The South African 08 – 15 April 2014 by The South African

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08- 15 April 2014

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‘I was trying to protect Reeva’

| After week-long adjournment, the Oscar Pistorius trial resumed with the murder accused taking the witness stand. Pistorius said he ‘was simply trying to protect Reeva.’ He promised her family that ‘when she went to bed that night she felt loved’. He also said he has suffered from insomnia and terrible nightmares since that fatal night

to bed that night she felt loved. I’ve tried to put my words on paper many many times to write to you. But no words will ever suffice.” Under cross-examination from Roux, Pistorius explained how he has been taking medication since the last week of February 2013. He has been taking an antidepressive called Supranol and a sleeping sedative called Normasin and described being “scared to sleep, I have terrible nightmares, I can smell blood and wake up terrified,” he said. Pistorius also described a boating accident in 2009 which left him afraid of dying. He was in an induced coma for several days, had his jaw wired closed for five weeks and had 170 stitches in his face. Discussing his childhood, Pistorius described how his “mother had a lot of security concerns” and “kept a firearm in a padded bag under her pillow.” He also said that he never wanted to handle a firearm again. The trial continues.

by frank burbage Oscar Pistorius’ trial for the alleged murder of Reeva Steenkamp resumed on Monday after a week long adjournment due to one of Judge Masipa’s legal assessors being ill. The defence’s case was expected to begin with Pistorius’ testimony, as is legal tradition in South Africa, but instead the pathologist Professor Jan Botha took the stand first because of an illness in the family. Brian Webber, one of Pistorius’s lawyers, told Agence France-Presse: “We don’t have a choice. The pathologist has personal reasons for why he has to take the stand first.” The prosecution’s pathologist Professor Gert Saayman had previously testified that the autopsy showed Reeva Steenkamp had eaten two hours before her death, so contradicting Pistorius’ claim that he and Steenkamp had gone to sleep at 10pm, but Botha argued against this, saying that “the modern consensus is it (such testing of gastric emptying) is a highly controversial and inexact science.” The time of when they went to sleep is crucial because of Pistorius’ claim that he was disorientated having been asleep for five hours. “Professor Saayman testified that her last meal could have been between an hour to two hours before her death. What do you say to that?” Barry Roux asked Botha. “It could have been an

INSIDE:

Oscar Pistorius weeps as he listens to evidence by a pathologist in court in Pretoria on Monday. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe, Pool).

hour or two, or it could have been considerably longer,” Botha replied. He said that it was not possible to accurately determine the time between Steenkamp’s last meal and her death. Botha’s testimony was followed

by Pistorius taking the stand. Commencing his testimony by speaking directly to Steenkamp’s relatives, an emotional Pistorius said that there “hasn’t been a moment since this tragedy happened that I haven’t thought about your family.

I wake up every morning and you’re the first people I think of, the first people I pray for. I can’t imagine the pain and the sorrow and the emptiness that I’ve caused you and your family. I was simply trying to protect Reeva. I can promise that when she went

p3 | DA wins court battle against ANC over Nkandla text message p6 | Marc Lottering lands in London p10 | Beasts of the southern wild: On canoe safari in Malawi

| 08 - 15 April 2014 | thesouthafrican.com

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South African government to roll out flavoured condoms to fight HIV | A recent survey has shown more must be done to combat spread of the infection. Health

Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said that the decline in usage might be because “the standardissued choice condoms just aren’t cool enough”

by frank burbage The South African government is to begin distributing flavoured and coloured condoms in an effort to end “condom fatigue” amongst the younger members of its population in reaction to a survey showing HIV infection rates increasing and condom use decreasing. Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi said on Thursday that the decline in usage might be because “the standardissued choice condoms just aren’t cool enough.” The survey, conducted by South Africa’s Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), found that 67 per cent of males and 50 per cent of females used condoms, which was

a decrease from the 2008 figures which showed that 85 per cent of men and 66 per cent of women used them. Condom use had particularly decreased in the 15 to 24 age bracket. The same survey also showed that percentage of population with HIV had risen from 10.6 per cent in 2008 to 12.2. per cent in 2012. Motsoaledi said that this increase over the four years was because of combined factors including “new infections and a successfully expanded antiretroviral treatment (ART) programme” which is meaning that people are surviving for longer once infected. South Africa has the highest number of HIV positive people in

the world, with 6.4 million citizens suffering from the disease. More than 469,000 new cases were measured in 2012, an increase of just more than 1 per cent of the population, which is the highest in the world. 75 per cent of people who were contacted thought they had a low risk of contracting HIV, yet 10 per cent of those threequarters were actually already infected with the disease. Most worrying was the number of new infections of girls aged 15 to 24, who had infection rates four times higher than boys of the same age. Researchers attributed this to the “sugar daddy syndrome”. Responding to the report, Motsoaledi said: “We need to

inject enthusiasm into the condom campaign, and we are about to start rolling out new types of free, coloured condoms which are also flavoured.” The coloured and flavoured condoms will be distributed free of charge at South Africa’s universities and colleges. It remains to be seen whether the distributed free condoms will be used for their intended purpose – in January of this year Mpumalanga district health chief Candith Mashego-Dlamini issued a statement discouraging old people from rubbing the contraceptives on their knees in an attempt to relieve joint pain and arthritis with the lubricant.

Land Bank takes ANC heavyweights to court over outstanding loan | The state-owned lender is attempting to recoup a R82 million loan over a Hartbeespoort

development that has failed to materialise by frank burbage The South African government is The state-owned Land Bank is suing several ANC heavyweights and government officials as well as property mogul Roux Shabangu in an attempt to recoup a R82 million loan which was granted for development of an enormous tourist attraction in the Hartbeespoort area. The planned development included a shopping centre, hotel, conference centre and more than 400 sectional title units but despite the fact that the contract was signed over eight years ago, the land is still completely vacant and has not been put on the market, meaning the Land Bank is now demanding its loan back

along with eight years worth of interest. The company, Westside Trading 570, was supposed to have repaid the loan by the end of April 2009, according to papers filed at the High Court in Pretoria, but has since gone into liquidation. For this reason, the claim has been filed against the nine directors rather than the company itself. Summons have now been issued against the nine directors. According to The Sowetan, “Roux Shabangu, Gauteng legislature speaker Lindiwe Maseko, department of co-operative governance and traditional affairs chief operations officer Lydia Sebego, and former SABC board member

Desmond Golding are among the nine shareholders in the company. Golding sits on the ANC’s economic transformation committee and Cosatu’s panel of progressive economists.” Maseko said on Tuesday that despite being one of the nine directors, she had no involvement in operations. Speaking to The Sunday Independent, Maseko said: “I just want out of this thing. It did not work for me. I have asked to be removed. (Things) fell apart

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when one of the shareholders, Jacob Sihlangu, died in 2008”. It is understood that Sihlangu was responsible for overseeing construction on site. Adriaan van Rooyen, one of the company’s liquidators, this week confirmed that the matter was proceeding in the High Court, while the Land Bank’s lawyer Leslie Mkhabela confirmed that the case would probably be heard sometime next year. “We’re still exchanging pleadings at this stage,” he said.

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Zuma to wait for SIU report on Nkandla before responding fully | Forced to respond to the Public Protector’s report by midnight on Wednesday, Jacob Zuma issued a statement saying his is waiting for a third report from the Special Investigating Unit before he responds in full

By frank burbage President Jacob Zuma announced on Wednesday that he is planning to provide Parliament with a “further report” on “decisive executive decisions” regarding the redevelopment of his Nkandla property, but is still waiting for a third report from the Special Investigating Unit (SIU) before he responds in full. Thuli Madonsela had initially set a deadline of two weeks for the President to respond to her 400-page ‘Secure In Comfort’ report. President Zuma is now in possession of the Public Protector’s report and the interministerial task team report, but will wait for the SIU report before “taking further steps.” The written

statement confirmed “when that (report) reaches his hands, he will be able to look at all three of them and report back to Parliament in full as to what actions he’s taking.” In a written statement, the presidency said: “President Jacob Zuma has today, 2 April 2014, submitted a response to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Mr Max Sisulu, in relation to the report of the Public Protector on the security upgrades at his Nkandla residence. The president has decided that he will give a full and proper consideration to all the matters before him and, upon receipt of the SIU report, will provide Parliament with a further report on the decisive executive interventions

that he would consider to be appropriate. The president remains concerned about the allegations of maladministration and impropriety around procurement in the Nkandla project, in particular the allegations of cost inflation.” Meanwhile Helen Zille’s Democratic Alliance party announced that it had unearthed “new evidence” suggesting the president may have “deliberately” misled Parliament and “violated the constitution and the law,” which would warrant a full parliamentary investigation. DA caucus chairman Wilmot James said: “Today, we are presenting further evidence that we will be submitting to the Speaker of the National Assembly, Max Sisulu,

DA wins court battle against ANC over Nkandla text message

at the first available opportunity to support the removal of President Zuma.” The matter refers to a question that Lindiwe Mazibuko asked Zumain November 2012 regarding Nkandla. In his response Zuma said: “I have never asked government to build a home for me, and it has not done so. The government has not built a home for me. What government did, given its own considerations of security, was to build other houses beyond my home for the security personnel. These are not shown on television and these are really the government’s houses, but I do not know how much they cost…I was informed that improvements needed to be made at the family

residence to enhance the security of the head of state. The nature and form of improvement were decided upon by the relevant officials through their departments. As already indicated, such information would not include details on the specifics about what would be done by whom and at what cost.” Mazibuko claimed that this response was “revealing” because it suggests Zuma was “fully aware” of the differences between renovations to his personal home and renovations being “organised by the state” for security reasons, which contradicts his claims regarding the extent to which he was involved in the direct decision making processes during the redevelopments.

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| The Democratic Alliance wins a court battle against the ANC following allegations of not playing by the rules ahead of the elections by sertan sanderson President Jacob Zuma has The Democratic Alliance (DA) left the South Gauteng High Court victorious on Friday, after Acting Judge Michael Hellens dismissed a case brought against the main opposition party by the ANC. The DA and the ruling ANC met in a rare stand-off in court after the ANC sued over a text message campaign sent out by the DA earlier this week, which the ANC believed went against the Electoral Act and the Electoral Code of Conduct. However, Judge Hellens deemed the SMS campaign to be acceptable as “fair comment” after all, saying it was supported by the Bill of Rights and the principle of freedom of expression enshrined in the South African constitution. The text message, which quickly became known as the

“Nkandla SMS”, was a public appeal campaign to gain votes for the DA in protest to the details revealed in last week’s Nkandla report on President Jacob Zuma’s R246 million worth of upgrades to his homestead, which Public Protector Thuli Madonsela simply brandished a “licence to loot”. The message read: “The Nkandla report shows how Zuma stole your money to build his R246m home. Vote DA on 7 May to beat corruption. Together for change.” The ANC was clearly not happy with the outcome in court; despite repeated focus on the damning terminology, “licence to loot”, ANC spokesman Jackson Mthembu kept insisting before and during the proceedings that “nowhere in the Public Protector’s report does it state President Zuma ransacked the public purse.” Judge Hellens had to

introduce an Oxford dictionary to the courtroom to put the disagreement to rest, establishing that the definition of the term “loot” could equate “stealing”, as it was said in the DA’s SMS campaign. Even after the court decision, the ANC continued to insist that the judgment was made erroneously and that the principle of freedom of speech does not cover electoral matters. The DA called the court decision “both a victory for freedom of speech and for the truth about Nkandla” and will continue to focus on its election campaigns as well as on motions to impeach President Jacob Zuma. The ANC is unsure about its options at this point, but has states that it will “note and will study the judgement and consult with counsel to evaluate the options available”.

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Twitpolitik: Parties tweet furiously

| This is the first South African election in which political parties have used Twitter to bolster their attempts

by frank burbage Four parties have been taken out of the South African election race after they failed to pay their deposits by the deadline on Tuesday night. As South Africa’s general election edges ever closer, most of the country’s major political parties have been attempting to use social media to publicise their messages to the voting population. This is not surprising considering South Africa has six million Facebook users and at least a million active Twitter users. According to a 2012 report, South Africa is the tenth largest Twitter user in the world, with 467,500 unique visitors every month - accounting for 0.85%of the site’s usage. Twitter wars have erupted over issues from the Nkandla scandal to Nelson Mandela’s legacy, and the Democratic Alliance are currently tweeting on average every ten minutes as they attempt to create a groundswell of momentum during the final month of campaigning. We take a look at how the some of the major players are using Twitter in their election campaigns. Agang – @AgangSA / 5,660 tweets, 44.2K followers On Monday, Mamphela Ramphele’s Agang party had to issue an announcement denying their Twitter account had been hacked due to the extreme nature of the tweets they have posted over the last week. The tweet read: “We have not been hacked. The joke here is president Zuma’s behaviour and the ANC ministers supporting him. Enough is enough.” This follows a tweet they posted on Friday that was laced with sarcasm in reference to Zuma’s delay in responding to

Madonsela‘s damning report: “Jackson Mthembu hasn’t said anything about President Zuma not even liking the windows at the palace, or was it a hectic weekend for him?” They also reacted to criticism and accusations from ANC Youth by tweeting: “@ANC_YOUTH your stupidity and ill-informed tweets are the reason we hope you never reproduce. #VoteAgangSA”. Their aggressive tactics appeared to be working: one response read: “@AgangSA be getting my vote for being real about politics this is what I call opposition”, while another asked: “Why, when @AgangSA finally starts showing some chutzpah, people think they were hacked?!” The hashtag #VoteAgangSA was trending in Johannesburg on Monday. Another tweet about the President read, “Out of all the excuses he could’ve used, he chooses to tell us he didn’t ask for the upgrades?” and was accompanied by the following picture:

ANC – @MyANC_ / 9,122 tweets, 109K followers The ANC have recently been using their Twitter account to defend President Zuma against charges of corruption following Thuli Madonsela’s ‘Secure in Comfort’ report into the misappropriation of public funds during refurbishments at his Nkandla residence. A series of tweets read: “With regards to the security

upgrades at Nkandla, the NEC noted both the reports of the investigations in this matter… The NEC further expressed its satisfaction with the responses and work undertaken by our officials and the NWC on this matter…It further noted that there are processes that need to be given a chance, like the pending report of the President expected in due course.” They have been forced into this defensive position due to campaigns by the Democratic Alliance and Economic Freedom Fighters aimed at focusing public attention on Zuma’s personal role in the scandal. The ANC have also been highlighting its ties to Nelson Mandela as much as possible, possibly to offset the negative publicity currently surrounding Zuma. Another series of tweets from Tuesday: “The NEC has been humbled by the generous offer Madiba made in including the ANC as part of his estate…The NEC considers the bequest to be a singular honour that Madiba has bestowed to his movement… Wee consider such honour and generosity to be more valuable than any monetary value that can attached to the gesture…The NEC has therefore resolved to create programmes named after Madiba in taking his legacy forward…These programmes will find expressions in our political education unit and policy institute, in keeping with the last wishes of Madiba.” Another tweet appears to make reference to Zuma’s choice not to attend the EU-Africa summit in Brussels this week. Egypt has been suspended from the African Union but has still been invited to the summit. The tweet reads: “SA as a member of the AU supports the decision by the AU to suspend Egypt from participating in its activities.”

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as election campaigns intensify

to win over voters. We take a look at what the major players have been tweeting about

ANC Youth – @ANC_YOUTH / 15.6K tweets, 14.5K followers The ANC’s agenda is also promoted via their youth wing Twitter page, which is generally more aggressive and less-PC in the manner it attempts to combat the ANC’s critics. One spoof tweet reads: “Malema has been arrested by the fashion police, they said ‘no amount of make up could make him fashionable.’” After Agang stepped up their criticism of the President, another tweet reads: “Secret Israeli special forces caught working in @AgangSA office.” They also focus on promoting the ANC’s manifesto for the upcoming elections using the hashtag #ANCManifesto with tweets such as: “Consolidate the public works programme, creating six million work opportunities by 2019” and “Make two years of pre-school education compulsory; eradicate adult illiteracy; attend to teacher development.” Economic Freedom Fighters – @EconFreedomZA / 2,753 tweets, 39.8 K followers The Economic Freedom Fighters twitter page mainly features quotes from Julius Malema and is focused on attacking Zuma regarding Nkandla, defending Malema against accusations of corruption and elucidating details

of the EFF manifesto. In reference to the President, one tweet says: “Zuma must rot in jail. I have a meeting with the police on Monday… Zuma must know that I respect him as an elder but I do not fear him.” Malema also makes reference to recent attempts by the ANC to bring a court case agains him: “They took my farm saying it was brought with stolen money. the magistrate said there is no case here…They will never intimidated (sic) me! I have never taken from the poor. I have never worked for the government. We’re ready for the truth.” Another tweet makes reference to a new EFF policy: “When you get married, we must give you a hectare of land so you can start a family.”

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Democratic Alliance – @DA_ News / 23.5K tweets, 70.3K followers The Democratic Alliance have been using their Twitter page to focus attempts to impeach Zuma over his involvement in the Nkandla scandal using the hashtag #ImpeachZuma. In the last few days they have been tweeting as frequently as once every ten minutes. Recent offerings have included: “In November 2012 Zuma denied knowledge and involvement in the upgrade of his private residence in Nkandla… The President must still explain to the NA why he didn’t fully answer @PublicProtector and provide copies of his bond…The special ‘impeachment’ committee will have the power to subpoena this document in the investigation of this matter…There’s clear evidence in the #NkandlaReport that Zuma had detailed knowledge and was involved in the upgrades.” However, political pundits have commented that their attempt to get the President impeached is unlikely to prove successful due to ANC dominance in Parliament, pointing out that Zuma managed to avoid 753 charges of fraud, corruption, money laundering and racketeering before he became President.

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Speculation that Zuma’s decision not to attend the summit was based on who had and who hadn’t been invited seemed to be confirmed on Sunday when the President said: “I think that time must pass wherein we are looked (on) as subjects, we are told who must come, who must not come.” Since the Democratic Alliance and Agang began using the social media platform to directly attack Zuma and his party, the ANC have also been increasing their presence online. Another tweet read: “Whilst we are stepping up our election campaign, we are nonetheless confident that #ANC will win these coming elections overwhelmingly.”

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Captain Lottering lands in London | Capetonian funnyman Marc Lottering is currently entertaining homesick South Africans in London with his latest one man-show, ‘This is Captain Lottering Speaking’. He gives us a taste of what (and who) to expect this week… by Anaïs Mutumba Welcome to London, Marc! Tell us a bit about your current show. My show This is Captain Lottering Speaking features my stand-up material as well as six characters, including Auntie Merle Abrahams from Belgravia Road, Smiley the taxi dude, and Colleen the cashier from hell. How long have you been a professional comedian? What do you know now that you wish you’d known when you first started? I have been doing this for 16 years. And every night feel like the first time. The nerves never leave you. Sixteen years down the line, I’m OK with being nervous before a show because I realise that it’s part of the comedian’s life. You desperately want the earth to open the moment before you walk onstage – but five minutes in, everything’s fine. You’re home. What are your career highlights? Highlights for me occur every time the audience squeals with delight. I never take that for granted. It’s magical. I experienced a bit of that on my opening night at Soho Theatre. Makes me trot home with a spring in my step. What advice would you offer any budding comedian? As far as you can, try to tell “true stories”. The audience loves honesty. Somehow, they just seem to know whether a particular thing really happened to you, or whether you’re totally making it

up. People adore a funny, honest story. What did you want to be when you were growing up? If you weren’t a comedian, what career would you choose? My parents gave me two choices: become a lawyer or a preacher (my late dad was a pastor of a Pentecostal church). I studied law at the University of Cape Town but it soon became clear to me that I was going to be disastrous in a court of law. So I guess, in a way, I now am a preacher. Your website says you like to entertain homesick South Africans in UK and Australia (where you’re headed in May). Does the dynamic of these shows differ from those in SA? The dynamic is somewhat different in that, when one is performing abroad, the rhythm of the performance changes. I speak a lot less Afrikaans, and don’t use as much slang as I would on a South African stage. What do you miss the most about South Africa when you’re overseas? I usually don’t get homesick because life is just so damn interesting wherever you go. But if I have to miss something, it would undoubtedly be not having to multiply anything by 18 before I buy it! Good heavens, you could easily lose your mind here in London if you spend the entire day converting from rands to pounds. One could easily end up drinking tap water for your entire stay!

What do you think the UK could learn from South Africa? Smile just a little bit more. We are not going to live forever. Make the best of it. Do South Africans have a particular sense of humour? South Africans tend to laugh more easily when it comes to topics that are politically incorrect. I think it’s because we’ve been through so much craziness as a country. Having said that, I am starting to understand that essentially, a funny story is a funny story, no matter where you are in the world. Some nations are just more “reserved” than others when it comes to laughter. What three things can you always find in your fridge? Water (especially here in London – see my earlier answer), cheese (because grated cheese can rescue any dodgy meal) and eggs (nothing like my breakfast scrambled eggs with chopped tomatoes and onion, on toast, after a rough night out). You’re next in line at a coffee shop. What do you order? Easy peasy. A flat white please, extra hot. And in the afternoon, a dry white please, extra cold. When you’re not performing, what do you enjoy doing? I love hanging out at fabulous restaurants, with great friends and good wine. Marc’s show runs until Sat 12 April at 9.15pm at Soho Theatre. Tue £10, Wed-Thu £15 (£12.50), Fri-Sat £20 (£17.50) Book on http://sohotheatre. compieter-dirk-uys)

Breytenbachs is moving

| The London BIC office is pleased to announce that we are moving to a new office location on 4 April. We will still be located conveniently in the City of London, EC, close to public transport routes

By breytenbachs Our new office address will from this date on be: Breytenbach Immigration Consultants 23 Austin Friars, London, EC2N 2QP Please note that our office numbers will remain the same.

Although some of our consultants will not be able to take your calls or respond to your emails on the day of the move (4 April 2014), clients will be able to drop off documents at our new office address. Telephone consultations for new clients will also be available on the day. The move will not affect any of

our affiliate offices, and clients can rest assured that it will be business as usual at the London office from Monday, 7 April 2014. Should you have any questions on the relocation, please feel free to contact us at info@bic-immigration. com We look forward to seeing you and serving you at the greatly improved office surroundings!

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Raise a glass to South Africa’s aromatic Viognier | Viognier is an aromatic white grape variety known for producing textured white wines with prominent stone-fruit flavours. Aroma wise, these wines can be very floral, showing lavender like aromas that are quite honeyed in sweeter examples by Louis Holtzhausen Over the Barrel is back! This year the focus of the column will be on some varietals but also the general state of the South African wine industry. Wine writers, Cape Wine Masters, auctions and the wine regions of South Africa will be discussed in earnest to make the South African community in the UK aware of what is going on and what people are saying about our favourite tipples! Enjoy! We start this year with Viognier. The Viognier grape use to have a difficult time. Its traditional home of the Northern Rhone was the biggest producer and with a price tag (in the shape of Condrieu) that put a lot of consumers off. Not so anymore. Viognier is an aromatic white grape variety known for producing textured white wines with prominent stone-

fruit flavours. Aroma wise, these wines can be very floral, showing lavender like aromas that are quite honeyed in sweeter examples. Apricots are the variety’s classic flavour association all over the world, often with a richness that can be interpreted as ripe peaches. In South Africa the Viognier varietal typically shows tinned peaches, marshmallows, apricots with spicy and creamy notes and textures. Viognier was once fairly common but in 1965, the grape was almost extinct when there were only eight acres in Northern Rhône. The popularity and price of the wine has risen, and the number of plantings have increased. As Bruce Jack, Accolade’s chief winemaker in South Africa, said recently at the AfrAsia Bank Cape

Wine Auction: “Viognier clones have shown more promise in South Africa than many parts of Australia, where it initially found a New World home after being imported from France.” For me the best examples of South African Viognier go exceptionally well with food. Choose wisely though. Try it with mushroom dishes as well as grilled vegetables (oor die kole is beter!). Three Viogniers to look out for: The Foundry Viognier 2012, Stellenbosch, South Africa Well balanced with light oak on the nose and intense aromas of peaches with strong floral notes. Fresh flavours of naartjies and young, stony apricots. The finish is long and lemony. Yum. thesavanna.co.uk

| Mat Hartley has been braaiing every day for nearly 365 days as a challenge to raise funds and awareness for rhino conservation. So he knows a thing or two about cooking meat! Here’s his recipe for the perfect steak on the barbecue

Spice Route Viognier 2012, Swartland, South Africa Lovely spiciness and oak on the nose. There is a definite correlation with PEACH MELBA here! Good richness combined with a very vibrant freshness. Great example of what South African Viognier is all about. leaandsandeman.co.uk BERS O EM M

The secret to cooking the perfect steak on the braai

Graham Beck Viognier 2013, Robertson, South Africa A restrained nose for a Viognier. Riper melon and apricot. Good acidity and fruity, ripe apricot on the palate. Crisp finish with fruitiness lingering alongside balanced acidity. biltongstmarcus.co.uk

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Preparation 15 minutes before, throw some coarse sea salt and a bit of pepper on. This is simply for a bit of flavour. But it’s up to you. Why no marinade? What the hell are you buying expensive meat for? If you want to marinade your steak, buy

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Braai Time Make sure the coals have turned white and you have an extremely high heat (you can just hold your hand over the grill for three seconds) Throw the steak on and here’s my trick for a medium rare to medium steak. A lot of people don’t like it medium rare, but again what is the point of spending the money on a good steak, go and buy some crap steak rather if you are going to overcook it. Whatever thickness your steak is, double the number and cook on each side for that many minutes. 2.5cm = 5 minutes each side 3cm = 6 minutes each side

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Buying steak (UK) My first part of braaiing the perfect steak starts at the butcher. I always go to a reputable butcher and ask a few questions before buying it. They may lie the first few times – never go back! But the following things are NB for me. Firstly, has the meat been produced organically? ie has the cow been in the field, grazing and having an awesome life? Corn fed cow is a big no for me.

cheap steak and marinade it for a few days.

lt i Sa a

In my Braai 365 challenge, I’ve probably had steak about half of the time, and after a few tests of different methods this is the best way to cook steak. Obviously everyone has their own method – this is mine!

Secondly, how long has it been matured? Anything over 21 days is good, but 28 days is great! How thick? 3cm works best for me, but nothing under 2.5 Which meat? This is a personal preference for everyone, but sirloin, rump and rib eye are my favorites. How much? This varies for butchers and country but if the above questions are answered then expect to pay upwards of £20 a kg.

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| 08 - 15 April 2014 | thesouthafrican.com

Community

Community Shammunity – You’re a part of all that you’ve met | If you’re reading this, you’re probably reading it because you’re someone who is looking for familiarity, looking to feel part of something – and mostly (like many of us), looking for a community feel in a somewhat foreign world By Katy Potatie While sitting at my favourite Saffa hangout spot in Taunton – a newly opened cafe selling anything from boerie rolls to Cream Soda floats to Tannie Ina’s Olive & Rosemary spice that goes beautifully with a chop braaing on the coals, I was contemplating the word “Community”. You see, I’ve recently started a full-time position as a Community Manager with a cutting-edge company based in the South West where it is my role to develop and engage our service providers – adding value to the time and energy they spend with us, and with our customers. There’s a new trend developing in the working world – and that is the concept of Community. If you’re reading this, you’re probably reading it because you’re someone who is looking for familiarity, looking to feel part of something – and mostly (like many of us), looking for a community feel in a somewhat foreign world.

So you can appreciate the slight underlying irony in this situation where someone who has been searching for her own immediate sense of Community through being so far away from “home”, is now responsible for creating and managing a Community of a different kind, and on a full-time basis. And loving it! It has led me to think about what the word Community actually means. Many have tried to put fancy definitions and descriptions to the word – to make it fit into a corporate box of some sort that accents the rest of the traditional business jargon that has become part of our every day lives. I just call it a place where you feel that you belong, share something in common with others, and where you are being valued for who you are, and what you can do. And thankfully, the company that I work for also see it that way – void of typical office jargon, and traditional ways of doing things. Just the other day, I was sitting

at the cafe in our office, with four of my colleagues. A developer from Italy, another from Spain, a designer and developer from Poland and a credit controller from England. And then there was me. And we were all talking about our respective mothers’ baking. The Italian talking about the Torta della Nonna that his grandmother used to make, and the Polish girl talking about her mother’s amazing culinary delights. And it hit me, like a crème brûlée between the eyebrows, this was my Community. It wasn’t the fact that I was the only South African in a room full of people, or the fact that I felt completely isolated from what I find familiar – but rather that I had discovered my new Community – one that is not nation-bound, but people-bound, thrown into a blender, with a little bit of sugar, an egg or two, some baking powder to make it all rise – and I had become part of a new community that is completely relate-able, familiar and most of all, welcome!

‘Uncoupling’ is a kinder way of moving on

| I like the phrase ‘uncoupling’. Divorce sounds so hostile, so final. But lives that once touched each other, especially when children are involved, will always have threads linking each other

The Optimist

Karen de Villiers

Critics had a field day with Gwyneth and her ‘conscious uncoupling.’ I like the phrase. It’s gentle and amicable to speak of uncoupling. There is a softness to it. We spend most of our lives coupling and uncoupling. Like different wagons on a train, at times some of them need to be uncoupled, but there is always the possibility of hitching them together again. Nothing is final. Divorce sounds so hostile, so barren. But lives that once touched each other, particularly in a serious relationship, and especially when children are involved, will always have threads, be they golden or dark, still linking each other. There is no perfect plan. Romance has no inkling of long-

term life struggles. Falling in love is a giddy affair. Breathless anticipation of contact, purring of promises and that inexplicable joy of being with someone who fascinates and melts you into a puddle of love. Life is reduced to a tiny bubble of happy times. When we join, or couple, it is with the best of intentions. Life is the leveller, the nails on the road to heavenly bliss. Small issues become big ones; suspicion and doubt steps out of the wings. Personality quirks become annoying weapons for combat, and for some, the journey may be surmountable, but for others, the trying becomes the losing of oneself. It happens with friends, colleagues, even your children. Best friends become the opposite, we distance ourselves from those we work with and as our children grow, the growing apart from the steadfast bond we parents try so hard to cling too, is inevitable. We have to let go, we have to begin to uncouple ourselves, to loosen the ties that bind – not an easy task. Death may seem final but it is never so. It too, is a form of uncoupling, a manner of letting go, and we hate that don’t we? Death gives us no choice. We get angry

and throw our fists to the gods but we eventually accept that time will win, we will understand that we have simply uncoupled and not severed the link. Euphemisms are the Optimist’s choice. I cannot tell you how many times someone has been seriously angry with me, I have messed up and committed the ultimate faux pas; sometimes I think it is an art form where I am concerned, but for all that, and after plenty of tears and recriminations, I still prefer to deal with the situation in a hopeful way. I could not bear to think that people no longer want to like me; choose to walk away – just as I hope no-one ever believes I would willingly want to slash a bond of friendship or love. I defy anyone to claim they actually want hurt and anger to typify their lives. So uncoupling works for me. Sometimes we just need to realise there was one pea and a bean in the same pod; that Romeo was not a match. Uncoupling gives us an option to move on, but sounds kinder to me. You can uncouple my heart, but please don’t break it…

thesouthafrican.com | 08 - 15 April 2014 |

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Parlotones treat Londoners to intimate Roof Gardens gig

| The Parlotones performed live at Kensington’s trendiest venue, The Roof Gardens on Tuesday night. Before the gig, we sat down with frontman Kahn Morbee to find out about life in Los Angeles and being big in Germany by David dos Santos When I found out a few months ago that the Soaring Eagle Spur branch was opening in Leicester I was thrilled. It doesn’t get much better than Spur for a South African looking for a taste of home! Shortly after becoming the first South African band to entertain passengers live on a Virgin Atlantic flight, The Parlotones performed live at Virgin Atlantic’s Kensington Roof Gardens on Tuesday. The venue, hidden on the sixth floor of 99 Kensington High Street, includes one and a half acres of lively gardens to explore. Resident flamingos Bill, Ben, Splosh and Pecks, add to the outside beauty while the small, cosy indoor stage gave all 400 fans an excellent view of the band. After being iintroduced to an expectant crowd by South African prankster and radio presenter Whackhead Simpson, the band opened with ‘Push Me To The Floor’ and continued with songs off their latest album, Stand like Giants, to be released in the UK on 2 June. Before the gig, we sat down with Parlotones frontman Kahn Morbee to ask a few questions. Was it like starting afresh when you moved to Los Angeles? Well, we actually met a band in Europe called Blue October and they invited us on tour in the States. We played to their audience and sold them a lot of CDs. Soon after that we did our own tour and it was obvious that we had won

over some of their audience, and we used that as a platform to grow on. The bulk of our fan base is American, although South Africans are everywhere; we could be in Russia and have a South African in the audience. Outside of South Africa, where do you attract the biggest crowd? Germany. We toured Germany relentlessly and years ago did some opening shows for The Wombats and Snow Patrol, so we also got a bit of their audience. ‘Life Design’ is probably our most popular song in Germany, it was used in a car advert too. On Sunday you played a gig at 37 000 feet on a Virgin Atlantic flight. What was that like? It was pretty random but actually quite cool. The aisle in first class was wide and we got lots of space. Premium was a bit better than economy, which was quite challenging; Neil was eventually in the toilet with the door open, banging on the drum. We will release a clip on our Facebook page soon. Did the altitude affect your singing? My voice did get a bit raspy actually and as soon as we started singing a baby would cry somewhere. What’s the first thing you do after arriving in a new town while on tour? Generally, we go to our hotel room and ask for the wifi code. We hit the ground running wherever we land and usually have a busy agenda. It’s funny, even when we

do have time off we actually just want to chill, but today we did do some touristy stuff; we went up the Shard and the London Eye. Who came up with the animated music videos for your new album? We collectively came up with the idea that we would be like a band that doubles up as super heroes who fight crime during the day and perform at night. What do you miss most about South Africa? The obvious is family and friends and just the familiarity of home. Whenever you are abroad obviously there are cool experiences, but you never quite feel ‘this is home’, I think that takes years or decades. But we go home often to perform and record. What are some of your passions outside of music? I have always loved sports. I play soccer when I get time and was part of an indoor soccer side back home. In the USA, Neil and I like to play tennis, and I recently started surfing in Los Angeles. Paul’s passion is books and TV games. We all like our golf. We actually got to play at the Beverly Hills Country Club, which is an invite-only thing. It’s insane, I think it’s about $200,000 a year to be a member.

Photos by Kevin Waters.

Where to next? We go to Scotland and we’ve got some shows there, and then back home for a while. The next step is Germany to launch the album there. The album is being released in Europe around the end of May, and then we’ll kick off the tour in Europe and later the States.

The Parlotones perform at dizzying height of 37,000 ft

| The Parlotones became the first South African band to have an album included in Virgin Atlantic’s music library by David dos Santos On Sunday 30 March The Parlotones reached new heights. En route to London from Johannesburg they became the first South African band to entertain passengers live on a Virgin Atlantic flight. The Parlotones flew in to London to perform at Virgin Atlantic’s Roof Gardens in Kensington on Tuesday evening (read our review and interview here). Ten lucky fans who had requested specific songs were able to get up close and personal with the band in a unique setting as lead singer Kahn Morbee described, “The aisle in first class was wide

and we got lots of space. Premium was a bit better than economy, which was quite challenging; Neil was eventually in the toilet with the door open, banging on the drum.” “Music is in the Virgin DNA, so we’re really excited that a hugely successful band like the Parlotones launched their new album live on board a Virgin Atlantic flight,” said Virgin chairman Sir Richard Branson. “Throughout this airline’s history we have looked for innovative and entertaining ways to give our passengers the very best flying experience, and an acoustic concert at 37,000 feet is definitely true to that pioneering spirit.”

Travel

| 08 - 15 April 2014 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

Beasts of the southern wild: On canoe safari in Malawi | All that lay between me and a reptilian killer was the flat-bottomed boat on which I sat. I knew, however, that the hippos frolicking on the opposite shore were the real danger… By heather walker “Don’t put your hands in the water – there are crocodiles in this river.” With this warning, our local guide Eliam commenced our canoe safari in Liwonde National Park, Malawi. A less than reassuring start to what had promised to be an idyllic afternoon watching wildlife. I sat behind my friend Rachelle and a Dutch couple in a blue flat-bottomed boat. Our guide punted us at a leisurely pace across the floodplain of the Shire River (pronounced Shirr-eh, not as in Lord of the Rings), a glassy expanse surrounded by lush green vegetation.

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We navigated our way through reeds and water lilies, watched warily by statuesque storks and herons. It was incredibly peaceful; apart from the occasional bird call and the gentle lapping of water against the boat it was almost eerily quiet. Just us and the big open sky. The air was still and heavy. Oppressive purple clouds gathering above us warned that a thunderstorm was heading our way later. As we glided along, we spoke in whispers, afraid to spoil the tranquillity (or maybe we were just slightly petrified). The idea of getting close to nature on a form of transport used by Malawians for centuries had earlier seemed the perfect adventure. Now I tried to erase the mental image of a leathery snout rising from the depths to snap at an unsuspecting tourist’s arm. All that lay between me and a reptilian killer was basically a plank. I knew, however, that the creatures frolicking on the opposite shore were the real danger. Our guide pointed out a playful pod of hippos on the far bank but said we couldn’t get any closer to them than 200m away as they could attack if they felt threatened. I have watched enough wildlife documentaries to know that Africa’s most dangerous animal is not the lion or elephant, but the hippopotamus. Those massive jaws have been known to smash much bigger vessels than ours. To add to my sense of terror,

Eliam casually informed us that lone hippos were known to run along the riverbed. So even if we kept our distance from the hippo family, there was still a chance a stray member might come across us and topple us into croc-infested water. ‘Er, what if one runs under our boat and tips us over?’ I asked nervously. Eliam confidently assured us that it would be unlikely. I wasn’t entirely convinced but tried not to think too hard about the list of perils that awaited. I felt rather vulnerable in our small fibreglass craft. The other piece of advice we were given was not to rock the canoe or lean too much to one side as this could cause us to capsize. Great! So even if we avoided the hippos, the slightest sudden movement could tip us all into the murky depths to be chomped by a hungry reptile. No pressure! Imagine being the one responsible for my fellow travellers’ last swim. Although we had each been handed a jaunty straw hat for sun protection, none of us were wearing life jackets – and of course we hadn’t been asked if we could swim. Ha! None of that tiresome Health and Safety malarkey! I resolved to stop being such a coward and just enjoy the moment. After all, if it was my moment to go, at least it would be in one of the most beautiful places on earth…

Actually, it was a wonderful experience. Being out there, in the midst of unspoilt nature, taking it slow, was such a refreshing antidote to the pace of city life. And just as I was starting to enjoy it, our safari came to end. In the nick of time too – as we disembarked on the edge of the lagoon, the heavens opened, a reminder of how water connects us all, predator and prey. We had stared danger in the face and lived to tell the tale. Just another day in Africa. Bushman’s Baobabs offers accommodation in Liwonde National Park as well as a number of excursions, including the canoe safari. www.bushmansbaobabs.com

thesouthafrican.com | 08- 15 April 2014 |

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Top ten facts you probably didn’t know about Robert Mugabe | There’s no question that the 90-year-old Zimbabwean president is know as a controversial figure around the world. But there are several lesser-known facts about Robert Mugabe’s background, some of which might surprise you and perhaps explain some of his more eccentric characteristics and antics

8. Robert Mugabe on the silver screen The 2005 thriller “The Interpreter” is said to be loosely based on an actual assassination plot that had once been planned against Mugabe. The fictional president character featured in the film is supposed to represent Robert Mugabe so succinctly well that the movie had to be banned in Zimbabwe altogether. The producers of the movie have never confirmed or denied the coincidences and similarities between Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe and the persons and events depicted in the film, but audiences can watch it and make up their own minds – as long as they reside outside of Zim.

By Sertan Sanderson 1. Mugabe comes from a dysfunctional family

Robert Mugabe is reported to have had two older brothers when he was a young boy, both of whom died while they were still only children. Around the time of the second child’s death aged 10, his father abandoned the family in 1934. Robert Mugabe’s mother had to start a new family thereafter, and so she went on to bear new children from another husband.

His stepfather was a strict and fanatically religious man and made sure that Robert Mugabe was brought up in line with the Catholic faith, sending him to a Jesuit school, where discipline was of paramount importance, instilling some ‘tough love’ values in Mugabe, which he says have guided him throughout his life.

2. Robert Mugabe’s own definition of ‘family values’ may be somewhat loose While his wife Sally Hayfron was battling with terminal cancer, Robert Mugabe started having an extramarital affair with his private secretary, Grace Marufu. It wasn’t long until the world found out that Grace was disgracefully pregnant with a girl. Ignoring popular opinion, he married his erstwhile secretary in 1996, a few years after Sally, regarded as the mother of the nation, had died. Considering Mugabe’s long-standing objection to gay and lesbian relationships it would appear that there’s a only thin line between bigamy and bigotry in his thinking. Mugabe’s previous marriage with Sally Hayfron had somewhat been rocky on account of the political circumstances of the times: Mugabe was imprisoned for ten years during the marriage due to his political activities in the 1960s and 1970s, causing a palpable strain on the relationship. During this period, their only child, Michael Nhamodzenyika, died from Malaria aged three, which caused the couple further distress and reportedly drove them apart. 3. Doctor Honoris Causa and rebel without a cause Education has always played the most important role in all of Robert Mugabe’s social policies, for which he has earned himself widespread recognition around the world while raising the literacy levels in Zimbabwe to an unparalleled 90 per cent – the highest in all of Africa. Originally trained as a school teacher himself, he has

also managed to gain a choice few university degrees in his own time – mainly while completing correspondence courses during his time spent in Salisbury prison (now Harare). Mugabe holds a total of seven degrees, including a Bachelor of Laws and Master’s of Laws from the University of London. His other degrees cover the academic fields of economics, education and administration. But on top of all his own merits, he was also awarded several honorary degrees as well as other official honours – many of which have since been revoked on account of the human rights violations in Zimbabwe under his rule. Both the University of Massachusetts and Michigan State University in the United States withdrew Mugabe’s honorary doctorates as well as the University of Edinburgh in the UK. Even the Queen stripped him of his knighthood in 2008. 4. Mugabe was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize Robert Mugabe was shortlisted for the Nobel Peace Prize in 1981 after his election victory as Zimbabwe’s first democratically elected president following the country’s independence. His initial rhetoric based on reconciliation garnered him much positive regard and undivided attention at first. But the tide turned against him in the course of the 1980s, when political infighting and the Matabeleland Massacres, which saw more than 20,000 civilians massacred and scores tortured in internment camps, began to paint the political leader in a much different light. His attitude toward white Zimbabweans

must also have undergone a major shift at the time, marked by his land redistribution policies and provocative quotes like “The only man you can trust is a dead white man.” However, the Nobel Peace Prize has come under frequent scrutiny throughout history, with nominees including such historic figures as Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, and, more recently, Vladimir Putin. So Robert Mugabe’s joining the club should not perhaps come as such a surprise after all. 5. Robert Mugabe does not seem to care much about proper travel documentation The year was 2013. The occasion: the inauguration of Pope Francis in Vatican Square. Despite the fact that Mr Mugabe was pretty much listed on every no-fly list in the Western world and is still not allowed to enter the EU on account of hefty sanctions imposed on the Zimbabwean leader, he still somehow managed to sneak in and out of Italy on his way to the Vatican in order to witness the pontification of Francis. Citing religious reasons, he managed to subvert the ban and attend the ceremony like a true pilgrim of faith. He may have received his blessing and even his absolution while he was at St Peter’s Basilica, but whether he will truly be forgiven for all his sins is an altogether different question, which we can’t even begin to answer. But when in Rome… 6. Robert Mugabe’s ‘man parts’ are subject to much rumour and gossip

The fact that Robert Mugabe has produced what we can safely assume are his own offspring should attest to the fact that he does indeed have fully-formed and functional genitalia. Regardless, however, there are some online forums that try to discredit the ageing Zimbabwean leader’s manliness, and seek out proof to establish that certain elements of his manhood may be missing as a consequence of torture undergone during his incarceration. Other rumours circulating about his sexual health are focused on certain kinds of communicable diseases, to such an extend that some conspiracy theorists out there allege that Mugabe has died long ago from a disease that many people now consider a 19th-century relic, and that he has been replaced with body doubles to appease the ‘sheeple’ of Zimbabwe. 7. Robert Mugabe is a lottery winner In 2000, when Zimbabwe was barely managing to come out of its worst famine and one out of two Zimbabweans was suffering from continuous unemployment, Robert Mugabe’s name was the one that was miraculously drawn by the national lottery in Zimbabwe, winning 100,000 Zimbabwean dollars (the equivalent of about $2,500 today). The entire country was surprised at the time but with the lottery being drawn by the country’s Reserve Bank, and with many of its directors having direct ties to or careers in government that surprise turned out to be shortlived.

9. Boulevard of Broken Dreams Namibia’s capital Windhoek features an homage to the Zimbabwean president with its very own Robert Mugabe Avenue, which seems to run for miles and miles from one end of the city to the other. Quite a central feature in downtown Windhoek, the “Mugavenue” runs past several Namibian landmarks such as the country’s Supreme Court, the Parliament Gardens and numerous foreign embassies, forming one of the main arteries through town. In an ironic twist of town planning, however, Robert Mugabe Avenue actually happens to intersect with another iconicallynamed city infrastructure in Windhoek, Fidel Castro Street, saying perhaps a little bit more about the commonalities between the two revolutionary leaders than either one of them might find comfortable. 10. Robert Mugabe plans to run as president… again By the look of his face alone he may well be older than Methuselah himself, but Robert Mugabe has confirmed that he intends to run for office again in 2018. If he does survive that for long he will have been president for over 30 years. Despite the fact that election fraud is believed to have been behind his most recent 2013 victory, Mugabe seems to be hopeful about the future, saying at his recent 90th birthday celebrations that he still felt as “energetic as a nine year old boy.” We don’t know yet what his plans may be for elections in 2023 and beyond, but with medical advances in stem-cell research, daily Revlon rinses and enough formaldehyde to pickle the entire African continent, he might just manage to outlive us all.

Business

Dividing personal assets on separation: home and away

| EXPAT FAMILIES: International Family Law Specialist, Carmel Brown answers your questions on how assets are divided on divorce by Carmel Brown Different countries operate different systems and therefore these issues affect an ever increasing number of families who live and work abroad. It is vitally important therefore that you seek legal advice early on to ensure that you are aware of the potential settlement in your case. Q: How differently are financial issues dealt with abroad? How will our assets be divided? A: Some countries operate a system informally known as community of property. In these cases, the assets accruing during the marriage up until the date of separation are divided equally. Pre-marital and post-separation assets and all inheritances and gifts are taken out of account. This inflexibility can sometimes produce unfair outcomes. This system gives no accounts to commitments made within a marriage which are often to one spouse’s prejudice, e.g. giving up a career for child raising or moving countries to be with the other spouse. Maintenance may be in addition to this division, although an increasing number of countries do not grant spousal maintenance for more than a few years after the divorce.

Q: My husband and I are South African citizens. Can England apply South African Law in relation to our matter? A: No, England only ever applies English law. Some countries apply not their own domestic law but the law of the country with which the couple have the closest connection, known as “choice of law” or “applicable law”. Q: How will the English Family Court know what are the assets to be divided? A: There is an obligation on each spouse to give full and complete disclosure of all of their resources worldwide. However, this applies in most countries. England is a leading country in its intensive and effective investigation of disclosure, with very wide international powers to obtain documents and information. England requires disclosure of personal assets held in the name of trusts, companies, other family members or in other ways designed to conceal true ownership and wealth. Q: How does the way England deals with ascertaining what assets are to be divided compare to other countries?

Latest on the appeal on income threshold for spouse or partner visas

| In 2013 many felt relief after the UK High Court found certain UK immigration rules ‘unjustified by breytenbachs In 2013 many applicants for the spouse/partner visas felt relief after the UK High Court found the controversial UK immigration rules requiring a minimum income of at least £18,600 for spouse/ partner visa applications, as ‘unjustified and disproportionate’ where the sponsor is a refugee or a British citizen The UK Home Office has however filed an appeal against the judgement made on the 26th of July. This appeal was heard in the Court of Appeal in the beginning of March 2014. Judgement on this case is now being awaited and BIC is hoping to have more news by May 2014. Tragically, whilst the case is being fought in the UK courts, 3,014 families’ lives have been put on hold. This is the number of settlement applications form nonEEA partners on hold pending the results of the judicial review, from July to December 2013.

| 08 - 15 April 2014 | thesouthafrican.com

It is estimated by some authors that the number has since increased by about another 1,500 families, to a shocking 4,500 families. For families desperate to an alternative solution, there is the so-called ‘Surinder Singh’ route. For more information on this please contact a BIC consultant for more information.the UK. This application can be done in person or post. For further information or for assistance with your application, please contact our offices at info@ bic-immigration.com or phone us in London on 0845 074 0514. JP Breytenbach Director of Breytenbachs Immigration Consultants Limited. www.bic-immigration.com

A: Ascertaining the assets to be divided in some countries, even if to be divided equally, can be hard work and often simply impossible. Some countries rely on self-disclosure without any opportunity of corroboration or investigation. Some countries have minimal investigation powers. Some countries ignore assets put within trusts or companies, even if done to evade marital responsibilities. Some countries ignore offshore assets, i.e. resources outside the country. Q: My partner and I are cohabitating but are not married. How does England deal with cohabitation and what are our rights? A: In England, as an unmarried couple you would have no legal rights if you separate, regardless of whether you are cohabitating and have shared assets. Carmel Brown is a solicitor at The International Family Law Group LLP – a law firm specialising in international family law matters based in Covent Garden, London. To speak to Carmel or her team at The International Family Law Group LLP call 0203 178 5668, email carmel.brown@iflg.uk.com or visit www.iflg.uk.com

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Luxury Game Lodge available for co-ownership

| Shares on offer in a luxury Game Lodge in Dinokeng Big 5 game reserve, just 40 mins from JHB International Airport By fd express FD Express MD, Richard Lowther says that he is delighted to bring this exceptional offer into the FDE portfolio. Being a shareholder himself, he says that he and his family love to spend time relaxing in the reserve, before heading south to their apartment in the Cape Town Waterfront. “The lodges are really a special place to relax and unwind, while enjoying the surrounding bushveld and all the wildlife on offer. It’s particularly nice to watch the wildlife wandering past the lodge from the comfort of your private patio. It’s great that we don’t have to worry about anti-malarials and the location is so easy to get to after an international flight. With current exchange rates, we believe that this is a fantastic opportunity to acquire shares in one of the best game reserve properties available at the moment and we are generating a lot of interest from overseas buyers.”

“The fully serviced lodges in Hunters Pride Wildlife Estates come with 3 or 4 en-suite bedrooms and an open plan layout. They have been beautifully furnished and decorated to a high quality standard. Large sliding doors open on to a private patio with a covered outdoor dining area, a plunge pool/jacuzzi and a braai and fire pit, ideal for sitting out in the evenings watching the sun go down and listening to the unique sounds of the African bushveld. “ “This is co-ownership, not a timeshare. You are purchasing shares in the company that owns the lodge and have a real right of ownership as well as a say in how it is managed. The levies are particularly reasonable and all the hassles of property management are taken care of for you, including the collection of rental income on your behalf if you so wish”. “The flexible ownership arrangement means you can book your week(s) when it suits you.

For the most popular holiday periods, there are also fixed weeks available.” Hunters Pride Wildlife Estate is situated within the Dinokeng Game Reserve in pristine Malaria free bushveld, only 40 km north of Pretoria and 100 km from OR Tambo International Airport. The 18,500Ha reserve includes Government and privately owned land and already boasts more than 6,000 head of game consisting of more than 20 species including lion, elephant, buffalo and rhino, as well as more than 250 species of birds. Negotiations are under way to add another 20,000Ha to 30,000Ha to the reserve. For lovers of wildlife or those who just want to ‘get away from it all’, this is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to purchase a share (or shares) in one of these superb lodges, at a very attractive price. The FD Express website is at http://fdexpress.co.uk or email sales@fdexpress.co.uk

How to claim back Richmond Practice is the your overpaid tax success story of a mumpreneur | Yesterday marked the start of the new tax year. If you’ve lived and worked in the UK, you might be in for a pleasant surprise in the form of a tax refund

by John Dunn If you can tick any of these points, you have a good chance of receiving a UK tax refund: • You only worked for part of a tax year (6 April to 5 April the following year). • You worked for more than one employer in a tax year. • You had two or more jobs at the same time. • You have been taxed on a basic rate tax code. • You paid emergency tax in the last five years. • You left the UK before the end of the tax year. • You were registered on the wrong tax code in the last five years. When can you claim back? • If you’re still working in the UK, you can claim back overpaid tax at the end of any tax year for up to four years. • If you’re leaving the UK or if you’ve already left, you can still make a claim. As long as you do this within four years of leaving the UK, you’ll still qualify for a refund. • If you’ve retired, become unemployed, become a student, or been made redundant and know that you won’t be working until the end of the tax year. What do you need? In order to make a claim, you need a P45 or a P60 for each job

you worked. If you’re unable to provide either, then a statement of earnings from your company will be fine. These documents show how much you earn, the details of your tax code, and the amount of tax you paid during a specific tax year. How can you make a claim? You can either use an established tax refund agency to process your claim, or you can claim directly through HMRC, the UK’s official tax authority. A good agency will specialise in efficient processing of tax forms, making sure your refund reaches your bank account in record time. The average refund is £1250 – possibly more if you haven’t claimed back at all in the last five years. What would you do with your tax refund? John Dunn is the manager of 1st Contact Tax Refunds, an ICAEWregistered accounting business that submits your claim so you get the maximum tax refund in the shortest possible time. If you have any questions, call them on 0808 141 5503. Brought to you by

Call 0808 168 2055

| When Johanna Renz was presented with the problem of what to do with her career after having a baby; her response was Richmond Practice: A one-stop private doctors‘ service developed with help from her husband and private GP, Dr Sebastian Renz

As a pregnant mother and the parents of a young family the couple knew from first-hand experience that a healthy and happy pregnancy is an important key to staying productive. If your baby is well and sleeps at night, it is much easier to keep the show on the road“. Their main idea was hence to make specialist doctors‘services in pregnancy and the early years of life more readily available to young families. You can therefore attend Richmond Practice without a referral and are usually seen on the same day by a private GP, consultant paediatricians and/or a gynaecologists/obstetrician who are on duty 60 hours per week for appointments, baby scans, breast feeding advice, vaccines and checks. The practice was started with limited start-up capital and developed through the credit crunch, while Johanna was pregnant and after the birth of their daughter. At first all profits were invested back in to the company, while the couple were still working in the NHS. They can still remember how much money they saved by getting their baby gear from the NCT’s Nearly New sale – which they continue to actively support. The surgery quickly grew

readily available to young families. You can therefore attend Richmond Practice without a referral and are usually seen on the same day by a private GP, consultant paediatricians and/or a gynaecologists/obstetrician who are on duty 60 hours per week for appointments, baby scans, breast feeding advice, vaccines and checks.

Business: Classifieds SERVICES

| 08 - 15 April 2014 | thesouthafrican.com Follow us on Twitter: @TheSAnews

SERVICES

SA SHOP DIRECTORY The Chichester Biltong Company www.biltongcompany.co.uk The best of British from a friendly bunch of South Africans who made Sussex our home. But there was one thing we couldnt live without from our native land..Biltong! So we made our own using traditional recipes handed down through generations. We only use the finest prime British beef! Get our “readers 10% EXTRA FREE” offer by using the VOUCHER CODE ‘SA10’

Richmond Practice GP - Paediatrician - Gynaecologist A South African owned and managed practice with doctors available Mon -Sat. For checks, ultrasound and private pregnancy care including scans. Try a GP package including unlimited visits for £45 per month. Appointments: 020 8940 5009 or mail@ richmondpractice.co.uk 19 Sheen Road (opposite Waitrose car park), Richmond, TW9 1AD

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 CHICHESTER BILTONG COMPANY BILTONG doesn’t get any better than this ! Arguably the best and most authentic South African biltong in the UK. WE ONLY USE ORGANIC SPICES. Our FINEST range has no e’S , gluten, sugar or preservatives. Use promo code SAFFA10 for 10% EXTRA FREE. www.biltongcompany.co.uk / 01243 699 722

LIFESTYLE

St Marcus One of the most amazing emporia the capital offers to the carnivorous gourmet. People have been flocking to St. Marcus for their amazing range of Biltong & Boerewors Visit us at: 1-3 Rockingham Close, Priory Lane, off Upper Richmond Road West, Roehampton, London SW15 5RW Call us at: 0208 878 1898 Online: www.biltongstmarcus.co.uk sales@biltongstmarcus.co.uk Use accountants that do more than ‘crunch’ the numbers... let us help grow your business Company formations and Secretarial Services Business planning & development • Management support • Team training & development • CFO/FD Services • pay only for time required by your business • Compliance Services • Accounting Services • Profit improvement programs • Taxation planning • Personal and Corporate • Contracting solutions

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

SA SHOP DIRECTORY savanna Good friendly customer service is Savanna’s core principle. Our standards are high, and our rapidly-expanding network of shops are clean and bright and well-laid out, with friendly first-rate staff. Find us at: 20-22 Worple Road, Wimbledon London SW19 4DH Call us at: 0208 971 9177 Online: www.thesavanna.co.uk wimshop@thesavanna.co.uk Biltong Direct Biltong Direct, in the business of making superior South African meat products since 2004. Online or from our shop (directions on website – www.biltongdirect.co.uk). Retail and wholesale sales. We manufacture Biltong, Droewors, Snap Sticks, Boerewors & Gluten and MSG free products, offer quick dispatch and a 100% Satisfaction guarantee. Call 01268-685728

The African Corner Three miles off Junction 26 of the M5 in the centre of Wellington, Somerset, TA21 8LS. Pull in if you’re in the West Country or find us online at www.theafricancorner.co.uk and we’ll come to you. Email: theafricancorner@yahoo.co.uk Tel: 01823 619184 NO1 South African Shop Lots of lekker stuff for a taste of home. Including fantastic biltong, droewors and boerewors. 5 Marlow Drive, St Catherines Hill, Christchurch, Dorset, BH23 2RR. The shop is about 2 miles north-west of Christchurch town centre and 6 miles north-east of Bournemouth town centre. There’s loads of free parking and the shop is easy to get to from the A338. Tel: 01202 496041 10’ish to 6pm 7 days a week. www.no1southafricanshop.co.uk

The Springbok Café The Springbok Café offers traditional South African food, wine and beers served with a smile in a friendly atmosphere. All this plus the option to grab your favourite S.A. groceries before you leave after relaxing and kuierring with us for a while. The Springbok Café` Ltd, 1 East Reach, Taunton, Somerset, TA1 3EN, 01823 254966,thespringbokcafe.co.uk

WORLDWIDE TAX SOLUTIONS

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Cambridge & Villages Toft Shop – Village Shop & Post Office With a South African section selling all your favourite tastes from home! Pop in and pick up your treats – Biltong; Boerewors; Koeksisters; Rusks; Sweets; Chips; Groceries etc. Web: www. ToftShop.co.uk Tel: 01223 262 204. CB23 2RL

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

KALAHARI MOON The Southern African Shop in Bristol. Wide range of stock including excellent boerewors and biltong. Centrally situated, friendly service. Connecting South Africans. Tel: 0117 929 9879 Address: 88 - 91 The Covered Market. st Nicholas Market, Corn Street, Bristol, BS1 1JQ Email: Info@kalaharimoon.co.uk Website: www.kalaharimoon.co.uk Limpopo Butchers We believe in small, well run family businesses, where quality is the number one priority. Come and try our delicious traditional recipe biltong, drywors, and boerewors, as well as aged beef steaks, chicken flatties, and succulent lamb. 9 Horn Lane, Acton, W3 9NJ Tel: 020 8993 8823 www.thesaffashop.com

Shebeen bar Edinburgh’s only South African bar has opened in Leith. A unique, stylish bar with something for everyone,delivered by experience and friendly staff. As expected we stock a large range of South African beers, wines, ciders and snacks, including a classic selection of cocktails and Dom Pedros. Opening hours are from 12pm to 1am. Come down and enjoy a true taste of Africa. 3-5 Dock Place, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6LU. 0131 554 9612.

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

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

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

thesouthafrican.com | 08 - 15 April 2014 |

Sport

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Long wait continues for the Proteas

| The long wait for ICC silverware continues for the Proteas after they lost to India on Friday but coach Russell Domingo remains positive and is looking ahead By Jeremy Bortz Although there may have been lower expectations at this past World Cup than previous ones, the pain of defeat is as present as if we had been tournament favourites. The Proteas have now lost in the semi-finals of seven global ICC tournaments – three World Cups, two Champions Trophies and two World Twenty 20s – and are the only major nation not to have won an ICC event in 16 years. This seems incomprehensible with the talent we have, and there are really no answers to explain why this is the case.

Credit must go to Vihrat Kohli; his fine knock of 72 not out, off 44 balls, ensured India were never really in any danger of failing to chase down a competitive total of 172. The bowlers failed to execute properly, however, and conceding nine wides in this short format of the game is always going to make life difficult. For the Proteas, two players in particular had an outstanding tournament. JP Duminy was the first, topping the Proteas’ runscoring list, accumulating 187 runs at an average 62.33, and a strike rate of 140.60. The second was legspinner Imran Tahir who picked up

Winter time set on fire with red hot touch action

| As the old saying goes – time flies when you’re having fun by Jessica Powell And don’t we know it, because it’s WINTER FINALS TIME ALREADY! That’s right, after 7 hard weeks of fighting it out, and giving it their all – teams are now on the countdown to the ‘battle royale’ of the O2 Touch Winter League 2014 finals. With 2014 bringing out some amazing weather each Sunday games were played, the Winter League has been very different this year compared to last (when it was being played in the snow!). With the banners flying and team spirit’s soaring even higher – this Sunday will see some sure fire action hitting the pitches. With 2 Mixed divisions and 1 Men’s – there is going to be some great skill showcased on the pitches. Going into the Division 1 Final are two of London’s Sunday league rivals – Hot Custard and Chili Mixed. Chilis are going into the final having won 5 of the 6 games played (drawing to Gurus) and Hot Custard have won 4 from 6, with the other game results being losing one and drawing one (also Gurus). Both teams showcase some extremely skilled players, some who even represent on a National level. Taking the pitch for the Hot Custard team will be England Representative players such as Adam Reid, Angela Verniquet and James Robinson – who will all bring some extremely valuable talents to the pitch. Aussie fire powers Leigh Wylie & Christian Alonzo will no doubt also be dazzling the opponents with some fancy footwork. Division 2 Finals are between Sparky the Wonderdog and Baa Baas. Going through the season undefeated, team Sparky the Wonderdog will be feeling pretty confident about this final – but, Baa Baas won’t be going down without a fight! Both teams are regulars in our Spring and Summer

competitions and have a lot of playing experience behind them. So, this will be a fight to the finish! In the Men’s final, it’s the undefeated GT-RPM (Gurus Touch) taking on Hot Custard Men’s. Talk about grudge matches! Both these teams are long standing, competitive London based clubs – who both have players who regularly compete in both national and international competitions. Neither team will be going down without a fight – 100% effort – everything you have – leave it on the pitch! All finals and games this Sunday will show people passing by – what touch is about. Playing harder, and then partying even harder when it’s done! Presentations will be done at GIGALUM after the days games have finished. With BASEMENT JAXX playing at Gigalum that day also – this will be a finals day to remember! But don’t worry as you haven’t missed out because there is still time to register for our 2014 Spring and Summer Leagues starting on 28th April 2014. Teams and Individuals welcome! For more information go to www. in2touch.com/uk or contact Jess at jess@in2touch.com.

12 wickets at an average of 10.91. Dale Steyn, too, bowled magnificently at times, especially against New Zealand, while AB de Villiers underlined once more why he, without doubt, is one of the world’s premier batsman. Despite the loss, coach Russel Domingo remained positive. “It was very disappointing to lose to India,” Domingo said. “But we played good cricket for most of the game. We made a few basic errors which proved costly.” Domingo went on to say wholesale changes were not the answer and many of these players would be in Australia and New

Zealand next year (for the 50 over World Cup): “There is a good future for this team. It is a major positive that the majority of this team form the nucleus of the one-day team as well… we can build on that,” Domingo said. “It’s disappointing to exit the tournament because we believe we are good enough to win tournaments like these, but we are on the right track. We played some good games under pressure earlier in the tournament and the way we handled some of those tough situations can only stand us in good stead going forward,” he said. The South African women’s

cricket team also bowed out of the World Twenty20 in the semifinals on Friday, losing to England in Dhaka by nine wickets, with 19 balls remaining. It was only the second time that the women’s Proteas had made the semi-finals of an ICC tournament. Previously they had played in the final four of the 2000 World Cup. And so the countdown begins again ... it’s 315 days until the Proteas play their first match of the World Cup against Zimbabwe in Hamilton, New Zealand. Until then, they have another meager international calendar to get ready for next year.

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Dikgacoi, Ferdinand and Crystal Palace FC foundations unite for SA | The Kagisho Dikgacoi Foundation has partnered with Dikgacoi’s current club, Crystal Palace

FC, and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation to assist underprivileged youth in South Africa By staff reporter The Kagisho Dikgacoi Foundation, Rio Ferdinand Foundation and Crystal Palace FC Foundation have joined forces to set up a pilot football development programme in South Africa. The pilot ‘Isagoyarana Football Coaching Development Programme’ (IFCDP) based in Bloemfontein, Free State, will empower underprivileged youngsters to develop the necessary tools they need to give them the brightest opportunities and bring about tangible changes in their lives. The IFCDP will target 18-24 year olds who face levels of 75% unemployment compounded by a lack of access to education, training and few mentors. The programme will focus on job creation and developing valuable life skills as well as identifying talent both on and off the football pitch. In addition, by teaming up the Foundations will have greater engagement with the South African government and private sector to create an avenue for development of football in South Africa and foster a positive impact on the economy of the country. After launching the Kagisho Dikgacoi Foundation (KDF) in London with a gala dinner in November last year to raise awareness and secure funding, the KDF has partnered with Dikgacoi’s current club, Crystal Palace FC, and the Rio Ferdinand Foundation who work in the Western Cape.

| Hayley Short (Fund Development and Administration, Kagisho Dikgacoi Foundation), Gabriel Kingston (Coach, Rio Ferdinand Foundation), Kagisho Dikgacoi and Cillian Leahy (Operations Manager, Rio Ferdinand Foundation).

The primary aim of KDF is to improve the lives of young adults in South Africa through training in sports coaching and management, job creation and employability skills and training. Their secondary aim is to assist in the delivery of holistic childhood development through health and nutrition, holistic education which will include entrepreneurial and valuable life skills alongside sport development. This project is no doubt close to Dikgacoi’s heart. Currently a

midfielder for English Premier League side Crystal Palace and the South African national football team, Kagisho Evidence Dikgacoi grew up in Brandfort near Bloemfontein. He was inspired to take up football by his grandfather and credits the game with taking him away from the streets and the temptations of criminal activities and drug abuse. After a successful early career in South Africa he moved to England, making his debut for Fulham in 2009 before moving to

Crystal Palace in 2011. The KDF founder and trustee said, “Giving back to the community is something my grandparents taught me from an early age and something my mum still reminds me of every day. Ever since I turned professional I have been giving back to the community on a personal level but I can make more of a difference through setting up my own Foundation. “The KDF has experienced and passionate staff working for us and we are glad to be

working with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation who have a history of working in South Africa and in particular, Cape Town. “Poverty is the main factor that affects young people and their chances of reaching their potential not only in South Africa but the whole of Africa. We are a talented country sports-wise but lack of infrastructure and poverty can stand in someone’s way. With the KDF joining with Rio and Crystal Palace we can help these kids revive their dreams. “We want to raise as much money as possible so we can create jobs and keep a long-term commitment. If I can say in a year that we have helped hundreds of kids get jobs and maybe some working for the Foundation itself that would be awesome. “I believe I am what I am because of my community and the fans and I would like to thank them and ask them to get involved with us.” Cillian Leahy, Operations Manager of the Rio Ferdinand Foundation said, “We have worked for a number of years in South Africa through our networks delivering sporting sessions, coaching and educational workshops and when Kagisho Dikgacoi approached us we were excited to hear the possibilities about how we could fuse together to create many more opportunities for the young people of South Africa. “South Africa is a country full of possibilities and inspiring young people and we hope to make a difference to those who do not have the chance of fulfilling their dreams.”

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