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Cutting-edge Capetonian architect to build soup kitchen using hemp INSIDE
Zola Tsotsi resigns as chair and director of Eskom pAGE 3
NEWS
Where in the UK do South Africans really stay? pAGE 4
COMMUNITY
On documenting white townships in South Africa pAGE 9
ARTS
South African photographer captures North Korea pAGE 10
[●] CROWDFUNDING: If built, the soup kitchen in Khayelitsha will be SA's third hemp building (image: Sarah Isaacs Photography). Read more on page 12
TRAVEL
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World’s first movie platform South African widow faces for expats launched deportation from the UK | Aimed towards expats, Scatzy found its niche in providing videos for globetrotters from their home country. Scatzy celebrated its launch on 2 April with the movie release “Strikdas – n familie gedoente”, the same day it hit theaters in South Africa
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| A 91-year-old woman wishing to spend her remaining days with her British daughter is facing deportation to SA
[●] Photo by Jade Grassby/bournemouthecho.co.uk
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by staff reporter The new VoD platform, Scatzy. com, for indigenous movies from South Africa, Australia and New Zealand launched their service with the release of “Strikdas” on 2 April, the same day the movie was available in movie theaters in South Africa.
Initially, Scatzy will only feature South African movies but plans to expand its offer to movies from New Zealand and Australia, as well as expanding their service to include TV shows, documentaries, music downloads, e-books and other entertainment genres. The movie “Strikdas” is now available online on Scatzy.
Myrtle Cothill's application to stay in the UK with her one remaining daughter was refused by the home office in September 2014. A decision was taken for her to be removed. She appealed the decision in early 2015 but her appeal was dismissed in March. Cothill's daughter, Mary Wills, became a British citizen in 1998. Wills wants to look after her mother as she is suffering from Macular Degeneration and COPD. “It was becoming unaffordable for my mum to live in South Africa because medical aid is very expensive, and she was even on the low band," Wills reportedly said. "I want to know why she can’t stay, with human rights, to live with me? She’s not going to bring any harm to England. She’s selfsupporting; she gets a widow’s
pension from my late dad of £300 a month." She continued: "She will not be costing England a penny. She will just be living out her last days with me.” The 91-year-old said: “I always wanted to be close to my daughter, so to go now would mean I could not spend the rest of my life with her.” She continued: “I feel they have no compassion at all. I’ve got nobody else. A mother and daughter should stay together if they need each other.” Members of Cothill's church, St. Joseph’s Church in Poole, are petitioning their local MP to prevent her from being sent back to South Africa. Robert Syms MP has written to the Immigration Minister to ask if he will, on compassionate grounds, grant her leave to remain in the country.
What’s up with the price of bread in SA? | Why has the price of bread nearly risen twice as fast as the inflation rate in 2014? And why is brown bread cheaper than white bread? by Ben Stanwix, Ground Up
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 userfriendly 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.
Nomsa Vumazonke buys two loaves of bread every day. She lives in Philippi with her three children and four grandchildren, and after making sandwiches for them says there is nothing left for her to eat. “Bread is too expensive. It’s very hard. I have to buy bread for my children,” she says. Over the course of 2014 the price of bread, a staple food for more than half of South Africa’s population, has risen nearly twice as fast as the inflation rate. According to Stats SA, which monitors prices at more than 100 different locations across the country to calculate the average bread price, the price of a standard (700g) loaf of white bread rose 8.9% from R10.49 to R11.43 from January to December last year. The price of an equivalent brown loaf rose 8.1% from R9.47 to R10.24. Over the same period, the
consumer price index (the measure of the general rate of inflation) has risen 4.4%. At the beginning of 2015 the average price was R11.42 for a standard (700 gram) loaf of white bread, and R10.29 for an equivalent brown loaf. Bread from spaza shops or informal retailers usually costs more than the same product from large retail chains which negotiate with suppliers or bake their own bread. The recent price rise is not a new phenomenon. Brown bread is cheaper than white bread for two reasons. Firstly, it has a higher extraction rate, meaning that more brown loaves can be made from the same amount of wheat, relative to white loaves. Secondly, unlike white bread, no Value Added Tax (VAT) is applied to brown bread. This means that a loaf of brown bread should cost at least 14% less
than a white loaf, since VAT is set at 14%. On average, however, it is only 9% cheaper, suggesting that some of this margin is skimmed off before reaching the consumer, who benefits very little from the tax exemption on brown bread. A survey conducted by the African Food Security Urban Network in 2008 found that 80% of households in Cape Town were food insecure, and that the poorest households spent more than half of their budget on food. Anton van Zyl, Marketing Executive at Pioneer Foods, says that the Sasko bread price increases are due to higher input costs including wages, electricity and the cost of wheat. But according to Christo Joubert, a manager at the National Agricultural Marketing Council (NAMC), milling, baking and transport make up the bulk of the cost of bread and the price of wheat accounts for less than one-
fifth of the total cost. Four large milling companies, including Pioneer, continue to dominate the wheat to bread chain, controlling over 90% of the milling industry and a large slice of the baking industry. Van Zyl says Sasko prices do take into account differences between white and brown bread, but he says Sasko does not “have any influence on the retail selling prices of bread”. In his experience, he says, “white bread is more often on promotion than brown bread”. Abubak’r van der Fort, the manager at Something Nice bakery in Blue Downs, recognises that high bread prices make life difficult, “especially for the poor and needy community”. He sells his own bread at slightly lower prices than the branded loaves and says that “the current bread prices, especially from suppliers such as Sasko, Albany and Duens are exorbitantly high”.
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Zola Tsotsi resigns as chair and director of Eskom | After a three-hour board meeting, Eskom's Zola Tsotsi has stepped down as both Eskom board chairperson and the power utility’s director by staff reporter
[●] Photo by commons.wikimedia.org/Jeremy Clarkson, Top Gear
Jeremy Clarkson to rejoin Top Gear Live in the UK and SA
Tsotsi presented to put off a planned motion of no confidence against him to the board. Tsotsi's fellow board members had accused him of signing off documents on behalf of Eskom, thereby undermining the chief executive and other executive directors, according to the Mail & Guardian. In a statement by the Eskom board afterwards, Tsotsi was thanked for “the selfless decision
he has taken in placing the interests of the company and the nation first”. Tsotsi earned R1.79-million as chair that financial year, based on Eskom’s 2013-2014 annual report. According to the Mail & Guardian, Tsotsi’s last three months at the utility could be worth about R500 000. Ben Ngubane, former SABC chairperson, is now acting chairperson.
| Jeremy Clarkson will appear in Top Gear Live world tour with James May and Richard Hammond by katy scott BBC Worldwide has confirmed that Jeremy Clarkson will present Top Gear’s live world tour along with fellow presenters James May and Richard Hammond in a series of shows in Australia, Norway, the UK and South Africa this year. The show will be called Clarkson, Hammond and May Live, and will be stripped of all BBC branding. The entire tour, which is worth £10million, will
not feature The Stig, nor will it be able to use clips from the show. Although Clarkson was dismissed by the BBC and his contract was not renewed, it appears that he, Hammond and May have separate contracts with BBC Worldwide for the Top Gear Live shows. A statement from the BBC, referring to the 200,000 tickets sold worldwide, said: “So as not to disappoint the thousands of people around the
world who have already purchased tickets‚ BBC Worldwide has agreed with our joint venture partner Brand Events that the remainder of the tour can continue. These events will not however feature any BBC Top Gear branding or content. We believe this is a sensible approach in the circumstances.” The tour starts in Australia on 18 and 19 April. Tickets will go on sale soon.
New Madiba’s Journey application allows you to walk with Mandela | A new application has been recently released in South Africa, exploring Madiba’s life story through 27 tourist attractions related to the great man by Katy Scott
[●] Photo with special thanks to Ronel van Zyl
London dims the lights for opera singer Simphiwe Simon Shibambu's solo debut | It’s all about this bass, and his London solo debut. Don’t miss out by staff reporter 27-year-old South African bass, Simphiwe Simon Shibambu, who is currently studying at the Royal College of Music in London, is performing on 25 April in Notting Hill. It will be his first
solo concert in London. Enjoy an evening of Schubert, Beethoven, Vincent D'Indy, Giovanni Martini, Gustave Ferrari, Richard Rodgers and Mitch Leigh. Please note the correct date. We apologise for the error in last week's paper.
Date: 25 April Time: 6 pm Place: St Peter's Church, Kensington Park Road, Notting Hill W11 Price: £5 at the door
SA Tourism and the Nelson Mandela Foundation launched a new GPS-enabled app on 1 April, which allows South Africans and tourists alike to walk in the footsteps of the late Nelson Mandela. The app lists 27 locations around South Africa to represent Mandela’s 27 years in prison. Some of the locations include the Apartheid Museum, Bhunga Building, Chancellor House, City Hall and the Grand Parade, Drakenstein Correctional Centre, Hector Pieterson Museum, Kliptown Open Air Museum, Lilliesleaf Farm and Sharpeville
Human Rights Precint. Each location has an audio clip, a brief sumary, a photo gallery and contact details. Furthermore, the app allows you to plan an itinerary around these venues, filter locations by province and rewards you for visiting the locations and sharing photos. Minister of Tourism Derek Hanekom sung its praises: “This app makes ‘walking in the footsteps of Madiba’ much easier than before and greatly enriches visitors’ experiences of the attractions associated with one of the greatest men of our time,” he said. The app can be downloaded for free for both iOS and Android.
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Where in the UK do South Africans really stay? | According to a recent publication by the Office of National Statistics, about 56,000 South Africans have settled in Greater London. But there are South Africans in almost every ‘corner’ of the great United Kingdom
by Sandi Durnford-Slater I like to think of myself as an Anglo-African. I’m busy writing this, ensconced in my little office in my home in Fulham. “Typical!” you might say, but as it happens, I am in a rather forgotten part of Fulham – neither Fulham Broadway nor Fulham High Road and pretty far from both. My area has become part of the encroaching overflow of French immigrants who can no longer fit into, or afford to buy in South Kensington where the French embassy, the Institute Francais and the French Cinema can be found. At last count we have four French families on our street and Dutch, German and Chinese neighbours. Sorry, no South Africans. Needless to say, I am learning French. Which of these categories do you fall into? 1. You’re the only South African where you live and you hardly ever hear another South African accent. 2. You live in an area where – if you didn’t pinch yourself – you’d forget you are in the UK. 3. You’re not South African, but sometimes wonder if you’re becoming one because you’re surrounded by them. South West London Also known as mini-SA, South West London is most popular and stretches from along the Waterloo to Woking line with a large expat community. If you have friends in Cape Town busy planning their move to the UK and they can't bear to be parted with their chommies, they probably want to move to specific areas in the South West like: Southfields, Wimbledon, Surbiton, Wandsworth, Raynes Park, Clapham or Earlsfield. Or slighly further afield to Twickenham, Esher or Woking – we’ve all heard of the boerewors corridor, right? These areas will guarantee your
dose of South African accents, shops that sell biltong, oumas and flings. There will be Afrikaans speakers chatting too loudly on the District Line thinking no-one understands them, and a neighbour with a story about how their son or daughter has a South African teacher at their local school. “We live in Colliers Wood,” says Hamish Clarke. “We moved because a mate from school did. He lived in the same block as a mutual friend. Upstairs was a girl who also went to Stirling High School and her brother from Selborne College in East London. Before that we lived in Wandsworth. Our next door neighbours were from Port Elizabeth. All of their mates are Saffas and are now our mates, mainly from the Eastern Cape. A guy that interviewed for a job with me in Cape Town ran the pub we used to frequent. There were literally hundreds of us in Southfields at one stage.” Saffa statistics in the UK to London According to a recent publication by the Office of National Statistics, though the majority of South Africans have settled in Greater London and the South East – some 56,000. But there are South Africans in almost every ‘corner’ of the great United Kingdom. 25, 000 South Africans live in the East of England, 15, 000 South Africans and 6, 000 Zimbabweans live in the North West. Approximately 10, 000 have made their home in Yorkshire, and the East and West Midlands respectively. Some have ventured as far as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Almost wherever you choose to settle in the UK you have a good chance being made to feel welcome. Southern England Heading closer to the shoreline
and further away from bustling London, Southern England offers the beautiful, historic counties of Somerset, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Surrey and cities of Bournemouth, Brighton, Bristol and Dorset. History buffs may be interested in the city of Salisbury in Wiltshire, whose ancient medieval Cathedral is the home to the oldest clock in the UK, and one of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta. You will also find the famous and mysterious Stonehenge on the Salisbury plain. Hampshire is full of seaside resorts, has two national parks, quaint villages and scenic walks, quite suitable for those who grew up running barefoot in the South African countryside, while Dorset features those breath-taking, white chalk downs. “I live, Lindford in Hampshire,” reveals Zimbabwean-born, Capetonian, Katie Cooper. “I do believe there are other Saffas around as the BP station 2.5 miles away stocks a very small amount of biltong & droerworse. Two South Africans I know play for the same hockey club as I do – Aldershot and Farnham hockey club. I work in Farnborough and there are three of us Saffas in the same department and about a dozen on the rest of campus. Quite a few colleagues have worked or visited South Africa in the past on business or assignment. I feel my heritage puts me in good standing as I have travelled and have experience of cultural diversity, which is sought after in business today.” Belinda Andrews’ family lives in the beautiful countryside of Farnham in Surrey. “There are a few South Africans around. I have met a couple of lifelong SA friends in the area, but we are certainly not surrounded. My South African fix happens at least three times a year where we get together and have a good laugh
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and connect which is important when we live so far away from our families! Let's face it, without that connection, life wouldn’t be the same. We have a local SA shop in Guildford, which makes us feel right at home,” says Belinda. South East England If you love South African wine and want to be near some vineyards, Surrey or Sussex could really be the place for you. With the same geographical make up as the French Champagne area, English sparkling wines are beginning to make their mark in the UK. Bristol is the United Kingdom’s eighth most populous city. It’s a short drive to the good surfing beaches of Devon and Cornwall, a sizeable harbour and the bridge crossing to Wales. Perhaps Suffolk and Norfolk can tempt you? “We live in the quiet countryside of Suffolk,” explains David Brous. “There are a few South Africans and Zimbabweans around us and
it is very much a countryside way of life. At every turn we meet Saffas and are constantly being introduced to them. My accent has stayed fairly strong as I teach with 6 other Southern Africans. There is a joke going around that we are ‘recolonizing’ the UK.” Christie Bryant Reed and her husband are both South Africans now living in Hong Kong. “My best friend, her parents, sister-in-law and my parents live within a three mile radius of one another in Norfolk,” explains Christie. “They have a little community and attend a South African church where the service is split into half English and half Afrikaans. There is also an SA shop nearby. We spend every summer there. We love that it’s near the city, near the coast, is fairly rural and there is a small SA community.” If you are a little arty, perhaps a journalist, producer, media researcher or actor and you’re hoping to star in the next BBC drama, the metropolitan cities
of the more centrally-located Birmingham, Manchester, Salford or even Liverpool on the west coast (the home of the Beatles and great football) may suit you better. The BBC has left London and has relocated further north to Salford, so you will be nicely situated near ‘Media City’ and just a few competitive auditions away from your next big break. Birmingham is the second biggest city after London. It’s nightlife, culture and diversity will keep you on your toes. If you get tired of the city, Central England is beautifully placed for a weekend break to the Lake District, Peak District and Yorkshire. East Anglia But the weather in the UK is awful, you say? If you are looking for the area in the UK with the best weather then East Anglia is where you want to be. The cities of Cambridge, Norwich and Ipswich boast the sunniest skies and statistically the least amount of rain.
It’s all about gang numbers, the Cape Flats and heart-stopping moments | Part of the South Africa at 20 – The Freedom Tour, comes Four Corners - a South African film by director Ian Gabriel, which won Best Narrative Feature at the Santa Fe Independent Film Festival in 2014 by Rebecca Poyurs Four Corners is a beautiful portrayal of characters living in a gang-dominated environment, governed by violent circumstances, but bringing them together in the most profound ways. Set in the Cape flats, the film highlights a unique subculture on the outskirts of Cape Town. The area is dominated by a brotherhood of two gangs named after the numbers 26 and 28, where both gangs are fighting for territory both in and out of prison. The opening scene creates the reality of the environment with a bloody teenager and a gunshot wound. The next scene transports viewers into a frightening prison
scene at Pollsmoor where Farakhan (Brendon Daniels), a 28 General, is being released from prison after 13 years. His last act as a 28 is to claim back his father’s shackled home which is now in the 26 territory to live a quieter life – ‘a river of peace’. But violence controls the streets, more so now than before he left. Meanwhile, parentless and raised by his grandmother, 13-year-old Ricardo (Jezzriel Skei) has a chance at being a chess prodigy. But he’s getting involved in the life of the 26 gang. His playful character brings softness to the film within the harshness of the 26 gang leader (Irshaad Ally), who is trying to entice Riccardo into dangerous
situations with money and protection to be in this brotherhood. Adding to the storyline, detectives are trying to solve a missing boy’s case in the area and a doctor has returned from London to attend her father’s funeral and it is with these characters that the story intertwines and connects so well with those being led by a life of violence and those trying to steer away from it. With captivating cinematography highlighting the run down suburbs, scenes of unadulterated trauma and heart-stopping moments, Four Corners will undoubtedly open your eyes to other side of the world’s best holiday destinations.
Or choose an area that’s close to the airport In terms of easy travel, the UK has a number of international airports and busy train stations scattered all across the country. Heathrow is well known to South Africans and is the home to both British Airways and South African Airways, but don’t underestimate the possibilities of living near Gatwick. Gatwick is home to many of the smaller airlines and most of the American airlines. It’s perfect for flights to city breaks in Europe and the USA. The towns and countryside near Gatwick are less crowded and you will find affordable homes with more space, gardens and good views and the odd South African. The fast trains will take you to London’s West End in under an hour to see the latest shows, so don’t think you will miss out by being further out. Scotland and Ireland We have really hardly touched on the rest of the UK – Scotland boasts
the beautiful Highlands and lochs, Ireland a rich culture of music, dancing and Guinness and Wales with its beautiful countryside and language is exquisite. These must be explored at the very least, but maybe you want to be different and set up your own little South African colony complete with a South African shop and homemade biltong? Wales In which case, I am led to believe that there are no South Africans in the Welsh town of Llanfairpw llgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwy ll-llantysiliogogogoch. It translates as “The church of St. Mary in the hollow of white hazel trees near the rapid whirlpool by St Tysilio’s of the red cave”. It is believed to be the longest place name in the world. If you are thinking of becoming the first South African pioneer, this would be the place for you.
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Interview with UKIP electoral candidate for Westminster Nigel Sussman | On the eve of the election, The South African caught up with Nigel Sussman UKIP Parliamentary Candidate for Westminster North to talk anti-immigration, racism and if our votes really make a difference by Gordon Glyn-Jones 1. As most of us are immigrants ourselves, we are aware of your reputation of UKIP being the party of antiimmigration? Why should our readers support you? UKIP is not anti-immigration, quite the opposite in fact. We recognise the importance, and applaud Britain’s great heritage in both the diversity and contribution, of immigration to this country. What we object to are totally open borders, especially from the EU, with potentially 500 million people that could come over. This is not anti immigration, just plain simple common sense. UKIP would introduce a Migration Control Commission with a remit to bring down net immigration; and establish a visa system based on the Australian points-basedsystem, while assuring the right number of highly-skilled workers from across the globe are able to enter. This would be an ethical visa system for work and study, based on the principle of equal application to all people and end the discrimination between EU citizens and non-EU citizens. UKIP would provide a Highly Skilled Workers visa providing the opportunity for permanent leave to remain, and of course, we would maintain the principles of UN Convention on Refugees for Asylum. My Grandfather was a Jewish Russian immigrant who came to
this country during the Russian Revolution and set up his own business here. I think he would be amazed that his grandson had the opportunity to stand for Parliament. 2. As foreigners, it’s quite hard for us to get our heads around the issues in Europe. UKIP seem to want to urgently get out of the EU. Why is that? Well, in order to control immigration, we need to get out of the EU. David Cameron already tried re-negotiation, was told no, and seems to have gone very quiet on it since. More importantly, over 75% of the laws in this country came from Europe, and it is becoming obvious that Westminster is just an empty shell. We have effectively given away our sovereignty to a Federalist Super State Agenda, and if we don’t get out now, we may not have the opportunity to do so in five years. In this election, we are voting for nothing less than our freedom. I also happen to believe that freed from the costs and bureaucracy of Europe, this country will regain its place at the World Trade organisation and truly blossom. Just one example of the EU madness is the directive to include Drugs and Prostitution in the UK GDP figures. This makes the deficit look smaller as a percentage of GDP, which is not true, and it increases our contributions to the EU. And forces additional spending on Foreign Aid, for which there is no income.
3. What would the advantage of voting UKIP in your constituency Westminster North be? Firstly, this is a General Election and so hopefully, people are not just voting for local issues but for someone who is going to stand up for real change in Parliament. I am not a career politician, I have a background in Business and believe I have the skills required
to make a difference. To answer your specific question, the main issue affecting my constituency is Housing. It should be obvious to everyone that there is a shortage of supply, which is driving up prices. While UKIP have plans to enhance building on Brownfield sites – the truth is that not enough houses can be built to keep up with the demand, it is
only by controlling demand i.e. controlling immigration that will begin to see prices fall to reasonable levels again. The impact is also seen in access to GP’s, schools and visits to A&E. It seems Councils are cutting basic services, while the city continues to grow. On top of that, UKIP has plans to support local businesses with tax reductions and increases in free parking. Make no mistake too, landlords will not just absorb the Mansion Tax but they would pass this down in increased rents. 4. As you can imagine with our history, any associations with racism would be very hard for us to stomach. UKIP has garnered something of a reputation in this regard. Is it justified? UKIP is not a racist party. It is a Democratic Libertarian party. To be Libertarian means to uphold liberty as a principle objective, to maximise autonomy and freedom of choice, voluntary association and primacy of individual judgement. I think it is fair to say that as UKIP has seen significant growth. It has attracted some of the wrong type of people who are attracted by the publicity surrounding our immigration policies. We now have rigorous assessment in place and, where the party has identified these people, we have expelled them immediately. It is interesting that the other parties are so scared of UKIP that they have deliberately played the race card. It says more
about them than it does about UKIP. Our party has the largest diversity of candidates of all the parties in this election. That should speak for itself. 5. Many expats in the UK hesitate to vote at all. They feel either they don’t have the right, or it’s a two-horse race that flops back and forth, and nothing really changes. What would you say to make them feel their vote is valuable and they will make a difference? British electoral law provides for the citizens of nearly fifty Commonwealth countries to vote. If you haven’t already registered, you can do so online at: www. gov.uk/register-to-vote. I would encourage everyone to vote, no matter who they are or who they vote as: “Freedom is an Action, not a Thing”. As your readers will have an objective view of matters, I am confident that once they understand our policies they will be persuaded to vote UKIP. UKIP is challenging the status quo. Our phenomenal growth has seen millions of British people vote UKIP lately. That has translated into wins in the European Elections and most recently the by-elections, where the swing has been in order of 42%. If it takes 100 arrows to bring down an elephant, every arrow counts. I believe in Britain, I hope your readers do too.
Rhodes and the politics of pain | A statue that appears to commemorate racism and imperialism occupies a uniquely privileged position on the university campus, causing evident pain to some students, professors and staff by Jeremy Seekings and Nicoli Nattrass As our colleague Xolela Mangcu has rightly argued, the pain of the minority must count for more than the indifference of the majority. The statue should be moved, and the University of Cape Town (UCT) has erred in not addressing this issue until protesting students forced it onto the agenda. Passion and pain play important
roles in political life. But the Manichean politics of pain has its weaknesses. It fosters an intolerance of both the diversity of opinion and of reasoned deliberation, and it easily serves to obscure some privileges and injustices at the same time as highlighting others. The intolerance of the politics of pain was evident at the University Assembly held on Wednesday 25 April (subsequently viewable
on YouTube). The Assembly provided an overdue opportunity for students and staff to express their pain over the Rhodes statue and other aspects of what is seen as a lack of ‘transformation’ at the university. But the expression of pain served to legitimate less laudable aspects of the Assembly. The Assembly was hijacked by a well-organised group of students implementing a carefully-prepared plan. Instead
of allowing a rich diversity of voices to be heard, examples of racist commentary from the social media were used in an attempt to reduce the debate to ‘us’ (the pained) and ‘them’ (racist critics), whilst students who sought to express dissent were heckled and jeered. We suspect that there are very many students, both ‘black’ and ‘white’, who are disgusted by racism but remain unpersuaded by the SRC, and whose voices
were silenced. The undermining of deliberation was evident also at the meeting of the university’s Senate to discuss the Vice-Chancellor’s proposal to remove the statue. The politics of pain prevented serious debate over what should be done with the removed statue, and legitimated an amendment (to the Vice-Chancellor’s proposal) that the statue be removed off the University and permanently.
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Senate voted against the suggestion that the university should retain the option of relocating the statue into a university museum or gallery, as part of a critical examination of the nature of imperialism and privilege. The only substantive argument made for denying current and future students the opportunity of a museum was the supposed imperative of making an important political statement of solidarity with students and others who are pained by the statue. The politics of pain pushes us to the purification of ejecting the statue, not to engaging with it critically. It is important that the university sends a clear political statement that it does not defend imperialism and that it is committed to being a premier African university. But this is not the only statement that the university should make. The politics of pain pushed UCT’s Senate to forget its role as an educational institution. Senate had an opportunity to commit itself to using the statue as the centerpiece of an educational project. Instead, Senate sent a message that education is not our primary concern. Some speakers at Senate asserted that there are no statues to Hitler in Germany. This misses the point. German museums have galleries that
use a variety of Nazi artifacts to aid a critical reflection on an awful and indefensible period of German history, a period in which many, many Germans were implicated. The victims of the Holocaust rightly call on all of us to ensure that Nazi symbols are not displayed in public. But the victims of the Holocaust are at the forefront of demands that we examine critically the past, and that we use the most awful artifacts of the Holocaust – including the death camps themselves – for educational purposes. Similarly, artifacts of apartheid are preserved in the Apartheid Museum and elsewhere. The statue of Rhodes might have been the central artifact in a museum or gallery at UCT, dedicated to the critical study of imperialism, ‘warts and all’. The politics of pain has a third weakness also. The racialization of pain serves to reduce injustices and indignities to race, foreclosing serious consideration of other forms of injustice and indignity. The university has the opportunity to make a clear political statement that we are committed to examining all forms of privilege, including the privileges that all of us at UCT – professors, lecturers and students; ‘black’, ‘white’ or other – enjoy to varying degrees as a result of Rhodes’ imperialist
philanthropy. The privilege of working and studying at what is arguably Africa’s premier university cannot be detached from Rhodes’ legacy. Handing the statue to someone else to deal with might make us think we now have clean hands, but this is an illusion. By banishing the statue off campus, Senate sent the shameful message that we can wash our hands by othering privilege and ignoring that we ourselves are implicated in a privileged project that has benefited, and will continue to
benefit, us. More generally, the politics of pain over the statue serves to obscure other forms of injustice and indignity besides racism. This is evident in the coupling of pain over the statue with opposition to UCT’s revised admissions policies that acknowledge that students from bad schools and poor backgrounds experience disadvantages not shared by students – whether black or white – who attended expensive elite schools. Removing the statue into a museum or gallery would have provided a powerful focus
for interrogating all forms of privilege, including those rooted in class as well as race, those that we enjoy at the elite institution of UCT, and those that will endure even after the statue has been removed. The Manichean politics of pain foreclosed the kind of debate and deliberation that might have allowed more serious consideration of this option. Seekings is the director of Centre for Social Science Research (CSSR) at UCT. Nattrass is a professor of economics and also in the CSSR.
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| 7 — 14 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Arts & Entertainment
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Steve Hofmeyr and Chris Chameleon to perform in London | Legendary SA musician and actor Steve Hofmeyr will treat his fans to a live performance of songs from his latest Toeka 3 album on 25 April at London’s Troxy with Chris Chameleon
a taste of South Africa opposite Buckingham Palace
[●] Chris Chameleon
by staff reporter
@bbarlondon
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THE inimitable, always entertaining, highly versatile and often outspoken Steve Hofmeyr will also be putting his unique stamp and sound on a list of legendary hits by the likes of Fanie de Jager. The artist, who recently celebrated 25 years in music, has just released the long-awaited third album in the successful Toeka
[●] Steve Hofmeyr
series, reinforcing his place as one of the hardest working, critically and commercially acclaimed South African artists. Innovative, prolific and endlessly creative, Chris Chameleon has become known in South Africa and abroad as a musical phenomenon. With a style all of his own, irresistible stage personality and a reputation for mesmerising audiences with his four-octave
voice and vocal acrobatics, his exceptional talent has won him rave reviews and numerous awards over the past six years. If you have not seen Chris or Steve live on stage, this evening is a must for you. Date: Saturday 25 April Time: 6pm Place: Troxy, 490 Commercial Road, London, E1 0HX www.troxy.co.uk
9
thesouthafrican.com | 7 — 14 April 2015 |
Arts & Entertainment
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a taste of South Africa opposite Buckingham Palace
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T: 020 7958 7000
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[●] Photos by Diederick Smit Engelbrecht/www.dsephotography.com
On documenting white townships in South Africa | Photographer Diederick Smit Engelbrecht wants to collate photographs of a community of white Afrikaaners in a book by staff reporter Photographer Diederick Smit Engelbrecht captured a poor white Afrikaans community outside of Pretoria with his camera, and now wants to get his book “Colour Me White” published using crowd funding. Removed from the supporting wing of Apartheid in 1994, white Afrikaaners became part of the new South Africa: a democratic government with the sole intention of bringing those previously oppressed up to speed to create what is now known as the Rainbow Nation. The end of Apartheid was greatly feared by most white Afrikaaners. In their eyes it posed the potential threat of civil war and the loss of a security blanket once provided by a white government to its own people. A large portion of white Afrikaaners migrated to look for better opportunities in less
threatening environments, whilst others stayed behind, taking on whatever the new government threw at them. During this process many succeeded in their ventures, whilst others fell through the cracks. Unable to support themselves with low paid menial jobs and the inability to work for other ethnic groups, they found themselves squatting in old buildings and small sheds. The book also contains a detailed explanation of current circumstances through essays by published professor of Humanities and African politics, Pieter Vale. In order to create a feeling of loneliness, poverty and a sense of struggle, Smit singled out individual subjects in their current environments. The mood was accentuated by the use of a short depth of field created by a wide aperture.
The phenomenon of white squatters is relatively new in South Africa. This is one of the first times their existence has recorded due to the fact that it has always been black people that have been photographically glamorised in these circumstances. Diederick Smit Engelbrecht says, “These photographs are of my people; the Afrikaaner nation whom I knew as neighbours, friends and colleagues. On a recent visit to South Africa I was shocked to find them living in such circumstances, begging and squatting on the outskirts of Pretoria.” Diederick Smit Engelbrecht holds a masters degree in photojournalism from the University of Westminster London. If you want to help him publish his photographs as a book, have a look on his Crowdfunder page. To support: www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ colour-me-white-book-publication
10
| 7 — 14 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Travel
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South African photographer captures the other side of North Korea | “Hopefully I can play a part in changing the misconceptions about North Korea by photographing its people in the most natural of ways”
[●] All photos by Joel Thackwray
By Katy Scott “Pyongyang is like no other place on earth,” says South African photographer, Joel Thackwray. The 27-year-old ventured into the North Korean capital from Hong Kong, where he had been living for two years. He opted to catch a train in from Dandong, in order to get the full experience. North Korea had always intrigued him and while living in Hong Kong, he decided to at least
try get in and see things with his own eyes. In seeing things for himself, Joel managed to capture a softer side of North Korea by focusing on its people. And so, through his photographs, we are able to experience North Korea from another angle. “One moment that will always stay with me was experiencing rural life in the North Korean country side. We did this while drinking beer and eating dry fish
with North Korean soldiers.” Pyongyang is absolutely spotless. “Most are dressed in military uniform and it’s completely free from the media bombardment you usually get in capital cities.” When a language barrier arises, smiling becomes a universal language. “My biggest surprise was being taken aside by my guide and asked if I could get him ‘A STRONG pill!’ This came along with a
winning charades performance and I couldn’t help but laugh.” Through photographing the people of North Korea, he began to see them as the beautiful humans that they are. “Just as Mugabe doesn’t represent every Zimbabwean, so Kim Jong-un doesn’t define every North Korean. North Koreans are friendly, respectful and quite notably radiate a national pride like no other.”
Joel has a lot of respect for Shin Dong-hyuk. His passion to help his people after escaping one of North Korea’s prison camps make him, in his mind, like a living Anne Frank or Nelson Mandela. His time in North Korea gave him a new appreciation for our South African democracy. It's a long road ahead, but he feels that it's getting there slowly. North Korea just needs the right attention.
11
thesouthafrican.com | 7 — 14 April 2015 |
Food
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Cooking with Chef Petrus | Braised gammon with pineapple sweet chilli sauce
WE WILL TAKE YOU HOME/ONS DOEN DIE GROOT TREK HUIS TOE...
| This week, I’m shaking up the classic gammon recipe to give it a spicy twist. A great centre piece is succulent smoked gammon served with sweet pineapple chilli sauce
by Petrus Madutlela The spicy kick from the sauce is delicious with the smoky saltiness of the meat. Any leftover sauce is delicious with fish, chicken or in a stir fry. Ingredients (Serves 4) Braised gammon A small gammon joint, smoked (about 900g) 8 baby onions, peeled and halved 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 teaspoons tomato purée 1 tablespoons brown sugar 300ml chicken or vegetable stock Pineapple sweet chilli sauce 2 x red chillies, de-seeded and finely chopped 80g castor sugar 100 ml white wine vinegar 100 ml pineapple juice Method Heat the oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / gas 4. Heat a roasting tin or casserole over a medium heat and brown the gammon, skin-side down at first, until golden all over. Take the gammon out and place to one side. Add the onions to the tin or casserole, saute for 1 minute, then
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add the garlic, tomato purée, and dark brown sugar. Cook for a further minute, then add the stock and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the gammon, cover with foil or a lid and bake in the oven for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and bake uncovered for another 10 minutes. While the gammon is braising, you can prepare the sweet chilli
sauce. Add all of the ingredients to a pan. Bring to the boil, then leave to simmer over medium low heat for 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly sticky. Leave the joint to rest for 15 minutes, then season with cracked black pepper and slice thickly. Serve with a drizzle of sweet chilli sauce, steamed spring vegetables and rice or mash.
Try this delicious wild Alaska salmon recipe using only canned foods
www.southafricanremovals.com
Fill their Easter basket with Happiness
| Just because it’s canned doesn’t mean it’s unhealthy! Easter has passed and it’s time for simple, quick and healthy food to make up for all the chocolate consumed
by staff reporter The Canned Food Week in the UK just passed and we picked our favourite recipe. This recipe is fun for the entire family to make as the tasty wild Alaska salmon, lentil and chickpea patties are packed full of flavour and highly nutritious. It goes to show, healthy alternatives can also come from a can. Wild Alaska salmon, lentil and chickpea patties Serves: 4 Preparation time: 15 minutes Cooking time: 12 minutes
Ingredients 1 x 416g or 2 x 213g cans red wild Alaska salmon 1 x 400g can green lentils, drained 1 x 400g can chickpeas, drained 1 medium courgette, grated 4 spring onions, finely chopped Juice of 1 lime, and finely grated rind 1 egg, beaten Salt and freshly ground black pepper Olive oil, for brushing Relish 200g (7oz) low fat plain yoghurt 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Method Drain the canned salmon. Remove any skin and bones, if wished, then break half the salmon into chunks. Mash the remainder with a fork. Put the lentils and chickpeas into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Tip into a bowl and mix in the mashed salmon and salmon chunks, courgette, spring onions, lime rind, lime juice and beaten egg. Season with salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into four large or eight small patties. Chill for 10 minutes in the fridge. Preheat the grill. Arrange the patties on a baking sheet and brush with a little olive oil. Grill for 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Meanwhile, make the relish by mixing together the yogurt, mint and coriander Serve the patties, accompanied by the relish, on beautiful plates. A special tip from the kitchen These patties are delicious served in warm pitta bread, which are stuffed with salad. If you’d like to spice them up a bit, add a little finely chopped red or green chilli to the salmon mixture. Recipe from Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute
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| 7 — 14 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Feature
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What do a soup kitchen and hemp have in common? | Meet the extraordinary people who are crowdfunding to build a soup kitchen in Khayelitsha made entirely of hemp. Upon completion, it will be South Africa’s third hemp building ever constructed by Charlotte Amery Cutting-edge sustainable architect Oliver Wolf, Hemporium and biodegradable packaging company GreenHome, want to build a soup kitchen made entirely of hemp in Khayelitsha. The Yiza Ekhaya soup kitchen, which feeds 250 children, is currently run from a shack attached to a small RDP house (houses built by government as part of the Reconstruction and Development Programme), which is owned by a pensioner. The team is launching a worldwide crowd funding campaign to make this eco-friendly building serve both nature and its community. The Ripple crowdfunding campaign aims to raise R230 000. Why use hemp as a building material? Hemp is a natural, sustainable and carbon neutral building material. It is fast-growing and needs little water or pesticides. Hemp can be used as the raw material for bricks, chipboard and insulation. It is non-toxic, it breathes and regulates moisture – and it offers excellent insulation. RDP houses, on the other hand, are famed for their bad insulation and are either too hot or too cold. Say what, hemp is illegal? Currently, it’s illegal to grow Industrial Hemp in South Africa. We would like to build the Yiza Ekhaya Soup Kitchen from hemp to show it’s environmentally sustainable, cost effective and a superior building material for RDP housing. Yiza Ekhaya would benefit from having a new building made from this natural material, and it would showcase the potential for industrial hemp to create jobs and an alternative, sustainable building material for South African homes. What’s the Yiza Ekhaya soup kitchen The Yiza Ekhaya Soup Kitchen feeds, cares for and offers a safe place for around 200 to 250 children
in the local community. Recently, some of the children have started sleeping over as their family homes are unsafe. The soup kitchen has until now been operated from the founder Mickey Linda’s RDP house. Mickey and the children need a safer building. The structure aims to provide Yiza Ekhaya with a safe, happy and healthy premises to continue its important work in the community. Meet Mickey – the lady with a heart bigger than Khayelitsha Mickey Winefred Linda started Yiza Ekhaya to help feed neighbourhood children from her own home with her own pension money. She’s opened her heart and home, providing a place of safety and care for children who wouldn’t normally have that. This is one of the communities in Cape Town that has problems with alcohol and drug abuseYiza Ekhaya not only offers daily, wholesome meals but love, humour and possibilities. The children have a positive role model to look up to. Mickey’s example and her work has inspired other people from the community to volunteer and help. She needs safe premises that support her important role. Mickey was given the nickname ‘Nompilo’ by her community, which means caregiver. She had this to say about the project. “You know, I pray to God every night for food and support. If there is anybody who has the heart for this dream, please help us at Yiza Ekhaya.” How did the campaign come about? GreenHome is a South African compostable food packaging supplier that has had an ongoing relationship with Mickey and the Yiza Ekhaya Soup Kitchen. Last year, Mickey was asked to move the structure she currently runs her soup kitchen from. Together, they worked on plans, had discussions with builders and decided it was time to start fundraising to build Mickey a new building. They joined forces with Tony Budden from Hemporium and architect Oliver Wolf. Hemporium offered hemp building materials at cost and Oliver Wolf offered his assistance to oversee the building process. GreenHome is running and funding the campaign. And so the dream of building Yiza Ekhaya a hemp house was born. Support the campaign: www. ripple.org.za/yiza-hemp-house or donate resources or time. Yiza Ekhaya Facebook Page: www. facebook.com/yizaehkaya
[●] By Sarah Isaacs Photography/ www.sarahisaacsphotography.com/Sketch by Oliver Wolf
13
thesouthafrican.com | 7 — 14 April 2015 |
Business: Classifieds
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SERVICES
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BREYTENBACHS BIC specialise in entry clearance applications as well as applications submitted in the UK, so please contact us without further delay at info@bic-immigration.com or visit our website for the contact details of our offices. 23 Austin Friars London, EC2N 2QP, United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0) 207 442 2160 www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com
KALAHARI MOON The Southern African Shop in Bristol. Wide range of stock including excellent boerewors and biltong. Centrally situated, friendly service. Connecting South Africans. Tel: 0117 929 9879 Address: 88 – 91 The Covered Market. st Nicholas Market, Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1JQ Email: Info@kalaharimoon.co.uk Website: www.kalaharimoon.co.uk
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CHICHESTER BILTONG COMPANY BILTONG doesn’t get any better than this! Arguably the best and most authentic South African biltong in the UK. We only use the finest herbs and spices and 100 percent British grass-fed beef! Our FINEST range is also gluten, sugar, msg and preservative free. For 10 percent EXTRA FREE use code SAFFA10 in the shipping instructions box at the checkout. www.biltongcompany.co.uk / 01243 216196
FOODS4YOU Whether you like to create an incentive program for your employees or corporate gifts at special times or throughout the year. Foods4U – Corporate Services Division is there to assist and help you maintain your critical internal and external business. sales@foods4u.co.uk Unit 22 / 24 Manford Ind. Estate, +44 (0) 87 00 33 2130, Manor Road, Erith, Kent, DA8 2AJ.
NO1 South African Shop Lots of lekker stuff for a taste of home. Including fantastic biltong, droewors and boerewors. 5 Marlow Drive, St Catherines Hill, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 2RR. The shop is about 2 miles north-west of Christchurch town centre and 6 miles north-east of Bournemouth town centre. There’s loads of free parking and the shop is easy to get to from the A338. Tel: 01202 496041 10’ish to 6pm 7 days a week. www.no1southafricanshop.co.uk
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
South African managed and owned We are looking for the right blend of skills to come and join our wonderful, growing and hardworking team. We invest in, train and develop our staff at The Savanna. Please email your C.V. to us at natalieg@thesavanna.co.uk or call 07921 823 427 for an application form.
St Marcus One of the most amazing emporia the capital offers to the carnivorous gourmet. People have been flocking to St. Marcus for their amazing range of Biltong and Boerewors Visit us at: 1-3 Rockingham Close, Priory Lane, off Upper Richmond Road West, Roehampton, London SW15 5RW Call us at: 0208 878 1898 Online: www.biltongstmarcus.co.uk sales@biltongstmarcus.co.uk
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| 7 — 14 April 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Business
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Questions about the new UK Health Surcharge answered by Breytenbachs Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants (BIC) has been inundated by queries from South Africans on how the introduction of the UK Health Surcharge will impact on their situation. BIC has compiled some answers to the most frequently asked questions. What is the UK Health Surcharge all about and why was it introduced?
The UK Government has made quite a sudden announcement in March 2015, that a health surcharge will be introduced for all non-EA nationals applying for UK visas for a period longer than six months. The surcharge came into effect on 6 April 2015. It was done in order for non-EA nationals to make an appropriate financial contribution to the cost of making use of the National Health Service (NHS). Before introduction of the surcharge, non-EA nationals
coming to the UK had access to the UK as if they were permanent residents. I will be visiting the UK soon. Will I be subject to the surcharge? Only non-EA nationals (including South Africans) who are applying for UK visas for periods in excess of six months will be subject to the health surcharge. Visitors are exempted from the surcharge. The UK Government is reportedly planning to introduce measures that will be introduced in the near future,
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British citizenship will not need to pay the surcharge. I need to renew my visa soon will I be subject to the surcharge? The surcharge is unfortunately payable for extensions of UK visas. I am already in the UK on a five-year visa. Will I be liable for the surcharge retrospectively? Fortunately, persons who have applied for their visas before the introduction of the fee on 6 April 2015, will not be subject to this surcharge, and there will be no backdated liability. I will be applying for my UK visa soon. What are the practical implications with regards to the visa application? Since 6 April 2015, all UK visa applications have to be accompanied by the surcharge. It is payable for the total period of the UK visa being applied for. The amount will be collected as part of the immigration application and the payment is mandatory. What if my visa application is unsuccessful? If your UK visa application is unsuccessful, you will receive a refund. For more information on your unique circumstances, please contact your BIC consultant today. www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com
Rand falls to fresh lows
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By 1st contact The Rand fell to fresh lows against the US Dollar this week bottoming out at USD/ZAR 12.48. This came after the USD index reached its highest level in more than a decade as speculation heightens around when the Federal Reserve will next raise short-term interest rates. Interest rate increases have been eagerly anticipated in the US market as investors keenly look for positive signals relating to US economy strength. The result has left many emerging market currencies strained, as investors find it less attractive to borrow US Dollars to fund EM asset purchases. Concerns regarding the ongoing Greek bailout negotiations and the launch of quantitative easing in the Eurozone may have weakened the Euro against many of its peers. This being the case, the Rand was unable to hold its ground and
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that will force visitors to the UK, who make use of the services of the NHS, to pay the costs at a rate of 150%. This will then supposedly cover for the administrative costs of a visitor making use of the services of the NHS. Are there any exemptions? I heard from an Ozzie friend that Australians are exempted from this surcharge? Yes, nationals from Australia and New Zealand are indeed exempted from this surcharge. Their governments have reciprocal healthcare agreement with the UK Government, which exempt them from having to pay this surcharge. Other exemptions include: intracompany transfers under the Tier 2 immigration route, dependents of a member of Her Majesty’s Forces and migrants who applies under the Home Office concession known as the ‘destitute domestic violence concession’. How much can I expect to pay for the surcharge? The cost is £150 per year for students. All other applicants will pay £200 per year. Dependents applying for visas are also subject to the surcharge. When applying for your visa, you will have to pay to cover the whole period of stay for each application. For example, if you are applying for a UK Ancestry Visa for five years, you will have to pay £1,000 (£200 x 5 years). I will be applying for my Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK soon, will I have to pay this surcharge? Applicants applying for ILR or
26/03/2015 11:31
ended last week on the back foot against the Euro. The Euro was at its lowest point since April 2003, closing at EUR/USD 1.06. The Euro is down 12 per cent this year against the US Dollar and many traders expect it will fall to parity with the greenback. Looking ahead, all eyes will be on the US Fed interest rate decision as economists expect a rate hike. This would result in increased market volatility along with added pressure to emerging market currencies. USDZAR @ 12.40 GBPZAR @ 18.34 EURZAR @ 13.07 GBPUSD @ 1.477 GBPEUR @ 1.401 Brought to you by
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thesouthafrican.com | 7 — 14 April 2015 |
Sport
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Make the most of the summer — get involved in Touch Rugby | In2Touch is gearing up for the new season By in2touch As the weather warms up for spring we managed to get a great start for the April Shootout Leagues at Clapham Common. It was a four-week league where teams played two times twenty minute games against different opponents, and in the final week the teams get to play a drop off format where they play many mini drop off's in the twenty minute final. The Monday Shootout teams were very eager to get straight into playing after the long break over the festive seasons, and loved the social aspect of the Shootout format of touch. There were plenty fantastic touchdowns scored which was a great start to the short season. The Wednesday Shootout teams were also keen to get out and playing some touch before the main Spring and Summer seasons began. The teams in the Wednesday league brought some fierce touch skills to game with perfect finesse and team spirit, which made for a super fun competition. As per normal our O2 Touch Spring and Summer Leagues
will run at many different venues throughout London starting in late April and each league will run for eight weeks. There are also our O2Touch Spring and Summer leagues taking place at seven different venues across London on Mondays to Thursdays from 19:00 to 21:00. Venues include: Clapham Common, Clapham/Wandsworth Common, Putney/Wandsworth, Regents Park, Hyde Park, Surrey Quays and Richmond. Registration and confirmation of the dates are on our In2Touch website. There will also be various tournaments throughout the year so be sure to keep a look out for those on our website. Don’t forget you can also sign up as an individual to play in any of our leagues if you don’t have a team yet or if you would like to know more about our current or upcoming touch leagues, costs, etc. In London you can either email us at tracy@in2touch.com. Or have a look for more information including venues, costs, game times on: www.in2touch.com/uk
Sport page 15
Make the most of the summer - get involved in Touch Rugby
issue: 611
7 -14 April 2015
South Africa maintain World Series lead despite Tokyo setback | South Africa increased their lead on the HSBC Sevens World Series log to five points over Fiji despite going down to England in a tense Tokyo Sevens Cup final on Sunday morning by SARU The Springbok Sevens lost 21-14 to the English, who won their first tournament title in two years. With only two more tournaments remaining in the Series, in Glasgow and London in May, the South Africans are still leading the race for Olympic qualification. They have 129 points from seven rounds and are followed closely by Fiji (125), New Zealand (120) and England (110). The top four teams on the World Series standings at the end of the season will qualify automatically for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. In the Cup final Charlie Hayter and Justin Geduld traded tries to level the halftime score at 7-7. England captain, Tom Mitchell, and team mate Phil Burgess added two more tries to give the English a strong 21-7 lead. Although Cecil Afrika crossed over to cut the deficit to 21-14, it was England who defended with determination to win their first Series event in two years. Earlier on Sunday morning, South Africa defeated Scotland 22-0 in the quarterfinals thanks to tries by Afrika, Geduld, Senatla and Smith. Afrika became the first South African to score more than 1 000 points when he scored his team’s first try. The industrious Smith dotted down and Afrika added the crucial conversion to clinch a morale boosting 7-5 win for South Africa over Fiji in the semis. Last weekend Fiji beat the Springbok Sevens
[●] TOKYO, JAPAN: Kwagga Smith #4 of England (R) gets tackled by Seabelo Senatla in the cup final game between SA and England during day two of the Tokyo Sevens Rugby at Chichibunomiya Rugby Stadium on April 5. Photo by Ken Ishii/Getty Images
at the same stage on their way to lifting the Cup in Hong Kong. All the teams will now enjoy a month long break before competing in the final two rounds of the competition in Glasgow and London in May. Post-match comment
Kyle Brown, the SA skipper said afterwards: “The boys tried their best but it was not our night. Congratulations to England for a good win. They scored when it mattered and defended very well when we were threatening. The two tournaments in the Far East are
always very tough but we gave it a real good go. Now we must regroup and prepare for the last two rounds in the UK.” The Springbok Sevens’ results on match day two in Tokyo: Quarterfinals: SA 22, Scotland 0 Semi-finals: SA 7, Fiji 5
Cup final: SA 14, England 21 The four top teams on the World Series log after Round Seven in Tokyo are: 1. SA 129 points 2. Fiji 125 3. New Zealand 120 4. England 100
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