The South African, Issue 450, 14 February 2012 by The South African

www.thesouthafrican.com

14 February 2012 – 20 February 2012

Issue 450

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£31K: DON'T PANIC, YET Experts say proposed income restriction likely to be revised - but immigration crackdown imminent

by HEATHER WALKER proposal by UK Immigration Minister Damian Green that suggests non-EU migrants earning less than 31k after five years will not be welcome to stay has made many South Africans extremely concerned and confused. We contacted some immigration experts to find out the real implications of this proposal. How likely is it that such a restriction will come into force? According to Catherine Maclay of Platt & Associates, “The UK government is quite serious about sticking to its election promises to reduce net migration. The government has tasked the Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) with researching labour market trends and needs as well as the country’s economic requirements, to design a more ‘selective’ system of immigration, especially permanent migration to the UK. However, she said it was important to remember that these recent announcements are about proposed changes to the immigration rules. “They aren’t in the immigration rules as yet and until such time as changes to the immigration rules are made, these remain proposed changes. Any changes to the rules which may be made in coming months may also be challenged on a number of legal grounds which should also be borne in mind.” Verity Marshall, acting manager of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants, echoed Maclay’s

out images of the new notes on www.thesouthafrican.com/business  Check

INSIDE:

SA POWER 100: Charles Barlow | p10

Renaissance Capital Managing Director, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions (New Markets), on what it’s like being part of the high stakes world of mergers and acquisitions.

What you can do with rights l p4 MANDELA SENDS RAND INTO TAILSPIN: President Jacob Zuma displays the first new R50 note bearing the image of Nelson Mandela. On Friday the news that Zuma would announce something of “national importance” with Reserve Bank Governor Gill Marcus and Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan on Saturday, sparked fears of major policy or personnel changes and a flurry of nervous selling ensued. However, the revelation turned out to be that Mandela’s image would soon appear on all bank notes. Image: BuaNews

view. “The key thing to bear in mind is that this 31k income threshold is just a proposal, and has to go through much consultation before being passed into law. Chances are that it will be heavily fought against in the courts should it go ahead.” Marshall added that she thought the plan was unfeasible as it ruled out

people doing essential work who are on a lower salary than 31k. Is 31k a blanket figure or will exceptions be made? Laura Pinto, UK casework manager at 1st Contact believes it’s quite likely the government will implement an income threshold but it may not be as high as 31k. “The Migration Advisory

Committee (MAC) report puts through a number of suggested figures – 31k is on the higher end. It’s also likely, according to the report, that if you’re married, your spouse’s income will also be taken into account and may mean your required income threshold will be lower,” Pinto said. continued on page 3...

On his recent visit to London, Justice Edwin Cameron, Justice of the Constitutional Court of South Africa, shared his optimism on the state of human rights in SA.

Upstairs with Aletia | p8 Aletia Upstairs, a Londonbased SA-born cabaretist and singer-songwriter of jazz and chanson, performs her intriguing new show, In These Shoes, on 23 February.

| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

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Tube Closures Circle: Sat 18 and Sun 19, no service. District: Sat 18, no service eastbound from Embankment to Upney and westbound from Barking to Embankment. Sun 19, no service between Embankment and Upney. DLR: Sat 18 and Sun 19, no service between Stratford International and Canning Town. H’smith & City: Sat 18 and Sun1 9, no service between Moorgate and Barking. Metropolitan: Sat 18 and Sun 19, no service between Wembley Park, Northwood and Uxbridge and between Aldgate and Moorgate. Northern: Sat 18 and Sun 19, no service between Camden Town and Kennington via Bank. Sunday also no service between High Barnet and Camden Town before approx. 0845. Overground: Sun 19, no service between Richmond and Willesden Junction and between New Cross Gate and West Croydon and between Sydenham and Crystal Palace.

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. Tickets on www. sadlerswells.com Breakfast Indaba – Victoria Date: 16 February from 7- 8.30am Venue: BBar, Victoria The Breakfast Indaba is a monthly networking opportunity for South African business people in London. Guest speakers are Kegan Lovely from Bank of America Merrill Lynch and Mark de Stadler from Dale Carnegie Training who will give an educational talk. Ubuntu International Project: African fashion showcase Date: 19 February at 11am - 1pm Venue: Freemasons Hall, London Following the success of

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last years debut showcase of three South African designers – this season Ubuntu International Project will be throwing a wider net by introducing modern heritage aesthetics from South Africa, Uganda and Nigeria. “The cornerstone of the second Ubuntu showcase will be the 3 Rs so aptly embodied and coined by Jose Hendo “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

March From the townships to the world stage Date: 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

Njabulo Madlala Breakfast with Steve Borthwick & John Smit Date: 27 March at 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 Saracens Captain Steve Borthwick and Springbok Captain John Smit to talk about leadership. The breakfast will be hosted by Saracens and England legend Richard Hill, MBE. Price: £50 + VAT pp or £450 + VAT for a table of 10 Bookings: Ross McCann on 01727 792 807 or rossmccann@saracens.net

Please email your events to: editor@thesouthafrican.com. For more listings, please visit www.thesouthafrican.com

thesouthafrican.com | 14 February – 20 February 2012 |

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Wait nearly over on South Africa’s giant telescope bid Directors meet to decide whether SA or Australia will house world’s biggest telescope.

by DAN SWINHOE SOUTH Africa will soon hear whether its bid to house the world’s most powerful telescope is successful. The decision on who will host the new Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be announced at the end of February. The SKA board of directors will receive a report from the advisory committee along with a recommendation for their preferred site on 15 February, and will meet a week later to discuss the findings. If a site is agreed it should be announced soon after. The choice is between South Africa (with Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Kenya, Zambia and Ghana) and Australia (with New Zealand). These two locations have the least light and radio interference which could interfere with the images the telescope will produce. The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be made up of thousands of small receptors all linked together. Spanning upto 15m wide and spread across a continent, it will be able to see back in time to the forming of the first stars and galaxies. If South Africa wins the bid, the Karoo site in Northern Cape will

South Africa will know by the end of February whether or not it will house the Square Kilometre Array telescope.

be the core site, though parts of the telescope will be based in other countries. Work on the Karoo site has already started with MeerKAT, a smaller prototype of SKA, and has attracted interest from the

scientific community. The SKA will be completed around 2024 and the budget for building it is €1.5 billion, with an estimated €150 million per year operating bill. Once finished, it

will be 50 times more sensitive, and will survey the sky 10,000 times faster than any other telescope. The masses of data it will collect will be processed in centres around the world.

Don't let immigration changes catch you out

...from page 1 What can you do to make sure you’re not at a disadvantage? In terms of qualifying for Green’s desired “brightest and best” Maclay advised, “Migrants would be well advised to keep their careers and continuing professional development on track to ensure they have the best chance of being identified as having skills that are valuable to the British economy.” She emphasised, “Migrants should not be complacent about their immigration status in the UK, especially if they are thinking of settling for the long term. Where they would not be able to settle under future implemented changes to the immigration rules, they should consider other immigration avenues in their unique personal circumstances that may lead to settlement.” She added, “Many migrants will have objections to changes they feel are unfair to them and they can challenge through legal mechanisms and by approaching their MPs. The discussion is by no means simple, and many migrants lawfully in the UK are working and paying taxes here so they feel they should also have a say in the debate about their future as well as the future of the country to which they already contribute.”

| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

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Justice Edwin Cameron: The Power of Rights On 25 January Justice Edwin Cameron gave The Law Commission’s annual Lord Scarman Lecture in London.

by CAROL FREEMAN STANDING over six and a half feet tall, Justice Edwin Cameron enters London’s iconic Middle Temple Hall, where he is due to give a lecture to the Law Commission on rights, with a commanding yet composed presence. This South African seems as comfortable in this ancient Elizabethan Hall as he has been leading marches of colourful protest through the streets of Johannesburg. A veteran advocate of human rights, Justice Cameron is dignity personified. Although he has tight constraints on his time for the day, he has been careful to ensure he gets to speak to The South African and kindly pours tea for us as we sit down. He is excited to talk about South Africa’s Bill of Rights and the lessons other countries can take from the South African Constitution. He recognises that there are positive lessons and cautionary tales. “A bill of rights can have very positive effects in containing government power, in helping people to feel a sense of individual agency, not just as subjects of the law but as agent…There’s lots a bill of rights can do in activating people, in changing government actions. “[But] rights can’t do everything. You can’t stop corruption through

F O R

T H E

rights; you can’t ensure service delivery through rights. ” Cameron was invited to the United Kingdom to offer advice as the UK is investigating the possibility of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights in favour of a British Bill of Rights. Cameron believes a sense of ownership of a constitution is vital. “You have to get the public to accept the idea of a bill of rights, which is their own protection, but which paradoxically involves a limitation on their own power as the populace.”

A veteran advocate of human rights, Justice Cameron is dignity personified. South Africa has faced international criticism because although it is recognised as having one of the most liberal constitutions in the world, it is not always evident that those rights are realised in practice. As Justice Cameron later goes on to talk about in his lecture, one of the Constitutional Court’s most significant judgements, known as the Grootboom case, established the right of access to housing, yet Mrs Grootboom regrettably died

C A T ’ S

years after the judgement, still without a house; implementation of the judgement was impossible due to socio-economic restraints. Justice Cameron still believes the drafters of the SA Constitution were correct. “The great thing about the South African Bill of rights is that it starts off being almost all-encompassing. It’s very generous; it’s very wide, its expansive and liberal minded. “But, there’s also the limitations clause, and the limitations clause says, ‘Hang on, you’re living in the real world.’” However, it’s not just progressive rights which South Africa has failed to ensure. Until recently, South Africa remained deafeningly silent on human rights abuses in other African countries. Justice Cameron is very proud that this seems to have now changed, since in June 2011, Ambassador Matjila, the Head of International Relations and Cooperation, sponsored a resolution in the UN Human Rights Council and called for an investigation into all forms of violence against men and women with same sex orientation. “I think that was an extraordinary breakthrough. [Before], the government did not radiate out of South Africa the same equality and protection which the constitution

W H I S K E R S

I N

Justice Edwin Cameron at Middle Temple Hall. Photo by Gabriel Fraga de Cal.

promises inside our country.” Within the Constitutional Court itself, criticisms have been made about its lack of gender equality, and Cameron is at pains to explain that he shares those concerns and believes that two women out of 11 judges is far too few. The appointment of Chief Justice Mogoeng Mogoeng, by President Zuma in September was another controversial time in the court’s history. Justice Mogoeng, an evangelical Christian, had previously shown ambivalence on gay rights and sentencing on child rape cases, stating that non-violent rape negated the seriousness of the rape. Justice Cameron is determined

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to take only the positives out of the appointment. “It was a tough process for everyone. For the Chief Justice himself, for the courts and for public belief. The positive side was that the public really participated, the public got to see what the appointment process involved. They saw what was at issue, what the issues were. There was strenuous public debate over two days, about gender equality, gay rights, and other things, which was all positive.” It would appear that through Cameron’s eyes, the future of South African human rights development is only bright.

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that the country has no need for “middle managers” or unskilled labour. Only the “brightest and best”, he says, will be able to live here. Mr Green, you’d be a bit more convincing if your entire society ROB BOFFARD didn’t survive on an underclass of underpaid people doing the jobs native-born Brits won’t. And then there’s your comment to the BBC: “Bringing people to the UK who can play no role in the life of this country is unacceptable.” How dare HERE’S the situation. If you’re a you? How you can possibly say South African working on a visa something so fundamentally in the UK, you have five years untrue? Well, you are a politician, to reach a minimum salary of I suppose, but I’m assuming £31,000. Or guess what? You’re you’re a halfway smart one. You’re gone. Kicked out. Immigration implying that people from other Minister Damian Green’s new plan countries do not contribute to the for tackling illegal immigrants is social fabric of Britain. I’m not so woefully deficient in critical even going to explain why that is thought that it makes me want to such a bizarre position to take. seek him out I understand and smack him why you’re I understand why you’re around the doing this, Mr doing this, Mr Green. I head with a Green. I get it. get it.You want to stop dossier full of You want to Schengen visas. immigrants sponging off stop immigrants It’s the idea of off the the British welfare system. sponging a man who has British welfare Good on you. That’s your system. Good quite literally zero conception on you. That’s job. But this? It’s mad. of how much your job. But people earn, and especially how this? It’s mad. Completely and much people new to the country utterly bonkers, a carpet bomb earn. which will hurt as many decent A recent survey by the website people as it will those who do Monster charts average UK indeed sponge off the government. salaries. Let’s look at it. In the It’s the idea of a man who cannot first year, you’ll earn a little over think of anything else. £19.5k. By five years, you’re Mr Green: go back. Think harder. earning £29k. Decent, you might Come up with something better. Or think, if not quite enough to satisfy by god and sunny Jesus, I’ll set the Green’s colossally blinkered wolverines on you. requirements. But look at this: how many newly arrived immigrants do you think make even close to those figures? The study does, after all, take into account the whole of the UK. So try this one: the Office Of National Statistics reckons that where UK-born workers earn £438 per week, non-UK workers earns £415. Doesn’t seem like a big difference? Try adding it up over a year. Or five. It’s as simple as this: most immigrants to this country do not have skilled jobs. They work in menial, minimum wage roles. They do not earn lots of money. And in a horrific economic climate, they have zero chance of reaching Green’s lofty goals. Green says he wants to “add to Damian Green. Photograph by UKBA the quality of life in Britain”, and

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| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

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| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Entertainment The OPTIMIST KAREN DE VILLIERS

In these shoes with Aletia Upstairs

MIRROR MIRROR presents an evening of cabaret featuring South African singer Aletia Upstairs as Miss Demeanour performing her show, In These Shoes, on Thursday 23 February in London.

Valentines and ‘dooses’

HEADLINES. Find the words, pluck them from just about anywhere; make them up but GET THEIR ATTENTION! We fall for it. At least I did today anyway. A small addiction is reading the dailies online. At least three. The difference in tone and audience is remarkable, but I try to stay somewhere in the middle ground between the stock market and whether Wayne Rooney plucks his eyebrows. At least one South African paper, which I did with first cup of coffee and compulsory rusk immersed. Scrolling down, my eyes fell upon the list of bloggers – and I love bloggers. Clever bloggers. I bow at the muse of witty words that impart meaning and hope in human nature. The writer that takes me along on a literary tale that I could never have created myself. Newspapers do the news, views and opinions and smut mags and cyber scary websites can do theirs (do not go there) but in the midst of it all was a blogger, in a major South African newspaper, who deemed it necessary to impart the most stupid information I have read in years. The first blog, in big time newspaper, was a number of London-based cabaretist Aleita Upstairs will bring her witty show “In These Shoes” to Ryan’s Bar. ways in which never having sex again is a brilliant mode of action. She listed health, emotion, time consumption (loved that one) and exciting as a cotton wool ball in Klap hom, trap hom, têkkel of trip a few more bullets of boredom your mouth at the dentist; the wow hom. Wat dit ookal mag verg. Moet and came to her own conclusion. factor for me was wondering who net nie dat hy wegkom met sy Started off with something like thought it clever, witty, insightful, onderduimshede nie. os oppie jas ‘I was walking down the street daring, challenging, erudite or Wanneer jy eers jou sit gekry FANIE VAN one day and thought to myself, I even funny. Not me. het, wees tog bedag op die DER MERWE wonder what it would be like never And Valentine’s Day. Soppy denkbeeldige skeidslyn tussen die to have sex again.’ Earth shattering we know. Advertising overkill. sitplekke en indien jy jou aan die stuff from a journalist on such an Waste of money. Now we have ontvangkant bevind van iemand important daily anti-Valentine’s wat aan ‘n spasiëringsbewustheid newspaper. day specials. tekort skiet, gee hom gerus ‘n Words can be the most Then And you know ligte pompie om hom te wys op sy romantic gift of all. surpassed what? There DIE Londense moltreinstelsel. onbedagsaamheid. Volg dit egter Children say ugly words herself with is a choice Of ‘Die Tjoeb’, soos ons plebs altyd op met ‘n ‘sorry mate’ en gee a rant at all hom roep. Onontbeerlik, dog voor dat dit per ongeluk was. Hy to try to sound cool. Great involved. You ‘dooses’ and can commit to a sielsverwoestend. ‘n Parallelle sál die skimp vang. writers do not need to. If telling them day of making heelal waar slegs een reël geld: Indien jy, soos ek, uitermate only Jane Austen were a someone else where to go. ‘daar geld geen reëls nie’. As ‘n welbedeeld is, sal jy dalk daarmee I may not get veteraan van ‘n geskatte 7000 ritte sukkel, maar probeer tog veg teen blogger today she would feel special the latest pimp and letting op hierdie noodsaaklike boosheid, die instink om jou met oop ketels have a brilliant post on slang all the them spoil het ek genoegsame kennis op ‘n sitplek neer te plak. Onthou, Valentine’s day. time, but in my you or ignore opgedoen om ‘n gesaghebbende jou knietjies teen die persoon day, in SA, a the whole gids vir die onervare pendelaar langs jou s’n mag dalk net die ‘doos’ was not just an Afrikaans affair. Red satin hearts do not do saam te stel. So hier gaat ons...of indruk wek dat jy met ‘n subtiele word for a cardboard box. Rather it for me, but I am a romantic and soos ons in tjoebtaal sou sê: “This flankering doenig is. Wat dalk net a derogatory term for female bits I proud of it. Words can be the most train is ready to depart. Please in jou gesig kan ontplof. Indien jy think it was. Nevermind. Ja Ja Ja. romantic gift of all. Children say stand clear of the closing doors”. ‘n lid van die skoner geslag is, hou It got the attention. A number ugly words to try to sound cool. Eerstens: pasop vir die ook maar jou bene toe. Vir voor die of comments also, and that is Great writers do not need to. If moltreinmaaifoedie. Daardie ghwar handliggende redes. exactly the purpose of the exercise only Jane Austen were a blogger wat ná jou op die platform arriveer, Op die tjoeb kry mens soms die I surmise. Focus the eyes on the today – without need for headlines maar met ‘n slinkse bedrewenheid gevoel dat iemand besig is om jou headline and every individual from or sensationalism – she would vóór jou sal indruk om die laaste koerant oor jou skouer te lees. En poet to rapist will want to read have a brilliant post on Valentine’s sitplek op die trok te bekom. Moet daai gevoel is gewoonlik in die it. Pity the content was about as day. Happy Valentines. dit nie toelaat nie. Staan jou man. kol. Moenie jou hovaardig hou

FANIE

Oor Tjoebkunde 101: Les 1

by STAFF REPORTER ALETIA Upstairs is a London-based cabaretist and singer-songwriter of jazz and chanson with a background in theatre and world music. She uses stand-up comedy, puppetry, original music, poetry and references fairy tales in her work. She describes In These Shoes as: "The heels you walk in and the heels you fall in love with. From being empowered in someone else’s shoes to the shoe that just doesn’t fit. A journey inspired by life’s little dramas and our sexual fascination with shoes. A new fairytale taking inspiration from Cinderella, The Red Shoes and Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz with the music of Kurt Weil, Jacques Brel, Eartha Kitt, Kirsty MacColl, Duke Ellington, Friedrich Hollander, Tom Lehrer and Aletia Upstairs." The show is directed by Anna Brownsted, with support performances from Helena Gostosa, Nadia Nadif and Ada Kan on keys. In These Shoes will also be the launch of "Fall So Far", the first single from Aletia's second album, included on a free compilation CD from Downtown Artists. Venue: Ryan's Bar, 181 Church Street, Stoke Newington, N16 0UL 8pm: Nadia Nadif and Ada Kan 8.30pm: Helena Gostosa 9pm: In These Shoes Entry: £6 before 9pm. £7 thereafter. Details: aletiaupstairs.com Watch a video of Aletia's enchanting performance on www. thesouthafrican.com/entertainment en jou koerant van só ‘n persoon wegdraai nie. Vra eerder die persoon om die een kant van jou koerant vas te hou en saam met jou die hoofberig te analiseer. Sy belangstelling in jou leesstof sal nie veel langer voortduur nie. Dit waarborg ek jou. Jy sal jou vroeër of later vasloop teen die iPod-pendelaar en jy sál geïrriteerd raak met die tss-ntss-n-tss wat uit sy oorfone uit opklink. Dis egter die ou sónder die oorfone, uit wie se selfoon rap- en hip-hoptjoens opklink vir almal om te hoor, vir wie jy éintlik jou mes moet inhê. Gaan neem stilweg stelling langs só ‘n persoon in en val in jou beste operastem weg met ‘n luide weergawe van O sole mio. Indien hy sou protesteer, vra om verskoning en voer aan dat jy onder die indruk verkeer het dat dit tyd was vir ‘n wederkerige musiekwaarderingsessie. Ek weet dis baie inligting om in te neem, so ek gaan vir eers hiermee volstaan. Gaan internaliseer maar eers hierdie skerpsinnige insiggewendhede en dan sien ek julle volgende week vir Les 2. Selfde tyd, selfde plek. Geniet julle tjoebritte en onthou: mind the gap!

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NEWS/TRENDS >>

Cape Town property: four good value areas Despite some gloomy predictions for the property market there are still pockets of good value for those looking to buy homes in Cape Town. Property analysts operating on a national footprint have an unfortunate tendency to create pessimistic and negative perceptions which may not be applicable to “special” areas, says Lanice Steward, MD of Anne Porter Knight Frank. Steward says the Cape Peninsula, in her opinion, has a higher concentration of such “always popular” suburbs than almost any other precinct in South Africa - and she is not referring to the high-priced suburbs which have always been and always will be in demand, and to an extent are able to buck economic trends. “Many Cape Peninsula ‘special’ areas can be seen now undergoing a transformative phase and moving up in the public’s estimation, but can still offer really good value.” In this category Steward lists the following Cape Town hot spots: Lynfrae This area attracts 25% more hits on the APKF website than any other, she says, and adds it is still possible to buy a home for R2.2 to R2.8

million. Typically it would be on a 500sqm to 600sqm stand and it would be well built. It would have three bedrooms, two reception rooms and a study and although a little “old fashioned”, would be welcoming, comfortable and not in need of extensive repairs. Steward says Lynfrae has the advantages of being within cycling distance of some of the Cape’s best schools and reasonably close to the city, retail centres and top-level sports stadia. PropStats figures, adds Steward, reveal that in 2011 Lynfrae homes sold on average only 8.5% below their asking prices and were on the market for an average of 46 days. Both these statistics are a big improvement on average SA figures. Pinelands She says in Pinelands it is still possible to buy a “solid” well-built home of the type found in Lynfrae, possibly 30 to 40 years old, with four or five bedrooms, for a price of R2.5 million. Average stand sizes in Pinelands are 800 to 1 000sqm and, again, there is a relatively small gap (7.4%) between the list and achieved prices. The average selling time in 2011 was 98 days.

“Pinelands’ big attractions are that it is only 12km from the city and on a major suburban line and it is largely self-contained, with its own schools, shopping centres and sports clubs – and it has a great community spirit,” she says. Hout Bay Steward says here there is such a diversity of property values in all price ranges that it is not possible to talk of a typical home for this region

– but the valley can still offer excellent value in its Beach and Scott estates. She says last year the average selling price in Beach Estate for a three bedroom home on a 450sqm stand was R1.9 million (12.9% below the asking price), while in Scott Estate three and four bedroom homes can still sell for under R3 million. Sales here, on average, take 71 days. Those looking for a Hout Bay home in a security estate,

BAROMETER

Expect further house price deflation House prices, in real terms after adjustment for the effect of inflation, are set to deflate further in 2012, according to Absa Home Loans. The bank says this is based on expected low nominal price growth and headline consumer price inflation which is set to remain above the 6 percent. Nominal price growth in the middle segment of the housing market was expected to remain relatively low in 2012 after coming in at 2.2 percent in 2011.

Absa says the continued subdued performance expected from property prices would be the result of developments and forecasts with regard to the macro economy and the household sector. The affordability of housing, as represented by the ratios of house prices and mortgage repayments to household disposable income, improved only marginally in the third quarter of 2011 from the second quarter. This was the net result of trends in house price and

income growth in the quarter, while interest rates remained unchanged during this period. Many households’ ability to take advantage of the improved housing affordability, however, continued to be hampered by a still relatively high debt-to-income ratio, a sizeable number of creditactive consumers having impaired credit records, the impact of the NCA, and banks’ lending criteria. After having expanded by an estimated real 3 percent in 2011, Absa Home Loans says the South African economy

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was forecast to grow by 2.8 percent in 2012. The lower growth expected this year would largely be the result of a slower pace of expansion projected for the world economy, which would affect South Africa’s export performance. A weaker rand exchange rate in 2012 compared with last year would, however, support the country’s export earnings. Trends in domestic inflation and interest rates would also impact the economy during the course of the year. I-Net-Bridge

with excellent protection round the clock, says Steward, should visit Avignon/Berg en Dal and other Hout Bay gated estates. Here excellent homes are available at ±R 4 million, often half of what is paid for similar security estate properties in Constantia. Sea Point/Green Point In early 2011 Steward identified this as an area on the up and now, she says, everything she predicted for freestanding homes in this area is becoming a reality. “Many parts of this precinct are catching on, especially those on the mountain slopes with sea views”. Green Point in particular appeals to the upwardly mobile, “with it” set who seek a cosmopolitan, boulevarding lifestyle, she says. “Average home prices here are R1.7 million for a two bedroom house – on a 300sqm stand and typically they will sell in 43 days at 6.7% below the asking price.” Prospective home buyers should be patient and do their homework carefully. A good way to determine value is to get an online property valuation, which will allow buyers to establish what other similar homes in that street, complex or suburb have recently sold for. Property24.com

FEBRUARY 2012

<< NEWS/TRENDS

Affordable homes sought after in 2011 In 2011, South African home buyers were reportedly looking for affordable homes, according to FNB Home Loans. The bank notes that growth in residential property transactions broadly slowed as 2011 progressed, as did growth in residential mortgages registered. The FNB Segment House Price Review Q4 2011 report reveals that home affordability from a price relative to average employee remuneration saw a major improvement in home affordability for the average income earner from the second quarter of 2008 until the end of 2010. This was due to the combination of average wage growth outstripping growth in house prices. Writing in the report, John Loos, FNB Home Loans property strategist says affordability in the housing

market compared to pre-boom times still remains significantly worse despite improvements post the boom. Home transaction statistics of late have been pointing to slowing growth, being interest rate sensitive and feeling a slowing in affordability improvements as measured by the loan instalment/average wage ratio during 2011. Loos says high and rising consumer price inflation through 2011 as experienced by the consumer was a further constraint on affordability for would be home buyers. Home affordability according to the bank continued to be reflected in the relative performances of different housing segments in the latest FNB house price figures for the fourth quarter of 2011. The small-sized segment’s home price growth mildly outperformed the more

expensive medium- and largersized home price growth rates. With regard to full title versus sectional title, the full title segment’s house price growth of 6 percent year-on-year as at Q4 2011 remains significantly better than the sectional title market’s 0.1 percent growth rate in the same quarter. The average full title home value of R895 692 is higher than the R686 993 sectional title segment’s average, when one compares apples with apples - breaking down the segments by room number, one sees that homes with comparable room numbers in the full title segment are cheaper on average than those in the sectional title segment, says Loos. He explains that the full title segment’s major sub-segment is the three bedroom market, whose average price was measured at R926 771, lower

than the sectional title three bedroom sub-segment’s R953 067. “The affordability drive view still holds, with the cheaper full title three bedroom average price growth of 5 percent outperforming the sectional title three bedroom rate of 1.3 percent.” Loos says it is questionable whether people do their sums correctly with regard to home operating costs and the rates and tariffs bill, when searching for the best value for money. If that was the case, sectional title may have been viewed more favourably when making buying decisions, he says. He says other cost factors may be supporting the full title segment more than the sectional title market. Much of the last decade’s building boom focused on suburban sectional title homes and these were often located

where land was more freely available and not always in ideal locations. Older established full title dominant suburbs often have the established government schools, good infrastructure and are better located relative to major employment nodes. The sectional title segment may still be suffering from a greater degree of over-building in the boom years having been a major target for the more cyclical first-time buyer and buy-to-let demand. This may imply a still greater oversupply waiting to be mopped up. He adds that the bank believes these factors continued to contribute to an ongoing better performance from the full title segment in the fourth quarter of 2011 compared to that of the sectional title segment. Property24.com

Five things to ask before buying a home As the biggest investment decision many South African consumers will ever make, purchasing property is not one to be taken lightly and it is important for buyers to ask the right questions before committing to such a large investment. This is according to Adrian Goslett, CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, who highlights the most important factors that buyers need to think about when searching for property in which to invest: 1. What does the future look like? Property investment is a longterm commitment, so know what the plan is for the future. A property that may meet the requirements of a buyer now, might not in a few years time. Consider the property’s location and the size and shape of the stand. A young couple may be happy with a small home for now, but they may want to build on at a later stage and extend the size of their home for children.It is also important to consider the home’s proximity to amenities such as good schools, medical

FEBRUARY 2012

facilities and business districts. 2. Is the home structurally sound? While there are good valuefor-money homes that require some attention, certain fixeruppers can be an investment nightmare if the structural integrity has failed. Some cracks in the walls might be insignificant. However, structural cracks, which are deep and appear on both sides of the wall, can indicate that the foundation has failed or that there is severe structural damage to the home. Once a property has been built, it is a very costly affair to rectify structural damage, if it can be rectified at all, says Goslett. “Buyers should look out for heavy filler work on the walls, diagonal cracks running from the corners of window or door frames and deformation along roof lines.” If in doubt, he advises potential buyers to ask a structural engineer to inspect the property to make sure.

3. Are the plans of buildings legal? Buyers can make an enquiry with the local municipality to ascertain whether the buildings on the property are legal and built to the required standards. Any building that has not been approved through the necessary channels will not appear on the database and will be deemed illegal and could very well be built to substandard criteria. The records of the property will also show the current zoning of the property and its development potential if the buyer would like to add on at a future date. 4. Is there a leaking roof or water damage? Having water in places it shouldn’t be is never a good thing for a home and water damage or rising damp can also be a costly exercise to repair, says Goslett. “Look out for areas in the home where the paint is scaling or bubbling, as these are usually indications that there is damp in the walls or ceilings.” If buyers are unsure, he says they should get a plumber to

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check the property or they can request the seller to provide them with a certified plumber’s certificate, although it is not required by law. 5. Are all features of the home in good repair? While a home with a swimming pool is appealing, if the pump is not working or the pool is leaking, it will only cause headaches for the buyer in the long term. “Inspect all aspects of a home such as the electrical wiring, although the seller is obliged to provide the

buyer with an electrical compliance certificate, it might be worthwhile getting an independent electrician to go over the home,” he says. Goslett says buyers must always do their research and take their time to ask themselves whether they are making the best possible investment decision. “The old adage that ‘knowledge is power’ has never been more appropriate than when investing in the future and one’s home.” Property24.com

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Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms 2 Garages 2 This ultra luxurious apartment with most lavish finishes, to be sold fully furnished, by s.a lea spa, pools. access to africaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best shopping centers and Gautrain. The ultimate in 5 star luxu [o] +27 11 784 1222 MICHELLE sHanE +27 84 688 8808 or email sandton@seeff.com

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Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 3 Garages 2 wEB 255455 Renovated. Reception areas flowing to stunning garden. dine al fresco on the patio. [o] +27 21 794 5252 MaRIE dURR +27 83 269 8608 | JEnny wILLIaMs +27 83 656 6811 sHELLEy KRUGER +27 83 700 9001 | Lana REdMan +27 82 396 6822 or email constantia@seeff.com

Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 3 Garage 1 wEB 254185 situated in quiet cul de sac in the heart of the Golden Mile, this charming, renovated home is ideal for those starting out or scaling down. [o] +27 21 683 0731 CHaRMaInE sCoTT- wILson +27 82 377 4567 I LInda KnooP +27 83 516 3401 or email belvedere@seeff.com

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a UnIQUE HoUsE FoR a dIsCERnInG BUyER! Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 4 Garages 2 wEB 255068 Family home in a sought-after area. spacious accommodation, super kitchen, pool and entertainment area. a short stroll to beach or town. sea, lagoon and mountain views. [o] +27 44 533 0311 aLET oLLEMans +27 83 657 5678 or email plett@seeff.com

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Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 3 Living areas 3 Garages 3 wEB 255408 Bold innovative, clean lines, striking modern home. Energy-saving in mind. striking double volume entrance with water feature at the front door to welcome guests. [o] +27 12 452 2500 Rosa wILLERs +27 82 962 7228 or email lynnwood@seeff.com

LIFESTYLE >>

Top five

kitchen trends Traditionally, a new year is a time of change and reinvention for all of us. The beginning of the year is also a time where we look at our homes and inevitably feel that they need a bit of a makeover, looking to décor magazines and the internet for inspiration. “Many of us like to renovate or redecorate at the beginning of the year, as we feel that by giving our homes a new look, we are also ‘making a fresh start’ on a personal level,” says Trevor King, Marketing Director for Caesarstone South Africa, manufacturer of fine quartz surfaces. The kitchen is one area which we tend to pay more attention to as it is often seen as the focal point or ‘heart’ of the home, he says. Unlike fashion, kitchen décor trends tend to have more lasting power due to the fact that redecorating or renovating one’s kitchen requires more time, effort and expense. “By putting a little thought into what look you are trying to achieve, you are able to

make a change that is likely to remain fresh for years to come,” says King. With many years experience in the kitchen surface industry, King is perfectly positioned to offer his views on what the likely trends for 2012 will be – he lists them as follows: 1. Iconic space At the top end of the market, kitchens are beginning to be viewed as iconic design spaces and representative of taste. What this means is that the emphasis is being placed on quality, not quantity, in terms of textures, designs, and the incorporation of a colour palette that will not date. “How this relates to kitchen countertops is that homeowners are now seeking highly durable, premium surface materials and placing them strategically for maximum impact,” explains King. 2. Greening the kitchen If the ‘80s was about conspicuous consumption,

then 2012 is all about conspicuous conservation. There is strong focus on preserving the environment and reducing one’s carbon footprint, but we also want to be ‘seen’to care. Eco-friendly products and appliances will proclaim the fact, either through their marketing efforts or their very design. Energyefficient refrigerators and ovens will advertise their eco credentials. Materials that are well-known to be environmentally responsible will be a popular choice for kitchen surfaces and splashbacks. 3. Practicality In our time-poor world, practicality is another key consideration. Although the desire for beautiful design is stronger than ever, the durability of materials utilised is an essential requirement. Materials selected will first and foremost need to be easyto-maintain, hygienic, as well as being stain and scratch resistant. The focus is shifting

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more and more to function over form. 4. Experimenting with colour In South Africa, we tend to be more conservative when it comes to kitchen colour palettes, but 2012 will see greater experimentation in this hub of the home. Monochromatic colour tones will remain popular, but will incorporate exciting new elements in the form of textures and patterns within the colour itself. For example, Caesarstone’s Motivo range allows for a crocodile or lace motif to be embossed on a black or white surface, adding a further dimension of allure. Homeowners will become more adventurous in terms of bright and bold colours, with splashes of sunny yellows, dark reds and teal being seen in many kitchens. While it is unlikely that entire kitchens will be one bold colour palette, bright accents on dish towels and feature walls will be seen, says King. “Neutrals and natural grey tones will become more saturated and rich.”

5. Natural finishes The decorative materials predicted to be strong for 2012 include natural finishes like wood and stone, but these are complimented by modern elements such as glass, shiny metallic, crystal and stainless steel, with special attention to ambient lighting. We do not need to completely renovate our kitchens to give them a striking new look for 2012, says King. “Minor adjustments in the form of colour accents or a new coat of paint may be all that is required to reinvigorate this area.” However, he adds, areas that experience more traffic, such as a countertop surface, should be of a high-quality, durable and timeless material, as it is these areas that experience greater wearand-tear. “By choosing a premium surface with a comprehensive warrantee, you can be assured of the longevity of your investment.” Property24.com

FEBRUARY 2012

<< ASK THE EXPERT

Selling or renting your SA home while abroad I

'm planning to move to the UK for a few years. Does it make more financial sense to sell my house in SA or to rent it out while I'm away?

here is no easy answer to your question given the current market conditions in the property market, both locally, and abroad. As we know, since 2008, the global property market has been in significant decline and this is not expected to improve significantly for 2012. This would mark the end of a 5 year cycle and we would expect the market to start showing signs of recovery from 2013 – although, of this we cannot be 100% certain. The current market favours “buyers”, so sellers looking to gain the best price for the property are needing to lower their price expectations to what the market dictates. Given that you say you are moving to the UK for several years, it may be a smart move to rent your property out on

a 12 month lease basis so that you can assess the market each year and sell once it improves. With this in mind, here are some general pointers that could hopefully assist: Being a Landlord Are you ready to become a Landlord? In order to do so you will have to become emotionally detached from your home. Prepare yourself that tenants could treat your home like a rental and there is a good chance that you will see some degree of wear and tear on your home. Tenants never take care of your house the way you do and you can say goodbye to your perfect garden. You will most likely have to do some repair to your home when you eventually return or decide to sell it. Do some research to establish whether your neighborhood is conductive to attract a renter and if it would be long term or short term renters? For what amount would you be able to rent your

home? Some of your local estate agents specialising in your area can assist you with this. Financial consideration Once you have an idea of how much your home would be rented for, you can try and calculate affordability. Will the amount that you receive for the rental be enough to cover your expenses and if not will you be able to sustain your bond repayment, insurance and repairs as well as municipal accounts? Tenants might not always pay on time and there will be times that your house is vacant for some extended period. Would you be able to afford the cost of two homes (remember you will also need a place to stay in the UK)? You would not like to end up in a situation whereby you end up bankrupting yourself and lose everything. Compare the rate of return of the rent of your property to other investment options if you would sell the property. A lot of factors influence the real estate market at any time; there is no

The Eastern Cape and Garden Route The Eastern Cape lies on the southeastern coast of South Africa and is a region of great natural beauty. It offers it all - rugged cliffs, rough seas and dense green bush on the stretch known as the Wild Coast. The province's diverse climates and landscapes range from the dry and desolate Great Karoo to the lush forests of the Wild Coast and the Keiskamma Valley, due to the great Drakensberg Mountains which blocks rain moving in inland from the coast. The city of Port Elizabeth is situated 260 km from Knysna and 800km from Cape Town. It is known for its sunshine and safe sandy beaches. For the tourist wanting a total South African experience, Port Elizabeth is the perfect complement to the Eastern Cape. The area also now boasts the beautiful Nelson Mandela Bay stadium, which is one of the largest stadiums in South Africa, and hosts international sporting events like the annual HSBC Rugby World 7’s series. The area is also the hub of South Africa’s automotive industry. Port Elizabeth has a very diverse property market with apartments selling from R350 000 up to R700 000 and house prices in the region currently ranging from R900 000 to R3 million. Approx 280 km from Port Elizabeth, you will find East London. It is nestled between the Nahoon River in the north and Buffalo River to the south. The city is about 1000 km from Cape Town on the South East coast. The shores

FEBRUARY 2012

are lapped by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean and with its subtropical climate it is a sought-after tourist destination for local South Africans and international tourist alike. Properties in East London are becoming more and more in demand. With such a vast diversity of property, you are sure to find either your dream home or the perfect investment opportunity. Moving west towards Cape Town you reach the Garden Route, where some of the most majestic forests in the world can be found. The name Garden Route says it all – an area with lustrous green vegetation in abundance, stretching from Plettenberg Bay to Oudshoorn. The area of Plettenberg Bay thrives on the tourism industry, which takes a steep increase from November, when teenage school leavers are the first to descend upon the small town, followed thereafter by various waves of arrivals from abroad as well as other parts of South Africa. Properties in the area range from R800 000 for a small home or apartment, to R3 million for an upmarket home. There is always a demand for property in the area, especially for buyers looking to buy holiday homes, or those looking to retire. Plett’s neighbouring town, Knysna, is one of South Africa’s most intriguing holiday destinations. It plays home to the awe-inspiring Knysna forest that is in abundance of very old and majestic trees that cannot be witnessed anywhere else in the world. The house

guarantee that your property would continue to appreciate in value neither that it would depreciate. I would say if you can afford your property, believe that the property market is going to improve in the future generating a better return on investment than other investment ventures and if you have the temperament to become a landlord; keep it. If you are not sure, it might be better to sell it, but with the understanding that you will need to be realistic in terms of your price. Gerrie Nieuwenhuis Licensee / Principal Seeff Jeffreys Bay www.seeff.com

<< ADVERTORIAL

Wilderness Beach can be found along the scenic Garden Route. Photograph courtesy Fabulous Fab.

prices here really do suit anyone’s pocket, with older three bedroomed homes selling for R900 000, to upmarket homes for around R3,5 million. Knysna also attracts thousands of tourists from all over the world not only for the magnificent forests but because it is also a view point for some astonishing aquatic life such as whales and dolphins which feature here. Situated approximately 60km from Knysna and 430 km from Cape Town is George. The area of George is widely regarded as the hub of the Southern Cape Region, and an ideal base from which to explore the Klein Karoo. George is easily accessible with a good road network and the George Airport

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which links the Southern Cape and Klein Karoo hinterland to the major centres of South Africa. Houses in this area range from R900 000 to R2,5 million and is perfect for investors looking for a holiday home or new developments. With such a vast number of amenities, investment opportunities and wildlife, the Garden Route and Eastern Cape is definitely an area to take into consideration when buying or investing in property in South Africa. If you’d like to find out more about buying or investing in these areas, please contact Engel & Völkers at +27 12 346 7777 or southafrica@ engelvoelkers.com.

thesouthafrican.com | 14 February – 20 February 2012 |

Business: News

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Legally Speaking: Spouse Probation

: I’ve heard rumours that the probationary period for spouses will increase on the spouse visa. Our plan was to apply for this type of visa later this year. Do you know if there is any truth in this? : The UK Home Office has announced some new immigration rules that will take effect in April 2012. It is true that one of the rumours going around

is that the probationary period for spouses will increase from 2 years to 5 years, together with these UK immigration changes taking effect in April 2012. However, please note that this has not been confirmed. It may therefore be advisable to apply for the spouse visa before April 2012, in order to prevent a possible extended probationary period.

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

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Rand looks strong after banknote scare THE South African Rand traded at 11.92 to the British Pound on Monday the 6th Feb 2012 and at 9.90 to the Euro where it was looking very strong. It ended up trading at 12.16 to the Pound and 10.18 to the Euro on Friday afternoon. It seems that the Rand has been tracking the Euro which was looking good early in the week ahead of a debt-restructuring deal in Greece. The optimism wavered when investors were presented with more uncertainty from Greek politicians (coupled with a healthy dose of blame aversion), but as is typical with European news, there were both positives

and negatives to digest. Jim Reid of Deutsche Bank sums the outcome, "Under the proposal, the ECB won't make a loss on the transaction and it could help reduce Greece's debt load by as much as EUR11 billion. The bad news is that there are further signs of economic and fiscal slippage in Greece." What followed has been good news for SA expats who have been worried about the sudden strength behind the Rand as it began to weaken towards midweek, which has been attributed to the fall in the Euro against the Pound after a tepid result from talks in Greece. The Rand saw yet

For more information: Call Claire now on: +44 (0) 7802411587 or email: claire@healthyincome.cc or go online and simply watch our 2-minute clip then get in touch. www.healthyincome.cc/team/uk

GBP/ZAR: 12.05 EUR/ZAR: 10.15 USD/ZAR: 7.656 AUD/ZAR: 8.236 Composed by Jesse Crooks

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.

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another sharp decline of almost R0.17 against the Pound on Friday after the SA Reserve Bank (SARB) released that it would be making an announcement of national importance on Saturday afternoon. The nervous selling turned out to be a spook as the announcement turned out to be nothing more than a slight change in the design of ZAR bank notes, reversing the sudden weakness.

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THE GRAFT IS GREENER Nicolette McDonald

Director & Owner of Sebenza Africa Ltd by PAUL HARRISON

PAUL HARRISON

Squeeze those pips at your peril

Born: Durban How long in UK: Since 2003 Job: Director & Owner of Sebenza Africa Ltd Background: Qualified in Human Resources with over 10 years recruitment experience within the South African and UK market. Motto: I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul (Invictus).

What do you do in your job? I have set up a London-based consultancy that assists qualified expats and their families with their move back to South Africa. My core focus is firstly to assist them with securing work opportunities in South Africa either just before or soon after they arrive. I work very closely with my candidates in ensuring their CVs are directly marketed to companies of their choice in South Africa. What is the most exciting thing about your job? Working with individuals I can completely relate to, getting to know them and their families and my biggest satisfaction: knowing that I have managed to assist them in with the most valuable and worrying part of relocating back to South Africa. I also love knowing that I am playing a major part in bringing home exceptional talent to our beloved country. Tell us an interesting story related to your job. Ultimately my business has grown from strength to strength and mainly only has in the past focused on working with clients based in the UK, however through time word has got out in South Africa of the personalised consultative service I provide that I am now

Business PHocus

receiving enquiries from people in South Africa who are requesting that I assist them with their work search. This for me has been a huge accomplishment. Future plans? My family and I plan to move back to South Africa at the end of 2012. I shall then have an office set up in the UK which will continue the personalised service with candidates, as well as having an office based in South Africa, which will welcome our guys back home and continue to develop not only a closer hands-on relationships with clients once they arrive in SA. My ultimate goal is to become a fullyfledged relocation expert providing all aspects of advice for individuals moving back to South Africa. Do you think being South African helps you in your job? Absoluetly! 100% positive about that. My candidates feel also more comfortable knowing that they are working with an individual who fully understands the culture, market and opportunities open to them in South Africa. I think what also helps is knowing that my family is going through the same process in terms of moving back, which is something they can relate to.

EVER heard the term , “squeeze the pips till you hear them squeak”? Referring to getting the most out of a situation. A client of mine acts like this and goes after any contract negotiation with a real “killer” attitude. His reasoning is that the more money he saves on negotiations, the more he keeps in is pocket. I have recently seen this backfire on him to a potentially devastating degree where he has had what can only be described as a mass revolt by a number of his contractors. I met with a few of these contractors in a mediating role and what came out was that his negation approach significantly offended them and a number of them actually felt their services were devalued by his approach. They felt that every opportunity this guy gets to cut them down, he took it and renegotiated. One of them actually said to me, “I pride myself on the work I do but I am questioning myself, why should I demand such a high level of service delivery if he is trying to cut my price the whole time?” I couldn’t really argue against that point and unless this guy changes his approach, there will be more contractors to walk, leaving only the lesser quality of contractor working with him. In short, if you are going to try to cut prices on personally delivered services, you have little room to moan if the service delivered is not always of the highest calibre. If you have any comments, you can reach me at Paul@ MOBIvation.com

Business: SA Power 100

Charles Barlow

Read interviews with other SA POWER 100 achievers...

Managing Director, Head of Mergers & Acquisitions (New Markets), Renaissance Capital by GORDON GLYN-JONES

BULLET BIOGRAPHY • Age: 43 • Born: Cape Town, 1968 • Schooling: Somerset West and Stellenbosch • Military Service: Two years in South African Air Force, Second Lieutenant • Tertiary education: University of Cape Town, BCom (Honours), CA(SA) • Family: Met wife Vicky whilst at UCT, married in 1990, two children (son, 18 and daughter, 14) • Professional career: After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Arthur Andersen, have been involved in Mergers & Acquisitions for the past sixteen years

Why did you move away from Cape Town? I had lived in the Cape all my life and it was time to broaden my horizons. Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant gave me that opportunity. Deutsche Bank had made a big investment in South Africa and there was a lot of movement of people between Johannesburg and London. I grabbed the opportunity to see the world and ended up as a junior in the Mergers & Acquisitions team in London. You moved on soon after that? A superb opportunity presented itself, to join a small group and launch the London business of Greenhill, a focused Mergers & Acquisitions investment bank. There were only four of us at the beginning. It was a very exciting time. We kitted out the office ourselves and then set to work building a pretty unique platform that became the number one investment banking success story for decades. I was very lucky because the people that I was working with were probably the finest in the industry globally. How long were you there for? I was at Greenhill for 12 years, from 1998 to 2010. We pursued growth very aggressively. In a short space of time we had offices in New York, London, Frankfurt, Houston, Dallas, San Francisco, LA, Chicago, Toronto, Tokyo and Sydney. We listed the business on the New York Stock Exchange in 2004, six years after launching. Our clients were global names

such as Tesco, Cable & Wireless, Boots, Coca-Cola, Nestle and AT&T. So why the change in emphasis to emerging markets? After the IPO of Greenhill it was important for me to remain with the firm for at least five years. By 2009 I had turned 40 and the world was changing fast. First, I was hankering after my African roots. Second, on a global scale, a gigantic movement of capital had begun – from West to East and from East to South – something that has not been seen for half a millennium and will not be seen for many centuries to come. In the West, people call it a crisis, but for those who have the stomach for it, this shift is bringing about an extraordinary opportunity. I decided to marry my love for Africa with this opportunity. What was the turning point? I looked at doing something on my own, but during my research I

| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

found Renaissance Capital, the pan emerging markets investment bank, and was particularly interested in their African footprint. They had offices in Lagos, Accra, Harare, Lusaka, Nairobi and Johannesburg, and were active in at least another 30 countries in Africa. That grabbed my attention as I could see that these guys really “got it”. I coldcalled them and they asked me to join them and lead their Mergers & Acquisitions business in frontier markers. Renaissance’s founder, Stephen Jennings (a Kiwi) is probably the most inspiring person I have ever met. I made the move halfway through 2010. Where do you live? In my heart I am African and I guess within Africa the Cape will always be home. I have a house in South West London like a lot of South Africans, but I spend a lot of time on the road. Wherever possible my wife and children join me for weekends in Africa. For me, I need to be where the work is; it's about day to day co-ordination and you just can’t be as effective on the phone as you can when you’re physically on the ground in places like Zimbabwe, Nigeria or Libya. Handling so many business cultures must take a unique skill? Cultural and political nuances can certainly make a difference in business situations. For example, right now there are a lot of political sensitivities in Zimbabwe, whereas a country like Ghana is very much more benign. These differences bring their own unique opportunities. You have to aggressively lead and ensure that every possible opportunity is pursued. But you also have to be aware of your own culture and tailor your style to each situation. If I go and swagger around as a white South African, pretending to run the show in Africa, I'd achieve nothing. You have to give breathing space to the guys who have the cultural affinity

on our website: TheSouthAfrican.com/Business/SAPower100 Edward Griffiths

Lisa MacLeod

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

and local intelligence. At the end of the day, it's not about egos. It's about getting things done. What do you think has contributed to your success? Without any doubt the single best decision I have ever made in my life was to marry Vicky. To succeed in life, there are the obvious things such as intelligence, creativity, work ethic and opportunity. But there are other less obvious things that can count even more. Vicky has exceptionally high standards and is the most disciplined person I have ever known – perhaps that comes from her Germanic roots. She has allowed me to focus on my work, in the confidence that the

Managing Editor of the Financial Times

children and the home are all being taken care of in a very orderly way. I never get: 'Oh you're travelling again,' or 'Oh you're late'. I just get 100% positivity, 100% support. Quirks, extravagances? Family time is of utmost importance to me. My son and I are ‘braai’ fanatics and my daughter is sports mad, so that takes up time on weekends. We also like to travel together as a family. One of my big hobbies is that I fly small aeroplanes - I have UK and SA private pilot licenses. I have also written a psychological novel under a pseudonym. To see the full interview go to www.thesouthafrican.com

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thesouthafrican.com | 14 February – 20 February 2012 |

Business: Classifieds

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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

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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. Margaritas frozen or ‘on the rocks’. 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. 3-5 Dock Place, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6LU. 0131 554 9612.

Snoggy’s

BREYTENBACHS IMMIGRATION CONSULTANTS LTD: UK & SA Immigration Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants specialises in UK and SA Immigration. We pride ourselves on our reputation for excellence, fast results and friendly personal service. Registered by the OISC to level 3, you can be assured that your case is in safe hands! We can assist you with: • All Points-based Immigration matters • UK Visitor visas • Tier 1 / HSMP • Tier 2 / Work permits & Sponsorship • Tier 4 / Student Visas • Dependency, unmarried partner and civil partner visas • Ancestry Visas • Indefinite leave to Remain / Permanent residency • British Citizenship • Appeals • English Language Tests • South African Immigration Prices have been set competitively with you in mind, enabling you to receive expert advice at affordable prices. We have a No Visa – No Fee policy on our Immigration services! Contact us today for best advice and peace of mind! Visit www.bic-immigration.com, or Email us on info@bic-immigration.com

Food Shops

SNOGGY’S PutNeY ButcherY

367 Upper Richmond Rd, SW15 5QJ Tel: 02088762050

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. YOU HAVE NOT LIVED UNTIL YOU HAVE EATEN ONE OF OUR AGED SEASONED RUMP STEAKS... affordable and like butter in the mouth... The SouTh AfricAn is available at all snoggy’s stores

www.snoggys.com FOODS4U LTD Visit the most comprehensive online South African range. A secure and user friendly website awaits. www.foods4u. co.uk or email: sales@foods4u.info Tel: 087 087 45009. Fax: 087 087 45002

WHOLESALER OF SOUTH AFRICAN FOOD PRODUCTS Beers, wines, cold-drinks, biscuits, maize meal, chutney... Phone us for your order: 01753684005/ 01753684014 Mobile: 07859 014 199 www.jumbowholesale.com

SUSMAN’S BEST BEEF BILTONG CO LTD If you’re missing home give us a call, supplying you with all your favourite South African products and more. Phone: 01273 516160 Fax: 01273 51665 Web:www.biltong.co.uk Email:sales@biltong.co.uk THE SOUTH AFRICAN SHOP We stock most SA consumer goods in our large store in Maidenhead or order online and get next day delivery service throughout the UK. Your home away from home. Mon – Friday: 9:30am – 5:30pm Saturday: 9:30am – 6pm Sunday: 11am – 4pm www.southafricanshop.co.uk. 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. Free Parking. Tel 020 8878 1898 / 21C Holmethorpe Avenue, Holmethorpe Industrial Estate, Redhill, RH1 2NB Email:sales@stmarcus.co.uk Web: www.biltongstmarcus.co.uk

SERVICES

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ENGLISH COURSES General, Conversation, IELTS. Intensive and part-time, weekdays or weekends. Small groups, low prices! To start make a placement test appointment (free). 020 88 327 444; 07590 309 608; www.linkschool.co.uk; Popes Lane, Ealing, W5 4NG

CAR SERVICES PARK ROYAL M.O.T. CENTRE At Park Royal M.O.T. centre we M.O.T test cars/vans /trucks /limos /etc. Your local friendly garage. 0208 453 0066/07804 02 06 37 or www.parkroyalmot.co.uk

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

| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

Dahab: Treasure of Egypt Feeling the need for some warmth? Escape to a Red Sea resort in Egypt for all year round sun.

Enjoy the beautiful sights of Dahab while on the back of a camel. Photography by Sascha Jäggi.

Three Pools is a great place for beginners and families to go snorkeling. Photograph by Adam Short.

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!

by JESSICA WILCOCK VISITING the Red Sea area of South Sinai I stopped at a small beach town, Dahab. Dahab is Arabic for gold and was once a Bedouin fishing village, now a popular diving location, and is situated around 80km (50 miles) north of Sharm el-Sheikh, on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba. Snorkeling is a must when visiting a Red Sea location. I visited a diving area south of Dahab, known as Three Pools. This site seemed great for beginners, families and children as the waters are fairly shallow and the coral enclosures make it feel quite safe. Here there were three sandy pools interconnected by saddles of coral, which formed the entry and exit point for this dive. In the sea, it was like swimming through a series of huge fish tanks. The coral and fish were incredible; I was in a live nature show. I saw spectacular fish in neon colours, striped, and odd shapes and sizes, it was awesome. There were lionfish, barracuda, sea bream and little ray. I also spotted napoleon fish, crocodile fish, scorpion fish, and also a large octopus. This beach area is surprisingly quiet; situated a few kilometres south of the main beachfront tourist area. Located near Three Pools is an oasis called Wadi Gnai. This is a popular spot for rock climbing, as there are crumbling stony hills here. Water trickles down between hills and green leafy plants and trees flourish here, a pretty site against the backdrop of the desert.

It’s also a wonderful place to go for a camel ride. This is tremendous fun being up high as the camel hobbles along and also a bit scary being on top of such a tall animal. A good daytime walk is from the main town, along the beachfront to Lagoon Beach on the other side of town – an interesting walk through varied scenery. It became very quiet, and there was a vast deserted open space leading towards the huge ocean. Here there were Bedouins spear fishing in the shallow waters, as they have for centuries, and Bedouin children were making jewellery with shells and beads. The beach itself is a long stretch of golden sand forming a natural lagoon; with shallow water areas. After a pleasant trek through sand and water, the beach on the other side of the lagoon had soft fine golden sand. There were sun loungers here, a great quiet tourist beach perfect for taking in the sun. The bay at the end of the lagoon was filled with windsurfers and kite surfers and there are even wind sport schools based in this area. This was a great holiday location for relaxing and snorkeling. Dahab was far better than I had expected, having previously visited Sharm el Sheikh, which is very westernised and commercial. Dahab was laid back and fairly unspoilt, an authentic place where local people get along with their lives and tourists come for the dive sites. It was easy to see why this was a favourite hippy spot in the ’60s.

thesouthafrican.com | 14 February – 20 February 2012 | Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

This page proudly sponsored by

Makoni publishes “healing” poems

Zimbabwean activist Betty Makoni has published a book of poetry to express and heal the pain she felt at the death of her mother. by STAFF REPORTER ENTITLED “A Woman, Once A Girl - Breaking Silence”, the book comes after many women and girls asked the UK-based activist to share her inspirational story. According to The Zimbabwean, Betty started writing Shona and English poetry in Grade 7, as a way to express the pain of her mother's death. Her mother died after heavy beatings by her husband. “It was my way of mourning the woman who was close to my heart, and of keeping myself going. Then when I started my work for girls, I used poetry as therapy and to keep me strong,” said Betty. “I wrote about death and loss. Everything became a solution in my poems. I did not want to live with questions, so every poem shows a journey I took since I was young until now. Betty said she was inspired by many books she had read. “William Shakespeare touched my heart, his poetic drama was something that connected me to a set of Shona prose poems. I found my 'contrast' style to be what I wanted to use , where I compare that which is and another which is not.” Out of the 500 poems Betty has penned since childhood she picked the best 36 to be published. She left them in simple Zimbabwean English. Betty’s book is available at Amazon and other online shops. She is a global award winner and CNN hero for protecting the powerless. She is the Founder of Girl Child Network in Zimbabwe and through her hard work, the organisation has grown from classroom to global level.

Zimbabwe Community Big Brother's Makosi booted out by STAFF REPORTER ZIMBABWEAN Big Brother star Makosi Musambasi has allegedly been kicked out of Britain by UK Border Agency officers, who recognised her when she arrived at Heathrow from Lagos, Nigeria. According to The Sun, the 31-yearold reality TV star was reportedly stopped for trying to use a relative's passport. Around £12,000 in cash confiscated from her at the airport is currently under investigation.

Musambasi, who won an asylum battle to avoid deportation back to Zimbabwe in 2005, flew back to Lagos, where she lives with her partner, the following day. The ex-nurse's appearances on Ultimate Big Brother and Big Brother 6 made her one of the most controversial Big Brother contestants ever. She famously suggested she might be pregnant after her swimming pool fumble with housemate Anthony Hutton.

One of the most amazing emporia the capital offers to the carnivorous gourmet. St. Marcus Fine Foods Ltd, the first to bulk produce Biltong & Boerewors in the UK. For the past 30 years we have been producing the most amazing range of Biltong and Boerewors with a huge and imaginative choice of gourmet sausages and other fine specialty meat products. along side our enormous range of imported fine South African produce, Did you Know St Marcus Is: The oldest establishment in the UK for the manufacture and import of SA foods St Marcus have been awarded a gold medal for Our Beef biltong.

Betty Makoni speaks at the Vimba charity summer garden party last year.

St Marcus Holds the most awards and diplomas for our Boerewors, biltong &Burgers in the UK In the South African taste awards out of 5 categories St. Marcus came away with 3!! The Johannesburg Sunday Times called Emory St. Marcus "Mr. British Beef Biltong" way back in 1984! Why? ... Because he is!

1-3 Rockingham Close, Priory Lane, Off Upper Richmond Rd West, Roehampton London SW15 5RW

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Sport

| 14 February – 20 February 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @tsa_london

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Baleka for Brighton!

PROMOTION

One of our readers, Jen Fairfield, took up our call to share her current sporting challenge.

The Proteas will take on England over four Test matches at the Kia Oval this summer.

Limited tickets for SA vs England at the Oval

by STAFF REPORTER NEW tickets have this week been released for the Proteas’ previously sold out summer Test Match against England at the Kia Oval this August. The Test is the first match in the summer series which will see Graeme Smith’s side taking on England over four Test Matches – with the overall winners likely to walk away with the title of world number one. It will take place at the Kia Oval from Thursday 19 to Monday 23 July with Protea stars such as Jacques Kallis, AB de

Villiers and Hashim Amla all due in London to take on an English team that has shown themselves very fallible after recent events against Pakistan in the UAE. As ever with matches at the historic south London ground, tickets proved very popular and days two and three sold out before Christmas. However, a Surrey CCC spokesman this week revealed to The South African that they have been able to recover a small number of top seats and put them back on sale. The new seats are in the heart of the OCS Stand, so you’re

guaranteed a great atmosphere. However the game originally sold out very quickly so any expats wanting to support their boys need to move quickly to secure their spot. There are also a small number of new seats now available for the floodlit NatWest Series One Day International between England and South Africa at the ground on Friday 31 August, although once again these are expected to sell quickly. To buy your ticket, visit kiaoval.com or call 0844 3751845.

by JENNIFER FAIRFIELD WHAT would make any sane person get up at the crack of dawn, put on a pair of takkies (okay, trainers) and run for just over four hours? I haven’t quite figured that one out but for the past eight weeks I’ve been building up to just that! Come 15 April I will swap my usual dawdling commute on the District Line for some pavement pounding and run the Brighton Marathon. Apparently it’s not the actual marathon that’s the tough bit; it’s the training. Gone are my careless weekends of late night outs and heavy(ish) drinking. Instead I’m making sure I catch the last tube home so I’m fit and ready for my long Saturday run. It’s only been the last two weeks that have made me realise just what a challenge I’ve set myself. I have run a few half marathons so am no stranger to running in general, but I’ve since passed the 13 mile mark

in my training so I’m now running the furthest I’ve ever run and psychologically that has proven quite tough. And let’s not forget the weather! My whole marathon journey nearly came to an end two weekends ago when running through Wimbledon Park; I nearly saw my ‘gat’ running through a patch of mud. And why is it that every time I want to complain about the cold while I’m running, I see a fellow runner in just shorts and t-shirt going by? Man up, Fairfield! But the thought of my friends and family cheering me on and seeing me cross that finish line is enough to overcome any cramp or burning of the lungs. And running for a charity, Guide Dogs UK, means my hard work is put to good use. The Comrades Marathon next? Support Jen's good cause on www.justgiving.com/JenniferFairfield

South African recruitment coordinator Jennifer Fairfield will run the Brighton Marathon in aid of Guide Dogs UK.

thesouthafrican.com | 14 February – 20 February 2012 |

Sport

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MIND THE RUCK ROB FLUDE

A King-size mess

HOW quickly public perceptions can change. Two weeks ago Bok fans administered pats on backs and hollered hoorays for SARU, the country’s governing body. This week, the knives were out again. It was almost as if the fans had tuned out from hearing the other significant utterance in conjunction with that of Meyer’s crowning. Quite cleverly, SARU had in the same breath told a media gathering that the Southern Kings would play in the 2013 Super Rugby tournament, without clarifying how they would be accommodated. The issue has now reared its ugly head, and now the predictable drum-beating and stone-throwing has begun, with the existing five franchises appearing to boycott their participation if they are dumped in favour of the second-tier union. In a swift move this weekend, SARU denounced any threat of a boycott, outlining what the unions had agreed on. However, reading between the lines, it is patently

obvious that once again, SARU has put the proverbial cart before the horse, and are now being held to ransom. It is further evidence of where the power rests in South African rugby: not with SARU. So the options South African rugby has now are: 1. Expansion: The unions say that “none of the existing franchises shall be eliminated from the tournament in 2013, and that the Kings are included without prejudice to any of the existing franchises.” Thus the only way forward for SARU is to push the southern hemisphere governing body, SANZAR, to allow six South African teams. Certainly, they had expansion in the back of

SARU has put the proverbial cart before the horse, and are now being held to ransom. their minds when in 2011 they re-named the tournament and eliminated a number (it was previously Super 10, 12, 14). This would enable teams to be added (or even removed) in future without having to redesign logos or trophies. SANZAR has since stated that a sixth SA team is not an option given that the new format needed to be bedded in first. 2. Restructure: The South African teams could

be disbanded and, similar to the Australian 20/20 cricket restructure, five new teams could be borne according to a location or other parameter, and players could be drafted in an IPL-type auction. This might be the only compromise available if negotiations break down. 3. Relegation: This is a likely scenario, but will not please the unions given contracts and playing styles are already settled on for this season. Relegation, as we see in the northern hemisphere, leads not only to boring, conservative rugby, but also the financial fallout of unions who don’t survive the drop has consequences for the economy with resultant job losses and/or pay cuts. 4. Play-offs: Depending on how relegation is implemented, the bottom team could play the Kings in a series of playoffs, with the winner being promoted, and the loser having to playoff after the following season. 5. Withdraw: This isn’t really an option for the SA teams as they have a SANZAR deal until 2015. But we all know how contracts in sport seem to be overlooked in this day and age. So now we wait until the mudslinging and negotiations have finished, and SARU will make an announcement on 31 March. Watch this space.

Banyana Banyana are set to play friendlies in Brazil and Cyprus this season.

Banyana Banyana SA’s most successful sports team in 2011 by KWAME WILSON THE future is looking considerably bright for Banyana Banyana, emerging as South Africa’s most successful sports team of 2011, and of course there was the small matter of securing qualification for the 2012 Olympic Games. The last 12 months have seen the team in a rich vein of form, losing one, drawing three and winning a highly impressive 13 of the 17 games they played. The large crowds the games brought was in stark contrast to years before when match tickets hardly sold during times where on average Banyana were averaging just three home games every year, hardly the number needed for a competitive team who wish to challenge for

honours. While many members of the squad are still competing on weekends in the Sasol League, which is played in all nine provinces, players are doing the best to assist the game in South Africa especially in areas with unprivileged children. Captain Amanda Dlamini recently held a coaching clinic near Harding, South of Durban, and the star striker is scheduling a football tournament to take place in Bloemfontein. Before taking residence in London for the Olympics this summer, Banyana Banyana are set to pit their wits against elite Brazilian clubs this month before competing in the 12-nation Cyprus Womens Cup from 28 February to 6 March.

SPORT

14 February – 20 February 2012

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PIENAAR KICKS EVERTON TO 2-0 VICTORY Steven Pienaar Man of the Match after scoring for former side

by STAFF REPORTER afana Bafana skipper Steven Pienaar scored a goal and was Man of the Match for Everton, as they defeated Chelsea 2-0 at Goodison Park on Saturday. The 29-year-old South African was on target in just his second appearance since re-joining the club he left 13 months ago to join Tottenham Hotspurs. However, Pienaar has endured a frustrating year at White Hart Lane and was loaned back to the Merseysiders last month. 'Schillo' scored nine top-flight goals in 104 outings during his first spell at Goodison. Pienaar was in magnificent form as he blasted the ball past Petr Cech from close-range inside six minutes, and then produced an energetic performance that kept Everton on the front foot until he was taken off, exhausted, after 75 minutes. Ecstatic Everton manager David Moyes said, "Pienaar was brilliant. I said to him in the dressing room, It's as if you've never been away. Sometimes clubs fit players – maybe this club suits him." Pienaar was equally happy and thanked Everton fans for welcoming him back to the club. "What a day ... three points, one goal and Man of the Match award," he said on Twitter. "I value your support, it's been a tough year and days like these are why we love the game." Evertin captain Phil Neville praised Pienaar for slotting straight back into the team and admitted

MAN OF THE MATCH: Steve Pienaar helped bring Everton to victory.

the team had missed midfielder. Neville said: "It was a great performance from Pienaar. He is obviously back doing what he does best at a club he enjoys playing at. I don't think he realises how well thought of he is here.” "When he was at Tottenham I

don't think there was a day that went past when we didn't speak about him.” Neville said he belived there was no better combination in English football at the moment than the partnership of Pienaar and Leighton Baines on the left-hand side.