Sunday Times Spice Magazine: August 2015

SPICE

BUSINESS | INVESTMENT | FOOD | TRAVEL | CULTURE | DESIGN | VISION August 2015

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Going global

Why world airline chiefs are flying to KZN

Get inspired

Meet the pump jockey turned business mogul

ENCORE!

How two fabulous fellows are helping the arts flourish in KZN

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August 2015 ED’S LETTER

“S

uccess is the progressive realisation of a worthy goal or ideal.” That’s a line from the late US motivational speaker Earl Nightingale, and it played in my head the other day while attending an investment conference where some great KwaZulu-Natal businesses showcased their wares.

They drove home the happy endeavour that is SPICE. In this magazine we get to display the work of a host of successful people in the province, across a variety of disciplines, from business to sport and the arts.

Hopefully it is a tonic amid the doom and gloom.

This is the sixth edition of SPICE and it has been enormously gratifying to meet so many of the individuals we’ve featured.

They’re representative of where KZN can pitch itself. They are talented, hardworking people who thrive in spite of the odds, and theirs is a combination of chutzpah and tenacity, or sometimes simply sticking to a worthy goal.

I urge you to read the incredible article in this

issue about Sbonelo Mbatha, the petrol attendant turned business mogul.

And the piece about Gregory de Beyer, who won the first Shark Tank competition hosted by SPICE and FNB. The Sunday Times is immensely proud to be a part of the Shark Tank initiative. We’ve partnered with awesome business people to make it a reality and to help encourage entrepreneurs, because – without being too lofty – in an era of grim politics, that’s where our salvation lies.

If you know an entrepreneur in KZN who is going places, please encourage them to enter Shark Tank 2 (details in the advert below).

Next month Durban hosts the World Routes Development Forum, an influential gathering of global airline chiefs. Maybe it will result in more carriers landing in KZN. The event is an opportunity to exhibit the best we have to offer.

Hopefully it supplements the hard work already being done to market the province.

GREG ARDÉ

ardeg@sundaytimes.co.za

CALLING ALL KZN ENTREPRENEURS. DO YOU HAVE A KILLER IDEA FOR A BUSINESS VENTURE, OR IS YOUR COMPANY ON THE BRINK OF GREAT THINGS?

IF SO, LET US KNOW. YOU COULD

The Sunday Times, in conjunction with FNB, is fostering entrepreneurship in KZN. If you are a winning entrepreneur we’ll give you a leg up.

ENTER OUR SUNDAY TIMES FNB SHARK TANK COMPETITION.

You stand a chance to make a pitch in front of a panel of KZN’s most influential and successful business people.

We’re calling it an engagement in the Sunday Times

FNB Shark Tank and our fearsome sharks will interrogate your big idea (and your business plan) and use all their fearsome power to help put you on track to succeed.

It’s simple to participate: all you have to do is go online and fill in a form, present a business plan and be available on November 9, 2015 to make your pitch if you are selected. Entries close at the end of September, so don’t miss out.

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WIN

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Finalists will be notified by October 20th, 2015

CONTENTS August 2015

features Bling it on: jewellery to make you a shiny, happy person Riverhorse Valley is a winner for tenants, owners and the government ICC: Durban’s belle of the ball

6 8 9

Nina Freysen-Pretorius walks the talk in the conference business

10

Alan Gooderson on what’s needed to make tourism boom

11

MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu looks forward to next KZN by numbers: our province’s vital statistics

12 13

Sbonelo Mbatha’s amazing rags-to-riches journey

14

Gregory de Beyer is the ad industry’s inspirational Mr Fix-It

18

Why FNB’s Preggie Pillay is bullish about the KZN economy

19

month’s World Routes Development Forum

culture COVER STORY

6 20

Mountain biker Candice Neethling is pedalling towards a second OIympic Games

24

Why Hartford House is a breed apart when it comes to luxury hotels

26

The Discovery Sport is helping Land Rover conquer new frontiers

27

Ela Gandhi shares her hopes, dreams and wisdom

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SPICE EDITORIAL EDITOR Greg Ardé ardeg@sundaytimes.co.za 031-250-8500, 082-822-0001 CREATIVE DIRECTOR Megan Guyt CHIEF SUB EDITOR Dave Chambers SUB EDITOR Nerissa Card DESIGNER Thembekile Vokwana CONTRIBUTORS Yasantha Naidoo naidooy@sundaytimes.co.za

24

Meet KickstArt Theatre Company’s Steven Stead and Greg King

The honour that finally left broadcaster Alan Khan speechless

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Shelley Seid seids@sundaytimes.co.za Beth Stols bstols@mweb.co.za Masood Boomgaard masoodboomgaard@gmail.com Nompumelelo Magwaza magwazan@sundaytimestimes.co.za EDITOR-AT-LARGE Philani Mgwaba

ADVERTISING BUSINESS MANAGER Verna Pillay pillayv@sundaytimes.co.za 031-250-8500, 082-452-6277 PUBLISHER Andrew Gill

Printed by Paarl Media Published by Times Media (Pty) Ltd, 4 Biermann Avenue, Rosebank, Johannesburg.

© Copyright: Times Media (Pty) Ltd. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent of the publishers.

The publishers are not responsible for unsolicited material. SPICE is published by Times Media (Pty) Ltd. The opinions expressed are not necessarily those of Times Media (Pty) Ltd. All advertisements, advertorials and promotions have been paid for and therefore do not carry any endorsement by the publishers.

vision ambition courage

dedication creativity

resilience curiosity

It takes certain qualities to be an entrepreneur. One of them is dedication: loyalty to your cause coupled with the will to fight for it, regardless of obstacles. It’s what keeps you devoted to your business, one of the many that keeps the economy of KZN flourishing.

As a proud sponsor of the Sunday Times FNB Shark Tank, FNB Business supports the committed entrepreneurs of KZN. We’ll continue to bring you the world’s most innovative banking solutions, and South Africa’s best mobile banking*, to help you grow and run your business, in the face of any adversity. Because your success is not just important for you, it’s also making a vital contribution to the economy of KZN, and to South Africa.

Get more bank. Do more business.

For more information on our business banking solutions, contact Andrew Hudson on 083 627 8767 or email hudsona@fnb.co.za. *As voted by the SAcsi Survey 2015 First National Bank - a division of FirstRand Bank Limited. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider (NCRCP20).

SPEnDIng IT

blIng IT on There are many ways to make your eyes twinkle. You’ll find some here.

TEXT SIPHILISELWE MAKHANYA

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August 2015

Pendant: r102 195; Tennis necklace: r125 470

DEVELOPMENT

RIVER OF LIFE The construction of Riverhorse Valley has had a transforming effect on provincial and municipal coffers, and created a workplace for 17 000 people TEXT GREG ARDÉ

T

he words “public private partnership” are trotted out a lot. “PPP” flips easily off the tongue, but there aren’t too many working examples worth crowing about. One that is flourishing is on a prime chunk of land reclaimed from swamp, latterly named Riverhorse Valley to recognise the area’s historical hippo inhabitants.

It is a collaboration between Tongaat Hulett and eThekwini Municipality, and appears to have cost slightly more than the presidential palace in Nkandla, but with a massive economic benefit to the city.

Riverhorse has unlocked 323 hectares for modern, blue-chip business premises surrounded by open spaces and an indigenous river catchment area. In total, more than 180 companies, including global firms, have flocked there, especially logistics and warehousing concerns.

The result has seen a private-sector investment of R3.2-billion and growth in the city rates base of about R83-million a year.

Fifteen years ago there was a serendipitous coincidence of events. Nearby Springfield Park was saturated and then-Tongaat Hulett subsidiary Corobrik had to dismantle its old Effingham Brickworks plant and make its quarry safe.

Nearby land was surrounded by sugarcane and dissected by the N2, recalls Tongaat Hulett Developments executive Brian Ive.

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That was around 1999, and after city approvals were put in place and hundreds of tons of bulk earthworks done, platforms of land started selling at R240/m², peaking at R3 000/m².

Since 2002 the city has spent R300-million upgrading the Queen Nandi interchange and firms have ploughed R3.2-billion into buildings, creating 70 000 construction jobs.

An independent survey commissioned by the city showed that taxes on new buildings have raised R500-million for government coffers. The study says the partnership (the city is a 60% shareholder) spent R215-million to establish Riverhorse Valley, in addition to the money spent on the Queen Nandi interchange, providing access to the N2.

A critical feature of the PPP is the Riverhorse Valley Business Estate Management Association, which raises R600 000 a month from levies. The money funds top-up services such as landscaping, street cleaning and recycling, public open space maintenance, CCTV and 24-hour security operations.

This spend translates into a saving for the city, as functions such as landscaping and street cleaning for the entire area are taken off its hands.

Estate manager Bruce Macaulay says association members in Riverhorse are generally happy to pay the levies for the prestige and convenience of the address, safe in the knowledge

that the money spent to create a viable node protects their property values and investments.

They want good roads, adequate lighting, clean and tidy public spaces and decisive action to deal with errant behaviour from the public and members alike. “All these elements have added enormous value to the properties here,” says Macaulay. Firms based there, he adds, also thrive on easy access to the city and the freeway.

Ive says joint management of the precinct has been made easier by the fact that Riverhorse Valley was well designed in the first place.

“Almost no expense was spared in the beginning, so the roads are wide, for example, and businesses prosper in an environment like that.”

The city study said a total of 17 000 people work in Riverhorse, 32% of them from the surrounding areas of Durban North, KwaMashu, Newlands and Reservoir Hills.

“Riverhorse Valley Business Estate, over a short period of time, has established itself as integral to the economic fabric of eThekwini… the estate, although not able to facilitate as much new company formation as was hoped or anticipated during planning, has succeeded in providing a number of major companies with an alternative location to consolidate and expand their eThekwini operations.”

Paul Izzard, a director at Index Property Solutions, said Riverhorse was popular because it was well managed and easily accessible. “It has a good aesthetic and modern appeal. Index has done three deals in Riverhorse recently, including a 1 500m² call centre, a 2 000m² office and warehouse complex, and a 2 500m² new warehouse development.”

ICC IN NUMBERS

A HAPPY MEETING PLACE

TEXT GREG ARDÉ

T

he elegant architectural masterpiece has come of age, transformed from a bratty teenager that drew on city resources into a beautiful belle which has consistently captured the eye of the world and now turns a profit.

In 1992, two years before democracy dawned in South Africa, a progressive group of city councillors, business people and members of Operation Jumpstart hatched a plan to build the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre. It was a leap of faith that has paid off handsomely.

HERE ARE SOME INCREDIBLE FACTS ABOUT THE DURBAN ICC

The ICC is the largest column-free, flat-floor conference venue in Africa * * *

In 18 years the ICC has hosted more than 7 800 conferences and brought 6.5 million delegates to Durban.

The ICC has created 57 000 mentions of Durban on Google.

The ICC employs 155 full-time staff and has a pool of 400 waitrons for big events.

WITH ALL ITS INTERNAL DOORS OPEN, YOU COULD PARK 14 BOEING 747S SIDE

BY SIDE IN THE ICC

The ICC kitchen can serve 4 000 hot meals to any area of the venue WITHIN 11 MINUTES, using a system of tunnels and lifts to dispatch dishes (covered with heated blankets) to 16 SATELLITE KITCHENS. For the past FOUR YEARS the ICC has generated a cumulative profit of R116-MILLION; R24-MILLION in 2014 alone.

In the past EIGHT YEARS the ICC has created 60 000 jobs and contributed R20-BILLION to SA’S GDP.

THE DURBAN ICC WAS BUILT AT A COST OF AND HAS It can host gatherings of up to HAD SUBSEQUENT EXTENSIONS AND RENOVATIONS WORTH

R286-MILLION R460-MILLION 20 000 PEOPLE

THE ICC OCCUPIES A CITY BLOCK THAT IS 1.2km LONG. THE BUILDING ITSELF IS 1km LONG, WITH 70 000m² AND 1 400 PARKING BAYS

1994

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BOEING 747s

Durban’s International Convention Centre turned 18 this year.

CONSTRUCTION BEGAN IN 1994 AND IT WAS OPENED IN 1997 BY NELSON MANDELA

The ICC has played host to some of the most famous people in the world, including Yasser Arafat, Fidel Castro, Queen Elizabeth, Kofi Annan, Michael Bublé and Bryan Adams

IT HAS CREATED BED NIGHTS IN KZN FOR DELEGATES STAYING BEYOND THE DURATION OF THEIR CONFERENCES

In the last year the ICC customer satisfaction rating improved from

90% to 98.4% August 2015

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INTERVIEW

WALKING THE TALK Nina Freysen-Pretorius bestrides the conference world like a colossus TEXT SHELLEY SEID PHOTOGRAPHY VAL ADAMSON

T

he International Congress and Convention Association is the leader in the meetings sector, with 1 000 member organisations in more than 90 countries, and its president is Durban tourism entrepreneur Nina FreysenPretorius.

She is the association’s first African president and is also CEO of The Conference Company, which arranges conferences through its offices in Durban, Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Freysen-Pretorius started her business in 1997, getting into conferencing “because I like to organise and talk on the phone – because I’m a girl”. She began her career working for an agency that focused on corporate clients, and when it dissolved she branched out on her own.

Her business turned the corner when she bought a couple of contracts from other conference organisers. One of these was the International Confederation of Principles, with more than 2 000 delegates. It went well. “We grew from there.”

Her company networks throughout South Africa, as well as into sub-Saharan Africa, often bidding at risk. “This means we work for free,” she says, “and if the bid is won, we are then appointed.

It can mean working for a year or two without being paid, until sponsorship is – hopefully – secured.”

It’s a risky business model in a cutthroat industry, and there is no denying FreysenPretorius’s steely resolve. “It’s a challenge being a woman at the top in this industry. Often people don’t realise that this work is about content as well as technical ability. And often they equate blonde

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with ‘dof’. You need to take the emotion out of it.

I manage it; I remain professional. If you allow things to get to you, you won’t be able to deliver.”

She was project manager for the COP17 climate change conference in 2011, and in the same year organised the International Confederation of Midwives. Her market is academic, research driven, scientific or medical.

“It’s not glamorous and it is very content driven,” she says. “If your content is wishy-washy, not focused or not timeous you are dead in the water. Content counts.”

Her team often work years in advance.

Currently they are bidding for 2020’s International Zoology Conference. There are myriad components to a conference – destination, venue, marketing, targeting – and next month they are challenging themselves by running four international conferences concurrently.

“We often need to pull rabbits out of hats,” says Freysen-Pretorius. “We were appointed to organise a World Health Organisation conference and just before the event took place we were told that the Cuban Minister of Health would be attending. Of course, he couldn’t stay in an American hotel – we had to find a secure place and organise security at the last minute.”

Last year Freysen-Pretorius received the mayor of eThekwini’s excellence award for the promotion of tourism. “I like what I do. I love the planning, putting it together – it’s like a jigsaw, and I love making all the bits fit. It’s great to be able to show the world that Africa is capable of competently hosting international, high-powered conferences.”

NINA FREYSEN-PRETORIUS’ FAVOURITE SPOTS TO RELAX I love spending time with my husband and boys on the beach TO EAT Eora in Umhlanga for good old-fashioned, yummy food; Old Town in Umhlanga TO SHOP Toni and Dee, Kirsten Goss TO BE ROMANTIC A glass of wine at home after a long day FOR FAMILY OUTINGS San Lameer on the South Coast TO SHOW VISITORS Hluluwe and St Lucia for the wildlife

INTERVIEW

BE MY GUEST Few people know more about local tourism than Alan Gooderson, and he has strong views about what needs to happen in the sector TEXT GREG ARDÉ PHOTOGRAPHY ROGAN WARD

A

lan Gooderson is an old campaigner with a keen eye for a new idea. He’s also a straight-talking fellow who is the majority shareholder of Gooderson Leisure, a hospitality group based in Durban and listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange Altx.

It runs 10 hotels and lodges, and four timeshare resorts, mostly in KwaZulu-Natal, employs 900 people and has property worth more than R220-million.

Gooderson’s dad came to Durban from the UK in the 1950s to run dairies. He sent a telegram home saying, “this is paradise”, and his family soon joined him. By 1957 the Goodersons owned the old Lonsdale Hotel and Alan, the middle son of three, was a kitchen supervisor.

He had grand ideas for entertainment as Durban had little to offer at the time. Other than listening to Harry Shakespeare, the Playhouse organist, there wasn’t much to do.

“It was boring. I started the Cockney Pride Pub, then the Crazy Horse Cabaret Venue, as well as Ruby Tuesday and The Cat’s Whiskers,” says Gooderson.

“I didn’t invent the idea for any of them, I just saw what worked overseas and altered them for the South African environment, and they were very successful.”

Before long Durban also boasted other hot spots like Raffles and Father’s Moustache that were packed until the wee hours.

Gooderson said he made a mint entertaining “Vaalies” and then-Rhodesians in race-segregated South Africa. His clientele wanted food and booze, and, cosseted by apartheid, could afford three-week holidays.

Much has changed and Gooderson has adapted to a new market, still from up country but now from a growing black middle class.

Bars became conference centres and times became leaner because of strict drinking and driving regulations, but Gooderson tailored his product accordingly.

“We have the best weather God created.

I would open more of the promenade to pedestrians, with open cafes.

“I’d also encourage the people making decisions about tourism to line up with what business wants, instead of telling us we can and can’t do this or that.

“Government should talk to us and we should all listen carefully to what’s working.

KZN’s appeal is as a family destination for the domestic market. After that it is the international market, then the government and business markets.”

Gooderson’s 58 years in the industry have seen him sit on numerous boards and tourism bodies. He doesn’t believe the tourism business should be too complicated. “It’s common sense. You give the customer what they want, which is good value and good fun.”

For Gooderson, who runs hotels from Durban to the Drakensberg, and game lodges and spas in northern KZN, it is about continually adding new attractions. Be it a water park, a bicycle track or a wellness centre, he’s always trying to improve.

“I keep a notepad at the side of my bed and I’m forever scribbling. When we travel overseas, which is quite a lot, I’m making notes.”

Gooderson reads all the guest response forms from his hotels and resorts, amounting to about 600 a month. “I inspect every property every six months and I read every single guest form. I like to know what my customers want and I never stop learning.”

He says Durban needs something iconic, one single thing that is an identifiable symbol, much like Rio’s Christ the Redeemer statue on Mount Corcovado or the Eiffel Tower in Paris. He believes that will help market Durban and KZN phenomenally.

“They’ve been speaking about building a huge statue of King Shaka for a while now, which would be great, as long as it has viewing decks and tells KZN’s history.”

He’s scathing of SA Tourism, saying the body barely markets KZN, concentrating instead on “Cape Town and Kruger Park”.

“They don’t know where KZN is. What about our Zulu culture, Indian markets and beautiful beaches?”

If he could wave a magic wand he’d ensure Durban’s promenade had scores of pavement cafes where patrons could eat fairly priced seafood.

“It’s crazy. We’re a port city and seafood isn’t abundant or even always available.

When it is, it’s not at the right price.”

August 2015

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INTERVIEW

SKY’S THE LIMIT Economic Development and Tourism MEC Mike Mabuyakhulu tells NOMPUMELELO MAGWAZA about next month’s World Routes Conference PHOTOGRAPHY THULI DLAMINI

I

t’s a first for Africa and will see hundreds of aviation experts flock to Durban. Why did you do this?

We are hosting this congress to maximise the benefits of route development. In KwaZulu-Natal our interest is to grow connectivity between King Shaka International Airport and international routes. It fits into our strategy of developing air connectivity and linking ourselves globally.

Who should we expect for the conference?

It will bring in representatives from 150 airlines and more than 600 airports globally, as well as aviation experts and policy makers. We expect about 4 000 delegates.

What are your top investment priorities in the province?

Dube TradePort has been positioned as an aerotropolis and has a project pipeline worth R10-billion of potential private sector investment.

Richards Bay has a project pipeline of more than R100-billion, including investors interested in oil and gas, metal fabrication, energy and wood, pulp and paper.

In the Ladysmith/Colenso/Ngakane area there is the revitalisation of the coal power stations. This is attracting the attention of industrialists interested in smelter parks.

On the South Coast there is talk of a Music

employment. The provincial government is establishing industrial economic hubs. The Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone and Dube TradePort continue to be growth engines.

Q&A with Zamo Gwala, the CEO of Trade and Investment KZN How would you describe the KwaZulu-Natal economy and its opportunities?

KZN is the second largest provincial economy, contributing 16% of gross domestic product in 2013. The services sector accounts for more than 60% of the provincial economy but there is a strong reindustrialisation move to create

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What sectors are doing well and why?

Finance, property and business services, trade, manufacturing and logistics. These sectors are recording phenomenal growth rates of up to 3.2%. Great potential lies in agriculture and transport, including maritime transport.

Potential for economic growth lies everywhere, with the provincial government’s plans to attract strategic investment into Dube TradePort, establish industrial economic hubs and increase international tourism. One of the world’s largest independent liquid bulk suppliers of oil products, chemicals and gasses, is prepared to put down roots in Richards Bay, which will be a massive energy game-changer on our doorstep, considering South Africa imports about 70% of its oil.

City in Hibberdene, a private sector investment driven by Americans. This will have elements of a resort with music facilities and spas. This project has tremendous support from local players and we are in the final stages of land consolidation.

We will need a partnership with local people.

We have four prospective investors for the Durban Automotive Supplier Park.

Tourism plays a big role in economic development. What are your priorities here?

Deepening our domestic footprint by introducing tourism information offices around the country.

Increasing international arrivals in KZN. At one point we had 14 international airlines flying to Durban. We are eyeing markets such as India, China, Russia, Turkey and South America. Our biggest market is Africa, so we need a strategy to extend this.

The East 3 Route connects Durban, Swaziland and Mozambique, promoting trade and tourism.

(This year Seychelles was added.) We are trying to sell this route to other parts of the world by pulling resources from all four countries so that we market the region and all the countries can share the spoils.

We need to invest in and promote iconic tourism developments such as the Drakensberg cable car, a King Shaka statue and new resorts.

What is your message to investors?

KZN has two of the largest seaports in Africa handling 80% of cargo destined for South Africa and neighbouring countries, as well as exports.

These ports are complemented by King Shaka International Airport and Dube TradePort. KZN has become a vibrant province with a strong ICT sector which uses innovative approaches to ensure we leapfrog stages of development. It has an efficient banking system which matches the best in the world. This province also boasts vast, prime industrial land along the coast and inland.

POTENTIAL FOR ECONOMIC GROWTH LIES EVERYWHERE

KZn bY numbErs

10.9 million population

80%

33%

of the country’s cargo

unemployment rate

kZn attracts 1.3 million foreign visitors and 13.9 million local visitors a year

2.1%

2.6 million

biGGest port in africa

THE PorT of Durban HanDlEs abouT 2.6-million 20fT ConTainErs a YEar

chemicals and plastics the province provides nearly a third of the country’s plastics

tourism

81%

KZn economy’s contribution to the country’s Gross domestic product

national aGri output

two ports, richards bay and durban, can handle about

82%

purposes, with suitable for livestock farming and arable land annual provincial Growth

24%

6.5 million hectares is for farming

KZn is the country’s leading producer of timber

richards bay is the main producer of aluminium, and produces about of the world’s aluminium exports

4%

automotive and metal industries vehicle manufacturing employs about 7 000 people vehicle retail employs about 28 000 people vehicle component manufacturers in the province have a total annual turnover of r9.5-billion and employ around 13 500 people August 2015

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INTERVIEW

HEAD FOR PETROL Business is pumping for Sbonelo Mbatha, who has gone from forecourt attendant to serial entrepreneur in less than a decade TEXT NOMPUMELELO MAGWAZA PHOTOGRAPH THULI DLAMINI

L

ess than 10 years ago, Sbonelo Mbatha was a petrol attendant. The 39-year-old now runs a group of companies with turnover of R360-million a year and 300 staff. He has four fuel stations, a warehouse and distribution company, a driving school and a new hair product venture.

It all began in 2006, when Mbatha borrowed R45 000 using a fair amount of cunning. “I went to one bank and got a credit card, and before they could update their system I was already filling in a form at another bank. I raised R45 000 in an hour and drew all the money.” All this was to help him buy a driving school in Durban. He was able to repay the banks within a year.

Mbatha, who was born in eNqabeni on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, calls himself a “circumstantial” entrepreneur. “I could not find a job after completing a cost management and accounting diploma. I was desperate and I became a petrol attendant, earning R800 a month.”

His first job was at a service station in Mount Moriah, north of Durban, where he was soon promoted to administrator. “I was still earning R800, but I really enjoyed my work and learnt so much about how petrol stations operate. There and then I decided that I would not do any other job than this in my life.”

Soon after his revelation, Mbatha was offered a site manager job at a service station in Pietermaritzburg, earning R3 000. “This was the greatest news ever, a big promotion and a raise. I could not refuse it.

SBONELO’S FIVE TIPS FOR ENTREPRENEURS • Know your cash flow – it is the lifeblood of your business • Be hands-on – it is your baby, after all • Deliver on your promises • Don’t feel dejected by lack of support • Don’t be overwhelmed by red tape

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“I ran the service station as if I owned it. I was even given a chance to train other site managers around Pietermaritzburg.”

His love for the petrol business landed Mbatha on a BP entrepreneur course. “When I was told that I was not going to get my own service station, I was so disappointed and felt like my dream had been crushed.”

But BP called Mbatha when an opportunity came up to run a new service station in Dube Village in Inanda, Durban.

“I used this opportunity to negotiate with BP to sell me the service station for R2-million. My driving school was doing well and my experience running a petrol service station had improved.”

Since then Mbatha has bought three more service stations and his company, Divine Inspiration Holdings, has ventured into distribution for Unilever, from the south of Durban to Umtata in the Eastern Cape. “We are about to start a new venture of our very own, Derma Scalp hair products.”

While Mbatha continues to search for more service station sites to grow his business, he uses some of his time to mentor young entrepreneurs. “I do not want to be forgotten when I am dead,

so I am busy duplicating myself. I want to leave behind a legacy.”

His answer to unemployment is for the government and business people to invest in small businesses. “I think Black Economic Empowerment is suicidal for upcoming entrepreneurs. It is the wrong formula and should be changed.”

If empowerment means throwing money at people who have no previous experience in handling it, then it is flawed, he says.

Ithala CEO Yvonne Zwane described Mbatha as one of the development bank’s most inspiring clients. “His hunger for growth and new opportunities continues to drive him. He is an inspiration to many young South Africans, having come from humble beginnings to become a successful businessman. He has never forgotten his roots and has helped many disadvantaged youngsters to further their studies.”

When he is not at church, Mbatha braais with family and friends. “I am a church person, I spend most of my time with my family and church members,” he says.

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SANRAL HELPS WOMEN BUILD THE ROAD TO ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

Women contractors working on site Thousands of women are literally building the road to gender equality and female economic empowerment, thanks to progressive policies espoused by the South African National Roads Agency Soc Limited (SANRAL).

SANRAL’s targeted procurement philosophy is aimed at broadbased BEE, thus contributing to and achieving economic growth by training historically disadvantaged individuals to become economically active; by reducing unemployment; and by stimulating growth in the small and informal sectors of the economy.

“The economic empowerment of women is a prerequisite for sustainable development and the successful achievement of the goals outlined in the National Development Plan.”

In all these endeavours to create employment and alleviate poverty, special emphasis is being placed on ensuring women are given

Logashri Sewnarain, Regional Manager at SANRAL Eastern Region significant opportunities for economic empowerment.

“The economic empowerment of women is a prerequisite for sustainable development and the successful achievement of the goals outlined in the National Development Plan,” said Logashri Sewnarain, Regional Manager at SANRAL Eastern Region which includes KwaZulu-Natal and Free State.

“As South Africa celebrates August as Women’s Month under the theme ‘Women United in Moving South Africa Forward’, the call by the NDP for investments in gender equality becomes even more relevant as this enables women to have control over their lives and exert influence in society.

“Numerous studies have shown that when opportunities for women and girls have been expanded in terms of education and careers, the countries they live in have largely achieved greater prosperity and social development.

“In South Africa, women constitute a large proportion of the economically challenged, particularly in rural

areas. SANRAL acknowledges this by harnessing a range of measures to advance women’s equality,” she said.

SANRAL has committed to the economic empowerment of women by stipulating that contractors must ensure that 12% of the contract value is spent on work done by SMMEs, of which 10% should be spent on women-owned companies. Also 30% of spend on labour should be for women.

“The call by the NDP for investments in gender equality becomes even more relevant as this enables women to have control over their lives and exert influence in society.”

SANRAL established a bursary scheme in 2007 to develop skilled individuals from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. During 2014/15, SANRAL awarded bursaries to 105 students at a total investment of R11.3 million.

The programme sponsors students

interested in civil engineering and the built environment. The bursary programme is a tangible contribution to closing South Africa’s skills gap, particularly in these disciplines.

The programme also aims to supply SANRAL with future engineers and support the built environment through sponsoring and supporting black students, particularly women.

During the last financial year, SANRAL spent R2.9 billion on contracts with SMMEs, of which more than R1.7 billion went to 765 black-owned firms. In addition, through SANRAL’s projects, 4 064 people were trained in elements of road-building, of which 1 694 were women.

During 2014/15, several community development projects were undertaken, providing employment for 1 815 people. There were 175 women-owned contractors involved in these and other projects.

In the same period, 4 064 people, of which 1 694 were women, were trained in road-building and other skills through 8 456 courses at a cost of R8.6 million.

Last year SANRAL commemorated Women’s Month by reinforcing the empowerment of women in infrastructure development at a roundtable.

The event was addressed by Deputy Minister of Transport Sindisiwe Chikunga who emphasised that women must play a more important role in the economy of the country.

Derusha Govender, a project manager in training at SANRAL

Fulufhelo Luruli, a project manager in training at SANRAL

Derusha Govender, a project manager in training at SANRAL, foresees a bright future for herself with the agency.

Also singing SANRAL’s praises for awarding her a bursary is Fulufhelo Luruli, a project manager in training.

An enquiring mind coupled with a fascination for bridges and various other structures as a child naturally chartered Govender’s career choice towards the dynamic field of civil engineering.

Despite adversities she has had to overcome such as financial constraints, she chose to “see every challenge as an opportunity for growth”.

Armed with a BSc Civil Engineering degree from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, she affirmed, “Education is important because it assists in the path to personal development and helps individuals to bear the fruits of their labour, discipline and perseverance”.

Whilst in her matric year, the Durban-born engineer said she came across a SANRAL bursary offer which she applied for.

She said obtaining a bursary from the agency significantly changed the outcome of her future.

“SANRAL provided me with an opportunity to improve my future through education. Not only has obtaining a degree in engineering helped me towards achieving goals in my career, it has also assisted in empowering and developing me as an individual.”

Presently commissioned to work on the N2 Mt Edgecombe Interchange project in Durban, she believes her strong academic background will enable her to adequately fulfil the practical tasks she has been assigned as a project engineer in training.

With hard work and perseverance in mind, she hopes to be acknowledged by her seniors for her contribution to the civil engineering industry and looks forward to a flourishing career with SANRAL.

She said while she yearned to join the engineering profession, she was confronted with a major financial hurdle which SANRAL helped her overcome.

“Traditionally, women and engineering were not two words that went together, but that older world ethos has changed. From a base of about 20 students a decade ago, there are about 1 000 women engineering undergraduates currently studying at South African universities and technikons.

“However, despite the progress made in closing the gender gap and making more opportunities available for women in business, South Africa’s construction industry is one place where being a woman is still a major challenge,” said Chikunga.

“To help address the underrepresentation of women, government has invested R3.2 trillion towards infrastructure investment projects with R845 billion earmarked for the implementation of infrastructure programmes.

She said she wanted to see 50% of women in managerial positions and more women engineers working with SANRAL.

“Thanks to a bursary from SANRAL, I could focus completely on my studies while my financial needs were taken care of.”

The rising engineer who hails from Ha-Magau in the Limpopo Province said people could benefit from better working opportunities by pursuing a career in engineering.

After she obtained her BSc Civil Engineering degree in 2013, she took up a job offer in the Eastern Region with SANRAL. “I am hoping to improve my capabilities as a project manager and I thrive on being a good team player as it will ensure work efficiency.”

SANRAL is committed to creating a path of growth and development for women in engineering and in business to ensure long-term sustainability of critical skills in our economy and our country.

Her career aspirations are to obtain professional engineering status and ultimately develop into a seasoned engineer, which would then increase her involvement in large-scale SANRAL projects.

“SANRAL offers the best working opportunities. I was seconded to a consulting company were I am getting valuable and high-quality design experience.

“I have also been exposed to courses that are related to my design experience, and the agency is helping me work towards acquiring my professional registration.”

She believes she will be contributing to infrastructure development in the country through her skills and knowledge.

Women working on the road

ENTREPRENEUR

MR FIX-IT Out of adversity, Gregory de Beyer created a business that solves the ad industry’s problems using a potent combination of ingenuity, innovation and grit, writes Greg Ardé PHOTOGRAPHY VAL ADAMSON

I

f ever there was an inspiring tale for entrepreneurs, it has to be Gregory de Beyer’s.

His life story, in parts, sounds like a bad country and western song, but it is distinguished by incredible triumph over adversity.

Earlier this year, the tenacious businessman wowed judges at a Dragon’s Den-type event hosted by SPICE magazine and FNB. Dubbed The Shark Tank, the event brought 10 finalists before a panel of top KwaZulu-Natal business people.

Entrepreneur extraordinaire Stephen Saad opened the event, stressing the importance of resolve. “You are not defined by your success or your failures. You are going to have big knocks.

That is not important. It is how you get up that counts. It is the sacrifices you make and the many times you fall that count… entrepreneurs never give up.”

All the ideas presented in The Shark Tank

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were remarkable, but standing head and shoulders above the rest was a mobile beer keg designed and manufactured by De Beyer, 57, who owns Adstuff in Chris Hani (formerly North Coast) Road.

De Beyer’s story is arresting. When he was 40, he had a calamitous year. He was retrenched and divorced, and in a bid to pay the bills he was repairing a yacht when his oxy-acetylene torch failed, creating a fireball. He suffered third-degree burns to his hands and second-degree burns to his face and body.

For eight months, he was unable to use his hands for anything but piloting a computer mouse, but he had two sons in high school and bills to pay, so he had no option but to earn. He taught himself graphic design and Adstuff was born.

He started tinkering, then working out of the garage of his Berea home. His main line of business was designing and making business cards and letterheads. His guardian angel was his mother,

Pearl, now 84, who did everything she could for her son, down to running the printing machine, fetching supplies and making all the deliveries.

She ran his household and made sure her grandsons, Matthew and Mavric, were looked after.

Mrs de Beyer is still involved in the business.

She is the cheery face greeting clients at reception.

When she’s not doing that, she looks after other administrative tasks.

“My mom is a legend. If it weren’t for her I would have been broken. I couldn’t do anything after the accident, but she was there 24/7, making sure my life worked,” says De Beyer.

Adstuff grew from strength to strength on the back of De Beyer’s willingness to find solutions.

An avid yachtsman, he prides himself on being able to fix just about anything, anywhere, using scant resources.

He developed a reputation for being a MacGyver in the advertising industry and designs

2C using two bags of ice and a CO₂ cylinder. It is portable and fits in the boot of a small car. There is space for advertising on the unit that houses the mechanics and 50-litre keg.

De Beyer says problem-solving and passion are at the heart of his entrepreneurship.

“When I started my business the only work available was that which other companies did not want. Invariably it was ‘impossible’ or just difficult, and because I was desperate I would half listen to the problem at hand, say yes I could do it, then spend sleepless nights wondering why on earth I took on the challenge.

“My company slogan comes out of that: ‘The answer is yes, now what is the question’.”

De Beyer describes the creative and problemsolving side of his business as “unbelievably rewarding” once the issues have been resolved.

“The road to completion can be a bit traumatic, but my fiancée, Linda, is teaching me to balance work and leisure time, which makes the journey a lot more pleasant.

“I have always believed that we are all born with equal abilities, so if someone else can do something, then so can I. It’s from this train of thought that our success is derived.”

De Beyer’s take on the shark tank “It was a very interesting competition in that it showed me how to present my ideas.

“To a large degree I think that one overcomplicates or over-explains an idea and loses the connection with the client. In The Shark Tank we had seven minutes to present whatever idea we had, and if you think that is a long time, you will be surprised at how quickly it goes.

“From a business perspective it cemented my belief that if you have not ‘hooked’ the client in the first minute of your pitch, it’s all up-hill from there.

“Watching the other contestants present also crystallised the need for self belief. There were marked differences between contestants who knew they had a good concept and those who thought they might have one.

“IF SOMEONE ELSE CAN DO SOMETHING, THEN SO CAN I” and manufactures the most challenging point-ofsale displays.

Always scheming, the team at Adstuff work constantly on a variety of projects. Last year they produced a herd of life-size fibreglass rhino for a campaign. This year they are working on handsanitising machines De Beyer is producing for hospitals, catering companies and schools. Put your hands in the machine and it washes and sanitises them in 10 seconds, using 10% of the water and 30% of the soap used in a conventional wash basin.

De Beyer’s winning Shark Tank presentation was for a portable draught machine. The drive is on to pour cold beer in Africa, but the main challenge is reliable power. Traditional draught machines require electricity to power their flash coolers and precool kegs of beer.

Months of tinkering in his factory saw De Beyer come up with a mobile unit that dispenses beer at

“Simple is also paramount – I believe Albert Einstein said: ‘If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough’.

“For anybody entering this competition in the future, keep it super-simple and keep it real. The people on the panel are smart and successful, and if you take a chance, they will know immediately.

“Do not over-project your expectations and do not over-explain your idea. Keep it concise.”

To enter the next Shark Tank competition visit www.sundaytimes.co.za/sharktank

Diverse KZN economy offers vast opportunities for entrepreneurship TEXT preggie pillay, fnb business kwazulunatal provincial head

K

waZulu-Natal is a key province for entrepreneurs who have the skills to maximise the benefits of a diverse economy.

Growing above the national economic average, KZN has diversified by creating a number of viable industries.

An initiative to boost manufacturing is the creation of special economic zones such as the Dube TradePort and, in Richards Bay, industrial clusters driven by investment incentives. The focus is value-added and export-orientated manufacturing.

It is important for the public and private sectors to collaborate to enable entrepreneurs to benefit from this diverse regional economy.

The provincial government has demonstrated its commitment to investing in programmes that have the potential to sustain the growth and to create new entrepreneurial opportunities. The province has budgeted R12.060-billion in 2015/16, R11.804-billion in 2016/17 and R12.196-billion in 2017/18 to invest in infrastructure projects.* The sustained investment inflow is likely to create more opportunities for big and small businesses. More importantly, it will create an environment where small and medium enterprises can participate in the broader supply chain and create jobs.

Equally, the private sector continues to play an essential role. From an FNB perspective, we recently demonstrated our commitment to the province by opening our Acacia House provincial head office, built with an investment of nearly R500-million.

The office consolidates a number of companies within the FirstRand Group, enabling us to offer a suite of services to emerging entrepreneurs, big business and individual consumers. We continue to enhance our offering for entrepreneurs, but, more importantly, we want to be accessible to better understand their needs. * MEC Belinda Scott: KwaZulu-Natal 2015/16 Budget Vote – point 48.

Chartered accountant Preggie Pillay is the provincial chairman, head of FNB Business in KZN. He is responsible for all business-to-business interaction in the region.

August 2015

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THEATRE + RETREAT + MOTORING + VISION

culture dOublE AcT The future of theatre in Durban is in the energetic, creative and prolific hands of Steven Stead and Greg King TEXT GREG ARDÉ PHOTOGRAPHY VAL ADAMSON

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Greg King and Steven Stead have incubated local theatre talent through a host of amazing productions

G

reg King and Steven Stead are clever, refined and charming.

Intelligent gentlemen of the arts, they’re witty and well read. And as the directors of the most successful production company in Durban, they’re at the epicentre of theatre in the province.

They are the darlings of critics and local audiences, and their shows – be they dramas, comedies, pantomimes or musicals – are invariably sold out. Audiences revel in KickstArt Theatre Company’s offerings, from Beauty and the Beast to Margaret Edson’s brilliant Wit and Stephen Sondheim’s brooding Sweeney Todd.

For an extraordinarily talented pair, King and Stead are unpretentious and self-effacing. Stead, who spent eight years as senior staff director at the English National Opera in London, says while the world of showbusiness is generally associated with egos, temperamental artists and tantrums, there’s little space for being precious.

“We create a safe space for artists to be creative, but there’s no room for prima donnas. As a director, I am workmanlike and practical, not histrionic or fey. More like a plumber or an electrician, I know how to do the job and get water to come out of the tap or make the lights switch on.”

King, the quieter of the two, describes the duo as “one guy with a computer and another guy with a bakkie”.

Stead and King have been together almost since KickstArt was born 15 years ago, and were married this year. In that time they have produced

more than 50 shows and have been a veritable incubator of theatrical talent in Durban, providing income and a platform for hundreds of performers, crew, technical and backstage staff.

Most often King, 44, is the designer and Stead, 45, the director. Both have honours degrees in drama from Natal University (now the University of KwaZulu-Natal).

King’s ambition at varsity was to work for the erstwhile Napac (Natal Performing Arts Council).

After graduating he joined Napac’s puppet company, but the council folded, and in 2000 he launched KickstArt. In an era of one-man bands, when lonely actors traversed the country doing rough theatre with collapsible sets in their car boots, his first production was Ben Elton’s Popcorn, with a cast of nine and a complex set.

Stead returned from London to join him. “I realised we could do it again. It was born out of nostalgia for what made us fall in love with the theatre: fully-fledged productions of internationally recognised scripts, with proper sets and costumes,” says King.

Stead adds: “There were enough good, hungry actors in Durban. Audiences gradually became engaged and it flourished.”

A decade-and-a-half later they have a mantelpiece full of trophies and a sackful of fabulous memories. KickstArt has also allowed them to make a living in Durban, and to present their work nationally in co-productions with renowned

figures such as Pieter Toerien and Daphne Kuhn.

KickstArt is among a handful of independent theatre companies that flourish in South Africa. Its productions are celebrated for attention to detail and it offers a canny mix of commercial hits and thought-provoking arthouse.

King and Stead are most fondly known for their stirring musicals and annual pantomimes. They buy the rights abroad and are left to interpret the look and feel locally.

“We largely follow a western aesthetic and we have been criticised for it,” says King.

“But that’s what we are and what makes us tick. We’re not going to be inauthentic to please detractors,” says Stead.

“Asking us to do workshop or socio-political work in an African style is like asking Picasso to paint realism. That’s not what he did. We create work based on what excites us and what our audiences want. It’s a gamble: we can do our market research on a show and still have empty seats. You don’t always hit the button.”

King says they have stayed afloat financially by running a lean outfit. “We can’t take big financial risks. But we aren’t answerable to anyone and I’m proud our shows look glossy because they’re really

August 2015

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21

THEATRE

tied together with string. There are affordable ways to make it special. That’s the magic.”

Their musicals cost about R1-million to produce, about 10% of the cost of imported shows such as Phantom of the Opera.

King and Stead are fulfilled working in Durban, but didn’t imagine it would pan out this way. King recalls an epiphany on set one day. “I’d always been thinking, ‘When am I going to get my big break, when’s my career going to start?’ Then it dawned on me that this was my break, I was on the journey and enjoying it. We’re our most successful when we are our most passionate. If it is turning you on and satisfying you, do it: put on a show, love the journey.”

Stead says: “I have a fantastic life and I’m privileged to share it with someone who has the same passion.”

His parents took him to all the shows in Durban as a child, instilling in him the love for what he and King do today. “I thought they were magical. It clicked that switch in me.

“If I had any advice for someone who was in my shoes 25 years ago, I’d say you don’t have to aim for Broadway, therein lies heartache. I know, I’ve been there. At the end of the day I’d rather be a producer in Durban than a waiter in Los Angeles.”

Having said that, they acknowledge that the arts scene in South Africa is on shaky ground, and urge the government and business to be smarter about funding.

King is considered. “Theatre played an important role in the change to democracy, but that has stigmatised theatre in the public eye as hard work and didactic, and often an effort to attend. And when the establishment doesn’t seem to support theatre, other than politically motivated work, it makes for a lack of variety and colour in the creative landscape.”

Stead is scathing. “There is no one in government who knows anything about arts or cares. The arts minister position is generally given as a punishment of some sort to the most inept.

Pouring vast sums of money into institutions like The Playhouse doesn’t foster creativity: state funding on this scale makes artists lazy and

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9 Facts about steven & GreG 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

KickstArt has done its share of comedy and serious theatre

6. complacent, and there is no real incentive to strive for genuine excellence. It doesn’t matter whether the public comes or not. The money will still roll in provided the forms are all filled in correctly. Statefunded theatres generally put on enormous, poorly produced shows that nobody goes to. The arts needs funding, desperately, but at grassroots level.

Currently, most of the money is flowing into places that are empty clanging bells, mausoleums to art.”

KickstArt partially survived through an annual R250 000 grant from the National Arts Council.

“We got it for six years and it helped pay our tax bill, and encouraged us to take the odd risk. We were grateful for it,” Stead says.

Now, says King, “we’re liberated by being independent. We walk a tightrope by doing crowdpleasing, commercial shows and satisfying ourselves artistically, but being lean has helped us. We can do this because we spend modestly.”

Stead chips in: “We’re mavericks. We have to make a plan. If someone gave us R50-million, I don’t know that it would be good for us.”

7.

8.

9.

Greg’s mother was a consumer adviser for a supermarket chain, his dad a furniture salesman. He has four siblings and went to Maritzburg College.

Steven’s dad was a lieutenant-colonel in the air force and his mom a biology teacher.

They had three children.

The family lived on the Bluff, where Steven and Greg live now.

Steven went to Glenwood High School, where he says he often felt crushed by jocks who lampooned his interest in the arts. Their ridicule drove him to succeed.

Both men had an early fascination with puppetry. In Standard 5, the creators of War Horse, Handspring Puppet Company, visited Greg’s school. “They took my breath away. I went home and started making puppets.”

When Steven was a child he roped his brothers into his shows, paying them 5c to operate the lights or arrange the props.

Greg says creating huge, intricate puppets like the dragon in Shrek is part fascination with the wizardry of mechanics and part love of art and animation.

Steven says it can all go wrong, but the show must go on. “One year we did a Snow White pantomime. Greg was doing another gig so I was spinning. The theatre was burgled the night before opening. We had no help and I had just cleaned the toilets. I tidied up to run front-of-house. The show was about to start and I discovered we only had five dwarves, not seven. I was a wreck, sobbing alone in the ticket office: a dark night of the soul.”

Greg says the theatre world can be precious. “The richness is in adaptation, there’s seldom anything new. Our creative outpouring is a culmination of all the things we love.”

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500 000 INDIRECT INT. TRAFFIC FLOWS

LEADING DOMESTIC TOURISM DESTINATION SOUTH AFRICA’S

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MORE THAN

South Africa’s largest unserved international market

800 SOUTHERN AFRICA

WEEKLY CONNECTIONS TO

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STRATEGICALLY LOCATED BETWEEN

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WORLD ROUTES 2015

INTERVIEW

PEDAL F POWER Mountain biker Candice Neethling already has one Olympics under her belt, and she’s determined to fly the South African flag in Rio next year TEXT SHELLEY SEID PHOTOGRAPHY EMMA HILL

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August 2015

or Olympian Candice Neethling, 23, mountain biking is part of her DNA. Born and raised on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, she was the only woman to represent South Africa in the cross-country event at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

As a three-year-old she announced that she would be riding 22km from the family sugarcane farm to the local hotel and back. No one tried to stop her. “My dad made a plan by putting an upright broomstick at the back of my little yellow bicycle in case he needed to push me along,” she says. “After that very first ride I knew I felt a connection with a bicycle and turning the pedals fast.”

She grew up on a farm in Oribi Gorge with parents who enjoyed outdoor activities, and cycling in particular.

It was an area that gave her space to roam freely and explore the mountains, often with her father, who taught her the fundamentals. But she says there was no pressure to ride professionally. “The choice was always mine. He just wanted me to experience the joy of riding with him. I have a younger sister who will not go near a bicycle, but she is my biggest supporter.”

She began racing competitively at the age of 11, when she took part in a 30km event with her father. Things grew from there. “The feeling of pure abandonment and freedom I get from riding a bicycle has remained the same throughout,” she says.

In 2009 Candice won bronze at the Junior World Championships in Canberra, Australia, and has competed in every world championship since. Her win at the 2012 African Continental Championship in Mauritius qualified her for the sole woman’s spot on the Olympic mountain biking team later that year.

She surprised herself and the entire mountain biking community when she took bronze in Canberra.

“I became the first African woman to receive a medal at a mountain biking world championship and I proved to myself that I had what it takes to achieve my lifelong dreams. It was a very special moment for me.”

Is she ever frightened? The very nature of crosscountry mountain biking is scary, she says. “It’s a sport where every second counts and there is no room for error. It is intense and pressured, and requires immense mental capacity when you enter an obstacle at 180 beats per minute.”

Her most challenging course is the rock garden on the Pietermaritzburg world cup course. “Riders have to negotiate what I can best describe as a ‘waterfall’ of rocks down a steep and seemingly never-ending slope.

One wrong placement of the front wheel and the result could be catastrophic. Many years and crashes later, I am still scared when entering this obstacle.”

Future goals include participating in the World Championships in Andorra, between France and Spain, later this year and, of course, to be selected for the Rio Olympics in 2016. “My lifelong dream is to stand on the podium at the Olympic Games. I was born with this dream, and being selected for Rio is just one of the stepping stones on the way.”

RETREAT

BREED APART

Hartford House has horses, heritage, horticulture, hedonism and some of the finest food in the Midlands TEXT SHELLEY SEID

S

ituated on one of South Africa’s best-known stud farms, in a spectacular garden, Hartford House is a country hotel with a history. Louis Botha took over command of the Boer forces at the foot of the farm in 1899; General Dawid Joubert signed for his copy of the Treaty of Vereeniging at Summerhill at the end of hostilities in 1902, and had his troops plant the entrance avenue as a commemoration; and Hartford has hosted Jan Smuts and Sir Winston Churchill. SPICE spoke to owner Mick Goss and GM Duncan Bruce.

Whose idea was Hartford House?

The conviction which led to the conversion of our home into a hotel came from Mick’s wife, Cheryl.

She felt that once the children had completed their schooling, this heritage gem could serve no better purpose than to be committed to the use of the public of this country and its international visitors.

Why does it work?

Hartford is part of the Summerhill Estate and together they attract 70 to 80 people a day, which converts to more than 30 000 visitors annually – arguably the most visited hospitality destination in the Midlands. Hartford has an exceptional reputation for its food. Former head chefs include Richard Carstens and Jackie Cameron, who piloted the restaurant into the national top 10. The current chef, Constantijn Hanhndiek, is a finalist in the San Pellegrino Young Chef of the Year.

What makes it different?

It is the only world-class hotel, on a world-class

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stud farm, in the world. Summerhill Stud has been the champion racehorse-breeding establishment in South Africa nine consecutive times in an era when the landscape is heavily populated by billionaires. The estate is 3 000 acres, populated not only by horses but by a large variety of game species.

Where are your guests from?

Our mix includes strong followings from Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and, more recently, the Western Cape during winter. Our traffic is about 80% local and 20% foreign. That changes to roughly 60% local and 40% foreign in the warmer months.

Do guests come back?

Our biggest marketing tool is word of mouth. We have many return guests, some of whom have been coming back consecutively for the past 10 years, staying in the same suites and, remarkably, wanting the same menu.

Average duration of stays?

Our weekends are generally based on a two-night stay. During the off season our midweek stays are one night, and three to four nights in season.

What recurring feedback do you get?

“Thank you for your warm hospitality, worldclass food, interesting wine selection and beautiful surroundings.”

How do you hit the “service” balance between privacy and attention?

We need to respect our guests’ privacy, but it’s also extremely important that we get to know you. In that way we are able to anticipate your needs and offer you warm and engaging service.

Oddest request or behaviour?

We have often transformed our racetrack to host mini race days for birthday celebrations. We even have a commentator and a betting tote.

Particular point of pride?

Hartford’s traditional dance troupe, the iNgobamakhosi, is the national champion and has ranked second and third in the world. Last August, the group wowed audiences at the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo.

Don’t miss?

The dinner and wine pairing, it’s a culinary delight.

The senior food critic for Europe at the Wall Street Journal, Bruce Palling, proclaimed Hartford one of the top three country restaurants in the world.

Any new developments?

Hartford is engaged in a major makeover of its famous gardens. As part of the project we are developing an enchanting “tea house”.

Had any celebs popping in lately?

Heads of state, government ministers, captains of business and sports celebrities are among the regular clientele.

Costs?

From R770 to R1 980 per person per night, bed and breakfast.

Contact 033-263-2713

MOTORING

DISCO FEVER Best 4x4xFar? Maybe, but Land Rovers of the 21st century also have more than a veneer of top-level luxury TEXT MASOOD BOOMGAARD PHOTOGRAPHY ROGAN WARD

N

ot that long ago, when someone mentioned Land Rover, many people would have thought bare-boned, rugged, bundu-bashing 4x4. And while off-road tenacity is still very much part of the “Landy” DNA, the brand has gradually embraced a more premium image.

Not too long ago, Land Rovers were seldom equipped with basics such as airconditioning and power steering. These days, however, there isn’t a feature you won’t find in even entry-level models.

And Land Rover’s product range is continuously, intelligently expanding to meet the demands of a discerning clientele.

The Discovery Sport is the latest addition. It’s significant for many reasons, the most important being that it’s the first time Land Rover has slapped the “sport” badge on the Discovery.

The vehicle is handsomely styled, taking its design cues from the popular Evoque, but while it may look sophisticated it has serious off-road credentials, thanks mainly to its terrain-response system. It’s the sort of vehicle that satisfies both hardcore off-roaders and soccer moms.

“It’s been out two months. We’re into our third month of sales,” says Trevor Clack of CMH Land Rover Umhlanga. “It’s a welcome addition to the Land Rover range. The response

“we’ve gone from bundu bashers to executives”

has been very good. We had orders placed many months ago.”

Clack says the Discovery Sport is just one of many exciting new products the car maker will introduce in the next few years, including a replacement for the legendary Defender.

“Our client base has grown from bundu bashers to high-level executives who want something that’s large and dual purpose. We’re operating in the luxury car market, so everything has to be well appointed.”

Clack says it’s the Discovery Sport’s features that excite him most.

“There has been a lot of emphasis on progressive technology, features we don’t really see in this country, like 360-degree cameras and terrainresponse driving programmes, for example, that are unique to Land Rover.

“With each production year, new features are introduced. There’s a lot of luxury.”

Clack says the Discovery Sport stays true to Land Rover’s heritage. “Part of Land Rover history is off-roading, and every Land Rover has a certain off-roading capability. There is an expectation that ‘my Land Rover can go where no other car can go’.”

Reasons to buy the Discovery Sport? Fuel efficiency, power and performance, and the sensational nine-speed automatic gearbox. But most of all, says Clack, “it’s fun to drive”.

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INTERVIEW

RADIO GAGA Broadcaster Alan Khan has come a long way from his days as a horseracing commentator in his pre-teens. Yasantha Naidoo listened as Khan turned on his broadcasting voice PHOTOGRAPHY TEBOGO LETSIE

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A

lan Khan, who earlier this year was inducted into the South African Radio Hall of Fame, has a story for everything. From anecdotes about people he has interviewed to tales of his trips abroad, Khan is a treasure trove of information.

The sports-mad broadcaster has also had a stint on television, co-hosting a national breakfast show, and has emceed thousands of functions over the past 25 years.

The Morningside home he shares with his educational psychologist wife Mariam Seedat and sons Nassir, 16, and Ameer, 13, offers snapshots of his life.

The travel books, for example, cover the destinations he and his family have visited, from Istanbul to China, Bali to Phuket. When the Mayans predicted the world would end in 2012, Khan took his family to the happiest place on Earth – Disney World in Florida.

He says a trip with his wife to Bali was their most romantic, a visit to Thailand the most fascinating cultural experience, a getaway to Victoria Falls his most disappointing, while a holiday in Beijing was the most disturbing.

“You can’t be a pet lover if you visit there because of the animals you see. It’s their way of life, but it just isn’t for me. We try to avoid the tourist traps and find out what the locals are doing or where they are going. That’s the place to be.”

While a row of Planet Hollywood and Hard Rock Café glasses, as well as Chinese vases, are touristy mementoes of their travels, several frames on their walls speak volumes of Khan’s true passion: broadcasting.

As a youngster he picked up the skill of horseracing commentary by listening to the radio, and while he was studying at the then Technikon Natal, his offer to help a campus radio DJ carry a speaker led to him going on air. From campus radio, he joined Capital 604 in 1990, staying with the station for six years until it closed.

A few days later he joined East Coast Radio, before moving to Jacaranda in Johannesburg. His return to KwaZulu-Natal two years ago to become senior director of corporate affairs at the Durban University of Technology coincided with his return to the airwaves.

His signature sign-off, “peace, love and radio”, is displayed in another frame hanging on a wall as a reminder of his broadcasting history. “It was a farewell gift from some of my former colleagues,” says Khan.

From Steve Jobs and Bob Marley in the old days to the doctors, lawyers and financial experts who feature on his current show on Lotus FM, Khan says his radio career has been an amazing experience.

His ratings are up, and he says his mission to help and educate people through his talk shows has been accomplished.

For the Everton and Beatles fan, being inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame was an emotional highlight of his career, matched by one of his most treasured possessions – a book of comments from people with whom he has interacted over the years, compiled by his wife to mark the honour.

“For once in my life I was speechless,” said Khan.

This dynamic region is a future platform for light industrial warehousing for industries focused on imported goods for redistribution and the export of finished goods to all parts of the globe.

With both Richards Bay and the Dube TradePort already established as industrial development zones, the entire province is poised for explosive growth.

In the heart of this north coast development is uShukela Industrial Park, a 27,350m2 mixed use greenfield site lying between Verulum, Mount Edgecombe and uMhlanga.

This development is in a prime position within the Cornubia site and comprises sixteen mid-size industrial units between 900m2 and 3 000m2. They’re ideal for light manufacturing, warehousing, logistics and similar applications. Final designs and fittings are flexible and will be in accordance with tenants’ needs.

Access to uShukela is excellent via the N2, M41and R102 and will soon be even better when the new four lane arterial into Cornubia is completed in 2015. Richards Bay is just 90 minutes away, Pinetown, Durban CBD and the harbour are no more than twenty minutes’ drive and King Shaka International is seven minutes down the road.

Occupation is scheduled for February 2016 so if you want to join the boom, now is a very good time to do it. Please contact Ross Eigenmann on 083 321 6011, Kale Bagwandin on 073 469 4894 or view the electronic brochure at www.redefine.co.za.

We’re not landlords. We’re people.

CHARLIE BRAVO #423-14

The KZN North Coast is booming.

Come and feel the noise.

VISION With which historical figure do you most identify?

Gandhi. I keep reading his works. I also admire Martin Luther King, Nelson Mandela and Chief Albert Luthuli. My dad knew him well.

What is your idea of perfect happiness? Something you can find within yourself, but only when you see the happiness around you.

What is your greatest fear? It’s for the world. There’s so much inequality, which can lead to destruction.

Unlimited affluence and consumption of resources is not sustainable. Materialism has to be curbed.

What is the trait you most dislike in yourself?

Sometimes I wish I had more courage.

What is the trait you most dislike in others?

Materialism.

When do you lie? Sometimes to protect people in simple things, to avoid hurting them.

Which phrase do you overuse? You know.

What is your greatest regret? That I moved out of the Phoenix Settlement (established by Gandhi in 1904 and burnt down in 1985). Maybe I could have saved it.

The love of your life? My children and grandchildren. I also have a deep attachment to the Phoenix Settlement.

Which talent would you most like to have? I would like to be able to sing and paint and draw.

When and where are you happiest? Right now.

What is your state of mind? Peaceful.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? I would be more involved in providing real services to people who are struggling. I’d like to do more with my hands. I often wish I’d become a doctor.

What is your most treasured possession? At 74 I am reaching the other end of the stick, as they say. As you become greyer you shed attachment to material things. I have given away the things I have treasured, collections from my mother and grandfather. I spend three-quarters of the day on my computer. It has everything on its memory so I suppose it is prized, but I’m not attached to it. I have schooled myself that wherever I go, I go with open hands.

Where would you like to live? The Phoenix Settlement.

What is your favourite occupation? I like reading, writing and playing word and card games on the computer.

What is the quality you most like in a person?

Compassion and the ability to see another point of view. It is important not to feel that you have all the answers or that your belief is the only way. Everybody looking out the window sees different things. They are all different parts of a jigsaw puzzle. Put together it is beautiful, but to focus on one piece is dull and narrow.

Who are your favourite writers? I haven’t read a lot of novels, but I liked The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.

Who is your fictional hero? Hassan, in that novel.

Who are your real-life heroes? Mandela and Luthuli.

What do you most dislike? Waste. I often see people take a big helping of food and leave half of it to be thrown away. It extends to all sorts of things.

How would you like to die? In my sleep.

What is your motto? Do as much as you can with as little as you can.

PHOENIX RISING ELA GANDHI is the granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. Her father, Manilall, ran the settlement Gandhi founded near Phoenix at the turn of the last century. Ela runs the Gandhi Development Trust TEXT GREG ARDÉ PHOTOGRAPHY VAL ADAMSON

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#GottaLuvKZN

K WA Z U L U - N ATA L Come on over to KwaZulu-Natal this September, as we celebrate all this exceptional destination has to offer visitors and locals alike.

Join in the fun with concerts in the park, strawberry-picking in Ballito or celebrate your heritage among the people of KwaDukuza.

What better time to kick-off your journey of Re-discovery than Tourism Month...

Here’s a list of events that will remind you why you #GottaLuvKZN.

082 821 8004

SA BMW POLO SERIES

Mpume Sithole mpume@azomonde.co.za 031 765 1381

16 SEPT

SEPT

BRIAN McKNIGHT LIVE IN CONCERT

REED DANCE: KWA NONGOMA

Computicket

17-20 SEPT

25-26 SEPT

THE WITNESS HILTON ARTS FESTIVAL

HERITAGE DAY: KWADUKUZA

SANI DRAGON CHALLENGE

033 383 0126/7 festival@hiltoncollege.com

082 329 7737

26 SEPT

27 SEPT

Cheryl Peters 032 946 1256

073 470 9842 sihle.shange@ymail.com

STRAWBERRY-PICKING FESTIVAL

Des Tannous 083 454 9451

13 SEPT

Andrew Taylor 083 447 0697

24 SEPT

DEZZI INVITATIONAL

#DurbanDay2015 Computicket

SUNDAY TRIBUNE JEEP HILL TO HILL: DURBAN

MPATI MOUNTAIN RACE

06-11 SEPT

BP DURBAN DAY WITH ECR

12 -13 SEPT

12 SEPT

www.zulu.org.za

06 SEPT

TOWNSHIP TO TOWNSHIP MARATHON