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21 August – 27 August 2012

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BLOOD ON WHOSE HANDS?

Marikana mine shooting compared to Sharpeville; fingers pointed at Lonmin, South African government and police

by HEATHER WALKER

n the wake of last week’s Marikana tragedy that saw 34 striking miners shot and killed by South African police, on Saturday about 50 Londoners staged a protest outside the Belgravia headquarters of Lonmin, the British firm that owns the platinum mine where the strikers work. Carrying placards with slogans such as ‘Lonmin kills striking workers’, ‘Solidarity with the Marikana miners’, ‘Economic apartheid is alive and kicking’ and ‘Lonmin there is blood on your hands’, the protesters gathered outside the Grosvener Place head office of the world’s third biggest platinum producer. The group then marched to the South African High Commission in Trafalgar Square to protest that police had carried out the killings. The demonstration was organised by Bloomsbury Fightback, a group that, according to its Facebook page, “brings together students and trade union members from across the University College London Bloomsbury campus who wish to create a broad oppositional front against austerity in the university and more generally.” The British Socialist Party also threatened a local protest if the SA government and employers don’t back down to the demands of the roughly 3,000 drilling operators at the mine, who want an increase from the minimum wage of R5 500 a month to R12 500. The Socialist Party called for the nationalisation of South Africa’s mines so that

UK Immigration • UK Visas • Permits • EEA visas • Residency • Citizenship • Appeals • Sponsorship Licences South African Immigration

INSIDE:

Ekhaya puts SA fashion in the spotlight| p8 The Queen Elizabeth Hall in London was transformed into a ramp for an exceptional fashion show that showcased the work of nine talented South African designers as part of a concept known as Ekhaya.

Bristol-based SA mum of quads needs help | p4

A woman holds a placard as she protests against the police shooting of striking miners at the Lonmin platinum mine near Rustenburg on Thursday. Photo by AP Photo/Themba Hadebe.

“the platinum wealth can be used to benefit ordinary South Africans and pay a decent wage instead of being squandered by the profiteering of companies like Lonmin,” according to a statement on the party’s website. Julius Malema, uncharacteristically, did not mention nationalistion when he

addressed the strikers outside the mine near Rustenburg on Saturday, but he called for President Jacob Zuma and police minister Nathi Mthwethwa to resign or back the miners’ demands. “Zuma presided over the massacre of our people,” Malema said. Zuma has declared there will be both a commission of enquiry

and a week of national mourning following what has been called the worst death toll in police action since the end of apartheid. The Marikana tragedy has been compared to the Sharpeville massacre by the Azanian People’s Organisation (Azapo) and the Institute of Race Relations. ...continued on page 4

In February South African Emma Robbins gave birth to quadruplets. Five months down the line life is tough, but Emma remains optimistic – although she could do with a helping hand…

Mandela birthday brings record coin sales | p11 £4 million worth of collectable Mandela medallions were sold by Scoin Shop in the run-up to Nelson Mandela’s birthday this year.

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| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

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Editor: Heather Walker Production: Paul Christopher Daniels Publisher: Gordon Glyn-Jones Registered office: Unit C7, Commodore House, Battersea Reach, London SW18 1TW. Tel: 0845 456 4910 Email: editor@thesouthafrican.com Website: www.thesouthafrican.com Directors: P Atherton, J Durrant, N Durrant and R Phillips Printed by: Mortons of Horncastle Ltd

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August

Africa Unplugged music concert Date: 27 August Venue: Wembley Arena, London South African musicians Zahara and Zakes Bantwini, Zimbabwe’s Winky D and Nigeria’s Afrobeat legend Femi Kuti will be among the stellar line-up of artists performing at Africa Unplugged at Wembley Arena on Monday 27 August. Tickets start at £28 - buy on www.africaunplugged.co.uk South African Season at Edinburgh Festival Fringe Date: until 27 August Venue: Various venues in Edinburgh Assembly 2012 is presenting a South African Season at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe in Scotland. The shows are at various venues across Edinburgh and star such famous South African faces as

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Sandra Prinsloo and Loyiso Gola. The line-up include the celebrated classic Woza Albert. Tickets: www.assemblyfestival. com

September SA Business Club : Bernie Clark – Head of Health and Risk at Alexander Forbes Financial Services Ltd Date: 12 September, 6.15 -9.30pm Location: Deloitte The SA Business Club is honoured to present Bernie Clark, the Head of Health and Risk at Alexander Forbes Financial Services Ltd. The topic is still to be confirmed. As always, the speaker address will be followed by delicious canapes and the finest South African wines. Members Cost: £0 Members’ Guest Cost: £20 Vistor (Non-member) Cost: £30 Booking: http:// southafricanchamber.co.uk

Please email your events to: editor@thesouthafrican.com For more listings, please visit www.thesouthafrican.com

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| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

News

Bristol-based SA mum of quads needs your help In February South African expat Emma Robbins gave birth to quadruplets. Five months down the line life is tough, but Emma remains optimistic – although she could do with a helping hand… by ELIZABETH GLANVILLE

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Zachary, Rueben, Joshua and Samuel were born in February to South African mum Emma Robbins.

work. The family is not getting extra governmental support, although in a parallel situation 10 years ago Social Services would have provided a night nurse five nights a week and a full time nanny when the children turned three.The family have had some students supporting them up until now and are looking for more volunteers to help out over summer, before colleges start again in the autumn. But despite their struggles Emma remains positive. “Home life is amazing but incredibly hard,” she blogged. ‘We are slowly getting used to our new lives, and so is their big brother.” The family have a community of South Africans around then helping with feeding and duties

and now a friend of the family, Donna Kinnish, has set up a care fund to help raise money so the family can pay for a nurse to support them at least one night per week. Sufficient funds were raised for the nurse’s initial visit, and Donna blogged that this was a great help to the family. After the visit the quads were happier and more settled. Now Donna continues with her mission to raise £20,000 so that the nurses can visit weekly. The care fund blog can be viewed at www.gofundme.com/ Bristol-Quads Read Emma’s ‘quad diary’ at http://emmasquaddiary.blogspot. co.uk Interested volunteers can contact Emma through her blog.

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FOR Bristol-based South African, Emma Robbins, who gave birth to quadruplets in February, the transition has been tough. Emma, who is originally from Johannesburg, delivered four boys within six minutes of each other by Caesarean section, 11 weeks early. She had always dreamt of having a family of four so to learn that she was pregnant with quadruplets – a phenomenon which is incredibly uncommon without medical intervention – was a massive shock, and the idea took some getting used to. “Through a lot of soul searching I realised that it is so rare to be given the opportunity to experience something like this, that I have decided to follow its path with all that it brings. I know it’s not going to be easy, but with the love and strength of [my husband] Martin, my family and my friends I will be able to overcome any fear,” she said last year. Now, five months on, Zachary, Rueben, Joshua and Samuel are spending their days feeding, sleeping, changing and winding, while Mum Emma spends hers just trying to stay on top of it all. As well as having to face such a massive adjustment Emma had to deal with losing her brother to cancer just three and half weeks after the births of her babies. Emma is struggling with sleep deprivation from getting less than two hours sleep a night and is on her own most days with the four babies, as well as three-yearold son Luke, while Martin is at

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continued from page 1... Azapo said, “We can only describe the situation as a massacre not different from March 21, 1960, in Sharpeville; June 16, 1976, in Soweto and June 17, 1992, in Boipatong. It was the police that killed Andries Tatane, a protester who was demanding better services from government. Today police kill miners who are protesting for better working conditions and better remuneration.” Both Azapo and the South African Institute of Race Relations called for the suspension of all police officers involved in the shooting, pending charges of murder and/or culpable homicide. “There is evidence of their

continuing to shoot after bodies can be seen dropping and others turning to run, reminiscent of Sharpeville. Even if the police were provoked or were angry at the killing of two police officers days before, no disciplined and properly trained policeman would shoot into a crowd,” the Institute said. Lonmin has committed to provide funding for the education of all the children of employees who lost their lives during the tragedy. “This funding will cover education costs from primary school to university,” Lonmin Chief Financial Officer Simon Scott announced on Friday. He expressed his condolences to the families and friends of the

police, security guards and miners who died during the protest. According to South Africa’s Sunday Tribune, at least 300 spent cartridges and 45 guns have been recovered from the crime scene by investigators from the Independent Police Investigative Directorate. Meanwhile, members of New Zealand’s Global Peace and Justice Auckland group, which said the SA government had “blood on their hands” splattered the South African consulate building in Auckland with red paint in response to the shooting. “Under the ANC we have seen South Africa change from racebased apartheid to economic apartheid,” said spokesman John Minto.

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 |

Comments

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On “SA restaurateur bills Boris £90,000 for loss of turnover” Nick: You can always move back to SA. Rob: Dear Neleen, you have to take the rough with the smooth. There’s no use blaming others. That’s business! Go throw another chop on the braai! Cheyne: Would you like some cheese with that whine? Saffa Greg: This is real nonsense. We’ve known for seven years that the Olympics were coming. We all knew London would not be normal no matter what that meant. Moreover, business can expect a post-Olympics boom as millions more visitors come to London after the amazing Olympics. Chin up. Chris: So, knowing that there were going to be fewer bankers, accountants and other people with more money than sense around, how much effort did the restaurant go to to attract the millions that came to the Olympics? Personally I went to Las Iguanas in London for South American food because they reached out and let me know they were there. Eugene: @Nick - what a knoblike thing to say… Neleen is quite

correct in standing up for what is right! Many small businesses have suffered as a result of this poor vision and planning from Johnson. I love a South African who can stand up against the odds and love it even more if a Saffa woman show bigger balls than most men in this country! Publius Naso: She could always have spent some of the profits on marketing to those regular clients, letting them know that everything is still business as usual. Y’know, an email or a text message? Hell, even a Facebook notice would have worked. That said, surely after the first three days she must have seen the downturn. That would have been the time to shut up shop and wait for it to pass. Most business-minded people would have reacted that way in the face of such a drastic drop in business. I just want to add that despite what you may read in this article, not all South Africans are prone to such petulance or ridiculousness. Frank Simmers: This person is a silly woman. If she was giving value for money, she would have customers regardless of the Games. I do agree with her that the Games is a waste of money, unfortunately the rest of the UK will have to pay for years while the English coin it in. Dean Van Niekerk: I “agree”.

As much as we all loved hosting and watching the Olympic games (if you were lucky enough to buy tickets) the benefits for small businesses are yet to be seen? The majority of our London customers complained that their turnover was down as was our own by 30% for the same period last year. This was accompanied by overtime for early deliveries. As for getting a rebate for loss of earnings, I wish you the best of luck! Brett: She has a point – it is irresponsible to chase everyone out of the city on the assumption that it is going to be busy. The City is quick to demand its council tax, business rates and licence fees but in return for demanding these payments have a duty not to scare away trade. Karen G: If Neleen makes £95k profit in two weeks, I think that becoming an accountant all those years ago was probably a wrong decision on my part. I should have taken cookery classes. Good luck with that! Cheyne: @Karen - I’m not sure what kind of accountant you are if you think turnover and profit are the same thing! SA Entrepreneur: A case of Boris is damned if he does and damed if he does not. She is out of line blaming Boris. She should have planned for both ends of the scale, which clearly she did not.

Not knocking her, she clearly has a good shop, but knocking her decision to blame good old Boris. Sad the “home” Games is over already! Jane: Funny the restaurant next door, Northbank Restaurant, has remained very busy during the summer Olympic period, maybe Neleen should note this. Jane: Instead of blaming Boris perhaps she should have done her own research into the effects the Olympics might have on her business and budgeted, marketed and planned accordingly. Ja: Oh get over yourself lady. It’s not all about you, but about the long term benefits to London and its citizens. Why should anyone have to pay because you didn’t do your research? Chaeewa Nyombies: If you were a true South African you would have made a plan as soon as you saw by day two that the crowds you were expecting did not turn up, so best suggestion is that you go back to South Africa and re-learn what it is like to be South African. Johannes: Must say, this is the first bit of bad news I have read since the Olympics. If you knew what Boris said, why did you not close your doors as well and attended the brilliant Olympics that your city has hosted. Always look on the bright side of life.

Neleen Strauss is the owner of High Timber restaurant in the City of London, which was left virtually empty during the Olympics.

Helen Gill: I have eaten in this restaurant and aside from my friend and I, there were just two other tables of two guests each. Perhaps the overpriced, mediocre food is what is really to blame for her empty restaurant! Forsters: High Timber? Never heard of them. Sounds like a Zuma scam (419). Join the debate on www.thesouthafrican.com

Community

| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Have you been spotted?

HOWZAT: The South African High Commission in London hosted a dinner for business leaders and several members of the Proteas cricket team including Hashim Amla, JP Duminy and Lonwabo Tsotsobe on Monday 13 August. Meanwhile, across town at the Minster Exchange, Jacques Kallis, Dale Steyn and John Smit were the guests of honour at another special dinner organised by Tight5 Events (photos by Myak Homberger).

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thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 | Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

The LOCAL ROB BOFFARD

Train of destruction

MY goodness, London does things backwards. Only after the most intense, full-on sporting event on planet earth comes to town does the city’s transport system threaten to explode at the seams. A million extra tourists? No worries, guv. When they leave? Cor blimey, me old back, I’m about to collapse. Actually, you can blame this sudden burst of pain on scheming rail companies – and it’s countrywide, rather than just localised to London. But somewhere along the line, the government decided that, since ticket prices should rise in line with inflation, the cost of one should go up 6.2%. And since train companies are allowed to tack another 5% onto that, it means (assuming my notoriously dicey maths is right) that some tickets will cost at least 11% more after January. And the more your season ticket costs already, the more you pay. Commuters coming into London are about to be body-slammed. I can’t begin to make head or tail of the complex nexus of government and the big rail companies. Every time I do, I feel as if I’m trying to juggle jelly. What I cannot understand is why rail travel in Britain costs so much in the first place. It was one of the things I remarked upon in an earlier column for this newspaper, and I recall mentioning then that I couldn’t understand how it cost more to move a tube of metal along a fixed track from one place to another than it does to get another tube of metal airborne and into another country. I still don’t. And I do have to wonder when it became so difficult to get anywhere in Britain. Again,

Community

I am prepared to be educated on the relative price of oil, the impact of inflation and the effect on the economy of migrant gypsies, but for now I remain completely puzzled. In almost no other country will you find such eyebrow-raising average fees. For comparison, I just booked a train ticket in the Czech Republic (I’m going to dance around in a field to very loud hip-hop for a bit, and wish to travel in style). The ticket, for a two-hour trip that in Britain would take me up to York, cost me 180 Czech Koruna. For comparison, that’s £5. And that’s for two people. I understand and am prepared to take into account the fact that global warming means that travel will become more expensive. Still doesn’t stop me from scratching my head in puzzlement and going, “Already?” And it’s not as if the train companies even give you more for your cash. The level of service remains the same wherever you go – that is to say, execrable and slow. The trains in Britain are consistently late, hugely overcrowded and impossible to use. They are in every way a drag. There are many things I will miss about this country, but the transport system is not one of them.

1p/min promotion is valid from 01/08/2012 and until 31/08/2012. #Unlimited calls from Lycamobile to Lycamobile: From the 1st to 31st of August customers with a minimum balance of 20p can enjoy free and unlimited calls from Lycamobile UK to Lycamobile UK. Any changes to rates will be notified on the rates section of our website at www.lycamobile.co.uk or you can call our customer services team on 020 7132 0322 to check rates or for more information. *This promotion gives up to £15 free mobile top-up credit when you bring your mobile phone number from a different UK mobile phone network to Lycamobile UK between 01/08/2012 until 31/08/2012. Free credit is given when the customer number is ported and live on Lycamobile UK and the first top-up is made. The amount of free credit given is dependent on the value of the first top-up: If the first top-up is up to £10, £5 free credit is awarded; if the first top-up is £20, £10 free credit is awarded; and if the first top-up is £30+, £15 free credit is awarded. Customers can bring their mobile phone number from any UK network apart from GT Mobile, Toggle Mobile or Lycamobile. By taking part in the Promotion customers will be deemed to have accepted and agree to be bound by these terms and conditions. The benefits given in this Promotion cannot be transferred.

Entertainment

| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Win a copy of Deon Meyer’s new book We have a copy of 7 Days to give away to five of our lucky readers!

by STAFF REPORTER BESTSELLING South African crime author Deon Meyer’s new book 7 Days will be out on 13 September. In celebration of this, we have a copy of the book to give away to five lucky readers, courtesy of the publishers, Hodder. Simply answer the easy question at www.thesouthafrican.com/win and enter your e-mail address to be in the running for the prize. Competition closes on 14 September. About the book: “I’ll shoot one policeman every day, until you arrest the murderer of Hanneke Sloet,” says the e-mail to the South African Police Services. And then the threat becomes reality. Bennie Griessel has to reopen the Sloet dossier. The case is 40 days old, the trail has gone cold. No motive, no leads, just a set of nude photographs, a very complicated business transaction, and immense pressure from the brass, the media, and the relentless, unfathomable sniper. And through it all, Griessel has to keep his love interest, the alcoholic, former singing sensation Alexa Barnard, sober for her comeback concert, cope with his daughter’s Neanderthal boyfriend, his son’s shenanigans, and his new partner’s idiosyncrasies – and try to tame his own all-consuming lust for the soothing powers of the bottle. Seven days of hell.

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Oor Boere wat nie mag nie

ELKE nou en dan kom daar iemand verby wat ons Afrikaners se kollektiewe naam gruwelik gat maak. Soos Dirk Prinsloo en Adv. Barbie, Die Waterkloof-vier en Die Flooze. Of die domste slim mens op aarde, Dan Roodt, of selfs Piet van Zyl, die moroon wat daai keer die ref getêkkel het. Maar hierdie lotjie se mannewales is maar mierleeugaatjies in vergelyking met die slaggat-tussen-Brits-enThabazimbi waarvoor ons trop Bosveldbrekers, die Boeremag, pa moet staan. In Oktober 2002 het ‘n reeks bomontploffings, waarin een vrou haar lewe verloor en aansienlike skade aangerig is, Suid-Afrika geruk. Drie-en-twintig lede van ‘n obskure verregse groep is gearresteer en aangekla van onder meer moord, terrorisme en hoogverraad. Verlede week, nege jaar nadat dié marathonverhoor ‘n aanvang geneem het,

het regter Eben Jordaan uitspraak begin lewer. Nege jaar waarin ‘n oorkonde van verrigtinge van 50,000 bladsye saamgestel is. Vyftigduisend bladsye waarin die gekhede van die Boeremaghansworse kil blootgelê is. Nou kyk, met name soos Rooikoos, Giel, Vis en Dirk, kan mens jou dalk net verstout om te glo dat ons brekers bloot kandidate vir ‘n nuwerwetse Trompie-bende sou wees, maar dié ouens was berekend en ontstellend ernstig oor hulle sotlike planne. Bomontploffings op strategiese teikens moes chaos in die land saai. Militêre basisse en stede sou dan oorgeneem word, waarna swart mense en Indiërs landuit gejaag sou word. Die grand finale sou behels dat die ANC-regering met ‘n blanke Afrikaner-militêre regering vervang word. Lugkastele wat vir seker met die hulp van iets veel sterkers as brandewyn en Coke gebou is. En hoewel die hoofbestanddele van ons brekers se staatsgreepkoek vergesog klink, is dit die versiersuiker en tjoklit-sprinkels bo-op wat éintlik, wel, die koek vat. Soos dat hulle nie-blankes sou aanval en dan kos op die pad na buurlande toe sou plaas om hulle só landuit te lok. Aaaag asseblief. Dit behoort as geen verrassing te kom nie dat regter Jordaan elkeen van hierdie malkoppe skuldig

bevind het aan die aanklagte teen hulle (met die uitsondering van twee van die bastaarde wat intussen die emmer geskop het). En vermoedelik sal hy hulle almal verdoem tot lewenslange BBP-lidmaatskap van PretoriaSentraal met die gepaardgaande toenaderings deur hulle medegevangenes. Goed so. Laat dit vir hulle ‘n les wees. En sommer vir elke ander idioot ook wat soos hulle dink. Nou kyk, niemand sê Afrikaners móét tevrede wees met die stand van sake in ons geboorteland nie. Selfs in die mees ontwikkelde, vooruitstrewende lande geniet die regering nie volkome steun nie. Dis tog immers die bakermat van demokrasie. En niemand sê dié ontevredenheid mag nie tot uiting kom nie. Dit mag. Maar daar is metodes en kanale waardeur die regering tot besinning gedwing kan word. Vra maar vir Afriforum, Solidariteit en OUTA. Geweld is nié die antwoord nie. Ook nie enige ander groteske metode wat die brûe wat miljoene Afrikaners daagliks met ons anderskleurige landgenote bou, afbreek nie. Daar sal altyd weer ‘n Afrikaner wees om ons kollektiewe naam te vergat, maar mag dit volgende keer ‘n Vernon Koekemoer of ‘n Rudolf Streauli wees, eerder as klone van die waansinnige, verkrampte Boeremag-paloekas.

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 |

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Pieter Hugo’s photos in award shortlist show at London gallery

South African photographer Pieter Hugo is one of four artists shortlisted for the Deutsche Borse Prize. His ‘Permanent Error’ collection can be seen alongside the other nominees’ work at the Photographer’s Gallery

by STAFF REPORTER LONDON’S Photographer’s Gallery is currently exhibiting the work of South African photographer Pieter Hugo, who is one of four artists shortlisted for the Deutsche Borse Photography Prize 2012. The annual award of £30,000 rewards a living photographer, of any nationality, for a specific body of work in an exhibition or publication format, which has significantly contributed to the medium of photography in Europe between 1 October 2010 and 30 September 2011. The four photographers on display at the gallery, each from different continents, are Rinko Kawauchi (Japan), John Stezaker (Britain), Christopher Williams (USA) and Pieter Hugo (SA). This selection showcases diverse approaches to photography, from Hugo’s portraits taken in the toxic waste dumps of Ghana, to exquisite images of everyday moments and the conceptual use of found imagery. Pieter Hugo Hugo was nominated for his publication Permanent Error, which centres on a vast dumping ground for technological waste on the outskirts of Ghana’s capital city Accra, and the young slum-dwellers whose survival depends on processing and burning this discarded material. Hugo’s photographs of this bleak landscape question the ethics of our rapid consumption of evernew technology and its hidden consequences. The South African is also famous for his images of hyenas and their owners in Nigeria. Rinko Kawauchi (Japan) Kawauchi has been nominated for her publication Illuminance, which spans 15 years of her practice. Hailed for her ability to turn the

A photograph from Pieter Hugo’s Permanent Error collection.

mundane into the extraordinary and poetic, Kawauchi’s work explores themes of life, death and the everyday. Using a soft palette of colours and masterful composition and editing skills, her images evoke moments of dreams, memory and temporality. John Stezaker (Britain) Stezaker has been nominated for his exhibition at London’s Whitechapel Gallery last year. The British artist’s collages examine our multi-faceted relationship to the image. Through his juxtapositions of found photographs, illustrations and stills from books, magazines, vintage postcards and classic movies, Stezaker adopts the content and contexts of the original images to convey new and often poignant meanings. Christopher Williams (USA) Williams has been nominated for his

exhibition Kapitalistischer Realismus in the Czech Republic. Williams has been creating images of cameras, models, vehicles and other technical apparatus for the last forty years. Alluding to and borrowing from the world of advertising, the American’s conceptual approach continuously questions our understanding of reality as reflected and communicated to us through photographs. The exhibition runs at 16–18 Ramillies Street, W1F 7LW until 9 September 2012. The gallery is open seven days a week and entrance is free. http://thephotographersgallery. org.uk

to one from Russia; people with backgrounds and families. How much must it have taken to get to this point? Forget politics, I just wanted to hug them all. Like the Olympics, the tendency is to dehumanise individuals into a collective group. We see teams, KAREN companies and governments, not DE VILLIERS individuals. We do the same with those in need. Less personal to think of hundreds of starving children than to realise that an eight-yearold will be raped by marauding YOU have no idea how much I am soldiers. That a 17-year-old girl guilty of what I am about to accuse is prostituting herself because her you of. I could be the world’s best family are destitute. Somewhere evader of those ‘charity’ fiends tomorrow a young boy will get on the high street, all smiling and up at 4am in the township to be ready to trap me into a guiltat school – in a classroom with ridden conversation about starving 70 others and no books. Did children in Africa. I want to get you know that some of these to Starbucks. I don’t want to say children are eating cardboard to ‘hello’ back to a stranger who keep hunger pangs at bay? The needs a job and has no idea where ability to read has eluded many of Africa is. I know where Africa is. something I take for granted, and Charities plague me with calls while I write, an elderly person on the television, in the mail. will spend at least six hours in a It’s like a rash. I feel bad enough queue trying to get their pension. when I see children with flies The truth is that it’s so much easier all around, bloated bellies and to ignore the problem, or complain salty stains beneath their eyes. about those who do not have I even know donkeys are being because those who can help have abused in Mexico, that panthers instead helped themselves to the are becoming extinct and child honey pot. soldiers are being exploited in Look at it this way. For every Uganda. coffee or movie To ease my ticket, someone I am on a post-Olympic conscience I less fortunate give money high and want to keep the could live to ‘Save the another day or momentum of goodwill Children’ and simply have a going until the jaded me the SPCA. blanket for the I want to be cold. Plenty of takes over again left alone. I movie tickets usually have to spare. An a hundred counterarguments: I hour a month won’t hurt to teach work hard for my money, those someone how to use the internet. who perpetrate these crimes just Kick a ball about in a council keep on doing them and the need estate. Volunteer at a wildlife is so desperate that anything I do centre. Pick a charity, any one will will be but a drop in a bottomless do. bucket. I cannot help the world, I still dodge those do-gooders in and besides what has anyone ever the street. I hate being expected to done for me? feel guilty. But I have to admit I Maybe I just got soppy during am also guilty of pretending others the Olympics. Watching all that are not so badly off when I know brotherly love and peace was a they are. So the lecture is over, I real goosebump trip. I cried most am on a post-Olympic high and of the time, for the losers and the want to keep the momentum of winners. More importantly I goodwill going until the jaded me got to thinking of the human takes over again. I have decided aspect and not just the to get over myself and behind countries represented. someone else. Think it may benefit The fact that a man me more in the end. I urge you to from South Africa do the same. Very optimistic right was in the lane next now!

The OPTIMIST

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| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Entertainment

Angie Steele’s recipe for butternut, red chilli, walnut and feta samoosas

COOKING with Steele

Ekhaya puts South African fashion in the limelight Nine talented South African designers showcased their exceptional work at The Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank BY DEBBIE MYBURG ON Saturday 4 August, The Queen Elizabeth Hall on London’s South Bank was transformed into a ramp for an exceptional South African fashion show. The aim was to showcase the work of nine talented South African designers as part of a concept known as Ekhaya. Clinton Lotter, Craig Jacobs, MosewaMosa, Rubicon, Naked Ape, PalseHomme, Sibu Msimang, Gugulam and Suzaan Heyns each represented a time period within SA history and it was through this narrative that the fashion show took its form and story. Having nine designers, all from creatively diverse backgrounds, with the given task of reflecting every era in our colourful history, made for a show that was unique and engaging. Works varied from traditional, ethnic, bridal, avant garde to classic and contemporary fashion using a plethora of fabrics and techniques. I chatted to one of the designers, Mosa Mokuena, who was incredibly excited to be able to showcase her work as well as catch a glimpse of the life of South Africans living and working abroad. Mokuena said she had learnt a lot about her country by being given an era to study and fusing this with contemporary fashion, which was a “fun and extremely rewarding task”. Her collection of womenswear reflects the maturity of the successful businesswoman during the new millennium. Just as winning gold has been a theme for our Olympians, so the successful SA businesswoman is a master in her trade – she is gold, glamorous and regal.

ANGIE STEELE

Butternut, red chilli, walnut & feta samoosas

I simply adore party food, whether it is a little canapé bursting with flavour or a fun picnic snack, so to have a recipe that ticks both those boxes is definitely a must. Don’t feel like you need to stick to these flavours though – once you have the technique down, get creative. Spinach and ricotta works well, sweetcorn and feta is actually rather moreish and let’s not forget the good old three cheese filling. Enjoy experimenting, life is simply too short!

Ingredients:

• 350g butternut squash, peeled, seeds removed and cut into 2cm cubes • 1 red onion thinly sliced • 1 red chilli, finely chopped • 5 sage leaves, torn • ½ tsp all spice • 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil • 30g walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped • 70g feta cheese • 120g ricotta • 1 roll of filo pastry • 60g butter, melted • Sesame seeds, optional Models at the Ekhaya fashion showcase. Photos by Ronel van Zyl.

Mokuena’s works are incredibly sophisticated and luxurious and her market in SA has grown from corporate women to Members of Parliament and is becoming increasingly more of a global brand. Mokuena, as well as the other nine selected designers were all extremely proud to have their work shown to an international audience and they now have their eyes set on international fashion markets with London Fashion Week being the next stop. If you have not been to Ekhaya yet, a visit there is essential. “Ekhaya” meaning ‘home’ in Zulu, served as a home away from home

for South Africans, our athletes and guests during the Olympics. The Ekhaya concept was developed by Sport and Recreation South Africa in partnership with the Department of Arts and Culture. Everyone is welcome to the various events and the relaxed and welcoming vibe, as well as the SA food and drinks of offer, coupled with a gorgeous view over the Thames, means the Queen Elizabeth Hall has transformed into a little haven. To watch a webcast of the full event, visit www.shinestream.tv/ ekhaya

Method:

• Pre heat the oven to 180°C. • On a lined baking tray, mix together the butternut, red onion, chilli, sage leaves, all spice and

olive oil. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. • Place in the oven for roughly 20 minutes or until the butternut is cooked (when a knife goes through it easily), then remove from the oven and allow to cool. • Once cooled tip into a large bowl and mix in the walnuts, feta and ricotta. • Mix well and lightly crush the butternut, then check for seasoning. • Unroll a sheet of the filo pastry onto a flat surface. • Keep a damp tea towel over the remaining pastry to stop it drying out. • Cut the sheet of pastry into 8 equally sized long strips and brush them well with the melted butter. • Place 1 tablespoon of the butternut mixture at the end of the strip. • Fold the edge of the strip over the filling so that it forms a triangle. • Continue folding the strip in triangles until a small triangle of stuffed pastry remains. • Brush the top layer with melted butter, sprinkle on some sesame seeds and place onto a lined baking tray. • Repeat the process with the remaining filo and butternut mixture. • Bake the triangles in the oven for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and serve warm. Angie Steele hosts fun cooking classes at The Avenue cooking school in Putney. These include Dinner Party Demon to brush up those key skills to help you impress, and Ready Steady Date for single cooking with loads of laughs. To book visit www. theavenuecookeryschool.com/ courses/angie-at-the-avenue or e-mail angie@angiesteele.com

St David’s Marist Old Boys get-together by STAFF REPORTER MIKE Greeff (CEO St David’s Marist Inanda, Johannesburg) and Rob Hewitt (Chairman, St David’s London Trust and 1982 St David’s Old Boy) invite all Marist Old Boys to a get together in London. Date: Wednesday, 5 September 2012, 6.30pm for 7pm Venue: St Stephen’s Club, 34 Queen Anne’s Gate, London, SW1H 9AB

Refreshments will be provided and a cash bar available. RSVP: Cheryl King by Friday 31 August 2012. E-mail foundation@ stdavids.co.za Dress: Smart Casual Facebook: Marist Old Boys Society St David’s Marist look forward to a wonderful evening of reminiscing, networking and laughter.

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 |

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Trade & Investment

Green revolution: SA plans renewable power surge

South Africa has ambitious plans to move away from dependence on carbon-intensive coal towards low emission renewable energy sources

by STAFF REPORTER GLOBAL renewable energy producers are once again beginning to line up their bids for a slice of one of the largest tender opportunities in the world, as the third round of bidding for South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP) begins. The second round of successful bids, announced in May, total more than R28 billion (£2.2 billion). Across the 19 projects – nine solar photovoltaic, seven wind, two hydropower and one concentrated solar power – they represent more than 1,000MW, which is around one-third of the total to be commissioned under the REIPPP. Of the 79 bids submitted, 51 met the criteria for the request for proposal, the Department of Energy said, but due to a cap on the amount to be commissioned in this round, only 19 were selected. The government released its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in May 2011, outlining the need for a rapid ramp-up in the procurement of alternative sources of energy for a country known for its perennial undersupply. By 2016, it hopes to have nearly 4,000MW of renewable energy capacity installed – rising to 17,000MW by 2030 – and have shifted its energy mix away from its current dependence on coal to ensure renewables comprise 16 percent of its total installed capacity. Given the constant struggle to upgrade South Africa’s grid, such a wholesale reorientation of power generation seems ambitious, if not unrealistic. “You can argue that about any Nedbank Golfdirective,” Challenge print country’s renewable said Fraser Mclachlan, CEO of GCube, which provides insurance services for the renewables industry. “I think everything is possible, it just depends mainly on the politicians. It’s not unfeasible, but it’s a big push if you look at the infrastructure issues in South Africa with delivering power to grid. It is certainly a challenge. I don’t think we should be that optimistic and say it’s going to be an easy ride, but it’s never been easy for renewables anywhere in

explained, “I would say that in certain countries now wind power is self-sustainable – obviously the subsidies help that because they help the profit margins. But if you really wanted to run a utility-grade, multi-megawatt wind turbine project I think you could do it now. I think solar is a different case. It’s still quite expensive… having said that, it will get there,” he said. “The economics will stack up.”

the world.” Others, such as Simon Norris, a partner at law firm Trinity LLP, which has advised on a number of bids, including preferred bidder projects in SA, are sceptical as to whether the target is achievable. “Given the delays being experienced already in terms of moving the date for financial close for bid round one, it highlights how challenging this whole process is going to be,” Norris said. “My personal view is that the 17,000MW target is incredibly ambitious and that there will be many surprised commentators if that target is achieved.” Even so, Norris said, the opportunity for professional services firms and engineering companies to fill the gaps in the SA market could be huge. “In terms of consultants and engineers, yes – this is an ad(Page 1 9/7/12 12:38:51 opportunity for UK or European firms – but given the timing it would be hard for new entrants to get up to speed with the process by entering at the last bid phase. Nonetheless, teaming up with South African firms – who may ultimately have capacity issues if they are on a number of preferred bidder projects – is probably the best bet.” Breaking Coal Dependency Coal currently accounts for 85 percent of South Africa’s energy

generation, and the country’s position as a top-five producer gives it access to a relatively cheap and reliable supply. In a world where commodity prices remain volatile and energy security is a major concern, it is unsurprising that breaking the current dependency has proved difficult. The next few years will see two major coal-fired power stations begin operation in the country, contributing more than 9,000MW to the grid. When faced with meeting the rising energy demands of the nation and trying to end the drag on economic growth and development caused by undersupply, power producers have defaulted to the quick and dirty solution of coal. The discovery that South Africa may have large reserves of shale gas – natural gas contained in rock strata that is recovered by an increasingly popular, if controversial, process of ‘seismic fracturing’ – adds another potential source of domestic hydrocarbons that could challenge plans to move towards low-emission power generation. Added to this is a constant fear that the economics of renewable power – which in the short term are closely tied to government subsidies – will never exactly square up. As GCube’s Mclachlan

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Local Content A major pillar of the IRP is a government insistence that the process lead to the development of a domestic renewables industry and to direct economic benefits for the communities that will host the projects. The ‘local content’ requirements – the amount of any enterprise’s products, services and employment that has to be procured from South African businesses – is as high as 60 percent in some sectors, which the government hopes will encourage companies to relocate their manufacturing bases, creating long-term productive employment opportunities. The question remains, however, whether this 60 percent local content requirement – on top of the standard 40 percent South African equity participation rules – will act as a disincentive for investors already worried about investing in long-term infrastructure projects in an environment of uncertain growth prospects, both globally and locally. “The project documents include binding obligations on the parties to implement economic and social development obligations and the government has been very clear

on the importance of these issues – including highlighting that the first round bids did not include sufficient local content,” Kaushik Ray, senior associate at Trinity LLP, said. The government will contractually be able to penalise private sector power producers if they miss these targets – up to and including a termination of the power purchase agreement. While not certain to what extent this will deter investors, Ray said that this could be better than the alternative. “Our view is that the inclusion of strict economic and social development obligations is infinitely more acceptable to international – and local – investors than a government changing its mind at a later date and acquiring projects or assets compulsorily as has been the case in other jurisdictions, including Zimbabwe,” he added. “This is of course dependent on how closely government sticks to the script and assuming the inclusion of the development obligations is itself legal and not open to challenge.” The question of whether the policy will work, however, remains unanswered. The latent demand in Africa is hard to measure. While access to power is a huge challenge for many countries across the continent, the economics of renewable energy in the absence of subsidies mean large scale demand for renewable energy infrastructure outside of South Africa remains a distant prospect. Whether that potential will be enough for manufacturers to consider the large capital expenditure required to set up production bases in South Africa remains to be seen.

Business: News

| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Legally Speaking: Immigration scams

: A friend of mine, based in South Africa, has been offered employment in the UK that sounds almost too good to be true. However, they want her to pay over the UK Home Office fees to their account. Should she be concerned, or is this the way it is usually arranged?

: Please warn your friend that there are a number of immigration scams going around at present. It seems like your friend might be victim of the supposed Tier 2 employment visas being offered to non-EEA applicants. The scammers are not UK employers, and the employment offered does not exist, neither does the supposed employer. Applicants are asked to pay the UK Home Office fees to the supposed employer, together with courier and other administrative fees. As soon as the monies are paid over, the agents are never heard of again. Please be careful not to fall into their trap by following these caveats: • Be wary if a job is being offered to you and no formal job interview took place.

• Be wary if you are asked to pay any monies for UK Home Office fees. Application fees for entry clearance will not be paid by the employer, but by the applicant directly to the Home Office. • In fact, be wary if you are asked to pay over any monies! • Make sure the company offering the job is legit, by doing a background check on them. This can be done by asking around among UK friends or family, or at least doing an internet search. If you are unsure or wary for any reason, rather contact Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants to check out the situation for you. Rather be safe than sorry! JP Breytenbach Director of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants Ltd info@bic-immigration.com or www.bicimmigration.com

THREE INSIGHTS INTO:

ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS: TIMBER

by PAUL HARRISON WITH negative interest rates and cash in the bank losing value every day, more and more of us are looking for alternative investments to grow our wealth. I spoke to speaker, author and alternative investments expert Graham Rowan of Wealth Invest Limited to get his top three tips on his favourite ‘green’ investment, the little known alternative investment – timber. Insight 1: Money really does grow on trees Until recently timber was an investment reserved for big institutions and wealthy landowners. Now there are schemes that

Steady Rand rocked by Lonmin drama THE South African Rand traded between R8.15 and R8.22 to the US Dollar during the period between 13 and 17 August. The Rand also traded between R12.79 and R12.92 to the British Pound during the same period. The Rand started the week slightly softer to the Sterling and the Dollar, as it remains vulnerable to poor global economic prospects. Forecasters noted that the Japanese GDP data further indicated the fragility of the global economic recovery. Tuesday morning saw the Rand firm against the greenback “The Rand is firming because of the potential for further stimulus measures - in other words, a debasing of the major currencies. The Rand would do well against those currencies, and the gold

price has also risen in anticipation of that,” Investec’s Gracey said. The Rand steadied briefly on Wednesday against major currencies, as market players watched the violence from the union saga at Lonmin Mines. The Eurozone once again played its part in the weakening of the Rand on Thursday. The violence at the Lonmin mine also negatively affected the Rand; investors were worried that the violence may spread to other mines and reduce exports. The Rand weakened against major currencies on Friday morning after the police crackdown at Lonmin’s Marikana Mine. GBP / ZAR: 13.07 EUR / ZAR: 10.28 USD / ZAR: 8.32 Compiled by Ruth Laatz-Reineke

Note: The above exchange rates are based on “interbank” rates. If you want to transfer money to South Africa then please register/login or call us for a live dealing rate. Make use of a Rate Notifier to send you alerts when the Rand exchange rate reaches levels you are looking for. Brought to you by

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Graham Rowan, Wealth Invest Limited

open up this brilliant asset class to retail investors from as little as £6,000. Throughout the last 100 years it’s beaten inflation by an average of 3.3% a year, giving better returns than gold or property. Billionaire Jeremy Grantham describes timber as “the only low risk, high return asset”. Insight 2: Not all trees are made equal You need to look at what species of tree is being grown as some like teak can be very fragile in the early years. You also need to check how fast it grows. Despite some tax breaks, UK forestry grows so slowly that you may find you are investing to benefit your grandchildren! One of the best species is Melina which grows to 100 feet in 12 years and can be used to produce packaging material. Insight 3: Read the small print I reject around 80% of the projects brought to me. Often because I don’t like the onesided contracts, the lack of guarantees or the chunky management and maintenance fees that are being charged. What are your exit strategy options? Do you own the trees? Are your ownership rights registered with the authorities in the country where the trees are grown? Does the company have any track record in delivering returns to investors? There are some great projects out there but you need to look carefully to find them.

Graham Rowan answer Derek Mason’s questions on green investments Derek Mason is a Londonbased South African who runs his own structural engineering consulting company, Super Structures Associates. After years of working for various firms, he recognises that he needs to catch up on his pension planning and is looking for alternative investment ideas such as forestry. How does forestry compare to other green investments like bamboo or carbon credits? It’s hard to generalise as there are bad forestry projects and there may be some good bamboo projects out there. What matters is doing your due diligence on the company, the location, the contract and the exit strategy. I’ve yet to find a bamboo project that passes my own criteria. The carbon credits market is in turmoil right now so it’s best avoided. What should I look for in the small print of the contract? Check what fees are charged after the initial investment. They might refer to maintenance fees, management fees, harvesting fees etc. What happens if a young tree dies in the first few years? Will it be replaced free of charge? How will your ownership be recognised? Do you own the trees or just rent out the land that they grow on?

What’s the greatest risk of investing in forestry? I agree with Jeremy that timber offers the best risk/reward profile. It’s just trees growing in the ground getting more valuable each year. If it’s the right species in the right place you can minimise natural risks like fire and disease. Then it’s a matter of due diligence on the company and the contract. For more information you can visit www. wealthinvest.co.uk and if you have any other questions on other topics that you would like answered, please email paul@MOBIvation.com

Derek Mason, Super Structures Associates

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 |

Business: News

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Mandela’s birthday helps gold coin retailer reach record sales £4 million worth of collectable Mandela medallions were sold by the Scoin Shop in the run-up to Nelson Mandela’s birthday by STAFF REPORTER THE week in the run up to Nelson Mandela’s 94th birthday saw a record £4 million worth of gold and silver medallions bearing the living icon’s image nearly sell out from the UK and South African-based Scoin Shop stores - the world’s and UK’s only gold coin retail chain. Scoin Shop founder, international coin dealer and bullion expert Alan Demby commented, “The increased interest in Mandela is part of a general upward trend of consumers investing in commemorative coins due to their limited mintage and rarity. The recent Diamond Jubilee and Royal Wedding saw sales of commemorative coins retail on par with bullion coins for the first time. Few can dispute that Nelson Mandela is a living legend, and with much of the struggle for the ending of

SA news channel comes to the UK by STAFF REPORTER SOUTH Africa’s first independent 24-hour news programme, eNews, intends to launch on the Sky digital satellite platform in the UK imminently, although an exact date is yet to be decided. The channel will also be changing its name to eNCA as the competition steps up with rival SABC, who are preparing to launch their own 24-hour news channel. It will run on Multichoice’s DStv, which is the same platform that eNews currently uses, and will consist of six hours of new material per day which will run on a four hour loop. The service will be available throughout Southern Africa in September. The UK audience can currently view the eNews channel on the Sky pay TV platform, where it has replaced the Africa Channel +1, but the service will be available officially on the Sky EPG once the rebranding is complete and the test phase finalised. Once the service is launched it will be available to over 10 million viewers in the UK. The service will be modified to take into account the needs of viewers overseas as well as back in SA, but Patrick Conroy, group head of news at e.tv, said customers need not worry that the rebranding will affect the service. The news channel will also be launching its own website by the end of 2012, complete with rolling headlines comparable to CNN and Sky.

apartheid fought from the UK, there will always be significant interest in his life and legacy.” The collectable Mandela medallions are part of the Nobel Peace Prize commemorative medallion programme, featuring Nelson Mandela and the inscription “A Long Walk to Freedom”. The design of the Mandela medallions, minted by the Mint of Norway, have been approved by the Nobel Institute as well as the Nelson Mandela Foundation. A percentage of all sales of Mandela medallions and coins are given to The Nelson Mandela Foundation as well as the Nobel Institute. More about the Scoin Shop: • The first Scoin Shop opened in Sandton City Mall in 1999. Since then, there are 30 Scoin Shop outlets between South

Africa and the UK. • The Scoin Shop offers coin collectors and bullion investors the opportunity to buy bullion, collectable silver and gold coins securely from either its online shop, its brokers or its retail outlets in Westfield Shepherd’s Bush, Stratford City and Bluewater, Kent. • The Scoin Shop has successfully marketed a wide range of gold and precious metal coins minted from the world’s leading mints including the British Royal Mint, South African Mint, US Mint, Mint of Norway and Monnaie de Paris, to name a few. • The Nobel Institute, the Nelson Mandela Foundations as well as the FW de Klerk Foundation have been direct beneficiaries of the royalties of the medallions which Scoin Shop retails in their commemoration. www.scoinshop.co.uk

Business: Careers

| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

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THE GRAFT IS GREENER

Kalli-Lee Pasqualucci | Part-time consultant for Jamie at Home, Jamie Oliver’s homeware range Born: East London How long in UK: 10 months. We lived in Malta for 18 months before that. Job: Full time mother, part-time Jamie at Home consultant. Background: Moved around South Africa – lived in Joburg, Port Elizabeth, East London and settled in Cape Town. Studied Theatre and Performance at UCT. Had my son and got married (yes, in that order). Moved to Malta for my hubby’s job, and worked on a Brad Pitt film as an assistant transport coordinator. I also had my own cupcake company. And then we moved to the UK. Motto: Whatever you are, be a good one – Abraham Lincoln

by PAUL HARRISON What do you do in your job? Jamie at Home is Jamie Oliver’s homeware range. As a consultant, I am given a set of products to present at parties, organised by our clients. My job is to make the

parties enjoyable, while keeping people’s focus on the products, so that they feel compelled to buy them. I am self-employed so I am responsible for how much work I do and what I do, and am able to work part-time (which is great when you have a child). What is the most challenging thing about your job? Trying to find people to host parties and getting hosts to commit to dates.

What is the most exciting thing about your job? Meeting new people and getting to meet Jamie Oliver. Tell us an interesting story related to your job: I had a party once where someone got a little tipsy and really got involved – using products, cheering Jamie on, and just having loads of fun. The vibe of the party was great, everyone was giggling and sales were awesome that night! It’s so nice having fun while you are working! Future plans? I would like to open my own deli/ cupcake cafe, work on more films, get involved in event coordination/ interior design, act in theatre, travel and have another baby… Oh, and win the lottery! Do you think being South African helps you in your job? Apparently it does. My manager says she stalks South African people because they are the most motivated, hard working people she’s met (she’s American).

Part-time job opportunity for Afrikaans speakers in UK Freelance Media Researcher - requirements: Afrikaans speaker, graduate or post-graduate, self-disciplined with analytical skills and attention to detail; deadlines and working under pressure no problem by STAFF REPORTER MEDIA analysis company CARMA International is looking for speakers of Afrikaans to mother-tongue standard to read and code media coverage on a part-time basis working from home. The work is ideal for freelancers and parents working from home. Applicants should also have excellent English-language skills. Each article is assessed for

favourability and tracked issues according to a methodology in which all researchers are fully trained before beginning work. When each assignment of articles is completed a short written report is delivered covering the top themes and stories of the month/ quarter. Salary: £10 per hour gross for a reading rate of 6 to 9 articles per hour depending on the project. UK National Insurance and self-

employed tax reference number essential. The hourly rate includes coding and data entry of articles. A separate payment can be billed for each written report. Requirements: Graduate or post-graduate, selfdisciplined with analytical skills and attention to detail; deadlines and working under pressure no problem. Must have own Pentium 2 PC or laptop with Windows XP or Windows 7 (not Apple Mac unless it has Windows operating system). Broadband necessary and Skype desirable. Please don’t respond unless you fulfil the following criteria: • Graduate • Afrikaans speaker to mothertongue standard • Own or have access to a laptop or PC running Windows XP or Windows 7 • Available for part-time work on an ongoing basis • Willing to initially take on low volumes of work To apply for this position, find the link to the Gumtree advert on www.thesouthafrican.com/ business/careers.

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 |

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FOOD & DRINK ABANTU BUTCHERS Abantu Butchery boerewors specialist, supplying wholesale and catering and retail shops as we are fully EEC licensed, we can also supply vacuum packed steaks in any quantity you may require. Probably the best boerewors you have tasted at a remarkable price. 19 City Arcade, City Centre, Coventry, CV1 3HX Tel: 02476555767 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 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’ CRUGA Home of CRUGA biltong. Cruga’s factory shop offers a full range of South African and Zimbabwean groceries plus boerewors, droewors and of course biltong. Tel: 01908 565 432 Email: biltong@cruga.com Web: www.cruga.com Address: Tilers Rd Kiln Farm, Milton Keynes, MK11 3LH

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| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Travel

Escape to the Norfolk Broads

Leave the hectic pace of London and discover the mysterious waterways of East Anglia and the delights of Wroxham Barns by JONATHAN WALDHEIM IF large crowds aren’t your cup of tea, the urge to get away from the city might just overcome you. Only two hours away from London Liverpool Street, the Norfolk Broads can bring calm back into your life. The new Greater Anglia train service runs trains every hour to Norwich and a 20-minute journey from there is the riverside town of Wroxham. Wroxham is the hub of the Norfolk Broads waterway, where boat rental, riverside pubs and guided boat tours are the order of the day. For a day trip, the easiest and most informative method to explore the surrounding countryside is the guided boat tours run by Broads Tours. This two hour tour glides slowly out of Wroxham, explaining the history of the Broads, stopping to point out wildlife such as the elusive black swan and moving away from civilisation into this large interconnected selection of waterways. Covering 303 square kilometres of land and with 200 kilometres of navigable waterways, the Norfolk Broads have been a tourist attraction since 1878 when pioneer John Loynes started hiring boats for recreational purposes. Before that time the Broads were the main cargo route into Norfolk and had just begun to lose out to the

railroad when tourism became important to the area. On a sunny day, the boat seems to be floating towards a wild paradise, reeds and trees lining the glistening river on either side. Boats drift by slowly in the opposite direction embodying the sense of tranquillity in this lovely environment. When the boat trip is over, fear not. Wroxham has more to offer than just its waterways. Wroxham Barns, a short taxi trip or a 20minute stroll away offers an eclectic mix of boutique shops, a brewery, workshops, a children’s farm and a top quality restaurant. This multifunctional visitor attraction offers something for everyone – the brewery that makes Wroxham’s real ale is a real draw for men and women alike, the farmyard will entertain children for hours and the range of shops selling art, textiles and gifts provide hours of retail therapy for the whole family. The restaurant is the biggest drawcard of the establishment, with the Barns chef cooking up

exquisite dishes using only local produce. With a promise that any meat served hasn’t travelled more than 29 miles, the guaranteed freshness is a distinctive attraction of the restaurant. Enjoy a bottle of Wroxham Barns own brew, have an exquisite main course such as the duck tart and finish off with the Cake of the Day before heading back to the station happy in the knowledge that Norfolk has satisified your desire to escape the city and explore the great British countryside. Greater Anglia, East Anglia’s rail operator and Visit East Anglia, the region’s private sector led tourism champions, have launched a new two-for-one attractions campaign aimed at Essex and North London residents, inviting them to See East Anglia by train. Half a million London and Essex homes are being invited to see East Anglia, with offers from more than 70 tourism businesses across the region. TheSouthAfrican.com/ Travel

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East Anglia is only a two-hour train trip from London and the perfect escape from the city. You can explore the waterways on one of the guided boat tours and take the family shopping in Wroxham. Photos courtesy Norfolk Tourism.

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 |

Zimbabwe Community

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“Di Bigman” Winky D brings Zim reggae to Wembley Arena Wallace Chirumiko, aka Winky D, brings his famous dancehall sound to London on 27 August by STAFF REPORTER ZIMBABWEAN reggae-dancehall artist Winky D is one of the guest artists at the star-studded Africa Unplugged concert at Wembley Arena in

London on Monday 27 August. Africa Unplugged, which also features Nigerian legend Femi Kuti and the South Africans Zakes Bantwini and Zahara, is billed as Europe’s biggest African concert. The 29-year-old Winky D (aka Wallace Chirumiko) was born on 1 February 1983 in Harare’s ghetto Kambuzuma. He started his music career in the Ghetto Lane Clashes, and his victories in these contests earned him great respect among fans who gave him the nickname Winky D from Wicked Deejay. With the help of Bartholomew Vera of BlackLab Records, Winky

D went into the recording studio. His performances of his first songs such as ‘Rasta’ and ‘Head Inna War’ set the dance floors alight – and he hasn’t looked back since. He has now released five albums with many chart hits which have made him fans across the world, as evidenced by successful tours in the United Kingdom and South Africa. Winky D has become a new icon for Zimbabwean urban/ reggae music with nicknames like ‘King of Dancehall’, ‘Di Bigman’ (The Big Man), ‘The Prophet’, ‘Mutumwa’ and ‘Truthsayer’ being attached to him by fans. Tickets start at £28 – buy at www.africaunplugged.co.uk

TheSouthAfrican.com/ Zimbabwe

Kirsty Coventry elected to IOC Athletes Commission

by KWAME WILSON DESPITE not being able to match her gold medal winning performances in 2004 (Athens) and 2008 (Beijing) during the 2012 Olympics in London, legendary Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry has had quite a successful week. After announcing her engagement to boyfriend Tyrone Seward, the 28-year old has been elected to the the International Olympics Committee Athletes Commission. Olympic athletes who are elected

to the Commission will take up eight-year terms as representatives and spokespeople for all athletes associated with the Olympics. Joining Coventry on the board are Slovakia’s Danka Bartekova (shooting), Australia’s James Tomkins (rowing) and France’s Tony Estanguet (canoeing) as newly-elected members of the Commission. Voted for by her peers and fellow athletes at the Olympic Games in London, Kirsty received a total of 1,797 votes to secure her a place on the highly-esteemed committee.

The seven-time Olympic medallist described her engagement as “better than a gold medal”. After becoming a trending topic on the popular microblogging site Twitter, Coventry thanked her voters for their support. “Thank you to the all Olympic athletes for voting me onto the IOC Athletes Commission. I am honored to be able to represent you”, she tweeted shortly after the news broke. Coventry has been a great servant of Zimbabwean sport. She has won

Kirsty Coventry had a successful week in which she got engaged and was elected to the IOC’s Athletes Commission.

seven out of the country’s eight Olympic medals in its history. Due to persistent injuries interrupting her preparation for London 2012, coupled with spending a year away from swimming in 2010, she was not

able to take up her regular podium position. However reaching the finals and finishing sixth in both the 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley events speaks volumes of her character and willpower.

| 21 August – 27 August 2012 | thesouthafrican.com

Sport

TEAM SA @ THE PARALYMPICS South Africa at the 2012 Paralympics: A closer look

Oscar Pistorius is only one of our many golden Paralympians. We bring you an in-depth look at our current crop of Paralympic stars, as well as looking back on the successful South African athletes and teams of yesteryear

by KWAME WILSON SOUTH Africa’s Paralympic Team has never garnered the coverage it truly deserves, despite outperforming the Olympic team

for quite some time, always amassing a respectable number of medals. Paradoxically, South Africa made its Paralympic début just after

being banned from competing at the Olympics. At the 1964 Paralympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, its nine athletes finished sixth on the medal table with 19

medals, eight of which were gold. The United Nations did eventually ban SA from Paralympic competition from 1980 until 1992, when it also made its return to the Olympics after the end of apartheid. At the 2008 Paralympics in Beijing, SA gave its best performance of recent years, coming home with 30 medals, a staggering 21 of which were gold – putting us sixth on the medal table just behind Australia. Factfile: • South Africa’s debut was at 1964 Summer Games in Tokyo. Finished sixth. • Debut at the Winter Paralympics in 1998 in Nagano, Japan. South Africa became only the second African nation to compete at the Winter Games, after Uganda who made their swansong in 1976. • Bruce Warner, an alpine skier, is the ONLY Paralympic athlete to have represented South Africa at the Winter Games and on four occasions – but has yet to win a medal. • Daniel Erasmus (shot put and discus) currently leads the way in terms of visits to the podium, winning 12 medals between 1964 and 1972. • South Africa have won 251 medals in total at the Summer Paralympics. An impressive 101 of them were gold medals. • Official sporting body of the SA Paralympic Team is South African Sports Association for the Physically Disabled (SASAPD) • 4,200 athletes will compete across 20 sports and 21 disciplines at London 2012.

Main Attractions: Oscar Pistorius will obviously attract a lot of column inches after becoming the first ever double amputee to compete at the Olympics and Paralympics, but Natalie Du Toit is also set to showcase her considerable talents on the global platform. Swimmer Du Toit won five gold medals during the 2004 Games in Athens and also walked away from the 2008 Beijing Games with five gold medals and one silver. Double 2008 gold medallists Philippa Johnson (equestrian) and Fanie van der Merwe (sprinter) are two of the other athletes to watch out for. Watch this space as we bring you more Paralympic news! History of the Paralympics: • Began as a small gathering of British World War II veterans. Neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann came up with the idea of the Games, organising a sports event for soldiers injured in the Second World War. • Rome, in 1960, was the first host city to use its Olympic venues for the Paralympic Games. • The London 2012 Summer Paralympics Games will be the 14th Paralympics. • The term ‘Paralympic’ was not used officially until Seoul 1988. • ‘Paralympic’ is said to originate from the Greek preposition ‘para’ meaning beside or alongside (not from ‘paralysed’, as many people mistakenly assume). TheSouthAfrican.com/ Sport

South Africa’s paralympic medal hopefuls pose with President Jacob Zuma.

thesouthafrican.com | 21 August – 27 August 2012 | Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/thesouthafrican

Sport

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This is not only one player being picked on merit with bias; this is a whole team. Let’s look on the lighter side though. Those who despise him get to see Luke Watson on TV again getting treated week-in, week-out like a royal bike-stand; we can blame their losses on a Kiwi, coach Matt Sexton, who will in turn blame Suzie; they will at least (or most?) get 8 points from byes; even the Force are bent double with laughter; Port

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Sports editor Rob Flude wonders how the Southern Kings will fare against the likes of the Crusaders and Chiefs.

ROB FLUDE

Lions & Kings both duped

“THE Kings will play in the competition in 2013, but not at the expense of one of the other franchises.” These words, told to the Parliamentary Portfolio Committee on Sport in May, have come back to haunt Jurie Roux (CEO of SARU) and Oregan Hoskins (Chairman of SARU), with the decision to exclude the Lions from next year’s Super Rugby competition and instate the Southern Kings. To be fair to Roux, those were probably not even his words, and it is not beyond the realms of possibility in this or any other universe in which we exist, that his great chum Hoskins set him up to be the fall guy. Their defence is that by having promotion/ relegation matches after next year’s competition, and by funding all six Super Rugby franchises, they have honoured their commitment of “not at the expense of one of the other franchises.” Oh semantics, how you can be so fickle. Furthermore, Hoskins, who has as much capability in rugby administration as a generous portion of my earwax (as a government puppet, however, he is a master), says that “rugby has delivered on that promise.” Really? By instilling a team that

farce. Watson’s words did result in a mild chuckle though. “It doesn’t make sense in rugby, not in business, not in the church.” Since when did religion enter the fray? I sense a Richard Dawkins-esque rebuttal of that statement coming on… The Kings obviously can’t do worse than the Lions, but SARU has given them no support in rugby terms. They mucked them around for seven years and now expect them to perform. It is windowdressing of gargantuan proportions.

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MIND THE RUCK

isn’t prepared for the rigours of Super Rugby and then telling them that they’ve only got one year to find their feet against the likes of the Crusaders and Chiefs? Just take a look at the Force and Rebels in their debut seasons. For once, I can even find it in the depths of my value system to agree with Cheeky Watson, the Kings’ Chairman; one year is ludicrous. SARU deliberated for months, and now this decision effectively delays things further. The Lions won’t retain their players and so the play-off matches will be a

Elizabeth bar owners are bracing themselves for an influx of Kiwi and Aussie stag weekends (let’s face it, sporting stags are only worthwhile if you know your team is going to clean up). And finally, the Lions will loan all of their players to the Kings and call themselves the Lion Kings. When it comes to the promotion/ relegation match, it will thus be an inter-squad trial, and the winners will thus have to be decided on a post-match pub quiz.

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29/03/2012 14:14

SPORT

21 August – 27 August 2012

SOUTH AFRICA AT THE 2012 PARALYMPICS

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MIND THE RUCK: LIONS & KINGS BOTH DUPED

NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS

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www.thesouthafrican.com

PROTEAS DESERVE NUMBER ONE SPOT Our cricketers have the brains and brawn to return to the top

by WESLEY MCKAY T the time of going to print, it was highly likely that the Proteas were on course to defeat England in the Investec test series to leapfrog their hosts and become the topranked test-playing nation in the world. The confirmation of South Africa’s achievement could not have occurred at a more significant venue either, Lord’s, the home of English and world cricket. For a long time now Graeme Smith and his men have threatened to reach the pinnacle of the game’s most testing format. Recent successes away from home have often been cancelled out by inconsistent form on home soil as well as an inability to finish teams off when in a position to do so. But what have been the reasons for their rise to the top of the game and why only now? What is the difference with this team as opposed to teams of the past? Firstly – and I think not many people would dispute this – the Gary Kirsten factor has played a major part. The ex-Proteas batsman took India, a team heavily weighed down by the expectation of a nation, to the top of the world rankings and topped it off by helping them win the 2011 Cricket World Cup. So far, Kirsten appears to be performing a similar job with the Proteas, liberating his players of the external pressures and creating an environment that seems

passive, yet bursting at the seams with aggressive but quiet selfconfidence. Secondly, and this factor may have been improved by the first, is the quality of player that currently occupies the Proteas top. The Proteas have four batsmen (Kallis, Amla, De Villiers, Smith) in the top ten rankings as well as three bowlers (Steyn, Philander, Morkel). This quality of South Africa’s stars, as well as strong competition for places among other squad members has seen team standards rise, but more importantly, they have done so consistently and stayed at that level where as in previous years their performance emulated that of a yo-yo. Thirdly, South Africa’s mentality towards planning for or devising tactics to defeat teams and getting out opponents has changed. Gone are the days when the team felt that they had to physically and verbally dominate or “psych out” an opponent. You always felt that we seemed to have the gusto to talk a good game, but then when push came to shove, we didn’t have the tactical astuteness to outthink the opposition. That has changed over the last couple of years. Although the team, and in particular the bowlers, still get aggressive when bowling, there seems to be a more targeted aggression nowadays. There seems to be just a little less brawn and a little bit more brain, a re-balancing that seems to have worked

South African national cricket team coach Gary Kirsten has played a major role in the revival of the Proteas.

perfectly for the Proteas. The last thing to mention, and by no means the least important, is the strong quality of South African players plying their trade around the world as well as the consistent stream of talent that flows out from the South African schooling

system. Taking into account the composition of the England and New Zealand cricket teams, which have seen a host of South African’s join their ranks, South African cricket has probably never been in a stronger position. For those of us who live in the

UK and have had to deal with the enduring talk of England’s success over the last five or six years, we will welcome the news of South Africa’s rise to the top.… Long may it remain so. TheSouthAfrican.com/ Sport

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29/03/2012 14:00