22 May 2012 – 28 May 2012 Issue 464 www.thesouthafrican.com 41433 0808 141 2315 www.1stcontact.com/mast1 TAX, FINANCIAL AND MIGRATION EXPERTS: Money Transfers, Tax Refunds, Visas, Limited Companies & Accounting, UK Bank Accounts, CV & Job Assistance, Travel Clinic, Shipping, Legal and Umbrella Services CLAIM YOUR TAX REFUND TODAY! *In addition to the transfer fees applicable to a transaction, a currency exchange rate set by MoneyGram or its agent will be applied. **Subject to agent hours of operation and local regulations. MoneyGram International Limited is an authorised payment institution regulated by the Financial Services Authority. ©2012 MoneyGram. All rights reserved. Freephone: 00800 8971 8971 www.moneygram.com YOUR MONEY ARRIVES IN 10 MINUTES ** SEND CASH TO SOUTH AFRICA AND ZIMBABWE FROM ONLY £4.90 * SA Power 100 : Errol Damelin | p13 The South African founder of mini-lending company Wonga tells us why he made the shift from investment banker to entrepreneur.. Kirstenbosch returns to Chelsea show | p7 Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden will bring its 37th botanical display to this week’s Chelsea Flower Show in London – and hopes to bring home the gold again. INSIDE: Feast of Charlize Theron films next week| p9 Next week will see the UK opening of not just one but two blockbuster films starring our very own Charlize Theron. We bring you previews of ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Snow White and The Huntsman’. SA banker Stephen McGown has been held by Al-Qaeda operatives since November SA HOSTAGE OFFERED FOR QATADA RELEASE by STAFF REPORTER A l-Qaeda has offered a deal to release a South African hostage in return for radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada’s freedom. According to The Telegraph, South African banker Stephen McGown (37) was kidnapped last November with a Swedish and a Dutch national from a restaurant in Timbuktu, Mali. A German was killed in the struggle. McGown, who holds dual South African and British nationality, is believed to have been on a motorcycle tour through Europe and Africa with a Dutch friend before settling with his wife in South Africa, where his parents live. McGown and his wife Catherine (32) lived for several years in Putney, and he is thought to have worked for the London branch of South African bank Investec. He is allegedly one of nine Europeans seized by al-Qaeda operatives in the restive West African countries of Mali and Niger since September 2010. A statement referring to McGown by his middle name of Malcolm appeared on an Islamic website saying he would be released if Abu Qatada was sent to an “Arab Spring country” rather than to Jordan, where he faces imprisonment over terrorist charges. American monitoring service SITE attributed the statement to al-Qaeda’s North African affiliate, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which emerged from Islamic groups fighting the Algerian government in the 1990s. “The initiative to the British Government is to release its citizen Stephen Malcolm, who also has South African nationality, if it deports Abu Qatada to one of the ‘Arab Spring’ countries,” the statement reads. “If Britain ignores this offer it will bear the consequences of handing Abu Qatada to the Jordanian government.” The statement was released days after al–Qaeda said it would “open the gates of evil” on Britain if Qatada was sent to Jordan. A judge referred to Qatada as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe. The cleric has been fighting British attempts to deport him for 10 years and is being held in the high-security Belmarsh prison in south-east London. The terror suspect recently failed in his bid to have the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights rule on his deportation battle. McGown’s parents said five months after his capture they had had no contact from the kidnappers, not even a ransom demand. “We’ve heard not a word, absolutely nothing,” said his mother Beverley. She said they heard about the online statement from British news reports. “In general we have had very little information and it’s obviously quite traumatic for all of us.” “We heard that the families of the other men were contacted, but there has been absolutely no contact with us yet,” his father Malcolm added. He said the bike trip was to be his son’s “final adventure”. WINE O’CLOCK: This weekend will be filled with South African fun as the renowned Pinotage on Tap festival, held annually by Diemersfontein Wines, goes beyond SA for the first time with a special edition in West Sussex. Tickets on www.computicket.com. Also this weekend is the Hunter’s South African Festival in Dorset www.huntersfestival.co.uk. See page 2 or www. thesouthafrican.com/events for more info on these and other events.
The South African, Issue 464, 22 May 2012
Mar 17, 2016
SA hostage offered for Qatada release; Kirstenbosch returns to Chelsea show; SA Power 100 : Errol Damelin
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22 May 2012 – 28 May 2012 Issue 464
www.thesouthafrican.com
41433
0808 141 2315www.1stcontact.com/mast1
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SA Power 100 : Errol Damelin | p13
The South African founder of mini-lending company Wonga tells us why he made the shift from investment banker to entrepreneur..
Kirstenbosch returns to Chelsea show | p7
Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden will bring its 37th botanical display to this week’s Chelsea Flower Show in London – and hopes to bring home the gold again.
INSIDE:
Feast of Charlize Theron films next week| p9
Next week will see the UK opening of not just one but two blockbuster films starring our very own Charlize Theron. We bring you previews of ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Snow White and The Huntsman’.
SA banker Stephen McGown has been held by Al-Qaeda operatives since November
SA HOSTAGE OFFERED FOR QATADA RELEASEby STAFF REPORTER
Al-Qaeda has offered a deal to release a South African hostage in return for
radical Islamic cleric Abu Qatada’s freedom.
According to The Telegraph, South African banker Stephen McGown (37) was kidnapped last November with a Swedish and a Dutch national from a restaurant in Timbuktu, Mali. A German was killed in the struggle.
McGown, who holds dual South African and British nationality, is believed to have been on a motorcycle tour through Europe and Africa with a Dutch friend before settling with his wife in South Africa, where his parents live.
McGown and his wife Catherine (32) lived for several years in Putney, and he is thought to have worked for the London branch of South African bank Investec.
He is allegedly one of nine Europeans seized by al-Qaeda operatives in the restive West African countries of Mali and Niger since September 2010.
A statement referring to McGown by his middle name of Malcolm appeared on an Islamic website saying he would be released if Abu Qatada was sent to an “Arab Spring country” rather than to Jordan, where he faces imprisonment over terrorist charges.
American monitoring service SITE attributed the statement to al-Qaeda’s North African affiliate,
al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), which emerged from Islamic groups fighting the Algerian government in the 1990s.
“The initiative to the British Government is to release its citizen Stephen Malcolm, who also has South African nationality, if it deports Abu Qatada to one of the ‘Arab Spring’ countries,” the statement reads. “If Britain ignores this offer it will bear the consequences of handing Abu Qatada to the Jordanian government.”
The statement was released days after al–Qaeda said it would “open the gates of evil” on Britain if Qatada was sent to Jordan.
A judge referred to Qatada as Osama bin Laden’s right-hand man in Europe. The cleric has been fighting British attempts to deport him for 10 years and is being held in the high-security Belmarsh prison in south-east London. The terror suspect recently failed in his bid to have the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights rule on his deportation battle.
McGown’s parents said five months after his capture they had had no contact from the kidnappers, not even a ransom demand. “We’ve heard not a word, absolutely nothing,” said his mother Beverley. She said they heard about the online statement from British news reports. “In general we have had very little information and it’s obviously quite traumatic for all of us.”
“We heard that the families of the other men were contacted, but there has been absolutely no contact with
us yet,” his father Malcolm added. He said the bike trip was to be his son’s “final adventure”.
WINE O’CLOCK: This weekend will be filled with South African fun as the renowned Pinotage on Tap festival, held annually by Diemersfontein Wines, goes beyond SA for the first time with a special edition in West Sussex. Tickets on www.computicket.com. Also this weekend is the Hunter’s South African Festival in Dorset www.huntersfestival.co.uk. See page 2 or www.thesouthafrican.com/events for more info on these and other events.
2 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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Circle: Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May, no service between Hammersmith and Aldgate. Trains operate between Aldgate and Edgware Road, via Victoria.Hammersmith & City: Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May, no service between Moorgate and Barking.Metropolitan: Saturday 26 and Sunday 27 May, no service between Moorgate and Aldgate.District: Sunday 27 May, no service between Earl’s Court and Wimbledon. Jubilee: Sunday 27 May, suspended between North Greenwich and Stratford until approximately 0845. Northern: Sunday 27 May, no service between High Barnet and Camden Town until approximately 0845.Overground: 27 May, no service between Highbury & Islington and New Cross Gate until 0800. 27 May, no service between New Cross Gate and West Croydon / Crystal Palace.
May
Isango Ensemble triple bill at Hackney EmpireDate: 11 May-3 JuneVenue: Hackney EmpireMulti award-winning Cape Town theatre company Isango returns to London for a four-week season at Hackney Empire.
The Hackney Empire, supported by the Columbia Fund, will present Aesop’s Fables, The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists and La Bohème.
Tickets from £8 to £24 at www.hackneyempire.co.uk or 020 8985 2424
Celebration of the Centenary of UCT’s Faculty of Health SciencesDate: 21 May 2012, 6.30 - 9pmVenue: RAC ClubUCT is proud to invite you to the Faculty of Health Sciences Centenary Celebration at the RAC Club in London on Monday 21st May, at which both VC Dr Max Price and the Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences, Professor Marian Jacobs, will speak.
Tickets: £35 (includes refreshments)
RSVP: uct.alumni.uk@tecres.
net / 01372 477116 for payment details
UCT UK Alumni Reception at The House of LordsDate: 24 May 2012, 7-10pmVenue: House of LordsBaroness Lynda Chalker of Wallasey & Lord Anthony St John of Bletso invite you to a Reception in The Peers’ Dining Room, House of Lords with Dr Max Price, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cape Town & UCT Alumnus Guest Speaker, Richard Gnodde, Co-Chief Executive, Goldman Sachs International and Trustee of the UCT Trust.Tickets: £ 40 (canapés and wine will be served)RSVP: [email protected] / 01372 477116 to reserve a place and request payment instructionsWe are very grateful to Baroness Chalker of Wallasey for giving us the opportunity to hold our Annual UCT UK Alumni Reception at The House of Lords.
Hunter’s South African festivalDate: 26 and 27 MayVenue: Holton Lee, DorsetAt the Hunter’s South African festival there will be live music, a
bar, biltong, braai, family fun and sports.
Includes:• Market Stalls• Mechanical bull• Bouncing castle• Silent disco till late• Tug of war• Touch rugby
Details: www.huntersfestival.co.uk
Diemersfontein Pinotage on Tap festivalDate: 26 and 27 MayVenue:Poynings Grange Farm, Henfield Road, Poynings, West SussexThe renowned Pinotage on Tap festival, held annually by Diemersfontein Wines and attended by thousands of loyal fans, will go beyond the borders of South Africa for the first time with a special edition in the UK this summer.
Visitors can buy a ticket for one or both days. It promising to be an authentic South African party, with typical SA food, and entertainment by South African musicians Lonesome Dave Ferguson and Albert Frost.
Details: [email protected] or www.diemersfontein.co.za
What’s on
Please email your events to: [email protected]. For more listings, please visit www.thesouthafrican.com
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3thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
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Honorary Consuls launch websiteThe recently launched interactive website by the honorary consuls
for South Africa boasts a live activity stream and detailed profiles
by STAFF REPORTERTHE honorary consuls for South Africa have launched an interactive website. The site, www.honconsul.za.com, is designed to promote the Office of the Honorary Consul for the Republic of South Africa, and to strengthen relationships between the United Kingdom and South Africa.
Among the key features of the website is a live activity stream, an interactive map of the UK, detailed Honorary Consul profiles enabling visitors to the site to get to know their regional representatives, and contact details. The site also provides visitors information about consular services and useful links to visa and travel information.
Avi Lasarow, Honorary
Consul for South Africa to the Midlands region, said: “As part of the mandate of honorary consul, it is our duty to promote the special relationship between the UK and South Africa. As such we felt that there was a need to have a one-stop interactive website to serve all regions in the UK, and the 230,000 South Africans who reside in them. These factors have influenced the new website design and content.”
There are seven honorary consuls across the UK with regional representatives in areas including Preston, Birmingham, Sussex, Scotland, Yorkshire, South-West and East of England. For more information and to contact your local representative, go to www.honconsul.za.com
Is your name on the list of duplicated South African identity documents?
Possible arrest if you share crook’s SA ID number
by HEATHER WALKERYOU could face serious problems when returning to South Africa if you have a duplicate identity document – or even be arrested if you share the same ID number as a wanted criminal.
South Africans who live abroad are likely to be among the nearly 30,000 citizens who possess duplicate ID documents, a problem Home Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma has vowed to eradicate.
Last week the Department of Home Affairs launched a campaign to eradicate an estimated 29,000 duplicate identity documents. The department has published the names of those affected by duplicate IDs in several national newspapers and on its website.
According to JC Muller of SA Promo Magazine, “I have met at least one person here in London who was taken into custody for armed robbery on entering OR Tambo earlier this year because some crook had his ID number. The drama he went through to get that sorted can make for a long book. So it’s high time our beloved Home Affairs Minister gets her department in order.”
Dlamini-Zuma has appealed to those whose names appeared in print to approach their nearest Home Affairs offices to have their case resolved. All Home Affairs offices have established dedicated counters and personnel to assist those affected.
According to BuaNews, the first phase of the campaign to deal with duplicate IDs will target the 29,000 people who share their ID number with someone else. The second phase will focus on the other 83,000 who have more than one ID number. To check if your ID number is a duplicate, follow the link on the banner on the Home Affairs website homepage: www.home-affairs.gov.za
Avi Lasarow, Honorary Consul for South Africa to the Midlands
4 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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SA airline launches Africa’s first in-flight WiFiby KWAME WILSONIN-FLIGHT internet has finally landed in South Africa.
Mango Airlines have partnered with Vodacom and G-Connect, for the aptly titled G-Connect In-Flight Wi-Fi. The service which is a first in any African country, was launched on 8 May. Passengers will be able to send and receive e-mails, browse the web as well as connect with various social media networks despite being 30,000 ft in the air.
The service will initially only be available on Mango 737-800s fitted with in-flight Wi-Fi equipment, although later this year the airline will look to roll out the ground-breaking internet service to other aircraft.
For passengers looking to use the Wi-Fi during flights (on selected
flights only), there are a few price packages on offer: either three hours of data priced at R50 valid for one flight or 20 hours priced at R90, a senior rep at G-Connect announced. Alternatively G-Connect account holders can opt for a per-minute option, where land and air convergence is offered at R1 per minute. Unlimited data is offered on all three packages for the duration of the alloted times.
Data-heavy services like YouTube and peer-to-peer downloads will be blocked to allow the service to operate at premium speeds.
This is an unprecedented move and once again shows South Africa to be on the frontline in terms of commercial and technical innovation throughout the world.www.thesouthafrican.com/news
The South African Youth Development conference returns to London on 26 May with a full line-up of speakers
Africa Day Youth Development conference in Londonby PAUL HARRISONFOLLOWING the overwhelming success of its 2011 conference, the South African Youth Development event returns to London on 26 May and will be held every three months.
The networking event is a great platform for young South African
adults and UK-based professionals to engage with one another, forming a great environment to build business relationships based on the simple principles of know, like and trust.
The speaker panel is made up of inspiring South Africans who will share their experiences en route to
success since their arrival in the UK.
Speakers include John Battersby (UK Country Manager for Brand South Africa), Paul Harrison (London-based SA entrepreneur voted SA Business Innovator of the year), Kassiani Lythrangomitis (digital media consultant and
former website manager at the South African Presidency) and Matimba Mbungela (regional head of Organisational Effectiveness and Change at Vodafone).
Sponsors: Shaka Zulu and Brand South Africa
Event Founder / CEO: Sthembiso Mkhize
Address: Shaka Zulu ,Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, Camden, NW1 8AB
Date: Saturday 26 MayTime: 1–6pmDress code: Smart casualEntry: FreeIf you have any questions, please
call 07411 460 772
‘Fast to Feed’ for World Hunger Dayby NICOLE HOLGATETWENTY percent of South African households don’t have adequate access to food, despite South Africa producing enough for its entire population. Save the Children recently reported that in neglected areas, children are now most likely to die from malnutrition instead of Aids / HIV.
FoodBank is responsible for recycling food that would otherwise be destined for a landfill. They supplement it with staples to ensure that it provides a balanced level of nutrition, and then redistribute it to over 35 000 people a day, half of whom are children.
Monday 28 May is World Hunger Day, and FoodBank Foundation is holding a sponsored ‘Fast to Feed’ event to raise funds to feed the hungry in South Africa, followed by a buffet catered by highly acclaimed eco chef, Tom Hunt.
Several people will raise money by undergoing a 12-hour fast from 7am to 7pm, and then break it at the feast, which will be made from entirely recycled food. They must convince 12 friends or colleagues to sponsor them £6.25 (or more). It costs FoodBank only £6.25 to feed one person for a month and
therefore each participant will raise £75, enough to feed someone for a year!
Chef Tom will devise a menu based on whatever he can get hold of that would otherwise go to waste from the 20 million tonnes of food wastage created each year in the UK. He says proudly “This will be a spontaneous feast of wondrous ingredients. We will change the fate of these ingredients from unnecessary spoil to a banquet fit for a king. We at Forgotten Feast actively tackle food waste, educating people through the simple and enjoyable act of eating. We are culinary activists.”
FoodBank South Africa is addressing hunger and malnutrition, and supplies 1,700 community based organisations with food, enabling them in turn to benefit orphans and vulnerable children, the aged, people suffering from HIV/Aids and the unemployed. In its first two years of operation FoodBank has donated an estimated 32 million meals worth an estimated £10million.
For further information about this event please contact Janet Broadhurst on [email protected] or through www.foodbank.org.za
thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
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YOU can’t be nasty in public anymore. Not without getting a metric ton of poo dropped on you. We live in a world of Twitter, of Facebook, of smartphones and YouTube and hashtags. If you start acting out in public, someone is going to record and distribute the evidence. It doesn’t matter if you think this is a bad state of affairs or not; that’s the way the world has evolved. It just is.
It’s something that Khaya Thwala forgot, and it’s made him look very bad indeed.
Thwala is a member of Abantu Base Mzantsi, a slightly obscure organisation vaguely connected to the ANC’s interim London Branch. Two weeks ago, he attended an event in Catford intended to commemorate Freedom Day. Outside the church where the event was taking place, a group of protesters gathered, tape over their mouths, wielding signs saying “Stop Boer Genocide” and “Families Tortured to Death”.
They had a right to be there - however deluded or correct you think they were, people can peacefully protest anywhere they please. But somewhere along the line, our friend Mr Thwala apparently got it into his head to berate them. And he was deeply nasty about it. “The boer must go back to Holland,” he bleated. “Your boss was killed... how many black people did he kill? It’s good for him he died. He deserved to die... kill the boer. That’s what I say”. Classy.
Unfortunately, someone was filming him on a smartphone. Cue YouTube post. Cue Twitter explosion. Cue frantic statement from Abantu Base Mzantsi condemning what was said.
Oh Mr Thwala, that was so very, very dumb.
When contacted by this newspaper, Thwala first said
ROB BOFFARD
The LOCAL
How to lose friends and incite hate
he would comment, then said he wouldn’t, then said he’d let us know by e-mail, then went completely underground, then surfaced and referred us to the statement from the organisation. If this isn’t a textbook case of how not to handle a damaging situation, I don’t know what it is. When you’re caught in public being nasty, when someone has you on film using a phrase that was only recently involved in a hate speech trial, you’ll want to think very carefully about how you deal with the backlash.
And of course, what goes online, stays online. The video was not posted by this newspaper - it was initially uploaded to YouTube, and then shown to us. It’ll be there forever.
It is, frankly, a bit sad that this kind of naked racism still rears its ugly head now and then. It’s like finding a shrunken head in a box of chocolates. Apartheid was awful, the worst idea in the world
- but it doesn’t automatically mean the people around today were responsible for it, or condoned it, or should pay the price
for it. To assume that they should is a big mistake.
For the record, this newspaper’s reporting of the situation was described as both pro-ANC (by the protesters) and counter-revolutionary (by the ANC). We’re therefore going to assume we’ve got the balance just about right.
It is a bit sad that this kind of naked racism still rears its ugly head now and then. It’s like finding a shrunken head in a box of chocolates.
6
Community Follow us on Twitter:@TheSAnews
| 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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EARLY BIRDS: South Africans did some early morning business networking at this month’s Breakfast Indaba, held at Carluccio’s Putney, where Brian Abbott from Brian Abbott Training did a fantastic educational on changing mindsets. To join the Breakfast Indaba e-mail [email protected]. Photos by Anneli Marinovich.
BRANDING AFRICA: South Africa’s de facto ‘Brand Tsar’ Thebe Ikalafeng shared his insights in a talk at the South African Business Club’s May event in London.
7thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
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iROCK! UK presents ‘Tribes of Africa’ eveningby SINEM BILEN-ONABANJOAT a time when youth unemployment in the UK is at its highest since 1980, with a ‘lost generation’ of 16 to 24-year-olds currently out of employment, South African Viola Ncube is a woman on a mission to promote positive change for young women and provide them with opportunities of mentoring, work placement and full time employment through a number of initiatives run by her social enterprise iROCK! UK.
The first major fundraiser for iROCK! UK, ‘Tribes of Africa’ is scheduled to coincide with Africa Day on 26 May 2012 and will take place at 5-star The Grange Tower Bridge Hotel in London.
The event is set to be a grand celebration of the diversity and cultures of Africa with complimentary African-flavoured cocktails served with African delicacies such as biltong, a four-course fusion menu inspired by African tastes, diverse entertainment from all corners of the continents including the Zambezi Express Zulu Dancers, the Massai Dance Group, poetry by Dumi and Floetic Flo and a fashion show by 10 African designers representing different tribes of Africa.
Designers on display include South Africa’s VIP Designs, Ghanaian jeweller Anita Quansah, London-based Nigerian designer Nkwo, Towani Clarke of Kutowa Designs from Lusaka, Zambia, Tanzanian ChiChia London, and Nigerian King of Couture Adebayo Jones.
“We aim to not only celebrate our continent in grand style but also harness the giving spirit of African cultures to help raise awareness and funds to foster positive change for many young women we are working with
and are in desperate need of opportunities to make
something of their lives. Tribes of Africa will
bring together the crème de la crème of African communities and talents to
celebrate our heritage as well as the work of iROCK!,” said Ncube.
With South African Deputy High Commissioner Bongiwe Qwabe lending her support to the event and buying a table for the High Commission, and high profile names such as 2009 CNN Hero Betty Makoni, UK property tycoon and Secret Millionaire Caroline Marsh and Nigerian media mogul Ben Murray-Bruce as guests of honour, Tribes of Africa is already delivering on its promise to bring together community influencers in support of iROCK! UK.
Proceeds from the event will be used to support a number of programmes iROCK! UK has established to enrich young people with skills that will better prepare them for professional environments and empower them to access networking, mentoring and internship opportunities, thereby enabling them to penetrate the difficult job market.
Tribes of Africa in itself provides young women mentored by iROCK! with the opportunity to build industry contacts by getting involved in all aspects of preparations for the night, from ticket sales to the fashion show, under the guidance of mentors.
Buy tickets at www.irockuk.org
ChiChia London, one of the 10 African designers that will be showcased.
Kirstenbosch takes London on a floral journey of SA
The theme of Kirstenbosch’s 37th exhibit at the Chelsea Flower Show this week is ‘Gateways – a Botanical Journey’
by PAUL CHRISTOPHER DANIELSMOST Capetonians have fond memories of Kirstenbosch Gardens, recalling many school trips. In later years those trips were less educational, often with three bottles of wine in tow and a picnic feast in preparation for a Summer Sunset Concert.
However, Kirstenbosch has left its mark internationally for other reasons. For the past 36 years they have exhibited and won awards at the Chelsea Flower Show, considered the ‘Olympics of flower shows’. Thousands of visitors attend the show each year, including many UK-based South Africans who want a little reminder of home.
Ahead of the show, we spoke to David Davidson, who has been designing the stand with Ray Hudson for nearly two decades:How did you first get involved in designing Kirstenbosch’s displays at The Chelsea Flower Show?As Head of Graphic Services for the South African National Biodiversity Institute, the design of shows and exhibitions was part of my portfolio. Keith Kirsten was a member of the Board at the time, and introduced Ray Hudson – a landscape designer from Johannesburg – as part of the team.For nearly two decades you and Ray have designed the displays and won awards each year. Does it put a lot of pressure on you to keep the winning streak going?For the past 19 years we have collaborated on the design. The expectations of the sponsors exert a certain pressure, but our passion for showcasing South Africa and its flora is paramount in creating exhibits that meet this objective. Top awards beget sponsorship but the wealth and diversity of our floral heritage is the primary inspiration.How did you go about conceptualising your design for
this year’s theme of ‘Gateways – a botanical journey’?With so many biomes and so many visitor attractions in SA, we chose settings with the greatest visual appeal. The concept of gateways as a point of entry invites onlookers ‘beyond the garden wall’ into South Africa’s hinterland.What is your favourite part of exhibiting at the Chelsea Flower Show? Is it still exciting to do each year?The prospect is always daunting, but the exhilaration of being with hundreds of other exhibitors, all doing their very best, and paying homage to the plant kingdoms of the world, never ceases to excite and inspire.Are you planning next year’s theme already?Yes! Next year marks 100 years since the establishment of both Kirstenbosch and the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. We look forward to celebrating a double centenary!Capetonians are very fond of Kirstenbosch
Gardens. What do you think makes Kirstenbosch so special?Kirstenbosch is one of the top 10 botanical gardens in the world. It enjoys an incomparably beautiful setting against the slopes of Table Mountain, which is now one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature, and provides a meeting place for people and plants. It was the first botanical garden in the world to display only indigenous plants and our floral wealth and diversity has been shared with the botanical world since its inception.
The Chelsea Flower Show takes place from 22-26 May at Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London, SW3 4SL. Tickets are priced from £16.
Designer David Davidson and the Kirstenbosch Chelsea Flower Show team stand proudly with a scale model of their design at Kirstenbosch Gardens.
8 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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ANGELIQUE het een aand by ons tweeweeklikse Afrikaanse bybelstudiegroepie gesê: Vriende is jou enigste familie in Engeland. En daarom moet ons goed wees vir mekaar.
Dis ’n alleenpad sonder lekker Afrikaanse vriende hier in die vreemde. Ek onthou ons eerste “perongeluk” ontmoeting met Bernie en Lezanne in Engeland. Ek was uitbundig om te hoor hier’s nog mense binne 20myl van ons af wat Afrikaanse praat en lief is vir ’n vleisie oor die kole. En toe ontmoet ons vir Marcel en Eska en Angelique en Altus en hulle almal se kindertjies. En skielik was alles
net beter. My gestel kon klaarkom met die minder son en Afrikaans en die baie reën en Engels.
Saterdagaand was ons laaste kuier saam met hierdie hartsvriende in Engeland. Die tema was pajamapartytjie en Chinese kos. Almal moes iets saambring en dis dan op skottelbraaie in Eska se waskamer geroer. Marcel het sommer summier besluit dat die waskamer voortaan ook sommer sy braaikamer sal wees. Iemand het ‘n bottel Olof Bergh na die partytjie gebring en die manne het uitbundig om die skottelbraaie gekuier.
Later, heelwat later is daar gekaraoke in ons pajamas. Die mans was eerder lus vir Afrikaans sing en David Kramer se CD is nie minder as drie maal deur gesing nie. Ek dink die laaste sessie was so ’n skraps na een Sondagoggend. Dit was Altus se voorstel dat die manne nog een laaste keer alles moet gee vir ou David.
Ek dink dit was rondom middernag toe my man
onbeskaamd verneem na die lekker sjokoladekoek in die kombuis. Hy wou net sekermaak of dit vir hierdie aandjie se kuier gebak is. Eska het haar nie twee keer laat nooi nie. Ek wou die oomblik verewig vashou in my kop…ons klompie in ons pajamas, David wat moeggesing steeds in die agtergrond aanhou, elkeen
met ’n bordjie sjokoladekoek. In Engeland, Lincolnshire.
Die lewe loop draai soms met jou op plekke waar jy dit die minste verwag het.
Ek dink nie dit was te lank voor die son se opkoms toe Marcel sy rekenaar gaan haal vir Tolla nie. Ons móés eers Tolla se hasie-grappie en sy mêrrie-go-round grappie hoor.
Sondagmôre moes ons groet. Groet is mos nooit lekker nie. Mens voel amper om liewer net in jou kar te klim en liewer nooit te groet nie. Dit maak die swaar beter. Ons sal egter hierdie spesiale vriende van ons weer sien. Ek’s seker daarvan.
Vriende in die vreemde
SUNE COETZEE
Om die
Kombuistafel
Saterdagaand was ons laaste kuier saam met hierdie hartsvriende in Engeland. Die tema was pajamapartytjie en Chinese kos.
Weekend of South African fun at Dankfees 2012
This year’s Dankfees at the Hop Farm brings you tug-of-war, Kurt Darren, vetkoek, rugby, camping, pancakes and lots moreby STAFF REPORTERSA Congregation will host the annual Dankfees from 8 to 10 June 2012 – and it gets bigger every year!
Dankfees 2011 saw more than 3,000 South Africans descend on the Hop Farm in Kent. The festival was a great success with many people vowing to never miss it again.
During the day Jakob Deist and Pieter Dorfling will woo the crowd with their uniquely South African sounds.
This year there will also be a Dankfees show on the Saturday evening, with Kurt Darren and Pieter Smith. South African gospel band Prophet will lead the Sunday service on 10 June.
The main festival is on Saturday 9 June, with a full day of entertainment lined up. A Spur Kids Village will keep the young ones entertained with bouncy castles, an obstacle course, face painting, colouring competition and balloons.
Dad can put his vehicle to the test on the 4×4 track. But be warned, this track is not for the faint hearted – they managed to get one 4X4 on its side last year.
There will be market stalls and a tea garden to unwind with some South African delicacies.
Other activities include
Saracens kids rugby coaching, target shooting, human foosball tournament, touchies tournament and the ever popular kettiebom competition.
Don’t forget the South African foods, with the vetkoek, curry and rice and pancakes always attracting the crowds that long for mom’s cooking. You’ll also be able to stock up on SA groceries and biltong.
For rugby fans, the Springboks vs England game will be screened on 9 June, so invite your British neighbours to ensure a fun-filled
game watching experience. Ladies not interested in the rugby can attend the cupcake decorating or mosaic workshops.
Details: www.sagemeente.com/dankfees
WIN!We have two Kurt Darren/Dankfees packages up for grabs (worth £20). Each package includes 2 day entry tickets to Dankfees and 2 tickets to the Kurt Darren show. Competition closes 1 June 2012. Enter online by visiting www.thesouthafrican.com/win
Dankfees will be a truly South African weekend with braais and rugby.
www.facebook.com/dankfeeswww.sagemeente.com/dankfees registered Charity: 1041617
9 J u n e 2 0 1 2
Dankfees Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6PY
Kurt Darren @ the Dankfees Show
Hop Farm, Paddock Wood, Kent, TN12 6PY
Book tickets
now at:
www.sagemeente.com/d
ankfees
a fair with soutH aFRICAN fLAIR
9thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
EntertainmentLike us on Facebook:facebook.com/thesouthafrican
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OFFICIALLY passed the five-month mark yesterday. Five months I have found myself in this relationship with an unknown individual who holds my life in their hands. If anyone passing along the pavement finds a wild woman sitting on the roof, talking to the planes above Heathrow, you will know it is me. I have finally succumbed to the stress of waiting for a ‘Go’ card.
I surmise the world has passed on without me. What was supposed to be a routine extension of our visas for another two years, a mere checklist ticking of the documents supplied, has put our little family in the holding pen. Images of penned cattle and bottled insects flash before me, but anyway, the ferryman may well get to me before I get to board another plane.
I cannot decide what is worse in this scenario. Not having a visible opponent I can spar with and actually tackle the issue with face to face (one is not allowed to query until the six-month mark passes) or that I completely understand why I am in this flood of foolscap paper and application agony. Few countries are as besieged as the United Kingdom by masses wanting to find a corner on the street. I bet the Border agency in Reunion does not have the same stress. One just has to look at the queues at Heathrow and other UK airports to know these are not all tourists looking for a photo opportunity with the new wax model of the Queen.
I would never be able to stay cool in a job like that, and with no slapping allowed, I fear dismal failure of duties when I have to stay cool while someone, blatantly lying about his 17th cousin and a PHD in Shakespearian Literature, is spitting fire from his beady eyes. An inch from my face. Am in total
admiration of the people who have to deal with this every day.
But that also leaves little old me in the middle. The proverbial piggy who stupidly thought that submitting my application in January would not scupper any plans made in May. There I was, happy to pay for a personal interview and wait three days until
I had my extension. The gods were giggling at my confidence: I could not get an appointment
anywhere, not even the furthermost corners of the island, so into the post the application went. Royal Mail is brilliant. I know that. The Application Hole is where forms like mine have been sent.
If anything, this has been a lesson in patience. Wish I had the joie de vivre to throw my hands in the air saying ‘C’est la Vie’ and silly clichés like that.
In this case I cannot even say ‘n Boer maak n plan’. The sages do however say, of all things given to man, the one he clings to most is Hope. Maybe tomorrow…
Life on holdKAREN DE VILLIERS
The OPTIMIST
One just has to look at the queues at Heathrow to know these are not all tourists looking for a photo with a wax model of the Queen
Charlize Theron stars in Ridley Scott’s ‘Alien’ prequel ‘Prometheus’ and plays the Evil Queen in ‘Snow White and The Huntsman’
Two new Charlize movies to open in the same week
By JONATHAN WALDHEIMCHARLIZE Theron has been busy lately! Her two latest films, Prometheus and Snow White and The Huntsman, will open in the UK in the same week – and both have been getting fans very excited. Will they live up to the hype? We take a look at the trailers…
Prometheus: A new start for the Alien sagaThe ‘Alien’ series has come full circle since Alien was released in 1979. Ridley Scott’s original film is the benchmark for sci-fi horror, while James Cameron’s Army/Western/Sci-fi genre-hybrid ‘Aliens’ gained the series a larger fan base, David Fincher’s Alien 3 killed Sigourney Weaver’s main character Ripley and Jean Pierre-Jeunet’s Alien: Resurrection brought her back.
This summer promises even more as Scott returns to the universe he created with the highly anticipated Prometheus, a prequel to the first ‘Alien’ film, Prometheus promises to be an action-packed space horror and although Sigourney Weaver doesn’t star in the film, a top-notch ensemble cast including South African actress Theron, Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace means the aliens won’t be
the only stars in this movie.The Alien Legend has grown
since its inception in the 70s and the trailer indicates that Scott’s interpretation of the universe he created has grown with it.
Prometheus is out in the UK on Thursday, 1 June.
Snow White and The HuntsmanHow do you retell a classic story such as Snow White for audiences today? Following the failure of Julia Roberts vehicle Mirror Mirror to capture the attention of the paying public with a comedy take on the story, Snow White and The Huntsman starring Theron as the Evil Queen looks to be an action packed, adrenaline shot in the arm to the classic fairy tale.
The film features ‘Twilight’ star Kristen Stewart as the heroine Snow White and Chris ‘Thor’ Hemsworth as the Huntsman of the title. Sent into the woods to kill Snow White, the Huntsman inadvertently becomes her protector as she bids
to vanquish the Evil Queen.The trailer promises a high-
octane, dark take on the classic story, with Theron’s Evil Queen set to be a treat of viciousness.
As Hemsworth and Stewart have proven that they can carry films on their own, will their on-screen chemistry work in this attempt to update Snow White for an adrenaline hungry public.
Snow White and The Huntsman is out in cinemas on Wednesday, 30 May.
View the trailers at www. thesouthafrican.com/featured
10 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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THREE INSIGHTS INTO: Offshore investment structures
Derek Krijger advises an anonymous reader on investing offshore
A London-based South African who would prefer to remain anonymous, as she has money tied up in various investments, is always interested in different investment opportunities and is keen to explore the world of offshore investing.
I have a limited amount of disposable income available at the end of the month. What are the minimum monthly instalments?The entry level premiums vary from institution to institution and I would say from £300-400 per month would make a good starting point. (There are smaller premium products available). Often incentives are built into these policies, encouraging the saver to look at a slightly higher premium, which can be worth it for the disciplined saver over time. Most important is to have a longer
term view to make these types of investments cost effective.
How long would my money be tied up? Should I invest in a regular savings product?A regular premium savings product should be viewed as a medium to long term financial strategy. Anywhere between five and 25 year terms are the norm, depending on personal circumstances and requirements. However most products have an initial period you are committed to (usually
two years). After this period you may have the ability to reduce premiums, take premium holidays or even access part of your savings in the policy. You need to discuss this with your advisor and be aware of penalties and costs involved.
How safe is my money in offshore savings?All investments have an element of risk, but generally speaking the majority of offshore investments are held in ‘Safe Havens’ such as The Isle of Man or Channel Islands where investors have access to a government-controlled ‘Investors Protection Scheme’ making your money secure.
For more information visit www.fintec-g.com and if you have any other business or investment related questions please email [email protected]
by PAUL HARRISONTHE term “offshore investments” relates to keeping money in a jurisdiction other than the country of residence of the expat, where they can make the most of the opportunities the investment markets have to offer.
Paul Harrison spoke to Derek Krijger of Fintec to get his top three tips when thinking of joining the world of offshore investments.Tip 1:You can benefit from higher returns derived from offshore investments simply by choosing to invest offshore rather than onshore. However for you to benefit from the low taxation regimes offshore you need to fall into one of two categories: (a) you must have
residence offshore, (living outside of your native country) or, (b) for a resident in a higher tax jurisdiction there must be an offshore vehicle in place which distances offshore
Paul Harrison speaks to Derek Krijger to get his top three tips when thinking of joining the world of offshore investments
Derek Krijger of Fintec.
gains from the onshore tax net (legally).Tip 2:A regular premium savings policy is a great way to break into the offshore market. These types of investments are designed to generate capital growth over the medium to long term. As they are issued offshore there is no tax liability on the income or capital gains of the various funds so apart
from any withholding tax that may be deducted at source on income arising from certain investments, the underlying funds grow without any further deductions of tax.
One of the biggest benefits of these types of savings plans is that expats generally are transient, so having your pension/investments in one international jurisdiction, means you take it wherever you may end up working.
Tip 3:The regular premium saver has the benefit of not having to monitor the market trying to identify the best moment to commit. If money is saved on a regular basis, when the share price is down the individual’s policy buys more units. As sustained recovery takes place the accumulated units will go up in value. This is called cost price averaging.
SA entrepreneurs on trade trip to UKby STAFF REPORTERUK Trade & Investment is a part of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and works in different posts throughout the world to facilitate trade between the UK and other countries.
In South Africa, it does this by providing information and services to British and South African companies wishing to enter each other’s markets and through general advice, advocacy and promotion of British business, as well as liaising with the South Africa government.
In Johannesburg, as part of their mission to support British businesses, UKTI has been partnered with the Micro Enterprise Development Organisation (MEDO) for the development of an
Entrepreneurship Programme for about nine months.
The aim of the programme is to help grow young South African entrepreneurs to prepare for international trade, particularly with the UK, while simultaneously helping British businesses in South Africa meet their enterprise development obligations. This is done through workshops, extended programmes, networking events, and road shows throughout the country with its mobile entrepreneurship centre. The programme aims to be supporting 400 entrepreneurs by the end of 2012 and 2000 by the end of 2014.
After completing the International Trade Programme and presenting their business to a rigorous selection panel, a diverse and promising group of 15
entrepreneurs have been chosen to go to the UK to participate in workshops, networking sessions and other business meetings in order to promote trade and investment. The aim of the visit is to help facilitate trade between SA entrepreneurs and their UK counterparts as well as acclimatise them to the specifics of doing business with the UK.
Some of these meetings will be appointments set up by the entrepreneurs themselves with potential trading partners while others are meetings with experts in entrepreneurship and trade set up by partners in the UK: Anglia Ruskin University’s Centre for Enterprise Development and Research (CEDAR) and Enternships. www.thesouthafrican.com/business
11thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
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African jobs in high demandThe success of the Careers in Africa event at the Hilton Hotel in Canary Wharf this weekend is a testament not only to the demand for talent in Africa, but to its ever growing supply in the UK capitalby GORDON GLYN-JONESLONG queues formed at dawn outside the venue for the annual event, organised by Global Career Company and now held in over eight countries.
Attendants are required to pre-arrange interviews with exhibitors such as international companies searching for talent. However, others also turn up on the day for the opportunity to meet recruiters.
If the increase in the number of positions available through this event is anything to go by, the demand for UK-nurtured talent in Africa is sharply on the increase.
"We've had a 25% increase on last year in terms of the number of jobs we've been asked to fill," said Rupert Adcock, MD of Global Career Company (GCC). "Where I think people have their greatest need is for leaders of today, rather
than leaders of tomorrow," he explained.
One of the reasons companies send entire HR teams to do one-to-ones with individuals in London is the belief that once they have studied or have experience in the UK, the ability to take on serious roles back in an African country will be much higher.
About 70% of the candidates at Careers in Africa are graduates and early career professionals, with MBA and postgraduate qualifications. They typically have up to approximately seven years of experience.
Around 30% are in their mid-career, which translates to seven to 15 years’ experience.
Most of the CEO positions are dealt with on a closer one-to-one recruitment process.
The event offers companies
present the chance to see many candidates and CVs, and the value of the event is in being able to meet with people face to face.
"The most important thing we look for is attitude," said Linda Cramer, HR Director for JTI Tobacco, who did about two interviews every hour for a range of positions.
"We look for go-getters, we have a very healthy company culture which cannot be taught. Skills can... attitude not so."
Although the candidates come from different parts of Africa, GCC have expressed the desire to track down more South Africans, as the demand for South Africans with external experience is very high. With this in mind, GCC and The South African newspaper and their new title Gateway To Africa have committed to strengthening
their existing ties in forthcoming events.
"One of the reasons we have partnered with The South African is that the demand from South
African companies recruiting in the UK is very high," said Adcock.
"As the demand increases, we look forward to attracting more South Africans for the next event."
The annual Global Career Company’s Careers in Africa event in London was well attended as numerous professionals attended interviews with some of Africa’s top companies, in the hope of finding work in Africa.
Charles Okpara - Nigeria “This is a very good opportunity to find African talent before they get sucked into European companies, and are lost in the quest to build a strong Africa.”
Chinazor Modebelu - Nigeria “I am from Nigeria, but would be willing to work in any African country. I had two interviews with GSK and La Farge and both went really well. They said I would get a call-back, which is good.”
Teddy Machira - Zambia “I think the biggest problem a lot of candidates face here is that often recruiters are looking for people with experience, so it’s hard if you have just studied but have no experience.”
Pauls Matuta - Zambia “I am not here to interview, I am currently employed in the UK, but this is a good place to network and meet potential new employers of the future.”
Candidate Views
12 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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Legally Speaking: Citizenship tax affairs
Important information for PPS policyholdersIf you have a PPS Sickness and Permanent Incapacity Benefit or
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In some cases, higher UK earnings for graduate professionals
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Sable Accounting explains payment structures available to contractors
by STAFF REPORTERWHEN it comes to contractor payment structures just what do the terms EBT, PAYE, Umbrella and Limited Company mean?Limited Company: Now more popular and easy to set up than ever before. This is for contractors on more than £20 an hour and/or a 6-24 month contract. Recruitment agents no longer promote their use but if you ask them if you can work through one they usually have no objections.
Pros: The most tax efficient payment structure without being overly aggressive. The contractor owns the company and so has complete control over the payments to themselves.
Cons: Some extra admin, for example raising an invoice each week/month and submitting returns etc. These are far outweighed by the tax advantages and made easier if you engage a
good accountant. Umbrella Companies: The contractor is employed by an already established (Umbrella) company with a pre-existing arrangement with HMRC to enable them to claim back some expenses.
Pros: The ease and speed with which the contractor can join and leave.
Cons: Tax savings are less than through a Limited Company but Umbrella structures are a good way for contractors on short term contracts or earning less than £20 an hour to squeeze a little more out of their gross pay. EBTs: An Employee Benefit Trusts pays its ‘employees’ in the form of a (non-taxable) loan which the employee may be required to pay back.
Pros: Just about zero tax.Cons: Too good to be true?
HMRC are actively looking at
EBTs and since most of them are set up offshore all the risk is being borne by the ‘employees’. PAYE: The contractor becomes an employee of the agency who first deducts PAYE and NI and then pays them a net salary.
Pros: The simplest structure where nearly early penny is taxed so HMRC love it.
Cons: PAYE and NI together usually amount to 30-40% of the taxable pay.
For more info on any of the above structures, or to get a comparative calculation please contact us on 0808 129 5990 or email [email protected]
by STAFF REPORTERTHIS year brings the largest sporting event in the world to the UK.
With this in mind, on Wednesday 13 June the SA Business Club will host a panel of speakers who have all played different yet integral roles in the lead-up to the Olympic Games.
The SA Business Club's AGM will be held before the event, from 6pm to 6.30pm, with all members welcome to attend. The Olympic panel will begin speaking thereafter.
SA Business Club Olympic Panellists:Caroline Rowland: Founder and Executive Creative Director, New Moon Creative Agency
Caroline has been credited by The Observer as being one of the ten most influential people in the bid for the London 2012 Olympics. She is founder and Executive Creative Director of New Moon, the company said to have redefined the role of film
in campaigning to win major sporting, cultural and business contracts.Lungi Morrison: UK Country Manager, SA Tourism
Lungi will play a major role in hosting the South African team in London. She is passionate about brand and nation building with a keen interest to see South Africa and Africa developing best practice models for development among emerging markets.Gillian Sanders: Elite Triathlete
Gillian is the 2012 African and South African National Champion. She finished fourth in the recent ITU World Cup in Japan and will also be representing South Africa at the London Olympics.
Date: Wednesday 13 June Time: AGM 6pm to 6.30pmOlympic Panel 6.30 to 8.30pmVenue: Deloitte, 2 New Street
Square, London, EC4A 3BZBooking: Free for members, £20
for members’ guests, and £30 for non-members.
RSVP: 12 JuneTickets:www.sabusinessclub.com
Olympic panel at SA Business Club
The panellists (from top to bottom): Caroline Rowland, Lungi Morrison and Gillian Sanders
Euro crisis dampens ZAR demandON 14 May the South African Rand traded at 13.029 against the British Pound, still above the R13 mark after the previous weeks’ fall. On that day it traded at 8.106 against the US Dollar.
Tension between Germany and Greece on Monday afternoon intensified, with Dow Jones Newswires reporting that the US Dollar was looking the best that it had been in a while due to increased demand for the currency as global risk appetite declined.
It would seem that the German chancellor Merkel’s austerity measures lost her party some respect, as reflected in losses incurred in a state election, however, it was Greece that once again held the global centre stage. At the centre of the conflict lies the debate over Greece’s future within the Eurozone. The nation has to decide whether the austerity agenda proposed by its Euro partners is worth the reward of
remaining a member of the bloc. The country has also failed to form a new government, which has prolonged the resolution of these tough decisions.
News from the European Central Bank on Wednesday that they would support Greece for a further six months helped to strengthen the ZAR slightly, as doomsday predictions for the Euro were allayed. Although the ZAR was traded at its worst level in five months against the USD on Friday, strong exporter demand helped bolster the flagging currency as orders poured in.
Outlook for the week remains in the hands of other failing Euro countries such as Spain, Portugal and Italy as the cost of keeping them afloat becomes increasingly prohibitive to the ECB.
GBP/ZAR: 13.055EUR/ZAR: 10.542USD/ZAR: 8.254Compiled by Jesse Crooks
13thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
Business: SA Power 100Like us on Facebook:facebook.com/thesouthafrican
by GORDON GLYN-JONES
When did you move to London?MORE than 10 years ago. I set up my previous business here and then decided it was the right place to base Wonga.com. British consumers were getting a particularly raw deal from traditional lenders and that would be our first market to disrupt. What was the biggest personal struggle when you moved? Getting used to the weather! Especially when it came to realising the country comes to a standstill following just an inch of snow. I still haven’t accepted that. I didn’t come here straight from SA though, I had already lived and worked on other continents for some time.And businesswise?One of the few downsides to London as a base for your business is the cost of hiring top quality people, but otherwise I love the vibrancy and multicultural aspect of building a business here.Was there something in your South African upbringing that contributed to your attitude to success?I obviously saw prejudice on a
daily basis and one of the key principles of Wonga is that people fundamentally aren’t good at judging others. We may think we are, but we have proven that using objective data and machine learning is a more accurate and responsible way to make lending decisions.Before Wonga you ran two other companies; are you still involved with them?No, I sold my previous (supply chain) business in 2005.What made you shift from corporate investment banker to entrepreneur?Simple, I realised I was far more interested in coming up with ideas and building businesses myself, rather than helping others to do that. I was fortunate enough to get some experience on the other side of the fence first.Is there anything you miss about corporate life?I’ve never really experienced it and I have always maintained that I’m unemployable! Conforming to fixed structures, a steady pace and accepted ways of doing just doesn’t interest me. I need to feel challenged on a daily basis.There’s a perception out there that mini lenders take advantage of vulnerable people. What are the misconceptions about mini lending on this scale and how doesWonga guard against that?Short-term lending is a
controversial sector and we understand that, but all the more reason to disrupt it in my opinion. There is huge demand from consumers for small bridging loans of a few days or weeks and we set out to provide a new solution in the best possible way. We may not be perfect, but we have automated the entire lending process in real-time, using thousands of pieces of public data, to make fast but objective and accurate decisions about applications. We are also completely transparent about the cost – something all too rare in financial services – and we allow applicants to determine the exact size and length of the loan they need. Having now provided millions of short term loans, we have plans to offer new kinds of services using our technology. One recent example was our move into small business lending, earlier in May, with Wonga for Business.In terms of your character, what do you think has contributed to your success?The driving force has probably been my inability to settle for second best or accept the status quo with almost anything. I’m always looking at life in terms of what can be improved, what seems broken to me and what I’d do differently. The challenge is therefore to stay focused, but Wonga has been such a significant challenge that I’ve had to be.
We’ve built a fantastic team here and as we keep growing we have to stay laser-focused on some key principles, like listening to customers and trying to improve every day. What is your all-consuming extracurricular passion?Work, or rather building innovative businesses, really is a passion, so I don’t compartmentalise my life into work and extracurricular activity. Running is a passion however and I frequently jog into our Camden office in the mornings, while making calls or thinking about what I want to get done, of course. I’m an extremely
active networker and love meeting new, smart and interesting people, plus I enjoy skiing when I get a chance.What’s next? Go back to SA? Invest in Africa?I’ll always feel a special connection with South Africa and I head back there regularly, as I will later this month, especially now that we have set up Wonga there. But I’ve also lived and worked all over the world. I travel all the time and I don’t really feel rooted anywhere. I suppose I must have become that favourite term of the media in recent years - the global citizen.
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Read interviews with other SA POWER 100 achievers...on our website: TheSouthAfrican.com/Business/SAPower100
Stephan PretoriusPresident of Acceleration
Viola NcubePresident of Global Hospitality Services
BULLET BIOGRAPHY•Age: 42•Born: Johannesburg•Education:
- King David, Johannesburg- Cape Town and Ben-Gurion Universities
•Career Trajectory:- Investment banker- Serial entrepreneur
•Achievements: - Errol ran the Antarctic Marathon last year, finishing 8th in the men’s race and raising tens of thousands of pounds for charitywater.org in the process- In the past couple of years he has been named Entrepreneur of the Year by a number of respected organisations including TechCrunch, The Guardian, Ernst & Young and Growing Business magazine - Wonga.com is also the Sunday Times Tech Track 100 number one company and was recently named the Fastest Growing Company in Europe in the Media Momentum Awards.
•Lives: East Finchley
14 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
Follow us on Twitter:@TheSAnewsBusiness: Careers
Tolene van der MerweGeneral Manager at Boutique Travel Marketing
THE GRAFT IS GREENER
by PAUL HARRISON
Born: East London, South Africa
How long in UK: 7 years
Job: General Manager at Boutique Travel Marketing
Background: 15 years in Africa tourism inbound, product management, hotel marketing and sales
Motto: Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off your goal
What do you do in your job? I sell and promote boutique four and five star hotels and game lodges to the UK travel trade.What is the most exciting thing about your job?I get to talk about South Africa and the beauty, uniqueness and diversity of my gorgeous country and get to entice people to sell it to their clients by sharing my love and enthusiasm for it.What is the most challenging thing about your job?The recession, above average airport taxes, and the negative feeling some British travellers still have about travelling to SA.
Tell us an interesting story related to your job. I was booking a holiday for an American living in Japan many years ago and was asked the ultimate question ‘Is it safe?’ Of course thinking she was referring to crime I gave my usual reply to assure her of her enjoyment and safety to which she replied ‘No I don’t worry about that… Is it safe to walk around Cape Town with the wild animals like lions and elephants around?’, at which point I asked her to hold, gave the phone to my colleague and left the office as I could not stop laughing.Future plans?
To continue to share the beauty and wonder of Africa to all who will listen. Once you have seen South Africa through a foreigner’s eyes, you will never take it for granted again. I plan to move back home one day, when my job here in the UK – educating, teaching and sending as many people to visit as possible – is done.How does being South African help you in your job?Without my passion for my country I could never do what I do. I love waking up each morning to do my job. It is an absolute blessing.www.thesouthafrican.com/business
DLR station staff needed for Olympicsby STAFF REPORTERWANT to make a difference? Do you want to play your part in the world's biggest event?
Dockland Light Railway is assembling a team of station managers who will be responsible for the safety of the crowd passing through the busiest areas of London during the 2012 Olympic Games.
As a Station Crowd Control Manager you will be responsible for the safety of thousands of people, managing a large team, liaising with major transport authorities, police and senior management.
There will be five weeks of intensive training to prepare you for this challenge. The pay is excellent, with starting salary package of £15/hour, going up to £20/hour.
This role could suit someone who has worked as a Customer Service Manager, Operations Manager, Safety Critical Manager, Health and Safety advisor or any
other capacity as a manager within the railway, airline or transport industry.
Starting date: 28 MayTo apply, please visit
jobs.activas.co.uk
The DLR is recruiting staff or the London 2012 Games. Photo by Tom Page.
15thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
Business: ClassifiedsLike us on Facebook:facebook.com/thesouthafrican
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SHEBEEN BAREdinburgh’s only South African bar has opened in Leith. A unique, stylish bar with something for everyone,delivered by experience and friendly staff. As expected we stock a large range of South African beers, wines, ciders and snacks, including a classic selection of cocktails and Dom Pedros. Opening hours are from 12pm to 1am. Come down and enjoy a true taste of Africa. 3-5 Dock Place, Leith, Edinburgh, EH6 6LU. 0131 554 9612.
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16 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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A blind journalist takes us on a sensory odyssey of Nyanga township in Cape Town
For those who enjoy a relaxing day on picturesque sands, Praslin is home to some of the most stunning beaches in the world
The David Wilkins Township Experience
by DAVID WILKINS THE smells and sounds of Nyanga rise in a wave that strikes the visitor like a blow as soon as he alights from the bus. Having been blind from birth and therefore particularly susceptible to a change in atmosphere, I instantly knew I’d left the almost European suburbs of Cape Town, and entered the throbbing heart of Africa.
“You become part of the townships while you’re here,” explains Mteto Mzongwana as he leads us to Nyanga’s marketplace. “Each tour is different to absorb the events in each day here.”
Mteto, our tour guide, has worked here for more than 20 years, as well as being a poet, writer and filmmaker.
“This tour is about bringing people of different nations and races together, to foster the spirit of ubuntu,” he says as our sheep heads are completed by a blow torch after a roasting on the fire.
The township sounds blend to form a song as we prepare to board our Land Rover, heading for Freedom Square. The deep bass rumbles from all directions, punctuated by the melody of different horns. And sometimes a higher engine cuts through the other noises. From all directions comes the blare of music, the sound of footsteps and rapid exchanges in Xhosa. The smells of cooking fires, meat, blood and traffic fumes form a unique odour that cannot be reproduced anywhere else.
Our driver Chris McDuling, a former member of the SADF, is equally passionate about Nyanga Township.
“I’m a nature guide,” he tells me, “But Mteto showed me the massive need that was not being served by the fantastic tourism potential within these communities.” A sudden blast from horns and angry shouts punctuate our conversation, and herald a passing ‘cockroach’, the township’s tiny taxis that zoom in and out of everything, ignoring the signs, the traffic lights, and everyone else. “They get in
everyone’s way, and couldn’t care less!” Chris complains. “They have cracks all over the windows, but never seem to crash.”
The relationship between Chris and Mteto is a sign of the diversity and reconciliation their tour tries to promote. For while Chris was a former soldier, Mteto belonged to Umkhonto we Sizwe. Chris freely admits they could have blown each other up had they met before 1994, but now he’s enthusiastic about his work in Nyanga. “Now I’m able to be part of the solution to unemployment and bringing down barriers of social inequality,” says Chris. Mteto is equally happy to have Chris on board even if it is only until he is well established. “Mr Chris is honest when dealing with people of all races,” he says warmly, “Especially in an environment where there is still mistrust between black and white.”
At our last stopping point, the rhythmic pounding of African drums fill the air. In this community workshop, people spend hours each day practising drumming. As well as being their only means of employment, it is their culture too. A culture I even feel part of as I lift two sticks, don an African costume and pound along.
Indeed, to my surprise, I was recently asked if the tour could be rechristened The David Wilkins Township Experience – an honour I was overjoyed to accept.
Praslin: sparkling gem of the Seychellesby FIONA ELLISIF you find yourself in the lucky predicament of heading on holiday to the Seychelles, you must be prepared for an onslaught of pure natural beauty, lush green vegetation, tranquillity, relaxation, and all within the confines of some of the most “accommodating” accommodation to be discovered.
I found myself in this position in
February during my visit to Hotel L’Archipel, a small, private piece of serenity on the sandy shores of Praslin Island. After a smooth and pleasant flight on Qatar Airways (so smooth in fact that I slept most of the way!), I landed in Mahé Island and immediately hopped over to Praslin.
Praslin itself is a must-see destination among the Seychelles’
many natural beauties as it is a quiet escape from the larger island of Mahé. For those who enjoy a relaxing day on picturesque sands, Praslin is home to some of the most stunning beaches in the world including Anse Lazio beach.
For those with a thirst for nature, Praslin’s world heritage site, Vallée de Mai, is a true gem. Its star attraction is the famous coco de mer (the largest seed in the plant kingdom; you must see it to believe it!). Apart from an array of possible excursions, island hopping trips, birding adventures, and more, what pulled the entire experience together was the warm, genial experience of Hotel L’Archipel, a true haven to reside in each evening at their candlelit beach restaurant with toes in the sand and water lapping at my side.
With only 30 rooms tucked into the tropical gardens along a mountainside, this small hotel was the perfect sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of daily life back home. My only disappointment was not staying longer. I suppose it is time to head back again!
www.thesouthafrican.com/travel
David Wilkins eats a sheep’s head.
Hotel L’Archipel boasts a magnificent view of the ocean and shore of Praslin island.
17thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
Like us on Facebook:facebook.com/thesouthafrican Zimbabwe Community
Two Gents Productions bring their acclaimed brand of Zimbabwean Shakespeare to Earlsfield
AFTER 25 days in Harare Central Prison, Richard Hammond of The Sunday Times was released just in time to bring new meaning to World Press Freedom Day in Zimbabwe.
While Richard was in prison, the Zimbabwe Media Commission (ZMC) commemorated the day under the theme ‘Media Freedom: Helping to Transform Societies through Ethical and Professional Reporting’. They grumbled about low pay, which makes them vulnerable to corruption. They talked about sexual harassment, and united against it.
A large elephant strolled about the meeting room trumpeting loudly, but nobody seemed to hear it. ZMC chairman Godfrey Majonga bemoaned operational challenges, the price of newsprint and duty. The elephant balanced on one leg, danced a foxtrot, and left the room in disgust.
At a recent gathering of abusive relationship survivors I heard someone say, “He may have been a drunken bully, but he was my drunken bully.”
The ZMC meeting reminded me of them: “Mugabe may be a Sadistic Violent Dictator and an oppressor of free speech, but he’s our Sadistic Violent Dictator.” In fact, many of the gently-warming frogs in Mugabe’s pot post on my Facebook page: “Things are not so bad here. The sun still shines!”
And this is the answer to that oft-asked question: “Why don’t Zimbabweans rise up against the regime like the Arabs have?”
Some people seem to genuinely like The Dictator. When you turn on the news/propaganda feed President Mugabe is there. Now a song by Zimbabwean group Born Free Crew features a voiceover by The Oldest Rapper in Town*:
Mugabe raps about Zimbabwe’s colonisation by the British, and Zanu PF’s ‘victory’. The fact that the British forced white Rhodesians to hand over power seems to have escaped notice. The song plays frequently – just in case the SVD feels unloved or misunderstood. Hilariously and ironically, the video shows two 100 billion dollar notes.
Reporters Without Borders ranked the Zimbabwean media 151st out of 173 for freedom.
Andrew Meldrum writes: “I worked in Zimbabwe for 23 years, until state agents illegally threw me out of the country. I was a freelance journalist writing for The Guardian and The Economist.
“Printing presses destroyed by massive bombs. Five newspapers closed down. Scores of journalists jailed. Editors, reporters and photographers beaten, tortured and murdered. State monopoly on all broadcasting. Monitoring personal email.
These are all tactics used to censor the free flow of information.”
All is not completely bleak, however. There is another struggle, and it too has its heroes:
Over 100 journalists demonstrated in the
street, calling for reform.The Independent and The Standard tackle
government propaganda, and uncover corruption scandals, in spite of the frequent arrests of its editors.
Wilf Mbanga used a loop-hole in anti-press laws that allows the importation of newspapers printed outside the country, and launched The Zimbabwean. The government slapped import duty on the paper, and firebombed its delivery truck.
Beatrice Mtetwa, a courageous lawyer, beaten twice by police, defends journalists, and represents Zimbabweans who continue to write for international media.
*Thanks Peter Godwin, for this headline: The Oldest Rapper.
The Oldest Rapper in Town
JENNIFER MUNRO
The Last WORD
Catch Two Gentlemen of Verona at Tara Theatre
by STAFF REPORTERIF YOU missed the Zimbabwean version of The Two Gentlemen of Verona at the Globe Theatre last week, there’s good news for you.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona / Vakomana Vaviri Ve Zimbabwe is transferring to Tara Arts Theatre straight from the Globe to Globe festival where it received 5 star reviews and standing ovations.
From Verona to Milan, via Harare and Bulawayo, Vakomana Vaviri Ve Zimbabwe takes one of Shakespeare’s earliest comedies and transforms it into a two-man riot of love, friendship and betrayal.
Two great friends, Valentine and Proteus, vie for the love of the same woman. When Valentine is banished, their friendship is threatened and only through disguise, deception and intrigue are they reconciled.
In a broad, loud, triumphantly energetic ‘township’ style the two actors slip into all of the play’s 15 characters, from amorous suitors to sullen daughters, depressed servants and even a dog!
One of Shakespeare’s most well-loved plays resonates with the Zimbabwean experience of exile, powerful rulers and personal allegiances in this adaptation that will make you laugh and cry all at once.
Directed by Arne Pohlmeier and performed
by Denton Chikura and Tonderai Munyevu, the play will run at Tara Theatre, 356 Garratt Lane, Earlsfield, SW18 4ES from 25 to 26 May.
Bookings: www.tara-arts.com
Some people seem to genuinely like The Dictator. When you turn on the news President Mugabe is there. Now a song by Born Free Crew features a voiceover by The Oldest Rapper in Town.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona will transfer from the Globe Theatre to Tara Theatre.
18 | 22 May – 28 May 2012 | thesouthafrican.com
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TEAM SA @ THE OLYMPICSCaster Semenya | Middle distance runner
CASTER Semenya is a controversial figure in the athletics world, not because of any diva antics or off-track persona, but simply because of her outstanding performances. Female athletes
Fact File:Age: 21
Born: Polokwane (formerly known as Pietersburg)
Disciplines: 800m and 1500m
Height: 5ft 7in.
Weight: 64kg
Medals:
- Gold at 2009 Berlin World Championships for 800m
- Silver at 2011 Daegu World Championships for 800m
by KWAME WILSON are known to face cruel jibes about their ‘excess’ masculinity, but not many can claim to have dealt with anything like the public and professional scrutiny into Semenya’s private life and her upbringing.
For the last couple of years, there have been widespread rumours that she was born a man. Suspicions were aroused during the 2008 Africa Junior Championships after the athlete improved her 800m personal best by seven seconds in less than nine months, improving by four seconds in that race alone. Semenya had also significantly improved her time in the 1500m discipline as well.
During the 2009 Berlin World Championships, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) decided it
was obliged to investigate after she improved by 25 seconds in 1500m and eight seconds in 800m. The athletics body described these stats as ‘the sort of dramatic breakthroughs that usually arouse suspicion of drug use’.
However, what really made headlines around the world, was when an IAAF memo was leaked that revealed plans to ask Semenya to undergo a gender test. This was all in the lead-up to the 800m final, but Semenya performed admirably once again, finishing with a time of 1:55:45 to land her first World Championship Medal and once again she had set the fastest time of the year.
Legendary American Olympian Michael Johnson, along with South African civil leaders and leading politicians, criticised the IAAF for its handling of the case as they saw it as an intrusion into her privacy and human rights. In a 2009 interview Semenya said, “God made me the way I am and I accept myself.”
Subsequently Semenya did not race for 11 months due to the findings not being confirmed, and once the tests were run, the results were not made public. She was allowed to keep her title, which suggests the tests were inconclusive or that the IAAF did
not want to concede defeat in their serious allegations.
Despite the furore surrounding her absence, she came back with a bang by taking silver at the Daegu World Championships in 2011.
Last month she secured qualification for the 800m event
at this year’s Olympic Games. Given her talent and gold medallist Maria Mutola in her corner as coach, Caster has a real chance at a podium finish this summer.
Hopefully all the headlines about her now will be about her brilliant performances and nothing else.
A revolution for yachtingby CHARLES NANKINSAILING the Olympic class 470 at the World Championships in Barcelona on Tuesday, South Africa’s helmsman Asenathi Jim and skipper Roger Hudson sealed a sailing spot in the 2012 London Olympics, along with teams from six other nations.
Asenathi, at just 19 years old, will become only the second black African ever to compete at the Olympics in yachting.
Even more impressive than this is the fact that he does not come from a cultural or family background that showed any relation to the sport. Roger on the other hand will follow his father Dave Hudson’s example by competing in the Olympics exactly 20 years after his father helmed a Flying Dutchman in Barcelona.
This performance by the RaceAhead.co.za team added to their four-year run at the top of the international Laser SB3 fleet, shows a steady stream of world-class performances and dedication in the face of insurmountable odds, not the least of which being the huge financial layout, which
for many other teams is covered by their governments, corporate sponsors or the national lottery!
This also reflects a huge amount of commitment, management and tenacity for sailors coming from this background, with a famine-to-feast comparison when considering the team management and coaching structure that exists in
other countries. This qualification may also have the record of being the shortest 470 campaign ever – the boys only having stepped foot on a 470 well into the second half of the Olympic cycle!
Another fairytale story from the Rainbow Nation, made reality by the courage of these two Capetonians!
Roger Hudson and Asenathi Jim have secured a sailing spot at the Olympics.
19thesouthafrican.com | 22 May – 28 May 2012 |
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HEYNEKE Meyer thrives on tough decisions, but few will have been harder in the decorated coach’s lifetime than the composition of his first Springbok squad to play in the series against England, which commences on 9 June in Durban.
Not only is it his inaugural squad, one he is hoping to take on a journey to World Cup glory in the visitors’ backyard in 2015, but
MIND THE RUCKROB FLUDE
Straight into the deep end
it will also reveal what one can expect from the Springboks in the post-Peter de Villiers era, which was riddled with issues from the start. The pressure is on Meyer to deliver results to our rugby-mad supporters, and deliver them fast.
What has added further complication to the first item on his checklist – selection – is the Super Rugby lead-up to the Durban test. There are a host of big matches in the next two weekends, which could dish up all sorts of injuries and amplify poor form. The Super Rugby tournament is at a crucial stage, with three South African teams in the top six and looking to nail down playoff spots soon.
The Stormers play the Sharks this weekend in Durban and the Bulls at Loftus next Saturday, both of which will be bruising encounters as the three teams look to overhaul one another in the South African conference. The
Bulls play the Chiefs in Hamilton on Friday and then make the long trek back to Pretoria in time for their assignment with the men from the Cape.
The Sharks square up to the much-troubled Lions in Johannesburg next Saturday and with Springbok selection at stake, this could be a potential banana-skin for the Durban team. The Lions themselves will have only a week to recover from their Australasian tour, with a tricky encounter against the Force in Perth this weekend.
The Cheetahs play the Waratahs, who were highly physical in their encounter with the Stormers on the weekend and will be looking to end off their SA tour with a win. Their Bloemfontein recruit, Sarel Pretorius, might get a start against his former team. Luckily the Cheetahs have a bye the following weekend.
So one would imagine that the
Bulls, Sharks and Stormers – in other words those teams that have been heavy contributors to the Springbok squad over the last decade or so – will have some black-and-blue bodies among their ranks by 2 June, which is when Meyer announces his squad.
Initial thoughts were that the team would comprise less of these players and more of the Cheetahs’ and Lions’ individuals. However, I see Meyer rather selecting a 32-man squad and rotating the players throughout the series.
Continuity is one thing, but fielding a team with maximum possible collective conditioning is quite another.
Meyer has been quite philosophical about the situation, saying that there is nothing he can do to change the schedule and that he’s had time to plan around that, but that doesn’t make it a fait accompli. Add the contentious choice of Springbok captain into the mix and there’s no doubt Meyer has walked straight into a hailstorm.
Tag Rugby for charity!by STAFF REPORTERON Sunday 20 May, Jade Elias, a member of the Buffalo Soldiers team in the White City Tag Rugby competition, staged an event called the Tag Olympics at Hyde Park, with all proceeds going towards mental health charity Mind.
Jade contacted Try Tag Rugby to see if they were interested in getting involved with the event and without hesitation, Try Tag Rugby agreed.
Try Tag Rugby CEO Phillip Browne commented, “The day was a big success with everyone involved having a great time and plenty of money was raised for Mind. Jade has done a wonderful job organising this event and we are glad we could contribute towards it”
Jade added, “I’m really appreciative to Try Tag Rugby for supplying the equipment such as balls, markers, tags, tag rugby shorts and the referee for the event as well as helping to spread the word. My target was to raise £1,001 for Mind and I’m nearly there!”
If you would like to make a donation to Jade’s Just Giving page, visit: www.justgiving.com/tagOlympics
Meanwhile, Late Summer Tag Rugby registrations in London and Reading are now open. Late Summer competitions commence
in late June/early July and are expected to break the current record season (Early Summer 2012) participation figures of 142 teams!
Leagues will take place at; Acton, Balham, Canada Water, Finsbury Park, Highbury, Hoxton, Reading, Richmond, Rotherhithe, Southfields, Wandsworth Town, West Ham and White City.
If you would like to get involved in one of the fastest growing sports in London, new team and individual registrations are welcome. This is a great chance to develop a network of friends in London.
To register for a Try Tag Rugby competition or event, go to www.trytagrugby.com or email [email protected] for more details.
TagOlympics: After a matches played at the Tag Olympics at Hyde Park last Sunday.
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SPORT
‘Blade Runner’ Oscar Pistorius will race his British rival at week’s BT Paralympic World Cup
TRY TAG RUGBY FOR CHARITY! 19TEAM SA @ THE OLYMPICS: CASTER SEMENYA 18
22 May – 28 May 2012 NEWS FOR GLOBAL SOUTH AFRICANS www.thesouthafrican.com
South Africa’s Oscar Pistorius is ready to take on Britain’s Jonnie Peacock at the BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.
BLADE BLADEby STAFF REPORTER
Oscar Pistorius will take on 'Britain's Blade Runner' Jonnie Peacock
in the 100m in this week’s BT Paralympic World Cup in Manchester.
The South African track star, affectionately known as the Blade Runner due to his artificial limbs, has called the World Cup an 'essential step' in his bid for Olympic and Paralympic glory. The 25-year-old believes this year’s competition will be more crucial than ever.
Pistorius, who is the reigning World Record holder in the T43/44 100m and 200m, will compete in both events in Manchester. "I've been waiting a long time for 2012 to come around and I'm so excited it's now here. The Olympics and Paralympics will be the pinnacle in many athletes' careers and I'm determined to make it a year I'll never forget,” he said.
"The BT Paralympic World Cup is always an essential step in my competition calendar
and this year it will be more important than ever.
"I always love competing at the event as it kick-starts my summer season and provides me with immaculate foundations to progress through the summer with."
The Paralympic World Cup is the largest annual international multisport competition in elite disability sport and Manchester will be hosting it for the eighth consecutive year.
Also in the T43/44 100m line-up on Tuesday, 22 May at 1pm is 18-year-old fellow BT Ambassador Jonnie Peacock. Despite being rivals, the two sprinters are good friends, having first faced each other back in 2010 when they were drawn in adjacent lanes.
Peacock, who was inspired to try and compete in Paralympic sport after seeing Pistorius on television competing at the Beijing Paralympic Games, says it will be an honour to line-up against the South African once again.
"I love lining up against Oscar. Not only is he a fantastic
athlete, but he's a great person to be around, especially if you are a young sportsman,” he said.
"He's always very willing to give encouragement and tips, so it will be fantastic to learn from him once again.
Pistorius hopes he can use the experience to gain an edge over his Olympic and Paralympic rivals. “With London 2012 just around the corner, the opportunity to compete against top quality athletes in a world-class competition is going to be invaluable.
“I can’t overemphasise the importance of competing in the UK just months before the Olympics and Paralympics.
The 2012 BT Paralympic World Cup will be broadcast by Channel 4.
If you want to get down to Manchester Regional Arena to cheer Oscar on, tickets are available at reasonable prices. A family ticket (two adults and two juniors) costs just £16 for a single session. Details: www.ticketweb.co.uk
www.thesouthafrican.com/sport
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