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UK fashionista brings Africa’s best threads to Camden market inside How slow is South Africa’s internet speed, as per world rankings?
page 3
News One man honours the 400 km journey of 7000 miners by running in their footsteps
page 4
News Marlene Dumas exhibits a lifetime of work at the Tate, barring one painting
page 7
Arts The six best sports to grab brunch in London
page 8
| BRIGHT CONTINENT: Lucas Barrow-Townsend brings Londonders clothing from a selection of African countries. Read more on page 6
Food
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| 20 - 27 January 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
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Plans underway to build Gauteng’s R84 billion smart city in Modderfontein | There has been much scepticism about the building of Zendai Modderfontein in Jo'burg, a city which promises to be the “future capital of the whole of Africa”. What exactly is being built? By Katy Scott
International Airport.
Construction work has begun on a new city in northeastern Johannesburg, dubbed Zendai Modderfontein. The first phase of the road network began in December, said Zendai company spokesperson Ann Sun. She added that the residential development is still in the industrial design phase and has not yet begun.
The plan The development will take 15 to 20 years and between 30 000 and 50 000 housing units of different sizes and types will be built, Zendai chief operating officer Du Wenhui told The Star. The full development plan requires an R 84 billion investment. “The project will be market driven, and depending on what our clients or developers want, the sky is the limit. Twenty years ago, nobody would have imagined that Sandton would look like it does today with its multiple skyscrapers,” Wenhui was reported as saying. The development plans to include a financial hub, an educational centre, churches, hospital and medical facilities, a library, a sports and international conference centre, and low-cost housing. The city will provide jobs for
The site In November 2013 Chinese firm Shanghai Zendai bought 1600 hectares of land in Modderfontein. The property, formerly belonging to chemical and explosives company AECI, cost them R1.06 billion, reported Business Day. This transaction is one of South Africa’s largest single foreign direct investments. The site is located between Sandton’s CBD and OR Tambo
100 000 people and residence for another 100 000. Some scepticism “It will become the future capital of the whole of Africa,” Zendai’s chairman Dai Zhikang said at a press conference in November 2013. “This will be on par with cities like New York in America or Hong Kong in the Far East.” After artists’ impressions of the city were released showing what it would look like in 20 years time, the project was met with skepticism, Wenhui was reported saying. Many Facebook users have expressed outrage: “Why don’t we see if we can get the basics right first. Like electricity, roads, healthcare and education?” commented one Facebook user. “Zuma is selling us out downriver. we’re going to be a Chinese colony
in a few years,” said another user. But there have been positive comments about the fact that jobs will be created in the process. A Facebook user commented: “Hopefully they rename it! Modderfontein doesn’t have a nice ring to an ultra modern city. Good for job creation, let’s add a spin and make it a self sustainable city please. Generate own electricity and water filtration. Roof vegetable gardens living walls etc. Now that would be visionary.” Gauteng Provincial Government spokesperson Nino Zama believes that there is possibility for collaboration with local contractors. “There will be jobs created, there will be business opportunities for local people and after stages of the development are completed, there will also be new opportunities created.”
Deadline looms for children to carry unabridged birth certificates when visiting South Africa | From 1 June this year, children will be denied entry to South Africa if they do not carry an unabridged birth certificate. Find out what documents your child will need to enter or exit South Africa By Katy Scott
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.
By 1 June, all minors (children under 18 years or age) will be required to produce an unabridged birth certificate showing the particulars of both their parents, in addition to their passport, when entering and exiting South Africa by land, sea or air. Come 1 June, if children do not have the correct documentation, they could be denied from boarding. Here are the particulars: Minors travelling with one parent Along with an unabridged birth certificate, the child will need an affidavit from the absent parent which gives consent for the child to travel. The affidavit should not be older than three months from date of travel. Alternatively, the child should have with them a court order granting legal guardianship or full parental responsibilities of the child, or a death certificate of the absent parent. Minors travelling with a person other than a parent or legal guardian The child should carry an unabridged birth certificate as well
as copies of the ID documents or passports of the parents or legal guardians, contact details of the parents or legal guardians and affidavits from both parents or legal guardians confirming that the child may travel with that person. Minors travelling unaccompanied Along with an unabridged birth certificate, the child needs to carry proof of consent from both parents or legal guardians and contact details as well as documents from the person receiving the child in South Africa. These documents must include a letter with the person’s contact details, residential address, details about where the child will be residing, as well as a copy of his or her ID documents, passport or residence permit. Minor with an unabridged birth certificate in another language Children with passports from other countries will have to present unabridged birth certificates from their respective countries of nationality. If the child’s unabridged birth certificate is not in English it must be accompanied by a sworn translation issued by an authority
from their country.
cover all minors on a school tour.
Who is exempt from the new law? Minors travelling domestically, for example between Cape Town and Durban. Minors on a ‘Cruise to Nowhere’, for example a cruise that departs from Cape Town Harbour and returns to Cape Town Harbour, or a cruise from Cape Town Harbour to Durban Harbour. Minors on school tours. A letter from the school’s principal can
Why has this new law been introduced? The South African government introduced these travel regulations as part of its new Immigration Act. The regulations are designed to combat child trafficking issues inter alia. Note: Since 14 March 2013, Unabridged Birth Certificates have been automatically issued for newborns.
thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
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How slow is South Africa’s internet speed, as per world rankings? | South Africa ranks 81st in the world based on average internet connection speeds. Just how much slower is our Internet compared to the UK and the rest of the world? By Katy Scott There’s no denying the sad truth that is South Africa’s internet speed. We are far too accustomed to blank screens with loading symbols and pages taking yonks to respond. (Did you know that while you’re loading a YouTube video, you press the down arrow to play a game of Snake?) Yes, it’s that bad. In world internet rankings, South Korea takes first place with a whopping average connection speed of 25.3 Mbps, while South Africa cruises along with 3.6 Mbps in 81st place. The United Kingdom ranks at 19th with an average speed of 10.7 Mbps. This is according to the latest Akami report (entitled ‘State of the Internet’) of the third quarter of 2014. But South Africa is not a complete embarrassment. Internet speed is on the rise. In the fourth quarter of 2013 Akami report, South Africa’s average connection speed was 2.3 Mbps, putting us in 97th place. The report indicates that average connection speeds are up by 59% overall on a year-by-year basis. The United Kingdom is slowly slipping places (down from 13th place in Q4 2013) with average speeds only up by 17 percent overall on a year-by-year basis. The report further found that 81% of UK broadband users have access to speeds in excess of 4 Mbps, while only 23% of South
Two volunteers flown to the UK to be monitored for Ebola | Two volunteers who had potential contact to the Ebola virus in two separate incidents have been transferred to the UK. Neither have been diagnosed with Ebola by Katy Scott
African broadband users have this access. This means that most South Africans do not experience “true broadband speeds” as Akami considers 4 Mbps as the “broadband threshold”. 20% of users in the UK and just 1.7% of users in South Africa are able to get to speeds exceeding 15 Mbps. Only 3.4% of South Africans are connected to high-speed broadband
(over 10 Mbps), while 36% of the UK is connected. The report placed South Korea as leader of the pack with average speeds of 25.3 Mbps. Hong Kong holds second place with 16.3 Mbps; Japan holds third (15.0 Mbps), followed by Switzerland (14.5 Mbps), Sweden (14.1Mb), the Netherlands (14.0Mb) and Ireland (13.9Mb).
Queen to present Young Leaders award to three inspirational South Africans
An Australian nurse who had been volunteering in Sierra Leone was flown to the UK on 16 January for a 21-day observation period. Public Health England confirmed that she has not been diagnosed with Ebola, does not currently have any symptoms, and her risk of developing the infection remains low. She is currently undergoing tests and monitoring in hospital. The Australian department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement: “The individual, who for privacy reasons has not been named, has not been diagnosed with Ebola, and the transfer to the UK for a 21-day observation period is a precautionary step.”
Publich Health England (PHE) confirmed that: “A second volunteer, who had potential contact in a separate incident, is also being transferred to the UK today.” “On arrival in the UK, the arrangements are for these individuals to be initially assessed in hospital and subsequently monitored for any symptoms for the remainder of their 21 day incubation periods, in line with standard procedures for returning workers.” The risk to the public posed by these (and any returning workers) is extremely low, explained regional director for PHE, Dr Jenny Harries.
WE WILL TAKE YOU HOME/ONS DOEN DIE GROOT TREK HUIS TOE...
| Three young South Africans will meet the Queen this June in acknowledgement of the good work that they have done in their communities. What exactly have they been doing? By Katy Scott South Africans Nosipho Bele (25) from Verulam, Emma Dicks (25) and Patrice Madurai (22) from Cape Town will be honoured by Queen Elizabeth II this June for the impact they have made on their communities. They are among a group of 60 young people between 18 and 29 years old from the British Commonwealth who received the Queen’s Young Leaders award. Bele, who studied as a teacher at the University of Cape Town (UCT) started a mentoring programme in 2012 called Mentor Me to Success, which provides one-on-one support for school goers, especially girls. Dicks, who studies business sciences at the University of Cape Town, co-leads Innovate South Africa, an initiative which asks high school students to identify a problem in their community and recommend a solution. Dicks also started Code for Cape Town, a programme which introduces
girls to web-building skills. Madurai, a UCT student from Woodstock, founded the project Cupcake reSolution. The project hosts mobile offices to help people living in the townships to register as citizens and get identification documents. Cupcake reSolution also brings cupcakes to schools for children who have never really celebrated their birthdays in such a way. Madurai told Die Burger that she has handed out 7 000 cupcakes and helped 600 people to get ID books
since she started her project in 2013. “It is a big honour and surprise to be awarded by the queen. I did not start this project to get any recognition,” she said. Bele too looks forward to meeting the Queen. “I can’t wait to shake the queen’s hand. I also look forward to the online programme which we will do through Cambridge University,” she was reported as saying.
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One man honours the 400 km journey of 7000 miners by running in their footsteps | Brandon Finn ran 400 kms in ten days to commemorate an unknown act of defiance in South African history. Finn shares the details of his expedition with us By Katy Scott Brandon Finn woke up on 1 January with a mission ahead of him. A ten day, 400 km mission from Joburg to Hattingspruit, KwaZulu-Natal. Finn ran 40 km a day in honour of 7000 Zulu mineworkers who traversed the same distance in ten days in 1899 to escape the AngloBoer War. He called it Expedition Imashi. Why did he do it, and how? We chat with the ballsy lad about the influences and highlights of his expedition as well as his plans for the next one. So who are you really, Brandon ‘Bongani’ Finn? I am a 24 year old who enjoys running, reading, broccoli, hiking, travelling and penguins. I like cities — and am especially interested in African cities. I am working now on a project which relates to land use and infrastructure in developing, urbanising African cities. When I run it makes me feel good, sometimes bad; when I finish running I generally feel excellent, but smelly. And the ‘Bongani’ middle name? Bongani was a nickname in res during my first year at UCT — and has since stuck somewhat. What got you inspired to do Expedition Imashi? I decided to do Expedition Imashi in the middle of 2013. At the time, I was completing a 30 day, 500 km hike down the Kei River in the Eastern Cape when one of my friends told me about the story of
the 7000 mineworkers who had to walk from Johannesburg to Hattingspruit in 1899. He suggested that it would be a great new expedition — so I went for it! I chose this trip because of its historical significance. I think it is an important aspect of South Africa’s history, and shows the deep seated social and economic disparities that have been present in the country for so long. 7000 Zulu mineworkers were caught in Johannesburg at the start of the second South African War. They were migrant workers, and were left with no way to go home (and avoid the war), and therefore walked. It is an incredible part of South Africa’s history, it is not very well known, and it needed to be commemorated! The history did influence my decision to run the route. I come from a privileged background. Even being able to gather resources and have the support and time to be able to complete something like Expedition Imashi is a definite luxury. That is why when people ask me ‘if anyone can do this type of thing’ my answer is yes and no. Yes, many people are able to push themselves to cover 400 km in ten days if they have the right training, nutrition, mindset and support; but no, these resources are only available to the minority of the country (including me). This is a definite problem. This is why I chose to commemorate the march, and to raise funds for The Big Issue. Can you tell us one thing that we don’t know about the mineworkers who walked home in 1899?
All 7000 mineworkers, and their families got home safely! They encountered over 5000 mounted Boere soldiers — mere days away from war — and still got home without anyone dying. 7000 people walked 400 km in 10 days in 1899 — that’s pretty incredible. Why did you choose The Big Issue? The publication is an excellent, innovative initiative that attempts to deal with unemployment (and underemployment) in a hands on, creative fashion. I like the practical and indeed tangible effects that they have as an organisation on the vendors who work for/with them. I am raising money for the job creation and skills development programme — where they assist in enrolling people in, for example, vocational courses, allowing them the opportunity to increase their skills base and hopefully find better employment in the future. The fundraising aims to address a serious contemporary problem within South Africa — that of a lack of skilled workers as well as under, and unemployment. The social and economic disparities of today have strong historical and structural roots — as seen in the march of 1899. How did you train for the 400 km run? I trained pretty hard. For the seven months in the lead up to the event, I focused all my running on Expedition Imashi. A lot of long slow kilometres in the legs. I also worked with a running coach — Kathleen Shuttleworth — who was excellent.
What did your loved ones say when you told them your plan? They thought I was crazy, but supported me the whole way. They didn’t doubt my ability to organise or run it at all. No arguments about the feasibility of it — just ‘you’re mad but how can we help make it happen’ sort of sentiments. So now that you’ve had time to reflect on the run, what would you say were the highlights? The highlight, undoubtedly, was the last 10 km. It was a real struggle, especially from days five to eight, but as I started approaching Hattingspruit the injuries that I had been managing, and the fatigue from all the running seemed to dissolve away (adrenaline kicking in, I definitely felt everything after). What was the toughest part for you mentally? Days five, six and seven were the most difficult. This was tough because I had already put in so many kilometres, yet still had so many in front of me. This was both a mental and a physical challenge. Once I got past the middle of day eight I started feeling much better. I think the stress of never being able to switch off during the ten days was a big challenge. That is probably why I am so relieved to be done now. Did you meet any interesting people along the way? I met some people along the way, none that grabbed me as being particularly interesting. Maybe I
didn’t find them that interesting because I was more interested in lying down ASAP after the day’s running than chatting about the night life in Standerton. Hah. Who was the one person you couldn’t have done without during your expedition? I could not have done without my dad. What kind of ridiculous person is willing (and claimed to enjoy) driving behind a staggering, sweating, often grumpy and generally exhausted person smothered in sun cream for ten days in first gear, for 400 km without complaining? Can you imagine 400 km in 1st gear?! My dad, mom and girlfriend (my support team), were waiting for me at the old Hattingspruit train station. It was a a big relief to be done! My girlfriend, her mom, and my mom were with me for the first three days and the last two days and my girlfriend ran portions of a few of the days with me. This is only the beginning right? What are you brainstorming up for your next expedition? This is only the beginning in terms of running. What’s next? I am already plotting. Something in Lesotho, and also something which traverses two (or maybe more) countries is potentially on the agenda. I just need to catch my breath first. My runs will always try incorporate strong historical and social themes. They will also raise money for worthy causes. Donations are still open: www. bigissue.org.za/news/imashi or www.expedition-imashi.com
thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
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Join Starfish for a breakfast run and spinning marathon
Make Christmas wishes come true
| Get fit, have fun and raise vital funds to provide life -saving care for vulnerable children in South Africa Suitable for all ages and abilities there will be a 5km, 10km and 15km run as well as a children’s 100m dash. All runners will receive chip timing, a Starfish t-shirt, medal and a tasty picnic basket to enjoy on the common after the run. Bring along your friends and family to soak up the atmosphere and enjoy the bouncy castle, face painting, tombola and games. Your registration fee will help Starfish provide life-saving healthcare, education and shelter to vulnerable children in South Africa. Details Sunday 15 March Clapham Common
The annual Starfish 24hour Spinning Marathon returns with pumping tunes, fierce competition and free flowing food and drink. It is not as tough as you might think. You don’t have to cycle non-stop for a day and night. Just be part of a team (maximum 10 people) that pedals round the clock. You can get your own team together or we can add you to an existing one. Qualified instructors will lead hour-long classes back to back and driving rhythms will encourage you throughout. They will guide you on an exciting virtual route; up and down hills, through sand dunes and over mountains (but you will have ultimate control of the resistance on your bike).
Aim to raise £50 each to help fund the Starfish Wellness Wagon — a mobile testing clinic providing life-saving healthcare to vulnerable children in rural communities. They’ll give you lots of great tips and ideas to help you reach the sponsorship target!
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Details Date: Friday 27th- Saturday 28 February (6pm- 6pm) Venue: Pedal Studio, Putney, London Contact: stephanie.kitson@ starfishcharity.org For full details visit: www. starfishcharity.org/getinvolved-uk/run,-cycle,jump/24hour-spinning®marathon-27-28022015.aspx
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Arts & Entertainment
| 20 - 27 January 2015 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews
Wrapped by Africa: UK fashionista brings the continent’s best threads to Camden | Colourful, comfortable and ethical: these are the words 24-year-old Lucas Barrow-Townsend uses to describe his African brand Continent Clothing. In an exclusive shoot for The South African, we also spoke to the entrepreneur about the business
by Jennifer Moyes Lucas Barrow-Townsend was born in London to a Nigerian mother and English father. After leaving university, he built the brand Continent Clothing from a mere idea into a booming business. Having focused on African studies at university, he had employment offers from the World Bank and the British council but decided to start his own business. “I wanted to see the change that was happening for myself,” he says, Barrow-Townsend believes he owes his quick success to just throwing himself into the work. He sells his clothing online in markets around London and in festivals, his main haunt being Camden market. He uses Facebook and Instagram to communicate with his customers, saying that the best strategy is to “just to see what people think”. Certainly people think positively of the products – the business has grown tremendously in the last ten months. The young entrepreneur has always been interested in clothing design. The concept for Continent Clothing is a brand with roots in African and a global reach – not one continent, but many. “One thing that West Africa has is an abundance of fabrics and I feel they are under-utilised”, he states. Continent Clothing’s tailoring is done in Gambia, with fabrics sourced from Ghana, Senegal and the Ivory Coast. His bags are
tailored in Tanzania. He likes to know every single person in the production chain, and tries to give his customers the same insight. To ensure that every customer knows each person in the production chain, every article of clothing is named after the tailor who made it (much like Lush products). He believes this brings a story to his brand. His dream is to one day produce the clothing on a large scale, with a goal to reach the American market. Barrow-Townsend loves the
variety in everyday life he experiences in the countries where he sources his tailoring and fabrics. Even though some of the areas he visits are very poor, he finds that, overall, the people are still incredibly happy, with a great sense of community. He tries to incorporate this into Continent Clothing. Since the markets he sells his clothing in are booming with tourists, the goal to reach many continents is not too far-fetched, and it won’t be long before Continent Clothing goes global.
| Photos by Jennifer Moyes, on location in Shoreditch. Model: Manon Lagreve
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thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
Arts & Entertainment
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Marlene Dumas exhibits a lifetime of work at the Tate, barring one painting | From babies with bloodied hands to Amy Winehouse, ‘The Image as Burden’ is a proudly South African must-see exhibition. But there is one painting that you won’t be seeing, and yes, it involves a penis by Katy Scott Marlene Dumas was born in Cape Town and grew up in Kuils River before moving to the Netherlands in 1976 to join an artist-led postgraduate program. In 2005, Dumas was the world’s most expensive living female artist. That year her 1987 painting The Teacher (sub a) sold for $3.3 million (nearly £2.2 million). The portrait was taken from a class picture from her childhood in South Africa. Her paintings are rather grim, featuring babies with bloodied hands or drowned and hanged people. She often features public figures such as Amy Winehouse, Osama bin Laden, Naomi Campbell and Princess Diana as well as personal references to her daughter and herself. Her exhibition, The Image as Burden, will be on view at London’s Tate Modern from 5 February to 10 May. The exhibition maps her career from her early works through her seminal paintings to her new works on paper. It is the most significant exhibition of her work ever to be held in Europe. The Image as Burden ran at The
Stedeliik Museum Amsterdam for four months. After the Tate, the retrospective will run at Basel’s Fondation Beyeler. However, one of Dumas’ naughtier paintings will not be
hanging at the Tate and will instead be left in Amsterdam. The 1999 painting is entitled "D-rection" and portrays a man holding his erect penis (pictured on the right).
Back in town: Arno Carstens is set to tour London | Performing at three venues this month, Arno Carstens brings his new album, Lightning Prevails to London.
a taste of South Africa opposite Buckingham Palace
by staff reporter After a string of gigs around South Africa, Arno Carstens is in town. He’ll be giving UK-based fans a chance to hear his fifth solo album, Lightning Prevails, live. Carstens joins James Walsh (of Starsailor) and Ben Montague at The Troubador and The Borderline, before going on to do two solo gigs at GJ’s. Details Tuesday 20 January; The Troubador; £15 Wednesday 28 January; The Borderline; £15 Saturday 31 January and Saturday 7 February; GJ’s; £25 (includes potjie)
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| 20 - 27 January 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Food
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The six best sports to grab brunch in London | Breakfast is a phenomenon rather than a meal. It can be served at any time of day. Tastes can be accentuated by the comfort of being served in bed; or as the cafe opens its doors with a cinnamon infused aroma; or at midday at one of these top finds in London by Penny Matthews Brunch should be the most important meal of the day, especially since it allows for the inclusion of Bloody Marys and Mimosas. I am infatuated. Here are my top finds in London: The Brew Small and quaint with old wine bottle light fixtures and wooden floating shelves as decor. To avoid the queue, go around 12:30 and delve into any type of egg possible. Be sure to take a look at their vegetable juices for a healthy kick and do not avoid the extras — these include crispy (and yes really crispy) bacon, balsamic infused tomatoes with feta, garlic mushrooms and, of course, smashed avocado. 342 Old York Rd, London SW18 1SS, UK; 020 8871 0713 Ben’s canteen Consistently buzzing with eager frequenters. Go for the smashed avocado on toast which comes with roasted tomatoes and poached eggs. If this doesn’t strike your fancy, all possible combinations are available with any extra you like. An absolute must at Ben’s Canteen is their hot and spicy Bloody Mary. They use chili infused vodka which gives you an adrenalin kick before you soften the blow with a hollandaise soaked egg. 140 Saint John’s Hill, London SW11 1SL; 020 7228 3260 Hally’s Being similar in style to the Brew, Hally’s manages to accommodate more tables and has a way of drawing you in from the streets with their selection of buttery pastries on the counter top. I tend to be a creature of habit and always go for the Eggs Florentine with added salmon. It is accompanied by a small crispy salad to help you avoid that tasty bread eyeing you
out. If you are not in the mood for eggs, be sure to try out their Ricotta Pancakes with Berries, Fig, Honey and Crème Fraiche — without a doubt, they sing sweet perfection. 60 New King’s Road, Fulham, London SW6 4LS; 020 3302 7408 The Powder Keg Being one of my favourite dinner spots in London, I thought I owed the Powder Keg a sampling of their brunch menu. I have three words for you… value for money. The poached eggs with portobello mushrooms, accompanied with a glass of prosecco, is an unbelievable marriage of buttery hollandaise, herby richness and bubbly enlightenment. And all for only £11.90. Don’t forget, the tipple we like is always pricier than the food we consume! 147 Saint John’s Hill, London SW11 1TQ; 020 7450 6457 Tom’s Kitchen Reliable and guarantees large cappuccinos and perfectly scrambled eggs. Being a top spot for Made in Chelsea stars at the namesake’s location, you might find yourself people watching while you desperately wish the scrambled eggs saw no end. 27 Cale Street, Chelsea, London SW3 3QP; 020 7349 0202 And finally… Granger and co Although I haven’t yet mastered when the best time to beat the queue is, it is still worth the wait. Wander around the Portobello market in Notting Hill before having the best boiled eggs and soldiers you can imagine. Reignite your childhood memories as you dip each freshly baked toast finger into perfectly cooked yolk. 175 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2SB; 020 7229 9111 Brunch away folks!
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thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
Zimbabwe Community
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Zimbabwean child’s funeral delayed because relatives denied visas | Andrea Gada’s relatives in Zimbabwe have been denied visas to attend her funeral. David Cameron has said that he will investigate the matter by katy scott Andrea Gada was struck by a car in East Sussex on 16 December as she stepped out into the road while walking home from school with her father. The five-year-old was rushed to St George’s Hospital in South London but died on 17 December. The Home Office refused visas to her grandparents and aunt in Zimbabwe, and Gada’s funeral has since been delayed. According to Home Office documents, the visas were refused because officials were concerned that the relatives did not have sufficient funds to support themselves and because the Home Office was “not satisfied their intentions are genuine”, reported the BBC. Local Liberal Democrat MP Stephen Lloyd raised the matter
in the Commons. He asked Prime Minister David Cameron to get involved. “The Home Office decision is cruel and unkind. Prime Minister, will you intervene?” he asked. Lloyd said that he would ensure that Gada’s relatives returned to Zimbabwe shortly after the funeral. David Cameron answered Lloyd by saying: “I will certainly look at the case – I was just discussing it with the Home Secretary – and make sure the Home Office has a careful look to see what can be done.” Andrea Gada’s parents parents, Wellington and Charity Gada, are originally from Zimbabwe and were granted asylum in the UK. Commenting on the Home Office’s decision they said: “It’s a very difficult moment we’re going through and all this is just making it a double tragedy.”
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| 20 - 27 January 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Business
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Top eight companies on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange | Have a look at South Africa’s top 8 companies on the JSE as it stands today… pretty big shifts from previous years, you might see a few new faces
Gerhard Jacobs South Africa might seem to be teetering on the brink, but thank the stars we’ve got these companies as a buffer. We’ve rounded up the 8 biggest companies on the JSE right now. Have a look. British American Tobacco (R1.24 billion) British American Tobacco South Africa is a part of the British American Tobacco Group of companies Opens in new window which operates in more than 180 countries worldwide. In South Africa, the business in its present form was created following the global merger of Rothmans International, partly owned by the Rembrandt Group, and Londonbased British American Tobacco p.l.c. SABMiller (R966 million) SABMiller started in 1895 and it was the first industrial company to list on the JSE in 1897. SABMiller is one of the world’s leading brewers with more than 200 beer brands and some 70,000 employees in over 75 countries. Naspers (R673 million) Naspers is a leading multinational media and internet group with operations in more than 133 countries. Through MultiChoice South Africa and MultiChoice Africa in subSaharan Africa, the group provides pay-television services to more than 6 million households in 48 countries across the continent. Glencore (R567 million) Glencore plc is an Anglo– Swiss multinational commodity trading and mining company headquartered in Baar,
Switzerland and with its registered office in Saint Helier, Jersey. Richemont (R522 million) Compagnie Financière Richemont SA is a Switzerlandbased luxury goods holding company founded 25 years ago by South African businessman Johann Rupert. Richemont owns minority holdings in Cartier Monde SA and Rothmans International. This company has expanded across the world and reporting profits of €2005 million in 2013. BHP Billiton (R473 million) BHP Billiton is one of the largest companies in the world. The company began in Australia but now, it has expanded operations in 25 countries, employing approximately 41,000 people. MTN Group (R366 million) This South African-based company has expanded its operations in across Africa, Europe and the Middle East. MTN’s vision is to be the leading telecommunications provider in emerging markets. It has 34 558 employees who communicate in five official languages and represent 55 nationalities. FirstRand Limited (R269 million) First National Bank maintains banking subsidiaries which it owns wholly or in part, in Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania and Zambia. FNB is also actively pursuing expansion plans in Angola, Ghana and Nigeria.
11
thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
Business
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Rand report: Good outlook for interest rates
ELIGIBLE
| Monday’s manufacturing data is supportive of our lower than consensus interest rate outlook by 1st contact On Monday, Stats SA released the manufacturing production data for November and the numbers fell sharply short of market expectations. Factory output contracted by 1.3% y/y in November from a slightly upwardly revised 2.3% y/y in October. The big swing factor, again, was motor vehicles, which contracted 9.1% y/y on in November after growing 10.3% y/y in October and 123.8% in September. Rand depreciation against the Dollar occurred despite weakness against some of the major crosses; the Dollar weakened against the Pound (-0.1%), and the Yen (-0.1%). The Rand weakened against all of the major crosses, with the biggest decrease seen against the Yen (-0.5%) and the Pound (-0.3%). The Rand strengthened on Wednesday, closing at USD-ZAR 11.44, compared with Tuesday’s close of USD-ZAR 11.53. Rand appreciation against the Dollar
occurred in line with Dollar weakness against most of the major crosses; the Dollar weakened against the Pound (-0.5%), the Yen (-0.5%), and the Euro (-0.1%). The Rand, however, strengthened against the other major crosses, with the biggest increase seen against the Dollar (0.8%) and the Pound (0.3%). On Thursday, in a widely unanticipated move, the Swiss National Bank (SNB) decided to scrap the 1.20 Euro/Swiss Franc floor. In the immediate aftermath, the Franc strengthened to 0.85 against the Euro, before settling at around 1.00 where it is currently trading. The move has left the market questioning why the SNB decided to move now; SNB anticipated that the pressure of maintaining the 1.20 floor would become too great. There was already some evidence that pressure had increased in the wake of Russian/Ukraine tensions, which sucked cash into the safety of the Franc and the SNB might have
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suspected that potential QE from the ECB next week would prove a bridge too far for the 1.20 floor. Friday saw global markets clean up and sweep the floor in the aftermath of the SNB party on Thursday. The Rand strengthened against the Dollar after weakening almost 1% the previous day following the Swiss Franc move and Eskom’s admittance that power outages are likely to continue for the next three years. GBPZAR @ 17.5791 USDZAR @ 11.5520 EURZAR @ 13.4293 GBPUSD @ 1.5217 GBPEUR @ 1.3090
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Many South Africans applying for UK visas are unsure about what the rules regarding the testing for Tuberculosis (TB) and applying for a UK visa are. Testing must be done at a clinic approved by the UK Border Agency. The applicants are required to book for their testing to be done at one of the approved clinic and this can only be done through IOM which is a centralised booking agency assigned by the UKBA. Tests done at places not approved by the UK Border Agency will not be accepted for the UK visa application purposes. One of the most frequently asked questions is whether the TB-testing is required for the UK visitor visa. Fortunately, there is no TB-testing requirement for this type of visa.
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| The most important thing to keep in mind is that all South Africans applying for a UK visa, from South Africa, for a period longer than six months must be tested for TB As the maximum stay for all the visitor visas, including the longterm visit visas of two-, five- and 10 years are a maximum of six months at a time, there is not a TB testing requirement. Should you test positive for TB, you will not be issued with a certificate and you will be given advice about treatment and a referral letter. This will mean that you will not be able to apply for a UK visa until you can show that you are TB free, and have a certificate to this effect. Another area of uncertainty is whether child applicants need to be tested. In this regard, the UK Border Agency differentiates between children 11 years and older and younger than 11 years. If a child is 11 years and older, and applying for a UK visa for a period of longer than six months, then the child must be tested for TB. However, children
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younger than 11 years must also attend the appointment at the clinic with their parents. The clinician will then base upon a questionnaire decide whether the child needs to take the test or not. If the child is not tested, the clinician will issue a certificate to this effect, which must be submitted together with the UK visa application. For more information, please contact your BIC consultant. www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com
10/31/2014 5:34:45 PM
12
| 20 - 27 January 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
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| Find out more about The University of Cape Town Trust and its fundraising efforts to bring about change in education by STAFF REPORTER The University of Cape Town, South Africa’s leading teaching and research university, (UCT) is a public research university situated in Cape Town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. With an honoured tradition of academic distinction and carrying out social change and development through its pioneering scholarship, faculty and students, UCT is also wellknown for its remarkable beauty, with its campus set at the foot of Table Mountain's Devil's Peak, with panoramic views of much of Cape Town. UCT has more than 60 specialist research units that provide supervision for postgraduate work and is home to more than a quarter of South Africa's A-rated researchers -- academics who are considered world leaders in their fields. Many of these research centres are globally renowned, such as the Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, which is engaged in research on candidate TB and HIV vaccines. Staff and scholars come from all over Africa and around the globe. The university has also made relationships, partnerships and exchange agreements with leading African and universal institutes that further enhance the educational, social and the rich cultural diversity of the campus. Here is how the University influences growth in education via The UCT Trust: Fundraising comes with far reaching challenges but regardless of the fact, The University of Cape Town Trust (www.ucttrust.org.uk), a registered UK charity (Registered Charity Number 803042) which was founded in 1991, accomplishes great success in raising funds – over £21 million to date – for projects at UCT. The Trust is administered by a Board of renowned Trustees, most of who are UCT alumni. Angela Edwards holds the post of Consultant Director and has been working at the Trust since 2002. The UCT Trust also organizes events for UCT alumni living in the UK and Europe. Over the last year, these have included a prestigious fundraising event at the Chelsea Flower Show in support of the Schools Improvement Initiative, alumni
UK Support The UCT Trust raises significant funds for UCT from UK based Foundations, companies, and individuals, including a growing group of UCT alumni supporters. Projects such as the Schools Improvement Initiative, a venture at work to improve the quality of education in the local community, and UCT’s Opera School, have newly benefited from substantial UK support, and several bursary programmes for students from historically disadvantaged backgrounds are sponsored through the Trust. The University of Cape Town Trust is looking for a parttime Administrator to assist the Director with fundraising and donor stewardship, event organization, and general Trust administration. Applicants should be educated to degree level, have excellent administrative, numerical, communication and organizational skills, and be fully computer literate. Event management experience would be an advantage to the candidate. It is to be noted that the office is in Claygate, Surrey, UK, and that this self-employed position has flexible working hours: approximately 12-15 hours per week taken over two to three days, with occasional evening work at events in London. If you would like to hear more about this opportunity to become involved in the work of the UCT Trust, please contact Angela Edwards at uct-trust@tecres.net. Future Plans During 2015 and the coming years, the UCT Trust will continue to spread awareness of the fundamental role UCT is playing in South Africa and the continent as a whole, and seek support in the UK for UCT’s priority projects. Events in the pipeline for 2015 include three UCT London Lectures, an Alumni Reception at the House of Lords, an Opera School Concert, and a Law Faculty Reception.
lunches in London, Oxford and Cambridge, and a concert at South Africa House featuring Opera School alumni. The world premiere of the UCT film "Madiba Remembered: UCT looks back", and the
UK launch of Zapiro's new book "DemoCrazy" were also organized by the UCT Trust in 2014, and comedian Nik Rabinowitz gave an exclusive performance for UCT alumni. UCT London Lectures feature
diverse dialogues from UCT Professors, and the Trust too offers opportunities for graduates to see South African theatre productions or comedians performing in London and around the UK.
Details Address: The University of Cape Town Trust, Torrington House, 111 Hare Lane, Claygate, Surrey, KT10 0QY Email uct-trust@tecres.net, or call on 013 72 465502 and be sure to visit www.ucttrust.org.uk for more information.
13
thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
Business: Classifieds
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BREYTENBACHS BIC specialise in entry clearance applications as well as applications submitted in the UK, so please contact us without further delay at info@bic-immigration.com or visit our website for the contact details of our offices. 23 Austin Friars London, EC2N 2QP, United Kingdom Phone: +44 (0) 207 442 2160 www.bic-immigration.com or info@ bic-immigration.com
KALAHARI MOON The Southern African Shop in Bristol. Wide range of stock including excellent boerewors and biltong. Centrally situated, friendly service. Connecting South Africans. Tel: 0117 929 9879 Address: 88 - 91 The Covered Market. st Nicholas Market, Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1JQ Email: Info@kalaharimoon.co.uk Website: www.kalaharimoon.co.uk
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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.
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 Cambridge and Villages Toft Shop – Village Shop and 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 Springbok Café The Springbok Café offers traditional South African food, wine and beers served with a smile in a friendly atmosphere. All this plus the option to grab your favourite S.A. groceries before you leave after relaxing and kuierring with us for a while. The Springbok Café` Ltd, 1 East Reach, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3EN, 01823 254966,thespringbokcafe.co.uk 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
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
BUNNY CHOW CHEF WANTED WANTED - Experienced cook with in-depth knowledge of South-African-Indian cooking for new takeaway Bunny Chow Shop, opening in Finchley Central. Must have good skills in Indian curries with the South African touch. Please contact Edward Thomas on: 07946 629 244
14
| 20 - 27 January 2015 | thesouthafrican.com
Sport
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In2Touch wants you to play in its 2015 leagues | Choose between Active touch, shootouts, indoor and outdoor options By in2touch With a brand new year and many exciting In2Touch competitions, leagues and parties to look forward to, everyone will be getting their teams together and making sure to get a spot in the upcoming leagues of 2015. The Touch Winter League that starts on 15 February on Sundays from noon to 3pm at Clapham Common has men's, ladies and mixed divisions. This is a social league where teams play for eight weeks every Sunday and you can either enter your own team or as an individual and we can put you into a team for the whole season. There is also an Active Touch league running from 19 January at two different locations, the first venue is at Canary Wharf on Mondays from 6:45 pm to 7:45 and the other is at The Wandle Recreation Centre in Wandsworth on both Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm. Active Touch is an indoor game that is played with four team members, two ladies and two men for 30 minutes non-stop. It is a fast paced skilful game that is a cross between touch, football, netball, ultimate Frisbee and a few other sports. There is also an April Shootout happening at Clapham Common on Monday and Wednesday
evenings that runs for four weeks. The Shootout is a slightly different format to the normal touch leagues, teams now play 2 x 20 minute grading games against different oppositions on a night and then the finals week is played as drop off versions of the game. A drop off is normally when a game needs to be decided if full time the teams are tied they go into a drop off. This is played with five players starting instead of the usual six and the first touchdown scored wins the game. Registrations are now open for all these upcoming leagues! If you are interested in joining these leagues as a team or as an individual then send an email to tracy@ in2touch.com or have a look on www.in2touch.com/uk for more information.
Fourteen Springboks named in Blue Bulls squad By saracens
SAT 31 JAN | KO 15H15 BOOK NOW 0844 847 1876 | WWW.SARACENS.COM/BLUEBULLS
Handre Pollard is among fourtneen Springboks named in the Blue Bulls squad to face Saracens in the Sanlam Challenge at Allianz Park on Saturday 31 January. A star-studded Blue Bulls touring party will travel to London later this month for the clash between north and south giants in the heart of north London. Frans Ludeke, Vodacom Blue Bulls coach, said: “Saracens are closely followed and well supported throughout South Africa. They have been performing really well in the Premiership and the European Cup, and might easily have won both competitions last month. We look forward to a great game on the
artificial turf at Allianz Park.� Blue Bulls squad to face Saracens: Akona Ndungane*, Bandise Maku*, Bjorn Basson*, Callie Visagie, Dean Greyling*, Deon Stegmann*, Francois Hougaard*, Grant Hatting, Handre Pollard*, Jacques Du Plessis, Jacques-Louis Potgieter, Jan Serfontein*, Jesse Kriel, JJ Englebrecht*, Jurgen Visser, Lappies Labushagne, Harno Liebenberg, Morne Mallet, Marcel Van Der Merwe*, Marvin Orie, Pierre Spies*, Piet Van Zyl*, Rudolph Snyman, Travis Ismaiel, Trevor Nyakane*, Werner Kruger, William SmallSmith, Victor Matfield*. * denotes Springbok international. For tickets please go to www. saracens.com/bluebulls or call 0844 847 1876.
15
thesouthafrican.com | 20 - 27 January 2015 |
Sport
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What AFCON means to Equatorial Guinea Continued from page 15
remained on the island. Most said they had voted for Macias, but few seemed sure how good a president he would be. The consensus was that anything and anyone would be better than what had gone before. Life returned to a form of tense normalcy in the succeeding weeks. Although Equatorial Guinea had become the world’s newest state, the international postal system and a bank in London still seemed unaware of its existence. But finally, we were able to leave. From a secure base in Zambia we stayed in touch with events in Malabo which seemed to involve several summary executions. Ndongo, the one-time challenger of Macias who had become deputy president, also died a reportedly horrific death, at the hands, it was said, of Macias. A colonial tyranny had given way to a homegrown one. But Macias himself came to a sticky end in the wake of a military coup in 1979, led by his nephew and still president, Theodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasongo. A political opposition developed and was brutally crushed, with several of its leaders fleeing to Spain. One of them, Severo Moto, is accused of being behind the abortive mercenary coup led by Simon Mann. In 1995, the initial assessment by US oil giant Mobil that there were
“no commercially viable offshore oil deposits” in Equatorial Guoinea was proved spectacularly wrong. Huge deposits of gas and oil are now being exploited and this former backwater has been referred to — in terms of oil output and income — as Africa’s Kuwait. However, little seems to have changed for the long-suffering population. But it has certainly changed for the ruling elite. In 2004, for example, allegations of widespread theft of oil revenues were vindicated when it emerged that $300 million (R3.45 billion) had been deposited into a New York bank account where the sole signatory was President Obiang. And in October last year, the president’s son, also Teodoro, paid $30 million (R345 million) in a United States justice department settlement following charges that he used funds plundered from his country to amass assets in the US. Certainly, the immense wealth that has flowed into Malabo in recent years, has ensured that the Obiang family lacks neither money nor power. What they apparently crave is international acceptance, hence the invitations to various African leaders and the offer to host the Afcon Cup. This article first appeared on www. groundup.org.za
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the harbour where their grey-painted ship lay at anchor. It took some time for the small crowd gathered in the square to realise that nothing more was going to happen. Then, in ones and twos or small groups, we began to disperse, moving down the hill through the deserted streets of the dilapidated capital. The shutters on all the shops, homes and businesses were tightly shut. It was eerie, but not unexpected. Oil company and Red Cross officials had instructed their employees to stay home behind locked doors. Long-time resident and honorary British consul, Sydney Dunn, the sole diplomatic representative on the island, also announced the day before, that he would shut up shop. Dunn, the managing and only director of the Ambas Bay Trading Company, the last colonial outpost of the Lever conglomerate, locked and barred his office and warehouse and retreated with his wife to his fortified house on the cliffs overlooking the harbour and the capital. Another anti-climax was about to be reached. The only activity was in several bars in the back streets where locals celebrated independencia with often blood-curdling threats about what would be done to those Spanish who
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Sport 20 – 27 JANUARY 2015
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NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS www.thesouthafrican.com
What Africa’s premier football tournament means to Equatorial Guinea | The brutal kleptocracy of Equatorial Guinea hopes to gain a measure of international acceptance by hosting the African Cup of Nations (Afcon) soccer spectacle that kicked off this weekend. The oil and gas wealth generated by this “Kuwait of Africa” provides the economic wherewithal for the ruling elite to buy favours while the bulk of the population wallows in repressive poverty. Terry Bell was the only foreign journalist to cover the independence of Equatorial Guinea more than 46 years ago By Terry Bell There was little fanfare in Equatorial Guinea in October 1968 as that country celebrated perhaps the shortest independence handover in history. I know because I was there. By a combination of bad luck and equally bad judgment, I and my partner, Barbara, were stranded for three months on the island now known as Bioko, that houses the capital, Malabo. With independence looming, the Spanish authorities had placed a ban on visitors shortly after we landed. As a result, I was the only journalist and, apart from some Mobil oil and of Red Cross workers, we were the only foreign visitors on the volcanic island that, together with a clutch of smaller islands in the Bay of Biafra and a sliver of the mainland sandwiched between Cameroon and Gabon, makes up the tiny state of Equatorial Guinea. It soon became obvious why the authorities of what was then still fascist Spain had decided not to have an open door policy for independence: the tension hung as heavily in the air as the intense humidity. This malarial African toehold of imperial Spain, lying almost squarely across the equator, was coming of political age with a legacy of brutality and neglect. It had only been accepted as a colony in 1959 and was, even by then, a drain of the Spanish fiscus. Equatorial Guinea’s cocoa-based economy had all but collapsed and exploratory oil wells had, at that stage, turned up dry. The Spanish dictator, General Francisco Franco, decided to give in to calls for independence and started belatedly
to provide more education and training for Guineans. These locals, often hastily trained to take over as bureaucrats and police, openly expressed their loathing of the Spanish. Fearful Spanish colonials reacted by sending wives and children back to Spain and stocking up on provisions in fortified homes. Weeks before independence day the local gun shop — it supplied weapons and ammunition almost exclusively to Spanish citizens — reported having sold out of all arms and ammunition. Around the airport, south of the capital, used by the Red Cross to fly in aid to then beleaguered Biafra in the dying days of the Nigerian civil war, Spanish soldiers watched wearily from behind sandbagged machine-gun posts. Members of the feared “black Guardia” — the political police of fascist Spain — regularly made their presence known in bars as pre-independence elections were held. But the elections came and went without incident and were won resoundingly by a local strongman Francisco Macias Nguema, known as El Gallo Rojo (The Red Rooster). Like his opponent, Atanacio Ndongo, Macias was a member of the Fang community from the mainland, originally brought to the island by the Spanish to help subdue the rebellious islanders, the Bubi. The manner in which the elections were held was controversial and it was said that most Bubi had boycotted them. The only factor unifying Bubi and Fang seemed to be hatred of Spain and the Spanish. We got to understand this because
we had arrived in Equatorial Guinea on a Spanish supply ship on its regular, fortnightly run. Travelling third class with several Spanish navy conscripts and returning Guinean students, gave us some background. It also proved a boon in that we made contacts, especially among local residents when we landed. We spoke very poor Spanish, but we were accepted as South Africans in exile. So it was that we made our way, almost certainly the only foreigners present, with Guineans we had met, to the traditional flag lowering and raising ceremony. It was to be outside the governors’ — soon to be presidential — residence up the hill from the town that clustered around one side of the rim of the sea breached extinct volcano that is the harbour. That afternoon of 12 October 1968 was overcast and sticky as we stood, with a crowd of several hundred Guineans, across the square from the whitewashed residence, facing a nervous-looking honour guard of rifle toting Spanish sailors in dress whites. The tension seemed just as palpable as the humidity that hung like a moist blanket over everything. To a cacophony of boos, the sailors presented arms as the Spanish flag was lowered and, then, to ragged cheers, the new flag of Equatorial Guinea was raised. That was it. The flag lowering and raising signalled end of more than 200 years of Spanish colonial rule and the birth of Africa’s then newest state. A gold braided officer barked an order, the sailors turned and marched off down the slope toward Continued on page 15
| A football fan waits for the start of the 2015 African Cup of Nations group A football match between Equatorial Guinea and Congo at Bata Stadium in Bata on January 17. Photo by KHALED DESOUKI/AFP/Getty Images
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