The South African, Issue 449, 7 February 2012

www.thesouthafrican.com

7 February 2012 – 13 February 2012

Issue 449

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EARN £31K OR HAMBA! – UK GOVERNMENT South Africans could be kicked out if not “benefiting Britain”

U

by STAFF REPORTER K Immigration Minister Damian Green has unveiled a new plan that will see migrants kicked out after five years if they earn less than £31,000 a year.

According to The Sun, he told an influential think tank, the Policy Exchange group last week, “We will end the assumption that settlement is an option for all. Instead, we will accord it to the brightest and best.”

He argued that foreigners must “add to the quality of life in Britain”, that Britain has no need for more “middle managers” or unskilled labour and only the “brightest and best” will be welcome to settle.

Under current rules, skilled workers such as nurses and chefs who have been allowed in on work visas may apply for permanent residency after five years. On the recommendation of Home Office advisers, Green plans to set a minimum salary of between £31,000 and £49,000.

This would be the first time an income hurdle has been set for migrants who wish to remain.

Each year About 60,000 skilled workers annually win the right to permanent settlement, but the Migration Advisory Committee says a £35,000 pay threshold continued on page 3...

INSIDE:

SA POWER 100: Edward Griffiths | p13 Edward Griffiths is CEO of Saracens Rugby Club a former chief executive of the SA Rugby Union. As a prolific sports writer, he has written the best-selling biographies of Naas Botha, Kepler Wessels, Jonty Rhodes and Joost van der Westhuizen.

Win tickets to Red Hot Chili Peppers l p9 Give it away. Give it away now!

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Bask in Barcelona | p16

SNOW BUSINESS: Ronel van Zyl, a member of our team of contributors, admires a snowman under construction on Box Hill, Surrey on Sunday.

Looking for some winter sunshine after the snow clears? The Catalan capital, Spain’s second largest city is a conveniently close option.

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| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

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Editor: Heather Walker Production: Paul Christopher Daniels Publisher: Gordon Glyn-Jones Registered office: Unit C7, Commodore House, Battersea Reach, London SW18 1TW. Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: editor@thesouthafrican.com Website: www.thesouthafrican.com Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant, N Durrant and R Phillips Printed by: Mortons of Horncastle Ltd

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Exchange rate £1 = R11.95

Tube Closures DLR: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February, no service. Replacement buses operate Jubilee: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February, no service between Willesden Green and Stanmore.

Replacement buses operate.

Metropolitan: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February, no service between Aldgate, Rickmansworth and Watford.

Replacement buses operate. No Chiltern Railways service between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Amersham.

Northern: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February, no service between Camden Town and High Barnet / Mill Hill East.

Replacement buses operate.

Overground: Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 February, no service between New Cross Gate and West Croydon and between Sydenham and Crystal Palace. Replacement buses operate.

WHAT’S ON

February

UMOJA The Musical Date: 31 January – 19 February Venue: Peacock Theatre, London UMOJA is a pulsating musical celebration of South African song and dance, which is set to light up the West End when it comes to the Peacock Theatre from 31 January to 19 February 2012.

Tickets on www. sadlerswells.com

UMOJA: The Musical Breakfast with Steve Borthwick & John Smit Date: Tuesday 27 March 7.30pm Venue: Old Albanians RFC, Woollam’s Playing Fields, 160 Harpenden Road, St Albans, Herts, AL3 6BB Saracens are holding a second business breakfast event at their training ground with Captains Steve Borthwick and John Smit to

talk about leadership.

Steve has been Saracens Captain for the last three seasons, including both Premiership Finals in 2010 and 2011, and World Cup winner John Smit, who joined Saracens in 2011, is the longest serving Springbok Captain of all time.

The breakfast will be hosted

by Saracens and England legend Richard Hill, MBE. Format: 7:30am Arrive & network; 8:00am Breakfast followed by Q and A with Steve & John; 8:30am Further networking; 9:00am Finish Price: £50 + VAT per person or £450 + VAT for a table of 10 Bookings: Ross McCann on 01727 792 807 or rossmccann@saracens.net

March From the townships to the world stage Date: Thursday 1 March at 7.30pm Venue: St James’s Church, 197 Piccadilly W1J 9LL. Two award winning South African singers, Njabulo Madlala and Pumeza Matsikiza, will perform in London to raise awareness for Foodbank South Africa.

FoodBank South Africa is a not for profit company that operates independently on private sector lines. It has donated an estimated 32 million meals worth £10 million and currently feeds 35,000 people a day.

Tickets are priced at £15, £20 and £25.

To purchase tickets visit www.satickets. co.uk or email janet@ foodbankfoundation.com or phone 020 8442 0463.

Hugh Masekela at the Barbican Date: Sunday 10 March 7.30pm Venue: Barbican hall, London Hugh Masekela brings his brilliant young band back to the UK for the first time since his sell-out show at the London Jazz Festival 2010, and will be joined on stage

by Zara McFarlane, a rising star on the British scene.

Celebrating the start of Commonwealth Week, these artists offer a glimpse of the rich culture and creativity the modern Commonwealth has to offer.

Details: www.barbican.org.uk Also in Glasgow, Old Fruitmarket: 11 March 7.30pm.

Please email your events to: editor@thesouthafrican.com.

For more listings, please visit www.thesouthafrican.com

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thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012 |

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Malema loses appeal, still ANCYL leader for now

by STAFF REPORTER The ANC's National Disciplinary Committee of Appeal (NDCA) announced on Saturday that the charges against ANC Youth League president Malema were being upheld, and that he had lost his appeal. Malema was suspended for five years for bringing the ANC

into disrepute and sowing division in the party.

However, Malema will remain leader of the ANC Youth league until the NDCA commences mitigation, said ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu.

Malema has a 14-day reprieve to argue for a lesser

sentence.

However, going back to the ruling party’s disciplinary committee to ask for a lesser sentence might be a political gamble. The ANC may then appeal for a harsher sentence, which may increase the number of years he will be suspended from the ANC.

Only "the brightest and best" can stay

...from page 1 would cut the figure to 20,000. The Coalition has pledged to cut net migration from 242,000 to “tens of thousands”.

It has announced a cap on non-EU citizens and crackdowns on sham marriages and bogus students.

According to the BBC, Green said,”We need to know not just that the right numbers of people are coming here, but that the right people are coming here. People who will

benefit Britain, not just those who will benefit by Britain.”

“Bringing people to the UK who can play no role in the life of this country is unacceptable.”

“I want us to be much more intelligently selective about who we let come here. We need to know that you’re not going to be living off benefits from day one of arriving here.”

Green also announced new specialist routes to improve the visa system for short-term business visitors

and top entertainers, as well as a “young talent” scheme to encourage entrepreneurs and scientists to immigrate.

The Guardian reported that ministers are also proposing to ban British residents from bringing an overseas-born spouse into the country unless they have a minimum household income of £25,700 a year.

As a South African, do you think a minimum £31K salary is fair or unreasonable? Comment on www.thesouthafrican. com/news

WINTER WONDERLAND: People have some frosty fun on Box Hill, Surrey on Sunday. Photo

by Ronel van Zyl.

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| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Comments

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On ‘Foreigners: Earn £31k or leave UK!’ Jill: We should hold them to account for wasting our tax money on developing these silly policies that no-one in their right minds would think was a good idea…

Sifiso: I think they have tried but it’s too late now, the immigrants are even more educated than their own people. They will be begging the foreigners to come and work because British people are lazy and they know their benefits very well.

JqK:Very effective, but in the long run, you're going to be very sorry for doing it. It’s been proven over and over that South Africans do many jobs better, they are hardworking, and will settle for work at minimum wage.

And if they do reach the minimal income requirements of £31,000 per year, will there be jobs on offer for that type of income, and will they benefit coming to the UK with all the new restrictions?

Bet in 10 years the UK will beg immigrants to come back, and make the visa applications a little easier. Take away all immigrants who are willing to work and make the UK a country of “rich” earning individuals?

Studying in the UK is too expensive too. People will start looking at other alternatives, and your own people can't afford to

F O R

T H E

even study, they will rather live off government grants for not been able to get a job, than pay a high amount! People nowadays tend to take the easy way out.

So UK will consist of engineers, doctors, nurses, and the government, solicitors, electricians.

Those are the only ones that get a salary of £31,000. Seriously, you are wasting your time and your money.

I have worked in the UK as a South African for two and a half years, I save your government thousands of pounds per year for my services, I work day and night, seven days a week, and don't even earn £15,000 per year. My job is your future crisis, that you are not aware of yet.

Damon Shurville: Pathetic! I am British but know lots of South Africans, all of whom work hard in educated jobs (teachers, doctors, lawyers and IT consultants).

Putting a minimum salary requirement sounds like sensationalism to me - sounds good but where is the real value? The way to bring more money and the right people into the UK is to kick illegals out straight away (no years of human rights hearings), kick out foreign criminals and religious zealots, stop foreign aid to countries richer than us (ie India) and focus more on educating our own youth so we can compete internationally.

Pissing off people who work hard and make a good living for themselves and our economy is the

C A T ’ S

last thing the government should consider. We should have a points system like Canada for example where your right to be here is based on age, employment potential, language skills etc…. and to have a bond you have to pay to prove you can support yourself for several months (refundable after that timeframe)!

Great Britain – Fast losing the right to use the “Great” part of the name.

Rishi: Absolute bulls**t. Nobody can get a job or pay raise in this current recession.

Even just having a permanent job is a big deal in this recession.

UK Immigration Minister Damian Green has no other work than harassing innocent people.

If you really want to do something then get some employment in this country and stop giving free benefits. I have been highly skilled for the past four years and what benefit do I get?

Benefit of immigration harassing us. Cross questioning us for hours coming in and out of this country.

It will serve your purpose a lot better if you start questioning people who are claiming benefits.

Are they eligible? Do they have second income? Why are they not working? Check their history and records. Set a cap on them for claiming free benefits rather than harassing highly skilled workers.

Use some brains if you have one, any highly skilled worker won’t get a visa unless you approve it and if

W H I S K E R S

I N

UK Immigration Minister Damian Green. Photograph by UKBA Home Office.

you approve it that means you have seen his document and he is capable enough to earn money and pay tax.

Coz if he wont pay tax you won’t give him a visa. So don’t.

All highly skilled workers work hard and pay their tax for 5 years and they have all the right to get ILR or citizenship without you harassment and these stupid comments of claiming benefits.

Vanessa: Quote: “We need to know that you’re not going to be living off benefits from day one of arriving here.”

Am I the only one who had a visa that clearly stated *’No recourse to public funds’*? Clearly South African immigrants (and anyone else not on an EU passport) is not the problem here.

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DON’T PUT A FOOT WRONG

athdesign

A C R O S S

Pierre Marqua: So the Colonial Empire is now xenophobic. Who will do all the kuk work? The lazy Poms won’t.

Wendy Billimore Hinson: Whaaat!

Insane.

George Webb: About time migrants from all countries protest to the human rights commission.

These proposal are ridiculous and an obvious knee jerk reaction from the under-performing, present UK government.

Paul Lacey: Not that I agree with the policy at all but it’s actually this hard to get into the US and Australia too.

COLOUR: Full Colour APPROVED:

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Community

14, with my parents and some other families from my school.

Now, in the interests of accuracy, Kilimanjaro is doable. It’s not K2.

It’s not Everest. It’s a slow, mostly gentle walk through spectacular ROB BOFFARD scenery, and all it requires is a moderate amount of fitness. You could do it. Your mum could do it. Most people hire porters, huge bull-like men who heft almost every item of luggage you have onto their backs and hump them up the mountain, while you trail WHAT is your personal definition behind, carrying some sandwiches of hardcore? What makes you and a bottle of water and stopping step back, puff out your cheeks to watch butterflies flit across the and go, wow, hey, better you path. And by the way, these porters than me, mate? For me, up until do this day-in, day-out as a career, recently, it was the SAS. Nothing so maybe the SAS should get impresses me more than a Special knocked down another peg or two.

Air Service commando. They are But see, that isn’t what makes it the hardest of the hard. They make hard. Pooh-poohing Kili’s status uncut diamonds seem like floppy as a mountain worth climbing is pancakes. all very well from the bottom,.

And then I read the story, But then you’re awake at 2am published on on the ascent this paper’s from the final A team who climbed website a camp to the Kilimanjaro barefoot? My few days summit, and own personal scale of what you’re standing ago, which described the on a virtually is hardcore has just been five South slope given a refit and a spit-shine. vertical Africans composed of SAS? Compared to them, who climbed loose, gritty the final they’re a bit Soppy And Sad. pieces of razorsummit of sharp volcanic Kilimanjaro. Barefoot. My own rock and it’s minus three hundred personal scale of what is hardcore degrees and the wind has picked has just been given a refit and a up and you can’t feel your face spit-shine. SAS? Compared to and oh, by the way, you need to these guys, they’re a bit Soppy suck in four huge breaths to get And Sad. the equivalent of a single lungful It might not seem like that big an of oxygen. At that point, calling achievement, in the grand scheme Kili a soft climb is like saying that of things. The team did it to raise the Rottweiler who just gnawed money for The Children’s Hospital off your arm is usually a total Trust, and they escaped, they said, sweetheart, really. It’s completely with “no serious injuries.” I can academic. The world at 5,000 hear you scoffing already. How metres does not like you one little hard can it be? Well, let me tell bit. you just how hard it can be: very. I Doing it barefoot? There’s only know this because I’ve done it. one appropriate expletive for that: Not barefoot, exactly – I’m Jesus. stupid, but not that stupid.

To the climbers: I salute you.

However, I have climbed I’d bless your cotton socks, but Kilimanjaro. I did it when I was chances are you don’t have any.

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Unlike these shoe-wearing climbers, five barefoot South Africans braved Kilimanjaro to raise funds for charity. Photograph by David Thomas

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Entertainment shrinks your clothes. Particularly in winter. Am I alone in this theory?

Jeans are so tight now – she sighs – why is everyone and everything conspiring against me? Then a little summer dress, now six layers of clothing that makes sitting down in KAREN the tube difficult. Answering your DE VILLIERS mobile is a polar expedition – ever noticed that slight gestures and thick clothing do not gel? As much as I would love to keep the head warm and hair controlled, a beanie A friend from Mauritius sent a text on me is a terribly disturbing sight. this morning, saying ‘Keep Warm.

I will frighten children. I frighten Hang in there.’ myself. But the eventual breaking Cabin Fever is a real sickness – of the camel’s back is… and I lie people suffer from it. We can use not, watching joggers still going at this as a defence when darling it in minus temperatures, in the dark has been found on the carpet with along my road. It is simply not fair. multiple stab wounds. On weekends I have Cabin Fever. I need love and I can spend 24 hours moving within understanding, not some fit looking a space smaller than a dog kennel – bloke with little clothing challenging tragically a massive DVD collection the elements. I need chocolate and I can blame on HMV sales. Winter wine. and moving is not a perfect marriage Hang in there. Keep warm. Bet unless you are sloshing down the she is lying on the beach with her slopes…

Kindle.

My friend has to see me this There is a secret to this. Surviving morning.

Cabin Fever.

Paddy Feeling useless Cabin Fever is a real wagon on sickness. We can use this as and alone call for me. and past the a defence when darling has sell-by date This central heating has been identified on the carpet after-Christmas my hair feeling. The with multiple stab wounds. looking as prospect of if I am permanently under water, snow for one thing. I think we mermaid-like floating from its roots may be blessed and if not, the with the texture of a coir welcome breathtaking, childlike expectation mat and less moisture than the of spring. I will fight the cabin discarded skin of a rattlesnake. Ditto syndrome demon, and the ugly for the skin – scales are prettier no Michelin man coats I see; the bad matter how much cocoa butter I use. beanie moments on the tube. I will I am victim of Radiator Radiation. fight the sniffling, shuffling, sad But live without it: are you mad? It’s faces of February. Am going to solve so cold outside I would rather look the riddle of hard water shrinking like a hag from Macbeth than turn and wean myself off Masterchef and the heat down.

NCIS by summer. Somewhere out I have long since suspected that there there is a life with my name on the hard water in London secretly the label. Be gone Cabin Fever!

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The OPTIMIST

One cabin, with fever, to let

British jazz artist Zara McFarlane is excited to share the stage with a giant of South African music.

McFarlane opens for Masekela

Singer songwriter Zara McFarlane will be the supporting act for Hugh Masekela at his show at the Barbican on 10 March.

by CANDICE MCMILLAN 28-YEAR-OLD jazz singer and song writer from London, Zara McFarlane, will be the supporting act for Hugh Masekela’s show at the Barbican Theatre in London, 10 March 2012.

McFarlane’s silky, soulful vocals and reflective lyrics are skillfully shaped to pull on the heart strings.

She is a talented artist with a true understanding of the language of song; definitely one to watch out for.

We had the opportunity to talk to her and find out a little more: What do you have planned for the Barbican show? Will you be performing with a full band?

I will be performing with my quintet. So, I have drums, double bass, piano and vocal; and then sax as well.

Are you excited to share the stage with the legendary Hugh Masekela?

I’m excited about it. I’ve worked with him before, in a band called Jazz Jamaica. Just to be on the same stage with him again will be great.

Your first full-length album, Until Tomorrow, was released in October 2011. Describe the sound and style of the music.

I think it’s got quite a traditional take on jazz, with some songs having a more contemporary sound. I’ve had some different comments back from people.

I don’t know; other people are hearing different things from it, which is interesting.

What do you find yourself writing about most? What inspires you?

It’s when I’ve got something really strong to say, or I want to make a point about something that I may have experienced or that I feel that I can understand. Mostly, it’s something I find I relate to enough to want to write about it. It can be as varied as love, relationships or just anything that’s going on in the world. But I think on the album it’s more around relationships.

What would you want the listener to get from your music?

To me, the music takes you into another place. You can sit and listen to it (if you have the time to sit and listen to it, haha) and it takes you to a relaxing, laid back place.

Have you always been a jazz performer?

I started out writing when I was young and just singing what I was writing; it wasn’t particularly jazz. I had a very keen interest in musical theatre, so I studied musical theatre at a place called The Brit School of Performing Arts (where Amy Winehouse and a few other well-known artists went as well). A lot of jazz vocal standards come from musicals, and it was probably from that that I started to develop a love of jazz.

The music industry is taking notice of you. Would you say you’ve reached a certain level of success in your life, and was it hard to get to where you’re at now?

To get to this point of having an

album; it was a lot of work for me personally. About four years ago, I got to a point where I wasn’t sure if I was still going to do music or not. I was studying my Masters in jazz, still working with the band and teaching; so it was a hectic time. When I finished my masters, I decided I was going to give it a try and record an EP, which I funded myself. That kickstarted quite a few things. If you don’t try… you don’t know, do you? I’d also worked and invested a lot of time and money developing as a singer and musician, so I’d made the decision that I wasn’t to waste it yet.

Where to from here? What do you want to achieve musically?

Singing is the thing I absolutely love doing. I hope to develop my voice and my skills as a musician even further. I’m really keen to do a lot of workshops as well; I enjoy teaching young people and sharing knowledge.

Where would you really love to perform?

Umm… a couple of places where I am now going to perform, which is amazing, haha! The Barbican is one of them. It’s not confirmed yet, but I may also get the opportunity to perform at Ronnie Scott’s.

What music do you listen to?

Any favourite artists or albums?

I’m listening to a lot of old stuff actually; a lot of reggae music.

I’ve also been listening to an artist called Sona Jobarteh. I really enjoy her stuff at the moment.

Book tickets at www.barbican. org.uk

thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012

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Entertainment

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WIN tickets to Red Hot Chili Peppers at Knebworth 2012!

Give it away now! Enter the draw to win tickets to see Red Hot Chili Peppers put the funk up Knebworth this summer.

Win tickets to a Red Hot Chili Peppers UK gig. Photograph by Clara Balzary

by STAFF REPORTER RED Hot Chili Peppers return to the UK in 2012 for two massive shows at the legendary Knebworth.

The multi-platinum winning funksters are set to perform at Knebworth Park, Stevenage – Saturday, 23rd June and then the Stadium of Light, Sunderland – Sunday, 24th June 2012.

Set to occur just weeks before the launch of the 2012 Olympic Games in London, these two very special Red Hot Chili Peppers shows will be the only opportunity for fans to see the band live in the UK in 2012.

Red Hot Chili Peppers will join a list of luminaries such as Led Zeppelin, Queen, Robbie Williams and Metallica as headliners in front of the iconic Knebworth Castle.

Special guest support acts to be announced soon.

To buy your tickets, visit: www.seetickets.com/tour/red-hotchili-peppers Give it away. Give it away.

Give it away, now! Thanks to Kilimanjaro, The South African has 5 pairsof tickets to Red Hot Chili Peppers at Knebworth to be won.

Enter online at www. thesouthafrican.com/win

Charlize suffers growing pains in new movie

Theron delivers an award-winning performance in the new comedy drama Young Adult.

by NICOLE HOLGATE SOUTH African superstar Charlize Theron turns deadpan diva in the coming-of-medium-age comedy Young Adult, which opened in the UK last week.

Her implacable, straight-up delivery reveals a new edge to her usual blonde ice-queen casting.

She stars as Mavis, the in-denial ex-prom queen from heck, whose inability to realise that no one in her small home town wants her to return and reclaim the love of her life is the lynchpin of the humour.

The main flaw in Mavis’ plan, aside from her inherent brattish nature, is that her high school boyfriend is now happily married with children. Former classmate Matt (Patton Oswalt) is the only voice of reason trying to break through her spoiled narcissism, and their back-and-forth is an enjoyable facet of the comedy.

WITH the director and writer team of Jason Reitman and Diablo Cody, responsible for Juno, you can expect a mixture of the quietly strange and the wilfully mundane.

FANIE os oppie jas

FANIE VAN DER MERWE

Oor soetgoed en suurgoed

SLEUTEL die woorde ‘tips for parents’ in Google se soekspasie in en ’n duiselingwekkende 311 miljoen resultate spring uit die kuberruim in jou gesig. Wat nogal intimiderend is. Doen dieselfde op Amazon se webblad en ‘n relatief meer verteerbare 1,976 boeke maak daarop aanspraak om die gesaghebbendste gids vir suksesvolle ouerskap te wees.

Toegegee, ek het nie jarre se ondervinding met dié tiep van ding nie, maar sover dit my betref kan ál die inligtingsbronne se raad (en raat) in een goue reël saamgevat word: “vat die soet saam met die suur”.

Sedert Ben sy opwagting agt maande gelede gemaak het, was ek gelukkig genoeg om hoofsaaklik die soet van bogenoemde lewenswysheid te kon smaak. By Tesco maak ek van die lekker breë ‘with child’-parkeerruimtes gebruik en by die huis het ek deurgaans iemand om valslik te blameer vir my flatulensie.

Boonop is ek, sonder my aanvanklike medewete, ingesweer by die ekslusiewe NPK (Nuwe Pa’s Klub), waarvan die voordele legio is. As lid van die NPK is ek geregtig op ‘n betekenisvolle kopknik en ’n skalkse glimlag sou ek ‘n mede-lid in ‘n publieke plek raakloop. Selfs al sou dié lid ‘n vreemdeling wees.

Dit waarborg ook dat ek na ander Hugh vir Ad.pdf babas mag3809SER kyk, en- selfs hulle 1

glimlag, sonder om as ’n weirdo of ’n paedo gebrandmerk te word.

Daarbenewens gee dit aan nuwe ouers van die teenoorgestelde geslag die vrymoedigheid om hulle bevalling in die fynste, mees intieme detail met my te bespreek. Van die tempo waarteen hul ontsluit het, tot die proses wat daartoe gelei het dat hulle water breek – niks is buite perke nie, “want jy is ook mos ’n pa”.

Maar van die suur het ek ook al geproe. Doeke is duur en Ben trek dit in elk geval net deur sy gat.

Danksy ontelbare slapelose nagte het die kringe onder my oë aan my die dubieuse bynaam ‘Die Panda’ besorg. Ek het, teen my wil, in ’n bewese kenner van die impak van die stadia tussen vlak slaap en diep slaap ontwikkel (tóg interessant hoe ‘vlak slaap’ ’n anagram is van ‘Vlakplaas’ – en almal weet hoe dinge dáár uitgedraai het). En dan kan ek ons rommel ook nie meer die aand voor die vullistrok verbykom uitsit nie, want die vosse in ons buurt beskou ’n vuil doek as ’n smulhappie en verskeur gevolglik enige swartsak wat dáárdie onmiskenbare geurtjie dra.

My rol as nuwe pa het my ook genoop om vir Ben ’n reeks veeldoelige speelgoed te koop, soos ’n splinternuwe rekenaar en ’n Bosch PSB 650 koordlose kragboor.

Dit was ’n pyniging om dié uitgawes aan te gaan, siende dat ek wát sou wou gee om dit vir mysélf aan te skaf, maar ’n pa sal mos letterlik énigiets vir sy kind doen.

Maar of dit nou die soet of die suur is wat op my wag, haas ek my smiddae koorsagtig huiswaarts.

Want wanneer daai klein vetsak sy tandvleise vir my uitpak, smelt alles eenvoudig hier binne my. En al weet ek hy gaan my nog baie suur besorg, is dit net die soet wat op daardie 26/01/2012 11:09 oomblik tel...

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H UG H M A S EKEL A

Charlize talks about her role in her latest comedy, Young Adult.

As they shift their focus from the youthful optimism of teenage Juno to the caustic self-obsession of Mavis, you will probably find yourself reflecting on your own changed circumstances and the gap between school and real life.

Despite the upbeat music of the trailer, Mavis’ overall chilly demeanour hints that laughs are going to be had at her expense, and that redemption and sympathy are not on the cards. This may be

another exercise in razor-sharp, observational scripting, but aside from the enjoyable parrying scenes between Mavis and Matt, don’t expect a sense of hope to emerge.

However, it is Theron’s performance which has brought the film a very positive reception by critics, and has her nominated for a Golden Globe for Best Actress. www.thesouthafrican.com/ entertainment

Sat 10 Mar LONDON Barbican 7.30PM with special guest Zara McFarlane

020 7638 8891 / barbican.org.uk / In partnership with the Commonwealth Foundation

Sun 11 Mar GLASGOW Old Fruitmarket 7.30PM 0141 353 8000 / glasgowconcerthalls.com

10

| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Entertainment

Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

Bring out your inner dragon; feast at Ládudu Ládudu is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant in London – with a southern hemisphere touch!

by DEBBIE MYBURG LÁDUDU is an authentic Vietnamese restaurant, ideally situated just a short saunter from West Hampstead station in North London and not far from central London.

It offers sumptuous food in a stunning oriental locale. This popular restaurant truly has an amiable ambience and everyone’s there not only for the food, but for the experience of just being there – the perfect combination for a top notch restaurant in my books. It’s a relaxing and warm space with a candlelit hue and the smell of fresh herbs. It’s no wonder people arrive at Heathrow and head straight here – just to have a Vietnamese coffee!

Ládudu was started by head chef Teresa Le as a small business teaching Vietnamese cooking in private homes and cooking classes around London. It is now co run by chef Tristan Lee Son, who was born in South Africa. Teresa is originally from Australia and the menu reflects the fusion of Asia and a hint of the southern hemisphere too. It’s comforting to know that at the end of a meal you can still order a habitual rooibos tea!

The food is fresh and healthy and there is a wide choice. We ordered the chargrilled stuffed baby calamari with pork and prawns as an appetiser, which was cooked to absolute perfection. For mains I ordered from the special Chinese New Year menu. I had the chargrilled chicken served with tangy lime sauce and lemongrass with fresh bean sprout noodles.

Ordering off the usual menu was

Chef Teresa Le is the lady behind Ládudu restaurant.

also no mistake. The pan fried marinated pork was perfect and tender. To top it off I had a moist and light caramelised pear sponge cake served with homemade lychee ice cream. Simply divine!

I had a South African wine which complimented the meal perfectly but, the drinks list is plentiful. All the food is environmentally friendly with products sourced ethically or with support for charitable causes.

To top it off the fare is reasonably priced at under £10 for a main, with generous portions.

The service by the energetic staff is also worth mentioning. Passion for food and an engaging vibe adds that extra bit of a class to this already exotic culinary experience.

Details:ladudu.com

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER For you and your loved one at London’s most popular South African bar and restaurant.

❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ VALENTINE’S OFFER ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ ❤ Four course menu including a glass of Champagne and a red rose. £35 per person.

❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤ For information or bookings: E: bbar@rchmail.com or T: 020 7958 7000 43 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0PP

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and restaurant

Hu tieu rice soup with noodles is one of the many authentic Vietnamese dishes served at Ládudu.

Not just a One Night Stand Beat the winter blues at newly renovated Walkabout Temple

by HEATHER WALKER MISSING that Southern Hemisphere warmth? The newlook Walkabout Temple, which has just reopened with a bang after a £600,000 renovation, is guaranteed to add a sizzling ray of sunshine into your dreary UK winter.

We attended the big launch of Happy Thursdays last week, complete with happy hour prices until 9pm, and a special edition Standeoke – karaoke with live band One Night Stand.

Our evening started in the chilled Temple Beach Club, which with its rustic surfer décor was a cosy reminder of home despite the somewhat Arctic weather outside.

Then come 9pm we moved into the main room, which has been converted into Walkabout’s flagship venue with a new stage for live acts, a room length bar, and a seating deck overlooking the dance floor. Stilt walkers handed out inflatable cartoon microphones to add a touch of silliness to the fun party vibe.

For every singer who dreamed of being in a rock band, this was their big moment as they grabbed the mike to perform alongside the note-perfect One Night Stand.

Dull ballads were banished from the playlist, with performers rocking out instead to classics like AC/DC's 'Back in Black', Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer' and Michael Jackson's ‘Billie Jean’. The audience seemed to be having an even better time on the dancefloor, while even the staff were seen busting out a few moves.

One thing's for sure, the new Walkabout Temple ain't no one night stand. We'll be back soon.

The new-look Walkabout Temple opened with a big launch party last Thursday.

11

thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012 |

Business: News

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Making 2012 count at the SA Business Club Goals were set, networking done and some new faces joined in at this month’s SA Business Club event.

by PAUL HARRISON ON Monday 1 February, Deloitte in Stonecutter Court, London, hosted the SA Business Club’s monthly networking event.

A great turnout of South African business people were treated to a fantastic presentation by David Anderson from the world famous Dale Carnegie Training. David presented on how to effectively set goals for 2012 and how to get the leverage to achieve the goals set.

The presentation was well received and followed by the networking section of the evening where the attendees enjoyed some light refreshments and had the opportunity to meet fellow business people and obtain

new business opportunities.

It was great to see a significant number of new faces who have joined the ranks of the SA Business Club. First time attendee Andre Mostert, Development Manager for Cogito Development Projects said he had met a number of people he had a lot in common with and had complimentary business interests with.

The next event will be held on 7 March where Lisa MacLeod, managing editor of the Financial Times will be speaking.

Book: www.sabusinessclub.com For more information e-mail reception@sabusinessclub.com See more photos from the event on page 6.

Legally Speaking: Olympic visitor visa

Q

: My parents from South Africa want to visit the UK and attend some of the Olympic Games events.

Are there any special arrangements regarding visitor visas for this period? : Firstly, it is important to remember that South African citizens are visa nationals and need to apply for a visitor visa before travelling to the UK as tourists.

There is no special visa for visitors

A

to the Olympic Games. However, the standard processing time for visitor visas is 15 working days, but visitor visas for the Olympic Games are now already being processed.

So, it might be a good idea to avoid the upcoming rush and possible disappointment and apply for the visa as soon as possible.

They can contact our affiliate office in South Africa for assistance at info@breytenbachs.co.za

Mark de Stadler (Dale Carnegie Training) and Jo-Anne Deeb (Sable Group) were some of the many attendees.

JP Breytenbach – Director of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants Ltd www.bic-immigration.com or info@bic-immigration.com

BUSINESS IN BRIEF

Old Mutual shares jump

AS reported on IOL, Old Mutual shares jumped in Johannesburg as the financial services group says it will pay out £1 billion ($1.58 billion) in a special dividend of

18 pence per ordinary share. Old Mutual sold its Nordic business in 2011 for $3.34 billion. The insurer says it will use the remainder of the proceeds to reduce debt.

SA and Cuba strike a deal for grants and R210m loan AS reported in Business Day, at a ceremony in Pretoria, Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies and Angela Villa, Cuba’s ambassador to South Africa, signed a document that both said was aimed at

stimulating trade between the two countries. The signing was a follow-up to President Jacob Zuma announceing an economic assistance package to that country, comprising of two direct grants and a repayable loan.

CATCHPHRASE: “Car Crazy” THE description given to South Africans who still seem happy to spend huge amounts of money on new cars despite the global economic faltering state.

According to Business Day, South

African’s demand for new vehicles has increased by 7% over the last year. A worsening economic climate seems to be doing little to dampen our efforts to keep up with the Joneses!

Strong Rand Signals Mixed Emotions THE Rand began trading last week Monday the 30th January 2012 around the 12.21 mark against its British counterpart and 10.26 to the Euro. The Rand closed significantly stronger on Friday the 3rd February 2012 at 12.07 to the British Pound and 10.05 to the Euro.

There has been a huge turn around in the Rand over the past couple of weeks. This can be partly attributed to the positive Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) data. The PMI rose to 53.2 in January 2012. This breach above the 50 mark is an indicator that the country is in an expansion cycle where anything under 50 would indicate contraction as in December 2011 where the PMI dropped to 49.4 This strength is generally positive news for South Africa. A strong Rand reduces the price of essential imports such as oil and textiles into the country. Government’s debt yields are also falling due to the dampening effect that the currency is having on inflation.

Global investors are turning their attention to the SA stock market which has been hitting record highs in the past few days.

During the 4th Quarter of 2011 when the Rand was weak we saw inflated profits and now this turn around in the currency trend is threating to harm South African exports such as gold.

South Africa’s petrochemicals group, Sasol, saw earnings rise by as much as 90% during the first half of December when the Rand was weakening. This rise in earning can also be attributed to higher oil prices.

GBP/ZAR:

EUR/ZAR: USD/ZAR: AUD/ZAR:

11.96 9.916 7.594 8.127

Composed by Paul Gerber Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to South Africa then please register/login or call us for a live dealing rate.

Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the rand exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

Brought to you by

Call 0808 168 2055

12

Business: Careers

| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

THE GRAFT IS GREENER Kurt Won

Co-founder & Director Sales Partners London

by PAUL HARRISON

Born: Pretoria How long in UK: 13 years Job: Co-founder & Director SalesPartners London Background: I am a fourth generation South African born Chinese. I love rugby, cricket and hunting.

Matriculated: Pretoria Boys High in 1999.

Studied: University of Bath with a BSc (hons) in Business Administration.

Worked: Barclays Global Investors for 3 years as a fixed income strategist and portfolio manager.

Motto: “The fastest way to learn is to teach”

What do you do in your job?

I am part of an international team of entrepreneurs, called SalesPartners, who use 25-yearold proven methodologies and processes that have helped thousands of business owners to increase their sales and income anywhere from 15-85% in just a matter of weeks, reduce their costs and help them keep more of the money they make. The methods we use combine business and personal development to help individuals within business teams to exceed their goals.

Most recently, I have been working with a sales director of a technology company. He had a

monthly sales goal of £55,000 and had not sold anything in the first two weeks of the month. After working with me for two weeks, he sold £100,000 and smashed his targets to earn the commission he needed to move into a new home.

Since then I worked with one of their lowest performing sales managers, who had issues with self esteem and self sabotaging deals.

He was consistently only achieving about 15% of his quarterly targets over the past year and a bit.

After five weeks of working with me on the Little Voice issues in his head and teaching him some new skills, he went from 10% of his quarterly target (around £99,000) to 157% of target. Now I work with this company on a monthly basis to help them achieve their goal of increasing revenues from £1.3 million to £2 million.

And I’m happy to say they are overachieving their target so far.

Most exciting thing about your job?

The first thing I have to say is that I don’t consider what I do a “job”.

It’s actually my passion. The most exciting thing is seeing how many people and businesses need what we do and of course seeing the results – people achieve more than they ever thought they could – and seeing them transform into more confident, capable and clearer decision makers.

The other exciting thing is also all the opportunities that are

SITE MANAGERS REQUIRED

Due to our continued expansion as a National Main Contractor, we currently seek a number of experienced Site Managers for immediate starts.

Candidates should possess a proven track record of Quality and Delivery in a similar position within a main contracting background. Experience within the Retail Construction Sector would be advantageous although not essential, as experience from a range of construction sectors will be considered.

Please respond via e-mail to: rob.oconnell@basebuildservices.com with CV and References.

surfacing to be able to work with some interesting businesses in sectors such as technology, fashion and finance.

Most challenging thing about your job?

Having to deal with the mindset of the business leaders we’re working with. We have all been conditioned from when we’re young to think and behave in a certain way, creating habits, some that help you and some that don’t. And those behaviours, the Little Voice in the leader’s mind, can be their biggest asset or the biggest obstacle to them achieving what they want in business. Our role is to help transform the mindset of the leaders and employees to facilitate the achievement of breakthrough results.

Tell us an interesting story related to your job SalesPartners was founded by Blair Singer, best friend and Rich Dad advisor to Robert Kiyosaki (author of best-selling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad). And we had the opportunity to promote a Robert Kiyosaki event here in

London. I got an email from a woman in South Africa asking for details of the event so I called her back immediately and she was absolutely stunned to hear from a South African affiliated directly with Robert. It was one of her dreams to see Robert, and she didn’t know how she could do it.

But I spent some time with her on the phone and helped her create a plan to raise the money for the event and her flight and she made it over and realised her dream. And I think she’s now creating a plan to help people in South Africa to become more financially educated.

I love helping people achieve their dreams.

Do you think being South African helps you in your job?

I think it has. I believe South Africans are some of the hardest working out there and that has rubbed off on me.

My experience of being South African has created a big spirit inside me that never lets me give up, and that’s important in business and entrepreneurship and I’ll always be grateful for that.

Feel free to email me at kurtw@ sp-ww.com or give me a call on 07960 360 951.

PROMOTION

Tips to the top:

Is your language holding you back?

Q: I have some pivotal conversations coming up with Senior Management. What advice can you give me to help me communicate with them.

A: Dr. Judith Baxter, Senior Lecturer of Applied Linguistics at Aston University observed and recorded board meetings in 7 FTSE 500 businesses and analysed how women who have reached the top communicate and interact with their colleagues.

What she discovered is a key skill needs to be learnt in order to survive and be successful at the top. It’s the trick of avoiding the verbal trap that Dr. Baxter calls, ‘double-voiced discourse’ (DvD).

Some examples of DvD are as follows: • To pre-empt criticism about a new policy, a senior executive to their team: 'I know what's going through your minds, so let me just say what I think first...'

• In case s/he didn’t hear an important point in the discussion: ‘Correct me if I have missed something here, but it seems to me that...’

This self-deprecating language can express a charming humility.

On the other hand, there are certain national cultures and

Alison Kemp, Communication and Transformational Creativity (also at www.switchvision.co.uk)

working contexts in which such forms of expression can hold you back.

Blake Hall Business School The Programme in Creative and Innovative Leadership Tel: +44 (0) 20 7252 2033 Email: enquiries@ blakehallbusinessschool.com

Business PHocus PAUL HARRISON

“I don’t have the time…!”

DON’T you hate it when someone gives you that answer when you have asked them to do something for you in the workplace?

I once worked for a boss who, to put it lightly, was a bit of a raving lunatic and if you said that to him, you stood a pretty good chance of getting “The hairdryer treatment” from him! It was the one thing you never said to him.

A few years later, we caught up and laughed about it but he said to me that what got him so upset about that comment is that it was NEVER true. He went on to say that we all have 24 hours in a day, we all have things we have to do and people normally do things that matter to them – a form of prioritising.

He went on to explain that “I don’t have the time” was a polite way of saying “I don’t consider your request to be the biggest priority in my life right now…!” It made sense from that point of view.

Woe betide you if you said that you didn’t have the time and still took an hour for lunch!

It’s never that we don’t have time, it’s just that we are not prioritising those requests that highly.

13

thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012 |

Business: SA Power 100

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Edward Griffiths

Read interviews with other SA POWER 100 achievers... on our website: TheSouthAfrican.com/Business/SAPower100

CEO of Saracens Rugby Club | Sport and Media Consultant | Sport Writer

by GORDON GLYN-JONES

CAREER TRAJECTORY: • Born in Zimbabwe, educated in England.

• Started his career as a sportswriter in South Africa with Business Day. • In 1990 became the youngest ever sports editor of Sunday Times, during South Africa’s re-admission to international sport.

• Became the first Chief Executive of the South African Rugby Football Union, a position he held throughout the 1995 Rugby World Cup, possibly the greatest moment in SA sporting history.

• Had a stint as the General Manager of SABC television sport.

• Worked on both the Cape Town 2004 Olympic bid and South Africa’s 2006 soccer World Cup bid.

• Instrumental in marketing World Cup 2010 internationally.

and an impeccable academic understanding of sport and sport management. Of the notoriously acrimonious and passion-fuelled South African rugby scene Griffiths says: “South African rugby has evolved as a world of glory and honour, but it is a world that very few manage to leave without regret or rancour.”

The combination of journobusinessman is a potent one, especially as conflicts in the Premiership often play out in the media. While storms rage concerning SA ownership of the club, location of the home ground, Ventergate and missing press conferences, every new Saracens headline increases the value of not only the club, but of the entire competition.

While the spirited stance could most politely be put down to a pro-

Stephan Pretorius

Marjorie Ngwenya

President of Acceleration

Director at Mazars Actuaries & Consultants

active management style, masterful handling of all elements of the club keeps Griffiths from threatening the club’s fortunes. (As Brendan Behan warns: “There is no such thing as bad publicity except your own obituary”). However, with Saracens always in the top of the table and six of their players recently selected for England in the Six Nations, the tactic doesn’t look like it will backfire anytime soon. www.thesouthafrican.com/ sa-property/60-seconds-withedward-griffiths.htm To see the full article and SKY interview clip go to www. thesouthafrican.com/business

WORLDWIDE TAX SOLUTIONS

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• He has written ten books, including the best-selling biographies of Naas Botha, Kepler Wessels, Kitch Christie, Jonty Rhodes and Joost van der Westhuizen.

He assisted both Francois Pienaar and Gary Teichmann with their autobiographies.

Other books: The Captains, Bidding For Glory, One Team One Country.

EDWARD Griffiths’ business style is pro-active, creative, intelligent and incisive. He's not one to shy away from conflict should the battle be worth fighting. For example, in a furore surrounding the disciplining of then Saracens Director of Rugby, Brendan Venter, Griffiths accused the Rugby Football Union of running the English game "like a rural prep school". Venter then gave the by now famous deadpan, non-committal SKY interview with hapless English interviewer Martin Gillingham.

Venter's veiled sarcasm clearly parodies what he considered the muzzling tactics of the RFU. In support of his colleague, Griffiths said at the time: "That's what you call an ERC-style interview."

Griffiths is reputed to be a gifted negotiator, his decisions always backed up by experience

A World Wide Tax Solution Company is the answer to all your tax problems and needs.

WWTS CAN OFFER:  Administer and enforce laws of taxation within the UK and Internationally  Advice and consult on all matters of taxation  Accountancy Services and Formation of companies  20 years South African tax experience

Edward Griffiths. Getty Images

Contact: Teresa Tel: 07789952025 Email: teresa@worldwidetax.co.uk Website: www.worldwidetax.co.uk

14

Business: Careers

| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

Job opportunity for native Afrikaans speakers in UK Requirements: graduate or post-graduate, self-disciplined with analytical skills and attention to detail

by STAFF REPORTER MEDIA analysis company CARMA International is looking for UK-based speakers of Afrikaans to mother-tongue standard to read and code media coverage on a part-time basis from home. Applicants should also have excellent English language skills.

Each article is assessed according to a methodology in which all researchers are fully trained before beginning work. When each assignment of articles is completed a short written report is delivered covering the top themes and stories of the month/quarter.

Salary: £10 per hour gross for a reading rate of six to nine articles per hour depending on the project.

UK National Insurance and selfemployed tax reference number essential. The hourly rate includes coding and data entry of articles. A separate payment can be billed for each written report.

Requirements: graduate or postgraduate, self-disciplined with analytical skills and attention to

detail; deadlines and working under pressure no problem. Must have own Pentium 2 PC or laptop with Windows XP or Windows 7 (not Apple Mac unless it has Windows operating system). Broadband necessary and Skype desirable.

Please don’t respond unless you fulfil the following criteria: • Graduate • Afrikaans speaker to mother-

tongue standard • Own or have access to a laptop or PC running Windows XP or Windows 7 • Available for part-time work from February and on an ongoing basis Apply online via the Gumtree: http://www.gumtree.com/p/jobs/ media-researcher-afrikaansspeaker/95364561

BHP exits titanium, sells stake to Rio Tinto

by STAFF REPORTER THE deal would double Rio Tinto’s stake in RBM to 74%, with black economic-empowerment partners holding 24% and employees the remaining 2% stake.

BHP Billiton South Africa chairperson Xolani Mkhwanazi said that the company’s position in RBM was a non-operated shareholding in an industry in which it held no other interest.

“BHP Billiton will continue operating in Southern African

energy coal, aluminium and manganese businesses in a sustainable manner,” he said.

Rio Tinto manages RBM and markets its products, including titanium dioxide feedstocks, high purity iron, zircon and rutile.

“RBM is an important part of Rio Tinto’s world-class titanium dioxide portfolio. Doubling our stake in the business solidifies our position at a time when the longterm outlook is strong and demand for higher-grade titanium dioxide is growing, driven by urbanisation and rising environmental standards,” commented Rio Tinto diamonds and minerals CE Harry Kenyon-Slaney.

As part of the restructuring of RBM in 2009, BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto concluded a put option agreement, which made provision for BHP Billiton to sell its interest

in RBM to Rio Tinto pursuant to an agreed valuation process.

The completion of the sale was conditional upon the fulfillment of customary regulatory approvals, with the final consideration to be determined according to the agreed valuation process.

Mkhwanazi noted that the parties would work together to facilitate a smooth transfer of BHP’s stake in RBM. RBM produces around 1.9-million tons of product a year, of which 95% is exported, and with zircon and rutile separated and sold in their mineral form.

Titania slag and pig iron are the bulk of the business, and the combined output of the four furnaces is some one-million tons of slag and 525 000 tons of iron a year.

Source: Mining Weekly

BUSINESS EVENTS

Breakfast Indaba Putney - 9 February 2012 at 7am Guest speakers will be Ronel van Dijk (Chief Financial Officer) and Pierre van Tonder (Managing Director) of Spur International.

Book tickets on www.satickets. co.uk

Breakfast Indaba Victoria - 16 February at 7am Guest speaker is Kegan Lovely from Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Mark de Stadler from Dale Carnegie Training who will be giving an educational. Book tickets on www.satickets.co.uk

15

thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012 |

Business: Classifieds

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

ACC & FINANCE

Use accountants that do more than ‘crunch’ the numbers... let us help grow your business Company formations and Secretarial Services Business planning & development • Management support • Team training & development • CFO/FD Services • pay only for time required by your business • Compliance Services • Accounting Services • Profit improvement programs • Taxation planning • Personal and Corporate • Contracting solutions

Call Exceed UK now for a no obligation discussion on +44 (0) 870 060 0996. www.exceeduk.co.uk

KALAHARI MOON WESTON The Southern African Shop in Weston (Opp Tesco car park entrance). Wide range of SA and Zim products. Relax in our licensed cafe while shopping. And try our South African homecooked food.

7 Lockling Road, Weston Super Mare, BS23 3BY. Tel: 01934 708089.

Email: Info@kalaharimoon.co.uk KALAHARI MOON The Southern African Shop in Bristol.

Wide range of stock including excellent boerewors and biltong. Centrally situated, friendly service. Connecting South Africans.

Tel: 0117 929 9879 Address: 88 - 91 The Covered Market. st Nicholas Market, Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1JQ Email: Info@kalaharimoon.co.uk Website: www.kalaharimoon.co.uk NO1 SOUTH AFRICAN SHOP Lots of lekker stuff for a taste of home.

Including fantastic biltong, droewors and boerewors. 5 Marlow Drive, St Catherines Hill, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 2RR. The shop is about 2 miles north-west of Christchurch town centre and 6 miles north-east of Bournemouth town centre.

There’s loads of free parking and the shop is easy to get to from the A338.

Tel: 01202 496041 10’ish to 6pm 7 days a week. www.no1southafricanshop.co.uk

www.biltongstmarcus.co.uk Email sales@stmarcus.co.uk

Gold Medal Winners for Beef Biltong and Boerewors 1998.

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IMMIGRATION

FOOD & DRINK ABANTU BUTCHERS Abantu Butchery boerewors specialist, supplying wholesale and catering and retail shops as we are fully EEC licensed, we can also supply vacuum packed steaks in any quantity you may require.

Probably the best boerewors you have tasted at a remarkable price. 19 City Arcade, City Centre, Coventry, CV1 3HX Tel: 02476555767 CAMBRIDGE & VILLAGES Toft Shop – Village Shop & Post Office With a South African section selling all your favourite tastes from home! Pop in and pick up your treats – Biltong; Boerewors; Koeksisters; Rusks; Sweets; Chips; Groceries etc. Web: www.ToftShop.co.uk Tel: 01223 262 204. CB23 2RL CANTINA LAREDO Enjoy the fresh & vibrant tastes of real Mexican cuisine! The best fillet & rib-eye steaks you have tasted in London.

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Guacamole, Enchiladas, Tacos, Salads, Fish, Chicken & Desserts to die for!

Great atmosphere & South African hospitality. 10 Upper St. Martin’s Lane, Covent Garden, WC2H 9FB. T: 0207 420 0630. www.cantinalaredo.co.uk info@cantinalaredo.co.uk Leicester Square/Covent Garden THE CHICHESTER BILTONG COMPANY www.biltongcompany.co.uk The best of British from a friendly bunch of South Africans who made Sussex our home. But there was one thing we couldnt live without from our native land..Biltong!

So we made our own using traditional recipes handed down through generations.

We only use the finest prime British beef!

Get our “readers 10% EXTRA FREE” offer by using the VOUCHER CODE ‘SA10’ CRUGA Home of CRUGA biltong. Cruga’s factory shop offers a full range of South African and Zimbabwean groceries plus boerewors, droewors and of course biltong. Tel: 01908 565 432 Email: biltong@cruga.com Web: www.cruga.com Address: Tilers Rd Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, MK11 3LH

SHEBEEN BAR Edinburgh’s only South African bar has opened in Leith. A unique, stylish bar with something for everyone,delivered by experience and friendly staff. As expected we stock a large range of South African beers, wines, ciders and snacks, including a classic selection of cocktails and Dom Pedros. Opening hours are from 12pm to 1am. Come down and enjoy a true taste of Africa.

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Food Shops

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Voted the BEST tasting Biltong and Dry wors by thousands of SAFFAS living in South West London THE BUTCHERY - Everything made on site including our burgers and delicious Boerewors, plus our range of Beef, Pork, Chicken and Spicy Lamb sausages.

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Tel: 01628782511 ST MARCUS FINE FOODS Largest importers & producers of SA foodstuffs in UK. Retail & wholesale. 1 Rockingham Close, Roehampton, Putney SW15. Tel 020 8878 1898. Biltong Factory is now open to the public. 8 types of Boerewors. All SA foodstuffs stocked.

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ADVERTISE HERE To advertise in The South African e-mail advertise@ thesouthafrican.com or phone +44 (0) 845 456 4910

16

| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

Basking in Barcelona

The eccentric designs of Antoni Gaudi.

Photography by Jaume Meneses.

Looking for some winter sunshine? Barcelona is a conveniently close option.

by DEBRA WIDDICOMBE THE Catalan capital is a feast for the senses.

From fabulous architecture to one of Europe’s finest food markets called La Boqueria, a South African travelling to Spain can experience Barcelona in all its glory.

What is the first thing that many people think of in the UK when they hear the word ‘Barcelona’? It may well be FC Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, who recently said that he will ‘share this award with Xavi’ after claiming the FIFA Ballon d’Or for the third year in succession. You may want to visit the Camp Nou and find out more about the history of this famous club.

Ryanair and EasyJet offer relatively cheap flights to Barcelona Girona Airport. Ryanair flies from London Stansted whereas EasyJet flies from London Gatwick, so choose the most appropriate departure point to fit your location.

Spain’s second largest city is a lively and cosmopolitan place. The locals have a fierce pride in their Catalan heritage and a passion for great food and unusual architecture. If you then add in the world-class museums and the bustling bars, cutting edge restaurants and some of the best city beaches in Europe, you’ll see why it is such a popular destination.

WE WANT YOUR STORIES Are you a budding travel writer? Want to share a recent trip with us? Send your 500 word story and pics to editor@thesouthafrican. com Or let us know if you would like to read about a particular destination! We’ll try our best to fulfil your wish!

Barcelona’s centre is the atmospheric Old Town. Here, beautiful buildings date from medieval times. Its Barri Gotic area, also known as the Gothic Quarter, has enchanting winding alleys which lead to pretty squares, hidden courtyards, grand palaces and ornate churches, including Le Seu cathedral.

Nearby La Ribera has a maze of narrow streets. You’ll find the lovely church of Santa Maria del Mar and the Museu Picasso, which houses the artist’s early work. Despite the Old Town’s charm, other areas of the city are also a delight to explore.

The Eixample is where you’ll find the finest examples of Barcelona’s amazing Modernistic architecture, including the eccentric designs of Antoni Gaudi. Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece, La Sagrada Familia, was worked on by the architect until his death in 1926. It is expected to be completed in 2030.

Montjuic is a hill-top oasis of palaces, museums and gardens, while down by the waterfront, make sure you enjoy a stroll around the yacht-filled Port Vell or relax on the award-winning La Barceloneta beach.

A return to the Old Town as the sun goes down will enable you to mingle with the locals and other tourists as they sip glasses of

Cava at sidewalk cafes before heading off to a local restaurant or tapas bar.

Barcelona’s cuisine is a wonderful mix of the traditional and modern. In recent years, experimental chefs have reinvented Catalan cuisine and brought it to the attention of the world, but more classical cooking is still easy to find and as delicious as ever. Catalan cuisine has French, Roman and Moorish influences.

Catalonia is Spain’s main sparklingwine producing region, so have a glass of refreshing Cava while you’re there.

Enjoy exploring Barcelona and bring back memories of a truly Spanish experience … disfrutar!

Take a breathtaking stroll along the beach.

Photos by Aaron Sarauer (above and top left).

17

thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012 | Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

This page proudly sponsored by

®

Zimbabwe Community

Mugabe’s “had his time”- so what next?

According to his closest officials, the 32 year-rule of Robert Mugabe is soon to come to an end. But who will replace him?

by BEN BLECH TO no one’s surprise, in the event of Mugabe’s retirement, a younger successor will be hand-picked by the leader himself, most likely someone who will shield him from facing charges for a string of human rights abuses and keep his Zanu-PF party in power.

It is widely believed that the veteran leader is preparing to do whatever is necessary to win Zimbabwe’s upcoming election, which he hopes will take place this year. But there is no certainty as to who his replacement will be.

Senior Zanu-PF officials told the Sunday Times that Defence Minister Emmerson Mnangagwa has been given the green light to take over as president, who despite involvement in serious human rights abuses, remains a powerful figure within Zanu-PF. Mnangagwa’s competitors include State Security Minister Sydney Sekeramayi, and Vice-

President Joyce Mujuru, who many critics say is now in a weaker position following the (officially accidental) death of her famously well-connected husband, General Solomon Mujuru.

According to TimesLive, at a meeting at Zanu-PF headquarters, Mugabe allegedly told his closest associates he wanted to retire because he had “had his time” and wanted to “make way for a younger successor”.

Zanu-PF declined to provide any further details of exactly what is in store for Zimbabwe after Mugabe’s final term was over.

Party spokesman Rugare Gumbo did stress that the future of Zimbabwe would not be dictated by the West and would be decided by none other than Mugabe, a man described as “unstable” by Mujuru, shortly before he was found dead at his home near Harare.

President Robert Mugabe’s time could be up if the most recent speculations are true. Photograph by Neal Young.

Emirates makes first Zimbabwe flight

by STAFF REPORTER IGNORING the embarrassment of the Air Zimbabwe debacle, Zimbabwe’s Transport Minister Nicholas Goche was a passenger on the Emirates maiden flight into Harare last week, reported SW Radio Africa.

He joined other government ministers and singers Oliver Mtukudzi, Dudu Manhenga and Victor Kunonga in celebrating the arrival of Emirates into Zimbabwe.

The airline officially began its five-day-a-week flight schedule to Harare from Dubai.

Last month it was reported that Goche had suspended all regional and international flights by Air Zimbabwe, fearing seizure of its remaining planes by creditors.

Flights to the United Kingdom and South Africa especially were frozen until debts have been paid.

Goche said the arrival of Emirates was a significant development.

“We welcome the entrance of a truly global airline; with an extensive network, large fleet and great reputation for quality service which will greatly improve choice and connectivity for Zimbabwean travellers,” he said.

Economic commentator Bekithemba Mhlanga told SW Radio Africa that the celebrations

Government ministers and singers celebrated the arrival of Emirates’ maiden flight into Zimbabwe.

were more political than economic given Zimbabwe’s international isolation. Mhlanga said for some in government Emirates coming in offered them a symbolic victory as airlines like British Airways had deserted the market.

A recent newspaper poll had

Goche as one of the worst performing ministers in the coalition government. He was accused of failing to come up with rescue measures for parastatals like Air Zimbabwe, National Railways of Zimbabwe, and the Civil Aviation Authority of Zimbabwe.

Murder suspect found hanged

by STAFF REPORTER ZIMBABWEAN Jasper Taruvinga, chief suspect in the murder of Malawian student Rudo Mawere in Dublin, has been found dead in Kent, UK. The woman's body was found stuffed inside a travel bag in a Dublin street two weeks ago. The Guardian reported that Taruvinga, who had been living in Coventry, is thought to have fled into Northern Ireland after the killing and onwards by ferry to Britain.

A dog walker came across his body in a wooded area in the small village of Higham.

It is thought that the man, who was allegedly in a relationship with the murder victim, killed himself. Foul play is not suspected in his death.

Detectives are working on a theory that Mawere may have been strangled by a male friend in a row over the repayment of money she had lent him.

18

Sport

| 7 February – 13 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

This page proudly sponsored by

Take on the Argus Cycle Tour for Starfish!

Among the cyclists taking part in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour to raise awareness and funds for Starfish is first timer Des Bravington, a South African living in the UK.

by STAFF REPORTER THE fantastic 110km Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour takes place on 11 March. This famous challenge takes you on a breathtakingly beautiful circular coastal route from Cape Town down the Cape Peninsula.

Why not take part part in this popular event for Starfish Greathearts Foundation?

Starfish takes inspiration from

Arthur Newton who became known as a ‘Greatheart’ after winning the Comrades Marathon five times in the 1920s and generously donating life changing sums of his prize money to good causes. Starfish uses sporting events to raise money for children affected by HIV/AIDS in South Africa.

Among the cyclists taking part in the Cape Argus Pick n Pay

Cycle Tour to raise awareness and funds for Starfish is first timer Des Bravington, a South African living in the UK. He explained why he was keen to take part on behalf of the charity.

“I decided to raise money for Starfish for several reasons. I have known about the charity since about 2003 when a close friend told me about the impact Starfish was having in South Africa supporting children affected

by HIV/AIDS. I wanted to raise money for Starfish as I like the fact that Starfish supports and empowers local communities and partners, helping one child at a time is wonderful and feels like a really positive, sustainable approach.

“In connection with the Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour, I wanted to pick a charity that was registered in the UK so I could collect gift aid from my friends donating here, that worked in South Africa where the ride is and where I am from, and which would be relevant to my South African friends and family,” Des added.

Des will be joined by a regular participant cycling his 22nd Argus in a row, James Durrant, owner of The South African and a Starfish trustee. They have been training

here and will head back for the event in March.

You can join James, Des and the others to turn the tide on AIDS. Why not link the trip up to a holiday? Or perhaps there is a wedding in March you need to head back for?

Sign up today!

If cycling’s not your thing but you too are inspired by people like Arthur Newton then why not sign up to another Starfish challenge.

Whether you want to run the Reading Half Marathon, do a skydive or trek in China or Peru, we have the event for you!

To sign up or for more information visit www. starfishcharity.org, e-mail hester. enthoven@starfishcharity.org or call 020 7597 3797.

First timer Des Bravington, a South African living in the UK, will be cycling on behalf of Starfish

Friday 24th February 6pm till 6pm Pedal Studio, Putney, London

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Call: 020 7597 3797 SIGN UP TODAY! Email: ukinfo@starfishcharity.org Visit: www.starfishcharity.org For more iinfo f please l visit i it our website: b it www.starfishcharity.org t fi h To register contact Hester at hester.enthoven@starfishcharity.org or 0207 597 3797

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19

thesouthafrican.com | 7 February – 13 February 2012 |

Sport

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MIND THE RUCK ROB FLUDE

The Divvy Scorecard: Part II THIS is the continuation of the Peter de Villiers exit scorecard as Springbok rugby coach.

Last week I scored him 6.5/10 on results, 5/10 on his both relationship with the media and his selection.

4. Coaching team (5.5/10) As backline coach, Dick Muir was out of his depth. Gary Gold was fantastic with the forwards, and I would speculate that the silly decision to accommodate John Smit at tighthead was de Villiers’ alone. He did show some humility in getting Rassie Erasmus, Os du Randt, and Jacques Nienaber on board towards the end of his tenure, but it was too little, too late. His scapegoating of Gold and Muir in 2010, and also hanging media man Anthony Mackaiser out to dry, left a bitter taste in the mouth.

5. Gameplan (5/10) Having waxed lyrical in 2008 about employing a running game, de Villiers’ player-central setup revolted and the Boks returned to a kick-and-chase style that worked for the new global rules in 2009. However, the rules changed again, and he was slow to adapt gameplan and selection.

The Boks had been labelled too structured and thus boring, something which was in stark contrast to his original stated intentions.

6. Player Management (6.5/10) There is no doubt that de Villiers was a popular figure among the players. Why wouldn’t he be? He gave them free reign and backed them to the nines, even in stressful times (the Schalk Burger eye-gouge being the famous example). Ultimately, this only served to remove power from his hands and the tough decisions that needed to be made, such as installing Bismarck du Plessis as the top hooker, were made impossible.

7. Transformation (8/10) de Villiers’ record with selecting players of colour was no better or worse than any recent Bok coach. However, he will attract criticism from some quarters for not improving that situation.

Yes, Gio Aplon, Juan de Jongh and Beast Mtawarira have become stars, but they were not regularly in the starting line-up.

However, de Villiers gets full marks for how he made the Boks the “team of the people” and in that sense, he did transform the Boks. His offering of the players to the nation had no peer, and he was always welcoming and friendly. It can also be argued that by appointing de Villiers as the figurehead of transformation, SARU’s gamble in 2008 has paid off in terms of spreading the game to the black majority, the demographic that is bursting with talent. That surely will only serve to grow the popularity among that group in terms of viewership and support. Perhaps it was a

necessary pain.

8. Relationship with employers (SARU) (6/10) Things were always strained and one got the feeling that the Super Rugby coaches did not want to work much with him, and that SARU were continually covering for his gaffes in public. Given that no coach before him had much success in this department, it would be unfair to score him low here.

9. Value attached to Bok jersey (8/10) Even though his selection policy left a lot to be desired, de Villiers rarely gave away test caps for the sake of it, his only errors being persisting a bit too long with guys like Adi Jacobs and Ricky Januarie. The team was always first and the Springbok was always priority number 1 under de Villiers’ watch, and he lined up some great guests for the traditional jersey handover before tests (Andre Venter, Heyneke Meyer and John Mitchell to name a few).

10. Relationship with other international coaches (5/10) It’s quite difficult to say whether the other coaches respected him, but I fear the worst as rival coaches let de Villiers make a fool of himself by refraining from comment. One of his worst utterances of diplomacy was after beating England at Twickenham in 2008, and he said “It was great to come here and whip the Poms.” I’m not sure that would have gone down too well with Martin Johnson! Also, stating that he had a big mouth like Graham Henry was also not the best display of tact.

So by my count, Peter de Villiers scores 60.5 out of 100,

Du Preez to steer Boks?

by STAFF REPORTER ALTHOUGH new Bok coach Heyneke Meyer said after his recent appointment that a new captain was still far from his thoughts, according to Rapport, Meyer has his eye on Fourie du Preez to lead the Springbok rugby side.

Former Blue Bull scrumhalf Du Preez has 62 Test caps and currently plays rugby in Japan.

It has been said that Meyer and the South African Rugby Union (Saru) will try to lure Du Preez back to South Africa as a short-term option to try and get Springbok rugby back on track.

Du Preez is apparently not viewed as a permanent candidate to lead the Boks to the 2015 World Cup. Should SARU and Meyer fail to lure the player back from Japan, Schalk Burger is a likely second choice, Sport24 reported.

The Stormers captain and flank impressed with his leadership during last year’s unsuccessful World Cup campaign.

Fourie du Preez could possibly lead the Springboks according to reports.

which roughly reflects the most important metric, the results. The man behind the moustache did entertain us all, but that was not his primary job. The Springbok has been somewhat wounded during the past 4 years, and it

is time for a rugby guru to take the reins and guide us to world domination once again. Maybe, just maybe, the 4 year agonising wait has given Heyneke Meyer the unwavering desire to attain that goal.

SPORT

7 February – 13 February 2012

DU PREEZ TO STEER BOKS?

NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS

19

MIND THE RUCK: THE DIVVY SCORECARD: PART II 19

www.thesouthafrican.com

SA PLAYERS HELP ENGLAND BEAT SCOTS Mouritz Botha and Brad Barritt make their rugby debuts for England in the team’s first match of the Six Nations.

by STAFF REPORTER SA-BORN Saracens players Mouritz Botha and Brad Barritt made impressive debuts for England this weekend, helping the rugby side to a convincing 13-6 victory against Scotland in the Six Nations.

Former Sharks player Barritt made more tackles than anyone else, 13, and according to The Guardian, his on-theedge defiance proved infectious, allowing England to ensure that errors were not costly.

"We did not have the majority of the possession but in the two weeks we have been together we have developed a strong identity and culture so that everyone on the field put their bodies on the line. The defence and the line speed were incredible and when

Scotland did make line breaks, we showed great character in scrambling back," Barritt said.

Barritt seems to feel at home in the team.

"Each guy was willing to die for the cause. We were spoken to as equals.

The feeling of everyone being behind you was an emotional, life-changing experience. There is a brilliant camaraderie in the squad and a strong team ethic," he added.

According to The Guardian, there was concern that the Saracens players, in particular the midfield triangle of Charlie Hodgson, Owen Farrell and Barritt, would have to dispense with their club's pragmatic approach to rugby because of England's desire to play a wide and fast game, but it seems the will to win triumphed over idealism in the end.

South African-born Saracens player Brad Barritt

ISN’T IT BEAUTIFUL? Join Londoner Des Bravington to cycle the 2012 Cape Argus in support of the Starfish charity. See page 18.