Indwe April 2015

B LO E M F O N T E I N CA P E TOW N DURBAN E A S T LO N D O N KIMBERLEY LUBUMBASHI LUSAKA WINDHOEK GEORGE

GABORONE HOEDSPRUIT JOHANNESBURG P I LA N E S B E RG P O RT E L I Z A B E T H RICHARDS BAY W A LV I S B A Y HARARE

INDWE April 2015 YOUR FREE COPY

Wild About Hoedspruit

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contents

Features 27

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Cooked in Cape Town Where to Munch in the Mother City

Hipster Health 2015’s Biggest Wellbeing Trends

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Is This the Future Face of SA Fashion?

The Boys of Soweto

Keep Your Kitchen in Check Turn the Tables and Eat Healthier

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APRIL 2015

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Cover Image:

© iStockphoto.com

On the Cover It’s not easy to find a luxurious, private Big Five experience in the Lowveld that’s still affordable, but Justin Fox manages to sniff out four good options a stone’s throw from Hoedspruit.

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Airline Content 12 CEO Letter

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North West is Coming On Board: SA Express Fleet

127 We Fly For You: Our Visions and Values

128 Safety and Route Map

130 Flight Schedule

134 Passenger Letters

contents

Regulars

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An Out of Town Timeout Countryside Hospitality

61 Dashing Durban One of the Must Visit Places of 2015

66 Luxury in the Heart of the Winelands Grande Roche Hotel

69 Old Four Legs East London’s Coelacanth

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Home of the Royal Crocodile Shiwa Ng’andu

Events North, South, and In Between

20 Bits & Pieces Travel Tips & Gorgeous Goodies

24 Bites Restaurants & Taste Experiences

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Gadgets Must Haves for Technophiles

124 Books New releases and Must Reads

Business 92 Time to Tap Tourism Making the Most of SA’s Potential

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Leveraging Load Shedding Eskom’s Failures May be Entrepreneurs’ Gain

107 Remote Control The How To’s of Working Out of Office

Motoring

Travel

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The Bush on a Budget Hoedspruit’s Safari Gems

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Take the Tour BMW 2-Series Active Tourer

Peugeot 308 on Point Strong Challenge from 2014 European Car of the Year

ceo Freedoms of the African Skies This April is important for SA Express as we will be celebrating our 21st year of existence and of offering consistently safe travel. April is also the start of the financial year, and we are determined as ever that this new 2015-’16 financial year is one of performance, reliability and continued safe operations.

We begin this month on a positive note as we go full steam ahead with our “trajectory for growth” plan for all SA Express staff. SA Express continues to receive Government’s support, and its confidence in the role that the airline plays in ensuring seamless connectivity to secondary markets is key, in addition to the role we fulfil as a catalyst in growing rural tourism. Key partnerships include various top tier lodges in the Hoedspruit area near the Kruger National Park. Our Johannesburg to Hoedspruit and Cape Town to Hoedspruit operations have positively contributed to occupancy rates in the area.

The airline will continue to seek such mutually beneficial relationships with partners throughout South Africa and the region.

In the new financial year, we are proceeding cautiously and responsibly with our growth ambitions. Key to our success is you – your flying experience and safety are our key priority. We will spare no effort to make your experience as pleasant and memorable as possible. We are continuously reviewing our current network and adding new routes where there is demand. We aim to improve efficiency measures to enable us to provide continued service excellence to you, our customers.

With effect in April 2015, we are launching new routes and will begin flying to Pilanesberg and Mafikeng airports. SA Express will operate three weekly flights between OR Tambo International Airport and Pilanesberg and Mafikeng airports respectively. In addition, we will simultaneously be launching two flights between Pilanesberg and Cape Town. This is indeed a significant milestone for us as an airline. These linkages between secondary markets and the three main hubs of Johannesburg, Durban, and Cape Town are aligned with our strategy of making air travel accessible to as many South Africans as possible. These new routes are an integral part of our growth strategy.

To the North West Province: “le amogetswe”, which in Setswana means “welcome”.

April has deep historical significance for South Africa, as it also marks 21 years of democracy.

We can reflect on the importance of our Constitution and Bill of Rights, and the

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institutions and freedoms that come from these founding documents. Our children are growing up in an environment where Apartheid is increasingly becoming a distant memory thanks to the many transformative measures that are being implemented by our Government. We need to teach our children to value and cherish these gains. And, as parents, we need to jealously guard these important achievements and do all we can to ensure that our country never slides back to its painful past.

April also brings along with it various holidays, such as Easter, which is a Christian holiday that brings families together to celebrate the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is also a time where schools take a two to three week break, which often leaves children at a loss of what to do with themselves. SA Express can help to take you and your children to exciting family orientated holidays on any of our national and regional flight destinations.

We pride ourselves on giving you a unique experience on board our flights with a variety of meals or snacks on all flights. You can expect a comfortable, quality air travel experience, with the added benefits of frequency and excellence as we consistently strive to provide you with the best service.

Make sure you book your flights to your favourite Easter holiday destinations with us either by calling reservations on +27 11 978 1111 or going online to www.flyexpress.aero.

Interesting April trivia: April starts on the same day of the week as July in all years, and January in leap years. April also ends on the same day of the week as December every year.

Make sure you follow SA Express on our various social media platforms to find out about what’s happening in the company and to see all of our specials and promotions in the month of April.

Sincerely, Inati Ntshanga

www.facebook.com/FlySAExpress www.twitter.com/flySAExpress Insta

www.instagram.com/flysaexpress

SA EXPRESS Communications and PR Officer Lerato Ramango Tel: +27 11 978 3854 Email: lramango@flyexpress.aero Customer Care Department Tel: 0861 729 227 Email: customercare@flyexpress.aero Twitter: @flySAexpress Facebook: SA Express Airways Reservations Support Tel: +27 11 978 9905 Email: groupsales@flyexpress.aero Group Reservations Tel: +27 11 978 5578 Email: reservationslist@flyexpress.aero Sales Office Email: sales@flyexpress.aero INDWE Images © iStockphoto.com & Quickpic General Manager and Associate Publisher Letlhogonolo Sealetsa | nolo@tjtmedia.co.za Publisher Bernard Hellberg | bernard@tjtmedia.co.za Marketing and Communications Manager Pam Komani | pam@tjtmedia.co.za Editor Nicky Furniss | nicky@tcbmedia.co.za Senior Designer Lindsey Steenkamp | design@tcbmedia.co.za DIRECTORS Bernard Hellberg l bernard@tjtmedia.co.za Obed Sealetsa | nolo@tjtmedia.co.za Pam Komani | pam@tjtmedia.co.za ADVERTISING SALES Tel: +27 12 425 5800 National Sales Manager Bryan Kayavhu | bryan@tcbmedia.co.za +27 83 785 6691 Manager: National Sales & Business Development Chantal Barton | chantal@tcbmedia.co.za +27 83 459 3086 Senior Account Managers Nikki de Lange | nikki@tcbmedia.co.za +27 83 415 0339 Calvin van Vuuren | calvin@tcbmedia.co.za +27 82 5826873 Gertjie Meintjes | gertjie@tcbmedia.co.za +27 82 757 2622 André Scharneck | andre@tcbmedia.co.za +27 72 739 8855 Noel Sands | noel@tcbmedia.co.za +27 74 428 7604 DISCLAIMER: All material is strictly copyrighted. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed in Indwe Magazine are not necessarily those of SA Express.

Events North

On Pointe 17th April – 3rd May

Swan Lake, Joburg Theatre, Johannesburg Swan Lake is set to return to the stage of South Africa’s premier theatre in April and May after an absence of several years. Showcasing the big, bold athleticism and dynamic New World brilliance that have become hallmarks of Joburg Ballet’s classical style, Swan Lake features an array of leading dancers in the principal roles, including Viengsay Valdés, prima ballerina of the National Ballet of Cuba, Brooklyn Mack, a star of The Washington Ballet in Washington DC, and South African prima ballerina Burnise Silvius. Joburg Ballet blends Cuban ballet bravura and South African ballet classicism and has been changing the face of ballet in South Africa, invigorating what was once the Old World restraint that marked the European and Russian ballet tradition by imparting breathtaking speed and expansive movement, all of which will breathe new life into Swan Lake this season. For tickets, phone 0861 670 670 or visit www.joburgtheatre.com.

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Events South Furry Fun 17th & 18th April

Bot River Barrels & Beards, Overberg Delight in a weekend filled with bold wines, raging beards and genuine hospitality when the wine community of Bot River in the Overberg celebrates their harvest with a trio of unique events. Your expedition into the laager of this winemaking clan kicks off with a laid-back sunset session on the stoep of the legendary Bot River Hotel on the Friday evening.

On the Saturday, serious wine lovers and cellar buffs can attend a Best of Bot River Tasting at Luddite Wines, followed by the ever-popular Bot River Barrels & Beards post-harvest celebration when the winemakers’ self-imposed shaving ban (which starts on 1st February) ends on a high and hairy note on the Saturday evening. At this annual celebration of good food and wine, the winemakers flaunt their wacky whiskers during an amusing “beard parade”, when the boldest beard in Bot River is crowned by the judges – who take their job very seriously. For more information, email nicolene@botriverwines.co.za or call +27 82 852 6547. www.botriverwines.com

Say Cheese!

25th to 27th April

SA Cheese Festival, Sandringham, Cape Town When the versatility of cheese is paired with innovative ideas, you are guaranteed an extraordinary experience that will keep your taste buds tingling! The increasingly popular SA Cheese Festival offers the widest variety of cheese in the country, as well as exciting new products, cooking demonstrations, live entertainment, famous personalities, and hours of fun for the whole family. Tickets are available at any Computicket outlet, Shoprite or Checkers store at R130 per day. For more information phone +27 21 975 4440 or email cheese@agriexpo.co.za. www.cheesefestival.co.za

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For Winelands Weddings Franschhoek Wedding Showcase, Franschhoek Franschhoek is the perfect setting to celebrate the most memorable day of your life. Exquisite views, world class venues, fine dining and awardwinning wines complete the package for this special day. A sneak peek of what you can expect will be on offer at the inaugural Franschhoek Wedding Showcase in April. A selection of wedding suppliers will be pulling out all the stops, including venues, dresses, cakes, stationery, music, DJ’s, photographers and wineries. An added attraction to the event will be the launch of Franschhoek’s online wedding registry. This allows brides and grooms to select wedding gifts from Franschhoek’s specialist shops and wineries. Tickets are available from www.webtickets.co.za or on the day at Le Franschhoek Hotel & Spa. For more information, email office@franschhoek.org.za. www.franschhoek.org.za.

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Events In Between April

02nd – 12th

Full Steam Ahead Stars of Sandstone Steam Heritage Festival, Ficksburg Steam enthusiasts from across the globe will once again gather at Sandstone Estates near Ficksburg in the Eastern Free State to enjoy the steamdriven vehicles and machines that have been restored to pristine condition in honour of transportation from days gone by. Military vehicles, old tractors, steam lorries, traction engines, locomotives, old buses and cars will again be taking centre stage, with the backdrop of the majestic Maloti Mountains of the Lesotho Highlands in the distance. Sandstone’s world-renowned 26 km narrow gauge railway forms the backbone of this spectacular event, and the distinctive autumn light will provide a breathtaking backdrop ideal for photo opportunities of this vast vintage collection. Old tractors and other agricultural relics in mint condition will also be exhibited at the 2015 festival. www.sandstone-estates.com

Easter Celebrations 25th to 27th April

The Durban Passion Play, The Playhouse, Durban The Durban Catholic Players’ Guild will present the 14th Durban Passion Play at the Playhouse Drama Theatre in April.The Passion Play strives to restore the true meaning of Easter. It is an epic scale dramatic production depicting Jesus’ passion, covering the final period of his life from his visit to Jerusalem to his execution, and is performed by a large cast who volunteer their time and skills as part of their Lenten preparations. The play involves seven months of commitment from a 150-plus cast who receive no remuneration. The first Passion Play in Durban was performed in 1952, when the mayor and community of Oberammergau in Bavaria granted special permission to the Durban Catholic Players’ Guild to stage an abridged version of their world famous Passion Play which was first enacted in 1634. The play is now staged in Durban every five years. Tickets are available from Computicket. www.computicket.com.

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Bits & Pieces

Even More

of Joburg City Sightseeing Johannesburg, the company that operates the iconic red double decker, open top bus tours through the streets of Joburg, has recently partnered with dynamic entrepreneur Bheki Dube, dubbed Maboneng’s “Minister of Tourism”, to add an exciting new extension to their existing Red City Tour that offers sightseers a personal tour of Maboneng’s hot spots. Maboneng means “Place of Light” and is a privately developed urban neighbourhood with a thriving community. It is home to artists, restaurants and coffee shops, cinemas, a community park and residential apartments.

Tour goers will now be able to connect to this vibrant area by hopping onto the shuttle at the City Sightseeing Carlton Centre Stop. Visitors will then be delivered to the departure point for the Discover Maboneng Walking Tour. Each day this walking tour has a different focus – Thursday’s offering is an architectural tour, Friday’s tour visits hidden gems and Saturday offers a public art walk.

WWW.CITYSIGHTSEEING.CO.ZA/JOBURG

Classical Conditioning The Moroccanoil Hydration Collection is the perfect way to condition your hair this Autumn. Moroccanoil Hydrating Shampoo and Moroccanoil Hydrating Conditioner are perfect for all hair types, and gently cleanse the hair and scalp while delivering deep moisture and hydration to repair and smooth damaged strands, so that your hair looks and feels healthier, with increased elasticity. The collection also includes a travel-sized bottle of Moroccanoil Weightless Hydrating Mask. This creamy, yet lightweight deep-conditioning hair mask is rich in argan oil and nourishing ingredients which hydrate and condition while dramatically improving hair’s texture, elasticity, shine and manageability. The Hydration Collection is available for a recommended retail price of R600 from reputable salons countrywide. WWW.MOROCCANOIL.COM

Take a Hike Discover the beauty of the Slanghoek Wine Valley Mountains while hiking along the Jason’s Hill Hiking Route. Breathtaking scenery, babbling brooks, majestic waterfalls and a host of exciting wildlife creates the ultimate hiking experience. The 6.5 km trail offers exquisite views of the valley, with an abundance of fauna and flora to admire along the route. The trail takes between three and four hours and costs R25 per person. Hikers can depart from the Jason’s Hill Private Cellar between 08h00 and 11h00 (Monday to Friday) or between 10h00 and 11h00 on a Saturday. Hikers are provided with a list of bird species to be found in the area, as well as pictures of the birds to make identification easier, especially for tourists who are not familiar with the wildlife in the area. For more information, email info@jasonshill.co.za.

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Bits & Pieces

Angelic

Adornment The Browns Guardian Angel Collection has been inspired by the miracles that happen all around us every day. Our guardian angels are assigned to guide and protect us as we journey through life. They keep us from danger and bring hope and comfort in times of grief and sorrow. Sometimes these angels are unseen and at other times they come to us as kindly strangers, dear friends or even our most loved ones. Set in yellow, white and rose gold, the Guardian Angel necklaces can also be encrusted with diamonds. WWW.BROWNSJEWELLERS.COM

Let the

Wine Flow Avondale, one of the leading proponents of biodynamic winemaking in South Africa, are releasing their new 2007 Samsara Syrah at a particularly propitious time. The name “Samsara” comes from the Sanskrit word meaning “to flow on” through the endless cycle of life, and as the soil recovers from the rigours of the harvest, and prepares – through the winter months – for the rebirth of Spring, it is a fitting time to recognise and celebrate its reincarnation with a new vintage of one of South Africa’s finest and most individual wines. The 2007 Samsara Syrah is an elegant wine which focuses on refined flavours that develop over time. Sixteen different blocks of organic grapes were used, each handled in a way specific to the soil, aspect and age of the vines, and the wine was then aged in small French oak barrels for between 12 and 16 months. Samsara 2007 is available from the farm at R335 per bottle.

WWW.AVONDALEWINE.CO.ZA

Tastes of Autumn The Durbanville Hills Restaurant has transformed its popular tasting menu to include some favourites to match Autumn’s shorter days. Situated a mere 20 minutes from Cape Town’s city centre, the restaurant overlooks a splendour of rolling hills, vineyards and the unmatched vista of Table Mountain, Table Bay and Robben Island. Each of the five courses is paired with a range of Durbanville Hills, Rhinofields and singlevineyard wines. Starting with an amuse bouche, the prawn ceviche and smoked duck breast or a butternut and cumin soufflé are followed by a choice of the grilled venison loin skewer or grilled fish of the day, ending with spiced orange crème caramel. The pairing costs R350 per person, and is available for lunch from Tuesday to Sunday and as dinner on Thursdays and Saturdays. For more information or to book email info@durbanvillehills.co.za.

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bites Click, Click, Clink Excellent news for those with a passion and appreciation for the finer things in life: Now you can explore, own and savour a wealth of outstanding wines and spirits through www.vinoteque.co.za – an online shopping experience as rewarding as the brands it houses. Its carefully selected portfolio includes some of South Africa’s most distinctive wines, as well as award-winning local and international whiskies, brandies and cognac. Interested buyers can purchase their selections immediately from the collection for delivery directly to their door or, where appropriate, cellar their purchases at the Bergkelder Vinoteque Wine Bank until they are ready to enjoy them. Vinotèque’s premium brands include Allesverloren, Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, Bisquit, Black Bottle, Bunnahabhain, Durbanville Hills, Fleur du Cap, Neethlingshof, Plaisir de Merle, Pongrácz, Scottish Leader, Stellenzicht Uitkyk, Van Ryn’s and Zonnebloem.

WWW.VINOTEQUE.CO.ZA

Cocktail Cupcakes Here’s to Amarula-style spoiling with a cherry on top! Take South Africa’s favourite cream liqueur, a splash of Nachtmusik chocolate indulgence and finish off with whipped cream.

What’s not to love?

Ingredients ¼ shot (6.25 ml) Nachtmusik ½ shot (12.5 ml) Amarula Cream ¼ shot whipped cream Sliced Maraschino cherry to garnish Gently layer the shooter by tilting the glass and pouring the liquids slowly down the inside edge, or use the back of a teaspoon to pour liquids for even layers. Start with Nachtmusik, follow with Amarula Cream and top with whipped cream. Garnish with a cherry.

Dinner With a View If you’re looking for a restaurant that offers cuisine with bold flavours, a chic atmosphere, and panoramic views of the beautiful Mother City, then look no further than ON19, located on the 19th floor of The Westin Cape Town. The ON19 menu boasts a variety of dishes for every palate, ranging from ramen cuisine, salads, seafood and meat to authentically South African “BoKaap” chicken curry. ON19’s latest special offer includes a two course meal for approximately R260 and a three course meal for approximately R300. For reservations, contact +27 21 412 9999.

WWW.ON19RESTAURANT.CO.ZA

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George Jardine

Cooked in the Cape INDWE 29

Longridge Restaurant

Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room

Where to Munch in the Mother City Text: Keith Bain Images © Supplied

Taste of Cape Town returns to the Mother City this month (10th to 12th April), so we asked seven local chefs what makes their restaurants tick, and where we can sink our teeth into a decent meal.

The Farm-to-Table Enthusiast Bruce von Pressentin Bruce Von Pressentin is head chef at Longridge Restaurant (www.longridge.co.za), on a wine estate which prides itself on its organic vegetable garden.

“We do unpretentious fine-dining and we aim to be organic by incorporating our edible garden as much as possible, growing our own vegetables and herbs, and even some fruit. The garden isn’t just about aesthetics – it makes us more sustainable, and adds freshness to the food.

“I’m a big fan of George Jardine, the awardwinning chef at Jordan (www.jordanwines.com).

His food is all about the freshness and quality of the ingredients, as well as using simple combinations to create masterful flavours. Babel (babylonstoren.com) is the groundbreaker in the farm-to-table movement.

Our gardeners learnt from the fruit and vegetable garden there. They do incredible salad combinations, based on colours, and their sourcing of meat is also impeccable. Directly across from us is Sweetwell Farm (www.sweetwell.co.za), where I source our pork which

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they rear with care on their farm. They also have a lovely restaurant with garden-grown vegetables.”

The Hipster-Magnet Lyndall Maunder On Bree Street, tattooed lady chef Lyndall Maunder heads up Clarke’s Bar & Dining Room (www.clarkesdining.co.za), which takes hipster heaven to the next level. Known for its hangover-blitzing breakfasts, Clarke’s is about seriously tasty food with the vibe of a neighbourhood local, but bang in the centre of the city.

“We’re essentially an American diner made good.

America is like the whole world of food, but a bastard version. I don’t like junk food, but burgers and fried chicken can be done properly, and I’d like to think we get that right here. We do a much-loved ‘All Day Breakfast’ menu, and at night we serve hard liquor, so there’s a permanent buzz.

“For flavoursome food and good atmosphere, Dias Tavern (+27 21 465 7547) is an eternal favourite with real Portuguese food and a boisterous crowd. In

Tamboerskloof, Hallelujah (www.hallelujahhallelujah.co.za) is owned by Adam Whiteman, who has a flawless eye for detail. The style of food – experimental Asian – is pretty much everything I love in a nutshell, plus they serve craft beers and Cape bubbly.

“Something really special is Oep ve Koep (+27 22 752 2105) in Paternoster – the chef experiments with foraged ingredients, including things you’ve never heard of. Lots of wild, raw stuff from the shoreline, and true farm produce.”

The Comfort Food Enthusiast Natasha Wray Natasha Wray is head chef at 96 Winery Road (www.96wineryroad.co.za), a Winelands stalwart with unfussy, delicious food alongside a formidable selection of wines.

“We’re a home-from-home place where you chill with friends and family and hopefully feel utterly relaxed. We do comfort food. Real food. Nothing fancy, but super-yummy, we hope. Ingredients inspire us, and we use what’s local and in season.

Some long-serving favourites include our succulent 96 Beef Burger (topped with brie and sautéed black mushrooms), and our dry-aged steaks.

“I’m a mom, so my two youngsters determine where we eat out, but we are spoilt for choice in the Winelands. A favourite is The Millhouse Kitchen at Lourensford (www.lourensford.co.za) with its local neighbourhood vibe and scrumptious woodfired pizzas, pork belly, and springbok loin. Mont Marie (www.montmarie.co.za) is super-casual and does special options for children. At Vergelegen,

there’s Stables (www.vergelegen.co.za), a super contemporary bistro.”

The World Traveller Jacques Erasmus Erasmus is the owner and head chef at Hemelhuijs (www.hemelhuijs.co.za), where the dramatic décor changes every few months, and the menu is always evolving.

“I’ve been cooking since I was five years old with my grandmother. I’ve always loved eating well and trying new things in the kitchen. I don’t do a specific kind of cuisine. I draw from everywhere. It’s classic food with influences from my travels all over the world – whether it’s Japan or Cambodia.

“When I eat out I prefer simple food – all I want is a seriously good meal, very simple, very flavourful. For Japanese food, Nobu (www. noburestaurants.com) is unbeatable – there are certain things that you only get there. Dynasty Chinese Restaurant (+27 21 434 0065) in Sea Point is definitely not fancy, but makes the best Szechuan cashew chicken in the world.”

The Latin Spirit: Riana Robertson Riana Robertson is the chef at Cosecha (www.cosecharestaurant.com), a Latin-inspired restaurant serving dishes from Mexico and California.

It’s at Noble Hill, a wine estate in Klapmuts, roughly midway between Paarl and Franschhoek.

“Cosecha means ‘harvest’ in Spanish, and we try to stay true and authentic to the region that inspires us. So we do corn tortillas filled with beer-battered kingklip and serve Huevos Rancheros. But we experiment regularly in the kitchen, coming up with things like char-grilled coffee-cocoa pork ribs. A big

Hemelhuijs

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Cosecha

ECONET

Luke Dale-Roberst

hit is our guacamole, which is prepared fresh at the table. At Taste of Cape Town, we’ll be serving our fish tacos, our lamb barbacoa with green rice, and our chicken enchiladas with tomatillo sauce.

“One of my favourite dining destinations is Spice Route (www.spicerouterestaurant.co.za) just outside Paarl. Chef Bertus Basson has a spot there where he does all kinds of old family recipes, like ‘Ouma Jossie’s baked tongue with slaphakskeentjies and organic beetroot’. I love LUST Bistro & Bakery (www.lustbistro.com) at Vrede & Lust. You feel so at home there and the views are gorgeous. Latin American restaurants have taken off in Cape Town. Keenwä (www.keenwa.co.za) is a Peruvian restaurant doing home style quinoa dishes. On Bree Street, Orinoco (www.orinocoflavours.co.za) serves South American food that’s found nowhere else in the country.”

The Magician: George Jardine Edinburgh-born George Jardine heads up Jordan Restaurant (+27 21 881 3612), overlooking a lake and terraced valley on a pretty wine estate just outside Stellenbosch. Adjoining this is Jardine’s latest venture, The Bakery @ Jordan, serving artisan breads, pastries, breakfasts, and light lunches.

“I’m inspired foremost by the ingredients – the fresher, the better. At The Bakery, we’re all about simple dining, and I change the menu all the time.

Jordan Restaurant has its own charcuterie, so we use meat from there for our platters with local cheeses, and there are child-friendly meals, too “Great food needn’t be fancy. Try Mzoli’s in Gugulethu on a Sunday and your mind will be blown.

Hundreds of people turn up to socialise and party

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while they tuck into meat braaied for them by hardworking chefs. The Belgian beer and bone marrow at Den Anker (www.denanker.co.za) at the V&A Waterfront is always a good call, as is fish and chips from The Salty Sea Dog (www.saltyseadog.co.za) in Simon’s Town. The pizza at Buratta (www.burrata.co.za) is stand-out.”

The Avant-Gardist Luke Dale-Roberts Dale-Roberts, owner and head chef at The Test Kitchen (www.thetestkitchen.co.za) in Woodstock, is considered by many to be the country’s most interesting chef.

“Two keys ingredients that should underscore any dining experience are localism and provenance.

Produce should be locally sourced, and care should be taken in knowing where ingredients come from. It’s a great adventure cooking here, because there is no particular food style that’s intrinsic to South Africa. It means that all chefs are free to experiment and set their own trends. This might explain the diversity in Cape Town’s culinary scene. A recent experiment at The Test Kitchen is steaming langoustine in an oven bag with sea water, ginger and lemongrass. This is done via a Bunsen burner and a flask with a tube leading into the oven bag. So it even looks like an experiment.

“A current favourite place to eat out in Cape Town is Carne (www.carne-sa.com) in Constantia, where it’s all about meat, meat, meat. I have a thing for Asian cuisine, so I do love Downtown Ramen (+27 21 461 0407), the first noodle bar of its kind in Cape Town.

And the original Haiku (www.bukhara.com), in the city centre, is an old favourite.”

The Bush on a Budget Hoedspruit’s Safari Gems Text & Images ©: Justin Fox

These days, top-end private lodges in the Kruger Park region are charging in excess of R14,000 per person per night. It’s not easy to find a luxurious, private Big Five experience in the Lowveld that’s still affordable, but Justin Fox manages to sniff out four good options a stone’s throw from Hoedspruit.

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MY SA Express flight, direct from Cape Town, landed at Hoedspruit’s Eastgate Airport and I stepped off the plane into a duvet of early summer heat. The first rains had fallen and everywhere the bush showed green flushes. It was a time of thunderhead skies, cloud-wracked sunsets and leafy iridescence, a time of new life with the first foals, cubs and calves gambolling out in the open. In other words, the perfect time to hit the bush.

nThambo Tree Camp This pretty lodge is located in Klaserie Private Nature Reserve, which shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park and Timbavati Game Reserve. The camp is small and intimate, sleeping a maximum of ten guests in five tented and thatched chalets raised on wooden stilts. There’s a lounge and dining area under thatch which offer great views of a plain with a waterhole in front of the camp, as well as the Drakensberg etched on the western horizon.

The game drives at nThambo were most rewarding. There were mud-splattered rhinos up close, two gorgeous lionesses with fluff-ball cubs, and an elephant herd protecting a

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newborn that insisted on charging our vehicle, but gave up when it received no support from the spoilsport big’uns. Best of all was a graceful serval on the hunt, slinking through the long grass and occasionally standing on its hind legs to peer at prospective prey.

She was all sinuous, feline grace.

The birdlife was also good: a Saddle-billed stork fracking the mud for tasties amidst a bevy of cacophonic Egyptian geese (the worst named birds in the world, confided our field guide, as they’re apparently Indian ducks). There was a dead Leadwood tree thronged with Grey herons, Spoonbills and Yellowbilled storks, like feathered Christmas decorations. The first of the summer migrants, such as the Woodland kingfisher and European bee-eater, had just arrived and were showing off their gorgeous livery.

Africa on Foot As the name suggests, this rustic bush camp in Klaserie specialises in walking trails. The lodge has five traditional rondavels, two of which are for families.

There’s a small garden (frequented by hippos at night) and a splash pool. A favourite among guests is a tree house which offers the opportunity of spending a

First Page: A dazzling zebra collage at one of the waterholes at Nokana Safari Camp.

This Page: Guests while away the heat of the day in the attractive, open-sided lounge at nThambo Tree Camp.

Next Page Top: Day trips from Nokana Safari Camp take you to Tsau, the White Lion Reserve, where you have the chance to get close and personal with the big, snowy cats.

Next Page Bottom: A baby elephant gets up and has a luxurious stretch during a game drive from Africa On Foot bush camp.

night under the stars on a platform high in the branches of a false Marula tree.

Our guide, Patrick Leyden, led us repeatedly to a pair of lionesses that were overdue for a hunt. One morning he skidded into camp and ordered everyone onto the vehicle: The girls had just taken down a warthog. We drew up beside the kill. The hog’s flesh looked unnaturally scarlet and the cats’ faces and paws were painted in blood. There was the rasping of tongue on hide, the sawing of heavy breathing, the crunch of cartilage and the snap of sinew.

Despite the gore, it was mesmering.

The daily walks were first rate. More often than not, we were on our haunches looking at tracks: the clover leaf of hippos, square marks for warthogs, dog-like hyena prints, and the big hoof spoor of giraffe. Patrick pointed out interesting trees and plants, describing their many uses. The magic Gwarrie is a good fire beater and toothbrush. Just snap off a branch, peal away some bark and add paste to the bristles. The best bush toothpaste is the ash of a leadwood mixed with water, explained Patrick, running the Gwarrie over his teeth.

Nokana Safari Camp Nokana lies northwest of Hoedspruit in the BlydeOlifants Conservancy in rolling country dotted with granite koppies. This lodge offers a different experience in that it takes guests on daily tours of the surrounding private game reserves and the Kruger Park itself. This means that safaris cover a large area of diverse habitats and wildlife. Apart from game drives, there are bush walks, close encounters with habituated animals, a visit to white lions, and even a boat cruise on the Olifants River.

The lodge itself comprises safari-style tents and thatched chalets in a reserve free of

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S A EX P RE S S C O NNE C T S Y O U TO HO E DS P R UI T

This lodge lies in central Klaserie and offers an intimate safari experience with a focus on one-on-one hospitality. Run by Bruce and Judy Meeser, this is a traditional, colonial-style setup in a large thatched house with only four en suite, air-conditioned guestrooms. For hot summer days there’s a lovely swimming pool and a well wooded garden of tall Baobab, Knob thorn and Fever trees.

It’s easy to while away the heat of the day on a poolside lounger listening to the insistent Morse code of woodpeckers, the squawking of go-away birds and the shrill squirrels that come to plunder Judy’s rusks.

Meals on the deck beside the pool offer views of a well-trafficked waterhole and we were treated to large elephant herds bathing, slurping and jousting.

Up early, our open 4x4 traversed quartzite hills and the verdant banks of a great oxbow sweep of the Klaserie River, accompanied by the sounds of the glug-glug of Green-spotted doves, the rusty hinges of Spurfowl and the trill of laughing doves. Klipspringers and waterbuck guarded the high ground, an elephant polished off a tall salad in the riverbed and a gorgeous reed frog wearing striped pyjamas made an appearance at the breakfast picnic. Sometimes it’s not a member of the Big Five that makes your day.

S EE F L IG H T SCH E DU L E F OR MORE IN F ORMAT ION .

nDzuti Safari Camp

dangerous game. Thus mammals such as zebras, wildebeest and warthogs wander through camp at all hours of the day. Horses are kept on the property and pay daily visits, especially at meal times, which can make for some hilarious scuffles over the muesli.

A full, seven-day itinerary encompasses all that Nokana has to offer, but a shortened three to four day stay will still give you a pretty diverse taste. The owner and manager, Michel Laforet, is a colourful Frenchman who does everything from guiding to cooking, and even playing the piano.

Fast Facts How to get there: SA Express flies direct to Hoedspruit daily from Johannesburg and every day except Saturday from Cape Town.

Visit www.flyexpress.aero to book.

What it costs: nThambo Tree Camp has a full-board rate of R2,650 per person, per night sharing. At Africa on Foot it’s R2,195, while nDzuti costs R2,150 and Nokana R2,700. These rates include all game activities, but exclude alcoholic drinks and transfers.

How to book: Contact Sun Destinations on +27 21 421 8433, email reservationssundestinations.co.za or visit www.sundestinations.co.za.

Voyager en brousse

avec un budget limité

Text & Images ©: Justin Fox

Safaris à Hoedspruit : des trésors cachés De nos jours, les loges privées haut de gamme du parc Kruger des alentours exigent des tarifs de R14 000 ou plus par personne par nuit. Il n’est pas facile de trouver une loge privée permettant de vivre l’expérience des Big Five (les cinq grands mammifères d’Afrique) sur les bas plateaux qui soit encore abordable, mais Justin Fox a flairé quelques bonnes options à deux pas de Hoedspruit.

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JE PRIS un Vol SA Express allant directement du Cap à l’aéroport d’Eastgate à Hoedspruit et descendis de l’avion dans la chaleur enveloppante du début d’été. Grâce à l’arrivée des premières pluies la brousse exhibait des traces de verdure un peu partout. C’était la période des ciels orageux, des couchers de soleils encombrés de nuages et des feuillages aux reflets changeants, un temps de renouveau voyant gambader dans les champs les premiers poulains, veaux et autres petits. Autrement dit, le meilleur moment pour aller en brousse.

nThambo Tree Camp Cette loge ravissante se trouve dans la réserve naturelle privée de Klaserie, adjacente au parc Kruger et à la réserve de Timbavati et non clôturée. Ce petit camp intime ne loge que 10 hôtes à la fois dans des tentes et chalets sur pilotis à la toiture de chaume. Le salon et la zone réservée aux repas, qui se trouvent sous un toit de chaume, offrent des vues superbe de la plaine et du point d’eau juste en face du camp, et l’on peut aussi apercevoir la silhouette des montagnes du Drakensberg sur l’horizon à l’ouest.

Les safaris à nThambo furent des expériences formidables. On y rencontra des rhinocéros couverts de boue, deux magnifiques lionnes avec leurs lionceaux pelucheux, et un troupeau d’éléphants qui protégeait un nouveau-né s’efforçant de nous foncer dessus, mais qui renonça finalement dû au manque de soutien des adultes rabat-joie. Mieux encore fut le serval parti en

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chasse, se faufilant dans les hautes herbes, et se dressant occasionnellement sur ses pattes arrière pour vérifier si une proie se trouvait dans les parages. Quelle souplesse et quelle grâce.

Africa on Foot (L’Afrique à pied) Comme le nom l’indique, ce camp rustique de la réserve de Klaserie se spécialise dans les safaris à pied.

La loge comprend cinq cases traditionnelles (rondavels), dont deux pouvant loger des familles. Il y a un petit jardin (dans lequel les hippopotames se promènent la nuit) et une piscine. Ce que les hôtes préfèrent cependant, c’est la cabane perchée dans un faux marula et l’opportunité de passer la nuit à la belle étoile sur une plateforme dans ses hautes branches.

Les promenades à pied en brousse y furent de premier ordre. La plupart du temps, on se retrouvait accroupi, étudiant les traces laissées par les animaux : l’empreinte en forme de trèfle de l’hippopotame, les empreintes carrées des phacochères, les empreintes des hyènes, similaire à celles de chiens, et la grosse empreinte de la girafe.

Notre guide, Patrick Leyden, nous indiquait les plantes et arbres intéressants et nous décrivait leurs nombreuses utilisations. Les branches du Gwarrie magique peuvent servir à éteindre les feux et peuvent aussi servir de brosse à dent. Il suffit de casser une branche, d’en enlever l’écorce et d’en ébouriffer les fibres puis d’y mettre du dentifrice. Le meilleur dentifrice de brousse se trouve être un mélange de

la cendre de leadwood (dit « arbre de plomb ») incorporée à de l’eau nous expliqua Patrick, faisant une démonstration avec une branche de Gwarrie.

nDzuti Safari Camp Cette loge se trouve au milieu de la réserve de Klaserie et propose des safaris intimes, mettant l’accent sur une approche individuelle. La loge, gérée par Bruce et Judy Meeser, est une grande maison traditionnelle de style colonial au toit de chaume qui comprend quatre chambres avec salle de bain attenante et air conditionné. Pour les jours de chaleur, une belle piscine est à la disposition des hôtes ainsi qu’un jardin arboré garni de baobabs, d’acacias et de gommiers bleus (ou « arbre à fièvre »).

Debout aux aurores pour un safari en 4x4 ouvert, on roula à travers des collines de quartzite et le long des berges verdoyantes des méandres de la rivière Klaserie, accompagnés du chant des tourterelles émeraude, des hurlements des francolins criards et du roucoulement des tourterelles maillées. Les oréotragues et les antilopes singsing surveillaient les hauteurs tandis qu’un éléphant se gorgeait de verdure en bord de rivière et qu’une magnifique grenouille de roseaux en pyjamas rayés nous honora de sa visite lors du petit déjeuner pique-nique. Comme quoi il n’est pas nécessaire de rencontrer l’un des Big Five pour être enchanté.

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Nokana Safari Camp Nokana se trouve au nord-ouest de Hoedspruit dans le site de conservation de la nature de Blyde-Olifants, sur un terrain vallonné parsemé de petits massifs granitiques.

La loge offre une expérience un peu différente des autres du fait que l’on propose aux hôtes des visites quotidiennes dans les réserves privées environnantes aussi bien qu’au parc Kruger. Ceci signifie que l’on a accès à de grands espaces qui comprennent de nombreux habitats et de nombreuses espèces animalières. À part les safaris en voiture, on y propose des promenades en brousse à pied, des rencontres rapprochées avec des animaux habitués aux humains, une visite à des lions blancs et même une croisière sur la rivière Olifant.

La loge comprend des tentes de style safari et les chalets au toit de chaume dans une réserve sans animaux dangereux.

On y rencontre de ce fait des mammifères tels zèbres, gnous et phacochères à toute heure du jour. On y trouve aussi des chevaux qui rendent chaque jour visite aux hôtes, plus particulièrement à l’heure des repas, ce qui peut produire des situations hilarantes surtout lorsque le muesli est au menu.

Vols directs SA Express de Johannesburg à Hoedspruit chaque jour et vols depuis le Cap chaque jour sauf le samedi.

Visitez www.flyexpress.aero pour faire une réservation.

Contactez Sun Destinations au +27 21 421 8433, ou par e-mail à reservations@sundestinations.co.za ou visitez www.sundestinations.co.za.

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Is This the

Future Face of SA Fashion?

The Boys of Soweto Text: Lisa Witepski Images Š Supplied

International style icons are a dime a dozen. Blogs like The Sartorialist have made wardrobe-peeking a pastime we never tire of, and people like Tavi Gevinson have seen their love of clothes push them right into the fashion front row. But what’s happening here in South Africa? Quite a bit, actually.

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W

hat might surprise you is that the cradle of South African couture isn’t the glittering emporia of, say Sandton. Rather, style is being birthed on the streets of Soweto, and because of that, it has an urban grittiness that makes it as irresistible as it is eye catching, like a brash girl with an attitude and a killer smile to match.

As the founder of the Boys of Soweto movement, Bob Ndima – better known as Bob The Stylist – is one of the pioneers of this trend. Bob epitomises the new-age stylista. His love of fashion isn’t simply about well-made seams and the aesthetic joy of a beautiful outfit. Rather, it’s about using clothing as a form of self-expression and a vehicle for raising consciousness.

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This makes sense, given how this love story unfolded.

“Growing up in Soweto, brands were a big thing,” Ndima explains. He and his crew – Kronic Nhleko, Mbali Bangwayo, Manti Moholo and Steja Kgobane, the eponymous “Boys” – were fascinated by the amapantsula (young men in their neighbourhood who took care to look sharp and dapper at all times, in spite of being unemployed). This planted the seed and the boys became obsessed with image, trekking through to Sandton malls on the weekend, where they would pore over the international fashion magazines that weren’t available in the township. From there, the next step was purchasing the brands that were in hot demand, and selling them to their neighbours at a profit.

By now, Bob was truly entrenched in the world of

fashion, to the extent that he and his group developed their own subculture, is’bhujwa. Roughly translated, the name means “bourgeoisie”. Bob says that he’s still unsure if the people who dreamed it up felt that his crew thought they were better than everyone else. Even if that wasn’t the case, Bob himself soon tired of brands and the consumerist culture they encouraged, and he turned to a more authentic style. “At the time, I was heavily influenced by Rastafarianism, which emphasised a more spiritual way of life,” he explains. The accent may have been less on outward appearances, but – ironically – it got Bob thinking about the way Africans perceive themselves and follow international trends, rather than embracing their own identity. “For example, I started wearing an Afro instead of shaving my head like most black guys do, because it’s more natural.”

Is’bujwa was the birthing place of Boys of Soweto.

Years later, Bob, now 30, is still determined to get South Africans to step up to the fashion plate. “That’s what Boys of Soweto is about,” he says, noting that although the crew’s blog – featuring immaculately styled shots of the guys in their not-to-be-ignored threads – is their primary focus, it’s certainly not the only one. The gang have been involved in a number of brand collaborations, and most recently Bob has been asked to give his input in the development of a line of denim wear. He’s also joined forces with local milliner Chanel, with whom he is designing a range of fedoras. Another exciting project sees him designing his own range of suits to complement his T-shirt collection, which has already gained a following overseas – in fact, Bob estimates that most of the garments purchased are by tourists.

The beauty of these projects, he says, is that they bring one of the most important challenges facing South African design into the spotlight. “There’s no doubt that we have the talent and the creativity. Where we’re lacking is in our craft – the construction of our garments can’t stand up to international designers, and this is where we need to improve.” Bob hopes that by bringing South African design to more people’s attention, he’ll highlight issues of this nature.

In the meantime, Boys of Soweto is slowly expanding beyond shirts and suits. They recently established a book club, and although it currently has a limited membership, he’s keen to see its numbers grow. “The point is to create a platform where we can discuss the issues we face daily,” he says, adding that one of the strengths of the initiative is that, as members of different professions – from law to fashion – they bring together a multitude of reference points. “I was surrounded by so many truly talented people when I was growing up. They were all in different fields – some were soccer players, others were academics – but so few of them flourished. We need to stop that, and that’s what Boys of Soweto is all about, forging the kind of relationships that help us mentor each other through the tough times.”

It may sound idealistic, but then Bob is, on the whole, a dreamer. Or, at the very least, an enthusiastic optimist.

“It’s a great time to be a creative in Africa. The world is looking to our continent for inspiration. It’s time for us to shine,” he says.

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An Out of Town

Timeout Country C Countryside ountrysid ountrys untryside de d eH Hospitality Hospitalit Hospita ospitalllity ity ty y

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Text: Nicky Furniss Images Š Oaklands Country Manor & De Hoek Country House

While the bright lights of the big city may be enticing for some, even the most fast paced of city dwellers occasionally need a little time out of the rat race to reconnect with nature and soak up a little relaxation, country style. Here are two of our top picks for getting away from it all.

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Oaklands Country Manor, Harrismith There is nothing quite like the feeling of achieving something you never thought you would. Like cantering around an arena on a beautiful horse – not walking, mind you, or even trotting, but full on cantering! For an inexperienced rider such as myself, it was a dream come true, and all thanks to a superbly well trained horse and an excellent instructor.

The owners and staff of Oaklands live and breathe horses – polo ponies (and a resident pet donkey), to be precise. For almost two decades, Oaklands has been one of South Africa’s premier polo venues, and as a result it offers a very unique type of holiday for those looking to hone their polo skills. Thanks to world-class facilities – including a floodlit polo arena, a polo pit, a wooden horse, and fully equipped classroom – brave guests can opt to learn the sport from scratch, while experienced players have somewhere to go to practise their favourite sport, especially as a number of the staff are always keen to make up numbers for a chukka or two.

Those not as adept on a horse – but still equine lovers – can opt instead for a more sedate outride, which is made all the more enjoyable by the dramatic mountain scenery which adds to Oaklands’ magical quality. This is also why mountain biking, hiking, fishing, bird watching and paddling on the dam are equally enticing outdoor pursuits here – when not cheering on the polo players from the sidelines, glass of wine in hand.

And when the mist and the rain rolls in – as it is wont to do in this hilly part of the country, at the top of the Van

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Reenen’s Pass that connects the Free State to KwaZuluNatal – you can retire to one of the lounges to warm your toes by the fire and your hands on a steaming cup of hot chocolate. You’ll have company too, in the form of a pack of resident Great Danes, but be sure not to steal one of their sofas, as they have laid claim to a fair few! There’s also Dennis, an arthritic little mongrel with a distinctive jerky gait who will very quickly become one of your favourite residents, as he is for a fair number of Oaklands guests, many of whom return year after year.

It’s little wonder too, as besides its beautiful setting and horsey attractions, Oaklands really does feel like a home away from home. This is in large part because it is very much a family run establishment, with four siblings – Caroline, Annie, Kathy and Simon – each contributing their own talents to running Oaklands, from hospitality and marketing to cooking up a storm in a kitchen. It is their special brand of relaxed warmth that makes guests feel like they really can put their feet up without any need to stand on occasion – which is a rarity at most hotels.

And while you are putting your feet up, you may as well feast, because once you’ve tasted Kathy’s cooking, how could you not? Kathy Romer-Lee is a well known chef with a host of top restaurants and lodges on her CV, and she continues to produce world class cuisine at the family hotel. With a passion for the concept “veld to plate”, Kathy uses only locally sourced ingredients (as well as growing others herself) to conjure up tummy warming breakfasts, tasty lunches and really hearty, home-style cooked dinners – such as her famous Dargle

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Valley pork ribeye roast – cooked and plated to fivestar perfection.

Once you’ve rolled yourself out of the dining room, and had a friendly drink or two at the bar with other guests and the family, a warm fire and a cosy bed await you as you drift off to sleep dreaming of decadent chocolate bomb desserts, horses and Great Danes.

For more information, visit www.oaklands.co.za.

De Hoek Country House, Magaliesburg “Sanctuary” is a word often bandied about in tourist brochures and on hotel websites, but in the case of De Hoek Country Hotel, it certainly lives up to the term.

Situated just an hour from Johannesburg and Pretoria, it feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of city life.

As you drive slowly down its tree bedecked driveway or wander through its beautifully landscaped gardens, it’s easy to get lulled into living life – at least for the weekend – at a more sedate pace, more akin to nature’s natural flow.

And nature certainly takes centre stage here. The original sandstone Main House is nestled in a lush garden, shaded by mature trees and scented by the fragrance of rose bushes. The more recently added New Quarter Suites offer expansive views of the rolling hills of the Magaliesberg in the distance, while the Superior Suites come complete with the soothing sounds of water from the nearby river which flows through the estate.

Activities here also make the most of the hotel’s beautiful surroundings, with archery and croquet on offer in the garden, guided mountain and river walks on

the property, as well as cycling trails for mountain bike enthusiasts in the surrounding area. Perhaps the best way to truly experience De Hoek’s picturesque setting is from the air, and what better way to do it than from the basket of a hot air balloon, as it wafts quietly and gently through the air, offering its passengers a bird’s eye view of the patchwork of green below.

All of this fresh air is guaranteed to work up an appetite, which is sure to be satiated by De Hoek’s Swisstrained Master Chef, Michael Holenstein. Guests have a choice of two restaurants onsite.

The glass enclosed Bridge Bistro offers pretty views to enjoy while dining on a light menu, while The Conservatory promises some of the best fine dining in the Magaliesberg area, if not in the country. This beautiful, glass fronted dining room catches the early morning light and opens out onto the pond and garden, making for a warm and cosy atmosphere as guests enjoy a hearty breakfast of both delicious continental and cooked options. It truly comes alive in the evenings, though, when soft candlelight sparkles off the glittering silver service and superbly trained wait staff top up your wine, before serving plate after delicious plate of the evening’s five course dinner. With only the best local and international ingredients to work with, Chef Holenstein and his team (which includes a number of chefs who are enrolled in the hotel’s in-house chef’s academy) whip up culinary masterpieces, with sauces and stocks made from scratch, and pastries and bread baked fresh every day.

Another highlight of De Hoek’s dining experience is the daily afternoon tea, served in the garden and made up of such delights as traditional scones with jam and cream,

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finger sandwiches, éclairs and muffins, and even a cake drenched in melted chocolate still warm from the oven.

And adding a homely touch are the hotel’s resident dogs, who will pad around looking for the odd dropped crumb and wagging their tails warmly at guests.

After a day of soaking up the great outdoors and indulging in the kind of food one wants to photograph and blog about, you can retire to your suite to have a good long soak in your bathtub, and then slip between the percale linen sheets of an expansive king size bed.

De Hoek is truly a country sanctuary in every sense of the word.

For more information, visit dehoek.com.

Dashing Durban

One of the Must Visit Places of 2015

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Text: Sulaiman Philip/mediaclubsouthafrica.co.za Images © iStockphoto.com

D

urban is stepping out of the shadow of Cape Town, traditionally South Africa’s tourist Mecca. Durbs, as it is affectionately known, is a melting pot of Zulu, British colonial and Indian culture, and it is seventh on the New York Times list of places to visit in 2015.

DURBAN rocks. It has the glamour of the Durban July and its International Film Festival, and boasts year-long balmy weather that allows you to sip cocktails on the pier and to sunbathe, swim and surf at the city’s famous beaches.

Yet the beaches – described by the New York Times as “lovely, but a touch gauche” – are not all Durban is about. According to the city’s tourism website, eThekwini is a trendsetter, and a mature and liveable city “offering great lifestyle, speckled with adventure activities, and blessed with natural beauty”.

Africa’s busiest port is a gumbo flavoured by British explorers, Indian merchants and Zulu traditions. It can rightly claim to be South Africa’s most African city. You can enjoy a sub-tropical evening listening to Zulu choirs practising in any open space they can find, or visit the

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Indian Spice Market in central Durban. The old City Hall with its wood panelled library, art museum – the first in the country to start collecting African art – and diorama-filled natural museum are housed in a building which was described as “bold and progressive” when it was built in 1903.

A World Cup host city, Durban began a major facelift while building its sleek stadium and revitalised the beachfront to make it more pedestrian friendly. Once home to the biggest surfing event in Africa, Durban still claims the mantle of the sporting capital of South Africa.

Its wealth of stadiums and sports clubs and its butter yellow sand attest to a city best experienced outdoors.

Whether it’s a lazy cycle along the new beachfront promenade or a soothing dip in the warm Indian Ocean

PREMIER2

after completing the Comrades Marathon, Durban offers everything for the active lifestyle.

Laid out in a grid, the CBD has seen better days, but it has an abundance of impressive art deco constructions and extravagant colonial buildings. Daytime Durban is a buzzing, gritty city with a languorous African cadence.

News network CNN described the city’s wharfside as “the sort of neighbourhood where movie mobsters might dispose of a corpse, but it’s both safe and worthwhile”. It is home to the BAT Centre, a community centre that celebrates the region’s artists and craftsmen. It also hosts a very successful Sunday Jazz Sundowners event that has sparked the city’s live music scene back into life.

Florida Road provides a feast of international

cuisine, but the city is famous for its bunny chow, a popular, convenient meal of curry overflowing its hollowed-out white bread container. The bread is torn off in hunks to sop up the curry, as there is only one rule when it comes to bunny chow: You eat with your hands. Manilal Patel runs Patel’s, one of two Durban restaurants recognised for perfecting the art of the bunny chow. He sells 500 bunnies a day out of his tiny shop, some to customers who travel from across the country to enjoy the vegetarian curries on which the shop has built an excellent reputation over its 80-year existence.

Durban really does offer something for everyone, whether you are a first time visitor or a seasoned Durban veteran. As the New York Times says: “Familiar cities offer new reasons to visit.”

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Interesting Facts About Durban UÊ Ê£ ÈÓ]Ê i Ã Ê > `i >ÊÜ>ÃÊV>«ÌÕÀi`Ê> `Ê>ÀÀiÃÌi`Ê Ê the town of Howick, in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and thus began his 27 years of incarceration.

Mandela returned to KwaZulu-Natal in 1994 to begin a new journey when he chose to cast his first vote as a free man in Inanda, Durban.

UÊ / iÊë À ÌÕ> Ê i>`iÀÊ vÊÌ iÊ ` > Ê `i«i `i ViÊ movement, Mahatma Ghandi, began his political journey in Durban.

UÊ / iÊÀ V Ã >ÜÊÜ>ÃÊLÀ Õ} ÌÊÌ Ê ÕÀL> ÊvÀ Ê ` Ê in 1893 by the sugar magnate Sir Marshall Campbell.

Rickshaw pullers, often dressed in traditional Zulu regalia, have been operating in Durban for more than 100 years.

UÊ Ü> Ê- > Ê ÃÊV à `iÀi`ÊÌ ÊLiÊ iÊ vÊÌ iÊÜ À `½ÃÊÌ «Ê diving sites.

UÊ / iÊÜ À `½ÃÊÌ> iÃÌÊLÕ }iiÊÃÜ }Ê ÃÊv Õ `Ê>ÌÊÌ iÊ ÃiÃÊ Mabhida Stadium.

Luxury in the Heart

of the Winelands Grande Roche Hotel Text & Images © Grande Roche Hotel

Located a convenient 40-minute drive from the centre of Cape Town is the historic country village of Paarl. Known as the gateway to the Cape Winelands, Paarl is the perfect base from which to explore the best of the Cape countryside.

And nestled at the foot of the magnificent Paarl Rock Mountain is the five-star Grande Roche Hotel.

THIS small luxury hotel provides a space for rest and relaxation, where guests can enjoy panoramic views of the Paarl Valley and Drakenstein Mountains as they savour a meal on the terrace or lounge in the opulent interiors before exploring the surrounding winelands.

A proud member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, Grande Roche Hotel features 28 elegant and comfortable suites situated amongst the vineyards of a working fruit and wine farm – combining historical Cape country living with modern-day comforts.

Upon arrival, guests are warmly greeted with a welcome drink and escorted through the beautiful gardens to their rooms. Friendly service is paramount, and each visitor is made to feel instantly at home.

The suites reflect the history of the hotel, with each named after their function 200 years ago, such as Stable and Carriage. Modern conveniences include

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complimentary Wi-Fi, air conditioning, under floor heating and heated towel rails.

Heritage and history are the underlying charms of the hotel. Carefully restored buildings trace the passage of time, from the slave bell and the site of the old outdoor oven to the unique setting of the tiny chapel – one of the oldest buildings in South Africa and perfect for intimate wedding ceremonies.

A journey of culinary delight awaits diners in the awardwinning Bosman’s Restaurant, where the hotel’s Executive Chef Roland Gorgosilich works his magic. Award-winning and Michelin-trained, Gorgosilich infuses classic cuisine with innovative and imaginative twists. His gastronomic delights are enhanced by inspired wine pairings, and a sommelier is on hand to assist with recommendations from the 425 varieties of wines available from the hotel’s private cellar.

Other dining options include the relaxed and casual atmosphere of the terrace and the poolside Bistro Allegro,

both of which invite informal eating, but can be transformed into elegant al fresco experiences. Value for money, inspired menus and fresh ingredients are hallmarks of the Bistro taste experience.

Grande Roche Hotel is situated just a short stroll from the town of Paarl. From this central base, visitors can enjoy a wide number of activities, exploring the valley on foot, by bicycle, on horseback, or from a hot air balloon. There are also wonderful golfing estates in the area.

With facilities that accommodate up to 120 delegates, Grande Roche Hotel offers the ideal conference and meeting venue away from the commotion of the city. The hotel’s capable team takes care of all event arrangements.

Grande Roche’s location and ambience offers couples a truly historic and unique setting in which to host an elegant wedding reception. Along with its private chapel and manicured gardens, the hotel boasts a professional functions and events team that will ensure that wedding days are carefree events.

All told, the hotel offers a peaceful escape from the hustle of daily life, while delivering on a promise of service excellence in every respect.

For further information and bookings call +27 21 863 5100 or visit www.granderoche.com.

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Old Four Legs Text: Keri Harvey Images © The East London Museum & iStockphoto.com

In 1938, an official at the East London Museum, Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer, is credited with saving the Coelacanth for science – a fish thought to have been extinct for over 65 million years. The ancient fish, and Latimer’s Landing in East London, are named after the intrepid Miss Courtenay-Latimer.

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23rd December 1938 Dear Dr Smith I had the most queer looking specimen brought to notice yesterday. The captain of the trawler told me about

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Professor Smith arrived in East London on 16th February 1939 and knew immediately that it was a coelacanth. Smith gave the ancient fish the scientific name Latimeria chalumnae after his friend Miss CourtenayLatimer as well as the Chalumna River, just south of East London, where it was found. Another coelacanth was not seen for another 14 years, until one was caught off the Comores in 1952.

Called “the living fossil” or “Old Four Legs”, scientists claim fossil records show coelacanths have remained

SE E FL IG HT SCH E DU L E F OR MORE IN F ORMAT ION .

is so I immediately set off to see the specimen which I had removed to our Taxidermist as soon as I could. I, however, have drawn a very rough sketch and am in hope that you may be able to assist me in classing it. It was trawled off Chalumna Coast at about 40 fathoms. It is coated in heavy scales, almost armour like; the fins resemble limbs, and are scaled right up to a fringe of filament. The spinous dorsal has tiny white spines down each filament.

I would be so pleased if you could let me know what you think, though I know just how difficult it is from a description of this kind.

Wishing you all happiness for the season.

Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer

SA E XP R E S S C O NNE C TS Y OU T O E A S T L O ND O N

ON 22ND December 1938, the young Marjorie Courtenay-Latimer received a phone call that a strange fish had been brought in with Captain Hendrik Goosen’s catch. She hotfooted it to the harbour to investigate and then wrote: “I picked away at the layers of slime to reveal the most beautiful fish I had ever seen. It was five foot long, a pale mauvy blue with faint flecks of whitish spots.

It had an iridescent silver-blue-green sheen all over, was covered in hard scales, and had four limb-like fins and a strange puppy dog tail.”

The inquisitive Courtenay-Latimer took the fish back to the museum to try to identify it through books, but couldn’t. Then she hauled it to the local morgue in an attempt to preserve it, but was turned away. Her only recourse to conserve the strange-looking fish was to send it to a taxidermist. Then she penned a letter to Professor JLB Smith, world renowned ichthyologist at Rhodes University. It read:

unchanged for 350 million years. They’re nocturnal and hide in caves by day – usually at a depth of about 200 m, but they can also live at depths of up to 600 m – and can swim up to 8 km a night in search of food.

Coelacanths have been observed doing headstands when looking for food, which is thought to be a way to detect food using a sensory organ in their snouts. They have also been noted swimming upside down and backwards in a bid to detect prey. Coelacanths pretty much eat anything they can fit in their mouths, from sharks, eels and bony fish to cuttlefish, and need little food to maintain their large bodies, as their metabolic rate is extremely low.

These fish are also particularly calm, move slowly and use the tandem movement of opposite fins to swim. This movement resembles legs walking on land, but they do not actually “walk” on their four fins. Coelacanths are related to lungfish and tetrapods, ancient animals that are part of the evolutionary link between sea and land creatures. The leg-like fins of the fish actually have bones that resemble toes, and its armour plate-like scales are only found on prehistoric fish.

Like fish fingerprints, coelacanths each have unique white patterned markings so that individuals can be recognised. They’re surprisingly big fish too, and can

reach a length of up to 2 m and weigh up to 80 kg.

Underwater they are deep blue in colour and have specialised eyes for seeing in low light conditions.

Their eyes also glow in the dark, like those of cats and dogs. Interestingly, they give birth to live young, called pups, producing up to 25 offspring after a gestation period of 13 months. It’s believed that coelacanths reproduce until age 20, but can live to be 60 years old.

It’s difficult to know for sure, but scientists estimate there are only about 500 coelacanths left in the ocean. They live in the waters of Sodwana Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, and have been seen by scuba divers at a depth of 104 m. A living fossil off the South African coast is noteworthy. Getting your head around this fish that has been on earth virtually unchanged for over 350 million years, and has fins like fingers or toes, is something else completely.

The original fish is still in the East London Museum, where it is still a popular draw card.

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Home of

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Deep in the remote recesses of northern Zambia, as far from civilization as one can get, lies one of Africa’s most extraordinary sites. It’s extraordinary because Shiwa Ng’andu is a grand English country manor estate complete with gatehouse, tower, tennis courts, colonnaded porticoes, courtyards, grand rooms, and formal gardens.

THIS palatial anomaly set deep in the heart of the African jungle was the brainchild of an English aristocrat, Sir Stewart Gore-Browne, who fell in love with the area while on a boundary commission determining the border between Belgium Congo and Northern Rhodesia in 1914.

Arriving one day beside a small lake of the same name, Gore-Browne knew immediately that he had found the perfect site to begin his life-long project. He bought 10,000 acres of land around the lake for two shillings an acre and began the painstaking task of constructing the most lavish estate north of the Limpopo River. It was a task made nigh impossible by the fact that the nearest railroad was over 400 miles away at Ndola, the principal town on Zambia’s Copper Belt. There

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were no roads either, so Gore-Browne had to construct them, as well as dozens of bridges to ford the innumerable rivers and swamps of the area. In all, over 500 local Bemba residents were employed, and slowly – over the next three decades – a veritable community began to form around the estate, which came complete with a schoolhouse, a hospital, a post office, shops and playing fields.

Gore-Browne himself was actively involved in politics and supported a fully independent Zambia.

He successfully opposed the amalgamation of northern and southern Rhodesia and was a close friend of Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda.

At his death Sir Stewart, nicknamed Chipembere (the rhinoceros), was given a state funeral – the only European in Zambia to be awarded such an honour.

S E E F L I G H T S C H E D U L E F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N .

Text: Adam Cruise Images © John Werich

SA EXPRESS CONNECTS YOU TO LUSAKA

Shiwa Ng’andu

Unfortunately, after Gore-Browne’s death Shiwa Ng’andu began to fall into disrepair. This accelerated when Sir Stewart’s daughter and sonin-law, who managed the estate, were murdered in 1992. Besides, the sprawling estate was extremely difficult to manage. Its remoteness, as well as the miasmic tropical climate made commercial agriculture of any form impossible.

Shiwa Ng’andu was destined to become a kind of Lost Legend relic lost in the African jungle. That is if it weren’t for Sir Stewart’s eldest grandson, Charlie, and his wife, Jo, who somehow had the temerity to lovingly restore the estate to its former glory. It was a massive undertaking, and remains an ongoing task to this very day. It was not just the manor house that was in dire need of attention, but also the workers’ houses, hospital and the essentials to run a commercial farm and a disillusioned community of over 11,000 people.

Charlie and Jo Harvey decided to convert the estate into a game ranch, alongside cattle ranching, complete with an airstrip so that guests can now access this eccentric remote site from Lusaka, Ndola and Mfuwe by charter flight. Horseback safaris are now offered to the experienced rider keen on a different perspective of the African bush.

Visitors to Shiwa Ng’andu can enjoy the accommodation of four comfortable en suite rooms in the manor house, furnished with most of the original and ornate pieces from Gore-Browne’s era.

Simple hardwood fittings with unique paintings

and photographs decorate the walls, and each one provides a story and memory to be recounted during afternoon tea or sundowners on the lake shore.

Meal times are an opportunity to sample delicious farm produce and sit at the original dining room table that Gore-Browne frequented in full dress – Sir Stewart always dressed formally at mealtimes while entertaining various dignitaries, including Zambian presidents, European royalty and friends from around the world.

There are other activities too. On the estate are the Kapishya Hot Springs, which are surrounded by lush tropical vegetation and tall raffia palms.

The hot water bubbles out from the white sands of a crystal clear pool and flows into the Manshya River. The Harveys have built four small thatch chalets there and serve meals in the old farmhouse.

Nachipala Bareback Hill is a three hour walk from the estate. It provides a magnificent view of Lake Shiwa Ng’andu. David Livingstone apparently took his bearings from here on his final ill-fated expedition in 1867. It is also possible to take boat trips on Lake Shiwa Ng’andu. A full or half-day trip on rubber rafts is offered, cruising around the lake, birdwatching and taking in the spectacular sunrise or sunset.

For something truly unique in a country brimming with matters and things unique, a visit to Shiwa Ng’andu will truly add something special to the quintessential Zambian Safari.

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2015’s

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ancy a cup of bone broth or sipping on a matcha latte? Ever heard of spiralizing? Here’s a round-up of 2015’s biggest health trends.

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Eat This: Bone Broth It may not sound particularly appetising, but this nutrient-dense brew is making waves in the health industry. In part due to the popularity of the low-carb, high-fat way of eating made famous by Tim Noakes here in South Africa, bone broth has been popping up at health food stores around the country. But it’s not just locally that this warming, nutritious delight is having it’s time in the limelight.

The trend is growing globally too – in New York there’s even a bone broth café called Brodo. So why are nutritionists, health specialists and beauty gurus recommending it?

It provides a mega dose of the good stuff, including calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, gelatin, and collagen, as well as many essential amino acids that are all easily absorbed by the body in this form.

It’s great for your gut, since the collagen protects and soothes the lining of the digestive tract, while gelatin promotes probiotic balance and growth. The amino acids glycine and proline, along with collagen, help fight ageing and cellulite, and support healthy hair and nails. And, as if this isn’t enough, studies have shown that bone broth also has fantastic antiinflammatory effects and boosts the immune system.

So drink up!

Try This: Spiralizing Those in search of the latest in health-conscious cooking are going mad for spiralizing. Forget the traditional calorie-laden pastas and carb-heavy noodles, this year is all about maximising your veggie intake in the most delicious and easy way possible – by spiralizing. A spiralizer works by transforming vegetables into pasta-like strips.

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Zucchini, as well as other veg like beets, butternut, turnips and sweet potatoes can be transformed and substituted in anything from Italian and Indian to Thai and other Asian cuisines. It’s a great lowcarb, low-calorie alternative that’s delicious raw and crunchy in salad, or cooked and covered in a sticky sweet and sour sauce.

Cut This Out: Sugar With some studies likening sugar addiction to being on cocaine, it’s not surprising that this year the focus will be on reducing and eliminating sugar from our diets. With no nutritional benefits whatsoever and a host of ugly negatives, sugar replaces fat as the devil in our diets. This sweet poison is responsible for a host of health problems. Apart from the obvious – obesity, tooth decay and diabetes – it has also been linked to immune suppression, cancers, gut disorders, yeast infections, heart disease and disorders like depression, schizophrenia and dementia. 2015 is definitely the year to shun sugar.

Supplement With This: Matcha (Green Tea) Powder Green tea is no new kid on the health block, but this year it’s making a comeback in a new, nutritionally enhanced form. Matcha powder, made from finely milled high-grade green tea leaves, boasts significantly higher antioxidant levels than regular green tea, since the entire leaf, rather than just the brewed water, is consumed. Health benefits include improved memory and concentration, more energy and increased metabolism, as well as its ability to fight against the negative effects of UV radiation.

Chlorophyll, which gives the powder its bright green

colour, is also great at detoxifying the body, and the catechins in matcha have antibiotic properties.

Studies have shown that matcha may even have the ability to inhibit the attacks of HIV on human T-cells. For something delicious, add the powder to steamed milk for a nutritious matcha latte.

Think About This: Fat Is Not the Enemy This year will see more nutrition seekers than calorie counters in the bid to get healthy.

The growing popularity of the paleo, LCHF and Banting diets has challenged traditional perceptions of what it means to be healthy, with the emphasis being on cutting carbohydrates rather than fat. Fat is being encouraged as essential to good health. A recent study published in the journal PLOS ONE revealed that carbohydrates, and not fats, are associated with heightened levels of a fatty

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acid linked to increased risk for diabetes and heart disease. “There is a widespread misunderstanding about saturated fat. In population studies, there’s clearly no association of dietary saturated fat and heart disease, yet dietary guidelines continue to advocate restriction of saturated fat. That’s not scientific and not smart,” senior author Jeff Volek of Ohio State University explained.

Working closely with the philosophy of fat is good, is a focus on clean eating, returning to the unprocessed foods of our ancestors. Banting has taken the country by storm, with more and more restaurants serving low-carb, high-fat options. The folks at the high-end Cape Royale even changed the name of their kitchen to The Banting Kitchen. Less gluten, less sugar, less GMO foods and more grassfed, free-range, antiobiotic- and hormone-free eats will be making their way into kitchens as the trend gathers steam.

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si n b ec o m e in cr ea s a h W M B , et – ct u re rs a p in th e m a rk a n ca r m a n u fa g m st er te G h r ig jo sl a e m er en th d.

L ik e m a n y o th a in u n o cc u p ie p a n si o n . N o t ev m ex re e g to n ra ed w el o d o ll ut m – is a p a ss io n a te a b o th e b a ck d o o r y b in n o ti si o K Hellberg t th e o p p Text: Bernard c w h ic h co u ld le Images © Quick

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With the introduction of the 2-Series Active Tourer, BMW has departed from its traditional rear wheel-drive philosophy to bring to market a premium compact offering with classleading small engines that deliver excellent power outputs and good fuel economy, without compromising on the safety aspect of quick-response power when required.

Launched in two derivatives, the 218i and the 225i, these cars, despite their departure from the BMW norm, now offer the individual buyer access to a BMW without a breathtaking price premium.

When one is confronted with the reality of a 3-cylinder, 1.5-litre engine – and that in a BMW, nogal – sceptics will be hard to convince that this powerplant (also used in the MINI range and by various other manufacturers) is a true wolf in sheep’s clothing. With a deliciously gruff and grumpy sound, the 100 kW unit ticks all the right performance boxes. It has a claimed top speed of 205 km/h, and is said to complete the 0-100 km/h sprint in 9.2 seconds, while emitting a tax-dodging 118 grams of CO2 per kilometre. The fuel consumption, when driven in a civilised fashion, is a superb 5.1 litres/100 km. Standard on the 218i is a smooth-shifting six-speed manual gearbox.

The engine is mounted in transverse fashion to accommodate the front wheel-drive, and derives its considerable power courtesy of BMW’s twin turbo technology. This means, in effect, that the turbo-enhancement will neutralise the Highveld’s 17 % altitude energy losses that normally aspirated cars have to endure.

The bigger-engined 225i features a powerful 170 kW four cylinder with the ability to see off the 0-100 sprint in a mere 6.6 seconds. For good measure, the top speed has been rated at 240 km/h, while fuel consumption is said to be in the region of 5.9 litres/100 km. The 138 gm/km CO2 rating oversteps the Government’s tax threshold by a mere seven grams, adding an insignificant R598,50 to the retail price.

This competent newcomer features lightweight engineering and goodies such as auto stop-start function, brake energy regeneration, and what BMW calls an integrated air curtain in

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which two vertical air inlets in the front bumper direct cool air to the front wheels to keep the brakes happy and operating at optimal level.

In terms of appearance, the 2-Series Tourer comes across as somewhat boxy in its design, but this, of course, leads to desirable features such as more than adequate headroom for both front and rear passengers. Visually the 2-Series is very much a BMW, as evidenced by the slightly forward-slanting BMW kidney grille and an unusually short front overhang.

With Tourer as its model designation, the 2-Series has a huge luggage space of 468 litres, which may be enhanced to 1,510 litres with the rear seats folded down. Practicality is also evident in the design of the rear backrest, which may be adjusted for added comfort for the rear passengers or as extra luggage space.

The driving experience during launch underlined both models’ competent on-road behaviour, courtesy of independent front and rear suspensions. The single-joint spring strut axle in front and the multi-link rear axle have been fine-tuned for optimum driving dynamics and precise steering feedback.

Indications that the 2-Series Tourer has been designed to find favour with young, upwardly mobile professionals is evident by the comprehensive luxury features included in the overall package, such as Head-Up display, leather trim, and various infotainment features collectively known as BMW ConnectedDrive.

However, some work on the 2-Series remains to be done, especially the fact that the front seatbelts are non-height adjustable and tend to catch occupants across the throat.

Likewise, the 225i seems to have higher road noise levels than the 218i. It may be that the more powerful model, with its superb eight-speed automatic box, has been equipped with lower profile tyres than those fitted to the 218i which seemed quieter than the top-end model.

The BMW 2-Series Active Tourer has been developed and brought to market to counteract similar efforts by rival manufacturers. The result is a competent, well built, quality vehicle that meets most requirements and which should give many years of trouble-free motoring.

Time to Tap

Tourism Text: Shoks Mzolo/ Finweek Images © iStockphoto.com

Tourism may be a major contributor to jobs and economic activity, but South Africa has huge untapped potential and could even see a decline in the sector due to controversial new visa rules.

FROM an economic angle, visitors – here for leisure, business, medical and other reasons – added a total R323 billion to the GDP (9.5 %), the latest available statistics from the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) show. This is expected to rise by 3.6 % per year to R478.3 billion (9.8 % of GDP) by 2024, it said. The sector directly supported 645,500 jobs (4.6 % of total employment), a figure that is expected to rise by 2.4 % per year to 840,000 (5.1 % of overall employment) in 2024.

However, as things stand, South Africa “is not scratching the surface” in the overseas market, WTTC CEO David Scowsill said during a recent visit to Johannesburg.

Of 184 countries, South Africa, with $33.4 billion, lies 29th when ranked based on the total contribution, in absolute terms, of travel and tourism to GDP. This is substantially below the world average of $55 billion, but ahead of Africa’s average of $18 billion, according to

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WTTC statistics.

As a meetings destination, it has dropped 14 places since 2000, to 34th. This is important, as business travellers typically spend a lot more than holidaymakers, contribute to breaking seasonality patterns, and usually have a high level of return visits. The recently concluded Mining Indaba, which brings in thousands of high-end spending delegates to Cape Town every year, has contributed an estimated R700 million to the city’s economy over the last decade.

Research by Grant Thornton has showed that new visa and immigration rules could shed 100,000 jobs and erase R2.4 billion in tourism revenue. In terms of the new rules, prospective travellers should apply in person at South Africa’s foreign missions where fingerprints and photographs are captured. It’s a marked change from the time when travel agents applied on behalf of travellers.

“Among the affected countries, some are affected much

more than others, like China, because it’s geographically large. It’s not the cost of the visa that’s at issue. The problem is getting yourself, physically, in a very large country, to a visa issuance centre (Beijing or Shanghai). Depending on which part of China you are in, it can take up to three hours to fly there. But they are not issued on the spot,” tourism minister Derek Hanekom tells Finweek. “It’s a serious inconvenience factor.”

Hanekom warned the parliamentary portfolio committee on tourism that rules that would force visitors under 18 to travel with unabridged birth certificates could also have a negative impact on the sector. Implementation has been delayed.

Also on Hanekom’s radar is South America. Incoming visits from Brazil have quintupled in 15 years to 90,000.

From a low base, granted, Brazil’s compounded annual growth rate since 2000 is 12 %, versus the 4 % by Germany and France, SA’s third- and fifth-largest overseas markets respectively, according to the Tourism Department. Lying fourth is China, one of only two markets (including India) in the overseas top 10 not to be visa-exempt.

Generally, visits from the rest of Africa are low. Aware of this, SA Tourism is opening offices in countries like Nigeria (85,000 annual visitors), whose uber-rich tends to overlook their southern-most neighbour for overseas markets. That’s partly because they feel unwelcome. For instance, LagosCopy courtesy of ‘Finweek’. based media and entertainment entrepreneur Clara Okoro Call 0860 103 911 to subscribe. applied three times before she was granted a visa.

“I had a lot at stake as the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week and conferences I was coming for were quite important to me, hence the persistence in re-applying,” she says.

Holidaymakers would simply switch to countries where visas are not an issue.

“I also feel Africans are not doing enough to bridge the gap between their borders. We need to see more cultural exchanges, business delegations and exhibition exchanges, and special offers for those willing to invest in some sectors (on the continent),” says Okoro.

Leveraging Load Shedding Eskom’s Failures May be Entrepreneurs’ Gain

Text: Karl Kumbier, CEO, Mercantile Bank Images © iStockphoto.com

The electricity crisis in South Africa is on everyone’s lips at the moment. Household consumers are fed up and feel inconvenienced, while for business owners the situation has become more than just a mild irritation. This is understandable, as the energy shortage is a concern for entrepreneurs who are already under pressure as a result of slow economic growth.

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UT INSTEAD of jumping on the bandwagon to lament the situation further, I would like every small and medium enterprise in South Africa to consider this challenge: The energy shortage is a major opportunity to increase profits, take advantage of new income generation avenues, diversify an existing business or even start a new one – what are you as a business owner doing to do to capitalise on this?

The crisis could lead to the next stimulus the economy needs, where the private sector takes control in establishing sustainable alternative sources of energy on a broad scale. This could create a whole new growth sector around the supply and maintenance of alternative energy.

Now is the ideal time for entrepreneurs to innovate. For example, many businesses are installing generators and this presents opportunities for forwardthinking entrepreneurs to sell, install and maintain such equipment. Generators are not always readily available, and we have seen challenges in the market to provide an appropriate after sales service due to the limited skill set available. Secondary activities such as selling fuel wholesale and transporting it are another possibility. Then, enterprises will need to call on experts to wire up generators – this means electricians will get more business.

My message is that it is critical for business to think creatively. For years, South Africans were accustomed to a reliable, cheap energy supply. This is something that many countries don’t have, and it isn’t only African nations that struggle with a constrained energy supply.

Large economies have also had their fair share of problems. California, for example, had a shortage of electricity in 2000 and 2001 which caused largescale blackouts, and one of the state’s largest energy companies collapsed. This severely affected many businesses dependent on a reliable electricity supply.

Energy traders also took power plants offline for maintenance in days of peak demand. business should ensure that their operations are resilient enough to cope with prolonged electricity cuts. This means that, in addition to looking for solutions to deal with energy instability, entrepreneurs should look beyond South Africa’s borders to expand their reach. There are high-growth economies in Africa who don’t have established manufacturing sectors, and consumers in these countries need products that South Africans are making.

Consider differentiating product offerings to take new market share. This is one area where smaller businesses can really benefit, as they can change direction more quickly to take advantage of emerging needs in the market.

Entrepreneurs shouldn’t sit back and wait, as there are no quick fixes to address these problems.

Be bold with new business ideas. Just think

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how many successful businesses were born as a result of spotting a need in the market.

Take a look at these business ideas that changed the world: Micro-thin metallic film technology developed by a local professor made solar electricity five times less expensive than the previously used solar photovoltaic cells. This made solar power more affordable and environmentally friendly than coal.

The Smartlock Safety Syringe, which makes it close to impossible for medical practitioners to be pricked by needles, was developed in response to the prevalence of transmittable diseases in South Africa. A local physicist developed the CAT Scan, technology that the medical industry worldwide cannot do without.

The Kreepy Krauly swimming pool cleaner used by just about every pool owner was invented by a South African hydraulics engineer.

These are business ideas that changed the world.

What’s stopping our entrepreneurs from finding solutions for South Africa’s energy crisis? Anyone with an entrepreneurial mindset has the ability to think of ideas that can bring about a big change in our economy.

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Turn the Tables and Eat Healthier Text: Ula van Zyl, Property24.com Images © iStockphoto.com

The autumn season has arrived, and is also a notorious time for gaining a little extra weight. It makes sense, as you spend lazy weekends snuggled up with a mug of hot chocolate and floating marshmallows while binge watching your favourite series. That’s what cold weekends are all about, aren’t they? But have you ever considered that your kitchen could be encouraging or limiting your food intake?

According to food psychologist and bestselling author, Brian Wansink, where we eat has a very big influence on how much we eat.

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In his recent book, Slim by Design, Wansink gives advice on how to utilise your kitchen space to decrease bad eating habits, thereby curbing weight gain. By following these tips, you can avoid at least some of that winter weight gain.

counters for easy access. Why not replace them with jars of nuts, muesli and bowls of fresh fruit? Not only will these options add pops of colour to your kitchen, but replacing your jars will also help you to avoid reaching for the less healthy options.

Don’t Lounge in the Kitchen

Don’t Fill Your Pantry

Avoid turning your kitchen into a lounge. The more comfortable your kitchen is, the more time you want to spend in it, ultimately leading to large bowls of crisps, extra slices of pizza and tumblers filled to the brim.

Avoid placing a television or comfortable lounge-like chairs in the kitchen, and always keep your kitchen neat and tidy. This will encourage you to cook healthy meals as opposed to opting for takeaways.

Studies have shown that the more we have of a certain food, the more quickly we are tempted to eat it. So avoid the urge to fill up your pantry this weekend. Instead, just buy what you need when you need it.

Reach for the Healthier Option Surrounding yourself with healthy snacks will encourage healthy eating. We often keep jars of cereal, cookies and sweets on our kitchen

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Be in the Mood for Good Food Lighting is a tricky matter when it comes to managing eating habits. Too much lighting encourages fast eating, which means that you eat more before realising that you’re full. If your lighting is too low, on the other hand, we tend to eat for longer. Wansink says that it is best to have different and varied sources of light throughout your kitchen. This will allow you to have enough light while

cooking, but then you can tone it down when eating.

Setting the Table, Setting the Pace According to research conducted by Wansink, if your food is the same colour as your plates, you eat 20 % more of that food type. This is very problematic when it comes to white plates and starchy foods like pasta, bread, rice and potato salad. So why not buy colourful crockery? Green crockery could work very well, especially if it encourages you to eat 20 % more green salad, peas and broccoli.

Something else to consider is the type of drinking glasses you use. Although you might think that using shorter glasses inhibits drinking, the opposite is true.

Shorter glasses are normally wider than their taller counterparts, and we tend to refill them more often, as we perceive them to hold less fluid. So, by using shorter glasses, we trick ourselves into drinking more.

Finally, remember that moderation is always good.

So take your healthy eating plan one day at a time.

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Strong Challenge from 2014 European Car of the Year Text: Bernard K Hellberg Images © Peugeot

W

ith the market awash with small capacity engines, it’s becoming increasingly more difficult to find a particularly outstanding version in this cluttered market. The all new Peugeot 308 is, I believe, one of those rare finds – a compact car that feels solid and well built, as well as offering excellent road holding and interior quality worthy of much pricier brands.

VISUALLY, the first impression is that of a modern and roomy mid-sized four-door which has done away with the swoopy, over the top Peugeot styling of the past. Even the famous Peugeot Lion has gone on a diet and has been trimmed down in size, without the GT Line (which was driven during launch) losing its traditional French character.

Acknowledging that Peugeot has a mountain to climb in South Africa – in terms of sales –Managing Director Francis Harnie presented the new 308 as the car to spearhead the company’s challenge. Referring to the car’s achievements in taking the European Car of the Year title in 2014, Harnie added that the new 308 was one of the most technologically advanced cars ever to have been produced by the company.

“The arrival of the new generation 308 represents a

quantum leap for the brand in the highly competitive C-segment hatchback market,” he said.

The launch route, which took us from King Shaka Airport north of Durban to the Natal Midlands, illustrated the car’s brilliant ability to accelerate in higher gears without having to gear down. Power always seemed to be readily available, and this feature added considerably to peace of mind when it came to overtaking, which the GT Line achieved with little effort.

Apart from the smooth and uncluttered interior, the supportive seats, more than adequate boot space, and even a full-sized spare wheel, the perfect blend of engine and transmission was the stand-out feature of this car.

As a three cylinder, 1.2-litre power house with

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that slightly off-beat sound effect, this engine soon put any scepticism I might have had to bed. It’s a brilliantly efficient power source linked to a six-speed manual gearbox that shifts with the best of them. Forget that old urban legend of French cars with sloppy gear-changing, as the 308 GT Line is leading the pack on this one.

As a total package, its benefits are obvious. The 308 is large and roomy enough for a family of four and their luggage, with a stable high speed touring capability on freeways, and sharp handling on back roads where the twisty bits may upset a lesser vehicle. It also effortlessly meets that great South African requirement of dodging the potholes without raising anxiety levels.

A standout feature of the new 308 is the 9.7” touch screen (Peugeot refers to it as a tablet) which controls the sound system, cooling and heating, as well as the Bluetooth-linked smartphone functionality.

Apart from elevated comfort levels (it’s a Peugeot, after all), the safety features on the 308 are at a higher level than those found on rival models. Full LED headlamps, as well as virtually maintenance-free tail and brake lights, superb disc brakes all round, and a six airbag-supported five-star Euro NCAP safety rating says it all.

Painstaking work to reduce the mass of the vehicle has made the new 308 140 kg lighter than its predecessor, which is the equivalent of two non-fast-food-enhanced adults.

This is also a contributing reason why the 308 is claiming a top spot as a super-efficient contender in the C-segment. It carries a three-year/100,000 km warranty, as well as a fiveyear/60,000 km service plan.

The Peugeot 308 GT Line has dramatically changed my perception of Peugeot in general. Having driven it over some decidedly dodgy surfaces, as well as on smooth highways, it effortlessly meets my own rule-of-thumb as a car capable of doing the Pretoria to Cape Town run in one day, without feeling as though you have experienced the nasty effects of a tumbledrier. The new 308 is good enough, in my opinion, to be considered as a 2016 South African Car of the Year contender.

e t o m Re

l o r t n Co of s ’ o T w The Ho Out of Office g n i k r o W l a Nerd

r: Dia , Directo t Caprio r e b o R m o Text: kphoto.c © iStoc Images

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R

emote work is becoming increasingly popular as people move away from traditional corporate working environments. Here are a few tips to make sure that you remain productive if you have the option to work from home or have to be away from your office.

Have Connectivity and a Backup Solution The concept of remote work itself is intrinsically linked to Internet connectivity. We often take for granted our access to the Internet, only to find out that even a short downtime can seriously interfere with our productivity. Personally, I always make sure I have an alternate way of getting online. My main connection is always land based (DSL or fibre) and then I have a backup solution, often with 3G linked to one of my mobile devices. I also like it to be coming from a different provider to reduce the risk of downtime.

Organize a Conducive Workspace When I sit down at my computer to work, I want to feel comfortable and free of distractions that could take me away from my highest level of productivity. These distractions could include aches and pains (if your work chair is uncomfortable), undesirable background noises, or bad lighting. Take the time to create a home office space that caters to your unique needs, so that when the time comes to get to work, there will be nothing left to do but get things done. Avoiding distractions is extremely important. You will probably get interrupted anyway but, if you work from home, make sure that your family knows that your space and time are dedicated to work for that specific period.

Take Breaks The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that was developed by Francesco Cirillo in the late 1980s. The technique uses a timer to break down work into intervals of traditionally 25 minutes in length, separated by short breaks. These intervals are known as “pomodori”, the plural of the Italian word “pomodoro” which means tomato. The method is based on the idea that frequent breaks can improve mental agility. Research indicates that this method can also increase productivity.

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Organise an Online Sharing Space for Your Projects If whatever you are working on needs to be accessible to other team members or customers, you can share it online using options like Dropbox or Google Docs, to name the most commonly used.

You can share specific folders within your account with different people in order to collaborate on a project, or submit your work, thereby avoiding the inconvenience of bulky emails.

Dress for Success The temptation of dragging yourself from bed

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to your workspace while still in your pyjamas can be strong but, even if you don’t have a planned meeting, you shouldn’t give in to it. Dressing up as if you are going to the office creates a mental shift that subconsciously sends your brain the message that you are ready for work.

Working remotely is a privilege not available to everybody, so it is important to maximise the benefits without compromising efficiency.

Dial a Nerd offers specialised IT and network support services for businesses, schools and individuals. Visit www.dialanerd.co.za or email info@dialanerd.co.za for more information.

North West is

Coming On Board Text: SA Express Image © iStockphoto.com

SA Express is committed to supporting our vision of connecting major cities, like Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban with smaller communities. In partnership with the North West Province, we have agreed to launch several new routes that will connect the province’s two airports – Pilanesberg and Mafikeng – with major cities in South Africa and the southern Africa region.

The partnership is aimed at stimulating the province’s economy, especially its smaller enterprises, and is expected to create hundreds of jobs and contribute to skills development.

From April 2015, SA Express will introduce flights three times a week between OR Tambo International Airport and Pilanesberg and Mafikeng airports. In addition, we will be launching two flights between Pilanesberg and Cape Town.

Ntshanga said: “This is a significant milestone for us as an airline. It marks our coming of age, as we turn 21 in two month’s time. For the first time in our 21-year history we will be flying in this province, which makes us a truly regional South African airline that connects all of our major cities with the small, outlying ones in our country.

It is also in line with our strategy of making air travel accessible to as many South Africans as possible. This is an integral part of our growth strategy. In the medium

term, we are looking at launching more routes as part of the implementation of our growth ambition.”

To promote local economic development, the partnership envisages the creation and appointment of two employment-creating entities: Firstly, a local company to manage the new air services at the two airports; and secondly, the appointment of a local marketing company to promote the opportunities arising from the two new routes.

SA Express continually looks for opportunities to increasing our route network every year as we get to understand the travel needs of our customers better.

We are also committed to making air travel as widely accessible to as many South Africans as possible by offering value for money fares.

Ntshanga, who expects the new routes to bolster the airline’s revenue, said: “This is a game changer for this province. It catapults the province to the premier league of economic players.”

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Business hub

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Business hub

EAGLE ENCOUNTERS

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Business hub

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Business hub

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Business hub

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gadgets

Modern Art Made Easy Do something different with your special photographs. Print them on clear acrylic with Printstagram, specialists in photographic printing.

You can create beautiful modern displays for your home and office or personalised gifts for friends and family very easily with their userfriendly Printstagram software. A special feature of the 3 mm acrylic (also known as Perspex) prints are the aluminium display fixtures that allow the prints to “stand off” from the wall and add to the threedimensional quality of the prints. www.printstagram.co.za

Make Light of Load Shedding Is load shedding playing havoc with your life? It needn’t with the Magic Bulb emergency LED globe and torch. Available in cool or warm white, this innovative 4-Watt LED light can be used as either a normal globe in a light fitting, floor, desk or table lamp, or as a handheld torch. The batteries will charge while the light is fitted in a normal light fitting or lamp and the power is on. This is illustrated by a red light when the unit is set to the “charge” position. When the power fails, you can simply remove the Magic Bulb from the socket of the fitting or lamp, switch it on, extend the handle, and walk around with your fully charged LED torch which will last for two to three hours. The Magic Bulb emergency LED globe and torch retails for R219,95 from The Lighting Warehouse. www.lightingwarehouse.co.za

Life Giving Liquid LifeStraw Go incorporates the award-winning LifeStraw technology into a durable water bottle. Simply scoop water from a river or pond, screw the lid on, and sip clean water through the mouthpiece. This lightweight water filtration bottle ensures clean, safe drinking water on the go, wherever you are. The LifeStraw Go removes 99.9 % of bacteria, viruses, protozoa (parasites that can cause disease in humans) and turbidity by filtering all particles larger than 0.02 microns. It requires no electrical power or batteries and is functional until water can no longer pass through the filter. The LifeStraw Go bottle holds 500 ml water at a time, and filters 1,000 litres before having to change the filter.

For every purchase of a LifeStraw Go bottle (available at Wellness Warehouse and Aqua4Life for R699), a child in need in Southern Africa will receive clean, safe drinking water for a year.

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books Anni Dewani: A Father's Story

By Vinod Hindocha Anni Dewani: A Father’s Story is a full, frank and ultimately heartbreaking account of Anni’s life from childhood through to the conclusion of the trial of her husband Shrien Dewani in Cape Town, four years after her murder. It is told from the perspective of Anni’s father, Vinod Hindocha, to journalist Shekhar Bhatia, and is the extraordinary story of how one family has coped with seeing their hopes for their daughter’s future being so cruelly extinguished; how they tried to live with, and through, the aftermath; their efforts to see justice done and, ultimately, their attempts to reconcile themselves with the court’s verdict and a future without their beautiful daughter,Anni.

Cemetery Girl

Must Read

By David Bell Tom and Abby Stuart have everything: a perfect marriage, successful careers, and a beautiful 12-year-old daughter, Caitlin. Then, one day, Caitlin vanishes without a trace. For a while they grasp at every false hope and follow every empty lead, but the tragedy ends up changing their lives, overwhelming them with guilt and dread, and shattering their marriage. Four years later, Caitlin is found alive – dirty and dishevelled, yet preternaturally calm. She won’t discuss where she was or what happened. Then the police arrest a suspect connected to her disappearance, but Caitlin refuses to testify, leaving the Stuarts with a choice: Let the man who may be responsible for destroying their lives walk away, or take matters into their own hands.

Blending Families

By Flicky Gildenhuys Integrating former family units into a new, strong, happy and successful blended family can be a minefield, but it can also be a thoroughly rewarding voyage of discovery.

Blending Families explores how the impact of the past and hopes for the future can shape the way we manage the everyday challenges of living in a blended family.

Flicky Gildenhuys equips the reader to anticipate what may or may not happen, and provides parents with tried-and-tested, down-to-earth psychological tools and experience gained from decades of family counselling in order to manage whatever issues may arise to achieve true and lasting happiness as a new family.

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Airline information SA Express fleet Canadair Regional Jet 200 BER Manufacturer: Bombardier Maximum cruising speed: 474 knots/545mph/879kmph Engines: Two General Electric CF34-3B1 Range: 1,662miles/3,080km Maximum altitude: 41,000ft/12,496m Seating capacity: 50

Crew: Two pilots, two cabin crew Wing span: 69ft 7in/21.21m Overall length: 87ft 10in/26.77m Overall height: 20ft 5in/6.22m Maximum take-off weight: 51,000lb/23,134kg Minimum runway length: 6,295ft/1,919m

De Havilland Dash 8 Series Q400 Turboprop Manufacturer: Bombardier Maximum cruising speed: 360knots/414mph/667kmph Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A Range: 1,565 miles/2,519km Maximum altitude: 25,000ft/7,620m Seating capacity: 74 Crew: Two pilots, two

cabin crew Wing span: 93ft 3in/28.42m Overall length: 107ft 9in/32.83m Overall height: 27ft 5in/8.34m Maximum take-off weight: 64,500lb/29,257kg Minimum runway length: 4,580ft/1,396m

Canadair Regional Jet 700 Manufacturer: Bombardier Maximum cruising speed: 473 knots/544mph/875kmph Engines: Two General Electric CF34-8C5B Range: 1,477m/2,794km Maximum altitude: 41,000ft/12,496m Seating capacity: 70 Crew: Crew: Two pilots, two

cabin crew Wing span: 76ft 3in/23.2m Overall length: 106ft 8in/32.51m Overall height: 24ft 10in/7.57m Maximum take-off weight: 72,750lb/32,999kg Minimum runway length: 4,580ft/1,396m

SA Express’ aircraft are made by Bombardier Aerospace

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We fly for you About us SA Express is a fast-growing airline business operating primary and secondary hubs between domestic and regional destinations within Southern Africa.

Our objective of improving intra-Africa travel is in line with South Africa’s mandate to increase aviation’s contribution towards sustainable economic growth and job creation.

The flexibility and reliability presented by the airline’s FACT principle (Frequency, Availability, Competitive rate and Timing of flights) affords both consumers and service providers a unique and convenient service. The FACT principle is important to us as it enhances the country’s prospect as a preferred air travel destination and major trade and tourism capital.

Our vision is supported by the airline’s aspirations and strategy. Also underpinning this vision is our set of core values and unique selling propositions that drive profitability.

Vision To be a sustainable world-class regional airline with an extensive footprint in Africa.

Purpose A sustainable, integrated regional airline connecting secondary and main airports.

CORE VALUES Safety first We never compromise on safety, no matter what.

Customers Our customers are our most important investors.

Partners We partner with people across all operations.

Speed & Quality We deliver with speed without compromising on quality.

Improvement We strive for continuous improvement.

Simplify We keep it simple.

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SPECIAL SERVICES Special Meals Passengers with special dietary requirements are provided for through the following special meals: kosher, halal, Muslim, Hindu, low-fat and vegetarian meals. Orders for special meals should be placed at the time of making flight reservations. The airline requires a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to departure in order to assist with confirmation of requests.

Only available on settled flights.

Passengers requiring special attention Requirements for unaccompanied minors (passengers under the age of 12 years) or passengers requiring wheelchairs should be stated at the time of making the reservation.

Owing to the size of the cabins on our aircraft types, the airline is not in a position to carry stretcher passengers or incubators.

Cabin baggage SA Express will accept one piece of cabin baggage not exceeding a total dimension of 115cm and 7kg in weight.

For safety reasons, cabin baggage must fit into approved stowage spaces: either the overhead luggage bin or under the seat.

Owing to limited storage space in the aircraft cabin, cabin baggage may be placed in the

We Fly For You SA Express Airways prides itself on aiming to offer incomparable service standards. In addition to building on our motto to express excellence and consistently striving to provide the best service, we know that “you” is the most important word in our airline. SA Express proudly launched its new brand on 2 December 2009 at OR Tambo International Airport. The new brand is set to ensure that it’s distinctive and positioned to build awareness and affinity in the domestic and regional markets.

The new proposition “We Fly for You” is set to position SA Express as a premier intraregional African brand. The main objective of the re-brand is to ensure that SA Express is distinctive yet still aligned to the country’s mainline carrier.

SA Express’s unique positioning as an airline that provides a bespoke, personalised travel experience was the rationale behind the proposition “We Fly for You”. The new brand mark is in line with the symbol and colours of the national flag, encouraging national pride. The new brand will be applied to all brand touch-points throughout the operation as well as the staff uniform.

Skycheck at the aircraft for hold stowage.

Skycheck This is the airline’s special hand-luggage facility that assists with in-flight comfort, speedy boarding and disembarking. When boarding one of our flights, simply place any hand luggage that will not be required during the flight on to the Skycheck cart at the boarding steps of the aircraft. Your hand luggage will be waiting for you as you disembark from the aircraft at your destination.

Baggage liability Valuable items such as cameras and accessories, computers – including laptops and notebooks – mobile telephones, perfumes, aftershaves, colognes, legal and company documents and legal tender – including cash, credit cards and cheques – bullion, leather jackets, all types of jewellery and any other items with a value in excess of R400 must be removed from either checked-in or Skycheck baggage as the airline is not liable for loss or damage to these items.

Verified baggage claims are settled on the basis adopted by IATA (International Airlines Transport Association): payment of US$20 per 1kg of checked-in luggage, to a maximum of 20kg ($400).

Awards SA Express has won the AFRAA Regional Airline of the Year Award at the end of 2009, and the Allied and Aviation Business Corporate Award. Our airline was also the recipient of the Annual Airline Reliability Award from Bombardier at the end of 2007. Other previous awards include the International Star Quality Award, which indicates our commitment to service excellence, while our prominence as one of the top 500 best managed companies is proof of our success as a business.

Onboard service The airline’s onboard service is unique and offers passengers a variety of meals or snacks. The airline pioneered its unique meal-box concept, and meal choices are frequently updated and designed using balanced food criteria: appearance, taste and nutritional value.

Passengers can also enjoy a wine and malt service on specified flights as well as refreshments on all flights.

Our customers can expect a safe, comfortable, quality air-travel experience, with the added benefits of frequency, reliability, on-time departures and unmatched value for money.

Safety Information Health regulations Health regulations at certain airports require that the aircraft cabin be sprayed. The spray is harmless, but if you think it might affect you, please cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief.

Remain seated As a safety precaution, passengers are requested to remain seated with seatbelts fastened after the aircraft has landed, until the seatbelt sign has been switched off by the captain.

Portable electronic equipment The use of personal electronic devices (PED’s) will apply to all domestic and regional flights on the CRJ700/200 and DH8 Q400.

Passengers will be permitted to use PED’s such as cell phones, e-readers and electronic tablets in flight-mode.

Cellular telephones Cellular telephones may be used on the ground while passenger doors are open. Cellular telephones, smartphones or any device with flight mode must be switched off as soon as the cabin doors are closed and when the senior cabincrew member makes an announcement on the public-address system.

Laptop computers Laptops with CD ROM and DVD drive, handheld calculators, electric shavers and portable personal listening devices may not be used on the ground during taxi but may be used during the flight when the seatbelt signs are switched off and with permission from the captain.

Should circumstances dictate otherwise, a public-address announcement cancelling this concession will be made by a crew member.

Prohibited equipment Portable printers, laser pointers, video equipment, CB/ AM/FM/FHF/satellite receivers, two-way radios, compact disc and mini-disc players, scanners, remote-controlled toys and power converters are prohibited for use at any time.

Safety pamphlet Read the safety pamphlet in the seat pocket in front of you and take note of your nearest emergency exit.

Smoking In accordance with international trends, smoking is not permitted on board any SA Express flights.

Seat belts Please fasten your seat belt whenever the seat belt signs are illuminated.

For your own safety we suggest that you keep it fastened throughout the flight.

Important When in doubt, please consult our cabin crew.

For your comfort and security, please comply with the above safety regulations at all times while on board

Route map SA Express: Johannesburg Bloemfontein Cape Town Durban East London Gaborone George Hoedspruit

Kimberley Lubumbashi Lusaka Harare Port Elizabeth Richards Bay Walvis Bay Windhoek

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Flight schedule JOHANNESBURG - BLOEMFONTEIN FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1001 1003 1005 1011 1013 1017 1021 1023

DEP 06:15 08:00 11:20 13:50 14:55 16:50 17:55 18:30

ARR 07:15 09:05 12:25 14:55 16:00 17:50 18:55 19:35

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 CR7 CR7 DH4 DH4

M

T

W

JOHANNESBURG - EAST LONDON FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1403 1403 1403 1405 1407 1413 1409 1411

DEP 07:15 08:30 08:30 09:10 13:15 15:40 17:30 18:40

ARR 08:45 10:00 10:15 10:40 14:45 17:10 19:00 20:10

A/C CR8 CR7 DH4 CR2 CR2 CR8 CR2 CR7

M

JOHANNESBURG - GEORGE FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1501 1503 1503 1505 1509

DEP 07:20 08:55 08:55 11:25 15:50

ARR 09:15 10:45 10:50 13:15 17:40

A/C CR7 CR7 CR2 CR7 CR7

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DEP 10:15 12:15

ARR 11:20 13:20

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JOHANNESBURG - DURBAN FLT NO SA 1285

DEP 12:20

ARR 13:30

A/C CR2

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NO 1101 1103 1105 1107 1107 1113

DEP 06:50 09:20 13:10 14:25 14:40 17:15

ARR 07:55 10:35 14:25 15:40 15:55 18:30

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4

M

S

S

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F

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S

JOHANNESBURG - KIMBERLEY FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA

F

T

JOHANNESBURG - HOEDSPRUIT FLT NO SA 1225 SA 1227

T

T

JOHANNESBURG - PORT ELIZABETH FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1453 1455 1457 1457 1459 1459

DEP 07:10 10:00 17:50 17:50 19:35 19:55

ARR 08:45 11:35 19:25 19:45 21:15 21:30

A/C CR8 CR8 DH4 CR7 CR8 CR7

M

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BLOEMFONTEIN - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1024 1002 1004 1006 1012 1014 1018 1022

DEP 06:20 07:45 09:35 12:55 15:25 16:30 18:20 19:30

A/C DH4 DH4 CR2 DH4 DH4 CR7 CR7 DH4

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EAST LONDON - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1412 1404 1404 1404 1406 1408 1414 1410

DEP 06:45 09:15 10:50 10:30 11:10 15:30 17:00 19:40

ARR 08:25 10:45 12:30 12:10 12:40 17:00 18:30 21:10

A/C CR7 CR8 DH4 CR7 CR2 CR2 CR7 CR7

M

GEORGE - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1502 1504 1504 1506 1506 1510

DEP 09:45 11:25 11:25 14:05 14:10 18:10

ARR 11:35 13:05 13:15 15:45 15:50 19:50

A/C CR7 CR7 CR2 CR8 CR7 CR8

M

FLT SA SA

NO 1226 1228

DEP 12:00 13:55

ARR 13:00 14:55

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DURBAN - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA

NO 1286

DEP 17:15

ARR 18:25

A/C CR2

M

NO 1102 1104 1106 1106 1108 1114

DEP 08:25 11:10 14:55 15:00 16:25 19:00

ARR 09:30 12:25 16:10 16:10 17:40 20:15

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4

M

F

S

S

W

T

F

S

S

T

W

T

F

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S

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W

T

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S

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F

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S

KIMBERLEY - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA

T

T

HOEDSPRUIT - JOHANNESBURG

T

PORT ELIZABETH - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1460 1454 1456 1458 1458

DEP 06:10 09:20 12:45 20:00 20:45

*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January

SA EXPRESS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, SUSPEND OR AMEND THIS PUBLISHED SCHEDULE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO OPERATE AS PER THE PLANNED SCHEDULE

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ARR 07:25 08:40 10:40 14:00 16:30 17:35 19:20 20:30

ARR 07:45 10:55 14:20 21:35 22:40

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Flight schedule

JOHANNESBURG - RICHARDS BAY FLT SA SA SA SA

NO 1201 1203 1207 1213

DEP 06:00 08:30 13:15 16:55

ARR 07:15 09:45 14:30 18:10

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4

M

T

W

T

F

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W

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JOHANNESBURG - WALVIS BAY FLT SA SA SA

NO 1703 1701 1705

DEP 09:00 11:55 13:00

ARR 11:25 14:10 15:25

A/C CR2 CR7 CR7

M

T

JOHANNESBURG - WINDHOEK FLT NO SA 1733 SA 1731

DEP 06:00 06:00

ARR 08:10 08:10

A/C CR2 CR2

M

T

JOHANNESBURG - GABORONE FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1761 1763 1765 1765 1767 1767 1767 1775 1775 1783 1781 1779

DEP 07:10 07:55 09:55 09:55 11:40 11:55 11:55 13:30 14:30 15:50 18:10 18:10

ARR 08:05 08:50 10:45 10:50 12:35 12:45 12:45 14:25 15:25 16:40 19:05 19:05

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 CR2 DH4 DH4 CR2 CR8 DH4

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T

JOHANNESBURG - LUBUMBASHI FLT NO SA 1797

DEP 09:20

ARR 11:45

A/C CR7

M

T

CAPE TOWN - BLOEMFONTEIN FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1081 1083 1087 1091 1091

DEP 06:00 08:00 13:15 16:15 17:15

ARR 07:30 09:30 15:00 18:00 18:45

A/C CR2 CR2 DH4 DH4 CR2

M

CAPE TOWN - EAST LONDON FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1361 1363 1363 1363 1371 1371 1373 1375

DEP 06:00 07:00 08:00 08:00 13:05 13:30 16:30 17:20

ARR 07:25 08:25 09:25 09:55 14:30 14:55 17:55 18:45

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 DH4 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

M

RICHARDS BAY - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1202 1204 1208 1214 1214

DEP 08:05 10:30 15:05 18:40 18:40

ARR 09:20 11:45 16:20 20:00 20:10

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4

M

T

W

T

F

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WALVIS BAY - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA

NO 1704 1702 1706

DEP 12:00 14:45 16:00

ARR 14:15 16:55 18:15

A/C CR2 CR7 CR2

M

T

WINDHOEK - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA

NO 1734 1732

DEP 09:30 09:30

ARR 11:30 11:30

A/C CR2 CR2

M

T

GABORONE - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1762 1764 1766 1766 1768 1768 1768 1776 1776 1784 1782 1780

DEP 08:30 09:25 11:25 11:25 13:10 13:10 13:10 14:50 16:05 17:20 19:45 19:45

ARR 09:25 10:20 12:15 12:20 14:00 14:05 14:05 15:45 17:00 18:10 20:40 20:40

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 CR2 DH4 DH4 DH4 CR8 DH4

M

T

LUBUMBASHI - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA

NO 1798

DEP 12:30

ARR 15:00

A/C CR7

M

T

BLOEMFONTEIN - CAPE TOWN FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1082 1084 1088 1092 1092

DEP 08:15 10:30 15:40 18:30 19:25

ARR 10:00 12:15 17:40 20:30 21:10

A/C CR2 CR2 DH4 CR2 CR2

M

EAST LONDON - CAPE TOWN FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1362 1364 1364 1364 1372 1372 1374 1376 1376

DEP 08:00 09:00 10:25 10:45 15:00 16:20 18:30 19:20 19:50

ARR 19:35 10:40 12:25 12:25 16:40 18:00 20:10 21:00 21:30

A/C CR2 CR2 DH4 DH4 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

M

*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January

SA EXPRESS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, SUSPEND OR AMEND THIS PUBLISHED SCHEDULE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO OPERATE AS PER THE PLANNED SCHEDULE

INDWE 133

Flight schedule CAPE TOWN - HOEDSPRUIT FLT NO SA 1241

DEP 10:10

ARR 12:50

A/C CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

T

W

T

F

S

S

T

W

T

F

S

S

CAPE TOWN - PORT ELIZABETH FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1801 1805 1807 1809 1813 1813 1813 1819 1821 1821 1823

DEP 06:00 09:00 10:10 12:20 13:00 13:00 13:45 15:00 16:00 16:30 18:30

ARR 07:30 10:30 11:40 13:30 14:10 14:30 14:55 16:30 17:30 17:40 20:00

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 CR2 CR2 DH4 CR2 DH4 DH4 CR2 DH4

M

CAPE TOWN - WALVIS BAY FLT NO SA 1721 SA 1721

DEP 08:00 11:15

ARR 10:10 13:25

A/C CR2 CR2

DURBAN - EAST LONDON FLT SA SA SA SA

NO 1301 1303 1305 1309

DEP 06:00 08:30 12:00 16:50

ARR 07:05 09:35 13:05 17:55

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

M

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

DURBAN - PORT ELIZABETH FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1330 1334 1336 1340 1348

DEP 06:00 09:15 11:55 13:35 17:40

ARR 07:20 10:35 13:15 14:55 19:00

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

DURBAN - CAPE TOWN FLT SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1850 1852 1854 1858 1854

DEP 06:10 08:00 12:00 15:35 15:00

ARR 08:25 10:15 14:15 17:50 17:15

DURBAN - LUSAKA FLT NO SA 1601

DEP 10:10

ARR 13:00

DURBAN - HARARE FLT SA SA SA

NO 1611 1613 1611

DEP 10:20 13:55 14:00

ARR 12:45 16:20 16:25

JOHANNESBURG - PILANESBERG FLT NO SA 1261

DEP 09:30

ARR 10:20

A/C CR2

M

CAPE TOWN - PILANESBERG FLT NO SA 1255

DEP 13:50

ARR 16:00

A/C CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

T

W

T

F

S

S

HOEDSPRUIT - CAPE TOWN FLT SA SA

NO 1242 1242

DEP 12:45 13:20

A/C CR2 CR2

M

T

PORT ELIZABETH - CAPE TOWN FLT SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA

NO 1826 1802 1806 1808 1810 1814 1814 1814 1820 1822 1822 1824

DEP 07:00 08:00 11:00 12:10 14:00 15:00 15:00 15:25 17:00 18:00 18:10 20:30

ARR 08:40 09:40 12:40 13:50 15:20 16:20 16:40 16:45 18:40 19:40 19:30 22:10

A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 CR2 CR2 CR4 CR2 DH4 DH4 CR2 DH4

FLT SA SA

NO 1722 1722

DEP 10:30 14:00

ARR 12:30 16:00

NO 1302 1304 1306 1310

DEP 07:35 10:05 13:35 18:25

ARR 08:35 11:05 14:35 19:25

NO 1331 1335 1337 1341 1349

DEP 07:50 11:05 13:40 15:35 19:55

ARR 09:05 12:20 14:55 16:50 21:10

NO 1851 1853 1855 1859 1855

DEP 09:05 10:45 15:00 18:15 17:45

ARR 11:05 12:45 17:00 20:15 19:45

LUSAKA - DURBAN FLT SA

NO 1602

DEP 13:40

ARR 16:30

HARARE - DURBAN FLT SA SA SA

NO 1612 1614 1612

DEP 13:25 17:00 17:00

ARR 15:50 19:25 19:25

S

S

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

A/C CR2 CR2

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

A/C CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2 CR2

CAPE TOWN - DURBAN FLT SA SA SA SA SA

F

W

PORT ELIZABETH - DURBAN FLT SA SA SA SA SA

T

T

EAST LONDON - DURBAN FLT SA SA SA SA

W

M

WALVIS BAY - CAPE TOWN

PILANESBERG - JOHANNESBURG FLT SA SA

NO 1264 1268

DEP 10:55 16:20

ARR 11:45 17:20

A/C CR2 CR2

M

PILANESBERG - CAPE TOWN FLT SA

NO 1254

DEP 11:00

*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January

SA EXPRESS RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, SUSPEND OR AMEND THIS PUBLISHED SCHEDULE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO OPERATE AS PER THE PLANNED SCHEDULE

134 INDWE

ARR 15:20 16:00

ARR 13:20

A/C CR2

M

T

W

T

F

S

S

T

W

T

F

S

S

Passenger Letters Good Day I flew back to Johannesburg from George in early January on flight SA 1524 operated by South African Express, and the flight was remarkable.

There was only one cabin staff member – a hostess called Verity. She didn’t need any help, instead she completely took control. She was professional and quick, but never hurried. Everything she did, she did with a smile, and it was plain to everyone that she really enjoyed and loved what she was doing. In fact from the moment the passengers entered the plane, she exuded such charm and enthusiasm.

I have visited five continents, and I have never come across such a brilliant hostess. Other passengers agreed with me, but may not make the effort to contact you. This lady deserves to be commended and recognised, so I hope you will pass this rave review onto the right people.

Thank you, Margaret Croxford Congratulations to Margaret, who wrote our winning letter this month. She has won an American Tourister Bon Air Spinner 55 cm valued at R1,399.

Good day I would like to thank SA Express regarding my flight from Johannesburg to Kimberley today.

I initially had to travel with our work shuttle from Cyril Ramaphosa Training Centre to Marlboro Station and then take the Gautrain to OR Tambo International Airport. I am still laughing at myself, though, because the security directed me to the platform, but I got onto the train en route to Sandton instead of the one to the airport!

I changed trains and caught another one back, but ended up getting to OR Tambo very late. I then had to run all the way to check in and prayed to God that the SA Express check-in counter was still open. The lady at the counter was reluctant to help me at first, but then agreed to assist me after hearing my story and seeing me breathing heavily like a race horse!

I made it onto the flight, which was a huge relief, as had I been stranded in Johannesburg I would not have been able to attend a very important meeting the next day.

Thank you, so much. It is always great when you are treated with consideration, especially when situations are beyond your control.

Kind regards Selwyn Addinall

Do You Have Something to Say? Let us know what is on your mind by sending an email to customercare@flyexpress.aero.

Letters may be edited, shortened or translated from their original language.

The writer of the winning letter in the May edition of Indwe will receive an American Tourister San Francisco 66 cm spinner, valued at R1,199.

With American Tourister, you can have stylish, high quality luggage without dipping into your spending money. With its own distinctive design DNA and a young, casual look, the American Tourister San Francisco range of suitcases comes in black, blue and red. Ultra practical, value added features include a large U-shaped front pocket, translucent piping corner protection, a comfortable integrated top handle, a stitched bumper for base protection, and lockable zippers on the main compartment and front pocket. Inside, you’ll find a large mesh zipper pocket and two webbing packing straps with a buckle closure. The American Tourister San Francisco is available from top luggage outlets. To locate a stockist, call +27 31 266 0620.

136 INDWE

Africa’s Talent Revealed

Female baboon eating wild fruit near Crocodile Bridge, Kruger National Park by Daryl Benecke

Dead tree on the roadside in Botswana just after sunrise

by Rob White

Sunset at the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) site near Carnavon, Northern Cape

by Morena Medi

If you think you have what it takes, send your photos (1MB each), details of where they were taken and your contact details to nicky@tcbmedia.co.za, with the words “Indwe Photo” in the subject line.

We can’t wait to show them off!

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