The South African, Issue 609, 24 – 31 March 2015 by The South African

Send money around the world in minutes

FR E

Even more Tesco locations across London to send and receive from

For locations across London and the UK visit

moneygram.co.uk/tesco

24 — 31 March 2015 Issue 609 1014-80588

*Subject to agent hours of operation and local regulations. Tesco Personal Finance Plc is an agent of MoneyGram International Limited in the provision of money transfer services. MoneyGram, the Globe and MoneyGram Bringing You Closer are trademarks of MoneyGram. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. MoneyGram International Limited is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority. © 2014 MoneyGram.

41770

CONTRACTING? TIME TO EARN MORE TAX, FINANCIAL AND MIGRATION EXPERTS: Money Transfers, Tax Refunds, Visas, Limited Companies & Accounting, UK Bank Accounts, CV & Job Assistance, Travel Clinic, Shipping, Legal and Umbrella Services

1014-80588_press_ad_125x101_P_en_v1_aw.indd 1

21/10/2014 11:48

0808 141 2315

www.1stcontact.com/mast1

Fall in love with songbird Casey Leigh's seductive soul-pop sound richest South African municipalities

INSIDE

in terms of average taxable income 2

6 5

Where in South Africa are the wealthiest of the wealthy living? 1 City of Johannesburg metro, Gauteng

• Average taxable income R318 • Population 4.4 million • Number of taxpayers 661 853

533

Over 200 000 households reported NO annual income

pAGE 3

NEWS Gamagara local municipality, Northern Cape • Average taxable income R295 • Population 42 000 • Number of taxpayers 4 841

431

23% of the population lives in informal settlements

Stellenbosch local municipality, Western Cape • Average taxable income R291 • Population 155 733 • Number of taxpayers 19 314

799

About 23% of the population lives in shacks

City of Tshwane metro, Gauteng

Meet 4 the man of the moment: adventurer Sean Conway • Average taxable income R271 • Population 2.9 million • Number of taxpayers 472 361

853

Nearly 136 000 households reported NO annual income

pAGE 5 5

COMMUNITY

Midvaal local municipality, Gauteng • Average taxable income R267 • Population 100 000 • Number of taxpayers 14 159

874

About 15% of households reported NO annual income

EMalahleni local municipality (Witbank), Mpumalanga

• Average taxable income R257 • Population 400 000 • Number of taxpayers 52 484

507

27% of the population is unemploymed

7 Zahara & Mtukudzi take over the UK 8with an African touch

Steve Tshwete local municipality (Middelburg), Mpumalanga • Average taxable income R248 317

Mogale City local municipality, Gauteng • Average taxable income R242 436

pAGE 11 9 10

ARTS

City of Cape Town metro, Western Cape • Average taxable income R241 704

Thaba Chweu local municipality, Mpumalanga • Average taxable income R241 570 by Katy Scott & Andisiwe Juta thesouthafrican.com

5 great reasons to visit The Oyster Box in Durban pAGE 12

[●] SEDUCTIVE SOULSTRESS: Head to Casey Leigh's London performances and you'll fall in love with this Saffa singer. Read more on page 10

TRAVEL

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

News

SA Chardonnay crowned best in world Editor: Mareike Pietzsch Production and Design: Andisiwe Juta Registered office: Riverbank House 1 Putney Bridge Approach Fulham SW6 3BQ. Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: editor@thesouthafrican.com Website: www.thesouthafrican.com Directors: P Atherton, A Laird, J Durrant, N Durrant and R Phillips Printed by: Mortons of Horncastle Ltd

The paper used to print this publication has been sourced from sustainable forests (farmed trees). Please reduce waste by recycling your copy or passing it on to others. The printed opinions of advertisers and writers are theirs and not necessarily shared by Blue Sky Publications Ltd. Unless otherwise stated, copyright of all original materials is held by Blue Sky Publishing Ltd. Official media sponsors of the following organisations:

| Winning best Chardonnay in the world was like a “cloud with a gold lining” after the recent Cape fires, says Groot Constantia CEO Jean Naude. But it’s not all about Groot Constantia. 14 other South African Chardonnays won awards and are worth picking up on your next trip to the bottle store by Katy Scott South Africa trumped 41 other countries at the 22nd annual Chardonnay du Monde competition at the Pasteur Institute in France earlier this month. Groot Constantia’s 2013 Chardonnay took first place at the international wine competition, beating 825 other Chardonnay wines. The news, which Groot Constantia’s management only heard over email, or as winemaker Boela Gerber says, “via the grapevine,” was encouraging considering that the estate narrowly missed being hit by the recent Cape fires. “It was quite a nice bit of news after the fire, you know it was a cloud not with a silver lining but a cloud with a gold lining,” said CEO Jean Naude. Naude continued to explain how Groot Constantia’s Chardonnay has “always been an over achiever” winning a total of 16 gold medals over the last ten vintages. The 2013 winning Chardonnay is described as having “chalk and lime, hints of ripe summer fruit and butter with subtle use of oak”. The amazing fruit character is attributed to the summer

breezes from the Atlantic Ocean. The runner up in the Chardonnay du Monde competition was the 2013 DB Reserve Chardonnay from Australia. While Groot Constantia’s 2013 Chardonnay was the only of South Africa’s Chardonnays to feature in the top 56, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay (2014) also won a gold medal.

South African silver medal winners included: •A few good Men Chardonnay 2013 •Bateleur Chardonnay 2012 •Boschendal 1685 Chardonnay 2013 •Boschendal Elgin Chardonnay 2013 •Fleur du Cap Chardonnay 2013 •Glen Carlou Quartz Stone 2013

•JMB Chardonnay 2014 •Kings River Chardonnay 2013 •Le Bonheur Chardonnay 2014 •Lourensford Winemaker’s Selection Chardonnay 2014 •Môreson Mercator Premium Chardonnay 2012 •Tokara Reserva Collection Stellenbosch Chardonnay 2013 •Uva Mira Chardonnay 2013

South African billionaire Douw Steyn's R6 billion mega-city unveiled | Recently, the mega development Steyn City was unveiled to media on the northern outskirts of Johannesburg By Mareike Pietzsch

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.

Insurance entrepreneur, Douw Steyn, is building a 800 hectare estate between Johannesburg and Pretoria, which is rapidly taking shape. The billionaire’s personal home, Palazzo Steyn, is valued at 250 million and is located at the center of the estate. The 3000 square meter mansion is – upon completion – South Africa’s most expensive and sits on two and a half hectare. The Steyn City development is built on the concept of building a city within a city. Johannesburg is a sprawling, urban place. While Steyn is an extremely private man, and an interview a rarity, he explains the project on his website. He started the project with his director of Steyn City Properties, Giuseppe Plumari, who says, “Giuseppe and I share

the same vision – to create a lifestyle estate unlike any other in South Africa built on the foundation of quality of life. A country estate offering country living, but with all amenities conveniently within reach. Too much time is wasted in cities sitting in traffic and commuting between home, work, schools and the shops. We want to bring all these elements of daily life into one estate and give residents back the precious commodity of time, in a secure, upmarket environment.” Steyn City offer residential options as well as the estate’s very own, newly built, water reservoir capable of storing 30 mega litres. It boasts the following facilities: a bike track, outdoor exercise equipment, a golf course, a rugby field, a

jogging track and jungle gyms as well as 36 horse stables. Any such large scale development is going to be met with criticism. The storm raging on Twitter is that Steyn City is exclusive, a city for wealthy Africans, that does not actually provide jobs to areas like the poor, neighbouring Diepkloof. Some critics have pointed out that the majority of the renderings include white people, and that this is indeed not a true representation of the mixed Johannesburg, or South African, population. The mega-development is four times the size of Monaco and is drawing attention around the world. Steyn City security motto for its citizens is elegantly worded as, “peace of mind remains one of the biggest

priorities”. While it promises job creation, the development has been criticised for being yet another exclusive, gated community that protects those, who have enough money, from crime. But Patrick Craven, spokesperson for trade union federation Cosatu, commented: “It is almost a form of apartheid, not in a strictly racial sense, though in practice those who are the target of restrictions into certain areas tend to be black people.” One of the biggest arguments is that the neighbouring township Diepsloot will indeed not benefit from the development. Chief executive, Giuseppe Plumari, Steyn City developer, has instead argued that they will empower the people who are living in Diepsloot.

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

News

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Where are the wealthiest South Africans living? | Take a closer look at the ten South African municipalities earning the highest average taxable income

richest South SouthAfrican African richest municipalities municipalities

Six municipalities in South Africa earn an average taxable income of between R250,000 to R318,534. While it is not surprising that the city of gold ranks in at number one with an average taxable income of R318,533, what is interesting is how smaller mining municipalities such as Gamagara in the Northern Cape (R295,431) and eMalahleni (Witbank) in Gauteng (R257,507) have ousted the likes of Durban and 2 2 Cape Town. Cape Town comes in at number nine with an average taxable income of R241,704, while neighbouring Stellenbosch is right up there at 3 number three (R291,799). 3

These figures are according to the most recent data released for the 2013 tax year. We have compared the number of taxpayers in each municipality to the population size of each municipality (using the 2011 Statistics South Africa census). We have further detailed the percentage 4 1 4 1of households with no reported 6 annual 5 6 income or the percentage of 5 the population that is unemployed or living in shacks, to shed some light on the reality in each of these ‘wealthy’ municipalities. This information was obtained from a report by the Mail and Guardian.

termsofofaverage averagetaxable taxableincome income inin terms 2

City of Johannesburg metro, Gauteng City of Johannesburg metro, Gauteng • Average taxable income R318 533 • •Average taxable Population 4.4 income millionR318 533 • •Population million661 853 Number of4.4 taxpayers • Number of taxpayers 661 853

Over 200 000 households reported NO annual income Over 200 000 households reported NO annual income

Gamagaralocal localmunicipality, municipality,Northern Northern Cape Gamagara Cape

2 2

Averagetaxable taxableincome income R295431 431 ••Average R295 Population42 42000 000 ••Population Numberofoftaxpayers taxpayers4 4841 841 ••Number 23%ofofthe thepopulation populationlives livesinin informal settlements 23% informal settlements

Stellenboschlocal localmunicipality, municipality,Western Western Cape Stellenbosch Cape

Averagetaxable taxableincome income R291799 799 • •Average R291 Population155 155733 733 • •Population • •Number Numberofoftaxpayers taxpayers1919314 314 About lives in in shacks About23% 23%ofofthe thepopulation population lives shacks

City Cityof ofTshwane Tshwanemetro, metro,Gauteng Gauteng

• •Average Averagetaxable taxableincome incomeR271 R271853 853 • •Population Population2.9 2.9million million • •Number of taxpayers 472 Number of taxpayers 472361 361 Nearly NONO annual income Nearly136 136000 000households householdsreported reported annual income

Midvaal Midvaallocal localmunicipality, municipality,Gauteng Gauteng • Average taxable income R267 874 Average taxable income R267 874 • •Population 100 000 Population 100 00014 159 • •Number of taxpayers • Number of taxpayers 14 159 About 15% of households reported NO annual income About 15% of households reported NO annual income

EMalahleni local municipality (Witbank), EMalahleni local municipality (Witbank), Mpumalanga Mpumalanga • Average taxable income R257 507 Average taxable income R257 507 • •Population 400 000 Population 400 00052 484 • •Number of taxpayers • Number of taxpayers 52 484 27% of the population is unemploymed 27% of the population is unemploymed

7 7 8 8 9 9 10 10

Steve Tshwete local municipality (Middelburg), Mpumalanga Steve Tshwete local municipality (Middelburg), Mpumalanga • Average taxable income R248 317 • Average taxable income R248 317 Mogale City local municipality, Gauteng • Average taxable income R242 436 Gauteng Mogale City local municipality, • Average taxable income R242 436 City of Cape Town metro, Western Cape • AverageTown taxable income R241Western 704 City of Cape metro, Cape • Average taxable income R241 704 Thaba Chweu local municipality, Mpumalanga • Average taxablemunicipality, income R241 570 Mpumalanga Thaba Chweu local • Average taxable income R241 570 by Katy Scott & Andisiwe Juta thesouthafrican.com by Katy Scott & Andisiwe Juta thesouthafrican.com

More and more South Africans buying property in the UK and Australia | The trend to buy property in more stable economies is on the rise as more South Africans are expanding their property portfolio abroad By Mareike Pietzsch The UK government wants to close the economic gap between the country’s north and south by investing over £18 billion by 2030, according to a report by IP Global. This has seen Manchester’s economy grow steadily, earning the city a reputation as the new digital and new-media hub that companies like Google and BBC have caught on to. The city can now brag that 65 companies, which list on the London Stock Exchange in the Top 100, have set up shop in Manchester. This economic surge has resulted in a construction boom of residential units in the city. Current prices for property are

18 percent below peak, reports IP Global. London is still an expensive place when it comes to property but promises, as ever, a high return. But the city is still wrestling with a housing shortfall that is not meeting the demand. Australia, on the other hand, is gaining benefits from Chinese investors. This has helped drive the Sydney residential market with a 13.1 percent annual growth. Sydney is currently one of the top three countries for Chinese investors. Properties in Brisbane have seen an increased value of between 10 and 20 percent from last year. And Melbourne has experienced

similar growth. George Radford, Director for Africa at IP Global, advises that South African investors also look to other cities besides just London. “Property investors in SA and Zimbabwe often have emotional or historical links to the UK or personal connections with family or friends who have moved to Australia. In years gone by the trend was to buy property in the UK, especially London, for personal use, but today more and more people understand the benefits of buying property in strong, stable cities as part of their long term investment plans.”

City of Cape Town gives Eskom the boot, looks elsewhere for energy requirements | The City of Cape Town is not the first to start looking for alternatives to Eskom. Fellow parastatal, Transnet, has also extended invitations to energy providers that are more reliable than Eskom by Gerhard Jacobs The city of Cape Town is looking to natural gas and other more reliable sources of energy to satiate its electricity needs. Ian Neilson, the City’s mayoral committee member for finance, believes that the future does not

reside in Eskom, but rather a mix on suppliers. “A national grid powered by large power stations cannot be our sole source of energy, or even of electricity.” Cape Town is not the only one to look for greener pastures, however. Transnet has opened its tendering

process for green energy suppliers, and more than 40 have answered the call. With parastatals starting to compete against one another and overseas companies making inroads into the local market, we might soon see the market open up to include more energy suppliers.

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Community

What does heritage mean to a South African expat? | Heritage literally means “practises handed down from the past by tradition” and is important as we just celebrated International Heritage Day. To have a clear idea of where we come from stimulates healthy discussion on how and where we go from here

[●] Photo by Matt Cardy/ Getty Images

by David Mannall Indigenous heritage is magnificently rich, while humanity’s collective heritage includes wonderful things like the printing press, penicillin, culture and democracy. However genocide, slavery, religious intolerance and human greed for power and control also cast dark shadows. I grew up loving my country convinced those in authority had my best interests at heart, and stuff propagated on statesponsored news was absolute truth. It seemed appropriate, patriotic even, to do my bit when the National Service beckoned. I was told we were fending off Communism, and even my church had signed up for it. I went through basic training and military doctrine, and then we went to war. I was okay with that. Fearful but willing, as we were, after all, defending ourselves from an ideology which threatened a bleak future. I thought even God was on our side. Then it got rough… My country became embroiled in the largest conventional conflict in Southern African history. We engaged and destroyed dozens of Russian tanks with our more nimble Ratel 90s in Angola, pushing the enemy back to Cuito Cuanevale. Friends died and it seemed no-one was on our side anymore. Then, sons and daughters of early European settlers voted emphatically to abolish the evils of Apartheid.

Durban, my hometown, demonstrated itself as the most progressive cities in the country with a over 80% yes vote. I was, and remain, proud for defending my country and heritage when given my very first opportunity to unpick a racist ideology. Despite the obvious stain on our past (which we had to come to terms with during Truth and Reconciliation) I was pleased with our progression from dark to light and looked forward to continuing life as a proud South African shoulder-to-shoulder with my newly equalised brethren. This would indeed be a heritage to be proud of. Aged 25, my girlfriend and I decided to travel the world, saving enough money to keep us going for a few weeks, which was quite a feat given that only 18 months before I’d been temporarily homeless and penniless. My thinking: find a business idea overseas, bring it home, create a few jobs, earn a fair income and make my country better. As it inevitably does, life happened and before we knew it five years had passed and we’d not yet made our way home, hadn’t travelled enough but were now paying bills and buying nappies. But we hadn’t ‘settled down’. My children learned about their rich heritage with its proud and progressive constitution. Before long clouds of unrest and discontent begun building in azure South African skies,

threatening the very heart of the rainbow itself until gradually I began questioning my contribution to it all. It appeared the South African government belittled our patriotic contribution as teenagers to the National Defence and repaid us by disregarding non-racialism and human dignity. Interestingly, some English folk think I’m a foreigner due to my colonial ‘Jaapie’ accent and barefoot childhood. While some South Africans consider me a ‘veraaier’ (back-stabber) or racist responsible for the past. Of course history is littered with governments, states or religious organisations prosecuting human rights violations based on territory, racism or dogma to sustain a somewhat self-serving grip on power. This is where my ‘Soutpiel’ (in-betweener) status became an advantage. I’d been forced out of the environmental ‘bubble’ I grew up in and got an opportunity to distil lessons from my heritage. My hope for my children is learning a sense of shared humanity and that they become compassionate human-beings concerned with the welfare of all people. I’ve suggested this is the only route to the Rainbow but fear that I sound messianic. By all means, love thy neighbour but be compelled first to do no harm.

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

Community

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Meet the man of the moment: Sean Conway | Born in Zimbabwe and schooled in South Africa, Sean Conway now lives in the UK where his adventurous spirit is pushing ultimate limits

by Natanya Herzstein You wouldn’t think a beard could save a life. But Sean Conway’s now-famous bushy red beard did just that, yet another unique characteristic of a man who spends his days pushing boundaries. An extreme endurance adventurer, Sean has already bicycled 16,000 miles around the world – 12,000 of them with a fractured spine – and also the 1,300-mile length of England, swum the 900 miles of the English coastline (where his beard served as a protection from jellyfish) and climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro in a penguin suit just for fun. These activities are exhausting just to think about, but they are by no means a complete list of his feats. His accomplishments are as staggering as they are numerous. Though he was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, and raised in Mana Pools National Park with his conservationist game ranger father, Sean moved to the UK in his early twenties with only £100 and a thirst for new experiences. He famously worked at a job cutting 12,000 cabbages a day and then, after a stint as a freelance photographer, chose to follow his dream of breaking the record for cycling around the world. He reached his goal in July 2012, a month behind

schedule after being hit by a car while cycling, and immediately made plans to attempt more extreme adventures. Sean’s thrill-seeking nature sparked his desire to help others. When he’s not training, he tours around the world as a motivational speaker and has written three books about his adventures, including the recently published Hell and High Water: One Man’s Attempt to Swim the Length of Britain. In addition, Sean is starting a scholarship to help fund dream adventures and supports numerous charities, including Solar Air, War Child, and the Save the Rhino campaign. Sean’s next adventure kicks off on 21 March as he attempts to run the entire length of Britain – nearly 1,000 miles – in six weeks. If he succeeds, he will become the first person to complete the Ultimate British Triathlon. To add to the pressure, Sean will carry his own supplies and will rely only on his wits to find food and water. His trip will be tracked by Discovery Channel both on TV and on their website, where supporters can follow his progress, get information about joining Sean for parts of his run and send inspirational messages using #runwithsean. At 33, Sean’s adventures are just beginning. It’s anyone’s guess what he’ll come up with next.

[●] Photos with special thanks to Sean's sister, Kerry Conway

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Opinion

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

• Excess Baggage/Boxes/Cartons • Part Container/Groupage • Complete Households/Cars • Comprehensive Insurance • Customs Clearance • Vehicle Documentation • RO - RO (Roll on - Roll off shipping)

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

www.southafricanremovals.com

Fill their Easter basket with Happiness

[●] Photos by Facebook.com/ Homecoming Revolution

Speed Meet Africa with Thuli Madonsela and Mmusi Maimane a success | “Brain Drain” has afflicted many African countries in recent decades. Homecoming Revolution (established in 2003) aims to reverse this trend by Graham du Plessis

Your loved ones can collect at over 900 agent locations across South Africa

moneygram.co.uk

0800 026 0535

Send at:

Receive at:

And anywhere you see the MoneyGram sign

Post Office, Thomas Cook Co-op and Tesco are agent of MoneyGram International Limited in the provision of money transfer services. Post Office and the Post Office logo are registered trademarks of Post Office Limited. MoneyGram, the Globe and MoneyGram Bringing You Closer are trademarks of MoneyGram. MoneyGram International Limited is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority. © 2015 MoneyGram.

I caught up with Angel Jones, CEO at the recent Speed Meet Africa event in London. With a focus on South Africa, Nigeria, Kenya, Uganda and Ghana, they introduce worldwide African professionals to employers and relocation services back home. What do you think are the main reasons why many expats are drawn to return home? Expats return home for a variety of reasons. Often the desire to be near friends and family is a factor, as well as the feeling that they have a sense of purpose and belonging in the country. Given the huge number of opportunities that are opening up on the African continent, many people are attracted to the prospect of developing an innovative career. The climate and outdoor lifestyle is also a big draw: children can grow up with bare feet on the lawn, and the Rand goes a lot further than the Pound! What sort of opportunities are on offer in South Africa from a career point of view? In South Africa we have a critical

skills shortage with 800,000 vacancies across all sectors. There are significant shortages within IT, Management Consultancy, Financial Services, Healthcare, and Education professions. How many expats have returned home over the last few years? 359,000 South Africans have returned in the past five years. Why is the return of expats so important for South Africa’s prospects? For every one skilled person who returns to South Africa, nine new jobs are created in the formal and informal sectors; the ripple effect is incredible. Is the South African government doing anything to encourage the return of skilled expats? Absolutely. We are working with government - we are official partners with Brand South Africa - and are also working with the Department of Health. In addition to the Private Sector, does Homecoming Revolution’s network also extend into the state and NGO sectors?

Yes, we have Africa Health Professionals here at the Expo in London today as well as Teach For All, amongst others. Our network includes a whole host of organisations in the public and nonprofit sectors. Does Homecoming Revolution offer any other practical support for those moving back? There is lots of advice on our website including tips on the practicalities of moving, information on relocation services and schools, as well as stories and first-hand advice from those who have recently made the move. Do you have any advice for people contemplating returning home? It is easy to love and hate South Africa all at the same time. It is a place where you might feel alive, overjoyed and yet terrified all in the same day! There is never going to be a perfect time to move, but trust your heart and follow it.

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

Opinion

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

‘Off the Voortrekker Road’ explores Barbara Bleiman’s Jewish expat past | At the age of 59, I published my first novel and called it Off the Voortrekker Road. It draws on my background as the child of a Jewish family living in Cape Town

by Staff reporter My family emigrated from Lithuania, at the beginning of the twentieth century, to escape the turbulent world of Eastern Europe. Although my parents left South Africa in 1960 when I was five years old, joining the growing community of expats in London, I grew up steeped in stories from the past, possessed rich memories of life in the old country. My father’s early childhood was a troubled one as financial difficulties and deep-seated incompatibilities made his parents’ marriage unhappy. He suffered bitterly from this. The political events of his childhood in the 1930s and 40s made a lasting impression on his ideas and morality, shaping his views on race and justice. I heard Afrikaans and Yiddish in our house in London alongside stories of his life as a child and then as a politically committed barrister. The world that was re-created for me was one that I initially wrote about in a few short stories. But a few years ago I decided to write a novel based on my father’s early life. I enrolled for a Creative Writing MA at Birkbeck and grappled, at first, to find a form to suit my subject matter. In the end, I opted for fiction rather than a memoir, and invention rather than fact. I chose to weave together a childhood story with an adult courtroom drama about the trial of an Afrikaner man accused of indecency with a ‘coloured’ woman. While the childhood narrative drew heavily on my father’s life, the trial was entirely invented. I asked myself: would the novel be of any interest to readers beyond my immediate family and friends? Could this historical novel about Cape Town in the 1930s to 50s be

of interest to a UK readership? But then a small extract was published in a Birkbeck anthology and the reaction of readers was warm and enthusiastic. An agent approached me and instantly took me on. Since the book’s publication, first as a self-published ebook and now in paperback as well, I’ve had a slew of lovely reviews on Amazon and a great endorsement from the editor Diana Athill. I’ve been asked to speak to book groups and have been chosen by Amazon as Kindle Daily Deal in the UK and Australia. Next week I’ll be doing a public reading at the London Jewish Cultural Centre, in conversation with Sorrel Kerbel, an expert on South African Jewish literature. Since the death of my father, I’m thrilled to have been able to bring that period in South Africa’s history to life for readers who have little very knowledge of it as well as for those for whom it played an integral part. TheSouthAfrican asked Barbara a few questions. Name one thing that inspires you to write… I’m inspired by other writers. I have eclectic tastes – everything from Jane Austen and Henry James to Richard Yates, Alice Munro or Flannery O’Connor. What unites them all is great storytelling. I love a really good, gripping plot that hooks you and allows you to lose yourself in another world. If I could be half as good as any of those I’ve mentioned, I’d die happy! How did you become a writer? Was it a gradual process or did you fall into it? I wrote my first novel when I was ten years old. It was a hilariously awful story about a fairy called Dewderona, but I was hugely proud of it. My second novel came a year later with an attempt to be Jane Austen – I’d just discovered her books in the public library. I’ve always had a compulsion to write and have a couple of unpublished children’s novels sitting in a drawer, but it was only when I did the Creative Writing MA that I started to see the real possibility of a novel written by me appearing in print. What inspired this story? My father was the inspiration for this story but how can I not also recognise the importance of my dear 85-year old mother? She has been an enormous influence and inspiration: she told me stories as a child, supported my writing, and was willing to have her and my father’s life pulled around and moulded like plasticene in the process of turning it into fiction.

Original biltong

Droewors Beef & Original

“Largest selection of SA groceries in the UK”

“Don’t forget to collect your Loyalty Points for everyday savings” Thank you for visiting us The first SA shop in the UK Address 1-3 Rockingham Close Off Priory Lane Roehampton London SW15 5RW Tel: 020 8878 1898

Address 70 Brighton Road Lower Kingswood Surrey KT20 6SY Tel: 01737 833 933

facebook.com/stmarcusbiltong www.biltongstmarcus.co.uk @stmarcusltd

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Opinion

Hope and hatred in South Africa: an interview with Jonny Steinberg | Civil war, betrayal and murder are what Asad Abdullahi left behind in his childhood to travel thousands of kilometres to the land of Mandela, the country of his dreams. But in South Africa he’d experience violence unlike anywhere else in Africa by Mandy de Waal Asad Abdullahi is standing in his uncle’s house in the Eastern Cape town of Uitenhage. A Somali who fled Mogadishu, after waking up to see his mother shot dead in front of him at the onset of the civil war when he was eight years old, Asad is now looking at another corpse. The dead body of his uncle Abdicuur Abdullahi. It is thirteen years since his mother was shot by militia and Asad is an adult now. He has been on a dangerous odyssey that has taken him from Ethiopia to South Africa with $1,200 in his pocket — a 7,000km journey. Asad’s dream was to arrive in that land of Nelson Mandela, a great constitution, freedom and the opportunity to create wealth. In South Africa, Asad believed, he could create a new life not only for himself, but importantly

for all of his descendants. After a journey bedevilled by predators like smugglers and corrupt officials, Asad arrives in Port Elizabeth where he is met by his uncle. “Abdicuur got out of the car, revealing a prosperous belly, and embraced Asad and addressed him as ‘my son’ and insisted on picking

up the duffel bag [Asad had brought with him] and putting it very carefully in the back of the cabin, as if it contained recently blown glass,” writes Jonny Steinberg in A Man of Good Hope. Later at his uncle’s home in Uitenhage at the age of about 21, Asad would slowly pull down the white sheet that covers Abdicuur’s body to see the “small and neat” gunshot wounds in his uncle’s chest and left side. “There was a switch in me,” Asad tells Steinberg about the experience of his uncle’s murder in 2004. “A change. It has happened. Now it will continue.” “Asad never experienced daily violence in civic life like he did in South Africa,” Steinberg says during an interview with GroundUp in Cape Town. “But he also never experienced opportunity like he had in SA. It was certainly a country of

extremes,” he says. “What scared Asad most about the South African violence was how sudden and unexpected it was. It was not just the violence, but the nature of the violence that so chilled him … you can think that you are comfortable, you can think that you know the world around you and

suddenly it all turns strange and nasty,” says Steinberg who reveals that he took some three years to write A Man of Good Hope. Much of that time was spent in a car with Asad that was parked between the corrugated iron shacks of the ironically named Symphony Way Temporary Relocation Area in Delft, Cape Town, better known by its nickname, Blikkiesdorp. In his book Steinberg describes this place that was built in 2008 as, “Cape Town’s asshole, the muscle through which the city shits out the parts it does not want.” After the violent death of his uncle, Asad finds brief respite in the small town of Sterkstroom, which hugs the Hex River in the Eastern Cape. His wife Foosiya makes the perilous journey to join him, and gives birth to their son. “Sterkstroom was treating him and Kaafi [Asad’s cousin and business partner] well. Business was good, the Somalis opened a second shop … and it was making almost as much money as the first. The people of Sterkstroom had accepted them and were kind,” Steinberg writes. “In the book one reads how Asad and his business partner set up in the township and start getting to know the people around them quite well,” Steinberg tells GroundUp. “They get to know people by name, connecting to the family history of the people around them, and these connections start making Asad feel comfortable. Then something happens.” Steinberg clicks his fingers to symbolise the lightningfast turn in Asad’s fate. How peace becomes peril in a heartbeat. “Asad was in business with his cousin. The way the shop worked is that there was a cage that wrapped the cashier in. One morning there was no one in the shop, it was early, and his cousin went to go and read his Koran outside of the cage while sitting on a chair. A former employee who had been dismissed about six months earlier came in with two other men and stabbed Kaafi to death,” Steinberg relays. This was no stranger who’d murdered Asad’s cousin. This was a man who lived down the road, and whose family had lived in Sterkstroom for generations. The man was arrested and let out of prison within 48 hours. “The whole town very quietly turned against Asad and said to the Somali: ‘He [the murderer] is one of ours. Not one of yours. We will protect him.’ A few days later this man walked into the shop to buy cigarettes from Asad,” the author says. Why do South Africans do this? Why do they brutally murder immigrants who come to this country and whose businesses thrive in townships against the odds? “It is about making money – that is what it is about,” says Steinberg.

The informal library | You can find books in the most unexpected places and it doesn’t have to be a library Recently, I discovered a bookshelf full of second-hand books at Charlton Station. The man in the ticket office told me to help myself. He said I should think of the books as being like a library, “Take the books you want and return them when you have read them for others to enjoy”. He said if I have any spare books I want to get rid of, then I can leave them on the bookshelf. I picked up two books: The Hunger Years and The Art Thief. I’m reading them at present. This is not the first time I have come across the informal library. One evening, sheltering in a warm, cosy station waiting room, I discovered a pile of books that were available to peruse and take home. This seems a wonderful way to acquire books and get rid of unwanted ones that are cluttering up your home. Another way to recycle books is to get involved in Book Crossing. I came across this concept by accident on a train one evening. The woman sitting opposite me, took a book out

of her bag and put it on the seat next to her. I pointed out to her that she left her book to which she replied, “It is a left book”. The idea is called Book Crossing and it’s slogan is: label, share and follow. You add a tribute, add a code from Book Crossing and leave it in a public place. The person who finds it can see the book’s journey around the globe. As it can be tracked and put readers in contact with each other, it’s like a modern day message in a bottle. The aim is to make the world a library. This scheme has expanded in unexpected ways, for example, on blogs, forums, discussions and annual conventions throughout the world. Books in certain countries are freely available, whereas a friend of mine found books to be a rare commodity when living in Tanzania, as they were expensive. New ways of sharing books can help book lovers get access to their favourite reads. See website: www.bookcrossing.com Twitter: @rowanmoira

“I think that the forces that make for xenophobia in South Africa are very powerful. What people like Asad do is they go into poor communities and make money in front of poor people, and they do so without any protection at all. They have cash businesses. They are living in shacks. Everybody around them knows that the criminal justice system won’t go after anyone who attacks them, so people are really free to attack them and take their money. They move in utterly naked and unprotected. Nobody has ever made money like that in South Africa before.” Steinberg says, “White people have made money behind powerful state institutions and the gravitas of power. Black people have started making money in poorer areas, but it means something different then. One of the things that it connotes is hope and aspiration. Someone can rise up from the ‘bottom’. People identify with this, and think: ‘maybe this could be me’. But people like Asad make money in a way that is radically different. It comes with no power and it is done without protection. What interests me is that people like Asad know this and come back all the time.” “Part of it [xenophobia] is about citizenship, ironically. During apartheid a lot of black people came from various parts of the continent and integrated with South Africans pretty easily, and in an ironic way it is because of apartheid, it is because black people weren’t citizens, that the commonality of being black was much more important than some people being citizens and some people being not. Everybody was in the same boat. Now that black South Africans are citizens, they can claim a sense of ownership and say that we belong and you don’t. Part of it is an unfortunate by-product of democracy,” Steinberg explains.

“One of the things that happens in South Africa is that the police are involved in deporting about 3,000 foreign nationals a year. They do this as a state agency, as officialdom in uniforms. They do this in front of poor people in poor communities. After the xenophobic attacks of May 2008 I interviewed many people who were involved in attacks and listened to what they were saying. These people said that they were helping the state to do its work. They would say, ‘These are not our people. We are helping to get rid of them.’ This what I mean by citizenship, and this partly is what is creating xenophobia,” he says. In the Nelson Mandela Metro of Motherwell, where Asad’s uncle had his shop, the hate is openly evident. “Abdicuur is a very proud man. People much younger than him would come up to the counter and ask for salt-and-vinegar chips. He’d bring a packet, and they’d say: ‘Hey! Are you fucken deaf? I asked for airtime’,” Asad tells Steinberg in the book. Abdicuur tutored Asad to react to this hatred with respect. “When the customer is wrong, he is right,” Abdicuur tells Asad before he is killed. “Most of our customers are unemployed or on welfare,” Asad tells Steinberg. “They are the laughing stock of South Africa but when they come to our shops, they are king.” But these are ‘kings’ who called the now dead Somali store owner ‘kwerekwere’. A Man of Good Hope is the story of one such man’s odyssey through xenophobia in search of a better life. It is also a painful mirror for South Africans to look into, but one that we dare not look away from. A Man of Good Hope is published by Jonathan Ball. Published on GroundUp.org.za

by Moira Rowan

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

Food

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Baked soet patat parcels | Most Easter weekends begin with abstaining from the usual consumption of meaty meals (which is rather radical for me) and instead family dining room tables are decked out with familiar fishy meals. Such as the traditional tangy pickled fish that only Ouma makes best! by JODI seale If you’re not a lover of this classic dish, you can always get creative with your menu as there is no-one forcing you to tuck into Ouma’s pickled fish; instead you can spice things up with a lekker snoek on the braai and serve it with a variety of sides such as the savory Soet Patat Parcels. Everyone has their own way of preparing fish, dubbing them Ultimate Snoek Braai Master with the family. However, there are a few fail-proof ingredients that you can gooi on, like a good seasoning of salt and pepper, butter, garlic (chopped garlic cloves or dried garlic flakes), and I guess the star of them all would have to be the apricot jam. Remember to ask for your snoek to be cleaned and make sure to still wash it again before seasoning and braaing, and later basting it with apricot jam. If you’re more adventurous, fill your fish with tasty toppings like mushrooms, red and green peppers, onions etc. Once you’re done, wrap up the snoek in layers of foil

[●] Photo by Jodi Seale

(enough not to tear) so that the fish locks in all the flavoursome goodness. If the foil chars from the flames, don’t worry, it just means that those areas on the snoek will be nice and crispy giving the fish another layer of texture.

Snoek en soet patat parcels Ingredients For the parcels: 6 large sweet potatoes 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves ½ cup fresh cream or coconut cream

¼ cup softened butter or olive oil Salt and pepper Nutmeg and cinnamon for sprinkling For the sauce: 1 small tub (250 ml) plain yoghurt Zest and juice of 2 lemons A handful of fresh coriander leaves, chopped

2 tablespoons pickled ginger 2 cloves garlic Method Preheat the oven 180 C. Clean the sweet potatoes and bake in the oven until soft for about 45 minutes. Remove the baked potatoes from the oven and cut lengthwise into each potato. Be careful not to cut too deep. Spoon out the insides and mash it with coriander, cream and butter. Don’t forget to season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon the flavoured mash back into the sweet potato skins. Sprinkle with a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon and bake for another 10 minutes. For the lemon sauce: Blend together all the ingredients. Drizzle with lemon sauce and serve. Additional side: you’re going to need something to soak up that yummy buttery and apricot sauce on your snoek; so break up some hot cross buns and get to it! For the lazy: If you’re not going to be sitting down to an Easter Family lunch, why not head out to your favourite spot and have yourself an ‘Easter Sushi Sunday’!

Cooking with Chef Petrus | Cape Classic Bobotie with a Lancashire Twist | This week, I’m putting a Lancashire twist on the South African Cape classic Bobotie. I’ve replaced the traditional milk and egg custard topping with layers of potatoes to create a “Bobotie Hot Pot” by Petrus Madutlela It’s easy to make and the crisp, golden buttery potato topping works really well with the curried mince. Serve either with your favourite vegetables or a salad. Ingredients (Serves 6) 2 onions, chopped 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 garlic cloves, crushed 750g lean minced beef 3 tablespoons sultanas 2 tablespoons mango chutney 2 tablespoons madras curry paste 3 large potatoes (ideally Maris Piper) 30g melted butter 1 tablespoon thyme, freshly chopped Salt & pepper to taste Method Preheat oven to 160°C fan, 180°C std (gas mark 4). Lightly grease a large sided casserole dish with high sides. Heat the oil in a large skillet over

medium heat. Cook the onions until soft. Add the crushed garlic cloves. Break the ground beef into the skillet and cook until browned. Stir in the sultanas, chutney, curry paste and seasoning to taste. Cover and simmer for ten minutes. Peel the potatoes and slice them thinly. A mandoline is ideal for this. Arrange about a third of the potatoes in a layer on the bottom of the casserole dish. Season them and sprinkle with a little thyme. Top with half of the minced beef mixture. Arrange another third of the potato slices on top of the meat and season. Add the remaining minced beef mixture, then top with potatoes in a staggered, overlapping pattern. Brush the potatoes with melted butter, season, and finish with a sprinkling of thyme. Cover and bake in the pre-heated oven for 45 minutes.

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Arts & Entertainment

SA musician Casey Leigh stirred up the crowd at her debut album Catch 22 launch | The Aylesbury Ex Services Club came alive on Friday 13 March with the melodious voice of Casey Leigh for her jam-packed debut album launch party by Staff Reporter The album entitled Catch 22, compiled of 7 original tracks was written by Casey along with her UK based Production Company Zebra 1, and was performed live with her full band at Aylesbury’s Ex Services Club to a crowded venue. After an official welcome and introduction by the town’s deputy mayor, Casey Leigh moved the crowd with powerful and energetic performances of her original tracks. Including her unique and creative deliveries of a few covers together with duets with her band members

and a mash up of Sam Smith’s “Not the only one” and Ed Sheeran’s “Thinking out Loud”. Being so close to Mother’s Day, a sign language interpreter joined Casey Leigh on stage for her self-penned tribute song “Umama”. The endings of each song performed were drowned out by the cheering and rapturous applause by the crowd, which the venue reported as being the biggest crowd in the history of the Aylesbury Ex Services Club. Casey Leigh said she was overwhelmed by the support from both the local community and expat

South Africans. Casey was humbled by the reception, turn-out and the amount of CDs sold both on the night and online. Casey Leigh said, “After such a positive UK welcome, I am now looking forward to more performances around the country and especially London and then a few planned for South Africa later this year.” The album as a hard copy is available to order from Casey’s website with free postage and downloads will be available soon on Play Store.

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

Arts & Entertainment

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Zahara & Mtukudzi take over the UK with an African touch | Zahara & Mtukudzi perform together in the UK for Easter holidays

isa n go en sembl e myster ies 29, 30 & 31 March, 5 & 6 April

By staff reporter Zimbabwe’s legendary super star Oliver Mtukudzi & his Black Spirits band will join South African’s Zahara and her 10-piece band for two shows scheduled for London and Birmingham over the Easter weekend. This would be the first time that Zahara will share a stage with Tuku in the UK. The tour, promoted by the leading UK promoters Icons Of Africa, promises to be one of the biggest Southern Africa gigs in the UK. The promoters are known for organizing big and successful African events in her Majesty’s land. Zimbabweans, South Africans as well as other nationalities are expected to throng the venues to be wowed by Zahara & Tuku who have performed memorable shows in Africa. Radio legend Ezra Tshisa Sibanda from Icons of Africa said ,”There is no better combination to entertain revelers over Easter than putting Southern African’s best acoustic guitarists Tuku & Spinach (Zahara's nickname) together on stage. It’s the battle of the acoustics.” Zahara said of the upcoming tour: “I love the atmosphere of sharing the stage with Africa’s legend Oliver Mtukudzi. I always feel good playing alongside Tuku and I feel at home.” The evergreen Oliver Mtukudzi said, “I watched Zahara perform on many occasions and she has always been impressive. She is one hell of a talent and UK people won’t be disappointed.” Zahara, whose real name is Bulelwa Mkutukana, hails from Cape Town and was born on 9 November 1987. She has proven to be the biggest female artist South Africa has had since the demise of Brenda Fassie. She’s made history when her debut album “Loliwe” sold over 200 000 copies in South Africa alone. The only other female artiste to achieve such success in South Africa in recent years was Fassie. Unlike Fassie, who was considered to be wild and outrageous with very outspoken views about life in the townships, Zahara enjoys popularity with more gentle soulful songs

such as “Lengoma’’, “Umthwalo”, “Incwadi Encane”, “Thekwana” and the album title track “Loliwe”. On 1 May 2012, at the annual South African Music Awards, Zahara won eight awards, including: “Best Female Artist” and “Album of the Year” for the album “Loliwe”. She has just won Metro FM Award for best selling downloads for her latest album ”Phendula”. Zahara & Mtukudzi will provide Southern African and Zimbabwean flair with Icons of Africa Promotions’ event hosting experience, which is necessarry at shows of such magnitude. Tuku, the veteran singer, has seen it all in music, won awards after awards the world over and has proven to be a fatherly figure to upcoming artists. Tuku is expected to feature songs from his latest album “Mukombe Wemvura” and his classic hits from previous albums. The Shamiso Pata Pata hitmaker who enjoys the UK fan base support has been a most successful and sought-after African artist in the UK. Ezra Tshisa Sibanda said, “Zahara means shining, and this lady is really a shining star. She is truly

one of Africa’s hidden treasures, the world needs to get acquainted with her beautiful music,” added Sibanda. Many music lovers have a genuine admiration for them They are true artists, they both love what they do, and express it effortlessly. The broadcaster Sibanda reiterated that people need to come early for such events to enjoy the performances to the fullest and get their tickets in advance to avoid inconveniences on the night. “As always we promise to deliver and deliver on our promise, it can only be Icons Of Africa Promotions, thriving for excellence every time. “Our strong relations with professionals, musicians/artists and fans has perpetuated us to a progressive movement and becoming a widely sought after brand in the UK and abroad,” said Sibanda. The first show is in London Friday 3 April 2015 Oasis Banqueting Suite, Barking Essex. The second show is in Birmingham Saturday 4 April 2015 Tower Ballroom, Birmingham.

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

5 great reasons to visit The Oyster Box | South Africa's favourite hotel along the east coast has a lot to offer. Here's five reasons why it should be on your bucket list by Staff Reporter BRINGING a touch of style, luxury and indulgence to the east coast of South Africa, The Oyster Box in Umhlanga Rocks, Durban, has firmly established itself as the leading five-star hotel in KwaZulu-Natal, since it reopened five years ago. The legendary Oyster Box has been providing guests with special memories for over 60 years. Its incredible beachside position, overlooking the

iconic red and white lighthouse with spectacular views of the Indian Ocean and the hallmark hospitality and service, remains a draw-card for visitors from far and wide. The grand old dame remains a much-loved favourite with all who visit her! Exceptional accommodation With 86 luxurious rooms, suites, garden villas (each with its own private plunge pool), as well as a split-level Presidential Suite, the hotel is one of the most

sought after holiday and business destinations in the country. Outstanding Cuisine A choice of restaurants to suit every palate has made The Oyster Box one of Durban’s most popular wining and dining venues. From the laid-back, seafacing ‘Ocean Terrace’ serving fresh pizzas, the incredible Curry Buffet and the finest selection of freshly caught seafood, to High Tea in the ‘Palm Court’ or fine dining in The ‘Grill Room’…

diners will be spoilt for choice. Unique Experiences Private dining, at the Chef’s Table, in the sunken wine cellar, is as special as it’s unique. Bespoke meals are paired with wines selected by our Sommelier, from our extensive award-winning wine list of fine local and international vintages. Sundowners, cocktails or Champagne taken on the terrace, accompanied by freshly plucked oysters harvested from the hotel’s own oyster beds, are reason alone to pay a visit to this famous establishment. Cause to Celebrate Whether the venue for a grand banquet, informal lunch, business meeting or conference, or a place of distinction to mark those special events, such as

a weddings, anniversaries, or birthdays, The Oyster Box is the place to celebrate. True luxury awaits you The highly skilled staff and therapists at the award-winning Spa at The Oyster Box, are dedicated to restoring beauty and balance through individual treatments and spa journeys that celebrate and reflect KwazuluNatal’s rich culture. The Spa offers masterfully created spa experiences incorporating ancient disciplines, philosophies and natural therapies, with the latest international products and techniques. For more information about The Oyster Box: Tel: +27 31 514 5000 E-mail: info@oysterbox.co.za www.oysterboxhotel.com

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

Business: Classifieds

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

SERVICES

SA SHOP DIRECTORY

BREYTENBACHS BIC specialise in entry clearance applications as well as applications submitted in the UK, so please contact us without further delay at info@bic-immigration.com or visit our website for the contact details of our offices. 23 Austin Friars London, EC2N 2QP, United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0) 207 442 2160 www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com

KALAHARI MOON The Southern African Shop in Bristol. Wide range of stock including excellent boerewors and biltong. Centrally situated, friendly service. Connecting South Africans. Tel: 0117 929 9879 Address: 88 – 91 The Covered Market. st Nicholas Market, Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1JQ Email: Info@kalaharimoon.co.uk Website: www.kalaharimoon.co.uk

SA SHOP DIRECTORY

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Sales Assistants Assistant Managers Part-time & Weekend Assistants

Use accountants that do more than ‘crunch’ the numbers... let us help grow your business Company formations and Secretarial Services Business planning and development • Management support • Team training and 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

CHICHESTER BILTONG COMPANY BILTONG doesn’t get any better than this! Arguably the best and most authentic South African biltong in the UK. We only use the finest herbs and spices and 100 percent British grass-fed beef! Our FINEST range is also gluten, sugar, msg and preservative free. For 10 percent EXTRA FREE use code SAFFA10 in the shipping instructions box at the checkout. www.biltongcompany.co.uk / 01243 216196

FOODS4YOU Whether you like to create an incentive program for your employees or corporate gifts at special times or throughout the year. Foods4U – Corporate Services Division is there to assist and help you maintain your critical internal and external business. sales@foods4u.co.uk Unit 22 / 24 Manford Ind. Estate, +44 (0) 87 00 33 2130, Manor Road, Erith, Kent, DA8 2AJ.

NO1 South African Shop Lots of lekker stuff for a taste of home. Including fantastic biltong, droewors and boerewors. 5 Marlow Drive, St Catherines Hill, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 2RR. The shop is about 2 miles north-west of Christchurch town centre and 6 miles north-east of Bournemouth town centre. There’s loads of free parking and the shop is easy to get to from the A338. Tel: 01202 496041 10’ish to 6pm 7 days a week. www.no1southafricanshop.co.uk

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

South African managed and owned We are looking for the right blend of skills to come and join our wonderful, growing and hardworking team. We invest in, train and develop our staff at The Savanna. Please email your C.V. to us at natalieg@thesavanna.co.uk or call 07921 823 427 for an application form.

St Marcus One of the most amazing emporia the capital offers to the carnivorous gourmet. People have been flocking to St. Marcus for their amazing range of Biltong and Boerewors Visit us at: 1-3 Rockingham Close, Priory Lane, off Upper Richmond Road West, Roehampton, London SW15 5RW Call us at: 0208 878 1898 Online: www.biltongstmarcus.co.uk sales@biltongstmarcus.co.uk

CLASSIC TRAVEL Accra Abidjan Auckland Bangkok Banjul Beijing Bue.Aires Cairo Cape Town Chicago

450 450 657 379 410 384 290 289 478 506

Dakar DAR Dubai Douala Durban Entebbe Freetown Gaborone Harare India

412 357 246 435 530 449 589 650 496 396

w w w.goclassic.co.uk PRICES INCLUDE ALL TA XES (gauranteed)

Jo’burg Kinshasa KUL/SING LA/SFO Lagos Luanda Lusaka Manila Maputo Mauritius

385 499 388 442 341 569 490 458 590 629

Nairobi New York P Harcourt Pakistan Rio Sydney Toronto Vancouver Windhoek

280 339 559 369 289 480 345 365 784

SPECIAL: Jo’burg £385 Rtn ( Baggage 55Kgs) BOOK & CONFIRM with £100 deposit

INSURANCE & CAR HIRE

Tel:

0207 586 1234

| 24 - 31 March 2015 | thesouthafrican.com

Business

Brush up on your British Citizenship requirements | Let Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants get you clued up on the pros and cons of immigration rules by Breytenbachs The “Good character” requirement for British Citizenship When a person submits a British Citizenship application, the UK Home Office carry out certain checks and investigations relating to the ‘good character’ requirement that a person is required to fulfil in order to qualify for British citizenship. The checks that are carried out inter alia include checks pertaining to the person’s tax affairs, criminal convictions, judgements and immigration history. Immigration History The UK Home Office recently made some changes to the citizenship application guidance, by including immigration related issues in the good character guidance. A citizenship application may be refused if the applicant was involved in any immigration offences in the past ten years. Such abuses might include; entering the UK illegally, over-staying on one’s visa, evading immigration control, assisting someone else to abuse the immigration laws etc. Should a person for instance have over-stayed in the UK in the past, the UK Home Office might request information on why the person over-stayed, an explanation on why it happened and how costs were covered during this period etc. It is thus very important not to transgress immigration rules in the first instance, as it might also end up in a refusal of one’s British citizenship application. Tax Affairs Applicants also have to ensure that

ARE YOU

their tax affairs are up to date, as the obligation to pay income tax and National Insurance contributions are one of the checks for the good character requirement of British citizenship. By signing one’s application form for the British citizenship application, you are giving consent to the UK Home Office to check with H.M. Revenue & Customs to confirm that your tax affairs are in order. If a person has unsolved tax issues, there is a substantial risk that the application will be rejected. If citizenship is refused, the UK Home Office will not cancel the Indefinite Leave to Remain, but may well confirm that a further application for citizenship can only be submitted after the tax issues has been resolved. Criminal Convictions A person has to provide full details of all criminal convictions inside and outside the UK. Such convictions include; road traffic offences (fixed penalty notices will not normally be taken into account) and endorsements on one’s driving licence. Civil Judgements The applicant will have to provide details of all civil judgements which have resulted in a court order, as well as any civil penalties under the UK Immigration Act. Details of family law proceedings are not required. Details of bankruptcy charges must also be provided, and where an applicant is an undischarged bankrupt, it is unlikely that the application will succeed. Other issues that an applicant will inter alia have to declare

Current factors influencing the South African Rand | A negative factor currently influencing the Rand is that it is undervalued

ELIGIBLE

FOR A

BRITISH

PASSPORT? Philip Gamble & Partners are an authority on UK Immigration and British Nationality, and have helped thousands navigate the complex path to a British Passport. Check your eligibility NOW.

e: info@philipgamble.co.uk | t: 0207 759 7581 | www.philipgamble.co.uk

include; •Particulars of any cautions, warning or reprimands that have been received in the UK and elsewhere, •Details of any sexual offences, •Whether there is any offence for which he/she may go to court or which is awaiting a hearing in court, •Any involvement in terrorism, •Any deceptions made in your dealings with any of the government departments, including the UK home Office; and •Whether any of your children have been convicted of an offence or have received a court order (ASBO). It is thus clear from the above that the applicant will need to declare almost anything that might indicate that he/she is not of a good character, and details have to be provided in all cases. The UK Home Office does make these checks in all cases and an application may fail and the application fee not refunded where a false declaration is made. BIC thus recommend that clients always contact their BIC consultant from their application for their first UK visa, in order to be fully informed about what is expected from a person and what not, in order to ensure the route to British citizenship is a smooth one! www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com

by 1st contact There’s no denying that there is never a dull moment when it comes to the South African Rand. This topic easily sparks new conversation among expats living abroad, especially those transferring foreign currency in or out the country. Currencies are moved by many different factors such as interest rates, economic growth and politics to name just a few. Last week the chief economist of Standard Bank, Goolam Ballim announced a few factors that are currently affecting the Rand. The South African Rand, as

a commodity currency, is very reactive to any changes in the strength of commodity prices and the weakening of the commodity prices last week has been quite impactful to the strength of the Rand. With China’s slowing growth it is doubtful that their demand will push up commodity prices, which means the Rand is unlikely to get much stronger. Another factor currently influencing the Rand is that it is undervalued, which means the rate at which it can be exchanged for other world currencies is too low. Of course, the strong Dollar and South Africa’s current account deficit

could result in a weaker Rand for the near future. The Rand/Pound exchange rate has been hovering in the lower ZAR/GBP 18 range over the past week, but the Rand has strengthened once again, maintaining its volatile nature. The exchange rate fluctuated between 18.40 and 18.00 with daily rate fluctuation in a range of 10 to 20 cents. The past week saw a barrage of economic data being released from the UK and the US, and this caused some market wide volatility, which kept the Rand on the back foot. Looking ahead UK and US Consumer price index (CPI) data is due to be released and that could promote further volatility. Brought to you by

Call 0808 168 2055

thesouthafrican.com | 24 - 31 March 2015 |

Sport

Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Latest touch rugby results | It's never too late to get involved with In2Touch. As week five draws to an end at Clapham in the 2015 winter league, the blue skies of the previous week have turned a bit grey By in2touch That did mean softer pitches under foot and perfect diving conditions for some awesome touch downs with Galaxy Mixed providing the pick of the tries leaving Hot Custard in their wake. On pitch 1, traditional rivals in the Top Mixed Division, Galaxy and Hot Custard, were locking horns in an extremely tight contest with lots of national players in their teams. Galaxy managed to give enough by edging over Hot Custard for the three - two win. On pitch 2 The Goat Whisperers and Sparky the Wonderdog were in an equally close contest with both teams putting in all the effort. The Goat Whisperers gave it one last push to take the win five â&#x20AC;&#x201C; three. Anyone can play Touch as it is a great sport for hand eye coordination, ball skills and mental foresight. You can play in a men's, ladie's or mixed team and can start playing from any age. Touch is a minimal contact sport where you just need to make a touch, even just touching the shirt or the ball counts. Looking something like Rugby, without the tackling, scrumming, kicking and the like, the aim of the game is to score tries. Played on a flat surface, half the size of a conventional sports field, although played to a wider extent on a social level, there

are now flourishing commercial leagues in England, Scotland, South Africa and New Zealand. There are also regular school competitions and development clinics spreading the Touch gospel to everyone. The official governing body of the sport is known as the Federation of International Touch (FIT). There are plenty of upcoming leagues to get involved in like our short four week league in Clapham Common, the April Shootout League. There are also our O2Touch Spring and Summer leagues taking place at seven different venues across London on Mondays to Thursdays from 19:00 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 21:00. Venues such as Clapham Common, Clapham/Wandsworth Common, Putney/Wandsworth, Regents Park, Hyde Park, Surrey Quays & Richmond. If you would like to know more about our current or upcoming touch leagues and any other details like costs, etc. in London then you can either email us at tracy@in2touch.com or have a look for more information including venues, costs, game times, etc. at www.in2touch.com/uk

Sport page 14

Current factors influencing the Rand

page 15

our Latest touch rugby results

24 – 31 March 2015

Cape Town set to host the World Sevens Series | The South African Rugby Union announced on Friday that the SA leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series would be moving to Cape Town for four years from December By saru

The Cape Town Sevens will join a host of new and iconic venues on the Series circuit – which has already added Sydney and Vancouver to its schedule – with the full line-up of host cities and dates to be confirmed by World Rugby (formerly the IRB) in due course. The Cape Town Sevens will be played at the Cape Town Stadium following an agreement between SARU and the City Council. The Western Province Rugby Union was kept informed of the discussions by SARU and has pledged their support. “World Rugby wanted global iconic destinations to showcase the new Olympic sport of Rugby Sevens and a world-class stadium, in a world-class city in the shadow of a World Heritage site in Table Mountain provides exactly that,” said Jurie Roux, CEO of SARU. “We enjoyed our stay in George and more recently in Port Elizabeth where we were able to grow the event with the help of the Municipality and the support of the Eastern Province Rugby Union and Eastern Cape fans and we thank them for that. But as the World Sevens Series has grown – and with it the requirements and the expectations – so we needed to go to the next level and Cape Town allows us to do that. “Cape Town is sports-mad and their crowds frequently top the attendance charts in SA and it is a rugby city. The Fan Walk to the stadium and the proximity of entertainment areas such as the V&A Waterfront are an added

[●] Photo by Warren Little/ Getty Images

bonus and will capture and amplify the unique vibe of Sevens Rugby. It also has the added advantage from World Rugby’s perspective of numerous direct international flights and significant hotel capacity, which will ease some of the logistical issues.” World Rugby Chairman Bernard Lapasset said: "With excitement increasing ahead of Rio 2016, the World Rugby Sevens Series is going from strength to strength, proving a hit with fans, broadcasters and sponsors around the globe with its winning blend of compelling and competitive action,

global destinations and festival atmosphere. “The South Africa Sevens has been at the heart of the success story and we are delighted to be extending our partnership with SARU as a Series host. We have enjoyed 13 successful years at Port Elizabeth (four) and George (nine) and the move to Cape Town reflects the ever-increasing interest and success of Sevens in South Africa. “Cape Town is one of the world’s iconic cities – a major tourism and sporting destination that has proven to be an exceptional and warm host. Its inclusion within a stellar World

Rugby Sevens Series schedule is exciting for fans around the world. "I am confident that the South Africa Sevens in Cape Town will inspire new audiences and participants and contribute to the continued strong growth of rugby in South Africa and around the world. “The confirmation of Cape Town as World Rugby’s preferred destination was completed following SARU’s entering into an arrangement with the City of Cape Town over the use of the Cape Town Stadium as the home of SA Sevens,” said Lapasset. “We are very excited that, as

from December, Cape Town will be hosting the South African leg of the World Sevens Series for the next four years. Sporting events play a major role in our vision of becoming the events capital of Africa,” said the Executive Mayor of Cape Town, Patricia de Lille. “We are therefore especially honoured to be the new hosts of this event, and I would like to thank the South African Rugby Union (SARU) and World Rugby for giving us this opportunity.” The Executive Mayor added: “The Cape Town Stadium has become a beacon of inclusivity within our city, and it is only fitting that this iconic venue play host to an event that unites people from across the world through their love of sport. Now, people will be coming to the Cape Town Stadium to share in their love for rugby as well.” The Blitzboks and 15 other international teams will contest the SA tournament, whose title has been won by South Africa in the past two seasons. December’s tournament in Port Elizabeth attracted a crowd of 63 000 over the two days of competition with that figure expected to be topped at the 55 000-capacity Cape Town stadium. South Africa lead the current standings on the World Series with 93 points from New Zealand (88) and Fiji (86). The next tournament kicks off a week today in Hong Kong. Fans can follow all the news on the Cape Town Sevens and get the latest news on ticket sales by following @ SouthAfrica7s or by going to www. sarugby.co.za

Your essential contacts list All the services you need for living and working in London from the Financial, Migration and Tax Experts > Kickstart & UK Bank Accounts > Money Transfers > Tax Refunds > Accounting & Limited Companies > Visas, Migration & Immigration > Travel Clinic > Umbrella Payroll

0808 141 2305 0808 141 1688 0808 141 2325 0808 141 2271 0808 141 2252 0808 141 2322 0808 141 1698

41346

www.1stcontact.com/group 41346_Grp_SAfrican_BkBanner_2012.indd 1

29/03/2012 14:00