SA TOURIST GUIDE ON PG THE 16 RI SE
MONTHLY TRAVEL MAGAZINE
ISSUE 01 2019
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9 TYPES OF TRAVELLERS LA
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10 OF THE MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS THAT YOU'LL LOVE HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA
PG5
"THE JOURNEY NOT THE ARRIVAL MATTERS" T.S ELIOT
issue 01
contents February 2019
4 FEBRUARY CALENDAR 2019
5 10 OF THE MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS
16 LADIES ON THE RISE WITH MINENHLE MEMALA
19 NINE TYPES OF TRAVELLERS
EDITOR: Nhlakanipho Ngidi FEATURED EDITOR: Talisha Ramkissoon Sales and features Cell: 081 484 4437 Email: satouristmag@gmail.com
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DON'T MISS OUT CALENDAR 2019
TRAVEL EXPO TICKETPRO DOME, JOHANNESBURG The Travel Expo is the largest travel show in South Africa. Enjoy exclusive deals on flights, holiday packages, travel accessories, honeymoons, local holidays, all inclusive holiday, Cruising, touring and much much more"
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BREAST HEALTH FOUNDATION JOHANNESBURG ZOO Join the Breast Health Foundation together with Cancer Alliance for the 2nd annual one step at a time cancer Warrior Walk and Wellness village to commemorate world Cancer Day. With fellow survivors of ALL cancers in aid of cancer awareness and support,
10 OF THE MOST POPULAR ATTRACTIONS THAT YOU'LL LOVE HERE IN SOUTH AFRICA! It's no lie, here in South Africa we are really spoiled for choice. Being a tourist destination that has both monumental and iconic sites to suit just about every type of tourist, it's quite hard trying to sum it all up into just a "Top 10" . however, after giving it much thought and looking into all of these wonders, I've compiled a list of my own personal favorites and they go as follows:
By Talisha Ramkissoon
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1 THE BIG HOLE Situated in the Northern Cape Province, specifically Kimberly, The Big Hole has gained fame in the past due to it being the largest hole excavated by hand. The iconic hole (which has now accumulated roughly around 40 meters of water) was first dug up by miners and settlers in 1871 due to the amount of raw diamonds being hidden in the soil and rocks of this area. In the early 2000’s, the site was undergoing a registry to be considered as a world heritage site, though confirmation for this is still underway. There is a fair share of history with regards to mining, raw diamond excavation and the early ages surrounding this area to be brushed up on with their very  own museum to aid. So aside from its rich historic factors, The Big Hole is also a beautiful and breathtaking attraction to add to your bucket list!
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2 THE CANGO CAVES
This is one of the country’s best known and most visited caves, being a popular attraction amongst tourists. Situated in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape Province, these caves have paintings and artifacts which indicate that they were in use throughout prehistory, during the middle and later stone ages. There are 2 types of tours that visitors can partake in, namely – “The standard tour” which is a guided tour and lets you be the audience or “The adventure tour” for the more interactive and down to get dirty crowd who don’t mind a little climbing or crawling in and around the caves, sand and rocks. Being one of the world’s great natural wonders, these fascinating limestone formations are a must see!
3 Table Mountain As mentioned in my summarized list of things to do and places to visit in South Africa, a list of top 10 attractions of the country will not be complete without this beauty. Being dominated by the KhoiKhoi around 2000 years ago, Table Mountain now stands a proud attraction that sees an influx of tourists each year. The main feature of the mountain is the level plateau which is roughly around 3KM’s from side to side, edged by impressive cliffs. The top of the mountain is often covered by cloud formations and this is widely known to be called the “table cloth” for it looks so with the mountain’s surface being flat and referred to as the table. Many activities and curio shops await the tourists that put in the effort for the guided tour; however, if you’re on the lazier side of the spectrum, no need to worry, the cable cars all the way to the top ensures the same outcome but halves the experience.
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4 USHAKA MARINE WORLD
The city of Durban is known for its splendid weather and stretch of sandy beaches, Ushaka Marine World, which falls under this city in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province, gives you adventures, experiences and activities which just may sum up most of Durban’s wonders. Designed around 5 shipwrecks is the main attraction - the aquarium, which is also the fifth largest in the world. You could partake in animal encounter and snorkeling in the lagoon to get a closer look at these aquatic beauties. Aside from the sea creatures there is also a dangerous creatures section that allows you to get up close to deadly predators but don’t worry, they won’t bite! Overall, the marine world is everything you would need for a day out in the sun due to it being coupled with pools as well as water slides in their wet and wild section if you’re not so keen on the beach that’s just outside its premises.
5V&A Waterfront A great attraction from the province of the Western Cape is the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Deriving its name from the great Prince Alfred and the queen, his mother Victoria, this attraction is situated on the Atlantic shore, Table Bay Harbor. This complex houses over 450 retail outlets which include tons of fashion and home ware, curious as well as jewelry right down to just about anything you could need. The food outlets are also top notch and can be enjoyed with a view of the harbor with its stunning boats on display. Why not take a ferry ride out after for desert? This and more is possible at the most visited shopping area of Cape Town.
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6 GOLD REEF CITY
“Jozi” or also known as Johannesburg is home to the Gold Reef City. The park is themed around the gold rush period which had started in 1886 and this site is located on an old gold mine giving it the real feel. To add to the ambience of this marvelous place, the staff and buildings in the area are made so to look like the era of the late 1800’s. There is definitely quite a lot to do and see at the park, with experiences ranging from riding the Anaconda or the Tower of Terror to splashing about in their many water rides or even trying your luck in the Gold Reef City Casino. With this many fun activities to think of, a single day is just not enough to fully enjoy the experiences!
7 Blyde River Canyon Officially known as the Motlatse Canyon, this amazing wonder can be found in the Mpumalanga province and forms the northern part of the Drakensberg escarpment. Being one of the largest canyons on earth it can also be seen as the largest ‘green canyon’. If you’re looking for the best view in the vicinity it can be found in the huge round rock formations known as the 3 Rondavels. There’s a lot to choose from to do, from boat cruises, animal spotting, echo caves right up to balloon safaris.
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8 VALLEY OF A 1000 HILLS
If you’re someone like me – who is wowed and astounded by just staring over a cliff at all nature has to offer and breathing in a breath of fresh air from a height, visiting the Valley of a 1000 Hills is a must. This beauty is spaced between Pietermaritzburg and Durban in the Kwa-Zulu Natal province. The area is well known for the Dusi Canoe Marathon which takes place annually. Aside from the over satisfactory hikes, there are also many markets and nature reserves in the area to enjoy whilst viewing some of natures best.
9 Hluhluwe Imfolozi Park Situated in the Northern Cape Province, specifically Kimberly, The Big Hole has gained fame in the past due to it being the largest hole excavated by hand. The iconic hole (which has now accumulated roughly around 40 meters of water) was first dug up by miners and settlers in 1871 due to the amount of raw diamonds being hidden in the soil and rocks of this area. In the early 2000’s, the site was undergoing a registry to be considered as a world heritage site, though confirmation for this is still underway. There is a fair share of history with regards to mining, raw diamond excavation and the early ages surrounding this area to be brushed up on with their very  own museum to aid. So aside from its rich historic factors, The Big Hole is also a beautiful and breathtaking attraction to add to your bucket list!
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10 ADDO ELEPHANT PARK
As the namesake, the big majestic beasts indeed do have a park which is ranked third in size. Found in Port Elizabeth, Eastern Cape province, Just as many other animal sanctuaries, you can expect to find a wide variety of other animal in and around the park. Activities here include horseback riding, the Eden to Addo hike, dining at the famous Hapoor restaurant or simply going there for an adventure packed 4x4 drives to view these gentle giants up closer. These are just some of the many exciting adventures awaiting you there!
LADIES ON THE RISE
Invest in yourself. Expect nothing from no one and be willing to work for everything. No matter how difficult it may be, never give up on what you truly believe in. You are able.
If you are more fortunate than others, build a longer table. Not a taller fence.
FACEBOOK and INSTAGRAM @LADIESONTHERISESA FOUNDER - MINENHLE MEMELA
Why did you start this organization? I had just entered the corporate world and was not satisfied with the job I was doing. I ended up searching for a platform or support group that I could join that would inspire me to find my passion. I was battling to find one so I decided to create one. Why is now the time for your organization to exist? There are a lot of women feeling exactly how I felt when they have obtained their matric certificates, during varsity or as they have entered the corporate world. They drop out of school or quit their jobs because they are unhappy in that environment. It’s important to have a support structure so that these ladies do not end up feeling lost and hopeless and get help or solutions regarding the challenges they are facing in their lives. There are more and more children being sent to children’s homes cause their parents are not fit to take care of them. We need to play our part in uplifting the community. In a few sentences, tell me about the work your organization does and the programs you run?
Ladies on the Rise is a platform used to advance the empowerment of girls and women. We aim to uplift girls and women by embarking on the following: Hosting seminars/ workshops for personal development, career guidance for girls in school, hosting seminars/ workshops that are work-related and outreach programmers e.g. sanitary towel drives, fun days at children's homes and stationary drives. What results does your organization achieve?
We have had an outreach project and a seminar. We collected sanitary towles and donated them to a children’s home in Marianhill and a seminar on beauty and wellness where we invited guest speakers to talk to our guests about ways we as ladies can enhance our beauty, this falls under personal development. Nelisiwe Nyoka spoke about health and wellness and Miranda Dlamini spoke about style (slaying on a budget). The more we are able to show people what we do, the relationships we build and will be able to do more in 2019.
Where do you think the growth ladies on the rise will be next year? We have starting building relationships with women from different organisations by engaging in network marketing. We intend on working with these women who are willing to assist with donations in order for us to be able to engage in more outreach programmers and to collaborate with us in future seminars and workshops. What are the main obstacles that inhibit the fulfillment of your mission? How are you planning to overcome them? - Fundraising/Collecting donations through social networks can be challenging. It can be hard to gain attention for the organisations cause among all the posts on the different social media platforms and this may not encourage people to donate on a regular basis. - Trying to communicate the organisations purpose to the community
- Volunteers and donors may end up pulling out from the commitment they made with the organisation to attend an event to work or assist with donations for a home.
How we intend to overcome - We intend on engaging in network marketing to create relationships with people in various organisations that would be willing to assist with donations on a regular basis. - We would search for volunteers to assist us with executing the organisations projects. - We would have to extend the deadline(postpone the event to a later date or come up with contingency plans(plan b) for the event or drive to still proceed . If you had to come up with 3 words to describe the culture you want to create, what would they be? To realize that women can be CEO’s, not just men. To not get comfortable with being employed by someone to encourage women to pursue their dreams. To encourage collaboration between women in business no jealousy or envy just growing and glowing together. To emphasize the importance of giving back to the community.
What values do you want to instill in women?
To be women of worth, to believe they can overcome any obstacles they face. To respect themselves, some women tend to lack confidence in themselves and try to seek validation from people. We build them up in personal development emphasising the importance of loving themselves and not seeking validation or acceptance from other people. To be ambitious but to be able to control it by understanding that success takes time, if a seed is planted today it won’t bear fruit right away. To be able to handle situations they face with people and or in the work environment e.g. how to deal with conflict by being aware of people with different values and beliefs in the workplace and attempting to understand their backgrounds and cultures. How do you market the work and programs you run, which platform works well for marketing your organization?
Social networks are a way for us to engage with people. It just keeps getting better and better. Instagram and facebook allows us to boost posts, not only can our followers see what we post once we select ‘boost post’
anyone using instagram can see the post and choose whether they want to view and follow your page. Technology is forever changing and we believe that it will contribute to the success of our organisation. Network marketing is also important. There are platforms that invite different organisations to come together and network encouraging organisations to collaborate. What makes your organization different from similar organizations? Ladies on the Rise does not just focus on empowering women by doing seminars we are empower them by giving back to the community. Many organisations focus on doing one of these. We pride ourselves on being an organisation that empowers women in more than one way.
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