The South African, Issue 493, 11 December 2012

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DOES ZUMA DESERVE TO BE RE-ELECTED?

It is highly likely Jacob Zuma will be re-elected as the head of South Africa’s ruling party this week. We weigh up his successes and failures

by MILTON LINDSAY

A

HEAD of the ANC’s long-awaited elective conference which starts in Mangaung, Free State on Sunday 16 December, political analysists believe it is highly likely Jacob Zuma will be re-elected as the head of South Africa’s ruling party.

This is despite three out of nine provincial branches and the ANC Youth League choosing deputy president Kgalema Motlanthe as their preferred candidate for leader.

Should Zuma emerge victorious at the end of the conference on Thursday 20 December, he is set to remain president of South Africa.

However, in the five years since he ousted Thabo Mbeki to take the party’s top spot, his popularity has waned and he has been tarnished by a series of scandals. These include charges that he misused state funds to pay for the $27m renovation to his home in Nkandla.

Nevertheless, there are a number of reasons that indicate Zuma deserves to remain in office.

Perhaps his biggest accomplishment has been in the country’s battle against HIV/Aids.

In 2009 Zuma introduced a policy that called for more aggressive treatment for HIV-positive pregnant women and children. Zuma’s fight against HIV/Aids represented a complete shift from his predecessor Mbeki, who drew international criticism for his position on the pandemic. Since then, the

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INSIDE:

Getting high in Scotland | p14

NEW ROMANTICS : We interview gorgeous, charming and talented South African vocal quartet Romanz, who are bringing their ‘poperatic’ sound to London with a concert this Sunday 16 December. Win tickets to the show and a copy of their new album, With All My Heart. See page 6.

programmes put in place have made significant inroads in raising awareness about the disease.

Moreover, South Africa’s economy has managed to recover from the 2008 financial crisis, growing over 4.5%. But Zuma’s most significant economic achievement thus far may be overseeing South Africa’s admittance into Brics – the economic club of the world’s premier emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India and China.

By becoming a member of this invitation-only group, South Africa gained huge clout in the global

economy.

Despite these successes during Zuma’s presidency, SA continues to face a number of stark realities.

The ongoing labour strife in the mining and transportation sectors have proven additional problems for Zuma, as some critics maintain that he has not done enough to resolve the crisis, which has been extremely detrimental to the mining industry and the national economy as a whole.

Critics charge that Zuma has done little to address the unemployment rate, which has risen 4% to 24.9% in the years he has been in office.

Another area where many feel Zuma has also fallen short is improving the socio-economic prospects for black South Africans.

The unemployment rate for blacks is 29% – six times higher than white South Africans. While Zuma has directed billions of rands towards improving economic infrastructure, little has been done to improve the quality of life in poorer communities, which continue to be deprived of basic services.

Do you think Zuma will be re-elected? Tell us at www. thesouthafrican.com/news

Road tripper Colin Macrae goes wild in the Scottish Highlands where with the help of social media and readers of The South African he discovers a land where beauty is everywhere and whisky is god.

South African Property Monthly | p9 Drool over the most desirable properties for sale in SA and get some buying advice in this month’s pull-out property supplement.

Power hungry African countries turn East | p9 African countries are turning to the East for funding and technology to drive their expanding economies, challenging Western multinationals’ past dominance.

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| 11 December – 17 December 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

News

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SA Agulhas weighs anchor and rises to a new challenge

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To mark the SA Agulhas’s new place in SA maritime history we were invited to a warm reception at her mooring in London last week

by DAVID MANNALL

LAST week 35-year-old polar adventurer SA Agulhas cast off any notion of an early retirement when she sailed into the heart of London to collect the equipment for British explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, who intends to lead the first team on foot across Antarctica during the southern winter.

Logistic lead Anton Bowring spoke passionately about the challenges involved but heaped praise on the expedition’s South African partners.

In a bold stroke of genius, the Agulhas was given a new lease of life by South African authorities, following her replacement earlier this year by Agulhas II. She has now been converted into a cadet training vessel with a key secondary function as a working merchant marine vessel. A more fitting first expedition back to the Antarctic – to shuttle the team of explorers onto the continent – could surely not be imagined.

The Agulhas has many years’ experience working around the coldest continent and she will surely feel at home on her maiden commercial voyage.

To mark the ship’s new place in SAmaritime history we were given a warm reception on her chilly decks at her mooring in London alongside HMS Belfast, the prestigious mooring itself a mark of the support this venture has received from UK authorities.

Deputy Minister for Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga credited much of the achievement to SA High Commissioner Dr Zola Skweyiya who said, “The apartheid years denied me the opportunity to get into shipping and by the time we came to power I was a little too old to be jumping around on deck.

However we are starting afresh and will ensure that we reap what we sow, so that not only can we produce minerals but participate in the shipping of those minerals around the globe.”

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Commander Tsietsi Mokhele, CEO of the South African Maritime Safety Authority, with some cadets on board the SA Agulhas moored in London.

Photo by Phil Mingo/Pinnacle.

Although there are currently few SA-flagged merchant ships afloat it is intended that this step foments greater partnerships with international shipping companies leading to increasing investment in SA shipping, with the strategic aim of becoming a global net contributor to the industry.

South African Maritime Training Academy (Samtra) CEO Andy MacLennan said, “This government-sponsored initiative is a fantastic opportunity to give young cadets who have completed tertiary education the chance to spend four months aboard the Agulhas,to inculcate vital seafaring experience so that when the cadets join commercial ships of the eight international companies with whom we partner, the prospective officers are better prepared to earn their certificate of competency.” MacLennan said, “Our ultimate objective is to see these young men and women in full-time employment with an international shipping company, and then for them to inspire and mentor the next generation of South Africans.”

Peter Curtis, vice president of Canadian shipping company Seaspan Marine, highlighted “the threat to the global shipping industry due to the lack of officerclass personnel”. So when his company began investing in a global cadet programme the expat South African saw an opportunity to give something back and encouraged his company to begin investing in the Samtra cadet training programme. Seaspan is now the principal programme contributor, taking 10% of its trainees directly from the SA talent pool. The 62 cadets aboard the ship representing five African countries including Cameroon, Ghana and Ivory Coast, gave a rousing demonstration of teamwork by singing in wonderful harmony for the assembled guests.

Later a number of cadets spoke about their ambitions to forge a career in the maritime industry and be part of developing South Africa’s economic wellbeing.

See a gallery of photos of the welcome reception on board SA Agulhas by visiting www. thesouthafrican.com/photos

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Community

| 11 December – 17 December 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Have you been spotted?

South African Business Awards 2012

by HEATHER WALKER THE annual South African Business Awards, hosted by the South African Chamber of Commerce at SA House in London, honoured the most

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| 11 December – 17 December 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Entertainment

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Romanz: The next big boy band!

Gorgeous, charming and talented South African vocal quartet Romanz are bringing their ‘poperatic’ sound to London this Christmas with a concert and new CD

COOKING with Steele

ANGIE STEELE

Smoked trout with pea blinis & crème fraiche

I GOT a little overexcited when I got my hands on this new and very exciting product, Moffat Smoked Rainbow Trout. It was the colour that got me first, a very deep, deep pink; it almost doesn’t look natural, but completely is.

Reared in the fresh waters of Scotland and slowly hand smoked over native oak chips, it is simply to die for and lower in fat than salmon. Yes, lower in fat than salmon. It is an absolute must have; try it with these blinis for a little canapé or even plain with a little buttered brown bread and lemon juice. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 100g strong white flour • 100ml milk • 1 egg, separated • 1tsp baking powder • Salt • Sunflower oil • 6 spring onions • 80g peas • 250g Moffat Smoked Rainbow Trout • 100g creme fraiche • 1 lemon, zest • 1 lemon, cut into wedges • 1 small bunch of dill

Method:

• Using a large bowl, make a well

with the flour, salt and baking powder.

• Mix the egg yolk and milk together and add this to the flour mixture.

• Using a blender, process the spring onion and peas to a fine pulp.

• Add the peas to the flour mixture, mixing it well so as to incorporate all of it.

• In a separate clean bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff peak form • Fold the egg whites into the pea mixture, making sure not to over work the batter.

• Heat a bit of oil in a large frying pan and then drop a spoon of the mixture into the hot pan, repeat until you have at least 6 in the pan.

• Turn the heat down as not too burn them and once the blinis bubble, turn them over.

• After a minute, transfer the blinis onto kitchen towel to cool, repeat. until you have finished the mixture • In the meanwhile, combine the zest and crème fraiche, season with a little black pepper.

• Once the blinis have cooled, top with a small dollop of the flavoured crème fraiche.

• Take a thin piece of smoked trout and wrap it on top of the crème fraiche.

• Finish with a little dill and more cracked black pepper.

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by HEATHER WALKER THE FOUR members of Romanz have everything you could ask for in a boy band. They are goodlooking, ambitious and perfect gentlemen – the kind of young men every parent would love their daughter to bring home.

Now the accomplished South African vocal quartet is hoping to break into the UK market with the recent release of their first international album, With All My Heart.

Describing themselves as ‘boertjies’, they hail from all over SA. The youngest, Christopher Viljoen (20) grew up in Tzaneen while the oldest Andre Venter (33) hails from the Free State. Adam Barnard (27) comes from Sasolburg and Burgerd (Adriaan) Botha (26) was born in Klerksdorp but grew up in Brits.

Romanz was formed in 2008 after their record company held a nationwide talent search with the aim of creating an Afrikaans version of Il Divo. More than 500 singers auditioned and the chosen four literally met each other on the day they recorded their first CD. “We were really thrown into the deep end,” said Venter. Their first performance was at Aardklop arts festival that year and they have since performed with number one classical contemporary artist Katherine Jenkins, as well as at the fairytale wedding of Princess Charlene of Monaco.

The story of how they came to sing at the wedding is like a fairytale itself.

Barnard related, “My mom read an article in a magazine that said Charlene wanted to hear more Afrikaans music in the palace because she missed South Africa.

We felt our brand would fit

perfectly with a royal wedding and we asked our record company to make contact with the palace.

“In the meantime my mom was chatting to the manager of the Wimpy back in Sasolburg about her idea for Romanz to sing at the wedding. He said his nephew used to swim with Charlene and gave us her dad’s phone number!

I contacted Mike Wittstock, gave him one of our albums and three weeks later he phoned me up to say, ‘My boytjie, you’re going to perform at the wedding!’

“A couple of months later they flew us over for a meet-and-greet weekend at the palace. It was a bit surreal. We played on Grace Kelly’s piano and drank beer with Albert. Then we returned to perform at the wedding.

Botha said the couple was fantastic and the media reports that the princess was sad were not true.

“We opened the dancefloor with the Afrikaans version of our song, ‘With All My Heart’, the title track of our new CD. She sang along to every word of it, looking deep into her husband’s eyes, they were so in love.”

Bringing their music to the UK was the next logical step for the quartet. “We’ve been privileged to have a great career in South Africa and we hope to continue doing so.

But you know, our market back home is very small. We want to broaden our horizons and make Romanz an international name. It’s been a dream from the start, to show the world what we have. We want to be ambassadors for South Africa. We

think we’ve got something special,” said Venter.

Their sharp suits and oldfashioned South African charm will certainly come as a refreshing change in a music scene dominated by cheeky rascals.

“We’re not as ‘boy band’ as Westlife, not as classical as Il Divo, we’re somewhere in between.

Someone described our sound as ‘poperatic’ which we think is a great description,” explained Botha.

“We thought our target audience was middle-aged women but looking at our 25,000 fans on Facebook, it’s a whole range, anyone who loves timeless music,” said Viljoen, who joined the group in February to replace one of the original members who left due to family commitments.

The songs on With All My Heart, unlike the group’s previous six albums, are all in English. The first single ‘My Angel’ will be out in time for Christmas and the album can be downloaded from sites including iTunes, Play.com and HMV. The group is performing their first major UK concert at the Hippodrome Casino in London on 16 December. They’ll be singing songs off their latest album, but might sing some of their Afrikaans hits “if the crowd asks us to”.

Tickets are £15 on www. hippodromecasino.com or phone 020 7769 8866.

Win! We have a copy of the new album and a pair of tickets to the Romanz show up for grabs.

Enter on www.thesouthafrican. com/winprizes

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| 11 December – 17 December 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Entertainment FANIE os oppie jas

FANIE VAN DER MERWE

Oor die 50ste Fanie Os Oppie Jas SOWAT agttien maande gelede het ek op bloot toevallige wyse paaie gekruis met Heather Walker, die hoogs vernuftige redaktrise van The South African. Oor ’n glasie wyn (haar eerste, my derde) het sy my meegedeel dat daar pas ’n vakature vir ’n Afrikaanse rubriekskrywer by die koerant waar sy aan die roer van sake staan, ontstaan het.

Met Merlot-gedrewe bravade het ek aangevoer dat ék straks die antwoord op haar kwelling kon wees en hoewel haar reaksie hoflik was, het die donkerrooi wynvlekke op my tande haar daarvan weerhou om ernstig oorweging aan dié verwaande aanspraak te skenk. Of so wou dit in elk geval voorkom. ’n Paar dae later, met dié gesprek half vergete, het ek

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egter ’n boodskap van haar af ontvang. Sy wou tóg hê dat ek ’n proeflopie moes neem met die rubriekskrywery. Natuurlik het ek my wyngedrewe grootbek-praatjies onmiddellik verwens, want ek was tog geen ervare joernalis of gerekende skrywer nie! En waaroor sou ek nogal so ewe skryf? Maar één woordjie van die nimlike Heather het my selfvertwyfeling soos mis voor die son laat verdwyn: ‘enigiets’. “Skryf oor enigiets,” het sy gesê. En eensklaps was ek vasbeslote dat my proeflopie nie in ’n poeflopie sou ontaard nie.

Nou kyk, dis ’n aansienlike uitdaging om oor ‘enigiets’ te skryf. Omslagtige politieke analises lê immers die virtuele wêrelde van Facebook en Twitter vol, kommentaar oor aktuele sake is geredelik beskikbaar op die Media24-webblaaie en sosiale geleenthede vir Afrikaners in Engeland is deesdae maar bitter yl gesaai.

Maar hoewel ek tóg soms my hand aan een van die bogenoemde onderwerpe waag, is daar iets anders waarmee ek dééglik bekend is en met véél groter gesag oor kan skryf – my eie wel en weë. Want sien, ek is lojaal, saggeaard en lief

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vir kinders. Net soos ’n DBV-hond.

My neus bloei soms vir geen rede nie en ek het al bladgeskud met Naas Botha. Ek hou meer van Jan Smuts as van Hendrik Verwoerd en in twaalf jaar was ek nie één dag afwesig van skool nie. Ek was nog nooit betrokke in ’n vuisgeveg nie en ek het al ’n bestaan gemaak deur skottelgoed te was. Ek het ’n amperse obsessiewe liefde vir krieket en ek is getroud met ’n kind.

Wel, nie mét ’n kind nie, want dít is teen die wet. Ek is getroud met ’n vrou en ons het ’n kind. En uit hierdie poespas verrys daar áltyd ’n ietsie om ‘enigiets’ oor te skryf.

Daar is egter áltyd ’n vereiste wat ek aan myself stel, of my relaas nou tong-in-die-kies of met ’n tikkie meer erns gelewer word: tussen al die sinnelose gebrabbel, móét daar minstens een grappie verskyn. Al is dit ’n floue. Want soos ’n Tibettaanse monnik eenkeer vir my gesê het: ‘die enigste ding erger as ’n man wat ’n flou grappie maak, is ’n man wat glád nie ’n grappie maak nie’.

En hier is ons nou, 49 proeflopies later, en nog is dit het einde niet.

Laat my daarom toe om van hierdie heuglike geleentheid gebruik te maak om my opregte dank uit te spreek teenoor Heather Walker, wat my herhaaldelik toelaat om oor ‘enigiets’ te skryf. En dankie ook aan al die lesers van hierdie publikasie.

Dankie dat julle gebrek aan klagtes my telkens die geleentheid gee om nóg ’n proeflopie te neem!

Indien jy ’n gereelde leser van dié rubriek is, gaan besoek gerus my blog by fanieosoppiejas.com. Ek gee weliswaar nie die geheim van ’n lang en gelukkige lewe daar weg nie, maar hopelik sal dit jou vir ’n uur of twee kan vermaak.

Nou ja, cheers op die volgende 50 Fanie Os Oppie Jasse! Laat hy val waar hy wil…net nie op die grond nie. Ha. Ha. Ha.

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29/03/2012 14:14

The OPTIMIST KAREN DE VILLIERS

I need Thole to teach me patience

THOLE was not a man who watched paint dry. He watched grass grow. He had no problem watching the smoke swirl upwards from his rolled up cigarette, for as long as he possibly could.

A favourite pastime – to do absolutely nothing and make it look appealing.

Photo by PWRDF. Thought about him today. As the second hand clicked over, Nothing would faze him. Not one painful thunk after another, even the chats he had with himself I thought of my gardener back in on a regular basis. Back then I South Africa. This was a loose could think of a hundred ways to title; Thole did exactly what he kill him, but now I think he knew wanted most of the time and called something about the value of life I it work. Eventually had to get a will never uncover. I am the most garden service impatient of in once a week I am the most impatient people. Just to do the work, had to of people. Just today, had today, which suited call the bank. to call the bank. Think I him perfectly.

Think I may Then he could may possibly have turned possibly have designate the grey in grey in the process, could turned chores he was the process, have knitted a jersey. supposed to could have be paid for. knitted a He gave orders, never took them. jersey. Instead I made a lasagne Proud Indunas do not take orders in the time my ear turned hot from women. He took none from and possible radiation set in me for about 20 years. Instead somewhere, stuck to the unwilling he could amble along to pick phone. up a spade, spend about an hour ‘Please be patient.’ Ugh. Try deciding where to plant himself in telling me that to my face! Started a spot in the garden and then, take off well I thought, going through a break. the options of ‘press one for this’ and ‘press five for this’. Reference number at the ready. As the cobwebs began to form around my inert form, I tried to control the breathing. Half an hour of waiting and… they cut me off! For a moment I thought I was back in Africa, when waiting for an answer from Telkom meant time to think of dinosaurs, nuclear war or melting icebergs; write letters and plan seating arrangements. It was a given. So what happened to this first world idea of service and professionalism? At least the call centre was based in England, unlike others who outsource to India and then begin the ‘What?

Can’t hear’, ‘How do you spell your name?’ Sorry?’

This is what got me thinking of Thole.

Thole sitting in the sun, baking like a lizard on a rock. He understood the concept of soaking up the rays. Ever smiling. Walking to the post-box could take up half the day, stopping for a chat, again with himself, and savouring the sight of insects on the driveway.

I probably squashed them in my frenzy to drive off. All this time I thought I was paying him for wasting my time. Now I think I paid him to teach me about the value of patience. Eish!

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Urban housing demand on the rise Moving to the suburbs M

Photo by Evan Bench

by STAFF REPORTER The need for the development of affordable housing in urban areas has increased over the last 10 years.

According to Engel & Völkers Southern Africa, the rate of employment in the main metropolitan areas compared to outlying areas continues to contribute significantly to this increase as more people are inclined to move towards the metropolitan areas in search of greater job opportunities.

The Human Settlements department annual report states that its goal is to achieve the establishment of 400,000 households by the end of 2012 and also to facilitate 600,000 housing opportunities in the gap market for people who earn between R3,500 and R12,800 monthly - goals that are highly achievable as international investors are now investing in the South African residential property market.

International Housing Solutions (IHS) has to date raised R1.9 billion for both the sales and rental residential market, according to the agency.

IHS has substantial international backers. Based on the performance of their initial funding to date, there will be more capital made available for investment in the South African real estate market.

Rob Wesselo, managing partner of IHS South Africa, says they believe that this market is getting better.

“Rapid urbanisation is causing the supply gap to grow at a rapid rate as supply is hindered by the conservative lending by banks and capacity constraints at municipal levels.”

The IHS has provided funding for 33 projects with approximately 25,000 units across all major urban centres in South Africa.

Their rental portfolio comprises 5,000 units, which to date has performed above expectations.

Wesselo says the IHS has commissioned a study on the social impact of the affordable housing sector, as it believes the sector is punching above its weight in terms of financial as well as social return on investment.

“I believe that there is no industry that creates as many job opportunities as construction so there is a double impact with their investment, not only are they creating jobs but also provide families with homes,” says Wesselo.

He adds that foreign investors are keen to invest in Africa’s emerging market and this sector offers them a niche opportunity to invest in the burgeoning lower and middle class of South Africa.

- Property24.com

y wife, two children (9 and 13 years old) and I are planning to move to Cape Town. I emigrated from South Africa 18 years ago and as a result have little understanding of what the current property market is like. We are looking to move to the suburbs, like Constantia or Rondebosch, but this will be largely determined by the schools our children will attend. As a starting point, could you advise us on the best areas to look in terms of safety, best schools nearby and also areas that could increase in value should we decided to sell and move to another area when our kids leave home.

Andy Todd of Seeff Southern Suburbs answers: The most popular school areas are Newlands, Rondebosch and Claremont – for those wishing to be close to the traditional schools like Wynberg, SACS, Herschel, Rondebosch, Bishops, Rustenburg, etc. Other popular schools like Sweet Valley Primary, Reddam, Bergvliet and others are more easily accessed by Constantia, Bergvliet and Tokai. Prices of

property in these areas have remained buoyant – and in fact this applies to the entire Southern Suburbs for the very fact that access to good schools sets the mark for property prices. One must also remember that the Southern Suburbs is close to UCT and other tertiary institutions as well. Security is what it is in Cape Town and a well protected property is the way to go; prevention being most certainly better than cure.

Andy Todd (pictured above), Licensee: Seeff Southern Suburbs www.seeff.com

BAROMETER

Interest rates and the property market

by DENISE MHLANGA The decision by the Reserve Bank to leave the repo rate unchanged was not a surprise for property experts who say this is still a good time to buy.

The Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) left the repurchase rate unchanged at 5 percent per annum.

In making the decision, the MPC noted that it assesses the balance risks to the inflation outlook to be on the upside, given the continued pressure on food prices, uncertainty of the exchange rate movements and the reweighting and rebasing of the CPI.

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Adrian Goslett, chief executive of RE/MAX of Southern Africa says although no further rate cuts are expected, the current rate is still highly favourable for homeowners and would-be buyers, bearing in mind that the last time South African consumers experienced rates at this level was in 1974 “While some micro-property markets are slowly beginning to transition, for the most part we are still in a buyer’s market.”

Buyers with a good credit record and access to finance should take advantage of the current conditions before the

market changes, he says.

Meanwhile, Samuel Seeff, chairman of Seeff Properties says while a cut in the repo rate would have been good news for homeowners, the decision is still welcomed for the property market.

“A rate cut certainly would have improved affordability for bond holders, but it may also have sent a signal that it is time to start spending.”

Seeff urges consumers to focus on reducing their household debt and those wanting to buy should enter the market now without delay.

- Property24.com

www.sapropertymonthly.co.uk

DECEMBER 2012

<< PROMOTION

Buyers stay for the long run at Zimbali Coastal Resort

by STAFF REPORTER Zimbali Coastal Resort was launched in 1996 and is now a mature estate of over 1,100 properties in its 17th year of operation. Andreas Wassenaar, Principal of Seeff Dolphin Coast, says: “By conservative estimates the estate has attracted over R6bn in investment over this period, and is referenced as one of South Africa’s greatest development success stories.

The peak of registered Deeds Office transfers by Rand volume occurred during 2008, with R371.9m recorded.”

The dramatic impact of the recession did not leave Zimbali unscathed, and registered sales fell by 26.5% in 2009 with R273.3m in sales registered during this year. “The recovery has been gradual, with registered sales volumes being R259.7m across 76 transactions in 2010 and R258.7m across 67 transactions in 2011. For the 2012 year to date, 34 Zimbali property transactions have been registered with a total value of R153m. Seasonal sales activity does have an impact, and we can expect the current year to close off similar to 2011. Seller expectations, in terms of pricing, have moderated, and as a general rule pricing is 15% below the market peak levels.”

Entry level homes in Zimbali are priced from R3,5m, which will typically be a sectional

DECEMBER 2012

title unit of approximately 250m2. The typical mid-level home in Zimbali is priced at R8m and would be a fourbedroom, four-bathroom designer home with great entertainment areas and pool. As with most coastal destinations, the proximity to the sea and views add significant value to the property, and can impact on selling prices by as much as 50%. The average price of all transferred properties within Zimbali (sectional title, freehold and vacant land) over the past 12 months was R6,683,658.

Within Zimbali there is a category of pricing from R12m to R20m, which can be referred to as the ‘highlevel’ pricing band, and which reflects extraordinary quality and positioning. The homes in this category typically offer four to five bedrooms, staff accommodation, triple garaging, designer kitchens with separate sculleries and laundries, and impressive entertainment areas with signature rim-flow pools.

As every home within the estate is a bespoke architectdesigned residence with superior finishes, this aspect is now taken as a given by buyers. The ‘ultra high-level’ homes within Zimbali, of which there are more than 40, would trade within the R20m to R50m price bracket. These have levels of craftsmanship rarely experienced and would

rival residential homes in most internationally acclaimed destinations.

Wassenaar says Zimbali properties are typically held for a reasonably long period prior to selling. “Of all the existing homeowners, just over half (50.88%) have owned their properties for more than five years. Of the sellers over the past 12 months, 57.34% owned their properties for more than 5 years. This gives an indication that there is little speculative buying behaviour and that most of the people

www.sapropertymonthly.co.uk

investing in Zimbali do so for the longer run. Age analysis of those who bought in Zimbali over the past 12 months indicates that 51.11% were aged below 50, indicating a shift to younger families with children. A migration from the greater Gauteng area has already started, with the new King Shaka Airport being just 10km away, making it easy and convenient to commute from Zimbali.”

The featured property, priced at R13m, is a superb example of intelligent design and positioning of a home on a fairly steep site measuring 1582 m2, the end result being child-friendly with flat, grassed playing areas around a pool and entertainment area, offering good sea and greenbelt views and immaculate living spaces. The impressive and bold doublevolume entrance area sets the tone, with a sweeping marble staircase with bespoke wrought iron balustrade. The 6m high dry-stacked natural rock wall at the entrance is the perfect place to showcase art. The ground floor is all about living and entertaining areas. The over-sized triple garage leads directly into the home. The open-plan kitchen interacts perfectly with the

lounge and dining areas, has a large separate scullery and laundry room and leads off into an immaculate drying yard. Staff accommodation has become an important consideration for families with younger children, and this home provides a very generous staff room with an en-suite bathroom. The outdoor patio area has a builtin braai and worktop within direct access of the rim-flow pool.

The separate TV lounge on the ground floor is the ideal room to use as a place to escape to and would make an excellent study. The four bedrooms are located in close proximity to each other on the first floor, with the higher elevation revealing spectacular views across the greenbelt of indigenous coastal forest to the ocean beyond (all the rooms have huge windows). The pajama lounge on the first floor leads onto an undercover patio, which is the perfect place to watch the sun rise out of the Indian Ocean.

Contact Andreas Wassenaar, Principal – Seeff Dolphin Coast and Seeff KZN Chairman, on 082 837 9094; email andreasw@seeff.com

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PLUMSTEAD

R1 695 000

GAUTENG - MIDRAND, GRAND CENTRAL

HEADS UP - MODERN, SPACIOUS FAMILY HOME Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 Garages 2 WEB 280231 Space for the whole family awaits you in this modern home with top finishes, entertainment patio and sparkling designer pool. [O] +27 21 794 5252 PETER THORNTON +27 72 625 8467 | PETER MARAIS +27 82 493 3316 constantia@seeff.com

EVERSDAL HEIGHTS

R4 200 000

NEW DEVELOPMENT LAUNCH IN MIDRAND – THE BIRCHFIELD GRAND CENTRAL INVESTMENT APARTMENTS ROOMS WITH VIEWS!

Now launching phase 1 of Birchfield apartments in Grand Central Midrand, affordable Bedrooms 8 Bathrooms 8 Garages 4 WEB 280325 investment units from R460 000 to R630 000, all incl. A prime location in the heart of the 611m². Great value for money. Ideal for the extended family or multiple families. new Midrand upmarket growth node and within 1km from the Gautrain station.

Undercover braai areas lead to landscaped garden with overflow pool.

[O] 0+27 11 784 1222 GLEN FISHER +27 79 491 7941 glen.f@seeff.com [O] +27 21 975 5290 LIEZL VAN DEN BERG +27 82 851 0658 durbanville@seeff.com

MONTAGU

R1 320 000

KNYSNA

R3 950 000

KAROO DELIGHT WITH MUSCADEL

PEZULA GOLF ESTATE

Bedrooms 3 Bathrooms 2 Garage 1 WEB 276926 A decadent cottage, fully restored and situated in the popular area of Montagu-West.

Surrounded with beautiful mountain vistas and an enchanted ambience of note!

[O] +27 23 614 3332 PATRUZCHKA MÜLLER +27 72 261 6974 montagu@seeff.com

Bedrooms 4 Bathrooms 4 Garages 2 WEB 251634 This villa on the secure Pezula Golf Estate offers comfortable living and overlooks the par 4 tenth and par 3 eleventh at Pezula. Lovely North views, entertainment deck, pool.

[O] +27 44 382 5919 CHARLES ERASMUS +27 83 448 1622 knysna@seeff.com

FROM R460 000

HYDE PARK

R20 000 000

A PALATIAL HOME FOR THE DISCERNING BUYER Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 5 Garages 4 WEB 269825 Gated road, rose garden, olive grove, fountains, pool, pavilion and more. Gracious reception rooms open on to spacious patio. Separate exquisite cottage. Many features.

[O] +27 11 784 1222 GEORGE PAPADOPOULOS +27 84 454 1834 | CORRINA LOWRY +27 82 652 8891 sandton@seeff.com

BRYANSTON

R14 250 000

HIGH- END, HIGH- TECH WITH ''GREEN'' CREDENTIALS Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 5 WEB 270291 Generously proportioned rooms, entertainment area, extensive range of facilities, superb security and beautiful garden. [O] +27 11 784 1222 KATHIE HAY +27 83 229 6443 PAULINE TREHEARN +27 83 266 4228 sandton@seeff.com

PLETTENBERG BAY

R9 975 000

RANDBURG

R650 000

UNBELIEVABLE, BUT TRUE

YOUNG PROFESSIONAL OR STUDENT

Bedrooms 5 Bathrooms 5 Garages 3 WEB 214259 This executive home with all the bells and whistles has unrestricted views with nothing but Fynbos in front of it.

[O] + 27 44 533 0311 ALET OLLEMANS +27 83 657 5678 plett@seeff.com

Bedrooms 2 Bathroom 1 WEB 271282 Duplex in a sought-after complex. The unit has its own private patio overlooking a rock garden.

[O] +27 11 475 3536 MATTHEW HARVEY +27 83 297 2650 randburg@seeff.com

PROMOTION >>

Seaside homes in Mossel Bay tick all the boxes

by STAFF REPORTER If you’re in the market for a seaside home, then Mossel Bay ticks all the boxes, says Seeff licensee, Lulu Theron.

What sets it apart from other destinations is the full range of activities for holidaymakers, modern infrastructure and a wide selection of property options to suit every budget.

While it is developing rapidly and resident numbers are growing, it still retains its quaint coastal qualities, offers a peaceful seaside escape and is especially family-friendly, she says.

It has one of the mildest year-round climates, a warm sea and is conveniently located midway between Cape Town (about four hours’ drive) and Port Elizabeth with George Airport about 20 minutes away. The scenic Outeniqua Mountains form a backdrop to the stunning beaches (the main beach, Santos, has Blue Flag status) and just about every water sport activity (including top surfing) and adventure sports and top championship golf courses. Fynbos and stunning vegetation surrounds the area, there are interesting hiking and nature trails and it is a nature lover’s paradise. It has an old working harbour and a rich history that includes heritage architecture and sites and several museums.

The town is also popular with anglers and is famous for its mussels and oysters and offers some of the best whale watching and seal spotting in the country.

There is an endless selection of good quality holiday apartments, priced from as

6

low as R380,000 and homes from around R600,000, says Theron. Sea view and seaside apartments cost upwards of R600,000 and homes from R1.8 million, depending on the location. There is also plenty to choose from in the villages just outside of the town. Upper income buyers have a choice of luxurious penthouses priced at around R4.5 million to beach houses priced upwards of R4.5 million and exclusive estate homes that range upwards of R3 million.

The small villages of Vlees Bay and Boggoms Bay, says agent Elna van Niekerk, offer quaint holiday homes and exclusive beachfront properties. Prices start at around R1.4 million and range up to R7 million for a water-side location with direct beach access. Dana Bay is situated in a conservancy area on the shoreline of the Bay of St Blaize and most of the properties have sea views. Studio apartments with balconies start at R350,000 and three bedroomed units range up to R1.5 million.

Wooden cottages are priced from R650,000 and holiday homes from R2 million to R5 million for exclusive homes with beach access. Sea view plots range from R250,000 to R1.25 million for a waterside location. Duettes (two semi-detached homes on one plot) are popular; these range from R650,000 and R2 million depending on the location.

Upper income buyers can look at the low-density residential developments that lie between Dana Bay, Boggoms Bay and Vlees Bay

(Moquini, Fishermans Village, Nautilus and Springerbaai).

Exclusive homes here are priced from R3 million, but can range up to R20 million.

Vacant plots are priced from R1.3 million for a 6,316sqm plot.

Buyers looking for a more central location could look at the town centre and around the main Blue Flag beach, Santos, says agent, Frans Brits. The area is popular with families and retirees who want to be close to conveniences and medical facilities such as The Bay View Hospital (a well-known heart transplant facility). Housing options range from family homes priced around R1.2 million on average to retirement village homes, priced from R700,000.

Apartments are priced upwards of R380,000, he says.

Diaz Beach, on the way to Hartenbos, offers stretches of sandy swimming beaches, hotels, restaurants, waterfront facilities and a mix of holiday apartments, villas and homes, says agent, Johan Badenhorst.

Small sea-view apartments start at around R600,000, but range up to around R4,5 million for a penthouse with panoramic sea views.

Bay View offers a good mix of old and new, all freehold, priced around R1 million, says agent, Susan Bezuidenhout.

Beachfront properties, however, can range up to around R7 million. Hartenbos remains one of the most popular coastal holiday destinations with a mix of old and new homes, priced from around R800,000 for an apartment to R5 million for a seaside home.

About 15km outside the town towards Port Elizabeth, you will find coastal villages such as Little Brak and Groot Brak, says agent, Danie Grobler. The area is situated on a ridge that runs parallel with the shoreline, with holiday apartments and homes that have sea views on the southern side and views of the valley and mountains on the northern side. Prices here range between R750,000 and R3 million.

For more information, contact Seeff Mossel Bay on 044 690 5227 or visit www. seeff.com.

www.sapropertymonthly.co.uk

Heading to the coast for the holidays?

Check out Langebaan’s best buys

by STAFF REPORTER Located less than an hour’s drive from the city and airport, the West Coast village of Langebaan remains a favourite holiday and weekend getaway for Capetonians and inland holiday makers, says Seeff Langebaan agent, Jaco Coetzee. The village has good basic infrastructure, a golf course and small casino with shopping malls, such as the West Coast Mall, a short drive away. Yet, he says, it remains a tranquil escape from the city.

Most properties are close to, or a short distance from the stunning beach and lagoon area, he says. Apartment prices start at around R450,000 while a quaint three bedroomed, white-washed fisherman-style holiday cottage in Skiathos is on offer for R770,000. A large, four bedroomed home in a secure estate is on offer for R1.975 million and a stunning, large double storey home with a white-washed exterior and blue shutters reminiscent of the Greek Isles is on the market for R2.19 million.

Vacant plots in Langebaan Golf Estate are now priced around R440,000 for 898sqm while sea-view plots of around 925sqm are on offer for R450,000. A 2ha small holding plot with sea views is on the market for R750,000.

Sea view plots are now selling for between R450,000 and R1.575 million for a beach-front plot located on the rocks. Plots in the Gary Player designed Langebaan Golf Estate are selling for as low as R150,000. A sea view smallholding of around 2ha, is on offer for R685,000.

At the top end, buyers

with a bigger budget looking to acquire a stunning seaside home could look at a modern, architectural home situated literally on the rocks overlooking the yacht-lined bay for R7,95 million. The design of this 420sqm residence is ultracontemporary with strong angles and stonework feature walls as well as large glass windows and doors that offer panoramic sea views throughout. It is built over three levels with large sundecks. A private lift connects all the floors. The living areas, located on the middle level, include a lounge with a wood-burning fireplace, dining room and large openplan kitchen. Glass doors open onto a large terrace with a lounge, bar area and braai facilities that overlooks a rim-flow swimming pool and the ocean. The home offers four bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. Two of the suites are located on the top floor and a further two on the lower level. Added extras include a spacious study, huge wine cellar with oak floors and an entertainment area. There is underfloor heating throughout.

For more information, contact Seeff Langebaan, Jaco Coetzee on 021 863 1616 or 082 882 6797. View at www. seeff.com, web reference 274491.

DECEMBER 2012

<< PROMOTION

Addressed to impress: The Beaumont

by STAFF REPORTER Just one block away from Cavendish Square (the Cape’s most successful shopping centre) an exceptional residential development will soon be rising from the ground. It won’t only be breaking new ground as the tallest, most luxurious block in the highly sought-after Upper Claremont area, but it will also be a superb example of modern architecture and contemporary lifestyle design.

Features The Beaumont is a supermodel of a building – sleek, graceful and drop-dead beautiful.

At 33.75m there’s no taller building in the area and there’s certainly no finer one either!

To regard The Beaumont as yet another upmarket apartment block in Upper Claremont is to miss the essence of a carefully-crafted and intricately-planned solution to fast-moving modern lifestyles.

From the concierge that greets you and your guests as you enter the reception area in the plush lobby, everything about The Beaumont answers the simple question: “How can we rethink the apartment block to make it optimally functional, social, smarter, luxurious and user-friendly?”

The groundbreaking design of this iconic development has been described as “a contemporary interpretation of the Art Deco movement”, and draws inspiration from similar cutting edge developments across the globe.

DECEMBER 2012

Security Naturally, in a development like this, security precautions and surveillance will be of the highest order. Access will only be granted by biometric fingerprint recognition and concierges and guards will be on duty in the foyer round the clock, seven days a week.

The parking basement, in turn, will only be accessible to people with the correct remote controls; while the property perimeter will be secured by electric fencing and monitored 24/7 by CCTV cameras and trained guards.

Interior The 179 apartments in The Beaumont range from a highly affordable 33m² studio to a 238m² penthouse going for R5.2m – and everything in between. Depending on your needs, there’s also a broad selection of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, most of them with magnificent views of Devils Peak and the southern spine of Table Mountain. The apartments facing Brooke Street will also look over the attractive, landscaped St Saviour’s Church property – the ultimate in peaceful surroundings.

In keeping with The Beaumont’s premium status, all apartments will be graciously appointed with fine fittings, finishes and craftsmanship. The bathrooms will be equipped with underfloor heating and heated towel rails. Kitchens will all come with slick

stainless steel ovens, hobs and extractors, and all counter tops will be hewn from the finest granite available. The lighting systems throughout the common areas and in the individual apartments have received special attention in terms of detail and styling.

The development will have two levels of parking basements and each unit will be entitled to at least one parking bay.

colleges, schools, cinemas, nightspots and sports facilities within a few minutes stroll.

The Jammie bus stop (that services UCT) is just 200m away and so are the local train and bus stations.

• Kingsbury Hospital – 900m • Virgin Active gym – 1.1km • Newlands Oval – 1.2km • Sahara Newlands Stadium – 1.6km • Grootte Schuur High School – 1.8km

Distances • Cavendish Square – 200m • Grove Primary School – 650m • Herschel School – 850m

For more information. please contact Rawson Developers at +27 21 658 7100 or email info@rawson-developers.co.za

Location: With a spectacular array of retail, commercial, leisure and service options on its doorstep; as well as almost immediate access to all forms of transportation, The Beaumont could very well be the most conveniently located apartment block in the province.

Besides Cavendish, there are a number of other shopping centres, medical suites, office blocks, gyms, restaurants,

www.sapropertymonthly.co.uk

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Trade & Investment

Power hungry African countries turn East

We look at the strategies being considered to maintain power for growth in East Africa’s booming economies

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by WASHINGTON GIKUNJU POWER hungry African countries are turning to the East for funding and technology to drive their expanding economies, challenging western multinationals’ past dominance in the region.

The shifting power balance has seen Chinese, South Korean and Japanese multinationals bag lucrative contracts to build hydro, geothermal, gas, nuclear and coalfired power plants on the continent.

Most big power projects in Africa have in the past been financed by the World Bank and other multilateral lenders such as the European Investment Bank – whose stringent procurement rules have tended to favour western corporations.

East Africa’s biggest economy, Kenya, has been a rich hunting ground for Eastern hemisphere nations and corporations that are turning to emerging and frontier economies to boost their growth.

In recent months, multinationals such as Mitsui, Daewoo, Hyundai, Toyota and Tshusho have won big contracts for a wide range of power sector projects.

The most recent and biggest is Daewoo International’s signing of a $1.3 billion deal last month to build a coal-fired plant at the Kenyan coast.

The state-owned power generator KenGen’s chief executive Eddy Njoroge and the Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga flew to Seoul, South Korea, for the signing of the 300 megawatt (MW) plant on 18 November.

Chinese company Synopec International is currently undertaking a $140 million geothermalNedbank powerGolf fieldChallenge study in print Kenya’s Rift Valley basin.

Other Eastern companies involved in multimillion dollar projects in Kenya, which are at various stages of completion, include a consortium of Hyundai of Korea and Tshusho of Japan, which are building a geothermal plant, and KEC of India, which is constructing transmission lines and power stations.

Last month the Kenyan government also signed a nuclear education and technology transfer

deal with Slovakia.

Sub-Saharan Africa’s second biggest economy Nigeria, is also turning to the east. Nigeria has one of the biggest power deficits on the continent, producing only 4,000MW of power for its 160 million people, compared to South Africa’s capacity of 40,000MW for a population that is just above 50 million.

Nigeria has spent more than US$40 billion on reforming the power sector over the past two decades, yet the country needs to invest many times this amount to guarantee a stable supply of electricity to its population.

In a September sale of five power firms by the Nigerian government, one Western company (British) emerged among the bid winners alongside two Eastern firms, a Chinese and Russian corporation.

Ethiopia, the continent’s second most populous country, is also counting on the largesse of Eastern governments and corporations to power its economy.

The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China has pledged $500 million to finance sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest hydro power project, the Gibe III dam in Ethiopia, providing a crucial lifeline after other financiers pulled out citing concerns about its projected negative impact on the environment.

A former senior official in Kenya’s Ministry of Energy, Mwendia Nyaga, said in a recent interview there is a range of reasons behind Africa’s dalliance with the East.

Nyaga, who now runs an independent consultancy, Oil and Energy emphasised ad.Page 1 Services 21/9/12 Ltd, 11:16:47 that the presence of the East in Africa is not an entirely new phenomenon, but reckoned that geopolitical and economic power shifts are behind their rising prominence on the continent.

With the exception of Japan which is already an advanced economy, most Eastern hemisphere nations have recorded rapid growth in the past three decades, and are at the stage where their homegrown companies are searching for growth abroad.

On the other hand, Africa is on a steep economic growth curve that has exposed the deficiency of its power sector.

It is projected that Sub-Saharan Africa will record the second highest regional growth rate of 5.5 percent in 2012, trailing only Asia.

The emerging energy shortages have seen African governments loosen their traditional stranglehold on the power sector, opening themselves up for foreign investment.

Eastern countries still enjoy much lower costs of production than the developed West, making their corporations a natural choice for the resource-rich but cash-short African continent.

The Eastern countries’ policy of non-interference in internal affairs of countries in which they seek business has been an added bonus for African governments that view the West’s insistence on democracy and human rights as intrusive.

“I see the rising presence of the East as more of a diversification for African countries than anything,” said Nyaga, who rose to the position of acting managing director of the state-owned National Oil Corporation of Kenya (NOCK) before quitting in 2010 for private practice.

“Politicians want to feel they are not tied to one option, dealing with the East makes them feel safer,”

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This is the day to change lives Make things happen; register now for 13 September 2013. www.sagolfday.com Nedbank Limited is incorporated with limited liability in South Africa (no.1951/000009/06) and its London branch is registered in England and Wales (no.BR001334), and whose registered address is 1st floor Old Mutual Place, London, EC4V 4GG. Nedbank London is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority (FSA Register number 204684).

he said.

Besides involvement in the power sector, trade between Africa and the East has soared in recent years, also favoured by the changing geopolitical realities.

China’s trade with Africa, for example, reached $166.3 billion in 2011, which included African exports to China worth $93.2 billion, consisting mainly of minerals and raw materials.

In July the Chinese government offered African countries $20 billion in loans over the next three years, most of which will be used to finance trade between the continent and Chinese corporations.

Critics have previously questioned the quality of projects undertaken by companies from the East, which do not have as much global experience or as many experts as their Western counterparts.

The agreement between the Kenyan government and Slovakia to train scientists for its planned nuclear power plant particularly raised eyebrows in the country, especially coming in the wake of the Japanese Fukushima nuclear disaster.

The Eastern companies have been accused of cutting corners to enable them to put in lower bids than their Western competitors.

Nyaga, however, said the fears could be founded more on perception than reality.

He says the rapid development of Eastern economies is a testament to the fact that some of their corporations can stand head-tohead with Western firms.

“There is a lot of innovation going on in the West but in some cases the Eastern countries are just as good as the West,” he said. www.gatewaytoafrica.com

10

Business: News

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Christmas Breakfast Indaba African singer Lorraine Lionheart will be performing at 2012’s last Indaba

by STAFF REPORTER DECEMBER has crept up on us and the cold weather is back.

Now’s the time to put a little sunshine back in your life with our Christmas Breakfast Indaba, the last of 2012. Promising singer Lorraine Lionheart will be performing a Christmas song

especially for you.

Born and raised in Botwana’s Kalahari Desert, Lorraine’s début single ‘Follow the Sound’ balances elements of world music and contemporary African rhythm.

The SA Chamber of Commerce has partnered with TheSouthAfrican.com to deliver

the most proactive business networking opportunity within the SA community over a monthly Breakfast Indaba. Every participant gets to present to the group and enjoy breakfast.

The event is at 7am on 13 Dec at Carluccios Putney. Book on http:// southafricanchamber.co.uk. .

Surprisingly strong week for Rand

by JESSE CROOKS POSITIVE Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) data helped add strength to the South African Rand on Monday 3 December, showing the manufacturing sector of South Africa close to expansion.

The Rand continued to slowly strengthen up until Thursday, where it hit a slight bump ahead of the release of local current

account data being released that afternoon. Expectations were that the country’s balance of payments would have increased, increasing the net outflow of capital from the country. Instead, the gap had remained unchanged, making SA look good in light of the global economic depression.

Friday brought a retreat in the currency ahead of US payroll data

released later that afternoon. Gains were experienced after the release, however, as the data showed that the worlds’ largest economy may be set to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff.

GBP/ZAR: 13.920 EUR/ZAR: 11.201 USD/ZAR: 8.683 AUD/ZAR: 9.091

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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A

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Currently, BIC advises that an individual is not to be absent from the UK for more than a total of 180 days over the five year qualifying period needed for ILR under most

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thesouthafrican.com | 11 December – 17 December 2012 |

Business: SA Power 100

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Lucie Cluver

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

HIV/Aids researcher | Social worker

by JEREMY KUPER

BULLET BIOGRAPHY Born: London, grew up in Hermanus Education: MA Classics (University of Cambridge), MSc Applied Social Studies and Diploma in Social Work (Oxford University) Research: Interested in impact on children of AIDSorphanhood and parental AIDS-illness, particularly mental health, physical health and educational outcomes.

Career trajectory: • Lecturer in Evidence-Based Social Intervention at University of Oxford and University of Cape Town, also a Fellow of Wolfson College • Leads Centre for Aids Interdisciplinary Research at Oxford • Acted as scientific advisor to Unicef and WHO,

Where in South Africa are you from?

I was born in London, and spent the first few months of my life in a rainy summer in Hermanus. Most of my family are still there, or in Cape Town, or in Elgin where they make lovely wine.

Do you go to South Africa often?

Yes, I go back there once a month.

I seem to spend most of my time at OR Tambo Airport or on South African Airways in economy class!

I’ve got three passports - two British and one South African.

There’s usually one passport sitting in an embassy waiting for a visa, one getting me out of England and one getting me into South Africa.

What do you miss the most about South Africa?

I miss my family, I miss the mountains in Hermanus. I miss the cliff path there that I run every morning with the sea crashing on one side while you look over the rocks for the whales. And I think of it every morning when I am here in England and it’s raining outside. I close my eyes and think of that cliff path.

Why wasn’t your first degree in social work?

When I went to university I had to decide whether to study in South Africa or in the UK. It was still almost free

then to go to university in the UK and here you can’t study social work as a first degree, you study it as a Master’s degree. So, I thought let’s do something that’s fun for my first degree, so I did Classics and loved every second of it.

After that you trained in social work. How did you end up specialising in HIV/Aids?

I never planned to go into HIV/ Aids work. I did my social work degree at Oxford but I did my electives and practice work at Cape Town Child Welfare. I intended to do Child Protection work. But when I got to South Africa in 2002, it was before we had antiretroviral access. My caseload was full of orphans, and people were dying all the time.

The need for work with HIVaffected children was clear, and that’s really what led me into it. I guess you just do what’s needed most.

What are you currently working on in South Africa? Where does the research come from?

It’s a major need seen by the South African government, particularly by the Departments of Social Development, Health and Basic Education, and international agencies - Unicef, USAID and Save the Children. We sit down together and we ask – ‘What kind of questions do we need to know so that we can design policies and programmes for Aids-affected

children?’.

So our studies try and answer the urgent policy questions. One study is the developing world’s first longitudinal study on Aidsaffected children - we followed 1,000 children from the Western Cape over four years. After four years we found them and interviewed them in Pollsmoor prison, in hospitals, and all over the country. Some of the kids had died.

In another study we have just interviewed 6,000 children across the country in six urban and rural areas and 2,600 of their caregivers, and followed them up a year later.

This is to really understand the needs of children who are affected

by Aids. Are they more likely to catch tuberculosis from their parents? Yes. Are they more likely to experience abuse or domestic violence in the household?

Yes. Are they more likely to be suicidal? Yes. Are they more likely to have risks like being exploited through transactional sex? Yes. So we are trying to understand their needs and what we can do to help. And with the government and NGOs we have worked out that there are things that can be done. We can’t change the fact that these kids have been orphaned by Aids or their parents are awfully sick. But we can change the things that lead to really bad risks for kids – we can give them grants, free schools, make HIV and Aids less stigmatised, and prevent child abuse.

We randomly selected sites in these provinces and then we went door to door to every single household within villages or townships and spoke to a child in every household with a child in it.

So that’s how we are able to say whether Aids-affected kids are more at risk than other kids.

But then the really good

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question is: What can we do about this?

We found that if we provide these kids with grants they are less likely to be exposed to things like transactional sex. If we provide them with a free school they are less likely to drop out of school.

We also see the really important thing that stopping Aids related stigma could reduce the risk for these kids.

This means that if we provide free schools for youngsters, especially girls, and if we provide them with a social grant like the child support grant or the foster

care grant, they are less likely to end up having an older partner like a sugar daddy in order to survive.

Will you return to South Africa?

When I finished my PhD in 2007, I had to decide again if I wanted to work in a South African University or a British one. I spoke to the South African government about this and said ‘Where am I to do this?’ And they said go to Oxford and bring us back the research.

And that’s what I did. I am really lucky - I have a dual appointment at Oxford and University of Cape Town - and am really lucky I get to do both now.

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thesouthafrican.com | 11 December – 17 December 2012 |

Zimbabwe Community

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UK tax money funds Mugabe regime

Report reveals UK taxpayers’ cash was loaned to dictators including Robert Mugabe

by ELIZABETH GLANVILLE BILLIONS of pounds of UK tax money has been loaned to dictatorships, including that of Robert Mugabe, without the regimes being checked for human rights records or environmental issues, said a cross-party report

by MPs that was published on Wednesday.

The cash has been handed out

by UK Export Finance (UKEF), which is the official department that lends foreign governments money to buy British goods. The organisation – which has also been dubbed the ‘department of dodgy dealings’ – does not make human rights or environmental checks on loads under £10 million.

A substantial quantity of the money has been spent on weaponry, including on Britishmade Hawk jets and 1,000 police Land-Rovers, which have been used to put down dissent in Zimbabwe. Taxpayers’ money has also been lent to President Suharto in Indonesia and Gen Hosni Mubarak in Egypt.

Amongst the biggest debtors are Omar al-Bashir’s Sudan, with debts of £682 million; Indonesia, owing £412 million; Iraq, £283 million and Zimbabwe, which owes £197 million. The issue of the loans to BP-backed BakuTblisi-Ceyhan oil pipeline, which breached 170 World Bank and European standards on human rights and the environment, was also raised.

The report was welcomed by Amnesty International, who said that it clearly called the UKEF’s record into question. Ann Feltham, representing Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: ‘It is wrong that we are selling arms to repressive

regimes and it is wrong that taxpayers are underwriting the costs.’

The findings call for more stringent standards on loans, and penalties for companies who breach them. MPs also want funds to be made available to smaller businesses in place of the corporate giants who tend to receive the backing.

UKEF said it “abides by international agreements that apply to the operations of export credit agencies, including those on antibribery, environmental, human rights and social impacts and sustainable lending”.

TheSouthAfrican.com/ Zimbabwe

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

For the latest Zimbabwe news, visit www.thesouthafrican.com/zimbabwe

St Marcus have been awarded a gold medal for Our Beef biltong.

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14

| 11 December – 17 December 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel: UK

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Getting high in Scotland

Road tripper Colin Macrae goes wild in the Scottish Highlands with the help of social media and readers of TheSouthAfrican.com

by COLIN MACRAE “LOVELY beyond all singing of it”, was how Alan Paton described Ixopo in the South African classic Cry The Beloved Country.

Although the Scottish Highlands are 5,000 miles from South Africa it was this evocative line that summed up my experience of getting off the beaten track in this awe inspiring Caledonian wilderness.

Beyond singing was right – there were choirs of angels serenading me, as each twist in the road yielded yet another magnificent vista. There were also feral goats, Highland coos and countless sheep that for some reason think they are all slow moving family sedans on a Sunday drive. Animals and angels – what more could you want from a road trip?

Setting out on my Highland adventure, I deliberately did not set an itinerary. Instead I asked social media to give me suggestions on what I should see in the week I had my camper van in the Highlands.

Having a camper van where I could literally sleep anywhere allowed me the luxury of true freedom. In the week leading up to my trip I

was surprised of the number of South African Facebook friends who gave me some ideas, showing that a trip to Scotland stays with you. As the journey enfolded the ripple effect was tremendous, with people across Scotland, the world and many readers of TheSouthAfrican.com sharing, retweeting and suggesting where too next. In fact there were so many options that I did not even cover 25% of the suggestions that came in.

I began my trip with a whistle stop tour of Inverness, a friendly city that for all intents and purposes is a town. Bustling, yet homely. I walked through the cobbled streets, past a castle to a bouncy bridge (yeah it does bounce), to the River Ness that gives the town the name.

Sadly my time there was too short, but I saw enough to know that I have to return to spend a weekend there. Though with the short Scottish days coming in quick, I had to move on as I had a date with a dram.

Glenmorangie is an old Scottish malt still made in the same distillery as it has been for centuries, overlooking the

magnificent Dornach Firth. Firths are essentially estuaries, though their rugged exposed to nature geography makes them more like Norwegian fjords. This rugged man and nature bond is reaffirmed by the numerous Pictish standing stones dotted around the vicinity of Glenmorangie. Picts, the early inhabitants of Scotland, were a little on the rough side.

Trainspotting has nothing on these guys - they painted themselves blue and scared the bejesus out of anyone who encountered them; the Romans even built a wall to keep them out. Having an ancestral affinity for these brave blue lads, I stopped at the first one on my trip.

Only to find it clad in its winter clothes i.e. boxed up for the winter.

I hope my ancestors are turning in their graves, with all this health and safety malarkey.

Not sure how developed the Picts’ whisky making skills were, pretty sure they were on something, but by the time the Scots had perfected the art, it truly was the nectar of the gods. Which is what made the inside of the distillery so apt.

The stills where the whisky is formed were more cathedral-like than any cathedral I have been to – pristine and beatific, showing the reverence the Scots have for the good stuff. The Angels Share is not a chance metaphor; whisky for the Scots is a religion. My whisky experience didn’t end there as I was invited to a private tasting at Glenmorangie House like no other I have experienced.

A sonic whisky tasting, followed by five courses of Scottish cuisine and a midnight dram at one of those Pictish standing stones. A truly religious experience, though by this stage I had sampled my way through the extensive range of malts on offer, and would have believed in Scientology if it came in a bottle. All in all, an experience so memorable that it deserves its own article.

The hospitality was so good, it went way into the wee hours of the morning. Which meant, counting the number of times you have to stop for picture opportunities, the next day I could only manage an hour up the coast to the quaint seaside village of Brora. There I dined on haggis and neaps, the national dish of Scotland. Rich, savoury and filling, seriously as long as you don’t think too hard about what it’s made of, you would love it. So filling that after a wee

Our road tripper discovers a land where beauty is everywhere and whisky is god.

dram (you might start seeing a pattern here), a long walk on the beach and I was well and truly bushed. Fortunately my bed could be wherever I wanted to put it and that night it was right next to the beach. I backed up the van so my bed was facing the sea and without another soul in sight, I was rocked to sleep by the sound of the North Sea whistling right outside my window.

Waking up the next morning to the sun rising over the ocean I only had time to see the ancient golf courses of Brora before I had to hit the road again into the hinterland.

Following the suggestions of social media I was heading across country

through uninhabited lands to the west coast where another adventure awaited. It had been only two days and I had felt I had seen more than a year in London. Quite simply, visiting Scotland it is good for your soul.

Colin’s LostnScot adventure was made possible with the assistance of Out There Camper Vans based in Nairn. They hire 2, 4 and 6 sleeper campers that allow you to get off the beaten track and discover the unparalleled beauty of the Scottish Highlands. Details: michael@ outtherecampers.co.uk 07912 138727 or www.outtherecampers. co.uk

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15

thesouthafrican.com | 11 December – 17 December 2012 |

Sport

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Proteas appoint separate T20 coach South African cricket team follows England in splitting coaching duties across different formats of the game

by JEREMY BORTZ IN A FIRST for the Proteas, their batting coach Russell Domingo has been appointed as the new coach of the national T20 squad for the summer series against New Zealand over the Christmas period and Pakistan in March 2013.

Current head coach Gary Kirsten, who remains accountable for all the squads, said the appointment was a positive move aimed at creating a more sustainable and balanced coaching approach.

While this is only the second such appointment in the world England appointed former spinner Ashley Giles in the same capacity last week - Kirsten said it was unofficially best practice these days anyway and he feels that it will give the team the platform to spread their coaching resources efficiently.

“I have worked closely with Russell over the past 18 months and I'm confident he will do a

great job. He fully understands the Proteas culture and will be able to build that culture with the new crop of T20 players we will be blooding this season," Kirsten said.

Domingo will oversee the squads’s preparation and daily activities, with assistance from the senior coaching staff consisting of Allan Donald, Paddy Upton and Rob Walter. Kirsten will remain involved in team selection and the rolling out of playing strategies.

He will also work closely with Domingo in nurturing and maintaining team culture.

Domingo was both honoured and excited about his new role.

"Coaching at the highest level has always been a goal of mine and I’m looking forward to building on the foundation we have set for this format. I have enjoyed working with Gary since he took charge, and I am determined to ensure that we continually improve in this format and continue to cultivate

a successful team culture and environment,” he said.

Cricket South Africa acting CEO Jacques Faul congratulated Domingo on his appointment: “Russell has been one of the unsung heroes behind the Proteas' success over the past year and this is a natural progression for him to be given this added responsibility.

He did an outstanding job in leading the Chevrolet Warriors franchise to the limited overs double and taking them to the final of the Champions League T20 before joining the Proteas set-up. During his time at the Warriors they became substantial contributors to the Proteas playing resources."

The newly-named Blue Label Telecoms Proteas T20 team play the first match of the summer against New Zealand in Durban on 21 December followed by games in East London on 23 and Port Elizabeth on 26 December.

TheSouthAfrican.com/ Sport

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SPORT

11 December – 17 December 2012

NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS

www.thesouthafrican.com

SARU CATCHES UP TO THE WORLD

SARU takes ownership of home Tests in a first for South African rugby

S

by ROB FLUDE ARU, the custodians of rugby in South Africa, has announced that they will organise all the Springboks’ Test matches from next year, after the Executive Council (Exco, comprising the 14 member provinces) ratified the decision at a meeting last week.

In another interesting move, the Exco also revealed the Springboks’ home Test schedule (including home Castle Rugby Championship matches) in advance for the next three seasons, subject to the conclusion of commercial terms with planned hosting venues.

This will certainly please coach Heyneke Meyer, as he will be able to plan effectively for the leadup to the Rugby World Cup in England in 2015.

The Exco also announced the fixtures for a unique four-nation mini-tournament for the June Test window next year, which significantly includes two games at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit - used during the soccer World Cup in 2010 and on occasion by the Bulls.

The Springboks will host Italy as well as their World Cup 2015 Pool B opponents Scotland and Samoa in the innovative one-off tournament, which will feature three consecutive weekends of double-header Test matches.

Fans will thus be afforded the opportunity to watch two Test matches for the price of one.On 8 June in Nelspruit, the Scots will

square up to Samoa, followed by the Boks versus Italy. The following Saturday in Durban, the Italians will face Samoa in a prelude to the Boks against Scotland.

Loftus Versfeld will host the last phase of the tournament on 22 June, with the bottom two teams on the log playing in the third-place playoff, before the topplaced teams play for silverware in the final.

With the British & Irish Lions tour being held in Australia next year, Scotland was the only one of the four home unions to put their hands up for the tournament, probably because their squad will be least affected by players on Lions’ duty. The Scots last played a Test in South Africa in 2006, when the Boks won both Tests, in Durban and Port Elizabeth.

Italy played more recently in SA, in 2010, when the Boks won a close first Test in Witbank, before cruising the second Test in East London.

Samoa last played in the Republic in 2007, when a secondstring Bok team won 35-8 at CocaCola Park in Johannesburg. Much controversy surrounded that match, with Luke Watson being forced to make his Test debut against coach Jake White’s will.

In making these announcements, SARU CEO Jurie Roux said, “SARU was the only major union in world rugby that didn’t properly own its own Test matches. The key benefits will be in allowing us to

South African Sevens team star Cecil Afrika gets scragged by an Australian defender in the BlitzBokke’s 17-7 win at the Cell C Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens tournament on the weekend, where they finished third. Afrika was making a comeback after an injury layoff. Photo by IRB/Carl Fourie.

plough a share of the profits back into all the provincial unions and, that by controlling the ticket office and all commercial activity in the stadium, we will be able to provide an experience for our stakeholders on a par with what we experience when playing overseas.”

Roux further explained that the existing model was structured in such a way that SARU ‘sold’ Springbok matches to the host unions, who paid a rights fee for the event (the amount dependent on stature of opponent). The host union would then organise

all of the commercial aspects of the event as they saw fit, such as setting the ticket prices, and would also keep all of the income.

“This is a major change in how rugby is run and will present challenges,” said Roux. “But the major effect is that it has placed Springbok Tests in the ownership of the mother body, for the benefit of all rugby’s stakeholders.

“We are taking the Springboks to a new venue in 2013 and have an exciting new competition format for the June Tests – by coincidence against two of our Rugby World

Cup opponents in 2015. We have also been able to map out a home fixture schedule for the next three years – something the provinces had also wanted.”

In 2014 the Boks will host Wales twice and Scotland once in the June Tests, with no incoming tour in 2015 due to the World Cup. Curiously enough, the All Blacks will play the Boks in Johannesburg for three consecutive years, presumably as part of a deal struck with the Golden Lions union, who were relegated from next year’s Super Rugby tournament.

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