The South African 11 - 17 February 2014

www.thesouthafrican.com

11 - 17 February 2014

Issue 552

Zuma announces the election date as voter registration closes

| As voter registration comes to a close, President Zuma announces 7 May as the date for the general elections – leaving relatively little time for parties to wrap up their election campaigns

INSIDE:

p2 | Record R232m grant to combat rhino poaching

p5 | Vive les sapeurs: The powerful new Guinness ad and its SA visionaries p12 | Our magical SA wedding - with a little help from our friends

by sertan sanderson President Jacob Zuma has publicised Wednesday 7 May 2014 as this year’s general election date. But the announcement is not deemed ‘official’ at this point, as it has not yet been published in the Government Gazette. The move comes a week after the ANC’s candidate list was leaked to the press, showing many of Zuma’s allies high up on the candidate list.

Helen Zille, leader of the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), had leaked information to the social media site Twitter earlier last week that an announcement with regards to the election date was impending, attracting heavy criticism from the ruling ANC. The DA had also launched a text message campaign ahead of the weekend, reminding prospective voters to register at any of the 22,263 voting stations in the country, attempting to further push the President into revealing a definite date.

The chosen day for the general elections comes early on within the allowed window of time since the last election (from May to July) for voting in the fifth democratic South African poll.

20 years into the history of South Africa’s democracy, the election day will follow hot on the heels of Freedom Day celebrations in late April as well as Workers’ Day celebrations at the beginning of May, raising questions behind the motivation to hold the polls on 7 May – in such proximity to the two public

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KAPTEIN KURT KOM LONDEN TOE: South African singer Kurt Darren will be performing The Orange Bull in London on 20 and 21 February as part of his current international tour that includes USA, Belgium and Holland. There is limited availability for both nights, so book your ticket now on www.theorangebull.co.uk. Tickets are £25 each.

holidays, which have historically been significant to many members of the formerly disadvantaged working classes.

Political parties now have less than three months left for campaigning. Amid slumping popularity ratings for ANC leader

and South African President Jacob Zuma; opinion polls predict that the ANC is likely to attract less than 60 per cent of the vote

for the first time, even trending marginally close to the 50 per cent mark according to some survey predictions.

The news of the election date coincided with thousands of South Africans preparing to enlist for voting last weekend. The weekend provided the final opportunity for citizens to register to have their voices heard in the upcoming polls.

All political parties were hoping for a high turnout, as voter registration was projected to reach 80% of those eligible to vote – if another 1 million citizens decided to register.

South Africans living abroad were allowed to register to vote for the first time on account of the Electoral Amendment Act of 2013; voter registrations were previously only accepted locally from within South Africa (though voters were able partake in elections by voting at their respective embassies and High Commissions). The voter turnout among expat South Africans is expected to be at least 20,000.

Once the election date has been proclaimed (published in the Government Gazette), South Africans living abroad must visit the ‘Voting outside South Africa’ section on the IEC website to fill in a VEC10 form notifying them of your intention to vote abroad.

This link is only available from the proclamation date for a period of 15 days. You will then receive an email or text message to let you know if and when you can vote at the foreign mission you selected.

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Aussie woman killed in Jo’burg by online ‘lover’ who scammed her

| The death of an Australian woman in Johannesburg a year ago is linked to a fraudulent online romance, as experts warn that criminals seem to increasingly focus on luring desperate victims into international scams.

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Our Team Each week we profile one of the many writers who contribute to The South African.

Meyer Pieterse

Meyer is a professional wedding and sports photographer who grew up in a photography-loving family in South Africa. One of his career highlights was taking photos of Nelson Mandela at his 90th birthday celebrations in London. Meyer and his wife Rene run a photography business in London. He also describes himself as a’ wannabe’ bass guitar player. @MeyerPieterse

by Sertan sanderson Love can happen in the most unusual of places, but when it involves an Australian senior citizen and a Nigerian man almost 40 years her junior dating online and exchanging 90,000 Australian dollars while only ever seeing each other fleetingly in Johannesburg, questions will inadvertently be asked.

67-year-old Jette Jacobs may likely have had the best of intentions when starting to look for romance on the internet several years ago but it all ended in tragedy when the grandmother was found dead

after spending a short time in Johannesburg last year, with several of her belongings also missing from the scene, including money, credit cards, jewellery and laptop.

Initially treated as a suicide, the South African Police Service (with the help of the West Australian Police and the Australian Federal Police) soon had to change the status of the case to be treated as a suspicious death. They pieced together an international crime that started as an act of online dating fraud, whereby a 28-year-old Nigerian by the name of Orowo Jesse Omokoh had conned large

amounts of money out of Jacobs over four years, and later was actually linked to her death directly.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) announced last week that Omokoh had been located and arrested in Nigeria. He is likely to be charged with the murder of Jacobs. “The South African police, which is investigating the mysterious death, are suspicious that Omokoh has a hand in the demise of Jacobs,” the EFCC said. It has been confirmed that he will be brought to court for extradition hearings.

The EFCC also mentioned that Omokoh has allegedly been cooperating well with the authorities since his arrest, giving out “useful” information to track down any possible accomplices to the crime.

67-year-old Jacobs had met Omokoh in Johannesburg once before in 2010, without any reports of any suspicious incidents.

Omokoh, who is a graduate from the University of Ibadan in Nigeria, had kept up the appearance of a serious relationship with Jacobs for four years before her death. It has also been reported that he had proposed marriage to her despite defrauding hundreds of thousands

of Australian dollars from her income.

Jacobs’s son, who wants to keep his identity hidden, blames his mother’s mental state for the tragedy: “After losing dad, mum was feeling very lonely so she went online and went to one of the dating sites, and this young man contacted her and started to chat to her. This was about four years ago, and in that period of time they’d been chatting quite regularly, then she decided to travel to South Africa to meet him. We tried to stop her but she pushed us away and said we didn’t know what we were talking about. She really believed that she had someone that really loved her.”

Financial scams are increasingly occurring on the world wide web.

Experts from MoneyGram have recently issued a warning that online scams are increasingly targeting lonely hearts seeking companionship.

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, the financial transactions specialists warn that if a prospective suitor sounds too good to be true – while asking you to wire money – he or she probably is.

Record R232m grant to combat rhino poaching | European donation hopes to make a difference in rhino stopping poaching despite discouraging

statistics from last year pointing at possible extinction by staff reporter] The Dutch and Swedish Postcode Lotteries have made a R232.2million grant to the Peace Parks Foundation to help in the fight against rhino poaching in South Africa.

Announcing the donation on Wednesday, South African Water and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa said it was “the largest single contribution made by the private sector to combat rhino poaching and wildlife crime.

“We welcome this public-private partnership to help ensure the survival of the species,” she said in a statement, adding that she believed the grant would “be the catalyst to turn the tide on rhino poaching and wildlife crime”.

The Peace Parks Foundation was founded in 1997 by then South African President Nelson Mandela, billionaire Anton Rupert and Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands to help governments in southern Africa with the development of transfrontier conservation areas.

The South African government and its public entities, South African National Parks (SANParks) and Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (Ezemvelo), are working closely with the foundation to develop a multi-pronged approach to combat

wildlife crime, particularly rhino poaching.

Just over a thousand rhinos were illegally killed in South Africa in 2013, the equivalent of nearly three animals a day, making it the worst year ever for rhino poaching in the country According to the Department of Environmental Affairs, the majority of the grant will be spent on enhancing existing efforts to protect rhino in South Africa, which hosts 83% of the continent’s wild rhino population, where a special project is currently being implemented.

“All other southern African rhino range states have been consulted during the development of this

project, and they will form an integral part of the strategies designed to save the species,” the department said.

The main focus of the project, according to the department, will be on devaluing the horns of live rhino through a combination of methods, including physical devaluation and contamination of the horn, as well as the use of tracking and monitoring technology.

“This special project has been designed to augment the procedures implemented by South African National Parks in the Kruger National Park and the Mozambican government in the Limpopo National Park, both integral to the Great Limpopo Transfrontier Park.”

The emphasis will be on intelligence gathering and on technology applications such as conservation drones and other specialist equipment, the department said. It will also include training and capacity building, as well as incentives and rewards for rangers, communities and members of the public who support rhino conservation.

Ezemvelo will be supported with similar interventions in KwaZuluNatal, home of South Africa’s second-largest rhino population.

“In September 2012, Ezemvelo became the first state conservation agency in Africa to trial the treatment of rhino horn to deter the rampant poaching of this species.

Thanks to this innovative step, not a single rhino has been lost in the reserves where the treatment was piloted,” the department said.

The Dutch Postcode Lottery donated R217-million of the total R232.2-million grant, with R15.2million being contributed by the Swedish Postcode Lottery.

The R217-million (€14.4-million) cheque was presented by Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Anglican Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu, on behalf of the Dutch Postcode Lottery, to Peace Parks Foundation board member Mavuso Msimang, Peace Parks Foundation CEO Werner Myburgh, SANParks CEO David Mabunda,

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Nando’s joins SA in turning ‘NekNominations’ into good deeds

| Several South Africans have taken it on themselves to put a positive spin on the “NekNominations” trend, as they’ve been garnering attention from international corporations and news organisations.

by Sertan Sanderson Meet Brent Lindeque: a typical Jozi oke, who received a dare from a friend in Australia online last week, namely to down a bottle of beer while doing something careless at the same time – a socalled “NekNomination”.

The Australian social media trend of “NekNominations” has barely escaped anyone’s attention recently: you simply film yourself downing a beer under challenging and often rather dangerous

circumstances, fuelled by your own imagination and chutzpah.

Having completed the dare, you then get to publicly nominate two other people to outdo your own act. The main platform for the trend is YouTube, though Twitter and Facebook have joined in on the phenomenon. Innocent as the idea may sound, there have even been reports of deaths from an attempt to live up to the NekNomination craze.

But Brent Lindeque back in Johannesburg decided to turn

the idea on its head, and, rather than committing an act of boozy carelessness shared in public, decided to do something that would show the world how he cared for those around him: he filmed himself driving up to an intersection in Johannesburg – one of countless such urban intersections in South Africa, where homeless people beg – and donated food (consisting of a sandwich, a chocolate bar and a soft drink) to a homeless man.

A simple act with incredible consequences. Suddenly the world started listening to a new NekNomination trend, where it is an act of kindness that challenges others to follow suit – instead of pints of lager. The trend caught on overnight, receiving the apt and fitting moniker “NekNation”.

Without being Lindeque’s direct “nominees” for the challenge, two other South Africans decided they also wanted to share their kindness with the world; Andrew Donkin in Durban also took a video of himself handing a lunch from his car to a homeless man on the street, while Andrew Ross in Cape Town decided to go into a township and film himself distributing footballs for children to play with.

Lindeque started a trend that turned him into social media superstar overnight. He explains what motivated him: “Downing a can of Castle Light is easy.

Imagine if we all harnessed the power of social media to make a real difference in people’s lives.”

Trapped miners die in Joburg as result of underground fire

But this was merely the beginning – not just for Lindeque: Robbie Ragless from Cape Town went to a Nando’s with his friend and business partner Yakeen Sadiq, and together they bought lunches for 90 children at a local school.

Yakeen described his experience as such: “We had heard about the two terrible deaths in Ireland with the drinking dare and thought ‘let’s turn this drinking game into a giving game’. No one has died giving.”

Having completed the heartwarming task, they nominated Nando’s to follow suit – and incredibly they accepted the challenge. One week, and we will all see the results of what Nando’s will come up with for its NekNation challenge. “After getting 30.000 hits on YouTube within 2 days, we were hoping for Nando’s to contact us,” says Yakeen, ” and amazingly they did and we’re now talking to their marketing people and planning what they will do next. We can’t say anything about it, but honestly we really don’t know what companies they will nominate for their challenge.”

Known for daring advertising campaigns and stirring social media stunts, we can count on the geniuses behind the “Peri-Peri chicken” to think up something highly attention-grabbing. And with its take-away food as affordable as it gets, Nando’s can also expect to continue playing a leading role in many South African NekNation nominations for charity, as the initiative is

beginning to grab hold of other countries as well. The first UK NekNation videos have surfaced on YouTube, and our friends from Down Under are also beginning to catch on. With news outlets in the US reporting on the trend, it is only a matter of time until #NekNationUS begins to take over.

The NekNation trend is quickly attracting a global audience, but there always are a few naysayers, says Yakeen: “A very few critics have called this a PR stunt. But Robbie’s business sponsored the food and our media company sponsored the filming. There’s no money in this for us. It’s all about the power of gratitude. You give, and the gratitude you receive is payment enough. Yes, we are doing this as business people, but we are also nominating other businesses to do the same. I raises awareness.”

Yet despite widespread criticism against the original NekNominations challenge and calls to ban the associated hashtag from social media sites, the trend has succeeded in attracting interest around the globe, and might stand a chance to become the word of the year perhaps, with #NekNominations currently one of the most popular Twitter handles to share the latest video dares. However, South Africa might just defy that status and spread a healthy amount of “ubuntu” around the world with #NekNation and #ChangeOneThing.

Go on, who are your nominees?

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

| Emergency services manage to save eight trapped miners but a further nine bodies

were recovered at Harmony’s Doornkop Gold Mine, following a fall of ground incident that caused a fire, as two further, unrelated accidents claimed even more lives. by sertan sanderson An underground fire at the Harmony Gold Doornkop gold mine west of Johannesburg claimed the lives of nine miners last week, while eight others were rescued by emergency services.

Power lines and water pipes were damaged during an earthquake, trapping 17 miners more than a mile underground on Tuesday evening.

Rescue teams were immediately dispatched underground, but access to the affected area was hampered by smoke and a fall of ground.

Rescue workers had to descend to a depth of 1,700 metres to locate survivors in a designated rescue bay equipped with emergency provisions – but only eight of the miners were to be found there on Wednesday morning. The whereabouts of the remaining nine workers was unclear until overnight rescue efforts found eight bodies.

Another body was discovered later.

In unrelated accidents at two other mines also owned by Harmony Gold (one in the Free State and the other in the North West Province), two further miners died last Thursday, putting further strain and attention on the company.

The mining conglomerate had momentarily halt operations amid all the search and rescue efforts to review its safety procedures.

With some of the world’s deepest goldmines, safety standards in the South African mining industry continue to pose serious challenges and threats, as accidents claim dozens of lives annually.

112 men were killed in miningrelated accidents in 2012 alone – the last year for which there are government records presently available, and also a record-low.

2010 saw almost double the number of mining casualties.

Mining unions have repeatedly raised the issue of safety during recurring strike action, but South

Africa’s antiquated mines are slow to catch on. Most of the underground shafts are left over from the apartheid rule and still kept in a constant state of disrepair, making them the most dangerous mines in the world to operate.

The “Mining Indaba”, presently being held in Cape Town, hopes to address some of the problems associated especially with platinum mining, but is overshadowed by massive strikes crippling the mining-related economy. Similarly, clashes between corporations, law officials and coal miners have previously had negative effects on the country, with the Lonmin Marikana shootings in 2012 culminating in a major crisis.

With gold and diamond mines also struggling to contribute to South Africa’s ailing economy, it seems difficult to put people above profits when profit margins are becoming increasingly slim.

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Grand opening of Soaring Eagle Spur Staff reporter

Soaring Eagle Spur in Leicester celebrated its official opening with a £500 donation to Leicestershire and Rutland hospice (LOROS) to launch the restaurant’s support for the charity. At an evening reception on 5 February, LOROS President, Jennifer, Lady Gretton, cut the official ribbon and Leicester City legend and LOROS patron Alan Birchenall accepted Spur’s donation.

Win a £20 Spur meal voucher

Visit www.ukspur.co.uk to locate your nearest Spur

If you have been spotted in the circle on this page please email your address to editor@thesouthafrican.com and your voucher will be posted to you.

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Vive les sapeurs: The powerful new Guinness ad and its SA visionaries | A visually compelling ad campaign for Guinness, conceived by two South African creatives at a London ad agency, introduces a new level of storytelling to the world of advertising. amazing group of guys from Australians, the lot. But South

Nadja Lossgott and Nicholas Hulley

By Sertan Sanderson A new campaign for Guinness is taking the advertising world by storm, moving the Irish dry stout beverage away from its stereotypical shamrock and Riverdance image and into the heart of Africa, a growing market for the brand.

“Sapeurs” features a league of extraordinary gentlemen from the Republic of the Congo, who – despite struggling with the aftermath of civil warspilling over from the neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo and post-communist poverty – treasure elegance as the highest form of human achievement.

Created by advertising agency AMV BBDO, the advert follows several men, who celebrate “La Sape”, an acronym for “Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes” (The Society for the

Advancement of Elegant People).

This flamboyant extension of colonial-era dandy fashion has been undergoing a major comeback in the Republic of the Congo since the end of the civil war in 1999, with a few of its adherents now also becoming poster children for Guinness’s ongoing “Made of More” campaign. Presenting these gentlemen in colourful suits and carefully tailored kilts in the contexts of their everyday lives, the narrative of the powerful ad culminates in a voice-over reciting the final stanza of William Ernest Henley’s much-cited Victorian-era poem, ‘Invictus’: “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul” (which inspired the title of the 2009 Clint Eastwood film chronicling certain aspects of South Africa’s transition into

democracy) In interviews from the accompanying documentary it is further underlined that the illustrious characters in the commercial hold equally elegant standards when it comes to their ethics as they do with regards to the quality of their dinner jackets and black ties.

Art director Nadja Lossgott, one of the two London-based South African masterminds behind the advert, explained that they weren’t looking for an African story when she found the Sapeurs: “When we looked at the values the commercial wanted to espouse, such as goodness, strength and communion, we just felt the Sapeurs embodied them perfectly. Central to who they are and what they do is a deep-rooted sense of pride.

They are all about defying your circumstances through inner conviction – something which, though small, is totally unique and utterly extraordinary.”

Copywriter Nicholas Hulley, the other South African heavyweight creative on board of the project, added that they wanted to demonstrate “the strength of people and Guinness’s brand values such as power, communion, and goodness by finding a powerful human story that would embody both. It’s an ad which features extraordinary people in an extraordinary situation but, at the same time, it’s also saying: these guys are just like everyone else. As South Africans we are proud that an

Africa are the heroes and role models of a campaign intended for the Irish and UK markets.”

The South African duo had previously worked on AMV

BBDO’s Guinness/Diageo account creating an outdoor campaign called ‘Surge’ which likens a breaking wave, shot in French Polynesia by worldrenowned surf photographer Brian Bielmann, to the pouring of the iconic stout. Hulley and Lossgott may make some of their waves this year in their own rights, as “Sapeurs” is

earmarked as a frontrunner to be nominated for advertising awards.

The two ad experts have celebrated such successes before, having picked up international awards both while working in South Africa and more recently in the UK, where some of the campaigns they have worked on include clients such as the Metropolitan Police and Gillette.

But despite their exposure on the international scene Hulley and Lossgott remain truly ‘Saffa’ at heart: “I love living here and have a typically London set of friends: South Africans, English,

Africa remains home,” said Hulley, asserting that he tries to visit his home in Cape Town at least once a year. Lossgott is also true to her Jo’burg roots despite her love for London: “I am lucky to be surrounded by a mix of friends where English, French, Afrikaans and German gets bandied about in the same room.

But going home to visit family and friends in South Africa is something I look forward to every year.”

In spite of international success and celebrating the London lifestyle, the creatives emphasise that the advertising industry back home is just as strong as other key players in the world: “Our industry is highly regarded and I think it is comparable with anywhere,” said Lossgott.

Hulley added, “All agencies from all over the world enter the same creative award shows and every year they all see the same thing – brilliant pieces of winning South African work.”

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South African recipe: Cass Abrahams’ tomato bredie

| SA best-selling cookbook author and chef Cass Abrahams shares her recipe for a spicy Cape Malay bredie that can be made with mutton or chicken. by staff reporter TOMATO BREDIE Serves 8 Chicken may be used instead of mutton, but then the cooking time must be reduced.

Ingredients: 2 large onions, sliced 2ml (1/2 tsp) peppercorns 2ml (1/2 tsp) ground cloves 125ml (1/2 cup) water 25ml (2 tbsp) vegetable oil 2 sticks cinnamon 1kg (21/4 lb) mutton 3cm-piece fresh root ginger, finely chopped 2 cardamom pods 1kg (21/4 lb) very ripe tomatoes, chopped or 3 cans (410g / 41 oz each) chopped tomatoes 1 green chilli, chopped 6medium potatoes, peeled and halved

salt, pepper and sugar to taste chopped parsley for garnishing

Method: Placed onions, peppercorns, cloves and water in a large saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer until all the water has been absorbed.

Add oil and cinnamon and braise until onions are golden. Add meat, ginger and cardamom pods and stir thoroughly. Turn down the heat, cover saucepan with a tightlyfitting lid and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Add tomatoes and chilli. Close lid and simmer of 20 minutes. Now add potatoes, salt, freshly ground pepper and sugar to taste. Replace lid and simmer until potatoes are cooked. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve on a bed of freshly cooked Tastic rice.

Recipe: Cass Abrahams, Cass Abrahams Cooks Cape Malay: Food from Africa Food Styling: Pete Goffe-Wood, PGW Eat

Peter Hain tells his parents’ story in new book ‘Ad & Wal’

| ’Ad & Wal’ is the story of an ordinary couple – campaigners, fighters, exiles – who

did extraordinary things despite the odds.

By Staff reporter MP and former Cabinet minister Peter Hain launched his new book Ad & Wal – Values, Duty, Sacrifice in Apartheid South Africa, at South Africa House in London last week.

This book gives an extraordinary account of an ordinary couple, Peter’s parents, Adelaide and Walter, and their struggle against the apartheid regime.

Ad & Wal is the searing and inspiring story of two modest people who became notorious, two survivors who did what they thought was right, two parents who rebelled against the apartheid regime knowing they were putting themselves and their family in grave danger.

Ad & Wal is the story of an ordinary couple – campaigners, fighters, exiles – who did extraordinary things despite the odds.

Ad and Wal c. Sarah ThriftPeter made time to sign books for all attendees before giving a brilliant introduction to the main event: Jon Snow’s interview with Ad and Wal. To a rapt audience, Ad and Wal talked about their fondness for one another which has lasted for almost 70 years. Jon asked them about the inevitable difficulties that arose from being banned, and the impact it had on both their personal and political lives.

In a lively addition to the interview, Jon reflected on his own political activism involving a trip to Old Trafford with Peter Hain and fellow university students as part of the anti-apartheid sport protests of the 1970s. A police scuffle, an arrest, and some impressive mathematical

Is it just me, or is everything today just a bit stale?

| Long, long ago, when one still went to drive-in

theatres, in the middle of the Free State on a hot Saturday night, one could see advertisements for faraway places and big, long cars.

The Optimist

Karen de Villiers

deductions ensued.

When asked to reflect on what they missed most about South Africa after their exile, Wal quickly responded with ‘the weather’ then ‘the people, our friends and family’ before adding ‘the weather really was the main thing though’ with an amused chuckle.

After the interview Ad and Wal were delighted to sign copies of the book and posed for photographs with children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

The book can be purchased on Amazon or on https://www. bitebackpublishing.com/books/ad-

and-wal-hardback

Don’t you just sometimes feel sorry for those copywriters, spending all day trying to entice consumers to buy something, with a tray of the same words to pick from.

To try and be fresh, to come up with a logo, a line or a sentence that would ‘pop’ out of the page, and all they can think of is … ‘exclusive’.

Or ‘unique’? How about ‘original’.

The favourite right now seems to be ‘bespoke’. You get bespoke furniture, face masks, jewellery and even medical aid. I kid you not. All the world is bespoke. Just ‘pour vous’. Another of my favourites is the catchy line ‘The number one bestseller.’ It appears on practically every book on the shelf. Like hell them all are bestsellers. Can’t fool me.

It’s all about staying fresh.

Advertising needs to keep drawing us in, making us want to buy things and dream of attaining the unattainable. Long, long ago, when one still went to drive-in theatres, in the middle of the Free State on a hot Saturday night, one could see advertisements for faraway places and big, long cars. ‘You can stay as you are for the rest of your life, or you can change to Mainstay’ – oh my, drink enough rum and there is

a real possibility of cruising in the Caribbean with a hot lover when you finally getout of the Free State.

It was dream time. Peter Stuyvesant, Coca Cola, these were cool brands that worked (potentially lethal, but that is not the issue here). Things appeared fresh, elusive and magical.

Trying to stay fresh is the issue.

How to capture the imagination of the youth who have seen it all, and most likely done it all. Easyjet takes them to Berlin. Social media is such overkill today that everyone skips the advertisements and irrelevant stuff. Everything is on demand.

And how do you keep things fresh when you are hounded by lobbyists, health and safety etc?

How many washing powder ads can get the blood pumping? It is a little like what I said week, with the gardening and app thing: is it just me, or is everything nowadays just a little stale?

Bring back Barbie. Barbie and Ken were fabulous. I wanted that waist and I wanted Ken. Bring back Island Fever and fairies that rise above vampires, Bratz, electronic cigarettes and the metrosexual, nonsexual sad people. Use words like ‘sugar rush’, ‘ glittering’ and even ‘supercalifragilistic’ if need be but for goodness sake Pep it Up! Fresh is fun, feisty and totally unbelievable but at least I want to try to imagine that honeymoons and truffles are special.

Am trying to think of one advertisement that manages to capture my imagination. Not pull at the heartstrings, but stops me in my daily grind and paints the colours of my world. Can you? Could you make up your own?

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Three years to lose your defences, five seconds to reinstate them | For the first time since arriving on the shores of this green and

pleasant land, I was slightly fearful. I grabbed my phone – thinking that it may save me should I be, I don’t know, at the hands of some my sentences rehearsed and unmerciful axe-murderer.

by katypotatie

Walking the spaniel this morning, I felt a distinct whisper of spring. I couldn’t see it, but I knew it was there.

The smell of snowdrops circled my nose and the morning chill had lost its bite. Spaniel seemed to be able to tell the difference too. On her sixth lap of the field, she still didn’t think it was an appropriate time to go home and I was left to admire my favourite tree and take in the view of the surrounding valleys, pastures and bleating sheep in the next field.

Moving to the countryside, I’d sort of lost the typical lookover-your-shoulder-be-waryof-strange-folk feeling that I’d developed in Cape Town.

Happy to say that it wasn’t an all-consuming sense of threat, but rather the typical locking of doors when you make a journey, especially at highway off-ramps, or slowing down and going vs stopping completely when arriving at red traffic lights on empty roads. It was an awareness of things and people around you, most of the time. Living in Beaminster, I’d

started becoming more lax about things – forgetting my car open,

leaving the back door unlocked at night. I was now living in a house without burglar bars and security gates on the front door, none of the things that remind you of anything untoward.

Until there was a ring on the doorbell one Saturday afternoon.

My Englishman opened the door, and I could hear the faint sound of a woman’s voice. By his reactions and the tone of his voice, the strained politeness, I could tell he was incredibly uncomfortable. So I went to interfere. Or help, as I like to put it.

There stood a middle-aged woman – slightly dishevelled, breath laden with the smell of Jack or even Captain Morgan himself. One plastic packet in her hand, shoes untied, not making eye-contact.

She’d decided to wander into Beaminster, from the next village over the hill and with 4pm striking, realised that she wasn’t going to get back before nightfall. She had noticed all the cars on the driveway and decided to ring our bell to ask us to take her home.

What can you do? I was foreign to this situation. I would most likely have had

organised, was I back in South Africa, but I didn’t understand this situation. My gut instinct was telling me that something dubious was ahead, but my head kept insisting that this instinct was based and built on a very different environment and upbringing.

Needless to say, both Englishman and I were at a loss for words. We didn’t have a lie ready, and we both felt too uncomfortable to kindly ask her to go away, so I volunteered to drive her to the village. For the first time since arriving on the shores of this green and pleasant land, I was slightly fearful. I grabbed my phone – thinking that it may save me should I be, I don’t know, at the hands of some unmerciful axmurderer.

I didn’t care for the speed limit, nor the potholes in the road that led me to the next town – I just wanted to get there. She just wanted to talk.

She, or it may have been The Captain, told me about her life, and her struggles, and her husband, and her son, and how life had generally just been unkind to her. We arrived at the hill leading into the village, and she asked me to drop her off there. It was deserted – there was nobody around. I insisted on driving her to her house (where hopefully, there were people around), but she declined. So I stopped.

She hopped out. Thanked me.

And without fuss, trundled down the hill towards her home.

Driving back to Beaminster, I felt like an utter fool. My paranoia and second-guessing had created an experience in my mind that implied that this would be my demise. After 3 years of un-noticeably becoming alkaline to any sense of disturbance or imposition, my built-in, almost innate sense of self-protection kicked in.

Whether this lady was a source of real concern or whether she was just simply someone who had been dealt a bad hand and was looking for a lift home – I’ll never know.

But I’ve never seen her again.

And I did start locking the back door.

8

Business

| 11 - 17 February 2014 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Gain a business qualification online from Cranefield College | Cranefield College, South Africa, focuses on developing leadership and management skills through courses including an Advanced Certificate, Advanced Diploma or Post-graduate Diploma in Project Management, Masters and a PhD qualification.

by staff reporter When President Obama visited South Africa in July last year, he drew attention to the desperate need for developing strong leadership models for South Africa’s businesses and government.

Professor Pieter Steyn, principal at Cranefield College, South Africa, further underlines this need for a proactive change in management direction. His institution specialises in project and programme management education.

“For a business to grow and succeed, further education is a must in order to improve productivity.

This is achieved through competence, which in turn affects performance and productivity, leading to customer satisfaction, loyalty and greater profit,” Professor Steyn says. “But it all starts with effective leadership and management.”

“While charismatic leaders

like Barack Obama and Richard Branson are born, good leaders in business can be trained, as the role of a business leader is to indicate strategy for moving forward, and role modelling behaviour that starts at the top,” he adds.

“Too many businesses don’t have value systems in place that implement properly defined beliefs and guiding systems to influence the behaviour of employees and the culture of the company as a whole. In light of this, Cranefield College focuses on developing leadership and management skills through an Advanced Certificate in Project Management, an Advanced Diploma in Project Management, and a Post-graduate Diploma in Project Management, a Masters and PhD qualification.”

Prof Steyn explains that part of good leadership lands squarely on empowering staff: “The importance of building trust in an organisation

can’t be stressed enough,” Steyn says. “For a business to remain competitive and innovative in the market place, employees should be encouraged to be creative, to be empowered for decisionmaking, given recognition for their achievements, and be able to work in cross-functional teams.

This requires trust on all levels of a company. Leaders need to focus their attention on ethics, transparency, and key performance.”

One of the key lessons emphasised at Cranefield College is effective leadership for greater productivity.

Graduate Jaco Claassens is testament to the level of success that can be achieved through such a higher education programme.

In 2009 Claassens, senior project manager for Delta Airlines at the time, helped to bring a designbuilding project at Atlanta Hartsfield airport to completion five months ahead of schedule. The $26 million project involved converting a facility designed for 13 narrow body aircraft to one that would accommodate 26 regional jets.

Claassens, who is now regional director for Delta Airlines, has expressed his appreciation for what he learnt at Cranefield College and the role his education has played in his career: “I would not be where I am now with my career if it wasn’t for my experience at Cranefield College.”

For more information contact Cranefield College on +27 (0)12 807 3990 or visit www.cranefield.ac.za

Struggling South African Airways turns to partnerships old and new to save face

| With almost a billion rand in the red for the second year running, South African Airways (SAA) turns to government as well as new airline partnerships to keep its ailing fleet afloat by staff reporter South African Airways (SAA) has announced a new code-share partnership with Virgin Australia for domestic flights in Australia, and is also entering talks for possibly taking over shares in Senegal Airlines to strengthen its base in West Africa, amid a host of financial problems including the ongoing rand devaluation.

The South African national carrier is trying to create a more attractive public image, as the airline continues to struggle financially.

After a staggering 1.3 billion rand operating loss in 2012, the company revealed that it ran at a loss of 991 million rand last year, indicating that its budgeting problems are here to stay. A cash injection from the South African government, which SAA expects to receive from the annual budget to be announced later in February, might keep the airline in the skies but would likely only serve as a quick fix to an ongoing uphill struggle.

SAA’s chief financial officer Wolf Meyer said, “it’s not a secret that our balance sheet is very weak.

There are currently discussions with the National Treasury. We hope that we get good news soon on the capitalisation.”

The National Treasury has already agreed to renew a two-year grant from 2012, amounting to five million rands. The grant is intended to be spent on maintenance and restructuring programmes of the airline but would merely account for a drop in the ocean, as the rapidly ageing SAA fleet is hardly managing to stay short of a state of disrepair.

The main opposition in government, the Democratic Alliance (DA), has voiced that the airline should be entirely privatised, leaving its future to the dynamics of market demands. The national carrier is presently owned by the South African government and managed by the Department of Public Enterprises.

The airline was also recently

attacked for not meeting international air safety standards on its O.R. Tambo (Johannesburg) – New York JFK route, one of the world’s longest non-stop air travel options at present at 17 hours.

Despite these challenges, the airline managed to still receive a four-star rating from Skytrax Airline Star Ranking (out of five).

Despite SAA’s expansion in the Australian market following the partnership with Virgin Australia it remains unclear whether passenger numbers may significantly improve.

The airline had abandoned its popular Cape Town – London Heathrow last year, creating an opportunity for rival British Airways (BA) to schedule more flights on the popular route. British Airways has also been pushing an advertising campaign for travel to South Africa to compete with SAA and other airlines, which saw a new BA-branded Airbus A380 circling Table Mountain in Cape Town last week for the photo opportunity of a lifetime.

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thesouthafrican.com | 11 - 17 February 2014 |

Business

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Australian firms fast-tracks South African offshore gas project

| Ibhubesi gas project off the coast of Cape Town is set to boost South Africa’s gas-to-electricity generation capacity.

by staff reporter Australian-listed company Sunbird Energy is fast-tracking the development

of the Ibhubesi gas project off South Africa’s west coast, which could pave the way for a multibillion rand investment that would significantly boost the country’s

gas-to-electricity generation capacity.

According to Business Day, Sunbird CEO Will Barker told delegates at the African Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Tuesday that the company aimed to complete the preliminary field development plan in the first half of this year and get the front-end engineering and design studies for the project under way.

Sunbird Energy received government approval for the acquisition of the Ibhubesi gas project last October, establishing it as the operator of South Africa’s largest and most advanced undeveloped gas field with a 76% working interest, with national oil company PetroSA holding the remaining 24% of the licence.

The Ibhubesi Gas Project covers 5,000km2 and is located 380km

SA Business Awards winners share tips for post-recession success | At the next First Wednesday event, hosted in London by the South African Chamber of Commerce, the five winners of the SA Business Awards 2013 will share their tips for success in a challenging economic climate. a Board Member and Director

Mark Warren, Sharon Constancon, Mark Jankovich, Karine Torr and Kurt Won.

by staff reporter Join the winners of the South African Business Awards 2013 in a discussion of their “Top Tips for Success in a Post-Recession Environment”.

The panel session on 5 March will explore how Mark Jankovich (Delphis Eco), Karine Torr (Darling Magazine), Mark Warren

(Pharside), Kurt Won (SalesPartners UK) and Sharon Constançon (Genius Methods) navigated an increasingly competitive global environment to become leaders in their respective fields.

The discussion will be chaired

by Avi Lasarow, a South African businessman and Honorary Consul for the Republic of South Africa to the Midlands. Lasarow is also

of the South African Chamber of Commerce UK. He began his career in the finance sector with Citi, rising to Assistant VP before leaving to establish his own venture. He has founded a number of companies in the biotechnology sector which provide forensic testing services to governments, militaries and legal professionals in Europe, Africa and South America. He is a past recipient of the Shell Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.

As Honorary Consul for the Republic of South Africa to the Midlands, Lasarow draws on his considerable experience of conducting business in both the UK and South Africa to promote the case for bilateral business flow, investment and tourism.

Join the SA Chamber for an insightful discussion into the building blocks of business success followed by networking over a glass of South African wine.

Time for the annual UK Home Office fee increases | The UK Home Office has announced proposals to change the fees charged for visas, immigration and nationality applications, as well as the associated premium services.

by staff reporter IF the proposals are accepted and tabled by Parliament, it will come into effect on 6 April 2014. Some of the fee changes to the overseas

premium services will already come into effect on 31 March 2014.

Most of the fee increases will be at 4%. However, some of the fee increases are quite substantial, such as the fee for the Indefinite Leave to Remain application for Dependants which is increasing by a hefty 38,7%. The fees for applications relating to nationality are also in some cases increasing by between 10 to 12%.

BIC thus recommends that clients who would like to apply for any kind of UK visa or

permit, do so without delay, as to prevent paying the higher Home Office visa fee.

JP Breytenbach Director of BIC, Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants Limited. www.bic-immigration.com or info@bic-immigration.com

north of Cape Town.

In December, Sunbird signed a memorandum of understanding with South African state power company Eskom to jointly investigate supplying gas from Ibhubesi to Eskom’s 1 300 megawatt Ankerlig power station, to replace the plant’s current high-cost diesel feed stock.

Eskom is also currently developing plans to convert Ankerlig from an open cycle gas turbine to a closed cycle gas turbine plant, so that it can run on gas.

Eskom spokesman Andrew Etzinger told Business Day on Tuesday that such a conversion was attractive as it would double the plant’s efficiency.

“No hard decisions have been made, but we are looking at the feasibility of the conversion of the plant, with the important

parameters of the gas price and its availability”, Etzinger told Business Day. “It’s early days, but it’s a good opportunity.”

Sunbird Energy chairman Kerwin Rana, in a statement following the signing of the memorandum of understanding in December, said his company was “delighted to be working with Eskom to progress this nationally significant project of domestic gas supply for South Africa.

“Additionally, we acknowledge the support of our joint venture partner in the project PetroSA (24%), the national oil company of South Africa, as well as our South African black empowerment partner Umbono Capital, in bringing these discussions to this important stage.” www.southafrica.info

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Business

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R1 billion investment sees new Toyota Corolla roll off line in Durban

| 11th generation of world’s best-selling car starts full production in SA manufacturing plant. variants for the local and sub-

By Staff reporter

Toyota South Africa Motors on Monday started full production of the new Toyota Corolla – the 11th generation of the world’s best-selling car – following a R1-billion investment in its Prospecton manufacturing plant in Durban.

Toyota South Africa Motors CEO Johan van Zyl said the company’s R1-billion investment was the second to be announced in the current phase of a capital expansion programme that started with a R363-million new parts distribution centre in Gauteng province in 2012.

This followed a R8-billion investment programme that was completed in 2008 and that saw Toyota’s local production capacity increase to 220 000 units. In December, the company celebrated the production of its 1-millionth South African produced Corolla.

“It is hard to believe that a mere two generations of the Corolla ago we were a manufacturing operation with South Africa as our sole market,” Van Zyl said in a statement.

“Today the Corolla, a good example of leading-edge technology, is manufactured in high volumes for both the local and the export markets.”

The new Corolla will be built in both left- and right-hand drive

Saharan Africa export markets.

Van Zyl said the South African automotive industry’s transformation from local manufacturing and assembly operations to globally focussed manufacturing facilities was due in large part to the successful implementation of the government’s Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP), which was designed to encourage high-volume local manufacturing and export programmes.

“The environment created by the MIDP, and subsequently the challenges posed by the new Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP), allows vehicle manufacturing facilities to invest in long-term projects that have long investment horizons,” he said.

“The decision to invest in the production of the new Toyota Corolla was one taken well in advance of the start of production and one that considered the future economic prospects of South Africa and that of major Corolla export markets.

“We believe that despite the current economic slowdown and currency pressures, the South African built Corolla will prove to be a good long-term investment.” www.southafrica.info

Strike action continues to hold the Rand down

by Courtneigh Humphriss

The South African Rand started to gain ground last week after the five-year lows seen in the previous week, although it still struggled to get below the 18 mark.

Platinum mineworkers continue to demand higher wage increases during shaky economic times.

With the December CPI coming in at 5.4% for South Africa, the world is confused with the unions’ rejection of 9% pay increases. Talks between three leading mining companies and the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union (AMCU) were called off last week Wednesday, with no compromise in sight. The AMCU is currently costing the mining companies $18 million per day since 23rd January when 70 000 workers downed tools – a major blow for the local economy. Will this week see any progress? Will the Rand continue to be punished if agreements cannot be made?

On Wednesday we see the Bank of England inflation report being released, which will have a high impact on the Pound and the Rand’s standing against the

| 11 - 17 February 2014 | thesouthafrican.com

Pound. Euro data will be released on Friday along with both German and French GDP data releases. As South Africa’s major trading partners, this will have an impact on the Rand’s standing against major currencies; this data is definitely something to keep an eye on at the end of the week.

GBP / ZAR: 18.2219 EUR / ZAR: 15.1538 USD / ZAR: 11.1089 NZD / ZAR: 9.1832 Exchange rates as of 08:25 (GMT), 10 February 2014 :: Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates.

If you want to transfer money to or from South Africa then please register/login on our website, or call us for a live dealing rate.

Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alert when the South African exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for.

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Futuristic skyscrapers to transform Gauteng into utopian megalopolis | Forget Sandton, forget Rosebank and Hillbrow – Gauteng is set to transform into Africa’s skyscraper capital if investors and urban planners will have their way

by sertan sanderson Have you ever heard of Modderfontein? Long considered a post-industrial wasteland sandwiched between the outskirts of Sandton to the west and O.R. Tambo International Airport to the east, it might just become your favourite new hotspot in Johannesburg, as Chinese investment firm Shanghai Zendai group is about to invest tens of billions of rands into transforming this no-man’s-land into a city of the future, leaving neither ‘modder’ nor ‘fontein’ behind.

A 15-year development plan has been outlined and approved for the unassuming 16 hectares of land bordering the East Rand, turning it into a city in its own right following the purchase of the land from its current owner, the AECI chemicals and explosives company. Several shopping malls, a theme park, a sports stadium, ten hotels, a conference centre, 35,000 residential units as well as copious amounts of commercial space, all enveloped by a unique landscaping approach, will all provide bookends to the ambitious project that is set to transform Gauteng for good. The acquisition of the property alone amounts to the largest single foreign investment in South Africa, and to the greatest single property transaction in the history of the continent.

Not everyone is pleased with the Shanghai Zendai group’s vision for Modderfontein, however; some alarmists have raised concerns that the development could be interpreted as part of a global Chinese conspiracy to economically colonise Africa, as investments by Chinese conglomerates have shifted in the past years from Western countries over to focusing on Southern

Africa. Others are worried about looming pollution as part of the heavy engineering involved in carving out this new metropolis from the ground up, and some are unhappy about a lack of plans for affordable housing in the futuristic city designed by the Chinese investment group.

Concerns have also been raised that the Modderfontein super-city might be nothing but a vanity project of the Shanghai Zendai group’s billionaire chairman

Dai Zhikang, who owns 39 per cent of the investment firm.

However, Shanghai Zendai has already been involved in other

urban regeneration projects in 12 Chinese cities over the past two decades and has a similar plan underway in Auckland, New Zealand, as well.

Up to 24,000 jobs are expected to be created as part of the development, fuelling the local Gauteng economy at a time when the weak exchange rate is the main motivation for many investors to come to Mzansi.

South Africans are encouraged to find a new name for the development, which the investors say is to be built on the Chinese values of living in harmony with nature. Dai Zhikang, however,

stressed that the development will turn Johannesburg into a worldclass city, able to compete with the likes of New York and Hong Kong: “It will become the future capital of the whole of Africa,” Dai said at a press conference, emphasising that this is his personal vision for the next 100 years of Gauteng.

But Dai’s investment group isn’t alone in its hope to transform Gauteng into an urban metropolis of the future. Not too far from Modderfontein, just 30 km up the N1, Centurion awaits in all its post-modern glory.

It’s known for SuperSport Park cricket stadium and the colourful water fountain welcoming visitors to its somewhat depressing mall. But a proposed new development may finally help to propel the apartheid-

era leftovers of Verwoerdburg at last to move into the ’21st Centurion’ by 2022. The tallest buildings in Africa, comprised of two office towers and one residential high-rise, are poised to spring up as part of Tshwane council’s “Centurion SymbioCity” project – to a tune of R17 million. The proposed office space alone will rival any other development anywhere in Gauteng.

The structures are even bound to make the Top 15 list of the tallest buildings in the world (at 110 stories high and just short of 450m tall) - a major feat considering that at present, Africa isn’t even represented in the world’s Top 300 skyscrapers list.

With several other structures proposed for the nouveau riche enclave of Sandton as well (such as the International Finance Centre and Kgoro Towers), “Randhattan” is going to keep many architects, engineers, designers, landscape artists, and urban planners busy for decades to come – an incredible fact considering that merely a century ago, the Union Buildings in Pretoria were the tallest structures on the entire African continent.

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thesouthafrican.com | 11 - 17 February 2014 |

Zimbabwe Community

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Zimbabwe says ‘Ni hăo’ to the Yuan

| Zimbabwe welcomes Yuans, Yens and Rupees to its complicated currency market, as trade with Asia intensifies amid an economic downturn.

By Sertan Sanderson Zimbabwe has adopted the Chinese Yuan, among a number of other foreign monetary units, into the fold of its multi-currency economy. The Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe also introduced the Japanese Yen, the Indian Rupee and the Australian Dollar as national legal currency at the end of January. The move is interpreted as part of an ongoing initiative to boost the country’s struggling economy, as Robert Mugabe’s government is fast running out of cash only six months following his highly-contested re-election.

Charity Dhliwayo, acting governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, welcomed the move, saying that the decision is designed to ease foreign investment from the Far East: “Trade and investment ties between Zimbabwe, China, India, Japan and Australia have grown appreciably.” Chinese trade in Zimbabwe alone has exceeded USD 1 billion for the past two years and is forecast to continue at this rate, though it is unlikely that foreign investment in the country will turn the tide on this suffering economy.

President Robert Mugabe has been trying to strengthen trade with the East, following strained ties with European countries and the United States, especially after his recent announcement to ramp up the government’s seizing of businesses owned by the country’s white minority as well as by foreign investors as part of an ongoing ‘Economic Empowerment’ programme.

But as unemployment reaches endemic levels and fears of widespread starvation hit headlines, Mugabe’s priorities appear to shift from his belligerent rhetoric to saving face – as well as pennies –

wherever he can, despite claims of widespread corruption.

Up until fairly recent, it was easy to be a ‘billionaire’ in Zimbabwe. Owing to skyrocketing hyperinflation, the country even had to resort to issuing one hundred trillion Dollar banknotes towards the end of the currency’s continuation. In its 19-year existence, the Zimbabwean Dollar underwent one of the highest currency devaluations in the history of monetary transactions, with the original value of one Zimbabwean Dollar (from the currency’s first issuance date in 1980) being pegged close to 10 septillion Zimbabwean Dollars when the currency had to be ditched in 2009. That’s a ten with 25 zeros.

Due to its staggering rate of devaluation, the feeble currency had to be reissued twice during its existence, meaning that zeros had to be removed from banknotes and all financial transactions in order to simplify everyday trade and commerce; even with this in mind, people were dealing with trillions of Dollars on the streets of Harare every day, using brick-like stacks of bills usually bound together with string and transporting these in wheelbarrows across centres of commerce such as market places and high streets – leading to an inevitable financial collapse.

Once Zimbabwe’s own worthless currency was abandoned in a last-ditch attempt to save the country from martial law, international trade and investment, particularly from South-East Asia, began to grow in Zimbabwe, as bank accounts could now be opened in US Dollars. With the introduction of three other foreign currencies, banks and other financial institutions will have a mandate to provide

transactions in all these various monetary denominations, starting to offer accounts in all the foreign currencies now available in Zimbabwe.

It is unsure how much the actual banknotes from these Asian countries will eventually circulate on the streets, as Zimbabweans have grown accustomed to using the South African Rand for daily transactions and reserving US Dollar bills for greater purchases. However, with the ongoing devaluation of the South African Rand, the new currencies might soon become street tender, as a the growing bartering industry in the country aids in further disintegrating its ailing economy.

Finance Minister Patrick Chinamasa predicted last December that a multi-currency system will remain in place in Zimbabwe for the foreseeable future, and that a return of the Zimbabwean Dollar might still be considered if the country’s economic liquidity stabilised notably. All things considered, amid fears of a renewed financial crisis in Zimbabwe, it is highly unlikely that we’ll ever see the day.

TheSouthAfrican. com/entertainment/ zimbabwe

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Travel

| 11 - 17 February 2014 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Our magical SA wedding – with

| Samantha and Jared Clark, both from Durban but now based in Greenwich, London, got married in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands on 31 August 2013. Samantha tells us how she went about planning her wedding from overseas and shares some brilliant tips for others wanting to get married in SA. knew it was the place where we by staff reporter How did you two meet?

Jared and I met back in 2006 in London through a mutual friend.

Six weeks before we met I had packed my bags and returned to SA for my sister’s wedding with the intention of not returning to the UK. After being home for three weeks I said to my mom that I needed to go back to London, that my time in London wasn’t done yet. Four days after returning to London Jared and I met and we’ve been together ever since.

Was the proposal romantic?

I love our proposal story!

In May 2011 we went on a motorbike trip to Europe. One of our stops was Amsterdam so we stopped at a diamond museum which also happened to sell some great diamonds. I got a bit carried away and started trying on a few rings and fell in love with one specific ring.

In October 2011 Jared made up an excuse about having to be at work early on a Saturday to take delivery of a machine, something completely believable.

He had actually arranged to fly back to Amsterdam, to the diamond museum and get the ring I fell in love with. He returned that evening (by this time I was

beginning to wonder where he was) and proposed in the lounge of our flat. I was so surprised.

We don’t have any photos because he chose to propose to me while I was in pyjamas and no make up!

Why did you decide to marry in SA? We couldn’t imagine getting married anywhere else in the world. We also wanted to share our day with the majority of our family and friends.

How did you choose your wedding venue?

We got married at a beautiful venue in the KZN Midlands called Cranford Country Lodge.

I flew home for my best friend’s wedding in April 2012 and was also going to use that time to choose a venue. The venue choice was up to me as Jared stayed in London. I had done loads of researching on the internet of different venues and had a list of places I wanted to see. We knew we wanted a country wedding up in the Midlands so that narrowed our choice down. I stumbled upon Cranford Country Lodge on recommendation from one of the venues we visited. It was the last venue that I went to see and as soon as we arrived I

would marry. It was everything we wanted from a wedding venue.

What special touches did you add?

I spent about a year collecting bits and pieces for the wedding.

We wanted a homemade wedding with lots of little personal touches. I collected lots of different yellow and grey fabrics and my mom spent hours cutting and sewing the fabric into napkin covers. We have kept all the pieces of fabric and I will be making a quilt. It will be a reminder of all the love and attention that went into making our day so special. On our travels I had collected postcards and we used the postcards along with a photograph of us as our table names on little wooden easels.

Our favours were a CD of our favourite songs. I found CDs that looked like records and made the CD covers myself.

Was it a large or intimate event?

We had 92 people at our wedding (including children). We both have big families so it was mainly family and then close friends. It was really special as we had family and friends fly out from Holland, the UK and South America for our big day.

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thesouthafrican.com | 11 - 17 February 2014 |

Travel

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a little help from our friends Did you have lots of support from friends and family in planning the big day?

I was a bit of a control freak when it came to the wedding and wanted to do a lot of the décor myself but I did have a lot of help from family and friends.

I flew out 3 weeks before the wedding and my mom, sister and best friend spent a lot of time on the personal touches. My mom and dad are in Durban so they did a lot of running around and arranging with the venue before we got to SA which was a massive help. The support and help we got the day before the wedding from family and friends was incredible. We decided to do the set up ourselves and we had a lot of fun doing it, even the guys got involved in important things like fluffing out the tissue pompoms!

What was the most difficult thing about the whole experience?

With all the craziness and stress that a wedding brings it’s very easy to forget what a wedding is actually about. Weddings bring out the best and worst in people.

Keep reminding yourself about what’s important to you rather than what’s important to everyone else. I was given some great advice by my cousin’s wife which is to take a moment away from the craziness of the day to spend some time together as newlyweds and let it all sink in. During our reception we went outside and spent half an hour just talking and absorbing the occasion. That was

one of the most special moments of the day and something we will always treasure.

What was the best moment?

My best moment was walking in to the chapel and seeing the emotion on Jared’s face as he waited for me. It was also amazing to feel all the love and happiness from those around us.

Instead of saying “I do” at the ceremony, Jared said “Of course” – we still laugh every time we think of it. It definitely broke some of the nervous tension we were feeling.

Were you on a tight budget? If so, how did you save money?

We knew we didn’t want to spend a fortune on the wedding as we are saving but we also didn’t want to scrimp on particular things so we worked out what was important to us and what we could live without. We saved money by setting up the venue ourselves.

We bought things over time and put them away so it didn’t feel like a huge dent in our savings as a bit of money was coming out every month. I waited until things went on sale before I bought them. I got family and friends to collect jars and bottles for the table decorations. Use Pinterest!

There are some amazing tips and ideas for weddings on there.

We asked Jared’s aunt to make our wedding cake for us and my cousin who is a makeup artist did our bridesmaids’ and mothers’ make-up. That was their wedding gift to us so if people have talented family members

it’s always good to see if they would like to be involved in the wedding.

If you could go back and change anything, what would it be? Do you have any tips for couples planning a wedding in SA? I wouldn’t change a thing about our wedding day but it’s so important to remember that the day goes by so quickly so try and just enjoy it for what it is and don’t worry about the small things, they really won’t matter in the end.

Speak to your married friends and family living in the area you are getting married for recommendations. They will give you honest first-hand experience. It’s amazing how much information you can find on the internet, do lots of research on different venues and suppliers.

Try to visit the venues if you can but don’t be overwhelmed by planning a wedding from overseas, you can do so much by email and Skype these days! If you can, try and fly out at least a week before the wedding so that you meet all the suppliers and establish a relationship with them.

Keep an updated spreadsheet of your costs, guestlist and suppliers.

■ Flowers by Labola http://labola.co.za ■ Photographer: Samantha Maber http://www. samanthamaber.com/ ■ Hair and make-up: Jacqui Trinder of Accentuate ■ Hair and Make Up http:// professionalmakeupartist.co.za/

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| 11 - 17 February 2014 | thesouthafrican.com

SA SHOP DIRECTORY The Chichester Biltong Company www.biltongcompany.co.uk The best of British from a friendly bunch of South Africans who made Sussex our home.

But there was one thing we couldnt live without from our native land..Biltong!

So we made our own using traditional recipes handed down through generations. We only use the finest prime British beef!

Get our “readers 10% EXTRA FREE” offer by using the VOUCHER CODE ‘SA10’

Photography

tographer

Capture your moment and frame it to keep forever. I am a London-based mobile photographer who will come to a location of your choice, allowing you to enjoy your photo shoot in the comfort of your home.

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

Contact Leanne on 07522554093 or designbphotography@gmail.com www.designbphotography.co.uk

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 ORGANIC SPICES. Our FINEST range has no e’S , gluten, sugar or preservatives. Use promo code SAFFA10 for 10% EXTRA FREE. www.biltongcompany.co.uk / 01243 699 722 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 & 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

Use accountants that do more than ‘crunch’ the numbers... let us help grow your business Company formations and Secretarial Services Business planning & development • Management support • Team training & development • CFO/FD Services • pay only for time required by your business • Compliance Services • Accounting Services • Profit improvement programs • Taxation planning • Personal and Corporate • Contracting solutions

Call Exceed UK now for a no obligation discussion on +44 (0) 870 060 0996. www.exceeduk.co.uk

SA SHOP DIRECTORY savanna Good friendly customer service is Savanna’s core principle. Our standards are high, and our rapidly-expanding network of shops are clean and bright and well-laid out, with friendly first-rate staff. Find us at: 20-22 Worple Road, Wimbledon London SW19 4DH Call us at: 0208 971 9177 Online: www.thesavanna.co.uk wimshop@thesavanna.co.uk Biltong Direct Biltong Direct, in the business of making superior South African meat products since 2004. Online or from our shop (directions on website – www.biltongdirect.co.uk). Retail and wholesale sales.

We manufacture Biltong, Droewors, Snap Sticks, Boerewors & Gluten and MSG free products, offer quick dispatch and a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. Call 01268-685728

The African Corner Three miles off Junction 26 of the M5 in the centre of Wellington, Somerset, TA21 8LS. Pull in if you’re in the West Country or find us online at www.theafricancorner.co.uk and we’ll come to you.

Email: theafricancorner@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 01823 619184 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

The Springbok Café The Springbok Café offers traditional South African food, wine and beers served with a smile in a friendly atmosphere. All this plus the option to grab your favourite S.A. groceries before you leave after relaxing and kuierring with us for a while.

The Springbok Café` Ltd, 1 East Reach, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3EN, 01823 254966,thespringbokcafe.co.uk

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Cambridge & Villages Toft Shop – Village Shop & Post Office With a South African section selling all your favourite tastes from home! Pop in and pick up your treats – Biltong; Boerewors; Koeksisters; Rusks; Sweets; Chips; Groceries etc. Web: www.

ToftShop.co.uk Tel: 01223 262 204. CB23 2RL

A World Wide Tax Solution Company is the answer to all your tax problems and needs.

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 Limpopo Butchers We believe in small, well run family businesses, where quality is the number one priority. Come and try our delicious traditional recipe biltong, drywors, and boerewors, as well as aged beef steaks, chicken flatties, and succulent lamb.

9 Horn Lane, Acton, W3 9NJ Tel: 020 8993 8823 www.thesaffashop.com

Shebeen bar Edinburgh’s only South African bar has opened in Leith. A unique, stylish bar with something for everyone,delivered by experience and friendly staff. As expected we stock a large range of South African beers, wines, ciders and snacks, including a classic selection of cocktails and Dom Pedros.

Opening hours are from 12pm to 1am. Come down and enjoy a true taste of Africa.

3-5 Dock Place, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6LU. 0131 554 9612.

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.

WWTS CAN OFFER:  Administer and enforce laws of taxation within the UK and Internationally  Advice and consult on all matters of taxation  Accountancy Services and Formation of companies  20 years Australian tax experience

Contact: Teresa Tel: 07789952025 Email: teresa@worldwidetax.co.uk Website: www.worldwidetax.co.uk

15

thesouthafrican.com | 11 - 17 February 2014 |

Sport

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Rain or Shine, In2Touch Winter Action is always HOT!

| Who could think of a better way to kick away those winter blues than with our Winter Season of Touch Rugby! This coming Sunday will see Clapham Common adorned with the skills, speed and stamina of our many social and competitive O2 Touch players.

By staff reporter With many of the 2013 League teams returning to either defend or win back that sort after title, this season is set to surely be a big one!

With a lot of fresh faces joining though, will the champion regulars be able to hold down last season’s wins, or will new teams be a force to be reckoned with?

Stepping onto the pitch, with an 8 week goal for gold in mind, the record number of teams is set to create one big competition. With all new comers going to have to learn to immerse themselves into the touch lingo of “dumping”, “going down” and not “over-stepping”, it will be great to see everyone turn up with a winning attitude and putting

in 100% effort.

Our winter season is always a fantastic way for beginners and individuals to get to know the game, as the atmosphere across all of the venue is always one of encouragement and understanding as everyone has been willing to lend a little bit of Touch knowledge.

Breathing in that crisp winter air, Touch Rugby creates the perfect combination of being outdoors, working out and socialising.

Working a wide variety of muscle groups through an excellent cardiovascular workout, this great sport is excellent for getting keeping fit throughout the colder times (without even knowing you’re exercising!).

With record numbers entered in

Blitzbokke blitzed

by New Zealand | South Africa’s attempt to win a third HSBC Sevens World Series title in succession was ended

by New Zealand in the final of the Wellington Sevens on Saturday, with the Kiwis defeating the Blitzbokke 21-0 in the Cup final.

by staff reporter Going into the Wellington leg of the IRB Sevens rugby series it was the Blitzboks who prided themselves on their defence but the final saw an impressive New Zealand side prise open that defence on four occasions as they whitewashed the South Africans 21-0 on Saturday.

The Blitzbokke were going for a third tournament victory after wins in Port Elizabeth and Las Vegas but the home side were worthy winners on this occasion and made up for five successive losses to South Africa.

After being upset by Fiji in their opening game, the Kiwi defence closed ranks and didn’t concede a single point for the rest of the tournament while scoring a huge 178 at the other end of the park.

South Africa had reached the final with Pool wins against Wales and Portugal and one loss against England and then ground out 10-0 wins against Australia and Fiji.

But the final, played in pouring rain, was one-way traffic, as conditions negated the Blitzboks’

normal pacy game. After some early tactical ping-pong kicking, it was veteran Tim Mikkelson who was nicely freed up by Bryce Heem and dashed three-quarters of the field to open the scoring.

Springbok Sevens rising star and the player who sealed the Las Vegas final against the Kiwis, Werner Kok, then pulled off a trysaving tackle on Mikkelson down the left hand touch line when it seemed he was away but soon after it was Sherwin Stowers who went over after a neat little in-step that beat Cecil Afrika. On this occasion Kok almost had his man again but the wet conditions were enough to see Stowers slither across the chalk.

Just before the halftime hooter it was a quick tap by DJ Forbes that unleashed Stowers for his second try of the final and the blackjerseyed home side went into the break with a commanding 21-0 lead, with Gillies Kaka converting three of the four tries.

The second half went scoreless as the Blitzboks defence held firm but they were not helped by the fact that at the setpieces and breakdowns they were never in total control of their ball. Scott Curry stole a number of SA lineouts and the South Africans were often unable to get quick and decisive ball away from the breakdowns.

The home team’s win sees them displace the Blitzboks on top of the series standings, leading by two points with four legs to go, in Japan, Hong Kong, Scotland and England.

our biggest 2014 Winter season ever, this growing sport is taking over the nation by storm. Sunday the 16th of February, Clapham Common will be hit by the brute force of some of London’s finest players. No need to bring those winter woollies, as the action to be seen will heat you up! Whether carving up the fields in flawless style or stepping onto the pitch for the very first time, our many different leagues and divisions will cater to all.

With Ladies, Mixed and Men’s divisions on offer – there is something for everybody!

No team? No worries! We offer individual teams in all the leagues mentioned above.

Similar to the skills utilised

in Rugby Union or Rugby League, Touch creates the perfect environment for a non-tackling version of these two sports. Played on a grass pitch, this all year round sport is easily accessible

as all that is required is simply a Touch Rugby ball, a keen attitude and a willingness to learn. So no matter your fitness level, age or gender, Touch is a sport that can be enjoyed.

Sport

11 - 17 FEBRUARY 2014

rain or shine, In2Touch winter action is always hot! p15

NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS

blitzbokke blitzed by new zealand p15

www.thesouthafrican.com

Proteas out for first Australian series win at home since readmission

| South Africa’s batsmen will relish the challenge of facing Austrlia’s world-class attack while Dale

Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel will no doubt test Australia immeasurably more than England recently did. It promises to be a fantastic series – Thursday can’t come soon enough!

By Jeremy Bortz The Aussies are in town and as always, it promises to be an enthralling series. With confidence sky-high after their 5 – 0 drubbing of England to reclaim the Ashes, Michael Clarke and his men will be looking for a repeat of the 2008 – 2009 Australian series win.

Opening salvos have long since been fired: immediately after the Ashes win, Clarke praised his attack as the best in the world while more recently, seamer Peter Siddle warned ‘Graeme Smith could come under attack’ and swashbuckling opener David Warner indicated Robin Peterson should ‘prepare for a pasting’.

By contrast, the Proteas have remained silent, prepared to let their cricket do the talking. And rightly so. They too will be confident after their recent hard-fought series win against India capped a brilliant 2013 and a spectacular few years that has seen them climb to the top of the ICC test rankings. The Proteas have not lost a series in 14, winning eight of these, and in the past two years they have beaten both England and Australia away.

For the first time in almsot 20 years, the Proteas will be without Jacques Kallis and quite simply, this is an impossible void to fill. Faf du Plessis is almost certain to fill the number four slot while allrounders Ryan Mclaren and Wayne Parnell have been called up to the squad (leg-spinner Imran Tahir has been dropped).

After top scoring in South Africa’s first innings in their warmup match against a composite XI, Vernon Philander continues to impress with the bat and South

Africa may look to him to as their allrounder. That would allow them to play Rory Kleinveldt so there is certainly plenty for the selectors to think about.

Australia recently sufered a huge injury loss with Shane Watson ruled out of the first Test. Shaun Marsh has been recalled and this will necesitate a reshuffle in their lineup. While on the bowling front, they will be hoping Mitchell Johnson continues from where he left off in Sydney.

In 18 Tests at Centurion since readmission, the Proteas have won 14 and lost only once (to Nasser Hussain’s side in 2000). They have, however, not won a home series against Australia since readmission (the last series win being the 4 – 0 thrashing Ali Bacher and his men dished out in 1969 – 1970).

South Africa’s batsmen will relish the challenge of facing Austrlia’s world-class attack while Dale Steyn, Philander and Morne Morkel will no doubt test Australia immeasurably more than England recently did. It promises to be a fantastic series – Thursday can’t come soon enough!

Following the first Test which begins at Centurion this Thursday, the second Test will be at Axxess Park St. Georges from the 20 – 24 while the third and final Test will be played at Newsland from March 1 – 5.

SA squad: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Rory Kleinveldt, Ryan McLaren, Morne Morkel, Wayne Parnell, Alviro Petersen, Robin Peterson, Vernon Philander, Dale Steyn, Thami Tsolekile

| The battle between captains Graeme Smith and Michael Clarke, posing here with the ICC Test mace at the Gabba cricket ground in Brisbane in November, will be key. Photo: GREG WOOD/AFP/Getty Images.

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