Wanted Magazine: May Issue 2020

splendid isolation M AY

2020

wanted

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ED’S LETTER

05 / 2020

Sarah Buitendach Simz Mkhwanazi

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DREAM A LITTLE DREAM

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REVOR NOAH is the one who got away. It’s an utterly tragic tale. And he doesn’t even know it.

We have never met, at all, but I feel certain we were meant to be. We are the same age, both grew up in Joburg, have many common acquaintances and like all the same things — Midtown Manhattan apartments costing $10-million, for example.

The man is smart, funny, and good looking. To my mind that is the trifecta.

And then I heard that as a result of Covid-19 he is paying the salaries of the furloughed staff of his Daily Show. Is he not perfection?

Right now I could have been dodging paparazzi lenses, getting kitted out for the Met Gala or knocking up on a tennis court with our close friend Bill Gates, but I missed the opportunity when he was still on home turf and one of us mortals, and now, here I sit in local Level 4 limbo, Trevor-less.

Which is why, when our art director Anna Lineveldt, journalist Robyn Alexander, and I started to put together the imagery décorscapes on page 14 — with the idea of bringing a shot of the outside world and far-flung, exotic spots into our homes, I could not miss the opportunity.

F O R

“We are an escape hatch to little luxuries, lovely places, smart ideas, and great people, to keep you buoyant in hard times” So you will see how we’ve given Mr Noah the ultimate Scandi pad — warm, cosy, and chic. Basically, a perfect Norwegian chalet or Copenhagen loft for him to hunker down in. All that’s missing (once again) is me. Not your ideal getaway? How about channelling your inner Princess Margaret and making like you’re on the tropical island of Mustique? Or envisioning that you’re Grace Jones living it up in a hella ’80s New York apartment?

Unsurprisingly, a lot of this issue is fantasy-based. Holed up in our collective homes, our imaginations soared. Like the hot-air balloon lazing over the Namib desert on our cover.

During production of the magazine we all commented on how we’d die to be at one of the Namibian escapes Richard Holmes has written about, or sipping on the glass of red in the Hemel-en-Aarde valley that Moira Mdakana mentions on page 37. Ah wine. Remember that nectar of the gods?

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Actually we’d love to be doing a lot of things: popping into an art exhibition opening, grabbing breakfast, heading out to a dinner party and — the ultimate extravagance — hitting the open road and just going (see Denis Droppa’s suggestions for just this on page 30), zigzagging across as many provincial border lines as we could manage.

And we’d gladly welcome random small talk with Uber drivers, asking twice for a waiter to bring the bill, running into everyone we know at Woolies, putting up with extended family whingeing about “the evil media” at a Sunday lunch and — wait for it — we’d even be ok with a mildly delayed flight, just to get up in the air and travel again.

We know we’ll get to do all this soon enough (sans the late flights, we hope) but until then you can count on Wanted to be your portal to the life you usually, or would like to, live. We are an escape hatch to little luxuries, lovely places, smart ideas, and great people, to keep you buoyant in hard times.

Look after yourselves. And Trevor, if you’re reading this, you know where to find me.

Left: Trevor Noah Right: Grace Jones

M O R E , V I S I T

WA N T E D O N L I N E . C O . Z A

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PA R T N E R S H I P

FROM I OUR HOME TO YOURS

T’S ALWAYS BEEN YOUR refuge, the place that makes you happy, and where those you love gather — but right now, your home is pretty much your whole world.

Yup, 2020 is shaping up to be the year of extreme home comforts and cocooning in your own space. Never before has the idea of spending time in the safety of your own patch been so important. Seeing that Poetry are the masters of feel-good, naturally inspired homeware and furniture, who better to offer a bit of inspiration on the matter? Their creative team and Wanted rustled up a selection of ultra-beautiful new items to further feather your nest.

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This season we’re going for gentle hues, natural materials, softly graphic and botanical patterns, and touches of the exotic that remind us of the world beyond our windows.

A world we can’t wait to return to.

This assortment of lively objets and beautiful items will help you fashion a space that is soulful and rich, with layered textures and tones. We say, climb under a big blanket with a perfect cup of tea and a fantastic book. Get out granny’s recipe book and test drive her heartiest recipes on the family. Take a “me day” and not get out of your PJs at all. We’ll help you turn those four walls into a safe haven that brings you joy.

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poetrystores.co.za

*Please note: selected items may not be in stock yet, but should arrive post lockdown 1. Natural Spoons, Pack of 4, R250 2. Poetry Botanical Tonics, R599 3. G&T Infusion Kit, R225 4. Bamboo Blossom Notebook, R120 5. Salted Macadamia Nougat Bar, R45 6. Vintage Notebook, R120 7. Enamel and Bamboo Teapot, R799 8. Vintage Tea Towel, R120 9. Two-Tone Warm Handle Scarf, R350 10. Resin Drop Earrings, R175 11. Moira Small Leather Pouch, R250 12. Leather Waist-Tie Belt, R299 13. Willow Moss Body Scrub, R75 14. Willow Moss Shower Gel, R75 15. Willow Moss Body Butter, R75 @poetrystores

@poetrystores

@poetrystores

PA R T N E R S H I P

SAFE AS HOUSES

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F TIME FLIES when you’re having fun, then the opposite must be true when times are tough. The past few weeks have certainly been gruelling and the first quarter of 2020 will undoubtedly go down in the history books. We are currently experiencing what is possibly the biggest global event since World War 2, and we have definitely witnessed the fastest inflection from bull market to bear market globally.

While reactions to the Covid-19 outbreak were initially quite blasé, it quickly became clear that the virus

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Andrew Dittberner, Old Mutual Wealth’s chief investment officer for Private Client Securities offers some sage advice in these unsettling times is far more serious and represents a major global threat. We’re not healthcare experts so we will not attempt to give in-depth opinions from a medical perspective. Suffice to say, our understanding of the situation is that the real issue is the rate of infection and the strain it places on a country’s healthcare system. Overrun hospitals and sick healthcare professionals pose a very real risk to society. As such, we need to take the prescribed social distancing very seriously, irrespective of the interim economic fallout.

IN THE MIDDLE OF A CHAIN REACTION The extreme market volatility that has ensued recently is unprecedented. The sell-off has been swift. Compounding the volatility, OPEC+ failed to agree on the oil-production cuts required to stabilise the falling oil price. This resulted in the oil price, along with anything oil-related, plummeting to record lows. Given the current environment, central banks around the world have reacted aggressively by cutting interest rates, while governments are ready to support the economy through fiscal stimulus measures of varying degrees. Yet, despite these efforts, equity markets continue to trend lower — an indication

that market participants believe these efforts may not sufficiently manage the crisis. Unsurprisingly, investor reactions vary widely. While we have received many questions, they all ultimately boil down to the same thing: what should we do? Offering a definitive view is no more than guesswork and is likely to be incorrect.

In the short term, whether markets go up or down from here will largely be driven by investor psychology, and we do not know what the immediate future holds.

Every crisis is different, making it increasingly difficult to draw inferences from previous pandemics.

It is important to remember that all market participants are human, and irrespective of the façade put forth, it is likely that everyone has had a moment or two of panic. While this is a human reaction, it is important not to allow those emotions to drive our investment decisions.

With central banks acting decisively, it is positive to see that fiscal stimulus is following suit. Fiscal stimulus is viewed as the more appropriate response given that the panic we are witnessing is due to a cash-flow crisis.

Business owners face mounting costs, yet cash flow is diminishing as the economy slows. Fiscal intervention and potential bailouts should therefore be viewed as positive developments in this environment.

OUR VIEW Heading into 2020, our view on both local and global equity markets was neutral. While we viewed South African equities as attractively priced, we were not confident that local corporates would be able to deliver sustainable earnings growth in a depressed economic environment.

Globally, we were concerned about ever-rising valuations in a slowing global economy.

Given the recent sell-off, the local market has become even more attractively priced. However, the likelihood of earnings growth from South African corporates this year is diminishing. Globally, equity markets certainly appear more attractively priced today. Similar to South Africa though, we expect to see steep declines in company earnings in the first half of 2020, and possibly into the second half too. We will be in a better position to gauge market levels relative to economic reality once data becomes available and we begin to see the

extent of the economic fallout.

It is important to note that markets tend to bottom before the bad news does. So it is prudent not to sell out of the market during times of volatility, as one is likely to miss the recovery that ultimately ensues. Similarly, it is prudent not to invest all of one’s capital in the first leg down of a bear market.

Investors often forget how low markets can go; and as John Maynard Keynes famously said, “Markets can remain irrational longer than you can remain solvent.”

WAIT IT OUT Going back to the question around what investors should do, our answer would be: be patient and don’t panic.

The market will present opportunities that we will look back at one day as once-in-a-lifetime bargains. Investors need to be ready and prepared to capitalise on them when they occur.

In identifying opportunities, valuations will always be important.

However, in these circumstances, we believe that focusing on companies’ balance sheets is critical. Can companies survive a sustained downturn in the economy without having to raise further capital? This question should be at the top of the checklist. Secondly, is the impact of the coronavirus a transitory event, or is it likely to lead to a permanent impairment of all future earnings and cash flows? The answer to this question needs to be taken into account when valuing the business. If it is a passing thing, the longer-term impact on a company’s valuation is likely to be less significant. Similarly, certain companies will benefit in the current environment. Equally important is understanding whether consumer behaviour and preferences will change permanently, or whether behaviour reverts to normal after Covid-19.

Right now it is far easier to hold a pessimistic view. Hearing that the world is coming to an end is interesting, while hearing that things will get better in time is less so. Paraphrasing from an article by columnist Morgan Housel, “the difference between pessimism and optimism often comes down to time”. In the short term, there is a vast amount of uncertainty that lies ahead of us. However, history has repeatedly proven that long-term gains exceed short-term shocks. And, given our innate ability to evolve and adapt to situations, we see no reason why the ultimate outcome should be any different this time around.

EDITOR Sarah Buitendach (sarahb@arena.africa) MANAGING EDITOR Matthew McClure 011 280 5605 (mcclurem@arena.africa) CREATIVE DIRECTOR Anna Lineveldt JUNIOR DESIGNERS Carike de Jager

and Manelisi Dabata FASHION DIRECTOR Sharon Armstrong (armstrongs@arena.africa) FASHION EDITOR Sahil Harilal BEAUTY EDITOR Nokubonga Thusi (thusin@arena.africa) FASHION INTERN Nombuso Kumalo DÉCOR DIRECTOR Leana Schoeman (leanas@sundaytimes.co.za) GROUP MOTORING EDITOR Denis Droppa (droppad@arena.africa) SUBEDITOR Benazir Cassim

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11 Cool Covid-19 hacks to keep you on top of your game

12 High hope — Major Nandi Zama is doing big things for aviation

14 Take your living room on a trip through time and space, Wanted style

CONTENTS 22 Virtual reality: South African art goes online

28 Luxe brands use their powers for good

30 Road tripping through RSA... We wish

WAT C H E S

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HE PAST FEW WEEKS have shown us the true value and meaning of time. Sheltered in place, I’m sure it also involved a lot of armchair travel and planning for a time — hopefully not so far off — when we can answer the call of the wild. For now, maybe it’s more reasonable to chart out adventures in our own backyard.

Reacting to the “new normal”, our first view of new Rado novelties was through an online presentation. Among these were the elegant Rado Golden Horse 1957 limited edition — a ’50s-style homage watch with smokey-green dial and steel rice-bead bracelet — and the sleek Rado True Secret automatic, with cut-out window on its emerald dial. Both highlight the growing trend for green dials, which tap into our greater concern for the natural world. Rado has also updated its very popular Captain Cook collection with a gorgeous Captain Cook Rado Captain Automatic Bronze.

Cook Automatic Based on an original Rado diver’s watch that debuted in 1962, it was first revived in 2017 through the near-identical reproduction 37mm Rado HyperChrome Captain Cook Limited Edition. It came as a surprise that, when the brand known for the mastery of materials and futuristic designs launched its new collection three years ago, it was named for the 18th- century British explorer Captain James Cook. Yet this watch clearly hit a sweet spot with both collectors and newcomers. The Rado 42mm Captain Cook Automatic was launched last year as a more

Bronze

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Gary Cotterell

contemporary take on this timepiece, and if you’re looking to conquer new territories this is the perfect companion.

While there are a number of suitable tool watches to take on your journey, there are few as well-priced (around R38 000), robust, and flawless as this one. True to Rado style, hi-tech ceramic does make an appearance in the rotating concave bezel — in this case, highly polished green to complement the lush green sun-ray dial and natural tones of the brushed-bronze case and screw-down crown. Hands and indexes are finished in a gold colour with vintage-style, white SuperLumiNova. This bronze edition is also available in blue or smokey grey. Stainlesssteel versions on steel bracelets, and a vintage-sized 37mm ladies’ option is also available, but not in bronze for now.

Bronze as a material is more resistant to corrosion in seawater but the added beauty lies in the personalised patina it develops over time. However, the CuAl bronze used

by Rado is composed of aluminium and copper so will not patina as much as normal bronze. The circular, brushed-titanium screwdown case back features the characteristic three stamped seahorses and acts as added protection against any skin allergies. New pieces include updated water resistance to 300m and there is also proven reliability in the robust ETA C07 movement that has a handy 80-hour power reserve. The rotating anchor at 12 o’clock is a trademarked reference to a historical practice at Rado, assuming the anchor would stop swivelling when it was time for a service. rado.com or Swatch Group 011 911 1200

NEWS 01.

BACK TO THE FUTURE In 1970, the Hamilton Pulsar changed the way the world told time.

The Hamilton PSR celebrates the launch of that first digital watch from the spaceage era, this time with LCD & OLED hybrid display. Only 1 970 are available. Gold PVD coating, R19 100, or steel version, R14 300. hamiltonwatch.com

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DO THE TWIST The brand-new, elegant Maillon de Cartier collection, with its voluminous chain links offset and aligned on the bias, puts a fresh “twist” on the contemporary jewellery watch. POA. cartier. com or RLG Africa 011 317 2600. Read more at

wantedonline.co.za

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THAT’S THE SPIRIT The new Spirit of Big Bang 39mm women’s collection is both fashionforward and technically advanced. Cases are presented in pastel-pink or pastel-blue hi-tech ceramic with the option of a titanium or 18K King Gold diamond-set bezel. They are powered by the HUB1710 self-winding movement and are presented with matching alligator or rubber straps.

POA. hublot.com, Tanur Jewellers 021 418 2530 or World’s Finest 011 669 5600

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OBJET

Sahil Harilal Judd van Rensburg

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A MIGHTY HEART

STOCKIST DOLCE & GABBANA 011 326 7808 PHOTOGRAPHER’S ASSISTANT MASIXOLE NCEVU

D ev ot ion b ag , R 25 000, D olce & G ab b ana

STYLE NOTES

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SCENT TO KNOW

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thecoolhunter.net

COOKIN’

LUMA-

BEHIND THE MASK

he latest update from our president is that wearing a face mask is now de rigeur when we journey into the outside world, so why not make sure you’re stylishly responsible? Top local fashion designer Ella Buter, of Superella, has been creating beautiful fabric masks in neutral tones and they’re available via her Instagram account @verysuperella.

Grab a few now and, while you’re there, check out the other pretty fashion items she’s selling online.

SL Libre is a new chapter in the luxe brand’s universe and a significant departure from the sweet scents of Black Opium and Mon Paris. Expect a well-balanced, woody floral scent with orange blossom and lavender essence that give just the right amount of kick in the top notes, while musk accord and cedar wood nestled in vanilla create a warm, addictive base.

YSL Libre EDP, 50ml, R1 570

We suspect that the national lockdown resulted in many of us honing our kitchen skills. Old pros and new kitchen cowboys will love the Tartufo Nero Chef’s Knife, made in France and guaranteed to upgrade you to masterchef level. The brass detailing on the handle gives it a classic yet unmistakeably modern feel. Pick one up on

Nokubonga Thusi Matthew McClure

BE KIND

SECRETS

CHRISTIAN DIOR HAUTE COUTURE SPRING/SUMMER 2020

A Dior fan favourite, the Lip Glow balm now has a sidekick that will allow you to wear your lip glow however you like.

With the same lip-colour reviver technology and lightweight, moisturelocking formula, Lip Glow Oil offers an oil-based, vinyl-finish lacquer in six juicy shades.

Dior Backstage Lip Glow Oil in Berry and Rosewood, R855 each

LUMA IMAGE COURTESY NICO KRIJNO

DIOR IMAGE GETTY IMAGES/VICTOR BOYKO MASK IMAGE COURTESY ILZE LE ROUX

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Australian beauty brand Luma offers the dewy injection we all need going into winter. Its crushed-pearl-infused makeup and skin prep formulas have one clear objective — to leave your skin with an unreal glow. Stay radiant all year long with the Luma bronzing primer that gives skin a natural, lived-in, bronzed veil. Layer that with the multi-use, sheer lip and cheek tints in either Lady Luck or Signorita — and prepare for endless skin compliments. Luma Natural Radiance Bronzing Primer, R285; Luma Just A Touch Lip and Cheek Tint in Signorita and Lady Luck, R350 each

Dean Pozniak’s Simon and Mary has been on our list of cool local fashion-accessory brands since it popped up in 2014.

Its handmade hats have graced the head of many an SA creative, and it recently announced that it has partnered with Greenpop to plant trees in proportion to the number of hats sold. It also reuses the water needed to create the steam used to shape its iconic felt hats. We’re always down for being kinder to planet Earth! simonandmary.co.za

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DOWN TO BUSINESS

05 / 2020

Lukanyo Mnyanda Freddy Mavunda

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S I BEGAN writing this column, we were exactly three weeks into our national lockdown. That was supposed to be our Freedom Day. And the real thing also came and went. I’m going to be optimistic and assume that the lockdown eventually got relaxed.

But what an odd month April was in its entirety. It has definitely made us all rethink what is important. Talking to people in the UK, it’s hard to imagine that, before March, Brexit was the biggest worry.

Now the attitude is rather, “bring it on”.

As for us here in SA, all that worry about recession, a tanking rand, and credit downgrades. Bring it on?

Not quite.

While the Brits might yet be spared Brexit if they emerge out of this crisis with newfound humility, we won’t be that lucky. Covid-19 merely added to our misery. To think that the sluggish growth of the Jacob Zuma years, which surprisingly got worse

during Cyril Ramaphosa’s new dawn, is now something that we might actually desire.

It beats living in a world on course for the deepest economic contraction since the Great Depression.

One can’t help but think we are cursed.

But that’s not why, over the Easter Weekend, I found myself going to church — virtually, of course. This was one of the very few times that, as an adult, I’ve been to a religious ceremony that didn’t involve a wedding or a funeral — not that either of those were an option in the past month either.

On the morning of April 10 — Good Friday — I had a conversation with Duma Gqubule, who among other things, is a columnist for Business Day. Our discussions revolved not around religion, but the economy and stimulus packages, or rather the lack thereof.

And then there we were, talking about the Easter sermon to be delivered over the airwaves by Anglican

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Paul Theron

“Even as a child, I was never really convinced by the stories in the Bible” community than a literal belief in those scriptures?

And, stuck in a flat in Johannesburg, I suddenly found myself sentimental about my childhood as a reluctant, sometimes truant churchgoer, and for the sight of my grandmother and other women her age in those red uniforms, singing their hearts out and banging those hymn song books against their hands.

Strange days indeed.

Mnyanda is the editor of Business Day

Small- and medium-sized businesses have an important role to play on the planet, says Piketty. He prefers “temporary ownership” by which successful business people will not accumulate wealth but will see it taxed away, giving others the chance to succeed. Does he not realise that the state is not always a reliable partner in promoting social progress?

In any event, when stock markets fall by a lot, as they did between 20 February and 23 March, it is the investors of the world that take the pain.

I doubt that Mr Piketty rushed off to update his charts and tables to reflect that wealth inequality declined by a third in one month?

It’s the market’s job to absorb losses at a time like this.

The owners of stocks are taking risks because the value of equity in a company is never guaranteed. If you have equity investments then the risk of a downturn due to a pandemic is one of the risks you’re taking.

You’re part of the world’s stock of loss-absorbing capital. That’s what it means to have wealth.

Not that I am complaining.

I’ll happily stay invested and wait for a market recovery.

Theron is CEO of asset manager Vestact

PORTRAIT TREATMENT MANELISI DABATA

BEYOND BELIEF

Archbishop Thabo Makgoba.

By the end of our conversation we had spoken about growing up in religious households: the forced Sundayschool attendances and the hymns that we haven’t quite forgotten. I was raised Methodist, but that’s beside the point.

Even as a child, I was never really convinced by the stories in the Bible and had many a debate with my grandmother, who probably thought I asked way too many questions, and sometimes told me so.

Though my semi-religious phase had no chance of surviving Rhodes University and introduction to Marxism, I never stopped appreciating the cultural value, and often wondered if it was the same for the adults at the time. Was the weekly ritual more about

SHARE IN THE LUXURY

HE PEOPLE READING this excellent magazine are likely to be savers, investors, and holders of capital. In other words, wealthy people. In recent decades stock markets have done well, rewarding such people for deferring their consumption and putting it to work in financing capitalist enterprises.

This gives rise to wealth inequality.

Leftist academics like Thomas Piketty, who wrote the influential 2013 book Capital in the Twenty-First Century, believes that this outcome is a travesty. Now, he has written a long-awaited (by some, not me) sequel. It is even more weighty at over 1 000 pages.

His proposed solution to the world’s problems is a familiar one: more taxes.

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OCKDOWN HAS probably seen those of us privileged enough to have domestic assistance doing our own daily cleaning. Research at Florida State University has shown that tasks like washing dishes encourage mindfulness, so scrubbing that pasta pot from last night is almost like meditation.

Almost. Use scented dishwashing liquid to elevate the experience. We love the basil-and-lime-infused Jewel dishwashing liquid. amka.co.za

I’ve long been a fan of Oregano Catering and Patisserie, tucked away on 7th Street in Linden. They do pasteis de nata to die for, and have really upped their home-delivery game for lockdown.

Order a few slabs of The Chocolatiers mouthwatering chocolate, or their dinky baby-veg boxes. Don’t forget to add a loaf of sourdough to your online cart.

Trust me, it’s worth it. oreganocatering.co.za

The guys over at virtualbucketlist.guru have negotiated special deals, available to book now, with some of our country’s most beautiful hotels and lodges. The best part is you only pay when you travel. It’s a small way we can keep our tourism and hospitality industry alive and well until we can all leave our homes again. virtualbucketlist.guru

Artthrob is asking local artists, curators, and writers to send a sampling of music from their Spotify lists for us to listen to. Called Music to Social Distance To, this is getting me up and going in the morning. artthrob.co.za HBO’s Succession follows the darkly dysfunctional machinations of the Roy family. It is epic in scale and infinitely watchable, the perfect distraction from any lockdown blues. I signed up for a Showmax trial just for this. showmax.com

Does your trusty Samsonite backpack remind you of all the globetrotting you used to do, every time you open your wardrobe? Put it to work. Pack it with a few Encyclopedia Britannicas, load it onto your back and get those squats and lunges in.

DO THE DISHES, NO, REALLY

NATURE’S WAY

Order in

JOBURG PLAY YOUR PART

LOOK AND LISTEN

No gym?

No problem

Order in

CAPE TOWN

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Matthew McClure

I’ve noticed that, along with hand sanitiser and masks, vitamin C was the first thing to disappear off pharmacy shelves when we went into lockdown.

A Vogel’s Echinaforce tablets or drops provide all-natural immune-system support against common colds, flu, and respiratory-tract infections. avogel.co.za

Granadilla Veggie Box is an online food delivery service that only sources from local, small-scale farmers. It’s like a farmer’s market at your fingertips, and there’s never been a more important time to support the small guys. Pick up all-time favourites like Honest Chocolate and ButtaNutt almond- and macadamia-nut butter. granadillaswim.com

GET BY WITH A Feeling stressed?

LITTLE Cabin fever to HELP threatening overwhelm you?

Here’s managing editor Matthew McClure’s selection of little luxuries and hacks to get you through the madness that Covid-19 has brought upon us

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Richard Holmes Shaun Uthum

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N C H I L D H O O D Na n d i Zama didn’t watch in wonder as planes flew overhead. She didn’t have jet posters plastered on her bedroom walls, or build model aircraft and dream of one day being at the controls. For a young girl growing up in KwaMashu township, north of Durban, a career in aviation was a farfetched notion.

And that’s precisely what she’s trying to change.

“Where I’m from, we simply didn’t have exposure to flying,” says Zama.

“But one of my science teachers at school brought an article about the air force and their cadet programme. I was looking for something different to the normal nineto-five career, so, without really knowing what it was all about I sent through an application to the air force. It was just the right time, right place.”

Her application led to an interview, and then the offer of a place in the air force’s cadet training programme. “And from that moment, I was hooked!” says Zama.

But perhaps more accurately, it’s Major Nandi Zama, as she is referred to when she reports for duty in command of 28 Squadron at Waterkloof Air Force Base, east of Pretoria.

As a commander her day job is at the controls of the Hercules C130BZ. In fact, she was the first black woman

such as the DRC. It’s extremely varied.”

She was also the commander of the C130 leading the formation that roared above President Cyril Ramaphosa’s inauguration ceremony in 2019, a career highlight for Zama.

“But the most significant flying is where we’re flying support missions to help other nations. My mantra is, ‘Flying for a tangible difference, no matter where I am,’ which is why, in addition to my flying work, I volunteer with organisations such as the Girls Fly Programme in Africa (GFPA),” says Zama.

An educational non-profit organisation, the GFPA was founded in 2010 by fellow pilot Refilwe Ledwaba — a member of the Royal Aeronautical Society, and in 2019 among the second cohort of Obama Foundation African Leaders — with the aim of promoting aviation and aerospace as a viable and accessible career choice for girls and women on the continent.

“Aviation is an exclusive industry,” says Zama. “Historically it has not had a lot of black people, and it has been predominantly male. The GFPA is about trying to show young women that aviation is a viable career option because, like me, many don’t have exposure to aviation and aerospace in schools.”

The GFPA runs a phased series of programmes aimed at school-age learners, often in under-served rural and peri-urban areas. The first phase focuses

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participate in an annual aviation and aerospace camp. Across four days of workshops, lectures, and practical exercises students delve into the world of aviation, engineering, robotics, and aeronautics. Each year up to 100 young women are hosted at the camp, with all expenses covered by the GFPA sponsors.

Perhaps unsurprisingly for someone whose office is at 35 000 feet, Zama’s passion is broadening the horizon of aviation for young people.

“It’s important to expand the young person’s idea of what aviation and aerospace are all about,” says Zama.

“Refilwe was a pilot for the police service.

I’m a military pilot. There’s private charter, there’s tourism, there’s antipoaching. Then there’s air traffic control, astronomy, technicians. We provide a lot of information and education support to the learners, parents and teachers.

We believe that once the information is there and available it sparks interest in the whole world of aviation.”

The GFPA is also strengthening its online offering, with educational and career resources alongside online learning tools in partnership with US-based Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

For learners who actively pursue a career in aviation, the GFPA also plays a crucial role in providing access to a network of established industry professionals.

Major Nandi Zama brings new meaning to the term “aiming high”

in South Africa to pilot and command this mammoth military-transport plane.

Glass ceilings didn’t stand a chance.

“We are responsible for the movement of any and all cargo and personnel for the department of defence, or other departments we may support,” explains Zama. “The type of flying ranges from regular transport missions to humanitarian-aid missions. We also do maritime search and rescue, we do aerial repositioning, and we support the United Nations missions in countries

on primary-school learners, with open days and school visits by professionals in the aviation industry. Along with highlighting careers in aviation, the focus is also on encouraging an uptake in Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects at school.

“A lot of learners are shying away from maths and science, but these are essential for an aviation career,” adds Zama.

The next phase targets secondaryschool learners, with online educational resources and the opportunity to

“One of the barriers to success, for women in particular, is the access to a network of industry professionals.

In the third phase we’re particularly addressing those barriers, and working to retain young women in the industry,” says Zama. “Through job shadowing and mentorship programmes we provide guidance and exposure to professionals in their chosen field. It’s crucial for youngsters coming into the industry.” gfpafoundation.org

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Robyn Alexander Sarah Buitendach

production

Y

OU’RE SPENDING disproportionate hours at home, but that doesn’t mean you should give up on your

dreams of grand voyages. Here the Wanted team shows you how to bring the globe into your lounge.

And not just any destination, mind. Turn your living room into a lair fit for royalty — English, rock, or otherwise. Or fashion your pad as a cocoon straight out of a Scandi dream. Whatever your style proclivities and travel fantasies, we’ve got you covered.

SCANDI NEST

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DDÉÉCCOORR

05 / 2020

OME OF US, faced with the prospect of being confined to our homes for

substantial amounts of time, want to turn them

Can’t get away?

Fret not, we show you how to break free from it all, while staying put...

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into spaces that remind us of the wider world.

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Others crave the exact opposite: a clean-lined but marvellously comforting cocoon. This sort of interior-design style certainly ticks all the boxes for hygge — a Danish word that loosely describes a feeling of cosiness and ease. In this updated version, multiple tones of cream meet rich shades of caramel and a variety of textures: think wood, bamboo, natural linen and faux (or real) sheepskins. Candlelight is essential too, and the Danish designer Tine Kjeldsen — whose hugely successful Tine K

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Home décor line has been much imitated

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around the world — is the look’s leading light.

For extra inspo: Listen to: There are few sounds more

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soothing than Yo-Yo Ma playing Bach, so cue up the Spotify playlist that takes your

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fancy — we like Yo-Yo Ma: Bach Cello Suites.

Then simply light some candles, pour yourself a snifter of your best SA brandy, and enjoy.

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1. Tarida drinks unit, R47 000, Tonic Design 2. Fundo basket lampshades, from R460, Knus 3. Bamboo flower mirror, R1 000, MRP Home 4. Fiddle leaf fig, R625, Plantify 5. Natural wood shadowbox frame, from R285, Knus 6. Inoculation II by Nkosana Nhlapo, R4 410, Artist Proof Studio 7. Amakoporosh Mission print by Sifiso Temba, R5 060, Artist Proof Studio 8. Theo wall unit, from R38 300, La Grange Interiors 9. Square alarm clock, R129, Superbalist 10. Dome pendant light, R5 800, Bofred 11. White shadow box frame, from R285, Knus 12. Natural wood shadow box frame, from R285, Knus 12. Greener Pastures by Nathi Ndlandla, R4 640, Artist Proof Studio 14. Cappellini Basket 011 armchair, POA, True Design 15. Daily Show With Trevor Noah mugs, props only 16. Rattan side table, R1 000, MRP Home 17. De Padova Tattomi chair, POA, Generation Design

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18. Natal floor lamp, R10 200, Bofred 19. Bespoke Frances VH x Tara Hogan mohair rug, Frances VH 20. The Radius lounge chair, R5 800, Knus 21. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, R224, Exclusive Books 22. Punshair rug, R16 995, La Grange Interiors 23. Black, light grey and white patterned Terrazzo tile, R377 per box, Union Tiles 24. Bleached coffee table, R12 200, La Grange Interiors 25. Small white and gold ceramic vase, R2 900, La Grange Interiors 26. Medium white and gold ceramic vase, R3 400, La Grange Interiors 27. Set of 3 copper and marble candlesticks, R1 100, Knus 28. Velvet stool in clay colour, R1 860, Hertex Haus 29. Soho wool blanket, R5 201, Knus 30. Cavalier II no 97 medium duffel bag in Chestnut Leather, $1 495, Ghurka 31. Formentera sofa, R28 000 (excluding fabric), Tonic Design

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DÉCOR

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MUSTIQUE MYSTIQUE

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UIDED BY the supremely elegant spirit of its patron saint — Princess Margaret in

sunglasses and a kaftan, with Roddy Llewellyn on her arm — the “Mustique Mystique” look is all about expat living on a tropical island.

It’s a décor style that eschews the obvious (shades of blue and white) to instead embrace muted tones of green and yellow, with a special mention going to “Messel green”. This is a chic mid-green shade (not as pale as eau de Nil, not as bold as apple) that looks just perfect in bright, tropical light, and is named

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for Oliver Messel, the theatre-designer-turnedinteriors-guru who designed and decorated a large number of beautiful homes on the

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islands of Mustique and Barbados in the 1960s and 1970s. This “island style” also casually mixes antique pieces with cane and wicker — latticework of some sort is essential — and includes plush sofas and armchairs for all-day

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lounging, as well as loads of side tables on which to (briefly) rest your G&T.

For extra inspo: Page through: Island Style by India Hicks (Rizzoli) — an interior-design style tome by the contemporary queen of English-expat “island style”, who was one of Princess Diana’s bridesmaids. She lives in the Bahamas with her partner and their five children. Sadly, Rizzoli’s book dedicated to Oliver Messel himself is now out of print. Hicks’ Instagram feed (@indiahicksstyle) captures her version of island life rather well too.

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1. Palmera wallpaper in Midnight/Green, £125-£185 per roll, House of Hackney 2. Coco mirror, R2 995, Weylandts 3. Bamboo Room Divider, R2 990, Mon 4. Trestle ceramic pot plant in dark blue, R899, Superbalist 5. Kelim carpet in ornament green, R7 229, Kare 6. Halston slipper chair, R13 000 excluding fabric, Tonic Design 7. Handmade 150cm teak and rattan cupboard, R11 500, 8 Degrees South 8. Pink glass Lucton table lamp, £1 492, Fritz Fryer 9. Enchanted Rhodania print, R2 990, Pezula Interiors 10. Jasmine & Serin wallpaper from Cole & Son’s Seville collection, POA, St Leger & Viney 11. Fanimation Islander ceiling fan, from R17 700, Sky Fans 12. &Klevering Canaries mirror in pink,

IMAGES ANTONY ARMSTRONG-JONES: POPPERFOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES; MARGARET’S SON: ROLLS PRESS/POPPERFOTO VIA GETTY IMAGES; QUEEN ELIZABETH: ANWAR HUSSEIN/GETTY IMAGES; PRINCESS MARGARET: LICHFIELD ARCHIVE VIA GETTY IMAGES, AND SUPPLIED

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£40, Amara 13. Disk wardrobe in pink, R39 889, Kare 14. Famous Grouse Scotch whisky, R199, Makro 15. Joanne Buchanan Palm Tree bottle opener, £58, Amara 16. Natchmann Noblesse whisky tumblers, set of 4, R379, Yuppiechef 17. Gordon’s London Dry Gin, R159, Makro 18. Rattan tray with leather handles, R610, Cécile & Boyd 19. Cha cha table, R8 510, Haldane Martin 20. Fundo baskets, R230 each, Plantify 21. Chindi rug in beige, R10 995, Block and Chisel 22. Burr coffee table, R16 000, Tonic Design 23. Blushing coral on stand, R1 295, Block and Chisel 24. Basley-Dyer fronted cushion, £120, Vintage Cushions 25. Kedare sofa, R32 999, Egg Designs 26. Jungle turquoise vase, R5 299, Kare 27. &Klevering ’70s vase, £33, Amara 28. Gold parrot wall decoration, R2 739, Kare

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DISCO INFERNO

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T’S ALL CHUNKY curves and rounded edges around here, where

Grace Jones pops in for a Long Island iced

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tea on the regular, and fabulously upbeat

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disco records are on permanent rotation on the stereo... This take on vintage ’80s style features loads of glossy textures and surfaces: think gleaming glass and highshine tiles. In short, you should have the aesthetic of French photographer Jean-Paul Goude — most famous for photographing and making music videos for Jones — in mind at all times. (Ideally, keep a copy of his eponymous coffee-table tome of images, published by Thames & Hudson, on the chrome-and-glass coffee table.) Red, blue, and black are key shades for this decadent,

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very sexy version of the ’80s interior, which

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can really only be lightened up by choosing

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a white wine spritzer to drink — and then only when you’re not in serious party mode.

For extra inspo: Listen to: The simply heavenly soundtrack to the much-underrated movie The Last Days of Disco (1998), which these days is available as a Spotify playlist that takes you through all 27 epic disco songs featured in the film.

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1. Pink Contour Lines art print, R365, Knus 2. Black Tubey floor light, R10 900, La Grange Interiors 3. &Klevering blue arch vase, £45, Amara 4. Loop dining chair, R6 999, La Grange Interiors 5. Deluxe plain rug in Gunmetal, from R3 680-R6 240, Hertex Haus 6. Full moon floor lamp, R9 995, La Grange Interiors 7. Dane single seat in grey velvet, R8 499, @home 8. Qeeboo Korall small planter, £165, Amara 9. CM Coffee Table, R38 000, Tonic Design 10. Wild Thing fabric in Onyx, R750/metre, Hertex 11. Seletti gold-rimmed tongue glass, for similar, Generation Design

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IMAGES DOLPH LUNDGREN: DAVE HOGAN/HULTON ARCHIVE/GETTY IMAGES; GRACE JONES: KEITH HAMSHERE/GETTY IMAGES; HAIRDRESSER: AL PEREIRA/MICHAEL OCHS ARCHIVES/GETTY IMAGES; DISCO BALL: 123RF; AND SUPPLIED

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Stockists amara.com, artistproofstudio.co.za, bellafreud.com, blockandchisel.co.za, bofred.co.za, cecileandboyds.com, eggdesigns.com, eightdegreessouth.com, exclusivebooks.co.za, francesvh.com, fritzfryer.co.uk, george.com, generationdesign.co.za, ghurka.com, haldanemartin.co.za, hertex.co.za hertexhaus.co.za, home.co.za, houseofhackney.com, lagrangeinteriors.co.za, kare-design.com, knus.co makro.co.za, monexteriors.com, mrphome.com, newport.co.za, pezulainteriors.co.za, plantify.co.za, skyfansco.za, stleger.co.za, superbalist.com, tonicdesign. co.za, truedesign.co.za, uniontiles.co.za, vintagecushions. com, weylandts.co.za, yuppiechef.com

12. Ligne Blanche black Keith Haring scented candle, £35, Amara 13. Cherry stool in Leo fabric, R1 519, Kare 14. Iggy Leopard cushion, £240, Bella Freud 15. De Padova Erei sofa, POA, Generation Design 16. Caletta armchair, R20 000 excluding fabric, Tonic Design 17. Kisumu Server, R84 000, Tonic Design 18. Bicoca table lamp by Marset, from R6 268, Newport Lighting 19. Seletti Canopie vase, R4 670, Generation 20. Set of 2 disco-ball-shaped tumblers, £4, George 21. Jonathan Adler lips trinket tray, £98, Amara

LIVE LIVEVIRTUAL VIRTUALAUCTION AUCTION 19th 19thCentury, Century,Modern, Modern,Post-War Post-Warand andContemporary ContemporaryArt, Art,Decorative DecorativeArts, Arts,Jewellery Jewelleryand andWine Wine Sunday 10 May and Monday 11 May 2020 Sunday 10 May and Monday 11 May 2020 Irma IrmaStern, Stern,Zanzibar ZanzibarArab Arab R10 R10000 000000 000--12 12000 000000, 000,From FromIrma IrmaStern’s Stern’sGolden GoldenZanzibar Zanzibar Period Period

THE LIVE VIRTUAL AUCTION will take place on Sunday 10 May (Wine) and Monday 11 May 2020 (Jewellery, Decorative Decorative Arts Arts and and Art) Art) on www.straussart.co.za ENQUIRIES: +27 21 683 6560 | ct@straussart.co.za | www.straussart.co.za

Bidding isis open open Bidding Registerand andBid BidOnline Online Register Onlinebidding biddingfacilitated facilitatedby byInvaluable.com Invaluable.com Online

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05 / 2020

Paula Andropoulos

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The Future featured almost 50 prominent South African HE DANCER AND choreographer artists, and raised a total of R1.8-million, half of which has Twyla Tharp once said that “Art is the been set aside for the Solidarity Fund. Charles Shields, the only way to run away without leaving director of Everard Read, was delighted and surprised by home.” At this point, I think we can all the public’s response to the exhibition. “We had a little bit testify to the accuracy of this maxim: of anxiety to begin with, given the current climate — some human beings are so deeply reliant on art, especially when trepidation, given the state of the economy,” he recalls. the contingencies of day-to-day life become unbearable.

“A week before the [digital] exhibition, the galleries had Visual media, literature, music: all have the capacity either been all but empty, the phone wasn’t ringing… then, as to lay bare the marrow of a crisis, or to transport us away soon as the exhibition was online, in about 15 minutes from it altogether, if only for a moment or a few moments flat, we had requests for about 300 portfolios from the at a time. Of course, our investment in art is also one of four galleries.” the first things to flounder whenever the economy does: Shields suggests that old artworks have accrued new there is truth in the educator’s lament that art and drama significance under the present circumstances: “It became programmes are always the first forfeits to budget cuts. a very interesting exercise, to revisit the best of what we It stands to reason, then, that the Covid-19 crisis Susie Goodman at a Strauss & Co auction had in stock under a wholly new context. And we had a currently remaking the world as we know it does not better result from the digital exhibition than I think we bode well for South African creatives. Galleries are closed, would have had under ordinary circumstances.” Everard remote studios are inaccessible to the artists who ordinarily Read is clearly committed to sustaining its momentum, as rely on them, and many people are surviving on their its next digital exhibition, Us, is already well underway. savings or on a fragment of their former pay cheques.

Its namesake is a Brett Murray sculpture featured in the Contrary to this dire augury, however, the South collection: two nagapies locked in an embrace, a piece African art world has been remarkably quick to adapt, that Shields describes as “iconic, and which triggered and both individual creatives and the businesses that the show”. Us features works from a broad selection of bolster and support them are finding novel ways to local heavyweights, including Deborah Bell and Michael market and sell their wares, even in the thick of isolation.

MacGarry. Each of the pieces that comprise the collection Indeed, as Johannesburg-based artist Robyn Penn notes as a whole speak, after their own fashion, to a sense of in relation to her own practice, many artistic disciplines distress; to our appetite for interpersonal solace, and to are intrinsically solitary to begin with. the general bewilderment associated with adjusting to a Penn, a fine artist and printmaker, is perhaps best new world order. “Earnest art is often lost in times of known for her highly evocative cloudscapes. Her work excess,” says Shields. will be included in the second round of The Lockdown South African auction house Strauss & Co’s induction Collection, a collaborative venture by Sirdar Group, Mrs into the world of digital retailing has been less abrupt than Woolf, and Artist Proof Studio. The Lockdown Collection that of many of its counterparts — its first online auction was in 2013. But, as executive comprises a virtual auction, the proceeds of which are being divided between individual director Susie Goodman recalls, prior to the lockdown, the digital facet was “sort of artists and the Solidarity Fund. The first iteration raised an estimated R2-million — and this just ticking along. This is different, and exciting — we’ve used this opportunity to really reaction to the impact of the coronavirus appears to be consistent with what’s happening endorse the digital process and its reach.” Its most recent “Lockdown” sale brought in in the South African art world as a whole. a total of R6-million, with a record-breaking 499 lots sold online. The auction included Everard Read, the gallery empire with branches in Cape Town, Franschhoek, Joburg a glorious-sounding miscellany: paintings, Republican-era snuff bottles, Chinese objets and London, launched its first digital exhibition in April. Staring Straight To

Talk about resilient!

South Africa’s art scene has been quick to respond creatively to Covid-19

1. Blessing Ngobeni,Vehicle of Failed State 2. Andrzej Urbanski, A027 66/61/20 3. Bambo Sibiya, Staring to the Future 4. Walter Battiss, Le Déjeuner sur l’Herbe 5. Angus Taylor, Sit Maquette 6. Setlamorago Mashilo, Modumo Kgole 7. Walter Voigt, Timbavati With Elephant, Kruger

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d’art, and — in what was apparently something of a coup — a collection of wines, curated in collaboration with sommelier Higgo Jacobs and Wine Cellar’s Roland Peens.

Again, a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Solidarity Fund. “We feel a real sense of responsibility, as an auction house, both to keep educating, and to put buyers and sellers together,” says Goodman.

Over the course of the lockdown, Strauss & Co has adapted itself masterfully to the new market, expanding its catalogue of artists’ bios, refining online visualisation and measurement tools, and staging “Talkabouts” over Zoom. The latter happened on a daily basis leading up to the auction, with experts such as photographic legend Greg Marinovich dialing in from the United States to expound on his area of expertise.

“People like to hear stories and anecdotes — it’s been a privilege,” Goodman reflects.

“The art market can be so intimidating, and this has also given us a chance to empower people to ask questions, to get comfortable with sourcing things online and expanding their reference points — to become more au fait with how easy it is to bid. There have been some incredible bargains and [the lockdown] has allowed us all to engage with the creative arts differently.”

FNB Art Joburg has also been quick to respond to the holistic transition from studio to cyberspace. “Although it feels like ages ago now, you’ll remember that in the weeks before the lockdown, there was a very noticeable [decrease] in foot traffic at local businesses,” recalls founding director Mandla Sibeko. “We were concerned our galleries’ shows, often planned with the artists months in advance, weren’t going to be seen by their audiences.” As a solution, they launched #ArtJoburg365 — a series of short videos on each exhibition, which is available online. “We got a great response and continue to receive strong viewership,” says Sibeko. “At the same 11. time, we are conscious that there is quite a lot of digital content being put out into the world right now. Currently we’re releasing one #ArtJoburg365 video a week, and will continue to be mindful of what we are posting.

We hope this keeps the series special, for our audience and galleries.”

The digital platforms upon which we have all come to rely so heavily have made it possible for working artists to keep plying their trade against the odds. Cape Town-based Fanie Buys, a multi-media artist with a genius for converting the stuff of tabloid fodder into rich, romantic, intertextual pieces, describes Instagram as his “bread and butter”, but has also been reflecting on how he might expand his virtual reach. “I am up at night thinking of how I can make TikTok an effective 14. platform, and I’ve been enjoying Twitter as well, both personally and professionally. The thing I like about this point in my career is that I can straddle personal and professional relationships. A lot of people who like my art, like me, and I like them. Taking the time to engage [with your clients] is the most effective strategy I can recommend.” Indeed, as Buys portends, the media interfaces most artists are using at this juncture in the lockdown blur the distinction between their gallery and domestic personas, endowing most of the art on display with an additional dimension, especially valuable now, when we are all craving connection. “My core group of supporters are people who take time out of their lives to remind me that I give them joy,” remarks Buys. “This is probably the one time I will be sincere to the press.”

TRAILBLAZERS

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Aspire Art Auctions has been at the forefront of online auctioneering since 2016, but its new Private Sales Online Viewing Room takes it a step further by allowing members exclusive preview access before auctions.

Visit aspireart.net, where Aspire’s knowledgeable art consultants are on the other end of your screen to assist you. There’s even an app available for download to take online bidding to the next level.

8. Lady Skollie, If You Stop Using Your Boner as a Compass, You Might End Up In a Nicer Place 9. Brett Murray, Solace 10. Peter Clarke, Harvesters, Teslaarsdal 11. Beth Diane Armstrong, Surge 12. Jacob Hendrik Pierneef, Mountain Landscape 13. Deborah Bell, Sentinels 14. Walter Battiss, Birds 15. Teresa Kutala Firmino, Pouring Privilege

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PA R T N E R S H I P

05 / 2020

Jo Buitendach

An impressive tally of luminaries and eccentrics have lived in the City of Gold. Here’s our pick of the Joburg homes made famous by their intriguing inhabitants

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OR ALMOST 30 years, the name Balwin Properties has been synonymous with exceptional homes and housing developments that embody lifestyle — not just bricks and mortar. This month Wanted has teamed up with the JSE-listed company to present this snoopy snapshot of homes we’re totally fascinated by. balwin.co.za

1. VILLA ARCADIA Johannesburg’s Parktown ridge sports a number of stately mansions built by the city’s elite at the turn of the last century. One of these architectural jewels is Villa Arcadia, once the home of randlord Sir Lionel Phillips and his formidable wife Lady Florence Phillips.

The couple were known for their impressive art collection and Lady Phillips was responsible for establishing the Johannesburg Art Gallery.

In the early 1900s, and

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with much involvement by and opinion from her, famed architects Herbert Baker and Francis Edward Masey designed the couple’s Italianate villa-style abode.

In 1922, the home was converted into the South African Jewish Orphanage and by the 1990s it was the venue for some wild parties. In 2003 Hollard bought the residence and its surrounding land, setting up its offices at the site. The original home has now been restored to its former glory and houses a superb art

collection, of which we can only assume Lady Florence would approve. The Joburg Heritage Foundation occasionally hosts tours of Villa Arcadia.

2. THE SAXON HOTEL The Saxon is one of South Africa’s most luxurious hotels and super popular with the celebrity set. It’s not surprising, then, that it was once the 1990s post-modern pad of billionaire businessman and insurance guru Douw Steyn — built on 2.4ha of prime real estate he’d bought

in the ’80s. For six months in 1994 Nelson Mandela called the sprawling residence home — and it’s there that he edited his autobiography Long Walk to Freedom. In the same decade, Steyn ditched the sprawling Sandhurst spot and turned it into the uber boutique hotel we all know and love. He later upgraded to an extravagant lair at his own Steyn City development in Midrand. Reminiscent of Thor’s palace in Asgard, faux aqueduct included, it makes The Saxon look positively low key.

3. L RON HUBBARD HOUSE Mid-century-design fans should visit L Ron Hubbard House in the east of Johannesburg stat. The eponymous science fiction author and Scientology founder might be acclaimed for his religious movement, but his home is also worthy of conversation. He lived in this fantastic example of post-war South African modernism in the 1960s. With its bold flying roof, glossy parquet floors and slasto walls, the house situated on Linksfield Ridge also has breathtaking views of Joburg.

IMAGES VILLA ARCADIA, BRIAN MCKECHNIE; L.RON HUBBARD HOUSE, COURTESY L.RON HUBBARD MUSEUM AND SUPPLIED

Lifestyles of the rich and famous

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“It was in Johannesburg that I found my most precious friends.

It was in Johannesburg that the foundation for the great struggle of Passive Resistance was laid in September 1906”

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Originally built for a Greek timber merchant in 1951, it was conceived by architect Frank L Jarrett, who also created gems such as Chancellor House, the legal offices of Nelson Mandela and Oliver Tambo. It is now a museum focusing on Hubbard’s life story and works.

4. DR AB XUMA AND MADIE HALL-XUMA HOUSE Before the apartheid government’s devastating racebased forced removals of 1955, Sophiatown was home to the

likes of Hugh Masekela and Father Trevor Huddleston.

Two equally important but often forgotten heroes that lived there for over 20 years were Dr AB Xuma and his wife Madie Hall-Xuma. AB was a highly qualified medical doctor and president of the ANC, who introduced a constitution that opened the party to all races and gave equal rights to women. Not to be overshadowed, Hall-Xuma, who hailed from the US, was a social worker and served as president of the ANC Women’s League.

Only two homes survived the

area’s forced removals, one of which is the Xumas’ single storey, red-brick home. It’s now a heritage centre and small museum which hosts heritage walks and cultural events.

5. SATYAGRAHA HOUSE Mohandas Gandhi lived in South Africa for over 20 years, spending the majority of that time in Johannesburg.

Of the city he said, “It was in Johannesburg that I found my most precious friends.

It was in Johannesburg that the foundation for the great struggle of Passive Resistance

was laid in September 1906.

Johannesburg, therefore, had the holiest of all holy associations that Mrs Gandhi and I will carry back to India.”

It’s not surprising, then, that Jozi boasts a number of Gandhi-related heritage sites that include the Hindu Crematorium at Brixton Cemetery, which Gandhi began for the city’s early Hindu community, and the prison at the Old Fort where he served time as a prisoner. Then there’s Gandhi’s former home, nestled in the leafy suburb of Orchards.

Satyagraha House, as it’s now known — named for Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violent struggle — was designed and built by his friend, German architect Hermann Kallenbach. The simple structure, originally called “The Kraal”, was created along the ideas of simple living, self-discipline, and turning away from a life of wealth and comfort. Today it’s a small museum and guesthouse that offers vegetarian meals (by prior arrangement), which can be enjoyed in the shade of the property’s Pride of India trees.

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LVMH Luxury behemoth LVMH was one of the first to initiate a relief response, having committed in midMarch to produce and distribute 50-60 tonnes of hydroalcoholic gel — aka hand sanitiser — to hospitals in France each week. LVMH has ordered 40-million masks (both surgical and FFP2), from a Chinese supplier, that will be distributed among French healthcare authorities in batches.

Reacting to the shortage of medical equipment in France, the company has also arranged for 261 respirators, 400 000 serology tests, and eight diagnostic-processing machines to be delivered to hospitals throughout the region. In addition to this, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior have repurposed their workshops to make nonsurgical face masks for the public and gowns for hospitals. This is all on top of several significant donations to various needs by the LVMH group, including to the Chinese Red Cross Foundation.

Masks, gowns, medical

KERING Kering and its houses — Gucci, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and others — have donated €3-million (plus an additional €2-million in crowdfunding projects) towards Covid-19 relief.

These donations have gone toward the Hubei Red Cross Foundation in China, four major foundation hospitals in Italy, and the Civil Protection Authority and the World Health Organisation (WHO) Solidarity Response Fund. In addition, 3-million surgical masks have been arranged through a Chinese supplier for France’s healthcare services.

Gucci, specifically, has committed to producing 1.1-million surgical masks and 55 000 gowns for Italy’s Tuscany region; with Saint Laurent and Balenciaga retooling their workshops to produce 15 000 surgical masks per week for medical staff in Paris. To assist with the production of protective equipment, Kering has financed the purchase of 60 3D printers for the Cochin Hospital in Paris. In support of the CDC Foundation in the US, the group has donated $1-million to fund medical essentials and personal protective equipment (PPE).

PRADA AND GIORGIO ARMANI Responding to the shortage of PPE in Tuscany, Italy, Prada has produced 110 000 masks and 80 000 medical overalls. Likewise, Giorgio Armani, CEO of Armani Group, has pledged its Italian production plants to manufacture single-use medical overalls, as well as a €2-million donation for hospitals in the Tuscany region.

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Katharynn Kesselaar

LUXE,

WITH LOVE

A

T THE TIME of writing, there were a staggering 3 582 469 confirmed Covid-19 cases worldwide. Besides perhaps Bill Gates and his enthusiasts, who would’ve thought we’d end up here? The world as we know it is turned on its head, with almost every industry being infected by the novel coronavirus.

Economically and socially, the immediate outlook may appear grim, but not all hope is lost. If nothing else, crises of these proportions highlight the fortitude of communities who rally together in solidarity. And it’s luxury brands that have shown they are ready to lend a helping hand.

Whether it’s all for the tax breaks or they are in fact doing things for the right reason, here’s a highlights package of some of their large-scale (and in some cases, not so obvious) acts of Covid-19 goodwill. No surprise that much of the relief is targeted at Europe — and decimated Italy especially — given that most of these brands are based on that continent.

equipment, and big money… luxury brands respond to the pandemic

MONCLER Milan-based luxury brand Moncler has announced a donation of €10-million towards the construction of 400 intensive-care units in Italy’s Lombardy region.

ERMENEGILDO ZEGNA The luxury Italian fashion house has announced that it will donate €3-million to support the healthcare system in Italy. The company has also rallied to manufacture masks, and 280 000 protective hospital suits for medical staff in Switzerland.

RALPH LAUREN US-based Ralph Lauren announced that it would donate $10-million in response to Covid-19. The donation will provide grants to employees through Ralph Lauren’s Emergency Assistance Foundation, contribute to WHO’s Solidarity Response Fund and the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund for Covid-19 Relief, and support the brand’s cancer care Pink Pony Fund. Ralph Lauren will also produce 250 000 masks and 25 000 isolation gowns for donation in the US.

HERMÉS Ensuring that its staff are looked after, Hermés will maintain the basic salary of its 15 500 employees worldwide.

In addition, the French maison will donate €20-million to public hospitals in Paris, as well as 30 tons of sanitiser and 31 000 masks, produced in-house.

GRAFF Luxury diamond house Graff has announced it will donate $1-million to WHO’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund. In a similar vein, South African luxury diamond group De Beers has pledged $2.5-million to be split between Botswana and Namibia’s national relief funds in response to Covid-19.

Interestingly, some brands have already seen a bounce back — with Hermès specifically having made $2.7-million in its flagship store the day it re-opened when the lockdown was lifted in China. We do ponder whether all these brands

believe in philanthropy at their core. But does it even matter? Help is help after all.

One thing is for sure, this pandemic has shown that things need to change. A reboot in how we treat one another, and the environment, will be necessary to survive. The levels of greed and the sheer excess of stuff need to change — and the luxury-goods industry is presented with an opportunity to be at the forefront of that change.

And just maybe, when the dust has settled, we won’t need another catastrophic pandemic to remind us to help each other out.

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MOTORING

05 / 2020

Denis Droppa

HIGH Isolation had you dreaming of getting in your car and going?

Here are four ace local roadtrips to fuel that fire

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URING SOUTH Africa’s Covid-19 lockdown one of my Facebook friends related how he had played “homeoffice Wheel of Fortune” by repeatedly swivelling his chair, lifting his feet off the ground, and taking note of where the chair stopped. Statisticians — and possibly psychologists — may be interested to know that he ended up facing the window 43% of the time, the cupboard 31%, and the door 26%.

Let’s just say that the enforced quarantine will have spurred a wanderlust, a great eagerness to shake off the cabin fever and rediscover the great big outside world.

Leave suburbia in your rearview mirrors and rediscover the joy of a road trip with Steppenwolf’s immortal lyrics running through your head (or your car speakers): “Get your motor runnin’, head out on the highway, lookin’ for adventure and whatever comes our way”.

Here are a few ideas: ROUTE 62 The Western Cape’s Route 62 recently made it onto a list of the top 15 Most Instragrammed Road Trips in the world, in research conducted by British company click4reg.co.uk. It collected 15 of the best-known

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LIFE

IS

A

WAY

roads and trips around the world and then judged which were the most Instagrammed by analysing the number of hashtags for each road trip.

The snaking, scenic road that stretches for 248km from Oudtshoorn to Ashton in the Klein Karoo joined other iconic stretches including the US Route 66, which topped the list.

Much like Route 66 that forms an east-west artery across the States, the Cape’s Route 62 provides an inland link between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth.

The route passes through farming towns such as Calitzdorp, Ladismith, historic Amaliënstein, Zoar, and the fruitgrowing and wine-producing towns of Barrydale, Montagu, and Bonnievale. It includes the famous Ronnies Sex Shop, a pub and restaurant that has become a regular pit stop for bikers, tourists, and local farmers.

Route 62 also has some twisty mountain passes to delight driving enthusiasts, including the Cogmanskloof Pass connecting Asthon and Montagu.

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which reaches 2 149m above sea level.

The region’s 19th-century gold rush history can be experienced in Pilgrim’s Rest, a former gold-mining town that now houses a national museum.

Meandering through mountains and forests, this road trip offers soul-cleansing views. If you have Castrol GTX running through your veins, upping the pace on these winding roads will get your adrenaline pumping and test your driving skills.

KNYSNA SIMOLA HILLCLIMB Many motoring events were cancelled due to the coronavirus, but fortunately so far, the Knysna Simola Hillclimb isn’t one of them. This annual gathering of gravity-challenging sports cars has been postponed from May to the third quarter of the year (date still to be announced). It’s the perfect opportunity for petrol heads to get together for some high-octane socialising.

Taking place over three days, it’s one of the country’s premier annual motoring and motorsport lifestyle events — and worth the drive whichever corner of the country you’re coming from.

The crème de la crème of SA’s sports cars, driven by some of the country’s best, will be racing up the 1.9km uphill course at the Simola Hotel.

Add a couple of days to your trip to experience the Garden Route, a picturesque 200km stretch of the N2

PANORAMA ROUTE The Panorama Route is a scenic drive along the Mpumalanga Escarpment that centres around the spectacular Blyde River Canyon, the third-largest canyon in the world.

The route winds through towns like Graskop and White River, and includes the highest tar road in SA: Long Tom Pass between Lydenburg and Sabie,

Clockwise from left: Get your motor runnin’ and head for the open road; Experience highoctane action in beautiful scenery on the Knysna Simola Hillclimb; Diesel & Crème in Barrydale, one of the charming pit stops along Route 62 which was recently voted one of the world’s 15 most Instragrammed road trips

highway between Mossel Bay and the Storms River Mouth. It’s SA’s best-known road trip for good reason.

Find out more at speedfestival.co.za.

WATERBERG MEANDER Pile the family and the binoculars into the SUV and experience the beauty of the bushveld just a couple of hours north of Johannesburg.

The Waterberg Meander stretches from Marakele National Park in the southwest, to Wonderkop Nature Reserve in the northeast of Limpopo Province.

The Waterberg Biosphere Reserve is all large areas of unspoilt wilderness and open spaces, all of which can be explored on foot, on horseback, or in a vehicle. The open savannah and rolling hills have a wild beauty, and there are a number of game reserves where one can experience close encounters with wildlife.

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NAVIGATOR 05 / 2020

D i sp a t ch e s o n a l l t h i n g s c ool , c ove t a bl e , a n d c onve r s a t i o n - wo r t hy

travel Get outta the house and head for Namibia

whisky

drinks

A fraternity you’ve got to join

Around the world in a glass or two

BRING ME THAT HORIZON

KWESSI

DUNE

LODGE

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KWESSI DUNE LODGE

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HAT ARE YOU missing the most during the long days of lockdown?

Convivial dinners with beloveds? The pleasure of browsing your favourite wine boutique? The solitude of an early-morning jog?

For me it’s quite simple: the horizon, and the simple ocular pleasure of staring; eyes going softfocus as the earth curves tantalisingly out of sight. No, during these weeks the four walls of my suburban home have never quite cut it. So I know where I’ll be heading as soon as the coast is clear: Namibia, and the wide-open spaces of the NamibRand Private Nature Reserve.

It’s a 200 000ha conservation success story; of degraded farmland rehabilitated into one of southern Africa’s most remarkable conservation areas. Don’t come in search of ticking off the Big Five though. While you’ll certainly admire herds of antelope and the occasional journey of giraffe, it’s the landscapes that are the star attraction here. Expect scimitars of red dunes and the alchemy of grassy plains turning into gold come sunset.

Spend a morning discovering the mystery of the region’s famed “fairy circles” that polka dot the landscape, or marvel at ancient rock art. It’s an unforgettable corner of Africa, and with just a handful of luxe lodges sharing these empty plains it’s paradise for a post-corona escape.

Here’s where to unpack your bags…

The latest addition to the NamibRand’s menu of eco-minded lodges is the charming Kwessi Dune Lodge, by boutique safari company Natural Selection. Fitting the Natural Selection ethos, the main lodge is a homely space: sink into the deep-buttoned couches in the cosy library, pull up a chair at the wellstocked bar, or settle in on the wide terrace looking out over the eye-catching emptiness of the NamibRand. While Kwessi offers similar activities to the other outfits in the NamibRand — game drives, dune walks, and daylong excursions to the dunes of Sossusvlei — it’s Kwessi’s dozen idiosyncratic suites that you’ll particularly fall for. Strung out in seclusion

from the lodge, the suites offer oodles of charm and character. Think vintage maps framing romantic four-poster beds, striped canvas walls and indoor-outdoor showers.

And after sunset you’ll want to be nowhere else. Attached to each canvas-and-thatch suite is an outdoor “Stargazer” room, with a separate double bed laid out beneath the southern skies. Kwessi is also entirely solar-powered, so your conscience can sleep easy. naturalselection.travel

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Richard Holmes

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As soon as we can, we’re heading straight for the stars and dunes of Namibia’s NamibRand Private Nature Reserve

&BEYOND

SOSSUSVLEI

DESERT

LODGE

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&BEYOND SOSSUSVLEI DESERT LODGE Aside from those horizons, the crystal skies above are another drawcard of the NamibRand, which was certified as Africa’s first International Dark-Sky Reserve in 2012. If heavenly bodies are your thing, you’ll want to head for Sossusvlei Desert Lodge. Set within its own 12 000ha concession bordering the NamibRand, the lodge is the only one in the region with a dedicated on-site observatory. Equipped with a state-of-the-art telescope and star-tracking technology, nightly stargazing talks are led by the lodge’s resident astronomer. Sustainability is as important as stargazing here. While a major rebuild of the lodge in 2019 added layers of luxury — private plunge pools at each suite, to start — the eco-credentials are impeccable. Solar arrays cover the roof of each room to power everything from the

WOLWEDANS COLLECTION

WOLWEDANS

COLLECTION

Stephan Brückner, owner of the Wolwedans Collection, has good reason to feel a deep connection to the NamibRand.

It was his father, Albi, who laid the foundations for the reserve and since Wolwedans’ Dune Camp first opened in 1994 it has put Namibia on the map for sustainable tourism.

From that single camp, today the Wolwedans Collection

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offers a string of upscale lodges across the reserve. Alongside Dune Camp, the nine-bed Dunes Lodge is the icon; its classic canvas suites perched atop ochre-red sands to offer endless Namib views. The Private Camp is rented on an exclusive-use basis, while Boulders Safari Camp is the most remote option, sheltered by granite outcrops in the far southern reaches of the reserve.

Whichever you choose, you’ll be blown away by the service, the serenity, and the utterly unique landscape. wolwedans.com

aircon to grey-water systems, while intuitive architecture turns to perforated steel sails and natural materials to minimise the ecological footprint of the lodge. &Beyond also boasts some of the best guides in the business, who will lead you on daytime adventures ranging from extended dune walks to e-biking across the desert plains. andbeyond.com

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READ ALERT

05 / 2020

Michele Magwood Shannon Daniels

portrait

SILICON DREAMS AND NIGHTMARES The brave new digital world of the early 2010s and startups wasn’t all it seemed — and everything, she notes, was ripe for it. “An app for coupon-clipping enabled an untold number of bored and curious urbanites to pay for services they never knew they needed, and for a while people were mainlining antiwrinkle toxins, taking trapeze lessons, and bleaching their assholes, just because they could do it at a discount.”

It was a delirious time, when, as it was famously said, “software was eating the world”, and Silicon Valley was its snapping maw. Wiener writes vividly about San Francisco, sharply dismantling the romanticism around it. Visitors from all over the world trooped through her neighbourhood, the storied HaightAshbury, looking for something that may never have existed. They bought tie-dyed skirts, shopped in kitsch vintage stores, and took photos in front of murals of long-dead musicians. Perhaps they thought that the teenagers lying on the pavement or people curled up in doorways on secondhand camping gear were part of the hippie aesthetic, she

“Corporate breakaways and parties are manic. She avoids the hot tub at a spa-themed party, ‘a sous vide bath of genitalia’ ’’

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HE PHRASE “uncanny valley” originally referred to the uneasy, faintly repelled feeling we get when faced with human-like entities, be they androids, computer-animated characters, or lifelike dolls. New Yorker writer and former startup survivor Anna Wiener has titled her memoir Uncanny Valley (Fourth Estate) and this world is every bit as unnerving and faintly repellent.

Wiener was just 25 when she gave up her lowly job in publishing in New York.

“After three years the voyeuristic thrill of answering someone else’s phone had worn thin.” Badly paid in what she believed was a sunset industry, she headed west, to San Francisco, and a very odd valley indeed.

It was 2013, aeons ago in tech terms, when she began work in customer support at a data-analytics startup. It was the era of audacious startups and apps, “A year of new optimism: the optimism of no hurdles, no limits, no bad ideas.” It was the age of disruption — a new word, then

are manic. She avoids the hot tub at a spa-themed party — “a sous vide bath of genitalia”.

Wiener has a boyfriend, but we begin to sense her loneliness on a different level. “The platforms encouraged a cultural impulse to fill all spare time with everyone else’s thoughts. The internet was a collective howl, an outlet for everyone to prove that they mattered. Grief, joy, anxiety, mundanity flowed. People were saying nothing, and saying it all the time.”

She points to what she calls a unique psychic burden shared by people who work in technology, because their work does not physically exist. Her own psychic burden, she says, was that she could command a six-figure salary yet she did not know how to do anything. Whatever she learned in her late 20s came from online tutorials: “How to remove mold from a windowsill; slow-cook fish... selfadminister a breast exam.”

Most ominous of all is that Wiener gradually, belatedly, realised just what data analytics does, and what it is

UNCANNY VALLEY

Anna Wiener

says, “Perhaps the tourists just don’t think about the city’s homelessness epidemic at all.” She has a sardonic eye for the contrasting city workplaces, where boy geniuses roam barefoot, shoot up in their thighs with testosterone, wear Burning Man pelts and help themselves to free keyboards, headphones, and cords from foyer vending machines.

With so much young money around, the property market goes berserk. The culinary scene, too. Chefs, she observes, were not competing against each other but the apathy inspired by upscale office cafeterias and delivery apps. “The food was demented: cheese courses hidden beneath table candles and revealed, perfectly softened, at the end of the meal; whole quail baked into loaves of bread.”

Corporate breakaways and parties

capable of. At first she was in awe of the technology, how it harvested information, “Anything an app or website’s users did — tap a button, take a photograph, send a payment, swipe right — could be recorded in real time, stored, aggregated, and analysed in those beautiful dashboards.”

She and her colleagues even believed that those wielding the software would never pry. “We’re the good guys,” her supervisor reassured her.

Five years on and post Cambridge Analytica, we know what a very bad idea that was, after all.

I wasn’t sad to leave this alien and alienated world or its neurotic narrator, but, knowing more about how it operates, it will be fascinating to watch how Silicon Valley and its soft gods respond to the cataclysm of 2020.

PA R T N E R S H I P

ESCAPE TO THE CAPE We can’t wait for that one day when we can get out and travel across our country again. In that spirit, we asked some of our favourite personalities and experts about their top spots in the Western Cape. Here’s the first in the series

beaches are. As a local growing up in Cape Town we’d walk the dogs on Muizenberg beach and take it for granted. I love Muizenberg, but there’s also Clifton and Camps Bay — both gorgeous.

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Your bestie is in town, where would you take them? I’d start on

Kloof Street and Bree Street; they’re hip and happening. Asoka bar and lounge has always been a favourite because they do live jazz on Tuesdays.

I’d also stop at the Gin Bar on Wale Street, and to Cause Effect, a Cape brandy bar inspired by all that Cape Town has to offer.

Mphumeleli Ndlangisa:

Is the Cape all it’s cracked up to be when it comes to fine food?

Owner, Magna Carta Wines

Absolutely. Cape Town is such a standout in terms of dining out. I love Japanese cuisine, so the real hidden gem for me is Kyoto Garden in town. I love their sashimi and grilled calamari. For more of a fine-

Your favourite weekend market?

Most of the good vendors have moved to the Oranjezicht City Farm Market [in Granger Bay]. My wife and I go there to do our weekly shop; always the cultured ghee and butter from Maria van Zyl’s Cream of the Crop. But we also go for a drink and have a meal. A lot of up-and-coming restaurateurs have a stall in the market. I really love the flammkuchen, as well as the Korean fried chicken from Sepial’s Kitchen, which also has a restaurant in Salt River.

If the market’s closed and I’m hungry in Cape Town, where should I go? My absolute favourite

restaurant is Olympia Café in Kalk Bay. My favourites are the black polenta and the local mussels. Their seafood is fantastic, but the menu is not limited to just seafood. The wine list is also excellent: it offers value for money, but strays off the beaten path and avoids the big-name brands.

Another hidden spot that I really enjoy is Love Thy Neighbour on Bree Street. They do steaks and whole fish cooked on outdoor wood fires, which is unusual for the city. The wine list is also quite good.

What’s your favourite corner of the Western Cape for a road-trip?

The Cape has incredible scenery all over; but for natural beauty,

Clanwilliam and the Cederberg region are probably top of my list.

The Cederberg is absolutely unique.

It’s a desert area, but has vineyards and rivers and fountains. I’m very much into uncut beauty; the kind you find nowhere else in the world.

Is winter still a good time to visit?

Definitely. In the winter there’s a good chance the mountains will be covered in snow. So it’ll be cold, but beautiful.

You can find a lot of cosy places. We stayed at De Pakhuys, which is close to the Pakhuis Pass out of Clanwilliam into the greater Karoo, but there’s also the very fancy Bushmans Kloof, and places like Cederberg Ridge, which has a very nice restaurant too.

And for a quick weekend escape closer to Cape Town? Definitely

Swellendam and the Overberg.

Swellendam really is a fantastic spot in the winter. It doesn’t snow, but the whole area is full of amazing protected valleys with really nice forest cabins and hiking trails.

Moira Mdakana: Head concierge, The Houghton Hotel

What’s one aspect of the city that visitors too often overlook?

I think both locals and visitors don’t truly appreciate how amazing the

dining experience, La Colombe is the place to go. The service and food is so special, and it has such great memories for me.

And what if I’m not into fine dining? Head for the Wembley

Roadhouse in Athlone.

Their Wembley Whopper [a steak roll with braised onions, sliced potatoes, and salad] is amazing. You’ve got the chips, you’ve got the sauce. You can eat it in your car and nobody needs to know.

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N AV I G A T O R

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IKE MOST HUMANS, whisky abhors isolation. A social drink, it comes alive when things come together. When groups gather. When knowledge is shared. When spirit interacts with wood, and innovation complements tradition. This natural affinity fuels many of whisky’s finest moments, and is central to the growth of a much-loved local institution: WhiskyBrother.

When founder Marc Pendlebury decided to follow his heart and open a niche store to quench the thirst of a burgeoning whisky community, he couldn’t have known that, within a decade, it would be one of the world’s foremost whisky brands. That’s not an opinion, it’s the verdict from the international Icons of Whisky 2020 awards where the Hyde Park shop was recently named Single Outlet Retailer of the Year. Put simply: there’s no better place to buy a dram.

It’s a massive achievement that shows how far WhiskyBrother has come since 2012, when Pendlebury quit his job, cashed in his provident fund, sold his car, and went about turning his eponymous whisky blog into a shop.

It was a frustrating time for local lovers of fine drams. Chain stores sold only a fraction of the vast and varied delights viewed online, and offered little advice or guidance. Buying a bottle was often more miss than hit. Pendlebury had travelled enough to know this wasn’t how it should be. “Whisky is a speciality product,” he says, “and it deserved a speciality retail environment”. It was risky, but he had the backing of his whisky family. “The message I got was that they would support a place that reflected the same passion they had for the product,”

Above: Some of WhiskyBrother’s exclusive releases; Right: Marc Pendlebury after being named a Keeper of the Quaich Below: Neil Paterson in the WhiskyBrother shop Bottom: The WhiskyBrother team in their bar

BROTHERLY text

LOVE Dior

Dram The Man

WhiskyBrother, a fraternity founded on shared passion, is a connecting force that has always been more than a store

he explains. This common cause became the foundation upon which WhiskyBrother was built.

Co-owner Neil Paterson first met Pendlebury in high school. Their friendship grew along with an appreciation for whisky that began with adolescent raids on family liquor cabinets, before both built collections and organised monthly meetings. A successful specialist store seemed so unlikely at the time that initially Paterson held back. “I waited a little bit before I put my money where my mouth was,” he admits. But the moment the doors opened it was obvious that WhiskyBrother was more than just a retail outlet. It was a meeting point, the nexus that Joburg’s whisky scene had been craving. “It wasn’t about selling another beverage,” explains Peter Primich, a designer and whisky enthusiast who was there from the start. “It became something of a cultural movement.”

Informal gatherings soon became a Saturdaymorning tradition for a crew of committed comrades.

They’d bring their own bottles along and turn the shop into a knowledge-sharing classroom where devout students tackled their tasting assignments with glee. Grant Herholdt, a lawyer and avid collector, explains how different this was back then: “All you had was bottle stores by bottle-store owners,” he says. “This was a bottle store by whisky lovers.” It was all rather revolutionary. An impersonal, linear retail relationship had been turned into a circle.

And, over time, this circle grew and expanded.

Their limited, highly rated range of exclusive bottlings includes a powerfully peated anCnoc, an intricate Arran finished in a Trebbiano cask, and a PX-matured GlenDronach that’s rich and juicy. They also created The Only Whisky Show, an annual wonderland where you go from intimate, inspiring masterclasses to tasting works in progress with expert Andy Watts and scoring under-the-counter sips from global ambassadors. The WhiskyBrother Bar in Morningside is a class affair, offering 1 350 whiskies and frequent tastings hosted by the team.

All of these are sadly on hold right now, but that hasn’t prevented the brand from staying alive while staying home. As I write, I’ve got one eye on their Whisky Makes Me Happy Hour livestream, an informal broadcast where Pendlebury keeps in touch with fans from around the world. No virus can quell his commitment. This dedication was recognised at the highest level when he was named a Keeper of the Quaich in 2017. Only the most prominent supporters of Scotch whisky are handpicked to join this illustrious international group. It’s a seriously big deal, but of little surprise to those who know him.

“Marc and his team have worked hard from day one,” says Yossi Schwartz. The founder of independent bottlers Single & Single sells his limited releases through very few retailers, WhiskyBrother being one of them. “If you do it half-heartedly everyone picks it up,” he continues. “You need commitment. And they do this 110%.” Doing what they do, with full hearts, is what makes this band of brothers so different. That extra effort is evident in everything they take on. They’ve gone beyond retail and built a community. They throw knowledge and passion in with every purchase. And, in these distanced times, they’re keeping the love alive and their clan connected.

Join Marc and the WhiskyBrother team every Friday at 4pm during lockdown for their Whisky Makes Me Happy Hour livestream: crowdcast.io/whiskybrother

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ravelling around the world might still be restricted but you can traverse the globe through your glass — and we say cheers to that!

T A S T E

Martell is the one great cognac house that distils only clear wines to produce its eau-de-vie and iconic taste. Lightly toasted wooden barrels further enhance the amber hues and woody notes of the Martell VSOP.

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he family-owned Scotch whisky distiller Hunter Laing & Co has recently released Scarabus Specially Selected.

Meaning “rocky place” in Old Norse, Scarabus is named after a mystical area in Islay — one of

SIP ON SCOTLAND

Scotland’s most famed whisky-distilling regions. Aromas of Islay peat smoke and sea salt are followed by warming leather notes, stewed rhubarb, and a wonderful vanilla sweetness on the palate, leading to a rich, lingering finish.

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orget fried chicken, after you’ve tasted Bulleit Bourbon, you’ll have a newfound gratitude for Kentucky (its home of origin). Distilled and aged in the classic Bulleit family tradition, this bourbon’s high rye content gives it a bold, spicy character with a distinctively smooth, clean finish. Charred American-oak barrels lend a smoky backbone, while good old time in those barrels allows all the various components to mellow, mingle, and mature beautifully. We also love that its bottles were designed to have the look and feel of old medicine bottles.

Bulleit Julep: 37.5ml Bulleit bourbon 12 fresh mint leaves 50ml apple juice 15ml cinnamon syrup 50ml soda water 2 dehydrated apple fans Build and churn with crushed ice into a cocktail tonga glass. Top with soda water and garnish with mint and dried apple. .

C A R I B B E A N

KISS

WITH LOVE FROM KENTUCKY

T H E

French

Wade Bales

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ntroducing a new Jack. Jack Tarr Blended Dark Rum is a wellrounded blend of special rums imported from the Caribbean, counter balanced with a splash of the finest South African light rum. It offers exceptional smoothness and superb flavour.

LET’S DRINK TO LONDON Made in England using a 150-year-old family recipe that’s been passed down through five generations, Hayman’s is as classic a London dry gin as they get. Fresh, bright, and balanced, it comes in two variants.

Did you know that South

Africa is now the ninth-fastest-growing

gin market in the world? This explains the proliferation of gins on our shelves — from everyday drinking gins and artisanal ones to of international repute.

gins

premium

With over two decades of experience in the luxury-drinks market, Wade Bales’ passion is sourcing really great drinks and sharing them with really great people

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experience feel like home. On the occasional weekend, we’ll take a drive to Casalinga out in Muldersdrift for some air.

It feels like you are escaping the hustle and bustle of the city. WHAT ITEM IN

SSENTIAL BEAUTY LOTIONS AND

POTIONS? I’m a sucker for a good serum, so definitely the Optiphi Ageless Active Gel and Classic Hydra-Derm HA Masque, Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence, and Uso 04 Active Anti-Ageing Serum.

LISTENING TO? I could easily listen to Snoh Aalegra but then bust out the latest vibey pop jam... but I think Elaine has my ear at the moment.

YOUR WARDROBE BEST SIGNIFIES YOUR SENSE OF STYLE? My

white dress from Maze. Because I feel so amazing in it, I wear it so often, styled differently. I love easy clothing, pieces that bring me peace and make me feel put together. SOMETHING YOU

lot of Harper’s Bazaar, Talk Like Ted by Carmine Gallo, and I’m about to be a certified doula so I’m reading Spiritual Midwifery and The Mama Bamba Way. I love buying books, but mostly I end up reading for research, reading a book by someone I’m going to be interviewing on my podcast (The Sit Down with Olwethu Leshabane), or a book to research a topic for my blog or podcast. WHAT IS THE

YOUR SOUL? Anywhere

FIRST THING YOU ADD TO YOUR GROCERY CART AND

AN INDULGENCE YOU

THE ONE THING THAT’S

WOULD NEVER FORGO?

Definitely a manicure and pedicure from Miss Salon London. When my nails are in tip-top shape, I feel somewhat put together, as though I have life figured out.

RECENTLY PICKED UP AT

ALWAYS IN YOUR FRIDGE?

My husband and I love Kream for date nights — we don’t eat out often and the management there really makes an effort to make the

THE SHOPS THAT YOU

Fruit. My children love it. A

My Karl Lagerfeld K/ Klassik Pins shoulder bag — I bought it on the spot!

CURRENTLY READING? A

PLACE THAT CAPTURED

LOVE?

A PLACE THAT REVIVES

with an ocean. I have a love affair with the sounds and smells of the sea — perhaps because I’m a water sign, and was born on the coast.

FAVOURITE PLACE TO EAT OUT?

it. We arrived to a city that sort of resembled a paradox.

Old buildings built next to new buildings. It was strange.

After the second world war, most of Warsaw lay in ruins so a lot of it had to be rebuilt.

YOUR HEART? Definitely Warsaw, Poland. The culture, the people, the heritage — I love

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OLWETHU LESHABANE

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The digital-content creator, podcaster, and social-media goddess tells us why pampering is important and confesses her love for Karl Lagerfeld 1. Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin 2. Warsaw, Poland 3. The Mama Bamba Way by Robyn Sheldon 4. K/Klassik Pins shoulder bag 5. Laneige Water Bank Hydro Essence 6. The ocean 7. Kream restaurant

PORTRAIT INSTAGRAM @PEDROTHE3RD IMAGES OCEAN 123RF; WARSAW, OLENA KACHMAR/123RF AND SUPPLIED

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Introducing

B OSCHENDAL A luscious blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot , Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc.

Blended Distinction.