magazine - Tsogo Sun Heritage

AN EXTRAORDINARY

DESTINATION

TSOGO SUN ENVIRONMENT#WasteStopsWithMe

WINTER FEATURECAPE TOWN:

magazine

IN THE SPOTLIGHTCELEBRATING TSOGO’S WOMEN

ON THE COUCHwith JOHN VAN ROOYEN

Introduction Message from the CEO, Marcel von Aulock3

Tsogosphere The quarterly scoop about our group5

In the spotlight Celebrating Tsogo’s women

9

Feature The Cape Region19

Feature On the couch with John van Rooyen15

Feature Southern Sun The Cullinan

25

Feature Southern Sun Waterfront33

Feature Southern Sun Cape Sun37

Feature Southern Sun Newlands41

Feature SunSquare Cape Town45

Feature Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard49

Feature StayEasy Century City51

Tsogo people Things that make Tsogo Sun people great53

Tsogo Sun Academy Tsogo Sun’s learning and development 55

Tsogo Sun Citizenship Quarterly corporate citizenship activities

58

Candid TsogoTalking Cape Town

69

Event highlightsTsogo Sun entertainment and event highlights71

Event calendar Upcoming events at Tsogo Sun properties

75

Tsogo socialites A glimpse into the Tsogo Sun social scene79

Feature Cape Town: an extraordinary destination11

21

IT’S THE THIRTEENTH ISSUE OF TALKINGTSOGO, WHICH MAKES THIS MAGAZINE A MILESTONE ONE!

Over the last three years, we’ve featured stories from across the group highlighting many of our phenomenal people, a variety of our incredible properties, the role Tsogo Sun has played in the broader economy and society, and the significance of our contribution to the tourism and hospitality industry.

This issue features Cape Town as a destination and our hotel properties located in this enchanting city of contrasts and history, of wine and wonder, and of unpredictable weather! Visiting each of the hotels and interviewing the Tsogo Sun people there felt very much to me like

letter from the editor

EditorCandy Tothill

CopywritersCandy TothillVanessa Naude

ProofreaderMaureen Hartley

CoverOn the cover John van Rooyen, Operations DirectorPhotographerElske Kritzinger Make-up and hairMadeleine BothaPost ProductionDieselbrook

Design & LayoutDieselbrook

[email protected]

Although the information in this magazine has been prepared and treated with all due care, Tsogo Sun does not warrant or represent that the information is free from errors or omission. Whilst the information is considered to be true and correct at the date of publication, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the accuracy of the information. Therefore, Tsogo Sun is not in any way liable for the accuracy of any information interpreted and used by a reader.

Winners know when to stop.

Tsogo Sun proudly supports the National Responsible Gambling Programme. Only persons over 18 are permitted to gamble. National problem gambling toll free counselling line 0800 006 008 or send a “Please call me” or sms to 076 675 0710

CONTENTS

@candytothill@tsogosun #talkingTSOGO

going home, as there is a distinctive warmth among our Cape team that makes for some very happy experiences. Read all about the Mother City and her people on pages 11 to 52. Also, don’t miss CandidTsogo on page 69 where some of our local leaders reveal the best places to go, drink, eat, relax and be merry in Cape Town.

Be sure to enter our feature competition on page 13 and stand a chance to win a weekend getaway at any one of our hotels in Cape Town. Congratulations to Zunaid Ahmed from the head office procurement department who won our autumn competition and has the pleasure of spending a weekend at his favourite Tsogo Sun hotel in Sandton, courtesy of talkingTSOGO.

Another great read in this issue is the Tsogo Spotlight on page 9. In the last issue we showcased our world-class new website, tsogosun.com, and we are pleased to congratulate Unice Mahlangu from the Ridge Casino, who has won the website competition. This issue’s Spotlight article celebrates Tsogo’s women. August is women’s month and with more than half of our group’s employee base being comprised of women, our impact on creating equal opportunities and promoting gender diversity in the workplace is significant.

From news across the group in the TSOGOsphere section and our community involvement stories in the Tsogo Sun Citizenship section, to the group’s next big production at the Montecastino Teatro – Annie, issue number 13 of talkingTSOGO magazine is another wonderful reflection of the exciting world of Tsogo Sun!

CANDY TOTHILL

43

introduction

messageceofrom the

MARCEL VON AULOCK

TSOGO SUN HAS HAD A STRONG PRESENCE IN CAPE TOWN FOR MANY

YEARS, HOWEVER IT HAS LAGGED JOHANNESBURG

AND DURBAN IN TOTAL INVESTMENT

AND SCALE UNTIL THE LAST FEW YEARS. WE HAVE COMMITTED SIGNIFICANT RESOURCES TO BUILDING

BOTH OUR PROFILE AND OUR FINANCIAL

EXPOSURE TO THIS IMPORTANT MARKET.

The hotel deal with the Liberty Group in 2014 saw us obtain joint ownership of the Southern Sun Waterfront, aligning our interests with that of Southern Sun The Cullinan hotel. This was followed by a significant refurbishment of the Garden Court De Waal, which has now been relaunched as the SunSquare Cape Town.

The beautiful Southern Sun Cape Sun has also received a R60 million investment to finally provide on-site parking and upgraded bedrooms. Following these

investments, we now have the exciting 500 room development on the corner of Buitengracht and Strand, which will house both the SunSquare and StayEasy brands, and be a leading force in developing the economy hotel sector in the city bowl.

Credit needs to go to the management of the City of Cape Town itself for the great work in reversing urban decay in downtown Cape Town over the last decade. This has created an investment friendly environment enabling us to commit resources to these projects. We still hope to gain and continue to push for a stronger casino presence in Cape Town through the relocation of an outlying license, and this regulatory process continues. To bolster our financial exposure to the Cape Town market, we secured a 20% stake in the GrandWest Casino operated by Sun International, which is the only casino currently allowed to trade in the metropole.

Should the proposed transaction with the Hospitality Property Fund be successfully concluded, we will own an additional four hotels in Cape Town, including the Westin at the CTICC and the Radisson Blu on the foreshore. These hotels will continue to be operated by the existing

management companies in terms of their lease arrangements.

Last but not least, we recently acquired one of the prime development sites in Cape Town – being the land directly opposite Southern Sun The Cullinan. We hope to announce an exciting new development project there in the not too distant future.

A key part of our strategy to manage and improve our Cape Town business was the deployment of John van Rooyen to head up hotel operations in the region in 2012. John and his team have done a sterling job in delivering both operational excellence in the region as well as building the Tsogo Sun profile with key stakeholders in the city and the province.

In closing, I can happily confirm that our financial results for the year (ended 31 March 2016) reflected good growth in adjusted earnings per share and were well received by the investor community. Our strategy of investing in our product, our people and our systems is paying dividends, despite the very difficult trading environment being experienced in the South African economy. Thank you to each and every one of our Tsogo Sun people for the part you play in this success.

The new Tsogo Sun website, conceptualised, designed and developed by New York-based HeBS Digital, has been selected as an Official Honoree in the 20th Annual Webby Awards in the Advertising: Tourism & Leisure category.

The Webby Awards is the leading international awards programme that honours excellence on the internet. The International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences (IADAS) nominates, selects and presents the awards.

“Honorees like Tsogo Sun are setting the standard for innovation and creativity on the Internet,” says David-Michel Davies, Executive Director of The Webby Awards.

TSOGOSUN.COM WINS ‘OFFICIAL HONOREE’ AWARD

#TSOGOSHOVA CYCLISTS TO GET THEIR ENTRIES IN

It’s that time of year when cycling enthusiasts start getting ready for the popular Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic, now in its 30th year, which will take place on Sunday the 16th of October.

Cyclists planning to participate in this year’s event are encouraged to get their entries in early for the 106km event from Pietermaritzburg or the 65km half challenge from Cato Ridge or the 35km cycle race from Hillcrest.

When registering for the race, guests can take advantage of the special Tsogo Sun Amashova accommodation rates for cyclists and their families. In addition to great prices, the package includes secure bicycle storage, early power breakfast, glucose stations and a cycle tour gift.

“It is an incredible achievement to be among the best of the nearly 13 000 entries we received this year.”

“When we partnered with Tsogo Sun to develop the group’s most important digital asset – the website, we knew that it was only the beginning of a successful future ahead,” says Max Starkov, President & CEO of HeBS Digital. “This award is a huge honour and affirmation that the industry-first capabilities we have implemented to bring this massive hospitality portfolio under one roof, is indeed a digital masterpiece. We are proud to share this award with Tsogo Sun and look forward to a prosperous direct online channel future together.”

Tsogo Sun’s PR team recently received a global PR award in the Entertainment & Culture category of the African Excellence Awards 2015 for the group’s exceptional ‘The Amazing Slots Race’ activation, which was conceptualised to launch Tsogo Sun’s third annual Slots Factor tournament.

“We aimed to do something different, something innovative that would captivate the influencers, entertain them, showcase our multi-faceted offerings, and inspire them to share their experiences with their audiences. It achieved exactly what we had hoped for: the positive awareness of our Slots Factor tournament and of gaming as a thrilling form of entertainment,” says Priya Naidoo, GM of Communications.

TSOGO SUN WINS GLOBAL PR AWARD

Tsogo Sun’s GM of Communications, Priya Naidoo (left) and MD of Strategic Public Relations, Vanessa Naude (right) accepting the African Excellence Award from Nicola Nel of Atmosphere Communications and one of the Jury members.

The African Excellence Awards are hosted by Communication Director, a magazine for corporate communications and public relations, which is distributed worldwide. The Awards recognise public relations, communications, brand building, and reputation management professionals whose work has displayed exceptional talent and ability.

In congratulating Tsogo Sun and the group’s consultants, Strategic Public Relations, on their win, Rudolf Hetzel, Publisher of Communication Director and Chairman of the Jury, said almost 3 000 entries had been received from around the world.

REGISTER NOW

IT’S TIME FOR THE TSOGO SUN AMASHOVA!

*Full road closure

GREAT RACE GREAT STAY Get ready for one of South Africa’s largest

cycle races on 16 October 2016 – the 2016 Tsogo Sun Amashova Durban Classic.

Starting in Pietermaritzburg and finishing in Durban, the race provides you with the perfect opportunity to enjoy great accommodation rates and a brilliant weekend away!

Register for the race today at shova.co.za and don’t miss out!

For more information, visit shova.co.za or tsogosun.com and follow @Amashova #TsogoShova on Twitter.

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TSOGOsphere

TSOGOSPHERE FOR YOUR QUARTERLY

SCOOP ABOUT OUR GROUP, HERE’S WHAT’S HAPPENING

AT TSOGO SUN…

SOUTHERN SUN ABU DHABI’S TASTE SENSATIONS

Southern Sun Abu Dhabi has introduced a range of signature dishes in the renowned The Foundry restaurant that capitalises on the gastronomical skillset of their new star Chef de Cuisine, Shaunne Cordier.

Chef Cordier made culinary waves around South Africa, having worked at some of the best restaurants in the country. He has established a creative culinary methodology with international influences that is expressed throughout the signature dishes at The Foundry.

Among the new dishes on the menu are pan-seared Barramundi, braised Wagyu cheeks, oven roasted Welsh lamb rack and langoustine risotto. The menu also retains The Foundry’s most popular plates that have led to four awards since opening only two years ago.

Other changes include an increased use of locally sourced Abu Dhabi produce,

Southern Sun Abu Dhabi’s excellent Blu Sky Lounge & Grill was named Best Sports Bar at the TimeOut Abu Dhabi Nightlife Awards 2016 in May. The venue has achieved outstanding success since opening in January this year, proving especially popular with sports fans who are able to watch all their favourite matches on state-of-the-art HD screens featured throughout the lounge. Regularly hosting live DJs and serving a variety of gourmet dishes, Blu Sky Lounge & Grill has established itself as an award-winning destination for nightlife entertainment.

BLU SKY WINS ABU DHABI NIGHTLIFE AWARD

Accepting the award, Pierre Delfau (Southern Sun Abu Dhabi GM), Clara De Lama (PR & Marketing Manager), Adil Souate (F&B Director) Paul Simmons (Sales & Marketing Director), and Manish Law (Executive Chef)

THE FOUNDRY WINS SECOND FACT DINING AWARD

such as premium sturgeon caviar. The steakhouse has also added to its portfolio of meat farms, now partnering with seven premium locations around the world.

Chef Cordier says, “Food and dining is constantly evolving and it’s important to keep pushing the bar, and to become innovative and creative while building the essence of fine dining and luxury. For me it’s important that I work with the best meat on the market. The Foundry represents that, given its huge successes over such a short period.”

Southern Sun Abu Dhabi’s GM, Pierre Delfau, says, “With the addition of Chef Cordier and a myriad of exceptional new cuisine options now included in our menu, we provide guests and visitors with authentic flavours and a remarkable dining experience.”

Team members, Bernard Mtengwa, Paul Simmons, Clara De Lama, Don Munasingha, Hesham Abdalla, Joy Van, Pierre Delfau, Wassim Al Chaar and Adil Souate, accepting the award

The Foundry, Southern Sun Abu Dhabi’s steakhouse, has won the Best Steakhouse 2016 in the FACT Dining Awards for the second year running.

FACT Abu Dhabi, a monthly lifestyle magazine, launched the first FACT Dining Awards last year,

celebrating the best in the food, beverage and hospitality industry in the capital of the UAE.

Fifty-two awards were given out in 26 categories in a ceremony that celebrated industry professionals and hoteliers from all over Abu Dhabi.

Pan seared Barramundi

Tropical passion dessert

Congratulations to InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers, which was voted the ‘Best Hosted Buyer Hotel’ for Meetings Africa 2016 by the South African National Convention Bureau (SANCB). The Bureau together with the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa (TGCSA) conducted a survey among the 207 international and regional hosted buyers who attended Meetings Africa to determine the winner. The Award was formally handed over in May by the SANCB and TGCSA.

INTERCONTINENTAL JOHANNESBURG SANDTON TOWERS IS THE BEST HOSTED BUYER HOTEL

InterContinental Hotels & Resorts celebrated its 70th anniversary on the 4th of April. The brand was launched in 1946 by Pan American World Airways and the first hotel was opened in 1949 in Belém, Brazil – marking the start of the InterContinental brand extending a trailblazing portfolio across the world. Today the group has about 4 700 properties in nearly 100 countries. Tsogo Sun is proud to have a franchise agreement for two of these award-winning InterContinental hotels in South Africa; the five-star InterContinental Johannesburg Sandton Towers, offering 231 stylish and well-appointed luxury rooms, and InterContinental Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport, South Africa’s only luxury airport hotel, with 138 rooms, including deluxe and executive rooms and two luxurious suites. Congratulations to InterContinental on 70 wonderful years of an iconic, global brand!

INTERCONTINENTAL TURNS 70!

Tsogo Sun’s sales team spends an enormous amount of effort promoting the group’s properties and indirectly helping to boost tourism to South Africa through participation in travel conferences and exhibitions all over the world.

Some of the recent expos where Tsogo Sun exhibited include the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, We Are Africa in Cape Town, Indaba in Durban, LE Miami in the USA and IMEX in Germany. Each of these expos is invaluable in its own right and, Belinda Pedersen, GM of International Sales, says that they lead to both increased awareness and sales.

Commenting on Arabian Travel Market, at which Tsogo Sun exhibited for the first time this year, Belinda says, “It’s a largely untapped market with good potential for high end FIT and small group winter travel in particular. We met a vast number of new buyers, many of whom were not familiar with South Africa as a destination. This kind of exposure lends itself to future investment with potential new partners.”

About We Are Africa and Indaba, which attract tour operators from around the world, she says, “Tsogo Sun has participated in Indaba since inception for almost two decades. The show is fundamental to the industry in that it is the platform for contracting, advertising and securing tactical offers in the various markets pertaining to their buying patterns. We attended We Are Africa for the second time this year and found it to be a remarkably well organised show with exceptional hand-picked qualified global buyers attending. Those who are invited are serious about the market. South Africa is definitely increasing in popularity for a number of reasons and Tsogo Sun is very keen to continue investing in the international market segment. We saw some great new buyers this year and have made good inroads into some untapped markets.”

Finally, on to the States in June for LE Miami, which Belinda describes as a completely untraditional show attracting participants from around the world, ranging from travel agents to concierge and entertainment entities who are looking largely for experiential travel. “Tsogo Sun participated for the first time this year, while our MAIA property returned to the show for the second year, exhibiting on the Leading Hotels of the World stand.”

BOOSTING TOURISM THROUGH GLOBAL TRAVEL MARKETS

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TSOGOsphere

The group has always created equal opportunities for women and has achieved remarkable results in many areas, including in the empowerment of female management, employees and women-owned businesses. Within our organisation, we are extremely proud of the fact that over 50% of our employees are women and we acknowledge the unique qualities and the value that they bring to our workplace.

As an organisation, Tsogo Sun was founded on the principles of broad-based black economic empowerment and commenting on Tsogo Sun’s focus on women’s

empowerment in particular, Group HR Director, Vusi Dlamini says, “These principles remain an intrinsic part of who we are and we are proud to be a Level 2 BBBEE contributor. For us, the development, acceleration, upward mobility and provision of opportunities for women is central to this strategy of empowerment and forms part of our DNA. With more than 50% of our group’s employees being female, we are empowering women in the gaming, entertainment and hospitality industry. This marks a milestone in our efforts to promote gender equality and transformation among our workforce.”

“We see the issue of upliftment and advancement of women as a journey. We can’t, by any stretch of the imagination, suggest that we’ve arrived yet. There are still a lot of strides we need to take to get to the level where we can put our hands on our hearts and say we’ve done well. Having said that, the achievements we’ve made thus far are commendable,” he says.

“Since our inception, we’ve treated women as individuals and created equal

opportunities for them to compete as women in the business world, and not as men in a man’s world. The result is that we are achieving results not only in gender equality and access to long term careers, but also in areas such as the empowerment of female-owned businesses; results that are achieved not by chance but rather by design.”

The criticism often meted out with regards to the empowerment of women is their representation at senior levels within organisations. Tsogo Sun has a strong focus on developing female managers within the group, which is reflected in the fact that 43% of our executive and senior management comprises of women. At general management level, 44% are female. The figure of 43% of women in executive and senior management positions is substantially higher than the national average of 27% reported in the 2015 Grant Thornton International Business Report (IBR), which surveys trends in privately held businesses in 40 economies across the world. According to this report, the global average of women holding executive and senior management positions is 22%.

South Africa commemorates Women’s Month in August as a tribute to the more than 20 000 women who marched to the Union Buildings on the 9th of August 1956 in protest against the extension of Pass Laws to women. The Government of South Africa declared August women’s month in 1996 and the 9th of August is celebrated annually as Women’s Day. The national theme for Women’s Month this year is ‘women united in moving SA forward’.

TSOGO SUN IS CELEBRATING WOMEN’S MONTH ALONG WITH THE REST OF THE COUNTRY THIS AUGUST BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE SIGNIFICANT VALUE THAT WOMEN BRING TO THE WORKPLACE.

Some exceptional examples of the success of our women’s empowerment policies can be found in Tsogo Sun’s leadership throughout the group’s departments and in properties across the country. These include the head of Tsogo Sun’s marketing department, Noëleen Bruton, the head of Tsogo Sun Gaming’s development department, Zibusiso Kganyago and the head of corporate finance and treasury, Laurelle McDonald, who are all specialists and trailblazers in their respective fields. In other examples, some departments consist solely of women, such as Tax and Corporate Affairs, which are headed up by Lungile Duma and Candy Tothill respectively.

“It’s a source of great pride to the group that women are running various priorities within our group, and all are firmly committed to our philosophy of achieving lasting results and delivering effectively,” says Vusi. “We are particularly proud that Candy Tothill, who heads up Corporate Affairs for the group, was recently announced as one of three corporate finalists in the Businesswoman of the Year Awards, which is run by the Business Women’s Association of South Africa.”

Commenting on the reasons why it’s important to make sure that women are advanced, Vusi says, “Firstly, as a country we have historically marginalised women from all ethnic backgrounds, because, by-and-large society throughout the world is very patriarchal, and the focus has always been on the advancement of men in what has traditionally been a man’s world. Secondly, the more we advance women the more we create a diverse group of employees, and the more we enrich the debates within the organisation, bringing in different perspectives on how to drive the organisation forward, which is a business imperative. We need to enhance this process by getting a cross-pollination of ideas. Without the valuable insights and perspectives of everyone, we limit our organisation.”

“Finally, there’s a saying that if you empower a woman, you empower the family. We are all where we are today due to the existence of women. The more we advance women, the more we advance society, the more we advance the world.”

Sharing his advice to women who are climbing the ranks within Tsogo Sun, Vusi says, “Don’t allow being a strong woman in a male-dominated environment to make you lose the essence of what got you there in the first place. The rules of engagement may be male-directed, but the qualities that you bring are complementary and are valued by your company – after all, they are the qualities that helped you to get where you are.”

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in the spotlight

tsogo’swomen

celebratingIn the arena of Tsogo Sun’s corporate affairs, the group’s commitment to gender equality is evident – and particularly within the Citizenship portfolio encompassing the upliftment of local communities, entrepreneurial development and environmental education, which is resulting in significant and positive change all over the country. These results are being achieved by a dynamic women-led team of employees and suppliers to the group.

QUARTERLYFEATURE:

CAPE TOWN

FAST FACTS ABOUT CAPE TOWN

• The city’s motto is “Spes Bona”, which is Latin for “good hope”.• The first known inhabitants of the Cape were the San and Khoikhoi. • Cape Town’s oldest building is the Castle of Good Hope, built as a fortress by the first settlers, the Dutch.• Cape Town is sometimes called the “Tavern of the seas”.• The Robben Island Museum is situated about 11km off the coast of the Cape Town shores and is one of the city’s biggest tourist attractions. Many of South Africa’s most famous freedom fighters were incarcerated here, including Nelson Mandela, who spent 18 years on the island. It was declared a World Heritage Site on the 1st of December 1997. • The Company’s Gardens and Government Avenue is lined with historic institutions such as De Tuynhuis, the Cape residence of the State President, and the South African Museum. • Cape Town’s tale of slaves, many of whom originally came from Malaya, is told at the Bo-Kaap Museum, in the boldly painted and terraced Bo-Kaap quarter on the slopes of Signal Hill.• The District Six Museum on Buitenkant Street traces the forced removal and eventual return of a vibrant mixed ethnicity community. • The world’s first heart transplant was performed by Dr Christiaan Barnard in Cape Town in 1967.• The Cape Flats, where a new urban culture is being forged, now provides tours offering visits to local arts and crafts facilities and sustainable and environmental development projects.• Cape Town is home to the world’s largest individually timed cycle race, the Cape Town Cycle Tour.

THE TSOGO SUN SUNBURST IS A

FUNDAMENTAL PART OF CAPE TOWN, WITH

THE LOGO CLEARLY EVIDENT ATOP LANDMARK

BUILDINGS ACROSS THE ATLANTIC SEABOARD AND

SURROUNDS, LENDING THE GROUP’S CLASSIC SOUTH

AFRICAN ESSENCE TO THE SKYLINE OF ONE OF

THE MOST PICTURESQUE CITIES IN AFRICA. BETWEEN

THE OCEAN AND THE MOUNTAINS, TEN TSOGO

SUN HOTELS ARE SITUATED, WITH SOME STRETCHING

HIGH INTO THE SOUTHERN SKIES OF THE

MOTHER CITY.

While Tsogo Sun’s presence in Cape Town dates back as far as 1972, when Southern Sun acquired the Cape Hotels’ The President in Seapoint, it is more recently over the last decade that the group has truly cemented its place in this most popular and well-known tourist destination in Southern Africa.

“We have committed significant resources to building both our profile and our financial exposure to this important market in the last few years. Credit needs to go to the management of the City of Cape Town itself for their work in reversing urban decay in downtown Cape Town over the last decade, which has created an investment friendly environment, enabling us to undertake new projects that will contribute significantly towards economic development,” says CEO Marcel von Aulock.

In one of the most ambitious and exciting development projects undertaken in Cape Town by Tsogo Sun to date, the group has begun construction of a 500 bedroom hotel complex in the city bowl. With an anticipated ultimate investment of R680 million rand, this new addition brings to 2 000 the number of Tsogo Sun rooms in the city centre.

Situated on the corner of Buitengracht and Strand Streets, the new 20 storey hotel complex will consist of the 200 bedroom, latest-design SunSquare hotel and the 300 bedroom, new-generation StayEasy hotel. Construction began in 2015, following an agreement with the owners of the site of the recently demolished Tulip hotel.

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Mark Boyd, Tsogo Sun’s Director of Development heading the project within the Tsogo Sun Real Estate Department, says: “Due to the site’s location, we have taken great measures to protect the neighbouring Lutheran Church in the construction phase and to ensure that the new design is sensitive to the Tothill building, an historic 1873 heritage building within the site, which will be preserved and renovated.”

Included in the complex will be banqueting and conference facilities; Tsogo Sun’s casual dining offering, Vigour & Verve; retail space and about 300 underground parking bays. The hotel complex will provide panoramic views of Table Mountain, Lions Head, Signal Hill, the V&A Waterfront and the Atlantic Ocean, and it is scheduled for completion by September 2017.

“Currently Tsogo Sun operates ten hotels in Cape Town, seven of which fall within my portfolio, and many of which have rich histories that are strongly connected to the evolution and development of the city,” explains Operations Director, John van Rooyen, who has been instrumental in positioning Tsogo Sun’s profile in Cape Town, through multi-faceted sponsorships and strategic involvement that make the group a vital contributor to the image and status of Cape Town as a world class tourist destination.

As to Tsogo Sun’s history in the city, most notably, in 1980 construction of the 350 bedroomed Cape Sun commenced and three years later, in November 1983, the 5-star hotel opened, having an approximate development cost of R48 million. The hotel was set to become one of the city’s landmark buildings, with lavish furniture and fittings of marble, original tapestries and a magnificent collection of paintings, engravings and even some Cape Dutch furniture acquired at Sotheby’s. Other items like an original VOC. Dutch East India Company chest, containing coins minted in 1764 embedded in an ebony lid together with 17th century prints by Sir Charles D’Oyly, ensured that this hotel would set a new standard of luxury and class in Cape Town.

While the hotel has undergone various changes and conversions over the years, it has always stayed true to its original essence. It was branded as the Cape Sun InterContinental Cape Town in 1995. Then in 2001, to adapt to the changing needs of business and leisure travellers in line with new developments taking place at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, it became the Holiday Inn Cape Town. Finally in 2005, in line with the strategic direction of owning brands with a stronger guest offering and focus, it became known as the Southern Sun Cape Sun.

Over the years the hotel has enjoyed an excellent reputation in offering exceptional service, providing luxurious comforts and catering to a wide range of conferencing requirements. Most recently, Tsogo Sun invested R60 million to develop a much needed underground parking facility for guests, and the hotel is currently in the midst of a refurbishment of its rooms to ensure that it continues to offer the quality its guests are accustomed to.

Another milestone for the group in Cape Town was the acquisition of Southern Sun Waterfront in 1998, which offers 546 bedrooms with superb sea and mountain views, making it one of the largest hotels in the group. In 2013 Southern Sun Waterfront underwent an extensive refurbishment, which saw Tsogo Sun invest R100 million into the property. The major project was completed late in 2014 and represented another step in Tsogo Sun’s commitment to enhancing Cape Town’s position as a world-class travel destination. Situated at the entrance to the V&A Waterfront and the city centre, the hotel, with its stylish Art Deco façade, new décor, finishes and striking prints of the colourful Bo-Kaap area, provides a truly Cape Town experience reflective of the city’s trendy chic and laid back style.

This was closely followed by Southern Sun The Cullinan in 1999, which is situated adjacent to Southern Sun Waterfront, and saw its entry into Tsogo Sun as part of the group’s acquisition of interest in a consortium with the Liberty Group. Southern Sun The Cullinan is considered the flagship Tsogo Sun hotel in Cape Town on the Foreshore. Classically styled and indulgent, it is a landmark at the entrance to the Cape Town CBD, and offers grand colonial style architecture and contemporary amenities with superior food and beverage offerings and an elevated service experience for guests.

The hotel recently opened the beautiful Parisian-inspired Stella Café and Bar, which overlooks the pool terrace for al fresco lunches and after-work drinks. Serving fresh and seasonal food, the changing tapas menu features gourmet specials such as lamb kofta, lentils with sweet potato and harissa, squid stuffed with salami in tomato casserole, and chilli pot stickers.

A short distance from the city, are the Southern Sun Newlands near Claremont and the SunSquare Cape Town hotels, whose history with the group go way back to 1973, when Southern Sun merged its interests with Transito Hotels and became the largest chain in the southern hemisphere. Tsogo Sun subsequently

bought these two hotels outright in 1978 as part of the Transito Hotels acquisition.Both hotels have gone through various conversions, with the most recent being in 2014, when the Garden Court de Waal was transformed into the SunSquare Cape Town, bringing a contemporary new accommodation experience to the trendy suburb of Gardens. The transformation involved a R35 million investment into the property by Tsogo Sun, and has added another dimension of urban cool to the cosmopolitan City Bowl area. At the same time, SunSquare Cape Town also opened a brand new restaurant, Zepi, which offers an upmarket and relaxed dining experience for local Capetonians and hotel guests alike. The innovative menu focuses on fresh seasonal ingredients with a rotating menu of starters, mains and desserts.

Another Tsogo Sun hotel with a long history in Cape Town’s suburb of Woodstock is the Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard, which came into the group as part of a franchise agreement with the Holiday Inn Chain (from the Rennies Group) in 1985. Over the years, this hotel has undergone various changes in branding and today it continues to hold a strong position in the area.

Just outside the Cape Town city limits near Blaauwberg Beach, StayEasy Century City opened in December 2000 forming part of an area set for new growth. The hotel’s convenient, affordable and modern offerings make it the budget hotel choice for travellers to this increasingly popular destination.

The group’s three Sun1 hotels in the area, Sun1 Foreshore, Sun1 Milnerton and Sun1 Parrow were rebranded when Tsogo Sun officially launched Sun1 in 2013, following the acquisition of the remaining 53% share of Hotel Formula 1 from Accor in April 2012. The hotels fall within the Sun1 portfolio which caters to the budget market segment, under MD Keith Randall, who has been spearheading the property refreshments and expansion of the brand over the last few years. “Sun1’s average occupancy rates are in the "mid-60s", while its long-term average is slightly more than 80%. These three hotels provide a fuss-free, value for money accommodation experience as part of the overall Tsogo Sun offering in Cape Town,” says Keith.

In a city where history and culture are inextricably linked with that of South Africa, Tsogo Sun is blazing trails in the tourism and hospitality markets that are equally connected to the fabric of this exquisite and extraordinary world-class destination.

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Win a two-night stay at any Tsogo Sun hotel in Cape Town - for two adults and two children!

You could win a two-night stay at any one of Tsogo Sun’s hotels in Cape Town – for two adults and two children sharing (under the age of 12), including breakfast. To enter, send your name, unit name, employee number, the name of your favourite Cape Town hotel, and the answer to the following question to [email protected]:

In what year will Tsogo Sun’s new 500 bedroom hotel complex open?

Competition closes on 30 September 2016. The winner will be chosen by means of a lucky draw and will be notified by e-mail. The original prize letter must be presented at check-in. The prize winner’s name will be published in issue 14 of talkingTSOGOmagazine. The prize does not include flights; it is not transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash. Entries are limited to one entry per employee and standard terms and conditions apply.

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A Durban boy by birth, John joined the industry working for Gooderson Hotels, initially as a trainee for his first five years, and later in senior management and GM positions for another five years. In August 1984, John was approached to join Tsogo Sun and so began his 32-year journey with the group. From hotels to timeshare, from Cape Town to Durban to Johannesburg, from GM to Divisional Manager to Operations Director, and from Holiday Inn to Southern Sun to Tsogo Sun, John’s journey has mirrored the growth of the group, with his latest move taking him to Cape Town to become Operations Director for the Cape, tasked by CEO, Marcel von Aulock, with raising Tsogo Sun’s profile in the region.

Describing the last four years as being the highlight of his career, John says, “I started out by identifying all the major role players in the Western Cape, the movers and shakers, the people who understood what Cape Town was about and then I approached them with an attitude of ‘us and we’, never ‘I and me’. It’s a difficult market for someone from Joburg to break into but I managed to convince them that we could work as a team to make Cape Town a better destination than it already was.”

John serves as Deputy Chairman of Cape Town Tourism and is on the board of the Cape Town City Improvement District (CCID), which maintains the quality of what the city offers. He has been instrumental in securing Tsogo Sun’s involvement in every major sporting and cultural event hosted by the City, including the Cape Town Cycle Race, Two Oceans Marathon, Cape Town Marathon, Cape Town Jazz Festival and Cape Town Carnival. As the accommodation partner to SA Rugby, the local and international rugby teams also stay at Tsogo Sun hotels whenever they are in Cape Town. Through all these multi-faceted sponsorships and strategic involvement, John has ensured that Tsogo Sun’s profile has been elevated to one of a vital contributor to the image and status of Cape Town as a world class tourist destination.

IN A CAREER THAT HAS SEEN JOHN VAN ROOYEN

ZIG-ZAGGING ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND WORKING

TO PROMOTE TOURISM WHEREVER HE’S PLANTED

ROOTS, THE LAST 32 YEARS WITH TSOGO SUN HAVE

BEEN EVENTFUL AND DEEPLY REWARDING.

You’ve got to take a chance on people with potential who show loyalty, commitment and dedication and then help them to grow into the job. That’s when your role as a leader becomes so important. – John van Rooyen

couchon the

WITHJOHN VAN ROOYEN

We caught up with John in Cape Town to get the inside scoop on a man who leads the region with a strong mentorship focus, an exemplary leadership ethic and abundant energy.

The person who inspires me most is…

My late dad and my wife. My dad was the first person to show me what you can achieve with people. During his time with Huletts he made sure that the staff felt valued and looked after. I was the middle child of five children and we never saw colour or differentiated white from black, despite growing up in an era that was defined by racial inequality.

The other source of constant inspiration to me is my wife, Gill. In this industry, a happy family life is not easy to achieve but we’ve always worked as a team and she’s been incredibly supportive of my career. My daughter, Megan, has also had a very positive influence on my life because of her character and personality. And we have two Jack Russells who are in charge of the house.

What makes me tick is…

Seeing talented people being developed into leaders at Tsogo Sun. Sometimes one is reluctant to take a leap of faith with people but I believe that no-one, including myself, is ever ready for their promotion. You’ve got to take a chance on people with potential who show loyalty, commitment and dedication and then help them to grow into the job. That’s when your role as a leader becomes so important.

My personal motto is…

Happy employees equal happy guests. The customer experience is enhanced if they see that staff are happy and having fun. That’s what we’ve managed to do in Cape Town and I’m particularly proud of the results we’ve achieved through initiatives like our Healthy Competition with Discovery, which has seen a reduction in cholesterol, control of diabetes, weight loss, increased exercise and generally improved well-being among our people.

Mentoring is…

Something I’m very proud to be doing. I’m part of the HCI mentor group in Cape Town and all the people who report to me are mentoring a student at the moment. I’m so proud of Dawn Mhlangu, who I’ve been mentoring for four years. She is doing her honours in BSC Chemistry majoring in Genetics at Stellenbosch University, and I hope she’ll complete her doctorate one day. I also coach a number of internal people and my vision for my retirement is to continue to coach people for large organisations.

The best advice I was ever given…

To be yourself, to show humility and to not be arrogant. Keep your feet on the ground. And understand that the more you give the more you get back – in any form, whether it’s money, love, kindness or advice.

My happy place is…

Spending quality time with Gill on our Friday night date nights. My other happy

place is on my road or mountain bike. I’ve done the Comrades, three 2 Oceans Marathons, and three Cape Town Cycle Races. I’m grateful to be fit and healthy enough to continue to do them.

Top of my bucket list is…

To take a train trip from Moscow to Beijing. I love trains and have been on many train trips over the years. I love how relaxing it is and the way the scenery changes all the time.

The one thing my parents taught me that I’ve always lived by is…

Respect for humankind. Respect for people at all levels, from the cleaner to the most senior person. It’s a philosophy I’ve lived by all my life and it’s stood me in good stead. The employees are the heart of the hotel.

The seven Cape Town hotels work well as a team because…

Each team knows exactly what’s expected from them, they feel empowered and know that they are achieving their objectives, which are discussed on a regular basis. We all live by the credo that if you can’t do it, don’t expect your team to do it. Our people are encouraged to speak their minds and sort out issues. I am very blessed to have a team of committed, dedicated professionals who run the region, which allows me to focus on strategic priorities rather than just on operational tasks. We know that we can rely on one another’s experience, motivation, passion, commitment and dedication. And we share the success.

Happy employees equal happy guests. The customer experience is enhanced if they see that staff are happy and having fun. That’s what we’ve managed to do in Cape Town.

Whether it’s comfortable accommodation, professional service, delectable cuisine or great locations with stunning views –we’ll help you find your perfect escape. With over 90 hotelsacross Africa, Tsogo Sun provides you with the variety youneed to discover your ideal destination.

Experiences shape your life. Escape to ours.

For more on the options available to you, visit tsogosun.com

Your idealleisure destination

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Prior to that she was HR Consultant at Hemingways Casino and then HR Manager at The Ridge Casino in Emalahleni.

Commenting on her beliefs about growth and development, Muriel says, “Employee development requires a shared responsibility between the manager and the employee. Companies must have a culture of ongoing learning, and structures that support learning through safety nets for failure, and opportunities for growth in all aspects of employees’ lives.”

Muriel’s passion for livingTSOGO is tangible and she spearheads various initiatives to continuously engage employees and entrench the values, such as quarterly roadshows, running a “Value of the Month” initiative and encouraging healthy competition between departments, rewarding those employees who are passionate about living Tsogo Sun’s values. Muriel also introduced the first Regional Long Service Award ceremony which, she says, motivates employees and strengthens the culture

within the company, recognising the loyalty and length of service of employees.

Motivated by meeting targets within deadlines, success for Muriel means achieving a challenging and measurable goal. “Most importantly I have a great team – Mariska Dunn and Sikelela Mambalu – that I’m proud to be part of and every morning I feel challenged to give my best to them. I believe, once you see that passion for purpose, you can achieve anything.”

Subscribing to the belief that ‘every wall is a door’, Muriel says, “I believe that for every obstacle we encounter in life, there is always a way over, around or through it. I appreciate the walls I have encountered and that they were necessary for my learning. I have been privileged to receive support and encouragement from many remarkable people and there have been a number of highlights during my career, one of which was being promoted to Regional HR Manager from HR Manager: Gaming. I view this as the company’s belief in my abilities and potential.

“I want to create a work environment where employees are enthusiastic about their jobs all the time. Engaged employees are more productive, customer driven, profitable and loyal. This plays an important role in financial success, since an employee’s attitude directly impacts on guest satisfaction.”

Tsogo Sun’s Cape Town hotels operate cohesively, as a connected team working towards achieving the common goal of creating memorable experiences for guests visiting the city. The regional team plays an important role in ensuring this cohesion between the hotels. talkingTSOGO spent time chatting to some of the key people in the region who are the glue that keeps the team connected.

tangible

passionfor people

Muriel Shabane, HR Manager, Western Cape

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MURIEL SHABANE IS ONE OF THE SHINING STARS OF THE CAPE REGION, HAVING JOINED THE OFFICE IN THE POSITION OF REGIONAL HR MANAGER FOR SOUTHERN SUN HOTELS CAPE REGION IN 2014.

THE CAPE REGION

MURIEL SHABANE

Georgio Meletiou, Regional Sommelier

THE CAPE REGION

GEORGIO MELETIOU

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winning withwine

Georgio started out as a paramedic, but with dreams of working in a restaurant and a fortuitous move to Cape Town, he found himself taking up a casual waiter position at the Lord Charles in Somerset West, which catapulted him into a career in hospitality, and has seen him spend the last 20 years in the industry, with 14 of them being in wine.

After a promotion to Maître D’ of the Lord Charles’s fine dining restaurant, where he used to use empty bottles of wine to practice the art of pouring wine for guests, Georgio took up the position of Restaurant Manager at Spier Wine Estate. Blessed with having learnt to speak five languages, Georgio was asked to do a wine tasting and rose to the challenge, impressing the guests and launching his interest in becoming a sommelier. After completing a Diploma in Wine Studies and the Sommelier course through the Cape Wine Academy he worked under a master sommelier for seven months in Italy before returning

to open the wine shop at Sun City in conjunction with Spier. “I couldn’t have done it without the support of my wife,” says Georgio. In 2002 he was appointed Sommelier at The Palace before becoming Resort Sommelier two years later and then Group Sommelier in 2008, leaving in 2011 to consult in Johannesburg and then joining Tsogo Sun in 2013.

His journey in wine has given him the opportunity to do tastings for some interesting people, including the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Tina Turner, Sir Cliff Richard, Morgan Freeman, the late astronaut, Neil Armstrong and Enrique Iglesias, and to do food and wine presentations for BBC Food.

Commenting on his role in promoting food and beverage within the Cape region, Georgio says, “The mindset and goals of everyone in the region is aligned, which are to be as effective, professional, enthusiastic and innovative as possible. I have the full support of John van Rooyen, Tsogo Sun’s Group Sommelier, Miguel Chan, the GMs, executive chefs and F&B managers, and we are committed to equipping ourselves with great product knowledge, be it of food or wine, and sharing that knowledge.”

With a job that’s the envy of most, Georgio is humble and grateful. “I realise I’m very fortunate to do what I do and it’s a privilege – not work. The best part of my job is being able to have working relationships with some of the best winemakers in the world, and if that’s not enough, I get to taste their wines too,” says Georgio, who says that each day holds the possibility of adventure and new discoveries.

Georgio’s motto in life sums it up: “Enjoy life today. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow may never come.”

IT’S A TOUGH JOB, BUT SOMEBODY’S GOT TO

DO IT… TASTING WINES, HOBNOBBING WITH

CELEBRITIES, TRAVELLING AROUND THE CAPE SHARING

KNOWLEDGE, ATTENDING TOP WINE AUCTIONS,

PROCURING WINES OF REPUTE… IT’S ALL IN A DAY’S

WORK FOR REGIONAL SOMMELIER, GEORGIO

MELETIOU – AND THERE COULDN’T BE A NICER, MORE TALENTED AND COMMITTED

GUY DOING IT!

Nadia Lukie,Personal Assistant to John van Rooyen,Operations Director

THE CAPE REGION

NADIA LUKIE

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ENERGETIC, ETHICAL, CHEERFUL AND LOYAL,

NADIA LUKIE IS THE BACKBONE OF THE CAPE

REGIONAL OFFICE, SERVING AS PERSONAL ASSISTANT

TO OPERATIONS DIRECTOR, JOHN VAN ROOYEN.

A go-getter who achieves what she puts her mind to, Nadia’s dream of moving from the corporate sector into the hospitality industry was realised after she became a PA to the General Manager of a hotel. Soon afterwards, she was recruited to join Southern Sun The Cullinan, where she worked for almost 10 years before receiving John van Rooyen’s call to join him in the regional office as Personal Assistant, a position she’s held for nearly four years.

“My job is never the same, which makes it exciting and I am extremely fortunate to have a gentle giant for a boss, who always expresses his gratitude to his staff,” she says.

a first classpersonal

assistantNadia is a huge believer in teamwork, saying that the regional team understands their roles and responsibilities within the group. She attributes the success of the region to this, and the friendly attitudes and mutual respect between managers and employees. “Just having the energy and chutzpah of John van Rooyen around us daily means that we can never forget our organisational goals,” says Nadia, who notes that the regional management team creates loyalty among employees by treating them with a combination of kindness and fairness.

Nadia believes in the importance of trust and honesty, and says that building trust among co-workers is the most important part of her job as it helps to create cohesion in the workplace.

Nadia’s tip for young PA’s is simple but true: “Maintaining confidentiality is a fundamental requirement of the PA role, and by keeping the office organised and functioning fluidly, you allow your boss to be more productive during the day.”

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Classically styled and indulgent, Southern Sun The Cullinan is a landmark at the entrance to the Cape Town CBD, located adjacent to the International Convention Centre. This premier hospitality destination offers grand colonial style architecture and contemporary amenities with superior food and beverage offerings and an elevated service experience for guests.

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YOUNG, CHARISMATIC AND DRIVEN BY A FIERCELY

COMPETITIVE SPIRIT, GENERAL MANAGER OF

SOUTHERN SUN THE CULLINAN, GARRY REED HAS

SPENT THE LAST SIX YEARS OF HIS CAREER IN CAPE

TOWN WITH TSOGO SUN – AND HE’S LOVING IT!

Garry started his career as an in-service trainee, working his way through various departments at the Royal Hotel, before moving to the Drakensberg and then Sun City. Initially starting out in F&B, Garry worked his way through the ranks from Resort Banqueting Manager, Resort F&B Manager, Hotel Manager at the Cascades and finally GM at The Palace.

Approached to join Tsogo Sun in 2010, Garry jumped at the opportunity to live in the mother city and to allow his young daughter to live in ‘the real world’. He started at Southern Sun Cape Sun as Resident Manager and was promoted to General Manager six months later. At the time, the Cape Sun was experiencing a dip and his brief from senior management was to ignite the hearts and minds of the employees and grow the belief and passion in the property again, which he achieved through constant engagement, small upgrades, getting management more involved and undertaking employee roadshows. Just one year later he was approached by John van Rooyen to take over as GM of Tsogo Sun’s flagship property in the Cape, Southern Sun The Cullinan, which he describes as one of the highlights of his career.

The son of a baker who completed Grade 8, Garry was born into the industry and considers himself extremely fortunate to have had the influence of his father in his life as a child. “He taught me resilience and the motto I live by today, which is that tough times don’t last, tough people do.”

With a great love of both travelling and endurance sport, top of Garry’s bucket list

is an experience that combines the two. “I would love to run parts of the Great Wall of China or a 42km marathon on snow in Iceland, or an endurance event in an iconic location like Bora Bora. I would also love to either start a charity or become a patron of a charity.”

Garry describes himself as competitive – about everything from sport to competing on a friendly basis against other GMs and other hotels. “I have two beautiful children and I’m inspired by them to work harder today to make tomorrow better,” says Garry.

Also a firm believer in the livingTSOGO values of teamwork and service, Garry strives to ensure that he engages with everyone in his team on how to work closely together to make their service delivery better. “It’s great service that differentiates one hotel from the next. You need to have the right people in place to ensure that your guests have the best experience.”

As the group’s flagship property in the Cape, Garry describes his hotel as an iconic destination at the entrance to Cape Town. “The Cullinan contributes enormously to the brand of Tsogo Sun within the Cape and in South Africa. People know it and resonate with it. The fact that we have a magnificent team of people who work here means that, although we’re a 396-bedroom hotel, we’re still able to create a personalised experience. We also pride ourselves on never forgetting the small details, and we’re particularly proud of our renewed focus on F&B delivery since opening our restaurant, Stella, and the appointment of Henrico Grobbelaar as Executive Chef and Lindsay Venn as F&B Manager, working alongside Regional Sommelier Georgio Meletiou to create a powerful trio of F&B expertise in the Cape.”

Turning to the more exclusive service provided by the hotel, where a butler service and pillow and bath menus are offered in the 18 suites, Garry believes that, under the leadership of Guest Relations Manager Pius Xulu, a service culture and elevated guest experience has been achieved.

Garry Reed, General Manager, Southern Sun The Cullinan

competitiveleading with

edgeSOUTHERN SUNTHE CULLINAN

GARRY REED

SWAPPING HIS TOQUE FOR A TIE, 24-YEAR VETERAN

OF THE KITCHEN, FORMER EXECUTIVE CHEF NOW

TURNED FOOD & BEVERAGE MANAGER OF SOUTHERN

SUN THE CULLINAN, LINDSAY VENN HAS MADE

AN UNCONVENTIONAL TRANSITION THAT IS

PROVING THAT A SOUND UNDERSTANDING OF THE

DEMANDS OF BOTH FRONT AND BACK OF HOUSE CAN

PAY DIVIDENDS.

Just a few months ago, Lindsay was the Executive Chef of Tsogo Sun’s flagship property in Cape Town, a position he attained after two decades of working in top establishments around the country, including Aubergine, Beluga, The Table Bay and The Palace, having been recruited by the likes of Conrad Gallagher. Working his way up, in what he describes as ‘the Bruce Lee story’, Lindsay gained experience in the kitchen by working with chefs he wanted to learn from, being paid a minimal wage and mastering their craft, then moving on to a new chef, sometimes taking a drop in salary to absorb their knowledge and skill. “I’ve always believed in the values of being humble, working hard, being disciplined and surrounding yourself with the right people,” says Lindsay.

His journey took him to Southern Sun The Cullinan as Executive Chef four years ago, until his yearning for new challenges pushed him out of his comfort zone and into the role of F&B Manager. “I’m learning the other side of the business every day,” he says, describing how one of the

unexpected challenges he’s been faced with is having a staff complement that has quadrupled overnight. “From a kitchen brigade of between 30 and 38 people, I’m now managing around 150 personalities.”

Lindsay is applying his philosophy of collaborative management, which he learnt as a chef, to the F&B environment, where his strong affinity for teamwork and growth of people, which was instilled in him by his father, is providing his team with leadership by example and the opportunity to flourish. “It’s very important to me to help people. I believe in listening to your staff before deciding how to address a situation and I am passionate about empowering people.”

His personal mantra as a chef – “Have you reached your ceiling with a dish? Is that the best you can do? Can you push it more?” – is something he is applying in his new position. “It’s important to push employees not to stagnate, to plant a seed and encourage them to grow, nurturing them along the way. It’s as important with barmen and sommeliers as it is with chefs.”

Most recently, Lindsay was asked to take charge of the kitchen for Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka in the Tour de France. Having represented Tsogo Sun in various food shows all over the world, Lindsay has extensive experience in cooking for professional sportsmen of all disciplines. He has cooked for the likes of The Springboks, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspurs but he says that this experience has been a highlight for him. “I was honored to cook for Team Dimension Data, particularly while they were competing in one of the most prestigious and challenging cycling races in the world,” he says.

managing the

businessfoodof

Lindsay Venn, F&B Manager, Southern Sun The Cullinan

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SOUTHERN SUNTHE CULLINAN

LINDSAY VENN

Henrico Grobbelaar, Executive Chef, Southern Sun The Cullinan

Officially representing South Africa on our National Culinary Team, Henrico will be competing against 31 nations from around the globe at the IKA Culinary Olympics in Germany in October.

Henrico began his Olympic culinary journey on the development team in 2005 and has since worked his way through the ranks to become the 2016 team captain. “The SA National Culinary Team is a platform for chefs to go above and beyond. In our jobs, we work long hours and we are under pressure all the time. As a member of the team, even your downtime becomes more kitchen time, allowing you to hone your skills and enhance your creativity. It takes a lot of commitment, discipline, focus and dedication to be on the team. The IKA Culinary Olympics is the highest level of gastronomy excellence and I am excited to represent South Africa,” says Henrico.

Although the crisp, white chef’s jacket always held a fascination for Henrico, he qualified as a polymer engineer in 2001. Swimming against the tide, Henrico made the seemingly radical decision to exchange his career in engineering for one as a chef… and he hasn’t looked back since.

“To be a chef, you must have a tenacious personality because this is a demanding industry that requires a high level of commitment and effort if you want to succeed. It is a creative craft and you must be able to receive criticism well. The hours are long and the environment is hot, fast and noisy, but the rewards are huge,” he says.

Henrico constantly pushes boundaries to grow his skills. His cuisine is innovative and exciting as evidenced in his ability to elevate classic dishes to mouth-watering new heights.

His rise to ‘fame’ hasn’t been meteoric; it has been steady and consistent. He has a long list of accolades, most notably winning Sunday Times Chef of the Year 2009 and San Pellegrino International Young Chef of the World 2009. His enviable résumé lists positions including Executive Chef to the World Economic Forum in Switzerland in 2010 and the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

After more than a decade in the industry, Henrico joined Southern Sun The Cullinan in February 2016 as Executive Chef, having initially been employed for nine months at Southern Sun Waterfront. His position at Southern Sun The Cullinan has given him the opportunity to unleash some of his creativity at Stella which, he says, is unique because the restaurant offers two menus, one being a light main course and the other a tapas menu, into which he has injected a Cape Malay influence that’s become the ‘stellar’ dish on Stella’s menu.

THERE’S A SPRINGBOK OF THE CULINARY VARIETY AT TSOGO SUN – AND HE IS

NONE OTHER THAN EXECUTIVE CHEF OF SOUTHERN SUN THE CULLINAN, HENRICO

GROBBELAAR.

SOUTHERN SUNTHE CULLINAN

HENRICO GROBBELAAR

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talent ofOlympic

proportions3029

DRAWING ON HIS TRADITIONAL CULTURE OF HOSPITALITY, ONE OF THE

NEWEST ADDITIONS TO THE SOUTHERN SUN THE

CULLINAN TEAM, GUEST RELATIONS MANAGER PIUS

XULU IS PASSIONATE ABOUT HIS JOB, AND EQUALLY SO ABOUT THE COMPANY HE

WORKS FOR.

Having worked at Sun City for 10 years, followed by a two-year stint at two theme parks – Ferrari World and Kidzania, both in the Emirates – and two years back at home when his family’s land was returned as a result of the Land Reform Act, Pius was ready for change and the opportunity to welcome people and make them feel at home, which he says, is what we, as Africans do naturally.

Since March, Pius has enjoyed the livingTSOGO way of doing things. “It’s so different from what I’ve experienced in the past. Opportunities for growth are not just spoken about but they actually happen. Employees are looked after and everyone is overwhelmingly nice. I see John van Rooyen quite regularly, and that alone tells me that everyone is here to work. Working at the flagship in the Cape region is a wonderful opportunity because my background is in delivering five star service, and that’s what we strive for here.”

Originally from Durban, Pius is enjoying his new life in Cape Town with his wife, and he plans to work hard to take advantage of all the opportunities presented to him. “I like the culture of Tsogo Sun and the outlook of Marcel von Aulock. From seeing him in the induction video to meeting him in person at the hotel and reading his messages in our magazines, I can see that he tries his best to be transparent and involve people. That’s the kind of leadership I like. I can see that there is a lot I’m going to learn and gain from being an employee at Tsogo Sun.”

hospitalitynatural born

Pius Xulu, Guest Relations Manager, Southern Sun The Cullinan

SOUTHERN SUNTHE CULLINAN

PIUS XULU

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Prior to joining Tsogo Sun, Jeff spent 21 years with Sun International, having joined the group at its inception. He took up his first General Manager position at the age of 29 and has been a GM for 32 years.

Jeff joined Tsogo Sun as GM of Sabi River Sun, where he stayed for seven years until his daughters finished school in the Lowveld, a period he recalls with great fondness. From there, it was on to Beacon Island in Plettenberg Bay for five years before moving to Cape Town, the city he’s called home for the last eight years. “My wife is a Capetonian and it was always our intention to move here. We’ve been together for 34 years and we live in the family home she grew up in.”

For Jeff, there have been many highlights on his journey with Tsogo Sun, the majority of which have centred around his passion for development and refurbishment of product, which he was involved in at Sabi River Sun, Beacon Island and most recently the R100 million refurbishment of Southern Sun Waterfront. The highlight of his career, however, was his involvement in the inauguration of President Nelson Mandela, when he was part of a three-man team who arranged the inaugural functions for the largest gathering of heads of state

ever in South Africa at the time. “It was a momentous occasion and the greatest honour of my career.”

With a leadership style that’s reciprocally supportive, Jeff lives the mantra that was instilled in him by his father – that there is no substitute for honesty and ethics. “I’m also a firm believer that what you put in is what you get out,” he says.

It’s no surprise then that teamwork and ownership are the livingTSOGO values that stand out for Jeff. “Teamwork is very closely linked with ownership, and we have been working hard as a team to instil the understanding that empowerment is bestowed on those who do everything to the best of their ability.”

Jeff is passionate about his hotel, explaining that, with 537 rooms, it’s the biggest hotel under one roof in the group. “A hotel of this size brings its own challenges. For example, when we’re running at high occupancy, we can launder up to 14 000 pieces of linen a day, serve 1 000 breakfasts across two restaurants and we can have around 450 arrivals and departures. The challenge is to ensure that we don’t lose the personalised touch.” With an eGuestSurv rating of close to 90%, it’s clear that Jeff’s recipe for service is a successful one.

Jeff is quick to commend his entire team, and has nothing but praise for Mercia Horn, Rooms Division Manager. “Mercia is larger than life and she lights up a room with her personality. She’s also eminently capable, and she recently pushed herself out of her comfort zone and stepped up to the plate, running the hotel in my absence when I went on leave in May. She is a valuable asset to the Southern Sun Waterfront.”

a wealth of

wisdom WITH ALMOST 20

YEARS OF SERVICE TO TSOGO SUN, GENERAL MANAGER OF SOUTHERN SUN WATERFRONT, JEFF ROSENBERG IS THE EPITOME OF AN HOTELIER AND HE STILL HAS THE SAME PASSION FOR THE INDUSTRY AS HE HAD WHEN HE STARTED OUT 41 YEARS AGO.

Jeff Rosenberg,General Manager, Southern Sun Waterfront

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Centrally located with stunning views and stylish accommodation, Southern Sun Waterfront is one of Cape Town’s preferred destinations, offering 537 bedrooms, attentive service and memorable dining experiences.

SOUTHERN SUN WATERFRONTJEFF ROSENBERG

With almost a decade of service to Tsogo Sun, working at both Southern Sun Waterfront and Southern Sun Newlands, Mercia’s heart lies in rooms. General Manager Jeff Rosenberg’s recent absence from the hotel while on leave gave her the opportunity to prove to herself what he already knew she was capable of.

Although the livingTSOGO values of teamwork and service are important to Mercia, it’s ownership that resonates most for her. “It’s not just a company value – it’s what my parents instilled in me.” Mercia is driven by the hope and belief that she will make a difference in someone’s life, be it a guest, colleague, family member or a person on the street. Her personal motto, she says, has changed over time, “One of the things

I’ve learnt is to work hard and play hard. As a single mother of an eight-year-old, the value of hard work and sacrifice is a lesson I hope to teach my daughter.”

Being Rooms Division Manager of such a large hotel means she is faced with many challenges. “The goalposts are a moving target, and what you plan to do compared to what you actually achieve for the day is often very different. There will always be challenges no matter what you do, but the strength of our team makes it so much easier.”

“My advice to someone starting out in the industry is the same as what my dad gave me: have the right attitude, work hard and be true to yourself.”

A GENUINE PASSION FOR THE INDUSTRY AND ABILITY TO FOSTER TEAMWORK HAS SEEN MERCIA

HORN, ROOMS DIVISION MANAGER OF SOUTHERN SUN WATERFRONT, TAKING OWNERSHIP AND

RESPONSIBILITY FOR TEMPORARILY RUNNING THE HOTEL, CATAPULTING HER OUT OF HER COMFORT

ZONE AND PROVING HER ABILITY.

to the nexttaking rooms

level

Mercia Horn, Rooms Division Manager, Southern Sun Waterfront

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SOUTHERN SUN WATERFRONT

MERCIA HORN

Standing tall in Cape Town’s CBD, the Southern Sun Cape Sun offers postcard perfect views of one of the world’s most beautiful cities, with Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean serving as fitting backdrops for this elegant 368 room hotel, which also offers two restaurants and nine conference venues that can accommodate 650 delegates.

homecominga welcome

A MAN WHO HAS TRAVELLED THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF OUR

BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY IN SERVICE TO THE GROUP

HAS RETURNED TO THE CITY HE WORKED IN WHEN HE

FIRST JOINED TSOGO SUN. IT’S BEEN A HOMECOMING

THAT’S BROUGHT A WELCOME RETURN TO

HIS ROOTS.

Jacques Moolman, his wife, Suzel and three children left Joburg and his position as GM of 54 on Bath to take up the position of GM of Southern Sun Cape Sun last year. Both Capetonians by birth, Jacques and Suzel have travelled from Cape Town, where Jacques’ first position with the group was F&B Manager for the Cape Town hotels, to the winelands, the Lowveld, Plettenberg Bay and Joburg.

It was in Joburg when Jacques experienced the highlight of his career, when 54 on Bath was awarded Best Luxury Hotel in Johannesburg and one of the top five in the country by TripAdvisor. “It’s an amazing feeling when all the hours and effort you’ve put in come to fruition. There have been so many highlights and Tsogo Sun has been really good to me throughout the years. The refurb at Beacon Island was also one of the most memorable times in my career. We achieved things that hadn’t been done before, and it makes you want to do more.”

Jacques is driven by the excitement of doing something new, of making a

difference, whether it may be through hosting a memorable function or doing something that impacts someone’s life. “We are exceptionally privileged as hoteliers to stay in the best hotels and enjoy the best wines and food. I’m very glad I didn’t pursue my dream of becoming a lawyer and instead travelled to Switzerland as an exchange student for six months – and ended up staying for three years, which is where I fell in love with working in hotels!”

Clearly a man who makes the most of every opportunity presented to him, Jacques has embraced the chance to change the perception of the Cape Sun as an ‘old lady’ to one of a landmark hotel with fond memories for South Africans that offers one of the biggest conferencing venues and some of the most spectacular views of the city. “The group has invested in high tech parking featuring world-first technology. We have 368 rooms that only start on the 10th floor, which means that every room has a view. We’re also currently refurbishing the bedrooms, and changing 224 of them from king and twin rooms to double-double, which will change the profile from a strictly corporate hotel to one that is both conference and family-friendly.

The Southern Sun Cape Sun people remain one of the hotel’s biggest assets and few more so than Tanya Bosch, Rooms Division Manager, who Jacques describes as young, up-and-coming and dynamic. “Tanya is one of those people who has thought about something before you have, who gets things done with barely a mention of it needing to be done. She’s the kind of go-getter you come across only once or twice in your life.”

SOUTHERN SUN CAPE SUN

JACQUES MOOLMAN

Jacques Moolman, General Manager,Southern Sun Cape Sun

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ROOMS DIVISION MANAGER OF SOUTHERN

SUN CAPE SUN, TANYA BOSCH HAS AN OUTLOOK

ON LIFE THAT’S STOOD HER IN GOOD STEAD

THROUGHOUT HER CAREER – TO SURROUND HERSELF WITH POSITIVITY, LISTEN TO SOUND ADVICE AND

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PRAYER.

Tanya joined the group six years ago at the height of the World Cup, having grown up in Graaff-Reinet, and studied and worked in hotels in Port Elizabeth. Initially starting out as Guest Services Manager at Garden Court Kings Beach, Tanya later moved to Southern Sun The Cullinan before transferring to Cape Sun 18 months ago. She is delighted to be expecting her first child in November.

For Tanya, her entire experience of working for Tsogo Sun has been the highlight of her career. “It’s been exciting, from the day I started to now. I’ve been on GIBS and Management Skills Builders; I’ve learnt in leaps and bounds from my move from a

Garden Court to the Southern Sun brand; I’ve been exposed to so many things in just six years. The reality is that the world is your oyster as a Tsogo Sun employee. My latest highlight has been working at Southern Sun Cape Sun, because so many Tsogo people have worked here at some point in their careers. To say I’ve also worked at the Cape Sun, which has so much history, and to see the parking development and the soft refurb coming together, has been a privilege.”

Asked what makes her want to come to work every morning, Tanya says, “It’s very simple – I feel appreciated. I think that plays a big role in anyone’s life and it has a positive influence on others.” Living by a quote from Nelson Mandela that a good head and a good heart makes a formidable combination, Tanya believes in the livingTSOGO value of ownership with integrity. “I’m a clear cut type of person. If ownership and integrity are part of your being, you’ll always remain true to yourself and others. I pride myself on striving for excellence in everything I do and delivering a consistently exceptional service, no matter what challenges I might encounter. My parents taught me that if you start something, you finish it, which has played a big role in shaping the adult I’ve become.”

motivated to

succeed

Tanya Bosch, Rooms Division Manager, Southern Sun Cape Sun

SOUTHERN SUN CAPE SUNTANYA BOSCH

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Ayanda Mazibuko, General Manager, Southern SunNewlands

Starting out as a trainee with Three Cities, Ayanda made an impression on his Rooms Division Manager and, upon graduation, was approached to become a reservationist. It wasn’t long before he was promoted to Front Office Manager, a position he occupied at the tender age of 21. After two years, he joined Sun International at The Palace as Night Manager in 2007, moving through the ranks until taking up the position of Resident Manager at Lesotho Sun, which he describes as a big jump that he was confident he could make. Leaving his pregnant fiancé in South Africa, Ayanda spent an “interesting” two years in Lesotho, contributing to the development of brand standards and enhanced service delivery for the property.

Realising where his passion lay, Ayanda stepped wholeheartedly into the position of Rooms Division Manager at Tsogo Sun’s The Palazzo at Montecasino in 2013 and just one year later was promoted to Deputy General Manager. During this time, he was appointed as the hotel liaison to the Springbok Rugby Team, which proved

to be one of the highlights of his career with Tsogo Sun and also served as a lesson in what can be achieved through establishing a relationship of trust.

His position at The Palazzo made way for his move to Cape Town, to his new home at Southern Sun Newlands and a life that he describes as more balanced and laid back. “I’ve been very fortunate to have had a great deal of support from John van Rooyen, the HR team and the other GMs,” he says. With two toddlers, Ayanda and his wife are enjoying the plethora of options the Cape presents to young families.

Ayanda describes his other baby – the Southern Sun Newlands – as being successful by virtue of the unique group of people who work there. “It’s a small team, and there’s a strong focus on customer satisfaction that I’ve never experienced anywhere else. The results are evident in the scale of customer loyalty. It’s the people that make our hotel so special.”

One staff member who has come to Ayanda’s attention is Nceba Sulu, a

destined forgreatness

self-taught chef who started as a cleaner and has earned his place in the kitchen through hard work, passion and talent. “Nceba is an inspiration. He’s reliable, dedicated and takes his work seriously. I’m looking forward to working closely with him into the future.”

Another of the ingredients in Southern Sun Newlands’ recipe for success is its close proximity to the home of the DHL Stormers and the PPC Cricket Stadium, which, says Ayanda, allows them to offer a unique service of pre-dinner drinks before walking their guests to the stadium. “We are proud to have the highest customer satisfaction score in the region and within Southern Sun hotels, which is a credit to the previous GM, Sebastian Berinato, who left me with a passionately customer service orientated team.”

Ayanda’s belief in the livingTSOGO values of growth and opportunity have clearly stood him in good stead, and his inherent kindness, patience and desire to do better each day as a leader and as a person will continue to see him achieving his dreams.

WITH STEELY AMBITION AND A COMMITMENT TO MAKING EACH DAY BETTER THAN THE LAST,

NEWLY APPOINTED GENERAL MANAGER OF SOUTHERN SUN NEWLANDS, AYANDA MAZIBUKO

HAS MADE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED TO HIM, AND LOOKS SET TO MAKE

HIS MARK ON CAPE TOWN.

Offering stylish accommodation and tailor-made conferences in Cape Town’s picturesque southern suburbs, Southern Sun Newlands is the ideal location from which to explore the city, conduct business, attend sporting events or simply to relax and unwind.

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SOUTHERN SUN NEWLANDS

AYANDA MAZIBUKO

When financial constraints made going to university impossible, Nceba took on a job as a cleaner at Southern Sun Newlands eight years ago. His passion for cooking saw him assisting the chefs whenever he had the opportunity and eventually asking his head chef to consider him for any position that would allow him to cook. He was given a job as night chef, and so began his journey to becoming Chef De Partie in charge of the evening shift.

Working closely with his Executive Chef Alex MacFarlane, who encouraged him

every step of the way, Nceba learnt his skills on the job until his initiative, talent and drive brought him to the attention of then GM, Sebastian Berinato, who immediately identified him for further development. He received formal training through City & Guilds in 2014 and in December last year, he was promoted to Chef De Partie.

Father to a four-year-old boy, Nceba is driven by the desire to be a good example to his son and by the tight-knit team that he works with. Not surprisingly, the livingTSOGO value of ownership is the one that hits home for Nceba, who believes that if you own your job and love what you do, you can accomplish anything. Communicating with guests gives Nceba inspiration for specials on the menu, and he takes great pride in delivering special requests that exceed his guests’ expectations.

“You can do anything if you believe in yourself, do the right thing and give it your best. My goal is to one day be a head chef and I know I will get there. When I look back at what I’ve achieved, I say, why not?”

topreaching for the

TWENTY-SEVEN YEAR-OLD DEMI CHEF, NCEBA

SULU, IS AN INSPIRATION TO EVERYONE HE COMES

INTO CONTACT WITH, HAVING CREATED HIS

OWN OPPORTUNITIES BY TEACHING HIMSELF TO COOK AND, THROUGH

HARD WORK AND TENACITY, DEVELOPING HIS SKILLS

TO BE ABLE TO RISE FROM CLEANER TO CHEF.

Nceba Sulu, Demi Chef, Southern Sun Newlands

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SOUTHERN SUN NEWLANDS

NCEBA SULU

A MAN WHOSE TENACITY ENSURED HIS PLACE IN THE

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY, GENERAL MANAGER OF

SUNSQUARE CAPE TOWN, RICHARD KEET HAS JUST THE

RIGHT COMBINATION OF QUIRKINESS AND BUSINESS

ACUMEN TO BREAK THE MOULD AND PIONEER A

NEW HOTEL BRAND IN CAPE TOWN.

With a die-hard philosophy of never giving up, Richard refused to allow two rejections of his application to hotel school to deter him. He placed an ad in the newspaper for his availability for a position – and so began his journey in hospitality. After two years of hotel experience, Richard identified Tsogo Sun as his next step and by applying for positions most people didn’t want, has gained a wealth of experience over the last 30 years. “Every city I’ve worked in has left a special place in my heart, but if I had to choose, Cape Town would be my first choice,” says Richard, who has captained the ship at SunSquare Cape Town for the last four years.

A hotel that was, until two years ago, a Garden Court, SunSquare Cape Town has

been through a transformation that Richard is proud to have been part of.

“It’s a very special, unique hotel, situated in the residential suburb of Gardens with incredible views of the mountain and city. Being involved in introducing the first SunSquare to Cape Town – a brand that’s individualistic, relaxed and has a unique character – has been very rewarding. Our high eGuestSurv rating is testament to the success of employing the right type of person, and creating an environment of growth, learning and participative interaction. We very carefully profiled and put in place young dynamic people to deliver the brand experience, people who understand without being taught how to anticipate customer needs. This is a hotel that achieves the objective of doing things with flair without going over the top.”

Driven by the desire to make a difference in the lives of every person he comes into contact with, Richard believes in showing each individual the respect they deserve for what they give and who they are. “It is a source of immense pleasure and reward for me to be able to give and create memories,” says Richard.

Richard considers the livingTSOGO value of growth to be a vital part of the Tsogo Sun value system and carefully recruits

pioneering in Cape Town

a newhotel brand

people with what he calls a ‘hospitality heart’, who give without wanting anything back. He is passionate about developing young talent and about his hotel as a breeding ground for well-rounded hoteliers. “We operate in an environment that’s not compartmentalised, where everyone gets involved in every aspect of the operation, which is fantastic for developing the experience of the new generation of hoteliers. I’ve lost count of how many people have been promoted from SunSquare Cape Town.”

Commenting on Zepi, the hotel’s restaurant, Richard says, “We have an amazing team who love what they do and you can feel that everything is done with passion. We’ve managed to connect with the locals and they’ve embraced Zepi as their own.”

A member of his dynamic young team of whom Richard is particularly proud is Assistant General Manager, Deidre Strydom. “Her ethics and value system are impeccable. She’s driven by respect and integrity, and she genuinely strives to ensure that whatever she delivers is only the best, always ensuring that she brings the team with her. She has a wonderful ability to connect with people and she keeps the team close knit, dealing with conflict and challenges and helping people where needed.”

Richard Keet, General Manager, SunSquare Cape Town

SunSquare Cape Town is a fresh, unique and

comfortable 136 bedroom hotel situated

at the base of Table Mountain in the leafy

suburb of Gardens.

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SUNSQUARE CAPE TOWNRICHARD KEET

WITH A STRONG PERSONAL VALUE SYSTEM,

DEPUTY GENERAL MANAGER OF SUNSQUARE CAPE

TOWN DEIDRE STRYDOM IS A ROLE MODEL FOR

TEAMWORK AND BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER.

Deidre has spent her entire career of 22 years with Tsogo Sun, working through positions in F&B, Guest Relations and Management in Garden Court and Southern Sun properties in Cape Town and Umtata before settling into SunSquare Cape Town (previously the Garden Court De Waal) eight years ago.

Working closely with GM, Richard Keet during the five-month closure of the property, Deidre was part of the opening team who transformed the Garden Court into a SunSquare and made it a successful reality. She says the soccer World Cup brought the team together, providing them with the opportunity to get to know one another as they embraced the “gees”. She also lists the repeat visits of the Under 20 Junior SA Rugby and Fiji rugby teams as one of the highlights of her time at the hotel. “It was like being a mother to all those boys and such a privilege to be part of their

journey. They love the hotel and want to stay with us again,” she says.

A mother of three young children, aged eleven, nine and eight, Deidre comes to work every morning for the joy of being with her guests and staff. “You learn something new every day from the people you interact with that you can take back to your personal life.”

Laughingly commenting that she’s married to Richard at work, Deidre is blessed with an equally good relationship with her real husband Marius. “I’m extremely fortunate to have learnt so much from Richard, who has given me the opportunity to run the hotel, and at the same time, I have the support of my husband and family, which has allowed me to do what I love. My children understand that I can’t always be there but Marius and I share responsibilities like homework and always make sure their lunches are prepared with love.”

The Cape Town lifestyle is something Deidre and her family cherish and she appreciates the closeness and culture of her family. “My late mom was always the one who made sure we did things that took us back to our roots, like preparing pickled fish at Easter. There’s a lot of culture that’s unique to Cape Town that comes out in rituals and traditions, and it’s a role I’ve now stepped into with my family.”

leading through

teamwork

Deidre Strydom,Deputy General Manager, SunSquare Cape Town

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SUNSQUARE CAPE TOWN

DEIDRE STRYDOM

GENERAL MANAGER OF GARDEN COURT NELSON

MANDELA BOULEVARD, HENNIE SENEKAL IS A MAN WHOSE COMMITMENT TO

HOSPITALITY HAS SEEN HIM CONSISTENTLY BEING

VOTED THE SALES GM OF THE YEAR BY THE TSOGO

SUN SALES TEAM.

Hennie joined Tsogo Sun a decade ago as Deputy General Manager of Southern Sun Grayston before taking up the position of General Manager of the Malelane Sun in 2007. After the property sadly burnt down, Hennie moved to Southern Sun The Cullinan but at the time his heart was in Joburg and he transferred to Southern Sun Grayston as General Manager in 2009. After a year in the hotel and a five-month sabbatical, Hennie took up the GM position at Garden Court Eastgate just in time for

the World Cup, which he describes as one of the highlights of his career with Tsogo Sun. In 2011 he transferred back to Cape Town, this time as GM of Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard – and he’s thoroughly enjoying leading the team at this property.

A man with a zest for life and abundant energy, Hennie believes that every person has a special purpose. “I believe we should not just accept the status quo. Change the things you can change and accept those you can’t. Work for the things you want in life as they won’t land in your lap. And look after the small things and the bigger things will take care of themselves.”

Guided by a strict code of ethics, Hennie says that he has been entrusted to the position of General Manager and strives to deliver beyond what is expected of him. The livingTSOGO values of opportunity and growth stand out for Hennie, who

Hennie Senekal, General Manager, Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard

says that the group offers opportunities for growth in abundance if you are prepared to work hard and put in the effort.

Hennie is driven by the knowledge that he is making a difference. His love of life is tangible and he takes care of his health and well-being. “I have been very fortunate to have done most things on my bucket list, but I would still one day like to experience Mexico and the Northern Lights in Iceland.”

Hennie is quietly passionate about his hotel, describing its importance to the group as being both historical and financial. “Ours is the only Garden Court in the Western Cape. It has been operated by Tsogo Sun for the last 40 years and contributes towards the profitability for the region.”

Hennie is a firm believer in the power of positive thinking: “I decide that I want to be happy and then create my own happiness with the help of positive people around me. Each person creates their own state of mind.”

GARDEN COURT NELSON MANDELA BOULEVARD’S

GUEST SERVICES SUPERVISOR, TANIA LO

HAS SEEN THE HAND OF FATE INTERVENING IN HER LIFE MANY TIMES, TAKING HER EXACTLY WHERE SHE

BELIEVES SHE WAS MEANT TO BE.

After learning her trade at the Mount Nelson at 18, Tania joined Tsogo Sun as a waitress at the Holiday Inn in Cape Town. A quick learner, Tania gained experience in the restaurant and room service departments, ending up in the front office of the Garden Court Nelson Mandela

Boulevard three years after it opened, which is where she found her niche – and her destiny. The hotel is located on the site of what in Tania’s childhood was the Lillybloom Homestead, a home for orphans. “My aunt was the superintendent and I remember so clearly running after the nuns and playing with the children. I believe I was always meant to work in this hotel.”

Destiny once again played a hand in bringing Tania and her husband, a Chinese immigrant, together 12 years ago. Declaring to his friend on the day he met Tania that he would marry her, the couple have overcome cultural and language barriers and have a beautiful 10-year-old daughter. Although hard to believe given Tania’s youthful demeanour, she is mother to two other children, aged 30 and 21, and

has four grandchildren, aged 6, 4, 5 months and 6 weeks old.

Referring to the staff of the hotel as her second family and drawing inspiration from her GM, Hennie Senekal, Tania believes that, although the job of a hotelier is not an easy one, you get back more than you give because your guests allow you to travel into their hearts and experience their life and culture. “Every day is different because the service you give is not always the same, which brings unforgettable memories.”

Living by the motto that yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery and today is a gift, Tania believes in taking ownership, following through to the very end and taking responsibility, come what may.

deliversdestiny

Tania Lo, Guest Services Supervisor, Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard

committed to

hospitality

For comfort, convenience and affordability, Garden Court Nelson Mandela Boulevard is an outstanding choice. With 292 bedrooms offering views of Signal Hill and the harbour, this Woodstock hotel offers conferencing facilities and all of the contemporary comforts that promise to make for a pleasant stay.

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GARDEN COURT NELSON

MANDELA BOULEVARD HENNIE SENEKAL

GARDEN COURT NELSON

MANDELA BOULEVARD

TANIA LO

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FROM THE MOMENT HE COMPLETED HIS NATIONAL SERVICE, JURGEN STUMGES,

GENERAL MANAGER OF STAYEASY CENTURY CITY,

WAS DESTINED TO WALK A LONG AND FRUITFUL PATH

WITH TSOGO SUN.

The son of German immigrants, Jurgen completed his hotel school studies before being conscripted, finishing off with the rank of lieutenant and running the officers’ mess.

An interview with Tsogo Sun on the day he left the army in 1989 saw Jurgen beginning his career in hospitality, initially as a Junior F&B Manager at what was then known as the Airport Sun, later moving to Holiday Inn Jan Smuts. Jurgen worked his way through the F&B departments until

the opportunity to run a Formula One hotel (now called Sun1) was presented. Jurgen and his wife jumped at the offer and the next few years saw them opening hotels in Nelspruit, Alberton and Pretoria, including the ‘Express by Holiday Inn’ in Pretoria. Jurgen describes this as the highlight of his career, because the concept was new to the group and both he and Tsogo Sun learnt a great deal through the process.

In 2000, they were approached to open an ‘Express by Holiday Inn’ in Century City, a destination that, at the time, was considered to be far out of town. Today, Century City is a model for the integration of shopping, living, entertainment and hospitality all in one place. “We were the first hotel in the precinct, and we struggled in the beginning but we’re now seeing results. Century City started out as a leisure destination but the focus has shifted to the corporate market with a

strong leisure contingent over the festive season, holidays and sporting seasons.”

The hotel was rebranded as StayEasy Century City in 2006, and although it is 15km outside of Cape Town, it is well supported by travellers because of its location. With a small team running the operation, Jurgen is a firm believer in the value of teamwork. “In this business you can’t do without it. You rely on every person in the hotel,” he says. “I’m grateful for my young team, many of whom are just getting their foot in the door and have the opportunity to use us as a stepping stone into the rest of Tsogo Sun.”

One of the hotel’s success stories is Assistant Financial Controller, Janine Smit, who started out as a trainee, worked her way through the ranks and is now Assistant Financial Controller. “She is exceptionally committed and passionate about the hotel. She has a wealth of experience and can fill in wherever we need her,” says Jurgen.

REGARDED AS THE LIFEBLOOD OF THE

PROPERTY, ASSISTANT FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

OF STAYEASY CENTURY CITY, JANINE SMIT IS A VALUABLE

ASSET TO A HOTEL THAT RUNS WITH A SMALL, MULTI-

SKILLED TEAM, THANKS TO HER WILLINGNESS TO CONTRIBUTE WHEREVER

SHE’S NEEDED.

Janine started at StayEasy Century City as a student nearly 15 years ago and her journey took her through various positions, including Duty Manager and eventually Deputy General Manager. Opting to bring her 15 years of experience to bear in finance, Janine now ensures that every aspect of the hotel is carefully scrutinised from a financial perspective. “I know what to look at when it comes to costs and controls and I have a broader view of the day to day running of the hotel.”

The highlight of Janine’s career came when she was appointed Deputy GM, realising the confidence her GM, Jurgen Stumges, had in her. She was proud to be able to fulfil the role for a number of years, but equally excited to take on the challenges of her new role in finance.

For Janine, it’s the simple things in life that matter like watching the sunrise and appreciating what really counts, such as the StayEasy team who, for Janine, are family. Among the things she enjoys about life in Cape Town are being so close to nature and the diverse surroundings that the area offers.

Her advice to young women starting out in the industry is simple: “Don’t wait for things to happen; make them happen. Even if it means making mistakes, you’ll learn from them.” She concludes by saying, “We have a small hotel and a small team and we take on a lot of responsibility as individuals. Our employees are exposed to so much of the hotel and they have enormous potential.”

Jurgen Stumges, General Manager, StayEasy Century City

loyal assetfinance’s

Janine Smit, Assistant Financial Controller, StayEasy Century City

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STAYEASY CENTURY CITYJURGEN STUMGES

STAYEASY CENTURY CITY

JANINE SMIT

a keen eye foropportunity

Convenient, affordable and modern, StayEasy is the budget hotel choice for travellers. Simplicity, efficiency, comfort and great service are all characteristics of StayEasy Century City, which is situated just outside the Cape Town city limits near Blaauwberg Beach.

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Send your Tsogo people stories and good quality images to [email protected] so that we can celebrate your special occasions and achievements with you!

TSOGO PEOPLE SOME OF THE

SPECIAL OCCASIONS AND ACHIEVEMENTS THAT

MAKE OUR TSOGO PEOPLE GREAT…

Butlers are all-important at the MAIA Luxury Resort & Spa, ensuring seamless and ultra-special service at every turn. talkingTSOGO found out more about these highly skilled and well trained employees with high emotional intelligence quotients from the Resort’s Rooms Division Manager, Debbie-Lee Godfrey.

tT: What do MAIA butlers do for their guests?

D-LG: Our butlers look after their guests from the moment they arrive at MAIA until their departure, taking care of everything, including unpacking, setting up the villa to the guests’ preferences, making activity bookings, and liaising with the guest relations department if necessary, serving meals in the villa, performing housekeeping, and coordinating any additional services that may be requested. More than this, our butlers get to know their guests, making an effort to ‘wow’ them throughout their stay, with extra touches such as special dinners, romantic turndowns, sunset cocktails and canapes… touches that make guests feel relaxed, at home, pampered and served with love.

A GLIMPSE INTO THE WORLD OF MAIA’S BUTLERS

A conversation with Debbie-Lee Godfrey

Our butlers live by a mantra of ‘Whatever, Wherever, and Whenever’, and for them, nothing is too much trouble to create perfect memories.

tT: How do butlers anticipate guests’ every wish?

D-LG: We encourage our butlers to use their intuition when serving their guests. To listen, to watch their guests, and to take note of every small detail. We encourage them to serve with ‘love’ and always appeal to our guests’ senses. Our butlers deliver personalised and consistent service, and take a genuine interest in building a relationship with their guests, and pre-empting their every need and preference.

tT: How do you instruct the MAIA butlers?

D-LG: Every day we have a morning butler briefing, where we go through the guests’ activities, where we discuss their guests’ preferences, their dietary requirements, expectations, and any other special information they might have picked up. We then discuss how we can use the information to improve on their guests’ stay, or to create small experiences out of the ordinary, which we call ‘wows’.

tT: What does butler training entail?

D-LG: When new butlers join the team, we train them extensively on skills for food and beverage, housekeeping, in-villa cooking, and on the personal attributes which a butler should embody. We encourage them to look at all aspects of their surroundings ‘through the eyes of their guests’.

tT: What kind of attitude and abilities should a MAIA butler have?

D-LG: Our butlers need to have a real passion, energy and love for service, and be highly self-motivated. I believe the most important characteristic they need to demonstrate is empathy. They need to be able to work alone for long hours so as not to interrupt their guests’ privacy and relaxation. They need to have well developed communication skills, and an exceptional level of attention to detail. They also need to be able to coordinate with all other departments, as we all work together to provide the required levels of service.

tT: Do you match butlers to guests?

D-LG: When guests make a reservation, we try to find out about their preferences so we can prepare the villa according to their needs. We capture a guest history and with that, we match the right butler to the guest. Sometimes we have returning guests who request the same butler as before, and we try to accommodate them.

MAIA Rooms Division Manager: Debbie-Lee Godfrey

Each year 10 bursaries are awarded to Btech Hospitality Management students at the University of Johannesburg’s School of Tourism and Hospitality to encourage diploma students to stay on and study further. The bursaries are both need and merit based.

Congratulations to F&B Supervisor at 54 on Bath, Shayna Bolus, who won the Tsogo Sun Sponsored award at the end of her diploma in 2014 and then received this year’s award for the top Btech student after she passed cum laude.

54 ON BATH EMPLOYEE GRADUATES CUM LAUDE

Cum laude graduate Shayna Bolus, F&B Supervisor at 54 on Bath

The Garden Court South Beach team gathered bright and early on the morning of the East Coast Radio Big Walk on the 22nd of May, along with 30 000 other enthusiastic walkers. The Big Walk has become a firm fixture on the team’s social calendar. It was fun for everyone and the team engaged other walkers in discussions about how welcoming the city and hotels are. The finish line was crossed with smiles and team spirit.

TEAM SOUTH BEACH DOES THE BIG WALK

The Sun1 Brand Conference was held recently at Gold Reef City, during which memorable experiences were created and matters of business were addressed. The conference included a surf and turf braai prepared by Chef Fanie Sebapo, while Siphiwe Moyo, a motivational speaker and learning specialist brought the successful conference to a close.

An important part of the conference was a challenge in various service-related categories, including mystery shoppers, hygiene audits, product audits, financial audits and e-guest surveys, with the winners exceeding the group’s targets in the respective categories.

SUN1’S ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Prize winners, from left: Colin Drummond (GM – Sun1 Parow) who collected the third prize on behalf of Sun1 Foreshore; first prize winner Gerald Van der Berg (GM – Sun1 Port Elizabeth); Keith Randall (MD of Sun1 Hotels); first prize winner Leon van Wyk (GM – Sun1 Port Elizabeth); and second prize winner Tracey Naude, (GM – Sun1 Beaufort West)

Garden Court South Beach met up with the Southern Sun Elangeni & Maharani team atthe finish

The Durban beachfront awash with Big Walkers

Among the many people who come to work and also passionately participate in sporting activities in their spare time is eThekwini Athletics Club runner and Suncoast employee, Dan Mokoena. Dan

TAKING IT ONE MARATHON AT A TIME

Dan Mokowena of Suncoast and member of the Comrades Green Number Club Roll of Honour

Joseph Giyani, Garden Court Morningside

Another Tsogo Sun employee who has shown his mettle is Joseph Giyani, handyman at Garden Court Morningside. According to GM Liz Rowland, Joseph is a hardworking and diligent employee who finds the time to train for his marathons by running home from Morningside to Soweto twice a week. He completed this year’s Comrades Marathon in a record time of 06:32.

has joined the exclusive Comrades Green Number Club Roll of Honour, a band of individuals who have experienced a special relationship with the ‘ultimate human race’. Members of the Comrades Green Club Roll of Honour are athletes who have met the criteria of either three wins, or five golds, or ten-plus medals. In so doing, runners receive a permanent racing number for Comrades marathons.

Dan was introduced to the world of running through a talent search at primary school. He began taking the sport seriously in high school, where he registered as a professional runner. His first experience with the Comrades Marathon was in 2004, where he finished 517th out of 18 000 participants in a time of 07:29:17. Since then, he has participated in 10 Comrades Marathons, “I have run every year since then except for in 2008 and 2010. I am going to give my legs a rest this year in celebration of making the Roll of Honour,” says Dan. He encourages everyone to participate in at least one Comrades Marathon in their lifetime. “Ultimately, crossing that finish line is an experience you’ll never forget.”

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Tsogo people

Tsogo Sun is the first choice for students wanting to complete their Work Integrated Learning (WIL) within the Hospitality and Tourism sector in South Africa. Large numbers of people start their careers with the group through the WIL programme and go on to become productively employed staff members. This shows how effective the programme is and it evidences Tsogo Sun’s commitment to the employment of Work Integrated Learning candidates.

The Tsogo Sun Academy’s vision is to support education in South Africa while creating a talent pipeline for employment. “The reason the group participates in WIL is to ensure that students can complete their qualifications and transition from

Adil Sewcharan, Suncoast’s HRD Manager, committed himself to improving the sustainability of learning programmes when he joined the Suncoast HR team in 2014.

“Having investigated the unemployed learning sector,” explains Adil, “I quickly realised that many institutions did not offer Work Integrated Learning placement and practical training. The learning provided was not directly applicable to our industry, and sometimes the learners were not at the appropriate level and could

Back: John Kanamugire, Preston Moodley, Adil Sewcharan, Trivern Ganesh and Samuel Mfeka. Front: Nosipho Ndaliso, Thandekile Mngomezulu, Uhlume Jadezweni, Nosisa Ntantiso, Thobeka Mthembu and Sihle Kotelana

Learning is well entrenched at Garden Court South Beach, where graduations in Safety, Health and Environment, First Aid and Lobster Ink were held recently.learning to working, equipped with the

necessary skills and knowledge to add value to the industry,” says Steve Howell, Director of the Tsogo Sun Academy.

WIL needs to be coordinated and well planned. “Each year we successfully place up to 1 000 students, from more than 16 learning institutions in nearly 70 different properties across the country. We could not make this happen without the collective inputs of the employees who participate in this process and personify the group’s values of teamwork, service, ownership, growth and opportunity,” says Steve. It is also important that the learning environments are appropriate for students. “We ensure that the quality of learning undertaken at Tsogo Sun

is of the highest standard, which is achieved through the commitment of our management to whom the WIL learners report.”

A property may have up to 12 students from different schools, all covering different curriculums at the same time. “A huge thank you to our Tsogo people who pay it forward through sharing their career knowledge and who support this ongoing initiative. This kind of skills transfer and experience sharing is priceless to the WIL learners. Eventually they may become HODs or GMs themselves, and the time that we spend with them now has a significant and positive impact on the potential for their future career success,” says Bernice Haestier, Training Manager.

WORK INTEGRATED LEARNING AT TSOGO SUN

WIL IN PRACTICE AT SUNCOAST

not be absorbed after the programme. We needed a programme that was mutually beneficial to the learners and to Tsogo Sun, and would contribute to employment opportunities in general.”

Suncoast launched their Intern Programme in December last year with 10 learners who were sourced, housed and mentored by the company. “We placed business admin learners in slots, engineering learners in maintenance and gaming technical, marketing learners in marketing, and one

GARDEN COURT SOUTH BEACH CELEBRATES GRADUATES

Safety, Health & Environmental Representatives, from left: Nelson Naidoo, Ritesh Pithamber, Portia Msomi, Ronel Parthiephal, Nonjabulo Mbhele , and Eunice Makhanya

First Aiders, from left: Shubandri Govender, Evidence Mkhungo, Msizi Mbhele, Nontsikelelo Ngcobo and Thobisile Dube

Lobster Ink graduates, Back: Limpho Motapanyane, Wayne Smith, Bonisiwe Mkhwanazi Front: Nonjabulo Mbhele, Nonkululeko Cele, Nelson Naidoo

HR learner in HR. We had to be innovative, using work-stations that were not in use full-time, finding used computers, adjusting shifts, appointing mentors and ensuring the Work Integrated Learning at Suncoast was effective for all involved.”

Less than six months later, five learners have been absorbed into permanent positions and the number is expected to increase over time. There are currently 12 learners in the Suncoast programme, with capacity for 18.

FACILITATING A PRODUCTIVE LEARNING

AND DEVELOPMENT CULTURE…

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Tsogo Sun Academy

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Tsogo Sun is continuing its quest to assist entrepreneurs and contribute to economic growth through the Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs programme, and over the last nine months, the group has successfully hosted three Supplier Showcases in Gauteng at Gold Reef City.

The first showcase was run in partnership with the City of Joburg’s Department of Economic Development, to provide market and development access to 120 small, medium and micro enterprises. The small businesses were given the opportunity to showcase their products and services, to gain exposure to potential new markets, and to attend a workshop about procurement to help them target and secure new clients.

The second and third showcases were hosted in March and June respectively, providing support to a total of

ENTREPRENEURS SHINE AT SUPPLIER SHOWCASES

90 small businesses. These two showcases represented group partnerships between Montecasino, Silverstar Casino, Gold Reef City Casino, Gold Reef City Theme Park, HCI and some of its subsidiaries.

Further Supplier Showcases are scheduled to take place in Cape Town, Mpumalanga and Durban this year, where qualifying suppliers at the events will be given opportunities to participate in the Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs programme, the HCI Supplier Club, and to become potential suppliers to the group.

The SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation was born from the need to grow and develop entrepreneurial skills at school level, in response to the high levels of unemployment in the country. Southern Sun Newlands has been a strong supporter of the programme for some years, hosting a breakfast workshop for the teens and engaging with them whenever possible.

The Foundation cultivates an entrepreneurial spirit among high school learners, partnering with schools and creating Entrepreneur Societies. Through these societies, the learners work through a 15-module programme that culminates in a business model or plan that would positively impact the learners’ communities.

To further support the Entrepreneur Societies, the learners are invited to attend interventions such as ‘Awaken the Giant in You’ breakfast events at Southern Sun Newlands, which are themed indabas for business and industry to share their experiences with the teens. The learners also network with each other and discuss their various projects.

Southern Sun Newlands has developed a good relationship with the SA Teen Entrepreneur Foundation and has introduced many of the learners to the hotel industry, encouraging their development as contributing young professionals in business and the economy.

Conferences and expos for SA Teen Entrepreneurs are also on the cards, to give the learners the opportunity to showcase their products and services.

TEEN ENTREPRENEURS GROW AT NEWLANDS

The vibrant young teen entrepreneurs at Southern Sun Newlands

Tsogo Sun Citizenship

TSOGO SUN ENTREPRENEURS#tsogoentrepreneurs

Keep up to date with the Tsogo Sun Entrepreneurs on Facebook at: facebook.com/tsogoentrepreneurs or on Twitter using the #tsogoentrepreneurs hashtag.

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The very first Earth Day was held on the 22nd of April 1970, when US Senator Nelson saw the damage done by the massive 1969 oil spill in Santa Barbara and was motivated to host a national ‘teach-in’ that focused on educating the public about the environment. Today, more than 1 billion people worldwide participate in Earth Day activities each year. Earth Day seeks to celebrate our environment and to raise public awareness on many different issues affecting the health of our planet across the world.

This year Tsogo Sun partnered with the Miss Earth South Africa Leadership Development Programme to launch the 2016 Earth Day waste reduction campaign at 54 on Bath. The Waste

THE NEW WASTE PARADIGM

Stops With Me campaign partners with Pikitup and will see the Miss Earth SA finalists, ambassadors and winners engage in on-the-ground work, awareness drives and educational programmes in schools to reduce, reuse and recycle waste.

#WasteStopsWithME is designed to engage with citizens and help them to understand the role they play in reducing their carbon footprint, their environmental impact and the amount of waste they create every day – and encourage behaviour change.

“We so easily discard the rubbish that we generate without giving it a second thought. We need to be more responsible for the lifecycle of what we choose to purchase and consume. Waste must stop with each one of us as responsible citizens

who are aware of the impact of landfill sites and illegal dumping areas,” says Miss Earth SA National Director, Catherine Constantinides.

Miss Earth SA, supported by Tsogo Sun, urges citizens and corporates to share how they are rethinking their waste, disposing and recycling what is so easily consumed.

Ilze Saunders, Miss Earth SA 2014, and ProverbCatherine Constantinides, Derek Watts and Jade Axon

Tsogo Sun Citizenship

Four winners of the Tsogo Sun Duke of Edinburgh Cup golf tournament were crowned in April following an exciting day of play on the Rockland and Woodmead courses of the Johannesburg Country Club, each winning the chance to participate in the élite Duke of Edinburgh Cup 2016 World Finals in England in October.

The tournament represents the South African leg of the Duke of Edinburgh Cup, which is played annually in 10 different countries to raise funds for young people in need. Tsogo Sun has been associated with the tournament for more than 11 years and has raised over R8 million for charitable causes.

The big prize for the winning pair on each course is a royal treat for golfers and includes a trip to London from 2 to 7 October with hotel accommodation, entry to the 36-hole Duke of Edinburgh Cup World Final at the Buckinghamshire and Mill Ride Golf clubs, an invitation to play at the Royal Household Golf Club at Windsor Great Park, and attendance at a royal champagne reception and prize-giving dinner in the state apartments of Windsor Castle.

“Hearty Tsogo Sun congratulations to our four Duke of Edinburgh Cup winners – they all played a great game and earned their places at the World Final in October

where I have no doubt they will do South Africa proud,” says Noëleen Bruton, Group Marketing Director.

Water for schools initiative

The aim of the Duke of Edinburgh Cup tournament is the upliftment of vulnerable children and this year Tsogo Sun has once again linked the event with a citizenship initiative that will have a positive impact on the lives of about 5 000 children in the Johannesburg region.

Noëleen explains, “In considering our Citizenship options through the Tsogo Sun Duke of Edinburgh Cup, we aligned our initiative with our Citizenship strategy, which is aimed at the development of youth through education, as well as with the needs of communities in the areas where we operate.

“We’ve all seen the devastating effects that the drought has wreaked over the past year – and invariably it is vulnerable children who suffer the most. No access to water means sanitation and hygiene practices collapse and diseases occur, it means cooking becomes all but impossible, it means sourcing water is a hardship, and often a costly one at that.”

With this reality in mind, we identified three primary schools – one in Diepsloot

WATER FOR SCHOOLS THROUGH DUKE OF EDINBURGH CUP

Quinten Jansen and Riaan Jansen representing Montecasino, winners on the Woodmead course, with Eddie Wheeler (Golf Director for the Duke of Edinburgh International) left and right Noëleen Bruton (Tsogo Sun Group Marketing Director)

near Montecasino, one in Munsieville on the West Rand near Silverstar, and one close to Gold Reef City – that all serve disadvantaged communities and that we are working with through the Tsogo Sun community sports and arts academies.

The group is starting the process of installing fully integrated water systems in each of these schools that will ensure that the schools have water when the supply is cut off for any reason, and will impact around 5 000 learners across the three schools.

Two 10 000-litre Jojo water storage tanks will be installed at each school, as well as a rainwater harvesting system to collect rain water from the school buildings roof, additional tank filling through the municipal water supply, and a water purification system to ensure water is safe to drink. The water tanks are being installed adjacent to toilet blocks at the schools to ensure sanitation and hygiene standards are maintained.

“It’s a privilege for Tsogo Sun to partner with the prestigious Duke of Edinburgh Cup each year, offering the participants a truly memorable experience, as well as with the three schools, providing such critical support to their efficient and effective operation,” says Noëleen.

From left: Jacky Mashapu and Bulelwa Zimba from Pikitup with Catherine Constantinides and Shaka Sisulu

TSOGO SUN ENVIRONMENT

#tsogoenviro

Recycle, re-use, respect and rethink when it comes to your own personal waste management. Follow the projects, educational and awareness campaigns on twitter @missearth_sa or @CleanerJoburg using the hashtags #WasteStopsWithMe and #tsogoenviro.

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Community member, Flora Ndadza, and her family from Campbell just outside of Musina were instrumental in saving the life of a female ground hornbill caught in a snare. They freed her, and knowing she was an important bird, tried to keep her safe, feeding her and giving her water.

A local farmer then got in touch with the Mabula Ground Hornbill Project, which has been working to protect the species in Limpopo since 2000. Together with Leon de Jager, head of the Limpopo Provincial Conservation Agency, they rushed her to Montecasino Bird Gardens where Dr. Katja Koeppel was able to successfully perform surgery to save her life.

Two weeks later, thanks to the care from the team at Montecasino Bird Gardens, she had healed well enough to be returned to the wild. Both Gauteng and Limpopo conservation officials were able to expedite the permits required to move her back to Limpopo before the stress of being in captivity took a toll.

This massive collaborative effort saw to it that this female ground hornbill was safely returned to the wild to rear another generation and ensure the continuance of this endangered species.

A SNARED GROUND HORNBILL RETURNS TO THE WILD

The lucky hornbill being released into the wild

Garden Court South Beach has embarked on some bold initiatives to reduce the hotel’s impact on the environment.

These include timers on laundry machines and DB boards to prevent use during peak hours, and only using the machines when there is a full load of washing.

Rain water and waste water harvesting systems are in the planning stages, with

WATER WISE GARDENING AT SOUTH BEACH

Wayne Burgess from Burgess Landscapes explains to the Green Team that the most water wise plants are both indigenous and endemic

Water wise gardening at Garden Court South Beach

the aim of saving 10 000 to 12 000 litres per week. Water restrictors have been placed in all public facilities, reducing use from 8 litres per minute to 3.5 litres per minute. The team is also investigating shower restrictors that can save close on 2 litres per minute. The flush masters in the public bathrooms have been changed to cisterns, reducing flushes from 13 to 6 litres per flush. This will potentially be expanded to other public areas and bedrooms.

Giving young people the tools they need to succeed after they leave school takes more than the skills to do a job, but also the ability to cope in a work environment. A significant challenge facing many young people entering the workplace is a lack of ‘work-readiness’, which is their ability to adapt to a professional environment, to communicate effectively, and to work as part of a team.

A fresh approach to Tsogo Sun’s Arts Academy youth development programme is seeing the fun elements of the arts being used to impart essential life skills to the disadvantaged youth, with an increased focus on job readiness.

“The focus of the programme has always been to add far more than just learning skills in the performing arts. We re-looked at how we could use what the arts teaches, and have enhanced it to focus on preparedness for the future,” says Shanda Paine, Group CSI Manager.

The improved programme, developed and implemented by miniMAX Youth Development, accommodates 150 learners from grades 4 to 11, selected from three primary schools and two high schools in disadvantaged areas in Johannesburg.

It is designed to identify the right participants with a passion for the arts, enrolling them into a week-long boot camp, and then teaching them to apply their learnings at home and at school. It provides support in the form of additional coaching and mentoring sessions, and recognises their achievements.

150 learners were enrolled in the first Tsogo Sun Arts Academy Boot Camp at Blue Hills College in Midrand during the start of the winter school holidays. “It’s important that their skill capacity in life and job readiness is built to equip them to return to their schools and effect change as community influencers and leaders,” explains Sunet Wagner, founder and CEO of miniMax Youth Development.

The Boot Camp included lessons in communication, perception and attitude, teamwork and problem solving, networking, and professionalism, with training undertaken primarily through the performing arts and adapted for the various age groups.

In line with Tsogo Sun’s cohesive approach to Citizenship, an opportunity for an additional 12 Diepsloot high school

learners was also created at the Boot Camp through a partnership with Chef Hezron Louw and his food catering company, Sumting Fresh. A food truck operated at the camp, provided nourishing and tasty meals for the learners and the facilitators, while also providing on-the-job catering training for the Diepsloot learners.

Other partners involved in the camp were Spar, Pick n Pay Woodmead, Ackermans, Sasko and the SASKO stage for edutainment, Enterprise Foods, Rhodes Foods and Blue Hills College. Montecasino and Gold Reef City were the key sponsors, and Tsogo Sun Volunteers assisted at the camp.

“This new programme is fine-tuned to be result-oriented to meet the needs of the young people enrolled in it, to ensure that they are equipped with the tools to succeed when they leave school. The investment by Tsogo Sun and the programme partners will undoubtedly have a positive impact on the lives of the learners and on their communities as they exercise their leadership skills,” says Shanda.

PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE FOR THE WORKING WORLD

TSOGO SUN COMMUNITY

#tsogocsi

Tsogo Sun Citizenship

Southern Sun Waterfront annually gives mothers and their children from the My Child Has Cancer (MCHC) Trust a break from the hardships of their daily lives with a MCHC Moms Night Away.

Deidre Taylor from MCHC says: “Receiving this special treat in itself means so much, but the moms all agree that what makes it extra special is the send-off when the Southern Sun Waterfront team serenades us as we leave to return to the harsh realities of having children with cancer. This

SUPPORTING MOMS OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER

Western Province Rugby were recently given a financial boost of R380 000 by Tsogo Sun in the Western Cape, which will be used to fund, among other youth development initiatives, three bursaries to the WP Rugby Institute for 2016.

This contribution will provide bursaries for three promising young players - Ashwyn Adams, Tristan Leyds and Tumi Mogoje - to develop their rugby skills at the Western Province Rugby Institute (WPRI).

Tsogo Sun’s relationship as the Official Hotel and Gaming Partner to the Western Province Rugby Union and Club Newlands was extended earlier this year, thereby further strengthening the relationship between Tsogo Sun and Western Province. The partnership includes support from The Caledon Casino, Hotel and Spa and

INVESTING IN WP RUGBY’S FUTURE

Operations Director, John van Rooyen; GM of Mykonos Casino, Clive Van Groeningen; and Sales Manager, Jerry Mokgalapa; handing over a R380 000 cheque to Western Province Rugby Football Union President Mr Thelo Wakefield during a recent match between the DHL Stormers and Toyota Cheethas at DHL Newlands.

The Reach for a Dream Captain Courage project gives brave young boys with life-threatening illnesses the chance to participate in adventurous and fun outdoor activities. The project encourages these little boys to keep up their fighting spirit, no matter how serious their illness may be. It allows them to take time out from their daily treatment in hospital wards and enjoy a day filled with adventure.

On the 8th of April, as part of the group’s support of Reach for a Dream, Tsogo Sun treated nine young ‘captains of courage’ to a day at the Montecasino Bird Gardens and Wildlife Park, where they watched the Flight of Fantasy show, interacted with birds of prey and reptiles, and were even given the chance to hold a Burmese python!

The brave young boys were honoured with a Captain Courage medal and a certificate of bravery for having the courage to participate in the activities.

CAPTAIN COURAGE AT THE MONTECASINO BIRD GARDENS

Mykonos Casino, who both work closely with the Western Province Rugby Institute in the development of young local rugby players in their areas.

“As part of our ongoing investment in sport at all levels, we are proud to hand over this cheque to Western Province Rugby to be used for youth and player development this year. We try, where possible, to do our bit and help make a real, sustainable difference in the lives of the people in the communities in which we operate,” says Operations Director, John van Rooyen.

As one of the South African Rugby Union’s longest standing sponsors, Tsogo Sun’s commitment to investing in and developing South African rugby extends from grassroots level right up to the National Springbok Team.

Tsogo Sun Citizenship

Operation Smile is an international medical charity that has provided hundreds of thousands of free surgical operations for children and young adults in developing countries who are born with a cleft lip, cleft palate or other facial deformities.

In the hospitality and tourism industry, a smile is a welcome, it’s our trademark, and our business. For children born with cleft palates or lips, not being able to smile

SOUTHERN SUN ABU DHABI SUPPORTS OPERATION SMILE

Full of smiles, back row from left: George Nessim, Assistant HRM; Mohammed Faisal, Unit Controller; Alieu Singhateh, Training Manager; Ryan Edwards, Waiter; Irshad Nazarudeen, Hygiene Officer; Jeva Cuevas, Assistant FOM; Sarah Brooks, HR Manager. In front from left: Ayesha Qureshi, Sales and Marketing Co-ordinator; Caroline Ello, Cost Controller; and Lawrence Bonifacio, Waiter

Jeff Rosenberg, GM of Southern Sun Waterfrontwith the Unogwaja Challenge team

The sixth Unogwaja Challenge set off from Southern Sun Waterfront on the 19th of May, when a team of 25 people including 12 cyclists and 13 support crew from six countries, began their ride of 1 750km from Cape Town to Pietermaritzburg to run the Comrades Marathon on the 29th of May. The Unogwaja Challenge is a biathlon that embodies determination and endurance, and also raises funds for primary school education through the Unogwaja Charitable Trust.

GIVING UNOGWAJA RIDERS A GREAT SEND-OFF

can have a devastating effect on their lives. Southern Sun Abu Dhabi decided to support a charity that is close to the hearts of its people and their profession.

In Abu Dhabi, Operation Smile has a second-hand book shop and a weekly cake sale to raise funds. Southern Sun Abu Dhabi created an in-house library for employees, and instead of equipping it with new books, the hotel spent about R1 700 on books bought

tradition always brings tears to our eyes and highlights the way you care for us.”

“Our team looks forward to engaging with this group and offering them some good old-fashioned warmth and true Tsogo Sun hospitality,” says GM of Southern Sun Waterfront, Jeff Rosenberg.

As part of their support of the Trust, the Southern Sun Waterfront team visited the children’s oncology unit at Tygerberg Hospital on Mandela Day.

On the day before the Unogwaja riders departed Cape Town, a solidarity walk was held from Southern Sun The Cullinan to the Grand Parade to give members of the public a chance to show their support for the riders and their cause. As part of Tsogo Sun’s Western Cape hotels’ support of this initiative, Southern Sun Waterfront hosted a press conference and launch, provided rooms and held the opening function on the evening before the start of the journey.

from the Operation Smile book sale, and in so doing contributed 50% towards the costs of one operation.

The hotel’s employees also volunteered to run the Operation Smile book sale and helped to raise about R500 000 over two three-day sales. The volunteers worked in four-hour shifts and were responsible for assisting customers, recommending books and of course up-selling as much as possible!

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Gold Reef City has partnered with SOJO Business and Tourism, an association that promotes attractions and boosts employment in the South of Johannesburg, to support the local community and create opportunities for positive change by investing in charities and NPOs under the SOJO umbrella.

On the 12th of May, Gold Reef City hosted SOJO and special guests at a memorable ceremony at Back O’ the Moon restaurant, when a cheque for over R24 000 was handed over to the Johannesburg Care Foundation. The money had been raised by Gold Reef City, which had appealed to its gaming members to support the worthy cause.

Also at the ceremony, more than 2km of beautiful fabric was presented to health and human rights activist Sue Lubbe, who works with children, the elderly, disabled people, and schools. Seniors at the Reuven Old Age Home will turn the material into clothes for needy children. Four 60cm high Geldof chocolate bunnies were donated to Jungle Tots, the United Cerebral Palsy Association, and Christway.

GOLD REEF CITY SHARES AND CARES WITH SOJO

Hemingways responded to an appeal by the East London Reach for a Dream Foundation and hosted 15-year-old Silindukuhle Malla, who has a terminal disease, is wheelchair bound and totally reliant on oxygen. Her dream was to stay at a hotel.

Southern Sun Hemingways invited her, her grandmother and her two siblings to stay for a weekend in April, donating the rooms, breakfast and two movie tickets each, while the casino sponsored the dinners.

“Thanks to Hemingways for making Silindukuhle’s dream come true. There is great power in that and we cannot inspire hope without wonderful partners like yourselves,” said Marlene Crozier of Reach for a Dream.

HEMINGWAY MAKES A DREAM COME TRUE

GM of Gold Reef City, Mike Page with Financial Manager, Sheldon Stuurman handing over a cheque to The Johannesburg Care Foundation

Suncoast employees recently volunteered at the Ekuthuleni Crèche in Chesterville, which was in desperate need of maintenance. Principal Thembelihle and 226 enthusiastic pre-schoolers welcomed them, as they began painting and undertaking repair work that included walls, window frames and doors, and installing new hooks for the children’s school bags.

SUNCOAST FRESHENS UP CRÈCHE

Rajan Pillay and Meshalin Naidoo

Smiles all round from Suncoast staff who gave their time to paint the Ekuthuleni Crèche in Chesterville

Happy Silindukuhle

Silindukuhle’s dream coming true at Hemingways

Silindukuhle and her family at Hemingways hotelThe team from Caledon have committed to giving one blanket each to local charities this winter, funded by the employees themselves. Recently switchboard operator Jacqui Ockers, who is partially sighted, collected funds for blankets for a local school on Blind Buddy Day, and employees wore their sunglasses to work for the day in solidarity with visually impaired people. According to Hotel GM, Erika Rautenbach, Jacqui is the joy and soul of the front office, and, as a result of this initiative, 22 blankets were purchased and some were knitted by the employees.

CALEDON DONATES BLANKETS

Blankets were donated to Millies crèche, among other needy causes

Children of the Esperanza Special Needs School were treated to a day of delightful entertainment and refreshments by Blackrock on Autism Awareness Day to create awareness for Cerebral Palsy and Autism.

BLACKROCK SUPPORTS SPECIAL NEEDS

Tsogo Sun Citizenship

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Pine Lake Resort is sponsoring Penryn College’s First Rugby Team kit, freeing up finances for scholarship students who excel at rugby.

The Penryn 15 have become a strong rugby team and last year won the Mpumalanga Medium Schools Cup. Penryn founded Penreach in Nelspruit, allowing rural schools to use the Penryn facilities for sporting and various other programmes. Penreach also has an outreach programme for educators, and Sibongile Mabuza from Pine Lake Resort has been attending classes for developing deaf children at Penreach.

PINE LAKE RESORT SPONSORS RUGBY KIT

Garden Court South Beach was alerted by Reach for a Dream Foundation to Likhona Mkwali, a brave 11-year-old with a terminal illness, whose dream was to visit Durban and see the Golden Mile.

The hotel responded by inviting Likhona, her siblings Sipiwe and Linathi, and her mother, Nolundi to stay for two days in May.

They were greeted with treats in their room and team member Sinovuyo joined them for the day. Mustards Grill and Heaven Xpress also contributed to the dream. Likhona and her family were given a ride on a traditional Durban rickshaw, and a tour of Durban from the top deck of the Ricksha sight-seeing bus. The highlights for Likhona were The Cube on Innes Road, Mitchell Park, and visiting the harbour area.

GARDEN COURT SOUTH BEACH REACHES FOR A DREAM

Likhona with her family

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Tsogo Sun Citizenship

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candidTSOGO

Cape Town is…

Jacques Moolman: “It’s a cosmopolitan international city on a small scale. Despite its size it has all the diversity, energy, variety and nationalities of any big city. It’s a place where you can be yourself and where there are new experiences to be had every day, around every corner.”Jurgen Stumges: “A city with diversity, character, opportunity and endless possibilities.”Garry Reed: “Better than any international destination, so save your money and rather come here on holiday.”Ayanda Mazibuko: “A world class travel destination with so many memorable experiences to offer international visitors and locals.”Richard Keet: “Unique and entrepreneurial.”

Hennie Senekal: “The air that I breathe.”John van Rooyen: “The place to be to have a great time. If you’re not enjoying it, it’s your own fault.”Jeff Rosenberg: “Simply the best. It’s so very special. I recently came back from a trip to New York, where the streets are dirty and filled with potholes, and the contrast when I drove home from the airport was so distinct. This is a city that’s clean, where everything works.”

My favourite place to eat out in Cape Town is……

Garry Reed: “Bree Street. It’s definitely the foodie district of Cape Town.”Jeff Rosenberg: “I prefer a more casual, relaxed environment because of the number of formal events we attend and I

like to stick to what’s close to my home in Clavelli between Kalk Bay and Fishhoek.”Jacques Moolman: “There are so many. I love going to the winelands. With three boys, getting outdoors and enjoying a freshly prepared meal is heaven. But I also enjoy the city centre. We seldom go back to the same place more than once, simply because of the choices we have in Cape Town.”Jurgen Stumges: “Cassia on the Ntida Wine Estate in Durbanville. It’s 10 minutes from home and everything is faultless – the tablecloths, linen napkins, food, wine, setting, open decks and fireplace.”Ayanda Mazibuko: “Willoughby at the V&A Waterfront. It’s the only place where I’ve had lunch and gone back again for dinner the same night.”Hennie Senekal: “De Grendel, Homespun and Harbour House.”

HOME TO TEN TSOGO SUN HOTELS, CAPE TOWN IS A PLACE WHERE MANY DREAM OF LIVING. WE HAD A CANDID CHAT TO SOME OF OUR LEADERS BASED IN CAPE TOWN, TO GET FIRST-HAND IMPRESSIONS ABOUT THE MOTHER CITY, ITS FOOD, WINE AND ATMOSPHERE... AND ITS SECRETS AND TREASURES.

WITH THE TSOGO TEAM

cape towntalking

John van Rooyen: “Nelson’s Eye – their pepper steak is a special treat. It’s 60 years old, with an operator who has been there for nearly 40 years, and it’s never seen a refurb. Richard Keet: “A braai at home with a couple of mates, talking about real things. My family and I do the cooking.”

Tourism in Cape Town is…

John van Rooyen: “Booming domestically and internationally. I have the privilege of being involved in so many things that are happening right now and the exciting Tsogo developments due in the near future.”Jeff Rosenberg: “Exciting but there’s still work in progress. We’re pulling together all the great things being done by Cape Town Tourism, FEDHASA, the City and the Province. Our opportunity is to stretch our peak season out into both sides of winter.”Jacques Moolman: “Picking up. People want to be here and to experience Cape Town, and there are more and more boutique experiences, such as guided walks that specifically focus on what you want to see. There are many initiatives continually being introduced to appeal to new and different audiences.”Jurgen Stumges: “Our best local and international export.”Garry Reed: “Growing at a rapid pace and long may it last.”Hennie Senekal: “Boomingly good and thriving.”Ayanda Mazibuko: “It lives up to responsible tourism, with so many activities and tourist attractions. It certainly is a better place to visit.”

My favourite way to spend my time away from the hotel is…

Ayanda Mazibuko: “With my wife and kids at the Crumbs and Cream food truck for some ice cream and cookie sandwiches. After that the ‘choo choo’ train at the V&A Waterfront… that is a day well spent.”Hennie Senekal: “Walking in nature to enjoy Cape Town’s beauty and spending time with friends.”John van Rooyen: “On my road bike cycling to Chappies or mountain biking up to Blockhouse on Table Mountain.” Garry Reed: “In the outdoors with my family.”Jacques Moolman: “Going to my farm in the Karoo.”Jurgen Stumges: “Lots of family stuff. Weekends are precious and we enjoy

being tourists in our own city, exploring mountains, winelands and the coast.”Jeff Rosenberg: “Being with my family. I’m lucky to have both my daughters living in Cape Town, and whatever spare time I have is spent at home, in the garden if possible.”

Top of my bucket list of things I still want to do in Cape Town…

John van Rooyen: “To continue to serve on the tourism boards I’m involved in and to continue improving the sought-after destination that Cape Town already is.”Garry Reed: “A Robben Island to Cape Town swim. Kayaking around Cape Point. Township tours. Moonlight Mass, a night cycle race that takes place once a month and brings a group of people together for a bicycle ride through the city. There are so many.” Jeff Rosenberg: “Sailing has come up a few notches since my recent boating holiday. I’d also like to join a hiking club, and visit every wine estate in the Western Cape.”Jacques Moolman: “To cycle the Cape Town Cycle Tour. And now that I’ve said it I’ll have to do it.”Jurgen Stumges: “Learn how to fly, even if it’s just a microlight.”Ayanda Mazibuko: “Ride the Cape Town Cycle Tour and run the Two Oceans Marathon.”Hennie Senekal: “Do the Red Bus tour on a good weather day.”Richard Keet: “Kayak around Cape point – I’ve been everywhere else on my kayak.”

What I love most about Cape Town…

Richard Keet: “It’s unique in its beautiful mountains, fauna, flora. Also, what I find so special about it is the incredible entrepreneurial flair in the way the city is managed, its restaurants, how we treat tourists, the township tourism and the way we embrace all communities. There’s a passion and focus for working together to create an amazing, unique experience for every person who visits the city. From the tourism organisations, to suppliers, hotels and restaurants, there’s one common cause, which is to grow tourism in Cape Town. Cape Town is a melting pot of creativity, passion and commitment that’s getting better every year. Bree Street has come alive, Woodstock is exploding and there are incredible restaurants and

small businesses adding huge value to the tourist experience. One example of this innovation and entrepreneurship are the free city walks from Greenmarket Square.”Garry Reed: “The outdoor lifestyle and the fact that in summer the sun only sets at 9pm. You can finish at 5, go to the beach with your kids, light a fire and have a braai on a Tuesday night. It’s a fishing village in the sense that everything is close by, you can literally get from your house to work and back and drive only two km’s, encountering 20 different restaurants a multitude of shops and a plethora of leisure options in a concentrated area. I love the history of Cape Town, the eclectic mix of nationalities living in their own little pockets in the city.”Jurgen Stumges: “Coming from Joburg, the first thing you must like is the people. They’re witty, have a good sense of humour and are easy to get along with. Also, Cape Town is a tourist-friendly town; I recently took a red bus tour to see the city from a tourist’s perspective, and left with a strong sense of what a great city it is and how easily its people mingle.”Ayanda Mazibuko: “The massive variety and options available to enjoy your leisure time. It’s literally a sin not to do something on a weekend off. I particularly enjoy the fact that you can walk in the CBD and I appreciate the way the city is run. I like the fact that everyone walks. I can leave our hotel in Newlands and walk to Cavendish.”Jacques Moolman: “My wife and I are both Capetonians and we live in Durbanville. We have so many wine farms on our doorstep and the diversity of the area means that we can drive half an hour in any direction and reach winelands, Hermanus, the desert. Another thing that makes Cape Town special are the food and wine experiences. The variety is incredible and it’s everywhere, not just in the city centre. My favourite place in Cape Town is breakfast at Phizantekraal on the Durbanville wine route. It’s a converted stable and you have to book two months in advance. The food is exceptional, it’s innovative, the service is incredible, and if you go for breakfast you’ll leave at 4pm. It’s typical of Cape Town, where there are so many restaurants that are out of the way or not well known or that you’ll walk past and pop into, not expecting much and be blown away by the quality.”Hennie Senekal: “There are so many… walks on the beach, my early drive to work every morning to get to gym, seeing the sun rise over the mother city. That’s when I realise that I am very lucky to live and work in Cape Town. Also, the amazing restaurants and wine farms as well as getting to meet so many international guests.”

Talktothestars picked up the first group one win of his career in the Tsogo Sun Sprint Circle

Three top chefs at the ultra-luxurious Palazzo hotel at Montecasino presented a three-course masterpiece meal for media, celebrities and foodies on the 22nd of April at a Signature Dish lunch, with wine pairing by Tsogo Sun’s Group Sommelier, Miguel Chan.

Gareth Jordaan, Executive Sous Chef, created the starter that featured variations of calamari, tomato confit, compressed cucumber, Pernod aïoli, lemon, and pickled onion, which was paired with a Paul Cluver Estate Gewurtztraminer.

Executive Chef, Gerard Vingerling, was the mastermind behind the main course – a duck and cherry pie with crisp pancetta, liver pâté, roasted root vegetables, and duck and cherry jus, paired with Du Toitskloof Dimension Nebbiolo.

Beverly Bogatsu, Pastry Chef, gave the final touch to the signature menu with a dessert of strawberry marshmallows, with strawberry leather, ricotta fritters, and white chocolate sauce, which was paired with Graham Beck Brut Rose.

PALAZZO HOSTS SIGNATURE DISH LUNCH

Chefs Gerard Vingerling, Beverly Bogatsu and Gareth Jordaan with Palazzo PR Manager Chelene Skopelitis and Group Sommelier Miguel Chan.

Suncoast hosted the Whisky Live festival in partnership with East Coast Radio and the Independent in May, which featured a big range of whiskies from single malts to blends, bourbon and Irish, and everything in between, presented by knowledgeable and passionate whisky experts.

Highland and Speyside single malts took centre stage, while the Whisky Academy presented a range of lesser known whisky gems. The 100% South African, multi-award winning whiskies, Three Ships and Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, were presented by Distell.

SUNCOAST CELEBRATES THE GOLDEN SPIRIT

Mike Dowsley, GM of Suncoast with the team from Glenfarclas with their 60-year-old whisky worth R360 000! The 60-year-old Glenfarclas whisky

Photo credit: Tracy Lee Stark

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event highlights

The Tsogo Sun Sprint once again graced the Scottsville Racecourse adjacent to Golden Horse Casino in Pietermaritzburg on Saturday the 4th of June, with the theme being Unbridled African Flair. The race was won by top weight Talktothestars, known for racing unshod, who picked up the first group win of his career in the race. The 4-year-old gelding, who is owned by his trainer Coenie De Beer, also provided jockey Piere Strydom with a welcome victory at the top level.

The world-class race event saw celebrities, socialites, sports personalities

TALKTOTHESTARS WINS THE TSOGO SUN SPRINT

and the fashion forward descend on the grounds, and has done so since it was first introduced in 1962. Today it is the oldest, biggest and richest sprint event and one of the top six race days on South Africa’s prestigious horse racing events calendar.

Races on the day included four Grade 1 sprint races; the Tsogo Sun Sprint, the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion, the City of Pietermaritzburg Filly Sprint and the Allan Robertson Championship. The Grade 1 sprint races featured the most elite horses from all around South Africa and offered 1 200 metres of speed, power and skill.

The Tsogo Sun Sprint is an ‘open race’ for both fillies and geldings, while the Tsogo Sun Gold Medallion is for two-year-old geldings and the City of Pietermaritzburg Filly Sprint is for fillies only. The Allan Robertson Championship, named after the founder of the Thoroughbred Breeders Association of South Africa, put two-year-old fillies to the test.

This year’s total prize money, which owners, grooms, trainers and jockeys won on the day, stood at over R3 million, with the main race’s prize money being R1 million.

Food pics courtesy of The Joburg Foodie

Photo: Courtesy of Gold Circle

The Queen of Zulu Comedy, Celeste Ntuli, brought hysteria to Blackrock in May with her sold-out show ‘In Black Tax, we’ve all paid it’. The powerhouse also touched on the everyday worries of the South African population and reminded the crowd to remember to laugh at themselves.

QUEEN OF ZULU COMEDY AT BLACKROCK

Queen of Zulu Comedy, Celeste Ntuli

The Tsogo Sun PR team with journalists in the Seychelles

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event highlights

A capacity field of 3 000 athletes converged in Durban for the second Standard Bank Ironman 70.3 Durban triathlon on the 19th of June at Suncoast.The popular triathlon featured a 1.9km sea swim, 90.1km cycle and 21.1km run. It started at Snake Park Beach for the swim which exited at Country Club Beach, then involved a cycle along the M4 highway and finally a run along the promenade, finishing at Suncoast.

Among this year’s competitors was former Springbok and Sharks winger, Stefan Terblanche, who joined fellow rugby legends, John Smit and John Slade in competing for the Ironman 4 the Kidz Charity Trust, raising funds for Durban-based children’s beneficiaries, the Daily News Milk Fund and Bobbi Bear.

Tsogo Sun was the official accommodation partner to the Ironman 70.3 Durban triathlon.

CAPACITY FIELD FOR IRONMAN IN DURBAN

A group of eight high profile South African journalists were recently treated to a taste of Tsogo Sun’s Paradise Sun hotel in the Seychelles. South Africa is among the top three markets for the Seychelles and Tsogo Sun was proud to promote the magnificent destination and spectacularly located Paradise Sun hotel, which offers 80 beautiful rooms with sea views.

The journalists were treated to snorkelling at different islands, a barbeque on the island of Curieuse, and a visit to the giant tortoise colony (the Seychelles is home to the biggest colony in the world with

MEDIA TREATED TO PARADISE

approximately 160 000 tortoises, which can live up to 200 years). They also visited the glistening white sands of Anse Lazio, which has been voted the fourth most beautiful beach in the world, and they hiked in the Fond Ferdinand nature reserve and experienced the indigenous and rare Coco de Mer coconut trees with their unusual fruit.

Located a few degrees south of the equator, even in autumn the weather in the Seychelles is idyllic; and the air has just been voted the purest of any country in the world.

Suncoast recently hosted the hilarious and entertaining ‘Stand Up and Dance’ event, which featured some of South Africa’s best comedians such as Neville Pillay, Anasia Govender, Sagie and Muthu Murugan, alongside Leona Dean and her sensational dancers.

“Stand up and Dance is a uniquely Durban production of stand-up comedy and dance, something that every Durbanite enjoys, and we have always enjoyed stellar turnouts at our shows at Suncoast,” says producer, Leona Dean, known as the dancing queen or queen of bhangra, but who is also an attorney, law lecturer, chiropractor and performing artist.

“It was the perfect blend of entertainment,” says Suncoast Marketing Manager, Louise Howell. “The line-up of comedians kept everyone in stitches and Leona Dean and her dancers had audiences up on their feet!”

COMEDY AND DANCE AT SUNCOAST

Authentic Italian style, passion, food and wine were showcased at Montecasino in an all-encompassing ‘Made in Italy’ Festival in May, which offered live cooking demonstrations and tastings with chefs like MasterChef South Africa judge, Benny Masekwameng, and the first winner of MasterChef South Africa,

MONTE’S FIRST ITALIAN FESTIVAL

highlight on the SA Ferrari community’s calendar showcasing the best of Italian engineering. This included more than 80 of the top South African-owned Ferraris, from the oldest through to the top of the range, which were on display at Montecasino’s Outdoor Events Area.

Deena Naidoo. Guests also enjoyed movie screenings on the Piazza, and spent time exploring the various stalls, which offered Italian specialties, such as antipasto, coffee, cheeses and freshly made pasta.

Also forming part of the ‘Made in Italy’ Festival was Ferrari Show Day – a

SPOTLIGHT ON…ANNIE

12 October to 27 November

The Teatro at Montecasino

Annie, which has been dubbed the world’s favourite family musical, is coming to enchant audiences at The Teatro later this year.

The production is by top team Peter Toerien and Hazel Feldman and will feature an all-star South African cast, including Charon Williams Ros as Miss Hannigan, Neels Claasen as Daddy Warbucks, Grant Almirall as Bert Healey, Taryn Sudding as Grace, Stephen Jubber as Rooster, Delray Halgryn as Lilly, and many other top performers.

After an extensive six-month nationwide search, the producers found the three best Annies in the country – Emma-Rose Blacher, Lilla Fleischmann and Caitlin Dicker.

The musical story is set in 1930s New York during the Great Depression. Brave young

Annie is living a life of misery and torment in Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her dream is to find her parents. Then her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the home of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. But nasty Miss Hannigan hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search.

The show features many unforgettable songs, such as the ever-optimistic Tomorrow, as well as It’s a Hard Knock Life, Easy Street, and I Don’t Need Anything But You.

The original production of Annie opened on Broadway in New York in 1977. Since then it has won many awards and is the 13th longest-running American musical in Broadway history. It has been translated into 28 languages and played in 34 different countries. The song, Tomorrow, is one of the most sung Broadway songs in history.

This promises to be a great seat-filling and audience-delighting musical show at The Teatro, attracting people from far and wide and all walks of life – it’s definitely not to be missed!

Annie will also show in Cape Town at the Artscape Opera theatre from 2 December to 8 January 2017.

event calendar

Tickets are available from the Montecasino Box Office, at Computicket outlets or book online at tsogosun.com/montecasino/whatson/teatro/annie.

Ticket prices range from R150 to R500 with various discounts applicable for Tsogo Sun Rewards cardholders. For group bookings and charities, contact Geraldine (011) 511 1988.

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EVENT CALENDAR

UPCOMING EVENTS AT TSOGO SUN

PROPERTIES

event calendar

TERRACOTTA ARMY

15 June to 24 August

Silverstar Casino

POWER OF POISON

24 June – 24 August

Silverstar Casino

SLAVA’S SNOW SHOW

26 July – 14 August

The Teatro at Montecasino

JOHN VLISMAS – REVELATIONS II

26 & 27 August

The Teatro at Montecasino

CELTIC WOMAN DESTINY

17 September

The Teatro at Montecasino

SAVANNA COMICS’ CHOICE AWARDS

3 September

The Teatro at Montecasino

AN EVENING WITH EVITA BEZUIDENHOUT

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In an innovative campaign to replicate the excitement of Slots Chase, a regional tournament played at the three Gauteng casinos, Montecasino hosted a weekly celeb tournament that saw influencers and celebrities being invited to battle it out for the chance to donate their winnings to a worthy charity of their choice. At the

CELEB SLOTS CHASE TOURNAMENT FINAL

TSOGO SOCIALITES

A QUARTERLY GLIMPSE INTO

THE TSOGO SUN SOCIAL SCENE

Gold Reef City celebrated Easter by inviting media and celebrities to experience the attractions at the Theme Park, and to explore the complex through an Easter hunt with a special twist. Instead of finding Easter eggs, the guests and their children were given a map that took them on a magical journey through the Theme Park, featuring tasks that had to be completed to earn stamps. The morning of delight was followed by a buffet lunch at Barneys and the Easter Bunny Show in the Golden Amphitheatre.

GOLD REEF CITY SPREADS THE EASTER LOVE

The Slots Chase celeb tournament was a wonderful success, with ample opportunities to donate. Back row from left: El Broide, Kamal Parbhoo, DJ Sabby, Liesl de Bruin, Glenn Joseph, Cliff Pinto, Leon Haasbroek, Lee-Roy Wright, Stacey Holland, Brett Palframan, Debbie Combrink, Jason Goliath, and Revaan Raghununan. Kneeling, from left: Joe Crann and Nizreen Samodien

end of the tournament, the 12 finalists went head-to-head for the charity prize. Celebrity blogger El Broide emerged as the victor and donated his winnings to PETS (Pet Empowerment in Townships). Coming in a close second, was radio and TV personality Lee-Roy Wright, who donated his winnings to Kitty & Puppy Haven.

El Broide poses with Kamal Parbhoo (Montecasino Slots Manager), Lee-Roy Wright, and Glenn Joseph (Montecasino GM)

A victorious El Broide

Actor Mduduzi Mabaso with his wife, Fatima and their children, Mphumi (10) and Zolile (5) and a friend, Tshiamo Metsileng (10)

Entertainer, Amor Vittone and her children, Kylie (10) and Jordan (12) with two of the characters from the Easter show, Senna Moreira (the Easter Bunny) and Ross Bentley (the Big Bad Wolf)

Local actresses and comedians, Leandra Reddy (3rd from right, back) with Krijay Govender (2nd from right, back) with their families

Sowetan journalist, Lesley Mofokeng with his kids trying their hand at making chocolate Easter eggs

Actress Manaka Ranaka with her children and their friends and cousins, Kopano Ranaka (3), Khosi Ranaka (6), Kgopotso Monareng (6) and Naledi Ranaka (8)

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Tsogo socialites

Famous Brazilian actress Taina Muller visited Paradise Sun in Seychelles with her husband Henrique to celebrate her ‘babymoon’ – a trip couples often take before their child is born. In thanking the team for their wonderful experience, she said: “Our stay at Paradise Sun for our babymoon was amazing. All the staff treated us so well that we felt like we were at home.”

BRAZILIAN CELEB BABYMOONS IN PARADISE

International company Crabtree & Evelyn, which is well known and respected for its original fragrances and luxurious toiletries, chose Rosa at The Palazzo Montecasino as the perfect location for an exclusive ladies lunch in April.

PALAZZO HOSTS CRABTREE & EVELYN

Michelle Higginson, CEO of Crabtree & Evelyn, with Chelene Skopelitis, Palazzo’s PR Manager (left)

The fast-paced and action-packed swimming, running and cycling Tinman Triathlon took place in April at Suncoast, putting professional and newbie triathletes to the test!

PLEBS AND CELEBS DO THE TINMAN

From left: Brenda Haynes, rugby legend Stefan Terblanche, Steph Detert, and Janine Hall-Jones

Suncoast is a popular destination for celebs who come to enjoy some leisure time or to perform at the SUNdeck. Among the recent visitors were Khanyi Mbau, Kahn Morbee and Arno Carstens.

SEEN AT SUNCOAST

Actress, model and singer Khanyi Mbau and Nicole East Lloyd Loots, Heather Hook and Cheve Peters

Wayne Stafford (SA Bachelor) and Bronwyn Hirschowitz

Comedian Casper de Vries and Bernard Buys

Tony Feldman (Showtime Management), Nan Jackson, Joel Churcher (BBC) and Shireez Latief (BBC)

The Teatro stage at Montecasino was transformed when 30 bloggers, media and celebrities braved the biting Gauteng winter cold to attend an exclusive educational taste of Slava’s Snowshow. The enthralled guests stretched their imaginations and embarked on a journey to a surreal and carefree world, where their inner child resurfaced as they tossed balloons into the air and bashed fellow guests in a pillow fight before looking towards the skies for an educational preview of the Slava’s Snowshow, projected onto a state-of-the-art flat screen mounted across The Teatro ceiling.

A GLIMPSE OF SLAVA’S SNOWSHOW

Singer, songwriter Arno Carstens with Palvi Oddone Aquino and Nicole East

Palvi Oddone Aquino (Suncoast Towers Hotel Guest Relations Manager), with Kahn Morbee (lead singer for the Parlotones) and Nicole East (Suncoast PR Manager)

A surreal viewing experience

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Tsogo socialites

The sky is the limit

At Tsogo Sun, we know that our growing

success is all thanks to our employees.

We are committed to our people and to

empowerment, a philosophy that

continues to bring endless opportunities.