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Celebrating the crème of the South African business community INSIDE

SA musicians' international gigs affected by xenophobia pAGE 3

NEWS

Richard Branson sells Virgin Active gym business for £200m pAGE 3

THE SOUTH AFRICAN BUSINESS AWARDS

NEWS

Professor Jansen’s reminder for global Saffas pAGE 5

2015

Nominees

COMMUNITY

Entrepreneur of the Year

Business Leader of the Year

Woman in Business

Innovator of the Year

New Business of the Year

Rising Star of the Year

The Giving Back Award

Legend Hugh Masekela is jazzing things up pAGE 8

[●] The South African Chamber of Commerce are honouring South Africans at their annual Awards. Read more on page 5

ARTS

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| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

News

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Second Nelson Mandela autobiography set to be published in 2016 Editor: Mareike Pietzsch Production and Design: Andisiwe Juta Registered office: Riverbank House 1 Putney Bridge Approach Fulham SW6 3BQ. Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: editor@thesouthafrican.com Website: www.thesouthafrican.com Directors: P Atherton, A Laird, J Durrant, N Durrant and R Phillips Printed by: Mortons of Horncastle Ltd

| A sequel to Nelson Mandela’s Long Walk to Freedom, one of the best selling political memoirs of all time, is set to be released next year

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Seen our new website?

THE South African features a brand-new design on its website THESOUTHAFRICAN.COM. Keeping up with the latest news from Mzansi is now even easier with this user-friendly and stylish design.

Catch up with the latest sports news, read up on current events, find a recipe for dinner, learn about the latest events for the expat community and be in touch with your South African heritage more than ever before.

by Isabele Hernandez The sequel is based on a little known manuscript that Madiba started but never completed.

Now the manuscript is being completed by the Nelson Mandela Foundation and is under the working title "The Presidential Years".

"The Presidential Years" is supposedly Mandela’s personal struggles in the growing nation in South Africa. In this new autobiography, readers will get to know the struggles of building a multiracial democracy out of the ashes of racial apartheid.

The book will also cover a few controversial topics like how he favoured Cyril Ramaphosa ahead of his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, to become the party’s successor.

While Mandela had a ghost writer, Richard Stengel, help him complete the manuscript for "Long Walk to Freedom", he was determined to write Part II on his own. Each chapter was hand written by Mandela and then passed on to his secretary to be typed. Corrections were then made to the manuscripts, and Mandela would then create a fresh draft. Mandela wrote over

She got her fees paid.

I got to see the first lawyer in our family.

23,000 words and completed 10 chapters of the book. He stopped writing in 2001.

The publisher has revealed that almost a third of the book is written by Madiba himself in first person, while the rest is being compiled by a committee led by Tony Trew and Joel Netshitenzhe and will probably be written in the third person. The Nelson Mandela Foundation has also released the first page of the book, dated 16 October 1998.

The life work of Mandela has proven to outlive him.

The changes he made and the massive sociocultural impact he had on a nation will be forever remembered. With the publication of his last piece of literature, the readers will get an insider take on his role on building South Africa as you know it today. If there is one thing Nelson has taught us, the citizens of the world, is that if you believe in a cause and are willing to fight for it, you can make a difference.

"Freedom is indivisible; the chains on any one of my people were the chains on all of them, the chains on all of my people were the chains on me.”

South Africans say no to xenophobia | South Africans are saying no to xenophobia on Twitter, which begs the question, will the tweets make a difference? by katy scott There has been a strong reaction on Twitter to the recent attacks on foreign nationals in Durban, Johannesburg and other parts of South Africa. At least six people have been killed, over 5000 displaced and foreign-owned shops looted and destroyed. In Mozambique last week, protesters blocked the southern Lebombo border and stoned South African vehicles.

Many South Africans are of the opinion that the attacks are xenophobic and have begun tweeting their views, urging South Africans to #SayNoToXenophobia.

We asked our readers whether saying no to xenophobia on Twitter would make a difference. Some were of the opinion that social

Van Breda murders: Marli van Breda discharged, can’t recall axe attack | No arrests have been made in the murder case as the main witness has no recollection of the murders. However, police can confirm that significant progress is being made in the case

by katy scott The 16-year-old, who survived an axe attack on her family, has been discharged from a rehabilitation facility and, according to family spokesperson Ben Roootman, doctors have confirmed that she has retrograde amnesia and has no memory of the attack.

Rootman said in a statement that her physical recovery has been “astounding” and that “she is able to walk, communicates well and, surprisingly, given everything that has happened, has retained her sense of humour.”

After weeks of intensive treatment at the rehabilitation centre, Marli has been placed in the care of family friends.

The fact that she has retrograde amnesia means that the has not been able to make a formal statement, said Rootman.

Marli’s doctors explained that her retrograde amnesia was not unusual

Send at:

and often happened to patients who experienced such trauma.

“In some cases the situation remains for life,” the statement said.

“A long road of rehabilitation lies ahead as she learns to compensate for certain neurocognitive difficulties resulting from her traumatic brain injury.”

According to Netwerk 24, Marli returned to the crime scene on the De Zalze golf estate to collect her personal belongings over the weekend. She was accompanied by members of the police and her legal representative.

While no arrest has been made, as the main witness in the case has no recollection of the murders, Western Cape police have confirmed to various media platforms that significant process is being made in the case that cannot be shared with the media at this point.

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media campaigns are effective: "The voice in social media is strong and need not be undermined.

The tweets, articles encouraging love for one another could change mindsets. These are the tools we have. More needs to be done at various capacities of course," said one Facebook user.

"A groundswell of strong support may influence our government to stand up and be counted as they are reacting too softly to the loss of life - not matter what the reason," said another.

But just as many disagreed saying: "The people burning foreigners have no time for twitter," and, "We can shout and scream online as much as we want, no one will help or listen."

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thesouthafrican.com | 21 — 28 April 2015 |

News

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Richard Branson sells Virgin Active gym business for £200m

South African musicians' international gigs affected by xenophobia | South African musicians planning on touring overseas have been forced to cancel their gigs

| Sir Richard Branson has reason to celebrate as his Virgin Active gyms was bought by the financial group Bait

by Mareike pietzsch According to The Independent, the private equity group that bought the Virgin Active gyms is backed by one of South Africa’s richest men, Christo Wiese.

The Independent reports that the deal values Virgin Active at £1.3bn including debt.

The Branson’s Virgin Group has reduced its stake in Virgin Active from 46% to 20%. Meanwhile, the venture capital firm CVC has sold its entire stake to Brait.

In the UK, Virgin Active is one of the biggest gym groups with 99 gyms around Britain. In South Africa, Virgin Active owns 114 gyms across the entire country.

Virgin Active has 1.3 million members around the world, with 722,000 of those in South Africa.

Sir Richard said: “Virgin Active is a business that we are proud to have been associated with from the very beginning, over 15 years ago. While today’s transaction is testament to the huge amount the business has already achieved, we believe that its future is more exciting. We are delighted that we will continue to play a part in this.”

[●] Photo of Afro-pop singer Kelly Khumalo by www.okmzansi.co.za

by staff reporter

Take a virtual trip to South Africa from the comfort of your local bar | Pub-goers in London and Manchester will soon be able to take a virtual five-minute holiday to South Africa while sipping on a beer by katy scott Fancy abseiling down Table Mountain, kitesurfing in South African waters, or feeding an elephant without having to leave your local pub?

It is now possible to experience South Africa virtually using the Oculus Rift Virtual Reality headset. With 360-degree head tracking, high definition visuals and binaural sound, it promises to feel like you are really back home.

South African Tourism (and agencies UM London, Visualise, Somethin Else and Tribe) will set up these virtual reality pods using Oculus Rift technology in bars in London and Manchester.

Pub-goers will be able to take a brief trip abseiling down Table Mountain, kitesurf, paraglide, feed ellies and experience great white sharks underwater. After the adventure activities are over, users will unwind at a bar in the quirky Neighbourgoods Market in Jozi. (Perhaps this is to make them feel less disorientated when they take the headset off).

The venues will also be ‘South

Kelly Khumalo's show in the UK was supposed to open on 1 May but has been postponed in solidarity with the victims of the xenophobic violence in South Africa.

Brickz had his tour suspended in the UK. Big Nuz and Black Coffee who were supposed to perform in Zimbabwe and Mozambique respectively, have cancelled their shows.

But many artists are not scared of the threats made on social media to boycott their shows and will be performing at their scheduled events.

Cassper Nyovest had this to

say to the Sunday Tribute: “We can understand where people are coming from when they threaten to boycott South African shows, as their loved ones have been targets of these attacks. However, it should not be taken out on artists who have been vocal against the issue.”

Winnie Khumalo also commented on the issue, saying it was “unfair to be punished for other people’s actions. We are deeply saddened at what is taking place in our country, and as artists we are trying our best to create awareness of these horrid acts on foreigners. There will be a song released soon in support of the anti-xenophobia campaign.

Proceeds will go to victims and families affected.”

WE WILL TAKE YOU HOME/ONS DOEN DIE GROOT TREK HUIS TOE...

[●] Photo by Flickr.com/SergeyGalyonkin

Africanised’ with DJs spinning South African tracks and folk dishing out South African street food and hosting wine-tasting sessions. If that’s not enough for you, images of animals and landscapes from South Africa will also be projected throughout the event space.

SA Tourism has also recruited “Brand Warrior” promotional

staff to answer questions about South Africa and run a competition for users to win a pair of flights to South Africa.

Selected bars will have VR pods installed during April. The first bar takeovers will take place at Corbet Place in London (24 April) and NoHo in Manchester (30 April).

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| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Community

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Six global moguls you probably didn’t know were South African a taste of South Africa

| These six men are flying the flag for South Africa, all around the world

opposite Buckingham Palace

@bbarlondon

T: 020 7958 7000

/bbarlondon

[●] Elon Musk

[●] Vinny Lingham

[●] Liam Pedersen

[●] Pieter de Villiers

[●] Roelof Botha

[●] Lyndon Rive

bbarlondon

E: BBARADMIN@RCHMAIL.COM

www.bbarlondon.com

by Gerhard Jacobs We have no shortage of South Africans doing us proud overseas, but we thought it a good idea to make mention of six people who not only serve as sterling ambassadors for the rainbow nation, but also change the world through their actions and ideas.

Elon Musk Born in SA in 1971, Musk matriculated in Pretoria before moving to the US where he cofounded Paypal. You’d think that would be enough, but Elon went on to become the chief technical officer and CEO of Tesla Motors, one of the world’s most inventive and cutting edge companies

developing everything from open source supercars to new ways of taking households off the grid.

Roelof Botha Another Pretoria boy, Botha is a big-wig venture capitalist in the US and sits on the board of seven top US companies including Evernote, Tumblr and Weebly.

He also used to be vice-pressie of Paypal.

Lyndon Rive Rive left SA soon after starting his first business at the ripe age of 17 and now sits on the board of SolarCity – the company at the forefront of US clean energy – with his friend Elon Musk.

Vinny Lingham Vinny hails from East London and is the CEO and co-founder of Gyft, which recently became part of the First Data group in a multimillion dollar takeover.

Liam Pedersen Cape Town-born Pedersen is a thinking man. He’s a robotics researcher at NASA’s Ames Research Centre, where they build the robotics for the research vehicles on mars.

Oh and he’s also head of Nissan’s autonomous vehicle research team.

No biggie.

Pieter de Villiers Pieter is based in Silicon Valley, where he co-founded Clickatell and also serves as its CEO.

5

thesouthafrican.com | 21 — 28 April 2015 |

Community

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Celebrate the crème of the South African business community in the UK | The South African Chamber of Commerce Awards 2015 will be hosted on Thursday 23 April at 7pm, so make sure you book a ticket for what’s going to be a spectacular evening

by staff reporter The third annual South African Business Awards hosted by the South African Chamber of Commerce recognises the achievements of the best businesssavvy South Africans in the UK. Business Leader of the Year The first award ‘Business Leader of the Year’ has received the following nominations: John Andrew Boyd, Avi Lasarow, Michael Abromowitz and Paul Gardiner. The award is for an individual who displays outstanding leadership qualities, which have contributed to the growth and management of a business. The judges will be looking at how openness, engagement, strong values and strategic vision for change helped them achieve their

objectives, and how they have influenced the growth and success of their business.

Entrepreneur of the Year The second award is ‘Entrepreneur of the Year’ is awarded to an individual who has displayed outstanding entrepreneurial flair and successfully employed an original idea to launch their own business. These candidates have been nominated: Pily Mirazi, CV Pillay, Ross Goodwin and Gordon Glyn-Jones. The judges will be looking at: entrepreneurial qualities such as drive, ambition, vision, tenacity, inspirational leadership, inventiveness and confidence, as well as levels of growth and financial performance.

Innovator of the Year The third award is for ‘Innovator

of the Year’, awarded to an individual who consistently proves to be at the cutting edge of their field and employs new technologies to spur growth, for which Avi Lasarow and Peter Mahoney have been nominated.

Woman in Business of the Year The ‘Woman in Business of the Year’ is for a businesswoman who displays an enterprising spirit, determination and business acumen in the male-dominated business world. The nominees are: Pily Mirazi, Carolyn Andrew, Odile Ham, Natalie Immelman and Tolene van der Merwe. The judges will be looking at how hard work and courage has led them to climb the ladder to senior ranks of their organisation, and if they have set an example for women everywhere, as well as their influence and impact

on the growth of their business.

Rising Star of the Year The award ‘Rising Star of the Year’ will be awarded to an individual under the age of 35 who displays great potential and is a breakthrough talent in any industry.

The nominees are in the running are Carlos Menezes, Petrus Madutlela and Dibabatso Masooa. The judges will be looking at: challenges they have faced and how their hard work and determination continues to place them on an upwards trajectory, as well as if they have been a significant contributor to their organisation.

New Business of the Year For the ‘New Business of the Year’, judges will be looking for a small business that has achieved significant financial growth. Dean

Deetlefs, Avi Lasarow, Eugene Zietsman and Simon Bozzoli have been nominated.

Giving Back Award The final ‘Giving Back Award’ is for a business leader or company that has excelled in promoting corporate support for charities either within their own organisation or across the private sector. The judges will be looking at their contributions to charities, the community or the environment, and the level of corporate social responsibility. The nominees are: Hazel Hoole, Hayley Short, Xolani Xala and Jill Ritchie.

We congratulate all those who were nominated!

For more visit: www. southafricanchamber.co.uk

Professor Jansen’s “My South Africa” speech is a reminder to global South Africans about what it means to be a South African | Professor Jonathan Jansen's speech from 2013 is finding new meaning for South Africans - and all who call South Africa home - with the current xenophobic violence that is unsettling the country. In his speech, the vice-chancellor and rector of the University of the Free State talks about the ordinary people who do extraordinary things, the people next door and all the unsung heroes of South Africa by staff reporter “My South Africa is the workingclass man who called from the airport to return my wallet without a cent missing. It is the white woman who put all three of her domestic worker’s children through the …same school that her own child attended.

“It is the politician in one of our rural provinces, Mpumalanga, who returned his salary to the government as a statement that standing with the poor had to be more than just a few words. It is the teacher who worked after school hours every day during the public sector strike to ensure her children did not miss out on learning.

“My South Africa is the first-year university student in Bloemfontein who took all the gifts she received for her birthday and donated them – with the permission of the givers – to a home for children in an Aids village.

“It is the people hurt by racist acts who find it in their hearts to publicly forgive the perpetrators. It is the group of farmers in Paarl who started a top school for the children of farm workers to ensure they got the best education possible while their parents toiled in the vineyards.

“It is the farmer’s wife in Viljoenskroon who created an education and training centre for the wives of farm labourers so that they could gain the advanced skills required to operate accredited earlylearning centers for their own and

[●] Photo by JENNIFER BRUCE/AFP/Getty Images

[●] Photo by ODD ANDERSEN/AFP/Getty Images

other children.

“My South Africa is that little white boy at a decent school in the

Eastern Cape who decided to teach the black boys in the community to play cricket, and to fit them all out

with the togs required to play the gentelman’s game.

“It is the two black street children in Durban, caught on camera, who put their spare change in the condensed milk tin of a white beggar. It is the Johannesburg pastor who opened up his church as a place of shelter for illegal immigrants.

“It is the Afrikaner woman from Boksburg who nailed the white guy who shot and killed one of South Africa’s greatest freedom fighters outside his home.

“My South Africa is the man who went to prison for 27 years and came out embracing his captors, thereby releasing them from their impending misery. It is the activist priest who dived into a crowd of angry people to rescue a woman from a sure necklacing.

“It is the former police chief who fell to his knees to wash the feet of Mamelodi women whose sons disappeared on his watch; it is the women who forgave him in his act of contrition. It is theCape Town university psychologist who interviewed the ‘Prime Evil’ in Pretoria Centre and came away with emotional attachment, even empathy, for the human being who did such terrible things under apartheid.

“My South Africa is the quiet, dignified, determined township mother from Langa who straightened her back during the years of oppression and decided that her struggle was to raise decent children, insist that they learn, and

ensure that they not succumb to bitterness or defeat in the face of overwhelming odds.

“It is the two young girls who walked 20kms to school everyday, even through their matric years, and passed well enough to be accepted into university studies. It is the student who takes on three jobs, during the evenings and on weekends, to find ways of paying for his university studies.

“My South Africa is the teenager in a wheelchair who works in townships serving the poor. It is the pastor of a Kenilworth church whose parishioners were slaughtered, who visits the killers and asks them for forgiveness because he was a beneficiary of apartheid.

“It is the politician who resigns on conscientious grounds, giving up status and salary because of an objection in principle to a social policy of her political party. It is the young lawman who decides to dedicate his life to representing those who cannot afford to pay for legal services.

“My South Africa is not the angry, corrupt, violent country those deeds fill the front pages of newspapers and the lead-in items on the seveno’-clock news. It is the South Africa often unseen, yet powered by the remarkable lives of ordinary people.

It is the citizens who keep the country together through millions of acts of daily kindness.”

Written by Professor Jonathan Jansen, author of “We Need to Act”.

6

| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Opinion

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Is this the end for COSATU?

ARE YOU

| The fact that Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi has refused to accept his dismissal from the federation should have come as no surprise to readers. This column has pointed out for months now that the central executive committee (CEC) of Cosatu has no constitutional authority to finally dismiss, suspend or expel any office bearer or affiliate; that only a national congress may do

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Of course, the constitution can be ignored, as it has been for nearly two years by the CEC refusing to call a special national congress to deal with the problems that have resulted in the announced expulsion of metalworkers’ union, NUMSA and the sacking of Vavi.

But this leaves the way open for a legal challenge.

It is against this background that ANC secretary general, and former National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) general secretary Gwede Mantashe, described the move against Vavi as “reckless”. The ANC is now trying desperately to contain what looks like an inevitable implosion of the federation.

Vavi and Numsa, along with allies such as the Food and Allied Workers’ Union have reacted by stating that the fight continues to “win back COSATU to workers’ control”. Which, according to the majority on the CEC, is where Cosatu remains; that Vavi and, Numsa are “splitters” out to weaken the labour movement.

However, Vavi and the Cosatu affiliates supporting his position appear, tactically, to have the better of the argument. Mainly because of the unwillingness of the CEC — recently always minus six or seven delegations — to call a special congress, but now also because of the conditions announced following the decision to dismiss Vavi.

COSATU president, S’dumo Dlamini stated that no COSATU affiliate or member of any union affiliated to the federation should attend any meeting addressed by Vavi — and, presumably, anyone from NUMSA. Also that Vavi should be effectively barred from any COSATU union facilities.

This statement played into the hands of the CEC dissidents who complain of the CEC’s high-handed and autocratic management style.

Vavi summed this up, stating: “Momentous decisions affecting the working class are made in small boardrooms instead of democratically by the members.”

For the federation’s highly respected national spokesperson, Patrick Craven, Dlamini’s instructions were the last straw.

He announced his resignation, noting: “I could not defend the indefensible". Several other senior COSATU figures are also discussing whether to take a similar step.

However, because the battle is not about one individual or even one expelled affiliate, but rather for the “soul of Cosatu”, disgruntled individuals may be persuaded to remain in position as the fight for a full national congress continues. Such a congress would have to include not only Vavi, but also NUMSA. Dlamini this week said that a special congress would be organised for June, just three

months ahead of the scheduled triennial national gathering. This seems questionable since Dlamini last year gave a lack of funding as the excuse for COSATU not having staged a special congress.

“It’s just talk. They’re not going to have a proper congress,” said a senior COSATU officer who is contemplating resignation.

This would almost certainly open the way for another costly and time-consuming legal battle that seems weighted against the CEC majority. Especially since Vavi and Numsa are unlikely to follow the example of former Cosatu president Willie Madisha and walk away from the fight to attempt to found a new labour federation.

Madisha did so in 2007 when a hostile CEC, including Vavi, expelled him, basically for not supporting Jacob Zuma as ANC president. He subsequently joined the Congress of the People and now holds one of COPE’s three parliamentary seats.

So the slow-motion disintegration of Cosatu seems likely to continue, whatever the efforts of the ANC, the decisions of the courts or the votes at whatever national congress is finally staged. After 30 years of sporadic squabbling about party politics, bureaucracy and worker independence, it now appears that an end of some kind is nigh.

7

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Community

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The different stages of cultural transition | When I moved to Europe from South Africa, I was wide-eyed, excited and ready for an adventure. But soon the adrenaline wore off…

by Mareike pietzsch Very quickly, I realised that while I spoke German, I was in fact very different to the Germans I was meeting, greeting and working with on a daily basis.

According to a recent graph by The Culture Blend, the experience of transitioning into a new country is grouped into different phases.

Honeymoon phase You love the new city you’re living in – everything from the smell of the exhaust fumes to the noisy streets. Yes, you are even delighted by the gruff day-to-day interactions or the subway travels (if you come from the not so transport system savvy country like South Africa).

Avoidance phase Then the “different and alarming” avoidance phase comes creeping up. You’ve taken off the rose-tinted glasses and are now seeing the grit and grime of the city. You’re alarmed that the

social cues are vastly different.

In Germany, for example, I had to get used to people not being so keen on hugging. That was a hard bullet to bite. But you avoid facing the situation and – while finding the new things alarming, strange or just plain weird – you soldier on and tell yourself that you will adjust very soon.

Anger phase And suddenly the “alarming” turns to “wrong” and the anger phase is knocking on your door.

Say what? Yes, that’s correct.

But hang on, you’ve moved to this amazing country, sold your friends the “I’m going to live in Europe dream” and are living in a bustling metropolis. Why is this hard?

Well, on some days the mere fact that nothing is familiar becomes tiring and scary.

Everything is different: the smell of the morning air, the buildings, the way things look.

This can be the lack of mountains to the city layout…

There is no place to escape to

that’s cosy and familiar except perhaps your bedroom or your mom’s face on Skype.

Acceptance phase Luckily, the "hey it’s different but okay" acceptance phase comes trotting along. I eventually did get used to the non-hugger Germans and the order of everything and the stoic bus drivers and the fact that I could get to work without having to speak to anyone. Or the way, Germans love to separate their garbage and will even take a milk package apart to separate the plastic from paper. And after some time, I found this to be charming.

Of course, all of these phases can last from weeks to months and are different for everyone.

Moving to a country is a unique experience for every individual person. Some whizz through a phase and for others it might take months.

But, I do think, everyone gets to the acceptance phase. Eventually.

Send your kids on a gap year to Africa, help them discover their African roots | Are you a South African expat? No doubt you miss the scenery, the food, the beauty of the country. Your children might only know Africa through brief holidays, photographs or stories you tell them…

by Staff Reporter But there’s good news. You can send your children to Africa for a gap year of a lifetime, where they’ll see the very best of the country while learning about the environment.

The Academy for Environmental Leadership is a school surrounded by the African bush and natural wildlife where red dunes of the Kalahari lazily stretch out as far as the eye can see. The Academy will open its doors in 2016 and is now accepting applications.

Location The Academy is set on the banks of the Orange River in Upington, and offers green lawns and uninterrupted views of the beautiful, untouched landscape.

Upington is a booming regional town and home to international companies with some of South Africa’s largest solar energy developments.

The Orange River is Africa’s longest river and acts as an important resource for myriad animal life. The river is the nutrient artery that runs the

width of the country and a body of water with important cultural significance.

What will your child learn?

The children who enrol will live amongst the indigenous vegetation of Africa in a location rich with diversity. During 2016, the curriculum includes relevant environmental research and a oneyear tertiary qualification in life sciences.

The Academy will be enlisting the help of top talent and is overseen by Academic Head Dave Pepler. Pepler is a multi-

award winning environmentalist who has been the face of environmental issues on South African television and is a distinguished professor at Stellenbosch University.

Dave Pepler describes the curriculum as a balanced mixture of theory and practical work. He says, “Students will learn the art of field tracking and also become adept at administering first aid.”

“Besides practical work, there is a strong theoretical component. Students will engage in conservation biology, the philosophy behind conservation,

statistical analysis, environmental law and writing skills.”

The course is an ideal opportunity for a gap-year adventure that develops strong skill-sets for writers, environmentalists and analysts.

“For overseas students, it’s an opportunity for young minds to get to know Africa and engage with topics no other Academy in South Africa is approaching in the same manner,” says Dave Pepler.

Academy Chairman Fef le Roux extolls some of the Academy’s other virtues. “Students will live and be lectured on the campus

site and will be able to spend their free time on the wellmanicured grounds next to the Orange River, on the playing field, in the games room, or in the swimming pool. What we want to achieve is to enrich the lives and souls of students in harmony with nature and a self-mastered confidence.”

The Academy is now accepting its applications for its inaugural year in 2016. To take advantage of this opportunity: www.afel.co.za/enrol

8

| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Arts & Entertainment

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

South African legend Hugh Masekela is jazzing things up in the UK | Hugh Masekela has come to be known as a living legend in the decades since he first picked up a trumpet, and luckily for us he shows no sign of putting it down yet. He will be performing in the UK next month

[●] Cross Culture Festival 2014 Warsaw. Photo by A Oleksiak [●] HM York. Photo by Suzy Harrison

by staff reporter Hugh Masekela is an international star and one of the most charismatic figures in South African culture. He has come to be known as a living legend in the half-century since he first picked up a trumpet, and luckily for us he shows no sign of putting it down yet.

Ever since the day in 1954 when Archbishop Trevor Huddleston handed him his first horn, Masekela has played music that closely reflects his beginnings as a little boy in Witbank. His songs depict everything from life on the streets to the work of migrant labourers and political protests, illustrating the diverse ethnic culture that South Africa is home to.

The urban sounds of the townships, the influences of the Manhattan Brothers, Dorothy Masuka, the Dark City Sisters, the Mahotella Queens and Mahlathini, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Miriam Makeba, Spokes Mashiyane, Lemmy Mabaso, Elijah Nkwanyana, Kippie Moeketsi, Mackay Davashe – all these form an intrinsic part of his musical roots, intertwined with vivid portraits of the struggles and the sorrows, the joys and passions of his country.

His voice has long spoken out in South Africa’s struggle for civil rights, whilst his soaring, joyful sound brims with warmth and bristles with elements of township jazz, hip-hop and funk. He is universally considered one of the world’s all-time greatest horn players.

He remains, in the words of the Independent, “a musician of phenomenal grace and power…still blessed with a voice that can strip the leaves from the trees.”

Reviews ‘From the moment he strutted

[●] Paul McCartney and Thandiswa Mazwai. www.hughmasekela.co.za

[●] Cross Culture Festival 2014. Photo by A Oleksiak

on stage, his flugelhorn in his right hand, a band on the drums, percussion, keyboards and guitars playing him in, Masekela was on a roll’ (Evening Standard) ‘This exuberant performance was a reminder that he is also an inspired entertainer, able to express his dismay at global politics while displaying a delightfully surreal sense of humour’ (Guardian) ‘Hugh Masekela creates an instant party, leading from vocals and flugelhorn like a South African Louis Armstrong’ (Guardian) ‘In a powerful set, featuring Masekela’s supple flugelhorn, fiery vocals and intense cowbell rhythms…their rousing encore had the audience on its feet to jazz that was at its best for being completely

[●] Hugh Masekela and the Queen. Photo by Andrew Dunsmore

spontaneous.’ (The Times) ‘Synchronised and cooked together, the music is catchy, warm … hip-swivellingly touchy as well.’

‘Hugh Masekela’s latest record is a double disc of innovative, classical, reworked and freshly- composed music that largely sets, implores and beckons you onto the dance floor, while, in typical Masekela manner, slaps you bang across the heart with his incendiary and unifying, socially- conscious message.’

(Rolling Stone) Event Monday 25 May at the Bath Festival, Monday 8 June at 7:30pm at London's Barbican www.serious.org.uk

9

thesouthafrican.com | 21 — 28 April 2015 |

Food

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Cooking with Chef Petrus: Roasted vegetable cheddar tart | Are you planning to host friends or family for a meal at home? This week’s recipe is a great starter that’s sure to impress.

The good news is that it’s super easy to make and allows you to get creative

by Petrus Madutlela The puff pastry and caramelised onion base are a canvas for you to experiment on. The tart in the photo features red and white onion wedges with cheddar cheese.

Try different cheeses such as goat’s cheese, parmesan or feta.

You can also choose your favourite seasonal vegetables. Mix and match between carrots, pepper, courgette, cherry tomatoes, beetroot, fennel, aubergine, mushroom and butternut.

Ingredients 1 block frozen puff pastry 2 tablespoons olive oil 4 brown onions, finely sliced 2 red onions, cut into 6 wedges 2 small carrots, quartered along the length 1 red pepper thickly sliced 1 courgette, trimmed and sliced into wedges 1 tablespoon brown sugar 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar 100g mature cheddar cheese, sliced to approx. 4 mm thick Small bag baby salad leaves Seasoning to taste

Method Preheat oven to fan 180°C, std 200°C gas 6.

Put the red onion, carrots, pepper and courgette into a roasting tray and drizzle over a tablespoon of olive oil, then mix to coat all the vegetables in the oil. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool slightly.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook for 10 minutes, until they soften.

Add the brown sugar, vinegar and seasoning and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, leave to cool slightly.

Roll out the puff pastry to a rectangle of approx. 20cm x 30cm, about 5mm in thickness. Crack the egg into a cup & mix. Brush egg over the outer edges of the pasty, to give an egg wash border of approx.

4 cm. Scatter the caramelised onions over the pastry within the egg glaze border. Top with the onion wedges, carrots, courgette, pepper and cheddar slices..

Bake for approx. 25 minutes, until the pastry is crisp and puffed.

Scatter with salad leaves and serve the tart warm, with a green salad on the side.

UK summer recipe for South African apples and pears | We’ve put together a few UK summer recipes to celebrate the lighter and warmer days as South African apples and pears are currently in season on the baking sheets.

3. Reserve 1 tbsp of beaten egg, and then mix the rest with the ground almonds and sugar. Share this mixture between the piles of pastry, spreading it in the middle to leave a border around the edge.

Top half with the sliced pear and the rest with the sliced apple.

Brush the reserved egg around the pastry borders, and scrunch up the pastry a little to enclose the filling.

4. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown.

by redcomm.co.uk Varieties such as flavourful Granny Smith apples, smooth Bon Chretien and creamy Packham’s pears will be widely available in supermarkets throughout the UK summer.

Well known food blogger Kerstin Rodgers has created a selection of fresh summer recipes featuring these juicy and delicious fruits. We’ve added some South African ideas of our own as well.

Light & Easy apple and pear tarts Use filo pastry to make these delicious tarts – topped with a ground almond mixture and sliced South African apples and pears.

The recipe serves 8 people.

Preparation time: 25 minutes Cooking time: 20-25 minutes Ingredients: Vegetable oil, for greasing

To finish: Serve the tarts while warm and sprinkle with a little icing sugar.

270g pack filo pastry sheets 50g butter, melted 1 egg, beaten 80g ground almonds 25g soft brown or caster sugar 1 South African pear, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 South African apple, cored and thinly sliced Icing sugar, for sprinkling Method: 1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, fan oven 160°C, Gas Mark 4.

Lightly grease 2 baking sheets with vegetable oil.

2. Unroll the sheets of filo pastry and cut into 8 equal squares. Brush each individual square with a little melted butter, stacking them up to make 8 piles

A tip from the chef: Keep filo pastry covered with a clean damp cloth while you’re working to prevent it from drying out. Serve the tarts with a dollop of crème fraiche or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for extra yumminess.

10

| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Travel highlights in Northern Ireland | Few people visited Northern Ireland during the dark days of ‘troubles’. But now it has emerged as a bright new star on the tourism stage

[●] Giant’s Causeway Panorama. Photo by flickr.com/ Raphael Schön

by Len Rutledge After years of internal strife, Northern Ireland has taken its rightful place on the tourism stage.

Visitor numbers have surged, new attractions have opened and there is a confidence everywhere that was unthinkable even ten years ago.

Belfast, the capital, has many attractions including the marvellous Titanic Belfast but there is also plenty to see elsewhere. Here are four suggestions that will be enjoyed by everyone.

Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge My wife and I leave Belfast early and head north along the Causeway Coastal Route. Some authorities rate this as one of the world’s top ten road trips but we see nothing for the first hour as we slowly travel through thick fog.

Finally the sun breaks through as we approach the Carrick-a Rede Rope Bridge at Ballintoy. This is a true cliff-top experience and the walk from the car park provides unrivalled coastal scenery.

For centuries fishermen used to erect a rope bridge to a small island over a 30m-deep and 20m-wide chasm to check their salmon nets. Today, the National Trust operates a bridge challenging visitors to cross to the rocky island.

We pay the fee and despite my fear of heights, we take the challenge and do the return trip without incident. Even if you don’t cross the bridge, the visit is worthwhile.

Giant’s Causeway The Giant’s Causeway is Northern Ireland’s most famous visitor attraction. Formed over 60 million years ago, when molten lava cooled suddenly on contact

[●] Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge. Photo by Phensri Rutledge

[●] A colourful row of terrace houses in Portrush. Photo by flickr.com/ Kyle Monahan

with water, the Giant’s Causeway is an awe-inspiring landscape of huge hexagonal basalt columns.

Thousands of stepping stones reaching down to the sea and the dramatic background of cliffs which rise 100 metres. There are other features too.

The Organ resembles the pipes of a pipe organ while the Harp is an arrangement of strangely curved columns. Chimney Tops are columns isolated as the cliff-line

eroded.

The huge new Visitors Centre with its sloping grass roof supported by columns similar to the world-famous attraction, has five interpretive zones revealing interesting facts and stories about what makes this site so unique.

Londonderry City Walls Derry is the only remaining completely walled city in Ireland and one of the finest examples of a

[●] Omagh, Northern Ireland. Photo by flickr.com/ Robert Gray

Walled City in Europe. There were four original gates to the Walled City and three further gates were added later.

We climb onto the wall and are immediately impressed. Clearly others have been too because the walls are listed as one of the ‘1001 Historic Sites You Must See Before You Die’ by UNESCO. The Walls, which are approximately 1.5km in circumference, form a walkway

around the inner city. The walk on the top is easy and pleasant. We look inwards to see St Columb’s Cathedral and outwards to see the Heritage Tower.

Impressive Roaring Meg is one of the many cannon displayed throughout the city. Derry city claims Europe’s largest collection of cannon whose origins are known precisely. Many of them thundered in anger during the two seventeenth century sieges but

11

thesouthafrican.com | 21 — 28 April 2015 |

Travel

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LONDON, 15-17 MAY 2015 CAREERS IN AFRICA RECRUITMENT SUMMIT Apply by 30th April at careersinafrica.com for the best opportunities in South Africa [●] Derry's walls. Photo by flickr.com/ horslips5

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[●] The Giant's Causeway. Photo by flickr.com/ Giuseppe Milo

then they lay silent and neglected until 2005 when the surviving 24 cannon were restored.

The most famous siege of Londonderry took place in 1688/1689 and many thousands of people died of starvation. The siege lasted 105 days and ended when ships broke a wooden boom across the river erected by the Catholic army, and brought food to the city.

Ulster American Folk Park Ulster American Folk Park is an outdoor museum which tells the story of emigration from Ulster to America in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is full of interest to everyone and the exhibits, which are spread out over quite a large

area, are first class.

The Park brings to life the human drama behind Irish emigration, telling the remarkable story of those that crossed the Atlantic for the New World of North America.

Here we follow the emigrant trail used by many Irish people over the centuries from the thatched cottages of Ulster to the log cabins of the American frontier.

Along the way we meet an array of costumed characters who explain history, candle making and spinning. We see an Irish blacksmith’s forge, a weaver’s cottage, a school house and a great streetscape before we pass through a full scale emigrant sailing ship and emerge in an American Street, similar to those that would have

greeted the emigrants.

If you go: There are flights from London City Airport, Heathrow and Gatwick to Belfast with a flight time of 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Cars can easily be rented at Belfast airport and driving around Northern Ireland is easy.

There are car ferries from Cairnryan in Scotland to both Belfast and Larne in Northern Ireland (2 hours) and from Liverpool to Belfast (8 hours).

For further information check out my Experience Ireland e-book available at http://www.amazon. com/dp/B00B4K5CHG Images: Phensri Rutledge www.LenRutledge.com

#careersinafrica

12

| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Business

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Recently graduated and looking to live and work in the UK? | The Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur immigration route is definitely one of the most exciting routes for South Africans graduates, who are looking to establish a business in the UK. It offers many advantages, including the fact that dependants may accompany the main applicant

by Breytenbachs One of the most exciting immigration categories available to South African graduates, both from UK and overseas higher institutions, is the Tier 1 Graduate Entrepreneur route.

This route allows non-EEA graduates to stay in the UK after

their graduation. In order to qualify you must be identified by an authorised UK Higher Education Institution or the UK Trade and Investment (for overseas graduates), as a person who has developed genuine and credible business ideas and entrepreneurial skills, with the view to establish a business in the

UK. In order to apply to be endorsed, the applicant can lodge an application with the relevant institution.

Every year there are 2,000 places available to graduates under this category. Non-EEA applicants graduating from UK Higher

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Institutions are eligible for 1,900 places, and applicants who graduate from overseas higher institutions are eligible for the remaining 100 places.

Apart from this endorsement, candidates will also have to fulfil an English language and a maintenance fund requirement.

If successful in your application, you will be granted an initial leave to remain for a period of one year, after which you will be able to apply for an extension for another year. The maximum period allow under this category is two years.

After two years in this category you should be eligible to apply as a Tier 1 (Entrepreneur).

Other benefits include the fact, that apart for the business or businesses you have established, you may take other employment, provided that this is not as doctor or dentist in training or as a professional sportsperson. You will also be allowed to study further subject to certain conditions.

Your spouse/civil partner/ unmarried partner/ same-sex partners, and dependant children will be allowed to accompany you, provided they meet the relevant requirements.

Whilst this category does not, in itself, lead to Permanent Residence,

it does provide an applicant with up to two years’ Leave to Remain in the UK, which may facilitate future applications to enter an immigration route which will lead to Indefinite Leave to Remain.

For more information on this exciting immigration route, contact your BIC consultant today. www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com

Rand affected by Fed speculation

0207 759 7550 Money@1stcontact.com www.1stcontactforex.com/SA | Political factors sure to fuel Rand instability By 1st contact For the past few weeks, we have been inclined to think that any movement in the Rand will be linked to SA events.

When there are major shifts in export prices or changes in interest rates then this would be a good bet, but recently this is not the telling factor. The main driver for the Rand over the last few days, has been the speculation on when the Fed will move. This focus on the US Dollar reflects other currencies’ movements.

This past week, South Africa saw more power cuts from Eskom and the introduction of a new tier (stage 4) to the load shedding schedule and this, combined with

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the xenophobic riot crisis that is plaguing some parts of South Africa, is sure to fuel further instability.

What to look out for this week?

There is little data out of the US that is high in importance this week. On Friday, we have the US Durable Goods orders to be released which will give a good indication of large investments and will affect the Dollar.

13

thesouthafrican.com | 21 — 28 April 2015 |

Business: Classifieds

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KALAHARI MOON The Southern African Shop in Bristol.

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

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NO1 South African Shop Lots of lekker stuff for a taste of home. Including fantastic biltong, droewors and boerewors. 5 Marlow Drive, St Catherines Hill, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 2RR. The shop is about 2 miles north-west of Christchurch town centre and 6 miles north-east of Bournemouth town centre. There’s loads of free parking and the shop is easy to get to from the A338.

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Susman’s Best Beef Biltong Co Ltd If you’re missing home give us a call, supplying you with all your favourite South African products and more. Phone: 01273 516160 Fax: 01273 51665 Web:www.biltong.co.uk Email:sales@biltong.co.uk

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| 21 — 28 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Sport

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South African sprinter inspired by Blake because he "trains harder than Bolt" | Jamaica’s legendary athlete, Yohan Blake, might just be the inspiration Akani Simbine needs to break ten seconds for the 100 metres

by hpc, university of pretoria South African sprinter, Akina Simbine, is aiming to beat 10 seconds for 100 metres.

Ever since the South African Championships in Pretoria last year where the Tuks/hpc sprinter finished second in a time of 10.02s, the question has not been whether Simbine is good enough to dip under 10 seconds for the 100 metres but rather when he will do so.

Simbine has already shown that he is in good form this season by running wind assisted times of 10.04s and 10.06s and a legal time of 10.09s, but he still seems to need that little ‘bolt of lightning’ to super charge his batteries to enable him to break 10 seconds.

Maybe this will happen on 26 May in Ostrava when Simbine will get his first chance of two to face Bolt in the 100 metres. He will do so again on 13 June at the Diamond League Meeting in New-York.

Simbine has only raced against Bolt once before. It was during the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow last year in the 4x100 relays. As was expected the Jamaicans won the gold medal in a time of 37.58s with Simbine and his South African

teammates finishing fourth in a time of 38.35s.

Nobody will blame Simbine if the prospect of facing up to Bolt on his own for the first time is making him nervous, but this is not the case. He is actually looking forward to it.

“Usain certainly brings something special to the track each time he races. He just has a way of getting a whole stadium involved in a race.

He creates a very special vibe which motivates everybody. I hope to benefit from it and also run a fast time.”

Somewhat surprisingly Bolt is not Simbine’s sprint hero. He has more admiration for Yohan Blake and Asafa Powell (both Jamaican sprinters).

“Don’t get me wrong. I have much admiration for Usain Bolt’s sprinting achievements, but I am better able to associate with Blake because he trains harder than Bolt and he has set himself the goal to beat Bolt. He has already managed to do so and I know he will do so again in the foreseeable future.

“Powell, a former 100 m world record holder, used to be my hero when I started out as a sprinter. I consider him to be the athlete with

the best sprinting form.”

But perhaps Simbine will not have to wait until May to break 10 seconds for the 100 metres. He will be competing at the South African Senior Championships at Stellenbosch on Friday and Saturday.

The unpredictability of the Cape weather makes Simbine hesitant to make bold predictions about fast times. However, if the weather plays along he might consider making a serious effort to challenge the stopwatch already during Friday’s semi-finals.

Simon Magakwe, six-time national champion and the only South African sprinter yet who has been able to run a time faster than 10 seconds, will not be competing.

He has been slapped with a twoyear ban for missing an out-ofcompetition dope test last year.

However, Magakwe’s absence does not mean that Simbine is taking anything for granted.

“I have learned the hard way that no race is ever won until you have crossed the finish line. There are other good sprinters who will be competing and who are able to win.”

Simbine reiterated that for now he is not obsessed with 10 seconds.

I am still young, which means that I still have time on my hands to reach this goal. I know that if I continue to put in the long hard hours of training and run the right

races it will be only a matter of time before I start running times faster than 10 seconds. In the end it all boils down to biding my time and not becoming obsessed. Patience is definitely a virtue,” the 21-year-old wisely said.

15

thesouthafrican.com | 21 — 28 April 2015 |

Sport

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Touch Rugby shootout semis and finals set to thrill | In2Touch has great outdoor offers for sports fanatics By in2touch Ladies Active Touch Team are looking to win their second season in a row at the Canary Wharf League.

The ladies play in a mixed active touch league which is an indoor version of touch mixed with a few other sports and take on the guys in every aspect of the game. The men might have more pace, but with clever tactics and fantastic skills shown by the ladies they definitely give the mixed teams a run for their money. The final takes place on Monday 20 April and they are playing their rivals of last season’s final, The Artful Dodgers.

The quote of the week comes from the organiser of LSEG who plays in the Active Touch League in Canary Wharf. “We didn’t quite know what Active was all about, and on our first night we tried our best to learn the rules and catch onto the game. Active took us by surprise as we didn’t except it to be such a fast-paced game but we absolutely love it now and we’ll definitely be back for another season!”

This week sees the Clapham Common Shootout semis and finals take place for the Monday and Wednesday leagues. The

Shootout is a short four week league to get the teams ready for the Spring leagues and is played in a slightly different format of two x twenty minute games. Another big thing happening this week is the start of our O2Touch Spring league at Regents Park which is our biggest venue of touch in London.

We look forward to the rest of the leagues starting next week.

There are lots of our players and referees from our various leagues heading to the Touch World Cup in Australia this week and we want to wish them well and look forward to cheering them on as well as watching on the YouTube channel dedicated to bringing us the games.

If you would like to sign up either as an individual or a team then you can send us an email on london@in2touch.com or have a look on our website, www.in2touch.com/uk for more information about the leagues in London.

There is still time to get your teams into the Spring Season and what a way to spend an evening playing touch and socialising.

Sport page 14

South African sprinter inspired by Blake because he "trains harder than Bolt"

page 15

Touch Rugby shootout semis and finals set to thrill

issue: 613

21 - 28 April 2015

Parliamentary inquiry into allegations of political interference in Proteas selection

| The Democratic Alliance has written to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee for Sport and Recreation, Ms Beauty Dlulane, requesting that she institute a Parliamentary inquiry into allegations of political interference in the Proteas’ team selection for their Cricket World Cup semi-final against New Zealand

[●] Photo by GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images

by staff reporter A parliamentary inquiry is the best intervention to clear the dark cloud hanging over this matter which has serious implications for the true independence of national sports teams.

External interference in technical matters of sports team is a serious violation of local and

international sports practices.

While the leadership of Cricket South Africa (CSA) has flatly denied external interference in the selection of the team, allegations of political interference of this magnitude should be investigated by Parliament.

The latest revelations by the Proteas conditioning coach,

Mr Mike Horn, and the CSA’s insistence of silence from those parties allegedly implicated in this matter, is not sufficiently reassuring to the public that there was no undue pressure to change the team.

Furthermore, the CSA’s own finding that there was no interference in the team selection is questionable given that senior

figures in its federations are allegedly implicated in the saga.

This brings into question the genuine independence of the CSA’s investigation.

Cricket SA has made major inroads in rebuilding its image and restoring good governance following a period of instability that culminated in the dismissal of

former CEO Gerald Majola. Any failure to get to the bottom of this matter in a transparent manner risks reversing these positive gains.

The DA hopes that the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee will accede to our request so that we can establish the truth and resolve this lingering matter once and for all.

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