indwe jun 2015
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IndweYOUR FREE COPYJune 2015
Embracing MillennialsYouth DayB
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contents
We Fly For You: Our Visions and Values
CEO Letter
12
130SA Express Fleet
Meet the Crew126
129Flight Schedule
Safety and Route Map
132
131
Passenger Letters
135
South Africa’s Township Ambassador Kgomotso Poee
39Boredom BustersKeeping Kids Entertained
107
The Rooibos RevolutionFrom Tea to Wine
Fat or Fit?SA Kids Score a D for Health
64 113
Features
Airline Content
Making the Most of MillennialsEmbracing the Strengths of Today’s Youth
27Almost FamousStone Cold Jane Austen
70
70
39
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A Top Drop TopBMW 2 Series Convertible
85Motoring
Prickling with InnovationCitroen Cactus
93
Business89
Invest for SuccessFunding Financial Freedom
Moving on UpYounger Property Buyers Flock to Bryanston
99
59
56
51
Leading Light Botswana’s Conservation Success Story
A One&Only Experience Cape Town’s Icon of Excellence
All that Glitters Kimberley
76See You in Selous Azura Selous
Regulars
14
GadgetsMust Haves for Technophiles
Bits & PiecesTravel Tips & Gorgeous Goodies
20
Travel
Events North, South, and In Between
BitesRestaurants & Taste Experiences
BooksNew releases and Must Reads
Peering into the Final FrontierStargazing in Sutherland
Head North WestSA Express Will Fly You there
24
122
124
32
42
48Best of the Bay Kurland Hotel
contents
Prickling with InnovationCitroen Cactus
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ceoSA EXPRESSCommunications and PR OfficerBoitumelo TlalaTel: +27 11 978 9900Email: [email protected]
Customer Care DepartmentTel: 0861 729 227Email: [email protected]: @flySAexpressFacebook: SA Express Airways
Reservations SupportTel: +27 11 978 9905Email: [email protected]
Group ReservationsTel: +27 11 978 5578Email: [email protected]
Sales OfficeEmail: [email protected]
INDWE
Images © iStockphoto.com & Quickpic
General Manager and Associate PublisherLetlhogonolo Sealetsa | [email protected]
PublisherBernard Hellberg | [email protected]
Marketing and Communications ManagerPam Komani | [email protected]
EditorNicky Furniss | [email protected]
Senior DesignerLindsey Steenkamp | [email protected]
DIRECTORSBernard Hellberg l [email protected] Sealetsa | [email protected] Komani | [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALESTel: +27 12 425 5800National Sales ManagerBryan Kayavhu | [email protected]+27 83 785 6691
Manager: National Sales & Business DevelopmentChantal Barton | [email protected]+27 83 459 3086
Senior Account ManagersNikki de Lange | [email protected]+27 83 415 0339
Calvin van Vuuren | [email protected]+27 82 5826873
Gertjie Meintjes | [email protected]+27 82 757 2622
André Scharneck | [email protected]+27 72 739 8855
Noel Sands | [email protected]+27 74 428 7604
DISCLAIMER: All material is strictly copyrighted. All rights are reserved. Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without prior permission from the publisher. Opinions expressed in Indwe Magazine are not necessarily those of SA Express.
Let Us Join Hands to Help Groom Our Youth for the Future
Every June we celebrate Youth Month in our country. This month is so named in remembrance of 16th June 1976, when Soweto students took to the streets to protest against apartheid education. In 1996, the democratic government renamed the day Youth Day, and the month is generally recognised as one dedicated to issues of youth empowerment. So it is fitting that I use this column to reflect on our company-wide youth empowerment programmes.
Arguably the most significant challenge facing South African youth today is skills acquisition, which is a necessary condition for success in the increasingly competitive work market. SA Express has a range of programmes that are intended to assist the youth with skills development, as well as work experience.
For many years now, we have run a career exhibition that seeks to promote civil and commercial aviation as a career option among high school learners. Alongside this, we have adopted farm schools in the Ekurhuleni region, where our headquarters are situated. Our contribution to these schools includes volunteering our time. We also work with a range of partners, including Government departments such as the Departments of Arts and Culture, and Provincial Education.
We also run a very successful and highly regarded pilot training programme. This programme, which is the pride of our airline, seeks to increase the country’s pool of qualified pilots. We do not only train pilots for our own needs, we also train them for the rest of the industry.
I am especially proud of two achievements of our cadet training programme: Firstly, we have significantly increased the number of pilots from previously disadvantaged communities in South Africa; and secondly, we have increased this pilot population without compromising our excellent safety record and standards.
As a consequence of this cadet programme, SA Express’ workforce, especially the pilot contingent, is not only the most diverse in South Africa, but we also supply pilots and aeronautical technicians to other airlines, such as the SAA Group. We have achieved this feat because of the smart partnerships we have formed with other players, including industry bodies and Government departments which help to fund these initiatives.
Crucially, we also provide learnerships and apprenticeships to these graduates to help
them build up work experience. Through these programmes we help South Africa to address the challenge of critical skills shortages.
The essence of these schemes is to optimise the partnerships between all role players, including Government, business, and parents to ensure that our youth are encouraged to access these opportunities to participate meaningfully in the economy. Youth empowerment is the one area where we can all join hands for maximum impact.
While employment creation is important, we also need to support the culture of entrepreneurship among our young people. Not everyone needs to work for employers, some need to be encouraged to create wealth and employment for others. These schemes aren’t perfect. But they are important if our youth is to survive into the future.
We also cannot afford to have a generation lost to drugs and hopelessness. Youth unemployment is one of the critical challenges facing the global economy today. We all need to play our part in tackling it.
Finally, last month, our partners Sun International and SA Express hosted two trade events in Sandton, Johannesburg, to promote our newly launched routes between Johannesburg and Mafikeng and between Cape Town and Pilanesberg. These routes are part of the North West airlift strategy. I wish to thank our partners in the tour operating industry for attending both events. As always, the face-to-face interaction was fruitful. We are pleased with the early results from these routes. I encourage readers of Indwe to try these routes when you next visit Sun City or the many game reserves in the North West Province, and most importantly to give us feedback on your experiences.
Sincerely,Inati Ntshanga
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Events North
9th & 10th July
Harlem Globetrotters, Ticketpro Dome, Johannesburg
The world’s premiere basketball team is returning to South Africa after almost two decades to put on their most outrageous exhibition yet. The US based exhibition basketball squad is one of the world’s most loved sports teams, bringing a unique blend of athleticism and theatre to the centre court. The team have a unique showcase of basketball skills that have found their way into the record books, as well as showmanship that will enthral the whole family. Show goers can look forward to seeing the Harlem Globetrotters perform upside down shots, trick shots and passes, plus unbelievable slam dunks and three pointers hurled from the opposite side of the court. As well as appearing in Johannesburg, the Globetrotters will also perform in Cape Town (1st and 2nd July) and in KwaZulu-Natal (3rd and 5th July). Tickets are available from Computicket.
18th June
Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show Public Tasting, Sandton, Johannesburg
Curious to taste the wines judged as the finest of the year? The Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show single night public tastings in Cape Town (12th June) and Johannesburg (18th June) are great occasions to see what’s hot on the wine scene. Approximately 100 wines – all achieving silver, gold and trophy medals in the 2015 judging – will be available for tasting and ordering at show prices. All of the wines on show have come to the fore from over 1,000 competition entries, and judged blind by a panel of international and local judges to ultimately receive the nod as superlative and world-class wines of distinction. The Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show enjoys a 13 year tradition as South Africa’s most authoritative and prestigious wine competition. Tickets are available from Computicket. // www.trophywineshow.co.za
Winning Wine
Slam Dunk
27th and 28th June
Green Home Fair, Brooklyn, Pretoria
Taking place in Brooklyn Mall over Sustainability Week (hosted by the city of Tshwane), the Green Home Fair will educate people on why being mindful of their impact on the environment matters and how it can save money in the long run. There will be public talks about what consumers need in order to be more energy efficient and water-wise. The Fair will also showcase the latest in home and décor products that are on trend, new and super stylish. The Green Home Fair is free of charge.
// www.sustainabilityweek.co.za
Paint Your Life Green
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Events South
28th June to 30th August
Cheese Fondue & Jazz Sundays, Delheim, Stellenbosch
The historic Delheim Estate will ward off the winter blues with their popular Cheese Fondue & Jazz indulgences, every Sunday lunch until August. The cosy tasting cellar sets the scene for families and friends to huddle around fondue pots and ease into a laidback Sunday afternoon, enriched with lingering aromas of pungent melting cheese, quality estate wines, and jazzy tunes. Delheim makes their cheese fondue to an authentic Swiss recipe that combines Emmental, Gruyère and white wine for a hearty flavour. The fondue makes its way to your table with oven fresh baguette dippers and vegetable crudités. The event costs R200 per person and includes a warming glass of Glühwein on arrival, a shared cheese fondue, and live music. Bookings are essential. Email [email protected] to secure your table.
Dip Into Deliciousness
Shiraz Showcase, ICC, Cape Town
Producers of South African Shiraz will once again come together for the annual Shiraz Showcase to tempt wine lovers with their latest releases and award winners. The tasting is presented in a relaxed atmosphere that affords visitors the opportunity to sample wines at leisure, chat to the winemakers, and get acquainted with the impressive line-up of well-known Shiraz brands and blends. With producers from all of the different wine-producing areas of South Africa, there will be a wide range of styles to choose from, and Shiraz fans will be able to taste to their hearts’ delight. Some of the best examples of South African Shiraz are going to be on show, and the winners of the 2015 Shiraz Challenge will also be present. Tickets are available from Web Tickets.
// www.shirazsa.co.za
It's All About the Varietal
27th June, 25th July & 29th August
Pancake & Wine Pairings, Uitkyk Wine Estate, Stellenbosch
Following the success of last year’s events, Uitkyk Wine Estate will once again be hosting their popular pancake and wine pairings this winter. Visitors can look forward to the likes of Chenin Blanc paired perfectly with a spicy Thai green curry pancake, or Uitkyk Carlonet complemented by a delicious dark chocolate pancake. Not only is this a trip for your taste buds, but your eyes will revel in the beauty of the Manor House (one of only three remaining double storied, flat-roofed, 18th century town houses in the Cape) where the tastings will take place. Tickets cost R95 per person, and booking is essential. Call +27 21 884 4416 or email [email protected] for reservations.
A Flipping Good Time
June
18th
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Events In Between
1st to 4th July
The Innibos Festival, Nelspruit
The Innibos Festival boasts spectacular evening concerts, as well as a wide variety of musical entertainment throughout the day. The Saturday concert is the biggest Afrikaans outdoor concert in the world and attracts nearly 35,000 people each year. This year some of the country’s top performers will be performing, including Juanita du Plessis, Bok van Blerk, Theuns Jordaan, Elvis Blue, Laurika Rauch and Riana Nel. The theatre programme will feature such well known actors as Sandra Prinsloo, Gys de Villiers, Neels van Jaarsveld, Susanne Beyers and Shaleen Surtie-Richards, while there is also great kiddies’ entertainment, a free theatre and movie venue, and hundreds of craft stalls to look forward to. Tickets are available from
// www.innibos.co.za or from Computicket.
Time to Go Bos
2nd July to 11th July
Standard Bank Jazz Festival, Grahamstown
True to the open-ended, connected spirit of jazz, this year’s Standard Bank Jazz Festival, which runs in Grahamstown as part of the National Arts Festival, will bring together the best of South African jazz with some of the world’s most exhilarating contemporary jazz innovators. The 2015 programme features more than 120 sought-after musicians, and includes the Stockholm Jazz Orchestra, Austrian pianist David Helbock, US based guitarist Lionel Loueke, Zimbabwe’s Oliver Mtukudzi, South Africans Kesivan Naidoo, Thandiswa Mazwai, Carlo Mombelli and Pops Mohammed, as well as Cape Town band Beatenberg. Ray Phiri will be in town for a one-night only solo gig. The festival also incorporates the Standard Bank National Youth Jazz Festival, which exposes 350 of South Africa’s best young musicians to superlative jazz over six days.
// www.nationalartsfestival.co.za
And All That Jazz
7th to 9th July
42nd National Endurance Ride, Fauresmith, Free State
The national endurance ride is a three day horse riding event where both riders and their horses are exposed to some of the most difficult endurance riding in the world over a distance of 200 km. In 2014 the event attracted 404 entries, with riders from Lesotho, the USA, the UK, Namibia, Botswana and the Czech Republic competing. The riders ride the same horse over the three days of the event. As a small town, Fauresmith has few accommodation establishments to accommodate the huge number of riders and their families, so as a result, residents open their homes and hearts to welcome visitors with open arms in typical Free State fashion. // www.erasa.co.za
Saddle Up
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Bits & Pieces
Durban’s Gateway Theatre of Shopping is home to 400 stores, from boutiques like
Forever New, Jenni Button, The Space and Hilton Weiner to large international
brands such as CottonOn, Guess, Hugo Boss, Mango, Lacoste, Pringle and Zara.
Visitors to Gateway are also spoilt for choice when it comes to entertainment with
the likes of the Wave House, Barnyard Theatre, Ster-Kinekor cinemas, IMAX and
a variety of upmarket restaurants to choose from. Shoppers have access to free
Wi-Fi throughout the centre (for 30 minutes or 50 MB each) as part of continued
efforts to evolve the shopper experience by providing connectivity and convenience.
With this unique combination of world class stores, and the latest in entertainment
and high-end fashion, Gateway truly represents a theatre of shopping. Look out
for Gateway Theatre of Shopping on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.
// www.gAtewAyworlD.co.zA
Shop, Rattle
’n Roll
A Refreshed River Club
Once something of a grand lady, the historic River Club in Observatory, Cape Town,
had in recent years fallen into decay. Now under new ownership, it boasts fresh new
interiors, a smart black and white exterior, ample contemporary conferencing spaces,
an extended golf offering, a busy new restaurant and a kiddies club. The 90 bay golf
driving range, putting facilities and chipping green – as well as the nine-hole, 27 par
Mashie Course – have been retained and reinvested in. Monthly membership starts
at around R230 per month. The new River Rascals Club is a supervised indoor and
outdoor play area where children of three and over are entertained (members and
restaurant patrons enjoy this service for free). The River Club’s new Slug & Lettuce
restaurant has brought generous portions of homely food and a laid-back café style
look to the Club’s public restaurant. The menu encompasses breakfast, lunch and
dinner, and the adjacent bar is ideal for a drink after golf or to watch a game on the
big screen. // www.rIVerclUb.co.zA
City Sightseeing Johannesburg & Soweto, the company that runs the iconic red open-
topped sightseeing buses through the streets of Joburg, has opened their annual
3 for 1 Kids Special where, on weekends, public and school holidays, two kids under
the age of 18 can travel for free on the City Sightseeing bus with any paying adult.
Running until 15th October, the City Sightseeing Kids Special covers special days such
as Youth Day, Women’s Day, Heritage Day, the June/July school holidays, as well as
the September holidays. Buses operate daily from 09h00, with commentary available in
16 different languages, including a fun Kids Channel. Adult tickets for the City
Sightseeing bus cost R170 and can be purchased at the ticket offices in Gautrain Park
Station and Gold Reef City, or online at // www.cItySIghtSeeIng.co.zA
there IS Such a thing as a Free ride
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Bits & PiecesBits & Pieces
Head to Fancourt this winter for an indulgent winter getaway
on the Garden Route. Valid until 31st October, the two-night Tee
Off in Paradise package includes luxury accommodation and full
English breakfast, as well as a choice of either a round of golf at
the Montagu or Outeniqua course, a pampering treatment at the
Fancourt Spa, or a dinner at one of the three resort restaurants.
Guests also enjoy complimentary access to the heated Roman Bath
at the Fancourt Spa, the tennis courts and high-tech gymnasium in
the Sports and Leisure Centre, as well as the driving range at the
state-of-the-art Golf Academy. The Tee Off in Paradise package costs
R1,265 per person sharing per night, for a minimum of a two-night
stay, and bookings may be made on 044 804 0010 or by emailing
The recent opening of the Eastern Cape’s only ice rink – located within the Fun Factory
zone of Port Elizabeth’s Baywest Mall – has skating enthusiasts, schools and families
eager to hit the ice for good, clean and safe entertainment. The primary function
of the rink is to provide a venue for entertainment and social activity, while the
secondary aim is to identify and grow skating talent within the region so that teams
can be formed to put the province on the competitive ice skating map. The rink will
also run a skating academy, which will offer an eight week course, to teach people
how to skate. The ice rink (which measures 27 m x 54 m) has medics on standby
during peak traffic times, while managers on duty will be trained in first aid. Special
discount rates are available to schools, party groups and other ice hockey sports teams.
// www.bAyweStmAll.co.zA
Ice, Ice baby
The Ultimate Golfing Getaway
A Presidential RetreatIn the heart of the Waterberg Mountain Range lies the magnificent Shambala
Private Game Reserve and in it, the Nelson Mandela Centre for Reconciliation.
The centre was built for Nelson Mandela as a personal retreat by his friend,
Douw Steyn, and opened in 2001. Closed as a mark of respect since his passing
in 2013, the centre recently reopened to guests. For the first time, the homestead
will be available to book in its entirety for small groups (up to 12 people). It
boasts a heated pool overlooking a private waterhole, an expansive outdoor deck
and lounge area, a presidential suite with his and hers dressing rooms, and five
luxury bedrooms with en suite bathrooms. Using Mandela’s autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom, as a reference, the interiors draw inspiration from his nostalgic
reminiscences of his childhood in Qunu. Cool and harmonious, they are filled
with neutral tones and fabrics, quietly elegant, but always with the rich roots of
tribal design. Email [email protected] for reservations.
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bites
The Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa have recently launched their Johnnie
Walker whisky bar, Eighteen05. Dedicated to providing guests with a
luxury whisky experience, this intimate bar offers ambience and tastings
one would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere. The only one of its kind on
the continent, The Saxon’s Eighteen05 is a fitting showcase for the Scotch
whisky house’s finest – and rarest – offerings. The Saxon commissioned
sought after interior designer, Stephen Falcke, to create the look of the
bar, which boasts sophisticated navy wallpaper, light and dark wood
panelled flooring, and unusual, eye-catching wooden chandeliers. Views
of the Saxon’s main pool provide an attractive backdrop for sampling the
Scotch whisky house’s most exclusive offerings. One of the bar’s walls
has also been specially designed to showcase bottles of Johnnie Walker
Blue. Visitors to Eighteen05 at exactly 18:05 daily can join in paying
tribute to Johnnie Walker with a toast.
Kleine Zalze’s acclaimed restaurant, Terroir, has a brand new offering for foodies in search
of a sweet deal this winter. Chef Michael Broughton had Terroir’s loyal customers in mind
when he decided to introduce the new Winter Plates deal in addition to the à la carte menu.
A choice of dry aged Angus sirloin or fresh fish will be complemented by a glass of Kleine
Zalze Vineyard Selection wine (a choice of red or white). The Winter Plates also come with
inspired accompaniments characterised by a knack for razor-sharp seasoning and layers of
intense flavour. Roast potatoes, twice-cooked fries or roasted root vegetables will go with
the steak, while a crunchy winter salad or a ragout of tomatoes, white beans and mussels
will pair well with the fish. Accompaniments will change throughout the season, depending
on the produce. Winter Plates costs R195 per person and are available until 30th September.
Inspired Plating
Just Johnnie
Boasting a bubbly winter makeover for the first time ever, J.C. Le Roux has launched beautiful limited edition
designs for Le Domaine, La Fleurette and La Chanson as part of The Winter Solstice Collection. Named
in honour of the shortest day and longest night of the year (21st June), these three vibrant, energising
designs will add just the right amount of glam and sparkle to let you celebrate for longer this winter.
Le Domaine flaunts all the finesse and freshness of a Sauvignon Blanc, intertwined with the gentle
sweetness of Muscadel, while the La Fleurette is an uplifting rosé that entices all the senses with its
fruity flavours. Lively and ruby red, La Chanson is an equally alluring sparkling wine with hints
of strawberry and plum. The Winter Solstice Collection is available at leading outlets nationwide.
// www.jcleroUx.co.zA
winter bubbly
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Text: Bronwyn Wainwright
Images © iStockphoto.com
Embracing what makes the youth of today unique, is exactly what will add
quality to your company environment.
Making the Most
of MillennialsEmbracing the Strengths of Today’s Youth
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THE YOUTH of today may be the up-and-coming leaders of tomorrow, but they get a bad rap in the business world. Millennials are criticised for having an air of entitlement, for unashamedly seeking the good life, for wanting to climb the corporate ladder too quickly, and even for being indecisive, yet choosy.
Impatient, demanding, and disloyal... Millennials are considered hard to please and flighty. But what if companies are getting them all wrong? Generation Y, which currently makes up 30 % of our workforce, is the first generation to have grown up with a proliferation of connected technology and, as a result, has developed a unique set of values and characteristics.
By 2020, they’ll make up 50 % of the workforce, which means that employers need to stop believing in misplaced stereotypes and start understanding the real mindset of today’s youth. Millennials have grown up to expect ease, speed and convenience – technology has taught them to do so. But being tech-savvy has also exposed our youth to the global context, which has left a far stronger impression on their value system.
According to a new IBM study* of employees across 12 countries, Generation Y would rather have
an ethical boss over one who gives them ego-building recognition and praise. And while they do consider themselves technologically clued up, they don’t always want to do everything digitally. IBM found that millennials prefer face-to-face opportunities that will help to develop their careers, such as working with more experienced colleagues, attending conferences, and partaking in classroom training.
Millennials value their colleagues’ input when making work decisions, but they’re not that much more likely to do so than other generations. What may surprise employers most is that millennials are not inclined to job hop – at least not without reason. Research by UK-based consultancy firm, Global Tolerance, contends that 62 % of millennials would rather work for a company that makes a positive impact, while more than half would opt for purposeful work, rather than a higher salary.
IBM contends that top motivators for leaving an employer are still better salary and a more creative work environment, but these reasons are no different to those cited by baby boomers and the maturing Gen X workforce.
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As to whether or not millennials are indecisive, the opposite is actually true. According to The FutureCast, a millennial consultancy, they are not avoiding decisions, they are simply taking time to weigh their options based on a process of information gathering. The Internet of Things has created a new environment in which they have access to numerous influencers that can contribute to making informed decisions.
Instead of the negative stereotypes held over the millennials’ head, perhaps it is time to appreciate the value they can add to the workplace. IBM suggests creating a workplace that embraces these strong qualities. If you want to engage the growing millennial workforce, a new mindset is needed:
Create a collaborative culture: It’s not about one generation being better than any other, so embrace a multigenerational work environment where everyone can thrive. Keep in mind that Gen Y may come from the digital era, but they still prefer face-
to-face interaction. While satellite offices and teleconferencing are becoming popular options
for businesses, our young workforce wants
to work as a team and learn from their leaders. Make room for the individual: While we talk about
generational gaps, avoid segmenting employees and focus on managing individuals within your teams. IBM recommends looking into a workforce analytics solution to track individual growth and progress.
Get everyone on the same page: Purpose is important to our youth – they want to be part of something that contributes to society, and they need to understand the company’s strategy and mission. Take the time to bring them on board with what your company hopes to accomplish, and explain the individual role that each one plays in achieving those goals.
Lead by example: Don’t simply throw this leadership motto around the office, actually live it. IBM reported that many leaders may be overestimating how well they’re connecting with their employees. Leaders must look within, learn to know themselves, and be mindful of their strengths and weaknesses if they are to earn the respect of their employees. Trust, confidence and the ability to communicate clearly are vital to the Gen Y workforce.
Make customer experience a priority: Being the most informed and connected generation means that millennials are aware of how companies treat their customers. The IBM study found that 60 % believe their company handles customer experience poorly. Technology is a powerful tool that can be used to improve the customer experience and, in doing so, build brands that are loved both from the inside and out.
Perhaps the most significant discovery to come from the IBM study is that the youth of today are actually not all that different from previous generations when it comes to management styles and recognition, as well as the understanding of business strategies. What does distinguish them is that they are the first wave of digital natives to enter the workforce. This is what will help to propel businesses into a future that is becoming more virtual and diverse, while desperately hanging on to remaining connected and collaborative.
Access the full IBM study at www.multivu.com/players/English/7428151-ibm-millennials-workplace-myths/
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Peering into the
Final Frontier
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Peering into the
Final Frontier Text: Will Edgecumbe Images © Dr Bruno Letarte
Stargazing in Sutherland
Though it may only be a small town in the middle of nowhere, Sutherland
does have a really big claim to fame: It can show you the universe.
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THERE’S something about the night sky that is both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The stars that twinkle so sweetly? Some are gas giants that dwarf our sun. The shimmering Milky Way that seems so distant? We’re an almost insignificant spec inside it. Even the thought of mankind visiting planets outside our solar system, so seemingly achievable in movies, is something far in the future – just visiting the moon is hard enough.
Although we may still be far away from exploring space’s deepest reaches physically, we can at least peer into its sheer vastness and seek answers to the secrets it holds. But for that, you need clear skies, perfect atmospheric conditions and a very, very big telescope – three things the little Karoo town of Sutherland has in abundance.
South Africa’s Stargazing CapitalSutherland, in a semi-desert region of the Northern
Cape, is a little under 450 km from Cape Town, and has vast stretches of arid emptiness between it and the nearest other towns, as well as an elevation of 1,800 m above sea level. This all adds up to clear skies and minimal light pollution. This means that conditions for looking deep
into space here are almost perfect throughout the year.Which is why, 15 km outside of town, you’ll find the Sutherland observing station of the South
African Astronomical Observatory (SAAO), which is home to Africa’s Giant Eye, the Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), as well as a scattering of other small telescopes. The name doesn’t quite do it justice, because SALT is the largest single optical telescope in the Southern Hemisphere and is among the largest in the world, with a hexagonal primary mirror array 11 m across, comprising of 91 individual-metre hexagonal mirrors. That’s a serious piece of technology. What it can do is even more serious: The array can detect the light from objects a billion times too faint to be seen with the naked eye. That’s roughly as faint as a candle flame would appear to the naked eye on the moon. Scientists from around the world use this enormous power to conduct fundamental research in astronomy and astrophysics, and research at the facility has resulted in a number of important discoveries.
See It for YourselfFittingly, with its clusters of white domed buildings set
on a scrubby hill, the Sutherland SAAO field station looks a little like something out of Star Wars, but the mysteries it has in store for visitors are far better than anything George Lucas could imagine. Day tours of the facility are offered Monday to Saturday twice a day, and include a guided walk through the Visitor Centre, as well as a guided
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tour of selected research telescopes, including SALT. If you’re pressed for time, there are also hourly tours, which essentially allow you to potter around the visitor centre and then receive a basic guided tour of SALT.
Night tours, held on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights, are something entirely different, allowing visitors to view objects in the sky through two powerful dedicated visitors’ telescopes. However, none of the research telescopes – including SALT – can be visited at night. Astronomy is, by its very nature, a light sensitive undertaking, and thus no lights are allowed in the vicinity of the research telescopes at night, so visitors need to be content in the knowledge that some serious work is underway. Bookings for day and night tours are essential – if you show up unannounced, it’ll be a real drag to be turned away, so make sure you book ahead.
No Gear NeededWith the skies being as clear as they are, you don’t
necessarily need a telescope or an astrophysicist (astronomer) on hand to enjoy the stars – and this goes for any small town or wilderness area far from the city lights. All you have to do is stay up late, get comfortable, and watch the universe wheel slowly above you. You may not be able to make out a crater on the moon, but there’s
real pleasure to be had in spotting shooting stars (which are really just meteoroids – essentially small bits of rock and dust – burning up as they hit the atmosphere), or a satellite as it blinkingly makes its way across the sky in endless orbit. Even just learning to identify the various constellations is a pleasure, knowing that our forefathers looked up at the same ones.
While You’re ThereSutherland has more going for it than its window to
the universe. Firstly, wherever you stay, you’re bound to be treated to top notch Karoo hospitality, including friendly locals, warm beds, and food to make the stomach groan with pleasure. You’ll appreciate this even more in winter, when temperatures plummet. Snow is not uncommon, particularly in July and August, so if you’ve always wanted to make a snow angel, this is the place to do it. Add to this hiking, 4x4 routes, wild flowers, loads of heritage and history, and even an active volcano. Called Salpeterkop, the volcano was last active 66 million years ago, so there’s no immediate danger. It’s a fascinating place, riddled with fossils and striking geology, adding another dimension to a tiny town with a rich history.
Find out more about the SAAO at www.saao.ac.za. To book a tour, visit tours.saao.ac.za or call +27 23 571 2436.
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Text: Wilma den Hartigh
Images © Supplied
Kgomotso Pooe
Township Ambassador
What happens when a young guy with an eye for business decides to follow his dream to change the way people experience South Africa’s townships? He founds one of South Africa’s most successful township businesses in Soweto. Meet Kgomotso Pooe, owner of Soweto Outdoor Adventures.
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KGOMOTSO Pooe made a name for himself as the first entrepreneur to bring quad bikes to Soweto. “One day I saw a couple of guys leaving Soweto to go quad biking somewhere else, and I thought to myself, ‘Why should people always leave the township to do these types of activities?’ ” he says. And that’s when he decided to start his business.
“I didn’t want people to leave the township to experience an adrenalin rush, so I established my business right here where I grew up.” Initially he started the business for the Soweto market, but word spread quickly and soon people from other parts of Johannesburg, as well as tourists, came to experience township quad biking.
Soweto Outdoor Adventures started off with quad bikes, and later introduced go-carting and paintball. If it’s fun, noisy and fast, you’ll find it here. “We do tours through Soweto on quad bikes. You can visit Nelson Mandela’s old house and taste township skopas (popcorn), smileys (boiled sheep heads) and magwenya (vetkoek).”
Since the business got off the ground, in December 2010, it has grown exponentially. “Today I can say that my little township business has grown, and new businesses are sprouting from it,” he says.
Soweto Outdoor Adventures now offers LaGuGu Tours, which are an extension of the well-known Red City Tours in Johannesburg and Cape Town. This is a good sightseeing option for tourists who want flexibility, but who would also like to be accompanied by a trained community guide. Many township tours travel by minibus, but the LaGuGu Tours allow tourists to hop off at various stops along the route and to spend as much time as they would like to interacting with locals.
Adventure Sport is Changing Perceptions
This businessman from Orlando wants to be an ambassador for South African townships. “They are vibrant spaces. There is so much that we should be celebrating about townships, because they are an important part of South Africa’s history. Businesses are thriving here
and I want to make townships famous.” Soweto is synonymous with the June 1976 Soweto Uprising, when mass protests erupted over the government’s policy to
enforce Afrikaans, as opposed to English, as the education language of choice. But what some people might not know is that Soweto is also one of the founding places for kwaito and kasi rap, a style of hip-hop specific to South Africa. Soweto is mentioned in the anti-apartheid song “Gimme Hope Jo’anna” by Eddy Grant and in 2009 the award-winning film District 9 was also shot here.
And what does he have to say to the pessimists who don’t want to venture out? “People will always fear what they don’t know, but not all perceptions of townships are founded on fact,” he points out.
Pooe says that more South Africans should visit Soweto, as well as other townships. “If you travel on holiday to India, you’ll go and see the slums because you view it as a tourist attraction. However, some South Africans have never even been to a local township. Why not just drive out and experience it?”
And this is what is so distinct about Pooe’s approach to business. Sure, he’s a forward-thinking entrepreneur who identified a gap in the market, but he’s also making a significant contribution to Soweto’s local economy. “We make use of township suppliers and our routes stop at local businesses. Through our collaboration with other Soweto businesses, we make it possible for visitors to experience a grassroots tour of South Africa’s most popular township turned city.”
Step Outside the Box and Experience SA’s Heritage
Pooe say that he is grateful to his parents for giving him an opportunity to receive an education outside of Soweto. This helped him to look at where he comes from from a different perspective. “Sometimes you have to get out of the box to see things in the box,” he says.
His parents also gave him exposure to business, as he comes from a family of business owners. “I grew up pouring petrol at my dad’s business to earn pocket money and I was always behind the shop counter.”
One of the most important lessons he’s learnt is that an entrepreneur must believe in their idea, even if no one else does.
One of his proudest moments was when he was selected to form part of the HANSA 2013 “Cheers to the Dreamers” brand campaign to showcase real South African success stories. “It was then that I realised that my business was going somewhere.”
Head North West
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Text: Lesley StonesImages © Sun International
The Pilanesberg National Park and Sun City just got a whole lot closer, thanks to new routes connecting Cape Town and Johannesburg to the area. Indwe explores just why you should get on board soon.
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CITY DWELLERS in Johannesburg and Pretoria are familiar with the long, straight roads that lead to Sun City and the Pilanesberg National Park. Every time a holiday rolls around, hundreds of families head for the fun of Sun City, while nature lovers enjoy the thrill of the Big Five only a couple of hours away from home.
Businessmen are also familiar with the journey, travelling to events at Sun City’s conference centre or to do business in the nearby town of Rustenburg.
But the four-hour round trip makes it tiring for a day-long meeting or a game viewing excursion to impress out of town visitors. Now you can get there in a flash with a new SA Express route linking OR Tambo Airport in Johannesburg to Pilanesberg once a day on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
SA Express has also launched Cape Town to Pilanesberg flights twice a day on Mondays and Fridays. Here are some great reasons to book a ticket:
Pilanesberg Nature ReserveThe beauty of Pilanesberg is in its size. The
reserve sits in an area of ancient volcanic eruptions, so it is surrounded by a ring of mountains. That
makes it compact enough to almost
guarantee seeing the Big Five in a day, yet big enough to feel like a genuine safari.
It is a beautiful place, with the backdrop of mountains surrounding open veld. You can drive around yourself, or join a guided game drive from Sun City or from one of the lodges if you are staying overnight. It’s a brilliant place for an early morning hot air balloon trip too.
Accommodation options range from self-catering to luxurious five star lodges. For more information, visit www.pilanesberggamereserve.co.za.
Sun CitySun City was originally famous for its gambling,
which is still a top drawcard. But now there are many more attractions that make it a great place for a family holiday. Kids adore the place, and for a lot of children the fake beach at the Valley of the Waves, with its wave machine and water slides, is quite enough entertainment on its own. Other activities include a zip slide, cinema, electronic games arcade, a petting zoo full of cute and cuddly animals, the not-so-cute inhabitants of the crocodile farm, horse riding, quad biking, Butterfly World and boat rides. If that’s too
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sedentary, try parasailing or jet skiing. Kamp Kwena offers kids programmes that are
overseen by highly qualified carers, and there is also a supervised care facility in the Kwena Crèche. For your really little ones, the Thula Baba babysitting centre offers a day and night time service. There are evening activity sessions for teenagers too.
For adults there’s the casino, of course, as well as a gym and a spa. Golf lovers are well catered for with two courses, the Gary Player and the Lost City courses. The Gary Player course is a par-72 championship course and one of the leading golf courses in South Africa. It is home to the Nedbank Golf Challenge, and at more than 7,000 m, it’s one of the longest in the world.
Accommodation at Sun City ranges from self-catering family cabanas to the five-star Palace of the Lost City. There are plenty of eating options too, between the hotel restaurants and the restaurants and fast food selections in the entertainment centre. Make sure you visit the information desk in the entertainment centre to find out about everything that’s available. For more information, visit www.suncity.co.za.
RustenburgSorry for you if your trip to the region is for
business, not pleasure. That probably means you are heading for Rustenburg, which was established in 1851 as an administrative centre for this fertile farming area. It was the home of the president, Paul Kruger, whose homestead on a farm outside the town is now the Paul Kruger Country Museum.
Cradle of Humankind The birthplace of humanity is celebrated at the Cradle
of Humankind, a World Heritage Site where more than 1,000 hominid fossils and several hominid species have been found in a network of limestone caves, spanning a period of three million years. While this is quite easily accessible from Pretoria and Johannesburg, it could make an interesting day trip for first time visitors flying in from Cape Town.
At the Maropeng Visitors’ Centre you can journey back 14 billion years to the beginning of our universe. Interactive displays tackle questions such as how our brains developed, where language came from, when we first used fire, and the risks facing our species in the future.
The nearby Sterkfontein Caves are also well worth exploring, with tours starting above ground and then taking you deep into the caves. Tours run every half hour, seven days a week.
The Sterkfontein Caves are owned by the University of the Witwatersrand, whose scientists have been responsible for the excavations that discovered the world famous Mrs Ples and Little Foot, an almost complete skeleton dating back more than three million years. Modern walkways and a boardwalk take you past the excavation sites. There’s a restaurant at the caves and you
can stay the night at the boutique Maropeng Hotel. For more information, visit www.maropeng.co.za.
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THE 700-ha Kurland Estate offers 12 tastefully decorated and spacious suites. For ultimate comfort, the suites boast oversized beds, exquisite linen, large en suite bathrooms, lounge areas, and terraces. They are also equipped with modern facilities such as discreetly positioned flat screen televisions offering multiple satellite channels, complimentary Wi-Fi, heated towel rails, and underfloor heating, as well as roaring fireplaces for the cooler months.
The Kurland Villa is situated on a private property adjoining the estate, near beautiful indigenous forests. The villa is designed in the Cape Dutch tradition, boasting all the requirements of modern living, with
interior finishes of the highest quality. For families or groups looking for an exclusive, secluded country
living experience, Kurland Villa is ideal.
Guests can dine at the Kurland Restaurant, with its ever-changing organic seasonal menu. The restaurant has won numerous awards over the years for its superb cuisine. Alternatively, families can feast at Katarina’s at The Barn during the summer months. Children can even enjoy their own meals in the Children’s Dining Conservatory, The Playroom, or by invitation at the exclusive Chef’s Table. There is also a range of other activities and facilities on the estate for younger guests, while visitors of all ages can make the most of the mountain biking, quad biking, tennis, and equestrian opportunities.
Kurland’s polo players and horses have gained international status, and the Kurland International Polo Test, which has been held on the hotel grounds for many years, is regarded as one of the top ten polo matches in the world. Polo season in Plettenberg Bay spans from December to April and attracts
Kurland Hotel
Text: The PR Team
Images © Kurland Hotel
Best of the Bay
The five-star Kurland Hotel near the popular Garden Route destination of Plettenberg Bay offers guests luxurious accommodation, fine dining, and a tranquil spa, all in a breathtaking beach and countryside setting. This iconic destination offers the best of both worlds, combining old-world charm with modern sophistication.
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an ever-increasing number of international patrons, top professionals and enthusiasts from around the world.
The new Sanctuary Signature Spa at Kurland Hotel offers a relaxing place to pamper body and mind. Facilities include a private steam room, a sauna room, therapy rooms, a relaxation area, a gym, and a refreshing plunge pool. Products used in the treatments include QMS Medicosmetics, Morgan Taylor Lacquer, and the homegrown Moya range, which unlocks the therapeutic properties of fynbos and other indigenous botanicals in a range of therapeutic products distilled from the finest plant extracts and essential oils.
Kurland Hotel is ideal for honeymoons and bespoke weddings thanks to the estate’s many romantic locations. The Luxury Honeymoon Suite has a private courtyard with a romantic water feature, and the Superior Honeymoon Suites offer their own private swimming pools and magnificent views. Celebrated Executive Chef Leon Coetzee creates romantic breakfasts and intimate dinners, which are served either in a variety of venues on the estate or in the privacy of a couple’s own terrace.
Driving along the Garden Route is breathtaking, and visitors are encouraged to make the journey to Kurland Hotel part of their itinerary. The surrounding area offers a host of beach and watersport activities, golfing, wine tasting, food markets, shopping, and bird, monkey and elephant sanctuaries. There is indeed much to be discovered before reaching the crowning glory that is Kurland.
For more information visit www.kurland.co.za.
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Diamonds were called “tears of the gods” by the Greeks and “splinters of stars” by
the Romans. In modern times it’s said that “diamonds are a girl’s best friend”, which
would make Kimberley the choice destination for girls of all ages.
Text & Images © Keri Harvey (www.keri-harvey.com)
All that
GlittersKimberley
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IT’S a quirky fact that a young boy started the Kimberley Diamond Rush – without even trying. In 1866, Erasmus Jacobs found an unusually beautiful stone while playing on his family’s farm. He gave the stone to a neighbour, not realising that it was a 21.25 carat diamond, now known as Eureka. And so the Kimberley Diamond Rush started, luring prospectors and speculators from all over the globe.
Thousands of claim diggers began scratching away at a hillock that would eventually become the world’s largest hand dug excavation, which is today known as The Big Hole. That hillock was the surface outcropping of an underground “pipe” consisting of diamond-bearing kimberlite ore. Diamonds are created by immense pressure 200 km deep in the earth, at temperatures of 1,000 °C, and are then brought to the surface by random volcanic eruptions.
Before long, tens of thousands of people had arrived to dig for diamonds, and a town of tents
and wooden houses sprang up. The deeper they dug, the harder it got, so a system of ropes and
pulleys was set up over the hole. Those who did well bought up the smaller claims, and soon just two men dominated the mining operations: Cecil Rhodes who formed De Beers, named after the De Beer brothers on whose farm the digging was established; and Barney Barnato, who controlled the Kimberley Central Mine. In fierce competition with each other, they recognised that a cartel was needed to monopolise the supply, and thus prices, of the world diamond market. The two eventually came to an agreement with De Beers purchasing the Kimberley Central Mine and forming De Beers Consolidated Diamond Mines Ltd, which still dominates the international diamond trade today.
Looking back, historical statistics from Kimberley’s diamond mines are staggering. Firstly, there were five major excavations, including what is known today as the Big Hole. At the height of activity, 30,000 miners spread over 17 ha were working 3,600 separate claims in a precarious and complex arrangement of pulleys and cables and multi-storey staging platforms. In the process, about 22.5 million tons of hand-dug earth was
First Page: The Old Mining Town gives visitors a taste of what Kimberley might have been like during the time of the diamond rush.This Page: The Star of the West is Kimberley’s oldest pub. Established around 1870, it was originally a corrugated iron shack where miners paid a tuppence for a beer and a half-a-penny for a glass of wine. Legend has it that the bar counter and wooden fittings were brought to the city by sailors who survived the wreck of their ship, Star of the West, on the West Coast. Next Page: Kamfers Dam is home to between 20,000 and 50,000 Lesser Flamingos at any given time, which makes up a large proportion of the subregion’s total population.
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removed before the mine finally ceased operations in 1914. The diggings yielded an incredible 2,700 tons of diamonds, consisting of 14.5 million carats. Actress Elizabeth Taylor famously said: “Big girls need big diamonds.” So of course, Kimberley was where most of her gems were mined.
Today the Big Hole is a famous international tourist attraction, with buildings from the diamond rush period having been relocated and preserved to recreate the Old Mining Town alongside the Big Hole for a truly authentic tourism experience. The Old Town includes a church, tavern and diggers’ dormitory, as well as the old railway coach used by the De Beers directors. There is also a functional guesthouse, bar, and various retail outlets, as well as a viewing platform over the Big Hole itself.
The Diamonds and Destiny Visitor Centre includes an audio-visual and simulated underground mining
experience that tells the story of diamonds and the people of the Kimberley diggings, along with a
viewing vault containing a collective 3,000 carats
of diamonds. There are also replicas of all of the giant diamonds mined at Kimberley – from the Star of Africa to the Hope Diamond.
But there is more to the modern city of Kimberley than the diamonds which gave it birth. The area is rich in both modern and ancient history. From the Nooitgedacht Glacial Pavements and the Siege of Kimberley during the Anglo-Boer War, to San rock engravings and various museums, there is much to see and do among the well-preserved Victorian buildings of Kimberley. The city also has many restaurants and bars – do visit the long established Star of the West – various forms of accommodation, resorts and sports clubs.
In the surrounding great outdoors, there is fly-fishing and rafting, game viewing and private game reserves, along with the Mokala National Park and Kamfers Dam with its vast population of flamingos. So Kimberley is about much more than diamonds. Here there are gems of all kinds.
For more information visit www.thebighole.co.za.
A City of Firsts Kimberleyisacityoffirsts,including:
• Privatepostaldelivery(1871)• Professionaltrainingofnurses(1877)• StockexchangeattheDiamondMarket(1881)• Electricstreetlights(1882)• Buildingsocietyestablished(1883)• VictoryinthecricketCurrieCup(1889)• CenturyscoredinCurrieCupcricket(1890)• EstablishmentoftheSouthAfricanCricketBoard(1890)• VictoryintherugbyCurrieCup(1891)• Professionalstatusregistrationofnurses(1891)• Linesmanusedinarugbymatch(1891)• Electricaltram(1891)• SchoolofMines(1896)• PublicflightofaSouthAfricanbuiltaircraft(1911)• Womantrainedasapilot(1912)• Aviationtrainingschool(1913)• Femaletrafficofficers(1940)
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A One & Only Experience Images © One&Only Cape Town
Conceived to be a beacon of hospitality excellence that shines across the globe, the One&Only brand is unmatched in the high levels of service it offers. The One&Only Cape Town takes this reputation a step further.
LIFE has a number of valuable lessons to teach us as we navigate its complexities. Some of its most basic – yet most important – include to drink enough water, sleep eight hours a day and, perhaps most vital, never let an opportunity to experience the One&Only Cape Town pass you by.
Agreed, as life truths go, the latter might not contribute to your general health, but experiencing one of the world’s finest ultra-luxury resorts is sure to create memories that will last you a lifetime, leaving you relaxed yet invigorated every time.
The reason is simple – every aspect of the One&Only Cape Town, every service and every meal has been developed and prepared with the wants and desires of its high-profile guests in mind, without losing the basic tenets of good old fashioned friendliness and approachability.
A romantic destination, a sophisticated playground, and an epicentre of fine dining, the One&Only Cape Town puts its very best foot forward every minute of every day. From the moment you arrive to a warm greeting and a cold glass
Cape Town’s Icon of Excellence
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Images © One&Only Cape Town
of bubbly, the personalised service and focussed attention on your every need comes as second nature to all staff at the resort. Whether working behind the scenes or front of house, every One&Only team member is a trusted friend who endeavours to make your stay as memorable as possible.
Not only is this dedication to excellence plainly evident in each generously sized and well appointed suite (all overlooking the marina and iconic Table Mountain), but also at each dining experience at the resort.
From fine dining at the award-winning Nobu restaurant – where Head Chef Dil Tamang and Head Sushi Chef Keisuke “Keke” Itoh’s delightful contemporary Asian cuisine delights with every mouthful – or enjoying fare from South Africa’s own celebrity chef, Reuben Riffel, at Reuben’s, the experience is almost unmatched in a city now regarded as one of the most popular destinations in the world. Adding African flavour to the splendour of Nobu, the restaurant’s Kenyan-born and highly regarded wine steward, Mercy Mwai was recently named Up-and-coming Wine Steward of the Year at the Inter-Hotel Challenge.
While Nobu certainly stands out as the resort’s gourmet venue, neither Reuben’s nor the Mediterranean themed poolside restaurant at the One&Only Cape Town hold back in terms of fine fare, comfortable ambience, and dining enjoyment.
Best of all, the One&Only Cape Town doesn’t let wintertime interrupt the excitement. In fact, those in the know will admit that the cold season is the ideal time to play in the Mother City. A series of events is scheduled at the resort this season, and include everything from
inspirational talks to culinary delights with Chef Reuben.To name a few, the ever popular Reuben’s One&Only
Wine&Dine series sees Chef Reuben Riffel and master resident sommelier, Luvo Ntezo, invite a series of stellar wine and Methôde Cap Classique-producing estate ambassadors to join them in presenting a deluxe five-course dinner throughout the winter months. This winter, in particular, guests can experience the likes of Steenberg, Graham Beck and Klein Constantia estates.
Chef Reuben also invites other gourmands to his Reuben Invites events, while Nobu presents its own version of Wine & Dine evenings where the restaurant’s Asian cuisine is paired to perfection with some of the Cape’s most outstanding wines.
No visit to the One&Only Cape Town would be complete without a luxurious pampering at the resort’s spa, which has been voted the best spa in South Africa and indeed, Africa since it opened its doors. Escape to the spa’s own private island – a 2,000 m2 Afro-Zen space that boasts the highest number of treatment rooms of any spa in the city. Aside from the outstanding amenities, including thermal treatment rooms, the spa is also the only facility in South Africa to boast a Bastien Gonzales Pedi:Mani:Cure studio and to offer a menu of internationally renowned ESPA treatments and luxury skincare products.
Winter, Spring, Summer or Autumn, the One&Only Cape Town experience offers a blissful once-in-a-lifetime breakaway that you owe yourself for those many life lessons well learnt.
Visit oneandonlycapetown.com for more information.
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Text: Adam Cruise
Images © Colin Bell
At 40 % of its total landmass, Botswana boasts one of the world’s highest percentages
of land area given over to wildlife conservation. As a result, the government of
Botswana has embraced safaris and ecotourism as a major economic activity.
Leading LightBotswana’s Conservation Success Story
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NATURE-BASED tourism now ranks second after mining in its contribution to the country’s gross domestic product. This is even more impressive given that since independence, Botswana has had one of the highest economic growth rates in the world, averaging about 9 % per year from 1966 to 1999, while the country has registered a significant boom since 2008. Growth in private sector employment has averaged about 10 % per annum. The country can be commended for boasting not just Africa’s, but one of the world’s longest economic booms (which almost surpassed even some of Asia’s largest economies). According to Transparency International, Botswana is also rated the least corrupt country in Africa.
Despite this economic leap, not everybody has benefitted in the past. It has been reported that around 20 % of the population live below the poverty line, and this is particularly persistent in the most remote rural areas of northern and western Botswana, which happen to be the major conservation areas of the Okavango Delta, Moremi and Chobe.
The volatility of mineral resources (and diamonds in particular), and their non-renewability in Botswana’s primary economic sector, has prompted the government to look for alternative, sustainable economic activities. Since the majority of the poor live close to the conservation areas, the
government has ear-marked tourism as the principal poverty alleviation factor. This is primarily due to tourism’s labour-intensive nature, which enables it to employ disadvantaged members of the community, especially women, who have very little formal training.
However, tourism is largely a private sector business and is normally controlled by non-governmental market forces. By its very nature, tourism is geared to serve the interests of the tourists and investors and, therefore, does not automatically improve the welfare of the poorer members of the community. This is a problem that persists in most African countries.
Botswana, though, is different. What sets the nation apart from the norm in terms of ecotourism in Africa, and certainly any country that benefits economically from conservation, is that the government has implemented its own unique conservation model over the past two-and-a-half decades that works closely with the local communities and the private sector. Often in other countries, park authorities or private lodge owners and people living adjacent to protected areas have come into conflict with one another. This has often occurred when local people were denied ancient hunting, fishing or grazing rights, access to ancestral burial sites, or when foreign-owned companies generate tourist revenue with nothing filtering down to the local communities. In
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Botswana, however, much work has been done to include local people in the benefits that tourism generates and, most significantly, this has been managed in a sensitive and sustainable way that has begun to show dividends both in the alleviation of poverty and the protection of wildlife.
For example, in the perennially tourist-popular Okavango Delta, the local inhabitants communally own the land. This is then leased to private concessionaires through a tender process. Concessions and lodge sites are put out to tender, and put through a rigorous and transparent process of evaluation which is conducted by an independent panel of experts. Recommendations are then made to the relevant Land Boards and the tribal committees of elected officials, who make the final decisions on allocation. Rentals are then offered as part of the tender, and successful tenderees are required to match the highest rental offered.
Rental is paid to the Land Boards that includes a hefty annual rental (which varies from lodge to lodge depending on location), plus a resource royalty of 6 % of its total turnover. These are paid over to community structures via local government agencies. Furthermore, a 12 % sales tax on accommodation receipts and 25 % income tax is paid to central government; a 1 Pula per bed per night training levy goes to the Tourism Department; and game reserve entry fees
of about 70 Pula per person per day also accrues to central government coffers. While 6 % of turnover may sound low, this translates to around 35 % of a lodge’s net profit in a good year. Thus local communities earn upwards of 35 % of the profits accruing from every safari lodge in Botswana without investing a cent. The system is designed to attract the most competent operators while ensuring that the local communities, and the nation as a whole, benefit from the country’s most valuable natural assets.
In short, everyone in the community, not just those employed directly as lodge staff and guides, benefit from tourism, as does the country as a whole. To protect its wildlife assets (and its income streams), the government deploys large portions of its defence force to anti-poaching duties and this, in tandem with community involvement at scale, ensures that large-scale poaching is minimised because it would adversely affect everyone’s direct income. This ensures that Botswana, even though it has given vast tracts of land over to wildlife, is the least affected country in Africa in terms of community-based wildlife degradation and illegal wildlife trade. It’s a winning conservation formula, thus making Botswana the unheralded shining light in a gloomy continent desperate for community upliftment and wildlife protection.
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From Tea to Wine
The Rooibos Revolution
Last year, a small Stellenbosch winery launched the world’s first wine
created by using wood from indigenous fynbos plants commonly known as
rooibos and honeybush. The wine, a Merlot from the 2013 harvest, not only
represents an entirely new category of wine, but a potential revolution for
the South Africa liquor industry.
Text: Keith Bain
Images © Karen Swanepoel, Rooibos Ltd & Johan Wilke / Stellenbosch Visio
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IT’S AMONG South Africa’s most iconic exports, drunk around the world, but known primarily as a hot beverage – a herbal tea with recognised health benefits. Yet, although endemically grown rooibos – and its cousin, honeybush – have been known to the region’s indigenous people for centuries, only in 2011 did it dawn on a local wine farmer that these plants, with their natural health-promoting properties, may be of benefit to the local liquor industry.
Situated in Stellenbosch’s prime grape-growing region, on the banks of the Bonte River, Audacia is a wine estate with a history stretching back to the 1930s. Yet, despite its location within the so-called “Golden Triangle” which is acclaimed for producing some of South Africa’s best red wines, Audacia’s co-owner, Trevor Strydom, says that the extent of the modern wine industry makes it virtually impossible for smaller wineries such as his to stand out from the crowd.
At 32 hectares, Audacia had dubbed itself “The Red Wine Boutique Winery”, with a focus on
varietals for which the region is known, but Strydom says he still wanted – and urgently
needed – to find ways of distinguishing his wines from literally thousands of other choices out there, and was keen to bring something revolutionary and uniquely South African to his brand. Strydom spent almost a year attempting to identify an appropriate wood that could be used in the same way that imported oak is used for the barrelling and aging of wines.
His lightbulb moment struck four years ago during a tea break. On the verge of despair, Strydom says a cup of rooibos tea his daughter brewed for him set the wheels of innovation in motion. What if wood from rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) and honeybush (Cyclopia genistoides) plants could be used to replace oak in wine production?
Little did Strydom imagine the repercussions of this “eureka” incident. On the one hand, there was the possibility of introducing a wholly South African wood as a replacement for an expensive import. But of even more significance was that the known health benefits of these fynbos plants might be passed onto the wines they were used to age. Naturally caffeine-free and low in tannins, rooibos has long been known as a rich source of phenols, which imbue teas made from the
First Page: Audacia wine farm in StellenboschThis Page: Harvesting rooibosNext Page: A bottle of Audacia’s completely sulphite-free MerlotLast Page: Stellenbosch brewery, Stellenbrau, now makes a rooibos-enhanced ‘Red Lager’ while Elgin-based Windermere Cider makes a rooibos and apple cider
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plant’s leaves with anti-oxidising properties, meaning that they counteract the normal, damaging effects of oxidation, which is the interaction between oxygen molecules and whatever they come into contact with.
Strydom was well aware of the wine industry’s ongoing quest to reduce the use of chemicals such as sulphur dioxide to preserve wine, which is always at risk of oxidation. Despite widespread experimentation aimed at producing sulphur-free wines, it has remained a hugely risky undertaking to bottle and ship wine without the use of at least some preservatives.
But what if the natural anti-oxidising properties of rooibos and honeybush could somehow be imparted to wine? Prompted by Strydom, researchers at Stellenbosch University’s Department of Viticulture and Oenology determined that the phenols imparted by these fynbos woods had the potential to preserve wine naturally.
In the same way that rooibos tea is infused with natural antioxidants, the wood imparts antioxidants to the wine, eliminating the need for the further addition of chemical preservatives. What’s less clear is how this actually works, and also whether or not there is any anti-microbial action as a result of the presence of these plants, but Audacia winemaker Michael van Niekerk says that as far as he’s concerned, the presence of these woods during certain stages of fermentation and aging has eliminated the need for added sulphites.
Following initial experiments involving tea bags, van Niekerk and Strydom started adding wood from rooibos and honeybush plants to their 2012 Shiraz as part of an in-house experiment. In 2013, they made their first batch of commercially available Audacia “No Sulphites or Preservatives Added” Merlot – the first ever wine made with indigenous fynbos woods. The process involved adding wood chips to the fermentation tanks for periods of between two weeks and two months. The Merlot contained a mere 3 mg/l of naturally-occurring sulphites, which is vastly below the legally permitted limit of 150 mg/l for South African table wines.
Besides the benefits to the wine and consumer, says Strydom, there are huge economic and ecological implications, including the fact that the woody parts of the fynbos plants that are used in the winemaking process are usually discarded after rooibos and honeybush harvesting. This makes the wood a far more sustainable option than imported oak, says Strydom.
What’s more, the fynbos wood adds distinctive characteristics that are discernible on the palate. Experiments with the wood chips, including toasting the wood prior to adding it to the fermentation tanks, has shown that the wood enhances the nose and taste of the wine, with honeybush impacting the aroma and rooibos mainly enhancing the palate.
While Strydom’s innovation is a coup for Audacia, it has also led to a groundbreaking wine industry patent, giving the boutique winery exclusive right to use these indigenous woods in wine production.
The realisation that rooibos can be used to enhance
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the flavour profile of wine has led to associated experiments with beer and cider, which are covered by the same patent that Strydom has petitioned for, locally and internationally. Internationally awarded craft brewery Stellenbrau, also based in Stellenbosch, has run with Strydom’s innovation to produce Governor’s Red Lager, the world’s first beer to be made with the addition of rooibos and honeybush leaves during the brewing process. The result is a traditional, malty lager with a few subtle flavour surprises, described by the brewmaster as “honey-like scents and earthy, floral
notes”. Unlike anything else on the market, the beer also happens to be relatively low in calories and
carbs, and its producers surmise that traditional
rooibos-derived health benefits will also be passed along to drinkers. Elgin-based Windermere Cider has produced the world’s first apple cider made with rooibos plant materials, again eliminating the need for added sulphites or preservatives.
Strydom says that it’s impossible to predict the extent to which what he’s unlocked will revolutionise the industry, but the timing of his innovation couldn’t be better. It comes just as rooibos has finally been accorded EU-recognition as a region-specific South African product. In much the same way that Champagne and Port are name-protected for their geographic specificity, plain old rooibos is now fundamentally – and legally – “South African Rooibos”.
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Almost
FamousText: Keith BainImages © Supplied
Stone Cold Jane Austen
JON Savage may be poking fun at himself in his new feature film, Stone Cold Jane Austen, but he says the mockumentary-style comedy he wrote and directed comes hilariously close to representing the reality of the South African rock scene. The former frontman of award-winning rock band Cassette, Savage says that his screen character is in fact frighteningly similar to how he sees himself during the six years he and his band became ruthlessly focused on musical world domination. “Our band had a serious strategy,” he says, “and we were determined and utterly focused on becoming the South African band that would finally make the rest of the world sit up and take notice.”
It was not to be, though, says Savage. “We exist 100 % in a bubble here in South Africa. We’re far away from the rest of the world, and, in the global scheme of things, our music industry is utterly insignificant and unnoticed, because we’re off the touring circuit that bands everywhere else – Europe, North America, Australia, even Japan – are all a part of.
“My years with Cassette were single-minded. We tried everything in our power to conquer the world. There were no South African bands making it overseas, and we wanted to change that. But the truth is, even with all the hardcore touring and manoeuvring, wheeling and dealing, even though there were moments when we felt like we had arrived, you ultimately never do ‘arrive’.”
“In this country, real rock stars are rare,” says Savage. “We have the likes of Jack Parow and Fokofpolisiekar and Arno Carstens who are all the real deal. But, as I see it, the rest of us are merely pretending to be them. Throughout my own music career, I skirted the fringes of rock stardom, and that’s a headspace I understand well.
“We suffer from a glut of wannabe rock stars – and we have plenty of posers dressing up like Francois van Coke [of Afrikaans rock band Fokofpolisiekar], pretending to be something they’re not. My character in the film lampoons the posers who make up the vast majority of the South African rock music scene.”
Taking this self-lampoonery to extremes, Savage plays one of two wannabe English rockers (the other played by comedian Rob van Vuuren) so hell-bent on achieving fame that they decide the only way to get noticed and be taken seriously as musicians, is to perform in Afrikaans. The only problem is that they don’t speak Afrikaans, so their mission is an idiotic fantasy.
“It’s a black comedy,” says Savage, “but virtually every musician in the country who was around when Fokofpolisiekar kick-started the Afrikaans punk rock movement will attest to having had some kind of fantasy of penetrating that market, doing what that band did.
“I’d say my film is actually a homage to what Fokofpolisiekar started. I was at that first gig and I
Stone Cold Jane Austen is a new black comedy that gets under the skin of the South African music industry.
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remember feeling bummed that it wasn’t us doing what they were doing. Cassette was doing its own thing at the time, but we just couldn’t compete – for obvious reasons. So this is really a tribute to the revolution led so magnificently by Fokofpolisiekar. And it’s also about the fact that every single band in this country has had a discussion about wanting to produce an Afrikaans song to try and put its foot in that market.”
Savage says that “as much as the film is ridiculous and funny, it’s also dark and real”. He says by placing his fictional main characters in the real world of the music industry, he was able to distil a lot of what really goes on and use it to comic effect in the story. “I’d say that with a couple of exceptions, almost every event in this movie has happened in
the real world of the music industry. I was terrified of making a slapstick comedy, because what I
really wanted was to tell a real story in a
comedic way.” Savage says that the film is also a response to a
documentary that was made about the years during which Cassette embarked on its attempt at world domination. “Someone with a camera followed us around the world for five years. It was meant to be a film about a South African band breaking internationally, but ended up being about the demise and implosion of our band. I’ve never seen this film, nor do I want to see it, but Stone Cold Jane Austen is a reaction to what I think is in the documentary. My character in this film is a part of myself that I’m not proud of – the blind, single-minded douche bag who will do whatever he thinks necessary to achieve his goals. I look back at that time and recognise how unreasonable I was, and I wrote the movie with that version of myself in mind.
“Despite his faults, though, his heart is ultimately in the right place,” says Savage. “It’s also the story
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of a very passionate person – a Rocky story about a guy who eventually makes it, but entirely by accident and through no effort of his own. Audiences should eventually sympathise with him, even if it takes a while because he’s so unlikeable to begin with. He’s actually a mommy’s boy with a heart of gold, but has assumed a horrible persona in order to fit into the music industry. He’s adopted stereotypical rock star traits – tattoos, face-hair, the way he dresses – and he wears those, like a mask, every day. All to tell the world that he’s so hard. But really he isn’t.
“This film is the hardest thing I’ve ever done,” says Savage. “It took four years to get it made, because it’s completely independent. I’ve operated entirely outside the box, and because I had zero financing, I made the film using crowd-funding. It’s
been a great experience, but making a film will age you at least ten years. I wouldn’t recommend
writing and directing a film that you also
act in. The fact is, this was a project I believed in and desperately wanted to make, but I couldn’t afford a writer or director, and we couldn’t pay actors. Only Rob van Vuuren actually got paid, everyone else did it for free and we have just about every big name in the local music industry playing themselves in the film.”
Beyond its worth as a tribute to the music scene, Savage says the film has brought together his two great loves. “I’m fortunate because since as far back as I can remember, I’ve had only two passions in my life – making music and making movies. I made a feature film when I was a student, but I abandoned all of that when my music career took off. Making a movie about music has been a synergy of both passions – the most obvious thing in the world, really.”
‘Stone Cold Jane Austen’ is currently playing in cinemas nationwide. Visit www.stonecoldmovie.com for more information.
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ALTHOUGH the homemade ice tea and fresh fruit we were served on arrival hinted at the comfort that awaited us, we could not have found ourselves closer to the heart of the country’s famed wilderness.
A game reserve rather than a national park, Selous is home to some of Africa’s wildest inhabitants. Its 45,000 km² of unspoiled bushveld attracts both eastern and southern African wildlife, as well as over 440 species of birds.
Supporting this abundance of life is the mighty Great Ruaha River, on the banks of which the luxurious Azura Selous tented camp is located. One of just two lodges in south Selous, Azura is an unimposing oasis that blends almost seamlessly with its wild surrounds.
Despite their position right on the banks of the Ruaha, the lodge’s 12 luxurious, air-conditioned villas offer every imaginable comfort. Private decks and plunge pools, outdoor and indoor showers, beautiful finishes, and a sense of spaciousness and privacy complete each.
In the communal area, a sparkling infinity pool and a shaded lounge and dining area bring guests together in what
can only be described as the best seats in the river-game-viewing house. The soothing sound of the rushing water
is ever-present, and it is not at all unusual to spot scores
of hippos from the breakfast table. Game viewing is of course the area’s primary offering, and
Azura’s flexible drives with expert guides do not disappoint. Blessed with a charming guide from West Tanzania, we spent hours meandering through the lush bush. While we enjoyed the sights and smells of the mimosas, African ebony trees and centuries-old baobabs, it was of course the intimate fauna encounters that really managed to delight us at every turn.
Hippos yawned, elephants blasted, herds of running impala sounded just like falling rain. A giraffe popped up from behind a tree, a scrub hare bolted across the “road”. Mongooses scampered about as buffalos stared us down and yellow baboons mimicked our most intimate behaviour. Warthog and zebra crossed paths beneath a sky filled with birds, the colours of which would inspire the suspicion of divinity in even the most hardened of cynics. Storks, vultures, kingfishers, bee-eaters, hornbills, rollers, turacos, lapwings – “All the pretty birdies!” our guide would say while flipping through the frayed pages of his trusty bird book. My favourite entry? A juvenile bateleur, which we saw puffed up and on the hunt.
The most memorable encounter, however, took place just 3 km from the airstrip that first welcomed us to this hotspot of life in all its raw splendour. Seventeen of Africa’s precious
Text: Lara Potgieter
Images © Supplied
See You in Selous
A short and scenic transfer in a comfortable little charter plane was all that was needed for us to ditch the dizzying chaos of Dar es Salaam for the piece of peace that is Tanzania’s Selous Game Reserve.
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endangered wild dogs had settled here for the afternoon, and we were lucky enough to spend a fair amount of it basking in their long-legged, big-jawed, bat-eared beauty. The only sighting to come close to it was a pride of lions, which included eight cubs gaily passing the time by playing with pieces of wood, rocks, and a very unfortunate locust.
In almost welcome contrast to all of this activity and excitement was the opportunity to switch off completely while floating lazily down the river on the Azura boat, or walking quietly near camp to meditate on the subtler offerings of the bush.
Whatever we spent the day doing, we always seemed to return to camp as hungry as leopards at dusk. Luckily, Azura Selous caters for everyone, from those hoping to discover the local cuisine to the fine diners and the more cosmopolitan in taste. Chapatti, ugali and boerewors offered us a taste of Africa; pizza, burgers and empanadas satisfied the universal cravings; and artichoke and salmon salad, pork normand, and perch champignon made us feel thoroughly spoilt. While most meals were enjoyed on the wooden veranda overlooking the river, we were also surprised with a three-course affair on the riverbank, and a festive barbecue in the heart of the bushveld a short drive from camp.
All told, Selous really offers everything by way of a bucket-list wildlife experience. While I didn’t find my leopard, everything else exceeded expectation (so much so that I expect to be patting pangolins on my return). Thank you, Azura.
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Stone Cold Jane AustenStone Cold Jane Austen est une nouvelle comédie d’humour noir qui agace
profondément l’industrie musicale sud-africaine.
Texte : Keith Bain
Images © Supplied
Presque célèbre
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Jon Savage se moque peut-être de lui-même dans son nouveau film intitulé Stone Cold Jane Austen, mais il explique que cette comédie, qu’il écrivit et dirigea dans le style d’un faux-documentaire, parodie de façon hilarante la réalité de la scène rock sud-africaine. Savage, ancien leader du groupe de rock primé Cassette, explique que le personnage qu’il joue est terriblement proche de ce qu’il était pendant les six années où son groupe et lui essayaient de dominer la scène mondiale de façon impitoyable. « Nous étions déterminés et totalement obsédés par l’idée de devenir le premier groupe sud-africain qui allait se faire remarquer sur la scène mondiale. »
Ça n’a pas été le cas, dit Savage. « On vit dans une bulle, ici en Afrique du Sud. Nous sommes loin du reste du monde et à l’échelon universel, notre industrie musicale est insignifiante et passe totalement inaperçue parce que l’on ne fait pas les tournées que les autres groupes font en Europe, aux US, en Australie ou même au Japon. »
« Ici, les vrai rock stars sont rares, » dit Savage. « On a bien des gens comme Jack Parow, Fokofpolisiekar et Arno Carstens qui sont des
bons. Mais à mon avis tous les autres essaient tout simplement de se prendre pour eux. Dans ma carrière musicale, j’ai tellement fréquenté le monde du rock que j’en comprends bien la mentalité. »
« Il y a une surabondance d’aspirants rock stars et mon personnage dans le film ridiculise tous les frimeurs qui constituent la vaste majorité de la scène rock sud-africaine. »
Pour pousser la dérision à l’extrême, Savage et Rob van Vuuren jouent les rôles de deux aspirants stars du rock anglophones qui sont tellement obnubilés par l’idée de devenir des stars qu’ils décident que la seule façon de se faire remarquer en tant que musicien est de chanter en afrikaans. Le seul problème c’est que ni l’un ni l’autre ne parle afrikaans, ce qui rend leur tâche totalement saugrenue.
« C’est une comédie grinçante, » explique Savage, « mais je peux vous assurer que n’importe quel musicien qui a vu Fokofpolisiekar démarrer le mouvement punk-rock afrikaans s’est fait des délires de grandeur et a rêvé de faire une percée similaire à la leur. »
Savage assure que « le film a beau être caricatural
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et drôle, il est aussi bien noir et bien réel. » Il raconte que ses personnages fictifs gravitent dans le monde réel de l’industrie de la musique et que de ce fait, il a réussi à faire ressortir ce qui s’y passe vraiment pour produire l’effet comique requis. « Je dirais qu’à une ou deux exceptions près, tout ce qui se passe dans le film s’est réellement produit sur la scène musicale. »
« Une partie de mon personnage dans ce film reflète un côté de moi dont je ne suis pas très fier – un crétin totalement aveugle et obsessif qui fera n’importe quoi pour parvenir à ses fins. J’ai réussi à prendre du recul et à voir l’absurdité de la chose, et j’ai donc écrit le film avec cette image de moi en tête. »
« En dépit de ses défauts il a quand même bon cœur, » dit Savage. « C’est aussi l’histoire de quelqu’un de passionné – l’histoire sur fond Rock d’un gars qui arrive finalement à ses fins mais totalement par accident, sans avoir fait quel qu’effort que ce soit. Le publique arriva finalement à sympathiser avec lui bien que cela puisse prenne du temps, vu son comportement en début de film. Il est en fin de compte un fils-à-maman avec un
grand cœur qui avait trouvé nécessaire d’adopter un comportement odieux pour se faire accepter dans l’industrie de la musique. »
« Faire ce film fut la chose la plus difficile que j’ai jamais faite, » dit Savage. « J’ai mis quatre ans à le faire parce que c’est un film totalement indépendant. Je n’avais pas de financement extérieur alors j’ai fait appel au public. Ça a été une expérience formidable, mais faire un film vous donne des rides. Le fait est que c’était un projet auquel je croyais et que je voulais vraiment mettre sur pied, et que tous les grands noms de la musique sud-africaine jouent leur propre rôle dans le film. »
Savage explique qu’au-delà de ses mérites en tant qu’hommage à la scène musicale, le film réunit des deux passions. « J’ai beaucoup de chance parce que j’ai toujours eu deux passions dans ma vie – faire de la musique et faire des films. Faire un film ayant trait à la musique a combiné mes deux passions – ça me semblait tout à fait évident. »
“Stone Cold Jane Austen” est actuellement dans les salles à l’échelle nationale. Pour plus d’informations visitez www. stonecoldmovie.com.
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BMW 2 Series ConvertibleText: Bernard HellbergImages © BMW South Africa
A Top Drop Top
Slowly and very elegantly, BMW is rounding off its compact
2 Series range in South Africa. With the addition of the convertible
successor to the globally popular 1 Series Convertible, BMW takes a
clear lead in the premium compact drop-top segment.
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BMW is very proud of its compact 2 Series cars. Seen (and heavily marketed) as the spiritual successor to the 2000CS of the late 1960s – a series that contributed greatly to the development of BMW’s identity as a maker of sports sedans – the 2 Series is also a bit of a money-spinner for the Bavarian automaker.
Developed from, and replacing, the 1 Series convertible, the 2 Series smartly collects the blunted loose ends of the old car’s styling and presents itself as a beautifully re-imagined land yacht with tight, yet graceful proportions and power to match.
It is understandable that BMW wants this car to be a success, as they naturally want it to sell even more than the previous version could (130,000 units over its lifetime).
Everything about the new baby convertible has improved. Looking substantially less podgy, with elegant, flowing lines and a much more aggressive stance, the 2 Series convertible is suddenly, spectacularly, desirable.
Being the only rear-wheel drive convertible in its segment and, underpinned by a broad wheelbase and wide track with short overhangs that is so typically BMW, the 2 Series Convertible’s handling is sure-footed and dynamic. It also looks the part with a long bonnet which sets the passenger cell far back, and an elegantly flat shoulder line that serves to visually stretch the car beyond its 4,432 mm overall length.
The 2 Series is brought to market in three guises – 220i, 228i, and the range-topping M 235i Convertible – and can be personalised inside and out in one of four variants: Advantage, Luxury line, Sport line, and M Sport.
The 220i Convertible is presented with BMW’s B38 4-cylinder in-line petrol engine with the TwinPower turbo that is also used in the MINI Cooper S. Developing 135 kW and 270 Nm between 1,250 to 4,500 r/min, it is a great value introduction to the line, with adequate acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.5 seconds (automatic: 7.6 seconds).
Although the same engine is employed in the 228i Convertible, this execution gets a power boost up to 180 kW and maximum torque of 350 Nm. Its stock sprint time shrinks to 6.1 seconds (automatic: 6.0 seconds).
The 235i Convertible definitely sets a benchmark in the segment. It gets a 3.0-litre 6-cylinder in-line engine
with M Performance TwinPower Turbo technology that’s good for 240 kW. Completing its upgraded offering is M-specific tuning for the chassis, air-cheating body features, and an 8-speed Steptronic Sport transmission that is available as an option.
Inside the new cabriolet, both the driver and passenger are treated to a typically BMW experience. Classic seating position, ergonomically proportioned and positioned controls, and ease of use means that you can focus on driving this car, and enjoying the scenery as it flits past your open soft top. The newly developed, electrically powered fabric top boasts additional insulation and optimised acoustic comfort, and does a great job of keeping exterior noises where they belong – outside the cabin. It opens and closes in 20 seconds – even at speeds of up to 50 km/h – and is available in the standard spec black, or the optional Anthracite and Brown, both with silver effect.
Thankfully, BMW has paid much attention to the car’s ride and handling abilities, to ensure that torsional rigidity does not hinder your driving fun as it does with so many other convertible cars. The next generation chassis set-up with its double-joint spring strut front axle and five-link rear axle with model-specific tuning, combine beautifully with the advanced DSC stability control system (with DTC and the Active Differential Brake system) at the rear axle.
In terms of safety, the 2 Series was awarded 5 EuroNCAP stars, and promises to keep you safe with front and side/head airbags, as well as an integrated rollover protection system. In line with strict European safety regulations, pedestrian protection is optimised by active bonnet and defined deformation zones at the front of the car.
For peace of mind, the 2 Series Convertible gets a five-year/100,000 km Motorplan and a two-year unlimited kilometre warranty.
Getting (and staying) ahead of the pack is an increasingly difficult exercise for automakers across the globe. BMW is better than most at keeping their products fresh and desirable, and the 2 Series Convertible is testimony to that. If you’re in the market for being seen in something cool, but demand more than just looks from a car, the 2 Series should be at the top of your shopping list.
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Invest for
SuccessFunding Financial Freedom
Text: Justine Olivier / Finweek
Images © iStockphoto.com
Everyone wants to be financially free. However, a large
percentage of consumers wait for the “perfect” moment
before saving and investing. What you need to understand is
that there is no “right” time to start investing. The more time
you let pass while you decide whether you’ll start investing or
not, the longer you’ll take to reach your financial goals.
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“THE sooner you can start investing, the better off you are,” says Suze Orman, US author and financial adviser. “There’s the timing of the market – when to buy and when to sell – but the most important time in every single one of your lives is the time to start investing. Time is the most important ingredient in any financial freedom recipe.”
However, there is one thing that consumers need to keep in mind before they decide to start saving or investing: settle your debt first. Matthew Marais, Fulcrum Capital founding partner and CFP, says that paying down your debt is the safest investment you can make. “It protects you from the risk of rising interest rates, gives you back more income tomorrow to invest more aggressively, and the returns are absolutely secure,” he explains. Marais further advises paying off your short-term loans first, followed by your credit cards and store accounts, and then your car and any bond, as you should pay off the most expensive debt in terms of interest charges first.
Unfortunately, one of the major contributing factors that put people off investing – especially with regard to first-time investors – is the element of risk that your finances will be exposed to. Risk need not be feared, however. Instead, keep in mind that with great risk comes the potential for great reward. Says Marais: “Typically, you want an adviser to help you assess how much risk you want to take and how much risk you can afford to take. Both are important before making investment decisions. Where your adviser helps you the most is in assessing your risk profile and in advising you on your asset allocation.”
Many financial experts agree that diversifying your portfolio is one of the key aspects to minimise risk and reach your long-term financial goals. As such, a balanced portfolio – especially for first-time investors – is recommended.
When asked how important diversification is, Jaco Joubert, financial adviser at PSG Wealth, says: “Asset allocation is the method used to spread risk for a specific investor. The spreading of risk is very important, but it will differ for every individual. Using asset classes that will beat inflation is equally important as using asset classes that can protect the portfolio.”
Most sectors should be included in your portfolio, but a bigger weighting to industrial and financial shares is preferred, he explains. At the same time, a lower weighting to the current struggling resources sector is advised.
In the long run, says Marais, your key drivers of success will be your asset allocation (what proportion
is in bonds, cash, shares and property), the fees that you pay in the investments, and your ability to stay calm in turmoil.
You can either make your money work for you (through investing), or continue to work for your money. The choice is yours.
What Kind of Investor Are You?
Risk category details according to Stanlib:Conservative investorInvestors who want stability and are more concerned with protecting their current investments than increasing the real value of their investments. This type of investor is generally seeking to preserve capital and, as a trade-off, is usually prepared to accept lower investment returns.
Moderately conservative investorThis type of investor wants to protect their capital and achieve some real increase in the value of their investments. The investor is usually seeking a diversified investment portfolio with exposure to a broad range of investment sectors.
Moderate investorThese investors have a long-term focus and want reasonable, but relatively stable growth. Some fluctuations are tolerable, but investors want less risk than that attributed to a fully equity-based investment. This investor is usually seeking a diversified investment portfolio with exposure to a broad range of investment sectors.
Moderately aggressive investorThis type of investor has a long-term focus and wants good real growth in their capital. A fair amount of risk is acceptable. They are generally willing to trade some risk for greater long-term returns and typically will have a longer investment objective.
Aggressive investorThese are long-term investors who want high capital growth. Substantial year-to-year fluctuations in value are acceptable in exchange for a potentially high long-term return. An aggressive investor is comfortable accepting high volatility in their capital value, with the risk of short to medium term periods of negative returns. They are willing to trade higher risk for greater long term returns and typically will have a
long investment objective.
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Prickling with Innovation
Text: Bernard HellbergImages © Citroën SA
Billed as a game changer for the French marque, the Citroën C4 Cactus might actually have a chance to turn the tables back in favour of Citroën in South Africa. It is quirky, solid, and fun, and we sampled the innovation that is the Cactus at its recent launch in Gauteng.
Citroën C4 Cactus
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IT SHOULD come as no surprise that Citroën has a habit of thinking outside of the box when it comes to vehicle styling and innovation. To this day, petrol heads across the globe admire the Bertoni designed Citroën DS, which took third pace in the 1999 Car of the Century poll.
Yet, locally, the brand has not exactly made huge waves in most of the segments in which it has models. Seeing some success for cars such as the compact C2 and the slightly larger C3 and C4 models, the time has certainly come for Citroën to see a breakout model again.
The C4 Cactus could be the car to do just that.Living somewhere between a compact SUV and a
traditional C-segment hatchback, the C4 Cactus represents changing consumer tastes away from the traditional, and more towards activity-based motoring solutions. In terms of design, the C4 Cactus stands far above its peers, easily assuming its identity as a true crossover car. This is also obvious with its slightly raised ride height (over that of the C4 that it replaces) as well as generous use of durable plastics on the bumpers, wheel arches and sills.
Perhaps the most prominent feature on the C4 Cactus is the use of supple thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)
padding on the car’s flanks. The air-filled cells – or Airbump technology – are designed to absorb small impacts from shopping trolleys, other car doors and the like. Love them or hate them, the Airbump panels will protect your car from minor damage and is unlike anything else around at the moment. Fitted in black as standard, the panels can be optionally ordered in different colours, including Grey, Dune and Chocolate. As the panels are integrated into the doors they cannot be stolen, but can be replaced if severely damaged.
Although the C4 Cactus has won numerous awards since the production car was launched at the 2013 Frankfurt Motor Show – including the coveted 2015 World Car Design of the Year award at the recent New York International Motor Show – it is more than merely pleasing to the eye. Spaciousness, safety, and reasonable performance add to the overall package.
It is clear that Citroën has paid a lot of attention to the C4 Cactus’ interior packaging and layout, innovating as they went along. For a start, the front passenger airbag has been moved from the dashboard to the ceiling of the car, becoming the world’s first roof-
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mounted airbag. This allows for more bin space ahead of the passenger seat, as well as a non-slip surface for tablet devices, books or other odd bits. Most of the interior controls are operated from a fully digital interface with a 7” touch screen.
Despite its compact exterior dimensions, the C4 Cactus is roomy enough inside to accommodate five adult passengers and an armful of suitcases.
The range is structured with two engine options and two equipment levels for a total of three alternatives – the entry level Feel with its 60 kW normally-aspirated 1.2-litre 3-cylinder engine; the upgraded Feel with a 81 kW 1.2-litre turbocharged mill; and range topping Shine derivative that also gets the turbo. All models are fitted with a five-speed manual gearbox.
As is usual for Citroën, expect high levels of standard equipment across the range, with only a few items absent from the Feel versions. This includes hill assist, front fog lamps, heated mirrors, and automated lights, wipers and
air conditioning. Although navigation isn’t standard here either, the Shine model has it on board, along with two USB ports (there’s only one in the Feel), an upgraded six-speaker sound system, and tinted rear windows.
Much of the C4 Cactus’ engineering innovation is under the skin, with targeted weight saving being one of the most prominent. The entry-level C4 Cactus weighs in at a slight 965 kg, with the other models tipping the scale at only an additional 55 kg each. While the weight saving means a better drive experience, it comes at the expense of wind down windows at the rear, which might irk some customers.
The C4 Cactus is ideal for the generation who want to be noticed, yet also want a practical fun-to-drive urban crawler with go anywhere attitude. Prices range from R224,900 (1.2l PureTech 60 kW Feel), to R259,900 (1.2l PureTech Turbo e-THP 81 kW Feel), and top out at R284,900 for the C4 Cactus Shine. All models get a three-year/100,000 km warranty, a five-year/100,000 km service plan, and roadside assistance.
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Moving on UpYounger Property Buyers Flock to Bryanston
Bryanston, tucked away between Midrand, Sandton, and Roodepoort, can be considered one of South Africa’s most affluent suburbs in terms of the real estate market. New suburb data by Property24 reveals that this residential area is not only one of the most popular in Gauteng, but has also recently seen an influx of young home buyers.
Text: Miriam Mannak/Property24.com
Images © iStockphoto.com
“Figures for March 2015 show that 49 % of the real estate buyers in Bryanston are younger than 35 years,” says Property24 CEO, JP Farinha. “The interesting thing is that the bulk of residential properties for sale in Bryanston are multi-bedroom homes. Of the approximately 809 residences for sale in March this year, 638 fell into the three- to five-bedroom category. That is over 78.8 % of all residential properties for sale. This has been the trend since at least October 2014.”
What peaks interest is that the youth is often associated with constrained spending power. Figures by the Department of Labour show that in 2014, 4.4 million of the 8.3 million unemployed South Africans were between 15 and 34 years old.
“The average property values of three-, four -and five-bedroom properties in Bryanston are R4.3 million, R7.2 million and R11.5 million respectively. These aren’t price tags one would normally associate with young home buyers – unemployed or not. One would instead associate the age group 18 to 35 years with bachelors, studios, and one-bedroom apartments. In March 2015, there were only 78 such properties for sale in Bryanston,” says Farinha.
There is another reason why Bryanston has become a curious property case study. Figures reveal that the majority of the 18 to 35 year old property buyers in Bryanston are female. According to industry leaders, many South African women today are enjoying greater financial independence than they did a few years ago, and as a result, single women are out-buying single men in the residential property market.
The question remains why young South Africans are flocking to Bryanston? According to Farinha, the answer may be quite simple. “The suburb is close to employment opportunities in and around the greater Sandton area, which is home to luxury shopping experiences and developing businesses. The suburb has its very own corporate area too, The Campus, which harbours various larger companies and a number of multinationals.”
In addition, the suburb is family-friendly.
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“Bryanston has numerous nurseries, excellent primary and high schools, and is a very attractive area to live in, with beautiful freestanding homes along Jacaranda-lined streets.”
With the majority of the youth being faced with the option of buying versus renting property, Farinha says that both options have advantages. “Renting provides flexibility. Rentals are easier to find, come with fewer maintenance requirements, and are ideal for those who may need to relocate in the near future. However, buying property has an investment advantage,” he says, “which offers long term benefits of security and property value growth.”
“Start small, and well within your means, considering all the costs of buying property. The high demand for property in South Africa, and the growing number of single households, is expected to drive up the value of
bachelor or studio apartments – particularly in trendy areas such as Bryanston. Suburb trends revealed that the average apartment prices in Bryanston were R954,000 in 2009, compared to R1,385,000 today. That is an increase of 45 % in property value. The growth curve since 2013 has become steeper, and by playing the market strategically and ensuring that you earn a return on your properties, you will set yourself up to buy a bigger property in due course.”
Buyers should also do careful research into areas before making a commitment. Farinha says: “The suburb information on Property24.com, for example, can help you determine which suburbs are popular among buyers, and which ones are seeing high rates of sales. Aspiring young buyers should be cautious of buying into a suburb that people are actively moving out of, particularly if you intend on selling in the near future.”
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RENTOKIL Initial is a leader in the field of public health and safety and has a proud record of staying at the cutting edge of the hygiene service industry. Their passionate approach to keeping you and your family safe – all without harming the environment – leads to innovation in all aspects of hygiene, but especially so where public restrooms are concerned.
Initial’s new process to service FHUs in their public and corporate clients’ restroom facilities, promises both an improvement in the actual hygiene levels of FHUs and a reduction in the business’s impact on the environment.
Prior to the pilot, Initial had already carried out preliminary hygiene tests in real life situations using an independent laboratory. The preliminary results showed that with fully trained service colleagues carrying out the new procedure, bacterial levels could be consistently reduced by an average of 92 %.
The 2014 pilot of the new service methodology – called “PLUS by Initial” – was run in KwaZulu-Natal and, over the course of the year, findings were rigorously tested and the process further refined. During the project, over 4,000 swab tests – taken by an independent SANAS accredited Laboratory from PLUS serviced FHUs – proved that the unique five layers of protection in a PLUS service (which include the use of
Initial’s anti-bacterial liners, natural plant and mineral essential oil odour neutralising granules and alcohol-
free sanitising solution) leave PLUS-serviced units more hygienic than key surfaces in the average home.
In addition to the hygiene assessments, Initial also commissioned an independent environmental assessment by the Carbon Trust, to examine the impact that the new service procedure would have on the carbon footprint of the business. The results showed that a reduction of up to 24 % is possible with the rollout of PLUS to all Initial customers.
Based on these results, Initial has started a countrywide migration of all its current Feminine Hygiene Service customers over to the PLUS by Initial service, starting in April 2015. “During the roll-out period of the PLUS by Initial service, customers may notice some differences in the way we operate. However, as always, our top priority remains delivering quality, reliable service that supports better hygiene in your organisation,” says David Lewis, Managing Director at Rentokil Initial. “We are extremely proud of our PLUS service. Not only does it offer superb hygiene benefits for our customers, but it also supports a healthier working environment for our technicians and reduces our impact on the environment.”
For a more information regarding Initial’s Feminine Hygiene Services, or to arrange for a free hygiene services survey of your business, contact Rentokil Initial on 0800 77 77 88 or visit www.initial.co.za.
Your Health Under the Spotlight
Text: Rentokil Initial
Images © iStockphoto.com
Keeping You Safe
There is nothing more important than your health and that of your family. Initial – a division of Rentokil Initial – understands this and have recently concluded a year-long pilot project which tested a new procedure for the servicing of Feminine Hygiene Units (FHUs) with excellent results. Rolling out nationally from May, this service is set to change the way we look at feminine hygiene.
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Text: Beth Cooper HowellImages © iStockphoto.com
Boredom Busters
Keeping the kids happily entertained and engaged is easier – and cheaper – than you may think, and can also be fun for the whole family.
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LET’S be honest, raising children these days is no walk in the park. Crime, materialism, packed schedules and strained budgets conspire to make entertaining our offspring rather complex and expensive. We tend to spend a fortune on outings, educational toys, the latest DVDs and must-have gizmos because we worry about our children’s safety beyond the garden gate, and we’re constantly cajoled into raising young Einsteins for a brave, new world. Holidays, long weekends and loose ends are therefore every parent’s nightmare. But happily, there’s plenty of fun stuff to do – virtually for free.
Kids need to play. It’s biologically and educationally crucial, and far more important than achieving a glowing academic report. Occupational therapists and parenting experts explain that unstructured and undirected play – called “free play” – is vital for development. Do you remember long afternoons spent hanging from branches or building houses out of cardboard boxes? That’s the type of normal, natural magic that modern children are in danger of losing.
So how can you foster this fabulous childhood skill without breaking the bank or fearing for their safety?
Explore these ideas to while away the time and give their brains (and bodies) a boost.
Nature is NurtureGet them outside! No matter the weather, our natural
environment is the world’s greatest classroom, and once
you start the ball rolling, kids are rather good at getting on with things alone, giving you a welcome break. • Create a season journal. Gather together several sturdy, A4- or A5-sized pieces of paper, punch holes top, bottom and in the middle, and bind together with string or raffia ribbon. Decorate the front cover. Go for walks, identifying interesting objects (orange leaves in autumn, for example, or budding flowers in spring) and then draw and/or write about them afterwards. • Be a nosy neighbour. With a notebook and pencil in hand, take a stroll around your area, recording street names, the number of houses, neighbours’ names, dogs, children and other interesting bits and bobs about where you live. Draw a map afterwards. • The great outdoors. Send your kids on a camping trip in the garden. Give them the bare basics: old pots; plates (tin or plastic); safe, age-appropriate utensils; a blanket; a tent or two chairs with a throw or old sheet; worn-out sleeping bags; a couple of toys; and food in carrier bags. Give them a basic lesson in camping skills (pitch the tent, make your bed, go exploring, come back and “cook” your food, eat it, sit in a circle, tell stories and then go to “bed”).
Crafty ArtEven if they’ve seen it all before, children love paints,
pencils, paper and play dough. Sort out the art cupboard at home – which is no doubt as messy as mine – and give your
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Picassos hours of pleasure.The cardboard inners of toilet rolls and paper towels
make fantastic instruments, telescopes and festive crackers. Crepe or tissue paper, old newspapers, cardboard boxes, scrap materials, ribbons, glue and plenty of stationery can transform even the most dreary day into a delight.
Family FunWe recently spent a fortune on petrol and food to visit a
petting farm. Lovely though it was, that’s not something most families can afford every week. So how about some bonding time in your own backyard? Simply doing things differently generates excitement and makes family time fun.
Instead of visiting the local take-out for an oily meal and toy, throw a pizza picnic on the lounge floor (in winter) or on the patio or grass (in summer). Pizza bases are easy to make (and even easier to buy). Have plenty of healthy toppings and
encourage everyone to build their own supper. Pop pizzas in the oven, slip them onto paper plates, and eat on the floor.
Brain boosters for the whole family include board
games, puzzles, crosswords and books. Fill your home with these. From the most simple card game such as Snap to “Rock, Paper, Scissors”, there’s plenty for your kids to do in order to learn about teamwork and sharing.
Simply SillyCaught in traffic or waiting in a long queue? Cheap
boredom busters that don’t require anything but hands or clothing are a must-know. • Drawlettersoneachother’sbacksandtrytoguess what they are • Havestaring,“nolaughing”and“notalking”contests • Giveinvisiblemanicuresandpedicures • Taketurnstellingastory,onesentenceatatime • Walkyourfingersupanddowneachother’sbacks, pretending to be a spider, horse or goat exploring the rugged terrain • Play“ISpy”Nofrills,nofussfuniswhatchildhoodis all about, and taking the time to get back to basics will give them a lifetime of good memories.
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FAT OR FIT?
How do South African children rate in terms of
healthy eating and exercise? We reveal the results
of their health scorecard.
SA Kids Score a D for HealthText: Katherine Graham (www.wordcount.co.za)
Images © iStockphoto.com
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LIKE their parents, South Africa’s 18.5 million children could be doing a whole lot better when it comes to healthy living. Too much sitting around watching TV and eating junk food and not enough exercise means that we’re lagging behind other countries in our overall health rating, according to recent findings. Last year Discovery released the Healthy Active Kids Report Card, in which Mzansi’s youngsters slid from a C- in 2010 to a disappointing D in 2014.
And this was the verdict: only 50 % of learners between the ages of six and 18 are exercising for the recommended one hour a day; more than half of South African children do not have access to play equipment; and kids are glued to screens, both large and small, for an average of three hours a day.
“About 40 % of South African children are food insecure, meaning that they are getting poor or insufficient food,” says the report’s co-author, Professor Vicki Lambert of the University of Cape Town. “Many people are dependent on Government grants for purchasing food, which means that they don’t have access to healthy food options.”
Food Insecurity Coupled With Obesity
Yet, paradoxically, South Africa’s
youth also suffers from alarming levels of obesity. According to the report card, obesity rates are up from 2010: 27 % of girls and 9 % of boys aged 15 to 17 are overweight or obese. The main culprit is junk food. The report found that two-thirds of teenagers eat fast food at least three times a week, and as a nation, South Africans drink three times the global average of certain soft drinks.
Just as our kids aren’t eating very well, they aren’t getting enough exercise, either. “Overall physical activity levels among children are poor,” says Professor Lambert. “About 40 % of girls are not getting enough exercise.”
Part of the reason may be because some parents don’t feel safe letting their children play outside, but it’s also because they’re not getting involved in their children’s sports events. “There is remarkably low engagement with school sporting events, as parents struggle with the competing priorities of work-life balance,” she says.
What We Are Getting RightIt’s not all bad news, though. According to the
report card, fewer children are going to bed hungry and more are physically active at school. Professor Lambert says that she’s encouraged by the open streets initiatives in some neighbourhoods, the
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success of the National School Nutrition Programme, which benefits nine million learners, and efforts by schools to start their own vegetable gardens. “There should be guidelines about what tuck shops are allowed to serve,” she says, “and schools need to take physical education more seriously, even though it’s not an examinable subject.”
Registered dietician Kim Hofmann agrees that the picture is confusing: on the one hand children are malnourished, on the other, they are overweight. But she says according to the SA National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (SANHANES) done in 2012, 81 % of children are eating breakfast at home in the morning, which is a positive start.
Hofmann believes that parents need to take a more active role in their children’s eating habits. “The typical Western diet of highly refined carbohydrates, saturated fat and sugar must be changed,” she says. “There is a trend of getting more take-away foods, buying high-energy foods and drinks, eating large portions of food and skipping meals.” With the rising cost of living, often what drives people to buy unhealthy food is that it is so cheap, she adds.
The call for parents is clear: We need to be more involved in our children’s food choices and encourage them to become more active. Hofmann
suggests planning activities together as a family, such as cycling, going on a hike, or swimming
at your local public pool. You can even participate in an outdoor gym session at your nearest municipal park. As Professor Lambert puts it: “We need to reclaim our neighbourhoods and bring back the days of riding bikes and playing cricket in the streets.”
Healthy Eating on a Budget
Trying to get by on a shoestring? Healthy eating for your family doesn’t need to break the bank. “There is a lot of nutritious food that is not expensive,” asserts Hofmann. Salmon, for example, is an expensive fish for omega 3, but she says you can also get these fats from pilchards, herring and sardines, which are a lot cheaper. “Make sure that you have the basics – milk (can be powdered milk), legumes, potatoes, pumpkin, mielies, pap, rice, fish, chicken, eggs, liver or other organ meats, peanut butter and peanuts, and as many fruit and veggies as you can afford,” she says. “Veggies are easily grown, so start a small vegetable garden if you can’t afford to buy many. With these simple foods you can have
a very healthy diet.”
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gadgets
Renowned South African lifestyle and accessory brand, Houdt, has collaborated with seven top South African artists and illustrators to launch a limited collaborative cell phone cover range. The distinctive wooden covers feature designs from artists such as Kronk, Marchant and Hanno. Each artist has produced 50 beautifully handcrafted handsets available in rosewood and which can only be purchased at the iFix Cape Town store or on their website. The limited range of cell phone covers will retail from R499 for the iPhone 5 and 5s models and R599 for iPhone 6. // www.houdt.co.za
The Art of Connectivity
gadgets
Solar Floods
Train Your BrainDid you know that speaking or reading aloud for just a few moments each day is sufficient to stimulate and retrain the brain from within? Enter Forbrain, a light and comfortable headset that sits on the temples, rather than the ears, picks up the user’s voice, and filters it through the bone structure to the brain. This headset enhances certain sounds and reduces environmental distractions, stimulating the nervous system and creating new pathways in the brain – thereby forcing you to pay better attention. People of any age can benefit from the use of the device, but it is especially geared towards those who struggle with reading or writing, attention and focus, memory retention, autism, dyslexia, public speaking, co-ordination and balance, or who have speech, auditory or learning difficulties. // www.forbrain.co.za
In the past, solar lights were unreliable, and produced a very dim lumen, making them an impractical option for many applications. Today, however, good quality solar lights use super-bright LEDs or light emitting diodes, making LED solar-powered floodlights an increasingly popular choice of outdoor lighting. During the day, the solar panel of the Solar Sensor Flood converts solar power from the sun into electrical current, which in turn charges the battery. At night, powered by the charged battery, the solar floodlight will automatically switch on when the sensor detects movement. The sensor detects movement over a range of 5 m at 100 degrees and at a height of 2 m. It has been designed to automatically turn off after 60 seconds, and will last for up to six to eight hours after a full charge. The Solar Sensor Flood is available from The Lighting Warehouse and retails for R399.95 each. // www.lightingwarehouse.co.za
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books
Reasons to Stay AliveBy Matt Haig
At age 24, Matt Haig’s world caved in. He could see no way to go on living. This is
the true story of how he came through crisis, triumphed over an illness that almost
destroyed him, and learned to live again. A moving, funny and joyous exploration
of how to live better, love better and feel more alive, Reasons to Stay Alive is more
than a memoir. It is a book about making the most of your time on earth.
Seed
By Lisa Heathfield
15-year-old Pearl has lived her whole life protected within the small community
at Seed, where they worship Nature and idolise their leader, Papa S. When some
outsiders arrive, everything changes. Pearl experiences feelings that she never knew
existed, and begins to realise that there is darkness at the heart of Seed – a darkness
from which she must escape, before it’s too late. Seed is a chilling and heartbreaking
coming-of-age story of life within a cult.
Relentlessly RelevantBy Douglas Kruger
In Relentlessly Relevant, professional speaker and business guru Douglas Kruger
explores the field of innovation, distilling its subject matter to the simple starting
points you need to become an industry trendsetter. It pinpoints the levers within
your own business crying out for innovation, as well as the bits you should leave
alone at all costs, and it teaches you to change your traditional way of thinking,
altering how you relate to your customers’ immediate reality. Using examples
from local and international brands, this book shows you don’t have to be a tech
giant to innovate, but you do need to know how to think in the right patterns.
Must Read
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Meet the CrewHave you ever wondered who is flying the plane when you travel on SA Express? Or
wanted to know more about what a job as a cabin crew member is like? Well, now’s your
chance! Every month we will introduce a few members of our SA Express family, because
by getting to know them, you become part of the SA Express family too.
Text & Images © Supplied
Petunia MakhayaCabin Crew MemberHow long have you been working for SA Express? Six yearsPlease tell us briefly what your job involves: Working as a cabin crew member is often perceived to be a glamorous and exciting job. A lot of hard work and dedication goes on behind the scenes. The primary purpose of my job is the safety of the passengers, the crew and the aircraft. The comfort of the passengers comes as a secondary purpose to their safety. My job entails dealing with emergencies, performing safety demonstrations, interacting with all kinds of people and yes, providing good service when serving refreshments.What is your favourite part of your job? My favourite part of my job is meeting new people every day, experiencing different cultures and learning a thing or two from each of them. I get to see new places daily, which is almost like having a free short holiday while getting paid! Not many jobs can beat that. I also love the flexible working hours.
What do you find most challenging about your job? Flying can be tedious at times. What I find most challenging is being blamed for things out of my control, such as delays or the weather. But I still manage to have a smile on my face, no matter the situation. I also find it challenging having to work when everyone is home, especially on important holidays such as Christmas and New Year’s Eve.What do you like about working for SA Express? I love working for SA Express, as it is one of the most reputable companies I know. I enjoy the people I work with. There is a friendly, fun atmosphere, so it almost doesn’t feel like you are at work. SA Express instils strong core values in us, and opens doors to a lot of opportunities. Have you ever had any memorable incidents while on the job? Many events happen on board, but the one that stands out the most, is when a passenger proposed to his significant other on board. He asked to use the PA system and then started singing to her on his knees. That made me realise how fun flying can be at times.
Airline informationSA Express fleet
Canadair Regional Jet 700
SA Express’ aircraft are made by Bombardier Aerospace
Canadair Regional Jet 200 BER Manufacturer: BombardierMaximum cruising speed: 474 knots/545mph/879kmphEngines: Two General Electric CF34-3B1Range: 1,662miles/3,080km Maximum altitude: 41,000ft/12,496mSeating capacity: 50
Manufacturer: BombardierMaximum cruising speed: 360knots/414mph/667kmphEngines: Two Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A Range: 1,565 miles/2,519kmMaximum altitude:25,000ft/7,620m Seating capacity: 74Crew: Two pilots, two
Crew: Two pilots, two cabin crewWing span: 69ft 7in/21.21mOverall length: 87ft 10in/26.77mOverall height: 20ft 5in/6.22mMaximum take-off weight: 51,000lb/23,134kg Minimum runway length: 6,295ft/1,919m
cabin crewWing span: 93ft 3in/28.42mOverall length: 107ft 9in/32.83mOverall height: 27ft 5in/8.34mMaximum take-off weight: 64,500lb/29,257kgMinimum runway length: 4,580ft/1,396m
De Havilland Dash 8 Series Q400 Turboprop
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Manufacturer: BombardierMaximum cruising speed: 473 knots/544mph/875kmphEngines: Two General Electric CF34-8C5BRange: 1,477m/2,794km Maximum altitude: 41,000ft/12,496mSeating capacity: 70 Crew: Crew: Two pilots, two
cabin crewWing span: 76ft 3in/23.2mOverall length: 106ft 8in/32.51mOverall height: 24ft 10in/7.57mMaximum take-off weight: 72,750lb/32,999kgMinimum runway length: 4,580ft/1,396m
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CORE VALUES
Safety first We never compromise on safety, no matter what.
Customers Our customers are our most important investors.
Partners We partner with people across all operations. Speed & Quality We deliver with speed without compromising on quality.
Improvement We strive for continuous improvement.
Simplify We keep it simple.
SPECIAL SERVICES
Special Meals Passengers with special dietary requirements are provided for through the following special meals: kosher, halal, Muslim, Hindu, low-fat and vegetarian meals. Orders for special meals should be placed at the time of making flight reservations. The airline requires a minimum of 48 hours’ notice prior to departure in order to assist with confirmation of requests. Only available on selected flights.
Passengers requiring special attention Requirements for unaccompanied minors (passengers under the age of 12 years) or passengers requiring wheelchairs should be stated at the time of making the reservation. Owing to the size of the cabins on our aircraft types, the airline is not in a position to carry stretcher passengers or incubators.
Cabin baggage SA Express will accept one piece of cabin baggage not exceeding a total dimension of 115cm and 7kg in weight. For safety reasons, cabin baggage must fit into approved stowage spaces: either the overhead luggage bin or under the seat. Owing to limited storage space in the aircraft cabin, cabin baggage may be placed in the
Skycheck at the aircraft for hold stowage.
Skycheck This is the airline’s special hand-luggage facility that assists with in-flight comfort, speedy boarding and disembarking. When boarding one of our flights, simply place any hand luggage that will not be required during the flight on to the Skycheck cart at the boarding steps of the aircraft. Your hand luggage will be waiting for you as you disembark from the aircraft at your destination.
Baggage liability Valuable items such as cameras and accessories, computers – including laptops and notebooks – mobile telephones, perfumes, aftershaves, colognes, legal and company documents and legal tender – including cash, credit cards and cheques – bullion, leather jackets, all types of jewellery and any other items with a value in excess of R400 must be removed from either checked-in or Skycheck baggage as the airline is not liable for loss or damage to these items.
Verified baggage claims are settled on the basis adopted by IATA (International Airlines Transport Association): payment of US$20 per 1kg of checked-in luggage, to a maximum of 20kg ($400).
We Fly For You SA Express Airways prides itself on aiming to offer incomparable service standards. In addition to building on our motto to express excellence and consistently striving to provide the best service, we know that “you” is the most important word in our airline. SA Express proudly launched its new brand on 2 December 2009 at OR Tambo International Airport. The new brand is set to ensure that it’s distinctive and positioned to build awareness and affinity in the domestic and regional markets.
The new proposition “We Fly for You” is set to position SA Express as a premier intra-regional African brand. The main objective of the re-brand is to ensure that SA Express is distinctive yet still aligned to the country’s mainline carrier.
SA Express’s unique positioning as an airline that provides a bespoke, personalised travel experience was the rationale behind the proposition “We Fly for You”. The new brand mark is in line with the symbol and colours of the national flag, encouraging national pride. The new brand will be applied to all brand touch-points throughout the operation as well as the staff uniform.
Awards SA Express has won the AFRAA Regional Airline of the Year Award at the end of 2009, and the Allied and Aviation Business Corporate Award. Our airline was also the recipient of the Annual Airline Reliability Award from Bombardier at the end of 2007. Other previous awards include the International Star Quality Award, which indicates our commitment to service excellence, while our prominence as one of the top 500 best managed companies is proof of our success as a business.
Onboard service The airline’s onboard service is unique and offers passengers a variety of meals or snacks. The airline pioneered its unique meal-box concept, and meal choices are frequently updated and designed using balanced food criteria: appearance, taste and nutritional value. Passengers can also enjoy a wine and malt service on specified flights as well as refreshments on all flights.
Our customers can expect a safe, comfortable, quality air-travel experience, with the added benefits of frequency, reliability, on-time departures and unmatched value for money.
We fly for you
About us SA Express is a fast-growing airline business operating primary and secondary hubs between domestic and regional destinations within Southern Africa.
Our objective of improving intra-Africa travel is in line with South Africa’s mandate to increase aviation’s contribution towards sustainable economic growth and job creation.
The flexibility and reliability presented by the airline’s FACT principle (Frequency, Availability, Competitive rate and Timing of flights) affords both consumers and service providers a unique and convenient service. The FACT principle is important to us as it enhances the country’s prospect as a preferred air travel destination and major trade and tourism capital.
Our vision is supported by the airline’s aspirations and strategy. Also underpinning this vision is our set of core values and unique selling propositions that drive profitability.
Vision To be a sustainable world-class regional airline with an extensive footprint in Africa.
Purpose A sustainable, integrated regional airline connecting secondary and main airports.
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JohannesburgBloemfonteinCape Town Durban East London Gaborone GeorgeHoedspruit
KimberleyLubumbashiLusakaHararePort ElizabethRichards BayWalvis BayWindhoek
SA Express:
Safety Information
Health regulations Health regulations at certain airports require that the aircraft cabin be sprayed. The spray is harmless, but if you think it might affect you, please cover your nose and mouth with a handkerchief.
Remain seated As a safety precaution, passengers are requested to remain seated with seatbelts fastened after the aircraft has landed, until the seatbelt sign has been switched off by the captain.
Portable electronic equipment The use of personal
electronic devices (PED’s) will apply to all domestic and regional flights on
the CRJ700/200 and DH8 Q400.
Passengers will be permitted to use PED’s such as cell phones, e-readers and electronic tablets in flight-mode.
Cellular telephones Cellular telephones may be used on the ground while passenger doors are open. Cellular telephones, smartphones or any device with flight mode must be switched off as soon as the cabin doors are closed and when the senior cabin-crew member makes an announcement on the public-address system.
Laptop computers Laptops with CD ROM and DVD drive, handheld calculators, electric shavers and portable personal listening devices may not be used on the ground during taxi but may be used during the flight when the seatbelt signs are switched off and with permission from the captain. Should circumstances dictate otherwise, a public-address announcement cancelling this concession will be made by a crew member.
Prohibited equipment Portable printers, laser pointers, video equipment, CB/AM/FM/FHF/satellite receivers, two-way radios, compact disc and mini-disc players, scanners, remote-controlled toys and power converters are prohibited for use at any time.
Safety pamphlet Read the safety pamphlet in the seat pocket in front of you and take note of your nearest emergency exit.
Smoking In accordance with international trends, smoking is not permitted on board any SA Express flights.
Seat belts Please fasten your seat belt whenever the seat belt signs are illuminated. For your own safety we suggest that you keep it fastened throughout the flight.
ImportantWhen in doubt, please consult our
cabin crew.
For your comfort and security, please comply with the above safety regulations at all times while on board
Route map
Johannesburg - PilanesbergFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1261 09:30 10:20 CR2
Pilanesberg - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1268 16:20 17:20 CR2
Flight schedule
SA EXPRESSRESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, SUSPEND OR AMEND THIS PUBLISHED SCHEDULE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO OPERATE AS PER THE PLANNED SCHEDULE
*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January
Johannesburg - bloeMFonteinFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1001 05:55 07:00 DH4SA 1001 06:00 07:05 DH4SA 1003 08:00 09:05 DH4SA 1005 11:20 12:25 DH4SA 1011 13:50 14:55 DH4SA 1013 14:55 16:00 CR7SA 1017 16:45 17:45 CR7SA 1021 18:05 19:05 DH4SA 1023 18:30 19:35 DH4
bloeMFontein - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1024 06:20 07:25 DH4SA 1002 07:45 08:40 DH4SA 1004 09:35 10:40 CR2SA 1006 12:55 14:00 DH4SA 1012 15:25 16:30 DH4SA 1014 16:30 17:35 CR7SA 1018 18:20 19:20 CR7SA 1022 19:30 20:30 DH4
Johannesburg - east lonDonFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1403 07:15 08:45 CR8SA 1403 08:30 10:15 DH4SA 1407 13:15 14:45 DH4SA 1413 15:00 16:30 CR2SA 1409 17:30 19:00 CR2SA 1411 18:40 20:10 CR8
east lonDon - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1412 06:45 08:25 CR8SA 1404 09:15 10:45 CR8SA 1404 11:00 12:40 DH4SA 1408 15:30 17:00 DH4SA 1414 17:00 18:30 CR2SA 1410 19:40 21:10 CR2
Johannesburg - georgeFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1501 07:20 09:15 CR7SA 1503 08:55 10:45 CR7SA 1503 08:55 10:50 CR2SA 1505 11:25 13:15 CR7SA 1509 15:50 17:40 CR7
george - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1502 09:20 11:10 CR7SA 1504 10:50 12:40 CR2SA 1506 14:05 15:45 CR8SA 1510 18:10 19:50 CR8
Johannesburg - DurbanFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1285 12:20 13:30 CR2
Johannesburg - hoeDsPruitFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1225 10:15 11:20 DH4SA 1227 12:15 13:20 DH4
Durban - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1286 17:15 18:25 CR2
hoeDsPruit - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1226 12:00 13:00 DH4SA 1228 13:55 14:55 DH4
Johannesburg - KiMberleyFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1101 06:00 07:05 DH4SA 1103 09:20 10:25 DH4SA 1105 13:10 14:15 CR2SA 1107 14:25 15:30 DH4SA 1113 17:20 18:25 CR7
KiMberley - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1102 07:40 08:45 DH4SA 1104 11:20 12:25 DH4SA 1106 15:05 16:10 CR2SA 1108 16:20 17:25 DH4SA 1114 19:05 20:10 CR7
Johannesburg - Port elizabethFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1453 07:10 08:45 CR8SA 1455 10:00 11:55 DH4SA 1457 17:30 19:20 DH4SA 1457 17:50 19:25 CR7SA 1459 19:35 21:15 CR8
Port elizabeth - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1460 06:10 08:00 DH4SA 1460 06:25 07:45 CR8SA 1454 09:20 10:55 CR8SA 1456 12:30 14:20 DH4SA 1458 20:00 21:35 CR7
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Flight schedule
SA EXPRESSRESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, SUSPEND OR AMEND THIS PUBLISHED SCHEDULE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO OPERATE AS PER THE PLANNED SCHEDULE
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Johannesburg - gaboroneFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1761 06:55 07:50 DH4SA 1763 07:55 08:50 DH4SA 1765 09:55 10:45 DH4SA 1765 09:55 10:50 DH4SA 1767 11:55 12:45 DH4SA 1769 13:00 13:50 CR2SA 1775 13:30 14:25 DH4SA 1775 14:30 15:25 DH4SA 1783 15:45 16:40 DH4SA 1779 18:10 19:05 DH4
gaborone - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1762 08:30 09:25 DH4SA 1764 09:25 10:20 DH4SA 1766 11:25 12:20 DH4SA 1768 13:10 14:00 DH4SA 1768 13:10 14:05 CR2SA 1770 14:20 15:10 CR2SA 1776 14:50 15:45 DH4SA 1776 16:05 17:00 DH4SA 1784 17:20 18:10 DH4SA 1780 19:45 20:40 DH4
Johannesburg - lubuMbashiFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1797 09:20 11:45 CR7
lubuMbashi - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1798 12:30 15:00 CR7
CaPe toWn - bloeMFonteinFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1081 06:00 07:30 CR2SA 1083 08:00 09:30 CR2SA 1087 13:15 15:00 DH4SA 1091 16:15 18:00 DH4 SA 1091 17:15 18:45 CR2
bloeMFontein - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1082 08:15 10:00 CR2SA 1084 10:30 12:15 CR2SA 1088 15:40 17:40 DH4SA 1092 18:30 20:30 CR2 SA 1092 19:25 21:10 CR2
CaPe toWn - east lonDonFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1361 06:00 07:25 CR2SA 1363 07:00 08:25 CR2SA 1363 08:00 09:25 CR2SA 1363 08:00 09:55 DH4SA 1371 13:05 14:30 CR2SA 1371 13:30 14:55 CR2SA 1373 16:30 17:55 CR2SA 1375 17:20 18:45 CR2
east lonDon - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1362 08:00 09:40 CR2SA 1364 09:00 10:40 CR2SA 1364 10:00 11:40 CR2SA 1372 15:10 16:50 CR2SA 1374 18:30 20:10 CR2SA 1376 19:50 21:30 CR2
Johannesburg - WinDhoeKFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1731 05:55 07:10 CR2SA 1731 06:10 07:25 CR2
WinDhoeK - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1732 08:15 11:15 CR2
Johannesburg - Walvis bayFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1703 07:20 08:45 CR2SA 1701 11:55 13:10 CR7SA 1705 13:30 14:55 CR2
Walvis bay - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1704 12:00 14:15 CR2SA 1702 14:45 16:55 CR7SA 1706 16:00 18:15 CR2
Johannesburg - riCharDs bayFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1201 06:00 07:15 DH4SA 1203 08:30 09:45 DH4SA 1207 13:15 14:30 DH4SA 1213 16:55 18:10 DH4
riCharDs bay - JohannesburgFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1202 08:05 09:20 DH4SA 1204 10:30 11:45 DH4SA 1208 15:05 16:20 DH4SA 1214 18:40 20:00 DH4SA 1214 18:40 20:10 DH4
*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January
CaPe toWn - PilanesbergFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1255 13:50 16:00 CR2
Pilanesberg - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1254 11:00 13:20 CR2
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Flight schedule
SA EXPRESSRESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE, SUSPEND OR AMEND THIS PUBLISHED SCHEDULE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE TO OPERATE AS PER THE PLANNED SCHEDULE
CaPe toWn - Walvis bayFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1721 11:15 12:25 CR2SA 1721 11:20 12:30 CR2
Walvis bay - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1722 13:00 16:00 CR2
Durban - east lonDonFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1301 06:00 07:05 CR2SA 1303 08:30 09:35 CR2SA 1305 12:00 13:05 CR2SA 1309 16:50 17:55 CR2
east lonDon - DurbanFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1302 07:35 08:35 CR2SA 1304 10:05 11:05 CR2SA 1306 13:35 14:35 CR2SA 1310 18:25 19:25 CR2
Durban - Port elizabeth Flt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1330 06:00 07:20 CR2SA 1334 09:15 10:35 CR2SA 1336 11:55 13:15 CR2SA 1340 13:35 14:55 CR2SA 1348 17:40 19:00 CR2
Port elizabeth - Durban Flt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1331 07:50 09:05 CR2SA 1335 11:05 12:20 CR2SA 1337 13:40 14:55 CR2SA 1341 15:35 16:50 CR2SA 1349 19:55 21:10 CR2
Durban - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1850 06:10 08:25 CR2SA 1852 08:00 10:15 CR2SA 1854 12:00 14:15 CR2SA 1858 15:35 17:50 CR2SA 1854 15:00 17:15 CR2
CaPe toWn - DurbanFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1851 09:05 11:05 CR2SA 1853 10:45 12:45 CR2SA 1855 15:00 17:00 CR2 SA 1859 18:15 20:15 CR2SA 1855 17:45 19:45 CR2
Durban - lusaKaFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1601 10:10 13:00 CR2
lusaKa - DurbanFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1602 13:40 16:30 CR2
Durban - harareFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1611 10:20 12:45 CR2SA 1613 13:55 16:20 CR2SA 1611 14:00 16:25 CR2
harare - DurbanFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1612 13:25 15:50 CR2SA 1614 17:00 19:25 CR2SA 1612 17:00 19:25 CR2
CaPe toWn - Port elizabethFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1801 06:00 07:30 DH4SA 1805 09:00 10:30 DH4SA 1807 10:10 11:40 DH4SA 1809 12:20 13:30 CR2SA 1813 13:00 14:10 CR2SA 1813 13:00 14:30 DH4SA 1813 13:45 14:55 CR2SA 1819 15:00 16:30 DH4SA 1821 16:00 17:30 DH4SA 1821 16:30 17:40 CR2SA 1823 18:30 20:00 DH4
Port elizabeth - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1826 07:00 08:40 DH4SA 1802 08:00 09:40 DH4SA 1806 11:00 12:40 DH4SA 1808 12:10 13:50 DH4SA 1810 14:00 15:20 CR2SA 1814 15:00 16:20 CR2SA 1814 15:00 16:40 CR4SA 1814 15:25 16:45 CR2SA 1820 17:00 18:40 DH4SA 1822 18:00 19:40 DH4SA 1822 18:10 19:30 CR2SA 1824 20:30 22:10 DH4
CaPe toWn - hoeDsPruitFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1241 10:10 12:50 CR2
hoeDsPruit - CaPe toWnFlt no DeP arr a/C M t W t F s sSA 1242 13:20 15:55 CR2
*Please note that SA Express may deviate from the published schedule over the holiday period and will operate reduced schedules in December and January
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Passenger LettersDear SA Express Recently, I flew to Kimberley on SA Express. Being a quadriplegic, I need to be assisted to and onto the plane by the PAU (Passenger Assistant
Unit). Being a frequent flyer, I am very aware of the protocols of assisting passengers like myself.This time, though, things went wrong. The PAU service arrived late at the plane, the other passengers had already boarded, and it was very
embarrassing being assisted in front of everybody. Besides that, the staff on the PAU were not able to assist me with the necessary requirements. It was a most upsetting time.
However, arriving in Kimberley, Captain Nigel Maistry waited for me to disembark. He knelt next to my wheelchair and comforted and encouraged me. He assured me that the manner in which I always carry myself was an inspiration to all and that my life had purpose. Of course, my tears flowed.
SA Express, what an amazing staff member you have in Captain Maistry! He didn’t have to do what he did, but he cared and took the time to reassure me. Numerous pilots that have flown me between Johannesburg and Kimberley are special to me, but Captain Maistry really went the extra mile.
Thank you. Please extend my gratitude to him and his supervisors.
Kind regardsDorothy-Anne Howitson
Congratulations to Dorothy-Anne Howitson, who wrote our winning letter this month. She has won an American Tourister Bon Air Spinner 55 cm valued at R1,399.
To SA Express Management
I would like to bring to your attention that it was an absolute pleasure and privilege to be a passenger on board flight SA 1601 and SA 1602 earlier this year. Travelling to Zambia on business has never been more comfortable. From the time we departed, the flight felt quick and smooth, and I didn’t even feel the bump on the runway when we landed.
I would like thank SA Express and Captain Claire Roostee, together with cabin crew member Lindiwe Motha, for a wonderful travel experience to Zambia. On my return, a big thank you to cabin crew member Kameshini Paul and to the captain for a pleasant journey back to Durban. Well done Team SA Express.
I am looking forward to many more memorable travels with the team.
Kind RegardsJulian Mudaly
Do You Have Something to Say?Let us know what is on your mind by sending an email to [email protected].
Letters may be edited, shortened or translated from their original language.
The writer of the winning letter in the July edition of Indwe will receive an American Tourister Bon Air Spinner 55 cm valued at R1,399. American Tourister Bon Air, a zipped polyprop collection, prevents brittle breakage. This ultra-tough material is injection moulded to produce a modern, contemporary look with contrasting horizontal lines on a combination of matt and shiny surfaces. The American Tourister Bon Air has a colour matching interior with cross ribbons, an apron zipped pocket in the bottom and a divider pad with a mesh pocket and cross ribbons up top. Soft-touch carry handles and safety conscious TSA locks complete the package. Available in Pacific blue, lime green, orange, pink, red, navy, black and white, the American Tourister Bon Air Spinner 55 cm is available from luggage outlets. To find a stockist near you, contact +27 31 266 0620.
138 Indwe
Africa’s Talent Revealed
If you think you have what it takes, send your photos (1MB each), details of where they were taken and your contact
details to [email protected], with the words “Indwe Photo” in the subject line.
We can’t wait to show them off!
Monkey at Sugar Bay in Zinkwazi by Jay Royce
Santos beach at Mossel Bay by Dr Werner Janse
van Rensburg
Fisherman’s Boat at Santa Maria, Mozambique by Andrew Pike
