www.thesouthafrican.com
14-20 May 2013
Issue 514
‘WE DON’T SUPPORT CUTTING AID TO SA’ South Africans in the UK hit back at the suggestion last week that they agreed with Britain’s decision to cut aid to their homeland. According to one reader, ‘The level of ignorance and assumptions made about this aid is a concern’ by STAFF REPORTER
MANY of our readers were outraged at an article published last week in which some UKbased South Africans expressed their support of the British government’s decision to cut aid to SA. Some of those originally quoted expressed the belief that the money was not being spent wisely while others suggested it was being squandered by a corrupt government. However, one reader pointed out, “Your headline reads ‘UK South Africans applaud Britain’s decision to cut aid to SA’. This is a false statement because some of us do not applaud the decision!” Another reader commented, “Many South Africans in the UK disagree with the decision to cut aid because it is being used by the DFID for women with childbirth problems and on HIV/Aids projects, some of which are run by NGOs funded by the DFID. The level of ignorance and assumptions made about this aid is a concern to me and others. My opinion is that the aid should be continued while at the same time increasing trade. I feel let down by Justine Greening’s consultation process and implementation of her cuts.” Carolynn Kelly noted, “Perhaps the question is, why do we continue to call people who have chosen to leave our country South African? Stay on the other side of the world and allow South Africans to find solutions to our
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problems. I don’t hold any candle for the ANC or any other current political party but I am sick of listening to crap excuses and more importantly listening to expats living in ivory towers debating my life.” The UK government’s aid programme to South Africa is currently worth £19 million a year and has focused on reducing the mortality rate among women giving birth, as well as supporting businesses. The SA government said that it had had noted with regret Britain’s“unilateral announcement” regarding the termination of Official Development Aid to South Africa from the year 2015. Spokesperson for the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, Clayson Monyela, said it was a major decision with far reaching implications on the projects that were currently running. South African Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan, who was visiting the UK when the news was announced, said he did not agree to the decision, with his role in the discussions having been misrepresented. He said, “I was surprised to read the statement: ‘I have agreed with my South African counterparts that South Africa is now in a position to fund its own development.’ There was no such agreement. At no stage did I agree to the cut in aid, a point I repeated to International Development continued on page 2
INSIDE:
p3 | Zuma’s wife battles SA Airlink over pilfered jewels worth R500k p3 | SA teen dies brutal death at alleged ‘gay conversion’ camp p9 | SA carmakers applaud government roadmap to foster electric cars as major future industry
MADIBA GETS HIS SCARF BACK: On its first night in Parliament Square, the Nelson Mandela statue was adorned with a scarf, unfortunately stolen some time later. On a recent visit to London, KZN Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize replaced the symbol of South African pride. Read more on page 2. (Image: Reinhardt Hartzenberg)
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| 14 - 20 May 2013 | thesouthafrican.com
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Sertan Sanderson
Sertan has recently started writing for the South African to find his inner African. He has previously contributed features to the Guardian and has also penned various travel blogs over the years. During the day he pursues a career in broadcasting; at night he’s busy saving the world. @SertanSanderson www.sertansanderson.com
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South Africans: ‘We oppose UK aid cut!’ continued on page 2 Secretary Justine Greening when we met last week.” South Africa has for years had a special relationship with the people of Britain. “During the apartheid era, the people of Britain opened their hearts and their purses to assist in the anti-apartheid struggle. The manner in which the current British administration has chosen to end its financial aid to South Africa is therefore, regrettable.” The minister was first informed of the British government’s new aid strategy in talks in July 2012 by Andrew Mitchell, the then Secretary for International Development. “Mr Mitchell demonstrated a sound understanding of South Africa’s position and developmental challenges. Equally, I noted, but did not agree with, Britain’s new aid strategy. I indicated that we needed to debate South Africa’s development
challenges.” The minister’s first conversation with Greening on the matter took place in March, where she repeated the British government’s new stance on development aid. “She indicated that we can work together on projects in Africa, among other possibilities. I indicated that we need to debate her government’s approach to development aid, whilst noting the new policy. “We agreed that our officials would discuss the possibility of a joint statement at the WEF-Africa, held in Cape Town last week. After I had accepted the invitation to speak at The Times CEO Africa Summit in London, Ms Greening’s office requested a meeting and her officials discussed the possibility of a joint statement at the WEFAfrica conference. I agreed to the meeting, but National Treasury officials could not agree with Greening’s office on any joint statement,” said Gordhan.
Madiba gets his scarf back by STAFF REPORTER
THE statue of Nelson Mandela in Parliament Square, London, is a bronze sculpture of the former President of South Africa. Originally proposed by Donald Woods in 2001, a fund was set up and led by Woods’ wife and Lord Richard Attenborough after the death of Woods. The Mayor of London fought for permission from Westminster City Council to locate the statue on the north terrace of Trafalgar Square. However, following an appeal, it was located in Parliament Square instead where it was unveiled on 29 August 2007. On the night after the unveiling an unknown person placed a South African scarf around the
Mandela statue as a symbol of South African pride. The scarf stayed in place around Madiba’s neck for many months and become a well-known accessory of the statue. Unfortunately it was eventually taken by a tourist as a souvenir some months later. On a recent visit to London KwaZulu-Natal Premier Dr Zweli Mkhize decided Madiba might need his scarf back. At the end of his week-long official trip to London, Mkhize went to visit the statue of the struggle icon to replace the original South African scarf around Madiba’s neck as a symbol of pride and respect for the former statesman.
An evening with Prue Leith by KAREN DE VILLIERS
I’M GUESSING a number of the men at the last event for the South African Chamber of Commerce were wondering just why they were passing up a good night at in front of the telly to listen to a cook. Not all men speak of chefs. Mine thinks anyone with a saucepan in their hand is a cook. Albeit a famous one, but nonetheless a cook. Used to talks about politics and insurance or financial dramas, the organisers of the function did a splendid job inviting this trés interesting personality to address the audience. How to casually chat about one’s life that includes an OBE, a couple of restaurants, a Michelin star, some novels, cookbooks… I wonder if the lady herself can remember all the things she has accomplished in her colourful life. Her autobiography Relish, out recently, provided the opportunity to do just that. Reminisce and remember the events that shaped the life of a very special woman. Brought up in South Africa, and still very fond of the place it seems, Prue too stood at that troublesome threshold with a ‘what to do with the rest of my life’ banner hanging over her head. A trip to France and what else, but the lure of French cuisine popped
Image: Christine van der Merwe
the lightbulb in her head – cooking was the passionate missing piece. This could have been the point when the less enthusiastic ‘cooks’ in the audience could have succumbed to the heavy eyelid scenario, but Ms Leith was having none of that. The lady is up there, looking anything but her years in the smartest pair of red ankle boots and captivating the audience with her words. Her story is delicious, in and out of the kitchen. A secret love affair, disastrous events, family life – her curriculum vitae reads like that of a politician, author, mentor, business guru and master chef all rolled into one. Ms Leith is not a motivational speaker. Rather she is motivation itself. Follow by example, I believe the message is.
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Zuma’s wife in battle with SA Airlink over missing jewels
WE WILL TAKE YOU HOME/ONS DOEN DIE GROOT TREK HUIS TOE...
Thobeka Madiba-Zuma, Jacob Zuma’s glamorous fourth wife, blames SA Airlink for the theft of half a million rands worth of jewellery – including pendants, bracelets and diamond rings by LAURA ATTWELL
JACOB ZUMA’S wife Thobeka Madiba-Zuma is continuing an investigation into the alleged theft of half a million rands’ worth of uninsured jewellery by SA Airlink. Madiba-Zuma, who has been married to Zuma since 2010 and used to be a bank clerk, claims she put the jewels into a Clarins make-up bag before packing it into her unlocked suitcase and handing it over to SA Airlink. There were allegedly 36 pieces of jewellery in the bag, including a white diamond ring in the shape of a snake, a diamond bracelet, a necklace, an arm band and a set of white diamond earrings. Madiba-Zuma flew from Nelspruit to OR Tambo, then in Johannesburg the case was loaded into a car and she drove to Bloemfontein to attend an ANC conference. It was then that she discovered that the R500,000 jewels were missing. “After we arrived (in Bloemfontein), we rushed for
dinner…I opened my suitcase for the first time and realised the make-up bag with all my exclusive jewellery was gone,” she said in a statement. According to Beeld, the head of SA Airlink Roger Foster said that CCTV footage and polygraph tests could prove that SA Airlink employees did not tamper with Madiba-Zuma’s valuables. Foster reportedly wrote a letter to the President’s office saying, “We compelled all employees to undergo polygraph tests, which showed that they were not involved in the alleged theft of Mrs Zuma’s valuables” Beeld reported that MadibaZuma wrote an email to journalists on Sunday night to say that the investigation was ongoing, and that she would wait for he lawyers to advise her on her legal position. “The investigation continues…I will wait for my lawyers’ final advice before I decide what to do. My personal jewellery was,
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SA teen dies brutal death after attending ‘gay conversion’ camp by SERTAN SANDERSON
LAST week a South African court heard gruesome evidence about the violent death of a teenage boy at a camp claiming to ‘make men out of boys’ , located on a farm-site near Vereeniging in 2011. Graphic images show 15-year-old Raymond Buys malnourished and emaciated to a near-skeletal state at intensive care shortly before his death two weeks after attending the “Echo Wild Game Rangers” training camp. With bruises and severe fractures all over his body Buys had no chance of survival, according to testimony given by the doctors who treated him. The self-appointed “general” of the game ranger training camp, Alex de Koker (49), is under arrest along with an employee, Michael Erasmus (20), awaiting trial for charges of murder, child abuse and neglect, as well as two charges of assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm. The defendants have pleaded not guilty over the charges as the case has begun to be heard. The chief defendant in the case, De Koker, may have strong links to the extremist Afrikaner Weerstandsbeweging (AWB) led by the deceased Eugene Terre’Blanche, with De Koker’s past steeped in the
AWB’s paramilitary branch. Two other cases of suspicious death had been reported from the same training camp in 2007, but these were treated as lesser incidents at the time with only one of the two deaths leading to a suspended sentence for De Koker in 2009. With this oversight on the part of law enforcement officials, the camp was allowed to continue until 2011. Last week Vereeneging court heard how Buys had died in hospital after being repeatedly beaten, abused and starved at the “Echo Wild Game Rangers” camp. The camp had reportedly been designed as a rite of passage into manhood, however, behind the adventuredriven facade it becomes apparent that the camp was particularly
geared toward treating teenage boys perceived to be too effeminate, aiming to cure potentially gay youngsters through what supporters consider “reparative therapy” - for a fee of R 22,000 a year. The camp was conceived as a three-month training course, stating that its aim was to ‘make men out of boys’ – a euphemism sometimes used in Afrikaans communities to address a perceived lack of masculinity. However, previous attendees have included children with Attention Deficit Disorder and autism, implying a lack of understanding of gender and sexuality issues. Other attendees of the “Echo Wild Game Rangers” camp have testified under oath that Buys had been chained to his bed, prevented from going to the toilet, electrocuted with a stun gun and made to eat his own faeces in addition to the starvation and violent beatings, which eventually cost him his life. The beatings were reportedly carried out with hosepipes, sticks and wooden planks. Buys’s mother Wilma was traumatised by her son’s death. “I sent my son on this course to make him a better man, to give him a better future. I trusted Alex de Koker with his life.”
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Prue Leith and Thandi Modise speak at SA Chamber’s First Wednesday
by CHRISTINE van der MERWE
TWO dynamic and inspirational women took the podium at the SA Chamber of Commerce First Wednesday event on 1 May. South African-born author, chef and businesswoman Prue Leith, who has built a well-known catering empire in Britain, gave insights into business and her life. She was followed by Thandi Modise, premier of the North West Province of South Africa. Modise spoke about being an Umkhonto we Sizwe soldier in her youth before being arrested, becoming a political prisoner and building relationships with her white prison warders with the goal of finding common ground to unite all South African women against apartheid.
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Lianie May maak Arno Jordaan back at Dankfees After performing at Dankfees 2011, Afrikaans singer Arno Jordaan returns to haar eerste optrede in Hop Farm on Saturday 1 June alongside Lianie May and Jak de Priester die VK: Onderhoud by RONEL VAN ZYL
I CAUGHT up with Arno Jordaan while he was shooting a video for his charity golf day and got him to answer a few questions before Dankfees 2013.
deur ERIKA de JAGER
EK gesels met Suid-Afrikaanse country en pop sangeres Lianie May op die dag voor sy haar visa optel vir haar heel eerste besoek aan Engeland - destinasie Dankfees 2013 (31 Mei – 2 Junie). Hoe het jy die visa aansoek proses ervaar? Ek neem aan jy het ‘n Groen Mamba (SuidAfrikaanse paspoort) en dit kan soms ‘n nagmerie wees? Die dame wat ons gehelp het was baie hulpvaardig. Ons moet juis môre ons visas gaan haal, ons het ‘n SMS gekry wat sê dis gereed. So hou duim vas dat ons huis toe kom met ons visas. Hoe voel jy oor die langafstand vlug? Is jy bang? My mede kunstenaars sê hulle slaap, maar gelukkig gaan Barry my verloofde ook saam want ek is nog nie heeltemal oor my vrees vir vlieg nie. Dit raak maar stadig beter met tyd, maar ek kry nogsteeds daai hol kol op my maag. Is jy opgewonde om by die Dankfees te kom optree? Ja, ongelooflik baie. My eerste keer in die UK en dit nog by ‘n wonderlike fees en ‘n voorreg om my talent en liedjies daar te kan kom deel met die SuidAfrikaners. SA Gemeente reel die Dankfees – hoe belangrik is geloof vir jou in jou loopbaan? Bitter belangrik, die Liewe Vader en ek stap elke dag my padjie hand aan hand. Met jou loopbaan
of persoonlike lewe of watookal in die jaar met jou gebeur, weet ek net elke dag meer en meer hoe nodig ek Hom het, in goeie en slegte tye. Ek dank Hom vir dit wat ek kan doen (sangloopbaan) en elke goeie gebeurtenis, goeie dag, goeie vertoning ,vir alles. Hoe belangrik dink jy is dit vir Suid-Afrikaners oorsee om Afrikaanse musiek en feeste te ondersteun? Ek hoop hulle voel passievol, want dis hoe die SuidAfrikaners in Suid-Afrika oor hul kunstenaars en musiek voel. Sonder ons ondersteuners kan ons nie doen waarvoor ons lief is nie; dit is wonderlik as mens in ander lande kan gaan sing en jou mense ondersteun jou en jou taal en jou liefde vir musiek. Daar is geen beter gevoel in jou hart as om daardie mense te sien en te hoor saam sing nie. As jy Suid-Afrika sou verlaat wat sou jy die meeste mis?
How did you enjoy the 2011 Dankfees? And why did you decide to come back this year? It was a wonderful experience, the crowd was fantastic and it was a great feeling to be able to perform there and see how the people enjoyed it – they are hungry for Afrikaans music. I am returning because who would say no to an invite to enjoy South African hospitality and wonderful support in London! What have you been working on lately? My last album was Stukkie van jou hart. I am busy recording a new album that will be released at the end of the year. I am very excited about it! Soos enige boeremeisie, son, bosveld, braaivleis en my ma se boerekos. Laastens, enige boodskap vir jou fans aan die kant wat dié Dankfees gaan bywoon? Ek kan nie wag om te kan kom kuier nie en my liedjies vir julle te sing en julle sommer saam sing nie. Ek hoop dat ek , Arno en Jak dit so lekker vir julle sal maak dat julle uit volle bors Afrikaanse musiek met ons sal deel en geniet. Ek sien baie uit om daar te wees.
Why do you sing? It is my greatest passion in life and I cannot imagine doing anything else. What has been your most successful song in your career? What song has special meaning? There are a few: ‘Plek vir jou by my’, ‘Stukkie van jou hart’... ‘Engele’ [stands out because] I lost a good friend in a car accident and this song was written for him.
Any recent highlights in your life? The Afrikaans is Groot Show 2012 – it was a huge and successful production and it was a highlight to be part of it. And then… yes – we are pregnant with our first baby who is due in December – we can’t wait! Where have you found the best crowd to perform to? Afrikaans is Groot 2012 because of the the crowd and of course Dankfees 2011. Maybe a song with Lianie May and Jak de Priester? Maybe – let’s keep this a surprise… Name one of your best attributes? To try and please everyone and keep everyone happy – sometimes to my own detriment. Which causes do you support? I’ve set up a charity foundation, which, through our high profile golf day supports different causes. We’ve contributed to building a school in Tzaneen last year. This year we’ll
be supporting the Hannah Charity Fund, which does excellent work for the underprivileged in Pretoria. Being a bow hunter myself, I have a true passion for wildlife, and as a result I support various campaigns that contribute to stopping rhino poaching. Have you ever acted in a movie? My first movie As jy sing will be released in November. Future engagements include? Many shows, festivals, The Arno Jordaan Charity Golf Day – and the next Afrikaans is Groot Show in September. I can’t wait to visit London and especially Dankfees 2013! Book tickets to see Arno perform on www.sagemeente.com
Koop Dankfees kaartjies by www.sagemeente.com
Win tickets to Dankfees 2013!
Dankfees returns to Hop Farm from 31 May to 2 June and we have fabulous prizes for you! You could win one of 2 ticket packages for 2 adults (each package worth £50)… SA CONGREGATION will again host the annual Dankfees from 31 May to 2 June 2013 at The Hop Farm in Kent. Dankfees 2012 saw more than 2,500 South(ern) Africans attending the festival – and many people vowed to never miss it again! It hosted a hugely successful Saturday night show with Kurt Darren and Pieter Smith entertaining the crowd. The confirmed artists for 2013 are Lianie May, Arno Jordaan and Jak de Priester. The main festival is on Saturday 1 June, with camping from Friday night. It promises a weekend of entertainment for everyone – a kids village will keep the young ones entertained (with bouncy castles, an obstacle
course, face painting and loads more), while the older ones can enjoy touchies, tug-of-war, and loads of South African treats such as vetkoek, pannekoek and many more! The weekend ends with a SA Congregation church service on Sunday morning. Book on www.sagemeente.com WIN! We have 2 ticket packages for 2 adults (each package worth £50) to give away. Enter online or scan the QR code to win. Entries close on 21 May 2013. sagemeente.com
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| 14 - 20 May 2013 | thesouthafrican.com
Entertainment by BRETT PETZER
Nelson Mandela’s Living Legacy
Clarkebury, Healdtown and Fort Hare: ‘36-’40
INTENDING to gain skills needed to become a privy councillor for the Thembu royal house, Mandela began his secondary education at Clarkebury Boarding Institute in Engcobo, a Western-style institution that was the largest school for black Africans in Thembuland. Made to socialise with other students on an equal basis, he claimed that he lost his “stuck up” attitude, becoming best friends with a girl for the first time; he began playing sports and developed his lifelong love of gardening. Completing his Junior Certificate in two years, in 1937 he moved to Healdtown, the Methodist college
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in Fort Beaufort attended by most Thembu royalty, including Justice. The headmaster emphasised the superiority of English culture and government, but Mandela became increasingly interested in native African culture, making his first non-Xhosa friend, a Sotho language-speaker, and coming under the influence of one of his favourite teachers, a Xhosa who broke taboo by marrying a Sotho. Spending much of his spare time long-distance running and boxing, in his second year Mandela became a prefect. With Jongintaba’s backing, Mandela began work on a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree at the
University of Fort Hare, an elite black institution in Alice, Eastern Cape with around 150 students. There he studied English, anthropology, politics, native administration and Roman Dutch law in his first year, desiring to become an interpreter or clerk in the Native Affairs Department. Mandela stayed in the Wesley House dormitory, befriending Oliver Tambo and his own kinsman, K.D. Matanzima. Continuing his interest in sport, Mandela took up ballroom dancing, and performed in a drama society play about Abraham Lincoln. A member of the Students Christian Association, he gave Bible classes in the local
Scottish black pudding with scallops A new twist on an old favourite
SOME people like black pudding, some people like haggis. I guess it is the Marmite-Bovril story too. I often serve this dish with scallops, which marries quite well. This uses a mixture of Haggis and Black pudding. Yield: 50
community, and became a vocal supporter of the British war effort when the Second World War broke out. Although having friends connected to the African National Congress (ANC) and the antiimperialist movement, Mandela avoided any involvement. Helping found a first-year students’ House Committee which challenged the dominance of the second-years, at the end of his first year he became involved in a Students’ Representative Council (SRC) boycott against the quality of food, for which he was temporarily suspended from the university; he left in 1940 without taking a degree. - Wikipedia.com Ingredients 1.5kg Haggis, removed from the ‘stomach’ 1.5kg good black pudding – removed from the skin 150g chopped herbs (Thyme, tarragon, rosemary and chives) 30g cracked white pepper 60g Maldon salt 150g Oats 150g white bread crumb 10no Leafy lemon – zest only 60g Masala curry powder (or a sweet, mild curry powder) Method You need to use the mixing blade of a bread mixer and thoroughly mix the black pudding and haggis first. Then add all the other ingredients and mix on a low setting for around 5 minutes, until all of the seasonings are incorporated. This gets portioned into ‘logs’ and rolled with cling film to keep its shape. They’re sliced - after being chilled – to 1.5cm thick, so you have a little ‘body’ when cooking them.
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Win tickets to A Human Being Died That Night at Hampstead Downstairs We have five pairs of tickets to give away to A Human Being Died That Night, a new play portraying a psychologist’s extraordinary interviews with notorious apartheid assassin Eugene de Kock
by STAFF REPORTER
HAMPSTEAD Downstairs and Eric Abraham present Nicholas Wright’s new play, A Human Being Died That Night, from 10 May – 15 June. Based on the best-selling book of the same name by psychologist Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, A Human Being Died That Night explores her extraordinary interviews with Eugene de Kock, her time on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and how a fundamentally moral person could become a mass murderer. Pretoria Central Prison, 1997. Psychologist Pumla GobodoMadikizela prepares to sit opposite the apartheid regime’s most notorious assassin. A member of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, she is interviewing Eugene de Kock while he serves 212 years for crimes against humanity, murder, conspiracy to murder, attempted murder, assault, kidnapping, illegal possession of firearms, and fraud. How did Eugene de Kock become one of the most reviled
figures in apartheid history? Is Gobodo-Madikizela able to overcome her disgust and hate for this monster and find the human within? And will he be prepared to open up and tell an educated black woman the truth? Directed by Jonathan Munby, Matthew Marsh plays De Kock while Noma Dumezweni plays Gobodo-Madikizela. Born in Swaziland, of South African parents, Dumezweni came to England with her family as a child, first living in Suffolk, where she was educated, before moving to London. Her theatre roles have included Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Breakfast With Mugabe, Antony and Cleopatra, MMacbeth, (all RSC) and A Raisin in the Sun (Winner – Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performer). Dates: 10 May – 15 June 2013 Times: 7.45pm with Sat Mats at 3.15pm Prices: £12. Concessions available Book online: www. hampsteadtheatre.com Tel: 020 7722 9301 Hampstead Theatre, Eton Avenue,
The OPTIMIST
KAREN DE VILLIERS
Excess is baggage I can’t handle
IT’S 4.15 in the morning in London. Summer must be official when I can hear the birds beginning the day, the hint of light already there. The past few halcyon days of sunshine and daisy lawns has this entire nation in a good mood, so being up this early is hardly a struggle. Not like those tomb days of winter. When perfect weather conditions, or love, or small pockets of happiness drop into our laps, instinctively we learn to appreciate it all the more. Too much of anything and we forget the art of appreciation entirely. There are some things we simply should curtail in life – excess winter, overindulgence on rich wine and food, baggage, especially when one is the only porter, and excess
classless tacky gabillionionaires. Like any true love affair, discretion and respect makes one classy. Makes one worthy. Jeez, don’t they know? As if the Kardashians have not managed to produce enough bile to last me a lifetime, I found myself intrigued by the soap opera that is Guptagate. Oh, I know that big honchos do these things all the time, swerve left of the law and right of the greased palm as if being a good citizen was reflux-inducing. It matters not what I do not know, but a seventy million rand wedding in country with such need, with such pomp and impropriety, is the height of classlessness. Like the Marie Antoinette of satin ballgowns avec meringue to the pustle rags avec mouldy dough.
Swiss Cottage, London NW3 3EU Win! We have five pairs of tickets to give away to any night of the show (subject to ticket availability). Enter online or scan the QR code to win. thesouthafrican.com /winprizes
Ugh, ugh and ugh again. What happened to just being grateful that you have enough money to buy a dozen or so politicians or a lifetime membership to Louis Vuitton – why show the cash and the lack of class at the same time? I suspect in all this flash, illegal activity and gaudiness, the bride and groom were quite forgotten. There is nothing romantic about a circus. This entire episode proves it. Hooray for some members of the government who would have none of this upmanship, and a strike-out for those who felt important enough to be part of the blue light, blue label brigade for the sake of a party. Though not quite in my nun’s habit I often wonder if I am just jealous of not being part of this excessive society? Would I not without hesitation, put on the Manolos, strap the Chanel and call the chauffeur ‘John’? Everyone knows heels are not for public transport and so what if I want to fly in the Salmon; or pay millions for a view everyone else has, but with the added bonus of a bullet proof garage? My point. Not the wealth. If justly earned, justly yours. The excess. Exhibitionism in any form is a big bad mark on the classy list. The more you want to be known for being rich and powerful, the more you are going to need that bullet-proof garage. I will pass, thank you. Besides, mysterious and dignified is so much more alluring.
Celebrated SA artist shortlisted for BP Portrait award By LAURA ATTWELL
‘PIETER’, a portrait by UK based South African artist Susanne du Toit has been shortlisted for the prestigious BP Portrait Award 2013 at the National Portrait Gallery in London. The painting is of the artist’s eldest son, and it gives a real feeling for what Pieter’s personality might be like. “I look to the body to provide as much expression as the face… the averted gaze of this portrait, which was his choice, struck me as characteristic of his reflective character, and became intensely engaging,” Du Toit said of the piece. The painter gave her son the freedom to find his own pose. The only condition was that his hands should feature prominently because hands are ‘essential to communicating personality’. The competition received close to 2,000 applications from an astounding 77 different countries around the world. A mere 55 portraits were chosen for the exhibition and Du Toit’s has been selected for the top prize along with one other: John Devane’s ‘The Uncertain Time’ which is also a depiction of his children. The BP Prize is running for the 34th year and has been hailed as one of the world’s most distinguished portrait awards. The winner will receive £30,000 – an increase of £5,000 from
previous years – and a National Portrait Gallery commission of £5,000. The second prize is £5,000. The National Portrait Gallery’s director, Sandy Nairne, said that ‘these two outstanding portraits show the strength of painted portraiture today’. One of du Toit’s favourite pastimes is ‘pushing paint around’, and although she has explored all mediums of art, she says painting is her favourite. Although she lives in Berkshire now, she was educated at the University of Pretoria and then the Massachusetts College of Art in Boston. The BP Award 2013 will be on show from 20 June to 15 September at the National Portrait Gallery in London. Admission is free.
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thesouthafrican.com | 14 - 20 May 2013 |
Business: Gateway to Africa
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Trade & Investment Corporate SA now Africa’s leading investor by MEDHA PRAKASAM
A flash in the pan: the South African-made Joule had excellent prospects but failed to make it into serial production
SA carmakers applaud road map for electric vehicle industry The initiative aims to establish and foster local production and innovation in this promising sector
by BRETT PETZER
SA CAR manufacturers have welcomed the government’s Electronic Vehicle Industry Road Map. The Road Map aims to introduce electric vehicles as part of South Africa’s road transport mix. Nissan SA CEO Mike Whitfield said that his company fully supported the initiative, describing it as a “good start to working with all stakeholders”. The CEOs of Toyota SA and BMW, Johan van Zyl and Bodo Donauer respectively, shared Whitfield’s sentiments. “This is…a long-term plan. It is a process whereby we have to work together to first of all, establish the infrastructure. From the motor industry side, the technology has already been developed and is available whether it’s electric or hybrids. In the future, [most] vehicles will use alternative technology. This is the right time to start. If we don’t start sometime, we will be left behind,” said Van Zyl. Trade and Industry (dti) minister Rob Davies launched the longawaited Road Map in early May. One of the initiative’s key goals is the establishment of incentives for the local manufacture of electric vehicles in the spirit of the Joule, a concept car produced by the nowdefunct Optimal Energy. The road map is intended to create an environment that is friendlier to risk and innovation than that in which Optimal Energy rose and fell. The company, established in 2004, had secured funding, created
widespread media interest, and developed a prototype in limited production before foundering for lack of a commercial partner in 2012. “We are well aware that as development takes place transportation demand will grow. What is absolutely evident is that vehicle manufacturing must adopt new technology [to reduce emissions further],” said Davies. This process is particularly driven by ever-stricter emissions standards imposed by major markets like the EU and, to a lesser extent, the USA. The minister said that South Africa was the world’s 13th-largest global emitter of carbon dioxide. According to a 2009 estimate by the International Energy Information Administration (EIAI), South Africa’s per capita emissions of 9.18 tonnes of carbon dioxide were more than twice the global average of 4.49 tonnes, and about 40 per cent of all African emissions. The percentage of these emissions that stem from the transport sector is also high by international standards, and has risen as freight rail has declined and South African cities have sprawled in the last fifteen years. Davies hoped that the Road Map would keep electric vehicle jobs inside country, thereby fighting poverty and climate change at the same time. Whitfield said that cooperation between government and industry would be crucial in this regard – not only for the legislative framework, but for the education and awareness of the public.
According to Davies, this would be bolstered by a “very generous quota for manufacturing” under the auspices of the dti’s Automotive Production Development Programme (APDP) which has enjoyed a measure of success in encouraging manufacturers to maintain or expand production in clusters like those in Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay. The APDP, which takes effect this year, builds on the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) which saw production double between 1994 and 2012. The APDP aims to expand South Africa’s production of vehicles to 1,2 million by 2020 while also increasing local content and diversifying the local supply chain. Electric vehicles are expected to remain a small part of that mix, but the relatively research-intense nature of the nascent industry are widely expected to produce positive spin-offs for South African’s hitech community that far exceed government investment. Under the Road Map’s terms, manufacturers would need to produce at least 5000 electric vehicles to qualify for consideration for the incentive, in terms of which government would repay about a third of the production costs over three years. The Road Map will be subject to public commentary and engagement with manufacturers and labour (especially the powerful National Union of Metalworkers of SA) from next month before an expected Cabinet session in September.
ACCORDING to a recent Ernst & Young report on investment, South Africa has invested in more projects in the rest of Africa than any other country. Despite China and the European Union being the largest investors in Africa in monetary terms, South Africa plays a key role as its multinational organisations expand into the region. Most of the current projects that are attracting foreign direct investment in Africa are in the service sectors - especially banking, retail trade, and telecommunications. These are, according to Ernst & Young, creating far more jobs than the mining industry and South
Africa plays an important role in developing them in Africa. These jobs are also required to further diversify economies in the region. Diversification of African economies is one of the major themes of the recent World Economic Forum on Africa, held in Cape Town. According to the company’s Africa business centre director, Michael Lalor: “The longer-term story is the contribution that South Africa is making to the development of service sectors across the continent, which is helping to reduce dependence on natural resources.” The continent is now seen as an attractive investment destination, and SA is playing a key role in its development.
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Business: News
| 14- 20 May 2013 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews
The UK Ancestry Visa - Frequently Asked Questions eligible to apply for indefinite leave to remain after five years on this visa, the applicant must be able to provide evidence that they have indeed been working during the five years of their visa.
BY STAFF REPORTER
CAN one apply for more than one UK Ancestry Visa? The UK Ancestry Visa is granted for a period of five years. At the end of successful completion of a five-year period on an Ancestral visa, the holder can apply for permanent residence or Indefinite Leave to Remain, subject to certain requirements. If the applicant does not meet the criteria required to apply for Indefinite Leave to Remain then an application may be submitted for the extension of the Ancestry Visa status. If you left the UK, and your ancestry visa expires, you will be allowed to apply for another Ancestry visa from your home country. Is there an age limit on who can apply for the UK Ancestry Visa? An applicant must be 17 years of age or older, to apply. The person will also have to prove an intention and ability to work in the UK under the Ancestry Visa,
subject to this, there is no age limit. Do I have to work whilst on the UK Ancestry Visa? One of the rules of the Ancestral Visa is that you must be able to work and intend to work whilst in the UK on this status. If it is not your intention to work, and you confirm this in your application, the application will be refused. Furthermore, in order to be
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the UK Ancestry Visa through step-parents. Can I start my own business whilst on the UK Ancestry Visa? Yes, one of the advantages of the UK Ancestry Visa is that there are no work restrictions on the visa holder. You can take up employment or self-employment or combine the two. As long as you can prove that you have been working during the five years, for purposes of qualifying for ILR.
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Jobless figures weigh heavy on the Rand
THE Rand was softer in trade last Monday, volumes were light as the UK was on holiday. Data released on Monday showed that South Africa’s unemployment rate rose to 25.2% of the labour force in
the first quarter of 2013 compared with 24.9% in the final quarter of last year. The Rand edged lower against the Dollar on Wednesday as investors continued to price in the possibility of an interest rate cut this year. After rate cuts by the European Central Bank and central banks in Australia and India, there are growing expectations of a similar move by the South African Reserve Bank before the end of the year. (Fin24) Thursday saw the Rand stronger in quiet early trade. This came as the US Dollar lost ground against currencies such as the Euro. The Rand frequently tracks the Euro as the Eurozone is SA’s largest trading partner. The Rand was weaker against the Dollar on Friday at midday after strong weekly US jobs data and comments made by the European Central Bank (ECB) in its monthly bulletin for April saw the Dollar strengthen considerably against other major currencies overnight. The outlook for the new week does not seem promising for the Rand. The Rand was on the back foot against the Dollar on Monday and bonds also weakened on worries that job cuts in the mining sector could spark a repeat of last year’s violent strikes which dented investor sentiment. The Rand could now target late April’s low of R9.1670, a breach of which would see a test of R9.2300, Standard Bank trader Jan de Fouw said. GBP / ZAR: 14.00 EUR / ZAR: 11.823 USD / ZAR: 9.105 Correct at 08:18 GMT 13/5/2013. Note: If you want to transfer money to South Africa then please register/login or call us for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the Rand exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for. Brought to you by
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thesouthafrican.com | 14 - 20 May 2013 |
Business: SA Power 100
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Herbert Kretzmer
Read interviews with other SA POWER 100 achievers on our website: TheSouthAfrican.com/Business/SAPower100 Janet Suzman
Tamar Garb
Veteran SA actress of stage and screen
Professor of Art History at University College London
Veteran journalist, critic and Grammy-winning lyricist BULLET BIOGRAPHY Born: Kroonstad Education : Kroonstad High School, Rhodes University Came to the UK : 1954 Career trajectory: He started working in Johannesburg where he wrote commentaries for the African Mirror weekly newsreel, a job he secured through fellowKroonstader, former Sunday Times editor Joel Mervis. After working as a feature writer on the Sunday Express, Johannesburg, he moved to London via Paris and New York to become a well-known Fleet Street journalist and critic. He later became the drama critic of the London Daily Express, covering about 2,500 first nights, and TV critic of the Daily Mail where he was honoured as the TV Critic of the Year.
by MARIANNE GRAY
HERBERT Kretzmer has written lyrics for several hit musicals including Les Miserables, the world’s longest running musical, for which he won a Tony and a Grammy. He is 87 and has an OBE (Order of the British Empire), a Chevalier of the French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres and honorary doctorates from Richmond University, London, and Rhodes University, Grahamstown (which he dropped out of).
always employed under constraint. Directness and brevity are vital. You didn’t come to London directly. My affiliation with France started when I spent what I call my ‘wandering years’ in Paris in the early ‘50s when I tried to write the “great South African novel”, played piano in a Left Bank bar in return for food and painted murals for rent money. How did the lyric writing begin? Writing song lyrics for me was a spare-time, part-time kitchen table job. By day I’d be interviewing celebrities like John Steinbeck, Louis Armstrong, Cary Grant and Duke Ellington. By night I’d write lyrics. I’d written them for years. Eventually two became West End musicals: Our Man Crichton and The Four Musketeers. I also wrote some hit song lyrics including Charles Aznavour’s ‘She’ and ‘Yesterday, When I was Young.’ I don’t translate. I recreate. Songs cannot be translated. They can, however, be retold. What was your big break in Britain? I got into writing about theatre when I was doing features and profiles on the London
Daily Express. One day the editor tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘Our theatre critic (Bernard Levin) has left us to go to the Mail. Will you take his job?’ I went cold and said “no” because I didn’t feel that drama criticism was real journalism. Besides, theatregoing was not high on my list of priorities. It had nothing to do with the smell of ink and the excitement and urgency of a daily newspaper. So I declined the job, but agreed to do it for a limited period of two weeks, while the paper looked for another theatre critic. Two weeks somehow became 18 years!
What was the best moment of your professional life? The opening night of Les Miserables in London because it opened the door to a future I never imagine. I thought I’d grow old as a journalist. Les Mis saved me from the Street of Shame! Who has influenced you most? As a journalist, I’ve always admired the American sports writers who combine humour and brevity. What do you most miss about SA? Without a doubt, the bush. I’ve never forgotten the numerous game
How did you see yourself then? I never considered myself a critic. I was a reviewer, someone who writes for the popular press and advises them about a play. A consumer guide, in other words, whose chief function was to answer the question : “Is it worth seeing?” Specially now with the price of tickets so high. My attitude hasn’t changed; there are good productions and bad ones. I didn’t expect any mercy from my fellow critics when Les Miserables opened and I didn’t get any! Reviewing theatre, I found one often had to test friendships by which I mean one had to criticize the work of friends and colleagues. I lost some friends as a result. But the estrangement didn’t last long. They always came back.
Do you go back to South Africa much? Occasionally, for family reunions. I feel the need to go again. The bush is calling and the years are passing. What would you advise a young South African journalist on working here? Try everything, remembering that it may never happen.
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What was your childhood like? Kroonstad, like every small town in South Africa then, had its share of Jewish immigrants, largely from Lithuania. My parents owned a small grocery shop which eventually grew into a prosperous furniture store in the main street. It became a big carpet business when my youngest brother Basil took it over and moved to Johannesburg where it thrived. My oldest brother Elliot was Mayor of Johannesburg in 1991.
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| 14- 20 May 2013 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews
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WHY DID you come to the UK? When we grew up, my mother described living in England as a magical place: a country that had Kings and Queens, a train that ran underground, snow. I moved over to be in the home of the English language, along with the diversity of Michelinstarred restaurants.
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What were your first impressions? In 2000, when I got there, we in South Africa knew what provenance was. We knew where meat comes from; in Hout Bay, we would turn up at the fish supplier and want to know exactly where it came from. I was working in an open-plan kitchen and diners would see me and engage. I just assumed that that’s what everyone did, but that culture is only now catching up in the UK.
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Is food a class thing in the UK? Wealthy people also shop in the larger “Cash and Carry” stores... it’s not a class thing. We need to educate everyone, get everyone excited about food - which happened 20 years ago back home. Getting people to patronise independent stores is a real challenge in the UK. Is good food still exotic? Brits are actually rediscovering local cuisine for the first time since the Industrial Revolution. Now we care about rare breeds of pig and cattle, and heirloom tomatoes. It sounds like Britain’s chefs have to be, to some extent, evangelists as well. Well growing up in Hout Bay if we had tuna it would be served rare. I did that in London and people were shocked, although it’s better now. It’s been a great journey consumers are getting braver. Have you ever indulged in uniform dating? I have dated people in chef’s uniform.
What is your uniform and where do you wear it? Check trousers, chef hat, whites. I wear it at the Maltby St market in Bermondsey, which has some of the best produce in London. If you could change one thing to make your job better, what would it be? I would cut the stranglehold of supermarkets on the distribution of food. We have a high street with all those old traditional shops [and that should be fostered] rather than having a homogenised High St. [When I first arrived] supermarkets used to sell a lot more food. Now they sell books and CDs. There are young kids that don’t know that carrots actually grow in the ground or that a piece of steak comes from an animal. What has been your best day at work so far? I’ve had quite a few. People have said, ‘that’s the best piece of fish I’ve had in 35 years’. I cooked for Nelson Mandela at the Make Poverty History campaign at Trafalgar Square. There was a lady a couple of years ago, at a restaurant in North Buckinghamshire, who was maybe 85, and she said it was the best steak she’d eaten in 50 years. [It’s wonderful when] someone actually gets what you do. Are you a first-generation chef? My mom’s side is the creative side. My older brother Barry has a
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thesouthafrican.com | 14 - 20 May 2013 |
Zimbabwe Community
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Win tickets to Zambezi Zex Manatsa’s son launches new Green Arrows in England Fest from 7 to 9 June! by STAFF REPORTER
A NEW Zimbabwean band is about to take the UK by storm. The Green Arrows performed a thrilling set at last month’s Zimbabwe Achievers Awards and will officially launch in their hometown of Luton on 25 May. This talented group, led by Aaron Manatsa, produce their own music, dance and poetry. Fusing Southern African jazz and traditional sounds with contemporary indie, rock and pop they create a fresh sound with an inspiring humanitarian message. If you think you’ve heard of these guys before, you’d be right. The original Green Arrows band was led by Aaron’s father Zex Manatsa in the 1970s and his son is now bringing the band’s sound to a new audience in England. Zex created the Green Arrows in Mhangura, Zimbabwe, in 1968. A few years later, South African saxophonist West Nkosi, who was also a consultant for Gallo Records, discovered the band and became their producer. The resulting album Chipo Chiroorwa and the single of the same name sold so well that the band moved to the capital city of Harare. Their success continued in the 1970s and 80s, with several wellreceived tours and hit records. Hits included “Bambo Mwakwatila”, “Vaparidzi Vawanda”, “Mwana Waenda”, “Chechule Anavala Bottom”, and “Chimwamuna Chamimba”.
The use of Malawian languages in some of their compositions appealed to the Malawians who in those days made up the majority of the migrant labour force in Zimbabwe. Zex’s low, raspy, lead vocal and bass playing defined the group’s sound, while his brother Stanley played the leading electric guitar with a fused ‘wawa’ sound effect. At the peak of his career, Zex inspired and mentored top musicians such as Oliver Mtukudzi, Lovemore Majaivana, Thomas Mapfumo and Simon Chimbetu. Zex continued to make history when he married his wife Stella on 29 August 1979 at the national stadium (where he would open for Bob Marley in a few months’ time). More than 60,000 people paid to witness the ceremony and a huge concert by some of Zimbabwe’s biggest bands. Zex and Stella entered as
Mapfumo performed one of his most popular tunes ‘Africa’. Bishop Abel Muzorewa, who was at the time prime minister of Southern Rhodesia, made the mistake of organising a political rally on the same day – and later blamed Zex for the poor attendance at his rally. The Daily Mail’s front page headline the following day read “Zex’s Wedding Spoils Muzorewa’s Rally”. In the 1990s Zex was involved in a horrific car accident and attributed his survival to the workings of God. He eventually retired to pursue religious work. However his legacy lives on in his six sons who are all professional musicians, with Aaron a bass guitarist just like his father. The band will launch at Luton Library Theatre on Sat 25 May at 7.30pm. Tickets are £15. Book by calling Manatsa Music on: 07765342020 www.manatsamusic.com
We’re giving away three pairs of adult tickets to an awesome weekend of Zimbabwean family fun by STAFF REPORTER
WELCOME to the UK’s brand new extravaganza, Zambezi Fest! The aim of Zambezi Fest is to bring like-minded Zimbabweans together for an awesome weekend of food, beverages, humour and exhilarating entertainment for all ages with top quality musicians from Zimbabwe, who will entertain you and have you dancing the night away. Zambezi Fest will take place just north of London at the renowned Grendon Lakes resort in Northampton from 7 to 9 June. We’re giving away three pairs of adult tickets for Friday and Saturday night – enter below. Zambezi Fest offers paintballing, amazing water sports, a 4×4 course that will test any driver’s skills to the limit in a Range Rover, and for those aged between 14 and 17, there is junior driver training on a off road course. Zambezi Fest’s evening entertainment will be provided
by brilliant Zimbo musicians at the top of their game, including Fraser Mackay, Mann Friday’s Ryan Koriya, Paul Bowen and a mystery special entertainer from Zim. Zambezi Fest is brought to you by Sandawana – big Ian Dixon and little Ian Dixon, who have been involved in running events for ‘Southern Hemispherians’ in the UK for a number of years. It costs £20 per person (16 years and over) and £10 for children (15 and under) per day/night. Camping is included in this price – No extra cost for pitches. Book on www.zambezifest.com. WIN! To stand a chance of winning a pair of tickets, enter online or with QR code below. Entries close on 25 May. TheSouthAfrican. com/winprizes
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Travel
| 14 - 20 May 2013 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews
Sport and sightseeing at fabulous
Sandy Cadiz-Smith heads down towards the Garden Route to indulge in some active relaxation
CLASSIC TRAVEL Cape Town Durban Gaborone Harare Jo’burg Mauritius Maputo Windhoek
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by SANDY CADIZ-SMITH
WELCOME to sporting paradise. From the moment you turn into Fancourt’s sweeping driveway, you’re entranced by the beautiful surroundings and world-class facilities. Set near George on the beautiful Garden Route, the Fancourt resort nestles at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountains. The five star hotel overlooks two of the three golf courses and houses are dotted throughout the estate. We stayed in a particularly beautiful one overlooking the 18th fairway of the Montague Course and within walking distance of the clubhouse (though you are provided with a golf cart for getting around during your stay). The three golf courses – Outeniqua, Montague and The Links are all ranked in the top 20 in South Africa. The Links
is a particularly formidable test and hosted the Volvo Golf Champions tournament in January 2012 as well as the Presidents Cup in 2003 which ended in an historic tie. The other two present their own challenges as well as truly stunning views. If golf’s not your thing there’s a well equipped gym with sparkling new changing facilities, pools – both indoor and out – and four tennis courts. Plus (my personal favourite) there are fabulous walking routes winding their way through all three of the beautiful golf courses. Fresh air, blue skies, mountain and golf course views and an array of bird life all to be absorbed. Once you’re exercised out there’s a lovely spa with treatment rooms, heated Roman bath, sauna and steam room where you can rejuvenate your mind and body
before planning where to eat that night! And when it comes to dining, you’re spoilt for choice, too. There are four restaurants onsite – the Club Lounge which is only open for lunch, and Morning Glory, La Cantina and fine-dining establishment Henry Whites. As we went self catering we spent a lot of time on our terrace standing over the braai! Hard to resist in such beautiful, tranquil surroundings. We did treat ourselves to an amazing dinner at Henry Whites one night. It specialises in classics with a local twist. It’s impossible not to feel at home at Fancourt as it feels like a small (very beautiful) town – with a lot of very happy inhabitants. No matter your age or interests, you’re sure to have a happy time. It is paradise after all.
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thesouthafrican.com | 14 - 20 May 2013 |
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SA Sevens captain in World Series Dream Team Nomination comes as Blitzbokke manage second place in 2013 HSBC tournament despite disappointing performance a player, saying that he had ‘very little sense of self-preservation at tournament time and will leave it all out there for the jersey and the men around him’. Afa Aiono – Samoa For a long time the former Samoan Under 20 captain lived in the shadows of Ofisa Treviranus, Alafoti Faosiliva and Simaika Mikaele, but this season Aiono has captained the team and led by example with a typically physical display. Tim Mikkelson – New Zealand It is fitting that Mikkelson of all people should be in this side because his staggering consistency, professionalism and overall qualities as a leading Sevens player epitomise New Zealand. A wing in 15s, Mikkelson operates selflessly in the scrum in Sevens and has led the team impeccably in DJ Forbes’ injury-enforced absence. A popular tourist, he has also lifted the HSBC Sevens World Series trophy this weekend.
by STAFF REPORTER
THE BLITZBOKKE have a lot to be proud of. Although the SA team’s performance in the past weekend’s Marriott London Sevens, the final tournament of the 2013 HSBC Sevens, was somewhat disappointing following their most recent Glasgow win, they still ended the series in second place. South Africa’s captain Frankie Horne has also been named as one of seven players in the inaugural HSBC Sevens World Series ‘Dream Team’. The side was selected by the regular television broadcast commentators who, between them, pored over every minute of the action across the nine rounds of the Series. They are: Frankie Horne – South Africa When Horne won selection for his 50th consecutive IRB Sevens tournament in London – a feat which will surely never be repeated – injured skipper Kyle Brown summed up Horne as a man and
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Joji Ragamate – Fiji Ragamate played last season for Fiji but has really burst onto the stage this year with some brilliant match-winning performances. His was the telling contribution as the Fijians won the first Cup title of the season the Gold Coast and he has carried on in similar vein, scoring and making tries as Serevi did before him. Gillies Kaka – New Zealand Kaka’s inclusion in this side underlines just how far he has come in a short space of time. Not involved initially this Series, his
impact under coach Gordon Tietjens has been amazing. Tietjens must now hope that he stays in the Sevens fold because he looks like a player he can build a team around for years to come. Willie Ambaka – Kenya Dubbed ‘Kenya’s Lomu’, Ambaka was in the forwards when Mike Friday arrived as head coach and his decision to move the gentle giant into the centre and wing positions has proved inspired. His was the telling performance when Kenya reached the Cup final in Wellington, beating New Zealand in
the semis. This is Ambaka’s massive breakthrough year. Dan Norton – England There were many contenders for the ‘flyer’ position in the team, among them South Africa’s Cornal Hendricks and Canada’s Sean Duke, but England’s Norton gets the nod as the season’s top scorer. As a team they may not have had the best of seasons, but Norton’s workrate has seldom dipped. He has added more defensive quality to his game to match an almost unparalleled ability to beat mean on the outside.
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14 - 20 May 2013
FRANKIE HORNE TO HEAD RUGBY SEVENS WORLD SERIES ‘DREAM TEAM’ P15
NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS
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KIRSTEN LEAVES PROTEAS IN A HEALTHY STATE
Gary Kirsten has announced that he will step down as head coach of the South African national cricket team at the end of August, leaving the team atop the World Test rankings and favourites for the upcoming Champions Trophy by EVAN BARTLETT
GARY Kirsten has announced that he will step down as head coach of the South African national cricket team at the end of August with Russell Domingo handed the task of succeeding him. And it is a testament to the man that after his relatively short tenure in charge he is leaving the Proteas at the top of the ICC Test Team Rankings and will lead them as bookies’ favourites for this summer’s Champions Trophy in England. In fact, Kirsten remains undefeated in Test series since he has been in charge. His reign has been characterised by astute management, level-headedness and an unerring will to succeed – he will be sorely missed. Kirsten joined the Proteas after leaving his post as head coach of the Indian national side in 2011, leading that side to the World Cup at home as well as the number one Test spot after a successful two and a half years in charge. It should perhaps come as no surprise that Kirsten has cited family reasons behind his decision to step down; family has always been the central part of his life. In fact, in his first Test match in charge against Australia his daughter Joanna was born and Kirsten missed the first
Russel Domingo, new Proteas coach
day’s play. The importance placed on a balance between personal and professional life is central to the Capetonian’s character and this has filtered down to the rest of the South African team – arguably being one of the keys to their success. Despite the rigours and pressure of modern international cricket, Kirsten has always been quick to rest his star players if their form has flagged or homesickness has kicked in. Hashim Amla was given a period of paternity leave at the birth of his child and Jacques Kallis has previously been given leave in between ODI and T20 series to spend time with his partner in New York. Kirsten even took the Proteas on a team building trip to the Alps before last year’s successful tour to England – all of these small touches
There are few to rival Gary Kirsten’s coaching legacy on the eve of his retirement. (Image: Cricket.co.za).
have helped make this South African team what they are today. Since taking charge, Kirsten has galvanised one of the strongest Test sides in recent history. Building around a strong core of experienced players like Captain Graeme Smith,
all-rounder Jacques Kallis and seam bowler Dale Steyn, Kirsten has been able to blood younger players as well as bring out the best in rest of the team. Players like Vernon Philander and AB de Villiers have now developed into
truly world-class players and some of that must go down to Kirsten’s man-management skills. It is fair to say that Domingo will have a tough job maintaining the high standards Kirsten has set but he certainly has a good foundation from which to start.
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