step 8: Stand your garden up against the wall. Consider tying or nailing it in place.

For more detailed instructions, check out www.yuppiechef.com/spatula/ how-to-make-a-pallet-garden or lifeonthebalcony.com/how-to-turn-apallet-into-a-garden. Or, if you’re feeling lazy, just ask Mooibos Gardens (www.mooibos.co.za) to make you one.

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EDIBLE GARDENING | CONSERVATION

Pesto recipe

LET US GROW These little guys have humble beginnings and delicious ends.

WET YOUR PALLET A pallet garden needs to rest flat for about three weeks before being stood up.

Some herbs to whet your culinary palate Rocket - This peppery, nutty flavour is a winner in salads, on sandwiches, in soups and stir fries, or even as the main base of a delicious sauce. You can pick fresh leaves throughout the year if you pinch off the top tip, preventing it from flowering.

Basil - There are plenty of different types of basil, but sweet basil is the most popular variety in cooking. Basil is probably best known for its use as a pesto. It complements all types of meat and fish dishes, and is a delicious addition to any salad.

Parsley - Best known as a garnish, parsley when cooking, should be added just before the end to get the best flavour. This is a versatile herb that will never go to waste if you plant it in your kitchen garden.

For more info on bringing life to your garden, check out www.lifeisagarden.co.za or join the conversation on www.facebook.com/lifeisagardensa.

Ingredients: • 2 cups of lightly packed fresh herbs (rocket and basil make good pesto) • ⅓ cup pine nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds or cashews can be used) • 2 large cloves freshly crushed garlic • ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese • ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil • salt and pepper to taste Pop the herbs, pine nuts, garlic and parmesan into a food processor, and chop coarsely by pulsing. While it’s still running, slowing pour in some of the olive oil, until it forms a paste, and then season with the salt and pepper.

You don’t have to use all the oil, but remember that pesto is quite oily, so don’t make it too dry.

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AmAruLA | CONSERVATION

il ants e o id th t la ru tiox and men a M s an id, eat in c ac s tr ria. a t a a i cond oleused mal an k is for d r ba an

Amarula:

text and pictures: supplied by Amarula

the produce of an African original harvest At the height of the African summer, parts of sub-Saharan Africa, such as Phalaborwa in Limpopo, are filled with the exotic and alluring fragrance of ripening marula fruits. the succulent yellow fruit is a critical ingredient in Amarula, providing its unique taste. When ripened by the sun, it becomes plump with flavour and falls to the ground, where it is gathered by local rural communities

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and taken to Amarulaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s production centre in Phalaborwa. harvesters are paid for every kilogram they deliver to make Amarula, and the proceeds of their pickings have become a valued source of income for their families.

After being individually checked for ripeness and superior overall quality, the marulas are crushed with their skins. the fruit pulp is cooled and maintained at a low temperature

before undergoing a double distillation process. it is then aged in wood for two years. the final blend is completed with fresh dairy cream.

Visitors to the Amarula Lapa nearby can experience the deliciously creamy and luxurious taste of Amarula and learn more about how itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s made.

For more info, call 015 781 7766 or email ltmhlarhi@distell.co.za.

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Test your knowledge Theme: moneTary maTTers 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Where does our currency’s name come from?

What does ZAR stand for?

In what year was the SA rand introduced?

What was the name of the mascot that was created to introduce South Africans to the rand after the pound system?

When the rand came into being, how many rands were there to the pound?

In which year did Tito Mboweni become the 8th governor of the SA Reserve Bank?

Which cent coin went out of circulation in 1973?

In which year was the R5 coin introduced?

Which historical figure’s face was featured on SA bank notes before the introduction of the Big Five?

WHO AM I? Can you guess who these sports figures are?

1

He is the executive chairman of Pepkor, which owns retail business giant Shoprite Checkers, and he’s worth $3.5-billion dollars.

He was SA’s finance minister until September 2008. According to family legend, his great-grandfather was a Portuguese immigrant, and he studied civil and structural engineering.

He is South Africa’s richest man.

He was born in Soweto, and is the founder and executive chairman of African Rainbow Minerals.

2

3

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10. In 2012 the SA Reserve Bank and commercial banks withdrew the 1990 series of which notes due to high-quality counterfeits?

11. Almost two years ago, President Jacob Zuma announced that SA would be issuing a complete set of bank notes bearing whose face?

12. Who is the current finance minister of SA? 13. The tiny province of Gauteng contributes more then 33% to the national economy and what percentage to the GDP of the entire African continent?

14. SA has almost 50 000 millionaires. Almost half of them live in which city?

15. In which year was the bi-metal R5 coin introduced?

Can You Guess?

Unshuffle these images to figure out the names of two South African towns:

Get Wordy Balderdash or on the ball ... we test your word skills (a) adscititious \ad-siTISH-uhs/ 1. additional 2. creative 3. takes advantage of

(b) animalcule \an-uhMAL-kyool\ 1. a cure for a disease commonly spread through animals 2. a strain of swine flu 3. a microscopic animal

(c) obsequy \OB-sikwee\ 1. Obikwa’s new wine 2. a funeral ceremony 3. something hidden or not obvious Quizz Questions: 1. The Witwatersrand; 2. From the Dutch: Zuid-Afrikaanse rand; 3. 1961; 4. Decimal Dan; 5. 2 rand = 1 pound; 6. 1999; 7. ½ cent coin; 8. 1994; 9. Jan van Riebeeck; 10. R200 note; 11. Nelson Mandela; 12. Pravin Gordhan; 13. 10%; 14. Joburg; 15. 2004 Get Wordy: A = 1, B = 3, C = 2 Who am I? 1. 1. Christoffel Wiese; 2. Trevor Manuel; 3. Patrice Motsepe Can You Guess? Bedford; Hankey

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BuSInESS | STUFF

Scrimping and saving your way into 2014

With the high of the Christmas holidays behind you, there are now bills to pay, school fees to settle and a new year staring you in the face. So what, asks Katherine Graham, will be your financial priorities in 2014?

picture: Shaun Reddiar

Live within your means This is easier said than done. We as South Africans are notorious for spending more money than we earn.

According to the South African Savings Institute, household debt in the country is well above 75% of disposable income – sobering stuff. |So your first financial priority should be to live more simply and avoid credit as much as you can.

Start by analysing your monthly bank statements. ‘You need to understand where your money is going each month,’ says Windall Bekker of Rezco Asset Management. ‘Once you’ve identified any trends, it’s easy to see where you can cut back.’

Obviously, entertainment is a prime suspect. Instead of eating out, try to limit your spending by staying home more often.

The next step is to draw up a detailed budget. You can do this by using a spreadsheet or nifty online tools like MS Money. ‘When you create your budget, you should align your expenditure with your vision for your future,’ advises financial abundance coach Vangile Makwakwa. ‘For example, if your goal is to move up the career ladder, part of your budget should be allocated to extra studies.’

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Vangile also recommends having a ‘fun’ budget for pampering yourself. ‘This allows me to spend money on myself without feeling guilty, because I’ve already budgeted for it,’ she says.

Save first, then spend Investment guru Warren Buffet once said: ‘One should not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving.’

Sound advice that’s backed up by his net worth. A good rule of thumb is that you should aim to invest 10% to 15% of your gross income in your retirement.

Save up for things like family holidays, rather than paying for them on credit.

‘It all comes down to delayed gratification,’ says Laurence Hillman, MD of 1Life.

‘Often saving towards something can be far more gratifying and enjoyable than buyer’s remorse or trying to pay off credit.’

Applying for a loan Need to borrow money to finance a new home, a car or your studies? ‘First, you need to fully understand the reason why you want to borrow the money, which will then inform the type of loan you require,’ says Nedbank spokesperson Anton de Wet. Make sure you’re not robbing Peter to pay Paul, as this will only provide temporary relief and won’t solve the underlying problem.

Shop around to find the best interest rate, although sticking with your own bank can also keep things simple. ‘Remember, the longer the loan period, the more interest you pay and the more expensive the loan is,’ says Anton.

Another thing to watch out for is whether you get penalised if you settle the debt before the repayment period ends. ‘Discuss the terms and flexibility,’ advises Beata Carstens of Veritas Wealth. ‘You must be able to pay it off quickly without incurring penalties.’

Turn clutter into cash If you’re desperate for some extra bucks, why not scour your home, garage and garden for stuff you don’t use, and sell it online? Whether it’s an antique vase, a disused pram or the baggy pants your mom gave you for Christmas, there’s a huge market for second-hand goods. And best of all, advertising your goods online is free if you use websites like Gumtree or OLX.co.za.

Cut down on caffeine So the barista at Vida knows you by name? Perhaps it’s time to cut down on your coffee habit. Consider this: if you stop buying a takeaway latte every day on the way to work, you’ll save yourself a tidy R4 800 by the end of the year.

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PROPERTY | STUFF

Moneysaving tips for a new year Whether you’ve splurged on a summer holiday abroad or kept your festive season more low-key, chances are you’re feeling the pinch and are eagerly awaiting January’s pay cheque. But until then, here are some helpful tips from Property24.com to make saving money at the start of the year a bit easier.

picture: supplied

Green and mean ‘Going green’ are familiar buzzwords for the environmentally aware homeowner. The great news is that by implementing some green strategies in your home, you can do your part for the planet while also saving yourself a little bit of cash. For a start, invest in some cotton shopping bags or store some hardy plastic bags in your car so you don’t buy new ones with each shopping trip. Recycle all your glass, paper, tins and plastic; or, better yet, reuse these to make creative décor

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features such as a wine cork pin board or a stylish wall display of pretty crockery. You can also create your own compost from your organic kitchen waste, which will save on plant food for your garden.

Home a-loan Paying off a home loan takes years, but people are happy to do it because at the end of it, you own your very own home – and what could be better than that? Not much, other than paying it off sooner perhaps. What many people don’t realise is how easy it can be to do this. Make January the time when you give your home-loan payments a boost, however small. Paying a little extra into your bond each month can, in fact, cut off months and even years of your repayment period and save you money.

Use Property24.com’s Home Loan Calculator and see just how much you can save depending on what you pay each month.

Bring out the DIY list Who doesn’t have a list of things to do to improve their living space? Use this

time wisely; save money by staying in and ticking a few things off your list in the most cost-effective way. This is not only a productive way to spend time, but it can also be fun and incredibly satisfying. There is a wealth of articles to help you with your household maintenance, and décor ideas that are light on the pocket and can turn your house into your dream home.

Get energy-friendly We all know we should be more conscious of saving energy around the house, but take the beginning of the year as an opportunity to put this into practice and see just how much you can save on your power bill. Simple ideas, such as turning off lights when you’re not in the room, switching to energy-saving lightbulbs, using solarjar lights for outdoor spaces, keeping showers short, and avoiding heaters or air-conditioners as much as possible can make all the difference.

With these homely tips, your home can be the perfect answer to your costcutting New Year’s needs.

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Healthy New Year!

January is all about starting afresh – or as fresh as you can after that New Year’s jol. Give yourself a fighting chance with Annie Brookstone’s top tips.

Nope, I’m not telling you to write off the first day of the week (alas), but it turns out that Mondays are good for something after all: quitting. A new study focused on online searches involving giving up smoking has found that the desire to kick the habit (or at least to Google it) is 25% higher on a Monday than the combined average searches on Tuesday through to Sunday.

Monday’s nicotine-nixing searches were a staggering 145% higher than those of

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Saturday. The message? Fresh week, fresh start (not to mention fresh breath).

Make this Monday count.

[Think] Back to the [Happy] Future Looking to boost your positivity for the year ahead? Spend some time dwelling on the past. According to research published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, getting all mistyeyed and nostalgic can actually influence your optimism about the future.

Illustrations: shaun reddiar

Give up on Mondays

2013/12/12 2:14 PM

HEALTH | STUFF

‘Memories of the past can help to maintain current feelings of self-worth and can contribute to a brighter outlook on the future,’ said the researchers from the University of Southampton. Well, go on, you old sap you.

More of this, less of that Make a few clever, healthy substitutions in your favourite recipes to cut the bad, not the taste.

Lose it: Butter, oil or sugar in baking.

Use it: Applesauce. Used in place of sugar, applesauce adds sweetness without the kilojoules, and won’t stubbornly cling to your butt like butter.

Lose it: Mayo or sour cream.

Use it: Fat-free Greek yoghurt. The consistency will have you fooled, and because it has a mild taste, you can play

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around with herbs and spices to flavour it in any number of ways.

Lose it: Pasta Use it: Baby marrow ribbons. Look, no one is expecting you to break up with spaghetti entirely, but replace half the pasta in a dish with sautéed baby marrow ribbons (created using a vegetable peeler) to add some sneaky additional greens to your diet.

red-faced – but only for short periods at a time (phew). Bursts of activity are followed by periods of less intensity, like running at full tilt for a minute, followed by two minutes of walking, repeated five times for a 15-minute workout. The result? A fast, fat-blasting workout that offers improved athletic ability to boot. Bring it!

The movement to join in 2014 The American College of Sports Medicine survey of fitness trends destined to be big in 2014 is sure to have you sweating … in a good way. Its top contender for fitness movement of the year: high-intensity interval training (HIIT). HIIT involves working out as hard as you can – think breathless, sweaty,

2013/12/09 4:18 PM

STUFF | COLUMN

Three, two, one…

HEIGHTS TERRIFY ME. I don’t mind being in tiny planes or hot-air balloons, on rooftops or high mountains. I love glass-bottomed cable cars, paragliding, and high-speed rollercoasters that make your eyeballs bulge out of your skull. My fear isn’t irrational. As long as I’m securely strapped in, have something to hang onto, or there’s a solid surface supporting both my feet, I can usually cope.

It’s the idea of falling that paralyses me, turning my knees to jelly and making my brain feel like it’s spinning. Stand me on a high-altitude ledge with a drop on one side and I’m overcome by debilitating vertigo. My intestines shrivel and my sphincter tightens.

So, inexplicably, there I was, poised at the edge of a bridge, gazing into the deadly abyss waiting – just beyond the tips of my toes – to consume me. My legs were tethered by rubber bands, but as someone’s thick Kiwi accent explained what was happening, all I could hear was a voice inside my head: ‘You are going to die.’

A carefree New Zealand road trip had landed us in Queenstown, famous as the adventurer’s lunatic asylum where commercial bungee-jumping was born. We’d gone there to hike in the mountains, maybe try white-water rafting. Gentle, sane stuff. We’d all agreed: no bungee-jumping. We’d leave that for the idiots.

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But as the gorge miles beneath my feet blurred in and out of focus, I realised that I’d strayed from the plan. Large quantities of beer were involved and I’d fallen under the spell of some shaggyhaired daredevil who’d convinced me to sign up for the thrill of a lifetime. I’d drunkenly misplaced my instinct for survival and was raring to go.

Now sober and queasy, I prayed silently that the earth would swallow me up and rescue me from my own folly. But my behaviour was counterintuitive; all I had to do was insist that I’d changed my mind and I’d be free to walk off the bridge, instead of jumping. But pride and morbid curiosity had got me this far, and seemed determined to push me over the edge.

I was still engaged in lengthy internal dialogue, weighing up the pros and cons of the risk that was about to befall me,

when I heard the culmination of the infamous countdown, and with splitsecond decisiveness, leaped off the bridge. Time slowed as a barrage of screamed expletives left my mouth, followed by a long, loud, jubilant ‘Woooohoooo!’ I was exhilarated. Falling, flying, overcoming my worst fear at breakneck speed, I felt simultaneously invincible and alive. Even better: I was alive.

Later, downing celebratory beers with the other extreme adventurers, I realised that my fear had nothing to do with heights or falling. I obviously loved falling, especially from great heights.

What really frightened me was simply the unknown.

And with that realisation fresh in mind, I found myself grappling with a new question: was I ready to bungee from a helicopter?

picture: supplied

Keith Bain takes a leap of faith. And lives to tell the tale.

kulula.com

2013/12/09 2:10 PM

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