SA Mag - Issue 25

PEoPLE CuLturE trAvEL ProPErty BuSInESS WInE SPort EntErtAInMEnt

ISSuE 25 r40.00

new Century A CIty for tHE

Century City, Cape town’s premier mixed use development

15 years on the road with nomad Thinking of taking an African adventure?

The perils of plastic

Doctor exposes clingwrap cancer risk

The race that stops a nation The Vodacom Durban July

nelson Mandela archive

Google publishes personal documents of living legend

De Beers, London

JUJU PROCLAIMS ‘I’LL LEAD THE ANC’ WHILE ZUMA’S RATING DROPS Just when we thought we’d heard the last of expelled African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema, up he pops proclaiming that one day he’ll “lead the ANC”. Wow. His expulsion actually prohibits him from speaking about party matters and convening public gatherings in the name of the ANC, but that isn’t enough to stop a defiant and confident Malema. “We’re prepared to fight this battle until we reclaim our position in the ANC as that is where we belong,” he said His comments came less than 24 hours after TNS South Africa revealed that president Jacob Zuma’s approval rating fell to 46 percent in April from a 55 percent high in February - Juju’s suspension a factor.

He was booted out of the ANC in February, found guilty of sowing division in the party and of bringing it into disrepute, and his name has recently been removed from the ANCYL’s website. He has grown fat and rich, the sources of his wealth increasingly suspicious.

But he is impossible to keep down. He was written off as a joke, a flash in the pan. Still he remains. His incendiary politics have permanently changed the face of the country – and not for the better.

What’s next? That’s anyone’s guess.

This month we have a look at Google’s brilliant Mandela archive, the Vodacom Durban July, and Century City. We also talk to South African business journalist Sumitra Nydoo, bring you all the latest business and lifestyle news, and have an exclusive interview with Dr Carl Albrecht who explains why the international food wrapping market has been looking for a safe alternative to PVC with plasticisers for direct food contact packaging applications.

Enjoy the magazine!

Ian Armitage Editor

EDIToRIAL

Editor – Ian Armitage Sub editors – Marie toms Editorial Assistant – Claire Durrant Writers – Colin Chinery Jane Bordenave John o’Hanlon

BuSINESS

Advertising Sales Manager – Andy Williams Researchers – Elle Watson Sandra Parr thomas Aras Stuart Platt tom Lloyd Marie Smith Sales administrators – Daniel george

ACCouNTS

Financial Administrator – Suzanne Welsh

PRoDuCTIoN & DESIGN

Magazine design – optic Juice Production manager - Jon Cooke Images: getty, thinkstock News: nZPA, AAP, SAPA

DIGITAL & IT

Head of digital marketing & development – Syed Ahmad

TNT PuBLISHING

CEo - kevin Ellis Chairman - ken Hurst Commercial - David Alstin Publisher - tnt Multimedia Ltd tnt Multimedia Limited, unit 209, 16 Brune Place, London E1 7nJ tntmagazine.com

ENQuIRIES

telephone: +44 (0) 1603 343367 fax: +44 (0) 1603 283602 andy.ellis@tntmultimedia.com

SuBSCRIPTIoNS

Call: +44 (0) 1603 343367 andy.ellis@tntmultimedia.com

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NEWS all the latest news from south africa

CuLTuRE Nelson Mandela Archive Google publishes personal documents of living legend INTERVIEW Sumitra Nydoo susan Miller catches up with sa business journalist sumitra nydoo FoCuS ProPErty A city for the new Century south africa Magazine revisits Century City, Cape Town’s premier mixed use development Making housing affordable Q&a with Duro pressings Chief sales and Marketing officer John Lamb FoCuS LIfEStyLE The W Cape’s first response Metro eMs head Cleeve robertson talks to south africa Magazine FoCuS SPort The race that stops a nation The Vodacom Durban July is the greatest horse racing event on the Continent FoCuS trAvEL 15 years on the road with Nomad If you are thinking of taking an african adventure there is only one choice – nomad adventure Tours Masters of the Zooniverse More widely known as the pretoria Zoo, the national Zoological Gardens in Boom street, pretoria, is south africa’s largest zoo

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FoCuS fooD & AgrICuLturE Far from a fowl business elgin free range Chickens has evolved from a backyard start-up into a company that produces over 70,000 birds per week The perils of plastic Dr Carl albrecht, head research of Cansa, explains why the international food wrapping market has been looking for a safe alternative to pVC with plasticisers for direct food contact packaging applications Spice spice baby Cape herb and spice specialises in a culinary range of condiments that are headed for households all over the world FoCuS MAnufACturIng SPDC looks to drive Gauteng forward Gauteng is a compelling automotive investment says Ms Welile Maleka, acting Ceo of supplier park Development Company Your compliance issues solved Bureau Veritas provides a one-stop service and innovative solutions in Qhse management, whatever the asset, product or business sector TFM leaves the competition trailing In 2011, TfM Manufacturing became part of TfM holdings FoCuS MInIng Greed isn’t good Tranter proves there is more to business than profit FoCuS SuPPLy CHAIn Logistics makes the world go round south africa Magazine profiles global logistics firm hamburg süd FoCuS MunICIPALItIES City of Joburg development plan to ‘create jobs’ In March the City of Johannesburg tabled its Integrated Development plan (IDp) and flagship programmes for the next five years to the city council www.southafricamag.com

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All the latest news from South Africa E-tolling crisis

Sanral CEO

resigns Ministerial amid e-tolling

committee

controversy to deal with e-tolling

crisis: Report

Sanral CEO Nazir Alli has resigned a week after a judge called a halt to the controversial Gauteng e-tolling system.

Sanral chairman Tembakazi Mnyaka explained in a statement that Alli would continue in his post until June 3.

“The immediate focus and priority of the board is to ensure that Sanral continues to perform its essential role in operating and maintaining more than 16,000km of national roads across South Africa,” Mnyaka said.

“The board will ensure that Sanral contributes to and cooperates with the deliberations now underway,” he added.

Sanral did not give reasons for Alli’s resignation.

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A special ministerial committee, chaired

by Deputy President Kgalema Motlanthe, has been appointed to deal with the e-tolling crisis.

It was announced

by Minister in the Presidency Collins Chabane during a postCabinet media briefing.

Mr Chabane said the committee — which would consist of the ministers of transport, finance, public enterprises, the director-general in the presidency and himself — would meet with stakeholders in a bid to find a solution to the

impasse over e-tolling.

He stressed that the R20 billion freeways investment would benefit Gauteng’s residents and the province’s economy, but said it was also important that the government’s reputation for financial prudence and reliability not be damaged.

The committee would also investigate the possibility of a new funding model for the freeway project.

Business

Rosatom outlines SA

nuclear ambitions Nuclear is a “reliable solution”, “creates jobs” and “contributes to overall industrial and economic growth” a leading executive of Russian state atomic energy company Rosatom has said.

Speaking on Summit TV, Ivo Kouklik, vice-president, overseas at Rosatom, said that if the atomic company built two nuclear power units in South Africa it expected “at least 30 percent of equipment to be supplied locally, considering the

current capabilities of South African industry”.

He added that if it built eight units, then up to “60 percent of the equipment could be supplied by South Africa as it would make sense with that number of units to invest in production and licences to develop this capability in South African factories.”

Some 15000 jobs would be created at the peak of construction of eight units and 9000 jobs on average over a period of 13 years,

with “$15 billion in revenues for South African companies and $3.5 billion in income tax for the government.”

Politics

Juju pulled from ANCYL website Expelled African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) leader Julius Malema’s name has been removed from the organisation’s website.

The website page that lists the national executive committee of the youth league on www.ancyl.org.za has blank spaces next to “president” and “secretary-general”.

ANCYL spokeswoman Magdalene Moonsamy told the New Age newspaper that the league had no knowledge of what had happened.

“We do not know who tampered with the website,” she said.

The Sunday Times reported that the ANCYL would not replace its expelled leader.

“Nothing has changed,

Julius Malema is still the president of the youth league,” Deputy president Ronald Lamola told the paper.

Malema was expelled from the ANC following an announcement by the party’s national disciplinary committee of appeal. He was found guilty of sowing division in the party and of bringing it into disrepute. www.southafricamag.com

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Politics

Zuma’s approval rating

Lifestyle

Big Brother

Africa drops makes return

President Jacob Zuma’s approval rating fell to 46 percent in April, from a 55 percent high in February, TNS South Africa says.

“It was at this time that the e-tolling saga was at its height (but before the judgment on the interdict), concerns about the re-instatement of Lt-Gen Richard Mdluli were growing and the [ANC Youth League president Julius] Malema suspension was finalised,” researcher Neil Higgs said in a statement. “People are coming to a more definite view of the president after a long period where many people were not sure about him. These previously uncertain people are shifting to the negative category.”

Overall, the President’s approval levels are best in Gauteng (except Pretoria), and poorest in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

People aged 18 to 34 are the most positive at 51 percent. Those aged 60 and more are the least positive at 30 percent.

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Big Brother has returned in a slightly new format and features housemates from Angola, Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The show, called Big Brother StarGame, has a mix of 14 couples that will live in “downville” and seven celebrities who will live in “upville” for 91 days.

South African model Babalwa Mneno is among the celebrities living in the “upville” house and says she is there for the exposure. “I entered to rebrand myself and remind people of who Barbs is,” she said.

It is the seventh season of the television show and contestants are competing for $300,000.

It will run over three months and has a new nomination system.

Contestants will not nominate each other for eviction. The new system is similar to the lottery, with a random draw selection.

You can watch it on Africa Magic Entertainment and DStv channel 198.

Business

E-tolling crisis

Wacs Cosatu wants goes live

The eagerly anticipated West African Cable System (Wacs), a 14,000 km undersea fibre optic cable linking South Africa to the UK along the West African coast, has gone live – almost a year after landing in Yzerfontein in the Western Cape.

The project, which cost $650 million and was funded through a 14-party consortium, is expected to increase South Africa’s broadband capacity by over 500 Gb/s.

The open access cable will enable “increased competition” and was developed by the Wacs consortium which included MTN, Vodacom, Broadband Infraco, Cable and Wireless and Tata Communications.

e-tolls link to arms deal probed Is e-tolling another arms deal? That was the question on everyone’s lips on as the Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu) demanded an investigation into possible connections between companies involved in SA’s arms deal and the company that runs the controversial e-tolling system on the Gauteng Freeway Improvement Project.

Discussions on the internet alleged that there was a connection between Swedish companies involved in the arms deal and the Austrian company

Kapsch TrafficCom, which is the largest shareholder in the Electronic Toll Collection joint venture that won the R1.1 billion project from Sanral in 2009, along with local firm Traffic Management Technologies (TMT).

“We don’t have any inside information so we can only call for a full investigation,” Cosatu’s Patrick Craven said. “It may have to form part of the investigation already taking place around the arms deal and it must be established who was to benefit from the e-tolls.”

Euro Crisis

Euro panic: Greeks vote no to austerity Greece has moved closer to abandoning the euro after voters rejected austerity in a recent round of elections.

Markets plunged amid chaotic attempts in Athens to form a government capable of pushing through swinging cuts ordered by Germany.

Those attempts look to have failed and it is likely now that there will be new elections in July and the country could leave the single currency.

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Politics

Sport

Chiefs turn Malema declares ‘I’ll be president’ to Baxter Speaking publicly for the first time since his expulsion from the ANC Youth League presidency, beleaguered politician Julius Malema has defiantly declared that he will one day be ANC president.

“I will lead this ANC. You must put [this] in the archives,” he said.

Joined by suspended youth league members Floyd Shivambu and Sindiso Magaqa at a press conference at the Gordon Institute of Business Studies in Johannesburg, Malema suggested that his support was broad enough to protect him from disappearing into the political wilderness.

His expulsion actually prohibits him from speaking about party matters and convening public gatherings in the name of the ANC, but a defiant and confident Malema - wearing his trademark beret - warned that nothing would stop him from achieving his ambition of leading the ANC. “We’re prepared to fight this battle until we reclaim our position in the ANC as that is where we belong.”

Former Bafana coach Stuart Baxter has been named as the new coach of Kaizer Chiefs and he has promised the club will play with “flair” and an “African style”.

Baxter, who was given a threeyear contract by Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung, told the club’s website, “I won’t say much today. All I can say is that this football club must get better and play effective football.”

Baxter, 58, replaces Vladimir Vermezovic, who was fired just two months short of ending his threeyear contract.

Chiefs hold the record for the most trophies in South Africa but have not won the league since 2005. They currently lie sixth in the league, trailing league leaders and rivals Orlando Pirates by nine points with three games left to play.

Sport

Blade runner makes TIME’s top 100 South African paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius has been included among TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world.

He is the only South African named in the list for 2012.

In 2011, Pistorius, 25, 10

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became the first amputee to win a track medal at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu as part of South Africa’s 4x400 metres relay team, which claimed the silver medal.

He has already dipped under the Olympic qualifying standard in the men’s 400m

sprint this year, clocking 45.20 seconds in Pretoria.

However, the double amputee, a four-time Paralympic champion, must achieve the standard again at an international meeting to book his place in the SA team for the London Games.

Politics

Business

NPA suspends

Pan-African Glynnis bond programme Breytenbach set to boost The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has suspended prosecutor Glynnis Breytenbach ahead of an internal disciplinary inquiry into accusations that she abused her power.

“She has been given the reasons.

It is related to the Kumba case,” Bulelwa Makeke, spokeswoman for the NPA, said. “She was given a notice of suspension in February. She had to give a reason why she should not be suspended. She has not given us that,” she added.

Media reports in February alleged that Adv Breytenbach had abused her power in the investigation into a fraud charge laid by iron-ore mining company Kumba against Imperial Crown Trading, and of not following orders to stop the investigation.

In a statement the Democratic Alliance (DA) criticised her suspension saying it was widely seen as intimidation of a prosecutor who insisted on doing her work without fear or favour.

infrastructure

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Standard Chartered have unveiled a new African bond programme which South Africa Magazine understands will improve access to local-currency financing and lower the risk for domestic and foreign investors, as well as African borrowers.

Infrastructure and agriculture will be the main beneficiary sectors, but the programme should also improve access to finance to African microfinance institutions and small businesses.

The IFC Pan-African Debt Medium-Term Note Programme will initially focus on six countries, including South Africa.

“A vibrant, localcurrency capital market is essential for any country to achieve its full economic potential,” said IFC Executive Vice President and CEO Lars Thunell. “Ensuring the development of such markets is a cornerstone of IFC’s strategy. By expanding long-term currency finance, we help businesses mitigate currency risks when they borrow capital to grow and create jobs.”

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Euro Crisis

French economy

stalls, new

Business

Acting

President Sapo CEO sworn in France’s economy did not grow at all in first three months of 2012 the official statistics agency INSEE says.

The agency revised downward the growth figure for the fourth quarter of 2011 to 0.1 percent from 0.2 percent. It said the economy grew by 1.7 percent overall in 2011.

Inflation rose 0.1 percent on a monthly basis after a jump of 0.8 percent in March.

Year-on-year inflation dipped to 2.1 percent, back to the level seen in mid-2011.

The data came as 57-year old Socialist Francois Hollande was sworn in as French President and his first task was to travel to Berlin to discuss the future of the eurozone with Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel.

Mr Hollande will reportedly try to “find a compromise” with Ms Merkel – who promised to welcome him with “open arms” – over the German-led focus on austerity as the way out of Europe’s economic crisis.

The value of stock markets and the euro continues to fall amid continuing political uncertainty in Europe, particularly in Greece.

The chairman of the eurozone finance ministers Jean-Claude Juncker has insisted that they would do “everything possible” to keep Greece in the euro.

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quits

Nick Buick the acting CEO of the South African Post Office (Sapo) has resigned.

It is the latest in a string of setbacks over the past year, including the departure of CEO Motshoanetsi Lefoka who was placed on extended leave on October 6, pending investigations into irregularities and wasteful spending of nearly R450m.

She parted ways with the parastatal in January.

“Mr Buick has resigned from the South African Post Office to take up a new post in financial management. Nick has contributed to the growth of the South African Post Office, especially during his tenure as group CFO,” chairman George Mothema said in a statement.

Nedbank posts

double-digit growth in Q1 Nedbank has reported a double-digit rise in first-quarter income from fees and lending.

The smallest of South Africa’s ‘big four’ lenders, Nedbank said net interest income in the first three months of this year rose by 11.5 percent to R4.8 billion, compared with R4.3 billion in the same period last year.

Non-interest income was up nearly 15 percent to R4.1 billion.

Mike Brown, group CEO, said in a trading update released ahead of Nedbank’s annual general meeting later on Friday morning that

gross advances were up 7.8 percent on an annualised basis to R505.6 billion.

Deposits rose on an annualised basis to R524.4 billion.

Nedbank has been boosting profitability by increasing its revenue from fees. It has also focused on improving its retail unit, which fell to a loss after a 2009 recession sparked a spike in debts.

The Old Mutual-owned bank continued to benefit from a strategy to diversify income from transactional and lending volumes.

SA unemployment rises Unemployment in South Africa has swelled with the economy shedding 75,000 jobs in the first quarter of the year.

The data, released by Statistics SA (Stats SA), showed that unemployment rose from 23.9 percent to 25.2 percent for the first three months of 2012.

The SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci) said it was concerned, believing it indicated a need for “business-friendly” regulations.

“The figures indicate that South Africa urgently needs business-friendly

regulations to improve the competitiveness of local business,” said Sacci spokesperson Neren Rau. “Unfortunately the current set of legislative amendments before parliament largely introduces additional costs and burdens to business that will ultimately reduce future sustainable employment creation.”

Proposed amendments to the Labour Relations Act and the Basic Conditions of Employment Act could restrict opportunities, Rau said.

The Congress of SA Trade Unions (Cosatu) spokesman

Patrick Craven argued however that the figures made the union more determined to fight for a significant cut in interest rates, to provide relief for employers struggling to avoid retrenching workers and as an incentive to those wanting to create new jobs.

“The focus must be on developing a new growth path that will defeat the three pre-eminent challenges facing our society - high levels of unemployment, deepening poverty and growing inequality, and all the consequent social ills,” he said.

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Mandela archive Nelson

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Nelson Mandela Archive CuLturE

googLE PuBLISHES PErSonAL DoCuMEntS of LIvIng LEgEnD

nelson Mandela, once a prisoner of South Africa’s apartheidera government and eventual South African president, has lived a tumultuous life of world-historical importance. now, thanks to a recent effort from google and the nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, the South African legend’s personal dealings have become much more accessible to anyone with an Internet connection.

By Susan Miller

T

ell people you’re a South African in most countries across the world and they are still likely to reply ‘Nelson Mandela’.

Symbolising justice and democracy to millions, it seems right that Mandela’s legacy and history has now being captured and hosted by another kind of icon, Google, creator and host to the innovative Mandela Digital Archive.

Currently including over 1900 unique images, documents and videos the Archive, launched on 27 March 2012, is expected to grow over time.

It’s a great success, says Sello Hatang of the Nelson Mandela Centre of Memory, as over the three days since it first launched, the NMCM recorded a record number of visitors to their website as people clicked through to the archives.

With 85000 visitors on one day, it was a “great response from all over the world.”

A joint initiative between the NMCM and the Google Cultural Institute, the site offers visitors the chance to ‘engage’ with Mandela’s history and includes never-seen sequel manuscripts to his Long Walk to Freedom autobiography.

Access is free, a factor Sello said was critical to the Centre, which stressed this when www.southafricamag.com 15

launching the project a year ago with an R8.6million grant from Google.

It’s an inspiring site.

Getting the chance to read the hand-written pages of a letter smuggled off Robben Island in 1977 or watching again as Nelson Mandela was introduced as our newly elected President in 1994 are heart-warming.

The site is easily accessible with a speedy and simple-to-use archive, a timeline from 1940 Mandela’s forays into student politics - to the present (2012), good search functions and a wealth of material.

And this, says Sello, was the point of the project - to reach out to diverse audiences – abroad and at home.

I wondered about those people in SA and further who do not yet have access to the internet.

While Minister of Science and Technology Naledi Pandor spoke at the opening ceremony of promoting internet access throughout SA using a schools network, Sello said one idea was to use cellphone technology.

People in even the remotest villages could access the site via their phones.

Certainly this would seem the way to go with figures showing mobile phone use leaping from 17 percent of South African adults in 2000 to 76 percent in 2010.

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As Jan Hutton, Director of Telcoms, Nielsen Southern Africa said last year: “More South Africans (29 million) use mobile phones than radio (28 million), TV (27 million) or personal computers (six million)”.

Sello said the centre had two main aims for the digitisation of the archives: access and preservation. “It helps to preserve materials if people don’t have to touch them but can interact with them online. Now people don’t have to trek to Johannesburg to access them,” he said.

While the site hosts a large amount of materials, the centre aims to get more online as privacy and copyright issues are worked on – and many works still need to be digitised.

“We are working with the National Archives of South Africa, the prison records are still not digitised, there is a vast amount of material that needs to be gone through,” said Sello.

He said the Centre is encouraging private collectors and museums to make their materials available online.

Google worked on enabling the Mandela Archive to ‘host mixed media material that was searchable and browsable’ using Google Search, Google+Photos and YouTube.

Steve Crossan, Director of the Google Cultural Institute said: “The project shows how the internet can help preserve historical heritage and make it available to the world.

We worked closely with the NMCM to create an interactive online experience with powerful search and browsing tools”.

Google gave the grant to the NMC to help preserve and digitize thousands of archival documents, photographs and videos about Mr Mandela. Other projects its Cultural Institute has worked on include showcasing the Dead Sea Scrolls and presenting thousands of works of art online through its Art Project.

Certainly the Archive is an in-depth asset for all and, typical of Mandela, ordinary people get their chance to discuss what he means to them too.

Nelson Mandela Archive CuLturE

What I found the most moving?

Aside from the photos of Mandela as a prisoner on Robben Island I was thrilled to read Pieter-Dirk Uy’s account of meeting the former President for the first time - dressed as Tannie Evita Bezuidenhout - in 1994 at an ANC rally in Retreat, Cape Town.

I can’t imagine any other long-term political prisoners with the sense of humour to greet South Africa’s top satirist – happily dressed in the ‘old’ SA colours and with a present of homebaked koeksisters with a hug and the words: “Evita, Evita! You look so beautiful!”

That IS pure Mandela magic.

So too is what looks like an old home video capturing one of Mandela’s more recent birthdays at his Transkei home of Mvezo. Sitting on a chair with a straw hat on his head, he’s frail but can’t help laughing as he greets the long line of village youngsters who file past to make their birthday wishes.

Visit the site; it’s truly a treasure trove of information. END www.southafricamag.com 17

Interview: SuMItrA

nyDoo

South Africa Magazine catches up with SA business journalist Sumitra nydoo.

By Susan Miller

T

op South African business journalist Sumitra Nydoo is a hard act to imitate.

For most of us any of the following jobs would be enough – presenting the business news from 5am on Radio 702, tutoring business people on TV appearances, writing for Forbes Africa, presenting for China Central TV – but Sumitra has also started an MBA. I asked the mother of two where she got her energy from?

“I like everything that I do. We do try and get away on short holidays. That helps. The pressure can feel overwhelming...”

The Durban-born presenter and journalist started on P4 radio in KZN before heading to Johannesburg to join the short-lived Business Day Radio. She moved to television after being offered an audition by the head of Summit TV Vernon Matzopoulos.

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Interview: Sumitra Nydoo PEoPLE

“I had no ambition to be on TV, I wanted to be a magazine reporter but they said they wanted to use me.”

What particular pressures do you face as a TV journalist?

“All the stuff I did was live television - that in itself is a big challenge.” In those early days Sumitra needed a trainer who told her to ‘loosen her face a little bit and smile’ because she was ‘coming across so stiff’.

Other pressures included ‘learning how to use an earpiece and being able to read the autocue’.

Reporting live from the JSE was daunting but after a while she was hooked. “It gave me such an adrenaline rush. I love

interacting with the board, speaking to the camera and talking about the markets.

“It’s nervewracking, it’s live and there’s no autocue...it was crazy sometimes.

While Sumitra has become one of South Africa’s most respected financial journalists, she didn’t start off intending to move into business reporting.

“At the start I felt a bit like ‘ooh God, this is hard’ but really early I felt like I clicked... but I had to do a lot of learning on my own.

It’s nervewracking, it’s live and there’s no autocue... it was crazy sometimes

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“I also had really good editors along the way and I got a bit of formal training.”

This included a spot on the financial journalism course at the Sanlam-sponsored Winter School as part of a prize and later heading to Wits Business School to study basic economic literacy, which formalised much of what she had already picked up. Now of course it’s onto her MBA. I asked Sumitra about the perception that business, the markets and even financial journalism are male-dominated.

“It is still very maledominated. I get job offers all the time and I don’t think it’s just because I am really great – there is a lack of female business journalists. On 702

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they wanted a black woman to come on and do business to break up the show – they had too many men and they battled to find somebody. There is a gap and a huge opportunity and more females should be trained from an earlier age to get into it because it is such an exciting field.”

After her years reporting from the JSE does she play the markets?

“I don’t think I ever had enough money. When the opportunity arose I did buy shares, in the last couple of years there have been a lot of empowerment deals opening up shares to non-white South Africans so that was a cheaper option and I did buy them.

But I would love to get into it

Interview: Sumitra Nydoo people

Sumitra Nydoo profile I got my first break into journalism in 1998. After three years of toiling as a legal secretary, studying part-time and raising a little boy, I packed up and moved to Durban where I started as a news reporter for P4 Radio. A year later, I decided that the coast was meant for holidays and moved back to Johannesburg. I forayed into my first television experience at Summit TV. That’s where I got a taste for business reporting. But I missed radio and decided to go back. After a year at Kaya Fm as the morning news anchor, I moved to Auckland Park, back into TV. I spent five years at the SABC, reporting and producing business inserts and the rest. I most enjoyed my live market crossings from the JSE. But then another exciting opportunity arose, the country’s first 24 hour news channel. That was an amazing experience!

However I find myself back in radio and loving it.

because there are shares that I picked years ago and some of them are doing very well.”

Would you advise people to get into the markets?

“I think the market is a gamble and it’s not for everybody. I always say you have to determine where you are in life – if you’re not a risk-taker then you will be devastated if you lose your money.”

How do you think South Africa is doing considering the world’s economic problems?

“Pretty good but we can’t actually escape what’s happening internationally especially as Europe is our largest trading partner. But I think our Finance Ministry is doing a brilliant job.”

Are there any things you would change?

“I think we have too much regulation and get bogged down.

Starting a small business is hard in this country. There’s so much paperwork and if you want to get funding it’s very hard – I’ve been there – nobody wanted to give me a loan. I was under 30 and I didn’t have much of a credit history. It feels like if you want to get financing you have to prove that you don’t need the money in order to get the money.

“We need to loosen up a whole lot of policy about small business because it’s really important in creating jobs and uplifting the economy.”

So at the moment you’re getting up at 3.45am for the breakfast show, writing, training and presenting for CCTV Africa?

“Yes, they launched last year and built studios in Kenya, every evening they pass to me for South African business. I like doing TV a lot.”

Chinese investment in South Africa is a whole ‘nother story?

“Yes, somebody told me the other day ‘they’ve bought you too... (laughs)’ END

www.southafricamag.com 21

new Century A CIty for tHE

South Africa Magazine revisits Century City, Cape town’s premier mixed use development.

By Ian Armitage

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Century City FoCuS ProPErty

C

The first completed building in Quayside when 52 of the 63 homes have been sold since its launch late last year

hris Blackshaw, CEO of the Century City Property Owners’ Association (CCPOA), has every reason to celebrate.

Why? Well have you been to Century City, the 250-hectare precinct that the CCPOA is responsible for running, lately?

Blackshaw says it has truly become a city within a city, with the built form more than tripling in the past eight years.

“I think it now stands at something like 850,000 square metres with total investment to date totalling about R17 billion,” he says proudly.

It is a remarkable feat. In 2004 when the Rabie Property Group acquired the remaining undeveloped land and associated rights, the built form on site had been just over 280,000 square metres.

“There has been a massive surge,” Blackshaw says.

The CCPOA essentially acts like a mini-municipality (a very good one at that) and is responsible for a host of things including public transport, access and traffic control, maintenance of all infrastructure and common areas, landscaping of all public areas, conservation and management of Intaka Island nature reserve (something we’ll talk about later) and storm water management.

Blackshaw says there are an estimated 50,000 people now living and/or working there.

“It’s safe to say Century City has bucked the trend,” he says. “Okay, so the pace of development since the dizzy heights of 2005/6 has slowed but it never stopped. And now things are really moving again. Property World – our official on-site residential www.southafricamag.com 23

Century City Focus property

sales office – says that levels are now getting back to those we saw in 2005. It is exciting.”

“There’s been a tremendous rise in demand for residential units at Century City,” Blackshaw says. “I was in a meeting this morning with the developers (Rabie) and their latest residential development – Quayside – which they launched late last year, has already sold 52 of its 63 residential opportunities so they’re actually bringing forward a new neighbouring development – Quaynorth – which they will launch later this month.

“On the commercial side, things have never stopped at Century City either, but they did slow down,” he adds. “This sector is now also picking up. We’ve got Chevron relocating their regional head office here and their new 9,000 square metre (about 30,000 square feet) building is under construction. We’ve also got a number of other new office blocks being built as well as a new private school catering for 800 learners that’s been signed and sealed and they’ll be breaking ground later this month to open in January next year when the school year starts.”

A central location, wellmaintained infrastructure and a safe and secure environment are the major 24

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draw cards for those who have relocated to Century City.

“We have a 24/7 control centre with rapid response to deal with any emergency, around 100 CCTV cameras, 30 access control rooms and five response vehicles,” says Blackshaw. “There are 83 security officers who are deployed at key locations and undertake foot, bicycle and vehicle patrols. In addition we have two dedicated Metro Law Enforcement officers and, since the beginning of March this year, a full-time City Traffic Officer.”

Remarkably, Century City, which has development rights of 1.4 million square metres, is still growing.

There’s been a tremendous rise in demand for residential units at Century City

An architectural perspective of the Business Centre building due to come on stream in late 2013

To create an engineering masterpiece, who do you turn to?

Fnn nhn nnnn nnsnnn HHO Afnnsn hnvn bnnn nnnnnnnnbnn fnn nhn snnsnnnsnnnnntinn, nnnnnnnn, nnnnnn nnn nnnnnnnnnntinn nf nnn bsns nnfnnnnnssnsnn nn Cnnnsns Cnns. snnnnnn shnn sn snsnn nn fnn sns!

Transportationnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnbridges sssssssssroadssssssssssssssssssssssssssss ssssssssssservices Canalsssssssssssssss HHO Afnnsn nnn nnnsn nf nsn nnnn nnnnsnntinn nnn nnvnnvnnnnn snnh Cnnnsns Cnns. Wn nnn nn sSO 9001 nssnnnnnnn snnnnns snnsn fnn nnnnvnnnnn qsnnnns nnnjnsnn nn tinn, snnhnn bsnnnn nnn nn nsn snnnnnn’ nntinfnstinn.

Cape Town

Johannesburg +27 21 425 2870

East London www.hho.co.za

Mthatha

Century City Focus property

Artist perspectives of Quaynorth residential development

“A further 550,000 or so square metres remains to be developed and the CCPOA will continue to grow and expand its services in line with future development,” Blackshaw says. “I think what is exciting is that Century City has more than got that critical mass. So it’s not a question of ‘is it going to succeed?’ or ’who’s it competing with?’ anymore.

The major infrastructure is in place and is now starting to mature so in a sense now it’s really going forward.

We’re in a fortunate position as we have already got the building development 26

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I think what is exciting is that Century City has more than got that critical mass

rights for 1.4 million bulk square metres so in terms of planning approvals, there’s no applications needed for developments rights – one has a basket of rights and one draws down from that. So in terms of going forward, Century City is flexible enough to accommodate a range of people who want to come here. For example – if you’re a large insurance company looking to have your national or regional offices here and require a 40000 square metre bulk building – we can accommodate you on the site without having to go

HHO AFRICA When the developers of Century City needed civil engineering consultants with whom to partner to realise the potential of the site, HHO Africa were an obvious choice. We have the full range of civil engineering expertise required and have a proven track record. Since the establishment of the firm in 1926, we have prided ourselves in the quality our work, technical excellence and the ability to find optimal solutions to engineering challenges.

and water-borne sanitation. HHO Africa have extensive experience in the planning, design and implementation of the essential components which make up any city.

At Century City we have had the privilege of working alongside a visionary client and being part of a professional team who are creating a mixed-use precinct that is very special. We value teamwork and good relations.

“Innovating infrastructure for life� is the phrase that perhaps best summarises the underlying philosophy at HHO Africa. We have assisted numerous satisfied clients to realise their development potential by the successful unlocking of parcels of land. We create innovative and appropriate solutions to the many technical challenges that land developers face and have forged strong relationships with clients and professionals within the built environment.

At Century City we have conceptualised major transportation infrastructure, ranging from integrated rapid transit systems and public transport interchanges to roads and non-motorised transport networks. HHO Africa are experienced in all facets of transportation and modeling.

Out of view is a facet of any city which is seldom seen.

Beneath the surface are important municipal services that supply all consumers in Century City with electricity, potable water, irrigation water, broadband infrastructure

We have also extended several kilometers of canals and waterways, which have created a very special environment, with opportunities for water sports and recreation. Perhaps more importantly, the waterbody receives stormwater, which it attenuates and cleans.

Century City Focus property

through a major and lengthy planning approval processes.

Within six-months you can be building and creating your new office. On the other side, if you’re a smaller person wanting a 100 square metre office, we can accommodate that too. The possibilities are endless and it is really exciting because as the economy improves and as the demand comes, we can amend and adjust our offering to meet the different needs of people who are looking for a place to stay and to work.”

Blackshaw says building work has started on a new R85 million Business Centre which will provide furnished serviced offices to businesses of various sizes. “We are at the heart of the greater Cape Town metropole and the city within a city combines office, residential, retail and leisure opportunities on a scale unlike anything else in South Africa or indeed the African continent,” he says. “This is an integrated environment that is perfectly tailored to the leisure, work and lifestyle demands of today’s society. When Century City is fully developed it will be almost as large as the Cape Town CBD. It is already home to numerous multi-nationals including IBM, Liberty Life, Aurecon, PriceWaterhouseCoopers, Mazars and Vodacom, to name just a few.”

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Gorrie & Findlay

We are at the heart of the greater Cape Town metropole and the city combines office, residential, retail and leisure opportunities

Gorrie & Findlay was established in 1968 and has been a member of the Masters Builders Association from 1972, specialising in turnkey projects and dealing directly with their clients.

Recently, in Century City, six office blocks were constructed for Growth Point Properties, which are all fully tenanted, as well as completing the Softline Regional Head Office.

Park Lane As a result of the recession there has been a complete lack of office space being developed within Century City, Cape Town’s prime office development.

It has been confidently predicted that, as a result of this lack of current development, there will be a critical shortage of office space over the next 12 to 24 months, during which time Gorrie & Findlay’s Park Lane development will become available for occupation.

A group of school children leaving the recently completed Intaka Island Environmental Education Centre at Century City

park lane:

CENTURY CITY – CAPE TOWN

A-GRADE OFFICE BUILDING FOR SALE OR TO LET P O S I T I O N · P O S I T I O N · P O S I T I O N

T

his development consists of an attractive, architecturally designed 3344 bulk m² (which could be increased to 3754 m²) A-Grade office building, which includes:

● 98 basement parking bays ● 5 ground floor open parking bays

● 23 off-street visitors parking bays and storage areas ● Large ground floor terrace/piazza area, with first floor balconies overlooking this area

Q U A L I T Y · Q U A L I T Y · Q U A L I T Y All located within the heart of Century City, with a restaurant and coffee shop also planned directly opposite this development The Park Lane plans have already been approved by the Century City Property Owners Association and the Site Development plans have been approved by the Blaauwberg Municipality which means construction can commence immediately.

Full drawings, elevations and a 3-D model can be viewed on our website www.gorrieandfindlay.co.za

(Click onto Park Lane under Current/Future Developments on the menu)

PHONE JAMES GORRIE 083 - 675 5365

Century City FoCuS ProPErty

Orbis Security Solutions In 2011, Orbis Security Solutions became part of the Securitas South Africa family. Securitas is the recognised global knowledge leader in the security industry, where knowledge is not only the cornerstone in the business philosophy, but it is also the key success component. We apply this philosophy to Century City through a multi -layered and multi-faceted approach to safety, security and crime prevention. With a zero tolerance approach to crime our highly trained personnel monitor the vast network of cameras, patrol, and with highly visible vehicles, ready to respond to any situation on a 24 hour basis.

An aerial photograph of the burgeoning Century City development in Cape Town

What South Africa Magazine likes most about Century City is its green lung which lies smack bang in the middle of the concrete jungle. It’s an ‘environmental oasis’ with some 16 hectares of wetland and bird sanctuary.

“It’s in the midst of all of the high-rise buildings and you’re hardly aware that it’s there,” says Blackshaw.

Intaka Island comprises eight hectares of seasonal pans and eight hectares of reconstructed wetlands which serve as a natural purification system for the 8 kilometres of canals.

The reserve is rich in birdlife and indigenous flora.

“It has proven very successful with 140 bird species and 177 30

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indigenous plant species,” Blackshaw adds. “The Intaka Island reserve is something we are very proud of and in fact, last year, we opened an environmental education centre which has been very well received and successful.

In 2011 we had 77 school groups through the centre and over 13,000 visitors. We have partnerships with the Western Cape Education Department and a range of other organisations. Often environmental centres don’t have a lot of money and are housed in temporary buildings and run by organisations that mean very well, but don’t have the resources at their disposal.

What we managed to do with

We are proud to partner the Century City Property Owners Association and congratulate them on their achievements thus far.

the Intaka Island reserve is something we are very proud of

WE PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:

A SECURITAS OWNED COMPANY

PHYSICAL ADDRESS: Muller Building 55 Gabriel Rd Plumstead, 7800 POSTAL DETAILS: PostNet Suite #34 Private Bag X3 Plumstead, 7801

· Health and Safety planning

· Traffic Management Consultancy

· CCTV Surveillance

· Emergency preparedness planning

· Receptionists

· Control Room Management

· Concierge Services

· Access Control Management

· Risk Surveys

· Rapid Response Services

· Public Safety and Security Consultancy Orbis at Century City

Simulation exercise

CONTACT DETAILS: Tel: (021) 762 3813 Fax: (021) 762 9027 Email: info@orbissecurity.co.za

www.orbissecurity.co.za

Artist perspectives of Quaynorth residential development

the Intaka Island Environmental Education Centre was to harness a professional team from land surveyors and architects and a range of other professionals who work here in Century City, to give of their time and energy pro bono. In addition many of the contractors and suppliers who work here have given us materials and we have received donations of over R2 million. The net result is that we have a very modern, very attractive and very functional environmental educational centre which is fully paid for. It’s been a really exciting project to see how our residential and business communities were prepared to put their hands in their pockets or do some hard work and help us realise this project.”

His aim going forward is to ensure Century City remains at the cutting edge and he is optimistically looking forward to further growth in the precinct.

To learn more visit www.centurycity.co.za.

END

www.southafricamag.com 31

affordable MAkIng HouSIng

Q&A with Duro Pressings Chief Sales and Marketing officer John Lamb.

By Ian Armitage

32

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Duro Pressings FoCuS ProPErty

s

outh African alternative assets manager Capitalworks recently purchased a majority stake in Duro Pressings for an undisclosed sum in an effort to gain a foothold in South Africa’s fast growing housing market. South Africa has a significant shortage of low-cost housing, which the government and private sector developers are working to correct.

Duro Pressings is a South African manufacturer of building products such as windows, doors, doorframes and garage doors. South Africa Magazine (SA Mag) caught up with Duro’s Chief Sales and Marketing Officer John Lamb (JL) and asked him to tell us more about the purchase and how the company has changed since.

SA Mag: John, thanks for talking to us. First off, tell us more about Duro Pressings. Who are you?

JL: Duro are manufacturers of steel and aluminium windows and doors, as well as steel garage doors. We also manufacture a range of shower doors and DIY products. We are also partners in a business called Vela, which manufactures alternative housing solutions and is currently very successful in Africa. We hope to be as successful in South Africa soon.

SA Mag: What’s unique to how you approach business? What does Duro stand for?

JL: The majority of our business is currently in the affordable housing sector or catering for people in the 1 – 3 LSM Category and we pride ourselves on supplying this sector with quality affordable products. Our slogan is “Building With Pride” and we want that slogan to encompass all that we do. www.southafricamag.com 33

Duro Pressings Focus property

WĂźrth For speedy delivery including convenience, we have branches in Isando where our Head Office is situated as well as in Bloemfontein, Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London and George.

In addition to that we deliver in Namibia, Lesotho, Mozambique and Swaziland.

We would like to thank DURO PRESSING for their business and we look forward to a long and prosperous business relationship in the future.

SA Mag: What defines you as a business?

JL: Our people! I know many businesses say this but we truly believe it. As a business we have an offering that is unmatched in the industry in that we can offer a home owner/developer/builders merchant a basket offering that no other single supplier can. However, we can have all of these fantastic products/offerings but without the quality people that we have working in our business, the rest would be useless.

SA Mag: How are you different?

JL: Our basket offering to the market is far superior compared to any other single supplier. We are also based all over Southern Africa which gives us a unique opportunity to service Southern Africa effectively.

SA Mag: What words do people use to describe your business?

JL: Fiercely proud.

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SA Mag: Capitalworks recently purchased a majority stake in Duro Pressings. Have they brought into a successful business? How is the company performing?

JL: The performance for 2012, thus far, has been good. It has been a bumpy start to the year as we implemented new systems throughout the group and those changes come with teething problems.

Overall though it has been a good start to 2012.

SA Mag: What about 2011 then? Was that a good year?

JL: Our performance, versus our own expectations, was average. The market itself was in a decline but our performance versus the overall market was good.

However 2011 will go down as a watershed year in Duro’s history because of that change in ownership and the new direction/ drive which was put in place.

We offer a lot more than just products - we bring services, ideas, innovations, business solutions and more to you Nationwide more than 230 Customer Service Consultants are visiting more than 20,000 satisfied customers monthly - our product quality and the service are the reasons

The 5,000 products in our catalogue are the core of our business - we trade internationally with screws, screw accessories and anchors to tools, chemical - technical products and personal protection equipment

Wurth South Africa (Pty) Ltd. Isando Industrial Business Park Block G1, Gewel Street, Isando Tel: +27 11 281 1000 Fax: +27 11 974 6169 wurthsa@wurth.co.za www.wurth.co.za

SA Mag: Okay then, what’s new?

JL: We’ve implemented several new systems within the group and this will lead to Duro being better placed to service all our clients better into the future. The challenges we face are to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations in all the facets of our business.

This is an even bigger challenge considering the platform that Duro is coming from.

We’ve also undergone a rebrand. Following the change in ownership, it was decided that Duro needed a new look to accompany its new vision

and direction. We designed a new logo and slogan and decided to rebrand all our buildings/offices across the country. This was no small task as we had to rebrand nine buildings/ offices across the country in just nine days. Why so quick? We wanted to have a surprise element to the rebranding where people who were working in the buildings/offices would leave at the end of the day, only to return to the “new” rebranded building/office the following day.

In terms of the logo/ slogan/look and feel, we wanted to keep the history of Duro in place while using this platform to “build” the

new Duro – we therefore kept some elements of the past in the new logo but added a freshness that illustrates the new beginning.

SA Mag: How would you describe your position in the marketplace?

JL: We are the largest manufacturer of steel windows and doors in Southern Africa. We are one of the leading suppliers of aluminium products in Southern Africa. Based on this, we are certainly one of the biggest suppliers of windows and doors in the building industry. www.southafricamag.com 35

SA Mag: How has 2012 been, so far?

JL: Despite all the changes that the business has undergone in such a short period of time, 2012 has started off on a positive note and the future continues to look positive.

SA Mag: Every year brings new uncertainties. That given, how would you sum up the current state of the industry? And are there lots of opportunities for the company?

JL: The industry has had a tough three years - pretty much in line with all other industries - but there are definitely signs of recovery. I think the Government’s role

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in the industry is critical as their performance in terms of budgeting/financing and homes/developments is directly linked to the building industry’s performance.

In terms of opportunity, Duro has a wonderful base/ platform to work from and this is largely thanks to the previous owners.

If we manage to meet/ exceed our customers’ service expectations, the opportunities for Duro are endless. We also have wonderful alternative housing products that, if accepted, could be the future of housing in Southern Africa.

If we manage to meet/ exceed our customer’ service expectations, the opportunities for Duro are endless

Duro Pressings Focus property

SA Mag: Could you elaborate and tell us a bit more about your future goals, please?

JL: Our biggest goal is to become a truly customer centric company. This entails putting the customer/market first in all that we do. We also need to add to our existing product ranges in product and new material/material offerings, i.e. wooden doors and windows.

We believe that 2012 will be the year that puts Duro “on the map” in the building industry – for too long we have not been a critical role player in the building industry, despite our size and strength and we see all of this changing in the upcoming year.

We have invested heavily, ensuring that we are well placed to service our customers’ needs/expectations well into the future.

We plan to upgrade a lot of our facilities and move some of our branches into bigger

premises/facilities in the near future but our national footprint is big enough and we will not be expanding on this.

Our market strategy is a fairly simple one: we want to deliver a superior service/solution to the building industry through our specified channel to market.

Our vision is to become the leading supplier of products in the openings category for the building industry.

SA Mag: John, it is certainly a very interesting time and we wish you well for the future. But before we let you go, what do you think is the key to Duro Pressings’ success?

JL: That’s easy. It is ensuring that we retain our good people and attract even better staff.

To learn more visit www.durowin.com. END

Glenntec Tool & Die cc At Glenntec Tool & Die, we specialise in tool making for the plastic industry. We are capable of helping and assisting our clients with anything from 3D prototype printing to moulded production. The objective of our business is to provide a high quality product and reliable service to our customers and for eleven years we have served many companies in making plastic parts, including Duro. We take pride in what we do and stand behind our work.

Tel: 016 365 6435 Fax: 016 364 6436 Cell: 083 680 5589 Email: glenntec@absamail.co.za Address: 92 Springbok Road, Randvaal Johannesburg South 2053

You know the name... ask for PRUFE

first response T h e

D

W

r. Cleeve Robertson is a remarkable man and has been heading the Western Cape’s first response service since it was constituted in its present form in 2001. Its evolution under his directorship has been extraordinary though he is quick to acknowledge that its inspiration and shape can be credited to Dr Alan McMahon who was instrumental in bringing the 20 rural, local authority based ambulance services together with Cape Town in 1973 to form a unified service.

“Alan started the Metro EMS system we know today,” he says.

EMS is the frontline arm of the Provincial Department of Health, providing quality emergency care to over six million people.

For operational purposes the ambulance service is organised into two divisions – the acute service, which deals with emergency calls, and Healthnet (Health non-emergency transport). Between them they respond to 40,000 calls a month.

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Ca p e ’ s

Currently EMS has a fleet of 516 emergency vehicles (some 250 ambulances), an operational staff of 1500, and stations throughout the Province. At any time 150 to 160 ambulances are on the ground, over half in Cape Town, the rest deployed across five rural districts.

For flexibility a proportion of its vehicles are hybrids, says Robertson.

Response times are all important. The current CAD (computer aided despatch) system both controls and monitors performance and has made a huge differenced in performance. A slight operational re-organisation has helped too.

“We now achieve 70 percent of priority one – emergency cases - within 15 minutes. Our performance target for priority one is 90 percent within 15 minutes.”

So CAD has done a good job, but several years of working with it has revealed gaps and it is due for replacement by a more comprehensive system. “The new system which is being introduced this year will

Metro EMS Focus lifestyle

Metro EMS head Cleeve Robertson talks to South Africa Magazine.

By Ian Armitage include electronic patient records and a lot more data. We have reasonable despatch and performance data that shows how well we are responding but we do not have very specific data around the conditions of the patients we are treating and conveying.

“In Cape Town in April 2010 our response to priority one was 27 percent within 15 minutes, so to get it up to 70 percent is fantastic. We did that following reorganisation – imagine what we’ll achieve when we put the new system in.

“We’re waiting for final approval on the system we have chosen and from the perspective of quality patient care, we’ll be able to rationalise the clinical care that we provide for patients, not only the response time performance. That’s the real major issue for this financial year.

“We expect another 10-15 percent performance improvement. And then we shall use the business intelligence that comes out of the system to better place and dispatch ambulances throughout

the Province. Obviously we need further resources in terms of manpower and vehicles to bring response times up but this will help us achieve it.”

The re-organisation, which has enabled EMS to already improve response times, involved changing, amongst other things, the method of dispatch in the city, Robertson says. “We now link 10 ambulance units to a dispatcher. It confines ambulances to a defined geographic area and therefore limits their travel distance and limits their mission time and we therefore buy time for response time. The less time you spend on every mission the more time you have available to respond. We’ve divided Cape Town up into hospital dispatch areas, geographic areas that drain towards a hospital.

“We still maintain almost 40 rescue units along major arterial routes in the Western Cape and those are mainly for road traffic accidents along major highways, particularly the N1 between Cape Town and Joburg, which is very busy and experiences high www.southafricamag.com 39

Metro EMS FoCuS LIfEStyLE

volumes of mixed traffic loads including commuter traffic, private vehicles and commercial traffic in terms of heavy trucks. The ratio of heavy trucks to cars – there’s probably about 10 trucks to one car on that road – so there are some very serious accidents involving multiple patients in taxis, or you could have 50 patients in bus accidents. We maintain those rescue units along that route to be able to provide paramedic and quick release rescue response to those incidents.”

EMS also operates several aircraft. The system provides ICU aeromedical transfer of patients from rural hospitals into the City and a Wilderness Search and Rescue Service.

Tourists, believe it or not, are the main beneficiaries of the rescue component of the service. “We rescue many tourists, both domestic and international tourists, from Table Mountain,” says Robertson.

“You’ll be astounded to know it’s the busiest rescue venue in Africa!

We rescue more people off Table Mountain than anywhere else in Africa and that is just because people can go up by cable car and look down and think they can walk down.

On the way down they fall.

Injury rates are actually increasing and we’ve done 40

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in the last season more rescues off Table Mountain than in the history of the service, so that’s unique, and most of those rescues are now actually being done by helicopter. With the advent of cell phones, and particularly smartphones, people can identify their exact location and we are able to send a helicopter to a patient that’s injured in a remote environment within a very short time frame. It’s working very well.”

One challenge facing EMS is a shortage of paramedics.

A paramedic’s starting salary is about R200,000 a year, but they can earn significantly more overseas. In Dubai, for instance, they can earn R100,000 a month, tax free.

“We lose a number of particularly intermediate and advanced life support trained staff to overseas markets,” Robertson says.

Metro EMS staff are a very talented and clinically experienced bunch and it is easy to see why they are poached from abroad. The job requires much more than drivers with some first aid training. They have to understand clinical care, hazardous materials, have the engineering ability to free patients trapped in machinery or crashed cars and since they might have to attend accidents in mountainous or wilderness areas they need training in

surviving hostile conditions.

Medical rescue vehicles are equipped with very sophisticated tools too.

Medical skills come first though. Most deaths occur at the scene of accidents and stabilising patients is just as important as getting them to hospital quickly.

The original training centre set up in the 1970s by Alan McMahon moved several times before taking over a building at the former Otto du Plessis Nursing College at Tygerberg Hospital. It now offers a full range of emergency care courses - these were provincial qualifications until 1992 when they became registerable with the Medical and Dental Council, now the Health Professions Council of South Africa, says Robertson. The emergency service has become increasingly demanding and he anticipates further rationalisation in training: “We can expect tertiary level qualifications to become the norm.”

One thing is clear, the achievements of the last decade mean that the citizens of the Western Cape have an emergency service that stands in comparison with the world’s best.

“We are proud of the service we deliver under challenging circumstances,” Robertson concludes. END

Every Second Counts

EMS professionals strive to provide the best care to the patient.

AgustaWestland provides unique, integrated and affordable products to the global healthcare delivery system.

Together, bringing care to the patient with the best aero-medical solution.

LEADING THE FUTURE agustawestland.com Photograph courtesy: Irene McCullagh Photography.

The race that stops a n aT I o n

The Vodacom Durban July racemeeting is unique in that it is a 12 race meeting starting in day light and ending under lights

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Gold Circle FoCuS SPort

a

the vodacom Durban July is the greatest horse racing event on the Continent. More than that, it’s also South African party fun time.

As the annual outbreak of ‘July fever’ starts to take hold, ken tweddell, Event Marketing Manager of Gold Circle, the sport’s controlling body in kwaZulu-natal, talks about the race of the year.

By Colin Chinery.

s July opens it’s cold in Johannesburg, wet in the Cape, and at Port Elizabeth night temperatures are down to 8c. But out in KwaZulu-Natal the winter days are sunny and warm, little wind or rain, and from across the peaks and plateaus, South Africans in their tens of thousands make for the golden beaches, sandy coves and warm Indian Ocean waters of KZN’s coastline.

For many the lure is a pear-shaped green space in the Durban suburb of Greyville. This is the Greyville Racecourse, one of the most picturesque in the world and on the first Saturday of every July, the Ascot of Africa, focus of a nation en fete; great racing, high – and depending on your taste tab-pushing fashion, fine cuisine, champagne, and elegance. And partying through the night.

The Durban July, premier race for thoroughbreds, was first held in 1897 with only seven horses, and today it’s the highlight of the country’s horse racing calendar. But with the seasonal presence of African horse sickness combined with prize money too low in international terms to attract overseas stables, it’s a strictly South African affair with the notable exception of imported horses resident in South Africa. Indeed, the 2011 winner, Igugu, is an Australian bred filly owned by an Arab Sheikh.

The Sport of Kings is hugely popular in South Africa, reaching back to 1797, with the first recorded race club meeting five years later in 1802. Three major races are preeminent; Johannesburg hosts The Summer Cup, Cape Town the J & B www.southafricamag.com 43

Gold Circle Focus sport

Met, and then in Durban the greatest of all, the 2.2 km Vodacom Durban July - the most talked about and best-attended horse racing gathering with R5,5 million at stake.

“The country’s best horses will be here.

It’s the pinnacle of racing success in South Africa and I’d describe Durban July Day as a sporting day coupled with socialising in the extreme,” says Ken Tweddell, Event Marketing Manager of Gold Circle, the sport’s controlling body in KwaZulu-Natal and a key figure in the Durban July.

But the Ascot of Africa is more than great racing, socialising, and cool and crazy fashions.

It’s also South Africa’s equivalent of Australia’s Melbourne Cup – ‘the race that stops a nation’ - the day when South Africans tele-view, and time-out for a once-a-year flutter, ‘July Day at home’, and all-round get-together.

Mark Twain said of a visit to the Melbourne Cup in 1895, “Nowhere in the world have I

Vodacom Durban July day is where all the best horses on the African continent meet in an action packed day of thrilling racing

The famous “pear shaped” Greyville Racecourse is situated in the centre of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal on the coast of the warm Indian Ocean 44

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encountered a festival of people that has such a magnificent appeal to the whole nation. The Cup astonishes me.” Twain would have enjoyed the Durban July extravaganza. “It’s a huge event, all very festive and as with the Melbourne Cup, brings the nation to a standstill,” says Tweddell.

And like a store on a busy main street corner, location is everything.

“The Vodacom Durban July is perfectly situated to attract huge crowds. We are on the East coast of South Africa in a sub-tropical area, very good winter weather, and with lots of activity in Durban at that time of the year. The whole coast of this Province is beautiful, with great and safe swimming conditions and inland there are numerous game reserves with Durban their launch pad. So people come to Durban to holiday.”

And on July 7th 55,000 of them will be at Greyville while across South

Africa hundreds of millions of Rands will be placed on bets from the big ticket to loose change. “People in this Province love betting and many South Africans have telephone betting accounts. But for the average South African it’s probably the one time they’ll take a bet – with many small clubs running their own books.”

It is not only the field that is fast out of the gate. Each year planning for the next Durban July begins shortly after the close of the last. ”This year we are doing a lot to improve first impressions when people arrive at Greyville course, so that they know they have come to a very very special event. We are making security more visible – very important at a race meeting when people are dealing with money.”

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This is Tweddell’s 19th Durban July, and with traffic congestion and neighbourhood frustrations major issues in a residential suburb, offsite parking and a bus park and ride scheme are being planned. “We can’t attract any more people to the event since we have reached the legal ceiling in terms of numbers.

Now it’s a matter of making the Durban July even better.”

The 12 card race day starts at 11.35 am, but what follows is a warm up for 4.20 pm when the starting stalls crash open for the Vodacom Durban July. Other races on this day range from the 1.4km Golden Horseshoe to the 3km Gold Vase, with the last four events held under floodlights, ending around 8pm.

Greyville is a beautiful track situated about one kilometre from the beachfront. It surrounds the Royal Durban Golf Course with its lakes and swathes of indigenous flora. And for Vodacom Durban July Day it mushrooms an outcrop of marquees and more than 400 picnic spots. “A magnificent site,” says Tweddell. “We are more restricted for space than Melbourne which has a vast area in front of the grandstand whereas ours is very close to the track.”

It is also unconventional in layout, a right hander, with the July starting stalls at the 2200m mark on the back straight which disappears behind the Drill Hall at the 1600m mark.

Here the horses move into a long sweeping bend that turns sharply right into the short straight with 500m to go.

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The big hearted filly Ipi Tombi (translated means “where is the girl?”) won the Vodacom Durban July in 2002 with jockey Kevin Shea. In 2003 she travelled to Dubai where she outperformed all rivals earning her the 2003 Dubai Horse of the Year honours she is currently a brood mare in America

organising thoroughbred horseracing events throughout KwaZulu-Natal. Its operating assets include racecourses in Pietermaritzburg as well as Durban. Gold Circle owns world-class thoroughbred training centres as well as a network of 44 company-owned betting outlets and 84 independently-owned outlets. And with an annual turnover in excess of R1.5 billion, Gold Circle is a key player in the national horseracing industry.

For owners, trainers, breeders, jockeys and grooms, the Durban July is the prize most sought, and for Tweddell, the reputation and quality of the Durban July thoroughbreds and of South African racehorses in general is paramount. “The Vodacom Durban July is a launch pad for the international success of South African horses.”

Gold Circle Focus sport

2012 Vodacom Durban July champion Igugu, jockey Anthony Delpech, trained by internationally renowned Mike de Kock and owned by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Khalifa Al Maktoum & Mr & Mrs A J Macdonald South Africa is known for its design talent and the Vodacom Durban July encourages not only established designers but up and coming young designers to show off their creations

Many winners have moved on to success abroad, notably in Dubai - where the World Cup is the richest and most renowned horse race in the world with a prize purse of $10,000,000. For years Michael Roberts, eleven times Champion Jockey of South Africa and 1992 Champion Jockey of Britain, missed out on a Durban July winner. “When he eventually won he regarded this as the pinnacle of his career – and he’s won some great races.”

Synonymous with the Vodacom Durban July is the matchless fashion programme; stylish, inspirational, fun and zany. It opens months ahead of Big Race Day drawing enthusiastic designers from every corner of the country, identifying and rewarding emerging talent and reaching its climax with a series of stunning shows.

Fashion, a feature since inception, is now actively promoted. And away from Durban many South African homes will dress up and stage fashion-themed parties, while for fashionistas at Greyville the Big Day means break-loose, eye-popping, sometimes edgy outfits.

And each year fashion on Durban July Day takes a distinctive fashion note. For 2012 the theme - developed out of last year’s COP17 climate change conference in Durban - is ‘A Material World?’ “It questions us as humans and what we are doing on this Earth. We are saying this is a material world but this is what we should be doing!”

Meantime millions of South Africans know what they will be doing on July 7th.

“Wherever you go on raceday its fun,” says Tweddell. “It’s a spectacular day!” END www.southafricamag.com 47

15 years noMAD:

on tHE

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road

Nomad Adventure Tours FoCuS trAvEL

If you are thinking of taking an African adventure there is only one choice says Alex rutherford, founder and director, Nomad Adventure Tours.

By Ian Armitage

n

omad Adventure Tours, which celebrates its 15th birthday in 2012, is specialised in creating unforgettable African Safaris.

Its tours are a popular way for tourists to explore Africa and get “as close to the wild” as possible. South Africa Magazine (SA Mag) caught up with Nomad’s founder Alex Rutherford (AR) and asked him to tell us more about his epic adventures and just how he has helped grow a business from one truck, two employees and one departure a month, to an enterprise that is one of the world’s most renowned African overland operators.

SA Mag: Alex, great to speak to you again (see SA Mag Issue 12).

How are you?

AR: I’m well thanks. It’s good to talk to you again.

SA Mag: Super, thanks Alex. So, tell us… how did it all start?

AR: We started Nomad Adventure Tours in 1997 and consider ourselves to be a leading example of how to run adventure holidays and experiences. We remain a force in this sector, but, and this is why we are so strong, have retained the magic – the personal touch that saw us grow so successfully originally. The company was founded on old fashioned hard work and started from almost nothing. We’ve learnt a lot over the years but have never forgotten the lessons learned in the early days.

Personally, I learnt a lot, especially in terms of people management. We deliver high quality tours and receive on average 4,000 positive feedback forms annually.

Why are we a success? I think it is down to a number of things. First and foremost it is because this is Africa.

Africa conjures up images of discovery, magic and adventure. People are really drawn to the continent. Africa www.southafricamag.com 49

has it all: interesting culture, warm and welcoming people, awe inspiring places, unique animals, dramatic landscapes and epic adventure. Africa has it all in abundance, it is a land of surprises and contrasts. We always keep a promise.

SA Mag: Nomad is obviously 15 now. It is a fantastic achievement. How will you celebrate? Any special events lined up?

AR: It is a fantastic achievement and we are going to celebrate with all of our favourite operators, agents, guides, staff and travellers who are in the area. Any excuse for a party is a good one! Being in business for 15 years and being part of the steady and exciting growth of this company is a really good excuse to get everyone together to share their memories and experiences with Nomad.

the team ensures that each individual’s tour is the experience of a lifetime!

SA Mag: That’s super.

Hopefully we can come out and celebrate with you… we love a party! But seriously, 15 years now… why should someone choose you? Why shouldn’t they miss out on experiencing Africa with Nomad?

AR:Having been in the industry for 15 years, Nomad remains a market leader and is responsible for a lot of industry firsts ensuring that we do have the best tours on the market. Nomad Adventure Tours was one of the first operators to introduce things like fully operational freezers on trucks for food storage, glass windows for the trucks, seatbelts in all of our vehicles, a green seats 50

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programme to offset carbon emissions, PA systems, and a programme to uplift the local community and protect the magnificent places we visit.

Lastly, and most importantly, we have local qualified guides who are immensely passionate and proud about their home and heritage.

SA Mag: We’ve talked a lot about Nomad’s heritage and past, but what about the present - how is Nomad performing?

AR: Thanks to the loyal support of our agents and travellers, we have continued to perform well in a time where the majority of our target market is recovering from a global recession. Tour bookings have not been quite as seasonal as they have been in the past and we’ve noticed that the period of peak travel has extended much later into the year and has even crept into the

Nomad Adventure Tours FoCuS trAvEL

15 REASoNS WHY NoMAD IS CoNSIDERED THE BEST LoCAL oVERLAND oPERAToR nomad Adventure tours is the first African Adventure Company to offer a programme where guests can neutralise their carbon footprint by supporting the planting of endemic trees – this is called the “green Seats” option and can be purchased on any tour.

In 2008, it introduced the nomad African trust which is a registered non-profit organisation assisting to protect and uplift the people, places and animals of Africa. nomad offers its tours in either fully camping or fully accommodated options.

All of tours can be sold in sections or can be linked together to extend a tour. tours operate in both a north and South direction. nomad has tours that depart with Spanish and german translators.

It has a groups department which is capable of tailoring a tour of any nature in any language.

beginning of the new year. February and March 2012 saw us achieve our highest booking numbers in Nomad history and two of our greatest achievements for our 2012 tours have been the introduction of an Activity Package and our new Small Group Tours, both unique to Nomad. The Activity Package consists only of activities and park entry fees, all of the prices are listed for complete transparency, it is offered in ZAR and it is now optional which allows the more budget conscious to travel without overextending themselves.

On top of that, the Nomad African Trust has had a brilliant year. Shannon Fletcher, the custodian of the trust, has accomplished some amazing feats including paying out R99,896.83 to it’s beneficiaries by the end of the financial year in Feb 2012 – but none of this would have been possible without the support of our sponsors and donors.

nomad has the widest product choice in our range and operates more dates than any of its competitors. the introduction of single currency pricing makes prices more stable and easier to package.

All guides are encouraged to further their qualifications and are incentivised accordingly. they are individually coached and mentored at the beginning and end of each tour to give praise where due and to continually improve standards where required.

A detailed feedback system provides constant feedback about all the components of a good tour. nomad monitors and charts performance as well as tour results and incorporates this in its briefings and product development.

SOUTH LUANGWA, ZAMBIA

All trucks are SABS approved and locally registered which makes them the safest on the road as they are tested by the authorities every six months and have to adhere to the highest safety standards. nomad’s state of the art workshop in Somerset West lovingly maintains its fleet of vehicles. Its workshop builds, maintains and repairs the fleet.

All trucks have seatbelts, charging facilities for cameras, PA systems, iPod jacks, long range fuel tanks, and most have individual lockers.

A four person operations and Workshop team has worked for nomad for six years on average and have a collective experience of over 30 years.

An affordable front-row seat to one of Africa’s greatest National Parks Full-board Packages • Self Catering Chalets • Stunning Campsite info@wildlifezambia.com www.wildlifecamp-zambia.com Tel: +260 216 246026

SA Mag: What do you think is the secret to your success?

AR: There are many factors that contribute to Nomad’s success but I believe that the most important factor is that every person in every team at Nomad works together to ensure that we offer an outstanding experience for our guests and agents. From the inception until our travellers are safely home and dreaming of their next African tour, the team ensures that each individual’s tour is the experience of a lifetime!

There are always excellent opportunities to improve performance across the board and the best place to start would be by looking at the tour feedback that we collect from all of our guests at the end of every tour. Off the back of this we will be building six new passenger compartments and will introduce over 60 new tents in the course of the year, ensuring that we continue to offer a quality service and product.

Nomad holds a strong position in the marketplace as a local African specialist. We are owner operated and enjoy the privilege of being one of the only registered SABS approved truck building facilities in the industry. We’re large enough to count on and small enough to care!

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SA Mag: How would you like to see the business develop in the future? Will it be another 15 successful years?

AR: People travel with Nomad because they want to see and experience something new, they want to be away from civilisation and want to experience personal growth by slipping out of their daily routine. Africa has always been the perfect destination for this as it has been difficult to access due to the lack of infrastructure. Now, with the vast developments in infrastructure in Southern and East Africa, all industry has become more commercialised.

From the outset Nomad has offered authentic overland adventures at excellent value and we will strive to ensure that we continue to offer these unique experiences.

We want to push the boundaries of travel outside of being a bus tour operator and balance the demand for tours where the individual can connect with the destination and the people and animals that they will experience on their journey. We never want to lose the magic that Africa offers to her visitor

Nomad Adventure Tours Focus travel

The future for the people of Africa is tourism. It is the fastest growing sector and the only way to uplift the people of Africa

and we want to focus on ensuring that we can put this across to our travellers in a tour that is a once in a lifetime experience at an affordable price.

We are currently doing a big push on our East Africa routes. We are offering more of them in an accommodated option, we’re offering shorter versions on longer legs and we’re putting together more combinations so that guests have the flexibility to join the tour at more points. This way we can ensure strong numbers which will in turn allow us to keep our prices low.

We have also reworked our Southern African Dive Tour and will now offer two shorter legs of the 13 Day tour. One of the shorter legs will encompass diving in Mozambique with the world’s only permanent population of whale shark and a manta cleaning station, and the other will be diving in South Africa with our large toothy friends!

Internally, we continue to ensure service

excellence through training, development, research and strategy development and we continually keep our eyes on the horizon for good opportunities.

We continue to ensure that the product is seamless and are currently building more truck bodies, sewing new tents, and continually upgrading all of our equipment.

The trucks retain their strict maintenance schedule; we have one of the most experienced workshop teams to ensure that the fleet is the safest on the road.

The future for the people of Africa is tourism. It is the fastest growing sector and the only way to uplift the people of Africa while ensuring the long time survival of the very things that make tourism to Africa unique – life changing cultural experience and wildlife that is unmatched anywhere and under severe threat. END To learn more visit www.nomadtours.co.za. www.southafricamag.com 53

National Zoological Gardens FoCuS trAvEL

MAStErS of tHE

More widely known as the Pretoria Zoo, the National Zoological Gardens in Boom Street, Pretoria, is South Africa’s largest zoo and the only one with national status.

By Ian Armitage

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www.southafricamag.com

T

he National Zoological Gardens of South Africa (NZG) is one of the world’s great zoos.

Nestled in the heart of downtown Pretoria, it is South Africa’s largest and the only one with national status.

It is home to thousands of animals, the largest inland marine aquarium in the country, a reptile park, and large collection of exotic trees.

NZG also has two biodiversity conservation centres in Lichtenburg and Mokopane.

“We are a national research facility functioning under the auspices of the National Research Foundation,” Craig Allenby, Business Development Manager, tells a South Africa Magazine. “We are the only zoo in South Africa with national status.

The zoo is made up of the main facility in Pretoria and two other satellite locations in Lichtenburg and Mokopane and in 2004 we were declared a national research facility.”

The zoo’s primary focus, he says, is on educating the public and trying to reconnect people to the ecological world and the importance of sustaining wildlife.

It gets a whopping 600,000 visitors per year of which around half are children.

“We are part-funded by the Department of Science and Technology and the rest is raised commercial, via visitors and businesses operations within the zoo,” says Allenby.

Visitor numbers continue to rise and in December and January they increased by 53 percent.

“For many of the visitors who enter the zoo every year this is the only way of coming face-to-face with some of www.southafricamag.com 55

National Zoological Gardens FoCuS trAvEL

BILD Architects BILD Architects are proud to have been involved with various projects at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa over a number of years,which range from the refurbishment of the existing Animal Farmyard, restoration of the Historical Birds of Prey Enclosure, upgrade of the Night Room Facilities at the Gorilla Enclosure, completion and commissioning of Stormy Bay, an existing structure for the Fur Seals, refurbishment of the Main Entrance Gate, refurbishment and upgrade of Offices and the conversion of an existing Historical House into Offices and various other projects. Currently BILD Architects are also involved with the upgrade and refurbishment of the existing Necropsy Room and adjoining Laboratories.

the world’s most enchanting and beautiful animals. Zoos are no longer a glorified list of rare and unusual animals held in cages. Today they play an important role in the conservation and protection of threatened species and as a facility of National Research Foundation, we are very proud of the role we play.”

You may remember that the world’s first white rhino born in a zoo was born at NZG and it is the only zoo in Africa. There is an ‘adopt an animal scheme’ that helps provide support for the animal’s food and care for a full year.

There are also aquarium tours, camping tours and 56

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night tours, which are perfect for spotting owls, elephants, lions and red pandas.

It is a great adventure for the whole family and is always a brilliant day out.

“We are currently finalising the “stormy bay” Development, for Southern African fur seals and African penguins,” says Allenby. “We have depicted a derelict harbour with a beach area for the seals. African penguins are endangered but the zoo has a successful breeding area. The African penguin is possibly South Africa’s most rapidly declining bird at the moment and in the last eight years alone its population has halved.

Each of the above projects and especially those where animals were involved, had unique challenges, most importantly the welfare and conservation of the animals within suitable enclosures as an educational vehicle for visitors, this also taking into account our Client’s expectations, existing structures, heritage, site constraints, budgets and programs.

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Every month we have a focused event. During quieter months we do host lectures and some business meetings.

This is an interesting part of the package here and we have innovative plans for the future

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National Zoological Gardens FoCuS trAvEL

Today fewer than 21,000 pairs remain. So this is a superb project.”

As well as being a zoo, doing all the wonderful things we’ve described, it is also host to several prestigious events and lectures – mainly for conservation. For instance, it will host the11th ICEE conference in the summer of 2013.

“Every month we have a focused event,” Allenby says. “During quieter months we do host lectures and some business meetings.

This is an interesting part of the package here and we have innovative plans for the future.”

Back to the fun stuff! In April, NZG hosted (and this is great) one of the largest Easter Egg Hunt events ever staged on the continent.

More than 35,000 Easter eggs were hidden around the zoo in an event supported by South Africa’s most loved chocolate, Cadbury.

“It was a super bit of fun,” Allenby says.

“All day access to the zoo was R40 for children and R60 for adults. The initiative formed part of a string of family actitivities designed to attract visitors. The zoo has become a family urban leisure destination attracting interest from across the province, and beyond. A significant segment of the South African market now seeks local escape and leisure where value underpins activity and we are inspired by the growing interest in the National Zoo; our response to sustain this growth is to continue offering on-going family programmes and value-add attractions.

“The role played by zoos in preservation across the globe cannot be underestimated and a zoo’s utility as an urban leisure destination fulfils an important commercial aspect which ultimately helps fund conservation.”

Pretoria Zoo is fantastic zoo and deserves its reputation as one of the world’s best. For more information, prices and opening times visit www.nzg.ac.za. END

www.southafricamag.com 59

fowl business fAr f r oM A

Slow and steady, organic growth has seen Elgin Free Range Chickens evolve from a backyard start-up into a company that produces over 70,000 birds per week. South Africa Magazine talks to founder Jeanne groenewald about the focus on free range production which has made it all possible.

By Ian Armitage

e

lgin Free Range Chickens produces over 70,000 birds a week, employs 300 people and lists Woolworths, Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers and Spar among its clients.

That’s not bad for a business that started out small, as a backyard operation in 1997.

But are Elgin Free Range Chickens all they are clucked up to be? And how is it so successful? “We got to where we are today through passion – a passion for the product, 60

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a passion for healthier foods and a commitment to excellence. The result is that we have achieved a steady growth rate, growing the business little by little,” Jeanne Groenewald says.

Her story is remarkable.

“It all started when I was growing chickens for the family. We’d have friends over for dinner and they’d comment on how good the chicken tasted and when they found out I’d reared them, they’d ask me to rear some for them as well.

That’s where it began.”

Elgin Free Range Chickens FoCuS fooD & AgrICuLturE

our success is down to the fact that we produce a niche high quality product and that we are committed to maintaining the highest standards These informal “orders” quickly grew and Groenewald started to produce around 150 birds every eight weeks, then every four weeks and then weekly.

“That is when I realised there could be a business in this,” she says.

When production hit 400 birds a week Groenewald decided to test the market’s interest and called a Pick ‘n Pay buyer she’d previously worked with when she was rearing ducks. “They were very interested, so I bought a delivery vehicle, had it branded, and started supplying a handful of the top Pick ‘n Pay stores. It was a pivotal point and the best money we’d spent. That

vehicle drove all over with our phone number on it and although we weren’t actively trying to grow, we kept getting calls from people who’d seen the van and wanted to place orders.”

Production steadily increased and the business soon outgrew the single shed outside Groenewald’s farm kitchen door. The rest, as they say, is history..

“Our success is down to the fact that we produce a niche high quality product and that we are committed to maintaining the highest standards,” Groenewald says. “Today five farms work under the Elgin Free Range Chickens standard.” www.southafricamag.com 61

Looking to the future, her growth philosophy remains the same despite huge growth potential. “We have room for expansion.

But we’ll grow in line with increases in market demand. I love my little farm in Elgin. It is my haven.

When I started farming chickens for my family it was very important to me that the animals we were eating were not abused and that is why we started the free-range operation in our backyard. That philosophy will never change.

“I’ve always loved animals,” Groenewald continues. “I love what I’m doing, I am passionate about it and I think that is the only driving factor that will continue the business going forward.”

The way Elgin Free Range Chickens farm is to make sure their chickens are given maximum space inside and outside the barn. Product has

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no antibiotics, no growth promoters, no animal products and the birds are “stress free” which makes them “healthier,” she says.

Typically, where chickens are mass-produced, the birds are often fed routine antibiotics to prevent disease which proliferates in the crowded conditions.

“I would encourage families out there to question what they are eating, where their food is coming from and to make the decision for the healthier option,” Groenewald explains. “Our birds are housed in long barns with pop holes which are opened once they are older than two weeks so that they may roam freely around the pasture outside. The first two weeks are the brooding period, when the chicks must be kept warm and safe from predators such as wild birds. The birds are kept at much lower capacity than industry standard – we keep

them 15 birds per square metre instead of 25 and this helps keep the birds less stressed and helps prevent disease in the absence of routine antibiotics.”

Shopping for food is not as simple as it used to be.

An increasing number of people are questioning the origins of their food and the free-range and organic markets are growing.

“I think we represent a real feasible change that can be made to the farming industry,” adds Groenewald.

“It should be the minimum standard that birds are reared in the most ethical manner. The success of our brand is testament to our potential and integrity.

“On that theme of real, feasible change, we started a project with Superthene at the end of 2009 to change the way we package our chickens.

We trialled the PVC-free Cling Wrap in our factory

Elgin Free Range Chickens FoCuS fooD & AgrICuLturE

It should be the minimum standard that birds are reared in the most ethical manner

Deli Spices is proud to be associated with Elgin Free Range Chickens

on our manual and automatic wrappers and kept back retention samples for shelf life and quality analysis. We worked with Superthene, as well as the technicians of our auto wrappers, to optimise the properties of the film to suit the environment of the factory. It took two years of dedication to develop this product and we are phasing in the auto wrappers on the PVC- Cling Wrap. Our target is to run on only the PVC-free Cling Wrap.”

She says the company has also started research on a safe and biodegradable tray and absorbent pad. “We will embark on the venture in the next three years to find a product that is 100 percent suitable for fresh chicken and that fits in with our brand and food safety and quality standards.”

The new PVC-free Cling Wrap from Superthene has been endorsed and approved

by CANSA. END

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SPICES

tHE PErILS of

Dr Carl Albrecht, Head research of CANSA, explains why the international food wrapping market has been looking for a safe alternative to PvC with plasticisers for direct food contact packaging applications.

By Ian Armitage

p

lasticisers are chemicals used to make plastic softer and more ‘sticky’. They’re the reason why plastic wrap clings – and why it’s so hard to smooth it out again once you’ve scrunched it up.

They’ve been found to cause cancer in animals. But they’re commonly used to preserve our food.

It is a situation that CANSA spokesperson Dr. Carl Albrecht finds “unacceptable”.

“It makes me worry,” CANSA’s Head of Research says. “Of particular concern is Dioctyl adipate (DOA) also known as DEHA.” So, how are you exposed to it? Well, plasticisers can “migrate” into the food they’re wrapped around – especially fatty foods like cheese and meat. This process is accelerated at high temperatures such as when clingwrapped food is microwaved.

“I’ve noticed from the little research there is that some 20-40 percent of the PVC clingwrap is plasticiser, so we aren’t talking about small quantities here – we’re talking about sizable amounts,” says Dr.

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Albrecht. “It is a concern that it is used in food packaging and research shows it can enter the food. There is evidence that at higher temperatures, such as those you would need to defrost a chicken in the microwave for instance, far more plasticiser can enter food.

It is worrying.”

Urban legends abound on the potential side-effects and health risks associated with these products. So, what happens if you ingest plasticisers?

“It is not known what happens when we ingest the chemical,” says Dr. Albrecht, “and I was assured by many people that I needn’t worry about this because the chemical had been thoroughly tested and approved by the various bodies. But I remained sceptical and kept an open mind. As time passed, I started finding indications that the molecule was not biologically inert and there is evidence it could interfere with fat metabolism. That was proof in my mind that what we had here is a chemical that is interacting with our biochemistry on a fundamental level – and it was a chemical we considered safe.”

PHOTOS: Eric Uys – www.ericuys.com

PHOTO: Eric Uys – www.ericuys.com

CAnSA FoCuS fooD & AgrICuLturE

He says there is evidence that it can increase the expression of the Fatty Acid Transporter (FAT) gene, which is elevated in muscle of people with obesity. Obesity is related to about 15 percent of cancers.

“That is a worry,” Dr Albrecht says. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitors all plastic products to make sure that they are safe when subjected to the conditions related to their intended use. This includes testing the amount of plasticisers released that are deemed ‘safe’. This does not mean that the chemicals will not migrate into the food

during the heating process.

Rather, it means that the FDA makes sure the amount that is transferred falls within a safe range.

“I actually wrote to the CEO of the Plastics Federation in SA, and asked him to convey my concerns about this,” Dr. Albrecht adds. “I started thinking this isn’t a good situation but we can’t say without doubt that it is causing cancer in humans - there’s no proof of that. There is however proof that it does cause cancer in animals. That’s just too close for comfort. This is where we started to look at ways of minimising the effect of this product in society and recogne those companies that produce and sell clingwrap which does not contain the plasticiser and support them.”

After laboratory tests on various clingwrap brands, CANSA has given the nod of approval to Superthene amongst others, and inhouse brands from Checkers, Pick ‘n Pay, Shoprite, SPAR and Woolworths as well as GLADWRAP – which are free of the problematical chemicals.

“When we first heard about Superthene we were overjoyed. We thought it was fantastic,” says Dr. Albrecht.

“For years the international food wrapping market has been looking for a safe and environmentally-friendly alternative to PVC containing

plasticisers for direct food contact packaging applications.”

Superthene has been developed with a polyolefin polymer based formulation. to overcome the traditional drawbacks of polyethylene clingwrap. It is available in a wide range of widths and thicknesses to suit particular applications.

Elgin Free Range Chickens, which produces over 70,000 birds a week, employs 300 people and lists Woolworths, Pick ‘n Pay, Checkers and Spar among its clients, has embraced this technology, founder Jeanne Groenewald told South Africa Magazine (page 52).

“We trialled the PVC-free Cling Wrap in our factory on our manual and automatic wrappers and kept back retention samples for shelf life and quality analysis,” she said.

“We worked with Superthene, as well as the technicians of our auto wrappers, to optimise the properties of the film to suit the environment of the factory.

It took two years of dedication to develop this product and we are phasing in the auto wrappers on the PVC- Cling Wrap. Our target is to run on only the PVC-free Cling Wrap.”

Superthene is 100 percent polyethylene, non-PVC, non-toxic, plasticiser-free and recyclable. Please visit Superthene’s website for more details. www.superthene.com. END www.southafricamag.com 65

spICe spICe

baby 66

www.southafricamag.com

Set in the backdrop of Steenberg Mountains in Cape town, Cape Herb and Spice specialises in a culinary range of condiments that are headed for households all over the world. now the firm is launching a range of spice infused pastes.

By Ian Armitage

Cape Herb and Spice FoCuS fooD & AgrICuLturE

f

ounded in 1992 by housemates Irene Ivy-Schuurmans and Dale Kneen, the Cape Herb and Spice Company (CH&SC) has grown from a roadside stall into an international, multimillion-rand company. Ivy-Schuurmans and Kneen, who both had full-time jobs at the time, were keen foodies, passionate about cooking “creative and unusual” gourmet food and interested in herbs and spices that were not commercially available. They began locating and selling speciality herbs that were difficult to find.

They never imagined then what they would achieve.

“The company exports its goods around the world, as well as serving the local market,” managing director Paul Jibson says.

CH&SC officially registered as a business in 1994. The timing was impeccable: the company launched at the time of the first democratic elections, when export markets were opening up to SA, and it started selling to delis locally and abroad.

Soon its products were listed in Pick ‘n’ Pay and other supermarkets. It also began selling its special imported grinder bottles that became a trademark of the brand.

“We entered the mainstream market just as a fairly popular local herb and spice brand, Buffalo, closed down,” Jibson says. “But it was the export market that really took off.”

Almost five years ago the firm sold a majority stake to Liberty Star Consumer Holdings – a private label manufacturing solutions provider to all retailers in South Africa. Over the intervening years, CH&SC has evolved to primarily become an export operation producing private label goods.

“65-70 percent of our revenue comes from exports, while the remaining percent is from domestic sales,” says Jibson. “In terms of private label to own label products, the split is around 80:20.”

Private labelling opened up a whole new area for the company. This method has produced an enterprise with annual revenue of over £11.5 million.

www.southafricamag.com 67

“Private labels have been good for the supermarkets in recent times. Growth has been dramatic and they typically generate higher margins for supermarkets versus branded foods,” Jibson says.

One of the hallmarks of CH&SC’s success has been innovation. It has a dedicated New Product Development team and is equipped to stay ahead of market trends, ensuring it supplies innovative and relevant products.

“One of our earliest examples of innovation was the development of an adjustable transparent disposable grinder – that is a single use container with a grinder attached. While these are fairly commonplace now, in the late 1990s, we were the first business in the world to develop this kind of product,” recounts Jibson.

CH&SC held that niche for many years, however as more and more competitors began to use the same design, it began to lose its edge.

“In our industry, the only barrier to entry is finding the moulds for the grinder mechanism and a way of filling the containers – which can be done by hand if necessary,” Jibson says.

“So we had to reinvent ourselves otherwise we would lose ground to the competition.”

What was needed was a revamp, which is exactly what happened. The company wanted to keep the acrylic container-built in grinder combination, so it focused on redeveloping the design.

“We developed a container that was sleeker and more modern which we launched at the end of 2010,” says Jibson.

More recently, CH&SC has entered the paste market.

“We have enjoyed recent growth in Europe – in the UK and Germany specifically. We have been adding to our range of products and although we are selling niche market goods, they are competitively priced with the runof-the-mill supermarket herbs,” says Jibson.

“We’ve also added some new innovation to our product range and we’re introducing a spice paste range in some 2-3 months time. It’s a 100 percent fruit puree type paste, with herbs and spices infused. That is something that’s 68

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We have been adding to our range of products and although we are selling niche market goods, they are competitively priced with the run-of-themill supermarket herbs

Cape Herb and Spice Focus food & agriculture

new for us. It is an improvement of what is out there. Spice pastes have been around for ages but not this type of concept.”

Jibson says CH&CS is bringing the product to market early in order to stay ahead of the competition.

“We were working with a company based in Cape Town called Boland Pulp, which do fruit based pulps,” he says. “They introduced a range called ‘Squish’, a baby fruit puree. We were looking on assisting them with export and we took their product to one or two shows and we just came up with the idea of infusing herbs and spices into these products.”

Woolworths, which first approached CH&SC in 2000 and became its first private-label client, has worked with it to produce a private label spice paste, Jibson says.

“That’s right. With Woolworths we’re doing a private label and then basically the other retailers will have it in our own Cape Herb and Spice range. We will look at export but, we’ll get it in South Africa first and then we’ll look at pushing it up.

With the paste you’ve got shorter shelf life so obviously that has to be taken into consideration.”

He has high hopes for the range.

“It is a really innovative, good quality product.”

CH&SC has also revolutionised the sterilisation process, working with the University of Stellenbosch to create an innovative freezing technique. “This put us at the forefront of innovation in this area – achieving optimum sterilisation without compromising taste,” says Jibson. “We are also looking at CO2 under high pressure and some other ways of treating spices.”

And what of the future? CH&SC has enjoyed consistent growth over the past 18 years. It has now reached a more mature stage in its life but continues to achieve consistent annual growth, Jibson says. “We did want to get away from dry only and we’ve achieved that now. For the future it’ll be more of the same.

We have one or two categories that we are looking at but we need to look at what is in the market at the moment and how we can improve on it.”

He is also trying to increase penetration into the domestic market. “That is a goal and it is very important for our progression as a business. We hope to achieve it both through natural growth and also any acquisition opportunities that present themselves.”

In order to maintain growth, the company continually re-invests profits and focuses on human resources.

Its factory in Cape Town is certified by several food safety agencies including BRC, SGS (organic), SAFSIS and IFS. To learn more visit www.capeherb.com.

END

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SPICES www.southafricamag.com 69

SPDC looks to drive

Gau t eng f o rwa r d

Gauteng is a compelling automotive investment says Ms Welile Maleka, acting CEO of Supplier Park Development Company, which manages the Automotive Supplier Park at Rosslyn. She says the automotive industry is seen as a key growth sector, with aims to increase vehicle production.

By Ian Armitage 70

www.southafricamag.com

SPDC Focus manufacturing

T

he South African automotive industry has historically been considered a critical industry in the South African economy and the government has identified it as key to the country’s future, with the aim of increasing vehicle production to 1.2 million units by 2020, while significantly increasing local content at the same time.

They are ambitious targets.

And Gauteng has “a significant part” to play.

In 2011 the automotive sector contributed almost seven percent to South Africa’s GDP, making it the fastest growing manufacturing sub-sector in the country.

Gauteng is South Africa’s leading hub of the vehicle manufacturing industry and home to three of the seven local vehicle assemblers and over 160 automotive component manufactures.

It is “an automotive force to be reckoned with,” says Welile Maleka, acting CEO of Supplier Park Development Company (SPDC), which manages the Automotive Supplier Park (ASP) at Rosslyn. She says that Gauteng is “open for business” and that SPDC is “introducing practical measures to reduce the cost of doing business.”

The ASP, just in case you’ve never heard of it, is a

manufacturing cluster based in the northern perimeters of Pretoria. It was developed, says Ms Maleka, to “create a beneficial environment for automotive component suppliers by providing infrastructure, logistics and services.”

She says that by grouping different technologies, services and service providers, the ASP achieves “synergies and optimisation” through economies of scale and contributes to the sustainability and growth of the South African automotive industry. “The ASP is dedicated as a facility to OEMs such as Ford, BMW, Nissan/Renault, DaimlerChrysler and offers significant benefits, including cost benefits through shared infrastructure, services and facilities concept; central logistics warehouse and container depot; close proximity to vehicle manufacturers; world class infrastructure and offices, conference facilities and a retail centre,” Maleka explains.

SPDC’s mandate is to “support the automotive industry” and its mission is to develop “value adding location solutions” in Gauteng and contribute to the development of Gauteng as a “world class global automotive manufacturing region”. Its strategic goals include reducing the cost

Welile Maleka, acting CEO, SPDC

The focus of current policy is on converting the market from one based only on small scale local consumption to that of large scale manufacturing and exports

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ASP Factories - Turnkey Factories

of doing business, attracting and retaining manufacturers and facilitating the creation of jobs. “We are unique. We obviously manage the ASP and the area boasts the highest concentration of vehicle manufacturers in the country, all of which have become strategic partners,” Maleka says. “This is a tremendous project that’s matured and it works solely to support the automotive industry in our province.”

She believes that Gauteng is now “firmly established” as the leading hub of vehicle manufacturing, not just in South Africa, but in southern Africa, and the province is well positioned to benefit from several new initiatives.

Key initiatives to grow and support the automotive industry are set out in the “New Growth Path” plan and the “Industrial Policy Action Plan”.

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These are underpinned by incentive programmes like the Motor Industry Development Programme (MIDP) and its successor, the Automotive Production and Development Programme (APDP) – that will become effective in 2013, Maleka says.

“The focus of current policy is on converting the market from one based only on small scale local consumption to that of large scale manufacturing and exports.”

Countries like South Africa are becoming the new transnational regional hubs for assemblers – and the potential for Gauteng is almost limitless, Maleka says.

“This industry can contribute to the broader objectives of job creation, skills development and broad-based black economic empowerment,” she explains.

“For instance, a world-class Supplier Incubation Facility (SIF) has been launched in Pretoria as a joint initiative between the

The automotive industry has a leading role in our economic future

SPDC Focus manufacturing

Gauteng Provincial Government and the Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. It is a R100 million investment in the vehicle manufacturing industry and a vital injection in the economy of Gauteng.”

It is indeed a “vital injection”.

The provincial government committed R50 million for the construction of the facility and an additional R15 million for start-up costs for BBBEE. A further R32 million has been allocated for training and development programmes at the assembly plant.

“Moves like this are very important,” says Maleka. “It highlights the strong level of confidence Ford has in South Africa.”

So, then, we should expect a very bright future?

“We should. The automotive industry has a leading role in our economic future,”

says Maleka. “The automotive sector still has a way to go and the initiatives we have launched are designed to meet these challenges through dedicated training programmes and the integration of blackowned enterprises into the supply chain.”

The success of recent projects has confirmed Gauteng’s ability to conceive and execute public/private partnerships in the automotive manufacturing sector and there can be little doubt that it has strengthened the province’s reputation as an attractive destination for investment that will ultimately benefit whole of Africa.

“The industry is entering a new period of sustained growth and Gauteng finds itself at the centre of that growth path, with a vision to become the leading region for the future of the automotive industry in Africa,” Maleka concludes. END

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PO Box 60288 Karen Park 0118 South Africa Tel: 0027 12 564 5136 Cell: 0027 83 468 3175 Email: maureenscatering@ymail.com www.southafricamag.com

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your CoMPLIAnCE ISSuES

s o LV e D

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Bureau Veritas FoCuS MAnufACturIng

Bureau Veritas provides a one-stop service and innovative solutions in QHSE management, whatever the asset, product or business sector. Bruce Xiste vice President of Bureau veritas Southern Africa says his company delivers the resources of a global group with a local, focused service.

By Ian Armitage

B

ureau Veritas is one of the world’s leading independent conformity assessment and certification companies, specialising in quality, health and safety, environmental and social responsibility.

These, of course, are major pillars for businesses here in South Africa and across the region.

“We are a global leader in conformity assessment and certification,” Bruce Xiste, Vice President of Bureau Veritas Southern Africa, says.

With 80,000 clients in more than 100 countries, delivering over 100,000 certificates, there aren’t many that come close to matching the suite of services that Bureau Veritas is able to offer. It has a global network of 5,700 highly qualified auditors and expertise that is recognised by more than 35 national and international accreditation bodies.

“We offer clients access to a comprehensive range,” says Xiste.

In recent years the company has been busy adding to its asset base and strengthening its position in Southern Africa, particularly here in South Africa, with notable high-profile acquisitions including the purchase of Inspectorate, one of the world’s leading independent laboratory analysis, inspection and testing organisations. A major part of its business in South Africa is centred on coal and the coal industry, including on-site laboratories, exploration, plant, and shipments and consignments. Another prominent division of its Johannesburg-based operation specialises in metals and noncoal minerals such as platinum and chrome.

Inspection of commodities coming in and out of South Africa along with movements within the national borders is also a chief area. Port activities include administering the Richards Bay Coal Terminal Laboratory on behalf of shareholders as well as a presence in Maputo. ‘Clean Chemistry’ – pharmaceutical, www.southafricamag.com 75

Bureau Veritas Focus manufacturing

environmental and food – is another increasingly important niche. It was a significant acquisition.

“The acquisition of Inspectorate is a major step forward for Bureau Veritas in its global leadership strategy, making it one of the world leaders in commodities inspection and testing,” he explains.

“They have a strong local knowledge, doing things like environmental and food testing. It works with environmental engineering companies supporting them in testing and with major companies with environmental maintenance and monitoring programmes.”

Much of Bureau Veritas’ growth here in South Africa, and indeed around the world, is driven by legislation and 76

www.southafricamag.com

There’s always more and more demand for our work here because the market is also looking for more compliance

international standards and the need for companies to adhere to legislation. “The public and businesses are increasingly aware of the importance and significance of these issues,” Xiste says.

“There’s always more and more demand for our work here because the market is also looking for more compliance. When you want to sell something, or you want to import something, we make sure that what you’re doing is compliant.

Africa is becoming increasingly democratized and trade barriers are coming down. Economies are booming. The result is obviously increased demand for what we do as businesses look to take part in that.”

Bureau Veritas employs 1200 people in Southern Africa, which is a major

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trading hub and forms a vital part of international supply chains. Things are looking good. “They are,” Xiste admits. “The African economy is very strong and is showing growth. As subSaharan Africa integration into the global economy continues to improve, our business will increase. It is an exciting time and whether it’s industrial, mining, food, or whatever industry, we are able to help, providing local assistance and international understanding and experience.”

Electricity demand across the continent is one area driving growth.

So too is infrastructure investment. “There is a lot of demand coming from the energy sectors.

Investments are being made in energy, in construction, in infrastructure and of course

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everybody needs food. In South Africa, infrastructure development will create demand for accreditation.

We are of course specialised in the inspection, analysis, audit, and certification of products, infrastructure (buildings, industrial sites, equipment, ships, etc.) and management systems (ISO standards etc.) in relation to regulatory or voluntary frameworks. We are currently providing inspection services for the South African utility. We can do it all.

“We will prepare for the increased demand for our services by investing in our systems. We will also have to double our footfall between now 2015 and that is a huge challenge.”

Bureau Veritas is clearly in a strong position. But what else differentiates it from its rivals?

Although we are part of a big international group with all the advantages this brings, we provide very dedicated specialised services to our customers locally

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Proud to work with BUREAU VERITAS to supply ASME inspection services to the South African fabrication industry “Our single biggest asset is our staff and the awareness of where we are going and what we need to deliver,” says Xiste, who took up his current role in January. “Although we are part of a big international group with all the advantages this brings, we provide very dedicated specialised services to our customers locally. So our strength is firstly our staff – they are very strong and experienced - and then an awareness of what is required of us and where as a company we want to be.”

Key too is understanding what customers need. “We have to identify the key drivers and the specifics customers require as a service. We set out to understand what those needs are, what is unique to the client, and ensure that what we deliver makes them happy.”

To learn more about Bureau Veritas, which was founded in 1828, visit www.bureauveritas.com. END

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TfM LEAvES tHE

CoMPEtItIon

In 2011, TFM Manufacturing became part of tfM Holdings. now, it is set to grow, says managing director Brian Haviland.

By Ian Armitage

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TFM Manufacturing FoCuS MAnufACturIng

B

rian Haviland, businessman and entrepreneur, together with partners Lincoln Strydom and Brian Harmse, purchased TFM Manufacturing – a major supplier of vehicle bodies, chassis modifications, trailers and vehicle accessories on commercial vehicles to the South African automotive industry – in 2005.

The business, which was established in 1966, has grown steadily and impressively and counts the likes of Eskom as clients.

Things are about to get a whole lot more interesting.

“From Tippers to Tankers and everything in between, you name it, we will build a body for it. We manufacture and fit a wide range of fuel tanks, air receivers, bull bars, light protectors, mud guards, tow hitches – I could go on and on,” says Haviland.

TFM was first incorporated 45 years ago and was split into three separate groupings in 1998 following management buyouts.

This split has been reversed and the various business entities of the original TFM Group, as well as several other strategic businesses have been consolidated into one controlling entity. That included TFM Manufacturing, says Haviland.

“A total of 11 entities have been merged forming a single holding company called TFM Holdings,” he explains. “Each individual business or subsidiary continues to operate as an independent entity – with the support of a much wider, bigger group.”

As of 1 July 2011 the new holding company board was formed and has Johan van der Merwe (MD of TFM Industries (Pty) Ltd) and Brian Harmse (MD of Fabkomp (Pty) Ltd) as joint executive chairmen, with Mike Tomsett as the company’s Group Chief Executive Officer.

The companies merged included TFM Industries (Olifantsfontein), TFM Wynberg Manufacturing (Johannesburg), Fabkomp (King William’s Town), TFM Manufacturing

(East London), TFM Manufacturing (Port Elizabeth), TFM Conversions (East London), TFM Cargo Bodies (Olifantsfontein), Signs for You (Midrand), TFM Transtech (Cape Town), TFM Hydracare (Pinetown), TFM Customizing Centre (Durban) and the Ranger Production Company (King William’s Town).

“There are many benefits to this,” says Haviland. “We are now in a position to service our customers on a national basis and in areas where we had traditionally not been as strong.”

He says it is “a very positive” move for TFM Manufacturing which is now able to tender for large government contracts.

“Following on from the merger and the creation of the TFM Group, our BBBEE partners, namely DEC Trust (Disabled Empowerment concerns Trust) increased their equity stake in the company. DEC Trust now has a shareholding in excess of 25 percent of the issued share capital, fulfilling the ownership portion of our BBBEE requirements. DEC Trust are great partners, and it is a mutually beneficial relationship, enabling us to tender for work from which we had been previously excluded.”

The proceeds of the transaction will be utilised to fund future acquisitions that the group is investigating.

“Unifying the TFM brand widens our product and service offering and will facilitate national servicing and warranty back-up. It will also make us much more competitive in the marketplace.

“We are a vertically integrated group, utilising the economies of scale and synergies in the areas of marketing, purchasing and distribution, as well as administration.

“All of this is very important in our future ambitions. We are keen on expansion, eager to bring new products out and grow the business,” says Haviland who recently returned from a trip to www.southafricamag.com 81

It is an established brand; a brand that has been around; it is a successful and it has carved out a niche

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Botswana – where he is keen to exploit opportunities in the mining sector.

“The opportunities are there for us – they are all around,” he adds. “What is important is that we maintain that entrepreneurial spirit and flare within our own business, those things that make TFM Manufacturing a success. We have been a success over the years and we want to maintain that.

“The group’s success will stem from each entity and unit’s ability to maintain that spirit, the secret to their successes. As a collective we have to be innovative.”

The group structure offers a national footprint, with operational facilities strategically placed throughout South Africa, offering experienced and effective sales, service, and manufacturing teams Nationwide.

“It is an exciting time,” says Haviland.

TFM Manufacturing is based in both East London and Port Elizabeth. East London boasts the only natural river mouth port in South Africa. This port is utilised by DaimlerChrysler South Africa and other manufacturers to import and export goods.

“It is the ideal location,” Haviland admits.

“What sets us apart? Well that is one thing,” he says. “The fact that the business has been around since 1966 certainly helps too. It is an established brand; a brand that has been around; it is a successful; and it has carved out a niche. Significantly, we are able to adapt to client needs. We are flexible. Comparing us with the bodybuilder next door, we’d like to think we also now have the ability to service the fleet owners nationally as well as meet their specific requirements and be flexible.”

The business is performing well. Despite a tough trading environment, it continues to make impressive returns. “We are doing well,” says Haviland. “Certain parts of the business are quiet, others are booming, but going forward we are very positive. There is a lot of potential and there are a lot of big orders and big tenders coming up which we are trying to participate in and have

TFM Manufacturing focus manufacturing

submitted tenders for. If those come off, we are flying. We could even get back to the sorts of levels we saw in 2009.

“That is by diversifying, getting into mining, for example, and alternatives to add to our current product base. Ambulance, mobile workshops and bus conversions are a product lines where we see expansion and are enjoying growth. We are currently converting vehicles in East London and Port Elizabeth, with a new facility now operating in Midrand too. Together with the Midrand facility, we will be moving these products/ conversions to Durban with a new facility in the Durban/Pinetown region.

“How would we like to see the business grow?” he concludes. “I think the fact we are now part of the holding company and there is a relationship developing between the 11 other businesses is very good.”

TFM was established by the Modlin family to specialise in truck customisation, maintenance and repair. END

I think the fact we are now part of the holding company and there is a relationship developing between the 11 other businesses is very good

To learn more visit www.tfmsa.co.za.

www.southafricamag.com 83

Gekko was

wrong G r eed is n ’ t g o o d

Tranter proves there is more to business than profit.

By Ian Armitage

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Tranter Holdings Focus mining

I

n the 1987 Academy Award winning film Wall Street Michael Douglas played the loathsome and crooked stockbroker Gordon Gekko, who famously said “greed is good”.

He was wrong. The future belongs to businesses that can “make a meaningful impact and contribution,” says Joshua Ngoma, the charismatic CEO of Tranter Holdings, not those that chase “a quick buck”.

“We prove that there is more to business than profit and that putting control and ownership in the hands of those doing work pays off. Unlike most businesses, which exist solely to make a lot of money for a small group of investors and work on competitive principles, we are convinced we can achieve greater success if we empower other regional stakeholders in the mining industry and we are prepared to take risks with our resources and energy towards achieving that goal. Our mission is to help people become self-sustaining by utilising the natural resources they have in their own environment for upliftment so that they no longer need to depend on handouts. An absolute condition for our investment is that local communities have something to contribute – be this local knowledge, community influence or skills.

If they do not have these we will help to empower them.”

Tranter – championed by Sipho Nkosi, Humphrey Mathe, Mxolisi Mgojo and Ngoma, four top black mining personalities – has had a significant impact on the development of local communities in South Africa and more recently Zambia.

“We founded the business in 2002 but operationalised in 2007,” says Ngoma, who has worked all of his life in the mining industry, initially with ZCCM in Zambia then Cementation Mining and several other businesses including De Beers, Anglo Platinum and Sasol Mining. “Our objective is to focus on the mining and energy industries

in Africa and acquire businesses in those fields. We are looking to give opportunity to those that would not otherwise have had the ability to actively and directly participate in the economic activities of our region.

“Basically, we seek to create, invest in or acquire businesses where we can make what we call a meaningful impact.”

Tranter, an abbreviation for TRans-African Network of Technical and Entrepreneurial Role models, is divided into mineral resources on one hand and mining services on the other. In mineral resources, the company typically acquires early stage prospecting or exploration interests and brings them up the value curve.

“Tranter Resources is actively involved in securing prospecting rights in South Africa, Zambia and the SADC region in general,” says Ngoma.

In 2008 it helped form a Zambian local Company called Tranter Resources Zambia, he says.

Hard rock tools in warehouse at TRD

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Warehoused products ready for dispatch at TRD

Finished machines in warehouse ready for dispatch

TRD Factory

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To date it has spent close to $5 million exploring manganese, copper and other minerals in the Luapula Province.

“Tranter Resources Zambia is the first indigenous company that has gone into large-scale exploration in Zambia with the aim of becoming the first mining company to develop large-scale mining in the province.

That will be in a few years. The business has its own CEO called Dr. Sixtus Mulenga who also heads the local shareholder partner.

In Zambia, we have used our experience in South Africa to work with local professionals within the mining sector to develop the mineral resources in the country.”

Part of the income derived from the business will be used to help fund other secondary developmental projects in the area “such as brick-making, agriculture, tourism, etc., that will evolve as a result,” Ngoma says.

“So far, we have done geochemistry, pitting and trenching in our two big tenements and will soon start intensive drilling to establish the size, extent and quality of the ore body with the aim of establishing large-scale mining by the first half of 2013 together with our local partners. That is the Tranter Holdings remit.”

Apart from Tranter Resources, there are two other subsidiaries on the resources side. The first, Tranter Kismet, formed with a group comprising predominantly professional women, owns shares in JSE-listed Wits Gold. The second, Tranter Gold, comprising Tranter Holdings and five other broad-based economic empowerment groups, owns shares in Great Basin Gold, a Canadian company that is primary listed on the TSX, and secondary listed on the JSE. “On the services side,” Ngoma says, “we also have Tranter Energy and Mining Services, a mining and energy focused company, which acquired Boart Longyear’s South African Rock Drill manufacturing operations, a move that signalled our intentions to expand strategically. That

Tranter Holdings Focus mining

business is called Tranter Rock Drills.”

The deal included Boart Longyear’s percussive rock drills and hard rock tools product lines for sub-Saharan Africa and the rest of the world, and all its manufacturing operations in Roodepoort.

“This business too is in line with our philosophy of empowering people,” says Ngoma.

A quarter of Tranter Rock Drills is employee-owned. “The unit is fully, effectively and efficiently managed and partly owned by its employees,” explains Ngoma, who said it is one of the “major suppliers of pneumatic rock drills and hard rock tools” in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Americas, and parts of Europe. “We have seen orders increase and that business is progressing extremely well,” he says. “We have captured much of the market, both in the Americas as well as in Africa. At the moment, we are working to bring services closer to centres of operation, establishing repair workshops, and we have been investing in improving technology and getting better stock. We are seeing a lot of mining houses moving to our equipment because of that and moving away from other suppliers. That gives us an advantage and because of that we have started to recapitalise; we are buying new equipment to improve capacity and efficiency. We have already put through the orders for the new equipment and we are hoping in the next six months to have the factory fully equipped with equipment that is new and more efficient in order for us to fulfil the requirements of the market. There is a lot of potential for us and we continually work to improve our efficiencies on that side so we can offer the market a competitive price and service.”

Much of what Tranter intends to do next is in the planning stage, however.

“One of the things you have to be careful not to do is move at a speed you cannot control. You have to develop sustainably,” says Ngoma.

“We are proud of what we have been doing in Zambia and with how the Tranter Rock Drills business is progressing.

“We want to expand but that will come in due time: we have planned for that and we think it is going in the right direction. “ To learn more visit www.tranterholdings.com.

END

Proud to collaborate with Tranter Exploring Zambia www.southafricamag.com 87

Logistics MAkES tHE WorLD go rounD

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Hamburg Süd FoCuS SuPPLy CHAIn

South Africa Magazine profiles global logistics firm Hamburg Süd and talks to Area Manager (Commercial) Marc Linderboom.

By Ian Armitage

T

he world we live in revolves around trade and deliveries. You could say that logistics makes the world go round.

Well, that is the belief of Hamburg Süd Area Manager (Commercial), Marc Linderboom at least – and we’d be inclined to agree.

“Liner shipping, which is our core business, connects countries, markets, businesses and people, allowing them to buy and sell goods on a scale not previously possible,” he says.

The liner shipping industry transports goods representing approximately one-third of the total value of global trade. As a major global enterprise in itself, the international shipping industry is responsible for millions of existing jobs and plays a crucial role in stimulating new jobs. It contributes billions to the global economy.

“Shipping is very important to the South African economy and many other economies globally,” says Mr Linderboom. “We are a leading provider on the North-South trade lanes.”

Hamburg Süd, however, is much more than a shipping line. It combines an array of one-source services such as carrier haulage to create what Linderboom calls the “perfect” logistics chain.

“Our area office is in Durban and we have offices in Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. We have a total of 70 staff and we are a vital link to trade,” he says. “Many of our services are virtually invisible but add considerable value. I am thinking of intermodal services, which beyond pure port-to-port-transportation, www.southafricamag.com 89

Hamburg Süd Focus SUPPLY CHAIN

We’ve grown over the last few years and we’ve actually hired staff, whereas other carriers have been laying off. So it’s been quite positive over the last few years, I would say

ensure seamless connectivity via road, rail or inland waterway. Our portfolio also embraces value-added services which include, for example, storage and warehousing.”

2011 was a really tough year in shipping.

It was a year marked by the debt crisis in Europe, the weakness of the US economy, various natural disasters in the Pacific region, and political upheavals in several parts of the world. Nonetheless, global economic output grew by some four percent.

The waning freight market, shrinking demand for ocean transportation of commodities, over-supply of new vessels, volatile forex markets and a squeeze on earnings — these were the challenges faced by shipping companies. And that is what it may be doing in 2012 too.

“I think the shipping industry as a whole is quite tough at the moment but we’ve had a good few years. Globally, I would say not as good, but from a South African growth perspective it’s been quite good,” Linderboom says. “We’ve grown over the last few years 90

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Bridge Port, a division of The Bridge Shipping Group, ensures cool reefer customer service experience The Bridge Shipping Group has over 30 years’ experience as a logistics company, with a well-established sub-Saharan footprint of blue chip clients in areas including the agriculture, mining and minerals, project cargo, bulk containerised commodities and raw material fields.

Bridge Port Durban, a division of the Bridge Group, has empty container storage capacity of 7 000 teu and rail links between the Port of Durban and its City Deep facilities. With regards to refrigerated containers, it has a highly experienced reefer department at the Bridge Port facility.

“Storage capacity of Full and Empty Reefers, the empty container park, its proximity to the port and fast turnaround time, are all benefits that improve our customer service experience,” says Managing Director for Bridge Port, Roger Hogg.

High levels of OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) product technical expertise characterise the service provided by the team. Bridge Port is a licensed carrier of spares with a fully equipped workshop that can repair dry and reefer containers to IICL (Institute of International Container Lessors) standards,” says Hogg.

The facilities that are equipped to handle full and empty reefers offer special shipment reefer preparation, or cold treatment, for customers.

“Through contracts with a number of leasing companies we offer seamless off-hire facilities as an added advantage.” adds Hogg.

Bridge Port has adopted a philosophy of treating each customer’s cargo as if it were our own. Our reefer department’s capabilities and capacities, together with a wealth of knowledge gained by serving the industry for many years, provide our customers with the professional service that is required for the integrity of companies utilising reefer containers,” Hogg concludes.

Logistics – by road, rail, air and sea Bridge Shipping, established in 1980 and with its Head Office in Johannesburg, South Africa, offers the following services for bulk and containerised commodities into and out of Southern and Eastern Africa (being South Africa, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and Tanzania).

• Freight Services • Warehousing • Ocean Freight • Clearing and Forwarding (C&F) – ocean and air, project cargo

+27 (11) 625 3000 | info2@bridgeshipping.co.za | www.bridgeshipping.co.za

and we’ve actually hired staff, whereas other carriers have been laying off. So it’s been quite positive over the last few years I would say.”

He says that South Africa has a lot going for it - it is a middle-income, emerging market with an abundant supply of natural resources; it has welldeveloped financial, legal, communications, energy, and transport sectors; and it has modern infrastructure supporting an efficient distribution of goods to major urban centres throughout the region. “We forecast growth this year.

Obviously not aggressively!

We are very happy with the service we offer. Hamburg Süd is all about offering

Hamburg Süd is all about offering a reliable service and our customers like it

a reliable service and our customers like it. So, yes, that’s one of the ways we are trying to drive the business.”

So things are looking good and, with the announcement in May that port operator Transnet Port Terminals will spend R33 billion over the next seven years on upgrading and expanding South Africa’s ports as part of a massive state-led infrastructure drive aimed at boosting the country’s economic growth, they are about to get better.

Transnet Port Terminals CEO Karl Socikwa said 71 percent of the R33 billion spend will be on port expansion projects, while the remaining 29 percent will go towards “capital sustaining www.southafricamag.com 91

Sam Moffitt (Hamburg Süd South Africa), Captain Arie Sluijter, Dieter W. Haller (German Ambassador to South Africa), Sikhumbuzo Ndaba (Durban City Council), sponsor Margot Blume-Gast, Dr. Ottmar Gast (Chairman of the Executive Board, Hamburg Süd) and Michael Britton (Hamburg Süd Hong Kong) (f.l.t.r.)

They are the largest ships ever built for Hamburg Süd and rank among the vessels with the greatest reefer capacity currently available worldwide

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projects”, including the replacement and refurbishment of equipment.

The expansion projects will see major increases in the container handling capacity of the ports in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal and Ngqura outside Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape.

“That is very welcome,” Linderboom says. “There are several challenges within the local market in terms of the ports and while they make every effort to provide the best service

Hamburg Süd Focus SUPPLY CHAIN

Hamburg Süd sees itself as a service provider which implements its customers’ requirements as swiftly and smoothly as possible. Its more than 4,000 competent and committed staff pursue a common goal: to find the right transport solution, so that the cargo reaches the desired destination safely and on schedule

The Bahia shown here coming into the harbour at Santos, was christened together with the Bahia Blanca and phased into Hamburg Süd’s liner service between AsiaSouth Africa – South America East Coast. The two ships were the first of a total series of six new identical 3,750 TEU container ships for the shipping group, which are all scheduled for delivery this year

there are challenges that we’re all aware of in terms of getting the cargo into stack and transporters being stuck outside in traffic, delays on vessels, and the strikes that happen in the country, and all that affects customers’ production and packing and transport.”

But things are still looking good. In February 2011 Hamburg Süd christened the Santa Clara in Durban.

“She was the first of ten identical container vessels each with a slot capacity of 7,100 TEU,” Linderboom says. “They are the largest ships ever built for Hamburg Süd and rank among the vessels with the greatest reefer capacity currently available worldwide.”

The Santa Clara is named after a Hamburg Süd cargo steamer deployed between Europe and South America in the 1920s. Since her delivery she has been operating in the Hamburg Süd service between Asia and South Africa/South America East Coast.

“It is an exciting time,” Linderboom says.

The Hamburg Süd Group has a global presence – afloat and ashore.

To learn more visit www.hamburgsud-line.com and www.hamburgsud.com END

www.southafricamag.com 93

Joburg

CITY of

DeVeLopMenT pLan T o ‘ C r e aT e J o B s ’

In March the City of Johannesburg tabled its Integrated Development Plan (IDP) and flagship Programmes for the next five years to the city council. It has been billed as a chance to “create decent employment opportunities” and “change things for the better”.

By Ian Armitage

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City of Johannesburg FoCuS MunICIPALItIES

I

t has been billed as a chance to “create decent employment opportunities” and “change things for the better” and to be honest we’ve got high hopes for it. What I’m talking about is the City of Johannesburg’s new Integrated Development Plan (IDP). It was launched in March and highlighted green projects and infrastructure upgrades as being critical to achieving the ‘Joburg 2040 Strategy’. The goal is to “tackle infrastructure pressures”.

For Johannesburg’s executive mayor Mpho Parks Tau, who just under a year ago and a few days after he took office talked to South Africa Magazine, it is a major coup.

What was clear when we talked to him then was that he was not afraid of a challenge and was determined to “change Joburg” for the better. He said that the city would “continue to revitalise itself, boost its energy, regenerate its lustre, retain its magnetism and incredible vibe” and added that it would “not be business as usual”.

His goal was to transform Johannesburg into a “world class African city”.

And with the new IDP, he is a step closer to realising that dream.

“There are four main pillar on which we will build Johannesburg,” mayor Parks Tau said in his latest State of the City address.

“Those pillars are human and social development, sustainable services, economic growth and governance.”

Already this is having a positive impact and with the rollout of ‘smart meter’ technology - which will connect 230,000 customers over 18 months - things are about to get even better.

At present around 95 percent of citizens have access to quality water, reliable electricity and decent sanitation.

“We have transformed Joburg into a desirable destination for trade tourism and investment,” Parks Tau told us. “The task now is to build on its legacy and take the city to a higher level.”

there are four main pillar on which we will build Johannesburg. those pillars are human and social development, sustainable services, economic growth and governance

www.southafricamag.com 95

Smart meter technology has a number of benefits and will help the city improve its services.

“We have listened to the people,” Parks Tau explained. “We want a system that is accurate, reduces disputes and increases customer satisfaction levels.”

Coinciding with this is a plan to dispatch City Power technicians daily across the city to repair and replace damaged cables and take necessary corrective action. This will increase the network reliability and reduce power interruptions. In some areas where this has already been rolled out customer satisfaction levels have increased significantly.

“We need to improve the performance,” Parks Tau told us last May. “The people of Johannesburg need value for money and we need to improve repairs and maintenance to the infrastructure.”

Residents can soon expect to receive their billing statements

by MMS following the launch of several new e-services which are meant to provide online access to a range of services for individuals and businesses in the greater Johannesburg area. This is expected to improve things “significantly”.

Often mail gets lost in the post office or gets delivered to the wrong address and as a result the customer never receives his statement. MMS billing solves that.

“We are always looking at how to improve,” Parks Tau said.

In 2006 Johannesburg City council decided to move to a fullyfledge Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system called Rea Vaya and this too has been highlighted as important to the city’s future.

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The people of Johannesburg need value for money and we need to improve repairs and maintenance to the infrastructure

City of Johannesburg Focus Municipalities

A considerable chunk of the Phase 1B trunk route infrastructure and 17 bus stations is complete between Noordgesig and Parktown and the city’s focus now is on procuring ‘green’ buses and establishing a bus operating company for the affected operators.

The procurement process for the 134 new buses would incentivise maximising local content and job creation, the city says.

“It is a system that is benefiting commuters and industry, transforming the spatial landscape and reducing carbon emissions,” Darko Skribinsek managing director of FOT Consulting, one of the key players in the formation of Rea Vaya, told South Africa Magazine in 2011. “This all feeds into the city’s Growth and Development Strategy (GDS), aimed at addressing longerterm challenges facing the city such as urbanisation, climate change,

Promoting sustainability and creating opportunities

Committed to the skills transfer and development

Strengthening communities and enabling empowerment

2406 Forbes Street Meadowlands West Soweto Gauteng, 1865

Tel: +27 11 988 6558 Email: info@piotrans.co.za

City of Johannesburg Focus Municipalities

sustainability, and poverty and unemployment,” he added.

To complement ongoing work on the city’s BRT, work is also underway on redesigning the basic street template to include greater space for pedestrians, space for cyclists, improved traffic calming measures and new storm water approaches.

Demonstration projects will be rolled out in Orange Farm and Kaalfontein, Parks Tau said in his latest State of the City address, before reiterating that Johannesburg is moving towards a green future in order reduce its carbon footprint and pollution, as 98

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well as to reduce waste.

Parks Tau said the city will launch its waste-to-energy project as a public-private partnership to address the issue of decreasing space at landfills and to add to the its electricity grid. R2 billion has been earmarked for this investment and construction was expected to be complete by 2015.

Further, Johannesburg Water is also upgrading the water infrastructure in Soweto as part of its rehabilitation programme.

The R880 million Operation Gcin’amanzi is aimed at upgrading Soweto’s water infrastructure and is targeted to be complete in 2014.

Clearly, there is a lot going on and Parks Tau has made real progress since coming into office. The critics remain sceptical but it expected that over the next ten years things will further improve.

“I am focused on ensuring improvement in the quality of services,” Parks Tau concluded in our last interview. “We are convinced the city has a clear roadmap for delivery – both in the immediate and short-term as well as in developing a process for long-term development.”

The City of Johannesburg is poised for yet another exciting new chapter in its history, he said. END

An affordable front-row seat to one of Africa’s greatest National Parks

I

n 1999, Hillside Basic School in Chipata, Zambia, won a tree-planting contest sponsored by the Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia’s Chongololo-club.

This club is a great initiative by the WECSZ to educate young children in conservation. Among the treeplanters that year was a boy named Suzyo Zimba, who was about to embark on his first trip into the African bush as a prize for planting the most trees that year!

The WECSZ owns numerous properties around Zambia, amongst these a 400hectare piece of prime river-side property adjacent to the South Luangwa National Park, about a three hour drive from Chipata, which is situated close to

the border between Zambia and Malawi. They lease this property out to Herman Miles, the owner of Lupande Safaris, who operates a very successful safari-camp there called Wildlife Camp. Wildlife Camp pays 60% of their income on accommodation back to the WECSZ. It is this money that “The Society,” as they are affectionately known in Zambia, use to drive projects such as the Chongololo club. Wildlife Camp was to also play host to the winners of that year’s tree-planting competition and with bright eyes Suzyo arrived into the bush that today he calls his office! From that visit onwards Suzyo wanted to become a safari-guide. After school he headed back into the Luangwa Valley and after a couple of year’s of intense

studying (under the watchful eye of Herman) while working as a cook in the kitchen at Wildlife Camp managed to pass his Grade 2 guiding exam. Today he is the youngest practicing guide in the Luangwa Valley, and already one of the best – not only in the Luangwa Valley, but also in Zambia! He is a great asset to Wildlife Camp, who is now seeing the dividends of their investment into conservation education pay off.

Suzyo is currently working towards a Grade 1 qualification which would allow him to conduct a Luangwa speciality – the walking safari. If and when you find yourself in South Luangwa, make sure to come and pick Suzyo’s brain on anything to do with the African bush! He’ll amaze you!

www.wildlifecamp-zambia.com

An affordable front-row seat to one of Africa’s greatest National Parks

I

n 1999, Hillside Basic School in Chipata, Zambia, won a tree-planting contest sponsored by the Wildlife and Environmental Conservation Society of Zambia’s Chongololo-club.

This club is a great initiative by the WECSZ to educate young children in conservation. Among the treeplanters that year was a boy named Suzyo Zimba, who was about to embark on his first trip into the African bush as a prize for planting the most trees that year!

The WECSZ owns numerous properties around Zambia, amongst these a 400hectare piece of prime river-side property adjacent to the South Luangwa National Park, about a three hour drive from Chipata, which is situated close to

the border between Zambia and Malawi. They lease this property out to Herman Miles, the owner of Lupande Safaris, who operates a very successful safari-camp there called Wildlife Camp. Wildlife Camp pays 60% of their income on accommodation back to the WECSZ. It is this money that “The Society,” as they are affectionately known in Zambia, use to drive projects such as the Chongololo club. Wildlife Camp was to also play host to the winners of that year’s tree-planting competition and with bright eyes Suzyo arrived into the bush that today he calls his office! From that visit onwards Suzyo wanted to become a safari-guide. After school he headed back into the Luangwa Valley and after a couple of year’s of intense

studying (under the watchful eye of Herman) while working as a cook in the kitchen at Wildlife Camp managed to pass his Grade 2 guiding exam. Today he is the youngest practicing guide in the Luangwa Valley, and already one of the best – not only in the Luangwa Valley, but also in Zambia! He is a great asset to Wildlife Camp, who is now seeing the dividends of their investment into conservation education pay off.

Suzyo is currently working towards a Grade 1 qualification which would allow him to conduct a Luangwa speciality – the walking safari. If and when you find yourself in South Luangwa, make sure to come and pick Suzyo’s brain on anything to do with the African bush! He’ll amaze you!

www.wildlifecamp-zambia.com