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The Isango Ensemble ignites London with African passion INSIDE

UK allows South African man facing deportation to stay with wife and child pAGE 2

NEWS

Children to carry unabridged birth certificates when visiting South Africa pAGE 3

NEWS

Documentary about SA electro music to screen in London pAGE 5

COMMUNITY

Travel in Africa like in Europe with comfort, style and ease pAGE 10

| RE-CLAIMING EUROPEAN STORIES: We chat to the cast of Mysteries who are getting ready to perform in London. Read more on page 7

TRAVEL

| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

News

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UK allows South African man facing deportation to stay with wife and child | After losing his appeal to stay in the UK with his wife and child, because his wife's salary was too low, Michael Engel has now been granted a visa to stay in the UK By Katy Scott South African Michael Engel lost his appeal to stay in the UK with his British wife, Natalie and their daughter, Nyana in Debember 2014. Engel was told that he would be deported back to South Africa as his wife did not meet the minimum £18,600 a year salary threshold. He said that they had given up hope, but a new legal team advised them to cancel their old application and start again with a new application, reported the BBC. Home Office has now issued a new visa, allowing Engel to stay in the UK for 30 months. Natalie posted the following to Facebook after receiving the news: "SURPRISE!! Xmas came late! The news so many of you have

been waiting for. WE GOT IT!!! WE BLOODY GOT IT! WE GOT THE VISA!!! Mikey can live and work and drive and stay with us here in the UK. Thank you so much for all your support. Lots of love the Engels #letusbefamily." Immigation laws introduced in 2012 require British citizens with foreign spouses earn £18 600 a year, and £22, 400 if the couple has a child. These immigration laws were introduced in 2012, and apply to all British citizens. These thresholds intend to put an end to foreign spouses being reliant on UK taxpayers for support, according to a Home Office spokesperson. In 2014, Natalie Engel’s interior design business brought in £19 786, a “minimal” amount according to the immigration tribunal panel. Michael Engel’s

| Photo by Facebook.com/ Michael Engel

income does not count toward the threshold. Independent think-tank The Migration Observatory revealed that approximately 43% of British works did not earn enough to sponsor a non-EU spouse. Engel told the BBC: “It is a

massive massive relief, you wouldn’t believe it. We cancelled the appeal and made a fresh new application”. “We were doing the wrong things before but this time it was quick, we waited six weeks or so and got the result. We are all so happy.”

SA-UK Seasons Open Call projects announced | British Council and the SA Department of Arts and Culture launches 40 new projects to connect the UK and SA through creativity

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.

| Fak'ugesi Digital Africa Residency

By Theo Boshoff Last week at an event held at Constitution Hill, Johannesburg, the SA-UK Seasons announced more than 40 projects that will be taken forward as part of the SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015 programme as a result of submissions to an Open Call for assistance in 2014. The SA-UK Seasons 2014 & 2015, a project between the British Council and the South

| British High Commissioner to South Africa, Her Excellency Mrs Judith Macgregor

African Department of Arts and Culture, is a multifaceted bilateral collaboration, with a particular focus on artistic and creative capacity building and relationship development intended to raise cultural relations between the two countries. 19 projects will be receiving partnership support grants and 22 projects are being issued creative catalyst grants to further develop these projects and partnerships within the arts. There is a total

fund of R6 million allocated to the SA-UK Seasons 2014 &2015 Joint Projects. British High Commissioner to South Africa, Her Excellency Mrs Judith Macgregor said, “We are impressed with the very high standards of these projects and that they span across all artistic disciplines, including the visual arts, theatre, dance, cinema, literature and music.” Two exciting projects include: "The Film Will Always Be You",

an exhibition of the histories of South African artists, film and performance (a partnership between Map South Africa and the Tate Modern in London) and "Fak'ugesi", a digital Africa Residency project that focuses on the convergence of culture, creative practice and technology. The project was produced by the Fak’ugesi Digital Africa Festival in Johannesburg and the Networked Bodies Festival in London.

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 2015 |

News

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UK-based campaign advisor flies home to help Durban’s Commonwealth bid

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

| Durban has a strong bid for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, says South African campaign adviser, Caroline Rowland, who is flying in from the UK to work on Durban’s bid by Katy Scott Campaign adviser Caroline Rowland has worked on 13 bids for major sports events around the world and received an Emmy nomination for her official film on the 2012 London Olympics. Rowland is now returning to South Africa to help work on the Durban 2022 bid. Rowland grew up in Welkom, studied at Rhodes University and relocated to the UK in 1989.

She is optimistic about Durban staging a successful Commonwealth Games, reported Times Live. Rowland was the Creative Strategy Adviser to successful Sochi 2014 and PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Bids. The campaign included the development and production of six films for Sochi 2014 and 11 films for PyeongChang 2018. She was also the Creative Strategy Adviser to successful

Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Bid. The campaign included the development and production of 19 films over a 14 month campaign. Durban handed their 600-page bid book to Commonwealth Games Federation officials on 2 March at the official residence of the London Lord Mayor. An economic impact study part of the Duban 2022 bid book estimates that the Games would generate a total spend of R20 billion.

Deadline looms for children to carry unabridged birth certificates when visiting South Africa

by Katy Scott

Minors travelling with one parent Along with an unabridged birth certificate, the child will need an affidavit from the absent parent which gives consent for the child to travel. The affidavit should not be older than three months from date of travel. Alternatively, the child should have with them a court order granting legal guardianship or full parental responsibilities of the child, or a death certificate of the absent parent.

Minors travelling with a person other than a parent or legal guardian The child should carry an unabridged birth certificate as well as copies of the ID documents or passports of the parents or legal guardians, contact details of the parents or legal guardians and affidavits from both parents or legal guardians confirming that the child may travel with that person. Minors travelling unaccompanied Along with an unabridged birth certificate, the child needs to carry proof of consent from both parents or legal guardians and contact details as well as documents from the person receiving the child in South Africa. These documents must include a letter with the person’s contact details, residential address, details about where the child will be residing, as well as a copy of his or her ID documents, passport or residence permit. Minor with an unabridged

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birth certificate in another language Children with passports from other countries will have to present unabridged birth certificates from their respective countries of nationality. If the child’s unabridged birth certificate is not in English it must be accompanied by a sworn translation issued by an authority from their country. Who is exempt from the new law? Minors travelling domestically, for example between Cape Town and Durban. Minors on a ‘Cruise to Nowhere’, for example a cruise that departs from Cape Town Harbour and returns to Cape Town Harbour, or a cruise from Cape Town Harbour to Durban Harbour. Minors on school tours. A letter from the school’s principal can cover all minors on a school tour. *Note: Since 14 March 2013, Unabridged Birth Certificates have been automatically issued for newborns.

UK businesses encouraged to trade with SA

The trade guide, which has been in development for almost a year, is the first in a series set to encourage British-based small and medium sized businesses to trade with Commonwealth countries like South Africa. Tim Hewish, co-founder of CX, addressed the reception attended by business people and politicians

from both countries: "Small and medium sized businesses account for driving nearly 60% of the UK economy, but many would not consider export opportunities. As we investigated, we discovered that their perceived barriers to trade do not exist. Commonwealth countries tend to conduct business in the same language, English, and have familiar legal systems, often

LOOKING FOR A BETTER WAY?

Mace is an international consultancy and construction company providing integrated services across the full property and infrastructure life cycle. We are expanding across sub-Saharan Africa and can offer dynamic careers in the following areas:

| On Thursday, 5 March, the South African Chamber of Commerce UK and Commonwealth Exchange (CX), launched the SME trade guide to South Africa By Carol Freeman

tel 0844-8730078 or 01394-332020 UK BASED OFFICE WITH OUR HEADQUARTERS IN RSA

| From 1 June this year, children will be denied entry to South Africa if they do not carry an unabridged birth certificate. Find out what documents your child will need to enter or exit South Africa By 1 June, all minors (children under 18 years or age) will be required to produce an unabridged birth certificate showing the particulars of both their parents, in addition to their passport, when entering and exiting South Africa by land, sea or air. Come 1 June, if children do not have the correct documentation, they could be denied from boarding. Here are the particulars:

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with their roots in English law. This trade guide was developed with this in mind, providing a snapshot of the demographic make up, spending potential and infrastructure of South Africa." This is the first time that the South African Chamber has collaborated in the development of a project of this nature.

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| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Opinion

| Photo by Facebook.com / Lily King

Book review: Euphoria by Lily King | There is no doubt that a steaming cup of tea and a good book go hand in hand. Here's our month's favourite novel about a passionate woman and the men who loved her by Cindi Page My friend recommended Euphoria to me – and I blindly followed her advice. Perhaps that’s a favour the digital medium, in the reading realm, has done for us… we judge a book less by its cover and more by its online reviews. Located in New Guinea in the 1930’s, the famous and passionate anthropologist Nell Stone, her husband, Fen, and colleague, Bankson, are living among the local tribes, studying and documenting their way of life and culture. Immersing themselves in the primitive ways of tribe, negotiating

their way into the inner-circles and maintaining who they are as individuals is a complex challenge with distinct highs, or euphoria, as well as lows. Based on a true life story Soon, an intense love triangle develops and contaminates every aspect of their lives and their research for which they all pay a hefty price. The story is a re-imagining and loosely based on the life of iconic anthropologist Margaret Mead. The anthropological research and insight into ‘life in the field’ was as compelling as the protagonists’ past.

What did I enjoy? Personally, I loved how Lily King wrote Bankson’s gentle and yet self-deprecating narration, which contrasted greatly with the selfindulgent descriptions of the main protagonist Nell Stone. It added a great twist to the story as she falls in love with Bankson later on. The book has accrued a long list of prizes such as: Kirkus Prize For Fiction 2014; New England Book Award For Fiction 2014; New York Times Book Review, 10 Best Books of 2014; and Times Top 10 Fiction Books of 2014.

Life remains intolerably hard for most South Africans | Budget day in South Africa is an annual event for the state. But for most citizens, Budget day is every day or, if they a slightly luckier, a weekly or monthly calculation to try to remain at least afloat economically by ground up So what happened on Budget day, along with the plaudits and the protests reflected in the media, will not cause any excitement for more than half the population. And who can blame those who live in a state of penury? While the state can effectively wallow in debt, with its functionaries able to live high on the hog, debt for people on the ground often means malnutrition and a slow descent into sickness and premature death. For, unlike the government, big business or the historically wealthy, there is little — and usually no — access to loans at anywhere near reasonable rates to tide poor families over a rough patch. The mashonisas and those money lenders who remain just on side with the law, ensure that repayments are cripplingly high for those forced to borrow. And there are no allowances made for the recipients of grants that, in most cases, do not even cover the cost of an adequate diet. It is an awareness of this that underlines the arguments by the labour movement for more expansionist policies and for a more equitable redistribution of resources. This year, with more fears of job losses and in the face on an ongoing economic crisis, there is greater urgency being expressed about these demands.

Yet calls for such policies run counter to requests for belt tightening, however these are presented. These calls are also based on the labour supported assumption of a macro-economic foundation of widespread redistribution, of labour intensive work leading to a “virtuous cycle” of economic growth: the opposite of the government’s growth first orientation. The focus for these policy debates is invariably how to create a better life for all South African families. And, according to official, Stats SA figures, most men, women and children live below the poverty level. Cosatu general secretary Zwelinzima Vavi also maintains that a family of five would need R4,750 a month to rise just above this. Yet most family incomes are below R3 000. And the generally estimated number of dependents surviving on the incomes of the nearly 11 million people employed in the formal sector is five or more. Nearly a quarter of the working population is also covered by ministerial sectoral determinations and these, for the most part, amount to barely more than R2,000 a month. A domestic worker, for example, now has a minimum wage of R2,065. Out of this must come often hefty travel costs to and from work. And, despite the 25% decline

in the petrol and diesel prices since July last year, there has been no reduction in travel costs. Nor, according to a survey by the Pietermaritzburg Agency for Social Action (Pacsa) has there been any overall reduction in the price of food, where transport and, therefore fuel, costs are an important factor. In time for this Budget week Pacsa also produced its latest figures on the current cost of adequately feeding a family, taking account of family size and the ages and nutritional requirements of family members. An adequate, balanced, but basic diet for two healthy, active adults with two children, under the age of nine, costs R2,144 a month. For a family of seven — a more realistic average — that includes a pensioner, two active adults and four children, two under nine, one of ten and one of 16, Pacsa puts the monthly cost at R3,754. For most South Africans, it is these figures, combined with the cost of transport, school fees, clothing and shelter, along with wages less than R3,000 a month, that constitutes economic reality. Wednesday’s Budget did little to change this, but these are facts should give added impetus to labour’s demand for a national minimum wage that makes for an at least tolerable life. Words by Terry Bell

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 2015 |

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Documentary "Future Sound of Mzansi" about SA electro music to screen in London | London will be the location for the screening of Future Sound of Mzansi, the highly acclaimed feature-length documentary, directed by Soweto-born performance artist and musician Spoek Mathambo, and filmmaker-cinematographer Lebogang Rasethaba

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| Photo by Kent Andreasen

by Mareike Pietzsch The documentary offers a fascinating insight into South Africa’s cultural landscape via electronic music, its sound pioneers, musicians, producers, dancers, singers. It showcases the cities that inspire them. There are interviews with many emerging artists and with those who influenced the electro music scene, such as Rock Silver, Naked Boys, Black Coffee, Felix Laband, Krushed & Sorted, Okmalumkoolkat and many more. Future Sound of Mzansi traces the explosion of music-making across South Africa and its growing worldwide popularity thanks to the internet. All the artists who were interviewed in this lively documentary explain that music such as Ogom (house music from Durban) or the superfast dance beat Makwaya, or the desire to create something completely new can be made with accessible technology. The days of expensive studio costs are long gone – great music is coming out of South Africa and being heard – and performed around the world. Dubbed the prince of Township Tech, Spoek Mathambo performed at London’s 100 Club on 5 March with his band Fantasma. Their sound combines traditional Zulu maskandi music with shangaan electro, hiphop, punk and electronica. Spoek came to attention in

the UK four years ago with his brilliant beat-heavy version of Joy Division’s ‘She’s Lost Control’ with a video by renowned South African photographer Pieter Hugo and cinematographer Michael Cleary and a cast of dancing kids from the township, Langa in Cape Town. Cinematographer Lebogang Rasethaba said the film took about three years to make. “Originally, the film was supposed to be a series but it became a feature-length film as the scale, characters and story, and realities developed. It was too big a story. It focuses on who built up the electronic music scene but also asks what is the future sound of Msanzi is” said Rasethaba. The film is shot beautifully. “Twenty years since democracy, there’s been an interesting development in electronic music. It’s a film about South Africa using music as a vehicle to inform on society. The cities are characters. We state facts, we don’t create facts…we documented things as they sit geographically on the map,” said Rasethaba. Screening info When: 14 March, 11:30pm Where: Rio Cinema, 107 Kingsland High Street London E8 2PB What: Introduction and post-film Q&A by director Spoek Mathambo UK Film tour of African films Future Sound of Mzansi is part of the SA at 20: The Freedom Tour.

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| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Arts & Entertainment

Get to know SA's blues-rock star, Dan Patlansky | Dan Patlansky tells us about the blues, playing for Bruce Springsteen, upcoming UK shows, and his new album Dear Silence Thieves by Nils van der Linden

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Advocate Thuli Madonsela Keynote Speaker Come and listen to one of Time Magazine’s Top 100 influential people for 2014. Our Public Protector, Adv. Thuli Madonsela is an incredible defender of our beloved constitution and South Africa’s voice of reason. “The few problems we face are being tackled head on and should be seen as opportunities for your value add as returning sons and daughters of Africa, bringing global wisdom with you.” Even if you’re not ready to return immediately, come and find out about exciting careers, property, schools and relocation services. The event also includes top speakers, inspirational case studies and practical workshops. Entrance is complimentary, but capacity is limited. Register now at www.homecomingrevolution.com/speed-meet-africa

Dan Patlansky will never forget 1 February 2014, the day he opened for Bruce Springsteen at Johannesburg’s FNB Stadium. “That was fantastic, even though it was one of the most daunting things I’ve ever done,” he remembers. “The scary part wasn’t the actual number of people, it was that none of those 80 000 people were there to see me,” he chuckles. “So it was a case of trying to win the audience over, and we did that in the first song which was fantastic. So, of course, your tension levels drop a bit,” he continues. “Then I made this fatal mistake of looking to my right-hand side and in the wings of the stage was Bruce Springsteen watching our set, which took the stress levels back through the roof again. No pressure after that!” the always cheerful singer and Fenderendorsed guitarist laughs. The fact that The Boss stayed to watch his entire set (“that was so fantastic and quite humbling”) says a lot about Patlansky who, over the past 15 years and seven albums, has become South Africa’s foremost blues-rock star. He’s not just prodigiously talented, he’s ambitious, and he gets the music. “The blues is such a basic form of music and because it’s so basic it’s really really tough to make it sound appealing to a person listening to it,” explains the musician who first picked up an electric guitar at the age of 15. “It’s almost like a blank canvas, the blues, and you as a player have to colour it and make it interesting.” And that’s exactly what Patlansky has done, with his music constantly evolving. “Every album I do moves in a slightly different direction. When I started out I was just doing classic blues – the old-school middle-of-theroad thing – and that was great and I still love that,” says the man who cites Stevie Ray Vaughn as one of his original influences. “I’m now doing more of a bluesrock type of thing. Everything I do is always rooted in the blues, but I like to kind of borrow from other genres – a bit of the classic rock thing, a bit of the jazz thing – and it’s just fantastic to mix all that up, especially when you’re writing, and see what comes out. What’s come out is Dear Silence Thieves. Set to be launched in the UK with a nationwide tour in April and May, it’s his strongest collection of songs yet. “This Grammy Award-winning producer in the States once asked me: Would you rather play a cool guitar solo on an average song or play a cool solo on a great song? So that hit home for me – rather just get the songs right. Before you even worry about anything else, like solos, the songs must be able to carry themselves.” Many of those songs – brought to life on record with the help of Springbok Nude Girls guitarist and

South Africa’s most in-demand rock producer, Theo Crous – now form an integral part of Patlansky’s blistering live shows. “We always try to do our best to give it 100 percent whenever we go on stage regardless of audience size or wherever it is,” he says with the confidence of a man who spends more nights on the road than he does at home. “The last couple of years have been insane,” he admits, but it’s clear that Patlansky loves the thrill of performing. “If I’m really feeling it, I’ll push a solo out a little longer than the album or the previous night. So that for me is also an exciting part of doing this kind of music – the song will remain the same every night, but the directions and turns you take in the song are completely different every night.” And there will be many of those nights in the coming months, with his tour schedule filling up faster than his fingers fly on the fretboard. Apart from the UK gigs, he expects to be back in Europe three or four times before the end of the year, including “a fantastic support slot – a really, really famous guitarist that I’m going to be touring with in November in

the UK and possibly Europe.” “So it’s going to be a busy year but very, very exciting.” Concert details Monday 27 April, The Borderline (London), £15.40 Tuesday 28 April, Greystones (Sheffield), £13.20 Thursday 30 April, Fibbers (York), £13.20 Thursday 7 May, Mr Kyps (Poole), £5.00 More info www.danpatlansky.com

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 2015 |

Arts & Entertainment

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Isango Ensemble gives European Passion Plays an African touch | As an Easter treat, the Isango Ensemble will return to London’s Shakespeare’s Globe by staff reporter Following the ensemble’s triumphant Venus & Adonis performance during the Globe to Globe festival in 2012, they have returned with an intimate version of Mysteries. It’s a re-working of the Fourteenth century Chester Passion Plays, encompassing the whole of the Bible from Creation to Last Judgment. Mysteries will be performed in Xhosa, Zulu, English, Latin and Afrikaans over several evenings in March and April. In a strange coincidence, the theater’s project Globe to Globe Hamlet is actually going to be performing in South Africa at the same time as Isango will be performing in London. Serendipity – and the wonderful cultural exchange – aside, the production will bring a little bit of Africa’s warmth and heart to the UK. We asked the cast a few questions: We love how you re-work Western works into African stories. Where do you find the inspiration? All stories start in Africa we simply re-claim them. We try and choose stories which have resonances in all cultures and work in a diverse retelling. Where do you call home? We all live in South Africa. Why would we want to live anywhere else? We are committed to creating theatre that is accessible to all South

Africans and that encourages the building of a united South African nation. How important is it to you to give our South African national languages exposure? It is vitally important for both our audiences and, of course, our actors to feel that they are valued for who and what they are. Where did you all learn to sing and dance? Isango constantly trains its actors, although some of us have been working together for over fifteen years now. Our company’s structure embraces artists at all stages of their creative development which means we have senior artists working and supporting rising talents. Do you have any special things you do before you go on stage? We have a very intense physical and vocal warm up, and we constantly rehearse. When we were at the Globe for our production of Venus and Adonis we did a thorough hour-long warm up every day. Have you had any funny experiences on stage or on tour? Yes, but none we can share in print!

response as the reviews and feedback we received for Magic Flute, which were amazing. London has really embraced our work in the past, we have broken box office records and won a Whatsonstage Theatregoer’s Choice Award and an Olivier award.

What are your hopes for Mysteries? We would love to gain the same

Meet the cast Founded by Mark DornfordMay and music director Pauline

Malefane in 2000, the Isango Ensemble draws its performers from townships around Cape Town. Since that time, the theatre company has played to audiences of over 3 million on stages around the world. The talented cast of Mysteries includes: Pauline Malefane, Noluthando Boqwana, Luvo Rasemeni, Zamile Gantana, Zebulon Katlego

Mmusi and Mhlekazi Mosiea.

‘Utterly captivating…an exhilarating sensory feast.’ Evening Standard Where: Shakespeare’s Globe, 21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London SE1 9DT When: 29, 30 & 31 March, 5 & 6 April Book online:

shakespearesglobe.com

South Africa at 20 festival dedicated to homegrown Saffa films | South Africa at 20: The Freedom Tour is the season of ground-breaking South African films that will be screened in cinemas, community centres and universities across the UK by STAFF REporter Many of the featured titles have never been seen in the UK, many have already won awards at international festivals, but all of them are worth the price of a ticket. Launched at the end of 2014 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of democracy in South Africa, the second half of this cleverly curated festival presents an enticing programme of films, documentaries and animation features. Nearly every one of the eleven titles were written, directed and produced by South African filmmakers. Documentaries include Lionel Rogosin’s fascinating Come Back, Africa which he was forced

to film undercover in 1959 when apartheid was at its height, and Meg Rickards’ recent 1994: The Bloody Miracle, a chilling look at how the democratic process was nearly derailed by criminal intent. Music features strongly in the SA at 20 tour Hear Me Move is a high energy dance movie by the young director Scottnes L Smith, which features dynamic choreography from Paul Modjadji, award-winning dancer, choreographer and social activist. We dare you to try some of the moves at home! Future Sound of Mzansi, directed by performance artist and Sowetoborn Spoek Mathambo and filmmaker Lebogang Rasethaba (who spent five years in China

studying for his master’s in film) explores South Africa’s cultural landscape via emerging electronic music artists including Aero Manyelo, Black Coffee, Felix Laband, Krushed & Sorted, Okmalumkoolkat, Rude Boyz and many more. SA at 20’s Director and Executive Producer, South African-born Lizelle Bisschoff, says, “South African films are very rarely screened in UK cinemas, so this is the perfect opportunity of opening up the wealth of South African films to UK audiences. Cinema production in South Africa has absolutely exploded in the post-apartheid era. During apartheid there was an almost total lack of black South African

filmmakers who simply did not have access to the training, funding and production tools necessary to make films. But now there are many important and internationally recognised black South African filmmakers emerging: directors such as Khalo Matabane whose Nelson

Mandela: The Myth & Me, is a brilliant insight into the legend and the people who are adding to the multiplicity and diversity of voices and stories in contemporary South African cinema.” Full programme: www.safilmtour.uk

| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Food

How I found my South African braai in Korea | Nothing can make a person as homesick as quickly as food. Food reminds us of home, and it reminds us how far away it is by Johann Obermeyer I also firmly believe that when we are in a foreign country, we search for the familiar. And when we do actually find it, it fills us with absolute joy. I was fortunate, and at times unfortunate enough, to work for a year in 2012 in Gwangju, South Korea. When I was on the plane, I remember wondering if this was a good idea. The question was answered about a month later when I was walking, or rather sulking, through the isles of the big department store Lotte Mart. My mistake became apparent, I had underestimated the role that food played in my life. I had undervalued the role of wine, cheese and bread that wasn’t made from sweetened rice flour. Most of all I missed the meat, boerewors and of course – braavleis. All of these bring me comfort and security. One day, I found Nederburg Cabernet in a Korean store and I bought all the bottles on the shelf. Another time, I found actual cheese that was not processed, sweetened or flavoured, but an actual block of mature cheddar cheese for 8000 Won (about R80). I bought it without even hesitating. A Korean co-worker told me and a few other Saffas that we should go to the Miller-Time restaurant as they serve a dish that is marked with a SA flag on the menu. We promptly went there that night. The dish was a salad, waffle fries and a vaguely pork-like sausage, which was rather disappointing. My South African friends and me

even took to buying a small braai over the internet and barbequed ribs or oddly-shaped pieces of pork over the pathetic coals, made from wooden pallets, on our apartment building’s roof. That same braai got confiscated by the building manager. Our only saviour in terms of a braai was bulgogi also known as Korean Barbeque. It’s very different to a South African braai: you sit around a table with your friends, grilling slivers of beef and pork, marinated in soy sauce and garlic over hot coals. It just wasn’t the same! Not by a long shot but it was Korea’s version of our braai and their cultural equivalent. The first time I went to a Korean BBQ place, I had no idea what to do with all the small bowls of sauces and spring onions. I remember being very sad when the blocks of

what I thought to be feta cheese turned out to be tofu, and then thinking why would there be feta cheese? Then there are all the leaves: butter lettuce, sesame leaves, Bok Choi and many other different salad leaves that you use to wrap the meat, tofu and sauce in and eat like a wrap. That’s way too healthy to be a proper braai. We started to braai the slivers of meat and eat it directly off the grill as it reminded us of back home. Within these small, hole-in-the-wall restaurants we had found the right smells and a similar social atmosphere to match a South African braai. At the end of the day, it’s about finding the cultural equivalent to what you are missing from home. We find comfort in the familiar, and nothing is as familiar as the food you grew up with.

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 2015 |

Food

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Cooking with Petrus | My love for bread | There’s no better smell than freshly-baked bread. I simply love baking it and you should too...

a taste of South Africa

by Petrus Madutlela With our fast-paced lives, baking home-made bread is a dying culinary art. But with this easy-tomake recipe, kneading dough is maybe just what you need. It is a wonderful anti-stress therapy. The aroma of the baking loaf is greatly comforting. The finished product tastes so much better than that bought from the shops. I use chilli and coriander to boost the flavour of this loaf, but you can get creative by including chopped nuts, roast garlic, rosemary, cheese or toasted seeds, all work well. If wrapped well, the loaf will last in a cool, dry place for a few days, or it can be frozen for a couple of months.

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Ingredients 500 g white bread flour 7 g dried, fast-action yeast 50 g butter, softened 2 teaspoon salt 350 ml milk, lukewarm 50 g sugar 1 chilli, finely chopped Handful of finely chopped coriander Method Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the yeast, salt, sugar and butter. Mix together and stir in the dried yeast. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture, pour in three quarters of the milk and use your fingers to mix it all together. Add more milk, a little at a time, until all the dry ingredients are incorporated. The dough should be soft, but not soggy, so be careful when adding the milk. The mix is very sticky, but it will become smoother after kneading. Tip the dough onto a floured work-surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Take the edge of the dough and turn it over with your fingers, push it out with the heal of your hand, turn it a quarter and repeat entire procedure. Knead it until it’s smooth and springy. Coat the inside of a mixing bowl with a thin layer of oil. Shape the dough into a round shape and put it in a bowl. Cover the bowl with a clean cloth or cling film, and leave for 45 minutes in a warm place to rise. When the dough has risen – it

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should be about twice the size – heat your oven to 160°C – 180°C (gas mark 4). Now you need to “knock down” the dough and add the flavour. Flour a work surface and pop the dough on top, then sprinkle coriander and chilli. Knead until the air is knocked out, and the dough is smooth. Shape into an oblong form. Place the dough into a lined loaf

tin, put it in a large plastic bag and leave to prove until the dough has doubled in size. This will take about an hour. The dough should spring back quickly when you prod it with your finger. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until fully baked. To check, tip over the loaf out onto a wire rack. It should sound hollow if you tap the base. Allow to cool on a wire rack.

| This month, Casey Leigh will be gracing the Aylesbury with her sweet soul and RnB sound After a string of impressive performances for Irish fans, in 2013 Casey Leigh's debut selfpenned track “Don’t Walk Away” reached number three in the Irish iTunes charts for soul/Rnb. Leigh wrote “Don’t Walk Away” in honour of raising funds for the

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South Africa's songbird, Casey Leigh, to perform

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Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund, and for treatment for cerebral palsy child victim Casey Fitzgerald. Casey who now lives in Aylesbury, where she says the music scene is great, is closer to the producers of her album. Leigh is getting ready for the UK release of her debut album on the 13 March 2015.

Watch out Saffas, Leigh will be touring as soon as the album launches, and you won’t want to miss a chance to see a rising South African star shine. Date: 13 March 2015 Venue: Aylesbury Ex-Services Club Time: Doors 7:30 pm

| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

Firing up Africa's online tourism | African tourism is changing. Africa is waiting to be explored as low-cost airlines and online businesses allow tourists to travel safely and independently

| Mchenja Bush Camp, South Luangwa, Zambia

by Mareike Pietzsch Forget organised tours or cramped tour busses, visitors to the continent can now plan their trip and create an itinerary, find flights and hotel information online. A traveller in Africa is no longer restricted to “organised tours” or to the preferred choice of a tour operator, which is often commission-based. Would you get a tour operator to meet you at New York’s JFK airport to organise your trip around the United States? Or Sydney? Or Rome, perhaps? It’s unlikely. Sub-Saharan Africa is slowly turning into an accessible continent. Nowadays, you can travel in Africa like you do in Europe. The free, independent traveller (called FIT for short) has been missing from Africa too long. I spoke to Bruce Tapping, owner of Africa Bookings Ltd, to find out how the industry is changing. Bruce lives in Zimbabwe and regularly travels neighbouring countries with

his wife and two young daughters. He has explored: north Zambia to south Zimbabwe and from south Botswana up through north Mozambique to Lake Malawi. He says, “I live here. It’s safe. We’ve never run into problems,” he says. There are many reasons why the FIT traveller was a rarity in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa until 2014. One reason is the lack of internet platforms for someone to book their own holiday. To make this possible, Bruce founded www.africabookings.com for booking accommodation in African countries. His philosophy is: “Don’t just come to Africa for a safari, jet in and out of a remote camp in a remote national park. Come, see the rest of the country.” It’s now possible to do your own self-drive African holiday and see other parts and cities across the continent. Africa is a place – as clichéd as it sounds – of possibilities. Bruce comments, “We live quite happily

| Johannesburg city centre

| Wilderness North Island, Seychelles

and safely in Africa and take numerous small weekends away or holidays to different places because we can. Sometimes it’s to see a new place like a beach in Mozambique or Lake Malawi, to go fishing, to relax in a quiet mountain retreat or to go on a mini safari.” In the past, the lack of air access also kept the FIT traveller away. But at the same time as www. africabookings.com was founded, two low-cost carriers to Africa were also launched. Aiming to be the African equivalent to European low-cost airlines, Fastjet.com (with easyjet’s Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou as one of the original shareholders) covers routes from Tanzania to Nairobi, Lusaka and Harare. It lets you book affordable flights from as low as $5 for a one-way ticket. Further south, Flyafrica. com connects Johannesburg with Bulawayo, Harare and Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe for easy air travel and are quicky expanding into Namibia and other southern African countries. Along with Jambo Jet, a low cost airline servicing Kenya and run by bigger brother Kenya Airways, these three low cost carriers are creating a network of routes across subSaharan Africa. Michael Adams, Director of Sales at flyafrica.com, agrees: “For far too long, Africa has endured the highest airfares in the world combined with inconvenient flight schedules, at its worst requiring passengers to connect through Europe to fly between points in Africa. Low fare airlines

| Harare city centre

introduced improved connectivity to a broader public.” Tourists will want to explore sights and cities independently, either by driving or hopping on a plane to reach their destination. As Michael Adams explains, “Low fare airlines will stimulate intra African travel demand. The introduction of a low fare airline in South Africa in the last decade saw a doubling in the number of domestic passengers. This will do the same across the African continent with all the benefits for trade and tourism." What does this mean for business in the tourism sector? According to Bruce, if more demand can be stimulated it can result in decreased prices across the board, not just in air travel. pricing of accommodation in many countries is still much higher than International Standards mainly because some places have such low occupancy, that they have to charge high amounts for the few times they do get visitors. Demand won’t just be created by low cost carriers. As Africa’s star rises as the next frontier market, more businesses are going to be attracted to Sub-Saharan Africa. This brings more expats exploring Africa for themselves. The upsurge in demand creates new opportunities as restaurants or activity operators open and the cycle of tourism is born. For example, Victoria Falls or Cape Town offer a myriad of attractions,

activity companies, and restaurants catering to the tourism industry. This can spread across Africa. An example of this is Myanmar that was until recently closed off from the rest of the world. But when it opened up, businesses poured in, tourists followed and now it attracts millions of visitorsTourism can create greater numbers of, and greater quality, jobs than many other sectors. Agriculture and mining jobs offer low pay and low education type jobs, but tourism can create entrepreneurship as well as further educated roles in transport, hospitality, dining, guiding and cultural activities. Bruce Tapping comments, "I think tourism is vitally important because it helps Africa develop. If you want to raise the standard of living and education, promote growth and stability in a country, then tourism is a far better way than aid. It’s sustainable and less susceptible to corruption as industries such as mining are generally big businesses or government, while tourism is private”. He continues “It’s also incredibly important to change the view of Africa. I spoke to the Zambian Minister of Tourism recently who agreed that tourism helps a country create its own brand. If tourists are happy, it is possible for a country to move away from negative perceptions. This can be done with friendly immigration

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 2015 |

Travel

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officials, good roads, quality hotels and excellent restaurants. If this happens consistently - as is the case in Zambia - then after five years the perception of a country can change.” Bruce’s slogan for Africa Bookings is “Share Our Africa”. He’s passionate about people exploring Africa and discovering its people, beaches, lakes, music, wildlife or wonderful events such as the Victoria Falls marathon, HIFA (Harare International Festival of Arts) and Sauti za Busara, the Zanzibar music festival. Travel enthusiasts, global nomads and globetrotters are exploring the world. No longer does Africa have to be only for the slightly crazy, brave traveller but it has now become a safer, friendlier, and easier place to visit. Why not explore the continent a little more? Africa is waiting. We asked Bruce Tapping a few questions. You have travelled a lot with your family. Were you ever worried? No, but I will qualify that. I spent time in Zambia and Zimbabwe the year before I took my family with and knew these countries were filled with wonderful, friendly people. I did not actually take my family through Mozambique and Malawi (due to school commitments) and travelled there alone. However, beside some annoyingly officious border control persons in Mozambique, they are fine as long as you have an adventurous spirit. For people completely alien to Africa, there are plenty of other options without the need for travelling long road distances. What was your favourite moment? I took a long windy road through the Golomoti Pass from lake Malawi to Mozambique. The road snakes its way across a mountain backbone. Suddenly you come to the top and the Great Rift Valley drops away before you further than the eye can see. It fades into a misty blueness in the distant yonder. It's more breathtaking than the cinematography in “Out of Africa”. And then, as I drove completely alone across the summit of the pass, a local man appeared, dressed head-to-toe in native loin cloth and

| Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania

leopard skin ankle covers. Bare chested and barefoot, built like a warrior, he proudly walked along the road, straight out of 1800. It was marvelously surreal. Another time, I took my wife and two daughters camping to a pace called Jabulani in Shangani. It’s a 1300 hectare game reserve with only “plains game”, which means there are no Big Five but plenty of antelope, giraffe, wildebeest and zebras. These are safe animals for a walking safari, so my wife and I set off on foot across the savanna with our four and two year old daughters. After an hour, we found ourselves alone in the world, no more than 50 metres from giraffe, zebra and wildebeest. It was a special moment, watching our two little girls spellbound into silence as nature unfolded around them under a picture-perfect golden African sunset. What inspired you to make travel as easy in Africa as it in Europe? It’s a no-brainer for me. I have lived in Cape Town, London and Shanghai and travelled around Europe, Asia and Russia. In those places, people like the convenience of choice and they want it online. If you are going to Italy on holiday, you want to go online and search all the accommodations available, check the pricing and the pictures to make up your own mind. Why should anywhere in Africa be different? Why should I rely on being fed piecemeal information of the select lodges a particular operator chooses to provide me? Where would you like to see tourism in five years? Firstly, I want the infrastructure to continue improving. I stress continue here, as it is improving. New airports and new roads are being built. That's imperative. Secondly, I want the international media to wake up and stop pigeon-holing Africa into a 1970's caricature and start seeing its awesome potential. This is happening with places like Malawi and Zimbabwe, targeted as prime tourism destinations in recent international publications. Thirdly, I would like accommodations to help themselves with better pricing options and getting an online presence. Africa is expensive

because demand is still too low. However, more could be done with off-peak season special rates offered. These three things could lead to a boom in tourism across Africa akin to Asia in the last 30 years. If you travel anywhere in Asia you will find vibrant locations full of local and international tourists who are forming part of the culture of those counties. The very culture of Thailand or China for example has changed, part of their charm is the number of tourists you find there giving the country its dynamic vibe. If that happened

to Africa it would be a very special place. I am not talking here of over ruining some of our national parks and making them into tourism hell-holes. I am talking of breathing life back into cities and areas whose tourist numbers have dwindled. Why should people travel through Africa? How many reasons would you like? Unbeatable climate with almost year-round blue skies and warm temperatures. Beaches down the length of the East Coast of Africa, undiscovered and unpopulated, and better than in Asia. Super-friendly people with

new cultures. Good beer. Good food. Cool cities like Harare or Dar Es Salaam, Victoria Falls, the great Migration or lesser known things like a 5-8 million strong migration of fruit bats in north Zambia, or a fairytale castle like the Leopard Rock hotel in the misty Bvumba mountains of eastern Zimbabwe overlooking Mozambique, or the unbelievable beaches of Lake Malawi. Did I say cheap beer? Africa Bookings has been chosen as one of ten finalists for San Francisco based Eye For Travel's global start up awards.

| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Business

South Africa must cut public spending | South Africa to cut public spending now or risk demotion by credit rating agencies by 1st contact On Monday the Rand hit a two and a half week low, which was reversed in early Tuesday trade. A weaker US Dollar helped the Rand reverse some of its losses from the previous day. In slightly worrying news, South Africa has been given three months to cut public spending or face the risk of being downgraded by credit ratings agencies. This could have dire results as it would mean that South Africa would not be able to easily borrow money to speed up its growth. Effectively, the money in the ATM the country is using could dry up. The Rand strengthened against the Dollar on Tuesday, closing at 11.75, compared to Monday’s close of 11.77. The Rand’s appreciation against the greenback occurred despite Dollar strength, albeit mild, against

some of the majors; the Dollar strengthened against the Euro and Pound but weakened against the Yen. China has lowered its economic growth target for the second consecutive year from 7.5% in 2014 to 7% in 2015 and, like last year, the government is expected to miss this target in 2015. Slower growth in China implies slower commodity demand growth and the result will be Rand-negative. This less than optimistic outlook caused the ZAR to close slightly weaker at 11.81 on Wednesday. Thursday through Friday saw the Rand weakening further as it walked straight into a hornet’s nest late on Friday afternoon when the US released surprisingly good unemployment figures, putting unemployment at 5.5% - the lowest level since May 2008. This good news increased expectations that

the Fed could raise interest rates in the US, making it more attractive for investors. As a result emerging and higher yielding currencies weakened as a whole, sending USD-ZAR to over 12.00 – the worst in 13 years. The ZAR is expected to be under pressure through the week and focus outward with no noteworthy local data being released. USDZAR @ 12.055 GBPZAR @ 18.215 EURZAR @ 13.1232 GBPUSD @ 1.5108 GBPEUR @ 1.3877 Brought to you by

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South African clients applying for certain UK visas or permits are often surprised to learn that they have to fulfil an English language requirement. Although South Africans tend to think so, the United Kingdom do not recognise South Africa as being a majority English speaking country, and South Africans thus have to fulfil this language requirement. It is also important to keep in mind that the UK Home Office requires applicants to prove their English language ability in a very specific way, and at a specific level for different applications. In this regard, we advise clients to get the relevant information from their BIC consultants, on whether a language test is required and at which level. All applicants applying for Indefinite Leave to Remain and UK citizenship are required to have an English speaking and listening qualification at the B1 Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR). Persons who are nationals of majority English speaking countries, and those who have obtained a degree which was taught in English will not be required to take the English test. Once again, it is important to note that South Africa is not recognised as being a majority English speaking country.

It is possible to fulfil the English language requirement in two ways: If your degree was taught in the United Kingdom, you will automatically fulfil the English language requirement. If taught in another country, and you can prove that it is equivalent to, or at a higher standard than a UK bachelor’s degree, and evidence that it was taught in English, you will fulfil the requirement. Your BIC consultant will advise you how to provide this proof; or An applicant will have to pass an English speaking and listening qualification, with an approved provider, at the required level for the specific type of visa or persons. Certain persons are exempted from this requirement, this inter alia include: children under 18 years of age; persons aged 65 years and older; and persons who have a physical or mental condition which restricts their ability to learn English and/or communicate. It is also important to note that the UK Home Office only accepts English Language tests, from approved providers. Recently the UK Home Office made an important announcement regarding providers. From 6 April 2015, only the following two new tests providers are approved to provide English language tests, for UK visa purposes: Trinity College London – for UK

clients only; and IELTS SELT Consortia – for visa clients applying from inside and outside the UK. There are certain transitional arrangements regarding the providers: If you have already taken an English test, or will take a test before 5 April 2015, with one of the current approved providers, you will be able to use your certificate until 5 November 2015; If you take a test after 5 April 2015, with one of the current approved providers, it will not be accepted by the UK Home Office for UK visa purposes. Note however, that you are only required to book an English language test with a new provider as from 6 April 2015. If you require more information, please feel free to discuss your unique circumstances with your BIC consultant. www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 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. 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

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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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| 10 - 17 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Business

Be the rain

Don't wait until things "get better"in South Africa. Come home and make it better

| Photo by Schalk van Zuydam

By staff reporter The other day, I was chatting to a friend living in London who was watching the Cape Town fires roaring on the news She said to me, sitting thousands of miles away, the tug of home hadn't felt so strong in a really long time. She and her husband were now considering returning home after several years in the UK. When I asked her ‘Why now?’ she replied, “I feel so strongly that it’s up to me to put out those fires. I want to be the rain”. South Africa has certainly been feeling a lot of heat these past few months with electricity challenges, mayhem in Parliment, the sluggish economy and of course last week’s fires in Cape Town. When watching the reaction of the South African public to the fires, what struck me in a very personal way was how South Africans of all colours, creeds, backgrounds and professions rolled up their sleeves and got involved, whether it was via donations, social media campaigns or actually volunteering and putting out the flames themselves. Often when we think everything is to go up in flames in the country, that is when the rebirth happens. Part of South Africa’s core fabric is that there are cyclical highs and lows. One minute everything is fine, the next, it seems like everything is crashing down, and then we always come out better - this is what we have always lived with and what makes us stronger as a nation but we can’t do it without you. You lose things in fires, like we have lost a lot of our beautiful skilled people over the years to countries far away. But like the devastation from last week’s fire will ultimately make way for new growth, I am calling on skilled South Africans abroad to ‘be the rain’. Instead of sitting on the sidelines, your skills can re-nourish South Africa and create the green fields of our dreams.

Did you know that for every one skilled person that returns home, nine new jobs are created in the formal and informal sectors? It’s not always that easy to return home, but if 359,000 other South African professionals have done it, so can you. Do we have serious challenges to face? Absolutely. Do some of our beloved country’s issues keep me up at night? Often. But I am actively making it a better place in my own way and want to be part of the solution. Don’t wait until it gets better. Come home and make it better. Whether you feel ready to return home now or are considering doing so at a later stage, join us at Speed Meet Africa on Friday 20th and Saturday 21st March at the Olympia Conference Centre in Kensington. Encounter exciting career opportunities, property, schools, relocation services and cool merchandise. Be inspired by Thuli Madonsela (Time’s 100 top influential personalities for 2014), Mmusi Maimane (DA Parliamentary leader) and hear true stories about returning home – warts and all. Employers include: KPMG, Deloitte, Foschini, Accenture, Mace Group, Partners in Performance, Bloomberg, Thomson Reuters, Ipreo, GSK, Etisalat, Safaricom, Africa Health Placements, Dimension Data, Mediclinic, Prodigy Finance, Africa Practice, Jacobs Matasis, LelapaFund, CSIR, Alexander Forbes and Gauteng Department of Health. Meet exciting property services with Pam Golding. Meet relocation services like White & Co and Doree Bonner. Meet top schools within the ISASA group. Plus have all your relocation questions answered. Entrance is complimentary but capacity is limited and we’re filling up fast. Register now at: www.homecomingrevolution.com/ speed-meet-africa

thesouthafrican.com | 10 - 17 March 2015 |

Sport

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Plenty of touchdowns at Active Touch Indoor Finals | The Active Touch Winter League finals took place this week and there were some surprises in the mix By in2touch Active Touch is an indoor spinoff of Touch in the UK for the winter period. It is a fantastic way of keeping fit, socialising and staying dry on those glorious rainy days. The game is a mixed sport so it is played with four players, two girls and 2 guys and games are 30 minutes long. The Monday night Active Touch finals at Canary Wharf heated up between previous winners Artful Dodgers and the Ladies team as touchdowns were being scored at both ends one for one. The game ended with scores tied and the teams went into extra time. After extra time they were still tied, so the teams decided to share the title and prizes. Both teams have entered into the next season which will be a cracker. The Tuesday night Active Touch finals at Wandsworth turned into a battle royale with Steph’s team taking on the favourites Hot Custard in a tightly contested game. Steph’s team played out

of their socks and took the game into overdrive by scoring lots of touchdowns in the first few minutes of the game, they went on to win by 13 – 8. These two teams are also entering their teams into the next season and Hot Custard will be keen to get a head start in the race to the title. There are many upcoming leagues in London starting up in April such as the April Shootout at Clapham Common, the Late Winter Active Touch leagues, the O2 Spring leagues at many different venues to choose from Clapham Common, Clapham/ Wandsworth Common, Putney/ Wandsworth, Regents Park, Surrey Quays, Hyde Park and Richmond. Many of these Spring leagues run from Mondays – Thursdays from 19:00 – 21:00. There are spaces for teams or individuals, just email tracy@ in2touch.com or have a look on our website for more information, www.in2touch.com/uk

Sport page 14

Don't wait until things "get better" in South Africa

page 15

Plenty of touchdowns at Active Touch Finals

10 – 17 March 2015

South African rower back in training after beating cancer | Although Lawrence Brittain can claim to be South Africa’s first ever rowing world champion, this was not his greatest achievement

| Photos by hpc, University of Pretoria

By hpc, University of Pretoria

Being able to beat cancer was more important to him than any gold medal. In October last year Brittain was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, also known as cancer of the lymph node. But, being a fighter, this was never going to stop him. After months of treatment, his doctor gave him a clean bill of health in February and he was able to resume training again this week. “Obviously I cannot wait to participate in competitive rowing again, but I have to be realistic. I am going to take it one day at a time and will start by focussing mainly on regaining my strength and fitness,” said Brittain, who won the men’s pair (with John Smith) at the Under-23 World Championships in Brest, Belo-

Russia in 2010. “Even if it should mean that I will not be able to compete at the World Championships, I’d rather put in six months of quality training. My main goal at the moment is to represent South Africa at next year’s Olympic Games in London. Brittain is the younger brother of Matthew, who was a member of the awesome foursome rowing team that won the gold medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in London. Lawrence Brittain is sponsored by the hpc and will join the national rowing squad when they go to the high altitude training camp at the Katse Dam in Lesotho in March. He plans to do some light training in a single boat. Roger Barrow, the national

coach based at the hpc, has the highest respect for Brittain’s rowing abilities. “At last year’s World Championships in Amsterdam Lawrence, David (Hunt) and Willie Morgan finished 5th in the Coxed Pair final. In hindsight, taking into consideration that Lawrence already suffered from cancer, this was a brilliant performance.” According to his doctors, he had been living with the condition for two years. “To be able to row with cancer and still be competitive at the highest level proved that Lawrence is an amazing athlete. I cannot wait for him to be fit and healthy again because I think he will be unbelievable,” Barrow said. Before being diagnosed with cancer Brittain could not understand what was going on with him. “Even though I trained harder in an effort to improve, my performance was slowly deteriorating. Tests that were done later showed that my cancer had already reached stage four at the time. “Learning that I had cancer was a terrible shock, especially because I felt quite healthy at that stage. I was feeling more tired than usual and my performance was not great but, because it is normal for an athlete to feel somewhat tire,

I was not overly worried. “Knowing I had cancer changed my whole perspective. For the first time in my life, rowing was not the most important thing for me. Getting better was. I only really started to think about rowing and making a comeback when my body began to react positively to the treatment.” Brittain’s advice to other cancer patients is: “Do not allow the

cancer to get to you. This means that you should have a positive attitude and the right mind set to tackle the cancer head on. “The support of family and friends is also very important. I cannot thank the people who supported and encouraged me enough. They definitely made the bad days bearable and gave me the courage to keep on fighting. Thank you so much.”

Stormers top log as Bulls and Lions make strong statements | The DHL Stormers continued their impressive winning run and the Vodacom Bulls showed they mean business, but it was the Emirates Lions who arguably caused the biggest upset of the fourth round of Vodacom Super Rugby By SARU The team from Johannesburg got their Australasian tour underway in emphatic fashion when they beat the Blues in Albany by 13-10 on Saturday morning for only their second-ever win in New Zealand. The first South African derby of the weekend took place in Bloemfontein, where Handré Pollard “dropped, placed and scored” as the Vodacom Bulls recorded their second win of the season and moved into the top six on the log when they beat the

Toyota Cheetahs by 39-20. And yet another high-intensity derby followed in Cape Town, where the DHL Stormers won their fourth game on the trot, this time against the Cell C Sharks team by 29-13. In this round, four of the six matches were won by visiting teams. In 2015 so far, the winning rate for teams away from home is almost 60% (16 from 27 matches), while the average proportion of away wins in 2014 was a mere 27.2%.

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