Indwe June 2017 YOUR FREE COPY
WINNER SAPF 2015 - BEST EXTERNAL MAGAZINE - CATEGORY B
B LO E M F O N T E I N
MAHIKENG
CAPE
GEORGE
TOW N
DURBAN
KIMBERLEY
EAST
LUBUMBASHI
LO N D O N
LUSAKA
GABORONE
HOEDSPRUIT
PO RT E L I ZA B E T H
JOHANNESBURG
RICHARDS BAY
P I LA N E S B E RG
W A LV I S B A Y
HARARE
Drakensberg Cave Dwelling
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The Browns Blossom Ring is set with 100 diamonds and precious gemstones, each affirming the love you share.
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Contents Features 62/
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Celebrating Responsible African Tourism
Made of Music Petite Noir
The Winelands Art Gallery
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Malta
Cooking Made Easy
Art for Everyone
The African Responsible Tourism Awards
The Most Majestic of All Doors to Europe
89/ Making Socrates Proud
Building a New Generation to Outsmart Google
107/ Eye Spy
Do’s and Don’ts for Contact Lens Wearers
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UCOOK
97/ Cupboard to Castle
Maximising Small Living Spaces
111/ Anti-Social Social Media
Parents Setting a Bad Example for their Children
Follow the Light
White Light Lanseria
104/ Think Big, Garden Small Make the Most of Your Small Outside Space
115/ Heading Abroad to Earn a Tax-Free Income? New SARS Rules
Contents / Regulars
/ Travel
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Need to Know
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In Hot Water – SA’s Hot Springs
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Bits & Pieces
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Browsing Around Bethulie
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Dinner & A Movie
When the Bushveld Calls – Rhulani Safari Lodge
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Turn it Up!
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Books
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Into the Wild With a Conscience
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Gadgets
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Great Visa-Free Holiday Destinations for South Africans
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The Pearl of the Indian Ocean
The Ultimate Adventure Playground – Leobo Private Reserve
/ Airline Info 10/ 12/
CEO Letter Up Close and Personal with Victor Xaba
128/ Meet the Crew 130/ Airline Information 132/ Flight Schedule 135/ Passenger Letters
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Ready, Set, Go! – Toyota Etios Sprint VW Amarok V6
CEO Letter SA EXPRESS 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 Cover Image © Leobo Private Reserve
Challenging the Status Quo! Dear Passengers Welcome aboard your SA Express flight – we thank you for making us your carrier of choice. Being at the helm of this airline for the past month has been a journey of discovery for me, and one which has necessitated my unpacking what SA Express Airways is and what we stand for. In doing this, I have committed myself to truly understanding every facet of the organization – including our passengers’ experience while flying with us. The aviation industry is guided by the same fundamental business principles that govern other service concerns, and the word “turnaround” is used too often to describe the process of realigning a business to reach its full profit-making capabilities. So without using any prescribed labels for our process, I want to assure you that the SA Express team has, at all levels, committed itself to going back to the basics in order to stabilise the business and ensure a long-term sustainable future. Let us call this process “reform”, and the first step is to clean house. The crux of the plan is to ensure that all of our systems, services and people are adding value for our passengers. This will, in turn, enable the airline to become more commercially viable. We have aptly named our roadmap to success SOAR: Sustainable Organised Agile (or Accelerated) Reform. By examining our past errors and learning to operate with renewed focus and changed behaviour, SA Express can achieve its objects and remain true to its mandate. I have experienced this before – coming from an organisation that went through a similar process and which has subsequently improved its company performance – and therefore understand the growing pains involved.
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Images © iStockphoto.com & Quickpic Publisher Bernard Hellberg | bernard@tcbmedia.co.za Marketing and Communications Manager Pam Komani | pam@junecommunications.co.za
This opportunity to reimagine the airline offers us a chance to engage with all our stakeholders in a new way and for them to be active participants in the birth of a new era. I believe that with your continued support and our commitment to effect change, we can truly have a positive and lasting legacy in South Africa and on the African continent. To this end, our executive team and I will be flying incognito to undergo the full SA Express experience alongside our passengers – from check-in to landing – in order for us to have a first hand account of what you experience as well as what you have to say about our airline, thereby enabling us to make the improvements that will show that #weflyforyou. We ask you to be patient with us at this critical time in our reform, as change is not an event but rather a process that will not happen in a short space of time. Communication is the cornerstone to any success we hope to achieve, and I commit myself and my team to ensuring that we will communicate better with you, our passengers – our most important investor. June is Youth Month in South Africa and I would like to challenge our future leaders in their aspirations for greatness to seize opportunities and not to procrastinate on the information and knowledge they have. Remember, there is always a hero next to you. Find them and follow their example – or, better yet, aim to be even greater! I appreciate all feedback from you and urge you to contact me at victor.xaba@flyexpress.aero.
Sincerely Victor Dithoriso Xaba Interim Chief Executive SA Express Airways
Editor Nicky Furniss | nicky@tcbmedia.co.za Layout and Design Ryan Abbott | ryan@tcbmedia.co.za Features Writers Julie Graham | julie@tcbmedia.co.za DIRECTORS Bernard Hellberg l bernard@tcbmedia.co.za Pam Komani | pam@junecommunications.co.za ADVERTISING SALES Tel: +27 12 425 5800 National Sales Manager (Regional & SADC) Bryan Kayavhu | bryan@tcbmedia.co.za +27 83 785 6691 Manager: National Sales & Business Development Chantal Barton | chantal@tcbmedia.co.za +27 79 626 0782 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 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. Information has been included in good faith by the publisher and is believed to be correct at the time of going to print. No responsibility can be accepted for errors and omissions.
Bloemfontein
Durban
East London
Lusaka
Johannesburg
Hoedspruit
George
Harare
Lubumbashi
Mahikeng
Port Elizabeth
Gaborone
Richards Bay
Cape Town
Kimberley
Pilanesberg
Walvis Bay
17 Destinations all over Southern Africa, non-stop. You could choose other ways of getting to your holiday spot but flying with us is easy and non-stop. Flying with us is also convenient, because we fly to major destinations and smaller cities all over Southern Africa and the DRC, every day. Taking a break? Then make the most of your time o. Because we fly for you.
Visit www.flyexpress.aero for domestic flights to Bloemfontein, Port Elizabeth, East London, Kimberley, Hoedspruit, George, Johannesburg, Mahikeng, Pilanesberg, Richards Bay, Cape Town, Durban and regional flights to Lubumbashi, Gaborone, Walvis Bay, Lusaka and Harare.
Up Close and Personal with
Victor Xaba
If you had to look up the definition of ‘personable’, I would not be surprised if the descriptor categorically stated: Victor Xaba. South African Express’ newly appointed interim Chief Executive Officer is a textbook example of charismatic leadership in action. His love for aviation, combined with his passion for people, is immediately evident in his unassuming manner. Indwe recently found out more about the dynamic man driving reform at SA Express.
Text & Images © Mercia Daniels
Which book would you recommend for personal growth? I don’t have just one book in particular that stands out, but rather a series of books which have influenced my life. For example, as a 20-year-old, fresh out of tertiary education and inquisitive about life, I had aspirations of making an enormous amount of money, so the book Cash Flow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki appealed to me. At that stage I had joined a network marketing company that specialised in multilevel marketing to sell homeware. It was here that I really grew to understand the value one’s network has and the gravitas of the statement “your network is your net worth”. I was able to network with people across social status, age, ethnicity, gender and profession, which taught me the importance of interacting with people from industries outside of the one I was in. Since I cannot list all the books I have read, I must say that a book that I found remarkable and life-changing has to be Inspired Destiny, by Dr John Demartini. This book cemented the power of positive thinking and the laws of attraction for me, and I put much of what Dr Demartini prescribed into practice in my day-to-day life. I live by the mantra: What you think, you become, and what you focus on, grows.
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What is your personal philosophy on life? From a young age I have always been a huge advocate of ubuntu and my understanding of this philosophy is that fundamentally we are here to serve each other. Personally, I know that I am who I am today not because of what I have done, but rather what other people have done for me. At its core, all of this rests on understanding the importance of people and putting people first – all people without any prejudice. I don’t subscribe to categorising or pigeonholing people according to labels of any nature, because we are all people first after all. That said, I believe that taking care of SA Express team members will ensure that they take care of our passengers. SA Express has publically been referred to as a “problem child”. What experience do you have that makes you the right person to run a commercial airline? Although I have not lead a commercial airline before, I come from an organisation that has undergone a process of reform which resulted in improved company performance. This means I understand the pains and challenges associated with an evolution. I believe that business is business,
irrespective of industry. By understanding fundamental business principles, employing subject matter experts, having a strongwilled team and the agility to adapt to new ways of working are what “qualify” me to lead a problem child of an airline. My vision encompasses a strategy focused on getting the basics right, which covers four key focus areas: a people first approach to business; adopting financial prudence while ensuring the long-term sustainability of the operation; a commitment to corporate governance; and reputation management. To ensure the success of this strategy, I will be fanatical about communications. Whether it be to our staff, the shareholders, our passengers, the travel industry, or our service providers, communication is going to be frequent, transparent and our new standard operating procedure. Who do you model yourself after? That’s an easy one – my father, for many reasons. My father is the embodiment of leadership to me. He’s a deacon in the church and a passionate educator. A dedicated family man, he taught me the importance of family and the value of one’s character. As a teacher he took his role of educating young
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people very seriously. This and his insatiable thirst for acquiring knowledge are qualities I am happy to have inherited. His view on knowledge was that once you have it, you have the responsibly of imparting what you have learnt onto someone else. I remember at the tender age of nine I sat in his makeshift study, telling him how I could not wait to get to matric so that I could stop studying because then I wouldn’t need to anymore. He turned around, looked at me and said: “Son, you will never stop learning.” I remember being horrified at the prospect, but of course now I know that studying and learning are two very different concepts, and I am grateful for my thirst for knowledge. South Africa’s youth constitute the biggest sector of the unemployed. What would you recommend as a solution if given the task to address this problem? This is a two-fold solution. The leadership, in every sphere, has the responsibility to
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leave a legacy for the next generation – this is the foundation on which young people will build. I am very passionate about the youth and youth development in general, it is something that motivates me. There is a Tswana proverb that roughly translates to: “Help is available to those who have put in the work to help themselves.” This means that young people must be clear in what they want to achieve, research that goal, and understand what they need to achieve it. Then finding the assistance to reach that goal will be easier. Another secret to success is the ability to spot an opportunity and be conscious of the lifespan of that opportunity – it’s one thing to spot it and another thing to react in time. Additionally, I would challenge them to find a hero within their space and aspire to be better than that person. What has been your biggest career accomplishment to date? People often associate accomplishment with ascending the “corporate ladder”, but
my view is that it doesn’t take a position of leadership to be accomplished. Bearing that in mind, then, I would have to say my most notable achievement to date is that I have been lucky enough to seize opportunities within their lifespan. I am reminded of a funny story. When I was starting out at Denel I was given the opportunity to attend what was then called a strategic leadership forum, where all the top 100 leaders in the group gathered to craft strategies for the year to come. I was a junior technical manager at that stage “hobnobbing” with the group Chief Executive Officer and EXCO members from the various divisions. I remember thinking to myself at the dinner session, that if I was to stand out from my peers and make a point, it had to be then – therein recognising the opportunity and its lifespan. The long and the short of it is that I made my way to the stage, grabbed the microphone and made the following announcement: “Hi everybody, my name
is Victor Xaba and the theme of this conference is ‘One Denel’ – or at least what I understand is that we are working towards ‘One Denel’. I can’t help but notice that at this event, with the same music playing, we are all dancing in our own individual way. The picture that I see does not represent the concept of ‘One Denel’, so how about I teach all of you one move and we dance that move throughout the night as part of us aspiring towards ‘One Denel’.” I taught them the move and that was the dance for the night. This brazen approach caught the attention of one of the divisional CEOs, whom I credit for changing the trajectory of my career. What would you say are your major strengths as a leader? Throughout my experience, dating back to my very first job, I have learnt that business is all about people and that success is driven by having the right chemistry with staff, shareholders and customers. Leadership continues from generation to generation. I am of the firm view that leaders are obliged to make positive inroads for the next generation of leadership. Additionally, I believe that a good leader is authentic and honest, but the most important leadership quality is that of empathy. A good leader truly cares for people and also surrounds himself with the right people. Lastly, I think a good leader is hands-on, or rather isn’t afraid to get his hands dirty regarding securing the long-term future of the company. In conclusion, when asked about his first 30 days in office, he humbly responds: “I have been dubbed ‘Chuck Norris, South African Express Ranger’ by my team and although this makes me laugh, I realise that I am not in this alone. I have the support of 1,000 plus deputies at SA Express – my colleagues – who will help me with the fight to turn the airline around”.
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Need to Know
A Weekend of Surprises
Fun Fromage
23rd & 24th June Franschhoek Mystery Weekends, Western Cape
25th June to 27 th August Delheim’s Jazz and Cheese Fondues, Stellenbosch
Surprise, relaxation and pure indulgence – this is what the sell-out Franschhoek Mystery Weekends are all about, and this year is no exception. Participants can look forward to Franschhoek’s finest wines, delectable food and fun experiences. And the best part is that you don’t have to book anything – it’s all done for you. The team at the Franschhoek Wine Valley randomly selects a range of amazing Franschhoek experiences to create your ultimate Franschhoek Mystery Weekend. Your adventure commences when you check in to open your surprise box, revealing where you’ll be staying and dining, as well as other fun-filled surprises which await. This year, guests also have the opportunity to pre-book their preferred accommodation. For bookings, email mysteryweekends@franschhoek.org.za.
Held every year for over a decade, these cosy lingering lunchtime events offer the perfect remedy to cold and rainy winter blues. Delheim’s snug and intimate underground wine cellar is where the cheese-pot lids come off, melting all resistance with piping hot Swiss-style cheese and melodic jazz tunes performed live by talented local bands. Picture pots of Gruyère and Emmentaler for ladling, dipping and smearing with a selection of delicious bites and exceptional Delheim wines. This is festive food-sharing at its best and an occasion best enjoyed with a group of loved ones. Each reservation includes a shared cheese fondue, live music and a glass of traditional heart-warming glühwein for only R230 per person. To reserve your seat, email restaurant@delheim.com or phone +27 21 888 4607.
// www.delheim.com
Unwind in the Wilderness 19th to 24th June Detox & Yoga Safari, Mhondoro Lodge, Limpopo
Mhondoro Game Lodge has teamed up with a renowned international yoga instructor and detox specialist, Monique Christiaans of Yoga Zenzo in the Netherlands, to present an exclusive six-day Detox and Yoga Safari at this five-star lodge in the Welgevonden Game Reserve. The package includes five nights’ luxury accommodation and a complete detox programme with healthy meals and three detox juice fasting days, as well as personal coaching, yoga and meditation sessions, daily safaris, bushwalks and mindfulness walks, and three spa treatments. The experience costs from R39,555 per person sharing. Mhondoro Game Lodge lends itself perfectly to hosting exclusive wellness events like this, with its extensive decks and heated swimming pools overlooking the wilderness, a yoga room and two small gymnasiums, as well as a spa suite with a bath outside on the deck. Email res@mhondoro.com for reservations.
// www.mhondoro.com 16/
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Your passport to a world of
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lounges in South Africa. • Complimentary access to over 1 000 Priority Pass™ lounges worldwide. • Complimentary access to all American Express lounges located across the USA, Mexico, Australia, Argentina and India.
Rewards Automatic membership to the Membership Rewards™ Programme – a distinguished rewards programme exclusively designed for American Express Cardmembers, presenting a world of adventures, dreams and special moments.
Hotel, Resort and Lifestyle privileges • Hilton Honors™ Gold status, offers you a world of privileges and benefits at more than 4 800 Hotels and resorts in over 100 countries. • Complimentary membership to the elite Preferred Golf programme, which boasts over 50 world-renowned golf resorts. • Exclusive benefits with Golden Circle Jade membership at Shangri-La hotels and resorts. • Significant benefits with Club Carlson Silver Elite status.
To apply for your Card call 0800 004 244 or visit americanexpress.co.za/platinum American Express® is a registered trademark of American Express®. American Express Cards is operated under licence in South Africa by Nedbank Ltd Reg No 1951/000009/06, an authorised financial services and registered credit provider (NCRCP16). 2717_INDWE_May_gask
Need to Know
Find Your Fit 11th June Cell C Day of Races, Johannesburg
Celebrating its second anniversary in 2017, Johannesburg’s most exciting 5 km road run, the Cell C Day of Races, will take place at the Roosevelt High School, Emmarentia, in June. Accessible to runners of all capabilities, the Cell C Day of Races allows entrants to choose the start wave that suits them best. Entrants are encouraged to be social, take photographs and videos at designated points en route, share them to the event’s social media platforms and stand a chance to win magnificent prizes. Entries cost R70 per person. For more information or to enter, contact +27 82 991 0045 or email entries@stillwatersports.com.
// www.dayofraces.com
Cement Your Artistic Stature 29th June to 8th July PPC Imaginarium Awards Exhibition, The Association for Visual Arts Gallery, Cape Town
See the world through concrete sunglasses! The country’s most supportive art and design prize, the PPC Imaginarium Awards, is exhibiting the work of its 55 regional finalists, including the overall winner, category winners and runners-up this month. Visitors to the exhibition are encouraged to engage with the diverse range of art and design works from the competition’s various categories, namely fashion, sculpture, industrial design, jewellery and film. The PPC Imaginarium Awards challenges emerging artists and designers to express their creative abilities using Portland cement as the primary medium.
An Epicurean Feast 15th June Taste the Helderberg, NH The Lord Charles Hotel, Somerset West
For one night only, wine farms and restaurants in the Helderberg region will spread their rainbow colours in a showcase of fine local fare. This year, you’re invited to shed the winter blues by donning something red as per the event’s theme. A highlight for wine-lovers in particular will be the opportunity to get an early-bird view and sampling of the famed region’s latest wines, as well as tasters of icons that have put this Stellenbosch Wine Route sub-region on the map. Many of these show-stopper wines will be available for purchase at special promotional rates. Also on offer will be foodie pop-ups by the Helderberg’s well-known eateries, as well as the chance to learn more about winemaking specifics from the winemakers and viticulturists themselves.
// www.wineroute.co.za
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Need to Know
For Hearth and Home 22nd to 25th June Port Elizabeth Homemakers Expo, The Boardwalk Exhibition Centre
There’s no place like home, which is why this year’s PE Homemakers Expo is themed “A Tribute to Your Home”. The show brings top-notch exhibitors showcasing an array of beautiful products and professional services, all under one roof, while giving visitors the perfect opportunity to browse, compare, and purchase all the things they need for their home and garden projects. Visitors can also look forward to the Master Upholsterers’ Challenge, the Eastern Cape SCASA Barista Competition, a wide selection of mouth-watering gourmet meals, local wines and craft beer, as well as specials and competitions. For more information, pleae email pe@homemakers-sa.co.za.
Tummy Temptations June Winter Warmers at The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa, Cape Town
The Twelve Apostles Hotel and Spa is preparing a smorgasbord of culinary events to delight guests throughout the colder months. June brings the cold fronts, so treat Dad to a heart- and tummy-warming meal at the Father’s Day Lunch Buffet on 18th June, for R495 per person. Craft beer continues to grow in popularity so the “Dads” will love the June Craft Beer and Canapé Special which offers five beers, paired with five different canapés, available daily at R225 per person. Also in June, The Café Grill plays host to delicious Curry Evenings. At R360 per person, the menu includes a traditional plated starter, family-style main course (selection of three curries, rice and roti) and a delectable dessert. Finally, on 30th June, the Paul Cluver Wine Dinner will delight guests as they indulge in a delicious five-course menu, accompanied by a selection of wines for R585 per person. Email restaurants@12apostles.co.za for reservations.
// www.12apostleshotel.com
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A-Class Theatre Until 24th June The Eulogists, The Fugard Theatre, Cape Town
The world premiere of award-winning playwright Louis Viljoen’s new play, The Eulogists, marks Viljoen’s first offering as the Fugard Theatre’s Writer in Residence. The world media has descended on a small town to wait for a great statesman to die. Audrey, a flash-in-the-pan author who once had access to the leader and profited from it, has holed herself up in a room around the corner from the dying man’s family home. Zee is an ambitious researcher who dreams of breaking an exclusive story about the leader’s past. He shares a room with Audrey and cabin fever has begun to set in. Thrown into this volatile situation is Harris, a correspondent for an American radio station who brings with him a few bottles of wine and a plan to end the boredom. Tickets are available from Computicket.
Roam with us Keep in touch with business & loved ones on your travels. Prepaid customers, activate roaming by dialing *185# or SMS “ACTIVATE� to 13331 Postpaid customers, visit the nearest BTC shop to activate roaming. Terms & conditions apply.
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Live connected.
Bits & Pieces
Eastern Inspiration
Practical Paper
A Nice Ring to It
PICHULIK’s fall/winter 2017 collection has a decidedly Japanese flavour. Intricate designs echo the fine details of ikebana and the colours – a palette of pearl and brass – evoke pearls nestling in oyster shells and kelp against wet black diving suits. The latter was inspired by Japan’s Ama pearl divers, women who have been free-diving for over 2,000 years. The materials selected for this season’s jewellery collection are inspired by the East too. There is: wood, an elemental force in Eastern healing and in ikebana; bronze and brass, non-ferrous metals that attain a patina over time and reflect wabi-sabi, the Japanese concept that acknowledges that materials change with time and celebrates imperfection; and rope, which signifies the rope that are the Ama divers’ lifelines.
Wren, a Cape Town-based manufacturing and design studio, makes bags and laptop sleeves from an unlikely material: paper. Each piece is a tactile delight, maintaining the real feel of paper, and adding all the practicality you’d expect from a normal bag or laptop sleeve. Everything is handcrafted locally from recycled cement paper that is fused to cotton for strength and coated to be water-resistant. The studio introduced their first backpack to the range earlier this year. It features adjustable straps, secure snap closures, and interior padding for your tech. It is the perfect blend of style and utility. Shop at The Collective, Unit B3 at the V&A Waterfront’s Watershed or online at
The Browns Signet Ring has been designed as a modern interpretation of the classic version, with a sophisticated feel to the oval shape and a bold and contemporary cushion. Set in luxurious 18 ct two-tone gold, the Browns Signet Ring is definitely for the stylish man who wants to make a statement. Designed to always sit upright and never lean or spin, the ring is comfortable for everyday wear and can even be personalised with a family crest or initials in a range of different fonts. It can be custommade with different surface finishes and colour combinations, or even with the addition of diamonds, making it the perfect piece to be handed down as a family heirloom. This seamless design is complemented on either side with the Browns seal, a trademark of excellent craftsmanship.
// www.pichulik.com
// www.thewrendesign.com
// www.brownsjewellers.com
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Microsoft Express Route
Let us take your business to Africa, and the world. The Microsoft Express Route service will leverage on MTN's Global MPLS (Multi Protocol Label Switching) network, which connects major cities across Africa and the rest of the world, to provide customers with a consistent experience when utilising applications that are delivered from Microsoft Azure and Office 365. Customers can leverage on ExpressRoute as a value added service to enable a secure, SLA-backed network connection to the Microsoft Azure Public Cloud and Office 365. Express Route will also give customers connectivity access to additional services on Microsoft Azure Public Cloud and Office 365.
What does it offer your enterprise? • The ExpressRoute offering comes on the back of the recent launch of MTN’s pan-African cloud platform that offers customers hybrid cloud solution services from MTN’s data centres • ExpressRoute will allow our clients to experience a managed network service with the same reliability, manageability and security they would have when using a private network. • Clients will benefit from better quality of service, and will be able to access services via the Cloud, as well as share data sets between the MTN Business Cloud and Microsoft Azure Public Cloud experiencing a true hybrid cloud. • More reliability, faster speeds, lower latencies, and higher security can be experienced with express route as the connections do not go over the public Internet.
sales@mtnbusiness.co.bw | www.mtnbusiness.com/bw | +267 318 8967
Welcome to the New World of Business.
Dinner & A Movie
Top of Joburg’s Must Eat List
The restaurant at Johannesburg’s AtholPlace Hotel & Villa has just launched their new and delicious Autumn menus. Executive Chef Willie Malherbe found inspiration for the new menus by combining European and Asian influences with some local flair to create culinary masterpieces that explode with flavour. The lunch menu, designed with a quick corporate lunch breakaway in mind, showcases simple cuisine with light dishes such as, chilli
cumin lamb with peanuts, and Wagyu beef burgers with bacon and aged cheddar. The new three-course dinner menu, at R550 per person, allows for an outstanding fine dining experience. Start the evening off with soft-shell crab tempura, followed by biltong crusted springbok loin with wild mushroom puree for mains, and perhaps a delightful berry consommé, served with a hazelnut crumble, for dessert. For reservations, email eat@atholplace.com.
Have One of Each
The Outcasts Described as Mean Girls meets Revenge of the Nerds, The Outcasts follows best friends Jodi (Victoria Justice) and Mindy (Eden Sher) who have suffered years of torment under the thumb of the school’s alpha female (Claudia Lee). They plan to ride out their senior year under the radar, but when they become the victims of a humiliating prank,
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the two hatch a plan to unite the outcasts of the school and start a social revolution. They join forces with an affable slacker, a girl scout with a secret and an overachiever with dirt on everyone. The Outcasts is a wickedly funny comedy that also deals with the topical issue of social-media bullying, infusing the story with rich and relevant subject matter.
Harvested from old dry vineyards in the Paardeberg and Darling regions, the Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Cinsault 2016 is described by cellar master Alastair Rimmer as an elegant wine with an exceptional depth of flavour. This wine has a bouquet of violets, dried lavender and hints of red fruit. The palate has layers of red berries and elegant tannins, and as the wine opens up, more layers come to the fore and one can almost taste the granite-derived soils the vines were grown in. Similar to the Cinsault, the Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2016 is noted to be full of flavour with layers of pear and citrus on the palate. The 2016 vintage Chardonnay is one of the driest and warmest vintages in history. It was also the earliest start to a harvest in Kleine Zalze’s history. Both wines can be tasted and purchased at the cellar door.
Fine Food, Fine Wine
Luxury in every way Great Mediteranean cooking is something to be savoured, treasured and remembered. For no other cuisine can match the exotic, yet subtle flavours that make up the favourite dishes of the region. Fortunately East London is blessed with Grazia fine food & wine, a perfect venue with a superb view over the Indian Ocean just as you might expect from a world-class restaurant with a reputation for serving the finest authentic dishes, accompanied by a wide selection of wines. Tel : 043 722 2009 ¡ 043 722 2 0 1 0 w w w.graz i afi nefood.co.z a
Turn it Up!
Zara Larsson
Epic Records’ 19-year-old worldwide mega-platinum sensation Zara Larsson – named one of TIME magazine’s “30 Most Influential Teens of 2016” – has just released her highly anticipated new album So Good, featuring hits like “Ain’t My Fault” and “So Good”. Swedish pop singer Zara Larsson established a strong US audience with her first two back-to-back hit singles of 2015, the RIAA platinum “Lush Life” and the double-platinum “Never Forget You” (a collaboration with Nigerian vocalist and producer MNEK). Prior to that, Zara was already a major star in Europe, thanks to Introducing and Let Me Reintroduce Myself, her two EPs of 2013, as well as a string of multi-platinum singles (“Uncover,” “Carry You Home,” and “Rooftop”) that appeared on her 2014 album 1. Since the release of 1, the relentlessly hard-working Larsson has seen her career go into overdrive. In 2016, she was featured on Tinie Tempah’s “Girls Like”
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and David Guetta’s “This One’s for You”, which was the official song of UEFA Euro 2016. Over the summer, she performed with Guetta during the UEFA Euro 2016 opening and closing ceremonies, and opened for her idol Beyoncé’s Formation World Tour in London. She also became part of the Spotify Billions Club for racking up over one billion streams on the digital platform. To date, Zara has performed on nearly every morning and late-night talk show, cementing her loyal and supportive global fan base. For Zara, performing is her true passion. “My dream,” she says, “is to stand in front of 25,000 people in a soldout arena and know that everyone came out to make memories with me. That’s a beautiful thing.” Follow Zara: www.facebook.com/ZaraLarssonOfficial/ twitter.com/zaralarsson www.instagram.com/zaralarsson www.zaralarssonofficial.com/
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Celebrating Responsible
african tourism A year of accountable and reliable tourism practices was celebrated with commendations and awards at the African Responsible Tourism Awards in April this year.
Text: Nicky Manson Images Š Supplied
MTN Bushfire Festival
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Coffee Shack Backpackers
Uthando
The annual African Responsible Tourism Awards were first created in 2014 to celebrate and inspire change in our tourism industry. Affiliated to the World Responsible Tourism Awards, the awards were founded by Responsible Travel, a marketplace for small and tailor-made tour operators, with the support of Better Tourism Africa, a nonprofit organisation that works to implement the objectives of Responsible Tourism. Sponsored by WESGRO (the Official Tourism, Trade & Investment Promotion Agency for Cape Town and the Western Cape), the awards recognise African organisations that offer an exceptional example of how all types of tourism, from niche to mainstream, can benefit, preserve and respect the local people, the environment, and the destinations themselves. The awards are part of a family of regional Responsible Tourism Awards, which culminate each year with World Responsible Tourism Day in London – to be held later this year. “We want to celebrate the shining stars of responsible tourism on the African continent – the individuals, organisations and destinations working innovatively with local cultures, communities and biodiversity. But more than that, we want their examples to inspire others. That’s why we’ve got the most rigorous judging process around – to ensure that their stories provide an example to the industry,” explains Heidi van der Watt, managing director of Better Tourism Africa. This year’s judging began in early April, with the process designed and organised in partnership with the International Centre for Responsible Tourism. A panel of 14 expert judges from across the industry were tasked with shortlisting
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13 organisations from across Africa, including Swaziland, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya, South Africa and Mozambique. The 2017 winners were announced on 20th April at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, during WTM Africa (The World Market Exhibition). Professor Harold Goodwin, Chair of the Judging Panel and WTM Responsible Tourism Advisor, reflected on the decisions made on judging day: “All of those short listed should be recognised as having made a significant contribution and be proud of what they have achieved. That ambition is simply put: To use tourism to make better places for people to live in.” Blood Lions and Coffee Shack Backpackers together took the coveted position of Overall Winner. According to the judges the hard-hitting documentary on the plight of lions in the tourism industry demonstrates how raising awareness and engagement can achieve change, by successfully engaging the industry though its Born to Live Wild campaign. The small backpacker lodge was equally able to demonstrate the major positive impact a small business in a remote rural area can have. “Our winners have a vision that extends beyond the commercial – linking business success with the wellbeing of local communities and the longevity of their environments. They want to make profits with principles, communicate balance sheets alongside beliefs, and won’t undermine passion in the pursuit of professionalism. They are resilient, determined, humanising advocates for their destinations. They are the future of tourism in Africa,” Van der Watt added.
Isibindi African Lodges
Winners’ List Best Accommodation for Social Inclusion Gold: Coffee Shack Backpackers (South Africa), www.coffeeshack.co.za Judges’ comment: This backpackers is a small establishment with a huge heart and considerable impact on the Tshezi community living in this remote corner of the Eastern Cape. It has brought on board Tshezi Community Trust shareholders, created the (initiative) Sustainable Coffee Bay and its Early Childhood Development Centre, a high school and a tertiary education assistance fund. Silver: The Backpack (South Africa), www.backpackers.co.za Silver: Wilderness Safaris Damaraland Camp (Namibia), www.wilderness-safaris.com Best for Engaging People & Culture Gold: Ilha Blue Island Safaris (Mozambique), www.ilhablue.com Judges’ comment: The judges wanted to
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Ilha Blue Island Safaris
All Out Africa
Blood Lions
recognise the deep and diverse cultural experiences offered by Ilha Blue. They reveal an exotic mix of Makhuwa, Swahili, Arabic, Indian, and Portuguese cultures through low-impact, small group tours by bicycle, sea-kayak and Swahili sailing dhow. Local guides present their perspectives and stories through experiences creating entrepreneurial opportunities and ensuring that local people shape and have a stake in tourism here. Silver: Maboneng Arts (South Africa), www.maboneng.com Best for Habitat & Species Conservation Gold: All Out Africa (Swaziland), www.alloutafrica.com Judges’ comment: All Out Africa proved themselves with their social-entrepreneurial approach to solving the problem of insufficient ecological information and the capacity to enable successful conservation. Silver: Wildlife ACT (South Africa), www.wildlifeact.com Best Partnership for Poverty Reduction Gold: Isibindi African Lodges (South Africa), www.isibindi.co.za Judges’ comment: The judges were looking for partnerships that truly whittle away poverty in local areas. These lodges offer rental for community-owned land and tourism lodges, employment of local people, purchases of vegetables, crafts,
and laundry and recycling services from local small producers. They also create sustainable income for four communities and hundreds of people in the deep rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Silver: Amboseli Serena Safari Lodge (Kenya), www.serenahotels.com Best Responsible Event Gold: MTN Bushfire (Swaziland), www.bush-fire.com Judges’ comment: This three-day festival is held annually in the Malkerns Valley of Swaziland, attracting 25,000 participants from across the globe to enjoy and experience a rich texture of arts, cultures, crafts and food markets. The festival creates employment for 1,200 Swazis, making a significant contribution to the local economy. Silver: Tour de Tuli (Botswana, South Africa & Zimbabwe), www.tourdewilderness.com Best Responsible Tourism Campaign Gold: Blood Lions (South Africa), www.bloodlions.org Judges’ comment: From its launch in 2015 there was a clear focus “to stop lions being bred for the bullet”. This is a powerful documentary film at the heart of a campaign which used social and traditional media to engage the industry, voluntourism, the public, government (local, national and international), professional hunters and the
scientific and conservation community with a simple and compelling message: “Think before you visit, cuddle, walk, volunteer or shoot.” Best Tour Operator for Impact in Urban Areas Gold: Uthando (South Africa), www.uthando.org Judges’ comment: Urban community farms, recipe books, educare centres, music and dance academies, domestic animal care, senior centres and a book that tells the stories of elders, arts and crafts hubs, is the list of initiatives in Cape Town’s townships touched by Uthando SA.
Coffee Shack Backpackers
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The BITRI Centre for Material Science The Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) is a parastatal under Botswana’s Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, established with a Mandate to identify, develop and/or adapt appropriate technology solutions that provide sustainable innovative solutions through co-creation and collaboration in line with national priorities and needs of Botswana. The technologies will as much as possible maximize the use of local materials to ensure efficiency and affordability. BITRI has established a world-class Centre for Material Science (CMS) with state of the art laboratory facilities, such as XPS, XRD, XRF, SEM, high resolution GC/MS, LC/MS and ICP/MS. The CMS has synthesis capabilities for metal nano particles, electrospun nano fibres and materials characterisation that will serve the research needs as well as the commercial materials analysis needs of Botswana and Africa across a variety of sectors. BITRI invites all interested parties to use the facilities for a fee. For more information, contact Thatayaone Tladi Contacts cms@bitri.co.bw Telephone: (+267) 360 7619 Mobile: (+267) 77 537 379 Head Office: Maranyane House: Plot 50654, Machel Drive Gaborone, Botswana: Telephone: (+267) 360 7500 Fax: (+267) 360 7624 Email: communications@bitri.co.bw Website: www.bitri.co.bw
In Hot
Water South Africa is a fairly benign place when it comes to volcanic activity, but that doesn’t mean that things aren’t rather lively down below us. In a few places across the country, the conditions have combined just so to create natural hot springs (or if you want to get technical, geothermally heated groundwater) that are warm enough for a pleasant mineral bath. Over the years, most of these places have served as retreats for people wanting to enjoy the health benefits of bathing in mineral water – or just the novelty of being able to swim without dying from exposure during winter. Either way, there are few more relaxing things to do than to float about in a giant warm bath.
Text: Will Edgcumbe Images © Gooderson Natal Spa Hot Springs, Badfontein Guest Farm & The Baths & Warmbaths
Natal Spa
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Warmbaths Gooderson Natal Spa Hot Springs & Leisure Resort, Paulpietersburg, KwaZulu-Natal Set between the towns of Paulpietersburg and Vryheid, deep in the north-eastern corner of KZN, the Natal Spa hot springs have been popular since the late 19th century with visitors who come to enjoy its restorative mineral waters. The water rises up through fissures in the rock, and is heated to a mightily pleasant 36 ˚C to 45 ˚C. It’s said that the waters contain healing chlorides, sulphates and carbonates, and if this isn’t enough, the healing continues at the on-site spa with its full range of treatments. There are water slides for the kids, including a 110 m supertube, as well as hiking, paintball, horse-riding, tennis, quad-biking, adventure golf and more. The resort has 80 en suite rooms, including twin, family, double and luxury rooms, as well as self-catering units. The rooms come standard with airconditioning, satellite TV and tea- and coffee-making facilities. There’s an onsite bistro as well as a main dining room for buffet breakfasts and dinners, and your choice of three bars. For more info, call +27 34 995 0300 or visit www.goodersonleisure.co.za. The Baths, Citrusdal, Western Cape The Baths, situated just a two-hour drive from Cape Town in the scenic Olifants River Valley near Citrusdal, has a long history. Established in 1739, it’s now a rustic selfcatering resort with options of chalets and flats, as well as a caravan and campsite. The hot mineral spring water pools are nestled in the trees, so it’s really quite a fetching place to soak your tired old bones. The waters reach 43 ˚C at the source, so the temperature differential one experiences jumping between
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Natal Spa
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The Baths the hot and cold pools has been known to cause shrieking. Other attractions include hiking trails, spa baths, a tennis court, trampoline, pool table, and kids’ playground. There’s a fully licensed on-site restaurant, should cooking just seem like a bridge too far, as well as a shop which sells all the staples. Day visits must be arranged in advance, so call ahead if you won’t be staying over. For more info, call+27 22 921 8026/7 or visit www.thebaths.co.za. Badplaas, A Forever Resort, Mpumalanga Set within a nature reserve at the foot of the Hlumuhlumu Mountains, the healing waters at Badplaas were first discovered by Swazi tribesmen back in the day, and since then people from all over the country have flocked to the mineral pools. And pools there are a-plenty – there are four indoor pools, three kids’ pools, three outdoor pools and a cold pool. Once you get over your choice paralysis, the hydro and spa also offers a range of treatments. There’s plenty for the family to do, including supertubes, speed slides, game drives, horse rides, quad-biking, volleyball, bowls, go-karting and more. Accommodation ranges from hotel rooms to self-catering chalets and rondavels, log cabins, guest houses, and a caravan and campsite. Day visitors are welcome. For more info, call +27 17 844 8100 or visit www.foreverbadplaas.co.za.
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Natal Spa Warmbaths, A Forever Resort, BelaBela, Limpopo Arguably the country’s most well-known hot springs, Warmbaths is set just outside Bela-Bela in Limpopo and is extremely popular. The hot springs are kind of a big deal – the name Bela-Bela means “boiling boiling” in Tswana, and the English name is about as self-explanatory as they come. Lounging about in the hot spring is basically a given, but if that doesn’t leave you chilled-out enough, the on-site spa has you covered. Accommodation comprises hotel rooms, self-catering chalets and log cabins, while game drives, river rides, a wave pool and cable-skiing will keep you busy. For more info, call +27 14 736 8500 or visit www.foreverwarmbaths.co.za. Badfontein Guest Farm, Aliwal North, Free State If crowds aren’t your thing but you still desperately want to soak up the healing vibes in a hot spring, Badfontein Guest Farm is just the place for you. Positioned on the banks of the Orange River west of Aliwal North (which itself had its own famous hot springs for years, now sadly shuttered), Badfontein Guest Farm has its own hot water sulphur spring, and because the farm can accommodate a maximum of 34 guests, you won’t be cheek by jowl in the pool. Accommodation is offered in one- and two-bedroom self-catering cottages, and
there is also a rustic campsite with hot water and electric points. When not soaking it up, there’s rock art to discover, birdlife, great fishing and various hiking trails, so be sure to pack more than your Speedo! For more info, call +27 83 430 6166 or email badfonteins@hotmail.co.za.
Know Your Hot Springs Just how does the water get hot? It happens geothermally (i.e. with heat produced from the Earth’s mantle). Rocks tend to be hotter the deeper they are in the Earth’s crust. If water percolates deeply enough, it comes into contact with hot rocks and is heated, which is how there are hot springs in non-volcanic areas. In active volcanic zones, water may encounter magma (molten rock) and become heated – usually superheated. If the water becomes so hot that the steam pressure causes it to erupt in a jet above the earth’s surface, it’s called a geyser. If the water only reaches the surface in the form of steam, it’s called a fumarole. If the water is mixed with mud and clay, it’s called a mud pot. Incidentally, mud pot is also a great name for a chocolate dessert one makes in the microwave while wearing boxers and ignoring the disused treadmill in one’s lounge.
made of
music Petite Noir
With his heart-melting voice and self-styled retro-future ‘noirwave’ sound, Petite Noir is at the cutting edge of Africa’s burgeoning global electronic music scene. Text: Keith Bain Images © Kent Andreasen, Alan Del Rio Ortiz & Jonathan Ferreira
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His sound is melancholic, hauntingly beautiful, a touch surreal, and instantly hypnotic. And while the words can be dark, there’s a beat that makes you want to dance and a rhythm that’s intoxicating. The sound Yannick Ilunga has fashioned is distinctive, edgy, and wondrous. It is a rich, computer-layered blend of synths, bass drums, bass guitar, and beats assembled from Africa. There’s the live drumming, the handclaps, and – of course – Yannick’s own big, bewitching voice. Voluptuous and reassuring, it’s the kind of voice you can climb inside and drift away on. At times, it’s slightly spooky, too. And then it comes back in a different guise and lifts you up. Way up. It’s a voice that’s drawn comparisons with such iconic artists as Morrissey, and has been described favourably as “Joy Division meets Paul Simon in Graceland”. Yet the most striking thing about the music Yannick’s been making since going solo five years ago, is its originality. Now producing and performing under the moniker “Petite Noir”, he manages to redeploy a range of musical elements and influences in ways you’ve never heard before. Embedded in that rich textural fusion are lyrics that hint at gloom. “Only you can make me feel the pain,” he intones, but by the time you’re aware of the potential for sadness, you’re hooked by the wonder and beauty of what’s being channelled from your ears to your soul. The man is an enchanter. At the same time, his music is ambitious. Not in any sort of pretentious sense, but in that it’s layered and complex. And it works on multiple levels.
This quality may allude to his own cultural background. Although Yannick spent most of his childhood in Sea Point, Cape Town, and now lives mostly in London, he was born in Belgium to Congolese and Angolan parents. So he grew up in a French-speaking household, which explains the origins of “Petite Noir”, essentially a minor corruption of the French term petit noir, meaning “little black”. The name is intentionally in-yourface, he claims, aimed at keeping people talking. It’s strikingly ironic, too: Yannick isn’t “little” at all – he’s over six feet tall – and there’s nothing small about the scale of his music, either. One French radio station has already labelled him “the saviour of South African music”. Yannick’s musical journey has been rich and varied, kick-started by singing in church as a boy. “When I was younger, I was listening to a lot of Congolese rumba, RnB, pop, punk, metal… and I even went through stages where I was listening to a lot of jazz. Traditional African music was also always around me.” He was about 15 when he discovered his affinity for the guitar, and found his voice. “Whenever I saw a guitar, I had to hold it or play it,” he says. “It was as if the guitar and me were one. And then I discovered my voice, which has come to be my most precious gift, the best instrument I know how to ‘play’.” Like many musicians, Yannick went through divergent phases. For a time he was in the metalcore band, Fallen Within, and says his ideas about music were radically changed by Kanye West’s
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album 808s & Heartbreak. Significantly, he befriended township electro phenomenon Spoek Mathambo and played guitar for him while he was still a teenager. Through Spoek, he met Terrence Pearce, with whom he formed the Cape Town electro-pop chillwave outfit, Popskarr. Through it all, Yannick had begun experimenting with his own songs, and learning to mix. In the process he was developing the sound that first emerged under the Petite Noir name with the release of his first solo single, “Till We Ghosts”, in 2012. The song was sufficiently impactful that a remix version featuring Yasiin Bey (aka Mos Def) was made. It wasn’t long before Petite Noir signed to Double Six, an imprint of the independent London record label, Domino. His first EP, The King of Anxiety, released early in 2015, and later that year, came his debut album, La Vie Est Belle / Life is Beautiful, which takes its name from a Congolese film title. Some have termed what he does a fusion of post-punk with African musical traditions, but without any clear box or genre in which to pigeonhole his music, Yannick coined his own nomenclature to try and describe what he does. “I call the sound ‘noirwave’,” he says. “It describes the method by which I create my music. The sound is a mixture of all my influences. And these influences range from African music to punk to metal to blues to more traditional sounds. I’m a sound nomad. I like to push the boundaries and move. I explore and take it all in, and then regurgitate it in the Ableton.” Yannick believes this “regurgitation” is one of his main strengths – what he calls “blending”. It’s a knack for bringing divergent sounds together to create a smooth, harmonious, gripping whole. “I take inspiration from everywhere,” he says. “Life is a song itself. Just stop for a second and listen. Or go out into the wild and listen to everything around you – the bees, the birds, even the trees. Nothing is ever out of tune or out of time – to me everything flows naturally. Any sound to me has the space to fit in.” Finding inspiration everywhere means that there’s a curious process involved in determining where those influences will be channelled. “I pick from life for inspiration like picking grapes to make a fine wine,” he says, hinting at the fortuitousness with which his music evolves as a process of craftsmanship. And it’s a deeply personal process. “Music is always a representation of what is happening on the inside,” he says. “The kind of person you are always comes out in your music. Music is the very best expression of vulnerability.”
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Of course, you have only to listen to his voice to find evidence of Yannick’s own creative vulnerability – his words resonate with rich emotion. This richness has much to do with the deep inner-world connection Yannick has with music. He says he has chromesthesia, a condition whereby
sounds involuntarily and automatically evoke the experience of colour. “When I listen back to my music, the experience instantly creates movies or visuals in my mind – I see sounds and colours and shapes in my head,” he says. Music is just something that runs through me. It’s like I’m made out of music.”
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Browsing Around
Bethulie There’s a small town in the Free State that is barely a blur on the landscape as you fly over the surrounding farmland. But what the town of Bethulie lacks in size it makes up for with its big dollop of history.
Text: Lesley Stones Images Š Wikimedia Commons / Delicia van Rooyen, Witstinkhout & Morne van Rooyen
Sa express connects you to Bloemfontein
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Bethulie sits on the banks of Lake Gariep on the Orange River, deep in the midst of sheep and cattle farming country where the Free State and the Eastern Cape converge. During the week Bethulie is a sleepy rural town with its population of 6,500 people quietly going about their business. At weekends it can heat up considerably if the motorbike crews pull in and turn its bars and restaurants into far livelier propositions. Winters from June to August can be very cold, so pack for chilly weather but don’t be surprised if the sun shines anyway. After sunset, you might see the night sky and its glorious constellations more clearly from here than you’ve ever seen them before. The area’s history begins long ago, with fossils showing evidence of life dating back 250 million years. Many centuries later the Bushmen lived here, and their rock paintings are scattered around the area. The Bushmen were the targets of religious zeal when the London Missionary Society set up a base here in 1828. Their arrival wasn’t welcome, and the mission station was originally called Groot Moordenaarspoort (Murderer’s Pass) after a vicious clash with Sotho and Griqua tribes. In 1832 the Frenchman Jean Pierre Pellissier replaced the London missionaries, and his home is now a museum displaying items and information from his life, including furniture, photos, clothes, war relics and farm implements. Take a moment to visit the graves of his family – five of his children were buried in the grounds of Pellissier House Museum to remind us how tough life was in those days.
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First Page (Clockwise from Right): The grave of Kommandant Louw Wepener (d 1865) a military leader who was killed during the Second Orange Free State-Basuto War; a sign to Kamp Kerkhof concentration camp, and a memorial to those who died here. Second Page Top Left: The Pellissier Museum (built in 1843) depicts the history of events and happenings in the surrounding area. Second Page Top Right: A memorial to those who died in Bethulie’s concentration camp. Second Page Bottom: Bethulie’s Dutch Reformed Church was established in 1862. This Page Left: The view from the DH Steyn Bridge. This Page Right: A memorial to the dead at Kamp Kerkhof. This Page Bottom: The DH Steyn Bridge is a beautiful arched sandstone bridge that spans the Orange River just outside Bethulie and connects the Free State with the Eastern Cape.
Until 1833 Bethulie was known as Caledon, unimaginatively named after the nearby Caledon River. Since there was already a town in the Western Cape with the same name, the Paris Missionary Society renamed it Bethulua, meaning “Place of Worship”. That wasn’t the end of the name changes, however, and it was later called Verheullpolis, then Heidelberg, until it reverted back to Bethulie. A darker part of its history came during the Boer War of 1899 to 1902, when this was the site of one of the largest concentration camps run by the British. More than 1,700 Boer women and children died here, and their remains were later interred in a memorial garden. Their gravestones are mounted in brick walls as a testimony to an infamous chapter of the war. You can visit the Anglo-Boer War Concentration Camp Memorial Garden just outside the town. Today, Bethulie has a far more welcoming attitude, and prettier attractions
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too. One of the most picturesque sights is the Hennie Steyn Bridge, with its beautiful arches supporting road and railway tracks across the Orange River. It was built in the 1970s and named after the chairman of the Orange River Development Project Advisory Council. At 1,152 m long and 51.5 m high it was the longest bridge in the country for many years, until John Ross Parkway was built near Richard’s Bay in 2009 – although the Hennie Steyn is a far more elegant creation. Another historic site is the Louw Wepener Monument, honouring a Free State commando who was killed while storming the Basotho mountain stronghold of Thaba Bosiu in the second Basotho war. The horses that have played such a major role in South Africa’s history also get a tribute of their own, in the Monument in Honour of the Horse sculptured by Laura Rautenbach. Look out for the Ox-Wagon Monument too, made from the molten
metal of discarded cartridge casings to commemorate the 1938 re-enactment of the Great Trek. Bizarrely, the oxen were stolen, but the wagon still stands near the Pellissier Museum. The town’s most famous son was the actor Patrick Mynhardt, who made his name by playing characters created by the writer Herman Charles Bosman. He also wrote an autobiography called Boy from Bethulie, which was later turned into a stage show.
A Place to Lay Your Head There are several places to stay in Bethulie, where you’re likely to find a warm welcome and hearty country food. • Garingboom Guest Farm is an ecofriendly sheep farm with a swimming pool, two-bedroom cottages with air-conditioning, kitchenettes, braai facilities, and Karoo lamb dinners available on request. • Bethulie Guest Farm is a working farm where the old house has been refurbished, keeping the wooden floors and fireplaces while adding new bathrooms. The comfortable bedrooms have bar fridges, coffee stations and disabled-friendly facilities. Lunch and dinner available on request. • Oppie Koppie Bed & Breakfast overlooks the town and offers panoramic views of Lake Gariep, the bridge and the surrounding countryside. Further details are available from Booking.com.
The Ultimate Adventure Playground
Hang-gliding, bungee-jumping and rock-climbing are all so passé. For a truly crazy, adrenaline-fuelled adventure, Limpopo’s Leobo Private Reserve is the place in South Africa where an indemnity form is definitely needed!
Text: Nicky Furniss Images © Leobo Private Reserve
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“This is extremely dangerous,” Clayton warned for the fourth time. There was no need for the reiteration – after all, I was decked out in a padded vest, green overalls and gloves, cradling a paint gun in my lap as I strapped myself into the helicopter. The doors of the heli had been removed – MASH style – and the only thing between me and hurtling to the ground below was a seat belt. “Just be careful that your gun doesn’t catch on the seat belt clasp and pull it open,” Clayton added off-handedly. “Riiiiggghhhtt!” I thought, along with: “I really don’t think my insurance will cover this.” This being possibly one of the craziest “sports” invented by man: helicopter paintball. Yes, you read that right. Basically, you jump onto your nearest waiting helicopter and then fire at will as your poor colleagues race around below on quad bikes desperately trying to avoid the gunfire. Luckily for them, it turned out that the strike rate was actually surprisingly low, thanks to the wind generated by the helicopter and the relatively light weight of the paintballs (which are eco-friendly and biodegradable, by the way). That said, no one gets out of this game without at least a few yellow paint spatters, and an impressive collection of bruises. Being something of a humanitarian – and fearing retribution once the roles were reversed – I resolved to aim solely for the quad bikers’ padded vests. Ten minutes in, though, and all cuddly feelies were out the open door of the heli as our daredevil pilot ducked and weaved and sought out riders hiding under trees and behind bushes. This while I let rip like Rambo, the words “Die, bastards!” running in a loop in my head! This
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kind of adrenaline can get addictive. Now pair that with my competitive nature, and I ended my round proudly toting up the paint splatters on the backs, legs, hands and even necks of the quad bikers below. Retribution was swift, though, when I swapped out with one of the riders and hit the dirt road. Interestingly, once on the ground, strategy plays a far more vital role than heroics and speed devilry, because one can never outrun a chopper, but one may just be able to outfox one. This, along with the surprisingly exhilarating experience of being shot at (and hit), was a rush like I have never felt before – and am unlikely to ever do again. “This has got to be the only place in SA where you can do this, right?” I asked breathlessly at the end of the game. “Well, yes, because it wouldn’t be legal in a public space,” Clayton explained. Luckily, the rather eccentric and daredevil owner of Leobo Private Reserve, Rory Sweet, owns not only the land, but also the helicopter, so once you’ve signed that indemnity, you’re free to recreate your own mini war scenario to your heart’s content. This is exactly what makes Leobo different. Yes, it has a beautiful natural setting; yes, you can go for game drives on the neighbouring Big Five reserve; and yes, the food, accommodation and service are akin to any other five-star lodge, but it’s the opportunity to cut loose and act like a billionaire playboy for a day or two that really makes this a once-in-a-lifetime holiday.
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If the heli paintball whets your appetite for shooting things, you can swap your paintball gun for a pistol, a shotgun or even an assault rifle for target- or clay pigeon-shooting (thankfully not quad bikers). You can also opt for a quad bike “safari” minus paintballs flying around your head, or hop on a trusty steed for an early-morning ride through the reserve. Not only do the horses allow you to get really up close and personal to the resident game, like giraffe and antelope, but there are also long sandy roads on which to practise your galloping. There are also quieter pursuits, should your body need a break from the constant rush of adrenaline. You can spend a morning fishing and then be treated to pizza straight from a wood-fired oven at Hippo Pool – accompanied by the gentle grunts of the dam’s namesake. As there are no predators in the reserve, you can also opt for a bushwalk, or just pull up a deckchair at the pool. Everyone loves a sundowner cocktail or two – and even more so when you can enjoy it on top of a remote mountain top… Just catch the nearest helicopter to get there of course. Brunch in the bush can also be arranged along with a lowlevel flight to explore the many natural beauties of the reserve, including rivers, rolling hills and dramatic mountain ridges. Being up in the air also affords you the opportunity to view the lodge in all its glory.
The reserve is one of the few properties in South Africa that can be rented out in its entirety for sole use, providing the ultimate in privacy and exclusivity. The main lodge comprises nine comfortable suites, complete with king-sized beds, en-suite bathrooms and private decks overlooking the reserve. A delicious assortment of meals are served in the main dining room, as well as snacks around the pool, and drinks around the fire in the evenings where you can swap war stories of your day’s adventures. For a truly opulent experience, it is worth splashing out for the expansive hilltop villa, originally built as a luxury home for the reserve’s owner. This three-bedroom architectural dream was designed by award-winning architects Silvio Rech and Lesley Carstens, and is filled with wonderful discoveries and quirky additions. A hippo dies on the property? Well, why not turn its bones into a giant chandelier to suspend above the dining room table? Why have seats when you could have swings? Who needs normal knick-knacks when you could have fascinating, if macabre, auction pieces in the form of a flute made out of a human femur and a purse out of human skin? And why have a normal telescope when you could have your own observatory – which gives the villa its name and its distinctive dome – with all the requisite mod cons, second in its capabilities only to the government observatory in Sutherland. With this kind of access to the wonders of the galaxy, it would be remiss not to dedicate
an evening to star gazing. The star safaris are held on the Jacuzzi deck, raised above the rest of the villa, and as its name suggests, complete with a hot tub, making it the perfect place from which to toast the setting sun, and later the stars. Local astronomer – and a wealth of information on everything from aardvarks to string theory – Dr Phil Calcott can take you on a star safari unlike any you have probably ever experienced. This is not the dry lectures of your school days. Dr Calcott brings the night skies alive with fascinating facts about the stars, planets, supernovas and enigmatic black holes. Thanks to a projector linked to a telescope you can also see images of some of these in large and often quite sharp detail. Drink in one hand, a cinema of the stars in front of you and a plate of nibbles to your side, the only thing that could make this experience better is perhaps your very own astronaut onesie. Yes, they have these here too, in a wondrous kitsch array of gold and silver. Because this is what Leobo is all about – playing make-believe as an adult. Whether you want to be a war veteran, a cowboy, a sharp shooter or an astronaut, Leobo is the place to do it. Leobo Private Reserve is a private 20,000 acre estate based in the Waterberg mountains, a three hour drive north of Johannesburg. For more information, visit www.ultimateplayground.co.za or www.leoboprivatereserve.com.
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n i a r r e t e m i t L’ul s x u e j de ture ur une aven dépassés. Po t en in m le co ta est le nt to l’escalade so ns le Limpopo da et o ue ob iq Le st la de l’é privée , le saut à nécessaire ! es la réserve Le deltaplane absolument nsations fort t se es s ge de ar et ch te de dé déliran un formulaire absolument e du Sud où qu ri Af d’ le ab incontourn Furniss Texte : Nicky serve Re e o Privat Images © Leob
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« C’est extrêmement dangereux, » nous avertit Clayton pour la quatrième fois. Il n’avait pas besoin de le répéter – après tout, j’étais habillée d’une veste molletonnée, d’une salopette verte et de gants, et j’avais un pistolet à peinture sur les genoux alors que je me sanglais dans l’hélicoptère. Les portes de l’hélicoptère avaient été enlevés – style MASH – et la seule chose qui m’empêchait de m’écraser au sol était la ceinture de sécurité. La seule chose que j’avais en tête était : « Je ne pense vraiment être couverte par mon assurance pour ce genre de truc. » Ce genre de truc étant probablement le « sport » le plus fou inventé par l’homme : le paintball en hélicoptère. En gros, on saute dans l’hélicoptère le plus proche et on tire sur ses pauvres collègues alors qu’ils conduisent leurs quads comme des fous en essayant désespérément d’éviter se faire toucher. La chance était de leur côté parce que le taux de succès fut étonnamment bas dû aux tourbillons engendrés par l’hélicoptère ; du reste, personne se s’en sort sans une collection impressionnante de bleus. Étant très charitable je m’étais résolue à ne viser que les vestes molletonnées des motards. Mais après dix minutes de vol ma compassion s’envola par la porte ouverte de l’hélico, et alors que notre pilote casse-
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cou esquivait et zigzaguait je canardais les motards comme Rambo. Mais les représailles ne tardèrent pas et ce fut bientôt mon tour de prendre la route en terre. Une fois à terre bizarrement la stratégie joue un rôle bien plus important que l’héroïsme vu que l’on ne va jamais pouvoir échapper à un hélico mais qu’il devrait être possible d’être plus rusé que le pilote. Ceci, couplé à l’expérience étonnamment exaltante de se faire tirer dessus, fut la montée d’adrénaline la plus sensationnelle de ma vie – et probablement la seule, comme il est très improbable que je refasse cela, et c’est surement le seul endroit en Afrique qui propose ce sport étrange. C’est exactement ce qui fait de Leobo un endroit diffèrent. Oui, c’est un cadre magnifique ; oui, on peut faire des safaris sur les réserves avoisinantes dans lesquelles on peut apercevoir les Big Five ; et oui, la nourriture, l’hébergement et le service sont comparables à ceux des autres lodges cinq étoiles, mais c’est la possibilité de se laisser aller et de se comporter comme un playboy millionnaire pendant un jour ou deux qui font de ces vacances une expérience unique. Si le paintball en hélicoptère vous met en appétit pour le tir alors vous pouvez échanger votre pistolet à peinture avec un vrai pistolet, un fusil de chasse ou même un fusil d’assaut
pour du tir sur cible ou du ball-trap. On peut aussi choisir de faire un « safari » en quad mais sans le paintball, ou de faire une balade matinale à cheval à travers la réserve. Il est aussi possible de poursuivre des activités plus calmes si votre corps demande un répit face aux poussées d’adrénaline incessantes. On peut passer la matinée à pêcher à la Hippo Pool et comme aucun prédateur n’est présent dans la réserve, on peut aussi aller faire une promenade en brousse. Tout le monde aime boire un cocktail ou deux en regardant le coucher du soleil – mais plus encore si l’on peut l’admirer depuis le sommet d’une montagne…. Il suffit de sauter dans l’hélicoptère le plus proche pour ce faire bien évidemment ! Un brunch en brousse peut aussi être organisé, ainsi qu’un vol à basse altitude pour explorer les merveilles naturelles de la réserve. La réserve est l’une des rares propriétés en Afrique du Sud qui puisse être louée à usage exclusif dans son intégralité, offrant le summum en matière d’intimité et d’exclusivité. Le pavillon central se compose de neuf suites confortables munies d’un lit king-size, d’une salle de bains attenante et d’une terrasse privée. Une sélection de repas savoureux est servie dans la salle à manger principale, ainsi que des snacks
autour de la piscine et des boissons près du feu le soir, moments pendant lesquels on peut échanger les « récits de guerre » de sa journée d’aventures. Pour une expérience positivement fastueuse il vaut vraiment la peine de faire une folie et de s’offrir la villa se trouvant en haut de la colline qui fut initialement construite pour servir de résidence de luxe au propriétaire de la réserve, Rory Sweet. La villa de trois chambres fut conçue par les architectes primés Silvio Rech et Lesley Carstens et regorge de merveilleuses trouvailles et d’ajouts bizarres. Un hippopotame meurt sur la propriété ? Et bien pourquoi ne pas utiliser ses ossements pour en faire un lustre géant à suspendre au-dessus de la table de la salle à manger ? Pourquoi avoir des sièges quand on peut avoir des balançoires ? Et pourquoi avoir un télescope normal quand on peut avoir son propre observatoire avec tout le confort requis – qui donne son nom à la villa et à son dôme caractéristique. Quand on a un tel accès aux merveilles de la galaxie il serait négligent de ne pas consacrer une soirée à l’observation des étoiles. Un astronome local, le Dr Phil Calcott vous propose un safari « étoiles » comme vous n’en n’aurez jamais fait auparavant. Il ne s’agit pas de cours d’école ennuyeux. Dr Calcott donne vie aux nuits étoilées grâce à ses histoires fascinantes sur les astres, les planètes, les supernovas et les trous noirs impénétrables. Un verre à la main, un cinéma d’étoiles en face de soi et des petites choses à grignoter à porter de main…. la seule chose
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qui pourrait peut-être améliorer cette expérience serait s’avoir sa propre tenue d’astronaute. Et oui, ils en ont aussi, dans une merveilleuse gamme kitsch dorée et argentée. Parce que c’est là l’essence même de Leobo – jouer à faire semblant pour les adultes. Que vous ayez envie d’être un vétéran de guerre, un cowboy,
un tireur d’élite ou un astronaute, Leobo est l’endroit qu’il vous faut. Leobo Private Reserve est une propriété privée de 8 000 hectares qui se trouve dans les montagnes du Waterberg, à trois heures de route au nord de Johannesbourg. Pour plus de renseignements, visitez www.leoboprivatereserve.com.
art
for Everyone The Winelands Art Gallery The Winelands Art Gallery in the Western Cape takes a different approach to many mainstream art galleries by choosing to focus solely on whimsical, colourful, and cheerful art that speaks to the heart of all art lovers, regardless of their income level or social status.
Text & Images © The Winelands Art Gallery
A mere 30 km from Cape Town’s CBD, the Winelands Art Gallery, based in Durbanville in the Western Cape, is a safe haven for all art lovers. Well-known artist Harry Erasmus works from a studio situated within the gallery, which is in turn located inside the Soet Society Cafe, making a visit here an interesting one on many levels. Owner, Ryan van den Berg, believes that there are two beautiful things in this world that should be enjoyed by all: Good wine and good art. But so often these are seen as pretentious products only enjoyed by the wealthy elite. The Winelands Art Gallery strives to break that stigma by making art accessible to everyone. With the loud, long-haired Harry Erasmus painting at the gallery, customers are able to savour a cup of coffee at Soet while watching the artist at work, or while
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viewing the rest of the beautiful artworks on display. This informal environment has been deliberately designed to put people at ease while perusing the art in the gallery. The Winelands Art Gallery is highly selective in terms of the type of art on show at the gallery and through its online store. “We represent art that speaks to the heart of people, rather than art that is purely academic,” Van den Berg says. The gallery is also able to source established artists’ work for their serious collectors. Some of their featured artists include co-owner, Harry Erasmus, Solly Manthata, Junior Fungai, Gaynor, Paul van Rensburg and others. The gallery is also famous for its online auctions, which gather bidders from all walks of life. For those looking to start their own collections, there are often a host of bargains to be picked up through
The Winelands Art Gallery. With some of their auctions starting with bids as low as R1, the opportunities for budget buys are certainly there. For more information, please visit www.thewinelandsartgallery.co.za.
Special Offer! In keeping with their desire to bring art to all art enthusiasts, the Winelands Art Gallery is offering all of their Indwe readers the opportunity to purchase artwork at a reduced rate for the month of June. Simply visit their website, select the artworks you would like to purchase, and use the checkout code “indwe2017” to receive a 20 % discount on your total purchase. If the purchase is over R2,000, you will also receive free shipping to anywhere within South Africa.
Into the Wild With a Conscience
Botswana’s beautiful DumaTau tented camp not only offers guests the opportunity to explore the ecologically diverse Linyanti Wildlife Reserve and experience the kind of wildlife sightings National Geographic would be jealous of, it is also a shining example of how tourism and nature can happily co-exist to the benefit of both – and of the environment.
Text: Nicky Furniss Images © Wilderness Safaris
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It is hard for Kepatilwe “Bamps” Bampusi to contain his excitement as he leads us towards the impressive bank of solar panels glinting in the midday Botswanan heat. We soon share his excitement as we walk beneath them, for we realise that this is probably the coolest place to be in during the heat of the day in DumaTau, a luxury tented camp located in the private Linyanti Wildlife Reserve that borders the western boundary of Chobe National Park. As well as offering some respite from the heat, the solar panels also shield an amazing array of technology that works to ensure that this state-of-the-art photovoltaic gathering system powers the entire camp, from the lighting of individual guest rooms to powering refrigeration and office equipment, as well as for water pumping and purification. Installed and overseen remotely by Cape Town’s On Track Engineering, this system ensures that DumaTau operates solely on solar power, with its backup generators only switching on for a few hours a week. This has led to a saving of at least 85 % in fuel use at the camp, thereby not only reducing its carbon emissions, but also the carbon emissions and potential impact of fuel deliveries on this environment. It is no wonder that Bamps, DumaTau’s Maintenance Manager, is so passionate about taking guests on the camp’s backof-house tour. In fact, he shows almost more enthusiasm for the solar panels, sewage plants (which treats all of the camp’s waste water effectively and prevents contamination of the Linyanti River’s Osprey Lagoon at the edges of the camp), and solar geysers than he does for DumaTau’s
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beautifully decorated tented suites with their spectacular views of the river below. It is just this kind of passion for the environment which has made Wilderness Safaris a forerunner in responsible and environmentally sensitive tourism throughout its camps in a number of Southern African countries, including Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe and Zambia. In fact, 13 of Wilderness Safari’s 37 camps are now 100 % solar-powered (producing over 3,000 kWh every day), while hundreds of solar geysers across the camps save close to the same amount of energy on a daily basis. Thanks to these measures – and others, including biodigesters that break down organic waste and generate methane gas for cooking in the staff kitchen – DumaTau alone saves 47.8 tonnes of CO2 every year. This is great news for the environment, as well as for guests, because as we become increasingly aware of climate change and our expanding footprint on the earth, it behoves travellers to look more closely
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at the environmental measures taken by lodges – especially situated, as most are, in sensitive and beautiful ecological areas that need to be conserved for future generations and for the wellbeing of the planet as a whole. While all guests are encouraged to do the back-of-house tour, even those who don’t are made aware of some of the camp’s Environmental Management Systems (EMS) from the moment they arrive. Along with a deliciously cold welcome drink, every guest receives their own reusable metal water bottle, complete with their name on to ensure easy identification. These are then used for the duration of each guest’s stay (as well as at any future Wilderness Camps they may be visiting afterwards), and can be refilled at will from water-dispensing machines in all of the common areas. The water in the dispensers is purified using a reverse-osmosis filtration system which has led to a major reduction in the use of bottled water in the camps (down to 0.7 litres per guest per day from 2.06 litres in 2012). The camps’ carbon footprint is reduced, as is the amount of petroleum used in production of the plastic bottles, as well as plastic waste. Guests benefit by having a useful souvenir of their trip to take home with them, and the staff
will even pop a couple of blocks of ice in your bottle for you should you want an extra cold drink on your game drive. Speaking of game drives, no game lodge experience would be complete without them, and guests are free to enjoy the wonders of the reserve, happy in the knowledge that they are contributing in their own way to its preservation. Gifted guides like Mmoki “Mocks” Boatametse will open a whole new world of wildlife viewing. Wonder to look forward to include the endemic lechwe antelope (very skilled at puddle jumping), scores of elephants (the Linyanti is an important elephant corridor), and prides of lion – DumaTau means “roar of the lion”, after all. A huge highlight is also the very real possibility of spotting endangered and elusive wild dogs, as the reserve has a large and active pack. As we toasted our amazing sightings at the evening sundowner stop by clinking our water bottles, or a wine glass or two – this is still a luxury game experience – we watched as a lone elephant bull ambled across the horizon, bathed in pink from the setting sun. It was an incredibly pretty picture, and one which will remain so as long as responsible operators like Wilderness Safaris are safeguarding it. For more information, please visit www.wilderness-safaris.com.
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Malta
The Most Majestic of All Doors to Europe Garlanded in Baroque domes and balustrades, the cultured pearl of the Med is a lure to those seeking open access to the European continent. Text: Nigel Barnes, Managing Partner, Henley & Partners South Africa Images © Henley & Partners
The famous Our Lady of Mount Carmel church in Malta’s capital city, Valletta.
How do you make a Maltese cross? Criticise his excellent climate, gorgeous architecture and agreeable tax incentives, of course! Located ideally just south of Sicily, between North Africa, the Middle East and southern Europe, the Maltese archipelago enjoys a fantastic climate with mild winters, pleasant springs and autumns, and hot summers. Despite being the EU’s smallest country (in terms of both population and size), this island nation is home to no fewer than nine UNESCO
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World Heritage sites – among them its capital, the beautifully baroque Valletta, which will don the illustrious “European Capital of Culture” crown in 2018. Classified as an “advanced economy” by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Malta boasts one of the lowest costs of living in Europe and weathered the recessionary storm far better than Greece, Italy and Spain. In the 13 years since joining the EU, the country has developed an effective commercial infrastructure and, today, has positioned itself as an important
international business and investment hub. Of particular appeal to South African investors, however, however, are its thoroughly modern residence- and citizenship-by-investment programmes, through which successful applicants, their children and even their parents can acquire the right of settlement in all 28 EU countries as well as Switzerland. In fact, in terms of freedom of movement, relative affordability and speed of processing, Malta’s citizenshipby-investment programme is considered
The crystal-clear waters of Blue Lagoon, situated off the island of Comino.
Malta’s tiny capital city Valletta was built in the 1500s by the Knights of St John. attractive programme – and the only one of its kind to be sanctioned by the EU.
the best in the world. Issued in under two years and acquired by means of a contribution to the country’s National Development and Social Fund, together with a minimum (mixed) investment of €880,000, a Maltese passport offers its holder visa-free entry to 167 countries, including the US. (By comparison, a South African passport grants visa-free access to just 98, most of them developing nations.) For those seeking European citizenship that can be passed down to unlimited family generations, this is an exceedingly
Treasure Island Situated virtually in the centre of the Mediterranean, Malta’s strategic location and excellent air links, together with its reputation for stability and security, have made it a leading European financial centre. The country, which holds a double taxation treaty with South Africa, places one of the lowest tax burdens on its residents, with the system combining corporate taxation with favourable tax credit incentives. All of these are obvious advantages, but the archipelago also offers its citizens something far less tangible, yet equally alluring: the opportunity to “live in history”. For Malta is effectively a sun-baked, bluebordered, open-air museum. With a history that dates as far back as 5,000 BC when the inhabitants of Sicily crossed the waters to settle on their neighbouring islands, there exists here an almost palpable sense of a clash of centuries constantly at odds with time as each vies for architectural supremacy. Imposing Neolithic temples (the oldest known to man) stand guard over the enclosing waters, while WW II
limestone bunkers siesta beneath the streets of the capital city, and almost every compass direction of the archipelago’s skyline is dominated by the domes of 16th century chapels, churches and cathedrals. While Malta opens the door to Europe and then rolls out a red carpet, it should be noted that the country’s citizenshipby-investment programme has rigorous vetting standards (on the upside, you’re guaranteed the most upstanding of neighbours). There is also a cap of 1,800 main applicants, which makes this the most exclusive programme in the world. However, for South Africans looking to acquire greater mobility and access to international markets, as well as to secure their futures and those of their families in these uncertain times, Malta, which is appropriately named after the Ancient Greek word for “honey”, offers a particularly sweet deal. With 27 offices around the world, Henley & Partners is the global leader in residence and citizenship planning for affluent individuals and families. The firm also runs a leading government advisory practice. For more information, email southafrica@henleyglobal.com.
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d e r e t t e f Un l e v a r T e Great Visa-Fre ations in t s e D y a d li Ho ans ic r f A h t u o S r fo
ion visa applicat through the g in go t bu io destinat ns periences, r of beautiful be t enriching ex m os nu m a s e’ ly lif actual road is one of ily there are Travelling ab pensive. Luck ex d an l fu ss be stre process can visa-free. can travel to ns ca ri ghts.co.za Af h ut So Text: Cheapfli ckphoto.com Images Š iSto
Singapore
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The Republic of Ireland
“The process for South African passport holders to obtain a visa to the EU or the US, for example, can be a costly and timeconsuming exercise,” says Andrew Shelton, Managing Director of Cheapflights, one of the world’s largest flight comparison and deal publishing platforms. “In some cases it even necessitates an internal flight as well, as certain countries only have consulates in Gauteng.” In the last quarter of 2016, demand across the Cheapflights.co.za website app showed that South Africans were showing a strong interest in international travel. The 10 countries below offer unique experiences without the hassle of having to apply for a visa, making them ideal vacation destinations. Peru One of the best things about South America is that virtually the entire continent welcomes South Africans visafree. In Peru there is, of course, the famed UNESCO World Heritage Site of Machu Picchu, but its popularity sees it constantly crammed with tourists. Choquequirao is perfect for those who want to lose the crowds, but still experience a lost city. These remote Inca ruins are located in the Andes. Another option is to explore the Amazon Rainforest that stretches across nine South American countries, with Peru covering the largest part after Brazil. (FYI, Brazil is also visa-free.) Argentina Despite being Che Guevara’s homeland, Argentina is known for far more than this famed revolutionary. From tango in La Boca to gauchos in the pampas, Argentina has plenty to offer – even in terms of extreme climates. Those looking for a skiing holiday can book a cabin in Bariloche, while those after a beach trip can sun themselves in Mar del Plata. Another bonus? Uruguay is just a boat trip away, and it is also visa-free.
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Botswana
Thailand
Argentina
Jamaica Bob Marley’s home country, Jamaica, is one of several nations for which South Africans do not require a visa. Besides the obvious attractions like cocktails on the beach and visiting the Bob Marley Mausoleum, there’s river rafting down the Rio Grande and historical tours through Rose Hall in Montego Bay. Marley is not the only celebrity to have resided on the island. Theatre lovers can visit Noël Coward’s old home, called Look Out, which has stunning views over Port Maria. The Bahamas Being another island destination, chilling on the beach in The Bahamas goes without saying. Besides all the relaxing between baking in the sun and cooling off in the clear blue waters, it’s also full of adventure. Visitors love the Pirates of Nassau museum, for example. Want something more extreme than yelling “Ahoy”? Take to the waters by diving, snorkelling, exploring shipwrecks, kayaking, parasailing, kiteboarding, or jet-skiing. South Korea The lack of visa requirements is only one of many reasons why South Korea is popular with South Africans. Foodies will find much to tingle their taste buds, and those with a sweet tooth must get a taste of Patbingsoo, a dessert made of shaved ice, condensed milk, ice cream, rice
cakes, and sweetened red beans. It’s also a great place to leap from old to new – go from sleeping on the floor in a traditional Korean house in Gyeongju to partying in Noise Basement in Gangnam, the very area that inspired Psy’s catchy song. Thailand Another favourite amongst South Africans, Thailand offers cheap food and accommodation, with no pesky visas to worry about. There are plenty of temples to explore – such as Wat Phra Kaew, Wat Pho and The Golden Buddha in Wat Traimit. And don’t forget about the pulsating nightlife! With its Go-Go bars, markets, bazaars, clubs, and theatres, Bangkok is swarming with light and activity at night. Zambia “South Africans are starting to explore their own continent more and more, and there are several countries (mostly in the south, a stone’s throw from home) that don’t require visas,” Shelton says. Zambia boasts the unparalleled experience of the Victoria Falls. Vantage points such as KnifeEdge Bridge, Devil’s Pool and Lookout Tree offer awe-inspiring views of the rushing Zambezi River on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe (also visa-free) – as well as gorges, forests and, of course, the falls themselves. Dubbed “The Smoke that Thunders” by
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Peru the Kololo tribe in the 19th century, this is one of the largest and most awe-inspiring waterfalls in the world. Botswana For those wanting to experience a true African safari, Botswana is a fantastic option. South Africa’s neighbour is teeming with wildlife, including the Big Five, in its numerous parks and reserves. River safaris, Africa’s biggest elephant population, and the Okavango Delta are just some of the country’s unique wonders. There’s also no problem with overcrowding. Botswana’s low-impact tourist policy makes this destination a must. Singapore No longer just a stopover destination, Singapore has proved itself to be a worthy city break in its own right. Dazzlingly modern and not without its green spaces, the city’s combination of tradition, nature and modernity can be seen most clearly at the famous Gardens by the Bay. On top of that, it is an incredible foodie city and a shopper’s paradise. Republic of Ireland Travelling to the Republic of Ireland does not require a visa. However, Northern Ireland is part of the UK, and as such requires a UK Visa, so stick to the south. There are castles and cathedrals to explore, museums and art galleries to discover, and Viking adventures to be had. Literature lovers will leap at the chance to learn more about Dublin-born writers Jonathan Swift, Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw. Turn the trip into a bona fide literary experience by adding the James Joyce Centre and Samuel Beckett’s Irish Gastro Pub to the itinerary. Visit www.cheapflights.co.za to book your next visa-free holiday now.
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The Bahamas The Republic of Ireland
THE CALL OF THE BERG…
CH
A …OR THE BE
FUN AND RELAXATION IS WITHIN YOUR REACH AT THE BERG OR THE BEACH! This is your personal invitation to experience the excitement and rejuvenation of Champagne Sports Resort and Pumula Beach Hotel. Get away from it all and discover paradise!
Where friends and family meet
www.champagnesportsresort.com reservations@champagnesportsresort.com +27 (0)36 468 8000
www.pumulabeachhotel.com reservations@pumulabeachhotel.co.za +27 (0)39 684 6717
Exclusive Priority benefits, for you. Enjoy unlimited access to over 500 airport lounges worldwide with your Standard Chartered Visa Infinite Card. Call 361 5800 or visit your nearest Priority centre to find out more.
Terms and Conditions apply.
Cooking Made
EasY
If you love creating culinary delights in your kitchen, but hate shopping for ingredients, UCOOK has you covered.
Text: Paula Rabeling Images © Paula Rabeling & UCOOK
While many people enjoy cooking, the activities leading up to the actual making of the food can be tiring. Shopping for groceries, ensuring that ingredients are sustainably sourced and organic, and not being tempted by the fancy plastic packages of boxes of instant macaroni and cheese can be a time-consuming experience. Local company, UCOOK, now offers people restaurant-quality meals that they can prepare at home, minus the hour spent grocery shopping.
Simply sign up for UCOOK’s services, pick your desired quantity of meals and recipes, and log the address where your box of delicious ingredients can be delivered to. All of the ingredients you find in your UCOOK box are ethically sourced with sustainability and eco-consciousness in mind. The company also supports small local purveyors, as well and rural and urban farming projects, so all of the menus are seasonal and home-grown, as well as organic wherever possible..
UCOOK is transparent about where the ingredients for the menus come from – you can head over to their website to find out where the company gets its meat, vegetables, and herbs. The butcher responsible for the different cuts and variety of meats in the UCOOK packages is Ryan Boon, and the meats are all pasturereared and sustainably sourced. The fresh vegetables come from Abalimi and Harvest for Hope, and herbs from small, family-run business, Herb Traders.
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I opted for the Vegetarian Menu from UCOOK, as I wanted to gain more experience in cooking without meat, as well as more vegetarian meal ideas. On Monday morning, the delivery team from UCOOK delivered my box of goodies. Inside, three brown bags were filled with delicious ingredients for my three meals: the “Go Green” Bowl, Summer Peanut Butter Curry, and Veggie Noodle Stir-fry. Everything that I needed to cook the meals was included, except olive oil for frying and salt and pepper. What I appreciated was that the portions were not stingy – there were plenty of ingredients to ensure I had leftovers for lunch the next day. Besides the Vegetarian Menu, UCOOK also offers lowcarb and rustic menus. The low-carb meals include recipes for chicken stuffed with feta and spinach, classic sirloin steak, and lamb burger with roast aubergine stack. The rustic menu includes meals such as Mexican steak fajita, glazed pork fillet, and chicken alla cacciatora. The recipes are divided into Chef’s Choice, Quick and Easy, and A Little More To It, so that you know which recipe to select depending on how much time you want to spend in the kitchen. These are just some of the examples of the delicious offerings. You can choose from nine seasonally-inspired recipes every week, with ingredients delivered once a week. UCOOK’s offering is fantastic for so many people. I loved it because it introduced me to a whole new way of cooking and gave me ideas for future veggie meals. If you want to stick to a certain way of eating – whether it is meat-free or low-carb – UCOOK is also a great tool, as you’re less likely to get tempted by all the choccies in the checkout aisle. Working long days usually does not lend too much time for grocery shopping, and sometimes your local store does not stock the kind of ingredients you are looking for. With UCOOK, you can come home after work and simply choose your recipe, knowing that all the ingredients are there, and of the standard you desire. If you enjoy being in the kitchen, creating restaurant-quality meals that you love eating, and believe in using only local, fresh, organic ingredients, then let UCOOK assist you in making cooking easy. For more information, visit ucook.co.za.
Special Reader Offer UCOOK is offering Indwe readers a discount on their first order. Simply enter the code #indwe when ordering on the UCOOK website. This offer expires on 31st July 2017, and is only for new customers on for their first order.
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The Pearl
of the Indian Ocean Imagine an exclusive getaway designed for pure relaxation and indulgence, a tropical setting of soft white sands and striking turquoise waters, viewed from an elegant abode that promises unfaltering beauty and luxury. Discover all of this at White Pearl Resorts, the ultimate in African beach luxury.
Text & Images Š White Pearl Resorts
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Situated in an exquisite location at Ponta Mamoli, Mozambique, the private White Pearl beach resort is nestled in a cool, sheltered bay on Mozambique’s Lagoon Coast, and boasts over 2 km of pristine beach surrounded by sand dunes, natural bush and Casuarinas trees. It is home to a number of rare and varied ecosystems, such as endemic rich woody grasslands, dry savannas, swamp forests, freshwater coastal lakes, and floodplains characterised by expanses of reed beds, bulrushes and papyrus. It is no surprise that it was previously voted as one of the top 10 beaches in Africa. Situated about 100 km south of the country’s capital city, Maputo, and 25 km north of the South African border, its location also makes it ideal for a short flight or self-drive holiday. Recent developments adding to the resort’s ease of access include the impending completion of the tarred road between Maputo and White Pearl, as well as the fact that tourism visas are now available upon arrival in Mozambique. It is all about bucket-list experiences in this unspoilt paradise. The resort offers a host of activities for everyone and anyone, both young and old. Swim with dolphins, explore the coral reefs on an ocean safari, dive some of the world’s top pinnacle reefs, and traverse the island by horseback. For nature enthusiasts, the sheltered bay is home to a myriad of sea creatures, from the resident dolphins and migrating humpback whales, to endangered Loggerhead and Leatherback turtles that lay their eggs on the beach from November to February each year. Guests can expect a truly
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unique and unforgettable voyage filled with the ultimate in leisure, recreation and adventure. Of course, that’s if you are able to tear yourself away from your suite. White Pearl Resorts pride themselves on offering five-star luxury and exceptional service, from check-in to check-out and beyond. Elegant beach chic is the order of the day in the 22 suites that sit among the dunes on timber stilts and feature contemporary fittings throughout. Picture air-conditioned interiors, intimate plunge pools, spacious decks, outdoor showers, and of course, breathtaking views. The resort has also been designed in such a way that the public guest areas are made up of many private nooks and spaces designed with down-time and contemplation in mind. Be it the reading room, the lounge, or the main pool deck, guests can just sit and be, taking in the alluring Indian Ocean and the unparalleled stretch of coastline. For a total de-stress of body, mind and soul, the resort’s Amani spa will ensure a pampered stay. Indulge in the island’s calming sounds and scents as you soothe your worries away with a relaxing treatment. Dining is also a sensory experience, and the resort prides itself on its Mozambican authentic cuisine served with their signature designer touch. Enjoy sundowners at the Ibiza-styled Beach Bar, then relish a finedining experience, or enjoy a gourmet picnic with sand at your feet and stars above your head. Whether it’s relaxation or excitement you crave, create memories of a lifetime at White Pearl Resorts, a luxurious haven of utter beauty and tranquillity – the Pearl of the Indian Ocean. For more information, please visit www.whitepearlresorts.com.
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ARMS - Audit & Risk ARMS - Audit & Risk Management Solutions Management Solutions ARMS is a dynamic accounting, auditing, forensic investigations, advisory and consulting ARMS is aprovides dynamicprofessional accounting,services auditing,mainly forensic investigations, advisory and rm that to all spheres of government inconsulting South rm that provides professional services mainly to all spheres of government in South Africa. Swana says ARMS services medium to large organizations and businesses, but Africa. Swana says ARMS services medium to large organizations and businesses, not individuals and small organisations. ARMS also provides specialized training inbut not individuals and small the aforementioned areas.organisations. ARMS also provides specialized training in the aforementioned areas. ARMS has established its base of operations in Gauteng with Headquarters in ARMS has established its base of operations Gauteng with Parktown, Johannesburg but services clientsin throughout the Headquarters country. ARMSin Parktown, Johannesburg but services throughout the country. ARMS assists clients with all matters relating clients to assurance, enterprise wide risk assists clients with all matters relating to assurance, enterprise wide risk management and governance. management and governance. The founders and partners of this rm bring decades of accounting and The founders and partners this rmThis bring decades of accounting auditing experience to the of business. group of professionals are and auditing experience to the business. This group of professionals are leading the company as it establishes a reputation of providing high leading the company as it establishes a reputation of providing high quality professional services. quality professional services. “Our Motto is ‘promptly exceed clients’ requirements at an “Our Mottocost‘ is ‘promptly requirements at an affordable and our exceed strategyclients’ is to deploy appropriately affordable and assignment our strategywith is to adeploy appropriately skilled staffcost‘ for each bias for well experienced skilled staff for each assignment with a bias for well faster experienced teams, which gives us an edge in delivering quality than teams, which gives us an edge in delivering quality faster than our competition,” says Swana. our competition,” says Swana. “We have to consistently deliver quality services promptly “We have consistently deliver promptly within theto client’s dead-lines. Ourquality pillarsservices for success are within the client’s dead-lines. Our pillars for success are as follows: always be adequately staffed, adopt a rigorous as follows: always be adequately staffed, adopt a rigorous staff selection process and development, develop staff selection process and development, develop specialized knowledge in each service area, and pay specialized knowledge in each service area, andclient pay attention to client orientation (don’t hassle the attention to client orientation (don’t hassle the client — you’re on the same side)” — you’re on the same side)” Our services are: Our services are: • Advisory & Assurance •• Advisory & Assurance Internal Auditing •• Internal Auditing Governance & Compliance & Compliance •• Governance Risk Management •• Risk Management Specialised Training •• Specialised Training Special Investigations •• Special Investigations Performance Auditing •• Performance PMS Support Auditing •• PMS Support Mr. Nkuli Swana IT Auditing Mr. Nkuli Swana •• IT Auditing mSCOA Assurance Executive Chairman Assurance •• mSCOA Executive Chairman mSCOA Implementation, Support & Training CA(SA), CIA, CRMA, GMP (Harvard) • mSCOA Implementation, Support & Training CA(SA), CIA, CRMA, GMP (Harvard)
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Follow the
Light Say ‘Lanseria’ and most people think ‘airport’, and along with it that feeling of rushing to catch a flight or trudging home after a long day of commuting. In that mindset, you don’t notice much of the landscape, except perhaps to comment on how brown it looks in winter. It might surprise you to learn that there is in fact a little green oasis of beauty and calm mere minutes away from this bustling airport.
Text: Nicky Furniss Images © The Forum Company
The Forum Company has built an enviable reputation as one of South Africa’s leading events and conferencing companies with no less than five iconic venues to its name. One of these is White Light, a beautiful and airy wedding venue in Lanseria. Here potential “I doers” can say their vows in an open air, ivy-covered chapel and then wander off for photos in the garden, while their guests play croquet on the lawn or sip drinks under the large established trees. The airiness continues inside the Conservatory with its large folding glass doors which allow the natural light to stream into a daytime reception, while soft lighting and candles set the scene for an evening affair.
It truly is a beautiful setting, but as is often the case with wedding venues, it seems a shame that you have to rely on yours or someone else’s nuptials (or events) to enjoy it. That’s why it is such great news that the adjacent venue, the kitchen at L’Antico Giardino, will now be open on Saturdays and Sundays for breakfast and lunch, as well as for afternoon drinks and tapas from 15h00 to 18h00 on the first Friday of the month. The latter is a great way to avoid the traffic if you have a late afternoon flight, while the former provides that lush escape to nature so many of us city dwellers crave. Plus it’s on the cycle route towards The Cradle, so makes for a perfect coffee or breakfast stop along your route.
Be warned though, once you’ve feasted on the delicious farm-to-table fare, you will be hard pressed to get back on your bike. Munch on toasted English muffins with scrambled eggs, or a sunnyside-up omelette with tomatoes, Emmental, rocket and tomatoes. And the best part? Breakfast is served all day! For those who have already had their fill of breakfast fare, the lunch menu kicks in from 11h00 with such yummy options as baked sundried tomatoes and mozzarella beef meatballs, and pan-fried baby trout with cauliflower mash. For the extra hungry, the free range ribeye of beef with smoked sweet potato and pickled curry beans feeds four, while
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those on the opposite side of the hunger scale can nibble on cheese and crackers, decadent chocolate pots, or frozen nougat. And should you be loath to head home, there is always The Quarters. A short walk from the restaurant and the wedding venue, this elegant house consists of five beautifully appointed suites linked together by a spacious openplan lounge and dining room. Conceptualised as the perfect pre- or post-wedding hideaway, The Quarters is also ideal for families or groups of friends looking for a quiet spot to escape from the world for a while. The veranda with its long table begs for leisurely dinners and lunches, while a sunken fire-pit is perfect for toasting marshmallows after dinner and trading stories by firelight. What more could you ask for? For more information, visit www.theforum.co.za or email thekitchen@theforum.co.za.
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Making Socrates
Proud
Building a New Generation to Outsmart Google About 25 % of children who enter Grade 1 at government schools in South Africa don’t make it to matric, while 80 % of learners with a government school education fail their first year at university. Some believe that teaching philosophy and critical thinking may make all the difference.
Text: Ru Harris / finweek Image © iStockphoto.com
“First-year students lack intellectual curiosity and flexibility, traits that are necessary virtues for learning,” says Candess Kostopoulos, who has been teaching philosophy, including philosophy of education and education theory, at university level for the past 10 years. She attributes this to the fact that children are not given enough space to engage in and practise intellectual curiosity and flexibility. Research suggests that children who are taught philosophy, specifically critical thinking and problem-solving skills, excel at reading and mathematics, and have an edge over children with no exposure
to philosophy. In South Africa, the vast majority of children tend to struggle with reading and mathematics in particular. Philosophy for Children – or P4C as it is known – has taken off in countries like the US, New Zealand, Australia and Ireland, where critical thinking is taught at high school and even primary school level. Ireland’s President, Michael D Higgins famously said in 2016: “The teaching of philosophy is one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal to empower children into acting as free and responsible subjects in an ever more complex, interconnected, and uncertain world.”
Kostopoulos, who aims to develop an African P4C, says: “Genuine comprehension, deep learning, abstract thinking, and innovation all depend on the meta-reflective ability to think about thought – to think about what exactly it is that you are doing when you use your thinking to solve a problem. As technology expands, we are going to need young people who can, as President Higgins pointed out, ask and answer questions that aren’t Google-able.” The Independent Education Board (IEB) has also shown its commitment to teaching philosophy in its schools and
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recently introduced a Thinking Skills Assessment for Grade 10 and 11 learners. The assessment focuses on two key skills, namely critical thinking and problem solving. It aims to “assist schools to develop a measure of how they are helping learners to cope with the cognitive demands of the future and with tertiary studies”. Local government schools, however, are still lagging behind. “The South African curriculum is very data intensive,” says Colin Northmore, head of Sacred Heart College in Observatory, Johannesburg. This institution has invested in developing an independent and local thinking skills programme. “The curriculum is designed to create a situation where low-performing schools and teachers are guided in the scripted way to deliver on the basics of literacy and numeracy. The curriculum does not allow for much leeway in customising the delivery of instruction to suit the specific context of the children. It uses a one-size-fitsall approach and is thus the anathema of critical thinking,” he explains. “If we continue to educate a population using an approach to education that is better designed for the 1950s, we will never be able to become competitive in the world, let alone in Africa.” He adds that the advancement in technology and growth of robotics in industry will result in low-skilled workers struggling to find employment: “It is crucial that we find ways to teach children to be innovators and to be able to create their own ways of generating income and resources.” He explains that at Sacred Heart College they’ve been teaching children critical thinking skills for quite a long time, but the real difference is that they’ve now started to teach it as a formal subject. “Our college has a reputation for innovation when it comes to curriculum. It became clear to us that most of the thinking skills programmes available were imported from the UK and America. That led to the decision to invest money in developing the first South African thinking skills programme. The most important distinction being that we use South African knowledge systems, examples and scenarios to help the children develop the skills,” he says. “We have one of the highest pass rates in university and particularly one of the highest first-class pass rates in the country,” he explains, attributing his school’s success to the importance of teaching critical thinking skills to children. Philosophy for children teaches the right skillset to give learners the opportunity to be ahead of the curve in the knowledge economy of the future, he believes.
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Ready, Set, Go! Toyota Etios Sprint Widely recognised as a value-for-money proposition and with fairly decent looks to boot, Toyota’s Etios recently underwent a cosmetic “adjustment” to increase its appeal even further. With sales of only 859 units in March this year, it’s obvious that this model should do much better, and that 1,500 units per month should be the benchmark.
Text: Bernard K Hellberg Images © Quickpic
The Etios range has established itself as a staple in the small passenger car market in South Africa, as well as in Toyota’s arsenal. Available in both hatchback and sedan iterations – with buyers, on average, paying some R8,000 extra for a boot (and less attractive looks) – the Etios could be the go-to model for those on a budget, but who still require Toyota quality. A regular feature on the Top 10 sales list, the Etios’ wide appeal is evidenced by the fact that a total of 12,768 units found homes in the 2016 calendar year. Sprint Personality The quaintly-named Sprint, given its fairly modest performance outputs, is the
newest kid on the block in the Etios range, and replaces the previous mid-grade X. The key change is the new front bumper design which incorporates a large lower air dam as its main focal point. The lower air dam stretches across the entire front width, and features integrated fog lamps with sculpted bezels. Subtle graining has been applied to lend an air of quality. The lower grille is fashioned in matching black and utilises sharp horizontal slats to reinforce what is described as a “muscular” theme. The upper radiator grille employs a distinctive wing-like motif, with the Toyota ellipse at its centre and a broad chrome “brow” forming the upper border.
The rear also received styling tweaks in order to form a cohesive design. The rear bumper incorporates an elegant lower crease line accentuating the profile – flowing from the outer corners and blending into the number plate recess. Adding additional visual flair are new twin-spoke 15” alloy wheels fitted with 185/60R15 rubber, as well as a carbon fibreinspired Sprint badge. Models With the addition of the Sprint model, the Etios range now boasts three different models – each with their own visual identity. The entry-level Xi derivative retains its current styling, with the addition of a
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colour-coded grille with chrome accents, and continues to offer a strong focus on value. Completing the triple play is the Cross model (available in hatchback only), with its distinctive “urban-adventurer” cladding and bespoke exterior styling. All of the models have also received an upgrade to interior tactile elements, creating a greater feeling of solidity. Suspension A Macpherson strut design is adopted for the front, and shock absorber anti-dust performance has been enhanced, which in turn benefits the longevity of the shock absorbers in dusty regions. The rear has been kitted out with a torsion-beam-type suspension which worked well during the launch drive on some indifferent Eastern Cape roads. The Engine The Sprint is powered by a “nippy” 1.5-litre, four-cylinder power unit, which produces 66 kW at 5,600 rpm and 132 Nm at 3,000 rpm. An outstanding characteristic of this engine is its free-revving nature and good low-speed torque delivery. This makes the Etios a breeze to navigate in and out of traffic whilst providing easy motorway cruising – particularly for a small car. Steep hills, however, require constant use of the smooth-shifting manual gearbox which drives through the front wheels. Fuel consumption is a claimed 5.9 l/100 km for the sedan and 6.0 l/100 km for the hatch. Safety Occupants are protected by driver and passenger airbags, while the active safety specification list includes ABS, EBD, seat-belts with pre-tensioner and force limiter as well as ISOFIX fastenings for kiddie seats. Warranty & Pricing All Etios models come with a twoyear/30,000 km service plan, backed by a three-year/100, 000 km warranty. Service intervals are set at a disappointing 10,000 km. Hatch 1.5 Xi R163,900 1.5 Sprint R172,600 1.5 Cross R194,300 Sedan 1.5 Xi R172,200 1.5 Sprint R180,500
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VW Polo Vivo Sudan or Similar 100km/Day Standard Waiver
Rental per day includes standard waivers and 100km’s, vehicle protection plan, airport surcharge and VAT. Contract fee is NOT included. Rates only subject to availability of vehicle category. Terms and conditions apply.
Cupboard to castle Maximising Small Living Spaces
Decorating a small home can be tricky, especially if storage and living space are important to you. Here’s how to maximise and make more room in a tiny house. Text: Property24.com Images © iStockphoto.com
Invest in Double Duty Furniture Ottomans and benches are the hardest working pieces you’ll find on the market, as they serve more than two needs. Easy to move around the home, ottomans can be used in just about any room, including the home office, dressing room and bathroom. Ottomans and benches make wonderful home décor, foot stools, extra seating, and side or coffee tables. And in some instances, a simple lift of the seat will reveal a hidden storage compartment where you can pack away everyday clutter. You can also look
into other multi-purpose furniture options like end tables with drawers, or beds with built-in storage. Install Floating Shelves When you live in a small apartment, you often have to forget about the idea of having traditional cupboards and cabinets. Bookcases, chests of drawers, wardrobes and the like tend to take up valuable floor space and dominate small spaces. Instead, consider building a floating night stand above your bed or claim an entire wall for
your book collection. You can add extra storage in the bathroom using open shelves to display your bathroom essentials. You can do the same in the living room and kitchen without compromising on the attractiveness of your shelves. Remove Interior Doors and Walls Ditching interior doors and walls between living areas can make your rooms feel bigger, as well as makingmoving about the house much easier – but be sure that these are not load-bearing walls and get an
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expert’s advice. These new “open spaces” offer uninterrupted lines of sight, making entertaining and family gatherings more enjoyable. This also allows natural light to flow between the spaces, eliminating dead spaces and dark corners that can make your home feel cramped. Extend Rooms Outdoors Stretch your spaces and create more living room by blending your interiors with the outdoors. You can do this by installing glass or sliding doors that lead out onto a furnished patio. This tip works well for kitchens and living rooms, because these rooms are where the family socialises and spends time together. To get the most out of this exercise, choose outdoor pieces that complement your existing décor. Whether you intend to grow your kitchen or living room, the options are endless. You can turn your outdoor space into a dining or breakfast nook, bar, games room or chill lounge. Don’t Overwhelm the Space With Too Many Patterns Mix patterns like a pro to avoid visual clutter, which makes your space look and feel smaller. To do this successfully, you want to limit your choice of patterns. Pick three and out of these choose one to use as your focal point. This should be a bold choice accompanied by complementary prints in more sedate colours. Keep your colour choice consistent and experiment with scale and texture to liven and open the space up. Avoid Cluttering Tables with Lamps and Frames Flat surfaces have a way of attracting clutter which takes up visual space. To rid household surfaces of the chaos, live by the saying “a place for everything and everything in its place”. Have a recycling bin for papers and old documents, use hooks and hangers for keys and coats, and avoid using catch-all baskets and trays. You also want to limit the number of photographs and books you keep on display. Downsize your collection one surface at a time and watch just how much space you’ll have at your disposal. Look Beyond Conventional Seating Options Regular sofas are made for regularsized homes, and often don’t fit small living rooms. So instead of living with an oversized couch, invest in modular pieces that can
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be customised for your space. Modular furniture takes up less space and can be “broken” up so you can design the perfect seating arrangement for your home. Don’t Push Furniture Against Walls Shoving furniture against a wall is a natural instinct but it can make a small space feel cramped. Moving furniture away from the walls is the simplest way
to create that open and airy feeling you want in a small room. This also creates an inviting atmosphere, where conversation is much more accessible than when you try socialising from across the room. Rearranging your furniture so that it “floats” also gets rid of awkward, dead spaces. For more tips on decorating and other lifestyle topics, visit Property24.com.
Two Cars
for the Price of One VW Amarok V6 After seven years of fairly modest sales – largely because of the perception that a 2-litre engine was unable to cope with the demands of South African conditions – Volkswagen Group SA has relented and recently stunned the double-cab bakkie market with the national launch of a brilliant 3-litre V6 version.
Text: Bernard K Hellberg Images © Quickpic
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The new Amarok – described by 4x4 expert André de Villiers as the best vehicle of its kind and superior to every other brand – certainly ticks all the right boxes in terms of rugged off-road capability, while offering SUV-like levels of comfort on tar. The Engine As the only six-cylinder diesel engine in the segment, the Amarok brings with it levels of performance that enable it to compete with some fairly high-performance sports cars – all thanks to 165 kW of power and impressive torque figures of 550 Nm. The flawless eight-speed automatic gearbox, likewise, plays a major role in achieving a top speed of 193 km/h, while seeing off the 0-100 km/h sprint in a mere eight seconds. First used in the Audi A6 and A7 in 2014, this engine with its 24 valves and twin overhead camshafts is especially robust. A newly developed turbocharger provides smooth responsiveness and a complete absence of turbo lag. Looks The Amarok, even in 2-litre guise, has always had a commanding presence, with a wide stance and dramatic front end styling – classic Volkswagen DNA. The V6 version retains all these qualities with discreet exterior changes in the form of a revised bumper and grille. Doing away with round contours and concentrating on strong horizontal and vertical lines, the V6 Amarok still manages to look like a bakkie, but with many styling elements aimed at posing a serious threat to the luxury SUV segment.
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The interior, on the other hand, has the feel and ambience of a comfortable (and expensive) passenger car with ultra-comfy front seats, complete with perfectly designed side bolsters to keep both passenger and driver happy on longdistance trips which this vehicle is fully capable of. There are “toys” in abundance, including such delectables as Apple CarPlay, six 20-Watt loudspeakers, an SD card slot, USB port and AUX IN interface. The high resolution 6.33” touchscreen gives a grand visual overview when reversing, and is assisted by park distance warnings (front and rear). Comfort A vehicle of this calibre which is capable of long-distance, high-speed touring, needs to be kitted out with features such as a fully adjustable steering wheel, front seats which may be raised or lowered, huge exterior mirrors which provide high levels of visibility, no wind noise intrusion, and heated leather seats. Being a German brand, there’s also an impressive list of optional extras such as auto light and rain sensors, Bi-Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights, as well as a choice between 17” and 19” alloy wheels. The “top dog” in the range, the Extreme, carries virtually every option as standard, and sports 20” alloy wheels and Nappa leather seat trim covers, as well as satellite navigation (which worked really well during the launch in the Eastern Free State). The high specification levels are rounded off by
huge – and dramatically effective – disc brakes on all four wheels. Safety Features Every single Amarok, from the entry-level 2-litre to the latest V6, has at least four airbags, an energy absorbing telescopic steering wheel, and seatbelt pre-tensioners as well as specially designed rear leaf springs which provide the perfect balance between on-road comfort and off-road capability. ISO child seat hook-ups add yet more value. Final Say With the V6 derivatives ranging in price from R665,700 to R748,600 (depending on model), buyers will probably look beyond mere price and draw the inevitable conclusion that they are, in effect, buying two vehicles for the price of one. On the one hand, it’s a luxurious, almost SUV tourer, while on the other it has a load bay capable of transporting 956 kg, and a towing capacity of 3.3 tonnes. In fact, it’s probably the only double-cab vehicle that can scale a 45-degree slope angle with a full load. The three-year/100,000 km warranty and five-year/90,000 km service plan will ease the pain of the asking price, as will the fact that service intervals have been set at 15,000 km, beating Toyota’s 10,000 km intervals by a considerable margin. The Amarok V6 is tough, stylish, super comfortable, and should see sales figures of at least 300 units per month, depending on stock availability.
Think Big,
Garden Small Make the Most of Your Small Outside Space
Mimi Rupp – a respected garden designer and founder of Port Elizabeth-based boutique hard-landscaping store Stone etc. – believes that with a little design know-how even the smallest lawn, the most petite of patios or the tiniest of balconies can become a beautiful space. “Trick the eye with a colour scheme or use clever lighting” Mimi says. “You can make a feature of foliage, or simply adorn a small space with inviting accessories.” Here are her top tips. Text: Stone etc. Images © iStockphoto.com
Landscaping Ideas • Long, straight lines trick your eyes into thinking a small yard or garden landscape is bigger than it is. To take full advantage of this illusion, subtly slant the far end of the lines toward one another to create a focal point. A focal point is a great landscaping idea for a small yard to draw the eye’s attention and help outdoor spaces feel tidy. • Mix unexpected elements to offer dramatic visual relief. For example, mix paving, lawn, hardscape, and container plantings. This adds enough interest to a small garden so that you hardly notice the size of the space. • A simple pergola gives small garden landscaping a grand feel. Arbors and pergolas are a great way to frame a view, but you can do the same with shrubs, small trees, or even pieces of garden art. • Break up open areas of a small space so that it feels larger. Use different furniture groupings and paths to create attractive and restful nooks. • Big, bold tropical plants create a lush feel, especially in a small landscape. Their large leaves can change the scale of a small backyard to help it feel larger, and their unusual shape helps to boost the “cool” factor of the area. The Planting Basics • If you really love plants and have limited space, consider skipping the grass. Stagger your plants for height and include walking paths so that you can tend to plants in the centre of the space. Remember, our homes and gardens
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should be the best expressions of us and the things we love. • If you’re lucky enough to have access to a patio, balcony or rooftop that receives at least five to six hours a day of sunlight, you can use planters filled with patio, mini or dwarf roses to provide colourful blooms all summer long. • Grouping containers together is not only visually appealing, it also helps to create a more humid mini climate for the plants, reducing moisture loss from both leaves and potting mix. • When selecting shrubs for small gardens, it’s important to keep the plant’s mature size and growth rate
in mind. Slow growers that maintain a small, compact shape, like a Japanese Pieris Flamingo are ideal. • If your green thumb is a little, um, brown, a low-maintenance plant such as the succulent Echeveria, is a safe bet. Because they store water in their fleshy leaves, stems and roots, succulents require very little watering, but they do require plenty of sun. Position the pots where they will receive at least two to four hours of direct sunlight each day and water sparingly only when the topsoil is completely dry – about every 10 days. • Make the most of even the smallest amount of gardening space with tiered
beds. These are also easier to maintain than a traditional garden, as plants are at a more comfortable level to care for. A Punch of Colour • Place bold, bright colours to the front of where you’ll view them. They will catch your attention first, making the garden beyond seem to recede, creating a feeling of space. • Combining several small plants together in one pot is a great way to mix colours and textures. Plus, since young, small plants are typically cheaper than mature ones, it’s also a budget-friendly option. • To make brightly coloured flowers really pop, plant them in a terra cotta pot that has been painted a flat black. • Container gardening fun isn’t over when winter arrives. Blooming annuals – such as pansies, ornamental cabbages and primrose – will cheer up containers till spring arrives. • If your small garden is shady, consider planting a hydrangea, like a Lacecap hydrangea “Bluebird”. The showy blue, pink or purple flowers (dependent on your soil’s acidity) will add a splash of colour. Growing Your Own • Dwarf variety citrus trees are not only beautiful but, given the right conditions, they can also be bountiful. Fill beautiful pots with these flowering fruit trees to give your outdoor space a sunny vibe. • No outdoor space? No worries. All you need is a sunny windowsill
to produce a season’s worth of sweet strawberries for topping salads or yoghurt. • A little planning and a few packets of seeds are all you need to grow a bumper crop of homegrown veggies. Establish the seedlings indoors, then transfer them to a pot in a sunny spot for your very own fresh produce. • Plant a hanging basket with cherry tomatoes and an assortment of herbs – like basil, rosemary, thyme, oregano or parsley – to keep fresh seasonings for an Italian dinner within easy reach. Think Vertical • Urban living often means cramped quarters both indoors and out, so make the most of the space you have by thinking vertically. Place shelves with potted plants on walls, for example. • Compact climbers, like jasmine and clematis, are great container plants. All they need to thrive is a pot with good drainage, a trellis or post for support, and regular watering and feeding. • Perfect for the smallest of outdoor spaces, multi-pocket fabric wall planters offer a kitchen garden’s worth of planting space for an assortment of fresh herbs like rosemary, thyme, chives and basil. Irrigation holes in each pocket allow excess water to drain away, ensuring that the plants stay moist but not overly wet. • Look for shrubs, succulents and trees that max out interest and grow up, not out.
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Eye Spy
Do’s and Don’ts for Contact Lens Wearers Too many people think of contact lenses as purely cosmetic, but contact lenses are a prescribed product, and should be seen as medical devices that can only be prescribed by an eye care professional. Leading online contact lens supplier Eyesupply has the following tips for contact lens wearers.
Text: Gary Sher, Eyesupply.co.za Images © iStockphoto.com
Do’s Keep Your Hands Clean Your hands are covered with germs, so always wash them well before handling contact lenses. Throughout the day and night our hands pick up microbes. Without proper hand washing, bacteria will transfer from your fingers to the contact lenses and, ultimately, to your eyes. Make sure you use clear, lotion-free soap, and dry your hands thoroughly. Clean Your Lenses Properly Every Day Clean your contact lenses every day with the contact lens solution prescribed by your eye care professional. Ideally do this upon removal to create a habit. If you are cleaning with a multipurpose type of contact lens solution, make sure to gently rub your lenses to remove biofilms of bacteria, protein, and lipid deposits. Clean Your Contact Lens Case Clean your contact lens case once a week and allow to completely dry prior to adding your contact lenses and solution. Keeping the case clean will help prevent bacteria from settling on your contact lenses. Furthermore, replacing your contact lens case every three months reduces the risk of bacteria getting onto your lenses. To properly clean your case, pour all contact lens solution out of the case, rub it with a clean finger, then rinse it with fresh solution. Wipe it dry with a tissue, and store it upside down (caps, too) on a tissue until
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you’re ready to remove your contacts at night. Researchers found that people who didn’t clean and dry their contact cases, and do not wash their hands with soap and water before handling them, had a higher count of microorganisms in their cases. Follow Your Wearing Schedule Follow your contact lens schedule to ensure that you are not using your lenses for too long. It is important that the wear is not “stretched” past the prescribed period. Protein deposits, lipids and bacterial biofilm will start to settle in the contact lens pores. These are not easily removed past the recommended wear schedule and can cause infection. Give Your Eyes a Break You should wear your contact lenses less than 12 hours per day, ideally only for eight to ten hours, in order to maintain healthy corneas. Take a Day Off It is recommended to have a break from wearing contact lenses every once in a while for your eye health. Pick up your specs and wear them at least once a week. Throw Away Expired Lenses & Solutions When contact lenses and contact solution pass their expiry date, the chemicals that kill bacteria don’t function properly, allowing impurities to build up on the lenses. This can make wearing contacts extremely uncomfortable. You may feel guilty for throwing away a full box of lenses or bottle of solution, but do not be tempted to use expired products. Expired products can lead to severe bacterial or fungal infections, temporary vision loss or, in extreme cases, even blindness. If you buy in bulk, be sure you check expiration dates before you purchase or open a new box of lenses or solution bottle. See Your Eye Doctor Regularly Do this preferably every six months. Even if your eyes feel fine, make an appointment. Occasionally, contact-lensrelated issues are caught during a routine examination, before the eyes become uncomfortable. If your eyes become itchy, red, or watery, take your contacts out immediately; and see your doctor if your eyes either don’t get better or start feeling worse. Many lens wearers don’t know enough about care and hygiene regiments, which is why an appointment with an eye-care professional and a proper contact lens fitting is key.
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Don’ts Don’t Top Off Contact Lens Solution Always use fresh contact lens solution when you’re storing your lenses overnight. Adding new solution to old solution already in the case, or cleaning lenses with water, has been linked to cases of Acanthamoeba keratitis, a rare but painful infection that’s difficult to treat. Don’t Use the Wrong Eye Drops Not all eye drops are suitable for contact lenses. Contacts can interfere with absorption, so artificial tears aside, it’s a
good idea to take them out before using drops. Read the instructions on medications carefully, and speak to your doctor if you have any questions. Don’t Borrow Lenses From a Friend The main danger with wearing someone else’s contact lenses is of course the possibility of contracting an eye infection. This comes from pathogenic germs that can be found on the other person’s lenses. The other person may look perfectly healthy and never have had a problem with their eyes, but this is not a guarantee.
Don’t Wear Your Lenses Too Long Contact lenses should be replaced according to your doctor’s direction. Some disposable lenses are intended to be thrown away either every day, every other week, or monthly. Gas-permeable lenses are an exception: They’re longer-wearing and are typically replaced once a year. Wearing contact lenses beyond the recommended time can lead to unhealthy eyes, discomfort and ultimately infection. Don’t Sleep Wearing Contact Lenses It is not recommended to sleep with contact lenses in, even though there are some extended wear lens types. Sleeping with contact lenses increases the risk of an eye infection approximately 10 times, so it is typically not recommended. Some contact lenses are approved for wearing at night, though, so as long as you get regular eye check-ups and your doctor approves, it may be all right. Showering and Swimming Avoid showering with contact lenses in, and remove them before having a bath or going swimming. Water has small organisms that can lead to an eye infection, so it’s best to avoid it from coming into contact with your lenses. Avoid water activities while wearing contact lenses to keep dirty water from settling between the contact and eye. This especially applies to hot tubs and pools. Prescription swimming goggles are the best eyewear solution if you are involved in water sports. Don’t Leave Your Lenses in Their Case Too Long If you do not wear your contact lenses often and keep them stored in a contact lens case for weeks at a time without wearing them, remember to change the solution every seven days. The solution does lose its effect over time when exposed to unsealed environments, and keeping fresh solution in the case will keep bacteria build-up on the lenses at bay. Don’t Ignore Unhappy Eyes If your eyes are uncomfortable at any point, contact your optometrist immediately for professional advice. Eyesupply has an extensive range of disposable lenses, solutions and other accessories and offer free delivery. Visit www.eyesupply.co.za to order.
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Anti-Social
Social Media Social media gives us the freedom to keep in touch with our loved ones, whenever and wherever we want to. However, this freedom comes at a cost: Blinded by our seemingly happy digital lives, we often don’t realise how social media threatens and damages our real-life relationships.
Text: Kaspersky Lab Images © iStockphoto.com
New global research from Kaspersky Lab shows that a third of people communicate less face-to-face with their loved ones, and 21 % of parents admit that relationships with their children have been damaged as a result of them being seen in
a compromising situation on social media. With people’s tendency to post photos of themselves or others under the influence of alcohol, wearing something revealing, or even nothing at all in order to get more “likes”, it becomes clear that social media
can damage offline relationships. But while we would expect parents not to approve of their children’s online behaviour, it is often the other way round. More than a fifth of parents admit that their relationships with their children worsened after their children
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had seen them in compromising circumstances on social media. In contrast, only 14 % of parents said they were annoyed by their children’s online behaviour. In addition, around one in five (16 %) people also said that their relationship with their spouse or partner had been damaged as a result of their being seen in a compromising situation on social media. Relationships with family, friends and colleagues are changing as people communicate less face-to-face as a result of social media. A significant third of people admitted that they now communicate less with their parents (31 %), children (33 %), partners (23 %), and friends (35 %) because they can see and communicate with them via social media. Dr Astrid Carolus, Media Psychologist at the University of Würzburg says, “Studies show that digital communication complements real-life communication. We live in a globalised and highly mobile world, resulting in distances between partners and family members. Digital communication is an opportunity to bridge the gaps in our modern lives caused by living in different cities or countries. However, digital communication cannot replace face-to-face communication – at least not always and not completely. Digital communication is less rich in terms of sensory channels affected, resulting in ‘reduced’ sensory quality.” Although people now communicate less face-to-face, around half of respondents believe that the quality of their relationships do not suffer at all and are even better as a result of being connected with their loved ones online. However, Dr Carolus warns that although it seems that the quality of our relationships is improving, people cannot always evaluate their online communication objectively. “Under certain circumstances they perceive their online communication as ‘hyper-personal communication’ and thus they can misread and over-interpret messages on social media. We feel especially close, we blind out the negative, focus on the possible positive intentions behind a message, and over-interpret.” With the study finding that although social media can help ease communication channels and bridge time zones and distance barriers, it doesn’t always make people happy. It can strain relationships, as well as leaving people feeling depressed, as they constantly compare their lives to those of others. The hunt for “likes” and social validation leads people to share increasing amounts of private information on social media platforms, putting not only themselves but also their friends, family and colleagues at risk. However, for those who decide to shut themselves off from social media, the reality of losing a lifetime of digital memories, including photos and interactions, is also difficult. In order to protect themselves and their relationships, people need to be more cautious and cyber-savvy about the information they share on social media. This will not only help to mitigate the risks of the online world, but prevent relationship damage in the offline world.
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To help people keep their memories safe, no matter how long their online social media journey, Kaspersky Lab is developing a new app. FFForget will enable people to back up all of their memories from their social networks, keeping them in a safe, encrypted memory container. Visit www.kaspersky.co.za for more info.
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Heading Abroad to Ear n a
Tax-Free Income? New SARS Rules Tax-free havens are lucrative work destinations. The Cayman Islands, oil rigs, yachts and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are just some examples of tax-free zones that attract many South Africans looking for international experience – and plump salaries. Unfortunately, this is about to change.
Text: Niel Pretorius, Independent Financial Planner with Sable International Images Š iStockphoto.com
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This year’s February Budget Speech proposed some significant changes to how South Africans abroad will be taxed – and those planning to live and work in tax-free zones are going to feel the pinch. Essentially, if you are a South African resident working overseas in a country that does not tax your domestic earnings, the South African Revenue Service (SARS) now wants to. That said, if you’ve got your heart set on Dubai or the Caribbean, there are ways to avoid paying South African tax on your foreign earnings. So before you make the move overseas, make sure you understand the new SARS ruling and consider all your options. A Taxing Time Historically, SARS has not taxed any South African’s employment income received or accrued while working in a tax-free country. If you work in the UAE, for example, section 10 of the ITA (current SARS legislation) exempts your earnings for periods exceeding 183 days in a 12-month period, of which at least 60 days must be consecutive. This only applies to the money you earn from being employed in the UAE. It doesn’t apply to income earned from selfemployment, sub-contracting, rent, interest or investments. This is because South African residents are taxed on their worldwide income in line with a residence-based system of taxation. If you aren’t employed in South Africa, then your income doesn’t get taxed, provided you meet the 183/60-day rule. However, the government states that this exemption on foreign employment income is overly generous – specifically with regards to income earned in tax-free zones. SARS now proposes that legislation be adjusted so that foreign employment income is only tax exempt if it is subject to tax in the foreign country.
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A number of South Africans planning to work abroad in tax-free zones, as well as those already earning a tax-free income, may now find themselves unexpectedly subject to tax. Looking Ahead For those South Africans already earning in tax-free zones, if you’ve kept in line with existing SARS legislation – filled in your annual tax returns and declared your foreign exempt income – then you’ll have no retrospective issues with your income to date. The proposed SARS amendment will only apply to future income. It is unclear when SARS intends submitting these proposals for public comment and will be beginning the process to amend current legislation. There’s no time to lose, though – the better prepared you are for this legislative change, the more financially rewarding your time abroad will be. If you are already living and working in a tax-free zone, or are planning to move to one, you need to first determine your residency for South African purposes. If you are outside South Africa for over 183 days, even for a few years, you may still be considered a South African resident and thus, your tax-free income may be subject to tax. So, if you plan to move overseas to a tax-free work zone, what can you do to keep your income tax exempt? Formal emigration, as opposed to just relocation, is a viable option to consider – here’s how it works. Emigrate Your Finances but Stay South African Simply put, formal emigration or financial emigration is when a South African resident changes their status
with the Reserve Bank to non-resident. You don’t give up your South African citizenship – it just means that your status is changed from a South African temporarily abroad to a non-resident from an exchange control and tax viewpoint. All locally sourced income, however, will remain subject to South African tax. Financial emigration is only possible if you meet the requirements of the physical presence tests to determine where you are primarily based for the greater part of a financial year. If you don’t pass these tests, then you will remain a South African resident and subject to all local tax legislation. The Effort is Worth It Financial emigration is a complex, but ultimately very beneficial process if your intention is to leave South Africa. A professional service provider can help you meet all the rules and regulations and make sure that no assets, policies or investments are omitted from the application to the Reserve Bank. Make sure your new overseas adventure is truly valuable in every way – from the actual experience to the financial rewards. What If I Don’t Want to Emigrate? If you decide that financial emigration is not your best option, is there anything else you should be considering? Most definitely. As only our employment income may be excluded, you should consider your international savings and investments, and how they are structured to ensure maximum tax efficiency in South Africa. There are various options available depending on your needs, and you should get professional advice to ensure you choose the right option.
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Located 15 km outside Botswana’s Capital City, Gaborone, Mokolodi Nature Reserve has a variety of tourism activities, such as game drives, giraffe and rhino tracking, camping, chalets, and cheetah interactions. In addition, we also have environmental education programmes, which in the last 25 years have brought in over 250 000 Batswana school children. Mokolodi also boasts excellent conference and wedding facilities with a magnificent view.
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Books Must Read
Everything You Told Me By Lucy Dawson You went to bed at home, just like every other night. You woke up in the back of a taxi, 500 km away. You have no memory of the last ten hours. You have a suicide note in your coat pocket, in your own handwriting. You know you weren’t planning to kill yourself. Your family and friends think you are lying. Someone knows exactly what happened to you. But they’re not telling. This is the fascinating intrigue of this thriller, guaranteed to keep you glued to the page until the end.
It’s Me, Marah By Marah Louw With a career spanning over 40 years, Marah Louw is counted among South Africa’s musical and entertainment industry royalty and has a powerful and memorable story to tell. This book is the reader’s front-row ticket to the joys, sadness, triumphs and setbacks that have been part of this legend’s life. Even though she is a celebrity, her story aims to show that stars, no matter how bright, are human too. It also delves into her family secrets and her search for truth.
Drop the Ball By Tiffany Dufu For women, a glass ceiling at work is not the only barrier to success. The increasingly heavy obligations at home also weigh them down. Women have become accustomed to delegating, advocating and negotiating for themselves at the office, but when it comes to managing households, they still bear the brunt of domestic responsibility. A simple solution is staring them in the face: Negotiate with the men in their personal lives. In Drop the Ball, Tiffany Dufu explains how women can create all-in domestic partnerships that protect them against professional burn-out.
124/ Indwe
Gadgets
The Go Anywhere Drone Almost any drone-loving photographer will tell you how much they long for something more compact – a device so small that you don’t need to carry a separate bag or case for it, but preferably without sacrificing performance and picture quality. With that in mind, meet the Hover Camera Passport, which comes in the unique form of a foldable cage, while packing cool features like body tracking, face tracking and orbiting. The Passport weighs in at just 242 g and stands at just 33 mm high when folded, while its camera features a 13-megapixel CMOS sensor that can capture video at 4K, 1080 p and 720 p. It retails for R8,399.
//www.gethover.com
Office On-the-Go The Goal Zero Sherpa 100 portable battery generator and Nomad 28 solar panel allows you to“#officeanywhere” – a concept which promotes the notion that there are no laws against staring at a spreadsheet while an ocean breeze blows across your keyboard. The unit provides long-lasting, versatile power to your laptop and other handheld devices off grid, allowing you to take your office to the great outdoors if you want to. Experience fast, smart charging with USBs that identify what is plugged in, and deliver the most efficient charge possible. The chargers are also sleek and slender for convenient packing.
//www.sustainable.co.za //www.capeunionmart.co.za 126/ Indwe
A Toolbox in Your Pocket For the handyman on-the-go, Cape Union Mart has got you covered with a new and improved full-size Leatherman tool. The heavily reinforced Rebar model is tougher than ever to take on more robust jobs. Even though its design and styling has been updated, Leatherman fans will immediately recognise the iconic boxlike shape that it draws its heritage from Tim Leatherman’s original PST design. The Rebar pliers have been optimised for strength and feature replaceable wire/hardwire cutters, included for the first time in a 10 cm Leatherman tool. A total of 17 handy features to get even the toughest jobs done are incorporated into this smaller, slimmer new Rebar model. It is the perfect all-in-one pocket tool and comes with a leather pouch for stylish and convenient carrying. The Leatherman Rebar Multi Tool with leather pouch is available for R1,199 in all Cape Union Mart stores and online at
//www.capeunionmart.co.za
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Meet the Crew Have you ever wondered who is flying the plane when you travel on SA Express? Or wanted to know more about what a job as a cabin crew member is like? Well, now’s your chance! Every month we will introduce a few members of our SA Express family, because by getting to know them, you become part of the SA Express family too.
Vhahangwele Mudau Cabin Crew Member Length of Service With SA Express: Seven months Tell us about yourself. I may be regarded as an introvert by many, but I am reserved because I am very thoughtful and insightful. I am also interesting and humorous. What do you believe is the most important skill required by a member of the SA Express cabin crew? Communication skills, as you have to communicate with many people from different walks of life. Why did you choose this career out of many others? I have always been naturally drawn to the aviation field. Being a cabin crew member is my first step to achieving my dream of one day becoming a pilot. As a child, I found it fascinating to look up at aircraft, and always wondered what the magic behind flight was. Since then, I’ve strived to be a part of the aviation sector. I’ve always believed I could fly!
Text & Image © Supplied What do you find most challenging about your job? The transition between being in the air and being on land. Why do you like working for SA Express? There is no pressure to act like someone you’re not. SA Express embraces us as we are, and further encourages us to grow as people. Mediocrity is never the aim – you are encouraged to be the best you can be. Every challenge is a lesson. What languages do you speak? Venda, English, Zulu, Xhosa, Tswana, Sotho, and Tsonga. What are your interests? I enjoy watching the news and racing, watching car reviews, spending time with my family, taking walks, hiking, listening to music and doing anything adventurous. What would people find surprising about your job? That it is actually not scary – people often ask me how I manage to go on flights almost daily, and still walk around serving people. Furthermore, the focus on safety – we’re trained to safeguard the lives of all of our passengers in any situation. Have you ever had any funny incidents or encounters in your job? Yes. Many ladies have asked for my contact details! If you were an animal, which one would you choose? A lion – my surname translates to lion. What are the words of wisdom that you live by? “An eye for an eye makes the whole world blind.”
128/ Indwe
Dining
Experience Authentically Italian
Airline information SA Express fleet
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.
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
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 domestic and regional flights on the Q400. Passengers will be permitted cell phones, e-readers and electronic
(PED’s) will apply to all CRJ700/200 and DH8 to use PED’s such as 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 cabin-crew member makes an announcement on the publicaddress 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.
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: 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
130/ Indwe
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
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 selected 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 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 checkedin luggage, to a maximum of 20kg ($400) 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 intra-regional 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. 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. Light snacks will be served on selected 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.
We fly for you About us SA Express is a domestic and regional, passenger and cargo carrier which was established on 24th April 1994. The airline has since become one of the fastest growing regional airlines in Africa with route networks covering major local and regional cities. SA Express plays a significant role in the country’s hospitality, travel and tourism industry and is a vital contributor to the country’s socioeconomic development. SA Express prides itself in 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. With our consistent and seamless service, our customers can be assured of stellar customer service that will exceed their expectations. 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.
Indwe /131
Flight schedule Johannesburg - Pilanesberg Flt No SA 1131 SA 1132
Dep 13:45 13:45
Arr 14:20 16:40
A/C em2 CR2
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
T
F
S
S
Johannesburg - Bloemfontein Flt SA sa SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
No 1001 1001 1003 1005 1005 1011 1011 1013 1017 1021 1023
Dep 05:55 06:10 08:00 09:30 11:30 12:30 13:50 15:30 16:45 18:25 18:30
Arr 07:00 07:10 09:05 10:30 12:30 13:30 14:55 16:30 17:45 19:20 19:30
A/C DH4 cr8 DH4 CR2 DH4 CR2 DH4 dh4 dh4 cr2 DH4
M
T
W
Johannesburg - East London Flt No SA 1409
Dep 17:55
Arr 19:25
A/C CR8
M
Johannesburg - George Flt SA sa sa
No 1501 1503 1509
Dep 06:50 08:20 15:50
Arr 08:45 10:15 17:40
A/C cr8 cr2 cr8
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
T
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
Johannesburg - Hoedspruit Flt No SA 1225 SA 1227
Dep 10:15 12:15
Arr 11:20 13:20
A/C DH4 DH4
M
T
Johannesburg - Kimberley Flt SA SA sa SA sa sa
No 1102 1103 1105 1107 1113 1113
Dep 06:00 09:20 13:10 13:40 17:20 17:30
Arr 07:10 10:25 14:15 14:50 18:30 18:40
A/C dh4 cr8 cr8 dh4 cr8 cr8
M
T
Johannesburg - mahikeng Flt No SA 1123 sa 1125
Dep 07:10 15:20
Arr 07:55 16:00
A/C em2 CR2
M
T
pilanesberg - Johannesburg Flt sa
No 1132
Dep 12:40
A/C em2
M
T
W
Bloemfontein - Johannesburg Flt SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
No 1024 1002 1004 1006 1006 1012 1012 1014 1018 1022
Dep 06:30 07:40 09:35 11:00 12:55 13:50 15:25 17:00 18:20 19:40
Arr 07:30 08:40 10:40 12:00 14:00 14:50 16:30 18:00 19:20 20:40
A/C DH4 cr8 dh4 CR2 dh4 CR2 DH4 DH4 dh4 dh4
M
T
W
East London - Johannesburg Flt SA
No 1410
Dep 20:00
Arr 21:40
A/C CR2
M
George - Johannesburg Flt SA SA sa
No 1502 1504 1510
Dep 09:20 10:50 18:10
Arr 11:10 12:40 19:50
A/C cr8 DH4 cr8
M
Flt SA SA
No 1226 1228
Dep 12:00 13:55
Arr 13:00 14:55
A/C DH4 DH4
M
No 1102 1104 1106 1108 1112 1114
Dep 07:35 10:55 15:05 15:20 19:00 19:05
Arr 08:45 12:00 16:10 16:30 20:10 20:10
A/C DH4 CR8 cr8 dh4 CR8 cr8
M
No 1124 1126
Dep 08:20 16:20
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
Arr 09:05 17:00
A/C em2 CR2
M
S
S
T
F
S
S
T
F
S
S
T
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
T
T
mahikeng - Johannesburg Flt sa sa
F
W
Kimberley - Johannesburg Flt SA SA SA sa SA sa
T
T
Hoedspruit - Johannesburg
*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January
132/ Indwe
Arr 13:15
T
Johannesburg - Richards bay Flt SA SA SA SA
No 1201 1203 1207 1213
Dep 06:10 08:30 13:15 16:55
Arr 07:25 09:45 14:30 18:10
A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4
M
T
Johannesburg - walvis bay Flt No SA 1701
Dep 11:55
Arr 14:10
A/C CR8
M
T
Johannesburg - Gaborone Flt SA SA SA sa SA SA SA SA SA SA SA
No 1761 1763 1765 1767 1775 1775 1779 1783 1779 1783 1779
Dep 06:40 07:55 09:55 11:30 12:40 14:30 15:45 15:45 18:10 18:45 18:45
Arr 07:35 08:50 10:50 12:20 13:35 15:25 16:40 16:40 19:05 19:40 19:40
A/C dh4 DH4 DH4 dh4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4 erj DH4
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
Johannesburg - Lubumbashi Flt No SA 1797
Dep 09:20
Arr 11:45
A/C 735
M
T
Flt SA SA sa SA SA
No 1081 1083 1087 1087 1091
Dep 06:00 08:00 11:45 13:20 16:30
Arr 07:30 09:30 13:15 14:50 18:00
A/C CR2 CR2 cr2 cr2 cr2
M
CAPE TOWN - east london Flt sa sa sa SA sa sa SA sa
No 1361 1363 1371 1371 1371 1373 1375 1375
Dep 06:00 08:00 10:35 12:25 13:05 16:40 17:20 17:20
Arr 07:25 09:25 12:00 13:50 14:30 18:10 18:45 19:05
A/C CR2 cr2 cr2 CR2 cr2 cr2 cr2 dh4
M
Flt SA SA SA SA
No 1202 1204 1208 1214
Dep 08:05 10:30 15:05 18:40
Arr 09:20 11:45 16:20 20:00
A/C DH4 DH4 DH4 DH4
M
T
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
W
T
F
S
S
T
W
T
F
S
S
T
W
T
F
S
S
walvis bay - Johannesburg Flt sa
No 1702
Dep 14:45
Arr 16:55
A/C cr8
M
T
Gaborone - Johannesburg Flt SA SA SA sa SA SA SA SA SA
No 1762 1764 1766 1768 1776 1776 1784 1780 1780
Dep 08:10 09:20 11:25 12:55 14:15 16:05 17:15 19:45 20:10
Arr 09:05 10:15 12:20 13:50 15:10 17:00 18:10 20:40 21:05
A/C dh4 DH4 DH4 dh4 dh4 DH4 erj DH4 erj
M
T
Lubumbashi - Johannesburg
W
T
F
S
S
T
W
T
F
S
S
T
W
T
F
S
S
CAPE TOWN - bloemfontein
Richards bay - Johannesburg
Flt SA
No 1798
Dep 12:30
Arr 15:00
A/C 735
M
T
bloemfontein - CAPE TOWN Flt SA SA SA SA SA SA
No 1082 1084 1088 1088 1092 1092
Dep 08:15 10:15 14:00 15:30 18:30 18:40
Arr 10:00 11:55 15:40 17:15 20:20 20:20
A/C CR2 CR2 cr2 cr2 CR2 CR2
M
east london - CAPE TOWN Flt SA sa SA sa sa SA sa SA
No 1362 1364 1372 1372 1372 1374 1376 1376
Dep 08:00 10:00 12:35 14:20 15:10 18:40 19:40 19:40
Arr 09:40 11:40 14:15 16:00 16:50 20:20 21:40 21:20
A/C CR2 cr2 CR2 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 - Pilanesberg Flt No SA 1255 SA 1255
Dep 10:00 10:40
Arr 12:10 12:50
A/C CR2 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 1803 1803 1807 1813 1819 1821 1821 1827 1827 1823
Dep 06:00 07:00 07:30 10:10 10:40 15:00 16:45 17:00 17:20 17:30 18:30
Arr 07:30 08:15 08:40 11:40 12:10 16:30 17:55 18:10 18:30 18:40 20:00
A/C dh4 cr2 cr2 dh4 DH4 DH4 cr2 CR2 cr2 CR2 dh4
M
Cape Town - Hoedspruit Flt No sa 1241
Dep 09:10
Arr 12:30
A/C dh4
M
Dep 10:55
Arr 13:05
A/C CR2
durban - East London Flt SA SA SA sa
No 1301 1305 1305 1309
Dep 06:00 11:30 12:00 16:50
Arr 07:05 12:45 13:05 17:55
A/C CR2 CR2 erj erj
M
No 1330 1334 1334 1336 1340 1340 1348
Dep 06:00 08:25 09:15 09:50 13:35 13:35 17:40
Arr 07:20 09:45 10:35 11:10 14:55 15:05 19:00
A/C CR2 CR2 cr2 CR2 CR2 erj CR2
No 1254 1254
Dep 13:20 14:40
A/C CR2 CR2
M
Flt sa SA sa sa sa SA SA sa SA SA SA SA SA sa
Flt sa
T
W
T
F
S
W
T
F
S
S
No 1802 1804 1804 1808 1804 1814 1814 1820 1822 1822 1828 1828 1349 1824
Dep 08:00 08:40 09:20 12:10 12:40 12:40 16:20 17:00 18:30 18:40 19:00 19:10 19:55 20:30
Arr 09:40 10:10 10:40 13:50 14:20 14:20 18:00 18:40 19:50 20:00 20:20 20:30 21:10 22:10
A/C dh4 cr2 cr2 dh4 dh4 DH4 DH4 dh4 cr2 cr2 cr2 CR2 CR2 dh4
T
W
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
T
W
T
F
S
S
M
No 1242
Dep 13:10
Arr 16:20
A/C dh4
S
Flt SA
M
T
W
T
F
S
No 1722
Dep 13:35
Arr 15:35
A/C CR2
S
East London - DURBAN
M
Flt SA sa SA SA
T
W
T
F
S
T
port elizabeth - CAPE TOWN
No 1302 1306 1306 1310
Dep 07:35 13:20 13:35 18:25
Arr 08:35 14:35 14:35 19:25
A/C CR2 cr2 CR2 CR2
S
Port Elizabeth - DURBAN Flt SA SA sa sa SA sa SA
No 1331 1335 1335 1337 1341 1341 1349
Dep 07:50 10:15 11:05 11:45 15:35 15:35 19:55
*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 15:40 17:00
walvis Bay - Cape Town
durban - Port Elizabeth Flt SA SA sa SA SA sa SA
Flt SA SA
Hoedspruit - Cape Town
Cape Town - Walvis Bay Flt No SA 1721
Pilanesberg - cape town
Arr 09:05 11:30 12:20 13:00 16:50 17:05 21:10
A/C CR2 CR2 cr2 cr2 CR2 erj CR2
M
Passenger Letters Dear SA Express I am what you could call a frequent flier – not every week, but certainly once or sometimes even a couple of times a month. As a result you can say that I have been through all the highs and lows (figuratively and literally) with SA Express – including some of the major obstacles encountered last year, which I am sure many South Africans know about. The two greatest things about this wonderful country, though, are its resilience and people. I remember reading an article in Indwe about the CEO, his history and education (including a Harvard scholarship), and read his well-considered ideas about the business, feeling a sense of confidence that SA Express would turn things around. Above all this was the incredible friendliness and professionalism shown by everyone during this time, from the ground personnel to the onboard staff (many of whom I now know without their name badges). I am sure that they were affected more than most, but at no time did I sense any frustration, sullenness or even tiredness from them. They seemed genuinely happy to serve, and encouraged passengers with smiles and flair. Schedules have largely improved since then, but I feel that they were the real heroes during this time and make SA Express, in more ways than one, a true “South African Company”. Kind Regards Michael Wagner Congratulations to Michael Wagner who wrote our winning letter this month, and walks away with a Samsonite Octolite 55 cm spinner valued at R3,495..
Dear SA Express I just want to congratulate you on the excellent service my husband and I received on one of your flights recently. Our flight was re-routed to OR Tambo for refuelling, as the fuel at Pilanesberg turned out to be contaminated. Then, unfortunately, we encountered a Highveld thunderstorm which delayed us further. Although there were the usual moaners on the flight – who were very critical – the captain and the hostess were pleasant and kept us informed as to what was happening at all times. When they saw that my elderly husband was battling to walk, they organised a PAU and a wheelchair to meet us at Cape Town International Airport, and two porters helped us with our luggage and pushed the wheelchair. A big thank you to the captain (I think his name was Captain Winterbach) and to Robyn, our air hostess – both went over and above the call of duty to make our flight a pleasure. Kind regards Renate Taljard
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 July edition of Indwe will receive a 55 cm Samsonite Base Boost spinner valued at R2,495. Discover Samsonite’s Base Boost collection, a range close to the budget-savvy traveller’s heart. The collection offers quality and protection at a low weight, while also showcasing a playful take on the dip-dye trend, creating a trendy look with hues of the same colour. The range – in blue, black and red – is available from leading luggage stores and from www.houseofsamsonite.co.za. For more information, follow @HouseofSamSA on Twitter and @houseofsamsonite on Instagram, or call +27 31 266 0620.
Indwe /135
Afric a ’ s Ta l e n t R e v e al e d Giant Kingfisher on a bridge from Skukuza to Lower Sabie in the Kruger National Park Okkie Meintjes
Fields of Gold in Clarens Rob Heffer
An elephant having a cool down bath at Satar a in the Kruger National Park Ian C Lotter
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 c a n’t wa it to s how t hem off ! 136/ Indwe
Indwe /137
138/ Indwe